Author's Note: *screeching because this monster took three months to finish* FINALLY!
In regards to chapter four's question: I cried. I actually cried.
I'm still crying. I get emotional every time I think about Yuuri and Victor.
If you haven't yet, please, PLEASE - as an act of self love and care - watch Yuri! on Ice. I cannot recommend it enough. I haven't been so passionate about a show or book or anything in years. It came out during a very difficult time in my life and it's helped me through so much. The positive representation, the healthy relationship dynamic, the love, the understanding, Victor's Extra-ness, how Yuuri's anxiety is portrayed and how it made his character really resonate with me - it means so much to me as both a queer person and someone who struggles with an anxiety disorder. This show has just given me so much happiness.
Also, to answer LAST chapter's prompt: my New Year's resolution is to learn how to properly take care of myself through my anxiety, doing what I have to and keeping promises to others even when it feels like the end of the world. I've finally accepted that this anxiety of mine is not something I can just get rid of or ignore until it goes away (it never will) but something I have to learn to live with and manage. Really, my overall goal is to be healthy.
And moving out.
A special thanks to Ori Heartlyng for reading this chapter over and giving me the support I needed to upload this when I was having a spike of anxiety. Also, please check out this phenomenal fan art of Takara created by Mana-sensei which I linked in my profile. (Guy. Guys, they even got the dimple. Look at it. I've been staring at it for five hours now.) Thank you both so much and to all of my new followers, reviewers, and those who have favorited this story. Your support keeps this story going.
Now back to (Mis)Adventures of Random Civilian Girl and Konoha's Elite Ninja!
Curiosity and the Copycat
...a Naruto fanfiction story...
Curiosity and the Copycat © Mx. Irony
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
chapter five
A Familiar Name
"One kind word can warm three winter months."
Japanese Proverb
Life as a shinobi was more often than not..."unpredictable" but over the years, Hatake Kakashi had carved out a routine of sorts: train, complete missions assigned by the Hokage (and sometimes others "officially" assigned by those directly beneath the Third), and visiting deceased comrades. The most self-indulgent part of his life was his Icha Icha collection. Every mission was different, adding some variety to his days, but his day-to-day life within the village was much the same as it was when he was only a chunin. Kakashi liked this routine. It was a nice routine. It gave his life some semblance of structure, a bit of organization and control in his usually hectic life.
Bang!
Now Kakashi days went a little differently than before.
"Ack!"
The man paused mid-push up, one arm pinned behind his back.
"For the love of..."
She's up.
Kakashi sighed.
After finishing the last set of push-ups, Kakashi shifted into an upright position and sat cross-legged on the floor. He formed his hands into a identical hand signs, crossing them. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."
In a cloud of smoke, a perfect copy of the Copy Nin himself appeared before him.
"All part of the morning routine, ne?"
"Good morning, Hatake-san."
"Yo, Takamori-chan."
"My name's Hinamori Takara, Hatake-san."
"Oh, right."
"You're getting closer everyday."
Dear Tou-san,
It's already June - an entire month since I've left home! We're still a bit from the "official" start of summer but the heat of it has long since arrived here in Konoha. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining but it feels more like we're in the middle of July, so I can't imagine what it'll be like when it is. This weather really puts a whole new meaning in the "Land of Fire." I hope it's just unusually warm this year in Konoha and not like this every year. I may have to invest in a fan at this rate.
I still haven't quite found a job yet. It's a little more difficult than I anticipated but shouldn't be much longer now. The local businesses in Konoha are like our small corner of Aomori in that they prefer a familiar name to a strange one working under them. I just need to make myself a little more known now, is all, so I'm not such a stranger to them. Please don't worry about me, though. I have enough in savings to get by just fine for while. And I know I'll have a job long before then. So, please set your mind at ease.
Besides that, everything is going well. I've done a lot of exploring and found some new favorite places already. The library is amazing, bigger than the one in the village close to our farm and just filled with books! So many, in fact, that I don't think I'll have to worry about running out of any to read for a long time. But still, I'm trying to pace myself. The librarians are very nice and a few have come to recognize me, calling by name. Even they immediately default to calling me by my given name instead of Hinamori. It seems to be a bad habit of Konoha's for some unknown reason. I don't think I've ever heard anyone call me "Takara" since I was six? Seven? Some time when I first started school. I'm more used to "Kara" from you and our family or "Hina" from friends back at home.
The only person who doesn't call me Takara would be none other than my dear neighbor, Hatake-san. But he doesn't do it to be polite. Instead, he calls me mixed up versions of my name like "Takako" or "Takarei." Things like that. I haven't snapped at him for it but it's getting harder not to if I'm being honest. He is a very rude man but to be fair, I haven't been much better... I don't know how or why but somehow I managed to get off on the wrong foot with him from the moment we met. It only got slightly worse from there - like I haven't caught my balance since then and keep tripping my way through all of our interactions. I really don't know what to do or say half the time. That mask certainly doesn't help (he still has yet to take it off). I can't tell whether he's amused or just annoyed by me or if he really doesn't care. His voice rarely changes, always quiet and nonchalant - he's either passive-aggressive or simply bored. Maybe both? I can't tell!
It's a little like that with a lot of people here to be honest. I was telling the truth when I wrote that everyone (even my darling neighbor) has been nice but that's it. Nice. For all their calling me by my given name, they really aren't that familiar. They don't visit one another so often; they stick close to those they know. There is no attempting to get to know people from the outside. It's like Aomori in reverse. Because I didn't grow up in Konoha, they're wary of me. Friendly but guarded. A shop girl asked me if I married someone from the village, as though that connection alone would make up for me being a newcomer, and as soon as I said no, the conversation just...shut down. She still smiled but she didn't joke or laugh after that. And I was reminded that I am an outsider here.
I've met some nice people, though. People I'm quickly becoming friends with...
The old accountant shook his head. "I apologize, Takara-san. But we have no positions available. At least, not without..."
"Not without any local references," Takara finished for him. Her lips pressed together but were forced to spread into a thin, strained smile. "I know. I just had to try. Thank you anyway, sir."
He supplied, "Perhaps there is something at the other...?"
She shook her head. "Nothing so far. Their reasons...were not all that far from yours."
"Ah," he murmured, nodding grimly. "Well, I wish you the better of luck, Takara-san."
"Have a nice day," she said quietly before she exited the shop.
Takara squinted at the sky, shading her eyes from the sunlight. Dark spots bloomed in her vision nonetheless as it took its time to adjust to the sudden brightness that pierced her eyes. She must have spent a longer period of time than she originally thought. Blinking rapidly, the darkness faded and she could see again.
Shoulders slumping, Takara sighed. What am I going to do? Her options were narrowing as the days went by.
"Oi, Takara-chan!"
Rent was coming up, and Takara still did not know how high the utility bill would wrack up to. At this rate, she was going have getting creative on how to earn money. Maybe she would find some temporary work outside the village? That would make for long days, walking out and back into the village every day. She would have to remember her passport, too...
"Takara-chan!"
Oblivious, the civilian weaved through the crowds on Konoha's busy streets. The noon rush was just starting, bringing in streams of people ready for their lunch break, and it made it difficult to
"Takara-chan!"
She walked straight into a wall of green, face first in spandex.
"Oh, sorry - " Takara stumbled back and looked up. Eyes widening, her face instantly brightened. "Maito-san!"
"Yosh!" The man instantly fell into his "Nice Guy Pose," one hand poised on his hip and the other giving her his signature thumbs up.
Recognizing it from their first meeting, Takara gave a surprised laugh. "Hi, Maito-san. How've you been?"
"Most youthful today!" Gai exclaimed, relaxing from his pose but still strutting like a rooster to Takara's amusement. "But how can I not be when it is such a glorious day? I can feel the springtime in the air."
It was nearly summer, hot and sticky with humidity. Takara could feel the sweat under her blouse, skin hot under the long sleeves. But she supposed it wasn't too terrible - not at the moment. Gai's personality was that refreshing.
"So, tell me, what are you up to this fine afternoon?"
"About the same as last time you ran into me really."
"Ah, yes, the job search." Gai nodded in understanding as they walked together down the street, moving through the crowds. It was easier with Gai's larger than life presence. "How fares it?"
Takara made a neutral humming noise, rocking her hand in a so-so gesture. "Well enough."
"Fret not, Takara-chan, soon you'll be overflowing with work opportunity!" he encouraged.
"I hope so, Gai-san, I really do. But enough about me. How's work for you?" Takara asked, changing the subject away from her. She decided that she liked walking with Gai, the man matching her long strides step for step. There was no need for her to slow down for the other to catch up, a first.
"I just got back from a mission today! A most splendid one, I should add. But it's always good to be home."
"Really?" He held her full attention. "Where did you go?"
"Only as far as the Land of Noodles this time around."
Her mouth fell open. "Oh, my gosh - that far? What was it like?"
Noodles sound really good right now.
"Magnificent! The people there were most youthful, and their noodles really were most excellent, as everyone says," Gai said.
"Really?"
"Indeed! Though not quite as delectable as the Land of Birds' curry."
"You've been to the Land of Birds?"
"Yes!"
"What about the Land of Claws?"
"Of course! I've passed through it many times. It's often how I get to the Land of Wind."
A delighted gasp. "There, too? What's it like? Is it really just all desert?"
"Almost. There's some forest where it borders the Land of Rivers."
Needless to say, Takara was absolutely riveted. Her eyes blown wide with excitement, she couldn't help herself: "Wow! What's it like, the desert? Isn't it too hot? Do you have to wear less layers to stay cool or would the sun burn you too much that way? How do the people that live there go without water? Are there not very many at all? Where - ?"
Maito gave a hearty laugh. "Takara-chan, you're just overflowing with questions!"
Takara snapped her mouth shut, clamming up. She bowed her head. "I'm sorr - excuse me. I got overexcited."
"No reason to apologize! Curiosity is only natural " the man protested, still grinning. "I even find it to be one of the most youthful of qualities."
It was a testament that after knowing this man for only such a short time, Takara already understood that anything pertaining to youth was the highest compliment coming from Gai. The realization made a dimple pop in her right cheek. "So then you don't mind me asking where else you've been?"
"I can tell you all about my travels over lunch," he said genially.
Takara's eyes gleamed. She so wanted to hear about other places in the world, places she could only hope to visit one day. But her face fell as she remembered her currently tight wallet.
"Um, I don't know, Gai-san. I'm not all that hungry." This statement was immediately contradicted by a grumble, spurred on by all this talk of food. Clutching her stomach, Takara flushed pink. She glanced at Gai, embarrassed. To her relief, he did not laugh. His face showed marginal amusement, however, if that grin said anything.
"I do believe your belly disagrees!" the jovial man declared. "Come! Let us replenish it."
"Well..."
"It'll be my treat," he enticed, as if he knew what was holding her back.
Takara mulled over the offer, torn. She didn't want anybody's pity but also didn't want to come off as rude by refusing his generosity. "...I suppose."
"Wonderful!" Gai took the opportunity to showcase his gleaming white teeth.
"But I'm buying next time!"
"I look forward to the next time already! But first, where would you like to go now?"
"As long as it's not ramen, I'm fine with anything," Takara said a little too seriously.
"I know just the place!" In a surprisingly gentle gesture, Gai put a large, heavily calloused hand on her thin shoulder and guided her down the street. With Takara practically skipping along, the two made a happy-go-lucky pair on the streets of Konoha and earned more than a few looks.
The sun crept further down the horizon, sinking the day into night. Tall trees cast long shadows across the training grounds and there was little light to be found. In the still air, the only sound was the evening crickets of summer. A soft breeze blew through his silver hair as Kakashi stood as a silent sentinel before the Memorial Stone.
At this point, Kakashi had memorized all the names inscribed there besides the one he came to visit. He could close his eyes and see them, imprinted on his brain deeper than in the stone itself: Shiraishi Ayaka, Nataga Isei, Onishi Seishiro, Hida Rinnosuke.
They were all comrades. He knew each and every person on this stone, could put faces to most of them. He'd gone to the Academy with them, went on missions with them, fought with them, risked his life with them. He went to their funerals.
Obito.
"Senpai."
Without turning, Kakashi said, "Yeah, I know."
He placed the bone-white mask over this face. Through the eye slit, his Sharingan gleamed blood red in the darkness. And then, in a flash of movement, the two Anbu agents were gone.
Only the crickets were heard.
Takara didn't see her neighbor again the next morning or the one after that. Three days passed and still, there was no sign of Hatake next door. By the fifth day, she grew concerned. Her morning greetings were mostly limited to Enomoto down the hall and the nice youngish couple on the second floor whom she occasionally had drinks with every now and then. During one such afternoon, sitting in their warm kitchen with a pot of coffee shared between them, Takara mentioned Hatake's long absence to Amano Kaori and her girlfriend Taniguchi Saeko.
In response, her (much more sociable) neighbor Taniguchi outright snorted.
"Hatake Kakashi, vanished? Sounds 'bout right," Taniguchi said dryly. The brunette set her mug down on her kitchen table and stretched her single arm for the creamer. Takara resisted the urge to scoot it closer, having learned since meeting and befriending the other woman that thoughtless gestures to "help" weren't always so helpful.
It was Amano whom Takara originally befriended, having met her in the apartment building's group laundry facility. Apparently, the two shared a similar washing schedule and were equally paranoia of their clothes being tampered with while away. So, they often sat together through the rinse cycles and found threads of conversation that lead into long discussions over similar interests. These once a week get-togethers while doing laundry turned into invitations for coffee or tea in Amano's apartment. This is how Takara met Amano's girlfriend, a retired kunoichi with short hair and sharp brown eyes. Rougher around the edges with her dry humor and sarcastic laugh, Taniguchi took a little while longer to warm up to. Yet Takara found she liked the woman's straightforward way of speaking - so different from the subtle words loaded with double meaning in Aomori. Refreshing, even.
It reminded Takara of how she spoke when she was younger.
"I'm the new kid on the block and I already know that," Takara said, rubbing her forehead. God, did she know. The weird man literally went around disappearing in plumes of smoke at whim. "But I haven't actually seen him."
"None of us do," Taniguchi said disinterestedly, more invested in her coffee.
"It's been two weeks!"
"And I haven't seen his masked mug in like, three months."
"No, we saw him a few weeks ago. Remember, babe? At that old tea house?" Amano said as she rejoined them with a fresh pot of coffee.
"Huh. Oh, yeah."
"Tea house?" Takara perked up.
"Just some rundown place further out in the village. Not even worth going to," Amano said as she carelessly gathered her hair into a surprisingly elegant bun. Takara eyed her black curls, briefly distracted. Then she caught onto the tail end of Amano's explanation: "I'm surprised it hasn't even gone out of business."
Out of business, huh...
Taniguchi rolled her brown eyes. "Course we see him randomly around the village but never in our own damn building."
"He's always been like that."
Distracted from her previous line of thought, Takara tilted her head. "How long have you known him?"
"Me personally? Only since we moved here a couple years ago," Amano said. She inclined her head towards Taniguchi, expression softening. "Saeko knew him back in their Academy days."
"Academy?"
"Konoha Ninja Academy," Taniguchi muttered. She answered the questions before Takara could ask them; the farm girl liked that about her. "He was a couple years below me but we graduated around same time. By the time he was promoted to chunin, I had to retire. For obvious reasons." She moved her single hand in a sweeping gesture.
Takara lowered her gaze to the table's scratched surface. "I...see. So you've known each other for a long time?"
"Well, I wouldn't say we know each other. But I see him around. Sometimes. Occasionally. Not really."
Amano chuckled.
"Huh." Takara took a mindless sip of her sweetened coffee. "So no one knows where he is? Ever?"
"I'm sure the higher ups have an idea," Taniguchi drawled, leaning back in her chair and stretching. "Sides, he's a big boy. He can take care of himself."
Takara's brow furrowed. "Still...isn't there anyone who checks in? Makes sure he's okay?"
"Eh, he's fine."
"What if - ?"
A dismissive gesture, cutting her off. "Don't worry about it."
"I'm just - "
"Don't."
"Excuse me - "
"Worry."
"Would you - ?!"
"About it."
Stop cutting me off.
"Hey, hey," Amano cut in. She gave her partner a meaningful glance. "She's just worried about Kakashi-san, Saeko. There's no harm in that."
I can speak for myself.
Taniguchi scoffed. "She needs to stay out of shinobi business, Kaori."
"She's just - "
"She's right here," Takara said flatly.
The former kunoichi cut her a sharp look. Takara met it with a fierce one of her own.
"Saeko."
Only using their eyes, Amano and Taniguchi exchanged a silent conversation that went beyond Takara's understanding - in a way that only people who understood each other deeply could. Taniguchi took a deep breath and got up. She marched out of the kitchen. A door slammed behind her in the living room.
Immediately, Takara snapped out of her thoughts and flushed. "She didn't have to - I didn't mean - I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Amano-san - "
"It's fine," Amano interrupted. "Saeko just gets touchy whenever anything ninja-related is brought up. So you can quit clearing the dishes."
Takara stopped, already out of her chair with half the dishes stacked.
Amano raised a quizzical brow. "Were you seriously just going to clean all this up and then leave?"
"I...Yes?"
A wry smile curled her Amano's lips. "You're adorable."
"What?"
Sparing the girl her cooing over that precious blush, Amano offered a reassuring look. "Have a seat, Takara-chan. I want to explain a few things."
It took a few seconds of consideration (caught between wanting to listen to what Amano had to say like a mature human being and melting after being called adorable by a pretty woman) but eventually, Takara did sit down. Cautiously, the girl asked, "Did I say something wrong?"
"No. Saeko's just worried about you."
"Me?" Takara faltered, pointing at her face. "Why?"
"You're a twenty-year-old on her own for the first time in a new place without anyone to look out for you," Amano reminded bluntly.
"I look after myself," Takara retorted.
"You do," Amano allowed, placating. Nothing productive would come from winding the girl up further. "You have a good head on your shoulders, got your priorities straight. You're a smart girl, Takara-chan. You'll be fine once you get your feet under you. But you don't know the first thing about how ninja villages operate."
She breathed in slowly. "...I don't. I really don't. I knew that walking in here," Takara admitted. Her shoulders tensed. "But what does that have to do with me worrying about Hatake-san?"
"Boundaries."
Takara's eyebrows rose high.
"There's a line between civilians and ninja," Amano said carefully, making sure Takara took in every word. "I grew up in a ninja clan."
"You did?"
"Yeah, I did." She looked proud. "Ever heard of the Amano Clan, known for their tessenjutsu?"
"Um..."
Amano sweatdropped. This kid really has no frickin' clue. "Never mind..." she muttered.
"Why didn't you become a ninja then?"
"Congenital heart condition - any birth defects are immediate disqualification for entering the Academy," Amano said briskly. "Anyway, my parents and both of my siblings are shinobi. But no one ever talked about missions at the dinner table, and I learned not to ask. Not what they did or where they were or when. They might not have gotten confidential missions straight from the Hokage himself but they were - are - sacrosanct. Whether S-rank or D. Unless a ninja brings it up, it's better not to ask too much about it. There are some missions that aren't even officially assigned by the Hokage for political reasons, so asking too many questions about where they are or what they've been up to outside the village...well, it can put someone really on edge. Even if it's just curiosity or 'neighborly concern.' Besides, you never know when you're bringing up something painful for that person."
"You weren't really back from a month long mission, were you?"
Takara wanted to hit herself.
None the wiser, Amano went on, "Saeko had a really short career. She'd only been a genin for a year before she lost her arm but even she saw some stuff. So she can get prickly about shinobi stuff. Once a ninja, always a ninja. But Kakashi-san? He's an entirely different breed of ninja."
"What do you mean?" Takara asked tonelessly.
"Kakashi-san's a jonin. Do you know what that is, Takara-chan?"
Unable to speak, she shook her head.
Amano explained: "Ninja are divided into ranks: genin, chunin, jonin, and kage. Genin are the lowest ranks, fresh graduates from the Academy. They typically get the missions with the lowest risk - usually just some type of manual labor. Except in times of war, of course, but that's the exception."
Clearly uncomfortable, Takara rubbed the heel of her hand against her collarbone.
"The missions get riskier as they get promoted, going from D-rank all the way up to S. Chunin see some nastier stuff than most people do but jonin? They get the most dangerous missions of all, a lot of them top secret. Only the Hokage himself, the jonin, and the client are allowed details. They're practically guaranteed action in every mission they go on."
Amano did not have to clarify what "action" meant. Like she said, Takara was a smart girl.
"Takara-chan."
Takara looked up blankly.
It was neither her nor Takara's business but Amano decided that Takara needed to know. She needed to understand. "Kakashi-san was promoted to jonin when he was thirteen."
Takara gasped softly. She lowered her head, long bangs shadowing her eyes from view. Beneath the table, her hands clenched in her lap. She murmured, "So, Taniguchi-san was looking out for Hatake-san."
The older woman paused, arching her eyebrows thoughtfully. "I hadn't thought about it like that. But yeah, maybe."
"I see." Takara lifted her head and smiled softly. "Thank you for telling me this, Amano-san."
Amano blinked. "You're welcome?"
"I also owe Taniguchi-san an apology next time I see her."
"It's fine," Amano told her a second time that day.
"No, it's not." Takara curled her fingers around her coffee cup and idly traced the rim, expression oddly thoughtful. When she took a drink, the coffee was lukewarm; most of the sugar gathered at the bottom.
Since meeting the cheerful girl over a month ago, Amano had yet to see her so quiet and thoughtful. The sight was a little disturbing. She had to say something to disrupt the current mood: "So, what got you started crushing on Kakashi-san, hm?"
Takara choked and promptly spat out her drink, coughing. Once she finished cleared her throat, she stared - gobsmacked - at Amano's feline-like smile. "W-what?"
"Well, you've been awfully concerned about him and all, so I was wondering..."
"He's my neighbor - just my neighbor. Of course I'm worried!" Takara snapped.
"Just your neighbor?" Amano asked innocently. Takara wanted to wipe that smirk off her face.
"Yes, of course. I don't even know him enough to be anything else? I'm just trying to be friends which is hard enough. And on top of that, he's way too old for me. That would be weird and - three years ago - kind of illegal."
Amano blinked. "Wait. What?"
"What?"
The corner of Amano's mouth twitched, threatening a smile. She smothered a laugh. "How old do you think he is?"
"I don't know, forty? Maybe late thirties?" Takara guessed. "He has gray hair!"
"Forty," Amano repeated.
"Why, how old is he really?"
"Oh, I don't know," Amano said airily. She sipped her coffee. "Kakashi-san isn't all that forthcoming about himself. I've always known him to have gray hair though, so..."
"Always? He's even older than I thought!"
How old do you think I am? Amano wanted to ask but held back for fear of spoiling the fun.
A good person would have corrected Takara and informed her that Kakashi was, in fact, only two or three years older than her. A good person would have also let this conversation be the last one of its kind and been done with the topic. A good person would not - over the coming years - watch the bizarre, inexplicable, and slightly-awkward-to-witness relationship between Hatake Kakashi and Hinamori Takara develop for sheer entertainment. A better person wouldn't start one of the biggest betting pools in the village's history which the eventual Fifth Hokage herself would join.
Amano Kaori was not a good person. She was, after all, the sole civilian child of a ninja clan renowned for its tessenjutsu which was stolen directly from Sunagakure, effectively attracting a great deal of business away from the Sand to this day. She had to learn a thing or two in order to compete with her shinobi siblings and cousins.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
"Adorable~."
"Amano-san!"
Hatake reappeared eventually, as Taniguchi said he would. There was no dramatic entrance or emotional reunion when they saw each other again. Takara simply found him loitering around the mailboxes one afternoon a few days later, flipping through his book.
It was like he never even left.
"Oh." Takara backpedaled when she saw him. "Hatake-san."
"Takano-chan," he returned, nonchalant.
What am I supposed to say?
Mouth dry, she said, "Um, hi."
"Yo." After literal weeks of absence, he barely spared her a glance.
White heat rushed up her spine, reddening her face, but Takara suppressed the flash of anger. Expression blank, she gazed at the man. She remembered her conversation with Amano, Taniguchi's outburst, and thought of her own interactions with this man, this ninja. Likely just returned from a mission.
Don't forget what they make their living off of, Morioka had cautioned her.
He had just returned from a mission, right? Takara idly wondered what this mission demanded. Guarding a distant noble? Stealing for a greedy client? Or the unmentionable?
Takara faintly realized that this person was trained in ninjutsu since he was a child. He was a former boy-soldier. A combat veteran before his voice cracked. He was exposed to the war far more intimately than anyone Takara knew. (Herself included.) This stranger whom she tried so hard to get to know and for what?
None of her approaches worked, completely unwarranted and obviously unwanted. She already knew that. Some people preferred being alone (some were better off left alone). Takara should respect that. It would be rude not to, she knew, and inconsiderate and immature and -
And fatal, a familiar voice interjected because yes, it could be very bad if she pushed too far, hit the wrong nerve. A person like Hatake (or the guards at the gate or Maito Gai or even Taniguchi) was not someone to upset. None of these people were.
You should know better, Hotaka screamed at her in their last fight. He was right. Takara did know. She knew very well: Hatake was a dangerous person. He smelled like iron. Takara knew what that smell meant.
Still, she found herself moving forward to get closer to this man. This Hatake Kakashi.
Scarecrow in the farmland.
He did remind her of one, a solitary scarecrow in a distant field. They had one back at home in the garden closest to the house, visible from the kitchen window. Its lone figure acted as a guard against pest birds. As a little girl, Takara thought it awfully lonely and insisted on making him a friend. But that required twine and screws and old clothes better off passed off to a cousin who needed a shirt more. So, she used to go out and sit in the garden next to it. She would talk and talk and talk without anyone telling her to hush or keep it down.
Ah, I really do sound like a stupid kid.
But Hatake did look lonely. It reminded her of somebody.
Takara found herself trying again, reaching out with a different approach - mindful of what Amano said.
"Welcome back," Takara said, attempting her friendliest smile. She maneuvered around Kakashi to her box, close enough to feel his presence right next to hers but far enough to give him as much space as the tight quarters allowed. The metallic scent from him was strong today, she noted as tried to breathe through her mouth. It made her a little ill.
Hatake didn't look up at that. For a long while, he didn't react at all. She didn't push.
Unexpectly:
"...thanks," Hatake said shortly. In one fluid movement, he snapped his book shut and put in a pouch on his hip. Takara watched, bewildered, as the silver-haired man stepped by her to the stairs. Hands in his pockets, Hatake's shoulders curved forward as he walked.
Takara thought, watching him walk away, that there was something very wrong with that picture. It didn't look right. She didn't like it.
She wondered if leaving Hatake alone really was the best thing.
Takara sighed. Glancing at the mail slot next to hers, eyebrows shot up. Inoue Kazuhiko? Really? The man lived here for who knows how many years and he didn't bother to change the name on his mailbox. How did any mail find him at all?
"Strange, strange man," she muttered, unlocking her mailbox. Even so, her brow creased as she thought about Hatake. She just couldn't shake the image of him alone in her mind...
"Takara."
"GAH!" Takara whipped her arms into a defensive pose. She immediately paled, lowering her arms. "Oh - Ogino-san! Ahaha, good afternoon! How are you? It's been a little while, ne?"
The landlady sent her a flat look.
Takara cleared her throat into a fist, straightening. "How can I help you, ma'am?"
Ogino Kameko was a short woman in her fifties, a child of one of first generations to settle down in Konoha. With mousy gray hair and a chronic frown, she was perpetually stressed over one thing or another and had a lovely habit of taking it out on tenants if she ran into them in one of her moods.
Maybe this was why Hatake left so abruptly. Takara wouldn't blame him for that - even if he did leave her behind.
Ogino cut straight to the point: "Have you gotten a job yet?"
"Well..."
"I'll take that as a no."
"I haven't," the girl admitted. "But I've been - "
"Remember your first bill is coming up," said Ogino brusquely.
You don't have to remind me, Takara thought, annoyed. She smiled politely. "Yes, ma'am. I know."
"There will be utilities you have to pay."
We covered that before I even signed the lease. "Yes, ma'am."
"I do not accept late payments, Takara." Ogino didn't even bother with honorifics, worse than any other form of familiarity. Takara wanted so much to correct her but bit her tongue.
"I understand, ma'am."
"I get enough of that nonsense from other tenants. I won't stand for it any longer."
Kill them with kindness, Takara reminded herself as she breathed in slowly. "That won't be the case with me, ma'am."
The old woman pursed her colored lips. "See that you don't."
Takara looked straight into the other woman's grayish, watery eyes. "I won't."
"Hmph."
"Anything else, ma'am?" Takara asked sweetly.
"...no," Ogino grumbled before walking away to find another wandering tenant to terrorize.
As soon as Ogino's back turned, Takara's pleasant expression dropped. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool metal of the mail slots. She exhaled heavily through her nose. As of late, she could feel that old temper of hers lingering beneath the surface and it was harder to keep in check. Doing practically nothing all day combined with the helpless stress of job hunting made it worse.
After fifteen seconds of breathing, Takara straightened her back and rolled her shoulders. Unlocking her mail slot (with the one key she did remember), Takara found herself a sizable stack of mail among the usual advertisements. Her expression softened at the Aomori stamps tucked into corners and the familiar names like little waves from home: a blue envelope from her aunt Botan; Rima's slanted scrawl on another; a postcard from Uncle Nobuo; the customary newsletter from the farmer's union; a small package from her great-grandmother; and - she gasped happily.
Takara tore open the largest envelope, the one with an address seared into her memory. Letters tumbled out and she scrambled to catch them before they fell to the floor. Hands fluttering, she shuffled through them eagerly. Her father included multiple letters from different days, each at least three pages long and filled with his small, cramped writing. Hiraku barely wrote anything at all, quiet as he was, but there was a watercolor of a tree Takara recognized from their front yard. Rikuto's letters were sporadic at best, often jumping between subjects. Typical ten-year-old. And then...
Her brow crinkled. Takara flipped through the letters, double checking. Huh? She poked her fingers into envelope, widening the opening, and peered inside. Nothing. A lump formed in Takara's throat as she looked again: One from Tou-san. One from Hiraku. One from Rikuto.
That was it.
Oh.
The porcelain dog mask was left in his locker back at HQ but Kakashi kept the grey flak jacket and metal arm guards from his Anbu uniform. While hardly any different from his active duty wear, Kakashi anticipated taking them off and falling into bed for some quick rest before continuing his investigation. This is what kept the exhausted man going as he scaled across rooftops with only the moon for company. It was a quiet night, a week night. Most of village was turned in for sleep. As the ninja slid roof tiles, familiar to him as any worn path in Konoha, he scanned the hidden alleyways and hidden corners between buildings.
Up ahead, the distinct shape of his own apartment complex came into view. The muscles in Kakashi's legs coiled, knees bending, and the ninja jumped from across the street to the designated rooftop and landed silently. Slowing his movement to a creep, the man slunk down the building's side to his floor where there was a ledge for him to walk to his window at his own leisure.
Suddenly, light poured into the darkness.
Kakashi recoiled back into the shadows, narrowly avoiding the light. His gaze snapped to its source and found it to be none other than the window of Hinamori's apartment. Of course. The ninja pushed himself back into a hidden corner, looking for a new route to avoid detection. He decided that he could simply maneuver around and above the window to get to his own but then (because of course) said window slid open and out Hinamori's head poked inches away from him.
Great.
Her abundant orange hair, usually pulled into some semblance of neatness, was a mess in its mussed half-ponytail. There was a pillow crease mark on her right cheek and her eyes were puffy. This close (too close), Kakashi could smell clean skin with earthy undertones and soap. Not unpleasant, natural. He appreciated that at least she wasn't saturated in pungent perfumes or colognes that other civilians were prone to wearing which usually assaulted his nose in crowded streets and densely packed restaurants.
Hinamori looked to the left - providing Kakashi barely enough time to jump - and then the right where he had been seconds ago. The girl sighed, rubbing her face wearily. "I'm losing my mind..."
While silently agreeing, Kakashi used the opportunity to slide back and wait to take the small detour to his bed when Hinamori went back inside.
But then of course - of course - Hinamori pulled her lower body up over the ledge, climbed out of the window, and sat on the rooftop herself. She moved into a comfortable position, unaware of the Anbu operative mere feet away from her. Kakashi stared, deadpanned, disbelieving of his own luck. His right eye twitched.
He had had a long, long day: hours of tracking, espionage, one tense battle with an enemy shinobi, interrogation of said enemy shinobi, removal of evidence concerning the former, and then to top it off, paperwork. He was tired. And his (warm, comfortable, patiently awaiting him) bed was literally less than three meters away. Kakashi did not want to deal with his nosy, annoying neighbor at two in the morning nor did he want to take any longer to get to his bed.
So, pressing his body flat against the wall, he waited.
And waited.
And resisted the urge to sigh because Kakashi's patience wasn't what it usually was on two hours of sleep in a forty-eight hour period.
Oblivious, Hinamori curled her knees to her chest and tucked her chin on top of them. She seemed lost in her own little world as she stared off blankly into the night sky. Instead of their typical smile, her lips pressed together in a tilted line. From his perch, Kakashi noticed the tense line of her shoulders through her thin T-shirt.
He angled his head, eyeing the civilian. He was almost tempted to ask, What has you up this late at night? Her startled reaction might have been fun to watch but he himself was too tired for the social interaction that would induce.
Features cringing into a grimace, Hinamori clenched her eyes shut. Kakashi's eye widened. He knew that look. While it was a first seeing it on Hinamori, Kakashi recognized it immediately.
Sucking in a short breath, Hinamori burrowed her face in her knees. Her shoulders rose and fell in small shudders.
He had to get out of there.
Ignoring his tired limbs, he climbed further up to the top floor and skirted across to the opposite end. As he noiselessly shifted from the narrow rooftop to his window's ledge, carefully sliding his window open, Kakashi heard it. The man stilled, as though paralyzed. He listened and heard the sound again, restrained but audible.
Crying.
"Oh, Hatake-san! You're back."
It was a bright smile, seemingly happy if one didn't know any better. It was also the same as the one yesterday and the day before that.
Fake, Kakashi concluded. All of them were fake.
"Yo, Hinamori-chan."
"Good morning - " she paused, his greeting registering at the last second. Her eyes widened, blinking. The smile faltered, mouth falling open. With her eyebrows raised, Hinamori seemed ready to say something but then thought better of it. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her gaze straight forward, trying to reign in her surprise, but shot him frequent glances.
"Welcome back."
"Thanks."
Discretion was not his neighbor's strong suit, he knew (it was obvious), but Kakashi was beginning to understand she had a talent for redirection.
"How've you been?" Kakashi asked, tone casual. Like he asked her this every day, nothing out of the ordinary.
Hinamori stopped walking, swiveling her head to outright stare at him. He stopped as well, posture relaxed, and met her incredulous gaze evenly from the corner of his eye - deliberately nonchalant. Hinamori's eyes were mostly clear except for the slight puffiness around them; he wondered if it was from lack of sleep or the crying he overheard last night. Among the greens of her irises, there were small bursts of light brown circling the pupils. Kakashi never took the time to notice before, having avoided prolonged eye contact to discourage conversation. Hazel. Hinamori had hazel eyes, if anyone bothered to look close enough.
"...how I've been?" she repeated slowly, as if verifying that was indeed what he meant to ask her. Eyebrows raised above skeptical (mostly) green eyes.
"Yeah."
"I've been...good."
Lie.
The corners of her mouth curled into a smaller, muted version of its typical grin. Still, she watched him carefully. Slowly, she added a sincere, "Thank you for asking."
Kakashi glanced away and made a small hum in acknowledgement, unsure how else to respond. Small talk was always a little beyond him; he considered it a waste of time when he was younger and now it felt awkward, strange - an unused skill. He never talked to anyone just for the sake of talking.
Thankfully, Hinamori seemed to know how to carry on conversations like this.
"How about you?" she asked gently.
Unseen, his own mouth curved crookedly. The action felt unfamiliar, awkward on his lips. "Fine."
"Good." In her right cheek, there was a dimple. "I'm glad."
Kakashi thought this smile better suited her.
"K-Kakashi."
Wide, terrified eyes stare straight through him. Familiar eyes...
Chirping?
He gasps when a burst of erratic chakra erupted around him, tendrils of lightning whipping outward violently from his hand. His hand, his hand - straight through a person's body. The pale light flashed, illuminating her face - covered in dirt and grime and blood.
"Kakashi," Rin whispered.
Kakashi's eyes snapped open. His heart hammered in his chest but he stayed still on the mattress, limbs numb, and allowed the adrenaline work its way out of his system. Throat tight, he tried to slow his rapid, shallow breaths before he started hyperventilating. But the image was imprinted in his mind; it always would. Obito's Sharingan made sure of that.
A suitable punishment.
Kakashi raised a shaky hand and held it before his eyes. He saw blood.
Kk-krack! Thump!
His hand snapped into a fist as Kakashi bolted upright. He narrowed his eyes at the opposite end of the room, Sharingan bright in the darkness.
A small "ow" was heard through the wall.
Oh. It was just his neighbor again.
Sighing wearily, Kakashi slumped back into the mattress. He listened to the muffled movement as the civilian girl stumbled out of her own bed and started shuffling around her apartment. The sounds were familiar, annoying but oddly comforting in their predictability. Kakashi glanced at his alarm clock, the glowing green numbers reading 2:53 a.m. A little early even for a farmer, he mused to himself. Kakashi suspected insomnia. Still, he was getting used to Hinamori's irregular sleeping schedule.
With half-lidded eyes, Kakashi rested his head on his pillow and listened. There was a running faucet and the clinking of glass against glass. What kind of person does the dishes at three in the morning? When he focused enough, he could hear her breathing; she was loud with even that - air drawn through deep inhales and released in heavy sighs. As Kakashi listened to the steady sound of her breathing, his own finally slowed until it was in perfect sync with hers. His tired brain barely recognized this.
A soft, distant hum was heard from the room next door.
"So noisy," Kakashi muttered drowsily as the edges of his vision grew hazier, blackening into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Good morning, Hatake-san."
"Morning."
"What are you up to today?"
"Nothing all that interesting."
Takara very much doubted that the life of an active duty ninja could be anything but interesting but she didn't ask further. By now, she understood that more pressing would make Hatake withdraw further into himself. Nothing could be cajoled or forced out of Hatake Kakashi; she would get only get what he willingly gave. So, instead of asking more questions, she simply hummed in acknowledgement. All in good time.
"What about you?" Hatake said, returning the question. It was ridiculous how happy this small development in their normally one-sided conversations made her.
Give and take.
Takara brightened. "I found a new 'Help Wanted' ad in yesterday's paper that looks promising, so we'll see what happens there. I'm optimistic. But other than that, I think I'll be doing some more exploring."
The edges of his tone unfurled into something lighter, almost teasing. (Or slightly scolding. It was hard to tell.) "Try not to get lost again."
He's never going to let that go, is he?
"Ah...hah." Cheeks flaming, Takara waved a hand and quickly said, "A new friend drew me a map awhile ago, so it should...well, I'll get around. Mostly. Except for the training grounds which I know civilians can't go in or the village office or other places like - uh, you know. Other places. Um. Anyway, it's gotten a lot easier. Just walking around helps me get used to where things are and the map really, really does help. I'll have to thank my friend for that. Shame I didn't find one sooner. Not that I didn't try but there really aren't a lot of maps of Konoha, are there? I mean, I get why. It'd be pretty bad if a 'less than friendly' person got a hold of one. But it still, it's a little - yeah." She cut off her ramble when she saw the apartment building's front entrance.
"Yeah," Hatake agreed, eye crinkled in a way that hinted at a smile beneath the mask. She wondered what it looked like.
Her lips pursed. "Do you ever get lost while outside Konoha, Hatake-san?"
"Sometimes," Hatake admitted easily (too easily), causing her to perk up. "Every now and then on the path of life."
Takara stopped walking and deadpanned at him. Definitely making fun of me.
Mustering up all the Aomori politeness practically beaten into her since childhood and forcing it into a smile, Takara simpered, "Have a nice day, Hatake-san."
Oddly enough, that earned her a raised eyebrow. What? What did I say?
"Later, Hinamori-chan." The cloud of smoke at his departure was losing its original impact. Coughing, Takara waved away the excess fumes that threatened to clog her lungs. It was harder to dissipate in the small indoor space. When she did, Takara looked blankly at its empty hallways.
She rolled her eyes, far less impressed than she was the first time. "Can't you just walk away like a regular person?"
From the opposite building's rooftop, Kakashi peered through a hall window and raised an amused brow at the oblivious woman. Usually he considered himself above messing with civilians, preferring to target his own shinobi comrades when the mood struck him at just the right opportunity, but Hinamori's reactions were always fun to watch.
And that was the extent of their frequent but largely sporadic interactions.
It was a new normal for both of them but one they gradually settled into after Takara's arrival, a status quo enforced by recently formed habit. Days passed, then weeks. By the second month, nothing changed between Takara and Kakashi. They were polite towards one another, friendly enough, but boundaries had been established. The give and take between was limited to morning greetings, nothing more, nothing less. Neither saw the other out of the label of "neighbor."
That changed a week later.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews for the New Year special. Seriously, they were the best reviews yet. I was overwhelmed with such kind and encouraging words. Curiosity and the Copycat broke into the 300's for reviews, 400's for faves, and 700's for follows! (ﾉ^∇^)ﾉﾟ I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am. Once we hit 1000, I'll have to do some kind of bonus chapter or oneshot to celebrate. Maybe take a C&C-related writing request or two from a nice reviewer? Hint, hint.
Please tell me what you thought of this chapter, the development between Kakashi and Takara, and the other characters briefly introduced in this fic. Saeko and Kaori were added very last minute because the story just felt a little lackluster with just three characters (Gai, Kakashi, and Takara) showing up and of course Takara makes friends with other people in her apartment building. (Clearly, she's more successful with them than some people. *glares at Kakashi*) They also provided a good filler for world building, exploring lives in Konoha besides that of active duty ninja. Plus, someone needed to have a Sit Down and spell out a couple of things for Takara.
Also, I had to put some LGBTQA+ rep in there. I had to. They're my people. It physically pains me that I didn't get them in sooner. So, badass women-loving women couple it is. I don't know how often they'll pop up later on but I hope you like them. Do I have any LGBTQA+ readers here? I'd love to hear from you.
Alright, alright, alright - time for what y'all bother reading these author notes for: What does your name mean? Do you have another name or nickname people call you more often? Do you like your name?