Chapter 19: Autumn Sunrise
(Tuesday- September 23- Amegakure Village Outskirts- Before Dawn)
~Nina~
Few torture methods were as effectual as sleep deprivation, even for a shinobi like Nina.
Wide awake with her mind in overdrive, she'd ventured out of the hotel room and found ample concealment from wandering eyes for a much-needed workout within the cluster of trees across the lake.
Shit...
Breathing heavily and bent over with her hands on her knees, Nina stared at the tree trunk ahead. "That was fucking close," she mumbled with gritted teeth. Rather than felling the entire tree, she'd recoiled her frenzied right hook at the last second enough that her blow glanced, flaying the tree's trunk.
Nina straightened up and, supporting her lower lumber with her hands, arched her spine backwards, then twisted her torso from left to right; conditioning and training had taken a backseat as of late.
"Tch," she tutted, adjusting the fit of her wrist-length, fingerless gloves, pushing down the webbing between her fingers.
In Nina's absence from Konoha, the yet-to-be-reviewed and filed medical files would be piling up high on the desk in Treatment Room Four and out there somewhere was an S-ranked rogue ninja doing Kage-knows-what. It was also un-fucking-likely that Tsunade would have had a moment to spare to have a second look over Nina's notes for the investigation.
Sure, there was some sense of productivity with hers and Hatake's recent involvement with the local orphanage, but they were now waiting on Mr Baku and his team to complete the clothing order and for Tenzō's arrival.
Everything is at a fucking standstill.
"Incoming," Pakkun alerted.
Guruko, another of Hatake's faithful ninken, greeted Nina with a nod, then joined the pug at the base of a nearby tree. He had tan fur, a white snout, long, dark brown coloured ears and noticeably more pronounced whiskers than the other ninken.
"Hey," Nina rasped. Kakashi didn't reply. A terrible mix of guilt and anger settled in her stomach.
Is he going to lecture me?
He better fucking not.
All the flirting versus fighting business with her pseudo-boyfriend was waining on her. Nina clenched her fists. "I needed this."
"So it would seem," Kakashi said, walking over to the savaged tree trunk. He unpocketed one hand and ran it over the splintered surface. "You're out of practice."
Nina simultaneously closed her eyes and bit down on her tongue. If it'd been Shiranui to say such a thing, she would have lashed back verbally or physically without a second thought, but Hatake had said it. His honest observation was delivered in a cut-and-dry manner that Nina equally appreciated and respected.
Slowly she opened her eyes and looked skywards; the stars were fading, and the sun would soon rise.
"We've got twenty minutes," Kakashi began, shrugging out of his long-sleeved shirt, leaving him in his undervest.
"Twenty-five," Nina corrected the Copy-Nin, flicking her falling-apart plait over her shoulder and mirroring his combative stance.
*Twenty minutes later*
~Kakashi~
"I thought I said none of that," Kakashi contested from the flat of his back.
"Ninja," Nina replied breathily.
Half a grin pulled at the corner of Kakashi's mouth. Although the shinobi rules and regulations were important, they were not infallible. A ninja must also know when to bend these rules to adapt and cope with a situation.
He and Sarutobi fought alongside and sparred against each other plenty enough that she'd have known that using his sharingan didn't necessarily give him the advantage. Taijutsu users could move too fast or unpredictably for the sharingan to keep up. They could also strike from angles the sharingan couldn't see. Additionally, Taijutsu users could use techniques that disrupt or damage the eyes.
The sharingan's weakness was purely a skill issue.
Through deception and cunning, the kunoichi had bested Kakashi and his sharingan. His only mistake was that he'd carelessly accepted Sarutobi's time correction. She'd sprung upon him at the split-second opening as the sun's violent morning rays spilled across the land, blinding him.
Heh.
Kakashi turned his head easterly; the Autumn sunrise had come as if it wanted nothing more than to warm up the midnight blues and blacks to a radiant gold. He hummed to himself contentedly; if only he'd brought his camera with him.
If only…
He hadn't forgotten that Nina was still straddling him. The sun's rays bathed the kunoichi in the same golden warmth, highlighting the dirt, sweat, scuffs…every blemish upon her olive complexion; his sharingan absorbed it all.
"You're staring."
Kakashi lifted his right index finger, pointing it at Nina's face. "You're bleeding." One of his punches had connected harshly, splitting the tender flesh of the kunoichi's bottom lip when she'd lost her balance after trodding on a rock. "Your other left, Sarutobi," Kakashi chuckled, redirecting Nina's fumbling fingers.
He waited patiently until she finished healing herself; it only took a few seconds. Kakashi then dragged his heels backwards, shunting Nina forward on his abdomen. Her brow furrowed, and her mouth dropped partly open. "Stay there," Kakashi instructed before she could question him.
There was a comfortable silence between them, and in place of words, there was touch. Kakashi tilted Nina's chin slightly. With his thumb pressed against her bottom lip, he swiped outwards, ridding it of the smeared blood. She said nothing but simply regarded him, her eyes just a tad more tender than usual.
"You're getting better," Kakashi remarked, wiping his bloodied thumb on her pants.
"Eep!" Nina jolted up and collapsed on the leaf-littered ground.
Kakashi stood and then offered the kunoichi a helping hand to stand. "I'm sorry?"
"No. No." Nina dusted her hands off before taking his hand. "Not your fault. I'm," she paused, slipping her shirt overhead, "I'm terribly ticklish."
Ticklish?
"Yo, Boss. We really need to make tracks. The village is starting to wake up," Pakkun announced.
Kakashi quickly redressed and covered his left eye with a plain band, wondering how, despite all their close-quarter camaraderie, he'd never known that about Sarutobi.
(Konohagakure- Konoha's Library Dawn)
~Shikamaru~
The pencil Shikamaru was balancing on his jutted-out upper lip rolled forward, top and tailing its way to the ground. He stretched down to pick it up, yawning as he went. "This is such a drag."
"Stop complaining, crybaby."
Shikamaru's eyes flinched shut as he immediately dropped the pencil and shielded his head with his hands. He waited twenty seconds or so, then peeked one eye open. Temari's fan remained grounded, leaning against the desk within arm's reach of the Suna kunoichi. He breathed a small sigh of relief, grabbed the pencil and sat up, refocussing on the heaping of scrolls and files between them.
In recognition of their analytical skills and for political gains, he and Temari were selected by their respective Kage to present a comprehensive proposal outlining the risks, strategies, staffing and security requirements for the upcoming Chūnin Selection Exams.
Shikamaru rocked back on two of the chair's four legs, staring out the window and envying the clouds that had finally appeared just that little bit more than he had yesterday.
And the day before that.
"Would you pass me that file?" Temari asked.
After the third day of this nonsense, Shikamaru had had enough. He was bored, tired and feeling the beginnings of a headache. However, he would keep at it because—
"Pay attention!" Temari shouted, kicking her leg out underneath the table.
Shikamaru was gruffly unseated, landing on the library floor with a thud, followed by an unpleasant meeting between his head and the chair. Groaning, he rubbed the side of his head, feeling for signs of a freshly forming bump.
Because that's why. Her.
His old man had told him that even the strongest woman wasn't afraid to show her gentle side to the man she loved. At the time, it'd done little to dissuade the teen's views of women. By his own definition, women were aggressive, demanding and even scary. Temari was particularly cruel and authoritative, but…
Shikamaru took an indulgent look at his troublesome woman, then shook his head before coming to his feet. "Which file?"
"That one," Temari replied, pointing to the dirtiest and thinnest of the files on the pile to Shikamaru's left. "It's all we have on the second stage."
He flicked it open, skimming its minimal contents. "We won't get much more either, considering who the Proctor is," Shikamaru mused, passing the file over.
"Anko Mitarashi," Temari read out.
A cold shiver ran down Shikamaru's spine as he recalled the events from within Konoha's Forest of Death whilst under her watch. But there was more than that to Anko, which made him and many others uneasy. Prior to her proctorial duties, she was one of Orochimaru's students and test subjects. She also had a personality not dissimilar to Naruto—loud, stubborn and, according to his father's drunken jibberish, prone to impulsivity.
Shikamaru squiggled his right pinky in his ear. It was too early for this; they hadn't even had breakfast.
"I could go with a break. Wanna join?" Temari asked, already up and shouldering her fan.
Heh. Bossy woman.
(Amegakure Village)
~Nina~
Nina tipped her head back, soaking up the splendour of the crisp, blue, cloudless sky. Sun exposure was said to improve sleep quality, and while the village's finicky weather wasn't entirely to blame for her sleeplessness, she would take what she could.
It seemed everyone else held the same sentiments; the markets were the busiest Nina had seen since hers and Hatake's arrival three days ago. The only evidence of rebellious activity was Marco, who was ultimately just a kid looking for a means to fill his empty stomach.
Nina scanned the nearby stalls for one selling baked goods but soon realised she had again lost sight of the Copy-Nin.
Seriously? How many times is this?
She did a quick mental calculation, coming up with an answer of three. Nina looked down at Pakkun in a silent acquisition for help; she could have sworn he rolled his eyes at her.
Whether Kakashi had double-backed or she'd walked ahead didn't matter much; Nina was intrigued to see what it was that had caught his attention. Kakashi's face was set with the intentness reserved for a game of shogi or reading a medical journal on brain surgery as he flicked through the contents of a wicker basket.
Nina almost wished she hadn't bothered. Almost.
"Such a pervert," she ridiculed, looking for a basket with a different subject matter.
"Now that's not fair," Kakashi rebutted, returning a carded artwork in exchange for another.
"Ladies in kimonos?" Nina asked, her judgment unhidden.
"Yes, this man's artwork captures the detail quite beautifully," Kakashi replied.
Nina turned away, perusing through a stack of landscape pieces instead. The kimono was a symbol of longevity and fortune. Two things that a kunoichi should never want nor expect.
"Much like in Master Jiraiya's novels," Kakashi said, tilting a card toward Nina. "Don't you think?"
Nina's fingers flinched, and she immediately squatted down to Pakkun. "Tell anyone, and there'll be no more treats, ear scratches or tummy rubs. Got it?"
The pug snuffed his nose, lifting one paw that Nina shook. On the other hand, the artist had stopped painting and was looking at her quizzically. Kakashi quickly interjected with an impromptu inquisition of prices for the man's paintings.
Nina picked up an artwork with both hands, marvelling at the striking colours and delicate artistry. The drawing was quite remarkable, and the finer details of the kimono were exquisite.
Just like Master Jiraiya's writing.
When Kakashi signalled, Nina returned the artwork to the basket, paying her respects to the artist. Joining the foot traffic, she held her tongue, concentrating instead on their surroundings while she sifted through her thoughts.
"So you don't read Icha Icha for the…?" Nina's questioning statement pittered out. It was none of her business, really.
"No." Without looking at her, Kakashi added, "I assume you don't either?"
"Not really."
Erotica, in any novel, was a minefield, and very few authors successfully navigated their way through to produce something worthy of a time-poor Nina reading. Despite his outward perverted demeanour, Jiraiya was quite the skilled writer, capturing details in words like very few others could.
It was a rarity that Nina came across someone who considered the Toad Sage's literary works more than the lewd drabblings of a perverted hermit. Rarer again was hearing the Copy-Nin refer to something as beautiful.
Nina couldn't blame him for his allurement. Like the artisan's paintings, the scenes involving kimono-clad women in Master Jiraiya's Icha Icha series were pieces of meticulous yet undoubtedly heavily romanticised literary genius. And a standout favourite of Nina's.
"Have you ever tried out one of his scenes?" she asked bluntly.
Kakashi briefly glanced at her from the corner of his right eye. "Perhaps," he said with a shrug. "Why the sudden interest in my sex life, Sarutobi?"
Instant regret took hold of Nina. She'd already made this mistake once before, opening herself to questions she'd rather not answer. Ever.
"Let's eat," Nina declared, crossing in front of Kakashi and leading him to the café she and Marco had dined in yesterday.
~Kakashi~
Sitting outside the café, Kakashi reflected on the kunoichi's question. While Sarutobi had asked about his sex life like she would the weather, he wondered if he'd been more wrong to prey on her insecurities. Regardless, he'd already established that antagonising her did their teamwork no favours, so he kept his mouth shut.
Already decided on a pot of green tea, Kakashi cast his eyes over the top of the menu, staring at the busyness in the street ahead. Many of the women were gathering at a shop across from the café. He recognised the two elderly ladies from Sunday, one of which was shooing away another interested party while holding a mannequin at her back.
Feisty old thing.
"Did you bring one for Friday night?" Kakashi asked.
"Sorry?" Nina asked through an irritated huff. "Did I bring one? What?"
He pointed to the calamity happening across from where they sat. "An outfit for the festival."
"Oh, right. No," Nina shook her head and refocused on the menu. "Figured I'd just get one made up here."
It was a wonder that Hanako hadn't given Sarutobi a loan. A kimono was a silk garment that took considerable preparation to make. Leaving it to a last-minute buy was risky and likely to result in incredulous behaviour similar to what they'd witnessed.
"Hello," a waitress greeted cheerily, setting two glasses and a bottle of water on the table. "Would you like to order?"
"Green tea, please," requested Kakashi. Usually, he would allow the lady to order first, but Sarutobi's finger was still sliding across the menu.
"That'll be for two, please," Nina added, collecting the two menus and returning them to the waitress.
Kakashi noted the pretentious smile the kunoichi gave that quickly disappeared once the waitress was out of sight. An anguished outcry pulled his attention to the all-out brawl involving the two elderly women, the shopkeeper and half a dozen other women. A walking cane had been weaponised, battering anyone within reach.
"Leave it with me," Kakashi said. Nina blinked several times, clearly confused. "Your outfit, Sarutobi." He'd yet to sort his own, so this would work as a two-birds, one-stone solution.
"Fuck no," Nina snapped, banging the ceramic water bottle down.
Kakashi got stuck there a moment; there was something about Sarutobi's insistence on using the word fuck at every available opportunity that made him want to laugh. It was rather amusing that she shot off at the mouth whenever it suited her but went to such lengths to keep her choice in literature undisclosed.
"This isn't a false cover to live out some fantasy," Kakashi said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.
"Uh huh," Nina scoffed. She took a long and deep breath before jerking around to face him. "How is it that every other female who meets you is willing to jump into bed with you in less than five minutes?"
"I don't know," Kakashi said, lounging back with his hands folded behind his head and legs crossed. "You seem to be the only one immune."
"Thank the Fourth for that. Long may it continue," Nina stated, cheersing her glass of water skywards, in thanks.
Kakashi would have liked to point out the irony in her statement had the waitress not returned with their order.
"Here you go. Green tea for two," the waitress announced, then bowed and left.
Kakashi uncrossed his legs and angled himself and his chair towards Nina. "One more thing," he began.
~Nina~
"You know I hate it when you do that, "Nina groaned in annoyance. Enjoying a freshly brewed green tea while it was still hot was not something she got to enjoy very often.
"And you know I don't care," Kakashi replied, prying Nina's fingers from the pot's handle—starting with her pinky. "Just as I don't have to wine and dine you, Sarutobi, you don't have to say yes. We both have choices here, but it would be easier for everyone if we chose to do it."
Nina watched Kakashi's fingertips grazing back and forth over the knuckles of her hand that he held. Her body unconsciously stiffened; the flirt had been definitely present in his voice, but at the same time, she sensed sincerity, too.
Nina laid her other hand over his and her hands, opening her mouth once…twice. On the third attempt, she asked, "Are you asking me out on a date, Hatake?"
"Yes."
A date?
Nina collapsed back in the chair, withdrawing her hands onto her lap. Pinching the cuffs of her sleeves, she weighed options, trying to predict all the horrible ways this could go.
Nina threw all caution to the wind. "Okay."
If this goes wrong, I blame you, Hanako.
(Konohagakure- Konoha's Training Ground Three)
~Hanako~
"You cheated," Hanako proclaimed.
"Did not!" screamed Naruto, standing wide-legged and hands on his hips. "You're the one who sneezed twice, tiny lady."
Hanako sniffled, counting her sneezes. "One…two."
Stupid Sarutobi.
"Shit." Hanako crossed her arms, shielding her face from the blast of an explosive tag tied to a kunai. She grabbed the kunai, fending off the six shurikens that followed. "Is that any way to treat your sister, Sasuke?"
"Stop daydreaming and train us, then," Sasuke countered.
As the trio clashed, Hanako was thankful to have something to take her mind off her best friend and ex-sensei.
(Kusagakure- Grass Country- Lunch time)
~Jiraiya~
Jiraiyas lips curved into a smile as he burned the scroll from the messenger toad. Kōsuke poofed back to Mount Myōboku, leaving the Toad Sage scratching his head. A date was understandable, but organising a lady's kimono…
Things were getting rather interesting between his little sunflower and Kakashi.
~End of Chapter~
