Silver Tears, Scarlet Clouds
I do not own the manga/anime of Naruto in any way, shape, or form.
*The ages and events of certain characters in this fanfic have been slightly modified to make certain storylines more possible—enjoy :D (Who doesn't like Kakashi and Itachi?)
Thanks ^_^ in advance for any reviews and commentary.
Chapter 1: The Return of the Dreamer
"Kakashi."
"Hmm…" Kakashi muttered sleepily, covering her face with her slim hands. Shimmering rivers of her silver hair trailed down her arms, the tips of the strands lightly brushing the cool grass.
"Kakashi."
"Go away." She muttered, rolling under the shade of the tree.
"Kakashi!" The voice cried impatiently.
"What do you want?" Kakashi snarled, exasperated. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she leaned her forehead against the tree's rough bark, her back to the speaker.
"What's wrong with you, Kakashi? You've been moping around for more than two weeks since you got back from your mission!"
"It's nothing. Nothing at all."
Itachi's face stiffened with disbelief, and his eyes watched for a long moment.
"Just go away, Itachi!" Kakashi sprang unsteadily to her feet, uncharacteristic for a ninja of her level. She shoved Itachi with both hands, forcing him back a step. Her sudden movements had caused the blood-flecked bandage that she had clumsily wrapped around her left eye, to slip. She flinched, hastily turning away from Itachi—Kakashi was sure that he would hate her if he knew what lay under her scarred eyelid. However, even then, Itachi had been strong. His hand whipped out, grabbing her tightly by the wrist.
"Obito is dead! And you're the only one who can't accept it—if he was here now, he would be laughing in your face, Kakashi. Ob—"
"Don't! Just don't!" She screamed back at him. She couldn't stand hearing his name—if it hadn't been for her prideful assumptions, he might still be here. He would be grinning at her with that lazy, stupid grin of his.
"You listen to me, Kakashi." Itachi spun her around, holding both of her shoulders. "Open your eyes. Stop hiding whatever it is that you're trying to hide from me." Kakashi instinctively let her hair slide and cover the left side of her face.
"What?" she said hurriedly, "I'm not—"
Itachi indicated his eyes, "You can't fool me with that sort of attempt at lying."
"No."
"Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi gulped in spite of herself, Itachi only used that tone—and her full name when he was being absolutely serious.
"Just promise me that you won't hate me…"she pleaded.
His tone softened infinitesimally, "That could never happen." He said reassuringly.
"Show it to me."
"No." Kakashi hunched her shoulders obstinately, a mulish tone entering her voice.
"Yes." Itachi, too, could be incredibly stubborn when he wanted to be.
Slowly, Kakashi opened her left eye, revealing a brilliantly scarlet iris, with three unmistakable tomoës at the center.
It was the eye of an Uchiha.
Sharingan.
Itachi's grip on her shoulders immediately tightened, and his gaze, turned into a piercing look.
"He…" Itachi said, disbelievingly, hands still glued to Kakashi's shoulders. The blood drained from Kakashi's face, color leaching from her already pale face.
"I knew it." She whispered, somehow wrenching herself away from Itachi's dark, searching gaze.
A few seconds later, she was running towards the forest, jumping up into the welcoming emerald anonymity of the trees' canopy. Even though she didn't look over her shoulder, even though she didn't spare a glance in Itachi's direction, Kakashi could feel Itachi's eyes on her, burning with a silent intensity. What Kakashi didn't notice however, were the liquid traces that wound down her cheeks, glistening and shining with a silver luminescence—tears that flowed quickly, that vanished with the wind.
Kakashi didn't even hesitate when she came upon the proud gates of Konoha. She was not even feeling fatigued or depressed, but rather the subject of a profound and indescribably cold sentiment—it was melancholy. Putting on an extra burst of speed, her steps quickened, and she quickly scaled the wall, moving even deeper into the forest. Here, she was in the forest—not in a training area—not in a park—just, just…outside.
With a sigh of relief, she melted into the grass that grew around the many trees that surrounded her. Kakashi was so confused, that she felt a bit as if she had been set adrift in a veritable ocean—where no one would come to her rescue.
Snap. In an instant, she was upright, ready to fight against anyone. Muttering savage words in her head, Kakashi berated herself for letting her guard down. Idiot! What's wrong with you? Never go anywhere without your weapons! She could sense the chakra of someone very close to her position—it was undoubtedly somebody of a decent caliber, who knew how to hide their already muffled steps, and disguise them in the wind's murmurs as well as the small racket that the animals made from time to time.
But she was Kakashi. She was the proud daughter of the Silver Wolf. She was better than anyone.
"You." She hissed, with clenched teeth, but her heart couldn't help but leap at his having followed her.
Itachi. He was alone…
"Move! I just want to be with myself, Itachi."
"No way. Come back with me, idiot."
"No!"
He moved a little closer to her.
"No matter where you go, I'll be there for you…"
For the first time in several weeks, Kakashi's lips curved in a hidden smile. She raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Let's go!"
She shoved him aside, passing him, and heading back towards Konoha. Of course, he passed her in several seconds.
"You're nothing but a kid!" She yelled, laughing.
"Moron," he replied.
Sure that he could not hear her, she whispered, very softly, "Where would I be without you?"
This time, it was Itachi who smiled, with a small quirk of his lips, but it was without a doubt, a real smile.