When I'm Gone | Multi-shot [@Insomniac_Lullabies]

[When I'm Gone | Part 1: The Request]

[Music in the multimedia: "Outlines" by All Time Low. Picture in multimedia: Aiden.]

When I'm Gone | Multi-shot

[Part 1: The Request]

[Cashile Kuroki]

There were times when I couldn't understand human nature. True, it was naturally presumed to be quite complex - a network of pros and cons, reactions and actions, prognostications and musings all interspersed in a complex sequence within a single mind - yet this was on another level entirely.

"You want me to do.. What?" As though by instinct, my hand clenched into a fist, as I stared - rather uncharacteristically - at the dark-haired boy now practically impatient due to my aforementioned out of character response.

"I'll be gone for a few days - a week or so at most - and there's no one who can watch over Aisa while I'm out of Konoha except you. Think you can--"

"No." I replied immediately, in as flat a tone as I could muster. Aiden seemed to deflate just a little at my hasty disapproval. Taking his abrupt silence as an affirmative to continue my diatribe regarding my turning down his request, I continued:

"I don't have time to watch over a kid right now, so if you will excuse me, I still have a lot to d--"

"Really, now, Cashile?" He said bitingly, dark eyes slightly narrowed at my incoherent excuse. "You've been, what, banned from training due to that incident with the spiders, you're bored out of your mind, and still you refuse to watch over my brother for only a few days?"

My brows immediately furrowed at his icy words. "My actions are none of your concern. That aside," I placed a hand on my hip, cocking my head slightly to the side as I peered at his weary form - from his slumped shoulders, the shadows beneath his eyes, to the dull, nearly unfocused look of his darkly tinted irises. "You look like you're about to drop dead from exhaustion."

"'My actions are none of your concern.'" Aiden quoted bitterly, as he averted his gaze from mine. "Fine then, I'll leave the almighty Cashile Kuroki alone in her genius - after all, in solitude is where you're least alone."

For some inexplicable reason, I felt a twinge of guilt as I watched him walk away; a tiny, seemingly insignificant voice urging me to follow after his retreating figure, to accept his 'simple' request. However, a greater part of me - the logical part - denied such an atrocious plea. Caring was out of the question, after all.

And so I turned on my heel, slamming my door shut behind me; the vague echoes of Aiden's receding footsteps still haunting my brain.

::*::

"He.. Already.. left?" I asked in mild disbelief, earning a noncommittal grunt from the older man, still seated casually behind his desk - an aged newspaper in his wrinkled hands.

"That's what I told ya, didn't I, missy? A mighty fine hardworking lad that Alden--"

Irked, I cut in sharply: "Aiden. His name is Aiden, old geezer."

He ignored me, rudely continuing on as though I had never spoken in the first place. "-- is, really. Couldn't refuse my request - he'd gone and went on the job, yes sir."

I could barely feel my hands clench into tight fists. That moron-- That ignoramus. He left without telling me?

Why did I even care, anyway? He was of no use to me.

"Where did he go, exactly?"

The elder glanced up, a thoughtful frown passing through the ancient features, before smoothing out into sly smirk as his perceptive gaze roved over my tense figure. I immediately shot him a glare, as he spoke: "Worried for that boyfriend of yours, ain't ya now, little miss? Well, s'not like that lad will be gone for more than couple days' worth o' traveling.."