So if my guess is right there'll just be one or two more chapters and hopefully I'll have them up soonish and then start working on a sequel!
About a week had passed. My team was getting along well and the three were quick to become best friends. Hoshi and Keikanoo often spent more time goofing off than training while Yamako laughed along with them. I was sitting in the shade under a tree watching them on their mission. As usual for D-ranks it was simple. They were just cleaning some trash from the river. I had picked up the set of kunai and shuriken from the weapons shop the day before and had started practicing them. I threw them into the tree across from me and then tried to light them up and see how long I could hold it.
I heard a splash and quickly turned to look at the river. Hoshi has disappeared under the water. I started to jump up when his head popped up and he started laughing before shoving Keikanoo into the water. I sighed, shaking my head at them as they started screaming and chasing each other before both going after Yamako who screamed, trying to run against the current. I smiled at them. They were still young and immature, despite being genin. If only it would stay that way… I stood, grabbing my kunai from the tree across from me. "Ow…" I hissed as one of them was still hot and I wasn't wearing my gloves. I sucked on the side of my thumb trying to soothe the burn.
"Neh, cripple-sensei!"
I stared at the tree in mild annoyance before turning to the genin. All three of them were dripping wet, their bags full of trash. "Yeah, punk?"
"Are we done now?"
I smiled, "Yes. Well done, you three."
"U-um… Sorami-sensei…" Yamako started.
"What?" I asked just before feeling hands on my shoulders. In seconds, my kunai was at someone's neck. I relaxed, dropping my arm when I realized it was just Kakashi. "What have I told you about sneaking up on me, Kakashi?"
He smiled innocently, "I thought you'd like to see that I got back safely."
"That doesn't require sneaking up on me… especially after… you know what…"
"Who's this?" Keikanoo asked.
"Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi, meet my genin."
"Yo." He gave a short wave before looking back to me. "I'll be back at the house."
"I'll go with you," I said. "You three are dismissed. Meet at the training grounds at 9 tomorrow."
"But that's so earlyyyy," Hoshi wined.
I smacked him with my crutch, "Stop complaining, punk. I'll see you three tomorrow. Get some rest."
"Bye, Sorami-sensei!" The twins yelled.
"Bye, cripple-sensei!"
I twitched as Hoshi ran off and Kakashi started laughing. "Cripple-sensei?"
"Kakashi, I will kill you."
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer, still laughing, "Cripple-sensei…"
"So, how about that date you promised me?" I teased.
He smiled, "Get dressed."
"What?"
"Our reservation is in a half and hour."
"You're actually not going to be late?" I asked with a smirk.
He kissed me, "I'd never be late for you."
I hummed against his lips, "Really, cuz just last week-"
"Just get dressed," he laughed.
I smiled and walked into the bathroom, taking a quick shower. I stepped out and pulled on a mask, leaving it around my neck, before heading to my closet.
"I like the view."
I turned and saw Kakashi laying on the bed in decently nice clothing. "You better like it," I said, pulling out an old dress of mine. I showed it to Kakashi, "Is this okay?"
He nodded and I pulled it off the hanger, carefully slipping into it. Kakashi stood and walked over to me. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, kissing me gently. He placed one hand against my cheek, "I… love you."
I closed me eyes. He'd been saying it more since my mission to Yukigakure but he was still shy about it. "I love you, too, Kakashi."
He handed me my crutches and we left the house, walking down the block to the main road.
"So where are we going?" I asked.
"You'll see."
I frowned, "Kakashi, I've told you I don't like surprises."
"You'll like this one."
I rolled my eyes, walking closer to him.
It only took a few moments before we reached the place. I gaped when we arrived. It was sushi. In fact, it was the sushi place. The one that had a wait list probably longer than how long I'd been alive. "Kakashi…"
The waitress led us to a table in the back.
Kakashi smiled, cockily, "Told you you'd like it."
I couldn't even bring myself to make a good come back, "Shut up, you bastard."
We ordered our food as well as some sake to share.
"So how was your mission?" I asked him.
"Fine. Easy. I didn't run into many problems."
I nodded. "I'm glad it went well."
"How's your genin training going?" He said with a small laugh, probably still amused by the 'cripple-sensei' deal.
"They're… a lot like my team was. The girl is quiet, respectful, always trying to keep up with the boys. Keikanoo is incredibly smart but he tends to goof off a lot and joke around. Hoshi is… a troublemaker. He's impulsive and rebellious, but he's smart, knows how to charm someone."
"He's obviously charmed you if you're letting him call you cripple-sensei."
I frowned, "I really wish you'd never heard that."
"You mean and not be able to bring it up… all… the… time."
I pouted, "Careful, Kakashi. If you screw up this date, I might not want another one."
"How could anyone not want to go on a date with me, though?"
I rolled my eyes. "Don't even."
The food came and we ate. It was the most delicious food I had ever eaten. Without a doubt. Each bite was like a small bit of heaven.
Back in the shower. Scrubbing again, scratching again. I leaned my head against the cold tile of the shower. A couple tears leaked from my eyes in frustration. I was trying so hard to get clean and I couldn't it was so… My jaw clenched. I scratched at my arms, leaving red stripes. The shower shut off suddenly and I looked up. Kakashi stepped into the shower and sat down on the floor, pulling me down with him. He pulled me close to him but said nothing. I closed my eyes, leaning against his chest. The showerhead dripped quietly. I fisted my hands, trapping them between his body and mine to keep from trying to scrub more.
"It's all in your mind," Kakashi said, quietly, "You're clean. I promise you."
"I don't feel clean," I whispered.
"I know." He held my hands in his and carefully kissed the tips of my fingers.
I leaned against him more. "I'm sorry."
"You have no reason to be sorry. This isn't your fault, okay?"
I nodded.
"Let's get back to bed, okay?"
I nodded.
"What about this is ninja work?"
"Nothing."
"Hey! Is the cat in your hands yet?" I asked into the headpiece at Hoshi and Keikanoo's complaining. "No? Then shut up. You're going to scare it away."
"Um… Sorami-sensei… I have it."
"…Oh. Well then, meet up at the tower. Let's get this poor cat to it's owner," I said, flipping the page of the latest book I'd stolen off Kakashi's bookshelf, or I guess… our bookshelf. I had been sitting on the roof of the hokage tower, waiting for them. I guess I was turning out a lot like my sensei had been, just letting the genin figure everything out on their own. I slipped the book back into m y kunai pouch, grabbing my crutches and jumping off the roof as I felt my team's chakra approaching.
"Neh, cripple-sensei, this cat really doesn't seem to want to go home?"
I frowned, "Honestly, if I were it, I wouldn't want to either."
"Huh?"
"Come on, you three," I said walking inside.
The lady who owned the cat was already inside and squealed when she saw her cat, taking it from Yamako. "Oh, Tora, I'm so glad you're back!" She cried hugging it.
"I see what you meant, Sorami-sensei," Keikanoo said.
I sighed, "We'll probably just have to chase it down again next week." The lady walked out and I gave her a polite smile and wave.
"The mission went well?" Tsunade asked.
"Yes, Lady Hokage."
"Can we have a real mission now?" Hoshi asked.
Tsunade looked up. "Sorami, I need to talk with you. Without those three here."
I nodded, turning to my genin, "You three wait outside. I'll be out in a moment."
They all hesitated for a moment as they left. "Hoshi, you probably got Sorami-sensei in trouble now," Yamako whispered.
"Yeah, way to go," Keikanoo said.
"Like you weren't thinking the same think, Kei."
I rolled my eyes as the door shut behind them.
"Are they working out well?"
"Yeah. They're good kids."
"And how are you healing?"
I frowned. "Fine."
"Don't pretend everything's fine if it's not, Sorami."
"I wouldn't. Physically I am well. There's not much pain anymore and most of my injuries are healed. Once my ankle has healed, I'll be okay."
"And the nightmares?"
"How do you know about those?" I asked quietly.
"I have eyes. I can see that you're not getting enough sleep… And Kakashi may have been in here wanting to help you."
"Of course he did," I sighed.
"Let me see your ankle."
I limped over to her and lifted my ankle. Her hands glowed green over it.
"It's mostly healed. I'll check it again in a few days. If it keeps on healing at this pace, it'll be fine as long as you keep it wrapped and don't push yourself by midweek. By the end of the month, you should be back to normal."
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. Am I excused?"
She nodded.
I limped back to the door and opened it, seeing my genin jump away from it and stand far too innocently in the hallway. I eyed them. "Listening in on people's conversations is rude. Particularly when they're your comrade's." I started walking and they followed me.
"Sorami-sensei… can we know what happened to your leg?" Yamako asked.
"No."
"But why was the hokage so worried about it?" She asked.
"She just wanted to make sure it was healing."
"But-" I hit Hoshi with my crutch making him fall.
"Neh! Sensei!"
Keikanoo started laughing and Hoshi turned around and started yelling.
Keikanoo took off and Hoshi ran after them. Yamako soon followed. I rolled my eyes at the three of them, glad we always met at the same area of the training fields so I wouldn't have to hunt them down. I heard the genin before I saw them.
"Yeah! Hoshi!"
"H-Hey! Yamako! Why are you cheering Hoshi on?!"
"Because I'm awesome!"
"But I'm her brother!"
When I reached the field, Keikanoo and Hoshi were wrestling on the ground while Yamako cheered Hoshi on. "Should I even ask?"
They all stood, "No!"
I smiled.
"What are we going to work on today?" Keikanoo asked.
"Speed and your ability to dodge," I said, grabbing several kunai.
"W-Wait… what?" Keikanoo asked nervously.
I smiled innocently. "I'm going to throw these at you. You're going to dodge."
"Is this some sort of weird, sadistic punishment?" Yamako asked.
"We're sorry we were listening in on your conversation!" Keikanoo yelled.
"Please don't use us as target practice!" Hoshi yelled.
I laughed, "Calm down, you three. Now get ready."
"Kakashi!"
"Oh crap," I heard him say from upstairs.
"Oh crap is right!" I walked up the stairs. "Why the fuck did you have to go talk to Tsunade?!" I walked into the bedroom and saw Kakashi hiding behind the bookcase.
"I was just worried, " he peaked his head around the corner of the book case and I threw a kunai towards him.
"You had no reason to be and no right! I am fine!"
"No, you're not."
"I am! But your constant reminding of what happened is going to change that so stop."
"You need to stop hiding from the past. Accept it and move on. Hiding from it and pretending it didn't happen won't help."
"You're one to talk!"
"I've accepted what happened! I don't like it. If I could change it, I would. But I can't, I've accepted that!"
"I've accepted what happened! So what if I don't spend every minute thinking about it?! That doesn't mean I'm not over it! I've moved on! I'm concentrating on other things! I'm not living in the damned past!"
"I'm not living in the past and this isn't about me! This is about you! This is about helping you! Why can't you see that I'm trying to help you?!"
"Help me?! You mean by telling the fucking Hokage that I'm some wounded little animal?! You can't go whining about me having nightmares when you're still having them too! Don't even try to hide it!"
"I'm not trying to hide anything! You want me to say it? Fine! I have nightmares! But you know what, Sorami? So does every other Kami damn shinobi in this village. Nightmares are nothing! But nightmares that throw you into anxiety attacks and keep you from sleeping? Those are a problem!"
"A problem I can live with! I'm getting better! I don't need you telling me how to deal with things! I saw things when I was a mere toddler that grown adults couldn't even fathom! I got over that, I'll get over this!"
"Did you, Sorami? Did you really get over all of that? Because sometimes I wonder!"
"Get out!"
"What?!"
"You heard me! I'm not going to deal with listening to this bullshit anymore, Kakashi!"
"Fine!" He left the room, and the front door slammed a few moments later.
I sat down on the bed, digging my palms into my eyes. "What did I just do…?" I rolled onto my side, pulling the blanket up over me and curling into a ball. I hadn't meant the things I said. I was just frustrated. I hadn't even meant to end up in a real argument… I hugged Kakashi's pillow to my chest, inhaling his smell as tears poured from my eyes.
I felt the bed dip slightly, then felt an arm around my waist. I vaguely recognized Kakashi's chakra and turned into him, burying my face in his chest.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Ami. I shouldn't have-"
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have said the things I did. I didn't mean any of it." A few tears leaked out. "You're right… I'm not okay. I just… don't want to admit it."
"It's okay, Ami. I'll help you. I'll do whatever I can to make you better, I promise… I love you."
"I love you too, Kakashi."
Meh, I'm sorry for anyone who totally hated the argument. I was originally going to make it kind of funny but I figured that the two of them needed some chaos. Plus I firmly believe that arguments need to happen in a relationship to show the ups and downs.
