Summary: Kankuro finally reveals where he is and why. And he has the chance to say aloud what he thinks about certain actions in the past.
The whole group awakens and sets out on its way to Kiri. Shikamaru makes sure they all pay more attention to their safety, while Kankuro has to have a talk with him about what he's planning to do. But it turns out there might be someone following them... Who and why would that be? They should find a way to find out.
Note: Please review :)
Chapter 21: Dream A Little Nightmare Of Me
The dim-outlined figure kept running deeper into the training grounds. It would take sharp turns, sometimes jumping higher on the branches to hide from sight, just to appear further away in an odd place. Kankuro gritted his teeth — it was the only possible form of protest. He successfully kept the feeling of helpless desperation at bay, focusing solely on the environment and the person, or the projection of a person, running in front of him. The trees blurred together, looking like a solid green mass on his sides, an indication that he was picking up his speed. He wouldn't be able to tell otherwise, because his heart had been pounding wildly for a while now, actually from the moment he suspected that he was trapped in a nightmare.
Then the figure stopped dead in his tracks and dropped to the ground. It had its back to Kankuro and was facing... Tenten!? That was her, certainly; he didn't have any doubt about it. And the other person was, perhaps… her Neji? Kankuro had a very vague memory of the Hyuuga man from the war — his facial features weren't something to remember, but the pale eyes were distinctive enough. Plus, he remembered the boy Neji from when they were at the Chuunin exams together. The semblance between what he remembered and the teenager in front of him was striking and sufficiently convincing.
Tenten didn't react to either Kankuro or the half-shadowy figure. She was sitting on the ground, mindlessly rubbing her swelling ankle. Her beautiful hazel eyes were quickly welling, and a pained expression had taken over her face.
Kankuro couldn't overlook the fact that Tenten looked younger than the woman tracing his bare skin — he shivered with the memory — just a couple of hours ago. Maybe fifteen or sixteen? The younger Neji, who also should have been the same age, kneeled beside her.
"Why did you bring me here?" Kankuro finally succeeded in asking aloud with a hollow voice, beating the strain in his throat. Or maybe the figure was distracted enough that its grip over the sand shinobi had loosened.
"Shush," the figure hushed, not really turning back to look at him. It was like the voice had been sounding directly into Kankuro's head, even though he was sure it was coming through his ears. "Just be silent and watch."
"You should be more careful, Tenten," the younger Neji impassionately stated. "When I start spinning, you need to back off right away; you know that."
Kankuro noticed the very slight, brief trembling of the boy's voice at the end of the sentence. But the teenager was trying hard to remain emotionless, and he deserved credit for a job well done.
"I know, Hyuuga!" Tenten snapped. "You don't need to repeat! I'm neither a child nor stupid!"
"You are not either." He paused, pressing his lips hard together. "But obviously, you need it to be repeated," he countered. "If you listened to me, you would've moved back faster."
The tears spilled out, rolling down her burning cheeks, though she was holding the sobs in. "Fuck off!" Her whole being radiated irritation, combined with pain.
"That's my favourite part," the figure announced in whispers right in Kankuro's head and looked at him over its shoulder, finally giving him the opportunity to see who it was — Neji — an older one. Judging by the weary face, maybe it was how Neji had looked just before he died.
"Let me go!" Kankuro hissed into his mind, a rebellious burst burning in his chest.
"Not yet. Have a little patience." The other man had the audacity to even smile.
The sand shinobi tried to move his hands. It didn't work, for they were very heavy and unresponsive. The whole experience was weird, as if he were looking at himself from afar, being more of a witness than a participant in whatever that setting was about. A new, strong wave of frustration, mixed with desperation, washed over him, bringing him shivers and shaking the very core of his soul.
Kankuro managed a quick look at Neji, noting immediately that his outlines weren't blurry anymore. With the image clearing, Kankuro noted a few things, as neglectable as they were, that were obvious at first sight. He made a quick comparison between Neji and himself. For instance, one difference was their heights: Kankuro was about two inches taller; Neji was much more slender and very pale, compared to a shinobi raised in the desert under the scorching sun. Neji's hair was something that drew attention right away — long and soft, and generally a hair that his sister would have killed for. The next thing that struck him was the way the Hyuga carried himself — as if he had the world at his feet. The feeling that rose in Kankuro's chest caused a frown on his face.
"Look!" the older Neji insisted, snapping him out of his observations.
Kankuro obliged, even though unwillingly, and moved his gaze, focusing on the scene with the two teenagers. They had remained frozen until he turned his attention to them again. It was like being in a theatre, watching a performance just a few feet away from him. But he had no idea if he would like the play at all.
The young Neji grasped Tenten's wrists. Her anger spouted out, displayed in the rough yanking of her hands away. The attempt had been unsuccessful, as Neji's grip didn't budge. Instead, he fully ignored the effort and pulled her up to stand.
"We go to the hospital," he said.
She gritted her teeth, half-growling in response. Seeing that her semi-resistance didn't help with making him leave her alone, she forced words out of her mouth. "You're overreacting." Tenten succeeded in sounding dismissive, but the hitch in her voice at the last syllable destroyed the effect.
She stood on one leg, trying to act as if nothing had happened, wiping the tears with a single, abrupt movement with her sleeve. But her breathing changed, shallowing her breath intake; her burning red cheeks' colour deepened. The tears that had kept gathering in her eyes rolled down her face freely, even if she acted as if they hadn't. It was evident that she was in a lot of pain, and only an idiot — or self-inserted prick — would have neglected it.
"I'm not asking you, nor am I suggesting it to you. I said we're going, and it's not negotiable. If you refuse to cooperate, I'll just throw you over my shoulder and carry you there like a bag of potatoes."
Young Neji's voice still lacked emotion, but Kankuro could see the concern in the gradually tensing muscles around his jaw.
"I was really freaking out at this particular moment. Actually, a pinch more, and I was going to crack and start begging her to go to the hospital," the older Neji admitted, his eyes not moving away from the scene.
"What happened to her ankle?" Kankuro asked, quitting his attempts to spell aloud. Obviously, it was enough to direct his thoughts in the right way to be heard.
The two teenagers froze again while the older Neji turned and took a few steps before halting in front of the sand shinobi.
"I adopted a defence technique called Kaiten, or Revolving Heaven. When an unavoidable attack is launched my way, I can emit chakra from all of my chakra nodes; then, with a rapid spin, I create a dome of protection, which reflects the attacks. The dome pulses and expands rapidly to its maximum range. Once activated, it's impossible to break until I stop spinning. But it has a brief lag, of course, until it's completely gone." Neji paused as if he had taken a breath.
Kankuro decided to cut the explanation short. "She fell into your dome?"
"She... jumped back too late in an attempt to avoid it. The dome passed over her foot while she was in the air. Neither of us expected it, and I should have predicted it!" Neji snapped, his voice booming loudly, making Kankuro's head pound painfully.
The sand shinobi winced, inhaling sharply. The movement restraints were preventing him from rubbing his head and easing the pressing discomfort.
"Tenten's fall was disrupted, and she landed badly... I thought I heard her ankle crack, though I'd probably imagined it. It felt like" — Neji shook his head and firmly pressed a hand to his chest — "if my heart stopped for a moment."
Kankuro nodded but remained silent, his face slowly twisting in a pained grimace.
"I'm hurting you," Neji noted. "I'm sorry; this wasn't your fault, and you aren't here to suffer."
And just like that, the burning sensation of the dense shackles that were seizing the sand shinobi in place fully retracted, allowing him to move at will.
"Why am I here, then?" Kankuro asked again.
"Soon," Neji promised; he gestured to the unmoving teenagers. "Please, watch."
Even if Tenten was going to say something, she swallowed the words down and chose to stay quiet.
The teen Neji pulled her arm up and placed it around his shoulders; he had a firm hold around her waist all the time, steadying her.
But the girl seemed to be too stubborn. She wasn't ready to fully back down without biting back.
"You know I can handle this on my own, right?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in irritation even though the pain.
"Always stubborn. She never complained, even when she was struggling to catch up with Lee and myself," the older Neji commented, while his younger version didn't say anything under the risk of aggravating her further. "When looking back, I realise that she has always been the chink in my armour," he added under his breath.
"Can you just answer me?" Tenten hissed through gritted teeth.
Young Neji turned to her, boring his pale eyes right into hers. "I know you can handle everything thrown your way. That doesn't mean you should do it alone. We are going to the hospital because you're injured. I hurt you. End of story." He dug his fingers into her side and took a step, forcing her to do the same.
Tenten's jaw dropped, surprised and a little scared by his tone. She quit her attempts to talk her very determined teammate out of his hospital idea, partly because she was a bit scared and partly because she also saw the need to visit a medic. Limping heavily and using Neji for physical support, she headed towards the village's gates.
Kankuro watched after the couple until they hid between the trees. Why would Neji show him this particular scene? Was there something special he missed? Apart from the worried young Neji, was there anything else? The only thing he could do was ask...
"Why are you in my dream?"
Neji sighed and slowly sat on the grass. Unlike a moment ago, his lips actually moved, articulating words, and the sound of his voice came from the outside of Kankuro's mind. "Maybe you're wondering why I picked this little unfortunate event to show you?" he asked.
Having regained control over his body, Kankuro let himself slump down. "What I'm wondering is, do you realise that not appearing in her dream tonight would devastate her?"
Neji hummed, pressing his lips together and looking to the side. "I have my reasons," he said with a nod. "And I will get to them soon. I believe that talking with you will be the best I can do for her." He returned his eyes to the man. "So, do you know why I showed you this?"
Kankuro eyed him. "I pretty much can guess why," he answered, making sure he didn't talk through clenched teeth, even if he felt like doing so.
Neji's eyebrows flew up as a smile graced his thin lips. Compared to his younger version's face, this Neji's expression was vivid and unrestrained. He gestured to Kankuro to keep talking.
"That moment, when you saw her... suffering… and the knowledge you've caused it. You probably realised that you might hurt or actually lose her." The sand shinobi slowly lifted his arms and crossed them heavily over his chest. "I'm familiar with the overwhelming fear of loss and the love that hits you in the face while your hands're still shaking with terror."
"Oh?" Neji's shoulders hung. Right after that, a bubbling sound filled the space around both of them — Neji was laughing. "I've underestimated you. But I see why Tenten feels so at ease around you." He nodded as if to himself. "You don't need much to understand."
Kankuro relaxed his hands on his lap. "There was an incident some years ago. My sister was very close to death… Don't look at me like that! I don't harbour romantic love for her, but I love her very much."
Neji huffed; his lips moved barely. "Brother's love… Yeah, I know this love is also very strong…"
"So," — Kankuro leaned back on his hands — "what stopped you? To share your feelings with her?" He already had Tenten's point of view and shared memories, but the coin always had two sides.
"My clan's council didn't think of Tenten as a suitable addition to my—" He closed his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed in what seemed to be irritation. "Our clan genes... for my future children."
The words, seemingly spoken calmly, contained so much venom that Kankuro couldn't suppress a wince.
Neji opened his eyes, boring them at the other man's face. "Also, I was informed that I've been betrothed to a woman from the clan. A distant relative. I've never been given a choice—"
Kankuro snapped up, slapping his hands over his knees when he leaned forward. "Bullshit." He growled in annoyance at Neji's attempts to make excuses. "There's no such thing as 'I didn't have a choice'."
"You don't understand." Neji shook his head. "My main obligation was to protect Hinata-sama." He tapped his forehead, drawing Kankuro's attention to the greenish, cross-like seal there. "This sign, carved into my skin, put me in a position of lifetime servitude. Then, in case I survived long enough, I was supposed to supply the clan with an addition to the next generation of protectors to the main branch." He slowly shifted. "My whole life has been decided for me. I hadn't been given a choice," he reiterated.
"If you wanted to be with her so badly, surely there had to be a solution." Kankuro didn't agree, looking right into the pale eyes in front of him. "You could've left your snobbish clan and gotten married to her."
Neji pursed his lips, obviously giving the idea proper thought. "They would have killed me... and most likely her as well."
"You could've run together," Kankuro suggested.
"They would have tracked us down."
"Then you could've fought back. Or run beyond their reach and seek a shelter where they don't have rights. You could've even stopped being shinobi, if you must," Kankuro kept counting down the options that came to his mind — chances he knew he would have taken if his happiness depended on his determination. He had been a shinobi his whole life, but... Had he been honest with himself, he would gladly prequalify as a carpenter if that would ensure him a peaceful life with a woman who loved him so much to leave behind everything and run away with him.
Neji sighed. "I don't think that she would have left Konoha even for me. And us, stopping being shinobi? That wouldn't be us at all. I'm not sure that we could've been anything else."
Kankuro straightened his back, noting, "It sounds more like you wouldn't leave Konoha even for her."
"You are a kazekage's oldest son. If your council wanted to impose a marriage on you, would you have left Suna for the woman you love?" Neji tilted his head curiously. "Quitting the life of a shinobi? Leaving your relatives and friends for good?"
"Depends," Kankuro admitted. "But if the woman I love loves me back and is ready for the same sacrifice as I am in the name of us being together, I'd seriously consider it. Although I'd examine every option of playing the upper card with the council and staying with my siblings, if that's impossible, I'd leave."
Neji's eyes widened.
Kankuro drew his lips in a firm line before bracing his elbows on his thighs. "I never said that the possible choices were easy, just that they exist. You can weigh out each one and decide if it is worth it or not."
Pale gaze bored into Kankuro's face, and eventually, Neji nodded. "You are not the type of person who will just give up. I respect that."
"Glad you like that trait of mine," Kankuro hummed. "Now, let's get back to where we left off. You still haven't told me why you brought me here. You didn't want me to just see that." He narrowed his eyes. "Why, Neji Hyuuga?"
Neji chuckled — he had watched Kankuro through Tenten's eyes. He hadn't been able to hear him talk; he just saw him and partly felt what Tenaten had felt. Now, having the chance to actually hear him, Neji concluded that the sand shinobi resembled a bloodhound chasing its wounded prey. It was a valuable trait for a shinobi, certainly. Neji couldn't go under the radar anymore. It was already too late to turn the clock and pretend that all of this had been a mistake. He had dragged this man here, so it was fair to tell him why… "It's about Tenten," he admitted in the end.
"Yes, that much I could guess." His tone was bitter, clearly hinting that he didn't ask to be called here and didn't enjoy it. "What about her?"
"I… I've been watching over her since I... died." Neji waited for a nod. "I thought our friends would be able to drag her out of the hole she has been in since the war. But it hasn't been enough — they haven't been enough." A hesitant pause. "She has always been cheerful and resilient towards the negative. But... she has adopted destructive habits and developed episodes of depression that have become more frequent... and longer as well. And... she doesn't seem to seek help."
Kankuro assessed his face, twisted in a worried expression, and slowly said, "Alright…?"
"Since she started talking with you... interacting with you, I can see improvement in her behaviour. She has become a bit... brighter." He paused yet again, as if he weren't sure he wanted to share more. "She started to smile genuinely... I haven't seen her smile like that for a long time."
Kankuro's heart fluttered and started to pound heavily into his chest. He suddenly felt not only a desire to get the hell out of here but an urge to run. However, he forced himself to stay, keeping a blank expression on his face. "Get to the point."
"Your influence on her is good. I want it to continue."
The next few moments for both men were spent looking intently at each other's faces. Neji sighed and pulled back, acknowledging that Kankuro had won the staring contest.
"Look," he started. "I bargained with my uncle, and eventually he agreed to let me out of the engagement if both Hinata and myself survived the war. I was so happy, but—"
"So you still did something, contrary to your statement that you didn't have a choice?" Kankuro snorted mockingly, interrupting him.
Neji gritted his teeth, giving him an angry squint-eye glance, but still chose to treat the comment as if he didn't hear it. "I should have kept my mouth shut. I shouldn't have said anything to Tenten."
"Yes, you shouldn't have," Kankuro confirmed in a rough tone. "The odds of any of us surviving were pretty low. It was more of an empty hope, and you knew it."
Neji looked to the side. He had never let anyone scold him. Never. And here he was, sitting on the grass, shrinking by guilt under the words of an unfamiliar man, who he wanted to... well, beg... to help the woman who Neji still held dear and once loved with all of his heart. He didn't have a heart now, but the memory of having one was still strikingly vivid.
"And from the little I know about your clan, I have the confidence to suspect this 'bargain' may just have been a tool to make you even more eager to protect Hinata."
Neji screwed his eyes. It was one to think his uncle might not have been sincere, but to hear it from Kankuro sounded almost cruel. He didn't bring him here to discuss the Hyuuga clan or Hiashi in particular.
An angry flame twitched into his pale eyes. "I can't turn back time."
Kankuro straightened his back, feeling the acute waves of terror rolling off of Neji's whole body. The sand shinobi's right hand clenched and balled into a fist. He wanted to believe that it was just because he needed the movement. But it was going to be a lie — it was his sense of self-preservation, readying him to act and defend. He was desperate to feel in control of his imaginary physical body once again. Swallowing hard, he did the only thing he thought of as right — he drew Neji's attention away with a sharp-shooted question.
"So, what do you want from me exactly?"
Neji tensed up at the straight-forward question. Raised in the Hyuuga clan, he had been taught the ways of "talking without really saying anything" and how to beat around the bush in his favour. He was sure that Kankuro, having the social status he did, had also been through a thorough education in the ways of diplomacy and politics. When he didn't even try to mince his words, Neji was caught off guard. But he was quick to recover; he huffed quietly and relaxed with a shrug.
"Keep doing what you do and don't deprive her of your presence…" He paused before adding, "And don't hurt her."
"That... isn't something I can promise you." Kankuro shook his head. Neji's raised eyebrow demanded an additional explanation, which he provided. "I may have to hurt her."
Neji's head snapped up, his face twisting in confusion and distrust. "Why?"
The sand shinobi closed his eyes but stubbornly remained silent. He didn't want to illustrate further what he thought and what he planned. It was not in Neji's business, even if, technically, it had a purpose for fixing exactly the mess he had left behind.
"I… don't..." Neji grasped his head with both hands as if he were trying to deal with a really sharp and sudden headache. He breathed in and let the air out slowly. It was just a memory of the way he used to get over pain because he didn't have anything physical that could be hurt, nor did he have functioning lungs. "All I know," he said in a calmer tone, "is that you can help her recover. I ask you: don't give up on her; help her."
Kankuro's obstinate stone silence wasn't what Neji expected. He had imagined a good number of scenarios where the sand shinobi either accepted or rejected the challenge. He had prepared an explanation for the most possible questions he might have asked. But how should he interpret the lack of response — any response?
But Neji had only tonight, and he needed to know if Kankuro was up to the task or not. And the time was running out — he had just the minutes that the night hours were offering. It wasn't much; every move of the clock strike was cutting his visit shorter. He couldn't afford to go without an answer. It would have been an absolute loss of opportunity. So, after a few awkward moments, he dared to speak again.
"I… want to know," he urged in the end. "What do you think about that? Are you going to do anything?"
"I don't think you wanna know what I think," Kankuro said, his voice hollow but somehow taunting.
Neji huffed. "You think you will scare me? I have nothing to fear. I'm already dead, remember?"
Kankuro's dark eyes lay on him, heavy as lead, for a long time before he finally said, "Very well. I think you're the reason for Tenten's bad condition, which I'm sure you know. You and your egoism, and the general refusal to think things over... If you've cared about her as much as you state to, you wouldn't have let her raise her hopes only to crush them right down the day after. The kiss you've stolen then — yes, I know about it — cost her everything now. It wasn't fair." The expression of pure resentment made Kankuro's face look taut, together with the little muscle on his jaw, which was slightly twitching. "And there's no reason I should clean up your mess. And that's what you ask me to do."
Neji's face fell because, frankly, the sand shinobi was right. Although, even if it was his fault, he wasn't doing it for himself. He was dead; he couldn't be with her anymore. But he wanted her happy, smiling, chatty, and everything else she used to be.
He sighed. "Yes, there's no reason you should do anything for me." He paused, trying to think of any argument that might convince Kankuro or at least make him reconsider. In the end, he went with bare honesty. "Would you consider doing something for her?" Neji drew his lips in a fine line. "From what I was able to observe, you care for her. So you like her at least a bit."
"I do like her," Kankuro confirmed, though there was scepticism in his narrowed eyes.
"Something small we have in common." He sighed. "Well, from where I'm..." — He cursed silently. — "From where I used to stand, she's the best girl, and it's unlikely if you didn't like her. And..." He stopped himself, assessing the other man's grimace. "I do realise that it probably sounds very weird coming from me."
"It sounds like you are about to play pander," Kankuro said in a beat. "Is this what you're tryin' to do?" His voice was too merry to be genuine.
"Not at all!" Neji almost jumped on his feet. "I don't want you to touch her—" He squeezed his eyes shut, closing his mouth with a snap.
Kankuro nodded with a humm. "Yeah… You see, that is the problem. You seek help for her, but you haven't sorted out the greatest issue — it's you. It doesn't matter who will approach her…" Kankuro leaned forward, emphasising his words with a tap on his palm. "You have to let her go. If you don't... If you appear like an angry cloud every time someone tries to… get close to her, she will push back, and she won't even realise why."
Neji jolted as if he were scared by the mere idea. In the next moment, his shoulders slumped down, and he quietly asked, "Do you... want to get close to her?"
Kankuro rolled his eyes. "Is that all you picked from my words?"
"I'm… sorry. But it's still heavy. It's like I am still alive, though I have only rational memories about my feelings then," he tried to explain. "Please tell me... Was I right to presume you feel something for her? You wouldn't have spent so much time with her if you didn't, right?"
"You're tryin' to coax a confession outta me; do you realise that?" Kankuro crossed his arms.
"I don't think I am trying to do that. I'm trying to verify my own conclusions," Neji denied.
"Well then, yeah, I do like her. A lot, actually. But your shadow is hovering over her, and she won't see me, or any other man, for that matter, as a… man. Especially not one worthy of her love and affection, because they are reserved for you. It's your reflection in her eyes in moments when it shouldn't be…"
"This sounds more terrible than flattering… considering the circumstances," Neji mumbled.
"I can't agree more."
They fell into another silent pause. And while Neji's face remained graced with a deep frown, Kankuro's features softened just a bit.
"I can't promise you that I will be able to help her," Kankuro whispered. "What I can promise you is that I'll try. Although… I'm not sure I can fully predict her reaction. She may send me right here, on that lawn, to sit with you for an eternity." And I'm not particularly excited by the idea, he added inwardly.
Neji jolted. "You're planning to die?"
"Oh, no. Not at all," he laughed for the first time since he found himself in this twisted little screenplay, directed by Neji. "But, shinobi or not, you can never roll out the possibility of untimely death."
"I will haunt you down if you don't keep your word," Neji informed, his emotionless expression in check.
"It sounds as if you are threatening me." Kankuro chuckled, genuinely amused.
"Oh, I am. And I may be a lot of things you don't approve of, but I am a man of my word."
"Well… Then either of us wouldn't have to worry. A man of the given word, I am too," he stated, getting up on his feet. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to sleep. Let me out of this nightmare so I can catch some rest."
Neji nodded and clapped his hands together, dismissing the trap Kankuro had been held in.
Kurotsuchi purposefully didn't drink more than a glass of wine at the formal diner. Hangover-free, it was easy to open her eyes at around six o'clock, just as they had talked the previous night. She had volunteered to wake up the rest of the group and make sure everyone was down for breakfast at seven before they all left Kumogakure.
So she got up. Not trying to be quiet at all, she sorted her bag quickly and contemplated shaking Temari's shoulder since the sand kunoichi either pretended to be asleep or had really fallen into the arms of a deep slumber. Whichever it was, she needed to be brought out of bed. However, knowing full well that Temari might react solely on instinct, she reconsidered touching her. Instead, Kurotsuchi pulled the curtains, letting the already bright light in. Temari's response was instantly curling in a ball, an unhappy groan, and hiding under her covers.
"You have three minutes before I toss the blanket off you," Kurotsuchi said on her way to the bathroom.
Temari moaned, poking her head out; her hair, a golden mess, was falling over her face.
"What time is it?" she asked in a rough voice.
Kurotstuchi halted at the door, looking over her shoulder with a smug smile. "It's seven past six — time to get your ass up."
Temari cursed under her breath. She was painfully punctual, and out on a field mission, she would never let herself oversleep, even for a minute. This wasn't the case now because, technically, she wasn't late. She knew that Kurotsuchi would wake her. Still, she felt a pang of guilt that forced her to sit up right away. Her hands grasped at her head, burrowing fingers into the sand-golden locks, trying to stop the brief dizziness.
Kurotsuchi emerged from the bathroom, snatched her bag on her way to the door, and pushed out into the hallway.
Just before the door clicked closed, Temari caught her faint words: "Please order breakfast for everyone. I'll drag them downstairs in fifteen minutes."
Click.
Temari sighed and ran her fingers through the mess on her head in a lame attempt to put it in some kind of order. Then, yawning, she got on her feet and started to prepare for leaving. And inwardly long to go back to the softness of the bed. The next few nights she would spend on the hard ground...
A knock on the door made Kankuro jolt in his bed and tightly grasp the low wooden frame. He rubbed the middle of his forehead with a quiet groan. He had drunk a glass of wine and a beer for the whole evening, so he didn't have a hangover. But he had an annoying leaf shinobi surging into his dreams and completely destroying his sleep; thus, he couldn't rest at all. Honestly, he felt tired and grumpy. And he would have to get over the discomfort and be his usual self.
The repeated knocking sounded too shrill and unpleasant in his ears, so much so that his body winced. He pushed on his feet, screwing his eyes shut in an attempt to ease the discomfort of the position change. Finally, he dragged his feet to the door and opened it.
"Good morning, sunshine." Kurotsuchi grinned at his face, twisting in irritation.
"G'dmornin'," he uttered, barely audible.
"You look as if you've taken part in some shadowy activities." She chuckled.
He gave her a gruff look. "I'm not up to your jokes."
She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said scornfully, but her tone contained a hint of amusement; then, she leaned in as if intending to tell him a secret. "You may not know this, but the most important thing when you have fun," — she paused, leaning in just a bit further — "is to know when to stop and walk away."
Kankuro huffed, rolling his eyes. His patience was unbelievably thin. And risking to lash out at Kurotsuchi for... being herself would look overly suspicious. The best thing he could do was to put up a physical barrier, so he moved back to close the door. "I'll see you in a bit, Kurotsuchi," he said in an attempt to get her off his case.
"It's gonna be a very pleasant day," she claimed with an all-teeth smile. Her pink eyes fixed something behind Kankuro's back, and she waved a greeting. "Morning!"
"Morning," Chojuro replied while crossing the room to the bathroom.
"Bye, Kurotsuchi," Kankuro said.
"Thirteen minutes," she chirped.
He growled a short confirmation, and this time, he pushed the door until it clicked.
Kurotsuchi walked to the next room and knocked a few times. The idea of seeing yet another sleepy face that would have a whole story written all over excited her. And, most importantly, it amused her.
Nothing happened at first. But instead of knocking again, she laid an ear on the door. Less than thirty seconds later, the door squeaked open by Ino.
Suspicion reflected over Kurotsuchi's face, narrowing her eyes — this wasn't Ino's room, for sure. "I'm most certain you didn't enter this room last night," she noted, the smile already taking over her features. She was good at playing roles; pretending was a piece of cake for her.
"Nope," Ino confirmed, and hid a yawn behind her hand.
"Yet, you're here."
"Yes, here I am." Ino nodded.
Kurotsuchi's eyes fell on yawning and stretching Shikamaru in the back.
"I thought you had a boyfriend?" She asked quietly, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
"I do. Why?" Ino yawned again, not bothering to hide it this time, and looked over her shoulder. "I'm waiting for you downstairs. Breakfast."
"Yeah, sure, mom," he mumbled.
"I heard you!" she scolded, brushing beside Kurotsuchi. She didn't look back again. Instead, she pressed the handle of the door on the other side of the hallway, leaving the door to Shikamaru's room wide open.
Tenten grasped Lee's shirt before she even opened her eyes.
"Good morning," he whispered.
She lifted her face, seeking his big, round, warm eyes. "He didn't show up, Lee." Her words came out broken and hollow, followed by a quiet sigh.
Lee's shoulders dropped. He instantly wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing her to his chest.
"I can't believe it," she claimed, shaking her head; her voice hitched in her throat.
He stroked her hair and back. "I'm sorry… I really don't know what to say."
Tenten rubbed her face on Lee's chest, pressing her nose. "Why? What was so important to him? Who did he visit?"
"Sadly, I don't know. I, honestly, can't think of anything that would have him hanging on a loose end that he would rather finish than talk with you," he shared. His brows were knitted firmly together right above his nose.
Ino's voice, coming from the hallway, made Tenten jolt and push away from Lee's chest. The moment she looked at the door, it opened, and Ino rushed in, followed by Kurotsuchi.
"Did we… interrupt something?" the latter asked, her lips curled in a cunning smile.
Lee gently helped Tenten sit up. While he was getting up, he caught Kurotsuchi's eyes. "You did," he said with atypical hostility. "Alas, it isn't what you might think it is." He placed a kiss on the forehead of the woman beside him. "I shall see you in a bit. Wash your face. You'll feel better. And keep breathing, ok?" He caressed her shoulder, finishing with a tender squeeze.
Kurotsuchi raised an eyebrow — the level of weirdness this morning was offering seemed plenty and even increased.
Tenten ignored both Kurotsuchi and Ino but rather listened to Lee, taking a deep breath. Then she nodded.
Lee's facial expression softened. His body, unable to keep the same position, urged him to stand on his feet. Sparing the women from more words, he headed right towards the door. But, while passing beside Kurotsuchi, he caught her sleeve and pulled her with him. She was so surprised that she followed him without argument. The gentleman he was, he held the door for her.
When they were alone in the hallway, he stood in front of her with the most serious face, one that she wouldn't have imagined he could make.
"She needs time and space right now. Would you be so good to give it to her." The sentence was constructed as a question, but it really wasn't. It was a demand, and they both knew it. The warning flames in his eyes told her how utterly important that — whatever "that" actually was — was for Tenten.
Kurotsuchi clicked with her tongue, avoiding a direct answer, but she gave him an affirmative nod. Then she continued to the next door, returning to her task of waking up the rest of the shinobi. Her curiosity was peaking about the whole thing with Lee and Tenten, and she couldn't wait to dig her strong fingers right in the middle of it. On the other hand, her common sense knew better — she would have to wait for the right moment.
The trip to Kirigakure started slowly, kind of burdensome, and with headaches for at least half the shinobi in the group. The conversations were just rare exchanges of a few words. Occasional quiet groans could be heard over the footsteps of multiple feet.
This time, Shikamaru paid special attention to the formation they were moving into and insisted on everyone looking out for their place. He asked Ino and Shee to sort the turns between each other and make sure there was always someone tracking chakra signals at the back of the group — more strictly than they had until now. There was no real need to tell them explicitly that he wanted any information they possessed shared with him.
No one in the group was per se surprised by the increased safety measures after the conversation on the way to the Kumo Arena. It was… at least, expected.
Temari hummed, smiling under her breath. She knew very well that one of Shikamaru's emblematic sayings was "Better safe than sorry." He was steadfastly following that.
The charted path that the group was supposed to take was curving slightly to the west before heading back to the south and then to the coast. According to the plan, they were going to spend a night in the forest, then reach the harbour the next day. From then on, they were taking a boat to Kirigakure.
Around late morning, after a quick check with the village team leaders, Ameno pulled out a small vial with green pills. She gave one to everyone who still suffered through the consequences of the previous evening. Then, a short break was announced.
Tenten remained by Lee's side the whole morning. Her lips were sealed in alarming silence while her eyes were carefully following the trees' outlines, focusing on the guarding duty she was entrusted with. Both Lee and Ino tried to coax her into talking, but neither of them had any success.
Kankuro, on the other hand, kept conversing with his sister and Suna teammates in whispers, not giving Tenten a single look. He was doing his best to calm his frantic mind as he waited for the right way and moment to execute his plan. But he was overwhelmed with worry for yet another reason: before getting to whatever plan of his own, he needed to talk with Shikamaru if he wanted any chance at succeeding. If he could predict Tenten's reaction to some extent, he could also predict their leader's one. Shikamaru would never just let two of his teammates have an open argument; none of the current village team leaders would just sit aside and watch, either. So informing him was step one. Getting his approval was step two, and it was crucial.
Kankuro had gotten to know Shее enough to be aware that the cloud shinobi spoke in a low voice with short sentences and straight to the point. As a sensing type, he had the task of describing what he felt in his sensing range using a map to easily display it for Shikamaru and the rest.
However, this time, Kankuro noticed that Shee's fingers lingered longer over the paper of the map and that his usually calm face kept a slight frown. For the first time, Shikamaru had pointed at the map himself, which brought a feeling of unpleasant anticipation into Kankuro's stomach. Something was off, and, as vague as the two men wanted to maintain it for the moment, the sand shinobi recognised the first signs of worry.
Shikamaru and Shee continued looking at the map in a half-tensed silence for a few more moments before Shee started to talk again. Kankuro guessed that he offered some kind of solution. The discussion ended with both men nodding at each other; the presented idea had been accepted.
It was Kankuro's turn to talk. He sat on a fallen log on the meadow's outskirts, and soon Shikamaru joined him. They were close enough to the group not to raise any suspicion and far enough not to be easily heard. But neither of them uttered a word; instead, both started eating silently.
"You've planned something," Shikamaru stated quietly but matter-of-factly while his gaze roamed above the heads of their teammates.
"I have," Kankuro confirmed.
"I don't have to know every detail if it doesn't concern the safety of the group." He looked at the other man. "You know that."
"I do." A short-lived pause. "And I gave it a serious thought before I came to you."
"And?"
He huffed. "It may concern the safety of the group if executed at the wrong time. If it's done at the right time, it'll concern the safety of only one group member."
Shikamaru nodded, restraining himself from any facial expressions. "You have my full attention."
"I'll need a right moment — a safe one — and your assistance to prevent anyone from interfering," Kankuro uttered firmly while his face didn't move a muscle out of his perfectly relaxed face.
"Okay, I'll need a bit more details."
"I'll challenge Tenten," the sand shinobi whispered.
Shikamaru held the sandwich just before his mouth for a few seconds before nodding. "I see. When do you want to do that?"
"I was thinking about later today... To use the… date."
"Oh…" Shikamaru's teeth sank into the food, giving him a moment to assess the situation better. And to repel any suspicion about their conversation being highly confidential because... no one should munch while they talk about something overly serious. It's very far from polite. Both men knew it. "While your plan and intention have merit, I must ask you to delay the execution." Shikamaru's voice was very low. He looked right into Kankuro's eyes, a solemn expression taking over his sharp features. "I understand that you've probably taken everything into consideration, but we may've been followed."
The only reaction Kankuro showed was slight brow knitting.
"We don't know yet if that's the case for sure. But before it's clear, please refrain from picking on anyone's emotions." Shikamaru waited for a confirmation nod, then he returned to eating as if everything were alright.
Kankuro fell silent, his eyes downcast. There was a way of checking if anyone was following them without involving the sensor shinobi. "I can set a trap," he whispered and paused, watching for a reaction. It came in a few seconds in the shape of a quiet hum. "It will trigger if someone passes near it without being noticed or causing harm. It's basically a silent, clicking device, which will send a signal."
"Do it," Shikamaru said, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth. "This will give us some additional information."
Kankuro nodded. He wouldn't in any case underestimate the usefulness of the information their sensor shinobi supplied, but he was a conservative fighter and was used to relying on the physics and mechanisms that he could build himself. His mind was already ticking and planning on modifications for safety he could use for the occasion.
The two men didn't exchange anything more. They just finished their meals and silently proceeded to their own tasks.
The day continued seemingly according to plan. Shikamaru didn't say anything more, though he checked often with Ino and Shee, as well as with Kankuro. A few hours before dawn, the situation started to look more and more like they had been followed after all. The group coming from the northwest had been moving straight towards them through the forest, just like they did. And they had slowed down, keeping a steady, thirty-minute distance ever since.
The other group, the one coming from the west, seemed to follow a main road and slightly turn north, as if going to Kumogakure, taking a minor road. Even though it seemed like this group didn't have a goal to catch up with them, Shee had insisted on not abandoning the possibility of this group also following them. He even expressed doubt that the two groups might be together in all of this. The cloud shinobi didn't strike as a nervous and overly paranoid person, so Shikamaru took his words seriously.
Temari, knowing her brother painfully well, couldn't help but notice a slight deviation in his behaviour. It was imperceptible to anyone else, and she knew it. It showed in the way he remained in the tail of the group, setting traps through a certain distance — something he would normally do — but hadn't done during this particular mission. The difference lay in his shoulders, which were a tad more tense and squared back as if he were expecting trouble.
Temari approached him and hooked a hand around his upper arm. His muscles jumped, then they fell stiff and ready to act. Her suspicion had turned out to be right.
"What's wrong?" she whispered.
"Nothing's wrong... yet," he replied, his voice as calm as ever.
"Something's not quite right, Kankuro. I can practically smell it rolling off of you," Temari insisted, sniffing the air for emphasis while her fingers sank into the flesh of his arm. "Should I expect problems?"
Kankuro didn't give her anything but a slight frown under his makeup.
She clicked with her tongue in frustration. "Won't you tell me?"
"No." He didn't look at her; instead, he tilted his chin towards Shikamaru. "He'll tell us when he decides that the time has come. Don't try to push me. You know how it goes every time you do that." Kankuro grinned at her and nudged her with his shoulder.
Temari snorted, partly out of annoyance and partly to hide her sudden worry. "Sure… Such a good brother you are. Sharing everything with me..."
Kankuro chuckled, not even thinking to let her have the last word. "As if you share everything with me." He let the hint sink in and took genuine pleasure in the way her cheeks flared pink. "You may wanna remove those little bony appendages from me."
She huffed, releasing him from her grip. "You can be mean, you know."
"I know," he confirmed. "And don't you forget it."
As she parted her painted pink lips to bite back, Shikamaru lifted a hand to stop the group. Temari snapped her mouth closed.
"We'll be stopping earlier today," Shikamaru announced. "We need to discuss something," he said with a sigh before sitting down. The rest of the group followed suit, settling on the ground and preparing to listen.
Shee rolled up his map with little marks all over it and tucked it into his waist bag. A heavy silence had fallen on the group while everyone processed the new information.
A throat clearing drew all the attention to one of the teammates. "So, let me summarise all of this," Kurotsuchi said earnestly. "We have one group of shinobi, probably low-ranked, that is following us. We have one more group that might be following us, but we don't know that for sure yet. We don't know how long they've been on our tail or what technique they've used to track us. But it's most probably a sensor type of shinobi, just like us?"
Shikamaru let his lips curl into a crooked smile. "Nice summary."
She made a face at him. "Thank you."
"We have to narrow down the method they track us with. So, what I want you to do is create a clone. When you do that, suppress your chakra. We all know that the suppression can't last too long, but for what we aim at, it'll be enough." Shikamaru cast a glance at Lee before opening his map on the ground. All Konoha shinobi knew that Lee's chakra control was basic, and maintaining a clone, even for a short amount of time, could be a problem for him. "I want our clones to keep moving in the same direction as we did. If they have a sensor type of shinobi, they will follow the chakra signals."
"And if they don't?" Temari asked, narrowing her eyes; a bitter taste appeared in her mouth as she already knew the answer.
"If they don't, we may consider that one of us accidentally slipped out information or... that there might be a traitor amongst us," Shikamaru answered calmly, ignoring the few frowns and gasps. "But I really don't want to jump to the last bit right away."
"Right," Kankuro said under his breath, crossing arms over his chest.
Temari cleared her throat, shooting her brother a warning look. "What do we do if they follow the clones?"
"We have to do a few things." Shikamaru turned to her, his eyes briefly wandering on her face. He was quick to hide his longing to keep looking at her, allowing his gaze to move to Kankuro. "Firstly, we need to notify Kirigakure and Kumogakure about our tail. So, I'll assign four shinobi in two groups, who will take upon the task of reaching the two villages."
"We are not that far from Kumo. Can't Ino connect the Raikage?" Lee asked. "She can do that, right?"
When all eyes turned to Ino, she shook her head with an apologetic face. "Without the Chakra Transmission Communication Device, my range of entering other people's minds is relatively small."
Lee's eyes widened in realisation for a brief moment, but he nodded. "Ah… Right."
"That's why we need two groups to run on foot and notify the Raikage and the Mizukage," Shikamaru reiterated. "Shee-san has already suggested Karui and Atsui as a running team to Kumo, and I agree with him."
Both Karui and Atsui pricked up with the mention of their names.
"I can be in the second running group," Chojuro suggested, squaring his shoulders.
Shikamaru shook his head. "I'd rather keep you here. We don't know what we may go against. We have a few medical shinobi here, so I think Ruka will be the better choice as Kiri representative."
Chojuro nodded slowly, turning a worried look at her. "I see. I suppose you're not letting her go alone?"
"Of course not. Considering the distance she has to cover, Lee'll be the most suitable to run with her."
Ruka remained silent; her only reaction was an almost-there nod. She didn't have anything to say, nor could she disagree. She understood why Shikamaru wanted Chojuro to stay — he was a very strong fighter — but she didn't really understand why Lee would be the best choice to come with her. But she knew it wasn't the right time to draw attention to herself, asking for an explanation.
Shikamaru kept talking for a bit more, charting a detailed plan for an ambush. It was very important that there wouldn't be any victims, so they had to be extra careful. Especially if Shee and Ino were right to guess the level of the followers — if they really were low-ranked, they as well might be just kids.
When everything was clear for everyone, the group proceeded to create clones. Seeing them off was an important moment.
Shee waited for about five minutes before closing his eyes and focusing on the chakra signals that he expected to move. Except, they didn't.
Thank you, hun! ^^