Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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Anko crosses the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Wisps of flame still trickling from his mouth, Kakashi barely has time to dodge, only managing a half roll. It is enough to save his life, the kunai aimed for the back of his head grazing his shoulder. He lets his arm go wide; catching Anko's wrist just above the kunai and twisting her arm up against her back as he completes his turn.

She's too fast to be caught like that. Her elbow jabs at his face as she twists under his arm –he manages to keep his grip on her wrist- and slams the straightened tips of her fingers into his upper arm in a series of practiced strikes designed to destroy the nerve endings there.

It works, his arm going numb. He doesn't let go. More than his life is at stake here.

He gathers his legs under him and springs forward, twisting her wrist around so that the kunai points at her. She's not as strong as him and his brute charge succeeds in pinning her, the breathe leaving her with a hiss of exclamation as her back slams against the tree trunk, the kunai inches from her throat. Her free hand slips upwards, her forearm locking itself against his as she levers the kunai away from her until it points upwards.

Their faces are only a foot apart and their eyes lock, his mismatched ones meeting her brown ones, the wavering kunai the only line between them. It wavers and trembles, caught between their two wills. He knows better than to try, but does anyway. "He's a traitor to Konoha. You don't have to follow him just because he's your sensei. Don't do this."

She doesn't answer. Her half lidded eyes bore into him, and the strange tattoo like brand that covers half her neck glows red and stretches, the marks spreading to consume half of her face. Power ripples off of Anko in waves, a cold energy that catches and snags against Kakashi as if it were made up of thousands of tiny hooks.

"Anko. Don't. I will kill you."

The wavering kunai tilts like a falling tree to point at him, fueled by an inhuman strength.

Fine. Kakashi shifts, getting better leverage and bringing his full weight to bear, his free hand pressing into the ring pommel of the kunai. Even with her inhuman strength he is still much larger than her, and the kunai's point wavers back towards her.

Her feet scramble against the branch, and her back arches like a cat's as she brings every bit of strength she has in her small frame against him, the brand burning and stretching across her skin, the dark energy emanating off her sharpening into a thousand miniscule razors prickling against his skin. Her voice is just as sharp when she speaks. "You just don't get it Kakashi. You don't understand the gift my sensei has bestowed upon me."

Her foot hooks around his leg and they both lurch to the side, the kunai whispering an inch from Kakashi's face as he loses his grip on it. He gathers his legs under him and pushes, launching Anko off him. A branch clips her shoulder. She spins and lands in a crouch, hands forming seals. His hands blur to match and the air between them blisters and twists, twin fire techniques forming a wall of orange and yellow that wavers with conflicting forces. The brand creeping across her skin gives her more power, and his fire blast begins to cave against her fury.

He gathers his legs under him again, heels pressing against the tree branch, and springs forward. The flame spouting from his mouth forms an umbrella in front of him, keeping the worst of her fire away from him. He is still inches from an inferno though, and the heat rasps against his skin like sandpaper, the single breath he takes scorching his throat. He is through in a second, smoke trailing from his singed hair and clothes. The wall of fire has blocked Anko's view, and such a suicidal move is not one he commonly makes. Kunai clear holsters and they meet in a clash of blades, sparks lighting the air.

A slash cuts the skin under his eye, and blood seeps down to stain his mask. He slides a hand under the arc of her strike and twines it around her arm like a snake, both of their elbows locked, his hand slapping against the back of her shoulder in a firm grip. He has better leverage than she does, and uses it to wrench downwards. She refuses to sink to her knees, and a pop cuts the air, the arm twined around his going limp as it is dislocated. The kunai in her other hand jabs at his face, but it is desperate attack. He twists away and uses the momentum to bring the pommel of his kunai against the back of her head.

She slumps into unconsciousness and Kakashi limps backwards, disentangling his arm from hers. The tattoo-like marks burn an angry red, receding down her neck and shoulders, pulling back into a single pyramid of tear marks on her collarbone. Kakashi sighs and crouches down next to her, pulls her arm back into place with a snap, and fastens the collar of her coat, careful that it covers the tear marks. ANBU will be here soon and he does not want this to have all been for nothing.

--

"After which I was rendered unconscious by the target and awakened several hours later under the care of a medic nin."

Sarutobi tosses her report on his desk with a tired flick of his hand. "And your injuries are healing?"

"Yes." Anko's voice is quiet and cool. As ever.

Sarutobi steeples his fingers, the bottom half of his face obscured. "Do you have anything to add Kakashi?"

"You have my report."

"Anything you want to add to that?"

Anko is on Kakashi's left and with his Sharingan covered she is out of his line of sight. He shrugs; the up and down of his shoulders casual, his hands thrust into his pockets. "If it was important I would have put it in the report."

Sarutobi nods slowly and tosses their reports on the stack of scrolls. He doesn't glance up. "That's all. You can go."

The hallway is cold and dark, and without either of them talking, quiet. They wait until they are out of earshot of the Hokage's office before turning towards each other. Anko's right arm is in a sling. Her left falls to her side, fingers brushing her side holster. "What are you going to do now? Keep an eye on me for the rest of my life? Make sure I don't run away?"

Kakashi's hands stay thrust in his pockets "Now you get to make a choice."

Her eyes narrow into slits. "You'd really let me walk away? Just like that?"

"Of course not. You get to make a choice. I don't."

Her index finger trails a circle along the top of her side holster. "That'd hardly be fair. My arm's in a sling."

"True." He says, "But this time you'll be able to think clearly."

The street lights have flickered on by the time her hand falls away from her side holster. She turns on her heel and strolls away, voice clear. "I'm heading to my apartment. Don't follow."

Kakashi shrugs and sets out in the opposite direction, pretending he wasn't.

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