Defying Gravity

Chapter 52

Third person pov

Getting all of Ethelia's things didn't take long. Minato hunted down her toothbrush and other things that seemed important, such as her pillows, blankets, and such of the like. Kakashi braved her dresser and closet in return. Opening her underwear drawer was more awkward than he cared to admit. He simply took the entire drawer out and dumped it into the bag he'd been given, clearing his throat and trying to dispel the pink pigment invading his cheeks. This was no time to be acting immature, after all.

There was something depressing about walking through a dead man's house. Kakashi hadn't felt such a feeling since his father died, and even that was hazy due to how long it'd been. The home seemed almost too quiet. It was weird to think about it, sitting here, abandoned for the time being. There was no telling if Ethelia would ever return. The body had obviously been removed, along with the noose. The living room was still a mess, as was the kitchen. Ethelia's erratic chakra had trashed it.

"See anything else that seems important?" Minato asked quietly, a pillow tucked under his arm. The blonde had considered taking some photos, but quickly debunked the idea. Anything could set Ethelia off. She was in a fragile state and needed time to heal. That meant not triggering her and making things worse. They had to be patient. Even Kakashi knew that. Losing a parent was nothing short of devastating. Ethelia had already lost her mother at a young age, much like Kakashi had. And now...

"I don't think so. I got most of her clothes." Kakashi hesitated. "Is she going to stay with Obito?"

Minato wasn't too sure. He knew Ethelia didn't have any other family. "I think-- at least for now-- that her staying with him is the best option. He seems to be okay with it, and they are friends. Ethelia doesn't really have anyone else, barring her neighbor." The blonde's tone was thoughtful, and Kakashi nodded in an understanding sort of way. Her and Obito were definitely close. Kakashi would never admit it, but he was glad. He hadn't really had anyone when his father died. Having someone, a friend during that time... he was sure it would have helped.

A few people lingered outside Ethelia's house. Kakashi's enhanced hearing helped him to pick up on their whispers, but he couldn't make out any actual words. Just wisps of their voices. It wasn't hard to guess what they were all gossiping about. Everyone had felt the pulses of chakra, even the untrained civilians who had no experience in chakra sensing whatsoever. The Hyuga had especially panicked, rushing to the Hokage who assured them everything was fine.

Back at Obito's apartment, Rin had pretty much finished healing Obito's bruises. Ethelia's chakra hadn't broken anything, and the injuries he did get weren't anything she couldn't handle. Ethelia seemed to gather some relief from this, sagging even more into the couch and looking just downright exhausted. There was just something... off about how she was taking all of this. At least to Rin.

She was no expert in psychology by any means, but she was a medical ninja. It meant she'd read numerous books, and a lot of them touched at least somewhat on the human mind and how it worked. Being a ninja, she'd looked into trauma and such of that like. Things that could help in battle. She'd seen people break down and have panic attacks on the field before, and knowing how to deal with that sort of thing was vital. It's why she was so perplexed now. Even people who weren't in the medical field were at least somewhat familiar with the grieving process. Everyone went through it in one way or another. The issue was... well, Ethelia hadn't seemed to enter the stages yet.

First came shock. She didn't seem all that surprised, just resigned and accepting. A lot of people flew right through the shock part, so Rin immediately assumed she'd simply gone through it before they got there. That would bring them to denial, of course. Denial didn't often last long, especially if the person had seen the body like Ethelia had. Still, it seemed a bit... soon. Rin continuously eyed the tired girl in search of the third stage, anger. It also didn't present itself. Ethelia was tired and irritated, but she was always tired and irritated, so that didn't mean much.