The Jashinist's Son (Naruto Fanfic)

'Flinch'

Third Person POV:

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By the afternoon it had begun raining as Kakashi, Takeo and Koneko continue standing in front of the memorial stone, as they had been for two hours now. Sakura frowns from within the bush, "what are they doing? They haven't moved in forever-" her monologue is interrupted when she sees 'Koneko' fall sideways, almost completely flat.

"Wait! Don't tell me." She rushes over to where the three are standing, only to find scarecrows in their places.

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After Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura's failed attempts at seeing Kakashi's face, they parted ways to prepare for a mission.

Team Kakashi were all packed up and ready for the mission, well both their mission and the one that was self assigned. Takeo and Koneko stood by their guardian, well aware that the trio would be trying something but not really caring in the slightest.

Yes, Takeo was still bitter about them ditching Koneko and himself. Yes, he knew he was acting childish. And no, he wasn't about to change that just to make them feel better about themselves, since two of the three didn't even remember that they forgot him in the first place. They just thought the silver haired boy was just being moody until Sasuke had spoken up.

"What's with you guys today? You seem ready for anything." Kakashi remarks, eyeing his genin curiously. "Oh, we're ready!" Naruto and Sakura exclaim whilst Sasuke just lets out a "hn" in response. "Oh that's good." Kakashi states before looking over at his ward.

He knew that Takeo felt left out, and yes the boy could've involved himself in the genin's childish antics, but Kakashi knew that Takeo wasn't emotionally ready for that. No matter how much he wished he was. The fear of rejection from his peers and the lingering hatred from villagers and shinobi alike, were enough to keep him at bay. Especially after they already forgot him once.

Takeo just leans against the gate as he watches the clouds floating in the sky, with Koneko resting in his arms. 'Why couldn't I've found Shikamaru and cloud watched with him?' He inwardly sighs, disengaged from the world around him.

Without warning, a hand appears above Takeo's head making him instinctively yelp, dropping to the ground with one hand covering his head and the other wrapping itself around Koneko for protection.

An image overtakes his vision, one that makes his body tremble in anticipation of what would normally follow. Kakashi's gloved hand froze mid air, horrified of Takeo's immediate reaction to such a simple gesture, and a sickening feeling that Takeo even compared himself to, presumably, Hidan.

Both him and the genin watch as after a few tense seconds, Takeo lifts his head with his haunted expression fading into one brimming with shame. His hands were shaking feverishly as if they were unable to stop, even as he adjusts Koneko in his hands and makes his way to his feet. "I'm sorry." He mutters, holding Koneko close, whom rubs her head against her best friend for reassurance.

Kakashi frowns, ignoring the concerned expressions on his genin's face as he looks to the boy in his custdoy, asking. "Are you alright Takeo?"

"I'm fine," Takeo snaps, "let's just go already." He takes a few steps forward, desperately wanting to just get on with the mission and forget his little mishap, but Kakashi wasn't a push over, grabbing the boy's arm, whom flinches from the contact before ripping it out of the man's grasp.

"Don't touch me." He warns in a low tone, making Sasuke vividly remember the consequences of making Takeo angry a few days ago. The Uchiha steps toward his angered friend, ignoring the weired out glances from Sakura and Naruto. "Takeo calm down-" But the said silver haired boy wasn't having any of it.