The group assembled in Tsunade's office was probably the most deceiving group of shinobi one could imagine. Half of them appeared barely awake, or seemed to be spacing out. Another quarter we are arguing amongst themselves and if one didn't know better the last quarter probably seemed intoxicated by the exuberance of their personalities. Alas, these were Konoha's elite.
Kakashi, Itachi and Hana posted up next to Kurenai and Gai. Itachi and Hana leaned against a cabinet, one emotionless and one making it her sole purpose to look annoyed with being there. Gai was enthralled with harassing Kakashi about challenge later that evening, and almost fainted when after a long speech, Kakashi responded with "What?"
Kiba was attempting to explain something of seemingly eery nature to Sasuke and Lee, one responded with an excitement for the idea, but the second responded with a snide remark causing Kiba to nearly trample him over.
Ino, TenTen and Hinata were observing the room calming making consistent remarks about the stupidity of the males they were surrounded with as Hinata attempted to defend her classmates honor.
Shikamaru, Neji and Shino were mummering among each other in such a fashion that one couldn't be sure if they were having one conversation with each other or three separate ones with themselves, however the clear deduction from the mumbling suggested all of them thought this meeting was troublesome, stupid, and a waste of time.
Choji had been backed into a convesation with Sakura about the nutritional value of potato chips. Choji was under the distinct impression they were full of chakra enhancing nutrients, much to Sakura's horror and dismay.
Harumi and Anko, who for some godawful reason were placed on the same team together, were devising a plan to effectively castrate their third teammate: Sai. He had recently decided their hair colors were far to obscene and distracting and they should consider dying it a more suitable color. The easily enraged woman, clearly did not take the unintentional insult lightly.
The rest of the clan leaders had assembled as well in the back of the room, surveying their children and comrades making mortified glances. Occasionally wording was thrown around about the fate of the shinobi world and how it was doomed by their children's idiocy.
Tsunade sat at her desk, drumming her finger nails as tick grew ever present as she cursed her shinobi. How had she ended up with a such an incompetent, idiotic set of elite shinobi she would never know or understand. Shizune sighed next to her, sweating the sight of her leader growing more and more irritated, as she softly suggested everyone settled down. Shocker to no one, none of the shinobi heard her and those that did, didn't care. Tsunade's fist landed on her desk and a crack was made, but the room suddenly came to a dead silence. "That's better," she muttered as she nursed her growing headache with a gentle temple rub.
"We are in an alliance with the other great nations to face the Akatsuki. It seems as though they have an army of nearly one hundred thousand amassed. We will be meeting in the Land of Lightening as soon as possible. Pack up your belongings and leaving within the next five hours. I will be sending other deployment orders to everyone else within that time. They leave at dawn. Everyone is dismissed."
They all padded out slowly, while several figures stayed back: Hana's team, Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Inoichi, and Shikaku. The turned to face the Hokage in front them and she sat down and eyed them for a moment. "You are all my top tacticians. Team Erito," The three grimaced at being referred to that un-ironically. "You will be sent on a specific mission once we are there. Sources say there are reincarnated beings joining the battle forces. It is your job to stop the source. Do you understand?" The three nodded. She glanced at the five remaining in front of her. "Shikamaru, Sakura, and Sasuke. You three will be strong leaders among the forces. Your titles are still being discussed, but be aware. And Shikaku, Inoichi, you two will be in charge of strategy and intelligence respectively. Do you understand?" They nodded. "Now, get out of my office."
Hana paced out of the office and immediately went home to make arrangements. It appeared as though the twins may need Maiya after all. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and Kakashi gently placed a hand on the small of her back. "They'll be alright without you. They're good kids."
Hana sighed and smiled at Kakashi, taking his hand from her back and holding it. "Yeah, I know. I just didn't think I'd be going to war anytime soon, ya know?"
"Such is life as a shinobi."
Hana shrugged. "Such it is."
The trip to lightening was as long as it was exhausting. It rained the entire way there. Nothing is worse than carrying an already heavy load while it's raining, for three days. Hana sighed as they entered the headquarters and she tossed her cloak onto a nearby chair. A stone jonin greeted them and handed the three of them a room key. Apparently teams of three were sharing apartments until they were deployed. "Dibs on the shower," Hana snarled as she twisted her braid, wringing it out.
As Hana headed into the shower, she slumped against the wall, allowing the water to pour down her sore body. She sighed and stretched out. The worst feeling in the world is when you know the next few days will be brutal and you don't know when the next time you'll have a shower will be. Then you shouldn't be a shinobi, she sighed. She mentally stuck her tongue out at her inner self. It wasn't like she didn't know that, but it still sucked.
She went to turn off the water when the door opened. Poking her head out, she saw Kakashi walk in, mask off and shirtless. "What do you think you're doing?"
He turned to her as he tossed the towel from his shoulder to the sink. "Saving water," he quipped as he stepped into the shower with her. Hana, now backed up against the wall, shook her head and went to slip around him, but found herself chest to chest with him as he nuzzled into her neck. "And spending alone time with my girlfriend…" Hana sighed as he kissed her neck, practically purring.
"….Kakashi…Itachi is right…" His lips crushed into hers and she readily kissed back. Frankly not giving a damn if Itachi was in the next room. It was Itachi's fault they were together anyway, as far as she was concerned.
"…Itachi is getting dinner, we have about thirty minutes," Kakashi teased into her ear. The look she gave back could have made his heart skip a beat. With her brows raised and that damn adorable, but sexy smirk, he was about ready to just her bones. And she was gnawing the inside of her lip, good god.
Itachi hadn't felt like child in what he deemed probably a good twenty years. One does not become a chunin at six and feel like child very often. Hell, he wasn't sure he had ever played tag, in the traditional sense of course. However, in this moment, he certainly felt like a childish younger brother as he remembered a distinct complaint among his academy mates from his childhood.
"My sister and her boyfriend always make so noise and we share a wall for god sakes," A particularly annoying green haired girl sighed, snapping her gum.
The brown haired boy next to her, leaned back and rubbed his temples. "Well at least you don't share a room which a brother you proclaimed he will take every kunoichi possible."
In those moments, he had been four and not quite understand what was happening. However, at the ripe age of twenty-nine and pretty sure he was being tormented the same way those eleven year olds had. He wouldn't say he considering Kakashi he older brother necessarily, that spot was saved for Shisui. The man was closer to a mentor than anything. But Hana was the closest thing he had ever had to an older sister and in typical Hana fashion she excelled at everything, so naturally Itachi was sure his ears would begin to bleed at any moment now.
Finally, the water turned off and he heard them rustling to exit the room. Despite the torture they had put him through for the past five minutes, he thought it might have been worth it to A. finally catch Kakashi without a mask and B. For the mortified look on Hana's face.
"You said thirty minutes!" She immediately scowled at Kakashi, pounding on his chest angrily.
Itachi shrugged, frowning. "I walk fast." As his two older teammates shoved through their clothes he ran his fingers through his hair lightly. "It's not like I haven't seen you two in a compromised state before. You're fine," he lied through his teeth.
Hana, now fully clothes in her pajamas sat next to Itachi on the bed, snatching a container. "Yeah, but we weren't exactly quiet, I mean-"
"Hana, just stop talking," Kakashi sighed, sitting on the second bed and taking a container of the tempura, frowning. He hated that stuff, but assumed it was punishment for allowing his younger teammate to…yeah.
Mouth full of a dumpling, Hana turned to Itachi. "Hear or see anyone while you were out?"
Itachi nodded. "Most of the Konoha elite are arriving. I saw from other villages as well. The Kage are all posted up in the meeting rooms already with Shikaku and Inoichi."
Hana sighed and leaned back, pulling out her book of cross words. "Interesting." The scene which unfolded was one of pure typicality. Itachi leaning against the headboard, nose deep within a dark black novel with no title or pictures on the cover. Hana, with her head on his stomach, attempting to do a crossword and cursing every two minutes or so. Kakashi, sitting calmly on the second bed, reading Icha Icha Paradise, again. Kakashi or Itachi would occasionally throw out a crossword suggestion to Hana and she would frown because they were always right. For a moment, things were normal. Hana had her two best friends with her and in her mind there was no war, or anything threatening the very existence of their world. Alas, moments like these never seem to last more than a few hours.
A goose suddenly poofed into the room, honking. Itachi practically rolled off the bed and scowled at Hana's annoying summon. Hana glared at Itachi, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Thank you, Gertrude," she smiled softly as she took a note from her.
"You had to pick the most annoying summon in the world, didn't you?" Kakashi sighed, closing his book.
Hana frowned. "Geese are misunderstood, Kakashi. They're a little rude-"
"Like you," Itachi interjected, earning him a gentle whack on his shoulder.
"But, they prove to be loyal and quite intelligent," she glared toward Itachi. "Like me." The smirk on both of her teammates faces was enough to tell her a jab was coming so she quickly continued. "But, if you care to know, the kids are doing well. And they want us to kick ass and take names." Hana smirked, sounded like her kids.
Hana sighed as she ran through the trees for a short time with Kakashi and Itachi. This mission was painfully difficult, locating Kabuto was going to be near impossible. The man could literally be anywhere. They had no starting point to track him. The woman growled inwardly, she was awful at tracking. She was good at assassinating people and spying. Her teammates were better at it and she had a personal vendetta to settle with the book-worm snake bastard, so she understood the mission assignment, but her head hurt from racking it so hard.
"Hana, pulse your chakra," Itachi ordered, relatively far ahead of her at this point. The woman scowled, why? She did it anyway and was shocked to feel a chakra she recognized. Harumi and the twins certainly were not in that direction. Then it hit her, Kabuto had harvested her chakra. He wasn't using just letting it lie around, he was using it.
"Found him," she suddenly sent an enormous amount of chakra too her feet, picking up speed. "Let's disembowel the bastard." Kakashi smirked, that was his girlfriend.
Itachi appeared discontent for a moment as a crow appeared on his shoulder. "The forces are experiencing difficulty with the reincarnations, severe difficulties on the coast and there are at least two reanimations ten miles ahead of us."
Hana scowled. "Even if we encounter no other enemies we're still nearly eight hours from Kabuto's location, with enemies, we're talking a full day without recuperation time."
Approximately ten miles behind Team Erito, two figures bounded through the trees, their black and purple hair flying behind them. "They're pretty close," the purple haired one announced, pulsing their chakra.
The black haired one nearly toppled over with excitement, eyes blazing red. "We'll be there soon."
Itachi made a small hand gesture and his teammates came to screeching halt, crouching a battle position. Two shinobi walked below them and Hana nearly fainted at the sight of undeniable curly black hair and red eyes. Her breath caught, and at seeing the twitch in her to move Kakashi was behind her with a tight grip on her wrist, shaking his head. 'Too fast, don't move,' he signed quickly to her.
Hana felt a uprorar of emotions and silently cursed her level of caring these days. However with a mental kick and a now consistent gnawing on her inner cheek, she had surpressed the emotions as much as possible. She inclined her head slightly to Kakashi as he loosened the grip of her wrist and raised her brows at Itachi. 'Formation B,' he signed quickly. The two nodded at their youngest teammate and whirred into action. Hayate Gekko accompanied Shisui on this journey. Both were fast and fierce jonin, Hana snarled inwardly, this was going to be one hell of a fight.
Hana took a kunai from her pouch and bloodied it before nodding to Kakashi. The man took one of his own and threw it in the direction of Hayate, it was swiftly blocked by Shisui as Kakashi landed among the two of them. "Kakashi," both jonin noted flatly.
Shisui's face slowly descended in a hopeful look, knowing the man's usual teammates. "You're not alone?" Despite sounding like a statement, Kakashi knew the man was questioning where his cousin and wife were.
Kakashi nodded. "But, with different teammates," he noted and thanked the mask he wore for helping his lie so effortlessly. "It is unfortunate to inform you, Hana is…not here…"
Shisui scowled. "Where is she? And Itachi?" Itachi leapt from the tree, landing in the most delicate fashion. He smiled softly at his cousin, with a gentle nod. "Itachi!" The elder Uchiha cheered, subtly being his finest quality.
"Hana…suffered major injuries on our last mission. She's unconscious and in Konoha," Itachi said, his emotionless face, scowling. Hana's heart felt crushed at her husband's face, but before he could register them all four jonin were battling aggressively. Hana watched the battle unfold and scowled, not able to take aim in a manner she would have liked. She needed to get both jonin in one fell swoop or else she risked the entire thing. Alas, Kakashi and Itachi could not organize themselves quite yet. She gripped the kunai, grimacing at the wounds inflicted among her two teammates. Finally she saw it coming, Kakashi and Itachi were leading them in. Three…two…her kunai flew a second earlier to account for the speed of the two individuals. And she nailed it. The two immediately turned in the direction of the kunai and Hana leapt down from the trees hands already formed the signs.
"Hana…" Shisui said, breathlessly, and it certainly wasn't from running. Hayate gave her a small nod and she returned it as she paralyzed the two men. "Good work, dear."
"Thank you, love," she smiled softly. "Hayate, we'll be sealing you first. We'll set your soul free as soon as possible."
With a small hack, the man nodded. "Understood. Good to see you." Kakashi took out a scroll and the man was sealed within minutes. Kakashi went to turn to Shisui, but Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait," the Uchiha jonin ordered as he summoned a crow. Shisui smirked as the crow made eye contact with him. "Release it, Hana." With a tentative glance, Hana released it and Shisui ran toward her, she braced for the blow but was picked up and swirled.
"I knew you'd have taken care of my eyes, Itachi." Itachi shrugged and one would dare say blushed. The approval of his cousin was one he always relished it because he knew he meant it. Shisui turned to Hana and tilted her chin up as he placed her on the ground. "I don't think I've ever seen you look so speechless." He kissed her lightly.
Hana broke the kiss and smirked at him, one hand on her hip, and another entwined with his. "Well excuse me for not expecting my dead husband to show up to war." There was a light rustling above them, and Hana turned to see two figures she expected to be anywhere, but here.
"Mommy…" The purple haired one gasped, wide eyed at the sight of Hana's death glare.
However, it didn't last long because the black haired girl caught sight of the strangely familiar man holding Hana's hand and all eyes fell on her. "Daddy…" she whispered softly as tears welled up in the corner of her eyes.
A/N: Ugh, I love this chapter. Part of me just wants to write a bunch of one shots about super bland fluffy Team Erito moments. That's probably why the chapters have had so much random fluff lately (which I love, personally, since I feel like I make the story a little dark sometimes). Anyway, I hope ya'll enjoy!
Reviews are greatly appreciated! :D
Also if you're looking for a good crack-fic (Cause damn, do I love a good one): Go check of Love Lockdown by Lady Silvamord and thank me later (it's ItaSaku, so if that's not your thing be warned. Alas, even if you hate ItaSaku, the concept is hilarious).
Thanks for reading!