Don't Say, Do
"I heard the sharingan could memorize more than jutsu, and he has an entire database of sex moves from around the world."
Shizune nodded turning to Ino. "I definitely heard that one from some of his old mission partners."
Ayame wiped the counter and leaned in, her face just inches from a startled Elin. "I heard from some of his colleagues who regularly ate here that he can hypnotize you with his sharingan, so your orgasms are more powerful and last longer!" The tip of their noses met, and Elin did her best to not fall from her backless seat. "Is this true Elin-chan?"
"Enough!"
The wooden structure that made up the modest establishment shook with tremendous force, as Tsunade's star pupil slammed her fist on the counter.
"How would she know? He doesn't even have his sharingan anymore!"
Elin felt a welcomed relief as the brown haired cook broadened their distance. Ayame took the empty bowl from the younger woman and shrugged.
"Who knows, maybe he still has some leftover powers," she said, filling the bowl with dumpling plates.
"I'm just tired of hearing about Kakashi-sensei's sexual life," Sakura groaned, to the amusement of her closer companions.
Elin nodded in solidarity. She never thought of Kakashi in this manner.
The sound of the last bowl and dumpling plates hitting the sink resonated over the playful banter between Ino and Sakura. Anytime a break disrupted the endless list of rumors surrounding the mysterious Hatake Kakashi, the two would go at it until Ino called for a truce with a lively hug to simmer her hot tempered partner. The blonde understood Sakura's frustration given how she saw her sensei in a more paternal light, but today was day to sort fact from fiction, and she would cuddle the pink haired medic all night to make up for the inappropriate topic of conversation if need be.
Shizune turned to Elin and smiled. "What do you have there?"
Elin looked down at the magazine she purchased earlier that night. "It's an international publication," she smiled holding up the December issue. "Do you have a red marker, or pen?"
Shizune dug through her purse, sure that she carried one in every color. "Here."
Elin thanked her and opened the magazine to a mark a page.
The medic smiled watching the young woman circle a large section from an article. Maybe she wanted to travel some more.
"What do you think of the village so far?" Shizune watched as her expression brightened, and the veteran kunoichi felt confident she knew the answer. "I know we haven't seen a lot yet, but we'll be doing some shopping at the night market, and then some more sightseeing."
"It's great!" Came the quick reply.
No one seemed to walk around with their identification card as they made purchases, and her head was still trying to wrap around the fact that everyone, regardless of profession or educational level, was treated the same. She saw hints of this on their way to the village, but to have a chance to experience it for more than a few minutes, made the civilian giddy.
Elin breathed out, settling her enthusiasm before elaborating. "The people are very friendly."
That was a good report on her part, and the night still had plenty of hours to go. "I'm so glad you like it."
Elin swung her legs around the wooden stool. She never thought she'd feel so secure outside the inn. Maybe Sari was right, and there were more reasons to travel the world than to find Dr. Gen.
"Plus, there are more urgent things to worry about!" Sakura leaned away from the counter, until her eyes met with a flustered Elin. "Like what does his face look like without a mask?"
"It looks like God's gift to humanity," came Ayame's exasperated groan. She danced her way to the counter, spilling water from the clean dishes as she went. "It inspired me to take art classes just so I could capture that beauty permanently on paper."
But alas, she didn't have an artistic bone in her body, and the young cook settled for daydreaming about the handsome jonin.
Every eye turned to Elin.
"He is quite handsome," she agreed.
A collective sigh enveloped the medics who still weren't any closer to getting their questions answered.
"I think that's enough for tonight." Shizune stood up first as Ayame hung her apron and hat by the wall. "Let's do some shopping and enjoy the rest of the night, shall we?"
Ichiraku Ramen was closed relatively quick, as the last of the customers assisted in the closing procedure. Ino wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's thin waist, and leaned her head on her shoulder.
"I say we have a sleepover and I can enter her mind while she's asleep."
Sakura poked the blonde's forehead. "Bad Ino!" She scolded.
Quietly they looked on as the other three chatted a safe distance away.
"We can't force ourselves into her and Kakashi-sensei's personal life," Sakura continued. "But we can totally get her drunk and have her spill the beans."
Ino stifled a laugh. "Ha! I knew you were interested in the extraordinary tales of Kakashi-sensei: Master of Sexual Fantasies."
"No way!" She hissed. "But I do hope to work with her to see what's under the mask. Or at least get a good description."
And then she'd rub it in her teammate's faces, and anyone else she could gloat to.
"Sure, sure." Ino felt the skin of her girlfriend's cheeks grow warmer as her lips lingered there for a bit. "Curiosity about that mask is how we all start."
[*35*]
They arrived to a dark apartment, and a silent yet collective relief washed over them as each realized that Elin was not home. Rena turned the lights on and joined the two inhabitants as they stood in the living room unsure of where to go from there.
The Queen accepted Kakashi's proposal, and she would spend an extra day in Konoha while the current Hokage, and the Queen's team of advisors, drafted up some documents. She would take Elin then, and leave for Faye.
Rainy still felt stunned after learning that Elin was Eir. For the last five years she lived with this seemingly nondescript girl, and yet she was Eir. And her mother knew about it!
The night definitely left its mark on the medic's memory.
But no one felt more affected than Rena and Kakashi. Rena looked devastated after learning of the solution they settled on, and Kakashi found it hard to look her in the eyes since that moment. Honestly he hadn't been able to lift his eyes off the floor, and Rainy knew the man had been left in pieces. He cared deeply for Elin, and she knew it tore him apart to finally admit to these feelings, and then see things crumble so quickly.
Quietly the medic excused herself to the bedroom and allowed some privacy for the mother-son duo.
"I'm sorry Rena-san."
She shook her head, taking a deep breath to steady her voice enough to speak. "What else could you do?"
The Queen's greed surpassed everyone's expectations, and Rena understood his solution came as a last ditch effort to keep Faye from overreaching. She wrapped her silk shawl tighter around her shoulders, and did her best to put forth a brave smile.
"I should have thought this through better," she admitted. "Bringing her here wasn't the best idea."
Maybe if she simply took the gift of a relationship with his son, as life intended, Elin could have stayed behind leading a normal life with Jura in Faye. Instead, Rena had been selfish by wanting everything in her life to turn out ok, and now everyone suffered the consequences. She tried hiding a tear, but the length of her blue hair just wasn't what it used to.
"I'll be ok," she assured as he took a shaky step towards her.
Maybe she would be, Kakashi wasn't sure how she handled terrible news, but considering her life had been made up of plenty of them, she could probably do a better job at this than he ever could. Still, he found his arms shyly wrapped around her, as if asking for permission to share a comforting moment.
Unlike him, Rena didn't think twice about reaching around her boy and squeezing him with all the motherly love her arms held. It felt strange to the jonin, with just a hint of relief. They would need a lot more time practice in the touching department, but at least this was a good start. She was so frail, and cute, and smelled of sweets.
"I'm still proud Kakashi," she said. "Really proud."
"Thank you Rena-san."
It didn't make him feel any better that the first time she stated her pride in his actions, it had to be for a decision that caused them both so much pain. He'd still take it, and cherish her words with the same loving grace she used in speaking them. His mother tried so hard to be brave in front of him, and Kakashi would do his best to follow her lead.
[*35*]
Elin climbed up the side of the tall building, balancing a bag in each hand, and a smile on her face. The trip felt a bit longer as she still practiced the process of infusing her chakra under the soles of her feet, and upon reaching the desired balcony, she celebrated the accomplishment accordingly.
"Ta-da!" She exclaimed, gingerly settling on the balcony railing.
Kakashi smiled warmly. "I'm glad you're still practicing."
"Shizune-san taught me a little trick, and she said she'd teach me more later." She placed each bags beside her, careful to protect the things inside.
"You should still practice when you have someone beneath you," he added sitting up. "That would have been quite a fall."
"Well I figured since you were up here." She shrugged, crossing her legs nervously. "I think I can confidently say, you wouldn't let me fall."
Kakashi struggled to smile, but did his best to break through the self loathe. He was sure she wouldn't be saying that if she knew how he sold her just a few hours earlier. "Without a doubt."
Or maybe she still would, Elin was kind like that.
Konoha was quiet that Wednesday night, at least around his residence. The buildings in his neighborhood were dark for the most part, and even the street lamps below him remained off before Elin walked by. An air of peace hung around them, even in the gentle, winter breeze that carried a hint of her summer scent to him.
"Did you enjoy your time with Shizune?"
She broke her gaze from the street below, and gifted the jonin with a sparkle in her eyes, brighter than the starry night before them.
"Yes," she smiled, putting the spectacle of the full moon to shame. "I met an old student of yours, Sakura-chan."
Ah, he wondered how his favorite pink haired kunoichi was doing.
"And she brought her girlfriend along."
He nodded, so they made it official?
"We ate ramen, then the daughter of the establishment joined us when the conversation became about you. They had so much to say."
Her laugh made his heart swell with broken happiness.
"I should have prepared you better for that," he smiled.
Elin waved him off happily. "They were so playful, I felt like I was surrounded by four different versions of Sari."
A gentle wind carried off their laughter.
"After, we all went to the night market and I got some souvenirs."
Elin reached for the bag beneath her and dug around for a moment. She retrieved a small box, and placed the rest of her purchase on the balcony floor. "I found a man selling miniature tea sets," she said caressing the small box. "I got it... And now I'm unsure if it will be enough... Since it doesn't look like your meeting went all that well."
He knew she would see it, but he hoped just for once, she would overlook his own issues and they could focus on her good time. Oh, but the shame and anger must have been rather obvious, and he should have known better. Kakashi stood up and did his best to put forth a smile, even if she could see right through it. He hoped the effort would at least make her feel comfortable.
"It always seems like I have something to thank you for."
Their eyes rested on the plastic covering on top of the festive looking box, but neither had the state of mind to examine the content inside. His hands wrapped around hers, and as it happened each time their skin met, their minds wanted nothing to do with the rest of the world, for just a moment.
"What am I supposed to do to thank you?"
She smiled, strengthening her hold on the box. "I know it may not seem like a lot to you," she said taking in the scents of leaves, and grass that were so him. "But you helping me with budgeting, maps, and important notes about some villages. The best routes, scams to avoid, all those things, were really helpful."
His thumb moved slowly, and she struggled to ignore the charming effect of his rough skin on her cool one.
"Then you brought me here," she continued, trying her best to focus on the nonsensical rambling that only the fireflies seemed care about. "And I know it hasn't been a full day yet, but I really like it here. The people are so nice, and the rude ones are just rude to everyone. No one cared about my lack of education, or the fact that I wasn't contributing anything to the world. They just wanted to sell me overpriced souvenirs, and fried food."
Which she accepted, and now held two bags full of stuff to take back home. Elin hoped Pete would enjoy a set of wooden eating utensils.
Kakashi laughed along with her. Truly he wanted to enjoy this moment with the younger woman, to tell her that those vendors would continue being nice to her even after the holiday season became a fond memory. That they would probably give her discounts just to hear about her foreign land, and then call her by name when they ran into her at another store. Never asking how far she got in school, and probably nodding in agreement when she told them she was still trying to figure out her purpose in life. This was his village, and if the fucking universe hadn't aligned itself to constantly have someone's life completely messed up, it could have been hers as well.
Kakashi felt her eyes on his face, but his bravado had been crushed hours ago. He couldn't look at her.
"I found an article in the latest magazine, and Dr. Gen said that he will be giving a two week conference in Marsh Country." Shizune assured her that it would only take a week to get there, if she was willing to spend the money for the right transportation.
He felt a nervous ripple through his skin. No...
"I've been to thinking about all the things you've taught me, and this trip has really been an eye opener about what other villages look like."
Don't say it...
"I've been thinking..."
Please don't say it...
"Of going to find Dr. Gen, and hopefully find out-"
He didn't mean for their first kiss to be like this. Truth be told, Kakashi hadn't really thought about what it would look like. Certainly not so abrupt, and careless. Maybe somewhere more romantic, and after following her cues to make sure she was ready. Still, even after pulling such a selfish stunt, she welcomed him with gentle lips and an amiable disposition.
It was supposed to be a short pause, to keep her from twisting the knife further into his battered pride, yet under his palm Kakashi felt her cheek flush with a shiver, and jonin put into practice every ANBU tip to keep his composure.
She placed the box on the side, and neither care for its fate, as it fell on top of the plastic bag beneath them. Elin breathed in as they parted for a second, and once again fell prey to the tenderness of his lips.
As with anything else, she found him surprisingly prepared to deal with her ineptitude. His movements were slow, giving her a chance to fully take in the form of his lips against hers; the smooth curves, impossibly warm skin, and overall tenderness that such a rough looking man could possess.
It wasn't until she felt brave enough to finally reach for his cheek in the same way he had done to hers, that he felt ready to deepen the encounter with a small nibble. His sensitive taste buds picked up on even the smallest traces of her snacking adventure that night, and he paused for a moment to smile as his mind flooded with thoughts of dates and dinners that would not be.
Elin closed the gap between their lips, and Kakashi felt his skin aflame with the searing pleasure that was knowing she reciprocated his feelings. He repaid her boldness with a flicker of his tongue against her reddening lips, but as if not ready to be cast as a simple inexperienced follower, Elin opened her mouth with a curious moan that sent shivers all the way down his back.
She pushed back, startled by her own sensual expression, and the jonin could only thank his lucky stars, for he didn't have the self control to do it himself.
"I'm sorry," came the flustered apology. She covered her mouth, diverting her wide eyes wherever they could reach on the balcony floor.
"It's ok," he sighed bringing her head to his chest. Kakashi had to admit, the pure way her body processed satisfaction, made his mind run amuck with indecent thoughts.
Elin could feel the outline of his chest perfectly against her face, and hear the erratic heart beat that betrayed his calm demeanor. Beyond the soft way he cradled her head, past the secure hand holding her close to him, at least she felt relief knowing he felt some degree nervousness as well.
He planted a gentle kiss atop her head, as Elin wrapped her arms around his waist.
There was no use for words, when actions spoke so clearly. She understood his affection towards her had evolved past a friendship, and the thought, made her giddy.
He knew this was only a temporary happiness, and the thought, broke his heart.
[*35*]
Sometime during the night, Kakashi carried Elin to his lawn chair, where they lied watching as the wind tossed the little snow flurries that brightened the night. He knew he'd regret giving in to his selfish impulses, and now every inch of her body seared itself to his side like a newly carved wound.
The jonin didn't know what he wanted the fate of this memory to be. He wanted to cherish her shy laugh so close to his ear when he asked her if she felt comfortable, and the softness of her breathing when she finally fell asleep. Kakashi wanted to preserve the lushness of her hair between his fingers, and the scent of summer fruits that had become so familiar to him. He wanted to remember the overwhelming emotions that blossomed from such a simple moment, and he wanted it all to become his safe haven when he needed to get away from the complexities of the world.
But his safe haven already failed at its first task, to comfort him every time be looked at the clock and the minutes continued to tick. She would leave tonight, to become a prisoner because that's the role the world needed for her to play in order for peace to be maintained. And now, his safe haven felt like the deepest level of hell.
"Kakashi!"
He blinked a few times, and his vision filled with bright walls and stacks of paper. Behind these monumental pillars, Lady Tsunade scowled at him, and Shizune sighed already having given up for the day.
"Are you still thinking about yesterday?"
Kakashi felt the cushion of the chair underneath him, and realized he was sitting. Just how far had his thoughts taken him?
"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama," he replied.
"I honestly didn't think you would take it this hard," she sighed, lacing her fingers under her chin. Really, she didn't remember seeing the normally aloof jonin so distraught.
"I apologize I-"
"I'll make it quick and simple." Tsunade extended a folder to Shizune who tucked it against her chest. "You have a busy schedule today and tomorrow, so take a few minutes to collect yourself between this meeting, and your next duty."
"Yes ma'm." Kakashi sat up, doing his best to portray a confident ninja to the Hokage.
If you lie to yourself enough times, sometimes you end up believing it... Maybe it would do him good to start now.
"The team sent after Dr. Gen has picked up as solid lead, and they've been getting confirmation from locals in different villagers about a large caravan with adults and some children."
"That was fast."
The Hokage nodded, moving on to the next point in her notes. "The team in Faye who are in charge of tracking the other doctors, are also on the go. However, they've noticed they're taking the same route as the first team, and so we have reason to believe from witness report as well as the tracking unit's similar route, that all the scientists are traveling together."
He felt his stomach knot. The solution to this problem seemed so close.
"We're sending Team Four as backup for the first team, since the second group won't join up with them in time. I've received an estimate from the leader of Team Four, and they think they'll reach Dr. Gen by tomorrow."
He nodded slowly, his gaze drifting to the wooden sections of the floor spared by the growing number of paper towers. This should have been exciting news. He needed to feel the excitement in these news!
"Here's your schedule for the day."
Kakashi stood up, and walked towards the table, where his paper awaited him. Stonemason, hair dresser, dressmaker, florist... Kakashi cringed. Silverware consultation?
"The Kages and other dignitaries will be arriving tonight, but you won't have to meet them until you've been inaugurated. You're welcome."
He folded the piece of paper, and tucked it in his vest pocket. "Thank you Tsunade-sama."
"Dismissed."
They watched him walk away, the sadness he tried to suppress while he sat before them already making his shoulders heavy before he even grasped the door handle.
"Is she his girlfriend? His lover? Childhood best friend who no one knew about? What is she Shizune?"
The Hokage's apprentice failed to get a title out of the foreign girl as well. And she really tried.
"To be honest Tsunade-sama, I really don't know," she admitted. "She's nice, easy to talk to, kind of shy, and cute, but doesn't have any outstanding features. I thought, this was the girl that distracted Kakashi to the point of him not noticing his squad? I really expected someone more grand." In any way; beauty, smarts, sex appeal, power, heck even wealth.
"But my successor is moping, Shizune. Moping!" She cried cradling each side of her head.
"He just sees something we can't, Tsunade-sama."
The older woman sighed, picking up her stamp. "He just couldn't fall for a normal girl, could he?" The sound of papers being marked with her approval, filled the room.
Shizune smiled. "It wouldn't make a very interesting love story if he did."
The Hokage nodded solemnly. "Now it's just tragic, unfortunately."
Shizune agreed, and they both dwelled on the terrible ending to a story with so much potential
Author's Note: Since it's a bit of a filler, I decided to post it a little sooner than scheduled :) Thank you guys for reading and for those who took the time to review (Fluff, the second big meeting happens next chapter xD sorry!). Also to anyone adding this to their list of favorites or alerts, thank you as well!
I haven't started working on the sequel, but I do have some other good news. I finished the outline for another Kakashi story, and I've finished editing the first ten chapters, so I'll be publishing that fairly soon. It'll be shorter (22 chapters + epilogue), and not as deep as Stargazers. This one will have a faster moving pace, and just focus on Kakashi/OC. I'm still debating whether to wait until Stargazers is over, or start publishing chapters now? Either way, I'm excited to show you guys this project :)
Anyways, again, thank you for reading!
Til next time!
xo
Rhiuss