At Konoha's Hospital, hours after leaving the site of his family's slaughter and still reeling from shock, Uchiha Sasuke opened his eyes. He was lying on top of a stiff hospital bed, medical seal tags all over his body, and an IV needle pumping whatever narcotics the medics thought were necessary to keep him from joining his parents in the afterlife. His only clothes were a thin green hospital robe. His eyes were clouded by the drugs and grief, but it wasn't long before they cleared with the sudden fury running through his brain at the memories of this night's events.
How dare he? That bastard kills our entire family, traps me in the most messed up genjutsu I've ever seen, and he thinks he can tell me what to do? He said I must spend my entire life trying to beat him. Well, I never want to see him again! He'll probably die from the first D-Rank missing-nin that crosses his path. Maybe then he'll learn not to be a traitor.
Despite his anger, Sasuke knew that Itachi was much stronger than he was willing to admit. His career as ANBU probably meant he knew how to keep himself hidden and not attract attention to himself or his scratched hitai-ate. No, Itachi wouldn't die from a mere missing-nin and he probably wouldn't be captured by Konoha's forces either. Sasuke wouldn't be the one to kill him either, no matter what his older brother seemed to think. He'd rather quit the academy and live as a civilian than go along with Itachi's plan.
It was at this time that a severe faced nurse interrupted Sasuke's internal angst with a small jab at his chest. Turning his head to glare at her, (he hadn't even noticed her entering the room or even approaching and he was tired of being surprised) Sasuke was shocked to find her glaring back.
"Whatever is it that you're thinking Uchiha-san, please stop. It is disturbing your heart seals. We don't want any problems in an area so important, ne?" She said in a surprisingly strong voice. Sasuke didn't even know monitoring medical seals could stop organs or whatever else the nurse seemed to be implying. He checked her over for an identification badge but couldn't find it on her white uniform. Was she even a real nurse?
"And your name Nurse-san?" Sasuke finally managed to rasp out. Wow his throat was sore. It was probably because of all the screaming he'd done under Itachi's torture. He tried to lessen his glare. He was trying to be polite after all.
"I'm Sasaki Fuyuko, the head nurse of Konoha's genjutsu hospital wing. I can still see you thinking and no, these tags aren't dangerous by themselves. However if you interfere with the readings, we might up your dose and accidently finish your brother's job." She didn't stop working while talking to him, her fingers glowing green as she prodded at his seals. "Now close your eyes, Uchiha-san. I need to check on your nervous system."
Shocked at her less than tactful words he complied. The silence between them grew uncomfortable as Sasuke felt her working, a slight warmth sliding over his face. Or at least that's how Sasuke interpreted it. Sasaki-san probably didn't care about the quiet at all. After what felt like hours but were probably just a few minutes, Sasuke couldn't take it anymore and asked more than a little irritated.
"Don't you think you're being too honest here? I'm probably traumatized right now and I don't need the reminder of what my b- that man has done to our-my family."
Sasuke felt Sasaki-san's hands retreat and figured it was safe to open his eyes. He found the head nurse staring at him, a serious expression on her face.
"I apologize if I'm being too forward here Uchiha-san, but I've found in my experience here at this ward that genjutsu victims often prefer not to be lied to. I think in your case in particular you might benefit even more from this. Your life from now on will be very different as you won't have your family to help with your emotional grounding and trauma recovery. Also as the sole survivor of a major clan you will have to deal with both politics and finances which I believe were things you were just now being introduced to. There is no more time for you to be coddled, be it by me or the village. If you grow complacent you will be used by those with more experience."
With that said she got up and left the room, the only noise left in her wake the birds chirping outside Sasuke's hospital window and his breath which was starting to get ragged as he took in what Sasaki-san said. People would come for him in a way different from his brother, to use him instead of threaten him.
She was right. Of course she was. Sasuke had seen men and women from inside and outside his clan come into his father's office so they could "talk". They always left as they came, with an air of entitlement and either resentment or smug satisfaction hanging on the hidden corner of their faces. Sasuke knew this wasn't the same battlefield he was learning about at the Academy. It was much more subtle and no enemies could be defeated with a kick and a kunai to the face.
Sasaki-san wasn't trying to insult him. She was giving him what was probably his last taste of honesty for a long while and he had the nerve to be offended. Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes again. He would not give his brother the satisfaction of manipulating him, but Sasuke wouldn't survive if he focused his life on what Itachi wanted. He had other, more immediate things to worry about. He had no allies in what he was sure to be a strange land.
If only I had somewhere I could go without risk being used… I can't leave Konoha or I'll be marked as a traitor and join that man as a missing nin. The Hokage is too busy and I don't think he liked my family very much from the looks I've seen him direct at the Compound sometimes. The only person who might be honest with me is Sasaki-san and as Head Nurse she is sure to be stuck at the hospital most of the day and I'll probably be leaving here in a week. If only I could stay here…
With a sharp intake of breath Sasuke clenched his fist, but he made sure to keep his arm immobile, as to not interfere with the seal tags. An idea had formed in his head that would allow him to stay here. If he became a medic nin it would be expected of him to be at the hospital and it would have the nice bonus of being the last thing his brother wanted him to become.
Yes. He was going to finish his Academy studies, graduate top of class and become the Head Medic Nin of Konoha's Hospital. Then, he wouldn't have to leave the village and risk meeting Itachi. Then, he wouldn't have to be out there talking to clan elders or councils about things they have no business in. Sasuke congratulated himself for making such a great plan while drugged up his throat. As he drifted off to sleep he made a mental note to buy the head nurse some flowers. Or maybe a gift basket. He wasn't sure anymore.