Chapter Five: Of Sand and Scorn

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"This is so exciting," Rin said as she hopped in place, her bob-styled hair framming her grinning face jostling about from her energetic bounces. Kakashi felt a similar rush of excitement, but decided not to express it and instead internalize it in silence.

"It's going to be so hot," Obito whined as he fiddled with his goggles. He had finally gotten them back from Sasuke. The snake-summoner was pressured by their clan elders to return them along with Obito's sanity with the youth's promise of finally leaving Sasuke's garden alone. Kakashi would have to find himself a new scapegoat, and that might be a tad difficult as no one really hated the Uchiha clan much. They could be withdrawn at times, and overbearing in their long history over other clans, but for the most part they did not go out of their way to murder or even annoy people. It was most inconvenient in this case.

Hearing a group of footsteps, Kakashi frowned as there were four more sets than there should have been. Turning, he resisted the urge to growl at the sight of that Uchiha and his pale-looking team. Sakura-sensei and her team followed behind, the perpetual scowl on Ibiki's face strong considering it was this early in the morning.

Kakashi had not been excited about having an assignment with Ibiki, especially after the boy got so depressed after Yamanaka-san's wedding. Although Kakashi had overall enjoyed the day (the two paintings were framed now and hung in the living room next to their family one when Kakashi had turned one) he wondered if it was worth the sulking grey-haired boy being angrier at everyone than usual. He was a sadist – Kakashi just knew it, the past bullying being more than enough evidence – and he got Sakura-sensei. As if three shinobi wars were not enough to show how unfair this world was.

"Change of plans, everyone," Kakashi's pink-haired angel who could kill with one digit of her pinky-toe said. "Hokage-sama has decided to add an extra team for protection."

Frowning, Kakashi wondered what would be so important that they needed to reunite the Terrible Three? Yeah, they were exchanging important, experimental medical supplies and studies, but they had been at peace with the Land of Wind since the end of the war. They were now considered their closest and strongest ally. It was obvious to all that the redheaded Kazekage was close friends with Naruto-sensei.

"There have been reports of rogues," Kurenai said from aside of Sasuke, red eyes narrowed dangerously. "Asuma's team got caught up with some last week. Apparently they steal children to brainwash, train, and then sell as personal shinobi slaves."

"Well, with two three top-notch medics, I don't think it's going to be any problem," Sakura-sensei said with a wink in turn to Rin and that white-haired kid with the huge round-rimmed glasses. They both puffed up like proud parents seeing their child succeed for the first time.

"Where's the idiot?" Sasuke asked with a bored expression, yet the tick in his left eye gave him away. The three katanas at his hip clicked together as he crossed his arms under his kimono. Kakashi could still not believe he got away with such blatant disregard for uniform. Sure, his father and even Kakashi himself relaxed in clothes of a similar fashion, but not when they were going on an away mission with a kidnapping threat.

"He can catch up," Obito said with a sly grin Kakashi's way, which Kakashi only shrugged at.

"Well, I'm sure glad I didn't get you heartless heathens as my students, huh Sasuke-kun?"

The man hummed lightly, and Kakashi had thought it impossible to not smile after being addressed by Sakura-sensei, but there it was. Not only had he unlocked the supposedly most secret Sharingan level, he had defied nature's demands to bow to the woman's charms.

"If you glare any harder at my sensei, I may have to challenge you," Anko said as she walked by Kakashi, pulling on his crossed straps on his chest before letting them go in a snap. "But I'd be more than happy to take you on."

Kakashi frowned after her retreating presence but forgot all about it as Obito nearly body-checked him in to the river to get to Rin, who was walking next to her hero and that Kabuto kid already. Sighing, Kakashi trailed behind everyone and resisted the urge to scoff at Ibiki and the other two.

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"Bet you wish you didn't wear a mask and wear all black now, huh Kakashi-kun?"

The youth addressed ignored Anko and continued to walk through the seemingly never-ending sand. Naruto-sensei had found them barley an hour out, bag nearly exploding with instant ramen and not a single fruit or vegetable in sight. Well, Kakashi was not sharing his hard worked crops with him if he was too stupid to appreciate them. Or the water needed to actually make all those noodles.

"What- no comment? You're really no fun. I might stop talking to you soon."

And oh yes, Anko. The girl who had latched herself onto him since the very beginning and would be bugging the living bugs out of him if he was an Aburame. Maybe then he could scare her away with the creepy multi-legged, exoskeleton creatures. Although she was apparently obsessed with snakes so-

"Just kidding! Don't worry, I won't stop talking to you."

Kakashi sighed against the oppressive heat and company. Glancing over, he noted how Obito was tiptoeing around Sasuke. Kakashi was sure the only reason the younger Uchiha was near his elder was because Rin was staring up at Sasuke with a look Kakashi knew too well. He had been on the receiving end of it for years.

"So why don't you wear a forehead protector?" Rin asked cheerily, her hands clasped behind her back and a flush on her face that Kakashi was sure had nothing to do with the heat or the beginnings of a sunburn.

Kakashi wished her question was more detailed. Because while he wondered this, he also wondered where Sasuke's jacket was, or why he did not carry any other weapons despite his katanas. Or how the Uchiha emblem on his back was the only thing tying him to Konoha.

Sasuke, in turn, looked beside him to Sakura-sensei who was glaring at him expectantly, and then sighed. He turned back to stare down at Rin, whose dark eyes were shining in the oppressive sun.

But then Naruto-sensei was moving away from Kakashi's side to latch on to his best friend's back, and Sasuke moved his impassive expression to almost-glare at the blonde.

"Sasuke-kun is too cool to wear that type of stuff," Naruto said for the Uchiha. "He's got a reputation of Konoha's most eligible bachelor position to take over from me, ya know?"

Obito expertly hid a snort with a cough.

"Is something the matter?" Sakura-sensei asked the younger Uchiha.

"Just some, uh, sand," Obito managed to get out.

Ignoring Obito who was not the one blushing over one of the Terrible Three, Kakashi turned back to stare at Sasuke. The silver haired boy wondered just how the Uchiha was not sweating from all the layers of dark clothing. Kakashi himself was glad he at least had short-sleeves in his black wardrobe, but he was still sweltering underneath his mask. Sasuke in turn seemed as pale and cool as ever in the layered, thick material.

"Hey, you're glaring at Sasuke-sensei again!" Anko pouted before trying to trip Kakashi with a snake.

Hopping over her hissing summon, Kakashi wondered if it would be rude to just leave everyone behind and sprint to Suna.

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"Alright, let's break and make camp."

A chorus of groans and heaven thanks erupted after Sakura-sensei's statement, and Kakashi elbowed Obito in the ribs next to him for his whining. It was his fault he had not forgone carrying an adequate amount of water to get through the day. He could already see the flaw in Naruto-sensei's plan on eating infinite ramen.

As Sasuke-sensei began assigning tasks to his team, his arms crossed underneath his kimono sleeves and still looking as flawless as ever, Kakashi turned to Naruto to see he was just lying on the sand, tongue out and panting. His thoughts went once more to Hinata, and hoped that Naruto tried at least a little harder to be cool at home.

Really, this mission kept getting better and better.

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"Why aren't your other teammates up? It's called a joint watch for a reason," Sakura-sensei said as she approached Kakashi, who was sitting a little away from their camp. Kakashi had been keeping company with a book, but he eagerly pushed it aside for the medic's.

"Obito would distract me, Rin would distract Obito, and Rin would be distracted by me," Kakashi explained; "It's easier for me to just do it myself."

"There's a reason we make teams, oh so noble and stoic Hatake," she said with roll of her eyes.

"I'm fine by myself," Kakashi said with a slight 'humf' before deciding maybe his book would offer the best company. While he was secretly ecstatic that Sakura-sensei had come to seek him out, he was tired of people for the day. And although Kakashi would never admit it out loud, he already missed his father and his cooking already. Kakashi really should not be surprised, as this had happened on every away mission. He wondered lightly if it would ever go away.

"Turn out the light," Sakura-sensei said after a moment of silence.

Sighing, Kakashi closed his book again (taking the time to add a dog-ear crease this time) and blew out the candled lantern.

"Now tell me, what do you see?" she asked in to the blackness.

"The inescapable void of darkness that will eventually come for us all?" Kakashi asked out dryly.

"Look up."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he took in the huge expanse of stars; the milky way was was almost non-existent from the sheer amount of stars visible.

"During the war, we weren't allowed to have any fire or light to give away our location. So it would get boring sitting in the dark, scared and damp and tired. But then I'd just look up. And I didn't feel all that sad anymore."

Kakashi did need to see Sakura-sensei's face to know that she had some twisted expression he would not understand. In the darkness she probably allowed that small smile to finally drop. Thinking of what Kakashi would do when his father got in to these types of moods, he leaned over and patted her arm nervously.

"Naruto-sensei told us about how you got your arms ripped off," Kakashi decided to try and console with.

"They were not 'ripped off.' They were cut off. We were dealing with desperate people, but come on."

Kakashi did not notice when his shift was supposed to end, but he sat there until the young teacher got up and said she had to watch over her own team. Because unlike Naruto-sensei who did not think Kakashi needed him, and Kakashi who did not think he needed his teammates, she was adamant about getting those lazy boys up.

But that was fine with Kakashi, because he had learned a few stories he was sure few others were privy to. And if he stayed up and watched the sunrise with her he might just forget how to function from romance overload. And also Ibiki. Urgh.

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After another long day walking and another freezing night camping (and the second night Naruto-sensei was up along with Rin and Obito, although they all played cards and Kakashi read again) they arrived at the hidden village. Truly they could have arrived in a half day, but Sakura-sensei was stubborn about them getting some exposure training to new environments. They never knew when or where they would be stranded, and it would be good to know what to expect. Especially in such a dangerous place like the desert.

Kakashi faired fine as he knew how to ration his water, but Naruto-sensei was hopeless in how he used all his on salty ramen that just dehydrated him more. Obito was not much better, but Rin was nice enough when she took the time to stop ogling Sasuke to give the other Uchiha some of her water.

Anko did not relent in her teasing, even when Kakashi got so frustrated he skewered one of her summons with a kunai. Of course it just vomited up a new body for itself, causing Kaksahi to shiver as he had accomplished nothing other than annoying Anko. Still, it was not as annoying as just how accurately this place's name of 'Village Hidden in the Sand' was.

Because that was literally all they had to boast over. Sand, sand and oh look! More grainy, harsh specks of sand. Blowing in all directions of the wind to even get under his skin-tight mask. Kakashi's nose was suddenly always itchy. He would probably sneeze out a sand-box when he got home.

While Sakura took Kabuto and Rin with her to meet with the medics and do their trade the first few days, Kakashi and the rest of their teams wondered around the town looking at the touristy sites. Which were mostly depressing and barren. By the second day, even Naruto-sensei's enthusiasm was level with the stoic Uchiha's.

Although, it was interesting to see Naruto-sensei have such a close friendship with the Kazekage with the interesting tattoo. Maybe it was because his hair was similar to his mother and stream of siblings. It was also entertaining to see someone else as skeptical over Sasuke as the Kazekage seemed.

Even Sasuke and his team had more business here, as they went to investigate which summons were available here. Apparently Anko was just jumping to get more snakes of her own, and Sasuke was obviously unwilling to give up his just yet. Kabuto seemed eerily keen as well ("They have great venom that can be used for a lot of antidotes!" "Ok, nerd alert," Obito had whispered to Kakashi. Then Rin had punched them both and made them apologize.). Kurenai mostly tagged along and was eager to learn whatever she could ("Snakes also have great hypnosis ability, and it's something I'm interested in.").

So that abandoned the males of team Naruto for the last couple days to lie around waiting to head home, sweating uncomfortably and drinking an unhealthy amount of chilled drinks and noodles.

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Kakashi sighed as he left the village and did not bother to look back. Unlike Obito and Rin, he had not bothered buying a memento. Although there were a lot of cacti he would have liked to take home and cultivate. Not because they had any culinary purpose, but really just because they looked pretty. The succulents here had varying bright colors, some nearly neon. For once Kakashi wished he had an interest in becoming a medic-nin just to work with them.

"That was nice, although I could do without the tan lines," Rin said with a frown. Her skin had begun to turn a warmer shade of brown to match her hair and eyes; oddly enough her purple markings had begun to turn a softer, lighter lilac. It was a contrast that even Kakashi had to admit was very pretty. Of course it meant Obito's staring got so bad he was walking in to comrades and tripping over sand dunes.

"I'm sure Kakashi-kun could agree," Anko said from behind him, and Kakashi felt the hairs at the back of his neck tingle. She made a grab for his mask, but he easily side-stepped. Taking a note from her, he stuck out a sandaled foot and tripped her. Kakashi hopped over her just like her snakes while Obito laughed. When the young Uchiha raised a hand, Kakashi eagerly high-fived him.

So begun another day of trudging through the desert that had Kakashi amassing more sand and annoyance towards Anko. In relation to her, Rin had to be the nicest girl he knew. It seemed the girl had long ago deserted him to talking to Kabuto about what they had seen while trailing Sakura-sensei at her appointments. Obito walked behind them dejectedly, face red from forgetting to wear sunblock already. Kakashi felt bad for him: first Sasuke, and now this Kabuto. While before her affection for Kakashi had been innocent, Obito would soon have to seriously start worrying.

"You know-"

But Kakashi would never be aware of whatever thing Anko was going to mention next, as the entire sand landscape seemed to buckle at once. A shake that went from his toes to rattle in his head made him blink rapidly to try and regain his focus. When Kakashi had said he would endure anything other than her badly masked innuendoes, he had not exactly meant the desert to seemingly liquify.

"Shit!" Naruto snarled as he protectively pushed a wide-eyed Obito behind him.

"I think we're being attacked by those killer creatures. Or it's our targets," Sasuke drawled as he sighed and uncrossed his arms, finally revealing them out of the trailing kimono sleeves. A hand rested on one of the katana handles, fingers curling around the worn black leather.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed at that; so this mission really was a complete farce. It made since: get a significant group of kids to lure out the men, only for them to have to face down the Terrible Three. This mission had never been about new medical plants, or exposing them to elemental training. It was putting them up on a pedestal in hopes that the bandits would bite.

"Kids, stay behind us," Sakura-sensei ordered, and the others scurried to obey. However Kakashi did not so readily obey, and instead frowned and before going up to stand next to the three. He could understand why the village had manipulated them, but he was not going to continue idly standing by.

"I can help," Kakashi said stubbornly, his father's sword in his hand glowing with promise already.

"Hatake, you get back behind us," Sakura-sensei said sharply, and Kakashi felt like he had been physically slapped by her distant address and tone. Her eyes were hard and unfeeling like pieces of jade. "That's an order."

Feeling betrayed, Kakashi sheathed his sword before stepping back to stand at Rin's side. She was slightly shaking, but kept her stance straight and strong. The others seemed to be doing a similar job of attempting to not be scared of how the desert was acting like an ocean in a storm.

Thinking it was ridiculous how their teachers could at least let them try and defend themselves, Kakashi's opinion slightly altered as he took in the huge sight of what looked like a great white shark. But this had a more tubular body, and the rows of teeth in the mouth moved in a counter-clockwise motion. Kakashi's mind returned back to the blender he had been jealous of the Namikazes owning and grimaced. As much as he had enjoyed blending that beetroot soup, Kakashi did not want to end up in a similar red pulp.

"Sasuke," Kakashi heard Naruto-sensei say, but it seemed the dark haired man had already bitten his thumb. Kakashi could not help but stiffen at the giant snake that appeared to be at least double the size of whatever that sand monster was. Without another word, the Uchiha went to confront the danger at the top of the head's snake with one sword drawn. It's long, flexible body had no problem weathering the rocking mounds of sand.

Feeling a little seasick, Kakashi noted that there seemed to be more shark-worms coming closer from a distance. As if seeing through his eyes, Naruto-sensei jumped from Sakura-sensei's side to stand behind the group of students now.

Kakashi felt his hands twitch at his sides, as now he felt completely boxed in from the teachers.

"Sakura-chan- how about you level the playing field?" Naruto asked over this viscous hissing of Sasuke's snake, it's long body ducking and weaving out of range from the moving rows of teeth not far off.

"My pleasure," she growled before tugging on her gloves and slamming her hands down. She must have computed the waves sequences and what to create to cancel them out, because suddenly they were standing on still sand again. And just in time for two other large creatures to erupt in to view.

"Remember," Naruto said as his stance widened in preparation, "they're just animals who are angry about us being on their territory."

"Then who are the man leaping off of them?" Kakashi asked dryly at the sight of a multiple score of men leaping down from the creature's back. How they had managed to hold on was a mystery to the silver-haired boy.

"Great," Sakura-sensei mutterd. "So these really are the kidnappers."

"Time to get an A-level paycheck when we return, ya-hoo!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly before he was heading towards them, clones popping out like the incontrollable root system of mint.

"Idiot," Sakura-sensei growled a moment later as they all watched as an electrified net was cast over the hoard of orange. The smell of ozone was thick in the air as suddenly there was just one blond stuck in the netting. The troop of men bounded over or around him, clearly not interested in his spat curses and useless struggling that only seemed to get Naruto-sensei tangled even more.

Thinking about how he could easily counter that lighting technology, Kakashi stepped forward. But Sakura-sensei had other plans and pushed him back as she herself stepped up. Her gloved hands tightened as the thirty men closed the distance between them.

"They're going to attack now. Everyone, on your toes. I'll be able to take them out, but don't do anything rash," she ordered before she was leaping closer to the men.

First Sakura-sensei extended her fist in front of her as the enemies got closer, and it took Kakashi a moment to realize she had punched the air and accelerated it enough that it had knocked down three men. They dropped their weapons and grabbed their chests, no doubt crying out in confused pain over the broken ribs and exploded organs.

Next, she was leaping right in to the hoard, arms and legs never ceasing to stop moving as shuriken where thrown and blades were deflected with her own weapons.

Not wanting to, but feeling he had to, Kakashi took his eyes off of the pink-haired medic to see four men had broken off and were approaching their little group of nine. They had bags adorned with complicated seals in their hands and gleams in their eyes and- of fuck no was Kakashi going to be kidnapped and sold at some twisted dark-market looking for rare bloodlines. They had their eyes on Obito the most, since he did wear his clan's emblem on his back quite brazenly.

Feeling a sinking in his stomach at the very idea of Obito not always being there, Kakashi leaped forward with his sword extended and a mighty battle cry coming out from his small body. It seemed the kidnappers had not expected a white flash, and they faltered in their steps for a moment. This allowed Kakashi to cut off a man's entire right arm in a lung. He skidded to a halt in the sand before turning, sword glowing and eyes steely with determination.

Next, before they had a change to regroup, he twisted and cut the next man directly in the chest, just like he had practiced against Naruto-sensei's clones, making the stranger fall as blood squirted like a broken faucet. The third blinked blandly at his two bleeding partners in crime before making a move to run. Kakashi was obviously not going to allow this, so he leaped forward to stop him. The man quickly turned and lashed out at Kakashi with what looked like an electrocuted whip. It wrapped around his heirloom sword, and Kakashi dropped it without a second thought.

Eyes narrowing, Kakashi dropped down onto the sand and took a moment to breathe before lashing out again, this time with his fists. If the man was going to use power, than so would he. Kakashi felt electrical currents surge through him as he did the necessary hand seals for a new lightning technique he was creating. As his hand crackled with energy and potential, Kakashi ran after the man that was still retreating.

Feeling the addrenoline and energy pumping through his hammering heart, Kakashi dropped down on the man and placed his hands on his shoulders. He felt the jerk of the body as it was shocked. He estimated that the man's heart would start failing to pump enough blood at the sudden stimulation. Predictably the man went still, twitching only from residual energy, and he dropped. The bag covered in seals meant to capture Kakashi and his comrades fluttered down to lie aside his body.

"Kakashi!" he heard Obito call out, and the boy addressed turned to see his friend was staring at him nearly slack-jawed, the other students in similar states.

Except for Sakura-sensei, who looked absolutely furious standing beside Naruto-sensei and Sasuke. The Uchiha looked utterly bored as always while Naruto had a weird little quizzical half-frown, half-smile on his face.

"I ordered you to not do anything rash," Sakura-sensei said calmly, yet clearly holding back a typhoon of anger.

"I didn't," Kakashi argued as he retrieved his sword, the handle feeling warm and safe in his hand. "My teammates were going to be attacked. I acted proactively."

"You acted irrationally. You specifically went looking for a fight with those men. You could have scattered them. That last one was retreating and I saw you chase after him."

Feeling like he was being prosecuted, Kakashi just looked down at his sandals and decided to not say anything more.

"Sakura-chan, you're being kinda harsh on him. Kakashi-chan was just protecting everyone. And more importantly he did a good job at it. These guys were jokes to begin with but man did Kakashi-chan show them," Naruto-sensei rambled in his defense. Yet even his teacher's praise did not alleviate the heavy, burning of shame in the silver-haired boys chest.

Sakura-sensei muttered something under her breath before calling Kabuto forward, asking him to assist in her healing these men so they could take them in for questioning. Apparently she had killed off all the others already.

"Thank you, Kakashi-kun," Rin said softly as she came up to him, tugging at the short-sleeve of his shirt. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Feeling like he wanted to be anywhere else but here, Kakashi turned and resumed their direction towards home. Rin silently followed at his right, and he could sense Obito was at his left.

"Don't mind what she said, you were awesome," Obito whispered conspiringly, "Although next time you try and upstage me you won't only have to worry about the enemies."

Kakashi sighed and began to feel a little better thanks to his friends.

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The walk back for the rest of the day was a little rocky despite the oceans of sand, and then trees. Kakashi was too hesitant to look up at Sakura-sensei the entire way, knowing he would only see disappointment and scorn. He kept behind the line, straying just enough that they knew he did not want conversation, but close enough so that he would not break formation. Rin and Obito walked in front of him, chatting about this and that. Obito looked blissful that he was finally getting time with her away from the others and Rin seemed content enough.

Kakashi still thought he did the right thing: he had protected his comrades at all costs. It was what his father had always taught him and yeah, Anko was annoying as a chicken's crow at four in the morning, but he had not wanted harm to come to anyone.

They had specialized in lightning paralysis, and Kakashi could easily absorb and redirect that unlike the others. He had been the best option so he had thrown himself in it to avoid any harm. He had not expected outlandish praise, but it would have been nice to have at least been acknowledged for his selfless-ness. Instead he had just managed to anger Sakura-sensei.

Feeling his shoulders hunch, Kakashi knew there was a slight ulterior motive for why he had acted so quickly.

It was bad enough knowing Sasuke grabbed her attention, and Naruto-sensei more often than not. But seeing Kabuto and Rin get along so well and easily with Sakura-sensei had been like a physical stab at his pride. Yes, Kakashi had accepted long ago that he was too blatantly honest in a rude way that many avoided searching him out, but Kakashi still felt shame at not being able to understand Sakura-sensei better. Sure, they had sat on roofs together a few times, and he had a portrait of them, but it just did not feel like it was enough.

And Kakashi really did try and get to know her, to gain her attention. Yet there just always seemed to be a smile he could not decipher on her face; the distraction of always talking about trimming her hair sometime; asking after his father in a care Kakashi truly empathized with. Despite her outward carefree nature, Kakashi knew there was something behind that gorgeous face that she burrowed away. Kakashi felt he had seen the first glimpse of it in the desert, and how unaffected she seemed after literally slaughtering so many men. Yes, they were child kidnappers and enslavers, but she had not even given them a second glance as the vultures had dropped to clean up.

Naruto and Sasuke, and his father to a degree, understood it. They had gone through the war together, steeped in blood of enemies and allies alike to the degree that it did not matter anymore. Kakashi was not so ignorant enough to wish he had been there, but it still hurt to know he did not know such a huge part of Sakura-sensei's life. He had read the stories, and just the other night she had told him a few more. Yet he was still ignorant about how that had made her feel, how it had changed her and made her grow up too fast.

But who was he? Just a boy who did not fit in to his skin yet, waiting for what he would grow up to be. And that was the real problem of all this. Kakashi had felt sure of himself in that moment of action, protecting his friends. And then Sakura-sensei had reprimanded him like he had been cowardly instead.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt a wave of ugly anger at Sakura-sensei. Who was she to reprimand him for acting like that when she had recklessly gone after a squad's worth of men when there were nine able fighters next to her. Obviously she had the experience, but that did not mean Kakashi did not have the right to try and gain the same amount for himself.

So yes, Kakashi had wanted Sakura-sensei to notice him and instead he had messed everything up. And now all he had to show for it was a headache from all this heavy thinking.

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"Naruto, Sasuke, you're coming with me to do our report to the Hokage together," Sakura-sensei spoke as they entered the gates of the village. "Eveyone else, you're dismissed. We'll take care of these losers and the boring political jargon."

Still keeping his eyes averted from her, Kakashi began to walk away stiffly. Rin called out a parting and he lifted his hand in acknowledgment, but nothing more.

"God, why are you still being such a downer," Obito said from behind him, and Kakashi's shoulders threatened to meet up with his ears.

"Go away, Obitio," Kakashi warned. Yet the dark-haired boy continued trailing behind him, ignoring or maybe just ignorant to the hinted threat that Kakashi really had no motivation to follow through on. Or Maybe Obito was just walking home too, since the Uchiha compound was closer to the older area of the village Kakashi lived at. But that idea was proved faulty as Obito followed Kakashi to all the way to the front door of the Hatake household.

Resting a hand on the tarnished golden door-knob, Kakashi turned around and frowned at a still-smiling Obito.

"What? You're obviously down about Sakura-sensei and it's fun seeing you fail like I usually would," the cheery boy said in explanation, dimples deepening in a way that would be cute if Kakashi did not want to punch the Uchiha's face in.

"Father," Kakashi called as he opened the door, "we have an intruder. We're been infiltrated and there's no going back. Stash the valuables and tomatoes."

"Oh? Obito-kun has come to visit?" Sakumo asked from the porch outside. Kakashi quickly made his way over, knowing there would probably be a pot of tea and some snacks out. He hoped his father had not eaten all of the almond cookies he made before leaving.

"I just wanted to tell you about how Sakura-sensei called out Kakashi. It was great," Obito said as he followed Kakashi out of the sliding doors, not even bothering to close them after him.

"Oh?" Sakumo asked with a raised eyebrow. Kakashi ducked his head and pretended to focus intently on taking off his sandals.

"He was being all heroic and saved the group and I, but Sakura-sensei would have none of it. Kakashi was all: 'Look at me and my majestic majesty, let me spark something in your heart baby just like how I shocked these men,' but she was all: 'Oh, I see what you did there you irresponsible tyke, taking on too many men for your own good. I am anything but impressed!' And then Kakashi pouted and sulked the entire time back and Sakura-sensei refused to acknowledge she was overreacting."

"Sounds like quite a mission," Sakumo said lightly as he patted Kakashi's head. Even though it felt slightly patronizing, Kakashi still felt a sense of calm finally return.

"But I think Sakura-chan may have been more in the right," his father continued to say.

"It wasn't my first time attacking an enemy and it won't be the last," Kakashi said grimly, his frown returning at even his father siding against him.

Sakumo put his hand back atop Kakashi's head, and Kakashi resisted the urge to bristle and stomp away to his room or the training grounds. He knew he was being difficult, but he just had a lot of time to brood over it all on the way back and Kakashi knew he was right.

"You didn't see Sakura-sensei's face after seeing she hadn't noticed the men you'd taken out," Obito said off-handedly. "She actually looked a little scared."

"So she doubts my ability to take out three pathetic trappers that didn't even register on her chakra-radar," Kakashi mumbled, the implied 'How is that supposed to make me feel better, Obito?' all too clear.

"It's always a worry for teachers to lose students before their training is done," Sakumo said with a gentle voice, his hand heavy and steady on Kakashi's head. "It's not the same as a parent burying their child, but it's similar enough."

"She didn't seem to worry over Naruto-sensei," Kakashi muttered.

"Yeah, I don't think he's ever going to get his hair under control with that constant static," Obito said around a mouthful of cookie.

"Well, Naruto is a highly trained shinobi," his father offered.

"Who got caught in a net, electrocuted, and then couldn't manage to get out because he'd tangled himself up too bad," Kakashi muttered.

"Seems like you got tangled into something much worse, hm?" Sakumo asked.

Kakashi sighed, knowing there was not any use still talking about this.

"Can I grab some tomatoes now?" Obito asked, already heading out to the garden.

"You better go help him, my Crop Caretaker. Wouldn't look good to save him, only to make the boy suffer from unripe or overripe vegetables."

"Yes, Father," Kakashi said before he got up, letting the hand fall away from his head.

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'To the past Hokages above: please give me strength,' Kakashi thought desperately before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door before him. His gloved hand fell back to his side and tightened in to a fists of nerves.

After a minute of silence, Kakashi continued staring at the ratty wooden door, willing it to open already with his stubborn will alone. He knocked again, wondering and deciding he did not care if he was bothering the neighbors.

"I'm coming, jeez," he heard a irritated voice, muffled through the wood, answer from inside.

Kakashi took another deep breath and tightened his grip on the bouquet a little tighter.

"Alright who- Kakashi-kun?" Sakura-sensei asked as she appeared before him. Her pretty face stretched from anger in to something akin to shock and amazement.

It was the first time actually looking at her face and in to her eyes since their skirmish earlier today that Kakashi realized how much he had missed it. Oh, he could barely go a day without staring. This was only getting worse.

"I came to give my formal apology for my unruly behavior earlier this day. I picked these for you."

"Is that a... is that a bouquet of kale?"

"Both red and russian variations. It also has arugula, mizuna and swiss chard," Kakashi said, willing down his blush. He knew the arrangement was odd, but it was the only thing he could manage at such short notice. Anyways, at least this way she could actually use it rather than just letting it rot.

She sighed lightly, and Kakashi resisted the urge to smile at seeing her finally show some semblance of camaraderie again. Although it looked like a tired smile: a little strained like the unraveling braid sitting on her left shoulder.

"Would you like to come in?"

"No," Kakashi said although he wanted nothing more than to snoop around and see what her apartment looked like. "I really should be getting back home to dinner."

"Are you cooking today?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered simply, resisting the urge to ramble how he had missed cooking while away and since Obito was staying over, he wanted to show off. Kakashi's fingers twitched on the grouping of greens Sakura-sensei still had not accepted yet and his arm was beginning to tingle.

"Thank you very much for your understanding, but I owe you an apology as well. It's just... difficult for me to see you kids growing up so fast."

"Father tells me I could make jōnin already if I wanted to," Kakashi said proudly, chest puffing out a bit. He remembered how Sakura-sensei had made jōnin at thirteen herself.

"And if this was a wartime, and we were desperate for soldiers, I'm sure you would have," Sakura-sensei said a bit sadly. "That's the problem with me, Kakashi-kun. In my head, I'm still thinking in that mindset, that it's hard for me to understand it doesn't always have to be like that. So it was just hard for me to see you fighting when you're still so young. Adults should do the fighting over their own arguments and mistakes, not the children."

Kakashi felt like such an idiot suddenly. He wondered how many comrades she had watched trying to be brave only to get cut down mercilessly.

"I am sorry," Kakashi said sincerely. Although the goggles-wearing fiend was a pain, Kakashi would not know what to do with himself if he lost Obito. Or sweet Rin.

Yet Sakura-sensei only shrugged and finally grabbed the bouquet from him. When it seemed that their fingers might brush, Kakashi removed his hand quickly.

"I'm glad that you shared this with me, but I'm not a kid. I can protect myself," Kakashi stated with a determined tone.

"I won't underestimate you again," Sakura-sensei said with a small smile that actually seemed genuine.

"Thank you," Kakashi found himself saying with a smile, and feeling infinitely lighter now that this was all behind them.

"Now, go on home so your father doesn't have to keep worrying about you," she said with a shooing motion of her hand. Kakashi wondered if his point that he really was not a kid had even registered to her.

Walking along the streets, Kakashi knew that he was not as close to Sakura-sensei as much as others. That he still did not understand a large part of her, but he was still determined. Feeling his fists tighten at his side, Kakashi knew that if anything, this mission taught him that he had a very long way to go.

A temporary note: Sorry for any (or more than normal) grammatical errors. I haven't proof read this since my computer is going to die any day now (I can feel it) and I wanted to get this out beforehand. Cheers!

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Posted: 11.21.2014