Hey Guys,

And yes, I know I should be updating my other stories but I wrote this a week or so ago and thought some of you might appreciate reading it.

At the moment it will be a short one shot but if the response to continue is high then I will do so- there is clear room for a much longer story.

Thank you for reading

Non-Massacre. An exchange between an irate medic and an obstinate ANBU captain leads to Itachi musing on promotion for an unsuspecting Sakura.

Disclaimer- I neither own nor profit from Naruto


"ANBU-san, I suggest you remain; I need to treat you and you never know what unfortunate accidents might happen outside of the hospital" Sakura said in a deceptively sweet voice.

Each ANBU mask still remained, Sakura knew the protocol but had half-heartedly requested to remove them in order to better assess their condition. She had lost that one rather spectacularly; she had received a curt no and her lectures on the importance of accurately assessing injuries had received a stony silence.

The implied threat was not missed; the ANBU in question tensed slightly whilst she heard a muffled chuckle from another member of the squad. The disagreement had certainly caught the attention of the occupants of the small hospital room, well, excluding the poisoned and now unconscious.

The ANBU squad had returned shortly before dawn. Sakura hadn't been on duty but was awoken by a messenger from the Hokage tower requesting her assistance. This had not lightened Sakura's mood; she had been working double shifts for the last month and was looking forward to a lie in. Now she thought of it she owed Kotetsu an apology; he had been the unfortunate nin to deliver the message. He had reluctantly knocked on the door; the two spent a reasonable amount of time together at the Hokage tower and normally got along well but he knew her less than desirable morning temperament. The door had wrenched open, the hinges creaking under the strain as a dishevelled and volatile Sakura answered the door. Kotetsu had nearly choked on the message, Sakura recalled absently.

Frustrated, she brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. In Sakura's opinion there was little worse than reluctant patients. She could cope with Kakashi; they were friends and he managed to be charming throughout his escapades. Inwardly, she frowned at that, she had grown much too accustomed to each of her boys' various quirks.

She settled her gaze on the recalcitrant ANBU. The rest of the squad had been accounted for with mostly minor injuries barring the slowly recovering nin that had suffered from a common but painful poisoning frequent to Grass Country.

All that remained was one stubborn captain. His reluctance was ridiculous but common, and the elite forces were the worst offenders. "I can see the blood on your shoulder, and you should know that that only makes medics more eager" she addressed him. It was probably only a glancing hit, but Sakura knew that even a minor wound could be poisoned or soon become infected.

One of the ANBU was obviously feeling more himself as he interrupted the argument, giving Sakura an idea of just who he was. "So Pinky, are you saying you like things a little rough because I am always up for..." he failed to finish is no doubt charming rejoinder as he was quickly silenced with a glare from his captain. Sakura raised her eyebrow at her soon-to-be patient; she could have handled that easily.

It was not uncommon for patients in varying degrees of health to hit on her. Sakura didn't mind, it was mostly harmless, just a way some coped with being in the hospital. Although, that was not to say she would leave their comments unanswered.

"That's it" Sakura's patience was notably thin on the best of days and was only becoming shortened. She grabbed the ANBU's shirt collar and quickly dragged him the few steps to the bed. "Sit there and wait, it won't be long, just sit still and try not to complain."

She seemed to have surprised him, but he did not resist. Although, she mused, if he really wanted to he would have done so, maybe he recognised it was easier to cooperate.

Apparently, this was not a common occurrence; the ANBU she suspected was Genma laughed.

"Taichou, who would have thought you would meet your match in a pink haired girl, you must be slipping, and she looks about twelve" another member of the team teased.

Sakura bristled at the girl comment, she was seventeen. So what if she did not have the voluptuous curves of her mentor or Ino. The comment was greeted with a slight sigh from the captain, so she figured no harm was meant by what seemed to be a familiar exchange between the two. Sakura briefly wondered who would be close enough to such a rigid captain to tease him.

Sakura had nearly healed the wound in this time. The soothing green glow of her chakra melded the flesh together and cleansed the wound. Adding, a small bandage to keep it clean she was finished.

"All of you who are standing may go, your teammate will be ok once he wakes in the morning. I expect you all here for a check up in two days; ask for Sakura because I am the only one who can sign off on ANBU. It is in your best interest to show up because you will not be cleared for duty until then"

With that, Sakura gave a quick once-over to her more wounded patient and trudged back home to her bed.


Uchiha Itachi followed the medic's progress out of the door. Her fiery attitude did little to hide the paleness of her skin and darkness under her eyes. She was overworked. He was distracted from his thoughts by his older cousin Shisui.

"Well captain, that was interesting. I wish she'd been the one to check us before, at least it was entertaining."

"Hn." She would be worth watching- in fact, Itachi had already noted her vast progress from the pathetic genin on his brother's team. Now, as a formidable medic nin and offensive shinobi her reputation nearly proceeded her.

Itachi glanced at the masked ANBU unconscious on the crisp and clinical hospital bed- as the medic for Konoha's top ANBU cell he had joined there team with glowing recommendations. In Itachi's eyes he was a disappointment- still an above average shinobi but had failed to provide adequate medical support for the team. The team could not afford a sub-par medic, there missions were both dangerous and vital to the village.

His thoughts returned to the pink haired kunoichi- he would speak to Tsunade tomorrow, perhaps a promotion was needed.

A smirk almost betrayed his normally cool facade. As his cousin mentioned, this would certainly be interesting.