Sato had been sitting in the waiting room for... he wasn't sure how long. A few minutes. Hours. It felt like an eternity. Long enough for him to run out of tears. For now. The fresh pain was starting to numb over, making him feel sluggish as he pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs tightly. He didn't know what to do. There was nothing he could do. He wanted to have hope, he really did but the doctors had tried to make it as clear as possible while being gentle on the poor kid. He recognized the pity in their eyes before they'd even said a word. Even then it'd been a shock. How? How could this happen? Why her of all people? Why did this have to happen at all?
He'd just gotten home from training when he realized that the house was a bit too quiet. He searched around, calling for his mother when he found her on the ground, half conscious and not even able to stand. Panic set in immediately. Had she hurt herself? Fallen? Had someone broken in?! She was't bleeding... but she was so hot to the touch. When she refused to stir he went for help, just trying to find anyone who could do something for her. Before long someone was able to get in contact with the medical corp and they brought her here as fast as they could.
That was yesterday. Maybe. Time was still fuzzy. He'd stayed in the waiting room all night. Nobody had bothered to tell him to go home, just left out a blanket for him. It was that morning that he received the news. At first he couldn't wrap his head around what he was being told. It couldn't be true after all. This couldn't be happening.
"... We're not sure how long she's had it. Must have been waving off the symptoms up until now..."
"... It's... terminal..."
"... No treatment options..."
"... Do everything we can to make her comfortable..."
He didn't cry until he'd been left alone. Once it all sunk in there was nothing left but the sorrow. He'd been telling himself he didn't want to cry so much anymore but here there was no restraint. This wasn't just disappointment or discomfort. This was a deep, sharp pain at the very core of his soul. Losing Father had been one thing... but Mother? She'd forced herself to be so strong for the both of them for so long. She was all he had when Father had died. She'd been the one to take everything they had and bring it here, to provide for the both of them. She'd supported everything he really set his mind to and even seemed proud when she saw him succeed.
And now she was in some hospital bed, fading away fast with no hope in sight. How... How was this fair? She didn't deserve this. Any of it. Not what happened to Father and certainly not this. And he... oh God, he felt so alone. He didn't know what was going to happen to him. He didn't think he could provide for himself -- and even if he could.. he didn't want to go back to that house. The house he found her in. But he had nowhere else. No family. He'd never known Father's family and the only family Mother had was Grandfather -- dead since he was five. He wanted to be strong, to tell himself he could take care of himself. That he was a shinobi, someone who could do incredible things if he put his mind to it.
But he was still scared.
And now the tears were gone and all he had left was to think. And he gave up on even that. Now all could manage was to stare at the wall over his glasses, his eyes red from all the crying and his vision blurred. There was nothing to be done. About anything. He had no desire to get up, to move. To talk. The untouched tray next to him made it clear he'd lost even hunger. And so he just sat and... stared. Waiting for his world to end.
He'd just gotten home from training when he realized that the house was a bit too quiet. He searched around, calling for his mother when he found her on the ground, half conscious and not even able to stand. Panic set in immediately. Had she hurt herself? Fallen? Had someone broken in?! She was't bleeding... but she was so hot to the touch. When she refused to stir he went for help, just trying to find anyone who could do something for her. Before long someone was able to get in contact with the medical corp and they brought her here as fast as they could.
That was yesterday. Maybe. Time was still fuzzy. He'd stayed in the waiting room all night. Nobody had bothered to tell him to go home, just left out a blanket for him. It was that morning that he received the news. At first he couldn't wrap his head around what he was being told. It couldn't be true after all. This couldn't be happening.
"... We're not sure how long she's had it. Must have been waving off the symptoms up until now..."
"... It's... terminal..."
"... No treatment options..."
"... Do everything we can to make her comfortable..."
He didn't cry until he'd been left alone. Once it all sunk in there was nothing left but the sorrow. He'd been telling himself he didn't want to cry so much anymore but here there was no restraint. This wasn't just disappointment or discomfort. This was a deep, sharp pain at the very core of his soul. Losing Father had been one thing... but Mother? She'd forced herself to be so strong for the both of them for so long. She was all he had when Father had died. She'd been the one to take everything they had and bring it here, to provide for the both of them. She'd supported everything he really set his mind to and even seemed proud when she saw him succeed.
And now she was in some hospital bed, fading away fast with no hope in sight. How... How was this fair? She didn't deserve this. Any of it. Not what happened to Father and certainly not this. And he... oh God, he felt so alone. He didn't know what was going to happen to him. He didn't think he could provide for himself -- and even if he could.. he didn't want to go back to that house. The house he found her in. But he had nowhere else. No family. He'd never known Father's family and the only family Mother had was Grandfather -- dead since he was five. He wanted to be strong, to tell himself he could take care of himself. That he was a shinobi, someone who could do incredible things if he put his mind to it.
But he was still scared.
And now the tears were gone and all he had left was to think. And he gave up on even that. Now all could manage was to stare at the wall over his glasses, his eyes red from all the crying and his vision blurred. There was nothing to be done. About anything. He had no desire to get up, to move. To talk. The untouched tray next to him made it clear he'd lost even hunger. And so he just sat and... stared. Waiting for his world to end.