Truth: Itachi Uchiha Love Story

C H A P T E R 3

My feet dragged along the dirt path that led away from the training grounds. It was my rotation day at the hospital, my day to be on-call. 

I sighed, my fingers moved up, tracing along my forehead, shifting down to rub against my aching temples. 'Hopefully, I'll be there early enough to get some paperwork done from the previous weeks.' One of the many bad habits I picked up from Tsunade was procrastination... Along with a few other unsightly character flaws.

I shuffled down the main street, moving at a snail's pace as the sun hung high in the sky warming the exposed skin on my shoulders. The hospital slowly began to materialize in the distance. Anxiety for the day's work began to claw its way up my back and settle into dread on my shoulders. Walking up the concrete steps I slipped quietly through the front doors and scurried past the nurses station down the hall and into the small room that served as my office.

There were piles and piles of paperwork scattered all over the desk. Books piled on the floors on the far side of the room lined the walls all around the small space.

A deep sigh huffed past my lips. Falling into the chair across the desk, I sifted through the mountain of paperwork I accumulated over the past few weeks.

Fanning through loose leaf pages I checked off boxes, filled out minor and major incident reports, signed release papers, and reviewed budget reports for the coming months. 

'Why am I doing this?' Time slipped from existence, and I was once again consumed by the nightmares.

Those same images, sounds, and sensory overload devoured me, pulling me into the abyss.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my unending nightmare. My eyes darted to the clock above the door.

'Shit I almost forgot my rounds!'

I shot up from the chair and yanked the door open.

"Good morning ma'am, I just wanted to remind you about the morning rounds." A small mousy girl named Yuki pipped. Her eyes darted away from my gaze, her cheeks dusting with a shade of rose. She was fairly new and was shy to a fault, but she was cheerful and nice, which was something people needed in a hospital.

I smiled and nodded my head. "I am on my way. Oh and can you deliver all the papers on my desk to the appropriate offices for me?" I asked, stepping to the side to show her the mountains of paperwork on the desk. Her head shot up and a smile widened across her face. "Yes, ma'am". Her voice hummed with enthusiasm at the simple request. 

"Thank you, Yuki."

I breezed past her and made my way to the patient's wing. There were still so many patients left debilitated after Orochimaru attacked the village. Many of them had lost limbs and were suffering from severe internal and external injuries.

My heels tapped against the concrete floor, lulling me back into a daydream. Door after door drifted past and I arrived at my first destination, lucky for me all my patients were in the same wing.

My hand reached for the door, firmly gripping the cool sleek metal.

'Why did I so desperately want to become a medic? Was I trying to atone for what I did?'

My hand clenched the handle so firmly that my knuckles blanched at the sheer force.

Itachi's face drifted into my mind. 'I miss him...'

Yancking back the sliding door I stepped into the stale white room.

"Good morning, how are you feeling today?" I pipped walking over to the man who sat stretched out on the bed. His head turned and a deep blush swallowed his face.

"Better now that I see you." His remark was smooth despite the raging blush on his face. "Seems like you're up earlier than usual.  Are you feeling any pain? Did you sleep well?" I continued, ignoring the subtle attempt at flirtation. 

I walked over to the bed running my hand over the man's chest, checking his broken ribs.

"I slept well. I haven't felt too much pain. The medication you gave me helped a lot." His eyes caught mine, his blush deepening. I returned the smile placing my hand on his head, checking his temperature. "I am glad it helped, let me know if anything changes in your pain and I will up the dosage."

He nodded in response, but his eyes never left me.

I smiled again and pulled the clipboard with his charts from the side of the bed. Pulling a pen from behind my ear I jotted down a few notes and continued to assess the man's internal organs.

After my full body inspection, I placed the clipboard back in its spot. "Alright, sir I'll check back on you in a few hours," I spoke as I made my way to the door.

"Kazuma..."

"I am sorry?" I replied turning my head from my spot at the door.

His lips pulled into a tight line. "My name... It's Kazuma."

I sighed and smiled. "I'll see you in a few hours Kazuma."

The day moved faster than I had expected. I managed to make all my rounds on time and finish my paperwork for the morning shift in a matter of hours - surprising for how bad I usually am.

Settling back in my chair there was a moment where I could finally close my eyes and not be tormented. The visions that threatened the edges of my sanity were finally, being held at bay.

Behind my dark world, I could hear the commotion of the hospital on the other side of the door. My eyes snapped open chasing away any threat of the past, I tilted back to the clock, 'It's noon.'

Pulling myself from the seat I moved towards the door, down the hall, and towards the front door of the hospital. "Yuki, if anyone is looking for me, tell them I stepped out for a bit". I spoke hurrying past the nurse's station. Yuki's small form was hidden behind the enormous station, but I could still sense her aura. 

I didn't wait for a response as I yanked the front door open and jogged down the stone steps. 

I needed to be out the door before anyone else piled any more work onto me.