reasons to breathe (c)

Silence and the sound of rainfall reigned the space between Kiyoshi and his sister. So much space. A vague thought quietly drifted through his head at the thought of the space. "The distance to you was zero," it was a line he thought he'd read somewhere before. Probably from a romance novel, wherever the hell that came from.

If the space between you and I were to become zero... What would happen then? He toyed with the thought. It seemed it was something his sister really wanted, if the hand on his shoulder before was anything to go by, but he didn't think he himself did. Being so close was too intimate for him, and that was something only very special people could do. That wasn't to say that his sister wasn't special, of course, but she just... wasn't the one.

Well... At least not yet. And he wasn't thinking about romance at all, nope. He had already decided that things like love and romance were out of his grasp, and it was concept he thought would escape him forever. What the hell did "to love and be loved" even mean? While thinking that, he realized that they were moving through the gates of the village, and like his sister, he waved politely to the fellow standing guard.

But yeah, that was... probably beyond the point. Wordlessly following the trail of ripples his sister left in the various tiny puddles that were scattered from here to there, he let his mind wander (it wasn't like he had anything else to do, anyway). He would probably stay away from home after this for a while. It would be, in his own way, the payment he collected for spending so much time with his sister today. In the end though, he was just widening the gap that had started to close; it was just easier to think of it in a way that he could justify things.

Cold, wet ears picked up the sound of a girl's voice, and he almost dispensed one of his softer smiles before realizing it was just his sister (yes, just) and flattened it to the smile she was so familiar with. For a second, he questioned her actions, the sharpness of the cold covering his body making his question clearer all the more clearer. Had she really had to ask that, if she already "knew that he knew that"? Hmm. He'd just put it on the tab then. Maybe. He didn't like to be monitored, as he was sure Hitomi was doing.

Keeping silent all the while, he finally took lead upon his sister's request. For a moment, he simply stared at the cliffs jutting out into the cloud-filled sky. He was in familiar territory now, his territory. Or well, not really his but... His. Anything away from "home" and maybe even the village was what he liked to call his territory. He familiarized himself with it, though since he was a mere Genin, he'd limited himself to a certain radius. He couldn't travel that far away, after all. Not when he was still fourteen. Even so, he made it his goal to travel around the country one day and just... drift, as free as the clouds that his village was named after.

The trek through the forest was a silent one, at least for the younger of the Hane siblings. It wasn't surprising; after all, what did he usually have to say to his sister anyway? He knew he couldn't say any words she might want (or need) him to say. Thankful for the boots that covered his feet (wet leaves against skin wasn't the most pleasant of experiences, after all) as well as the fact he'd decided to stick to ninja robes that day, he didn't have much trouble making his way through the relatively clear path. The trees did catch some of the rain that fell on him, though that also meant that if he got hit by larger drops that had accumulated on the leaves, he'd be in for more than just a flinch of surprise.

Once he'd made it past the stretch of forest and was finally back on solid, stone ground, he paused his journey to give a quick glance back. He wasn't checking if his sister was alright, not at all. Just surveying the length of the path they'd traveled. Or at least, that was what he told himself. Upon seeing that his sister had made it out okay by his standards though (how wouldn't she though, she was a kunoichi, next head of the prided Hane Clan, he gave a mock bow and gestured with his arms out to the path they would climb. Though he stayed wordless, he assumed that his sister would at least understand his message: it was up to her which way she wanted to explore, and which cave or tunnel she wanted to stick to. He himself wasn't revealing anything if he could help it.

For one reason or another, Kiyoshi detected a hint of irritation in his sister's stammer, which sent another jolt of mixed feelings through him. Mostly, he wasa confused: he hadn't done anything purposeful to garner a rare show of annoyance from his sister. However, at the same time, a blot of smugness colored his feelings, because he had accomplished his goal after all. It wasn't often that he managed to rile Hitomi into annoyance, and that in itself was rather satisfying.

Maybe it had been the bow. To be honest, Kiyoshi hadn't meant for it to be anything special; he just wanted an excuse not to break the silence. Why Hitomi had been provoked by this was easy to guess, but Kiyoshi couldn't help but shake his head. If it had been any other person—say one of her teammates—his sister wouldn't have found it so offensive. Maybe she was the one who was overly sensitive of their roles in this relationship, though of course, the younger Hane wasn't entirely innocent either.

As the brunette in front of him marched forwards, Kiyoshi's ears picked a small whine. The boy came to a stop and listened closely. When nothing came, he hesitantly began to follow his sister up the path she'd picked out. Only to freeze again when another whine sounded, louder than the first. Slowly turning towards the source of the sound, he found a small... squirrel-like creature trapped under a boulder that came up to his waist. The rodent-like creature was larger than his hand and had surprisingly long ears for a "squirrel." The majority of its fur was what looked like an orange-brown in color. Darker stripes ran up and down its body, and he could see blue-green eyes glaring back at him, filled with pain and fear.

"Squirrel," he barked almost jokingly in answer, as if either of the Hane siblings was a dog ready to bolt. Wordlessly, the gray-haired teen slowly approached the trapped creature. The rock it lay under was off to the side of the path. "Well?" he asked, as he crouched a little ways away from the poor squirrel. It was his way of asking her if she wanted to get it out or not, though he was certain he already knew the answer. Apparently, the squirrel didn't, since it only snarled at him and opened its mouth wide to show off sharp fangs. Huh, not so squirrelly after all. "What say you, princess?" he asked, glancing back at said girl questioningly.

Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow at his sister's reactions. Though he could definitely feel for the fox-squirrel... Who was the frightened one here, his sister, or the bright-furred animal? For a second, Hitomi became the bird that she was, frantic and jumpy. He could almost see it, really, her wings beating frantically as her chest heaved with gasps, the heart that was no doubt within that small chest beating a mile a minute. ...Of course, Hitomi wasn't really a bird, however, and even if she was, she was human now. But even so, despite the fact he couldn't see her eyes, he could still feel it, her agitation. He almost shook his head at that. Though being sensitive and empathetic might get a civilian through life right, a shinobi would get nowhere with useless sentiments. A note was filed to the back of his mind, reminding him to see if he could do anything about that sooner or later. How else would she make it out of the Chuunin Exams? (He had a feeling he himself wouldn't be able to qualify due to his lack of teammates, but... He'd just ride his hopes out on his sister then, even if he wouldn't admit it aloud.)

As the girl squatted down besides him to get a closer look at the struggling creature, Kiyoshi almost sighed. He wouldn't move, for fear of agitating the squirrel.. thing even more than the mere human presence seemed to do. The brunet's suggestions weren't that bad and were on the right track, but the younger Hane was far less naive to believe that a simple paralyzing jutsu would do the trick. He studied the creature, which only growled some more and snapped its teeth, twisting its head wildly in a vain attempt to free itself. In a way, the gray-haired teen could understand how the little guy was feeling. Fear, anger, don't touch me. Yes, he knew those feelings well, and if Hitomi thought that binding a creature that was as crazy with those feelings as this one was would help, then it probably wouldn't turn out well. If anything, the creature might only hate them more.

"Your point is valid," he began, letting his eyes dim. If she realized, maybe she would learn a thing or two about him. "But how would you think the little guy would feel? If you were angry and scared and in pain, would you want to be binded up even if it was what's best for you?" It was a rhetorical question, and he answered it himself without waiting for a reply. "Of course not. That would be traumatizing, and what little trust we might've earned from it will be gone. With that, you can say bye to trying to treat it." He shook his head with a sigh, smiling wearily. "Besides that, I don't have the skill to heal him completely, even if I wanted to. A Genin can only do so much. The best I could do is patch it up with bandages and maybe splints or something..." Another shake of the head. "Think for a moment, princess, what would you do to win someone or something's trust?"

The boy already knew the answer; one had to earn trust and show that there was nothing to be scared of. He or she had to stay calm and forgiving even if he or she was lashed at, and it would hurt, but it would only be a reflection of the... coaxed one's hurt. In truth, Hitomi already did that with himself, but it was a good chance for him to draw parallels and have her see just what she was doing and how to deal with others besides himself without hurting them. He was trying to teach her how not to be Kiyoshi.

It seemed that before had had known it, the rain had slowed to a light sprinkle, it's pounding heaviness gone from his head and shoulders. Not that he could really feel it, being as wet and cold as he was, but as he watched his sister sit he could see it in the air, tiny pale droplets drifting down like snow in summer. There was no use wiping his face off to feel the tiny pricks of cold the sprinkle would bring, but he imagined it anyway;: tiny pieces ice melting against his warm (or well, cold now) cheeks.

Ignoring the flush that crawled into Hitomi's face, he only listened, never moving from his spot. Ruby eyes glanced back at the struggling squirrel, which had paused its struggle to pant tiredly, luminous blue-green eyes pinned to the two humans that were no doubt threatening it. A minute later and it resumed its hopeless struggle, thrashing whatever free body parts it had in an attempt to extricate itself.

"Patience isn't always the answer," he murmured, glancing at his sister. "Not even you could wait for eternity." The words came soft, a mere stating of the fact. With it came the flash of a guileless smile, rare as a blue moon, a smile that disappeared behind one that she was more familiar with. He knew that he was talking about more than just the squirrel. They both were, and they knew it.

"And even if you could, what would it mean?" he asked, a little world-weary. "Never expect something that wasn't even yours to come to you just because you waited." Was he saying that for himself too? He didn't know anymore, the creature under the rock still needed to be saved, and just sitting there wasn't going to help it any. If anything, it would only make the situation worse. They were probably stressing the thing out with their presences, torturing it with the uncertainty of whether they were allies or foes.

"If the doors are all closed, go for the window," he offered. "Even if it means jumping from the highest floor." He probably had no idea what he was saying, but that didn't quite matter anymore. Without a second to lose, he stretched a hand out, holding out his index finger to the bright-eyed creature. Bright eyes. Maybe he'd call it Bright Eyes for now. As predicted, its jaws snapped open, little teeth flashing before they sank into pale flesh, grabbing onto it like it was a lifeline. And Kiyoshi just let it, without so much of as a flinch. "Nothing to fear.." he murmured, smiling as he felt the rumble of a growl against his finger. This was when you waited, and in a way, it was what his sister lacked.

She was a little too distant to be successful, always too hesitant. Maybe a little afraid of hurt, even, though he did give her a few kudos for coming back for more. Fierceness needed fierceness to combat it, and Hitomi was far too gentle for that, at least not yet. He couldn't say anything about the near future, but for now, he couldn't say. It was hard to trust someone who didn't understand his silence anyway.