Yuzuki Uchiha Gaiden ~Book 1~

Chapter 49: Cold Blooded

Six years passed since the anniversary of the Nine Tails Attack; that meant Six years since Minato and Kushina passed. Six years since Rin was killed. And Six more years that Yuzuki wasn't allowed near Naruto. She was eighteen now, she was sure she could at least provide for the young boy and with negotiations from the Third Hokage, he assured her Naruto was well looked after by the village funding. He wouldn't even allow her that.

But still she watched him grow from afar and made sure he was being properly cared for. Naruto bore great resemblance to his father. They shared the same spiky yellow hair and bright blue eyes, but he had his mother's features. She watched the six year old boy playing in the sand box of the orphanage from afar leaning under a tree.

"You can't be caught staring at him." came Kakashi's cool voice and she turned to great the silver haired ninja.

"I don't care." she replied turning back to gaze beyond the fence. "I just like to make sure."

"Well, I came to find you anyway." he obscured her vision of Naruto and her eyes gazed up to the one eye he kept uncovered and she raised an eyebrow. At eighteen, Kakashi grew to surpass her height remarkably.

"What for?"

"The rest of us are going to grab dinner tonight and then hang out under the stars." he shrugged. "I thought you would like to join since, you never do."

"Every other time I was busy fulfilling my mission, and I have joined you guys, sometimes, when I could."

Kakashi held up a finger. "Ah, but, there where times were you weren't and you still didn't come. That still counts only to a hopeless... hm, three times that you've accompanied us."

"Maybe because I was tired from my missions or did you forget that my line of work is more intense than yours." Yuzuki pushed off the tree and strolled the other way only for to Kakashi follow.

"Is that a yes?"

"Maybe."

"I'll take that as a yes. We've agreed to getting dango, so I'll met you there."

Yuzuki stopped. "Whoah, I never..." but Kakashi stopped her from talking by whisking out the latest version of Icha Icha Paradise and flicking open the book to the page where he last left off, and he chuckled.

"Okay, see you at seven." was all he said as he kept walking with his nose buried in his book. Yuzuki cursed herself for the day she bought him the first edition and got him obsessed. She shook her head and continued her way home, even when she tried to resist, Kakashi had a way of convincing her otherwise. And she couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was his voice or his choice of words.

An arm came around Yuzuki's shoulder and Katsuko poked her side playfully. "He's totally asking you out!" she squeaked.

"Huh?" Yuzuki shrugged Katsuko's arm off. "How was that-"

Katsuko giggled to herself saying, "Kakashi Hatake is totally into you~" she cooed. Yuzuki suddenly turned on her heel grabbing Katsuko by the scruff of her collar.

"Don't ever say it like that, ever again, it was creepy." she released Katsuko's clothes. "And no, he does not. That's gross. We're teammates." she shivered at the idea.

"Admit it. He's cute."

"Yes, but-"

"And! He totally just asked you out."

"I thought this was a get together? How is that even remotely a date with the rest of you hanging around?"

Katsuko paused for a moment to think. She tapped her chin before gasping, "A secret date!" she squealed excitedly.