Silence hung in the room like a veil suspended between two worlds.
Their bodies were still warm, close, wrapped in a rare peace. A stolen peace. A peace that wouldn't last.
But for that night, it was enough.
Naruto kept his eyes closed, one hand resting against Natasha's bare hip. He could feel her breath on his neck, the warmth of her stomach against his skin, and the slow rhythm of her heartbeat — that steady pulse whispering: I'm here.
He wished he could sleep. Just that. Sleep, without thinking of tomorrow, without war, without chakra, without systems, without destiny.
But he couldn't.
Because he knew that this — this moment — was an illusion.
A miracle stitched from chaos.
So, he spoke.
— "Hinata... she was my future. A dream I never thought possible. A soft light — something I wanted to deserve."
He finally opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling, his fingers gently brushing through Natasha's red hair.
— "But you..."
She slowly lifted her head. The sheet slipped from her back, revealing a discreet scar on her shoulder. A memory of war — like his own.
— "You are my present. Raw. Uncertain. But real. And I clung to you… without understanding why."
She listened, silently.
Then she slid her hand over his chest, where red chakra marks still faintly pulsed.
— "Because I'm broken too. And together, we don't try to heal… we just survive."
She leaned in, pressing their foreheads together.
— "And sometimes… surviving is enough."
---
The Next Day – S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ
08:46 AM.
Their footsteps echoed down the corridor. Naruto wore simpler clothes this time: dark jeans, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket. No visible weapons. But the thermal scanners were overloaded.
Natasha was in full tactical gear. Not to show off. Just to remind Hill she wasn't just a civilian.
They entered the steel briefing room. Satellite images flickered on the screens — energy signatures detected in the Afghan desert, reports of Tony Stark still missing.
Maria Hill didn't even look up.
— "Mr. Uzumaki."
Naruto nodded once.
— "We're making this official. You're not an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., but you're too dangerous to be left unclassified. Here's your file."
She handed him a black case — biometric card, restricted access codes, a temporary badge.
— "Status: Unaligned Asset. Clearance Level 3. Continuous surveillance. All actions will be assessed."
Naruto said nothing.
But Natasha did.
— "If anyone here ever tries to use him as a weapon… he walks. And so do I."
Hill finally looked up.
— "If he ever becomes a threat, you won't be able to stop him."
Naruto gave a faint, almost sad smile.
— "Neither will you."
---
Afternoon – Secret Training Grounds, Sector 13
The wind blew strong.
In front of him: a fully automated combat field. Drones, mobile targets, energy barriers. A testing zone for elite agents.
— "You want me to show you what I can do?" Naruto asked.
A technician in reinforced gear shrugged.
— "Your chakra already fried two of our scanners. We just want to know how dangerous you are."
Naruto stepped into the center of the field.
Inhaled.
Then slowly exhaled.
The red marks on his chest lit up, branching down his arms. His eyes turned golden. And for a moment… time seemed to slow.
360 drones activated.
They swarmed toward him.
What followed wasn't a show of power.
It was a dance.
Every movement was precise. Measured. He dodged before the shots were even fired. He launched chakra waves without even forming hand signs. Silent, sharp red arcs. Chakra spheres. Compressed wind blades.
And when it was over… he stood alone.
The 360 drones? Disintegrated. Smoking wreckage. Zero human casualties.
Total silence.
Then a voice over the intercom:
— "Estimated power rating: Level 7+. Alpha-class threat. Unlimited potential if growth continues."
He turned toward Natasha, watching from behind bulletproof glass.
He raised an eyebrow.
She smiled.
He smiled back.
---
Evening – Apartment
They came home late.
Natasha tossed her jacket onto the couch, her hair loose. Naruto poured himself a glass of water. He still didn't talk much. But that night, he made an exception.
— "You know what I realized?"
She looked up, curious.
— "I don't want to just survive here."
He stepped closer.
— "I want to live."
She stepped toward him too, slowly.
— "Then live with me."
They kissed.
Not an explosion.
Not a conquest.
A silent vow.