Defying Gravity

Chapter 24

Ethelia's pov

"I'm not even a ninja yet." I complained as we walked into town. I wiped at my forehead with the washcloth Rin had oh so graciously gifted me. I have no idea where the actual fuck it came from, but she's a ninja and they can do all sorts of weird fuck shit so I'm not going to question it. "Is it even legal to let me go on missions I'm clearly not permitted to go on?" I asked.

"She has a point, sensei. These people hired ninja." Kakashi pointed out snidely. I'm not even going to comment on the tone seeing as I'm on his side with this. Albeit, he's probably genuinely upset that I'm doing this while not being a ninja while I'm just lazy and want to go home, but hey, we have the same end goal. That's all that really matters.

"And they're getting ninja! And an extra hand, free of charge. It won't be a problem, and if it is we can go find another mission with someone more flexible." Minato smiled that same cheerful smile that made me want to hurl. How can a single man hold so much optimism? Seriously, his determination to make light of every situation genuinely terrifies me. There aren't many people like him anymore.

"Tch," Kakashi clicked his tongue, but said respectfully nonetheless, "Yes, sir."

"What's the mission anyway, sensei? You haven't told us yet. We haven't done any D-ranks in a while though! This will be a great start for Ethelia." Rin chirped. She's a little too upbeat as well, but at least she actually has bad days, like a real human being.

"Yeah! Is it something cool? Like fixing a roof. I remember when we did that and I got to sho- I mean, Kakashi accidentally fell when I accidentally bumped into him." Obito said hastily, and I almost laughed. The idea of shoving Kakashi off a roof amuses me. The idea of him getting injured amuses me even more. I would have paid to see that.

"We're babysitting." Minato is just going to ignore the fact that Obito basically just admitted to shoving Kakashi off a roof? A-plus leadership right th- wait, babysitting?

As in watching those small gremlins we have the audacity to call children?

"Great." Kakashi said in a dry tone. Mood.

"Hey, Obito?" I looked up at him with as much sweetness as I could. He looked taken aback by my expression, which felt cute. But knowing me I probably have a double chin right now and my eyes are really, really big and creepy, and he's actually just scared. It doesn't matter.

"Er... yes?" He coughed a little.

"Do you have a kunai?" I questioned.

"Yeah, why?" He looks so lost it's almost humorous.

"Can you give it to me so I can slit my throat-"

"Ethelia, no! It's just babysitting!" Rin half cried half laughed. She still thinks I'm joking about all this dark stuff that comes out of my mouth but she's wrong. I'm dead serious. 

"You'll do great. You're totally mother material." Obito said. I turned to look at him. Is he serious? Has he met me? I forget to feed even myself, even though I'm hungry like all the time and food is one of my one and only thoughts in this cruel, crumbling world. 

"Obito, have you met her? She would forget the child existed, not that she'd even know how to take care of one in the first place." Kakashi scoffed.

"Hey, be nice. I'm sure she at least knows the basics. And none of us are parent material yet. We're like, twelve." Rin is dropping some actual legitimate wisdom right now. The real shit. The talk. She knows what's up.

"Well, I think Ethelia would be a good mother." Obito sounded almost proud which is disgusting. And now Minato is giving him a look and Rin's eyes are wider than they were before, and this is like, the first time I've seen Kakashi look even slightly taken aback. Obito seems smug. I would slap the look of his face, but I know there'd just be a smaller smug look underneath that one so I won't even go there.