Pompeii
Chapter 10
jaylene
Sakura shuffled through the papers on her desk, whistling merrily. There were only a few scheduled appointments today and, while there would certainly be some walk-ins, it left her in a good mood.
She and Shizune were making their way through the backlog of file entries pretty steadily but there were some discrepancies that irked at Sakura's mind. Incomplete information on some forms that could be chalked up to incompetence or human error.
But the others…
Sakura bit her lip.
Some of the forms contained little tidbits of information that seemed random and intrusive to the patient. "5000 mg of local anesthesia to sedate the patient." "Patient's pain tolerance is extraordinarily high." Perhaps the most concerning bit to Sakura was the repeated occurrence of the word "redacted."
It might be nothing, she hoped it was nothing. Not many of the files had such concerning language.
"Oi!"
Sakura glanced up, surprised she hadn't heard the bell chime a new visitor. It was Shizune's day off, bless that woman, and Sakura was sole caretaker of the clinic.
The man who stood before her was tall and lean. His dark hair was artfully messy and the scowl he wore upon his face was thunderous. While Sakura didn't know him, she did know his eyes.
"Sasuke?" she guessed, looking up into pretty pinwheel eyes.
He folded his arms, regarding her impassively.
Sakura fought a sigh as she stood, remembering Izuna's comments of "brat" and "sullen" only the day before.
"How can I help you?" Sakura inquired politely.
"Stay away from my brother!" Sasuke hissed.
Sakura was fascinated by the way feathers emerged from his skin as he spoke, ruffling and shifting with indignation.
"I'm afraid I don't quite understand," Sakura said blithely, unfazed by his tantrum. The feathers were certainly impressive, but they didn't particularly scare her.
"You've done something to him, bewitched him or something. Him and the rest of the family," Sasuke said bitterly, eyeing her with spite.
"They're just being kind," Sakura replied, finding herself amused by Sasuke's blatant jealousy. His youth was made obvious in his pout and demeanor. She was certain he was older than her by decades, but he certainly didn't act it. "I'm new in town. It stands to reason that I'm a bit fascinating at the moment. I'm sure the interest will die down."
Sasuke would not be soothed. "It's different! We've had newcomers before but you...Itachi has his birds follow you! He never does that."
Sakura hummed thoughtfully, tentatively patting Sasuke's arm. She did her best to hide a wry smile as she did her best to comfort the distraught Uchiha.
He leaned into her touch unconsciously, enjoying the way she preened the feathers on his arm.
"I'm the new doctor in town and Shisui and Itachi stopped by on one of my first days here. They're interested for the moment but it'll pass," Sakura said. "It always does."
Sasuke opened his eyes to stare at her curiously, wondering at the acerbic tone in those last words. Then he winced as it pulled at the injury at his neck.
"Are you alright?" Sakura asked, switching to professional mode. Her eyes assessed him, centering in on his covered neck. "What happened to your neck?"
"Nothing," he said, feeling himself flush with embarrassment. His plans were getting all twisted and ruined and it was all her fault! Still, he didn't find himself all that angry with her as her cool fingers brushed the bandage at his throat. Sasuke swallowed, finding himself flustered. "It's nothing!"
"Doesn't look like nothing," Sakura replied, pulling her hands away.
Sasuke told himself he didn't miss her touch.
They regarded each other in silence as Sakura waited for a truthful response.
"I ended up getting into a little skirmish yesterday," Sasuke said, resisting the urge to pull a "Naruto" and scratch the back of his neck. He refused to look so uncool. "It isn't that big a deal."
Sakura frowned at the blatant lie. "Will you allow me to take a look? I don't want the wound to get infected."
Sasuke visibly wavered before he hung his head with a sigh. "Fine," he said.
"Would you like to go to one of the back rooms?" Sakura asked.
"Here's fine," Sasuke said.
"You can take my seat," Sakura said graciously.
Sasuke complied, swallowing hard against the feeling of her fingers at his throat. He watched with spinning eyes as Sakura unwrapped his clumsy bandaging attempt to examine the wound.
It was long but shallow, an inflamed, angry red line that cut across his neck and collarbone.
Sakura clucked, pulling on a pair of gloves. "What sort of skirmish involves knife wounds?" she asked.
"Not a knife," Sasuke said, averting his gaze. He'd already said too much.
Sakura paused in her movements, watching him. He stayed quiet and she moved on, knowing when to leave a subject alone.
Instead, Sakura grabbed her antiseptic spray and popped the cap off.
"Now, this will sting," Sakura warned.
Sasuke scoffed, but nodded his understanding.
Sakura bit her lip to keep from grinning at his overly prickly personality. He seemed to have completely forgotten his initial purpose in coming here. It was really quite adorable.
Sakura sprayed along the cut and grabbed a long adhesive bandage. She quickly and neatly pressed it over his wound. She thoughtfully ignored the way his feathers roiled and fluffed up, showcasing how much the antiseptic stung.
"You should be alright now," Sakura said with a bright smile, tossing her gloves in the trash. "Please come back in for a checkup if the wound gets any worse or infected."
"Thank you," Sasuke said in an odd voice. He hesitated before catching one of her hands in his. When she looked up at him, he continued, "Seriously, thank you."
Sakura's lips curled up in a slight smile as she nodded. "You're quite welcome, Sasuke."
He ducked his head, smiling. He itched to stretch out his wings and let out a great cry, freeing himself of the growing heaviness and warmness in his chest. Sasuke warred with himself, unused to such inner turmoil.
"I'll try to come to the next family dinner if you're invited again," Sasuke said, cheeks flushed.
Sakura smiled up at him. "That'll be nice."
The tranquility of the moment was interrupted by the tinkling of the bell above the door.
Sakura turned away from Sasuke and he immediately missed her presence. He turned as well, scowl deepening as he caught sight of the man in the doorway.
Agent Tobirama Senju.
"Am I interrupting something?" Tobirama asked, red eyes flinty as a smirk crawled across his face.
Sasuke wanted to punch the smarmy bastard.
"Not at all," Sakura said. "How may I help you?"
Tobirama shifted his weight. If Sakura didn't know any better, she'd say he was nervous. "Could we speak privately?"
Sakura glanced at Sasuke. He bristled but, glancing between Sakura and Tobirama, nodded. He knew he was no match for Tobirama. Not alone.
"Send the bill to the manor," he said, casually brushing a hand over Sakura's.
She snorted, shaking her head. "All I did could have come from a first aid kit. It's free of charge."
Sasuke's smile softened and he moved to step closer. He stopped, remembering himself, and backed away instead. "See you soon, doctor."
Sakura waved him goodbye before returning her focus to Tobirama.
"What was it you wanted to speak of?" she asked.
Tobirama didn't respond right away. Instead, he spread his hands and twisted them in complicated gestures. Gold, glittering magic flowed from his fingers, dancing gracefully past Sakura to coat the corners of the room.
Sakura frowned slightly, rubbing at the tingling sensation left behind by the magic that caused the fine hairs on her arms to rise. She cocked a brow.
"Keeps people from eavesdropping. The Uchiha have no honor," Tobirama said, voice calm and matter of fact.
Sakura disagreed but decided not to start an argument. "What brings you here today, agent? And why the secrecy?"
"I came by to see if the results on those samples came in," he said. "The Bureau wants to examine the results."
Sakura shook her head. "We have a few more weeks at the earliest unfortunately. The lab is inundated with other requests. It takes a while to process the results in any case."
Tobirama frowned thoughtfully, pulling out a silver phone. "Could you give me the information on the lab and the tracking number or code on the sample? Perhaps we can expedite the process."
"That's quite kind," Sakura said, a bit surprised. She didn't really expect much of this mysterious and somewhat standoffish agent. "Thank you."
Tobirama smiled down at her and it completely transformed his face.
Sakura found herself transfixed for a moment by bright eyes and a playful grin. Something settled over her, not unlike magic. She did her best to shake it off, finding herself a bit embarrassed.
"Let me get that information for you, Agent Senju," she said, rifling through the papers in her desk.
"Tobirama, please," he replied, leaning against her desk.
Again, there was a heady sort of weight that settled deep in her bones and thrummed there as she met his eyes.
"Would you quit that?" she asked, a little irritable.
He startled, hands fumbling off the desk. "Whatever do you mean?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed on his too innocent smile. "I'm not sure what exactly you are or if this ability is passive, but I can feel your magic every time I make eye contact with you."
Tobirama flushed, covering his eyes with his hands. He'd no idea he'd even activated his thrall. There was something about this miniscule woman, a fire in her, that drew him in. And now he'd way overstepped his boundaries.
"I am so sorry," Tobirama muttered, drawing the power back into himself. The buzzing sensation beneath Sakura's skin faded away to her relief. She ignored the part of herself that felt bereft. She was sure it was a latent effect of...whatever that magic was. "That was, well, it was completely uncalled for on my part."
Sakura flapped a hand, waving away his worries. Her lips did curl up a bit at the concern in his voice. He wasn't the unflappable agent she initially thought he was. He was actually a bit of a dork. A charming dork, sure, but a dork nonetheless. "It's quite alright, Tobirama. I'm coming to understand that some abilities are a little difficult to control. No harm, no foul."
"Still, it was really rude of me," Tobirama said, shame curdling his insides.
Sakura paused, looking up at him. She recognized that tone of voice. He wasn't going to let this go. He would keep beating himself up over it. She moved around her desk, placing a hand on his. He looked down at her. "Tobirama, I forgive you."
Tobirama sighed in relief. He was a bit surprised that she didn't seem to care about the offense. She could have brought him before the local court. Using abilities on other monsters was seriously frowned upon. He could lose his position at the Bureau over this if she pressed for it. Yet she did not. "Thank you."
Sakura nodded easily. "Water under the bridge."
Tobirama regarded her, warmth filling his chest.
She looked him over, falling into a professional guise as she assessed him. "Have you had a check-up recently? We don't have a file on you."
Tobirama smirked down at her. "I don't need physical assessments."
Sakura was unimpressed. "It's always a good idea to receive a physical. They didn't require it at your job?"
"I'm Fay," he replied as if that explained everything.
She watched him blankly, no recognition on her face.
"You know, the Fair Folk, Seelie? Elves to some people."
Sakura shrugged. "Just because you're supernatural doesn't mean you can skimp on medical evaluations."
Tobirama actually laughed, pleasantly surprised. He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. What all does this consist of?"
Sakura grinned triumphantly.
Tobirama felt something akin to anticipation trickle down his spine.
"Take a seat," Sakura said, gesturing to the table as they entered the examination room.
Tobirama did as requested.
Sakura grabbed a clipboard and pen, preparing to complete the intake form. "Name?"
"Tobirama Senju."
"Age?"
Tobirama paused, frowning thoughtfully. "I...I am not quite sure."
"An estimate then?" Sakura asked, glancing over at him curiously.
"A few millennia at the least," he said. "I'd say three and a half millennia?"
Sakura kept her face blank as she filled in the estimation. Over a couple millennia and never once had he thought to receive a check-up? She had her work cut out for her. She scrambled to remember what she knew of the Fay from literature and lore.
They were tricksters at heart, luring mortals into their world with alluring promises. If a mortal consumed the food of that world, they'd be caught there forever. There were two courts of the Fair Folk, the Seelie and the Unseelie; the Light Court and the Dark Court.
Yet none of this really assisted her in developing a plan of action for Tobirama. And, unfortunately, none of her other patients were Fay either.
"Remove your blazer please," Sakura requested.
Tobirama stood and obliged, pulling off the blazer and folding it neatly at his side. Beneath he wore a white dress shirt. He loosened his tie and cuffs, raising a brow in Sakura's direction.
She nodded, grabbing her stethoscope. She had to start somewhere even though she was basically going in blind. "This may be a bit cold," she said, as she pressed the diaphragm beneath his shirt against his back. "Deep breath in," she said, listening intently.
Tobirama obeyed.
Sakura's brow furrowed as she didn't hear a heartbeat. At least, not in the normal sense. There was a sound of thrumming within Tobirama's chest. It reminded Sakura of the wind whistling through trees, of rustling leaves and of shaking branches. It was an irregular sound and it certainly wasn't a heartbeat.
Sakura pulled away and moved around to his front.
Tobirama watched her intently. "Trouble?" he asked.
"You've no heartbeat," she replied. "Is that quite normal?"
He shrugged. "It's always been this way. This is as close to a 'heartbeat' as I suppose most Fay get." He stopped, looking at her with something like wistfulness in his eyes. "What does your heartbeat sound like?"
Sakura stopped moving, hurting for the longing in his eyes. She took off the stethoscope, cleaned the ear pieces, and passed it to Tobirama with a smile.
He watched her with awe, taking the stethoscope gingerly. Slowly, Tobirama situated the instrument, holding the diaphragm with slightly trembling fingers. He looked her over, taking in her open, patient expression and soft clothes.
Tobirama hesitated.
Sakura took the diaphragm, pressing to the bare, warm skin beneath her shirt.
Tobirama gasped as the steady, unfaltering beat of a heart thrummed strongly in his eardrums. It surrounded him, drowning him in the fleeting, yet strong presence of mortal life.
It was absolutely mesmerizing.
"Do other monsters have hearts like this? Ones that...ones that beat?" Tobirama asked, removing the ear pieces from his ears.
"Some do certainly," Sakura said, thinking of the Uchiha and of Kiba. "Not all surely."
Tobirama nodded, still dazed.
Sakura smiled at him, grabbing the stethoscope and putting it away. She pulled the clipboard into her hands once more. "All seems to be well on that front. If we could check your weight?"
Tobirama nodded, moving through the motions as Sakura measured him and questioned him about his dietary habits and any issues that disturbed his daily routines.
Finally, Sakura tucked the pen behind her ear and gave Tobirama a gentle but firm squeeze of his shoulder. "It looks like everything is in order! Is there anything else you'd like to cover today?"
Tobirama fidgeted with his hands for a moment before nodding. "This is a little embarrassing but my antlers have come in recently and they've been...well they've been itchy." He looked faintly embarrassed though Sakura couldn't see why. "I was wondering if you'd take a look?"
"Certainly," Sakura said, a little off-balanced.
She looked away as gold light spilled out from Tobirama. Sakura could feel the power rolling off him in waves. When she returned her gaze to him, he sported large antlers that stretched high above his head. Jewelry dripped from the antlers, glittering and sparkling in a way that caught the eye and held it. Sakura was a bit concerned that his antlers would scrape against the ceiling of the room.
"I'm afraid I can't reach them," she said faintly, a wry smile tugging at her lips.
"Of course," he replied, choosing to kneel against the floor.
Sakura could see his scalp and the way the antlers twisted out from above Tobirama's ears, beneath his white hair. She pulled on her gloves, brushing delicate fingers along the base of the antlers.
Tobirama shuddered.
Sakura pulled her hands away immediately. "Did I injure you? Perhaps you should see Tsume; she'd be better versed in this…"
"You're doing fine," Tobirama said, red eyes glancing up at her. "Does there appear to be any swelling or irritation around the base of the antlers?"
Sakura mussed his hair about, stroking soothing circles into the sensitive area around the antlers in a way that had Tobirama nearly seeing stars. She remained obviously, searching for signs of discomfort.
"There doesn't appear to be anything of concern here," Sakura said, stepping away. "I would think the itchiness comes from the growing of a new pair of antlers. If it keeps up in the next few weeks, I would strongly suggest going by the veterinary to have them looked over."
Tobirama nodded, standing once more. "Thank you for your assistance, Dr. Haruno. Truly, I appreciate it."
"You're welcome," Sakura said, leading him back to the front.
"I'll come by and pay the bill in a few days," Tobirama said, smiling down at her as he brushed his hand over hers.
"Ah, Kakuzu!" Sakura exclaimed, looking at the man who looked very out of place and uncomfortable in the faded cushion car in the clinic's small waiting room. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"I'm early," he said in a rumbling voice, poison green irises set in red sclera intently focused on Tobirama.
Tobirama resisted the urge to shiver.
"I'll be back in a few days," Tobirama promised, heading for the door. "Try to keep out of trouble, doctor."
Sakura snorted, shaking her head as she waved him off. She turned her attention to Kakuzu, demeanor softening. "How are you doing, Kakuzu?"
"I'm well," Kakuzu replied, standing.
"I know you made an appointment today," Sakura said, grabbing his file, "but you didn't specify. Did you want a physical?"
"That'd be great," Kakuzu said shyly.
Sakura flipped open the file only to narrow her eyes on the single document within. Kakuzu had only been to the clinic once before. Nothing had been recorded on his weight or age or height. The only thing written on the document was a single sentence etched with a dark, shaky hand.
DO NOT TREAT.
Sakura scowled, tossing the document away.
"What's wrong?" Kakuzu asked.
Sakura shook her head. "It's only foolish ignorance."
Kakuzu nodded and his eyes seemed sad. "You're speaking of my last visit? My only visit?"
Sakura hesitated before nodding. "I apologize for whatever that doctor put you through." She patted his shoulder. "It was unprofessional. More importantly, it was cruel."
"It was a few centuries ago," Kakuzu said in a husky voice. "I've moved beyond it."
"You're a good man, Kakuzu," Sakura said.
Kakuzu did the best to ignore the way that made all four of his hearts flutter.
"Well, we'll start from the top I suppose," Sakura said, leading him into an exam room. "Hopefully it'll be a better experience than the first time around."
"Already is," Kakuzu muttered to himself.
"Full name?" Sakura asked.
"Kakuzu."
She glanced at him but he wasn't forthcoming. She shrugged, moving forward.
"Step onto the scale please," Sakura said.
Kakuzu did so.
Nothing happened for a moment. Suddenly, the numbers went crazy as the scale creaked beneath his weight. Both of them jumped as the scale cracked down the middle.
They stared at each other, Kakuzu a bundle of nerves.
Suddenly, Sakura began to laugh, full and deep from her belly.
Kakuzu was stunned for a moment. Then he joined in, relieved that she wasn't angry with him.
"I apologize," Sakura said. "It's just...well, I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier. This is Pompeii after all."
Kakuzu chuckled, low and warm as he shook his head. "It is Pompeii," he agreed.
"Do you have an estimate?" Sakura asked.
Kakuzu shrugged. "I exceed the limit of weight on all forms of transportation."
Sakura's eyebrows rose in shock. "Well...honestly, I'm not quite sure how to respond to that. I'll just write 'above four tons' if that's alright by you?"
Kakuzu shrugged his acquiesce.
"If you'll stand up against the wall right here," Sakura murmured, taking down his height.
Kakuzu did his best to ignore the heat of her body as she stretched up beside him, marking his height exactly. She was so close and so incredibly fragile.
"Now, I'll check your heart, lungs, ears, and throat as long as that is fine by you," Sakura said.
Kakuzu swallowed. "I should inform you that I do possess four separate hearts."
"Where are they located?" Sakura asked.
Kakuzu indicated four different sections of his chest. "And I don't have any other internal organs. Well, aside from my hearts and brain."
"Huh," Sakura said, marveling over the medical anomaly that he was. She had no idea how he was standing before her, alive. "Well, I'll check your hearts, ears, and throat then."
Kakuzu nodded, stripping off his shirt. He was left in his pants and face mask.
Sakura eyed the stripes that crisscrossed most of his body. What she'd thought were barbed wire tattoos when she first met him she now saw were messy stitches. They seemed to be holding him together. Without thinking, she traced a gloved finger over a line of stitches above his left pectoral.
Kakuzu nearly jumped out of his skin.
Sakura flinched away, face flushing in shame. "I am so sorry, Kakuzu! I far overstepped my boundaries."
"N-no, it's alright," Kakuzu said, warmth igniting and lingering where she touched him. "I-I was just surprised."
"Sorry," Sakura said. "I was just wondering if those stitches were painful. They don't seem to be professionally done."
"They don't hurt," Kakuzu replied. "They're a part of me just as everything else is."
"Again, I apologize. It was very rude of me."
Kakuzu shook his head, unconcerned as he watched her check his ears and listen to each of his different hearts. He wondered if she could hear how fast they were beating.
"Well, your hearts are quite healthy as are your ears," Sakura said. "Now I just need to check your throat and we should be alright."
Kakuzu hunched his shoulders up around his ears.
"Would you prefer not to have me check your throat?" Sakura asked.
"No...it's fine," Kakuzu said. He centered himself, wishing briefly to have lungs so that he could take a deep breath, and rolled down the mask.
Sakura examined his face. His eyes were bright and deep set in a dark and handsome face. His chin was strong and his cheeks sloping. Yet the thing that most drew her attention were the rough sutures around his mouth. The fear in his eyes made her eyes and smile gentle as she said, "Open your mouth please?"
Kakuzu did so, waiting for her to recoil in fear as his long thread tongue lolled out of his mouth.
She did not, merely pressing a tongue depressor against it as she shined a light deep into his throat. She made a soft humming sound.
"What is it?" Kakuzu did his best to ask around the depressor.
Sakura's grin widened at the garbled question and replied, "Do your insides consist of the same threads that make up your stitches?"
Kakuzu nodded slowly. "They tend to be thicker than the ones that are on the outside but yes, similar consistency." He paused, swallowing before deciding to take a leap of faith. "It's actually the reason that I made an appointment today."
"The threads?" Sakura asked.
"Yes." He shut his eyes and threw caution to the wind for the first time in his entire life. Long, wisping tentacles appeared from within him. They moved about freely. Well, all but one. One tentacle hung limp and lank, nearly lifeless. "I need your help with this."
"What happened?" Sakura asked, tentatively taking the tentacle from his hands. She could see the gaping hole at the center of the threads, a nothingness that hurt her heart.
Kakuzu shuddered at the sensation. The threads were him, he was the threads; he felt everything . It was the first time the threads had ever been treated tenderly.
"Brushed up against a holy spell," he said, wondering if this was what it was like to feel breathless. "The others have healed but this one has not. I can self-regenerate but I fear these threads are somehow infected."
Sakura nodded slowly. "I can certainly try cleaning out the wound. There might be some residue of that holy spell left behind. I'll spray it with disinfectant and wrap it. If it is causing you a lot of pain, I can prescribe a mild pain reliever."
Kakuzu nodded, watching in awe as Sakura gently cared for his injury, unheeding of the fact that he was so strange, so different. She didn't mind him for what he was.
She didn't care that he was a monster.
Sakura was a bit enthralled with the texture of the tentacle. It was solid but made up of a large mass of bumpy threads that all twisted together. Even through the gloves, Sakura could feel the odd texture. Without really thinking, Sakura rubbed circular patterns along the tentacle. She quickly caught herself, flushing and busying herself with finishing her task.
Kakuzu remained silent.
Sakura wrapped bandage around the tentacle, blinking as the tentacles disappeared back into...well, wherever they came from. She wrote out a prescription note and passed it to him after he pulled back on his mask and shirt.
"Stop by Chiyo's on your way home and she'll fill the prescription. Please come back by in a week or two if this treatment doesn't prove effective," Sakura said kindly.
"Thank you, Dr. Haruno," Kakuzu said.
Sakura grinned up at him, patting him on the shoulder as they headed back to the front of the clinic. "Don't mention it."
"The bill?" he inquired.
"Don't worry about it," Sakura said, eyes dancing.
"But-!"
Sakura laid a hand on his arm to placate him. "To make up for that horrible first experience."
"That was centuries ago!" he blustered, beyond surprised.
Sakura's smile was wide and bright, a glittering mark in a sea of darkness. "You deserve better. Besides, Pompeii seems to be a place of second chances. I hope you'll consider the clinic again in the future."
Kakuzu looked down at her, trying to comprehend this woman. He did his best not to melt beneath her touch. "Without a doubt. I'll be seeing you again soon I'm sure, Dr. Haruno."