"He doesn't deserve to know."
Tadou couldn't hide the chuckle rumbling in his chest. He walked alongside his son, both non-natives being escorted by a shinobi. "Your sister would sob if she heard you talking like that, my Tatsui."
Tatsui scoffed. He had folded his arms, hands resting on his forearms beneath the sleeves of his kosode. Both had foregone their kimono, the weather in Konoha much more moderate than they were accustomed to. "She'll cry more when she finds out he didn't even come to visit her."
"I admire your strength, but I wish you would realize that not everyone can be as strong." The elder samurai admired the faces carved into the Hokage Rock. It was rather charming, he had to admit. It would be nice to implement something of the same kind in the Land of Iron, but he had a feeling the only face added to the monument would be that of Mifune. "I was like that at your age as well so I can understand. Thinking about it, you probably got it from me." The redhead stopped, turning to look at his son with a charming smile. "We'll have a talk between men. Then we can work on you sharing your sister."
Upon entering the Academy the pair's number of escorts quadrupled. Tadou paid it no mind, understanding that the building contained not only the village's school but also the office of their leader and arguably their entire military force. Tatsui, already in a bad mood, shivered in annoyance once surrounded. If either woman of their family had been present the teen would be much calmer ; anyone could blame it on the fact that he was in an awkward part of his life, both age wise and hormonally, but Tadou knew better.
Tatsui had always favored himself as a protector, something he no doubt learned from his father. The Umu being as old of a clan as they were still held onto some of the more traditional ways of living and thinking such as the fact that men protected women. It wasn't that they viewed women as weaker or needing protection. No, in fact it was quite the opposite - for the Umu, women were invaluable, capable of physical, emotional, and mental strength so natural it felt godlike. Women were the water that nurtured life and staved off flames, yet not afraid of forming torrential outbursts that few could recover from.
"The Feminine always conquers the Masculine by her quietness, by lowering herself through her quietness. Hence, if a great country can lower itself before a small country, it will win over the small country." Tatsui had heard this many times in the dojo and his home throughout childhood. It was a favored teaching from Mifune himself and reflected the philosophy of the Land of Iron perfectly. Thus, despite being the youngest of his family, Tatsui always vowed to protect his mother and sister until his last breath, the least he could do to make sure something so sacred was never lost.
It was this thought process that made it that much harder for Tatsui to understand why the man who supposedly loved his sister so much couldn't make an effort to make sure she was alright. So when he was finally allowed into the Hokage's office, the sight of Kakashi sitting so casually made his blood boil.
Tadou pressed his hand into his son's chest when he began to step forward. The normally carefree expression on his face was replaced with a stern silent warning, one that Tatsui knew better than to oppose. "Lady Hokage," the patriarch greeted warmly. He fell into a seated bow, hand resting on his thigh as he dropped his torso low, Tatsui following suit.
Tsunade stood to greet the pair, Kakashi following her actions. Unlike her, he recognized at least one of their visitors, and unlike Tsunade he felt much more uneasy about his appearance. "Is there something I can do for you?" She questioned when the two stood. "Is this meeting on behalf of the Land of Iron?"
"No. I'm sorry to bother you, but this is for a personal matter." He motioned to the silver haired man much to Kakashi's dismay. "May I borrow your subordinate? I won't keep him long."
She tossed Kakashi a confused side eye. He kept his gaze elsewhere. "If it's alright with Kakashi."
And just like that, all eyes were on him. He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking the worst. "If you'll excuse me," he offered Tsunade, going to join the two men. She couldn't help but notice his uncharacteristic speech and unease, retaking her seat and keeping a sharp ear out when the door closed behind the trio.
Standing in the hallway, he finally made eye contact with the man he fought alongside. Kakashi didn't speak and he wished Tadou wouldn't either, unsure if he was ready for what he was about to hear.
"Hanae is awake." It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did they hit hard. "I've seen you around the hospital. I know how worried you've been - I could see it on your face from a mile away."
Tatsui leapt at the new information. "You mean he's been at the hospital and didn't even come to see Nee-san once?" The anger in his voice would have made Kakashi flinch if the situation had been anything other than what it was.
He couldn't hear the frustration or anything else for that matter. The only thing he could hear was his heartbeat, hammering harder than it had the past few weeks, and that simple phrase replaying in his mind over and over again. Hanae is awake. It was crazy how three words could invoke so much emotion. Kakashi felt alive, more alive than ever. Yet at the same time . . .
"I'm sorry." Both samurai returned their attention to him, having been caught in a bit of a bickering match over Tatsui's remark.
The youngest knit his brows in confusion, opening his mouth for another remark that Tadou interrupted before it could begin. "It's hard to think what could be. No one wants to see the one they love in a situation like that. I won't and can't blame you for anything you think you might have to apologize for. But if you want to make up for it, you can go and see her." Tadou reached out and placed his hand on Kakashi's shoulder, giving it a squeezing only a father could give. "It won't be easy, but it will be better than torturing yourself. And I'm sure Hanae will be happy to see you."
Kakashi considered the offer longer than Tatsui was comfortable with. He wasn't aware of the argument the elder was having with himself, questioning if it would be alright to be a part of Hanae's life again. Years of beating himself down and convincing himself he wasn't allowed to be happy made it easier for the jounin to blame himself for her injury. It wouldn't have happened if she hadn't entered his life, made herself a part of the fabled curse that seemed to follow him everywhere. Luck had never really been on Kakashi's side, his self-fulfilling prophecy of setbacks and tragedy becoming as natural as the heat in summer. If Obito hadn't been proof of that, he wasn't sure what was. This entire war was nearly his fault, and every bad thing that happened because of it moreso.
But as self deprecating as Kakashi was, he was just as desperate to break that cycle.
"Go." It was the only thing Tsunade said when he opened the door to the office. She didn't even bother to look at him as she waved her hand dismissively. But that was alright - he didn't need to hear more.
The confidence that had begun to bloom faded just as quickly when the door of Hanae's room came into view. Tadou entered first and Tatsui, not yet able to let go of his frustration, followed close behind. What would he say? It should be something memorable. He's had seventeen days to think about it but nothing came to mind. Should he have brought flowers? Would that make him look too desperate? God, he needed more time.
"We'll give you some time." Time up. Natsuo caught his gaze when she entered the hallway. She didn't say anything, now was not the time for introductions and the warm smile she flashed him said as much.
Go.
The room he entered was less of a room than it was a garden, but it screamed Hanae in a way that made him fall in love all over again.
"Hanae."
There were not enough words to describe how he felt at this moment. The doe like eyes taking him in swam with endless emotions, an entire world framed by blunt eyelashes. Her tanned skin stuck out so starkly against the pale sheets - his hands twitched remembering the softness, the warmth she radiated when in his arms unlike anything he ever felt.
"Kakashi." That soft voice calling his name was all he wanted to hear. It was like water to a dying man, an oasis hidden in the desert. How he had missed that sound, so much that his mind went blank when she called out to him. Thankfully his body was much kinder.
Kakashi wandered to her side. He considered the chair but decided instead to take a seat on her bedside. There were no words for the first minutes they sat together. Hell, Kakashi was afraid to even touch her, using the time instead to let his eyes wander, wondering if this moment was truly happening, if he was allowed to have this happy ending.
It was Hanae who reached out for him. She caught his hand and gave it a squeeze for good measure, fingers moving to stroke the back of his hand. "Isn't this the moment when you say something romantic?" She was still embarrassed by the scratchy sound of her voice ; he was just happy to be able to hear it once again no matter how she sounded. "Like 'I don't want to see you here again unless you're giving birth to our child' ?"
Kakashi chuckled at the question, a light sound that caused Hanae's heart to thrum. He turned his hand in order to be able to hold her's, bringing them both up to rest against his cheek. "Hanae," he murmured, running his masked lips across the back of her hand. "I don't want to see you in this room again until the day you bless me with a family of our own."
She groaned lowly, a rudy flush on her cheeks and wide smile pulling at her lips betraying the embarrassment she tried to portray. "It sounds so much better coming from you." Hanae hooked her thumb into the fabric of his mask - Kakashi let her slide the garment down until it rested on his chin, moving in closer as she did until he captured her lips, sharing a kiss filled with enough passion to make up for the three weeks they had been forced to be away.