Standard Disclaimers: I own nothing of Naruto or its characters and am making no money by this posting.
Morning dawned over the forest and the two ninja bid sleep a curt farewell. They'd debated it a little last night but eventually decided that it was more efficient to set up a series of traps and trip wires as an alarm system then to go on a two man watch. Technically, it could have been a three man watch had Kakashi summoned Pakkun, one of his ninja dog summons. However, Pakkun was rather skittish around Tsunade and refused to explain why.
All Kakashi knew was that Tsunade's expression got rather dark when the little pug was mentioned, and that bringing up Tsunade would make the pug mutter something about burrowing being in his bloodline.
Some questions did not need to be asked.
Though they'd both set up the camp security, Kakashi volunteered to go take it down. Doing so would give Tsunade a chance to change into her civilian disguise and do whatever female waking-up-things she needed to do. He'd be within earshot the whole time in case anything went wrong, for either of them.
It was a somewhat tedious process to wrap the chakra wire back into a coil, retrieve the various paper bombs, and unhook the set kunai. He did not lower his guard as he did so but he couldn't help but appreciate his surroundings. The old growth forest was really quite peaceful. The rustling of the leaves around him was due to a crisp but not cold wind, the warmth of the sun as it rose was gently painting his skin by inches, and the scent on the air was sweet, as if from some not-so-distant meadow.
Even though he'd been on more missions then he could count, from further back in his childhood then he could accurately remember, he still knew that mornings like this one were rare.
He walked back towards camp somewhat cautiously, just in case age or lack of practice had made Tsunade slow in breaking camp. The thought of catching the Hokage in some bit of dressing disarray should have been an alarming one for any number of reasons. And, admittedly, it was.
After all, who would want to see their Hokage so human as to be fumbling with her garters? It was the Hokage, a woman who had the power and authority both to metaphorically (and possibly physically) pull his choke chain back so hard he'd be tasting metal for a month. Besides, he respected her. Not that he didn't respect all women, of course. But they had a unique working relationship that gave another additional level of… wrongness… to any potential peeping.
Besides, she was wearing a Shizune-like henge, anyway. The pay-off wouldn't be nearly as…
Kakashi broke that thought sternly as he walked back into camp, crunching a few branches as if to underscore his resolve.
Tsunade might have appreciated the audible announcement of a friend returning to camp, but she didn't need it. She was already fully dressed, modest in her kimono with hair neatly pulled back. No garters in sight.
She straightened from where she'd been bundling up her bed roll. "All clear, I take it?"
"All clear," Kakashi confirmed. He walked to his pack, retrieving his own clothing so that he could change, and she left to give him some privacy. Ahh, the luxuries of a mission that hadn't really entered dangerous territory yet.
His disguise was simple and he had plenty of time to finish packing up after the fact. He wasn't fond of sealing away needed tools, but he did so anyway in order to maintain the cover of an "honest citizen." He tucked his Icha Icha book in his back pocket (honest citizens could have exemplary literary taste too) and began to put out the embers of last night's fire.
A quiet sound from Tsunade, just reentering the circle of the camp, made him look up. She was watching him, brow furrowed in a rather uncharacteristic way. "What?" he asked.
She opened her mouth and hesitated a moment. Then, she apparently thought better of the softness of indecision, and she strode forward. "When is the last time you tried to pass yourself off as a civilian?"
"Huh?" He straightened up. "What's wrong?" He had his suspicions though and he touched the eye-patch that now covered his sharingan. He did not, however, touch the scarf that was wrapped around his lower jaw, concealing most of his nose and half of his face.
He didn't want to give her the impression that its presence was up for debate.
Tsunade stopped right in front of him and peered up. "You look like you are prepared to walk through a blizzard," she told him bluntly but with a more conciliatory tone than he might have expected. He was immediately more wary. She reached out a hand and he took a half step back.
"Come on," she said, familiar impatience flickering into her eyes, "You look ridiculous! Let me fix it or the whole mission will be blown."
"Why would it be blown?" Kakashi argued, "Even if it does look ridiculous? In fact, perhaps that's the best cover of all. To be so visually memorable, that no one would even think…."
"It will be blown because I will shove that thing down your throat and you'll be spitting wool while you are supposed to be slipping past guards." Tsunade said behind gritted teeth.
Kakashi scowled at her.
"Look, I promise we'll keep your face covered, alright? Just…" she reached forward again and Kakashi sighed. He supposed there was nothing else to do but endure.
Tsunade unwound the scarf efficiently and placed it over her shoulder for safe keeping while she fussed with his jacket collar. She did not meet his half-lidded stare of irritation, but she wasn't actively avoiding it either. Or at least, if she was, she was being subtle about it.
He didn't bother being subtle. She was invading his personal space and while it might be for a good cause, he still wasn't pleased. So he openly, critically, studied her features. There was surely something there to point out as a flaw that she could improve upon. He was somewhat surprised though, to realize that the difference the henge seemed to make wasn't really all that drastic up close. In fact, it was an impressive set of tiny changes that had created such impression of change.
Perhaps that was why he could still identify all her expressions as Tsunade-expressions, without ever feeling they were odd upon this woman's face. Of course, the henge didn't change the woman's smell. The scent of white tea and jasmine still clung to her hair like it always did.
Though, the familiar scent of sake that usually accompanied it was gone.
These musings stopped instantly the moment he realized her gaze was lingering on his bared mouth and that her lips were curving upwards in a quickly hidden smile.
"What?" he asked, tone darkening. Fifteen genin, six chunin and twelve jonin. That's how many people had tried to see his face beneath his mask before he'd stopped counting them. He didn't hold that against them. He'd made the decision to wear the mask at all times knowing that he'd be faced with questions about it, and then the challenge of fending off the curious. One might even say he had fun with it.
But he'd allowed Tsunade to help him perfect a disguise for a mission. Not to gawk at him.
Hokage or not, there was a line there and if she didn't…
"Nothing," Tsunade said simply and flipped his collar up. "It's just that you reminded me of an old friend." Deft hands replaced the scarf around his neck, using it to prop up the collar and settle for an Aburame look that probably seemed more natural and covered nearly as much.
"I know who I reminded you of," Kakashi said dryly. The sudden sense of betrayal, unexpected as it was, disappeared. That he could understand. He wasn't aware that Tsunade and his father had ever been close or anything, but he'd no doubt they'd known each other. He could allow a sad smile for a lost comrade's sake. "I'm not him."
"No, you aren't him." She agreed just as dryly and stepped back again. She met his eyes and raised her chin. "But you are someone I don't mind being seen with. Now, at least."
"Maa, I guess I can say the same…" he exhaled and put as much doubt as he could into the words.
"What?" Tsunade balled up her right fist and drew her arm back threateningly. It was teasing. Kakashi was at least seventy-five percent sure she was teasing. Sixty-five, at least. Being a cautious fellow, he hopped back anyway and quickly, yet smoothly offered. "I said, perhaps we should go now?"
"Yes," she smirked at him, "Yes. Perhaps we should."
Hey - just a note here. Grateful thanks to everyone who is reviewing. I might be slow to respond - but honestly - you are keeping me motivated to write. Can't tell you how good it is to know what ya'll think!