Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Crossing Rubicon's	By : Saphri Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1427 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters portrayed in this story. I make no money from writing this fanfiction. I write purely for my own amusement and the amusement of fellow fans.

Chapter List
- 3
- 4
- 5
Chapter 3: Premise.
o0o
The day had long drawn to a close, the heat of the sun dissipating into the soothing breeze of the night air as they both sat and admired the sunset. It was unclear how they had ended up on the grassy bank. Seeming that they were both drawn to the same spot over time during their game of hide and seek. But it was a nice end to the day.
So there they both sat, listening to the leaves rustle in the wind as the night revealed her ghostly beauty to them, the hounds; lounging sleepily in the near distance. Neither of them had spoken for a while, lost in their own thoughts about nothing in particular, simply admiring the view and each others presence.
The silence was far from awkward; Kakashi felt at home here, at peace within himself and he hoped that Rin felt the same. Even in the company of his female companion he felt nothing but bliss. It was a nice change from the usual ruckus and disorder of everyday life. Despite his love and loyalty to his profession, it felt good to get away from it all for a while even if it was only for a few hours at a time.
Kakashi sighed contently as he rested his elbows in the soft earth, watching the final rays of the sun disappearing over the horizon in a purple haze. Kakashi was anything but romantic in nature, but he could always appreciate a beautiful sunset. The stars were already beginning to shed their enchanting light in the impeding darkness as the moon dominated the far western point of the sky. He should have brought a camera, he thought lazily.
"The sky is so different here…" Rin murmured wistfully as she gazed up at the shadowed heavens. Giving her a sideways glance, Kakashi furrowed his brow as he contemplated what she meant.
"How do you mean?" He responded smoothly, turning his own gaze to the abyss above them. Kakashi had visited this plain many times, too many to count and not once had he pondered how this plain and the one of which he was born differed. Perhaps they did, but he had never really noticed, nor had he really cared about it until now.
"I dunno." She purred with a shrug to her shoulders as she leaned back into the moist grass with her elbows.
"It's just so much calmer, warmer in a way. I wonder, Kakashi, is what we're looking at the same sky as the one at home?" She looked towards him, the flash of her eyes in the moonlight causing Kakashi to turn his attention towards the renowned medic in his company. Regarding her question, Kakashi allowed his eyes to flit over her features. The sheen of light on her face, reflected by the moon gave Rin an ethereal glow. She really was beautiful, even more so than he last recalled and the thought irked him a little. He thought briefly about what Pakkun had said to him earlier. Was he responding to her because her hormones and emotions were reflecting what the Ninken thought of as heat? It had to be what they were referring to, he wasn't female… yet further more he certainly wasn't a dog.
Kakashi mentally shook himself free of the imagery that was desperately trying to flood his mind. Images of them, together. Kissing, making love… it was wrong, so very wrong. He couldn't do that to Obito, to her, to himself… he just couldn't.
Looking back up towards the sky, Kakashi lowered himself into the warm grass, folding his arms around the back of his head with a contented sigh.
"I really don't know. I never really thought about it before." He drawled. He heard Rin utter a small chuckle as he sensed her sitting up. Glancing towards her again he inspected her form. She looked at ease, but thoughtful. Her eye's held a tremor of discontentment which stirred a prickle of confusion in his gut.
"I used to look at the sky a lot when I was away." She soothed dreamily, wrapping her arms around her legs, drawing her knees close to her chest. Kakashi willed her to continue, sensing that there was far more to this one sided conversation and surprising himself when he found that he actually wanted to hear it. She chuckled again, bowing her head and resting her cheek on her knees.
"The sky looked different there too. The constellations were poles apart from the ones I remembered from home, but I knew that it was the same sky. Even if you weren't able to see what I did at night." The last part of her hushed declaration seemed to be mainly to herself.
Suddenly, Rin jumped in her seat excitedly, stretching her legs out on the grass sharply and reaching into her inside pocket of her now battered and mud-stained flack vest. It amused Kakashi greatly, thinking of how she had took a good pounding throughout the course of the game but seemed physically unaffected by it. Typical medic.
"That reminds me. I've been meaning to show you these since I got back!" She chirped gleefully as she pulled a tiny pull string canvass bag from the inside of her vest. Kakashi rolled onto his side, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. Rin tipped the bag into her hand, tiny flecks of grey spilling into her palm as they clinked together roughly. Pinching one of the tiny objects in her fingers she grinned happily as she passed it to Kakashi.
"Here, take a look at this." She whispered. Kakashi reached out and took the small grey object from her, pinching it between a thumb and a forefinger and scrutinised it for the special properties Rin had led him to believe it held.
"It's a pebble…" He deadpanned, narrowing his eyes at the small stone in his hand. It was no bigger than his thumb nail and although rough and granite-like it was rounded into a perfect oval shape. It was just a pebble, albeit a pleasing looking pebble, but a pebble all the same.
"That's no ordinary pebble. Over in Lightening, they called them Dragon's Eggs. you can't find them anywhere else in the world. I collected these from the beaches near the mainland." She hummed triumphantly. Kakashi arched a brow at her before going back to inspecting the small grey stone. It was just a pebble.
"Try crushing it." She demanded, planting her hands on the ground either side of her and looking at him intently. Kakashi glanced up at her, not quite believing what she had just said. Did she really want him to turn her precious pebbles from another land to dust?
"What?"
"Just try. No chakra or anything. Just try crushing it in your fingers." She demonstrated with a crab like pinching motion of her own fingers, with a small knowing smile on her lips. Kakashi shot her a confused look before sitting up and inspecting the stone once more.
"You sure?" He asked cautiously as he held the pebble up to his face. Rin's grin widened a little as she nodded her head briskly. With a dismissive shrug, turning back to the little grey object, Kakashi squeezed it as hard as he could between his thumb and forefinger.
"Ow." He grumbled after trying to crush the sand like rock in his hand. It should have disintegrated, but it still held its shape and it left a nasty indentation on his thumb. Dropping the stone into the palm of his hand Kakashi eyed over the mark that was now growing red on the ball of his thumb before popping it into his mouth. He licked over the digit tenderly as he passed the pebble back to Rin, who took it from him with that very same accomplished smile of hers. Pulling his thumb out of his mouth, Kakashi eyed it over, the redness had long gone, before wiping the remaining spittle on the knee of his pants and turning his attention the dark eyed beauty at his side.
"That's one tough pebble you got there." He drawled with a knowing smirk. He saw by the smug expression on her face that the exercise she had just asked him to perform had a point to it. Rin's smile deepened, bowing her head to the stones and playing them in her hand.
"Well, like I said. These aren't just pebbles. They're minerals, formed just like precious stones in the ground over a period of centuries. They're worthless but these are used for training young genin in the academies of Lightening in the basics of chakra control. It's really quite interesting."
Kakashi cocked a brow at her as he hutched himself closer to her in a bid to get a better look at her small collection.
"Chakra control? But they're just rocks, Rin. Do they smash them or something?" He questioned curiously as he took another one from her and smoothed it around in his hand. Rin laughed at his question, her shoulders bunching around her neck as she shook her head.
"No, silly. They carve them. Watch this."
Kakashi sat and observed as Rin poured the pile of rocks onto the ground at her feet. Picking one up at random she pinched it in her fingers while pointing the index finger of her free hand at the small Dragon's Egg. Her pointed finger began to glow a brilliant blue at the tip as she began to run it along the edge of the rough stone. Luminous sparks, possibly caused by friction, bounced from the stone as it sizzled in her grip.
Kakashi leaned in a little closer to gain a better view. Their shoulders rubbed together through the boundaries of cloth which sparked a moment of hesitation from Rin and a smattering of deep pink to flood her cheeks. Kakashi pretended not to notice as she returned to her task.
He felt his eyes widen dramatically when the stroking movements of her finger couple with the rotation of the pebble revealed a fantastic sheen of red to bleed through the granite surface of the Dragon's Egg.
When Rin had finished with her supposed massacre of the small stone, she stretched out her arm and admired her handy work before passing it to Kakashi and dropping it into his hand. Pinching at the now smooth little bead, Kakashi drew it close to his face for inspection and was very impressed by the result. What was a small fleck of grit, now had the same texture and colour of an uncut ruby. The stone itself wasn't as rounded as it had first been in it's raw form, due to the carving, but it still looked aesthetically pleasing as if it were a precious stone.
"You look amazed, Kakashi. Is it always this easy to impress you?" She questioned amusedly. Kakashi glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the ruby-esk stone in his hand.
"I guess I am amazed. I've never seen anything like this before. Why do the people of Lightening call them Dragon's Eggs anyway?" He pondered, playing the now pleasingly smooth pebble in his fingers.
"Well, there's this myth; The dragons' of Lightening go to the beaches there to lay their eggs. And when there's a thunder storm, these eggs are supposed to split open and release the young into the sky. Sometimes the rocks do split in the storms, but mainly because of the changes in atmospheric pressure, they have similar properties to glass, you see. The rock merely reacts to pressure and sudden changes in temperature… not because there's a baby dragon inside. Although that would be pretty neat." She finished her tale with a firm nod of her head and a whimsical grin which caused Kakashi to smile back.
"You always were a dreamer, Rin." Kakashi drawled, leaning back into the grass and smiling fondly at his friend by his side as he planted the gem and the stone he took earlier back into Rin's hand. He was finding it quite hard to believe how he had coped this long without her. She had always got a story to tell, and no matter how uninteresting she believed it was, she always had this way of putting a spin on it, making it interesting and usually quite amusing. Kakashi never tired of her random conversations about everyday life.
"There's nothing wrong with dreaming, Kakashi. Just as long as you know that."
"Know what?"
"That it's only a dream…" She muttered, bowing her head a little as her expression fell from gleeful to somewhat despondent. Kakashi felt himself deflate in response to her sudden shift in mood. Something was bothering her, but she seemed a little reluctant to expose what it was. Kakashi regarded her for a while, not entirely sure whether he should react to what she has just said or to let it lie. That was until she turned towards him and flashed him one of her most pleasant smiles.
"So, it's getting late. Should we start heading back now?" She asked softly. Her question was seemingly heard by the ninken as they began to stir from their slumbers and gravitate towards them. As usual, it was Kubi that greeted them first.
"You're leaving already, Kakashi-san?" She chirped, her soft white ears, folding back and resting on her shoulders. Kakashi reached out, placing his hand on her little head and stroked her lovingly. Kubi closed her eyes, arching her back a little as Kakashi began to scratch behind her ear.
"'Fraid so. We have homes to go to, we can't stay here." Kakashi chuckled as Kubi shot him another one of her heartfelt glances. It was always the same whenever he came here. Kubi never wanted him to leave.
"Can I take you back then?" She replied dolefully, as both Kakashi and Rin got to their feet and brushed themselves down.
"I don't see why not. Ready, Rin?" He called, looking over his shoulder at her. Rin grimaced, stretching her arms above her head and yawned, her mouth dropping open as she squeezed her eyes closed.
"Yeah, ready for bed anyway. I'm exhausted. Two training sessions in one day can't be good for you." She replied sleepily, lowering both arms and scratching the top of her head. Kakashi straightened himself, turning to face her when she stopped dead in the middle of her actions, a disapproving scowl on her face as she stared at the ground. Suddenly, her eyes shifted to him, making him wince a little. Had he done something wrong just now?
Throwing her hands to her side, she then lifted one, jutted a finger at him and stepped slowly towards him.
"Besides, Kakashi, you gave me a blinding headache when you pulled my hair. Children pull hair, you know!" She snapped as she slapped him playfully on the arm. Kakashi blinked at her momentarily before crossing his arms and twisting his mouth thoughtfully.
"You're such a girl, Rin." He retorted, earning him an astonished gasp from Rin.
"And you're a complete jerk. But you don't hear me pointing it out to you!" She ground out, planting her fists on her hips and bending over a little as if to emphasise her point. Kakashi snorted at her reply as he pulled his mask from around his neck and back into position over the bridge of his nose.
Kakashi enjoyed firing her up, it never got old and he was elated to see that her attitude towards him hadn't changed that much, despite her absence. She was still very much the Rin he remembered. Each time her personality showed him the small hints of her old characteristics from days long passed, it never ceased to make his heart skip a beat. He should invite her along for these hunts more often now she was back.
o0o o0o o0o
Rin groaned miserably at the sunlight piercing the film of her eyelids as she tossed her body away from the offensive stream, dragging the covers along with her. She didn't want to get up just yet, didn't want to wake from her most wonderful dream of a forest filled with sugar plums and raspberries topped with lashings of whipped cream, everything was so delicious here. That was until the fruits started exploding into juicy lumps of nastiness with excessively loud bangs and started calling her name hurriedly telling her she was going to be… late?
"Rin! Come on! It's time to get up!" It called again, the voice was so familiar. Where had she heard it before? It sounded a lot like Kakashi.
Kakashi? Late? Oh crap…
Rin sat bolt upright in the small bed and shot her head around to the digital clock that sat on the night stand. Her vision blurred momentarily as she blinked harshly at the clock and drew herself closer to it sleepily.
It was ten thirty in the morning…
"Oh no!" She squealed, throwing the covers from her body and tossing them to the floor. Bouncing her naked form from the bed she hopped towards the old battered chair in the corner and wrenched the white towel that rested across it's arms. She wrapped it around her haphazardly just as another barrage of loud thumps came from the door sending painful shocks through her brain with each collision.
"Yes, yes! Alright, Kakashi! I'm up already!" She called back, feeling almost angry at his persistence. Now dressed in nothing but the towel, she wrenched the door open and pushed passed him to get to the bathroom on the other side of the apartment.
"Why did you let me sleep in? You know how important today is!" She squalled at him as she clung for dear life onto the bath towel that concealed her from his roving eye.
"Uh… I didn't." He responded coolly, arching a brow at her and raising his arms questionably. Rin huffed at him as she entered the bathroom slamming the door behind her with the heel of her foot. Dropping the towel to her feet She sauntered towards the bath come shower and reached behind the shower curtain.
She felt a little guilty for yelling at Kakashi, heaven knows how long he had actually been trying to wake her. She was indeed a very heavy sleeper. But now she only had little over an hour to get ready and set off. Today was going to be a bad day… she just knew it.
Having managed to sustain herself a job interview for a professional occupation within Konoha Hospital only the day prior after her apartment viewing, Rin had wanted to be on the ball, look her best and make a good impression. This was so not a good start to her day and she feared that it was only going to get more stressful from this point onwards. She hated interviews at the best of times. Hated being put on the spot and questioned. Her mind would usually go completely blank at such times which caused her to stutter and fumble for her words. She figured that this wasn't always a bad thing; she would be any kidnappers worst nightmare.
Twisting the knob of the shower to hot, she stood back from the tub and walked towards the door, opening it only a crack and peered into the room. She heard the kettle boiling, giving her a sizable hint that Kakashi was now in the kitchenette.
"Kakashi?" She called in the kindest, most sweetest voice she had.
"Yes?" Came the cynical reply.
"Can you do me a favour?" She called again, her voice a little smaller than before. Kakashi poked his head around the door frame of the kitchenette and glared at her through thin strands of silver hair.
"Depends what it is. Want me to wash your hair for you?" He deadpanned. Rin merely frowned at him.
"Very funny. No, Could you go into my case and get me some nice clothes out? I need a white shirt and the dark blue skirt. You can't miss it, there's only one. Just leave them on the bed, please?" She begged. Rin really needed him to do this. If he sorted out what little clothes she needed then that was a good ten minutes she would have gained back. But as usual, Kakashi wasn't playing fair as he eyed her over (not that there was much to see from his vantage point) and twisted his mouth thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Flash me your boobs and I'll think about it." he remarked darkly. Rin gasped a little in response. The sick pervert. Could he not see that she was in distress right now? So much for the gentleman he had promised her he'd be.
"Kakashi! I'm not fooling around, I'm way behind schedule as it is. Please, I really need this!" She bit at him. Kakashi just stared at her vacantly before answering flatly. "And you think I'm fooling around, why?"
"Kakashi." She growled, flashing him nothing but her barred teeth and an angered grimace from behind the bathroom door. Kakashi smirked at her before disappearing behind the edge of the door frame.
"I'll do it in a minute." He called flatly from the kitchenette.
"Yeah right. A Hatake minute is usually about four hours…" She grumbled to herself as she closed the door and hopped into the warmth of the shower. Stupid man…
o0o o0o o0o
"Are you sure this looks okay? I feel like I'm bursting out of it." Rin whined, worrying with the buttons that stretched across her ample chest. It was at times like these where she wished she had her old, modest B cup breasts. It had been a long time since she had worn this shirt and she couldn't get over how tight it felt around her bosom. It was very uncomfortable and a bit unnerving. The last thing she wanted was to send her buttons flying around the room during her interview. They could take somebody's eye out!
"And why is that a bad thing?" Kakashi drawled as he inspected her once more, one arm across his chest and a hand placed thoughtfully over his chin, tapping his index finger on his mouth. Rin shot him a fearful glare. She was aware that he was joking, that was Kakashi all over, but it was the last thing she needed right now. He knew how important this job interview was to her, he knew how skittish she was when faced with the completely unknown. How she ever made it this far as a kunoichi, she would never know.
"Can you just stop with the pervert act and actually help me out here. I'm really nervous!" Rin squealed, pouting down at her bosom which looked set to explode out of her tight shirt at any moment. The buttons didn't look too strained but enough to be noticed. This so wasn't going to set a good example at her interview. She heard Kakashi sigh, causing her to look up at him as he started to shake his head.
"Don't be. Shizune's a nice girl. And you look fine. If you're worried about your blouse then wear something dark underneath it and have the buttons open a little at the top. You'll still look presentable and you won't feel so paranoid." He stated flatly with a small shrug of his broad shoulders.
Rin arched a brow at him. She couldn't quite believe that Kakashi was giving her fashion tips; him of all people. He had about as much fashion sense as a rotting potato. All he ever wore was that scruffy Jounin uniform. But even despite his supposed lack of style, Kakashi did have a good point, and it was really good idea to boot.
"How feminine of you." She chortled, crouching beside her case and rummaging through her vast assortment of clothing in search of a modest top she could wear beneath her shirt. Rin found it hard to admit, but Kakashi was quite good at this. He would be her first port of call when in the middle of a dress crisis, hell, she should take him shopping!
"See? I'm not just a pretty face, I have my uses." Kakashi deadpanned as he flopped down on his bed, elbows on his knees and his hands dangling between his legs. Rin glanced up at him and laugh heartily. Bless his heart.
"Whoever said you had a pretty face was lying." She retorted earning her a disapproving roll of the eyes from Kakashi. She chuckled at him as she returned to sifting through her case. Just then she gasped, her mouth pulling into a delighted smirk as her eyes spotted something dark and suspiciously adequate as she plunged her hands in further.
"Found something?" He deadpanned. Rin shifted her gaze to his, widening her smile and nodded before shifting her eyes back to her find as she dragged it from deep within the case. Holding it before her, she grasped the other side of the limp piece of clothing and unfurled it with a swift flick of her wrists. The garment was a very simple black vest top, but it would do the job in concealing her cleavage but allow her to have the shirt undone at the neck.
"Do you think this would work?" She mused, presenting the vest to the copy nin, who was now sprawled out over the bed. He scrutinised the top briefly before shrugging his shoulders at her.
"Probably. I'm not the one who's got to wear it." he droned. Rin tutted at him, screwing the top up in her hands and glowered at him.
"Great help you are!" She spat, getting to her feet and wandering out of the room. She heard the springs of the bed jolt as Kakashi removed his weight from the mattress and follow her out of the room.
"Well, I've got to go. I have a mission report that needs filing so I'll be at the Jounin headquarters for most of the morning." Kakashi drawled, picking up his smutty book from the couch and shoving it into the weapon pouch that rested just nicely on his ass. Rin couldn't take her eyes away until Kakashi turned to face her and cleared his throat as an indication that he knew exactly what she was doing.
She jerked from her mild daydream of actually squeezing his firm toned buttocks in her hands as she felt the presence of a horrific blush creeping to the surface of her face.
"Were you just checking out my butt?" He questioned casually, folding his arms over his chest and arching his brow flirtatiously at her. Rin felt the heat on her face intensify ten fold, she must look like a strawberry right now.
"What? No… no way! Don't flatter yourself, Kakashi!" She hollered in defence. Like Kakashi was going to believe that. He cocked his head slightly to one side, the devilish smirk more than evident in his one visible eye. No, he didn't believe her…
Rin thought frantically for a way to either dig her way out of this situation or to at least change the subject. He was never going to let this lie…
"Anyway, when's your report due?" She asked quickly. If she could divert the conversation to something else swiftly, she might stand a chance of him forgetting about this uncomfortable situation.
"A week ago." He replied nonchalantly, as he once again turned towards the door. Typical Kakashi and his tardiness. It was a wonder he hadn't had his ass handed to him on a platter by the Hokage by now. As he grasped the handle of the door, Kakashi turned towards her and seemed to hesitate, shifting is weight from one foot to another as his eye flitted about her face. It was unusual to see him act so edgy, although she had seen it before, when he was a lot younger.
"Good luck with your interview. Although, I doubt very much that you'll be needing it." He soothed eventually. Rin felt herself melt in his obvious hidden smile, finding herself smiling back. She plied the fabric of her vest top in her hands bashfully, glancing at the floor before shifting her eyes back to him.
"Thanks, Kakashi. That means a lot to me." She murmured as he winked at her before disappearing through the door. He could be a right pain in the ass, downright rude, perverted and overly zealous at times. But Kakashi had to be one of the sweetest people Rin had ever known. Although he didn't show it so obviously, his heart was in the right place, and she loved him for that. She had always loved him for that.
o0o o0o o0o
They had agreed to meet at Ichiraku's by midday and even though he was well over an hour late, he knew for certain that she would still be waiting for him. As he stepped into the small eatery, Kakashi had braced himself for the abuse Rin was bound to give him for being late… but she wasn't here yet. A huge relief to say the least. At least now he had the opportunity to gain the upper hand on her tardiness for a change.
Kakashi had found a modest little table near the counter and continued to nurse his glass of water until she arrived while engulfed within the pages of Icha Icha Violence. He was just getting to a good, rather saucy scene where Junko seduced the henchman of her enemy and later robs him for all he's worth when he heard familiar footfalls scuffling his way.
"Sensei. What are you doing here by yourself?" The recognisable cheery voice sang. Glancing up at the whiskered man in his presence, Kakashi instantly got to his feet, dropping the book to the table.
"Good afternoon, Hokage-sama." Kakashi greeted, with a bow. Naruto giggled at him, planting a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and causing the copy nin to look up at him.
"No need for the formalities Kakashi-Sensei. I've told you before…"
"It's merely a sign of respect, Hoka…"
"It's Naruto, to you. Got it?"
"Got it, Naruto."
Naruto flashed him his toothy grin as Kakashi repositioned himself in his seat. No need for the formalities he said, then why was he still calling him Sensei?
"Anyway, how come you're in here with no food? Forget your wallet again?" Naruto beamed as he took the available seat opposite his old tutor. Kakashi shook his head, smiling fondly at old memories of having his team buy him dinner because he had somewhat conveniently found himself out of pocket.
"No, I'm waiting for someone." Kakashi drawled as he began to, yet again, scan the sidewalk outside the restaurant in the hopes that he would catch a glimpse of her trotting up the street. No such luck.
"Is it that girl who was asking for your address the other day? You know, dark hair, dark eyes, really pretty?" Naruto mused, planting his elbows on the table and resting his face in his hands.
"Her name's Rin." Kakashi deadpanned, reaching for his glass and sipping at it through the fabric of his mask. Kakashi saw a mischievous glint in the young Hokage's bright eyes which he found a little unsettling.
"What?" Kakashi questioned as he cautiously placed his drink back down on the table. He watched Naruto's grin widen a little before he sat himself up and glance over Kakashi's shoulder. A young girl, no older than sixteen sauntered past him and hovered over the table with a small ledger and a pen.
"Can I take your order Hokage-sama?" She asked brightly. She had asked Kakashi previously if he would like to order, but he had declined stating that he would tell her when he was ready to eat. Ultimately he wanted to wait for Rin to arrive before ordering anything, but the persistent grumble in his stomach was telling him otherwise. Still, he would wait; it was the gentlemanly thing to do.
Naruto pondered his choices, rubbing a thoughtful finger over his chin before turning towards the pretty blonde girl with the enchanting smile and flashing her one of his own.
"The usual please, Izumi. Make it to go, I'm a busy man these days." Naruto chimed. The young girl scribbled something down on her jotter before bowing and making her way back over to the counter behind Kakashi.
"You not eating, Sensei?" Naruto pressed, leaning back into his seat.
"Like I said, I'm waiting for, Rin."
"Is she your girlfriend or somethin'?"
"Well, she's a girl and she's my friend. So if you want to get technical I would say so."
"That's a shame." Naruto muttered, seemingly to himself.
"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked curiously. Naruto shrugged as he glanced around the interior of the eatery, a smug grin on his face, before averting his gaze back to Kakashi.
"Well, it's kinda obvious. Don't you think?" Naruto pipped with another shrug. Kakashi furrowed his brows at him. Why couldn't he just get to the point?
"What's obvious?"
"That she has the hot's for you." Naruto drawled casually. Kakashi blinked at him, dumbfounded. First his nin hounds were telling him he was in heat; a physical impossibility seeing as he wasn't a female dog. Now the Hokage was informing him that his best friend, room mate, and the object of all his current desires had a raging crush on him. Kakashi felt like he should feel that all his birthday's had come at once, but instead he felt a bit overwhelmed and a little confused.
Rin was flirtatious by nature, she always had been for as long as he had known her. And although he knew about her infatuation with him from years ago, she had shown no signs of ever being interested in him sexually since she had returned from her mission in Lightening. So in actual fact, there were no grounds in which to stake Naruto's claim. She blushed all the time whenever she came into contact with anyone, she had always been a little shy, so this was a given. And sure, there was the brief situation that morning, but it was all in fun… wasn't it? A part of him wanted it to be true, but another part felt he could do without the complications that came with it.
"I don't think so." Kakashi muttered dismissively, folding his arms across the table top and taking another quick glance into the street bustling with people.
"Are you kidding me? You're like an expert at reading people and you're telling me you haven't noticed?" Naruto squalled, slamming his hands down on the table and causing the small vase holding a simple posy to clatter on the spot.
"Calm down, Naruto. There's nothing to notice. She's just a really good friend of mine. We've known each other since we were kids." Kakashi deadpanned. He had to nip this in the bud before Naruto really started pressing matters. He was a nosey kid when all was said and done. This wasn't always a bad thing but he could do without the ruckus that would follow through his own denials of information.
"Well that's not how I see it. And how come you never mentioned her before?" Naruto grumbled, flopping back into his seat and glowering at Kakashi dejectedly.
"There's nothing to tell." Kakashi lied. There was plenty to tell and to think. But it was so painful back then. Either way, Kakashi wasn't about to divulge in such personal information to anyone, not even to the Hokage. He liked to keep himself to himself and that was the way it was going to stay. For the moment at least.
Just then a familiar and pleasing sight came into the copy nin's vision as Rin burst through the arch of the restaurant and scuttled over to where Kakashi and Naruto were currently seated.
"I'm so, so sorry, Kakashi. I got held up at the hospital. I never realised there were so many forms to fill in, not to mention the waiting time afterwards and… oh…." Rin cut short, her shoulders stiffening when she saw the extra person sitting in what should have been her seat. She eyed him over cautiously before bowing before him, planting her hands on her knees.
"Greetings, Hokage-sama. Forgive me if I was interrupting anything." She stuttered before straightening herself and staring with a stern interest at the tiled floor. Naruto nodded towards her as he began to get to his feet and peered at Kakashi through devious eyes.
"Hey, no worries, I was just leaving anyway. I'll see you later, Sensei, Rin-san." He drawled flatly with a suspicious grin and a mischievous wink directed solely at Kakashi. The copy nin merely gave him a blank stare that conveyed his own feelings on the matter quite clearly.
Making his way over to the counter Naruto began talking to the pretty young girl that served as the new waitress now that Aime had taken over the running of the ramen stand. She handed over a steaming paper parcel to him which Naruto all but snatched out of her hands greedily. Giving both Kakashi and Rin a quick wave of his hand, the Hokage made his exit.
As he relaxed in his chair, Kakashi watched Rin take her rightful place in the seat Naruto had been keeping warm for her, pushing the brief confrontation with the young Hokage to the back of his mind.
"Did it go well?" Kakashi mused as Rin sat nervously in her seat. The trick he had suggested with the dark shirt beneath her white one looked to have worked well. Her blouse was open at the neck but everything was concealed by the prim vest beneath. She did look exceptionally smart and pretty sexy, if he was honest with himself.
Rin glanced up at him before redirecting her gaze to the table and shook her head a little.
"I don't know. At least, I think it went well. There were several other people there besides me. Some weren't even ninja." She muttered woefully, fingering the grains in the table. Kakashi leaned forward, resting his crossed arms over the table top. It was more than clear that Rin wasn't entirely happy with how her interview went. She still seemed edgy and nervous, which in turn made Kakashi feel a little pity for her.
"So, did you get the job you went for?" He pressed, furrowing his brow a little when she shook her head again.
"I don't know. After the interview I had to fill out all this paper work: What my name was, date of birth, place of birth, what experience I had in the profession, why I wanted the job and all this other stuff. Not to mention the mathematical and IQ tests they gave us. And when I'd done all that they made us all sit in the waiting area just outside Shizune-sensei's office…" She explained hurriedly. As she was speaking, Kakashi noticed that her hands were now under the table. The jolting movements of her shoulders signified that she was rubbing her hands together briskly in an attempt to calm down. She was undeniably anxious and Kakashi found himself unable to blame her for it. He could imagine the experience to be quite unnerving.
"Well, when will you know? Surely they gave you a date of when the vacancy slot closes." Kakashi asked flatly as Rin glanced up at him again, blowing out an exasperated sigh. She looked scared to death. It was just like her to wear her heart on her sleeve.
Pulling one of her hands from beneath the table, she revealed a small white envelope, her name emblazoned with fresh black ink on the front of it.
"I guess I'll know when I open this? The girl at the front desk gave me this and told me not to open it until I got home…" She hesitated, flitting her eyes around the white paper container as she repeatedly turned it over in her hands.
"Open it now if you want. They only tell you to wait so that you don't open them on site. Lets you save face in front of the other applicants if you're disappointed." Kakashi stated casually, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. Rin whimpered a little under her breath, grasping the envelope in both hands before glancing up at him with a needy anticipation hanging in her dark eyes.
"You open it for me… please?" She begged, leaning over the table and passing Kakashi the envelope that sealed Rin's fate within it. Kakashi recoiled from her hand and shook his head. That was way too much responsibility, even for him.
"No, Rin, you should open it."
"Oh, please, Kakashi. Please. I'll buy you ramen if you do." She pleaded again, shaking the envelope at him desperately. Kakashi sighed at her. It was obvious that she had been expecting a more direct approach from her interviewer rather than some sealed note. Pouting in distaste, Kakashi found himself taking the white slip from her and peeling the seal from the folds. Rin sat back in her chair, both hands clasped to her mouth. She seemed to be waiting for anything other than good news, as her eyes darted about his face.
Folding back the flap that contained the letter, Kakashi pulled the fine scrap of bamboo from its casing, unfolded it and inspected the scripture.
"Well… I don't know what to say." Kakashi deadpanned deeply and giving Rin the best sympathetic arch of his eyebrow he could muster. He saw her expression drop as she let her arms fall to her sides and slump herself back into her chair. She looked close to tears as she sat there shaking her head, her long hair sweeping across her shoulders.
"I knew it. I knew I wouldn't get it. High expectations of myself never get me anywhere." She grumbled, bowing her head shamefully just as Kakashi passed her the note in his hand.
"You misunderstand me, Rin. Yes, I'm very disappointed. But mainly because I'm the one who will be buying the ramen today." He drawled. Rin glanced up at him, furrowing her dark brows as her expression darkened a little.
"What are you talking about?" She ground out, obviously not in the mood for talking right now. Kakashi flashed her a grin beneath his mask as he motioned the slip of paper towards her, prompting her to take it from him. Grasping the note in both hands, Rin reluctantly inspected it, her expression grim and forlorn until her eyes reached the bottom of the page.
Her dark eyes widened dramatically and obtained a sparkle of excitement as her mouth dropped open and a strained gasp escaped her widely parted lips.
"Successful? It… it say's I was successful. Oh my… my goodness." She squeaked, raising a hand to her chest and twisting the fabric through her fingers.
"I believe a celebratory lunch is in order, ne?" Kakashi pipped, looking over his shoulder and motioning with a raised hand to the young girl behind the counter. She smiled at him bashfully as she picked up her ledger and navigated her way around the counter and over to their table.
Since the moment she had informed him of her intentions the night previous, there had been no doubt in his mind that she would get the job she wanted. He felt at first that she was moving just a little too quickly after her long stint away from the village. But by the look of utter amazement on her face it seemed that this little bit of good news was just what she needed.
o0o o0o o0o
The meal had been a simple one, beef ramen, but with all the trimmings and Rin had enjoyed every single mouthful. She much preferred barbeque meals over the simple noodle dish that could be bought for pennies from the local grocer. But nothing beat a free meal in a nicely presented eatery paid for by the only man she knew resented putting his hand in his pocket even for himself.
Dropping her chopsticks into the now clean porcelain bowl, Rin sighed contently as she leaned back into her chair.
"That was just what the doctor ordered. I think you should buy me lunch more often." She chirped, a wry smile forming at the corners of her mouth as she watched Kakashi wrench the fabric of his mask back over the bridge of his nose. He glanced at her almost anxiously as he smoothed his hand over his face, eliminating the creases in his facial covering.
"Don't bet on it. This is a one off." He replied darkly, reaching for the paper bill left by the ramen girl and inspecting it intensely. Planting the small sheet back into the black plate on which it was presented, Kakashi then fumbled in his back pocket, pulling out a clip that housed a thick wad of currency. Unfurling a few of these notes he then placed them on top of the bill before averting his sights back to her.
"So, when does this new occupation of yours begin?" He asked softly, leaning back into his chair and folding his arms across his chest.
"Oh, according to the letter, I have a weeks grace. It say's something about finalising paper work and details. So, next week I have to report to Shizune-sensei's office and I guess I'll be shown the ropes from there." She chirped happily, grasping at her glass of water and sipping at it lovingly. The cool fluid slipped down her throat, leaving an inviting wetness in her mouth. Placing the glass back on the table she resumed with her conversation.
"And the occupation isn't new. I became a pathologist back in Lightening, so I'm fully trained." She finished triumphantly. She saw no shame in showing her pride for her work, and she had no qualms in talking about it no matter how grim it may seem to some people.
"Seems a strange career choice for you, Rin. I never thought you enjoyed playing with dead things." Kakashi tittered as he arched an amused brow at her. Rin wrinkled her nose at him in disgust as she lurched her head back causing the legs of her chair to squeal against the tiles.
"Ew! Kakashi, you make it sound like I poke dead animals with a stick! I'll have you know that pathology is a fine art within the world of the medic-nin. It trains the mind as well as the hand. You can learn a lot from a corpse. Besides, it wasn't a choice for me. I was a pathologists assistant for almost five years until he retired. It was the only opening they had for me at the time that allowed me to work on the case." She explained confidently. Kakashi raised his brows at her, giving her a slight yet approving nod of his head.
"So you should already know the in's and the out's of it all then?" He mused.
Rin regarded him for a moment. Again he was taking an interest in what she had to say, again she was the core of his world, the vital centre of his attention. And again it felt good. It had took her mere day's to find that he was all she had ever wanted, all she ever needed. Such a pity that he didn't feel the same. She wouldn't question him about it, she had tried before and he had all but broken her heart when he had rejected her advances. Rin had no desire to tread that path again, to come across as needy and hopeless as she had done back then. She had already proved to herself that she could cope on her own and that was the way she was willing it to stay.
Opening her mouth to respond to his earlier question she was interrupted by a flurry of curtains as someone entered the ramen stand and diverted Kakashi's attention from her to them. Rin stifled a groan of disappointment as the retraction of his gaze left a cold chill on her skin.
"There you are. You have to be the most illusive man I've ever known." The feminine voice griped. Rin glanced towards the holder of the voice, a tremor of reminiscence ringing in her ears. The woman whom had interrupted them was tall and beautiful, long locks of ebony hair spilling over her shoulders, framing a set of piercing crimson eyes.
"Well, you've found me. What can I do for you, Kurenai?" Kakashi pipped, his visible eye pinching closed with his concealed grin.
"Well, me and the guys were wondering if… oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were dining with a lady friend." Kurenai's voice dropped in pitch as she focused on Rin and scrutinised her momentarily. Rin felt her heart sink a little at the notion that the beautiful woman didn't recognise her. Kurenai smiled fondly as she reached out a welcoming hand to her. Rin begrudgingly raised her own, grasping Kurenai's hand firmly and giving it a brisk shake.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Have you and Kakashi known each other long?" She asked kindly. Rin nodded bashfully as she released the tall woman's hand from her grip and rested her arm on the table top.
"I guess you could say that." Rin responded coolly. Surely she must know who she was by now.
Rin saw the perplexity unfold in Kurenai's deep eyes; not quite the flash of recognition that she had hoped for but it was a start. Flitting her gaze to Kakashi, Rin saw the amused glint in his eye, a confirmation that he knew what game she was playing with the beautiful Jounin.
"Hmm, you know, you look very familiar. Are you from around here? I feel like I know you." Kurenai quipped dragging Rin's attention back to her.
"Well, you should." Kakashi drawled nonchalantly from the other side of the table. Kurenai spun her head around at him, giving him a confused glare, causing Kakashi to chuckle in his seat.
"You remember Rin, don't you?" He droned, presenting an offering hand to his table guest who sat and blushed in her chair.
Kurenai turned back to Rin slowly, her blood red eyes wide with shock as they flitted around her form.
"Hello, Kurenai. It's been a while." Rin murmured coyly as she played her fingers over the grain in the wood of the table before getting to her feet to greet her once closest female friend. Kurenai took a step back from the table clasping her hands to her cheeks and shaking her head sporadically.
"Rin? Oh my goodness. Rin? I didn't even recognise you, it's been so long!" She squealed, grasping Rin's shoulders and pulling her into a tight embrace. Rin gasped a little as she raised her arms and wrapped them around Kurenai's shoulders, squeezing them warmly. It felt wonderful to be greeted in such a way, now that Kurenai remembered her. Rin closed her eyes, basking in her friends inviting warmth before the obsidian haired Jounin pulled away and clasped her shoulders again.
"My, you've changed so much, Rin. Where have you been, how long have you been back?" Kurenai chirped excitedly.
"Firstly I was sent on a mission ten years ago. Should have lasted three but it took a little longer than anticipated and secondly I've been back about three day's now. And you haven't changed a bit, Kurenai. It's good to see you." Rin smiled at her as the crimson eyed Jounin stroked a hand through her hair lovingly.
"Well, all the more reason for you two to join us tonight! Genma has sent a message that he'll be returning this afternoon. How do you guy's feel about meeting at The Lofty Kunai at about eight-ish, maybe?" Kurenai, glanced towards Kakashi. Seemed she was trying to gain his approval more than anything.
"What's The Lofty Kunai?" Rin mused inquisitively as Kurenai released her shoulders and glanced at her in disbelief.
"It's a club on the other side of the village. They have a ninja only night once a week, so you'll have to bring your ID if you want to get in. Haven't you heard of it?" Kurenai pressed, arching a dark brow at Rin as settled herself back into her seat.
"Well, I have been away for a decade. And I wasn't of the legal age when I left so, no, I haven't heard of it. Sounds fun though. What do you think, Kakashi?"
Folding her arms across the battered wood, Rin focused on her silver haired counter part on the other side of the table. Before he could respond, Kurenai jutted a finger at him causing Kakashi to recoil a little and narrow his eye at her accusing gesture.
"He doesn't get a choice. You're both coming. Everyone's going to be there. So, I'll see you guy's at eight!" Kurenai chirped just as she turned on her heel and began to saunter out of the eatery. Seemed that she didn't need a reply to her request. Rin watched her old friend leave the ramen bar and walk briskly up the street before averting her attention back to Kakashi. He emitted a discontented groan and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms sharply.
"Has she always been this bossy?" Rin whispered, almost fearing that the focus of their discussion would hear and come back screaming her profanities.
"Not always, recently though, yeah. Nice to know that my opinion doesn't matter." He stated irritably as he got to his feet. Rin followed suit as they both began to make their way out into the bustling streets of the village.
"I'm sure she didn't mean it like that. She probably thought you were going to say no." Rin quipped giving Kakashi a playful nudge of her shoulder into his as they began to walk along the high street. The village was teaming with people as they spilled in and out of the assortments of shops, bars and eateries. It felt good to see the village was still full of life, vibrant and forever moving.
Stepping in line with Kakashi as he forced his hands into his pockets, shoulders slumped in his usual slouch, she watched his frown deepen a little before he shrugged and turned his head to face her.
"I may have said no. But then again, I may have agreed. I guess you'll never know now." He deadpanned, turning his sights back to the sidewalk.
"Did I ever tell you how weird you are, Kakashi? You talk like you've gained the upper hand here when all Kurenai did was put you in your place." Rin retorted giving him a perplexed sideways glance.
"You've told me a few times, yes. But I'm cool with that. I like to be different. And there's nothing wrong with being put in one's place… as long as they deserved it." He fired back. Rin tittered at him as they made their way through the crowds and up the side street. If she was perfectly honest with herself, she was quite looking forward to meeting everyone again despite her anxiety. But then again, the adrenaline rush might be a good thing. It had been a few years since she had had a good dance and tonight would be a good opportunity to blow off some steam.
o0o o0o o0o
The breeze felt heavenly on her hot skin as she admired the stars from the patio, the soft winds played gently with the pleats of her purple halter neck dress causing the cloth to skim along her knees. Her arms crossed upon the viewing gallery that overlooked the expansive beer gardens at the back of the bar, Rin felt awash with nostalgia once again. A sensation she was beginning to enjoy more and more as she sniffed greedily at the night air. There was no one else outside with her, it was just her and her memories, and for the moment she liked it this way.
Sighing contently Rin gazed over the dark grasses of the grounds, absently noticing the rise in volume of the heaving club behind her. She turned her head instinctively just as her guest closed the door behind him and approached her, mimicking her stance as he too leaned across the fencing. He looked good with his light blue shirt, the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbow and black dress pants with the slight pleat down the centre. She felt it was a shame, however, that he still wore the hitai-ate and the mask to cover his face, but to each their own. Who was she to tell him what he could and couldn't wear?
"A pretty thing like you shouldn't be out here all by herself. The guy's were wondering where you got to, so I came looking." Kakashi drawled amusedly, an obvious grin pinching at the corner of his eye that scanned the grounds for what Rin was finding so interesting.
"Hmm. Flattery will get you everywhere, you know. Besides, it's too hot in there. I came out for a breather. And Gai's dance moves are way better than mine, he's putting me to shame." She replied with a slight giggle, motioning with a swift jerk of her head towards the glass doors to their rear. Kakashi nodded in agreement as he hummed a chuckle at her. Turning her attention back to the sky, she admired the stars once more, the memories of watching the sunset the previous day still a very raw and happy moment in her mind. It would be a moment that she would never forget.
They both stood next to each other, feeling the gentle breeze flow around them. Basking in the calm ambience the night provided against the hustle and bustle that commenced within the building behind them. Again, it was a beautiful night and Rin could choose no one better than Kakashi to share it with. She turned her head to face him, his one dark eye thoughtful and serene, and admired how the moonlight shone on his almost white hair. The glossy sheen on each individual strand made it look like plated silver. Kakashi had lovely hair, despite what anyone else thought and she would give anything to have the opportunity to run her hands through it.
"I forgot just how much I missed this place." She murmured eventually, shifting her gaze to the grounds, watching the grass swing lazily in the wind. Kakashi didn't answer, not that she had expected him to. Maybe he was in a listening mood.
"It's easy to forget, you know? There's so many things that I've missed about home. But I never really appreciated them until I came back. Tell me, Kakashi, what do you miss when you're away?"
She turned to face him again, her eyes drawn to the fabric of his lips as he twisted them thoughtfully. Shifting his weight on the fencing, Kakashi stooped his body a little lower, his chin almost resting on the backs of his hands as he continued to gaze into the distance.
"I don't know. My bed, maybe?" He answered dully, almost like he was awaiting approval from her for his quick response. Rin tittered at him, averting her eyes back to the view.
"There must be something you miss about the place as a whole. I missed lots of things, like the smell." She sensed Kakashi watching her intently as she stood on tip toes, drawing a deep breath of the enchanting air into her lungs through her nose. Relaxing she slumped down, exhaling a satisfied sigh as she released her breath into the night.
"It's so musky and refreshing. Nowhere in the world has the same scent as here. Come on, Kakashi. Think about it. There must be one little thing that you miss about home other than creature comforts." She teased, nudging the base of his arm with her elbow. She saw his brow crease a little at the sudden movement as he retreated into his own thoughts. After a moment he seemed to relax a little, shifting his weight against the wooden frame of the viewing gallery and gazing into the distance.
"I miss the hum." He drawled, flitting his eye her way and then back again. Rin furrowed her brows at him.
"Hum?"
"Yeah. Konoha has this hum. I don't hear it anywhere else like here. I associate it with the sound life makes I suppose. It's like the sound of an electrical surge, or something to that effect. I don't really notice it when I'm here, but I miss the way it sounds when I'm out in the field." Kakashi's voice carried a tone of longing and wistfulness that Rin found strange coming from him.
"Why do you miss that? It seems like a weird thing to miss." She chuckled, hutching her shoulders a little as Kakashi dropped his sights to the banister. He shrugged dismissively after a moment of regarding the wood as he picked at stray splinters and flicked them to the ground. She had a feeling that there was a little more to what Kakashi seemed willing to give her.
"Tell me. I won't laugh, promise." She pipped coyly. Kakashi continued to scrape his fingernails along the grain of the wood. He shrugged again before he answered in an unusually quite voice. "It makes me feel lonely, I guess."
Rin felt her stomach twist a little as she regarded his blank expression. It wasn't a response she had expected from the notorious copy ninja. Although thinking about it, she wasn't sure what she had expected.
He was only human after all and it was within any normal person's nature to feel lonely, especially at times of war and mission faring. But Rin had never thought of Kakashi as a lonely person. He had always been a bit of a recluse, especially in his youth, much preferring his own company rather than that of others.
It went hand in hand with the stigma of a genius.
She still remembered her first encounters with Kakashi at the academy. He had always found it difficult to make friends, had problems relating to people his own age despite his indifference to the situation. She had felt sorry for him never-the-less and as time dragged onwards she had fell deeper and deeper under his spell. A spell that she doubted would ever be broken.
Kakashi turned towards her suddenly when she didn't respond to him, eyeing her over curiously, before shifting himself up on the fencing and crossing his legs.
"What else did you miss?" He asked quietly, scanning her face briefly as she studied his question. Grinning sheepishly. She glanced down at the paving stones at her feet. A fierce blush broke out like fever on her cheeks as she settled her eyes within his gaze once more. She wasn't about to lie to him. Perhaps now was the best time to tell him what he really wanted to hear. Kakashi usually made it quite obvious when he was digging for information, and it was more than clear that he was doing just that.
"You, mainly." She shrugged, catching the flash that crossed his eye as the words reached his ears.
"Me? Why?" He pressed. He sounded startled but it seemed that his curiosity was getting the better of him. Rin chuckled at him, turning away and facing the sky.
"Lot's of little reasons. I missed you a lot, I thought about you all the time; What you were doing, hoping you were alright… stupid." She felt her voice getting smaller and smaller as she tried to explain it to him, staring down at her hands with a desirable interest and clicking her finger nails together. She felt embarrassed to divulge in such personal information and found herself wishing that she hadn't.
"It's not stupid. It's nice to know that somebody cares." He stated softly. Rin shot him a sideways glance before turning to face him fully, a deep frown digging at her brow as a reaction to his revelation.
"Of course people care, Kakashi. Your team for one. Sure, they scream and bitch at you for being late all the time. But that doesn't mean they don't care about you. You need to learn to take people at face value. You may be a genius, but you're hardly a socialite. You don't have a clue!" Rin scolded, taking in his astonished stare. It was all true though, no matter how Kakashi chose to argue his point.
"Duly noted." He grumbled quietly which in turn stirred an uncomfortable sensation of guilt to swill in her gut. She sighed in slight aggravation, dragging a hand through her hair as she stepped towards him.
"Kakashi, I didn't mean it horribly. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I should start engaging my brain before I open my mouth, huh?" She soothed, placing her hand on his bare forearm and stroking at his warm skin tenderly. Rin half expected him to recoil from her touch, but he didn't, instead he flitted his eye about her face for a few seconds before nodding his head.
"It's alright. I know what I am, Rin." He muttered shamefully. Rin bit down on her lower lip as she spied the sorrowful glint in his onyx eye. It hadn't been her intention to hurt him in anyway shape or form, but it seemed that was exactly what she'd done. Mentally screaming at herself, telling her inner being how foolish she was for letting her mouth rule her head, Rin tightened her grip on his arm.
"No. Not a what, Kakashi. You really don't think very much of yourself do you?" She questioned, letting her arm drop back to her side and earning her another one of his wide-eye glances before he looked back down at the grasses of the beer garden. Spreading his arms out over the banister he bowed his head somewhat disgracefully and blew out a sigh. Rin felt awful, that horrid churning in the base of her gut making her feel nauseous. She had a really good knack of putting her foot in it sometimes.
"Kakashi, listen." She stated sternly, causing him to glance her way before lowering his head again. Her stomach twisted a little more, it had been a very long time since she had seen this side to him. And she didn't like it one bit. Knowing that his shift in temperament was down to her, it was now her duty to get him out of it. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him or ruin this wonderful night for both of them. But sometimes the hurtful truths led to deeper, happier ones.
"I'm not gonna mince words here. You used to be a really difficult person to get along with. You were spiteful, selfish, rude and obnoxious. And with good reason. But that doesn't mean that no one cared. Hell, I know I did. We just…" Rin hesitated, fighting with her mind to find the right words. Clenching her fists at her sides she bounced slightly on the spot before glancing at Kakashi and getting trapped in his gaze. Relaxing a little staring into his one onyx eye as it burned into her being she wet her dry lips, placing her hand over his.
"…we just didn't understand. It wasn't until I lost my parents when the demon fox attacked that I truly understood your pain." She soothed, running her thumb over the knuckles of his hand. She noticed his skin was a little dry under her touch, due to the scarring earned from numerous sparring matches and battles. She watched his stern expression around his eye soften a little at the mention of her parents, willing her to carry on with her story.
"When I was informed of their death, I was sad, distraught even. But most of all I was angry. The Gods had taken my family away from me, left me with nothing and I was so angry. I felt the world owed me something, you know?" She saw Kakashi nod his head slowly, his gaze dropping to their feet before meeting with hers. He knew, he knew how it felt.
"And I was so lonely. I felt totally lost, alone. It was awful. But I realised that…that I wasn't the only one out there. I didn't have to fight my inner battles on my own. All I had to do was reach out and I knew that someone would help me, if I needed them to." She finished her story with a slight smile as Kakashi lifted his fingers from the wood, allowing Rin to twine hers between them. Closing his hand around hers he tilted his head slightly to one side, studying her fingers as he rubbed his thumb over hers. The pad of his thumb was slightly calloused and rough against her skin, but it felt nice all the same.
"I remember that. I remember your tears. When you say you reached out… it was me that came running." He murmured, not once lifting his sights from their hands.
"You see? See what I mean?" She pipped with a swift nod of her head, stepping a little closer and placing her free hand on his arm, rubbing at the fabric gently as she smiled up at him. Kakashi nodded, if only a little, but it was all she needed for now, to know that he understood.
"Never think that you're on your own, Kakashi. Because you're not. Beneath this hard exterior of yours, you're a sweet, gentle person who just needs a little TLC from time to time. You're only trained to conceal your emotions, your fears from the enemy. There's nothing in that rule book that you followed so religiously that say's you can't share them with me."
She noticed at this point that she was whispering, she also noticed that she had crept a little closer during her speech and that fearful glint in Kakashi's eye had turned to something much deeper and hypnotising.
She continued to lose herself within the obsidian pool, unable to wrench her eyes away nor wanting to as he lifted his free hand and rested it under her chin. He ran the ball of his thumb over her lips, enticing her to part them slightly as her mind clouded over and the adrenaline began to rush through every inch of her body. She could feel herself quivering as he drew her closer, her senses, acting out with a will of their own succumbing to his invitation. She could do nothing to fight against it, she didn't want to fight against it. Her breath hitched in the base of her throat as Kakashi smoothed his hand from her chin and across the contours of her neck, brushing the stray locks of hair that lay on her shoulders towards the back of her head.
His touch was electrifying and sent shocks of heat souring through her core and causing that tangled knot of pleasure to uncoil in the base of her stomach.
He was going to kiss her. There was no doubt in her mind about that, he was going to kiss her and she wanted it, needed it desperately.
Rin closed her eyes, awaiting the eventual contact of his mouth on hers, concealed or not. That was until the volume of the club behind them increased dramatically when the glass doors clicked and swung open. Both of them reacted instantly, wrenching themselves away from each other and facing the garden before them. Rin seized the wooden railing with such force she could feel it straining in her grip as she stood shivering with the surge of frightful adrenaline pumping through her veins. Shooting a quick glimpse at Kakashi, he looked as cool as ever, simply leaning against the viewing gallery with that expressionless dullness in his eye.
"Hey, you two! The party's in here, are you commin' or what?" Squalled a disgruntled Genma from the doorway. Rin spun herself around, slamming her back against the banister and glared at the culprit that had so rudely interrupted the one moment she had been waiting most of her life for. Genma just stood there, both arms supporting himself against the wooden frame of the door as he chewed absently on his senbon. There was nothing Rin would have liked to do more in that moment than force the metal sliver down his throat.
Taking a deep controlled breath, more than aware that Kakashi was now gauging her actions, she put on the nicest smile she had as she began strolling towards the club.
"We're coming, Genma. Just came out for some fresh air." She ground out through clenched teeth. She sensed Kakashi follow suit as they were led into the heaving premises.
"Yeah, right…" Genma drawled somewhat knowingly as he arched a brow towards Kakashi before closing the doors behind him and following them to their seats.
The disdain began to settle in her stomach at that point. The moment was lost and there was no way she was ever going to get it back. Perhaps it was for the best that it didn't happen. Although Rin was indecisive whether kissing Kakashi could be the best thing to ever happen to her, or the worst mistake of her life… for now, she guessed that it was better that she didn't know.
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Crossing Rubicon's