As he reached his destination, Kakashi bit his lip out of doubt. He stared at the door in front of him, his knuckles ready to knock. A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Just come in, Kakashi." Someone called from inside the room. Kakashi walked in, closing the door quietly.
"You looked troubled Kakashi. What's the matter?" Hiruzen asked. Kakashi sighed, shoving his hands in his pocket.
"... Kaeru..." He muttered.
A soft smile crept onto the Hokage's face. "About time you thought of him." He stated simply, pulling out a stack of papers, "This is all I have about him. His reports from the Academy since he was 5, when he entered, until he was 9, when he disappeared. Also his medical reports from yesterday."
Kakashi took the papers and files from the Hokage and slowly made his way back to his home with the files tucked under his arm.
As soon as he got home, he threw the files on the table and started going through it. The first thing he picked up was Kaeru's academy files.
When he opened the files, he noticed how good Kaeru's grades were. He was at the top of all of his classes and all of the other students.
Kaeru's test scores were always the best, and he was being considered for the Advance classes when he was 9. Right before he disappeared.
Kakashi spent the night looking over all of the files, surprised at how good his brother was.
It was morning by the time that Kakashi got to the medical files from yesterday. And he was horrified.
He was not aware of how his brother was malnourished, how his brother was so sick and not in a good mental health state.
'Why do I even felt worried about this...? Why do I even care about Kaeru...?'
Maybe, he really want to be his big brother.
| × | × | × | × | × |
Kaeru kept tossing and turning around even in his sleep. He was sweating, writhing in pain, having another nightmare attack. Anko couldn't woke him up, all she can do is watching, praying, and try to calm him down, whispering sweet soothing words.
A knock was heard all of a sudden. She reluctantly left the boy and answered the door, to find a very shocking sight. The visitor is no other than Kakashi himself.
"Can I meet Kaeru?" He asked the Mitarashi as soon as the door was opened. Anko raised an eyebrow.
"I assume you're not that cold-blooded after all?"
Kakashi looked away. "May I enter? Or are you going to kick me out?"
She shook her head, frowning. "Not yet at least." She said, as she stepped aside, and he walked in.
Kakashi stood next to Kaeru's unconscious figure. "... Nightmares...?"
Anko solemnly nodded. "I want to tell you what happened to him... But I think it's better if you hear it from Kaeru himself..."
Kakashi nodded in understanding, his eyes narrowed deep in thought. His gloved hand reached out to his brother's face, but as soon as his fingers came into contact with his skin, Kaeru's hands twitched. His head quickly turned to his side, and he let out a gasp as his eyes snapped open.
"... No..." He breathed out, his eyes widened in fear seeing the room, not even noticing Kakashi's presence.
"You're safe, Kaeru, don't worry. How are you feeling?" Anko asked just as another scream was about to leave his lips.
Kaeru lifted his hand, rubbing his eyes.
"I don't know, Anko-chan... I feel dizzy... But I'm hungry, too..." He trailed off as he sat up.
She chuckled, running her fingers through his hair, and caressed his cheek, wiping away his remaining tears. "Then we'll go eat. But not dango, okay?"
He pouted. "Why, Anko-chan?" He asked, tilting his head. She gave him a small smile.
"Sweets are bad for your teeth. And I'm sure you don't like toothache."
He shrugged. "I never have one. How does it feel?"
She shook her head. "I'm sure it's better if you don't know. Anyways, you got a visitor, Kaeru." She said, moving aside to show the older Hatake behind her.
Kaeru's breath hitched, and his hands unconsciously gripped the bed sheets tightly.
"... A-Aniki...?"
"Kaeru." Kakashi called, trying to be as gentle as he could, but his voice come out cold and heartless. He inwardly cringed at the failure, regretting the way he shut himself after his team's death. Now the soft side of him is almost gone, just when he needs it.
Kaeru looked down, his body starts trembling. It was silent for a while, Anko watched the brothers without saying anything, while Kakashi stepped closer. He was right in front of Kaeru when the boy suddenly looked up, his eyes narrowed.
"Aniki should leave!" He yelled, much to the two jōnins' shock, "Kaeru doesn't want to see Aniki! Aniki shouldn't be here..." He continued, his tone held a mix of emotions that no one could decipher. Kakashi couldn't tell either he's angry, sad, desperate, or anything.
"Why?" He asked back, "I feel like I have to stay here." He admitted truthfully. To be honest, he doesn't know what to say. He never thought Anko would stay silent and not helping with the situation.
Kaeru's gaze turned into an analyzing gaze, as if he saw something suspicious from his brother. Anko sighed and muttered, "I'll give you guys some privacy," while leaving the room.
Seeing this, Kakashi decided to explain. "I guess I should give it a try... Giving you a chance, I mean. I think we should talk and clear everything up." He reasoned, scratching the back of his neck.
"Aniki should leave..." Is the only response he got. Kakashi sighed heavily.
"I won't until our business here is done." He said, looking straight at Kaeru's eyes. Kaeru replied with a hard glare, his knuckles turned white.
Kaeru tilted his head, and let out a low growl. "Aniki should leave." He said in a warning tone, but this didn't stop Kakashi.
"No. Don't kick me out, Kaeru. We are a family. You are my brother. And I-... Akh!"
Kaeru stood on his hospital bed, a kick had just landed on his brother's chest.
"Family? Brother? Ha! You amuse me! Dear Aniki, you're the one who left me first!" He yelled, as he jumped down, and stared at Kakashi, who is now on the floor.
"You hated me. And now I don't want you to be here. I never want to see you again. I know you are disgusted of me."
Kaeru turned away, and walked towards the window. "You are a liar, Aniki. A big, bad, dirty liar." He muttered, before he jumped out, and disappeared.
| × | × | × | × | × |
Kaeru
I can't control myself. It's like someone had took over my body. I really want to hug my Aniki, but my body moved on its own. The voice came back. Waru kept talking to me ever since Aniki entered the room. She sounds like a little girl, high-pitched, cheery voice, but her words are far from friendly.
It scares me.
-Leave, Kaeru. Run away.- she once again told me. I shook my head, clenching my fists as I fastened my pace.
'No. I'm going back to Anko's house.'
-It's her house, not yours. You remember that, don't you?-
'It's my home!' I yelled back at her, but she giggled.
-You have no home, Kaeru.-
I froze, and she snickered. -One, four, seven! Kaeru's all alone! Ten, thirteen, sixteen! Tell me, Kaeru, what does family mean? Nineteen, twenty-two, twenty-five! Do you even-...-
"STOP IT!" I screamed out loud, as I stumbled and fall to the ground. It began to rain, and I push myself back on my feet, and keep running.
-Kaeru, oh, Kaeru... So stupid, so pathetic...- she muttered, -Where are you going now? You have no place to call home, no one loves you... So sad...-
'Anko-chan loves me! She always loves me! Stop saying bad things about her, Waru!' I snapped, but she burst out laughing.
-You believe her?! She's not there when you need her! Same like Obito! He only watch your execution, not even trying to save you, Kaeru!-
No One
The silverette flinched once again, and dropped himself in front of a large tree. He didn't even realize that thunders flashed above him, and it was raining heavily. He didn't notice the danger, that he was already outside the Konoha gates, that he could die out here.
Kaeru hugged his knees, and started rocking himself back and forth, mumbling incoherent words.
Kaeru laid on the ground after a few minutes, his sobs still escaping his lips as the rain fell upon him.
"Aniki... why do you hate me?! WHY DOES EVERYONE HATE KAERU?!" He screamed out at the top of his lungs. The rain seemed to only fall harder, but Kaeru didn't mind. He sniffled and aggressively rubbed at his face until it was bright red from the force he was using.
But the screams that Kaeru let out were enough to finally let Anko, Ibiki and Kakashi find their way to him. They arrived to the small boy curled up on his side in a ball, tears steaming down his face and his body shaking slightly.
"Kaeru.." Kakashi muttered as he tried to make his way towards his brother, but stopped when Kaeru stared up at him.
"No! Stay back Aniki!" He screamed at Kakashi. Kakashi sighed as he slowly started making his way towards Kaeru again.
"Kaeru, listen to me please.." Kakashi said, attempting to make his voice softer and more gentle, but again failing. His voice sounded mean, but slightly sad.
"No! No! No!" Kaeru said as he started to shake his head quickly. "Don't touch Kaeru! Don't come near Kaeru!"
"Please..." Kakashi said as he took a few more steps towards Kaeru. Ibiki and Anko were nervously glancing at each other; scared that Kaeru might snap at any moment.
The rain fell harder, causing both of the Hatake boys hair to fall flat against their face, masking the tears that fell down Kaeru's face.
"NO! Kaeru doesn't want you around!" Kaeru screamed.
Kakashi inwardly flinched, but he kept his composure on the outside, "Just listen..."
"NO! LIAR! GO AWAY, LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Anko frowned even more. She noticed how he kept switching from speaking in third and first person's point of view, indicating sadness among his mixed emotions.
Kakashi sighed, turning at Ibiki and Anko.
"You guys just go home. You're gonna catch a cold if you're here. We Hatakes will be fine."
"... Are you sure...?" Anko asked back, definitely worried. Kakashi gave her a nod, silently reassuring her that Kaeru will be alright.
"Keep me on tabs." Ibiki said, as he grabbed Anko's arm, and teleported away. Kaeru stood up, narrowing his eyes at the action. His eyes widened as he saw Kakashi approached him.
"No... Please no... Kaeru is sorry! Don't hurt Kaeru!" He shrieked, backing away. Kaeru shook his head frantically, looking down, before once again his attention snapped back to Kakashi, this time his eyes hold no fear.
"If you don't leave now, then I will!" He yelled, and lunged at Kakashi. The older Hatake immediately blocked the hit he sent, narrowing his eyes.
'How come his personality change in a second?!'
He snapped back to reality as Kaeru punched his face, catching him off guard. The boy hurriedly reached for Kakashi's weapon pouch and pulled out a kunai, quickly jumped away from him.
He gripped the blade tightly, his body trembled as he faced Kakashi. Kakashi watched as Kaeru raised the blade, looking down at his brother, and as their eyes met, realization hit him. The ANBU immediately teleported and appeared behind his little brother, holding his arms in an attempt to prevent the suicide.
"Kaeru, snap out of it!"
Kaeru
-Hurry, Kaeru, hurry! You'll be free! Just slam that kunai onto your chest as hard as you can, and you'll be free!-
'No, I don't want to die! Anko will miss me!'
-Who says she will?! Here, just let me finish it for you!- Waru yelled, as she grabbed both my hands and tried to push the kunai deep into my heart. She's far stronger than me, and I hardly could stop her.
-It's easy, Kaeru! Trust me, just relax and let me finish it for you!- she reassured, looking at me, smiling brightly. I froze at the sight, and my hands slowly relaxed.
She gave me a grin, and just as the kunai touched my skin, she suddenly screamed, as if something had attacked her. I regained my focus in an instant, and immediately tightened my grip on the blade, trying to push it away.
"Kaeru, snap out of it!" A voice yelled, and Waru let out another scream before she disappeared.
My whole limbs felt weakened, and I dropped the blade as I fell onto the ground. Soon my vision cleared, and coldness hit me, as I returned back to reality. I can't see anyone, but I can feel someone behind me, holding my arm.
That gloved hand...
"N-No..." I breathed out, my eyes widened, "Get away from me!"
He only tightened his grip. "Kaeru, listen." He stated, his voice held no emotion, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry about how I treated you, and-..."
"SORRY?! YOU SAY SORRY?!" I shouted, as I managed to push him away. He froze in shock, maybe because my words.
But I just can't take it. I've had enough.
Kakashi
"SORRY?! YOU SAY SORRY?!" He screamed, as he broke free from my grip. He turned at me, his fists clenched.
I was paralyzed. He glared at me in such anger, such hatred.
"Look at me! Look at what happened to me!" He continued, and this angers me.
Who is he to say that?! I went through hell and back, twice, surviving and still wants to deal with him. He has no right to say that.
"You're not the only one who suffers. I don't know about you, but I watched my friends die, and I never whine about that." I unconsciously snapped, but as soon as I did, I instantly regret it.
He gritted his teeth, his glare hardened. "Right. Alright. I know nothing about what happened to you because KAERU NEVER EXISTS!!" He said, his voice now dark and full of hatred, "I know nothing, I can do nothing, because you left me! WE'VE BEEN STRANGERS EVER SINCE I WAS BORN!"
"Kaeru, I didn't mean to-... I mean, it's..." I trailed off, but stopped as Kaeru held his head and starts sobbing, avoiding my gaze.
"You leave me, Aniki! You leave me! I-I thought you were my big brother! I thought you were supposed t-to protect me!" His voice starts shaking, and he gripped his silver hair tightly.
At that moment, I was too shocked to even do anything. His words felt like swords stabbing me.
"I thought... I thought brothers were supposed to take care of each other..." He muttered, as he shook his head, and starts whimpering.
"You are supposed to protect me, Daddy said that, right?!" He asked, "So, if I got hurt, then it's your fault, right?"
I froze.
My... fault? What is he implying right now? A few moments ago he was speaking as if he wants me to take care of him, and now...?
"You are the one to blame. It is your fault, after all, right?"
| × | × | × | × | × |
Sorry, it was such a cliffhanger. I have no regrets, though XD
Next chapter would be... full of-... NO SPOILERS!! :3
~MidRav