The Strength of Humanity (A Naruto Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five ~ Teaching

Kakashi and I fell into something of a routine over the next couple of days. He would go to war meetings in the morning while I would do small missions around the village, my own training, or other tasks. I pointedly did not seek Aisa or my old team out. In the afternoon, we would train together as he casually recounted the war meetings I hadn't been able to attend, and I would spitball ideas while warming up with him.

I had almost attempted to gain an audience with Tsunade in order to reverse my demotion, but she was taking no requests: war was on the horizon, and other concerns were put on hold. My rank didn't matter in war. She knew my skills. I would be utilized.

Besides that, there was no real reason to try to regain my old rank anymore.

After training, we'd usually eat together, sometimes at restaurants, sometimes at his apartment; I was consistently surprised by his cooking abilities. Sometimes Kakashi would go back to meetings, and I would eat by myself, fall asleep in an empty apartment, wake up when he came home late at night—or, when particularly busy, early in the morning. I consistently failed to find the time to rent my own apartment, and he consistently failed to complain or put his foot down about me sleeping at his place. Sometimes, I would wake up from nightmares to find a glass of water next to me that wasn't there when I fell asleep.

It was an odd routine, but not an unwelcome one.

"Good!" Kakashi shouted from across the field. I pushed down a grin at the rare praise, panting and pushing back a few sweaty strands of hair that had fallen into my face. It had grown long enough for my to put the majority of it in a pony tail, but the pieces around my face were too short to stay put. "Do it again—try to extend the range, this time."

We were working on ninjutsu again, trying to figure out how to modify the hand signs or change my chakra output in order to compensate for missing and shortened fingers. The water dragon was neither particularly challenging or draining—it might have been for a genin, but despite my rank, I was not a genin—which made it perfect for my continued attempts at strengthening my ninjitsu.

I brought my hands up once again, tilting my fingers in a slightly different way, concentrating on the flow of chakra. This time, the water dragon managed to reach Kakashi and beyond; he jumped out of the way and it followed, and followed again, and finally he met it with an earth wall. The dragon managed to make a dent against the wall as it dispelled itself against it. I lowered my hands, pleased with my progress but wishing it was more, wishing we could work longer. Kakashi was adamant about not overworking myself before the war, however. We had to be ready at all times. Just in case.

Just as I'd predicted, Kakashi straightened after lowering the wall. "That's good enough for today, I think," he called out.

I also straightened, walking over to the boulders I'd set my water next to and guzzling it down. Kakashi joined me, pulling out his book and leaning against the stones. "My little genin, growing up so fast," he teased. "You'd almost think you were a jonin with how fast you're picking up these ninjutsu."

"Hilarious," I deadpanned, picking up some shurikan from the ground.

Kakashi chuckled, holding out his hand and accepting the shurikan I'd gathered. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" He invited.

"I can cook," I offered casually. He'd let me stay in his apartment, made larger meals for my portion, gave me information on war meetings. The least I could do was make some dinner occasionally. "I bought some groceries this morning with a little of the mission money I've been making."

He gave me his infamous one-eyed smile, reaching out and placing a hand in my head, which I'd long since given up in avoiding. "That sounds good," he agreed. "What are you planning on making?"