Love Triangle: Kakashi vs. Genma

57 | Obvious Choice, Right?

Kakashi really just wanted time to himself. He had so much going on. His students, his own missions, his health, [Y/N]... And yet, between Asuma, Sakura, Tsunade and Naruto, he hardly got any time at all to himself.

[Y/N] hadn't come around again that week. Asuma told him that she had taken another mission assignment outside of the village (Kakashi didn't bring up the ANBU thing—he was sure Asuma didn't know and that was the last thing anyone needed). Asuma also made sure to tell Kakashi that [Y/N] was taking the situation hard, but that he understood Kakashi must be too. The silver haired man just nodded, neglecting to comment on it, as Asuma had expected.

Kakashi didn't mean to be rude. It was just that he didn't like to talk about his feelings with others and honestly, even if he did, he had no idea what to say. He hadn't really been able to work through this situation himself yet. Was he going to lose [Y/N] to Genma, again? Or would she come back and tell him that everything was a mistake, she was his and his only? Could he move past it all? He just needed time to work it out and decide how he felt too.

Which was hard, of course, since Naruto started camping out in the bed next to Kakashi's, determined to start training again the very second Kakashi got the okay to leave the hospital. Kakashi didn't mind necessarily, but it wasn't like he encouraged Naruto to stay every single night.

Then Tsunade and Sakura came around twice a day every day to observe Kakashi's status. He figured that the two of them were anxious to get him well and get him out of the hospital—mostly for the sake of everyone else in the hospital. They needed Naruto out too. He was taking up a perfectly good bed and he wasn't exactly quiet about it.

The day he was released, Kakashi decided that he might as well start Naruto's training. Naruto wouldn't let him have it any other way. Plus, he hadn't heard from [Y/N] and as far as he knew, she wasn't in the village anyway, so there was no sense in sulking around at home. She would come to him when she was ready. In the meantime, he needed to keep busy.

Training Naruto was definitely turning out to be that thing he needed too. Naruto was so impatient and stubborn and his temper hadn't improved at all—it was the perfect distraction. Having to really focus to get Naruto to pay attention and listen was exactly what he needed. Plus, Tenzo was here to make sure Naruto didn't lose control. He had this completely under control. It wasn't until Naruto came running up and asked him another question that he realized his distraction had loopholes.

"Kakashi-sensei... Is there anyone else in the Leaf village who's got a wind chakra nature like mine?" Naruto asked.

[Y/N] does. That's the first nature she's inclined to, he thought immediately. He did not see this one coming. He had just stopped thinking about her. Kakashi sighed internally in defeat. She would never be off of his mind, would she? But then, Asuma also used wind. He could send Naruto that way...

"You know, there is one person I can think of..." Kakashi said, thinking it over. "Knowing him, he's probably playing Shogi right now. Send a clone back to the village and find Asuma. The rest of your clones can get back to training in the meantime."

Naruto nodded and took off across the field. Kakashi sighed and Tenzo glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He knew how much his friend was struggling right now. He only hoped [Y/N] would come to her senses soon enough. Kakashi was a good man and he loved her so much, it was an obvious choice in his opinion. But he didn't know if it seemed that way to her. Who would she choose?