OMG I have been inactive for years and I just saw that i had like 2 faves and 3 reviews and I really REALLY just want to thank you for reading this cringy story, and sorry for its cringy-ness. I was like 12-13 when I wrote it I think (?) I just reset my password on 20/05/2017 and I'll try to be active and write less cringe-worthy content. I might keep this one up just for the memories though :D I promise my writing skills improved cx 3 I realise it's hard to follow bc back then i could only write scenes, not a story that flows.

End note? Have a laugh reading :D 3

He ripped out the needles out of his right forearm. They were poisoned needles. Normally blood would gush out, especially when the blood was diluted by the chemicals within the poison, but naturally the cuts were only small. Nonetheless he felt dizzy, and hot, his muscles burnt in irritating pain.

Sighing, in defeat, he jumped down from the crowns of the trees, and slowed down his pace. He wasn't in a hurry anyway. He didn't feel the desire to be back as soon as possible, or to see the faces of people he knew, and he didn't even want to see anyone. He no longer wanted, anything, whatsoever.

Perhaps anything, apart from the effects of the poison to go away. They were getting in the way.

The walls of that damned village, Konoha, were still standing. Not even a crack after all those years. The gates wide open, and someone in the exact middle of them.

''Where were you so long? Where's Kiba?''

If anything at all could make him feel even more annoyed, was the voice of an angry female Hokage.

''On a mission.'' He stated, as he breathed out. Despite all, he seemed quite well. At most ; out of breath. He smiled lightly enough for the Hokage to either not see it, or forgive him and pretend to have never seen it.

''I sent him to watch over you.''

''I told him to get off my heels. I don't need a care-taker. I'm an S-rank Jounin.'' He stated, so simply, as if he just said something as obvious as 'It's raining.'

''That's the point.'' She crossed her arms. Clearly expecting nothing more, nothing less from him.

When Sasuke returned, Tsunade had no idea what to do with him. Making him go through all the Academy and exams would be useless, and perhaps dangerous for others during the Chuunin exam. So, dropping him back to genin rank would be a waste of time and very likely cost a few genin's lives in the Forest of Death.

She decided to test his trustworthiness and skill during missions. He'd start from simpler work, and get observed. Naturally, several ninjas who were sent to watch over him sooner or later gave in and 'observed him from a distance,' of usually no less than 20 cubits. At times like so, she missed Neji more than ever – his skill and usefulness. His byakugan, confidence and the small respect Sasuke held for him - enough to not threaten to behead Neji if he didn't keep his distance, and to cut his tongue out if he didn't watch it.

''I need you in my office. You have one hour to get that venom out of you, before it damages any vital organs. '' She paused, and he was probably correct thinking it was only to somewhat highlight whatever she was wanting to say next. ''An injured ninja, is a useless ninja, as you'll be at it, take a bath too. From your smell not only I can guess the type of venom, its affect and the type of blood flowing out of your wounds. Straight after, head over to my residence.''

So, that old hag really is a medic. He told himself silently, sensing that Inuzuka was indeed catching up. Not wanting to face him, he decided that following orders could pay off, and walked (for a change) over to the hospital.

He really hated walking. Out of all ways of transport it was one of the least convenient ways. He was constantly slowed down by the crowds and bumped into, and obviously the noise. The meaningless, blended in chatter, which seemed to get louder and louder with every step. There was only one time of the year when it was so crowded in Konoha, and that was when the village hosted the chuunin exams. For unknown to Sasuke reasons, only two villages hosted those.

Seeing the hospital door nearby, he felt relatively more content. As an Uchiha, he naturally strong and healthy, and rarely had the opportunity to see a hospital for longer than a day or two per a couple of years. He never liked hospitals. Not because of the blood, death, and cries of a person in pain, or someone choking on their own sanguine fluid, but because it had that annoyingly caring atmosphere which made him feel helpless and weak.

The door creaked loudly, exposing to him a whole corridor of nothingness. It was as if death marched in, killed everyone and walked out, not even bothered to shut the door. For a moment he stayed there, standing, in complete silence.

He frowned. If nobody is going to acknowledge his presence, it's their thing. He just wanted to get everything done and over with. He looked around the rooms.

All labels were written in kanji.

His pride never allowed him to admit, that he was in fact weak with the Chinese alphabet, and if he was to get tested on his knowledge of the language, he'd make sure nobody ever got to know his final results. He's Sasuke Uchiha. He'd think of something to cover up even a bad score.

Who even needs Chinese? There's always katakana and hiragana. It makes writing pointlessly more difficult. It's a ninja village, not Edo.*

He surveyed the room. The one to the right had a red cross on it, which if he remembered correctly, meant 'rescue and medical care,' or at least it did last time he was almost dying.

He pushed the door open nonchalantly, wiping a droplet of sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.

First thing that he noticed was the strong smell of tea. It probably was standing untouched in the room for a long time. Next, his senses recorded a leaned over figure. A feminine figure, with unevenly cut and unnaturally coloured hair, with a faint shine and smell of sweat from fatigue. Her back rhythmically rose up and down gently. She didn't seem to notice his presence, leaning over a desk, with papers scattered all over it.

He was unsure what to do anymore. Did he really need to wake up the medic? The fever was – or seemed to be dying down. The headache and muscle pain he grown used to quick enough to ignore the stabbing sensation following every move.

Walking over to the cabinet, he decided that if the girl was indeed a good enough medic and ninja, she should be able to hear him and wake up herself. If she couldn't do even that, he wouldn't have entrusted his wounds into her hands anyway.

He looked with an irritated expression over all the glass bottles, with impossibly illegible handwritten labels, and cloths lying about.

All medics had illegible handwriting. It was a rule without exceptions.

He took one containing a clear liquid. He could remember that water, especially containing high levels of… Air, or rather part of air cleaned the wounds quite well, he recalled even today an accidentally overheard conversation of a medic. It finally became useful. He hoped that if it could clean the wound, then it probably counted for 'clearing' away the venom.

Or something like that. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and you can take risks if you're strong enough and have a medic nearby. (Maybe not a yet conscious medic. But that could be easily changed.) And nothing to lose.

''That's not Hydrogen-Peroxide.''

His head turned quickly, like a lightening, sideways, maybe a bit too fast. He felt dizzy and his vision blurred.

He had to admit, that he did not hear her waking up, moving and coming close being him. Which annoyed him. He was usually more aware of his surroundings. Naturally, usually he wasn't drugged.

Her face was displaying slight concern. Her tone was kind, soft, as always when she spoke to him. A bit of fatigue, sadness.

Looking over at her, he stood the bottle back on the desk, and begun to unzip his top, revealing several smaller, however, badly infected cuts, covered in dried blood. ''What are you staring at? You're a medic. I was told to treat my scratches.''

''Scratches.'' She repeated, as the shirt fell down to the floor, exposing a deeper, wider and nastier wound on his back. Certainly, not a clean cut of a sword, internal bleeding bruise at his stomach… She just wondered how the hell he was still standing, and not fainting, overwhelmed by a fever.

That's when she realised how tired his eyes looked like, and how pale he was, how uneven his breathing still was. He already exhausted himself enough, getting the poison to circulate, and now if he suddenly rests, it won't do good either. It reminded her of the toxin Sasori used. With additional heavy metals, which were meant to attack muscle cells.

''Sasuke! Don't-''

He fell back, slightly, holding himself up, leaning against the cabinet weakly, now fully experiencing the invader liquid in his body, when he stopped moving about.

''Ah-'' He breathed out, ''Annoying.''

Sasuke never could fully recall what happened then. All he did remember was the whole world taking shades of orange and black for a short moment, before turning completely black. Then, well, he woke up elsewhere. Though before that, he felt weaker, sickly and every wound make sure that Sasuke knew of its existence, ensuring that with terrible pain which burnt in his body.

''I told you to come to my office. Not to be carried in on a stretcher.'' The noise rang in his mind. He shut his eyes tighter, hoping to battle it. With little results. ''And to seek medical help immediately, not to have a stroll over to the hospital and get into the way of Sakura's studies.''

Sasuke was really immune to pain and bothers after all these years. He could just get used to and forget about physical ache, but this insane ringing in his head always was one of the biggest miseries in Uchiha's life.

''Are you listening Sasuke?''

''With my full attention.''

He heard a sigh and the ringing stopped. Funny is, it always attacked him in Tsunade's presence. Although he could probably figure out why that was, he wouldn't risk the pointless trouble connected with concluding it out loud.

The door opened. He still couldn't bother to open his eyes. Maybe if he'll pretend to be still unconscious they'll just ignore him?

''Hajime mashita, Tsunade-sama. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.''**

Tsunade smiled. A warm smile, which Sasuke naturally could not see, and not that bothered him ; he could hear someone else speaking in the room – he could sense them, but not clearly. Usually emitted chakra, even if it was unused and faint, would give away other's positions. This wasn't the case.

''A pleasure to meet you, Hime-sama.*** However, it will not be me accompanying you. I'm in no position to take care of you, but one of the best ninjas in the village would gladly see to you.'' The Hokage stated, soundly sorting papers on her vast desk and sitting down.

He could feel someone glaring at him. It wasn't paranoia. It was a rather simple fact.

''Him?''

''Him.''

From then on, Tsunade sounded even more disappointed, which was due to the regrettable first impression Sasuke made on 'Hime-sama', which begun to let her guard slip, letting a tone of doubt break through from time to time in the following conversations – which Sasuke was thankful didn't last long.

In fact, Sasuke, or anyone else, never heard Tsunade call anyone 'Hime', not even '-sama', with all other Kages being no exception. It was rare for the Hokage to refer to anyone with such respect, on the other hand, Uchiha could guess that the 'Hime' was a client, most likely wanting a guardian for a journey, willing to pay generously. Otherwise Tsunade wouldn't make him go all the way to the hospital and to her office. Maybe B rank mission. Maybe A.

Sasuke couldn't help but remember when He, Naruto and Sakura accompanied a bridge-builder and when in a blink of an eye a D rank mission gone up a rank or two. Not that it was a bad memory.

Put it's the past. It's over and done with. No need to reminisce.

As soon as the Hime left the room, closing the door behind her, he automatically rose up into a sitting position. Accusingly glaring at Tsunade. Which again, either really didn't pay attention, busy with paperwork, or just wouldn't give him the satisfaction of getting acknowledged.

Either way, and whatever she was planning, he would not go with it. Although, he didn't deny being the 'best ninja in the village.' He didn't assume she meant him. He knew. Why else would I be here, he questioned silently.

''Tomorrow midnight you're setting off with her. I'll tell you the destination and details later.''

''No.''

''It's an A rank mission. Worth up to a million Ryo. If you accomplish it, I may consider rewarding you.''

''I don't need money.''

''Don't push your luck Uchiha. You're not getting away from it. I let you return to Konoha, giving you one more chance than I should have. I can quickly undo that. If I do, the impressively high bounty for your head will be returned. I need not mention that Konoha will no longer be a shelter for you.''

Sasuke felt like telling her that she didn't need to mention any of that, but he had a feeling that the painful ringing noise was close to being triggered again.

''On your way out think of an excuse as to why She encountered you laying down, pretending to be asleep, and how you can make up for that. Huh, what are you mumbling, Uchiha? You perfectly know that I can hear. I can always hear your whispers and mutterings. You're walking on thin ice, Sasuke!''

Author's Note: Hey! This is my very first story - and I am super excited! I have several ideas for this story, I'm already thinking 5+ chapters forward. However I am new, so I'd appreciate small comments and bits of advice if the story gets any views - so if you happen to read it, please comment with some tips :D Sorry if I made it a bit lengthy - I wanted to give a glimpse of how the story will be going in the very first one. If that makes sense. I don't usually see a lot of Sasuke's POV stories or a third-person narration, so I might aswell :D

*Edo, was the name for the capital city of Japan, before Tokyo.

** (First time-meeting greeting), Tsunade-sama. Please take care of me.

***Princess (generalised term. Any daughter of a higher social status man was called Hime-sama.)

I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is the author of the manga.