Advocated Wars

Chapter Fifteen

                                                                                    XV

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I had begun to wonder if he would take them. Or, even, if he would stop glaring at me with such contempt. But, after a moment, the boy sighed.

“Come in, then. You’re a mess, you know?”

I let out a shaky laughed, feeling a bit meek as I followed suit behind him. I couldn’t help but to let my eyes roam as we entered his modest little kitchen—his mess making me feel a bit better as to what was waiting for me at home.

The boy sat at the table, pointing to the chair that was positioned across from him. “So…” he drawled out, seemingly reluctant to ask the question that I was not liable to answer. I sat down. “What happened?”

Carefully, I laid the small bouquet across the table. I had found them growing somewhere between my walk from the bridge to wherever I was going, and had thought of Naruto. The petals were orange, like him.

“Doesn’t matter, anymore. You don’t really want to know, do you?”

“That’s no—”

“Good,” I smiled, despite the red splotches that covered my face and the ache that resided in my chest. “Because, I really don’t feel like telling the likes of you.”

“So, that’s it, then? I thought you came here to apologize.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m obliged to tell you my life story.” My smile had disappeared just as quickly as it had came, and we were left glaring at each other.

“Then, why are you still here?” he growled.

“You’re right,” I sighed, standing up. “I really am sorry for what happened, Naruto.” His eyes stayed glued to me as I walked around the table to him. And, then, as my hand grabbed a hold of his chin and my lips met with his forehead. I didn’t miss the light stubble that decorated the bottom of his chin, making me grin to myself.

And, if I were anyone else, if this were some place else with a different situation—or, perhaps the boy in front of me were someone else, too, I would have told him how I liked the bit of hair that was splayed out across the underside of his chin and along the sharpness of his jaw. I would have told him he looked cute when he blushed.

“For the record, Naruto, I apologize when I see fit. I’m sincere in what I say. This isn’t in the job description—I don’t have to be nice to you. My gratitude is real. So, thank you—I am sorry.”

And, I left. Because, there was nothing more for me to say.

~     ~     ~                                                        ~      ~      ~

“I knew I’d find you here, Champion,” the man chuckled. And, just like a few nights ago, sat next to me under the same tree. “Nothing really changes with you, you know?”

I stayed silent.

Nozomu let out a heavy breath.

“You’re just like her, you know?”

This peaked my interest. Nozomu made a point to never talk about his past. And, to mention a girl so off-handedly was new. Strange.

“Who?”

He chuckled, again. Only, this time, it was a bit more shaky.

“That seemed to have gotten your attention. Your mom’s worried about you, you know.” I watched as the man lit a cigarette. And, for a moment, I considered asking him for one. Because, the man had once stated ‘sad people smoke a lot’, and, as of now, I was sad.