Summary: AU. Life on the road, evading headhunters and battling vengeful samurai are a walk in the park next to guarding a 17 year old girl. (Kakashi/Sakura/Genma.)
Notes: Aaaand, here's chapter 2! The flavor of the week is angsty!Kakashi topped with a huge helping of wiseass!Genma and a hint of KakaSaku. I was so inspired by the amazing reviews ch1 received that I had to update ASAP. Location-wise, they're somewhere in the Kiso valley between Kyoto and Edo, in case anyone was wondering. Thanks for leaving feedback!
Vagabonds
Act 2
-o-
"Put me down! Or else I'll...I'll have my father kill you both!"
"You think I'm stupid?" Genma scoffs. "All you've been doing is bitching about running away. I'm not in the mood to play cat and mouse."
Kakashi sighs. They've been going at it for the last twenty minutes, and he's not sure how much longer he can stand listening to their grating banter. They continue on, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Fine, I'll stop," Sakura groans, breaking at last. The blood is rushing to her head and her stomach churns from being jostled on the bumpy path. "I'm starting to feel kind of nauseous. Ugh...I think I might be sick right-"
Kakashi nearly stumbles over Sakura when she rolls onto the ground in front of his feet. She moans in pain, rubbing her backside and her elbow.
"Hey - she said she was gonna hurl." Genma shrugs. "Not my fault."
"Oww," Sakura whines, trying her best not to cry. She scowls at Genma as she stands up and brushes herself off. She's wearing her favorite yukata, and now it just might be ruined - she'll never forgive her father for this.
"You should treat the client a little more carefully," Kakashi chides, shooting Genma a glare.
"My name is Sakura. Not 'the client'. Got that?" Sakura snaps. "Both of you need to learn how to show a girl a little respect. Sheesh."
Genma just scoffs. "All right, your royal highness. Lead the way, then." He gestures to the path before them. Sakura eyes it warily. The further they've gone down the opposite side of the mountain, the steeper the path has become.
"Why didn't we take a palanquin?" Sakura mumbles, crossing her arms. "This is so foolish."
"You think that big ass thing would fit down there?" Genma snorts. "One wrong move and we'd fall to our deaths. Quit complaining and get going." He does have a point - the road is even narrower than the one they took on the journey up. For good measure, he pokes her belly with his scabbard.
"Watch it! I'm going, I'm going," Sakura huffs. Genma stifles a laugh. He can't believe how easy it is to get a rise of out of this chick. Kakashi just shakes his head in disbelief and starts following after her.
Sakura tentatively walks ahead, watching out for any uneven patches of ground. Suddenly, the heel of her geta gets caught on a gnarled tree root; she's too surprised to cry out when she feels herself flying backward.
But instead of hitting the ground a second time, she feels two arms around her middle and a broad, muscular body against her back. She looks over her shoulder and comes face to face with Kakashi. Until now, she's barely looked at him; for the first time, she notices a scar running down his left eye.
"Oops...sorry," Sakura mumbles, cheeks turning pink.
Kakashi lets her go, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. It's been years since he's touched a woman, and her body sent an unusual feeling of warmth through him. "It's fine. Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I think so," Sakura sighs. "I'll be more careful." A chill shoots down her spine as she imagines what would have happened if she'd stumbled over the edge of the path. Then again, maybe it would have been for the best. She's never even met her fiance, but the portrait she saw of him wasn't too comforting.
The three walk on, Kakashi standing closer to Sakura. Meanwhile, Genma lags behind, crossing his arms behind his neck and strolling at a leisurely pace, content to let Kakashi play guard dog. Sakura exhales audibly in relief when at last, the path levels out.
At first, she was grateful for the silence, but now the unpleasant atmosphere is beginning to make her uneasy. How is she supposed to deal with this for days without going nuts? It's obvious that these two don't get along, and she's struck with the awful realization that she's going to have to swallow her pride and play mediator.
"Well..." Sakura begins, clearing her throat. "What are your names? We are traveling together, after all. Sorry I didn't ask earlier."
"Kakashi," the Ronin says, giving her a small nod. At least there's no hard feelings on his end.
"It's Genma. Finally coming around, princess?" Genma smirks.
Sakura sets her jaw. "I'm no one's princess."
"Huh," Genma muses. "Could've fooled me."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura asks.
"Well, you sure do act entitled. Guess you got spoiled living in that big old castle, huh?" Genma throws her a taunting smile; it's true, and judging by the flush in her cheeks, she knows it.
"I've done chores," Sakura mutters. "You don't know a thing about me."
"Sure," Genma drawls, clapping her on the back. She squirms away from his touch.
"You know, you should be thankful. My father gave us money for somewhere to stay tonight," Sakura sniffs. "I'll consider buying your room."
"Kakashi warming your bed for you? Damn. You're cold," Genma sighs, shaking his head. "And here I thought we were gonna share."
Kakashi and Sakura glance at each other then immediately look away in their embarrassment. The flush in Sakura's cheeks grows tenfold and he stifles a groan. So much for trying to make things less awkward, she thinks, stewing in her misery.
After they reach the foot of the mountain, Sakura has never been more grateful to see open land. "Finally," she sighs. "I hope we'll get there soon." They've only been walking for a few hours, but her feet are aching.
"Your father instructed us to pass through Tsumago first," Kakashi says. "Our destination is just beyond there." In the distance, Sakura sees the outline of a cluster of buildings that must be at least seven or eight kilometers away. She chokes back a sob of frustration.
"Can't we just, you know, rest for a while?" Sakura laughs uneasily. Kakashi simply stares as if she's speaking another language. She sighs and trudges on, swallowing her discomfort. Leave it to her father to pick a slave driver for a bodyguard.
It's not like she deserved this - she's been obedient and well mannered her entire life, save for the times she's been caught sneaking books from her father's study. Yet here she is, being used as a bargaining chip to build alliances between clans - it all feels rather unfair. Thinking about it makes Sakura's eyes burn with fresh tears. She blinks them back, determined to remain strong and come up with a plan.
Sakura looks over and catches Kakashi staring; if she's not mistaken, she can see a glimmer of concern in his eyes.
"What?" She mumbles, sniffling a little.
"Nothing. I'm sorry," Kakashi murmurs. Judging by the look he's giving her, he's saying it in sympathy for her plight. It's a little comforting to know at least someone feels bad for her.
"Thanks," Sakura says, giving him a weak smile. His gaze shifts back to the path ahead. It's hard to tell what expression he's really making behind the mask, but at least they've forged an acquaintanceship.
"So, I was wondering," Sakura ventures, her curiosity piqued. "Where'd you get that scar, anyway?"
Kakashi unconsciously reaches up to run his fingertips across the bumpy line of scar tissue marring his skin. His stomach twists as he remembers the scorching pain of the blade slicing his skin, painful images from that fateful day flooding through his mind.
-o-
There it was again - another crash, but louder this time. Kakashi jolted out of bed and rushed out of his room toward his master's quarters. It was the dead of night, but there was no mistaking what he heard.
With Minato's other students away on travel, only Kakashi remained at the dojo; the possibility of being outnumbered by the enemy crossed his mind, but he refused to turn back. Clutching his wakizashi tightly, Kakashi crept closer to Minato's room. Minato was one of the most fearsome samurai in Edo, so there was likely no reason to worry. So why did he have a strange sense of foreboding he couldn't quite shake?
"Minato-sensei-"
Kakashi was cut off by a garbled groan. His pulse quickened and a cool sweat broke out across his forehead as he realized whose voice it was. With unsteady hands, Kakashi slid open the door.
He saw the sword sticking out from Minato's back first, stained crimson and glinting in a ray of moonlight from the window; too shocked to move, he stared at Minato's face, watched the blood bubble in the corners of his master's mouth with each ragged exhale. Then, a rush of adrenaline twisted his gut, lit a fire in his veins and sent him catapulting forward, legs numb as he darted to Minato's side.
"Master!" Kakashi choked, falling to his knees. "What have they done to you?" Minato's eyes were glazed, lips trembling as a muted groan slipped from his throat. He looked somewhere over Kakashi's shoulder, trying to form words but unable to speak.
The whistling sound of the blade cutting through the air was the only thing that saved him. Kakashi tried to breathe evenly in spite of the searing pain coursing through his upper body. He'd dodged his enemy's attack, but not before being nicked in the shoulder. He chided himself for allowing his emotions to blind him to the point of nearly being killed.
"Very good, Kakashi. Quick on your feet, as always," a low voice rumbled. Kakashi adjusted his eyes to the darkness and made out a tall figure in the shadows. The man stepped forward and in the pale light, Kakashi saw his face was hidden by a rust colored mask painted with black flames.
Kakashi swallowed heavily. "Why have you done this?" He began to unsheathe his sword.
"I wouldn't make any sudden moves, if I were you. That is, unless you want to end up rotting in the ground alongside your master," the man sneered. Kakashi's mind reeled in confusion as he tried to put the pieces together, tried to understand how this man could possibly know his name.
"You'll pay for this," Kakashi muttered, a wave of anguish washing over him as he looked at Minato's corpse.
"Well, then. Let's see what you can do with that blade of yours," the man laughed.
The two lunged at each other, trading lightning fast blows. Kakashi ducked, narrowly missing an attack aimed at his jugular; he crouched low and aimed his blade at the man's stomach, but his attacker backflipped and retaliated with a surprise kick that sent a wave of pain through Kakashi's left knee.
Kakashi stepped back, trying to put a safe distance between them, but the darkness of the room was disorienting, the katana aimed at his face so swift it was merely a blur. Kakashi went into a backbend, but wasn't fast enough - a scorching hot pain flooded his senses as the man's blade sliced through the skin above and beneath his left eye.
"You're good," the man remarked. "I've blinded too many samurai to count." Kakashi groaned in pain, hands shaking wildly as he fumbled to press his palm against the gash dripping rivulets of blood down his cheek. He groped for his wakizashi, but the man kicked it out of reach. The man pressed the tip of his sword against Kakashi's chin and forced him to look up.
"Aren't you going to kill me?" Kakashi heard himself speak, yet his own voice sounded far away. The man scoffed, and Kakashi could picture the cruel smile beneath the mask.
"Kill you? That would be too easy," the man muttered. "No. You will live with your master's death on your shoulders for the rest of your life, Kakashi. That is satisfaction enough." He sheathed his sword and kicked Kakashi across the face. Kakashi groaned, blood rushing to his head and pooling on his tongue.
"Who are you?!" Kakashi yelled, hoarse from pain and grief. The man paused, turned back to look over his shoulder.
"You really don't remember," he mused. "I see. Perhaps one day, we'll meet again...old friend." The man laughed deep in his throat. Kakashi tried to focus his left eye, but the searing pain from the gash forced him to keep it closed. He heard the window opening as the man fled. Kakashi fell to the ground, staring into the lifeless eyes of his master as he lost consciousness.
-o-
"Hey...are you okay?"
Sakura is eyeing him with a worried look. Kakashi shakes his head, swallows the sick rising at the base of his throat. It's been a long time since he's been caught off his guard by his memories.
"Yes. I didn't mean to concern you," Kakashi replies. "It happened several years ago. I don't care to discuss it."
"Oh. I see," Sakura sighs, disappointed. Can this guy possibly be any harder to read? A part of her wonders if it's a facade, but then she considers the possibility that he could have a dark past. It's a troubling thought, and she tries to push it out of her mind.
"Oi! You two lovebirds better hurry it up," Genma calls over his shoulder. He's already more than several paces ahead.
Sakura balls her fists. "God! Could you please shut up?!" She quickens her pace, determined to preserve her dignity and not give him anything to talk about. Kakashi exhales loudly, grateful that their bickering distracts her from asking any other questions.
They reach Tsumago just after sunset. The postal village is bustling with activity as merchants start to close shop and bars and restaurants begin to prepare for an influx of evening customers. Sakura hasn't been to a quaint village like Tsumago in ages, and it's a pleasant change of scenery.
"Let's find lodging first," Kakashi says. Travelers constantly flow through postal villages, and he wants to make sure they have a bed tonight.
"Yeah. I guess," Sakura agrees, although her stomach is nagging to be fed. After a bit of searching, they finally come across an inn with vacancy. A wizened man is sitting at the front desk, smoking a pipe and counting an array of bronze and silver coins.
"Half the payment's due up front," the man barks. "No funny business, either." He eyes Genma warily, who's twirling his katana in boredom.
"Stop that!" Sakura hisses. Genma just shrugs; when she turns her back to him, he resumes entertaining himself. Kakashi observes the cracks and mildew on the walls and wonders just how decent their room will be.
"Do you have three separate rooms available?" Sakura asks, though something tells her that they might be out of luck. She bites her lip as the man checks the roster on the desk. When he shakes his head, her heart sinks.
"Sorry, lady. We got one room, two beds. Take it or leave it." He exhales a plume of smoke a little too close to her face.
"Well...I guess we have no choice," Sakura sighs, pulling out her coin purse and sliding over 10 momme. The old man counts the money and hands her a key marked 47. After jiggling with the lock for several minutes, Sakura finally opens the door. Their room is nothing to write home about - dust is gathering on the pillows and baseboards, both mattresses are sagging and a strange dampness hangs in the air. It's just as bad, if not worse than Kakashi had anticipated.
"Well, this sure is a sorry little shit hole, isn't it?" Genma declares.
"Thanks. That helps," Sakura mutters.
"Whatever. All I know is I'm staking my claim." Genma flops down on the bed closest to the window, kicks his feet out and crosses his arms behind his head. "This one's all mine."
"N-no way!" Sakura sputters. "I'm not sharing a bed with..." She makes eye contact with Kakashi and feels bad about seeming so rude. "Ugh," Sakura groans, covering her face with her hands. It's not like he's disgusting - far from it, really, but she's never been in bed with a man in her life. Kakashi feels just as awkward. He didn't fail to notice how Sakura made a few heads turn while they walked through the village center; the idea of sharing such an intimate space with her sets him on edge.
Genma grins and pats the mattress. "You know, there's room for one more..."
"Um, no. You wish," Sakura snorts.
Genma frowns. This chick might be pretty, but she's too stuck up for her own good. He sighs and rolls over. "Suit yourself. Just make sure he doesn't take your innocence in the middle of the night. I don't trust him."
Sakura's cheeks turn red. "Oh, like I should trust you? Please." Kakashi takes a seat on the chair by the door, unaffected.
"It's fine," the Ronin announces. "I'll rest here for the night. Take the bed."
"Oh. Thanks," Sakura murmurs. Kakashi nods. She lies down on the bed and tries to imagine what will happen tomorrow. The thought of being touched by that slimy old weasel Arashi and pretending to like it is enough to make her stomach turn. Even though this room is terrible, a part of her wishes she could hide here forever.
"Know what?" Genma heaves himself up off the bed, eyes glittering with mischief. "I say we all get ourselves a nice, stiff round of drinks. Play some cards, maybe. Who's with me?"
"That's a terrible idea," Kakashi mutters darkly.
"Oh, I'm sorry - I forgot that 'fun' isn't a part of your vocabulary," Genma rolls his eyes. "Geez, man. When's the last time you got laid?"
"You really have no shame at all, do you?" Sakura says, laughing in disbelief.
"Nope," Genma grins.
"I have an idea. Why don't you stop talking?" She smiles sweetly.
"I know your old man gave you a crap load of cash. I saw how heavy that bag was," Genma remarks, ignoring her. He still has his own winnings, too, and he's itching to make a profit. "Besides, I'm sure he works hard for the money - it must suck wiping some old lord's ass all day. Might as well enjoy it, since he sure can't."
"For your information, my father is the daimyo's most trusted assistant. He's not a slave," Sakura says. "And besides, you'd probably blow it all and get drunk. We should get something to eat and go to sleep."
Genma nods. "Well - I dunno know about you two, but I'm outta here." He puts his shoes back on and heads out the door.
"W...Wait!" Sakura cries out. "You're here to protect me, aren't you?" Honestly, she's a little anxious at the thought of being alone with Kakashi - although he seems decent, appearances can be deceiving. "You can't just go off on your own like that!"
"Better hurry up, then," Genma calls, Sakura scrambling after him. Kakashi sighs as he gets up. Something tells him that it's going to be a long night.
