The beautiful chattering of sparrows, limbs full of green leaves russling from a breeze, sun light filtering through pale eyelids. Those are the things that woke Hachiko from where she lay on her back in the dirt. Squinting at the sun while she lifted her head to check her surroundings she noticed she wasnt in the apartment she shared with Hauru.
Hachiko flopped back down with a wince, her head was pounding.
"Heh, sorry 'bout the headache. Happens when ya get a crack to your cranium."
Hachiko shielded her eyes as she focused on the voice above her head. A tall lanky man sat on a tree limb looking down on her with a lopsided grin. His dark brown shaggy hair was swept to the side from the nagging breeze.
Hachiko blinked in confusion, why was she here? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in her bed after Hauru had tucked her in.
"What happened?"
"Huh? Oh right! Ya wouldnt wake up this mornin' so i conked you on the head and dragged you here."
Hachiko just blinked up at him, too lost in a sea of confusion to realy be as upset as she shouldve been. Plus her head was hammering.
"Need some help movin' outta the sun?"
When Hauru heard no answer he chuckled and slid backwards off his branch only to land casually on his feet. He walked towards her and that's when Hachiko finally snapped out of her daze. She scrambled back with her left arm sheilding her lower face while her eyes narrowed, more so at the pain in her skull. Her back bumped into a tree trunk and the man stopped his lackadaisical approach, slitted pupils dancing with amusement.
"Stay away from me! I mean it! Ill-"
"Ya'll do what? Call ya Wolves on me?"
Hachiko frowned at him, an eyebrow quirked up at the word 'Wolves'. He sighed heavily, like she should know what he was talking about.
"Ya know, those Hatakes ya have wrapt 'round ya finger."
The white haired girl opened her mouth but was interupted by the shaggy haired man scoffing loudly and standing up with his shoulders set. His eyes trailed to the trees a few hundred yards away, eyes ablaze with playful mischief.
"Or those mangy old farts that follow ya round. Ya'd think they'd have a life by now."
Hachiko glared at the mouthy man but paused to scent the air by parting her lips slightly and drawing in the breeze to taste on her tounge and the roof of her mouth. From scent alone she noticed they werent too far from the village and could taste two very well known scents close by.
Two blurs shot across the trees to her feet where she sat. She blinked then smiled widely, her two friends had came to save her.
"Kai! Kibo!"
The cats flicked their tails in a greeting before turning to the man who looked like he was about to fall asleep standing up.
"Are you ready to proceed, Hauru?"
Hauru nodded with a wide yawn. His eyes flicked down to Hachiko making her give him a hard look. The man simply laughed as he turned to Kai with the same lazy lopsided grin.
"Sure thing. But shouldnt ya explain to the kid first?"
He jabbed his thumb in her direction, the cats exchanged a glance before Kibo stepped forward. His eyes unreadable as he stood between her outstretched legs.
"Youre leaving the village to train with the three of us." Hachiko went to interupt but he held his tail up for silence, making her quickly close her mouth.
"There are things you need to learn to control and you must learn to defend yourself. I know you dont like hurting others but in this world its kill or be killed. I made a promise to your mother to protect you but i wont always be here to save you. Its time to grow up and become a true genin."
Hachiko stood to her feet, hands balled at her sides. Her mind was reeling from the lecture but one thing took over completely, a reflex reaction really. It felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
"What about Sakumo and Kakashi?"
Kai turned his glare on Hauru as the man stiffled a chuckle. Kibo ignored the others and gave Hachiko a stern glare.
"What did i say, Hachiko? It is time to grow up. Kakashi is training to be a ninja just as you will be. Your infatuation with him will hinder both of you. Do you honestly believe Kakashi will feel the same way a year from now? Or even two?"
Hachiko clenched her jaw as she faught down tears. Kibo had never spoken to her like this before, he had always been gentle and understanding. Hachiko knew then that she had been a spoiled brat towards the only family she truely had.
"You are going to learn from Kai, Hauru and i. We will teach you everything we know to make you the best Kunoichi you can be. You have the blood of two noble Clans running through your veins. Act like it. Stop this childish nonsense."
Hachiko bit the inside of her cheek, her crimson eyes heated into pools of lava. She didnt think caring for them was 'childish nonsense'. An anger she had never felt before began building in her chest. Why was Kibo being so harsh now? He had never expressed his displeasure towards the Hatakes before, so why now? Then it hit her, like a cold breeze off a mountain top and completely froze her anger, why did it matter so much about Kakashi and Sakumo? They had abandoned her like everyone else. The only ones that had stuck around was the two felines who she shoved to the side at the first touch of kindness from humans. Humans who in the end probably never cared anyway.
"When do we leave?"
Kibo softened for a moment, he could see this was hard on her. She loved the Hatakes and didnt want to leave them. Her sense of loyalty for them was strong enough to question him, something shed never done before.
Hauru stepped forward with his usual lopsided grin.
"Were-a leavin' right now."
Hachiko felt her world crumble. She didnt even get to say goodbye. To apologize for whatever she had done to make kakashi hate her so much. To tell Sakumo that she truly loved him and that she didnt mean to push him away. She stared at the ground with furrowed brows trying to collect herself.
Kai went to step closer to her but Kibo held him back with a tail to the toms chest, eyes fixated on the little shaking girl.
"Hachiko. You will be able to achieve higher ranks based on missions sent our way while on this training journey. Do you understand why this had to be done?"
Hachiko turned her eyes on him, they were still confused but held a determination.
"Hai, Kibo-sensei. I need to control myself better and learn to protect those important to me and the village."
Kai smiled tenderly at her. He had come along more so to make sure Kibo and Hauru didnt run her into the ground or get her killed. As much as he played at the role of leader between Kibo and him, he knew who was the 'Alpha', for lack of a better word, was but he wasnt afraid to step up to defend his Dearest Kitten from Kibo or that blattering fool Hauru.
The way she looked right now reminded Hauru of someone he had loved dearly and lost. He wanted to make her stronger and more confident of course but he also wanted to know this little spit fire of a girl. Purely selfish reasons of wanting to be closer to her than just the man who ripped her away from the Hatakes.
Hachiko heard them speaking to each other, figuring a plan of action before they left for the land of Lightening. Her eyes strayed back towards the village, her home. But her heart wouldnt truely miss Konoha, no, it would miss two silver haired Hatakes.
"..Bye for now..."
Over a spane of 11 years Hachiko and her three senseis wandered the Great Elemental Lands. She grew into a beautiful but deadly woman. The art of silent assassination had come naturally to her, which surprised her emincely in the beginning, she had her qualms about killing but over the years she grew cold to it.
Her thoughts of Kakashi and Sakumo came less and less through the endless training and missions sent from the Hokage himself. They recieved messages when disasters struck the leaf. The nine tails being unleashed and the death of The fourth Hokage. She had wanted to return but Hauru, who had become an important person in her life, swayed her decision.
When it was finally time to return home Hachiko was Jonin level and a ghost in her own right. The village knew of her indevers but like always they seemed oblivious to her patriotic deeds and reguarded her with the same indifference. The only two who truely kept up with her training and missions were the Hatakes. And when the Third told them of her return Sakumo was ecstatic but Kakashi remained as aloof as ever. His only comment had been 'Good for her'.
Hachiko wasnt sure what life would be waiting for her when she was finally home. Truthfully she was a nervous wreck. She had just dissapeared for a decade and assumed no one would be happy to see her. Kai and Kibo tried to assure her but it was Hauru's snarky comment that put her at ease. Something he had tact for when it came down to it. But it didnt quell the thundering in her chest or the blood rushing in her ears. She was going to be meeting Sakumo at the gates. They corresponded for years through letters back and forth, him trying to mend what had broken between them. But that was letters, what if he didnt like her?
Hachiko saw the gates ahead, her hand automatically reached up to the shaved side of her head to brush her fingers across the soft short hair there. An action she did when she was nervous. She was worried that maybe she changed too much for her old friend to recognise her.
No longer was she the small tomboyish looking little girl. Now Hachiko had finally grown into herself and filled out with womanly curves or she liked to think she did. Truth be told she was flat as a board no matter how you looked at her. The constant strain she put her body through made her more lean muscle that curvy. Hauru had made more than one joke at her expense. The only thing she truly loved was her hair. One side was shaved and the rest of her wavey white shoulder length hair was pushed to the other side of her head. No more bangs in her cat-like shaped eyes, the stunning crimson color was on full display along with her pixie face.
"Quit fuck'n with ya hair, ya makin' me nervous."
"Shut it, Hauru-sensei, youre only nervous around women." Hachiko paused to shoot the man a wide grin. "Kinda sad really, and you talked such big game only to end up almost hurling on them when you try to say your name."
Hachiko mockingly puffed out her chest and swaggered over to Kai, who shot her a grin.
"Im Hau-Blah-!!"
Hauru grinned as he leaped forward to put Hachiko in a head lock. She jabbed at his ribs playfully while the cats watched unfazed by their companions rough-housing.
All four walked into the village, well the two humans were still struggling to get the other to say mercy. Kibo sighed loudly as he lept up on the Check in desk. He turned his annoyed eyes on the two sitting there. They were watching Hachiko and Hauru with raised eyebrows.
"Hey! Stop that! Come check in!"
Hachiko and Hauru shoved away from the other with matching lopsided grins, Hachiko put two fingers under her eyes then pointed them at the older man. Hauru scoffed loudly but returned with a more vulger gesture. The two walked over while laughing, arms over the others shoulder. They slammed their Leaf village IDs down at the same time.
"Hauru Inuzuka."
"Hachiko Inuzuka."
The men behind the desk stared at Hachiko with wide eyes before the one with bandages on his nose let out a laugh. Hachiko frowned at him.
"Got a problem, punk?"
Hachiko leaned in with a wide grin, her nose an inch from the now silent man. Hauru was leaning his elbow on Hachiko's back with a hard stare at the other man.
"N-no! Its just good to see you Hachiko. You dont seem to remember us though."
Hachiko pulled back, squinting at his face before she smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck.
"Oh sorry about that Kotetsu, Izumo. You guys are all grown up now, huh?"
They exchanged a glance but smiled at Hachiko, ignoring the way Hauru was standing there digging in his ear with his pinky.
"Yeah, youve grown too."
"I hardly recognized you."
Hachiko went to say something but a pair of large hands reached around to fondle her breasts over her flak vest.
"Shes still the same when she was a kid. Flat as a board."
The men stared with wide eyes while their faces changed from their skin tone to bright red. Hachiko's eyes were shadowed for a moment.
"Hauru-sensei..."
"Hmm?"
He smiled at her over her shoulder only to feel an elbow connect to his chin. He flew back a few yards with a grunt, sliding on his feet. Hachiko turned to glare at him while cracking her knuckles.
"You dirty pervert!!"
Kakashi sat in a tree in the training grounds reading an orange book. His exposed eye glanced up now and then to watch the three students he had been assigned to. He hadnt liked the thought of being a sensei but when they passed his test he saw no qualms with teaching them. He didnt really like them personally but they were his team now and he protected his own.
He had been enjoying the day, after he tuned out the childrens constant arguing. It was a nice sunny day.
Noticing where the sun sat in the sky he realised he was late, not a rare thing in the least.
'Hmm, only two hours late. I guess i should go now or Tou-san will be upset.'
He lept down to his feet, book still in hand, and walked over to the kids who were now screaming at eachother. Snapping his book shut he shoved it into his pouch and addressed them with a lazy drawl.
"Mah, you guys can go home now. I have things to do, people to see."
The blonde fireball known as Naurto turned to fire an insult. His grubby finger pointing up at his sensei with a narrow eyed glare.
"Yeah right, Kaka-sensei, you dont have any plans! You just dont wanna teach us anything!"
Kakashi simply blinked before giving shrug, secretly he enjoyed irratating his little genin.
"Who knows, Naruto, maybe he has a date."
He wanted to scoff bitterly at that but his self control wouldnt allow it. He turned to the only girl on his team, Sakura, and watched as she smiled sweetly at him. He could see it was an insult, the little pinkette had adopted a kill 'em with kindness attitude towards him.
"Whatever im going to train alone."
Kakashi sighed dramatically as he watched the chaos insue between the three. Making the hand sign he dissapeared in a swirl of leaves.
Sakumo ran around his kitchen, a smile on his face. Today Hachiko was coming back, though they hadnt left on good terms he wanted to remedy the situation. He shoved his feet into his sandles and started walking towards the gates. He was suppose to go with Kakashi but like always his son saw punctuality as a suggestion.
"I hope i dont miss her."
Sakumo kept walking, his heart picking up pace as he neared the gates. There standing with her hands on her hips was a slender woman, the white hair helping him realise it was indeed Hachiko.
"Hachi!"
Sakumo cupped his hands around his mouth then waving to get her attention. The woman turned and Sakumo paused with a watery smile. She was all grown up, and he had missed it.
Hachiko wasnt beauty pageant pretty but she was gorgeous in her own way. Her natural beauty shone like a star in the sky. She was a little more muscle than considered feminine but her face was slender and pale with crimson full lips that quirked up on one side into a lazy half smile. Her eyes were bright and held an air of confidence that she had lacked as a child. The dark lashes around them were long and thick making the color pop.
All in all Hachiko was breath taking to him, a fatherly love filled his chest as he couldnt help but swell with pride.
Hachiko turned her head before a huge smile spread across her face. She broke into a run for him, Sakumo picked up his pace to try and meet her sooner.
Hachiko ran straight into his open waiting arms with a cry of joy. Sakumo tried not to wiwince at how hard she was squeezing him.
"Sakumo! Im so happy to see you!"
"Me too Hachi, I missed you so much."
Hachiko pulled back, her arms still wrapped around his middle. Sakumo took in every secind he could to see her full face. She had a well healed scar that was barely visible on the corner of her mouth and one that cut through her left eyebrow but other than those he saw no other damage. If anything it added to her beauty to him.
Hachiko stared at the man before her, her heart clenching with so much love she couldnt help a giggle. He was older looking but still the same. The creases by his eyes had deepened and became longer and his laugh lines were more prominent. Hachiko's eyes softened, he had laughed more. Good, shed been worried about that. But as her eyes flicked behind the man she felt her body tense. Tge person approaching had changed alot but it was still him, shed know his scent anywhere.
Kakashi.
He had an orange book in one hand while his other was shoved deep into his navy blue standard issue jonin pants, making him slouch forward. His one visible eye was scanning the contents of the page he was reading. Hachiko smirked at how his hair was still wild as ever, longer but still untameable.
When their eyes locked Hachiko held his gaze, even though she wanted to look away, his eye gave nothing away.
Sakumo pulled away from her to turn to his son, a frown on his face.
"Where have you been? I told you to meet me two hours ago."
Kakashi looked up, his eye widened as if he had just noticed they were there.
"Oh? Am i late?"
Hachiko put her hands in her pockets and leaned back slightly to watch them with an amused grin.
Sakumo reprimanded his son before turning back to Hachiko, Kakashi putting his book away to stand beside his father.
Hachiko raised her eyebrows, noting that now their full attention was on her, it made her slightly uneasy. Being away from people for so long meant you had zero people skills.
"Ugh...Wanna get something ta eat?"
Kakashi blinked at her before shrugging, Sakumo smiled brightly.
"Of course. You need to tell us about your time away."
A grunt from behind Hachiko made her glance back. Hauru was a few yards away chewing on a long stem of grass while trying to look uninterested. A smirk quirked the corner of her mouth as she let out a mocking sigh.
"I guess you can come too, Hauru. Just dont do anything stupid or im bootin' you out."
Hauru scoffed playfully as he spit the grass from his mouth to turn to her. His eyes were lit with mischief.
"Who me? Nah, never."
Kakashi watched the way Hachiko let out a growl, her smile still in place, Hauru seemed to tense up and set his feet. Kakashi blinked and they were wrestling the other, trying to get a hold or head-lock in place. It was all very childish.
But when he heard that bell like laugh fall from her lips Kakashi nearly choked on his own spit. His heart had skipped a beat.
'What the hell?!'
The young man waved off his father who had turned to him looking concern, and mildly amused. As he struggled to get the air back into his lungs he noticed Hachiko watching him.
His traitorous heart nearly imploded when she tilted her head at him like she used to do when they were kids.
Kakashi furrowed his brows slightly, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from grabbing at his heart. He straightened himself and pulled out his book hoping it would detour any conversation with him while he sorted his mind out.
As a child he hadnt realised what had tortured him, not until he had seen enough love-struck idiots making fools of themselves, but now he knew that he had had a crush on the white haired girl of his childhood. He had been relieved when he first saw her and those annoying feelings didnt return. But much to his dismay it seemed some of them had lingered.
Kakashi couldnt help himself from glancing at Hachiko from over his book and watching her talk animatedly with his father. She had changed alot on the outside but he could still see that little girl under the surface. She was the same timid girl under all that playfulness.
Kakashi prided himself on reading people, it was one of his favorite pass-times. That and pushing buttons until he got an interesting reaction. He wouldve enjoyed testing Hachiko's but he had his own problem with reactions at the moment. But once he sorted it out he would take time out of his 'busy' schedule to annoy her. She had yet to see how he changed and he wanted to see what she would do with that information.
She was something new in his boring everyday routen and he couldnt help a small smile from lifting the corners of his lips under his mask. That was until Sakumo had decided to throw a bomb into the conversation that Kakashi hadnt been paying attention to.
"Remember when you kids promised to get married? So when am i getting grandkids?"
Hachiko paused but burst into a fit of laughter before grinning at Sakumo with a mischievous edge to her eyes.
"Im game when he is."
Kakashi had already went ridged but when he heard her reply his heart had stopped and a tingle built in his lower stomach. His mind wandered over the thought of having her below him, saying his name with a flushed face and lidded eyes.
"Hey, Kakashi, you feeling ok? Your face is red."
The younger man controled himself and glanced over at Hachiko's amused face. It faultered slightly when she saw his lazied expression.
"Hmm? Im sorry what were you saying?"
Kakashi was a master at self control and when his outter appearance seemed unaffected other than the light tink of pink edging over his mask everyone in the group moved on to other conversations. Everyone except Hachiko.
Kakashi may have fooled the others but Hachiko had payed close attention during the exchange.
She trailed back to walk beside him, ignoring the way the older men smirked knowingly.
"So whatcha ya been up to all this time, Kakashi?"
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye with a fake politeness that irked her slightly. Even his tone of voice was tinted. Much like in the way you spoke to children with their parents in the room.
"Oh nothing much. What about you?"
Without missing a beat Hachiko answered, deciding to mess with him. Maybe hed loosen up and get that stick out of his ass.
"Oh im glad you asked."
She flashed him a smile as the words slipped through her teeth.
"Ive been planning the wedding. I was thinking we could go with neutral tones for the color scheme. What do you think?"
She didnt pause long enough to let him get a word in but that didnt stop Kakashi from turning his head to reguard her with a thoughtful expression.
"Oh! How do you feel about a fall wedding? I was thinking we could have Kai and Kibo be my Cats-of-honor and im sure you have some friends so you need to pick some for your groomsmen."
"Hmm, i like the idea of neutral colors and the fall part but cats? Maybe we could hire someone to be your bridesmaids. And i do have a few options for groomsmen but my best man will have to be Pakkun, my summon, more because i was his when he married his mate."
They stared at eachother for a moment before Hachiko laughed, Kakashi grinned under his mask at her. The tension from earlier had lifted, much to Hachiko's relief. It wasnt like old times but it put them at ease with the other a little more.
As the group made their way towards a local restaurant the younger two hung back from the rest to banter back and forth. The older men would glance behind them every few minutes to watch them, Sakumo grinning ear to ear while Hauru's smile remained ever playful but it never reached his eyes.
Kibo, who had been between the older and younger, eyed the Inuzuka male closely. Kai chuffed softly to Kibo. The speckled tom flicked his tail. Their conversation went unnoticed but it held a deep meaning. The felines were keeping an eye on Hauru, a careful eye.
AN:I would like to point out no one really knows Hauru's and Hachiko's relation-status , not even Hachi. He is her uncle but the rest dont know that. Just felt the need to explain.Oh and to the review asking where Hachiko got her name.No i didnt name her for the Akita dog named Hachiko. I named her that because i always liked the name and because my Father used to call me Hachi or Hach when i was a kid. I love the name and i think it suits her.Hope you enjoyed!
-Savage