Advocated Wars

Chapter Nine

                                                                                                                     IX

I sighed out a relieved breath, staggering backwards a bit before completely collapsing to my knees. I wasn’t fully healed, my health still waning back and forth. But, sitting inside on my ass all day was beginning to kill me. 

The sight of my kunai, however, was a visual comfort. At least my aim hadn’t of been affected. Not by much, anyways. But, the few short millimeters was something I could work around.

“You think that’s a good idea, with the condition you’re in?” I smiled, waiting for my breathing to even out a bit before I answered. I knew he had been watching me, just not sure how long. It had really only been a matter of time before he said something. 

“Fancy meeting you here, sensei.” The man huffed, sitting down beside me, allowing a stream of billowing smoke to spill from his lips.

I sighed. He knew how much that annoyed me. He didn’t care.

“It’s been awhile,” he agreed. I nodded, and he took another drag of his cigarette. 

“Do you think that’s good for you?” I mimicked, taking upon the same tone he used for me. “The cigarette?”

And, without missing a heartbeat, he answered: “No more cancerous than you three.”

I let out a small, breathy laugh, knowing he probably wasn’t joking. 

Nozomu was like that, you see. He was no more, and no less. And, truth was, he was the man I looked up to most. Nothing had ever gone well for him, not really.  He was the bravest man I knew. 

I loved it. To me, he was what a modeled shinobi should be. Even if he wasn’t originally from the village. 

Truth be told, I didn’t know the full story. But, the man had transferred here just before the three of us had graduated from The Academy. And, coming from the Village Hidden in the Mist….well, he wasn’t the nicest. Especially in the beginning. 

“Surge!” I hissed, “Stop! Do you want our sensei to think we’re all a bunch of idiots?”

“Oh, boohoo,” he mocked. “Let him think what he wants. The bastard’s late, and I could really care less.” Calix stood besides me, watching as Surge tried to find a way to make a fool of the man. 

Calix was tense. 

And, lucky for us, Surge never really got a chance. 

Surge had been busy tying a rope to the tree- for Kami only knows what- when a rather young looking man began walking towards us. Younger than really any of us had expected. 

My throat felt dry. 

The man’s hands were burrowed deep inside his pants, his slouched figure not doing much to impress us. And, even though I was sure the boys would never pay as much attention as I had been, I couldn’t help but to notice the dark bags under his flat, black eyes. 

However, the freckle just under his right eye made me like him a bit more- for, as vain as it sounded, it made him look cuter. And, when I noticed his oddly colored hair, so close to Surge’s own, I couldn’t help but to feel a bit warmer to this man, despite his piercings and oddly white skin. 

That was, until I realized why warming up to him would be such a bad idea. 

When he got closer, the bags were more prominent. The easy frown on his pale, chapped lips seemed more permanent. And the black of his eyes were not only black, but dead. 

I shivered. 

We all watched in silence as he studied us for a moment, his gaze shifting from Calix and I, to Surge, who was now against the tree with the rope in his lap. 

“I don’t know what your expectations were,” he spoke, a hint of….what? — Revulsion? Hatred? Agitation? — in his voice. “But they were wrong. Drop any former ideas you had about me; before you begin to expect too much. 

“I’m here to guide you, nothing more. I will not baby you. I will not coddle you when you get hurt. I will not lay down my life to protect yours. 

“I am not your friend, and I do not care. Your mistakes are your own, and you will suffer the consequences of your actions —  alone. For you had made the conscious action- alone.

“It’s survival of the fittest; the strong survive. Remember that.”

And, with that, the man whose name we did not even know began walking away. Leaving with one thing: “Oh, and kid, try that again and I’ll hang you with that rope.” 

Thankfully, things had gotten better. Well, a little. Nozomu still wasn’t very supportive, or involved. But, the young male had gotten nicer.

Nozomu sighed besides me, lighting up another cigarette. Then, letting out the breath he had used to light it. He was twenty-six, now, and I was sure he smoked more than he breathed. 

“That will kill you one day, you know.”

I didn’t miss the distinctive way his lip curled up in a twisted, almost half-smile. “Good.”

!~*~*~*~!

I cant not even begin to describe how much I absolutely adore Nozomu. Idk you might hate him but he’s my bbu ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥3♥♥♥♥♥ ughugh. Him and Surge are perf . I’ll force you guys to love him if I have to. And it will happen. Just you wait. He’s a douche bag and he’s perf c: 

Anyways, EOC tomorrow, and then I’m doing some exam-ing the rest of the week ;~; Howeverrrrrrrrrrrrrr, May 21st should be my last day of school! Next week! Summmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmer\                                      uhm yeh so for some reason this is glitching on me so tell me if there's any problems with the chapter?? pls??