When he arrived home, Metal started calling his mother frantically. He knew he should have pretended not to know anything but Mom had just came out of the hospital and he couldn't help himself as he kicked his shoes off. "Mom!" He ran to the bedroom. She was sitting propped up against some pillows, one book in her hands and a pile of more laid half crumbled next to her on the mattress.

"Oh, hi sweetie," she looked up and smiled. Her palm patted against the side of the bed, Metal took up the invitation and sat there.

"Are you ok, mom?"

"Yes, I'm completely fine. But Neji insisted I take it easy for one day and he's forcing me to stay in bed."

Metal looked away, how could his mom's eyes light up so much to the point they sparkled when she mentioned this man? The feeling in his chest welled up and grew in size, it felt oppressive, like it was squishing his airways. "Why is he still here?" It slipped it mouth almost by accident, yet once the words were out he didn't regret them. Why was this man staying at their house? Didn't he have a family to go back to? Uncle Lee had told him everything about Neji last night. What a great friend he'd been, how he was so powerful to become legend among the people of Konoha and the other cities too. His last name was Hyuga, the Hyugas had a huge compound in the middle of the city then why didn't he go there instead?

TenTen smiled apologetically, "Because his situation is complicated."

Metal watched his feet dangle from the edge of the bed where he sat, "Complicated that you can't tell me?"

"No, it's -"

"Uncle Lee told me Neji came back from the dead. Wouldn't he be happy to see his family again?"

TenTen bit her lip, "We are - " she sighed, then started again, "Of course he's happy to see his family. He just prefers people to get used to the idea of his return gradually rather than being mobbed in the streets by curious folks."

Metal was sure he didn't imagine the sad note in his mom's voice, he found her eyes, they were always laughing, even now. Metal gave a shrug and cleared his voice, "It's just that you always tell me I'm the man in house. So I was just making sure this Neji is someone we can trust. Gotta keep my mommy safe." TenTen burst into a laugh, Metal saw the darkness wash away from behind her eyes and he laughed too just for her sake.

TenTen's hand found her way in his black hair and mussed them, her cheeks were red and she was a little breathless, "You're right. But I trust Neji, he saved my life plenty of times. There's no reason to worry."

Metal nodded, not trusting his words to come out right. "I'll go make you some tea, Mom."

"There's no need for that." Metal followed the voice and his face turned towards the door where Neji stood, he carried a tray with a steaming cup and some crackers. Neji came forward without being invited and laid the tray next to Mom. Metal cringed at the sight. But then he looked at Mom again, and her eyes were so bright, she was smiling even though she was mad at him for not letting her get out of bed.

"Thanks Neji," she said, then she grasped Metal's hand, "Will you make me tea tonight, sweetie?"

Metal looked down, "Yes, Mom." He stood, he didn't want to leave Neji alone with Mom but the sight of them together made him sick so he headed for the door. Neji was quick on his feet behind him.

"I'll make you dinner tonight, so your mom can rest some more."

"Fine," Metal spat before running to his room. He hated the sound of Neji's voice. He hated how sugar coated it sounded. Why did this man want to make him dinner? He came to their house uninvited in the middle of the night, he unsettled Mom, imposed his presence upon them and now he was trying to kick Metal from his spot taking care of Mom in his place. He didn't care if Neji was a childhood friend of Mom and Uncle Lee, he just wanted him gone.

Metal sat on the floor and cradled his head between his knees, he hated this feeling. The oppressing sensation in his chest had grown even more uncomfortable, it was painful, unbearable. And he hated it. His mom was all he had, his mom and Uncle Lee. But his mom especially was the only person on this earth that shared a blood bond with him, he couldn't afford to lose her. Metal stood and approached his window, past the trees the sky was beginning to darken. He opened the window anyway, he was going to take a stroll. Just a quick stroll, Mom wouldn't even notice he was gone. Metal felt sorry for going behind her back, this was another brick that he loaded onto the guilt he already carried. But he needed to be away for some time, somewhere he could forget about his problems and clear his mind. So he jumped out.


Neji cursed as he jumped from a tree to the next, his byakugan active to scan the city as far as he could even in the dark. The damn kid. He was home before, wasn't he? Why did he have to go missing now? TenTen was worried sick, she almost collapsed again and Neji had to force her to stay in bed. So much for taking a rest and relax! Neji finally saw him in an alley, he wasn't alone so Neji approached cautiously from the roofs. He perched himself on the edge of a balcony overlooking the dark street and looked down. Metal was corned against the brick wall by a couple of kids that looked around his age. "Why don't you go run to your mommy?" Said one, and then he wheezed, mimicking the sound of a baby crying.

"Oh right!" Said another, "You don't have a mom! Weirdo! Maybe when she saw how ugly and stupid you were she ran away."

Metal clenched his jaw and banged a fist on the wall, "Shut up! It's not like that!"

"Yeah, she probably ran away when she saw your dad. That idiot green monster must have raped her to have you born."

Neji bit his lip from his spot on the balcony, kids these days were out of line, insulting people like they were just stating the weather. He profoundly disliked the way the spoke about Lee but Metal surely hated it more. Neji saw him drawing back an arm, charging a fist while the two bullies made a mockery dance just a few feet from Metal, inviting him to hit them. Neji jumped from the balcony, landing between Metal and the bullies before he could hit them. The kids looked up at him taken by surprise, and fear a little bit too. "Go," Neji waved one arm in front of the bullies, "Get out of my sight before I lose my patience, you've already made fools of yourselves enough for one night."

One of them stepped forward, taken by a fit of defiance, "How dare you?" But then his friend tugged at the sleeve of his shirt and beckoned him backward.

"Shut it. He's a Hyuga, I've heard he was so evil that the god of death spit him out and made him return alive."

The bullies stepped away from Neji until they were out of arm's reach, then they looked at Metal behind him, "This isn't over!" One yelled before they both broke into a sprint and disappeared into the night.

Neji turned around to face Metal, he found the kid slumped against the ground, both hands covering his face to hide the tears that streamed down his neck. Neji crossed his arms over his chest, "What are you crying for? Do you know how worried your mom is right now?"

"Why are you here?" Metal said between sobs.

"She was waiting for your tea." Neji sighed, frustrated. Curse this kid, he was handful of problems. "Listen, your mom's already stressed enough. She doesn't need you to go around causing troubles with the other kids."

Metal stood up suddenly, both hands balled into fists, and now his face was exposed. The red cheeks, the streaks of the tears, he bared his teeth to Neji. "Why do you care so much about mom? Who are you – why don't you just leave her alone! Do you love her so much?"

Neji's lips tightened into a thin line, his chest heaved, full of rage. Nothing mattered anymore, the anger he'd felt for the past days had welled up too long and now it gathered at the back of his throat, making is voice deep and cold. "Of course I love her," he stated. He looked away, but taking his eyes off the kid wasn't enough to quell the anger that kept erupting in his mouth, so he spat, "And she loves me too. Or else you wouldn't have been born!"

Metal stared at Neji's back, his jaw slack open. Things instantly made much more sense. There were only two things his mom refused to talk to him about: how babies were born, and his father. The vague answers she gave him about Neji staying over, how despite Neji was her childhood friend and teammate Metal had only learned about him from Uncle Lee after Neji's return from death. All of the pieces started to fit in the final picture. For a moment Metal forgot he was crying.

Neji turned around, he saw Metal staring and closed his eyes, his index finger and thumb pinched the bridge of his nose. What did he just say? He'd let his nerves take over and now he regretted it. Metal walked toward the end of the alley, where it joined with the main street. Neji hurried after him. "Where do you think you're going?"

Metal glanced back at him, "It's none of your business."

"Hey, listen -"

The kid jumped away before Neji could finish, so he followed Metal at a distance but eventually, the kid just went home.