The Balancing Act (Kakashi x OC)

Chapter 14

One Year Later

Kakashi watched as Naruto headed off with Jiraiya to go train with him. He sent a cheerful wave, then turned back around to face the village. He stared at the Hokage's Rock in the distance, a small smile on his face as he eyed Minato-Sensei's face. He'd be proud to see his son going to train with one of the great Sannin. He looked back down and made the walk back to his apartment. He had his hands in his pockets, staring around at his village.

As he walked, Akari's face drifted in and out of his mind. He let out a small sigh as her memory resurfaced, and his hands clenched ever so slightly in his pocket. He still missed her as much as he had when she first disappeared, if not more. After Genma had been returned to the village, he was admitted to the hospital for his extensive injuries. After he was discharged, he immediately went to Kakashi's apartment and relayed all that he could remember from the small amount of time he had seen Akari. Genma's memory of her was burned into his head, as he saw her give up at his bruised state in front of her. His guilt was immense, and Kakashi could see from the look in his eyes as he told him his story. Every muscle in Kakashi's body burned to go look after her, but he was given yet another in person warning but Itachi's partner. He let out a heavy sigh and continued his walk back home.

He walked by Kurenai and Asuma, both sending him a wave and happy hello. He perked up a bit and sent them one of his signature closed eye smiles, and returned back to his own mind.

After he had calmed down from Akari going missing, he went and visited Kaito, the ANBU captain in the hospital. He was in a coma from his immense injuries from his fight with Itachi and Deidara. He had finally woken up six months later, but was sadly not able to continue his path as a shinobi. His body had taken so much damage he never fully recovered. After seeing the state Kaito had been in after the fight, he knew not to go look for Akari. He knew she wouldn't want the people in her life to be killed or tortured because of her.

He finally made it back to his apartment building, and pulled his keys out of his pocket, and unlocked the door before stepping in and setting them down on his side table. He shuffled over to his bedroom and flopped down onto his bed. He turned and gazed at one of the two pictures he had on his bedside table. It was one of him, Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei, and Akari when they were kids. He grabbed it and looked at it closely, admiring Akari's smile. It hadn't changed as she had aged. He set the picture back down and turned so he was facing the ceiling. He had been twisting and turning all night with nightmares flooding his head, so he pulled his blanket over him and faded into a deep slumber.

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Akari jumped through the trees, the feeling of the wind in her hair as she let it flow loosely behind her encouraging a small frown to make its way to her face. She stopped for a second to tie it back tightly, causing Itachi to stop as well and look at her. He smirked at his personal weapon. He could tell her face was set in a stern glare beneath her mask. He had Kisame grab her old ANBU uniform from her apartment in secrecy, modifying it to his own standards.

"You want to stop?" He offered, and she just shook her head.

"I'm not fucking weak, let's keep going," she retorted back, and continued to jump. He laughed, seeing aspects of Hidan wiping off on her. He followed after her, stopping shortly before the red gates of her old village. Her and Itachi rested upon a branch, hidden by the foliage around them.

"You know the plan?" He asked her, and she nodded curtly.

"Get close enough to act as a reminder, but not too close that you get taken. Show him who you've become Akari," he said with a smirk on his face. She removed her mask and looked towards him. He took a moment to compare her image now to when he had first seen her in the forrest a year ago.