Unsettling Feelings
Chapter 2: Unsettling Feelings
It was the first night since Sakura had left, and Sarada had tried her best to put on a brave face. After dinner, which Naruto made sure was full of laughter and cheer, the Uzumaki family gathered in the living room. Boruto had insisted on showing Sarada his newest game, some sort of ninja training exercise involving balancing on the couch cushions and jumping over imaginary obstacles. Sarada had hesitated at first, unsure and still heavy with the weight of her mother’s absence, but as Boruto’s enthusiasm and the laughter of the Uzumaki family filled the room, she felt a small spark of normalcy. The laughter was infectious. Hinata’s gentle warmth and her calm presence gave Sarada a sense of security. Even baby Himawari’s giggles and Boruto’s over-the-top antics helped ease some of the tension in her chest.
By the time bedtime came, Sarada had managed to forget, for just a few hours, the sadness she felt. But once the lights were dimmed and the house had grown quiet, Sarada’s mind began to wander. She lay still in the guest room, the soft moonlight spilling in through the window. She could hear the sounds of the village outside, peaceful and distant. But inside, her mind raced. In the dark, the nightmare returned, vivid and terrifying.
She saw her mother lying on the ground, blood soaking into her clothes, her eyes wide and unblinking. Sarada tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. She reached for her mother, but the distance between them seemed endless, the space stretching further and further the more she tried to run. When Sarada jolted awake, her heart was pounding, her breathing fast and shallow. She sat up, her small hands clutching the blankets as she stared into the dark room, her mind swirling with the remnants of the nightmare. "Mom…?" she whispered softly, her voice trembling.
In the hallway, Naruto, who had just come upstairs to check on Boruto, heard the quiet sobs coming from the guest room. His heart sank, and he quickly knocked before entering. "Sarada?" he called gently, opening the door and stepping inside.
Sarada looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear, her little body trembling. "I… I had a bad dream," she whispered, trying to hide her tears.
Naruto crouched down beside her bed, his face soft with concern. "Hey, hey, it’s okay," he said, his voice soothing. "I’ll stay with you, alright? You don’t have to be scared."
Sarada nodded silently, still clutching the blanket, the weight of the nightmare heavy on her. Naruto sat beside her, pulling the blanket up to her chin and gently rubbing her back. "You’re safe here, Sarada. You know that, right?" he said softly.
For a while, the room was quiet except for the sound of Sarada’s breathing slowly calming. Naruto sat with her, watching over her as she finally drifted back to sleep, though it was fitful, her rest interrupted by occasional soft whimpers. As Naruto left the room, his heart felt heavy with worry. Sarada wasn’t the type to show weakness, yet there was something in her eyes tonight that made him uneasy.
The next morning, Sarada woke up later than usual, the exhaustion from the nightmare lingering in her small body. She didn’t want to get up. She didn’t want to play. She just wanted her mother. Downstairs, Naruto had just finished his breakfast and was getting ready to head out to meet Kakashi when he noticed the unusual silence. Boruto had already run off to start his day, and Himawari was napping, leaving the house quiet. Sarada was sitting at the kitchen table, her shoulders slumped, a far cry from the energetic child he’d seen the night before.
"Hey, Sarada," Naruto said gently, walking over to her. "How’re you feeling this morning?"
Sarada didn’t look up, her gaze fixed on the table, her hands wrapped tightly around a glass of juice. "I’m fine," she muttered, though her voice lacked the usual spark. Naruto’s heart sank a little. This wasn’t like Sarada at all.
"How about we go outside? Get some fresh air?" Naruto suggested, trying to coax her into joining him. "Boruto’s probably out there getting into trouble, we can catch up with him."
But Sarada shook her head, her gaze still distant. Naruto sighed and decided to let it be. "Alright, well, I’m going to head out for a bit. But if you need anything, Hinata’s right here. Okay?" Sarada nodded silently, not meeting his eyes.
As Naruto left to meet Kakashi, Hinata stepped into the kitchen, her soft voice filling the space. "Good morning, Sarada. Would you like some breakfast?" Sarada didn’t respond at first, still lost in her thoughts. But Hinata, ever patient, didn’t push. She simply sat across from Sarada, folding a small cloth in her hands as she spoke.
"I know it’s hard being away from your mom," Hinata said quietly. "But you’re here with us, and we’ll make sure you feel at home. You can always talk to me, okay?"
Sarada glanced at her, her expression softening just slightly. Hinata’s words were kind, and though Sarada’s sadness remained, she felt a small comfort in knowing she wasn’t alone.
"You don’t have to worry about anything, Sarada," Hinata continued, her voice soothing. "I’m here to keep you company while you’re with us. You’re part of the family now."
As Hinata prepared breakfast and tended to baby Himawari, she kept Sarada company, talking softly to her about simple things—about the weather, about how Himawari was growing so fast, about the times when she had felt nervous or lonely as a child. Sarada listened, a quiet connection forming between them. It wasn’t the same as her mother’s presence, but there was warmth there, and that was enough for now.
---
Later that day, Naruto and Kakashi met in the Hokage’s office. As they discussed the ongoing situations in Suna and their responsibilities, Kakashi looked up at Naruto, noting the concerned expression on his face.
"So, how was Sarada’s first night?" Kakashi asked casually, though his eyes were sharp, always noticing the smallest detail.
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Not great," he admitted. "She had a nightmare about her mom, and she’s been feeling pretty down since she woke up. I think she’s just really missing Sakura." He paused, looking out the window for a moment. "I tried to help her, but… I don’t know, Kakashi. I can see that something’s bothering her deeper than just being away from her mom."
Kakashi’s eyes narrowed slightly, sensing the weight of Naruto’s words. "I see," he said slowly. "Make sure to keep an eye on her. Children are more resilient than we think, but sometimes, what’s inside can be harder to manage."
Naruto nodded, his protective instincts kicking in. "I will."
---
That night, as the house quieted down once more, Sarada tried to sleep, but the nightmares came again, vivid and painful. Sakura’s face, lifeless and covered in blood, haunted her every time she closed her eyes. This time, the fear was worse—it was as if the nightmare had followed her into her waking moments, every shadow feeling like a threat. She turned in her bed, unable to find comfort in the warmth of the blankets. Her heart pounded in her chest, and the unease that had been growing inside her all day reached a breaking point.
Naruto, hearing her soft cries from his bedroom, hurried to her room once more. He found her sitting up, her small face pale with fear. "It’s okay, Sarada," he said softly, sitting down beside her and pulling her into a hug. "You’re safe. You’re not alone."
But as Sarada clung to him, the unease in her chest refused to go away. It was as if the darkness that plagued her dreams was creeping closer, and no matter how much Naruto tried to reassure her, Sarada couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was coming.
The next day, Sarada felt like the previous day. While Naruto was at work, she stayed at home helping Hinata to take care of Hima, but Hinata could feel that Sarada’s sadness and anxiety were increasing as time went by. When the evening came, the streets of Konoha were quiet, the village at peace for the moment. But inside the Uzumaki household, a different kind of quiet lingered.
Sarada sat at the kitchen table, her small hands pressed against the surface, fidgeting with the edge of her napkin. Her eyes darted toward the door every few moments as if waiting for her mother to come through it. The silence was thick, and her thoughts swirled with the same question she had asked herself a thousand times since Sakura left: When will Mommy be back?
Naruto noticed the tension in Sarada’s posture. He had been watching her for the last two hours, seeing the way she hesitated to join in on their usual activities, her eyes constantly searching for a sign of her mother’s return.
“Hey, Sarada,” Naruto said softly, crouching down beside her and placing a hand on her small shoulder. “How about we do something fun, huh? Want me to tell you some stories from when I was a kid?” Sarada looked up at him, her dark eyes heavy with sadness. She didn’t respond at first, only nodded weakly.
Naruto smiled, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes. She’s stronger than this, he thought, but he knew it wasn’t easy for her. "You know, when I was your age, I used to get so lonely sometimes. I didn’t have many people to talk to, but I always had this one thing to keep me busy..." He paused dramatically, grinning. "I used to sneak around the village and cause all sorts of trouble. You’d be amazed at all the pranks I pulled!”
Sarada’s lips twitched, just the smallest hint of curiosity flickering in her eyes. “What kind of pranks?” she asked, her voice soft but a little more engaged.
Naruto’s grin widened as he launched into his tale. “Well, there was this one time I put a bunch of explosive tags on the Hokage’s office door... and guess what happened? He didn’t notice until it was too late! Boom!” He laughed, though the laughter was light, masking the concern he still felt.
Sarada giggled at the story, her eyes brightening just a little as Naruto continued to tell various pranks from his childhood—stories of running from irate villagers, hiding in trees, and his encounters with Iruka-sensei. Despite herself, Sarada found herself drawn into his stories, her small hands beginning to relax on the table as she listened with rapt attention.
“And then,” Naruto said, leaning in, eyes twinkling with mischief, “there was the time I painted all the Hokage faces.”
“Really?” Sarada’s voice was full of disbelief.
“Yep!” Naruto laughed, thoroughly enjoying the way Sarada’s eyes widened with astonishment. “Iruka-sensei almost had a heart attack when he saw it the next day.”
For a moment, Sarada’s world seemed to narrow down to the warmth of Naruto’s voice, the sound of his laughter filling the air. The heaviness in her chest lightened just a little. She felt a flicker of comfort—maybe, just maybe, being here wasn’t so bad. Naruto watched her, his heart swelling with a mix of pride and protectiveness. She was a lot like him in some ways—strong, determined, and fiercely loyal to the ones she loved. But she was still so young, still carrying the weight of being away from her mother.
"Sarada," Naruto began, his voice more serious now, "I know it’s hard, being away from your mom. But you’re not alone, okay? You’ve got me, Hinata, and everyone here who cares about you."
Sarada nodded silently, her gaze drifting to the window as the last light of day faded from the sky. She still missed her mother terribly. There was a hole in her heart that only Sakura’s presence could fill. But Naruto’s words, the way he made her laugh, made her feel like she was a part of something bigger than just her sadness.
The door creaked open, and Hinata walked in with a gentle smile, her eyes soft with understanding. "Dinner’s ready, Sarada. We saved you a seat." Sarada nodded and stood up, a small smile tugging at her lips as she followed Hinata to the table. She felt a strange sense of belonging here, like a piece of the puzzle was starting to fall into place, even though the missing piece—her mother—still weighed heavily on her heart.
But as she sat down, a shiver ran down her spine. It was brief but unmistakable. The air felt different, colder somehow, and the soft light from the lanterns cast long shadows on the walls. Sarada’s gaze flicked to the window once more, her unease returning in waves. Naruto, noticing the shift in her demeanour, kept a watchful eye on her. The playful stories and the laughter had filled the house with warmth, but there was something in the air now—something just out of reach, like a distant storm that threatened to break.
In the quiet moments that followed, as everyone gathered around the table to eat, Naruto’s protective instincts kicked into overdrive. He kept an eye on Sarada, noticing how her gaze kept flickering toward the door as if waiting for someone to walk through it. Her mother. But the door never opened.
As the night drew on, Naruto’s unease grew. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The village was quiet, yes, but it was too quiet. Something lingered in the air, an undercurrent of danger that seemed to slip through the cracks of his usually upbeat exterior. He glanced at Sarada, who was now drawing quietly at the table, lost in her thoughts. Her small frame seemed so vulnerable, despite the strength in her eyes. Naruto could feel it, deep in his gut—the same feeling he’d had countless times before, right before a storm hit. And this time, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm wasn’t just about Sakura’s absence. There was something else coming—something that would test their bond in ways they weren’t prepared for.