Chasing You

12. Runaway

"Y'know, maybe we should've sent a partner with her...or something."

Kakashi looks up from his book with a questionable look on his face. It made sense for his sensei to look at him that way. He's not even sure why he's suggesting it now.

Just seconds after she left out the door.

"Are you implying that she needs assistance on delivering a scroll? That she can't do this on her own?"

"What? No way!"

"Well then...are you implying that you should've gone with her?"

He looks at his sensei unhappily. Of course that's not what he meant. That's not what he meant at all. There were just some concerns...which totally had nothing to do with her strength! He knew what Hinata was capable of. He knew of her strength and abilities. Hinata will be just fine.

It's just that-

"With everything going on and stuff...with the mystery thefts and everything, maybe we should've taken precautions, y'know."

He watched his sensei put his book down in thought, but the action made him worry even more. It made something in his gut clench and his nerves unwire.

Did Kakahsi-sensei even think this through?

Isn't this the main priority of a Hokage... to be extra alert about stuff? Shouldn't he have suggested this sooner? Why didn't he do so?

That wasn't very Hokage of him. What would have Gaara done? Or the other Kages?

He deeply sighs. It's getting to his head now.

Because as soon as she stepped out...as soon as her retreating form was replaced with two wooden doors...his smile automatically dropped. He knew he was being unfair about this, but Hinata's safety came first.

She'll be fine. You're overreacting. Everything's gonna be fine.

Yeah, he shouldn't stress over anything. Because she's fine.

But then again...

Maybe he should've gone with her. Not because he doubted her skill. But only to scout more information.

Yeah. Only to gather more intel. Nothing else.

Then again, he could be thinking about this all wrong. Being all pessimistic and stuff. Which wasn't like him at all. And it bothered Naruto to think like this.

Hinata can take care of herself.

She'll be fine. It's okay. Everything's fine.

For fuck's sake she literally just stepped out the door.

He feels like a loser for being this way.

"Well, considering that there hasn't been any physical contact with the perpetrators, the council and I came up with many assumptions. One claim being that the suspects are dangerous, which is a given, considering that they were able to sneak the scrolls from under our noses. It's truly nonsensical to think about. Konoha has some of the finest sensory ninja and it baffles me that this was able to happen..." Kakashi trails off, his black eyes looking distant.

"So I'm right then..." Naruto mutters, his gut feeling more uneasy than before. Immediately his mind trails back to pessimist thoughts. He just couldn't help himself.

"Yes and no," Kakashi sighs as he sits up on the loveseat straighter, closing his book. "You have to realize that not all solo missions are going to be safe, Naruto. You should know this. It could be as low as a D rank, and then-"