I'll Show You Insanity

Chapter 34

Kakashi laid Yuma down in her bed, snugly tucking her in before leaving and returning with a warm, wet rag.

"Kashi," Yuma whispered as Kakashi took great care in cleaning the red streaks- left from her crying- from her cheeks.

"Hm?"

"Can you stay here tonight?" She asked slowly, unsurely.

"Of course," Kakashi said immediately, nodding.

"Thank you..." Yuma said softly as her heavy eyelids began to fall. "For caring..."

And she was out.

Kakashi smiled softly at his little cousin as he finished cleaning her face. Afterwards, he stood, bending down and planting a fatherly kiss upon her forehead.

"Good night, Yuma," he whispered softly before turning off the lights and climbing into bed beside her. "Sleep tight."

~~~

Yuma awoke the next morning and got out of bed. She dressed quickly, then left Kakashi a note saying she'd be with gramps before grabbing an apple and leaving the house. She was going to go talk to gramps, and apologize for not letting him explain the other day.

That is, until she ran into Shika and his team.

"Shika-kun!" Yuma yelled, jumping on the boy's back. Shikamaru stumbled forward a bit, but managed to stay up with the aid of Asuma, who grabbed his collar, laughing.

"Woah there," the sensei laughed.

"Thanks, sensei," Shikamaru said before turning his head to smile slightly at the giggling girl on his back. "Yuma. Did you make up with your sensei?"

"Yeah! Shika! Shika, guess what!"

"I give up, what?" He chuckled.

Putting her lips to his ear, Yuma whispered: Bakashi's my cousin!!!

Shikamaru's eyes widened, causing his sensei and teammates to grow curious.

"What? No way!" Shikamaru said as Yuma got off him and he turned to face her.

She nodded happily, beaming. "Ya! I found out last night!"

"That's great, Yuma!" He said, genuinely happy for her as he picked her up and spun her around.

And he wondered why he was always tired when Yuma leaves..... -.-" Boys...

Yuma laughed, hugging him. "I know! I'm so happy!"

"I'm glad," Shikamaru smiled gently. "So, where ya heading?"

Yuma thought, and thought, but she couldn't remember what she was going to do.

"Um... I can't remember..." She said curiously.

"Well," said Asuma. "We're going to get lunch at the barbecue place, why don't you join us?"

"Sure!" Chirped Yuma.

Yuma, Shikamaru, Asuma, Ino, and Choji were seated in a barbeque restaurant when a dark figured appeared by their table.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino looked up, only to freeze at the frightening man, shrouded in black, who was staring at Yuma with unreadable expression as she slowly moved her rust colored orbs to stare back at him.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"Name?" The man questioned coldly as Asuma watched cautiously, tense and ready to jump into a brawl, should one break out.

"How rude!" The charcoal haired girl pouted. "You first, baldy!"

His onyx eyes narrowed in dislike, and Asuma's three students cowered slightly under the threatening aura the man possessed. "Ibiki Morino, brat. Remember?"

Yuma's eyes widened in realization. She'd seen this guy at Grandpa Saru's office!

GRANDPA!!! How could she have forgotten?! She was going to make things right!!!

Ashamed of herself, she sniffed and stared at the tabletop.

Shikamaru saw the crimson tears building in the girl's eyes and instantly sat straighter as he glared at the intimidating man.

"What do you want with Yuma?" He demanded protectively, moving himself further to the side to try and hide the girl beside him as much as possible.

"Calm down, runt," Ibiki said coolly, crossing his arms. "She needs to come with me."

There was no way Shikamaru would allow it. He recalled his parents talking of Ibiki Morino, a powerful shinobi, and top notch torturer and interrogator. Like hell he'd hand Yuma over to him.

He stood, with an expression that said he'd do anything in his power to protect Yuma. His conviction shocked his teammates into further silence and he stared into the cold, unforgiving eyes of the dark man before him.

"Over my dead body," he said lowly, but clearly.

Annoyance gnawed at Ibiki as he cracked his knuckles threateningly, yet Shikamaru did not bow down.

"Alright, how about everyone calms down," Asuma suggested with a forced laugh, attempting to sooth the tense atmosphere that had caused the majority of the restaurant to vacate the premises.

Shikamaru continued to stare at the much larger man. "I'll let him hurt Yuma when Hell freezes over."

"Shikamaru," Asuma sighed slightly. "Let's hear Ibiki-san out, alright?"

A moment's silence past, but the spiky haired boy finally nodded and sat down, not breaking eye contact with the- now slightly amused- man in black as he took Yuma's hand beneath the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"She's got a job," was the simple, nonchalant response Ibiki gave.

"What kind?" Shikamaru demanded.

"Classified information."

At this, Shikamaru's intelligent eyes narrowed. "That's supposed to convince me?"

"I kill people," Yuma said quietly, rubbing her eyes with her free hand as she finished her self-loathing. "The people on death row. I kill them."

"You don't go around sharing that information, brat!" Ibiki snapped, not believing his ears at the girl's foolishness.

"I trust them," was the reply he received as she gave a glare that surpassed his own to the point where all but Ibiki and Shikamaru shivered from the chill that hung around her. "And its my information. I decide who knows, not you."

A scowl settled on Ibiki's lips. "Watch your mouth, girl. Now are you coming, or not?"

Yuma sighed softly, and stood.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Shikamaru asked, standing and moving to let her out, not dropping her hand.

Yuma thought about it, but not for too long. She gave a sad smile.

"No, I don't want you to see," she said.

"I can handle it," Shikamaru argued.

Her charcoal grey locks bounced as she shook her head. She released his hand. "There are things no child should see."

"Yuma-"

"Silly Shika-kun," she giggled quietly. "Don't you understand that I'm scared?"

"S-Scared?" He repeated quietly. Her voice was playful, yet her eyes held a fear for him that rivalled his concern for her.

"I don't want you to see, because then, you could be scarred for life. It's not pretty, Shika, and I want to protect you from-"

She stopped as he pulled her into a tight, secure hug, setting his chin on her head as he stared at her head with sadness. "Troublesome woman," he mumbled, holding tight. "I'm supposed to be protecting you..." He pulled away slightly and, ignoring their audience, pressed his lips to her forehead before looking into her eyes. "If you're sure, then find me afterwards."

Yuma saw her own reflection in his eyes, and could clearly see the red stained across her cheeks and nose as she smiled widly up at him.

"Kay!"