Tag, minna!
I know my last chapter was a prologue, and boring and stuff...but I wanted reviews!! ::fret fret:: ::bangs fists::
Okay. (/temper tantrum) XD
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or Chobits. Cause I got some ideas from Chobits, kinda. Just throwin' that out there. :3
Enjoy!
-
.Etude. (Pas Si Simple)
The kid had been sleeping for days. I had managed to feed him bits of soup, and most of his bruises were yellowed and his scrapes healed. But with the amount of time he had been out, I debated taking him to the hospital anyway. Although, it looked like the swelling from the concussion had subsided.
All I could think of was taking a nap as soon as I got home. It had been a long, long day, and I was too ready for the weekend.
It all happened so, so quickly.
A door banged open from across the street. I could hear rushed, urgent voices, and terrible, escalating cries of distress. Bestial, they made me shiver, and I couldn't help but looking.
Two uniformed men were dragging a thrashing figure out of a side door into a trashed alley. The few that were out at that hour turned their heads and sped their pace to be on their way. Enraged, I ran out on the crosswalk, shoving the disregarding bystanders out of the way.
I briefly saw that it was a child that was uttering those horrifying sounds, with bright blond hair by the looks of it, but it was only a blur, and before I knew it—
THWUMP.
The boy was hurled to slam against the brick across the way.
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Shit--!
I don't know if I screamed it, or if I was too shocked to say anything, but I bolted to the now slumped figure.
His eyelids were drifting fast, his eyes beginning to roll up into his head, blood trickling down his forehead. I vaguely remembered a stream of reassurances and curses alike tumbling from my mouth. The men had disappeared back into the building, and the more prevalent of my worries was the boy.
My adrenaline was rushing in my ears. An Orphanage, my speeding brain supplied. A hospital was out of the question. The best course of action was to get him the best private, personal medical attention available.
Tsunade. My brain supplied again, already mapping out where she would be then.
From there, it was impulse and blur until I trudged home with the boy and went to sleep.
All my brain chose to remember were the medical directions I had received, and the name Tsunade had pulled from the chip she had removed from his skin.
Naruto.
-O-O-O-
The boy woke up gradually, slowly. His eyelids opened blearily, lazily taking in his surroundings, then widening. He sat up abruptly, suddenly alert and somewhat scared at the newness.
He began to feel slightly dizzy, clutching his head, and recoiling at the tenderness there. Feeling around gingerly, there was a broad spot on the back of his head that was slightly swollen and sensitive. For that matter, the other hand clutching the edge of the sheet had some bandages on it. His shapeless garment had been replaced with short-sleeved, button-up pajamas that were fairly big on him.
The very air seemed calm, relaxed.
But the strangest thing about this new environment was that strange and wonderful sound floating on the air.
Still slightly disoriented, the boy fumbled with the sheets to slip out of the spacious bed. It took him a while to get his bearings, but he managed to open the door and exit the room fairly steadily.
Looking down both ends of the dimmed hallway, he stumbled off in search for the source of the sound. Down there, over…this way? No, that way. It should be…
The man looked over his shoulder from the sizzling pan to his company. "Ah," he reached over to press a button on a strange-looking thing, and the sound ceased. "You're up. I was beginning to worry; you were out for a while. Are you sure you're feeling well enough to be up and about?"
"Haaa—" the boy's voice was cracked and rusty from disuse, and he had clear troubles speaking. The man winced, and bent down to look up at his new charge, who backed away warily, eyes panicked and wide.
"Aaahh…" he hoarsed, eyes darting. He pulled a hand up to grip at his throat, panicking.
The man took slow steps toward him, and the boy's wide blue eyes darted back to him. He pressed himself further against the wall.
"Shhh. It's alright; I'm not going to hurt you." The man soothed, taking slow steps toward the boy, who tensed further against his dead end. Slowly, the man extended one arm to stroke the back of the boy's head, still tense.
"There's still definitely some swelling there, and it'll be tender for a while," he murmured softly. "Just take it easy. You took a rough blow there."
He could see the tenseness ease slowly from the boy's skinny frame.
"See?" he gave a curve of the lip that, on good days, might be considered as a smile. "Now, say 'aaaahh'." He made the pronunciation exaggerated, mouth wide.
"Aaah," the boy pronounced, crackled and soft.
"Good. Now, 'saaaah'."
"Ssssaaaah," the boy managed.
"Saaaskeee." A hint of a smile was forming on the man's lips.
"Sssaaassskeee," the boy imitated, not quite understanding the concept.
"'Sasuke'," the man said, gesturing to himself.
"Sah…ske," the blond struggled, face set in a concentrating glower. He had a pleasant voice, past the dust of disuse.
The man laughed softly, and the boy recoiled slightly. He gently pointed at the blond. "Naruto." He stated.
The boy stared cross-eyed at the finger for a little, then managed a, "Naa…to."
"Na-ru-to."
"Nah-roo-toh. Naruto," comprehension dawned on his face. "Naruto!!" he beamed at the man, who laughed his soft laugh again and stood up, causing Naruto to blush.
"Sasuke…" he said.
"Yeah, that's my name." He gave a slight smile. "I bet you're hungry." Walking over to the semi-forgotten pan, he called over his shoulder, "Want some breakfast?"
"Brek…fast," Naruto tried, looking after Sasuke with a furrowed brow, but as soon as the man turned around with a skillet full of sausage and eggs, he took on a look of awe at the beautiful sight.
"Sit down," the man ordered gently, gesturing to a chair. Naruto hurried over and sat on one, watching the steaming goodness being shoveled onto his plate with hungry eyes.
Disregarding the cutlery placed next to the plate, he began to eat everything he was given with huge fervor.
"I wonder how old you are," Sasuke mused over his breakfast, only vaguely watching the disturbing speed at which the boy ate. "Tsunade said the Orphanage records read twelve—oh, did you want some more? Right then, here you go, take mine, I'm not all that hungry…" He trailed off, sighing and folding his hands under his chin, shaking his head slightly. "What a terrible place."
A loud clank woke him from his stupor of gazing at the wood pattern on the table. Naruto was done with his plate, and was staring at him intently, as if to say, 'Now what?'
"Now," Sasuke got up, answering the unspoken question, "you'll take a nice bath, you're awful smelly."
Naruto gave him a look. He gave one back.
"Well, you are." Dishes placed in the sink for later, he pulled Naruto's chair from out of the table and motioned for him to follow. "C'mon, this way."
Naruto warily followed him to the bathroom. It was plenty spacious, but still fairly conservative. He watched as Sasuke turned on the water, and jumped slightly at the loud noise it made as it hit the tub.
Once he had deemed the temperature good enough, Sasuke beckoned for Naruto to imitate him and put his hand under the tap. Timidly, Naruto did so, recoiling slightly as the flow hit him, but going back.
"Is it good? Is that alright?" Sasuke asked him.
He nodded slowly.
"Right. The towels are here—" he grabbed some out of a mirrored cabinet and set them on the toilet seat, "there you go, and you just turn that off when it's almost full." He then reached back into the cabinet for some bottles.
"Here's the shampoo and soap. I trust you can wash yourself, yes?" he questioned the boy, who nodded vigorously.
"Alright then, Naruto, when you're done, just wrap a towel around yourself and come into the guest bedroom down the hall," he gestured vaguely in the direction. "I'll be changing sheets, and we'll get you dressed, alright?"
Slightly overwhelmed by all of these directions, but afraid to show it, again the blond nodded emphatically.
Sasuke stepped out, shutting the door firmly. He collapsed lightly against the wall just outside of the bathroom door, fingers combing through his hair. I can't believe this happened…he mused to himself. I guess I have a kid now…damn me and my humanity.
He turned his head toward the door, eyebrows furrowing. Does he even know how take a bath?? He opened his mouth, wanting to ask if the boy needed help, then closed it again. He should be fine…Sasuke thought to himself, shaking his head, losing himself in thought.
Sudden retching noises assured the man otherwise. He flew back into the room, the door banging on its hinges. The blond was doubled over on the floor, shaking violently and vomiting onto the bathroom rug, while the bathwater was running over the tub's edges.
"Shit!!" Sasuke cursed, bolting to turn off the water, then quickly trying to coax the boy over the toilet to finish purging his stomach.
Looking back at the mess on the rug and wincing, he rubbed the bare back in soothing circles. The boy was shaking violently and jerking forward in convulsing dry retches, white knuckles clenching around the toilet bowl.
Sasuke could feel the soft, powdery skin gliding over each rib and vertebrae, and quivering shoulderblades, and was reminded the full gravity of the situation. Naruto was grossly underweight and fragile, and his shrunken stomach couldn't have handled all of the food he had eaten. He could easily be sick to boot; his immune system couldn't be in great shape, either.
He shushed the boy soothingly, knees beginning to hurt from kneeling on the ground for so long. He got up and dampened a washcloth, coaxing a shaking Naruto, clad only in his boxers, up from the cold tile to stand and let his face be wiped off. Business-like, he flushed the toilet and carried Naruto to the bedroom, the boy shaking in his arms.
He laid the boy gently on the bed, fumbling to get a basin from the closet and sheets over the boy.
"I'm going to go clean up, alright?" he said quietly, looking Naruto in the eye. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his assumptions. He was starting from scratch here, and the boy's health was first on the list. "You just sit tight, and if you feel sick again—" he pulled the basin into Naruto's lap, "you use this, okay?" Naruto nodded, shaking like a leaf, but steady.
Sasuke gave a sad smile and stood back up. "Afterwards, I'll take your temperature, give you something easy to digest…the bath can wait until tomorrow. Call me if you need anything." He turned to leave, but a timid voice stopped him.
"Sasuke…" Naruto called hoarsely. He turned back to look at the boy, whose eyes were beginning to water with tears. Sasuke's expression faltered, then a sad smile took his face again. "You're a good kid," he said, ruffling the blond head of hair, whose owner's teary eyes squinched cutely at the rough motion.
A scowl overtook Sasuke's features as he mopped up the excess water on the tile floor. He had since unplugged the bathtub and taken care of most of the rug stain, but his thoughts were focused on the monstrosity of the so-called orphanages.
"What kind of a place would do such a thing to a child?!?"he seethed into the phone. "He can't remember how to bathe himself, let alone speak!!!"
There was a loud wet splish as he planted the mop firmly on the floor. "I can't believe this!!"
"You know there's nothing you can do about it," the man over the phone replied. Sasuke paused, sighing and sitting on the edge of the tub, and looking very much defeated.
"…I know. But it makes me so angry that the government allows stuff like this to happen. They've ruined his life, Kakashi."
"You learn something new about those disgusting toads every day. But they haven't ruined his life. He's with you now."
"Yeah, but…"
"But…?"
"I don't know. It's just terrible. It's a prison for kids who haven't done anything wrong, and it just adds to their misery. Kids have probably died there!!" he said exasperatingly.
"…Lucky I found you when I did, or you would've been in the same situation."
"…" Sasuke suddenly found the caulking under the toilet fascinating.
"I'm pretty sure that's why you took him in, Sasuke. Maybe…you saw a little bit of yourself in him?"
The beginnings of anger flashed in Sasuke's eyes, and Kakashi sensed it, even over the phone.
"You need to go through with this, Sasuke." He said firmly. "It's your responsibility now to take good care of him."
Sasuke exhaled deeply and rubbed his forehead.
"It'll pay off in time. This is a change for the better, for both of you. You'll see."
Click. Sasuke was left with the hollow sound of a dial tone. He stared at the phone for a while, then clicked the 'end' button slowly.
A hysterically sobbing Sasuke buried his face in a warm, comforting shoulder.
"Shhhh. Everything's going to be alright." Hatake Kakashi gazed sadly at the sheet-covered forms being hoisted into the vehicle. Many more bloodstained forms of white lay patiently waiting on the ground to be loaded in.
This never happened. Nothing. None of these people ever existed.
"I can't believe the little bastard behaves for you. He was on a rampage just a while ago, left one agent with a pretty nasty bite mark," said a man in a black suit and sunglasses, witnessing the same scene with cold eyes. Kakashi glared at him dangerously, turning to leave.
The warmth of the face and tears on his shoulder contrasted from the brisk autumn wind, and the boy was trembling like a leaf.
"Damn you," Kakashi cursed under his breath.
None of this ever happened.
"…Sasuke?" came a soft voice from the doorway. He jolted from his stupor.
"Oh, right." Naruto was standing with the sheet over his head and gathered in his hands, trailing behind him on the carpet. Sasuke stood up, and walked past the boy into the hallway. "C'mon, I'll take your temp in the kitchen, and then you can have some soup and crackers."
"Thirty-seven degrees. Not sick, I'd say, but soup and crackers would still be best at first." He rummaged in the cabinet for a can of soup and a half-opened package of saltines. "Sorry I can't cook," he apologized, dumping the can in a bowl and starting up the microwave, which Naruto flinched at.
"Let's at least get a robe on you. I don't want you getting sick, and since you're…" Naruto blinked at him, and Sasuke noticed the sunkenness of his cheeks, a blatant reminder of his malnourishment.
"You just sit tight." He went to his room to look for an old yukata he had. Suddenly, he heard the obnoxious beeping of the microwave and a scrambling noise. He grabbed the yukata and rushed back into the kitchen, where a wide-eyed Naruto stood pressed against the wall.
"Sorry about that. It beeps when it's done." Sasuke tugged the sheet off of the boy, wincing at the prominence of his ribs, and quickly pulled the sleeves over the stickly arms, folding and tying it on.
Naruto gazed down curiously at his new garment as Sasuke got the soup from out of the microwave.
"It's an old one of mine, but I guess it's still a bit too big for you," he observed, bumping the refrigerator door closed with his hip after he had grabbed a bottle of water. "Here you go, eat slowly." He placed the bowl and water bottle down on the table and collected the sheet from the floor.
Naruto didn't move.
"Go on, here's your chair," he pulled the chair out from under the table and gestured to it. Naruto paused, then scrambled to get to the soup. "Remember, eat slowly. I'll be right back."
Sasuke tossed the sheet on top of the mountain of clothes already stacked on the washing machine. Looking up at the pile, he scratched the back of his head.
"Eh, I'll do it later," he dismissed, and made his way back to the kitchen.
He pulled out the kitchen chair across from Naruto and rested his chin in his hands. "'Sit good?" he asked, slightly tired.
Naruto simply stared at him, open-mouthed, a bit of broth dripping down his chin and fist clenching the spoon halfway. Sasuke shook his head. Walking behind the boy, who watched him as he got up, he lightly took his spoon hand and dumped the contents back in the bowl.
Showing him the proper way, he repositioned Naruto's hand on the spoon. "Like that," he said. "Now try."
Naruto took a slow, demonstrative spoonful, staring at Sasuke throughout. He nodded slowly; eyebrows raised, and crossed the kitchen.
Well, at least this isn't awkward, Sasuke thought to himself. I'm going to need to clean this place up…And I'll need to buy him clothes…His thoughts trailed off.
A loud clank turned his attention back to his charge, who was sitting anticipatingly, staring at him with those wide blue eyes. Sasuke eyed the boy momentarily right back, then picked up the bowl and spoon to take over to the sink, which he decided against washing at the moment.
"Sasuke." Naruto called solemnly, tugging at the yukata.
"What? Does it not fit?? Is it smelly?"
Naruto shook his head, and tugged on the material harder.
"…Do you just not want to wear it?" Sasuke asked warily, eyebrows raised.
Naruto gave a little scowl, and wiggled the bit in his hand violently,
"What!? I don't understand what's wrong with the damn yukata!!! It fits you fine!!!" Sasuke exclaimed, frustrated.
"Damyukata," Naruto repeated, looking down at the light blue garment, fingering the material.
"No," Sasuke said hastily. "Its just yukata. Yu-ka-ta."
"Yukata." Naruto nodded and smiled a bit, trying to look behind him to see it from all angles.
"You like it then?" Sasuke asked, mildly amused, and surprised that the boy had learned so fast.
Naruto nodded sharply, smile brightening, but only slightly. "Like," he declared.
"…That's…great, then. That's…" Sasuke gave an incredulous smile and swallowed. "…Glad you like it."
"Like," Naruto affirmed seriously, and continued to try and look at his backside.
Sasuke merely watched on, smiling amusedly.
...Omnomnom. :3
Like I said, these are gonna be poppin' out pretty fast up till Christmas, so review while it lasts!! :D
Omg, two of my good friends (albeit slightly stupid ones) got caught smoking on school property. The legal one got expelled, and the 15-year-old got 5 days OSS. Now tell me that isn't fucked up, especially when all these jocks smoke pot on a damn near daily basis and don't get anything for it. ::exasperation::
Anyway, please review!! :3
