The Lost Flower of the Hidden Leaf (WIP)

Chapter Nine; Understanding

Unable to sleep, Naruto set out for the training grounds near the lake right after sunrise. His orange jumpsuit blended in with the warm sky above as he walked out of the village. The merry twittering of birds resonated everywhere around him, but Naruto couldn't bring himself to appreciate the cheerful sound. His whole being felt heavy, and he wasn't sure which emotion weighed him down the most. 
Resentment. Anger. Jealousy. Hatred. Sadness. Guilt. They came together and wrenched Naruto's heart, twisting inside him like a hurricane, threatening to sweep him away. Part of him blamed it all on Katana and Sasuke. But the more sensible part knew he had no one but himself to blame for his current misery. 

I shouldn't have lashed out like that. I should've just kept my big mouth shut and kept my cool. My temper got the better of me, and now... I might lose the only friend I have. 

Naruto clutched the scroll in his hand tightly. It was just a shuriken technique, but it was the only thing that would make sense to give to Katana. He prayed fervently she would show up. Even if they couldn't talk for very long, the very least he could do was apologize for his behavior. Not just for yesterday, but for the day he left for the Land of Waves as well. He'd been so blunt with her then. To think that could've been the last memory she had of him...
The blond arrived at their usual meeting spot and glanced around, hoping that maybe Katana went back to the okiya during the night and she was already waiting for him, perhaps even without her 'guardians' so they could have a few minutes alone. But she was nowhere to be found.
Naruto sighed and looked out over the lake. The surface glistened in the morning sun; the water reflecting playfully as it caught a breeze. It was so inviting. 

Well, I might as well go for a swim while I wait for her to show up. It's not like I have anywhere else I need to be.

He stripped to his boxers, and diligently folded his clothes, putting his forehead protector on top. Carefully, he waded into the lake, yelping as the cold struck him. But if there was one thing Naruto learned from Katana was to bite through it and just dive in. After making sure he had a good footing, and there weren't any weeds that could tangle around him, Naruto took a deep breath and let the water take him. 

***

When Katana caught Kakashi waiting for her at the entrance of the okiya, an inexplicable sense of anxiety crept inside of her. There was something about the way the Jōnin stood that alerted every fiber of her being. 

"Good morning." He greeted her with a little wave. "Sleep well?"

It was a simple question, yet Katana immediately searched for the intent behind the question. Did he know about her little escapade? 

"Where are the Chunin who are supposed to escort me?" she asked. 

"Hm? Oh, I spoke with Lord Hokage and Mameha. We came to the agreement that all that security was perhaps a little too much. So, we toned it down. You'll be under my supervision from on."

"Only yours?"

Kakashi smirked — or at least, she assumed he did by the quirky laughing wrinkles at his eye, since his mouth was always hidden beneath that stupid mask. 

"There won't be any other shinobi, you have my word. The ANBU agent wasn't up for discussion, however."

She should be grateful. From five guardians besides Mameha and Kitiara, she went to only two. But Katana still found the new arrangement odd. Odd and suspicious. 

"Mameha informed me you have some errands to run before you have to rejoin her for training. We best not dawdle. You know how she likes punctuality."

Katana rolled her eyes as they walked toward the village. She didn't really care what Mameha liked. Ever since she returned to the okiya from the hospital, the geisha watched her like a hawk. If she could put a leash on Katana, she would have done so without a moment's hesitation. It was a miracle she hadn't caught her leaving and returning from visiting Sasuke. And speaking of visiting...