Flash of Red and Black

Chapter XXXIII

By the time we were ready to head out again, the world was soaked in shadows, so we moved on silently, resuming out push through the trees.

In a few more hours, we would be home.

Then I could tell Shikamaru what happened and I could hear his theories and we could fix it, but first we had to get home.

And while time was of the essence, so was concealing our identities. Because if all the missing-nin were Orochimaru's experiments, and if they had any intention of completing the research that the Snake Sanin had started, they would be after me.

So as much as I wanted to call on Kurama's chakra to get us home, we couldn't risk it.

If I really was the target, it would be best for us to lead the missing-nin to believe that I was still in Suna. They would figure it out eventually, of course, but every moment that they spent watching Suna and waiting for me to move would be another moment that we could use against them.

So instead of using Kurama's chakra, I stayed focused. I listened to the sound of my teammates' sandals quietly tapping against branches behind me while I concentrated on searching for other chakra signatures, but I couldn't feel any but our own.

The night was eerily quiet, and I couldn't even hear the calls of the animals that my mask resembled. Other than the occasional breeze and the creak of sandals against bark, there was nothing.

Despite the quiet and the uneasy thoughts that occasionally pushed their way to the front of my mind, it was easier to push them back again since I'd gotten some rest. So, I continued pressing towards home and searched out with my chakra, looking for anything I didn't recognize as I listened to the quiet tap of Kakashi's footsteps just behind me, glad that he was there, even if I couldn't reach out to him just yet like I wanted.

Even though the strange silence of the forest left me feeling on edge, we passed through the Land of Rivers and into the Land of Fire without incident, and finally some of my anxiety started to fade. In just a few more hours, we would be home.

But before I had the chance to relax, I felt foreign chakra signatures, and I instantly stopped, cursing silently to myself as my teammates halted behind me.

"Eleven. Two miles. One o'clock," I told them quickly and quietly.

Again I cursed our luck. They weren't supposed to be active in the Land of Fire, according to both Gaara's and Shikamaru's reports, and yet again we seemed to be running into a group larger than most others.

"I'd rather catch them by surprise than risk trying to get past without them noticing," I told them, and while I could just make out their posture stiffening in the encompassing darkness, white masks bobbed in agreement. "Fox and I will scope them out first. If we aren't back in five minutes, move on to Konoha and let—"

"No," Sakura said before I could even finish giving out my orders, and even if I couldn't really see it, I could just feel the Suna ANBU behind her stiffening at her defiance though I knew they agreed with her.

We didn't have enough time for us to get into an argument.

"Hawk. If we are not back in five minutes, you all will continue on to Konoha and alert them," I told her again, and I could feel her bristling, but then Ino's hand fell onto her shoulder, and I knew that I was going to be in for an earful once we got back. Ino's mask nodded in the darkness behind Sakura, and the Suna-nin masks did too. Sakura's stayed still, but not refusing her order was the most that I was going to get from her.

"Get prepared," I told them, before turning to Kakashi and he gave a sharp nod.

Instantly, we dashed into the branches again, silently heading towards the team. But as we approached, I slowly started to recognize three of the chakra signatures, and my gut felt like it was turning to ice.

As we neared the camp, I could hear quiet mutterings about hunger and cold, but then I noticed a more serious whispered conversation coming from the area.

"If we didn't have to keep these other three brats alive, we might actually have enough food to get a decent meal."

"You know that's not an option. We need to get information out of them."

"I know, I know. We have to find out when the target will be coming back. But still, we already got rid of one, what's the harm in wasting another?"

Once we were close enough to just make out the figures in the clearing, I saw that four people were not loitering and chatting like the others, but my heart sank further when I realized that of the twelve people on the clearing, I still only felt eleven chakra signatures. And I felt a sickening wave of emotion rush through me as I stared at the person laying face-down, whose body I recognized but chakra I couldn't feel. It felt like a Rasen Shuriken was about to be let loose in my gut, ripping through me, but before I could choke out a scream from the overwhelming feelings coursing through me, Kakashi's hand was on my shoulder, gripping it hard as he pulled me back towards the others, away from the three with trembling shoulders, tied up in the center of the clearing.

"Eight enemies. Three hostages. One body," Kakashi reported to the tense group once we returned. The tension only grew in the silence after Kakashi spoke.

"Captain, Vice-captain, you two will be with me and Fox to take out the enemies. The rest of you will rescue the captives and immediately return to Konoha," I ordered, leaving no room for anyone to object this time, and they all nodded.

"Let's go," Kakashi said once he finished relaying the plan, and immediately we vanished, silently moving into position around the clearing.

A sudden explosion blasted mere yards from the south end of the camp, and two of the missing-nin left to check it out as the others fell into a stiff silence, looking intently into the dark forest that surrounded them.

Moments later, another explosion sounded from the East, and all heads snapped to face the sound. The closest one immediately rushed into the foliage, and before the rest could ready themselves again, two more standing at the western edge of the clearing let out garbled final breaths as the fell. The moment their bodies thudded against the ground, I finally jumped into the clearing and attacked the enemy closest to the hostages.

The enemy was just able to dodge a fatal attack as he backed up, but it gave enough space for Sakura and the Suna captain to rush in and begin untying the three as the Vice-captain gingerly picked up the body nearby, leaving the two Suna ANBU to fend off the other two enemies.

I forced my thoughts from my mind, knowing I couldn't slip up as I dodged a kunai plunging towards my abdomen.

"Get home safely," I ordered behind me, hearing the faint sounds of distress from the three captives. Just like our enemies, they were also shaken by our sudden appearance, but I knew the three would recognize my voice—I was their "boss" after all.

Suddenly a katon lit up the clearing, momentarily blinding the unprepared enemies as Sakura, Ino, and two of the Suna ANBU vanished along with the light from the jutsu that had just missed its target. I took advantage of my opponent's stupor and downed him just before Kakashi reappeared in the field with two enemies of the enemies that had rushed into the forest following him, and the blood of the third coloring his mask and kunai.

Barely resisting the urge to rip apart the enemies with a Rasengan to their gut, keeping just level-headed enough to resist revealing my identity, I pressed forward to help Kakashi with one of his attackers while the captain and vice-captain took on the other two remaining enemies.

The bout lasted for a while, but it didn't take long for the clearing to be filled with silence yet again. I stared down at the bodies, not really seeing anything until I felt Kakashi's hand clasp my shoulder again. I mentally shook myself and then gave a quick nod before the four of us dashed back out of the clearing and into the trees, heading for home as I grit my teeth and clenched my fists until my palms were bleeding from my nails.

I had failed yet again.

oOo

"Naruto, go—"

"I will later. Call them here."

"Go home. I'll tell—"

"No. You've done enough. Get some sleep, Shikamaru. I need you rested for the meeting tomorrow," I told him, and he frowned at me for a while longer, with the others in the room mirroring the look, but then he sighed.

"It'll be a long meeting, so you get rest too," he said, eyes saying what he didn't. I was in for a lecture, but I already figured that much.

Shikamaru left after sending an ANBU to get our fallen comrade's former teammates, and I leaned back into my chair.

"You don't have to be the one to do this, you know," Kakashi said next to me, and I stared down at my hands folded on my desk.

"It's my job," I replied quietly. Gods knew that I didn't want to do this. I didn't want it to be true, and the reality definitely hadn't settled in yet, but I knew that I had to do it myself.

"You can go ahead and—"

"I'll stay," he said, not letting me finish. I just nodded. I didn't have the energy to argue, and I didn't have the time either since my door opened again soon after.

"I'm glad to see you made it back safely," Neji said, looking at the two of us. I nodded as Lee followed behind.

"Naruto-kun! How can we help you?" Lee asked exuberantly as he trailed in, grinning.

"Naruto! We are most youthfully ready to be of service!" Gai called as he bounded in behind his former students.

I could feel my heart cracking.

"Unfortunately, I didn't call you to give you a mission," I told them, and slowly, the excitement in Lee's eyes turned to worry, and I could see Gai bracing for what was to come.

"What's—" Lee started, but Neji stuck an arm out, cutting him off as he waited for me to give them the news.

"Tenten was killed in action."

Silence filled the room, and Neji's arm went slack back at his side.

"That can't—! But she…" Lee stumbled, staring at me, waiting for me to take back what I'd said. When I didn't, I could see his heart fracturing as he looked over at Neji, obviously hoping for him to reveal some fact that would negate what I'd told them, but Neji simply frowned with closed eyes, holding in his pain. I watched my friend fracture more, obviously about to fall apart as he looked to his sensei, but again he found no comfort. The jounin-sensei showed his years, his experience with death and losing those close to him as he kept his eyes trained on me, waiting for his orders in the wake of his comrade's death.

And then Lee broke.

He grabbed Neji's sleeve, pleading with him to say something, but Neji said nothing, still as a statue other than his quivering chin, and then Gai's hand fell on Lee's shoulder, shaking his head silently when his student looked up at him with already tear-filled eyes.

Lee's arms fell limply back to his side, all color gone from his face, making even his green jumpsuit seem pale.

"When will it be?" Gai finally asked, keeping his hand firmly on his student's trembling shoulder.

"The day after tomorrow," I told him, holding myself together, at least on the surface. It was my job as Hokage, after all. I didn't need to add weight to their shoulders when they were already on the verge of collapse.

A thick silence filled the room for a long while, and eventually Neji's opened to the floor and he looked up at me, eyes thick with pain, about to say something, but he seemed to choke on his own words before he could get them out, looking away again. When his eyes met mine again, his eyes were blank.

"Is there anything else?"

"No. You're all free to go," I told him, and he nodded slightly before immediately leaving. Gai gave a solemn nod to Kakashi and me before he ushered Lee out.

The door fell shut behind them, and the room was quiet again until Kakashi's hand fell on my shoulder.

"Let's go home."

I nodded and stood, following behind him. My body felt heavy, and every breath and step seemed to take so much energy.

I just wanted to be home and clean and under covers where Kakashi could make me forget about everything—where I could be me. Where I didn't have to be a Kage or a Jinchuuriki or a shinobi or a smiling idiot.

It took a long time, much too long, but finally we made it home. As soon as the door closed behind us, I started pulling off the grimy ANBU gear as I made a beeline for the bathroom. I couldn't wash off the remnants of the mission soon enough, but Kakashi caught my hand before I could take more than a few steps.

"You need to eat, Naruto."

"After," I said, looking at him, aching to take a shower.

He looked like he was about to argue, but then just sighed a little.

"I'll make something," he said, letting my hand go as he headed to the kitchen, but this time I caught his hand.

"I promise I'll eat… But my body needs more than food right now," I said, staring at him, tugging lightly on his hand.

I watched as his eye turned a shade darker and he moved towards me slowly, making up the distance between us in two short strides, and though I was sure that he was tired, his graceful movements still seemed effortless, like any good predator. But I've always preferred playing predator to prey.

Uniforms were abandoned in the hall and the scalding water that crashed against us was cold compared to the trails that Kakashi's touch burned into my skin, but I didn't let him go unscathed either. And with the searing heat rushing through every inch of me, all thoughts went up in smoke.

Hi guys! Sorry I fell so far behind on this. I got a little stuck on this chapter when Naruto told Team Gai, so I had to get away from it for a bit, but I think I like how it turned out now!

Anyway, thank you everyone for all the support thus far, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter! It might be a while before I get another chapter back since finals start this week, but once I'm home I'll have a lot of time to work on Red and Black, Falling Silver, and the oneshots that I started!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

(P.S. Did anyone else get KakaNaru feels when Kakashi finally got back out on the battlefield in the manga? Oh goodness.)