Sasuke
I opened my eyes to glaring rays of light shining through an open window. My head was pounding and I could barely think. My arms ached and my body was stiff and heavy. I cracked my eyes open, trying to figure out where I was. That wasn't my window, and this certainly wasn't my bed.
Itachi was asleep in a chair next to me. So what, I was in a hospital? I looked around the pristine room and groaned. Fantastic. As I struggled into an upright position, Itachi's eyes flickered open. I looked at him, trying to figure out what I was doing in a hospital, and why he was here with me. Then I noticed the bandages around my arms and it all came back to me. Mom, the funeral, Itachi's words...
I should have been dead. I was supposed to be dead. Itachi was watched me intently, waiting for my mind to put the pieces together.
"Why did you bother?" I asked finally, my voice rough lack of use.
He drew his eyebrows together. "You're my brother."
"Ah." So family duty. For a while we stared at each other, the silence growing heavier by the minute. His face showed a faint hint of anxiety, while mine was totally devoid of emotion.
My eyes drifted around the room as I search for something to say. "I don't think the window is supposed to be open." I remembered that unfortunate detail from my visits to my mother. It really was too bad. Now that my eyes had adjusted, I appreciate the warm sunshine, and the chilly breeze refreshed the otherwise stuffy hospital air.
He relaxed a little at the change of subject. "You used to ask me to open the window all the time."
I snorted. "Yeah. That was when I was six and we still talked to each other."
He raised an eyebrow. "You want me to close it?" he asked, but he already knew what my answer would be.
"...No." As the heavy atmosphere returned, I studied him more closely. I was startled by how bad he looked. His normally silky smooth hair was tangled and messy, still hanging free. Dark circles hung under his eyes and he looked unhealthily pale. He was still wearing the same suit he wore to the funeral, although it had long since lost it's crisp appearance, the shirt wrinkled and the tie coming undone. I couldn't remember ever seeing his appearance anything less than perfect. But despite everything he still managed to maintain an air of beauty and poise.
"How long have I been here?" I asked.
Itachi breathed a deep sigh. "It's been nearly two days. You hadn't eaten, you'd barely slept, and of course there was the major blood loss." He gave me a disapproving look, but then his eyes grew worried. "I found you just in time."
"Tch. Your timing was horrible."
A pained look crossed his features and he ran his hand through his hair. "Sasuke I'm so sorry, I should never have talked to you like that, I didn't mean to..." he trailed off.
I turned my head away. "You were just being honest."
He pressed his lips together. "No Sasuke, I thought… I thought you'd be better off if I stayed away from you."
"That's a terrible excuse." I glared at him. He ran his hand through his hair again. A nervous habit? Since when did Itachi get nervous? Two days ago he couldn't have cared less, why bother now? Anger rose in my chest. I was certainly not planning on making up with him. I wasn't planning anything beyond the next time I was alone. I'd made up my mind. I grit my teeth. Him and his stupid excuses could fuck off.
He squeezed his eyes shut, "I never should have ignored you, I'm so sorry."
My voice rose. "Oh, so you apologize now that I'm in a hospital? A bit fucking late don't you think?"
"Sasuke, I'm serious!"
"And I don't fucking care!" I yelled. "I am not going to sit here and listen to your bullshit! Apparently it takes me nearly dying for you to even fucking remember that I exist!"
Right at that moment, a nurse came in. I guess my yelling was heard from the hallway. I slumped back against the wall and glared at her, willing her to go away.
She smiled brightly. "I'm so glad to see you awake! Sasuke, right?" I groaned. Could she not read the atmosphere?
Itachi moved to sit near the window while the nurse checked me over. She hummed a cheerful tune as she took my pulse and read the monitors. "Well, It looks like you're going to be just fine!" she said finally, smiling again as she stepped back.
"Oh boy, lucky me. Do I get to leave now?" I fixed her with a bitter scowl.
Her smile faltered, "You'll have to have a psych evaluation first, and talk to the doctor to be discharged…" her eyes shifted around the room uncomfortably, and then came to rest on the window behind Itachi. She started to walk forward, "I'm sorry, but you can't have that open."
Immediately she was met with a scathing death glare from Itachi that stopped her dead in her tracks. She looked between my scowling face and Itachi's glare and gave up. She turned and fled out of the room, mumbling something about another patient. As the door swung closed behind her, a hint of a smile pulled at my lips.
"Poor girl was scared out of her mind," Itachi said, looking slightly worried for a moment.
I snorted. "I almost feel sorry for her, pissing off two Uchihas, but she was…"
He sighed. "Irritating," he said simply. This time a genuine smile played across my face. Then it faded as the reality of the situation set back in.
"Alright Itachi," I said. "You've done your brotherly duty, staying here until I woke up. You can leave now."
He pursed his lips. "Sasuke, I'm not going anywhere. I'm sure you'll be able to pass any evaluation they throw at you with flying colors, but I'm not so easily fooled. I have no intention of losing you."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh great, I'm stuck with you." I paused. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
He shrugged. "I'm taking time off."
"They let you do that?" As far as I knew, Itachi had never so much as taken a sick day off from his job, whatever it was.
He smirked, and since when did Itachi smirk? "They can't exactly stop me," he said.
I blinked. That was probably true, but Itachi had never been the type to break rules. What was going on with him today? Oh well. He couldn't skip work indefinitely, so I'd get my chance.
Itachi was right- a few hours later I was evaluated, and another irritating nurse came to tell me that I would be discharged first thing in the morning. After she left the room, Itachi slipped his phone back into his pocket and looked over at me. "As much as I've been enjoying the quality time I've spent with this hospital chair, I haven't been home in two days and I'd rather like to sleep in a bed- and shower." He stood up and stretched, coming to stand next to me.
"Really? Thank God." His constant presence was annoying as hell. "So much for not going anywhere," I muttered.
"Oh, don't worry. I do have a contingency plan." Itachi moved suddenly, grabbing my arm. By the time I realized what he was doing, I was already handcuffed to the bed frame.
"Itachi what the fuck!"
His eyes twinkled, "Sorry Sasuke, I'm not having you run off the moment I leave you alone. Oh, and don't think the staff will help you. It's amazing what a few fifties can do for you." He smirked. Was he enjoying this? The sadistic bastard.
Without another word he turned and strolled out of the room.
I cursed, metal clanging against metal as I struggled. "Get back here you dick!" I snarled. But it was useless. The bed frame was solidly built and the handcuffs were real. Why the fuck did Itachi have real handcuffs?! The bastard knew me too well; I wouldn't be able to get away with anything as long as he was around.
Itachi's sudden journey into the realm of emotions had been unnerving, but that confirmed it. Emotional or not that was definitely my brother. No one else would have the guts to pull something like that. I thought about making a break for it bed and all, but that would probably get me locked in a padded cell. I flopped back down, resigning myself to the uncomfortable night ahead of me. I stared up at the ceiling, thinking about how I could get back at him.
