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Mei sat alone in a dimly lit booth sipping her drink. The bar had begun to clear out for the night but she wasn’t the only straggler. Several men at various tables lingered even though the employee and proprietor had begun to close the empty tables and sweep the floors.
Mei took another swallow, finishing up her glass, and set it down to pour another. She was surprised to notice that she had spilled a bit as she poured. While she suspiciously examined the puddle around her glass, three more men staggered into the establishment. They were shouting, red-faced, and sluggish in their movements.
Mei rolled her eyes. “You three should have gone home while you were ahead,” she said a little louder than she had intended.
The three men stopped and stared at her. Two of the men’s smiles returned almost instantly but the third, the tallest and broadest, frowned at her, his eyebrows furrowing. “What do you mean by that?” The man snarled. He had brown hair and a ruddy complexion that surpassed those of his companions, but that could have just been from the alcohol, or his own anger.
“Simply that you’ve probably already been kicked out of a bar once tonight and that you should have just gone home,” Mei commented. She went to take a drink out of her glass and was irritated to discover that it wasn’t even half full. She stared at it, puzzled. Then she noticed the puddle on the table once more and began to examine the bottom of her glass for cracks.
“Are you saying I can’t handle myself?” The angry man asked, his brown hair bristling.
Mei looked at the ceiling, pondering his question with her mouth open silently forming words. She knew that there was a good pun there but she couldn’t quite grasp it. Perhaps she’d had too much to drink as well.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard one of the other men, a short, dark-haired fellow, say, “Maro do you know who that is? Let’s just get out of here.”
“I know who she is and I don’t care,” Maro growled. “Nobody talks to me that way.”
This piqued Mei’s interest and she turned to look at the man again. She raised an eyebrow. “Don’t care who I am you say? What do you plan on doing? Teaching me a lesson? How loaded are you?” The Mizukage rose slowly, her eyes flashing. Several men retreated out of the back door. She let them go, her prey was before her.
The barkeep approached, his ashen face glistening, “Lady Mei, please, why don’t we all just go home?”
Mei turned her gaze from the three men before her to the sweating man at her elbow. Her look froze his blood. “Do you know the things that I’ve done?” Her voice was low and sinister. The frightened man took a few steps back.
“Redeemed the Village Hidden in the Mist,” said a man who’d just pushed aside the hangings around the door, “and that was no small undertaking.” The man walked into the bar, hands in pockets. “Really Lady Mei, if I were you, I’d stop teasing these men and just let them go home.” The newcomer turned to the three men he was now standing beside, “that’s where you were heading correct?”
The third man of the group was shocked into speaking for the first time, “yes Lord Sixth.” He hastily grabbed the red-faced man and their shorter companion with a hurried, “come on Maro, Miki,” and pulled them out of the bar.
The barkeep withdrew behind the counter with the sweeper he employed and waited, watching. The last of the frightened customers fled.
“Kakashi,” Mei casually said with a smirk, “what brings you here so late? They’ve been trying to close the place you know.” She waved her hand lazily at the employees of the bar without looking at them. The two men flinched.
Kakashi shrugged as he walked toward her. “I couldn’t sleep, thought I’d take a walk. Join me?” He angled his head toward the door.
Mei chuckled, “think you can control me with those smooth words? No. I think I’ll just sit down and have another drink.” She clumsily sat and beckoned to the barkeeper but Kakashi shook his head at him. The man gratefully remained behind the counter.
Mei’s face became a bright scarlet. She rose fast and spoke faster, “I don’t know what you’re thinking about doing here Kakashi but it won’t do anything to change what I want is to have another drink so shut up and leave.” Then she smirked and said slowly, “or I’ll make you leave.”
The barkeeper grasped the arm of the young man beside him and hurried to the back room behind the counter.
Mei began to weave hand signs. Kakashi closed the distance between them in an instant, grasping her right arm. “Don’t,” he warned.
One of her eyebrows arched, “you think you can stop me?” She looked him in the eyes, his black ones stared back, intense but still somehow passive.
“No,” Kakashi said honestly, “but that doesn’t mean I won’t try.” Then he lowered his voice, his tone hardened, “are you threatening my village Lady Mizukage?”
They stared each other down for a moment, then two. After a bit Mei blinked at him in surprise, the muscles in her jaw loosening. He wasn’t going to shrink back and let her have her way. He wasn’t afraid of her. This was quite a revelation until her brain suddenly hurt and she put a hand to her head to ease the pressure behind her right eyebrow.
Without saying anything Kakashi raised his other hand and put it on her forehead. His grip on her right hand loosened. “Let me walk you back Lady Mei,” Kakashi said quietly.
“Don’t change the subject,” Mei growled as he removed his hand. Her eyes followed the hand with interest. “You a have very cold hand did you know that?”
“All a part of the package,” Kakashi said eye-smiling. He called good night loud enough for the men in the back room to know that the coast was clear as he guided Mei out of the establishment.
Mei couldn’t keep herself from giggling as they walked down the street. Finally a man was willing to walk her home and she wanted nothing to do with it. How ironic.
“What’s so funny?” Kakashi asked curiously. Then she swayed too far to one side and he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling over.
Mei’s temper flared. “Don’t put your arm around me,” Mei protested, smacking Kakashi in the head hard enough for him to see stars float lazily into his vision. “And I’m not ugly.”
Kakashi closed his eyes and waited for the stars to disappear. Her moods swung all over the place when she was drunk. No wonder the bartender was scared. “Who called you ugly?” He was trying to imagine who would be dense enough to say that.
“You did, just now,” Mei practically screamed. She pointed her finger at him accusingly. “Do it again and I’ll kill you.”
Kakashi sighed. They were on a residential street and it was very late. Kakashi lowered his voice to encourage her to do the same when he said, “I did no such thing.”
“Are you calling me a liar?!” Mei’s stage whisper was so piercing that Kakashi suddenly missed the shouting. Then it was like something sparked in Mei’s eyes. She giggled and skipped away from him as if inviting him to chase her down the road.
Kakashi stood there, in the middle of the street, arms crossed over his black vest, staring at the crazy woman walking away from him. He shook his head in wonder. She was zigzagging down the dirt lane with her arms outstretched for balance. Then Kakashi spoke into the silence, “is there something wrong with your hearing Lady Mei?”
Mei stopped dead without turning. After a moment her back straightened and she began to run. Kakashi blinked in surprise, unintentionally giving her a head start. He hadn’t expected her to be able to just take off like that. Still, it was his village and she couldn’t elude him for long. Taking to the rooftops with a step like a cat, Kakashi caught up to the Mizukage quickly and dropped back down to the street.
Mei almost screamed when Kakashi landed in front of her. She dodged but her reflexes were off and instead of pulling out of it smoothly she overcorrected and fell in the dirt. She caught herself on all fours, scraping her hands. After staying there, panting a bit, she picked her hands up to look at them one at a time to maintain her balance. Then she started to cry.
They were quiet tears at first and Kakashi only knew she was crying because he could see the dirt beneath her face darken with the wet drops. Then she began to sob, a sobering, mournful sound that cut to the heart. Kakashi took a step toward her, not sure what to do. She reacted instantly, “don’t. Don’t touch me.” She scrambled away from his shadow. It was cast by the streetlight behind him and made him look much closer to her than he was.
Kakashi held up his hands but said nothing. Mei wiped at the tears staining her face, the dirt and blood on her hands hindering her efforts. “Lady Mei,” Kakashi said gently, “let me help you.”
“I don’t need your help,” Mei retorted, standing carefully to avoid touching her hands to the ground again.
“I know you don’t need my help,” Kakashi said. “But I want to.”
Mei looked up from her hands to stare at him. With the streetlight behind him his face was in shadow and that made it hard to read. It was the only light in the overcast night and it lit up his silhouette. His hair was especially set off by the light, making it look like his silver locks glowed.
When Mei didn’t say anything Kakashi tried, “can I accompany you back?”
She blinked and closed her mouth. Then she turned her face away from him, angry with herself. Her first reaction was to reject the offer since she’d been staring at him unashamedly for the last thirty seconds and was embarrassed. Then her addled brain thought, why not? This night couldn’t-
Just then the clouds opened and it began to rain. Kakashi stared up at the clouds accusingly. When the Hokage looked back at Mei she was just staring at the ground.
“I thought it would be better,” Mei told the ground.
Kakashi only just heard her over the sound of the rain. His eyebrows furrowed, “what would be better?”
“Being away from the village on my graduation anniversary. It isn’t; it’s never better.”
Kakashi’s face settled into a familiar blank expression. The two of them stood in the rain for some time. The rain washed the tears, blood, and dirt off of Mei’s face. The torrents soaked through their clothes and hair but neither ninja moved. When Mei began to shiver Kakashi decided that that was enough.
“Lady Mei,” Kakashi said, breaking her trance once more. “We should head back. You’re staying in the Tower correct?”
Mei nodded mutely.
Kakashi stepped up next to her but not too close and motioned with his hand as if opening the whole soaking road for her personal use. Mei smiled, “yes, we’d better get you out of the rain. We wouldn’t want you going all to pieces like that time.”
Kakashi frowned in thought but then remembered the incident she was referring to and smiled. “That was quite a few years ago. I’m surprised you remember.”
“All my labor toward peace being unraveled by some upstart jonin? How could I forget?” Mei teased.
Kakashi would have thought she was sober if her stride didn’t waver so much. Is she flirting with me? Kakashi thought, if I didn’t know she was drunk before...
Mei slipped in a puddle but Kakashi caught her before she fell in the mud and stood her back up. He braced himself as he let her go, preparing to be struck again. Her hand didn’t fly.
Mei was frowning at the upset pool on the ground as the raindrops seemed to bounce in it. “Do you know what graduation exams in the Mist used to be like Kakashi?”
Kakashi nodded in response even though she wasn’t looking at him.
She must have either sensed his answer or just didn’t expect one because she continued, “I graduated from the academy when I was nine years old.”
Kakashi was silent. They stood in the deserted lane in the glow of the streetlight, rain coming down in sheets. Still, neither of them moved.
“There was a boy in my class who was good with explosives,” Mei pulled her long soaked bangs back away from her face. Then she pulled the hair further back to reveal her right ear. It was red with scarring and disfigured. She let the hair drop. “I haven’t been able to hear the same since; I get words confused sometimes.” She chuckled darkly, “he took my hearing; I took his life. Doesn’t seem like a fair trade does it?”
Kakashi remained silent. He knew all too well that there was nothing he could say.
After several minutes Mei spoke once more. “I should be getting back.” She pulled away from Kakashi and started to walk down the road toward Hokage Tower, a little steadier than before. Kakashi followed her. She looked back at him with an irritated eyebrow raised, “I already told you Lord Hokage, I don’t need your help.”
Kakashi eye-smiled at her. “I know, but I can’t help that we’re going the same way.”
Mei frowned, unable to argue. She was basically staying in his home.
They made their way back in silence, walking the same way but not together. As they approached the first door to the Tower Kakashi groaned inwardly. He could feel the guarding ANBU nearby. No doubt they were already speculating on why the Hokage left his rooms this late and returned with the Mizukage. When his mind filled with speculation of its own he pushed it away. No use dwelling on it now, it was done.
After recommending she drink some water, Kakashi bade the Mizukage good night at her door and headed further up to his apartment.
The next morning the Lady Mizukage, Lord Hokage, and dignitaries from the Cloud, Stone, and Sand joined together for their first meeting of the day. Upon entering the room Kakashi quietly inquired after the Mizukage’s hands. She replied stiffly that they were much improved and thanked him for the concern. Kakashi nodded and took his seat. Chojuro, who was the only person within earshot, frowned in confusion at the exchange but said nothing as the meeting began.
The rest of the week went on with one meeting blurring into another. By the time all the adjustments to the trade agreements were finalized, Mei and Chojuro were ready to head home. Before they left they were received into the Hokage’s office to pay their final respects to the hosting leader.
A Leaf ninja was waiting to accompany them to the gate when Mei said, “I would like to have a word with the Hokage alone.”
Chojuro looked confused for a moment but he recovered quickly, bowed, and retreated along with the Leaf ninja. As the door closed Mei and Kakashi looked at each other. Kakashi sat placidly behind his desk. His eyes were sharp however, the Mizukage looked nervous.
Mei took a deep breath. “Lord Hokage,” Mei began, “I would like to thank you for…assisting me the other night.”
Kakashi’s eyebrows disappeared behind his headband.
“You prevented me from destroying a peace that I’ve worked very hard to build. You even tried to warn me.” Mei trailed off but when Kakashi remained silent she continued, “I’m…troubled by the idea of what I might have done if you hadn’t stepped in.”
Kakashi said, “I don’t believe you would have done anything so reckless.”
Mei’s formality broke and her voice shook with emotion. “I shouldn’t have even been doing something so stupid in the first place. What was I thinking? I could have killed those men so easily.”
“But you didn’t,” Kakashi said with a bitter smile. He stood up behind his desk so that they were facing each other on the same level. “And ninja like us, the ones who have been around too long, have enough on our conscience without dwelling on those we almost killed.”
Mei looked the Hokage in the eye. There was pain in those dark orbs.
Kakashi said, “you’re not the only one with a bloodied past.” After a beat he continued, “I invented an assassination jutsu when I was twelve. You can imagine the kind of life that sparked that type of achievement.”
As he said this Mei saw a form of understanding in his eyes. It wasn’t complete but it was comforting.
“Have a safe trip home Lady Mizukage,” Kakashi said seating himself behind his desk once more. She’d clearly been dismissed.
She smirked and said, “until we meet again Lord Hokage.”