safety [Kakashi Hatake x OC]

forty-three

Once the sun set, two of the group of five set off by themselves. Kakashi and Eri waited another forty-or-so minutes as Tomiichi, the unnamed man that haunted Eri, and the woman from Amegakure started a fire. The light-haired man assumed an authoritative role, and he probably pronounced himself as their leader.

The mauve-haired young woman used the time to gather confidence and strength, everything she earned from the past year in Konoha. She was a kunoichi of the Leaf Village. She wasn't alone, and she had a place to call "home" where she was welcomed and cared for. She needed to recall all those things in order to face the man.

He left the group, going around to the other side of the house most likely to go to the bathroom. The Leaf ninjas used this moment to attack. Kakashi revealed his Sharingan, keeping himself immune to any genjutsu used, knowing he could take out Tomiichi in one focused punch.

Eri assumed her most self-assured guise and used the air as a silent pathway, only making her presence known when she hit the ground behind him.

He was startled and turned on his heel, seeing the girl stand as tall as she possibly could, lifting her chin to seem more courageous than she was. She forced a smirk. She was in charge; she would torment him; she would be the victor; it was her time conquer her nightmares and fears.

"Eri..." He hummed once he overcame his initial surprise. His dark grin was far more sinister than Eri could muster. She hid the horror that his face filled her with.

"Sorry, we're doing this on my terms now." She stated confidently.

"What a pleasant surprise." He seemed intrigued, licking his lips in excitement.

Her stomach churned, but she kept up her act. "I'm sure." She took a cautious step forward. "But this time," and another step, "you won't lay a single finger on me."

He could reach out and grab her, but she jumped back before he could touch her, just as she warned. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat as a glint of insanity shined in his icy eyes. "I was losing my patience anyway."

He launched himself towards her, but she was already prepared with her kekkei genkai, avoiding the attack and whirling around to kick him in the head. He lifted his hand to catch her foot, and she created a veil of air to keep herself from falling into his grasp. Within a second, she attacked his other side in an effort to distract him from the low kick from her other leg.

That one landed, sweeping his feet from under him. He caught himself before completely falling. He tried to counter her, but she was already in the sky, hovering above the ground to avoid his taijutsu.

She tried to drop her heal onto his skull, with full intent to kill, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to the ground. That leg was paralyzed, but the other was free slam into his arm, forcing herself from his grip. She began to move more quickly than her jutsu ever allowed her to before; perhaps it was the emotion that was fueling her attacks. Tears pricked the edges of her eyes, but she didn't dare cry.

Kick after kick, she tried to attack only to quickly get out of the way before he could incapacitate her, but they matched each other's speed. She tried to create some distance to catch her breath, but he rushed to meet her. She had to get creative in order to end it.

Seen as she couldn't break her hand seal in order to maintain her kekkei genkai, she needed to come up with a way to disable his hands so that he couldn't paralyze her. Rather than aiming for his head, she started aiming for his hands. If she hit him hard enough or slammed his wrists against a tree or wall or beneath her boots, she'd break them, then she'd probably be able to get close enough to defeat him.

He did not expect her to focus solely on his hands: the source of his ninjutsu, so he didn't realize he had to dodge when she crushed his left hand between the wall of the old house and her shoe.

"Shit!" He cursed between his teeth and clutched his obviously broken wrist once she leapt away. His knuckles were cracked and bloody, and his fingers were unnaturally bent. The confidence in his cold glare faltered.

He was also suddenly distracted by a static-like burst of light from the other side of the abandoned house accompanied by a short scream from one of his comrades.

Eri shoved him to the ground by kicking his back, breathing out, "oh yeah," with a chuckle. "I'm not alone this time."