I'll Show You Insanity

Chapter 10

Nothing seemed amiss when Yuma had returned home. Kakashi had welcomed her in his usual friendly fashion. They'd had a dinner that consisted of beef stir fry, take out of course, and Yuma's usual sadistic dinner comments.

"Make sure you kill your food before it kills you," she had warned, stabbing the noodles ineffectively before taking an overly large bite and slurping noisily as Kakashi watched in amusement.

They had went to bed without an issue, and as their breaths slowed and evened, everything quietened down.

Well, until around midnight.

A short, strangled, choked cry had started Kakashi awake as he stared around the now silent space in bewilderment. The source of his awakening was so brief, he had no clue what it could have been.

Then a longer, more panicked scream caused a shudder to run down his spine.

Years of shinobi training and missions struck him into action. Springing from the bed, he slunk through his halls with a kunai in hand. Another scream sounded, this time in the form of words: "AAH! STOP! HELP! SOMEONE! HELP!"

Yuma! Kakashi thought urgently, kicking down her bedroom door to confront her assaulters.

Though, the abuse being inflicted upon her, making her scream hopelessly like a child being tortured, was not caused by any outside force. The small child lay writhing on her bed, blanket and sheets wrapped around her legs and arms, face pale and ashen, eyes shut tight.

"STOP! MOMMY! DADDY PLEASE!" she screamed, jerking spastically.

"Yuma!" Kakashi called, grabbing her shoulder. She shrieked louder, flailing in terror in an attempt to escape his grasp.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"Yuma! I'm not going to hurt you!"

With a large shake Yuma's back arched as she inhaled with a loud, terrifyingly shuddery gasp, almost an inward scream. Her eyes flew open and she looked at Kakashi.

"Where'd they go?" She asked, tears of blood- just like the night before-escaping.

"They aren't here Yuma," Kakashi said gently, stroking her hair. "There's no one here that's going to hurt you."

"They were going to kill me," she whimpered. "I called for you, where were you?"

Kakashi cringed. "It was a dream Yuma. I couldn't get to you."

"You were helping them," Yuma said suddenly, flinching away from Kakashi's hand. "Why Kakashi?"

Kakashi sat beside her on her bed and sighed. "I wouldn't hurt you Yuma, you know that. It was just a nightmare. It's over now."

Yuma tried to steady her breathing, wiping her eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry."

"You had me worried," he said, brushing her bangs from her face. "Try and get some sleep."

Yet, when he stood, a small hand seized his.

"Wait!" Cried Yuma, tears threatening to spill again. "Please don't leave me alone, please," she begged.

Kakashi looked down at this small, innocent and frightened girl that in no way acted like the girl he'd brought to the village from the asylum. Finally, he gave her a comforting smile and squeezed her hand softly. "I won't, don't worry. I'll be here as long as you want me to be."

At this, he sat beside her. She held his hand as her eyes fluttered and shut, and her breathing once again evened out.

Kakashi stayed protectively at her side for half an hour before forcing himself to go to bed.