scared of the stars

chapter 23 - Sakura & Kurenai

Sakura hated giving bad news. She hated seeing the hope drain from peoples eyes and how their head would tilt downwards. The worst reaction came from those who acted like it was fine, those who faked a smile. Sakura would rather have patients cry openly in front of her because then she knew they would be better eventually. People who are open with their emotions have a better chance of healing. Whenever someone acted like everything was okay and laughed like it was nothing, she would worry for days, waiting for them to explode.

Obitos papers laid on her desk, crumbled from her gripping them too hard. She had read them all, again and again, trying to find a solution. She was a talented healer, but there were things even she couldn't do. She had tried to get Tsunade to find a solution, but one look at the papers and she simply shook her head, saying it was futile.

There was nothing they could do for him, and Sakura was the person who would have to tell him that.

It would destroy him. He had already gone through so much. They all had.

She gently pounded her head against her desk, hitting it again and again. She wished she had told Obito to keep his hopes down. Maybe she had? Her mind was filled with useless ideas. She had tried to hypothesize, she had contacted other more experienced healers, she had done everything she could.

Yet, she knew it was futile.

Someone knocked on the door, assistant shouted «Sakura! Obito is here to see you.»

Sakura felt her stomach clench.

«Bring him in!» She replied and gathered all of Obito's papers, trying to make it look at least a little tidy. The door opened and he walked in, smiling.

A pain blossomed behind her eyes and neck. She was stressed. She had focused her eyes on the paperwork too much lately, she was starting to get a headache.

«Hi!» He said, still standing.

«There is a chair about two meters in front of you.» She said, trying to sound cheerful.

He sat down, an expectant look in his eyes. He was eager to know what she was about to say. She wished she could have turned time forward. She wanted it to be the next day already.

«How are you doing?» She asked and leaned forward on her elbows. He opened his mouth to answer, then stopped and thought through his answer again. He looked torn.

«Could have been better.» Was his words, an easy and vague answer.

Sakura could relate.

«Its good not to have it perfectly fine all the time, if we did, we wouldn't be as appreciative.»

Sakura was definitely not dragging out the time.

Obito looked slightly confused, thinking over her words, then nodded and smiled. She was sure he wasn't completely paying attention, he was probably too excited to hear the news.

It was obvious he expected them to be positive.

Sakura could not give that.

She took a deep breath, then breathed out and started her very practiced lines. «I have been looking through your tests and read up what could be the cause for your blindness. Unfortunately, there were no positive results, and I was unable to find a single treatment that could work.»

He was still smiling, but the corners of his mouth were tighter now, more strained.

«I am not quite sure what you mean.» He said, blinking a few times too many.