Alone No More

Harsh Words

Warning: minor swearing
______________________________________

"I'm off to training!" Rin announced after putting on her shoes.

"Okay, be careful!" Her mother called out in response.

Rin strolled through the village at her own leisurely pace taking in the sight of her beloved village preparing for another day. Shop owners opening their door for oncoming customers as food stands filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma. As she continued making her away to the training field as she spotted Kakashi a bit ahead of her and rushed towards the little Hatake.

"Kakashi, Kakashi wait up!" Rin shouted running to the boy. Kakashi stopped and turned to Rin as she caught up with him, but said nothing. "Let's walk to the training grounds together," Rin suggests with a kind smile as her cheeks pinked a little.

"If you insist," Kakashi answered with a shrug, as the two teammates walk together in a comfortable silence.

While heading to the training grounds Rin noticed that people were staring at them, or more precisely glaring at Kakashi. 'Why are they looking at Kakashi like that?' Rin questioned internally feeling a knot of nerves forming in her stomach. She listened closely to the people who were mutters to themselves.

"It's that boy," A civilian woman poorly whispered to her friend.

"Uh, he's such a freak." The other woman replied in disgust.

"Does that poor girl know who she's standing next to?" A different lady quietly asks the man next to her in a worried tone.

"He's nothing but a little monster." The civilian man states harshly as he continues to stock his store's shelves.

"I wish the Hokage would think about us common folks enough to just get rid of the little brat." A merchant complained in a hush irritated tone.

"Pfft, bastard's son." A male shinobi comments sitting at a table eating his Dango with a small group of ninjas

"He has no right living in our village!" A kunoichi hiss under her breath with other members of the group nodded in agreement.

'What is going on, why are they saying these things?' Rin yelled in her mind. She looked at Kakashi who acted like nothing was wrong.

Rin assumed she had a look of horror pasted on her face because Kakashi nudged her arm with his elbow to get her attention. Kakashi gives her one of his very rare grins that's she's only seen a handful of times including this time as he spoke more gently then she's used to, "it's okay, there's nothing to worry about, Rin."

Rin was shocked, to say the least, but nodded as they walk to their team's meeting place a bit faster. When they arrived, they are the first ones there like usual. They sat under the nearest tree and waited for their Sensei and tarty teammate.

"What was all that about, Kakashi?" Rin questioned hug her knees to her chest.

"Don't worry about it, people are just being dumb right now, soon this will all just be a bad memory," Kakashi replied nonchalantly getting a book out of a sealing scroll and started reading while they wait.

Rin doesn't like the answer but didn't pry. Knowing it might shove Kakashi away if she forces him to do something, he doesn't wanna do. "Do you want me to tell Minato-sensei?" She urges hoping Kakashi would agree.