Too Far to Reach (Kakashi Love Story)

[20] Some of the Story

As my eyes trailed over the surface of the water, looking for answers, I heard the door behind me open and close again and footsteps coming towards me. I sighed, waiting for Kakashi's sappy talk or whatever he wanted to say, until I looked over to see the kid I bumped into on the stairs earlier. I learned his name was Inari, and he was Tazuna's grandson. He sat next to me on the porch, looking straight ahead, not sparing me a glance. My eyebrows cringed together. Tears were silently rolling down his cheeks.

"Hey kid, what's wrong?" I murmured in as steady a voice I could muster.

"I'd like to ask you the same question," he snapped back, sniffling.

I cleared my throat and tried to sound a little calmer for Inari. "Fine. Ask away."

"Why are you out here crying? Why didn't you tell anyone about that thing you have around your neck all the time?"

I looked up at the sky. "It's complicated."

"How complicated can a rock be?"

"It's not the rock," I replied silently. "It's where it came from."

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Was it always yours or was it someone else's to begin with?" By now all the attitude in his voice was gone and he wasn't crying anymore.

"It used to be my dad's," I said. "He's...not around anymore. He gave it to me before he left."

"You too, huh?" I looked over at him. He looked at me. We stared each other in the eye for a minute, understanding each other, transferring one another's life stories in just a glint of the eye.

"So what happened to your dad?"

"Gato killed him," Inari stated flatly. My eyes went wide. "He was a hero to this town...but Gato wouldn't stand for it. He beat him and then executed him right in front of us all." He hugged his knees to his chest. "What happened to yours?"

"He was murdered. By a terrible man who only wanted to profit off of what belonged to him." Inari whipped his head to the side to look at me. I had a dead-serious look in my eye. "And what belonged to him..." I lifted the stone up by the fabric of the necklace. "Was this."

"So...is he still after it?"

"Yeah. And I have no doubts that he'll find me soon. He's probably sending his 'search dogs' out for me. He's a ruthless man who won't stop at anything just to get this cursed stone."

"How can you stay so strong about it?" he sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "How...can you not break down whenever the thought of him crosses your mind?"

"The truth is, I'm not. No one may see it, but my eyes are always replaying the scenes of that night. The night I will never forget." My head snapped up at the almost unnoticeable sound of the door behind me sliding shut. I turned around quick enough to see a tiny piece of white hair through the doorway before it shut completely. "Kakashi," I seethed. Why was he eavesdropping? He has no right! Here I am, practically pouring my heart out to Inari, and he wants to know what's up with me! Why couldn't he be respectful and leave my privacy be? "Sorry, I have to go." Before Inari could say anything, I stood up quickly and bolted down the deck and to behind the house, falling back against the wall, panting.

"Is that all true?"

Kakashi's voice made me jump. I looked up at the white-haired masked devil, who had his arms crossed and was leaning his right shoulder against the side of the house. I sighed.

"Why were you listening? That was supposed to be private!"

"Tomiko." His voice was serious. He was truly being sentimental. "If you really carry this much sadness in your heart, then you need to tell us about it. We won't judge you, we can help you get through it."

"You don't understand," I grumbled. "You still don't. Not even after hearing that. That was barely half the story." I stood up and faced Kakashi. He stood up straight. "Not even you can protect me. This guy after me is a master in ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu. He only hires the best of the best, and he even had control over the Akatsuki for a short period of time. He can't be stopped."

"What?" Kakashi breathed. "The Akatsuki? How did he manage that?"

"I told you, he's powerful. And with this stone, he'll be even more powerful." I pushed past him. "Excuse me."

He placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me from walking any further. "If you feel so bad about it, then I won't tell anybody. You can't stay so bottled up all the time, Tomiko. You're just a kid, you can't handle this stuff on your own."

I ripped my shoulder from his grip. "I am not just a kid. I'm not as much of a kid as you think." With those last words I left lingering in Kakashi's brain, I walked off the deck and away from the house, taking a walk to clear my head up.

Why does Kakashi care about me so much, and why haven't I noticed?

~~~~~

I can't tell yet, but I think this is short. It might be longer than I think, but it looks like two pages from what I see right now...

Song on the side = the perfect mood...lol. And yes, I love David Cook too. I love a lot of singers/bands. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BY NOW! :O

Yeah...pic on the side is of Gato, for those of you that never watched the anime. Didn't want you thinking he was just some random old dude that looked like Mickey Mouse on the side lol.