FIGHTER / DREAMER

Tenzo laughed softly as she filled him in on the events of the village in his absence. “Sounds like something Kakashi would do.” He’d always been bemused by the peculiar rivalry between Gai and Kakashi, but at the same time he thought it was absolutely wonderful. Had there been a time when he was a little envious of their friendship? Of course. Now, however, he could only appreciate and admire the loyalty and care between them. 

He had Anko to thank for that. Forging a similar bond - even if they weren’t so much rivals, exactly - had helped him to understand their relationship. Having more than one friend in his life had helped to loosen his grip on the one he already had. He handed her the tea, taking a sip of his own before smiling fondly at the mention of Naruto. “One of these days he’s going to get in real trouble for that.” He laughed a little. “I’m sorry I missed it.”

After another sip of tea, he started rooting through the cupboards and the fridge, grabbing whatever ingredients he could find to piece together a decent meal. As he started preparing the food, he finally addressed her other statement. “Out of village, huh? Do you think it’ll be a long one?” He knew what kind of mission she was referring to, and he also knew they could be anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months. 

The conversation is familiar, enough to fade the worst of her suffering from her mind, to give her a tether to hold into despite the waves of agony pulsing through her and the apathetic numbness that consumes. It takes her a moment before she uncurls stiff fingers from the vice grip they’ve had over that wretched mark and with a wince she folds them around her tea cup instead, letting the heat bleed through and soothe the ache. 

“I’m sure you’ll see him go at the faces soon enough. He seems to be stepping up his game...” she comments idly, ignoring the conversation of her mission in favour of making the remark, mulling over her response as she sips at her tea. The scent the food gives off churns her stomach uncomfortably for a moment but she takes another sip, pleading with her body silently to cut her a break. At least enough to curb Tenzo’s worries. 

“I am only here because you are here.” Tenzo shot back, shaking his head. “And if you wish to talk about what is rude…” He let the sentence hang in the air, knowing Kakashi was very capable of following his line of thought to find the end of it. He pointedly ignored the man’s drink, and made no attempt to call for one of his own. Sometimes, with Kakashi, it was simpler to just pretend nothing had been said.

A sigh was drawn from his lips at the eventual reply from the prince, and Tenzo once again shook his head. He was about to offer a response when Kakashi uttered something that followed a similar track - that if he didn’t attend the meetings, things would soon be decided for him. The advisors, Tenzo knew, were growing ever impatient with him. “I am amazed. Something wise actually came from your lips.”

Another cool, deadpan look was immediately delivered in his direction.

“One of these days, Kakashi, I am going to do more than imagine the many ways in which I could be rid of you.” With great reluctance - and only because he knew it was the only way anything was going to get done - he signalled to the barmaid for a drink.

There’s a quirk of his eyebrow at the hanging thread offered to him, eyes glittering in amusement as he follows that trail of thought through to where it ends, though offers no comment. He’s quite certain that his companion could perhaps guess a thought or two that he might share. His amusement holds as Tenzo concedes and orders his drink, a bark of laughter escaping him at the particular word choice. 

“I must be quite the inspiration to have allowed for multiple avenues of choice. You’re welcome for that...” He knows he’s pushing buttons, and he knows it. It’s partly why he continues, after all. “Your surprise at my wisdom, however is insulting. Perhaps you need to sharpen your observation skills further... Are we not spending enough time in one another’s company?” The query is anything less than innocent, despite the almost idle curiosity he injects into it. 

His advisors are something of a concern with him and have been for a long time, for more reasons than he would care to list. Left to their own devices, he would assume he would almost certainly be betrothed in a manner that might ship him off to meet garish in-laws and keep him from being within reach of the kingdom until it had been manipulated and beaten into the design that had been festering in their hearts since his father’s passing.

He appreciated the faith Naruto had in him, particularly because he couldn’t be so sure of that himself. The furthest he could stretch to was that maybe, eventually, his sensei’s endless enthusiasm and positivity would have worn him down. Maybe. “A bit of a nudge? I suppose that’s one way of describing it.” He smirked a little, thinking briefly of the way their fight in the chuunin exams ended. 

“I’ll agree to that, then. We’re not allowed to thank each other.” He gave the other a smile. “You realise you’ll have to compete with Lee and Tenten, right?” He pointed out, knowing his teammates would also be at his side every moment they could be. But, deep down, he really appreciated it. He never for a second believed Naruto would take his sacrifice for granted - that wasn’t who he was - and that, in itself, was part of the reason he’d stood between him and danger in the first place.

“Anyway, enough about me. How are you doing?” He was observant, and given how often he buried his emotions beneath a calculated exterior, he was a master at spotting it in others, too. Naruto might put on smiles for his friends but Neji could see that there was suffering underneath. “If you ever need a space to let yourself feel, I want you to know it’s safe to do that here.”

The smile lingered on Naruto’s face as shifted on his perch on the bed, glad that Neji had come to agree with his view on abstaining from the thanks for each other. The laughter spills from his lips at the idea of competing with both Lee and Tenten to aid Neji in his recovery, and he nods. “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll manage. I’m a pretty competitive guy, y’know? And I don’t lose easily...” It was easy to fall back on the light-hearted and let the shadows of the road to recovery that lie ahead of them fade a little longer. He was certain there would be plenty of trials enough without dampening the mood now. 

When the question turned to his own wellbeing he let the smile sit, and refused to acknowledge the strain that lingered at the edges of his expression. In truth, he’s been overwhelmed since the war ended. The people that had once shunned him now flocking to him had truly begun during the Pein attack on the village, but had swelled to a crescendo after the war, and on top of that he had begun his studies to become Hokage that were quite intense for someone who was not quite as adept at classroom learning as he might like to be. 

     ❝What happened?❞

     Not “What did you do?”, but “What happened?” Yagura knows all too well the weight of unwarranted blame and what that can do to a person’s psyche. Still… Questions begin swirling in his head, intrusive and unwelcome when it came to wanting to believe Kagura was an innocent party.

     Had Kagura hurt someone again? Or worse? Their training to control the boy’s violent urges had been going well – what transpired to cause him to take so many steps back?

     Hand atop Kagura’s head cards through pale hair to rest at the back of his neck, pulling him closer for an embrace that would hopefully calm those frayed nerves. There is a gentle sigh from the Mizukage, gaze softening until his eyes close fully. ❝Take your time.❞

     There is much unspoken in those words that are heavy on Yagura’s tongue. He is family and no matter what had happened in Kiri – no matter what Kagura may have done to his friend – there is nothing that could live up to Yagura’s own actions. Kagura is safe here. And welcome. ❝Tell me what happened.❞

There’s a relief in being asked about the event rather than hearing a presumed blame, and were he more conscious of anything beyond the cocktail of emotions grasping, Kagura would feel a swell of gratitude towards the other. There are words in his throat to be said, to answer the question he is being asked, but they are clogged there, unable to escape.

Instead he indulges in the gentle fingers carding through his hair and the arms that embrace him, wondering absently if this is what it is to be loved. To be cared for. Since they had come across each other, come to know one another, Yagura has offered him a gateway to a world that has been barred to him and an understanding of what family truly is. He does not feel isolated here. 

He has a hand to reach out to that won’t tangle his own in thorns that bite till he bleeds. 

“I went to see him.” 

The words are hollow as he speaks, answering the repeated question, tone far away, not entirely present in the moment. One hand rises absently, reaching to his scarred cheek and passes down the line there, before falling heavily into his lap. There’s a numbness to him now, emotion cresting and crashing into an absence and he despises how off kilter he feels. A ship left to the mercy of storms, abandoned of hope. 

     @fightingdreamcrs​ sᴀɪᴅ: don’t leave me. [ kagura to yagura ] // miscellaneous angst starters

     ❝Kagura…❞

     The boy looks so broken like this, crumpled to his knees on the path that leads to Yagura’s home. What happened in Kiri for him to come here with such a request? What was said to him?

     Yagura’s hands curled into tight fists at his sides, mouth thinning into a line. So his nephew’s situation hadn’t improved as much as he wanted… Not with his training or the knowledge that the former Mizukage wasn’t as much of a monster as he had once thought. Heart aches in his chest when he finally relaxes his fingers.

     ❝Kagura, look at me,❞ Yagura continues as he steps closer and crouches to put them on the same plane. Once his eyes meet familiar magenta a hand is placed upon dusty blond hair that so resembles his own. ❝Tell me what happened. Please. I won’t leave; you know I won’t leave. I’m here to help you.❞

He’s trembling, that much he can recall. Shaking like a leaf as he lingers on the path, barely present as he curls in upon himself. Kagura doesn’t remember his journey to the other’s home, there’s flashes of landscape, hurried travel, but mostly there’s just the overwhelming heartache and terror and pain that consumes him. 

Look at me. The single command snaps his head upwards, eyes frantic as he seeks Yagura’s own, only flickering closed as he feels the weight of the hand upon his head. It’s calming in it’s own way, letting him ground himself in this safe space, giving him a chance to find his bearings and he uncurls a little from the hunched form he’s caught himself in. 

“I shouldn’t have done it...” he croaks, voice hoarse as though he’s been crying. Perhaps he has, his mind is all jumbled, it’s entirely possible. He knows better, he’s sure, but he had needed to know, wanted to help, craved to understand. It had only left him further confusion and that lingering ache that had been with him for all his years torn open once more to be exposed and raw. 

 ❝ I see… ❞   amusement can be found in the gleam of teal eyes, but the accompanying smile is kept from her lips, a certain sternness instead takes hold.  She’s more amused at her son’s boldness than irritated, still, she doesn’t feel the need to make that clear. Instead, she’s content to watch him struggle.  ❝    I’m pleased to hear that you’re taking your training so seriously, should we test the fruits of your hard work in the morning ?   ❞

               ❝ it’s not nice to play tricks on people, shikadai! ❞  their little hands are curled into fists, face flushed either from embarrassment at having fallen for his prank or anger at the way he’s now laughing at them.  it doesn’t last long, however, a short lived outburst that falls from their face nearly as quickly as it had appeared, hands reaching to smooth through their soaking wet hair. 

              ❝ it’s cold. ❞

"Playing pranks is good practice at shinobi skills, don’t be such a drag about it...” Shikadai replies, stuffing his hands into pockets. “It’s only a bit of water.” Maybe there is a little guilt edging it’s way in as he hadn’t meant to upset Akari, wasn’t even sure they’d be targeted figuring someone like Boruto or Inojin would stumble on it first. 

Blonde brows raise, the question unmistakably pressed into her features, as she strives to keep the amusement from breaking through her facade. ❝     Really? That’s what you’re going with Shikadai ? ❞  For some reason, she doesn’t think she had been the intended victim of her son’s prank. 

He probably should feel a little more wary given that it was his mother who had ended up the victim of his prank, but the smile keeps forming on his face and the bubbles of laughter keep rising in his chest. “I mean... yeah that’s what I’m going with...” he shrugs after a moment, barely schooling his face into something less obviously amused. “Shouldn’t it be a note towards how well I’m doing in training that I caught you?”