The rest of the day the Sand Siblings spent talking between Kankuro dozing in and out of consciousness. They talked about everything and nothing. They talked about the village and what Kankuro had missed. They talked about how Kankuro could take as much time as he needed to heal and Gaara promised that he would deal with council. Well, it wasn't so much of a promise of forcing cooperation as a threat of violence towards the council should they even think about rushing him. Sakura made sure that the three were left alone as much as possible that day, only being disturbed for food and the necessary checks of Kankuro's IV line and vitals.
Towards evening, Kankuro started feeling more pain. While this was most likely caused by the amount of energy he had used while crying and the healing wounds that his shuddering sobs had aggravated, it was decided by Sakura that raising his dose of pain medication wouldn't harm him. Kankuro fell asleep that night with Temari's fingers running soothingly through his hair.
When Kankuro woke, he was surprised to find that it was evening. Again. That woman needs to stop drugging me. Damn pink-haired pill pusher… He couldn't stay angry though, as he opened his eyes and realized that his body felt significantly better; he was still wicked tired, but there was less pain. That woman definitely knew what she was talking about, which was probably why she was always assigned as the chief medic for the Kazekage's only brother.
"Mornin' sleepyhead," Temari spoke softly, "You've had visitors." Kankuro looked around getting more surprised the more coherent he was. He voiced his immediate thoughts of, "Who the fuck sent me all of these flowers?"
There were arrangements of every size and color scheme. Bright, pale, warm, cool; flowers that were familiar as well as foreign.
"Well," Temari started, smiling. "Those," pointing to the table up against the wall opposite his bed, "you got for being the Kazekage's brother. These," she stood from her chair and gestured towards the bouquets on the two tables flanking his headboard, "you got for being Kankuro. There's one from Naruto, Shikamaru and his team, Sakura… Most of the shinobi our age, in fact, sent them or stopped by to drop something off. Ino dropped off the first one at six in the morning and people have been poking their noses in almost non-stop until dinner time."
All of this in one day? Kankuro could barely believe it.
"Hey Temari. Who's that one from?" Kankuro pointed at the only vase that didn't have any ribbons or bows tied around it. It was a simple arrangement. He wasn't sure he would call it a bouquet. It had a couple of reed-like brown things and what looked like some dried grasses as filler. It had some dull orange-colored small flowers and just one brilliant deep-red and gold flower in the center.
Temari picked up the card attached to it and read:
Kankuro,
I wanted to get you something that said "Get Well" so I had Ino help me put together something more manly than all that pastel girly shit I saw in your room earlier. Hope you like it.
-Kiba
Both the siblings were chuckling by the time Temari was done reading. Though he was amused, Kankuro couldn't help but start to drift off again. When his eyes closed, a soft smile on his face, Temari moved that particular arrangement closer. She wanted him to smile like that again when he woke.
A/N: I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I had legitimate claims on my time and couldn't work on it (like a semester-length class shoved into three weeks... I got an A though!) However, at least I felt guilty enough to give you two chapters in one day!! I don't think that it'll take this long for me to update again... Again, I'm sorry to those of you who were waiting so patiently (or impatiently). Big thanks to my beta, the-yaoi-squirrel, who beta'd both within 24 hours!!