🌸 The Flower He Saw 🌸 A Kakashi and Sakura Story

The Far Yet Close Reaches Of His Hand

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Kakashi hoisted himself in the Sandaime-Hokage's office, the guilt surging through his veins was the kind where no matter the reconciliations he was given, nothing could change how he was feeling at the moment. 

"Look Hatake, it's not that she doesn't trust you. And quite frankly, it's far from that." Anko assured. "She just didn't inform you because she simply didn't want to stress you out. Did you tell her about your diagnostic?"

He shook his head. 

"The girl has deep feelings for you, but she must realize what she's doing ought cause her pain." Hiruzen commented while taking a blow from his pipe. 

Anko sighed. "I'm sure she knows that already."

Kakashi's sole eye widened. 

"After she left, Ibiki and I analyzed everything that we talked about from what she said, to her body language and to her facial expressions. I'm almost 100 percent sure she knows exactly what she's doing." she crossed her arms and closed her eyes to avoid the gaze Kakashi proffered to her. "This isn't to make you feel like shit 'cause I know she just cares a lot about you. But, like, try to change that aspect of her because she's already traumatized and we confirmed that yesterday. But, you know, if she continues to keep all of her real feelings in, she'll go down a path that we're trying our bests to keep her away from. Only you can do that for her."

Kakashi slowly nodded, the last few words of his comrade running deep in his mind. Inoichi stared at Kakashi and felt his heart sink for him. 

He was in no emotional position to be taking care of someone else like this, but their circumstances paved their way for it to shine down on Kakashi. 

"Where is she?" Hiruzen prompted. 

"With Jiraiya-sama and two other children." Kakashi responded gingerly.

"You should go to them, this meeting is over."

The copy-nin bowed and to the Sandaime and took his leave shortly after, leaving Anko, Inoichi and Hiruzen to stay in their places in silence. The female left shortly after, and it was only after the door closed for the second time where Inoichi finally broke the silence. 

"He still hasn't changed his mind." he shook his head. "This is a lot worse than I had anticipated it to be."

"The boy is broken, it ought to take time."

"Hokage-sama," he bowed down to one knee. "We have to do something, quickly. Kakashi's in a position which I'm afraid could cause him to lose himself while he tries to find Sakura. As is, his condition isn't good, but I won't stand by to see him completely break from his already torn up body."

A wave of heat spread across Hiruzen's body, he wasn't the only one who felt that way apparently. "I very well understand that you feel this way, Inoichi. I feel the same way and I would do that if I could. However," his lips pressed into a flat line. "If Kakashi isn't willing to take the medication and we still give it to him I'm sure he won't take them. It'll just be a waste of money─ those pills are awfully expensive. Also, the therapy sessions, you will see no progress if Kakashi isn't willing to make any."

Hiruzen shook his head in slight disappointment.

"It's a path he needs to carve on his own." he chuckled, almost sadly. "I'm sure the young girl will be able to get him to do it."

"Don't you think that's pushing her abilities?"

"She's a child, not a therapist." Hiruzen corrected himself. "But she's a different child in comparison to the others and you've seen it yourself. She has a large influence on Kakashi."