Salvation (Kakashi x OC) (Standalone)

6.2

They were both the overpowered older generation who instilled their teachings to the next gen, however brief it had been for Rengoku. While Kakashi had more in common with Giyu, one couldn't ignore the impact of Rengoku on Tanjiro's life.

Kakashi had a similar effect on Naruto's life, especially during the Naruto Bridge Arc.

A sudden roar echoed all around us, and my hands automatically gripped Kakashi's shoulders, my legs bumping against his in a sudden jump.

"It's okay." One of Kakashi's arms wrapped around my back, leaving me clinging to him like some baby monkey. He began crawling down the roof, our heads raised lower than our legs. It was such a disorienting feeling—I don't know how bugs do this all day!

"It's going to be okay," Kakashi soothed, but a dark edge to his tone had me peeking at his side profile.

My hands balled up into fists where they gripped Kakashi's dark underclothes. I'm so pathetic, asking for his help all the time. Is this uselessness what Sakura always faced?

Who said a ninja only had worth if they fought on the front lines? Historically, Sakura's people skills, compassion, and quickness were far more useful in clandestine missions. Yet, because she was stuck in a Shonen misrepresentation of an entire culture, she was hated for being weak.

Useless.

I've always considered myself useless, and never once did I hate Sakura. There were times when I disliked the pacing of her actions compared to Naruto's and Sasuke's. But it never made me hate her.

And I wasn't some fool who thought her strength came to her too easily, just to make her seem less useless.

Sakura was at least 700% more useful than I could ever be.

Take this situation now. I left my apartment and put Kakashi in danger, just because I recognized Rengoku's face. I didn't have a plan, and I still don't.

What should I do? What could I do? What was within my power to control?

"I...I need to try talking to him," I said, my voice flimsier than a broken screen door, letting in drafts and creatures alike.

Kakashi paused in his downward climb, and the sudden motion pulled at my momentum, resettling my body where it was wrapped around his middle.

"You can't be serious."

I smiled, completely unaffected. It was obvious how it would turn out. I didn't blame him for sounding so unamused.

"I need to."

"Gracie."

"I need to."

"Gracie."

"Kakashi."

Annoyed into silence, Kakashi huffed a breath. Through his face mask, I could feel that puff of air shoot out like a bull's heavy snort.

"That is not happening." His voice brooked no argument.

My legs squeezed around his middle, and I forced my neck to move back a little to focus on his gaze. "I need to talk to him. Please."

Kakashi's gaze was unmoved. "He doesn't know who you are."

"I know that." I did. "But I can't just leave him like that."

"Not happening."

I nearly sighed in frustration. This was going nowhere. Just how was this man so stubborn? I had no chance of holding out until he lost patience, letting me do what I wanted.

I'd never met someone who wouldn't give even an inch.

Kakashi's stubbornness wasn't so obvious in the anime. I wonder if this was part of the fuller, fleshed-out version of him. I wonder if the anime version is only a cheap imitation, showing us the easier sides to the heroic ninja.