The Sordid Tangles of Life-A Kakashi x Student OC Story

Chapter 4

It was the next afternoon, and we had already picked up the artifact. Since I had my swords and didn't depend on shuriken and kunai for defense like the others, I had emptied out my weapons pouch for the time being and was holding on to the artifact during our travel.

Now we were on our way to deliver it to the museum, and then deliver his payment back to him. I was keeping up, but still walking a little slower than the rest. I decided to take my training on the road with me today and had been fiddling with my blades while I walked. Kakashi was slightly back as well, glancing over to observe me and my progress here and there. Occasionally he'd throw in an obstacle here and there, testing to make sure I was paying enough attention to the mission ahead while I was focusing on my chakra. And I picked up on every obstacle without fail. I guess I can attribute that to my heightened 'don't touch me' senses.

It was a hot day out, and combined with an hour or so of training, I decided it was time to call it quits. Sakura watched with slight awe at the fluidity of my movements as I took the blades apart, spun them around my fingers as I reached behind my back, and slid them back into the sheath. There were a lot of things I used to do-one of those things included dancing. And even though that part of my life was over, I still used it to my benefit in some of the ways I moved as a ninja. 

Blades away, I finally really looked ahead of me for the first time since we'd left the clients. Naruto was one of those things ahead of me "What are you doing there" I muttered to the inanimate object that I noticed sticking out of his ear-one of the ear buds to my music player. My eyes narrowed on Naruto as I quickened my pace over to his side. 

Naruto jumped when he suddenly noticed me in his peripheral and turned to me with a sheepish grin. "Hiya there Keiko" He greeted.

"Fucking hiya to you, too" Naruto sweat dropped, knowing I had figured it out and he was in for it. "Should I note sticky fingers under one of your hobbies?" I asked a little sarcastically.

"You know, it's actually sorta something like that" He answered, then his eyes widened realizing how that sounded. It was what he meant, but not what he meant. "No! I mean...I don't have sticky fingers, I was just borrowing it."

Again, Kakashi and Sakura were watching and listening carefully, both curious and worried as to the outcome that could result between the two of us. Naruto didn't exactly have a history of getting off on the right foot with new teammates or comrades. 

"Then what did you mean, and exactly why were you borrowing it?" I asked, trying to have some patience with him. It's not that I had a short fuse or didn't like the kid, but I didn't have many possessions and what I did have I didn't like people just up and snatching it without my know so. 

"Some say you can learn a lot about a person by the music they listen to. That songs can reflect how one thinks, feels or sees themselves or others. And since you don't talk about yourself, I thought I'd borrow it and give it a shot." He answered, which honestly left me a little flabbergasted. 

Sakura and Kakashi were watching me, waiting for a response. Certainly curious as to how that'd make me react. And Naruto wasn't far off about the way I felt about my music. Does he really care about wanting to know me? Or is it just the challenge I dangled in front of him by making it out of bounds? Fine, I'll give him a challenge.

I saw where the head phone cord disappear into his pocket, reached in and pulled it out. I lit up the screen to check out the song he was currently listening to, 'I'll Be Your Love'. "And what are your thoughts so far? Do you think I want to be your love?" I asked with a little smile and quirked brow.

Naruto blushed, then scowled at me. "Obviously not that song. But it's in here, I'm sure of it." He said determined, then grabbed the player back as if he owned it and quickly skipped to the next song.