I wake up every evening with a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place
And you're still probably working at a 9 to 5 pace
I wonder how bad that tastes
Gives you Hell – All American Rejects
It had been five days. Five days since the surgery. Five days since having slept in a normal bed, as a hospital cot in the back room couldn't even begin to be considered as anything else but just that; a cot. Food had been the last thing on the medic's mind, as the person whose wounds had demanded such a rigorous surgery had consumed all other thoughts.
Tsunade had left shortly after the six hour procedure commenced, leaving Shizune and Sakura to take over. Soon after that, Shizune left as well on Tsunade's orders, leaving the young, pink-haired, green-eyed girl to take over, all on her own. She did not fear the task, nor did she doubt her own capabilities, for she was a famed medic, and a prodigy at that … at least according to the rest of the village.
Sakura stood beside his bed, staring with harsh green orbs at the one who had demanded such attention. Her arms were folded tightly against her chest, her hands clenching and unclenching dangerous fists.
How was it that Naruto Uzumaki seemed to constantly provide to be incapable of completing a mission above B-Rank? Was it because he wasn't as skilled as everyone knew him to be? No, that wasn't right. This was the Kyuubi she was thinking of, after all. Perhaps something else filtered through his chaotic mind, becoming more prominent and important as he proceeded with his duties. No matter the reason, he was still here in this hospital bed before her, blonde, mussed up hair a grand disarray atop the pillow beneath his head.
She turned away, muttering cuss words under her breath as she went on about his common stupidity, and an attention span of a ferret. Well, could they expect more from him?
A groan came from the bed, and Sakura whirled around so fast, she was sure it should have started a tornado as the air whirred around her.
The bright, familiar pools of blue opened with slow movements as another groan escaped the blonde boy's mouth. He turned the childish face, with whisker-like markings, to view the person beside him, and a small sort of smile formed on his lips. "Hey … Sakura-chan."
Sakura couldn't help but smile sympathetically at the rough sound of his voice. She pushed a few strands of hair from her face.
"I took quite the beating, didn't I?"
Sakura nodded. "Shiishou and I spent a long time trying to fix you up."
Naruto released a nervous laugh. "I guess I shouldn't have ran in with a stick then, huh?"
Sakura frowned deeply. "You ran in with a stick?"
Naruto grinned that cheesy little grin, though it was obvious he was still a tad nervous around his former team mate. "Yeah … I was chasing a cat away from our food."
"Naruto …" was Sakura's angered reply as she began to growl.
Naruto laughed again, this time lifting a hand to run through his mane of hair. "Kakashi-sensei already yelled at me."
Sakura exhaled heavily. "Well then I see no point in doing so myself!"
At that moment, the blonde's stomach growled, and he made a face. "So … when can I get out?"
The pink-haired girl shrugged. "That's for Tsunade-shiishou to decide!"
Naruto pouted. "What a drag."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't adopt Shikamaru's phrases, alright?"
The blonde shrugged. "What can I say? This place is just so …" his eyes glimmered mischievously, "troublesome."
Sakura glared and clenched a fist at her side. "Naruto Uzumaki, I have sworn a vow, never to further injure a patient of mine, but when it comes to you, I can always make exceptions."
Naruto blanched, swallowing hard. "But … uh … Sakura-chan … you wouldn't … do that to me … right?"
Sakura smirked, a motion which rivalled even Uchiha's most common expression. "Wouldn't I?"
"But … it's me, Sakura-chan! It's Naruto!"
"Oh, I know."
Naruto just stared at her with dismay. "But … I have information to give you … that will help us find him, Sakura-chan … and if you hurt me with your … un-womanly strength … I won't be able to tell you what it is!"
Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "Un-womanly strength?"
Naruto gulped. "Uh … what I meant to say is … is …"
"Sakura, you should be kind to our little nuisance-maker."
Sakura whipped her attention to the popular silver-haired jounin, eyes narrowed at his appearance. "And why should I?"
"Because I am going to be Hokage someday!" Naruto replied, grinning once more as he interlaced his fingers behind his head. "Believe it!"
Sakura looked ready to tear her hair out by the roots. "What the hell did I ever do to you guys? Huh? Stop plotting against me!"
"I suppose that takes away the element of surprise," stated Kakashi as he laughed the typical smooth sound. He perched on a chair on the wall opposite the bed, hunching over as he withdrew his copy of Icha-Icha Paradise.
Naruto blinked with confusion. "We were plotting against Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei?"
Kakashi exhaled dramatically, and he closed his visible eye to add to the effect of such an emotion. "Naruto."
"What?"
Sakura shook her head vigorously. "I have patients to tend to, so you can both just … talk about something!" She whirled around and started for the door.
Naruto slowly turned his attention to the medic, blinking a few times, before taking on a look of panic. "BUT SAKURA-CHAN! I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!"
Sakura paused at the door, glancing back at him with a bored expression. "Tell me something? Like what, hm?"
Naruto opened his mouth, but a second later, closed it again, scowling. "I forgot what I was going to say," mumbled he.
Sakura could scream with frustration, and did not hesitate to leave the room, practically slamming the door shut behind her. "I could strangle him!"
As she started away from the room, she could hear a baffled Naruto asking their former sensei, "What did I do?"
"Sasuke, can't you tell me what we're doing?"
Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Stop whining, bitch, and maybe he will!"
Karin crossed her arms and pouted at the man. "I'm not whining!"
"Cheya you are."
Karin shook her head. "I disagree."
Suigetsu just laughed in reply to this as he quickened his pace.
Sasuke was glad for the silence which followed. It was like traveling with jealous little children who envied everything the other had. Oh what he would give to find replacements; but he knew this to be impossible. This team was assembled, and needed, to complete his mission and his goal. But where he stood, he saw himself no closer to that objective than he had been with Team 7.
"Oi, Sasuke, when are we gonna stop? My legs hurt."
Karin glared at Suigetsu. "Since when do your legs hurt after traveling?"
"Since now. We've been on the move since sunrise yesterday."
"And?"
"The moon's up," Suigetsu pointed out as he motioned to the sky. "Night time equals rest time."
"This is the best time to travel. We keep going."
Suigetsu's eyes widened at the sound of the Uchiha's voice. "Oh-kay."
Karin looked as if she were going to swoon. "Isn't he amazing?"
Suigetsu couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe you should find someone else to stalk, Karin. Last I checked, Sasuke's not interested."
Karin glared at him once again. "How do you know?"
"Easy. He turned you down when you asked him on a date."
Karin opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it again, finding no words to retort.
Suigetsu grinned smugly. "Yep, you need a new hobby."
Karin just shook her head as she charged up to Sasuke's side.
But just as she had, Sasuke leapt up into a tree, beginning the usual form of ninja travel. They had hesitated long enough, and with their resting point coming up so quickly, there was no reason to dilly-dally.
Suigetsu was immediately following with Karin trailing at his heals.
Sasuke smirked. They were making good time.
Don't kill me if people are way out of character, alright? I've been very pick and choosy about which episodes and series' I watch … aka … I've watched to Naruto episode … 73? And Shippuuden episode … eh … 30 something. All my knowledge comes from reading other fanfics.
Thanks for the reviews guys, it means a lot to me! I made this chapter longer, just for you! :D
As you can see, I'm a fast writer, and even though I don't have a plot -hides in emo corner of shame- I still manage to make good use of what I'm doing. I know the main objective, but how I'm going to get there is still in the works.
Disclaimer: Naruto is in no way mine by any reason. Rights and respective trademarks belong to the respective owner (:
