Equilibrium
I reached the door and stopped for a moment. Was it always this dark? Or had it been painted recently? I shook my head, realising it was just another stall. I'd made my mind up already and he was easily the best person for the job.
"Hi, I've got a proposition for you!"
Nah. Too kinky.
"Hey, I need a favour."
Nah. Too personal, last time we were in the same room, I think I hit him.
"Hatake-san, can I speak to you for a minute?"
"Sure,"
Behind the whole time. Stupid, had I been thinking out loud? Teeth pressed tightly together I turned to face him. The sun in my eyes caused me squint a bit, but he was there. Squatting on the railing, above the balcony, as always.
"You know, you're not helping." I pointed out, forgetting for a moment that I hadn't gotten round to explaining why I was there. I couldn't sense a ninja, that was returning home,and not putting too much effort into concealing themselves. Who was I trying to kid, I want to be Jonin?
"Don't feel too bad," he patronised me. The sound of feet patting on the ground as he hoped down from the railing was conspicuously absent. "Most people fail to notice me." He finished. Had he guessed my mind so easily?
My eyes scanned him. Tension in the body was spread perfectly; even in simply walking he wasted no effort and no energy. This ninja had a constant equilibrium. Relaxed but storing tension, to the point where he can be perfectly comfortable and highly responsive. It's hard not to be impressed.
Believe me.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" The door opened with a loud creak that I'm sure is a simple, and intended, alarm. His hand popped into the air and beckoned me inside without looking back. I followed.
I explained.
He nodded.
"The gap from Special Jonin to Jonin is not as big as say, Chunin to Jonin. That's a gap that most never make. You shouldn't need me to help you, Anko-san." It was slightly strange to see Hatake-san sitting. It was one of many normal he neglected to do.
"I feel like I've hit a wall, get me?" I frowned in earnest as I searched for a better way to convey it. "I feel like my exertions during training have become just that, exertions; like I'm getting no benefit from them anymore, only tiring myself out so that I can recover and train more. It's like my skills have become stagnant. Unchanging. "
It was the best he was going to get, because I had nothing else. Something must have made sense, because he nodded.
"You think that I can break whatever it is blocking your path?" He raised his eye brow at me and gave me a curious look. This was the modesty coming out.
"I want to go beyond where I am right now. I've applied for active ANBU duty," he cocked his head but I continued. "They told me they'll take me if I make Jonin. Exam or appointed they don't care. "
Hatake-san leaned forward in his seat and looked at me. With his visible eye he gave me a once over. I'd have hit him for that, any other time.
"Interesting." He intoned. "But why me?"
"Kakashi, come on. It's not like we don't notice. You're good. Besides, I've got a few...friends? We'll call them friends. They dropped your name a few times. Sempai's the best, they say."
The copy ninja laughed, loudly. Then he settled back to looking at me, his eyes fixed on mine, shining happily.
"You're sleeping with Tenzo?" he enquired.
"Maybe, you're just jealous," I mocked.
"You wish."
I did.