Something Nice
During the time Kakashi spent in the hospital, recovering before he was released, Izumi meanwhile made Jounin. As anticipated, the exam was quite the challenge, Shinobi twice her age and experience participating, but she mastered the hurdle with one try (an exhausting one at that).
After being checked on by a medical ninja and having her wounds and cuts healed, the brunette immediately rushed to the hospital room of her silver-haired friend, almost barging in at all the excitement she felt. Once Izumi had reached the door, she stopped herself, knocking first and asking for permission to enter.
"Kashi!" said Izumi excitedly once she saw that the room was devoid of anyone but her friend.
He lay on the hospital bed, half of his face covered by the usual mask he wore. His headband meanwhile lay on the table beside him, the crimson Sharingan eye left uncovered but closed. The silver gravity-defying hair was a mop of hair sitting atop his head, partially covering his eye. Kakashi looked adorable, or so she thought.
And unusually peaceful.
"Izumi." He greeted, sitting up a little.
She rushed over to his side, pulling a maroon plastic chair to the side of his bed to sit down beside him. "How are you?" Her cerulean eyes wandered to meet his charcoal one, carefully inspecting his reaction.
Kakashi kept quiet for a moment before replying: "Better."
Izumi took a deep breath. "I hope that you know that with me, you don't have to pretend." While he was quite the honest person, sometimes she worried he lied to her about his progress to keep her from asking further.
"I'm not pretending." When he spoke, his voice came out scratchy, almost cracking with every word.
The brunette gave him a look from the peripheral of her vision before turning towards the table beside his bed, gently grasping the glass of water placed there. "Drink a little, your throat will be better then." Determinedly, she held it out to him, not offering but rather ordering him to do so.
Kakashi reached out and grasped the glass of water from her hand, their hands touching for a moment. The water did indeed soothe his throat, as she had predicted. "Thanks." He rasped out.
"You're welcome." Izumi gave him a warm smile, tilting her head in delight.
The silence blossoming between them was anything but uncomfortable, more something they had gotten used to during each of Izumi's daily visits. She would enter the room, a grin tugging at her lips and pull up a maroon chair to sit beside him. It was usually then that she would start to tell him about her day, the most nonsensical things she could think about. And truly, he enjoyed listening to everything she had told. He practically hung onto every word pushing past her lips, as though caught in some sort of genjutsu. Stories about customers she had been confronted with during her work times at the Yamanaka flower shop or the various bouquets she had created, the words were welcomed by him.
As he had always told Izumi, listening to her was something that brought comfort to him. She did not expect his replies to be long and thorough but at the same time knew he was listening intently from the way underneath his mask a smile would tug up, the material moving along with his lips. Then his charcoal eye would crinkle, an effect of his reaction. It was what she appreciated the most: his wordless understanding, the way he showed he cared.
"What did I miss?" With his question, Kakashi broke the silence between them, feeling as though the two of them were during one of their weekly meetings on the flower field, sharing their thoughts and happenings. In his mind he could imagine the soft breeze blowing through his hair, short strands of umber hair falling onto his arm, tickling him. The sun would shine upon the two of them, soft beams decorating their peaceful features.
The brunette beside him blossomed into a state of delight, eyes widening in absolute glee. "For starters, I finally made Jounin!" When their gazes met, her expression only intensified, a warm feeling seeping through her body.
"You did?" Kakashi feigned surprise when he asked.
She reacted to his teasing. "With you having helped me, how could I not?"
"I'm proud of you." said Kakashi, his visible eyes crinkling with a small smile.
"Thanks, Kashi!" Izumi grinned brightly, feeling absolutely elated. "Oh I'm so happy. Ah." With her grin persistent, she leaned towards her friend, moving off of her chair just a little. In a quick motion and without much thought she pressed a kiss to the uncovered part of his cheek before moving away again to lean against the back of the chair.
Kakashi felt his cheek become warmer than it had been before, not having expected the action. "What was that for?"
It was almost comical the way Izumi shrugged where she sat. "I am just happy, and I need to let it all out. I wanted to hug you, but was scared to accidentally hurt you. So I did that … if you don't mind."
"It's fine." He wanted to tell her that he didn't mind, that he appreciated it, but the words felt like they were stuck in his throat, his tongue-tied.
"Good," Izumi could not breathe ethought,asier, feeling relief wash over her. "The last thing I would want to do is upset you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, because-"
Izumi was interrupted once the door swung open to reveal two visitors, joining the two Shinobi. In the doorway stood a familiar pair of senseis, with their expressions drawn into two almost identical looks of both concern and love.
"Hello you two." greeted Minato softly after entering the room.
"Minato-sensei," Kakashi's surprise was evident, he looked at his teacher wide-eyed. "What are you doing here?"
The man let out a chuckle. "Visiting my student, of course."
"I'm here too y'know!" huffed Kushina, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Kushina-sensei!" greeted Izumi, catching the attention of the faux upset woman.
"At least my student greets me."
Minato shook his head softly at his girlfriend's behaviour. In an instant his expression turned serious, as if he had just remembered something.
"Kushina, Izumi," The two kunoichi turned towards the blond man. "I would like to talk to Kakashi for a moment, alone."
Izumi frowned at the man. "But I wasn't-"
Kushina interrupted the brunette by placing her hand on her shoulders to gently guide her out of the room. Once they both stood in the hallway outside, glaringly white walls surrounding them, the sensei softly closed the door, drowning out the words Minato had begun to speak. As much as Izumi strained to listen, the words were absolutely inaudible to her, the topic of the conversation an enigma.
Should I just ask sensei or would that be rude? Her curiosity got the best of her.
"What does Minato-sensei want to talk to Kakashi about?"
Kushina turned towards her student before shrugging. "I wish I knew myself. I'm just as curious as you are," Her features grew into a smile. "But I do know that you made Jounin! Congrats on making Jounin, Izumi!" The redhead rushed towards Izumi, quickly pulling the younger one into a tight embrace. She wrapped her arms tightly around the small of the brunette's back, pulling her in further. "I knew you could do it."
Izumi responded in a similar manner by wrapping her own arms around the thin frame of her sensei, hugging the woman back just as tight. "Oh thank you, sensei." She breathed out, her happiness obvious.
For a moment the two kunoichi remained in their position, swinging back and forth as they hugged each other. Wide smiles had spread across their features as they did so. As soon as they seperated from one another, Kushina gave her student a bright grin again, taking on the look of a doting sister.
"I'm sure Sen and Chihiro have congratulated you already."
"They have! I ran into them on the way here." Izumi almost sweatdropped at the memory of how their encounter had played out.
To say they congratulated her was putting things lightly. Upon having spoken the words, Chihiro had begun to cry tears of joy, endearingly so and had begun to embrace his friend while mumbling all about how proud he was of Izumi. Sen meanwhile wore a proud look and awkwardly patted the brunette in congratulations, refusing to pry the overly excited strawberry-blond from her teammate.
"They were cheering you on after you told them you would participate in the exams, y'know?" said Kushina wistfully, expression excited. "It was adorable, y'know!"
Izumi felt her cheeks flush at the mention of her teammates, her heartbeat beginning to increase slightly. "I think so too."
"You three are great, do you know that?" Kushina began to lean back against the hideously so white wall. "Supporting each other like that. I'm glad all of you are fine." The last words were spoken with caution, her voice becoming quieter.
"I'm also glad about that. I couldn't imagine losing Sen or Chihiro … they are my family," Izumi smiled at her sensei. "Just as you are."
"Stop it you," Kushina wiped her eyes playfully. "You'll make me cry. I can never take on another team after you three."
"I hope so," teased Izumi. "You better keep us forever."
"If I could, I would. You three are also like my family, y'know?" Kushina's eyes crinkled at the size of her smile: sweet and appreciative. "I would protect you with my life if it came down to it. You are so important to me."
"I can speak for Sen and Chihiro when I say that we feel the same about you, sensei. We are glad to have you."
"Oh, you three," sighed Kushina. "You grew up too fast."
Izumi nodded solemnly. "I know. It was all a little quick."
"You were all so little…"
"At least Sen still is."
Kushina snorted loudly, covering her mouth to quiet the noise. To no avail.
"I'm right, sensei. I'm pretty sure she hasn't grown since the teams were formed."
The redhead thought about it for a moment. "Maybe you are. Chihiro on the other hand had a whole growth spurt, he's almost taller than me. I bet you will be too."
"I hope so. I refuse to stay this small." snickered Izumi.
"Hey!" Playfully Kushina hit her student's shoulder. "Pay some respect for us smallies here."
"Sorry sorry." In defense, Izumi held up her hands.
The door to the hospital room opened suddenly, revealing the blond sensei standing there with an unreadable expression.
"Kushina," He called out to his girlfriend. "I'm done talking now."
"Right!" It was now that Izumi noticed that the woman carried a plastic bag with her, the content unknown. "I have some soup for him, I'll bring it in. Be right back!" With almost lighting speed the woman rushed into the room, leaving her student and boyfriend outside.
"Is everything okay, sensei?" asked Izumi the man.
Minato turned to face her, nodding with a small smile now decorating his features. "Don't worry too much, Izumi."
"I try not to, but it's Kakashi. I can't help it." With the way misfortune appeared to follow him as a shadow would, her worries were justified.
"The best we can do is to be here for him."
Izumi just hoped that the sensei was right.