#noharin

"They DO say the best way to keep warm is to share body heat...with a little clothing on as possible." She giggled.

     To Kakashi’s honest surprise, it only takes three days to hear back from Itachi. Given how...unbothered vampire covens tend to be when it comes to time, the quick response almost begs suspicion. But it’s not like they have much choice.

     “We have to do what now?”

     The vampire’s arms cross over his chest, expression still lax. “They want to meet who they’re going to invest time and resources into, Kakashi. A common courtesy, I would think.”

     “I don’t like it.”

     A slender, dark brow perks. “...if you’re worried for miss Nohara’s safety, you needn’t be. The only ones who will be seeing her are our foremost members - they’re not about to turn savage upon seeing a human. They simply wish to see if she’s stable enough to risk taking the time and energy. There’s nothing to worry about.”

     The wolf still looks wary, but gives a sigh of defeat. “...all right. But if one hair -”

     “I will do my absolute best to keep her from any harm...should any threat arise,” Itachi cuts in, brow slightly raised. “I’m not about to put your efforts thus far in jeopardy, Kakashi. I’ve got another pair of eyes, besides - they’ll spot trouble a mile away.”

     That furrows Kakashi’s brow, but he doesn’t retort.

He never should have acquiesced to her help.

Freed of his wound, Kakashi had taken his leave, insisting he not trouble the little nurse any longer than he had to. The better he felt, the less of a danger he was, but...it was still a risk he'd rather not take with her. That, and enclosed spaces made him...nervous.

So though Rin had been stubborn on the subject, the wolf had managed to wriggle out of her grasp and back out into the alleyways and refuse.

It wasn't for a few days that he learned what a mistake he'd made.

“Address is in the burner – you've got until three am. Try to be quick. Might be able to squeeze another job outta you.”

Managing a nod, Kakashi slips the parcel into his coat, feeling it brush the well-mending skin of his harpy wound. Wolves heal fairly fast, but it's still a touch sore. She did a good job.

Leaving their meeting place, the client and runner part ways, and his mental map of the city opens in Kakashi's mind with a glance to the phone. Simple enough – not too far.

...relatively speaking.

“Oi...”

The voice draws his one good eye, and it narrows a hair as Kakashi spies a figure leaned against a wall. “...need something?”

“At least you weren't hard to find...your stench is practically acidic this close up.”

Ah. Another wolf. “And you were looking for me because...?”

“Because you've gone and fucked up. Loners might not pay pack lines much heed, but we sure as hell do.”

...wait...he'd trespassed? When? “...afraid I don't recall. I don't cross borders if I can help it.”

“Four days ago, we found your scent all over Gin territory. A good share of your blood, too.”

Blood...oh shit. The harpy wound – he must have gone too far in his retreat...? He was a little preoccupied at the time. “...well, obviously I was wounded. Made a mistake. It's not about to happen again.”

“No...it's not.”

Deep growls echo up between the buildings, and Kakashi finds himself outnumbered four to one, each taking a junction of the crossroad.

Still, he doesn't quite panic...yet. “...can you blame a half-dead wolf for stumbling where he shouldn't? I'd gladly make amends with Gin if I have to.”

“I'm afraid all he wanted was your snout beat into the pavement, lone one.”

Kakashi sighs. “...guess we'll have to give that a try...” Posture relaxed with a hip cocked, a hand in one pocket, there's a tick of silence as each side sizes up the other. Already he's at a disadvantage...three are shifted, the last being the one issuing the threat. It doesn't take long...but any time at all is going to be either a saving grace, or a death sentence. He's down in numbers, and in viable eyes.

…well, I'm not getting any younger.

Withdrawing his hand, he manages to toss the smoke bomb, disrupting both sight and smell. There's the telltale ripping of fabric, and then a snarl as he makes his way toward the only weak point: the one yet Shifted.

The distraction is just enough to give him an edge, and the grey finds a half-Shifted throat with his jaws. A clench, a crack, and one lays lifeless.

By now, the smoke's mostly cleared, and Kakashi spins to face the remaining three, head tilted to even out his one-sided vision. Pearlescent teeth are dyed red as he bares them, a steady stain of crimson  down his gullet. To the fore, a brown coat – left, blond, and right, black.

He's struck from the left first, as he knew he would be – the clouded eye is a dead giveaway. Turning to face it, he's double-teamed, his counter predicted as he's struck too from the right. A tail gives him just a moment as he biffs it against the righthand's face. Ducking beneath the left's jaws, Kakashi lifts his skull into the lower and smashes teeth together with force to shatter them...and cut off his tongue. A desperate whining sounds, and as that enemy recovers, he spins to face the right.

Recovered from the momentary blindness of his foe's tail in his face, the enemy snarls and lunges. Weight shifted, Kakashi sacrifices his shoulder, feeling flesh tear, but the meaty joint also providing the force to stopper the opponent’s momentum. Gripping the black pelt's ear, he rips it off for enough pain to stagger him before going for the throat. One attack won't down him, but it will slow him down.

By now, the brown leaps for his haunches, rolling over as Kakashi manages to sit for just a moment to put the end out of reach. Prancing from the black, he instead charges back toward the blond, recovered from his severed tongue and meeting him head-on. Jaws rack together, and Kakashi feints a rear to gain height. His foe falls for it, standing too tall and leaving his belly exposed. The lone wolf gives it an unmerciful clamp of his jaws and a bolt forward, knocking him over and reaping a fair flow of blood. It's followed by a grip on a back leg, snapping bones and leaving him crippled.

Bulk then carries him over the downed wolf, thrown and disoriented by the umber pelt. Legs tangle in a struggle to rise first, and he gets a kick in the throat that winds him. Breath wheezing for several draws, Kakashi snaps a few times before claiming a paw, refusing to give until most of the foot goes with him.

Getting feet beneath his foe, the grey manages to toss it back into the attacking black, stumbling him and buying the time to stand. The whines of the bleeding-out blond are distracting, and Kakashi waits to see where things lie thus far.

Pawless, the brown gives several pained cries as they disentangle themselves, unable to run without the foot. All the while, blood trails down Kakashi's shoulder, his throat sore but not yet an inhibition. He's getting tired...but he just might make it.

The darkest wolf is struggling for breath, Kakashi's prior grip on his throat a heavy factor. Lacking an ear, the other pins, lips lifted in a growl.

Knowing only one can charge, he taunts it out of the most mobile opponent, trying to sneak under and toss his weight. It works, but only partially, throwing the wolf's balance and knocking him into a wall. Following up, Kakashi rams his uninjured shoulder into their chest, cracking ribs before simply biting any hide he can reach.

Nearly completely unable to breathe between his chest and his throat, the black wolf collapses, his body demanding more oxygen in its stressed state than he can get.

Sure he won't get up again, Kakashi turns to the pawless remainder. To his honest surprise...ears wilt, and the last gracelessly collapses into a posture of surrender.

Panting and bleeding, Kakashi contemplates killing them before sprinting off, still fully Shifted.

So much for his delivery.

The smell of blood and the adrenaline in his veins make thinking difficult, but the further he goes, the clearer his mind gets.

If they knew he was there...if they tracked his scent...they found the woman.

Shit.

All decorum abandoned, he weaves through alleys and makes a beeline toward her apartments. It's too heavily populated for something brash, but wolves can find the patience to lie in wait in they must.

It's stupid. It's stupid to go looking for a human when an entire pack – let alone one the size of Gin's – is going to be not only looking for him and seeking his blood, but likely wanting to clear up any possible broken mandate by his visit. He shouldn't let one human life egg him on like this.

But a debt is a debt. Loner or not...he still has his own moral code. And that means not letting her die.

Stopping a block from the apartment complex, he Shifts back to human, making quick work of a lock and finding his way into some other human's abode. Clothes he finds aren't a perfect fit, but they'll work for now. There's a hiss at fabric over his shoulder, but he'll deal with that later. Random cologne is doused over him, trying to hide his scent.

Hopefully, he's still got some element of surprise. They likely expect him dead a dozen blocks away, so...maybe he can make it in, grab the woman, and get out before they realize who he is. He doesn't have a car, and something tells him she might not either, given her walking to find him when they first met. The only way they're outrunning wolves...is as a wolf.

He's going to break the utmost mandate...but he's stuck between a rock and a rather hard place. Enforcers might kill him later...but Gin wants him dead now.

Hiding beneath a hood, he leaves the infiltrated residence behind and instead crosses the street and making his way there. Nose bared to rely on his strongest scent (as clouded as it may be by human perfumes), his one good eye can't help but flicker to anything that moves. Somehow, by whatever grace, he makes it to the stairs, taking them two at a time until he finds her door.

Locked, but he can smell her inside. A knock, desperate – they're surely watching it.

A long pause as she surely just wakes up, a weary, “coming” sounding off from within. As soon as the knob turns, Kakashi makes his way inside, shutting it and putting a hand to her mouth.

Rin's umbers go wide, staring in surprise before narrowing, attempting to recognize him. “...?”

“I need you to be very quiet, and I need you to listen. Either you do, and we might get out of here alive...or we're both going to die.”

Another look of shock, but the nurse eventually gives a slow nod.

“Some people who call this place their territory know you helped me. I trespassed. They want me dead, and I'm sure they're here for you, too. I've already evaded several, but...we don't have time to argue.” A pause, weighing his options. He can claim simple gang violence, but...something tells him she won't be getting through this without seeing a wolf, one way or another.

“...I'm not what you think I am.”

“...I don't -?”

“No time for discussions.” Another hesitation. “...you're gonna see things you won't believe. But it's the only way you're getting out of this alive. And we have to go now. No time for packing, arguing...anything. Got it?”

Rin looks torn, but eventually gives a defeated shrug of her shoulders. “I...don't understand, but...fine. Let's go.”

“We can't go out the door – is there a window?”

“Fire escape, out the bedroom wi-”

“Let's go.” Taking her hand, Kakashi leads the human to the panes, tugging them open and stepping through first. “Now!”

Obviously unnerved in little more than pajamas, Rin does as asked, and gasps as Kakashi simply scoops her up. Ignoring ladders, he relies on jumping, falling distances that are certainly too far for a human.

Just behind them, the sound of a door being broken open reaches their ears.

The wolf swears under his breath. “Do you have a car?”

“No, I -?”

“Then we're running.” He sets her down, taking her shoulders and giving her a look. “...I need you to trust me.”

“...what choice do I have?”

“No, I...I'm going to scare you. But you have to ignore that fear, and let me carry you. It's the only way we're outrunning them.”

“...okay, fine!” Too frazzled to argue and too out of her element to know what else to do, Rin watches as Kakashi takes a step back, breathes...and then Shifts.

To her credit, she doesn't scream. But her eyes are as big as dinner plates, and her knees threaten to give way.

Catching her on his good shoulder, Kakashi looks over his back pointedly, clearly telling her to get on.

There's yells from the apartment, a head sticking out the window.

Glancing back, Rin freezes for only a moment before climbing atop the wolf's back and gripping hair for dear life.

And he runs.

Everything blurs as he pushes his limits, ignoring the complaining of his shoulder and streaking toward what he now realizes is the territory's edge. Being outside isn't much safer, but...it's better than nothing.

Rin buries her face in his shoulders, wind whipping and making her eyes water too much to sit up straight. He can feel her shaking, but at least she's not falling off.

He doesn't stop until they reach the outskirts of town. Less prime locations, and not truly held by any packs. They might run into other loners, but...those odds are still better.

Tongue lolling and chest heaving with breath, Kakashi eventually collapses, Rin still perched atop his spine before scrambling off.

She doesn't have words, staring back behind them in what looks like genuine shock. Silence save for Kakashi's harried breaths rings out for uncounted minutes.

Atop a pole, an owl screeches.

“...wolf territory. That's what you meant. Not...not a gang...a p...pack...?”

He ignores her rambling, not able to answer while shifted. At this point, he's not sure which would be more for her to deal with – a car-sized wolf, or a naked man.

“...your shoulder's bleeding. I don't...” Rin looks around, apparently trying to find something to stopper it.

He can't help a bark of a laugh.

“...Kakashi...?”

Breath a bit calmer, the wolf lifts his head to spot a vaguely familiar face, no name recalled to go with it. But it's clear enough by smell alone who and what he is: Uchiha. Vampire. Probably only recognizes him due to his old ties with Obito.

Looking between them warily, the man asks, “...what has happened here?” He draws a long coat from his shoulders, offering it to the Shifter and letting him find his voice.

“...long story.”

“...is she...?”

“What, can't you tell?”

“...I can...and yet...” The Uchiha shakes his head. “...you broke the mandate?”

“They were going to kill her. I owe her a debt. I've repaid it.”

“...have you thought past this point?”

Kakashi can't help a frustrated sigh. “...obviously not.”

Taking both their images in, the man doesn't reply.

“Are...are you...like him?” Rin manages to ask, pointing.

“...not exactly. Are you all right, miss?”

“...I really don't know. I think...I think I'm just...”

“At least you're not screaming,” Kakashi offers dryly.

“...s-sure.”

“We have an outpost not far from here. It will allow you two to get out of the open. And you can tell me what on earth you've gotten yourself into.”

“...if you insist.”

“This way, miss – if you please.”

Managing to find his feet, Kakashi brings up the rear, still alert for anything out of place.

“It's not much, but...there's basic supplies, including clothes. There may be some that fit you. I shall see about finding some first aid,” the Uchiha offers, glancing between woman and wolf before giving them the room.

Without ceremony, Kakashi collapses atop a couch, exhaling.

Silence.

“W...what...?”

“I know you're completely and utterly rattled, Rin. I know,” Kakashi mumbles, an arm tossed over his eyes. “But I just ran across half a city after fighting three of my own kind...I'm a little beat for explanations.”

“Perhaps I can handle that part.” Lifting a first aid kid, the stranger finally offers, “You may call me Itachi, by the way.”

“Don't bother – I can't keep all you Uchiha straight, anyway...”

The vampire can't help a chuckle. “Well, at least I recognized you. Otherwise you'd probably have been killed.” Sitting and attending to the wolf's shoulder, Itachi glances to Rin. “...you should sit, miss.”

She does as asked. “...so...”

“Given that the first mandate has been...completely disregarded, I see no harm in telling you,” Itachi cuts in, tone exasperated. “Clearly, you've seen that Kakashi is a werewolf. Just as I'm a vampire. And now, you're a human who has been exposed to what we affectionately call the Nightwalker world. In other words...all of the monsters you humans write your thrillers about. Now, Kakashi...mind telling me why she's suddenly got her eyes open?”

“That was hardly an adequate explanation...”

“No, but what else can I say? Time is short, and there's little need to overwhelm her with flowery words. She gets the gist, I'm certain.”

The wolf sighs. “...got into it with a harpy a few days back. Ended up in claimed territory. She's a nurse...found me, patched me up. Alpha found out, sent foot soldiers after me...and her. I managed to skin by them, and got her out.” A pause. “...I couldn't leave her there. She saved my life, and I was going to do the same.”

“Yes, well...we, at the very least, know your feelings about leaving a friend behind. Do you know what happens to humans who see a Nightwalker?”

“...never dealt with it. So no.”

“Either they're brainwashed into believing it to be a dream, a drug-induced hallucination...or otherwise. Or, if that doesn't work, they're occasionally executed to protect the mandate. Alongside those they saw. There are rare cases of them being Turned to create a loophole – a human can't have been exposed if they're no longer human, but...well, you can guess why that's frowned upon.”

Kakashi sighs, and Rin just...stares, apparently still too out of it to fully comprehend.

“...so, there are odds of her getting out of this alive, but...they are not entirely pretty.”

“You expect me to have just left her there?”

“...can't really say for sure. The first mandate is a grave matter, Kakashi. If anyone finds out...you're going to be killed. There's no two ways about it.”

“You gonna turn me in?”

“No...but if they want to, that pack you tussled with might. They can put two and two together, I'm certain.”

“...well...damn.”

Finished with his patch job, Itachi gives the wolf a long, hard look. “...we still remember what you did for Obito. So...you are safe with us. We're not about to turn you in, and we might even lend you a hand. But...though I have a rather high place in our coven, I can't say for sure. I can, however, bring the matter up and see how the others react. See what they want to do.”

“...until then?”

“Until then...you can lay low here. We'll figure something out. But it's best you disappear for a while.”

“What about...?”

Both look to Rin.

“What about...me? I...I have class in like...an hour.”

Unbidden, Itachi chuckles. “Well...I'm afraid you're going to have to miss it. If I may...?”

“...Rin.”

“...Rin. I realize how serious this is, and how...utterly confused you must be. But right now, I need you to focus on the fact that you're alive. Kakashi is right: you wouldn't be if he hadn't interfered. Granted...he's made a bit of a mess. But at least an innocent life wasn't lost tonight.”

Outside, light begins to tinge the horizon, and the Uchiha sighs.

“I'd best get going...it's getting late. You should be safe here – I'm sure it reeks enough like vampire, no wolf will be willing to come this far. Still...I've got eyes outside, just in case. I would stay myself, but...I'd best see about our next move.” Standing, he gives them each a nod. “Stay out of trouble. We'll see how this goes.”

“Itachi...?”

“Hm?”

“...how'd you know I was here?”

“I happened to be in the area. And...a certain pair of airborne eyes spotted you. Let me know you were here.”

The wolf perks a brow, but Itachi offers no further explanation. Instead, he seems to melt into the shadows...and disappears.

Once they're alone, Kakashi struggles with himself before looking to Rin. “...sorry for all the fuss.”

“...well...better a little fuss than a lotta dead...right?” Still looking shaken, the human manages a smile, though it looks a bit...disconnected. “...I'm...I'm not sure I quite...get it all yet, but...like you said: no screaming.” A pause. “...I feel like I'm in some dumb teen romance book about...vampires, and...werewolves.”

“...there's teen romance books about that?”

“Oh trust me...you don't want to know. Movies, too.”

“...well, this isn't a movie. But...if it helps you keep from losing your head...act away.”

Silence blooms again before Rin breaks it. “...I guess I haven't really said...thank you yet.”

“Don't.”

“...but...?”

“You're not out of the woods yet. And it was my fault you got mixed up in this in the first place.”

“...but you said it yourself. If I hadn't found you...then you'd be dead.”

“And you never would have known to worry about it. Believe me, I'm not one to be missed.”

“I don't -!”

“No offense, but...you don't know me, Rin. Not really a call you can make yet.”

Arms cross. “...well, at the very least...you saved me when you didn't have to. For now...that's good enough for me.”

The wolf sighs. “...we'll argue that point later. For now, I've got a fight and a flight to rest up from. Don't leave the house, okay?”

“...don't plan on it, believe me.”

“...good.”

Too unnerved to truly sleep, Kakashi merely dozes, listening as Rin takes to wandering the sequestered house. True to her word, she never leaves it, contenting herself rather well to just...idling. But eventually the wolf realizes he's not accomplishing much, and sits up.

“...so, uh...can I ask you something?”

“I'd imagine you have several somethings to ask me. Fire away – we're not going anywhere for a while.”

For a moment, Rin collects her thoughts. “...how, uh...how big is this whole...world, thing?”

“The Nightwalker world?”

“Yeah, I guess that's what you called it.”

“Hard to say for sure. I'm certain the Senate has tabs on populations, but...I'm rather clueless.”

“Is it just...werewolves and vampires? Oh...I guess the turkey was a thing, though...”

Kakashi can't help a chuckle. “There's all sorts. The turkey was a harpy, not sure what breed. Then there's more werecreatures than wolves. Bears, cats...”

“Cats?”

A brow perks. “...yeah. Weres tend to be large predator species. Including cats.”

Rin blinks, expression attentive. “...huh.”

“...anyway, there's a myriad of species, and then breeds within those. Like your...werecats. Tigers, lions, bobcats, on and on. All sorts of birds when it comes to harpies. Et cetera, et cetera.”

“And humans really have no idea...?”

“Well...they're not supposed to.” The wolf leans back with a sigh. “...see, several hundred years ago, a few powerful Nightwalkers got together, formed a Senate. First was in Europe. Other continents soon followed. Each country, and each specie, gets a representative. They govern us...including making laws. The most important, obviously, is making sure humans live their lives unaware we exist. There are some who do...mostly associated with religious fanatics who live to hunt us as abominations. But otherwise, we're like two sides of a coin. Not suppose to be able to see both at one time.”

A long pause. “...will they really kill you?”

“If they find out? It's more than likely. There's many laws, but that's by far the most important, and the most severely punished for being broken. Breaches of that mandate could lead to open war between humans and Nightwalkers again.”

“What if I said I wouldn't tell anyone?”

At that, Kakashi outright laughs. “It's not that simple. In any case, you can't be allowed to remember. One of those options Itachi mentioned will have to be used...just a matter of which one.”

Rin goes quiet again, thinking.

“...anyway...for now, there's no use worrying about it. Just gotta buckle down until we hear back. You should get some sleep.” He's not fond of being stuck behind four walls, but...for now, he's little choice.

“I'm not tired.”

“But you will be. Rest now, cuz we might have to run later.”

For a moment she stares stubbornly, but eventually concedes. “Wake me if anything happens.”

“If anything does, I'm sure you'll hear it,” is Kakashi's dry reply. Watching her disappear into the house's only room with a bed, he contents himself with sinking back into the couch.

At least Rin is alive.

Now, it's just a matter of keeping her that way.

@noharin from this 

Ibiki the Cupcake Man Masterpost

A list of all the things created around the headcanon that Ibiki Morino is an amazing baker. kokoro4kakashi‘s post that started it all here. 

Fanfic

The Case of the Mysterious Sweets by kunoichi-ume

Do You Know the Cupcake Man? by padlocked-quintus

Fanfic with OCs because OCs deserve more love 

I’d Do It Again by ladymikiri 

Fic by noharin

A Strange Homecoming by kunoichi-ume

The Sinner and the Saint by itslulu42

Aesthetics 

Aesthetics- Ibiki Morino by itslulu42

Art

The Cupcake Man by genericnarutoblog

If anyone would like to be included, let me know! Send me a message, an ask, tag me, or send me the post - I’d love to see it all! Also, if you would like to be removed or change anything, let me know. I’ll do it asap. 

Send a number for question that muse will answer about mun!

If he were real. Hm.That would depend on which verse were real, mine or his. Saying his was, he’d be a brother/relative god.