Go Home (Naruto FanFic)

IV - Tadaima?

No One

"You are the one to blame. It is your fault, after all, right?"

Kakashi's body started trembling at the words as voices began to rang in his head.

"Welcome home, Aniki! How is your day?"

"You're so cool, Aniki! When I grow up, I want to be like you!"

"Aniki? Are you okay? Why were you looking at me like that?"

"Daddy's home, Aniki! Come on, let's meet him!"

"Aniki... Why are you ignoring me?"

"Help! Help, Aniki! Daddy won't wake up! And he's bleeding!"

"No! I don't wanna go back there! I hate living there! Aniki, please tell them I can live with you! I don't want to stay in that orphanage!"

"... Please don't hate me... Aniki..."

Kakashi clenched his fists, as Kaeru continued crying.

"YOU LET THEM DO THIS TO ME!!!" He screamed, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his pale arm, covered with so many scars, "What did I ever do wrong?! WHAT'S MY FAULT THAT I DESERVED THIS?!"

"They expect me to be their perfect soldier... They tortured me for their own mistakes! They thought of me as a disposable tool... NO ONE HAS EVER THOUGHT OF ME AS A HUMAN!!"

"They turned me into a monster... Then they hurt me, they broke me! They tried to destroy me! They lock me up, treating me as an animal! And they wanted to kill me because I tried to protect myself!"

Kaeru leaned on the tree behind him, his nails scratched the trunk. He looked up, giving his brother a desperate look.

"Am I not allowed to wish for a normal life? Why did I have to go through all of that?! Kaeru knows he did many bad things, but he never wanted to. Kaeru-... Kaeru was scared, that's all."

"... I'm so sorry, Kaeru." Kakashi finally managed to say. However, it looks as if Kaeru had forgotten about his presence.

"Why does everyone hates Kaeru? Is Kaeru really that inhuman? Is it a bad thing if Kaeru wants to be free?" He whispered, his voice bitter as he wiped his tears.

The ANBU he shoved his hands in his pockets, and approached his crying brother. Kaeru eyed him warily, as Kakashi raised his hand above his head. He prepared himself for the hit,

...but it never came.

A gasp escaped Kaeru's lips as the gloved hand ruffled his soaked silver hair.

"Stop crying." His brother's voice told him, "Hatakes don't cry that easily. And besides, we are the two last of the clan. What will people say when they saw my little brother like this?"

Kaeru's eyes widened, but he clenched his fists. "... You said it yourself that I'm not your brother."

"I was stupid. I shouldn't have said that." Kakashi replied, as he lifted Kaeru's chin up, "Look at me. You are my little brother, Kaeru. I am your Aniki, and I will be here for you now."

The boy narrowed his eyes. "How do I know you are not lying?"

This brought a chuckle to the older Hatake.

"Mom used to ask me that all the time." He replied, and Kaeru's breath hitched at the mention of her. No one, not even his father, has ever talked about her.

"Now that I think about it, she's just like you. You got her looks. Her nose, her eyes... And the way you talk is similar to hers. We both got her stubbornness, sadly. But, we still have Dad's 'weird' hair, as how you used to call it."