AHHH! Thank you all so, so much for all of the supportive comments and constructive criticism! I would have never thought about continuing this if it weren't for all of the people who left reviews on this story. Because you guys are AWESOME and because we all need a break at the end of the day, here is chapter 3.
Kakashi would much rather go outside on a walk, maybe snap a few more pictures (and hopefully catch a glimpse of his beautiful but terrifying neighbor) but the fickle sky has evidently decided that the dry, yellowed lawns of Konoha need watering. He wanders around the house, looking for things to do indoors. He's read and re-read all of his books countless times, and the novelty of exploring the worlds inside them has worn away. Sakumo's still at work, so it's just him and the dogs at home.
In the end, he curls up on the couch with Pakkun and Bisuke and a cup of hot cocoa warming his hands, idly flipping through channels on the telly while sheets of rain pound the streets outside. He's about to give up and take a nap with the dogs when a flash of bright pink on the screen stops his thumb from pressing the power button on the remote.
"…It's now time for our monthly Super Spotlight, featuring our protectors, the superheroes of America! I have here with me three of our newest supers. Let's give it up for Cherry Bomb, Beast Boy, and Avenger!"
"Terrible Three, my foot," he scoffs, accidentally jostling Bisuke's head on his lap. Bisuke, startled by the sudden movement, opens his eyes wide. When he's sure that Kakashi isn't moving again, he nudges his head back on Kakashi's leg and promptly falls asleep.
Kakashi feels a slight twinge of disappointment. It's just the Gormless Trio, as usual (no Sakura in sight) but at this point, he's resigned himself to watching this show until he finishes all of his cocoa.
Of course, his next door neighbor—Sakura, his mind automatically supplies—wouldn't possibly on national television, even if she should be. Someone as incredibly beautiful and talented as her should be on TV all the time; after all, his father did say that she was being trained by the Senju Tsunade, the reigning medical genius of the century. The Senju had flourished in America ever since they emigrated from the Old Country and settled down in Konoha a few generations ago. At school, Ken Senju, who only spoke English and didn't know a word of Japanese, often bragged about his great cousin Hashirama (who was three times removed from him, true, but don't be a stick in the mud, Kakashi—he was the co-founder of their town!) and about the number of worldwide accolades Senju Medical Institution had won this year.
Still, they should have called Sakura in, Kakashi thinks, disgustedly watching Beast Boy's and Avenger's antics. She would have better things to say than the asinine joke that Beast Boy has just said that falls flat on Kakashi's ears but which the TV audience laps up like water. Avenger promptly dishes out revenge, and the crowd laughs uproariously as the blond man in the neon orange suit flees the set, the man in the black cape hot at his heels.
But…then he'd have to share her with thousands of other people watching her at that moment. For a while, Kakashi debates the pros and cons of being able to see Sakura 24/7 on live television.
The cooling cup of hot cocoa sits on his lap, still untouched.
Kakashi turns his attention back to the screen (and to his drink). Beast Boy and Avenger are back. Kakashi must have missed something, because Beast Boy is nursing a black eye; Avenger, on the other hand, looks cool and collected as usual. Cherry Bomb is in the middle of taking off her black leather gloves, finally removing the left one with a snap that makes Beast Boy flinch instinctively.
Interesting.
"Well, that's all for today, folks!" The perpetually cheerful anchorman says. "This is Cherry Bomb"—the super ducks her head—"Beast Boy"—the blond whiskered man dramatically flexes his biceps before getting thumped on the head by his female teammate—"and Avenger!"
The super with the dark hair and the unnecessarily dramatic black cape scowls.
"The Avenger. Not Avenger," he interjects. Even Kakashi can hear the slight note of irritation in his voice, but the news anchor barrels on.
"Thank you, Avenger—"
"THE Avenger, you incompetent fool."
"—Ah, yes," the man says, unfazed by the interruption. "Here we have Cherry Bomb, Beast Boy and Avenger! Let's hear that applause, shall we?" The superhero scowls. His blond teammate snickers off to the side before the masked woman jabs him in the gut to shut him up. She yanks his ear down to whisper something, and the man's face pales.
Kakashi squints at the screen. It's been itching at his mind for a while, but he's pretty sure that he's seen Beast Boy somewhere.
There's a pop, and the TV audience squeals as a bright orange fox skitters across the table and disappears into Avenger's lap. For a moment, the fox and the dark-haired man just stare at each other before chaos ensues.
Oh. So that's who the man at Sakura's house who turned into a fox was trying to imitate—
…Hold on a second. A fox? Was it even physically possible to fake a transformation?
"Ahaha. sorry about that, folks," Cherry Bomb says over the din in the background. She flicks her pink hair and flashes a bright smile.
Kakashi upsets his hot chocolate.
…oh my god.