𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑪𝒀𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑩𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑰𝑶𝑵 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

The Test ~ Age 10

His head throbbed.

That was the first thing he noticed as the alarm blared next to the bed.

It wasn't all that surprising. He had cried like a little kid the night before.

His throat constricted.

Yesterday's memories flashed through his mind.

Minato's words resounded inside his head.

His fingers twitched.

The covers beneath his hands scrunched up as his knuckles turned white.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. Yesterday was yesterday. Today was today. Even though he told himself that, it didn't do much to help him.

They hurt. Minato's words. They hurt.

There was a reason he told him something like that. There's no way he just decided to do it.

But why? Why would he tell him that?

He asked himself even though he knew the answer.

Kakashi.

He told him that because of Kakashi. Did Minato think Aizen was too harsh on Kakashi? Did he think Aizen didn't understand how the boy was feeling? Well... After yesterday, Aizen could understand a part of it.

Even so, there was no need for Kakashi to act as he had acted. There was no need for him to push Aizen away.

"If I was the one to take my own life."

"If I was the one to leave you all alone."

"And if you were the one to find me."

The words flashed through his head and his breathing stopped.

Had... Had Kakashi found his father? Minato never told him that.

Was Kakashi the first one to see his body? Minato never told him that.

He was the one who reported his own father's death.

Bright eyes clenched shut as dread filled him.

_

As he walked through the dimly lit hallway, one which led to the kitchen, a crash resounded through the house and he stopped once he heard a sigh. After a few moments, he crept up around the corner to peek into the kitchen.

Crouching near a table was Minato. The man was picking up pieces of a broken plate.

But, what caught Aizen's attention was the expression he wore.

He looked tired. Like he hadn't slept last night. Even his movements were sluggish.

Aizen was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Minato wince. He glanced at him and red immediately filled his vision. Minato had cut his palm open and was pressing onto the wound with his other hand. It didn't work and the blood just slipped through his fingers. Aizen hurried to his side without a second thought and grabbed a nearby dishcloth on his way.

Not meeting Minato's eyes, Aizen turned his cut open palm upwards and pressed the cloth onto it. Another wince was heard, but Aizen didn't dare to raise his head.

"Aizen-" The man said his name and that was the only thing he got to say.

"Don't," Aizen interrupted him, "I don't want to talk with you right now."

"I understand." Hearing the way he said those words, Aizen peered up at him. Minato had turned his head away and was looking off to the side as he bit his lip. He looked like he was in pain.