He glanced in through the window, seeing his mother taking care of the little girl he used to play with. Sayuri and Ryuu were around the same age and they were close because they had only each other for company.

But ever since she had been brought back from her house in an unconscious state, followed shortly after by her mother's dead body, the girl had not spoken a single word.

Ryuu's mother, Kaiko Ishikawa, had not left Sayuri alone ever since as she stayed with her and made sure that the girl was safe. While Ryuu would be standing outside the room almost every day when he got free from his lessons, waiting to be given the opportunity to talk to his friend again.

He knew Sayuri was not well and he was concerned for her. But even though he had tried to ask his mother to let him talk to her, she had refused.

His brown eyes locked with his mother's as the woman looked up at the window and he quickly ducked, hoping she hadn't seen him. In his hands was a small packet of peanuts that he had saved for Sayuri but just like every day, he might not be able to give it to her himself.

The door opened and he was about to run off but his mother's voice made him halt. "Ryuu, you are here again even though I asked you not to come."

He turned to face her, a slightly guilty look spreading on his face, "sorry."

She saw he was clutching something in his hand tightly, "and what's that?"

"I brought these for Sayuri," he took a few steps towards her, dropping the packet in her palm, "she likes peanuts."

Her gaze softened seeing that he was quite worried for his friend. Her husband had strictly told her not to let anyone else in the room where Sayuri was being kept. But then the girl had been friends with Ryuu, perhaps she would get better seeing him there.

"Here, give these to her yourself," she gave him the packet much to his surprise and stepped aside to let him in, "but be quick. If your father comes he will scold me for letting you in."

"Is she alright?" He whispered, not wanting to disrupt the silence in the room as it seemed Sayuri was asleep.

"She's better than before," Kaiko replied just as softly, closing the door behind him, "don't startle her."

He nodded, carefully going to the place where she was lying down, covered with blankets. He sat down cross-legged beside her, watching her in concern. Her eyes were open but blank, unlike the playful grey irises he remembered.

Very cautiously, he put the packet of peanuts by her pillow.

Grey eyes met his brown irises and she drew back, as if afraid of anyone who approached her. But he sat at a distance from her, pointing to the packet.

"Sayuri," he whispered, "I brought peanuts for you."

She blinked, her eyes focused on him but her hands still clutched tightly to herself. She had recognized him but she was still scared that something bad could happen to her.

Kaiko was silently observing the two. She had done all in her power to bring the girl back to normal but a week had passed and yet she was just as unresponsive as she had been the terrible night she had been brought to the base.

If Sayuri didn't talk to Ryuu either then perhaps she would never say anything to anyone again. And that was a problem because Sota was trying to contact her father who lived in Gotham. Letting her stay at the base could be risky so the only other option they had was to send her to her father.

But if she stayed in that unresponsive state, they would have to explain a lot to her father which could not be possible considering that they had to keep the existence of their clan a secret from other people.

Ryuu watched that she didn't move to take the packet so he carefully undid the ribbon himself, opening it to reveal the peanuts held within. Her eyes followed each move but she still didn't say anything.

"Here," he removed the shell and rubbed the two peanuts between his fingers, the papery pink peel coming off. With that he held his hand out toward her, waiting for her to take the peanuts.

Very slowly, her hand reached out and she took one of them from his palm, putting it in her mouth. Kaiko straightened for she had not been expecting that.

Perhaps they should have let Ryuu come in sooner.

She took the other peanut as well so Ryuu began to unpeel the rest of them for her, relieved to see that she was not as still as a statue anymore.

But her eyes were welling up in tears and she looked so sad that it worried him. He had heard from the elders that Nuriko had been murdered and he knew that was the reason for Sayuri's distress.

He wanted to be of help to her in any way he could.

"Ryuu, your father is coming. You must step out," Kaiko spoke up and Ryuu placed the rest of the peanuts close to Sayuri, standing up to leave.

But before he could leave, a thin raspy voice stopped him.

"Don't go."

Kaiko too turned in alarm to see that Sayuri had sat up by herself at last, the tears pouring down her cheeks and her voice no louder than a rasp.

"Don't..."

It was the first time she had said anything and it was due to Ryuu's presence that she had shown a change in her unresponsive state. Whether Sota liked it or not, the boy would have to stay there if they wanted her to recover soon.

She looked down at Ryuu who was waiting for her to tell him what to do next. Her son was very obedient and even though he wanted to stay with his friend, he didn't want to disobey his parents.

She nodded, taking in a deep breath, "stay with her for now. I'll talk to your father. Don't leave until I come back."

Ryuu nodded, watching his mother step out and close the door. When he turned back to Sayuri, she looked as if she would start crying any second.

He might be just a child but he couldn't see his only friend in so much pain.

"Sayuri, please don't be so sad," he remarked, sitting close to her when she didn't draw back.

Her lip wobbled, a stream of tears pouring out from her eyes, "they... They hurt my Okasan... She was... She was bleeding..."

Ryuu did not know what to say to that. He hadn't been allowed to go to the courtyard when the bodies had been brought over and even during the funeral, he had stayed at the very back with his mother.

Kaiko had not yet returned and he wanted to do something to comfort her. So he cautiously put his arms around her, bringing her close in a hug.

He knew losing one's mother was very painful, he could imagine how terrible it would feel because he loved his own mother a lot too. And holding his friend close, letting her cry in distress, it was the first time he felt what pain was like.

If it was in his power, he would make sure no one would feel pain again.

If only it was in his power. But he was just a child, around the same age as the girl who had broken down to tears next to him.

What could two children do in a world full of pain and misery?

Little did they know that their fates were entwined together and though they may be just children right then, in the future they would grow up to be the sword and shield of the Sasuke warrior clan.

***