Will of Fire: Kakashi Hatake

Chapter 28

Akira stirred, voices drawing her from her sleep. She turned her head to the side and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked a few times, clearing her vision. After glancing at the people around her, she made eye contact with Kakashi and he smiled. He was standing across the room from her bed, leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed. Guy, Yuhi, and Ranka were grouped around her, the latter two listening intently to Guy as he told a story. Kakashi and Akira shared a knowing look. Their overly excited friend was always just too loud for the situation at hand. She couldn't help but feel annoyed that this was how she was being woken up.

"Guy, do you always have to talk so loud?"

Guy, Yuhi, and Ranka all nearly jumped out of their skin.

"Akira!" Yuhi exclaimed, drawing the redhead's attention.

"Akira, how are you?" Guy asked.

Ranka reached down and grabbed Akira's hand, squeezing it. He sat down on the bed at Akira's side and lifted her hand to hold it in his lap. She blushed a bit, cheeks warming up in response to his action.

Yuhi started fussing over Akira while Guy and Ranka bombarded her with questions, asking how she was feeling and what had happened on the mission. Kakashi stayed on the wall, watching with narrowed eyes.

"Yuhi, I'm fine, really. Don't waste your chakra on me," Akira said.

Yuhi frowned. "I will use my chakra on whoever I please, thank you very much." She was using a healing jutsu on Akira's shoulder. After a few more minutes, Yuhi helped Akira sit up in bed.

Akira looked at Kakashi again and smiled. She opened her mouth to speak, but Guy interrupted her before she even began. Ugh. Why was he always like this?

"Tell us your story, Akira! I bet you were in some crazy fight, right? Who was it?"

She frowned slightly. "Juzo Biwa."

Guy's jaw dropped. "The Juzo Biwa?"

"The one and only."

"Wow, Akira, that's insane. I'm glad you got out of there and got back here okay," Ranka said.

"Yeah, me too."

Her friends kept asking her questions, about how she got injured, how she escaped, how strong Juzo was, if his sword was cool, how tall he was, and more silly things that Akira couldn't care less about. After a while Akira started to feel overwhelmed from all the attention. She began to turn a bit red, and her already short answers started to get shorter. She glanced at Kakashi more and more often, silently asking him for a way out. She really wanted to talk to him without the others around. She had noticed the bags under his eyes, and the way his dark chakra swirled with annoyance.

Yuhi glanced between them, then changed the subject.

"Guys I think it's time we let Akira rest. She just woke up from surgery recovery, it's not good for her to get worked up yet. She had a long mission, she deserves her rest."

Guy nodded in agreement and jumped to his feet. "Yes, we shouldn't inhibit your recovery any further. I will see you later, my lovely spring flower!"

Ranka and Yuhi said goodbye, then made their way out of the room. The atmosphere immediately lifted when Yuhi slid the door shut. Akira loved her friends, but she was still very tired and didn't have a lot of energy for them at the moment.

Akira sighed and rested her head back against the headboard. Kakashi finally pushed off the wall and went to her side, sitting down on the edge of her bed, almost right where Ranka had previously been.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

Akira smiled. "Better."

Kakashi handed her a glass of water from her bedside table and Akira drank greedily. When she went to put it back down, she noticed the giant basket that took up almost the entire table and laughed.