Take Me in Your Arms - K.H x F!Y/N x I.U

9. Chance Encounter

Age: 15

The Hokage was always so understanding.

It left a bad taste in your mouth.

Lord Third had always seemed rather insincere, but, now, your entire perspective had shifted.

Standing up from your kneeling position, you thanked the Hokage profusely for allowing you re-entry to the village and for employment with the Academy (at least you tried to sound genuine, even if a little malice wormed its way into your tone)

You were to teach fitness classes at the Academy, and be the introduction to taijutsu for the students.

Yay.

"It will be nice to have the Muse of Konoha back," the Hokage said with false warmth. "Your songs have been greatly missed."

You struggled to smile. "I doubt Haruki-"

"Haruki-San has come to this very office every week, begging for me to send a team to retrieve you," the Hokage chuckled.

You closed your mouth, eyebrows furrowing in disbelief.

Lord Third hummed, "He will welcome you with open arms, I'm very sure."

Bowing your head, you became unsure of what to say.

You surely didn't want to go to Kinka Izakaya right now. Not for a while.

"Now, it's getting late, you must have to go make your rounds- tell the ones you love that you've returned," Lord Third urged, knitting his fingers together over the desk. "Your classes start Monday, at nine sharp. It would be beneficial for you to convene with Iruka Umino, regarding class structures and lesson plans." You nodded, and the Hokage smiled, "You're dismissed, enjoy your first evening back in the Leaf."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," you muttered with a bow, before turning and leaving his office.

As you walked through the halls of the massive Acadmey building with Kiiromaru, you took a deep breath.

Nothing had changed.

But, still, you weren't used to navigating such a massive structure anymore. Huge buildings, with tall ceilings, and winding hallways, were foreign to the Land of Flowers, so you were now somewhat out of your depth.

It all felt very claustrophobic.

Trying to find your way out of the building, you and Kiiromaru got sort of lost.

You knew where you were, and where you wanted to be, but you hadn't a clue how to get there.

"Need some help?"

Itchy, itchy, itchy. Your skin felt hot, and immediately damp. The air was sucked from your lungs, replaced with a certain brand of contempt.

"Not from you," you snipped.

You and Kiiromaru picked up the pace in the direction you were going, though you had already gone down this hallway twice.

It just lead in a massive square.

Despite his silent steps, you knew Kakashi - your captain - was right on your tail.

So, dead in your tracks, you stopped.

Kakashi bumped into you, apparently following too close to stop so quickly.

Whipping around to face him, you glared up at the silver haired ninja. He wasn't in his Anbu uniform... the chest plate had been replaced by a Jonin's flak jacket and a forehead protector rested over his sharingan, concealing the red with blue fabric.