A ninja must see underneath the underneath

Chapter 14 - Narushi and Kaishou

Kakashi and Naruto felt like luck was on their side when they reached the boy's home. His parents turned out to be the owners of a small inn.

When stepping through the door, Kakashi was convinced his ears would start bleeding and that he would be deaf for the rest of his life now. A woman screaming at the top of her lungs came running towards them and took the boy in her arms.

"Yuuriiiiiiiiiii! Oh Yuri I can't believe it. You're back! You're back! We've been looking all over for you! Thank goodness! Isamuuuuu! Come out here! He's really back!" Kakashi took a step back startled by the women's hysterical behavior. 

Alarmed by all the noise, a man came running from behind the inn's kitchen doors. "Darling, what's the matter? Is Yuri..." The man fell silent when he saw his son being smothered against his mother's chest. 

"He's back Isamu! He's really back!" The woman screamed as she started to sob loudly.

After about ten minutes of hugging and a lot of tears from the parents and the boy, seeing how they were kind of reckless with his injured leg, Kakashi gave a little cough to draw the reunited family's attention. Before he knew it, the father was patting him on the back and shaking his hand over and over, thanking him and Naruto profoundly for saving his son. "It's quite alright sir. No really, it was no trouble at all..." Kakashi tried to calm the man down, uncomfortable with all the touching.

When Kakashi and Naruto had explained what happened to Yuri and Kosho, and after they had explained the severity of his injury, the boy's mother left the inn to find the village's doctor. 

"So there are no medical ninjas in the village. Interesting." Kakashi made a note of the information in the back of his head.

"Excuse me, sir. But we were actually on our way to find an inn for the night when he heard Yuki's cries for help. Do you think it would be possible for us to stay here a night?" Kakashi asked politely.

"And could we maybe get some food as well old man? Preferably ramen." Naruto added unabashedly.

Isamu was most eager to give both shinobi a place to stay for as long as they wished, including breakfast and dinner. Though, tonight dinner was fish stew, not ramen, to Naruto's disappointment. When Isamu had registered their names, Narushi and Kaishou, he showed them to their rooms. He had given both men separate rooms, assuming that they were friends or fellow travelers. After reassuring them that dinner would be send up in about half an hour he left them in peace.

Both Naruto and Kakashi used the free time in their rooms to take a shower, finally washing off the dust, sand, and sweat from training for days under the hot desert sun. Kakashi leaned into the cold white tiles as he enjoyed the water falling on his head and weary body. "Finally some rest. What a troublesome evening..." he mused while grabbing a piece of soap.

As he got out of the shower, he dried himself with a fluffy white towel and took his time cleaning himself up a bit. He looked in the mirror and scratched the silver stubble on his cheeks and chin. As he started shaving, he glanced at the various scars on his body. He couldn't help feeling old and worn out. After washing his face, he put on some comfortable gray pants and sat down on his bed. A few minutes later, there was a polite knock on the door, he grabbed a mask and invited the person in. It was Isamu bringing him his food.

Shortly after, he heard the same knock on the door next to his. He couldn't help but grin when he heard Naruto stumbling to the door and knocking something over on the way. "Him and his brash ways..." Kakashi chuckled. He sat up as he drew the small table with his meal close by. He leaned over, picked up one of his books, pulled down his mask, and started eating.

A minute later he heard someone knocking on his door once more. "Yes?" He said wearily, wondering what the old man wanted from him now.

"Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto's blond head popped through the door.