Taisetsuna "Precious" - Version Two
by Aoikami Sarah
Chapter Five
That night the three Hatake girls were finally asleep on a futon in the living room in Kakashi's apartment. He watched them for a little while before turning out the light and retiring to his own bedroom.
As he slipped under the covers, Kakashi closed his eyes and tried not to think about their mother.
.X.X.Flashback.X.X.
He remembered when her laugh changed. They had come back from their first Anbu mission. It was a cool, fall afternoon. The target was a corrupt politician with a huge goon squad. Three Anbu, a leader and the two rookies were sent out to handle it. There had been more than 50 samurai standing in their way. When the team emerged, there were none.
Kakashi had watched Oururi out of the corner of his eye during the slaughter. She was more than able to handle herself and because she was wearing the mask he couldn't tell how she felt as she took down the targets. Both of them had been commended by the team leader for a job well done and told to head home by separate routes. Before they split apart, Kakashi noticed Oururi's hands were balled into tight fists. She shook slightly and breathed heavily. He wanted to ask her if she was all right, but their leader had forbidden them to speak or remove their masks till they were safe within Konoha's walls.
Kakashi bounded through the crowded streets. His mask and bloodstained robe tucked away in his backpack. He found Oururi in the side street next to her house, sitting on the ground against a wall, still wearing the mask and robe.
"Oururi!" Kakashi shouted. She leapt up tore the cat's mask off. Her brows were arched and her mouth was tight and angry.
"What!"
"Are you…?"
"I'm fine!" she barked and leapt up the fire escape towards her bedroom window. He stood in the long afternoon shadows and watched her go. She laughed at him with a brittle cackle that made her sound possessed. "I'm not as weak as you think I am!"
"That's not it!" he barked back. "You're a…" Her window slammed shut. "You're a precious person to me..." he whispered, unable to reach her. "I just don't want you to get hurt…"
.X.
The cat-masked assassin became one of the best the team had seen in years and Oururi and Kakashi were both valuable assets to the Hidden Leaf Anbu squad. Some customers asked for the cat and dog simply because their fame was so renowned. Then one day, very suddenly, the cat quit.
.X.
Kakashi blinked and stared at Oururi. "You're leaving?"
She had her back to him. "It's a trade off, some political thing between the Fire Country and the Wind Country. I'm going to the Hidden Sand for 10 years and they're sending someone here."
"Swapping assassins?" he asked, skeptically.
"I can't really discuss it. It's political,' she sneered. "I leave tomorrow. Early. So…" Oururi turned. Her eyes looked everywhere else but at him.
"…Then I guess this is good-bye." Kakashi grit his teeth.
"I guess so." She lingered for a moment before turning again and walking away.
.X.X.End Flashback.X.X.
Kakashi turned over and sighed. 'If I had told you, would you have stayed?' he wondered. Then aloud he whispered, "If you can hear me, I'm sorry, Oururi."
