Don't own it!
Chapter Fourteen: Uneasy co-existence
It had been two days since the starving group had begun their long, slow pace towards the Fubuki mountain range. The silence between them gave way to the sounds of empty stomachs. Imako trailed behind at a short distance seemingly deep in though. With the demon suppressed she didn't really know how to go about things. She was troubled Kakashi had beaten her after she had taken out so many hunter-nin. In her current state she knew Kakashi was too strong for her- even if he was weakened, so was she. As the hours snailed by the path became steeper and the accent up the foot of the hill had begun. There were some small, green trees scattered about, but other than that just the same old boulders. It was late in the evening when Naruto smelled something to make his mouth resemble a waterfall.
"Hey, I smell food!" he said stopping to smell the air. (A/N have you ever noticed how the hero/star always eats excessive amounts of food?!)
"The fox is right," muttered Imako testing the air.
"There's a house up ahead!" called Sasuke who had gone ahead.
Naruto immediately ran up the path with recharged vigor and a profusely drooling mouth, leaving the others to follow in a more dignified manner. As they approached the house tucked away to the side it became clear it was a small Inn.
"Please tell me someone has some money," begged Naruto.
Sakura and Sasuke said no and Kakashi pulled out his empty pockets. Then he had an idea.
"Wait out here," said the Jonin. "I'll see what I can do... keep an eye on her."
Imako growled as he went inside and crouched down and waited like a dog for his Master to return. It didn't take long and he came out grinning under his mask.
"It's o.k.... We can spend the night and eat here," he said. "And there aren't any shinobi here so no one will recognize you Imako."
Imako crossed her arms and looked pointedly away. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke had already gone in by now. Kakashi waited for her, but she seemed to think against going in.
"You're hungry, I can tell," he said. "Come on and eat."
Imako huffed and turned her back on him. Then her stomach growled ever so quietly and she felt the heat rise to her face. Kakashi suppressed a grin as Imako stomped past him with wounded pride.
"You must have been starving!" said the innkeeper, Arase.
Arase was a kind woman in her late thirties with red hair and freckles across her nose. The cook was her father, though he stayed in the back. Neither of them were ninja. Thee inn was small for its field of business, but it was clear there were hardly any customers way out here anyway.
"So what's the catch," asked Sasuke.
"You three get to do the dishes," said Kakashi.
Sasuke thought they were coming off easy and resumed eating in silence. He shortly glanced at Imako who sat at the end of the table. She was eating, though she seemed a bit paranoid. Then Naruto caught his eye and he sweat dropped.
'Then again the way that pig is eating we'll probably stay up all night to do the dishes!' he thought.
After dinner the three Genin shuffled off into the kitchen and Kakashi pulled out his book. Imako leaned against the wall, steadily staring at him in silent fury. It was annoying the silver out of his hair, but he wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. She finally gave up and rose off the bench, walking to the small staircase that led to the rooms on the second floor. As she climbed the steps she became aware of someone following her and turned.
"Stop following me like the dog you are Hatake!" she snapped.
Seeing Kakashi standing there and sitting at the table reading his book at the same time made her blood boil. Not only was he following her, he was too lazy to do it himself, sending a doppelganger instead! She reached behind her and took out the kunai she had stolen from Naruto earlier, but before she could strike it was snatched from behind. Turning angrily she had Kakashi right in her face. Looking back she saw it was the original this time.
"I'm just worried," he said dissipating his doppelganger.
"You're obviously stronger than me now," she spat crossing her arms.
Kakashi sighed and pouched the kunai.
"I'm not worried about you trying to kill me, I never was," he said with a frown. "I'm worried about you."
"Yeah well, you worry is wasted," she said and pushed past him.
"The demon was forced back from you and still you're angry," he said. "Has it been so long you don't even know who you are anymore?"
This made Imako stop on the spot. He was right. There was currently no sign of the demon and still she was filled with hatred... still she felt murderous intent towards her childhood friend.
"Kakashi..."
Kakashi walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"It's gone. Not forever, but for now you can wake up and live as you- not it," he said quietly.
She could feel his breath on her hair and wanted to lean into him, but silently cursed herself and instead tore from his grip and went into the room, wiping at unshed tears.
"I'm fine, now leave me alone!" she said slamming the door.
"That's a lie and you know it," he muttered.
Though they were sharing a room for obvious reasons he decided to give her some alone time for now and headed back downstairs to check on the 'children'.
"So is it I have to clean more than the both of you?" asked Naruto.
"You ate more than all of us combined dunce," said Sasuke.
"Did Master Kakashi even eat?" asked Sakura. "I know his plate was empty, but..."
"You know he eats faster than Naruto can eat his ramen," said Sasuke bored.
"I know... but with all that food we should have at least seen something!"
'I'll show you dunce,' though Naruto during their little talk.
He lifted a frying pan, ready to chuck it at Sasuke when it was grabbed and replaced with a knock upside the head.
"No throwing other people's pans at teammates," said Kakashi.
"But—"
Imako dully walked across the room and found it was a twin bed. He probably told the innkeeper there were married or something. There were some clothes on the bed and a note on it.
'You need to clean up, these are for you.'
It was signed Kakashi. He was right about her having to get cleaned up, but to wear his clothes? She gingerly picked up the vest and suit when something dropped to the floor. Her right eye twitched and she slightly went red when she picked it up. He was even giving her a pair of his trunks! She sweat dropped and picked up the rest of the clothes and walked to the adjoining bathroom.
"Is it safe to leave her alone Master Kakashi?" asked Sakura while drying the last bowl.
"It'll be fine," said Kakashi from behind his book.
"Won't she try to run off or something?" questioned Naruto.
"She knows she can't run forever," said the Jonin. "You guys don't have to worry."
After a long bath Imako dried herself off and stared at the trunks on top of the clothes shelf. She had been wearing her underpants for some time now and they weren't in the best of shape either.
"What the hell..." she sighed and took the trunks to put them on. Even though Kakashi was a thin man his male waste was still a bit wider than her semi starved waste and the trunks were a little loose. She bound her chest in wrappings to double as a bra since hers was pretty much shredded. For bed she put on the customary white robe and loosely bound the sash. When Imako walked out Kakashi was setting down some tea on the small table in the corner.
"I thought you might like some," he offered.
Imako just stared for a moment.
'Why is he doing this?' she asked herself.
Kakashi tilted his head to the side and Imako quickly shook herself.
"Thanks for the clothes," she said grudgingly and slightly jerked her head as a bow.
"Sure," he said with the faintest blush.
Kakashi went to his pack, took something out and headed fro the bathroom to change him self.
By the time Kakashi had finished his bath, Imako was in bed seemingly asleep. The small lamp on his side was left on. Before sleeping he had to check on Naruto and the others. He walked down the hall dressed in the white robe and stopped at Sakura's door with a knock.
"Is everything all right in there?" he asked through the door.
"I'm good," came the sleepy reply. "Good night Master Kakashi."
"You too."
He stepped next door and knocked before poking his head in.
"What's wrong now?" he asked seeing the two glare at each other.
The boys stood at opposite sides of the twin bed and had their arms crossed.
"There is no way I'm sharing a bed with him!" spat Naruto.
"Neither will I," grumbled Sasuke.
"Eh, you'll work it out," shrugged Kakashi leaving the room.
Sakura had just fallen asleep when she was woken by the sounds of Sasuke and Naruto going at it. She gritted her teeth and walked out of her room in her sleeping robe. Not even knocking she opened the door, whacked both over the head with a mysteriously conjured frying pan and went back to bed. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke would be sleeping in the bed that night as they lay on the floor seeing stars... with a big lump on their head.
Yay, another chapter done! I've decided to type every spare moment I have (which won't be much) and just toss out the chapters when their done. I even stayed up till 2am last night typing lol! Well, hope you enjoyed it, thank you to everyone who reviewed and I hope to hear from you again. And I know Sakura would never hurt Sasuke, but I've been bashing on poor Naruto so often I've decided Sasuke won't be spared!
Later days, Imako the Demon Wolf