Ikigai

Chapter 20: Thank you

"Do you ever wonder what life would be like outside your village?"

"No."

"Oh come on, not even a little bit?"

"Nope," Kakashi said with a pop.

"What? Is your plan to live here the rest of your life and then just die here?"

"Yup."

"That's absurd."

"A lot of things are. Yourself included."

There were a lot of things that they had left unsaid since last night, but as Kintsugi feigned insult to his words, she relished in the momentary banter.

A clean Yami joined them today, the morning air blowing temporary hair parts in his thick fur as they slowly walked towards the mine and though the fresh air helped to settle her nerves, the feeling of anxiousness remained in the back of her head. 

It had been a long time since she had been able to speak to someone without eventually finding herself at the end of a rope, and despite her internal voice telling her to hold back and stop whatever she was doing with him, she walked on.

"I'm heading over to the hospital today."

"Sasuke?" She hummed. 

"The kid hasn't woken up yet. He's already an emotional mess. Can't wait until he finally wakes up though," he replied sarcastically. 

"Aren't we all?" she grinned cheekily.

Kakashi tilted his head in her direction. 

"An emotional mess," she clarified, scratching Yami's ears in the process.

"Speak for yourself. You don't know me."

"I've seen the way others act around you. You don't exactly have friends either, so who are you kidding? You're an emotional mess too."

Kintsugi paused as they neared the clearing to the mine turning to silently face Kakashi.

"What?"

There were a lot of things she wanted to say to him, a lot of things she wanted to do to clear her mind of the guilt that was starting to resurface. Guilt that she'd thought had drowned with Rashaan at the bottom of the sea. 

"I-, she hesitated as she took a shaky breath of air, the forced grin of a moment ago now replaced with a wistful look, "Thank you."

It was awkward and rushed, but for the first time since he had met her, he could see the sincerity in her expression and words.

He wasn't sure how to respond, but before he could even think of something to say she swiftly turned and stepped into the mine as he watched Kintsugi and Yami's outline quickly disappear the further they went in. 

----

"Kakashi Hatake, just the man I was looking for."

"Danzo-sama," the aforementioned bowed in return as the older man approached him.

To say the previous night had been unusual would have been to call a fatal wound to the heart a mere flesh wound. It had been more than just a long night as the events of yesterday replayed in his mind like a broken track, his thoughts straying throughout the night and morning to the younger woman that lived next door. 

"Walk with me," the older man said, his quiet voice coming out more like a demand than a request. 

"Of course," he nodded walking as they passed room after room full of scrolls and documents, many of which most likely awaited the urgent attention of the next Hokage.