I own nothing from Naruto!
"Hey Haze, are you ready to going?"
Hazel Marie frowned at the name as Naruto came walking over to the gate where she had been waiting for the rest of the team to meet up. Tsunade hadn't spoken to her since she had lost her temper and disappeared from the Hokage tower so any time there was a meeting it was passed along to her through her teammates but she was not required to even take a step into the Hokage's office. Not that she really minded not being forced to stand for pointless meetings, Kakashi kept hinting that she needed to apologize even though she felt like she didn't need to be the better person.
"Haze?" Hazel Marie rose a brow as she questioned the nickname and the blonde grinned as he sat beside her.
"Every time Kakashi tells us to pass on missions or anything, that's what he's been calling you," Naruto shrugged as he set his bag by his feet. "Good thing too, your name is too long."
"You lazy brat," Hazel Marie grinned as she pulled him into a headlock and knuckled him.
"No," Naruto whined as he tried to fight her off. "You'll mess up the lazy hair."
"We miss something?" Sakura walked into view with Kakashi right behind her amused.
"Just Naruto being Naruto," Hazel Marie grinned as she let him go and stood up.
"Let's head out," Kakashi spoke lazily as he pulled out his Icha novel as he headed out the gates. Naruto and Sakura ran ahead and Hazel Marie caught up to Kakashi and walked beside him, as she pulled her hair over her shoulder and braided it. "When are you going to talk to Tsunade?"
"When she pulls her head out of her drunk ass," Hazel Marie muttered as she slid her hands into the pockets of her camo skirt before sighing. "I wasn't in the wrong during that argument. I don't have to apologize for anything, besides I'm still pissed at her for even thinking that I would compromise you guys due to a personal fear."
"Eventually we may have to deal with it while out on a mission, Haze. We won't always be in safe environment," Kakashi sighed as he put his book away and tucked his hands into his pockets as he watched Naruto and Sakura.
"If that time comes, then we will deal with it then. We cannot plan ahead for something like this. Just promise me one thing Kakashi," Hazel Marie spoke quietly as she touched his arm and pulled him to a stop while keeping an eye on their teammates. "If it ever comes down to me or them in any situation, you chose them."
"Haze…"
"I won't let Tsunade be right about me," Hazel Marie whispered as she turned to look at Kakashi.
"I won't choose between members of my team," Kakashi frowned as he turned to face her, "and Tsunade is not right about you. As the captain of this team, it is my job to protect you guys together."
"I sure hope so but you no superman," Hazel Marie sighed as she let him go and started walking again.
"Hurry up you slow pokes!" Naruto turned around from up ahead and yelled.
"Don't tell me you're hungry already," Hazel Marie called back as Kakashi caught back up to her and pulled his book back out. "We haven't even walked out of sight of the village!"
"I don't have any food at my place so I didn't eat," Naruto whined and Hazel Marie laughed as she pulled a bag of something out of her pack and threw it at him. It bounced off his head before he caught it. "What is it?"
"It is called jerky, eat it you chicken," Hazel Marie laughed, "or go hungry."
"But what is it?" he frowned opened the bag and stared at the contents as he stopped walking.
"Seriously, its meat," Hazel Marie deadpanned. "If you don't want it, give it back."
"No, I'll try it. Your food is always good," Naruto spoke cautiously before pulling out a piece and popped it into his mouth. Hazel Marie and Kakashi caught up to them as Naruto chewed the jerky and saw his eyes widen in surprise.
"This is what you get for eating ramen your entire life," Hazel Marie grinned as she patted him on the shoulder before pushing him forward so that he would start walking again as he munched on the jerky happily before jumping up to the trees above and everyone followed closely so that they could start getting some distance from Konoha before dark.
The rest of the day was pretty quiet as they traveled through the forests, stopping once for lunch before continuing on. Sakura and Naruto stayed ahead of Kakashi and Hazel Marie as they ran through the forests. Kakashi had finished Silver Springs moved on to the most recent Icha Icha, Taken Flight. Hazel Marie jumped up above the tree line, using her chakra to keep her up as she took in the view. The skies were clear of any clouds and she could see the ocean far off in the distance. She flew above the trees for a few hours before Kakashi called her down when the sun started to sink over the horizon.
"How have you been able to exert so much chakra to keep yourself up so long?" Naruto asked as Sakura built a fire.
"I don't use that much chakra actually. There are wind currents and I just gave slight adjustments to my body to fly among them," Hazel Marie grinned as Kakashi appeared with three gray haired rabbits. "What did those poor things do to become dinner?"
"You complain about rabbits but not when you hunt deer?" Sakura chuckled as Hazel Marie took the rabbits from Kakashi and pulled out her knife and started working on gutting and cleaning them a distance away from the camp so that the smell didn't drift over.
"The deer I had killed had been injured already. If I hadn't killed it, it would have been killed by other animals hunting it down," Hazel Marie explained before burying the innards and worked on skinning them as Kakashi came over with several sharp sticks that they could use to skewer the rabbits.
"Why skin these when you didn't with the deer?" Naruto frowned.
"Rabbit fur is extremely soft and sells at a high price in Konoha," Hazel Marie grinned as she sealed the fur into a scroll before skewering the rabbits stuck them in the fire. "I'm always up for making a little extra."
"So how has your training with Pervy-sage been going?" Naruto asked as they all sat near the fire, waiting for the meat to cook.
"I got as far as I could with him. It's all self-improvement now."
"Really?! How long did it take to create a Rasengan?"
"A couple hours, why?" Hazel Marie frowned as she saw his annoyed look.
"Haze has an advanced learning of abilities since her first day here. She started learning everything from ANBU," Kakashi spoke, noticing Naruto's annoyed look.
"So how is your self-training going to be able to use these weapons you have mentioned?" Sakura asked.
"The chakra is still too volatile for my weapons. First testing of the Rasengan type chakra bullet, destroyed a lot of trees from training ground 7. Haven't really had time since to keep testing them since the last mission and being stuck in the hospital so long," Hazel Marie spoke quietly as she turned the meat.
"That was you? How did one Rasengan do that much damage?" Naruto frowned.
"It was three," Hazel Marie chuckled, "but I'm not ready to reveal all my secrets. I haven't finished working on my Rasengan yet."
"You'll have to help me out with mine some time," Naruto smiled.
"I'm sure I could do that," Hazel Marie smiled before standing. "The meat is ready anytime."
"Wait… there is only three rabbits… How should we split it?" Sakura frowned as Naruto started to reach for one of the rabbits.
"It's all good, you three dig in."
"What about you Haze?" Naruto frowned.
"I'm good right now. If I get hungry, I have food in my pack."
"You feeling okay?" Sakura asked.
"Mhm, don't worry about me and eat up," Hazel Marie smiled before walking to the edge of the clearing and jumped up into one of the trees and got comfortable.
"She's never not wanted food," Naruto frowned as he started pulling meat off one of the rabbits.
"I'm sure she's okay, she hasn't pushed herself too much since you two got discharged from the hospital. Maybe she's just recovering from Sasori's poison," Sakura spoke, but it sounded as if she was trying to convince even herself.
"You two eat up and then get your bedrolls ready," Kakashi spoke as he grabbed the third rabbit and walked over to where Hazel Marie was and jumped up onto the branch beside her and held out the rabbit. "You need to eat something Haze."
"I'm not hungry Kakashi," Hazel Marie muttered as she pushed the rabbit back to him before pulling her knees up to her chest and propped her chin on them. She turned her head away from him and towards the direction of the other two of their team.
"What's on your mind? You've never refused food before…"
"Just no appetite. I'm fine Kashi," she spoke quietly.
"Is this related to what you said last night in your own language before dinner? You didn't eat much then either."
"You heard that?" Her head turned back towards him slightly as he discreetly ate a piece of the cooked rabbit. He heard her sigh as she lowered her head and her hair fell forward and hid her face from him. "Tomorrow marks the sixth year since Tommy died…"
"Haze…" Kakashi felt the surprise on his face as he studied her curled up form. "Are you going to be okay to continue this mission? We're going to be away from Konoha for several weeks with this mission."
"I have to be…" Kakashi could barely hear her words as she buried her head against her knees. "I promised him that I would never fall again…"
"Kakashi, Haze, come see this! The night sky is full of color!" Naruto exclaimed loudly as he jumped to his feet, head strained back as he stared at the sky with an awed expression.
"Come on," Kakashi spoke gently as he touched her shoulder before he jumped down and waited for her to join him. He put a hand on her shoulder and nudged her back to the others.
"I didn't know that Auroras appeared here," Hazel Marie spoke quietly beside him as she looked up at the sky.
Kakashi glanced at her and saw a small smile despite a few stray tears that rolled down her cheeks. Her right hand was clasped around the dog tags that were on a chain around her neck, while her other arm wrapped around her waist. Sakura laid out Hazel Marie's bedroll and she sat on it quietly as her eyes never left the Auroras. He got his bedroll out and set it up near Hazel Marie while Naruto's and Sakura's were on the other side of the fire.
Eventually, everyone quieted down and Naruto was the first to fall asleep while Sakura shortly followed. Kakashi glanced at Hazel Marie as she watched the lights dance across the sky, her knees up to her chest and chin propped on them. Kakashi quietly got up from his bedroll and moved to her and sat behind her and pulled her against him as she sighed quietly.
"You need to get some rest," he spoke quietly as she laid her head against his chest as she turned her body and curled up in his arms as they sat on her bedroll.
"I can't," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I never sleep well around this time of year. The horrors…"
"They are in the past Haze," Kakashi murmured into her hair as he tightened his arms slightly around her. "I won't let you fall."
"You're too nice Kakashi," Hazel Marie smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.
"That's what friends are for Haze. Try to get some sleep, I'll take first watch."
"If I fall asleep, wake me for second watch or I'll beat you," Hazel Marie whispered as she pulled away so that he could move but he didn't move far as she laid down so that he could be in reach if she needed him. "Thank you Kashi."