Naruto: Threads of Crimson

"Shiro," Reika called softly, her voice like the whisper of leaves in the wind.

"Hm?" I blinked, glancing up at her, but my gaze dropped back to the ground almost immediately after seeing the concerned look on her face.

'Why did it have to be my dad?' The question churned in my mind, 'He was invincible, untouchable. At least, that's how it always seemed in my mind.'

I kicked a stone that was on the path, 'How could he have been killed? He was way too strong to have been taken out easily, so what happened? Why does this feel so weird? I'm not even that sad anymore; I'm just so confused.'

I didn't notice when we arrived at the restaurant, not until the sharp smell of grilled fish and sizzling meat yanked me back to reality. I blinked at the familiar sign above Kaikaya's and sighed a little internally. 'Oh, we're at Kaikaya's. It's too bad I'm not that hungry.'

The hostess led us to a table by the window. Shisui dropped into the seat across from me, already scanning the menu. "I'm thinking about getting some sushi today. I haven't had a good salmon roll in a while," he said, his tone light but his glance darting to me briefly.

Reika settled in beside me. "Calamari sounds good," she mused. "I wasn't too hungry when you invited me, but now…" Her words trailed off, and she smiled faintly.

Their conversation carried on about what sounded like menial things. I sat, hands folded in front of me, staring at the knotted grains in the wooden table.

'Why did they bring me here? To cheer me up? To distract me? I feel so hollow on the inside. Was there someone stronger out there than him?' The thought popped up again just as it had through the last few days. 'If even my dad could be taken out, what does that say about anyone else? What about me? What about the Hokage?'

An elbow jabbed me sharply in the shoulder, jolting me upright. Reika was looking at me, her brow creased with concern. "Shiro, the waitress," she murmured.

I blinked up at the young woman standing by our table, pen poised over her notepad. Her polite smile didn't falter, but there was a flicker of impatience in her eyes. "Oh. Uh… I'll have the grilled mackerel and a rice ball, please," I said, my voice hoarse.

She nodded and left as the silence grew again at our table. I could feel their eyes on me, Reika's questioning look centered on me.

Looking back down at the groves in the table I began to trace the patterns in the woodonce again. "Excuse me," I muttered abruptly, pushing my chair back. The legs scraped against the floor, loud enough to make Reika flinch. "I need to use the restroom."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The moment Shiro disappeared around the corner, Reika leaned in closer to Shisui, lowering her voice to keep their conversation private.

"Shisui," she began softly, "what's wrong with him today? He seems so… distant, like he's trapped in his own head, trying to figure something out."

Shisui let out a long sigh, running a hand through his dark hair. His gaze flickered toward the bathroom, then back to Reika. "The clan's holding a funeral for Kaito today. As soon as my mom told me, I figured bringing him out for lunch might help. I thought maybe we could take his mind off things for a little while, you know? But… maybe I was wrong. He hasn't said a word since we left."

"Kaito… his father," she murmured, more to herself than Shisui. "It must be unbearable for him to face something like this so young."

Shisui nodded, his expression darkening with understanding. "It is. It's a pain no one should have to go through, but we all do eventually. Some people find a way to move forward quicker than others. I get it, though. When I lost my dad, it was the same for me. It wasn't until I met Shiro, honestly, that I started to climb out of that hole." He paused, glancing down at his hands. "He pulled me out without even realizing it."

Reika listened intently, her expression softening as she leaned her chin into her hand. "Then it's your turn now, Shisui," she said, her voice steady. "He helped you through your grief, and now you have to do the same for him. This is how bonds like yours deepen—by carrying each other when life knocks one of you down."

Shisui looked at her, a flicker of gratitude crossing his face. "I hadn't thought of it like that," he admitted. "But yeah, that makes sense. You can't really appreciate someone fully until you know what it's like to lose something or someone just as important. He's like a brother to me, though. Watching him like this, it feels wrong, like the whole world's off-balance."

Reika nodded. "That's grief. It shakes everything up, leaves a hole that nothing seems to fill. But it's not forever. He'll find his footing again, with time. And with you there to lean on, he won't have to do it alone."

Shisui's lips twitched into the faintest smile. "You're right. He's strong—stronger than even he realizes. He'll pull through this. I just hate seeing him like this. It's like… it's not him. It's like someone's taken the real Shiro away and replaced him with this shadow. I want to see him smiling again. I want him to crack one of those dumb jokes of his. It feels unnatural without them."

Reika offered him a small, reassuring smile, "I completely agree, without your bantering, the walk over her felt really awkward." Reika raised a hand to catch the waitress's attention. "Can we get some dessert for the table? Something sweet—whatever you think is best."

The waitress nodded with a warm smile. "Of course, I'll bring it right out."

Reika turned back to Shisui, her voice quieter, more thoughtful. "But sometimes it's the small things that can make a difference. A little sweetness, a kind gesture, it might not fix everything immediately, but it's a start. He just needs to know he's not alone, even in the simplest ways."

Shisui gave her a grateful nod, glancing toward the corner where Shiro had disappeared. "Yeah. You're right. We'll find a way to pull him out of this. He deserves to come back to the light after this darkness."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Inside the bathroom, I leaned over the sink, gripping its edges tightly as I looked into the mirror. I splashed water on my face, the chill jolting me for a brief moment.

'Wake up, man,' I thought bitterly, staring at the drops of water sliding down the mirror. 'I can't be showing weakness, not now. It goes against shinobi rule #45: A shinobi must never show any weakness.'

I shook my head sharply, trying to push the grief away. 'You can't be sad. Dad wouldn't want that for you. He'd probably say something like, "Uchiha are too prideful to show their dependence on any one person. If you place that much importance on someone, you're only setting yourself up for heartbreak if you lose them." and he would be 100% right because that's exactly what happened.'

The words rang in my mind, as if I could still hear his steady, unshakable voice as I shookmy head and looked back down into the sink.

'Maybe this funeral will be a good thing, I'll get some closure and I can move on. I won't have to worry about this anymore and I can get stronger so I can protect the people I love.'

My chest tightened and I looked up at the mirror again. My Sharingan flared to life, the three tomoe spinning slowly in the reflection. 'He sacrificed his life for his teammates. For his family. If I can't honor his sacrifice and pay it forward, then what good am I? I'd be just as bad as the person who killed him.'

I sighed heavily, closing my eyes for a moment before reaching for the door handle. With a deep breath, I steeled myself and walked out of the bathroom.

When I returned to the table, the rich, smoky aroma of grilled fish hit me stronger this time. Plates of steaming food sat in front of them, glistening with oil and sauce.

I slid back into my seat, picking up my chopsticks as they both turned toward me. I didn't want them to see the cracks in my mask, so I forced myself to focus on the food.

"You doing okay, Shiro?" Reika's voice broke through my thoughts.

This time, instead of avoiding her gaze, I looked up. Her brown eyes were warm, steady, filled with an understanding that somehow made the weight on my chest feel a little lighter. I nodded slowly.

"I am. Sorry about the way I've been acting today. It's… unprofessional. I should do better."

Reika's lips curved into a faint smile, and she gave a small nod of approval. "Good, because regardless of how you're feeling, you're going to enjoy the food and these desserts. They were expensive."

She picked up a sweet bean cake and piece of mackerel from the platter that had been placed on the table, holding it up with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Before I could protest, she poked it gently at my cheek, grinning. "Here comes the kunai," she said in a sing-song voice.

My face flushed instantly, and I snatched the food from her hand. "Stop that," I grumbled, trying to hide the embarrassment in my voice. "I'm not a kid, ya know."

"Really? You could've fooled me, you know with your stature and all" she teased, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

I took a bite of the cake and rolled my eyes at her comment, "I don't need this right now," I grumbled with my mouth full as I felt the flavors wash over me.

The sweetness spreading across my tongue and the savoryness hitting the back of my throat like a punch. They melted softly, its flavor rich and smooth.

I glanced at Reika and Shisui, who were both watching me expectantly. Shisui wiggled his eyebrows, and Reika's grin widened.

"It's good," I admitted quietly, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of hearing me say it louder.

"What was that? I'm sorry I couldn't quite hear you." Shisui said across from the table.

"I said it was good okay?" I over exagerated my pronunciation as Shisui had a self satisfied smile on his face.

Reika clapped her hands together in mock celebration. "See?! A little food can fix anything."

Shisui chuckled, digging into his own dessert while he ate his meal. "Well, you're not wrong. Guess that's one more rule of being a shinobi, never underestimate the power of a good meal."