The Frailty of Genius (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twelve ~ Epiphany

"Inside, now. You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady. You've been missing for three days, what have you got to say for yourself?!" Kakashi rebuked, eye glaring and a vein popping just above his mask.

I didn't flinch. Instead, I analyzed the situation an less than a second later explained, bored, "You're not really angry at me. You are more than capable and have the abilities to track me down but instead you chose to let me be, assuming that I'd find my own way back when I was 'ready'. Well, here I am, and now you're trying to cow me through anger and scolding, which, by the way, isn't working. Tch. I haven't lost all of my touch, Kakashi."

"You're wrong: I am pissed off. Who is this boy you brought with you? I was expecting you to run off, find your way, and realize your stupidity, not hook up with some boy off the streets that will give you drugs."

I felt Aiden tense up behind me. He was probably wondering how Kakashi could tell he was a street boy involved with drugs, and hated that Kakashi judged him immediately by it. Not to mention he expected me to be extremely irritated over the "hook up" comment. I shrugged, leaned over, and exaggeratedly whispered to him, "He's smarter than he looks."

And Kakashi looked pretty damn clever.

I sighed in boredom. " Save it Kakashi, I got my fill of lecture for the day. I'm going upstairs to take a nap."

"You're not going anywhere until you enlighten me on where you've been the past three days."

"With me, sir," Aiden finally spoke up.

"Yes, I can assume," Kakashi snapped, giving Aiden a dry look.

"Cashile, I thought Sakura was the one I had to worry about with boys, not you," Kakashi sighed, dishing out a disappointed look.

The look was supposed to make me feel guilty, but I couldn't even if I tried. I mean, was I supposed to know how to feel guilty over something like this? I did nothing wrong. Relatively speaking, of course.

"Sir, with all due respect, you don't understand."

Huh, who knew Aiden had a polite side. I could tell what he wanted to say was, "You don't know what the hell you're talking about, you're welcome for returning your subordinate drug free, now shove off."

He continued, "Yes, I found Cashile on the streets, almost dead of an overdose, but I took care of it. And in return she saved my brother's life and I couldn't be more grateful. In the three days she was absent here, she's been staying with me and my little brother, sobering up."

"Handcuffed to a freaking counter, might I add," I muttered grudgingly.

Kakashi took a moment to process Aiden's story before raising an eyebrow. "I think I'm starting to like you. What's your name, kid?" He asked.

"Aiden."

"Well, thank you for bringing Cashile back, Aiden," he finally said.

I yawned, ready to quit this discussion. "Well, if that's all.. I'll be going up to bed now. Bye Aiden, nice knowing you, had a blast," I muttered sarcastically, forcing myself to walk forward, trying to get around Kakashi. Immediately, a wave of dizziness wrapped around my head, my eyesight momentarily dimming as I swayed slightly.

"Easy, the drugs haven't worn off completely yet," Aiden warned, reaching an arm out to support my weight.

I narrowed my eyes at him, jerking away and ignoring how my knees wanted to buckle beneath me; I was done needing help.

"Thank you," I ground out rudely. "You can leave now. I know Aisa will be waiting for you. It's wrong to leave your little brother alone."

Aiden frowned, upset. He could tell I was manipulating him; it was so painfully obvious because I was on drugs, but at this point I just wanted him gone. He'd done enough to disrupt the internal processes of my mind.