Okaydi! How are u guys. It's a miracle im even doing this, so I gotta be fast. Sorry it's so short. Will make up 4 it. Love ya. Enjoy!
'Rainin' You' by Brad Paisley
When Naruto opened his eyes the first time, he was screaming, being held by the best friend he'd thought to be fake. He clung desperately, crying into Sasuke's chest, and passed out again as his body pounded with pain.
Darkness enveloped him, and for awhile it was pleasant, a reprieve from his hurts. Then, growing malicious and mean, the shadows snuck around him, teasing and poking, each touch sending sudden and unexpected bolts of agony into his small dream body. He woke in a sweat, screaming again. His heart beat like a rabbit's, as dark blobs moving around him, as if he was in a lava lamp.
Voices blurred in the background, and a hand reached out to his face, cool and gentle, calming him.
Another pain made him shriek louder, and he went back to darkness, the horrible hours from before rising up like acid in his mind.
He couldn't talk, he couldn't move, and after awhile, the pain was just another blow, numbed by his hazy memories. He finally sunk into a blurry half-sleep, and heard voices surrounding him. For the first time, Naruto noticed the warm body pressed smoothly up against his, and felt soft cloth beneath his bruised fingers, vibrating as the body spoke. He listened.
"How long until he wakes up?" The voice was deep, but also quiet, as if not wanting to be heard.
A sigh was heard, not too far from where he thought he was laying on a mattress, and he registered the beep of machinery.
Remembering suddenly how Sasuke had saved him, and put him to bed in his dorm, he peeked open his eyes. Then, as brilliant light pierced them painfully, he shut them again. The area quieted, and the warmth beside him shifted. He clung to it, and a soft laugh came to his ears.
"Naruto? You awake?" Sasuke murmured worriedly, bending further, his face barely apart from the battered blonde's own. Shaded from the fluorescent bulbs overhead, Naruto peeped his eyes open again, and blinked groggily. Shapes came into form, and he blinked again, owlish. Sasuke. He ducked his head and felt tears well up.
Thin but wiry arms looped around his small frame, hugging him closer. Lips moved in his hair, and the raven murmured, "You're safe now. I'm sorry, dobe." I shouldn't have yelled at you. I never meant any of it. I shouldn't have taken you being there for granted.
Somehow, the blonde heard the unsaid words and his eyes closed, the tears spilling out onto the other's chest. He clutched his best friend tighter, and sobbed, pain finally reaching him from his sleep-fogged head.
As they released one another, and Sasuke let Naruto have more space on the narrow bed they were laying on, the blonde took stock of their surroundings, tears blurring, and then drying.
He could feel bandages under the blanket, and he could see coverings on his cheeks out of the bottom of his eyes, taped over the bloody streaks he remembered from his memories. Pushing his thoughts away, he looked around.
The walls were a pale yellow, and a vase of flowers were sitting on a table across the rooms.
Sunflowers.
Tsunade and Kakashi stood nearby, silent watchers. The woman looked exhausted, and the spiky locks on the silver head were somewhat droopy.
The most he could see from the small door that lead into the room was a small portion of a hospital. An IV drop stand was standing-empty-in a corner, and outside the door, a woman appeared, glasses balanced on her head, clipboard tucked under a heavily leaden breakfast tray. She knocked awkwardly and Tsunade waved her in.
As she stumbled into the small room, she set the tray down on the bed, and Sasuke drew it closer, watching Naruto carefully, like he might disappear if he looked away. She walked over to Tsunade, and began to speak softly, inaudible to the two teens on the bed.
"Naruto?" The raven next to him offered the contents of the wide tray, eyes hiding concern.
His black hair swept closer to his nose, and he shook it out of his face, glancing at Kakashi. The man came over, leaving the women to their muttering. He sat on the chair next to the bed and leaned on the wall, sighing.
"Who's that?" the dark-eyed teen asked quietly, guarded about his friend. Between them, Naruto slowly chewed on an unbuttered piece of toast. His fist was clenched firmly in the hem of Sasuke's shirt, holding to a lifeline. Inside, he was constantly concentrating on pushing down the menacing shadows in his mind. The ramen steamed in front of him, untouched. Sasuke felt his gaze soften, and worried.
"It' the owner and manager of the hospital, Shizune. She's been overseeing Naruto's medication and bandaging, so Tsunade requested to speak to her," he laughed softly, "Well. Requested loudly to speak to her. More like ordered."
The raven nodded, satisfied. He was closely watching his best friend, and noticed him forcefully swallow the wad of thoroughly chewed bread, a blank stare on his scarring face. Then, as she nodded, Shizune walked over to the three men and looked at her clipboard, squinting.
"Naruto, you'll need to take these," she dug a small bottle of capsules from her pocket and glanced back at Sasuke, opting to hand them to him instead, sensing his invisible intentions if she had reached over at the blonde instead.
She planned to kept her fingers, thank you.
Then, coughing gently, she looked back at the board, digging out two larger bottles and one long tube of antibiotics.
She explained at length that it would have to be reapplied each day at least twice. More if Naruto absolutely had to move around. But he shouldn't for at least a week. She prescribed bed rest for three weeks, and asked if the blonde had a dorm mate who could help out.
Naruto, who'd stared numbly at his toast throughout the whole thing, looked up as he heard his name. But before he'd even registered what she'd said, the raven took the tube and bottles, answering for him.
"I can help him. He's staying with me."
The blonde's eyes widened and he whispered something that only Sasuke heard. The Uchiha answered back quietly, shaking his head and dismissing whatever the other had objected to.
"Okay, well then. That's it I suppose. Naruto, you can check out tomorrow, just as soon as we can prepare enough wrappings for you to take with you. I hope you get well soon," she nodded to each of them in turn and left. Tsunade came over to the door and shut it, eyeing the blonde afterwards.
"Sasuke?" she asked, a strane tone to her voice.
The dark eyes glanced at her and she continued.
"Are you sure he shouldn't stay with one of us?"
For the first time since Sasuke had let the blonde out of his arms, Naruto looked wildly up, fear etched suddenly into every pore on his body.
But his voice was weak, as he whispered roughly, "No."
The raven nodded, taking the other's clenched fist in his own, and scowled at Tsunade, daring her to challenge him. She sighed and shook her head. Then, seeming to accept this, she sat down at the other chair, watching Naruto as he calmed and went back to chewing toast, albeit a little more alert.
After a little bit of their semi-strained silence, Kakashi stood and left, nodding to Sasuke and Naruto before he shut the door. Tsunade sighed again, rubbing her face. She didn't think anyone would actually say something , so she stood, watching Sasuke thinking until he noticed her stare and raised a thin charcoal- colored brow in question.
"Take care of him, brat," she walked out and the room descended once more into quiet. But now it was peaceful, and the hand on the raven's shirt unclenched, tension leaking through an invisible balloon, as they sat there together.
"Are you doing alright?" The Uchiha asked softly, concern obvious in his voice. Naruto looked up, toast sitting on the tray, half-finished. He took his hand away from the other and said, in a half-terrified voice, "You don't think I'm a burden, do you?"
Sasuke blinked, stunned. How could he think that? His gaze softened further, and he took the hand up again, shaking his shaggy, tired head. Inside, he seethed.
He'd trekked half-way across the world, it seemed like to him, only to be doubted.
The blonde looked up more, though, and there were tears in his clear, scared blue eyes. The raven sighed, and wiped them away, shaking his head again.
"How could I ever think you're a burden? You're my best friend. A stubborn little guy, and hard headed as a rock, to be sure, but not a burden." I would never say this to anyone but you, dobe.
Again, the words were silent, but blaringly loud to both teens, as they sat there, one above the covers, and the other one pained and frightened beneath. They both clutched their lifelines.
(Don't know if you guys got this. I think I said it clear enough, though. Right now they're only besties. Not boyfriendies. Sorry for any unwanted confusion:)