Debt [Kakuzu]

Payment #4

Debt

Payment #4

-

Kakuzu and Shota stared at each other. The latter was glaring at the former, who stared with an expression of irritation.

What the hell is with this guy? He's been glaring at me the whole time I've been here...Kakuzu frowned. "What the hell's your problem?"

"Cut it out, you two!" Nao nearly threw the basket of vegetables at their heads. "Shota! You prepare the food with Kaede! Kakuzu, you restock the dry herbs!" Nao ordered. "I'll be out on another errand again, so I won't be back till nightfall." With that, she stepped out of the house.

Shota frowned, taking out his dagger to polish. He stared at the closed door with a raised brow, "I wonder what she's in a hurry for." He completely ignored Kakuzu.

"I think her mother might be sick?" Kaede suggested. "She has been going frequently. She's only like this when other people are sick!"

Shota stared at his little brother, before nodding his head and grinning. He ruffled his blonde locks. "Yeah! Definitely. Hopefully her mother's alright."

Kakuzu silently stepped out of the room. He found the room stocked with dry herbs and immediately started sorting through the new batch that had arrived.

Stupid woman making me do stupid things...

-

Kakuzu was finally finished. He jumped down from the ladder and felt the ground go soft.

Huh. It really is a cushioned landing, he thought. He glanced at the clock. It was near dinner time. His brows furrowed. It isn't time yet.

Having nothing to do, the rogue sauntered to the kitchen whilst his stomach growled for food.

"Kakuzu Nii-san, sit down! We'll be finished soon!" Kaede grinned at him when he came him. The older one just gave him a curt nod. From the side of his eye, Shota had shot him a funny look.

Kakuzu didn't care at all. He wandered over and sat down, resting his cheek on his hand. He burned holes into the backs of the brothers, observing them as they did their work.

"W-what are you looking at?!" Shota, who had been on edge the whole time, spun around and snapped.

Kakuzu raised a brow at the man's behaviour but payed it no heed. He had something on his mind, so he wanted to get to the point straight away. "You mentioned Nao didn't take payments," He started. Kaede glanced over from tasting the soup and nodded. Shota's brow shot up and his lips curled downwards into a thoughtful frown. "If she took payment, how much?"

Kaede blinked in surprise, glancing at his blood brother before at the older man in front of him. Shota shrugged, not knowing anything. He went back to stirring the soup and tasting.

Kaede held up his fingers and counted in his head, eyes staring up at the ceiling in concentration. Once he had counted his fingers, he looked back at Kakuzu, who listened expectantly.

"For taking the poison out of your system – a special poison which is quite rare, healing your injuries, supplying herbal soups and ointments...it would be quite expensive if you went to a normal hospital." The child scratched the side of his cheek gently. "The amount is about..." Kaede's voice dropped into a whisper so only they could hear.

Shota and Kakuzu's eyes bulged out of their heads when they heard, "THAT MUCH?!"

Kaede jumped at the sound of their exclamations but nodded his head, "Y-yeah. The bulk of the cost is mainly the soup and ointments due to the herbs, but for Kakuzu Nii-san's case, the poison extracted was a special poison so there was extra care for you." He explained.