When Neji woke up the next morning, Gaara had already gotten out of bed. Since returning to Japan, Neji was the one who was always awake first. He also noticed that there were two packed bags in the corner of the room. Feeling uneasy, he got up to search for Gaara, hoping he didn't decide to run without telling him. He only relaxed when found Gaara in the guest room, praying at a small altar with an offering of a bowl of tangerines.
Quietly, Neji left the room as to not disrupt him, going to the kitchen to see their new "house manager" creating what looked to be bentos. What was his name again? Latif?
Seeing Neji, the man bowed, once again going a bit too far and making Neji a bit uncomfortable. "Um, good morning."
"Good Morning, Hyuuga-dono."
Dono? That was quite out of date. Plus the man was older than him, making it even more awkward. "Hyuuga-kun is fine…"
"Is Hyuuga-sama okay?"
"Uh…sure." Knowing Kankuro, he probably demanded the young man to show a certain level of respect to him and Gaara. This was the first one trying so hard though. Previous servants would do their best to remain unseen and interact with him and Gaara as little as possible. Neji glanced at the table, seeing manga and textbooks on the table, some opened and marked with highlighters and notes in the margins in Arabic. Even now, he was studying.
A thick silence followed, staring at each other until the young man went back to his work making lunch.
This was going to take some getting used to, Neji thought.
Thankfully a few minutes later, Gaara entered the kitchen as well, only briefly looking at their new helper before completely ignoring him in favor of sitting next to Neji. All the vulnerabilities from the night before were gone but was replaced with a hard cold edge Neji hadn't quite seen since they started to be around each other.
Placing his elbow on the table, and resting his chin on his fist, he looked at Gaara with a small gentle smile. "You're up early."
Gaara tried to act indifferent, but there was some embarrassment in his actions as he averted his eyes from Neji just a little. "I got a call… and you were still sleeping…"
Being near Gaara constantly for the past couple of months, Neji had learned Gaara had different types of silences. There was the one he used to keep people away from him and discourage people from talking, the one he used when he was uncomfortable, the one he used when he was being defensive after being vulnerable, and the one he used when he was embarrassed and unsure of how to act.
This one was Gaara's attempt to get back in control, like when he last had his breakdown and clung to Neji after returning from a mission. With Gaara telling Neji about his fear of loss of control yesterday, he had predicted Gaara would overcompensate once he calmed down. So naturally, Neji wasn't going to let him completely climb back into that shell.
"Oh?" he said, a flirty smile on his lips while thinking of the packed bags. "What about?"
Neji's stare was making Gaara more embarrassed, trying hard not to give himself away as he fought down a light blush. He cleared his throat as discreetly as possible, unable to look at Neji directly anymore. "You have a mission in Korea with Hiashi-san. Uchiha and I are supposed to come with you."
That was a surprise. His mind was already working on things he would need to do to prepare and he'd have to call his uncle as well to confirm. Checking his phone had not even occurred to him when he woke up, something his uncle had told him he needed to keep on him at all time. Outwardly, he only said, "Shouldn't you be calling him Oji-san now?"
That did make Gaara lose out to his blush, his cheeks flushing a beautiful red much to Neji's amusement. Was he becoming too addicted to Gaara? He couldn't help but tease him.
Gaara didn't answer him but seeing that crack in Gaara's armor was enough for Neji. "When do we leave?
"An hour," Gaara muttered, still not looking at him.
There were still some things they would have to talk about. The mate business for one, discussions on how to curb Gaara's possessiveness and insecurities, and about Gaara's future. They were not discussions Neji was looking forward to. He may have decided to stay by Gaara's side for life if the mate thing was true, but there was no guarantee he had made the right decision or that his decision had fully sunk in yet. He just wanted to live in this moment and enjoy the bliss of being in a relationship and put off those talks. Especially when he knew Gaara may use those talks to try to break up with him out of fear. No, he did not want to talk about those things, not yet.
Standing, he did something bold, placing his hands on Gaara's shoulders and placing a small kiss on his temple. "I'll go get ready then."
He left the embarrassed Gaara in the kitchen with a large smile, blushing a little himself. He never pictured himself the affectionate type, but apparently, he was a very touchy lover. He was surprised when he felt someone tug on his sleeve, turning around to see Gaara, still looking off to the side in an adorable way. "About our date…" he murmured, trailing off.
Neji watched him as Gaara stopped speaking as if he had lost the words. With this mission coming up their date night was ruined. Was Gaara disappointed? This date was the first thing Gaara ever asked of him, he really didn't want to let Gaara down.
Wanting to tease Gaara a little bit more, he wrapped his arms around Gaara's thin waist, pulling Gaara flushed against him. Gaara's eyes widened, and his skin turned a bright tomato red Neji just wanted to bite into. "Do you still want to go?"
Neji had knocked Gaara off-kilter. He was completely flustered, unsure where he should put his hands, if he should stay or push Neji away, what he should say. Gaara gave a small stiff nod, pushing Neji away a little. How can someone be so adorable?
Neji didn't allow Gaara to put distance between them, holding onto him tightly. "When we get a chance in Korea, I'll take you out. I promise."
"…Okay…"
Neji leaned forward, and whispered, "Anything for you."
"I love you" had been on the tip of his tongue, but at the last second, he stopped and switched It to something else. If he said those words now, he felt he would be pushing Gaara too far. Gaara wasn't ready to hear those words again so soon. It would overwhelm Gaara, and that probably wasn't what Gaara needed right now.
Neji did feel disappointed. He wanted to hear those words from Gaara, wanted a little verbal verification that Gaara was fighting for Neji as much as Neji was fighting for him. He knew Gaara had to put trust in Neji to allow himself to slip, that it was a struggle Neji could not begin to imagine or truly comprehend. How could Neji ever comprehend what it was like to have another being inside his body, constantly watching every move, monitoring every thought, waiting to take his body away from him at the slightest signs of weakness? Gaara was risking his life whenever he laid himself bare for Neji, but on a certain level, it was hard to completely comprehend.
Maybe it was his selfish nature or lack of affection growing up that made him crave to hear Gaara say something more concrete. While he knew he couldn't rush things, a part of him felt things had already passed a point of no return. He wanted to go further with Gaara. He wanted to shower him with more affection. He wanted to just enjoy being in the relationship without worrying all the time about the political, societal, and spiritual consequences and precautions that it all brought on. He didn't want to worry all the time, double guess his every action, wonder if he was doing the best thing or if he was going to break Gaara because he forgot how fragile he could be. He had seen glimpses of Gaara's power, so it was hard to remember that just a few words or actions could completely destroy Gaara's mental wellbeing. It was a lot of pressure. It was something he could handle right?
His face must have betrayed some of his thoughts. Perhaps his eyes started seeing through Gaara, lost in thought, and his loving, gentle smile slowly fell from his lips. Whatever tell he gave, Gaara picked it up responding as best he was able.
Gaara took the initiative, cheeks dark red as he left a small kiss on Neji's cheek. If Neji didn't have him in his arms, he wouldn't have noticed how Gaara trembled ever so slightly, pushing himself far out of his comfort zone. "Wait for me," he whispered ever so quietly.
Gaara left before Neji could clarify what he meant by that. Did Gaara guess what was going through Neji's mind or was it something entirely different?
Whatever the reason was for that small kiss, it did give Neji some reassurance. Gaara was trying. He was trying hard to meet Neji halfway, and it was all Neji could ever ask for, and that was enough for now. Maybe one day, he could ask for a little more.
Neji returned to the bedroom, sitting on the bed with his legs crossed. He had neglected his training yesterday, though he noticed he was low on chakra even as he was reaching for his phone. Gaara had taken a lot from him since he had returned. However, he was not feeling particularly tired. He pondered that question as he checked his phone for messages.
He had missed two calls from his uncle. He grimaced, old memories resurfacing when he saw it. In the past, seeing his uncle's name on his phone always brought negative emotions: frustration, anger, false hope, disappointment. He knew it was no longer the past, that his uncle had reasons for how he treated him, but the distance between them could not be traversed in such a short time.
He breathed in, recalling his training and circulating his chakra. He still struggled to do it on command, but it was getting easier. As his uncle had said, Neji's goal was to be able to do it as easily as breathing, do it constantly without thought, whether awake or asleep. As a hunter there was no day off and never a moment of rest. He needed to remember that when he was with Gaara.
Breathing out, he stabilized his chakra, keeping the flow a constant stream. Once he managed it, he called his uncle back, trying to keep the flow going simultaneously. As expected, the flow wavered, so as the phone rang, he pulled some of his focus to stabilize the flow once more. Was it even possible to do it unconsciously?
"Neji," his uncle answered, his tone disapproving which instinctively made Neji's hackles rise. "What have I told you about always keeping your phone on you."
"Sorry, Oji-sama," he said, feeling a sense of déjà vu of past conversations. The tone was similar. The entire delivery was. In a sense, his uncle hadn't changed. He spoke to Neji the same way, treated him the same way. Neji knowing the reason behind the actions was the only change, which made it difficult to know that something had indeed changed. His instinctive biting remark sometimes reared its ugly head, and he had to suppress it. His uncle was trying to help him, he reminded himself. His uncle had been worried.
He heard his uncle exhale loudly, and there was a pause as neither of them spoke, finally, his uncle picked up the conversation again. "I assume Gaara-kun told you about our trip to Korea. We will be leaving in two hours, but I need you home. Your first mission is to convince Uchiha to come with us. Mission start is in 30 minutes as of now."
Neji blinked, taken back by what his uncle had said. Could that even be considered a mission?
"Do you have time to sit on the phone with me?"
His uncle's blunt statement made Neji recall that it would take at least an hour to run back to the house. Eyes widening in alarm, he quickly responded and hung up, scrambling to throw on some clothes and get into his hunter gear. He barely had time to yell something to Gaara before running out the door, five minutes later.
He had considered asking for a ride, but honestly, the time difference wouldn't be much different. The road had to go around and follow the mountain, increasing the distance greatly compared to taking the direct route through the forest.
He had taken this route a few times already, growing more and more familiar with the terrain each time. He was beginning to know where the hidden dips and crevices were, where trees have fallen that allowed him to jump down safely from higher elevations. Sometimes, when he remembered, he'd use his chakra, making his legs move faster, stronger, and nimbler. He was still clumsy when using it, but when he succeeded, when his chakra was utilized properly, his body felt weightless, like he was flying. His feet felt like they barely touched the ground before pushing off, and when he would land on his feet after a fall, there was no strain on his legs, making him bolder.
Those short minutes when he could control it, he would wonder. How much faster could he go? How high could he jump? How far could he fall? There was a thrill in it. He wanted to push harder. See how much he could handle. How could he not when it felt like he had wings. His uncle could jump to the top of a tree in a single leap. Uchiha could jump off the mountain and land as gracefully as a dancer without disturbing the ground below him.
As his excitement grew, his thoughts of getting home as fast as he could left him as he just focused on the chakra that surged through him. The familiar buzz underneath his skin intensified, but it didn't feel uncomfortable or overwhelming. Neji embraced it. Fed that feeling. Every day, he was more aware of it, felt It steadily growing stronger. His lips curled upwards as he focused his chakra into his feet, as he ran up a tree, jumping off a branch into the air.
Why did this feel so right? Like he was born to do this? Even as he tumbled in the air, changing his center of gravity so he could make the jump into another tree, fear of failing never came to him. The fear of missing the jump, fear of his lack of experience causing his chakra to cut out at a critical moment, fear of overusing it and harming himself, did not exist. It never crossed his mind. He just wanted more. More of everything.
He did eventually have to stop once he reached his destination. His uncle was waiting for him at the border of where the housing started, and the forest ended. Seeing his uncle, Neji's moment of jubilation ended, and the reality that he had to focus on set in. His mood became somber, as he straightened himself and bowed to his uncle showing his respect, missing how his uncle checked his watch with subtle surprise that Neji had cut the hour-long trip by nearly 20 minutes.
"I apologize for being late," Neji said.
"In the future, your tardiness will not be tolerated."
"Yes, oji-sama." Neji was just glad his uncle had left it at that. His uncle was already dressed in his mission gear. A sword was strapped to his back and the Hyuuga clan symbol was sewn onto his left sleeve in silver. His hair was even pulled back into a high ponytail. All in all, his uncle seemed ready to go while Neji still had a few things he had to gather from his room.
He gathered the last of his equipment in a hurry. After the survival training with Uchiha, he had a better idea of what his fighting style was and what he would need. Granted he still couldn't use them well as weapon training had not been the main focus of the Hyuuga clan's martial arts and he was restricted in the past, but he had his own methods of use outside their original purpose.
It only took him five minutes to finish preparing before going to the entrance where his uncle was waiting for him.
Neji had expected to be taken to the Uchiha mansion. As Uchiha had been announced dead on the news and Uzumaki was a wanted suspect, Uchiha could not wander around as he had. Rather, Uchiha was in the archives where Neji had left him a couple of days ago.
"Uchiha is yours to convince," his uncle told him as they entered the building. "I am only here to supervise."
"Right." Honestly, the thought of convincing Uchiha, now that he was about to enter the archives once more, was making his palms sweat. Why was he chosen to convince Uchiha? Uchiha did not like him and honestly, Neji was wary if not a little afraid of him.
Besides the mysterious vampire that accosted him the night Neji found out about Gaara, Uchiha was the only vampire Neji had met and interacted with, and those few interactions were always Uchiha exerting his dominance over him. From polite smiles and friendly words to actively losing his temper and trying to kill him, Uchiha always felt like the predator and Neji the prey. Unlike Gaara, Uchiha, no matter how nice or even civil he presented himself, he never felt human. If Uchiha didn't want to go, how was he to convince him?
His uncle opened the door to the archives, and unlike before, where everything was neat and tidy with only a few books pulled from the shelves, there were rows and rows of books pulled from their places strewn about all over the reading areas. There were mountains of books and scrolls stacked, threatening to topple over. On a few of the tables, where there weren't books, there were laptops set up, all arranged in a semicircle.
The normally put-together vampire was sitting behind the wall of laptops, still wearing the same clothes Neji had left him in. His hair looked like it had hands run through them repeatedly. His face had lost some color as well. The same color of when Gaara was hungry and weakened but intensified. A pasty white with an ashy tint reminiscent of a corpse.
His intense stare and concentration at the screens and texts in front of him made Uchiha more unapproachable than normal, and it left Neji just glued to his spot, wondering how he was going to step into that world Uchiha secluded himself in.
"Hyuuga-san," Uchiha's voice carried in the otherwise quiet room, startling Neji that he was being addressed only to realize it was not him Uchiha was speaking to. Uchiha looked up from the monitors, eying Hiashi. His polite smile didn't appear, but his tone was slightly subdued from its mocking or superior tone he tended to take with others. Dare he say, it was almost respectful. Almost. "What brings you here."
Hiashi didn't answer, looking to Neji. It didn't appear his uncle was going to offer him assistance in accomplishing this mission. He couldn't determine if his uncle was testing him or if there was some rule about interfering with missions that were not assigned to another. Still, this was the second time Uchiha had shown reluctant respect to his uncle. What was their history, he wondered.
Uchiha's eyes followed his uncle's, landing on Neji as well, his expression pulling together with less hidden disdain at his presence. This did not bode well for his chances, and he was starting to feel underprepared and facing an impossible situation.
"Uchiha-san, I hope you are doing well," he bowed, putting on his perfected school smile that had fooled his schoolmates for years. Honestly, he was just trying to buy time, trying to scrape together a strategy. He knew little about Uchiha, so he was trying to deduce from the little he did know.
Uchiha was obviously stressed about something. His prideful appearance had become worn down in the course of a few days and probably had not slept with the number of books that had been flipped through in the short time period. Neji could deduce he was searching for something desperately that was very important to him.
"Hyuuga," he said much less friendly, his tone dropping and quickly turning frigid. "I see you've made your decision to stay." He almost sounded judgmental. "You must have made him quite insecure. The mark he left on you is so strong, it's sickening."
Neji felt his face flush, wishing his uncle wasn't standing just behind him, but the embarrassment was brief. His uncle had told him during their first lesson that being a hunter was half physical and half mental. There was more than just fighting. There was mental fortitude. The ability to manipulate and avoid being manipulated. The ability to deceive without being deceived. Not all battles could be won with strength. There were times like now where words were the battle. Times killing a vampire was not possible.
Vampires were often skilled in the art of speech. They lived long lives and took those life lessons and turned their words into a power of their own. To seduce. To provoke. To keep their prey in their hands and dance the way they liked. They knew how to use the innate fear they caused to draw in or scare off their prey with their words.
Uchiha wanted to provoke him, something Neji had fallen for the last time they spoke. Humiliate him, to exert his dominance over Neji early and make him subdued for the rest of the conversation. But Uchiha was not so put together this time. Uchiha was not flippant or calm, he was anxious and frustrated, likely related to whatever he was searching for. What was he searching for? What was causing Uchiha's lapse?
"I thought long and hard on it and took your advice. I have you to thank for it."
Neji's calm demeanor only made Uchiha angrier. A slight twitch in the lip as if he wanted to click his tongue in annoyance but was not far enough gone to give in to the impulse. "I'm glad I could be of help," he responded with anything but sincerity. "If you'll excuse me, I'm busy."
Uchiha began to sit back down again. Not wanting Uchiha to completely close up again, Neji rushed forward to his side. "You look tired. Perhaps you should take a few minutes break."
There was an unexpected response, a brief murderous glint in Uchiha's eye that froze Neji in place with fear. It was the same look that was in Uchiha's eyes seconds before his uncle intervened during the survival test. Uchiha wanted to kill him over such a simple suggestion? Why?
Uchiha gave him a derisive smirk, putting on those airs once again and sitting back in his chair. "What is it that you want from me?" he asked. "You obviously didn't come for the archives, and I doubt my wellbeing is of any concern to you." With ease, Uchiha was taking control of the atmosphere. The way he spoke and demanded respect, pushing others under him felt so natural and the chakra he exerted was subtle and worked against Neji, pushing him down into that submissive role. It was hard to resist it.
Neji didn't answer immediately, using the fact that Uchiha expected him to be pressured by his presence. And he was. Neji was struggling to not be frightened or subdued by Uchiha. Instincts were not something easily overcome, but he managed by the skin of his teeth and will, taking the time to briefly glance at the monitors Uchiha had been watching. Most of them contained CCTV feeds of roads, the date being a little over a week ago according to the print in the corner. The only monitor that wasn't a camera feed was a map of the Beppu area.
What happened a week ago that would make Uchiha go from normal to more and more anxious as time went on? What else did he know about Uchiha?
"I admit, I came to see you," Neji said. "I was hoping you would come to Korea with us for a while."
Uchiha lifted an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I would ever consider going to Korea with you?" he asked curling his lips. He looked amused, but something told Neji he was holding himself back.
"I can feed you."
Uchiha chuckled, adjusting himself in the chair. "Careless words. Have you never seen a vampire feed?" His smile widened, showing his fangs. "Then again you are a baby hunter barely learning to walk. They even sent a sitter with you."
Neji breathed in trying to not let his anger get the better of him. Uchiha was trying to anger him, he reminded himself. Keep thinking. What else did he know? Uchiha was prideful, vengeful, and patient to get what he wanted. He liked to be in control of the situation. What else could be of use to him? "I can directly transfer my chakra to you. I'm guessing the hunters aren't letting you eat now, right?"
"Transfer your chakra?" Uchiha leaned forward and Neji had to keep himself from taking a step back. "Will your boyfriend be okay with that?"
Boyfriend. That's right, Uchiha was gay by his own admission. Not only that. Uchiha had gotten mad on Uzumaki's behalf, and Uzumaki had been missing since last week. It could explain why he had gotten more desperate as time went on. Especially if Uchiha was interested in him. Or maybe more than interested.
With more confidence, he decided to test the theory. He needed to knock Uchiha from his high horse. "Shouldn't you be asking if your boyfriend is fine with that?"
Uchiha casually tried to lean back, though he was still smiling, his eyes were shining dangerously. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
His words had affected him. Good. "I apologize. I forgot Uzumaki's missing. I guess you wouldn't be able to ask even if you wanted."
In a swift movement, Uchiha went from sitting to standing, grabbing Neji's hair and pulling his head back, exposing his neck. "For a meat sack, you talk too much." Uchiha coldly said.
Hiashi moved to intervene, but Neji subtly lifted his hand to tell his uncle to stop his approach. Neji's heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. Uchiha was teetering on the edge of control. If Neji made the wrong move, Uchiha could be pushed over the edge. Vampires liked their prey afraid. They liked to see them cower. They like them submissive and hated to be challenged. Neji had challenged him, but he could not act the part of prey. He confirmed what he needed to, now he had to backpedal without yielding too much ground.
"You are not the only one worried about him you know. Gaara is looking for him, would do anything for him," Neji's voice dropped a little, showing his insecurity about Gaara and Uzumaki's relationship. "But if Gaara is willing to leave during this time, don't you think there's a reason for it? Do you think he'd leave Japan unless it would help him somehow?"
Uchiha stared down at him, his eyes narrowing. "Hyuuga-san, would you do me a favor and leave us for a few moments. I promise not to harm your ward while you're away." His voice was straining for the polite tone he had before, and he didn't look away from Neji as he asked his request.
When his uncle did not leave, Neji spoke up as well, "I will be okay, Oji-sama. Uchiha and I just want to talk privately for a bit."
Hiashi stayed for a few seconds until he silently left, closing the door behind him. Neither Uchiha nor Neji spoke until Hiashi left, but once he did, Uchiha spoke first. "Your mate left his care to me," Uchiha said darkly, tightening his grip on Neji's hair. "Your mate has no right to interfere with our affairs."
"But you aren't mates with Uzumaki, right? You could always leave Uzumaki, have a change of heart. Would Gaara ever stop caring for Uzumaki until he knows you won't leave him?"
Jealousy was apparent on Uchiha's face, struggling to contain his emotions as his eyes flickered silver. For once, Uchiha and Neji was on the same page. "They have a connection that we can't understand. Gaara won't let Uzumaki go so easily no matter how much I want him to, but can't you use that to your advantage? Use Gaara as much as he uses you?"
Uchiha was silent for a long time, mulling over Neji's words. When he finally answered, he let go of Neji's hair and asked. "What help could he provide me?"
"He has access to Medjay information. If the shinobi doesn't have information, maybe the Medjay do."
"Hm." Uchiha leaned against the table, deep in thought.
Neji smoothed out his clothes, resisting the urge to check to see if his scalp was bleeding. He barely avoided getting killed, but he didn't think Uchiha pass on this opportunity.
Sure enough, Uchiha finally relented, breathing out, his body sagging showing the exhaustion on his face for a few long seconds. Then he straightened himself, put on his aristocratic behavior, and said, "If he provides the resources, I will go with you."
"I think I can arrange that," Neji replied, silently hoping Gaara was willing to cooperate. He wasn't in the position to talk for Gaara, and he knew Gaara would not be happy to ask Kankuro for help. Hopefully, since it involved Uzumaki, he would be willing to help.
"As for your offer to feed me," Uchiha drawled out, making Neji's blood pressure rise with tension. "I'll wait until your mate gives you permission. Offending my benefactor would make our deal worthless, wouldn't it?"
Right, he couldn't imagine Gaara would be happy to agree to that, but he'd have to make it work. "Then we have a deal." Neji extended his hand to seal it.
Uchiha stared at the appendage. Thinning his lips, he shook Neji's hand. Somehow, Neji had managed to complete this mission. Somehow it was easier and harder than he expected. It would only get harder from here. He knew that. Uchiha was at least a reluctant ally to the hunters, even if just temporary. If that wasn't in place, Neji probably wouldn't have been able to get away with provoking Uchiha as he had.
Was it strange to say he was looking forward to the harder challenges ahead? Despite the fear he also felt excitement. Was it weird? Illogical? Was he a masochist? Perhaps. Why else would he willing want to go through all this when others would run away by now.
For now, he had to get ready to go to Korea and somehow convince his jealous lover that he had to help Uchiha.
"Everything seems to be going as you planned." Tobi sat on Danzo's desk, much to the elder's annoyance. As hard as Danzo tried, he couldn't keep Tobi out of his office, and he did try.
Kakashi had walked in on Tobi intruding more than once and would always be told to scold the hunters guarding Danzo's office and estate afterward. Currently, Kakashi was standing off to the corner, watching Tobi walk all over Danzo. It was true, there was nothing they could do to stop him. They never saw him coming until he was in the room and no hunter could forcibly remove him either, leaving Tobi doing as he pleased.
"Have you spread the rumors about the Goro-san's disappearance yet?"
"In due time," Danzo folded his hands. "Everything must be done at the right time."
"I couldn't agree more," Tobi said smiling brightly. "Such wisdom you have at your age," he praised. No matter how anyone looked at it, it seemed patronizing coming from a man who looked to be a third of Danzo's age.
Danzo breathed out heavily. "Any hints on the boy's whereabouts?"
Tobi sighed dramatically. "Not a clue. Itachi-kun's always been a difficult one to track." He gave a sidelong glance to Danzo. "If I had known about the boy's importance sooner, perhaps I could have intercepted him prior to Itachi's interference."
"We hadn't come to an agreement yet," Danzo glared.
"I'm just saying if you agreed to see me sooner—" he trailed off. "Well, c'est la vie, it can't be helped. What's done is done."
Danzo put down his pen, stopping his work to address the vampire that was casually playing with a Rubik's cube while bothering him. "Don't you have something to do?"
"Nope," Tobi replied flippantly, absentmindedly turning the sides of the cube. "Itachi won't let himself be found until he comes out of hiding and the master is still hiding in the archives. Until something changes, I'm all yours."
Danzo looked like he wanted to groan. "I see…"
Tobi began to hum, still incessantly turning the sides off the cube. "Don't worry my esteemed elder, there won't be a stalemate forever. Itachi-kun knows he can't stay hidden for too long. Not when he wants to keep his precious little brother safe from me."
"Do you have an idea of when?"
"Who knows. I can't read his mind."
Seeing that Tobi had no intention of leaving, Danzo tried to continue his work, constantly glancing up at the cube that was interrupting the silence and making it hard for him to concentrate. It was almost a relief when Tobi's phone went off, temporarily stopping the cube's movements. Only temporarily. Tobi answered the phone, holding it with his shoulder so he could continue. "What can I do for you young master?" He answered energetically. His face however lacked any of the energy his voice portrayed.
Some silence followed as the person on the other side talked. Tobi didn't seem to show any interest in anything other than his toy.
"What? No, young master! You can't leave now! Who will take care of you?" His acting was quite good. He sounded sincere even as his face showed none of it. His brows even furrowed when he failed to successfully get the second side of his cube and had to retry.
"Are you sure? What about Itachi-san? What if he comes out while you're away? ... Of course, I trust you. Please keep me informed while you're away and travel safe…. Goodbye, young master." Tobi hung up, a smile on his lips. "I do love when he speaks so coldly to me. Just makes me all fuzzy inside."
He hopped off the desk, a bit of a skip in his step. He turned on the ball of his foot and placed his hands on the desk. "It looks like your dear leader made her move. She has sent my master and the Medjay boy to Korea."
Danzo put his elbows on his desk, folding his hands and hiding his mouth behind them as he thought things over. "This could work," he said slowly. "This can still work."
"Since my master's out of town, I can move around a bit more."
"And more of Tsunade's support is gone. No Medjay and none of Uchiha's sources," Danzo said.
Kakashi could understand why Tsunade did what she did. It got the Americans and the naysayers to Uchiha's presence off her back temporarily, strengthening her position amongst the hunters a little, but it wasn't something she could sustain for long.
"We should start spreading the rumors now," he declared. "Undermine and cut short the surge of support she'll get with the move."
"And I can pressure Itachi a bit more and force his hand. How long do you need to prepare?"
"About 2 weeks," he said slowly. "Gathering that many forces and weaponry as well as evacuating the citizens under the radar will require the Americans help as well as the coverup that will follow."
"Hm, two weeks." Tobi stood up, walking backward with exaggerated motion. "So long from now. I don't like being away from the young master for so long. Not when he's been walking the wrong path as of late. All my nurturing gone to waste because of that boy," he sighed dramatically. "Can you do me a favor, Danzo-kun?" he sang out the elder's name.
Danzo's eye twitched at the vampire butchering his name. "And what favor would that be?"
"When you find that boy," his childlike demeanor vanished and a cruel smile that could freeze the most trained hunter replaced it, full of bloodlust with cunning eyes. "Kill him slowly and painfully. Humiliate him if you can. People like that boy shouldn't exist, and he should be an example to others, no?"
For once even Danzo looked uncomfortable, but he didn't look away and kept meeting his eyes unwavering. "I'll see."
And just like that, the vampire went back to his dopey grin. "It's all I can ask for." He stretched, cracking his arms and back. "Well, I now have something to do, so I'll take my leave. No need to see me out."
Danzo watched Tobi go, sighing once he was gone. "If I could just kill that man," he muttered, not intending for Kakashi to hear.
"Elder, is there anything I can do?" Kakashi asked.
Danzo took a moment to recollect himself after being toyed with by Tobi so easily. Sitting up straight, he extended a file for Kakashi to take. "I need you to fire a police employee on my behalf. He's been insistently looking into Uzumaki's disappearance and is getting too close to hunter work. A shame. He was promising too."
Danzo did seem to legitimately feel bad that he had to fire the man. Kakashi looked down, seeing the name on the file, Yamato, Tenzo. "I will do as you ask."
"Thank you, my boy." With Tobi gone, Danzo was able to continue with his work. Kakashi took his leave as well, bowing as he left and closing the door behind him. He walked out of the police headquarters on the mainland, keeping a low profile as he left through the front entrance.
For all these police officers' thought, he was just a secretary for some government official, never suspecting that he had illegal firearms hidden on his person or that he had been coming and going without going through security. All it really took was confidence that you belonged and no overt actions to avoid attention. People just naturally assumed that he was supposed to be there and didn't question his coming and going, assuming he had done everything necessary to get in and out. After all, who would continuously come and go without doing so, especially if he was seen with the head honcho of the entire Japanese police force. Surely no one dangerous would be allowed so close to the very well-respected Danzo without going through the proper channels.
Kakashi entered the elevator, looking through the file given to him. Yamato, Tenzo. He could use him.