Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and the idea. Naruto is property of Kishimoto Masashi and will remain that way.
Prompt: Forgiveness
Note: Coupleficto my not-so ShikaIno fic, Gone Before She Saw It. Written at the same time as abovementioned fic. This was actually part of a big project I had planned when I was still in high school. Time, life and everything else in between happened so it was put on-hold. Seven years later, I think it's time. So please read, enjoy and review!
Beneath the Canvas of Stars
~Pieces
Beneath the shadows of the night, a hawk loomed high above the Hidden Leaf. Its sharp eyes surveyed the village with a determined gaze, shifting the pack in between its wings. It could feel the weight of its task—of the message tucked safely in the pack—reminding it the gravity of its mission. It couldn't fail. That wasn't an option. Its master was sorely adamant in his orders.
Quickly, the hawk swooped down into the village streets, maneuvering expertly over rooftops and lamp posts, almost as if it was a resident of the village. It moved past houses and apartments until finally, it caught sight of the Hidden Leaf General Hospital. Not its real destination but a necessary detour.
Flying past windows, it carefully peered through the glass with the corner of its eye. It flew past floor to floor until it finally stopped, spotting its quarry on the third floor of the east building.
Slowly and stealthily, the hawk perched itself on a nearby tree and silently observed the woman just beyond the glass barrier. She was dressed in a standard doctor's coat over a red blouse and black pencil skirt. Her hair was a mess with strands of her locks escaping from the bun.
The hawk couldn't see her expression but it was sure she was exhausted, judging from her parted lips taking in large gulps of air. She was leaning heavily against the wall, putting most of her weight against it as she trudged down the hall towards her destination. Her movements were uncoordinated and sluggish, every three steps and she was tripping against her own two feet.
Watching her disappear further into the hall, the hawk let out a dismayed cry as its eyes momentarily flickered black and red before it shifted back to its original shade. It let out another disgruntled sound before it shot back into the air, heading towards its intended destination—the Hokage Tower.
Back in the hospital, Haruno Sakura continued down her painful journey back to her office. Her footsteps were heavy, falling on the tiled floor in loud thuds. Her eyes were barely open, struggling to fight the haze of sleep threatening to take over as her body screamed desperately for her to rest.
She had lost count how many times she had stumbled, her face almost meeting the floor as black spots began to linger in her vision. She shook her head to make them disappear but they were as stubborn as she was and persisted to take over. She frowned at this before a sudden, sharp pain began to throb at the back of her head—a forceful pound that almost knocked her off-balance.
Sakura thanked her luck the hallway was deserted. She wouldn't have been able to excuse herself out of her predicament when someone on the staff found their beloved prodigy of a head medic on the verge of collapse because she was simply overworking and overexerting herself… again. Surely, they'd have a laugh when they found her in her state right now, all weak and incoherent thanks to her stupid skills and talent and Hokage's apprentice status.
Gritting her teeth, Sakura braced herself against the wall more and closed her eyes, forcing whatever little chakra reserve she had left to ease the pounding spreading all throughout her head. Slowly, the soft pulsations of her chakra began to spread across her temples and towards the affected areas in a soothing dance. The pain ebbed away as if it were shy of the sweet caress her chakra gave.
A second later and the pain disappeared leaving Sakura breathless and a panting mess on the floor. She pressed her head against the wall and took in greedy gulps of air. She willed herself to relax, to be strong as the last vestiges of her chakra at last were drained.
Fleetingly, a voice in the back of her head began to chide and she almost groaned at the familiar tone of her inner.
Some medic you are. Look at you all drained and weak on the floor! We were better than this! Back then, we knew our limits! How come you're like this now, huh?! Pathetic! You're pathetic!
A second voice chimed in with the first and Sakura almost felt delusional.
What kind of medic are you? I taught you better than this! Tsunade's voice boomed in her ear. What point are you trying to make Sakura?! Thirty-six hours of non-stop work and now you're a heaping mess on the floor! You've barely eaten or slept in the last week! I taught you better than this!
It's not like that! Sakura tried to reason. These people need me. They need me.
They need me.
They need me.
They need me…
Do they? A third voice entered and Sakura almost felt her heart stop at the familiar baritone. This time she was sure she was delusional. She grimaced.
Who asked you? She cut back. You don't know anything.
Do I? Sakura…
"Sakura?"
Immediately, Sakura's eyes snapped open, head turning from side to side as coherence slowly returned. She looked up and found a stern-looking old woman with a black spot painted on her nose. It took her a moment to process before her mouth opened automatically and responded to her caller.
"Nekobaa? What brings you here at this hour?"
"I could ask you the same question, Sakura." Nekobaa replied, her eyes boring down on Sakura. "What are you doing sleeping on the floor?"
Sakura felt her face flush instantly, scrambling to her feet and dusting herself. She looked at anywhere but Nekobaa as she was rising to her feet, propelling her hair to hide her crimson cheeks. "I was just headed back to my office, Nekobaa." She answered timidly. "My shift was harder than usual…"
Mentally, she berated herself for her mistake, taking a quick peek at the stoic woman before her. "So," She started, rubbing her arm. "let me take you back to your room."
Despite the fatigue she was feeling, Sakura pushed herself off the wall, inwardly groaning as her knees trembled. She glanced up at Nekobaa and found the old woman eyeing her critically with a frown set on her lips. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Sakura tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and steeled herself. She clenched her fists, hiding the action with her coat. She forced a smile.
She was not letting an old woman get to her.
Quickly, she extended her hand and waited for the elder to grasp it. "Let's go?"
Without a word, the old woman nodded her head and took Sakura's offered hand, sliding her arm against the medic's. Quietly, Sakura grimaced as she felt the added weight push against her side but she ignored it. Instead, she took the first step down the hall.
It was silent as the pair chose to immerse themselves in their own devices, the moonlight alighting on their forms and casting long shadows against the walls. Sakura tried very hard to compose herself and appear normal. She couldn't let the elder beside her know about her apparent fatigue. The sudden surge of adrenaline from her earlier embarrassment was wearing off. Each step felt like painful needle pricks coursing through her body. But she would never admit the burden out loud. Her nature prevented her.
Silently, the elder next to her watched as Sakura's face scrunched in total concentration. Nekobaa noted how her emerald green eyes were narrowed, almost to tiny slits and her lips were pursed. Their pace was slow even to the elder's standards.
The trip was uncomfortable to say the least. Throughout, Sakura could feel Nekobaa's intense eyes trained on her. The silence stretched between them and Sakura was glad when she caught sight of the elder's room. She almost let out a relieved sigh when she opened the door and ushered Nekobaa in. "Good night, Nekobaa." She told the elder, smiling as she closed the door behind her. But, Nekobaa was quick to stop the door from closing and her wizened hand shot out to grasp Sakura's wrist.
"Sakura, you've been walking through these halls at exactly the same hour for the past two weeks." She said, tightly holding onto Sakura's wrist. "I understand that you are young and capable of working for hours on end but," Unconsciously, Sakura drew a breath. "you seem to be taking these ungodly shifts more and more ever since your promotion to head medic to be exact."
Nekobaa looked at her straight in the eye. "Are you alright, Sakura?"
Sakura smiled tiredly but inside she tensed. This wasn't the first time this subject was approached and she wasn't about to let an old woman badger her about her work habits. "I'm fine, Nekobaa. There's nothing wrong. A little tired but that's all."
Suddenly, Nekobaa stepped closer and Sakura instinctively backed away. The elder's eyes burned up into hers, her hands shooting up and grasping Sakura's arms, locking the pink-haired medic in place. Sakura could feel the strength from the elder woman and she knew this was a woman to be feared.
"I'm fine, Nekobaa." Sakura sputtered, suddenly nervous; all thoughts of fatigue and sleep gone from her mind. "I'm just doing my job."
Nekobaa's eyes narrowed even more, slitting almost too much like a feline's. "Doing your job," She echoed, her hold tightening even more. "or proving your worth?"
"What?" There was no hiding the surprise present in Sakura's eyes. Openly she gaped, feeling so bare in front of this woman. "I don't understand."
Nekobaa leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Take care of yourself, Sakura. He doesn't like how you are treating yourself. You have nothing to prove."
Immediately, she let go of Sakura's arms, turned on her heel and disappeared into her room. The last thing heard was the silent click of the door as the lock slid into place.
For a few moments, Sakura stood there, stunned. Her mind wondered—Just how long has this woman been watching me? How long has she observed each and every one of my moves? For some reason, Nekobaa scared her.
When she was able to move, Sakura wandered around the hallway, pondering and dissecting the conversation over and over in her head. She found herself in her office, just moments before the sun rose above the horizon, its magnificence radiating prominently. However, her preoccupation hindered her from enjoying the sight. Her hands automatically worked on their own as she opened her office door and entered the room, closing the door behind her. The hard wood pressed against her back but she paid no heed.
She wandered into the room. Her body functioned on its own as she collapsed on her couch and brought her arm up to cover her eyes. One thought echoed in her mind, unsettling her and haunting the very depths of her soul.
He… what did she mean by he? It couldn't be…
Unconsciously, she brought her hand to her forehead, eyes drifting across from her towards where her bookshelves were lined against the wall. She caught sight of a photograph, almost a decade old, reflecting a time when everything was simple, innocent. Fleetingly, she realized it was the first time she looked at it—really looked at it—before her eyes closed and her mind drifted away.
For the first time in a long while, she dreamed.
~TBC
This ficcy was written a long time ago, born out of both my love and frustration for the pairing. Really can't say much except hope you enjoyed the labor of love.
Also, special thanks to the reviewers and readers of my other fic, Entwine. I'm happy that you like it! Can't say much but hang with me. It's a tough process.
Review if you may please.
