I took a day or two off from writing to write my masters thesis (Lol crying rn) - but I managed to draw the scene where Kakashi spills the beans (the sad hug):

PLEASE REPLACE THE (SPACE) with a . to follow the link. Hope you guys like it :)

www Pinterest co uk/pin/524669425348535278/

Hope you enjoy the next chapter, it's the longest one yet. It was nice to write in Konoha for a change.

Kakashi

"Where is the rest of your team, Kakashi?" the Hokage's voice was authoritative and short. Unfortunately, he had to be woken from his sleep and was not in the best of moods. He requested immediate feedback and here it is.

Kakashi made his way from the gates immediately back to the Hokage's tower, and after meeting the Anbu stationed there they retrieved the Hokage.

"It was a long mission, Hokage-sama." He hesitated to rack his tired brain for a reason. "I didn't think the whole team was necessary for debrief."

"Careful, Kakashi" he warned. "It is dangerous of you to assume such things." He was tired and really just wanted to get this over with.

The Hokage nodded over to the anbu in the bear mask.

"Go fetch her." The anbu shot out of sight immediately. Kakashi willed his shoulders not to slump. He felt like banging his head against the desk in preference. The thought of sharing the same room with her made him feel all kinds of dread. The silence exasperated it.

"The m-"

"Enough," Sarutobi interjected. "The mission brief will be given when all members are present."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"As for your individual assignment, we will discuss that after the mission brief is out the way." He began flicking through papers on his desk. Kakashi swallowed hard.

"Understood." Kakashi could hear his own heartbeat in the silence as it stretched out painfully. He didn't know whether he wanted her to show up sooner and relieve the anticipation or not show at all, and avoid it at all cost.

As he was debating how he could get out of this particular scenario without resorting to seppuku, the door opened slowly with a high pitch creak. He daren't turn to look at the addition to the room.

His heavy heart squeezed in his chest as she entered. Her scent swirled around him as she made her way to the centre of the room, next to him. He didn't take his eyes off the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama-" she announced devoid of emotion, as she knelt in anbu fashion.

"Rise." He cut the end of her words off her and he felt himself flinch at the harshness. "Let's get on with it then." He proposed tiredly. The air shifted as they both stood staring at the Hokage, neither of them willing to begin.

"The-"

"During-" they both spoke at the same time and everything inside Kakashi cringed. The Hokage looked at them both expectantly. Kakashi cleared his throat after another awkward silence.

"For goodness sake, someone begin. Kakashi, start."

"Yes sir, the mission was a failure." He cut to the chase hoping it would speed up the process. The Hokages face darkened. "It was apparent that we were being tracked by day two by 3 mercenary nins. They had been paid upfront with a location of our whereabouts to eliminate both targets, but primarily Amaya-san." He felt her eyes snap to him then. They began to burn a hole in his head. "Amaya-san eliminated all three targets and we moved on. Once we got to the location we scouted the area confirming both Iwa and Suna nin had not arrived yet. Amaya-san is familiar with the area and knew the route the Iwa nin would most likely take. She was right and we tracked them all the way to the village. There were 5 of them, one of which we are familiar with." He continued. His mouth started going dry and he began feeling even more tired after not sleeping the previous night. He watched the Hokage pull various faces at the information he was spewing.

"We followed them back to the village and had set up a perimeter with Amaya-san's summons, as well as her Byakugan, and my Sharingan. No other hostiles were in the area. A single Suna nin came to the meeting-"

"A single Suna nin?" the Hokage questioned.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. We were thorough, there weren't any other nin in the area." The Hokage frowned. "I didn't recognise him from any information we have. My summons managed to listen in to the conversation from the tea house and I believe reported that information back to you directly. Unfortunately, as the Suna nin left the village he made us aware that he was aware of our presence." The Hokage gave him a look that should boil him alive. He continued in a methodical and lazy tone he always did, "all precautionary measures were taken. We assumed he must've been a sensory type himself."

"This is most unfortunate, Team Rei. I had high hopes for the both of you" he scorned.

"Unfortunately sir, the mission didn't improve. We headed back to the Bird/Stone border to camp for the night and were ambushed by an army of approximately 30 nin. I didn't recognise their headbands, nor were they highly skilled. Fortunately, the landscape offered us some terrain and we managed to eliminate most of them. We think at least 3 ran from the scene." The Hokage looked positively outrageous. A silence hung between the office and Kakashi resisted the urge to fidget or look away.

"We didn't encounter anything more after leaving Bird." There. He'd done it. It was almost over. The Hokage looked away from them both, possibly eventing new way's to relieve them of their lives. He'd not failed a mission for a very long time. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Ame's presence next to him seemed to grow as time went on.

"Amaya, I assume you don't have anything to add to this report?" The Hokages words made his heart race. Will she bring up his own assignment? He was forbidden to let her know. He felt his eyes slide to her form waiting for her response.

"Actually, Lord Hokage, I do." Oh no.

Ame

"Actually, Lord Hokage, I do." She did her best to keep her tone even and professional. A single brow of the Hokage rose.

"Do go on," he offered.

"I don't want to be part of Team Rei." She watched shock morph the Hokages face. She didn't word it how she wanted to, but her brain was fighting her.

"You're an elite shinobi, both of you are, personal matters shouldn't compromise your ability to complete a mission successfully." He refused.

"You're right, Hokage-sama. This runs deeper than personal opinions. We are incompatible and make for an ineffective team. Our incompatibility comprised our ability to execute the mission and jeopardised the end result." She didn't bother to look at Kakashi, she was trying her darn hardest not to acknowledge he was in the room.

When the anbu came to retrieve her she felt like she could've been sick. And when she saw the back of him as she entered the room her chest grew heavy. She hated it. Hated him.

The Hokage gave no effort to hide his displeasure.

"And you, Kakashi? Do you share this opinion?" She felt her muscles tense and her heart race at the silence Kakashi gave. She didn't know what would be worse to hear. That he didn't want to team with her or that he did.

"I do, Hokage-sama, share the same opinion as Amaya-san. There was more than one occasion where it was made clear that our incompatibility risked our lives and the mission." The coldness in his words made her blood run cold. She found herself unable to bring her eyes to meet the Hokages.

"This is disappointing news indeed." He heard him adjust in his desk chair. "I am willing to consider the disbandment of Team Rei. I will call for you both soon with my final decision." Her shoulders sagged at the news. At least it wasn't a no.

"Amaya, you're dismissed." If her blood could run colder it would. She heard the words but couldn't seem to move. "Just Amaya, Kakashi you remain." The Hokage clarified after neither of them made a move. The air in the office warped and her stomach wanted to empty the contents of her stomach over the desk. She swallowed and began to breathe shallowly.

She forced herself to turn and wasn't able to avoid looking at the tall anbu next to her. Her eyes dragged over him, meeting his own stare. Their eyes seemed locked together and time slowed. She knew what would follow after she left. Dread and something she couldn't place flickered through his eyes.

How can one look at him cause such a reaction to her? Her heart started to ache painfully, and her eyes threatened to water. She hadn't cried in years and this goddamn Shinobi had made her cry twice already today. She felt pathetic, and it was all his fault.

She made her way to the door, managing to break their gaze, and closed the door behind her quietly. She descended the tower numbly as her mind thought over everything, and nothing. Her eyes didn't focus on anything in particular as she dragged herself home. She didn't know which streets she took, and she didn't know how long it took, but she arrived at her front door. She refused to think of what was happening in that office at that very moment.

She sat on the floor of the shower. The cold water ran over her, numbing her further. The light bulbs still needed replacing. It was pitch black. Her Byakugan was so strained she could barely see, the lack of light was doing her a justice. Her knees were curled up to her chest as she lay her cheek on her knees.

She hadn't let anyone get closer to her generally in her life after her father was killed. She enjoyed the company of her last team. She'd never been so close to people before them since she came to Konoha. She briefly knew the Hokage Minato until he passed away too. She trusted him, he would've made for a good Hokage, had the Nine-Tails not ended his life so early. He kept her abilities a secret even when she couldn't control them. He even convinced the Hyuga to help and keep her secret. The current Hokage doesn't know about them- or he didn't. She guessed he does now. She doesn't expect Kakashi to lie to Hokage, for the Village. It's his mission. She knew he couldn't refuse a mission but it broke something inside of her that she hadn't given to someone for a long time. Unquestioned trust. It was stupid of her really. She hadn't realised how much she had let his guard down around him. Damn ninja.

She felt betrayed by his actions, even though he couldn't avoid them. But, most of all she just felt foolish. He'd talked with her, joked with her, wriggled his way into her life for a few short days, just so he could milk her for information. It all made sense now why they were partnered up. He was her watchdog.

She contemplated why it's affecting her so much but summed it up to exhaustion, pain, and distrust of not only Kakashi but the Hokage and the Village too. She'd given her life over to them, to serve and protect, and in return, they have only given distrust.

She sat there with her thoughts for a while. The cold water began to turn frigid and she could feel her extremities turning purple. She stood up in the shower and turned the tap off. The pipes groaned as she stepped out onto her bath mat. The darkness wasn't usually a problem with her byakugan, but she can't use it now. Her vision was almost gone, a blur of darkness replacing it. Her extra sense in her hands and feet is only good for things that were moving, so she only had her sonar left.

She didn't have the energy to sonar her way around her apartment so she did it the old fashioned way- stumbling. She stumbled to where she thought she put her bath towel and wrapped it around herself. She tripped over her discarded anbu uniform and headed out of the bathroom. She was about to continue her perpetually journey of falling when a rasp of knuckles sounded from her front door.

Whether it was due to tiredness or lack of care she wandered over to it and pulled it open, expecting to see anbu.

And she was right. Almost. Kakashi stood in front of her, still in all of his anbu gear, minus the anbu mask. He stood straighter than he usually did, reminding her of his full height. Kakashi towered over her. Her heart began to race and she could feel her mouth open and close. She gripped the door tighter with one hand and the other gripped onto the towel wrapped around her. He stood with his hands shoved in his pockets as usual. His body protector was still splattered in blood from their various encounters and his clothes were in serious need of a wash, as did hers.

She stood paralysed taking in the sight of him with the street lights illuminating him from behind. If it weren't for the unreadable tell in his gaze he would've looked like an apex predator. A thought flashed across her mind that she really wished she didn't have. And she already knew the answer. If he was ordered to take her out, she knew he would. All the feelings that had built up seeing him stand at her doorway suddenly went mute. A constant high pitch ring seemed to sound in her ears at the realisation. She felt void.

Her hand dropped from the door and she took a step back. He hadn't said anything, just watched her.

"What is it?" she hated how small her voice was then. Her eyes seemed to pulse in and out of focus as the strain wore on. She watched his brows dip in concern.

"We need to talk," is all he offered. She looked at him for a moment considering all the options that she could've taken. He stood watching her expectantly as she stared at him.

Nope. She closed the door on him.

She didn't even close it quickly. She watched his shoulders slump in defeat as she closed it on him. She heard him sigh as he closed his eyes before it shut completely.

"Ame," he spoke through the door, a softness of his voice made her insides hurt. She leant her forehead on the door and placed her palms on the wood.

"I don't have anything to say," she whispered it. It barely escaped her lips.

"Then just listen." He offered and she jerked away from the door, surprised he'd heard her. His tone was still heart-wrenchingly soft.

"Kakashi," she almost pleaded. Her back met the door and she slid down, leaning against it. She curled her knees to her chest and stared into the darkness of her apartments.

The door wobbled as he mirrored her, and sat the otherwise of the closed door. Her eyes flared realising he was going to speak whether she wanted to listen or not.

"I can't apologise for what happened, it was a mission, Ame." The sadness in his voice made her feel something she didn't want to feel. He might've not been at fault but it still hurt and she wasn't going to make that mistake twice. She hoped. "What would you have done? Would you have defied your orders?"

She breathed out knowing the answer.

"I was forbidden to tell you of my assignment." He breathed the words through a laugh as if it were ridiculous. "I guess I failed both missions." She felt his head tilt back onto the door. The thought of him being so close to her soothed her and she hated that too.

"You realise Hiruzen has no intention of disbanding our team?"

She sighed softly and hugged herself tighter. Her eyelids began to fight her. It had been a long day.

She stood up, sighed once, sucked it up, and yanked the door open. He fell slightly back onto his elbows, not expecting her to open it. He looked up to where she stood, dangerously close to seeing under her towel. She felt too low to even be embarrassed. He stared up at her for a moment too long but snapped out of it and climbed to his feet.

"It's been a long day, please just go Kakashi," she looked directly at him, willing him to leave. He opened his mouth under the fabric mask as if he was going to argue with her.

"Please get off my porch, I'm tired. Please." Her head had tilted to the side, she didn't want to beg for anything but she was just so tired. Of everything. She couldn't look directly at him as she pleaded but she looked back up to him then.

His eyes looked around the features of her face and she felt her brows crease. He nodded and stepped onto the railing, then hoisting himself onto the rooftops. She didn't hear his footfalls, but then again, she hardly ever did. Ninja, she thought.

After she'd closed the door she made her way over to her futon and slithered in, disposing of the towel in the kitchen.

She was thankful that sleep didn't run from her.

Kakashi

He sat on the roof above her apartment hearing nothing from below. He had his elbows placed on his knees and his thumbs below his chin.

He didn't know what to do about her. Guilt still gnawed at his insides and nothing was helping it. He was willing himself to have control over his mind as he watched the clouds sail across the night sky. Thoughts flowing behind his eyes relentlessly.

After a while, he made his way back to his own home. He was tired. It had been a rough week and he had barely slept during it. He needed to take better care of himself on missions. Eat properly, sleep when he should sleep instead of staying half-awake. He shook his head at himself as he entered his shower.

The hot water washed the grime of the last day off and he stood there appreciating hot running water. His skin tingled with the warmth as he ran the soap down his chest and over the rest of him. He took his time, as he didn't get the opportunity much. Ame continued to haunt most of his thoughts even as he did menial things.

He rubbed his face under the water and began washing his hair as his mind went back to the Hokage's office after Ame left. It was his mission, his duty, he told Hiruzen things he'd found out. It felt like a piece of his soul was taken, but it was done. After a lengthy discussion, the Hokage agreed that she isn't an immediate threat and was willing to drop surveillance on her for now, deeming it a waste of resources. The two of them figured Minato must've helped her when she first came to the village, helped her get training from the Hyuga. That's the only person they would've listened to. She said it herself they were reluctant. If Minato trusted her, shouldn't they?

He shook his head trying to snap out of the daze. He finished up and headed straight to bed. At least skipping a nights sleep and running across an entire country means he'll crash straight away. He almost laughed to himself at how wrong that was.

But, he fell asleep that night, Ame still haunting his thoughts.

Ame

"Taiyo-san," she greeted the older man, "you don't know how good it is to see your face." She smiled at him. She never came to Taiyo with a henge. He'd known her since the first day she'd stepped foot in this village. When she didn't even know how to henge.

The warm man greeted her and divvied up an extremely large portion for her.

"You look like you've lost weight, Ame-chan." Concern etched his features. "Are the recipe cards not working out?" he spied her curiously.

"No, they're great, Ojii-san." She paused, "at least I'm sure they are. I was dispatched after you gave them to me, and I only got back last night." She explained. The hollowness in her voice didn't seem to want to leave. She could feel his eyes on her as she ate.

She let out satisfied hums as she devoured the food. She had missed this so much and missed the old man.

"I noticed when you got into your apartment last week that you hadn't turned the lights on." She looked up to him suspiciously. Taiyo began acting strange and his eyes slid to her multiple times over a minute. She didn't reply just let him sweat. "Is there a problem with your lights?"

She looked up to him, her suspicion heightened.

"Why?" she spied him.

"Well," he began blinking quickly and flustering around the small open kitchen. "If there's something wrong I can help, if you want the help that is. If not that's fine, too. If there's even a problem to begin with." He laughed nervously with his eyes closed.

"It's fine ojii-san, I just need to replace my bulbs." She carried on eating after he was put out of his misery.

"Oh is that so." A suspicious fake tone of voice laced every word. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the man. "It just so happens that I have brought too many bulbs for the shop." He lifted a brown paper bag full of various bulbs for every type of fitting. She cocked her jaw sidewards and levelled her gaze. "No point in letting them go to waste, is there?" the nervous laugh was back.

There was only one person she had told about the bulbs.

She plastered on a fake smile and took the bag from the counter placing it by her feet.

"Brilliant that saves me a trip to the shop, be sure to give Hatake-san my thanks" she was overly bright with her words and Taiyo chuckled happily.

"It sure does, what a considerate gentleman. I'll be sure to-" she watched his face drop as he realised. "I wasn't supposed to let you know," he looked up to her, a face full of guilt. He opened his mouth, most likely to apologise before she cut him off.

"Look, Taiyo-san, it's fine." She ate the remaining food on her plate and pushed it away, hiding her frustration.

"Trouble in paradise?" true concern seeped into his words as he stirred the curry pot. She breathed a laugh as her face remained relaxed.

"If working with that beast is paradise then I dread to think what hell looks like." She retorted. She could feel her Ojii-san looking at her but her eyes wouldn't focus on anything particular.

"Hey, Ame-chan, you ok?" his expression dropped as she made eye contact.

"Sure," she smiled at him sweetly. "Well, it was nice popping by, I'm sure I'll see you again soon." She spoke as she left the money near him as he was busy in the kitchen.

"Not too soon though? Look at the recipe cards!" he called out as she waved him off.

"I'll try my best to stay away" she replied a genuine small smile on her lips.

She wandered the streets of Konoha as the afternoon stretched out, she carried the stupid paper bag of lights that Kakashi had given to her. Why was he worming into the only bit of life she has here.

She didn't realise she was frowning and stomping through the streets until she collided with a small child.

"Hey, sorry about that lady." He grinned up to her all toothy. It took her a second to snapped out of it and his smile faltered and he began to look afraid. "Look lady, I didn't mean to." He scratched the back of his head. She smiled down to him warmly and crouched down.

"Hey kid," she placed the bag down looking at him. He stared at her and she couldn't place his emotion. "No need to apologise, I did the bumping" she offered and straightened his jacket for him. "Sorry little dude, I'll be more careful next time." She smiled at him and he grinned back chuckling.

"Hey miss," his face dropped into awe as he realised something, "are you shinobi?"

"I am," she nodded. His gaze dropped to his feet as he began toeing the dust.

"You must not be that good if you bumped into me," he mumbled under his breath and she found herself laughing.

"I guess you're right, I must not be" he looked up to her and his eyes sparkled.

"Hey, miss?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"You've got funny hair" she pulled a tight face in jest and ruffled his blond spiky hair. He giggled and brought his hand to his head as she ruffled.

"You are funny, kid." She picked up her bag and stood tall over him.

"Hey, miss?"

"Yeah kid?" she laughed at his repetitiveness.

"Thanks for talking to me normal" his whole faced morphed and it pulled at her chest. She smiled at him gently.

"Catch you around, kid." She waved him off as she began to make her way home. Her heart felt a lot lighter after that encounter.

The next day was another day without a mission. For the first time, she found she was actually glad. She woke up when she wanted to, no alarms, no 4 am wake-ups. She stretched out lazily of her futon, breathing deeply.

She got dressed in her usual long-sleeve, full trouser chain mail and slipped on her blue, halter neck playsuit. It held the symbol of Konoha below her neck at the front. It was comfortable and never got in the way. She bandaged her hands and her feet as usual. It was almost a ritual to her. She found it soothing.

She strolled through the front door by 11 am and stretched as the fresh air hit. The day was warmer than it had been. Spring must be on its way. She thought. There was a gentle breeze flowing through the streets, and fluffy white clouds decorated the sky, moving slowly. She ambled to the Hokage Tower to finally pick up her paycheck, even though it'll be much less since they failed.

She walked out of the tower, paycheck secured, greeted by the warming sun. She held her envelope up to the rays of light thanking a higher power she had done a few S-ranked missions. It had been a few weeks since she picked up her Ryo and she was almost ecstatic at the large envelope.

She walked with a spring in her step heading to the central shopping district ready to go buy something delicious and utterly earned.

"Ame," she heard the too familiar voice of a certain copy in and she froze in-between steps. She cursed under her breath and her eyes scanned the area in front of her as if he hadn't seen her yet. She was about to bolt when he walked next to her.

"We should talk" he offered. She turned her back to him as if he weren't there at all. She felt her face scrunch up thinking of how to get out of it. Her index finger tapped on her leg absentmindedly.

"Talk to me," his tone was neutral, different from last night.

"I'd rather not," she went to turn away from him but he touched her shoulder, paralysing her.

"I didn't have a choice, Ame, really." He sounded exhausted.

"Please, just leave me alone." She tried to walk past him again but this time he quickly stood in her path, causing her to bounce lightly off his chest. Her eyes went wide for a moment at the unexpected contact. She sighed and her shoulders sagged in defeat.

"We are going to be teamed up again, so we need to move past this, and to do that we need to talk." She rolled her eyes at him but as she looked up at his face she saw the exhaustion pulling on his features. She refused to recognise the tug in her chest.

"I don't have anything to say," she went to leave again but he put both his hands on each of her shoulders holding her there.

"Well, I have tonnes." He spoke softly, his eyes scanning all her features, reading every micro-expression she made. His face suddenly felt too close to hers and his eyes bore into hers.

Caught up in whatever was happening between them, Kakashi noticed a large cart being wheeled down the road from behind too late, and it hit Ame, pushing her into him. His hold on her tightened as they fell onto the dirt road. He scanned her almost frantically looking for something, searching her body.

"Are you hurt?" his eyes held so much emotion it sucked all the air out of her lungs as she lay over him. She hated the feeling rising in her chest. Hated that she liked the feel of him around her. Hated him.

"Speak to me, Ame" he almost whispered to her, his brows pulling down into an anguished expression. Her stomach flip-flopped hearing her name spill from his lips in such a way.

"Please let go of me," she was on the verge of crying and her voice wobbled. He did as she asked and they both stood up. He dusted himself off a little before a small voice called out.

"Daddddddd" a child whined, "you ran over two shinobi!"

"They mustn't be very good if they can't even get out the road" an old man jabbed. That's the second time someone had said that to her in the past two days, and it's all Kakashi's fault. He seemed to distract her from all menial things. It was annoying.

She went to leave whilst people were distracted and brought two fingers up to form a seal. The warmth of Kakashi's hands wrapped around the seal and he gave her 'the' look. She suddenly felt like a kid again being scalded that she was about to do something stupid.

She looked up to the sky and breathed in before looking back at him

"Look, we don't have anything to work out. We're shinobi, my personal feelings won't affect the mission if we get sent on one." He didn't release the grip but confusion crossed his features. "I get it, it was a mission, it was your duty, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." She could feel anger rising in her. "I just have nothing to discuss with you. I'm not going to tattle information on myself so you don't have to keep up this ridiculous chummy act. It really doesn't suit you."

She yanked her fingers out his grasp but he remained there for a moment longer, eventually pocketing his hand. She breathed out loudly. Waiting for his response.

"Suddenly don't have anything to say? Thought you had tonnes?" she quipped, simmering.

"I understand," his face relaxed into a neutral lazy expression, "let's continue our arrangement professionally, then." He nodded to her and left before she had time to process what he'd said.

"Ya!" she shouted after him. He didn't turn around so she started to jog. She was catching up to him when she fell over a wooden crate near the path. She pretty much face-planted the dirt road, belly down.

She sighed and couldn't find it in herself to get up. The sun blazed in her eyes and she told herself to count to 3 before she got up, when the sun was suddenly blocked. Kakashi stood over her with his brows creased. She hadn't realised he was dressed in jonin gear and she found it odd. She'd never seen him wear it.

"Did you have a nice trip?" she watched him suppress a smirk.

"So much for keeping it professional." She uttered under her breath as she pushed off the floor, his arm was suddenly around her arm, pulling her up. The warmth surged up through her arm and into her chest from the sudden contact. Her hands began to feel funny and redness spread to her cheeks. She was half hoisted up but when she went to stand, her ankle was too weak.

Great. She thought. She tried to place it down a few more times and was having a hard time with it.

"Looks like a sprain," he voiced his hands in his pockets. It was weird seeing him wear his headband, he had it pulled over his Sharingan.

"I didn't realise you were a Doctor as well as a certified arse." She quipped, willing her ankle to be ok. He huffed a laugh.

"You can't see can you?" He asked seriously.

"I can see," she said in a 'don't be so ridiculous' tone of voice. He hummed in doubt.

"You- an elite shinobi just got taken out and injured by a stationary wooden crate, I've seen trained nin's do less damage to you." He argued.

"It happens to the best of us, you wouldn't know" she scowled with a tight smile at him, implying he wasn't elite. He levelled her look.

"You need to go to the hospital"

"I'm sorry are these OUR eyes? Mind your own damn business." She attempted to hobble off but the sprain had really done a number on her ankle and there was absolutely no strength there not to mention the pulsing, searing pain. She sighed in frustration, she could feel his eyes on her back.

He walked in front of her and crouched down. She frowned in confusion and suspicion.

"Get on," he prompted after a moment of nothing.

"I am absolutely not getting on your back." She absolutely refused. Absolutely.

"This is mortifying."

"Just be quiet and enjoy the view, Ojou-sama" She could hear the smirk in his voice and warmth began to swirl in her belly. She pouted even though he couldn't see it. He threw her up slightly, readjusting her on his back.

"Must be new for you, being this high up" he jabbed after a silence ensued.

"Ah, a short person joke, good one." She tightened her arms around his neck as he began to shake with silent laughter. He let out a cough and his laughing only seemed to pick up. The sound of it made her skin buzz. She blinked through the feeling and swallowed. The heat of his body was slipping through her clothes now and she felt her chest flush all the way up to her cheeks. She loosened her arms and instead held one of her wrists over his chest. Trying to minimise the contact.

Her hands began to ache, wanting to run themselves down his torso. She shook her head. She tried her best not to consider the proximity and tried even harder not to notice the warmth of his body pressed up between her legs. She suddenly felt too hot and began to ache. Her breathing changed and absentmindedly squeezed her legs on either side of the copy nin.

To her surprise, it coaxed a low moan from the nin and her gut coiled. Her skin felt heated and he froze mid-step as the moan slipped from his lips. A long moment passed before he cleared his throat. He continued walking, but slower this time.

Something came over her and she was about to test it again before he held her legs further apart, so she couldn't, as if he knew what she was going to do. It was now at an awkward angle and each step he took wound her up further between her legs.

"I'm ticklish," he blurted out and she flinched. It wasn't exactly cold water that was poured over her but her motivations definitely changed. She felt a slow smile curl on her lips.

His hands were too busy holding her legs but her hands were free. She was fully supported by Kakashi and her legs. She hooked her arms under his and began to snake her hands down his chest lightly, only using her fingertips. She rested her cheek on his shoulder. They went down down down his torso, between his open flak jacket, as low as she could reach. They began to crave the feel of his skin. She could've sworn he shuddered under her touch. His slow walk was slowing further and she slid her hands to his sides. She drew lazy circles around his sides but his step didn't falter until- she squeezed as hard as she could and he almost bucked her off his back. He grunted lowly but loudly and she tried to cling on to him for dear life, laughing so hard she could barely stay on.

His body shook as he began to laugh along with her. She was laughing so hard, she couldn't control it as her abdominal muscles weakened. He threw her lightly back into position on his back and the laughter began to die down. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on her bicep, looking away from him.

His hands squeezed her thighs and the coil between her legs threatened to tighten immediately again. She breathed deeply and his scent violently intoxicated her.

"Yo- Kakashi!" a boisterous voice called out to the nin between her legs, and Kakashi faltered.

"Oh no." He whispered it under his breath. A great big man with a very unflattering green jumpsuit quite literately sprinted up to them. Kakashi kept walking at a slow pace as the black-haired man bounced on the spot and grinning Kakashi. She felt a small bubble of amusement rise up in her chest. She could almost hear the squirming inside his head.

"Kakashi!" he shouted even though he was right next to us, "our Youthful Rival Showdown is long overdue," he kept bobbing up and down, almost making Ame feel dizzy, "Kakashi" he added.

"I can't-"

"We have to!" he continued to bounce.

"I am training at the moment."

"Training?" his bobbing slowed down temporarily as his eyes connected with Ame's. She smiled warmly at him and a deep blush tinted the energetic man's cheeks. He began to babble incoherently.

"Hi," she offered brightly. Kakashi's step faltered for a moment after she did. The Jumpsuit Man cleared his throat 3 or 4 times before speaking.

"Why hello there madam! How do you do?!"

"I am well thank you for asking, how gentlemanly of you." She quipped to Kakashi squeezing his neck a little too tight for a second. Surprisingly, Kakashi squeezed either side above her knee cap sending a strange sensation up her legs and she giggled and hated herself for the noise that came out. She blushed. Hard. The Jumpsuit Man blushed. Harder.

"Kakashi!" he yelled, "what is this pervert doing to you?!" be began bobbing on the spot again, but this time it seemed inhumanly fast. "Is he holding you against your will?!"

"You know what, he is!" She responded just as energetically.

"Unhand her right now, Kakashi!" he jumped directly in front of Kakashi and pointed a large finger at him. Kakashi sighed between her and a smile played on her lips.

"I'm taking her to the hospital, Gai" he sounded exasperated. He walked around the man who continued to point at him.

"The hospital?" Ame spoke up.

"Yes."

"Unhand me this instant" she wriggled on his back but he just squeezed her legs tighter. It felt good. His hands felt good.

"If the lady wishes to be unhanded, unhand her this instant!" the man, Gai, insisted loudly. I liked him.

"I agree!" she just as loudly responded.

"Gai," Kakashi warned, "I will come to find you for our competition later, but if you don't leave, I'll be forced to share the secret only I know about you". Gai stood tall with his fists on his hips proudly.

"I, unlike my dear friend Kakashi, am an open book. I have no secrets I don't wish to share. I shall protect all ladies, no matter the cost." He proudly puffed out his chest. Defender of Woman. She almost snorted.

"If you insist," Kakashi warned, his pace was even slower now. Ame glanced down at Kakashi's face realising just how close it was to hers. She could feel the heat from his face on her lips. "Come here," he nodded his head sideways and whispered to me. She licked her lips that suddenly felt too dry and she watched his eye follow her tongue. She felt a blush burn her cheeks but it wasn't an embarrassment, it was something darker. She leant in closer to him, each step caused his lips to graze over her ear. She couldn't repress the shivers that it sent through her body, straight to her tightening core. "Say 'an acorn' loudly, and sound surprised." Oh god. His breath breezed into her ear and she swears stars were forming behind her eyes. She managed to weakly breathe a yes. She managed to pull herself from his face.

"An Acorn? Really?" she projects her voice and they watched on as Gai's bushy brows show through his hairline and his jaw hit the floor. Ame would swear she saw steam coming out of his ears because of how red he turned.

"Kakashi!" he cursed. "I was just a kid, Kakashi!" he cried actual tears. "It's grown since then!"

Kakashi vibrated under her and Ame couldn't help liking the sound.

"I need to take my partner to hospital, I'll compete with you later. Gai." The lightness in his voice made her insides warm.

"PARTNER?!" Gai flopped to the floor and moved like a slug up the path alongside Kakashi with tears flowing from his face. She couldn't stop smiling at it all and a light laugh escaped her.

"She got accepted to be your Partner, I got rejected!" he began crying harder whilst he shuffled across the floor. Kakashi shook his head but she's sure she heard him huff a laugh.

Gai left them then with a sad farewell.

"I like him," she announced quietly, whispering into his ear. She felt the muscles underneath her tense momentarily. He only hummed in response. "I don't want to go to the hospital."

"Ame, you can't walk. You can't even see. As a shinobi that renders you pretty useless."

"You should mind your own damn business you know." She uttered under her breath through a pout and he readjusted her. She didn't know if he meant to squeeze her thighs or not but she found herself wanting them to squeeze harder, and higher.

The rest of the journey remained quiet between them. The air was thick and she felt like all of her senses had heightened. The smell of him, his breathing, she could even feel his heartbeat on her body that was pressed against his back.

When they turned a corner and the hospital was in sight she was almost glad. She would run in there if it meant getting away from her lusting after the man she hated. She told herself it had just been a while and ran with that.

"You can let me down now," she began to wiggle trying to break free but he didn't allow it. He tilted his head to hers, his breathing flowed over her face, how can someone's breath be intoxicating? because it was. She felt positively high off of it. He was a mere inch away from her and his eye was dark.

"I don't think so" his voice was husky and she started to think that he didn't mean the innocent 'I don't think you're able' way. She gulped audibly as he held her gaze for too long, sending the familiar warmth between her legs.

God, she really needed to get laid.

"What is this?" Chikako's demanded, her stern voice made Ame cringe away hiding behind Kakashi. He still hadn't let her down even though she was pretty sure her ankle would be completely fine after the hour it took to get here.

"Ame," Kakashi offered, "do you want to do the honours?" she shook her head not wanting to deal with the hell hound of a medic-nin. He huffed a laugh under his breath.

"Ame-chan here, sprained her ankle falling over a crate." Kakashi put it suspiciously, too lightly, and the medic-nin's eyes sharpened, looking directly at Ame. She glanced away trying to hide her eyes.

"And why," she asked pointedly, "did an elite shinobi fall over a crate?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked, Chikako-sama." Kakashi sounded far too happy about the situation. "It seems Ame-chan here, overused her Byakugan and is now temporarily blind." She knew what smile he would be doing and she just wanted to shrink back into nothing.

Chikako proceeded to give her an extended version of her usual lecture. Warning her what would happen if she kept doing this. Blah blah blah. She knew her own eyes, they weren't at the point of no return. They just had a hard time focusing. Sometimes she could see and sometimes the focus would change.

She lay in a regular hospital bed on the 2nd floor which was rare. She normally only saw the anbu quarters in the basement. Too bad she wasn't able to admire the beautiful view.

"The bandages are completely unnecessary" she uttered in annoyance. She felt ridiculous.

"Unless you want to go permanently blind, you will keep them on," she could hear the medic-nin walking towards the door. "Don't go anywhere." She warned.

"Why're you still here?" she asked Kakashi who was sat next to the bed.

"Ah, you see I need to get my back checked," she could hear the mirth in his words, "I just did some extremely taxing training carrying my partner around Konoha and after she dropped me on our last mission, it's best to get it checked. Don't you agree?"

"Don't think I didn't realise you took the long way to the hospital" she looked to him as if she'd won their little game, through her bandages.

"Maa- you caught me. I just couldn't find a weight heavy enough to train with, so I thought I'd take the opportunity with you," A powerful blow, some would say below the belt. She scowled at him.

"You need the training," she jabbed at his body near her, "lost a lot of muscle recently." Game. Set. Match. "You didn't have to carry me here you know, and you don't have to wait." She offered, diverting her gaze, suddenly too embarrassed to look at him. She slipped off the bandages wrapped around her head and tutted at them as she deposited them on the bed.

"And miss the opportunity to watch Chikako-sama scald you? Never." She looked up to him and his eyes were sparkling with humour. His damn eyes sparkling like that. She couldn't stop looking at him.

"Want to get out of here?" she offered. His face dropped.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He looked away from her and picked her bandages up off the bed and stood over her. "You should put these back on,"

"I don't want to,"

"Ame, please," the things his mouth did to her wasn't fair. "It sounded dangerous." She rolled her eyes at him.

"They're my eyes, I know If I need to wear-" she was cut off as he began wrapping the bandages around her head. He picked up her hand and placed it on the tail so he could do it properly. "You're such a mother hen. Have you considered training a genin team?" she jabbed jestfully.

"You want me to quit my job, that actually helps the village, just to become a glorified babysitter?" Venom laced his words at the disgust. She felt her mouth twitch.

"Do you not have faith in the future generations?"

"Of course, every generation should exceed the last, that's the natural order of things." She listened to him speak, beginning to enjoy the sound of his voice too much for her own good. "But, I'm not the man for the job." She hummed at his answer. "What about you, do you think you'll stay in anbu?"

"Depends," she smiled.

"Do I want to know what on?" his words held reservation.

"Of course you do, depends on whether I get to go back to solo missions." She couldn't explain it but the air changed. He finished her bandages and sat back in the chair next to her.

"Ame," he cautioned. "We are partnered, he won't change his mind. He never does" he sighed.

"And, you're ok with this?" she turned her head in his direction. He didn't reply for a few moments and the tension grew. He didn't know if he was looking at her or not but it felt like he was burning holes through her with his vision. The bandages only added to her frustrations. She grew restless under his presumed gaze.

"Honestly, I don't know," she should've been happy to hear it but she just felt something cold sit in his stomach. "You're an incredible Shinobi, Ame." He spoke softer this time. "I've only seen a handful with the ability that you possess." She swallowed, the feeling it should have brought didn't come.

"But?" she found herself saying.

"Honest answer?"

"Always."

"I don't know if I can trust you." The word fell from his lips like a sin. The cold thing in her stomach spread throughout her body. That wasn't what she was expecting him to say. She didn't know what to say, for once. "I know what you'll say, it's awfully rich considering- everything." She laughed singularly under her breath. You could say that again. She thought.

"Sometimes it feels like the partnership has real potential," he continues, "I think we could be formidable. But, other times I'm not sure if you would hesitate to kill me for getting in your way." His words burned her deeper than he could've imagined.

"So you do believe the things you've heard about me?" she spoke turning away from him.

"I don't know what to think." She heard him sigh. "I can see why people do believe it, you…"

"I'm what?" her voice was small, she felt empty. She didn't want him to think of her like that. She didn't know why, but of all the people she wanted to see her for who she really is, he would be up there.

"I don't know, I don't know." She hadn't heard the copy nin ruffled before. This was a first.

"You should go," she offered, hollow. It wasn't an attack, she just felt she needed to be alone. He didn't say anything but rose from the chair and made his way to the door.

"Hey Taichou," she heard him pause. She couldn't look his way and instead turned to where she knew the window would be. "I'd never hurt you, you know?" she hesitated with her next words. "I don't think I could, even if it was an order." Her words hung in the air.

"I'm glad we talked, Ame." She heard the doors close behind him.

Why does she feel so much worse then?