Sakura saw her brother's eyebrows raise so high that they disappeared behind his messy, silvery-white bangs, "What?!"
"You heard me," Sakura replied, a smile on her face "He was found and brought back to the village. I've been assigned to take care of him—"
"You mean you volunteered," Kanaye interrupted.
Sakura ignored his comment, "—and rehabilitate him. He's been blinded and is still in hospital recovering, but assuming everything goes as planned, he should be going home tomorrow. Which brings me to why I need your help tomorrow."
"Help? You're thoughts are too loosely connected to follow, Sakura."
"Be quiet, I'm about to explain," she glowered at him before taking an experimental sip from her hot chocolate, "I am going to be his caretaker; even though he is going to be released from hospital, the treatment isn't over. I'm going to be by his side at all times, so we'll have to live together."
"What? He's moving in here?" Kanaye's eyebrows disappeared again.
"No…" Sakura said patiently, correcting him, "I'm moving in with him, and I'll need your help tomorrow moving my things to his place."
After a moment's pause Kanaye stuffed the rest of the muffin into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Isn't this guy a criminal? I thought I saw his name in the latest bingo book," he asked with this mouth full.
"There's a good chance that he's going to get a pardon," Sakura told him distractedly, the hot chocolate was evidently still too hot as she found herself nursing a burnt tongue.
"How long will you be living with him?" her brother inquired after a moment.
"Until he feels he can get by on his own," Sakura told him, "Don't freak out like mom did when she found out."
He snickered slightly, "I'm not going to freak out, but I can't say I approve. You still like this guy, right? …I dunno, Sakura."
"Tsunade-sama trusts me with this," she replied defiantly, glaring at her brother from over the rim of her mug, "And regardless of how I feel, nothing inappropriate is going to happen. This is the second time that I've been reminded of the improperness of the situation."
"Sorry," Kanaye shrugged in apology, crossing his arms lazily, "Tell me about Sasuke—what's he like?"
"I can tell you're still suspicious," Sakura stated haughtily, "So I'll put your mind at ease: Sasuke is a cold, prideful, and stubborn person who refuses help from anyone. He never allows anyone to get near to him if he can help it and has never particularly showed any signs that he's considered me more than a teammate and a friend—he says that I'm annoying. He protects people by not befriending them, to protect them from his brother who murdered the whole Uchiha clan nine years ago. His sole ambition is to kill said brother and restore his clan to its former glory."
Kanaye was frozen with a laughable look on his dumbfounded face, "And you like this guy because…?"
Sakura laughed and smiled, "Because I know he's a good person at heart."
Kanaye merely tilted his head somewhat as he shrugged, clearly not understanding his sister at all. After a moment he looked over at her with a troubled look on his face, "I have issues with the 'restore his clan' part. He'll need help with that bit."
"Kanaye, I'm only seventeen—Sasuke is only sixteen," she sighed, then subsequently glared at her brother, "Sure teenagers do stupid things, but he is the most level-headed, mature, and rational person I have ever known. And you know me—I'm not that kind of person."
"Okay, okay," Kayane put his hands up in surrender, "I believe you. I just got home and I don't want you mad at me. So what do you want me to do to help?"
"I'd hug you right now if I felt like getting up," Sakura smiled, "I'm going to pack my things this evening, I just need help toting them—his house is a little bit far from here. I'm going to see if I can get Naruto to help, so you can catch up with him tomorr—blargh!"
Sakura acked loudly as the hospital cell phone vibrated in her pocket, against her hipbone. A very strange sensation indeed, especially because it was always unexpected, and tickled terribly. Pulling out the phone she cracked it open, putting the receiver to her ear.
"Moshi moshi," she said absently while glaring at her brother who was laughing at her reaction.
"Sakura," came the voice of Maeko the receptionist from the hospital, "Uchiha Sasuke has come back with Anko."
"Oh, thank you for letting me know," Sakura replied into the mouthpiece, "Tell him that I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"Alright, I'll let him know," Maeko replied cheerfully, "See you soon."
"Bye," Sakura replied before hanging up. She looked over at Kanaye and slipped the phone back in her pocket, "I have to go now. Afternoon rehab."
"What? Already? You just got here," Kayane said frowning indignantly, "When are you going to come home?"
"Later this evening—eightish," Sakura replied before downing the rest of her hot chocolate.
"I'll walk you to the hospital," Kanaye told her, straightening up and running to grab their coats.
"Fine," Sakura grinned.
She and her brother had always been close, and he liked to spend time with her, saying he missed her when he was on missions. Sakura had told him that he probably just got bored on his missions because there was nobody to make fun of.
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