Interlude: Raidou Sees
It was early when she arrived. Early when she turned up at the mission room door silent, wide-eyed, dirty and scarred, staring at her shaking, bloody hands. It was a small mercy that at such an early hour there were only a few shinobi around, five at most, and all experienced and understanding. All could place themselves in her young shoes, in this child's place, but none knew how to react. That's what she was really. A child. Barely pubescent, with small hands and big blue eyes set in a round, baby doll face. She looks up, her blood-shot eyes locking on the chuunin behind the desk. Raidou sees her teeth chattering uncontrollably, sees her breath come drawn and quick, making him realise that he isn't breathing at all.
Her voice sounds lost, needy and small in the silence, pleading for acknowledgement.
"Sensei?"
Iruka approaches slowly; careful yet sure, until he stands before her.
"Sensei, I..."
Sobs choked back (not here, not in front of them), deep breaths (stay calm, get help). She was staring at her hands again, transfixed by the dark clotted mass.
Iruka reaches forward and covers her little hands in his own. The shaking stills.
"It hurts Iruka-sensei."
"I know."
A steady, comforting hand brushes her forehead, smoothing dirty blonde hair away from a too pale face.
"Make it stop. Please."
A sigh, a gentle reply.
"I can't. You know that."
The tears fall.
"Will I ever forget sensei? Will the pain stop?"
"You won't forget."
A fact, simple and truthful, because he cannot lie. Not about this.
" And it will always hurt, because despite what you feel right now, no matter what you've done, you are still human. But you will learn to cope, and you will carry on, because you are also a shinobi of Konoah."
The girl nods, and falls into his embrace.
Raidou sees that Iruka has just fulfilled his true purpose as a teacher, and sees why it is so important for Iruka to care.
He wishes that there had been an Iruka-sensei to seek out when he had returned fromhis first real mission, bloody, in shock and dead inside.
But there is something in the way Iruka glances his way as he carries the exausted child from the room, that lets Raidou see that even if he didn't have an Iruka-sensei to care then, he does now.
He watches the sun rise through the grubby window, rubs his mottled scar and smiles. It was going to be a beautiful day.
Inspired by U2, a several mugs of tea and a yellow candle. As this deviates from my rough plan and doesn't really fit with the style of my other drabbles, I decided to use this as an interlude of sorts, to mark a half-way point. Thank you to Unknown Marauder (Cheers for the tip! ), Esoteric Memories, Fhuli the Crazy, P'tfami (so far, still single, but who knows? .), iruka sensei and Swiss Army Knife; it's brill to see names turn up chapter after chapter, and your encouragement never fails to leave me grinning like an idiot! Happy Valentines to you all!