Shizukesa: [48] - Healing

“You've been in the village for less than 24 hours and you're back in the hospital already.”

Tsunade was standing over him, arms crossed. It was as if she didn't know what to make of the situation.

“I'm starting to think you injure yourself just so you can see Sakura.” she said, hinting at a grin.

Sasuke had just woken up moments ago, and he still didn't know the details of how he'd come to end up here.

He shook his head.

“The hospital isn't a place I try to get into.”

The hokage gave him a look, and briefed him on the extent of the burns and odd injuries he'd mysteriously sustained.

“Can you remember what happened?”

Again, he shook his head, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“I don't know. I was training last night, and I remember a flash of light. That's all.”

“Orochimaru...?”

“I wouldn't be here if it were him, don't you think?” he said, veiling his sarcasm. He was speaking to the hokage after all...

“Well, your nerve endings are fried. Any idea how that happened?”

“Nope.”

Tsunade sighed a tired sigh, her patience wearing thin. “Well, I think you'll be fine, but you're going to need treatment for a week or so.”

She turned on her heel, walking out of the room briskly.

Sasuke grumbled to himself, annoyed. Another week in the hospital meant another week of wasted time.

Out in the hallway, Tsunade was lecturing her pupil. When she finished, she handed Sakura a sheaf of papers and began to walk away.

“Oh, and Sakura?”

“Yes, milady?”

“Don't get distracted.” Tsunade's penetrating, suggestive gaze turned Sakura's cheeks into the same shade of pink as her hair.

Sakura nodded, blushing furiously.

It took her a few minutes after her master left for her to regain her composure.

When she finally reined in her embarrassment, she pushed the door open slowly, steeling herself for the task at hand.

Sasuke was looking out of the window into the heavy rain. The miserable weather was reflected on his face; he wore a sombre expression that was befitting of the thunderstorm.

“Hey.” was his simple greeting. It unnerved her, the way he noticed her presence without giving any kind of hint besides his words.

“Hi... I'm here to heal you.” she declared awkwardly, wondering how on earth she would be able to focus.

“Okay.”

“Umm... Let me just read through these notes first...”

“Do whatever you need to.”

Oh no. She had to do what?

The words on the page seemed to jump out at her, getting into her mind and rattling around like angry hornets in a tiny glass box.

Sakura's face burned, turning crimson.

“Sakura.”

His voice cut through her like a guillotine. Her head spun around, and she was met with a scrutinizing gaze.

“Is something wrong?” he said shrewdly.

Jeez, he never missed a beat. “N-no...”

He gave her a look.

He really knew how to speak without talking.

'Sakura, please.' his eyes were saying.

She sighed, trying to keep her voice level as she read the first instruction on the paper.

“Uhh... You need to take your shirt off...”

He raised an eyebrow, still giving her a scrutinizing gaze. Shaking his head, he drew the dirt-covered fabric off of his torso, revealing a surprisingly muscular chest and his triple-pointed crystal, which hung on a simple black string.

Sakura's cheeks wouldn't deviate from their scarlet shade for even a second.

Sasuke sighed audibly, eying her blush with visible disdain. He shook his head slightly, saying “Calm down, Sakura.” under his breath.

“I- um – Sasu – Err... ” She stammered incoherently, making no sense whatsoever.

He rolled his eyes, got to his feet and walked over to where she was standing. His palm clapped gently against her burning cheek, cupping her face.

“Sakura.” He guided her face up until she could see her own flustered coloration in his pitch-black eyes. “Listen to me.”

Her heart was pounding in her ears...

~ ~ ~

Dammit, Sakura. Sasuke thought, catching her against his chest as she fainted. Again?

He grumbled inwardly, maneuvering her into a position where he could easily lift her into his arms. A pulse of numbness shot through his arms, but he managed to place her gently onto the hospital bed. After she was out of his arms, they felt like they were being pricked endlessly by tiny needles.

Sighing, he dropped into one of the visitor's chairs, swiping his shirt from the corner of the sheets.

Tsunade picked that picturesque moment to walk in, grinning to herself.

Sasuke froze, downright gaping at the hokage. Even he knew how this must look.

“Hm, I really thought she would be able to do it.”

His shocked stare turned into a glare that could cut steel. “You set that up... knowingly...!?” he accused. If looks could kill, Tsunade would have died at the moment of her birth.

He exhaled in disgust and began to pull his shirt back over his head.

“Don't bother, I'll heal you.”

Again, he froze, eyes narrowing dangerously.

“I'm not going to be here for a week, am I.”

Tsunade shook her head, a mischievous grin twisting her mouth. “Sakura lost a bet with Shizune.” she said as explanation.

UGH.

~ ~ ~

“Hey.” Sasuke's rough voice was the first thing she heard after she opened her eyes.

Sitting up abruptly, the blush returned to her cheeks as she remembered why she passed out.

Sasuke was having none of that. He shot her a look of utter disapproval that wiped the embarrassment off of her face. Only after that did she notice Tsunade chuckling silently in the chair next to him.

There was a thick, heavy silence for a moment as Sasuke fumed and Tsunade basked in her student's embarrassment.

“Alright, Uchiha, you're free to leave.”

He stood up, throwing another subtle, vicious glare at the hokage before he walked over to the side of the bed.

Sakura took the hand that he offered, trying to avoid looking into his eyes.

With all of his usual clairvoyance, Sasuke deciphered her behaviour and exhaled five simple words into her ear.

“I'm not mad at you.” he sighed, letting his eyes fall closed in resignation.

He walked out of the room before she could respond, leaving her alone with Tsunade.

~ ~ ~

How the hell did I get fried nerve endings?

Sasuke kicked a rock down the dirt path he was on, not really paying attention to where he was going.

“Hey!”

He turned, lifting his eyes to see Karin chasing after him.

“You're alright?”

He nodded, although not entirely sure if he was or not. “Thanks for taking me to the hospital.”

“No problem... What happened?” she asked, finally catching up to him and falling into stride beside him.

“That's what I'd like to know.” Having reached the pebble, he kicked it again, his lack of focus sending it up into the air and off towards a nearby bush.

Moving so fast that he appeared as a blur, he threw a kunai with such speed that it sliced the pebble in half.

Karin's face was a mix of being impressed and being afraid.

“Are you sure you're okay?”

He gave her an evaluating look, remembering that she had the unnerving ability to sense things that nobody else could.

“... I've been having nightmares.” As stupid as it sounded, he knew that she would see through any lie he thought up.

Sasuke expected her to laugh, but surprisingly, she seemed sympathetic.

“They must be terrifying.” She sounded serious, and she was. “Anything that can scare you would probably give me a fatal heart attack.”

He looked sideways out of his endless eyes at her. “What makes you say that?”

She blushed a bit, shying up considerably. “I'm kind of a wimp.”

Sasuke made a snort of derision, and a familiar old smirk played at his lips. “Really? You're a ninja.”

She punched him, trying to cover her embarrassment.

“Speaking of that, aren't you supposed to be with Kakashi?”

Karin rolled her eyes. “He's late.” She made sarcastic quotations in the air with her fingers. “It doesn't help that I know exactly where he is.”

“So where is he?”

“Asleep.” she grumbled.