Chapter two: Revelations
-All color that may have been on the Kazekage's face was instantly gone. -
It had been replaced with the deepest possible fear in the pit of his stomach and he grabs a clean towel that had been hanging next to his baby's door, wrapping it around the bloody wrist and securing it with a bandage before pressing on the vein in the elbow that supplied blood to that part of the body. Then he picks up Kankuro and the blade and races off to the hospital in a panic.
He kept calm enough to act rationally in the initial moments, but now that the urgency had left him and shock had set in, there was nothing for Rasa to do other than shake uncontrollably and pace while they fixed up his baby. He needed surgery to repair the muscle so that he would be able to use it again, and they send the blade to the lab to analyze the poison.
An hour later when he was out of surgery Rasa sits at his bedside, holding onto his right hand, which was uninjured. Tears were streaming from the corners of his eyes. His baby was in the hospital, on oxygen, blood being filtered through a machine, all because he felt unloved. And it was, at least in part, his fault. He brushed a piece of hair off Kankuro's face and kisses his forehead before he looks down at the sight that gnawed at the very core of him. How could he not notice those arms? Sure, Kankuro had always burnt easily and it did get cold at night, but hadn't there been some situation where he may have seen Kankuro's arms? In the past four years he had taken to wearing long sleeves more and more, his reasons being logical, and Rasa never suspected a thing. He lifts the small sleeve on his gown and it went all the way up to his shoulder with stitches in several places on his surprisingly small arms. When had Kan lost so much weight any way? It was hard to see past the robes he wore. Sure his face had slimmed down but he thought that was from growing up. His collar bones sticking out said otherwise. Maybe if they had sat down and eaten as a family he would have noticed, but Kankuro was a smart kid and he was a terrible father.
If his arms, which were harder to hide were this bad though, what did his little Kan's legs look like? The thought made him sick, yet he had to fold back the covers and see. The first thing he noticed was the size of them and he slowly rolls up some of the material over his leg all the way to his hip. There were cuts and stitches all over the limb all the way to, and on the protruding hip. He quickly puts the fabric down and covers his baby up, going back to holding his uninjured hand and stroking his hair with the other.
About an hour later his frail son wakes up and squeezes his hand, bringing Rasa out of his stupor and he lifts his head from the bed. "Kanny?" He asks and then hugs him as tightly as he could without fear. And Kanny lifts his good hand and takes off the mask to talk. "...why did you..." Save me? And Rasa just strokes his hair softly. "Because your my baby and I love you." He says and kisses his cheeks, which makes Kankuro cry. "...then you should have let me..." Go. "I couldn't have sweetie. We may not get along and we may not see eye to eye, but I love you."
At this Kankuro sits up and coughs a little. "Love? I live in fear every day. I'm either ignored or treated with contempt at best, and at worst I have the hell beaten out of me simply because of what I like in a partner. I live each day longing for the same thing as everyone else. Happiness and basic human rights. And I don't see that happening any time soon when I can't even hold hands with a man in public. And I'm sure that if I ever found someone who actually did care about me we would both be killed or something. Half the village thinks gay men should be killed. Dad, did you even know that men can have children? Do you have any idea why that never happens? It's because they never carry to term. I'll leave the reasons why to your imagination." He says and starts coughing and Rasa rubs his back and shakes a little at that information.
"No Kankuro. I had no idea. But you do know I'm trying to change things for you, even if I don't understand it. And don't ask if it's because of this. I've been working on this for a while. And hearing about the loss of those children makes me feel sick to my stomach." He says, holding him close. "Baby I'm here for you, but when you get home I think you know some things are goanna have to change so I can know your safe." He says.
"What sorts of things?" He asks. "Well to begin, I'm taking your puppets away until your better. And anything sharp or toxic will be locked up. If you want to shower or shave your not goanna do that alone. Because I'm worried I'm going to lose you. Your not goanna go on missions until your better for that same reason." He says, still holding him. "And your goanna eat all your meals with me so I can make sure your getting proper nutrition. I'm scared I'm going to lose you forever Kanny. I just came so close to it. And I don't know what I would have done if I had." He says and Kankuro tries to protest but is quickly shut down by a kiss to the forehead and his dad climbing next to him. "Sleep Kanny."
So I'm sorry for the short chapter. This was really more intended to supply information and set some ground work to enable the plot ahead. Please read and review. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows.