Icy Fang (A Kakashi Story)

More story relevant flashbacks

The next morning I awoke to the smell of breakfast and hints of small talk between one of the teammates and Sensei. I got out of bed, slipped on my shoes and grabbed my headband before heading to the stairs. I scanned down the hall finding that only 4 doors were open, meaning 1, Sensei, Minato-sensei plus I was up. Minato-sensei was in the washroom, taking a morning shower so I decided not to wait for him and head downstairs by myself.

Traveling down the stairs I heard 1 scolding her Sensei, “Wait.” She paused. “One of them is awake. And would you please put a shirt on when people are over. Oh and don’t think you’re off the hook, dear Sensei.” She hissed his name in warning.

She knew I was on the stairs, the others treat her like a plague, but I see her as a well-trained kunoichi. I continued my descent down the stairs passing a topless Sensei. He smiled and nodded, addressing me by name before continuing his ascent. Suddenly the carefree Sensei seemed much more dangerous, his chest and back were riddled with scars, burns and marks of torture but there were fresher marks. His chest was covered in one giant bruise, smaller ones littered his back. It was as though he had been beaten brutally by ten men or more, were they from a previous mission? Was this team even deployed this week, aside from now?

I didn’t have time to ask any more questions as 1 entered my field of vision. We each nodded to each other as she continued to cook, well more like, tried to not let anything burn until it was ash. I was sitting at the table nearby watching her. She wasn’t graceful, she moved about the kitchen spastically. One minute she would be looking for something, the next she’d be trying to keep eggs from burning. At first she kept an emotionless mask but as more and more things went wrong her facial expressions became more open and I could see that she had never really cooked before. When flipping the eggs she would bite her lip, while running about she kept a nervous eye on the stove, when faced with burnt food she would crinkle her nose before pursing her lips upset at herself for letting it happen.

I rolled my eyes finally taking pity on her, I can’t believe she’s never cooked, don’t they rotate the chores around here? “Here let me cook, you get the ingredients prepared.”

She glanced at me, eyes holding surprise and a certain happiness. Odd thing was, her happiness wasn’t from me taking the burden it seemed to come from me just talking to her, being kind. She nodded bowing slightly, “Thank you.”

We continued to work together until our sensei’s walked in. Minato smiled pleasantly at the two of us while Sensei glanced a concerned look at 1. She shrugged and Sensei’s glance floated to me, as though analyzing me, finally he grinned before closing his eyes peacefully.

“Well, it’s good to see you two getting along.” Minato said grabbing a chair at the table.

“Yes it’s rare that someone gets close to 1, let alone cook beside her.” Sensei said earning a quick ‘Shut up’ from 1.

I just ignored the comments and continued to cook, but a nagging thought stayed with me. Why do people avoid her? Is she just closed off, hard to get to know or do they avoid her for another reason?

I was beginning to hate how many unanswered questions this girl was giving me. I was normally good at reading people, their intentions, how they act, reasoning’s and motives but she was different. While everyone was an open book she was a locked journal. The only people I wasn’t able to read were Minato-sensei and other high ranking nin, it was quite frustrating not being able to read one my own age.

Soon breakfast was ready and less burnt than it would have been had 1 cooked it all, so the others began trickling into the kitchen. 2, 3 and Rin were getting along famously, discussing usual girl things like hair or something, whereas Obito looked barely awake. Conversation flowed easily between everyone except 1 and I. We ate our food in silence and I only took a bite when no one was watching.