Fandom Redemption [Closed] [Graverobber141/arbus]

[Graverobber141]

Oh, how very passive aggressive of you, Satoru thought dryly, that smirk of his twitching as he watched the Uchiha so casually turn his back to him. It was more than a simple brush-off, went a layer deeper; it was a declaration that he wasn't regarded as a threat, and that certainly wasn't a friendly, hand-extending gesture, but meant as an insult. How so very dully passive aggressive.

Satoru wasn't much one for religion and the general concept of faith, but he was finding his current circumstances too perfectly disastrous to not have been crafted by some outside hand; while tracking down a group of missing nin, his team had been redirect to aid the group that not only dealt with those missing nin for them, but contained the person he had recently attempted to kill, who he had left with the parting words of 'while I'm not going to kill you myself, I still kind of hope you fall down the stairs tomorrow morning', more or less.

At the Hokage's silent command, Sasuke threw a nasty look that lasted only for a split second over his shoulder--Satoru wondered if it mainly had to do with his unwanted presence, which did make him feel mildly satisfied--before he complied, meandering around the camp to start packing up their belongings. Satoru, taking a moment to watch pointedly, leaned casually against a tree, crossing his arms over his chest, before he turned his attention onto Kakashi. His chin tilted slightly to the side, one of his brows lifting as he studied the man, mind trying to unravel what seemed like a natural conclusion, yet something was preventing the pieces from clicking into place.

"Hokage-sama," he finally stated, voice smooth as silk, letting that escaping realization go, "To be honest, the service was absolute shit, the food horrible--"

"Satoru--" there was an almost growling warning from Kioshi near the campfire, one that was completely ignored.

"--but the view was rather...interesting, I suppose, or would it be more accurate to say the audience? Nevertheless, a prison is a prison--they hardly exist to be hospitable--and I am aware of your generosity concerning my release, for which I thank you. And for the gift, of course."

While the speech was mostly to kick sand at the Uchiha (it was rather entertaining, and he certainly couldn't let that passive aggressiveness of his go unchecked), there was truth in it; the golden-lined, cracked tea cup had captivated his attention for some time after it had come in his possession, and it was now in his apartment, situated on his nightstand, serving as a little reminder of one of Takeshi's lessons, a deeper philosophy about life that spoke to something within him.

And that particular gift certainly raised a curiosity.

The Uchiha, however, once again seemed dead set on simply ignoring him, for he wasn't even spared a death glare, as the dark-eyed man returned to them with a backpack slung over his shoulder, stating, "We should move on."

 

[arbus]

Kakashi had been curious about Satoru's reaction to him, and kept an eye on him with a slight feeling of apprehension -- during their two encounters, the mellow persona that was Sukea had slipped more than once; he remembered the distinct feeling of relief after leaving the cell with this particular mask still intact.

„I‘ll pass on your grievances“, Kakashi said cheerfully, „Ibiki-san always appreciates constructive criticism.“ That was a blatant lie, but one that held some private amusement for Kakashi, and he saw no harm in poking fun at a man so devoid of humor even his best jokes ricocheted off him as if from stainless steel. „And you are welcome for both, though I must say I‘m glad you abandoned your attempt to go after one of my shinobi. The thought of somebody hurting even a hair on his head is unbearable to me“, he mocked, his voice lilting as Sasuke stepped towards them, „right, Sasuke-kun? You were once one of my precious little genin, after all.“

Rabbit chose that moment to step to his side, which prompted Kakashi to drop his next comment about how cute his pout used to be in favor of a summoning jutsu. Breaking the skin on his thumb by using his teeth through his mask, he hunkered down, and in a cloud of smoke the shape of a very large dog with a deformed head appeared.

"Yo", the head grumbled. As the smoke cleared, it became apparent that it was actually Pakkun, sitting on top of Bull's head. The pug‘s eyes shifted to Sasuke. "Ah, there you are. For your information, your cup is an impertinent little brat. You might want to overthink your parenting style. He's been on my tail all morning, trying to find out how to follow you."

Ignoring that, Kakashi turned his attention to Kioshi. "Bull will assist you in carrying the wounded", he informed him. "Pakkun can scout the area to help you avoid further enemy encounters. You should be good once you reach the Konoha Woods, although we had an increase in hostile attention over the last couple of weeks. Be careful."
Pakkun jumped from Bull's head and stretched.
"Back at ya, boss", he said, waddling towards Kioshi. "Hey there, I'm Pakkun. Nice working with you."

"We should move on", Rabbit pressed, her masked face tilted towards the sky.

Kakashi nodded, adjusting a string on the Hokage's hat around his neck. "Satoru, you take the front. Sasuke, the back. Boar and Rabbit will flank me. If anyone approaches us, they'll likely go for an ambush in the deeper parts of the forest. Once we‘re in the fields, we‘ll be fine.“

 

[Graverobber141]

Sasuke shot Kakashi one of his trademarked, sharpened, and narrowed glares, and for a moment, his mouth twitched to open, about to declare how he certainly wasn't a damn 'precious little genin' anymore, but he let it go with a hard exhalation of air, shifting his jaw and then his gaze, once the duo of dogs appeared within the cloud of smoke.

Ari. At mention of the fox within his care, Sasuke's eyes softened just so, even if Pakkun's assessment of the kitsune was less than heartwarming, and a quiet chuckle tumbled from his lips. "He's just determined." While Sasuke admired that particular trait in the kid, it also caused quite a few stress and worry headaches, he had to admit. "Pakkun. Have your pack check in on him while I'm gone."

"I believe the correct word is stubborn," Satoru corrected, fingers absently tugging at one of his ears that sported a puncture, and ignoring the death glare now directed at him. "But Kioshi-kun is a tracker and sensor. Along with the mutts, they'll definitely see a threat coming long before one catches scent of their trail. And with Shiori-chan's long distance speciality, she'll take care of any threat before it has a chance to reach them. Your ANBU are in good hands."

Kioshi observed Satoru bewilderedly for a moment, as if he wanted to question the compliment, but settled on offering Pakkun a small smile and introduction. "The pleasure is mine. I'm Kioshi, and my other partner that we'll be traveling with is Shiori."

As if on command, the last member of the former Team Takeshi appeared from the tree line, landing beside the blond. "Perimeter's clean. Ready to move when you are, chief."

"If you do run into trouble," Satoru started, flashing her a smirk, "try not to burn down the whole forest, my budding arsonist."

"No promises," Shiori offered, returning the expression, before Kioshi placed a hand against her shoulder to lead her toward the injured to help prepare them for transport, parting Satoru and the rest of the guard with a soft, "See you on the other side."

A small, warm chuckle tumbled from the swordsman's throat, and after sparing the two a lingering glance, he checked to make sure his chokuto was hung on his hip in a way that made it accessible, quick to draw, before stepping in front of the Hokage. With a grunt, Sasuke fell in formation in the back, checking his own katana in a similar manner as Satoru had done his sword.

"On your mark, Hokage-sama," the swordsman called over his shoulder, grinning around his next words, "And I hope you enjoy the view."

 

[arbus]

After Pakkun‘s assurances that of course they would look after the cub, they were dogs and not wild animals, what did Sasuke think of them, and a somewhat rushed Boar landing belatedly on the camp side, distinctly flustered even with his clay mask on, they bid there goodbyes and moved into formation.

A surprised chuckle fell from Kakashi‘s lips at Satoru‘s remark. His eyes dropped shamelessly to Satoru‘s ass as he stated lightly: „I think I will.“

Next to him, Rabbit groaned, before she leaped to take her position, and then off they went, taking to the trees to recommence their travels. It took them a good one and a half hours to navigate their way through the dense conifer forest, which was very different from Konoha‘s leaves. The air was thick with the smell of pines and resin and the heavy, dark brown earth, were the snow did not reach, sweetly-wet and only partly frost-covered. The sun did not fall through the dense treetops, and they traveled in a gloomy half-dark.

Only when they finally reached the fields and soft barrows that were Grass they encountered the last, weak rays of the winter‘s sun. It had to be a beautiful country in the spring, when it was not covered in thick mounts of snow. The moment they landed on coverless land, both ANBU started to draw wide circles around them, scouting the area for unwanted company.

„Let‘s see“, Kakashi said, using that interval for further explanations, „in approximately half an hour northeast from here we will meet up with one of our own shinobi. He is holding out in a safe house were we will spend the night. In the morning, we will make our way to the Sound Village, and be hopefully not thanked with a trap for our efforts. Any questions so far?“

Boar was drawing closer, producing a map and compass from his pouch. „All clear, Hokage-sama. We may proceed in ...“, he paused, then pointed, „this direction.“

 

[Graverobber141]

The cold, Satoru was finding, was less bothersome than usual (thanks to the tricks of that furry, little brat that surprisingly wasn't clinging to the Uchiha's cloak, which provided him with an extra chakra nature), yet still bit deeply, able to sink teeth formed of ice underneath his skin thanks to how unused to this climate he was; Sand was always hot, except for at night, and even then the cold was vastly different. He was finding these extra layers of clothing to be a headache as well, hindering his movements, making him feel stuffy.

The Hokage's disclosure of a safe house within reach, promising the chance to defrost by a warm fire, was a relief; Satoru would welcome it, or for another group of missing nin to stupidly attack them for a chance to get his blood pumping faster.

"Hopefully," the swordsman repeated, voice lined with disbelief. "Well, that's reassuring, but I find hope to be generally bad for the health when it comes to walking into a possible trap set in a village while we're numbered five. I trust you clearly intelligent people have something up your sleeves in case if our welcome gift is less than satisfactory?"

"We can discuss it at the safe house," Sasuke answered immediately, because he had also given the matter some thought. All his plans revolved around use of his Rinnegan, which had limitations, a lot of which that had yet to be discovered, and naturally carried risks. He was still developing his finesse with the visual jutsu, and it was one he would rather avoid testing in the heat of combat. He figured he could, at least, get Kakashi out of danger in a pinch (though he doubted if his former sensei would even agree to that, and he hadn't exactly tested his expanded teleportation abilities while under stress). "But you're still competent enough to handle yourself in a fight, I assume?"

"Still," Satoru mused lightly, making a sound halfway between a scoff and chuckle. "I'm choosing to take that as a compliment."

"Hn," was the only answer he received in return, making a satisfied smirk spread across his lips, and he was adding, "At least you're pleasant enough company, Hokage-sama."

 

[arbus]

Satoru‘s words earned him a curious glance from Kakashi.

„There won‘t be a fight“, he said, „Orochimaru has a vested interest to keep these talks peaceful, if only for the fact that the Alliance still stands strong enough to draw their united wreath if he‘d try anything fishy. He knows this. Much as he knows that he no longer has the capabilities to subdue you, Sasuke. He might see it differently, but you are not his welcome gift, but the living reminder of his inferiority.“ He smiled pleasantly. „Not that we intend to let him know that right from the start.“

Rabbit came running in their direction. When she stopped, she was barely out of breath. "We are being tailed", she announced, "three ninja, concealed by a camouflage jutsu."

Kakashi nodded. That hardly came as a surprise. "We won't shake them in this environment. Let's get going, before we turn into lumps of ice."

They pushed forward, but is was long past sunset when they finally came to a well-lit house, built in the midst of a seemingly random groove and located right next to a stream. The wooden two-storied structure was hardly inconspicuous, as billows of dark smoke rose from a stone chimney. As they passed the tree line, the air hummed, and their skin prickled with the sensation of strong chakra.

"See, that's how you set up a barrier", Boar mumbled.

"Impressive", Rabbit agreed, but it was hard to tell if she meant the expertly constructed barrier or the house. It was not a basic hide out. Intricate ornaments grazed the doorways and windows, which were decorated with fir. A stack of firewood was placed next to what was apparently a kitchen window, and it even seemed to have a back yard. The house gave off the vibe of a civilian home, inviting and welcoming.

Boar opened the door for them, and brushing off the snow-covered boots on a doormat (seriously), Kakashi called what he deemed appropriate for the surprisingly cozy setting: "Honey, I'm home", with all the cheer he did not feel.

The genkan was not made to hold more than one person at a time, and so they had to stand in line to take off their shoes. While Boar was still struggling with his, a figure emerged from a doorway leading to the deeper part of the house, and Tenzo said with a wry expression on his face: "Hokage-sama. Took you long enough."

"Maa, maa, Yamato. Is that how you greet your senpai after all this time?", Kakashi lamented.

Tenzo frowned as he took their little group in, but he stepped aside to invite them into the sitting room, in which a lively fire danced in the stone fire place. He eyed Sasuke with a kind of curious apprehension, before his eyes moved on to Satoru. Taking in his Sand uniform, his frown deepened."I expected you hours ago. Did you run into trouble?"

 

[Graverobber141]

'...you are not his welcome gift, but the living reminder of his inferiority.'

"Hm," the humming sound that came from Sasuke's lips was softer than his usual grunt, but just as dismissive: an obvious indication that this wasn't a conversation he wanted engage in, and they didn't have the time anyways. Yet those select words made the tension in his shoulder relax, if just so, and even in this bitter cold, his breathing became just a bit easier.

Looking between Kakashi and Sasuke with a contemplative look that lasted only for the duration of that particular exchange, Satoru hooked his gloved fingers inside his slash, underneath his cloak, grey eyes grazing over Boar with a slightly amused expression as they began their approach toward the barrier. "Still sore about Shiori-chan and the whole perimeter thing, eh?"

The quaint cabin seemed so picturesque against the snow-blanketed landscape lined with trees it was almost jarring; Sasuke was more used to underground, winding hideouts lined with stone, and Satoru, being from Sand, was used to digging for a hidden door underneath layers of sand to climb down inside a rock-lined room filled with supplies, but severely lacking comfort. Neither complained, however. In fact, after slinging off his cloak and shoes, chokuto still kept on his hip, Satoru, with all the manners in the world, brushed passed the guardian of the home, and crouched down before the fire, arms extending, practically reaching to embrace the flames like they were long, lost friends. Almost as an after thought, he looked over his shoulder, waved his hand in greeting, and offered his best charming smirk. "Kokoro Satoru. A pleasure."

Sasuke made his way into the room, choosing a wall to lean against just at the edge of the dancing shadows cast by the crackling fire, letting the heat lick comfortably at his side. As crossing his arms wasn't a gesture he could do anymore, he had developed the new habit of wrapping a few of his fingers around his belt, and his thumb tapped idly against the headband that hung from there. "A group of missing nin ambushed us. A few of our escort got injured during the fight, but Sand was able to send reinforcements. The injured are being escorted back home, and this one is filling out our envoy." His eyes shifted onto Satoru, who had angled his body to be able to observe the rest of the room.

 

[arbus]

Tenzo's eyebrows shot up until they almost vanished underneath his face plate, and if anything, his frown deepened. "None of you is hurt, though?" His eyes swept over all of them -- the two ANBU had discreetly taken position on either side of the fire place, framing it as if it was something worth guarding -- but his eyes lingered longest on Kakashi, who waved with his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Everyone here is fine." He took off the Hokage robes and hat and discarded them on an empty chair, before flopping down on the sofa that stood conveniently near to the fire, stretching his long legs to allow the warmth of the fire to rekindle the feeling in his toes. "Stop worrying so much, Yamato, or else you'll get wrinkles."

Yamato rubbed the back of his neck, hovering somewhere between put-out and concerned, but eventually just sighed. "You probably want something to eat." He made as if to turn, then, as if just thinking of it, looked at Satoru and raised his hand in greeting. "Name's Yamato. Nice meeting you, please make yourself at home." The last words were directed at all of them. He then vanished for a bit, only to come back a little while later with a tray full of steaming bowls of stew. After everyone was served, and the Hokage's attire was hung neatly in a closet, he sat down with them.

"Could your attackers have been Orochimaru's men?"

"Impossible to say for sure", Kakashi replied around a large spoonful of potato and carrots, which he had mysteriously managed to stuff into his mouth -- either that, or it had transferred there by magic, because his mask was still up. "I doubt it, though."

The ANBU had withdrawn into the kitchen to eat, as not to give up their identity to the Sand nin, and if there was any tension still palpable from Satoru's former status as Konoha's prisoner, it was showcased in this small display of lingering secrecy.

"He would have known better than to attack us in that way. They seemed surprised about Sasuke's presence, and you don't fight the sharingan unprepared. Or the rinnegan, I suppose."

"That's right", Yamato said, astounded, gaze traveling to Sasuke, looking at him as if he had forgotten about his exotic dojutsu prowess. "I figure it's pretty hard ambushing you at all."

"Say, Satoru-kun", Kakashi said, cupping his hands around the bowl for warmth and leaning forward, "I have a favor to ask."

 

[Graverobber141]

Shifting his grey eyes between Kakashi and Sasuke, Satoru felt like a child that couldn't decide on what sweet to choose at a candy store. On one hand, he could try to get a glimpse of what what hidden underneath the Hokage's mask, which was a natural curiosity, or watch as the one-armed Uchiha, who had the perpetual scowl of a man with a stick lodged up his ass, pick up the bowl in his hand, tilt it back, and literally drink the stew like a savage. He settled a bit too long on the later, clearly holding back a snort of a laugh as the Leaf's fear-inducing, weapon-of-mass-destruction used his sleeve to wipe his mouth, and as a consequence, missed his window of opportunity to sneak a peek at the Hokage. Next time, he supposed. At least he got a chuckle.

"Hn," placing his empty bowl on the floor, Sasuke leaned his back against the wall, resting his hand on his knee; he had moved to be closer to the group for ease of conversation, but still seemed set on hanging to that wall he had practically claimed as his own. "They also fled once they saw my sharingan. Packs of missing nin have become more widespread since the war. Most likely it was merely a coincidence."

Spooning out a last bit of carrot, Satoru lifted his brow curiously at Kakashi's request, and took his time to finish the bite, before setting the bowl beside him, mindful of the sheathed chokuto that had been carefully placed on the floor behind him once he had sat with his back to the fire, facing the rest of the room. With another one of his trademarked, charming smirks, Satoru let out a warm chuckle, saying, "Well, Hokage-sama, usually I would say that nothing in this world is free--this for that, you see--but I suppose I am in your debt. Your favor?"

 

[arbus]

Tenzo seemed to remain unconvinced, but he did not argue the point further -- yet. It was a conversation brewing for a private moment, one Kakashi did not particularly look forward to. Tenzo was deeply sceptical of Kakashi's readiness to -- as he put it -- use Sasuke for Konoha's peace talks with Sound, an argument they had had in their correspondence already, tedious and unsatisfying in the stale mate in which they had remained ever since. It was not so much the morality of the thing he questioned; instead, he lacked the inherent trust Kakashi still harbored for his former student, under all the layers of wariness, a hesitancy in acknowledging Sasuke's loyalty towards Konoha. The wood-style user got to his feet again, as if he could not exactly sit still. He exuded a subtle nervousness, the kind that told of too much time not only spent alone, but as a recluse. While Tenzo was gathering the dishes to bring them into the kitchen, Kakashi inclined his head, smiled, and said: "You wouldn't mind shedding your uniform for me, would you?"

From the hallway, there was a distinct clutter of china, as if Tenzo's grip on the stack of dishes had slipped.

"We can't justify Sand's presence at the negotiating table", Kakashi continued smoothly, and if something betrayed his amusement, it was the glint in his eyes, "so I'd hoped you would humor me and try on one of Konoha's uniforms. I'm sure Yamato has a spare, and I'm equally sure it will suit you just as well as your current attire does."

When Tenzo returned, it was with a kettle of tea and a rolled up map clamped underneath his arm and an expression kept so carefully neutral it gave him the permanent look of somebody on the brink of sneezing. He put down the tea and unrolled the map on a low table next to the couch, revealing a detailed blueprint of the Village of Sound. The entrances were marked with red Xes, and as he pointed at the biggest one, he asked, "Did you tell them your plan yet, or have you been saving it for the big reveal?"

"Been saving it", Kakashi said. "It's not that big of a reveal, though."

 

[Graverobber141]

'You wouldn't mind shedding your uniform for me, would you?'

At that request, Sasuke shot his sensei a questioning glare that silently, incredulously asked: 'Really?' Once Kakashi's intention was revealed, he merely lifted his eyes toward the ceiling, a gesture that suggested he didn't even want to dignify that earlier comment of his with a full eye-roll.

Satoru wasn't even mildly phased. That smirk of his was kept upon his lips, and with a chuckle, the swordsman glanced toward the returning Yamato, the tea he carried, then Sasuke, before settling his grey eyes on Kakashi. With a shrug of his shoulders, he stood to his feet, winked, stating casually, "I suppose you did treat me to dinner, handsome," before he unzipped his vest, folded it, and placed it in an empty chair.

Satoru did not stop there. Miffed, Sasuke watched the swordsman tug off his shirt, then his pants, standing before the fire in nothing but underwear as he proceeded to fold his clothing. Shaking his head with a frustrated sigh, like he was dealing with a child, Sasuke stood to enter to genkan, rummaging through his backpack for a spare uniform (they were approximately of the same height and build), which he tossed at Satoru's feet upon his return.

"Thank you. You're such a dear, little duckling," Satoru grinned devilishly around the words as he slid on the clothes, extremely satisfied at the way the Uchiha's hand was clenched tightly enough around his belt to make his knuckles white.

"My pleasure, narcissist," Sasuke rumbled after a heartbeat, his voice thin and taunt.

"Look at us, coming up with pet names for each other. Such progress we've made."

"Hn," there was that dismissive, warning grunt of his; Satoru was amusingly surprised by how the guy was able to wield a single noise to such an extent, infusing the grumble with varying meaning through inflection alone. It was actually quite impressive.

Sasuke made it a point to crouch down in front of the table, his bangs falling in the way of his dark eyes as he took in the map laid out before him. "Your plan, Kakashi?"

Satoru, mercifully relenting in his antics, at least for now, as they were about to talk strategy, took up a post on the opposite end of the table, comfortably crossing his legs. Leaning his chin into his palm, he studied the map with a contemplative expression one might wear as they looked over a shogi board.

 

[arbus]

While Kakashi certainly had not expected that, he overcame his surprise astonishingly quickly, and made no secret of his appreciation of Satoru's well-toned body, his eyes traveling lazily over his frame, from the long throat that had caught his attention back in the cells of T&I over his muscled, scarred torso all the way down to his toes. His gaze held such intent that Tenzo, who had watched that particular performance unfold with a sort of glum resignation, pushed an elbow into his ribs -- and not lightly, either.

Kakashi chuckled.
"Ouch. And they say nothing comes of it when you ask nicely."

"Nobody says that", Tenzo said.

Kakashi ignored him in favor of giving Sasuke his best smile instead. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun, for your generosity." He shot Satoru a quick look. Interested might be the word to describe it. If the kid enjoyed getting naked in front of everybody, who was Kakashi to object? He certainly was entertained by the view. "Though you could have taken more time in providing the --"

"Senpai", Tenzo urged, with such a strain in his voice that Kakashi knew he had worn his kohai's ever-lasting patience thin. Content, Kakashi rolled his shoulders, and continued on a more serious note: "Well. Thank you for your cooperation, Satoru-kun. Konoha appreciates your efforts. Anyway. We have dispatched ANBU backups around the village, covering every entrance. This", he pointed at the big X Tenzo had already indicated, "is our convoys point of entry. We will set out at dawn to arrive at nine sharp."

Tenzo inclined his head. "I will contact the troops before you leave. They'll be ready to go in. If necessary."

"Which, hopefully, won't be the case."

Tenzo huffed. "It has been tedious work to sneak that many ANBU into Grass without alarming the surveillance."

"Mh-hm, and you've done a good job with it." Kakashi paused. "One thing needs to be clear. This is not a siege. In a perfect world, we will get in, sign the peace treaty, and get out with Orochimaru none the wiser. We want to avoid any and all casualties. But if it comes to a fight --"

"-- we'll be prepared", Tenzo said grimly.

 

[Graverobber141]

"I aim to please, Kakashi-sama," Satoru declared, voice lined with silk, as his grey eyes shifted to give Kakashi a very curious once-over, obviously having taken in the unsubtle attention the man had give him, before that smirk of his tugged at the edge of his lips. It was rather refreshing to have someone indulge him, and playing this game with the Hokage, no less, my, oh my; he couldn't help himself, like a arsonist left alone with a can of gasoline and matches.

The very pointed, just short of aggressive, grunt from the source of sunshine across the table--another example of how so very talented the Uchiha was with communicating with that one sound--made Satoru's gaze drift back to the map, though his smirk didn't diminish in the bit; he had enjoyed the appreciation he had received very much, made a note of it, pocketed the information for later, all in the name of quid pro quo.

"Ah, intelligent and handsome," Satoru quipped after the fallout plan had been revealed to him, though his eyes traced over the layout of the village, memorizing what he could of the most important parts: escape routes, defensive structures, and the like. "What a catch." After a few moments, he leaned back against his outstretch arm, palm planted firmly on the ground, declaring, as if it were the most important thing in the world, "Well, I'm satisfied."

The shadows of the flames from the fire licking his face in his silence, Sasuke kept on studying the map in contemplation, elbow resting against his knee and mouth hidden behind his hand, which was curled into a fist; the posture was reminiscent of the one he would take during his academy days while hunched over a desk. Then, after a soft exhalation of air, he spoke: "In the case of that hopeful scenario not happening, I might be able to get you out of the village with my rinnegan." His dark eyes shifted to rest on Kakashi. "We can't risk losing the Hokage in such a situation, not while war would be on the horizon."

 

[arbus]

Kakashi's eyes lingered on Satoru for a long moment, dark with amusement and something else. Clearly, he had opened Pandora's box by indulging in their flirtatious banter, but to say he did not enjoy the way Satoru moved like a content cat would be an outright lie. His attention was drawn to the map again as Tenzo made a comment about the troop's strength, which then lead to a brief discussion about squad numbers and distribution.

Both Tenzo and Kakashi raised their heads when Sasuke spoke up, and their replies came simultaneously.

"Good thinking", Tenzo said with a nod.

"No", Kakashi provided simply.

There was a pause, in which the frown crept back onto Tenzo's face. "Sasuke is right, senpai. This is not a matter of good teamwork. It's about getting you to safety." Leave it to Tenzo to hit bull's eye at the first attempt. Kakashi shifted on the couch, leaning against the backrest to take a more relaxed posture, so much so it was just short of provocative.

"I won't abandon my comrades", he said, eyes resting on Tenzo. "You know that."

"This is not that. You are the Hokage, senpai. You have to think about the whole village now."

Kakashi's eyebrows rose, a sharp retort on the very tip of his tongue; he let it pass, took a few seconds, before he replied mildy: "Sasuke-kun, do I understand correctly that you have not yet fully mastered the teleportation technique the rinnegan provides?" Clearly understanding what he was getting at, Tenzo opened his mouth to object, but Kakashi raised his hand. "We won't start experimenting with unheard-of teleportation techniques in the spur of the moment. Until Sasuke has mastered his dojutsu, we won't deploy it in battle." His gaze only now shifted to Sasuke. "It's as simple as that."

Tenzo didn't seem to think so, and he opened his mouth as if to retort, then closed it again, wringing for patience and obviously winning the fight. "You could always send a clone", he said instead. "You have the chakra reserves for it now."

"We've been over this. If the clone disperses, for whatever reason, we will damage the integrity of our efforts and permanently weaken our bargaining position. It's not an option."

The dispute left Tenzo scoffing, and soon after, he left the sitting room with the excuse to make more tea.

"Well", Kakashi said with false cheer, "I guess we've talked about everything? If there aren't any questions, I suggest we all retire for the night. You can use one of the rooms above -- it's usually the left one from the stairs", he added cryptically, either not thinking about the fact that neither Sasuke nor Satoru knew about Tenzo's disposition for providing them with safe houses of his own making, or not caring to explain, "and you'll likely find bedrolls there, too."

 

[Graverobber141]

Well, Sasuke had technically tested his rinnegan teleportation technique with an extra person, over a great distance, while under duress, and quite distracted at the time--thinking about that particular incident caused him to rub his nose subconsciously; the skin had almost healed completely, the bruise only faintly visible--but he was hardly about to tell Kakashi that, and it was something he would rather not do again, at least not without the particular person he had done it with before, and that was more so for the intense make-out session that had followed. The point was he didn't want to tempt fate, and judging by Kakashi's reaction, he doubted he could convince the Hokage to go along with his idea anyways.

"Hm, I'm going to get some rest, then," he stated quietly, brow lifting questionably at how Kakashi had phrased his directions, but so used to the man's strangeness by this point in his life, he was seemingly left largely unaffected, or perhaps that was from the exhaustion that was slowly washing over him, a toll from the day's travels, the clash in the snow, and the weight still pressing in his mind at the thought of having to stand before the snake sannin.

Rising to his feet, he ran his fingers through his hair, looking between the two, and declared, "Behave." It was hard to tell who he was talking to, and before he was met with any further conversation, he had left the room, traveling upstairs.

Before he did settle in for the evening, he wrote a quick letter on a small piece of parchment, initially vague as to not comprise their mission, yet enough to serve its purpose:
'His jokes haven't improved. Long day. Hope yours was better. Sleep well.
--Yours'
An update, confirmation that he was all right. Also, his ill-behaved hawk was still mildly terrified of Sakura after witnessing her punch a hole in a wall, and making it carry this personal message to her was more than satisfying.

Downstairs, as the room seemed to clear out, Satoru made no attempts to stand. Contrary, he leaned back against the floor, folded his arms behind his head as a sort of pillow, and kicked his feet up onto the table casually. Feeling the fire comfortably warm his side, part of him considered falling asleep right here, but he had lingered for a particular reason. Turning his head, he took in Kakashi, studying him with a searching look, different from the flirtatious ones he had thrown the man's way earlier, before glancing off into the flames.

A curiosity. The tea cup he had been gifted was lodged in his head, scratching underneath the surface of his consciousness with a persistent question he didn't quite know yet. But he did know something, more like an assumption, and that assumption encouraged him make the simple statement:

"You knew Takeshi." His voice was oddly soft, lacking its normal verve.

 

[arbus]

Cool fingers wrapped around one of Satoru's feet to lift it, shifting its position so that the heel was no longer resting on the map. Kakashi then proceeded to roll the item up, storing it next to himself on the couch. He let Satoru's observation linger in the air, in no hurry to respond as he poured himself the last of the tea before settling more comfortably into the cushions again, crossing his left leg over the other.

Satoru's conclusion did not come as a surprise. The gift had been too unique to be a coincidence, and even if he had carried a fondness for kintsugi, he would not have bestowed enough importance on it to gift it to a prisoner in any other circumstance. It was not even that far-fetched; he had been around long enough to face many an infamous opponent, up until now only lucky enough to come out on top.

"I did", he allowed, finger tracing the rim of his cup.

He could choose to tell either one of their encounters; both were deeply personal, both held their own truth. But he suspected it was the earlier one Satoru needed to hear about. The memory of which had come to him in the heat of their confrontation, that had so unexpectedly struck him and tore something in him open.

"I broke a vase", he said, made his voice light, "when I was about this height." He indicated it by hovering his flat hand over the floor about as high as the armrest. "A beautiful vase, made of alabaster, black and smooth. I was deeply ashamed. Your sensei, who hasn't been your sensei back then, of course, set it back together, piece by piece, and send it to my father." He remembered seeing it for the first time. That feeling of relief. Of what it had come to mean to him since then, the idea that something broken could be put together again. Of flaws presented proudly, enhancing its beauty and value instead of diminishing it. He had never managed it quite like that, but it was a beautiful metaphor nonetheless. All of this, he did not say. Instead: "That was very thoughtful of him."

 

[Graverobber141]

Minamoto Takeshi: the man had possessed the phenomenal ability to touch lives wherever he would go, and usually not in some grand way. A simple gesture, made without wanting of reciprocation, a small brush of his path across another's, and he left a little behind to be remembered years down the line in fondness. He never tried to change the world, hardly ever even tried to change people, but he lived and did what he thought was right in the moment.

It must have been a handful of minutes, the amount of time Satoru laid in silence upon the conclusion of Kakashi's story, watching the flames of the fire flicker, their shadows dancing across the sheath of his chokuto and the aged hitai-ate tied around it. He wasn't exactly thinking; there was an absence of directed thought, but he found a few memories drifting through his mind, joined by the tale he had just heard, mixing together in consideration.

He clicked he tongue to the roof of his mouth, then sat up, crossing his legs, brushing a few strands of stray hair from his face, before lazily setting his arms on his legs. His gaze drifted to find Kakashi's face, and he simply studied the man for another long moment, delaying, and also thinking about the sense of familiarity that was tugging at the back of his subconscious.

"I was a bit shorter," he started, holding his hand out to display the height he judged to have been all that time ago; it seemed like an eternity. He had been thirteen, was it? Fourteen? "Threw a tantrum in his home--" Because he had stumbled upon the revelation, significantly delayed to reach him, and had felt it dig inside him like a nasty sickness. Kokoro Gin had died, quite some time ago, and he hadn't been there, hadn't even been any part of what followed. "--and broke a ceramic statue of a tiger. He tried to talk to me, but I didn't want to listen." A pause, as he looked down at his hands, cleared his throat. "So, under the guise of a punishment, he made me help put it back together." Almost child-like, he mused quietly, unintentionally out loud, "I wonder what happened to it."

After smooth a crinkle out of his pants leg, he reached to pick up his blade and rise to his feet. It was weak, the smirk that tugged at his lips, and tilting his chin toward the stairs, he sighed exaggeratedly heavily, his voice filled with overemphasized disappointed, "I suppose I'll be sharing a room with Sunshine, then. Don't sleep too well, Kakashi-sama."

 

[arbus]

In other circumstances, Kakashi would likely have extended an invitation. He certainly found himself tempted, be it from this strange mixture of guardedness and halting vulnerability the Sand shinobi kept displaying, or simply from the way the firelight danced invitingly over the exposed skin of his neck, softening the features of his face. Tenzo was waiting for him, though, in the kitchen with the guards send to rest, where Kakashi would utter an entirely different kind of invitation, and find himself rejected, yet again.

So he simply bid the swordsman goodnight, and remained where he was for a long time after the other had left, looking into the flames and thinking over what had been said. It was a placid delight he felt, about the fact that he had made the right call; it could have gone so very differently, and he supposed it was Takeshi's influence, even beyond the grave, that had saved his student from near-certain death.

The morning came too soon, after a good portion of the night spent in headlock with his exceedingly stubborn kohai, and if he weren't forcing himself not to think about it too deeply, he would be mad with impotent anger, or perhaps ready to throw a tantrum like Satoru's younger self.

Pinching the bridge of his nose to get rid of the brewing headache, Kakashi stood in the doorway, looking out over the silent yard and -- in a bizarre twist of fate -- waiting for the rest of the group to get ready. Tenzo was in the kitchen again, which seemed to serve him as a port in the storm against the onslaught of company, and if the warning signs could be any more blatant they would come in the guise of screeching, flashing sirens.

They had breakfasted on a simple diet of miso and rice, nothing too heavy, a soldier's meal to be ready for battle. Boar had distributed ration bars and two soldier pills for each, with the strict instruction not to indulge if not strictly necessary, as they were ANBU pills and therefore a lot stronger than the ones distributed to other shinobi.

Somewhere inside of the house, Tenzo found Sasuke -- he had clearly waited for the others to clear out to speak to him in private, and he said: "Sasuke, could I have a word with you?"

 

[Graverobber141]

Just a month ago, the suggestion that Uchiha Sasuke and Kokoro Satoru would ever share lodgings would have been absurd, one having been intent on killing the other, and the other actually having almost killed the first; now, neither of them wanted to be in the other's presence, not really, and there was something hanging between the two, a strange mixture of antagonism and respect. The night passed without a word spoken between them. By the time Satoru had retired for the night, Sasuke had been asleep in his bedroll, and when the swordsman had awakened, the Uchiha had already been out of the room.

After breakfast, dressed once more in Leaf's uniform, Satoru took up a position by the fireplace, seeking its warmth before having to depart once more into the cold, and used the time to sharpen his chokuto.

Sasuke had lingered in the kitchen after breakfast, using the table to take a quick inventory of the shuriken and kunai he carried. His dark eyes glancing toward Yamato, regarding the wood-style user with a wariness that bordered on exhaustion, he shifted his jaw, and once more focused on packing up his weaponry.

"A few, I imagine," he corrected dully, after a beat of silence. Considering he had been singled out for a conversation, he concluded it was either about Kakashi--probably his refusal to use the teleportation jutsu in a pinch--or mistrust. While he was regarded as a hero by some for his efforts during the war, a great many of the village still reckoned him a traitor, treated him with suspicion, and he couldn't blame them; if he was in their position, he would be cautious of someone with his past. Still, it felt like having the same scabbed over wound reopened, being forced to dig up old skeletons when he wanted nothing more to leave the graves undisturbed, and focus on what lay ahead of him.

With a soft, barely audible exhalation of air from his nose, Sasuke's gaze once more lifted to find Yamato, and tapping a finger against the wood of the table, he tilted his chin in a gesture that stated go ahead.

 

[arbus]

Yamato leaned in the doorway to the kitchen with his arms crossed. A gas lamp on the table next to the Uchiha's equipment was the only source of light, giving off a soft glow. It would be another hour before sunrise, time enough to get them to the main gates of Sound and then travel on to oversee what Kakashi so pointedly refused to call a siege. He had been appointed mission commander, not quite to his liking but at least it was in line with his main mission, more so than Kakashi's proposal -- the promotion -- from the night before.

"It's about the Hokage." He phrased his words carefully to convey the impartiality of his reasoning. He did not know if it was the Uchiha he wanted to convince, or himself. Kakashi could be stubborn as a mule, but Yamato knew him, and whatever reasons he listed against the plan of an emergency evacuation were bullshit. This was about his guilty conscience towards Sasuke, and his overwhelmingly sentimental (weak, a nasty voice inside his head whispered) view on comradeship and teamwork, born out of his guilt-ridden past. "You know that, if push comes to shove, you have to use your dojutsu to get him out alive, right?"

He moved into the kitchen, which was all wood and stainless steel, cluttered with pots and buckets of overgrowing plants. This was the kind of house he had always imagined himself to grow old in. He was traversing the Land of Grass, rotating houses on a regular basis, constantly on the move as not to be predictable for Orochimaru's spies, and yet he found himself coming back to this house, time and again, even though it was unreasonable, even dangerous. And all the barrier jutsu in the world would not be able to shield him from one well-coordinated attack. If Orochimaru decided to smoke him out like the bothersome vernim he perceived him to be, none of his precautions would help him.

He sat at the kitchen table, placing a large mug full of tea in front of Sasuke, because it was the polite thing to do.

"This is not solely about the village loosing another Hokage. Tsunade-sama is still around, she would step up if there were no choice. But I don’t think you are aware how delicate the balance of power between the Nations really is. Kakashi tends to … spare you and the rest of your team from such information. If the Hokage dies under the hand of Sound, we will have war, and neither Cloud nor Lightning would bat an eyelash. Rather, they would welcome it as an opportunity to see Konoha weakened. Naruto-kun and you, what you did in the war -- it doesn't sit well with them, of Konoha harboring so much power. Because if we wanted to, if Kakashi were a different kind of Hokage, if Naruto-kun weren't who he is, Konoha could rule the Five Nations. And with the pathos of the war fading into oblivion, that's all they see."

 

[Graverobber141]

So it was about Kakashi. And a lot more that Kakashi had neglected to tell him.

Sasuke stared into the mug of tea, resting his hand against its mouth. The ceramic was pleasantly warm underneath his skin, and gently twirling the cup around in his grasp, he watched the liquid ripple within like a pond disturbed by a thrown pebble.

On one hand, he understood Kakashi was trying to protect him, Naruto, and Sakura, but he hadn't expected him to keep something this grave purposely out of their vision. While the three of them had been planting roots, sowing futures, the steady beat of a wardrum had been sounding in the distance, a threat waiting on the horizon.

He thought of the ultrasound picture Naruto had shown him a few days before his departure while dropping off the picture they had taken at dinner; the knuckle head had been smiling widely, proud and so excited, declaring how much the tiny, barely distinguishable budd, whose gender couldn't even be determined yet, already looked so much like him. He thought of little Ari, spending so much time with the his new pack, yet still managing to wake him up in the mornings for pancakes. He thought of Sakura, and how she had been so sweetly patient with him on their first date, because he had so clearly not known what he was doing, having broken down and asked for help a day before it had even started by desperately muttering 'tell me what I'm supposed to wear.'

They lingered in his mind, these specific bonds he would give everything and anything to protect, as he considered the decision he was left to make. It was easier when it was only his own life on his line, so much simpler, but being asked to weigh the scales, judge one life to be greater than others--definitely when it cut so deeply because of how it would affect the man in question--was so very difficult. In that moment he felt incredibly older than he actually was, felt a bone-deep tiredness, an exhaustion that was more spiritual than physical.

He knew the answer, because it was logical. But transporting Kakashi would mean leaving the battlefield himself as well, removing two significant, powerful pieces from play, which was all but damning the force they left behind to extreme casualties at best. Annihilation at worst.

"It's a risky jutsu," he finally answered, eyes kept on the shifting tea he had left untouched. "Unperfected. I could accidentally trap us both in another dimension." Shifting his jaw, he raised the mug to his lips, taking a long sip, before he settled his gaze on Yamato. "But I if sense his life is endangered, I will use it."

 

[arbus]

'I could actually trap us both in another dimension.'

Yamato stumbled over that phrasing -- he had assumed the dojutsu worked on one person alone, like kamui had done, and that Sasuke would stay behind to reinforce Konoha's battle strength. This revelation was significant in its consequences, but, to his own surprise, he found that it did not make a difference in his conviction. Also, he pushed down the feeling of betrayal towards Kakashi that was building like venom in the back of his throat -- this was not a personal issue. This was a necessary precaution, and if the Hokage failed to understand, due to a personal blind spot, he needed those around him to make up for it.

Yamato nodded, his expression earnest, just short of stern. He knew he was asking a lot of the Uchiha, so he said: "Thank you."

Sasuke's contemplation, his eventual commitment, stirred another realization in Yamato; or rather, gave him the impetus for a new line of thought about this estranged member of Team 7. They had only met eye to eye once, and he remembered Sasuke as the angry teenager he had been, but now came to understand he was no more: He seemed to have changed, in more ways than one -- still tense, still uncommunicative and terse, but slightly different. More settled in his own skin, perhaps. Wearing the Konoha greens, too. And then there was this one similarity they shared, something that had been nagging at him since he had learned of Sasuke's consent to yield to the snake sannin's wishes, and --

"Does it feel strange to you, meeting your old master like this?"

 

[Graverobber141]

At the thanks, Sasuke firmly nodded once, though he found it to be entirely unnecessary. If what they were discussing did unfold, Yamato would be one of the soldiers left behind. Satoru, as well, a thought that made him want to laugh bitterly at the irony. Perhaps he would be able to make it back onto the battlefield to offer relief, perhaps not. In the end, the decision wasn't about morality, but simple numbers; they could save a lot more tomorrow by sacrificing a few today.

For some odd reason he thought of Itachi, and his grip on his mug tightened for a moment, before relaxing, and his eyes, which had drifted off, found their way back to the wood-style user, taking in his question.

Strange was certainly not the right word to describe what he was feeling and he let go a hard, almost searing exhalation of air, buying more time by taking another sip from his cup. Before now, he hadn't lingered on the thought, but Yamato was another one of Orochimaru's--the muscle in Sasuke's jaw flexed--former playthings (for that was certainly how the snake sannin saw them), and because of that, they shared experience that no one else could quite understand. He wondered what prompted this question: was he trying to reach out, find common ground, or simply test the waters of Sasuke's loyalty?

Closing his eyes for a moment, Sasuke set his tea onto the tabletop with a quiet clank. Placing his palm next to it, splayed upon the wood, his fingers curled into a loose fist, and his dark gaze trailed over his knuckles. "He made the request because he wants to get under my skin: a feeble attempt to exert control over me once more." Turning his hand, one of his knuckles tapped restlessly against the mug. "For the sake of Konoha, I can swallow my own anger at the audacity of it and stomach his presence."

Another pause, another tap. "But I also agreed to prove to myself that he no longer has any power over me."

 

[arbus]

For the sake of Konoha ...

Perhaps Kakashi was right; perhaps the Uchiha really had changed. Yamato certainly recognized the struggle, this fight within himself as a distorted version of his own. He tested the words in his head: For the sake of Konoha, I can swallow my own anger ... Stomach his presence ... But Yamato did not do this for Konoha, this mission that Kakashi had called nothing but an obsession.

He locked his teeth, turned his head away to study the philodendron that was sprouting new leaves again. He breathed through his nose. The clank of the porcelain should get on his nerves, but it was strangely soothing -- a noise so very homey, as was the smell of fruit tea and cooked rice and wet earth.

Yamato remained wary, and his gaze, habitually distrustful, wandered aimlessly through the room before it grazed Sasuke's face again. Because apart from Naruto's impressive conviction to rescue this boy, he also remembered the pain his chosen path had caused him, and he knew in his heart that nobody but the blond held such conviction, such iron will to save a friend. He would not have done it. He once had thought he would follow Kakashi through hell, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Good for you", he said, and meant it. He wanted to say more, suddenly aware of how much a kindred spirit Sasuke was, but --

"There you are", Boar said, moving into the doorway whilst shouldering a large backpack. He coughed. "The Hokage asks if you need an extra invitation or if he can spare himself the trip to the stationary store and you ... eh ...get a move on. Sorry, taicho."

 

[Graverobber141]

Watching Yamato, acknowledging this shared thing between them, and almost seeing more of the man before him than he had in the previous day, their previous encounter, Sasuke's fist become tighter, skin stretching taunt over the white bone of his knuckles, because the sickening feeling of how wrong this was--to engage a devil's whims, who had used and tortured children to his own ends, probably still was in secrecy--crawled underneath his skin. But they had to do it, in the name of peace, and he was starting to fully realize the delicate, fragile nature of it all: how one wrong step could bring everything crashing down around them.

Boar's interruption was a relief. While he appreciated the chance to talk, it was still something he found incredibly hard to engage in, and this particular discussion weighed heavy on his mind. With a nod toward the commander, Sasuke finished his cup of tea, before placing it in the sink. Gathering up his belongings, he hooked his weapon pouch onto his belt, and slung his katana, which rested against the back of his chair, over his shoulder. He paused at the door, sparing Yamato one last look, before leaving with the words: "We do what we have to."

Satoru was already outside, already pacing to keep his blood pumping, a ever constant battle against the biting cold. His chokuto hung from his hip in its natural position, yet the Sand hitai-ate was removed, kept in safe-keeping, and instead he wore a Leaf one tied round his forehead. At the sound of crunching snow, his grey eyes shifted to take in the approaching Uchiha, who looked as broody as ever, and commented lightly, "Not a morning person, I take it?"

Yet again, he was simply ignored, as Sasuke chose to focus on Kakashi instead, stating sternly, "I'm ready." As if he were declaring he was mentally prepared for what was to come.