Of Duty and Bonds III - Chapter 3, a naruto fanfic

I've had Gohama's ninja stats for a while now. I was going to write something about that in PART I, but, yeah, that never happened. So here they are, and the rest of the team. Just some added information for this chapter.

For the amazing people still enjoying this story with me, Thank you so much for reading! I'd love to know what you think of it.

Part III | Chapter 3

The pre-selection for the Jonin admission exam was that morning. All three Chunin from Hansuke's team had applied for Jonin that year. Gohama knew she had the skill level to be accepted. Kisamaru was reluctant, but both his excellence as a Hyuga and a medic ninja would grant him a place in the exam. Nikato was the only one who thought would never pass. Hansuke had tried to reason with his insecurities, but the young man was too nervous to think out of his own presumptions. Their team was one of the best fixed ones in Konoha, even if they were mostly chunin. With the Kyura and Hyuga's complementing bloodline limits, Hansuke's ANBU excellence and Nikato's wind ninjutsu mastery and owl summon, their team shined in stealth, combat and scouting missions. It was in the Leaf's best interest to have every member a jonin so they could start with S-rank missions.

After six months of specialized training and evaluation missions, they were ready for the actual Jonin Exam. The three only needed to pass the pre-selection led by committee made of three jonin, which changed every year. Since Gohama's first training on their team, Kisamaru had managed to master different lightning and water ninjutsu, combining the two for greater damage; Nikato also used his wind mastery for enhancing his fire jutsu. It had been smart of Hansuke to combine their chakra nature affinities with one that augmented the power of their jutsu. Wind kindled fire and water spread lightning.

Gohama walked alone to the Academy, they had arranged to meet only after the interviews. Even while climbing the stairs, she could already sense the anxiety oozing from the second floor hallway. There was a line of chunin leaning against the half wood panelled walls. Gohama looked at the schedule sheet pinned to a green notice board. The boys were first, so Nikato and Kisamaru already knew their results. A name was called, hers was next.

The tension spread through the walls and stone floors, the closed air and the waiting ninja. Except for Gohama. She leaned onto the wall with an indifferent pose, if they failed her it would only be because Konoha still didn't trust her. The white door slid open with a crash and a girl burst out from the room. Emotionality. Not ideal on a ninja. The quiet murmur of chatting halted at the noise. She waited until the nin called her name.

"Kyura Gohama."

Most heads turned towards her nonchalant walk. Even after almost a year in the Leaf, her name still brought curiosity.

She entered the room. It was a common classroom, but three tables were put in front of the chalkboard. Three jonin sitting behind them: Anko, Genma and Kakashi, Gohama had already sensed their chakra from outside. Kakashi was the only one that would probably give her some trouble.

They acknowledged her presence and went back to reading some forms. It remained the same after several minutes. She bounced back and forth on her heels, waiting until they said something, anything really. Why was it taking so long? It was either a yes or a no from each one of them, nothing too complex to share. The nervous coiling in her stomach was finally showing itself.

"Am I supposed to just stand here and look at you reading?" she asked annoyed.

Anko and Genma raised their heads.

"A bit impatient, are we?" the woman asked. "You have to understand you're a sensitive case."

"Hm… The Leaf still doesn't trust me."

"I would say it's more of a precaution." Genma mediated. He was being serious for once. Was this the professional version of Genma? She had never taken a mission with him. Actually, she had never talked to him away from the vicinity of alcohol, this was probably the first time she saw him in daylight.

"Still, you definitely decided this with Tsunade before. So why the last minute review?"

"There is someone undecided." both looked towards Kakashi. He remained as impassive as before, his fingers thrumming on the desk. Of course, he would give her trouble.

"Does his vote alter the verdict?"

"No. Genma and I decided on a yes. You can leave if you want. You're through to the next phase."

That was a relief. Tsunade trusted her enough to be in a high position in Konoha ranks. Still, Kakashi's supposed indecision was irking her enough to rouse curiosity. He would never enter this room without a thoroughly, overly thought-out decision.

"I'll wait. You can spill it, Kakashi, I know you already decided."

He finally raised his eyes from the papers and looked at her. His expression unchanged. "It's a no."

Gohama dryly chuckled. "And why?"

"I don't have to justify my verdict to you."

"As a kunoichi working for improvement, I would like to know."

"You're not ready."

"If you chose no, that much is obvious. Don't you trust my loyalty, is that it?"

"Yes."

"You're lying. You may not trust me but that's not the reason."

"Kakashi, just tell her." Anko intervened.

Kakashi sighed and leaned against his chair, a sheet of paper dangling from his hands. "You're too immature." he drawled out the words with his typical lazy tone.

"You're the one evading my perfectly reasonable question."

"You don't want to know so you can improve, you want to know because I hurt your pride." the words came out more harshly.

"I just don't understand why you won't tell me."

"You wouldn't take it well."

"So the Copy nin is worried about my feelings." She finished her words with a dry chuckle.

He sighed again, but now it was as if he was convincing a stubborn child not to touch the stove. Oh, how it annoyed her. "I don't think you're ready to be in charge of a high-rank mission."

"Go on…"

"You're too insecure about being responsible for someone else's life."

Gohama, more than irk, started to feel her anger rise. But she would never let it show, even if she couldn't stop her tone from becoming defensive. "I'm already responsible for my team's lives. Being a Jonin wouldn't change that."

"No. But you would have to lead other shinobi's actions on the field. If your judgement failed, the responsibility would be yours." he moved his gaze to the sheet in his hands "I have here both your team leader's and your own report on a mission in The Land of Tea three months ago. They indicate that a genin operative was wounded because you froze when deciding whether to order him to either stand down or charge into the enemy. Is this true?"

"I didn't freeze. I was pondering what the safest option was for the kid."

"I quote from your report, «when I realised operative D46 had been pierced in the back with an enemy kunai, I ordered him to retreat towards camp, where the team medic was stationed, while I contained the ambush». What you failed to mention was the previous moments, which Giranai Hansuke's report fills in with operative D46's testimony—"

"Testimony?" she chuckled again, more bitterly "Is this a trial?"

"I'm not done. I quote his report. «According to D46, operative K21 had sensed the three hostile chakra signatures, chunin level, two minutes before they arrived at their position. D46 had asked which were his orders and K21 didn't give any. Thus, D46 remained in his position, charging into battle when the enemies arrived. Only when D46 was wounded with an enemy kunai did K21 order him to retreat to camp, resorting to kage bushin no jutsu as a means of containing the threat and supporting D46 on his retreat»." he lifted his eyes from the sheet in his hand.

Gohama stomped the distance between them, ripping the report from his hold. Hansuke had really written that. She could understand, it was his duty to make sure all mission occurrences were as clear as possible, but oh did it make her look bad. They had already discussed this imperceptible problem of hers. Only Hatake to have caught it.

"It was one mission, one slip-up."

"The problem is it wasn't one slip-up. I also have knowledge that you ask not to lead sub-teams on missions, is this also true?"

Gohama didn't answer. She felt persecuted, and by Kakashi of all people. Why did he have the need to comb every mission of hers for every mistake she had made? She knew her skill was jonin level, she knew she was good enough to pass the Jonin Exam, maybe even the ANBU one. Danzo wouldn't have offered her a position as a Captain if he thought she would kill his operatives for negligence. The uncomfortable, almost paining, pinch she felt was turning into anger.

"You're not capable of—better, you refuse to decide for others when their lives are on the line. You can't be a Jonin without that. It's not a one-time thing."

Her hands hit the desk roughly, as she leaned on it. "What makes you think this?"

Kakashi kept silent, his almost sleepy gaze fixed on her challenging one. She could sense him pondering if he should reply.

"Answer me!" she growled.

"Your guilt over the fate of your Village keeps you from taking responsibility over someone else's life. You're afraid you'd fail again and you can't go through the same guilt. You're putting your own feelings over your duty."

Gohama took in every stabbing word, her anger dissipating into the same impassiveness Kakashi always showed. The one he was showing now, with his lazy stare, his nonchalant cross of his arms, his indifferent slouch against the chair, as if he wasn't talking about the worst, most defining moment of her life. She pushed her hands against the table and used the bounce to step away from it.

Silence fell into the room, only broken by her sardonic chuckle. "You're one to talk, Kakashi." her tone was mockingly light "I know why you go to the cenotaph every day; and yet you're still one of the best team leaders."

He continued with the same bored expression, but Gohama could see his fingers whitening as they held his crossed arms. Of course it would work. He obsessed over it. How could he not, when it was marked into his own face, into his own shinobi way?

"You don't know what you're talking about." he stated.

"Oh, but I do know. Jonin at what? Twelve, thirteen? Impressive I have to say. But maybe it was a little too soon, don't you agree?" His one dark eye changing into the same heat of battle. "Looking at your fame, I would never expect such a failed first mission."

"We completed the mission." his usual drawl leaving through clenched teeth.

"Yes, but at what cost?" she let the question hang, she let him remember the cost and he didn't answer. "The guilt never stopped you. And it isn't stopping you now." He was falling, she could see it in his tenseness, in his angered eye. If one stabbed the right buttons, the great Copy nin's mask would crumble. "You went on to become one of the greatest team leaders of Konoha, knowing your judgement killed your friend."

A sharp pain ran from her skull through the length of her spine, a taut grip crushed her throat. When the white spots from the blow left her eyes, she saw two mismatched ones glaring back at her. Kakashi had yielded to his rage. He was pinning her against the wall, she could barely touch her toes to the ground.

"You know nothing." he growled.

His nails started breaking her flesh. Her breathing rasped on her throat and her pulse throbbed through his hand.

"Maybe it wasn't so bad." she tried to force her voice to sound natural, but it was still husky from him choking her. "After all, that mission was what made you Kakashi of the Sharin—"

He pushed his hand against the wall. Gohama's breathing was completely cut off, alongside her words. For the first time, she worried and brought her arms to hold his forearm. If he decided to kill her, she would burn his arm off with her chakra. His eyes were wild, even his chakra had lost part of his restraint. It shoved into her front with piercing electrifying waves. At the feel of it, her body started freaking out, just as with Hansuke, but there was no clear memory replacing reality. A primal fear gripped her heart with cold fingers and it helplessly sped away from it. It was growing; it reminded her of the same horror that had consumed her on that bloody night. The same when she had seen her dead mother and the blank mask holding a bleeding blade. Almost the same fear, almost the same cha—

Genma surged between the two. One hand on Kakashi's chest trying to drive him away. "Kakashi." he called firmly.

The Copy ninja pulled away and turned his back towards Gohama. The growing fear disappeared as suddenly as its seed had appeared. She tried not to cough or show any kind of distress, even if she was sure Kakashi had seen it in her eyes. He passed his hands through his face and hair. He exhaled and went to sit at his desk. His expression as impassive as it always was.

"Are you alright?" Genma asked her with a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded dismissively and went towards the exit. As she was passing Kakashi's desk, she said with a playful smirk, "You're too easy to mess with." she reached the door and nodded towards the other two. Anko seemed fairly entertained and surprised. Genma just looked concerned.

Then, she gently closed the door behind her.

"I like her." Anko cheerfully said.

"What the hell, Kakashi? I've never seen you like that. Not on a comrade. You of all people losing control… You let her play you like a genin. I hope you consider that on your final verdict."

"Oh, she's good… Let go of your pride and just give her a Yes."

A drip plinked all around her. With each ominous plink a sharp pain gripped her head and chest. Gohama ran around the traditional Japanese home trying to find the dripping. But the walls were unclear and the floor dark. And each drip was louder and more painful. Then she saw it. The drips were read and they fell on the red overflowing stain. They dripped from the steel blade of a ninjato. More than the pain, there was horror too. Life stealing horror. Gohama knew that blade and the hand holding it. She gripped her head and chest, trying to bear the pain and the horror, but it only grew bigger, wider, deeper. Her eyes moved to a blank, white mask. Gohama knew that mask too. Before she could attack it with all the hate boiling through her chakra, the mask flew across the room towards her and the same hand that had gripped the ninjato was crushing her throat now.

With a jolt and gasp, Gohama woke up to her moonlit bedroom. She fell back on the bed with a pained sigh and turned to watch the night outside. There was no more sleeping tonight. She regretted having left Ippon too early. The night had been a drag. First Genma had come on to her, but this time it had been real. It wasn't just his usual messing around. She ended up playing along and leaving him after some generous glasses of whiskey he had paid. Then, when she could finally enjoy her night with the team, Hansuke had seen the bruises she had failed to cover on her neck and lashed out. With his typical overprotective anger, he had approached Kakashi, Gohama failing to stop him before Hansuke punched him on the jaw, drawing the entire bar's attention to them. So, she had ordered them both to leave Ippon and they did. She had gone back to Nikato and Kisamaru, but the mood had been ruined. Soon after, she had also left.

And now, as she was laying on her bed, unable to fall asleep after another dream of her mother's killer, Gohama wished she had gotten drunk with her two boys. She let herself remain still and let the quiet bring her into sleep. The heavy rain outside was starting to lull her fading conscious. She sensed a familiar chakra. Kakashi. What was he doing here?

He stopped by her bedroom door and just stayed there. He had probably come to apologize. Gohama was annoyed. She had been on the verge of sleep and he broke it.

"Get out. I'm trying to sleep." she said as she turned over, her back towards him.

He didn't say anything. He just stayed there. Gohama chose to ignore him, he would have to leave some time. Then he started walking towards her, cautious and hesitant. He stopped beside her bed and his hand slowly moved onto her neck. She grasped his wrist right before he could reach it. But he still managed to gently pull her hair away and trace her bruised throat. His ghostly fingers were freezing. A tremor ran through her. She tightened her grasp and he stopped, his fingers still on her.

"What are you doing?" her irritation slipped through her tone.

He didn't say anything, he didn't move.

She suddenly turned to gaze him, "What the fuck do you want, Kakashi?"

And then she saw him. Water was dripping onto her floor from his hair and clothes. His dark eye was hollow. She couldn't see behind his mask, but all his posture spread defeat. He had definitely been at the cenotaph. She could smell the alcohol coming from him. Gohama didn't know what to do. His appearance had dissipated her irritation. She felt pity. She almost never felt pity. She thought pity was for the weak from the weak. What was she supposed to do?

Her practical sense kicked in. She quickly rose from her bed. "You're dripping all over my wooden floor! There's mud everywhere…" she held his forearm to drag him onto the bathroom. "You're freezing."

He didn't seem to sense anything she was saying or doing.

"Kakashi. Listen to me. What do you want?"

He didn't react.

She went towards her closet and took out a jonin sweater and sweats. She pushed them against his chest. Then she pushed his back towards the bathroom.

"Here. Take a hot shower and snap out of it. I'll go make tea."

Gohama left for the kitchen. She heard the water running. That was a good sign. What was happening? Had she really messed him up that bad? She knew how guilty he felt about his teammate's death. She felt the same guilt over her Village. She had selfishly used her knowledge to mess with him. She had wanted him to yield into his rage. He was the eternally indifferent and impassive Kakashi, breaking his cool was a feat worth chasing. She had wanted to piece back together her shattered pride and winning against Kakashi had made that. She knew this and she didn't regret the victory of having three yeses, the only chunin that year. The only one Kakashi had given. She still didn't regret it, even after seeing his beaten spirit. Why didn't she regret it? Was Gohama that mean? That fucked up?

And for what had he come here for? Maybe Hansuke's punch had made his anger boil again and he had come for his comeback. But his look didn't add up. Maybe he had regretted being so violent and wanted to apologize. After all, he was Kakashi, he couldn't apologize easily.

The bathroom door opened. "Do you have a mask?" he shyly asked from there.

Good he was speaking and thinking. "Oh, come on, Kakashi. Just come maskless."

"I'll just dress my shirt again."

"You're making me search for a mask…"

She went to her bedroom and got the only one out. It was a loose one, supposed to hang freely from the users face. She slipped her hand through the bathroom door.

"This should do it. Bring your clothes, we can leave them to dry in the kitchen."

He did as she said. He also mopped the floor where he had smudged it with dirt. Gohama sat on her couch and waited for him. When she first saw him in the light, she winced. His left cheek was swollen and cracked, starting to turn into dark purple. At least, his eyes weren't as hollow as before, but there was now some sadness in them.

"Why didn't you get that healed?"

He shrugged. "I deserved it." he pulled the collar of the sweater onto his nose. "Why do you have Hansuke's clothes?"

Gohama tried not to look embarrassed. "I had to use them on a mission and never gave them back. Maybe I will after this. Your tea." she pointed to the cup while he sat down next to her. "Now. What are you doing here?"

He pondered his words. "Drinking a nice cup of tea." He replied while raising the mug and giving her an overly fake eye-creased smile. The fakest he had given her. She hated it.

"Kakashi. This is not funny. You woke me up at four in the morning, I'm not in the mood for evaded questions."

He turned his head to the window. His dark eye watched the raindrops fall against her window. The memory of her childhood friend, Kunimaru, staring into nothing with the same forlorn expression, the same dark grey eyes, replaced the image of Kakashi and she had to look away. Gohama much more preferred his usual impassive and laidback attitude. Without his hitai-ate and his sharingan turned away from her, he seemed so human. At the same time with nothing and everything of the S-rank infamous Copy-nin. It was foreign and strangely fitting. Gohama had always known of this Kakashi sitting on her couch; his air still dripping from the shower, his grip desperate on the mug, his shoulders hunched in defeat, not carelessness. But now she was finally seeing him, vulnerable and boyish, and an entire abyss of things lurking out. Just as every other person. This rawness made her heart clench.

"I just came."

That was as much as she could get out of him now.

"I can understand if you're mad at me."

She felt him turn back to her and Gohama lowered her eyes to watch the nail of her thumb scratch her mug's rim.

"Why would I be mad at you? I choked you. Your eyes were the same as whe—" He cut himself off, and stared sheepishly into his tea. It was obvious he hadn't wanted to go through whatever memory that was.

"You were right, you know, about my pride. I only did what I did because of it. I knew there were two reasons for not passing me. The obvious one was lack of trust."

"There was no reason not to trust you. You have put your life on the line for this Village. You're loyal to the Leaf."

"Being loyal to the Leaf doesn't mean my loyalty dies there."

He snapped to her with a pointed look. "What are you saying?"

"When on a mission you choose your teammates' lives above the success of the mission. That means you're more loyal to them than to the Konoha."

He thought about her words. "I guess I never saw it that way… Are you trying to say you're loyal above all else to your team?" she didn't answer "What is above them, then?"

"It doesn't matter. It wouldn't affect the Leaf."

"Who is it?"

"You know…" His expression changed into dread and something else. It worried Gohama. "What's the problem? The Arms is gone, they're all dead… But death doesn't kill loyalty."

"You shouldn't say that…" he sounded concerned "Not to me… I'll have to report it…"

"Then do it." she said casually "It won't affect anything."

"You don't understand…"

"What?"

"It… It doesn't matter… just don't say that to other people… They can be annoyingly cautious." he added an eye-creased smile to his last comment.

Gohama gave a dry chuckle at his sudden change and leaned against the coach. "You're absolutely mental today."

"A little. What was the other reason?"

"Your reason, obviously." she sighed "It was a shame you were one of the examiners. Hansuke and I had talked about this before. But he also believes in me. Yeah, poor guy, I know… You were the other one that could get there. And you did, because… well, I suppose we're somewhat similar in that…" He raised his eyes to meet hers, they were warm and the something else was there too. "but you are less tolerable, so a no was likely. But when you actually said it… You pinched the spot and I had to pinch yours too…"

"Still, what I did… You played me. You didn't pinch you punched and I should have held myself together, but I didn't… That's why I gave you a yes. You took my weaknesses and made a used it on me. That's what a good ninja does."

Gohama felt herself blush at his words, it made her uncomfortable. "You really lost it, if you're complimenting me, Kakashi." she mocked.

"Ah. For you is Hatake-sama."

The silence was comfortable, but Gohama's mind kept lingering in his first state when he arrived. Why was he so lost?

"Why did you come here… like that?"

"I should have known I wouldn't be able to do it without waking you up… I don't think I even thought about that." he scornfully chuckled "I looked like a creepy old man."

Of course, he would sneak out of that one again. She held his forearm and squeezed it. "Not old. Just creepy." she teased. He smiled frailly under the mask. "Now. If you're not going to see about that cheek, I guess I'll have to look at it the old fashion way. I'll just get my med-kit."

They were facing each other on the couch. Gohama was trying to find a way of taking care of the wound without him taking off his mask. "I think it's better if the mask comes off."

"You're just doing this to see my face."

"To think I would have any goal behind me being nice to you!" she emphasised the fake offended tone.

"I'll just pull it down under my nose."

"Let me pull it…" he looked reluctant "don't you trust me?"

He sighed and nodded for her to do it. Gohama tucked her fingers over the mask, her knuckles brushing both his cheeks. She lowered it slowly, building the anticipation. She was seeing his uncovered nose for the first time. It was strong and straight, a normal but attractive nose, considering other noses. She passed her finger from the middle of his brows onto the tip of it. She could sense his eyes fixed on her, he seemed tense and uncomfortable, so she began attending to his cheek. For the entire time, he kept his uneven gaze fixed on her, even when he winced. Gohama tried to avoid meeting them. She managed until she finally finished and pushed his mask back up.

"That's the best I could do. It still looks ugly, so you should go see a medic-nin."

"It's alright. Now it's your turn, Gohama."

"What?"

"I know you haven't gone to a medic-nin. So we'll have to do it the old fashion way."

"It's just bruises, you can't heal them."

"I'll be the judge of that."

She rolled her eyes and accepted. Maybe this would help him ease his conscious. He gently pulled all her hair up. His eyes showed the same defeat and the something else again, when he examined her neck. "I'm sorry…" he whispered.

He carefully brushed a soaked gaze onto the open marks of his nails. He knew there was nothing else he could do. "Please go to your medic teammate. Why won't you?" She just shrugged, in the midst of their night in Ippon, she hadn't had the time to ask Kisamaru.

They were now closer to each other, so he could examine the back of her neck. He stroked the tender skin with the tip of his fingers. A trill ran from her neck through her spine. But his hands were warm this time. He pulled her chin up with the hand gripping her hair and kept it in that place. Gohama heard shuffling fabric. Was he taking his mask off? She couldn't see. Suddenly she felt the warm soft touch of his lips on the side of her neck. Even if it felt good, she couldn't shake off her confusion and uneasiness. She didn't think of him like that, she didn't want him like that. But why did she melt at his kisses?

"Kakashi…?"

He kept kissing her. His lips rose onto the line of her jaw, then her chin. She tried to move her head, so she could see him without the mask, but his grip on her hair was tight. Why couldn't she stop him? Finally, both their lips met and Gohama closed her eyes. He tasted of sake, but she couldn't help but kiss him back, moving her own lips shyly and tentatively with his. It was a whole new overwhelming sensation and her curiosity refused to shun away.

He let her hair fall down and both his hands were on her nape and jaw. His tenderness grew into a needy, intense pace. Gohama felt his hot tongue swipe across her lips, a trill ran the length of her spine and coiled in her belly. She snapped out. She didn't like him like that. There was no reason to complicate things. She felt guilty. Pushing both hands weakly against his chest, she tried to pull him away.

"Kakashi, stop… We can't…" she softly said between breaths.

His kiss became more heated, his lips more demanding, his tongue more avid.

"Kakashi!" she said as she strongly pushed him away.

Their lips broke and he stood, looking down at her, panting and confused, his mask in place. He quickly turned around and started pacing towards the corner of the room, his hands brushing through his hair and face.

"What is wrong with me…" he whispered.

"It's okay, Kakashi… Things just happen. You don't need to make a storm out of this."

"No. These things don't just happen. Not to me." he said, back towards her. "This fucking day." He growled to himself.

"Kakashi, calm down." she asked as she started to rise from the couch.

"Stay there." he commanded, every piece of his authority seeping through his tone.

"Why are you acting like this?" she asked exasperatedly "We just kissed, it doesn't mean anything… We just let ours—"

"Not we. It's my fault…"

"Can't you at least look at me when we talk?"

"I can't look at you!" he snapped, his back still to her, his forearms supporting him against the wall. "Don't you understand that, Kyura Gohama?" Why the fuck was he calling her by her full name? "I can't! With you, it's always this... this fucking guilt…"

He glanced at her over his shoulder. His eyes, that something else, it was guilt. His eyes were angry and guilty.

"You don't have to feel guilty, I was the one that messed with you. I was the one that started it…"

He didn't seem to listen to her. She wanted to reach him, comfort him somehow, but she was afraid. She had never seen him this way. She had no control.

"How could I let myself… after what I've done…" he kept mumbling against the wall.

"Kakashi, you're overreacting." she said, annoyed.

"You don't understand…"

"Then stop wallowing by the corner and tell me!"

He now turned towards her, his back pushing against the wall. His face was torn. There was guilt and pain and anger. She reached him in a second and her hands seeking his face. "Tell me."

"I can't… I…" he pulled her hands away from himself "You don't want to touch me…"

Fuck, he was so drunk. "Kakashi."

"You don't understand. Just stay away, Gohama… I… I have to go…"

He opened the window and jumped into the rain. Gohama watched his fading shadow. Her heart clenched again in compassion and confusion. He read porn in public and freaked out with a kiss. He was stout facing death and crumbled from a broken kiss. She would never understand that man.

Yup, Kakashi kissed Gohama. Why? I have no idea and neither does he.