Hinata takes a deep, stuttering breath, the natural smell of the Hyuuga's garden calming her. Here, by the koi pond and under the shade of the sakura tree that is always in bloom (a welcoming gift from the Senju Hashirama to the Hyuuga), she is safe. Safe to sit and breathe and just be. Here, there is nobody to tell her what she must do or how she must act. Here she can just exist, blending into the natural fauna around her.

Hinata stiffens at the deliberate sound of footsteps behind her.

"Ah, so this is where you've hidden yourself, honorable niece of mine."

Hinata hurriedly stands up, swiping at the stray petals on her kimono, and bows to her uncle in greeting.

"M—my apologies, oji-san! I didn't—"

"—mean to run off crying in the middle of our conversation?" Hizashi finishes, brow quirked ever so slightly. "My, I didn't think I was that horrid of a conversation partner."

Hinata flushes in mortification.

"No, n—not at all, oji-san! You are very nice to..to talk to…it was rude of me to leave like that. I'm sorry, oji-san, p—please forgive me."

Hizashi's face, so much like her father's, softens.

"There is nothing to forgive, little one." Her uncle moves to stand beside her, taking a seat at the edge of the koi pond. He pats the space next to him. Hinata nervously settles, copying her uncle's graceful seiza.

"Tell me, hime-chan, what troubles you so much that it would bring you tears so abruptly?" He asks kindly, using the nickname he reserves just for her.

Hinata debates if she should tell him or not. If she does tell him, it will be admitting her defiance of her father's order and as a branch member of the clan, he will be obligated to report her disobedience.

Hinata looks at him, at her uncle's open and kind expression as he waits for her response.

But this is Hizashi, her beloved uncle...he would never betray her. He's always been so kind to her, offering her guidance and a place of respite, inviting her for tea after her teachers have been especially harsh and grueling. The least she can do to repay his kindness is be honest with him now.

"I've done something—something terrible." Hinata confesses, eyes downcast, not able to meet her uncle's gaze, "I must have because Kakashi-kun...he w—won't talk to...to me or even look at me."

Hizashi's face falls, eyebrows pinching in sympathy.

"Oh, hime-chan," he gathers her in his arms as her tears consume her vision and she desperately soaks up the comfort he gives her, "you have done no such thing, no such wrong."

Hinata pulls back enough to meet her uncle's eyes.

"But I did, oji-san, I did...I must have!"

Hizashi shakes his head, hands brushing away her tears.

"Trust me, little one, you have committed no such slight against the Hatake heir."

Hinata doesn't understand. Because she must have done something to offend her friend. Something to make him see how truly worthless she is and that is why he no longer wants to read with her or talk to her or even look at her.

Hizashi gently shushes her when she blubbers her denial.

"Hatake-kun is going through a very difficult time right now as you are aware."

She is. Aware of the slander and judging eyes that follow her precious friend everywhere.

Hinata may be young but she is a kunoichi-in-training. As such, she's been taught how to find what is hidden, how to drag it out into the daylight for the vultures to feed on.

That, and for all that they're shinobi, they're not very discreet in their...dislike towards the last Hatake.

Hinata is witness to their poisoned words, how they spat them with no remorse or shame. And she wants nothing more than to shield him from all their vitriol because she knows how powerful words can be, how devastating they can be when wielded like a weapon.

Hinata fists her uncle's robes and pleads, "I want to help him, oji-san, p—p...please tell me how I can help him."

Hizashi sighs, pale eyes so sad and Hinata doesn't like that look, almost regrets asking this of him.

"I don't...I don't believe Hatake-kun will be very accepting of any sort of help right now."

Hinata feels something inside her begin to crumble.

Hizashi quickly grabs her hands, holding them tight in his.

"But that does not mean you cannot still offer it."

Hinata sniffs, "H—how do you mean?"

"Well, I doubt the boy is taking very good care of himself." Hizashi looks away, looking into the empty air behind her in exasperation. "For all their supposed intelligence, geniuses tend to be rather idiotic."

Hinata can't help the giggle that bursts out of her. Her uncle is obviously talking about his teammate's beloved who's notorious for his horrible cooking skills, having once given their two teams food poisoning on the one (and only) time he'd been put in charge of their meals while on a joint mission.

An idea begins to take form in her head.

"I...I understand, I think." Hinata hugs as much of her uncle as her small arms are capable of. "Thank you, oji-san."

Hizashi tucks her more comfortably in his arms.

"Anytime, hime-chan, anytime."

Kakashi steps out of his apartment, hitai-ate shining in the dawn's rays, and nearly steps on the package waiting in front of his door. He bends over a little and gives it a cautious sniff.

Fishricesalt. And underneath that a familiar lavenderashespa—

His nose scrunches in distaste and he steps over the prepared lunch. He doesn't need her pity. Besides, there is a war going on and he has training to do and will not be late, unlike that irresponsible nobody she is so fond of.

Shinobi Rule #26 A shinobi is punctual.

Kakashi is walking back home from a late training session, hands aching and muscle twitching randomly every now and then.

He'll get the jutsu down one day.

Konoha wasn't built in a day, after all, he hears Minato say. His sensei had meant them as a reassurance but Kakashi can't help the frustration he feels. The theory is sound and he's fine-tuned the chakra ratio to its needs so why won't it work?!

And now he has the rotten luck to run into her, of all people.

Kakashi resists the immature urge to shunshin the rest of the way home.

"Good...good evening, Hatake-kun," Hinata says after a few failed tries. Kakashi ignores her and walks a little faster. Infuriatingly, the girl has no problem keeping pace with him, her steps unhurried.

"Ano, Hatake-kun...your h—hands."

Kakashi glances down.

Huh, he thinks, blinking slowly, I was wondering why they felt itchy.

His hands are red, his skin dry and cracking in some places. He flexes his fingers and winces at the pain that shoots up his arms, the sensation resembling the spider-web-looking lesions starting from his fingertips and disappearing under his sleeves.

Hinata takes a step towards him, face twisted in concern. Kakashi takes an even wider step back. Hinata sees this and stops, her expression hurt before smoothing into something neutral.

"I have some me—med—m...cream for your injuries," she moves to reach into the pouch attached to her thigh but Kakashi stops her.

He can't...he can't let her close...not again. He can't end up like his fa—like that man.

Shinobi Rule #6. Misdirection is the sharpest blade.

"No." Kakashi makes sure his voice is extra nasty. "I don't need anything from you. Haven't I made myself clear?"

Once again, her expression falters at his rejection before being replaced with that infamous Hyuuga mask.

She's gotten better, he can't help but think to himself admiringly.

"Yes," Hinata says, voice slightly stilted, "you have. I'll take m—my leave now." She gives a stiff bow and Kakashi watches her back as she walks away.

He ignores the salt he scents as the wind passes by and the way her breath hitches in a dry sob when she thinks she's far away enough.

But he hears her, smells the hurt and sadness his words cause. And he ignores it, walking the rest of the way back home.

Kakashi's hungry. He'd just gotten back from yet another late training session, having stayed even after Minato dismissed him for the day. He'd dragged his exhausted self home, stepping over another wrapped dinner on his front door, and after resealing his house, had promptly fallen asleep in his entranceway.

Kakashi looks into his empty fridge and frowns at the single pickle floating in its jar.

What the—he doesn't remember...he doesn't even like pickles so how?

Kakashi shuts the door.

He re-checks his cupboards, hoping to find at least one ration bar.

No luck.

Kakashi sighs.

Looks like it's time to go grocery shopping.

He makes his way to the shinobi shopping district, keeping out of the more busy shinobi paths. He jumps off the roof and hopes he doesn't run into anybody bothersome.

He really should have known better to hope.

Kakashi manages to buy enough ration bars to last him the month despite the store owner's clear dislike for him. He's pretty sure the woman ripped him off, but Kakashi's too tired and hungry to argue. Simply places his purchase in the seal Sensei gave him and leaves.

He's walking out of the store when a fist goes flying towards his face. It's a pretty sloppy attack and he steps to the side to avoid it with ease.

The boy clearly wasn't expecting him to dodge and stumbles forward, face-planting on the ground.

"BASTARD!" His annoying ex-classmate yells at him once he scrambles back to his feet. "Why'd you dodge!?"

Kakashi raises a brow, "What? You think I'd just let an idiot like you punch me?"

Obito sputters at the condescending response, face turning purple.

"What—no! And who are you calling an idiot!?"

Kakashi's stomach growls too quietly for anybody but him or an Inuzuka to hear. He decides he's done with whatever this is and turns around to leave.

He feels the air being displaced behind him and steps to the side, yet again dodging the Uchiha's fist. He turns around and glares at the boy.

Okay. Now he's tired, hungry, and annoyed.

Shinobi Rule #7. A Shinobi should be able to prevail without fighting...

He needs to end this.

Kakashi casts a side glance to the disgruntled onlookers beginning to take notice of the commotion they're starting.

He needs to end this now before they receive a reprimand for fighting in a no-combat, civilian sector.

"What do you want?" he asks, trying to figure out what the other boy wants so he can get rid of him.

Obito glares at him behind his goggles.

"What I ' want ' is for you to stop making Hinata-chan cry!"

Kakashi stiffens at the memory of salthoney and sadhurtsad. He shoos away the memory and forces his body to relax. Hinata is too soft for this life, always holding back her punches. She could be top-kunoichi if she only let go of her reservations. All she's doing right now is setting herself up for failure. And in their line of work failure is synonymous with getting dead.

Kakashi faces the enraged Uchiha head-on.

"If she cries that easy then maybe she should rethink her career choice." Kakashi's eyes narrow. "The shinobi path isn't one for the weak-willed."

"Why you—!" Obito's face invents a new color, something between purple and red, and charges him, "How DARE you!"

Kakashi tilts his head to the side and jumps back to avoid another punch.

This is getting annoying. Very.

"Take it back! Hinata-chan isn't weak—she's going to be a great kunoichi!" Another dodged punch. "You'll see. She'll be a better ninja than you'll ever be!"

Shinobi Rule #7 A Shinobi should be able to prevail without fighting...

Kakashi doesn't dodge the next punch. Instead, he catches it with one hand, the other one grabbing Obito's bicep.

... unless there is no other choice but to do so.

"I doubt it," he scoffs.

Kakashi sweeps the other boy off his feet with one quick swipe of his leg. The Uchiha lets out a pained groan when he lands on his back and doesn't get up.

He turns on his heel and begins to walk away.

"...she will…" Kakashi hears Obito wheeze as he's leaving. "...she'll be awesome, you faithless bast...ard...just you wait..."

A memory of Hinata relentlessly striking a training post, hands bruised and bloody, her hair shining in the moonlight like a sharpened tanto as she practices her family's katas over and over, her normally gentle expression hardened into something befitting a kunoichi of her lineage.

Kakashi's steps falter but he doesn't stop, doesn't turn around to acknowledge the boy or his ridiculous claims.

"It's only B-ranked because of the package's importance but if all goes well we won't see any live combat," Minato-sensei informs Kakashi. "Pack light, we'll be tree-jumping there and back with minimal stops."

"Hai."

"Great," Minato-sensei smiles. Kakashi ducks the hand he tries to plant on his head. Minato, used to such behavior, is unphased. "I'll meet you at the gates in ten."

"Hai."

Dismissed, Kakashi heads home to ready his gear. He's got all his tools packed, enough to be prepared, but too much that their weight will hinder him.

Kakashi frowns at the handful of ration bars, nose scrunching in disgust. Thank the sage it's just a simple courier mission. They'll be traveling to one of the outposts on Fire's border to deliver intel and then back so they won't be gone longer than a few days.

Still. He's really not looking forward to eating the things, although it is miles better than Sensei's horrid cooking.

Kakashi finishes packing and heads out. He skillfully steps over the clothed-wrapped package on his doorstep but pauses a meter away. He sniffs the air curiously and backtracks to the package. Hesitantly, he unwraps it to find a bundle of ration bars. And not the dry, tasteless bricks in his pack. No, these are Akimichi grade ration bars and the good kind to boot. Completely odorless, packed with nutrients, fiber, and what-have-you. But most importantly: they're delicious.

Kakashi debates on taking them considering who his benefactor is.

Shinobi Rule #18 A shinobi uses all resources at their disposal and wastes not.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to have a few extra rations. It'd be a pity if some common street cat were to gobble up such expensive commodities.

Kakashi swipes the bars and stuffs them into his pack before he can convince himself not to.

Later, after uncovering an enemy scout on their way back from the outpost and engaging them in battle, Kakashi sits on a tree branch, bruised and hungry, and bites into the ration bar. He lets out a low rumble of pleasure, taking another bite.

Minato-sensei gives him an odd look, looking suspiciously between Kakashi's ration bar and his own. Kakashi sighs and tosses his sensei one.

Kakashi stands at attention next to his sensei.

"Following this year's exam, your team will be receiving two new additions from this year's academy graduating class."

Kakashi is very careful not to let his annoyance show through his body or the bits of his face people can still see.

"Your new teammates are Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. It will be both of your responsibility, Minato as their jounin sensei and Kakashi as their peer and superior, to prepare them for the reality that awaits them."

The Third looks at them expectantly.

Minato bows low, "Hai, Hokage-sama. I will do my best."

His gaze turns to Kakashi.

Shinobi Rule #1 Shinobi must always show allegiance to their Kage.

He executes a stiff bow, "Hai, Sandaime-sama." he repeats mechanically.

Great. Now he's stuck with in-village D-rank missions, babysitting two fresh genins who happen to be best friends with the person he wants nothing to do with.

Kakashi has more than earned his rank of chuunin and yet they continue to coddle him.

He bites the inside of his mouth, blood filling his mouth, and leaves the Hokage's office.

"Don't think just because we're teammates now that that makes us friends!" Obito yells at him.

Gods, how is it that the Uchiha is even more annoying than he was back in the academy? He thought people matured with age...not got worse.

"We're shinobi. Shinobi are tools," Kakashi says, "Tools don't have friends." He hopes that will be the end of it.

Rin looks between the two uneasily.

"What are you talking about?" Obito responds half-angry, half-confused, "Shinobi aren't tools, they're— we're people ."

Rin steps in between them, hands raised placatingly.

"Now, now, you two, let's not fight. We're teammates now so let's try and get along."

Obito crosses his arms and sniffs, "Hah! As if I'll ever get along with him after what he did to Hinata—"

Kakashi feels his face shutter close, body locking up at the mention of his once-friend.

Shinobi Rule #19 A Shinobi does not show weakness unless it be for misdirection.

"Obito," Rins scolds and Kakashi has to stop himself from standing at attention at the authority she wields in her voice, "Stop it. You promised her you'd try and get along, remember?"

Obito grumbles but slowly his arms come down to rest at his side.

"Obito," Rin repeats, raising a single-pointed brow.

"...yeah...I remember…" he mumbles.

Kakashi rolls his eyes at how easily cowed the other boy is.

Pathetic.

He settles himself in the grass and takes out a flower-printed bento box (Rin and Obito do a double-take between the cute box and the stoic boy holding it). He opens it and hums in pleasure at the smell of fried eggplant.

Kakashi knows something is wrong the minute he steps out of his apartment and he doesn't have to step over any neatly wrapped bentos.

The sense of wrongness doesn't leave him. He's so distracted by it that Obito actually manages to land a hit on him during their sparring practice. He's insufferable about it all day and it frays at his already worn nerves.

"Heh," Obito sniffs, wiping under his nose with a haughty look on his face. Kakashi wants nothing more than to rip it off. "Looks like you're losing your touch, Bakashi."

"Obito," Rin says warningly.

Kakashi ignores them and plucks another handful of weeds. He makes sure to leave the little yellow and white flowers alone and tries not to think too hard about why.

"Oh, c'mon, Rin-chan," Obito huffs, "at least let me rub it in his face a little more!"

Rin makes an unimpressed noise.

Obito snickers, unbothered by her disapproval, still riding the high of earlier victory.

"I mean did you see the look on his face, er, mask?" Obito leans into his personal space, obstructing his view, and Kakashi has to fight back the violent urge not to sink his teeth into the vulnerable column of his neck. He settles for a warning growl that the Uchiha ignores.

"Obito," Rin starts, caution creeping into her tone, "maybe you should leave Kakashi-kun alone—"

But Obito pays her no mind, poking one finger into Kakashi's masked cheek.

The weeds in his hands crunch and wilt, staining his hands green.

"Hey, hey, Bakashi," Obito wheedles, "Why do you wear this thing anyways? What are you hiding? Is it a scar? Or are you—"

Kakashi's patience breaks, his growl reaching a crescendo, and he clamps down on Obito's finger.

Obito yowls like a cat whose tail was stomped on, causing any birds in the vicinity to flee, and tries to yank his finger away but Kakashi just bites down harder.

"Kakashi!" Rin cries and moves to help but Kakashi's snarl makes her step back instead.

And then alpha Minato-sensei is there, a hand on the back of his neck.

"Let go of Obito, Kakashi."

When Kakashi doesn't immediately comply, the grip on his neck tightens.

"I said let go," he orders and gives him a little shake. Kakashi's body instantly goes limp and he obeys, mouth falling open.

Obito falls backward and Rin rushes to his side, disinfectant and bandages ready in her hands.

Sensei takes over from that point on, sending him to go run ten laps around the house they'd been assigned to de-weed so he can 'cool off'.

Once the D-rank is completed and all the paperwork filed, Minato dismisses them.

Kakashi goes to leave, to hunt down the cause of whatever has his wolf pacing and growling incessantly.

Minato pulls him aside before Kakashi can leave and it's only the respect he had for his teacher that keeps him from snapping at him.

"Kakashi, is there something wrong?"

Kakashi makes sure to keep his voice even.

"No."

( yesyesyes wrongverywrong mustgoseekhunt)

Minato doesn't look convinced, one eyebrow raised.

"You bit Obito."

Kakashi resists the impulse to grind his teeth, annoyed and embarrassed about his slip in control.

"It won't happen again, sensei. May I be dismissed now?"

Minato sighs; resigned.

"Yes, but you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Kakashi grunts and shunshins out of the training ground.

He opts out of climbing through his windows and instead takes the stairs, too agitated to take the easier route and needing the walk to shake off some of this wrongness.

Kakashi plans to re-check his security and maybe set up some more traps before going out to hunt whatever is making his instincts scream.

He snorts in agitation and shakes his head.

Whatever it is, it's something tied deeply to him, setting his instincts alight as if an electrical storm had torn through.

Maybe somebody had trespassed on the abandoned Hatake territory? That might be enough to wind him up like this. It's a more likely scenario than someone breaking into his den, but Kakashi hopes it's that. Anything to keep him from going back... there.

Kakashi hears two others making their way up behind him, their footsteps audible thumps behind him as they whisper between themselves tiredly.

"...real bad shape...feel sorry for her…"

"...lucky...career-ending...Hyuuga…"

Kakashi can't help but tune in to their conversation.

He's glad he does because he finds it—the source of this deep, pervading wrongness.

"...everyone except for her one teammate. Poor girl."

"Well, that's war for you, pal."

"True, although the Hyuugas are gonna be pissed, though, with their heiress outta commission like that."

Kakashi's heart stops for a fraction of a second, blood turning to ice and sluggishly raking through his veins. He has the chuunin pinned against the wall before he knows it.

"Woah! H—hey, kid, what's the big deal? ARghk!"

Kakashi ignores him and grips the man's neck tighter. He feels hands coming down on his shoulders from behind and snarls at the other ninja, elbowing them hard enough in the stomach to disable them momentarily.

He presses his thumb against the shinobi's windpipe and he stops struggling, eyes wide as Kakashi's sharpened nails leave a thin red line over his jugular.

Shinobi Rule #10 There are times when information is more valuable than human life.

"What happened?" He demands sharply, "What happened to Hinata?"

"...w—who...?"

Kakashi stands on his tip-toes and leans in close, nose to nose with the other chuunin.

"The. Hyuuga. Report. Now." he growls and relents his grip enough for the man to speak.

"...was on gate duty...her team or what was left of it …" Kakashi's body goes rigid but his grip does not waver. "...was a bloody mess...we had to send for an immediate medevac. It's a...godsdamn miracle... that they even made it this far..."

Kakashi's heard enough. He lets go of the chuunin, steps over the other one still gasping on the ground, and races to the hospital.

Any question as to why he's doing this, why he cares at all for the weak little heiress, is devoured by the wolf inside him.

His wolf has never led him astray before, always guiding him and warning him of danger precious seconds before the security seals at the war front do. He has trust it before and he'll trust it now.

Right now it's roaring at him to get to the hospital because his packmate—Kakashi slips on a roof tile— Hinata is in trouble.

Kakashi makes it to the hospital in record time. He doesn't bother asking a nurse about Hinata, trusting his nose to guide him. The smell of disinfectant and old blood and pus and vomit—

Kakashi gags.

The stench is horrible but he's tracked through worse while out on the field. Finding Hinata will not pose a challenge.

There! his wolf barks and Kakashi smells it—lavander bloodhoney pack.

Kakashi follows the scent trail like a man on a mission because he is. The nurses and doctors in the halls take one look at him and plaster themselves to the walls. They know better than to get between him and whatever prey he's sniffing out.

Kakashi reaches the end of the scent trail and what he finds there has him trembling.

It's awful.

The scent of blood and fear and pain is heavy here, even with the induced coma the medics have put her in. Kakashi forces his legs to bring him closer.

Every inch of her skin is covered in bandages. Her blue tresses are greasy and patches of her hair are missing in some places. And her eyes—Kakashi struggles not to react—are bandaged but there are small dots of blood decorating the white surface where its bled through the fabric.

"They tried to take her eyes." A voice to his left says suddenly.

Kakashi clamps down on the instinctive urge to flinch and instead whips around, placing himself between the unknown threat and Hinata, a kunai raised defensively.

It takes a second too long to register the incapacitated shinobi as one of Hinata's teammates and even longer to determine he isn't a threat.

Yet.

Kakashi will keep an eye on him.

"I killed them before they could take them," Hayate says with vicious satisfaction. Kakashi reconsiders the 'potential threat' he'd labeled Hayate with and switches it for 'potential ally'.

"What happened?" he demands.

Hayate shrugs or what passes off as shrug when you have a broken collarbone.

"War happened."

Hayate elaborates a little more when Kakashi gives him a warning growl.

"Got sent to the frontlines. Suki...he triggered a trap and…" Hayayte licks his lips, trying to explain what happened but struggling, "we lost him in the first explosion. And sensei...she grabbed me and Hinata and tossed us away from the second...but the third one?" Hayate chuckles wetly, bitterness coloring his tone. "I missed it, but Hinata didn't."

Kakashi has an idea as to what happened now. Why Hayate is conscious and only sporting mild injuries while Hinata lays in a coma.

"She protected you."

Hayate looks down at his white bedsheets and nods.

Kakashi glances away from Hayate, fists clenching and unclenching.

Where was her guard—Po? Cho?—in all this? Better yet, what was Hinata even doing at the frontlines in the first place? She's a clan heiress, normally their village is more cautious with their heirs and heiresses lest they risk the ire and possible retaliation of their corresponding clans. So why did the Hokage approve such a mission? Especially considering that Hinata's team are all new genins and definitely not battle-ready yet.

His wolf huffs in agitation, both of them agreeing that something just isn't right.

"When I came to...I thought I was in hell and I couldn't hear anything but I could see. " Hayate exhales hard through clenched teeth so it's more of a hiss. "See those monsters trying to steal my teammate's eyes—sage, she was still awake! And, gods, her screams—her screams." The boy's monitor let out a harsh stream of beeps as his heart rate went up. Hayate's eyes began to glaze over as he began falling back into the memory.

Kakashi had to stop this. He can't let the nurse come and kick him out before he can complete his objective.

Shinobi Rule #4 A Shinobi must always put the mission first.

"Hayate." Kakashi spoke, then sharper, "Hayate!"

The boy snaps out of it, staring at him with a wild look in his eyes. He opens his mouth and Kakashi grimaces at the death rattle that comes out of his lungs as he coughs.

"...killed them. I killed them," Hayate rasps after his coughing fit, hands clenching the hospital sheets.

Kakashi simply nods.

They'd deserved it.

(And more, his wolf snarls, prowling)

"Her status." There's no clipboard hanging on Hinata's bed like there is with Hayate's. He doesn't like the implication. "What's her status?" he demands.

"Stable for now. I almost—she...the medics lost her twice." Hayate whispers and Kakashi's heart lodges itself in his throat because the knowledge that he'd lost her not once but twice before he could say he was sorr—

His nails bite into the calloused flesh of his palm.

He's a tool. Tools aren't supposed to feel anything—no sorrow, no fear, no pain, no joy, no guilt ...and yet the thought of the gentle Hyuuga dying, her corpse defiled for her kekkei genkai has him shaking—from fear, from adrenaline, from anger, from everything.

Kakashi hears the nurses nearing his location, summoned by Hayate's brief but intense spike of panic and his dramatic entrance from earlier.

Kakashi turns around and approaches Hinata's bedside. His hand is reaching out before he can stop himself. His fingers brush against her cheek, careful of the cut there from the shrapnel. He drags his hands lower, tracing her jaw and down her neck to where he feels her pulse beating sluggishly.

He exhales heavily and draws back his hand. He turns around to leave but is stopped by the calculating look on Hayate's face, perpetual droopy eyes wide in interest for once.

"Huh," he says quietly, almost to himself. "So that's how it is."

"Shut it," Kakashi barks, reprimanding himself for the show of emotion—weakness—and leaves via shunshin just as the harried-looking nurses burst into the room.

Kakashi watches from his perch as Hinata slowly walks through her clan's garden. Her personal guard—Kou, he learns his name is—follows diligently behind her, gently nudging her in the right direction when she begins to go astray.

It had been difficult, exceedingly so considering he is breaking into the compound full of kekkei genkai users that can see through walls, but he manages. Though he has the distinct feeling that Kou is aware of his presence. The feeling sharpens anytime Hinata goes to bathe or begins to undress.

Kakashi isn't a pervert, he's not here for that nor is he interested, but he backs off regardless, the younger boy's glare following him with scary pin-point accuracy despite never once activating his doujutsu.

Hinata, despite being temporarily blinded, moves around with ease. Kakashi guesses it has to do with her familiarity with the garden and the compound's layout. Even so, he keeps a careful eye on her from his spot in the shade of the tree's grand foliage, not trusting anyone with her safety, not even her clan.

Shinobi Rule #12 A Shinobi world is a world of shadows.

He'll watch over her...just until her injuries heal and she can take care of herself.

Then he'll leave her.

( sure, pup, his wolf chuffs in amusement, sure you will )'

Kakashi drags his futon over to the door and hunkers down. He's about to fall asleep when he hears the familiar step pattern and hummingbird heartbeat. He pulls down his mask and sniffs to confirm.

Lavendersausagehoney.

Kakashi opens his door.

"Your stealth is good but it can be better."

Hinata slowly comes out of her shock and hunches into herself, bento box tucked into her stomach.

"Oh, um, yes, I'll do b—...better."

Kakashi bites his lip, sharp teeth digging into the flesh. He hadn't meant to make her feel bad. It's just that with her team in shambles and the alarming circumstance of her mission gone wrong...well there's no guarantee it won't happen again.

There's also no guarantee she'll survive the next time either.

"I can help you...if you want." Kakashi tries to amend and when Hinata just stares at him, he continues talking, "Your stealth is good but good can still get you killed. And I'm a tracker so I can teach you what to hide and how and—"

"Yes," Hinata interrupts mercifully, she ducks her head, letting her uneven hair curtain her face as she pokes her fingers in that nervous habit from their academy years. "I w—would like that. Thank you."

She peeks at him from under her bangs and eyelashes.

Shinobi Rule #11 A Shinobi must see underneath the underneath.

Kakashi clears his throat and stuffs his hands in his pockets, "Obito would be unbearable if you got yourself killed." He shifts. "Rin too."

(the 'and me ' goes unsaid but Hinata hears it anyway)

Hinata lifts her head and Kakashi's eyes go wide at the beautiful smile she graces him with.

"Hai," she dips her head respectfully, "I'll do my b—best not to die, Kakashi-sensei."

Her pearlescent eyes glimmer playfully in the early morning rays, pale-pink scars around her eyes scrunching.

Kakashi gapes at her.

He turns on his heel and shuts his door on her.

"Listen up," Minato announces. The three of them congregate around the blonde. "Per Hokage-sama orders we'll be adding a temporary member to our team."

Kakashi swallows the instinctual groan.

Great. Another baby genin for him to babysit. As if the other two aren't bad enough now there'll be three of them?

Minato steps aside and Kakashi's reservation shrivels like a prune in the sun.

"Please welcome Hi—"

A blue and orange blur rushes past him and straight into the girl.

"HINATA-CHAN!" Obito cries in joy, tackling the girl to the ground.

"Obito!" Minato and Rin scold, although his female teammate is holding back her laughter.

Kakashi rolls his eyes.

"Hinata-chan, I've missed you!" Obito whines, rubbing his cheek against the girl's. Kakashi locks his muscles to keep from jumping in and throwing the Uchiha off her.

Hinata sighs in fond exasperation at the boy's antics and pats his back.

"I've missed you too, Obito-kun."

"Oh." Minato reevaluates the scene in front of him.

Hinata notices the jounin's attention and promptly goes beet red. Kakashi snorts as the Uchiha gives Hinata a run for her money and turns an interesting shade of red. He quickly hops off the girl, skittering to the side in embarrassment.

Rin helps Hinata up and fusses over her, straightening out her jacket and picking dry grass out of her hair.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you guys already know each other?" he blinks, understanding blooming on his face. "Oh! Oh, so this is the 'Hinata-chan' Obito is always talking about."

"I don't!" Obito defends automatically. He glances at Hinata and fumbles, "I mean not all the time. I talk about you a normal amount of times. But only good things! Not like—I swear I'm not talking about you behind your back like those hags from the academy, right Rin? Rin? C'mon, back me up!"

Muffled laughter is her only response. Obito begins whining, tugging on Rin's clothes, who swats at his hands playfully.

Children. The lot of them.

Kakashi rolls his eyes again and moves to stand beside Hinata as the two begin a playful smacking match, Minato trying to stop them only to get absorbed into their game.

"Flu?" Kakashi prompts.

Hinata sighs, "No. Bronchitis."

Kakashi's eyebrows go up.

"Again?"

Hinata nods, concern wrinkling her brow as she thinks about her teammate.

Kakashi hurries for another topic to distract her with.

"Pakkun says hello."

Hinata's face lightens.

Yeah, dogs are a good distraction. He's a genius.

"Did he? How nice. P—please tell him I said hello. The others too."

Kakashi nods.

They're standing in companionable silence, save for the cacophony coming from Rin and Obito (mostly Obito), when he spots his sensei's curious gaze on him, having escaped the two.

Kakashi does not react and simply meets his gaze head-on.

Eventually, Obito declares Rin the winner and Minato rallies them into a semi-circle around him.

"I thought we'd start off with some one-on-one spars so I can gauge Hinata's current level and skills and then adjust our tactics accordingly, okay?"

"Hai." They all chorus.

Minato turns to him and smiles, eyes curled closed. Kakashi stiffens.

"How about you and Hinata go first?"

Obito immediately erupts in protest.

Rin smoothly cuts in when he pauses for breath with a hesitant, "Ano, sensei, maybe Hinata and I should go first?"

Minato ignores them, still smiling at Kakashi.

He glares at his teacher.

What are you planning, sensei?

"I don't mind." Hinata says and then turns to him, "Hatake-kun?"

Kakashi sends his sensei the stink eyes once more before grunting in agreement.

It's not until Minato says, "Taijutsu only." that Kakashi begins to unravel his sensei's true intentions.

Hah. Does he think Obito watching him struggle in a taijutsu-only match will tame that inferiority complex of his? Tough luck.

Ninjutsu might be his area of expertise but he's a chuunin and his taijutsu reflects that. Hinata's specialization might be in taijutsu but he knows her fighting style and can plan around it. The fight might not be easy but he'll end up as the victor in the end.

Kakashi places himself across from Hinata and, when his sensei gives the signal, he darts forward and blacks out.

Kakashi wakes with a roaring headache, further exasperated by Obito's obnoxious laughter. He blinks blearily and meets a pair of concerned lilac eyes.

"You've been training with Gai."

Hinata's mouth wavers.

She nods.

Well, that explains why she was so fast now. Her new speed took him off guard, but it won't again.

Kakashi rolls his head to the side where he knows his sensei is. He glares at him and Minato has the nerve to give him a sheepish grin. Kakashi intensifies his glare.

Shinobi Rule #17 Death to traitors.

Kakashi vows revenge, especially after he's forced to deal with a smug Obito all week, singing Hinata's praises while said girl blubbers apologies to him. Rin is no help and giggles to herself.

Children. All of them.

"Found you," Kakashi announces after three hours of tracking. "You can come out now."

Hinata climbs out of her hiding spot, dripping wet, a pleased smile on her face despite her chattering teeth.

"Smart move using the river to hide your scent." It hadn't been enough to completely erase her scent, his nose picking up her lavendercalmsweet faster than it did previous targets. Even so, it's her longest time yet and her efforts deserve recognition.

"Good job." Kakashi pulls out a small candy from his pouch and hands it to her. He has to consciously stop himself from patting her head like he would his ninken.

"T—t—thank you," she says and takes the treat with trembling hands. They walk out of the training ground together. Kakashi casts her shivering form a side-glance and hesitates.

Shinobi Rule # 13 Hesitation is death.

Kakashi sighs. If she catches a cold, Obito is sure to yell at him till one or both of them goes deaf, Rin is guaranteed to back him up with a disappointed frown that will match their sensei's.

"My apartment is closer." He eyes the clump of wet leaves in her hair and muddied clothes. "I don't think your clan will approve of your current state."

Her responding blush is even more pronounced than usual.

They make it to his apartment with little fuss. Kakashi leads her to his small bathroom and hands her one of his spare outfits. She thanks him, her chattering teeth making her stutter worse, and quickly disappears behind the door of his bathroom.

Kakashi sits on his bed and decides to meditate. A couple of minutes later the water shuts off and he hears Hinata shuffling in front of him. Kakashi tilts to the side as the mattress dip beside him.

He cracks open an eye.

Hinata is sitting next to him dressed in all dark blue, the color a stark contrast against her pale skin, with her knees tucked against her chest. The sight of her in his clothes stirs his wolf, their combined scents settling some innate instinct.

Pack, Kakashi's eyes widen, she smells like pack.

Leave it to shy, unassuming Hinata to find a way past his carefully erected defenses, making herself at home beneath his ribs.

He's broken out of his thoughts when he notices the way her shoulders are trembling ever-so-slightly. Kakashi sighs, the need to support and care for guiding his actions as proceeds to prod and poke her, ignoring her squeaks as he herds off the blanket. He drapes the thick blanket over her, tucking it firmly around her. A few minutes like this and her shivering finally stops.

Hinata shifts a little closer, mindful not to intrude on his personal space. Kakashi glances at the inches separating them and, for the first time in years, he finds himself loathing the distance.

"Thank you," she says into the quiet of the room.

Kakashi doesn't say anything. Instead, he closes the remaining gap between them by pressing his shoulder against hers. His muscles tense as her whole body goes stiff beside him and he's hit with the panicked thought this is a mistake—I messed up, she doesn't feel the same—

And then just as quickly, Hinata relaxes, body settling perfectly in the hollow spaces between them. Kakashi can't stop the sharp intake of breath when Hinata carefully rests her head on his shoulder.

"Is...is this o—okay?"

With the overwhelming scent of pack—his pinedogstatic and her lavendersweethoney—it takes him a moment to respond.

"Yes," he croaks. His body unwinds itself and he allows his cheek to drop onto her damp head, subtly breathing her in. She smells like his shampoo. "It's...this is okay."

Hinata sighs in relief and Kakashi copies her, eyes falling closed.