Behind the Mask

Chapter 3

"Just how many people am I going to run into tonight?" Shikaku sighed with irritation. He had been stopped by multiple people for idle conversation and just wanted to walk with no disruptions, was that so much to ask? Yes, apparently, because he had even caught sight of a shinobi who he was tracking. Genma Shiranui. He needed a report done, and the lazy man was off fooling around with women. The irresponsible shinobi had gotten an earful and was sent to do the report that was due a week prior. Genma must have been hanging around Kakashi too much at the bars, the masked man must have been influencing him. Shikaku scratched his chin in annoyance.

I could go for a bottle of saké right now. The man sighed again for the umpteenth time that evening when something caught his eye.

He paused in his stride and blinked in confusion.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar boy run passed him through the crowd. His brow furrowed. That was odd—he had just walked him home no more than twenty minutes ago. The child turned into a deserted side street that he was passing by. Shikaku took note that no one else noticed and followed.

Kuroko leaned against the backstreet's wall to rest for a moment. He was panting, breath visible from the cold night air and was shaking. He went to move his mask, and that's when Shikaku saw it, the wrappings on his arm were all bloody.

He cautiously approached the child. He looked like he was getting up from the wall, his back was turned, and he was adjusting his mask. Kuroko didn't even hear Shikaku approach behind him.

"Kuroko."

At the sudden stern voice, Kuroko flinched and whirled around in surprise. His mask fell with a clatter and hands hurried to cover his head. Kuroko paled, his shocking cyan eyes widening in fright, and his mouth moved to form words, but nothing came out.

Shikaku couldn't really comprehend it—that what he felt earlier were cat ears. He tried to stay calm as Kuroko would most likely pick up on his confusion and misunderstand.

"You need medical attention."

At those words, Kuroko flinched, and his eyes shot up to Shikaku's as if he was begging him not to. Shikaku saw him bite his lip in unease, a pointed canine almost drawing blood. It made sense now, that was why his teeth were pointed. His eyes were also just like a cat's, he noticed that when he shifted and the street light cast over Kuroko. His pupils were wide and dilated before constricting into slits with the change in lighting.

Kuroko shifted, finally lowering his hands down from his head. His ears rose up from being pressed down by his hands, and his tail unwrapped from his torso. Kuroko turned to him with cold, empty eyes, the bright cyan turning to ice with the expression he wore.

A dry laugh came out, completely void of any humour. Taking a breath in, he sighed, "I'm a freak, aren't I?"

The man in front of him could barely conceal a shudder. Kuroko's voice sounded so cold, so... empty. No child should experience what he thought what Kuroko was feeling, what he could only imagine what he had gone through. Shikaku reached into his ninja pouch for some bandages. Kuroko flinched and tensed at the action.

"Will you turn on me too?"

"No." Some light returned to Kuroko's eyes at the words, and before Shikaku knew it, they hardened again.

He didn't believe him.

"Lies!" Kuroko shouted, hissing aggressively in defence. His volume lowered, and Shikaku could feel his heart tearing at the broken sound of his voice, "You all..." he was shaking, "tell lies!" and tears burned his eyes.