I know this story is a bit of a slow-burn... but that's all the fun, right? I've been rewatching Naruto these days- and honestly, coming home from a desk job and then watching that show after dinner makes my life feel so LIT. I'm not even kidding, my birthday is in six days and my only plans are to drink beer and watch Naruto all night because I'm on holiday starting the day after my bday. Whoop. So excited.
Anyway, enjoy!
In the evening following Kakashi's departure, Michiko has changed into a neat, dark outfit and prepares to visit her uncle for dinner. Securing the windows shut and locking the terrace door, she peers out at the dark shadows passing over Hokage Rock as the sun begins its descent.
The sky is a lovely shade of pink, white stars dotted across with not a cloud in sight.
"Off we go." She whispers to herself. She pulls on her haori and ties a dark maroon sash around her waist, wearing her clan colours for the first time since her return. The Sarutobi mark is emblazoned on it's back, and she has half a mind to rip the Uchiha fan off the wall.
I'm just being extra touchy. I should give him some time.
(But to her, a decision made under reason doesn't hold the same ingenuity as one made under duress.)
Stepping out into the street, a gust of dry, cool air welcomes her to the outdoors.
It's so nice outside. Michiko decides to walk a long route, her uncle won't be home for dinner until well past 8 o'clock. She has two hours.
Meandering down her neighbourhood, she cuts through to a small lane behind her apartment building that leads to a pedestrian bridge, hidden from the main road behind a small grocery store. It is surrounded on both sides by thick, flowering bushes and is known mostly to the residents. It crosses over two streets and allows a partial view of Hokage Rock in places where the twining branches and leaves make room.
Michiko takes a deep breath as she enters the walkway, pausing as she spots a tall figure peering through the bushes down at the street. She squints her eyes and clenches her fists, until the person turns to peer at her and chuckles.
"Ah, Michiko." The man sounds embarrassed, "How unusual to run into you here."
"Kakashi?" Michiko takes a few steps closer, until the light catches his silvery hair, and she laughs. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing." He hums, taking a step towards her as she moves to catch up with him, "This is a short-cut between my street and yours, Asuma told me about it earlier so I came back to explore."
"Oh…" Michiko shifts her haori a little, her shoulders bumping with his, "So you don't have much planned for tonight then?"
"Nope. Tomorrow is a day off, I have a nice book to read at home and I haven't been out in the streets with nowhere to go for ages."
"Ah, the ideal life for a busy man."
They lapse into silence as they walk through the bridge, and Michiko is glad to be out into the open again. The sky is now a deep indigo, the stars matching the silver of her companion's hair. A light breeze tussles past them, jostling their clothes, flowing through the material and cooling their bodies.
As they approach the exit, their hands brush briefly as if both were trying to avoid the contact. Michiko clears her throat.
"I'm headed that way." Kakashi points to the left, out towards the Ninja War memorial. Michiko knows the direction well, and nods, glad to break the silence.
"See you, taichou."
She watches him go, his hands in his pockets, the green flak jacket gone revealing a relaxed set of shoulders and a lanky gait that is often concealed by the precise tenseness of being out on the field.
Michiko takes a deep breath and catches his scent on the air; it is crisp and wispy like coffee and cologne and cigarette smoke mixed together.
How unusual. Michiko didn't think Kakashi smoked.
As his form disappears down the steep road, she begins her descent in the opposite direction. Steps have been carved into the hill here, and zigzag through the hill almost dizzyingly.
I wonder…
She trails off in thought, eyes on the ground as she takes a stride for each wide step.
Are Shisui and I really done?
The confrontation was definitely ugly. More than ugly, she had never expected him to react to her so harshly.
'What were you thinking? That you could just pick up your katana and become Anbu again? Have you seen how powerless you are?'
His words ring harshly in her memory, and her eyes feel bleary. She wipes her eyes with the back of a hand.
'Every time I look at you, I think of how much I've failed as a shinobi.'
She tries to stop her mind from tumbling down into that dark, cold place that Shisui has dug up- one full of self-doubt and crippling criticism. Her mother's harsh parenting, no doubt something she brought with her from Kirigakure, was the first to lay the foundations of this dark space.
Michiko halts, turns to look out at the lit-up street below; another clandestine neighbourhood of Konoha where the Nara's can be found, and takes a slow calculated breath. As she exhales, she imagines herself releasing everything she feels: her anger towards Shisui, the resentment ingrained in her towards herself, her affection for her uncle, the alienation she feels in her own village, the appreciation of Team Ro.
So be it. If Shisui doesn't understand me now, he will later.
Feeling content and at ease, she continues her walk into the neighbourhood and carries on through it. Some of the Nara watch her, unable to recognise her until they spot the back of her haori, others are more familiar with her as she frequently uses this shortcut during the day and wave.
Michiko smiles, feeling lighter after a very heavy day.
"Oji-sama, are you here?" Michiko calls at the door to the Hokage's office She doesn't mean to stop by, but the lights are on so she decides she might as well walk home with him.
There are voices on the other side, one is her distinctly her uncle's and the other is Shisui's.
Curious, Michiko wishes she had kept her presence quiet so she could eavesdrop. The door opens gently, and Shisui stands there looking unsurprised to see her. Something about him seems different.
He gives her a half-smile that breaks her heart, "Hey."
"Hi." She manages, feeling her throat constrict.
He closes the door behind her, providing an explanation before she can protest, "He wants you to wait outside. Maybe we can talk?"
"Um…" Glancing between the hallway and Shisui, Michiko shrugs, "Sure."
They walk in awkward silence until they are by the staircase. No one else is in the building, but Michiko is sure some Anbu shinobi are hiding around the place.
"I'm sorry about what I said to you." Shisui says abruptly. His face reddens and in the blue light of the office building, he looks almost purple. Michiko blinks at him, formulating a mature response unlike their yelling match the previous night.
"I don't know whether you have something going on." Michiko explains gently, keeping her turbulent emotions at bay and trying to mimic Kakashi's soothing manner, "I'm here if you want someone to talk to, but I would really like it if you could try and understand where I am coming from."
Shisui's expression fluctuates between guilty and ashamed, his eyebrows creasing together until he looks like a worried child, "I was an asshole. I'm so sorry."
"Yes, you were." She quips, hands on her hips, "I don't think I'm ready to forgive you until you and I are communicating openly again. There's something going on with you that you're not sharing with me."
"Michiko, I'll talk to you about it when I'm ready." He says halfheartedly, looking away from her at the hall behind her, "I'm ashamed of all the things I said to you. You don't deserve to hear any of that. I… I'm not sure I understand your position yet fully, but I will try to."
'It's only because I'm so terrified of losing you.' He thinks, but never voices this thought.
"Okay. Whenever you're ready, we can have this conversation, but right now I don't want to think about any of it; not you, not what happened to me, nothing. I really just want to have dinner with Oji-sama and enjoy it."
Shisui nods, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"Alright Michiko. I'll be on my way then…" He moves to walk past her, briefly pausing to look back at her only to catch her watching him over her shoulder, looking very sad.
"I'll see you." She says softly. Nodding once in acknowledgment, Shisui disappears.
"Wow. Never thought I'd see the day where you give him the cold shoulder." Hiruzen's voice barks from the top of the stairs. He is peering down at her, grinning, "What did the boy do?"
"Oji-sama!" Michiko is startled to find him eavesdropping, "It's nothing, we'll get over it."
"Hmmmm…" Hiruzen hums loudly, thoughtfully, "Could this have something to do with you probing me about Jiraiya?"
Michiko gives him a look that confirms his thoughts and he nods, suddenly grim.
"Come, lets get ourselves home. I wonder what's for dinner today."
"Shouldn't you know what's being made at home?" Michiko teases, "You're such a bougie old man, you know?"
"Of course!" He responds in a mock-posh voice, "Don't forget who I am, girl!"
"How could I forget? You never let me!"
Sitting at the table across from her uncle, Michiko takes a sip of her water as they wait for food to be brought to the table. Suddenly, her curiosity stirs, remembering that her uncle is a resource of information when he's in a good mood.
"Oji-sama," She begins, resting an elbow on the table as she leans to the side, "What kind of clan were the Hatake clan?"
"Hmm." He takes a puff of his pipe, eyes closed as he thinks, "A very ancient one, for starters." He opens one eye and examines Michiko, wondering why she is asking him about them.
"For one, Hashirama-sama's mother was a Hatake," He hums, silently adding "...so was mine."
"Really? Our grandmother was a Hatake?!"
"Oh yes, she was very lovely with her white hair and pale skin." He seems to remember that Michiko was not born in his lifetime, "Not that you would remember!"
"Does that mean we're related to Kakashi?" She asks, her eyes pupils dilated and wide, like a child's. Hiruzen is amused, not too sure if she should hear his answer.
"No, not particularly close family at least." It's a tiny bit untrue- Hiruzen can chart the relationship between Sakumo's father and his mother, but he decides not to.
"They must have been like the Uzumaki then." Michiko voices, thinking of Uzumaki Mito, "They're an ancient clan too, right?"
"Yes, but the Hatake were less troublesome." He muses, "They were affluent during the clan-wars. In fact, just south of here if you head towards Grass Country, there's an old port city that used to be called Port Hatake. It was established and administered entirely by their clan for almost 60 years, they owned the surrounding lands too."
"What? No way, that's cool…" With her interest piqued, she wonders how far their influence stretched, Hiruzen immediately supplies, recalling his history because he has lived through most of that era.
"They were the first to bring several clans together in the name of commerce- the Nara were one of the first to stock their herbs and medicines there. People used to flock from everywhere to buy medicines in bulk." He took another long puff of his pipe, eyes crinkling as he half-smiled, "Their port town was good for business, people brought in goods from the Mist lands too, as it was called back then."
"Mist lands?"
"Kirigakure and surrounding areas." He answered. "The Hatake had a very…rudimentary police force to make sure everything was in order- really they just used their noses to sniff out all kinds of things."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"A bit like the Inazuka and their dogs, the Hatake clan have always been closely linked to dogs- except they aren't just summons and companions, the clan members have certain…how do I put it…" He trails off, just as Michiko tries to guess what he is about to say, "They have dog-like traits."
Both niece and uncle chuckle, then Hiruzen explains; "They have strong noses, a great sense of direction almost like a sixth sense, strong pack instincts. You get the gist, right?"
"Mhmm." Michiko nods, "That's an amazing history, how come the clan is literally reduced to just Kakashi?"
"Well…the only clans that have continuously existed since conception are the Senju and Uchiha- but now there are no carriers of the Senju name." Hiruzen looks thoughtful, "The Uchiha are going strong because of their strict rules and…prowess." Michiko pulls a face at the awkward sexual joke, which Hiruzen chuckles to himself about, "Even us, the Sarutobi. How many of us are there?"
"We're still an odd 20 people." Michiko supplies.
"Yes, but now it's you and Asuma continuing as shinobis. The others?" He scoffs, "This clan too will shrink to the odd few people."
He pauses to blow a ring of smoke towards his niece, she bats it away.
"The Hatake did not procreate in the numbers they should have… Cases like Sakumo were unfortunately common in my generation of Hatakes."
"Really?" Michiko is shocked to hear this.
"Yes. I suppose the genetic disposition towards depression and the fact that they either stayed in Port Hatake or married into other families further dispersed them- That's another big thing! The Uchiha have rarely ever married outside the clan." He nods to himself, "And they have always had bigger families, and supported one another. The Hatake clan crumbled, they spread out too much, died too much and didn't pass on their genes."
"Is Kakashi…the last Hatake?"
"In Konoha?" He eyes the door as their food is brought in. The room smells of deliciously tangy Teriyaki, "Yes."
"The last Hatake in Konoha." Michiko mumbles, musing to herself. Unfortunately for her, Hiruzen overhears and chortles,
"Sounds like the title of one of those terrible romance novels Jiraiya writes."
Michiko throws her head back and laughs, "He loves reading those you know." She sniffs, licking her lips as a plate is set down before her. Then, there is a knock on the door, and Hiruzen and her both glance towards it quizzically.
"Were you expecting someone?" Michiko asks, as the maid retreats into the kitchen. Hiruzen is quiet, and she can't tell if he's waiting or contemplating.
The door opens, and a large man ducks in carefully through the door, his broad frame managing with the kind of ease one has after years of squiggling through too many narrow doorways.
"And the devil appears!" The man exclaims, laughing loudly with his hands on his waist. Red markings adorn his face, and something about his obnoxious disposition makes Michiko shrink shyly in her seat- her usual reaction to loud, imposing people.
"Jiraiya!" Hiruzen slaps a hand on the table, joyfully.
Wow, it is suddenly so loud in here.
Michiko has very rarely seen her uncle so animated; this is what Asuma and her call his 'Jiraiya-face'. He is smiling, and his arms are thrown in a wide gesture, "Welcome home, my boy!"
The two of them laugh together, leaving Michiko to watch silently.
"Hello, Jiraiya." She greets politely, bowing her head, although he doesn't seem to notice.
Hiruzen pulls out a chair beside him, "Come, sit." Then he is yelling loudly for the maid to fetch another set of plate and chopsticks. Michiko pushes her food around her plate, as the large man lowers himself into his seat.
"Ah, sensei. How are you?" Now that they are level, their happy expressions fade into something more mournful, and Michiko wonders if Jiraiya was at her aunt's funeral.
"I am…fine. Doing okay now. Michiko is alive and well, it would be selfish of me to not be grateful."
Both men seem to wallow in a deep emotion, and her uncle's words affect her too. She feels herself quiver from an emotion she likes to keep concealed. At the mention of her name, Jiraiya turns his attention to her for the first time since he has entered.
"Ko-chan," He says affectionately, "It is truly good to see you."
Michiko flushes from the use of the nickname. Jiraiya has always been like family, like some older older brother. He was the one to coin the name, and her family had picked up on it pretty quick.
"Likewise, Jiraiya. How are you?"
"Good! Just exhausted, I couldn't wait to get back here, so I did some extra mileage." He grins, and his friendly demeanor is so overpowering that Michiko has no choice but to feel embarrassed by the warmth he exudes.
Nevertheless, Jiraiya looks worn out and a little…sad.
"Did your niece tell you about the phone-call?" Jiraiya wastes no time in dropping the bomb but Hiruzen has no qualms, he looks to her with raised eyebrows, a little alarmed but he is not angry or offended.
"I knew she wanted to know your whereabouts, but nothing else. What's this Ko-chan?" He shakes his head at her, urging her to supply an answer as he spoons some food into Jiraiya's newly arrived plate.
"Ah…After that thing with Team Ro, I called Jiraiya-sama." Michiko is visibly embarrassed- she doesn't want to bring up anyone's name at the table.
"Team Ro? What about them? I know you had a fight with Shisui… but now you want to leave Konoha?" Hiruzen sounds confused and Michiko pinkens further, her dark cheeks dusted visibly.
"No, no. Not in that order." She corrects, "I want to leave, so I had an argument with Shisui. Then something happened with Team Ro and I decided finally to give Ji-san a call."
Curious as always, Jiraiya cuts in with his own questions "Shisui?"
Looking at her and then to her uncle as Hiruzen purses his lips and rolls his eyes at his student, communicating the relation. Jiraiya is quick to catch on, "Oh you mean, the Uchiha Shisui? That's who you're dumping?"
"I'm not!" She says defensively, and then shakes her head with a laugh, "He just didn't take my decision well. I want to leave Konoha so you can help me." She looks to Jiraiya with hopeful eyes, "You know the most about my kekkei-genkai, you knew mama. You're the only person that can help me."
Jiraiya quietens, thoughtfully looking at the younger girl.
He helped track her down in Orochimaru's den, and was shocked at the state she had been recovered in. He has kept abreast of her progress, but he knows there has been a huge lapse in her physical abilities since she has been back.
"Will you?" She asks again, looking tense and hesitant.
"Michiko," Jiraiya begins, his gaze gentle as ever, "Of course I will."
Kakashi is standing at the memorial stone, lit by a single lamppost that paints a bright white halo around him, and throws oblong shadows across the dark grass. He exhales deeply, thinking of the two people he has so deeply treasured.
'I was always too late, wasn't I?'
His mask is pulled down halfway, revealing one shut eye. The breeze tousles his hair. There is a slight chill and the scent of pine is particularly strong as the wind traverses through the woodlands towards Konohagukare. The sky is peculiarly clear, stars winking down at Kakashi as he glances upwards.
'At least I know now,' He ponders, 'Just how important teammates are.'
Realising that the sky is much darker than it was when he arrived, he estimates that over half an hour has passed. Closing his eyes and revelling in the silence and the peace, Kakashi takes one last look at the memorial.
"See you in a few days, Rin-chan, Obito."
He has been invited to dinner by his friends, mainly Kurenai, Guy, Asuma and Genma.
'I wonder if Michiko will be there…' Cutting through the field, he cherishes the sound of the grass and the leaves before he exits into a much louder part of the city. Hawkers, children, women, groups of half-drunk shinobi are all excitedly creating too much noise- it is a Friday night after all.
The venue for their dinner is the Akimichi Grill, an upscale restaurant and bar that is frequented by jounin and other high-ranking shinobi. Kakashi personally doesn't love the place, but the food quality is consistently delicious, and the alcohol is comparatively cheap. It works for everyone.
'What do I not like about it?' He wonders, trying to recall why he always seems hesitant to go there. The answer is known to him, and he keeps trying to not think about it. His mind spits it back each time he tries to hide it from himself.
'Because I get wasted every single time.'
When he arrives at the restaurant, he looks around trying to locate his familiars. Unfortunately, a waitress stands imposingly before him, "Sir, do you have a reservation?"
She's been working here for five years; she knows Kakashi. She knows he only shows up here every few months to see the same bunch of people, gets inebriated and leaves with everyone else, always walking in the opposite direction from his group of friends.
In Konoha, the legal age for alcohol is 15. Kakashi has been drinking for almost two years.
"Yeah, Ruhi Kurenai? Or…Sarutobi Asuma?"
The waitress pretends to check the list, then directs him down the dining hall, "They're in the booth to the left."
"Thanks." He says, walking slowly past the various patrons. Some stop eating to eye him, obviously recognizing him. It is awkward.
The booths at the Akimichi Grill are generously geared for rowdy shinobi; they are tiny rooms, with a large dining table and a couch, and plenty of space to walk around if you wish. As Kakashi peers into the dimly lit room, he is hit by the stench of tobacco and when Kurenai rises to greet him, he can smell the alcohol on her breath. Everyone seems excited.
"Kakashi!"
"Oh my eternal rival!"
"Hey hey, Kakashi."
The various greetings put a mild smile to his face. There is a new face at this dinner, a kunoichi he doesn't recognise. She is a new friend of Kurenai's. Asuma winks at him as he slides into the space beside her.
'Might not be so bad after all.'
A glass is pushed into his hands as everyone decides what they want to eat. The woman next to him peers at his menu, her fringe in her eyes. She laughs a lot and touches his arm plenty of times.
Soon, Asuma has swapped places with her. He and Kakashi start cracking a slur of slightly offensive jokes with one another, their cheeks reddened and their faces warm.
"Oh no Asuma." Kakashi groans, "Why are you always up here trying to impress Kurenai?"
Everyone seems to giggle, but Kurenai is silent and startled. Asuma starts to laugh, "Oh, you know. It's hard to impress chicks Kakashi. I'm not like you."
They exchange drunken looks and laugh. Guy watches the exchange, more mellowed now that he is wasted, "I will admit!" He exclaims, "Kakashi is much better at women than I, or anyone else for that matter."
They toast to it, leaving Kurenai to have a silent, sober revelation. Her eyes are trained on Asuma, and from an outsider's perspective, it is evident that the look in her eyes is that of a lover.
The other woman is smiling and laughing, and her eyes lock with Kakashi's . She gives him a shy smile.
Kakashi pushes back his chair and stands, "Does ANYONE want a BEER?" He says loudly, swaying a little.
Genma, who is still very sober, raises a hand. As does Kurenai, earning a curious, exaggerated quizzical look from Asuma.
"Okay, FOUR beers." The Hatake says, loudly.
"Four?" Kurenai gives her friend a confused look and the woman shrugs, "He's wasted. Maybe he can't count when he is drunk."
They laugh together, and Kurenai winks at her "The great, inebriated Kakashi. I wonder what he can do when he's drunk." They giggle, and the woman pushes her seat back and stands, winking back at her friend as she follows Kakashi out into the dining hall towards the bar.
She stops a bit behind him, her heels making her balance precarious. Kakashi is ahead of her, talking to an older man with white hair who seems to be laughing very loudly and patting his shoulder.
She watches quietly, until he spots her watching them and says something to Kakashi. The red markings on his face are familiar, but the woman is unable to place him.
"Oh, Haruka-chan!" Kakashi turns to her, beckoning her to follow, "Would you like a drink?" He speaks slowly, his words slightly slurred. The older man is seated at a table with a young, beautiful woman. Haruka gives them a curious look, "Yes, I'd like a drink. Who was that?"
Kakashi doesn't seem to hear her at first, then supplies her with a short answer, "An old friend."
They wait for their turn at the bar in silence, their elbows brushing several times. Kakashi orders their drinks, and they carry them back to the booth, joining in the noise and the jokes.
"Why did you get four beers?" Genma asks curiously.
"I wanted two." Kakashi holds up two fingers to indicate, "Why drink if you're not even drunk." He adds.
Genma is fairly amused, "You're wasted, Kakashi."
"I am not."
"You're spent." Asuma calls from across the table, his eyes lidded as if he were about to pass out any second, "Go on Kakashi, you can't last for another half-pint."
Challenged, Kakashi calmly picks up his glass and begins drinking. Guy watches, feeling vicariously more intoxicated.
Kakashi drinks until he finishes the glass.
"Ta-da." He says simply.
After that, the night is a haze.
He's walking home with everyone. Genma is carrying a knocked out Asuma on his back, Kurenai stops to throw up in the middle of the road, Guy is trudging slowly, like a zombie. Haruka is on the other side of the group, hands in her pockets, almost mirroring Kakashi.
Each time he looks over, she does too.
When everyone has reached home safely, she offers to make sure Kakashi gets home and he doesn't refuse. Instead, he invites her in.
When he wakes up in the morning, his head feels like someone has struck it with metal. There is a sour taste in his mouth, and when he rolls over in bed, he feels the warmth of another person against his bare skin.
'I'm naked.'
His mind whirls slowly, piecing together the memories from last night.
Clothes are strewn across the floor.
Swallowing thickly, he peers under the blanket, just to be safe and relaxes.
'Okay.' He thinks, looking around the floor, 'Now to find it…'
Wrinkling his nose in disgust at his drunken self, he locates the used, discarded condom underneath his bed.
"Gross."
He picks it up and chucks it in the bin. Silently, he steps out of his bedroom to the small kitchen and puts the kettle on, fishing out his French-press from a carefully arranged cabinet.
He pauses, contemplating whether he should make an extra mug for his guest. He decides to, and after setting the two mugs down, he busies himself with pouring a glass of water and chugging it. He is parched.
His usual morning routine continues- albeit sluggishly. The clock chimes once to signal that it is 5 AM.
'Still on routine.' He thinks numbly, blinking slowly and rubbing his eyes. He stifles a yawn, and then returns to his room to fish out a pair of pyjamas. He does not know how his guest will react to a naked him walking around the apartment.
'Might creep her out.' He finds a pair of joggers and pulls them on, grateful for the warmth they provide.
Then he returns to his kitchen and sits at the table, waiting for the kettle to boil.
'Did I…meet Jiraiya last night?'
The memory is vague and fuzzy, but he is sure that the older man was there, and that he placed a heavy hand on Kakashi's shoulder and cracked a lewd joke.
Kakashi turns to stare off towards a large window, watching the mild indigo sky. The stars are still blinking, partially concealed behind a thin layer of clouds.
'If he's here… Is Michiko leaving soon?'
He wishes he wasn't so hungover.
'I actually feel like I'm still drunk.' He presses his fingers to his eyes and groans. He wonders if Haruka will remember his face when she wakes up.
Now he feels a little annoyed that someone is in his apartment. He puts his face in his hands and yawns again.
'I really need to find that mask.'
Returning to the room, he snoops around until he finds it, underneath his pillow. Stealthily, he pulls it out and tosses it over his shoulder- he can put it on if she wakes up.
Her deep breaths indicate that she won't be up anytime soon.
'What does she do again?' He walks to the whistling kettle and turns off the stove, scooping two spoons full of coffee into the French-press while the water cools slightly. As he pours it in, the steam rises quickly and singes his hand. He doesn't flinch.
'I think she works at the Academy too…' Placing the lid over French-press, he glances at the clock to time how long it brews. Distractedly, he checks the little schedule on his fridge.
It's Michiko's Academy schedule. She left it in the changing room and he'd meant to return it.
'Today she has… Nothing.'
Dumbly, he stares at the blocked-out weekends. It's a Saturday morning. He opens the fridge, stares inside rather pointlessly, and then shuts it.
Uncertainly looking around his kitchen, he turns to go back to the bedroom only to find that Haruka is peering through the door at him.
His mask is back on.
"Good morning." He says coolly. Her cheeks are pink, and she has the morning-glow that often graces women who have enough orgasms.
"Hello." She says chirpily.
"I made some coffee. Would you like some?"
"Oh, sure!"
'So energetic for someone with a hangover at 5 am.' Kakashi busies himself with pouring out the coffee. Haruka meanders through the kitchen and pauses in front of the fridge, eyeing the schedule.
"Oh, what's this? Why do you have our timetable on your fridge?"
"It's a friends." Kakashi supplies, loosely. Curious, Haruka raises an eyebrow at his back and tries to figure out whose schedule it is she's looking at.
'Someone who takes taijutsu level 1….and Kenjutsu level 7?' Surprised, she recalls the only three teachers who take Kenjutsu at such a high level, 'One of them is a retired Anbu…the other two are younger.' She frowns, distracted when Kakashi clears his throat. He is holding her mug out for her to take.
"Oh sorry! I was just trying to figure out if I knew whose schedule this was."
Kakashi doesn't do much in the way of reacting, he simply nods and then continues to the kitchen table to sit and drink his coffee in peace.
"I wonder…" She follows, to sit across from him, "Is it Sarutobi Michiko?"
Kakashi is staring out the window, when his eyes travel back to her slowly, "Do you know her?"
"Only a little bit. She's relatively new, doesn't talk much." She says woefully, "Very quiet actually, always looks kind of sad."
"That's the one." Kakashi confirms. This rouses her interest, much to his chagrin. This isn't really the time for him to be answering questions.
'Why isn't she miserably hung over?' His head is throbbing, and he knows coffee isn't the best remedy.
"So, how do you know her?" Haruka probes, curious to know why the girl's schedule is on Kakashi's fridge. According to Kurenai, he is not dating anyone.
"She's a childhood friend." He responds awkwardly. The choice of words interests him, because he has never really thought of Michiko as such before.
'She's been around long enough, hasn't she?' He muses. He has known her as long as he has known Obito.
Haruka is sufficiently discouraged by his short reply and lapses into silence, sipping her mug and staring around the kitchen. Kakashi immediately feels like a jerk.
"She's also a fellow jounin and Asuma's cousin." He adds, after a few minutes of quiet.
"Ah, I see. How come she wasn't invited yesterday?"
"Not sure." Kakashi shrugs, "She's probably got her own plans."
"This is the same girl that's dating Uchiha Shisui, right?"
Kakashi nods once, amused by Haruka's knowledge of shinobi gossip. Michiko and Shisui have always been a popular pair.
"Well." Kakashi starts, placing his mug on the table, "I need to be leaving the house soon, so."
"Oh!" Haruka looks a little embarrassed and downs her coffee quickly. Too quickly. She scalds her tongue, and hastily pushes her chair back and stands, "Yes, I've got to be somewhere too. Gosh, it's already almost 6!"
Kakashi remains seated, he can pick up the stress in her voice, she's obviously trying to cover up. He feels guilty for making her leave.
As she dresses herself and pulls on her heels, she walks quickly back into the kitchen and stands at the door, "Bye bye, Kakashi-kun."
Kakashi stands to walk her to the door, mug in hand, "Bye, Haruka-chan."
Just as she pries open the door, she turns and presses her warm lips to his, although the mask is between them. Pulling away after a moment, she smiles shyly and ducks out into the corridor. Kakashi watches her descend the steps quickly until she is out of sight, and then gently shuts the door and tugs off his mask.
He walks around the kitchen and eventually slides the terrace door open and steps out onto the tiny balcony. Konoha lays sprawled out before him, the roofs still dark. Steam is released from some pipes in the distance as people take warm morning showers.
Kakashi feels that serenity again, and he wishes life could be this way seven days a week.
'I'd probably get bored of it then…Just like Michiko has.'
He never stops to ask himself why she frequents his mind these days. If he doesn't acknowledge it, he can act like it's not happening.
'I should probably shower and get dressed.'
He remains perched against the railing, staring out at the buildings a while longer, and then returns inside to change his bed sheet.
Once he has tucked in the fresh sheet neatly and swapped the duvet cover, he collects his clothes off the floor and dumps everything in a laundry bag behind his bedroom door.
Lazily scratching his chest, he rids himself of the pajamas and steps into the shower. He is glad to wash the previous night off him, scrubbing his skin until its pink in some places. He washes his hair twice to get rid of her scent, and once he steps out, he spritzes his bed with cologne just in case.
Toweling his hair, he pulls on a fresh pair of boxers and flops onto the bed to stare at the ceiling. The lights are off, and the room is beginning to light up as the sky lightens outside. He stays still for a few minutes, his eyelids suddenly heavy and his body immobile.
Soon, his room is filled with his soft snores.