(no subject)
What: After this.
Format: One shot
His face hurt.
No, actually it was just a portion. Above the cheek and below the eyebrow. His eyeball felt like it was gasping for air, the throbbing almost overwhelming. He could feel it as he breathed in, winced, and breathed back out. As if the pulse of blood rushing to the area was perfectly timed with his own need to feel his lungs with life.
It may not have hurt so badly if he had been expecting it. Or rather he knew it would have hurt less because then he would have braced for it. If he knew it was coming then it wouldn't have damn well happened and he wouldn't feel the need to dig his eye out of the socket just to keep it from stinging so badly for more than he was willing to tolerate.
"-And if you ever do that shit again..."
The one eye that didn't feel like it was devouring itself was able to look up at the source of the voice. He'd always been a bit blurry in the now one-good-eye and was able to make out a shock of blond and a disastrous amount of orange. The angry expression on the boy's face was obvious with or without perfect vision and Arthur wasn't entirely sure how to go about handling the situation just thrown at him halfheartedly.
After all, it's not everyday you're surprised with a fist to the socket when you go to answer the door.
"I'll kill you!" The boy's voice was grating. Annoying, even. And it kept interrupting his thoughts. Out of concern for his own well being and patience, he interjected.
"What are you on about?! Your rambling is giving me a migraine!" Probably not a good idea to snap at the kids in this school. They have the ability to surprise fist your face and knock you on your ass with some mighty sources of wind that do not belong in any dorm room.
Arthur goes to get up and fight because that's what you do during times like these. He wants to continue shouting and give the brat a righteous kick between the eyes, but he's not given the chance. The boy is already on him, his hand clenching the door in an effort to keep himself from getting closer.
Naruto knows if he gets closer then he won't stop kicking or punching or yelling. And he's so angry that his nails are digging into the wood, leaving permanent scars behind.
"You know what's good for you then stay down," he starts, not moving. It's all in his eyes. How much he worried and how pissed off he truly was. He showed emotions so easily. In ways Arthur never could. It came off of him in waves, crushing Arthur to the floor and keeping him from moving. "I dunno what your problem is. You're really no storybook dad. S'not your fault. I don't really believe that whole 'perfect family' crap."
There was a pause. Arthur wondered if Naruto was going to attack again what with the way the boy's breathing became short and his nails scraped against the door.
"But you gotta understand that he's worth it, right? You're not really that stupid, right?!"
"Now look here-"
"SHUT UP!"
And Arthur did.
Naruto looked at the guy. Really looked. He was a lot smaller than Al. Had a weird accent... Wings. Probably had the makings for a good father even though Naruto wasn't at all sure what that entailed. All of a sudden a new rush of anger flooded his system. Because this guy had potential and didn't bother wasting it. Al was worth wasting time and effort on. Al was worth trying on-
"Guys like you piss me off the most. Y'only care 'bout yourselves." A beat. Just long enough for Arthur to take a deep breath. Naruto did, too. "I ain't tellin' you how to live your life. Just. If you're gonna be a loser then leave Al alone."
There was a moment where the blonde's expression shifted. His eyes closed and he breathed through his nose. As if he were in deep thought, and then finally; "... He's worth more of my time than you'll ever be. Got that? Don't make me come over here to tell you that again!"
Arthur did his best not to wince when the door was slammed shut. Not that it mattered since Naruto had left, but his integrity needed to stand strong for just a little bit longer. Until he could explain off Francis and get his thoughts back together...
And yet...
What a strange boy.
What strange words.
Without any conscious thought Arthur reached up and pressed cool fingers to the hot, bruised skin, wincing under his breath as he did so. His brain was quiet, barely tinkering away at the things Naruto had said. He would probably do so later, when his heart won over his mind. This seemed the sort of situation when said organ would have to do most of the deciding.
Arthur would have to take immediate action if her ever saw blond hair again. Assuming they are all exactly like Alfred, he thinks this isn't a bad life decision in the least.
Format: One shot
His face hurt.
No, actually it was just a portion. Above the cheek and below the eyebrow. His eyeball felt like it was gasping for air, the throbbing almost overwhelming. He could feel it as he breathed in, winced, and breathed back out. As if the pulse of blood rushing to the area was perfectly timed with his own need to feel his lungs with life.
It may not have hurt so badly if he had been expecting it. Or rather he knew it would have hurt less because then he would have braced for it. If he knew it was coming then it wouldn't have damn well happened and he wouldn't feel the need to dig his eye out of the socket just to keep it from stinging so badly for more than he was willing to tolerate.
"-And if you ever do that shit again..."
The one eye that didn't feel like it was devouring itself was able to look up at the source of the voice. He'd always been a bit blurry in the now one-good-eye and was able to make out a shock of blond and a disastrous amount of orange. The angry expression on the boy's face was obvious with or without perfect vision and Arthur wasn't entirely sure how to go about handling the situation just thrown at him halfheartedly.
After all, it's not everyday you're surprised with a fist to the socket when you go to answer the door.
"I'll kill you!" The boy's voice was grating. Annoying, even. And it kept interrupting his thoughts. Out of concern for his own well being and patience, he interjected.
"What are you on about?! Your rambling is giving me a migraine!" Probably not a good idea to snap at the kids in this school. They have the ability to surprise fist your face and knock you on your ass with some mighty sources of wind that do not belong in any dorm room.
Arthur goes to get up and fight because that's what you do during times like these. He wants to continue shouting and give the brat a righteous kick between the eyes, but he's not given the chance. The boy is already on him, his hand clenching the door in an effort to keep himself from getting closer.
Naruto knows if he gets closer then he won't stop kicking or punching or yelling. And he's so angry that his nails are digging into the wood, leaving permanent scars behind.
"You know what's good for you then stay down," he starts, not moving. It's all in his eyes. How much he worried and how pissed off he truly was. He showed emotions so easily. In ways Arthur never could. It came off of him in waves, crushing Arthur to the floor and keeping him from moving. "I dunno what your problem is. You're really no storybook dad. S'not your fault. I don't really believe that whole 'perfect family' crap."
There was a pause. Arthur wondered if Naruto was going to attack again what with the way the boy's breathing became short and his nails scraped against the door.
"But you gotta understand that he's worth it, right? You're not really that stupid, right?!"
"Now look here-"
"SHUT UP!"
And Arthur did.
Naruto looked at the guy. Really looked. He was a lot smaller than Al. Had a weird accent... Wings. Probably had the makings for a good father even though Naruto wasn't at all sure what that entailed. All of a sudden a new rush of anger flooded his system. Because this guy had potential and didn't bother wasting it. Al was worth wasting time and effort on. Al was worth trying on-
"Guys like you piss me off the most. Y'only care 'bout yourselves." A beat. Just long enough for Arthur to take a deep breath. Naruto did, too. "I ain't tellin' you how to live your life. Just. If you're gonna be a loser then leave Al alone."
There was a moment where the blonde's expression shifted. His eyes closed and he breathed through his nose. As if he were in deep thought, and then finally; "... He's worth more of my time than you'll ever be. Got that? Don't make me come over here to tell you that again!"
Arthur did his best not to wince when the door was slammed shut. Not that it mattered since Naruto had left, but his integrity needed to stand strong for just a little bit longer. Until he could explain off Francis and get his thoughts back together...
And yet...
What a strange boy.
What strange words.
Without any conscious thought Arthur reached up and pressed cool fingers to the hot, bruised skin, wincing under his breath as he did so. His brain was quiet, barely tinkering away at the things Naruto had said. He would probably do so later, when his heart won over his mind. This seemed the sort of situation when said organ would have to do most of the deciding.
Arthur would have to take immediate action if her ever saw blond hair again. Assuming they are all exactly like Alfred, he thinks this isn't a bad life decision in the least.