Naruto x Digimon

Alive - Team Minato's Digidestined

Chapter 043

Originally Written: Wednesday, March 29, 2023 252AM to 427AM

. . . . .

If Kakashi thought he had made a scene the days before, then he had to be dreaming. He was pretty sure no one was supposed to know about Kiisu, Shizune's wayward male ex-friend. Yet apparently not a lot of people saw him recently, despite remembering him. The man shuffled through Konoha as though he hadn't remembered where anything was. His eyes shifted this way and that as he either took everything in or waited for a kunai to come flying his way. Yet either he knew enough or the Uchiha were just that flashy because he found him and Rin just fine.

He ignored every single person old enough to remember him looking at him. Instead, he took in the sights most people took for granted in their own daily routines. All while reminding himself to not stare at the sun for too long.

"Hello. Sorry to disturb you. I hear my student slept in." He stood at the entrance of the Uchiha district, with a hand rubbing the back of his neck. His medical scrubs weren't in the best condition, but still usable. "Sorry I'm late. I needed to have a long talk with my brother. Had a nice dinner. He's a pretty good cook."

Kakashi stared at the man. He had to have said that on purpose. And he was babbling. When was the last time he actually spoke to someone not in Konoha's hospital? Was that entire thing Obito and Rin told him really how things had gone down for him? 'What a mess…'

Kuniji was still on guard duty with another Uchiha. "Hn." He answered.

Kakashi had no idea what the man had said. The other Uchiha wasn't interested in any of them.

Kiisu's shoulders hunched. "I'll tell Yorai you said hello."

"Hn."

"You're-" Kiisu coughed, "-welcome."

Kakashi stared at Kiisu. He couldn't help but ask. "Yorai?"

"Hey Kakashi. Yorai has black hair, his favorite color is orange and he wears gaudy shirts with collars that don't match orange well to make it stand out. He's about yea high." Kiisu held up a hand a bit higher than he was tall, but not enough where he needed to stand on his tip toes. "Maybe Minato mentioned him to you or something. I don't know. They were on the same team."

Kakashi blinked. "That Yorai?"

Kuniji hn'd.

Kiisu nodded, and looked at Kakashi. "I don't think he understood you, uhm…. I hear Obito doesn't do the whole 'hn' thing."

Kuniji clarified his previous statement. "Kiisu is Yorai's older brother, Kakashi."

"That is true." Kiisu looked around, stared at the sun, muttered to himself about not doing that because he'd ruin his eyes, and proceeded to look ahead of himself with his eyes fixed in a blank stare instead.

Kakashi zipped his lips the fastest he ever had done so in his life. If he had done what Rin and Lunamon said Kiisu had, with the connections Kiisu had, he'd hide in the hospital and never come out as well. Only because he knew he wouldn't survive moving to another village, let alone standing outside Konoha's gates. Yorai was a good man for wanting to even talk to Kiisu. Rin was an even better woman for wanting to help him after he trusted her enough to tell her what he did.

Kiisu coughed again, filling in the awkward silence. He held up a hand in a wave.

Kakashi turned around. Rin walked steady on her feet. Her hair was put back into place, compared to how disheveled it was a few days back. Her gaze focused on what was directly in front of her. She didn't look at Kakashi at all. She wore a standard chuunin sweatshirt. The bottom hem reached the middle of her thighs, and the sleeves ended at her fingertips. The barest hint of her shorts and apron peeked out underneath the hem.

Kakashi looked away.

Lunamon padded around on her right side, looking just as lost and confused about being in the open as Kiisu was. Her eyes were brighter, the curl on head stood up straighter, and the bruises on her ears were mostly healed and barely visible.

Obito traveled next to her on the left, sitting in his wheelchair. His legs and feet were covered with a thick blanket. He waved to Kakashi as they neared him. "Bakakashi, what's up? Sleep well? Eat? All that stuff?"

Kakashi's eye closed in a smile, though he wasn't actually in the mood to smile. "Obito."

"Hey Kiisu." Obito continued. "Sorry we're late. Got lost on the road of life for a little bit."

Kiisu blinked. Cogs that hadn't moved for a long time in his mind turned. His lips settled into a small smile. "No worries. I've been pacing for years. Good thing you guys put those fans up everywhere. I got here okay because of them."

Obito chuckled, settling next to Kakashi. His hand grasped Rin's for just a moment. She didn't acknowledge the action except to grasp his hand back before letting go.

Rin stepped forward.

Kiisu maintained a familiar distance. Not close enough that anyone would get any ideas about him and Rin, and not far away that he would offend Rin or make anyone offended on her behalf. "Hey Little Mouse. Ready to get back to work? We all miss you at the hospital."

Rin nodded. "I'm ready." She gestured to her digimon. "This is my summon, Lunamon."

Lunamon's paws pressed against her pendant. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for teaching Rin."

Kiisu shook his head. "Thank Rin." He looked up at the sky again, squinting. "Thank Lord Fourth's Students." He looked down again, focusing on Rin, Obito and Kakashi. "You're all teaching me how to live again. The right way." He smiled.

Kakashi looked at Kiisu. A man who, despite clearly not wanting to be out here to the point he wasn't even prepared for it, stepped far out of his comfort zone just to get his student when he learned she was in distress. He looked at Rin, though she wouldn't look at him. She really was something else.

"They're leaving, Baka." Obito punched his arm, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Back to work."

Kakashi nodded and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. He trailed Rin and Kiisu on the rooftops until they made it back to the hospital. Then he grabbed Gabumon, and headed back to Kushina's safehouse.