Between purple and red
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any Naruto character.
Warning: Child physical abuse.
Chapter 4 - Kaoru's vices
Kaoru woke up with the most wonderful smell ever. She knew that smell pretty well, although, she wasn't allowed to taste it, every morning her house had the same smell. It was the smell of pancakes. She got up and dressed quickly her kunoichi outfit, but without the vest. Then... she panicked. She searched for the scroll where she could summon her hairdryer, but she didn't find it anywhere. After 5 minutes of searching she realized she had forgotten the damn scroll in Sunagakure.
She looked at herself in the vanity's mirror. Her hair was naturally wavy, not that it looked bad like that, but her father made her believe she would look like a classless woman wearing her hair like that, that she would look like a slut. Kaoru glanced at the mirror and decided it was best to braid her hair, at least it would look more presentable. Unsure of how she looked, she put on her long gloves and finally decided to go check that amazing smell. She had to eat, she couldn't take the hunger anymore.
Kaoru went downstairs to the kitchen and Akamaru followed her. Kankuro was sitting eating his pancakes. He was with his sleeping pants, and a black t-shirt, while Kiba in the other hand had only some shorts, which later Kaoru realized were his boxers. She blushed seeing the dog boy's naked torso. Kiba had a well-defined chest and some magnificent abs, he was lean, but completely toned. His tan skin was mesmerizing.
Kankuro stopped eating when the girl entered the room. Her eyes went straight to Kiba.
'Why does the mutt have to be so flashy?'
He gave Kiba a painful glare, but the leaf chunin didn't notice.
"Hey Kaoru-chan, I made pancakes come eat with us!" Kiba said smiling, Kaoru sat at the head of the table in the opposite side of the puppet master. She looked at him and stared at him. Kankuro noticed and felt himself getting hot and embarrassed, but he controlled it to prevent himself from showing any kind of redness in his face.
"What?" he said trying desperately to get out of this situation. Kaoru didn't responded she was shocked seeing the male sand nin without his usual face paint; last time she saw his paintless face was when they were kids. Kankuro had grown up, she already knew it, but he's face became so... handsome and adult-like.
"Without your make-up, you look a lot like your father," she said. Kankuro's fake frowning faded away. That answer wasn't what he expected. He wasn't even sure if it was an insult or a compliment.
"Hmm... Thanks?" he said unsure. Kaoru then made something he wasn't ready for. She smiled at him. Not a huge smile, but a small smile. Still, it was a smile.
'So it was a compliment.'
"Eat some pancakes before they get cold, Kaoru-chan," Kiba said. Kaoru served herself two pancakes, and started to cut them with a knife.*
"You're gonna eat with your gloves on?" Kankuro asked. His tone was not harsh, it was just... naturally brute.
"These are new and clean," she replied showing them.
She took one bite of the pancake, and then she almost jumped.
"OH MY GOD!"
The boys startled.
"What's wrong?" Kiba asked.
"THIS is the best thing I ever ate!" both boys 'sweatdropped' themselves.
"You never had pancakes before?" Kiba asked. Kaoru blushed a bit embarrassed and shook her head 'no'.
Kankuro just watched her 'She's so odd.'
A whine got everybody's attention. Akamaru was trying to get his owner's attention.
"So now you want me you little traitor!" Kiba said pretending to be offended. The dog laid his head in Kiba's lap, and Kaoru was sure the dog was doing puppy eyes, literally.
"Are you mad at him, because he spent the night with me?" Kaoru asked. Kiba was now feeding the dog, then he smiled.
"Of course not! I'm glad he likes you. Akamaru only likes to sleep with me, so he must think you're really special." She blushed at his words. No one ever complimented her, and in less than a day Kiba already told her so many wonderful things.
"I like him too, he's an amazing dog." Kiba loved her response. Across the table someone was not enjoying what was going on at all.
"I thought you didn't like animals, because of your OCD," Kankuro said.
"Don't be silly, I do not have OCD!"
"Yes, you have."
"No, I don't. I only like things clean and organized, what is wrong with that?"
"Nothing. But you are obsessed with that in an unhealthy way. You know what? I can even prove it!"
"Oh really and how would you that?" she asked.
"After breakfast I'll show ya," Kankuro said. Kaoru was suspicious, he was planning something, especially because of what he said next, "And to turn things more interesting we should do a bet."
"A bet?" She asked.
"Yeah, if I can prove you have OCD you have to show me your hands without the gloves."
"Ok, but if you can't, which is what it is going to happen, you will never ask me about my hands again!"
"Fair enough," Kankuro replied watching Kaoru cutting her pancakes, in small square shapes, they all had the same size. He smirked, Kiba smirked too. He didn't knew much about the sand girl, but even he could tell that she had weird habits.
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Kaoru felt great. With her stomach full with amazing food, the kunoichi felt her energy up again.
She had rested and eat, and her wounds didn't hurt too much. In that saturday morning, life was good!
Then why she had to ruin it and do a stupid bet with Kankuro, especially a bet she knew the other guy was right about? Why did Kankuro whispered Kiba his plan and then they both evilly smirked towards her? And why the hell she was following the two boys in to Kiba's room, especially when this one was half-naked?
Kaoru was feeling uneasy. Something bad was about to happen. They wouldn't hurt her, right?
Kiba entered the room, and Kankuro stopped, letting Kaoru pass.
"Lady's first." he teased. She was about to yell something really awful for innocent ears, when she saw what was in front of her. The messiest room she ever saw. Her eyes were wide open.
Kankuro closed the door after entering and leaned against it, just in case she wanted to escape.
"Sorry Kaoru-chan, but I'm not organized at all," Kiba excused himself. Both boys were laughing at the girl's expression. She was speechless and frozen in place.
Her fingers started to move uncontrolled. Then she started to shake.
There is always a reason behind a habit. Good habits, usually come from a good education, a healthy choice of lifestyle, or even to please others. Good habits come from doing pleasant things over and over agin. Good habits are also known sometimes by virtues. The opposite side of a virtue, is a vice. Bad habits normally are considered to be vices. Things that danger somehow people's health, or simply bother those who don't follow the same vice.
But what about when the vice mixes with the virtue? Is that really a vice? Is it still a virtue? Or it becomes something new? Something completely different from a good or bad habit? What about when the virtue becomes so intense it becomes a vice? When the person can no longer control it, and every single cell of their body craves it to the end the pain? How thin is the line that separates a vice from a virtue?
Kaoru had a vice, which everyone thought it was a virtue. But only she knew how living with OCD was painful. But like virtues, vices also begin somewhere. A bad education, influence, a trauma... Something that triggered the person to follow that bad habit.
The boys' laughs were muffled by something running inside the sand kunoichi's head. An euphoric wave was about to burst. Not because Kiba's room was messy, but because it trigged old memories in Kaoru's head.
Memories that traumatized her enough to become obsessive with cleaning.
Kiba's room seemed to get smaller inch by inch. Kaoru was shaking now so much, she was having a hard time to breathe. She turned around to escape, but Kankuro was blocking the door. She started to push him aside, but he was too big and strong.
He laughed seeing the poor girl freaking out, and grabbed her to make her stop. He wrapped an arm around her back to pull her to him into the center of the room. But the moment he did so, she screamed in pain. Kankuro's smiling face turned into confusion. Kiba was confused too.
Kaoru pushed away the puppet master and ran towards the door. Her shaky hands coul barely open the door.
"Kaoru-chan?" Kiba asked coming closer. Kankuro just stood there shocked. He could see Kaoru's glossy eyes. He could see how pathetic she was struggling with the door knob, he leaned forward and easily opened the door for Kaoru. She ran to her room and closed the door.
"Kankuro what happened?" Kiba asked serious.
"I have no idea," Kankuro answered lowly.
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"Mom! Mooom, where are you?"
The house seemed so big...
... but I searched everywhere.
My hands were covered in black. I remember playing outside, our faces were painted, I was a panda and he was a zebra, I don't remember his face beneath.
I went back inside to show mom, what my friend painted on me. I ran towards their room.
"Mom!"
But I only saw him. He was sitting on the floor in the middle of a big circle. I remember thinking how funny the circle was, red and shiny. He saw me and said for me to join him.
"Daddy, where's mom?"
He ignored me and made me sat in the circle.
"Why is your face dirty?"
His voice was demonic. It didn't look like dad anymore.
"I-I was playing animals with my friends."
I was so scared.
"But you can't have friends."
His voice was deceiving.
"W-why?"
"Because nobody loves you. I don't love you, and mommy is not here anymore to love you."
I didn't understand what he had said. But I understood pain when he punched me. His fist was white and black, like my painted face...
"You are dirty, no one will love you because you are dirty."
Dirty...
"I'm dirty..." Kaoru cradled herself in the middle of the room. Soft sobs coming from her.
She could feel the re-opened wounds in her back. Kankuro grabbed her a bit too hard. Enough to make the cuts bleed again. Remembering, she had no more bandages and healing medicine, she felt another wave of sadness.
"Kaoru-chan are you ok?" his voice was so concerned. His kindness softened Kaoru's heart and soul. She couldn't give up. The dog boy seemed to care about her, 'Even if it is because of his mission, he still cares'.
"I'm fine.", she said at the closed-door. She disguised her crying voice. She got up shaking and putting her fine-poker face on.
Her fingers reached the key and unlocked the door. Kiba stood there concerned.
"Kiba-kun, I'm fine. I guess you guys are right, I have OCD."
She tried to take his mind out of the screaming part. She smiled. Kiba smiled back softly. Their eyes locked on each other. She blushed, noticing how close they were.
His semi naked body was emanating a nice warm, that made her shiver. Never in a million years she had been this close to a boy, well except that stupid Kankuro that hurt her a few minutes before.
"Kiba-kun?"
"Yeah?" he softly replied.
"I was wondering if we could go out, I have some things I need to buy," she said trying to sound as normal as possible. Of course if she asked the boy for some bandages, he would give her, but then it would come with questions, and Kankuro would discover everything, and that was out of question.
"Sure. I just have to get ready."
"Thank you, Kiba-kun." she slightly bow, trying to not hiss at the pain.
To be continued...
*yes a knife, as in a knife and fork... come on they wouldn't eat pancakes with chopsticks would they? xD
Reviews are welcomed =D