Parchment scrawled with intricate seals lay scattered across every inch of space. It was 3am and Katsumi was elbow deep in ink. Nightmares plagued her heavy lids, so she fought them away by practicing her seals.
In theses dreams she always failed. Her seals weren't strong enough, she wasn't strong enough. Every horrible vision left her trembling and screaming. Especially the unthinkable horror that was Kakashi's arm through Rin Nohara's chest. She itched at her black stained arms as she tried to force that horrible picture deep down into the depths from whence it came.
She dropped her brush and fisted her silver hair in her shaking hands. Her stomach lurched as her mind flashed through memories that weren't hers.
That was how Kakashi found her when he returned from his latest mission. He crept through the door hoping to keep his twin from waking. But as soon as he smelt her distress he was flying through their apartment and bursting through her door.
Kakashi took on her gaunt form trembling and tearing at her hair in the middle on piles of freshly inked seals. This was not the first time he had seen this, but he had never been out of the house long enough for her to get this deep.
"Kas- hey, Nee-chan," He cleared himself a path to her before wrapping himself around her as tight as he could. The small girl shifted in his arms before returning his hug. Her whole being shook with unspoken terrors. The twins were all to familiar with this scene.
Kakashi rocked his twin gently in his arms. Usually she would have snapped out of it by now. Worry was churning in the male twins stomach.
"Imouto… hey… Katsumi-" the trembling wasn't stopping, in fact she was getting worse. He had been away for too long and she was too far gone. A scream tore its way through her throat, sending a cold shiver down his spin. Frightened and exhausted from his mission, Kakashi didn't know what to do. So he did the only thing he could.
With strong arms he lifted his shaking twin, cradling her whimpering form to his chest. A rushed trip through the empty dark streets of Konoha and Kakashi was climbing into Minato Namakaze's front room. Much to the shock of the yellow flash, who was actually stuffing his face with Kushina's leftovers.
"Kami boy! What's going on?!" Their sensei dropped his chopsticks and ushered the obviously distressed pair to his couch.
"I was gone too long, I can't snap her out of it! Minato-sensei you have to help!" As he frantically tried to explain the situation, another tortured scream wrenched itself from the trembling Kunoichi.
A tired and concerned Kushina wandered into the room at the sound.
"What are you brats- Katsumi? Hey!" Sleep fell away from the firey red head as she pushed her way next to her student.
"I've never seen it this bad…" Kakashi's voice was laced with panic. Blood dripped from all the deep gouges in her arms, delicate flesh ripped open by her own nails.
"R-r-rin- ahhh!" Katsumi lashed out as she screamed, her brother catching her arms before she could do herself any more damage. Her eyes flickered around the room searching for something, anything to anchor her to this world. Deep blue eyes pinned her gaze.
Kakashi… Kakashi… Kakashi…
She repeated his name in her head like a mantra. In her state she also repeated his name out loud. As her trembling started to slow, Kakashi pulled her head to his chest and coed her back to sleep with a lullaby their father used to use to when putting the twins to bed.
"Does this sort of thing happen often, Kakashi?" Minato questioned as he hurried along retrieving a medical kit from one of their many drawers.
The young boy nodded solemnly as he lifted his sisters trembling body and slipped in beneath her head, cradling her upper body. "She has had them since I can remember, but they have gotten increasingly worse recently."
The blond ninja nodded as he smoothed salve over the barely conscious girls wounds, binding them to prevent infection. Kushina made herself busy by preparing tea to soothe their weary souls.
Once their patient finally fell limp, Minato plucked her from Kakashi's arms and ushered the exhausted twin into the spare room. Kushina, however, called it a night and escaped to the warmth of her own bed.
After laying them both down and checking Katsumi's vitals he left his students alone to sleep.
The tall shinobi cradled a warm tea cup in his hand as he gazed out upon a sleepy Konoha, steam rolling from the rim like billowing white clouds. With a deep sip and a long drawn out sigh, Minato slumped back against the kitchen bench.
These kids were going to be the death of him.
Weeks later.
"Hand to hand combat," Minato-sensei stood flanked by Obito and Rin, as the twins stood facing each other with blank expressions. Kushina stood off to the side, silently observing her apprentice with sharp eyes.
"Let's see how good you've gotten, Imouto." Kakashi raised and eyebrow as she scoffed at him.
'Let's just see you catch me.' She her hands flew through her signs with impossible speed.
"Begin!" There sensei's hand sliced through the air.
Kakashi's reaction was immediate running towards his sister with a smirk on his lips. His fist soared towards her neck only for it to be swiftly blocked. He hadn't even began to blink before he felt her fist connect with his face. This took the young boy by surprise, he was now certain she had gotten faster. With a twist of his body he swung his leg around to take out her right side.
Katsumi however had other plans. His leg connected with a puff of smoke before a foot collided with his back sending him tumbling forwards.
Katsumi watched her brother with a smile. He had underestimated her. Or maybe it had been too long since they fought each other. Most of the time they were so focused on fighting others they forgot about each other.
This is why Katsumi didn't see the flying kick to the side coming until the very last second. It seems two could play at the shadow clone game. She dodged just enough for his leg to graze her stomach, allowing her to grip him by the knee and throw him into a nearby tree. The agile male righted himself before landing on the trunk with a barely audible thud.
The air was thick with tension as the siblings became increasingly serious. Watching the twins sparr was like watching an intricately choreographed dance. Every attack and block twisting and landing in harmony.
It was Kakashi who took it that step further, bringing out his blade. Which in turn caused Katsumi to unfurl her whip. This had both Obito and Rin excited, it wasn't often they got to see things get this far.
Lightning crackled through the air as the silver Kuoinchi gave activated her weapon, before giving it a few huge experimental swings. She then send the tip flying towards her brothers. A resounding crack of thunder filled the clearing.
It shook the innocent observers to the core.
Kakashi dodged her blue flames with ease as he threw shuriken into at her weak spot. She dodged, but not fast enough as one of them sliced a clean line through her mask. This gave the young boy pause as she turned back to face him with a gash in her porcelain skin. His instantly felt guilt sink into his stomach, but they pressed on. The crackling whip struck again as she continued to back her brother into a corner.
The sparr finally came to a head when the young boys hands flew through a new series of signs. Kakashi's palm lit up with lightning, every crackle like chirp of a thousand birds.
"Chidori!"
That word. That sound. That lightning.
Like a switch was flipped the lightning whip snuffed out. She swayed gently in her spot before her legs gave out. Mismatched eyes rolled to the back of her head as she dropped like a stone. Her body hit the earth and immediately started to convulse.
Alarmed was an understatement.
Minato was at the girls side before anyone could blink. He rolled her onto her side and pulled her mask down to see blood pouring from her nose.
"Kakashi what's going on!" Rin shouted as they all rushed to see what was happening. When they reached her Kakashi dropped to his knees and pushed his sensei away gently.
Said Ninja was too busy pulling his sister into his arms to reply to any of the questions being thrown at him. He held her close, whispering to her in hushed tones as she thrashed and screamed in his arms. At first her screams where incoherent, then they became names. People that both Sensei's were unsure how she knew, some then didn't recognise. Some of her words weren't even in their native tongue.
Lightning, blood, Sharingan. Choppy scenes played through her mind, jumbled and twisted into barely coherent images.
A smooth familiar sound broke through the horrors before her, chasing away the darkness.
Whatever Kakashi was doing, it was working. Her screams slowly slipping into whimpers.
" No.. N-no… no.." she whispered as she fought for control. Blood, so much blood.
As her body began to relax they could finally hear what Kakashi had been saying.
His voice was low as he cooed a lullaby, rocking her back and forth as she was his whole world. As he sang his cheek grew warm and his eyes began to water. It took everything in him to keep the tears from slipping away. Odd for them all to see the normally stoic boy so vulnerable.
Minato and Kushina shared looks of concern, while Rin rushed to check the now trembling girls vitals. The raven haired Uchiha boy watched on unsure of how to help. He wanted answers, but most of all he wanted Katsumi to be ok.
"We need to get her to the hospital." Kushina spoke up, shattering the tension. Without breaking from his song Kakashi nodded, moving Katsumi's face so the Rin could get at the blood pooling on her chin.
With a gasp Katsumi's eyes flew open, startling the life out of the medic nin, before she slumped into Kakashi's arms. Finally unconscious.
One hospital check up and Katsumi was back at home before the sun had set. She was up and moving, but Kakashi had confined her to the apartment. This was the first time she had had a turn so severe and in the middle of battle no less. Something was definitely wrong, but neither of them could put a finger on it.
The silver ninja decided she was sick of this and needed some company. Kakashi had said she couldn't leave, not that others couldn't visit. The rebellious ninja pulled a small scroll out of her pouch, spreading it flat on the floor. She placed her fingers over the seal in the middle of the parchment and focused.
With a poof of smoke and a little chakra she completed the summons.
"Master? Oh yay! Master do you have a job for me!" Katsumi had to smile at her enthusiastic ninken.
A beautiful miniature husky stood panting, wagging her fluffy tail in joy. Her furr was a beautiful mixture of snowy white and ashe grey. Glorious green eyes stared at the silver ninja with some much love and trust, the small girl couldn't help but scoop her dog into her arms.
Katsumi buried her masked face in her soft coat, snuggling and patted her ninken as if her life depended on it.
"Hehe, master? Pats?" The Kunoichi held her pup in front of her and smiled at that her pink panting tongue.
"I have a job for you, Minori." There was no need for sign language here, not that her pup couldn't comprehend. No, it was more of a sure sign of trust between ninken and master. "I need you to go to the Uchiha village and find a boy called, Obito. Take care, Uchiha's are not fond of strangers."
Minori nodded her long muzzle and attempted to lick her masters face, which Katsumi obliged without a second thought. After they had both had their fill of affection Katsumi gripped the stiff window of their shared apartment and gave it a mighty tug. The window creaked and halted half way. Not enough for Katsumi to fit, but easy enough for her pup.
"I shall not fail, Master!" Minori leaped from Katsumi's arms with a determined, high pitched bark. Her paws gripped the slatted roofing with ease and she disappeared out of sight.
The wolf nin sighed before she turned around to pack up her scroll. When she had the scroll in hand she made her way into her room, quickly changing out of her ninja gear and into plain clothes. She caught a good look at herself without her ninja gear to hide her arms. The bandages had been removed days ago, but some of the deep gouges had reopened from her thrashing. After rubbing her temple in frustration she pulled on a navy blue singlet, a pair of grey sweatpants and of course a clean mask before making her way to the bathroom to bind her reopened wounds.
There was a loud bang and a series of excited barks.
"You have a dog Katsumi-chan? How did I not know this?" Finally Minori was back with her target. She came out of the bathroom still applying salve to her arms.
'She's not just a dog she's my ninken.' The younger Kunoichi smiled before she noticed the look in her friends' eyes. He was half way through the now fully open window, which must have been the loud bang she had heard. His eyes trailed up and down her scarred arms.
"What happened to you?" This window was rediculously hard to open, it was almost as if it had been stuck that way. The Uchiha boy was grateful to not fall flat on his face as he climbed inside. "If this to do with what happened earlier?"
Her small hand rubbed up and down the slightly more healed arm. 'I want to talk about something else.' She signed before turning away before rushing to the bandages on the basin, desperate to cover her exposed arms.
"Hey now, I didn't mean to offend you!" The raven haired boy came to a stop outside of the bathroom and peered inside. Lotion bottles and various other hygiene products lay strewn about the porcelain tub, medical supplies littered every inch of the vanity. The light was dim but Obito could see Katsumi's expression of pain clear as day. In her haste she was binding her arms way to tight.
"Why don't you let me help?" He wasn't usually one for medical stuff, but he could bind injuries just fine. As he took a step into the room he heard a canine growl. Minori was blocked his path with her hackles raised, teeth bared and dangerous.
"Hey Minori, he's safe." His crushes quiet voice took him by surprise, though he should've been used to it by now. She wasn't the shyest around him.
"You would never hurt me, right, Obito?" Heterochromic eyes met sincere pools of obsidian.
"You bet your ass! No way would I ever hurt you!" His voice was probably filled with a little more force than necessary. But his words were true and clear, resulting in Minori's growls turning to an excited yelp.
"Ok master." Minori shook her fur and trotted up beside Katsumi's feet; content to just watch their interactions.
The silver haired Ninja shook her head in amusement, before she tilted her head enough to reveal the tender blush on her cheeks.
'Ok, you can help if you want.' She finished her signs and offered him a clean roll of gauze which he eagerly took before making his way to stand beside her. The Uchiha was putting as much concentration as he could into being as gentle as possible with the smaller kunoichi. This caused said kunoichi to turn her head to the side and make herself look busy. It was embarrassing to feel so helpless in front of someone she unconsciously tried to impress.
"So... did that baka Kakashi lock you in?" He tried his best to keep the malice out of his voice as he continued his delicate work.
Katsumi nodded but turned to smile at him through her dark mask. Which reminded him of something he had been meaning to ask, but never had the nerve.
"What do you look like, you know under the mask?"
This took the young girl by surprise as she turned to look at herself in the bathroom mirror. She studied her mask and weighed her options. This boy had already heard her talk more often than even her sensei. He had seen her at her worst and yet he had never seen her at her best.
She brushed her free hand over her clean mask. Kakashi would kill her if he found out Obito had seen her face. He wanted to keep their wolf heritage a secret.
The kunoichi shrugged and played with the edge of her mask, still flipping through the possible consequences of this. But then again, it was Kakashi that wanted them to wear masks, not her. She turned to the Uchiha boy as he finished wrapping her injuries.
He gave a nervous smile. "You don't have to show me if-" her actions stopped him dead in his tracks.
Whoa.
Katsumi proceeded to pull the material away from her face, revealing the curve of her lips and the smooth expansion of skin beneath. A few strips of gauze kept her the wound that Kakashi's shuriken had given her sealed and healing. There was a smatter of pale freckles dusted across the bridge of her delicate nose. A small beauty spot rested on her chin. He didn't know what to do with all this new information, he had seen glimpses of her face but this was something else. It was then that she smiled.
It took everything in the young boy not to faint on the spot. Sharp canines glinted in the dim lighting, giving her feminine face a dangerous edge. If it wasn't for the time he had been spending with the silver Kunoichi he definitely wouldn't have been able to handle so much beauty at once.
"Whoa.. I-I- uh…" He turned away from the girl to slap some sense into himself, smacking his cheeks with his fingers. 'Pull yourself together Obito you pervert!' The Uchiha berated himself.
These actions caused Katsumi to giggle before returning her mask to its rightful spot. She wasn't sure if his reaction was how a normal person would act or just because Obito was.. well Obito.
"You know you should wear that less often." The goggled boy turned to see the mask back in place. He did his best to keep the frown off of his face as she signed back to him.
'Ah, I do it for Kakashi. He never asks for much.' She pulled out another clean bandage from their supply and handed it to the taller boy. 'Besides, then you wouldn't be special.'
Obito's cheeks burned with a deep blush as he quickly got to work on her second arm. Maybe he was reading her wrong, but she had just said he was special to her, right? He felt so elated and confused. But most of all hopeful.
"Y-y-yeah well, don't go showing anyone else, or I'll have to help Kakashi beat away all those pesky boys." The dark haired boy was trying very hard to keep his own feelings in check, he couldn't imagine what Kakashi must go through in a day. Maybe he should be a little kinder to the brat.
His eyes scanned her figure as she studied his handy work in the mirror. Her lips pulled into a cheeky grin.
Nah, he was just going to make her brothers job even harder. The young Shinobi was determined more than ever to come out on top.
—-
A/N: Hello my readers! I have been getting a lot of reviews saying that the first 5 chapters of this story are too fast paced. I happen to agree! But bare in mind I wrote those chapters 4 years ago. So give 18 year old me a break huh. eventually I will rewrite them but for now each new chapter will be slower and more detailed. This story had been a long time in planning so, I mean, I'm just glad I haven't abandoned it. Please remember I am only human. Remember to leave a review :) Happy reading! ❤️
Edit: I am not at all knocking your guys reviews !EVER! I was just explaining the difference in pace. I am grateful for the effort taken to even read this silly little fic, let alone review it ^-^ So thank you to everyone that has stuck it through with me this far !