The next three Wednesdays in a row, I was unfortunately unavailable.
It couldn't be helped, really. Someone had to volunteer for those missions in our neighboring villages, and Team 7 needed the practice. The fact that those missions just happened to fall on Wednesdays was pure coincidence.
At least, that's what I kept telling myself. On the fourth Wednesday I was less lucky. I walked into the mission assignment office bright and early to find that Shikaku had taken up a position there, calling himself a 'volunteer mission triage expert'. Not many people would be able to tell the head of the Nara clan that he wasn't allowed to do something like this if it was his wish. Even fewer would be willing to try it if it seemed like he was doing their work for them. He was already working his way through the incoming missions before I had arrived, assigning out everything that could possibly justify me leaving that week. He grinned at me as I walked in, pushing a scroll into my hands.
"Good morning, Kakashi. You have a very important mission tomorrow. A client will need to be escorted to the village hidden in the mist. I'm confident that your team will be able to handle it. You're familiar with the area, after all."
I mirrored his expression, and his faux-enthusiasm.
"Why wait until tomorrow? We can head off today, get the client home even faster."
"The client will not be ready until tomorrow. Can't just rush him off before he's finished with his visit, can we?"
"Sounds like I have time to accept another mission today."
"I appreciate your fervor, but…"
I dipped around him, grabbing a mission scroll off the pile at random.
"This one. I'm doing this today."
He smirked at me, unperturbed.
"Open it."
I unrolled it, scanning it quickly. It was another escort mission, starting on Friday. I rolled it back up, switching it with another scroll and scowling at him.
"I meant this one."
"Obviously."
He stood back and nodded, a smile twitching mischievously across his face. He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.
"Well, go on. I can see you're dying to read it."
I dropped the end of it and let it unroll fully, scanning it more quickly than it could unfurl. It described a retrieval mission rated way above what my team was able to accept. I closed it, placing it back on the table.
"How many of these have you gone through already, Shi?"
"Enough to know that you're free today. It's settled."
"Well, that seems to be the case, but have you considered…"
His shadow caught me as I leapt, yanking me sharply back from the window I had tried to escape through. Its freezing grasp around my ankle kept me from making a second attempt. He stood looming over me, layering shadow after shadow up my legs to hold me in place.
"So, can I count on seeing you in the meeting later today?"
I exhaled loudly, raising my palms in submission. I felt his shadows slowly melt away, and stood up.
"I'll go."
"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me."
He nodded to the team leader who was just walking in, taking a scroll from his back pocket and placing it into the newcomer's hands. The lead opened it, reading it slowly. A bored expression settled over his face. He glanced up at Shikaku after he finished.
"Another delivery to the fire temple? But it's so low level, and even if I leave right now it'll take all day. Why do I have to do it?"
I met Shikaku's eyes, seeing my last avenue of escape yawning before me. We spoke at the same time.
"Trade with m-"
"-You absolutely may not trade with him."
He pushed the lead out the door, closing it firmly behind him.
Guess I'll be there.