Chapter One: Tumult to a Lifeless Ocean
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean
-From “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Her next instinct was to go to Kurenai, the good-natured woman who had taken her under her wing so many years ago. That had turned out to be one of the best choices she ever made.
-Two and a half years later-
Hinata heard a crash and a wail coming from the bathroom. It sounded like Kurenai had broken the mirror.
“Kurenai?” She knocked lightly on the dingy door- cleanliness in the jounin’s apartment had fallen to the wayside in the past few months.
“I- I’m fine, Hinata.”
“Okay.” Her former sensei didn’t sound fine, which was understandable. A little over two years ago, Kurenai had given birth to her child by Asuma. By that time, though, Asuma had been killed during a fight with Akatsuki. Kurenai, a sensible woman with few illusions about the reality of her commitment to life as a ninja, had seemed as if she was coping well. She found comfort in the arms of a respected and charming ANBU member, Inuzuka Yuudai, and invited Hinata to live with her. With Yuudai and Hinata by her side, she had brought Yuuhi Aiko into the world.
For almost a year and a half the four of them had lived together, a happy, ragtag family. Then, news came that Orochimaru was temporarily weakened, and that all available ninja were to assemble and fight. Kurenai was permitted to stay behind, with Hinata to help her. Two days after Yuudai had left, Konoha’s surviving ninja returned from battle, exhausted, but riotous in their revelry. Orochimaru had been defeated, through a team effort from Naruto, Tsunade, and Jiraiya. Aiko was too young to be away from Kurenai, so Hinata was dispatched to fight the flow of the crowd, looking to see if their friends and loved ones had made it back. Most had, thanks to Naruto’s efforts. He was the man of the hour, continually toasted, and treated to ramen, sake, and whatever anyone could buy him. The rookie nine were all there, and there was a rumor that Uchiha Sasuke had been found half-dead in the stomach of a giant snake and was now in Konoha Hospital, under heavy security. She finally caught up to Shikamaru and Chouji, who were eating barbecue. Shikamaru had looked at her, expressionless, and intoned that he didn’t know who Inuzuka Yuudai was, but that ANBU had had a lot of casualties. With a sudden dread in her gut, Hinata went to ANBU headquarters, where all recovered bodies were kept, and identified Yuudai, and his dog, Mochimaru. Hinata remembered most clearly from that night, her overwhelming reluctance to tell Kurenai. It wasn’t fair.
Another wail jolted Hinata out of her reverie. It was Aiko, probably desperate for attention. She was almost two years old, but still barely spoke. That couldn’t be normal, Hinata worried as she picked up the child and carried her to the window to look at the potted plants outside.
“Is this what you wanted? Hmm?” A shriek and squirm told her that it wasn’t.
“Mama!”
“Oh…” Though Aiko was used to Hinata, who often took care of her, there were times when only Kurenai could appease her.
Resigned to weather another tantrum, Hinata put Aiko down, and began to tidy up the toys from the living room floor. It was a small apartment, like most in this section of the Leaf Village, and Hinata felt uncomfortable in cluttered spaces. Most of the plants Kurenai had tended for so long were dying, too. Since no one else was going to clean up… If she were still living at Hyuuga House, there would be a maid along every few minutes. She couldn’t decide whether or not she preferred being self-reliant like this. Part of her still missed the luxury of her previous life.
A knock came at the door, which she barely heard over Aiko’s cries.
“Coming!” She dashed over to pick up Aiko so she could keep an eye on her. Ugh. She struggled to control her irritation with the baby, and opened the door.
“Oh!” She had never had pretensions about being articulate, but since she had forsaken life a ninja, she had gained some confidence.
“Hatake Kakashi! Hi!” She wondered if her nervousness showed through. She could tell herself that she was smart, competent, attractive, but that didn’t always translate to actually demonstrating the aforementioned qualities.
“Yo!” He raised one dark-gloved hand in greeting, and then peered closer at her and the squalling infant in her arms. “Is everything okay?” As always, his tone was unshakably calm.
“Yes, fine. Please, come in.” She stepped aside to allow him inside.
“Is Kurenai here?” He asked, looking around the messy kitchen and living room.
“Um, she’s, uh, busy. Right now. I can tell her what you need, though.” Hinata shifted Aiko to her other hip, while running water over some dirty dishes that looked as if they had mould on them.
“Ah. So she isn’t here.”
“Well, um, I, uh, yes. She is here.” She sounded so stupid! Confidence didn’t preclude her from that. But it wasn’t like she was trying to impress him.
“Could you hold her, please? I’ll go get Kurenai.”
Kakashi looked mildly alarmed at the infant held out to him. Reluctantly, he took it, and cradled it awkwardly to his chest. His one eye regarded it with suspicion, as if it would burst into wild tears or exhibit bodily functions at any time.
“Kurenai?” Kurenai’s former student called softly at the bathroom door. “Kurenai, Hatake Kakashi is here to see you.”
“Unh… I…I’ll be –hic- out in a sec!” A ‘sec’? Kurenai never said ‘sec’.
“We’ll be in the living room.”
When she re-entered the kitchen, Hinata couldn’t help but giggle slightly at the absurd scene. The renowned jounin, infamous for his quick dispatches of formidable enemies, was attempting to soothe an irritated baby with a plushie toy- and not doing very well. He looked up with relief when she came in, and practically threw Aiko back.
“Sorry,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m just not very good with babies.”
“That’s fine. Here.” She motioned him to go into the living room, and guiltily admired his figure from the back. He was tall, around six feet, and had a solidly built frame, with long legs, and what looked like a nice ass, but couldn’t quite tell because of his loose-fitting pants. She couldn’t criticize him for wearing baggy clothes, though, as she did the same thing.
“Kurenai will be out here in few minutes. May I get you anything?”
“No, no, I’m fine, thank you.”
“Okay.” For a few minutes, silence ruled the room, and became more oppressive with each passing second. Hinata stood awkwardly by the wall, debating whether to sit down on the couch next to Kakashi. What if he thought she was coming on to him? There wasn’t anything on the coffee table she could fiddle with, and twiddling her thumbs would seem stupid…although she did that a lot anyway.
Just as Hinata had decided to sit, because she was tired of standing, Kurenai shuffled into the living room, hair messier than usual, red eyes glazed. Kakashi and Hinata gaped at her.
“Kurenai!” Hinata dashed forward to catch her as she stumbled over a stray toy. “What’s going on?”
“I asked Kakashi if you could stay with him.”
“What? Why? I thought he was here for you.”
Kurenai ignored the question. “Just for a few weeks-”
“S-so we’re all going to stay with h-him?” Her stutter chose the worst time to come back.
“No, Hinata, just you.” Kurenai had regained some of her composure.
“I could- couldn’t I live on my own? I know how to cook and do laundry-”
“You won’t be able to support yourself, Hinata, you know that. Without going on missions, you have no income. The village won’t support you.” Kurenai lowered her voice and pulled Hinata aside. “I would have asked your family, but I honestly thought you’d prefer Kakashi. He’s a good person, but used to living on his own. I know you won’t do anything to bother him.”
Hinata shook her head stonily.
“Go get your things. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
Kurenai hugged her, and she limply hugged back.
Then she went to pack her largest bag, in preparation for what would surely be several strange weeks, staying with Konoha’s reclusive, notoriously perverted, genius copy ninja.
**
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Chapter notes: Author’s Notes: If I have made any mistakes with the Japanese I’ve used, please don’t hesitate to point it out to me, and show me the corrections. Thanks all!
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DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with, part of, working for, or in any way connected with Kishimoto Masashi, VIZ, or Shonen Jump, or any other people or organizations that own the Naruto franchise. No harm or infringement is intended by writing this fanfiction, on either the creator or corporations. I'm not making any money!