After she entered the ANBU, the number of assassinations doubled up, and the infiltrations and syonagess tripled. The moments of her being near death became an casualty, coming with each mission. It wasn't hard to catch up to the ANBU etiquette- a bit slow but surely, Kaiya grew colder towards the sight of blood and the idea of killing grew accustoming, but she still couldn't stand seeing people dying. It was never a nice sight to see people giving their last breath, even lesser when you must force it to hurry.

Sometimes, killing was easier when you were with someone by your side. In one of those times, Kaiya was on a rather long assassination and infiltration mission with Owl, an ANBU member just one year older than her. His real name was Tora, but just like his nickname suggested, he wore an owl mask.

As they were sitting in the bushes one night, looking at their targets who were in a rich-looking house, Kaiya turned to Owl, catching his attention, before beginning to tap her fingers and making various hand signs. Any ordinary person would find it odd, but an expert would recognise the action immediately- Japanese Sign Language. Tora focused on what his teammate signed. When will we strike?

Wait for them to fall asleep, he responded. We'll strike better then.

Kaiya nodded. It was already pretty late, so it shouldn't take long before they would fall asleep. They already gathered enough information to know what would await them. The ones who they had to kill were two feudal lords from the land of Waves. The two broke some promises to the land of Fire during the Third Great Shinobi War, and they had yet to make up and pay for them. Luckily for Kaiya and Tora, the two were already pretty old and lacked, for sure, skills in battle. Their only major problem would be the guards.

They were right- in just half an hour later, the lights were off. They're asleep, Tora signed, I can feel it in their chakra. One of Tora's greatest skills was chakra sensing- something usual for his family, led by chakra sensors.

'Let's go.' Kaiya murmured, before taking a deep breath in. 'There are two guards at the entrance. Am I right?'

'Hn. They suppress their chakra, but I can sense a bit of it leaking through the genjutsu. It means there's a lot of if in both.'

'Let me take care of it. Can you cover my chakra?'

Tora nodded. He activated the jutsu and, after giving her a sign of approval, Kaiya jumped in a tree, before moving another two or three trees around the house, bringing herself closer to the guards at the entrance. She knelt down a little to get a better view, careful not to be seen. The guards were tired- it was no rocket science to notice. Who knew when they last got proper rest. Kaiya smirked to herself as she grabbed carefully four needles out of her bag, two with a transparent liquid and two with a pale yellow liquid at their edges. She aimed one of each at the guards.

Within a second, the needles planted themselves in the guards' throats. For a moment, the guards looked at each other for a few moments in confusion, before falling on the ground unconscious. Kaiya jumped and landed between them. She looked at the guards for a bit as she took back her needles.

'Poisoned needles?' Tora asked, making himself present next to Kaiya. 'Smart as always, my dear.'

'Only two of them were poisoned, not all. Two are instant sleep needles, and the other two are poisoned. Even though they're asleep now, they should die in five minutes or less, if there's no antidote given.'

'Hopefully, they didn't plan this happening. Let's go.'

Luckily, the front door was weakly locked. With just a single forceful kick, the lock broke, letting the door open with a light creaking sound, revealing a dark hallway. Kaiya turned her head to Tora and exchanged looks for a second, before proceeding in the dark with her hand on her tachi, ready to pull it out at any given moment.

Nothing happened as they walked until they reached a wooden, spiral stairway. Let's go, Kaiya signed, without turning around.

'Hn.' Tora hummed,

Kaiya took a careful step on the first stairstep. No creakings. Good. The building wasn't very large but, if the feudal lords were spending there night there, it must've been luxurious in the rooms. Whoever led the project must've taken care for every detail- the house, although luxurious, seemed old and many old wooden stairs gain a tendency to creak. The stair wasn't long- two ANBU reached the top within seconds, to meet another door blocking them from their targets. Kaiya turned her head a little towards Tora, as she made him some space to come next to her.

He reached the door and put his hand on it, letting a complete silence to fall over them for a while. They know we're here. Three guards, all armed with swords., Tora informed, The feudals are still asleep. Kaiya frowned. We don't really have any choice but to fight them, she signed, It's not like if we wait that they'll go away.

Tora nodded. What she said made perfect logic. He prepared his chakra for an attack as Kaiya strengthened her grip on her tachi. The guards didn't stand a chance, nor did the feudal lords. In just a matter of minutes, a guard was knelt down before Kaiya, every muscle in his body hurting. He was the last person alive in the room. He failed his duty so miserably., he thought as he raised his head to look at Kaiya.

'Just kill me,' he said,' I don't deserve to live.'

Kaiya pursed her lips, as she raised her tachi. 'I'm sorry.'

The guard let his head down, waiting for his demise. As he waited, moonlight seemed to shine through the balcony stronger than usual, the rays resting on and around the man. As he took his last breath, he couldn't think of much but one thought. It's a nice night to die. Forgive me, everyone.

Meanwhile in Konoha, a particular small group was under fire. Kakashi was walking with his nose in his usual book, when he couldn't help but notice the distress over a small set of students and their teacher.

'Guy, what's wrong?'

'Kakashi-sensei!' Lee exclaimed, gladly. 'Please help us out. Kaiya's birthday is overmorrow, and we still have nothing for her.'

'Hm, that's a serious problem you got there.' Kakashi hummed, observingly. 'Are you sure she wants anything?'

'Well, we can't just not give her anything.' Tenten said. 'Will you get her anything?'

Kakashi pursed his lips as he looked at the group. To be fair with himself, he didn't even know that the girl's birthday was overmorrow.

'Perhaps.' He answered. The kids' distress caught up to him, he guessed, giving him a guilt ride. 'But we can't get the same gift, so it's a waste of time and words to tell you what my gift is.'

'Is that a challenge, rival?' Guy exclaimed.

'Call it whatever you want. We all part our own ways in this matter.'

Tenten cursed under her breath for a brief moment. 'So no help, then? You leave us on our own like that?'

'You heard me. I'll get her something, and so will you all. All I do is make sure that my gift won't be spoiled by you lot. All clear?'

'Yes, Kakashi-sensei.' The three responded simultaneously, with their heads down.

'Now, now, don't get sad. I'm sure you'll find something. See y'all later. Oh yeah, good luck on your search.'

Kakashi bit his lip in thought as he walked away. They probably wouldn't need so much good luck to find something for her. Hell, they even knew her birthday was coming up. It was him that needed some luck, not them. Yet, luck was a risky thing that didn't like to visit very often. Most of the times, you have to make luck on your own. But how could he bring himself to an answer?

He took a sharp breath as he stopped in his tracks, with an idea striking him. What if... he made a visit? It would be dangerous, and it sounded a little stupid for some, but it would help. Yes, the visit would be worth the danger. He needed to request Lady Hokage to excuse him for his upcoming absence.

Upon hearing his plan, Tsunade couldn't help but feel a little amused.

'Man, you really grew a little softer lately,' she said, 'Ever since, you know. She came back.'

'So may I go?' He insisted, returning to the subject.

'Of course,' She chuckled. 'Who am I to stop you? She's your daughter, after all.'

'Thank you.'

Next thing he knew, he was going at full speed towards the land of Lightning. He hadn't been in that place in nearly two decades now and he never really had a wish of ever returning, but Tsunade was right to some degree, he guessed. He grew a little softer ever since Kaiya returned. Suddenly, a thought came along. He never apologised. Maybe he could do that. Try better at making up for it. To both of them.

Just like most of the time, the day was a quiet for the Kobayashi clan. Everyone was preparing for the winter by all means- the older and the sick made winter clothing, and kids aided preparing the tents with extra layers of animal skin that would provide warmth or they would help bringing wood stocks for the fire. The best hunters would be sent to look for the best areas to hunt that winter, and the rest of the people aided where they could.

While her husband respected his duty as an elite hunter and went patrolling the nearby areas, Fuzasane remained that day in the Elders' tent to help making some clothes.

'Fuzasane-chan, could you go to see if they returned with some animals? We'll soon run out of skins and fur.' Aika, one of Fuzasane's friends, asked.

Aika wasn't very old, just a year or two older than Fuzasane, but wrinkles started to make themselves visible on the pale woman's face, along with a few white hairs in her blonde hair. Although not necessarily one of the most beautiful, she had her own beauty that was weakened along with the rest of Aika due to a sickness she got recently. Some feared that she wouldn't be able to survive the winter, but no one dared to say it out loud.

'Sure,' Fuzasane shrugged as she put down a fur jacket she was making. 'I'll go.'

She exited the tent and, as she made her way to ask someone if a hunter came back, something made her freeze. Through the familiar smells of her family and the woods, a particular scent stood out. A scent that she cursed for so long... There was no mistake. She was sure it was him. Yet... what was he doing here? Kaiya wasn't here, so just why?

She wasn't the only one who sensed it. Every Kobayashi present became very alert, every adult aware of who the person was. They all talked to him.

'Fuzasane.' A man in his mid-twenties nearby Fuzasane murmured. 'Be careful.'

'I know.'

It didn't take long for him to appear. He was walking slowly, his hands in his pockets, looking around. Just like the last remembered. It was an eerie feeling on both sides. Kakashi sighed, putting his hands in the air.

'Man, I didn't remember this place to be so quiet.' He said loudly.

'What are you doing here?' Someone called out. 'You're not supposed to be here.'

Kakashi let his hands drop.

'Then I won't take much from your time. I only want to talk to someone. I'll leave as soon as I'm done.'

A flash of brown hair made itself present in front of Kakashi so suddenly that he needed to take a step back. A woman a little older than him with long hair and fur clothing stood tall before him. It didn't take long for Kakashi to connect some dots- the woman was no other than Ichika, the leader. She didn't really take a liking in her sister, but she had to admit that at that moment, Fuzasane couldn't help but feel relieved at her sister coming.

'Who do you want to talk to? The woman demanded.

'Eh, I'm not- I want to talk to Fuzasane. Do you know her?'

'Fuzasane? Like in hell that I'd let you get close to my sister. You know what happened last time you did, and I don't want the same mistake to repeat.'

Fuzasane sighed, her breath shaking. This couldn't be possible. She turned her head to the man who warned her earlier.

'Please come with me.' She said, quietly.

The man nodded and obeyed immediately. He walked along with her to where the visitor was. At the sight of Fuzasane next to her, Ichika couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

'You don't have to get involved. I can solve this by myself.' Ichika said.

'By force, yes. Let's see what he wants before we sacrifice any lives.'

'Fuzasane-'

'Nee-chan. Trust me. I'm a full-grown adult.' Fuzasane turned to Kakashi. 'Now what do you want?'

For the first time ever since he left Konoha, Kakashi hesitated.

'It's, um, it's about Kaiya. Her birthday is overmorrow and well, I hoped you could help me.'

'Don't tell me you suddenly care. How do you know when her birthday is, anyway?' Fuzasane asked.

'Her friends told me. They were stressing out about what they should get her, and well, I care too. I would've not come here if I didn't. Am I not allowed to?'

'It's not that, but you could've started doing that earlier.'

'You're absolutely right. I have nothing to say except that I was just as scared and confused as you probably were when things happened, and that I apologise for everything I put you through. You don't have to forgive me ever, alright? I don't expect you to. Yet, we can't go back in time.' Kakashi paused for a moment, to catch his breath. He talked too fast. He needed to talk slower. 'I thought a lot about this ever since I found out that Kaiya was, well, my daughter. I may have not been there for her at the beginning or much of her life until now, but... she's my kid too, in a way. I... She may not really see me as a father in any way but biological, so if you agree, I would like to be part of her life as well. If she doesn't want to see me as a fatherly figure, that's alright. But I want her to know that I'm there too and that I care. What do you think?'

Fuzasane couldn't believe her ears. Nobody could. Any whispers quieted down to the point where it was complete, utter silence.

'Fuza-' Ichika began.

Fuzasane gulped. 'Fine. But listen up and don't forget my words. As long as my daughter has a good opinion on you, you'll never hear my name. If, god forbid, you cause any trouble regarding my daughter, I'll make sure every second of your life is a hell until you make up to her.'

'Understood.' Kakashi nodded, relaxing a little.

It was an icebreaker for both of them. In a way, it felt like some of the tensity that sat between them died down,.

'Good. Is there anything else I can help you with?' Fuzasane asked, making full eye contact with the leaf shinobi.

'Yes, actually. I still don't know what to give Kaiya for her birthday. Any ideas?'

'Hm,' Fuzasane hummed in thought, 'let me think for a second. I'm sure I can find something.'

A/N

Aye, here we are with another chapter! So, this chapter wasn't fully part of the plan (Kakashi visiting the Kobayashi) but he was distressing over there over what he should get, and when the idea of him visiting came up, my brain was all like Yes. Avery, I swear to mcfricking God, this is a good idea since it's interesting and gives character development to Fuzasane and Kakashi. You better use it.

So I used it. On another note, my dudes, I feel like I'm dropping out of my Naruto phase, and going into my next anime phase, Boku no Hero Academia phase. Don't worry, my dudes, I'll continue writing this fic up until the end. I really like this story and to hell with me if I'd dare to discontinue this book.

Alright my dudes, so the next chapter is going to be a good one. A really good one, my dudes. I really wanted to write it for a long, long time (I have had the whole plot in the series planned ever since like, midway book 1, a.k.a The Nomad, so it's quite some time), and here we are!

So yeah. School started (and I want to yeet myself into a break), so y'all know what that means. See y'all in the next chapter!

-Avery