A drabble collection from the You Must Believe in Spring universe.
You Must Believe in Spring
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Seasons In-Between
Wednesday, April 12th, 10:00 AM KST
Konoha, ANBU Base/Infirmary – Recuperative Suite #44
Anko had survived countless dangers – everything from Orochimaru to, most recently, escaping with Ranka and showing up at the ANBU base with a dozen-plus enemy nin in her wake.
But this might just be what pushed her over the edge.
"At least the psych ward isn't far from here," she muttered to herself, flopping her head back on her pillow. She eyed the stack of magazines the well-meaning nurse had left next to her bed, but decided she would rather garrote herself with her draw-string before she read anything that offered beauty tips or hints about pleasing anyone.
She'd spent most of the last two weeks unconscious, but several days ago she'd been deemed stable enough graduate from intensive care. According to the map on the wall, she was in "recuperative suite #44," but Anko felt more like it should be labeled "fancy-ass holding cell #44."
Tsunade had made it very clear that Anko wouldn't be strong enough to leave this room anytime soon, and any attempt to escape would be unsuccessful in the extreme. Anko wasn't sure what her punishment would be if caught, but she suspected it involved pastels.
A shiver passed through her, and she pulled the light hoodie tighter around her with a grimace. Theoretically she should have been pleased when she'd been provided with real clothing instead of hospital gowns, but she couldn't quite adjust to the collection of soft cotton t-shirts and loose bottoms.
"These will be comfortable," the nurse had assured her with a smile. Anko might have snorted at that. As far as she could tell, dressing for 'comfort' meant wearing clothes that allowed for movement and then doing as little moving as possible.
Anko blew out a breath and glared at the ceiling. She hated feeling lazy and useless.
She was frustrated.
She was frustrated that she had so little energy, despite being constantly reminded that she'd been under extreme physical and mental duress for about a month. That meant Muta and Tokuma were still under extreme physical and mental duress and had been for more than a month.
She was frustrated that there was no news of her summons.
She didn't have the reserves to contact her Doku right now, and had to rely on Uchiha to figure out what had happened to him.
She was beyond frustrated that everyone kept asking if she was 'comfortable.'
She didn't want to be 'comfortable.' She wanted to be hunting down the people holding her friends captive. She wanted to get the hell out of this hospital and find those sons of bitches, and-
With a strangled snarl of pure, unadulterated frustration, she swatted the stack of magazines until they scattered all over the floor. She slammed her hands on the bed and stared up at the ceiling seething. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend the sudden movement hadn't cost her energy. What she wouldn't give to for the ability to slip on her trenchcoat and get out of here. Maybe she'd stop at her favorite dango shop before loading up on weapons and going on the hunt.
"Doing research?"
She looked up sharply at the sound of the familiar voice. Kakashi leaned in the doorway, and was idly flicking through one of the discarded magazines, whose cover screamed "Fifty Ways to Please your Man in Bed."
"There isn't anything worth researching in those asinine things," she grumbled, crossing her arms petulantly. "You'd think there'd be something on that fucking cart that you could read without losing your IQ or your will to live."
"Sounds serious," Kakashi casually dropped into the chair next to her. "I have some reading material I could lend you," he offered.
"No thanks. You and Jiraiya are holding up the pervyassed end of the Jōnin spectrum. I'll stick to badass and scary as hell. More my M.O."
"Play to your strengths," Kakashi agreed. "Here," he handed her a box. "Contraband."
She looked at the familiar box, and then snapped her head up at him, mouth open in astonishment.
"Are you serious?"
He arched an eyebrow at her. "Have I ever lied to you?"
"Plenty of times," she s muttered, plopping one of the dumplings into her mouth. Her eyes widened, and she moaned in absolute pleasure, "Oh GOD that's good."
A nurse had just started to enter the room but quickly shut the door with a gasp and hurried down the hall. Anko and Kakashi looked at each other in confusion and then dawning amusement.
Anko snickered. "There you go, Kakashi. Now they don't think you brought me dango. They think we are testing out some of your Icha Icha knowledge."
"Well," he scratched the back of his head. "That does mean they are less likely to try to interrupt us."
"It also means we can finish these in peace. I could use something to amuse me – why don't you tell me what your idiot students have been up to lately."
"Get comfortable," he sighed. "This could take a while."
Anko settled in with her dango expectantly. That was the first time today she didn't mind hearing those words at all.
*Anko was introduced in the Manga, Volume 5, Chapter 44 – hence the room #.
