The Epic Rescue of Naruto and Sakura by Kakashi and Sasuke (but mostly Kakashi)

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In between giggling with Asuma and putting a lunch together for them, the woman hadn't expected Kakashi to pop into their path with his ninken next to him and no Sasuke at his side. Pulling away from the man she was with, Kurenai stepped forward and anxiously asked "What's wrong? Where's Sasuke?"

Unhappily, Kakashi glared at Asuma completely ignoring her. "Put that out," he demanded.

Cigarette still smoking from where it hung precariously on his open lip, Asuma did just that; taking it between his fingers and deftly putting it out with a pinch. "Sorry," he muttered.

Crossing her arms, the woman frowned. "Kakashi," she snapped. His eye found hers, but nothing indicated that he'd ever heard her inquiry. Sighing, she asked again; "What's wrong Kakashi? Where's Sasuke?"

"Right," Kakashi mumbled; sending a backward glance. "Well," he started, "I have reason to believe it was in fact not Kusagakure shinobi that took Naruto and Sakura but Otogakure shinobi in disguise."

The woman paused. The idea was not wholly preposterous, but she needed more information to believe the idea that the other jonin was proposing. "What reason?" She inquired carefully.

A flicker of irritation showed in the drooping of his visible eyebrow, but the tall man quickly recovered to say "One we've been travelling at double-speed and have yet to meet up or even see sign of them;" flicking up a second finger, he continued with; "Pakkun can't track Sakura's scent at all in that direction, only this way." Dark eye deadly serious, Kakashi finished with; "I can think of more than one reason as to why Otogakure shinobi would want Naruto."

It's plausible. More than plausible, Kurenai would say. Putting a thumb to the spot between her brow, she took a deep breath; there was going to be a change of plans. "Okay," she relented. "So we switch directions...but where is Sasuke?"

Kakashi's eye curved in pleasure. "Oh him..." he trailed off, "He was sick, I sent him off with Bull to get some medicine."

Asuma came to her side. "Do you want us to hold him back? I mean, they'd probably like to have Sasuke just as much as they'd like to have Naruto..."

"I've been considering that," their fellow Jonin admitted. "If you hold him back entirely he could end up being a danger to the mission...I think the best plan of action with him would to be to convince him to stay with you until he's well."

"And then what?"

The man's voice was confident, "I'll have recovered Naruto and Sakura by then, of course."

Asuma shook his head. "All on your own?"

"That's how it would have been to begin with, right?" And there's a challenging note on the end that Kurenai knew needed to be nipped right now.

"Don't get touchy now," she grumbled; "He's just concerned about your safety-we both are."

Kakashi's eye curved once more, but his tone dripped with sardonic undertones "Well thanks, but I haven't needed anyone to worry about me on missions since I was six."

Biting the inside of her cheek, the woman almost feels like they're all thirteen again and Kakashi's the asshole they all love to hate (and sometimes still do); "C'mon Kakashi you don't have to be a jerk!" She snarled, "It's okay to have people care about what happens to you!"

The man crossed his arms in reply and she knew there was nothing more that she could say. "C'mon Asuma," she said, "We're going to sit down and eat; if Mr. "I-don't-need-anyone-to-care-about-me" wants, he can eat some real food too!"

"Ah, right!" The smoker agreed allowing her to drag him toward the small fire they have going.

The tall jonin scoffed quietly and looked to his summon. "You hungry?" He asked.

"I'm good," Pakkun yipped, but his eyes were on the simmering pot above the fire.

"Then let's go," Kakashi urged.

A moment later they have disappeared into the canopies above them and the woman had to shake her head. "That man," she exhaled.

Around his spoon, Asuma smiled and shrugged. "The guy's crazy."

"Any good ninja is," Kurenai smirked.

"Does that mean we aren't good ninja?"

Leaning in to the other, she laughed softly; "I'm a great ninja, but I'm not so sure about you..."

Forehead's touching, Asuma murmured against her lips; "I could show you how good I am."

"I think I might like that," she breathed.

Their lunch forgotten, the pair only have eyes for each other in that moment.

I hope you liked this chapter! It was a little longer because the focus fell away from Kakashi for a bit, but I wanted a chapter where we saw Kakashi from another's point of view...

To reviewers, The Goliath Beelte, Prescripto13, Cam13, Tdbank316, Rosebunse and Aemilius95; thank you all so, so much! I appreciate the reviews more than you know :)

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