Hello once more, dear readers. Here's the third installment of Double Edged Sword. Again, the fic has ballooned out as I've continued to write, but I don't think it's detrimental to the story. Rather, I think it's necessary that I elaborate and expand on the foundation I've laid.
My thanks again to Dustbunny3 for issuing the challenge. It's been fun to explore these characters and the relationship between them. I'm working on separate pairing fics for both Tenten and Sakura, so this is really helping with my character exploration and portrayal. Feedback would make it even more helpful, so people can tell me where I'm going wrong, but perhaps that's asking too much? Naw, either way I'm going to continue posting.
Thank you for the alert(s) this time 'round.
Sunlight lanced in though her windows and Sakura groaned, flinching into consciousness. Those first few moments when she was aware of only the fluttering of her own eyelids letting in light intermittently were when Sakura felt new, almost as if she had been born again. Then it all came back to hit her. A crick in her neck she must've gotten whilst sleeping, the twinge of back pain that had developed from her poor posture during those late night paper work dashes. Puffing a breath out quickly in frustration she kicked the blankets off and rocked back slightly to spring off her hands, arching over the edge of the bed until her feet hit the floor. She smiled victoriously, flashing a trademark V sign to the empty room, giggling to herself. No use in dwelling on aches when she had so much to do today she decided.
Breakfast was the first order of the day. Sakura burnt her thumb on the stove element as she cooked and it stung and throbbed painfully as she ate her scramble eggs and tried not to think about it. She refused to heal it on principle; her chakra belonged to the patients of the day. After clipping her belt on and checking for all her scrolls and the rarely used kunai and shuriken (she found herself swiping a thumb wistfully along the blades as she checked for their presence), she left the house through the window, dashing across rooftops to work. She was greeted at the door by the sterile scent of a recently cleaned reception area, and a half full waiting room. The receptionist waved at her absently, looking rather frazzled as she leafed through the suspended files in one of the massive filing cabinets, a particular file jammed between her shoulder and her cheek to keep it in place.
Since she wasn't a medic-nin yet, she had to report to Tsudane when she came in. Cautiously she knocked on the door of her Sensei's office. Hearing a muffled yelp she sighed and slumped down into a chair beside the door to wait. It would be a folly to say the least to walk into Tsudane's office when the door wasn't opened for you. If you were naïve enough to think that she wouldn't mind, that would be your first mistake. Your second would be to assume that all that went on behind those doors was paperwork and heavy drinking. And if you were to make the first and then the second, what you would come across would be punishment enough. Sakura shuddered at the mere thought of those memories she tried so hard to repress.
A few minutes later the door opened Shizune meekly walked out, blushing furiously. It was sweet in a way, Sakura thought, that they had found each other, but she wouldn't wish the image of a sensei in a passionate embrace on any student. It was just out of context. She looked up when she heard the fifth Hokage clear her throat. She wasn't surprised to see that Tsudane was blushing too. Really, the whole thing was very cute. Thankfully she was handed her clipboard for the day at the door, so that she didn't have to go into the office and endure her imaginations various creative re-enactments. She smiled a soft smile at her Sensei and then left to make her rounds, hearing the older woman shuffle back into her office with some reassembled dignity.
Sakura enjoyed this part of the day. She spoke to the patients who couldn't speak back, telling them about news in the village and sometimes refilling the vases by their beds with flowers. Most of the able residents would want to and could talk about something or other, or ask her for a favour regarding hospital food or visiting hours and she'd always see what she could do. Smiling as she left the last patient to enjoy a juice she'd gotten from the kitchens, her mind immediately went to her list of things to do. She was walking back towards Tsudane's office when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning she saw a fellow intern smiling familiarly at her,
"Sakura, the Hokage has requested your presence at a blood transfusion in operation theatre 4A."
Smiling back she nodded,
"Ok, thanks Takumi."
The young man dipped his head, and continued on down the hall as Sakura turned about, heading for the wing where the operation theaters were.
With great difficulty she forced herself not to gasp as the blood rippled inside the chakra bubble Tsudane had formed around it. It was strange to see something that usually only leaked from wounds controlled so precisely. Slowly, carefully her sensei eased the blood inside the unconscious patient, a burns victim. It transfused through the skin by way of chakra manipulation and Sakura couldn't help but feel a little awed. There were a fair few things she was allowed to treat, and apparently this would soon be on the list of can dos. It seemed that way with everything Tsudane showed her. Soon she'd be expected to do it on a regular basis. She knew the theory, and she was confident in her ability. One thing she was sure to never rely on were the circumstances. It had started with bruises, minor cuts and abrasions. Now she was re-setting bones and knitting skin back together over gaping wounds. That was the second part of her day. After she had witnessed the entirety of the transfusion, she made her way to her small treatment room just off the waiting room. Patients with broken bones and stomach aches and arthritis paraded through the small room into the afternoon. Sakura performed treatments, referred patients to specialists, asked for help from senior medic-nins and sent people off to the herbalists. Then it was time to clock off and head home, for most of the nin on the day shift anyway. She passed many a groaning student on the way in to begin the night shift, and she didn't envy them.
Finally it was time to check off the last thing on her list. She honestly wasn't sure where to start searching for who she needed to speak to. Luckily for her though, a rather exuberant Lee came racing to her side as she walked down the main street, a toothy grin on his face.
"Sakura-san! Would you care to join me for an evening snack that will revitalize and refresh you?!"
The pink haired woman had to stop herself from gaping at his enthusiasm and rubbed at the back of her head sheepishly,
"Ah, I'm sorry but I can't right now Lee. I don't suppose you could tell me where Tenten is, could you? I need to ask her something."
He looked slightly deflated as he easily offered up the information she desired, but not before extricating a rain check from her. Soon she was trundling down the road, a little uncertain of what she was about to do. That day in the market place, Tenten had seemed genuinely irritated with her, but she hoped that didn't reflect her general opinion of her. Now as her fist hovered inches from the hardwood of Tenten's front door, Sakura found herself doubting her resolve. Quite suddenly that wasn't a problem, as the door swung away from her fist into the apartment. Tenten stood on the threshold, her hip cocked and her arms crossed over her chest.
"Can I help you?"
her tone was fairly plain, despite the fact that her body language was standoffish, and Sakura spoke plainly in return.
"Yes, I'd like that actually."
This resulted in a raised eyebrow which Sakura took as a cue to explain herself.
"I was wondering if you'd be willing to train me, Tenten?"
Sakura let herself relax upon seeing the look of contemplation that Tenten was sporting, only to tense up again after hearing her reply.
"I can't say that I am, sorry Sakura."
"But, why not?" She found herself blurting out indignantly.
"I don't see what you could possibly hope to learn from me." Tenten replied indifferently.
The other girl spluttered a bit, trying to find an answer that would prove her wrong.
"As far as I know," Sakura said, recovering from her lapse of logical thought, "you're the only weapons mistress around here."
The brown haired girl raised that persistent eyebrow once more,
"And?"
"And I'd like to learn from you. Heaven knows it's been too long since I've done weapons training, and I'd like to get to know you better?"
Tenten tensed.
"So that's what this is about."
She felt her hackles rise.
"Don't think too hard into what you saw, Sakura."
Her voice was full of venom, and Sakura was afraid she'd spit at her feet at any moment. That Sunday a couple of months ago flashed through her mind.
"That's not it at all!" She waved her hands in front of her, trying to diffuse the tension that had drawn the air around them as tight as bow string.
"I just thought we'd have things in common and I'd be able to learn from you at the same time, I swear it!" she insisted.
"I don't want your pity, Sakura. Please, just leave."
Desperately the pink haired kunoichi tried to grasp the right thing to say, but she kept drawing blanks. Sighing heavily Sakura looked up to see Tenten turning away from her, her eyes glistening slightly. She bit her lip, but began to walk away anyway. Her heart really went out to the older girl, who always seemed so cheerful. Something had to be the matter, and Sakura only wanted to help and be helped.
That night as she lay on top of her sheets she found herself thinking of a way she could get Tenten to reconsider. All she wanted to do was to reach out. Be it her with her hand or a weapon as an extension of herself. She was ready to become something much more than medic-nin, a good daughter, a good friend.
And there you have it. Anyone a fan of Bill Hicks? He helps me so much with my writing. I only wish I could inject the same humour into it as is present in his stand up routines. Fucking hilarious guy.
I woke up at 3am this morning for no particular reason, and have been unable to get back to sleep. So I could have posted earlier, but since no one seems to be hanging out for it I didn't bother. Guess that's the downside of posting the parameters of the challenge with the first chapter, everyone already knows what's going to happen.
Anyway, thank you for your time. Expect the next update on Thursday.
OmniXx.
