[Open] There's nothing to do here all just lie and complain in bed at the hospital

[gentledheart]

Who: Hyuuga Hinata and OTA
Where: Konoha Hospital
When: July 13 (late) to July 26th.
Notes: Polar Bear cub summons will growl at anyone who enters her room, you’ve been warned.

It’s late when Hinata comes to. At first she isn’t sure where she is, the shadows are wrong and the bed too lumpy, but it’s the smell of antiseptic that clues her in. She’s in the hospital. She remembers being impaled during an ambush after returning to the mainland from Yukigakure. She remembers the blade sinking in and her numb reaction as she stumbled back off the blade, blood seeping through her clothes, between her clutching fingers. She can’t feel any pain though and that is a little terrifying as she shoves her blankets away and tries to get into a position where she can pull her hospital shirt up and look at her stomach.

From the little light coming in through the window she can make out the outline of stitches. The wound at been too much for them to just heal. It would scar, but that’s hardly a problem, it isn’t her first nor will it be her last scar in the years to come. She prods at the area around the stitches and breathes a sigh of relief when the tender flesh throbs painfully. Falling back against her pillows, Hinata cheers a little inside and tries to find a comfortable spot so she might fall asleep again.

The snuffling sound near the edge of her bed though doesn’t really help, nor does the appearance of a pale snout over the edge and then a pair of larger claws. She has a vague feeling like she’s trapped in a really bad horror movie and then the snout nuzzles her cheek and she realizes it’s one of the cubs. She’d made her first summoning contract just before the ambush and the cubs had stayed with her even after being stabbed. She smiles at the bear and has to wonder how the heck did Sasuke convince the hospital staff to let them stay?

Lifting a hand she scratches behind his ears feeling oddly at peace now that she knew the bears were still here and not some creepy horror movie monster meant to finish her off. She’s perfectly content to allow the cub stay half on her bed nuzzling her face but the medic that comes in has other ideas and shoos him back to the floor, which earns him a growl. The medic checks her vitals asks her a few questions, changes her IV and leaves her alone again. The cub comes back, paces along the side of her bed before curling up as if he was guarding her.

She doesn’t have a chance to see if anything changes as she drifts off again, only to wake again when its morning, or at least daylight and both cubs are polishing off the remainder of what had to be the hospitals offering to their stomachs. Her nose wrinkles, it smells a bit like rotting fish. And it makes her stomach roll in protest, thank heavens there’s nothing in it.

Comments

14th, early morning

[ghostpepper]

She had come back with the mission team and stayed overnight at home. But a mission was a mission and she had to go back to hers. She cooked up breakfast as the sun was rising for herself, Minato, and her ANBU (who had camped out on the couches), but there was one place she insisted on going before leaving the village.

With Eel and Guppy in tow, she got Hinata's room number from the medic at the desk and made her way over. Kushina cracked the door open to peek her head in and see if Hinata was up. She was greeted first by a polar bear cub growling. She vaguely remembered seeing one from the day before. Was it a pet? A summon? She could ask next time she was in the village. Given she'd remember.

"Shh, I just wanted to check on Hinata," she said quietly. "If she's sleeping I'll leave her alone and we'll be gone."

She turned her head slightly to chance a glance toward the girl's bed.

[gentledheart]

Shifting some Hinata turns her head to see Kushina in the doorway. She smiles at the woman before her eyes drop to Takeo barring her way further into the room. His brother, Busun, still curled up on the floor at the side of her bed. "Takeo it's okay," she murmurs and he backs up some the growling coming to a stop. He still keeps himself directly in between Hinata and Kushina but at least she's been let in the room.

"Good morning, Uzumaki-san." With careful movements she pushes herself up to sit, her shoulders pressed against the headboard for support.

[ghostpepper]

"Just wait outside the door," she told them. "I'll be out soon."

She entered the rest of the way and closed the door.

"Glad to see you're awake, Hinata," she said, watching her shuffle up. "...You want any help doing that?"

[gentledheart]

She really should accept the offer, she be at a lower risk for popping her stitches if she were assisted, but she shakes her head. She can sit up on her own, she wasn't that injured. "The medics were just here changing my bandages," she says with a shrug. It was the only reason she was currently conscious. Or maybe the slide of the door was louder than she realized, because surely Kushina had seen the medics leaving her room.

"Thank you for showing up when you did." It's light, but still audible. Hinata's fingers clench in her blanket as she spoke, feeling useless here. Surely there should have been some indication that they could be ambushed once they returned to the mainland. "How are Sasuke-kun, and Gai-san?"

[ghostpepper]

"I'm glad I did too," she said, managing a smile. Because who knew what would have happened if she hadn't? She'd likely be in worse condition, but how much worse? No, better not to think about that. Hinata was alive and she'd make a full recovery in good time.

"As for Sasuke and Gai... they seem to be coping in their own ways, last I saw. I haven't seen Sasuke since we brought you in, and Gai did say last night that he was going to bring flowers. But I think I saw him on my way here doing laps around the village on his hands." She shrugged and shook her head, her smile growing out of amusement. "That would be his way of doing things though. Always training to be better for the next mission. I gotta say, even if he is a bit weird sometimes, his heart's in the right place. But enough about them, how are you feeling?"

She stepped closer to the bed, but stopped at the foot, where she rested her hands on the frame.

[bloomstwice]

For once in a long time, Lee found himself entering the hospital as a visitor, and not as a patient.

He walked quietly as he could along the halls, sticking close to the sides so the nurses and patients could travel through as they pleased. There was always something about hospitals that he didn't like. They always smelled weird, and days spent there always felt like years. A hospital trapped you inside, with nothing but pain and discomfort to follow you. That's what it felt like when he had to stay, anyway.

It was a lot different having someone you knew and cared about inside, though. There, the hospital didn't seem like such a bad place. Instead it seemed like a place of healing, a place that you needed to be if you were ever to get better. That's how he saw it now, even though it was a little bit on the weird side of things.

Lee made sure that he made it at least two hours before visiting hours were over. He knocked softly on the door once or twice, then slid the door open. And there was poor Hinata.

He looked around, then let a bouquet of flowers lay on the table next to her. "These always helped me feel better when I was here. Perhaps, they will give you the same comfort as well."

[gentledheart]

It's one of those rare moments where Hinata is awake. Takeo and Takeshi on the other hand are curled up in the corner, satisfied by now that most people coming to see her aren't threats. Then again, Lee isn't someone she would expect to see come visit her. They aren't what you would exactly call close. But she smiles nonetheless when the boy enters her room.

"They're beautiful, Lee-san." Slowly she reaches for the bouquet and brings the flowers to her nose smelling them. They have a nice smell, one that she finds soothing and just strong enough to maybe hide the worst of the disinfectant smell. "Thank you."

[bloomstwice]

Lee smiles when he sees Hinata own, and nods. "Yes, of course."

He paused. "They all stand for healing and happiness. Dealing with such injuries can be just as hard as physical recovery. Sometimes, it is hard to keep your spirits up."

He'd know, too.

"I was given these flowers all the time when I was in the hospital! Hopefully they help you as much as they helped me!" Lee gave her an even bigger smile, and a thumbs up to boot. He wasn't much of a speaker, but hopefully that helped a little!

Lee let himself relax, and pointed to one of the chairs nearby. "May I take a seat?"

[gentledheart]

She gives the bouquet another sniff while smiling. They'd be a nice addition to the room. It was sort of boring to look at the same four walls day and day out. The green walls might be calming, but they were also sort of lonely, especially with her having a private room.

"I'm sure they'll make my stay much happier." She says motioning to the chair that has already been dragged to her bedside. She wouldn't deny her cousin's teammate some of her time if would like it. Compared to when she first go the to hospital she was feeling better. They'd lessened her painkillers at least so she wasn't so foggy all the time.

But she remains silent waiting. Her familiarity with the boy is passing at best, knowing him primarily as Neji's teammate. But she's equally glad to have his company, Lee always seems so energetic and chipper and it's pleasant to be around in small doses from what she's gathered.

13th, middle of the night

[thebestuchiha]

He hated that he hadn't been able to rush over the second that they'd gotten back, but the chaos of their arrival had pretty much guaranteed that he had to put out fires before coming to see his student. Especially with the bear cubs he kept hearing about. It was a mess.

But he finally found time, and he made his way to look in on Hinata, genuinely unsure that she'd even be awake, but he needed to make sure she was really okay. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost one of his brats. They were kind of important to him after all.

[gentledheart]

Considering she was unconscious most of the day, he wouldn't have much to do if he'd had the chance to come earlier. But she's semi-conscious when he arrives, dozing in an out between the painkillers the clicking of the cubs claws on the tile.

The bears react first, growling at the new visitor. And at first she'd just chalked it up to another medic coming it to check on her, maybe see if her IV needed to be changed. As such she didn't bother opening her eyes at first, nor did she bother to tell the bears to back off. But her guest didn't seem to be in much of a hurry and that in turn made her a little curious despite being sort of fuzzy.

"Don't hover, it makes Takeo and Takeshi nervous," she mumbles almost dreamily without opening an eye.

[thebestuchiha]

"Takeo and Takeshi huh? Cute." He moved over, not fretting the bears as he slipped around them, reaching to brush a few stray hairs out of Hinata's face. "I see you picked bears that match your outfits."

[gentledheart]

She sighs, turning her head toward his hand. "No they don't," she mumbles cracking open an eye to meet Obito's gaze. She smiles tiredly, "You like them?"

July 13th

[not_thedragon]

Sasuke is usually patient with the hospital (out of respect beaten into him by people whom he knows can rebreak his bones so they never heal properly) and Mikoto's habit of checking him over on return from a mission, but he's close to rude to everyone by the time he's finally released from general scrutiny -- he's not the one injured, and he's definitely not the one who is recovering not only from an injury but from being a guinea pig for an unfinished seal.

He steps out of the hospital only to make a quick purchase before he's knocking at Hinata's door, poking his head in afterward just in case she's too heavily medicated to wake up. The bear cubs are still there, to his relief; something about their presence made him feel as if she were more protected, even in the safety of the village.

He's going to owe the attending medic a day of paperwork at some point in the future, but it was worth pulling the strings.

"You awake?" He tries, closing the door quietly behind him.

[gentledheart]

She groans, eyes fluttering. She's a little loopy what with her pain medication just starting to kick in. But she's awake sort of, enough at least to notice that the sliding of the door doesn't result in the usual round of growls. Or maybe it did and she just didn't notice them because she's so foggy.

"Sort of," she mumbles when Sasuke's voice registers. She hadn't really expected him to come back. Maybe run off to do something broody, but not necessarily come back with cinnamon buns. Cracking open an eye she smiles weakly as her gaze moves past his face to the container where the smell of cinnamon must be originating.

"You brought me cinnamon buns?"

[not_thedragon]

The irritating thing about Hyuuga eyes (that Sasuke will never actually say to Hinata out loud, because he doesn't want to inadvertently offend another clan's pride) is that it's hard to tell whether someone's pupils have dilated properly in response to medication or pain or head injury. The saving grace here is that he knows Hinata well enough that the fact that she doesn't sit up to greet a visitor makes it clear enough how drugged she still is.

Her nose seems to be working fine, though, something that brings a ghost of a smile to his face as he sets the box down on the side table. Next to them goes a few raw fish in a much more tightly sealed bag, just in case summoned bears have the same appetite as regular bears.

"You have to eat them in small pieces only, though," he cautions, settling into the chair next to the bed. "You had a bad stomach injury, so solid food will be difficult for a while.

"How are you feeling?"

[gentledheart]

The fact she's drugged isn't all bad, she's got a pleasant floating feeling going for her. Which in and of it self is probably a sign of just how over medicated she is, but it helps since her last conscious memory was that of burning pain in her abdomen. She'd much rather the floating sensation, at least for a while yet. The medics couldn't erase that pain nor have healed her completely.

It was entirely possible she was imagining the cinnamon wafting from the box. But she's glad to know she hadn't. She really wants to eat one. Even if it's only a small piece or two.

"Floaty. Can I have a piece of one?" Takeshi scrapes his claws against the tile as if to say it isn't fair that she gets something to eat and he doesn't. And Hinata laughs a little though it makes her gasp more than actually laugh as her skin pulls in numb tugs along her nerve endings. She doesn't hiss just winces and breathes through her nose to calm down.

"I think they're hungry. Could you get them something to eat?" She doesn't mean to sound like she's taking advantage of Sasuke, but she doesn't want them to starve while she eats little nibbles of her favorite food. She hasn't noticed the bag of fish he brought with him.

17th

[dangodragon]

Of course, Itachi couldn't not visit Hinata when she was in the hospital. He did hive her a few days to heal and maybe feel a little bit more like having visitors. Visitors were the last thing Itachi wanted when he was stuck in the hospital. Itachi had forgone the normal hospital gift of flowers in favor of something perhaps more amusing. It was a little wind chime with a bell and an origami crane, fish, butterfly, and dragon on it.

Itachi knocked carefully before entering, not really loudly in case Hinata was asleep. He did not expect to be confronted with growls when he opened the door.

Itachi blinked.

"Ah. Congratulations on your summoning contract, Hinata-san." Itachi said, giving the girl a bow.

[gentledheart]

The good news is that she's at least conscious most of the time now. She's still on really good pain killers but the dose has been lowered to less fog making levels. As such she's popped up in her bed watching the sky outside the window, one hand rubbing Takeo's head, his yellow-ish white fur ruffling under her fingers.

She doesn't move at the knock. Takeshi shifts to his paws padding across the room to stand sentry as the door slid open. Even Takeo's head shifts under her hand, black eyes focusing on the man that enters. Her head turning when Itachi speaks, a pleased grin stretching across her face.

"Thank you." She's really proud of them and they've ensured her days aren't entirely bored. Their presence has resulted in more than a few academy students and genin sneaking in just to see them. But it's the way she greets him that has Takeshi backing away after sniffing at him briefly. Her eyes fall on the wind chime and that smile only gets bigger. "You brought me a wind chime."

Okay so maybe she's a little more drugged than she would have liked if her openness is anything to judge by.

[dangodragon]

"I thought it might be more interesting than flowers," Itachi admitted. Slightly longer lasting too. Itachi gave the little bears a longer look now. Bear for Hinata. At first blush it didn't seem like a very good fit at all, but when you pushed past appearances, it made perfect sense. While these little ones were cute, Itachi was certain anything larger would be terrifying in battle.

Itachi gave the bears a little bow. "And it's a pleasure to meet you as well." He liked to be polite to people's summons or animal companions. Itachi carefully stepped over to the window to hang up the chime, even if it wouldn't catch anything but air conditioner drafts in the hospital.

"And I have to thank you, Hinata-san, for once again looking out for my brother."

[gentledheart]

She nods, "The flowers have been nice." Brightening up the room with their happy splotches of color. Some of the baskets and bouquets were starting to wilt or droop, especially those that came in her first day in the hospital. Soon she would have to ask a medic to throw the dead ones away so they wouldn't clutter the room or attract bugs.

Her bears however maintain a watchful eye on Itachi. Takeo making a snuffling sound and Takeshi licking his nose before both go back to feigning having better things to do. Apparently the Uchiha heir passes muster with the cubs, at least in the sense that they didn't consider him an immediate threat to Hinata healing. "I think they like you," she murmurs as Takeo backs out of his way so Itachi can hang the wind chime.

She shrugs, her smile falling slightly as she does. Normally, she would be just fine with the thanks, but she doesn't want to be reminded of what she put Sasuke through because she got hurt. She could just imagine how guilty he was feeling for the damage his seal had done on top of being stabbed. "He's my teammate."

July 16th

[heavenly_earth]

The first time he comes in, she's not awake. The bear cubs are however, and he freezes in the door frame, because there should not be any animals, let alone bears in a hospital room, and certainly not in his cousin's hospital room. When he questions the staff, there's grumbling, some helpless shrugging, and a passing mention about territorial summons.

From this, he comes to understand they're guarding her, and there's a part of him that feels sick because that's supposed to be his job. Not that he can always protect her and there's nothing he can do when she's on a mission, but it still shouldn't have happened.

The bears eye him again when he steps into the room, and he edges past them because he's never been all that good with animals. They seem to relax when he simply sits in the chair next to her bedside, watches her sleep and quietly assures himself of her steady breathing and stability before he offers a few soft words and leaves. The medics give him an approximate timeframe until she regains consciousness for more than a few moments, but he's scheduled to leave for Sunagakure and visits the hospital again the day before he has to leave.

He brings a gift this time, a small bowl of fresh fruit that he hopes she'll be able to eat instead of regular hospital food. It's food he doesn't have to sneak in at least, and should hopefully help her recover. But as he steps into the room, he wonders if the bears might get to it before she does, because they're still there. Neji hesitates for a moment in the doorway before moving further into the room, deciding he'd just keep an eye on it and see it they were interested in it first. He nudges her other gifts aside in order to set the bowl down alongside them, and glances down to the sleeping cub settled into the only available chair in the room.

"Well I suppose something came out of that mission, if nothing else.."

[gentledheart]

She'd been awake for nearly a half hour when he returns though her closed eyes wouldn't show it. Takeo and Takeshi were silent for the first time that she can remember since waking up two days ago. Takeshi's soft snores the only reminder that she wasn't alone in the room. It was an oddly soothing sound, until it stopped abruptly.

Turning her head she glances at Takeshi and smiles to see Neji there placing the basket of fruit. The bear shifting and twisting to find a comfortable spot again now that the guest has been identified. "Hi," she says moving to sit up slowly. The medics have done a good job in closing the gaping hole in her abdomen that she came in with, but she still wasn't going to be moving really fast anytime soon.

He's the first family member to come see her. Chances were he might be the last as well. Her father and sister were likely busy and she expects much to be the same for her uncle. She's reached a point though, where she accepts the busy schedules of her family and takes solace in the visits of the people she considers to be her adopted family. "Thank you for the fruit." Her hands smoothing her blankets as she talks.

[heavenly_earth]

Neji blinks mild surprise, but it fades into a half-smile as his eyes meet hers and he nods. She looks.. weak, but she's awake and that's a promising sign.

"I wasn't sure you'd be awake, but I'm relieved to see you're doing better already. How are you feeling?"

He wants to ask about the mission, ask about the summons, because he's fairly certain she didn't have a contract before she'd left. But those questions will wait, and he lifts an eyebrow at the cub peering up at him from the chair. But he's not taking the bait, because he's certain the moment he offers even a finger, tiny sharp teeth will end whatever tentative truce there is between himself and them.

Yeah, he's really not good with animals.

[gentledheart]

She shrugs, "I've been in an out. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm actually awake, but otherwise I'm well." Mostly, There'd been a largely confusing conversation about damage to her chakra system. Or there might not have been she can't be sure. It is possible she dreamt it.

She remains quiet for a moment watching her cousin and bear eye each other. It makes her giggle that both seem at least somewhat wary of the other. They would just have to learn to deal with it because they would be sharing space in the future wouldn't they? Or maybe they weren't considering well they're summons and go back wherever they are from as they want or as needed.

"Takeshi and Takeo have been making sure I don't have too many loud or disruptive visitors the last couple days."