Author's note: I do not own Naruto or any characters in Naruto.

Sorry that the chapters are small. I haven't written in years so this fan fiction is my way of breaking into it again.

Chapter Two

Kankuro closed the bathroom door as he left.

"oh man.." I looked in the mirror and my face was still bruised and one side full of scabs. "I got my ass handed to me." The warm water felt amazing as it hit my body. I tried avoiding my left side so not to wipe away the ointment. The water was a light red as it swirled into the drain. My forehead against the wall, I tried remembering. It was so unclear. Who's the asshole who did this to me?

"Kiba Inuzuka"
Standing up straight, eyes ahead, Kiba stepped forward. Taking the papers in his hands, his mission laid out.

My eyes opened. That's right. I had been given a solo mission. I needed to get back to Akamaru. Surely he would remember, right? Stepping out, a gray bag was on the floor next to the door. Kankuro must have placed it inside as I showered. Opening it, my clothes and necessities were inside. Hana must have brought it when she came for Akamaru. She really is a considerate sister. I smiled a little.

Carrying my shirt over my shoulder, I walked slowly into the kitchen in my pajama shorts. My legs were still a bit weak and I took hold of the counter as I passed through. Kankuro wasn't in there. Peering into the spare room, Kankuro was hunched over his work bench as Scorpion lay out over the table, his chest cavity exposed. The floor creaked under my step into the room. Kankuro turned around; his brown spiky hair was wild from having hat hair. It was the first time seeing him without the bunraku hat. I don't know what I had expected to be under the hat. Big ears? Blonde like Temari? Long hair?

His hands were soft as he gently applied ointments to the stitches running down my left side. It burned and I couldn't help it. I growled, baring my teeth at Kankuro. It wasn't polite considering I was in his personal space.

"Ugh, I'm sorry"

Kankuro snorted, "It's alright. Your puppy snarls don't scare me" he smiled as our eyes met. His eyes had always appeared dark with the purple paint but they were different up close. He was too focused again on my wounds for me to look him straight in the eyes again. I was only a few inches shorter than him as he begun wrapping my torso and stomach. It was my stomachs turn to growl. A little embarrassed, I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I thought you might be hungry so the water is boiling for some ramen. Sorry, it's all I have right now. I don't usually have guests"

"Ramen sounds great. I'm not picky."

Soon, we both sat at the small dining table in the kitchen. I stuffed my face as the noodles had yet to cool off. Exhaling as I ate to cool the noodles in my mouth, Kankuro just looked at me in a surprised look.

"Wha-?"

"You eat like a pig"

"I'm starving. I just need food in my stomach right now"

"If you eat too fast, you're going to get sick"

"I'll deal with that later!"

Kankuro rolled his eyes as he took a bite. He was right though. I slowed my pace, bowl after bowl until my stomach was pleased.

I offered to do the dishes as he changed the sheets on the bed. Infact..

"Hey, Kankuro? Since I been asleep in your bed, where have you been sleeping?"

"There's a cot in my workshop. I sleep on it sometimes anyway"

"I think I should be able to walk back to Konoha tomorrow. You can have your bed back"

"That's not possible. You're still not recovered and I can't risk something happening to you while you're still in Sunagakure's care. The wrath of Gaara is not to be taken lightly. You know that"

"I can walk now and tomorrow I'll be fine to-"

"No. You're staying in Sunagakure. Don't be stubborn."

"Tch."

That night I had a hard time sleeping. Probably due to the 4 days of rest I had. I couldn't sleep on my side like I liked to because of my wound. My back was too sore to lie on so I sat against the back board, looking out the window behind the bed at slumbering Sunagakure. The moon was bright and illuminated the streets and sand dunes in the distance. The apartment was dark except for the fluorescent light coming from Kankuro's work shop. I could hear him cursing as he moved about and tools clanking together.

I owed him a lot.. damnit. It wasn't the first time he had saved me. I almost died at Sakon and Ukon's hands. If he hadn't been there, I would be a goner. My mother was surprised and thankful for the Sand Siblings but it was all Kankuro's doing. I doubted Gaara could care enough back then and Temari wasn't the type to help anyone but her kin. I repaid my debt to him with Choji's help not too long afterward. But now here I am in Kankuro's bed this time around. My own personal nurse: Nurse Kankuro whom I owed again. Damnit.

Soon the noises from the work shop got quiet and the light was still on. I sat there thinking of how to get back to Akamaru sooner but it was just too quiet. There was no large white dog to snore as it slept. No buzz from my refrigerator in my own apartment. Slow and painfully, I managed to get out of bed by myself. I held on to the walls as I walked towards the light from the ajar door. Peering into the work shop, his puppets eyes were wide open as if always awake, always watching, and unable to sleep. Kankuro lay on his side on the cot asleep. His face paint was still on and the blanket that covered him was thin. Sunagakure was a hot desert village by day but it was cold at night. I lay the back of my hand on his upper arm and sure enough, he was freezing. I went back to the bed and grabbed one of the three heavy blankets that were there and covered his resting form with it. Upon leaving, I saw two puppets in the corner of the room. A male and female puppet sitting on the bench together, hand in hand. They were normal looking puppets compared to his creepy Crow and Black Ant. They looked... sad yet content to be together. Taking another look at Kankuro's slumbering face, i turned out the lights.

"Goodnight.. Kankuro"