Family.

Chap 9

Third person's point of view.

It wasn't even a year later when Kuroo lost another teammate. She was part of the backup team sent in to help, but... by the time she got there she was thrusted upon the sight of Kakashi with his hand and his forearm deep in Rin's chest. Rin was smiling softly as blood seeped out the corners of her mouth. Kakashi recoiled and yanked back and Rin started to fall. Kuroo despite being further away got to Rin before Kakashi did.

She cradled the brunette in her arms and Rin's once vibrant now dull chocolate brown eyes locked on her, "it...it wasn't hi...his fault," she said weakly, "I begged him to do this... but he refused," Rin gulped out as she held onto Kuroo, "It was the only..." she paused to swallow thickly, "It was the only way to keep... everyone safe..." she finished, Kuroo hugged Rin closer waiting with held breath for the brunette to speak again,

But there was nothing, no beating heart and no breathing, instead of crying, Kuroo was filled with intense rage, she could feel her Mangekyo Sharingan spinning with her rising anger. "Kakashi stay with her," Kuroo said lowly as she stood, her back still to him, and the rest of their allies. "Everyone stay back and out of my eye sight," she added and turned to the enemies, when everyone on her side were out of the way she let loose on the offenders.

She was ruthless, her Mangekyo Sharingan broke the minds of those they locked on, while the steel of her weapons ended the rest. By the time she was done, she was drenched in blood. Kakashi sat wide eyed next to Rin's body his jaw hung, it was so obvious because his mouth hung open in shock he might at well not be wearing a mask. Turning back to the others, her eyes were back to her usual onyx black and everyone started to collect their dead allies.

Kuroo moved back over to Rin and Kakashi, the latter got to his feet tiredly and before he could even say a word to Kuroo she decked him. "She wasn't mad at you but I'm not as lenient." she said and picked up Rin's body. "If I ever see you on off time, I'll hit you harder," she threatened as she walked in the direction of the village. Minato who had gone out with Kuroo's team after his own solo mission helped the silver-haired boy to his feet,

"Are you okay?" Minato asked, "I deserved that and worse," Kakashi admitted and Minato didn't know what to say.

***

It had been a few months since Rin's death, Kuroo took on more jobs and missions, she noticed that she only did them with Kakashi where there was absolutely no one else to spare, but it's usually only when it's absolutely necessary. Which she's glad for, but with time she's becoming less and less angry with him, and she's also glad he's keeping his distance like she'd asked. But the void left by Rin and Obito still left Kuroo with a chill.

An unpleasant and unwanted chill. Especially with the trouble she's feeling coming from the Anbu leader, he's not a very pleasant man and seems to have it out for Kuroo and any Uchiha that works with her on a mission set up by him, she could see when in his presence that her power scares him, it should she's the strongest Uchiha to be born since Madara Uchiha, but she doesn't see the latter's ideals as her own,

Her's are much more close to the chest, she wants there to be peace and unity within her village, paranoid leaders don't help situations where certain individuals are much more entuned to their emotions in which case their emotions show through with their power. There are obvious exceptions to this, people who can see the logic of even though it hurts to lose a loved one it's the way of the world and that aforementioned loved one would rather you live for them,

Instead of cause harm and hurt others just because your hurt and angry that they're dead, every instance where Kuroo has lost loved ones, she's shown that it hurts but gets back up, though she does get instances where she is able to release some of the anger she has on those who have done the hurting, but it is not always, and she understands there are times and places for everything,

So that is what she's doing, planning and waiting and watching, for the time and place and opportunity to fix and stop things from getting worse. Leaving her house early in the morning, Kuroo held a book in one hand and a small lunch in the other, as she looked for a quiet place to sit and relax, she was in the middle of enjoying a day off and one of the first ones she's had in a while. Noticing a small bench set up under a tree shaded from the warm sun she sat,

Kuroo sat alone for a while undisturbed when Guy and Asuma came over, "Hey Kuroo," Asuma greeted and she only nodded back to be polite as Asuma is Sarutobi's son, Asuma could tell that Kuroo is still pissed about what had happened with Kakashi and Rin, he was about to leave and take Guy with him, when Guy knelt in front of her, Guy not sensing the atmosphere, took Kuroo's hands and looked her right in the eyes,

"Kuroo-chan, I've always wanting to tell you that my feelings for your are more than that of friendship, please will you go out with me?!" he finished with a bow, his hands flat against the ground and his forehead digging into the dirt, Kuroo looked from Guy to Asuma who looked just as shocked as she felt. Before she could even say anything, a young voice called out, "No!" The three older teens looked over to who had spoken and there standing with Shisui was Itachi,

His arms were crossed over his chest and his face was pinched into a disapproving look. Stomping over to where Kuroo sat, Itachi wedged himself between her and Guy, "You can't have her!" he argued while holding his arms out to block her from view but his tininess didn't really help him, setting her hand on his head, he turned and looked at her, his big dark eyes begging her to reject Guy,

Feeling deep down that all she regarded Guy as is a friend, she tugged Itachi into her lap, despite him being four and almost too big for this kind of coddling she hugged him into her chest, even without Itachi's little out burst she knew she didn't like Guy the way he was proclaiming he liked her, "Sorry, Guy, but I'm going to have to say no," he pouted and looked ready to weep, "I'm sure there is someone out there who is perfect for you, but she isn't me," Kuroo finished.

"Again, I apologize," she said standing and holding Itachi in her arms, Guy enthusiastically stood up and shook his head, "No there is no need to apologize, you told me your feelings and the fact that you prefer us as friends and that is all I can ask for," he added then took her free hand and kissed it sweetly, before letting her leave with Itachi and Shisui who came to her side and took her book and empty lunch box.

Leaving she bowed at the entrance/exit of the little park/forest and was gone. "Well, you tired," Asuma said as he watched Guy, the usually enthusiastic male smiled but the pouring tears and snotty nose said he was heartbroken. "It...it feels like I...I shouldn't have asked in...in the first place," he gasped out, "I would have preferred not knowing that she didn't see me the way I see her," Guy sobbed.

Asuma looked mildly confused but he more or less got the gist of what Guy was saying. "What is he crying about now?" the familiar voice of Kakashi asked as he entered the little clearing, "Hey Kakashi, Guy just confessed to Kuroo and was shot down by not only her but by the Uchiha Heir as well," Asuma said with a playful smile. But the reaction he got from Kakashi was one of slight agitation,

But Kakashi hid it well. "Don't worry we'll keep it secret that your head over heels for her," Asuma said as he pulled Guy after himself, Kakashi shocked a bit gasped after them, "What are you talking about!!??" this made Asuma laugh and jog a bit to get ahead of Kakashi, Guy pulled with him.

***

When Kuroo dropped off Shisui, the little boy smiled up at her, "You know that; that guy Kakashi has it bad for you right," he said and she frowned at him, "What are you talking about Shisui?" she said as she shifted the sleeping Itachi in her arms so she could looked at Shisui better, "I mean who wouldn't he's quite the catch, girls fawn over him all the time, plus it's pretty obvious that you like him too," Shisui said and Kuroo nearly choked on her spit.

"Are you insane, even if any of that were true, the Uchiha stay within the Uchiha, I doubt they'd approve of him and I," she said and Shisui shrugged like he knew something she didn't, "Would you get inside before I kick your ass, you brat," she snarled almost playfulishly, and he laughed before running inside, "You better figure out how you feel soon or I'll tell him," Shisui said, gasping at the little troll,

He laughed as she threw soft dirt at him, missing on purpose he laughed and closed the door behind himself, rolling her eyes at his stupidity she frowned and started to walk towards the Main House, Itachi snuggling closer to her in his sleep. "Even if I said something to him, I have more important things to worry about," she said to herself, "I don't have time for a relationship, especially one as complicated as him and I," she finished,