Haruka's funeral was a small affair.
The circumstances of her death being what they were, the date and time of her burial had been shared only with her close family and friends. They had been told that Haruka had died in the line of duty, nothing more. There were rumors, of course, like there were rumors for everything, but they knew to be content with what they were told. Considering that some rumors accused Haruka of treason, her family was satisfied by the bland explanation since at least it didn't bring dishonor to them. While honor was a samurai's concept, for shinobi it might as well be synonymous with loyalty to the village.
The Hokage and I arrived at the last moment, stayed in the back, and departed as soon as was polite after a few words of condolences to Haruka's parents.
I couldn't guess Minato's feelings. My own were muddled in a way I was not accustomed to. I took pride in my self-awareness, but at this moment, I couldn't put in words my feelings apart from a clinging sensation of coldness. I tightened my black haori around me.
It was raining, a small drizzle whose only purpose was to bother us. Spring had been rather pleasant until now, but the weather had taken a turn for the worst these last days. It didn't help settle my mood.
Holding an umbrella over us, I stopped by the Hokage's side at the gates of the cemetery. With an unreadable expression, Minato had turned to glance over his shoulder at the rows of graves. I respected his contemplation, silently taking in the sight and atmosphere.
"What do you think await us after death, Maiko?"
I glanced at the sculpture of the Will of Fire overlooking the cemetery. "I'm not sure I am the best person to talk about this, Hokage-sama."
"On the contrary, your point of view is unique. I'd like to hear it," he said, staring at me patiently.
I could tell him that his destiny after death had once consisted of being sealed in the Shinigami's stomach. I could tell him of the limbo where Kakashi's father had been stuck, or I could mention my own death and what I remembered of it: nothing.
"I think it doesn't matter," is what I said.
He tilted his head with curiosity.
"If you need to know what to expect at your death to live then you're doing it wrong," I added. Knowing that there were ANBU around who would ensure the Hokage's privacy, I felt secure enough to explain: "I lived once. I lost everything I knew and loved once."
We were standing close under the umbrella. I looked him in the eye and found there a wealth of sympathy and compassion.
"I grieved. For months, the cries of baby-me were just as much those of hunger and fright as those of mourning. My parents brought me to the medic, thinking that something was wrong with me because I was crying so much. I had night terrors. Panic attacks. They had to hold me, rock me, sing to me for so long that they were exhausted, but they were there. Always."
I twirled the umbrella, sending drops everywhere around us.
"Then I calmed down. I learned to stop thinking about the past and to forget some of it. I found peace in the present moment. I embraced what was given to me. I made choices knowing that whatever life or death throws at me, I wouldn't be looking back anymore, nor would I look so far forward that the fear of uncertainty overwhelms my ability to focus on what is happening right now." I focused on Minato's eyes. "That's why I think it doesn't matter: if you're happy with the life you lived then death is but the next step, and you have nothing to regret."
"Don't you fear the unknown?"
I shrugged. "That's why I don't think that I am the right person to talk about it, Hokage-sama: death was pretty unremarkable to me."
Grievers started to come towards us as they left the family alone around Haruka's grave. I glanced in that direction and concluded: "In death, I would say that those who are to be pitied are those left behind."
We turned toward the more bustling districts of Konoha, towards the living.
"Do you think about those you left behind?" Minato asked after a few seconds of hesitation.
"Not since I was a baby… There is a reason I forgot their faces and names: self-preservation."
oOo
To be silent like a deadly assassin was the sign of a good shinobi. For the best, it became second nature. To detect them before they wanted you to was the sign of an even better shinobi.
I wasn't one of them.
As such, it was a surprise to hear small footsteps running at me, soon enough to identify Itachi and brace for contact as he threw himself at my legs. He hugged them for a fraction of a second before moving back as if burnt by the contact. He stood very still, at attention, as he said: "Maiko-san, it's good to see you." He tried to be calm and distant, but his words were a little too rushed.
I smiled, threw the letters I was holding on my desk, and crouched to be at his level. "Itachi-kun! I'm so glad to see you. I was worried after the way we left each other." I widened my eyes a little and added a little more quietly: "So worried that I think I need a hug."
Itachi wasn't fooled for a second by my theatrics, of course, but I gave him the excuse he was looking for and that was all that mattered to him. He stepped forward and opened his arms.
I grinned and leaned down to hug him. It wasn't a long hug — Itachi was too reserved for extended contact — but he looked calmer and more relaxed when he stepped back.
"I am the one who had reasons to worry," he remarked with a little sass and grumpiness.
I chuckled and rested my forearms on my knees. "True. I apologize for worrying you, Itachi-kun."
He blinked, surprised by my honest apology, before accepting it magnanimously: "You're forgiven."
"Thank you." I stood up and went to sit behind my new desk. "So, did I miss anything?"
"I met my new sensei this morning."
"Is that so?"
"His name is Minazuki Yuuki. My father doesn't like him."
"And do you?"
His shoulders shifted toward me as if he was going to tell me a secret, but a jounin appeared through the closest open window without bothering with discretion.
"Ah, Itachi-kun! I wasn't expecting to see you here. Hello Kamizuki-san! Is your new position agreeing with you?"
Ah. Minazuki Yuuki. Now I remembered him. A decent soldier from what I heard but not exceptional, clanless (no wonder that Fugaku didn't approve), and he had yet to learn when to keep quiet. He could thank the last war for his promotion. In peacetime, he probably wouldn't have gotten it yet.
"Well enough," I replied tersely. I didn't appreciate the reminder of my 'promotion'. Most people, knowing of Haruka's brutal death, were smart and tactful enough to not comment on it. "What can I do for you, Minazuki-san?"
"I was hoping to see the Hokage."
"Unfortunately, he isn't here currently, and his schedule for the day is full. Do you wish to make an appointment?"
"That won't be necessary, no, thank you. See you tomorrow, Itachi-kun!" He waved as he left through the window.
Itachi and I stared at each other. I tilted my head with a commiserating smile. "Yes, I can guess what you think of him. He might grow on you?"
"Comparing him to fungus is a bit harsh, Maiko-san," he replied, deadpanned.
I snorted and hid the bottom of my face to stifle my laughter.
Itachi had a dry sense of humor. I loved it!
We talked comfortably, about his family and Naruto (who might as well be his second little brother by now), staying away from the sensitive subjects that happened to also be classified.
I did mindless work as we spoke, focusing on papers and scrolls.
Imagine my surprise when, instead of grabbing one of those, I brushed the scales of a snake. I recoiled in fright, letting out a cry I wasn't proud of (I forgave myself for that stereotype of the girl in distress because: snake! in my personal space! touching me! That definitely deserved a squeal or two).
The grey snake, as long as my arm, barely had time to hiss at me before he was hit by two kunai and disappeared in a poof of smoke.
I stared at the blades stuck in the wood of my desk and realized I had forgotten to breathe.
After a deep breath in, I removed the nearest kunai and handed it over to Itachi. "Thank you for your reactivity, gentlemen," I said in a shaky voice.
I had to pull a little harder on the second kunai before holding it in the air. An ANBU appeared to retrieve it. He lingered long enough for me to notice his brown hair tied at the back of his neck. I smiled softly, in a silent reassurance that I was fine. Genma moved back into the shadows.
"Are you alright, Maiko-san?" Itachi asked, watching me carefully. He glanced at my shaking fingers.
I pressed my hands on the wood to calm the tremors and smiled a little more widely. "Of course, Itachi-kun. I was just surprised… and I'm not fond of snakes, there is that."
After a new deep breath, I opened a drawer and reached for a pair of rubber gloves. I put them on before manipulating the scroll that the snake had left behind. I set it down on a seal drawn by the Yondaime himself before removing a glove to activate the fuuinjutsu with a drop of chakra. The device glowed white as it scanned the scroll for anything dangerous, like poisons, seals, or traps. It finally turned green, giving the all-clear.
Nonetheless, I put back on the second glove before opening it while turning it away from myself or Itachi. When I was able to read its contents, I squinted at it, wishing to be able to set it on fire with the strength of my displeasure.
With a noise of disgust, I dropped it in the trashcan and removed the gloves.
"Anyway," I said to Itachi, "what were we talking about again? Oh, yes, your cousin helping Naruto with a prank, right? What's the name of this new prankster?"
"Shisui," Itachi replied, glancing at the trash curiously but too smart to ask about it.
I hummed. "Ah, yes, the damned tokubetsu jounin that likes to pop up in the office by shunshin, making papers fly everywhere and dropping leaves on the floor while he's at it," I grumbled good-naturedly.
"I… wasn't aware he did it here too," Itachi replied diplomatically.
"Well, to be fair, no, he doesn't do it anymore since I made him collect all the leaves by hand." I smirked. He nodded his approval with the face of a wise and sympathetic old man.
A few minutes later, Itachi took his leave to join his family for lunch.
Once I was alone, Genma reappeared and leaned close. "The scroll?"
I glared at the offensive paper I had thrown in the trash. "Who is Mitarashi Anko's handler?"
Genma straightened in understanding. "Morino Ibiki."
"If he knew about this, I'm going to make his life an administrative hell, I swear," I growled.
Genma went to retrieve the paper and look at it. He huffed at what he read. "What are you going to do about it?"
"About what?" I replied, going back to work. "I certainly don't know what you're talking about. I never received anything looking like a transfer request from Mitarashi Anko. What a shame considering that it can't happen as long as the Hokage didn't approve it..."
"What a shame indeed," Genma agreed, amused by my passive-aggressiveness, before disappearing wherever the ANBU went (a mystery I had long ago decided to ignore).
oOo
The Hokage had spent most of the morning visiting Danzou's hideouts and ROOT's agents. He came back after lunch with Shikaku and Jiraiya by his side. Raidou and Iwashi took their posts at the door of the office.
I smoothly rose to my feet, gathered everything I needed, and followed inside.
Once the door closed behind me, the Yondaime activated a seal of privacy as he sat at his desk. "The ROOT agents' integration in our ranks seems to be progressing nicely. Should I be wary of any mishap, Maiko?"
"Not to my knowledge, Hokage-sama," I replied as I stepped on his right to set documents on his desk. "Unless their loyalty has previously shifted to Orochimaru, ROOT agents' allegiance is to Konoha. They should turn to you for guidance seamlessly."
"That's a real risk? Orochimaru's involvement?" Jiraiya asked.
"It is. Orochimaru has his entries in ROOT's network. I warned you of his most important agent."
"Yakushi Kabuto," Shikaku said, "adopted son of Yakushi Nono, jounin, medic-nin, and former ROOT agent. Kabuto has left the Academy last year and subsequently entered ROOT, although his file showed he was one of their agent for a year before that."
"Is she dead?" I asked. "His mother, is she dead?"
"No."
"Good, he's loyal to her, first and foremost. If she's alive, it means he isn't Orochimaru's agent yet. You might be able to salvage him, keep him loyal to Konoha, and avoid him becoming a crazy psychopath. Keep an eye on him, though. He has potential, but he's unstable psychologically."
"What do you suggest we do with him?" Minato asked, his fingers spread on his cheek as he listened.
"His mother can keep him grounded. Make sure she's alright mentally too before that, though. I vaguely remember something about brainwashing, but I can't tell you why or how. Then, ask Kabuto what he wants, to give him a sense of self-determination. If he asks for the medic corps, it's for the best. Keep him far from any spy work. Regular duty should be fine. Oh, and with Orochimaru, he did a lot of medical research… don't let him go there. Seriously, it was nasty."
"Noted."
"Any other ROOT agent we should look for?"
"There was… the boy able to use Mokuton," I said, watching their expressions carefully.
"What about him?" Minato asked calmly.
So at least they knew about him.
"He'll be completely loyal to Konoha if you give him the opportunity. He'll grow into a brilliant shinobi."
Minato nodded. "Excellent."
Understanding that I wouldn't get any more information on the subject, I moved on. "There is also a boy… although he might still be too young to train in ANBU. I do not know the name he uses right now either. I know him as Sai. You might notice him for his talent as an artist. He'll learn to incorporate ink in ninjutsu, making him very resourceful."
"Physical description?" Shikaku asked.
"Pretty enough. Black hair, like ink. Really pale skin, like paper. He should be… a little older than Naruto."
The Jounin Commander nodded his understanding.
"That's all that comes to mind. I'll tell you if I remember anything else."
"What about Orochimaru's hideouts?" Jiraiya immediately jumped in.
"I already shared with you the little I know. He has many bases in several countries, including ours. I know that ultimately he'll build a village, Otogakure, in the Land of Rice Fields, but where exactly I do not know."
"But that's it: how? How does he build a whole village?"
I shrugged. "How did the Shodaime do it? He convinced the daimyo and recruited people with abilities."
"Anyone in particular?"
I frowned. "I suppose, but… it will be difficult for me to remember their names. I didn't like them much. It would be easier the other way around: give me a name or a picture and I should be able to give you more."
"What about Akatsuki?" Jiraiya asked relentlessly.
"I already wrote everything I remembered about them," I replied a bit impatiently. "Jiraiya-sama, I promised that I'd share everything I remember. Will you interrogate me every day?!"
Jiraiya's retort was interrupted by a gesture from the Hokage. Shikaku accepted the dismissal easily and left with a bow of his head. Jiraiya was more reluctant but left with a deep sigh when the Yondaime raised an eyebrow in his direction.
Minato leaned against the back of his chair and watched me thoughtfully. I waited for him to speak, keeping my eyes down uneasily.
"You told us a lot, Maiko, but I have a few more… personal questions."
"I'll do my best to answer, Hokage-sama."
"What you said about Naruto…"
"It won't happen," I interrupted him. Realizing I was too brusque, I sighed and added: "Please, don't think about it, Minato-sama, and don't ask me to tell you more. It would just burden you needlessly. Let me keep that for myself."
Minato didn't reply immediately. He was pensive. "What kind of man did he become?"
I smiled softly. "A strong shinobi and a fine leader… He became Hokage. The Nanadaime, I believe."
He grinned. "Did he?"
"Yes. He mastered your Rasengan and even improved it."
Minato's smile was blinding. "What about Kakashi? You mentioned him."
"Ah… well…" I hesitated about what to say. Deciding to avoid any mention of porn, chronic tardiness (the Kakashi I knew had copied this bad habit from his old friend too, but it wasn't as bad as the one from the manga, a few minutes instead of hours), PTSD or antisocial behavior, I kept it simple. "He was the Rokudaime."
A noise startled me, and I whirled around to see an ANBU with grey hair looking like he had fallen from the ceiling.
"Oh really?" Minato said, looking quite amused when I glanced at him.
Kakashi didn't share his amusement. He was glaring at me as if I had cursed him.
I raised my hands in defense. "What? It's true."
"That's not possible," he growled in my face after crossing the space separating us in a flash.
I blinked at his vehement denial, wondering what would be an appropriate answer. Because I was still a little angry with him, I chose the cheeky option: "Of course, Rokudaime-sama. If you say it ain't so then it isn't."
Minato chuckled gleefully.
Kakashi looked ready to strangle me. He disappeared without further ado, probably to brood in peace.
Temporarily satisfied with what he had learned, Minato diverted the conversation to the usual administrative tasks.
Once we were done, I lingered, getting his attention.
"Is there anything else?"
"I have… something to ask of you."
"I'm listening."
"What I told you, about my reincarnation, I want to share the story with Genma." I pursed my lips and admitted bashfully: "He asked me to go out with him, but I can't imagine a true relationship while I have to hide such an important part of myself."
He nodded slowly. "I understand."
"Do I have your permission?"
Minato rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared into space. "You have it. I trust Genma. But he'll be the only one and you'll steer clear of any sensitive information like what you shared in the scrolls. Understood?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you." I bowed gratefully before leaving.
oOo
This evening, I invited Genma back to my apartment.
I offered him tea. While I prepared it, I nervously wondered how to tell him I was from another world. Somehow, revealing the truth to him made me even more anxious than when I had spoken to the Council.
Genma was waiting patiently, leaning back on the other side of the kotatsu. He was aware of my agitation, but the reasons he imagined were no doubt far from the truth.
As I breathed in, getting ready to speak up, a knock at the door stopped me in my tracks. I frowned.
"Sorry. I'm not expecting anyone."
Of all possible guests I imagined, Kakashi wasn't one of them. I tilted my head in a silent inquiry.
He was standing with his hands in his pockets, looking perfectly nonchalant. "Hi! I'm your chaperone!" he announced cheerfully before pushing past me to walk in, waving at Genma as he did.
"You've got to be kidding me," I growled while shutting the door (no need to include every noisy neighbor too in what was supposed to be a private conversation).
"Hokage's orders! But don't worry, I'll sit right here, out of the way, on the kitchen counter, and read my book so you can pretend I'm not around."
I was familiar with the concept of controlling the spread of sensitive information, but I felt this was pushing it. Kakashi seemed to have way too much fun with this situation, at my expense.
Genma looked from Kakashi to me, a little more alert and curious. "Alright, I bite. What's going on?"
I sighed and tugged on my hair, getting it out of its bun and letting it free so I could rub my poor aching scalp. "I have something to tell you… that happens to be classified."
He squinted at me curiously and removed the senbon from his lips. "Does this have anything to do with your new S-level status?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm eager to hear it."
Easier said than done. Somehow, Kakashi's presence made it even harder for me to find the right words. How to start? At least, the Council had some clues that something was different with me.
I sighed and sat down with a leg under me, taking comfort in the cozy warmth of the kotatsu. With an elbow on the table and my chin in my hand, I warned him: "This is going to sound crazy, but please let me finish and keep in mind that the Go-Ikenban believes me…"
Kakashi cleared his throat behind me (it was a good thing my back was to him, I could try to ignore him).
"You, shut up," I grumbled. "Your personal opinion is irrelevant."
Unfortunately, Genma had a direct view on our annoying chaperone, and his eyes went from him to me in a distracting way. He made a hand gesture to invite me to continue.
"It started before my birth…"
Relating everything once again was more tiring than it had been days before. To his credit, Genma stayed quiet for the entire time, his elite training showing in his impassivity. His senbon had disappeared in his pouch, proof that he was too unsure of his emotional reactions to risk playing with a weapon.
"Are you following me so far?" I asked at some point, wondering if I had lost him in the extravagance of what I was describing.
"Uhuh, crazy grandpa being creepy with his own family," he summarized helpfully. "Unfortunately more common than I'd like. Go on."
As I described the world I came from and the manga I had read, Genma leaned to the side. I wondered for a second if he was going to bolt away from my madness. His eyes went up, and I realized he was seeking eye contact with Kakashi, probably checking this was still confirmed information.
"For example, in this book," I continued, "the first time you appear is as a proctor for the final matches in the Chuunin Exams."
"Am I cool?" Genma asked for the first time as if it was a reflex and he couldn't stop himself from making a quip.
"The coolest," I replied. "You have a very nice line, advice to one of the kids, that I, unfortunately, can't remember."
Since I couldn't say too much about the confidential information, I moved on to what I did as I grew up in this world. Then I described what happened a few days ago that led to this situation where I was admitting the truth to all those who mattered.
"I matter?" Genma repeated.
"Is that what you're taking from all of this?" I said, amused. "Of course, you matter, silly. I didn't want to have a relationship with you without telling you the truth, so I asked for the Hokage's permission."
"Is that why you're doing this? Because you want us to be together?"
"Yes." I looked him in the eye and added: "If you still want to after everything I told you, that is..."
He rubbed his chin. "I… am not going to lie, that's a lot to take in. I mean… how old does that make you, even?"
"Mh… I died around thirty from what I recall — I'm missing a lot of memories — so…nearly fifty?"
Genma snorted. "And Iwashi who was telling me you were too young for me..."
"Don't make me feel like I'm the cradle robber now," I protested with a lopsided smile.
Our attempt at humor was gauche. A moment of uncomfortable silence followed.
"If you need some time to think about it, I understand," I finally said.
He nodded. "I think it would be best, if you don't mind."
"Of course not."
He stood up, stopped by my side, and bent down to kiss my forehead. "Thanks for trusting me with this, sweetheart."
Reassured by his use of a pet name, I smiled and watched him leave. Before the door was completely closed, I jumped out of my seat and grabbed Kakashi by his ankle, right before he could leave by the window. He looked down at me in displeasure. I glared back from my position on the floor (that wasn't a graceful interception).
"Are you running away from me?"
"Maa... just leaving you in peace now that I've done my duty. I thought you would be happy."
"We need to talk."
"Do we? Need is a strong word—"
I tugged on his leg more firmly. "Sit down."
Because Kakashi was contrary, he sat down right here and there, under the window, instead of at the kotatsu, like I was clearly suggesting. He looked me in the eye, blinking lazily, and drawled: "Ma'am, yes ma'am."
I hesitated, feeling like he had relented too easily but wouldn't be cooperative for all that. To ensure that he wouldn't flee as soon as he had the chance, I slowly moved forward, expecting a resistance that never came. While I made myself comfortable on his lap, he watched me with half-lidded eyes.
"Do you think I'm a crazy woman that needs to be locked up?"
"No."
"Then what do you think Kakashi?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because you matter to me. I like you, and I would be sad to lose your friendship."
"What makes you think you had it?"
"A hunch."
In a second, Kakashi pushed me flat on my back, hovering over me, free to leave.
… I suppose it was naive of me to think I could immobilize him. My bad.
"I am not him," he said firmly. "The one you know, who became Rokudaime and was Naruto's sensei. I am not him ."
"No, you're not," I agreed, "and I'd never want you to be. In fact, I've done everything possible to make sure you don't become him."
He hesitated and leaned closer.
"That man was lonely, traumatized, and a right mess. I never wanted you to become him. But if you think that you can't reach his level, you're doing yourself and Konoha a disservice."
He looked like he was going to protest. I poked him in the sternum.
"Whether you want to become Hokage or not is not the point. There will come a day when you'll have the experience, the reputation, and the abilities of a Kage. You'll even be better than the Rokudaime I read about because you'll have the support of your family and the guidance of your sensei for far longer than the other Kakashi had the opportunity to." I gently pressed a hand against his jacket, over his heart. "Your destiny's your own. I irremediably changed the future. I can't predict what it will become. You might not become Hokage. It's alright if you don't want to be. Just know that you have the potential for it."
"You want to shape us as you wish."
"No!" I denied vehemently. "Is that what you think of me? When did I ever tell you to do anything? I just gave you information to change things!"
"Selective information. With the right intel, it's easy to manipulate—"
"Damn it, Kakashi! I already promised to tell you everything I know! What else do you want?" I frowned and asked: "Is this about Obito again?"
"You never told us he was alive!" he roared.
I was going to defend my choice, an excuse on the tip of my tongue, when I realized how worked up Kakashi was, how affected he was.
I didn't understand his obsession. I truly didn't. Oh, I understood the theory behind the trauma of what they had lived together but… All I remembered of Obito was the kid that had been so annoying and smug when I'd met him as a member of the genin corps, or the monster that he had become, Tobi, because he was so obsessed with his love for Rin that he decided to destroy the world for it. No, I didn't understand his love for Obito.
And, it was true, what I was going to say: realistically, there was very little chance that knowing that Obito was alive would have enabled Kakashi to find him and bring him back to Konoha before the day of Naruto's birth…
But to rob him of the opportunity to try, to make him grieve and hate himself when Obito wasn't even dead... it was wrong of me. I had failed to look at things impartially. I had made choices that weren't as objective as I had liked to think.
"I am sorry."
Kakashi had closed his eye in anger. He looked at me, startled, and pulled back, sitting on his knees and letting me up.
"You're right. I should have told you. I'm sorry," I repeated. "I didn't mean… It wasn't an attempt to manipulate you or anyone. I just… I didn't realize... I tried my best, but... I made a mistake. I apologize." I raised a hand to his face tentatively and brushed his jaw. "Please, forgive me. I'll do better."
"You will… I'll make sure of it."
"As my friend?" I asked hopefully.
"Yes."
I beamed. "Thank you!"
He was gone before I could say anything else.
I blinked at the window and then shrugged. "Small steps."
oOo CHANGE of PoV oOo
It was late at night in the ANBU headquarters.
Genma had booked a training room for himself. Yet, he was unsurprised when Kakashi walked in during his warm-up. Without a word, he accepted the implicit offer to practice together. They started with a lazy taijutsu match, during which neither of them tried very hard, their minds not completely on the task.
"Since when did you know?" Genma asked.
"A few days."
"Did Danzou know?"
"Hokage-sama thinks he had doubts. The grandfather was one of his old friends."
"And does Maiko know that ?"
"I don't think so." He dodged a punch. "No need to worry her."
"Not like she hasn't enough on her mind…" He parried a kick and jumped back. "It's fucked up… She basically knows an alternate timeline, comes from another world... And she already died once? I don't think I could deal with all that crap."
Kakashi hummed, non-committal.
"Did she tell you about some of it?"
"Some. I was there at her audience with the Council."
Genma firmly held his opponent's wrist to halt their fight. "That's not what I meant. Did she tell you about your life in that book? You look… preoccupied."
Kakashi shrugged it off and skillfully got out of the hold with a kick.
Genma sighed. "Alright, have it your way."
What had been a lazy match evolved into a serious fight where kunai and then swords came into action. Kakashi's focus was razor-sharp and Genma was hard-pressed to follow the rhythm he set.
After a couple of minutes, Genma had to pull back and yield.
Only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard in the room. Kakashi avoided his friend's eyes.
"You're so stubborn," Genma huffed. "I'm not Maiko. I don't have the patience or the skill to get you to talk, so I won't bother. You'll listen instead." He stepped forward slowly. "All this stuff I learned today? It changes nothing. Maiko's still the same woman I fell in love with. This world's still the same I grew up in and fought for. I just feel lucky to have them both when I'm now aware of what could have been." He stopped barely a foot away from his friend. "I'm going to ask her out on a date tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy this life and this chance at a relationship. And I advise you to do the same instead of ruminating on whatever is going on in your overworked brain."
"Do what? Asking her out on a date?" Kakashi sassed.
Genma shrugged. "If that's what you want." At the surprised blink of his friend, he snorted. "Just be aware I'll be included in the package." He reached out to tousle the silver hair. "Stop overthinking things, Kakashi."