"You're not older than me," I commented dryly as I recognized that trademark attitude.
"Yeah? Then why am I here?"
"I'm temporarily blind."
"Who are you?"
"We were in the same graduating class at the Academy, Shikamaru."
"How do you know it was me?"
"You're the laziest guy I've ever met."
"You sure we were in the same class? You don't look like anyone from Konoha."
"I wasn't born here."
"That makes sense. I feel like I'd remember a girl like you in my class though. You stand out. I don't remember you at all."
"I used to wear my hair differently, and dyed it brown so I fit in."
"What's your name?"
"Ayami Mitsuki."
"Say what? You're a girl?"
"You thought I was a boy?"
"I wasn't the only one."
I snorted as I fought to keep from giggling.
"You're not offended?"
"No. Should I be?"
"Ino and Sakura would say yes."
"You didn't do it spitefully. You just didn't know. No big deal."
"Maybe girls aren't all such a drag."
"Okay, Ayami, I found a restaurant to make your salmon. Oh, hey Shikamaru! What are you doing here?" Naruto's raspy voice returned.
"Kakashi Sensei told me to sit in here and give her some company."
"Do you think you can feed her? I want to go check on Sasuke."
"That would be such a drag."
"Naruto's teammate is injured, and I'm temporarily critically disabled. He's asking a favor so he can see to his comrade's needs and ensure I'm cared for, and your response is that it would be a drag?"
"When you put it that way, you make me sound like a bad person," Shikamaru muttered. "Give me that. Go see your friend. I can take care of this," he agreed with a sigh.
"Thanks, Shikamaru! Bye, Ayami! I'll come check on you again tomorrow, okay?"
I heard a bento box being opened, chopsticks broken apart, and a faucet turn on briefly. The smell of freshly grilled salmon on jasmine rice and the steam still rising off the broccoli was heavenly.
"I guess say ah."
I opened my mouth wide, quickly rewarded with a bite of fish that melted in my mouth like butter.
"I'm surprised he didn't bring you ramen. Was that by request?" Shikamaru began making small talk.
"He brought me ramen first, but I couldn't eat it. He asked me what I'd like instead outright. So, in part it was a request, but one of necessity."
"Why can't you eat ramen?"
"I can eat ramen just fine. What creates an issue is when meat is in it."
My next bite was broccoli.
"You're eating fish right now, which I'm pretty sure counts as meat."
"Yes, I know. But any other kind of meat that isn't fish or similarly, seafood, makes me sick."
"Oh, I get it now. I'll bet he brought you pork."
I nodded and got another bite of fish and rice.
"This is so embarrassing," he muttered.
"Why is it embarrassing to help someone in a hospital?"
"Because stupid Sakura just walked by, made a dumb face, and ran off to tell Ino or Sasuke we're dating or something idiotic like that."
"Why do you care what they think?"
"I don't!" he insisted a little too quickly to be believed.
"Do you like one of those girls?"
"No, girls are troublesome. I just don't want them bugging me later."
"Why would they bother you later?"
"They love to gossip, and they'll start asking a bunch of weird questions."
"If they say anything, send them my way. I'll take care of them for you."
"You'd really do that for me?"
"Of course."
"Maybe not all girls are trouble. And you're sure you're not a boy?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Now let me finish eating."
I had a few more bites before some rice got stuck in my throat. I tried to cough it up, but it didn't work.
"Hold your hand out. Not, not like that, like you're holding a cup. There. Here's a cup of water. It's only half full so you shouldn't spill."
I carefully brought the cup towards my mouth, bumping my chin with the edge before I was able to get it right. The water was cool, refreshing, and cleared my throat of the rice.
I held the cup out again awkwardly. It was taken without a sigh or huff.
"Better now?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"You only have a little bit left. Do you want to finish it? Are you full?"
"Full enough. I'm really tired though."
"Don't have to tell me twice. I'm gone."
"Thanks for being here, Shikamaru. I know it was just an annoyance to you, but I really appreciate it."
"Don't make a fuss over it. Get better soon. I don't want to have to come back and do this on a regular basis, okay?"
"I'll do my best."
Sakura was my first visitor the next morning. "Who are you to take Sasuke's attention?" she demanded.
"I don't know what you mean by that."
"Why did he risk himself to save you?"
"For the same reasons anyone might risk their life for someone else's, I guess?"
"Sasuke can't love you! You aren't even a kunoichi!"
"You watched me training with my team, Sakura. Contrary to popular opinion, I am a girl."
"Since when?"
"Since...always? Since I was born?"
"Real girls don't wear their hair so short, and they don't wear boys' clothes. You can't be a girl."
"I'm not stripping for you to prove my point."
"What are you talking about now?" she squealed.
"You don't get to determine what defines a girl. I am one, end of story. You also don't get to control the actions of others. Sasuke saved me out of the goodness of his heart. I don't really know the guy. Anything more than that is just made up in your head."
"Don't know him? How could you not know Sasuke Uchiha?"
"Why would I know him? He doesn't make a habit of being friendly."
"Further proof that you can't possibly be a girl! Every girl in our graduating class has a crush on Sasuke!"
"Hinata doesn't. I don't. Just because you and Ino fight over a guy that doesn't pay you any mind doesn't mean every girl idolizes him. You're wearing me out. Get out of my room."
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and if I find out that you've been sneaking around with my beloved Sasuke, I'll destroy you!"
"Why do you like him so much?"
"He's so cool! How can you not like that about a guy?"
"He's not cool. He's aloof. He's never shown any interest in you, or Ino, or anyone else. What is there to like besides his looks?"
"Hah! So you do like Sasuke, then."
"No, I mean objectively. I don't care about his appearance. He hasn't expressed any kind of personality, so other than his appearance, what could anyone possibly like about him?"
"You're a terrible liar, and I'm going to make sure you stay far away from my Sasuke!"
"You're a terrible listener. It doesn't matter how many times I tell you I'm not interested in Sasuke. You'll keep believing I am because you don't understand anything about real love."
'You keep insisting, so I'll give you a chance to prove it. If you don't like Sasuke, then who do you like?"
"No one you know. Now leave my room, or I'll yell for Naruto or Shikamaru."
"You like Naruto? That's so gross."
"You stupid girl! Naruto is my friend, but that's all he is. I don't like anyone the way you like Sasuke, least of all Sasuke who is indifferent to everyone and everything. Leave me alone."
"Oh, so you like Shikamaru then. He's so lazy, I can't believe any girl-"
"Naruto! Shikamaru!"
I heard pounding footsteps in the hall. Sakura was still talking, but I had stopped listening.
"Are you okay, Ayami? Hey, Sakura," Naruto came in first, making Sakura shut up.
"Calling out for me and it's not even time for you to eat. What a drag..." I could hear Shikamaru muttering. "What do you want?" he asked irritably.
"Sakura won't leave me alone. Can you guys make her go?"
"Troublesome women," Shikamaru grumbled as I heard him moving his hands.
"What are you doing?" Sakura cried out.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
"I can't move!" Sakura screamed.
"Naruto, don't just stand there. Turn Sakura so she's facing the same way as me."
"Don't touch me, Naruto!"
"You're bothering Ayami, so you did this to yourself," he told her.
I heard two sets of footsteps leaving the room.
"I didn't know Shikamaru could do something like that," Naruto admitted.
"What will stop her from coming back? He can't keep whatever he did to her going forever."
"I'll check on you until you can see. If Sakura bothers you again, I'll tell Kakashi Sensei. He'll make her stop for good."
Over the next two days, Naruto came by every couple hours to see me. He consistently updated me on the others' conditions, and Sakura didn't come back. I hadn't seen Shikamaru to thank him, either.
Finally, I woke up on the fourth day and could see everything in hazy shades of grey. Silhouettes of objects and people more than anything, with no real detail. I tried walking around the hospital room, but kept bumping things and stubbed my toe on a table leg I hadn't made out.
Someone cleared their throat at the door while I hopped on one foot, complaining to myself about my vision and the table and my toe.