Chapter Four: Brotherly Love

May 12-May 15

Monday, 4:44

"Come on, Akeno," Raidou muttered, hands in his pockets as he waited impatiently for his little brother.

He'd spent the weekend on missions; the last one had been a bastard of a job, and he'd been paired with Michio. Michio hadn't done or said anything incriminating, much to Raidou's frustration.

Maybe everyone was overreacting. Maybe the man was just a normal guy. Hell of a ninja, that was certain.

"Akeno!"

"Coming, Aniki!" Akeno shouted back.

Raidou glanced up, Iruka catching his eye. The preteen stood under a tree with the rest of his Genin team, talking animatedly. He turned quickly and nearly ran into the trunk, and the other two laughed. He grinned happily.

Maybe Raidou was totally wrong about everything. That didn't seem like a kid who was being molested. That seemed like a kid who was enjoying himself, entertaining his teammates, acting like a normal twelve-year-old.

"Okay! All set!" Akeno announced, bouncing out of the classroom.

"Let's go, then," Raidou muttered. He was muscle sore, and there was a nasty gash along his arm that, while bandaged, still hurt. He'd be glad to get home--

He stopped for a moment as Michio appeared, calling out.

Iruka's smile dropped off his face, and then slowly came back as he waved at Michio. He picked up a satchel and started walking toward the big man.

Raidou frowned. There was probably nothing wrong. Nothing at all.

"Aniiiii-ki!" Akeno called, nearly vibrating in his impatience. "Let's go!"

"Yeah," Raidou murmured. "Right." He shook his head and walked after his little brother, trying to put Iruka out of his mind.

**

Monday, 5:14

Iruka balked at his parent's bedroom doorway. "I don't want to go in there," he said, planting both feet.

"Relax," Michio laughed, eyes too bright and breath smelling like liquor. "Your bed isn't big enough for both of us."

Iruka let himself be tugged into his parent's room, over toward the bed. "If you just got back from a mission," Iruka said, stalling. "Shouldn't you be going to the hospital?"

"I'm not hurt," Michio answered. He bent, kissing Iruka roughly.

He tasted like rice wine. Iruka pulled back. "You've been drinking?"

"It was a bad mission," Michio muttered, waving a hand dismissively. He grabbed Iruka's wrist and pulled, tugging him closer to the bed, sitting on the carefully made covers. He reached a hand up, wrapping it around the back of the boy's head and pulling him close.

Iruka nearly gagged as the man's tongue shoved into his mouth, and he had to remind himself that this was Michio, and Michio wouldn't hurt him. It was the only thing that kept him from panicking entirely. He felt a hand at his pants, tugging the button out of the hole, sliding underneath his underwear and fondling his wien--dick.

"I missed you," Michio whispered, the hand sliding down from Iruka's head and fisting in his shirt, pulling the boy closer.

Iruka tripped over Michio's foot, ending up almost sprawled in the man's lap. He felt a hand move down the back of his pants as he pushed himself up. A finger probed at his buttcrack.

"Michio--" he said, feeling the man's other arm wrap around his waist, holding him there. "Michio, wait. I don't want to--not in here--"

The finger hit his hole, and pushed.

Iruka yelped and yanked away, only to realize the bigger man had him trapped. Michio was a Jounin, one of the best, and Iruka was only a Genin.

Panic swamped him. He pushed harder, realized there was no give in the arms around him, and tried to twist free.

"Shhh, it's all right. Relax. I love you. Just relax," Michio whispered, breath reeking of alcohol, eyes red-rimmed.

Iruka twisted harder, felt fingers dig into his waist to try and keep him still, and he remembered the kunai he'd been practicing with earlier.

He grabbed it out of the pouch on his leg, stabbing toward Michio. It surprised the man into letting him go, and Iruka bolted across the room. He flattened himself against the wall, horrified at what he'd just done.

Michio stood. His expression was black, eyebrows beetling together. He walked forward slowly, and Iruka braced himself, though he couldn't quite gather the courage to raise the kunai again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as Michio got closer. "I didn't mean to. I panicked--"

Michio grabbed his wrist, twisting and squeezing, and Iruka cried out as he dropped the weapon. "This is why people don't like you," the man hissed.

Iruka shuddered. "I'm sorry!" he nearly shouted, bones grinding together in his wrist, sending shocks of pain up his arm. "I didn't mean to!"

Michio released him suddenly, letting him fall back against the wall. The man looked away, glaring at the floor. "Me too," he said finally. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Iruka rubbed his arm over his eyes, shaking. "It's okay," he said finally. "I just didn't expect--" he bit off the rest, not wanting to seem like a baby. Adults probably did stuff like this. He didn't want Michio to think he was a child. It had taken him long enough to use his mouth, and Michio hadn't pushed at all. It had tasted gross, but Michio hadn't even gotten angry when Iruka threw up on the couch, after.

"If you want to touch me there," Iruka said haltingly, still shaking, "you can."

Michio looked at him again. The man's eyes would only mostly focus, the pupils large and dilated. His skin seemed too big, and slack.

Iruka tried to ignore it. He looked at his feet, and kept his eyes focused there even when Michio came back over, bending down to kiss him and sliding his hands back down Iruka's pants.

That finger went there again, pushing hard against his hole. Michio went slow at first, but then his kisses got rougher, grinding Iruka up against the wall, while his finger moved and shifted, trying to push inside.

Iruka couldn't breathe with Michio kissing him that much, but every time he pulled his head away Michio just followed. The man was groaning, rubbing up against Iruka, his dick hard and poking into the boy's stomach.

It would be okay. Michio wouldn't hurt him. He whimpered as the finger pushed in slightly, finally finding the right place.

Michio wouldn't hurt him. Michio loved him. It would be all right. Everything would be fine. Iruka closed his eyes tightly and tried to put his hands on the man's waist, trying to both pet and slow him down somehow. This wasn't right. It was too fast, and scary, and Michio was drunk--

The doorbell rang.

Michio pulled back, looking angrily at the bedroom door. When everything remained silent, he came forward again.

The doorbell rang once more.

Iruka swallowed, slipping sideways. "I need to answer that," he whispered.

Michio let him go grudgingly.

Iruka edged out of his parent's bedroom, stopping briefly in the bathroom to straighten his clothes and make sure he didn't look like he'd been doing what he'd been doing. Then he hurried for the front door.

He fumbled with the lock, hoping the person wasn't gone yet, finally yanking open the door.

He frowned. Akeno's older brother stood there, hands in his pockets, looking vaguely uncertain and uncomfortable. The man's eyes narrowed as he peered at Iruka, and Iruka rubbed his mouth self-consciously.

"I just wanted--" Raidou started slowly, but then his eyes flickered up and beyond Iruka. He hesitated.

Iruka turned. Michio stood in the hall, arms crossed over his chest.

"I just wanted," Raidou started again, gaze slowly returning to Iruka, "to know if we were still going to practice your ninjutsus today."

Iruka looked at him, confused. The man had obviously lost his mind. He barely knew Raidou, and had said maybe three sentences to him over the last year.

Raidou was staring at him so hard it looked like he was trying to pass on a secret message.

Iruka started to say no, he didn't know anything about a practice. Then he realized that if he just agreed, it would get him out of the house. Away from--out of the house.

Michio loved him. It wasn't his fault he was drunk.

"Ah, yeah," Iruka said, glancing back over his shoulder. "I forgot about that. Um, Michio? I told Raidou I'd practice. Maybe we could--"

"Go," Michio said.

Iruka flinched.

The man was obviously angry. Still, Michio offered a strained smile. "I'll see you later."

Iruka nodded, and quickly grabbed his shoes.

**

Monday, 5:34

They ran for ten minutes, across rooftops, through the park, out to the village walls.

They ran because Raidou was still trying to digest what he'd just seen. A twelve-year-old opening the door, mouth swollen and bruised-looking, a handprint clear around his wrist. A man coming out of the back of the house, still hard despite the fact that his pants were done up.

Both of them had rumpled clothes. The boy looked like he was ready to start crying, and Michio reeked of alcohol.

Raidou stopped finally, the preteen coming to a halt next to him, breathing heavily.

They sat on the edge of the wall, looking out over the village.

"Are you okay?" Raidou asked quietly.

"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be okay?" Iruka snapped, the words too fast and highly defensive.

"I just--he didn't . . . do anything?" Raidou couldn't look at the kid. Intellectually, he knew this was harder for Iruka than him. Emotionally, it didn't seem to matter.

"Of course he didn't do anything," the boy snarled. "What would he do? Michio's my friend."

His friend. Raidou frowned at his hands.

"Why'd you come over, anyway?"

Raidou sighed and glared up at the setting sun, not sure himself how to explain it. He suspected the brat would explode if Raidou admitted he'd come over because he couldn't shake the feeling that Michio was a child molester. That he'd thought about it, despite trying not to, the entire time he was walking Akeno home. "I don't know," he said finally.

They sat in silence for a while.

"I should go," Iruka said finally. "I have to meet my team early tomorrow morning."

Raidou nodded. The sun crept beyond the mountain range, spreading shadows like water flooding. "If you want, I could help you with your ninjutsus."

He could feel the boy peering at him. "Why?"

Raidou shrugged. "You want to make Chuunin, right? And we could use all the fighters we could get. Taro doesn't seem to know what to do with you." He looked sidelong at the preteen.

"Taro and I don't get along so well," Iruka admitted slowly. "He thinks I'm a drop-out."

Raidou winced. "Probably not."

Iruka rolled his eyes.

"He's probably just frustrated because you spend more time pulling pranks and goofing off than you do practicing."

Iruka only shrugged. He stared down at his feet.

Raidou sat silently. His eyes wandered, lingering on the bruise forming on Iruka's wrist. It was obviously a handprint. Big one, too. "Michio did that?"

Iruka snapped it away, tucking it under his armpit. "It was an accident."

Raidou nodded. He wasn't going to get anything out of the kid right now. Maybe, though, if he just hung around long enough . . . maybe he could do something. "So--ninjutsus?" he offered again.

Iruka looked at him sidelong, then shrugged with just one shoulder. "Sure."

"We could start now," Raidou suggested. He didn't want Michio to be there when they got back; the more time they spent here, the more likely it would be that the man would leave.

"I guess," Iruka said slowly. "I mean, yeah. Okay."

Raidou nodded and stood, pushing himself on to his feet. "Okay. Let me see your shadow technique."

**

Tuesday, 3:29

He watched the little group straggle in, muddy and tired. Taro was whistling.

Raidou grinned, safely hidden in his tree. Sometimes, having a Genin team looked like fun. Most of the time, he was glad he'd opted not to have one, but moments like these, when Taro looked utterly pleased with the world, he thought maybe it could be entertaining.

The little Genins--Iruka among them--trudged past him without looking up. Taro hesitated under the tree, told them they were done for the day, and watched until they walked out of sight. Then he turned and looked at Raidou.

Raidou smiled and waved, sliding down off his perch and landing crouched.

"What's going on?" Taro asked warily.

Raidou glanced the way the children had gone, but the path was clear. "I'd like you to do something for me," he said finally.

Taro waited.

"I'd like you to find a way to get Iruka into the hospital."

Taro frowned. "You mean, hurt him?"

"No, no," Raidou said quickly. "Just for a check-up."

Taro still looked confused, but he nodded. "Sure. I'll just tell the team it's time for a physical. What are the medics looking for?"

Raidou hesitated. He wasn't sure he wanted to say anything; didn't want rumours to start spreading. But it could only help that Taro would know. "I think someone might be molesting him."

Taro's eyebrows rose. When Raidou remained silent, not wanting to name names, the other ninja just nodded. "All right. I'll let you know."

Raidou breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks."

**

Wednesday, 5:15

"I have the strangest physical ever today," Iruka muttered, his cheeks already starting to heat.

Mizuki glanced up from where he was wrapping gauze around a slash on his leg. "Oh?"

Iruka felt his blush deepen, and didn't dare look in the bathroom mirror.

Mizuki smirked. "What? Nurse blow you or something?"

"Mizuki!" Iruka said, laughing in disbelief. "I can't believe you just said that!"

Mizuki grinned and shrugged. "So, what happened?"

Iruka's smile faded. He squirmed. "They did all the normal things, right? But then they swabbed my mouth--the nurse said it was something for a disease or something . . . then they checked my butt . . . " he tapered off, gaze caught by Mizuki's horror. "What?"

Mizuki dropped the gauze, walked past Iruka, then glanced out the bathroom door before slamming it closed. He whipped around, eyes hard, fingers wrapping around Iruka's arm. He stepped into the smaller boy, squeezing painfully. "Who did you tell?"

"What?" Iruka said, cringing. "Mizuki, that hurts--"

"Who did you tell that you were fucking my dad?" Mizuki hissed, leaning in until they were nose to nose.

Iruka paled. "No one," he said softly. "No one," again, louder. He yanked his arm free, rubbing where the skin had turned red. "You, Mizuki. No one else. I swear. What's wrong?"

Mizuki stared hard at him for a moment, and then slowly relaxed. He sagged back against the wall, watching his feet. "That's a rape test, Iruka. They're checking to see if--if--you have semen in your mouth or up--geez, when was the last time you guys did anything?"

Iruka shook his head. "I don't know. I--how could they tell that, though? I mean--"

"They can test for chakra residue," Mizuki said miserably. "Iruka, if they find out--you're going to be in such big trouble. My dad's important, Iruka, and if they think you've turned him into a pervert--"

Iruka shook his head, panic gripping his heart. "No--no--he's been on a mission, and we haven't--I mean, I've brushed my teeth and everything, there shouldn't be any--"

"Fuck. Fuck," Mizuki hissed. "Gods, you're so stupid sometimes!"

Iruka flinched. "How was I supposed to know what that was?" he shouted, anger and shame warring.

"All right, all right, think," Mizuki said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Think. When was the last time you had sex?"

"I--I don't--"

"Think!"

Iruka closed his eyes, digging his palms into his sockets. This was important. He had to remember. They would never let him be a ninja. Never let him do anything, because he'd turned Michio into a pervert. By the death god that had taken the Fourth, he had to remember.

"Maybe Friday. He was on missions all weekend and Monday--well, nevermind. And he left on another mission yesterday." Iruka looked up, hopeful. "That's five days. There wouldn't be any chakra left, would there?"

Mizuki was gnawing on his lip. "No," he said slowly. "No, I don't think so."

Iruka sagged in relief, letting the counter take his weight. "I didn't know," he said, quietly.

"Yeah. Sorry. I shouldn't have . . . there's not really any reason you would know . . ." Mizuki said after a little while.

They stood in silence. "What do I do next time?"

Mizuki shrugged. "Tell them you know what they're doing, and to cut it out, maybe? I don?Äôt know. Start brushing your teeth really well. Figure out who tattled, and don't be so obvious anymore."

Iruka nodded. "Okay."

**

Thursday, 4:44

Raidou caught sight of Taro's team returning from a mission and paused, catching the man's eye, eyebrows raised.

The Jounin leaned against the school fence and shook his head silently.

Raidou couldn't decide if he was upset that nothing had been found, or glad for the kid. Maybe nothing had happened.

Yet.

He'd spoken to his mother about his fears, thinking maybe he was overreacting, and she told him he'd done the right thing. His mouth quirked up wryly at the corner. Twenty-two, and he still needed parental advice.

She'd also suggested he talk to the kid. If Iruka was falling prey to a child molester, it was possible he was seeking attention. That made sense, with everything else Raidou knew about the boy--a remarkable amount, these days.

"Akeno," Raidou said, glancing down at his little brother. "You want to go get ice cream?"

Akeno jumped up, pumping one fist triumphantly. "YEAH!"

"Why don't you go ask Iruka if he wants to come, too?" Raidou suggested.

Akeno glanced over at the Genin. "Do I have to?"

"No. I could do it."

Akeno sighed and trudged over to where Iruka was packing the things he'd left in a locker. Most Genin used them; at the end of their missions, they could just return here, meet with friends, get their things and head home.

Raidou always thought that being a Genin was just like being back in school. He'd felt gypped, at the time.

Akeno muttered something to Iruka, who glanced up. Raidou smiled quickly. "My treat," he said loudly.

The boy hesitated, then shrugged nonchalantly and followed Akeno out into the sunlit yard.

He looked up at Raidou suspiciously. "What's this about?" he asked.

Raidou smiled, shrugging off the boy's unspoken accusations. "Just thought you might like ice cream. Also, I was thinking we might get together again. Work on your ninjutsus." He mentally praised himself for thinking of that last bit.

"Yeah . . . okay," Iruka said slowly. "Why?"

Raidou scratched the back of his head, ruffling brown hair into a mess. "Well, just because I thought you could use the help." He cringed. "I mean, not that you're bad or anything, but. . . uh . . . you and Taro don't get along all that well . . . "

"Yeah," Iruka muttered. "That's true."

Raidou breathed a sigh of relief, and then felt guilty for it. "So . . .you want to start meeting after your missions?" he asked finally.

Iruka nodded, glancing sidelong at him. "Okay. If you have time."

Raidou smiled. "I have time."