Just One More Birthday

I find myself wanting to work on this story more so than my other ones. I think I’m probably stalling for time. Hah. Anyway, this is the second chapter, and I don’t much care for it. It’s kind of a happy one, and it makes me sad because only I know what’s really going to happen at the end of the story. Anyway, with a total of 347 hits and only 4 reviews and 2 ratings, I can’t help but be discouraged. But you guys are at least reading it, so I can’t complain much.

Sunshine leaked through one of the window’s of Konaha’s Hospital, casting a halo of light around the occupants of the room. It had been four months since Naruto had been knocked into a coma, and though he was showing signs of waking up, his tumor was getting larger and larger by the day. He knew his time was almost up. Sighing mentally, the blond turned his thoughts back to his friend, wishing he could wince at how shrill her voice sounded at the moment.

“—I mean, he just came out and said it! Like—‘hey babe, I’ve been cheating on you for a month now’—what a BASTARD!”

Really, you don’t say? Ahh, sarcasm.

“And, well. You know. After that he was all like,” the pink-haired woman’s voice deepened in an imitation of her boyfriend, “I’m real sorry, babe. So I like, you know, forgave him. I mean what else was I supposed to do?”

Uh-huh.

“He’s the most handsome guy I’ve ever met—“

He’s still a bastard, Naruto grumbled, tuning out his friend. He really did love Sakura, she was a great friend. But man, she never stopped running her mouth. It had been like this for nearly a week now: she would come for a visit, proceed to rant about something in her life, and as soon she was finished she would press a kiss to his cheek and leave. He didn’t even get a ‘thank you’ for having to listen to this crap every day. It was really daunting on a man’s mind, and Naruto was certain he would never be able to look at his friend the same way again—ever.

He mentally cheered when he felt the aforementioned kiss to his cheek, knowing that this mind torture was coming to an end. “Thanks, Naruto. You always were a good listener.” He heard Sakura chuckle sadly, and felt his heart suddenly dropping when he heard her leave the room.

Man, he was an ass.

He supposed he should have been grateful for her presence, seeing as how almost no one else came to visit. Iruka and Kakashi were too busy with work to be able to give him the time-of-day. And al l his other friends were busy with their own lives. Hell, even Gaara couldn’t spend all day with him—a fact he’d come to grudgingly accept when he remembered the man was a doctor.

Still . . . Naruto thought, sighing. He couldn’t deny that he missed the man. Gaara sat down with him every night when his shift was over and just talked. Nothing too heavy, just updates on his friends, his health, things like that. He appreciated the company, though.

He hated to admit it, but he was pretty sure he was falling for his redheaded friend. He found himself praying at night to no God in particular, but his prayers were always the same. Asking for forgiveness for whatever he did to bring this punishment down upon him, and for a longer life. Whereas months before he had given up—Naruto now had a reason to fight.

God dammit, Gaara. Naruto thought, even as he felt his lips curl up into a smile, Look what you’re doing to me.

~*~*~*~*~

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
Gaara was bored. No, Gaara was beyond bored. He had taken to watching the clock, counting how many more of the ‘tick-tock’ sounds he could make than the clock in the span of a minute. It was a frustrating game, really, because no matter how hard he tried, he always fell back into the rhythm of the clock. How could he lose to an inanimate object, really? Probably because he felt like it was taunting him, tick-ticking away at his mind, irritating him until he was near the point of snapping.

And now he was glaring.

Yes, glaring with such ferocity that he was sure a person would combust upon meeting his gaze. Ferocity that was now directed at a clock. A clock. His lip unconsciously pulled up in a snarl, and he could feel a growl rising up the back of throat. That clock was going wish it was never born—made—whatever. It was going wish it never existed! Just when he was sure the clock was quivering with fear beneath his gaze, his office door flung open.

“Doctor Sabak—“

And now his angry eyes were directed at the poor, poor sap that dare interrupt his match with the evil clock.

The man-nurse—murse?—shifted from side to side uncomfortably, his black bowl-cut hair swaying with him, and fiddled with the manila folder in beneath his fingertips. His dark green scrubs clung to his body like spandex, and he was wearing obnoxious orange latex gloves, and leg warmers. It was Lee. Softening his gaze on the other man, Gaara leaned back in his chair and nodded for the man to continue.

“We have Nar—I mean Uzumaki-san’s –X-rays.” The usually excited man looked flustered, and that brought a bit of concern in Gaara’s mind. “Dr. Orochimaru says you must see them immediately.” The green-clad nurse held the folder out to Gaara, his fingers twitching anxiously. If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation, the redhead probably would have teased his co-worker about his lack of control.

He opened the folder and inside was the sheet of picture-paper(1) used to show an x-ray. Pale fingers gripped the edge nervously and held it to the light. He feared the worst. Naruto’s brain tumor had been getting larger, and he knew the blond didn’t have much time left. He felt his heartstrings tug violently at the thought, and closed his aquamarine eyes to get a hold of himself.

Although he had prepared himself for the worst outcome, when he opened his eyes, he couldn’t help but to stare incredulously, his heart beat speeding up dramatically. He felt it thump against his chest and quickly turned widened eyes to the other man in the room. “Have you checked this?” he asked seriously, anger threatening to boil over if this was some sort of joke.
Lee nodded in affirmation, “I’ve checked it twice, and Dr. Orochimaru –well, you know he over-examined them.” Lee tried to give a comforting smile, but it quickly vanished when Gaara pushed passed him and into the hall. His eyes widened comically and he stood, rooted to the spot—was Sabaku Gaara grinning?

Naruto had gone into remission.

Again, I don’t much care for this chapter. The next one’s better. Rate and review, please. It doesn’t take long.