Mick left the precinct with a fogged mind. Kash's behavior when he had won the race, if you can call it winning, had thrown her into a tailspin.
Kash had had his hands on her hips. His lingering gaze left her skin scorched where his eyes traveled across her body. She had pushed him away weeks ago from trying to develop a relationship with her yet he had the audacity to try again. His masculine and dominant tone had made her quiver inwardly but her brain had reacted differently.
Mick, fuming, had shoved him away with blazing eyes. The snarl that inmatated from her throat had frightened even herself and shocked Kash into silence,
"Fuck off."
Mick felt horrible but something within herself in that moment had snapped, a dangerous rage deep inside her core, she had allowed grief and depression to eat away at her until all that was left was a hungry anger.
As Mick stiffly walked to her bike she noticed Kash with Asuma at the silver haired mans truck. Still angry, but more at herself, she swung a leg over her bike to straddle it with a tight faced frown. Slipping on her helmet she roared the engine to life and burned rubber out of the parkinglot without looking back.
Mick drove home to change for drinks at the bar.
She paused as she stood infront of the full length mirror, in her matching blue bra and thong set. Mick clenched her jaw as she traced every scar across her stomach and shoulders. Forcing away hot tears. Pale blue eyes met matching ones. The welling sadness and licking flames of torturing pain in them made her turn away.
The redhead stared dowm at the clothes she had laid out to wear. A pair of black highwaisted skinny jeans and a black sleeveless/croptop holter top with one of Kash's old red and black flannel shirts. As she slipped on the clothes she turned to stare at herself again. Scars visible on her stomach and on her face, which were still noticeable even with makeup on.
A heat creeped up her spine, her eyes slammed shut as tears welled up, the heat spread until her body grew numb.
That man, that fucking bastard ginger bitch, had ruined her completely. With a scream of rage she flung the mirror to the floor with a loud crash. Shards of it exploded across the floor, she stood there until her knees gave out, with a loud sob she crouched down with hands in her hair and screamed to the floor with all her might.
Mick opened her eyes to see herself in the mulitple pieces of shattered mirror. The woman she saw wasnt herself. This person had a haunted look in her eyes. Her face was twisted in agony. Mick closed her eyes, drawing further into herself as she finally let out the tears that shed been fighting.
Kash sat at his regular seat at the bar. He wasnt sure if Mick was coming anymore, not after what had happened. Kash had never seen her look so hostile. The way she had bared her teeth at him, her eyes narrowed and eyebrows pulled together, had made a cold sensation crawl up his spine.
Kash glanced back as the bars door opened, he froze as his eyes locked on the person who stepped into view.
Mick walked into the bar, she had ditched the flannel, her eyes stayed trained on her seat as she slowly made her way over to Kash's side. The slightly raised and pink skin of were she was beaten while was was kidnapped were out for the world to see.
Mick refused to let this beat her, no longer would she hide the multitude of scars she had. Many were self inflicted, the healed/healing pink bitemarks on her arms just some of them, she sat down without a word and motioned for the barkeep to get her a drink.
When she had stepped in the room it had gone deathly quiet. Even now it seemed the other patrons were waiting for someone to make the first move or sound.
"Wheres the music?" Mick called out with a grin around at everyone, easing the tension, someone put on the music once more and the background noises returned much to Mick's relief.
Kash chuckled uneasily as he glanced at her, she downed her drink and asked the bartender for tequila shots, his eyes were wide with concern but didnt say a word.
"Lets play Ro-sham-bo!" Mick turned on her stool to smile at him, causing Kash to raise an eyebrow at her. Her mood swings were giving him whip-lash.
"Ok?" Mick smiled at him wider,
"Loser drinks a shot!" Kash halfsmiled under his mask with a good natured sigh.
"Ok."
They play 3 rounds of their little drinking game until Mick heard a song she liked, much to Kash's already overflowing confusion, the little redhead stood up and started dancing around by herself. He noted that instead of dancing like she normally would Mick was moving around as if no one was watching. He couldnt help but smile as she twirled around laughing, stumbling slightly from the tipsy aftermath of alcohol, she wasnt dancing like a stripper. Which is all Kash had really seen her dance like.
The way she moved looked childlike and playful. Other patrons of the pub stood and danced as well, some just as childlike while others clumsily.
Mick giggled as she turned to Kash, it was only then that he could see the determination in her light colored eyes. She was fighting this battle, finally truely fighting, seeing her fighting spirit awakened once more made Kash stand up and join her.
Mick tilted her head slightly when Kash fluidly swaggered across the floor towards her. His eyes, which lately look worn down and exhausted, were now bright with the usual amusement they normally regarded her with. But in that playful atmosphere a bombshell of emotions was dropped.
The bar flat screen, which hung right above were they normally sat, was on channel 3 news. The anchorman was talking animatedly but with the volume down Mick couldnt figure out what it was about. Just when she was going to ignore it a picture flashed up on the screen that made Mick freeze and the air in her lungs flush out.
Kash noticed her stare and followed her gaze to the tv, motioning to the barkeep to turn it up.
"What you are about to see may be too graffic for our viewers, if so please turn off your tv. I would advise you to make any children leave the room." Mick began hyperventilating as the video started up.
The camera footage was shot poorly and very shaky but Mick knew exactly what she was seeing.
There was a dark room with a person whose face was blurred strapped to a metal table, blood everywhere across the person and floor, the distinct sound of liquid dripping on the concrete. It was blood. A calm yet gut wrenching voice spoke, causing the person to flinch, the camera moved closer.
A startled gasp from Mick's side let her know that Kash knew that person as well.
"This is what happens when people stick their noses into things they shouldnt, wouldnt you agree ••••" The persons name was bleeped out, but that did little to comfort her in those moments. Her eyes were unable to leave the screen.
"Go fuck yourself you ginger cunt." the voice was weak but laced with cold calculated anger. Mick felt Kash slipping his hand over hers, the warmth from his touch allowed out the breath from her lungs that she had been holding.
The shaking camera footage grew still, a popping sound from out of view was heard, it was a noise Mick knew too well. Snapping of fingers. A big burly man came into view with a knife, the person strapped down began to struggle vainly, the glint of the steel and deafening screams made Mick choke in horror.
"••••, you will show me the proper respect you insulent wench." The deep commanding voice from behind the camera snarled out with quiet annoyance.
The blood sweeped out from sliced skin, fists clenched and toes curled. Ragged breathing answered him until when he went to put the camera away, it flicked back over to the tortured person, almost in shock.
"Im giving you-" a cough racked the persons small frame. "I giving you all the respect you deserve, bitch." The sound of someone spitting then blood hitting the person behind the camera and the lens.
"None!" The voice of the beaten creature on the table roared, the blood on the lens blurred and tinted the footage red. The camera was dropped and screaming could be heard as well as the hollow thuds of someone beating another.
The footage was cut and the barkeep instantly turned off the tv with a sickened pale complexion. The other people in the pub began whispering in horror and shock to eachother. Mick stood frozen in place, only the tightening of Kash's hand on hers made her break from her spell.
She looked to him, frightened, to see him staring at the now black screen. The fury on his face made Mick grit her teeth. The lanky man at her side was shaking with a voilent almost wild look in his eyes. Mick looked away, trying to wretch her hand free from his tighening grasp.
"I'll fucking kill him." Mick froze, her eyes growing wide as she turned them up to his face. What she saw there will forever be burned into her mind.
The twisted agony in his slate colored orbs, the brows furrowed and creased into a disgusted scowl, the visible part of his nose crinkled and she could only imagine the fuming bared teeth in a silent snarl under the mask. His posture was slightly hunched and muscles seized up from the rage that warmed his chest. He looked almost feral. Mick stepped away from him, averting her eyes to the floor, his stance straightened but his countenance remained the same.
"Mick, look at me." Mick refused and tried to remove her hand from his once more. He held on and pulled her closer to him.
"Mick.." The tone was soft almost tender, making her heart thunder in her chest like a caged bird.
"Im sorry, i was just angry."
A strong thumb touched her chin and fingers gently grasped below it, forced to look at him, Mick met his gaze.
"Im so sorry Mick, it shouldve been me." Though his voice was barely a whisper the weight behind the words hit her full force in the chest. Everything she had endured during that time was mind melting, bone crushing and spirit wilting torture. But the thought of Kash going through it was enough to make her want to vomit.
All Kash's life he had suffered, through loosing people while being helpless to stop it, time and time again he had been self sacrificing for not just her but for Konaha. And even now he was trying to take her pain away when he himself already had so much.
Tears pricked at her eyes, stinging slightly, she had to look away. The guilt in her gut was enough to make her knees knock. Why had he been there when she was taken? Why couldnt she had been alone? Kash didnt deserve to feel this way, he deserved a bright happy future where he could finally relax and enjoy life without feeling guilty about something he had no control over.
It was clear. Kash blamed himself for what happened to Mick. He was unable to protect her. He was unable to stop those men. Kash was unable to do anything than take a beating and bleed at that moment. He had to watch and listen to Mick screaming for him as they dragged her away. He should've fought harder, shouldve seen it coming, he shouldve saved her.
When kash had seen that video he had realised how naive he was to what Mick had gone through. She must have been scared. Must have cried out for him. Kash gritted his teeth at the thought.
A phone ringtone caused both to jump. Kash shoved his hand in his pocket to retrieve his i-phone. The caller ID read:
The Chief.
He picked up with a "Hello?"
"Kash, did you see it?"
"Yes, we did."
"So Mick saw it as well? How is she?"
Kash glanced at Mick and received a hard glare, her eyes saying 'Im fine, you dillhole.'
"Shes ok."
"I'm working on confiscating the footage and repremended the media for releasing it. It will be sent to the lab for processing."
"Hm, how did they get it in the first place?"
The other end of the phone grew quiet.
"Move away from Mick where she cant hear this." Kash glanced at Mick with a smirk,
"Hey Mick, go get us another round." Mick frowned but complyed.
Kash watched the redhead walk back to the bar before returning to his phone conversation.
"Ok, she's out of earshot."
"It seems a man dropped it off with a note, he told them to play it around this time. The bastard must have known about Mick being at the bar."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because the note read, 'Ill see you soon, Mick' "
Kash felt his stomach tighten, of course theyd have Mick under surveillance. They knew she'd be here tonight, but Mick hadnt been at the bar in weeks, so how did they know shed be here?
A cold realisation washed over Kash.
"They have a man on the inside.."
"Thats exactly what i thought as well. Be on your guard Hatake, we have a Rat in the precinct."
