The book looked the way he always remembered it; back in the days when it had sat on the kitchen countertops beside him while he watched his mother prepare meals. The pages were splotched with soup and batter and grubbied fingerprints; the cover a well worn shade of blue leather that had taken a beating from hot pans and dull knives. His mother's swirling, squished handwriting filled the pages from cover to cover and Kakashi smiled. He'd considered asking for it back plenty of times, knowing that the Inuzuka clan would make nothing of it, but there hadn't been a need for it until now.
"Boss?"
"Mmm?"
Kakashi glanced down from where he was cross legged on his kitchen table, meeting the concerned furrow of Pakkun's brow. The pug jumped up onto the wooden table, sitting casually beside Kakashi to rest against his thigh.
"You've been staring at that book for a while. Just thought I'd make sure you were still here."
Kakashi's father had kept everything hidden; after a Konoha flag had been pushed into his hands by the solemn faced Hokage. Kakashi had awoken one morning to find all of his mother's belongings purged from the home, no sign that she had ever existed bar the cup of tea on the windowsill, cooling there where his father had silently left it. It hadn't been until his teens that Kakashi had found her things, shut away in a rented storage locker in the civilian district, the rental finally running to its end. He hadn't kept much of it, too many things no longer tugging at his memories with fondness. But he hadn't been able to bring to be rid of it all, tucking the things he did remember into the safe hands of the Inuzuka, for him to view whenever the mood struck him.
He brought himself out of the meandering train of thought, bringing his attention down to the pages, flicking them under his palms until he smiled, the warm memories curling deep into his chest. He'd stopped by the market for groceries before coming home, arranging them carefully into the now clean refrigerator. Maybe paying a group of genin to clean it had been overkill, but it no longer smelled oddly sour and was a nicer shade of white than the day he had moved in, so perhaps it was worth it.
Sakura wasn't due to arrive for at least another hour, which gave him plenty of time to prepare dinner and try to avoid thinking about what he had seen in the Uchiha compound today. He would tell Sakura; she deserved to know about this, she had somehow ended up tangled in this disaster as much as he was.
Kakashi settled a kunai into the folds of the cookbook to keep the pages open, remembering the slap of his mother's hand when he had tried to use one to slice the eggplants in his youth. The memory tugged a smile to his cheek as he began, digging through his cabinets -maybe he should have paid the genin to organise those too, where did all these bento box lids come from?- to find two large pots. After rinsing the dust from them, he poured oil into one and set it on the burner before preparing the broth. His mother had always liked to experiment with food, leading to more than one dinner out in Konoha after a kitchen disaster.
"So-" Pakkun began conversationally, plopping himself on the floor beside Kakashi's feet and in optimal range for catching offshoots of vegetables.
"Not taking love advice from a pug," Kakashi reminded him, "Or any of you for that matter," he added when he saw Bull perk up from across the room. Pakkun licked a stray drop of soy sauce of the floor.
"Was just going to say that you never made any of the other women dinner before. Sakura's special, right?"
Kakashi sighed and set the knife on the counter, abandoning the daikon and eggplant he was slicing in favour of staring into the wide, earnest eyes of his ninken.
"...yes." he admitted softly, "She's special. She's different. This entire thing I'm doing with her... it's different. Is that what you wanted me to say?"
Pakkun bopped his head gently against Kakashi's calf; a mimic of the first thing he had ever done as a puppy when Kakashi had been told to see which ninken had taken to him. The gesture had continued through the lives together as a peace offering, or a comfort. Saved for special occasions when Pakkun wanted Kakashi to know that he was there for him- on his side.
"Just want you to be happy. And you seem happy with her."
Kakashi retrieved the knife and sliced into the eggplant, smiling behind his mask as he watched Pakkun wander out of the kitchen and into the living room to join Bull on the couch. His ninken might be nosey, annoying, and bull headed; but they meant well. Even if he had an inkling that their concerns were also for the future of their sausage habit being enabled. He returned to his cooking, glancing from the ingredients to the recipe page with each step, carefully recreating the meal he had watched his mother make so many times before. He knew Sakura was arriving not by the feel of her chakra, but the sudden rise and bumble of his ninken clamouring for the door. He heard the gentle rap of fingers and he called out over the ruckus of his ninken, throwing the kitchen towel over his shoulder to turn the eggplants in the broth before pulling two plates down from the cupboards.
"Kakashi?"
"In the kitchen."
Sakura peered around the corner, smiling as she navigated her way around the pile of dogs scrabbling for her attention.
"Hold on, hold on," she laughed, almost tripping over Guruko, "Pack leader first, those are the new rules."
Sakura dropped her bag on the countertop, where it landed with a disturbingly loud thunk for the way she had it slung so casually over her shoulder. She stepped into Kakashi's space and caught his jaw in her palm, catching the mask between her fingertips to pull it down and drawing his mouth down to hers in a long, deep kiss. His hands settled easily into her waist, drawing her close and holding her firm. When they parted, Sakura shook her head and brought him back for another kiss, deeper and needier than before.
"Bad day?" he guessed when they broke apart, Sakura resting her head on his chest with a content sigh.
"Ugh. You could say that. You?"
Kakashi thought of the tunnels. Of the sharingan images in Genma and Shizune's apartment glaring up at him. Of Danzo and the suppressive weight that shadowed over them.
"I've had better. This morning though, that was definitely not bad. Highlight of my week, even."
Sakura blushed, the soft pink climbing her cheeks and into her hair. She shoved an errant strand behind her ear and glanced over his shoulder, clearly trying to change the subject in front of the ninken.
"Is that eggplant agebitashi?"
"Mmhmm, ready in a few minutes. You can now turn your attention to my incredibly spoiled pack of dogs,"
Sakura laughed and sank to her knees, immediately piled up by his dogs, all clamouring for her scratches and pats; their voices overlapping as they each tried to speak.
"Everyone calm down, I'll make sure I get to all of you. Bisuke goes first because he's a new father and he need some pampering."
"Spoiled," Kakashi murmured under his breath as he loaded the plates and set them on the table, filling two glasses with water and leaving two empty sake cups beside it. He waited for Sakura to finish lavishing his dogs with attention, pressing a kiss to each one of their heads before she rose from the floor and grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry, they're just all so sweet."
"To you they're sweet; with me they certainly have their moments," Kakashi reminded her, narrowing his eyes at the pack when Sakura turned her back on him to wash her hands. The get out we're having a romantic dinner in his eyes was hopefully implied, and he breathed a sigh of relief when Pakkun took the initiative to herd the rest of the ninken away.
Sakura dropped into the seat across from him, hair pulled up and away from her face and her eyes wide as she inspected the plate before her.
"If this tastes even half as good as it smells, I am never cooking again. Itadakimasu!"
Kakashi echoed her sentiment, bracing himself as the first taste hit his tongue and his chest constricted. Not quite the same as his mother's, missing perhaps a little of her flair and tendency to go off recipe- even her own. But it was there.
"This is amazing," Sakura breathed, stuffing another slice of eggplant into her mouth with a noise of happiness, "I've never had eggplant agebitashi this good before."
"The recipe was my mother's. She would make it for me whenever she returned from a mission."
Sakura's eyes softened at the corners and she smiled, reaching out to drag the tips of her fingers over the back of his hand, "Well where was this magical recipe when you were on dinner duty for team meals, ne? I can vividly recall some of your so-called meals."
Kakashi snorted into his soup, "Why slave over a stove when Naruto compares everything to ramen? Besides, I'd, ah, I'd not had the book until today."
The confused look that passed across Sakura's face made it obvious she wanted to ask, but Kakashi beat her to the punch.
"My father handled his grief by getting rid of anything that reminded him of my mother. When it came into my hands, I didn't know what to do with it, so I left it with her family. They don't mind me taking things back every now and then."
"You've got-" Sakura cut herself off, but Kakashi already knew where her words had been leading. You've got family?
"Yes," he said easily, reaching out to squeeze her hand in the hope it would calm the flood of red that had filled her cheeks. There were a lot of things he had never broadcast about his life, personal or otherwise, and it hardly surprised him to know that in the coming week- months- years of this relationship, there was going to be a lot that Sakura would learn.
It was what couples did.
"The Inuzuka clan was incredibly accommodating when I requested that they take my mother's things and allow them to be stored in her childhood home. It seemed the right thing to do at the time."
Sakura's face was incredibly expressive, he noted as he watched her eyes narrow in confusion; then her mouth open and close several times; then her eyes widen before she pursed her lips.
"Wait... your mother was an Inuzuka?"
Kakashi chewed on his slice of eggplant, but nodded. Sakura was frowning now, chopsticks poised over her plate as she blinked in confusion.
"That's not in your file. That should be in your file. Why is that not in your file? Inuzuka genetics have specific needs and risks associated with aging. You're more susceptible to certain diseases. There are tests the Inuzuka need annually! Kakashi! Why is that not in your file?"
Kakashi's lips quirked at the edges and he set the chopsticks down, reaching out to take her hand and stroke his thumb against it, unable to hide his amusement at her concerns.
"It isn't in my file because I don't have Inuzuka DNA, which makes it irrelevant. My mother was Inuzuka only in name, you don't need to worry."
Sakura's posture relaxed, though her grip on her chopsticks held firm and the glint of suspicion hadn't left her eyes. She likely still thought he was ducking out on some kind of Inuzuka specific medical checkup.
"Oh."
He watched her fidget with her chopsticks, but she didn't ask for any more information. Gai's advice still lingered in the back of his mind and he poked gently at the eggplant, finding the best way to explain it to her. That had been that purpose of this entire evening, though he hadn't known it until the recipe book was in his hands. Sakura had always been an open book to him, for the most part. She had her secrets, but Kakashi had never met someone without. He wanted her to know him as well as he knew her, and the best way to start with that had felt like telling her about his family.
"My mother was an orphan from one of the villages destroyed shortly after the war. When it became obvious that the village was going to be under attack, shinobi from Konoha were sent to rescue the villagers and bring them beyond the gates for safety. A lot of the villagers got out, but not before a lot were captured. Mostly women and children. Almost the entire Inuzuka clan was sent out to find them, anyone who had a ninken or could control a ninken was ordered to leave the village and bring back the people. After a week they had found almost all of the missing villagers, save for about a dozen. Konoha was short on shinobi for the front line, so they were ordered to return to the village. But one of the dogs refused to come. Said it could smell tears and it would track the scent until they found whoever it was. It took three days, but they found my mother hiding under a fallen tree, somewhere in the south of Fire. She hadn't eaten in days, she had barely enough water, she was only seven. She had escaped the shinobi who captured her by setting fire to some trees as a distraction. The ninken brought her back to the village on his back, and when Konoha confirmed that she had no other family, she was registered to the orphanage and placed on the list of villagers to join the Academy. That was the custom back then. But when the ninken who had found her heard she would be sent to the orphanage, he begged his owner to take her in. He'd spent almost a week tracking the scent of her tears, he'd been able to smell her emotions every step of the way. She was adopted by the clan and decided to become a kunoichi anyway, but at least it wasn't something she was forced to do. She had an impressive bond with the ninken, eventually she became one of their main trainers for the clan, up until her death."
Sakura, who had sat quietly through his explanation, sucked in a deep breath and squeezed his hand.
"That's why you have the ninken," Sakura said, "I always wondered why you were one of the only people allowed to have the Inuzuka dogs, but that makes sense. Thank you... for telling me that."
Kakashi shrugged one shoulder and hoped it conveyed something aloof and casual instead of betraying the surge of anxiety in his stomach. It wasn't as though his history was shrouded in secrecy, but to share it so upfront and open was unusual for him.
Sakura, despite his attempts, seemed to see there was something off about him and smiled, "How are the ninken puppies? Bisuke looks dead on his feet."
"They're progressing faster than expected for ninken puppies; they've already shown signs of chakra usage and they're bonding with the kids already. A few of the other pups from other litters as well. It's the biggest puppy pack the Inuzuka have had in a long time, which is good considering how many kids from the Inuzuka clan are planning on starting at the Academy once they're of an appropriate age. We think there's a pup you might like, once they're ready to leave Hana. I can take you next week, if you'd like. She'll be a bit of a handful but you'll have me and the ninken to help. The sooner you meet her, the better your bond will be. You'll also have to name her, it's tradition."
He didn't try and hide the pride in his voice- he never did when it came to the ninken. Seeing the light in Sakura's eyes when he mentioned one of her own made it even better. He went back to his food, but looked up when he felt Sakura's eyes on him and didn't hear the clatter of chopsticks on china.
"Yes?"
Sakura propped her chin in the flat of her palm and smiled, wide and bright and drowning out any cobwebs of anxiety that rattled around in Kakashi's chest.
"I like you." she said, eyes crinkled in the corners and her nose scrunched ever so slightly.
Kakashi offered her a soft laugh and kicked her gently under the table. Sakura slid her bare foot gently along his calf and hooked her ankle around his.
"I like you too, Sakura."
The couch wasn't the ideal place for kissing. It wasn't ideal for much, really- the middle sank a little and the pillows were more often than not covered in a layer of dog fur- but kissing was something that was definitely better done in other areas; especially with the way Sakura's hands were determinedly working their way up under his shirt. He shifted his hips, legs falling open to easily accommodate her into the space as she brought her mouth to his stomach, peppering kisses along the slant of his hips and the flat of his abdomen. She had hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants when Kakashi heard the sound, the loud, indignant coo from somewhere right beside his head.
"Gyah!"
Sakura jumped back as Kakashi flailed, her hand grabbing a kunai tucked sensibly in a thigh holster while Kakashi pulled one from the space under a couch cushion. A large, sleek, black bird was perched on the lamp with a scroll tied to its leg. It tilted its head at them, making another loud coo followed by a screech.
"Yeah, I get it. Come here you stupid thing."
The bird stepped back out of his reach and Kakashi sighed, ignoring Sakura's smothered giggle. The bird flapped it's wings and Kakashi pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose.
"I'm sorry, that was rude of me. Please, may I have the scroll."
The bird extended one leg and let him gently remove it before it fluffed itself importantly and flew off, disappearing out the open window. Kakashi glared after it, glancing down at the scroll and offering Sakura an apologetic smile.
"It's probably Jiraiya," he explained, unfurling the parchment and confirming his suspicions. The tunnels were going to be explored again by Tsunade's people, and his presence would be required for access. He would be assigned to the mission but as a non active participant. In a hastily scrawled post script, the phrase I hope the bird didn't interrupt your evening. Don't worry, it can't talk. He sighed and re-rolled the scroll, turning to find Sakura watching him with an amused smile.
"Not the animal I was expecting to intervene this evening," she quipped, fingers dragging through her mussed pink hair, "Nothing bad, right?"
Kakashi shook his head, not wanting to go into the gritty details of the day when he could still taste the sweetness of her lipgloss on his mouth and her scent was pressed into the folds of his clothes; but the moment was already broken and now would be as good a time as any.
"Jiraiya came looking for me today, about what Yuuto said..."
Sakura listened intently as he spoke, clear surprise in her eyes when he revealed the existence of the secret tunnels, likely there since the very beginnings of Konoha. By the time he had finished, she was frowning and shaking her head in disbelief. There was no telling how long Danzo had been using the tunnels to bring people into Konoha, how many times it had happened right under their noses. Sakura shook her head one last time and reached for her bag.
"Since the mood has been killed," she said apologetically, "I figure I'll tell you about my day."
She started telling him about Hinata coming to the hospital, about her theories that trying to make Tsunade seem unfit was also trying to manipulate Naruto into losing faith in her and possibly defecting.
"I know it seems crazy-"
"No crazier than anything else we've been seeing lately," Kakashi remarked dryly.
"-But it just seems weird, you know? I'm going to sort something out with Hinata, maybe bring Ino into it too. I need to run it by Tsunade first, but... I just don't know."
Kakashi nodded in understanding, his eye lingering on where her hand was clenched inside her bag. She followed his gaze and dipped her head.
"Another reason today was so hard was this... Tsunade sent me everything they found in Danzo's attic that was relevant, as well as things about Orochimaru that might be relevant to the situation. This is one of his journals that Sasuke traded for lenience, I.. I tried looking through it but... Anyway... the stuff in here, Kakashi... it's..."
Kakashi didn't need to look to know what she meant. He had seen first hand what some of Orochimaru's failed test subjects were like; had read enough reports, and Sasuke's own recollections. He took the book anyway, flicking it open and gritting his jaw.
"I've seen a lot of awful things," Sakura admitted softly, "but Orochimaru was something else. These ideas, these experiments-" she broke off and shook her head, "I've known for a long time that he was unhinged, Sasuke never said anything outright but he didn't really have to. But to see all of this is... unsettling."
Kakashi thumbed through the pages, keeping his face set as best he could. His shinobi career had been longer than Sakura's, and even he was struggling with some of the things detailed in the book. He had thought he knew, but even this was beyond the scope of what he even thought possible.
"Orochimaru was too smart for his own good, he always thought he could do everything better. It consumed him past what a rational human being should think." he said quietly, closing the book and placing it gently on the floor.
They lapsed into silence, Sakura now hugging her knees to her chest on the couch with her chin rested atop them. Kakashi rose to his feet, grabbing her hands and pulling her gently to her feet.
"Before this incredibly rude avian interruption, I think we were about to have an excellent time."
"About to?" Sakura echoed with a delicate arch of her eyebrow, "That implies we weren't having an excellent time before."
"You're absolutely right, my mistake. I meant to say that we were about to have an exceedingly excellent time, after already having had an excellent time. Slip of the tongue. Won't occur again."
Sakura laughed and pulled him down for a long, hard kiss. She pushed him back, angling them both in the direction of his bedroom.
"Good save."
Godaime Hokage,
I'm sure you will be understanding of my current situation. In my years I've learned to be wary of any situation that could cause myself or my villagers harm. Regrettably, I'm unable to make my way to Fire Country at this time, but I'm sure you can agree Iwagakure would perhaps be more palatable regardless. You and a small group of chosen shinobi are welcome at the gates of Iwa at your leisure for civil discussions. You may bring an ANBU Guard if you feel it appropriate. Please notify me of your intent to travel as soon as possible so I may make the necessary arrangements and precautions.
"Feels like a trap." Jiraiya commented as he shoved the scroll back in Tsunade's direction. She nodded absently, watching as TonTon trotted over to sun his belly in the late afternoon rays that were spilling through the open windows.
"It's definitely a trap. But if I don't go, that sends a message."
"Walking directly into a trap and getting yourself killed doesn't do much good though, does it?"
Tsunade scoffed and examined her nail beds, "That man couldn't kill me if I had one hand tied behind my back. I'd more likely end up with my reputation ruined and my position of Hokage removed, and then we'd end up at war."
"Well at least you've got a plan," Jiraiya remarked dryly, clearly ignoring Tsunade's eye roll.
"I know it's a trap. He knows I know it's a trap. The question is, how smart of a trap is it? Will he come down with brute force? Unlikely. Will he wait until I'm within Iwa's limits before he organizes some kind of situation that leads me to seem like an unfit leader- or a war mongering tyrant? Or is he just going to overwhelm me with sake in the hope I drunkenly reveal my secret, nefarious plans? If what Naruto said about his conduct at the Hokage Summit is correct, the Tsuchikage believes I'm conspiring to do some terrible things; he's not concerned I'm going to start a war, he's concerned I'm going to start one and win it. Men like him flourish in war time. They sit up on their high pedestals and send their shinobi out like cattle to slaughter, waiting for the weak to surrender so they can make demands and seem like a hero for ending a war that never needed to be started. Whatever it is he's trying to do by dragging my name through the mud isn't going to be any clearer until I can talk to him myself."
Jiraiya hated when she was rational, and it showed all over his face. Knowing she almost had him convinced, she continued.
"I'll visit the Tsuchikage and see what I can do. Anything I can manage to get out of him will be helpful right now, regardless of the risk. Besides, I doubt he would be so forward as to have me attacked on his own soil; after making such a fuss about me at the Kage Summit no less. I'll arrange for the Guard Platoon to escort me, perhaps a few jounin."
"And me." Jiraiya added, clearly trying to leave no room for debate. Tsunade patted TonTon absently on his belly and shook her head.
"I need you here to oversee everything. You're the only one who knows everything, other than Kakashi, Sakura and Shizune and they've all got other things to keep themselves busy right now. The Guard Platoon are capable, and I'll make sure to alert both the Mizukage and the Kazekage of my travel; in the event anything does happen, they are Konoha allies and will be able to offer support."
She could tell Jiraiya was unhappy by the tick of his jaw, but even he had to see the strategic advantage of her plan. The Tsuchikage would be expecting her to bring her closest confidants, well known by now to be the last holder of the Sharingan, a poisons expert, the best medic in the shinobi world, and the other remaining member of the Legendary Sannin. There would be multiple opportunities for things to go wrong when they were corner out of their own territory, too many things that could occur as 'tragic accidents' on the journey. The Guard Platoon would be no surprise to the Tsuchikage, but there was no way she would be able to leave the village without them.
"While you're here I'll have you working with Yuuto, he's our biggest lead right now if I can't get the one we found in Danzo's attic to talk. He knows more than he realises, we just need to ask the right questions. I've arranged for him to have a trial some time in the mid summer, if we can get anything else useful from him his chances of being freed are even higher, and he's a good kid, I can see it in him. For me I have him under observation with Ibiki but they're under my orders to interrogate without force. I also want you to interview the hospital staff in this pile," she motioned to the pile of staff files she had accumulated in her search for the spy, "I can't have Ibiki or his men scaring them off just yet; you can be subtle enough. Right now I'm thinking our cover story will be that we need to upgrade some of our medics and nurses to higher security clearance, and we're scouting for candidates. It's not a complete lie, and it will explain the intense evaluation. Same for non medical staff, say that we need people to sort and archive confidential medical scrolls. Make a note of anyone who seems too interested."
Jiraiya was nodding, already leafing through the files and sorting them into smaller piles. She tapped her fingers on the desk and sighed.
"Shizune is still working on the Sharingan we have in our possession, as well as keeping tabs on anything Danzo related. We weren't able to get an identification on the missing nin from Earth Country that attacked Sakura, but Shizune received word from the Kazekage that one of the men was identified as a missing nin of theirs. Average levels across the board in his academy days and defected sometime after becoming chuunin. Barely. No word on what his movements were for the last five years but we are still looking for any potential connections to Danzo or the village. Sakura will have her hospital duties, though I'd be an idiot if I didn't assume she would be sneaking around with Hatake looking in those tunnels and doing her own research. Keep an eye on them, will you? Those two with their noses to the grindstone could kill us all."
Jiraiya smirked, "I'll do my best to keep them in line. I'd feel more comfortable with you going if we had some plans in place. Can you reply to the Tsuchikage, tell him you're planning to leave in a week's time? I'll get some poisons ready for you and the Guards, just in case."
"Fine, but no later than the week. The journey there is already going to be a nightmare, the sooner I leave the sooner I can be there."
Travelling as the Hokage was different than travelling as a shinobi. Her movements would need to be carefully monitored, a route established before they left, with a backup plan to the backup plan prepared. Ground movement only, no soaring through tree tops unless they came under attack, which could double the time it would take. With the political business of the visit, she'd be expected to bring an offering from Konoha, likely an array of their medicinal herbs. She'd have Shizune design a bundle; something useful but not extravagant. With no reason to get there as fast as possible as she would with a mission, there would need to be pre-planned stops along the way for her and the shinobi accompanying her to rest; villages only, the entirety of an inn booked out if necessary. When she arrived, the lodging provided by the Tsuchikage would need to be swept for security, her food would need to be tasted before she consumed it. Her beverages all tested for poisons.
And she would need to be diplomatic to a man who openly detested her position as Godaime Hokage, and had reasons to suspect she was a tyrant trying to kindle a war that he didn't necessarily acre about starting, but cared that she would have the upper hand.
Fantastic.
"Jiraiya, I'm tired. Whatever this thing is, it's taken over my life and this village and I am well aware that these are the things I signed up for when I took on the title of Hokage but I'm starting to miss the days when we were the ones causing all this damage and not having to deal with it."
She let her head drop onto the cross of her arms as she listened to Jiraiya's soft laughter. This was her job, and damned if she didn't want to protect this village until her dying breath, but sometimes you just needed a break. For the longest time, she had been one of the smartest and strongest, with little care about the people who had to clean up after her. Maybe this was karma.
She heard the pour of sake and smiled as the tiny cup was pressed into her hand. Jiraiya nodded his head in the direction of the balcony, the warmth of evening air teasing the curtains to reveal the first beginnings of sunset on the distant horizon. She kicked her feet up as soon as her back his the chair, cracking her toes and knocking off her shoes.
"Twenty minutes, then I have to go and interrogate the man from the attic. He woke up this morning so he should be mostly coherent by now. But until then, let's talk about anything but all of this."
Jiraiya settled in beside her, thigh to thigh and their elbows knocking.
"... Kakashi and Sakura huh?"
Tsunade laughed, head tipping back against the wicker of the chair, "Not the first pairing I'd have seen coming, but not the strangest. They certainly complement one another, don't they?"
Jiraiya nodded in agreement, "He's mellowed a lot since I last saw him. She's not quite as hot headed as you," he winked and knocked back the sake before pouring another, "they're a good match. Hopefully it's a spring wedding, you look fetching in pink."
Tsunade smacked her hand against his arm and wiggled her toes with a sigh, "don't be marrying off my apprentice just yet; Shizune is already on her way there once Genma manages the courage. Besides, she might not look it but Sakura is just as wary about commitment as Kakashi is, much as she might not seem it. I give it at least five years before anything quite that dramatic happens."
Jiraiya raised one eyebrow, "Care to bet on it?"
"Mmm and what are we betting? You don't have any use for my ryo, you make enough on your own."
"If they get married in less than five years, you'll be my date to the wedding."
Tsunade smiled softly, watching as the glow of the setting sun limned Jiraiya in gold.
"And if I win?"
"I'll be your date."
He winked and Tsunade laughed again, nodding and flicking the glisten of a tear from her eyes. When her giggles subsided, she reached over to squeeze his hand.
"Maybe with Hatake getting his head on right I'll be able to take a vacation. He can watch over Naruto and I can go away for a while. I've heard the Hot Springs in Snow Country are nice this time of year. Would be a shame to go alone."
Jiraiya gently touched the rim of his sake cup to hers before raising it in the air.
"It's a date. When this is all over, we'll get away. Live like tourists. I've always wanted to see it when I'm not on a mission and having to hunker down in bolt holes and skulk around in the night."
Tsunade dropped her head, letting her cheek pillow on the swell of his bicep as they looked out over the village.
"When this is all over," she echoed in agreement before gently bringing her cup to his, the gentle clink of porcelain getting lost in their soft chuckles.
The sun painted Tsunade in burning orange-gold as she made her way to the outskirts of the village, letting the warmth catch her face one final time before she descended into the underground tunnels, the stale air a stark contrast to the cool breeze that had kissed her cheeks. The jounin on guard bowed respectfully, offering her a report without her having to ask.
"Shizune-san monitored him as soon as he awoke. Some confusion, but he seems to have a general understanding of his injuries. He hasn't spoken since he woke, and he's made no attempts to escape."
Tsunade nodded her thanks before letting the door open, standing in the doorway for a few moments until she felt the prisoner's eyes on her. She lowered herself into the chair beside the bed, watching the way his eyes tried to track her, wide and terrified even with the sluggish pulse of sedation.
"You're safe here," she said calmly, both hands placed in her lap so he could see them, "Do you know where you are?"
The man's jaw clenched, eyes darting from stone wall to stone wall, flicking to the restraints before landing on Tsunade impassive stare. When he didn't speak, Tsunade continued as though there had been no lull in conversation.
"You are not a prisoner. Yet. I'm willing to surrender you- unharmed- to the Tsuchikage if you answer my questions. If you don't wish to return to Iwagakure for fear of punishment, your assistance could be considered worthy of stopping your extradition to Earth country and allowing you a trial. If neither of those options appeal to you, I'm willing to let you handle this by yourself. I'll remove you from these drips, and then I'll let you try and fight your way out of here. I'd make sure you're aware, though, that I'm currently throttling your chakra. You've been in an induced coma for several days now, and your body has been fed only liquid nutrition; and even if you do manage to get past me – which you wouldn't – there are guards outside every door in this place, and these tunnels wind around for miles in every direction." she smiled, watching as the man's tightly curled muscles flexed, before slowly relaxing, "So... let's start over. Do you know where you are?"
"...Konoha,"
Tsunade nodded, touching the tips of her fingers together, "Were you working under the command of Danzo Shimura?"
He frowned.
"Yes."
Tsunade crossed one leg over the other, already knowing that this interrogation would likely take a while. But she had nothing but time.
"Was Danzo Shimura acting alone?"
The man opened his mouth, only to cough and retch violently, pulling uselessly against the restraints with wet, rattling gurgles. Tsunade blinked, making a note on the scroll beside her.
"I suppose that's a no."
The man gave her a dark glare, spit and snot gathering in the corners of his lips as he bared his teeth. Tsunade pursed her lips. Navigating gagging curse seals was difficult, but not completely unheard of. It took time, and patience, stumbling around the find the minuscule borders of what question could and couldn't be answered.
"Were you involved in the exhumation of a body within the gates of Konoha?"
"Yes."
"More than one?"
"Yes."
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched upwards, "Anyone important?"
The man laughed, "No one from this village is important."
Tsunade rolled her eyes, "You know you're much less happy to see me than you were when we saved your life. Being shackled in the attic is hardly as comfortable as your current situation, and it also makes me feel as though you weren't working for Danzo Shimura, you were kidnapped by him and were forced to do what he wanted. Which has been, apparently, digging up bodies in my village. Did you come to Konoha for Danzo, or did he make use of your... skills... after?
There was a pregnant pause and Tsunade could see the shinobi weighing his options. Hoping it would tip him over the edge, Tsunade looked down at her scroll and began writing aimlessly, keeping herself relaxed and seemingly uncaring.
"If you weren't already aware, Danzo Shimura is dead. That would be why he left you in that attic, if you were wondering,"
The man twitched slightly at the mention of the attic and Tsunade made another note on her scroll.
"I didn't come here for Danzo. I entered Fire Country to get away from Iwa nin chasing me; Danzo found me after."
"Did he know who you were?"
"Yes."
"Were you forced to help him?"
"No. He offered me a deal."
Tsunade paused in her writing, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible when she replied.
"Did that deal involve you being chained and starved in his attic, or...?"
The man grit his teeth, "No. I did something he didn't like."
"Which was?"
The man choked again, spittle and froth coming from his mouth as he gagged and heaved. Tsunade waited until it had subsided before switching tracks in the interrogation.
"When the Tsuchikage reported you missing, you were wrongly identified as a civilian, preventing anyone who did manage to capture you unable to kill you on sight. And he sent a full squad after you; why would the Tsuchikage be so concerned about you returning unharmed.?"
She had her own opinions, but the question was begging to be asked. If she was going to walk into a trap with the Tsuchikage, she wanted to be in his head a much as possible before she did it. The man laughed, head shaking side to side.
"You're smart. You tell me."
"I'm asking you."
The man sucked his teeth and smirked, "I was about to go on trial for grave robbing and experimentation... you know how much you can learn from a dead body? The things you can do to a dead body? Lots of things. I know how to do a lot of things, and maybe I'm the only one who knows how to do them. If you write things down, you make yourself useless, don't you? If the only place the knowledge lives is in your head, people got no choice but to keep you alive."
Tsunade nodded slowly, "So you're saying that the Tsuchikage wants access to something you learned, and you wouldn't give it to him. He threatened you by arresting you and putting you on trial in the hope you would swap information for your life, but you ran. He wants you alive. He needs you alive."
"I'm not saying anything," the man said stubbornly, and Tsunade smiled knowingly.
"But I can... infer, perhaps. That unlike Danzo, the Tsuchikage didn't offer you the right price for your knowledge, and then had you; rightfully, might I add, arrested for your crimes. But he realized when you escaped that your knowledge could be invaluable to him."
The man pursed his lips, eyes shifting away from her as though he suddenly wondered if he had said too much.
Tsunade smiled.
Sakura nodded in acknowledgement at the shinobi moving silently around her home, pushing the gate open with a screech that ripped through the silence of two am. She could have stayed at Kakashi's, the ninken had assured her as she quietly extricated herself from Kakashi's sleeping form; curled around her where they had fallen asleep together, the long day of exhausting emotions overtaking them. As much as she had wanted to stay with him, promise of potential morning sex or no, her early morning shift wasn't going to be pleasant in yesterdays clothes and sweat.
Sakura caught the movement of Ino up in the far right window, shadowed in darkness. Her being awake wasn't surprising; working night shifts at the hospital had given them both the circadian rhythm of a permanently exhausted pigeon. Maybe they could have a cup of tea and Sakura could unapologeticly dish out an appropriate amount of details about last night. She pushed open the door, stepping widely out of habit to accommodate Mr, Wiggles's sudden desire to wind round her legs as soon as she stepped inside. When no heavy weight landed on her ankles, she frowned and made soft kissing sounds, trying to peer into the darkened living room. Mr. Wiggles liked to get so entangled in her feet that she had almost been taken down by him more than once; to not have him at least attempting to climb her for food was unusual. She heard the scrape of drawers upstairs and stepped inside, leaving the door open to coax the cool night air inside.
"Are you two finally getting along?" she called to Ino, assuming Mr. Wiggles had finally charmed his way into Ino's room, the only area in the house he had thus far had no access to.
Ino didn't reply, only kept rummaging around in something in the distance, the slap and bang of cupboards being open and shut without finesse made Sakura laugh.
"Stop whatever you're doing up there and get down here. I've got details,"
Sakura set the kettle on the burner and turned, her stomach rushing to her knees when she watched Ino step in from outside, running a hand through clearly mussed hair and scratching absently at the trail of stubble burn that was blossoming on her neck.
"Hey, Forehead. You're up late- where are you going?"
Sakura took the stairs three at a time, kunai already gripped tight in her hand as she skidded into the second level, hearing the thundering footsteps of Ino behind her, her own weapon at hand and asking no questions. The door to Sakura's room was ajar, as was Ino's. Sakura could see papers strewn across her floor, her dresser drawers upended of clothing and personal effects. Ino's room was seemingly untouched, but Sakura had been a shinobi long enough to know that didn't mean nobody had been in there. She gestured a silent hand to Ino, who responded with a sharp nod. Their home had very few places to lurk unnoticed, something Sakura had noted immediately the first time she purchased the house. It was what she liked about it, the ability to sleep at night knowing that nothing could be lingering away, unseen.
Sakura swept her room, Ino close at her back to protect her blind spots. The floor was a disaster of papers and clothes, tchotchke and medical supplies. But it was empty. Ino's room yielded the same result, though Sakura watched Ino scan it with a critical eye, looking for even the slightest item amiss. They didn't let their guard down even when the house had been swept in its entirety, Ino still wound tight at the shoulders and Sakura's brow pulled tight. Someone had been in her home, someone had heard her enter and continued to rummage through her things without a care, only fleeing when they likely heard Ino arrive.
The bathroom window had been opened from the outside with a tanto blade, Sakura had surmised from the damage around the outside frame. It had been left open in the intruder's haste to leave, likely due to the two storey drop to the ground not allowing time for subtlety. Child's play for a capable shinobi.
"Tsunade isn't going to be happy," Sakura said tiredly, rubbing at her eyes and remembering how, only an hour ago, she had been curled and warm and in Kakashi's bed. Ino nodded, eyes sweeping the garden outside the back door, arms folded over her chest. Mr. Wiggles had waddled his way inside only minutes earlier, fur tangled with sticks and leaves from the bushes outside but otherwise unharmed; and was now lounging on the floor, licking absently at his paws.
"What do you think they were looking for?" Ino asked.
Orochimaru's notebook was burning a hole in the bag at her feet, and Sakura knew it was the most likely target of the break in. There was nothing else in the house that would be worth stealing, at least not if this person was tied to the current situation.
"I have an idea, but I can't-"
"I know." Ino said softly as she placed a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder. Shinobi had secrets, it was the only way things could work. If Sakura told Ino everything, it would be another person dragged into the chaos.
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered, meaning it with her whole heart. Ino's gentle shoulder punch lifted some of the weight from her conscience, but the deep settle of guilt still lingered.
Ino decided to stay until whoever was overseeing the guard rotation arrived, in the event she was required to make a statement of any kind. The shinobi guard working had arrived ten minutes after their sweep of the house for the regular check up, coming to the door when they saw it ajar and the house illuminated in every window. He'd looked uneasy when Sakura had relayed what had occurred, likely due to the fact he would need to alert Tsunade and this had happened on his watch. The two women had settled into an uneasy silence, neither moving far from their weapons and each other. It felt like an eternity before there was a crunch of feet in gravel and Sakura looked up to find Genma in the doorway.
"Are either of you injured?"
"No, they never came anywhere near us," Sakura assured him, though she saw the way his eyes still raked over her and Ino, critical and inquisitive the same way Shizune would. When he seemed satisfied, he nodded to himself and pointed out the back door, out over the garden.
"Area around the block has been swept, no sign of anyone and nobody saw anything. Whoever it was got out of here pretty fast, but Tsunade-sama's ordered a check of the village. I'm on my way out there to meet up with the team, I came to let Ino know she's free to go, someone will be by to take a statement in the morning. If she's not up for sleeping here, Tsunade-sama offered her a room."
"I'm going back to Shikamaru's," Ino replied, hands wrapped around herself, "But I'll give her my thanks next time I see her."
Sakura made a face, "Tsunade-sama's awake? Or did you wake her up to tell her all this?"
Genma offered her a half smile, "Her orders. If anything out of the ordinary happened at your house she wanted to be notified. She's on her way over to talk to you."
"Oh no."
Ino decided that was the moment to make herself scarce, pulling Sakura into a tight, warm hug. Sakura clung back and clasped Ino's hands when they pulled apart.
"I'll talk to Tsunade-shishou and see if I can tell you everything tomorrow, okay?"
"I trust you, Forehead," Ino replied, giving their hands a reassuring squeeze, "I know you've got my back, just like I have yours. I'll see you in the morning. Come by Shikamaru's if you want, I talked him into buying the apartment with the spare bedroom when he moved out of Naruto and Chouji's place. Be safe, okay?"
Ino nodded to Genma, who summoned a shinobi with a snap of his fingers to escort Ino to Shikamaru's. It wasn't far, but Sakura felt a weight of concern lift from her chest that her friend wouldn't be alone. She looked to Genma, who was still scanning the garden with a critical eye.
"You can go, you said you needed to meet with your team?"
He nodded, a ghost of a smile on his mouth as he made no move to leave. It clicked in Sakura's head almost immediately, and she rolled her eyes.
"Shishou told you not to leave me here alone, didn't she?"
"Yep," Genma replied, popping the last letter, "And while I know you could take out pretty much anyone with an arm tied behind your back, she made it a direct order from my Hokage and I'm not in the habit of disobeying those."
"I'd hope so," came a voice from outside, clearly amused, "Given that you're my personal bodyguard."
Genma straightened and gave Tsunade a respectful bow, which she waved off with a snort, "You're dismissed. Sweep the city, let me know what you find. I suspect it'll be nothing, but I'll sleep better knowing it was done."
Genma bid his goodbyes, slipping out the door without a sound. Tsunade leaned in the doorway in her pajamas, a matching pair of cotton pants and camisole patterned with sake cups. She had a haori far too large draped around her, a dark shade of red that made Sakura raise an eyebrow.
"Nice pajamas." she remarked.
"Nice cat. Looks familiar." Tsunade replied, gesturing down with a finger.
Sakura looked down at where Mr, Wiggles was inspecting Tsunade's feet, sniffing curiously before butting his head against her ankles.
"Ah-"
"Save it. Make us some tea."
The kettle had long since boiled over, but Sakura refilled it and busied herself with the tea, Tsunade had arranged herself in one of the chairs, engaged in a staring competition with Mr. Wiggles.
"I interviewed the man from the attic today, I'm able to confirm that Danzo was working with someone, and that someone is still running loose in my village. And apparently rummaging through your bedroom drawers."
"He talked?" Sakura replied in surprise. Tsunade nodded.
"He surrendered the information willingly, and he will now be under the protection of Konoha for the time being. There are some... other information points he was able to provide that might make him incredibly useful in the future. But based on what information the gag seal did and didn't allow him to provide definitely leads me to believe that Danzo had another partner in crime."
Sakura set the teacups on the counter, watching the steam rise and curl as she cupped hers between her palms. The night wasn't notably cold, but there was something the warmth of a cup of tea could provide at any time that brought comfort.
"What do you think about them?" Tsunade asked, letting her teacup rest onto the table with a gentle clink. Sakura frowned, concerned that she had missed part of the conversation while briefly lost in her own world.
"Mmm?"
"This person. Danzo's second in command. We practiced profiles, didn't we? During your interrogation training. Look at the evidence we have, we're assuming all of this work- the gate attack, the attack on the border, Danzo's murder, the missing shinobi- it's all one person. Tell me about them."
Sakura worried the inside of her cheek, giving Tsunade a look that she hoped clearly exuded are you serious right now? When Tsunade kept watching her over the rim of her tea cup, a ghost of a smile on her lips, Sakura sighed and scoured her brain for whatever she could gather. One thing had been sticking with her since the beginning, becoming worse with every new event.
"They're cocky," Sakura said, shrugging one shoulder before folding her arms. Tsunade scratched behind Mr. Wiggles' ears and tilted her head.
"Not confident?" she countered casually, pouring herself another cup of tea.
"No. Confidence would have been hearing me come home and staying silent, continuing to look for what they wanted and then leaving. There was no way I'd not find out they weren't Ino; even if Ino hadn't come home when she did, I'd have gone upstairs for her or noticed in the morning that she wasn't home. They knew I'd find out, and they stayed here and made as much noise as possible. They snuck out at the last minute. They wanted me not just to know they were here, but that they didn't find me a threat. Cocky."
The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched upwards and she gestured a hand, go on.
"Kakashi's medical file was wrapped in a bow when it was left on your desk, dropped off without anyone noticing but placed right where you would see it and know your office had been infiltrated. They're taunting you, letting you know that they're a step ahead. That they aren't scared of us catching them because as far as they're concerned, they're smarter than us. Our ANBU team was lead directly into that trap along the border; we played right into their hands without even realizing. They set multiple traps right outside the gates and went unnoticed. They're smart. And they know it."
"Anything else?"
Sakura hesitated, not wanting to make too many assumptions but being unable to ignore the gut feeling she had.
"...I think it's a man," Sakura admitted, "Danzo wasn't fond of women, even kunochi. Especially kunoichi. He always believed that women in the shinobi force was a bad idea, so I doubt he would have been working so closely with a woman this entire time. But," she amended, "It might have explained why he didn't see his death coming. He would have likely assumed a woman wasn't a threat, making it easy for her to murder him."
Sakura hadn't been surprised to find out Danzo had been cleverly murdered, she had been surprised when Tsunade sheepishly admitted that she had considered Sakura a potential suspect. It had almost been flattering, in a way. She set her tea cup down and rested her chin in her open palm.
"I still think it's a man though. Maybe someone Danzo felt he was stronger than, somehow? He wasn't someone who threw trust around lightly- look at his ROOT members. So for him to have a second in command I would bet a mission paycheck that we're looking for a male shinobi; young. Smart, cunning, but cocky. Reckless. And maybe weak somehow, physically. You told me that Danzo wasn't in the best physical health; he would never work closely with someone who had obviously more power than he did. They've got leadership qualities, likely well travelled if they managed to bring missing nin from other countries under his control. Angry, but not impulsive or irrational. All of this has been so meticulously planned; all of the people he's killed have been quick and clean; he's happy to leave people alive. He's... he's so smart..."
She trailed off awkwardly, meeting Tsunade's eyes when she finished and finding her smiling across the table.
"That was good," Tsunade praised, "it will definitely help us narrow down the kind of person we're looking for. Any other thoughts?"
Sakura frowned, looking out the window at the sprawl of her garden, leeched into monochrome by the moonlight.
"It feels personal," she admitted softly, remembering the footprint in her garden; the men as they chased her through the forest. Konohamaru's body staring blankly up at her. Kakashi's broken, beaten body after the kidnapping, staring open mouthed at her as she shook brain matter from her fist.
Tsunade hmmed quietly.
"When someone comes after your village, your friends, the people you love," she said, delicately tracing the rim of her teacup with a single finger, "It's always personal."
A/N- So, I considered not writing a note because I am high key ashamed of how long it took me to get this chapter out. Long story made incredibly short- things sucked for a while. But I'm doing okay now.
To everyone out there, I hope you're safe. To anyone who has lost loved ones, or their job, or been at home for days without their usual mental and physical health helpers, my heart goes out to you. Every frontline worker out there- you're so incredibly valued. For everyone who has had special events cancelled out post phoned, I'm hear with you (Cancelled wedding buds 2020)
I really have good intentions to keep up on this now, I'm in a good place for writing and I've already got the skeleton for the next chapter going.
If you're interested, I do keep a Spotify playlist for this fic of things I listen to when I'm writing, you can find it by searching Whiskey Blair in Spotify.
x