The Red Maelstrom

[54] Branching Fissures

Kohana was floating, bathing in white light and the first dreamless sleep she'd had in what felt like an entire month. Save for the slight ache in her back, she could scarcely feel the rest of her body let alone worry about the unpleasant revelations in her life as of late. No unwelcome voices; no dark and void-like corners; no life-shattering truths; and best of all, no nightmares. She was blessedly stuck in between a vague awareness that she was asleep and the impending moment of waking, until her ears picked up on the lightest rasp of shifting cloth. Something brushed softly against her cheek. Her restful, cottony mind registered the warmth of skin, but another part of Kohana begged to fall back asleep, so she nuzzled her head into the thin sheets, inching closer towards the warmth, comforted by the questing sensation. The thing rubbed gently at the space underneath her right eye, as if brushing something away. Kohana could feel a dopey smile pulling at the corners of her slack lips, until something hard knocked sharply against her forehead.

"I can't feel my arm, idiot."

The pain in her back flared, wresting Kohana further away from her blissful rest. "Dick," she murmured, massaging the space between her eyebrows. She cast her bleary eyes at the rude bastard who interrupted her nap.

"Couldn't you have let me sleep on your arm a bit more?"

Sasuke shot her a glare as he shook his arm out. Kohana rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic."

He grunted out his reply, now flexing the same arm. "Whatever. How long was I out?"

"Not too long," Kohana said, and stood up from her chair to pour Sasuke a glass of water. "Like, 4 days? You weren't too beat up; mostly just out of chakra, among other things. Your voice sounds like ass on gravel, by the way."

"Creative," Sasuke snarked. He gave her a nod of gratitude when she handed him the glass. He took very careful sips. "I'm sick of this place."

"No kiddin'," Kohana remarked. He'd been in bed rest around three times in the span of two months, if Kohana wasn't mistaken. "Wanna train with me when you get out? Osamu-sensei's gonna be busy for the rest of the week. He said I could use a training partner so I don't get rusty just doing katas."

Sasuke gave her an odd, considering look and then nodded, looking strangely pleased. "Alright. Convince them to let me out this afternoon."

Kohana rolled her eyes again at the stupid request and the equally stupid smirk on her friend's face. What was that smug expression for? "It's already the afternoon, y'know."

"Before sunset, then."

Kohana rolled her eyes again. "Like I even have a say! 'm not even supposed to be here right now, y'know."

There was that odd look again. "Why are you here then?"

Kohana prepared to launch a weak joke, something about keeping an eye out for Gaara (yes, while she was sound asleep), but Sasuke fixed her with a stare that was so intense and probing that Kohana half-expected him to call on his Sharingan. It really was hard to lie to Sasuke, but that hardly ever stopped Kohana.

This had nothing to do with him, anyway.

After she and Kakashi parted ways at the rooftop, Kohana had wanted desperately to squeeze herself into any dark, dusty place to hide herself from the rest of the world, but she knew that would only welcome more hallucinations. Her feet then led her to the next best thing: Sasuke's hospital room. Something about seeing her best friend so peacefully asleep brought an ease to Kohana's heart that she couldn't quite put her finger on, so this was where she stayed to rest. She didn't expect Sasuke to wake up now, of all times, but even though Kohana never felt more vulnerable than she did now, she was glad that he was finally awake.