Chapter 18

Minato used to have a hard time staying mad at his wife.

They've had their fair share of arguments over the years, absolutely, but this? This is different.

If he'd discovered that his daughter was alive and within grasp, nothing would have stopped him from telling both his wife and Kakashi. And it's not because he doesn't understand why Narumi made the choices he did-he does! He knows how it feels to be the reason your family is in danger. He lives it every day.

However, even though he understands Narumi's decisions, he also knows that they're flawed. Kushina lived in the village with the Kyuubi and even when it escaped, nobody blamed her for it. If something similar to what their daughter wrote about in his letter had happened in Konoha, every capable person would have done their best to help her.

He believes Narumi would have been safer under their care.

But while plenty of people would be mad at somebody for pulling the same thing Narumi did, Minato is decidedly not. He wants to see his daughter, of course. Without a mask next time, hopefully. But he can't find it in himself to be angry with her. He's touched that his daughter would go so far as to keep them safe, and impressed with the amount of training she must have undergone both before and after she left Obito's side.

His daughter is a miracle and Minato just wishes he could hold her for a while.

He can't even begin to imagine how lonely his daughter must have been before she saved Obito, and how lonely she must have been after leaving him behind.

But it's been years since their home was so quiet. More than eight, if he thinks about it. Which he's been trying not to do.

Their home is quiet, and he keeps falling asleep in his office because he doesn't know how to exist in the same space as his wife and not start hurting all over again. It feels so far removed from the night he confronted her and she avoided telling him the truth, because she didn't want to be comforted, and Minato hadn't known how anyway.

This is different. He's the one torn between wanting to be happy that his daughter is within reach and in contact and wanting to continue giving his wife the cold shoulder that he feels is justified, even if it is a little unusual for him to hold a grudge. Especially against her.

There's no doubt that he will love her until his last breath, and ever after, but for once, he thinks he deserves to be angry with her.

She kept his daughter from him. His daughter.

How can I just let that go?

Kakashi Pov

"I summoned you here to give you a courier mission."

Kakashi wants to complain, but things have been rough for both of them lately, so he simply does nothing instead. Sensei looks exhausted If Kakashi wasn't in his ANBU uniform, Sensei would probably say the same thing about him.

"I'm giving you this as partial punishment for disappearing for two weeks, but also because you're already informed of the situation." He hasn't seen Minato-sensei look quite so intense lately. Angry? Yes. Hurting? Yes. Intense? Not quite. "I'm sure Narumi will be happy to see you no matter what."

What?

"Currently, they're somewhere on the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain. Their next attack isn't planned for a few weeks, so if you'd like to take your time coming back, that would be alright.

"I forgot how well Sensei understands me.

"Hai, Hokage-Sama."

"Good. This is the next phase of the plan Shikaku and I've come up with. I'm going to be promoting her to Jounin Commander very, very soon." Sensei hands him a scroll and shoots Kakashi a small smile, his Hokage mask falling away to reveal his truer expressions. "What do you think?"

She's a good choice, very reliable. And she's loyal to the village." A part of him wants to shift from foot-to-foot, but ANBU doesn't fidget. Unless they're Narumi. "He's kept Narumi's secret for years out of loyalty to both the Third Hokage and Naruto."

Sensei nods. "Alright. Leave when you're ready, Hound. You know what to do."

Kakashi does know what to do. He's done it at least a thousand times. He's not even exaggerating. Kakashi has been in ANBU for years and the routine is second nature to him. He's the best damn ANBU Konoha's ever seen.

He chooses not to think about why he used to take so many solo assassination missions. It's not a healthy reason.

By the time he finds them, they're just beginning to set up camp, but for some reason, he's fairly certain at least one of them knows he's there before he's close enough to be sensed. He's not sure how, but for some reason, he believes it anyway.

"Kakashi!"

He drops to the ground beside them, seemingly unphased but actually rather puzzled. "Kitsune-chan, how unfair." He offers a shallow bow, holding out the scroll Sensei had sent with him."

Oh! Is this from Hokage-Sama?" Narumi accepts the scroll and Kakashi takes a half-step back, decidedly not thinking about the fact that Narumi doesn't know he knows the truth.

He wants to point it out, wants to drag Narumi away from the other two and remove her mask and just look. He wants to sit and map the changes with his Sharingan (Obito's Sharingan), to ask for every scrap of information about what happened that Narumi will give him, to hold Narumi in his arms again and pretend, for a while, that they were never apart.

"Ne, Kakashi~! He said you can stay awhile if you want to!" Narumi bounces in place, but this time, Kakashi can hear the excitement in her voice, can see the curious look Obito shoots him from where he's lighting the fire.

He forces himself to answer as he normally would, without all the desperation he's feeling. "Hmm, if I'm welcome. Hokage-Sama wants me back before you start the next phase of the plan, though."

Something tells him Narumi is grinning behind her own mask. "Really? Of course, you can stay! We only have a few things to do before then, and as long as we stay under the radar, there shouldn't be too many complications."

The four of them set about getting their campsite prepared before they settle around a small fire (aside from Obito, who had volunteered for the first watch) to discuss the next several days, but eventually, Jiraiya wanders toward the small Onsen they'd (not so subtly) ended up settling near, leaving Kakashi and Narumi to their own devices. For some reason, though he's not sure why, he feels like they've been set up.

"Can I ask you an intrusive question?"

Nothing is too intrusive, Narumi. "I suppose." He slips his mask to the side of his head, letting Naruto at least see a part of his face. Everyone in the group already knows his identity, so he's not necessarily concerned with keeping Hound's mask on.

Ahem…" She clears her throat, pulling her knees to her chest. "Are you… Do you… date?"

Kakashi almost chokes on the water he's been sipping from his canteen while he waits. Date? Does she want to know if Kakashi dates?

Ah, but of course he does. he's been around, but he doesn't know. He doesn't know that the level of his feelings for Narumi is far deeper than most relationships he's had, and none of those relationships were ever so ambiguous. His teammates and Sensei, Sensei's wife, Gai-those are all entirely platonic relationships. Never once has Kakashi harbored anything deeper, more intense, than familial affection for any of them.

His feelings for Narumi have always been a little bit… different. More profound, almost soul deep. They've changed little-by-little as Kakashi has grown up, matured, accepted, and now, now that he knows Narumi is okay, is alive and aware and real, now his feelings are calmer. Still so intense, but not desperate.

"No, I can't really say I do. I've been a little busy, you know?" He shoots the not-teen an eye smile. "Why do you ask?"

Narumi's ears turn pink, but she glances toward Kakashi every few seconds, hyper-focused. "W-well, I-I'm kind of, really, uh… not good with people? I was just, er, curious."

Kakashi hums. "Maa, I don't know if you know this, but I'm not very good with people either. And anyway, even if I was, I'm already engaged, you see?"

He meets Narumi's wide eyes behind her mask, taking a new sort of pleasure at the way her neck and ears turn bright red.

"O-oh?"

he hums, glancing down at the book he brought along to hide his emotions behind (and perhaps in the hopes of staying on Jiraiya's good side).

"Wh-who are you, uh, engaged to?"Kakashi hides a smirk, glancing over the top edge of Icha Icha Tactics. "Well, I'm engaged to Hokage-Sama's daughter." He pretends he doesn't hear the near-silent squeak that slips out of Narumi's mouth.

Mission accomplished Sensei.

Obito Pov

Obito's ninety-eight percent is certain that something is going on.

Seriously. Something is happening and he doesn't know what it is.

Just how much time did these two spend together while I was wallowing in my guilt? They're literally acting like they're the best of companions.

Even with everything Obito's seen and done, he's not very good at understanding people. He can understand emotions, but as for understanding the people who are emoting, it's a little different.

Is Kakashi… teasing her(Narumi)? She's turning so red, is she okay?

All in all, he really wants to know what's going on, and after pondering and guessing for a while, he finally gets an idea. So he sends a tiny amount of chakra to his ears to improve his hearing, tuning in at: "-I'm already engaged, you see?"

Oh, God, Naruto wasn't trying to pull one over on us! They're really engaged!

How hadn't he known? Obito spent plenty of time around them when they were still a part of Team Minato, before Narumi's disappearance and Obito's near-death. Surely, he would have heard about the engagement, right?

Unless, of course, it didn't come up in conversation until after he was crushed under a boulder. He supposes that would make sense, but he wishes he had known, regardless. Maybe he would have done things a little differently. Although, from the sound of it, Narumi hadn't known, either.

If he had, would he have done things differently? Sought Kakashi out earlier? Left him some kind of sign?

If he had known, would he have understood exactly what that connection entails?

And that's another thing: why is Kakashi even telling her this stuff? I suppose they're fairly close even though he doesn't know that Kitsune is Narumi, but if he hasn't even told me after we reunited-

Unless he knows.

Have you finally figured it out, Kakashi?

Narumi Pov

Naruto's pretty sure she's never been quite this embarrassed before. And he doesn't really understand why it seems like she's being teased. Does Kakashi think she has a crush on him? He's not necessarily wrong, but he's not exactly right either if that's the case. After all, as far as she knows, he's speaking(Kakashi) to 'Kitsune' and not Narumi.

Either way, she hasn't been this bright red (and she knows she must be bright red with how hot her face feels)

Kakashi is the only person Narumi's ever wanted something more with. He's the only person Narumi has never felt the need to hide from or pretend in front of.

Well, not including being Kitsune.

The point is, she never feels that pressing weight of expectation when she's with Kakashi when Kakashi looks at her. Actually, she feels freer than she ever has when she's in Kakashi's presence. It's always been that way, for as long as he can remember. And maybe it stems all the way back to when Kakashi chose to be vulnerable, but only for Narumi. Maybe it's because Kakashi has always, always been there to indulge her, to comfort her, to hold her when the world is falling apart around them.

It's been a long time since then, for sure, but Narumi doesn't think she'll ever not want to be in Kakashi's arms.

"Maa, Kitsune, are you too hot or something? You're looking flushed, do you have a fever?"

Narumi squawks indignantly, hunkering down with her arms crossed. "Okay, now you're really teasing, aren't you?" But she can't keep up appearances when she hears Kakashi's soft laughter, warm and low and just for her.

Suddenly the mask is too much, and Narumi wants nothing more than to take it off forever.