Love in the leaves [Kakashi X Reader X Itachi]

Reaffirmation

Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura and Ino stood watch when I had a shower. Humiliation at its finest. I was being watched by four fellow kunoichis while I tried to clean my body of the sweat and grind that had accumulated there for the last few days.

I scrubbed until my skin was turning red and started to hurt. The only parts I was careful about were the marks where my restraints had tied me down. With a clean towel wrapped around my body and hair, I stepped out of the stall.

"So what now Tsunade?" I asked as I stared at her. "Cavity search? Pap smear while we are at it?"

"Keep the sarcastic remarks to a minimum Y/n," Tsunade answered as she leaned against the wall. "Get dressed. I will tell you what we will do to you in my office."

Sakura held out a brown paper bag to me. She was having trouble knowing where to keep her eyes. They were darting left and right, unable to look me in the eye. I didn't know if that was because she was scared of me, ashamed of me. Maybe she was so disgusted with someone she once looked up to that she didn't know what to do or say.

"Thank you Sakura," I said as I took the bag she offered me. I opened it and found clean clothes. But what surprised me most was that it was the official Konoha attire. Dark blue sweatpants. Tight sleeveless shirt. The army green chunin jacket and the familiar ninja boots. But why would Tsunade give me these clothes? What kind of mind fuck statement was she trying to make? What did she try to tell me?

"Get dressed," She ordered as she turned her back on me. "Shizune, heal her wounds. Take extra care of her wrists and ankles."

Tsunade didn't even bother to look back. She just walked out of the shower room as if it was the most natural thing to do with someone whose loyalty was being questioned.

The clothes were clean and soft. The scent of fabric softener mixed with fresh air. And it weirdly made me feel at ease. It filled me with a sense of home. As soon as the clothes were on, Shizune appeared at my side.

"Y/n-chan." Her hand felt soft on my shoulder as she steered me towards a chair. "Let's heal your wounds."

The glow of her hands was bright. She was gentle as she allowed her chakra to seep into the flesh of my wrists. The skin started to heal. The angry red marks slowly turned pink and then back to my skin tone until only a few light scars remained. Shizune worked in silence. Her eyes never once met mine. She kept them trained on my injuries, never allowing them to wander for even a second.

The whole healing process took about 30 minutes. And in those 30 minutes, none of the people in the room made a sound. Shizune worked in silence. I underwent her treatment without a peep. Sakura and Ino stood guard at the door. Their lips were as unmoving as the tiles on the floor.

"All done."

With those words, the healing session ended. Shizune rose to her feet from her kneeling position in front of me. "Let's go to the Hokage's office Y/n-chan."

I nodded and moved towards the door but before I could grab the handle Shizuna's hand took hold of it. "Sakura in the front. Ino, you and I will go at the back."

They moved into position. Quickly boxing me in from the two sides that could be considered an escape route. When the door opened and we stepped forward, out of the shower room and into the hallway, I thought my mind was shortcircuiting. Tenzo and Kakashi. Both of them standing next to the door, waiting for us to come out.

"Let's go," Tenzo said as he stepped back to let our small group enter the hallway. Sakura moved into the hallway, her path clear and wide enough for an elephant to walk through but as soon as I stepped forward, Kakashi was there to block my path. His hand closed around my upper arm, his grip strong enough to leave marks on the newly healed skin. "Personal escort."

I moved to rip my arm away but Kakashi's hold was like iron. "Stop resisting Y/n. Hokage's orders."

"Fuck off you," I snapped back, trying to rip myself free again. "Let Tenzo be my escort then. You don't get the touch me."

Kakashi opened his mouth to respond but before he could talk, Tenzo appeared on my other side. "I got this Senpai." His fingers closed around my arm and I was stuck. Between whatever Kakashi was not and my former best friend.

"Both of you, let go of me!" I snapped as I pulled myself free. "You can compare dicks later." Before they could respond, I stepped forward, prompting the whole group to jump into formation. "Just get me to the Hokage."

The whole group moved as one person. Like a well trained group of dancers. All in sync and aware of the next step we needed to do. And in the olden days, I would have loved this. I would have loved to be so connected to my fellow shinobi. But now, after everything that happened, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this was weird. That I was out of place. No longer connected to their ritual. No longer a part of the group.

My steps were not matching the others. They were timed differently. Moving otherwise that the rest.

The large double doors appeared on my right and while Shizune moved to knock, I no longer had any reservations and patience, so before her hand could connect with the wood, I grabbed the handles and pushed open both doors. The loud bang made Tsunade jump up in her chair, her blond hair bouncing at the abrupt movements. "It seems that you left your manners at the Akatsuki hideout," she dryly commented as she rearranged some papers on her desk.

"Shizune, please take Sakura and Ino and resume their training. The rest of you, please take a seat."

Her tone of voice was strictly business. As if she was handing out financial reports that contained the latest numbers of a company that didn't do particularly well but still well enough to stay up float. Tenzo wandered over to the side. He leaned his back against the wall, hands folded in front of his chest in a relaxed manner and his eyes trained on the picture of the first Hokage. The wood-style user of the present day would always remain somewhat obsessed with the first one.

"Now that you have once again graced us with your presence Y/n," Tsunade said as she grabbed a small purple scroll from one of the drawers on her right side. "I would like to discuss your future within the Leaf."

I did a double take when she so casually spoke the words. My future within the Leaf? What future? I had thrown all of it away. There was nothing left for me within the walls of Konoha. Or at least, it felt like that. Tenzo would be a fool if he was still willing to be associated with me. The younger shinobi had far more capable teachers than me. And Kakashi... Even if I wanted him back, I couldn't. My pride was hurt. Torn to smithereens. Filthy and tattered. Unable to heal when I was so close to the person that caused all that damage.

With a flick of her wrist, Tsunade tossed the scroll to Kakashi. Who, with the grace of a tiger, caught it mid-air. He was aloof as ever. He didn't even look at the words written on the band that kept the scroll closed. So either he didn't care or he already knew what was hidden there.

"I'm going to be brutally honest with you Y/n," Tsunade said as she leaned forward and put her elbows on the tabletop. "The elders and my most advisors told me to toss you in a cell and let you rot there." Her hazel eyes trailed over my face that I managed to keep stoic. "But others have told me to give you the benefit of the doubt. That you have been manipulated or maybe even brainwashed into submission." She rose to her feet and wandered over to the large windows. Her hands folded behind her back as she gazed out over the village. "The Y/n I know would have never turned her back on her village. But on the other hand... the Y/n I know would be perfectly capable of cussing me out as you did in the dungeons with Ibiki."

She turned back, her hands open, palms facing up. "So here I am. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do I toss away one of the finest kunoichis the Leaf has ever had or do I risk it all and give you another chance?"

She waited for my reply. For my opinion on the matter. Like she did so many times before. But I didn't know what I wanted. I did not know what to do. How could I stay here? But how could I go? What was left for me here other than suspicious looks and questioning eyes?

"It's very simple Y/n. Either you pick to be treated as a traitor or you are treated as someone to be questioned. Either way, it is not going to be pretty. But I strongly suggest you reaffirm your affiliation with Konoha."