Thanks everyone for the reviews, favorites, etc! Especially:

dazynl8 Looooooove the new songs! Please people, I'm still writing this story (I'm just finished chapter 12 and still going strong!) so if you have music recommendations to spice up the playlist, hit me! ("Pass the peas, pass the- hit me!"~James Brown)

TheAliensDidIt Aw, shucks. I'm glad you like it (and if your heart is breaking now, just wait *insert evil laughter here*)!

Sasusaku Welcome to the story! Don't worry, I always, always finish my stories:) More on the way!

Ok darlings, here is more! Please tell me how you like it!


A tune beyond us as we are,
Yet nothing changed by the blue guitar;

Ourselves in the tune as if in space,
Yet nothing changed, except the place

Of things as they are and only the place
As you play them, on the blue guitar,

Placed so, beyond the compass of change,
Perceived in a final atmosphere;

For a moment final, in the way
The thinking of art seems final when

The thinking of god is smoky dew.
The tune is space. The blue guitar

Becomes the place of things as they are,
A composing of senses of the guitar.

~The Blue Guitar, Stanza VI

The key in the metal shackles made tiny clinking sounds as she released his hands. "I- I wasn't sure what you liked to eat, so I brought you some miso soup. It will be good for your chi..." Sakura, still unnerved at their emotional exchange just a few moments prior, gingerly took his hands and guided them to the soup.

"Thank you." Sasuke said simply, as he began to eat.

Thank you? Wow, that's a first... Sakura pushed her surprise away and spoke slowly. "I'd like to check your vitals when you're done...once you are strong enough, we can schedule the surgery." Sasuke nodded and handed her back the empty bowl.

"Wow, you must have been hungry... do you want more?"

He shook his head no. There was an awkward silence between them, so Sakura proceeded to check his blood pressure. She was glad he couldn't see her blushing as she tended to him.

Damn Uchiha! I can't tell whether I love you or whether I want to fucking murder you... But Sakura knew she couldn't kill the bastard- she had already tried, that time in the Iron country with a poisoned kunai, and had nearly gotten herself killed by his chidori. Bastard. Sakura swore to herself that the relationship would probably develop into an uneasy friendship at best; she needed to push thoughts about love away, for good, to keep her sanity intact.

"You're doing pretty well, considering, Sasuke. I think I'll go ahead and schedule you for tomorrow morning...scratch that, tomorrow afternoon. I'm sleeping in tomorrow." Sakura giggled, but felt awkward when Sasuke didn't react at all, so she continued briskly, "I'll send for Kakashi-sensei to come take my place watching over you tonight..."

Sasuke grunted. "I don't need a babysitter. It's not like I can get very far in my condition..."

Sakura shook her head, but then remembered that her patient was blind. "It's for your own safety. In case any...complications...arise. I want someone here I trust."

"In other words, you are worried about someone coming in to murder me...how sweet of you."

"I'm blushing at the praise." Sakura replied, her sardonic tone masking her surprise at the Uchiha's acuity. "And if you're lucky, maybe Kakashi-sensei will read you some smut from his Icha Icha."

Sakura stifled a gasp when the corners of Sasuke's mouth twitched upwards. Is that...is that the pathetic beginnings of a grin? First he cries, then he smiles...the fuck? "I'm going to get more coffee and send a message to Kakashi- you want anything?" Sakura said aloud.

"More soup... would be ok."

Sakura grinned and took his bowl, saying, "K, be back in a minute."

Just as she reached the door, he called her name-

"What?"

He held up his wrists.

Sakura chided, "I'll only be gone a minute..."

He shook his head. Sakura sighed. "Ok." She clamped down the shackles on his wrists again.

"I'm the enemy, Sakura. Don't forget that."

Sakura looked at him askance. "And you're my friend, Sasuke. Don't forget that either." And with that, she closed the door behind her.


No, Sasuke was not looking forward to spending time with his old sensei. Definitely not, and especially not, considering the multiple times he had attempted to kill Kakashi. Awkward. Sasuke idly wondered if this was going to be like the time Kakashi tied him to a tree and lectured him- lucky for Kakashi, he was shackled to his damn hospital bed already, and even if he wasn't, he felt too shitty to move. Kuso...

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura beamed when the door to the hospital room opened.

"My, my, someone's ready for a break."

"Nah, he behaved himself." Sakura shoot back. "But yeah, I am ready to sleep in my own bed."

"Hn." Came from the patient's bed.

"Don't miss me too much." Sakura replied dryly. "I'll be back after lunch tomorrow to put your eyes back together."

"Ok. Thanks."

Sakura smiled. "K, have fun doing your male bonding thing guys. I have a date with a bottle of sake."

As Sakura exited, Kakashi muttered something about along the lines of, "That girl needs to watch her alcohol intake." Shaking his head, he made his way to the thinly fabric covered, uncomfortable as hell, wooden arm chair and pulled out Icha Icha.

It was silent except for sound of pages turning.

"You're not going to say anything?" Sasuke ventured warily.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You want me to?"

More silence. More pages turning.

"Hey...Kakashi..."

"Yeah?"

"...Never mind..."

Kakashi exhaled noisily. "Okay..."

After a few minutes, Kakashi peeked over at Sasuke, who seemed to be asleep. Finally relaxing, Kakashi put away his book and closed his eyes.

"Kakashi?"

Startled, Kakashi sat upright. "Hm...?"

"Do you want to say something?"

"You mean, something besides, oh I don't know, how this is the most awkward conversation I've ever had?"

"Hn."

"Sorry."

"Ok."

Another minute passed.

Sasuke mused, At least Sakura had conversation skills...

"Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"You awake?"

"Obviously."

"...Right."

More silence. Kakashi cleared his throat. "Sasuke... I actually did want to say something."

Sasuke braced himself- Here it comes, the lecture, all the ways I fucked up-

"I'm sorry, Sasuke."

After a moment, Sasuke said, "No."

"Nani?"

"I mean... that's stupid."

"Thanks." Kakashi muttered.

"I mean...you shouldn't be sorry."

"Oh."

Sasuke would have scratched his head, but his hands were bound. Damn it all! Sasuke took a deep breath and stated simply, "If anyone should be sorry, it's me."

"Are you?" Kakashi asked quizzically.

More silence.

Kakashi stifled a groan as he adjusted his position on the arm chair from hell. "Sasuke... I'm sorry I wasn't a better sensei to you. I'm sorry...I'm sorry I failed you."

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked languidly.

"Yeah."

"Ok." Sasuke stated simply.

Kakashi chuckled lowly. "Welcome home, Sasuke-kun. It's nice to finally have you back..." Kakashi extracted his ass from the chair of doom and sprawled out on the floor. As he reached into his vest pocket for Icha Icha, Kakashi stated simply, "Now shut up and go to sleep."

"Hn."

When he woke in the morning, Sasuke was surprised that he had slept blissfully well, despite Kakashi's atrocious snoring in the bed next to his.


Hope you liked the latest chapter my pretties:) Please let me know via the blue button. Also, I know there's a lot of chapters after this one, but it really helps me to become a better writer when I can get your feedback on multiple chapters, so please don't hesitate to give me your two cents!