Someone you loved

Chapter 35

#Time skip 3 months#

Sympathetic, Tsunade watched the silver-haired Jounin frantically look through her desk, clutching a bundle of scrolls to his chest.

This had been going on ever since the Uchiha had left the village; night for night Kakashi would break into the office and hold her written reports to his heart. If she wasn't so fed-up with his cowardly behaviour, she would have pitied him but now she only felt annoyance. Instead of clearing up what must have been a pretty big misunderstanding, Kakashi wallowed in himself, allowing his team to break apart like he never cared about them in the first place.

The blonde Hokage still didn't know all the details of what had happened that night three months ago, but it was clear to see that it affected the entire village.

The once legendary Team 7 was breaking and turning into what the Sannin had become; a team broken because they had given up on each other. Deep in her heart she felt disappointed, she had honestly believed that team would prove her wrong and show her what the Sannin should have been. But Sasuke had moved out of the Hatake compound, living in a small apartment on the other side of the village, Sakura had returned to her parents and turned quieter and quieter as the days passed, and Sai had returned to Inoichi's care. The boy had had a relapse after the kunoichi hadn't returned after a few days. That all left Kakashi alone in the big house and anyone could see that he was teetering the brink of insanity.

"You could just ask me about her like the rest of your brats do instead of breaking into the Hokage office," muttered Tsunade drily.

Slowly, Kakashi looked at the Senju, face blank and dark bags beneath his eye. The Konoha hitai-ate hadn't adored his head for months now, so she caught bits and pieces of a dull sharingan eye.

"... the letters ..." whispered the Hatake hoarsely. "They have her scent ... I need that ..."

Anyone who wouldn't feel sorry at the defeated mutter of the Jounin wasn't human. But Tsunade was very much human and her worry for the man grew day by day exceptionally. It wasn't only the worry that the village would lose two of its strongest shinobi but also the worry about losing a good friend. Once upon a time she had considered making Kakashi her successor but looking at the shinobi now – tired, emaciated, exhausted, a body without soul – it was a faraway dream.

Pushing away from the wall she was leaning on, the blonde stepped towards him, arms crossed in front of her chest.

Frowning, she looked him up and down before asking firmly: "How close is Hound to breaking through?"

It was a weird question to ask but Kakashi knew the true meaning behind it. How close was he to losing control of himself? How long until Hound would murder anyone standing in the way of his love? How long until he'd shatter?

Hound, the monster that had been born in shadows and blood and anguish when all he had wanted was to forget. The wolf that had been close to death before meeting his pack. Who could stand in his way when he gave in to the madness?

"I won't go after her," stated Kakashi frostily, hands balled to fists.

That was not what Tsunade had expected from the Jounin. Had she read the situation so wrong? Did Kakashi really not intent to make up with Chiasa ad get his team back?

"Why?"

For once there was a flicker of life in his eyes as he whispered: "I refuse to hurt her again. I always thought that if I found the one person that makes me complete, I could never touch someone else. But all it took was a few drinks and I... Hatake are supposed to be loyal to their chosen, I don't know how..."