Fandom Redemption [Closed] [Graverobber141/arbus]

[arbus]

Sakura had wanted to protest — she really had. The moment they passed the kitchen, reality flodded her, irrevocably and with an array of responsibilities on its tail, and she both felt embarrassed and flustered at the notion someone could see them, could be witness to this dreamlike, intimate moment.

But then they were past, and before she knew it she was kneeling on the ground with gentle words stirring her actions, rather than her own sense of duty.

Because the moment he had sat her down, she had realized how heavy her limbs were, how utterly spent her chakra reserves; so she found herself lifting her arms, muscles sore and heavy, and pulling the wet dress over her head before she even registered he was gone. And food sounded good, so did dry clothes and the idea of a warm fire, of having him safe and fed and wrapped in blankets against the coldness and the shock. But her backpack was on the other side of the room, and it was suddenly impossible to reach it. The mere thought of standing seemed to weigh her down even more, so she simply left the soaked dress on the floor and cralwed into her bedroll.

Ari‘s state needed supervision, she wanted to say when Sasuke came back; Suigetsu wasn‘t entirely back to his full strength himself, and should drink her tea; Sasuke needed fresh clothes, too, and something warm to eat, ask Karin for a broth and if Satoru gets a fever ...

But then her head hit the pillow and she was out cold, falling into sleep the way a stone dropped into a deep, dark well.

 

[Graverobber141]

Kioshi had taken charge of the operation like he had experience in doing so; a broth had indeed been prepared, and while he focused on tending to Satoru, he had directed Karin to take care of Ari. When Sasuke had walked into the kitchen, drenched in his wet clothing, the blond had barked at him to change--something mumbled under his breath about if the Uchiha died of hypothermia after all this he would spend the rest of his life learning the reanimation jutsu just so he could raise him from the dead and kill him again--and after depositing the chokuto he carried on the kitchen table, next to the rest of the swordman's weapons that had been confiscated from his person, he did as he was directed, mostly because the medic's tone reminded him very much so of Sakura's domineering one, the one reserved for when her injured teammates were being 'determined', which, though he wouldn't admit it, terrified him to a degree.

Sasuke's sickroom had been turned into Satoru's sickroom, and after quickly changing within--Kioshi's genjutsu was keeping his teammate firmly unconscious--Sasuke dragged his belongings out into the hallway. Then he was back in the kitchen, gathering up a tray of broth, bread, and left over rice cakes, which he took to Sakura's room. Outside, he balanced the tray on his knee which he pressed against the wall, and knocked softly. With no answer, he waited for a moment, before setting the tray down, opening the door, and peeking inside.

Her sleeping form warmed something within him, and though he thought she needed to eat, to help build back up her chakra and energy, he couldn't bring himself to wake her. Instead, he quietly stepped inside, placed the tray of food beside her bedroll along with a waterskin, should she wake up and decide she wanted something to eat. Next, he tucked the blankets around her more tightly for warmth, and withdrew to start a fire within the pit of the room. With that done, he sat with his back against the cool, stone wall a few paces away from her, and simply let himself be within her presence, to still that part of his mind that still trembled at the thought that he could have lost her. He sipped the broth, because it would have gotten cold anyways and he wanted an excuse to linger. Leaving the rest of the food for her, just in case, he gave her one last, longing look, before he left her in peace, taking the empty bowl with him.

He checked on Ari, Suigetsu, and Karin, made sure they were all okay, because all of them were in someway important to him, before he retired with his bedroll to bunk with Suigetsu. Sleep came easier than he expected, his body and mind welcoming the chance to finally just stop for the day.

 

[arbus]

Sakura found it hard to stay still. After shifting her weight from one leg onto the other for a good portion of the five minutes they had been in the empty Hokage's office, she started pacing around the room. During Tsunade-shishou's time, it had been a neat office, sparsely furnished, providing enough space to walk from one end to the other in seven big steps -- which Sakura had seen her do often, thinking out loud or dictating a letter to Shizune.

Now, the office was stuffed with documents. Scrolls flying around everywhere; there were two extra tables and a worn couch, covered in dog hair, with squashed pillows, much like somebody had recently taken a nap on it. One of the huge windows overlooking the village was slightly open, allowing cold air to waft into the overheated room. The desk was neat, however, holding only a stack of neatly piled documents and a mug. After four steps, Sakura had to stop as not to tumble over the elbow-high tower of books obscuring her way, and she turned, taking Sasuke in.

How weird it was to see him in this office; of course, it was not the first time since the war, and still it felt surreal, like a dream she could not quiet grasp. How weird it was to have him in the village, weird in a good way. Her eyes traveled over his frame as she wondered what this was to him; if he itched to be gone already, or if he was as glad as her for their wearisome travel to be over. Kioshi had been agreeable enough, of course, and it was only thanks to his superb genjutsu technique that they had been able to transport Satoru without incident -- but sometimes, the air between them had been thick enough to cut with a kunai, especially in the nights sitting around the fire, when nobody talked much, and only Ari had entertained them by trying to finally learn the fire jutsu (a feat, as it had turned out, that was impossible for him to acquire, as a kitsune of the snow).

The fox was now, as he had been for most of the journey, bedded around Sasuke's neck, looking with curious eyes around the room and scrunching his little nose up at the scent of dog that was overwhelmingly prevalent. Tellingly, though, he had not left Sasuke's side -- he had told them, quiet sheepishly the night before their arrival, that he had never seen a village up close, that his kind normally stayed away from huge crowds of people. For the first time, Sakura asked herself if it had been a good thing to take him, but then again, they had not had much of a choice.

"Late as ever", she mumbled and rolled her eyes.

 

[Graverobber141]

The first time Sasuke had left Konoha to travel it had been on a journey of self-discovery, to reflect on himself and heal, yet, underneath that prominent reason, it had also been because he had not yet been ready to forgive the village. Staying within city walls where his clan home no longer stood, even the small apartment he had used as a genin destroyed during Pein's assault, and with the wound of the politics behind the massacre still very much so fresh, he just hadn't been able to remain. Now, standing in the Hokage's office, watching Sakura pace with a contemplative expression, he realized a shadow of that hurt still remained, yet another feeling was also rising: he was glad to be back. Not because of the village itself, but because of the people he had left behind.

He offered her one of his small smiles. "Some things never change."

It was rather endearing, the way the order of their arrivals hadn't changed since their genin days. Both Sakura and himself had been punctual, while Naruto had stumbled in a minute or two late, oddly flustered, which Sasuke had cocked his brow at and noted to ask about later, yet quick to greet them as if he hadn't seen them in years, even though it'd been a week at most: 'Sakura-chan!...Bastard.' 'Idiot.' The exchange was like two siblings showing affection by chest-puffing and teeth-baring, and now they were waiting for Kakashi: Naruto having claimed the Hokage's chair and spinning around in it restlessly, Sasuke standing still near a pile of books with Ari wrapped around his neck, occasionally lifting a hand to give the fox a reassuring pet.

"That's it," Naruto declared, suddenly coming to a stop and planting his feet on the floor. With a huff, he began shuffling through a pile of books nearby. Knocking a few over, he snickered as he came across one in particular, a leftover legacy of his favorite sanin. "This should teach him not to get lost on the road of life anymore, closeted pervert." It all felt very familiar, the way Naruto was practically giggling in mischievous excitement as he scrambled across the room, pushing a stool in front of the door. Climbing on top of it, he cocked the door just open enough so he could wedge the copy of Icha Icha against the frame, so that it would fall upon the head of the next unfortunate soul who happened to enter the office.

Some things never change, Sasuke thought, trying to hide the smirk that was spreading across his lips. "Do you really think the Hokage will fall for that old trick?"

Scoffing, Naruto crossed his arms behind his head, jumping down from the stool with a big grin. "This Hokage, sure."

 

[arbus]

Sakura observed the operation with the long-suffering gaze of someone who had their whole life been dependend on others doing their mischief for them. This was unbelievable— she was looking at a grown, married man, for kami‘s sake, on the fast lane to becoming the next Hokage, warhero, jinchuriki to the most powerful of the tailed beasts ...

„Don‘t be ridiculous, Naruto“, she said with a tone drenched in indignation, and, taking an impatient step forward, stretching her arms above her head towards the book, she offered: „He will never fall for that. You have to close the door and fasten the book on the ledge of ...“

„Maa“, came the sound from the window, where Kakashi sat perched on the sill, looking in at them as if he had been there for hours. „Look at that, my cute little genin conspiring against their poor old sensei. I‘m devastated.“ He sounded everything but, regarding them unimpressed with a cool gaze, taking all three of them in, before a smile crinkled the corners of his eyes and he jumped from the windowsill to nimbly walk across the room. „I‘ve been looking everywhere for this“, he said lightly, took the book off Sakura‘s hands and patted it against the top of Naruto‘s head. „You‘re a livesaver, Naruto-kun.“

As Kakashi returned to sit behind the desk, skimming with seemingly great interest through the worn copy of Icha Icha Paradise, Sakura crossed her arms before her chest and stared at Naruto accusingly, as if to say This is all your fault.

Kakashi leaned back in his chair and hummed. Tapping the book against his chin, his gaze rested now on Sasuke. But instead of commenting on his presence, or the fact that he had dragged back a political prisoner to Konoha‘s doorstep like a cat did a dead bird, his eyes shifted to the white fox on his shoulder.

„So“, he began conversationally, as if they were all here for some tea and dango, „what‘s with the stole?“

„Hey!“, Ari snarled, indignant, making his presence known for the first time. The way he was looking out from under Sasuke‘s hair, one could easily mistake him for some kind of obscure fashion trend, Sakura thought. She had certainly seen shinobi run around with more eccentric accessories than a fox wrap.

 

[Graverobber141]

There was a small huff of amused air that escaped from Sasuke's throat, listening to Sakura give Naruto pointers on how to prank their sensei. His head turned slightly to take them both in, his dark gaze drifting between them with warmth, lingering on Sakura's frame. He was about to offer his own advice on the matter--coincidently, how they should be targeting the windows instead, as that would be the entrance he would choose to use to avoid these nuisances--when Kakashi finally graced them with his presence, and, of course, retrieved his smut before convening the meeting. Naruto, after glaring at his sensei for the bonk on his head, grinned sheepishly at Sakura, rubbing the back of his neck almost nervously, while he waved the other at her apologetically.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in response to his sensei's comment about Ari, giving the kitsune a scratch behind the ear to calm him. "For the record, I am neither little nor cute."

Naruto's response was almost immediate. Crossing his arms over his chest, the knuckle-headed ninja's grin grew wider, filled with his well-known mischief, as he declared, "I don't know, Sasuke. You do look adorable with that talking fox stole."

Sasuke's eyes slowly turned onto Naruto, narrowed, and then he was stepping beside the shorter ninja, straightening his back, and pulling his arm from underneath his coat to rest his elbow against the mass of blond hair. The intended effect was almost immediate; Naruto was pouting with indignation, shoving Sasuke away, before crossing his arms over his chest, and muttering something under his breath about how it wasn't his fault that vegetables tasted so awful.

"His name is Ari," Sasuke began introductions, as if he hadn't just started a dumb fight that would probably end up in some dumb rivalry match later on, "Ari, this is Kakashi, Hokage of Konoha, and that's Naruto, the number one knuckle-head ninja in the world." Ignoring Naruto's huff and his declaration that Sasuke was the world's most constipated ninja, he continued on, "Ari's a kitsune, and Sakura and I stumbled upon him in our travels. Long story short, he ended up binding himself to our dangerous prisoner, so I'm keeping an eye on him at the request of his mother."

 

[arbus]

Correct that: How Sasuke managed to not only drag back a (dipomatically bothersome) prisoner, but a creature of mythical proportions. Feigning nonchalance, Kakashi put away Icha Icha in the top left drawer of his desk for later consideration (he may needed to think about renewing the spine as it was starting to wobble dangerously in his hands), propped his elbows on the table and regarded them over his folded fingers.

„A kitsune“, he reapeted like a drawl, adding after a beat, „with a mother.“

To understand the proportion of this revelation, it was necessary to know that no such creature had been proofed to exist for the span of a century, and while there were certainly stories of sightings going around the never-ending wildfire that was shinobi gossip, it had been hard to belief that it wasn‘t simply that, a fisherman wife‘s tale.

„Of course I have a mother“, Ari declared haughtily, seemingly unimpressed by the so highly praised Hokage‘s deduction skills. „Everybody does.“ He was sticking his long snout out into the open, sniffing after a whiff of familiar he had caught when Sasuke had besieged the blond one. His ears flickered nervously, brushing against Sasuke‘s chin.

Kakashi caught Naruto‘s glance in a silent request. Is it true? Is this really a kitsune? Because if anyone could tell, it would be Naruto, who shared his body with the most infamous kitsune of them all — and that‘s what the nine-tails, Kurama, actually was, wasn‘t it? A kitsune.

 

[Graverobber141]

There were a full, few moments of silence as eyes seemed to turn onto Naruto expectantly, and the host of Kurama looked absolutely oblivious to their silent question. No, he was too busy poking his nose into the fox's face, which meant he was also invading Sasuke's valuable personal space, which made the Uchiha's brows pull together in irritation and caused him to tilt his head away, to take immediate notice of his sensei's request.

"The little guy is pretty cute," Naruto said with a warm grin, reaching out to pet Ari, "Poor thing had to deal with your grumpy ass all this time? We should get him something to eat as an apology. What do kitsunes eat, anyway? Think he'd like ramen--"

Eyebrow twitching, Sasuke muttered one word to get Naruto's mind back on track: "Idiot."

It was almost hilarious how he responded so immediately to it, as if it were actually his name, "What, bastard?"

Another wasted moment as Naruto finally realized what everyone was waiting for him to confirm, and it dawned on him like the morning sun, clearly visible as the features of his face lit up. "Oh, right. Give me a second."

Sasuke gave Ari a reassuring pat, one that said, I know he's dumb but he's harmless, as Naruto reached to pull the fox from Sasuke's shoulder, holding him out before his own face.

Hey, Niney...

Something akin to a huff rumbled in Naruto's mind, as if the tailed beast was grumbling about being woken from his slumber.

Is this little guy related to you?

Naruto's eyes took on that sharp, red look, molding into a beast's gaze, slits appearing in his irises and the whiskers on his cheeks becoming more prominent.

Hmph, a one-tailed pup, much like yourself, Kurama rumbled back in return, but a kitsune, nonetheless.

Chakra flowed from Naruto's fingertips, the strong chakra of the tailed-beast, slipping into Ari's form; while harmless, it was prominent, as if the nine-tailed fox was saying trying to say hi to the child, and was feeling out for his chakra.

Son of Shimo, Kurama now spoke to Ari mentally through the chakra link just created, You're far from home, little one.

 

[arbus]

Sakura could have sworn that for a moment there, Ari had contemplated snatching for Naruto‘s nose. Just something about the irritated twitch of the left ear, a very particular look in his eye. She also saw the way Ari pressed his head against Sasuke‘s caress, and thought how rare it was for someone to so obviously prefer Sasuke's sternness over Naruto's sunny charms (completely oblivious to the fact that she, too, had been enthralled with the Uchiha long before she had given Naruto a second glance).

But then, Ari thought, this ramen thing sounded interesting— after an inquiry about the proportion of meat in the meal, he would probably be willing to come to like the blond one, perhaps also because he looked like someone who could be tricked easily.

Yet, as the chakra link was established -- a process he had watched wearily -- Ari‘s body went limb with awe. He blinked, his own pupils contracting as if in response to a bright light, and then uttered, in a voice untypically meek:

„Y-yes, sir. I‘m traveling to guard my pack, sir.“ And then, very quickly, like the words were flodding out of his mouth through a broken dam: „Areyoureallytheninetails?“ A question, but superfluous, as Ari knew who was before him and he trembled at the knowledge, glacier-blue eyes huge in his narrow face. He didn‘t realize that he was spoken to on the mental plane, was too young to know how to navigate it yet. His bushy tail whipped excitedly against Naruto‘s wrist and lower arm. „My grandfather and mother told me all about you. Itsanhonortomeetyousir.“

Kakashi, head cocked slightly to the side, threw Sakura an amused glance, who shrugged her shoulders, smiling.

 

[Graverobber141]

"Heh, it's nice to meet you too, kid," Naruto declared with a grin, basking in the fact that he had won over someone's respect, even if it were just a child's.

I am hosted within Naruto's body, Kurama took it upon himself to explain. Stay out of trouble, little one. Your mother wouldn't forgive me should you get hurt.

What, are you afraid, Niney? Naruto teased back.

A rumble almost like a growl could be felt in the chakra link. If something happens to the pup, you're the one who will get the brunt of it, Kurama warned.

Fine, fine. I'll also keep an eye on the kid, Naruto conceded, though sparing a glance in Sasuke's direction, he knew the fox was already in good hands.

It was surprising, how the Nine-Tailed Fox could convey noises such as scoffs through a mental link. Stay out of trouble, little one, he stated once more, before the beast was withdrawing his chakra, and Naruto's eyes were turning back to blue.

"We'll get you some ramen later, little guy," Naruto offered Ari in reassurance, before he cradled the fox within his arms, scratching him behind the ears.

It was so very missable, the amused smirk that crept upon Sasuke's lips, slightly crinkling the edges of his dark eyes, which he tried to hide by letting a few strands of hair fall into his face and leaning his chin down slightly to hide part of his mouth behind the collar of his cloak. He wouldn't ever admit it, but his time in the village after the war had been minimal, which meant the time he had spent around his fellow team members had been minimal as well, and now, watching Naruto be his annoying, over-the-top self, he was realizing how much part of him had missed the friend he thought of as a brother, and how good it felt to be reunited with all of them.

Subconsciously, he drifted toward Sakura, taking a step or two closer to stand beside her. Once his mind registered the action he had taken, he told himself it was because he was about to explain what had happened in the last few days, and she could fill in details he was bound to miss.

"He created a contract with our prisoner, Kokoro Satoru, because he wanted to give me an advantage in the fight. An ice nature is vulnerable to a fire nature." Sasuke paused, his eyes filling with a level of concern as they drifted to look at the fox. "Don't do anything reckless like that again. Remember, you made a promise." Though his words were stern, his voice was soft. Exhaling a small breath of air, his gaze was moving back to Kakashi, as he continued, "I wasn't in the best condition. A few days before, while searching for Ari's mother, we ran into an old contact of mine--" He purposely left out the names, as he didn't want to involve the members of Taka, "--and due to a misunderstanding over Ari, we ended up...severely injuring each other."

"You need to learn to use your words, bastard," Naruto interrupted, earning him a narrowed glare from his rival.

"Ari was trying to protect me," Sasuke finished, "And that's why he's here. I would suggest having some researchers look into a way to reverse the contract, if it's possible, in case if Satoru refuses to see reason."

 

[arbus]

Ari decided that the blond one -- Naruto -- was as good a human as any to scratch his ears and give him food. Better, even, considering that Kurama-sama had decided to live within him. So he must be something special, or be at least not a complete idiot. Ari had so many questions for Kurama-sama, and he thrummed with excitement and the need to ask them all, but he knew the humans were busy. The swordsman -- Sakura had explained it to him -- needed to be imprisoned in this village's cell as a punishment for what he wanted to do to them, and because Ari very much agreed (secretly, he was glad that no killing had been involved, because he was many things, but not like his grandfather) he kept conveniently still in Naruto's arms, looking from Sasuke to the wild-haired man they called Hokage and sensei, and who smelled as if he lived in a kennel. The man brushed his fingers over the mask he was wearing, as if in thought.

"I see", he said with a nod, and his eyes studied Ari in the way people did when they started to get used to the idea of him, "I will have Shikamaru handle it. He knows his way around the research department and can run the investigation."

"Thank you", Sakura said, and Ari cackled fondly at her. She was not that bad, after all, even if she routinely tried to bathe him, as he had traveled with them mostly in his human form as not to draw any suspicion. He shook his head to animate Kurama-sama's container not to slack off with the scratching -- yes, right there -- and in his bliss almost overheard what was spoken next.

"Satoru used Sasuke's weakened state to his advantage", Sakura explained. She had been the one to write the letter to Kakashi, explaining what had happened and asking for further instructions. She had not conveyed how Satoru had used her as a bait, how Sasuke's need to protect her had almost cost him his life. She had, however, explained about Kioshi, and the part he played in subdueing the swordsman. "Kioshi, the Sand nin I wrote to you about, helped us transport Satoru. He is the one keeping him under the genjutsu to keep him unconscious."

"Yes. I already arranged accommodations for him in the guest quarters of Hokage tower." Kakashi tapped his fingers against the desk, then swirled in his chair to face the window, and sighed. "A letter to the Kazekage is in order, I suppose. He would reject the thought of dispute between our villages and will likely leave us the choice between extradition and punishment under Konoha law. You know what our village's law demands in a situation like this, right, Naruto?"

How strange it was, to see Kakashi-sensei so earnest; Sakura could not remember him speaking in such a strict tone, lost in thought and waiting, demanding, the right answer from them back when they had been twelve and fledglings fresh out of the Academy. She threw the blond a glance and wondered if he had studied the law books, as she knew he was supposed to do for his exams.

 

[Graverobber141]

Naruto's head snapped in Kakashi's direction at the mention of his name. Grinning sheepishly, like a child surprised with a pop quiz by his teacher, he extended the arm he was using to pet Ari with, letting part of his sleeve roll down. "Of course I know! Just, er...One moment--" He shook his arm a bit, causing the sleeve of his jumpsuit to fall back a little bit more. "A prison sentence and...er..." He squinted his eyes, bringing his wrist closer to his face. Apparently he had smudged whatever he was looking at.

"And sealing off his chakra network," Sasuke interjected. "Which would mean he'd never be able to perform another jutsu again, and he'd loose all capabilities as a shinobi." A pause, his head tilted, and he stole a glance at Sakura, before turning his dark eyes back onto Kakashi. "Which would be a waste."

Part of him could never forgive Satoru for endangering Sakura, but it felt so hypocritical, so wrong, to allow the swordsman's life to be destroyed, to take from him the teachings of the sensei he so clearly held dear to have fallen this far due to his loss, to stand here, in the village Sasuke had been so desperate to destroy, surrounded by the people he had hurt and cut so deeply, discussing how to hand out judgement.

First, he appealed to Kakashi's logical, tactical mind. Why waste something that could still be of use? "Satoru is a disciple of Minamato Takeshi: the Swordsman of the Sand. He's currently at the level of his sensei, and I believe he could potentially surpass him, if given the chance. He could be an asset, and with things so tense between the nations currently, after having lost so much of our strength in the war, we should not be throwing away shinobi of his level carelessly."

Then, gaze drifting to Naruto, he appealed to the blond's strong sense of morality. "I killed his sensei, back in the Land of Iron, and he was seeking revenge. It's true that he took advantage of my weakened state, but I don't believe he wanted to. He arrived a day before the fight happened, had the element of surprise, and did not take advantage of it. I believe he was waiting for me to recover to challenge me, yet then I guided a handful of people out to confront him, worried for Ari's safety, and feeling cornered, he snapped."

He paused, inhaling, holding the breath of air, turning his eyes to gaze out the window, before exhaling. "It would be hypocritical to deny him a second chance, to at least try to reach out to him, just because his sensei wasn't a Kage, nor his friends the shinobi who saved the world."

Naruto's face softened, his expression filling with that understanding of his that was so abnormal for how dense he was, and he was turning his bright, blue eyes onto the man who sat in the Hokage's chair. "Kakashi-sensei...?"

 

[arbus]

By turning the chair, Kakashi had made sure to obstruct their view of his face, so he could think in peace. He overlooked the village, which lay quiet and peaceful under the watery light of early winter's sun, and his breath, even through the mask, came in white puffs so close to the window. He enjoyed the cold, as it helped clear his mind. The smile on his face a secret he would keep for himself, as was the pleasure he felt as he listened to Sasuke talk.

Once, he had tied the boy to a tree and told him about the pitfalls of revenge, his words too inconsequential to be heard. He had regretted his inadequacy as a teacher ever since, and a certain weight of responsibility lay on his shoulders, for everything that happened to Sasuke, for everything Sasuke made happen as a consequence. Now, this boy had grown into a man that had learned this lesson; going a hard, long way to find it, to understand. He knew he had no right to the feeling, and yet, pride kindled like a fierce spark in his chest. Relief.
Another thing: A small thrill at the memory of a fight carried out with the speed of lightening, an idea like a sapling planted in his head, and now the outlook to relive the experience, a generation removed but he was curious. What kind of disciple had a man like Takeshi brought forth, and how good of a fighter would he be? It had always irked Kakashi that their fight had been cut short by circumstance, a sentiment better not to be related, neither to his former students nor his charges. Ah, the bothers of being Hokage.

Sasuke's manipulation was obvious, but commendable. His words were chosen with much more care than Sakura's had been in her letter; the hurt and disappointment untamed and palpable between the lines, lurking like a indignant, wounded animal. He saw she had changed, but wondered how much, if her judgment was so readily clouded by her feelings for Sasuke.

Kakashi let all these thoughts pass through his mind, maintaining the silence in his office and stretching it beyond what could be considered as appropriate, before he turned once more, directing his eyes onto Sakura, who had been suspiciously silent.

--

Sakura stared at her feet, after the minutes had passed and Kakashi had not said a thing and she had given up pretending to look interested, neutral. She was tense, her shoulders drawn back and narrow and a hurt in the small of her back that had lingered ever since the morning of Sasuke's fight with Satoru, a constant reminder of what had happened. She had known what Sasuke would ask, was not surprised because she had understood this about him, that night when she realized they could never be together, not in the way she had always wanted them to be.

She was glad for him, for the change that was so apparent to everyone in the room.

And she did not regret to have saved Satoru's life, either, of course she didn't. She knew Satoru did not deserve death, understood where Sasuke was coming from, understood that it was impossible for Kakashi to even suggest a harsh sentence after he had fought before all the Kage for Sasuke's release. Mercy, Kakashi-sensei had said, standing in front of them at the conference table, is what will sustain this peace. And mercy is what we, as shinobi, must teach the next generation.

She chewed on the inside of her lip. It was confusing, to navigate her own anger into something productive, into more than the wish to destroy -- a wish that had once lead Sasuke's action, was now leading Satoru's. She wondered what it was that Satoru deserved, or what they all deserved, for the things they had done.

--

"I agree", Kakashi said, in answer to Naruto's question, to Sasuke's words. "We should not waste his potential if there is a chance we can use his abilities to our advantage. Therefore, our best course of action is to leave it to the Kazekage to determine a penalty. Naruto, why don't you practice your bureaucratic skills by drafting a letter to Gaara? I bet he'll be thrilled to bits to hear from you." In that last sentence, Kakashi's voice had taken a more playful note. It was his way of suggesting that their meeting was coming to an end, that a decision had been reached.

 

[Graverobber141]

In the silence, while Kakashi's eyes were diverted outside and Naruto's were glued on the back of the Hokage's chair, waiting impatiently for their sensei's input, Sasuke's own gaze drifted to Sakura, taking in the tension in her shoulders, how she focused on the floor, and he felt his chest tighten, his heart sink, that unmistakable urge to reach out. He would always feel it when he saw her like this, just like how he would always react when she was threatened, his body moving of its own accord in that instinctual, deep need to protect. In those few moments, while the attention was off of them, his fingers gently outstretched to touch her own, his thumb curling to trail along her palm, and he studied the features of her face, his dark eyes soft and contemplative, trying to offer whatever support, reassurance, strength that he could, and then he was withdrawing, forcing his gaze back onto Kakashi.

His sensei's answer shed a burden from his shoulders, and he was starting to realize that his speech had been less about his guilt, and more about becoming someone better. Though he didn't say anything, he gave Kakashi a firm nod, a silent thank you.

"Who wouldn't be excited to hear from me?" Naruto was stating, smiling widely, obviously very much so pleased that Kakashi was leaning toward mercy. "Gaara will listen to me, the big softie. And I'm sure we'll get through to this Satoru guy. Everything will work out." He gave one of his reassuring chuckles, taking a step toward Sasuke, holding out a fist in offering. I'm proud of you, the gesture said.

"Tch," was the sound Sasuke made by clicking his tongue to the roof of his mouth, because he had a reputation to withhold, but he bumped his fist into Naruto's all the same.

And then, urging Ari onto his shoulder, Naruto was wrapping one arm around Sasuke's shoulders, the Uchiha's brows lifting in fierce protest, and then the other was reaching out for Sakura, pulling the both of them into a group hug. "Team Seven back together again, heh! I did promise your fox friend some ramen, so how about we celebrate at Ichiraku? I'll even buy, considering bastard has been living as a hobo for so long; he could probably use a hot meal."

"Go on ahead," Sasuke stated as Naruto finally let go of them, gaze shooting to Kakashi, because there were two things he wanted to discuss with his former sensei. "I'll catch up."

 

[arbus]

Sakura‘s hand was tingling from chakra residue where Sasuke had touched it. The feeling lingered all the way through their hug, until Naruto was steering her towards the door and her eyes fell on Sasuke for a brief moment, a small, reassuring smile on her lips: I‘m okay.

A subtlety which didn‘t elude Kakashi‘s sharp eyes, but pretending not to have noticed, he leaned back in his chair and watched them, allowing the warmth of affection, an echo of this one moment in the war, spread over him like a cozy blanket.

Ari was scrambling to find hold on Naruto‘s neck, but apparently he found the view lacking as he quickly ascended, claws digging lightly into skin, until he pulled himself on top of the blond‘s head, where he lay stretched out like a ragdoll, hindlegs and long tail dangling like a weird headdress from the back of Naruto‘s head.

„So, what is that ramen stuff you keep talking about? Is it good?“, he inquired.

„And, Naruto“, Kakashi said lighlty, showcasing one of his most unassuming smiles, „next time you try to cheat your way through my questions, use waterproof ink — I think we have some in the storage room, next to where you keep your secret instant noodle stash.“

When he was alone with Sasuke, Kakashi dropped the pretend smile, his eyes resting on him with a more somber expression. Ever the tactician, he did not say anything, though, and left it to the other to speak first.

 

[Graverobber141]

Sasuke returned Sakura's smile with one of his own, listening to Naruto start to stutter in the background, "I wasn't cheating, sensei! It just gets hot." It was practically winter. "I was just rolling up my sleeves to cool down!" Then a quieter whisper, "Pst, Sakura-chan, you know this place due to your time with Granny Tsunade. Where should I move my noodle stash? I'm afraid Kakashi-sensei is planning on stealing it." Traveling further down the hall, the blond was explaining what ramen was to Ari, including phrases like, "Kami's gift to mankind", "food of the heavens", and "his very reason for living".

Cocking his eyebrow with slight amusement, Sasuke made sure his expression was neutral, before he turned his gaze back onto Kakashi. Straight into the most important matter of business, because this was something he wouldn't have brought up in front of Naruto, the good-natured ninja who tried his best to see the best in all people, "One further thing about the prisoner: he's incredibly intelligent and fought like a man with nothing let to lose. He...manipulated me during the fight, in a way that also endangered Sakura." His mouth twitched at the edge, as if he wanted to snarl at that fact. "And he's had nothing but time to plan during the past few days. We need to be careful with this one, and make sure he's not a danger before a release."

And with that being all he had to say on that matter, a needed warning on behalf of most the T&I shinobi who would be holding the swordsman, Sasuke found his eyes drifting, taking in the village of Konoha that awaited out the window, surprising discovering that this next part was a lot more difficult for him. "I also need a place to stay, and you have an almost empty mansion."

 

[arbus]

"Ah, I see." Kakashi had wondered about that; the discrepancy between the letter, Sasuke's earlier words and Sakura's demeanor had been an itch at the back of his mind -- also the knowledge of Sasuke's skill set, because even if heavily impaired by former injuries, Kakashi could not imagine someone even on Takeshi's level being able to beat the Uchiha that easily. And if one thing had been clear in Sakura's letter, it had been the peril to Sasuke's life, how close he had scraped along death‘s edge this time.

„I‘ll heed your warning, Sasuke.“

He had witnessed Kokoro‘s arrival at T&I earlier, standing next to Ibiki behind a two-way mirror as four masked ANBU had carried the shinobi into the sparse, windowless room that was interrogation cell B4. They had placed him on the cot, his sleeping form deceptively harmless as they put sealed leather cuffs around his wrists and ankles, designed to create a steady chakra leakage to keep his body weak. Coincidentally, Kakashi was familiar with this special seal from his early days without the sharingan, when the sudden spike in his chakra levels had made his jutsus unpredictable, wavering in strength as if they were performed by a genin greenhorn.

He would talk to the healer next, visit him in his chambers in the hope to catch him off-guard. Kakashi had soon learned that in the Hokage‘s office, he was more often in a disadvantage than not — people entered it with their masks firmly in place, and it was much harder here to find the answers he was looking for, than it was outside.

He hummed agreeably at Sasuke‘s next words. He was surprised, but didn‘t show it, and slightly amused by the impertinent way he framed a request that obviously caused him such difficulty to pose.

„If you don‘t mind my ninken“, he offered, easy enough. „How long do you plan to stay?“

 

[Graverobber141]

Kakashi's question was to be expected and was, on the surface, simple--a host had the right to know how long his guest was going to stay--but there was another layer to it that made it more complex, that required looking underneath the underneath. Sasuke stood for a few moments, studying his sensei with a complicated, guarded expression within his dark eyes, because with everything that had happened in the last few days, the emotional and physical drain that had overcome him, he had yet to even consider the answer.

How long are you staying in the village--are you staying in the village?

He couldn't help but glance at the door, which Sakura and Naruto had disappeared behind minutes before. Then his gaze was drifting back to Kakashi, and he could only offer one, deeply true answer: "I don't know." Glancing down at his hand, which had recently been covered in blood, used over the past week to reach out and connect, he rubbed his thumb over his pointer finger, adding, "For a while, at least."

A pause. Silence drifted uncomfortably over him. Then he was turning toward the door, not wanting to linger on the subject, merely stating, "If I become a bother, I'll make other arrangements," before he was gone.

--------

There was so much to do, and perhaps it was in part because he was seeking out stuff to do, because moving was better than waiting, kept his mind from racing to worse-case scenarios, and Kioshi felt this incredible need to make himself useful. He had already volunteered to lend a hand at the hospital, the gesture was sure to show good will, and applying his skills to help the sick and injured was a great way to keep himself functional over the next few days.

But now he was in his quarters, graciously offered to him by the Hokage, and pacing restlessly. A few letters he had started, but had yet to finish, laid on a desk, ink still fresh. One was for their last teammate, an update on what was happening to Satoru; he had to be careful, avoid giving out classified information, but also watching what he said, because the puppeteer was known for going off half-cocked, and he didn't need her storming in only to complicate the situation. Another was a more formal report for the Kazekage. The last was something akin of a character witness document composed on Satoru's behalf, addressed to the Hokage.

And he was struggling to finish all three, wondering why he had to be, and how he had become, the one, clear-headed, calm, reasonable student of Takeshi. It would be so much easier, and quite more satisfying, if he could just start screaming, pulling his hair out, letting someone else deal with everything for once, but, of course, no one would, and if they did, they would probably get it wrong.

Kami, he needed a drink. Or several.

Sighing in frustration, Kioshi sat back down at the desk, picking up his pen, which he began bouncing between his fingers.

 

[arbus]

ANBU was an issue on Kakashi's mind.

Not only as a task force he, from personal experience, viewed both as highly problematic and highly valuable, but, in its more concrete form, as the guard division detached to watch over the Hokage with all the air of impersonal, taciturn mother hens. He managed to shake them off routinely, an occurrence that had become so ordinary over the last couple of years that a bet pool had been installed in the ANBU quarters, one Kakashi wasn't supposed to know about. Who managed to tail the Hokage through the nooks and crannies of the village for a full shift, without loosing sight of him?

Certainly not Boar, Kakashi thought as he jumped from the nearby roof to land on a window sill on the second floor of Hokage tower. He slunk into the dark storage room, crossed it and used the trapdoor hidden underneath a crate with the newly designed uniforms to get to the first floor where the guest quarters where situated. Normally, if another Kage visited the village -- something that happened a lot more frequently since the War had ended -- they were accommodated in Konoha's best hotel (a rather impressive new building near the Naka serving the best salmon in town -- which he knew, because Shikamaru had forced him to attend the opening ceremony). But Kioshi was considered a liaison with diplomatic immunity, which meant he was to enjoy the questionable pleasures of the tower's stale canteen food (another "improvement") instead. And Boar, who was currently waiting in front of the Hokage's office, thinking Kakashi was taking a nap (one of his regular excuses, and Kakashi started to be offended by how readily everybody believed that lie) was non the wiser as he wrapped his knuckles against the door to the healer's guestroom.

 

[Graverobber141]

Kioshi's mind had been drifting to that special bottle of sake he had packed in his bags. It hadn't originated as his, but had been one of the many items he had confiscated from Satoru's belongings. While the rest, including Takeshi's chokuto, had been stored away for safe-keeping, he kept the alcoholic beverage with his own belongings, because it was useful in diplomatic situations, bonding over a drink, and certainly not because the urge to give everyone a middle finger, throw the whole bottle down his throat, and try out the whole 'passing-out-in-a-gutter' thing was itching underneath his skin.

The knock at the door surprised him. He wasn't expecting anyone, and he raced to conclude who it was. Perhaps ANBU, coming to inform him that Satoru had done something else incredibly stupid (worry ate away at his conscious at just the thought), or as he was used to now, ever since he had mastered medical ninjutsu, a request for his services to help heal someone who had been wounded.

"A moment," he called out, before sliding back his chair. Standing, he ran a hand through his messy hair, before opening the door to welcome his visitor. Out of all the possible people, he certainly hadn't been expecting the Hokage himself.

It showed in the way his eyes widened, and he stammered out, "Hokage-sama." He blinked, before it hit him that he should bow, be polite, and he did exactly that, before opening the door all the way and taking a step back to allow him entry into the room. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Is there something you need?"

 

[arbus]

Kakashi waved away the formalities before he stepped into the room. He was not wearing the Hokage's robes, but the new uniform they had started to distribute just last week. He felt more comfortable like that, blending in, although he slowly came to realize that the position of power a Hokage held had its uses, even if the methods employed from that position did not necessarily come naturally to him. He located the nearest seating accommodation, a narrow couch with an ugly floral design that might have been en vogue when Senju Hashirama had founded the village, and, making himself comfortable, his eyes crinkled into an easy smile.

"Relax", he offered as he propped his arm up on the backrest. "I'm here only to make a few inquiries, and I hope you will humor me. I hear you consider yourself a friend of our prisoner. I understand the two of you are former team members. Your sensei was Minamato Takeshi, correct?"

His eyes flickered to the table with the handwritten letters on it, before they came to rest on Kioshi. "I want you to tell me about Satoru. About the kind of person he is." A beat. "About why he went after the man that killed your sensei in battle, and you didn't."

 

[Graverobber141]

Well, with a conversation like this...

Watching Kakashi sit down on the couch, relaxing so casually, Kioshi let go of a sigh, nodded, and made his way over to the backpack that rested on the bed. The man had suggested that they drop the formalities, after all. Retrieving the bottle of sake, he scavenged two cups, pouring a minuscule amount, as he wasn't about to risk getting tipsy during these tense times, of liquid into each one, before offering the Hokage one, and then retreating to lean against the edge of the desk.

"Indeed, he was," he answered, holding up the cup as if in a toast to honor the dead man. Throwing back the drink, he set the empty cup down behind him, carefully avoiding his unfinished letters. "To be honest, I can't completely indulge your curiosity, since I don't know everything about Kokoro Satoru. He's the type of person who talks a lot, yet has an interesting way of saying nothing, and he avoids personal subjects like the plague." A pause. "But I'll do my best."

An exhalation of air. "Satoru dances around conversations, wields words like weapons, and quite honestly, is a flippant, inconsiderate ass most of the time. But he always comes through when it matters. He's good at reading people, picking up things about them. When our other teammate would be frustrated to the point of seeing red about something she couldn't control, he would challenge her to one of their silly rivalry competitions, and funnily lose every time. And when I was worried about something--" A small, sad smile tugged at his lips. "--he'd sit me down, play a game of shogi, and every time, I'd funnily win, and he'd always say, 'Look at that, you always figure something out.'"

"He learned that from Takeshi-sensei, I believe. You see, Satoru wasn't born in Suna. He was brought in by our sensei, who discovered him in some small village linked to criminal activity. Takeshi was like a father to him, and I believe Satoru saw him as the first person to ever give a damn about what he wanted. Losing him hit him harder than the rest of us, and couple that with a tendency for self-destruction..." Kioshi held out his hands as if to say what did we expect to happen, "I believe he sees doing nothing as the equivalent of letting Takeshi-sensei's death mean nothing. To him, Uchiha's pardon was an insult to Takeshi, like the whole world was spitting on his grave, and to be frank, I understand the sentiment. But I also understand that the only way to break the cycle of violence is not to engage. Yet I considered Takeshi to be my sensei, not my father, which made it a lot easier for me to accept."

Coming to an end, Kioshi ran a few fingers through his hair, and stole a glance at the character witness he had been writing, and found he preferred this method; the page was too formal, creating a barrier against brutal, complete honesty. Brown gaze turning back onto the Hokage, he tilted his head, as if to ask if he could offer anything more.

 

[arbus]

Kakashi accepted the cup with a grateful inclination of his head, holding its rim beneath sprawled fingers as he listened to Kioshi‘s statement. Every word had to be weighed, taken into account for what was to come, and Kakashi seldomly regretted having lost the power of the sharingan, but now its abilities to record even the most miniscule expression would certainly come in handy. Not only for Kioshi, whom Kakashi had no problem in reading, but for the confrontation later, a crucial moment for the outcome of this incident.

Because although Kakashi hadn‘t lied to Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura — he never did — he certainly had omitted some rather important facts, such as his own, diplomatically determined say in the Kazekage‘s decision of a punishment, even in case of an extradition.

And while Naruto would want to set the prisoner free, appeal to and belief in his better nature, and even though Kakashi wanted to follow his example with all his heart, life had schooled him to be more cynical than this, and he could not risk to create another situation as with Sasuke, would snuff out the flame of revenge, even if it meant going against his own instincts.

Thus, a delicate operation lay ahead of him — hatred and pain, and had Obito not been the best example, nested deep underneath one‘s skin like an insidious thorn.

Only after Kioshi was done talking did Kakashi down the sake, dampening the fabric of his mask in the process, and in his own, private way he was commemorating the late Swordsman of the Sand. Because it had been his student who had ended this great man‘s life. Responsibility, therefore, lay on his shoulders also, in this obscure, honor-bound way his own father taught him.

„Thank you for indulging my curiosity, Kioshi-san“, Kakashi said, placing the empty cup on a cherrywood side table with a little clonk, „you have been very helpful.“

—-
Half an hour later

Interrogation cell B4 was a gloomy room with a concrete floor, walls and ceiling of stale greyness, the sparse furniture made of hygienic steel. It lay deep in the underbelly of T&I, which, conversely, had been one of the first buildings to be expanded upon after the Forth War was won. It‘s interrogation department lay in the basement, on the same level with the roots of Konoha‘s oldest, most sturdy trees. It was not a place its citizens thought of fondly, however, much like ANBU it was a necessity that they appreciated, because it sustained the possibility of peace.

Even after everything that had happened in the war, this state was far from a matter of course. The Allied Forces had crumbled -- "dissolved on consensual terms" -- and groups of missing-nin where gathering to carry on what they believed to be Madara's mad legacy.

When the door to cell B4 opened, a light switched on, flooding the formerly dark room in a harsh white light that hurt the eyes. The prisoner was on the cot he had been placed on hours earlier, fastened with the same leather cuffs to the frame. The genjutsu had been lifted shortly after the Hokage's departure, under supervision of Ibiki, who had been the only one to talk to the prisoner since his arrival, the only face he had seen.

Now, a brown-haired head popped in Satoru's field of vision, gazing at his face with the faint interest of a subordinate having heard all kinds of stories but basically was just doing his job. The man's face was pleasant enough, though unremarkable, with a straight nose and a pointy chin. He was wearing clan markings across his eyes, which where light and had the touch of curiosity to them.

"Toilet break", he informed the prisoner, voice friendly but guarded. His hands worked on the fastening of the cuffs, but he hesitated before he loosened the last link, looking at Satoru with a worried expression, "You won't make any trouble for me, will you? They are watching from behind that mirror, and you won't come far, even if you manage to knock me out."

 

[Graverobber141]

Sensory deprivation. In the access of stimuli, the human mind begins filling in the blanks, leading to a bending of reality. That's how Kioshi's genjutsu worked. It shut down the mind, invoking a deep sleep, cutting off all input from the outside world. It's what made it so effective, so difficult for outside forces to break, and why Satoru felt a sharper sense of betrayal once he realized what had been used against him. Because locked within the illusions that only his own conscious could fill in was bitter, nothing but cold ashes.

An empty house, worn and weathered, alone in a forest. Blood streaked across the floor, a woman's faceless body lying lifeless. Other faceless figures moving around it, conversing, shaking with joy, and he was screaming, but no one noticed, there was no noise.

A doll sitting in a chair, out in the middle of the forest, near the edge of a winding river. He tried to speak, to say he was sorry, but the chair tumbled into the water, and the doll was disappearing with the current.

A statue sat waiting on the edge of a field, and he was running, trying so desperately to reach it, but a storm was raging around, tearing at his clothes, and lightning struck the stone before he could get there, cracking it in two.

In the darkness and lack of noise, even when he was finally freed, that indescribable feeling lingered, claws dug underneath the surface of his mind. He had no sense of time, and couldn't have said if it had been a minute or an hour since he had last been spoken to, when the blinding light flickered on overhead. It caused his grey eyes to squint, and his wrists were jerking at the cuffs that kept him restrained in a reflex to shield his vision.

He had expected this, eventually. One of those outcomes his mind had registered at the start of his journey, when this all began, but he had figured he would have actually killed the Uchiha by now. He had misjudged Kioshi, both in the fact that he had been able to follow his tracks, and that when the line had been drawn, his capability to take a side, particularly the other side.

Betrayal. Like a knife cutting deep. He should have been smarter.

It took a moment for the words of the man hovering over him to register, and gaze drifting to take him in, it took another moment for him to answer. Silence beckoned him like an estranged, old friend, and he found it comfortable, because he no longer had a desire to play any games. Besides one.

He didn't care if he died. If he remained in prison. If he got his due, as long as the Uchiha got his as well.

But he had to be smarter.

A memory. Takeshi studying a shogi board, looking at a piece Satoru had just moved, grunting, 'Clever, but the fact I'm able to point out that it's clever means it's not clever enough.'

"No," Satoru replied quietly, simply, finding his voice was extremely dry. "I won't."

 

[arbus]

"Good", the brown-haired man replied cheerfully. His fingers commenced to work on the cuffs again. He freed first Satoru's hands, and then -- rookie mistake -- turned his back to open the cuffs around his ankles with swift fingers. "Seems like you've crossed the wrong person, with the way they're keeping you." He straightened, and took a step back, hands folded behind his back as he waited for what the other would do. He cocked his head a moment later, making a sound.

"Ah, sorry. Bet you're thirsty. They told me to give you something to drink." He turned his back again, to walk to the other side of the room. There were no shadows in the cell, the light too intrusive. Skin looked sickly-pale in such a light, and color strangely enhanced. "If you have to pee", he said, leaving the sentence unfinished as he pointed in the direction of the steel toilet, crammed in the far corner of the cell. "I won't peek." He rummaged in his pockets to produce a small key, with which he opened a locked cabinet door and retrieved a fresh water bottle and a set of plain, papery clothes of a washed out grey that might have once been white. "Name's Kokoro, right?", he asked pleasently, keeping his back turned.