Chapter 24
The sun was filtering softly through the first budding green of the trees. Birds sang in the treetops and bushes, hopping from one branch to the next in their endless dancing.
Thick moss squelched with the dew as feet shifted on it. "What's Iwa doing up here?"
"No idea. But it looks like they're going against Kumo too, so I'd be the last to complain."
Onyx eyes replied his gaze calmly as he looked back at him. "Sure they were Iwa-nin?"
"I'm sure. I'd recognize that uniform anywhere."
He dipped his canteen shallowly into the creek to fill it to the brim, before lifting it to his lips. It was still freezing cold when he drank it, as it only just had melted from the mountains. "Fine," he breathed and wiped across his mouth. "We follow and observe. Let's see what they are up to."
"Yes, Koguma-san."
Asa got up from his spot and walked over to the men taking their break at the little creak to get them ready.
"I can hear you thinking all the way over here," he called out as he put away his canteen.
Susumu brushed through his feathery hair and started putting it up in his bun- it truly was ridiculously long now, reaching all the way to his shoulders. "I can't believe we've made it through another winter up here and it's still not looking like this war's going to end anytime soon."
Koguma got up gracefully from his crouch and rested his left hand onto his kodachi strapped to his side. "Could've told you that from the beginning."
"Could've told you-" his brother mocked underneath his breath. His fingers tugged more frustrated through the white strands as he fought with his own hair.
"I could cut it, you know."
If looks could kill. "And look like you? I think not."
"Vain fool."
"Gruff barbarian."
"You're rather irritable today, aren't you?"
"Kikyo would cut my hair," Susumu hissed. "And she's good at it."
"Not my fault you couldn't see Kikyo in over a year-"
"Not my fault Kama's squad got stationed at the other side of the mountain-"
They stared at each other until Susumu gave off a dignified huff and Koguma scoffed over his reaction. He chose to ignore his angry retort. "You can apply for leave, you know? Kagami did too."
Susumu scrunched his nose at that and shot him a dead-pan look. "And leave you by yourself? As if."
"I'd still have Kama."
"That idiot's a goddamn lunatic and irresponsible as fuck." Upon Koguma's icy glare, he relented, "Well, he's not here now, is he?
"Not by choice."
"No, of course not by choice. He threw a damn hissy fit and nearly scratched our commanders eyes out. Like an animal." He crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "Can't see what you like about him."
"Jealous?"
"Naturally. You're my brother and he's hugging you like a favourite bone to chew on."
Koguma's defensive stance softened at that, his gaze turning less angered and more thoughtful. "Am I spending too little time with you now?"
Susumu sighed. "No, that's not it- It's just, whenever you're there, he's as well. I can't have a proper conversation with you without him hanging off your side like a damn tick."
"And yet, when we finally have a mission with only the two of us, we only use it to bicker."
"Isn't that what siblings do?" Susumu sent him a smirk. "I'm sorry. I'll do better." He hopped up right beside him and latched onto his arm. With batting eyelids he looked up at him and crooned, "So, Kogu, tell me, how's Kama in bed?"
Koguma rolled his eyes upon his brother's taunting and groaned loudly.
"Well, if anyone could believe the sounds coming from their tent-" Naoaki yelped as Koguma's canteen came flying against his head- the Uchiha tended to mismatch his volume after a mission had blasted his eardrums. Didn't help Susumu had spoken so loudly for all of their squad to listen in to their conversation.
"You should get your head checked, Naoaki, because we've got seals on our tent. So I'm sure you're only hearing yourself and Genkai," he replied in his gruff voice, making the rest of the men snicker. Genkai still blushed terribly whenever someone addressed his relationship with the other Uchiha, while Naoaki simply held his head high.
"By the way-" He rummaged through his pouch, before he threw a scroll at the man. "Congratulations Uchiha Naoaki, jounin of Konohagakure."
The man's onyx eyes blew wide, mouth hanging agape- not much left of the Uchiha grace now. "What-"
"I gave you up for promotion months ago. It seems the albino finally grew tired of my constant complaining. You deserve it after that stunt last August." Rather had already deserved it for years- he had talked to other jounin and asked permission to look into the man's records. It seemed many Uchiha faced similar problems in rising in the ranks. It was enough to pull at ones hair in frustration.
The other men started clapping down onto his shoulders, congratulating him for his promotion. "You can have your own squad now if you want. You have my permission to take Genkai with you if you do."
The Uchiha rightened himself and stepped up to Koguma. "I thank you, Koguma. Truly. But if it's alright with you, I'd like to stay with you." He stretched out with his hand and after a short pause Koguma clasped down onto it with his own bandaged one.
"Of course." Seeing the devotion in the man's eyes, he let go again and barked, "Let's move."
They were sitting on the ledge of a cliff and looking down at the six men stalking closer to the unexpecting Kumo-nin. They're uniforms were of mix of mud-brown and blood-red. The latter seemed a terrible choice really and he could only spot two sensible shinobi refusing to put on the bright colour.
"Truly an Iwa-team," Susumu whispered.
Jiro shuffled next to them, clasping down onto one of his exploding kunai. "Shall I take care of them? They could be messengers to exchange an offer of alliance."
Koguma narrowed his eyes at the picture before them, the way the men moved. "No. Look at them. They look like they're on a hunt. There's no love lost between them."
"I don't think they know that there are fifteen more going to come back from their patrol soon," Asa whispered as the men moved closer to the three Kumo-nin that were sitting underneath a tree. They watched as the men pounced on the surprised shinobi at the same time as the patrol returned from their scout.
Koguma tensed and leaned forward as he saw one of the Iwa-nin wield two sabres with graceful ease. "The swordsman," he scoffed.
Susumu leaned forwards as well. "Well, I'll be damned. Isn't that the guy that managed to give you the scar across your chest?"
"That he is." The six men were being pushed into a corner, overwhelmed by the opponents barraging down on them. With a snap he shot up on his feet, ordered, "Stay here," and jumped down the ledge.
"Fucking hell," Susumu hissed. "Impulsive idiot." He shared a look with his squad, met their determined stances and nods, and quickly followed his brother down into the valley below, the other men right on his heels.
Koguma was already in the thick of it- three Iwa-nin had already fallen, but so had four of their targets. Just in time he swapped position with a kunai stuck in the ground to save the swordsman from getting his leg cut off. Upon his startled flinch and the following recognition widening his eyes, Koguma called, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend, no?" Then he continued cutting down more of the Kuma-nin.
Susumu was by his side in a second, his wind-jutsu saving him from a boulder coming racing at his face. If the Okami's graceful dancing through their ranks with theirs swords weren't enough, the opponents surely were taken by surprise by the blazing red sharingan staring them down. They didn't stand a chance after that.
"Ite, strip Genkai of his top and check him for any cuts before he hides them and nearly dies of blood poisoning again," he ordered as he walked past the Shiranui. The Uchiha gritted his teeth, but dutifully let the medic undertake his inspection. The price to be paid for stubbornness and pride really.
"Susumu?"
"All well. Asa's lost some of his precious locks, though. Shall we hold a burial for it?" He hastily ducked underneath a kunai thrown by the glaring Uchiha. "And I'm sure Maku twisted his ancle."
"Pup, I will cut you if you keep mocking me-" the silver haired man growled. "You know very well that can't help my limping."
Koguma ignored their bickering and instead walked up to the Iwa-nin being restrained by Jiro and Naoaki. "What are you doing here?"
"As if we'd ever tell you." The man that had spoken up looked coarse with his ragged beard and unkept hair as he glared up at him.
"Let's try again." He let his gaze flutter across the three shinobi left. "Who's your captain?"
The kunoichi recked her chin towards one of the figures lying in the dirt. "He was." Naoaki rolled his eyes at the predictable answer. Of course they would tell them it was one of their dead- oldest trick in the book really.
Koguma took in a deep breath and instead turned to the swordsman. "I've spared you twice now. What's your name?"
"Yu."
"Yu-san. Here's how it's going to go. You tell me what you were doing this far away from home."
"In exchange for?" The other two looked shocked and disgusted by his reply, surely stamping him a traitor already.
"Letting you go."
The men leaned back in his cross-legged position, his expression calm and collected, completely ignoring his comrades flailing. "No."
Koguma grinned widely at him, showing off his gleaming fangs. "An honourable man. It truly would have been a waste killing you back then."
His pale eyes narrowed. "You didn't even offer me your name."
Koguma gave Asa a sharp nod. "That I didn't." The Uchiha stepped before the three nins and with a swirl of his sharingan, they got caught in a gen-jutsu. "Search them and the others for any scrolls. We'll take it with us back to headquarters."
"What should we do with them?" Susumu spoke up, sheathing his katana once more.
"Let them be. They'll come by soon enough." He shot a look at the brown haired civilian. "But I don't think a tracking seal of Jiro would hurt." He was rather curious what Iwagakure was up to.
The village was eerily silent as they made their way through it. Koguma led his men up front, Susumu right behind him and the Hatake closing off their rear. The huts were dismaying- the wood splintered and was fray from the constant exposure to the elements, most of the parchment windows hanging in tatters. The smell of fish penetrated the air and made Koguma's nose twitch.
He stopped in front one of the buildings looking somewhat likely to be inhabited and knocked onto the wooden frame of the sliding door. Hesitant footsteps sounded through, hushed voices hissing at each other to keep quiet and metal clanked as some of them surely grabbed kitchen knives and pots to arm themselves with.
The door got shoved open just a crack and an old weathered face looked up at him with fear.
"We are in need of fresh water. One of my men has grown sick."
"Please leave," the old man croaked. "If they find out we helped any of you, they'll kill us all."
Koguma's eyes flittered to the sides as he saw other people peeking out of their windows or front doors. "I understand. If you cannot assist us directly, then please tell us where to find a fresh water source." There had been nothing but salty seawater for days now, all fresh water further inwards spoiled with rotting bodies chugged in by the enemy. How very foolish of Noburo to drink it still, no matter how thirsty they were.
"I can't help you," the man insisted. "All water we have, we have caught from the rain. Many died during the summer last year. We can thank the gods that spring has arrived. You aren't the only ones suffering. We have suffered for months."
"I understand," he repeated once more and gave the man a shallow nod. Then he stepped back from the door and moved further along.
"We could burn them all down and take everything they have," Ren spat angrily. The Uchiha was the youngest of their group, barely thirteen years old when they had first come to the Kuma-forests and still had the naïve black and white view teenagers tended to have of the world. It certainly didn't help that Noburo was his friend.
"Yes, but it doesn't mean we should. War affects the lives of those innocent harshly enough. No need for us to take our frustration out on them."
Ren spat at the ground, his limbs shaking with helpless anger. "I bet they help Kumo-nin."
"It doesn't matter. Today they help us only to be killed by their countrymen tomorrow. Would any citizen of the Land of Fire help shinobi from Kumogakure? What would our punishment for them be?" Koguma shook his head and didn't spare the village another glance as he led his men out of it.
They arrived back at the camp they had set up an hour later. It appears the others they had sent off into the other direction had been more lucky in talking some poor farmer out of his water. Ite hastily took a large portion of it and took it off to the moaning form of Noburo lying on his bedroll, Ren joining him immediately. The rest they portioned off between the rest of the squad- they passed along the canteen, everyone taking a sip of it until the next one took a hold of it. Koguma went only after Ite and Ren had had their share as well.
Koguma stared out of the small cave they sat in and at the coarse dark cliffs of the northern beaches of the Land of Lightning. The waves were of a solid steel colour as they crashed onto the rocks and pebbles lying at the shore. The dark stone of the cliff was littered with holes through which foamy seawater gushed out and they had quickly realised that the whole area had to be covered in heaps of flooded tunnels laid dry during low tide. "We need to get further inland. We can't hold the northern beaches without fresh water. I'm sure the albino knows a jutsu or two to separate salt from water, but we don't."
"The party we should stop is supposedly another week away," Naoaki spoke up as he chewed on a piece of dried jerky.
Paper rustled as Jiro rolled out his scroll and stared down at the crude map drawn onto it. "Iwa is still lying in wait twenty kilometres further east. Haven't moved yet."
Ite sat down beside them with a tired sigh. "Noburo's not going to last a week. He needs proper medical care. Enough fluids. Constant monitoring. He can't survive like this, not to mention fight."
Koguma rubbed at his jaw, his eyebrows furrowing as he felt the coarse stubbles growing on it. It would be rather ironic having the Uchiha die on them because he drank foul water after he survived the weirdest and most dangerous missions. "Ren, Noburo, Naoaki, Genkai, Ite you go further inland and find shelter to take care of him. Go to that abandoned settlement we passed by three weeks ago- there was a clean well there. Jiro's seals should still work?" The man gave him a confirming nod. "Susumu," he turned to his brother, who already pinched his lips in displeasure. "Please go with them. We'll meet up in a week after we've taken care of our targets. Asa's summon will surely help with establishing a line of communication."
"Kogu-"
"I'll hear none of it. I won't put a mission over any of your health. And I only trust you with taking care of our men."
Looking incredibly displeased, Susumu gave him a curt nod. "I swear, if you manage to die, I will make Kama's life a living hell."
A surprised chuckle burst out of him. "Why Kama?"
"Because you won't be here, so I can hardly whine at you, could I? So for the sake of Kama's mental health, you better don't do any shit."
"Fine."
"Probably has already grown nuts not seeing you in weeks, so there won't be much to scramble now," Susumu muttered as he packed up his stuff, but Koguma gracefully acted as if he hadn't heard him. It was only natural he was angry at him now. Didn't stop the crease between his eyebrows from deepening and mouth pulling into a frown. Their mission up north had never been supposed to last this long. And he would be lying if he were to say he wasn't getting nervous from being away from Kama for so long himself.
The men left their cave twenty minutes later.
Koguma bumped his head with Susumu, the Uchiha gave each other short, but tight embraces and Ren even shook hands with Shushi, with whom he had founded a somewhat stiff, but genuine companionship. Koguma, Asa, Jiro, Shushi and Maku watched the figures disappear as they travelled around the gaps and cracks in the cliffside. It was the first time their squad actually parted for such a long time since they had come together.
A weird feeling.
It was pouring.
The day had started off with a light drizzle, making the dark stones covered in algae slippery. If the skies hadn't been of an undescriptive ashen before, they surely were of a deep and ominous charcoal now. The waves roared and crashed against the rocks- it sounded like stone crashing on stone.
They were wearing the Konoha uniform, even though they surely regretted it now- the fabric was soaked through to the bones and their skin was clammy and cold from the icy wind blowing through the light material. But Kuma green most certainly would make them stick out like a splinter in this dreary mix of grey. Not to mention that the thick wools would have turned heavy as lead with the water soaking into it.
Five pairs of eyes watched the Kumo-nin as they stopped in front of a tunnel at the coarse shore- the cave was usually flooded during high tide and led into an intricate system of connected caverns. They had explored it before, after another party of Iwa-nin had disappeared inside for four hours- there had been seal-bombs placed at strategic points throughout. Whatever was going to happen down there, most certainly wouldn't end with both parties coming out alive.
Beady eyes watched the Kumo delegation curse and spit seeing the water slowly, but steadily return to the shore- they had arrived too late and high tide was on its way. It would be in their best interest to hurry now.
The six men and women entered the cave. Five minutes later six Iwa-nin followed them.
"Koguma?" He gave a sharp nod at Asa's questioning look. They followed three minutes later.
The caves were damp, water splashing down onto the mossy rocks in a steady rhythm- if the rocks had been slippery on the cliffs, they were nearly slimy and slick down here. Having the tide return was almost working at an advantage for them- they could walk on it instead.
The sound of the crashing waves echoed through the tunnels at some points, giving the impression of some paths connecting with the outside in ways one wouldn't expect. The light turned murky and dark, until a hole overhead would finally give them a bleak shimmer to light their way once more.
Koguma had started to slightly duck by the time they finally could hear distorted voices reaching through to them- the water would certainly reach up to their hips now. He gritted his teeth and supressed the urge to clench and unclench his hands.
"-been planned. They got surprised by the Konoha patrol. I assure you, my comrades were there to exchange offers of allegiance, as we are."
"How come then that our men were dead, but yours were left alive?" another voice barked.
"Left alive? They had been caught in a gen-jutsu by the Uchiha. Be certain that death had been more merciful than that," the first velvety voice replied. Asa shared a surprised look with him and Koguma had to clasp down onto Jiro's shoulder to stop the man from scoffing.
"Uchiha, you say? Was your team able to identify the Konoha-nin responsible?"
Koguma's fingers twitched by his sword, his eyebrows furrowing as he waited for the answer. "The one responsible for the trouble at the central pass last February and for blowing up the harbour at the southern sea in August." A pause. "I think their leader is a Hatake?"
The distinct sound of someone spitting echoed through the cave. "Fucking trouble makers. They seem to keep confusing us with the late daimyo with how hard bent they are on making our life hell." Koguma's men had started to crouch down, seeing that the water level kept rising and threw nervous glances over their shoulders.
"No matter. We've delivered the message and we hope you will consider our offer."
The sound of steel humming filled the air- "Oh, I'm sure we will. However, we want your tsuchikage to be much more serious in his offer. And how to better assure that than if he were to hear that one of his teams had been killed by a Konoha patrol. We wouldn't want him to be wavering in his allegiance, now, would we?"
Metal clanked as another set of weapons got drawn. "What a pity- we had hoped to achieve the same thing." The sound of fight carried through to them- steel clanking on steel, limbs crashing together, roars and shouts-
Koguma spared a glance at his team. "Get the scrolls," he hissed and then drew his own sword. His grip was sweaty and a tad shaky as he held the blade. It was time to snuff any possible allegiances in the bud and get the hell out of there.
Fighting was hard in the tight space left by the water flooding in – there were already three figures lying face down on the swaying surface and some of the Iwa-nin sported deep, bloody wounds, hindering them in their attacks. Wide-blown eyes looked down at him in shock, as Koguma appeared right before his first opponent and cut him down- there were no scrolls on this person.
He flinched when a hand tugged at his ancles and tried to pull him under. The face sneering at him through the water's surface was pale and distorted with glee. Koguma simply reached down and tugged the kunoichi up. She sank into the murky deeps with blood seeping out of her mouth a few heartbeats later. A painful roar had him hastily pack the scroll he had taken off the Iwa-nin away and turn around to the stumbling form of Shushi.
He was beside the teenager in a second and pressed his hand onto the bloody wound on his abdomen. "Maku," he called. The Okami appeared like a vengeful ghost, lips pulled back in a snarl as he looked down onto his nephew. "Get him out." He didn't need to tell the man twice. The room they had entered was higher than the tunnel they had come through- both men had to begin swimming to actually get out. The sight turned Koguma's mouth dry.
With a final cut he helped Asa take down the last of the Kumo-nin. "Do you have the Iwa-scroll?" he asked his men. Asa had a light cut across his cheekbone and Jiro was soaking wet, surely having been pulled underneath the surface at one point.
"Yes," the brown-haired man panted and held up a blood red scroll for him to see.
"Good, I have the other one. Let's go." Koguma had to clear his throat as he looked at the small gap of air still left between the water surface and the ceiling of the tunnel. A firm grip on his arm had him turn around to Asa.
"You look ashen. Are you injured?"
"No." He shook off the Uchiha's hand.
"Koguma." He turned to face Jiro, his fists clenching and unclenching beside his body. "Can you swim?"
He snarled at the question, rather aware of his eyes being unusually wide. "We need to go." When both men still didn't move and looked at him with a mix of shock, uncertainty and concern, he spat, "Now!"
Asa was the first to break the flow to the soles of his feet- he sank into the water from his crouched position with a splash and swam towards the tunnels entrance. "I'll go first. Jiro, make sure taicho comes second. I think we need to dive at some points." He ignored Koguma's trembling form and shot the other man a determined look, before he began swimming into the tunnel.
"Taicho." The grip on his arm was bruising now. His erratic breathing echoed through the little space left between the water's surface and the ceiling. "I'll be right behind you. You need to go into the water now." Koguma didn't react and instead continued staring at the gap turning smaller and smaller and Asa's pale face staring back at him. "Koguma." His other hand grabbed onto his second arm and Jiro shook him as he turned Koguma to face him. "Taicho. Either you go or we'll all drown. We're not going without you."
Koguma stared at him and then stopped the chakra flow to his feet. The water was icy cold as it splashed right up to his mouth. With mechanic and clumsy strokes, he made his way towards the tunnel, one of his hands always scrapping along the rough rocks of the walls to steady himself. He could hear his own blood rush in his ears and his breathing sounded pressed and panicked as it got muffled by the low ceiling.
Asa was waiting up front and only continued moving, once Koguma came in reach of him. He more heard than saw Jiro swimming up behind him- he was sure both men were saying something to steady and encourage him, but he had a hard time keeping his head above water to try and distinct the words. When at some point the tunnel moved further down and it looked like they would indeed have to dive, a moan broke through his clenched teeth that sounded too much like a frightened sob.
"-just need to take a deep breath. We got you, Koguma."
He shook his head, water splashing loudly as his arms began moving frantically to keep him afloat.
"Taicho." His head was by now dipped back into his neck to still be able to breath in the tiny space left. "Taicho, you need to take a deep breath. Please."
His panicked gasp was more automatic than rational when strong hands pulled him underneath the water's surface. He struggled against the hold immediately, the bubbles his movements caused keeping him from recognizing anything in the dark water. Something tugged him along on his collar and sleeve, further down into the darkness. Sometimes his head would bump against the constricting ceiling above him and his bandages tore as he tried to hold onto the walls passing by. Pure terror was clouding his mind as his lungs screamed for air, but every time he tried swimming upwards, his head would only find tonnes of rock pressing down on him.
And still he got dragged onwards, no matter how hard he struggled.
Stars were dancing before his eyes, the blood roared in his ears, his chest spasmed more and more violently as he bit down onto his teeth to keep his mouth shut. His skin burned in the salt water where he had cut it on the rough surface and he was aware of his movements growing more and more useless and weak. When the edges of his vision turned black and one of the spasms actually managed sucking in water between his teeth and through his nose, the resulting cough forced all spent air out of his lungs. Automatically, his lungs sucked in more seawater instead. It burned down his nose, throat and into his lungs, until he was sure his chest would burst with the pain. Again and again his traitorous body tried to draw in more, no matter how much it hurt. By then he had stopped struggling.
And all he could really think of were insignificant things- the way his mother had pestered him about refusing to enter the water. Risu swirling him through the air after he had given him the solution to his clones. Susumu buried underneath a heap of snow, beaming at him with his gap-toothed grin. Kama's surprised look when he had offered him the sign of reconciliation after using a lightning jutsu on him. The face of the teenager holding him down underneath the water's surface- every line, mole and scar on his hollow face. His inability to remember his brother's face in comparison.
His chest expanded more and more, icy cold burning him up- was this what it was like coming up among the stars? Getting teared apart and freezing up in the firmament? Forever fixed in one's position?
Then his chest spasmed once more and something rushed up inside of him- for a second he was certain it was his soul leaving his chest.
Instead water splattered down onto his face as he coughed. The world immediately turned sideways as strong hands turned him over to get it all out and not choke on it once more. Koguma was shivering all over and his nose and throat burned as if he had just misused a fire jutsu. Tears stung in his eyes when he blinked against the bright light shining into them. Only slowly did he start to recognize the sound of rain splattering down on him, the wind's howling and waves crashing against an unforgiving shore.
"Koguma-"
"Taicho-"
"Shit, is he alright?"
"He's breathing. But we should get him to Ite-"
"Fuck, why didn't he say he can't swim?"
"I don't think it's a problem of can or cannot. He was terrified."
"Koguma."
With clumsy movements he tried to swat the hands holding onto him away. Every time he tried to get a sound to leave his chest, more coughs would shake his body and his vocal chords were being rather uncooperative.
"Give him some space-"
Finally let go, he rolled onto his stomach and retched up the last of the seawater. His limbs were heavy with fatigue and his head felt as if it were to be split in two by an axe. With a croaky groan he pushed himself up on his hands and knees- for a short while he actually heaved, the vomit coming up flaming like acid on his irritated throat and left him breathless with the effort.
"Koguma-" He held up a shaky hand to keep anyone from touching him. He didn't feel like getting touched at all, his own skin already being restricting enough.
"Report," he finally managed to croak, causing another retch.
His men waited until he was done throwing up before they spoke up. "All accounted for. Shushi's alright, but the stab needs to be taken care of by Ite. Jiro had swallowed some water as well, but not as much as you. Maku's fine, as am I. Koguma, we need to get you to Ite-"
"Scrolls?" The word scrapped like sandpaper.
"Both could be retrieved."
He pushed himself onto a somewhat upright position on his knees. A moan slipped through his teeth with how his head pulsed upon the movement. "Up." The Uchiha understood his command and immediately slipped his arm around his shoulder to help him upright. Koguma wanted to bristle at the contact, but there was no way he would get standing by himself.
His beady eyes looked onto the soaking wet forms of his men- Shushi was looking somewhat pale, his lips drained of any colour, but Maku had apparently bound some bandage around his middle to stop the worst of the bleeding. The older Okami stood still, but his eyes were burning with badly hidden fear and impatience. Jiro looked at him with kamidamn pity, which immediately got hidden behind a blank façade as he noticed Koguma's angered hiss. Asa's grip on him was steady and warm.
"Go."
They left the beach in a synchronised shunshin.
"Kogu-" Asa's firm grip got immediately switched for his brother's sturdy hold. It was weird leaning down onto him, with how much smaller he was in comparison, but the familiar body steadying him finally stop his shaking.
Susumu led him into the hut he had just burst out of. Letting his gaze wander, he was able to see Ren leaning against one of the walls. The boy looked haunted. Naoaki and Genkai made space on one of the bedrolls and reached out to help Susumu lay him down onto it- his angry growl had them step back again.
"What the hell happened?" his brother spat when he had sat him down and began pulling him out of the soaked uniform.
"Report," Koguma croaked, not being too out of it to see that there was no sign of Noburo. Ren flinched underneath his tone.
Ite moved towards him, but he waved him off and instead nodded at Shushi coming through the door. The kid was now leaning heavily onto his uncle.
Naoaki appeared beside him instead and ignored his baring of teeth as he helped Susumu get the armour off of him. "We arrived here eight days ago. The well was still clean. Five days ago, a Kumo squad came through here- we were lucky Jiro's seal held up the way it did." His breastplate clattered as Susumu threw it away without a second thought. "They stayed until yesterday evening and with Susumu's gen-jutsu we could go out and fetch more water-" his top flopped down onto the floor with a loud thud. "Noburo didn't wake up at some point during the night. It was too little too late."
Ren's teeth groaned as he gritted them and he stared at the opposite wall with blazing red eyes. Koguma shrugged Susumu and Naoaki off him and lifted his hands to rub at his face. The room was silent.
His breathing was ragged and still slightly wet as he pressed the palms into his eye sockets. When he dropped his hands again, his shoulder sagged. With dull eyes he croaked, "Forgive me."
Ren's head snapped over to him. There was hate in his eyes, yes, but mostly pain and intense grief stared back at him from the deep red.
"Koguma-" He swatted his brother's hand away from his arm. His mouth was pressed into a thin line and creases framed the side of his mouth. Koguma dropped his head and with mechanic movements he began unwrapping his arms from the bloody and scrapped bandages.
When Susumu reached out to touch him again, he batted him away once more. Naoaki's offer of a dry shirt and pants he accepted silently. Ite's inspection and following extraction of any fluids still caught in his lungs, he endured without protest.
And when Ren came up to him during the night and broke down in deep sobs, he let the kid cry himself hoarse against his side.
Heads turned to watch them as they finally arrived back at head camp two weeks later. They once again wore the Kuma-greens, which blended in terrifically against the thick, lush blooming of nature around them. But their solemn and tired faces stood out harshly, making other shinobi hesitate in greeting them. Koguma and Susumu were the only ones going to head quarter to report, but their men waited for them outside like silent tree spirits. When they stepped out again, they fell into step towards his tent and waited patiently for any words of his.
"They'll assign us a new squad member by tomorrow. I don't know who, they wouldn't tell. It seems there are more than enough leaderless shinobi and kunoichi walking around now." Koguma rubbed across his jaw. "I had protested the assignment, but it appears my voice counts little. We will welcome them during dinner tomorrow." He saw the silent defiance in his men's eyes. "As always you will be welcome to join us for dinner tonight."
Squad five gave him short nods, but he was sure they would return to his campfire again this evening, even Ren. They were a tight group after all.
"Kogu-" He rested his hand down onto the hilt of his uncle's kodachi. "Wanna talk about it?"
He gave a deep sigh. "No. I'd rather not."
"If you ever want to-"
"Go and rest." He gave Susumu a tight smile, before he turned into his tent. Sleep sounded like a wonderful concept right then.
He took off his heavy boots and weapons before he laid face down onto the furs he shared with Kama- the smell of wool, wet fur, lightning and straw eased some of the tension from his muscles until finally his breathing evened out.
When he woke once more, the light was filtering in an orange hue into the bright tarp of his tent. Dust was dancing in the air and some long strands of the fur were tickling his nose with every breath. Only after a few moments did he notice a figure siting against one of the poles and taking him in with hooded eyes.
"Watching me sleep?" he muttered and stretched his body until his muscles shook. "How very creepy."
Kama cocked his head and shot him a small smile. "I wasn't sure how you'd react to having me crawl next to you."
Koguma let out a deep sigh, but refused to move from his comfortable and warm position. "Spoke to Susumu, did you?"
A confirming hum met his question. "Said you refused to talk for a long while, not to mention being touched."
"Maybe I was just being fed up with him."
"How very much I would like to believe that, that wasn't it." Koguma turned onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. "What happened?"
He didn't answer and instead watched the leaves outside throw dancing shadows against the tarp.
"Okay, so if you won't talk, I will." Clothes rustled and he could see Kama making himself comfortable against a crate. He draped his elbow on top of it and rested his head onto his palm. "I always knew the Okami were widely superior to the Rinkusu, but having to scout their territory simply showed that they truly were as messy as their hair tends to be-"
Koguma listened as Kama talked about what he had seen and done during the mission- He easily filtered out the gist between his flowery descriptions. How his men had been completely fed up with his angry hissing. How Gengaku had somewhat been the mediator keeping it all together and how in the end all Hatake had been ready to tug at each other's hair with how fed up they were with the rainy weather making the ground slippery and covering them in mud all over. The enemies stumbling into their reach surely had regretted it terribly.
"- and you know how Gengaku is, he's looking at that Kumo-nin with his own chewed down fingernails and lips and started lecturing him about proper hygiene and looking presentable. It was hilarious how utterly confused the man was- he even looked at us for guidance! As if we weren't holding onto kunai to chop off his fingers and toes."
At one point Koguma had given up watching the ceiling and had instead turned his head to look at Kama instead- there was tension in the way the man held himself, even if he tried looking somewhat lazy and unbothered. His whole form oozed an almost forced aura of lethargy.
"-Doi just says, 'Ding-dong. Not that we would have a bell-' and I swear, those idiots actually choked on their laughter. Even though they did have any more pressing issues, hanging face down in the muck like that-"
Just like Omugi, Kama's nose would scrunch every time he would tell something he hadn't liked or found confusing. It was making the pale freckles adorning his slightly crooked nose twitch every time he did- during the summer they would cover his face up to his cheekbones and temple. Koguma found them absolutely adorable.
"Ugh, and they actually insisted that one should cover themselves with it- good for your skin or some shit. They surely weren't as loudmouthed when I drowned them in it-" There was a pinkish scar coming up from his upper lip to his cheek that tugged at the skin whenever he opened his mouth- that was new. It was right above where his left canine would peek out between the lips whenever he smiled.
He hadn't even noticed that Kama had stopped talking. Only when his eyes wandered upwards again to take in the long silver eyelashes framing his hooded eyes, did he see the man's own staring back at him.
"You're quite handsome."
Koguma scoffed upon Kama's statement, feeling rather amused by it. Especially since the same thought had just passed his mind too. "I am very much not."
Kama's long fingers stroked across his lips as he held his gaze. "Not when you scowl you're not. But when you smile like that-"
A surprised snort shook him until it turned into breathy laughter. "Oh, so I'm only handsome on condition?"
A lovely smile erupted on Kama's face when Koguma started hiccupping with mirth. "On really rare occasions, you have a dreamy smile, with those dimples of yours- you're even cute then."
"Cute?" Koguma wheezed and had to wipe tears clinging to his eyelashes. "No."
Kama dropped his hand and leaned forward, a predatory smirk stretching his lips. "And when you have that wild grin, with your fangs peeking out and eyes looking fierce- I could eat you whole right then and there."
Koguma clutched his stomach as the last of his laughter ebbed away. He was still grinning when he rightened himself into a sitting position. "Gods, I missed you."
His expression softened at that. "I missed you too."
In a rather graceful movement, Koguma got up from his spot and walked over to the still form of the Hatake. Standing before him, he reached out with his hand and pulled the man upwards and into his arms. His deep inhale made goosebumps crawl over Kama's soft skin as he nuzzled his neck. Very slowly, Kama replied his embrace and only when it showed that Koguma wouldn't shrug him off, did he tighten it. Finally, the tension he had been holding oozed out of his bones as well.
"I love you," Koguma mumbled, rubbing his cheek against Kama's as he tried burying his nose even deeper against his throat.
Kama stilled in his embrace. "What?"
Koguma hummed distractedly, taking another deep whiff of his scent. "You still smell like me." His arms and hands shifted on his back and made his clothes crinkle as they tried to pull Kama even closer.
"I- I sleep on our furs," he replied, confusion oozing off him. "Did you- what? Can your repeat that?"
"The 'you smell like me', or the 'I love you'?"
"The latter."
Koguma hummed once more, grinning broadly against Kama's neck. "I love you."
"How can you say that so casually?" Kama leaned back from his embrace and stared at him wide-eyed.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did it miss the necessary gravitas?" he teased and lifted his hand to stroke at the man's cheek. "Should I be bleeding all over the floor and close to dying? Would be rather late confessing then, wouldn't it?"
"I- what?"
"Kama, you don't need to reply. I just wanted to say it. Because I do. You make me feel-" He took in a deep breath, his eyes flittering across the tent as he searched for the right word. "Grounded. Light. Warm. Calm. Excited-" His beady eyes twinkled as he chuckled upon his words. "And I want you to feel like that as well. So yeah. I love you. And I'm yours for as long as you'll have me."
"Shit, Kogu-"
"Language."
Kama stared at him, a beaming grin spreading onto his face. "I love you. Have since forever. Every time you asked me if I hated you- I had to bite my tongue to not reply with 'I love you' instead. And you make me feel just as paradox."
Koguma's grip on his cheek turned steadier as it slid into his hair instead. "Glad we talked about it," he murmured, before he leaned forward and kissed him. The gentle gesture soon turned more needy and passionate as Kama's hands started to wander over his chest and down to his pants. Kama hissed when Koguma's own wandering mouth gave him a sharp bite into his neck and he began tugging at his wrapped top in return. He once again cursed Koguma's own turtle-neck underneath his breath as his fingers roamed beneath the cloth and over his steely abdomen trying to tug it up.
Koguma still wasn't as enthusiastic about the whole being intimate thing as Kama was and he doubted anyone ever could be, because that man was simply unsatiable. But having the Hatake turn into goo underneath his grip- Oh, he truly found pleasure in that.
And as he pushed him down onto the table and locked his too straying hands above his head, he gave him that ferocious grin he so liked. Kama shivered underneath his predatory gaze, his slaty eyes darkening with desire and rosy lips parting ever so slightly. He had soon learned that there was no use in trying to take lead- Koguma set the pace after all.
And this promised to be a long afternoon.