Naruto: Seishin – The Bond That Binds

06:17 AM – Secured Apartment, New York

The world was slowly waking behind half-closed blinds. The light was pale, gray, filtered.

Nothing yet signaled the coming storm.

And yet, in the silence of that dim room, something had already changed.

The bed was still warm. Their bodies entangled.

Natasha's breath gently traced the line of Naruto's throat.

They were asleep… together, but breathing as one.

Then suddenly, Naruto opened his eyes.

And without knowing why, Natasha opened hers at the exact same moment.

No gasp.

No panic.

Just… a response.

An involuntary harmony.

— "So I wasn't dreaming?" she whispered.

He turned to her. His voice was still rough with sleep.

— "No. You felt what I felt."

— "And you woke up… because I started to dream."

He nodded slowly.

They lay there in silence for a while, unsettled, but not afraid.

This bond wasn't a prison. It was a living resonance.

But this… was only the beginning.

07:03 AM – S.H.I.E.L.D. | Hermes Network – Analysis Room

Discrete alarms blinked red on the main surveillance board.

— "Another energy spike… again."

— "Same frequency as the last ones?"

— "No. More stable. Denser."

The analyst glanced up at Hill, who was staring at the data, unblinking.

— "Still coming from the same apartment?"

— "Yes. But…"

He hesitated.

— "It's no longer just him. A new energy signature just synchronized with his."

Hill's jaw tensed.

— "Romanoff."

— "Her chakra is now… partially active."

— "What does that even mean?"

The analyst went pale.

— "It means she's sharing her life force with him. Literally."

Silence.

Then Hill slammed her fist onto the desk.

— "They need to be separated. Before it's too late."

08:15 AM – Somewhere in Manhattan

A former S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist reread the encrypted message.

Then turned to the prototype equipment scattered across his basement.

One of the monitors blinked:

Chakra frequency: double helix – fusion detected

Name: unknown (FEMALE)

Side effect: prolonged stabilization – absorption potential: HIGH

He smiled.

— "They've created a soul with two voices."

His fingers trembled.

— "It's even more valuable than S.H.I.E.L.D. predicted."

He stood up.

— "We need to capture them. Before it evolves any further."

08:46 AM – Apartment

Natasha stood in front of the mirror, a cup of tea in her hands.

Naruto stepped out of the shower, towel around his waist.

They exchanged a glance.

A long one.

No words needed.

They both knew what the other was feeling.

— "You feel that?" she asked softly.

He nodded.

— "We're being watched."

— "Hill?"

— "And others."

She set the cup down.

— "Then we need to act before they do it for us."

Naruto stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her waist.

— "Then let's do it our way."

She smiled, eyes cold and sharp.

— "Together."

And in that word—together—the world shifted slightly.

Just enough for them to breathe.