5 Chapter IV - Protect|Danger

The sky turned orange as the hours passed and the temperature lowered. A blue-haired boy and a snake with beautiful white scales stared at each other, from time to time inhuman hisses could be heard from the boy's mouth which was followed by those of the snake. They have been like this for hours, and the child didn't see the time pass until the air around him started to chill.

"Oh, shit" he muttered in a childish voice as he stared up at the sky. He jumped off the rock as he patted the dirt out from his clothes then turned back to the snake, who stared back at him with eyes full confusion.

"§I mussst go§" he informed the snake sadly.

Kunie has been having a lot of fun with Kira those last hours, and even though he just meet the snake early in the morning, hours passed and it was already late, not having seen the time pass. The snake didn't look happy about it when he heard the boy saying those words.

"§Why you mussst go§?" he hissed unhappily at the boy, who started walking toward the bushes surrounding the area, back to the place in which the snake saw the hatchling for the first time.

"§I'm sssorry Kira§" Kunie apologizes to the snake "§I would like to ssstay with you, but my mother will not be happy if I get home after her§" he shuddered at the thought.

The Dursley's never hit him, limiting the abuse to food or the cupboard, even though Aiko didn't force him into a cupboard, she didn't hold on to slap him on the head or push him roughly. The snake didn't answer, and Kunie thought Kira got angry, so he just shook his head and then started walking back toward the bushes.

He tiptoed as he entered the bushes and pushed them out the way, his eyes trailing around for any hint to take him back to home. He couldn't help but worry as he remembers the reason for him finding the snake…he doesn't know the way back. His surroundings darkened as he advanced, walking randomly as he searches for any sign of houses. It didn't take long for him to give up as his childish feelings took over him and he started hiccupping, trying to force back his tears.

He jumped as he feels something cold touching his legs and staring down, he sees slit red eyes staring up at him, it seems Kira has been following him all this time.

"§Why are you sssad§" the snake hissed in confusion and Kunie blinks before he looks hopefully at the snake.

"§Do you know the way out the foressst toward where humansss live?§."

Kira tilted his head in thought as his forked tongue flicked out his mouth, some seconds passed before the snake nodded then turns around, sliding toward the north, opposite from where Kunie has been heading to. The toddler sighed in relief and started trotting after the snake.

Ten minutes later a snake came out some bushes, a small boy following after him with clothes full of dirt and holes. They walked into an empty road, not far from them, houses started appearing, and Kunie sighed in relief. Not just because he found the way back but because nobody was here…it would be weird to see a snake sliding out the bushes with a toddler behind him after all.

"§We are here§" the snake informed Kunie then tilted his head as he stared thoughtfully at the boy "§Do you mind taking me with you to your den?§."

Kunie who opened his mouth to thank him stared in surprise at the snake. The snake and he have been talking and bonding for hours, and he doesn't mind taking him back…the problem is what that woman will think and do if she sees him with a foot long snake after him.

"§I don't think my mother will like that§" he hissed uncertainly, but the snake wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Kira slides his body through the floor until he reaches Kunie's legs and without warning, he starts climbing the short limb, traveling around it until he reaches the waist area and slides around it, making himself comfortable as he lets his head on Kunie's shoulder, hidden under the baggy shirt.

Not even a trace of the snake could be seen.

"§Nobody will sssee me while I hide here§," the snake said as he rubbed his white head to Kunie's neck "§And if your mother happensss to find me, I will threaten her with my fangsss§."

Kunie wobbles because of the extra pounds on his small body, his hand reaching toward one of the trees as he tries to stabilize himself. When he heard the last words of Kira, he couldn't help but smile even if he knew that such a thing wouldn't end well…her screams would attract ninjas after all.

"§I don't think that it will be a good idea…§" he mutters with a chuckle then frowns "§What the hell do you eat? You are heavy!§."

Kira flicked his tongue at Kunie's ears who yelped and blushed, glaring at the snake who stared back proudly;

"§I am a worthy male§" the snake then lets his head back on Kunie's shoulder.

Kunie didn't really understand what the snake's weight and being a worthy male have to do with each other, in the end, he gave up in asking, and just sighs, walking toward where the houses are…it was going to be a long hour. Kira just cuddles Kunie as he takes in the human's body temperature, he could grow accustomed to this.

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It was late night when Kunie finally arrived near the apartment where they live, the streetlights illuminating his path toward it. He could see some ninjas staring down at him from the roof, wearing some shirts with a white and red fan…Miko told him in the past that they are the Konoha Military Police Force and that if he was ever in a problem, he should ask them for help.

He just waved at them with a smile then walked toward his door, when he turned around the men already disappeared… Were they making sure Kunie is alright?

He tilted his head but then shrugged, knocking at the door, suddenly remembering that Aiko will be angry, which makes him shudder…maybe he should have asked the men to stay sometime more. It seems Kira felt how nervous he was because his long body tightened slightly around him, as if assuring the boy that he was here.

He tilted his head but then shrugged, knocking at the door suddenly remembering that Aiko will be angry, which makes him shudder…maybe he should have asked the man to stay sometime more. It seems Kira felt how nervous he was because his long body tightened slightly around him, as if assuring the boy that he was here.

"§I am here…ssshe will never hurt you§" he assured the hatchling as his forked tongue sneaks once again toward his ear.

"§Ssstop it§," the boy told the snake helplessly when he felt the tongue on his ear…it was weird. Still, he gave a kiss on the snout of the snake as a thank, smiling thankfully at the snake, who hid once again under his shirt. Kunie never thought he would ever call a snake 'friend', if he were told in the past that he willould be a snake's friend, he would have hexed them.

It was while he was immersed in his thoughts that the door opened, the tall form of Aiko towering over him. Her eyes were cold as she stared down at him, still wearing some make-up meaning she came home recently.

"Where have you been!?" she hissed in a way that could compare her to a snake, the door opening wider as her hand moved to Kunie's back and forced him to step into the home, closing the door behind him with a 'clack.'

Her brown eyes stared down at him with something Kunie couldn't recognize. He just stared down at her feet submissively and muttered;

"I was playing in the forest."

He shuffled uncomfortably when silence invaded the room, the woman just staring at him disapprovingly;

"You…" she frowned before sighing and pinching the area between her eyes "Whatever…we have a guest."

Kunie blinked as he looked up then toward the table, seeing Miko waving at him with a smile. A smile appeared on his face, and he ran toward Miko with the intention of hugging her, but before he could take one step more, he was caught by Aiko;

For a second he worried Aiko found about Kira but instead, the words she let out surprised him;

"You're dirty" she turned him around "And you stink...look at your clothes, you destroyed them!"

Aiko took a breath to calm herself then went toward the sack near the door, taking out some new clothes and giving them to him;

"Today I earned some extra money, so I decided to buy you some new clothes" she threw them to him "Go clean yourself."

Kunie stared down at the new pair of clothes…they were both black in color and they didn't seem of high quality, but they were better than those he was wearing right now…his other clothes started to have some holes. He grins up at Aiko then waves at Miko before walking toward the small bathroom.

He entered into the small, square bathroom with wood walls and floor. The light is provided by a yellow wall lamp, the room is decorated with a small sink and an old bathtub. He let the clothes on the sink then took the ones he was wearing now, stepping on the bathtub then staring down at the snake, who refused to move;

"§You know…I need to clean myself§" he said amused as the snake refused to move even with him pushing.

"§Then clean yourssself with me§" the snake replied lazily as he climbed a little higher.

Kunie can just sigh then shake his head, making sure the water is warm before getting wet, taking some shampoo and cleansing his air. When he started washing his body with some odorless body lotion, the snake moved around his body to let him clean then took back his place.

Kira is really stubborn…but Kunie should have expected it since the start. The snake still insists he is a snake's hatchling in human skin.

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When Kunie walked out of the bathroom with red cheeks and new clothes, the first thing he did was run toward Miko and hugging her happily, the snake under his shirt hissing uncomfortably;

"MIKO!" he squeaked happily as he rubbed his cheeks against her, forgetting about the snake sticking to him. The woman chuckled then hugged back, her eyes staring at him in a pampering way as she caresses his head then pulls him on her lap, frowning then staring down at him strangely;

"It seems you've put on some weight" she muttered as her hand scratches Kunie's scalp, smiling not long after "So you were in the forest huh…did you have fun?"

Kunie's lips twitched when she commented about his weight, but his eyes brightened when he heard her question. He nodded excitedly like the child he is;

"Yes!" he answered then started explaining to him about the apple and how that squirrel appeared from nowhere, stealing the apple he worked so hard to get, his pout making him look adorable. Miko's eyes trailed toward Aiko who was cooking on the kitchen, if someone looked carefully they would see killing intent in her eyes before they went back to amusement, as if nothing happened.

"Oh…?" Miko hummed as she grinned proudly "It seems you will be a good ninja!" she exclaimed.

Kunie blinked up at her in confusion and Miko explained;

"You threw some rocks toward the apple and hit it…maybe one of those days you can learn to throw shurikens" she took out from somewhere on her body a star, giving it to Kunie who recognized it from the movies Dudley used to look.

"So this is a shuriken…" he muttered, poking at the points and hurting himself, a small drop of blood appearing.

"You shouldn't touch that" Miko said helplessly as she took back the shuriken.

Kunie let her take it back then blinked innocently up at Miko;

"Why do you think I will be a ninja?" he asked.

He never really thought about it before…the ninjas have something called chakra which resembles a lot the magic he had in his past life as a wizard. He already tried to use his magic, but he couldn't find it…instead, he found a weird energy, which he supposes is chakra. Compared to magic, the chakra seems to elude him each time he tries to experiment with it so in the end he just shrugged and decided to wait for someone to teach him.

"You see, ninja are powerful!" she told him boosting"They protect people and can do a lot of things…once they graduate they can even live alone!"

Kunie's eyes sharpened when she said the last part…he stared up on Miko's eyes. He knows she is not telling all of it…and the way she talked it was the words you would use to explain something to a child. Ninja isn't a good work; they kill, they rob…but they protect.

Kunie knows he is being manipulated into becoming a ninja, especially when she said the last part.

"But graduating doesn't mean you become an adult" Miko continued "You can't drink until you are an adult, understood?"

Kunie nodded, staring down at his hands in thought.

"So, what happened next?" Miko continued asking.

He smiled up at her then decided to think about the ninja matter later, he explained about how he found a 'friend,' not saying about that friend being a snake and letting suppose he is a human. Miko nodded proudly when she heard about him making a fire;

"I remember one time when I was at the academy, we went into the forest for three days in groups of five without adults. We had to survive alone and find out own food and water…" she grinned as she remembers those innocent days "There was a boy who got her food stolen by an animal, he ran after it then fell on the river…he was completely soaked!"

Kunie giggled as he imagines about it…seems he isn't the first to get robbed. They continued talking about Miko's days in the academy until Aiko finished cooking, serving them. It wasn't long before he ended eating and was sent back to his crib, Miko helping him to get in it;

"Good night, Kunie-chan!" she poked his nose then kissed his forehead before walking back to the table with Aiko.

Kunie yawned then put the blanket over him, letting his head fall on the pillow…it didn't take long before he fell asleep, the snake making his head fall on Kunie's chest being lulled by his breathing.

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Miko stared from the corner of her eyes as she saw Kunie sleeping. She wasn't stupid and knew perfectly that the little boy had a guest on his body but didn't say anything about it, it didn't matter human or animal if he gets a friend. Instead, she turned back to Aiko who opened her mouth;

"Did you find him?" she asked seriously "I mean, there aren't a lot of ninja with blue hair around, and you have been searching for him so…and maybe he will help-" the woman's now distinctly hopeful rambling was cut off by her 'friend.'

"I wouldn't get my hopes up." The blunt statement rings out, stopping Aiko in her tracks.

Slowly, Aiko's face morphs into an ugly scowl "Why?" she demands "If you found the person about who I'm talking about, why shouldn't I get my hopes up?" she growled "This is the best news to me in years, If I had talked with you about it sooner…"

"It wouldn't have changed anything" Miko coldly intercepts the ramblings as she looks darkly at Aiko "That man cannot and will not take the responsibility for Kunie, even if we could get hold of him, which we will not."

Silence.

Utter Silence.

"What the hell are you saying, Miko!?" Aiko screech out as rage boils underneath her skin, her cheeks turning red. Miko ignored her question as she glares at the woman;

"You will wake up Kunie!" she growls at Aiko.

Aiko grits her teeth;

"It's always about Kunie for you" she reproaches at the black haired woman.

Miko just stares at her without saying anything, finally shaking her head;

"I will not let you put Kunie in danger, I don't know how you got that man to jump into bed with you, but he couldn't have been fully conscious about what he was doing."

Aiko flinches as she hears those words, feeling insulted;

"Are you saying I am not beautiful enough?"

Miko rolled her eyes before she lets some killing intent out, directed toward Aiko;

"You will not contact that man, do you understand me, Aiko?" she asked the man, who nodded frightened as her legs gave up on her "Good, and if I hear you've been asking around for him and causing a scandal, I will make you regret it."

She took back the killing intent, slightly surprised when she sees red eyes monitoring her from the crib. She ignored it then stared back at Miko;

"I will leave now. And I warn you again: Do not put Kunie in danger or I assure you, money will be the least of your worries."

Aiko scrambled up to her feet, her limbs trembling. She sucks in a loud breath, probably to shout something but Miko beats her to it;

"Goodbye"

Meanwhile, a small toddler sleeps in his crib not knowing what happened around him. The snake just stared at Aiko who stood in the middle of the room, blood dripping down her chin as she bits hard into it, glaring at the place where Miko has been not long ago.