"So, your first mission is to retrieve a shipment addressed to Yoichi Takuma-san, the owner of multiple takoyaki stands across Konoha. He's ordered his ingredients from the capital and he's expecting them to be delivered at the gate this morning. After you've brought them to his warehouse, you are to help him do the inventory of the goods."
Beside him, Asuka bowed her head and grabbed the scroll with the mission they had been assigned. Iruka smiled brightly at the woman, his cheeks a little redder than usual, then turned to Sasuke.
"How are you feeling? Ready for your first day of mission?"
The boy tightened his lips to avoid insulting the chuunin.
The Hokage, sitting next to Iruka, looked rather bored, but Sasuke knew he was studying his reactions. At the opposite ends of the table were the council elders, who looked stiff and displeased. But from what Sasuke remembered, they had always been like that.
"What do you think about this mission, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.
An insult.
That was what he thought about the mission. How could Konoha have two jounin – ok, Sasuke was technically still a genin, but everybody knew his abilities were far beyond those of a simple jounin. He had once been an S-rank criminal! – take on a mission that could be carried out by brats fresh out of the Academy?
"I think it's a wast-" He narrowed his eyes at Asuka, who had just slapped the back of his head.
"He's very excited and can't wait for it to begin," she said, smiling at the people in front of her. She then bowed again, wished them a nice day, and turned to leave, eye-ordering Sasuke to follow her and not say anything.
"Dammit, Sasuke! Don't you know when to shut your trap? Or to lie?"
The boy frowned at Asuka's scolding. "I was answering Kakashi's question," he deadpanned.
Asuka let out a frustrated growl. "Yeah, but didn't you notice the two geezers in the room?" Sasuke shrugged. "Yeah, so what?"
"So what?!" Asuka stood in front of the boy, her hands on his shoulders. He shrugged to free himself from her grip. He didn't like to be touched. Not by her. "Listen. I know that it's part of your character. You somehow have to display this cool behavior in front of others. Seriously, I wonder if you've been forced to sign a contract to only show this smart-ass side of you. I guess you think it makes you the most mysterious ninja ever existed. Could it be a plan to conquer all the ladies' hearts out there?"
"You're babbling nonsense." He said, interrupting her.
"I was saying. You need to understand the context. Feel the mood. You might have noticed that not everyone in Konoha likes you." The twitch in his eyebrow was enough of a reply. "The two geezers, in particular, are not your number one fans. And, even though I usually follow the screw-what-others-think philosophy, your pending-trial situation requires caution. Most importantly, because even though I might be the one writing the final report on you and even though Rokudaime might be on your side, the council will surely want to have a say in the sentence."
Sasuke's face scrunched in disgust. "So you're saying I should kiss their asses until the trial and not say anything about a mission which is clearly a waste of time for both me and you?"
Asuka's left eye closed in a wink, as she simultaneously clicked her tongue and made the hand sign of a… a gun? Sasuke looked at the woman with his eyebrow raised.
"Exactly. Tell them how cool they are, how young they look, lubricate the stick up their asses until they like it and start smiling instead of perpetually scowling."
Asuka may not have been totally wrong.
"Besides, I have the feeling that we'll get quite a lot of missions like this one," Asuka said, opening the scroll she was given to check the details of their assignment. "Konoha will be fairly busy preparing for New Year's Festival, after all."
It was indeed a big celebration in the village, where people could wander through streets filled with food stands and entertain in various recreational activities with their friends and family, and then head to one of the temples in the village where the Hokage would celebrate the coming of the New Year.
"Why did you have to go away from the village?"
Sasuke and Asuka had retrieved the shipment at the gate, sealed the goods inside a scroll, and were now walking to their client's warehouse to deliver it. Asuka's brow quirked at the boy's question. "I thought you were not interested in my life," she retorted, smirking. Throughout the past month, he had cut her off with those very words every time she would talk about herself.
"You're an idiot, but you are Kakashi's partner."
Meaning, she couldn't be completely useless.
Sasuke's lapidary comment had exposed the boy's train of thoughts. Kakashi had been his teacher, his captain, and now was Hokage. And from what the man had told Asuka a couple of days before, after training together, Sasuke might have understood that Kakashi was still stronger than him. Not in terms of raw power, as Sasuke potentially was on the same level as Naruto, and thus a unique monster at that; however, what both boys still lacked was battle experience, sharp judgement and a certain ability to keep calm and collected during a fight. Combine all that with a superior intellect and out-of-the-ordinary strength and ninjutsu and you get Kakashi, the sum of all the good qualities a ninja should possess, which made him an almost perfect shinobi.
In Sasuke's mind, that meant that Kakashi's love interest could not be plain. Asuka needed to be somewhat special to have attracted the man's attention. From what he had grasped about her during the previous month, she was good at fighting, mostly taijutsu, and seemed to be proficient in sealing arts, however… she was not outstanding. If Sasuke had been in good condition, he would have beaten her without even breaking a sweat. So, why had someone like her grasped Kakashi's attention?
"That's not how romantic relationships work, you know. Maybe he likes me just because I'm utterly stunning and so good in bed," she replied, giggling.
"…" Sasuke kept walking forward, speeding up his steps and avoiding her eyes. A total idiot. That was what she was. "Forget I've even asked."
He heard Asuka's steps hasten until she was walking next to him. She decided to let go of the reasons why she and Kakashi were together – which were not the brat's business, anyway – and focused on his first question. "It's actually classified information, I can't speak about that. But… Let's just say I had to make a decision during a mission that turned out to be… problematic. Staying here would have been dangerous."
She hadn't told him anything, really. But at least, he had some clues. If the matter was confidential, it probably involved some kind of secret that, if revealed, could represent a potential danger to the village. Like the Nine-tails matter, that had been kept a secret to those born after the bijuu's attack, or… the Uchihas assassination. His stomach knotted. Don't think about that now.
"Does it have to do with the black chakra inside of you?" Sasuke had been tempted to use his powers to take a peek into the woman, like he had done when he had discovered the Kyuubi inside Naruto, but in his current condition, he was still too weak to do that.
"Yes," she said, confirming his thoughts. She could reveal him something about Amanozako. After all they were a – sort of – team now, and as Kakashi always said, teamwork is important. If they ever found themselves in a situation where they needed to fight, he might as well know what to expect from her and also see the spirit with his own eyes. But she could not give him a full explanation, not while they were walking through the village, not before asking the Hokage for permission. "Let's say that, in a sense, I'm like Naruto." She wouldn't say anything more about that. Sasuke was no stupid; she knew he would understand the meaning behind her statement.
The boy seemed satisfied with her answer, because he didn't talk anymore until their destination.
"Report."
"The mission went overall fine."
Kakashi raised a brow. "Overall?"
It was nothing that a simple clerk wouldn't have done; however, with ninja that could literally multiply themselves, the work that under normal circumstances would have taken a few days could be accomplished in less than a day.
"The client was very harsh on Sasuke, once he discovered who he was. He wanted to call for another team. He was very adamant about his opinion, also. Quoting his words, the last Uchiha is a fucking criminal who should have been put to death right after the war, I really don't know what the Hokage and all the fuckers working for him are waiting before sentencing him and finally putting an end to such a wicked clan."
"What did the Uchiha do?" Asuka turned her head to her right, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the elder man. The question might have been rightful, but the tone the geezer had used did not hide his assumption that Sasuke had reacted badly.
"Nothing, Homura-sama. Sasuke didn't say anything and kept calm. I tried to reason with the client about the bullshit he was saying – uhm, excuse my language – and in the end he just left us to ourselves to carry out the rest of the job."
She might have given off some killing intent, just to scare the man. Just a teeny tiny bit of killing intent. Just for fun. But she didn't need to report that. The man wouldn't say anything.
Kakashi sighed, his shoulders slumping with what seemed like disappointment. "Has Takuma-san brought that up again?" He wasn't surprised, at all. He knew about the open hostility towards Sasuke shown by some (a lot) of the villagers. One of the reasons for assigning him to such missions, in the Hokage's head, was to make civilians get acquainted with the boy and finally accept him. He guessed that would be a long feat.
"Yes, he reiterated his opinion before we left," Asuka looked briefly down to her left, then straight into the Hokage's eyes. "I might have told him that the Hokage and 'the fuckers working for him' do not need his money. I apologize for such a decision, but I just couldn't stand the thought of accepting money from someone who kept insulting y… Konoha's leader and the very shinobi system he has benefited from for his whole life, or talking shit about a 18-year-old boy who is struggling to adjust to his new life and get accepted. It's just… sickening. However, Hokage-sama, I renew my apologies for my act. You can deduct the sum from my payment from future missions."
Kakashi nodded. Of course, he would. The Council wouldn't let that pass; after all, Asuka did not have any authority to refuse payment from a client. Her job was to carry out the mission and get paid for it.
"You did well." That, Kakashi could tell her. He knew that entrusting Sasuke to her would be beneficial. It was not a matter of objectivity; since the beginning, he had known pretty well that Asuka's unbiased opinion, as he had sold it to the others, would last two weeks, at best. She was growing fond of the boy. But that was what Kakashi had hoped. Sasuke needed to be shown affection in order to heal and change.
"Are you going to let that be, Lord Hokage? That man disrespected your role as leader of the village."
Kakashi sighed at the old woman's remark. His eyes were still on Asuka, drinking in her presence. It was reinvigorating, after spending the whole day with the two elders.
"Yes, I am. Taking action against such a trivial matter would only increase his dislike towards us."
Asuka's lips scrunched slightly, as if trying to stifle a laugh, then she smirked. Kakashi observed her and his eyebrow quirked. She must have done something. Asuka always wanted to even out what she deemed were acts of injustice.
"What are your thoughts on the Uchiha, Asuka?"
The woman had been a close friend of her father. They had once been teammates under Tobirama Senju. Like the other old geezer at the other end of the table; they were no fools.
"He's slowly recovering from his weakened state, Koharu-sama. He's obedient and level-headed. He hasn't shown any signs of potential betrayal to the village. If anything, he's enjoying his friends' company. From what I've seen, he's also trying his best not to cause unnecessary drama with the villagers to avoid any kind of confrontation."
The woman's lips tightened, as she slowly nodded. "How is his relationship with the jinchuuriki?"
Don't snap. Don't snap. Don't snap.
"Naruto's the name, Koharu-sama. He's also the hero of the war. Please remember that when you refer to him."
Thank you, Kakashi.
"Sasuke and Naruto are like brothers. I strongly believe that their bond will be positive to them and beneficial to the whole village. Sasuke has people he wants to protect, now."
The old woman stared at Asuka for a while. "You truly are Hiruzen's daughter."
Asuka didn't really know how to react to that statement. It had been uttered in such a flat tone that the kunoichi did not know if it had been meant as a compliment or criticism. Whatever. She chose to feel proud. She bowed her head. "That's an honor for me to hear those words, Koharu-sama. My father's the person I look up to the most."
"Hiruzen was a great man, indeed," Homura said. "But remember that his peace-loving character made him weak towards potential threats. One, in particular, has been his downfall."
Asuka clenched her teeth so hard that her jaw hurt. She saw Kakashi open his mouth to reply, but she wouldn't keep quiet now.
"With all due respect, Homura-sama. My father's affection for Orochimaru might have been his own downfall, but Sasuke is not Orochimaru. He is just a broken teenager that has been exploited for his power."
"He was a criminal. He killed Danzo, and who knows how many other people, out of revenge."
"Homura-sama. How many people have you killed during your time as a shinobi? How many, Koharu-sama? Hatake-sama, here, was once praised for his ruthlessness in combat. I myself have killed more than once. Always for the sake of the village? Of course not. Sometimes, my motives were more futile than those that animated Sasuke. Let's face it. Our hands are as bloodied as Sasuke's. Possibly more. Still, I've been granted permission to come back. Hatake-sama's become Hokage. You have been members of the Council for longer than I've been alive. Everyone deserves a second chance. If that's something foolish for you, then I'm ok with being a fool."
Silence fell in the room. The elders were avoiding Asuka's eyes. Kakashi seemed relaxed. He leaned onto the backrest of his chair. "Come back tomorrow at nine for your next mission. You're dismissed."
She was convinced he would request her apology. Her eyes widened slightly before she bowed her head and swiftly left.
"I must admit I enjoyed your bitching with the elders, today."
Kakashi's fingers moved on Asuka's back, lazily tracing the contour of her shoulder blades, then slid along her spinal cord down to her coccyx and finally rested on her left butt-cheek, under the blankets. Asuka kissed his nipple, grazing it with her teeth, before replying. "They were bitching. I was stating the obvious."
He snorted ever so slightly. "I think you made a good impression on them. They might have hinted you could be a great catch."
Actually, their exact words had been 'She would make a nice wife, Hokage-sama,' but Kakashi wasn't going to say that. He was satisfied with how things were between them. Being married… although he couldn't deny it was something he desired, it would be moving too fast. Way too fast. Even though their relationship had developed way faster than any normal one. They had confessed their love for each other the day after meeting again, and he had proposed they lived together literally two days after she had come back to Konoha. But they had found their balance and were now content with what they had.
Asuka's lips were still planting kisses on the man's pectorals, and she hummed in amusement. "Glad to know that the 'most eligible bachelorette in Konoha' title is still mine." She raised her head to look playfully at her left hand. "However, I'm not missing the absence of a ring," she said, her eyes setting on Kakashi's face, confirming his previous thoughts. "I've never been into jewelry that much, either."
Things might change in the future; but for the moment, they were happy like that.
"Are you going to tell me what you did to Takuma-san or do I need to go there myself and take a look?" Kakashi asked, kissing Asuka's jawline. He had switched their positions and was now on top of her, languidly passing his tongue over her skin.
"Your idea of cuddling is definitely twisted, Kakashi. Why would you want to talk about that? His hot breath was tickling the skin of her neck, provoking goosebumps on her arms.
"I know you pulled some prank on him; I just want to be prepared in case he comes to complain." God, how he liked kissing the base of her neck, right where her clavicles began. Her breath hitched, while she intertwined her fingers through his hair, her other hand sliding down his body reaching for his manhood. Their cuddling was turning into foreplay for their second encounter that night.
When Kakashi raised his head to look at Asuka, he found her smirking mischievously. "Well, he might receive a visit from a totally harmless creature, tonight, reminding him of the importance of being nice towards other people. Have you ever read 'A Christmas Carol'?" The man had no idea what kind of book Asuka was talking about. What in the world was even a Christmas? "I hope your totally harmless creature is not Gashadokuro, or that fire-breathing chicken you summoned against Yamato," he replied, bringing his face near hers, their lips almost touching.
Asuka smirked when Kakashi's hips jerked forward, prompted by her stroking. "Don't worry. Just a playful kitsune. It won't do him any harm, just pull minor pranks." She put her arms around Kakashi's neck, making him lay on top of her. His weight on her body felt so nice. "Come on, he insulted Sasuke and you. Pranking him is the least I could do."
"Your willingness to defend the Hokage's name is touching, but somehow borderline creepy," he teased, smirking smugly. He ignored her glare and leaned down to kiss her deeply.
"These fabrics are so beautiful, Yukimura-san…"
The elderly tailor smiled warmly at Asuka, who was admiring the fabrics as she was instructed on where to put them away.
Rich, expensive cloths, refined silks, embroidered with golden threads, heavy fabrics decorated with intricate geometrical designs…
And Asuka would analyze each of them. Each fucking fabric. Sasuke was on the verge of freaking out. Their inventory would have taken half the time if not for that idiot. Also, each cloth spurred the old lady to tell a story about the clothes she had created, or the people who had bought a kimono made just for them out of that fabric… Sasuke just couldn't take it anymore. His instinct was to inadvertently set the whole place on fire.
He groaned loudly at the umpteenth comment on another piece of cloth which was exactly the same as the one they had inventoried just two minutes earlier.
"I think our young man here is a little impatient, Sarutobi-san," the lady said, smiling at Sasuke's frustrated expression.
Asuka glanced at him, then at the clock, and her eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't realize it was taking that much time!" She put her hands in a cross seal in front of her and summoned two shadow clones, then instructed them on what to do.
"You don't have to worry, shinobi-san, I like having someone willing to listen to her blabbing," the tailor said.
It took them a couple of hours to complete their task. By the end, Sasuke would have been able to name at least a dozen different shades of purple and dozens of fabric names he would never hear again.
"I made the ceremonial cloak of all the Hokage, you know? I was a little girl when Shodaime was appointed, but I was already very skilled. My father ran this small business, and his father before him. They moved from the capital to Konoha right after it was founded. We have a long history, you know?"
Asuka was literally drinking in the story of the old lady. "Really? Which Hokage cloak did you find most difficult to make?"
The woman put a finger on her chin, thinking about her answer. "I guess Yondaime-sama's. He wanted flames embroidered all along the lower hem of his cloak, and I made them with five differently colored threads! He was very modern in his taste. But I liked the classical choice of Sandaime best," she replied. "By the way, you share the same surname as Sandaime-sama. Were you closely related to him?"
"Yes. He was my father," Asuka replied, smiling. The woman looked surprised. "But… Sandaime's only daughter went missing all those years ago…" The kunoichi shrugged, a sheepish smile appearing on her face. "Yeah, that would be me. I've gotten back recently."
"Your father?" Sasuke inquired. Asuka rolled her eyes to the ceiling and sighed. "I cannot believe it, you really don't listen when I speak."
"Sandaime-sama was a great man. He did a lot for the village." The old lady sighed, then looked at Sasuke. "And the handsome young man we have here is Fugaku-san's son, I presume." Sasuke stood straighter at the mention of his father's name, and he suddenly grew uncomfortable. Was she going to insult him like the others? He had kept track, that past week. Nine missions in the village accomplished. A total of fourteen villagers encountered. Out of them, three openly insulted him. Five were clearly afraid of him. Four ignored him as if he didn't exist. Two seemed friendly. With the lady here, the last category would include a total of three non-hostile people.
"I used to make kimono for your whole family, you know?" She explained. "Your clan even had its own fabric." The woman moved to the right of the store, where they had put all the blue cloths, and produced a thick, dark-blue fabric. She offered it to Sasuke, who passed his hand on it. In a flash, he remembered that feeling. Him, a kid, grabbing his father's kimono during New Year's Festival, not to get lost in the crowd. His throat closed. Suddenly, his vision got sharper, as his mind kept replaying that same memory over and over.
Asuka's hand squeezing his shoulder brought him back to reality. He blinked, deactivating his Sharingan. She was looking at him, worried.
"Is everything okay, young man?" The old lady enquired. Sasuke nodded and looked down at the fabric he was still touching. "I'm really sorry for what happened to your clan, young man. Now it's up to you. Find a good girl and make lots of children, revive your name." Sasuke stared at the woman, dumbfounded.
"Say, do you already have a kimono for the Festival?" Both Asuka and Sasuke shook their heads. "If you want me to make them, I would gladly do so. I could also offer you a discount. I like you, after all." She didn't even give time to the two shinobi to reply, before she started imagining her creations.
"For the young lad here, of course, I'll use his clan's fabric, with the fan embroidering on the back. I'd keep the pants a simple gray. For the beautiful lady, considering her colors… I'd say either green or purple. I may just have the perfect silk…" She started rummaging through the fabrics. "Uhm, Yukimura-san… we just finished ordering them…" Asuka said, looking at their work quickly being ruined with a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. Suddenly, the old woman materialized next to her, measuring her height and arm length, then passing the measuring tape around her chest, waist and hip with a speed comparable to that of a ninja making hand seals.
"Yukimura-san, it's okay… I wasn't thinking about wearing a kimono," Asuka started. They were so expensive, especially those custom made by tailors. Her father had left behind quite a nice sum of money, but Asuka didn't want to use it for such frivolous things. She thought that it also belonged to both Konohamaru and Mirai, her brothers' legacy. She didn't feel like spending the money she had earned, and she didn't want to ask Kakashi, either. Moreover, kimono were so uncomfortable to move in. She had always felt constricted in her movements when wearing one as a kid.
Yukimura-san's expression was shocked. She couldn't believe that a person in their right mind would ever refuse to have a tailored kimono. And she even offered a discount. She started listing all the reasons why a woman like Asuka should definitely have one, and the kunoichi seemed to grow more and more frustrated and mortified with each reason, and her replies were less and less convincing.
"I want one," Sasuke said, interrupting the banter between the women. He had never sounded so determined to Asuka's ears. She turned her head towards him, incredulous.
Sasuke didn't have financial problems. His clan had been one of the wealthiest in Konoha. Regardless of what happened, his family's savings were enough to allow for a pretty decent life for possibly three Uchiha generations.
"I'll pay for hers, as well," Sasuke said, pointing his finger at Asuka. The woman snapped her head towards him. "No, you won't, thank you." He looked at her as if she were a cockroach. Why was she refusing? For once, he was offering to do something nice for another person! Asuka yanked his arm to pull him near her and whisper to his ear. "Idiot, I'm your supervisor. It could be considered bribing. If you want to buy a kimono to another person, consider either Sakura or Naruto."
Oh. Sasuke hadn't thought about that. Asuka was there to evaluate him, she had to be objective. "But thank you, anyway," she whispered, smiling.
"Asuka-chan, Kurenai-chan, you look stunning! Like a blossoming flower piercing through the snow, your youth brings warmth to my heart and soul! And the little Mirai-chan! A true miracle of youth!"
Asuka laughed at the man in the wheelchair who had greeted the women and baby as heartedly as ever. "Gai, you should seriously consider dedicating yourself to poetry. I really think you would be quite successful."
The man stroke his signature smile-and-thumb-up pose, thanking Asuka for 'thinking about his future.'
In the end, she had yielded. She had bought a kimono from Yukimura-san. To be fair, she was motivated not to, until she spoke with Kakashi. He had proposed to buy one for her, but at Asuka's refusal, he had not insisted. However, the man had looked genuinely disappointed in her decision. She had been tormented by feelings of guilt for two days. Maybe Kakashi had a romantic dream of the two of them at New Year's Festival, in kimono, strolling through the village holding hands? Certainly due to those crappy books he liked to read, for sure. But, even if that was the reason, who was she to deny him such a joy? In two days, she convinced herself that she needed a kimono, and had gone to Yukimura-san's shop to get one. The old woman had been so excited and immediately started working. Even though she had paid half the price, Asuka had not been able to stop herself from wincing, thinking about all the money she was spending on a single piece of clothing. I'll have to wear it for the next thirty years.
She hadn't told Kakashi about it, though. She wanted it to be a surprise. To prevent him from discovering the kimono, she had kept it at Kurenai's and had told him that the woman had requested they prepared together. After all, Kakashi would be needed for his Hokage duties and would only be free after midnight.
While Kurenai was helping her put on all those heavy layers of fabric, her initial thoughts had been confirmed, though. She was going to be so uncomfortable.
Asuka had arrived at the Festival with Kurenai and Mirai. They had bought some soba at a stall and were now wandering through the streets. Mirai was attracted to all the lights and decorations around her and giggled contently. When they met Gai, Asuka invited him to go to the temple with them, and offered to push his wheelchair.
They met quite a lot of people during their walk, and chatted happily with each one of them. Everybody was enjoying the festival. After the events of the past months, they all wanted to leave such a negative year behind and welcome the new year's with a smile.
"Asuka-nee!" She turned around and was met by a beaming Naruto, dressed in a black kimono. Next to him was a girl his age. "Asuka-nee, you're so beautiful! Are you going to the temple, too?"
The woman nodded. "Who is your friend, Naruto?" She asked, prompting him to introduce them. The boy blushed visibly. "Oh, yes! She's Hinata-chan! Hinata, meet my big sister Asuka!" The girl looked fairly embarrassed, but she smiled sweetly at Asuka. Wow, she was beautiful. Her electric blue kimono, embroidered with silver cranes, was probably worth Kakashi's apartment. Her porcelain skin was tinted pink in her cheeks and made her look like a doll. Her jet-black, long hair was up in a complicated hairdo, yet she seemed so simple and genuine. Even her byakugan, which Asuka had always found creepy, looked perfect in her face. "Nice to meet, you, Hinata-chan. I'm happy to finally be able to see you, Naruto always speaks dearly of you, and I'm grateful you are his friend." Oh, how she wanted to tease them. They were so cute. Hinata blushed furiously and looked down, stuttering. "He… he… Naruto-kun speaks dearly of you, too. I feel like I already know you, Asuka-san. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude!" She was so cute, the way she was squirming in embarrassment. Asuka would have rejoiced in teasing her and watching her white skin turn bright red, but she decided against it. She looked at Naruto and winked at him, pointing at the oblivious Hinata and making a very impressed face, then mimicking a kiss motion. The boy's face lit up and he visibly stiffened, while Asuka just laughed. Hilarious.
"So, where is your emo friend?" Asuka asked, deciding against continuing to tease Naruto. In response, he huffed. "Oh, you know him. He's probably sulking in a dark alley. He said he didn't want to see me tonight. 'Like I want to start a new year with you.' Bah, idiot," he mumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "As if I won't find him, anyway." Asuka hummed. "What about Sakura?" Naruto looked upwards in thought. "She said she was seeing Ino and that we would catch up at the temple, later tonight. Why that smirk?"
Asuka pointed at Ino passing by between Shikamaru and Choji. She was laughing and talking, while the Nara boy looked bored and Choji was happily enjoying takoyaki. Naruto looked confused. "Why would Sakura tell a lie?" he asked. Asuka started giggling, and also Hinata looked amused. "Seems like both Sasuke and Sakura are missing," she said, quietly. Naruto eyed her. "You're saying that… no way!" He exclaimed. Those bastards! They could have told him they wanted to stay alone! After all, he had finally had the guts to ask Hinata to accompany him to the temple, it was not like he wanted to be their third wheel! Oh, they'll hear me.
"Do you want to come to the temple with us, Asuka-san?" The woman looked at Naruto, beside Hinata. He was shaking his head, trying not to be noticed by the girl. Please, Asuka-nee! The woman smirked. Even though she would have loved to stay with the kids and tease them to no end, she also wanted Naruto to enjoy his date. Even though it seemed he hadn't informed Hinata on the fact that it was a date.
"Nah, thanks. You young ones should enjoy each other's company without old people meddling. I'll see you later!" She giggled at the silent thank you Naruto had mouthed, and turned around to join Gai, who was harassing a girl with two buns on the top of her head. He introduced her as his youthful student, and Asuka accepted her silent plead to bring her mad teacher away from her. He was probably scaring the hell out of her date.
"Let's go, Gai. I know you don't want to lose your Rival's speech," she said, spinning his wheelchair. She was sure the chump would have easily taken the bait. Mentioning Kakashi always had that effect on him. "Of course, Asuka-chan! I couldn't miss it for anything in the world! I also took the liberty to correct my Rival's speech and add some catch phrases that would undoubtedly stir the youth inside every villager!" Asuka stifled a laugh. The day before, Kakashi had told her that Gai had broken into his office during the night. When he had arrived, he had found an envelope on his desk addressed to My Eternal Rival. When he had opened it and taken a look at its content, he had immediately thrashed it.
"You know, Gai, I think you have done a very good job at keeping Kakashi on the right track for all these years. You truly are a great friend." Asuka firmly believed in her words. Even if Kakashi would never admit that, he cared for Gai just like he would for his own brother. He had always been there for him. Asuka couldn't help squeezing his shoulder. A smile spread upon her face when Gai squeezed back her hand. "He is my greatest friend. I would do anything for him." Even though their bromance might have looked creepy, Asuka was glad of that one bond Kakashi and Gai shared.
"But really, Asuka-chan, I don't think I've ever seen him as happy as he's been since your return. I feel like I should be the one thanking you. You truly are the apple of his eye." Asuka giggled at that sentence, and bent down to plant a small kiss on Gai's showed what he believed was a smug grin. "Asuka-chan, I know that compared to my Rival, my looks are irresistible, but I'm afraid I cannot accept your love!" Gai felt a tiny bit of disappointment at Asuka's snorting. She playfully put a hand on her chest and feigned sadness. "Rejection is so overwhelming," she dramatically said.
"There you are! Sorry, but Mirai wanted to see the temple," Kurenai said, approaching them, her baby squirming happily in her arms. They had reached the Hida neighborhood and were now in the square in front of the temple. At midnight, Kakashi would give his speech, then the bell would peal for 108 times, to purify the villagers from the negative earthly desires and feelings.
A queue had started forming with all the people patiently waiting to ring the bell. Some low-rank priests were asking visitors if they wanted to take part in the ceremony; as it was to be expected, Gai happily accepted and was given number 47. In the meanwhile, the Hokage had stepped onto to the wooden stage, along with the elders and Tsunade. He walked to the microphone stand and cleared his throat. The crowd fell silent. Asuka looked at Kakashi, donning his ceremonial robe. It was an open cloak similar to Yondaime's, which made his gray kimono visible underneath. Even though his posture gave off confidence, she knew he was uneasy: he was not used to having so much attention on himself, and he had never liked to be so out in the open. He always showed only his eyes and covered the rest of his body, after all.
Kakashi's speech was brief yet effective. He started talking about how Konoha would still need time but would grow back stronger than before. He then invited all of the villagers to always remember what happened during the war, to avoid making the same mistakes that had led to hatred and sorrow, but at the same time he encouraged everyone to do their best and work hard to change whatever injustice still was present. He finally emphasized the importance of co-operation and acceptance between civilians and shinobi. His speech ended with a heartfelt applause, and Kakashi proceeded to ring the bell of the temple for the first time, officially starting the joya no kane ritual.
"He didn't mention any of my suggestions," Gai lamented, sulking beside Asuka. She looked the other way to prevent him from noticing her smirk. "Don't take it to heart," she said, trying to console him, "I'm sure that speech was the one approved by the elders. I bet Kakashi was willing to use some of your words." Gai nodded, satisfied with her reply. "Yeah, you must be right. There's no way Kakashi wouldn't approve of my youth speech." He then joined the line of people wanting to peal the bell. Asuka refused his invitation to join him and instead started roaming the neighborhood, stopping at stalls that caught her attention. Kurenai had decided to leave when Mirai had fallen asleep, so Asuka was alone. She headed to a stall selling amazake, a hot drink especially prepared for the Festival, and asked for a cup.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar silver mane approach. "Can I have another one?" She asked to the vendor, pointing at the cup of hot fermented rice drink and handing him some more ryo. She thanked him and took the cups, then turned to her left, handing one out for Kakashi to take. He accepted the drink and clinked their cups together. "Happy New Year," she said, smiling.
The man smiled back, never leaving his eyes from Asuka. "Hey, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" He chuckled, lowering his eyes to look at the liquid in the cup. He did not like amazake that much, it was too sweet for his taste, but he wouldn't complain. He shook his head when Asuka asked him if he had eaten, then followed her to a soba stall, where she bought two portions. "I already had one with Kurenai a couple of hours ago, but it's just so good!" She exclaimed.
They reached a quiet park inside the Hida neighborhood where they could eat undisturbed. Kakashi still hadn't spoken.
"Seriously, Kakashi, is something wrong?" Asuka was starting to worry, and she couldn't deny feeling somewhat disappointed in the man's non-reaction to her presence and her appearance in a kimono. Had she misinterpreted his disappointment, back then?
Kakashi shook his head. "It's just…" he was seemingly struggling to find the right words, "I didn't expect you to show up like this." He cast her a glance and met her questioning gaze. He took in her appearance once more. She was donning a peacock green kimono with golden, geometrical designs. The fabric along the hems was shiny. The obi around her waist was golden and light green, with a thin rope belt over it that closed in an intricate bow on the front. Her shoulders were covered by a golden cloak lined with fur along the collar. Her hair was tied in a bun and fixed with two hair sticks decorated with green gems. A thin eyeliner line was the only make-up she was sporting, but the cold air had colored her cheeks pink.
"You look like a goddess, and I feel overwhelmed," he concluded, turning his head away from embarrassment. He looked at her once more when he heard a snort followed by a fit of cough; he patted her back to help Asuka with her choking problem. She was seemingly laughing and crying at the same time, and a wheezing sound was heard as she was trying to catch her breath. When she recomposed herself, Asuka used the back of her hand to wipe some saliva from the corner of her mouth and looked gravely at Kakashi. "Your comment has earned you a looong list of insults from Amanozako and almost made me choke to death. Please do not compare me to a deity anymore unless you want the both of us dead," she said, playfully smirking by the end of her speech. "I thought for the first time I could successfully have soba noodles exit from my nose," she mumbled.
Kakashi laughed, his uneasiness dissolved. He passed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards him, kissing her temple. "Seriously, though, you're gorgeous. I didn't expect you to come in a kimono, after what you told me."
Asuka shrugged. "In the end I decided to buy one. But I stick to my first words here: so much money for such uncomfortable clothes is pure madness."
They chatted some more before they heard a loud sound echoing through the village. Asuka was immediately on her feet, ready to fight. Kakashi sighed heavily.
"Don't worry. This happens every year. Gai's turn to ring the bell, and he decides to ruin everyone's hearing. That irrecoverable idiot."
He chuckled at Asuka's dumbfounded look, then stood up. "Let's go back to the main square and check everything's alright."
"Hokage-sama!"
Kakashi nodded at Homura who had called him, and turned towards Asuka. "Seems like I'm requested." He resisted the urge to tuck a strand of Asuka's hair that had fallen out of place behind her ear and sighed. "Hatsuhinode at the Hokage Monument?" He asked, instead, and enjoyed the smile spreading on the woman's face. "As always."
Kakashi's breath was caught in his throat. He was expecting – willing – to be alone. It was so late at night, and everyone in Konoha had supposedly already gone to bed.
That year, the festival had been toned down. It was a little more than two months after the Kyuubi attack, after all, and Konoha was still mourning its losses. Kakashi was especially grieving for his teacher, Minato, and his wife. After all that had happened to him in the past years, they had always stood tall among the turmoil, always ready to help him out. And yet, they were gone.
He contemplated going away. The girl didn't seem to have noticed him. He recognized her, Sandaime's daughter. He hadn't seen her in months; after all that had happened, he had thrown himself head-first into his job, accepting mission after mission not to think about anything else, staying in Konoha long enough to rest and then heading out again. He had never thought about the girl during that time, even if the last time they had spoken, he had felt good- No, maybe that was too big a word. He had felt… not as desperate as he always was.
"You can stay, if you want." Her voice reached his ears just as she turned lightly, as if to confirm his identity. He moved forward and sat next to her, keeping some distance between them. She was dressed in what seemed like a miko attire, with light blue hakama trousers and a white kimono robe. "I was helping out at the temple, but I didn't feel like going home," she explained, still looking at the village in front of them. She then looked at him and noticed his clothing. He was in his anbu uniform, but had his mask on the side of his head. He had been probably patrolling around the village during the festival as part of the security guards.
Asuka reached for the box to her right and put it on the ground next to Kakashi. "My sister-in-law made onigiri."
Kakashi didn't move. "I'm not hungry," he said.
They sat in silence until sunrise, each lost in their own thoughts. When the valley in front of them started coloring pink and the first rays of the sun started lighting the village, Kakashi heard Asuka sigh. He glanced at her and saw she was smiling.
"I'll do it. I'll do my best, give my all. I don't want to see all those people suffer anymore. I promise."
He didn't know if her words had been addressed to him, but he didn't think so. It was as if she was simply expressing her resolve, regardless of who was present. After that, Asuka stood up and left.
He looked at the sunrise, pink was giving place to blue. He lifted his forehead protector and opened Obito's sharingan, scanning the area in front of him. He searched inside himself, but he just couldn't find the same resolve as the girl's. He couldn't find anything. He placed his hands on the ground to stand up, but his fingers brushed against something. The box with the onigiri was still there. He looked behind him but Sandaime's daughter had already left. He grabbed it and headed towards the village.
After that first time and for the three following years before her leaving Konoha, they had always met on top of the Hokage monument to wait for the sunrise on New Year's Day.
As Kakashi approached, he could hear Asuka's voice. She was speaking with… The voice seemed familiar, yet he couldn't pinpoint it exactly.
"Oh, hello, Tano-san. Long time no see."
Asuka's summon startled a little at the man's appearance.
"Hello, Kakashi. Oh," it exclaimed, uncertain, then bowed respectfully. "Pardon my rudeness. Congratulations on becoming Hokage, Kakashi-sama."
Asuka gently petted the tanuki's fur. "Don't worry, Tano-san. He's still the same brat as when you met him," she teased, looking playfully at the man.
He chuckled. "She's right," he confirmed.
Kakashi sat down close to Asuka, on top of Shodaime's head. She had her legs outstretched and her hands behind her supporting her weight. Tano laid down on the ground between them, and the trio chatted amiably for a while.
"Well, I guess it's time for me to go and leave you two lovebirds alone," the Tanuki said, after some time. "Happy New Year," he wished, then disappeared.
Kakashi slid closer to Asuka, their shoulders touching. As always, they stayed there in comfortable silence for quite some time, immersed in their thoughts.
"Did you celebrate New Year's in the Western Continent?"
Asuka sighed, thinking back to her past years. "Yes, but it was very different. At midnight, fireworks would be lit all through the city, and people would go down into the streets to drink and party. Then, usually, they would go to a club and dance till morning. It is much more chaotic and less spiritual than here. Like all the rest, after all."
She paused for a brief moment. "You know, they all live this frantic life, they're always running. But nobody can tell where they are heading, exactly. They are all so immersed in themselves that they wouldn't notice if a person beside them on the street falls down."
"Nonetheless, I was lucky to find some people that cared for me and helped me out." She told him about Nina, Silvia and Marco. "Do you miss them?" Kakashi asked. "To be honest, I told them so much bullshit about myself, that I don't think they really knew me." Only to Nina had she revealed the truth about her identity. "I think our visions of the world could be hardly compatible. But apart from that, I do miss them. They were my friends, after all." She then turned and looked at Kakashi in the eye. "However, I wouldn't hesitate to leave them again and again to come back here. This is where I belong," Asuka said, kissing the palm of Kakashi's hand that was stroking her cheek.
Just as she was leaning forward to kiss Kakashi, a stinging feeling spread on her left forearm, and she flinched. She folded back the sleeve of her kimono and took off her arm warmer.
The ideogram for 'trespass' was glowing green on her forearm. That meant someone other than Sasuke had entered his house. She placed two fingers on the character, feeling the chakra of the intruder. "It feels familiar, but I can't pinpoint exactly who it is," she said. "Maybe we should go and check if everything's alright."
Kakashi gently grabbed her wrist. "An anbu would have already found me if someone had broken in uninvited," he said. He had given that same order to the team he had assigned Sasuke's surveillance to. His fingers took the place of Asuka's fingers on her wrist, and he concentrated on the chakra trace emanating from the seal. He scoffed, immediately recognizing who that belonged to.
"It's Sakura."
Asuka couldn't help a giggle from escaping her mouth. "That scoundrel. Acting as if he wasn't just a horny teenager like the rest and then inviting a girl home in the middle of the night." She then looked playfully at Kakashi. "Do you think they'll fuck?"
The man shook his head, trying to erase the thought of his two students making out. He flicked Asuka's forehead. "Please, don't say something so gross. I still see them as twelve-year-old children." She snorted. "Oh, pardon my language. Do you think they'll make love? Join their bodies in a carnal experience?"
"Idiot," he said, chuckling. "I don't think so. Not sex, at least. I'd say a kiss. Only one. Then either Sakura would faint or Sasuke would run away."
Asuka looked disappointed. "Are you sure? That's not fun. I was hoping I could tease Sasuke, the day after tomorrow."
"Quite sure," he replied. She put on her arm-warmer back and then looked at the village, resting her head on her hand. "Boring children," she complained.
She then tried to shift her position but let out an exasperated sigh. "Such uncomfortable clothes," she said. "Can you believe I've been in this very position since I got here? I can't even cross my legs, and my back's hurting. At least I hope the view's worth the discomfort," she said, looking at Kakashi. He laughed and slid behind Asuka, making her back rest on his chest, his legs opened and bent so that she could put her hands on his knees. She took off her hair sticks to avoid inadvertently poking Kakashi's brand new left eye out, slid her fur cloak to the front and covered her legs. She then turned her head and gently nuzzled his cheek, feeling the soft fabric of his mask against her skin. He circled his arms around her waist and lowered his head, planting a masked kiss onto her neck. "The view was very much appreciated," he confirmed.
They stayed there for quite some time, looking at the village. It had gotten darker, which meant that dawn would not take long to come.
"Hey," Asuka asked. "How many people in Konoha do you think are having sex right now?" She felt his chest rumbling with mirth. "I hope, everyone who has a chance. It's a joyful night, after all."
She was expecting to feel Kakashi's lips on her, but she shivered at the sensation, nonetheless. He kissed her neck ever so slowly, almost lazily, not neglecting even a sliver of skin. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, giving into that satisfying feeling. When she spoke, her voice came out more labored than she thought. "What time do you have to be at your office?"
He took his time to kiss her neck again and take her earlobe in his mouth, grazing it with his teeth and then sucking slowly, feeling a little proud at the shallow gasps he was eliciting from the woman. "In the afternoon," he replied, his lips slowly moving along her jaw. Asuka turned her head and felt Kakashi's hot breath on her lips, their noses and foreheads touching. "Good," she whispered, before closing the distance between their mouths.
They kissed slowly, deeply, passionately, as if they had all the time in the world. She didn't know how much time had passed, but when Kakashi parted, she could see him better. The sun had begun to rise. He gave her a peck on the lips before pulling his mask back up. She felt her lips swollen and her tongue almost tired. It was as if they had reverted to teenagers, when they would make out for hours.
She turned towards the village and admired the sky turning pink, and sighed in amazement. "So beautiful," Kakashi whispered to her ear, tightening his grip around her waist. Then, as she was used to, she thought about her vows for the year to come.
"I'll make up for my absence. I'll protect this place, my home. Every villager." She grabbed Kakashi's hand and squeezed it. "I won't leave Konoha again. I'll stay by your side and support you. Always."
Kakashi's head rested on Asuka's shoulder as he hugged her tightly. The truth was that he was afraid. Terrified, even. He feared that he might lose her once again. That seemed to be his destiny, after all. But her determination made him believe there could be a bright future for them. He would work hard, too. Give his best to make Konoha a safe and peaceful place, where no-one would ever have to live what he had gone through, what Naruto and Sasuke had experienced.
"Hey," Asuka said, tilting her head and resting it on top of Kakashi's, while her fingers ran through his hair, "Why don't we go home, take off these uncomfortable clothes and honor the New Year with some good, old, mind-blowing sex?"
In a second, Kakashi was standing and helping Asuka get on her feet. "Mind-blowing, uh?" he said, smug amusement evident in his eyes. She pulled his head to her level, tugged his mask down and pecked him on the lips. "With you it's always like that." Kakashi chuckled. "I guess someone's just earned the right to be pampered." That said, he started jumping to his home, Asuka happily laughing in his arms.