Shadow (Naruto)

Chapter Three

~Kakashi's POV~

Age 14

The next morning when I showed up for my watch, I noticed Minato-sensei hadn't left yet and appeared to be scrambling around frantically in the kitchen. Something was wrong. Kushina appeared in the kitchen and helped him find whatever he was searching for. By now Mira would normally have been greeting me at the door with a big grin, there was no sign of her. Unsure of what to do, I stopped on the front porch debating if I should knock or not.

Just as I was about to retreat and take my post, the front door swung open and Kushina appeared with a warm smile, "Good Morning Kakashi, come on in."

"Ah. Okay." There was still no sign of Mira.

As if she read my mind, Kushina added, "Mira-chan is running a fever."

"Is she okay?!"

Kushina chuckled, "She'll be fine after a day of rest, it happens from time to time when she pushes herself too much." She beckoned me inside.

Minato-sensei was scrambling around, "Blankets, ice pack, water, meow-san, blankets..." He had a little pink cat plush tucked under one arm blankets under the other an ice pack in one hand and a cup of water in the other hand. He raced down the hall to Mira's room. I'd never seen this side of Minato-sensei before.

Kushina led me after him. Mira's room was filled with cute things, kittens, puppies, foxes, pandas and all manner of fluffy critters and plushies. It was just like her, bright and full of light. Laying on the bed surrounded by a plethora of cute plushies, was Mira. Her cheeks were flushed, her skin had a sickly pallor and her breathing seemed labored.

Minato scrambled to cover her with the extra blankets he had picked up in his search, tucked the pink kitten plush under her arm and placed the ice pack to her forehead before setting the glass of water on her bedside table. It was unsettling seeing the usual ball of energy looking so frail and weak. Her bright cerulean blues fluttered open, they were glassy and looked a little unfocused.

"Kakashi-nii." Her voice was weak.

Minato-sensei seemed to relax a little, "I think you're in good hands, Mira-chan." He lightly ruffled her auburn tinged blonde hair.

I was directed to a small plush chair at Mira's bedside as Kushina went to make some rice porridge and Minato-sensei left for the day. Mira had drifted into a fever induced sleep. Why didn't I notice she wasn't acting like her usual self yesterday? She'd been moving slower and was much clingier.

She slept for hours, her fever spiked around lunch time and she began to whimper in her sleep. Just what sort of fever addled dream was she having? Tears slipped from her hold as she began to toss and turn.

"Mama, Papa!"

I tried to comfort her, I didn't like seeing the exuberant youth in pain. She calmed for a moment as I placed my hand to her forehead, she was burning up.

"Kakashi-nii, don't go." She cried. "Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere." I said softly as I smoothed back her hair. In such a short amount of time, this bright energetic child, had taught me to care again. After the loss of Obito and Rin, I'd tried to distance myself from others, to not care, to focus solely on whatever task I was given with zero attachments to anyone. Mira barreled into my life, made me care again, gave me a reason to improve and became something precious that I wanted to protect. Could this have been Minato-sensei's plan all along?

Her fever broke late in the afternoon and she woke with an adorable yawn, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Those bright cerulean blues latched onto me and she grinned. She still looked tired and weak, but was as bright and exuberant as her usual self.

"Kakashi-nii!"

"You had me worried, Mira-chan." I ruffled her hair affectionately.

"Sorry, Kakashi-nii."

"If you weren't feeling good yesterday, why did you insist on playing hide and seek?" I sighed.

"Onii-san and Onee-san don't get to spend a lot of time together." Mira said softly, "They're starting a family and I don't want to be in the way."

"Eh? They don't see it that way."

Video- None because i'm on the struggle bus right now, so if you have music suggestions feel free haha (Absolutely no country music, gospel music or rap music, please! I will pretty much accept any other genre)