The Bank II
"A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it." - Jean de La Fontaine
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters contained therein, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto who is kind enough to let fans write fiction. I make no profit from this nor do I intend to.
A/N: Unbeta'd. I will attempt to post every week.
Enjoy.
Chapter IX
Kakashi paused mid-stride as something bright and colorful caught his attention. Not quite able to believe it, it had been years since he'd last seen it, he changed direction. Though he was out of the village on a mission, his objective was not time-sensitive so he could easily spare some time for this.
A moment's travel brought him to the entrance of the familiar tent. Without a second thought, Kakashi entered.
"You!" Madam Verushka exclaimed with more than a little surprise when Kakashi slipped into her reading room.
Kakashi felt himself automatically ducking his head a little as a hand went to rub the back of his neck. He hadn't ever expected to return and she likely had assumed the same.
Before Kakashi could respond, the curtain behind him shifted as the bulky doorman poked his head in to make sure all was well.
"Zaika?"
Madam Verushka waved a negligent hand. "Is fine Balko. I was just surprised to see this," she gestured to Kakashi, "one." She shook her head in mild disbelief.
Balko maintained eye contact with Madam Verushka for another moment – confirming that all was as it should be. "You say this one will return, yes?"
She froze for a moment before nodding slowly. "Ah, yes. So I did." She frowned faintly, it was too soon for him to return and the location was off… unless he had made a choice that negated her prior visions. Regardless, he was there and she would do his reading. "Is okay. I did not expect to see him here, is all."
Balko nodded agreeably, they were not in Konoha, so he supposed that made sense – at least, enough to verify that his beloved was in no danger. Silently, he retreated back away from the curtain to allow the reading to progress.
Madam Verushka shook her head slightly, returning her focus to the task at hand, as she watched Balko take his leave.
"Right. Yes, let us proceed, shall we?"
Keeping his questions to himself Kakashi stepped forward, ready to continue with the reading – he already knew that he would receive no answers even if he asked. However, that did not stop him from filing the interesting piece of information away, that he was expected to return to the fortune teller at least one more time. Though, he did have to mentally add the small caveat that it was entirely possible that she may have been fibbing or that his choices may have rendered that particular future moot.
"Place your dominant hand on the crystal ball and we begin."
Without any hesitation Kakashi complied, allowing his mind to wander a little as Madam Verushka did her thing.
He would ask, as he always did, about his demise. Though some things had changed in his life, his desire to die in service to the village still remained. Could Madam Verushka see the future of his progeny? Could she tell him anything of Sakura's fate? Sakura would be in the bank program and would have the very best of everything – he was making sure of that. She would have all the security and opportunities that the bank program would offer in addition to his pension and all the benefits granted to widows. Those widow benefits would also be fully maxed out once he was promoted… She would be fine. As would his children.
So… why did he feel as though he wasn't doing enough? Could Madam Verushka answer that question? Because he sure as hell couldn't.
Kakashi slowly felt pulled from the world of sleep. Uncertain as to his surroundings, he didn't remember going to sleep in the first place, he silently stayed still, trying to ascertain where he might be and under what circumstances. Almost immediately a location clicked into place, he could hear the steady beeps of life support machines. Clearly, he was in the hospital. But, why, he couldn't quite remember.
Cautiously, remembering his last stint at the hospital and the overly friendly nurses, he opened an eye to scope things out. He was, as he had expected, lying in a hospital bed. Slowly, as he pummeled his memory, the events came back to him. He sighed. Foolish.
At a loss as to what to do, with no one there, and none of his things within sight, he decided to close his eyes and try to return to the world of sleep. He was fairly certain he would be doing a lot of sleeping and figured that the more sleep he got while he could do nothing else, the less he would have to do later when he had other options.
Just as sleep was starting to claim him once again, the door flew open with a sharp crack. Surprised, Kakashi opened his eyes to see who would make such a dramatic entrance.
Itsuki stood in the doorway, trying to somehow take back the loud noise he'd inadvertently made by opening the door too quickly. After a moment of awkward door and wall patting – he was afraid he may have actually damaged one or the other – he turned his focus on the patient.
Kakashi watched him impassively, carefully keeping his face blank, Itsuki was the last person he wanted to see. Immediately after his last visit to Sakura's apartment, while she was getting ready for a date with Itsuki, Kakashi had been sent out on a month-long mission. He had no idea what their status was now – if they were still dating or if Sakura had finally been able to turn Itsuki down for good. Sakura had assured him that she was not interested in Itsuki or even interested in dating in general. But, things happened, feelings changed… what she had, in all honesty, told him a month prior could now possibly no longer be accurate.
Itsuki marched over to Kakashi's bed, an awesome frown on his face – the effect somewhat marred by the fact that he was chewing gum and kept switching it from one side of his mouth to the other. When he reached his destination, he took a moment to examine Kakashi. The elite shinobi had managed to land in the hospital with injuries that were of the sort that only reckless inexperienced shinobi came in with, nothing he should have gotten no matter what the circumstances.
"Mr. Hatake, I'm glad to see that you are awake," Itsuki stated in a coldly clipped tone, clearing doing his best to suppress his anger.
Kakashi smothered a snort – how he could have stayed asleep given Itsuki's unintentionally dramatic entrance, he couldn't quite guess. Instead of giving in to the urge to make a snarky retort, he chose to lift an eyebrow questioningly.
"I don't have a lot of time so I'd just like to get down to the point," Itsuki continued.
Kakashi raised his eyebrow a little higher at that. He had all the time in the world but figured he'd rather just get whatever Itsuki had to say over and done with so he could go back to sleep. Frankly, there wasn't much that Itsuki could have to say that Kakashi would be interested in hearing. The sooner the irritating man left, the better.
Itsuki inhaled a deep steadying breath before making his demand. "I want you to stay away from Sakura."
Kakashi blinked, whatever he had expected Itsuki to say, this was definitely not even on his radar as a possibility. A misplaced lecture on Kakashi's appearance in the hospital, perhaps. Or, possibly a request for Kakashi's intervention with Sakura on his behalf. A mandate for him to stay away from Sakura? Ridiculous.
"Excuse me?" Kakashi asked, keeping his incredulity to himself. A small part of him began to panic as the thought that Sakura actually may have changed her mind about Itsuki while he was away, crept to the forefront of his mind. If they were now genuinely dating…
Itsuki continued as if he hadn't heard Kakashi. "I know you can't stay entirely away from her. She is a medic, you're often her patient, and there are many events that you both attend as shinobi. So it would be impossible for you to say completely away from her." He shifted his wad of gum to the other side of his mouth. "But, still, I'd like you to try."
Maintaining a disinterested demeanor in spite of his inner turmoil, Kakashi had to ask the obvious, "Why?"
"What do you mean, why?" Itsuki sputtered, almost losing his gum entirely.
Kakashi shrugged, ignoring the flash of pain the motion caused him and keeping his outward demeanor that of mild disinterest as the part of him panicking suddenly grew. "Why, any number of things?"
Itsuki just stared at him.
"Why do you want me to stay away from Sakura? Why is it any of your business? Why does it matter to you?"
"Because Sakura's far better off without you."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Yes, why? What is your reasoning for this? And, why do you feel it necessary to ask this of me behind Sakura's back?" Kakashi continued calmly – suddenly feeling much better as it was starting to become clear to him from Itsuki's actions that Sakura probably hadn't changed her mind about Itsuki. And, she would be furious if she ever found out he had come to talk to Kakashi about her.
Itsuki blushed and couldn't prevent himself from chewing his wad of gum quickly in a subconscious sign of anxiety, Sakura would likely kill him if she knew what he was doing.
Kakashi allowed a frown to form under his mask, knowing that Itsuki was close enough to see it. "If you can't answer any of those questions, then I won't even consider your request." With one last look at the now visibly angry medic, Kakashi closed his eyes to try and go back to sleep – dismissing Itsuki and heaving a silent sigh of relief, if they were dating Itsuki would have used that as an answer to Kakashi's questions.
Too angry to really consider his words, Itsuki just blurted out the root of his ire, nearly spitting his gum out in the process. "I can give her so much more than you can!"
Kakashi's eyes opened slowly. "What?"
"I can give Sakura a much better life than you could ever even dream to! I want to settle down and have children. I want to stay home to raise those children so Sakura can pursue her career and achieve her dream of running the hospital one day. I will not go out on a mission and just not return one day." Righteous anger at a peak, he continued, "I can give her an actual relationship with all the bells and whistles – none of this turning up where and when I please and never providing any sort of stability or even any kind of emotional support!"
Ire vented, Itsuki stood, fists clenched and shaking slightly at his sides, staring angrily at Kakashi, beyond the point of caring what Kakashi or anyone else may think of his outburst. The effect was somewhat ruined by the movement of his jaw working on his ever-present wad of gum.
Keeping his face impassive, Kakashi directed a level gaze at the irate man and delivered his answer, his tone indicating that it was final. "No."
Flabbergasted, Itsuki involuntarily took a step back. "What did you say?"
Kakashi shook his head slightly before repeating himself. "No."
"No?"
"Sakura is a grown woman. She can make her own decisions."
"B-but, with you around she'll never even think to look at me!" Itsuki wailed, very nearly like a small child denied a treat.
Kakashi realized that Sakura must have finally managed to issue a definitive 'no' to Itsuki while he was out of the village and this was Itsuki's last hope to change Sakura's mind. He shook his head slightly.
"That is not my problem."
"If you only stepped aside," Itsuki paused, shifting his gum to the other side of his mouth so he could continue as earnestly as possible, "I could give her everything!"
"But not, apparently, what she actually wants."
Itsuki opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly intending on making a response but finding nothing he could possibly say to rebut Kakashi's statement. A few tense moments passed as he continued with his internal battle. Finally, he abruptly deflated, his fury having run its course. As always the effort of maintaining the level of anger necessary to take him out of himself having finally become too great for him to sustain.
Itsuki sighed, trying to collect himself, chewing his gum anxiously and then meditatively. Deep down he knew that no matter how much he may not wish it, Kakashi was right. As long as the older man was around, Sakura would never look beyond him. His continued attempts to make her do so were only making things worse. And, yet…
Sensing that Itsuki might need a push to get him out the door, Kakashi sighed. "Go home. Find another woman who is more receptive to all you have to offer."
Itsuki shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want another woman. I want Sakura."
Kakashi shrugged, ignoring the flare of pain the motion caused him. "That's too bad. It doesn't appear as though she wants you."
Itsuki shot him a glare. "No, she wants you. And, you don't even want her!" He waved his hands around as his anger suddenly returned. "Regardless of that, even if you did want her, you still can't give her what she deserves!"
Kakashi ignored the comment, knowing Itsuki was both wrong and right – more right than wrong however, as Kakashi wanted Sakura. He wanted her very much but he was also well aware that he couldn't give her what she wanted – what she deserved.
"You give her false hope." Itsuki hissed – one last attempt to make Kakashi see how bad he was for Sakura.
Kakashi continued to stare impassively at Itsuki. He had no response. As far as he could tell, Sakura knew exactly what she had gotten herself into with him and for some baffling reason seemed content with what little he had to offer her. As much as he knew he should attempt to distance himself from her, he just couldn't. She meant too much to him.
Failing to get a reaction from Kakashi, Itsuki sighed again, the truth of his situation finally coming home to him. "None of this will change, will it?" He shook his head in disappointment as he studied Kakashi.
"Sakura will make up her own mind about things. It is neither of our places to try and do that for her."
Defeated, Itsuki turned and silently made his way out of the room. His hand dipping into a pocket for a fresh piece of gum as he went, scattering wrappers on the floor behind him.
Kakashi stayed awake for a long while after Itsuki departed. Nothing Itsuki had said to him hadn't already occurred to Kakashi – none of it was new information. Yet, he couldn't stop himself from once again turning the situation over in his mind. Sakura did deserve more – better – than what he could offer and yet… he couldn't bring himself to step aside and allow someone else to try and give it to her either.
As he'd always known, he was a coward… and apparently, a selfish one at that.
Once again Kakashi felt himself return to consciousness, not a moment too soon in his opinion as he'd been having one hell of a nightmare – Sakura had married Itsuki while he was out of the village on a mission and consequently was deeply unhappy with her life choices, unhappy enough for him to almost do something incredibly foolish. After a few moments of silent reassurances to himself that Sakura would never do such an irresponsible thing, he felt his heartbeat slow down enough for him to try and return to the world of slumber.
As Kakashi lay in his hospital bed trying to entice sleep to come back and claim him until something better came along, he heard his door open slowly, hesitantly, and in stages. Debating silently with himself he wondered if he should check to see who it could be. Any of his assigned medical staff would have walked in purposefully and gotten on with their business. And, he would know if it was Sakura, regardless of how she entered. This left the interesting possibility that it was someone he didn't know and who possibly didn't have an official reason to visit.
Too curious (bored) to let it lie, Kakashi cracked open an eye to see. Upon ascertaining the identity of his mystery visitor, both of his eyes opened in surprise.
"M-Mr. Hatake?" the young woman tentatively greeted him, nervously twisting her hands in front of her.
He sighed, his surprise fading fast as he realized he could guess why she was there, and fished about in his memory for a name. "It's nice to see that you made it back safe and sound, Minako."
"Yes, after… after, Genji and Kenji helped me get you back to the village." Her large green eyes were full of unvoiced concern.
Kakashi nodded. Flashes of what had happened after he had been injured, were starting to come back to him now. "And, you're alright then?"
Her cheeks flushed as she nodded.
"Good."
"Mr. Hatake?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For saving me. It wasn't even your mission. There was no reason for you to intervene as you did... it could have even compromised your mission."
Kakashi shook his head, unwilling to admit that he had most definitely had a reason, Minako's green eyes – so much like Sakura's – notwithstanding. Instead, he simply said, "It was the right thing to do."
She pressed her lips together worriedly. "But, but you ended up with serious injuries! You could have died!"
"But, I'm sure you had a hand in making sure I didn't."
"Well, yes! Of course!" She exclaimed with some surprise. "How could I possibly let you die after you saved my life…" she trailed off as she realized what he had done. "Oh…"
Kakashi chuckled. "That's what a real team is like."
She nodded, truly understanding for the first time and feeling foolish that it had taken her so long. "Trust."
"Exactly." Kakashi examined her out of the corner of his eye. "How long have you been with Genji and Kenji?"
Minako sighed. "Seven years, maybe eight."
"Your original team?"
She nodded. "Yes. I took a couple months off," she blushed, "for maternity leave. But, we've been together more or less our entire careers."
He nodded thoughtfully. "They always like that?"
Minako glanced away, unable to respond.
Kakashi sighed, it was enough of an answer. "If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you put in for a team transfer."
Minako lowered her eyes. "I know I should, but…"
"Minako, they abandoned both you and the client to go pursue some stupid macho pissing contest. If you want to be around for your child, you need a team you can trust. Clearly, they do not fit the bill."
She sighed. "You're right."
"I'll put in a good word for your transfer if that helps decide you." He offered, surprising himself until he realized that she was gazing at him with her big green eyes… too much like Sakura's.
Surprised she jumped a little in place. "You'd do that? After all the trouble I've caused you?"
He simply nodded.
She examined him for a moment and found nothing but truthfulness in his demeanor. Feeling reassured, both that Kakashi was really okay and that she was making the right decision in requesting a team transfer, she smiled.
"Thank you, Mr. Hatake." She took in his tired state and realized that he needed to sleep. "I'll let you rest now."
Kakashi, making sure not to let on how much the gesture pained him, raised a hand in his signature wave as she left his room.
Kakashi glanced up from his inward study, wondering if his room had suddenly been transformed into the village's gathering place as he had been having more visitors than expected.
Tsunade made her way to his bedside, a frown gracing her ever-youthful face. "You're awake, good."
He blinked, realizing that this wasn't going to be just an ordinary visit from his medic. "What can I do for you?"
She eyed him skeptically for a moment before just telling him what was on her mind – neither of them had time to for her to beat around the bush. "You're here with injuries that are beneath a shinobi of your skills."
He shrugged, not bothering to try and hide the wince of pain the motion caused him. She was right. But he didn't feel like elaborating.
"You have anything to say?"
"Not really, no."
"You're not going to explain yourself?"
"I completed my last mission. That's all that matters, isn't it?"
She stared at him for a moment before sighing and pulling up a chair – what Kakashi recognized as Sakura's chair with a start, he hadn't realized that she'd been by yet.
"Kakashi, those two meat-heads are saying that you barged into their mission, throwing it into absolute chaos before monopolizing the use of their medic."
Not particularly surprised he raised an eyebrow. "Are they?"
"Yes, they are. Internal Affairs is making noises as if they are going to investigate."
"What does the medic say?"
Tsunade snorted. "Says those two idiot teammates of hers abandoned her and the client in order to pursue a personal grudge."
Kakashi nodded. "Who do you believe?"
"I'd rather have your side of the story before making any judgment calls."
Kakashi sighed, clearly he wasn't done protecting Minako, her green eyes flashed to the front of his mind and he shook his head slightly to try and clear the image.
"Minako is right. I went out with them – we were traveling to the same area for supposedly different missions. Her teammates are two hyper-competitive morons. I was an unofficial fourth – but still had my own separate mission."
She nodded. "I'd read as much in the files."
He chuckled. "So, you already know how this went then?"
"I have my suspicions."
"The team was already under suspicion for inappropriate behaviors when I went out with them. My mission was really to observe them do theirs."
"So, those two really are a danger to their team as their former team leader claimed?"
Kakashi nodded. "More than once they abandoned Minako and the client as soon as an opportunity presented itself for them to compete against each other on something – anything – assuming that Minako would pick up the slack, as always."
"But, it was more than she could handle?"
"Yes, the third time it happened, the client injured himself and demanded that the medic he had hired heal him. Minako obliged. She had no other option and they were in what should have been a safe enough location."
"But?"
"Her idiot teammates' competition drew the wrong sort of attention."
"So, they caught Minako unawares while she was trying to heal the client."
"Yes."
"And, you intervened?"
"Yes."
She nodded. "I see." She eyed him for a moment. "Not really within the purview of your mission."
He shrugged. "It didn't seem to interfere with my mission."
Tsunade tilted her head to the side for a moment in thought. "That's fair. Your recommendations?"
"No one has given me any of my belongings as of yet, but I'll write the report as soon as someone does."
She chuckled. "They probably think that if they give you your stuff back, they'll be giving you a free ticket to leave the hospital whenever you please."
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "We both know Sakura would kill me if I did that."
Startled that Kakashi could actually admit that fact aloud, Tsunade laughed. "You're not wrong there."
After a moment of contemplative silence, Tsunade felt obliged to break it. "So, what's the short version then? Might be able to head Internal Affairs off at the pass."
He thought for a moment. "Minako needs a new team, she has a child to think of now, and her two teammates need to be disciplined, busted down to chunin, and separated for good at the very least. Their competitiveness goes far beyond healthy..." he trailed off in thought. "Psychological evaluations might not be amiss either."
Tsunade nodded, she had suspected as much. There had been too many complaints. With a sigh, she pushed herself up from the chair. "Right, thank you for your input."
"I told Minako I'd recommend her for a transfer if she needed it." He gestured wearily with a hand, not needing to elaborate how foolish he thought Minako's hesitation to request said team transfer for herself. "Consider my two cents added."
"Minako will absolutely be getting a transfer whether she asks for one or not."
Kakashi nodded, feeling relieved. No one deserved having to deal with those two morons in any sort of life and death situation. They were too immature and self-absorbed to even notice the effects of the consequences of their own actions upon others, never mind how their behavior and actions affected the successes or failures of their missions. This made them very dangerous – too dangerous – to any potential teammates.
Satisfied, Tsunade moved to take her leave. As she reached out to open the door, it opened and Sakura walked in.
"Oh! Tsunade! I didn't expect to see you here!"
Not bothering to stifle a chuckle, Tsunade grinned at the younger woman. With some amusement, she raised a hand to pat Sakura's shoulder. "Just had some things to discuss with Kakashi – no one has seen fit to return his belongings. Consequently, I haven't gotten his report yet."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Oh! I made a note for…" she trailed off realizing that clearly it hadn't been done and it wouldn't accomplish anything to name the lax medic. "I'll make sure everything is returned as soon as possible."
"Thanks, I still need that written report." Tsunade eyed Sakura for a moment before deciding to intervene on Kakashi's behalf. "Go easy on him."
Sakura's eyes widened. "What?"
"He has his reasons, and they're good ones. So, go easy on him this time around." Request delivered Tsunade slipped past Sakura and out into the hall.