Showdown - Chap 22

Aku sighed as he leaned back on the couch beside his husband, their son asleep down the hallway. "I don't know what to do, Satu... I'm so worried about Nadare... he's been seeing Naomi for a week now and as far as I see he's making no progress... Aunt Nia is making more progress then he is..." He sighed. Mina and Nia were out having a "girls" day while Hiyoma was on a mission. Nadare was down the hall in his room as he always was, staring at the wall.

Satu sighed as he stroked Aku's hair softly. He leaned his head on top of his husband's as they took a break. Eiri was cute and all, but he did require a lot of attention. It was nice to have a break when he napped. "Things will get better, Aku...You have to give Naomi more time than a week..."

"But... he hasn't changed... not at all..." Aku frowned.

"He...had a lot of years as abuse..." Satu breathed. "He needs a little more time..."

"Maybe he talks more with Naomi..." He sighed. He looked over to see Nadare coming out of his room. "Hey."

Nadare gave a small nod.

"Are you going to see Naomi?"

He nodded as he reached for his coat.

"Nadare...?" Aku breathed, turning around to look at him.

Nadare blinked and looked at Aku. "Yes?"

"Are... you feeling better? Talking to Naomi I mean?"

Nadare nodded. "She's... safe..." He said before rushing out the door.

...

Nadare knocked softly on the door before pushing himself into his usual therapy room. He gave a nod to Naomi who sat before him. "Miss. Naomi..." He breathed softly as he went to sit down.

Naomi smiled softly at Nadare as he took a seat. "Hello, Nadare-san. How are you doing today?"

"Okay.."

"Good...Do you want to tell me what you had for breakfast?" She asked him.

"I didn't eat..."

Naomi frowned. "Oh dear...how come?"

"I wasn't hungry."

"But you must eat something...What's your favorite food?" She asked him.

"I... I like apple's..."

"Is that so? Do you like anything apple? Like...apple pie?" She asked him.

He nodded.

Naomi smiled. "I make a really good apple pie."

"I'd like to try it..." he smiled some.

"Tomorrow. I'll make a pie tonight." She smiled. "Now...do you want to tell me what you did today?"

"I... sat in my room... I was drawing..." he pulled out a sketchbook to hand to her.

"Oh?" She smiled as she took the notebook and opened it up. "Drawing is a nice hobby to have..."

"It... distracts me..." he breathed.

Naomi nodded as she looked at the pictures. "These are wonderful...They're very detailed." She noted.

"You... like them?"

She nodded. "Very much...Where did you get the idea to draw like this?"

"Paintings I've seen from Umesa Katorabe in Kumogakure."

“You've been to Kumogakure?" Naomi asked him.

"No... but I've seen her work."

"Ah, I see...So have you always liked art and such?"

He nodded. "It's... calming..." he smiled.

She nodded, smiling. "I think it's a good hobby to have. Also, I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" He blinked.

“Have you opened up to anyone besides myself yet?" She smiled as she carefully watched him.

He shook his head and looked down.

"And that's okay...Take your time." She smiled. "I was just wondering."

"I think... Aku is upset that I don't talk... I overheard him with his husband..."

"Aku is a very caring person and he is just worried. Would you like me to tell him that he shouldn't worry?" She asked.

He nodded.

Naomi nodded. "Alight...I can talk to him. It's important to connect with other people, but it is okay if it feels too soon." She told him. "Perhaps...you could try eating meals with the family to start. You don't have to speak, but simply being a presence at the table is a good start." She told him.

"I can try..."

Naomi nodded. "Trying is good. Keep it small, though...You don't have to try too hard, okay? Do what feels comfortable." She smiled.

He nodded.

"Good...now...is there anything you wanted to talk about specifically today?" She asked him.

He nodded.

“And what would that be?" She smiled.

“How... can I ever be happy?"

"Well...happiness comes differently to everyone." She breathed. "My job is to give you the tools to find that happiness. I can't tell you how to be happy...but once you find that happiness, you'll know it."

He frowned. "I... just want to be better..."

"I know...and I want to help you. We'll get there." She smiled softly.

“But... I want to be better now..."

"It'll take time, Nadare-san..." She breathed.

He frowned further. "It hurts... it's a pain in my chest..." he held his chest. "I can feel it ache... I feel that I'm depressed... that I'm not me..." he frowned.

"Tell me who you truly are. What's different from this Nadare that's sitting in front of me." She said.

"I... I don't know... I just... know this isn't me...,

“Okay...Well, let's keep going at this pace. I think this is comfortable, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah..."

Naomi nodded, smiling. "Good...then we'll stay at this pace."

"Okay." He smiled.

...

That night when Nadare got home, he moved to the kitchen to see everyone having dinner.

"...and then I caught her drawing on the walls." Mina finished speaking.

Lea smiled innocently at Hiyoma. "I was drawing you a picture, Mommy!"

"You need paper for that." Hiyoma giggled.

Lea giggled with her mother.

"Hiyoma..." Mina frowned. "Drawing on the walls is a bad thing..."

"I know! Lea, don't do it again.”

"I know! Lea, don't do it again.,

"But I was just drawing you a picture, Mommy~" Lea puffed out her bottom lip. She tended to win Hiyoma over Mina.

"Well yeah but... the wall isn't paper..." Hiyoma laughed.

"I'm sorry~" Lea kicked her feet as they couldn't reach the floor from her chair.

Aku smiled and reached over to ruffle her hair. "Silly~"

Satu smiled at the exchanged and glanced over to see Nadare standing in the entrance way. He smiled at the man and motioned for him to sit down. "Want to join us, Nadare?" He asked.

Nadare nodded as he moved to sit down at the table.

Mina smiled at her nephew. "Let me make you a plate." She said as she got up and fixed himself some dinner before placing it down in front of him. "There you go..."

Nia looked at her son and smiled. "It's nice to have you join us."

Nadare nodded.

"How did your session with Naomi go today?" Mina asked him as she sat back down.

"Good..."

"Good!" Mina smiled wide. "So...she's helping? You like Naomi?"

He nodded. "She... helps a lot..."

Satu nodded. "Yoshiki thought the same...I'm happy to hear that." He smiled at his new cousin. "If there's anything we can do for you, just let us know, okay?"

He nodded slowly.

"Is the food good?" Mina asked him. "If not, I can make you whatever you want."

"It's fine..."

Nia smiled. "I'm... glad you're eating.."

"It's yummy!" Lea chimed in, waving her fork around. She was used to being the center of attention and wasn't used to letting someone else have it.

"Shh and eat your veggies." Aku smirked.

Lea pouted, puffing her cheeks out. "I don't like my veggies."

"Eat them." He smirked.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "No~"

"Eat them." Hiyoma ordered.

Lea frowned as she looked at her mother. "But Mommy..."

"Eat. Them."

She stabbed her broccoli and popped it into her mouth as she pouted.

Nadare sighed as he watched his family eat in silence.

"So...Nadare...did you do anything else today besides your session?" Satu asked him in between bites.

"I... sketched..."

Satu blinked. "Sketched? You...draw?"

He nodded.

“I had no idea..." Mina smiled softly. "What do you draw?"

"Stuff..." He mumbled.

"What kind of stuff?" Satu asked.

"Just... stuff..."

“Well...I bet they are beautiful drawings." Mina smiled at him.

"Miss Naomi liked them..."

"You showed them to her?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Would you...ever show it to us?" Mina asked, smiling softly.

“Maybe..."

"Really?" Satu smiled as well. "We would love to see them..."

Nia nodded.

Nadare got up. He couldn't take it anymore as he ran back to his room.

"He's still scared..." Nia frowned.

Mina looked to her sister. "But he was sitting here with us...and talking." She smiled. "Look at how much progress he's made. And he's drawing. He's doing something other than staring at a wall." She breathed.

"I guess..." She frowned.

Mina nodded. "It's good...Trust me. Nadare is showing so much improvement." She took her sister's hand and smiled softly.

"I hope you're right..." Nia breathed.

Mina nodded. "Trust me..." She smiled.

Nia smiled and took her hand.

“Done~!" Lea announced as she cleaned her plate of her vegetables.

"Good girl." Hiyoma smiled.

"Can I have dessert now~?" She smiled at her mothers.

Mina shook her head. "No. You drew on the walls today. No dessert."

Hyoma sighed. "Mom says no." she said.

"But Mommy!" Lea whined.

"Sorry, Lea." Hiyoma said.

"Just don't draw on walls." Aku said.

Lea pouted as she got up from the table and ran off to her room, slamming the door.

Mina sighed as she got up and started to clean up the table. "She hates me..."

"No... she just doesn't like discipline, Mom."Aku frowned.

"And she's still a kid..." Satu added as he got up and picked up Eiri from his high chair. "She's gonna throw tantrums."

"Daa~" Eiri giggled.

"Just relax, Mina." Hiyoma smiled.

"C-Can I help clean up?" Nia asked.

Mina looked to her sister. "You don't have to..." She smiled softly.

"A-Are you sure?" She frowned.

Mina nodded. "Mhm...I can do it. You just relax." She smiled at her as she collected empty plates and bowls.

"Okay..." She breathed.

"Nia...is there anything special that Nadare likes?" Mina asked her sister. "I was thinking about making a dessert..."

"He... loves apples... apple anything..." She breathed.

"You want to help me make him some apple cinnamon muffins?" Mina smiled. "I'm sure he'll like that..."

“Maybe..." She breathed, sighing.

Just then, Nadare came back into the room and walked straight to the fridge.

Mina blinked. "Can...I help you, Nadare?" She asked him.

He looked at her before back into the fridge. There was something different in his eyes.

“Nadare?" She blinked as she gently touched his shoulder.

He snapped and before she knew it, he had her arm locked behind her back.

"Nadare!" Nia gasped.

Aku was on his feet and slowly walking towards him. "Let her go..."

Nadare narrowed his eyes.

Mina winced as she felt him tighten his hold on her. "N-Nadare...s-sweetie...p-please let g-go..."

"Nadare..." Aku breathed.

Nadare pushed Mina away before going back to the fridge.

Mina gasped a bit as she held her arm to her chest and backed away from him. She frowned as she looked back to the young man. "W-What...happened?"

Nadare said nothing.

"It's... a split personality, I think..." Hiyoma breathed.

Mina looked to Nia. "Has he...ever shown signs like this before?"

"No..." Nia frowned.

Mina frowned. "We should...let Naomi know about this..."

"I... I can go." Hiyoma stood up.

Satu nodded. "Aku and I can handle things here. Nadare isn't a shinobi, so we can handle him easily." He told her. "Don't worry."

Hiyoma nodded and rushed out to go to her sister's home.

...

"Ugh...I need to sit down..." Naomi grunted as she came home and flopped on the couch. She rubbed her stomach as she closed her eyes. She'd been experiencing morning sickness for the last couple of days and so the mere smell of food made her stomach curl. So far, this pregnancy wasn't anything like Tamu's.

"You need anything, Naomi?" Safira frowned.

Naomi shook her head. "No...It's okay...I'll be fine if I just get some rest." She breathed.

"Okay..." She breathed. "I'm sorry you're so sick..."

Naomi smiled weakly at her and shook her head. "It's okay...It'll be worth it in a couple of months..." She rubbed her stomach again. She did have a slight bump starting to show.

"I wish I could have a baby." She breathed.

Naomi smirked. "Well, the way you and Haru spend time with each other, I'm sure you'll get one eventually~"

"You think so?" She blushed

Naomi smirked and nodded. "Mhm~ A little Safira running around would be awfully cute~"

Safira blushed. "I-I don't know..."

A knock came to the door and Safira rushed to answer it.

"Hiyoma?" She blinked.

"Naomi!" Hiyoma pushed passed Safira to her sister. "We... might have a problem with Nadare..." She breathed.

Naomi sat up and blinked. "What...kind of problem?"

"Well... have you noticed any traits in him that would suggest... multiple personality?"

Naomi blinked and shook her head. "No...Not at all...I haven't seen any signs of the like. Why? Did something happen?"

"Yes. He came home and tried to eat dinner with us. He did pretty well but then ran off to his room. Then, as Mina was cleaning up, he came out to dig into the fridge. She tried to talk to him, but he turned and pinned her arm behind her back. His eyes looked... evil... it wasn't him..." She frowned. Then he just.. went back into the fridge."

Naomi nodded. "Alright...Let me get Oki and we'll come over." She breathed.

"A-Alright..." She breathed.

After they gathered Oki, the three headed back to the Kasai compound and into Mina's home.

"Where's Nadare?" Oki asked as he stepped into the house.

"In his room..." Nia sniffled.

"After he got a snack he just went there and has been there since..." Aku said, bouncing his son on his lap.

Naomi frowned. "Let me talk to him..."

"Please be careful..." Hiyoma frowned as she watched Oki and Naomi head down the hallway.

Naomi took the lead as she gently knocked on his door before opening it. "Nadare-san?"

The door opened. "M-Miss Naomi...?" He blinked as he tilted his head.

Oki stood close. "May we come in, Nadare-san?" He smiled.

Nadare nodded slowly.

Naomi smiled softly as she went to his bed and sat down on the edge. "I'm sorry to bother you at home, Nadare-san...I was just wondering if I could see how you interact at home."

He blinked. "But... I just sit here... in my room..."

Naomi tilted her head. "You don't leave...? Even to have a snack?"

"No."

Oki smiled softly and sat down. "Nadare-san, do you know who I am?"

He shook his head. "I am Naomi's husband."

"Hi...”

"Would you mind if I took a look at you?" He asked.

Nadare blinked. "D-Did I do something?"

Naomi shook her head. "You see, Nadare-san...I'm going to have another baby, and so I'm not allowed to use chakra. I asked my husband to come so that he can just take a look at you for me." She smiled softly, keeping her voice soft and gentle.

"Oh... okay..." He blinked, looking at Oki.

Oki smiled. "Just relax. I won't hurt you." He gently placed his hands on Nadare's head as his hands glew green.

Naomi smiled softly at Nadare as she watched her husband. She learned how to maneuver the mind from him and so she trusted his judgment. Besides, she knew he would've been uncomfortable had she'd come alone.

Oki pulled back and nodded. "You're all good." He smiled at Nadare, but gave Naomi a look that said otherwise.

Naomi had a sinking feeling but continued to smile at Nadare. "Thank you...So, this is your room. Do you share this with anyone?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. Just me..."

His walls were plastered in sketches like the ones he had shown her earlier that day.

She nodded. "I see...Do you mind if I took one or two of your drawings home? I love art and would like to take a closer look at them." She smiled.

He smiled. "Okay."

"Any ones you're willing to part with?" She asked him.

"You can choose any ones you want." He said and pointed around the room as well as opening his sketchbook.

Oki could see that some pictures almost had... hidden messages that only people like Naomi and other doctors could sense. An example: he had one picture on his wall of a realistic hand, bleeding. That could indicate that he thinks of suicide.

Naomi picked a couple different looking sketches and smiled. "Thank you...so you still want that pie tomorrow?"

His face lit up as he nodded. "Oh yes... please..."

Naomi nodded. "Alright, one apple pie coming right up~"

He smiled.

"Nadare, would you be okay if I started sitting in on your sessions?" Oki smiled.

Nadare looked nervous.

Naomi smiled softly. "He's a safe place too." She nodded and touched her stomach. "I'll need help since I'm not allowed to use chakra." She told him.

Nadare was usually untrusting to men, but if Naomi trusted Oki, so did he. He had a small nod.

"Thank you...I promise, if you feel too uncomfortable, we can always ask him to leave the room for a bit." She smiled at him.

Nadare nodded.

"Then we'll both see you tomorrow." Oki smiled as he and Naomi stood.

Nadare nodded as he watched them leave.

Naomi saw Hiyoma and the others waiting patiently in the living room for them. "We'll have to closely watch him...but we can't say for sure..." She gave Oki a glance. She didn't want them to find out anything that could worry them. "If he acts up again, it's best to leave him be."

"Will he become a danger?" Nia whimpered. She had been crying again.

"He shouldn't...Give him space tonight and let him be." She told her.

Aku nodded. "We will. Is he seeing you tomorrow?"

Oki nodded. "I've gotten his permission to join in on the sessions. Hopefully with two of us, we can get to the root of his problem."

Mina nodded. "Thank you...Both of you...I don't know how to repay you for this..." She breathed, rubbing her arm a bit.

"Are you okay?" Oki stepped forward. "Want me to look at your arm?"

Mina nodded. "That would be so kind of you..."

Oki chuckled as he moved to take her arm, gently feeling along it to see where she hurt.

Mina winced as he felt around her elbow.

"You'll be okay." He smiled as his hand lit up. He glanced at Nia. "You sure he's not a shinobi?"

Nia shook her head. "N-No... I mean... he was... when he was very young, but..."

Naomi nodded. "if he is split personality, he could be retaining what he knows from his academy days."

Nia frowned. "I always... pictured my son to be... a happy go lucky boy..."

"You know, there is one thing we've never thought of..." Oki spoke.

Naomi looked to him. "What's that?"

"Junn. He can crack right into the mind without even making an incision. I know usually we just try and use therapy... but sometimes all the therapy in the world can't help..." Oki said.

Naomi frowned. "You don't think I can reach him...?"

"It's not that, hun... but when I read his mind, I sensed something... off... I don't think it'd hurt to have Junn look at him."

Naomi sighed. "Nadare doesn't take too kindly to men...I don't know how he'll react to Junn."

"Junn is as soft and gentle as he is now." Aku said. "It may work."

She nodded. "Alright...we can try."

"Satu? Could I ask you to see Junn tonight and speak to him?" Oki asked.

Satu blinked but nodded. "Yeah...sure. I can do that."

"Thank you." He took Naom's hand. "Let's go home."

Naomi nodded as she held onto Nadare's drawings. She wanted to be the one to help him.