-8-
„The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease."
Voltaire (1694 - 1778)
„Perhaps the feelings that we experience when we are in love
represent a normal state. Being in love shows a person who he should
be".
- Anton Chekhov (1860 - 1904)
The clock showed 3 am, the city was sleeping in the darkness and Sasuke Uchiha was sitting in front of the whiteboard, tossing a little ball between his hands. Suddenly, the entire silence was ruined by a door opening.
"Found out anything yet?" Karin asked, slowly walking towards him.
"If I had, you'd be out there, giving a cure" Sasuke tossed the little ball into the white board: it bounded back and he caught it.
"True" Karin agreed and leaned onto table, also looking at the whiteboard.
"We've ruled out an entire bunch of autoimmune diseases and nothing fit" Sasuke complained "means it's not autoimmune"
"We've been through this, it's gotta be autoimmune" Karin protested in tired voice "nothing else is even close to the truth"
"Or there's something we missed"
"Like what?" Karin slid down and sat on the floor, leaning against the desk stand "a giant tuber somewhere?"
"No, something smaller. What if he did have a sarcoidosis and we've treated it and he got better. Then he got worse, because we missed something"
"Sarcoidosis in lungs cannot do other damage. It's isolated"
"True. And this guy's sarcoidosis did particularly nothing except…" Sasuke stood up and walked closer to the whiteboard.
"Except what?"
"It was in his blood and it didn't cause damage to his immunity, but to his inside and the organs it damaged weren't exactly organs we checked…muscles"
"Muscles? You mean…miosarcoma?" Karin too stood up.
"Exactly. Remember the cramping the guy mentioned he had few weeks ago?" Sasuke showed to the whiteboard "that wasn't cramping at all. It was muscle necrosis"
"But, if you're right then…he's dead" both looked at each other for a while.
"Won't know that if you don't do the test. Push in some dye into his back muscles around the lungs. It should appear on the CT scan"
"Gottcha" Karin sighed and walked out of the office. Sasuke sat back to the chair and rubbed his eyes. Another diagnosis done. Poor guy, he will probably die. Everybody dies. Oh well, gotta get home till the sunrise.
-x-
Sai was sitting in his hotel room, all lights on and his painting equipment all ready for work…yet another painting. The man already took the brush and was about to put the color on the empty paper, but a knock on the door stopped him in the mid-way. Sai looked at the door with his eyebrows frown and stood up. He walked to the door and after few seconds opened them.
"Hi. Sorry for the late visit" were the first words a blonde woman in short lavender dress and dark violet jacket spoke to him with a smile.
"Technically, it's a very early visit" Sai noted, fixing his long black night-gown.
"Well, yes, it is. But could you spare me few minutes?"
"I don't even know you" Sai stated.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name's Ino Yamanaka. I…this is going to sound strange, but…I thought maybe…you wouldn't mind if we…talked about Sakura Haruno. I know you're her friend"
"Why?" Sai retorted.
"Because, I think you would be interested in what I have to tell you as well" Sai overlooked the woman up and down and stepped away from the door, letting her in.
Ino walked in and instantly noticed Sai's work place.
"You paint?" she asked.
"Yes. So, what do you have to tell me?" Ino turned to him and a smirk arrived at her face.
"Sakura's dating my ex-boyfriend"
"If you came to share your regret, then you might as well leave" Sai interrupted.
"Not that" Ino waved him aside "I want to make sure she's fit for him" Sai suspiciously raised an eyebrow at her.
"That's not what ex-girlfriends do" he stated "they usually are trying to split the couple"
"Well, I'm not exactly usual, am I?" Ino asked, seductively leaning against the desk that was in the room "so, will you tell me something I shouldn't know?"
"You haven't told me anything yet" Sai noted again.
"True" Ino lowered her eyes for a while, then looked back directly at Sai with that baby blue look "Itachi is… the kind of guy, who needs control. From both sides. If he feels that the woman is lesser in terms of character, he simply gets bored. And when he gets bored, he tends to fall into slight depression. Can I be sure this is not going to happen?"
"You don't seem very reliable, you know" Sai was staring at her with empty look "and that little story of yours…doesn't sound really believable"
"Think what you want" Ino shrugged "I'm simply telling the truth. Many girls didn't qualify to his standards and believe me, the damage was great to both sides. I simply want to know if this won't happen again"
"Sorry, Ms. Yamanaka, but I have no intention to tell you anything about my best friend" Sai cut her. Ino, however, only gave him a grin and pushed herself away from the desk and moved towards the man.
"You know" she whispered in deep voice, taking off her jacket "I knew before coming here that you won't say anything willingly"
"Then why did you come?" Sai asked, not reacting to the fact that Ino was now playing with the shoulder-straps of her mini dress.
"Because, I suppose, I trust in hope and…a little spice" she tip toed a bit and pressed her lips softly to Sai's. The man just stood there for a while, waiting for her to slowly retreat. He then asked silently:
"What do you want?"
"Just a little bit of innocent information. And besides" Ino placed slight smooth kissed all over Sai's face, at the same time slowly unwrapping the rope, tying his dressing-gown "I am a single woman. And you apparently are a single man. Do you know what they have in common besides being single?" she tossed the rope to the ground and put her hands inside the dressing-gown, sliding them up Sai's chest and shoulders, slowly removing the material. Sai looked at her for a while, then leaned in and kissed her, unzipping the little dress on the back. The couple slowly walked to the bed and when they fell on it, Sai was already naked and Ino was only wearing her lavender underwear. She sat on Sai's belly and unclasped her bra, revealing firm, large breasts. Sai sat up and sucked into her nipple, making Ino moan in pleasure. She let his hand to slide down her back and into her same colored panties, which had a clasp on the back. Sai removed them and rolled over, allowing himself to inspect her entire body and the more he touched and bit, the more the woman under him was moaning.
"Sai…" Ino moaned out "can't…do this…anymore…please…come…" she was panting heavily and her body was all firm and sweaty. Sai took the last lick between her breasts before entering her. Ino let her nails in his skin when he came inside her and tried her best to control screams of pleasure and pain altogether.
"Oh…god..!"
-x-
Naruto sat up in his bed, eyes glued and hair to all sides. He mumbled something under his nose and got out of bed, trying desperately to get to the toilet without hitting any walls in the dark. I need some night vision here! How come Hinata never really hit anything? I'll never get women in this field: they're like super coordinated, although most of them couldn't tell where the north is. This is ridiculous! Why can't the god install some-OUCH!
Naruto held back the yell when he flattened his entire face into toilet door. He rubbed his nose and opened the door, turning the lights up. See what I mean? Coordination needed here, dear god!
Naruto got back from the toilet safer and without hitting anything. He, however, froze when he saw Hinata, sitting in their bed, wearing only strapped dark blue night-gown and…all lit by the moonlight. He stared at her for a while, eyes wide opened and memory of breathing left behind. He could've stared at her like that for ever, but the woman turned her head to him and smiled.
"You need to sleep" she said in silky, soothing voice "you still have work tomorrow"
Music, sweet music…
Naruto walked to the bed and slid under the covers. Hinata lay by his side, her head on his shoulder. Naruto put an arm around her and leaned his head onto hers, happily inhaling the scent of her hair.
"You know, I could afford to loose some sleeping hours for the moments like these" Naruto silently said. Hinata let out a silent smile.
"It's not the last, I promise" she said with a sigh. Naruto smiled with big, dorky smile in the dark.
Sasuke, you idiot. You don't know what you're loosing…
-x-
Sasuke entered his house and shut the door behind, leaning onto them. He closed his eyes for a while, trying to fight off the unbelievable weariness, which he knew won't let him sleep. He tossed his bag to the corner and doffed his sneakers…but only then noticed something different: the living room, which connected with the entrance, was lighter than usual. Sasuke walked to the source of the light and found almost burnt out fireplace and a glass tea-pot, little candle still burning under it, warming the light brown liquid in it. Beside lay a folded paper. Sasuke picked it up and read what's inside:
Figured you'll be back late and completely worn out.
Drink this, will help you sleep.
See you in the morning.
S.
Sasuke looked at the paper for a while and then…a light smile crept into his lips. He picked the tea pot up and poured the tea to the nearby cup. The taste was priceless and warmed him up the instant it slid down his throat. Sasuke walked up the stairs, with the intention to go to sleep the instant he reaches the bed, but his attention was caught by slightly opened door of the maker of the tea. Sasuke tip-toed to the door and took a peek inside: Sakura was sleeping peacefully, moonlight that was shining straight into her not waking her up. However, Jules raised his head and yawned lazily at his other roommate. Sasuke smirked.
"Looking good, Jules" he whispered and left, not closing the door completely.
God, I wish I was that cat now! How come they always get all the good stuff? Does being a fluffy hair ball give an advantage?
-x-
5 am. Konoha hospital…
Karin was half-asleep in the chair at the ward of a dark blonde man, whose skin was pale and lips had some blueness in them. She suddenly opened her eyes, when the monitoring equipment started to beep. She slowly stood up and checked the guy's pulse. Karin sighed heavily and turned to the nurse, who ran in.
"Time of death 5:03 am" she said in weak voice. The nurse nodded and walked to the patient, turning off the monitors and preparing to take care of his body. Karin watched her work for a while, then left the ward.
She walked into the doctor's lounge and found Shikamaru and Temari sleeping, leaned onto each other. The blonde woman slowly opened her eyes and looked at her colleague.
"He's dead" Karin whispered "I'm going home"
"You alright?" Temari asked in same low voice, closely inspecting Karin's face.
"After twelve hours of sleep, I will be" Karin let out a sad smile and left the lounge. Temari looked at the closed door for a while, then sighed and leaned back onto Shikamaru, falling back to that half-asleep stage.
-x-
Ino slid into her dress and put on her high-heeled shoes. She then walked to the mirror and took out a lipstick. She turned around to the sleeping man and smiled warmly at him. Ino wrote six words on the mirror glass.
She then came back to the bed and put a kiss on his cheek and only then left through the door.
I will come back to you.
-x-
10 am…
Sasuke went downstairs, wearing only his boxers and yawning in a way of breaking his jaw. I need to get some coffee. This is ridiculous. I can't go to work like this! However, in the kitchen, he found Sakura, already dressed (What's with her and those tiny little dresses? Isn't there something normal that doesn't fire me up she could wear?! Not that I'm complaining…) and reading newspaper. Coffee was steaming in her hand.
"Morning" she greeted him, not lifting her eyes. She pushed another cup which was there to him. Sasuke took it all too well and took a large sip.
"What's with an early getting up?" he asked.
"I have a work to do. Besides, you should be asleep"
"Since when are you taking care of me?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Somebody has to" Sakura shrugged and turned the page "since your job is to take care of others, I don't suppose you pay much attention to yourself"
"You assume too much" Sasuke sipped more coffee "I wouldn't be living in suburbs if I didn't take care of myself"
"Right. Fiftieth floor of a sky-scrapped does sound really bad" Sakura finally looked up at him and smirked "I wouldn't mind that"
"Then move there. I won't have to ask you to leave everyday"
"Jerk"
"Bitch"
"If you take that back, I have a good news to you. They concern Tsunade"
"Is that a blackmailing?"
"No, it's a bargain" Sakura winked him "what do you say?"
"Hope it's something really important…like new set of underwear that she bought for 20.000 because of which I could mock her…" Sasuke sighed "alright, for one day, you're not The Bitch"
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Sakura stuck her tongue out "she called. Said you can have a day off"
"Now that's interesting. Did Jiraiya do something to her last night? Oh, wait, I know: he actually bought that set"
"He always does something to her. But I doubt that he'd do such a thing…knowing his mania for saving money" Sakura shrugged "I suppose after sex with him she's able to loosen up a bit"
"Then he could do her few times a day. I wouldn't mind" Sasuke smirked while pouring in some more coffee.
"Anyway, you better put something on. We're going to the shopping mall" Sasuke blinked at her twice.
"Since when there's we?"
"Well, you've got taste and you've got money. Remember what Tsunade said?"
"When? The night you broke in, or this morning on the phone? 'Cause the former is kinda hard for me to remember, since I don't have telepathic capabilities"
"Both" Sakura giggled "you're obliged to come now"
"Why you little, manipulative…"
"Don't bother, you're caught" Sakura walked to him and lifted herself on toes to give him a light kiss on the cheek.
"I hate you" Sasuke complained, frowning at her. Sakura stroke her finger through his nose and put another kiss on its end.
"At least you have somebody to make you coffee in the morning" she whispered and walked away "see you in fifteen minutes"
And the coffee is good…
--
A/N: That turned out a little more romantic than I planned…oh well, world needs romance from time to time ;) thanks for reviews and favorites and all that stuff ;) keep on doing your brilliant work ;) thankies ;)