Part 16: Never the Typical Home Sweet Home

I opened my eyes and felt my head where a lump had formed. I looked around; I was in a room that I recognised from my memories. I frowned trying to remember when I'd been here then it clicked and my stomach fell through the floor to the centre of the earth. I huddled in to a corner, I couldn't be here it was surely one big nightmare, it had to be. Kotaro was on the end of my bed gazing at me. I still had the things on I'd left Suna in, I looked in the perfectly reflective mirror, I looked at a small red patch on my head, I had a feeling it had been healed as I raised my hand to touch it. The door opened and I instinctively drew out a kunai and faced the intruder. Amaterasu walked in with a tray,
"Oh I see you're up then," I remained silent, I didn't even put the kunai down, her smile faltered, "We found you in the middle of the desert on the edge of a sandstorm, what were you doing?" I still glared at her not lowering the kunai, "Come on Keitii-chan please just tell me," I gritted my teeth,
"It's none of your business," I thought I'd do Suna a favour and not let it out that Gaara had gone, "Why am I here?" she looked confused,
"Well as you suffered a severe injury to the head we could hardly leave you," I knew who she meant by 'we' and I knew she wanted me to ask. I wasn't going to play along,
"I mean the building," I snapped, she tilted her head then her eyes widened as she realised why I was asking her this,
"Oh, Keitii-chan I am sorry I didn't think,"
"I know you didn't," I felt a sick feeling rise in my throat,
"Look just sit down," I must have looked menacing because she recoiled, I shoved her out of my way sending the tray soaring but I didn't care I just wanted to get as far away from there as possible especially that room. I ran with visions of that night flashing through my mind. My heart ached as all the memories from this house rushed passed in a blur. I stopped feeling light headed but I couldn't stay in this god forsaken place much longer, I had to get out. Guards stared as I rushed passed; I finally got in to the street and looked opposite at some beautiful blossom trees beside a river. I shook my head to think straight, I was confused to what had happened in the passed 24 hours. I turned now knowing where I wanted to be more than ever. I walked up the winding path to the cemetery and saw ornate graves where my family lay. Reams of flowers and cards swamped the ground around it like a massive sea of flowers. The graves where tall and also had slabs in the ground as well. I scanned them, my father in the centre, my mother to the left and-
"Sachiyo," I whispered, a lump rose in my throat and I gritted to my teeth but the gut wrenching pain in my heart was worse than a thousand sword wounds, I stepped in the gaps in between the flowers to reach his grave, I stood by the slab in the ground. It read, ' Sachiyo Yanagi died aged 17 in the fight with enemy ninja from Iwagakure. A brave and true ninja. Beloved son and brother. The Hoshikage's son. R.I.P' those words didn't even explain half of what Sachiyo had meant to me or who he was. I missed him so much, I would've given anything for us to be playing a game of hide and seek as young children, then he'd leap out from behind the grave. I stared to the right of his grave as though he would. But after all I'd seen him being killed in front of my very own eyes and there was no way of bringing back the dead. I tried to fight back the tears of sorrow and mourning, but it was no use I fell on to the grave clutching at the dewy grass as though it was his hair. I shook with renewed sobs, I wanted to lay here for an eternity,
"Keitii," I heard a soft comforting voice say. I jerked my head upwards with my tears dripping making a puddle on the gravestone. No it was impossible,
"S-Sachiyo," I whispered back, he stood there not a day older than he was when I last saw him, with a weird shining light around him,
"Don't cry Keitii, everything is going to be fine,"
"What do you mean?" was he talking from beyond the grave?
"You'll see,"
"You're dead though," I said forlornly, "But how come-"
"Goodbye Keitii," he waved a sad wave as his eyes sparkled, he started to fade away,
"Wait!" I cried, but he had already faded away, this experience had made the pain even worse, I yelled in to the mist but no-one answered. I slid my hands down the slab to lay on it once more this time letting the tears flood silently,
"Keitii?" but a different voice uttered it this time,
"Yes," I said turning around to see green hair and captivating hazel eyes,
"Why are you out here?" I suddenly felt cold bitter rage sweep over me,
"Like you care," I said turning and half laughing, though the situation wasn't remotely funny. A long painful silence fell, I stared at my brothers grave unseeingly,
"Look Keitii I am sorry about the other day," I stayed stock still, as my cold shoulder plummeted deep in to the minuses, "Keitii I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear, his breath warming my cold neck, I didn't react, "Please just look at me," he begged, "I know you're angry but-"
"That," I said with coldness biting each individual syllable, "Is the understatement of the century," I still hadn't turned around,
"Look I know what I said was awful," he laughed weakly, "Another huge understatement I guess," he said sheepishly,
"Well calling people drunken whores does usually offend them," I still hadn't moved,
"I was jealous," I finally did turn around and my gaze stayed steady upon his eyes, "Every guy in that fan club I was jealous of because they got more attention out of you than I ever did," I tilted my head with an expressionless face, "I know I didn't pay attention to you either, but I thought you didn't care,"
"I cared a lot, but I never said anything because-" I looked up at my fathers grave ad let my voice trail off. I saw Katsou put a hand out but he drew it swiftly away when I turned my head,
"I'm so sorry I didn't notice what was happening Keitii I really am, I'd defend you to the death," I sighed, I knew I couldn't stay mad at him forever so I stood up,
"Lets walk," he blinked up at me confused for a second then drew up beside me and we walked back down the path.

The wind blew around so that the blossom fell and swirled in the air, lighter than snow. We turned down a path next to the river so that the blossom now swirled around us. Simultaneously we looked at each other,
"What didn't I notice all those months ago?" I turned my head away to look at the stream flowing over rocks and glittering in the rising sun,
"My father had a temper that was out of control at home and lashed out," how well I remembered, "If I or Sachiyo didn't train he'd punish us for being lazy and not worthy of the village," I gulped but carried on, "I collapsed from over using the stars chakra when training but he never cared, Sachiyo always tried to protect me from my father,"
"What about your mother?" he asked,
"She stood up to him once when I was about eight after he'd been drinking and he had already beaten me,"

"You didn't train you lazy child!"
"I'm sorry father," I sobbed as he towered over me,
"Sorry won't help this village get stronger!" I felt a fist collide with my tummy sending me flying backwards, "You're weak and pathetic; you'll be easy prey for the enemy!" I shrank away; he grabbed my neck and held me against the wall. I looked into his eyes, they were full of rage and hate, it was scary, he was going to kill me! He hit me in the tummy four times, he pulled the ribbons roughly out of my hair which fell down over my face, "There, now that covers your shameful face!" I let tears roll down my face; he punched me in the side of the face. I hit another wall. I looked up, he was so scary when he was mad when I'd done something wrong, he raised his fist again,
"Stop it!" mother came running in and pulled his arm back, I saw her go and hit a wall, I heard her scream and screwed up my eyes. I heard someone else come in, I looked at Sachiyo who threw a kunai right next to fathers head,
"You'll pay for that you little brat!"
"Don't hurt my mother and sister!"
"I will do with my wife and daughter what I want!" something cracked and I opened my eyes and Sachiyo was lying next to me his face was white. He closed his eyes because father beat him again and again, I held his hand to let him know I was here with him.

"Mother was carrying a child and she lost it because of what he did," I shook with the hatred for my father,
"Oh Keitii-chan," he reached out a hand and put it on my shoulder I didn't resist. He turned me around and wiped the tears from my face, "You still look pretty when your crying," I smiled gratefully,
"I don't care if he's dead I just miss mother and Sachiyo," he pulled me in holding me tight, I laid my head on his chest as he stroked my hair. It was so comforting, I couldn't hate him in the end whatever he said. I sobbed in to his shoulder, glad I'd finally told someone what I'd endured all those years and that that person understood. That person just wanted to protect me and not say harsh words. I felt safe. I relaxed closing my eyes.