The Perv Down the Street ~ Kakashi Love Story ~

Chapter Twenty-Six :: You Start to Accept It

"Eiji, think quicker. You're still not processing her attacks fast enough!" You called out, sighing in irritation afterwards. When Asami first started with your team, you used to have to urge her to get up and keep training, especially after she was attacked, but now she's been kicking Hideyoshi and Eiji's ass all afternoon. The craziest part was she wasn't even breaking a sweat.

You watched Hideyoshi and his shadow clones surprise her by jumping towards her through the trees, but Asami did some more hand movements and clapped her hands together. "Snowy Ice Style; Crashing Avalanche Jutsu!"

You watched as she slid one leg out and traced a semicircle in the ground in front of herself; what appeared as an ice slide caught the clones and the slide led them to a tree, where they each crashed into it and disappeared until Hideyoshi smacked his face against it.

"I'm... so tired..." Eiji sighed and fell to his knees while Asami tucked her hands into her sleeves again.

"Good. It's my afternoon meditation time anyways." Asami shrugged before turning away and walking off. You watched her walk off but when she got close you placed your hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.

"I was thinking about taking the team out for dinner tonight, how does that sound?" You suggested with a smile.

"What were you thinking?" Asami asked.

"Well we could go get ramen, I remember how much you loved it."

"I don't eat ramen anymore." Asami shrugged your hand off her shoulder. "Our diet consists of fish for our primary protein; it's rare we have beef or poultry meats for protein, but fish is so common in the Tribe we all just eat it for every meal."

You watched as Asami turned her back and continued on, your heart slowly dropping to your feet. The excited, antsy little girl you once remembered is not the same girl that was walking away from you.

You felt a lump in your throat as Eiji walked up to you, sweating and panting. "You okay, ___-sensei?"

"I'm sorry boys, but we have to reschedule this another time. Go home and rest." You instructed, taking off before they could stop you.

You kept running through the village until you arrived at the HQ building and ran into Lady Tsunade's office. "Knock next tome, ___-San." She said sternly.

"What the hell happened you Asami?" You demanded, crying.

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the same, excited girl I took in as my student!" You shouted, slamming your fist into a wall. "She was always excited about everything, even after her accident she still was excited and worked ten times harder for everything. Who is this girl that took her identity??"

You fell to your knees crying as a hand rested on your shoulder. "I'm the Southern Tribe, once a child begins their training as a ninja they have to forget about having fun." Lady Tsunade explained calmly. "Yeah, sometimes they can have fun activities, but because of their reputation, the Tribe and their ninjas has to be serious from the start of training to their final breath. I'm sorry, ___-San, but this is Asami now, and there isn't nothing neither of us - nor the whole village - can do about it."

"I want my excited Asami back.." you sobbed through tears, looking at the Hokage. "I told you she wasn't ready for this kind of training!"

"Quit talking nonsense and keep your head up!" Ladu Tsunade barked. "Just because Asami isn't who she used to be doesn't mean you act like a child. For god's sake grow up. You're a Jonin now, act like it or I'll revoke you of your title."

You didn't say anything, but stood up and nodded. "I understand that you're upset, but Asami was bound to mature eventually," Lady Tsunade added in a calmer tone. "Nothing can stay the same forever. You know that."

You still refused to speak, but you did excuse yourself before leaving. You headed straight to your own apartment - not Kakashi's - keeping your head up and biting the inside of your lower lip to prevent yourself from crying.

Once you arrived, you closed and locked the door before sliding down to the floor and lost yourself. You cried in the same spot for about an hour before hearing a small knock on the door. "___-sensei?" Asami's voice broke out. "Are you home?"

You sniffles and wiped your sadness from your face as best as possible before saying, "Y-Yeah. Why, what's up?"

"I know you're probably upset at me," Asami began. "But I just wanted you to know that everything I'm doing is to make you proud. I look up to you as a parental figure - aside from my auntie - but if me doing my training with the Southern Trive upsets you I can always deny returning with Yamato."

"N-No, Asami. You don't have to do that." You insisted, standing up. "You are going to take this opportunity by the neck and crush it!" That's a weird way to put it.

"Well if it upsets you, I shouldn't." Asami added. "Also, Hideyoshi and Eiji seem to dislike me now cause I'm not with them everyday now. I don't want to lose that bond I have with them."

"They're not mad at you, they're jealous that after a month of training with Yamato, you're suddenly better than the both of them combined." You chuckled, placing your hand gently on the door knob. "Do you want to come in, Asami? We can talk about it over tea?"

"No thank you. I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble." Asami said before you heard footsteps. You listened in and waited until her footsteps were gone before turning your back to the door. You took in a deep breath and walked into your bedroom, only to see Kakashi sitting on your bed reading.

"H-Hey!" You snapped, getting his attention. "What the hell are you doing??"

"Reading." Kakashi simply stated. "What are you doing?"

You turned red before looking away. "I just... I needed a day to myself. Thats all-"

"Don't lie to me. Lady Tsunade told me about your meeting." Kakashi interrupted, standing up and closing the book. He shoved it into his pocket, making direct eye contact with you. "You can't seriously be upset that Asami is taking this special training, are you?"

"I'm not upset about it!" You growled. "I'm just taken by surprise that she isn't the same as before she left! It's like she's a whole new person."

"___, her inheritance is originally from the Southern Tribe." Kakashi explained. "And like Lady Tsunade explained it to you, once their children start training their childhood is pretty much over. It's not your fault Asami isn't like her old self anymore."

"I-I'm just worried she's gonna get hurt again." You looked at your feet, fighting back the tears that were threatening your eyes. "Last time she almost died because of that stupid flower mission. What if I can't protect her?"

Kakashi walked over and placed his hand on your shoulder. "___, a mother bird's job is to show her babies how to eat, hunt, and survive in the wilderness, so that when they're old enough they can be set free, without having the assistance of their mother. You need to let Asami fly free and not get upset if she changes over time. She is who she is, and everyone just has to accept her for who she is."

You nodded and hugged Kakashi, your face buried into his chest. He returned the big back before saying, "Now, let's get ready for bed. We'll stay at your place tonight to mix it up."

"You're such a dork." You chuckled before pulling Kakashi's mask down and planting a kiss on his lips.