Unbreakable (Book 1) #Wattys2015

Horrific- Katsu

                                                                                          6 months later

"Don't forget to pick up some ramen on the way home!" Hibiki called from his room as Kakashi moved to exit the house.

Katsu half-smiled. The white-haired little boy hadn't changed at all since they had first freed him from that prison cell. Except he was but a few inches taller. And stronger.

Kakashi grinned behind his mask. "How could I?" he asked. It was nearly midnight and the ninja sensei insisted on visiting the grocery store for a reason Katsu didn't know.

"Why must you go at this ungodly hour?" she asked in slight disappointment. She would much rather him stay home.

Kakashi blinked at her blankly and rubbed the back of his neck. It was quite a simple movement but Katsu recognized it as one he involuntarily acted one when he was nervous. Or hiding something. He also took a second longer than necessary to answer, confirming Katsu's suspicions.

She narrowed her eyes.

But Kakashi swiftly played off his brief hesitation with a charming smile. "Well, hun, it is our half–year anniversary tomorrow. I want to be certain there is nothing else I can find to bring on our picnic. I want it to be perfect. And I had a last-minute idea for something special."

Katsu smiled and nodded after a moment's consideration. After all, Kakashi wouldn't really keep anything from her, would he? She was just being irrational.

"I'll be back soon," he murmured into her ear before pecking her on the lips through his mask.

"I'll hold down the fort," she replied with a small smirk before she pushed him toward the door. He'd pulled off his jounin vest after their training session that day, only leaving on his black muscle-shirt that extended to include his mask. "Just hurry back."

Kakashi winked before calling, "Love you!" and exiting the house.

Hibiki, who now stood in the hallway beside her shook his head and shuddered dramatically. "Oh, gag me."

Katsu leaned down to ruffle the boy's messy hair causing him to yelp and push her hands away. "Not the hair!" he cried in horror. "Not the hair! Do you know how long it takes to get it looking like this every morning?!"

Katsu rolled her eyes and prayed for an aspirin. "Oh, please," she groaned. "You rolled out of bed with it looking like that."

Hibiki gasped, a hand flying to his heart in astonishment. "I am truly offended."

"Yeah, yeah, you know, if you weren't such a talented ninja, I would advise you to consider a career in theatrics," Katsu said, heading for their family room. "Now, why don't you go get the girls and we play a game of scrabble, eh?"

Hibiki froze and looked at her with narrowed eyes. He may have been wearing a mask of indifference, but his blue eyes sparked like chidori voltage. Hibiki loved games. "Loser does the dishes," he said, his tone stoic before racing off to retrieve Tamiko and Erika.

                                                                                                 *    *    *

Katsu and Kakashi had been dating for half a year. It was true. And Katsu adored every moment of their relationship. Ever since the night of their first date, Katsu's bond with her sensei had only grown ever stronger.

By just being in Kakashi's presence, Katsu felt the cavernous wound Sasuke had left in her heart beginning to slowly mend itself. And she was so much happier. But she had never yet told him straight forwardly that she loved him. Not yet. She was saving it for their half-year anniversary. Which was tomorrow. It had become a joke between them, Kakashi vowing to do everything he could before then to make her say it early.