Author's Notes: Thanks for your continued support everyone! Sorry for the late chapter, but school started last week which made me really busy :(
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!
Chapter 11
"No. You two should stop being ridiculous," Choji says resolutely. Shikamaru blinks. Choji has never refused to do something his teammates wanted to do. To see him do so now makes even Shikamaru, the genius who can predict everything and strategize to counter, surprised.
"What are you talking about, Choji?" Ino huffs, crossing her arms and looking at Choji the way she usually does when she thinks she's right and the person telling her otherwise is slow and plain wrong, "Ridiculous? You call our loyalty to Asuma-sensei ridiculous?!" She demands angrily and downright glares.
"Is that what you've been doing?" Choji shoots right back, "Trying to split Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei apart because of your loyalty?" Shikamaru focuses his complete attention as his usually cheerful, carefree friend seems to utterly explode in something akin to frustration and exasperation… because of them.
"Were we supposed to let Kurenai-sensei and Mirai forget about Asuma-sensei…? Or worse yet, replace him with that, that…!" Apparently, Ino isn't quite angry enough to talk ill of the Rokudaime. Ah… Shikamaru thinks as he studies Choji's stubborn expression, so that's what it is. The Akimichi looks at them with mingled feelings, disappointment being the most prominent. However, as he looks at his teammate and truly sees, Shikamaru can see rejection, determination and surprisingly enough… loyalty. But to whom…? But even as he asks himself, Shikamaru thinks he knows.
"You think Kurenai-sensei can ever forget Asuma-sensei?" Choji questions with a look of pure disbelief.
"But you don't understand, Choji," Ino says slowly, voice low and full with feelings better left untouched, "Mirai is still young and impressionable. She's going to grow up with Kakashi-sensei as a father figure. She's going to grow up, thinking that he's her father… and she won't ever remember Asuma-sensei,"
"You think Kurenai-sensei will let Mirai not know who her father was? How great a man he was? How strong yet caring? How he always knew what to say and when to say it?" Choji shakes his head, "We're his students, but she was married to him. She knew things about him we never would have dreamed of ever knowing," Choji pauses, seemingly for a breath after his outburst, "Asuma-sensei's death… we all took it hard, even Kakashi-sensei. But I think Kurenai-sensei is the one who lost most of all. It's been a long time… It's time we all moved on and carried on with our lives. And if Kurenai-sensei and Mirai can do that by having Kakashi-sensei around them, the least we can do is support them,"
"If it were anyone else… I would have agreed with you," Ino says with something shining in her eyes, a fire ignited by refusal and plain disagreement, "Need I remind you who Kakashi-sensei is? Lazy, perverted, late, irresponsible, messy… I could go on and on. Don't you see? He's bad news for both of them. He's not half the man Asuma-sensei was!"
When she put it that way, Shikamaru agrees, "She's right. He's the last person Kurenai-sensei and Mirai need,"
"He'll do nothing but break both of their hearts even further. He'll put them down, disappoint them, never be there for them. He's a coward who runs away from his own problems. All his life, he's been doing nothing but fail. And it's his failures that caused the Fourth Shinobi War. And you know why?" Ino says, that fire still shining brightly, "It's just because that's the kind of person Kakashi-sensei is,"
Even Shikamaru has to admit that pinning Obito's insanity and the whole Fourth Shinobi War on Kakashi is overboard.
"Kakashi-sensei is all that," Choji agrees, "But he's also much, much more. Were you turning a blind eye on it? Were you trying not to acknowledge it? Are you the ones being cowards?" Shikamaru sighs, this is all turning out to be very troublesome… here it comes. The one thing Shikamaru had been trying his hardest not to think about.
"When we went to avenge Asuma-sensei's death, who risked his life to come help us?" Choji starts. Ino looks away, biting her bottom lip, "Kakashi-sensei did. And you two know as well as I do that without him, we wouldn't have been able to do it. Asuma-sensei's murderer would have survived, we would have been killed,"
"Not true," Ino's counter is a knee-jerk reaction, "We have Shikamaru on our side. We could have found a way to succeed. Between the three of us, we would have been able to avenge Asuma-sensei… we only took him along because he volunteered to accompany us," Shikamaru winces at Ino's choice of words, silently disagreeing with his female teammate, "Nothing less, nothing more,"
"If you don't want to admit that we need Kakashi-sensei's help back then, then there are many more incidents in which he helped us," Choji says, "Don't forget that I would have died during Pain's invasion had it not been for Kakashi-sensei," Choji remembers the incident all too well. How could he forget when he lost his father and almost lost his life during that particular phase?
"Kakashi-sensei died so that I could live," Choji presses on, "Is that not good enough for you? He died to save me who he didn't even know well. He's more than trustworthy. If he weren't, they wouldn't have made him the Sixth Hokage. You two should stop this," Choji says again, "Come on, Shikamaru… you're the one who's supposed to be the genius,"
Shikamaru feels something twist inside him. With a nod, Choji heads back to the living room. Ino growls at the back of her throat in anger, "No help from that side… and what's wrong with you? You haven't said a word!" Shikamaru shakes his head at Ino's indignant accusation.
"I haven't said anything… because it's troublesome, but he's right," Shikamaru drawls out, his voice only a bit strained, "Maybe we should just let things play out… No," Shikamaru says, "We must let things play out as they are supposed to. It is not our place to interfere anymore… It never was in the first place,"
"Shikamaru! You can't back out now!" Ino exclaims with a glare.
"Do what you want to do… I'm out," Shikamaru says as he returns to join the others, "What a drag…" He mutters under his breath. Ino angrily bites her thumb. She replays their conversation with Choji a few times, trying to know where she could have said something to change the outcome.
But she couldn't find it; she couldn't find the moment she could have added anything to convince her teammates of her point. She isn't proud to admit it, nor does she want to admit it, but Choji has raised good points and has managed to convince her by them. So we just let it go? Ino thinks to herself, Just like that?
-oOo-
Kakashi walks, more like trudges, to his office. He really didn't want to leave when he has, but duty calls. And when he's Hokage, duty must always come first. Just a few more years of this, and I'll hand the title to someone I know will do a much better job than myself. Kakashi thinks and his mind quickly flashes an image of a younger Naruto, face still chubby with baby fat, whisker marks clearly visible as he grins and proudly proclaims his dream to become the Hokage one day.
Kakashi remembers his doubts. He remembers all too well his disappointment in the Uzumaki, at least at first. With no talent to speak of, no tact at all and such impulsiveness, Naruto had unknowingly become Kakashi's greatest failure. Thus, Kakashi did what he thought was best. He ignored the boy for all he was worth. He didn't need a reminder, he told himself. He didn't want to see the idiot who was Minato-sensei's and Kushina-san's son, he told himself.
Kakashi was one of the astonished people all around the world when Naruto grew up and became someone who is worth it, someone who is strong, someone who has a big chance at achieving his dreams. Now, Naruto has unknowingly become Kakashi's greatest failure, but for an entirely different reason.
Kakashi shakes his head. Now is not the time to think about things like that. And because it is true, his mind stops in its tracks, but the damage has already been done, the feeling of failure is back. Kakashi wants to take his mind off of that failure. This time, another picture flashes in Kakashi's mind. A little girl, younger than even the younger version of Naruto, with eyes as red as blood but lacking the crimson blood's coldness, hair as black as night and face as innocent and pure as any child. And another girl, a woman, almost identical to the younger one but with her features more refined, more beautiful, sharper.
Kakashi wonders if he should be worried that these two have become less like friends and more like family. He wonders if it's okay it has become so. He wonders if they would accept because even Kakashi knows why people generally don't like to be around him.
And just as fast as he asks, an answer comes to him. An answer so obvious, Kakashi has to mentally kick himself for never thinking about it before. He remembers Kakashi, said with just enough warmth for friends, turn into Kakashi, said with more warmth than Kakashi has ever heard, at least directed at him. He remembers Masky, said with all the childish wonder of a child, turn into Papa, said with all the childish awe and hope of a daughter.
He remembers that one night he and Kurenai had dinner together. Kakashi would never say so out loud… but his heart was beating too fast for it to be healthy when he was tending to Kurenai's wound. He was afraid Kurenai might hear it, so he had cowardly escaped her piercing gaze, giving cleaning the mess as an excuse.
He doesn't want to get attached, but at the same time, he knows he's a tad bit too late, as he always is. He's already gotten attached, and not just to Mirai.
And Kakashi wonders...
-oOo-
Kurenai waves at the group of shinobi when they decide that it is time to leave. The young Nara who Shikamaru had brought with him yawns as he waves back. Kurenai smiles and her heart warms up just a bit more. She feels thankful that Shikamaru is around to help her. He takes everything she says seriously. A comment about her fear of Mirai not interacting with kids had Shikamaru bringing one of his younger cousins to keep her daughter company. Granted, Nara kids aren't naturally sociable, and they'd rather take a nap than talk with anyone, but it's the thought that has Kurenai thanking Shikamaru profusely.
Mirai is grinning from ear-to-ear when Kurenai finally closes the door. It's been a great day, probably the best birthday party ever.
Kurenai smiles back at Mirai as she starts cleaning up the mess after the party. There isn't much to clean other than the plates and toys Mirai had gotten. However, since Mirai is two and no longer a baby, she stops playing with her new toys and puts all of her toys, except for Mika-chan, Pinky and Enma, away.
Mirai hums as she plays with the two toys, one she had gotten from her Mama while the other she had gotten from her Papa. Only in her imagination, Princess Mika-chan has been kidnapped by a vulgar criminal, the elephant, Pinky, who hid behind cuteness and innocence to get away with his crimes. All the people who lived in the kingdom are terrified! 'Who will save our Princess now?' They ask, 'Who is brave enough?' They wonder. They are just about to lose hope when he comes. A courageous knight who goes by the name of Enma. Pinky doesn't stand a chance, he's thoroughly beaten up and Mika-chan is safe and sound back in her palace. Mika-chan falls in love with Enma. They get married and live happily ever after!
Mirai rubs her chin thoughtfully before she gets up from her place. She's going to need to find a mask for Enma.
-oOo-
Kakashi is done working for the day, but his earlier thoughts have never left him. Even as he signed paper after paper, thoughts of Kurenai and Mirai (but mostly Kurenai) have haunted his mind. Which brings him to his current dilemma. He has decided to confront them both, just so he can see what it's like to face emotional problems like this for once in his life.
He walks slowly. Not a wise move.
He makes it to Kurenai's house. The kunoichi is as beautiful as always. He compliments her on her natural beauty. Kurenai blushes, which only makes her even prettier, if Kakashi were to say so himself.
Kakashi fumbles for something to say, "So, Kurenai… we're friends, right?" Kurenai laughs. Even her laughter jingles like a song Kakashi can't get enough of.
"Of course we are!" She says with a smile.
"Are we more than friends?" He asks in a low whisper, kind of trying not to let Kurenai hear him. Kurenai hears the question anyways. Her expression dulls immediately.
"Listen, Kakashi," She says slowly, as if she's talking to a particularly slow child, "We can't be more than friends," Kakashi feels a pang at his heart, "You're good for Mirai, so I want you around for her," Kurenai stresses. Kakashi can practically hear his heart crack, "I'm sorry… you're just not Asuma…" Kakashi doesn't bother picking up the pieces of his heart and shunshins to his house.
Kakashi shudders, Scenario One: Friend-zoned. Very likely. Too much heartbreak… maybe I should just turn around and head home? Kakashi sighs through his nose as his mind gives him another scenario to mull over.
He knocks on Kurenai's door twice. Kurenai makes it to the door quickly and practically flings it open, "Oh, Kakashi… hello." Kurenai sounds happy. She isn't wearing something that could be considered modest. Kakashi nods in greeting, not trusting his voice to work properly, "You know… Mirai isn't here…" Kurenai gives him a smile he likes.
Kakashi stops that train of thought immediately. Scenario Two: Icha Icha Kurenai. Highly unlikely. Seems like something out of my novels. He shakes his head as if to clear it. His mind is not merciful. It flings another situation at him.
Kakashi stands in front of Kurenai's door. He contemplates whether to knock or not. Kakashi watches the door like it holds all the answers to his problems. Kakashi's hand heads to the door. He's about to knock…!
He retracts his fist immediately and makes a run for it. He heads home. It's not important to know whether or not they can be more. It won't affect his life if he knows.
But Kakashi doesn't want not to know. He doesn't want to run away anymore. Scenario Three: Run Away. Never going to happen. Not this time.
Thinking time is over. He's already at Kurenai's door. Here goes…
Author's Notes: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review to tell me what you thought! I don't know when the next chapter will be out, but I'm not going to abandon this story, so don't worry! :D
A Response to the Reviews on Chapter 10:
alucard77: I'm sorry you don't like the story anymore. I hope you enjoyed this chapter though!
Ephemeral Solitude: I'm glad you like the story so far! And you're right about Choji! I always was counting on him to do this because he's the only one who is completely pure-hearted, as you put it ;) Last chapter was one of the longest chapters I've written, but I tried to make this chapter longer XD And I left you with a bigger cliffhanger this time :P
Prescipto13: Me too! I really wish Kishimoto actually gave him a love life… He's an important character… and when he dies, there will no longer be any Hatakes left! XD
DeruMaru: Thank you so much! It's not hard to write this way, but I try to keep it to a minimum because I thought it was confusing who was doing what at that timeXD I'm glad that isn't the case! :D
fluffpenguin: Haha! Is it wrong that I imagined a pirate voice saying that last sentence? XD Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D
sakuzi-chan: Expect plenty of that next chapter! Thank you for the compliment! It made me smile :D
okami amaterasu: Thanks! I used to own a PS2 before I got an Xbox, but it's broken now XD I'm waiting for Sun and Moon as well! Although I will most likely not play it because of school and other stuff… but I want to see it.
Saitofan: I'm glad you liked it and found Chapter 4 funny! :D
Until next time!