Aftermath (Kakashi Hatake)

Part 7: Kushina

Two days after the war ended I was awoken bright and early by someone pounding on my door. I looked over at Kakashi who was sprawled across my bed, still asleep somehow despite all the noise. I smiled a little at my best friend before putting on my mask and moving out of my room to answer the door. I was very surprised to find none of other than Uzumaki Kushina standing red faced on the other side of my door. "You're coming with me." She said and started dragging me out of my apartment with surprising strength. "Kushina-chan, wait. Kushina....KUSHINA" I finally yelled and she turned to look at me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I'm excited, what is it?" She asked and I laughed a little. "Let me go wake up Kakashi real quick, I don't know where we are going but I can't just disappear. You've seen his hair, he doesn't need anymore gray!" I exclaimed and she laughed a bit. We were already at the end of the hall so I quickly darted back into my apartment. 

"Kashi...Kashi....KAKASHI FUCKING HATAKE WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!!!!" I yelled after he refused to wake up instantly. He sat straight up and I thanked my ninja training that my reflexes were fast enough to safe me from knocking heads with him. "Huh..?" He murmered running his hands over his masked face, adjusting his headband to cover his eye. "Good Morning, Sunshine!" I greeted inocently as he turned to look at me unamused. He rolled his one eye and started to get up. "What's up with you?" He asked with a yawn and I shrugged. "Kushina is kidnapping me for some reason and I didn't want you to wake up with me missing. We both know what happened last time..." I trailed off and he blushed. A few months ago I had pulled another all-nighter just standing guard because I couldn't sleep. I realized in the morning we didn't have any milk so I went down to the market and while I was gone Kakashi had woken up and seeing I was missing, panicked and sent several shadow clones out looking for me, all of them frenzied and making some of the villagers panic at the sight of him running around the village. He only relaxed when I came back. Well I say relaxed but really he spent almost an hour yelling at me for scaring him. It was the only time Kakashi has ever yelled at me. 

"Oh yeah." He responded and I laughed. "Might as well get up anyway, I have a few things to do in the village today. Might train as well." He said and I waited patiently as he changed in the bathroom. I grabbed my weapons pouch but didn't bother with my katanas. I'm sure I won't need it but I never leave home without it. "Ready?" Kakashi asked and I nodded. We stepped out of my apartment only to find Kushina standing outside with a disapproving look. "What were you too doing sleeping in the same apartment?" She asked with a very maternal tone. I blushed. "Can I tell you about it later?" I asked pulling her away from Kakashi who was also looking red in the face, well what little of it you could see anyway. "Hm, okay, but it better be a good reason cause Minato will not be happy to hear about this." She warned and I huffed. She's right. Minato-sensei had grown very close to Kakashi and I. Kakashi is his last remaining student out of the original ones and I knew he was fond of him, but I was something different. Minato-sensei and I had become almost closer than Kakashi and I. He became a big brother or maybe even a father figure to me after comforting me when Hitoshi-sensei was declared a missing nin. That being said, he has been known to scare of some people expressing interest in me. "Of course, Kushina-chan." I said and let her drag me away from a still blushing Kakashi. "Bye, Kashi!" I called over my shoulder and he gave me a lazy wave in response, probably amused to see me getting man handled by the energetic red-head. 

"So where are we going?" I asked as Kushina dragged me further into town. "It's time to get dresses!" She squelled excitedly and I immediately started trying to fight my way out of her grip. "Nope. No. Nada. I hate shopping!" I said but nothing could break the iron grasp she had on me. "Aren't you excited that I'm getting married?" She asked, jutting her lip out like she was gonna cry. I instantly felt guilty. "Of course I'm happy for you and Minato-sensei..." I started before realizing she was just trying to guilt trip me into shopping. "Hey! That was just rude!" I scolded her and she just smiled and shrugged. "It was worth a shot." I fought her the entire way to the dress shop but she proved to be much stronger than me. 'Maybe I need to train my strength more' I thought in a huff as she pulled me into the boutique. Minato-sensei and Kushina had decided on a small wedding months ago. Just me, Kakashi, Mikoto Uchiha (and her young son Itachi) who Kushina had grown quite close to, and a handful of others. I was to be the only bridesmaid which I was honored to do, but wished it didn't come with shopping. I sat in an uncomfortable chair, letting Kushina pile as many dresses as she wanted onto me. Then came the realization I would have to try all of them on. "Oh please, Kushina, there's too many!" I complained as she shoved me into the dressing room. "Please just let me have this." She begged and I huffed as she basically forced me into various kinds of dresses. Thank Kami, we found one we both liked very quickly. It was a simple dress, a light rose color that got darker at the bottom hem. It flared at my waist and hugged my still developing chest, making me look older than I am. My blue hair actually fit perfectly with the color and brought out the green in my eyes. "It's beautiful, escpecially with the obi." Kushina fawned and I nodded. The obi was white with small section of teal and pink on it. 

Kushina had already found a dress from a previous day of torture, I mean shopping, no I mean torture. It was beautiful as well. Very simple, the top part was sleeveless and hugged her waist until her hips where it flared in soft billowing waves. Her veil and the lace design really added to it. It was the pattern of sakura blossoms that stood out against her red hair. Soon she had dragged me to yet another store to find shoes and accessories to match my dress. I grumbled under my breath as she talked animatedly to the store keeper who was happy to help the fiance of the newly appointed Hokage. Soon though, relief came and we found ourselves slumping into the seats of a nice tea shop where were served in record time due to it being between lunch and dinner. "Well, do you want to explain why Kakashi slept over at your place?" Kushina prodded and I blushed, lifting my mask up to take a sip of my tea. "Well, I'd love to give you some juicy details but the truth is much less scandalous. Kakashi and I have been sharing a bed pretty much since before Obito...you know." I trailed off before clearing my throat. "We've been leaning on each other. I had been struggling to sleep, having nightmares, and just generally being on edge all of the time. Kakashi would hear me crying out in my sleep from across the hall and he would come over and just crawl into bed with me. Soon it became habit. After Obito and Rin, I think neither of us wanted to be alone." I finished and I felt her looking at me so I looked up from my cup to gauge her reaction. 

Her eyes held an emotion I couldn't quite understand. "I see." I took another sip of my drink thinking she was going to drop the subject. "So how long have you been  in love with Kakashi?" She asked and I chocked on my drink, eyes and nose burning, struggling to inhale as Kushina laughed. "I'm only thirteen!" I reminded her, throat rasping from all the coughing. She just laughed again. "Well you're lucky then! Not everyone finds their soul mate so young, you know?" She asked/exclaimed and I cleared my throat, cheeks painfully red. "WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SOUL MATES????" I yelled over her laugh, cheeks becoming even redder when I saw other customers giving us dissapproving looks, only to look away when they saw who was making all the racket. Kushina laughed for almost half an hour as I angrily sipped my tea and muttered threats under my breath. "Who's trying to kill my soon-to-be-wife?" Minato-sensei asked appearing beside me, catching me by surprise for once in my flustered state. "What has she been picking on you about to warrant this response?" He asked with humor looking between me and the red head. I huffed and didn't answer. "Oh, nothing love." Kushina said wipping laughter tears from her eyes. 

After Minato-sensei joined us we decided to order some actual food to go with our drinks. We talked about the wedding for a while and Kushina even pulled out my dress to show her fiance. "The only thing that doesn't really match is her mask, you know." Kushina finished and I nodded along, 'I have to agree it's not really suitable for such formal events'. "Maybe it's time you get a new one anyway, Asa." Minato-sensei said after a minute. "When you took it off the other day, I couldn't help but notice it doesn't really fit as well as it should anymore." He finished and I sighed. He's right, it's been chaffing me the more my face matures. "Wait...You have seen her without it?" Kushina asked before looking at me. I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I kinda had a panic attack in his office the other day and took it off in front of him and Kakashi." I couldn't help but notice her smirk at his name. "Well, I think that gives me an idea actually..." Kushina said trailing off in thought. I noticed we had all finished our meals and went to add some money for my portion of the bill but Minato-sensei simply swatted my hand away. 

"I think I'm gonna go home and drop these off before doing some training with Kakashi." I stated as we exited onto the street. I couldn't help but notice that the days were now getting longer. I love winter but I am so glad spring is almost upon us. Kushina snickered again as I said Kakashi's name. I gave her an unamused look from under my mask. "Why does she keep laughing when you mention Kakashi?" Minato-sensei asked looking between the two of us. "Well she thinks we're soul mates ever since she found out we've been sharing a bed." I said before freezing. 'Oops did not need to say that last part' shockingly it looked like Minato-sensei didn't hear it. "Oh yes I can see where the impression came from." Minato-sensei thought aloud and I scoffed at him. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked and he chuckled. "Well, I mean everyone has always assumed- wait a second what did you say earlier?" He asked and I froze again. 'Shit, SHIt SHIT!' I thought. "Did you say sharing a be-" "Oh would you look at that, I've been summoned for a mission-""What do you mean summoned for a mission, I'm the Hokage-""-so you understand the importance and will pardon me for leaving so soon-""ASA!!!!" I heard Minato-sensei yell as I took off full speed in the direction of my apartment. I know I'm going to have to talk about this later, but right now I need to warn Kakashi that the Hokage is after him.