Chapter Ten

I don't own Naruto

"Are you sure you can do this?" Rin asked though her attention was directed elsewhere. She shifted her weight on the mattress, bouncing her body weight up and down like a child. She immediately stopped when Kakashi complained that he couldn't read with the bed moving so much. She peered at the jonin who had been reading his book that he had 'borrowed' intently. Ever since she had woken up he had been glued to it, taking in every word and asking her several questions which she was more than happy to answer.

"Give me a minute," he told her, holding up a hand towards her while his gaze was still glued onto the book. He flipped the page, scanning it for a moment before folding the edge of the page in and sitting up. He gestured for her to move closer, slipping his gloves off and setting them carefully on the nightstand, "Alright I'm ready."

"Are you sure-"

"If I follow the instructions it'll be fine," He reassured her stubbornly before glaring at her as if to dare her to argue. She sighed, scooting over to sit next to him. With her back facing him, she waited for him to begin. She felt him press his palm against her head before hearing the soft hum of chakra being kneaded. She flinched as she felt the strange sensation of torn skin and damaged tissue being healed, the process much rougher than she was used to but she couldn't blame him, after all he was no medic nin. It was a miracle that he was even able to properly start the healing process from just reading a book, she silently thanked the fact that he had such good chakra control.

"Stop moving or else I'll screw up," Kakashi told her, reminding her that he was far from a pro at this. He glanced over at the book, moving it closer to him with his foot before removing one hand and flipping back to the page he had been on. He turned the page, carefully examining the diagrams that were drawn on before placing his hand back on the injured area and concentrating his chakra.

Rin watched on, amused that for once there was something that the prodigy struggled on. She could see the faint glow of chakra from the corner of her eye and the look on the jonin's face confirmed that this was no easy task for him. Looking closer, she could make out several scrapes and bruises forming on his bare arms, clearly not from the one sided fight with the drunk man. She swatted the teens hands away earning a scowl from him as she twisted around for a better look. She grabbed his arm, examining it carefully.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it," He muttered quickly as he pulled his arm away from her grasp.

"You've been training too hard," Rin told him disapprovingly as she looked up at him with concern. She noticed that his knuckles were slightly swollen, his palms rough from minor burns. She forcefully took his hand into hers, examining it much to his displeasure. Feeling the rough edges of his burns she concentrated her chakra, satisfied when the familiar glow of it gathered around her hand, engulfing his in the process. She lost her concentration as he jerked his hand away, a stubborn light in his eyes.

"Stop moving or I'll screw up," she quoted him. She watched as he scowled at her before shaking his head stubbornly, already getting up onto his feet, book tucked neatly in between his arm and side. She expected him to lecture her though what he said surprised her.

"Your exhausted, Rin. Get some rest," he told her softly, his voice hush. As he walked past her, he reached his hand out, ruffling her hair before walking out the door. She watched him leave, the door finally hiding him out of view. The kunoichi let out the breath that she had been holding, closing her eyes. She slid down on her back before pulling the thin blankets over herself.

Rin flinched as yet another round of thunder echoed through the house, white light flashing outside her window. She hid her head under her sheets, crawling into a ball as she waited for the thunder to strike once more. When it did she flinched once more, squeezing her eyes shut as she attempted to fall asleep.

At this rate, I'll never get any sleep.

Rin rolled over in the bed awaiting the next stroke of thunder. Occasions like this were rare where storms would occur, creating thunder. She had always been thankful that Konoha rarely had storms like this and even when they did, the loud, aggressive noise would only last for several minutes, perhaps an hour at max. This was the first time that a storm had continued for this long, all through the night and into the early morning.

Finally finding the courage and resolve to climb out of her bed, the kunoichi began to make her way down the hall, careful not to wake up little Naruto, if the thunder hadn't beat her to it that was. She sighed, her cheeks tinted pink as she found herself in front of a familiar room. Kakashi's room.

She bit her lip, considering her options. She could always go back to her room and stay up for the rest of the night or she could throw her pride out the window and pester her friend about her fear. As another deep rumble echoed through the house, her hand moved towards the doorknob, turning it and entering the room. She would have to swallow up her pride.

Slowly closing the door behind her she began to walk towards the bed, resolve in place. There was no need to be embarrassed, this was Kakashi after all. He was a trusted friend, a boy whom she had gone on many missions with, spent many hours with, the boy who she-

As the sound of thunder rattled through the house she hurried along, reaching the jonins bed. As she peered over at the jonins sleeping figure, she couldn't help but smile. Though his back was facing her, she could see that he held a pillow to his chest, his face pressed against the soft cushion. She could make out his narrow jawline and peaceful face as she leaned a bit closer. He looked so relaxed, so much more his age. For a moment she hesitated thinking it would be selfish to disturb the young ANBU's slumber, her hands hovering just over his shoulder as she thought on weather or not she should wake him.

Her decision was made for her when the teen rolled over to face her, cracking one steely eye open. She jumped slightly at the sudden realization that the jonin had been awake.

"Mmhhm...?" Kakashi mumbled, his senses still drowsy and filled with sleep. He blinked up at Rin who stood at the edge of the bed, fear in her eyes. Instantly the jonin sat up right, his sharingan eye open as he stared around the seemingly empty room. Sensing nothing, he closed his chakra consuming eye, peering over at Rin who had been silent this whole time, "What's wrong?"

He got his answer when a bolt of lightning rumbled through the sky, white light streaming through the window for a fraction of a second. He watched as Rin let out a startled yelp, flinching slightly and instinctively jumping into the bed beside him. He heard her yelp once more at the sudden contact between their bodies as she practically hurled herself out of the bed, her cheeks tinted red as she quickly got up.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry-"

"Your scared," he cut her off, amused. Who knew that Rin of all people would be scared of a little lightning? He watched as she shook her head quickly, not meeting his eyes, gaze glued to the ground.

"I-I'm not scared," she defended herself though she could not protest any further, after all she was a horrible liar. She fiddled with the edge of the sheets, her eyes slowly meeting his as her blush finally died down, "Can I...?"

Knowing what she wanted to say, Kakashi simply pulled the sheet down, moving over before patting the free half of the bed. He then yanked his sheets over his shoulders, his single eye following the kunoichis every movement as she hesitantly climbed into the bed before pulling the covers over herself. She then turned on her side to face Kakashi only to find that he had closed his eye, seemingly back asleep. She observed him for a second more before closing her own eyes.

Minutes passed by, the silence hanging between the two some what comfortable.

"...Kakashi?" Rin whispered, already knowing that the teen was still awake. She watched as he cracked open his eye, steely grey iris's meeting hers.

"...Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?" The ANBU asked, surprise and genuine curiosity laced in his voice as his eye widened slightly at her gratitude.

"For everything." Silence lingered between the two nin as Rin finished speaking her words, the kunoichi adjusting her position so she faced the ceiling. In some ways the silence was comforting, something that was never awkward or uncomfortable when it was between the two. It was something familiar, something that put her mind at ease. A sigh finally broke their silence.

"Go to sleep, Rin."