Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Naruto media

Chapter 8: You are my Future

Kakashi awoke with his head pounding.

He was slumped over the couch. His back ached and his neck—fuck—he was getting too old to pass out on a couch.

He tried to straighten out his crooked spine with a stiff groan as each vertebra snapped back in alignment. He pulled the fabric that was pooled around his neck back into place over his nose. It didn't smell like boozein fact, he smelled berries…and something floral…

A woman?

He did a quick scan around his apartment to see if he had the unfortunate luck of bringing home someone.

The bed was made (a good sign). His extra futon was out, but it was folded. He followed his nose to the bathrooman extra towel was thrown in the clothes bin but that could have been him or even one of the pack.

The room was pleasantly emptyno ninken either. How late was it?

Kakashi stretched and made his way to the window near his bed. The sun was high in the skymidday, at least. With a yawn, he rubbed the back of his head gingerly. It was still pounding and foggy and he couldn't remember muchcertainly no memories of a bar.

Maybe it wasn't alcohol. The last thing he remembered was coming home from the Land of Waves…

It could have been chakra exhaustion.

He did have a track record for passing out after particularly difficult missions. It certainly wouldn't be the first time—but—he usually made it to the bed. (Most of the time.)

He tried to think back…

A blurry haze flashed in his mind. Familiar bantering and annoying children. Naruto? Sasuke?

Sasuke was mad. Naruto was smiling. They were older though—someone was yelling at them, but he couldn't remember who.

Older? —that's not right—they're kids.

…a dream?

Yes, it must have been a dream.

His stomach growled aggressively, derailing any collective thoughts. Ah, he really shouldn't skip meals. Kakashi scratched his stomach mindlessly and pulled the fridge door open to see if he could scramble up something to eat.

Inside, he found plastic containers—all lined up in perfectly aligned stacks in little towersneat and organized like he often did when he had leftovers.

He didn't remember cooking.

He popped a few of the lids off, to see what he had and grabbed the small pot that was sitting on a different shelf. He began heating up the food, and when it was all laid out before him–

Rice, miso soup, grilled eggplant and glazed fish.

The rice was glossy. The miso soup smelled of dashi and his childhood. The eggplant, a little more savory. The glaze was a little sweeter.

It was really fucking delicious for some reason.

Kakashi hummed in approval.

***へのへのもへじ***

Her long hair was shredded unevenly and sheared short. Clothes torn. Every inch of her skin was covered in dirt, scrapes, and dried blood. A bruise was forming around her left eye.

She looked pitiful.

Naruto and Sasuke seemed mostly okay.

But Sakura—

He was proud of the girl for not backing out and stopping her teammate from taking the Chunin Exam, but she was a liabilityshe couldn't keep up with them.

Kakashi scoffed under his breath. Maybe this would be the wakeup call? Or she'd stay a career genin? Either way—she didn't belong.

The individual matches began for the Chunin participants, and Kakashi watched on, mildly impressed with some of the combatants.

Sasuke won his round, of course.

An Aburame kid won his own with his bugsanother triumph for Konoha. Then a Suna Puppet Master that was arrogant, but effective. Kakashi instantly didn't like him.

And then Sakura's name came up.

Asuma sauntered up to him for a minute as they prepared for the match.

"You should tell your student to forfeit. No civilian is going to be equally matched with a clan heiress," he said it with airy blanknesslike it was inevitable. A foreseen shogi move falling in the order of his game.

Kakashi stared at the man.

"You're welcome to say that to her. But she's a stubborn girl."

Asuma flicked ash from his cigarette, "Well…life always has a way of teaching us lessons."

It didn't matter if Kakashi agreed with him or not—

The Copy-nin didn't like the finality in his tone.

Asuma kept walking on to his other students, and Kakashi looked down at his own.

She was staring at the Yamanaka heiress with clear, observant green eyes. Like a pensive cat, ready to pounce. It was a calculating look that he had not seen often.

He watched her shoulder rise and falland he realized she was doing breathing exercises. Nervous, maybe? Afraid, probably.

And as he watched Hayate signal the start of the match—

—he realized, Life's Lesson?

It was for him.

He watched Sakura bash someone's face in with a fist. Saw as she pulled the girl's hair. And even throw a Yamanaka out of her head.

It wasn't the most technical or impressive of fights. She didn't even use chakra.

But as he stared at the girl passed out on the floor from a double knock out—

The same girl that didn't want to break a nail or damage her clothes—

Kakashi learned that—when she wanted to—Sakura could be scrappy and mean.

And she would fight—and try to survive in this world.

***へのへのもへじ***

He woke up in the hospital, which wasn't a new experience for him.

The room was dark—his head was pounding again, especially Obito's eye— and long shadows were being cast from the moonlight.

He was wearing a paper medical mask in an attempt to hide his face (well, how nice of them). And he was quietly trying to take stock of his aching body, as he scanned the room and found Pakkun sitting at the end of his bed, in between his legs.

"Yo."

"Pakkun." His voice was scratchy.

"How ya feeling, Boss?"

"Like…" he cleared his dry throat. "…I almost died."

The pug let out a gruff laugh. "So, pretty normal for you, then?"

Traitor. Kakashi stared up at the ceiling, trying to soothe his head.

"...what happened?"

"The Uchiha welp got the better of you. The older one—Itachi. But considering you didn't call for us—"

Oh, right. He was mentally tortured within a Sharingan.

"Yeah, well…I always was a little soft when it came to fighting an Uchiha."

The pug growled low under his breath. "One day, it will get you killed."

He didn't bother to reply. He rolled his neck back and forth for a few seconds before turning to the small side table that sat next to the bed. He must have been asleep for a while then—weeks maybe.

On it sat several gifts. He spotted a handwritten 'get-well-soon' that was signed by his genin. A few more cards from different jonin teammates. A small plush turtle that could only be from Gai. A single daffodil in a small vase and—

He reached for it—

A small, folded piece of paper that looked like Pakkun. An origami dog.

Someone had folded the paper to look like the face of a dog, with droopy ears and a snout—and then drew in—Pakkun's markings, grumpy hooded eyes, little face wrinkles, and his Konoha headband.

It looked just like him.

It was fucking adorable.

"Who made this?"

Pakkun stood and came closer. He gave the paper a small sniff.

"I don't know…but it smells…"

Kakashi's nose twitched. He brought the paper to his nose. He sniffed once, and then exhaled in a shaky breath, before inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes.

Yes…it was subtle…but summer berries and jasmine filled his lungs as warmth spread in his chest.

He opened his eyes and stared at it for a little longer before gently placing it on the table, propped up against the vase with the yellow flower. He ran a finger along one of the creases of the folded ear as his eyelids grew heavy.

Kakashi pulled the sheet up, almost around his nose, and sank into the uncomfortable hospital bed. Pakkun curled into a ball near his legs. He continued to stare at the origami-Pakkun.

"I'm glad you're okay, Boss."

He didn't answer. As he fell asleep, it almost seemed like the paper canine spoke instead of the actual dog.

***へのへのもへじ***

It was pouring. Raining cats and dogs, his father would say. Like the sky was crying frustrated, angry tears.

The Hokage was dead. Hayate too.

He remembered the weather being just like this on the day of the funerals—he stood next to Asuma and Yugao for hours after everyone else had gone.

He remembered when the elders cornered him, and tried to pass the Hokagedom to him like it was an honor. When he couldn't protect anyone, much less a fucking village.

He remembered how his chakra crackled in the air, charging the atmosphere, and the raindrops stung as they landed on his skin. Their faces as they backed away from him in fear.

And then today—

Today, Sasuke was gone.

Sakura was crying, even though he promised her everything would go back to normal. And Naruto almost had a hole in chest—because he taught Sasuke the chidori. And he was too slow—

And he—

Fuck. He couldn't even protect his own.

He stared at the war memorial in the rain, and he wondered if Obito's was laughing at him for fucking up another team.

Kakashi didn't know how long he'd been out there, but by the time he made it home, it was dark. Eight grim, pity filled faces stared at him in silence as he trekked his way through his apartment.

The ninken didn't dare say a word.

And as he slugged off his soaking wet uniform, he noticed something by his bed. On the ledge, right under the window, where the two photos of his teams—one with Minato as sensei, one with him— and propped up in between them, lay the little origami-Pakkun.

He thought he had forgotten it at the hospital. It was cute, and cheerful—and terribly out of place.

A voice he didn't recognize popped in his head—it was clear and ringing. A woman's voice. It rattled in him so violently, like a tuning fork going off in between his ribs.

Sasuke…it's going to be tough, but he will come around eventually.

He huffed out a strained laugh. Not entirely sure where that came from. His Sharingan always did pull out the strangest things every once in a while…

But…for some reason, he felt a little better.

***へのへのもへじ***

It had been over two years since Team 7 had dispersed.

Kakashi had kept himself busy by drowning himself in the murky swamp that was ANBU. He took mission after mission, and was rarely seen around the village these days.

His teamwork had been abysmal recently, and Tsunade-hime was kind enough to let him wallow in his misery by offering him strings of solo-missions. (He had never been so thankful to his Hokage before.)

He thought about Naruto sometimes—

...and hoped Jiraiya was twice the teacher he was.

He thought of Sasuke often—

...the regret was branded onto his skin like an infected scar, and he pledged he would have Orochimaru's throat someday.

He rarely thought of Sakura.

It wasn't until he was sitting on a mission outside the outer rim of Iwa one day, that he was suddenly reminded of her.

There were rumors of Akatsuki in these parts, and Konoha had sent Kakashi out to investigate. But all he came upon was a rogue cell that was slightly under his pay grade. He sent word back to headquarters to see if he should eliminate the cell, or keep moving north.

It wasn't long before Pakkun came running down the rocky path with three ANBU behind him. The little pug led them to his hidden shack that was nestled among the stony cliffs of Iwa.

"Look what I found," Pakkun panted in a grumpy tone.

The three ANBU strolled up—a blank looking mask he didn't recognize, a Mouse, and a Bear.

"Hound." Bear nodded. "We've been called in to take care of the cell while you keep moving. Can you give us any information?"

Bear was a large man with a smooth voice that Kakashi instantly recognized. He was a mid-level Captain that often dealt with 'demolition' as he liked to call it. Or a heavy hitter with little, to no subtlety.

Kakashi rattled off what he knewperimeters, numbers, and anything else that could be useful.

The Mouse interrupted every once in a while, asking asinine questions. He had seen this Mouse before a few times, a man with shoulder length hair and a lean wiry build of a young adult that hadn't quite grown into his body yet. A newbie.

"Good. And what should we do with this information?" Bear asked Mouse, with a gentle leading.

Oh—tactical training.

Kakashi wondered what Bear did to be stuck on babysitting duty.

His eye trailed behind the two males, to the blank mask.

It was an unusual mask—no colored markings, just solid white—with huge round gaping eye holes and a rounded snout that had indents on it like whiskers.

He had no idea what kind of animal it was supposed to be—and that made it all the more ominous. It was haunting, eerie, and ghost-like—even more so than other masks.

The young girl—if she was a girl—couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen.

Sakura's age, he thought. What a bizarre thought.

She had to be quite skilled to already be in ANBU at this age. It was impressive.

Her body was small and shapeless, with tanned skin the color of caramel and purple eggplant colored hair that was cut short and tied at the base of her neck.

She stayed utterly silent through Bear and Mouse's exchange. The blank mask ANBU clung close on the other side of Bear—almost fully concealed from Kakashi's sight behind Bear's bulk. When she noticed that he was watching her, she took an extra half step back to remain hidden behind Bear's bicep.

But Kakashi didn't miss how amber colored eyes flashed beneath the mask and cast a glare at him.

She didn't like him for some reason. Interesting.

"Pup! Pay attention! This could be a matter of life or death," Bear barked at the blank mask.

Pup? That can't be right. Surely, he was the only canine in ANBU.

Bear seemed to notice the tilt of his head in question.

"She's a seal—a seal pup. She's such a small thing that everyone was calling her a baby seal, and it morphed into 'pup'. Don't blame me if you've got a problem with it—I didn't start it," Bear clarified defensively.

Kakashi stared at the girl. She blatantly ignored him.

"But you're a 'clean-up' team. Will she be alright?"

Kakashi startled for a second, wondering where the voice had come from. The thought matched his own, and wondered if he accidentally asked the question out loud himself.

Until he was able to reorientate himself to the sound of the voice coming from below him—from Pakkun.

He raised a brow at the dog.

Pakkun was wagging his tail next to him. Odd…

Bear stared between him and the dog as if he was unsure if he was allowed to answer the ninken. Pakkun waited patiently.

"...I know she doesn't look like much, but Pup is a hard hitter. She can take care of herself." Bear answered reluctantly as if he was unsure of how to proceed with this oddity.

Kakashi shrugged and turned to leave them to their mission, but as he did—Pakkun marched himself up to the girl. He sat down and raised his paw to her.

"Hey, kid." The ninkin gruffed. "Good luck, okay? Here. I'll even let you touch my paw."

Golden eyes stared down the little dog. She then crouched down and rubbed her thumb against the dog's pawPakkun's tail wagged a little more. She gave his head a little pat, and then apparently having had enough, she stood up straight and continued ignoring the rest of them dutifully.

Pakkun happily pranced alongside him and started off on a jog away from the group. He let several minutes pass in silence.

"What was that ?" Kakashi asked as he side eyed the dog. "You were practically preening for her…"

The canine gave a low growl and a shake of his tail as he ran beside him. "I like her."

"I can see that," he deadpanned. "I didn't know you had such a liking for kids."

"She won't be a kid for much longer."

Kakashi eyed the dog skeptically.

"Besides, I got a good feeling about her."

The Copy-nin couldn't help but scoff. "Great, next time you can ask her for a belly rub."

Pakkun snapped at his heels. He barely dodged.

***へのへのもへじ***

He trailed into the Hokage's office with a heaviness in his limbs, and scent of blood and death.

It wafted off him in such a stink, that he feared it would forever be ingrained in his scent for the rest of his life. Steeped into his bones, like an over brewed tea in a porcelain cup.

He slipped his ANBU mask from his face as he sat in the chair in front of a large desk.

"Are you sure your dog is house trained?" A man asked. Once Kakashi's eyes focused, he recognized him as Jiraiya.

"He's fine. I've just been keeping him busy lately," Tsunade-sama contested. She was tapping her finger nervously on her desk though.

"He looks feral."

Tsunade shot the man with a glare. "He'll adjust."

Jiraiya did not look convinced.

"Hiya, kid. You look…well…you look alive—at least."

Kakashi snorted. He cracked his neck. The sound rang out thunderously in the quiet room.

"...Maybe we should hold off—"

Tsunade slammed her fist on the desk. "No. The Akatsuki are ramping up. It's time."

Jiraiya pursed his lips but kept silent—it reminded him of Naruto.

Tsunade-sama stared at him long and hard.

"Kakashi, that was your last mission. You're off the ANBU roster–"

He almost snarled.

"—because–calm down, you menace!–Two thirds of your team is ready. The previous Team 7 with the addition of Tenzo, now known as Yamato, will be under your command." She bit the nail of her thumb, "And maybe another, but I haven't decided yet."

Kakashi blinked at her stupidly. He must be hearing things.

He was sure that he was, until Jiraiya came up to him and promptly slapped him on the back with a huge grin, and said:

"Congrats, kid. They're your problem now."

Kakashi stared at the man.

Fuck.

***へのへのもへじ***

The bell test went well. The kids were—well, they weren't quite kids anymore—caught somewhere in between being an adult and a child.

An awkward phase that Kakashi couldn't really relate to, as it seemed he somehow skipped over that phase completely. But he was determined to try.

Naruto was easy. He knew what he had to do.

The boy had sprouted up in height. He was a little more considerate, and a little more thoughtful—like he could feel the weight of his future on his shoulders.

Jiraiya had taught him exactly one thing— how to be a powerhouse. A one hit wonder. A one-and-done kind of ninja that tended to jump the gun.

Kakashi could relate to that (i.e. his chidori ) but fuck if that didn't mean he still had a laundry list of things he needed to teach him if Naruto was ever going to be a well-rounded shinobi.

Sakura—

She was—

—he didn't know what to do with her.

She was the one that equally surprised him and concerned him.

She looked the same to him—maybe more muscle. Still short—and ridiculously pink. She still had a temper, and she certainly was still clever.

But every once in a while, she would raise her eyes through her eyelashes demurely or flash a flirtatious smirk to Naruto or one of her friends—and Kakashi had to look away.

It felt wrong to see a young woman grow into a more sexual nature—even if was still awkward and fumbling in her youth. She was learning how to use her womanly charms—it wasn't sitting right with him.

She was starting to look—and fight— more like a kunoichi.

Her strength was obviously a surprise, and Tsunade-sama had clearly done a great job with her. But her overall skill and range was so much further ahead than Naruto that he honestly didn't know if he could help her when he was so concerned about him.

Evidently, he misjudged her.

He didn't notice it at first, but then there were times when he was trying to teach Naruto about something like chakra concepts—and he'd look over at her—and she would raise a brow and stare at him. Like why are you looking at me? I obviously already know this.

Which made him sweat a little bit—because, doesn't that mean he's still underestimating her?

Hasn't he learned by now?

He felt like he was walking a very thin line with her—somewhere between hate and mild respect.

Sometimes he'd get a smile (even if it was a little fake), and sometimes he felt like she would slit his throat in his sleep.

(Teenage girls. Yikes.)

He couldn't read her. He didn't know what she was capable of.

(And what a scary thought, that is.)

***へのへのもへじ***

The stars were out tonight, and out there in the middle of the desert, the depth of the sky lit up with swirls of milk and splatters of golden honey.

He always hated the open sky—it was too vast; too large—it made him feel utterly vulnerable.

No, he preferred the tree covered sky of Konoha. Where he could hide among the shadows of their leaves, so he wouldn't be swallowed whole by the expanse above him.

He shivered in the cold Suna night.

While Gai and Naruto snored loudly, Neji slept in a stilled stiffness that resembled death. Tenten was walking a perimeter not far from camp, and Sakura was poking the fire with exhausted eyes.

Kakashi was resting against a petrified log that was propping him up in his fatigue. He was trying to read Icha Icha,but the fire light was making his eyes strain.

They had managed to recover the Kazekage—alive. Somehow.

"I should congratulate you…"

She startled at the sound of his voice like she didn't expect it to come from him. A log crackled as it shifted in the fire at the end of her stick.

"You're the first of our village to eliminate an Akatsuki member. It's an impressive feat."

Sakura stared at him impassively. Her green eyes glowed gold in the fire, and her hair almost looked like a pale lilac in the starlight. She looked different. Not like the Sakura he thought he knew.

She snorted after a moment, and then went back to poking the embers.

"I didn't do it by myself." She whispered solemnly.

"...No, but I somehow doubt you sat by the sidelines."

She shrugged, "I'm only alive because of Chiyo-obaasama."

"Semantics. You'll be written as the winner. And then there will be a little note in the Bingo book next to your name—and a nice little moniker to go along with it."

"—and a bounty."

"Yes, and a bounty," He repeated slowly. "...And it will continue to go up with each successful kill. Although…I have a feeling this isn't your first kill."

No, she was far too composed. Tsunade must have put her to work on other teams throughout the years.

She stared at him again with contemplative eyes. Those green feline eyes he'd seen from her once before.

"No." She spoke softly, but the tone was concise. "It is not."

He hummed in acknowledgment.

"Well, regardless…well done, Sakura."

Her lips twitched a little into a small smile. "Thank you, Sensei."

It was quiet for a few minutes, as he pretended to read.

"Kakashi."

She flickered her eyes back up to him in confusion. "...what?"

"My teammates call me 'Kakashi'."

She stared at him with her brows furrowed in puzzlement.

"I was never much of your sensei anyway." He clarified, but kept his eye on his book.

He felt the shift in her—the moment of understanding. She straightened her back, and licked her lips and swallowed with wide, owlish eyes.

"I…okay. Thank you…Kakashi."

He eye-crinkled a smile. "You're welcome, Sakura."

***へのへのもへじ***

Time passed, and then there was…

So much sadness. So much anger.

Asuma was—

Gone.

One day he was alive and well—and with a wife that was with child—and the next…

So, he volunteered. Kakuzu and Hidan.

He would rip the very souls from their bodies, and offer it to Asuma's ghost himself.

The Akatsuki would be lesser. And Konoha would be better off.

So, he was out for blood. Who cares? No one would stop him.

So, they let it be. They let him hunt.

***へのへのもへじ***

Pein and the Akatsuki had done a number on the village.

It had only been hours since the attack, but it was still shocking to see.

He helped where he could, and when he was done, he went back to where his apartment once stood.

It was just a few barely standing walls and mostly rubble now.

He sifted through the debris of where he could approximate where his rooms might have been. It was astonishing to see that some things were whole and had little damage, while others were just…obliterated.

He found some of his books, Gai's blanket, some old dog bowls, Kushina's bowl that was split into three pieces and would need to be super glued—his photos had broken frames, but the pictures were intact.

He lifted the picture of Team 7 and found underneath it the little origami dog.

It was crinkled badly and torn on one edge—but it still somehow survived.

He couldn't help but laugh a little bit. It must be lucky.

He tried to smooth it out—bending the paper back and forth to try and repress the creases. When he bent the snout, he saw ink on the inside corner.

Curiously, Kakashi folded down the corner and opened up the paper dog.

It was a drawing—

Of a scarecrow underneath a tree blooming with flowers.

The scarecrow's face was a henohenomoheji tucked under a straw hat, with an oversized jacket, and towel tied around its neck.

It was simple. There was no color. Only black ink. It was crude and childlike in a way—rushed maybe—but it was rounded and cute in such a way that made him think a female was responsible for it.

Underneath it was the words:

Dear Kakashi, it's all going to be okay…

Because–

You and Me.

That's all we ever really needed.

An unknown chakra buzzed at his fingertips and some of the words bled from the page like ink fading into water. The picture disappeared.

Only the words, You and me, remained on the page a moment longer before they too faded away.

Obito's eye pulsed. He heard the woman's voice again—

You and me.

–if the world falls apart, and we have nothing, we have us.

His heart started racing—the sound of his blood pumping in his ears—as he tried to suck in a deep breath, but it stuttered in his chest.

He was having a panic attack.

The world tilted, his eyes blurred, and he heard a voice coming towards him. The old civilian man from three doors down was yelling something at him—

Then it all went black.

And when he opened his eyes again—it was to pink and green.

Sakura was standing over him with a dirt and blood smudged face, and eyes with dark rings underneath them. She seemed too young to look like she'd gone through hell.

She let out a loud relieved sigh. She collapsed into a chair that was tucked by his hospital bed. They seemed to be in a triage tent.

"You." She hissed at him while pulling her hair a bit. She looked stressed. "You foolish, idiotic— you shouldn't be walking around with chakra exhaustion, Kakashi."

Ah, so that's what happened. He didn't remember much. He would have to go back for his things later then.

She stared at him with an angry huff, as she waited for an explanation. Too bad he didn't have one.

"Whoops. Seems like it's hard to break old habits."

He tried to give her an eye-smile, but his eyelids felt heavy and hooded. He really must be tired.

Sakura scoffed and grumbled at him under her breath. Her head leaned back on the small chair as she stared at the ceiling with narrowed, haunted eyes. She was quiet for a moment.

And then in a small soft voice—

"I heard you died." She sucked in air between her lips. "Like good and properly dead."

He hummed for a second and saw his father's face behind closed eyelids.

"I was."

Her jade eyes flicked over to him with a piercing, defiant look. "That's not okay."

He chuckled darkly. "We're shinobi—"

"I mean it, Kakashi. You, and Naruto, Sai, and Yamato—no one is allowed to die."

His hooded eyes met hers in a hostile battle. "It's war, Sakura."

She stood up harshly. The chair screeched as it was pushed back by the force.

"I know that," she snarled. "But I'm going to keep all of you alive—"

She turned and walked away from him. Her shoulders, a little more squared.

"—no matter the cost."

***へのへのもへじ***

"Kakashi-sama–"

Fuck. "Don't—let's—not do that. Kakashi is fine."

"Sir," the Boar ANBU pressed. "The village is in shambles—more than half of it was flattened— and you're the interim Hokage while Tsunade-sama is indisposed. The Hokage Summit is soon. We need direction."

They were set up in some random building on the outskirts of the city that would act as the temporary Headquarters. He stared at the desk some do-gooding chunnin must have put in the room to make it feel like the Hokage's.

He purposely took three steps away from it.

"Right." Kakashi cleared his throat. He looked at Inoichi and Shikaku—why weren't one of them interim Hokage? "Good. Go ahead, and report."

The Boar commander lifted his clipboard.

"All ANBU personnel have been called in shortly after the Pein attack. They've been divided into groups based on which teams were deemed fit enough for immediate relocation. A small number were left here for Tsunade-sama and your own—" The Boar coughed awkwardly. "—protection."

Not necessary but okay, he thought.

"Normal shinobi have been stationed along the open borders in case of another enemy invasion. The rest of the ANBU–" he coughed again. "—we sent out further than our borders on Shikaku-san's insistence."

Ah, laying the blame somewhere else. Kakashi was tempted to pull out his book.

"All teams have reported on any movement and have now returned after a week of surveillance. Only one team ran into trouble—somewhere along the Rain and Grass border." He paused like he was choosing his words carefully. "Although it seemed Uzumaki was able to gain the favor of the remaining Akatsuki, Pein had a serious following—one that borderline's worship, even. There are…some disgruntled cells that blame Konoha for his fall."

Kakashi eyed Shikaku. "You think this is more than an isolated incident?"

The older Nara hummed a bit before pulling at his goatee. "I do." he said, cryptically. Ever the shogi-master. "...but I think we should talk to the team too."

The Boar commander nodded, "I'll send them in."

They watched the large man turn and exit the room.

Inoichi cleared his throat, "If this isn't a problem now, it will be one day. Won't it?"

Shikaku let out a great bored sigh. "Shinobi tend to be vindictive folk. It's why the world is always going to shit."

Kakashi rubbed his temples. He had to agree, "Definitely going to bite us in the ass someday."

A knock at the door. Inoichi barked out, "Enter."

Three ANBU dragged themselves into the room. They were torn up with blood scrapes and caked in dirt—though he recognized them immediately, even though it had been nearly two years.

…Bear, Mouse, and Seal.

Seal cocked her head at him in interest.

"Ready to report, sir." Bear supplied helpfully.

"Go ahead."

"Everything was normal, sir. There was some movement on the Ame border, but we deemed this normal with their leadership in the state that… it is. We then came across a compound just on the edge of Kusa. It seemed abandoned…we decided to take a look…"

"I'm guessing it was not abandoned."

Bear kept quiet.

Mouse, the young man, decided to speak up, "No, sir. It fucking wasn't."

Bear cleared his throat. "It seemed to be some sort of religious compound—mostly civilians—but there were some Ame nin that now may be missing-nin. To be honest sir, the numbers—"

"They popped out of hidden doorways like a fucking swarm of bees—" injected Mouse.

Bear ignored him. "They were a little overwhelming."

Seal snorted.

Bear cleared his throat. "We were, frankly, overrun."

"By civilians?" He asked, while looking at Shikaku and Inoichi.

"By civilians. And some nin."

"Crazy, bloodthirsty, fanatics—"

"There were so many. And—well, we—were trying to be gentle at first with the civilians but again, the numbers—"

"Fucking insane—"

"So, we ended up with some injuries."

Seal coughed rudely.

Kakashi raised a brow. "Oh?"

Bear looked like he was ready to throw himself out a window. He spoke in a low mumble. "I took a pitchfork to my calf. Mouse was hit on the back of the head—"

"With a fucking frying pan—"

"—we were immobilized, to say the least. And Pup—"

"She deserves a fucking promotion—"

"She—she saved our asses."

"Literally. She blew apart the ground! Then, she took out some of the pillars—which took half the compound down— and then, she literally picked us up—and threw us over her shoulder like we were a fucking sack of potatoes—"

"And carried us to safety." Bear finished flatly.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he listened. His gaze whipped to the female ANBU. He didn't notice that they had finished the story however, as he was now staring at Seal.

She shrunk a bit away from him.

The Copy-nin hummed. "I see. Let me guess—Seal also healed your injuries."

Bear nodded an affirmative.

Kakashi stared, and stared, and stared at Seal—until she gave in. She nervously shifted her weight to her back foot like she was considering running from him.

Kakashi was faster.

"Everyone out." He growled.

No one moved for a second. But then Seal had the audacity to sprint into action and tried going for the door—

"Everyone out, except Seal."

Her head hung in defeat as she turned back towards her spot. The others clambered over themselves to get out as the door shut loudly behind them.

He stepped up to her with a scowl beneath his mask. He reached up towards her ANBU mask. She visibly flinched. He clicked his tongue at her—of course, he wouldn't harm her.

With a small trickle of chakra at his fingertips, he grabbed her mask and lifted it off her face. He threw it haphazardly on the desk—the clatter of it echoing in the small room.

She was staring at the floor and refused to look at him.

He took in her features of dark caramel colored skin, purple hair and amber—almost liquid gold— eyes. Round face...a little bit of a forehead…wide shoulders, but a small build—

A memory from his Sharingan overlapped on top of those features—

…they were one and the same.

"Sakura."

The Seal ANBU winced. Gold eyes slowly trailed up to his as she blanched.

"Drop the henge."

She let out a puff of air she had been holding in her lungs for far too long and did as she was told.

Bubblegum pink and jade eyes stared back at him.

He recoiled from the sight as he bared his teeth in frustration.

"What— why?" Fuck, his head was throbbing again. "—you were supposed to be safe training with Tsunade—"

"I was—"

"ANBU is not safe, Sakura."

"I needed the field experience—"

"And she chose ANBU—?"

"Well…to her defense she put me in as a back-up medic—which was how it stayed for a while—but then I got a little over brazen on one mission. And they found out what I could do–"

"So, they put you on a demolition team? Why couldn't she–"

"It was the Commander's right to move me to a different position. If she objected it, then people would know who I was and that she favored me–"

"So, she just left you in ANBU—at what? Fifteen? Sixteen?"

Her eyes shifted to the top left corner of the ceiling.

"I've seen you around, Sakura. You have to have been in for a while–"

She coughed quietly, "Fourteen."

"Four—?"

Holy fuck. She would have been better off with him teaching her.

She made a noise of protest and promptly crossed her arms with a sour sort of pout on her face. Her nose crinkled in frustration—a look he had seen her give Naruto a thousand times.

"Look. What's done is done—you, yourself became ANBU at thirteen—what's the difference? You didn't even think I could do it! Much less—"

"You're right, I didn't think you could do it. I'm sorry that I was wrong." He was trying to bite back his tone. "But that doesn't fucking mean I wanted you, or Naruto, or Sasu–…or anyone— to follow me in that regard."

Her mouth snapped shut as her eyes startled. He started rubbing his temples.

"Why not the hospital? I just saw you in triage—how do you even have time for this?"

She sniffed primly, but the fight in her seemed to have dissipated.

"Tsunade-shishou said hospital triage and combat triage were two different 'beasts', and that I'd need to know both if I wanted a chance to save lives."

Fucking Tsunade.

"Fine." He let out a deep breath. "Fine. I'll tell the Commander your suspended—"

"You'll do no such thing!"

"There's an even bigger war coming, Sakura. And I don't know how much you know about Naruto, but—"

"You can't. I worked hard to promote myself in ANBU. You can't take that away from me now–"

"I can, actually." He jerked his chin toward the desk in the room. "Interim Hokage."

He watched her squeeze her fists by her sides, but she didn't argue anymore.

"It's just a suspension; not an expulsion. You want to keep us alive, right? Then Naruto needs you without distraction. Sai, Yamato—I need you, too. If we are going to survive this war, then I'm determined to do this as a team."

She gnawed on her lip for a second, before giving an abrupt nod of head.

"Fine," she huffed bitterly. "Am I dismissed, Hokage-sama?"

Ugh. His whole body shuddered from that word. Kakashi rubbed his face tiredly. "Yes. Thank you, Sakura."

He watched her grab the blank looking Seal mask, spin on her feet, and shushin from the room. A few cherry blossoms were mixed in with the leaves she left behind.

He picked one up that had fallen on the desk in front of him and almost snorted.

She always had been a bit dramatic.

***へのへのもへじ***

The Fourth Shinobi War was fought—almost lost— and then somehow won.

Mist from the falls was raining down on them, as he watched Sakura heal Naruto and Sasuke's arms enough so they wouldn't hemorrhage out.

The two boys had passed out, of course. And were blissfully unaware that she was squeezing out the last of her chakra—again— to keep them alive.

If it wasn't for her—her part in this war—the whole thing could have been lost.

She had pumped Naruto's heart with her bare hands. Gave Obito all her chakra to save Sasuke.

She unlocked her byakugo seal. Punched a goddess in the face.

She did so well.

He had never been prouder.

Kakashi was sitting on the ground in an exhausted heap as he watched her finish up. Sakura let out a sigh that was a graveled mix of fatigue and frustration.

She walked over to him with such a slow dragging of her limbs, that he was momentarily scared she would just pass out mid walk. Instead, she collapsed behind him on the ground and leaned back against him, so that they were back to back. Using each other prop themselves up.

He felt her head lean back against the back of his shoulder. She didn't even reach the top, and he was once again reminded how small she was.

"They'll live?"

"Oh, for now at least." She chuckled, but it sounded like it might break into a sob at any moment. "Why is it so hard to keep them alive?"

Kakashi scoffed under his breath. "I've been asking myself that for years."

"I know." The pink-haired nin let out a pained little whine. "I know you've been stressed about them for years—but I can't take much more. I— they— I need them to stop trying to get themselves killed."

She slid down his back in a pitiful slump like all her bones had melted like butter. He felt her head roll to the side as she slid down to lay on the ground next to him, her head close to his thigh.

She was staring at the two boys that were several feet away. Her seventeen year old eyes looked far too old. Far too concerned—and weary—and pained–

He had the sudden urge to ruffle her hair like when she was a child.

But...He swallowed hard. She wasn't a child anymore–

No. She was an ANBU. After this, she'd be a field promoted jonin—his equal.

(His equal. What thef—)

She didn't even look like a child anymore.

(When—how— did that happen? Did he miss it?)

She was still short and pink—but her face had matured, and her eyes had become wiser. The little purple diamond on her forehead dared anyone to doubt her again.

He believed in her strength. He trusted her judgment. He knew his life was safe in her hands.

She was a young woman. His teammate. His nakama. His–

"Why is it always them?" she asked quietly.

"...what do you mean?"

"They're always running ahead—diving into trouble— and it's alwaysus, running after them. Trying to keep them alive."

He hummed in thought. "They've always been that way."

"I know—just look at them. Maybe I'm jealous…they've had each other to fight with, and grow with, and always changing each other—forming each other—and now, they'll have each other's back. Now, they'll be unbreakable together—partners. Side by side. Where they always should have been."

Oh, that's what she was. His—

"Let's be partners then."

Her jade eyes were staring up at him from the ground. "...what?"

He fingered one of the little pockets of his vest. Despite the large cuts crossing his chest, it wasn't torn during the fight; inside was his little origami-Pakkun that he had brought to war with him on a whim. He could feel the small piece of paper hidden there.

Definitely good luck. He was keeping this thing from now on.

"Partners—you and me."

–You and me.

She blinked up at him, speechless.

"Like you said, we'll be chasing after them anyway—so let's have each other's back. Let's train together. Take missions together. Fight together—"

"—probably die together?"

"You're far too young to die."

"—so are you!"

"Fine, then. Not die together. We'll live. Survive together—"

Her face split into a brilliant grin. Kakashi took in the sight greedily. Such a smile may have been out of place after a war—but he didn't care. There would be time for mourning later.

"No, not survive. Live—" she laughed brightly. "Let's laugh, and cry, and smile together—eat plenty of delicious things together, read great books together, see and do wonderful things when we can. Let's have many quiet moments—and some of our hardest hours—and everything in between, together."

He couldn't help but smile, although she couldn't see it beneath his mask. He ruffled her hair instead. Hopefully, she didn't feel how tender it was.

"Sure, Sakura. Let's live—let's live our life together. Keep each other alive. Keep them alive—"

"Yes." She breathed. "Partners?"

His chest warmed. "Partners."

***END NOTE***

FUN FACT#1: The words "scrappy and mean" is a small nod to Masks by mads999. (ao3)

FUN FACT#2: The dog face is one of the easiest origami (and the height of my skills lol). It's great to do with kids because they can 'color' in details. I've made these a lot with my own children and they are very sentimental to me!

If anyone is interested, here is a tutorial-

https/watch?v=lHu3K-ZuOFs