A/N: FOREMOST: Sorry to everyone who gave me an extra hit because of the chapter which I ended up taking down before this. It was an explanation I'm about to give below. Gomen. The song is the Something by Escape the fate because I've used it's lyrics and it fits in, in it's own way. So you don't know this but this chapter was re-written and it's not nearly as good as the first time and it's shorter. I hope you'll forgive me that.. I suck at re-writing stuff. I got most of the main parts right. I have most of my story back into place but some things were definitely changed so if future story contradicts what I've told you I'm sorry. This was because I somehow managed to delete all of my planning, songs and this entire chapter. My planning went all the way to the Shinobi war.. so it sucked. Sorry about that. Enjoy.
"He was my best friend.. but I was nothing more than his experiment." Akio whispered to himself. Not knowing whether he should cry, scream, shout, hit something, smile, hug him, hide, run away. His mother really was a bitch.. she knew what happened.. yet..
"Hey bro.. been a while eh?" Alexander smirked.
Kiba POV
"It's been a while.. that's all you have to say?" Akio breathed. "I should fucking kill you now you bastard. Get the hell out of here!" He yelled. Alexander just shrugged.
"My my.. don't be mean to our new guest. May I talk to the both of you in the kitchen?" Laura ordered rather than asked. Team eight stood awkwardly in the living room wishing they had just left when they were given the chance. Kiba sighed, Laura's smile was so obviously fake.. she seemed like she hated Akio.. maybe it was because of her that he hates women?
"Now listen here you dumb little shit. You're going to do as I say and keep your fucking mouth shut about this. If you tell anyone you'll find yourself in a sticky situation.. got it fag?" Laura growled. Kiba winced as he heard Akio's voice swiftly followed by a smack that echoed through the room. Who hits their kid.. who talks like that to their kid..? No wonder Akio despised women.. Laura's a bitch..!
He looked up just in time to see Akio storm out of the kitchen, straight past them, into his room. His cheek was flaming red and it looked like he was about to cry.
"Well I'm so sorry about that.. I'm sure Alexander won't mind showing you to your rooms though. Also, there is an outdoor bath on the roof. Feel free to use it during your stay." Laura smiled. Kiba felt like throwing up. He thanked the heavens that his family, though tough at times, would never do something like that. Alexander ushered them up the stairs in the direction Akio had just taken.
"Kurenai-san. This is your room." Alexander smiled. Kiba wondered how he knew their names but didn't let it bother him. Kurenai looked at her team but decided to go, she trusted them and knew they could defend themselves if need be.
"S-so.. Alexander-san.. why d-doesn't Akio-san like y-you?" Hinata asked curiously.
"We used to be best friends." Alexander smiled before ushering her into her room. She looked rather embarrassed and more than willing to hide her face. Shino soon followed.
"If you were friends why was he so pissed?" Kiba asked as he opened the door to his room.
"A simple mis-understanding. Enjoy your stay." He said before walking up the stairs.
Shinobu POV
Shinobu found it odd that she was on a different floor than the rest of her team.. and there was only one room on this floor. She pushed it to the back of her brain and instead paid attention to Alexander who began talking.
"So he replaced me with you now did he? Let's get this straight.." Alexander smirked pushing Shinobu into a wall. "You'll never be good enough for him and if you're smart.. you'll stay away from him. Enjoy your room." He growled before disappearing down the stairs. What was that about? She thought entering her room and freezing. It was a bloody mess in there.. literally.. blood smeared the windows and there was a hole in the bed. W-what the hell happened in here? She didn't know what to do.. was she supposed to fix it? Maybe she should just go tell Kiba..
She beelined from the room and burst into his room downstairs. Her hands were shaking and it was taking all the self control she had not to curl up into a ball and cry.
"Oi! Don't you know how to knock? T-turn around or something." Kiba freaked out, quickly pulling his shirt over his head. He was changing out of his usual attire into a pair of shorts and a muscle tank.
"It's not like it's something I haven't seen before.." She grumbled but closed her eyes none the less.
"Y-ya.. but I didn't know you were a girl!" Kiba exclaimed.
"Well I'm sorry? I didn't realize my gender would change our friend ship.. go hang out with Sasuke then." Shinobu growled before promptly storming out of the room with a sigh.
Kiba POV
Several Hours Later
Kiba sighed, staring at his ceiling. No matter what he did he couldn't manage to fall sleep. Part of him was wishing that Shinobu hadn't told him that, wished that things stayed the same and wished he thought she was a boy still. Wished that that things weren't awkward.. wished that he didn't see her as a girl. He was afraid of saying something wrong.. doing something off. The only girl he was ever used to hanging out with was Hinata and she was quiet and generally didn't get offended by anything. Any other females were his family. He never had a really close female friend and he was finding it awkward. Above all he wished he could stop thinking about her and just go to sleep.
He groaned, messing up his hair as he stood up. Laura had mentioned a bath on the roof, maybe he could take a bath, relax and then sleep. If he didn't get sleep soon he was going to be seriously screwed over on the trip home. He made his way up the stairs and looked around. There was only two doors and one had a window in it so it was pretty easy to tell which one led to the roof.
When he got there he headed to a small greenhouse type building that was for changing. He was just about to change when he heard a soft voice echo, slicing the air. He froze on the spot.. it sounded so familiar.. he'd recognize it anywhere.. even if it lost it's boy-ish tone. Shinobu.
"So now you're running.. It's hard to see clearly, when I make you angry. You're stuck in the past.. and now you're screaming. So can you forgive me? I've treated you badly.." Kiba felt shivers run up his spine at the pure emotion and pain in her voice. It took one line.. why should gender change things.. she was always there for him..
"But I'm still here! Sometimes I wonder.. why I'm still waiting? Sometimes I'm shaking.. That's how you make me.. Sometimes I question.. why I'm still here? Sometimes I.. think I'm going crazy...!" She sang, he needed to be there for him to.. she was his friend.. he wouldn't ditch her because of something stupid..
"CAN YOU HELP ME OUT NEXT TIME?" She screamed into the cold air. Her breath turning white as it collided with the on-coming breeze. He could hear her choked sobs in every word. Her voice.. was so soft.. so innocent.. so pure.. yet it held such raw emotion.. power..
"And now you wish that you meant something! And now you wish that you meant something to somebody else.." As her song went on Kiba lost grasp on the words.. he heard the emotion instead.. he felt his heart clench on every sobbed note. How could he have been so stupid?
"You looko at me through clouded eyes..I know you can see through my lies. See the sky.. see the stars.. All of this could be ours! Out of sight, out of mind.. we've been through this a thousand times! Turn your back? and then you make me feel so crazy! Can't you help me one last time?"
"You know I.. would wait for ever.. Yes.. I would wait. You know I would wait forever! Yes I would wait! And now you wish that you meant something... And now you wish that you meant something to somebody else!" Kiba backed away down the stairs as her sobs took over and she stopped singing.. he would apologize tomorrow.. first thing... he would let her know he cared and that he would be there for her.
Kiba gently closed the door behind him before creeping back towards his room. On the way back he could hear muffled crying, though he wasn't quite sure from where. He sighed, thinking about ignoring it and just heading back to his room. Instead, he found himself walking in different directions until the crying got louder. He stopped right in front of a door, knocking twice before opening it with a creak. Inside was Akio, curled in a ball on his bed, tears streaming down his abnormally pale cheeks.
"Akio.. dude.. are you ok?" Kiba mumbled. Akio looked up with wide eyes, quickly wiping his eyes before nodding.
"Ya.. what are you doing in here?" He asked.
"I was just walking by and I heard someone crying.. what's going on?" Kiba asked.
"Oh it's nothing.. just a really long story.." Akio muttered.
"That's a bit oxymoronic, dude. I can't sleep anyway.. so.. tell away." Kiba grinned, if he couldn't sleep anyway he may as well help someone.
"It's ok.. seriously. I'll live." Akio muttered.
"Just spill dude. I. Am. Here. To. Help." Kiba rolled his eyes. He definitely wasn't good with this whole comfort thing.
"Well... you know that thing in the kitchen.. well.. erm.. Laura said.. god this sounds embarrassing." Akio grumbled.
"Don't worry about it. I won't judge." Kiba said.
"I'm in arranged marriage with Alexander." Akio blurted.
"Ok.. well.. do you like him..?" Kiba asked.
"Well ya.. I did.. we used to be friends." Akio sighed.
"What happened?" Kiba asked in confusion.
"He was my first kiss and well.. my only friend besides his sister.. Aaron. My dad became the mayor because the first mayor was murdered. People blamed us so I didn't really have many friends. When we started going to his village for business he actually talked to me. He even saved me from a bunch of ignorant ass holes.. but later he denied being gay, and started dating one of those ignorant ass holes. He stopped talking to me and Aaron all together." Akio explained, Kiba was tempted to say Aaron and I but pushed the thought away.
"So in other words.. your homophobic bitch of mother is forcing you to marry your in denial bitch of an ex.. ouch.." Kiba frowned.
"Pretty much. I'm sure Laura murdered him too.. she's only with my dad with the money and he's too in love to realize. He stopped talking to me when I brought it up. Especially after Laura told him I was gay.. I hate her fucking guts."
"So that really is why you hate women.. dude.. some of them are decent people you know."
"I know.. but when the whole forest looks rotten from the outside.. you're not exactly inclined to go in there and look for the good trees." Akio sighed, repeating that all too familiar line.
"Maybe you're not looking at the forest from the right angle then... there's not only one forest for sure.. but... sometimes you just have to look harder to find the good trees." Kiba attempted to say something intelligent in response. Akio smirked but didn't say anything.
"But ya.. the mayor was killed upstairs. Laura never even cleaned up the room.. I'm not even sure if the blood is gone.. I've never been in there." Akio shuddered.
"Wait.. but there's only one room upstairs.." Kiba looked wide eyed.
"Ya? That's the room he died in." Akio said, looking confused.
"But Shinobu is staying upstairs.." Kiba muttered, it only took a second before both boys were on their way up the stairs and into Shinobu's room. To their shock, the room was completely clean and Shinobu was sleeping peacefully on the bed.
"Did she clean it all up..?" Akio whispered.
"I don't know.. but let's let her sleep." Kiba said, not taking his eyes off her. Akio turned around before letting out a squeak.
"Kiba! Behind you!" Akio whispered in fear. Kiba turned around, narrowly missing a blade aimed at his head before pushing the guy out of Shinobu's room.
"New punks eh? What happened to the red haired kid and the one with the facepaint. Kids like you are gonna die.. they shouldn't have re-hired." The man grinned.
"No clue who you're talking about but you're wrong." Kiba said punching him in the gut before Akamaru ripped the back of his leg.
"Ow..?" The man grinned, picking Kiba up by the collar and throwing him into a wall with a thud.
"Leave him alone." Shinobu growled.
"Who do you think I am kid?" The man smirked.
"hmm.. If I were to guess I'd say an un-intelligent oaf. But that's just my guess." She smirked before running through taijutsu combos, trying to get the guy near the roof where he'd cause less damage.
"You're gonna pay for that." He growled before kicking her down the stairs.
"Oooow..." She groaned. Kurenai and the rest of team eight running up behind her.
"Are you two alright?" Kurenai asked, quickly running through hand seals before the man crumpled to the ground screaming.
"That.. is scary.. " Kiba winced as he stood up.
"We're fine. Shino." Shinobu growled, getting up and a wall of bugs floated up behind Shino, trapping the woman who was trying to sneak up on him. Kiba quickly used fang over fang, pushing him into Shino's bedroom.
Shinobu could feel bugs flicker across her skin as she fought another, smaller man who had appeared. She would attack and they'd block for her or hold him still. They were conveniant once she had gotten over the whole fear of bugs thing. Kiba wasn't quite so good with the bugs yet but he was trying to not shiver everytime they were near him.
"Hinata!" Shinobu called out, back flipping towards her.
"H-hai!" She cried, barely dodging a hit. The two fought, back to back. Switching occasionally as one of the men were much stronger and they needed breaks. Before they knew it Kurenai caught them both in a genjutsu causing them to instantly pass out.
"Is everyone ok?" She called out and earned several yes's.
"I'll go down stairs and tell my father.." Akio said, in awed shock.
After a couple minutes of checking injuries Kiba and Shinobu ran downstairs to see where Akio was. When they got to the bottom of the stairs they were met with the sight of Akio's father frozen in place with screaming in the background.
"Listen here you little brat. You're going to marry him so that we'll get your inheritence. If you tell your father I'll just let my men kill the both of you instead of just him!" Laura growled
"I won't let you do that!" Akio glared at her.
"Like you'll stop me? When your father is dead I'll be mayor and I'll have the house and all of the money. You'll be married to Alexander so money will go to us." She laughed.
"Don't you know telling ninja your evil plot is bound to get you killed or captured? It's our mission until Akio or his father let us go to make sure he is safe... I can and will kill you." Shinobu growled after brushing past Akio's father to defend him.
"I can dismiss you." Laura smirked.
"Actually you can't. You weren't mentioned in our mission guidelines." Kiba stated. Laura's smirk quickly turned into a scowl.
"You brats won't stop me. Alexander is already set to marry him, his father agreed to it already for the power. Aaron, Alexander and I will stay here.. and he will die." Laura grinned.
"Aaron.. what do you mean?" Akio asked, eyes wide in shock.
"You mean you've never figured it out? Why three foreign people who all speak the same language just pop up at your doorway. Alexander and Aaron are my children." Laura laughed. Akio stood there in frozen shock.
"Get out of my house." Akio's father growled. Finally entering the room.
"W-what? B-but honey!" Laura squeaked.
"Don't honey me.. get the fuck out of my house and never come back!" He shouted.
"Fine.. but listen here Aoi.. you will die.. I will be mayor.. this isn't over!" She screamed before leaving. Alexander and Aaron standing in slight shock.
"Come on! We're leaving!" Laura called back.
"I don't want to go with you.." Aaron mumbled.
"What?" Laura screamed.
"We said even if Akio's father doesn't want us here then we'll just live alone away from you! You've fucked us over enough already." Alexander shouted.
"Fine.. bratty kids anyway." Laura growled. "Ungrateful little.." Her voice faded as she stalked away.
"Dad.." Akio mumbled, temporarily ignoring the two siblings. He walked over to give him a hug but Aoi just brushed him off before adressing Kurenai who had just come down with Shino and hinata.
"You will remain here, paid, and repair the damage you've done.. thank you for protecting my son." He stated with a small bow before disappearing into his office.
A/N: Sorry for half-assed comments. I'm beyond tired. I stayed up late so I could re-write this and get out a quick update and I forgot I had to re-write reviews. Don't worry my mood and this story will improve :P
Alli ate Sora-Sorry Roxas: I'm glad you like Akio so much XD and the contortionism. I definitely love it :D
Linda Ku: Okay, phew :P Ignorant people are awful. I definitely don't do that when writing yaoi. No matter the gender of a couple you need to build the relationship or it doesn't make sense. Glad you liked it and weren't offended. Tell your brother he has my support and thanks to both of you :D
DutchyPuppy: Haha, I definitely don't hate him but he does have a crappy life. Sorry for the delayed chocolate and update. Stupid comp. Btw.. You're dutch?*virtual five for dutch-ness*
ThePhoenixOfTears: I feel especially bad with your review because it's so long and I'm being half-assed.. I apologize.. shitty mood + packing + staying up late to re-write entire chapter = bad mood lol. I'm glad you're happy. And OOOH that word XD We'll definitely find out more and I won't neglect mirror. lol.. sulky mood on ur end first time I replied I said "aww that sux, you ok?" now *virtual high five for mutal bad moods* . u got the language thing. Yup laura is the evil step-mom. I'm tempted to do a flash back or side story on her just because of my whole "Everybody has good and bad in them" thing. That was Akio saying that because he wanted to be normal and to team eight him flirting is normal. "He (shinobu) turned out to be a she (because of the genjutsu) who hates me (he thinks that because of the blow up* Haha, right on the dot there. It was sweet and there are ignorant people but it's not as sweet when u see more of the chapter lol. YAY cuteness! XD and ya.. she's definitely not as bad as Fugaku.. maybe? who knows :P I love how you still hate him. lol, u thought the same things about laura and the girlfriend that i did when i wrote this. It will all make more sense in time though. His fatther just doesn't realize. woot for hideous truth :P I don't like that either. It's the reason I'm pro-LGBTQ community and I support all music (exclude devourment) and clothing.. I try to see everything from different peoples view. I'm glad you liked the chapter and I definitely tried to update soon.
