Restoration: Book 2/3

Chapter 21

-Matsuri's POV-

I winced as Ino dabbed the graze on my side with rubbing alcohol, and she glanced up to offer me an apologetic look before returning to her work. Both that one and the one on my neck needed stitches. Unfortunately, we hadn't encountered a suture kit amidst our travels, so my wounds were being prepped to be sewn closed by a household needle and thread.

I glanced at the stove in the kitchen, manned by Tenten.

All the tools they were about to use were being boiled to sterilize them and minimize my chances of getting an infection. My fingers trembled in my lap, and my knee bounced anxiously. I was sitting in a dining chair, and Ino was seated in one facing mine so she could easily lean forward and reach me.

My blood-drenched shirt lay lifelessly on the floor near my feet, and I stared at it with furrowed brows. The blond girl had cut it off with scissors without warning and refused to let me cover up, so I sat in jeans, fuzzy socks, and a bra. Luckily, at my request, Temari was actively trying to keep everyone out of the area.

My eyes watered at the stinging pain the disinfectant caused, and they hadn't even shown me the needle yet.

"Sorry. I know it hurts, but Sakura's still recovering, so I'm all you've got."

I looked at her and tried to smile despite my frantic nerves, "It's okay."

It wasn't actually okay, but she was trying so hard to be gentle, and I couldn't bring myself to admit that I was terrified of what was about to happen. My neck's graze had already been cleaned, and it was the one we agreed needed to be closed first due to its location.

"Alright, stand up for me." I wordlessly obliged and stared at the wall with wide eyes as Ino wrapped a thick piece of gauze around my waist to keep the blood from my side from dripping everywhere while my other injury was being tended to.

"Okay, Tenten, bring all of it over and hold her hair out of the way while I work," Ino motioned for me to sit back down and guided me to rest my head on my folded left arm atop the table, "Keep your right arm relaxed. You can't raise your shoulder until I'm at least halfway through, or it might tear the thread." My breathing picked up as I followed her instructions, letting my right arm fall to my side and wincing when it accidentally brushed the gauze against my other wound.

We couldn't even find any numbing cream to dull the area, so this would almost definitely be more painful than the bullet wounds themselves. Tenten sat all the freshly sterilized tools on the table in front of where my head was resting, atop a glass plate because no one could find a metal tray. I squeezed my eyes shut and whimpered when I saw the needle, my entire body trembling in fear.

"Temari, come hold her hand or something. She's terrified."

Cold hands gently pulled my hair back, but I didn't open my eyes to verify if it was Tenten. They could've pinned my hair or put it up, but they wanted someone still holding my head, so I didn't unintentionally pull away. A warm hand grasped mine, the one on my free arm, and I opened my eyes to see Temari giving me as encouraging a look as she could muster. I squeezed her hand slightly before reclosing my eyes.

If I kept them open and watched Ino approach, I was more likely to try and flee. Ino adjusted my positioning, and I was slightly relieved that I could rest my forehead against my folded arm so no one could stare at my face.

"Okay, Matsuri, I'm about to start. Be strong."

Even if the only thing I could see was the table beneath my arm, my eyes were wide as I waited, but Ino spoke again, making me glance over, "Shit...I need someone to hold either side of the skin."