The White Fang
"Iruka!" Kakashi banged on Iruka's door harder, unwilling to be kept waiting. "Iruka! Hurry and answer your door already! Hurry!"
"Yeah yeah, just a second..." Iruka mumbled from inside, still struggling through the next day's lesson plan. What would he teach the Academy students tomorrow? It had to be something interesting or Konohamaru would skip out again. Maybe something about the 4th Hokage again; that seemed to keep his attention for long enou-
"I-RU-KA! ANSWER YOUR DOOR OR I'LL BLOW IT DOWN!"
"Not by the hairs on my chinny chin chin," Iruka muttered sarcastically, scratching out basic plans he had made in pen and marking rather heavily through one that Naruto had scribbled on that read 'toss self in lake'. That Naruto sure was a piece of wo-
Something behind his front door flashed and the door in question groaned and seemed to leap to the side, then splinter into pieces and scatter on the ground revealing a very irritated Kakashi. Iruka blinked twice, very slowly. Verrrrrrrrrry sloooooooowly. He couldn't even finish his own thoughts around here... sheesh. He put down the pen and paper. "I was going to answer it, you know?"
"When? Next winter?" Kakashi seethed, uncharacteristically pissed. In fact, he was being uncharacteristically over-emotional, Iruka noted. He put his fists on his hips and frowned.
"Well now that you're in... anything in particular you wanted?"
"Shirt."
"Excuse me?" Iruka asked, not quite hearing the word 'shirt', but 'shirt' minus the 'r'.
"I need a shirt!"
"Oh I thought you need to take a-"
"Iruka! I really-need-a-shirt."
"You have plenty... You have about fifty Jounin vests and shirts to go with them..."
"I need something I can wear outside! Normal clothes!"
"It would figure you don't have any of those."
"Just shut up and loan me a shirt!"
"Why not buy one?"
"Becaaaaause!" Kakashi moaned, gesturing outside. "It's pitch black out there, and when it's pitch black there aren't any shops open. I need a shirt by tomorrow morning! And you know what tomorrow isssss, don't you?"
"OH YEAH! It's festival day, isn't it? Guess I don't need to bother with lessons then. So, Kakashi," Iruka said slyly. "What's the occasion, eh?"
"Nothing."
"You don't go banging on another Jounin's door asking for a shirt at midnight for nothing. C'mon Kakashi, spill it!"
"No."
"Tell me or you're not gettin' a shirt from me. I suppose you could run over to Gai's house... buuuuut... well, it's a long run, isn't it, and Gai would never let you live it down," Iruka said examining his fingernails.
"Gah! Fine! You promise you'll let me loan one?"
"If you tell me what's up, then I promise."
"Okay, I promise. Now, you know Ketari right? Medicinal ninja, lives a bit away from here?"
"Oh yeah, Ketari, man she's a looker, phew. I'd like to get married to her."
Kakashi ignored the last comment. "Yes well, I asked her if she wanted to go to the festival with me and she said okay, and we're going in the morning, right before dawn, so I need a shirt! I don't want to go looking like a Jounin on duty!"
"I was always wondering when you'd ask her on a date... I mean, the way you moon after her! All the Jounin are placing bets whether she'll be the one on top or you- but of course I'm not taking part in any bet like that!" Iruka said quickly as Kakashi's nerves twitched again. "Between you and me, Kakashi, the other Jounin were wondering whether you uh... fly straight or not, if you know whatI mean.You haven't shown the slightest interest in women ever since you became a Jounin, or even before that when we were Chuunin and Genin!"
"And what do you think?"
"Well, anyone that reads "Make Out Paradise" has to fly straight."
"Good, you're on my side then."
"Well... your side has an awfully small number... oh, here's your shirt." Iruka held out a plain white short sleeved shirt. "Is that good enough?"
"It's perfect," Kakashi said, starting to head out the door. He stopped in the doorway and looked down at the smashed door, embarrassed, then turned back to Iruka. "Sorry about the door... oh and, promise me you won't say anything to anyone about me and Ketari, okay? It's just a first date."
"Kakashi, your side is dwindling."
"I don't care! I just want this to be private."
"Alright alright, I'll keep quiet."
"Even from Naruto."
"Especially from Naruto."
Satisfied, Kakashi ran back home with his newly acquired shirt, took off his clothes, and went to bed. He squirmed in his bed for a little while, tossing and turning, putting the pillow over his head, squeezing his eyes shut, listening to the random animals outside, but none of it helped ease his excitement.
At 5:30 I'm going to the festival with Ketari! Ketari! Yes! I guess this means I should get rid of my "Make Out Paradise" book. I won't need it if... if... He squirmed excitedly again, then reprimanded himself. He was being childish. He lay still on the bed, his face pressed against the pillow. So many years of longing and loneliness... time to put it all to an end! At least, he hoped so.
In three hours time Kakashi was up and ready again, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, washing himself, and eating breakfast. He put his leaf headband on his dresser with half a mind to pick it back up again. Would Ketari mind if his Sharingan eye was exposed? He looked at his face covering and almost laughed to himself. What would Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura think if they saw him without that? Oh boy, he couldn't wait. Was he forgetting anything?
Oh! He almost forgot!He ran back to his bedstand and opened his drawer, gently moving aside the picture of Yondaime, Obito, Rin, and himself and moving past the newer picture of himself, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. There it was! The box! He picked it up and pocketed it, then plucked up his leaf headband as well and stuffed it into his other pocket, just in case.
He watched her from a distance at first and sighed as she stood there waiting for him near the entrance to the festival grounds. She looked so beautiful... and she was quiet and shy and just... beautiful! She was wearing plain clothes as well, but they were a bit nicer than usual: a white cloth dress adorned with the symbol of Konohagakure on the stomach in green. Her long black hair was tied back with a blue red ribbon and she saw him and waved, shyly at first, but then with a little more confidence.
He smiled and took her arm, leading her down to the grounds. She looked up at him with her blue eyes and smiled as well, little patches of pink spotting her cheeks again. "You look nice, Kakashi," she said. The Sharingan didn't seem to bother her, which was good, as he held her gaze. He grinned. "You look beautiful, Ketari. Even more beautiful than always..."
Naruto and Konohamaru gagged on their cup ramen and ducked behind a corner, crouched with their knees close to their chests.
"Hey Naruto... wasn't that your sensei?" Konohamaru asked, fiddling with his cup and looking up at Naruto. Naruto's eyes were closed, his mouth turned down into a frown.
"No way! That couldn't be Kakashi-Sensei! He looks completely different, plus, Sensei reads so much "Make Out Paradise" that he'd be able to come up with a way more romantic line than that, believe it!" Konohamaru nodded; that made sense.
"Okay. Let's go get some paint cans and spray em on Grandpa!"
"YEAH!" Naruto yelled, bolting up and running towards the carnival. He knew just where to get paintcans.
Ketari and Kakashi were having a fine time at the carnival, remarking to each other about all the ninjas from distant lands who had gathered, pointing out rides, games, and contests, stopping to smell food smells wafting out of resteraunts and looking into the windows of various stores, and holding hands all the while. He was nearly giddy with excitement. They stopped outside of one of the more spooky attractions, and Kakashi looked at her. "Want to give it a try?"
She hesitated for a moment and nodded, her hand still clasped in his, and they slipped inside. Unfortunately, Sakura Haruno was right behind them, or at least, she was watching through the window. She despised 'spooky attractions'.
The inside was dark and dank and smelled slightly of mildew, and even of blood. Cobwebs hung in the most inconveniant places, patches of red were smeared across the walls, windows were broken, chairs and tables torn limb from limb and scattered around, and random dead animals dotted the floor. Kakashi thought it was all rather well done, this scary set-up, but he wasn't scared too much. Ketari, however, had tightened her grip on his hand and held his arm with both hands. He looked down at her when she squeezed and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Ketari, it's not real. Nobody's going to attack us or anything like that."
"But Kakashi!"
"If anyone does, I'll protect you, so don't worry. Do you... want to go back?"
She thought for a moment, but shook her head. She wanted Kakashi to have some fun, he seemed to like this haunted attraction, and... she didn't want to run away. A little farther inwards and the scene had moved from dead animals to very well made dead people dolls, with random blood stained stones littered on the floor and various... body parts... He checked Ketari to make sure she wasn't getting too frightened, but she seemed calm, so he guessed it was safe to continue. The blood odor intensified and he felt something different in the air, something a bit more sinister than dead animals. He stopped in his tracks and Ketari stopped as well, her brows furrowed, and she let go of his arm. She felt it too. A shadow darted from one of the rocks and rocketed over to Ketari and she stood frozen in her spot as the shinobi advanced on her. Her eyes didn't see the face, the uniform, or the eyes. Just the headband. He was a Stone Ninja, and she screamed. Kakashi bolted forward and seized her, lifting her to safety and away from the Stone Ninja, and she clung to him, her arms around his neck.
Sakura saw a bright flash from inside and the next thing she knew, the Stone Ninja was flying towards the window she had been looking in! He crashed through the window and Sakura ducked just in time to avoid collision. The man was knocked out, his mouth open and gurgling, and Sakura saw a tag underneath his charred vest. He had just been an extra for the attraction.
Kakashi, meanwhile, was out of the attraction and on his knees, hugging Ketari and trying to console her, but it was having very little effect. In a better light, however, she had stopped crying hysterically into his chest. He stood up again and hugged her again, somewhat awkwardly, and reached a hand up, shaking, to wipe away her tears. Ohhhh... I hope she doesn't hit me... is this too soon, or, or, what should I be doing? Should I talk to her, or should I leave her alone, or try to cheer her up, or maybe I should... take her away from here? That should be a good idea...
Before he could make a decision, she broke away from him leaving Kakashi very much alone. He looked at the Stone Ninja on the ground and started as it vanished in a puff of smoke to reveal a stunned Naruto supervised by Sakura. Kakashi stared at them for a minute, anger rising inside of him, and Sakura shivered under his gaze, but he quelled the anger, threw them both a disappointed and let down look, and went off in search of Ketari.
Naruto and Sakura... why? Why did you...? "Ketari! Ketari, where are you? Ketari!" It had been looking like such a wonderful day, too... the festival, the morning had started out with such promise, and now... now his students had ruined it all! He nudged a stone on the ground with his toe, not wanting to kick it, and looked around again. A bridge... and it was starting to rain too... and he couldn't find Ketari. He sat under the bridge, away from the rain, and drew his knees up to his chest. Now what would he do? He couldn't find Ketari, his whole day was ruined. The rain hit down harder around him, splashing into the water, smacking into the dirt, and bouncing off the stone of the bridge.
Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, Jounin, son of The White Fang of Konoha, and Sensei of Cell 7 couldn't keep a date for a day if his life depended on it, not even with the one person he cared about. Sometimes he felt like he couldn't do anything. He got up and trudged back in the rain, his shoes filling with mud, his clothes getting wet (he hoped Iruka wouldn't mind a wet shirt), his hair in his eyes... He tried to smooth it back out of his line of vision but it was determined to flop in front of him regardless. Great, he couldn't even do that.
That's it, today officially sucked a-
His thoughts were interrupted as he saw someone coming out of the Heroes Memorial area and he stopped, still soaking wet. He couldn't see properly but he did see a slim white dress huddled under an overhang staring at the rain. He increased his pace to the overhang. Maybe today wasn't so bad after all... "Ketari!"
She looked up and her mouth twitched, but she didn't laugh. He was, after all, getting muddy, wet, and very lonely for her sake. Her eyes looked sad and she stared down at his muddy shoes. He sat down next to her, put his elbows on his knees, and rested his chin in his hands. "Guess we're stuck here, huh? At least until the rain lets up a little."
Wow, three reviews on the first day! Cool! This is actually my first time doing Naruto fanfiction, since all my other fanfics are for Fullmetal Alchemist, but I liked Kakashi and I wanted to do a fic about him, so here it is!I hope you'll continue to review, and thanks a lot for the ones so far!
-T A