[Thread] That's three, three ninjas

[kazenorokudaime]

Characters: AU!Naruto, AU!Sasuke, AU!Shikamaru, OU!Mercury (PGSM) and AU!Watanuki
Where: The commons
When: Immediately after Shikamaru's arrival in Econtra
Summary: Shikamaru's injured, Naruto goes to help and drags Sasuke with him, and Kimi comes too!
Warnings: Swearing I imagine

Comments

[embalmment]

He was partially amused at this turn of events. More of what Shikamaru believed rather than what condition he was in. As true to typical Sasuke he didn't particularely care about the condition. Less so in Econtra where someone was bound to find him. Something somewhere extremely distance whispered to him a different story but he didn't listen.

Clothing was his main motive before this escapade took place. Poorly drying off he tossed on some clothing and followed with ever so gentle guidence. Sasuke did not want more people from his universe here. It was their Shikamaru. He recognized it immediately. Happened.. not entirely too long before he was brought in to Econtra himself. A few days.. actually

[nephologist]

The act of cleaning the wound was nowhere near as painful as receiving the wound had been, and anyway Shikamaru's mind was in a very peaceful state. Preparing for battle, that was always hard. Actually fighting, that was the worst. But dying? It didn't seem to be so bad. He was mildly irritated that this woman was working so hard to save him, really. Everyone was silent and Naruto was worried as hell, he could tell. The somber air told him there wasn't much hope, so it would have been nice for them to stop trying and let him drift off quicker.

Ah, but a pessimistic attitude wasn't good for healing. And if they were going to insist on fixing him, he would have to be more hopeful than that.

He shut his eyes and swallowed the blood that had welled up in his mouth. "Damn Naruto..." he grumbled under his breath. "Making me work all the time..."

Eyes reopened to look up at the Hokage. "Stop worrying, okay? I'm feeling b... better already."

[kazenorokudaime]

"Hey, if I didn't make you work you'd never get off your lazy ass." Naruto snorted, a weak smile accompanied the friendly jibe. He was alright for now, wouldn't be dying so long as what Mercury had done held.

The blonde licked his lips almost subconciously for a second, before he snapped it back. Tilting his head slightly as he noted the way Mercury leaned on the ground a moment before she continued, it had tired her out... "Hey, can I help?"
He had no idea what she was doing, but if there was anyway that he could assist he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

Naruto looked back down at Shikamaru, "Heh, if you say so." Naruto doubted it, just looking at the gravity of the injury, Naruto wouldn't really feel better until it was closed up and bandaged. When he could be sure that the ANBU was healing.

He still couldn't help but wonder, even fi it wasn't the right time to ask, what had happened to him? Who managed to hurt Shikamaru so spectacuarly? The question was on the tip of his tongue, barely held back.

[embalmment]

He noticed. Not much got past these eyes of his. He noticed the drain, the slight wear, but said nothing. There was nothing to be said nor any reason to say it. He kept it in mind though. A key for analyzation if he should ever need it. Just for his own knowledge, probably. Sasuke simply continued to watch. The trinkets and color surrounding it and within it were interesting and foreign. Although there was a slight piece of his own knowledge puzzle. He wondered if she was just treating his wounds right now. The surface wounds

[waterfell]

This was a new technique she was trying. But the real problem was that this type of magic, foreign to Mercury's world, had been difficult and painstaking for her to learn. Using these spells to preserve this boy's life and heal him, however, did not contradict anything within her. Metalia resurrected and destroyed equally; the ginzuishou destroyed and healed equally. It was her whim right now to preserve

[nephologist]

Damn pushy woman. She didn't need to tell him twice. It wasn't like he wanted to be chatting anyway. Shikamaru bit back a snappish reply and leaned his head against the wall again, returning his attention to the sky above.

The clouds looked the same as they did in Konoha. Another world, and another time... And of all the people across all those worlds, he was stuck with that asshole traitor and the loud-mouthed Hokage. Why not Choji? Why not Asuma? Or... Why not Sakura, so she could heal these damn wounds in the blink of an eye?

Econtra was a pain in the ass. It saved his life, but it sure did it the hard way.

But he was perfectly calm, meditative even, while the blue-haired woman stitched him up. When it came right down to it, he had the self-control of a monk. At worst, he looked like he'd been up too late and just wanted to go home and sleep.

He was not looking forward to the part when Naruto asked what had happened.

[kazenorokudaime]

Naruto pulled a face but stayed back as Mercury told him she didn't need his help, he'd learned in his short years not to argue with girls. Especially if they were medic-nin, because female medic-nins seemed to have the ability to break cliffs with one hit a lot. Okay two had, but the point was women could hit and when they did it they did it hard

[embalmment]

Just as he had pictured her. He noted along in the silence.

The Uchiha was slightly amused by the almost apprehensive withdrawal both Shikamaru and Naruto displayed towards Mercury. Shikamaru, being moody-- but than he did have a good reason for that. Naruto, being all pouty and anxious. Than that was typical Naruto. Naruto also always had a habit of pissing off the wrong woman. Suppose even a blockhead could learn after a few million repetative errors.

He shifted a little in the midst of this. Eyes went from the blue-haired woman to the blonde. It was outrageously easy to read his thoughts and Sasuke thought at that:

I don't belong here.Mercury had noted the internal damage. She was smart. She was overall what he believed she would have been. If he had questions to ask her they wouldn't be asked here. Not right now. Shikamaru was likely going to live. It would take awhile for him to regain strength and be able to live somewhat normally but he was a lazy bastard. This was a perfect opportunity for Shikamaru to have a good month of

[waterfell]

Time was no longer as urgent. Mercury looked up from her stitches.

"Leaving, Uchiha Sasuke?" she asked blandly, lips quirking upward. Having deduced the blond was not that boy, that left the black-haired one

[nephologist]

"He can go..." Shikamaru mumbled, with the added wish of Please go. Far away. So I know you won't kill me in my sleep. And you won't hurt Naruto any more than you already have, you worthless traitor. He didn't speak a word of that, but his eyes, fixed on Sasuke's back, said enough.

Then he looked away and made the mistake of looking down. That was a great big mess. He hardly recognized it as a part of his body. Definitely the worst injury he'd ever gotten, and that was without considering the damage to the rest of his body.

Goddamn Sasuke.

Feeling considerably sick now, Shikamaru tried to focus on something else. The woman was talking to Naruto so he looked toward the Hokage. He felt like shit but Naruto was always a bundle of optimism so maybe it would spread. Maybe. Probably not.

[kazenorokudaime]

Naruto turned round, opening his mouth to protest Sasuke leaving them when Shikamaru spoke, no big deal right. Probably easier for them to talk without the other man around, given what the ANBU had been involved in. Naruto just frowned and watched Sasuke go before looking back at Shikamaru and Mercury again.

"Great." The blonde nodded to Mercury. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he informed her with a more sincere smile this time round, being told he could take him to the infirmary was a positive sign and should mean he wasn't going to be dying anytime soon.

"Thanks for helping." Even if Naruto hadn't been the one to ask her here, he was glad she had turned up and as always would make his appreciation known.

[embalmment]

Footsteps paused at that - Mercury speaking up. A smirk almost dashed his lips but it didn't. The Uchiha simply tipped his head to the side. A soft blink of viberant reds were washed away to coals once more.

"It would seem so, yes," was his answer-- a cold stare at the leaf nin glaring at him.

Stay out of my way; continue being useful. You wont have any problems. It wasn't like he honestly cared enough about Shikamaru to dedicate his time and thought into getting rid of him. That was a little egotistical of the man to consider. Now that he thought about it.

Sasuke mused, "pleasure meeting you, Mercury."

He could be humble, sometimes, when it was worth it (which was rarely). Even if there was still a mildly sarcastic tone to that deep voice. With that the footsteps continued forward gradually fading the body away in an invisible flame.

(( and he's out. Tag away. ))

[waterfell]

"Until later," Mercury gave Sasuke a brief but relatively polite farewell.

The glares were quick to come to her notice. Tension, even though Sasuke was responsible for her being here? How interesting! This could be entertaining, watching to see how that developed. She made a quiet internal note of it.

Shortly after, the stitches were finished. "He can be moved in that state now," she told Uzumaki Naruto.

[nephologist]

"'bout time," Shikamaru muttered under his breath. "I'm freezing..."

Still feeling queasy and not all that certain he should be moving yet, he shifted away from the wall and planted his hands on the ground, preparing to push himself up, but... No, he'd definitely need Naruto for this.

"Hey Naruto, you can make yourself useful now," he snapped, reaching up for the blonde to take his arm.

"Oh, and, uh..." Shikamaru glanced at the blue-haired healer again. Complainer though he was, he was capable of gratitude. "Thanks."

[kazenorokudaime]

"Hey I was gonna, tch, when were you ever so eager to get anywhere in a hurry?" Naruto rolled his eyes and stepped forward, kneeling down next to Shikamaru , took his arm and wrapped it over his shoulders. "Ready?"

Certain he'd get an affirmative Naruto took a breath and hoisted Shikamaru up, good thing for him the blonde had never grown particuarly tall, so it wasn't awkward for him to support the ANBU's weight.

Right now the infirmary was... er, that way. Naruto took a moment, reassured himself (hey he'd never been there before!) and nodded, "This way."

The blonde gave Mercury a curious look, wondering if she'd be coming with them or not.

[waterfell]

"Shouldn't you be a little more grateful?" Mercury asked playfully. "Not everyone would do something for someone in that pathetic state."

That was just the setup. The clincher was what came next: "You owe Sasuke a lot!"

Already well aware of the tensions - although admittedly not the reasons for them - Mercury was glancing closely at both men to gauge their reactions.

She fell into step with them as they began moving towards the Infirmary.

"Now I have questions, and I think Naruto does, too, so there's less for you to do if you tell us both at once. What happened anyway?"