🌸 The Flower He Saw 🌸 A Kakashi and Sakura Story

Four Pillars

A/N: I realize I've been posting a lot more 'Author's notes' sort of things but just hear me out....
Flynn Rider....?
Anyways, I think I might change the update days from Wednesdays to Saturdays, it's just a little more convenient this way. Happy 5k reads! 

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Within the Hokage-tower, the Sandaime perched himself in his office, hands curled together on top of his desk. He surveyed his top Anbu cautiously, lips pressed hard into a thin line. Silence filled the cold air as the younger stared right back to the Hokage with his usual, expressionless gaze. 

The older heaved a slow sigh. "I can see the logic behind your request, however I don't approve of it."

He ducked his head further down, pleadingly. "Hokage-sama, there's nothing else for me to do. I cannot allow myself to sit when my comrades work." He worked up the courage he'd been lacking lately and continued. "It's been two weeks and I think that was enough time for a break."

"The village is at peace and I, as the Sandaime-Hokage plan to keep it that way. On the contrary, you're phrasing your request as if we are at war, young one." Before Kakashi could plea once more, the attention of the older shifted towards the faint knock upon the door. "Come in."

The door revealed none other, than the man Kakashi was internally hoping for the entry of. Inoichi plodded his way in and stood before his Highness, alongside the masked man who slowly pushed himself off the floor. 

Bowing once, he placed the papers within his grasp upon the desk before him. "Ibiki made contact with the lost 8 year old prisoner, Deidara, formerly of the EOD sector of Iwa. Although, before he could take action against the boy, yet another another person approached and disappeared into a Jutsu. He did his research and found out that it was unmistakably, Akasuna no Sasori. It appears to seem that Anko's speculations of Deidara joining the Akatsuki were worryingly true." He paused for a moment, glancing over to the Anbu beside him to see the way his body tensed. 

Kakashi's right hand slipped into his pocket, to hide the sweat it began to build from the mention of the only other kid Sakura had been affiliated with─ other than the two orphans within Konoha. 

"I see. Jiraiya must be heading out in a day or two, correct?"

"Yes."

Kakashi averted his eye back to the Sandaime, awaiting for his cue to finally be brought back to the Shinobi system. "Send Ibiki back to the village, I need a report immediately." Kakashi's eye narrowed as the man looked his way. "And Kakashi, I'll have to keep your schedule free for the time being. There surely is a place for you, young one. Just give it time. 

A bitter taste filled his mouth, yet he simply bowed in reciprocation. 

He couldn't believe that after all his service within the village, this was how it was going to end. 

With that, the two Shinobi slightly bowed and took their leave from the office. Silence suffocated the air, betraying the emotion none other than despair. 

"This is how every Shinobi ever practicing Ninjutsu under the Bylaws, loses their license." Kakashi mused, "My license will be suspended, right?"

Inoichi shook his head. "I assure you that it's crossed all our minds, but we're technically not allowed to do that unless," he paused to glance over to his friend. "There's a recorded statement that you're physically unstable to serve. Mental health, unfortunately isn't a part of the bylaws since the higher-ups didn't believe in any kind of illness that wasn't physical."