Chapter 49
Naruto
I sat in Tsunade's hospital office with Itachi and Sasuke, tapping my fingers on the arms of the chairs she had and I was getting really impatient with her right now. She had us sitting in here for two hours, including the x-ray she had me go get. It's like she's testing my patience or something. But I'm going to find out later for sure.
"Calm down Naruto." Itachi said for like, probably the hundredth time today since we got here.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it, I'm supposed to be happy that my father is coming home, but I'm not, I'm scared shitless." I said, stopping my finger tapping and went straight into nail biting.
"If you want us to be there when he comes home, then we will be there, you just have to tell us." Sasuke said, and I know he's right. God I wish Gaara was here, he was called home for a few hours this morning, but his father said we could pick him up after my appointment, so I was happy for that, and now I wished he was here instead.
"I know, but I don't know if that's gonna work." I said, but I think these two knew it was just an excuse. They're not stupid.
"What in the hell do you mean by that?" Sasuke asked.
"I don't know!" I yelled, just as Tsunade's door opened behind us.
"Don't yell in my office unless I'm the one yelling at you, got it?" She screamed before walking around us to the other side of her desk and sat down, not without throwing my file on her desk first to show that it was time for us to shut up and listen.
"I'm sorry Tsunade." Itachi said before I could and I sank in my chair, hoping it'd help hide me behind her huge ass desk.
"Is everything alright?" She asked as she took one, good, long look at me and the expression on her face softened, almost to a look that reminded me of pity.
"He's bugging out over the fact that he's scared shitless that his father is coming home today and can't make up his mind to have us at his house when his father comes home." Sasuke said before I could open my mouth to say it myself. God, it's like these two are reading my mind.
"Oh." Was all baa-chan said before I sighed heavily and went back to biting my nails.
"Well, I have good news for you today Naruto." She said after a few minutes of silence and I sat up correctly in the chair because I wanted good news all day since I woke up. "You can take your back brace off today, and since you've left the crutches here last Wednesday, you no longer need anything to help you around. But, I'm still going to suggest that you don't carry anything too heavy for another week or so."
"Okay baa-chan!" I yelled happily as I shot up to my feet while taking the long sleeved shirt off and almost hit Sasuke on the head as he got up to help me take the stupid thing off. "This is your other birthday present to me, even though it's late by a week and a day."
"Whatever gaki, just be happy you heal fast." She sighed, but she was smiling, I saw it as I slid my arms out of the brace and put my long sleeved shirt back on, glad that the thing was off and since I had been wearing it for so long, it felt weird to have it missing.
"It can be thrown away, Naruto's worn it for over a month without taking it off save for bathing." Tsunade said and Sasuke rolled it up before somehow buckling it together and tossed it into her trash can, though I think she meant for us to throw it away somewhere else because she started frowning at Sasuke.
"Can he go back to school?" Sasuke asked before I even thought about it.
"Sure, but he can't carry his back pack, one more week of that before you go and start slowly getting your back strength up again. You're probably not even gonna be able to pick up your back pack if you had all your books in it like before." Baa-chan said, and I nodded.
"Can I do sit ups and the like during the week? That'll help a little bit." I asked.
"I wouldn't do more than fifty in a whole day." She said. "And even that is pushing your limits, Naruto."
"I know baa-chan, I'll have Gaara, Itachi or Sasuke make sure I don't do too much." I nodded as I raised my arms and put my hands behind my head, weaving my fingers together as I waited for her to tell us we can go home now.
"Alright, and I'll be calling Itachi to make sure he knows everything that you do around the house." Tsunade said, and he nodded as the four of us stood up to leave. "And call me when you go home and when your father gets there, please?"
"I will baa-chan." I smiled as she walked around her desk and hugged me. I hugged her back, remembering that I need to get a hold of Gaara before we get to the car.
"Be good Naruto." She smiled, kissing my forehead before the three of us left and went towards the elevator while I dug for my cell phone.
"I already text Gaara, he said he's ready to be picked up." Sasuke said behind me while I walked behind Itachi since he was at the door of Tsunade's office before I was.
"Okay. And lets go watch a movie before we take me home?" I asked, hoping that there would be a yes.
"I'll see what's playing, you coming Itachi?" Sasuke asked.
"Sure, I don't have plans today and Tenshi is working until tonight so him and I might go out for dinner later." Itachi said when we got onto the elevator and pushed the ground floor button.
"I hope you have fun." I smiled, but inwardly, I was wishing that Itachi would just dump the fucking asshole. He deserves better, if you'd ask me. Then I remembered something that I had completely forgotten about since this whole morning even started. "Wait a minute …"
"Something wrong Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"I forgot that Neji was coming over to help me finish up my math homework before I went back to school tomorrow. That's the only thing I haven't worked on at all this whole week." I whined and buried my face in my hands. I couldn't believe I forgot about that, and I just talked to him last night about it too.
"We'll tell him we'll just pick him up later." Itachi shrugged when the elevator stopped and we all climbed out.
"No, you don't understand Itachi, I haven't done a single bit of my math homework since he last came over!" I said as I grabbed the sides of my head, mentally freaking out that I might not get all of my homework done in time for tomorrow since baa-chan said I could go back to school as of tomorrow.
"Naruto, you're going to be fine." Sasuke said as he faced me and pulled my hands down from my head. God, Gaara should be doing this. "I'll be with you and so will Gaara. We're picking him up on the way to school too, every day this week, just like you're riding with me when I leave for school. You're not walking there anymore."
"But, I need the exercise damn it." I pouted once we finally reached the car and got in. Sasuke let me sit up front with Itachi when he climbed into the back seat behind the passenger and closed the door so I could get in. I still had to take my time sitting down, but it didn't hurt as much, I guess it was a subconscious thing now.
"Off to Gaara's?" Itachi asked as we all buckled up and he put the car into gear before we left the hospital within moments, glad we got the green light just before it turned to a yellow or red light.
"Yes, then off to lunch." I nodded, smiling wide that Gaara was going to be with me again. I honestly wanted to just cling to him and never let him go, but then the thought of my father came up in my head and I sank in the seat until my knees hit the front of the car and I hugged myself tightly as I crossed my arms in front of me. God, what if he finds out right away that I'm going out with Gaara? No, he can't find out. He just can't!
"Everything okay?" Sasuke asked as he put a hand on my shoulder.
"Yea, I'm just nervous and mentally freaking out." I shrugged, though I didn't mean to sound sarcastic if I did. "Also, I don't know if anyone told my Dad our house was broken into while he and I were away. I don't know what will happen if he finds out the moment he comes home. He'll be totally fucking pissed because he wasn't told around the time I found out."
"Naruto, I'm sure Tsunade's been in touch with your father somehow to let him know. She probably sent Jiraiya out to tell him about it." Itachi said, though it didn't help much with my anxiety because now I wanted to call her up and see if she did.
And I was just about to shove my hand in my pocket to get my phone when Itachi put a hand on my shoulder before we stopped at the last stop light before Gaara's house.
"I'll call in a few minutes, okay?" Itachi said, and I sighed heavily as I nodded, sinking slightly further down into the seat when the car started moving again and crossed my arms in front of my chest. Why is everyone so worried about me anyway? I was just going to make a phone call to Tsunade … it wouldn't have hurt me or anyone else in this car.
I stayed silent for the next few minutes until we drove up into Gaara's driveway to see both cars gone, making me frown because I didn't hear anything about anyone else being gone before we got back.
"Sasuke, is Gaara even home?" I asked as I got out of the car, slamming the door shut on accident before walking up to the front door and knocking on it.
"Gaara! We're here to pick you up!" I said loudly as I kept banging on the front door, honestly, I couldn't even feel my heart beat I was panicking so much and before I realized it I was banging on the door until Sasuke grabbed both of my hands and the door opened with a very pissed off looking Kankuro until he saw who it was.
"Oh, it's only you guys, uhm, come on in. I'll go see what's keeping Gaara. Dad had to go shopping and Temari's at work." Kankuro mumbled and stepped aside so the three of us could come in. I only knew Itachi was behind us because I felt his hand on my shoulder just before Sasuke released my hands.
I let the two behind me guide me into the house and towards the couch while Kankuro disappeared upstairs. Sasuke sat down next to me while Itachi went to the kitchen to get me a glass of water, or I think that's what he said. All I could hear was pounding in my ears and feel my heart pounding in my chest until Sasuke put a hand on my head and pulled my face towards him so I could look at him.
"Everything's okay Naruto, Gaara's upstairs and Kankuro is getting him right now." Sasuke said as Itachi came back into the room with a glass of water and sat down on my other side and handed it to me when Sasuke let go of my head and I gulped down the water when Kankuro and Gaara walked into the living room. And to be honest, I didn't realize that Sasuke got up until Gaara sat down next to me and pulled me into his arms.
"I'm sorry, I was laying down while listening to music and passed out. I didn't even know Sasuke sent me a message until Kankuro barged in my room. He actually broke my door." Gaara said, and I could tell he was glaring daggers at his brother.
"It's okay, I've been freaking out since we left the hospital anyway." I mumbled as I shrugged a little bit. Finally calming myself down as I breathed in his scent; sandalwood and cherry and another scent I want to know about, but I'm never able to pin point what it is.
"I don't want to go to the movies anymore." I mumbled a few minutes later when Kankuro decided to go back upstairs after getting himself something to eat. I guess he had work tonight or in a few hours. "Can we just go home?" I asked, now raising my head from Gaara's chest to look at him, Itachi and Sasuke. None of them seemed to object and I think Itachi looked slightly relieved to be honest about it.
"I'll make us all some soup, it's really cold out there and I think some rabbit soup would make everyone happy." Itachi said, and I felt my mouth water when he suggested rabbit soup. I haven't had that in weeks.
"I can't eat rabbit." Gaara said as he shifted in the couch a little bit. Fuck, I forgot!
"I'll make you something else, that's no problem." Itachi smiled as he stood up and stretched a little bit as he looked over to where Sasuke was and frowned. I turned to look at him and saw that he had his ear phones in and music playing, I frowned also.
"Bastard." I grumbled as Gaara and I stood up, ready to leave. Sasuke wasn't paying attention so I walked over to him and kicked him hard in his shin.
"Hey, what the hell was that for?" Sasuke hissed as he jumped in the chair he was sitting in and brought his leg up and rubbed where I kicked him.
"We're going home." I sighed heavily and crossed my arms, walking out of Gaara's house with him at my heels. Hell, I was ready for a nap already. I guess it's mental exhaustion, because I haven't done much physical anything since this morning.
"What about going to the movies?" Sasuke asked as he followed us and Itachi came out after, only Gaara went back up to the door and locked the house up for Kankuro.
"I'm tired, okay?" I sighed, getting into the back of the car and left the door open for Gaara as I slid to the middle seat and a moment later Gaara joined me and closed the door. I didn't wait to get my seat belt on and snuggle up to him as Itachi and Sasuke climbed into the seats up front. At least Sasuke didn't interrogate me anymore than he already had. Silence in the car, save for the little bit of music that was playing from the cars' radio, I was happy that Gaara was back with me, now I could feel like I could at least look at my father when I got home.
When we got back to Sasuke's and Itachi's place, I groaned, wishing the car ride was much longer than it was. I was getting comfortable leaning up against Gaara who had his arms around me like he was protecting me from everything around us. I just hoped that Dad wasn't home yet, and when I saw Itachi look at me in the rear view mirror, I think my question was answered.
"I called Tsunade on our way home, you were dozing out so you probably didn't know, your father isn't being released until around dinner time, and I couldn't help but smile a wide smile I haven't done in what seems like forever unless it was forced.
"Thanks for calling her Itachi." I said as Gaara unbuckled the two of us and climbed out, helping me get out before Sasuke even started getting himself unbuckled from the seat. I guess he's bummed out about not going to the movies or something.
"What's wrong Sasuke?" I asked.
"Nothing, I've been thinking about what I've been working on the last few days." He said, guess he's talking about his new novel.
"I hope it's not going to piss you off." I shrugged as we all made our way up to the house once Itachi got out of the car and locked all the doors.
"It probably will, but you'll know first if it does or not." Sasuke shrugged when Itachi unlocked the door and we all filed into the house. I kicked my shoes off and went to the room I occupied, will be occupying for a few more hours and dragged Gaara with me. Sleep sounded so good right now.