Fan(art)(fiction)

One Shot (KhristynZoeBas)

When I'm Gone | Oneshot

[Cashile Kuroki]

There were times when I couldn't understand human nature. True, it was naturally presumed to be quite complex - a network of pros and cons, reactions and actions, ponderings and musings all interspersed in a complex sequence within a single mind - yet this was on another level entirely.

"You want me to do.. What?" As though by instinct, my hand clenched into a fist, as I stared - rather uncharacteristically - at the dark-haired boy now practically unamused at my aforementioned out of character response.

"I'll be gone for a few days - a week or so at most - and there's no one who can watch over Aisa while I'm out of Konoha except you. Think you can--"

"No." I replied immediately, in as flat a tone as I could muster. Aiden seemed to deflate just a little at my hasty disapproval. Taking his abrupt silence as an affirmative to continue my diatribe regarding my turning down his request, I continued:

"I don't have time to watch over a kid right now, so if you will excuse me, I still have a lot to d--"

"Really, now, Cashile?" He said bitingly, dark eyes slightly narrowed at my incoherent excuse. "You've been, what, banned from training due to that incident with the spiders, you're bored out of your mind, and still you refuse to watch over my brother for only a few days?"

My brows immediately furrowed at his icy words. "My actions are none of your concern. That aside," I placed a hand on my hip, cocking my head slightly to the side as I peered at his weary form - from his slumped shoulders, the shadows beneath his eyes, to the dull, nearly unfocused look of his darkly tinted irises. "You look like you're about to drop dead from exhaustion."

"'My actions are none of your concern.'" Aiden quoted bitterly, as he averted his gaze from mine. "Fine then, I'll leave the almighty Cashile Kuroki alone in her genius - after all, in solitude is where you're least alone."

For some inexplicable reason, I felt a twinge of guilt as I watched him walk away; a tiny, seemingly insignificant voice urging me to follow after his retreating figure, to accept his 'simple' request. However, a greater part of me - the logical part - denied such an atrocious plea. Caring was out of the question, after all.

And so I turned on my heel, slamming my door shut behind me; the vague echoes of Aiden's receding footsteps still haunting my brain.

- * -

"He.. Already.. left?" I asked in mild disbelief, earning a noncommittal grunt from the older man, still seated casually behind his desk - an aged newspaper in his wrinkled hands.

"That's what I told ya, didn't I, missy? A mighty fine hardworking lad that Alden--"

Irked, I cut in sharply: "Aiden. His name is Aiden, old geezer."

He ignored me, rudely continuing on as though I had never spoken in the first place. "-- is, really. Couldn't refuse my request - he'd gone and went on the job, yes sir."

I could barely feel my hands clench into tight fists. That moron-- That ignoramus. He left without telling me?
Why did I even care, anyway? He was of no use to me.

"Where did he go, exactly?"

The elder glanced up, a thoughtful frown passing through the ancient features, before smoothing out into sly smirk as his perceptive gaze roved over my tense figure. I immediately shot him a glare, as he spoke: "Worried for that boyfriend of yours, ain't ya now, little miss? Well, s'not like that lad will be gone for more than couple days' worth o' traveling.."

A massive amount of heat rushed up to my cheeks, painting my pale skin an unnatural shade of crimson. "He's-- he's not my 'boyfriend'!"

Chuckling, the old man - who I've now decided to mentally dub 'the imbecile' - waved off my indignant denial.

"Ah, no need to deny this now, young lady. Y'know, the two of you seem to be quite close, after all," The imbecile grinned smugly; the corners of his parched lips curled up into a knowing smirk, "More than friends, I imagi--"

"One more word. Just another word out of that lying tongue of yours and I won't hesitate to slit your throat." I hissed in his ear; the aerodynamically enhanced kunai blade poised at the elder's throat. The imbecile gulped; the wrinkled, aged skin barely brushing against the wickedly sharp edge.

"T-the Land of Waves," He croaked out, as I slowly released my grip. "Just a simple pick-up gig, y'know.. It ain't all that dangerous.." He yelped - in a rather undignified way - as I hopped off the desk (which groaned slightly in protest to my shifting of weight) and slipped my kunai back into my weapons pouch.

"How long?" I placed a hand on my hip, pretending to be quite unperturbed despite the rare flush of color tainting my cheeks due to the earlier comment.

"Wha..?" A near indistinct blur hurtled past the old man's face, nearly grazing his cheek. A senbon needle dug into the wall next to his gaping mouth, gleaming in the dim light of the room.

"How long has it been since Aiden left for the Land of Waves?"

"T-two hours.. A bi' more 'til three.."

"And his little brother? What about Aisa?"

"Still in the Academy, I think.."
Gritting my teeth, I spun on my heel, slamming the ancient door open and sweeping out of the room.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

-*-

"Is he--" I panted, bracing a hand against the doorframe to steady myself; inwardly cursing my low stamina. Evidently, I needed to start training again - and as soon as possible. "Is Aisa still here?"

Daikoku glanced up from his intense scrutiny of some random test paper or other, before furrowing his brows into a near-mildly bushy line. "Isn't Aiden supposed to b--"

"Where. Is. The. Kid?" I bit out, swiping a hand across my sweat-drenched brow. He - after a moment's hesitance - jerked a thumb in the direction of the very back of the classroom.

"Over there."

I followed his line of sight - towards a slumped over Aisa.

Head hung low, face buried in his arms with only his sleepy-looking eyes in view (and were half shadowed by his dark hair) he looked like he'd just woken up from a nap.

Sighing deeply, I headed over; sandals scraping the splintered wooden floor beneath my feet, creaking slightly everywhere I stepped.

"Aisa," I called, shaking the kid by the arm with a hand - the other placed in my hip. "Come on; it's nearly past lunch."

"Hm..?" He sat up slowly, blinking the sleep from his eyes; yawning hugely. "Nii-san...?"

I huffed indignantly at his ambiguous statement. Sure, he was half-asleep, but still; did I really sound like a guy to him?

"It's Cashile, Aisa," I pulled him up to his feet; letting him stagger for a moment, before steadying him as he attempts to tackle me.

"Now hurry up; you don't want Naruto to eat up all the ramen now, do you?"

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This is part one of @KhristynZoeBas 'a one shot containing Cashile and Aiden. Great work! I love it!

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