Soooooo I'm back, finally. And not with what I had intended to come back with but oh well. Please don't hate me everyone! I am pretty freaking rusty so I apologize, and hopefully this won't turn out too bad however this is your warning. It's probably going to suck but I need to get back into the rhythm somehow.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor it's characters.
Kakashi walked out of the briefing still tense from the argument that had been held within. With the chunin exam getting closer, things were becoming more dangerous. More busy for the ninja. Especially here in Konoha where the exam was taking place. What he wouldn't give to find a quiet place, a quiet moment in time to read. He had to leave off at a most exciting part and he was itching to get back to it. Perhaps... if he were to... no, not this time. There was no sneaking away from this mission. The Hokage had personally assigned it to his team and as much as he was loathe to waste his time on anything but Kiss Kiss Paradise, this mission had to be done. With a regretful sigh, he made his way out into the bright sunshine, his eye adjusting quickly to light filtering through the scant clouds over head. He had to find the brats that made up his team and get things going. He eased his way past venders hawking their wares, past old gossiping women who were always after him to meet with their daughters and grand daughters. Honestly, it was just a bore. He got to the loud brat's apartment first and was able to tell just from the silence that he was not in. Even in his sleep Naruto was loud and could never sit still. It made over night missions a pain. There was no point in leaving a message with the land lady, she despised the boy and only let him live there because the Hokage had ordered her to. Idiot woman. He tried the Haruno residence next and was greeted with an older version of Sakura. After being told that Sakura was not answering, he left the meeting place details with her mother and left. Man these brats were trying his patience today. He ran his hand through his spiked hair and sighed. His fingers itched to hold his book, his eye yearned to devour the words so perfectly typed onto the crisp page. He was addicted and it was a great addiction. As he walked down yet another busy street, his ear picked up the giggles of girls, fangirls to be exact. Sasuke's fangirls. If anyone knew where Sasuke was, it would be them. After a brief conversation he was told about where Sasuke was. All of the way across the village in the orchard. Using his speed and the roof tops to cover the distance quickly, he was able to pick out the boys where abouts rather quickly. Naruto was huddled on the ground, clutching his blonde head while Sasuke was leaning against a tree, trying his best to look stoic and calm. Kakashi could see the faint trembling that ran through the raven's body though, the flushed cheeks on both boys and the way Naruto kept licking his lips. Oh, looks like they finally figured it out. "Did I miss something interesting?" The boys jumped, their eyes darting to the tree above Naruto where Kakashi crouched. He smiled and gave them a small wave, noticing every emotion that crossed their faces, the way their bodies tensed up and their eyes shied away from each other. Interesting indeed. "We have a mission. Meet in ground 7 in an hour. Pack an over night bag." He swung off the branch and left the boys behind, Naruto spluttering as he tried to think. If he hurried now, he could have all of the transport papers and supplies needed ready before the meeting time. He just might be able to get some reading done. As he hurried through the village to his own apartment, something caught his eye. A familiar pink head, minus quite a bit of hair and the brightest outfit other than Naruto's he had ever seen sneaking out of the Haruno residence. His team was rather interesting indeed. The boys were attracted to each other, the girl who was obsessed with one obviously knew and was having some sort of mental breakdown, and they all had a mission to go on. Why was he cursed? He could fill a headache brewing behind his eyes, getting worse as his mind played out all of the outcomes that could come of the little triangle. None were pretty. He continued to worry over how this would affect the team as he went through the paperwork to get their transport passes, which was taking longer than usual with the influx of missions being passed out. Thoughts of their last mission continued to haunt the back of his mind. Orochimaru was after Sasuke, and he was charged for looking after the boy. It was not going to be an easy task. Now with the turmoil that was on the horizon brewing between his students, his job was going to get a whole hell of a lot harder. At least hopefully now the boy himself wouldn't leave to guy to Orochimaru. Kakashi had seen Sasuke's decision when he had realized what was really going on. He seen the determination to leave. At that time he had had his hands full with the enemy, there was no way he could have stopped Sasuke if he had went. But something had happened between Sasuke and Naruto that had pulled the brunette back, had made him stay. That had been what confirmed it for Kakashi, what the boys felt for each other. For their sake he had been hoping that the feelings between the two were simply those of best friends, brothers even. But those tears had been for a lover and Sasuke had responded. Something he never would have done simply for family or friendship. As he gathered the last of the supplies needed -extra medical supplies, emergency rations, spare weapons- he dreaded the meeting of his team. He had to find a way to defuse this situation before it escalated and caused the team further problems. There was only one person he could talk to about this and his feet were already pulling him to that all too painfully familiar spot. The memorial stone of the fallen ninja. The reminder of dear friends and comrades fallen in battle. And among them a name of one so young, one whose name should never have been carved into that dark stone. His fingers were smoothing over the name before Kakashi realized that he was even there already. Obito Uchiha. His best friend. The light and laughter of his childhood. Dead because of him. He couldn't let what happened with Obito happen with his squad. "What do I do? How do I stop what I know is coming?" He whispered, never expecting a reply, and never getting one. Only sun warmed stone beneath his ice cold finger tips, the hushed sounds of nature as wind rustled gently through tree leaves and insects called out to one another. Obito's absence was always like a knife in the heart, one he tried so hard to not let show. He always came here before every mission, to remind himself of what he had done, what he had let happen. What should never happen again. He had denied squad applicants so many times for fear of another Obito incident, for fear of the team not working together and dying as a result. He had thought that these three would be it, that he could train them. But then the boys had to spoil it by falling for each other. He sighed again and leaned his forehead into his gloved palm. He was getting too old for this stuff.
And that's it so far. Not as long as the others but seeing as how I haven't written anything (fanfic or otherwise) in years, eh. Not too happy with this but it has helped my creaky old mind start rolling again. Here's to hoping for better chapters in the future! And feel free to leave a review, as long as it isn't hateful. They always bolster me up and get me in a creative mood.