I'm thinking of doing a time skip in five or six chapters time, unless I think of something else to add. Is there anything else you guys want me to include before I do so?
This is my excuse to pick on someone...
I woke at around midday again. I soon found that I couldn't move. The top half of my back, across my shoulders and the back of my neck were stiff from healing. I had taken Kakuzu's advice and slept on my stomach, but that hadn't entirely prevented the pain.
But that wasn't what was bothering me. I wondered where Sasuke was. Usually I would wake up with him waiting for me to return to consciousness.
Immediately I had a few highly irrational thoughts concerning Orochimaru and Sasuke's safety but I soon let them go.
I hadn't opened my eyes yet, so I did so. I noticed that Sasuke wasn't in his futon either. But, it was midday, so he would have been up for quite a while anyway.
I looked past that into Kisame's room. To my relief I saw him sitting in the doorway which conjoined our rooms. He was reading some book or other.
He looked up, noticing that I was awake, "About time Itachi san." He joked, putting his book down. He couldn't hide his relief though.
"Where's Sasuke?" I quickly questioned, "What happen-"
"Woah, calm down. Everyone's fine." He assured, "Kakuzu just took your brother into town. All that worrying has gotta be unhealthy. But if you let him shop with Kakuzu he might be converted to cheapskate-ism…" he seemed to be concerned.
My brows met at the random comment. "What…?"
He got up and walked towards me, ignoring my confusion, "Kakuzu also told me to give you this." He proffered a white bottle, the likes of which typically contained medicine.
I took it and inspected the plain thing. I shook it gently, hearing a small amount of something rattle around inside.
"D'you mind me asking? What is it for?" Kisame questioned. So Kakuzu hadn't told anyone else about my condition.
But I still wondered whether I should tell him. He was my partner, I supposed he would find out one way or another.
"Kakuzu san… he said I had a disease. This medication will prolong my life, but only for a year. Nine years Kisame, nine years until I go blind and die."
Of course, he didn't know of my suicidal thoughts concerning blindness either.
"D-don't let my brother know yet." I asked of him, though I said it in more of a commanding tone than I had intended.
I couldn't help but be reminded of the night before the massacre. Then I had begged the sandaime not to tell my brother the reason behind my clan's death. He had agreed, but it didn't matter now. I had completely changed my plans.
"Yeah, I get it. You have to let him know yourself." He nodded as he sat on the edge of my futon. He looked somewhat saddened.
"So, what happened last night?" I asked, unable to abate my curiosity.
"Well, Tobi didn't kill Orochimaru, but I get the feeling he won't show up again anytime soon."
I let my relief show. I could finally relax a bit. But I suddenly remembered, "What about Sasori san?" I felt guilty, I had forgotten about him twice now. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate being put second twice.
"Kakuzu took care of that as well, he's fine… surprisingly." He teased.
"Shut up." I maturely replied, "It won't happen again." I shuddered involuntarily again. No, it would most certainly not happen again.
"He didn't do… anything to you did he?" Kisame questioned, suspicious.
"No, but the position I found myself in… he may as well have." I shook my head, leaving my face in the pillow.
"Aw, poor Itachi san." He mocked, patting me on the head.
"Hn." I glared and smacked his hand away.
"OW! Gosh, I'm getting old you know. Be more gentle!"
"Hn." When I got to his age, I wouldn't have very long left at all.
Seeming to have just realised this, Kisame quickly covered, "Ah, I didn't mean to…"
I just shook my head. "It's fine. Anyway, being S class criminals, we could die at any time." I reasoned.
"Yeah, but we're not classed S for nothing!" He grinned, showing pointy, pointy teeth. "So, how's your back going?" he asked as he placed his hand exactly where the huge bruise was.
I instinctively yelled out in pain, but muffled most of it with the pillow. Kisame guiltily and speedily removed his hand.
"That's. Severely. Bruised. You. Know." I got out through gritted teeth.
"Sorry, I didn't see- I'll… get you some lunch eh?" he got up and left before I could respond.
I sighed as the pain dulled back to an ordinary throb. The only weight my back could take was that of the sheet. I realised that I couldn't wear a shirt until it healed up a bit more.
The Village hidden in the Rain. Just great. The discomfort my injury was causing was really getting to me. Truthfully this just annoyed me even more. Stupid hormones.
In an attempt to distract myself, I opened the bottle from Kakuzu to see what he'd prescribed me.
Inside I saw some small spherical pills, which were greenish in colour. There was also a folded up note. I removed it and unfolded it to find the universal doctor's scrawl.
Eventually I figured out that it said something along the lines of, 'Administer daily. One per day an hour before and/or after eating.'
Now that Kisame had promised me lunch, it was too late to take one. I groped around for my coat, ignoring the protesting pains of my shoulders. I finally found it had been folded up and placed next to my bed. I tucked the medicine into a pocket and then tried to get to my feet.
I grunted from the pain before collapsing back onto the bed with a thump. Useless!
Kisame practically appeared next to me in his haste to check I was all right. "You ok?" he questioned, putting a hand on my lower back this time.
"Useless…" I muttered, "I can't even get up properly."
He wrapped an arm around me and easily lifted me to my feet. "Good thing you're freakishly small." He said, trying not to laugh at my expense. He was very careful not to touch my bruises again. But now the damage was uncovered, he had no excuse for 'not seeing' it.
"I could make a comment about you being freakishly blue, but I will choose not to."
"Jesus, Itachi san! I'm not surprised you can't move!" he exclaimed eyeing my back, choosing to ignore my comment.
"Does it look as sore as it feels?" I asked dully. I would just hurt myself if I tried to look.
"It's gotta." He said in fantastic English. This time I thought of my mother and how she used to berate me for using incorrect language or too much colloquial speech. But inevitably I thought of her corpse right afterwards.
I shook my head and gripped the back of Kisame's coat a little tighter. Don't think about that now.
"Are you right there?" he asked.
"Of course." I replied a little more hostile than was intended. This of course gave my true feelings away.
"Well, come into the kitchen and eat then." He said. I am ashamed to say he had to help me walk there as well. For some reason my legs were all shaky as well. These injuries were seriously wounding my pride.
Kisame must have picked up on my mood because he said, "No pain, no gain?"
"No gain, no pain." I retorted, knowing that these words weren't true.
"Sour today hm?" Kisame replied, letting me sit at the table.
I just sighed and laid my forehead on the cool surface of the table. I soon heard the tap of cutlery on the table in front of me. I opened my eyes and saw a steaming bowl of rice and some chopsticks.
"I can go catch some fish if you like." He added. He must've felt guilty for only giving me rice.
I appreciated his offer but… "Didn't Leader sama say to protect the base?"
"Oh sure, what's left of it. Zetsu san and Sasori san are out patrolling now anyway. I doubt Orochimaru is still nearby."
"What exactly did… Tobi do?" I asked, remembering to call him so.
"I'm not exactly sure, but Orochimaru buggered off pretty fast."
It was strange how Kisame's speech changed when we were alone. He sounded less educated by the minute. I pointed this out to him.
"Yeah, well, if you sound stupid and ignorant, Kakuzu tends to think you are stupid and ignorant." He explained.
"I see, to be taken seriously you have to sound serious."
"Pretty much." He replied.
Ah, it's finally done! dies.
I have exams next week, I hope this satisfies you till the week after.