Their Thoughts

Team Decisions Made

Kakashi was half-asleep when he went toward the bathroom door. He had turned the knob when he finally heard the sound of running water on the other side. Realizing that Meika was taking a shower, he stumbled into the kitchen instead of getting smacked around for the rest of the day.

Morning, sleepyhead…

"I wonder what to eat now?"

You didn't get a chance to greet the other tenant living with you?

"I should just wait 'til lunch… but breakfast in the most important meal of the day…"

HELLO DUMBASS! Don't you have any common sense? You thought that everyone you knew from your childhood was dead. Your friend comes back from her trip and you can't even carry on a proper conversation with her?

Kakashi was annoyed at being yelled at by himself in the morning. "It's only a small crush. I can't do anything with her in the bathroom anyway. Why should I-"

Idiot, why are you making such excuses anyway? You never made such dumb excuses like this. Just tell her how you feel and get the girl!

"WILL YOU SHUT-"

Kakashi could only stare at Meika standing at the doorway as she stared back at him. He prayed that she hadn't heard everything that he had said. (She had only heard his last statement, not that he knew.) He felt stupid knowing that she wasn't going to understand the dilemma here.

"I'm arguing with my inner perverted mind about you?"

"…Good morning, Mei-chan…"

"Kakashi…you can… have the bathroom… now."

o0o0o0o0o0

Meika was heading toward her doctor's office. Kakashi was at the hospital checking on a bored Naruto.

She had told him that she was going to look around Konoha, but that was only half the truth. She still had a weirdly acting heart. Thankfully, the medical ninja on her team hadn't breathed a word about her condition… well, Meika could trust her, but she was still feeling uncertain.

"Well Najika-san, I'm glad to say that your little trip saved you. Being stuck having to work out and do things to strain yourself must work", the doctor mused over the scans. Meika wanted to know the results already, for her sake!

"You're in stable condition. I have to admit, it's actually gotten better. Try not to go over your limits, though."

"Thank you, doctor."

"I'm curious… even thought you had problems with yourself, why did you continue on being a shinobi?"

Meika shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know the true reason myself…I guess that I've always liked adventure."

"You mean like the time when you jumped on top of the Sandaime, caused a panic and were temporarily called an assassin?"

"I was only SIX years old at the time."

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi leaned next to Hokage-sama's office door. He wanted to see her expression when she came running the hallway.

In mere minutes, Meika was flying down the hall. Kakashi held up his hand to signal 'stop'. She skidded a little and went down on her knees for a break.

"I'm sorry I'm late, but I didn't check the time early enough."

Kakashi said, "This reminds me of Obito so much…"

"Hey, Obito was always late for every little event! I'm not like that. Come to think of it, I think his trait is starting to rub off on you."

"How would you know?"

"People gossip all the time. Anyway, which team did I get assigned to?"

He just gave her a simple look. She kept looking at him as he deftly narrowed his eye. Then she realized…

"No way…"

He kept looking…

"You didn't do that…"

His mask moved slightly as if he was smiling.

"I'M ON YOUR TEAM?!"

o0o0o0o0o0

Meika fumed while waiting for her bowl of ramen.

That sneaky dog had gotten her onto his team. Apparently, while she had been using him as a punching bag, he explained that he had suggested the idea to Hokage-sama. Before he could take it back, it had been written on paper and made legal.

"Thanks for the ramen", she said to Ayame. Meika was at the Ichiraku Ramen Bar. The people serving were Teuchi (the owner) and his daughter, Ayame.

She pondered while slurping up the noodles. Kakashi wasn't a bad person. They had been classmates and now still friends. He may have been a tad annoying in his childhood, but at least he wasn't out to kill her. Unlike many of her former classmates, who were missing-ninjas now…

Kakashi, I am so going to kill you!!! How dare he?! What the hell is the matter with you?!

"Why, what a beautiful looking girl!"

Meika turned her head. The weirdest looking guy she had ever seen in her life was taking the seat next to her. He was wearing a green jump suit and had his headband around his waist. He had a bad haircut and his eyebrows were big, fuzzy caterpillars. She could've sworn that his teeth were shining.

"Who the hell are you?"

"What, you don't know me?! I am Maito Gai, at your service my dear lady."

"Um, I'm Najika Meika", she said. She left behind a tip and started walking away. Gai got up and grabbed her arm.

"Why don't I accompany you home?"

"What the hell! Listen up; I can get home by myself. Don't touch me again or even try to make any moves on me. I may brand you as a pervert."

She smiled and shook her arm away from him.

Gai suddenly kissed her on the forehead.

o0o0o0o0o0

Kakashi had been hiding across the street on the rooftop. He was still resting up from Meika's sudden outburst of anger. He had been watching the events going on, from the ramen bar out into the street.

Then Gai had kissed her.

Now, he was so damn irritated with Gai.

In one second, his feet were on the ground. His hand was on top of Gai's head. His face was serious. The atmosphere around him became pitch black.

"Who dares to touch my- Oh Kakashi, I didn't see you!" Gai turned around and faced him.

Kakashi gave the evilest, iciest glare he had ever made only once before in his life. (Obito was the cause of the first time…)

Gai cowered and screamed as his ass got kicked to the other side of Konoha.

Feeling his dark mood rising upward, Kakashi dusted himself off and faced Meika with his normal expression.

"Well, that pest is gone. Let's go back", he said.

Meika tilted her head and said, "I could've kicked him in the groin myself if you hadn't interfered."

Kakashi whistled. "If you see him tomorrow, try it out."

"So how do you know him?" Meika asked, walking toward the apartment. Kakashi trailed behind her.

"You don't want to know."

Meika just looked at him and sighed.

yuyuyuyuyu

"Please tell me about the team, Kakashi", Meika asked. They were sitting on the wooden floor of the living, already dressed for the night, but not ready for sleep. (The couch broke, remember?)

"Well, the first member is Uzumaki Naruto. He likes to eat ramen and make friends. He can do a lot and has a very strong will. He never buckles down under pressure and knows what he's doing. Sure, he may seem a little rash and maybe dumb, but his heart is in the right place. I know that you will look at him as an individual instead of as a container for the nine-tailed fox, right?"

"Sure, I can do that. Who is the next member?"

"Her name is Haruno Sakura. Because of her training with the Godaime, she is a medical ninja, she's strong at taijutsu, and she has a fiery temper. I don't think she drinks, though. She's adept in her field and… oh yes; she was a genjutsu user before.

"There are two other temporary members of Team Kakashi. Captain Yamato is a part of ANBU and a close partner of mine. We were partners when I was an ANBU captain. The next one is Sai. He is part of Root, so even though he's trustworthy enough, there's still a bit of uneasiness about him."

Meika leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Something's telling me that you're hiding something."

He hesitated, but answered, "When I first met my genin team, before Team Kakashi, the three were Team 7."

"What a coincidence. You, Rin and Obito were the old Team 7", Meika mused. Kakashi didn't move as she went to sit next to him.

"Okay, but what are you hiding? Who was the third member?"

"The third member… used to be Uchiha Sasuke. He was possibly the only person spared during the slaughter of the Uchiha clan. He wanted to be strong in order to kill his brother and bring back the clan. I tried to put him off, but he betrayed Konoha and joined Orochimaru. The last I've heard of him, he has formed his own team, Snake.

"Naruto didn't want him to go. At the Valley of the End, they fought a brutal fight. But Sasuke escaped and… he's thirsty for revenge."

They sat together, silent, Meika drinking in all of that information, Kakashi glad of her company. The moonlight made the shadows move and dance as both moved across the friends' bodies. In this secluded part of town, people talking and yelling were heard from afar.

Kakashi broke the natural stillness. He reached across the small space and smoothed back Meika's hair to see her calm face.

She turned to her left and looked back at him with curiosity. Kakashi shook his head and stood up. He walked into his bedroom and turned around in the open doorway he would close in five seconds.

"Good night, Mei-chan."

Disclaimer: I don't own Naurto! This is getting annoying!

Everyone, be ready to meet the rest of Team Kakashi in the next chapter! Yes, this means Naruto and Sakura!