Turns out I’m quite gifted at being an assistant.
In just a few short hours I had the paperwork completely sorted.
Now that I have been working for the better half of a week things have been running much smoother.
Between the groups of time-sensitive and subject of the documents, I’d say there were over two-hundred documents a day.
But that is after removing any documents the Hokage decided weren’t worth looking at.
Aside from helping sort through the documents, I am also in charge of scheduling the Hokage for meetings with the Council and other important gatherings.
At first, I wasn’t sure about working with the man that helped sell me, but I warmed up to him as he groveled over the paperwork.
Soon we fell into a comfortable routine of scolding and pouting.
Sometimes teams would come in, like a man named Gai and his three Genin.
He was an odd man, filled with too much energy and hardened muscle and wrapped in green spandex.
His team consisted of a broody long-haired boy, a mini Gai, and a respectful young lady.
Surprisingly, Gai claimed that he was at the wedding and we disappeared before he could introduce himself as Kakashi’s eternal rival.
Claiming that ditching our own wedding was ‘youthful.’
I tried not to think too hard about what he meant.
Kakashi knows nothing about my work developments.
Ever since he had the nightmare, he’s been very distant.
In fact, he started missing dinner and leaving even earlier. He wouldn’t come home till real late.
When I asked him about it, he claimed that he’s been preparing his team for the upcoming Chunin exam, scheduled for next month.
I had nothing to say to that, so I just nodded and went to bed, but I stayed up all night knowing that this wasn’t because of his students, I couldn't help but feel it was because of me.
I wasn’t sure what I did, but it didn’t seem to matter. Kakashi was avoiding me, plain and simple.
Sighing I sorted through the new documents of today.
The doors slid open and I glanced up, seeing a girl with pink hair and pretty green eyes.
I looked back down, uninterested in the Genin looking for another mission.
But then I snapped my head up in surprise and backpedaled.
I recognized that hair.
There were only two pictures in the entirety of Kakashi’s apartment, and she was in one of them.
She was Kakashi’s student, along with a black-haired boy and a blonde with a sunny smile.
Kakashi stands behind them with a gentle hand on either side of the children on the ends.
The other picture was a young Kakashi next to a young boy with dorky goggles and a sweet-looking girl with cute little markings on her face. Behind them a soft smiling blond man with handsome blue eyes.
Kakashi’s sensei almost reminded me of the blonde boy on Kakashi’s team, seeing them side by side.
I would have asked, but Kakashi has never even breached the topic of his past.
After the girl, came the familiar blond boy in a hideous orange jumpsuit and squinted eyes, three whisker marks across his cheeks.
Behind him the black-haired boy with a high collar blue shirt and a scowl to his brows. The kid looked like he never relaxed.
Finally, Kakashi walked in wearing his Jonin vest and holding that stupid orange book.
I bit my lip, this wasn’t exactly the way I hoped to tell him about my job. I didn’t think he would be upset, just…startled.
“Hey Old Man, tell Sasuke he’s being a real jerk!” The blonde boy yelled out and I immediately realized which one he is.
Naruto, the loudmouth knucklehead with a heart of gold.
Sakura was the only girl so it was obvious she was the pinkette currently scolding Naruto on manners and Sasuke’s ‘coolness.’
Which leaves the scowling boy to be Sasuke, who was currently rolling his eyes at Naruto before briefly pinning them onto me in acknowledgment of my presence before looking to the Hokage.
It would be a wonder how I managed to evade being seen working by Kakashi.
But every time his team came by I dodged the bullet as the Chunin at the front desk would tell me the Hokage was with someone.
Now though, as I was sitting on the floor by the Sandaime’s desk, there was no dodging this time.
So I stared at Kakashi head-on, gauging his reaction from surprise to confusion and finally to understanding.
Something flashed in his lone eye and I couldn’t tell if I liked the way my insides twisted.
“Mah, Sandaime, holing up my wife and forcing her to do your job for you isn’t very nice.” His voice wasn’t gentle, the joking manner he said the words falling short as his eye glanced between us suspiciously.
“Wait, your wife?” Sakura screeched, glancing between us with reddened cheeks.
Naruto blanched and scratched his head, Sasuke merely raised a brow, looking at me with a new interest.
Blushing I tried to school my features, slightly mad at his statement, though I was more confused than anything.
“Well, husband. The Sandaime offered me a job.” I snipped, resuming my work.
“And that’s why you’re on the ground like a dog?” He mused, clearly attempting to cover up his annoyance.
Annoyance at what I couldn’t figure out.
“It’s easier to sort things this way.” I growled, forcefully placing the papers down with sharp movements.
“And you neglected to tell me this why?” He said, voice gaining a new edge like he just realized something.
Like I lied to him.
I stopped what I was doing and stared at him incredulously.
“Because you haven’t been home. Working with your Genin.” I said, looking to the Genin who seemed far too confused to help clear anything up.
Naruto scrunched up his face and crossed his arms.
“We haven’t been training that late. Unless my clock has been lying to me!”
Naruto’s eyes went wide with panic.
I snapped my eyes back to Kakashi, hurt flashing as I realized what he must have been doing.
Swallowing down the pinpricks of hurt I restarted my work.
There was an awkward silence that hung heavy in the air, the Sandaime’s pipe the only thing making noise.
‘I bet the ANBU are having a real laugh right now.’
I knew about the ANBU in the room, Sandaime introduced them to me when I first started.
Sometimes, they would even come out of hiding and talk to me.
At one point I asked about Kakashi’s tag but the ANBU soldier didn’t have much to say.
Just that Wolf must have worn a wolf mask and some other useless information.
Though I still ate it up like candy, practically gasping for Kakashi’s past like air.
“(Y/N) I…it wasn’t what you think it was.” Kakashi tried to defend himself, but he offered up nothing to help his case.
I nodded and refused to look at him.
The Sandaime interrupted the suffocating silence and sent them on their way, Kakashi sending me one last glance of guilt before he disappeared behind the door.
“I’m sorry.” Sandaime said, continuing his work.
“We made rules in the beginning. Kakashi isn’t doing anything he isn’t allowed to do.”
The Sandaime stayed quiet.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“Seriously, what the hell was that back in the office?” I practically yelled at Kakashi.
He was sitting on the couch and looking like a kicked puppy.
“I don’t know what you mean.” He responded casually, but he radiated guilt.
"Kakashi, why would you freak out like that? So I didn’t tell you I was working, big deal! You didn’t tell me you were screwing around!”
I bit my cheek and tried to steady my breathing, willing the tears to evaporate.
Kakashi snapped his head up and stood so fast I got whiplash watching him.
“(Y/N), holy shit I wasn’t sleeping around!” He yelled, eyes wild and horrified.
I scoffed and shook my head.
“Look Kakashi, I get it. It was in the rules. I’m just pissed that you lied to me.” I said, bringing my tone from harsh to soft and placating.
Kakashi ran a hand through his hair.
“Fuck, I wasn’t-I. Dammit (Y/N) that’s not what I was doing.” His tone dripped to desperate and I furrowed my brows.
“Then what were you doing?” I exasperatedly asked, shaking my head in defeat.
Kakashi remained silent and I scoffed.
“You know, when I refused to answer Drake would punish a maid instead. He had a real temper, and the power to get away with anything.”
I shivered as I remembered all the tears and screams and begs.
I looked at Kakashi with haunted eyes.
“Nothing’s worse than having to watch someone else beg because of you. Protecting the truth isn’t always worth it.” I sighed softly, looking away from him.
“My Sensei died protecting the Village, so did my teammate. My other teammate, she died because of me. And my father committed suicide. But now they are all in the same place. Buried or their names engraved in the cemetery. I went there. I go there, every morning, for hours. That nightmare I had was about Rin, my teammate, and I went to her grave every night. That’s why I wasn’t home.” Kakashi’s voice was barely a whisper and I watched him collapse onto the couch.
He continued as if a dam was broken and his past couldn’t help but rush out.
“I killed her.” He said brokenly and I rushed to his side, falling beside him and gripping his hand.
“I stuck my hand through her chest. I didn’t mean to, it was an accident. But I-I killed her!”
Kakashi seemed to break and I wrapped my arms around him.
“My father killed himself because everyone shunned him for forgoing a mission. Sensei and his wife died saving this Village. Obito ended up crushed in the war. They’re all gone, but I’m still here.”
I ran my fingers through his hair. He pushed me down harshly, holding himself over me as tears fell onto my face.
“Why am I still here when they aren’t?”
Reaching up I stroked his cloth-covered cheeks and smiled sadly.
“Because people still need you, your team, your friends, this Village. Me.”
I pulled him to me gently and he allowed himself to lower until his nose bumped mine.
“They are gone, Kakashi, their fights are over. You’ll meet them again, hopefully not until your old and senile.” I joked and swiped a tear from his eye.
“But you’ll meet them again. In the meantime, those students of yours need you. Hell, Gai needs you! And Kakashi…I want you.” I whispered to him.
Kakashi stared into my eyes, too many emotions for me to place.
But then he was moving away to a safe distance and I sat up, slightly disappointed.
“You, lost your father right?” He asked and I nodded.
“He died when I was thirteen.”
Kakashi gave me a sympathetic nod.
“I was six.”
I bit my lip and nodded back.
“I’m sorry I was such a dick back at the tower. I was just…surprised.”
I gave a nervous chuckle, though I had a feeling that wasn't all he felt back there.
“Well, now we were both called dogs.” I joked and Kakashi let loose a breathless laugh.
His eyes dimmed and I could clearly read the guilt he felt.
“I guess I have to add another to my pack.” He said, voice light like a joke but a heavy meaning to it, I tilted my head.
But he just smiled mischievously and placed a hand on the foot table.
A dog appeared in a puff of smoke and I gasped. It was small, a cute brown pug, with darker fur around his ears and muzzle.
“This is Pakkun. My Canine summon.”
The dog woofed and then watched me with a critical eye.
“She smells nice.” He said and I sat up straight as he spoke.
Kakashi scowled at him.
“Oh my god!” I reached over and snatched him up into my arms.
Pakkun yelped but then cuddled close. Kakashi eyed him with disdain.
We stayed up almost all night talking,
Pakkun settling comfortably on my lap.
Before I knew it we were passing out, Kakashi and I opposite on the small couch, legs entangling and Pakkun standing guard.
For the first time since Kakashi’s nightmare, I fell asleep with a smile.