After a few months Sasuke and his team were permitted to go on slightly higher ranked missions rather than simple domestic tasks, however when he returned after the first, I found him covered in wounds from severe fights, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. I had been informed that this mission was of low rank, so how was it that Sasuke had returned looking as if he had been in a war? "Sasuke. You have blood on your clothes. I shall wash them for you." Hiding my worry behind a calm exterior, I reached out my hand to gently draw Sasuke inside, instructing him to strip down.
"What do you mean strip?! You can't just tell me to do something like that, Miyuki, it's embarrassing." Sasuke blushed deeply after balking from my blunt request. How was this embarrassing? I have seen Sasuke naked many times since he was a baby, so it was nothing I had not seen before, what was the issue?
"Then…please give me your clothing once you are undressed, then I shall see to your injuries." Going into the bathroom I heard Sasuke turn on the water to fill the room with steam so that he could wash. I patiently waited for his clothing which he slipped outside once he was undressed. Picking them up I immediately put them into a bucket of water to soak with some salt to draw out the blood stains before I could wash them, noticing how they were ripped and torn. Was it worth even saving them? Perhaps. I shall do my best to sew them back together.
With the clothing dealt with, I collected up all the supplies I would need to treat Sasuke's injuries then entered the bathroom. Sasuke was sitting on our little stool with a short towel wrapped around his waist, carefully trying to wash himself clean but winced and hissed each time he touched a cut or bruise. "You will only aggravate your wounds that way. Allow me."
"Miyuki!" Sasuke jolted rather excessively, sitting bolt upright and quickly turning his head to stare at me. "Don't just walk in on me when I'm washing!"
"We used to bathe together all the time. What does it matter?" Perplexed at Sasuke's continual reactions of embarrassment and want for privacy, I wondered if perhaps he was reaching an age where he did not want other women, even if it were myself, to see him naked or wash with him. I have very little experience concerning this kind of thing, except for how Itachi gradually changed a little when he reached the same age, though with him it was the opposite. Itachi had always wanted to be closer, to hold my hand more often and we would regularly frequent Konoha's bathhouse in the gender neutral section together. Perhaps comparing my experiences with Itachi to Sasuke will not work, I shall have to start afresh and perhaps do some research.
"That was a long time ago when we were kids but we're not children anymore. I'm growing up now and soon I'll be a man. It's not appropriate for a man and a woman who are not related or in a relationship to bathe together, and I like my own privacy. You shouldn't barge in when you feel like it, Miyuki." Sasuke had given me much to think about, and more to ponder over later. For now I could understand that I was in the wrong, so I dipped my head apologetically.
"Forgive me, Sasuke, I shall try harder from now on to adhere to your wishes and needs." Lowering myself to my knees, Sasuke blinked in surprise as I rested a hand against my chest, looking up at him imploringly. "Pardon the intrusion, but it will be easier if I tend to your injuries and wash your back for you. Please allow me to do this for you this time." Not waiting for his answer, I moved closer then lifted his arm, inspecting the injuries and found them to be delivered by needles. Nothing was life threatening, though some of his chakra flow had been affected by the fine needlepoints, so after treating each scratch and bruise with ointment and bandages, I worked his chakra to correct the flow alignment.
"Amazing, I feel better already." Sasuke mused as he flexed his fingers. "I don't feel strained anymore."
"You opponent must have been gifted with pressure points and chakra manipulation. I have corrected the flaws, so you will recover swiftly." I explained softly as I finished washing Sasuke's back for him. "Please be careful, do not overexert yourself for now." Rinsing him off I finally stood up, collecting all of the medical supplies before making for the door. "I shall prepare dinner for you. You may leave everything to me." The moment I was outside, however, I found myself wrapped in an unbidden rage. If the person who had done this to Sasuke had still been living, I was certain I would have hunted them down to extract payment for hurting him. It was a pity the boy, Haku, had already perished.
Sasuke had told me everything that had happened, and although I was pleased that he was able to defend himself so well, I was concerned that he had almost been defeated. It was unlike Sasuke to be beaten, so he may feel downhearted for a few days. Perhaps I should add more to our regular training methods, it was about time I began to teach him the advanced level of Fire Jutsu specific to our clan. Taking a deep, calm breath I allowed my anger to wash away, clearing my head so that I could think calmly before going about my tasks.
Soon enough I had the dinner cooking in the kitchen which I watched over with studious attention, not allowing anything to burn. It was unusual for anyone to visit, so when I heard a knock at the door I looked at it blankly for a few moments. When a second knock sounded, I turned down the heat on the stove and went to answer it. "Kakashi-san. Good evening." I greeted a little blandly, looking up at him with a blank expression as he smiled and lifted his hand in a wave.
"Hello Miyuki-chan, I just came to see how Sasuke was doing. Not too bad I hope? It was a rather strenuous mission, after all."
"He will recover." Answering him as plainly as I could, I regarded Sasuke's team leader closely. Kakashi was someone I had always been aware of but had never really come to know personally. Once or twice whilst we were both in the ANBU we may have been sent on a mission together, but other than that, I knew very little of him. Sasuke did not speak much of his team, except to occasionally to complain about the Fox boy, Naruto, as he was a rather clumsy maverick who seemed to irritate Sasuke a fair amount.
"Ah, well that's good, I'm glad to hear it." Kakashi responded, seemingly put off by my candour. I did not mean to be offensive, but often people would comment that my attitude seemed rather supercilious and aloof, that I was unapproachable and that I appeared to think myself above everyone else for how I spoke. It was not my intention, I simply do not like to waste words, and for the most part I do not like to talk to strangers because they make me nervous. I should try harder. "Well then, I'll just…uh…"
"Kakashi-san. If you have the time, I would like to speak to you tomorrow. It concerns Sasuke." I prompted myself to speak despite the fact that I felt a flitter of nervousness. Interacting socially was such a difficult concept for me to grasp, I usually become confused and flustered, but I hope that Kakashi-san will not think me too forward.
"Oh, well sure. I'll have some time free tomorrow if you want to talk. Is there anything wrong?" I was not certain how to answer, because I was not sure myself whether there was or was not something wrong. Merely something I did not understand.
"We will talk tomorrow. I shall find you, so simply continue your day as usual. Goodnight, Kakashi-san." Giving him a polite bow I then closed the door on him, viewing our conversation as finished. It only struck me some time later whilst I was eating with Sasuke that perhaps closing the door so suddenly might have been rude. I shall have to ensure I apologise to him tomorrow.