A/N: I really do appreciate all of the reviews! I'm glad you all already like the story! (: Tis a short chapter, indeed, but there shall be more later. Hopefully school won't be so tedious that it would take another few months before I post the next chapter. I also did, if you haven't noticed already, change the summary. I like my summaries vague and interesting, haha.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto


Linger

Chapter Two: Welcome Home


Kakashi was often secluded and alone in the Hidden Stone when he wasn't at the ANBU facility working with the trainees. He made no new friends and very few acquaintances. He was familiar with Kurotsuchi, Onoki's granddaughter, and her father. He accompanied them on missions or patrols and when off from duty, they paid him visits every now and then at his rented apartment. They were kind, decent people who enjoyed joking around and being sociable. Kakashi wasn't one to participate in real conversations, but nonetheless he appreciated their company.

Onoki favored him, he supposed. Perhaps it was because he was the well known Hatake Kakashi, the Great Copy Ninja. Or maybe it was simply because he was the only one who bothered listening to the geezer. The old man normally told ancient stories about his childhood and his journeys as a growing shinobi. Kakashi had to admit that it was usually a bore, but he had to be polite. Onoki was already being criticized and teased by his granddaughter. Adding more onto his stress would surely break his feeble, elderly back.

When the two years had finally passed, Kakashi was somewhat relieved to be back home. It had been a long time since he last stepped foot in the Hidden Leaf. The minute he walked in through the Southern Gate, Kotetsu and Izumo greeted him loudly with welcoming smiles and waves. They were no longer chunin, but jonin. Kakashi congratulated them for their accomplishment before proceeding to make his way to the Hokage's tower, leaping silently from rooftop to rooftop in the descending sunlight.

He did not enter through the door. Instead, he sat perched on the window sill and tapped lightly on the glass. He was not surprised to see Naruto, dressed in full Hokage attire from head to toe, sliding the window open for him. Tsunade had sent him a letter a year ago about Naruto's election as Hokage. It disappointed Kakashi that he was not able to make the ceremony, so once Naruto's bright face appeared in front of him, he praised him for his promotion. Naruto was extremely happy to see him and it was then when he began to ramble on about the occurrences during his absence.

"Sensei, we missed you!" Naruto had said, cheerfully. "We've all grown while you were gone!"

They all certainly did grow, he decided, and he actually missed his obnoxiously wide grin.

When Sakura and Shikamaru entered the office, Kakashi felt a bit nostalgic. Though, Sakura was now different than she was before. With his keen eyesight and sharp memory, he was able to point out that she had grown an inch or two during his absence. Her pink hair had grown exceptionally long. It was tied up into a ponytail and sat in curls on her shoulder. Her porcelain skin was glowing and her emerald eyes were big and shining. A diamond crest rested on her forehead, one similar to Tsunade's. He supposed it indicated a promotion of some sort; he would have to ask Tsunade about it in the near future.

Shikamaru did not appear any different. He had grown taller as well, but was still hunched over with a look of disinterest in his lazy eyes. He resembled his father, but his lack of determination distinguished the difference between the two of them.

After sharing a short reunion, he announced his departure and bid his farewells to his former students. As he reached over to pat Sakura on the head, he noticed the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. He didn't want to think that the cause was possibly because of him, because he knew it was his fault. He didn't hate himself for not trying to lend her comfort, but instead hated himself for not feeling sorrow, regret, sadness, nor sympathy.

At that very place, at that very moment, Kakashi Hatake felt absolutely nothing.

"Idiot," he told himself later that night, shamefully.

~ X x . . . x X ~

A tuckered out sigh left Kakashi's masked lips as he sat cross-legged in front of his book shelf, leaning forward and slowly rearranging his prized novels. He had dusted out the shelves with more or less effort and was grateful that the pages of his books weren't chewed on by rats. Before he departed for his mission, he left his apartment complex in the care of his elderly landlord, who graciously offered her assistance. The old woman was kind and she favored him the most, probably for being the least troublesome in the apartment building. It surprised him that his complex was spot-on clean once he returned, cleaner than it would ever have been. He would have to thank her later.

Finding no more interest in his novels, his sole eye slid closed and he pressed the palms of his hands together. His elbows were resting on his thighs and his back was bent into a small arc. There was so much that was still needed to be done. The kitchen was lacking groceries, water and electricity bills had to be paid, and a brief mission report needed to be written and turned into Naruto (he would have to remind himself that Tsunade was no longer the reigning Hokage). Despite the large amount of tasks, he only wanted to stay home and lie in his bed, wrapped in his covers with his face buried in his comfortable pillow.

Life was so complicated and cruel.

A gentle gust of wind blew into the room from the window, the curtains swaying from side to side. He opened his eye and noticed how brightly lit the room was. The sunlight warmed his cold body and the nice breeze sent a sensational chill up his spine. This was the calming weather he had came to love over the past few years.

He inhaled and exhaled, enjoying himself for only a moment.

"Came to ruin my day?" he spoke, half-jokingly.

There was a short period of silence. "Maybe you shouldn't leave your window open then," came a familiar voice, followed by a chuckle. "Nah, I'm here to relay a message from Tsunade-sama."

Kakashi rose to his feet and turned. He was met with a charming grin and gleeful eyes that belonged to a brown-haired man sitting on the window sill.

"Genma," greeted Kakashi, meekly. "It's been a while."

"It sure has, bud," smiled his friend.

Genma hadn't changed at all over the two year period, and looking at his young face made Kakashi feel older than he actually was.

"You look damn tired, Kakashi. Did you get any rest at all?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but not enough."

"Well, you have another week or so before getting called in for more work," said Genma, with a slight pinch of uncertainty. "Probably. Might as well spend your time catching up on your sleep."

"Might as well," he absentmindedly repeated. The lazy-eyed jonin leaned against the wall, gazing over at his disheveled bed. He would definitely consider doing just that. He continued, "By the way, I heard about your engagement with Shizune. Congrats."

Genma's face brightened. "Thanks. The wedding is in June, four months from now. You'll be there, right?"

"Of course. What kind of a friend would I be if I wouldn't?" There was a pause. Kakashi rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered aloud, "A lot can happen in two years. I never thought you would actually stick with one woman. What happened to the well known flirtatious charmer of the Hidden Leaf?"

"He's still here," laughed Genma, embarrassingly. "I've just had a thing for Shizune for a while now. She'd always reject me though. I figured I'd have to start being an honest, committed man if I was going to win her over, and I did." He let out a relieved breath and smiled. "I'm so glad to be with her."

Kakashi couldn't help noticing how much Genma had grown as a person. It was rare seeing him have moments like these. He was a lenient, laid-back person. He was never too serious and never too idiotic. His personality had its diverse share of kindness, foolishness, and pensiveness. Genma was finally intent on taking initiative in his life, and without a doubt, Kakashi was most certainly proud of him.

"Well, I'm happy for you," he said earnestly.

"Thanks, man."

"By the way…what's this message you were talking about earlier?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." Genma swung his legs over the window sill, his back turned to him. He planted his hands firmly by his sides and glanced over his shoulder. "Tsunade-sama wants to see you at the hospital. Apparently it's time for you to get a physical."

The given news made Kakashi stiffen. The senbon-user noticed and added, "She also told me to tell you that if you try bailing, she'll personally come and drag you there."

Kakashi raked a hand through his hair and frowned. "Do you think she actually meant it?"

"Hmm, probably. I'd be serious if I was her too. You barely drop by at the hospital and never attend your yearly check ups."

"Because I personally think I don't need check ups," he spoke, almost sarcastically. "You should know by now that I'm not really a fan of hospitals, Genma."

"Oh, I know. It's just that…you get hurt often. I suggest that you go, Kakashi. Tsunade-sama would be furious if you don't."

"I guess I'll go, but no promises." Kakashi folded his arms across his chest, gazing at his visitor from the corner of his eye. "Thanks for relaying her message."

"Yeah," breathed Genma. He brought one knee up and rested his arm on it. His senbon hung loose from his lips, threatening to fall down to the desolate street below. The wind blew his brown hair back from his face and he closed his eyes, enjoying the coldness. "Hey, Kakashi…I never got the chance to apologize about what happened two years ago."

The memories instantly began to flow into his mind and Kakashi shuddered. "Genma, it's not your fault."

He laughed. "Of course it is. I tried forcing you to do something you were uncomfortable with, something that anybody would be uncomfortable with, and it was wrong. I just wanted you to relax a little, but I got a bit carried away." He softly hit his forehead with the palm of his hand and smiled bitterly. "I was being such an ass."

"Hey, you weren't being an ass," assured Kakashi, quietly. "Besides, nothing happened in the end anyways. And Sakura and I got to know each other more. It was like any other ordinary team bonding exercise."

"I know nothing happened, because you would never do anything like that," sighed Genma. "But I can't help feeling guilty for setting you up with something you'd rather not do."

"Don't be," insisted Kakashi. "You shouldn't worry about it."

"You tell me I shouldn't worry about it, and you're right, but I can't help it."

A period of silence followed suit. Genma sat still, removing the senbon from his mouth and playing with it. It spun in rapid motions between his index and middle finger, its sharp point glimmering in the sunlight. Kakashi stared at the back of his head with puzzled interest.

"Hey, have you seen Sakura-chan lately?" Genma suddenly asked.

Kakashi blinked. "I ran into her last week when I first came back from my mission. It was only for a bit though…Why?"

Genma glanced over his shoulder and flashed a grin. "I dunno, really. I figured you'd be surprised at how much her and Naruto changed."

There was a small pause. "I guess they did, huh."

"Naruto's a great Hokage, you know? All of the kids love him and even though the adults worry from time to time, he never managed to let us down. Sakura accomplished a lot as well," he rambled.

The Copy Ninja simply hummed. "Is that so?"

"She not only grew as a ninja, but she grew as a person too. Your kunoichi is one tough girl, Kakashi!"

He winced at his wording. "I didn't do much. Compliment Tsunade, not me."

His friend gestured. "You did do much more than you give yourself credit for. If it weren't for you, Naruto and Sakura wouldn't be the people they are today. They are very grateful to you."

Kakashi shrugged, but deep down inside, he still disagreed. He felt that he learned a lot more from them than they learned from him. They gave him love and support, teaching him how to be more open towards others. Naruto and Sakura were great role models for shinobi and he was aware that his former students surpassed him long ago. They were probably far stronger than he ever would be. If anything, he looked up to them.

Genma stuck the senbon back into his mouth and bit onto it. "Hey, so I'll catch you later," he announced. "Drop by at the hospital, alright?"

"I'll try."

"Oh…and welcome home."

He saluted to him before hopping down from the window sill. Kakashi observed his fleeting figure until he disappeared around the corner of the street. Sighing, he closed the window, pulled the curtains back to their proper place, and began searching for his complex keys. He wasted no time in going to the hospital. After having a short snack, he exited the apartment building, bidding farewell to his kind, elderly landlord before emerging out in the open.

His vision waned for a moment as his eye adjusted to the brighter environment. He held a hand a distance in front of his face to hid the sun's glare. He wasn't too eager to visit the hospital, and he certainly didn't like the idea of getting a physical. He still had a chance to back out and step back into his apartment building. His landlord would question him for his quick return and he would give her one of his famed, lame excuses. His complex was on the third floor and taking the elevator wouldn't be so long. He would be able to be back in the safety of his humble abode within minutes, locked away from any human contact.

However, the tiniest part of him was telling him to go. And as he took his first hesitant step forward, he was completely aware that there was no turning back.

The hospital was a dreadful place. It was full of misfortune, bitterness, and sorrow. But not only did it house the cold scent of death, the odor of disinfectants and medicine, blood, pain, suffering, and apathy; It housed all of the flirty nurses who desired strongly to care for him and the insistent doctors who he found so irritating, including the one and only Sakura Haruno.


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