Crickets chirped outside. They always did this close to the Land of Grass. Wind swept through the old wooden corridors of the Ryokan, the paper doors crinkled against the gentle barrage.
Hana moved her hand against my bare hip. Small callouses that had always dotted the sides of her index fingers, rasping along my skin. "Why are you up?"
The moonlight streamed into the small crack in the sliding door.
I snuggled further against her, kissing the side of her neck. She was so warm, or was it the Haimaru triplets scattered around our bed? Warm fur was against my back. Hai's drool always dried on my shoulder when we slept together. Out of the three, he was perhaps, the biggest cuddler.
Hana scrubbed a hand over her face. "Why are you awake?" she repeated. "Is something wrong? Do you need your medicine?"
I shook my head against the pillow and held her closer before she had a chance to get up. "No, I'm fine. It's just a beautiful night. I wanted to take it in."
"I don't buy that for a second," she murmured sleepily, pressing her lips to my forehead.
"You should," I whisper back, savoring the feel of her body against mine. My lung disease was progressing. In the mornings, I would wake up and expel the mucosal build-up from the night. Lately, that included copious amounts of blood. I would never mention it to her. She'd only worry. She'd demand that I stay in the village for tests. She might shut down, and lock herself away in search of a cure that doesn't exist and never has.
Perhaps I was being selfish, keeping her here with me while I meet a rogue-nin from Kiri. I wish she'd go back to sleep so I could possibly run away and meet him by myself. After all, it's no great loss to the village if I pass, but her? She's the sun, breathing warmth into my heart that had long closed off to anyone who wasn't kin. Guilt consumed me at the thought of leaving her behind, the only relief I could find was in knowing she would find someone else. She was charismatic, beautiful, and tender-hearted. A woman anyone would dream of being with, I certainly had.
"Chizu—" Hana groaned. She tightened her grip around my waist. "You're thinking so loud."
Hai huffed an agreement from my right. His heavy paw landed on my face; the calloused pad scratched against my nose.
Dawn came far too early, bathing the room in a wash of pinks and oranges through the rice paper door. The light crept over her face, highlighting the errant hairs that had escaped her nightly braid. Gods knew I loved her. The love I felt for her could rival that of my brothers. Or my parents. Or cousin. I would happily go to the grave for her.
I rolled out of the bed, shoving Hai's leg off of my shoulder. Ru sighed and stood up from the end of the bed. He laid down in the spot I had vacated and enjoyed the residual body heat. As quietly as I could I turned on the shower, then used my medical equipment. By the time the nebulizer treatment was started, Hana walked into the bathroom and kissed my bare shoulder.
She hugged me over the towel I had tied around my chest. "I love you," she said quietly. "I don't know all of your plans, but felt you needed to hear that this morning."
The mask on my face prevented my reply, instead, I turned and pressed my forehead against hers. All she was supposed to know was the Hokage had sanctioned a civilian merchant to meet with a notorious nuke-nin, ostensibly to broker a deal for rare dyes made from ingredients found in the distant sea. Hana wasn't stupid by a long shot. She knew long before anyone could guess I was an agent for the Hokage. When I received permission to leave on this mission, she went to the Hokage and begged to accompany me. I don't believe my godfather was fooled by her feigned cluelessness, but he is far too romantic to deny such a request. He would have done the same for his wife.
For the nuke-nin, Kisame, it was quite a deal. In exchange for information on a new terrorist organization, the Hokage offered citizenship and amnesty. Why Kisame? The former head of the intelligence division of Kirigakure no Sato turned rogue, well. That made for quite an illustrious story I could not resist following. Every scrap of information I could collect was neatly collated into a folder nearing two-hundred pages by the time I turned in my proposal to the Hokage. I could only hope the rogue would be amenable. We would find out this morning.
I think, if I had more time in my sandglass, I would have made her mine. I could easily picture her in her clan's colors standing next to me at the shrine entrance. I would happily fold into the Inuzuka clan, and shed the trappings of my birthright. Not that the Uchiha elders would argue, to them, I was a waste of space. We'd have matching bouquets of daisies, fancy bows for the Haimaru triplets, and excellent food. Maybe we'd dance until our feet became sore, then sleep until noon the next day still in our wedding clothes. If I only had more time…I wish I did. I really do. Gods knew I wish I had more time.
The guards at the village gates watched with sympathetic gazes as Team Seven signed in. Kakashi frowned at their quiet expressions.
He tapped on the wood in Konoha standard code, 'Did someone die?'
Kotetsu nodded. He brushed the rough grain wood of the check-in counter with his finger, then haltingly replied, 'Chizu Uchiha was attacked two weeks ago. Itachi brought her home, but he was too late. She will be taken off life support this afternoon.'
Kakashi sighed and rubbed a rough hand over his face. 'Don't say anything. I'll tell him.'
The gate guards' shoulders dropped, and they sat back in their seats, relieved of responsibility.
Team Seven continued to walk through the village. Dismissing Sakura and Naruto, Kakashi turned to Sasuke, pointing him to Hashirama Park. They walked the trail in silence, winding closer to the hospital with each footstep.
"Why are we walking to the hospital?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. He threw his hands in his pockets as they continued to meander down the path. "Is Chizu having an episode or something? Is that what this was about?"
Kakashi placed a heavy hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Stay calm, remember, we're headed to see her. They said she was attacked. Your older brother managed to save her. However, she will be taken off life support this afternoon."
Sasuke stopped, his feet refused to move any further on the cobblestone path. "It's too early. She still has another year, maybe two. She takes care of herself."
"I understand this is difficult to process. We should keep moving."
"She still has more time!" the teenager protested, shrugging Kakashi's hand off his shoulder. "They're wrong."
"Sasuke, I'm sorry."
"No! They're wrong. It's a mistake. She still has time!"
Sasuke barely registered the tapping of his feet on the sterile linoleum tiles of the hospital. Nor did he feel the frigid air pumped through the vents above his sister's bed. He couldn't hear the beeping of the machines, the whoosh of the oxygen equipment, a nurse's mumblings. He didn't smell his mother's perfume when she held him against her chest, whispering that it was time to let go.
How could it be time? She still had more.
The door to the room opened again, and the bottom dragged against the floor softly. Itachi sat down heavily at the end of the bed, pushing Mu to one side. Sasuke didn't realize that his fingers were interlaced in the large dog's soft fur. The door kept opening, and more people crowded along the bed, hoping, praying for a miracle. Shisui leaned against the supply closet door. Hana held Fugaku's hand from the chairs near the window.
A stranger walked into the room in an obscenely white coat. Far too sterile for words, Sasuke could only pray he didn't contaminate the room's watchful silence with his voice.
"I'm Yakushi-Sensei. First, I will conduct the exams to determine the constitution of Chizu Uchiha. Per her last will, she has requested to not have extraordinary life-saving measures continue past the second week. That time passed exactly ten minutes ago. My condolences for your loss. I cannot hope to understand what her family and friends are feeling at this time. Though looking at this full room, I can tell she was very much loved."
The door opened once more, Minato walked in quietly, followed by Kushina and Naruto. Naruto silently slipped his hand into Sasuke's.
The physician continued, "Right, well first, I will remove the intubation tube from Chizu's throat. Please do not expect a miracle if she breathes on her own, we have run several tests, and each indicated she will decline without the supplemental oxygen. Please do not be alarmed by any gurgling, convulsions, or tremors she makes. I promise she is well sedated and pain-free at this time."
Hana sniffled against Fugaku's shoulder. When Sasuke glanced back, her knuckles were white in his father's hand. The small ruby pendant Chizu had given her for her birthday reflected the afternoon sun. Foolishly, he always thought they would get married, maybe adopt a few kids. In his dreams, he would see them running the small yarn shop together, two old ladies, bent with time.
Itachi's face was wrecked, red, and blotchy. His eyes were rimmed in red, his hair was mussed in a ponytail. He reached out for their mother's hand. Instead of holding his, she pulled him closer, his shoulder brushed against Sasuke's as their mother held them both. She was their bastion of strength against this long-foreseen storm.
The tube was removed with a soft pop. As promised, Chizu gave a sickly gurgle as it was laid on the tray. The nurse assisting the physician turned off the monitors and oxygen. Shisui squeezed his eyes shut and stuffed his hands in his pockets. The IV was removed, and a small square of gauze tapped over the access.
"We're done here. Nurse Maiya will continue to monitor her vitals manually until she has reached the end. Again, I wish to express my deepest condolences."
Chizu's even breathes tapered into watery growls. Mu whined from her lap, he held her down with his paws as her body convulsed slightly. Her breathing continued. Warmth fell down Sasuke's cheeks as he watched her labored breathing. Mikoto's grip on his shoulder tightened. The wince on Itachi's face told him more. He imagined he could feel Chizu's end. They were twins, they had always been weird together.
"Chizu," Itachi whispered, reaching out for her hand beneath Mu's chest. "It's…okay…" Every word was a struggle for his brother, each one held more pain than the next. "We…I…will be okay. We will grieve. We will live. Go in peace, without pain. We love you. You are always loved." He reached up and poked her forehead with two fingers before retreating back to their mother's arms.
'I love you too. All of you…I wish I had more time…'
The breath seized in my chest. I was tugged back to a distant sea, painlessly crushed beneath the waves as they dragged me down. My soul was an anchor, willing to be tethered in the depths, released into the next cycle. I would see them again, in another life, perhaps. One where it wasn't so cruel.
AN: Thank you so much for reading! If you have time, please leave a comment!
I'm curious if there'd be any interest in seeing this OC in a proper long fic? Let me know!
Much love! I have many more OC and Multi-Sakura fics up my sleeves if you check out my profile. ;)