Author's Note: So...for the most part, there was positive reactions to Takara's coming out last chapter which made me a really happy queer girl during Pride month this year. And then there was one not so great response that made me decide...hey, let's make it really obvious how gay this writer and the characters are in this story. Hence the additional chapter heading that will be in every single update in Curiosity and the Copycat from now on til either this fic is finished or I die. "Takara is a Bisexual Badass", coined from BAMF reader tazdevil. Their reviews always make me smile and they are also just a cool person in general.
Sorry to the anonymous reviewer for whom the story was "ruined now that the OC is gay" because I have some bad news: Takara is bisexual. The writer is a pansexual demi-lady. Many of the people I love and care about are neither heterosexual nor cisgender. Most of the OC's are LGBTQ+. Select canon characters in this fic are written as queer in one form or another. I headcanon Kakashi as demisexual and that is how he is being written in this fic. Everything about this is queer in some matter, shape, or form because I am rubbing my gay hands all over it and I'm gonna keep mentioning it. Again and again and again. So I guess this just isn't the fic for you, my friend. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Oh, well.
Shout out to another reviewer whose review I read and misunderstood the intentions of. Not only didn't I take the time to understand but I reacted defensively and took out my hurt/anger towards the anonymous reviewer on them. That was unfair to you. You know who you are and I truly apologize.
On another topic...I cannot believe how you guys were reacting to Takara's brother at the end of chapter 9. I've been dying laughing every time I read them as you start forming your own idea of what Hotaka is like. I can't for you guys to actually meet him...like, 30 chapters from now. Whenever we get past the Chunin Exams arc - which is about 3 years away from when the story is currently taking place. Ψ(￣∀￣)Ψ
Answer to previous chapter's questions: Someday, I really want to move to Chiang Mai. It's a gorgeous city in Thailand that I feel wouldn't be quite as intense as Bangkok and being so close to other countries in Southeast Asia, I could hop around and see other places. I have dreams of riding around the area on a motor scooter, learning Thai, and just enjoying life there for a year or two. Also, the Yee Peng Ceremony - my childhood self demands to see the floating lanterns in real life. My Tangled fantasy will be realized.
Curiosity and the Copycat
...a Naruto fanfiction story...
Curiosity and the Copycat © Mx. Irony
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Takara is a Bisexual Badass
chapter 10
Honey and Vinegar
"The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."
Leo Tolstoy
"Kara-chan. We've talked about this. You know better."
"But Tou-san, he was so mean to her! Calling her fat and ugly and stupid - and - and - "
"Easy, there, Kara-chan. Don't go getting yourself worked up."
"It's not fair! It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!"
"Kara, honey."
"I did what ya said and told sensei but he didn't do nuthin'! Just said that's how boys do when they 'like' a girl."
"Well..."
"That makes no sense! You don't go callin' Kaa-san names or trip her or make pig noises when he eats or dip her hair in ink or - or - ya not mean! You're nice to her and tell her she's pretty and help her. And that's what you're supposed to do when ya like someone. That's how ya supposed to treat everybody!"
"Slow down, Kara-chan. Breathe."
"No one was doin' anything and it got worse and worse and worse and other boys started pickin' on her, too, and the girls laughed. They sat and laughed and wouldn't play with Moriomoto-chan anymore. Then she started sayin' these things like she didn't matter and nobody liked her and there was no point to being around. And - and - and - sh-she said that - "
"Honey, breathe."
"Tou-san, I-I-I tr-tried doing what you and Kaa-san said. I tried counting to ten and breathing but I just - I just - "
"I know, honey. I know."
Nine days. It had been nine days.
Takara stretched her legs out onto another chair, focused intently on the mess of pink yarn in her hands. She never bothered learning to knit, no matter how many old aunties attempt at teaching her, as before she didn't have the patience for it. Now with an abundance of time on her hands as she waited Ogino out, Takara discovered new ways of keeping herself productive and decided to teach herself to crochet with a library book and Amano's hook - not actually knitting, satisfying the small rebellion Takara held fast to, but enough to keep her hands busy. Maybe if she got really good at it, she could knit something for the boys back at home. Maybe even get a good side business going.
"...Ogino-san doesn't like feet on her furniture," the secretary Motegi said suddenly, fixing the girl with a particularly nasty look.
Takara sent him a smile that was all teeth. "Really? Maybe Ogino-san would be kind enough to tell me herself."
"I'm her secretary and I'm telling you."
"Is that so?" From the corner of her eye, she saw a flicker in the blinds where the window to her landlady's office was. Takara tapped a foot against the armrest, sending a sprinkle of dirt onto the cushion from the sole of her shoe. Only after that did she remove her feet from the furniture.
"You got dirt on it!" Motegi snapped.
"I'll be sure to apologize to Ogino-san in person," Takara said idly, returning to her attempts at a spiral stitch.
"I told you she isn't here today - " He was interrupted by a phone ringing through the door to Ogino's office which quickly ended.
Takara raised an eyebrow at him.
Motegi busied himself with the papers on his desk. Stupid, really, Takara thought. She'd already seen that they were mostly blank pages meant to create the illusion of being busy, just another excuse to ignore her while she sat in the office all day again. It honestly disappointed Takara. She expected better from a leasing office in a hidden ninja village.
Not long after the first phone ring, a second one was heard - this one on Motegi's desk. He quickly snatched it up, answering with a brisk, "Maruyamacho Leasing Office. Oh, Ogino- sa - " He cut himself off, eyes bulging as he glanced at Takara.
She leaped to her feet, making a beeline to the desk.
Motegi quickly rolled his chair back, taking the phone with him. "Y-yes, she's still here - quit chasing me! - no, no, no! Not you, Ogino-san. Her. Yes, her!"
"Ogino-san, I must speak with you!" Takara yelled as she followed the man around the office. Motegi rolled away frantically.
"What do you mean - oh, my god, you can't be serious! Again?" Motegi exclaimed. He made a sharp turn, causing Takara to nearly run into a wall. "They really are related!"
"Let me talk to her!"
"What do you want me to do?"
Huffing, Takara stood up straight as she realized her own stupidity: with Motegi rolling around the room like a child playing chase, there was no one left to guard the door to Ogino's office! She made a mad dash for it.
"Understood, Ogino-san. I'll - WAIT! YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE! Ogino-san, she's - "
Takara grabbed the door knob, twisting it. At first it turned but almost as soon as it did, the knob froze as it was locked from the inside. Her jaw dropped. "Ogino-san. Ogino-san, I know you're in there." She started knocking at the door. "It's Hinamori Takara. I got a letter from you ten days ago and I need to speak with you about it. Ogino-san. Ogino-san!"
She didn't care if she was going too far. She didn't care if this made her look bad. She didn't care about being polite or patient. Being polite had gotten her nowhere; her patience was wasting precious time. Honey attracted more flies than vinegar, her father always advised whenever she lost her temper even if it was for damn good reason. But what her gentle, peaceful father failed to understand was that some situations called for the bee's sting rather than the honey.
For god's sake, she could end up homeless here.
"Get away from there, you brat!" Motegi cried, physically trying to pull her away.
Having done heavy farm labor and hiked Aomori mountains her entire life, Takara wasn't easy to shake off. This was proven when she stood her ground without moving an inch as she hammered at the door. She yelled through the wood: "Ogino, I know my rights as a tenant! I've read every book on housing laws in Konoha and the Land of Fire. Everything from when daimyo first started renting out land to farmers to when the first house was leased after Konoha's founding. This is in violation of our lease and what you're doing is illegal!"
The old woman's voice was heard through the door: "Closed! We're closed early today!"
Stopping, Takara's face froze and then her eyes narrowed into green slits. "Closed?" she repeated flatly, ignoring all of Motegi's attempts at pushing her away. "Early?"
"That's right!" Motegi jumped in, panting. "We're closed! If you don't leave the premises immediately, we'll call the police for trespassing."
Takara stiffened.
Motegi straightened and swiped his hair back, expression turning smug. "That's right. Now if you would now lea-lea-!"
His face turned white at the Takara's glare. It suddenly occurred to him that the 20-year-old woman was in fact much, much stronger than her slender frame lead him to believe. But it was her eyes that proved the most intimidating. He'd never seen a pair of eyes greener than hers and they pierced through him.
Motegi Hiroshi had grown up in Konoha, surrounded by ninja his entire life. His own grandfather had been a famous jounin back in the day and many of his cousins had gone on to follow the shinobi path themselves. He knew what killing intent was but had only experienced it himself twice in his life. What the Aomori girl exuded wasn't quite killing intent but it was close enough to make him freeze.
"I see," Takara said slowly, staring him down with an analytical look.
There was a breathless pause.
Suddenly: "Excuse me, Motegi-san."
He quickly moved out of the way. From across the room, Motegi watched Takara carefully collect her belongings and right the chairs into their previous position. She sent him another smile over her shoulder. Strained. "I'll see you tomorrow, Motegi-san. And Ogino-san."
The door shut behind her. Motegi stumbled to his chair and collapsed into it, rubbing his face.
Ogino opened her office door some time after. She frowned at her secretary. "What's the matter with you, Motegi?"
"That girl," he said, "is not your average farm girl."
The older woman scoffed. "Of course not. She's an Aomori farm girl."
Motegi glanced up, skeptical. "What's so special about it?"
"Hm. It's the northern most prefecture in the Land of Fire and unlucky enough to be a border prefecture."
"..."
Ogino gave him a disdainful look. "You didn't pay attention to geography in school, did you, Motegi?"
"It's been a few years, Ogino-san."
"What it means is...Aomori is right next to the Land of Fields and the Land of Mountains." At Motegi's clueless look, she sighed. "That makes it the closest prefecture to the Land of Earth."
Horrified understanding dawned across Motegi's face.
"Aomori is next to not one, not two, but three Hidden Villages: the Village Hidden in the Waterfall, the Village Hidden in the Grass, and...while it's much farther away than the other two, Aomori is still the closest prefecture in the Land of Fire to the Village Hidden in Stone. Iwagakure."
"Which put Aomori right in the middle of..."
"The Third Shinobi War," Ogino finished gravely. "Aomori suffered for it more than our own village ever did. And that girl is at just the right age to remember the very worst of it."
Remembering the great losses suffered by the village during the war, including members of his own family, he could only imagine the hardship of defenseless farmers. Motegi swallowed. "...Ogino-san, is it really alright to be doing this?"
Ogino's eyes hardened. "The girl chose to befriend that thing. I don't want anyone associated with it on my property."
The secretary looked at the carpet. "Yes, Ogino-san..."
Crouched on a high branch, Kakashi peered through the leaves at Hinamori where she stomped across the path. This was the ninth day the stubborn girl had gone and waited in their shared landlady's office but this was the first day she left it earlier than five PM on the dot. Even then, she usually lingered outside for several minutes in obvious hopes of catching the old woman on her way out of the office. While Kakashi admired her tenacity, he shuddered to think of it ever being directed at him and almost felt pity for their landlady.
(Not really.)
He wondered what caused Hinamori to leave early. Something happened. His dark eye glanced at the leasing office.
"What brings you here, Tenzou?"
The younger man didn't even flinch at Kakashi's greeting. As a show of respect, he removed the feline mask before he spoke. "Hello, senpai. Just coming along to observe."
"They only need one person to do surveillance. And I told you to drop the 'senpai'."
Tenzou shrugged. "I suppose I was just curious."
"You should be careful about that curiosity," Kakashi said dryly. "It's what got this one in trouble."
Following his senpai's gaze, Tenzou observed the girl as she kicked a rock along the path. "So I've noticed."
From the corner of his eye, Kakashi leveled him with a look.
"...originally there was rotating surveillance on her. When I heard she lived right next to you, I took over."
"There was no reason for that."
"I did it anyway," Tenzou said firmly. "And besides...it certainly hasn't been boring. She has a way of surprising people."
"Hm."
Both men watched Hinamori trip over the rock she'd been kicking. Kakashi sweatdropped while Tenzou inaudibly snorted.
Shoulders stiffening, Hinamori suddenly straightened and stood very, very still. Her head moved slightly as she surveyed the trees around her. Intrigued, Kakashi's eye narrowed. A theory began to form in his mind. Experimentally, he flared out his chakra.
Finally, Hinamori's eyes landed on the tree he and Tenzou were in. Tenzou tensed next to him. Kakashi stared down unblinkingly, watching Hinamori search the the branches, secure in the knowledge that she couldn't actually see them. She scowled.
Pretty sure I had tails for a good six months. Maybe I still do.
Yes. Takara was sure of it: she definitely had someone - or someones - following her, watching her every move. She knew it as well as she could feel the intensely unsettling itching on the back of her neck whenever she was alone and out in the open. The feelings persisted in the last two weeks and it didn't take a genius to figure out the cause of this sudden "tail".
Terrifying as it was, it also didn't change the fact that it was pissing her off.
While she had no clue whether anyone was in that goddamn tree or not, that didn't stop her from glowering at said tree like it insulted her personally. She thought for a moment, considering something.
Well. Outside of a few hostile villagers, no one had confronted her directly - yet, she thought gravely. Takara doubted that whoever this "tail" was, they were about to blow their cover any time soon. Might as well.
She flipped the tree off.
The two ninja stared.
Affronted, Tenzou's jaw dropped.
Kakashi blinked.
Tenzou's voice came out in a low, serious whisper: "Did she see us?"
"No." If she had, Kakashi knew that she would have called him out by name. Loudly.
"...could she be chakra sensitive?"
"It seems so," Kakashi said dryly.
The other man's eyes turned dark. "She could have been trained..."
"Anyone trained in the shinobi arts would be a little more subtle than a middle finger," Kakashi deadpanned.
"It is unheard of. But still..."
"Like you said, Tenzou, she has a way of surprising people."
Another interesting note for Hinamori's growing file, to be sure, but Kakashi was more surprised that the girl had the gall to flip off someone she only suspected was watching her. He wondered what other sides of Hinamori he would see during surveillance. Wanting privacy to contemplate this, Kakashi eventually dismissed Tenzou and continued observing the girl - this time shielding his chakra enough to remain undetected.
School had ended. He kept his promise to Takara-nee and hadn't skipped any of his classes, asking questions like she told him to when he was confused - no matter he had. There's no such thing as a stupid question, Naruto-kun. The more, the better. His classmates laughed at one but Iruka-sensei answered it anyway. Now that the classes were over, Naruto watched his classmates be picked up by parents and older siblings and grandparents from his swing. He leaned his cheek against the rope, expression devoid of his usual energetic grin. The toes barely brushed against the dirt.
Suddenly, he was moving - pushed from behind. His head jerked back to find Takara smile at him from behind, giving the swing another push.
"Nee-san!"
Takara sent him further into the air. "Hey, Naruto-kun. How was school today?"
She watched the boy kick his feet out, climbing higher and higher. "It was so boring! Sensei talked about the Land of Fire and all its - its prefects? Prectures?"
"Prefectures?"
"Yeah, that! Isn't that where you're from?"
She snickered. "One of them, yeah. What else happened today?"
Going into a prank he pulled at lunch ("It wasn't in class, Nee-san - it doesn't count!"), Naruto kicked his feet and climbed higher and higher. Takara watched the boy soar, blond hair bright in the sunlight, laughing like crazy. When he told her that no one had ever pushed him on the swing before, her heart clenched and she just pushed him higher, higher, higher.
And she wasn't oblivious to the few stares and disapproving frowns. She even caught a disgusted scowl from one woman to which she met his gaze directly with a hard, sunny smile. Takara raised her eyebrows, daring her to say something. The woman huffed and dragged away her six-year-old. Looking back at Naruto, her expression softened into a tender smile. The boy was having the time of his life with something as simple as being pushed on a swing.
This. This was why Takara did what she did. Whatever happened, even if she really did end up homeless and never got a job in Konoha, she would never regret standing up for this little boy. Takara never regretted doing the right thing.
No matter the consequences.
"Naruto...who's this?" A man close to Takara's age approached them, smile polite but brown eyes wary. His long hair was pulled into a high ponytail and a deep scar across the bridge of his nose. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi uniform. Upon seeing him, Naruto dug his heels into the dirt and bounced in his seat.
Takara paused when she saw him, eyes tracing over the scar. He's so young... She wondered how old he was when he got it. Throat tightening, she rubbed her left shoulder.
"My new friend!" Naruto was thrilled to not have one but two of his favorite adults together. "Takara-nee-san. Nee-san, this is my teacher, Iruka-sensei! He yells a lot but he buys me ramen at Ichiraku's and teaches me ninja stuff."
What's his family name? Takara settled with a "Nice to meet you, sensei." and a bow.
Iruka returned the bow. "You as well. How did you meet Naruto?"
Naruto butt in. "She's the one I told you about - the one from the store! She's the cool lady who stood up for me when that geezer was - "
"Naruto-kun," Takara admonished.
"What?"
"Don't call him that."
"Well, he was."
She opened her mouth to retort when Iruka broke in, "She's right, Naruto-kun."
"But sensei, you said yourself the old fart was - "
"Naruto-kun," Iruka and Takara said at once. They paused, exchanging looks. The corner of Iruka's mouth twitched. Takara had no reservation, a wide grin stretching across her face.
She and Naruto's teacher were going to get along just fine.
Naruto himself groaned, just now realizing how bad it was now that Nee-san and Iruka-sensei knew each other now.
Hinamori's cheek rested against one hand. There was a soft, gentle expression on her face as she listened to Naruto ramble on and on. Something the boy said made her tilt her head back and laugh. In the crystal ball, the dimple in her right cheek was barely visible. The chunin sensei - Iruka, Kakashi remembered from the rescue mission a couple years back - seemed tempted to laugh as well despite his obvious caution around the stranger.
The Third Hokage watched this interaction stoically. "So the girl is chakra sensitive."
"Just enough," Kakashi confirmed. Through the holes of his porcelain mask, he watched Hinamori playfully tug off Naruto's goggles, disregarding the runt's protests while she tried them on. "All we know for sure is that she can sense when she is being watched but anyone with a basic chakra cloaking can remain undetected."
"Hmm." The Third inhaled from his pipe. "That doesn't discount the possibility of her being able to sense the Kyuubi's chakra within Naruto."
They both watched Hinamori, oblivious, pinch the cheek of the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon's container. There was no way she knew what was inside Naruto. Kakashi knew this for fact. But her newly uncovered chakra sensitivity - rare in shinobi and almost unheard of in civilians - was damning enough to make her suspect to the village council or either of the Third's advisors.
As a member of Anbu, Kakashi knew too well what happened to those under suspicion for anything regarding the jinchuriki. Especially when certain council members caught wind of it.
Good morning, Hatake-san!
What's your book about?
You need your rest.
How have you been, Hatake-san?
Welcome back, Hatake-san.
Why would that stop me? You're hurt.
Please be more considerate towards yourself.
"...do you want her to be taken in for questioning?" the Anbu captain asked, monotone. At his side, his hand slowly tightened into a fist. It loosened when the Third looked at him from the corner of his eyes.
"No." He turned his gaze back to the crystal ball.
Kakashi's hand completely unclasped.
"Kakashi."
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I'm putting you in charge of any further investigation of Hinamori Takara. There is already a full rotation of Anbu guard for Naruto, so I want you to focus on her specifically outside her interactions with him. Your mission is to learn everything about her. What's the full extent of her chakra sensitivity, who she socializes with, what paths did she take on her way to Konoha from Aomori. What her life was like there. Everything."
Obediently, Kakashi bent at the knee and lowered his head. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
"And most importantly..."
Kakashi looked up.
The Third Hokage met his gaze and held it, stared into the copy nin's dual-colored eyes. Like he was seeing something for the first time.
"Find out why she moved to Konoha in the first place."
He bowed his head. "Yes, Hokage-sama."
Riiiii-n. Riiiii-nn. Riiiii-n.
"Maruyamacho Leasing Office. Ogino speaking."
"Hello, Ogino-san. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time but we didn't get to finish our conversation earlier."
"Quit calling this number."
Laundry had a tendency to disappear and reappear in strange places in their building. Kaori attributed this unfortunate "quirk" to one of the perverted older bachelors she housed with but resigned herself months ago to staying next to the machines while washing the weekly loads. Saeko used to come with her but even her partner of seven years couldn't wait around the cramped room to keep the love of her life company. Kaori had gotten used to bringing a magazine with her and avoiding eye contact with the seedier residents. They weren't exactly pleasant company. She never told Saeko about the more...uncomfortable interactions, knowing her girlfriend still kept up with her kunai training. So, suffice to say, laundry night was Kaori's least favorite night of the week.
Then the little ray of sunshine came along, asking what magazine she was reading.
Said ray of sunshine was quiet tonight, as she prone to for the last week or so. Kaori peered over her magazine at the girl, almond-shaped eyes narrowed. Takara stared unblinkingly at the spinning machine, watching soaps suds form and the water climbing higher as the machine started. Her heart-shaped face was blank.
Kaori didn't like that. She did not like that at all.
Something was wrong. Of course Kaori knew the cause of this, whatever "this" was.
"What did you do today, Takara-chan?"
"Hm?" Takara turned her attention to the older woman. "Oh... Nothing really."
Right. Kaori already heard the village talk of the girl's most recent interaction with the Uzamaki kid (pushing a little boy on the swing, how despicable). It was getting to the point that even some shinobi were starting to make comment; it was all her kunoichi sister seemed interested in talking about at their last tense, awkward family dinner. It almost made her grateful that her protective girlfriend was uninvited. (Almost but not really.)
"Nothing at all?" Kaori prodded gently.
"I...went for a walk."
"Oh? Where at?"
There was a slight furrow between Takara's eyebrows. "...just around the neighborhood, close to the leasing office."
Slowly, Kaori lowered her magazine. She kept her face carefully neutral, showing vague interest. "Hmm. That reminds me. I need to check in with Ogino-san about something."
Takara's lips thinned.
Kaori's eyes narrowed to slits. What did that old woman do?
"Takara - "
Thunk.
Both women automatically turned. Takara went rigid, sitting up straight, as she watched her next door neighbor toss his clothing (all darks, typical) into a nearby machine. Even Kaori stared, mystified. Seeing Kakashi bleeding half to death on her couch was one thing but seeing him out in the open, nonchalantly pouring detergent into the washer, was another. It was like catching the apartment building cryptid.
"Oh, Hatake-san." Takara's voice came out a near squeak.
Kaori's gaze snapped at her.
The young man raised a hand. "Yo."
Kaori zeroed in on Kakashi.
Takara cleared her throat. "I didn't hear come in."
"Hmm. Maybe your ears need checked."
If Kaori had hackles, the would have been raised like a mother cat's. "Nice to see you when you're not bleeding all over my furniture, Kakashi-san," she said.
This was enough to browbeat the younger man from his unwarranted sass. "Sorry about that, Kaori-san. I hope it didn't leave too much a mess."
"It's fine," Kaori said dryly. "I learned how to get out blood stains a long time ago. Good thing I had white vinegar in the kitchen." Her mother taught her that trick while cleaning out first her father's and then her older sibling's uniforms. Every good Konoha housewife knew the trick.
Takara gawked at her.
"Err...right. Sorry about that." Turned appropriately sheepish, Kakashi lowered his head and went back to his chores.
That's right, prat. Back in your lane. Kaori had never been the least bit intimidated by Hatake Kakashi, not when he was a tiny chunin getting too big for his hitai-ate and not when he was a grown ass man who rarely looked people in the eye, even if he'd gained international renown as "Cold-Blooded Kakashi".
Shinobi and their stupid nicknames, she swore.
Of course, that didn't mean Kaori knew how to react when instead of Kakashi didn't immediately crawl under whatever rock he inhabited, he plopped down in one of the few remaining chairs. Even the familiar sight of his gross book didn't change the strangeness of unfamiliar sight of...him in general. And it wasn't just any chair.
Even though a yard away, it was still the chair closest to Takara.
Kaori and Takara both gawked at him now.
Takara whipped her head around, giving Kaori a look which she vaguely translated as, What the actual fuck is this and should I be scared? That is if the Hinamori girl would ever swear.
Kaori returned it with her attempt at a comforting smile. Her mind sped to process what was going on: Kakashi was an prickly, anti-social man who avoided (living) human contact like every woman in Konoha avoided Jiraiya when he came into town. Kakashi was also a practical and mission-focused and...a member of the Anbu ("There's nothing subtle about that fucking chidori," Saeko scoffed when she mentioned it. "Everyone knows who that is out on the field. That's how the other Five Nations know all about him."). Sitting next to Takara, the one person he avoided more than even the self-proclaimed "Green Beast" and who recently befriended the Kyuubi container.
Kaori very much doubted that Kakashi suddenly welcomed bubbly Takara's company.
So, she broke all of the rules. "How long has it been since your last mission, Kakashi-san?"
Even more thrown off, Takara blinked at her and then glanced at Kakashi.
A few seconds later, after he turned a page, Kakashi answered indolently, "Couple days ago."
"I hadn't even noticed that you left the village," Kaori continued. "It's unusual seeing you in our own building."
Kakashi slowly raised his eye above his book. "...yeah. I don't really stick around too much."
"How long are you going to stick around before they send you off again?"
"Hard to say. There's always a lot of work inside the village as outside of it," was Kakashi's vague response.
Beside her, Takara sat up. "Hatake-san, do you think - ?"
"That you can watch our stuff for a bit since you're here anyway?" Kaori interceded. "Me and Takara-chan had something we needed to check up on."
"What do we nee - "
"Actually..."
"Thanks, Kakashi-san. Appreciate it." Kaori shot up and grabbed Takara's wrist, pulling the girl along.
"Amano-san, what - "
"Come on, Takara-chan." Kaori pulled her out of the laundry room, leaving the jonin to guard their combined laundry. She doubted the man would actually stick around. Or maybe he would. She would come down to check later without Takara attached to her hip.
Frowing, the girl herself said, "You didn't even give him a chance to respond. What's so important that we both have to leave to 'check on it'?"
"He owes me after getting blood all over my couch. Saeko's sister got it for our last anniversary. Besides, I thought we could start some dinner before it gets too late. What do you think?"
"But..."
"I have ingredients for tempura shrimp."
That instantly shut her up. Kaori had her suspicions about what Takara's groceries really looked like but the girl refused to complain - about anything. It was getting harder to tell what was behind that vacantly polite smile. Saeko wasn't the only worried one.
"Work outside the village..."
Kaori's brow furrowed. "What was that, Takara-chan?"
"Nothing, Amano-san. I just thought of something." Her eyes lit up. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what did you have to see Ogino-san about? Have you already set up an appointment?"
6:30 AM. It wasn't even seven o'clock in the morning and her business hours didn't start until eight but Ogino was still making her way to her office. The horrible Aomori girl with her horrible early farm hours arrived earlier and earlier each day to catch her. Gone were the days that she could wander in at any time she saw fit and so did the necessary sleep along with it. Accompanied by the daily phone calls, Ogino considered an early retirement even if it did mean having no one to hand the business of to. Anything to free her from them. But it was only twenty-three more days. In twenty-three more days, she would be free forever.
Along with the other morning birds, a crow called out, "Aho aho aho!"
Ogino had just unlocked the door when she heard that dreaded sound.
"Good morning, Ogino-san~!"
"Takara! What - what are you doing here?"
"Lovely to see again, Ogino-san. It's been such a long time," the girl chimed, all warmth and Aomori charm.
"You haven't made an appointment - "
"I talked to Amano-san. From 2-B? Such a lovely person. We've gotten to be so close since I moved in. She told me I could take her spot this morning. How are you by the way?"
Ogino sputtered, torn between shock and outrage.
"Excuse me!" She shouldered her way in past Ogino. Leaving the furious woman behind her, Takara walked straight into her office. "It's good to finally sit down with you," she said, voice high and energetic in the morning. "I've been meaning to catch you for over a week now."
She sat down in front of Ogino's desk, back straight, hands in her lap. Ogino noticed that she was dressed far more formally than she was accustomed to seeing Takara, wearing a trim blazer over her green button up shirt. Instead of a backpack full of books, she carried a leather messenger bag which Takara put on Ogino's own desk in front of her.
Ogino gritted her teeth.
"So! I received a letter from you the other day." She pulled out said letter from the messenger bag. "Which left me confused because according to this - " she pulled out a thick set of papers, covered in highlight and small memo notes Ogino definitely did not recognize when she last saw it in my " - lease we signed together, I see no reason for this surprise of a letter you sent me."
Face devoid of all color, Ogino slowly sat down opposite of Takara. The girl sent her an absolutely chilling smile.
"Not only have I not missed a single payment but I've always paid early. I had not one but two co-signers. I've paid first and last month's rent. My visa is still valid. So what's the problem?"
"You don't have a job," Ogino blurted out.
Takara remained composed. "I don't. I've always been transparent about that, Ogino-san."
"How am I supposed to expect rent every month?" the landlady challenged.
Takara narrowed her eyes. The nice facade evaporated. "I sent you a copy of my bank statement before I even left Aomori, Ogino-san. You know I'm good for the next six, seven if I budget even more than I am now."
"That doesn't make any guarantees for the other six! I'm doing you a favor, cutting you off from your lease while you still have money left so you can go back to Aomori or wherever else you want."
"...is that what your concerned about?" Takara said slowly, expression shifting into something more calculating.
"Of course."
Her eyelids lowered. "The only thing?"
Ogino glanced away swiftly. "...yes."
Takara could sense something more beneath the surface, that she was brushing against something taboo - that she wouldn't talk about. It was the same thing that made other villagers outright glower when she walked the streets with Naruto and snap their mouths shut when she asked just what the problem was. Something no one actually from here dared talk about - something even Ikeda didn't know or understand. Like a village-wide secret.
"If there is something else, Ogino-san," Takara said carefully, "why don't you just tell me?"
The old woman huffed. "What else would there be, you insipid girl?"
Answering a question with another question - a redirection that Takara could see a mile away. Maybe she could use this to corner her landlady...
Takara smiled sweetly. She drawled her words, emphasizing her accent: "In that case, Ogino-san, I understand your concerns. But what if we could lay those concerns to rest?"
Ogino glared. "What do you mean?"
"Well, as you said, the only reason you have a problem is because you're worried about payments for rent. I can understand that. But what if there's no reason for you to be concerned?"
"No reasons for me - you aren't saying what I think you're saying. That would be foolish."
"I could pay everything upfront. I'm already two months into the lease and you have the last month's rent. I can give you the money for the extra six, so that just leaves three months that you need to worry about."
"That...that is..." Ogino stuttered, shocked. Takara could see how she wavered, caught between the greed for all that money and that something else that caused this early termination of lease. The thing villagers could not talk about, the thing that they feared. "That is absolutely ridiculous. You would have a roof over your head but what about food? What about everything else you'll need? Besides, there's no guarantee that you'll bring in that kind of money - "
"I'm a very resourceful person, Ogino-san," Takara cut in smoothly. "I try to be modest but I do know how to make money and make it quickly when I need it."
Ogino's mouth snapped shut; she listened attentively with sharp gray eyes.
"You gave me thirty days to move out but that still leaves me twenty-three days to pull in those four months. By the twenty-eighth, I could pay you ten months worth of rent."
Before everything else, Ogino Kameko was a businesswoman. Takara understood that and respected it. She knew how to talk business. And above every other language, prejudice, implicit bias, social status, or even law, money did the most talking.
"You won't find any work in the village." This wasn't a threat. Ogino stated it as simple fact.
Takara's smile turned bitter. "Why would I limit myself to the village? That's not where Konoha ninja get their money."
Ogino stared at the girl - no, woman for a very long time.
"Fine."
"It's a deal then," Takara said. She held out her hand.
She scoffed, shaking her head.
"It's an Aomori custom, Ogino-san. No deal is a good until it's shook on."
"You can take the farm girl out of the farm but you can't take the farm out of the farm girl." Nonetheless, Ogino to Takara's hand. She was unsurprised to feel it hardened with callouses but didn't expect the strong, firm handshake Takara gave. She could feel the hidden strength the younger woman hid behind her polite smiles and honey sweet words in that handshake. She saw the knowing look in those eyes, hard and determined. Ogino recognized a little of her younger self in Hinamori Takara just then.
"Twenty-three days," the landlady said. "If I don't have a check in my office on 28th, that's it."
"I want that in writing," Takara retorted.
"Tsk. Fine."
"And a witness. This is a formal contract."
Ogino squinted at her. "You know something about business, girl."
There was no smile on Takara's face; she hadn't let go of Ogino's hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "Business deals are no different than promises, Ogino-san. When I get the money in - "
"If - "
"When. When I do, there will be no reason for concern on your part. Unless there's something else you want to discuss with me." She leveled her with a hard, searching look.
Immediately, Ogino snatched her hand away from that iron grip. "Are you - "
"Whatever there could be, it doesn't matter because that would violate our contract. Which would give me grounds to contest it in court. And I would make sure it was a court in another village, not Konohagakure. That would bring in some outside attention to whatever those other 'concerns' might be."
Ogino paled. "You don't know what you're playing at, girl - "
"I'm not a 'girl', Ogino-san," Takara interrupted. "I am an adult who has signed a legally binding document with you as your tenant and we're negotiating a new one. You can call me Hinamori-san just like I call you Ogino-san. And I'm not here to play game with you or anyone in Konoha."
In Konoha, Takara realized, there was no sliding by with the sticky sweetness of honey. Vinegar was just as necessary.
"What you did was still wrong, Kara-chan. Fighting is bad."
"So is bullying! How come he didn't get suspended?"
"Because all the principal saw at the assembly was what you did."
"...still."
"Takara."
"Sorry, Tou-san."
A sigh. "You need to control your temper."
"But I only fight for good reasons."
"Doesn't matter. All they see is the broken nose you gave him. Now he's the one at school with your friend and Morimoto-chan doesn't have you there. You can't help anybody if you're not there. And next time someone picks on a girl, no one will listen to you because all they'll see is the student who keeps getting in fights."
"...oh."
"Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"To the Yamada house. You owe someone an apology."
"Tou-saaaan!"
"I'm going to teach you what happens when you use honey."
"You keep sayin' stuff 'bout honey and vinegar but what does that even mean? Who wants to catch flies?"
The village gates were a welcome sight, he found, after a long journey. As they always were. Determined to beat his previous record, he pumped his legs harder, faster, and was no more than a blur that blended in with the surrounding foliage. A cloud of dust met him at the gates, pushing outward and starting up twin coughing fits from the chunin gate keepers.
"Oh, great. He's back," Kotetsu managed, blinking hard to rid the dirt from his eyes.
Izumo would have sighed if not for his coughing.
The blur of green didn't stop until the jonin stopped on a high roof top. Hands on his hip, Maito Gai stood tall and proud as he gazed at the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar smells, and exhaled with a grin, pleased. He'd arrived fifteen seconds sooner than his previous record! That and his return home called for a celebration and he could think of only one thing he wanted to do...
Kakashi should be back by now, Gai thought, peering at busy streets to search for the familiar shock of silver hair. If that were the case, he only needed to find their soon-to-be referee and his plan could finally be put into motion. Before finding his genius rival, though, he first needed to check on how his dear sunflower of a friend was faring. Remembering the situation she found herself in, Gai frowned.
"Now I wonder where Takara-chan could be..."
Author's Note: Point to the person who straight up called Takara being chakra sensitive - it's nothing special like Karin's or really any ninja but just enough to get her in trouble. You also got a hit of Takara's spicy side that's been rearing its head more and more lately. Aah, the wonders of STRESS.
Also, here's a tip, guys, just to give you an idea of how fucked you would be if you lived in Aomori: look at the map on the Naruto wiki, the one on the "geography" page. See what other landmark from the show you recognize. :)
Thanks again for everyone's answers to last chapter's questions! I hope to one day see you guys go to New Zealand, Alaska, Japan, the Maldives, and anywhere else you want to go. The world is an amazing place and needs to be explored. Go out into the world and see some of those amazing places, guys. Be safe. Live your truth. Pinpoint a moment in your day today that has just been really, really good and enjoy it. And do something good for someone else. :) Love y'all.
Question of the chapter: If you had to pick one song to describe Takara and Kakashi's relationship (or what you hope it'll grow to be), what would it be? Answer in those lovely reviews y'all send out and tell me why you chose it!