A|N: Yay, I finished!!!
Man this feels good! I actually got it done and this is perhaps the first chapter of =+Guarded Soul+= that I like... O.o Cool.
Yeah, that's right... I pretty much hate the stuff I write ~.~
This one is dedicated to Antenora, VashtheFreak and Subaru-sama... Because they are awsome and gave me the ideas for the following story!!
{Roy: O.O OMG You updated?! Yay!}
O.o... What the hell are you doing here? This is the Naruto story!!!
{Roy: O.o... Wha?}
VASH!!!
{Roy: Who's Va-}
{Vash the Stampede: You called?}
{Roy: O.o... Rei-chan... I don't swing that way...}
AHH! What are you doing here?! Wrong Vash damnit!! >.< ! *shoves Vash into closet* VASH!
[VashtheFreak: Rei! *tackles* You called?]
Please get the crazy one...
[VashtheFreak: ^.^ OKAY! *grabs Roy and runs off*]
Okay now that he's been taken care of...
{Vash the Stampede: Rei-chan... Can I come out now?}
No... You can come out when I put your story up.
{Vash the Stampede: O.O Really? YAY! ^w^}
{Kakashi: *walks in* ....O.o... ummm...}
Don't ask, I don't feel like explaining...
{Kakashi: Hai, Rei-chan}
Okay all that aside, allow me to explain what will be happening in the next few chapters of this story. Kira is going on a 8 week mission with Hemitaro and Uta. This will last 8 weeks... ^.^ So don't expect to read anything on Kakashi for a short while. Each chapter will represent a week. Each chapter will be named 'Mission: Week 1' and so on. There will be 8 total chapters of nothing but action. Each of these chapters represents 1 week on Kira's mission. ^.^ I'm hoping to get those out one after another so it doesn't actually take me two month to get all of it out D:
This mean my other stories will possible be put on hold unless I lose interest in writing on =+GS+=. It happens.. You guys know it does =P
Also, I need to know if you guys want a chapter on what Kakashi and Kira do while he helps her get ready to leave. If so, I'm hoping to making it comical because I love humor... ^.^ If not then I'll start off with Kira leaving. Please message me your preference please!
-Rei
O.o... Why are Vash and Roy here? (Rei: Because I was bored and needed some entertainment xD Nah, the idea came from VashtheFreak.. She wanted to barge in and haul Roy off because... well, because she's crazy with a capital C... xD *huggles Vash-chan*) O.o... okay...
[A Day With Hatake, A Day I'll Never Forget]
You were watching in amusement as kids ran back and forth across the streets of Konoha, their happy laughter and excited cries of joy trying to wake your inner child. The Hokage, for whatever reason, had decided to make today a festival day. This was no special event, just a quick set up by the Third to try and get everyone to relax and have fun. With the upcoming Chuunin exams, everyone had been so tense you probably could've cut the air with a dull kunai knife. You smiled thoughtful as you watched some of the vendors still putting the last touches on their stalls. Kakashi was standing beside you, looking around at the wide variety of things going on.
"I believe the Hokage is the most spontaneous person I know in this world," the Jounin mumbled. You smiled back at him and shrugged lightly. It didn't really matter if this was just something random or had a cause. If it meant the next few hours you spent with Hatake were going to be fun and be held in memories that you would never forget, then you greatly appreciated Sarutobi's spontaneous nature.
"C'mon, lets go see what else they're doing.. Maybe we can find some of the others too," you said cheerfully, moving off down the street. You and Kakashi had both put a little distance between yourselves. Yes it was aggravating but shows of 'Public Affection' weren't exactly either of your styles so Kakashi found himself content with either walking behind you or beside you. You were about to stop when a flash of color caught your eyes. In seconds your found yourself tipping backwards and hitting the ground, the flash of color you had seen latched onto your like a leech.
"Kira-sensei!" a small voice cried out happily. You blinked and stared up groggily at a rather amused looking Kakashi. There was no need to look down at the blob of color... Only one person called you sensei and tackled you...
"Hi, Akiko-chani..."
Your blonde Genin student giggled childishly and quickly scampered off of you, her bright blue eyes shinning happily. "Hi Kakashi-san!" she said just as cheerfully, her small face scrunched into that wide addictive smile of hers. Kakashi returned the greeting, the smile mirrored on his hidden face though you could see it in his eyes. You smiled at the two as you picked yourself up. It seemed the two had bonded over the past few weeks all on their own and that made you feel... well, good. It was always nice to know that if you didn't come back from a mission, there was another shinobi here for your three Genin to look up too. "What are you two doing?" your young student questioned, looking between you and Kakashi.
You smiled at the curious Genin and waved your hand to indicate the activity going on around you. "That answer should be obvious... Where is the rest of your team?" you asked, changing the subject entirely.
"Kohaku and Katsuro? They're around here somewhere... Probably playing one of the games," Akiko replied. Almost as if her speaking their names were a cue, the two Genin in question came around one of the stalls.
"Konichiwa Kira-sensei, Kakashi-san," Kohaku greeted, smiling. Kakashi returned the greeting with out question you, however; found it odd for her to greet you both so formally while Katsuro merely supplied a quick "Yo".
"Okay... What do you want?" you asked, giving her a leery look.
The young female shinobi blinked before smiling up at you innocently. "Nothing, Kira-sensei!" You frowned, not believing one word that worked its way from her mouth. You were about to question her on the subject when you felt someone tugging your arm, pulling you down the street and away from the three Genin who were now grinning from ear to ear at each other. Glancing over your shoulder, you spied the culprit who was towing you down the street.
NOO! Someone's kidnapping me!!! (Rei: >.> Yeah Right, who'd want to kidnap you?) D: That's harsh, Rei-chan!!
"Kakashi, where are we going?" you asked once you'd managed to get your arm from his grasp. The Jounin didn't give you an answer at first, just kept walking with you following along beside him curiously. You had always been one who hated being left out of stuff... Even as a child.
"You'll see.."
Well that didn't do a thing for you! You frowned at the Jounin and glared. "I don't like surprises, Hatake..." you ground out.
Kakashi glanced over his shoulder and smirked, giving you a wink. "I think you might like this one." You sighed and continued following him only to find yourself stopping when you heard a familiar voice coming towards you.
"Yo Kira!" You turned and found yourself stumbling backwards when yet another blur tackled you.
"Ack!" you squeaked and fell backwards, finding yourself securely caught by two arms while the happy Anko continued to squeeze the life out of you. You somehow managed to escape the mad woman's grasp long enough to scramble behind Kakashi, who had saved you from your earlier fall. "Stay away from me woman!" you voiced loudly, glaring at her from over the Jounin's shoulder.
"I swear you two haven't changed since we were in the academy..." a new voice entered. You turned slightly and glanced behind yourself, Kakashi's gaze following yours to land on the brown haired Chuunin you'd known for as long as you'd known Kakashi.
"Iruka! What are you doing here?" you asked with a smile.
"The same thing as everyone else," the journeyman shinobi said with a laugh.
"I made him come," Anko piped in. "He was just sitting around so I finally talked him into coming with me."
"You did not!" Iruka stated accusingly. "I was doing my assessments on my students and you just barged in, told me we were going to the festival and drug my ass out the door!"
You turned and looked at Kakashi, one eyebrow raised. Iruka and Anko were never two you actually expected to 'like' each other... But hey, anything's possible. Kakashi seemed to have thought something along the same lines because he had an eyebrow quirked up as well as the two continued to argue.
"Man.. I think they're married..." you mumbled. Kakashi let out a low grunt and nodded in agreement. Anko undoubtedly heard your statement because in a matter of seconds, she had you by the arm and hauling you away from Kakashi and around one of the vendor stalls.
"Saying I act like I'm married and you hear with one of the most sought after guys in Konoha..." she said accusingly.
You stared at her blankly for a moment. "Most sought after.... Who the hell are you talking about?" you asked, looking around.
"Kakashi you twit!" the younger shinobi seethed while smacking you across the head.
"Oi, hey!" you growled, glaring at her.
Anko just smirked at you. "So... How are you guys doing?" she asked giving you a wink. Your eye twitched as you turned and started to walk away from her. "Kira!" she whined, following after you. "I was joking!"
Anko x Iruka? xD (Rei: ^.^ She may seem a little OOC but I need her to act like that. Besides, Iruka needs luffin' too!)
Kakashi watched in mild amusement as Anko drug you off around one of the stalls before tuning back to Iruka, his eyebrow arching upwards again. "Anko?" he questioned, mirth and curiosity coloring his tone.
"Hey, I'm not the only one here with someone unexpected," Iruka said pointedly. Kakashi just watched him questioningly, waiting for the Chuunin to explain more. "Your the emotionless copy ninja Kakashi here at a festival with Kira Hitori, the girl who's about as stoic and impassive as you!"
Kakashi smiled and shook his head, watching Iruka quietly. "People change, Iruka..."
The journeyman ninja nodded, glancing off to the area Anko had drug you prier to the start of their conversation. He could see the two women coming back now. He returned his gaze to the Jounin, watching him sincerely. "Treat her well Kakashi-san."
Hatake blinked, staring at Iruka. He hadn't thought anyone would ever doubt his ability to take care of another person, but Iruka did seem to be thinking along those lines... Kakashi sighed and nodded. "I know Iruka, I know."
Fragile hearts are easy to break...
Broken hearts are hard to mend...
Mended hearts can break again...
But shattered hearts never make amends.
O.o What the hell is that? (Rei: >.> A crappy ass poem I wrote in 2 minutes...) o.O... no comment...
You waved goodbye to Iruka and Anko as they started off before glancing at Kakashi who seemed to be pondering over something quietly. "What did you two talk about?" you asked, snapping the Jounin out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, nothing." You stared at him, disbelief flashing in your hazel eyes.
"Uh-huh, it wasn't just about anything you liar... Or else you wouldn't be thinking so hard..."
"....So.... Why did Anko drag you off like that?" he asked, changing the subject. You sweat dropped and shook your head.
"No reason, Kakashi-kun..."
"Yeah... Look who's laying now." You glared and jabbed him in the shoulder quickly, gaining a laugh from the silver haired ninja. "C'mon," he beckoned, motioning for you to follow him. You smiled and shook your head, following after the man as he led you across the festival grounds. You had made it half way across when you suddenly spotted something.
"Hey, Kakashi..." you called causing the Jounin to turn around to look at you. You had that mischievous glitter in your eyes that told him you were up to something.
"...Hai?..." he answered reluctantly, wondering what you were plotting.
You turned to face him fully, a smirk playing across your lips. "I challenge you," you said, motioning to a small stall close to the both of you. The silver haired Jounin blinked and looked the way your hand was waving, chuckling inwardly. In the stall was a large supply of small bottles, each close to the other. The object of this game?
Throw small little rings and pray one landed around the bottle neck.
"I don't know if it will be exactly fair, Kira-chan... We are Shinobi..." he stated, glancing back over at you.
"And that is why we are going to make it interesting!" you said cheerfully. Hatake raised an eyebrow, watching as you moved off towards the stall before following behind you. So you were going to make it 'interesting' huh? Well this should be fun...
By the time he'd reached the stall you had already started talking to the vendor. The man was laughing and nodding his head enthusiastically. Intrigued, Kakashi tapped your shoulder to gain your attention but instead of gaining an answer from you, he merely found a hand reaching up and yanking his headband down over his other eye.
"No peeking..." he heard your voice say.
"Nani?" he asked, confused.
"We're using them as blindfolds," you supplied as you moved your own up from around your neck. "Consider this a test... To see if you've lost any of your amazing 'ninja powers'," you said jokingly. Kakashi chuckled and nodded. "Winner gets a prize!" you added excitedly.
"Okay then... I accept your challenge."
Seconds later you both found yourselves with five small disks in your hands.
"Ready?" the vendor asked. When you both nodded he smiled. "Begin!"
You waited for a moment, wondering if Kakashi would jump the gun and go first. When you didn't hear him shift you figured he was waiting for the same. Smiling faintly you lifted your arm and closed your eyes tightly, even though you couldn't see anything in the first place. You waited a second before tossing the disk lightly. You heard a resounding 'ding' followed by the vendor stating you had missed. You moved to throw another one when you heard another 'ding'.
"Miss..."
You heard Kakashi let out a low huff as he shuffled his feet and chuckled. "Not so easy now, huh?" you asked. Hatake gave no reply so you left it at that. You sighed and steadied yourself, trying to remember how you threw the disk last time so you could adjust your movements accordingly. Slowly you let the disk go only to hear another 'ding' and a confirmed miss by the vendor but by the sounds of things, you and Kakashi were starting to attract a crowd. A few stray 'what are they doing?' and 'that looks like fun!' comments made it to your ears.
Kakashi released his second disk which accompanied a small gasp from the gathering crowd, but the vendor called it as a miss. He'd probably gotten close then... Grinning, you threw your third, hearing a satisfying 'clunk' as the disk landed.
"Score," the vendor called, following the clapping of the people behind you. Kakashi grumbled something before throwing his own disk which was accompanied by the same 'clunk' and claps from the crowd. "Tie!" the vendor shouted, seeming to be having just as much fun as the crowd was now. Snorting, you tossed your fourth which, yet again; rang another bottle with Kakashi's following suit. "Still tied," the vendor said.
You tilted your head slightly and smiled. "Hey, Kakashi?"
"Hai?"
"Lets throw this one on three..." you said. You heard a low chuckle come from him as he agreed. "One..." you muttered softly slowly accompanied by a 'two' from Kakashi.
"THREE!" the last outburst came from the crowd as you both tossed the disk. You couldnt hear over the clapping coming from the crowd, but apparently someone had rung the bottle, if not both of you.
OMG I love festival games xD
Reaching up, you pulled you headband back down around your neck where it had been located before and sighed.
Kakashi had won you out. The said ninja was smirking at you, you could tell even though it was covered so you smirked right back. "Pure luck," you chided teasingly.
Now that the two of you had tested your abilities with a handicap, the crowd seemed to want to try as well. You smiled and backed off from the vendor, watching as the man happily supplied his customers with the throwing disks.
"Well that was fun," you said smiling up at Hatake. The Jounin chuckled and nodded, leading you away from the crowd.
"Hai... But we never did discuses what the 'prize' would be," he said pointedly.
You wrinkled your nose up slightly and scoffed at him. "Well, Hatake-kun... I wasn't expecting you to win," you stated slyly. "But... I guess I could cook you something tonight?" you asked hopefully.
Kakashi fell silent, thinking over his new choice silently before shaking his head. "No..."
You frowned and furrowed your brow slightly. "Hmm... I could buy you another book for your collection?" you asked, grinning.
Kakashi arched an eyebrow and watched you for a moment. "You'd do that?" he asked, sounding as if he didn't believe... and with good cause.
"No," you stated bluntly. You sighed and pressed your lips together, scratching your head in a considering matter. "How about-" you cut yourself off with a squeak as you felt your body being pulled sideways. The air around you darkened as you felt your back pressed up against something hard... Two hands gripping your shoulders lightly, the forehead of their owner pressed against yours.
Kakashi had pulled you into one of the dimly lit alleyways that were scattered across the village and currently had your back pressed against the brick wall of one of the many houses that lined the street.
"How about..." he muttered, his black eye boring into yours. "You don't go on your mission with Uta and Hemitaro..." You gulped slightly and shook your head as much as you could with his face so close.
"I- I can't, Kakashi... I'm sorry..." you whispered, your eyes never leaving his face. Sadness passed though his coal colored gaze as he watched you. Slowly, he dropped his right hand away from your left shoulder, bringing it up slowly to his face and pulling his mask down. You felt your eyes widen as he tilted his face slightly, pressing his lips against yours. You felt your body relax as he lowered his hands down to land on your waist, allowing you to bring your own up around his neck and pull him closer.
This was possibly the last time you would see Kakashi...
'Just for eight weeks...' your mind whispered. 'Only eight weeks...'
Kakashi allowed his arms to encircle your waist, his left hand resting on the upper portion of your back while his right strayed lower, to the small of your back. You could feel him pulling you closer but at the same time, pressing you against the wall as his lips continued to meld against yours. Finally, the Jounin broke away allowing you to breath in fresh air. He stared down at you, his visible eye still shinning in silent sadness. You gulped softly, wishing more than anything you could back out of the mission now but you knew you couldn't. You lowered your gaze to his chest, not wanting to see that look on his face anymore. Sadness did not suite him... It never had nor would it ever.
You felt his arms tighten, pulling your to him fully as he hugged you, his lips pressed against your left ear lightly. "Kira... I-"
The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted him. You jumped slightly, surprise rushing through you however, Kakashi didn't seemed near as surprised. He tilted his head slightly so he could see over your head but still keep his face hidden from whoever had walked in on the two of you.
"Were we.... interrupting something?" a voice asked, a giggle evident behind the words.
Your eyes narrowed in annoyance as you let out a low growl. "What? Are you following us now?" you asked.
"Nah, but we were looking for you!" a rather happy sounding Anko said. Iruka was standing beside her, the same grin on his face that his female counterpart wore.
"Why?" Kakashi asked, still not moving from his position or allowing you to escape from his grasp. So here you were pinned between the man you had fallen in love with and a rather hard brick wall with two of your good friends looking on in amusement.
Awkward, yes?
"All the kids have gone home," Iruka said motioning towards the sky with a light nod. "It's already dusk..." You glanced up slightly, staring at the different colors in the sky that were the tale-tale signs that the sun was setting. It seemed like such a short day but you had forgotten that the two of you hadn't made it to the festival until noon anyway.
"C'mon," Anko said, waving for you to follow. "The fun stuff is about to start now!" You smiled at the woman's enthusiasm and nodded. The two turned and started to leave you, giving Kakashi enough time to pull his mask back up across his nose before you both followed quietly after the duo.
O.O.... (Rei: ^.^...) o.o.... (Rei: >.>....) ....*faint*... (Rei: ~.~) *springs back to life suddenly* Wait! What was he going to say?! (Rei: O.o.... >.> I ain't tellin...)
"What exactly is this?" you asked, watching pairs of Konoha villagers as they walked around the small town center. There was a small group of to the side, setting up some stuff and looking through boxes. You wanted to investigate and sniff around a little bit but Anko wouldn't let you out of her sight so you stuck next to Kakashi, still not all that sure about the happening in this area.
"You'll see shortly," Kakashi said. "This is the 'surprise' I was trying to get you to come see earlier but I didn't realize they were waiting this late to set it up."
"Yeah, since the kids aren't usually ones to join in with this, we decided to wait this year." Iruka added, motioning towards the couples gathering.
You stared at the two. They were pointedly dancing around your question like mad to keep you in the dark. Something was up and you didn't like it. "Alright... What is going on?" you asked coldly, your eyes narrowed in on the two male shinobi. But before the two could answer or turn down your question, another voice rippled through the crowd, causing everyone to fall into silence.
"I thank you all for coming," the voice called out. Your head snapped around, recognizing the voice automatically. There on a small pedestal stood the third Hokage, a wide smile etched on his face. "So now let us start this wonderful event!" The sound of music slowly filled the air, coming from behind the Hokage from the group that had been rummaging around earlier. A few of the couples were dancing others were just walking around. You kept close to Kakashi, eyeing the people around you carefully.
"What is this? A cult?" you whispered earning a laugh from your three companions.
"No," Anko said trying to control her laughter but failing miserably.
"It's just a small dance, Kira-san.." You turned at the sound of this voice.
"How did you get over here so fast?!" you asked, eyeing the Hokage as he grinned at you.
If possible, his smile widened as he glanced towards Kakashi. "Are you two having a good time yet?" he asked the Jounin, completely ignoring your question. Your eye twitched as Kakashi laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.
"Hai, Lord Hokage," Kakashi said with a smile. The Hokage of Konoha village smiled and... Winked? O.o... Oh dear.
REST IN RESUTLS!! (longer than usual) Smexy picture of Kakashi in results too... *points at Antenora* BLAME HER!!
