This is Bullshit

Chapter 3 - Blank

I don't know if this is actually what a therapist would do, but I tried okay?

Goto needed to get Kakashi to calm down, or he might hurt himself. So he stopped asking questions and sat on the couch. He put his hands on his lap so Kakashi could see them and began to talk. Random facts at first, about hurricanes, elementary school, convenience stores, then he moved onto things Kakashi was interested in. Namely medical school. He knew Kakashi had been doing a lot of studying on a variety of subjects, and medicine was one of them.

Goto had gone to med. school for a few years before he realized he wanted to be a therapist, so he could speak about his experiences.

Kakashi eventually sat down and listened, his breathing evened out and he unclenched his, now bleeding, fists.

"Would you like some bandages?" Goto asked. Kakashi examined his palms with distaste.

"Yes sir." Goto didn't comment on Kakashi's reversion to a more polite title.

When the session ended Goto felt that he now understood Kakashi a little more, though it didn't go too well towards the end. Goto figured he should move off the topic of fathers and family in general, and wait until Kakashi brings it up on his own.

Kakashi had a lot of issues, some that Goto wasn't even aware of yet, but he wanted to help. Goto stopped to wonder when he'd gotten so invested in this case. But ultimately, he thought, it doesn't matter.

~~~

Kakashi cursed his loss of control on the ride home. He guessed that Goto had told Aizawa that there were a few problems, and to give him some space, and he was grateful for it.

Kakashi went over the conversation to pinpoint where and why he lost control. He thought he'd gotten over what happened to his father. 'I guess seeing your father drowning in his own blood will traumatize you. Who would've guessed?' He thought tiredly. 'I don't blame him though... do I?'

"Kakashi, take a nap." Aizawa suggested.

"I can't sleep during the day." He finished the thought in his mind. 'Unless my life depends on it.'

Aizawa sighed. "Okay, then go to bed early." Kakashi nodded. He did go to bed early, it's just falling asleep that's the problem. Aizawa, seemingly guessing what he was thinking, said, "We can get you sleep medicine if you want."

Kakashi thought about it. Aizawa seemed... sadder than usual? He'd said he received bad news earlier, but Kakashi didn't even consider it. Why was this bothering him so much?

Oh. That's what this was. Kakashi cared. He cared and it was uncomfortable, but there was nothing he could do other than to suck it up and try his hardest not to lose what he had.

Kakashi cleared his throat, "Aizawa, are...." He tried not to stutter, he really did. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

Because I don't want you to die.

Because I care.

Because you helped me.

"Because you seem... different?" I'm worried.

BNHA manga spoilers ahead. BEEP BEEP. BEEP.

"A friend of mine... we thought he was gone, but turns out he isn't." Kakashi almost laughed. The parallels between his life and Aizawa's were so great it astounded him.

"Oh. He's a villain?"

"Sometimes you're too smart." Aizawa smiled, but there was tightness in his cheeks, and tiredness behind his eyes. The smile was so fake it hurt to look at, so he didn't.

"Is there any chance of bringing him back?" Kakashi asked.

"I... don't think so. Not this time." Aizawa looked back at the road and they drove in silence.

Spoilers begone!

When they reached home, Hizashi was there and gave Aizawa a nod of understanding.

In a way, they reminded Kakashi of him and Gai. He'd been pushing the thoughts of Konoha away from his mind for quite a while, choosing to think about it only when he was alone, which seemed to be rare nowadays.

There was a strange feeling of protectiveness bubbling up inside him. It was different from what he felt around his team, less... parental more... worried child.

Which was ridiculous. He was a grown man!

But he wasn't.

He was a shinobi.

But he wasn't.

He was a coldhearted killer.

But he wasn't.

But he was.

Some things never change.

~~~

Shukaku wandered through the streets looking for somewhere he could slaughter- teach some humans about true strength.

He pushed the door open and entered a bar with a ring in the center. A woman in a tight skirt and an even tighter blouse walked up to him. Her top two buttons were undone, and her heels looked like stilts.

"How may I help you, sir?" She purred. He just smirked, and walked up to the counter. The woman didn't seem to mind his attitude, and moved on to another customer.

He noted that there was a boy sitting next to him, late teens early twenties, large coat and scars all over the visible parts of his arms. Something about the boy reminded him of Gaara.

"You new?" The boy asked.

"Do I look new?" He retorted.

"No, but I haven't seen you around. I'm here pretty much every day."

"Oh?" Shukaku ordered some sort of alcoholic drink.

"Yep." The boy turned to face him and revealed his heavily scarred face. "You look like you're looking for a fight. I've fought everyone in this bar, so what do you say?"

Shukaku liked the kid immediately. "Sure." He downed his drink and the two of them moved to the arena.