Rotted Rowan

War and Peace

"Why are you?" Kakashi returned. "It's barely passed noon."

"Is it?" I mused. "Then I suppose I'll just grab something to eat and head back to bed."

"No," Kakashi said quickly, then stopped himself. He cleared his throat. "It's been a while since we got a break. Instead of wasting it with sleep, why not...?"

"Sleeping a day away is not wasting it," I corrected. "And why not what? Train? No, thank you. This is our day off. As in: rest our bodies."

Kakashi flushed. "I wasn't going to say train. I was just suggesting we... go... out?"

"Why do you seem so unsure about that?" I asked curiously. I narrowed my eyes and accused, "Kushina set you up to this. She just wants me to do something other than sleep, and you're grasping at straws trying to figure something out."

"Don't be stupid," Kakashi snapped.

My eyes narrowed.

"... Shut up," Kakashi mumbled.

"I knew it," I muttered. "Jeeze, fine. Why don't we go grab our punching bag and... grab a movie or something?"

Kakashi relaxed. "That works. Gets the red demon off my case."

"Now you just have to deal with the demon princess," I snickered.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not scared of you."

"Is that a challenge, I hear?"

He twitched. If I hadn't been watching for it, I was certain I would have missed it. My lips twitched in satisfaction. The two of us head down the steps, barely paying any attention to the cuddling couple on the couch.

Kushina raises a hand, not turning around at all. "Good morning. You're up early."

"Sleep is overrated and for the weak, anyway," I grumbled, heading towards the fridge.

Kakashi glanced over at the two. "We're going to the movies with Obito."

Minato turned his head at that point, smiling brightly. "That's wonderful! Do you guys need money?"

"I got it covered," I dismissed, grabbing cinnamon roll dough out of the fridge.

"I'll pay for my own," Kakashi insisted.

"We'll see," was all I said in return.

(ง ⌣ ~ ⌣) ง

Kakashi and I stood outside of Obito's home. In comfortable silence we waited for an answer to our knocking. It came a few minutes later, Kiko—Obito's mother—answered the door. Her willow figure stood over us and she gave us a warm smile. "Are you two here for Obi-chan?"

"We were going to the movies and wanted to see if Obito-kun would join us," I answered, giving her a charming smile.

She reflexively returned my smile with a brighter one of her own. I felt inwardly proud of myself at that—I had worked hard under Madara's careful tutelage to be more charismatic. I certainly wasn't as charming or magnetic as he was, but I liked to think I was coming along alright.

"He's right upstairs, I'll go grab him," Kiko answered. The door closed behind her and Kakashi and I exchanged glances.

"So what movie are we going to see?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "I don't even know what's playing."

My nose crinkled. "I hope this isn't a waste of time."