Dark eyes observed Kakashi warily, as Sasuke emerged from the strange bedding, with an assortment of twigs stuck in his hair and a number of insects clinging to the long black ropes of it. (It would have been comical if it wasn't real, Kakashi wondered to himself). The boy sniffed at the air before crawling fully out of his nest, slowly and cautiously; pausing with each 'step'.
Kakashi swallowed then softly repeated "Sasuke", calling the name just a little bit louder.
The boy froze at the sound of Kakashi's voice, and remained on the opposite side of the room staring back at Kakashi with a wild and lost look in his eyes, an unfamiliar innocence and element of danger in them. He tilted his head and continued to stare.
Kakashi winced at the new mewling sound that Sasuke made – it started off more as a whimper before trailing off into some kind of purr. These animals like sounds the boy made both disturbed and dismayed him.
"Sasuke… its Kakashi…" he crouched down slowly, but even the cautious movement made the boy backpedal a bit and look up at him from under the mass of thick wild hair with coyness.
He doesn't recognize me, Kakashi thought, with a new wave of sadness at the state the boy in front of him had gotten himself into. Does he even recognize his own name?
The boy just stared back – not replying (not that Kakashi expected it) nor did he give any kind of reaction or sign understanding. He remained in his defensive animal like position on the other side of the room and stared.
But he did not seem threatening at all; and he did not have an aura of hostility about him. If anything he just seemed confused, roused by curiosity even. Even if he does attack, he's extremely weak; I could knock him out in one move, Kakashi pondered.
Sasuke meanwhile leant back slightly, untill he was almost in a sitting position, and looked away towards the swarm of rats, seemingly losing interest in the intruder and observing what the other inhabitants were up to.
Or perhaps, the adult considered, he'd come up to the conclusion himself that Kakashi was harmless.
In his own mind, Kakashi made a decision, and made his first move.
Kakashi very slowly began to move forward, pausing when Sasuke snapped his gaze back, emitted a low growl and edged even further backwards against the bedding.
Mentally, Kakashi cursed that he had started the boy, and probably caused him to feel threatened. Kakashi waited until Sasuke was still before advancing again, frowning at the boy's thin frame shaking vigorously, and those wild confused eyes staring back at him.
Sasuke whimpered as he seemed to curl up within himself, looking even smaller, if that was even possible.
Kakashi felt his insides twist. What on earth had happened to reduce the boy to this state? What happened to the brave proud arrogant Sasuke they all knew? How could he have allowed himself to end up like this?
"Ssshh" Kakashi tried to soothe as he was finally within a meter of the boy.
Sasuke continued to shake as he curled up even further, purring and whimpering to himself like a terrified animal. He rubbed his dirt covered cheek against his own wiry arms folded over his knees.
As grateful as he was that Sasuke wasn't reacting violently, he couldn't help but wonder why Sasuke wasn't attacking him like he expected. He hadn't anticipated him to be so meek and so animal like… but surely an animal would have attacked by now?
"It's going to be alright" Kakashi whispered as he extended a hand extremely slowly towards the boy. As soon as his finger tips grazed the thin bony shoulder of the boy, Sasuke flinched and darted to the side.
Kakashi threw himself in the same direction as Sasuke, blocking his path. The boy unable to stop himself went into Kakashi, hitting his head into the man's chest, barely causing the older man to move though.
Kakashi groaned and grabbed Sasuke's arms – and for a fleeting moment was horrified by just how thin the limbs actually were in his hands, and wondered if he could actually break them unintentionally with his strong hold.
Sasuke, in a state of confusion and panic, weakly tried to pull away and resorted to twisting and squirming within Kakashi's grasp while growling in frustration. Kakashi briefly wrestled with him to avoid Sasuke's swipes with his disgustingly long dirty nails. "Sasuke, please" Kakashi rambled more to himself when trying to placate the boy,instead failing.
But it was all too easy for Kakashi to move Sasuke and strike out at him; Sasuke let out a startling wail before slumping lower over Kakashi's lap, unconscious.
And that was that. It went still and quiet again.
Kakashi exhaled deeply, as they were wrapped up again once more with the sounds of the humming flies and the chorusing rodents, and the heat drenching the atmosphere.
"I'm going to take you home" Kakashi stated quietly, as he cautiously rubbed his hand over the wild boy's back in small circles.