Mending The Past To A Better Future

Chp 16. Below Surface {Part-1}

Rin felt like if she stared too much longer, her heart might lock into an irreversible vice. But, she found herself unable to drag her eyes away from the intimate picture that Kakashi and Naruto made.

Shisui stopped abruptly beside her from where he had been packing up his roll and his eyes narrowed in on the two. Rin felt a shameful pang of relief that someone felt as she did -- at least that was until his boyish features split into a wide grin. "Oh, this is perfect blackmail material. Naruto won't prank me for a whole month!" He whispered gleefully to her.

Rin smiled back although it felt more like a grimace to her.

The top of Kakashi's covers had been wrapped around them so thoroughly and only the top puffed out, allowing Rin's heart to pang. Naruto was nestled against his chest, her face smushed against his collar bone. Kakashi's chin was tucked over her head, his silver hair mixed in with her blonde locks, splaying over the outside of the bag itself. From what she could see, their arms were wrapped around each other, and if she looked a little closer, she could see tear tracks on Naruto's face.

It made her feel guilty.

She was so caught up in her own emotions - her child like crush for Kakashi that she had failed to see that maybe Naruto had been hurting last night. She was worried about juvenile things when there were much higher stakes.

But she still felt worried.. and slightly scared. She didn't know how Shisui and Kakashi were able to look at Naruto without being even a little scared at the monstrous display of power she had shown the previous night. When Naruto had come up to them looking like a blood demon, hair and face covered in the life liquid of her enemies, Shisui hadn't hesitated to give her a hug. Maybe, Rin decided, that was when she had really understood the full scope of their friendship.

And now, Kakashi was holding her while she slept. Up until recently, she had been so certain that they weren't on speaking terms, with no clue as to what had happened only weeks prior. The only person who seemed to know had been their Sensei, and he had been tight lipped about it when Obito had pried.

A comforting hand covered her shoulder, and Rin tore herself away from her two teammates to look at Minato, who was sending her a sort of sad smile, and Rin blushed and looked away. The unsaid acknowledgment of her feelings made her embarrassed, and she didn't want his pity.

"Go wake Obito," Minato told her gently, turning her around until she was facing her dark haired friend. "I'll handle Kakashi and Naruto."

Rin didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded and crouched besides her best friend, slowly shaking his shoulder to wake him up.

+*+*+

Kakashi felt the need to stick close to Naruto on the way home. He didn't know why but since her breakdown the previous night, he'd felt the urge to guard her, even if it meant protecting her from his own sensei and their friends.

Obito had tapped her on the shoulder before they'd left the campsite, and Naruto had jumped; Kakashi had bared his teeth at his friend beneath his mask, growling lowly. It wasn't until Naruto had pulled him back that he had calmed down, and he was shocked at his own behavior. Never in his life had he ever done something like that - but he was unable to bring himself to apologize.

She lagged behind the group; Shisui, Obito, and Rin took the front, leading them all back home while Minato was at the very back overseeing the group. Kakashi stuck by Naruto, if only to offer her quiet support. Her blue eyes had dimmed, and her hair was a little wet from her soak in the river. But at least, Kakashi thought, the blood was gone.

He knew Minato was watching over Naruto - although Kakashi couldn't tell if it was to make sure she was okay or if it was to see that she didn't end up transforming all over again. Probably both, if they were being realistic.