Pieces

A Kakashi Romance

7: Boundaries

They arrived in Kirigakure at sunset the next day through the Great Naruto Bridge. Once there, Emiri watched as Kakashi paused at the end of the bridge, as if reliving an old and fond memory.

"This bridge is special to you," Emiri noted, since the bridge shared the name of his pupil.

"Very," Kakashi said, tenderness in his voice.

Something in Emiri stirred and she wanted to hear the story, to hear Kakashi talk about himself, but she held back from asking as her own self-doubt holding her back. Instead, she nodded and continued to hold Isamu's hand as Kakashi joined them and they continued the last leg of their journey. "It's very convenient," Emiri said, and she wondered if she sounded as lame as she felt.

Just as night fell, they arrived at the Mizukage's office, and they were greeted by the Mizukage, a beautiful woman with long brown hair.

"Kakashi! It's been a while," Mei greeted amicably. "Oh! I didn't know you had a wife and son!"

"Er, I don't."

"It's not like that!"

Emiri and Kakashi both stuttered in unison and looked away from each other. Isamu glanced at the two of them, his sleepy, five-year-old mind barely registering the adults' embarrassment.

"I'm Yamanaka Emiri," Emiri introduced herself, stuffing down her feelings and pressing forward as diplomatically as possible. "I'm here to discuss expansion plans for a children's clinic."

"It's been a while since I've been to Kirigakure, so I thought I'd tag along," Kakashi explained casually.

"That makes more sense," Mei laughed. "Though I was excited to hear a good romance story."

"Sorry about that," Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "The boy is Munashi Isamu."

The smile from Mei's face fell. "D-did you say Munashi?"

Kakashi nodded once, "he is the nephew of Munashi Jinpachi—his younger brother's kid."

"I remember now," said Mei,"Jinpachi was willing to murder his older brother, but let the little one live. He grew to be a decent shinobi."

"And he had a child with a kunoichi from Konoha."

"Still not me," Emiri felt the need to clarify.

"But the boy was raised here until The War, and since, has been living as a ward of Konoha since then. He has also been under the excellent care of Yamanaka Emiri since then."

Emiri felt heat rise to her face at the compliment from her Hokage—no, Kakashi. It was Kakashi more than his title that made her blush.

"The poor thing looks so tired," Mei noted. It was true, Isamu looked as though he practically slept on his feet.

"We still have a lot to report to you, Mei," Kakashi said, in reference to the attack at the beginning of their journey.

"And you will, Kakashi. Tomorrow. I'll show you both to your room."

"Room," Emiri repeated in a voice only Kakashi could hear, as they followed Mei into the Mizukage's residence. "As in singular."

"I think so," Kakashi whispered back as they followed Mei through a hallway.

"Here we are!" Mei pushed open a wooden door to reveal a room with a single bed.

"Mei-sama…" Emiri started uncertainly.

"Fine," Mei breathed out a sigh. She entered the room and opened a door that revealed a bathroom. In the bathroom there was another door that Mei opened to reveal a second room. "Two rooms."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Kakashi said to his fellow Kage as Emiri struggled with the Mizukage's insinuations.

"Of course, Kakashi," Mei said with a smile for both him and Emiri. "Let me know if I can be of any more service."

"You're going above and beyond," Emiri smiled through clenched teeth, and the Mizukage simply laughed at her.

"I'll have dinner brought up for you both, and we'll meet in the morning," Mei said before she disappeared.

Emiri shook her head at the woman as she left.

"Well," said Kakashi, "I'll take the next room. Do you want Isamu to stay with you or with me?"

"Emiri-nee-chan," Isamu murmured and hugged Emiri's knees. Emiri smiled faintly.

"I guess that's his answer."

"Alright then," Kakashi smiled as he walked through the bathroom and into the other room, closing the door behind him.

Emiri looked down at the tired boy. Carefully, she picked him up and walked him over to the bed. Taking off his backpack and sandals, Emiri tucked him under the covers, and he was snoring by the time she finished.

"What am I going to do with you, Isamu," Emiri murmured as she took off her own backpack and weapons belt and set them on the dresser.

She walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She could hear Kakashi in the other room setting his stuff down as well. Quickly, she jumped into the shower. She was in and out of the bathroom in less than five minutes, making sure there was enough hot water for Kakashi.

Emiri quickly dressed in her room, pulling on a clean pair of shorts and a long, dark blue t-shirt that fell to her thighs.

Isamu still snored lightly in the way that children often do when she pulled back the covers. Momentarily she paused before she lied down, sitting with her legs dangling over the bed. In all technicality, Isamu was her patient, therefore, her job. Having the boy sleep beside her would be a dual-relationship that was often advised against in the medical and mental health profession.

But as Emri pulled the covered over her legs and turned on her side, facing the bathroom door, Emiri knew in her heart Isamu had long ago become more than her job. The little boy had stolen the pieces of her heart that she was afraid to lose after her beloved's passing.

Emiri saw the light flick on from the closed bathroom door, and she could hear Kakashi quietly walk around before the shower started to run. A fleeting thought crossed her mind and the other pieces of her heart, but Emiri had succumbed to sleep before her thoughts could be processed.

Author's Note:

:)

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