Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I just own my OCs.
"Pleeeaaase, ba-chan?"
"No."
"Please, please, please?"
Sighing through her nose, Jai put the cup of tea back on the table before turning to give him a stern look.
"Your begging and pleading did not change my mind yesterday. What makes you think it will change today?"
"Persistence?"
Her response was a swift flick to his forehead.
She wanted so much to just sit and drink her tea while munching on her favorite treat inside the village's most popular dango shop during her break before having to return to the hospital. Unfortunately for her, Academy classes ended early for the day.
"It's just a movie!"
She picked her cup back up and readied to take a sip. "A movie that I feel you are not mature enough to watch."
"But it's all anyone talks about at the Academy!"
"Then I am certain they will not mind telling you all about it."
The movie that was the talk of the Academy students was some type of monster movie that had – in her opinion – too much gore and violence for a six-year-old to be watching.
"That's not the same as actually watching it, ba-chan!" he whined. "All my friends have already seen it! I'm the only one who hasn't!"
"No, Takeru. And I do not want to hear another word about it."
He huffed and sucked his teeth while crossing his arms in annoyance. "All their parents let them watch it…"
"Enough, Takeru!" Her voice was raised and emphasized with the slamming of the teacup against the table's surface. "I have given you my answer and that is it!"
The other patrons and staff were silenced by her outburst and all silently watched. The two of them were locked in a silent glaring contest before Takeru pushed off the table and abruptly stood from his seat, spilling their cups of tea in the process.
She quickly moved to grab the cups before they could fall to the ground and dabbed up the tea.
"Takeru-"
"This is so unfair!" he yelled back. "I hate you!"
His last words sent a jolt down her spine and stunned her in place. At that moment, all she could do was watch him rush out of the small tea shop. Guilt started to settle in as she replayed everything in her mind.
"I am sorry," Jai said to the owner as she helped clean up the mess.
The older woman gave Jai a reassuring smile. "Kids. It doesn't get any easier. Take it from me, dear. I have three boys and all three of them are the reason why my blood pressure stays high." She cleared the table and promised to bring a fresh cup of tea.
"Thank you."
She sat in silence as she played everything back in her head. She didn't mean to let her emotions get the best of her.
"You okay?"
She looked up to see Kakashi standing over her before looking away. "I have been better…"
Kakashi made eye contact with the owner and asked for a cup of tea for himself before sitting down. The owner brought their fresh cups of tea shortly after but neither moved to touch them. He patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts.
"I just…" she huffed. "… he kept asking and begging after I had already told him no."
Kakashi was confused but continued to slowly nod. "Okay…"
"He said he hates me…" she said in a defeated tone.
"Takeru?"
She nodded despite her head being bent down towards the table.
"I saw him run out of here. What happened?"
"He has been begging me to take him to go see a movie in the past few days. I told him no multiple times, but he kept insisting – begging, pleading... I-I… I had enough and I yelled at him."
An incredulous look fell over his exposed face. "Over a movie? What movie?"
"Some monster movie that was just released..."
"What's so special about this movie?"
She shrugged. "He said that everyone at the Academy has seen it except for him because I will not let him. Am I overreacting?" She released a deep and defeated sigh. "The look he gave me… it is just a movie… but what if he has nightmares? I would rather not have to deal with it… perhaps I should have just said yes…"
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"That. Doubt yourself. You have your reasons for your decision. And he didn't mean what he said. It was just a retaliation out of anger."
"What if he holds this against me for the rest of his life? We never fight. And he has been asking for more independence, wanting to do things without me. I must protect him, and I cannot protect him if I am not around... he is not like the other kids…" she said the last part in a defeated tone.
He looked at her with a sympathetic stare and rubbed the top of her head. "Well, that's where you are at fault."
"What do you mean?"
"It's not fair for him to think that he's like everyone else while you're treating him as if he's not. You're always around. I hate to say it, Jai, but you're a helicopter parent."
"I am not."
"Yes, you are. You walk him to the Academy every morning and make sure to be there at the end of the day. Any time he wants to spend time with friends, you are there..." he started to tick off his fingers as he listed her actions. "… you would rather have his friends come to your house than for him to go to theirs…"
Now that he mentioned it, she realized that he was right. The only time Takeru is ever out of her sight is when he's at the Academy.
'Have I really been doing that?'
"… you also do thorough background checks on everyone that interacts with him daily, and-"
"Enough," she sighed. "You have made your point."
But she couldn't help it. Every day she worried about his safety. The constant fear that one day all the ghosts from her past will finally show themselves.
The thought of not having Takeru in her life made her uneasy and sad. He was more than her ward. He was Hitomi's son, the heir to the Minami clan's fortune, and the illegitimate child of a Daimyō. But it was more than her promise to Hitomi and her duty that made her behave the way she had. He was the child Jai wanted but never had.
'I am the cause of his anger'
Now she felt guilty. And Kakashi could see it.
"All I'm trying to say is that to him, he is just Minami Takeru – a normal kid – not a child of royalty. And if you want him to believe that he's like everyone else, then you need to start treating him that way." He intertwined their fingers together and gently squeezed her hand. "I know how much you love him – and I know how much he loves you. But one day, you're going to have to let him go. It's the blessing and curse that is parenting, my ningyō."
She nodded in understanding. "It saddens me knowing that I am not wanted around anymore."
'He means so much to me'
"Well, that's where you're wrong."
"Wrong?"
"He'll always want you, Jai. He just won't need you."
She nodded in understanding. "Of course. You are right."
"I have an idea, my ningyō."
"What is it?"
"How about I take him to go see it."
She was surprised by his proposition. "You?" the uncertainty was evident in her face and voice.
He hummed in response.
"What if he has nightmares? Will you be there to help calm and reassure him?"
"Of course."
She continued to look at him with uncertainty.
"I promise."
His confidence still didn't ease her mind. "It is just…"
"What? You don't think I can handle it? I'm dealing with Genin now, and it's three of them per team. I think I can handle one kid."
"I know but… neither of you has spent a lot of time alone with each other…"
"That's not true. I used to watch him when he was a baby."
"Yes, but-"
"We'll be fine, Jai. Now, do I have your permission to take him?"
She hesitated before nodding. "I suppose it will be good for the two of you to spend some one-on-one time with each other…" It would certainly make her life easier if the two men in her life got along better.
"Hai, hai. Consider this a chance for us to bond."
She still couldn't help feeling apprehensive, but he was confident that he would be able to handle it.
"Alright, but call me if anything happens."
"Of course," he promised. Getting up from the table, he rubbed the top of her head once more, getting ready to leave. "I'll go find him and tell him the good news. Enjoy the rest of your day, my ningyō."
"Wait, I meant to ask how your last group of Genin went-"
"I'll tell you all about it later," he said with a casual wave.
Before she could respond, he disappeared. All she could do now was wait and hope that everything really would be alright. She sighed once more and downed the cup of tea before heading back to the hospital.
The rock skipped across the water's surface four times before it sank. Releasing a huff of frustration, Takeru picked up another and was determined to make it skip at least six times. He was still mad, but skipping rocks helped to lighten his mood.
He readied the rock in his grip and exhaled before throwing it. Watching his rock with confidence as it skipped across the water.
'Four…'
He watched it skip again.
'That's five!'
Before it could skip across the sixth time, another rock collided into it and knocked it straight into the flowing river.
The excited look on his face fell as he stared wide-eyed and opened-mouth. "What just happened?!"
"Oops! My bad, 'Keru-kun!" came Kakashi's voice from behind. "I totally meant for my rock to skip passed yours, but it ended up knocking it right into the water."
The young Minami quickly turned. "Lies! You did that on purpose!" he said while pointing an accusing finger.
"Now, now, 'Keru-kun, I do have only one eye visible, so my sight isn't the greatest," he lied.
The boy bared his teeth in frustration and continued to glare. "What do you want? I'm not in a good mood right now."
"Yeah, I know. Jai told me all about it." He sat down and pulled out his novel.
"I bet you're on her side too."
"I'm not really on anyone's side – especially when it's regarding something so childish. However, I will say that you really hurt her feelings today."
A look of guilt flashed in Takeru's, but he stubbornly pushed them aside. He didn't mean it, he was just so angry at the time that he would have said anything to hurt her. The young boy merely huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.
"I understand where you're coming from, but you have to understand that she's just thinking about what's best for you."
"I can think for myself too. She just doesn't let me do anything! I can't go and out and play with my friends unless she's there to watch us! They always tease me and call me "Baby Takeru"!"
"Sounds like you should get new friends…"
"And it's not as if the village is unsafe! There are shinobi everywhere! But I swear she thinks the world is out to get me!"
Kakashi paused in his reading at Takeru's last outburst.
'If you only knew'
He wished he could tell him why she was so protective of him. But he couldn't. It wasn't his place, and heaven help her when the time comes to tell.
"It's not that she doesn't trust you. Jai is…" he struggled to find the right words. "… she's been through a lot."
"What do you mean?"
Kakashi closed his book and took a deep breath. "Uh… it's a long story that's not relevant to this situation…" he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "… what I'm trying to say is that you're very precious to her and she's just trying to protect you."
"I need protection from a movie?"
"Er- no… it's not about the movie." This was not the conversation he was hoping to have. "I mean, this is about the movie but it's also about your behavior towards Jai. Regardless, I spoke to her about it and she's agreed to let you watch the movie…"
"Yes!" he cheered.
"… under the condition that I go with you."
"What?!" his excitement quickly turned into disappointment. "Why you?!"
"Awe, c'mon, 'Keru-kun. Don't be like that."
"Why can't I just go with my friends? Y'know, by myself!"
"Those are her conditions. Take it or leave it."
Takeru's arms folded across his chest in annoyance once more. "Fine. But you're buying the snacks! And don't sit close to me. I don't want people to know that I'm associated with a lazy shinobi."
"That actually hurts my feelings, 'Keru-kun," he lightly whined. "At least call me oji-san. We are family."
"By law not by blood."
"You really know how to hit where it hurts, don't you? I used to change your diapers, 'Keru-kun! How about we invite your friends?"
"Absolutely not!"
"I guess it would be a good thing not to invite them… all the stories I have about you…"
"I changed my mind! I don't want to go anymore!"
"But your ba-chan was hoping that we could use this time to get to know each other better! We need more Kakashi-oji-chan and 'Keru-kun time!"
"That's not a thing between us!"
"It can be if we let it! Let's commemorate this moment with a hug!" he put his book back into his pouch and held his arms out.
"Get away from me, scarecrow!"
"But if we leave now, we can make the next showing!"
The lights in the house appeared brighter against the evening sky as she walked towards the front door of her house. She was supposed to be home earlier, but there was an emergency towards the end of her shift.
After entering, she removed her shoes neatly placed them in the foyer. The open floorplan of her home was one of the main reasons as to why she purchased the house. It wasn't like the more traditional homes; where every room was closed off. Making her way to the living area of the house, she came upon a pleasant sight.
On her sofa laid a passed out Kakashi and Takeru. Kakashi was still in an upright sitting position but his legs were stretched out and his head was tilted back. She was certain it wasn't intentional, but his right arm had fallen around Takeru, who was leaning against her husband's side. Both lightly snored while only Takeru had a small line of drool on the side of his mouth.
She quickly and quietly moved to the storage closet to grab Hitomi's camera. A rare moment like this was worthy of being documented. She hurried back and took the picture. Satisfied with herself, she placed the camera onto the small table and readied to put Takeru to bed.
She noted that he wore his pajamas when she picked him up, careful not to disturb Kakashi. Quietly going up the stairs, she turned right at the top and entered his room. After tucking him in, she came back down the stairs but paused when she saw that Kakashi was now awake.
"Welcome home," he sleepily greeted after yawning. "I made you a plate but didn't know-"
He was cut off when her lips pressed against his. Instead of questioning it, he leaned into it after pulling down his mask. His hands fell to her hips, guiding her to straddle his lap, while hers laced around the back of his neck, clinging to his hair before moving down his chest to unzip his flak jacket.
Their lips finally separated for air after their long-heated kiss.
"I should agree to watch Takeru more often," he joked.
Jai chuckled. He loved it when she laughed. A rare moment that he made sure to never take for granted. His hands left her hips to caress her face.
'So beautiful'
"Thank you," she murmured as she leaned back in.
"Don't you want to know how everything went?"
Their lips lightly brushed against each other's as they spoke. "I am certain that everything went well."
He smiled and pulled her closer, the space between them diminishing even more. "You are absolutely correct, my ningyō."
"And thank you for comforting me."
His hitai-ate was no longer around his head and his pants had come undone.
"Anytime."
The buttons on her blouse were undone, exposing her skin-toned bra, and the zipper on her skirt was down, making it easier to bunch around her hips.
"I am grateful," she breathed out between light pecks to his lips.
He nestled into the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent. "Exactly how grateful are you?" he asked after nipping and sucking her skin.
Her hand disappeared beneath the fabric of his pants and started to a slow stroking motion. His breathing becoming shallow.
"It would be easier…" her own breathing was coming in shallow pants after his hands moved further up her skirt. "… if I showed you."
"Please do, my ningyō, but…" he sucked in a breath. "… may I suggest we take this upstairs?"
"That would be wise."
Kakashi nodded and made sure to have a stronghold around Jai before standing from the sofa. She clung to him and laughed once more while he carried her up the stairs to the bedroom.
After his shoulder was shaken for the fourth time, he let out an annoyed moan while rolling onto his other side and pulled the comforter over his head, hoping that the one trying to wake him would get the message that he didn't want to get up just yet.
"Kakashi, you have to meet your new team in an hour."
Jai's voice was sleepy when she attempted to wake him. He peeked his right eye open to look at the small clock on the bedside table.
'4 a.m.'
He mentally groaned and sighed aloud when he remembered that he told his most recent team to meet at the training ground at five a.m.
'Only four hours of sleep'
They made love for hours and finally fell asleep around midnight. But he didn't care. Time together had been on the scarce side between them to the point where he would gladly accept the consequences.
"You have to get up." She gently rubbed his back in another attempt to get him out of bed but was only succeeding in putting him back to sleep.
He hummed in response as he moved closer towards her. "Fifteen more minutes," he promised but she had already fallen back asleep and he wasn't far behind.
Hours went by before Jai woke again. Seeing that the time was now nine a.m. and Kakashi was right beside her fast asleep. Managing to disentangle herself from his embrace, she got out of bed and readied to wake him once more, only this time the gentle approach would be replaced with something firmer.
She stared at his serene sleeping face and enjoyed it before stripping the bed of the comforter with a strong tug. His naked form no longer basked in the warmth of the thick blanket and now exposed to the cool air of the house. His body quickly contorted into the fetal position.
"Jaaaaaiiii…!" he sleepily whined.
"Get up," came her usual blunt tone.
"Ten more minutes…"
"I will flip the mattress, Kakashi," she warned.
He opened his left eye and met her warning stare. Letting out a deep sigh, he forced himself out of bed and stretched his body and limbs. "Hai, hai…" he said with a yawn.
"Get dressed," she held out his clothes and underwear to him. "you have to meet your Genin."
He grabbed them on his way to the conjoined bathroom after pecking the side of her head. She shook her head as she watched him slowly move about the room. After the bed was remade, she realized that he still hadn't come out of the bathroom.
"What are you doing in there?" she asked after knocking.
The door opened with Kakashi still naked. "I'm about to shower. Wanna join me?"
"But your Genin-"
"I won't take long. It's just a quick rinse," he promised.
Jai sighed in defeat. She wondered why she even bothered trying to make him be more prompt. Instead, she flicked his forehead. "Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes."
He left the training ground in high spirits. Today was the day where he passed his latest assigned Genin team. Today he is officially a Jounin Leader with a team of his own.
During the whole exercise, he couldn't stop thinking about his days as a Genin, vowing to himself that he would do right by his Genin.
'Team 7'
Uzumaki Naruto: the Jinchūriki, his late sensei's son, the village troublemaker, and the most unpredictable ninja he had ever met. Haruno Sakura: an average kunoichi when it came to all skills minus Genjutsu and knowledge about the shinobi arts, who lacks motivation unless it involves his third pupil: Uchiha Sasuke. And then there was Uchiha Sasuke: one of the last remaining members of the Uchiha clan, this year's number one rookie of his Genin class, and Naruto's rival.
He smirked beneath his mask.
'Hokage-sama really did put a lot of thought into these team formations'
Stopping outside the Hokage building, he looked up at Hokage-iwa and stared at the stone carving of the Yondaime.
'Sensei, I promise to protect Naruto'
He gave the carving another moment before walking into the large red building where he soon found himself outside the office of the Hokage.
"Enter," he heard Hiruzen's voice command shortly after knocking.
Making sure the door was closed after entering, Kakashi bowed to Hiruzen.
"Ah, Kakashi. How did it go? Is it safe to assume that I'll need to organize a new group of Genin…?"
"It was a success."
"I really thought that this would be the team- did you say success?"
Kakashi nodded.
Hiruzen knowingly smiled and nodded. "That's good to hear. I expect you and your team to assemble to receive your first mission."
"Hai."
