So this chapter ended up being 13569 words without author's notes. I hope everyone likes it.
Start Chapter 17
Harri didn't even think about the other's that would be around; he just wanted to be as far as possible from Kakashi at that moment. He couldn't help but feel incredibly conflicted. Kakashi had never been mean to him like that before. He had been strict and had a tendency to lecture him, yes, but never had he intentionally hurt his feelings. Even so, Harri just wanted to go back and curl up with the man. He wanted to be cared for, desperately so… but he-he didn't need someone like that. Someone that said such horrible, painful things about his father nor would force him to speak by doing something so underhanded as making him feel so safe and adored to trick him into speaking. It was honestly quite devastating. Kakashi couldn't be right! Harri's father loved him, he did! He told him he had to do all of that stuff, to go away to protect him. He wouldn't lie to Harri! He-he wouldn't! But what if-
"You're bleeding!" A feminine voice shrieked.
"Oh, wow, Harri! What happened, who hurt you?" The rough horrified rasp of Harri's knuckleheaded teammate wailed.
"This is bad, look at her eyes!" Another female exclaimed.
Harri panicked at that, only then realizing how difficult it was to see and how his vision was red. He held his wet hands up to look at. He couldn't see anything, but his nose was filled with the smell of blood and his sleeves felt sticky and wet. He must look like an absolute nightmare!
"We must get her to medical attention immediately!"
"Wha- no! I'm-I'm fine!" Harri insisted. Flinching away from a grabby hand.
"Your bleeding everywhere!"
"I was upset." Harri insisted, trying to get enough of a grip on himself with being as upset as he was to speak properly and come up with a believable excuse. "It's not blood!" Harri insisted, frantically trying to wipe the viscous liquid away.
"What's going on?" A man called. Asuma came from a nearby doorway, walking with quick unnerved strides. "Is everything alright?" The man's face twisted up in horrified worry at the mess that was Harri. "Oh gods, we better get you back to the medi bay right now!" He said in a clearly panicked tone.
"I'm fine!" Harri snapped at the man when he tried snatching him up.
"Your bleeding from your eyes!" The man bellowed.
"It's not blood!" Harri insisted, even as he internally cursed himself. How was anyone going to believe that? It clearly was in scent and viscosity. Even though Naruto's nose wasn't quite as good as Kiba's or his own didn't mean he couldn't smell blood.
"Right," The man half snorted half sputtered tone positively incredulous as he went to snatch him up again, grunting when Harri sidestepped him, barely.
"I-I was told I would have red tears for a while from the medications that they had to use for the poisoning." He fibbed. Hoping it would tide the man over long enough to get away.
Even Naruto raised a skeptical eyebrow at that. Great.
"Who upset you!" Choji huffed, storming over the moment he caught sight of his friend. He immediately pulled out a cloth and began wiping at Harri's face like hovering mother. "Your clothes are ruined!" He fussed. "Now tell me why you were crying! Did Sasuke yell at you again?"
"Wha- what's going on?" Asuma sputtered. Confused by his student's lack of panic. The kid was literally bleeding from the eyes! Bleeding! Had this happened before?
Choji froze as if he had just realized the situation that they were in. "Harri…. Doesn't cry… normal tears….." He managed to choke out even as he pulled his friend closer, looking at the group with narrowed eyes.
"Cry?"
Choji gave a sharp nod. "Yeah….. h-she's always cried this way," Choji explained. "It's from her mom's Kekkai Genkai from what Shikamaru's clan has figured out." He added, lying. Honestly, he had no idea, but it was what had made the most sense to him since he could remember.
Choji wasn't good at coming up with complicated ruses like Shikamaru was or steering people from the truth, but he didn't really know what the truth was with his friend. The only thing he knew that Harri would probably end up put somewhere horrible if someone found out he was a… well he. The same if they knew about how powerful he really was. Choji refused to be the reason something happened to his friend.
"That's ridiculous! She's bleeding from her eyes! People don't just-just bleed from their eyes for no reason!" Sakura snarled, trembling from head to foot at the sight. She couldn't believe that something like that had happened more than once and no one had done anything about it… She may have not liked Harri for taking up most of Sasuke's attention and time but that was horrible! What if it was serious? She could die!
It suddenly clicked in Harri's mind how to use what his friend was doing for him to his advantage. "Cho-Choji's, correct. A… oddity from my mom's clan is that-that our tear ducts are wired… strangely. We bleed from the eyes when very upset…. Instead of produce… t-t-tears. I've been looked at by medics in the past to…. make-make sure it isn't damaging my eyes and they h-have determined that it doesn't adversely affect my health." Harri explained going from meek and mouse-like in the beginning to stronger and more certain near the end. "It's… just not something I l-like people to see." Harri said, making sure to look embarrassed which was easy because he was.
Asuma looked calmer but still wary by the end of his explanation as did the others.
"What's going on here? I heard screaming." A familiar silver-haired man exclaimed.
"A-apparently your student was crying…. And cries blood, so it alarmed everyone? She… has… explained that…. It's some weird Kekkai Genkai thing…?… but I do think she should at least get looked over by that Nara medic since the Nara's seem to know more about this kind of thing."
Kakashi ran his hands through his hair in an irritated manner and glared sternly at Harri. "I told you that we would be going to the hospital the next time you bleed Harri! Hemophilia….. isn't a joke! Diverting their attention…. isn't… going to prevent you from bleeding to death! Look at you, your eyes are still bleeding even with you calmed down!" Kakashi growled.
Harri winced, not wanting to be around the man. He wiped at his eyes and frowned when he felt liquid again, looking puzzled. That was weird he… he was right, Harri was still bleeding. That-that wasn't right. Why was he still bleeding? It didn't make any sense. Harri did his best to ignore the pain in his eyes, forcing himself not to rub at them as uncomfortable prickling pain flared up worse than he was used to.
"He-hemophilia?" Asuma choked, once again alarmed.
"What's that?" Naruto asked, starting to look nervous.
"Isn't that some type of genetic condition that makes it so you can't stop bleeding?" A girl with her hair up in two buns said, growing even paler.
"WHAT!? So Harri's dying!" Naruto shrieked, pure terror on his face and he hoped around, clearly having no idea what to do.
"Harri doesn't have a bleeding issue! Didn't I just tell you, Harri's mom's clan couldn't cry like other people?!" Choji guffed.
"Even if….. they couldn't cry like your…. average person, they….. shouldn't bleed from the eyes! Harri's blood is thin enough that just a bit….. of extra strain from Harri's blood pressure going up can make blood leak from the thinner, more delicate blood vessels in and below the eyes… Meaning, Harri's mother's clan… had a…. prevalent….. genetic disorder. Not that unusual with specialized and isolated clans." Kakashi explained, staring Harri down.
"I'm fine. If I were having problems, my shoulder would be bleeding!" Harri insisted.
Kakashi snorted, he walked over and very suddenly snatched the fabric of Harri's shirt in his hand, pulling it aside. "It is." He said, tone almost mirthful. "I think… it's time….. to head back to a medic, don't you?" Kakashi nearly purred after seeing even Harri paling at the sight of the nearly soaked bandage. "Come now." The man insisted, beginning to guide Harri away with little resistance.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"I think we've got the bleeding calmed down." A dark-haired dark-eyed man assured, affectionately giving Harri a pat on the head. "Isn't that right, Lady Harri?" The man insisted, smiling even as Harri continued dozing.
"I told you, I wanted a different medic," Kakashi growled.
"I've been Harri's doctor for years. It isn't safe for others to work on our lady Uchiha." The Nara insisted, looking almost willing to work up the energy to be insulted.
"You hid all of Harri's issues!"
"Lady Harri doesn't have severe Hemophilia. The bleeding was from the poisoning."
"Maybe…. but what about how sick and weak Harri gets from the cold?…. How Harri can die just from not eating every few hours? Or I don't know, what about the fact that healthy people don't just bleed from the eyes?... Harri can't…. even regulate his own body temperature! I can go on and on! Harri is very ill and you hid it all along!"
"I'm not hiding anything. Harri's just too young for a-!" The Shoma snapped, freezing up in realization at what he had said.
"Demon? I suspected you would know. How wouldn't you? Being a top-notch medic…." Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Though…. That leaves me so very… very curious…. How is it… that.. you know what he is, but the others don't? Why would that be.. I wonder~.. I mean… the Nara's have demon blood. Like…. most powerful clans but…. Why hide what Harri is."
"He's….. Harri's a wonderful child no-no matter what he is. It.. it wasn't my place to tell and…. I didn't want to. If civilians found out….. Well… I just couldn't let anyone know. Harri is not only dear to Lord Shikaku and Heir Shikamaru but to myself as well. He is kind and considerate and has brought our clan nothing but happiness from day one. I…. I figured out what he was ages ago. But… I plan to go to my grave with the knowledge if Harri isn't ever willing to tell us…. I didn't….. I couldn't let anyone's perceptions change because of something like that, not even my cousin's." The man said, shaking his head with evident pain on his face.
"It wasn't my place to tell! I couldn't do that to Harri, I-I just couldn't do it to that sweet child! He's just…. Just so scared and alone! I couldn't let what happened to that Uzumaki child happen to him. Not To Harri… I couldn't- ju-just-"
"I want him."
The man-made a choking noise, eyes nearly bugging out of his head.
Kakashi waved his hands around and made an X motion with his arms. The silver-haired Jounin became flustered when he realized how the other man may have taken what he had said. "I… meant I… wanted to take him in to become a part of my clan, my family, to become mine and Iruka's. Not anything, untowardly! Never!" He exclaimed. "I….. suspect… we are related and think we would be a good fit for him as parents….. even at his age. I do need some proof of… my… claims though…. And I'm not so sure I want the council finding out our little shared secret for a long time…. If ever."
The Shoma immediately stiffened, bristling and more lively then Kakashi had seen a Nara look in ages. Even when he learned of Harri being a he instead of a she. The man shook his head with a fierce frown, "No, absolutely not! I won't have Harri's blood in the system! It was hard enough to keep it undocumented! I won't have anyone figuring out what he is….. Harri's only an Uchiha!" Shoma insisted.
"Harri was kidnapped from the clan that my clan branched from! Harri is a Hatake, even if…. by a different name. Honestly….. he needs to be cared for and I am happy to do it."
"If we are going to go that route, Harri is more of a Nara then anything! If we couldn't convince the council to allow Harri to be, raised by our clan, the most neutral of the clans involved when it comes to the politics that could be involved, then no one could!" The dark-haired man insisted, a challenge.
Kakashi glared. Something about the other man screamed lonely bitterness. He didn't need to even utter the words 'if I had my way I would be raising him' for Kakashi to pick up on his desire. Something in him bristled in the ugliest fashion at that. Harri was his family, his! That man had no right to him. Not by blood, not by anything.
"Oh, but I will and I can. I want to give him a happy childhood." Kakashi's eye gleamed.
"Please don't fight," Harri spoke up, sounding incredibly groggy. "I-," Harri let out a bone-tired sigh. I'm sorry Shoma but could you please….. um, leave for a minute?…. I have to talk to my sensei alone for a minute…." Harri said, voice meek, submissive.
"No I- He insists that you are related, that he-he has a claim to you!" The man said, giving the silver-haired man looks like he clearly thought that he was out of his mind.
Harri gulped, glancing at the dark-haired man with flighty nervous eyes. "I really need to talk to him about… things." Harri mumbled.
The Nara narrowed his eyes. "So its…. True?" The little flinch was all he needed as confirmation. He sputtered.
"Please, it's important." Harri pled.
"I don't-"
"Healer Nara! Your assistance is required immediately! The patient isn't cooperative!" A young woman yelled, bursting into the room, glancing only briefly at Harri and Kakashi before entirely focusing on the man. The expression on her face shifted to something… strange… when her eyes met Harri's. "Please sir, he's trying to leave before we can finish up."
Those words had Shoma moving, nearly sprinting from the room, muttering obscenities under his breath.
"So…..?" Kakashi prompted after a few minutes with the other man out of the room. He tried his best to ignore what was going on. Kakashi had even avoided forcing himself in the young demoness' space though he ached to wrap him up and gentle him again.
"I…. um…. I know that I can't… change your mind…. So…. Could we… wait to tell them until after the exams are done? I…. I don't want to be a distraction.. for anyone…. Also…. I am sure that if it were to get out with so many other village's shinobi here at the moment… that I was.. not… only the heir Uchiha but a 'baby Hatake' as well…..-"
"Yeah, I… see your point…. And… it's a smart one. Though, I still don't like the idea of you fighting in your condition…. You weren't supposed to know until it started tomorrow…. But… the next part of the exam is a one on one tournament…. If you pass the first part, there is a second one…. A grand finale of sorts…. In a month….. I'll….. make a deal with you." The silver-haired man said thoughtfully, calculatingly, as he stepped closer with an almost hopeful look.
"I will wait if….. only if… you give Iruka and I the chance to get to know you better….." Kakashi stepped closer. "to gain your trust back… No more running away…. You will forfeit your fight and wait for another time to…. finish the Chunin exams…. You aren't fit for them. I want you to stay with us for the month's time before the last part of the exams…. We will be allowed to parent you and care for you as we see fit…. If you do this… if you actually try to be apart of our little pack, then I…. will be more than happy to… wait….. to go to the council until… you are more comfortable being with us." Kakashi explained his plan. He was sure after a week or so Harri's instincts would more than kick in and Harri wouldn't even contemplate leaving them. He would be more than happy to stay with them, in fact. Especially after his beloved Iruka got ahold of him. Kakashi was excited to tell his mate.
Harri grimaced but nodded. He couldn't really see a way out of it and he desperately needed the man to regain his trust. It was genuinely devastating for him in a way he had little understanding of but felt profoundly unsettled and traumatized by.
Harri forced himself to not focus so strongly on the man, on his desire to have him cuddle up to him again and to definitely not do whatever he did before that made him feel soggy brained and more… right then he could ever remember feeling. He shouldn't crave to feel that vulnerable, not after what that man had done, but he desperately did.
The boy forced himself to wrap his blankets tighter around himself and burritoed himself the best he could in the heated blanket that had been provided. They all smelt sterile and too new. Like they had never been used before and maybe they hadn't. The heated blanket was unlikely to have been used before from what he could tell and Shoma had brought it himself for him.
Harri never slept alone when at the Nara's, instead he shared Shika's large bed, so he was usually plenty warm enough. They had never had to use the Nara's heated blanket before. Even when the home would, on the infrequent occasion, get a bit chilly, he and Shika and on the rarer occasion even sometimes Shikaku would join them in their puppy pile, lounging, all day in a nest of warm thick blankets and lay on piles of fluffy pillows and sometimes even an added a futon or two. All three would be happy to share body heat. Sometime Choji would also come over to join Harri and Shika. Those days although uncomfortable for him were always the best as he got to do two of his favorite things. Snuggle up with those he adored(Scenting them as well) and making cozy nests that Shika and Shikaku always complimented him on. For some reason, Harri couldn't help but preen every time they did so. He wasn't sure why, but it always greatly appealed to something deeply ingrained in him when he made those nests.
"My, my ignoring me now? Might hurt my feelings." Kakashi said, tone teasing as he watched the little demoness' eyes droop.
"M' going ta' sleep." Harri mumbled.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"The last team able has shown up. We can now begin with the 3rd part of the exams which will be tournament style. Anyone can end up going against anyone, teammate or foe. The competitors will be decided by a random draw and displayed above. When your name is shown, please drop down to the designated battle area below. The loser will be decided by forfeit or by competitors being unable to fight any longer such as through knock out or being injured too severely to be able to move anymore…. We may begin now."
"Harri, I'm glad you are alright. I wasn't allowed to see you earlier…. You don't look nearly as bad as Sakura and Naruto insisted you were though." Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "They said you were bleeding to death or something." The dark-eyed boy huffed.
"She was!" Naruto shrieked. "She pretended bleeding from the eyes was normal or somethin' and nearly convinced everyone but Kakashi sensei apparently knew better and lectured Harri for not taking care of herself and haven' a bleeding problem then he took her to the doctor guy!"
Sakura glanced around at everyone else, not feeling comfortable with others hearing what he was saying. She may not have liked Harri….. but…. That didn't mean that…. Harri should have any more of a target painted on her back…. When she could die from a scratch. That was an honestly terrifying thought. "Yeah, well she must have finally recovered from the poison if they let her out like that… and I mean the poisoning made her bleed so once that was out of her she was sure to recover fast." Sakura said, even as she tried not to think about the blood, the other had been soaked in just a day before. It had given her nightmares.
"Yes, I'm fine!" Harri insisted, meekly fiddling with a long strand of hair and putting on his best smile.
"THAT IS VERY GOOD THEN! I AM GLAD YOU CAN NOW ALLOW US ALL TO SEE YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN AGAIN LIKE WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER!" A horrifyingly enthusiastic voice called, Lee gave him a thumbs up.
"Yeah, uh Lee and I were pretty worried about you… My name's Tenten by the way." A familiar girl with buns in her brown hair said she then pointed over at an irritated looking Hyuuga. "And this… is Neji. We all…. Kind of met up at the beginning of the exams with the rest of your team… I guess?... Anyway, it's nice to meet you even if any of us end up having to fight each other." The girl continued, sighing when the Hyuuga huffed and Sasuke let out a disgruntled 'Hn' and tucked his cousin closer to himself eying the long-haired boy distrustfully.
"This isn't the time for idle chatter." One of the Chunin running the exams called to the group.
"Now if anyone wants to drop out, this would be the time."
Harri had been too focused on the pungent smell of tainted wrongness exuding from his cousin to say anything.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
One after another, his cousin and friends fought with all that they had even Naruto had managed to win his fight…. And poor Lee… Harri didn't even want to think about him. He knew that he should have been scared of the red-haired sand ninja after that, but he couldn't help but want to soak up that wonderful calming demonic scent. Harri had made sure to make himself temporarily scarce when the two Hyuugas fought. Terrified that his true secret would get out if either one saw him. He didn't need to have that happen. Especially with the Hokage and who knows who else lurking around. Harri was near certain that the snake person was standing in the stand on the other side of the room and it wasn't making him feel particularly safe, but he couldn't be accusing people. Maybe he was wrong and the person on the other side of the room was just from the same clan. Whatever that horrible mark on Sasuke's chakra was, was sure not helping the situation.
"Harri Uchiha against Rasen Maki"
"Yeah! Go knock em' dead Harri!" Naruto cheerfully exclaimed, making Harri turn red.
As Harri threw himself over the railing, his full attention was suddenly wholly on the other boy. Why was he so familiar looking…. And smelling? He yelped and barely managed to dodge out of the way of a Kunai. Harri pulled out a hand full of Senbon and chucked them at the other boy, hoping at least one would hit him. It was hard to concentrate on not letting his chakra cause explosions and to ignore the others around them. Harri was honestly practically sweating bullets with all of those eyes on staring him down. He couldn't remember what he was supposed to do, he could hardly even concentrate on what he was doing. Harri flipped backward when the other boy tried to cut him with a knife that smelled of something sickeningly sweet. And-and… he was suddenly wet and his foot- it was stuck. Panic began bubbling up in him. Completely different from before. Understanding filled him at the sight of the boy vomiting up a flood of water. It kept coming and coming. Harri couldn't breathe he-water-he was going to drown-he was going to drowned!
"Harri move!"
"Why is she just standing there?"
"Harri's totally freaking out! Get-get away from the railings, don't touch them!" Shikamaru insisted, quickly jerking his teacher and Shino away from the metal railing they were leaning against. Panic clear as day on his face.
"Why?"
"Just trust me, get away from them!"
And suddenly green light was blinding them. Followed by an explosion far more impressive than any of the others that had come before it so far. The near knee-high water ended up gushing from the room out of a massive hole that led outside.
Harri was acting strangely, eyes glowing and growling almost ferally as he flipped away from a puddle before the other boy even came bursting out of it, Tanto in hand. Harri undid hidden zippers, yanking his shoes off and shoved his hand into a puddle allowing his energy to let loose. The air crackled and for a moment a choirs of screams were heard before each pool burst into smoke. Harri switched into a fighting stance after that. Getting enough of his mind back to him. Holding up his palms in an eerily similar yet slightly different way than the previously fighting Hyuuga. He tried not to let on how bone-cold he already was getting.
Harri couldn't help but let out a yelp when dozens of Kunai were suddenly raining down on him. The only chance he had was to properly produce the first stages of Beast's rotation, Premonition of the Apparition. It was the only technique he had that wouldn't immediately out him. He was sure it was going to raise some questions if he properly managed to do it or not. Harri was just glad at that point that he had watched the Hyuuga as it had really given him some inspiration and pointers on how to correctly perform his techniques. After taking a deep breath, he spun frantically creating the familiar pattern required for the technique. Harri tried to move himself in a looser way. To channel more chakra than he had allowed before. Thinner, more precise- faster faster faster! Something clicked-a rightness.
"What-what is that? That looked almost like a…. Hyuuga technique… but not?…. And look." Tenten squeaked, pointing with shaking hands at a strange shade that had formed the moment Harri stopped spinning. The…. Energy thing…. looked to be some sort of dog or wolf-like creature made of dark cloud or smoke and lighting, the beast in that moment dove at Harri's frozen competitor.
The moment of impact the other boy went flying glowing bright green and shouting in agony and the… dog thing…. dissipated like it had never been there. In its place Harri stood, hand outstretched with electricity running over his fingertips, panting and purple lipped. His eyes still glowing that inhuman green.
"H-Harri Uchiha… is the… w-winner." The announcing protractor said, sounding more then a little shaken up.
Harri didn't react as his legs began to buckle. The water had been freezing and his pants were still soaked he was cold. Very cold… and suddenly very sad feeling, wrong feeling.
"I-I forfeit," Harri said, suddenly remembering what he was supposed to do.
"W-what?"
"I-I forfeit. I don't want to fight… I never wanted to. I forfeit." Harri said a little firmer, nearly jumping when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"My student didn't really want to do any of this in the first place….. she only did it because she thought she had to so the rest of my team could participate. Harri doesn't have to anymore though, right?" Kakashi said, staring the coughing man running that part of the exams, down.
"Yes… of course…."
"Good. Let's go wait for the drawing then we can go get you warmed up." Kakashi said, not even bothering to pick up the boy's soggy shoes before directing him to the stairs.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000
"This is our home… the Hatake compound. It isn't nearly as big as some compounds, but we never became a very large clan…." The Kakashi explained, leading Harri into a large home that was styled more traditionally. "This is the kitchen, as you can see….. it's been upgraded a lot more recently than just about everything else." Kakashi pointed out, ignoring the row of dog bowls leading from the cooking space. "This is the main eating area and….. through that door….. is the main sitting area, over there… that's grading stuff Iruka forgot here." The silver-haired man pointed out and turned. "And this is the denning wing," Kakashi said, leading Harri down a long hallway that branched out into a T at the end with door after sliding door.
He stopped and slid one open, "This is our bedroom. You will…. Be… sharing with me as you should be at your age even if you didn't have temperature regulation issues. Iruka will join us as well but he often stays in his room at the academy when he has to stay late. He sadly is swamped with work and this whole month has been rather trying for my poor dolphin. He is on the chunin exam planning community after all….. But he should be home full time in the next week or so….. we will all share then and you will be able to properly be cared for by a mated pair like you should have been all along…. Iruka's only about a quarter demon but his instincts are incredibly strong when it comes to the maternal side of things so I'm sure you will bond quickly." Kakashi explained, tone filled with nothing but affection and love for the brunet. He couldn't wait for his beautiful Iruka to be able to get off of work.
"Now let's grab some sleep clothes… We'll get cleaned up then… we can.. eat and go to bed. We can pick Mai up after I go train Sasuke." The man said, pulling out a worn Uchihan themed dark red sleep robe and some shorts that were clearly oversized from the duffle bag Harri brought with him.
"I guess these will have to do for now." The part demon grumbled with an odd disapproving edge to his voice. Even still, the man sat the bag near a closet within the large, mostly empty room. Kakashi pulled his jacket off uncaring that Harri was in the room. After that his guards/gloves and eventually his mask/scent blocking cloth and lastly his headband, he folded everything, before opening one of the many closet cupboard doors lining both the left and right wall and pulled out thin black upper calf length underpants and a thin almost skin-tight undershirt along with a pair of boxers.
0000000000000000
When Kakashi said they would be getting cleaned up, Harri had thought he had meant they would be taking showers… Not soaking in some little Hotspring around back for a while after showering down.
"No! I-too much water!" Harri sputtered utterly panicked. He would drown he would definitely drown!
"You won't drown Harri, the water is shallow enough that you can easily sit on the ledge here next to me and your mouth will be above water without any boast at all. It's safe, I promise and plenty warm enough to keep you from getting cold." Kakashi said, leaning back, looking mildly exasperated yet sleepy.
"I-I can't I'll-I'll-" Harri began to pant at the thought, consumed by this fear as he stood shivering, huddled up in his oversized towel.
Kakashi sighed and snatched Harri up, towel and all and shoved his face towards his shoulder before he could even comprehend the fact that he was getting wet. The man hummed and croaned in a strange, wonderfully comforting way. Kakashi did his best to settle Harri down when he began struggling, pure terror practically exuding from the whimpering child in waves. "Hey, it's okay, I'm here-I'm here everything's fine, I won't let anything happen….. That's right calm down." Kakashi murmured, beginning to pet the young boy's hair as his desperate struggling eased up. Eventually, Harri more clung then relaxed, making unnerved 'baby demon' mewls and whines even with his head all swimmy and pleasantly fuzzy.
"I'm going to have to get you another towel." Kakashi pointed out after a while, sounding quite sleepy at that point. "I think….. I'm about ready for bed." The man decided out loud, yawning and standing. Harri nearly out of it in his arms. "I…. Think it's time for you to go to bed to." He mumbled and sat Harri on the edge of the pool of hot water so he could grab his towel and wrap it around his waist before walking over to a cabinet and pulled out another for his disoriented charge. "Here you go," Kakashi muttered more to himself then Harri who was still so out of it that he hardly even reacted when the man got rid of his wet towel and replaced it with the new dry one. "Let's get dressed and then we can get this mop brushed," Kakashi exclaimed before dressing himself.
"'m sleepy. Can Mai sleep with me? I ge' too cold if I don' have her. 'm always too cold." Harri mumbled and rubbed sleepily at his eyes.
"You won't be cold."
"'m cold now." Harri grumbled.
"Well then get dried off so we can head in and go to bed then…. Unless you want me to do it for you?"
"No! I don't want that!" Harri squeaked, seeming to finally come back to himself enough to protest cheeks pink and darkening in shade when Kakashi let out an amused bark of laughter. Amused by how flustered the young boy suddenly was after acting so unbothered about seeing the man naked.
"You get so flustered about the oddest things. Especially for such a young demon pup!" Kakashi teased, as he began to run a comb through his own hair.
000000000000000000000000000000000000
Apparently, all Kakashi ever had to do to get Harri to cooperate with him was to brush Harri's hair. Literally, the boy would be transformed into a purring wet noodle of complacency and contentedness. It was honestly super adorable and had his demon instincts dinging all over the place at the utter rightness and 'babyness' of the pup's happy, trusting noises and behaviors. Grooming among many species of demon's was considered a very relaxing bonding experience, especially between a pup and their parent and or adult pack members.
"I think it's time to go to sleep now," Kakashi said after a few more minutes of brushing as he watched Harri's eyes close and his breathing close to evening out. Even his content mers of pleasure and contentment began quieting.
"It's 'ice," Harry slurred, tone a clear protest to the man's sudden lack of brushing.
"I can brush it again tomorrow….. We have…. all the time in the world." Kakashi assured, grinning as Harri subconsciously nuzzled into his hand.
"Promise?" Harri asked, suddenly sounding small and vulnerable.
"Yup, I promise," Kakashi said, tone cheerful as he stood to head to one of the largest closet cupboard doors and pulled out a massive cushy futon. He laid it out and then grabbed armfuls of pillows and blankets.
Iruka was better at nesting then he was, but he could build a decent one as well, especially for a part human dominate. He didn't usually take the time to do so anymore, but he would for his new pup. Kakashi was quick and efficient even at doing something like building a comfy nest but made sure Harri watched him as carefully as his sleepy brain could. Pups learned from parents and older pack members how to do things properly after all and he had made it his mission to be the best step in parent he could be for Harri now that he understood what he was. Zabuza had been right. Harri couldn't take care of himself. He needed an adult demon to care for him.
Kakashi was pleased to see the boy attentively watching him without needing any prompting, subconsciously following what his elder relative was doing. Harri may have tried denying that they were of the same blood and had even tried pretending he was without a drop of demon blood, but he couldn't deny his instincts, especially when he didn't carry a drop of human blood. It was clear to see that they were most definitely connected through more then a student-teacher familiarity even if the pup did his best to deny it. Instincts didn't lie.
"Alright, I think it's done," Kakashi announced, allowing Harri to burrow in before flopping back. The man drug a few of the blankets over himself before draping an arm over the little lump that was his buried charge.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Waking, Harri felt more refreshed and calmer than he had in a long while. The only other time he felt anywhere near as good was when he and Shika would curl up with each other and enjoy a nice long sunbath in Shika's bed snuggled up under blankets kept pleasantly warm by the sun.
He wanted to go see Shika.
"You are finally awake, I see? I thought… you… rarely slept more than a few hours at a time, how odd. Perhaps there is something to what I have told you after all. My mind has been blown!" Kakashi exclaimed in false surprise, Harri could practically hear the smug smirk in the man's voice. "Suffering from near hypothermia… does have a way of making it unpleasant to doze off for too long."
"I'm going to go see Shika today," Harri announced, trying his best to pretend he hadn't just woke up burrowed into the man's side.
"Nope… if you are going anywhere you will be with… Naruto. His training is safer then what Sasuke will be going through with me."
"Anything that can be taught to him will be useless to me." Harri huffed.
"Nonsense! You may be a purebred demon, but that doesn't mean you can't learn. You have chakra just like everyone else even if it is a bit different then others. I'm sure with some actual instruction you could learn quite a bit." Kakashi insisted.
He didn't know. Kakashi didn't know…. That meant that he hadn't heard everything Shino had said. Good, that was very good. Harri still had the upper hand. For now….. He had most definitely noticed how his scrolls had gone missing and even with the man doing his best, he was still able to pick up on the subtle scent around his room when they had been there. Thankfully, Harri didn't think that there had really been anything too important or incriminating left out before he left and the only one that could be too damning was sealed with his blood. And Sasuke had begun to become concerned that he had a bit too much of the Uchihan paranoia when it came to their secrets, even compared to him. Harri wanted to laugh at the other boy's overconfidence. One could never be too paranoid in a village full of curious shinobi.
"Maybe…. but I've always had issues with trying to learn anything…. But my mom's.. family Jutsu," Harri said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"That was all you were taught though, right? It's a lot easier to learn jutsu more suited to one's chakra. Usually, family jutsu's just play off of Kekkai Genkai abilities. Your already innate abilities, like how your lightning chakra abilities are highly developed already. It makes it much easier for you to learn lightning chakra based Jutsu because they seem to have something to do with your Kekkai Genkai abilities. I've always had an easier time learning lightning chakra based Jutsu over all other's as well." Kakashi pointed out. His mind wandering back to the ridiculously powerful explosion that destroyed that blew a massive hole in the back of the preliminary exam stage… created without… hand signs….. And he tried not thinking about the ghostly canine-like form that had…. Cloaked?... over Harri when he went to attack the Zabuza looking kid…. The feeling that ran up his spine. Like…. The Shinigami was in the room with them…. Like something utterly otherworldly had been down there instead of a Jutsu effect. No, he would ask when Harri trusted him more.
"Maybe? Dad always just had me stick to my mom's family Jutsu, same with the fighting style I use." Harri agreed, deciding that it was probably for the best to allow the man to think whatever he wanted to.
Kakashi forced down his irritation with his student still calling Itachi dad. Very young demon pups, especially carriers from what little knowledge he had about them, had a tendency to bond very strongly with whomever they thought of as a parent. It was one of the reasons pupless dominants that desired to be a parent were so eager to take in young orphaned little ones…. Or steal them away. If young enough a pup had a high likelihood of bonding very strongly and nearly nothing could turn them from that bond besides possibly abandonment from their surrogate parent. Something that seldom happened.
That parental bond would last for the rest of their lives and Carriers usually stayed with their caregiver until they mated and even then they would rather stay close to their 'adoptive' parent even if they had later found out that they had murdered their actual parents. He was positive that Harri was still young enough that he and Iruka could take advantage of Harri's abandoned state and after a month or so of showing him that they would make good loving parents, Harri would latch onto them. They would become mother and father in his mind, especially with Kakashi relatively closely related.
"Well, breakfast, I think," Kakashi said after a long moment.
0000000000000000000000000000
Nope, nope, no, never. He was not going to be babysat by Konohamaru's tutor. He wasn't going to be babysat period. This man was a perverted idiot. They were just trying to use him to get Naruto to behave how they wanted him to. Then they were going to try and force him to walk over water? Now Naruto was following around some scary powerful guy that he seemed to never be able to pick up the scent from? Absolutely not! He was so done with that day already. No, he was going to go and find Shika or maybe even go and try to find Choji…. Choji shouldn't be too busy if Shika was training though Shika didn't like doing that too much.
"Young lady, where do you think you are going? I'm not having you run off to!" Ebisu huffed.
"I'm going to go and see heir Nara. He asked me to train with him earlier." Harri lied.
"Well I was given the responsibility of watching you and that that- and Naruto." The man hissed. Grimacing in distaste at even speaking about Harri's teammate…. Like so many others in the village.
That clinched it for him. A cold anger filled Harri. He may not have been best friends with the other boy, but that didn't mean that Naruto deserved to be treated that way or that Harri disliked him. He was a knucklehead yes and a painfully excitable, mischievous person, but he was also a kind empathetic good-hearted one as well. Everyone treated him like garbage and yet he still tried to get them to like him. They didn't deserve it just because of whatever that strange, scary chakra was that was almost a part of him but somehow wasn't.
"I can't stand people like you," Harri said, only realizing he had let his thoughts slip when the man sputtered and looked at him totally agasp.
"See here young lady-"
Harri bolted, embarrassed and sure that if the man caught him, he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut this time around as badly as the jounin got under his skin. No, he was going to sneak by near the Hyuuga's compound for maximum coverage and then bolt to the Nara compound.
"Not the place I was expecting to see you, princess." A voice rasped.
Harri spun around, red-faced. "Yes I…. I'm- oh it's you!" Harri said, sputtering once it clicked who had been speaking to him. The boy with pretty red hair. Harri couldn't help but smile at the sight of the boy and of his demonic scent that was so oddly calming. "Sorry… I know how I must look but… I promise I'm not up to anything. I just don't want to have to train with the man my sensei picked for me. I-I don't like how he treats my teammate." Harri admitted.
Gaara nodded, even though he didn't care that much. His eyes were on Harri and only for the other boy. He was so happy to have found him. He wanted very badly to… He wasn't sure what he wanted to do his mind was so full of the stories he liked to read when he was forced to leave Harri. In that time, he always imagined it being him and Harri in those stories.
He would imagine their 'Happily ever after' together and now that he had a chance to try and work towards it, he was a bit overwhelmed feeling. Especially with the other's scent suddenly so much stronger than before. A bit less muddled. He smelled so much better and it made Gaara almost dizzy, but he couldn't help but feel irritated and jealous too. Someone had intentionally scent marked the other boy. It was an adult's smell and it wasn't the stink of someone claiming him as a mate, but that didn't mean anything to him. Someone was possessively marking their claim when they had no right to him! Harri was his! They were destined, after all, Gaara was his prince, his soul mate and Harri was his princess in the golden tower. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair! Harri was the only one he could feel… alive around without having to kill.
'can't let him stick around that half breed trying to play house! It will take so much longer for him to mature then! Harri's ours.' Mother snarled, rilled up. Gaara was confused by what mother meant when those words were whispered to him, but that didn't mean he didn't understand one thing. Someone was trying to steal his angel from him and he didn't like that thought, not one bit!
"Is… um, everything okay?" Harri tentatively asked.
"Come." Gaara insisted. Leading Harri away from the Hyuuga area and instead lead him to a familiar Akimichi restaurant. "Give us somewhere to sit out of the way." The red-haired boy demanded.
The man nodded. "Of course sir." The man agreed, giving the Sand Ninja odd unnerved looks.
Once they were sitting down in the back, Gaara finally spoke again. "You…. Like meats… right, beef in particular? Just enough that the blood is… warmed." Gaara asked, staring Harri down with an unreadable expression.
"Oh… yeah! I… I know it's weird, but I can't stand meat if it is cooked much at all. I more just like it warmed. Even the smell makes me feel sick." Harri agreed sheepishly. He was still completely confused about the whole thing. Why had this boy suddenly taken him to one of his favorite restaurants? Why did he feel like he knew him and felt so content around him?
"I feel the same way. As I have gotten older, I have grown to love the taste of fresh blood on my tongue." Gaara said, something almost unhinged in his eyes as he spoke a strange gleefulness shadowing them.
"We will have a Hibachi grill with beef and I want lots of organ meat with it as well," Gaara growled at the waiter who had just walked in.
"Can I please have milk too? Thank you!" Harri said, smiling sweetly at the man and getting an 'of course sweetie' from the familiar waiter.
0000000000000
Gaara couldn't help but stare, his cheeks feeling like someone had set them on fire while Harri happily wolfed down delicious morsels of flesh. The other boy making little noises that had Gaara's heart nearly thumping out of his chest for reasons he couldn't figure out. A strange pleasure bubbled up at seeing the other boy pleased and well-fed.
Gaara liked the idea of providing for the little demoness across from him. If Harri was this happy with something he had bought him then surely he would light up bright as a star if Gaara were to hunt something for him, himself! Mother agreed, showing that he could and happily would provide for his Angel would be an excellent thing in demon terms. A proper demon courting was best especially when it came to a demoness of Harri's caliber. Gaara would do anything to please his princess! He even participated in small talk and found that Harri didn't seem to mind him not talking much. He was wonderful like that. Okay with just soaking in each other's company if that made Gaara more comfortable. He wanted to kill the boy's entire team and lay them at his feet to show him just how well he could take care of him all on his own. Harri was just so lovely and perfect Gaara wanted all of his focus entirely on him. He nearly began sulking when mother told him to start small.
"Well, I really enjoyed spending time with you Gaara, but I hear my friend's father, so I have to go," Harri said after a while, eyes dropping with sleepiness after eating so much. "I hope we can do this again before you leave, though! I really like spending time with you." Harri exclaimed, smiling that sweet gorgeous smile that had Gaara's insides flip-flopping all sorts of ways.
What? But he didn't want to leave him! He only ever felt clear with him. Harri was the only one he could trust! He and Harri shouldn't even separate again, never! He did need time to start gathering things for his Harri though… He still needed to get rid of that Sasuke to who clearly was interested in his princess…. His love rival. Yes… that was perfect. It would be the ideal time to show everyone who Harri belonged to. After he won his match against Sasuke he would claim his victory and Harri would be his for everyone to see. It was perfect. Like in the climax of some of his best books. Fighting for Harri's affection by killing his rival. "Alright, I wish to see you soon," Gaara said. He frowned when Harri pulled out a pouch and pulled out a small wad of money.
"This should cover it, right?" Harri asked.
"I'm paying for it." Gaara nearly hissed. Unsure what kind of painful feelings hit him when the other even dared to offer to pay. Gaara was supposed to pay, he had invited his Angel on a date. Why would he even think to pay like that?
"No, it's fine! I-at least let me split it with you!" Harri insisted.
"No! I'm paying!" The other boy snarled.
"O-okay if that's what you want." Harri agreed, realizing that the boy seemed almost offended. Maybe he was breaking some kind of Sand custom?
Gaara immediately relaxed at the agreement. He hadn't been rejecting him he was being sweet, polite. Gaara's chest tightened painfully again at the insistence that they need to spend time together again. He wanted to…. He wanted to hold his hand again… like when they were little. That's what he wanted.
000000000000000000000
"I was so worried about you! Where have you been? Shikamaru was in an absolute panic as well. Apparently, several people saw you crying and bleeding all over? Kakashi said that you had Hemophilia and drug you off and Shoma told me you had residual damage from the chakra that poisoned you and Kakashi was demanding that he tell the council that you are his clanmate and were kidnapped or something? What is going on Harri?" Shikaku asked, nearly gathering the young boy into his arms the moment he was confident they were alone without any listeners. He was so glad that the Akimichi had been kind enough to contact him. He was more than man enough to admit he had been nearly in tears over Harri again. He loved that boy just as much as he did his own son.
Harri cringed when the man told him what he knew. "He….. He… is related….. through my mom. He said I wasn't allowed to see Shika or Choji today either. But-But I want to. Shika was so upset. I hate when he's upset!" Harri exclaimed, getting that familiar burning in his eyes when he got to the part about not being allowed to see his friends.
Harri felt guilty because he honestly couldn't help but like being… being babied by the Hatake he really did but not having Choji…. Or Shika…. or Mai…. He just couldn't. He couldn't, they were his. Shika was his just… Harri wasn't exactly sure how one could describe his possessiveness especially of Shika especially as he was getting older it was becoming stronger but… it was just… they were his in a… good way… he adored them and Harri always wanted to be with Shika especially! Not that he didn't adore Choji to but Shika…. he would happily spend every minute with him. Harri couldn't stand the older boy being upset or lonely! Harri just wanted all of them to be happy!
Shikaku to, was one of his most important people. As much as he didn't want to admit it… Harri almost felt the same way for the man as he did his own father, not quite, but nearly. He really loved the man and wished the council would have just let him live with him. It would have solved everything and they would have never had to deal with this new situation then but… The Nara's deserved to know at least this… At least this.
"What?" Shikaku furrowed his eyebrows clearly upset. Leading Harri closer and closer to the Nara compound. "I…. He…. Is going to try and use the Clan blood laws isn't he? I won't let him separate you from us. We…. You are our family and… we love you very much!" Shikaku said firmly. He walked over to a paper towel dispenser once they toed off their shoes and made their way through the door. He then came back over and wiped at Harri's bloodied eyes.
"E-even Shika?"
Shikaku snorted, itching at his cheek with an odd sort of smug expression on his face and leaned in whispering like he was telling him a secret. "I suspect Shikamaru does the most," Shikaku said, tone boarding on mischievous.
Harri was immediately all smiles after that. Pleased with the thought that Shika adored him too. Though he wasn't exactly sure why he was so delighted with the man's answer.
"Now you want to see Shikamaru, right? He's out back in the training grounds. Mai's around here somewhere too." Shikaku said, leading Harri through the house, not thinking twice about steadying him when Harri nearly tripped over a red rug on the way out the back door.
A tightness that had been in Harri's chest eased up as he made his way through the compound past the familiar buildings to the rarely used training grounds… Or well rarely used by Shika.
The other boy was standing in the middle, one foot in a shadow as he used his clan's Jutsu to half-heartedly try and grab birds. That was a new technique.
"Shikamaru, look what the cat drug in!" Shikaku called to his son and ruffled Harri's floofy mop.
The moment the boy's eyes met Harri's, he dropped his Jutsu and immediately was making his way to the pair's side. "Where were you? I looked everywhere for you!" The boy scolded. "Your eyes are all red again, why were you crying?" The boy fretted.
"We…. Have a bit of a problem," Shikaku explained vaguely.
"He can stay here, right? I want you to stay over. I-I was very worried when I heard about the extra bleeding… Especially when that Kakashi supposedly started making things up to make things seem worse than they ever really were. It seems calculated... I don't trust him anymore." Shikamaru insisted.
"Yes, well… someone had to do something and I stepped up….. Harri isn't suited for Shinobi work and needs someone to care for him after all." The voice of Kakashi met their ears as the man hopped out of a tree. "I was very worried about you, Harri. I have been looking everywhere, Ebisu came by and told me both you and Naruto ran off." The man sighed, running a hand over his face.
"I let you train without my supervision….. All I asked was that you stay put and train with Ebisu. You got to hang out with Naruto and you…. run off….. the moment you found an opening. I even told you we were going to stop by later to pick up Mai and you still ran off." Kakashi tutted, giving Harri an incredibly disappointed look. It made something cringe in the young boy. No, he didn't want him to be mad at him! He wanted to nuzzle at the man's chin and bare his throat and-and-
"Though….. I should have expected you to… come… here…. You feel safe with the Nara's after all….. and your….." The man gave the pair clinging to each other a slow pointed look over, "best friend…. is a Nara." Kakashi sighed sounding mildly exasperated and something… more flavored his tone that Harri was unsure about. "Anyway, I'm sure you need something to eat… let's….. head back and I will get dinner going and-"
"He isn't going anywhere," Shikaku growled, suddenly tense and both smelling and looking ready for a fight.
"Harri…. can do what he likes. Isn't that right Harri?" Kakashi asked, getting a grimace as Harri felt like he was being pulled like a rag doll between the two men. The need to please both was nearly dizzying it was so overwhelming.
"So what do you… want… to do Harri?" The silver-haired man asked, cocking his head and staring him down with intense dark, nearly black-grey eyes.
"I-I," It took everything Harri had to keep back the little whimpers that wanted to escape his throat so very badly. He felt like he was betraying whatever one that he ended up not staying with. He didn't want them to be upset with him. Who to pick, who to pick, who? He didn't want to play this game he didn't- Suddenly Harri felt like he couldn't get air in his lungs, like they were suddenly being squeezed and dizziness hit him and-and-
"Hey calm down Harri, it's okay. It's okay, there's no need to get so worked up." Shikaku croaned, immediately dragging Harri into a hug and running calloused fingers through the boy's long hair and patting his back. He knew from past experience that although counter-productive sounding practically squeezing the life out of the Uchihan princess had a tendency to calm him down quicker when he got that way.
"He hasn't had a panic attack like this for a while," Shikamaru said, frowning.
"Cover his eyes too. If you… make it dark, it should make him calm down much faster. Keep up the pressure, though." Kakashi insisted, ignoring the agitated look Shikamaru was shooting him as he walked his way over to hover over the pair. Kakashi flexed his hands as he stared Harri's gasping form down.
Shikaku did as he was told even as he practically burned holes into the other man with his eyes. He was pleasantly surprised though… Suspicious when it worked like magic. Within a few moments, Harri was breathing more regularly and seemed much calmer, almost back to normal. "How did you know to do that?" Shikaku asked, leaning slightly away from the other man.
"It's…. a Hatake thing. When we get this way, we have a tendency to… be….. easily overstimulated by the environment around us because of how panic attacks tend to magnify one's senses and well…. As I am sure you know us…. Hatake….. already have heightened senses, so it's pretty much a spiraling hell. Blocking eyesight helps us not feel so overwhelmed… and makes it easier to focus on calming our senses." Kakashi explained.
"I-I see…. Hey, are you feeling a bit better Harri?" The Nara got a quick nod, even as Harri continued to cling to him.
"I-I don't know what to do," Harri mumbled into Shikaku's torso. Taking in the man's familiar, secure scent. Kakashi's was quickly managing to snake into his nose to and was full of concern and protectiveness, that made Harri suddenly want to be petted and nuzzled like the night before. He suddenly felt very selfish. As long as he was around it was unlikely that Shika would want to do anything but lay around, cuddling with him in a puppy pill all day and… Harri was sure the other boy had a real chance of becoming a Chunin if he put a little more effort in. Probably the best out of their entire group. Harri didn't have much to offer the other boy when it came to training for the last bit of the exam. His fighting style and abilities were completely different than his friend's. He wasn't even sure that Shika's abilities would work on him being what he was. It seemed that those thoughts often crossed his mind…. His differentness. He was just in the way right now even if the pair of Nara's wouldn't think so. Harri didn't think he had felt so alien in a while. Harri was not human not even an ordinary demon and it was honestly a horribly lonely feeling knowing he probably would never be able to tell anyone or be able to truly be able to meet anyone like himself.
He… Harri just wanted to curl up in his nest of blankets and sleep…. Preferably for 20 or so hours straight with no interruptions…. "I…. think I'm…. going to head home. I'm going to sleep for a bit." Harri blurted, tone tired as he pulled away from Shikaku.
"What? Harri you don't need to leave!" Shikaku insisted, reluctant to let the boy go.
"I'm tired." Harri insisted. "I just, I'm very tired….. I'll see you later."
000000000000000000000
There hadn't been much protest on either end when Harri left. He was quick to strip out of his training clothes and slip into some of his thicker pajamas, then dove under the covers feeling strangely disquieted and unsatisfied. The house was too cold, but Harri tried to not let it bother him. It felt too empty. The smells were too dulled and the nest too lumpy and nothing was right or comfortable no matter what he did. The loneliness to, which hadn't bothered him so much anymore, was an issue….. What had once felt like some semblance of safety and home…. Filled him with nothing but restlessness. His…. Home was empty, inadequate.. It took a long while, but eventually, Harri managed to fall into an uneasy sleep.
When Harri woke up he felt nice and warm and safe. When he went to sit up, he realized a weight was draped over his chest and the scent of safety and parentalness and demon filled his nose in a dizzying sleepiness inducing way. Kakashi was sprawled out next to him, though on top of the blankets with a spare draped over him that smelled strongly of dogs.
The man sleepily rubbed at his face and barely cracked open his eyes. "Go back to sleep. It's still early enough in the evening that getting another hour or so of sleep shouldn't hurt before heading back to my compound." Kakashi grumbled.
Harri sputtered.
"You were cold all alone here….." Kakashi gave as the unasked explanation of why he was there, humming for a moment before continuing. "I shouldn't….. have done that to you, giving you such an ultimatum. It was cruel and…. I knew it was. I…. Just don't want you imprinting on Shikaku any more than you already… have…. I'm….. sorry."
A rightness made Harri's chest flutter at the man's candid words. He curled closer to the man, unable to help but to take in the man's comforting scent and close his eyes again feeling significantly better than he had when trying to get himself to go to sleep before. "I-I understand."
00000000000000000000000000000000000000
A little over a week later and Harri found himself wanting to train more and more again. He almost wished he had someone to do it with, but he was too nervous to let someone help him, even now.
While moving through his Katas and beginning to try and teach himself another technique, Harri couldn't help but think about the pile of dead rabbits left for him the day before. He was as sure that they had been for him as he was certain that Gaara had left them for him by the boy's distinct scent permeating the air around them. Harri couldn't help but feel incredibly flustered… flattered even…. Though he wasn't really sure why the boy with sad eyes and pretty red hair was able to produce such a strong reaction from him. There was a constant familiarity with the other boy that Harri just couldn't figure out. Like he knew the boy, the scent achingly familiar but wasn't.
Harri sighed, striking out at another treetrunk and hummed to himself in thought, hardly even needing to think about diving out of the way when the remains of the tree went plummeting to the ground. His thoughts quickly wondered to Shikamaru. He hoped his friend was doing well with his training. Harri was sure at the very least he would know how to do the techniques his father was teaching him right away but what really mattered with that sort of stuff was performance and practice. Those were Shika's week points. Hated to train.
"Wha'? Who's there? I thought you said this place would be deserted since it's close to the Uchiha compound!" A familiar excitable voice grumbled.
"Well, I thought it would be… I mean your teammate, Sasuke, is being trained by Kakashi, right?" An older male voice pointed out, clear mischief in his tone. "And he uses training grounds. He won't care about this place."
"Yeah…. True." Naruto tentatively agreed.
"You do realize you're trespassing on Uchiha property right?" Harri sighed, jumping down from the tree he was hiding in. "Though you were also pretending not to notice me… So you had to have had other motives." Harri pointed out. He had noticed the man glancing around before Naruto even had an inkling someone was even there. Though it unnerved him, they had managed to get so close before he had noticed them. He really was too far into his own head for it to be safe. He couldn't be letting his guard down so much.
"Sharp, aren't ya' kid…? Yeah, I had an inkling….. and I was right. You're that kid I was chasing all over wave aren't ya'?" The tall, white-haired man said.
Harri immediately paled, how hadn't he realized that he was that man? The one that smelled of oil and weakly of demon blood. It seemed that a majority of the most powerful individuals he had encountered had at least a hint of demon to their scents. Even the Nara's. Theirs' just didn't seem to affect them like it did others. It had only been recently that Harri had realized this and that when he was younger, Harri just hadn't been able to identify the scents of those without significant demon blood. Now he was able to and realized just about every clan around the village had something in them. The blood was just weaker in some than others or in the Nara's clan he probably hadn't identified it because he hadn't picked up on very man significant demon-like behaviors from them on top of them having a naturally more mellowed out scent. It wasn't a strong smell like Kakashi's or Uchiha's even Sasuke had that telltale smell of canine-like demon though his hadn't ever been nearly as strong as Harri's own father's.
The man smirked. "I was right, wasn't I?" The man exclaimed, tone full of cheek. "You've got quite the nose on ya' don't ya' kid? Standing downwind from ya' tripped you up, didn't it? That's how you kept getting away and how ya' managed to slip away, right? It's how I finally managed ta' catch ya' off guard this time too!" The man exclaimed proudly.
"Huh, what's the old perv' talking about Harri?"
Danger alarms were going off like crazy for Harri. He needed an adult, right now! The man was way too interested in him and strong for him to fight successfully and he already knew of Harri's ability to shock people….. If he took off his necklace, Harri might be able to get away though…. But that could also end in total disaster. The urge to growl as the man took a step closer was nearly uncontrollable, but he just managed to shove that need down, but only just. He knew one thing. He wasn't willing to interact with this man.
"So how do ya' know this squirt?" The man directed at Naruto, giving Harri an odd assessing look.
"Uh, she's my teammate, duh! Harri's the bastard's niece or whatever so they were both put on the same team even though we have Sakura. Harri's the one I told you about that blew up the whole side of that building. It was super cool!" Naruto babbled excitedly.
"I-I, that was an accident! I-I never meant to do that…" Harri sputtered immediately getting flustered.
"But you meant to totally blast those trees over there to smithereens?" The man pointed out, eying the clearing full of stumps and bits of burnt wood.
"I… um…. Yes…. Sort of." Harri said in a small squeak of a voice. He nervously fiddled with a strand of hair that had fallen out of the bun he had put it in. Trying his best not to visibly cringe under the man's intense foe-friendly gaze. "I was training… and ran out of practice dummies… again…. I can't quite get the technique I am working on….. My chakra isn't the best suited for small, focused attacks, so I keep blowing everything up…." Harri said, laughing a bit awkwardly.
"Huh, maybe you should try to kind of… uh…. focus your chakra like with the tree walking exercises?" Naruto suggested.
Harri went bright red, "I…. actually have never managed to do those. I always… just blow trees up, so I stopped trying….. When I was little, it would just leave dents in all of them and launch me flying…. And when I tried again before graduating the academy I…. I'm the one that made that one stealth training ground into a field…. It was after that I gave up….." Harri explained, utterly mortified over the incident still. Apparently, it had turned into some sort of urban legend or something.
"Wait, you can't even tree-walk? Come on, kid, you clearly just didn't have a decent teacher or something. Though…. kind of to be expected if your kid uncle is teaching you things~."
Harri's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that the problem? Do I need a teacher?"
"W-wait you haven't had one?"
"No? I've always taught myself and I've always done fine."
The white-haired man made a choking noise. "Alright kid. While Naruto works on his summoning, you are going to get the privilege of getting tutored by the great Jiraiya. Got it? Now we are going to- wait, where are you going!"
Nope nope nope! "I'm going to go make something to eat….. feel free to do… whatever." Harri said, the unspoke 'just leave me out of it' rang heavy in the air.
"Wha'! I'm the great Jiraiya, Jiraiya, the legendary toad sage!" The man guffed, going slack-jawed when Harri gave him a polite, 'good day Jiraiya toad sage sir'.
"Wait, you to, kid?" The man sputtered.
"Harri please make something for me to! I'm beggin' ya'!" The boy wheedled and followed Harri like an eager puppy.
00000000000000
"So this is the home of the last of the illustrious Uchihas?" Juriya mumbled to himself. Glancing around at the meticulously cleaned kitchen.
"Soooo, what are we gonna' eat Harri? I know whatever you make will be amazing!" Naruto insisted, bouncing in his seat.
"Uh, rabbit. I had someone give me quite a few and so I decided to make dinner for everyone with it. I actually was going to go out and find everyone to invite them over after I was done with training." Harri said, wrinkling his nose at the foul smell of cooked flesh. It was a good thing that he had planned on surprising everyone with dinner. The urge to rip into them raw had disturbed him too much to let him eat them himself.
"What, is it like the rabbit we ate when heading to Wave?" Naruto asked, practically vibrating in his seat at the thought.
"Sort of. I added a lot more seasonings and things to it." Harri dished up two bowls out of the practically vat sitting on the stove and sat one in front of each of his… self-invited guests.
"What about you? Aren't you hungry?" The man said, eying his bowl suspiciously and frowned when Harri pulled out what looked to be already cooked veggies and a fresh steak and began cutting it up while fishing for a skillet.
"Thank you so much, Harri! This is so good! You're the best!" Naruto praised, practically inhaling his food. Pausing when he saw the white-haired man not touching his food. He snickered. "What, think she poisoned it, old man? Harri just doesn't like the taste or smell of cooked flesh. It's a clan thing… from your mom or something, right?" Naruto said and shrugged, "It was kind of gross before, but you really get used to it after a while. It's not a big thing." The blond explained.
"Huh, interesting." The man hummed, taking a tentative bite of his food after that. Harri didn't like the calculated way the man spoke. "Oh, wow! You said you made this? It's amazing kid!" The man said, looking to be in pure heaven with each bite.
"I was planning on making a couple of cakes to," Harri muttered, just barely throwing the meat in the pan before dumping everything in a bowl.
Harri had the feeling more and more that this man hadn't come to the Uchiha complex at all because of training but because he had known the entire time that he would be there. This man had planned for all of this. He had been picking every so delicately at each of them until he got the information that he wanted without either of them realizing they were even giving him anything or that he was looking.
Harri grimaced. This… Jiraiya was a spider then. Plucking strings until he was able to figure out what he was dealing with at the other end. What was it that he thought was on the other end, though?…. What was this man looking for? Harri felt incredibly foolish for sharing so much with him… but what he had already said…. Better to come off as something as ridiculous as a protegee or something and keep him off the trail than for the man to figure out what he really was… though Harri could tell, Jiraiya had some sort of suspicions of something… He wished he knew precisely what though so he could direct him from looking too closely at his own true nature than.
Harri kind of wished he had just listened to Kakashi and stuck around the Hatake compound like he had both been told and had begun to have the urges to do. Things would have been a lot simpler. Why did he have to always get himself in those sorts of situations that could easily be avoided if he stopped trying to escape both his nature and the urges to obey Kakashi? Instead, he allowed his fear of himself to take charge again. Harri tried to prove to himself he was independent but… He really just… just wanted Kakashi right now.
0000000000000000000000000000000000
Apparently, speak of the devil… or in Harri's case think of him and he would appear. It wasn't long after Harri wished for the man to show up that he appeared… quite literally in a cloud of leaves and smoke in the middle of the kitchen.
"Yo." Was how he had greeted the small crowd staring at him. One hand up in greeting.
He had given Harri that one look. The look of parental disappointment that made Harri's legs weak and eyes burn ever so slightly.
He was quick to get rid of the other two and sighed. After Harri had explained what had happened, the man's face became sterner. "No running off tomorrow," Kakashi said, tone firm. "Sasuke hurt his arm today, so we have the day off tomorrow. I can spend more time with you. I… also can understand you feel bored being all alone all day…. I think I have an idea of what to do on the day's you are alone….. I'm glad you are starting to understand why I feel so protective of you, though."
Kakashi honestly couldn't wait to finally be able to start reading those scrolls. He hadn't even had the chance to get into them he had been so busy. The Jounin just hoped that Harri would be willing to help him, but he had a feeling it would take a bit longer for Harri to feel bonded enough to do so. Kakashi did feel like he was making quite a bit of progress already in the short amount of time that Harri had been with him, but that didn't mean that they would have a parent-child relationship overnight.
It would all be so much easier if he and or Iruka were able to spend a consistent couple of weeks with the boy without any mixed messages or separation. Their bond would with very little trouble snapping into place if they had been able to, but he was stuck training Sasuke and Iruka had hardly even had the time to stop by and say hello. Kakashi's lovely dolphin hadn't even been able to see Harri in that time as he had been afraid that if he had, he couldn't get himself to leave to continue helping set everything up, get guests checked in, and help to monitor the growing threat that sound and sand were posing. The poor man was in knots over everything that was happening.
Speaking of sand nin…. Why did I smell like that little red-haired psychopath had made a home visit not too long ago? Surely Harri would have noticed?
"Do you want some rabbit? A new friend of mine stopped by with about a dozen or so earlier today, so I cooked them up. I want to invite everyone over to eat with us….." He said, sitting a bowl of steaming hot stew in front of the man. "Anyways, my friend… he's demon like us and super sweet! He even made me this bracelet out of his sand! Isn't it pretty?" Harri exclaimed, trying to change the subject.
"Wait, what? Let me see that!" Kakashi demanded, voice almost strangled sounding. He snatched Harri's wrist and studied the reddish stone trinket made in a pretty delicate pattern of interlocking flowers. He went white as a sheet when he saw something that he swore nearly had his soul leaving his body. A Tanuki and that strange canine looking thing that surrounded Harri sitting with interlocking tails. Nope, not happening. Kakashi went to slip the bracelet off and… it turned to a loop of sand around Harri's wrist. He let out a sound similar to a dying rabbit when after the third time trying to get it off of Harri the words 'property of Gaara' appeared. Yup, his soul, had just left his body. Why? Harri just had to attract that little psychopath's attention, of all people! It couldn't have even been caterpillar brows, Lee? It had to be that one particular little dead-eyed maniac?! He literally just got to commit to being a parent and he already had to deal with something like this? Yup… he needed to go and take a moment for himself to scream. Yup, then he was going to have to figure out how to keep his Iruka from totally losing it.
And through all of this, he would need to figure out how to explain to Harri that he had accepted the equivalent of a betrothal to someone who probably killed puppies for fun.
That day really took a turn there. Really took a turn. Yup.
"Where-where are you going?"
"To scream and then maybe have some surprise puking depending on how I feel after. Who knows. I'll be back when it all ends."
End Chapter 17
So I hope everyone liked this chapter! Sorry, it took so long I have been very busy with work! I've been staying up until pretty much morning after work every day to get this done.
I honestly can't wait to have the council meeting happen and also to reintroduce Itachi and have him find out what Kakashi is trying to pull which will happen in only a couple of chapters. Our murder child will not be pleased!~
I will be starting to draw stuff for this story way more if you would like to see my stuff tell me I am going to school to be a scientific illustrator, so my stuff is decent!
I'm on Instagram under this same name by the way.
Please tell me what you think! It really motivates me and gives me ideas for this and other stories!
Also, I have a poll for this story up! I was deleting a bunch of super old polls and ended up accidently deleting the one for this one so I made a new one!
Next Chapter: Jealousy and Bad impressions