Yours Forever

1

You check your watch and sigh, a small smile creeping up your lips.

Late again.

You can't say you're surprised, though.

That's just how he is.

You've been waiting at Ichiraku for a full twenty minutes before you decide to just go ahead and order a ramen for yourself.

When Kakashi finally ambles over, hands stuffed casually in his pockets, you're half finished your second bowl.

His mask creases as he pouts upon seeing you get started without him.

"You couldn't wait?" Kakashi asks, taking a seat next to you on the metal stool beside yours.

You smile at him, half-exasperated, half-teasing. "I've been waiting for thirty whole minutes!" You exclaim, rolling your eyes.

Kakashi sighs and waves Teuchi over to order.

"I know, I know. Listen I just—"

"Got lost on the path of life?" You suggest, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, one miso ramen, thanks," Kakashi tells Teuchi before turning back to you with a shrug.

You swat at him. "Kakashi, I'm not one of your students. Be honest with me," you request, eyes earnest.

Kakashi exhales and averts his gaze, fixing his eyes on the children who stumble down the busy dirt road, laughing and weaving through the bustling crowd following the main route through the village.

"I was visiting the grave."

The melancholy in his voice is almost indiscernible, but it's there.

"Again? Kakashi, it's been years since she died. Rin would want you to move on," you appeal.

He turns to you and gives you a wry, conspiratorial smile. "You know it's not that easy," he says.

And you do.

You're the same, visiting the monument from the war your father died in every night when the insomnia hits.

Thoughtfully, you nod.

Teuchi slides a steaming bowl of ramen across the counter to Kakashi.

"You're paying," you pipe up, hoping to inject some much needed levity into your conversation with him.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow at you as he pulls the ramen towards him, looking slightly amused. "Oh?"

"Since you kept me waiting and all," you say.

Kakashi sighs and reaches for his chopsticks. "Whatever you say, y/n," he resigns, shaking his head softly. "Whatever you say."

A big, bright smile stretches across your face as you call the elderly owner of the ramen shop over. "Hey, Teuchi! Can I get another ramen over here?"

Kakashi groans and sifts through his pockets for his wallet. "You're unbelievable, you know that?" He carps.

Nonchalantly, you shrug, smile still in place. "I know."

...

From high up sitting on a thick branch in a bushy-leaved tree, your legs swing back and forth underneath you and you observe what's happening on the ground directly below—training.

Kakashi's training his students, the threesome, again.

A sentimental smile drifts onto your face as you watch the utmost care in which he helps Sasuke refine his chidori, instructs Sakura on taijutsu and guides Naruto through the basics of chakra in a way that can get through even his thick skull.

He's a good sensei. Thorough and meticulous yet spontaneous all the same. That's Kakashi for you.

He's patient, too—a crucial trait required to be a sensei. You could never. You're far too bold, far too restlessly eager for the teaching job.

The Anbu position you hold suits you just fine.

You spectate as the three students get into a squabble—over something trivial, no doubt.

How youthful they are, you reflect, watching Sakura's face contort in fury. How full of promise.

It will be the genin like them that will take on the role of protecting this very village and inheriting the will of fire in the years to come.

But, for quite a while, they will remain the petty, careless kids they are.

Kakashi's face is buried in Icha Icha Paradise, so you take the opportunity to soundlessly hop off your branch behind him and roughly grab him by the shoulders.

He recoils, eyes wide in shock and whips around to face you.

When he sees it's just you, Kakashi regains his composure. "Ah, it's you, y/n," he observes, eyeing you with just a hint of irritation.

You giggle and lay an arm across Kakashi's shoulder. "You're a bad example for these kids, Kakashi!" You criticize jokingly. "It seems their sensei's once-keen senses have since dulled."

Just then, the three genins take notice of you and scurry over.

"Y/n-chan!" Naruto cries, face splitting into a goofy grin as he rushes over to your side.

You smile and wave at the three of them amiably. "How's training going, you guys?"

Arms crossed, Sasuke huffs. "Too easy."

Boy if that kid doesn't remind you of little you.

"Pretty great," Sakura tells you, her eyes shining eagerly. "I'm learning chakra control the fastest."

You pat her head affectionately. "There's my girl."

Nudging Kakashi with your shoulder you tease, "These kids'll be stronger than you one day soon, eh, Kakashi?"

Kakashi rolls his eyes and shoves his hands in his pockets, scoffing.

"I bet you're stronger than Kakashi-sensei, y/n-san!" Sakura cries, hands clasped together earnestly and eyes aglow with exuberance.

Watching trees sway lightly in the wind, Sasuke comments wryly, "Doesn't take much to best someone like him."

Now that has Kakashi affronted and he spins around to face you head-on, that competitive spark in his eyes from your chunin days rekindled.

"We'll just see about that," he remarks, the smirk twisting on his face just visible under the fabric of his mask.

"Y/n, you up for a spar?"

You take one glance at the three kids—Sakura, her eyes wide in admiration for you, Sasuke, acting like he couldn't care less but you can tell he's at least a little intrigued, and Naruto, who whoops rowdily, pumping his fists in the air—then immediately decide that there's no way you can reject.

You snap the spare elastic you always carry around off your wrist and pull your long hazel sheet of hair into a ponytail, eyes fixed intently on Kakashi.

Shrugging and smiling an easy smile you say, "Why not?"