[on hold] Falling ━━ Kakashi Hatake

Prologue

prologue

HATAKE KAKASHI COULD FEEL THE EXCITEMENT BUILDING UP IN THE PIT OF HIS STOMACH AS HE MARCHED THROUGH THE DESERT OF SUNAGAKURE, the sand giving in underneath his feet. With every step he took alongside his company, he closed the distance between himself and a certain person he longed to see. The mere thought made his heart beat increase slightly, the feeling almost alien to him.

"We will be received by the Kazekage's sister: Sabaku no Himiko." said Shikamaru, looking up from the information sheet he held. He threw a quick glance at the Hokage before looking forward again, careful to not trip on his way.

Kakashi could remember the woman he knew to be the oldest child of the Kazekage clan, a woman not much younger than himself. He had met her several times already, and every time she had somehow managed to capture his attention. At the mention of her name, a flush began to blossom on his cheeks.

Sabaku no Himiko, quite enigmatic and absolutely captivating if he had to describe her. Kakashi could still vividly remember the first time he had seen her was during the Chuunin exams, the ones she attended alongside her siblings.

The foreign participants of the Chuunin exams had shown up in the waiting room, teams of the various villages all rounded up in one place. Some attracted more attention than others did.

"They are the children of the Kazekage," told him Kurenai, her crimson eyes focused on the Genin standing at the other end of the room. "All four of them are."

"All four?" Kakashi's visible eye wandered over to the isolated group, raking over each member.

The shortest of the four was a boy with bright red hair and a scowl etched upon his features, so much so, that it looked permanent. His electric blue eyes were rimmed in a dark shade of black, perfectly contrasting his pale skin. A kanji symbol was painted on his forehead, its color a match to his wild hair. Further away stood two other Genin: a boy wearing a Bunraku, a puppeteer's costume, and a black hood, one that covered his head completely. His face was painted with several purple stripes to accentuate his features. By his side was a blond girl who wore her hair in pigtails, giving her a stern appearance. Kakashi thought she looked almost scared of the boy with red hair, side glancing at him a few times as though cautious of him.

"Yes. The one to the left, the woman, that's the oldest sibling."

Lastly, his gaze landed on the oldest sibling of the clan, the one they deemed its 'princess': Himiko.

Kakashi thought her given title to be quite fitting, as the woman did indeed look as though descended from royalty. With smooth skin in spite of her life as a Kunoichi and plumped lips looking as though kissed by honey, the words she spoke fascinated him. While he couldn't hear her nor read what she said, he could see how her violet eyes shone brightly while she spoke with the red-haired brother, her posture tense. Of all siblings, he further noticed, she stood closest to the boy, the only one to not wear an expression negatively connotated.

It was then that the woman turned to meet his gaze, as if she had felt it on herself. When her intense violet met the ember of charcoal, Kakashi felt a shock run down his spine. The feeling only intensified when the woman winked at him. He shook his head before averting his gaze, turning to instead inspect the other team, acting as though nothing had happened.

Kakashi cleared his throat, resurfacing from the memories he had lost himself in. "I know her."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow in question, though chose not to comment. "Good. That makes things easier."

"It will."

In Sunagakure meanwhile stood said woman near the gates, her plum dress hugging her curves as she waited. The slight breeze gently lifted the material, making it flow alongside it. Her raven-haired she tucked behind her ear, a gesture close to nervousness.

"Excited?" asked Temari, glancing at her older sister.

"Oh, stop it you," Himiko turned towards the blond, a teasing smile playing upon her lips. "Don't act like you aren't waiting eagerly for Shikamaru here."

Temari's cheeks flushed in an instant, and the blond looked away, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm here because I'm the Ambassador."

Himiko clicked her tongue. "Sure you are." Her little sister's crush on the Konoha Shinobi was something she found utterly endearing. A bonus point was the fact that she found them to be quite a good match as they balanced each other out.

"Himiko-sama, Temari-sama, there they are!" yelled out a guard from atop the gates, dramatically pointing at the approaching visitors.

When Himiko's violet eyes landed on the man with so familiar silver hair, it felt as though her heart began to pick up speed, almost to soar. She couldn't help the smile growing on her features, her violet eyes only focusing on him. Silver hair turned in several directions and the Hokage robes he wore only accentuating his features, giving him the appearance of a man from an ancient tale. His mask hid his lower features, but the hint of a smile was visible from underneath it.

Hello, Kakashi.

"Welcome to Sunagakure, Hokage-sama."

I missed you, she wanted to say.

Only with her words and the upwards tug of her lips, Himiko had managed to enrapture his mind yet another time. If Kakashi only knew how to escape the grip in which she got him.

"It's been quite some time, Himiko-san." 

I missed you too, he meant.