The Spaces In-Between

Hot Springs

Kakashi was torn whether to continue to the Hot Springs or to turn back to the village.  They were closer now to the Hot Springs but he was still a bit shaken by the encounter on the road.  Y/N had done well defending herself yet had she had a tougher opponent that might not have been the end result.  She was very good at Taijutsu but she needed to up her skills in Ninjutsu.  In the dream world, she had gotten to quite a high level but that was in that world.  She had been unable to practice or use Ninjutsu in her world, so she had gone all these years without even the basic of training principals.  Her Taijutsu, which she had practiced in that same world, had been as advanced as Guy's all those years ago but it did not cross over into her world.  She had to work hard in her real world to get to the level she currently was at.

Y/N looked up at him as he shifted his eyes down the path they had come from then to the way they had been travelling.  She didn't have to ask what he was thinking, she already knew.  She gave a heavy sigh and touched his arm.  Those beautiful gray eyes looked down at her in question.

"Let's keep going," she said softly.  "Whatever they are after, they're gone for the time being.  It will be very late if we turn around and it wouldn't be as safe once it gets dark.  We'll be at the Hot Spring long before it gets dark if we quicken our pace."

He pulled her into his arms abruptly and rested his chin on her head.  "Y/N I would die if something happened to you after bringing you here.  You were safe in your world and doing well for yourself.  You gave it all up to be with me.  If you got injured or worse..."

Y/N poked him in the side before frowning up at him.  "Stop that right now, Kakashi Hatake.  Nothing is going to happen to me.  I can kick ass pretty good and I have you watching over me."

"I've lost others I was watching over..."

"I have no doubt in you, Kakashi," she spoke softly.  "Please, don't doubt yourself.  You are one of the finest Shinobi to live.  If you can't protect me, no one can."

Kakashi held her again very tightly before finally setting her back and taking her hand.  He turned back towards the path to the Hot Springs and she smiled big that she had swayed his mind.  He quickened his pace and she jogged alongside him.  He obviously was ready to get to the Hot Springs.

"Kakashi, we need to do something about your overwhelming guilt you haul around like an anchor," she commented as they jogged.

He glanced over at her, "I don't know what you mean."

"You seem to blame yourself for everything that has gone wrong in your life.  I noticed it when we were growing up, the way that you took the blame for Rin's death when she was the one that threw herself in front of you.  Obito's death.  You blamed yourself for that as well.  I would wager you even blame yourself for your father's death, as crazy as that sounds."

He slowed a bit, looked at her then turned away.  "I don't want to talk about this."

"Fine, I'll drop it for now because we already had our mood disrupted but... I will have this conversation with you eventually."

Kakashi raised a brow at her then chuckled.  "We shall see."

"Hmph," she responded.  "There is no see about it.  I can't stand that it's weighing you down like it does.  You deserve some peace."

"You are my peace, Y/N," he whispered.

Y/N remained silent the rest of the way there.  Her mind rolling the words around.  She could say the same for him but she wanted more for him.  She wanted him to release all those years of guilt and pain.  As the village they were heading to came into view, she smiled and released the thoughts for now.  This was their honeymoon and she would be damned if anything kept them from enjoying their time there.