The Forgotten (Kakashi x OC) (Discontinued)

Chapter Ten

~Age 17~

Kakashi had been away from the village for over two weeks now. He couldn't really go into too much detail, just that his team was needed for some mission in the Hidden Mist. It's not like he hasn't been gone for longer before, but it's nights like this where I just stare at the ceiling tossing and turning that I miss him the most. Naruto is a great distraction throughout the day - the kid constantly keeps me on my toes. But at night, when he's asleep and I'm stuck in my thoughts, I have to remind myself that Kakashi isn't just your average shinobi. That he's not one that will go down easily. That if something was to have gone wrong, someone on his team or he would have sent word by falcon or one of his ninken would have been here in his place. No falcon means things are fine. No ninken means he's alive. Meaning he'll be back soon, and I just needed to be a little bit more patient.

But I still couldn't help shake this feeling that something was going to happen. And that feeling wasn't something that you shake easily, especially after everything Kakashi and I have been through.

I groaned and closed my eyes, covering them with my hands.

'Just go to sleep. Kashi is fine. Just go to sleep.' I repeated to myself over and over.

Seconds pasted, maybe even minutes, before I decided to grab one of Kakashi's shirts from the closet. Maybe if I slept in his clothes, that will help settle my nerves. I settled with one of his navy blue long sleeve shirts that he usually wears when he's not wearing his ANBU gear. The sleeves went well past my hands, and the neckline was big enough that it draped over my shoulder, slightly exposing it. The smell of damp woods surrounded me and slowly started to ease my anxiety.

I clicked the lamp on next to Kakashi's side of the bed and pulled out one of his several copies of Icha Icha. It wasn't necessarily that I wanted to read it, but just having the book out relaxed me. This particular copy was one of his favorites. It was well loved - the binding was practically taped together from the multiple run-ins it's encountered during his ANBU missions. There was a gash in the top left corner from where the book took a shuriken, ultimately saving Kakashi's ass in a literal sense. The bottom of the cover had bends in it from where it would sit in his hand. It had become a perfect mold that outlined his hand.

I carefully opened it, tucking back in the loose pages that stuck out of place, and flipped open to the first page that had his hand writing on it. He had confessed after a while that he had used this book for reference in the beginning stages in our relationship. At first, it started out as something that he used to help him express his emotions - something he never was good at. Then it slowly expanded into cute little pick-up lines, some he would steal from the book, and others he eventually made up on his own. It's because of this little book that he always calls me love instead of babe. He said at one point he started imagining the two of us instead of the characters in the book, and didn't like how it felt when he would read the word 'babe'. He said it felt too impersonal, and that 'love' was more fitting. Though occasionally, he would still throw in a few 'sweethearts' and 'honeys' at me as well.

It was no secret to him that I looked at his little notes. He was the one who actually encouraged me to read it. When he went on his first month long mission, he gave me the book at the gates right before he left. His exact words were, "In case you miss me while I'm gone." I thought he was teasing me, giving me a smut book and telling me to use it for 'inspiration' if you will. But when I saw his hand writing in the book and certain lines underlined or circled, I realized it was more of a silent reminder of how much this man actually loves me.

As shameful as it is to admit, it is the most precious thing that we have in the apartment. Right next to Naruto's baby pictures, of course.

"I know you're okay, but something is going to happen. Please be careful." I said softly out loud as I closed the book and held it tightly to my chest.