I am exhausted after the mission, I hate to admit that I really did need that chakra boost from the medic-nin before heading back to my apartment. I come in through my window, not even bothering to look around for Cat, I'm sure he's probably already passed out and if not, I couldn't care less. I start stripping, my feet fall out of my sandals, I cross my arms to pull my shirt over my head, untie my pants, let them fall to the ground after using a kunai to cut through my remaining shin bindings, and finally escape from my netted under-armor. Ah, sweet freedom.
"Senpai!" I turn around to see Cat's face becomes a rather startling shade of red. He looks like he just came out of the shower, nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Well, I assume the towel was recently wrapped around his waist anyway, it seems to have tumbled to the floor from a very poorly tied knot. I can't help but grin as I see the flush spread over the rest of his body.
"You know, I often say that nakedness breeds familiarity." I let myself shout a laugh at his obvious discomfort before turning from him again and heading into the bathroom for my own long-awaited shower.
"AHH, this sounds like Yamato-taicho now," Naruto pouted, crossing his arms and sitting on the ground.
"There's no question of who Cat is, right?" Neji sighed. He was 85% positive he knew the author and was quite a bit incredulous, but at least it would be entertaining to see the others' reactions. Naruto threw him a confused glare, but Shino spoke up.
"Of course it's Yamato-taicho."
"I think that means the author's got to be the person who has the most influence over Yamato-taicho, actually." Sakura murmured. Tenten and Ino nodded in agreement.
"Well, who is that?" Kiba nearly growled, hating the suspense.
"Kakashi-sensei," Hinata barely whispered. The others looked at her, Shikamaru and Neji had already been thinking that, but it was still odd to have the thought spoken out loud. And it fit: the lateness, the aloofness, the obsession with not walking through doors, being a top ANBU captain. It wasn't a wild suggestion anymore, it was a valid possibility.
"Kakashi-sensei has anxiety?"
"Kakashi-sensei lived with Yamato-taicho?"
"Kakashi-sensei peeped on me as a baby?! He's such a PERVERT!" Sakura punched Naruto on the head. She wanted to finish the journal without Kakashi-sensei coming over to torture them for reading it. This was their most mysterious teacher's work, of course their curiosity peaked even higher.
I know, I know there are reasons for everything that happens, but for some reason I can't find this one. I watch Cat move around our living room with ease as he puts up bookshelves. What was supposed to be a temporary living arrangement has become months and now he's redecorating. And I like it. I enjoy his company. I'm excited for the shelves, to have the space to organize all my books exactly as I like them. I haven't felt this….content for many years. There has got to be a reason. And how did you and Sandaime know that Cat would bring this out in me? He's really nothing special, but somehow he's completely extraordinary. I blame the mokuton. And his cooking skills. And being back in therapy.
Having to write all of this stuff down is incredibly frustrating. I enjoy being ignorant of my own thoughts and feelings. Now, I have to write and explore the reasons behind them. Which is the whole point of this journal, I know. To be in touch with myself, to grow as a person, to understand that it really will be okay if I let people into my heart. And all the rest of that touchy-feely stuff.
I watch Cat craft my new bookshelves and realize that someday I'll probably let him read this journal.
"Just what have we got here?" A voice materialized behind the group.
"We've still got almost half of this journal left! We have to finish it!" Multiple voices joined together in the whine before the journal was snatched right out of Sakura's hands.
"OI! What was that for?!" She shouted, preparing chakra in her fist. It died as the voice that spoke became a figure very well-known to all of them.
"K-K-K-K-Kakashi-s-s-s-s-s-sensei"