namikaze girl ! k. hatake

nine.

{kakashi's pov.}

i knew he was approaching closer shortly before reaching the site of itachi and sasuke's fight. yamato seemed the most uncertain, the most bothered by rei's appearance over anyone. i couldn't blame him, and i was proud of him thinking so cautiously. still, the simple thought of rei made my heart throb all over again; it breaks me each time i'm reminded of her path in life. the selfish part of me wished she didn't think so highly of naruto; so much so that she was entirely prepared to die in order to gain a little bit of information.

"kakashi senpai," yamato's voice pulled me from my thoughts, but reminded me that i knew he would have questions. "are you certain we can trust her?"

"are you doubting my intuition?" i couldn't help but tease, knowing yamato would quickly deny the idea. even in such darkened moments, i needed to have a little fun.

"no, that's not it," he slowly stated, seeming nervous to continue. "it's just that she is a rogue ninja. you can never been so certain of her intentions."

"she's his sister. i know her well," i confidently stated, though still hoping i wouldn't regret it. i knew i could trust rei, but i was anxious to wait twenty-four hours for her to come back again. i loathed the waiting period, and i had nothing more to worry about other than that.

"how capable is she? would she be able to hold her end of the bargain?" yamato asked quietly, as to not disturb the rest of the group following us. i flinched, hating his choice of words entirely. she is capable, yes, but i was continuously reminded that 'her end of the bargain' referred to the unspoken alliance; we wouldn't kill her for being a rogue ninja if she was prepared to be used as a pawn for naruto's safety.

"rei is stronger than the fourth hokage," i remained confident, sending a silent apology to minato, though i doubt he would be so bothered by my statement. "she doesn't fear anything, and she doesn't back out of a fight."

i know this only because of our own fight. it was the first time i witnessed her walk away, even as i was allowing her to kill me if she so pleased. at that moment in specific, i knew she would never betray konoha. it warmed my heart to think that, maybe, the feelings were mutual, though the true, fact side of me kept reminding me that it was only because of the headband i wore. if i were from any other hidden village, she would have killed me that night. if she had gotten a hold of tobi, she wouldn't have stopped until he was mutilated entirely. although i was uncertain what it was about itachi that made his death announcement hit so close to her, i decided that she just needed a moment to recollect herself and her thoughts. i've witnessed the power of the fourth hokage, of minato sensei, and i knew rei was just as capable, if not more so. if the fate of konoha rested in her hands, she would not be reckless. if there was anything i cared for more than her, it was home.

"she may not act accordingly, but she has the will of fire. i know she does. i just need you to trust me on that, yamato," i calmly stated, feeling a weight lifted from my chest knowing that i've done all i could to convince yamato of rei's true intent. he nodded, accepting my words of affirmation within a beat.

"of course, kakashi senpai," his tone was softer, submissive to my certainty. i was grateful, though worry filled me entirely. if i was wrong - and i doubted i was - she would be my own responsibility. if there were to come a moment that i doubted her, i would be obligated to handle it, even if it meant killing her. even if the chances were so slim, i couldn't help but worry. on top of that, i selfishly enjoyed thinking of what could have been if she weren't rogue. i imagined a life with her, even if she likely didn't give me a second thought. if she were still with me, i wouldn't have to worry so much about having to kill her, or at the very least stop her. she would be at home, now, tending to our family, not snooping into the business of the akatsuki. i didn't particularly praise myself for thinking of her so obsessively, but i had no interest in stopping; i love her too much, every time i saw her my heart would drop six stories.