Roses {Kakashi Hatake}

20. ANBU

Akahana didn't take Minato's and Kushina's passing very well and was pretty damn pissed about allowing Naruto to be treated like a nobody, and later on like a monster. She knew how narrow-minded people could be and expected prejudgement to fall upon the poor kid, but she was loyal and would never tell a soul the truth.

She promised herself she'd stand up for him if she were to see someone treating him like the monster inside of him, shinobi or not.

"Aka-chan?"

She turned to the Gai, who was trying to get her attention, along with Asuma and Kurenai, "I just need--"

"Some time alone?" Kurenai finished her sentence for her, "Look, I get why you would say that, but you of all people should know you have to talk about it to others to be able to let it go."

Kurenai had a point, Akahana acknowledged that, "I just don't want to believe it," she eventually said, her eyes watery, "I can't stop thinking about it, I shouldn't have seen it."

Gai wrapped his arms around her in a friendly manner in an attempt to comfort the girl. When he had broken the hug, he came up with an idea, "I think I know what you need, distraction. You should take some time off from shinobi business, so you stop thinking about it."

Asuma put his hand on her shoulder, "He's got a point, you've been taking way too many missions and training sessions lately, you need rest."

Akahana let out a smile, "I'll give it a thought."

"You better."

***

Driven by how Kakashi was dealing with their passing, Akahana did quite the opposite. Instead of taking her advised rest, she had decided she'd join the ANBU, to give Kakashi emotional support on missions.

Not that he thought he needed it, though. He thought he was doing fine.

"Left or right?" the girl asked Mizuko, referring to which arm she was going to have her ANBU tattoo on, "Always visible or mostly hidden."

Mizuko sighed, "Depends, do you want to look like an arrogant douchebag?"

"You think Kakashi looks like an arrogant douchebag?"

"No, that's just who he is."

Akahana raised her eyebrows, surprised by how harsh her aunt was at the moment. Perhaps it was her way of dealing with grief. That, or Akahana had to have gotten to know her better.

"Does getting a tattoo hurt?"

Mizuko shrugged, "Only a bit. I felt nearly nothing."

Unfortunately for the redhead, her aunt apparently had a higher pain tolerance than her, since it hurt like a bitch. "Aka-chan, it can't have been that bad," Mako mused, "I don't buy it for a second when you say it hurt more than being thrown against a tree."

"It's not the same kind of pain, Mako!" Akahana retorted, "It's like someone is stabbing you continuously with nasty little blades."

"Here comes the drama queen," Naoki mused, "A perfect match for his dramatic royal highness Hatake Kakashi."

Akahana elbowed him in the side, "Damn right I'm a queen. Damn wrong I'm dramatic."

"Eccentric," Shikaku blended in, having been with the three team members the whole time, "You really should work on your wording."

Naoki scoffed, "Is this your job now? Staying with us and occasionally make some snarky remarks?"

Shikaku shook his head, chuckling, "It's more of a second parttime job."