It's almost sundown; his guard detail has yet to find him, which means Kakashi is just two hours away from being 30,000 Ryo richer.
Losing his detail the first time was practice.
The second time was experience.
After so many years, it's child's play, and Kakashi looks forward to Tenzō and the rest showing up, defeated and ready to drink themselves under the table in a fruitless attempt to reclaim their honor.
He'll count it as two wins if he can slip out before the bill, but that might be pointlessly self-congratulatory because Kakashi can't remember the last time he paid for drinks. Maybe he should feel bad, but maybe his old ANBU outfit should also know better than to bet against him at this point.
But if they're dead set on being robbed blind once a month, who is Kakashi to prevent them from fattening his pockets? Smug at the prospect and looking forward to another win, Kakashi settles onto one of the trees at the edge of the training grounds just outside Konoha.
He has his favorite Icha-Icha series out and is well into the action when a chakra signature he doesn't recognize flickers at the edge of his senses. Kakashi immediately stills when the source heads his way, too forward to be an obvious threat, but years of training can't shake the tension.
Right before it gets too close for comfort, the chakra flares in ANBU code:
-Friendly-no-threat-guard-
Not a threat, then, just the guard rotation. And they'd sent him a rookie.
Relaxing, Kakashi holsters his readied kunai with a wry grin, flaring back an affirmative before flickering away without warning. He lands soundlessly on a branch a few dozen meters away, the annoyance of having to put away his book canceled out by the amusement of dealing with new blood.
He wonders about the circumstances of being put on his detail, whether the others warned him about Kakashi, or whether his reputation preceded him. Regardless, he has enough grace to afford the poor chump a fraction of pity before he takes off through the boughs.
His pace is much faster than called for, so close to the village, but Kakashi has never been a lenient man and doesn't intend to change that now. His friends referred to him as a pain in the ass on more than one occasion, but when pressed, grudgingly admitted he was worth the headache.
It was that sort of tenacity that Kakashi fostered as Hokage. He'd spent years honing it to a razor's edge, deftly walking the tightrope between headache and treason for over a decade before finally, finally, flinging the Hat at Naruto like it was an exploding tag. Unfortunately, his freedom had the same caveats as Tsunade's: his ass in a seat as a council member.
Through joint effort and a liberal promise of violence, he and Tsunade managed to reduce their required presence at the weekly council to a monthly thing— a promise that didn't include being punctual. Not that Kakashi would volunteer any more hard-won freedom to a table of doddering elders. That would be setting a bad precedent. After all, Kakashi has a reputation to maintain.
No dice on a retired Hokage officially ridding himself of guard detail, though, so Kakashi is forced to take matters into his own hands…unofficially.
So Kakashi mentally runs through all his favorite hiding spots, vetoing several bars as he flits through the dense forest toward the village. Despite being in the same boat as Kakashi, Tsunade has painfully predictable haunts, and unlike the Godaime, he has no intention of being an easy find.
If the rookie wants to find him, they're going to have to work.
And if Naruto makes a fuss, then Kakashi would be adamant that it wasn't dereliction of duty so much as it was… a test of conviction for the newbie. After all, what good is a guard detail if they can't find their charge?
With that thought, Kakashi settles on a recent favorite, suppressing his chakra and changing direction. He sails through the entrance gates, reducing speed long enough to throw a casual wave at the stationed guard before scaling one of the buildings with more flash than he needs.
Stealth is an option, but the goal is to make the rookie sweat for an hour or two, not escalate to a manhunt.
Headache, not treason.
Konoha's skyline hasn't changed much, though the city has grown more crowded over the years, and Kakashi has to duck and weave through several dozen clotheslines as he makes his way across brightly colored rooftops.
His destination is Hokage Rock, specifically his own likeness. Given Kakashi's loud, outspoken embarrassment at having to stare at his own face from the office, it's a brilliant hiding spot — the absolute last place anyone would look for him. It's far enough away to give his ANBU guard a lengthy workout yet close enough to the Tower to provide plausible deniability when he eventually lets his detail catch up.
If he's lucky, Kakashi might be able to stall long enough for the council to consider him a lost cause for the night. That puts a pep in his step as he races up the stairs towards the cliff.
It takes him a few seconds to scale the cliff to land on his stone head. He settles between the edges of one spiky tuft of hair and the flat edge of his carved hitae-ate.
Looking over the village, Kakashi tracks the setting sun as it turns the forest horizon into liquid gold. The meeting should start soon; by his estimates, he'll have an hour or so of precious privacy before duty catches up. If the newbie manages to find him before then, he'll try not to put up too much of a fight.
Just enough to tally another win.
He's barely settled in, book out, and fingers turning a dog-eared page when the same chakra signature he felt before flares, closer than he'd expected. Years of conditioning contain him to a barely noticeable twitch.
The shock wears off almost immediately, replaced by irritation. Kakashi's not used to being snuck up on, much less while he's actively trying to hide. Maybe he'd been too flashy at the gates, or maybe his string of wins at HQ was starting to get on someone's nerves. It might be worth rotating his usual-
"Rokudaime-sama," A feminine voice floats down, interrupting his thoughts. "Your presence is required at the Tower."
Sighing, Kakashi tilts his head with a perfectly polite expression, but every patently bullshit excuse he's stockpiled freezes before he even opens his mouth.
Because sitting atop the spiky stone outcrop is an ANBU agent Kakashi does not know, wearing a mask he knows better than himself.
He stares, stunned, and the Hound stares back.
He's at the tower in minutes with her at his heels.
Kakashi doesn't bother knocking at the Hokage's office when he slinks in with an almost aggressive display of nonchalance. Shikamaru starts, glancing at the clock, surprise melting into caution at the sight of Kakashi's overly exaggerated slump and his too-casual gait.
Naruto doesn't look remotely bothered, which means he knows, and that raises Kakashi's hackles enough to send a ripple of unease through the stationed guard.
They stare at each other long enough for the tension to turn thick, but Naruto is the first to give, exhaling in defeat as he gestures for privacy.
Shikamaru makes himself scarce, ducking through the door with impressive speed. The Hokage's ANBU shift, assessing before they flicker away, out of sight but still near.
"Care to explain?" Kakashi starts without a preamble, and while he isn't stupid enough to make the question a threat, he does inject an uncomfortable amount of cheer into it.
"I see you've met your new detail," Naruto begins, choosing now, of all times, to develop a sense of deflection. He casts his eyes toward the door, where her – he won't call her by the mask – chakra hums just beyond the threshold. "I don't think I've ever seen you come in early. Maybe I should give her a bonus?"
Kakashi takes two heartbeats to collect himself. "How long?" he demands, gritting his teeth so it doesn't come out as a snarl. He settles for a tone that would bend most men.
Unfortunately, Naruto's time with the Hat has left him less pliable than when he was a Genin. "You know I won't tell you that," he responds readily enough, though he seems to regret entertaining this conversation.
Unfortunately for them both, Kakashi intends to see it through. He can't ask who it is, so he settles for the next best thing. "That mask is supposed to be retired."
Naruto shoots him a look because they both know that no mask is ever truly retired.
"Then why now?" Kakashi barrels on because his that mask had a reputation fostered during Konoha's darkest hours. That reputation, wielded appropriately and by the right person, was a deadly weapon. He isn't blind to the implications.
Why would they need such a weapon?
Beyond that, the idea of a successor rankles Kakashi, and he tells himself it has nothing to do with pride. That mask carries more grief and carnage than most Shinobi will ever see in one lifetime.
It should stay buried, and anyone in ANBU capable of shouldering that kind of baggage should be kept under watch.
Naruto leans back with an exasperated sigh, "You know I'm not the one who makes those decisions."
It's Kakashi's turn to throw him a look, because Naruto is Hokage and can absolutely make those decisions. "Then take her off my detail," Kakashi demands because his damned Kage portrait is sitting across the room, and he deserves that much.
At least until he's out of sight and making his way to ANBU HQ for a much-needed chat with Owl. Then he'll get his due.
"Sure," Naruto agrees, too easily, and Kakashi doesn't loosen up because the other shoe drops almost immediately, "In a few weeks."
Kakashi exhales, slow and controlled. "I'd like it to be sooner than that."
"Your objection is duly noted," Naruto says in an unprecedented display of disregard for Kakashi's opinion. "And overruled."
Kakashi actually startles, "Overruled?!" The word is an incredulous hiss.
Naruto starts shuffling multiple mountain-sized stacks of documents around his desk. "Unless you come to me with legitimate grievances against Hound, which we both know you don't have, you're going to have to claim conflict of interest, which we both know you won't do—because that's going to land you with more paperwork than we have trees." He's whittling down two massive stacks of documents, and Kakashi is beginning to feel ill, "That means your only other option would be to personally speak with Owl and ask him to rearrange guard rotation and mission schedules, which will probably be…an uphill battle."
A generous euphemism for 'not a chance in hell.'
Kakashi glares at Naruto, who meets its deadly force with equally deadly innocence, "Should I put it on the docket? I think I can squeeze you in; spare a few minutes for overtime."
Headache or treason? His barely contained grin seems to ask, and Kakashi jerks his head, bristling because it is entirely unfair for Naruto to outmaneuver him with politics.
"A few weeks," he grits out, beaten.
"A few weeks," Naruto humors, as if it were Kakashi's idea all along. He gets up with a manageable stack of papers tucked under his arm. "Now, if that's all, we've got a meeting we can actually start on time." He throws a bright, sunny smile toward Kakashi, who has gone completely stiff, "I can't believe you're going to lose the pool. The ANBU economy is going to be in shambles."
Ironically enough, the council meeting passes in a blur, and Kakashi doesn't hear a word anyone says because his entire attention is focused on her.
She's standing at the edge of the room, lined up beside Bat, Mouse, and Rooster as they pair off and station themselves by the door. He briefly eyes the others, but none betray any feelings towards her—though they wouldn't be ANBU in the first place if they did.
Kakashi grudgingly admits that Owl has never been lax about training, so pressing his old outfit for details will have to wait—and the anticipation has a predatory undertone he hasn't felt in a long time.
For now, he turns a deceptively unassuming gaze towards his target.
She's almost offensively nondescript, from her cropped black ponytail to her Kunoichi ANBU-standard uniform. Besides the single unremarkable wakizashi hanging at her hip, Kakashi can't see any weapons or specialized tools, and he doesn't bother trying to catch her scent because scent blockers are mandatory. Even her chakra is unremarkable, barely rippling as she looks over the council with trained impassivity.
The only thing that stands out about her is Kakashi's mask.
Something dark rolls through his stomach at the sight of the diamond she's added. It sits high on her forehead, small, but its obnoxious command of negative space demands attention.
It shouldn't annoy Kakashi.
It's an honored tradition among ANBU to add a piece of themselves to the mask. It fleshes out the mythos and serves as a reminder — a silent memorial for all the shinobi who die nameless while serving under Konoha's long shadow. It would be foolish to begrudge her that custom.
But the arrogance of her claim grates on Kakashi's nerves. That stupid little diamond screams MINE, and he wants to wrench it off her face-
The sound of scraping chairs interrupts the sharp, possessive curl of his thoughts.
The meeting is over, and Kakashi stands up in tandem with a disaffected look. There are lingering discussions between the elders, and a few take the opportunity to sidle up to the Lord Hokage for some reason or other.
Thankfully, Kakashi's role on the council is more for appearances than anything else. After a decade of fruitless attempts at small talk, none of the elders make the mistake of trying to engage him with anything other than polite nods.
"Rough evening, Hatake?"
He spoke too soon.
"Not any more than usual, Tsunade-sama," he lies, knowing better than to brush off the Lady Godaime. He pulls out his book and idly waves it in Naruto's direction, watching the blonde politely try to disengage from a swarm of council members scavenging for attention. "There's nothing quite like watching Nanadaime-sama to make me appreciate retirement."
"Of course," Tsunade chuckles as they round the table toward the door where she stands. "Sages know how happy I was to pass on the role," The Godaime's eyes don't wander as they pass the threshold, but her gaze is pointed, dissecting in a way Kakashi doesn't appreciate.
He keeps the anger simmering under his skin in check as their guard falls into step, trailing behind them like a silent procession. Tsunade has Bat tonight, and Kakashi recognizes the Hyuuga's near-soundless gait almost immediately. His memories come up frustratingly short when he tries to do the same for her.
"I see you've been reunited with an old friend," Tsunade murmurs, only for his ears. It doesn't elude Kakashi's notice that they're taking the scenic route, but there's little he can do when Tsunade so expertly manipulates his deference like a leash. Her voice is baiting as she continues, "I'm sure we'll all be sleeping safer tonight."
Every step down the impossibly long hallway chips away at his restraint, but Kakashi crinkles his eyes into a smile that doesn't betray the stiffness in his jaw.
"Konoha, for sure," he agrees and casually flips the question, "And you too, I hope?" Kakashi stares at his book, seemingly entrenched, as he tries to gauge the Godaime's familiarity with their…old friend.
As they reach the entrance, Tsunade gives him another knowing look, and Kakashi accepts the futility of his attempt. "Thanks for the company, Hatake." She pats his arm none too gently, and her mouth curves into a ghost of a bitter smirk, "Now go enjoy the rest of your retirement."
He sees Tsunade off into the night with a loose wave and waits until she's out of sight to flicker away.
It's petty of him to take off at full speed the moment he touches pavement, but Kakashi's never been the magnanimous sort. That sentimentality was best left to Samurai and soft-hearted idealists. He is Shinobi, and Shinobi always press the advantage when the opportunity arises. Give Kakashi an inch, and he'll always take the mile.
So he scales the Tower in seconds, feet barely touching the roof as he soars over the Konoha skyline with purpose. He's quick, but she's not too far behind, and the steady thrum of her chakra beats at the edges of his guard as she closes the gap.
He changes direction mid-air, annoyed when she doesn't stumble. His apartment block passes by, forgotten in favor of a new destination, and they spill into the empty market plaza, moving so quickly that the Chuunin patrols don't even notice.
The city turns into a blur as Kakashi makes her chase him through the streets, something wild and sharp unfurling as she manages to keep up. Her control is iron-tight, not an iota of chakra wasted as he takes increasingly trickier turns, ducking through shadowed alleyways and using the whole of Konoha like a civilian-made obstacle course.
They keep going until civilization turns sparse, until they're forced to take the dirt road out of the village. This time, Kakashi doesn't slow down when he passes the gates, single-minded with purpose.
He lands at the same training ground as before.
She appears a heartbeat later, with only the barest gust of wind as a warning.
Kakashi stares at her for a long moment, tracing the slivers of moonlight from the ground beneath her feet to the tension in her bare shoulders, all the way to the diamond sitting proudly on his mask.
There's a livewire thread running between them, a challenge that needs to be met.
Kakashi won't demand her name—that belongs to Konoha—but he will demand a show of skill.
Because retired or not, he is ANBU, and Kakashi won't return to his apartment to offer his sleeping back to someone he can't trust. He won't let the ghost of his past haunt his rooftops at night. She might have proven herself to Konoha but has yet to prove herself to him.
Kakashi splinters, and his thoughts drop through the cracks like a sieve, settling underneath a cold layer of ANBU ice.
The Hound surfaces.
The ease with which it all comes back should scare him, but the dark, predatory thrill coursing through Kakashi as he unholsters a kunai eclipses everything.
"Show me," he orders, dredging a voice he hasn't used in over a decade – a captain's voice, drenched in carnage, demanding obedience. It's the voice he used to order men to raze villages and leave no witnesses, to kill sleeping lords, and poison their wives.
To her credit, she doesn't even flinch, just nods as she drops to a low crouch, ready in an instant as her wakizashi emerges from its sheathe like a long, glinting fang.
