"Ibiki," the Hokage greeted as the burly Jounin made his way in front of his desk. The bigger man's mouth was set in a thin line, the crease in between his brows looked deeper, more pronounced than it already was. Immediately, Kakashi is on alert. The man before him rarely smiled nor show emotion but the way his limbs moved in a stiff, almost robotic way had Kakashi concern. Ibiki locked the door behind him.
"Hokage-sama, there's something that you would want to know," Ibiki said gravely as his hands clenched on his sides.
Kakashi nodded once, his whole attention now focused on the man standing before him, "Tell me."
The Jounin looked down for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, and Kakashi was suddenly wary of what news the famous interrogator will bring. He knew Ibiki to be a firm person, always ready to face challenges and deliver important news no matter how grim. The Ibiki standing before him now, however, looked so unsure of himself and he looked… he looked ashamed.
When the Jounin finally raised his face to look at him, he had put on his hard mask, one that Kakashi is more accustomed to see.
"Hokage-sama, we have noticed some suspicious activity made by Yuki ninja Sota Miho while he was with the captured rebel," he said firmly.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow in confusion. The incident with Miho happened more than a fortnight ago. Why is he only reporting it now?
As if reading his mind, Ibiki answered his unspoken question, "I only noticed it now since we were so absorbed with trying to listen with what Miho was saying, in case he says or whispers something. We never paid much attention to his fingers or his eyes."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed in apprehension, his shoulders tensed, "Can we please get to the point, Ibiki?"
Ibiki ran a hand down his scarred face, looking ashamed again for a moment before speaking, "Miho, while interrogating the prisoner, kept on tapping his fingers and blinking excessively. We dismissed it at the time as a nervous tick, maybe even a weird mannerism of his. But, one of my subordinates made a discovery earlier this day that rhythmic tapping and blinking can be a secret language devised to convey a hidden message," Ibiki explained.
Kakashi's eyes widened marginally, "So, you're telling me that this Miho might've been communicating with our prisoner via tapping and blinking?"
Ibiki nodded affirmatively, "That's our current theory. Perhaps Sota Miho was passing a message, maybe even a threat, to our only lead in this situation that caused him to spontaneously kill himself so that he would not be subjected to a Yamanaka mind-reading."
"Miho is out there with the search team with Yamato. We have to take him to custody immediately," Kakashi announced as he reached for his mobile phone and dialed Yamato's number.
The Hokage ran a hand through his hair as he listened to the incessant ring on the other line. Miho is out on a search today, together with Yamato and there's so many escape routes that he can take to avoid capture. They had to arrest Miho soon and bring him in for a thorough investigation and mind-reading by Ino. All this time, their enemy had been right inside their walls and they never knew better. Even with all the tightened security and more ninjas deployed as roving guards, he was still staying inside the village and he, probably, already knew intimate details about Konoha's security.
For all they know, he might have a plan ready to set in motion.
Yamato didn't answer his phone and Kakashi swore out loud before dialing his number again.
"Come on, Tenzo, answer your goddamn phone," Kakashi muttered through gritted teeth, his tone tensed and his fingers tapping anxiously on the edge of his desk. What if he already made his move? Unbidden, his mind wandered to the state that their hospital is in. If Miho is really an ally of those rebels that they are after, it's not far-fetched to think that he had already passed along the information that a huge portion of their ninjas are incapacitated and their medics and doctors already have their hands full at the moment. Even Tsunade was called for help because they can't handle the large number of patients that's in dire need of treatment.
His mind was already running a mile a minute. If Miho already made contact with those criminals, then they could be making preparations by now for an attack. Considering the village's current state and the accounts made by his shinobi about their assailant, Kakashi theorized that they are severely ill-prepared for an attack made by at least 30 S-Rank criminals. Though Naruto is in Konoha, Kakashi still had to make sure that they never made it inside the village walls to ensure the safety of the civilians and minimize the number of injured ninjas.
Worst-case scenario is that they're already setting their plans in motion and they're already inside the village.
The call to Yamato didn't come through again and Kakashi resisted the urge to throw the mobile phone across the room and shatter it to a million tiny pieces.
"Fucking hell, Tenzo, answer your phone!" he exclaimed as he dialed the number again. It may be viewed to be unprofessional as a Hokage to curse and swear in front of his subordinate but he couldn't help it; he's so aggravated right now and Yamato is still not answering his fucking phone.
A long beep resounded from the other line, an indication that the phone was either turned off or Yamato rejected his call.
Kakashi pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at the screen in bewilderment, "What the hell, Tenzo?!"
"Hokage-sama, Yamato might not be answering your call is because of that," Ibiki spoke, his voice tensed and tight. Kakashi looked at the Jounin, who was pointing at something behind him. The window?
He turned his chair to look at what Ibiki is pointing. He almost wished he hadn't.
About three kilometers from the village walls, a circle of trees was incinerated and turned to ashes. Judging from the manner that the trees burned, it was apparent that this was caused by an explosion. From where Kakashi is, he would guess that the explosion would have covered a radius of 15 feet. There's still a thick cloud of black smoke coming from the site of the explosion and, from his position by the window, he can't see if anybody was hurt.
For a moment, Kakashi couldn't think of anything, his mind went blank and halted its previous task of over-thinking. He stood up on shaky legs, taking unsure steps toward the window and there he stood, his fingers sought out the ledge of the window. His mind suddenly showed him steam rising, a common effect that happens when a Fire Style Jutsu was countered with Water Style. He saw a cloaked figure running towards him, holding a katana and a metal rod. He saw the crackle of his purple lightning. *
"Kakashi," Ibiki's clipped voice broke him of his weird daze. He blinked and turned to look at his longtime friend.
"Kakashi, now's not the time for you to space out like that," the Jounin scolded lightly, " We need you right here, right now. We await your orders."
Kakashi blinked again and swallowed. That's right, he thought as he spared a second to compose himself, I am the Hokage. It's my responsibility to keep this village safe and everybody in it.
"Gather every able-bodied shinobi and the ANBU. We can't allow this rogue group to enter the village. We'll meet them on every possible entrance in the village. Have someone to organize our ninjas. The ones with minor injuries and half of our Genins who are now well enough will evacuate the villagers and keep guard of the evacuation centers, as well as keeping guard of the walls. Tell the villagers that it's merely an emergency drill, so as to not cause panic. Instruct the other half of Genins and the injured ones but can still fight will have to keep the hospital safe. I have a feeling that we'll need every single medic safe and ready to treat the injured ninjas. Also, instruct them that if they ever see any of the Yuki ninjas deployed in our village, they are to be kept alive and brought into custody. We don't know for sure if that Miho still had allies inside the village," Kakashi instructed as he removed his Hokage cloak and hat. Kakashi felt guilty of having to push his remaining ninjas to their limit but, right now, there's no other choice. They have to make do with what they currently have.
He can only hope that Sakura, Tsunade and Shizune still have energy left once the fighting is done.
Shizune!
"Are you going out there too?" Ibiki asked, temporarily halting Kakashi's trail of thought.
He nodded, "Yes, I'll be there. I'll be with you in a moment, I just have to make a few calls."
The Jounin nodded and left the room in a rush, ready to carry out the orders that was given to him. Kakashi sat down on his chair and opened the bottom drawer of his desk, revealing the red, velvet box on top of the classified and confidential papers and he felt bravery and courage rush to his head. It's now or never.
Picking up his phone, he dialed Shizune's number. It took a few rings but she eventually picked up the call.
"Hi," she said and Kakashi can almost imagine that gentle, tired smile on her face as she answered.
"We might be under attack now," Kakashi said bluntly and straight to the point.
She gasped, "What?!"
"We spotted an explosion about three kilometers from the village and we think it was caused by the rogue shinobi. I already gave Ibiki instructions to not let them enter the village to keep Konoha safe from them," he explained.
"What can we do? Do we need to come with them? Some of the surgeries are now done, I'm sure we can spare some of the medics to come and -"
"That's not why I called, Shizune."
She paused, "Why did you call, then?"
He took a deep breath, "I'll be going with them. I'll be in the vanguard."
"What?! Kakashi, do you know what you're talking about?!" She exclaimed.
"Yes, I know. It's dangerous but I'm the Hokage. I can't be lounging around my office while my ninjas fight to keep the village safe," he retorted.
"I never said anything about you to relax in your office! What I'm trying to say is that you don't have to be vanguard!" She argued back, her voice rising.
"And what kind of Hokage am I if I don't lead my ninjas to battle?" he asked, a note of amusement in his voice despite their precarious situation.
"A wise Hokage," Shizune retorted.
He sighed, "You can't stop me."
"I can think of ways."
"Like what?"
"I won't let you sleep with me for a month."
He still had the energy to chuckle, "I have a very high possibility of dying and that's what you came up with?"
"Don't say that! You're not going to die because you will not be in the vanguard!"
"I didn't call you to ask for your permission to be in the van."
"Then what are you calling for?!"
This is it.
"I love you, Shizune," he said, his voice firm and unwavering, "I love you so much that I can't think of anything else to say. You know I'm not the best person when it comes to verbal communication but I'll try my best. I love you because you stayed with me even though I lost the memories that we had together. I love you because you're so damn patient with me and you understand my quirks and weird behavior. I love you for accepting me - as a man, as a ninja, as a Hokage, as your lover. You've seen me at my absolute worst and, yet, you didn't run away. Instead, you stayed by my side. I love you for simply being you and I can't imagine myself without you in my life."
Shizune sniffled on the other line, "Oh, Kakashi..."
"I love you," he almost whispered.
"And I love you too, you idiot! Did you really plan on confessing your feelings this way?!" she exclaimed on the other side.
He chuckled and glanced at the clock. He's been talking to her for the past 10 minutes. He had to hurry.
"Not really. There's one more thing I had to tell you," he said as he took the box on his fingers.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice high-pitched from crying.
"Will you do me the honor of being your husband?" Kakashi said, words tumbling out of his mouth in a rush.
There was silence for a long time on the other line and Kakashi was afraid the she hung up the call already.
"Just so you know, I didn't plan to propose this way, either," he said with a nervous chuckle, "I really do have plans to propose in a more romantic setting for the both of us."
Kakashi was, once again, met by silence. He was about to pull his phone away from his ear to check if she hung up on him when she finally answered.
"Yes, Kakashi. I will marry you," she answered quietly and Kakashi released the breath he didn't know he was holding and he felt tears gather in his eyes.
"It may not sound like it but you just made me the happiest man alive. Thank you, Shizune," he replied, his voice thick with emotion. A tear escaped his eye that he quickly wiped away with his free hand.
"Please take care of yourself out there, Kakashi," she pleaded, "Please, please keep yourself safe and come back to me alive. We still have a wedding to plan."
A lump appeared in his throat and he almost choked. The last time he faced one of the rogue shinobi, he almost died and they both know that. Nothing is sure in the life that they lead.
"I'll try my best," he choked out instead.
"That's not good enough! Promise me you'll come back alive!"
"Shizune, you know there's not certainty -"
"I don't care!" she exclaimed and, to Kakashi's ear, she sounded desperate, hysterical.
He sighed quietly, "I promise I'll come back." But there's now certainty that I'll be alive.
She sighed in relief, "Thank you, Kakashi," she exhaled, " Take care of yourself out there. I love you."
Even though they're in a very dangerous situation, Kakashi still felt warmth bloom from his chest and spread a fire throughout his body caused by her words. God, how he loved this woman.
"And I love you," he said reverently.
*for context, i am referring to the events that happened in chapter 1 of the fic :)
Guys hang on! We're almost finished waaaaaahhhh!