The Lost Uzumaki (Kakashi x OC)

Chapter Eight- Dumplings

Naruto was still out even after the sunset. Meilani sat on the couch with the stereo playing beside her quietly, her right leg bouncing. It was about almost 8, and she twirled the end of her braid in her fingers idly. Another few minutes passed when a familiar knock tapped the door. With a deep breath, Mei walked over and opened it with a polite smile.
"Hey." She greeted. "Are those dumplings?"
"Why yes, they are. Sorry I'm late." Kakashi smiled wide enough to close his visible eye. He lifted the large bag of take-out in his hand. "I figured you'd want to talk somewhere private. I also remembered pork dumplings were one of your favorites. There should be some soup in here too."
"It smells amazing." Mei quickly took it as they both looked around for signs of anyone. "We'd have some privacy here, but I'm not sure when Naruto's coming home. He'd probably get the wrong idea."
"How about the rooftop?"
"That'll work."
Kakashi took back the bag and walked to the stairs. Meilani grabbed the blanket she had beside her on the couch, along with a pair of bowls and cutlery. She closed the door and timidly followed a few feet behind.
"I could've carried them." She pointed out, walking quicker as they reached the stairs to keep up with his legs skipping steps.
"I know, but I'm doing it anyway."
She rolled her eyes but remained quiet. Kakashi took the lead and found a spot with enough lighting to see their food and their faces.
Meilani saw his gesture and laid the blanket along the space. Together they set up a spread of their food and sat across from each other cross-legged.
"Why don't you get first pick?" He offered. Mei nodded in thanks, and made herself a small plate after handing Kakashi the spare one she brought for him. Mei watched her food to give Kakashi his privacy, but it wasn't too hard since her eyes closed with happiness after every bite.
"These are delicious." She spoke covering her mouth with her hand.
"They're from the shop around the corner." Kakashi stretched his arms up in the air after fixing his mask. He watched her sway moderately side to side, a grin on her face as she chewed.
"I swear, Konoha has the best food. And I think I've traveled as much as Jiraiya."
"I'd imagine so. You must have seen a lot, being gone for 5 years... It was strange when you left."
The jitters that Kakashi shoved aside all day were slowly rising. All day he thought of what to say, but with no luck. As he waited for his order on his way to Mei's, he decided it would be best to not have an outline for the conversation. And instead to speak out as best he could.
"Iruka said the same thing. I asked Guy and Kurenai not to make a big thing about it." She hid them as well as he, but Mei also felt jittery.
"I left for an Anbu mission that next morning, I didn't hear about you leaving until I came back. That was maybe two weeks later." Kakashi leaned on his left arm, his palm resting on the ground behind him.
"Did you think I ran after Itachi, like everyone else did?"
"No, I knew you'd never abandon Naruto."
The corners of her mouth twitched as Mei watched the soup swirling around her spoon.
"Mei?
Her throat felt tight once more as she looked into his obsidian eye. The tightness pulled down on her neck and chest, like strings wrapping around her body.
"I.... I was an asshole. In some ways, I still am. I still push everyone away because," he lowered his
head. "well let's face it. All I bring is death to everyone around me."
"Kakashi,"
"Please, let me finish." She peered at him through her lashes, but let him do so. "When Minato-sensei died, it broke me. I felt like I had lost a father all over again. And then...."
Kakashi shifted his posture, his elbows now rested upon his crossed legs. Mei watched his right foot slightly bounce as he pressed his knuckles under his chin. "This is harder than I thought."
"Do you remember what you told me that night?"
Kakashi paused and lifted his gaze from the blanket. Shame had welled in his eye.
"Yes, I do."

~~~~

Mei was 18 at the time, her hair now past the length of her shoulder blades. Her growing bangs were split in half and held back by a purple headband this particular evening.
Every scorned merchant that stared at Naruto hatefully received very same expression right back at them. The very merchants that would smile and greet her warmly now hated her. Did that bother her? No, not at all. What did bother her, was their hostility towards the melancholy 6-year old that clung to her hand. Naruto buried his red, swollen face into his sister's side. She had just found him being jumped by a group of village boys who were picking on the little Hyuga princess, Hinata.
"That boy is too old for you to be coddling him. No wonder he's such an insolent brat!" An elderly woman spat out, sneering at the Kunoichi.
"Shut the hell up, you old bat." Meilani shot back, holding Naruto tighter. "Don't you listen to her. Don't ever listen to ANYTHING these jerks have to say."
A group of chunin Mei's age looked from their hangout. Meilani's eyes grazed over them for familiar faces. Some she knew from the Academy, others looked new. They quickly turned their heads and spoke only when Meilani was out of earshot. She sighed through her nose, and gently squeezed his hand until they made it home.
"I'm not hungry, I think I just wanna go to bed."
"You should really eat something, fish cake."
He crossed his arms. "I'm not a fish cake. I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"
She chuckled. "Hell yeah, you are. But even the great Naruto Uzumaki needs food for energy. At least some rice."
"Mmm.... I'll settle for some ramen."
"You have a fridge full of food and you want me to buy takeout?"
He gave the cheesiest grin he could manage.
"Fine. I'll be back in 20."
Naruto's mood had 180'd in an instant, much to Mei's relief. While through her life, she has grown accustomed to nearly every situation, Mei couldn't stand it to see her brother cry.
"You're the best sister ever, Mei!"
"You bet I am, believe it." She turned to show her cheesy smile, and then left. Instead of traveling through the streets, she decided to travel on the rooftops. After the last scolding from the Hokage, she found it best to avoid as much interaction with the villagers as possible to prevent another merchant getting told off.
"'If it weren't for your ties to Lord Fourth, your behavior would be completely unacceptable'." Meilani mimicked the Third Hokage's voice.
"You shouldn't disrespect the Hokage like that."
Meilani squeaked, losing her footing and slipping. Kakashi, dressed in his Anbu gear, had grabbed Mei by her wrist. She landed with a grunt when he swung her up to the spot beside him on his open window.
"What an idiot." He uttered coldly, looking at her for half a second before back to his book. "How you made it to jonin level is beyond me."
"You're an idiot, idiot." She huffed, tightening her sandals.
He leaned back with a snort. "I'm not the one slipping off rooftops."
"Where've you been?" Mei asked unexpectedly. She's realized over the years how much their sensei meant to Kakashi, and how hard it must have been for him. After his death she had to remind herself how everyone grieves differently. However, since Minato's death nearly 6 years ago, Mei found him almost unreachable. In fact, she noticed recently he would actively avoid her.
"Busy."
"With Anbu stuff?"
"Don't you have somewhere to get to?"
Mei leaned back as though his words shoved her. "What the hell is your problem?"
He ignored her, turning his page.
"Oh, so I have to deal with your shit attitude along with the rest of the village? You should've just let me fall."
"That's unbecoming, since you have a kid to raise." He snapped his book shut, and scooted back into his apartment.
"A k..." Meilani wasn't sure why, but his tone, his words.... It was like shrapnel flying through her chest. "That kid, is your Sensei's son. He's my little brother, and he's-."
Kakashi let a dark chuckle escape.
"He's not your brother, Meilani."
A choked gasp escaped through her lips.
"S... Shut the hell up. Yes he is. What's up with you, Kakashi? What did I d-"
"He's NOT." He turned and quickly advanced her, soon Mei gripped the window pane as she was suspended between his hovering body and the cold, hard dirt 3 stories below. "He's YOUR Sensei's son. Minato was not, and never will be your father. And Kushina was never your mother. You're not Naruto's sister, Meilani."
The young woman resisted from cowering after he had gripped the collar of her shirt and pulled her closer. She looked at his clenched jaw, and hateful eyes with a bewildered gaze. His free hand shook beside him.
"You're a stupid, little orphaned farm girl with no family. The only reason you're here is because Minato felt sorry for you. Otherwise, you'd have been left in the woods to disappear on your own. You know what, you could disappear tomorrow and it wouldn't make any fucking difference in anybody's life. Not even his!"
Kakashi's chest heaved, his finger pointing towards her apartment. He was close enough for his breath to sweep over her cheeks. Meilani's wide eyes became glossy as she looked into both his eyes; one black as the new moon sky, and one red as the sunrise after a massacre. And the hatred....
The same hatred the village has.
"Is that what you want?" She asked him. "For me to disappear?"
"You know, it'd be a nice start. I don't need Sensei's lost cause moping around asking for help anymore."
"You're a fucking asshole, Kakashi." She stifled a sob, and her eyes stung from keeping her tears from falling. "We were supposed to stick together, no matter what . What the hell changed? I-it, I mean he, he would've wanted that to stay the same."
"I only tolerated your for Sensei's sake. He's gone, there's no reason for me to keep that up anymore."
His back was turned to her as he walked to his front door. He paused, realizing she was still watching him. "Stop looking at me like that. You're a kunoichi, act like one!"
Mei swallowed the lump in her throat. Her eyes were no longer looking at him with that spark of normality she yearned for.While things constantly shifted and comrades died, the two were the constant in each others lives. Whether they went weeks without speaking or spent days training or on a mission, Kakashi and Meilani were a small reminder of the good times in each other's lives.
But now, that spark of normality is no more. Instead, resentment flickered in it's place.
"Okay, fine." She accepted, her tone low. "I'll never look at your stupid face again."
Mei swung herself back to the rooftop and continued her way to Ichiraku's. Her usually-composed face couldn't disguise her knitted brows or gritted teeth. Every fiber in her being screamed to march back to Kakashi's and challenge him to an ass beating. Watching her order being made, she created 8 fighting scenarios all in her head. Each one ended with her defeat, forcing her to realize how weak her technique is, compared to him and other Shinobi. It didn't matter how strong she was physically, or how powerful her chakra levels were. She needed more, and to do that she needs to sort out the personal issues she's spent so long avoiding.
"Meilani Ishida," Mei turned to the Anbu member behind her. "You're needed by Lord Hokage."
Great. She thought to herself. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
The Hokage jumped, genuinely surprised by the knocking from the window behind him. He opened it and stared at Meilani, the tearducts on her eyes a reddish hue and her nose slightly runny.
"Meilani? What on earth happened?"
"Spicy ramen," she answered while entering. Once she stood in front of his desk Mei cupped her hands behind her back. "You summoned me quite late, sir. Did something happen?"
He nodded. "I have discussed with Master Jiraiya that you have been struggling with your gifts, despite your rigorous training. He has offered to train you, but you must leave the village to do so."
Her back straightened. "Of course, sir. I'll prepare mine and Naruto's things at once."
Meilani felt a hole in her chest when he cleared his throat.
"The Jinchuriki must stay within the village. If he's discovered outside of the walls, Konoha would be gravely endangered. As well as his life."
Sarutobi closed his eyes to grant Meilani the privacy of not seeing her tears fall. Her breath shook while she composed herself. Once she was done wiping under her eyes, she sighed.
"Are you sure he can't come with me?" She pleaded. Lord Third gave her a gentle, yet stern look.
"Naruto must not leave the village, Meilani. With what I expect from Jiraiya, you cannot protect him alone out there. Though if you feel unable to accept this mission-"
"I must accept. If leaving to become his strongest guardian is what I need to do then I will do so. But, Promise me he'll be okay."
"You have my word. I take full responsibility for Naruto."