𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑾𝑺 •𝒃𝒙𝒃•

Dreamland

A while later, Naruto and Sakura manage to get the bells from Kakashi... And in such a stupid way. Naruto started spoiling the ending of a book Kakashi was reading and to block out everything, Kakashi had crouched down and closed his eyes.

After that, all of them headed back to the village. Sakura and Naruto grew excited about eating, saying how Kakashi was going to treat them. Akashi trailed behind them with his hands in his pockets, a bored expression on his features. He didn't know what he was supposed to do now. Continue his missions with the ANBU? Go back to being a part of the incomplete Team 7?

His thoughts were unexpectedly interrupted when someone knocked him in the shoulder. Akashi stumbled back, but managed to stay on his feet. "I'm really sorry". He heard from in front of himself. Glancing up, he was met with an old man with a kind smile on his face. His dark brown, wrong color, wrong color, eyes were crinkled at the corners, probably from old age.

"It's fine, I was partially at fault". Akashi bent down to grab the bags which the man dropped and picked them up. The man took it from his hands and bowed his head.

"Thank you". With that, he walked away, leaving Akashi to stand in the middle of the street.

His hands laid limp at his sides. Itching to touch something... someone, but unable to.

He was gone, and he won't be coming back. Akashi reminded himself. There's no use being like this. He knew it would only bring him pain to remember.

But still... it hurt.

"Akashi? Are you coming?" The said boy looked up and noticed Kakashi and Jiraiya had stopped. The both of them were looking at him, waiting for a reply.

Forcing a smile on his face, he shook his head. "I'm heading home". The men in front exchanged a look, before peering at Akashi.

"Are you sure? You haven't eaten anything". Kakashi had pocketed the book which he was reading. He was worried. He was really worried. He barely had any contact with Akashi these past two and a half years, and now that he had a reason to speak with him, the boy was shutting him off.

He saw Akashi give them a reluctant smile and wave, subsequently disappearing, leaving nothing but a brief red flash. Kakashi looked at Jiraiya once he heard him sigh.

"What's the matter?" He asked, seeing the older man's expression.

Jiraiya shifted on his feet. He cast a look at Kakashi, before glancing at the spot Akashi was previously at. "Akashi... Naruto told me they got into a fight before he left to train with me". That was new information to Kakashi. He didn't know about that. "They separated on really bad terms, so it's no wonder no conversation sparked between them". He said.

"Bad terms? What happened?" Jiraiya let out another sigh.

"Naruto... He told me Akashi got violent". Kakashi was taken aback. Violent? Akashi? Towards Naruto? What sort of joke was this?

"Akashi would never purposely hurt Naruto, you must know that, right?" Jiraiya shook his head at his words. Kakashi didn't believe him. "Do you know what Akashi told me on our very first mission as Team 7?" He asked and Jiraiya gestured for him to continue. "He told me he would burn the world down for Naruto... and I believed him when he said it, I still believe it to this day...". He lowered his head and looked at the ground under his feet.

"But would he burn himself down for Naruto?" Came the unexpected question.

Kakashi's eyes snapped up and he froze in place. Burn himself? "What are you...?" He began, but stopped.

"That's the real question... Now, I'm leaving, I need to collect information about the Akatsuki". With that, the older man disappeared in a puff of smoke.