The Return - Kakashi x Rin

Chapter 16

Rin, and the rest of the group assigned for the mission to get the rest of Team Minato were waiting at the gates of Konoha for Kakashi.

(Rin POV)
Rin tapped her foot impatiently as she looked around waiting for the last person to join them so they could begin their mission. Normally Rin wouldn't mind waiting, but it had been 30 minutes since they were supposed to have met and left.

Rin turned to the others, who didn't seem as annoyed as Rin like they were used to this and expected to start the mission late. Rin could tell because Sasuke and Naruto had gone so far to bring a pack of cards to play poker and were placing bets while they waited. Sakura looked between them watching the game. Jiraiya was off to the side working on his new book basically drooling to himself as he was writing. Itachi was leaning against a tree as he watched Sasuke and Naruto play poker. Who are we waiting for, we should have left ages ago." Rin said trying to kept in her exasperation in.

"We're waiting for Kakashi, he's always late he could be here soon or he might take his time and show up later." Sasuke said not looking from the poker game.

Rin was surprised that she had noticed that Kakashi wasn't here. She hadn't even thought to look for him, she never figured that Kakashi would be late to anything. "You said that Kakashi is always late for things?" Rin asked not being able to hide her shock.

"Yup Kakashi - Sensei has been doing that since we've been his students." Naruto said as he looked up at Rin and while he did that Sasuke won the game which caused Naruto yell out in surprise and anger.

"Double or nothing!" Naruto demanded.

"If you want to keep losing sure." Sasuke said as began to shuffle the cards.

Rin's attention was pulled away from the poker game between the two boys as she felt a timid tap on her shoulder. Rin looked to see Sakura standing next to her. "Yes Sakura?" Rin asked sweetly.

"Do you think you could teach me some medical jutsus?" Sakura asked looking up at Rin with her eyes pleading.

"You want me to teach you?" Rin asked not being able to keep the surprise out of her voice while pointing at herself in surprise.

Sakura nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yes Kakashi - Sensei said you are one of the best medical ninjas he knows." Sakura asked.

Rin blushed slightly at the comment. "Wow I never thought I'd hear Kakashi say something like that." Rin said.

"Oh that's weird Kakashi has talked highly and fondly of you ever since you've been back." Sakura said.

"I'm going to need to talk to Kakashi this later." Rin thought taking note of what Sakura said.

Rin dove into conversation with Sakura showing her new medical jutsus and explaining the complexities of chakra control among many other things.

Another 30 minutes passed with Rin still talking to Sakura about medical justsus before the copy ninja finally arrived.

"Yo how's it going?" Kakashi asked giving a wave.

"What took you so long to get here?" Rin asked.

"There was an old lady to help with her groceries." Kakashi said.

Rin's eyes widened in realization as that was one of the many excuses that Obito had used whenever he was late to training. When Rin looked back at Kakashi, his attention was on Sasuke and Naruto.

"You two are playing poker again, are you hustling him like I taught you Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm leading 10 games to 0." Sasuke said while giving an evil smile.

Naruto's expression turned to one of betrayal and surprise. "Wait I'm being hustled and you taught him how to hustle Kakashi - Sensei?" Naruto asked in a complete state of shock.

"I thought that it would be good for Sasuke." Kakashi said shrugging not really having a good reason.

"Time to pay up dobe." Sasuke said.

Naruto grumbled a response as he pulled out his frog wallet to pay Sasuke.

Jiraiya was practically rolling around on the ground laughing that Naruto had been played so hard while Sakura and Rin did their best to suppress their giggles. Even Itachi cracked a smile.

"Ok now we can get going let's go." Kakashi said as he began to lead as Lady Tsunade had appointed him the leader of the mission.
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(Kakashi POV)
(A couple hours later)
Kakashi was reading through Icha Icha Paradise and looked up to see what the others were doing. His three students were talking amongst themselves, Jiraiya was trying to defuse an argument between Sasuke and Naruto that was beginning to break out. Itachi just watched on.

Kakashi looked in front of him to see Rin standing there with a determined look on her face.

"What's going Rin?" Kakashi asked as he tilted his head in confusion and still held Icha Icha Paradise in his other hand.

"We need to talk." Rin said staring Kakashi down.

The others who were walking ahead of Kakashi and Rin stopped and looked back at the two of them. "Privately." Rin added.

The others took the hint and continued walking forward. "So what's going on?" Kakashi asked as he put Icha Icha Paradise away and looked at Rin.

"I want answers Kakashi, what happened to you after I died?" Rin asked.

"Oh come Rin that's not -." Kakashi said trying to avoid answering.

"No Kakashi cut out the downplaying bs, I want straight answers. If I came back to life you need to be honestly with me." Rin said raising her voice in anger.

Kakashi was taken aback by Rin's outburst. Kakashi smiled though and relented, Rin did deserve answers. "Ok Rin you want to know what happened to me?" Kakashi asked.

Rin just gave him a nod in response.

"Very well." Kakashi said as he began.

"After your death I fell into a very dark place where I felt all alone, Minato - Sensei and Kushina were there for me trying to make sure that I wouldn't do anything too drastic. After their deaths, I fell into an even darker place where I would accept suicide missions as part of the ANBU where I would test how long it would take for me to die. That's when Guy and the others stepped in, they went to the third Hokage and alerted him to what state I was in. That's how I became a teacher, so that's what my past had been. I rather not talk about it because I've moved past my demons and darkness and I wouldn't want to think back upon that time." Kakashi concluded.

Rin was shocked by what Kakashi had told her with tears on brink of rolling down her face. "Kakashi." Rin said softly her voice on the verge of breaking in sadness.

"Please don't cry Rin there's no point, I've moved past those times and you were right that I should have told you now that you're back." Kakashi said.

"I'm sorry that you had to endure that Kakashi no one would have to go through that." Rin said.

"Nah it's fine Rin, I'm just glad that I've told you now we're closer with each other. Now let's catch up with the others." Kakashi said as he and Rin quickly made their way to catch up with the others.

It took 10 minutes for Kakashi and Rin to finally catch up with the others who they found crouched behind some boulders looking into the desert. "What's going on?" Rin asked.

"Minato, Kushina, and Obito are in that desert we're ready to take action and get them back." Jiraiya said.

"Ok now everyone, we will split into the groups that we prepared for the mission everyone know the plan?" Kakashi asked.

Everyone nodded. "You ready to go Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke nodded with a determined look on his face and nodded.

Itachi smiled slightly at seeing his brother so pumped up and determined.

"Ok everyone let's scatter." Kakashi said as everyone split into groups.