Chapter Eight
Oppa Sensei Style! Kakashi Scopes Out the Team!
森
Bleary, mismatched eyes cracked open as the dawn of a new day assaulted Kakashi's shinobi senses. Birds chirped in the trees, wind whistled in the leaves, and the floor of the house creaked as someone (presumably one of his Genin) padded down the hall outside his room. The sun was bright (too bright, he reflected, as he'd been unconscious for two days and had only woken up the previous evening), and silver hair half-covered his Sharingan, preventing it from sucking away his chakra like the demonic, useful parasite it was (since legends said the Uchiha had demonic blood somewhere in the mishmash of shinobi heritage). The man took a moment to simply lie there, on his fuuton, the scents of Tsunami's breakfast wafting up from downstairs to tickle his dog-like sense of smell, a trait he cursed as well as praised (it made cleaning out the hospital bedpans as a Genin absolute hell).
He could smell the bacon (most likely wild boar, as Wave wasn't exactly prosperous enough to afford higher-quality farm meats), eggs, fish, and assorted wild vegetables cooking from downstairs. Scents of the forest and ocean drifted in from the open window, whose flowing white drapes undulated in the salty breeze. In all, he was completely at peace.
"OOOOOI~! KAKASHI-SENSEEEEEEEI~!"
….Correction. He had been completely at peace until his idiotic, stereotypically blonde student decided it would be a good time to open his entirely-too-loud mouth. Groaning, he sat up, muscles aching so badly he felt he could barely breathe for the pain, and raised a hand to his face. Good, so no one had removed his mask while he slept; he'd thought Naruto or maybe Sasuke would've at least attempted it, but apparently Sakura (and Tsunami) had a shred of decency. Speaking of Sakura and Sasuke…
Kakashi grinned beneath his mask, rubbing his hands together as devious thoughts flooded his mind. He'd announce they'd be doing training in pairs, then take Naruto aside to work on his (apparently horrendous) chakra control, while Sasuke and Sakura would be left alone…in the forest…by the ocean…without adult supervision…with a super-romantic setting…yes! It would be so easy, so simple, and yet so very perfect…like a toned-down Icha Icha novel come to life, the story of two torrid lovers whose profession could steal them away from each other at any moment…if he could write, he'd be the next Jiraiya!
But wait! Kakashi's closed eye snapped open. If he could find a camera…and tire Naruto out to the point of unconsciousness…he could (le gasp) document their interactions! Kakashi giggled. Yes, this plan would do.
After all, what's a ninja without a good dose of blackmail?
森
Sasuke and Sakura, eating their breakfast in peace downstairs, shivered simultaneously as a strange feeling washed over them. Sasuke's spiked hair actually seemed to raise slightly, like an agitated cat's fur as he stiffened. Sakura looked over to him.
"What was that?"
"I don't know…bt it feels similar to something that happens a lot in Konoha…"
"Hm? What?"
Sasuke shivered again.
"It's not possible, but there's no other explanation…there's a crazed fangirl somewhere around here."
Sakura gasped in sheer horror.
森
About an hour later (around nine in the morning, more accurately), Kakashi gathered Team Seven in Tazuna's living room for a debrief.
"Alright, so as you know, Zabuza will most likely attack a week from now, when his strength is recovered. I've decided that, since Tazuna is taking a day off and will be in the extensively-protected house, I'll take you three cute little Genin out to train."
Naruto grinned happily, eyes almost closed and hands behind his head. Sakura smiled at the blonde's antics, and Sasuke simply blinked.
Hell if Kakashi knew what was going through that boy's head most of the time…maybe thoughts of a certain pinkette? Yes, he would make them a couple. Seriously, their dynamic was too cute! Kakashi didn't notice he was blushing and giggling like a twenty-nine-year-old schoolgirl on steroids at the mental images of Sasuke giving Sakura flowers (pink, of course), Sasuke and Sakura on a date at a fancy restaurant (with Sakura in a pretty red dress and Sasuke in a suit), Sakura leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, Sasuke turning at the last second and brushing his lips across hers…yes, his cute little Genin were growing up so fast! He would have fluffy SasuSaku action in no time!
Meanwhile, Sasuke paled when Kakashi's shoujo act began. Sakura looked over to him.
"So it was him all along?"
"We need to go. Now. Before he goes Ino on our souls."
Sakura flinched, grabbed Sasuke's hand (ignoring Kakashi's even-louder-than-before giggles and Naruto's indignant screaming), and bolted.
森
"Have we lost him?"
Sakura panted, now racing behind Sasuke as they fled Tazuna's house and the terror within. Sasuke stopped gradually, doubled over and barely able to breathe, let alone speak. Then, as they both looked up, they gasped (albeit Sasuke's was mental).
They stood at the edge of a clearing overlooking the sea, surrounded by tall maple trees with gold, red, and auburn leaves. The grass was long, green, and pristine, waving in the salty sea breeze, and the ground at the other side of the grove dropped off into a steep white stone cliff. They could hear the waves breaking below, and the cries of seagulls circling above. The sun was high in the sky, ringed with wispy white clouds in an impossibly blue sky.
Neither of them realized they were still holding hands. Or, rather, Sasuke noticed but decided to pretend he didn't. He liked her touch, her closeness, the feeling of her small, delicate, calloused-palm hand in his. Unconsciously, Sakura stepped closer to him, until her shoulder brushed his, and they walked to the cliff's edge, sitting down.
Sasuke stretched his right leg out, propping his left elbow up on his left knee. On his right, Sakura lay on her left side, shoulder still resting on Sasuke's and hand still joined with his. And on an unspoken message, or agreement, they watched the waves in silence.
Sasuke never noticed the small smile that appeared on his face, nor his body's slight lean into Sakura, as though it unconsciously craved her. Sakura, on the other hand, wore a grin the size of Konoha as she tilted her head, letting it fall onto Sasuke.
They stayed that way for the rest of the day, on account of both parties falling asleep about half an hour after discovering the little clearing by the sea.
森
Kakashi eye-smiled. After leaving Naruto (who'd needed more help with chakra control than he'd first thought) to train using the tree-climbing exercise (using the excuse of going to find Sasuke and Sakura, which was true, but not for the reason Naruto had imagined), he'd tracked Sasuke and Sakura's scent to a small (romantic!) clearing, where he'd found them, alright…he'd found them asleep on one another, still holding hands, facing the ocean and (now) the sunset. He had no doubt they'd been here all day.
As he watched them, he sensed Sasuke's chakra flare slightly, and he drew back into the bushes, suppressing his own energy (as Sasuke seemed to be able to sense chakra, as they'd found through the excess of Tora missions) as he did so. The raven's head stirred, then rose, twisting to the side to behold a pink-haired girl, lit with the colors of the sunset. Kakashi caught a hint of a smile flutter along Sasuke's face, like a hesitant butterfly, before the boy smothered it.
Ah, well…denial wasn't just a river in Suna before it dried up in the desert sun!
…At least, Kakashi thought the old saying went something like that.
Sakura woke up then, shifting her hair out of her eyes and saying something to Sasuke.
"I can't believe we were out so long…it must be around five, ne?"
"…Aa."
Sakura giggled, and Sasuke looked at her confusedly.
"Only you could make a grunt a legitimate answer. Kami, Sasuke, would it kill you to use actual words?"
"…"
"Well?"
"…Maybe."
Sakura burst into all-out laughter, the kind that left your lungs breathless and your eyes filled with tears of mirth, collapsing against her teammate (future lover, dammit!) as he smirked, watching her antics with a glint of some emotion in his eyes. Kakashi was too far away to tell what it was, but he could tell it related to the green-eyed genius girl giggling in his lap.
Wait.
Hold up.
In his lap?!
…They were further along the road to romance than Kakashi had previously thought. The silver-haired sensei in question watched them for around ten more minutes before departing, the avid shipping maniac within his head screaming about the influx of evidence for current and/or future SasuSaku fluff.
What he didn't hear, however, were Sasuke's quiet chuckles hidden amongst the gales of laughter spewing forth from the pinkette.
森
Picking up a trained-to-exhaustion Naruto on his way home, Kakashi allowed himself a little victory fist-pump, with quiet whisper-yells of "Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!"
Needless to say, the clones of Naruto guarding the house (whom he'd forgotten were there) decided as a whole to let one of their own dispel to inform the boss of their findings. In conclusion: they now had solid evidence that the Jounin was officially insane. Or pedophilic. Possibly both. Why else would he be randomly screaming the word 'yes' over and over with a small blonde boy over his shoulder?
The designated dispeller shuddered before he cracked his head on a tree, disappearing in a poof of smoke. He'd hate to think of what Kakashi had done to his boss while said boss was unconscious.
森
Sasuke and Sakura returned about half an hour after Kakashi and Naruto did. Naruto was still unconscious, twitching occasionally due to nightmares induced by his dispelled clone's report. Kakashi was 'meditating' on the couch (in reality he was simply looping the SasuSaku real-life fan-service through his brain), schoolgirl blush hidden by his mask. Sakura gave him a wary look, watching him like a rabbit watches a prowling wolf. Sasuke simply gave him a wide berth, taking the far route around the couch to avoid any possible fan-spasms (which, from his experience, involved fangirls literally throwing themselves at him). A small twinge in Sasuke's arm reminded him of the wards, letting him know that someone was trying to get in. Sakura left the room, and he shook Kakashi awake, signaling to him through use of Shinobi Sign Language that there was a potential enemy on the loose. The man nodded, suddenly serious, and burst into a cloud of white smoke.
森
Kakashi appeared, cautious, at the western edge of Sasuke's runic protection, only to find a slightly-smoking figure lying there, the shattered remains of a runic construct slowly dissolving around him. His face was covered with a hood and mask, leaving only the closed eyes and a spike of orange hair loose. The rest of the figure was swathed in robes, with heavy travelling boots adorning his feet. In all, the man had a rather ragged appearance, matched by the worn-looking broadsword in his right hand, chipped along the edge (most likely from destroying the integrity of the runes trapping him). He stirred, and Kakashi jumped back, forgetting for a moment about the barrier. Two eyes, one ice blue and one blood red, narrowed themselves at Kakashi, and the orange-haired man only took enough time to sign that he wasn't a threat to their mission before leaping up and away. Kakashi watched him go, and a feeling of foreboding descended over him. Whatever he'd been there for…the silver-haired man was certain that it somehow involved his Genin, and that it was anything but good.
森
"Did you find him?"
"Iie. There was some sort of runic barrier around the area. I couldn't get through, and it probably would've killed me if I wasn't who I am."
"Ma, ma, you take the good with the bad, I guess…"
"Are you sure this transmission is secure, Kira-san?"
"Hmmm…I don't know. Maybe you should hurry your ass up and get back to base so we aren't overheard, Jura-san!"
"Shut up. Your voice is getting squeakier, and it's pissing me off. I'll be back shortly."
"Bunta-kun's doing dinner…you should hurry if you want it hot."
"See ya in ten, Kira-san. Jura out."
森
Kakashi soared through the trees, as he couldn't use the Shunshin again without running out of chakra (Kami, why did it take so much? Maybe the runes?) and he needed the time to think anyways.
Sasuke had informed him of his runic abilities the day after their first Tora missions, in which he'd created a foil rune to counteract the protection on the Uchiha main gate and allow Team Seven safe passage into the compound. He'd said that they were a Kekkai Genkai of sorts, a compliment to the Sharingan, and that most Uchiha had training in basic runes. There were few with actual talent in the art (it was like Fuuinjutsu, but more complex and with the addition of Latin, an ancient language from outside of the Hidden Countries), and those who had it were able to use runes for anything and everything, even enhancing their own abilities or creating new, more powerful runes.
But that begged the question: what had happened to Sasuke while battling the Demon Brothers? What had allowed him, a Genin, to hold his own with an S-class missing ninja who was also a former Kiri ANBU? What was the power he'd used? Kakashi was certain that Sasuke was no Jinchuuriki; Konoha only had one Bijuu, the Kyuubi, and two Jinchuuriki would never be placed on the same cell anyway, due to the fact that they were often targets for their power and value. So if he wasn't a demon container…why did his chakra hold such malicious intent? Why was he being targeted? He was certain that the orange-haired man with mismatched eyes was after the Uchiha, as Naruto's condition was still somewhat unknown, and Sakura's family had almost no enemies to speak of.
As much as Kakashi loathed to admit it, Sasuke was an enigma that even he, at this point in time, couldn't solve. Hell, his entire team was a mystery, and it all orbited around the black-haired teen.
Because Uchiha clan members always had to be the center of the damn universe, after all. Seriously, what did their pride come from?! At least his former teammate, Obito, had been the clan's black sheep, because even Kakashi was willing to admit he'd had an ego the size of the Kyuubi when he was a Gennin, Chuunin, and recently-promoted Jounin. He lost it with the deaths of Obito, Rin, and Minato, but what else could he do? Continue being cocky and get more people killed on his account? Not gonna happen. He wouldn't have any more guilt on his conscience, and he would make up for Obito's painful one-sided love of Rin (who had loved Kakashi, also one-sidedly) by setting Sasuke and Sakura on the path to courtship, as well as hinting to Naruto a certain navy-haired girl's interest in him (for Kami's sake, she stalked him! Stalked him!) to get him to realize that no, Sakura wasn't the only girl in the world. And he'd need to beat the Uchiha pride out of Sasuke (not that he had much to begin with, he didn't think…at least, the boy hadn't been a complete snot to the team. Just a bit distant, probably from the leftover anxiety about bonding from his older brother's betrayal), give Sakura some higher-class jutsu, get Naruto's chakra control into gear, and improve their team dynamic in general.
Not for the first time, Kakashi half-heartedly cursed his Hokage. True, he'd been forced into taking Genin team after Genin team, and he'd failed them all (seriously, give them two bells instead of three and suddenly the whole world goes mad), but Team Seven…they'd made an impression. And he liked to think that it was for the better, because (honestly) they reminded him of his own team. Naruto as Obito, the prankster drop-out deadlast who was hopelessly in love with the kunoichi. Sakura as Rin, the budding medical ninja with more bite than bark. Sasuke as himself, Kakashi, the prodigy with little to no emotion, who couldn't allow himself to feel or bond for fear of loss.
Besides, he was beginning to see them as sort-of children, or younger siblings. He was beginning to enjoy Naruto's merry laughter, Sakura's bright smile at the start of every mission, and Sasuke's silent protectiveness of them all. They were more than a team; Team Seven had become like a second (or, in Naruto's case, first) family to them all.
And as he jumped through another leafy gauntlet, Kakashi knew he wouldn't have it any other way.
森
Kakashi found Sasuke lounging on the couch when he arrived back at Tazuna's home, onyx eyes closed as he breathed. A small smile wormed its way up the man's face. Sasuke had obviously been meditating, but his body had probably caught up with the demonic chakra he'd used a couple days before and was now forcing itself into a pseudo-coma to recuperate. From the faintly annoyed expression that still adorned his face, Sasuke had realized this a little too late.
The silver-haired Jounin reflected that the boy looked smaller in sleep, almost like a ten- or eleven-year-old Academy student. Not like a budding ninja, who could subdue two B-rank missing ninja (from Kiri, no less) with his stare alone. Shaking his head, Kakashi proceeded to lift the Uchiha bridal-style, carrying him up the stairs as he slept and settling him in his futon, tucking a blanket over the lithe form.
An image of a mother tucking her child into bed came to mind, and was forcibly dispelled with lots and lots of mental kunai. It wasn't manly enough for him, dammit, not nearly manly enough! Kakashi then realized his mental tirade sounded a lot like one a certain gree-jumpsuit-clad Taijutsu specialist would say…and promptly stabbed his mental being with thousands of sharp, pointy things. A final image popped into the poor Jounin's mind: one of his (self-proclaimed) rival in a frilly pink apron and matching makeup, tucking his mini-me into a bed with Bruce-Lee-themed sheets, in a room full of Enter the Dragon memorabilia. The cycloptic man let out a silent scream of anguish and dropped into a dead faint right next to Sasuke, one arm laid over the teen's chest in a classic (albeit unintentional) cuddle.
Of course, it was then that Naruto woke up, shrieked something about perverted, pedophilic senseis, and ran out of the room, causing Sasuke to jerk into a state of semi-awareness, feel the limp arm over his chest, and jump up. Kakashi, only-half conscious, barely had time to ask (rather fuzzily) what was going on, before Sasuke kicked him (hard) in the…ahem…bells (twice), and streaked out of the room, face completely red, leaving poor, misunderstood Kakashi to attempt to stand from his fetal position, tears pouring from his singular eye.
Oh, Kakashi. Next time think about context, ne?
森
~Tsuzuku~
A/N: Dear Kami, when I say I'm working on something it means I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING!
…Sorry 'bout that. Okaa-san decided that since I spend several hours a day shut in my room (writing, drawing, studying for my summer school science class (which I have to pass to get into bio), and gaming), I MUST be doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So she proceeded to load me up with a bunch of stuff to do. Add to that the fact that, apparently, eating the last piece of garlic bread with my spaghetti lunch makes me selfish, and that asking her (as respectfully as possible, I might add) to leave my room so that I may work in piece is a sign of my steadily-going-downhill-because-of-anime-and-Japan ese-stuff-in-general life going to waste, and you have one VERY PISSED KBA. So, I did what anyone else does when they've had enough crap; I snapped. Very loudly. So now my phone's been confiscated until further notice, and my laptop is supposed to be under the couch (where I apparently cannot get to it. I'm not blind; I see the lights shining through the gap…)…oh, and guess what, guys! A 95% on a homework assignment is now a failing grade! Whoop-de-doo~! (le sarcasm)
…Again, I'm sorry. My mom's usually pretty awesome (I mean, she took me to Little Tokyo for freaking RAMEN!), but when we disagree…let's just say I feel bad for anyone who gets caught in the crossfire. I have practically no one to talk to, though (I'm sneaking about trying to write this as is, and have been waking up two hours before my alarm goes off to finish the chapter), and summer school's insanely busy. Tests every Monday, quizzes every day, and at least six lengthy homework assignments (all due the next day) AND a lab every day make for one extremely stressed KBA. Plus I need at least an 80%...oh, and did I mention the freaking FINAL?! Gaaah~! I'm gonna die!
But still…I got it done (after making you wait ENTIRELY too long…gomenasai, minna-san!) AND I got a DeviantArt (katana blade artist . deviantart . com, just remove the spaces), where I'll be posting artwork. I actually got a BMS-style Sasuke vs. Gaara piece done today, so I'm scanning it in when I can, as well as a Shippuden-style SasuSaku. I'm damn proud of myself! XD
Also…(if Mom says yes) I might be going to an anime convention with TDCT-chan! I'm seriously hoping she'll agree, as Kakashi's Japanese VA is gonna be there and I will probably lock myself in my room and cry if I miss that (Kakashi's one of my favorite characters, 'ttebayo!) and I haven't seen TDCT in, like, two weeks. So yeah.
KBA-CHAN'S OMAKE THEATER!
This week: S'mores (A SasuSaku Special!)
"Shit!"
Sakura frantically waved the marshmallow she was roasting, as it had caught fire in a blaze of brilliant embers. This was the fourth one, dammit, and she hadn't been able to eat a SINGLE s'more!
Suddenly, a perfectly-browned marshmallow invaded her vision. Sakura turned to her right to see Sasuke, hair silver in the moonlight and face (which was turned away from her) awash in a fiery glow as he stared into the flames, holding out his skewer for her to take. The back of his neck and the tips of his ears were red (at least, redder than the rest of him; it was hard to tell, as the firelight made everything seem orange and gold), and he was very determinedly not looking in her direction.
He's…blushing?
"Here…take it."
"Really?"
"Aa. I don't eat sweets."
Then why did you make a marshmallow?
Sakura stared at him for a moment, then smiled.
"Alright. Arigatou, Sasuke."
"Aa."
They continued in that fashion for the rest of the night; Sasuke toasting marshmallows and Sakura making s'mores. Kakashi grinned in the background, taking in the scene. He turned to Naruto and whispered,
"I ship that. I ship it HARD."
KBA: That's what I was thinking too, Kakashi.
Itachi: *smiles approvingly* Smooth moves with the ladies, otouto!
Sasuke: *Hinata-red and stuttering incoherently*
TDCT: *grins* You know what this means, right?
Everyone Else: What?
TDCT: BLACKMAIL~!
Sasuke: *groans* Can we PLEASE change the subject?!
KBA: Alright, back to the end of the AN we go~!
TDCT: I hope she says yes!
KBA: So do I! *crosses fingers*
Itachi: Oh Kami not again.
Sasuke: *sniffles* I pray for you, KBA. Your dedication to your fandom is admirable, and deserves to be rewarded by the God of Otakuism.
TDCT: As the Shodaime Senseikage of the Village Hidden in the British, I command KBA's mom to say yes!
KBA: As the Shodaime Otakukage of the Village Hidden in the Anime, I concur!
Itachi: *collapses to the ground laughing*
Sasuke: *wipes a tear from his eye and bows* Hail, great warriors of the Land of Fandoms! HAIL!
Itachi: *still laughing* Where….where is that even FROM?!
KBA: *whips out phone and shows Itachi an email*
"To: TDCT
From: KBA
Subject: Lol really? :3 Like a boss!
You're set...I'm gonna have to convert the 1D heathens to the amazingness that is otakuism. Never fear, though; I will become the next (and greatest) Otakukage of the Village Hidden in the Anime, located in the Land of Fandoms! And you will be the Senseikage of the neighboring Village Hidden in the British, and we will rule together! (Cuz sensei is a suffix for doctor as well as teacher-see what I did there?)
Sent from my iPhone"
Itachi: *jaw drops; starts laughing even harder and rolling about on the floor*
KBA and TDCT: *stand there looking important*
*knock at door*
KBA: Come in!
*door opens; Inari peeks in*
TDCT: Get off your emo soapbox, move your ass over here, and do the next chapter's intro!
Inari: *snotty kid voice* FINE! *announcer voice* Kakashi's team has spent the week training, getting stronger for their fight with Zabuza. However, the silver-haired man can't help but wonder…who is the man with mismatched eyes?! Find out next time, in: An Unspoken Vow! Zabuza Attacks!
KBA: Yeahh…there's a time-skip. I skipped all the parts where they train, 'cuz I want the team's abilities to be a surprise. But you can all probably guess Sasuke's gonna use his vampiric chakra again.
*everybody stares at Sasuke, who squirms uncomfortably*
Sasuke: What?! It was the only option?
Itachi: Why does that sound like a question?
Sasuke: I…um…you see…
Itachi: *grabs Sasuke by the collar* We're going to have a little chat, otouto.
Sasuke: HELP!
KBA, TDCT, and Inari: Nope.
*Itachi drags Sasuke from the room, leaving fingernail marks on the floor and doorframe*
TDCT:…I take it Itachi's ANBU days haven't left him?
KBA:…Guess not.
Inari: I WANT MY DADDY BACK! HEROES AREN'T REAL! YOU'RE ALL GONNA DIE! AND I'M GONNA LAUGH CUZ I TOLD YA SO—MPH! *shuts up because of convenient duct-tape maneuver by TDCT*
TDCT: SHUT THE HELL UP AND GET THE HELL OUT! *punts Inari out the window*
KBA: Your tolerance of whiny brats is at an all-time low.
TDCT: Was it ever there to begin with?
KBA:…You see, this is one of the reasons why we're friends.
*high-fives and bitch-please faces*
This chapter's page break is mori, or forest.
…And yes, that's an ACTUAL email. In my defense, I was high on sugar.
Also...THANKS FOR 2150 VIEWS, GUYS! I LOVE YOU ALL~! :D
EDIT (7/4/12): Happy July 4th to all the Americans out there! Fixed URL in the AN so it actually shows up, as well as some minor typos. Hey, not all of us are perfect!