Chapter 41
"I'm not drinking that." Keiko's blunt words traveled easily over the table in the Dango shop. Her eyes took in the cup with suspicion.
Anko scoffed and took a bite of her Dango. "Oh, come on," she started, mouth half full with sweets, "they don't even sell alcohol here." She rolled her eyes. So she slipped Keiko alcohol and got her drunk one time. What's the big deal?
A soft chuckle drew their attention to Kurenai. Red eyes fell on the cup between the three of them and then to the woman sitting beside her. "Can you really blame her, Anko? We told you Keiko doesn't drink."
"It was one goddamn time!" She grumbled, washing the dango down with a swig of tea.
Kurenai grinned at the two of them. Anko was focused on the several plates of dango she had ordered while Keiko was still looking suspiciously at the tea Anko had given her. It was nice to see them finally getting along. At least as much as they could under the circumstances. She cleared her throat, "I did see Anko get the drink, Keiko. There's nothing in it."
"Nothing but hot leaf juice." Anko snickered under her breath.
Keiko looked between the two Kunoichi sitting across from her for a long moment before bringing the cup to her lips.
Anko's mouth hung open, "Oh, so you believe it when she says it!"
Keiko shrugged and smiled, "To be fair, I think I would quicker trust you with my life than with my beverages."
An exasperated hand waved in the air, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can we get down to business now?" Anko's open hand slammed down on the table. The sound loud enough it made some of the other patrons jump. Her eyes held Keiko's intently, "You. Kakashi. Spill."
"I can't deny that it's been on my mind a lot too." Kurenai added. "After what happened on the river and all… " She smirked from behind the rim of her cup, catching the faintest pink dust on Keiko's cheeks. Though her eyes had been closed at the time, she could clearly remember how Keiko had rushed forward blindly to protect them. Although, herself and Asuma had a feeling it had been more for Kakashi's sake than their own.
A mischievous glint sparkled in Anko's eye, "Oh? What happened on the river?"
Keiko's lips curved in a tight smile and Kurenai could tell she wasn't going to elaborate. "We were fighting Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki. Keiko rushed forward to protect a downed Kakashi only to be incapacitated herself." When Keiko didn't try and correct her, her grin grew. So it was true.
"That's right," Anko nodded, "You two were down for a long time after that." She leaned forward.
"Now all we hear about Kakashi is how he's seeing someone." Kurenai leaned in.
"And that someone?" Anko added.
"It's you." They finished in unison.
Damn. Did this have to feel like an interrogation? Keiko's eye twitched. Against her better judgment she found herself longing for a little alcohol to calm her nerves. She had only really talked about her feelings about Kakashi with one person other than the man himself, and that was Iruka. And, at the time, she had been retching in the toilet. It hadn't even been about how she felt either. They had just spoken about the "almost" kiss after her birthday.
She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat. Truthfully she had tried to avoid this conversation with them, but she knew they wouldn't stop pestering her until she caved. Maybe she wouldn't be so bothered by it all if there wasn't already a mountain of evidence. Why did they need her to say it when the proof seemed to be out in the open anyway? "Yes, it's me."
Anko grinned, "You two fuck yet?"
"Anko!" Keiko hissed, slamming the teacup down onto the table. A heavy blush reddened her face as she looked around to see if anyone had paid attention to the crude remark.
Kurenai cleared her throat, "Subtleness was never your thing, was it, Anko?"
With a shake of her head she took another bite, "Nope." She couldn't deny that watching Keiko twitch was unbelievably satisfying. Seeing her uncomfortable was a true treat. "Judging by that reaction, I'd say no. Tell me he's at least got the balls to kiss ya now."
Her hand rested over her face. Better to rip it off like a bandage, right? Keiko raised her hands in defeat, "Alright, alright, ya know what? Yes. We've kissed. We've slept in the same bed. He even walks around without the mask in front of me. But, no, we haven't done it."
The two women across from her suddenly leaned in closely, causing her to retreat back. "You've seen him without the mask?" Anko asked excitedly.
"You did tell me you would tell me what he looks like if you ever saw it." Kurenai teased, her eyes bright with barely contained curiosity.
The image of Kakashi's unmasked face flashed in her mind's eye and she couldn't help but smile. "Yeah," she said warmly. Suddenly the awkward anxiety seemed to fade away into nothing, "He's something."
Kurenai watched in real time as her demeanor shifted. Her eyes seemed to glaze over in thought, undoubtedly thinking of Kakashi. She'd seen that same look on other lovestruck Shinobi and she was sure she had worn that same expression as well at least once. "Ke-"
Anko cut her off, "'Something' doesn't tell us much. Come on, is he good looking? He's gotta have a reason for the mask. Is he ugly?"
"Actually, no." Keiko answered honestly, her fingers fidgeting around her tea cup. "He's practically flawless." She didn't mention the small beauty mark, but it was far from a flaw.
"So, what you're saying is, he wears that mask all the time even though he's got nothing to hide?" Anko stated flatly.
"I guess I am saying that," Keiko answered with a small smile. In the back of her mind that question had been bothering her for longer than she would like to admit. Why the mask? Everything Kakashi did had a reason behind it. To think he would hide his face from everyone for no reason just didn't make sense.
Anko huffed, "Here I was expecting some kind of crazy battle scar or something. Other than his eye of course."
"Most people would expect that." Kurenai nodded. "I think you're the first person other than a medic to see his face."
Keiko smiled, "I suppose you're right."
~One Month Later~
The clash of metal on metal rang sharply through the field. Heavy breathing mingling with the gentle autumn breeze. Once again, she raised her sword and widened her stance. This time, she would get him. With a grunt of exertion, she rushed forward. Eyes ablaze with excitement and her sword swinging wildly.
Her opponent dodged, and just like before their movements were too quick to see. Streaks of black and white moved briskly from point to point until finally she had her opponent pinned to one of the posts. Her forearm pressed him in place while her blade trailed just an inch from his neck.
Keiko smiled, "Got you." How long had it been since she had gotten a chance to train like this? Not since before Kakashi took on his team. Not since they were partners. She missed this, the burning of her muscles, the pounding of her heart. Even the sweat that made her clothes cling to her skin.
Kakashi hummed and thought, "It would appear so. Though, not really a fair fight when it's your katana against this." He held up a single kunai, twirling it on the edge of one finger. "Let's drop the weapons, shall we?" To emphasize his point, he dropped the kunai.
"We could. But," she breathed, "I rather like you where I have you." Her tone was teasing and she closed the distance between them. Her smile widened, "Too bad it's not the real you is it?"
Right on que, the clone poofed out of existence and she turned her head to see the real Kakashi standing there. His Sharingan watched her intently. Waiting for her to make a move. Wordlessly, she sheathed her weapon and smirked. Nothing wrong with sharpening one's Taijutsu abilities.
With the increased perception of the Sharingan Kakashi was easily able to keep tabs on her movements. The trouble came with the reaction time, as it always did. He knew more than anyone else that this Sharingan was not his own, therefore his body was not meant to accompany the heightened senses that came with it. He had always put an emphasis on reading his opponents moves. Being a few steps ahead was imperative to utilizing the Sharingan properly.
He knew the kick was coming before he saw it. Keiko's Taijutsu was meant to be paired with her blades so kicks were a large part of her style. Out of all the different Taijutsu he had come across, this was by far the style he was most familiar with. He sank low to the ground, swiping his own leg to set her off balance.
Keiko did not need the Sharingan to anticipate this man's moves. When she should have fallen back, she flipped onto her hands and spun. Her feet a mere inch away from him when he dodged. In a move that seemed effortless, Keiko pushed off the ground and into the air. Spinning before bringing her heel down to meet his skull. At the last second, Kakashi sidestepped and was pelted with small chunks of earth when her heel made contact with the ground.
Their spar went on for several more minutes, both parties trying to hit the other but unable to land any meaningful blow. Punches there blocked, kicks were parried and bodies were thrown but no real damage was done. This was something they both needed. This exertion that someone could only get from training with a trusted ally.
In the midst of their spar, Keiko spun, her punch not landing on target. Kakashi leaned back away from her fist but was caught off guard when her hair swept past his masked nose and her scent filled his senses. For a moment everything slowed. On that day, Keiko had decided to pull her hair into a ponytail, something she hadn't done in a very long time. It swept behind her elegantly and as her body twisted his eyes trailed up those long ebony locks to where a hint of red caught his eye. The pendant.
Before he could once again find his bearings, Kakashi felt himself get pushed to the ground and a weight settled on top of him. When he opened his eyes again he was welcomed by the sight of Keiko's smile and a fist cocked back ready to strike.
"Got you again." She teased, lowering her arm.
He chuckled, eyes closing in a smile, "So you did."
Keiko smiled and lifted herself off of him, offering her hand to help him up. "If I didn't know better, I would say you got distracted."
As he took her hand and stood he contemplated on being honest and saying he had been. He couldn't place why he had been as distracted as he was, but he was. "I suppose it's just been a while since I've seen your hair like that."
Keiko blinked, her hand unconsciously reaching back to touch her hair, "Oh." Her fingers ran through it as she drew her hand back. "It has been a while. Over the shoulder is usually so much easier but it can get in the way on occasion." She paused, studying him closely, "That couldn't be what you were distracted by really. Did you feel anything with your Sharingan?"
"No." He answered easily.
A tense silence filled the air between them before she spoke, "Are you sure you can do what he did?"
Kakashi reached up and covered his Sharingan once again. "No, but I have to try if I want to stand a chance against him."
She nodded, placing a hand on his arm, "I understand that, Kakashi. But, you know as well as I do that you weren't born with it. The fact you can do what you can already is astonishing on it's own." His eyes narrowed in thought and she rushed, "But, hey, maybe you just need some meditation or something?"
"Maybe."
Since Sasuke had defected and Naruto left the village, Kakashi had been training every chance he could. He had no doubt in his mind that Sasuke would grow to be a formidable opponent like his brother. Not to mention the Akatusuki were a force to be reckoned with on their own. Itachi had shown him a glimpse of what the Sharingan was truly capable of. While he was not born a Uchiha there was a chance that he could harness that same power.
He just needed to figure out how.
A strong gust of wind blew past them and Kakashi could feel himself shiver. Before long, there would be snow, certainly. He cast a glance toward Keiko and smiled, "We should get back."
Keiko nodded and fell into step beside him, "You're not cold, are you, Kakashi?"
He gave a forced chuckle, "Not all of us handle the cold so well."
"If you ask me," she began, "winters here are very mild. You only have to deal with the snow a couple months of the year. You know I never experienced the seasons like this until I came to Konoha?"
Kakashi looked down toward her and noticed the far off look in her eyes. Now that he thought about it, he didn't hear her talk about her homeland. "Oh? I take it winter was all you ever got to experience?"
"Pretty much." She shrugged, "I had heard about leaves changing color and how in the spring and summer everything comes to life. When I was little I lived in a small village nestled between two mountains. It was always cold and the trees were pine so they never changed color. There were a few months where things would get warmer and some flowers would bloom but that was about it."
The warmth in her voice made his eyes soften, "Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes. The cold is my element, after all. I take it you don't like the cold as much?" While he tried to hide it, she could make out the goosebumps on his skin and how deep his hands were in his pockets.
He lifted his head to look up into the overcast sky and scratched the back of his head, "I can't say that it's my favorite." He brought his hand back down to shove in his pocket but was surprised when she grabbed his wrist.
Her smile held all the warmth he needed as she laced her fingers with his, "Good thing you have me to keep you warm, huh?"
"Right." he said in agreement, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
Comfortable silence blanketed the two of them as they made their way back to the village. Keiko loved that she could feel absolutely at home and comfortable in his presence. No words needed to be spoken between them. It was bliss. But, she never minded when he decided to break the silence.
"Have you talked to Sakura lately?"
She nodded, "Yes. In fact, I ran into her when I returned from my last mission. She's doing well under Lady Tsunade."
He nodded again. He had only seen Sakura a handful of times since Naruto left. Kakashi hadn't been sure if she would be able to pull herself out of her funk or not. Of course, Sakura loved Sasuke. Or, at least, she thought what she felt was love. Losing Sasuke was a blow that only she could overcome and he was glad that she had resolved in her training.
"You should go see her. I'm sure she would love to see her old Sensei again."
He shook his head, "I'm sure she's too busy training. If you ask me I'm surprised she didn't ask you or Kurenai for more training."
Keiko shrugged, "I don't believe Kurenai or myself had what Sakura wanted." A memory played in her mind and she couldn't help but giggle, "She did tell me that she would put what we taught her to good use. So, I can only imagine how that will turn out."
Kakashi chuckled a little as well, "Well, she'll certainly find a way to use it. We'll just have to wait and see how."
"I suppose we'll see her progress after every mission." She sighed, a sudden thought popping into her mind. "Speaking of, we haven't been on any missions together since Lady Tsunade became Hokage. Have any idea why?"
Kakashi paused, "I would imagine it has something to do with our relationship."
Keiko's head swiveled toward him, "Why would that have anything to do with it? There have been numerous couples who go on missions together." It certainly never stopped Lord Third from doing so.
His hand unconsciously tightened around hers. For a fleeting moment his heart hammered in his chest hearing her say those words. They hadn't placed a label on their relationship, neither of them felt a need to. But, to hear her call them a couple, he didn't think he would be so happy hearing that. He paused, taking a moment to collect his thoughts and to bring himself back to the subject at hand.
Keiko blinked at the sudden silence and the firm grip on her hand, "Kakashi?"
"Lady Tsunade has her reasons."
She frowned, something she didn't do often. "Fine, she has her reasons, but has she not seen the history we have? We completed nearly every mission successfully and on time!" Her free hand gestured for emphasis.
Suddenly, he stopped walking and Keiko stopped beside him, waiting for him to speak. "Some sources say that Tsunade lost her lover while on a mission." He could feel her stiffen next to him. "I can only imagine that she doesn't want others to go through that as well."
After a heavy moment of silence, Keiko squeezed his hand and leaned her side into his, resting her head on his shoulder, "Well, I guess we would just have to watch each other's back, right?"
He squeezed her hand in response, feeling his chest flutter. "Right."
Foreshadowing anyone? Might seem like a blah chapter on the surface, but I don't write it unless it has some kind of importance. And, yes, Kakashi awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan when Rin died, but I've always been under the impression that he wasn't aware of it. So I'm writing with that in mind.
Quick note! I started another Kakashi/OC story. Kakashi falls into our world and meets a girl there. If you want to check it out, it's on my profile called, "A World Away" Hope you like it! And, Happy New Year! (A day late, but whatever, lol)
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Posted - 1/2/2022