REVIVAL
A friend is someone who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden.
Unknown
Chapter III: The Bonds that Form Us
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"…so with that came other lands from all over to seek Konoha's services," Aoi says matter-of-fact, "That means…"
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"…the larger numbers of deployed jounin…"
"…more patients…"
"…deaths…"
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"Tenshi-san!"
Onyx eyes grow clearer, more focused, she looks up into auburn ones. Tenshi sets her pen down on her desk to position herself straight at the blonde. "Hm?"
"You have got to stop thinking about Naruto, he's going to be fine."
"I wasn't thinking about—"
"—Right, that's definitely not the reason why you've been staring at the clock for the past 30 minutes."
Aoi has been kicking her awake the entire day and as annoying as it is, she needs it. Tenshi is really out of it today.
"I just," she sighs, "I can't bear to think about him being disappointed in himself if he doesn't pass."
"Ye of little faith…"
"Hey!"
"You underestimate Naurto-kun, Tenshi-san," Aoi smiles, scooping another spoon of gyudon and rice into her mouth, "He's much tougher than you think."
Another heavy sigh, "You're right. I just…"
"He passed," says a deep voice from the entrance of her office.
The news makes her shoot out of her swivel chair. "Really?"
Gai shoots her a grin — with a matching sparkle — and a thumbs up. "The fire of youth burns bright in Naruto-kun!"
The excitement overwhelms her that she even pulls a chewing Aoi into a tight hug, the younger woman turning blue at the tightness. "Oh, thank you for telling me, Maito-san!"
"Absolutely, Tenshi-chan! Our friendship empowers me in so many ways! So…" Gai rubs his chin, keeping the tension alive.
"So?" Tenshi pries.
"Team 7 shall commence with the second portion of the Chunin Exams. It's only going to be harder from there."
Immediately Tenshi deflates, her anxiety sky high.
"Maito-san, look what you did!" Aoi exclaims.
"This is your idea of a challenge, Gai?" a monotonous voice emerges from the entrance.
Tenshi looks up at Kakashi looking rather bored. She immediately straightens herself and greets him with a formal smile, the latter returning the gesture.
"It's an honor to meet you in person, Hatake-san," Aoi bows.
"Mah, mah, I'm nobody really," Kakashi responds, hands raised and waving about to dismiss her comment.
"An honor?" Tenshi says. He really is popular around these parts.
"Damn it, Kakashi! Cool as ever with people noticing you and acknowledging your exceptional skills as a shinobi," Gai cries with curled fists, biting his lower lip, "And you're so humble about it! This is why you are a deserving Eternal Rival."
Tenshi stops on her tracks. Wait, what?
"Maito-san, you mean to say Kakashi is the Eternal Rival you've been raving about in our sessions?"
"Raving…about?" Kakashi moans in embarrassment with a matching face palm.
"Oh boy," Aoi adds.
Gai and Kakashi settle down on the plush couch across her, Tenshi can't help but have an internal laugh at the sight of the two. The setting feels like Couples Therapy.
"We shall commence!" Gai spouts.
"Okay, gentlemen. I just want to disclaim that this is the oddest session I've ever had. And I've talked with convicted murderers."
The life in Kakashi's eye completely left his body, cheeks flushed. He's humiliated. Tenshi chuckles some more.
"Alright, so we can start with how the two of you are doing today. Nervous perhaps for your teams?"
"Not at all! My Lee will do amazingly, he is a genius! Tenten is also an excellent kunoichi. Neji is a gifted shinobi from the Hyuga Clan as well. Not a sweat from me!"
"Not really for me as well…"
Gai shoots his 'cool' friend a pointed look with a mix of frustration.
"That's good to hear," Tenshi scribbles her notepad, "anyone been feeling down lately?"
"Never! Whenever I have a bad day, I run 1000 laps around the village!"
"I'm fine…"
It's only a level above talking to a wall. In fact, I might even prefer it.
The session drags on with Gai sharing childhood stories of him and Kakashi, how he's always been an underdog and Kakashi was a genius. Girls loved his friend, while he had to chase them. How quickly Kakashi rose in the ranks. Without even knowing it, Gai is simply the best wingman anyone could ever ask for. It's like he dedicated the entire session to praising Kakashi and listing down all his accomplishments.
The clock beside her dings signaling that their session is up and Tenshi has no idea what to make of it. The silent jounin looks deflated after it, obviously not taking Gai's compliments well.
"Well…" Tenshi scratches the back of her head with her click pen.
"Well?" Gai prods, looking like a finalist of a beauty pageant awaiting the results.
"Congratulations, Maito-san. You…crushed therapy, if that's even possible."
"Yes!" He says as he throws a bandaged fist in the air and rises from his seat, his green suit growing tighter in less-than-appropriate places.
Kakashi must have noticed because he and Tenshi shoot looks at each other before he face palms once again. He uses his other free hand to cover his friend. Tenshi giggles from her seat.
"That's 51-49, Kakashi!"
"Yes…congratulations."
"I usually save this for my children patients," Tenshi opens a jar from beside her picking up a green lollipop to match Gai's aesthetic, "but take it as a trophy to remember this by." She smiles.
The rest of the day has been busy, a handful of jounins with teams joining the Chunin Exams taking the opportunity to book in sessions. Faces pass, stories are exchanged, Tenshi shares insights. The sight of sighs of relief and smiles leaving the clinic warms her soul. This is what Tenshi lives for.
At around 6 PM, she and Aoi decide to file the reports from the week, organizing them by the dates. They fall into easy conversation, Aoi opening up to her more so than ever before about her hometown, her childhood.
"I can't believe you're friends with Hatake Kakashi, Tenshi-san," her usually serious assistant lighting up at the topic.
"I wouldn't say friends," Tenshi says, her eyes scanning at the labels of the folders before putting them in the filing cabinet, "he's just my next-door neighbor and Naruto's sensei."
"He was basically a celebrity back at the Academy. One of Konoha's brightest, as our senseis called him."
"Really?" she says, not really paying attention.
"It's tragic how his father killed himself after failing a mission and leaving him alone."
Accidentally dropping a folder at her sudden statement, Tenshi bends to pick it up and twirl to face her assistant, "What?"
Aoi nods at her, returning to her work. Tenshi sighs. If there's anything the blonde is good at, it's bluntly sharing random pieces of information at the least appropriate times. And she leaves her hanging.
It can be classified as a jutsu in itself, she thought.
"Thank you," Tenshi smiles receiving the take-out, putting the cash on the tray provided before heading her way.
If there's anything she's enjoyed in Konoha since she's arrived, it's the bustling nighttime. People walking around, golden lights illuminating the streets, music playing from all directions like warm hugs. The summer breeze filling her senses with the smell of something smoked and something sweet. The thought of having to leave all of this in three months leaving a bitter taste in her tongue.
The conversation she had with Aoi from earlier plays on in her mind like a broken record. Another thing that never grows boring in her life is the amount of trauma someone can experience but can hide to an almost impenetrable level. Kakashi is definitely at a superior level if there are tiers of hiding.
Sure, she expected the sight of deaths from family members, even losing dear friends in action. But losing a father to suicide and being on his own ever since? The more questions she asks herself, the more her next-door neighbor grows more into a far-off mystery.
Looking up at the pale yellow building, the third floor left window is golden next to her dim one. Hand gripping the bag of food tighter, she makes her way up the stairs. An internal debate ensues.
Finally, she pauses on the landing right outside her door. Her eyes, however, are hyper-focused on the door across from her with a '6' on it. A deafening beat takes over her ears as she tries to calm herself. She couldn't understand why her senses are overwhelming her all of a sudden but she knows that if she doesn't do anything about it, she's going to lose it.
As if on cue, the door cracks open revealing Kakashi in a much more laid-back attire of a black tank top stretched all the way to cover his face. A refreshing sight from his usual army green vest and pouch, his hitai-ate absent revealing a long scar over his closed left eye.
Tenshi stops herself from staring for too long, not wanting to risk looking like a creep stalking outside her door.
"Yo."
"Good evening, Kakashi. Did you just get home?"
"Not really, I didn't have much to do today with the kids away."
"I see…"
An uncomfortable silence hangs over them, each looking for something to say.
"Kakashi?"
"Hm?"
"Naruto's away so I don't really have anyone to eat dinner with," she says, waving the bag of food in her hand, "do you want to share this with me?"
The jounin's right eye widens for a moment before it curves upwards, the ghost of a smile on his mask. "I'd like that."
Kakashi's apartment isn't that different from hers, give or take a few details. Unlike her bare walls, his looked more lived in. Shelves of books on some corners, a reasonable desk beside his bed that's by the window, it also smells of fresh detergent. They settle on the tiny dining table made for only one.
She opens the colorful assortment of sushi and sashimi in front of the shinobi, his eye twinkling at the sight. "Thank you for the food, Tenshi."
"It's the least I could do after you paid for the food last night," she smiles, "sorry about that again."
"Mah, mah, Naruto makes sure I never forget to treat them. It's my pleasure."
After breaking their chopsticks and a saying a quick 'itadakimasu', the two start eating.
"Would you prefer that I look away when you pull down your mask?"
His shoulders relax at her question, the jounin appreciating her respectfulness. "No, it's alright. It'll be our little secret, yes?" he teases, completely pulling down the black covering revealing a surprisingly handsome face.
Why would anyone keep that a secret?
"Sure," is all that she could say, eyes still avoiding his. The room growing warm all of a sudden.
"So tell me," he says, "are you liking Konoha so far?"
"It's definitely scary at first. I've traveled to countless places at this point but to more rural places," she explains, "but it's really starting to grow on me. It also helps having met Naruto, that kid is really special."
"He has that effect on people, I've noticed."
"How about you? Do you like living here? Have you never wondered what life would be like outside here?"
Kakashi bides his time thinking of an answer before saying, "I couldn't say I haven't thought about it, but Konoha is my home. I can't imagine leaving it for anywhere else."
"Must be nice," slides off her tongue.
The thoughtless statement didn't come unnoticed by the man. "Where are you originally from, Tenshi?"
Tenshi stops a sigh from escaping her lips. 'I don't know," she forces a smile, "I was raised by a traveling group of medic nins. Being nomadic has been my whole life."
"Do you like that…lifestyle?"
"I try not to think about it much," she says, "I mean, we play with the cards we've been dealt with, don't you think? It's pointless to think about could've-beens."
He nods at her statement halfhearted, "I suppose it is."
"You and Maito-san seem really close," she says, "he's someone that needs getting used to but that man's energy is really something else."
"It grows old very quickly, you'll find," he sighs as he munches on a tamago sushi, "Thank you for cutting that session shorter than usual, by the way."
"It'll be our little secret," she throws back at him, a wink in her eye. He chuckles at her banter.
"Why did you come to Konoha alone then, Tenshi? What about your friends?"
She gulps down a chug of water before answering, "I always wanted to go somewhere alone. Make it on my own. It grows old, the feeling of relying on everyone around you. So…I sort of left a note and ran away."
The information shocks the silver-haired man. "I…see."
Tenshi chuckles at his reaction. "Hari was always the one who thrived in new environments, you know? He's smart, charming, and handsome. It was great standing there beside him and watching him do great things. But for how long will I be standing beside someone? When do I get to do great things?"
"Hari is?"
"My ex. And my best friend growing up."
Kakashi's head bobs in a slow nod, taking the details in.
She continues, "So, when I heard there was an opening here from my Tou-san, my adoptive father, I grabbed it, left a note on my cot, and never looked back since. I dread having to see Hari again but I can't go back to that life anymore."
"I think," he pauses, catching Tenshi's full attention, "you did the right thing. I can kind of understand deviating from people's expectations of you. You're very brave, Tenshi." He smiles and the gesture warms her heart. No one's ever encouraged her like that before.
Grateful for his conscious effort to not intrude, Tenshi says, "It seems like you've been far too modest, Kakashi. You're a superstar around here."
"I wouldn't say that."
"To me though," she leans forward, making the shinobi across her's eye widen, "you're still that perv I bumped into at the convenience store."
The mood lightens at her tease.
For the first time since she's arrived, she's never slept better than after that fateful dinner. There's definitely more than meets the eye with her neighbor, or as Tenshi now calls him, her friend.
Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you're enjoying the chapters I've been putting out so far. This story has been in my mind for quite some time now and I hope I can continue to at least offer you something easy to pass the time with through this pandemic. Hope you're staying safe! Please favorite, follow, and leave me a review! I'd love to reply and interact with you guys as much as possible. :)