Naruto woke with a start, feeling a weight on his chest. He opened his eyes and found a large black cat sleeping peacefully on top of him.
He touched his body, realizing he was half-naked, only his boxers accompanying him. He still felt discomfort in his abdomen, but nothing as excruciating as he had felt in the forest.
He raised his head slightly. He was in a small but cozy living room, lying on the carpet in front of the small fireplace, its flames crackling, illuminating and warming the room.
He scanned his eyes until he found a woman sitting in a leather armchair, staring at him with a book in her hands. He couldn't help but notice a gun resting on the armrest.
"Welcome back, stranger. I thought you wouldn't wake up until noon."
He didn't answer, just glanced briefly at the woman before him, returning his attention to the cat still sleeping on his chest.
"Sorry about Max. We don't usually have visitors. I think he's gotten a little excited." He tried to move but soon felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, making him grunt.
"Better take it easy, your stitches are very fresh. I administered the only morphine I had, but the effect won't last long. You better relax right there."
She turned her attention back to her reading, but who was this woman?
They were lit only by the fire in the fireplace, so he could barely see her face, but he knew her hair was short; he could see the ends emerging at her neck, probably a bob.
"What is this place? Why did you bring me here?"
"Look, then," you say, "it was either this or let you die in my barn."
She stands up, gun in hand, heading towards him. Naruto shudders immediately, but all she does is pull the cat off him.
"You must be starving. I made some chicken soup; it'll help with the fever."
"Thanks. I didn't want to break into your barn. I was leaving first thing in the morning." "It's a good thing your plan backfired, or you'd be dead by morning. You're lucky you didn't bleed internally from that bullet."
"Are you a doctor, by any chance?"
"A veterinarian, how lucky, right?"
She smiled at him, but he didn't find it the least bit amusing. He continued to frown as she walked away to the other room.
He couldn't see what she was doing, but he could hear the sound of silverware and glass. It wasn't long before she returned with a bowl of soup that smelled wonderful.
"You must be starving. I'll help you eat."
She gently supported his head, placing another pillow on it so he was elevated. She walked to the light switch on the wall next to the door, and the light flicked on. Now he could see her perfectly well, and good heavens, she was gorgeous.
I didn't have much of a sense of her body, as she wore sweatpants and a thick pink jacket. But her face was simply sublime, angelic. That woman had the beauty of the gods and the glow of moonlight in her clear, crystalline orbs.
Despite her gentle face and melodious voice, her gaze was hard, and Naruto quickly returned to reality.
"Can you tell me what time it is?"
"It's past two in the morning. You slept a lot, stranger."
"Don't call me that."
"Then tell me your name."
He fell silent, being hunted like a fox; he wouldn't reveal his name.
"Since you won't tell, then I'll baptize you. I'll call you Blue."
"What?"
"Because of your eyes, now you better eat."
She gently blew on the spoon before feeding him. Maybe it was hunger, but that soup was delicious. He sighed with relief and satisfaction after the last spoonful.
"Thank you, miss, for everything."
"No problem, stay wrapped up, Blue, because the night's going to be cold."
She sat back down in the armchair reading the book, leaving the blond in front of her increasingly curious and intrigued.
"Aren't you going to sleep?"
"With a stranger in my house? I don't think so."
"So you live here alone?"
"Well, it's me, Max, and my little friend here."
She smiled sarcastically, pointing the gun, making it clear that the blond had better behave.
"No need to threaten me, I wouldn't be capable of doing anything to you."
"Really? Good for you, but I'd shoot you without a problem, and speaking of which, I took your gun. I'll give it back to you when you're better, now go to sleep."
"Thank you, can I at least know your name?"
"Miss Nobody, that's my name. Now go to sleep, Blue, before the morphine wears off."
He didn't want to sleep; he wanted to pepper her with questions, to know everything about her, but since he hadn't identified himself, she also had the same right, so she would have to respect that.
He closed his eyes again, and despite the agitation, he soon fell asleep again. He still had time to feel Max settling on top of him again.
...