Metallic Wings (Kakanaru)

Chapter 4: Failed Acknowledgement

Turning away, embarrassed beyond repair, Naruto sniffed quietly willing his tears to stop pouring down his face. Inu having brought the bandages set himself to work by placing a sterile cotton pad over Naruto's pale throat. Gruesome cardinal lines arched exquisitely across his skin, standing out perversely against his pale skin. Ever since the surgery at the Hokage's building Naruto's body had taken a healthy turn but soon abandoned the route and whitened to a ghastly grey. All signs of recovery had been forgotten and instead the boy's body once again clambered into a sickly skin tone. Inu tugged firmly on the bandage around the young boys neck and waited for conformation on tightness.

Still looking away Naruto wiped his tears, having finally stopped the stream of water curving down his cheeks. Inu warm hands brushing against his skin in feathery touches making Naruto cringe at ticklish sensation, completely foreign to him. He never let anyone touch him, intimately or not. The only time he has been touched is when others savagely breached his personal space. But he allowed Inu's hands to roam his neck. Dreading the moment he will be cornered only to be broken more.

Stubbornly he did not turn to Inu having found a new interest in the room's wall, vacant of any decorations.

"Uzumaki-san, turn to me." Inu had ordered, his voice firm but not harsh. Naruto risked a glance at Inu's simple mask only to return to his peculiar hobby. This wall. So beautifully bare... Naruto's mind wondered idiotically, with a foreign hollow psychopathic laugh echoing loudly in his mind, having been used to the noise he adopted the twisted logic. The young boy also giggled along, feeling comfort in the crackling of both their voices finding something humorous in something Naruto's foolish stubborn attitude. Inu could see Naruto's eyes dilate as the young boy swam in his deep thoughts. Not having the time to perform everything with precision, Inu clipped the bandage with a small iron pin.

"Uzumaki-san we are leaving." Inu calmly informed grabbing his house keys and some tacky notes folded together. Not waiting for an answer Inu placed his hand on Naruto's hair, shaggy and damp from the steamy bath. Electricity once again crackled in the, randomly surging around the two males.

The surrounds spun quickly. Naruto's second journey, by this type of transport, was less nauseating than the first but still his stomach grumbled with displeasure. The place was large with a high ceiling. All the walls were painted a grey, having no windows but small railed vents for air to enter from the outside. At the far end was a large rectangular port hole where a female attendant stood, on the other side, in a chef's apron. The rest of the room was occupied by lengthy benches. The atmosphere was light, as the room was quiet and nearly empty, with the odd person- in mask of course- eating food.

Inu pointed to a bench and settled Naruto into a chair. The man made his way to the counter where the attendant stood. Naruto watched the interaction intensely. The female flushed at while Inu's monotonous smoky voice filled the silence. She rushed behind the counter and returned with a shy smile, politely telling Inu to wait for his meal to be prepared. Something unnerved Naruto about the way the woman eyed in awe at Inu retreating figure. So Inu-san is also admired by others the boy let his thoughts stray in hope of not having to converse too much with his temporary guardian. Glancing around he caught a Usagi (Rabbit) masked woman- telling by the subtle curves of her hips-, Naruto continued to gawk at the holes in the mask. A rumble of amusement laughs erupted in his head, Naruto internally wished for it to stop distracting him, after all he wasn't one to look away in shame.

Inu having returned to his companion strangely found the boy glaring somewhere else fiercely. Following his eye line he neutrally welcomed the sight of his previous colleague. Placing himself in front of Naruto pulling him back to reality. The boy could only stare quizzically.