Beyond The Lines. [Kakashi x OC]

A Naturalization Of Some Sort (2)

Once Alcie and Yuiko reached the Hokage's office, Alcie began to feel nervous all over again. She'd felt that way for multiple times in a single day, and it was quite taxing, to say the least.

Yuiko opened the door into the office, stepping inside after gesturing for Alcie to follow.

The office was just like in the anime. Hiruzen sat behind a desk full of stacked papers with the window behind him. Alcie could see Konoha's night sky from where she stood, which was not too far from the Hokage's desk. Meanwhile, Yuiko excused herself and left after greeting the Hokage.

A familiar face stood to the right of the desk.

Kakashi...

This time, he was no longer holding a book to his face, and instead, standing attentively as he waited for the Hokage to speak. Alcie's eyes moved towards the Hokage, an old man with kind eyes--Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Welcome," greeted Hiruzen with a warm smile. Alcie hadn't expected the friendly tone. For some reason, she thought Hiruzen would merely speak to her in a stoic and serious manner, but thankfully, her expectations were wrong. Hiruzen, after Alcie bowed her head in respect and response, spoke up again, "Alcie, right? And you already know Kakashi here."

"Y-Yes," Alcie's voice trembled more than she wanted it to, but she persevered, hoping to find her confidence with time. "He was the one who found me in the forest."

"Your case is quite peculiar, I must say," Hiruzen hummed with interest. "But for now, there isn't much that we know."

"I'm sorry for the trouble," Alcie lowered her head.

"No need for the apology," Hiruzen gave her another warm smile. "For now, you are one of my own until you are able to find your way back."

"Thank you...Hokage-sama," Alcie raised her head again and returned the smile.

"Now, let us discuss where you can stay," Hiruzen announced. "It's quite late, so it's difficult to prepare a place for you at the moment."

"Is that so...?" Alcie frowned with disappointment.

"But, I'll tell you what... Kakashi can let you stay over for the night, and we'll make sure you have a place by tomorrow."

"Hokage-sama--?!"

"Wait, what--"

Both Kakashi and Alcie shared the same amount of bewilderment towards the unexpected suggestion.

I feel like this man always comes up with the wildest solutions to situations.

Even though I don't really mind staying over for this one night, it does seem like Kakashi wasn't informed of this beforehand.

Making a shinobi house some rando off the forest is a bit weird.

"Hokage-sama, that's too sudden!" Kakashi argued.

"You're trustworthy, Kakashi," Hiruzen told him. "I ask of you to consider it... It's only for one night. She has nowhere else to go."

"But--" Kakashi paused, possibly thinking over the idea.

Alcie's lips tugged into a thin line before coming to a conclusion. It's only one night. I'll even sleep on the floor if I have to!

"I know this might be presumptuous of me, but I beg you to help me out, Kakashi-san," Alcie bowed as she asked this. Kakashi flinched at the request. "I've already inconvenienced you by bringing me here, I know, but this will be the last time, I swear. For one night, please! I'll make it up to you, if you want..."

"Make it up to me...?" Kakashi asked this with an ambiguous tone to his voice, so Alcie wasn't sure if he were willing to help her out once more. She shut her eyes, still in a bow, awaiting his response.

"Kakashi?" Hiruzen, too, looked forward to the Jonin's decision.

"W-Well, I guess there's no other way around it, right?" Kakashi faked a cough. "It really is late already, right?"

That's...a response I wasn't expecting.

Alcie raised her head again to look at him, and it was then that she noticed the slight blush on his cheeks.

Ah...right. She thought, deadpan. This guy's a pervert.

I don't think he's disrespectful enough to do anything, but still... Alcie sighed. He probably knows about the "somehow staying in the same room overnight and there's only one bed" cliché.

Shit...now I feel nervous about it. Alcie's heart started pounding dangerously.

"Thank you, Kakashi," Hiruzen told him.

"I'm grateful as well, Kakashi-san," Alcie added, smiling politely though she had doubts rising from the back of her mind.

"It's no problem," Kakashi replied, returning to his "cool" persona.

After the short exchange, it was soon that Kakashi and Alcie left the Hokage's office to head to his home. Alcie, for the most part, stayed silent as she followed Kakashi, who was already avidly reading his book even as he walked.

I can't believe he's that obsessed over it. Alcie couldn't help but still be curious about the quality of the book.

Still, with a small nagging worry in her mind, Alcie finally spoke up again to ask, "How long has it been since...what happened to the Uchiha?"

Kakashi halted in his steps. They were by the stairway that led down to the first floor, and Kakashi lowered the book he held, shifting his attention to Alcie's question.

Alcie thought he would ask her why she was curious, but surprisingly, Kakashi answered, "It's been around a month."

Wow...it really is pretty recent. Alcie looked down at the floor.

I wonder...how Sasuke is doing.

What about Itachi?

Alcie suddenly thought of how they were both merely children. She couldn't even imagine how traumatic it would be if something like that happened to her--whether she'd be the thirteen-year-old having to make the decision to kill his own family, or the seven- or eight-year-old boy coming home to see his family killed by the hands of the brother he loved and trusted.

It would be too much for her, no doubt.

"I see..." was all Alcie could say, and Kakashi stayed silent. He then continued walking, but now he didn't even read his book anymore. It seemed as if he became lost in his own thoughts, so Alcie wondered if her question was too abrupt and insensitive. Alcie decided it was probably best not to speak in the remaining time of their journey, and leave him to his ruminations.

It's none of my business, but it's still an upsetting story.

To be continued.