The doctor came in, looking conceited and proud, glaring down at Naruto with such hate even Sasuke cringed. Naruto’s screams had once again quieted down, but his weak whimpers and the occasional moan didn’t make him seem to be in any less agony.
“What’s wrong?” the doctor asked. As if he didn’t already know.
“Hell if I know,” replied a nurse in four inch heels. Even in the current situation, Sasuke was really glad that he wasn’t a girl and would never wear shoes like that.
“Probably infection, and that disease. I wonder, how long will it take for that virus to stop his heart?”
Sasuke stopped breathing. His heartbeat pounding in his ears was soon replaced by loud ringing. His heart will stop beating? How come they’re standing around like they’re chatting over coffee? He stepped forward, but was shoved away again by a nurse who had decided to leave.
“Not much use staying here,” she said breezily, “he has no strength left. He’s not going anywhere.” Two more left, and the last, who was hanging onto Naruto’s wounded ankle, squeezed her hands together. The boy cried out weakly, but he was already gasping for air. The nurse then left the room, leaving the doctor to face Sasuke.
With a last desperate breath, Naruto went still.
“Do something!” Sasuke heard himself say. The doctor shrugged and left the room, returning with some paddles that were hooked up to a machine. He sure as hell took his damn time about pushing Naruto’s shirt up and turning on the machine. A nurse, (one of the worse ones,) walked in and stood by.
“Clear,” muttered the doctor. Naruto’s body jumped, his back arching, but his face remained the same. The doctor tried a second time, glanced at his watch and said “Naruto Uzumaki, dead at-”
“Like hell!” Sasuke shouted, jumping forward. The doctor staggered back and Sasuke grabbed the paddles. How hard could it be?
Apparently, not hard at all. As Naruto jumped a third time, his eyes snapped open and he let out a cry. Sasuke’s heart went out to him. He turned to the doctor and yelled “what the hell do you think you’re doing?” He leaped over the bed and grabbed the front of the man’s shirt, gritting his teeth and bringing a fist back in preparation for an enraged punch.
“Don’t!” yelled the nurse. But Sasuke didn’t care anymore. He let it fly.
The doctor also flew. Straight into the wall on the other side of the hallway. Sasuke charged forward and demanded “why didn’t you help? You didn’t even try!”
“Why should I care if the kyuubi host lives or dies? It would be more convenient for the whole village if he were dead.”
“Sasuke! What the hell are you doing?” Tsunade yanked Sasuke by the collar off of the doctor.
“You son of a-” Sasuke spat out before Tsunade pulled his collar again.
“You, quiet. You, I’d like to see your letter of resignation first thing tomorrow morning.” The doctor stood up and ran away. Sasuke turned and looked at Tsunade. She looked back, confused.
“Help!” he cried, hugging her. “Naruto’s dying!”
“I can’t help anyone with you clinging to me, kiddo,” she said. She pried him off and went to the room. She held her hands over Naruto, and her hands glowed a soft green, her chakras visibly working a medical jutsu.
“His ankle,” Sasuke sniffled. It took him a moment to realize he was crying.
“Calm down, kid, I’m getting there!” Tsunade growled. She wasn’t angry, though, of that he was positive. Just frustrated. Hopefully at the doctor.
“And done,” she said, standing up. She paused at the door and said over her shoulder, “the fireworks are in five minutes if you want to check it out.” Then she was gone.
Sasuke went to the side of the bed where Naruto was finally awake and very nearly alert.
“Don’t you ever do that to me again,” Sasuke hissed, standing with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He hunched his shoulders, waiting for Naruto to laugh at the spectacle he’d made over him. What he got instead made his head spin.
“Like you care.”
“What do you mean?”
“You call me moron, idiot, useless and weak. You deal with me like I’m a pest. I’m going to repeat myself. Like you friggin’ care.”
“If I didn’t care, would I have carried you two kilometres to the hospital? Would I have restarted your heart even when a doctor couldn’t?” he demanded.
“You would have gotten in trouble if you hadn’t,” Naruto replied, “you said so yourself.”
Sasuke sat on the bed and looked straight at Naruto. Glared at him, actually. The blonde shifted uncomfortably. “What?” he asked.
Sasuke grabbed him by the shoulder, yanked him into a sitting position and hugged him. Naruto stayed very still, and only asked, “what are you doing?”
“I was worried sick about you!” Sasuke whispered. “I was scared and panicking and upset and…” He wrapped his arms around his friend tighter, refusing to let go. Tears streamed down his face, and he buried his face into Naruto’s shoulder.
He let out a few sobs, and finally, Naruto put his arms around him awkwardly and muttered, “um… there there.”
A loud bang interrupted them, and Sasuke looked up. Fireworks, he thought. He stood up and grabbed Naruto’s wrist, dragging him off the bed and out into the hallway.
“What are you-” Sasuke ran towards that staircase, up the stairs and to the roof. Naruto looked up at the sky, which was alight with sparks.
“I’ve never seen them this close before,” Naruto shouted over the cracks and bangs.
“Now you have,” Sasuke yelled back. Two friends watched the fireworks until they were gone and the smoke had cleared, and after that, they watched the stars. They walked back to Naruto’s house, still watching the sky out the window.
“Hey, Sasuke?” Naruto asked.
“Yeah?”
“I get the bed.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. “First one there gets the bed.” They reached it at the same time.
“I won!”
“No, I won!” Naruto hissed.
“Well, you can share,” Sasuke replied.
“Fine.” But Naruto didn’t seem to mind that much.
