INTERMISSION

MY FRIEND

Chapter 133 - Green Thursday

Juugo's case worker had some good news. She told him so during one of their weekly meetings, which they used to discuss his progress in therapy and rehabilitation through the Curse Seal Program.

"What's the good news…?" Juugo said, in reply.

Enbi, Juugo's case worker, tapped the papers in his file against her desk to put them in order. "You've been making spectacular progress, Juugo-san. And this is taking into account that we haven't been able to use medication with you," she said. "And given your circumstances, your improvement is amazing."

Juugo smiled. "Thank you, ma'am…"

She smiled back. "Considering this, then, you may soon be treated as an out-patient by the Program."

"Out patient…?" Juugo said. "What does that mean?"

"It means you won't have to live in the hospital any more," she replied. "You'll be allotted a place to live near the hospital so you can easily return for treatment, but you'll be able to live and work as you please, with very little supervision."

Juugo's eyebrows rose. "Really…? You mean I'll get a house again…?"

"Most likely an apartment, though we do have some houses that might be available," Enbi said.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Juugo's smile was wide and clumsy. "My son too, will he be able to live with me?"

"Asaoto-kun?" Enbi said. "Of course, Juugo-san, so long as he's able to return to the hospital for his check-ups. Though I have no doubt you'll be able to manage."

"Oh, of course, of course!" Juugo replied. "We always have our appointments at the same time, anyways. There's no way I'd be able to forget, no way at all…"

Enbi looked over her papers again. "Ah, yes, that was Karin-sensei's suggestion… Even less reason to worry."

Juugo's eyes closed as he smiled.

"If you're all right with it, would you like to meet with our housing coordinator tomorrow—say, three o'clock? We might be able to have you moved in as early as next week."

"Yes, of course!" Juugo said. "I won't be late!"

"Then we'll meet tomorrow at three," Enbi said.

Juugo had to be very careful to move quietly down the hallway and back to his room, after the meeting. There was so much to be excited over—his progress, the house, and everything with it—he felt like dancing.

Instead, he closed the door to the room he shared with his son, quietly. Asaoto had not yet come back from his check-up, it seemed, so Juugo busied himself with tidying things up—making their beds, rearranging the teddy bear that Asaoto had received as a gift, so that it rested more neatly against the boy's pillow.

Asaoto returned a good while later, holding the hand of an enormous boy in green scrubs that was nearly the same size as Juugo himself was. Juugo knew that his name was Kenji, and that he was often Asaoto's escort. This was because he was the kind girl Sakari's brother, a friend of Asaoto, and was at the hospital more often than she was. It was he who had given Asaoto the teddy bear, and had earned Asaoto's trust and friendship as a result.

"Here we are. Back home, Asaoto-kun," Kenji announced. "Was that a good walk?"

"It was a very good walk, Kenji-nii," Asaoto replied. His eyes were half-closed, close to sleep, but his face and his body perked up significantly upon seeing that he wasn't alone. "Daddy…!"

"Asaoto!" Juugo got down on his knees and threw his arms out, and Asaoto scurried to him for a hug. "Did you have a good check-up?"

"Uh-huh," Asaoto said, from somewhere in his chest. "They took more blood t'day. I didn't even say ouch."

"Oh, I'm glad," Juugo said. "Thank you for taking him, Kenji-kun…" he added.

"My pleasure, Juugo-san," Kenji said. He bowed, though it barely made him any shorter. "I'll see you later, Asato-kun."

"Bye-bye." Asaoto opened and closed a fist at Kenji in place of a wave, and Kenji closed the door behind him. Asaoto then yawned, and rubbed his eye.

"Oh, are you tired…?" Juugo said.

"Yeah… They had to take a lotta blood…" Asaoto replied.

"I think it's time for a nap."

Asaoto yawned again. "Okay, Daddy."

Juugo picked his son up easily, and gently, cradling his legs and his back in the crook of one of his arms. With his free hand, he pulled Asaoto's blankets free, and began tucking him in.

(Asaoto only ever protested when he had the energy. If he had the means, he'd have gladly climbed into bed all by himself.)

(He'd also have gladly run outside and played like any other six-year old. But his body didn't allow for it.)

(Juugo did his best to compensate however he could.)

Asaoto reached for his bear, a fluffy, brown thing, just the right size for a boy his age to hug, and he nestled in with it, rubbing his face against the fur.

"Did you have a good day too, Daddy?" he asked.

"I had a very good day, Asaoto," Juugo replied. "I heard some very good news."

"Good news…?" Asaoto yawned. "What news?"

"Kedamono-sensei said I'll get to be an out patient soon. It means you and I will be able to leave the hospital and live in a house again."

"A house…? Like our old house?" Asaoto's eyes were closing, little by little.

"Yes, a house, just for us. We won't have to live here any more."

"Does this mean we can have chickens 'gain…?"

Juugo smiled greatly. There was no reason why not, he figured, and he missed owning chickens dearly. "Yes, just like before."

"M'excited, Daddy," Asato said, now mumbling.

"I am too, Asaoto. But don't get too excited. It's nap time now."

"Okay…" Asaoto turned over. "G'night, Daddy…"

"Have a good nap," Juugo said. He tucked the blankets in more snugly around Asaoto's tiny body, and kissed him on the temple.

After a time, Juugo went over to the telephone. It was by the sink, and it was also where Juugo had taped up several drawings by Asaoto and Shingetsu, made in marker and crayon. Closest to the phone, however, was a yellow, lined piece of paper on which Karin had left Juugo a list of numbers and addresses before she returned home a week or so before. She wanted him to keep her informed of his progress, and he wanted to make her proud, and to keep her from worrying about him.

Juugo looked between the phone and the numbers several times, remembering the sequence and carefully pressing the buttons, so as not to make a mistake. The dial tone went on for a long time, and then, a deep, familiar voice answered.

"This is the Ryokyo Clinic, how can we help you?"

"Ooda!" Juugo said.

"Ah, Juugo-san…! How are you?" Ooda replied.

"I'm doing good!" Juugo replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Why are you calling today? Do you need my mom?"

"I guess… I have news for her."

"News, hm?"

"Yes. I want to tell all of you!"

"Really…! Well, um… she's with a patient right now, but she could call you back when she's done, and then all of us can hear," Ooda said.

"Yes, please, could you do that?"

"Of course, Juugo-san. We'll call you back very soon."

"Thank you!" Juugo said. "I'll talk to you soon…!"

"Talk to you soon," Ooda said, and hung up.

Juugo waited for a while. He preoccupied himself with a scarf he was trying to knit with dull, enormous wooden needles practically the size of broom handles. His therapist had taught him how, saying that knitting was very effective at relieving stress, and beyond that, it was a creative outlet—something very important in combatting destructive tendencies, or so she said. Right now, Juugo was just trying to get the hang of a basic knit stitch—the "scarf" was a tangled, bunched-up mess of white yarn so far, but the newer stitches had some order to them, which made him very proud of himself.

And as frustrating as it was to get things wrong, it did calm him down, and kept him from being anxious—much like bird-watching had once done for him. But there were very few birds in the hospital courtyard, Juugo found, to his discontent, whenever he visited.

He pulled the yarn through another stitch, and slipped it onto his right needle, and smiled as a thought occurred to him. There would probably be more birds at his new house. Sparrows and chickadees and bluetits in the window. He could even get a bird feeder! He continued on, his smile spread like honey on his mouth.

The phone ringing startled him greatly, and he sprang up from the ground to answer it. "H-Hello, this is Juugo?"

"Juugo? It's me, Karin."

"Karin…! Hello!"

"Hello to you too. Ooda says you have news. What is it, okay?"

"I was talking to my case worker today, Karin, and she said that I can be treated as an out patient soon!"

"An out-patient! Oh, Juugo, good for you," Karin said. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you…!" Juugo replied, utterly beaming.

"Do you know where you'll be living outside of the hospital?"

"Um… Well, tomorrow, actually, I'm going to meet with a housing person about somewhere for me and Asaoto to live. Tomorrow at three," Juugo said. "It might be a house, or an apartment, but it'll be somewhere for us to live."

"Ah! That's great. Did you hear that, Ooda?"

"I heard it." His voice was faint and echoey, from further back in the kitchen.

"I'll have to write Kedamono-san about your progress," Karin continued. "Will Asaoto be an out-patient as well?"

"Yes, I'll absolutely be able to bring him to his checkups, no matter where we live!" Juugo said.

"I don't doubt it, okay. Um…" Karin's voice got a little softer. "How is he doing, by the way?"

"Asaoto? Oh, he's asleep. He was very tired after his check-up today," Juugo replied. "They took a lot of blood today, he said."

"Poor dear. Make sure he gets lots of rest, okay."

"I will, Karin, I will."

"You call me back as soon as you know anything about your new house, okay?"

"Of course! I have your number and your address, I have everything," Juugo said.

"Wonderful. Again, I'm really excited for you, Juugo," Karin said.

"I am too," Ooda added.

"You call me any time, okay?" Karin said.

"I will!"

"And give Asaoto my love."

"Of course, Karin. Bye-bye!"

Karin laughed. "Goodbye, Juugo."

When Asaoto woke up, before they went to dinner, Juugo, of course, told him that Karin had called, and that she sent love.

Asaoto hugged his bear in reply, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I'm glad that Mommy's glad for us. Can we have mango with dinner today?"

"If it's in the cafeteria, Asaoto," Juugo replied.

There wasn't mango at the cafeteria, unfortunately. But Asaoto settled gladly for the peaches that were.

The next day, at three, Juugo met with his caseworker Enbi, and a new woman, with hair set into a bun that looked very much like a pastry. She introduced herself as Yamada, and she had a small book with her full of laminated pages.

"These are all the properties we have available right now, Juugo-san," she explained, opening it and sliding it to him across the table where they'd gathered. "They're all very lovely, I think, well within walking range of the hospital and with access to a wide range of amenities."

"Amenities…?" Juugo leafed over the word with the same delicacy in which he handled Yamada's book.

"She means things like grocery stores, police stations, public baths," Enbi explained.

"Oh…!" Juugo flipped through the pages. They had photographs of tall buildings in them, with many doors and balconies. "These houses are really big, I don't think I could use all that space…"

"They're apartment buildings, Juugo-san," Yamada said. "You see those little drawings down below? Those are floor plans. You'll be taking one room."

"Oh, one room…" Juugo tilted his head, trying to process. "Will that be enough for me and my son?"

"Yes, it should be fine," Yamada said. "You'll have space for at least two futons and you'll have your own kitchen and bathroom."

"Ah, I see." Juugo flipped through a few more of the pages. They were all tall buildings, with no people nearby. "Um, so, do any of these places have anywhere to… sit outside? A garden?"

"Outside…? Oh, yes, hold on." Yamada reached over and began turning pages over, until she reached a page with a photograph of a red-brick building, almost horseshoe-shaped. There was a courtyard much like the hospital's visible between the rows of doors. "This is one of our favorite buildings in the program. There's a lovely courtyard and garden in the middle, it's very idyllic."

Juugo brought the photograph closer to his face. There were trees and benches and flower planters, and from what he could see, the sunlight got through in a wonderful way. "I think I like this one…" he said.

"I'm not surprised," Enbi said, smiling. "Still, do you want to look at a few others before you make your decision?"

"No, I like this one," Juugo said. "I'd like somewhere where birds can gather."

"Oh, I'm sure you can do some bird-watching there," Yamada said. "Well, then." She folded her hands on the table surface. "I suppose what we can do now is schedule a time for you to tour one of the rooms before we confirm it, and then move you in."

"Okay!" Juugo said. "Whenever you want to do that, I'm fine with that…"

"My next opening is…" Yamada got a small book out of her pocket and leafed through it. "This Friday, so, two days from now. Is that all right with you?"

"Yes, any time is fine…" Juugo said.

"Wonderful, we'll pencil you in, then," Yamada said, smiling. "Congratulations, Juugo-san. We'll have a home for you in no time. Do you have any questions, before I go and make it official?"

"Well… my son and I, we would like to raise chickens. Is it possible for us to keep a few in the courtyard?"

"Chickens…?" Yamada said.

"Yes, chickens," Juugo replied, when she didn't continue.

"Well… that is a bit unconventional…" Yamada's fingers wandered to the edges of the laminated paper. "Why do you want to keep chickens? If you think you need a source of food, well-"

"Oh, I would never, I would never eat a chicken, I couldn't…!" Juugo began shaking his head vigorously. "I don't eat birds…"

"Okay, okay, I understand!" Yamada waved her hands defensively. "So, then, you want to keep them for… eggs?"

"Well, sometimes we eat the eggs, so they don't go to waste…" Juugo said. "But mostly they're just nice to have around…"

"Ah… so you mean you want to keep chickens as pets…" Yamada grimaced a little, for some reason.

"Yes, is that all right…?" Juugo said. His shoulders hunched.

"Well… chickens aren't the most… conventional pets, so I don't know if they'd be allowed…" Yamada said. She drummed her fingers on her lower lip. "Is it chickens you like in particular or just birds in general?"

"Oh, I love all birds…" Juugo said.

"Well, I suppose it might be okay if you had, say, a parakeet or a cockatiel in your apartment, those aren't too obtrusive…" Yamada said. "I can check with the landlord of the building. But I doubt that… chickens would be allowed."

"Oh… that's all right…" Juugo replied. "I'll be sure to tell my son, then, he was really looking forward to owning chickens again…"

"Um, Yamada-san, is there any way you might be able to find a… more open property for Juugo-san?" Enbi cut in. "Juugo-san's son is a child with… special needs that require him to be kept calm, and I think that allowing him some special privileges might be all right for him."

"Does he also have Curse Seal Syndrome?" Yamada said.

"No, it's an unrelated genetic condition that affects his bones," Enbi replied. "He's a very weak little boy."

"Hm… well… I'll see if there's anything that I can do…" Yamada said. "Don't expect any miracles, though…"

"It's all right, I understand…" Juugo said, trying very hard not to sound disappointed, not when he had so much to be grateful for here.

"At any rate, let's meet again on Friday," Yamada continued. "If I'm able to do anything, we'll discuss it then. Otherwise we can tour the apartment that you chose today, all right, Juugo-san?"

"Yes, that's all right…" Juugo said.

Juugo had to sit out in the courtyard for a while after that meeting. He was trying not to be disappointed, which was keeping him from getting stressed and angry and losing control.

He had to understand, there was no room for him to keep chickens in a place like Konoha, where everything was so very close together. The fact that he was able to handle being in such a place without feeling confined or nervous was something to be proud of, and his therapist told him as such.

But all the same, he just wanted for Asaoto to feel like he was going back to a home, he supposed. Since the hospital was just a temporary place, and the last thing he wanted was for the apartment to feel like that, like another place that wouldn't last. And having something of how things used to be—the chickens that the both of them loved—would help with that, Juugo felt.

He could compromise, he knew that. And his case worker was trying to help, and Yamada too. Cockatiels were very cute birds, after all, and he'd be glad to own one…! And a courtyard would be nice too, to bird-watch, and maybe garden…

…in the end, though, he just didn't want to disappoint Asaoto. There was so little he could do for his son's condition, for the pain he had to go through. Being able to do things that made him happy, that relieved his pain, no matter how small, Juugo regarded with intense importance. And that included half-asleep promises about chickens.

Juugo put off going back to his room for a while. He didn't want to go back just yet, because that meant he'd have to tell Asaoto the not-so-good news. And Asaoto would say it was all right, but if he really felt disappointed…

But when he finally looked up, preparing to leave his bench, he saw someone he didn't expect.

It was Sasuke, walking through the hospital courtyard. He had a slight limp, and was going slowly, his hands in his pockets.

Juugo almost called out to him. Almost.

But then he remembered the last time he had seen Sasuke: in the cafeteria, almost two months ago.

Sasuke had ignored him, then, and Suigetsu told him that it wasn't worth it to get upset. Juugo hadn't been upset, then. Just sad.

Therefore it surprised him greatly when he saw Sasuke stop, and their eyes met, and Sasuke called out to him.

"Juugo. Ah. Hello there."

"Oh, um, hello there, Sasuke…! What are you doing here?" Juugo replied. "Are you visiting someone?"

"…yes. I was just finished visiting with someone," Sasuke replied. He came closer, and Juugo could see that his eyes looked tired, maybe a little red. "And you? Are you receiving treatment here?"

"Ah, yes, though I'm going to be an out patient soon…!" Juugo said.

And Sasuke, despite all of Juugo's previous expectations, asked, "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"Tell you about it…?"

"Yes. Can I sit here with you? It's… been a long time since we've talked last, so I think it'd be… nice to get caught up with each other." Sasuke lowered his eyes. "That is, unless you don't want to…"

"Oh, no, no, I'd love to talk to you!" Juugo said. "Please, Sasuke, sit down, it's all right, I just don't know where to start…"

"Well, I assume, as an out-patient, you have a place to stay…" Sasuke said. "Are you going to live here in Konoha now?"

"Oh, yes, um, we were just talking about that today…" Juugo said. "Please, though, sit down! Is your leg hurt…?"

"I injured my ankle recently." Sasuke sat down. "It's not serious. Where are you going to live here?"

And they began to talk. Sasuke barely said anything, the whole time, only asking the occasional question. A smile seemed to grow on his face, slightly, the more they talked, and in a way it almost made it easier for Juugo to speak. Sasuke wasn't ignoring him now, certainly…!

And when Asaoto came up, Sasuke remarked, "Ah, yes, I think I do remember you having a son… Is he… not well?"

"Oh, he's… he's got some problems, but we get through it together…" Juugo replied.

"Problems…?"

"He's sick a lot, and sometimes he has attacks… But he's been like that ever since he was a baby, so it's nothing unusual for either of us…"

"I see…" Sasuke said. "Well, I hope there's an improvement in… whatever condition he has, soon."

Juugo's smile was immense. "Thank you…! Really, I appreciate it…"

Sasuke smiled back, though his was diminished.

"Do you have children of your own, Sasuke?" Juugo then asked.

The sadness that entered his face was very sudden and very soft. "I do have children. They live with their mother these days."

"Oh, do you not see them much…?"

"We're… having some difficulties, and I'm living… apart from them, now," Sasuke replied, starting and stopping through his words, as if his mouth were stumbling. "I'm trying to become a better father in the meantime."

"Oh, I see…" Juugo said. "Do you suppose you… need advice?"

Sasuke laughed, slightly. "If you have any to give. But perhaps that should be a conversation for another time. I need to be going home soon."

"Ah…! I'm sorry for keeping you," Juugo said.

Sasuke shook his head. "You don't need to apologize. I enjoyed our time together."

Juugo's heart leaped. "You did…!"

"Yes, I did. I wouldn't mind visiting you here again."

"Oh, come by any time, I don't think I'll be moving into my new home soon…" Juugo said. "I'll still be here at the hospital for a while."

"Ah. I hope your situation with your house improves, at any rate," Sasuke replied. "With the… chickens."

Juugo felt his face turn slightly warm. Ah, had he mentioned the chickens at some point…? "Well, I'll be grateful no matter what happens, it's a wonderful thing that I'm even able to get my own place to live…!"

"Mm. Getting what you deserve is… even better, though."

"What I deserve…?"

Sasuke was getting up off the bench. "Never mind. I'll try to come back and visit you again soon."

"Oh… yes, thank you, that'd be wonderful…" Juugo said.

Sasuke smiled, slightly, and nodded. "I'll see you later."

And he left.

A while later, Juugo returned to his room, and he told Asaoto that on Friday they'd be learning more about what house they'd be living in.

"I'm sorry, but we might not be able to have chickens…" Juugo said. "A smaller bird, maybe, but not chickens…"

"Oh… that's okay, Daddy," Asaoto said, and he nodded. "City people don't usually keep chickens, right?"

"No, not normally…" Juugo replied.

"So it's okay." Asaoto smiled a little. "We can have other birds."

Juugo tried to smile back, and ran a hand over the boy's thin hair. "Yes, we'll figure something out…"

Two days later, Friday came. And Juugo prepared himself, trying to turn whatever disappointment he still felt into excitement over the new apartment.

As it happened, there had been a change in plans.