#tenzo

Regardless, your journey home has been a long time coming.

As you pack your bags, you stare blankly at your porcelain ANBU mask before hiding it in layers of silk.

You haven’t been ANBU Sparrow for almost a decade.

Do you really want to trade one mask for another?

. . . . . .

The sun is hot and high in the sky.

The afternoon rays beat down on you as you lay in the back of a merchant's cart, having bribed your way to an easy journey home. Surrounded by the steady tread of hooves and chirping birds, you tilted your sunhat over your eyes, casting a small triangle of shade, ignoring the muffled complaints of cheap mercenaries who were guarding the caravan.

You felt a strange sense of peace being nobody, just a girl with some ryo to get back home. Nobody in the caravan even knew you were a ninja, and it was better that way. 

Being in civilian clothing after years of heavy satin and tight corsets reminded you that you were human. Your light sundress feels foreign around your thighs, allowing the sun to grace newly uncovered skin. No heavy jewels rested on your head or neck, no fancy updo tangled your hair, and layers of makeup didn’t cover your face. You felt naked . And it was enlightening.

The lull of the cart being pulled by bulls creates a soothing rhythm as your mind wanders, staring aimlessly at the shifting treeline. Despite your best efforts, Kakashi remains at the forefront of your mind, causing you to overanalyze your last moments together, anticipating your reunion hopelessly.

Hope had completely drained from his eyes.

He stared down at you, his face fully uncovered, silver hair a frayed mess.

Beautiful.

And broken.

You couldn’t stand to look at him with that disappointment in his eyes. That image is forever burned into your soul, no matter how much you urged it out of your mind. Hot tears began to spill from your eyes, despite every fiber in your being attempting to hold them back.

Kakashi didn’t handle weakness well, and you didn’t want him to see yours, now laid bare before him. You expected him to scold you for crying, encouraging you to ignore your pain as he ignored his. Or for him to shut down, to close the door on you and build every wall that you managed to destroy back up.

But instead, you felt shaky arms wrap around you, pulling you into his modest apartment as you silently weep. The dossier in your arms fell to the floor, covering his doorway with a plethora of classified documents that lay forgotten as he carried you to his bedroom.

You two were never official, always private trysts, but laced with passion and desperation for each other. He was your Captain, your companion, your friend. Though you never spoke it, you both knew you loved each other. Kakashi always struggled to show his emotions, but there were many quiet nights that they slipped through, allowing you to see the man that was hiding inside. 

But you didn’t have enough time. 

After being debriefed by Lord Third and the Advisors, you practically ran to Kakashi’s door, throat dry with suppressed emotion. You both understood the mission. You’re going alone. And you can’t return until the mission is completed. 

You are leaving.

Indefinitely. 

Kakashi had a single night with you. By dawn, you would be gone. 

He didn’t waste a single moment that night, not giving you a chance to sleep or cry; instead, he replaced your goodbyes with urgent kisses and bruising touches, gifting them to you as a final reminder. 

In the morning, you parted ways at the gate while the crickets chirped.

“So,” the merchant drawled suddenly as he guided the ox forward, pulling you from your thoughts. “You’re from the Leaf Village, huh?”

“Mhm,” you nodded, ignoring the slight twitch of irritation that stirred inside you.

“That’s a real long way to travel by yourself, missy.” He threw you a look while he wiped the sweat from his forehead. The man was old and kind, but had the habit of asking too many questions. Perhaps he was bored, or worried that you might rob him at nightfall; either way, you had to stifle a groan before you responded. 

“I’m not worried,” you murmured, narrowing your eyes dangerously as he swallowed, taking a hint. 

No one spoke to you again until after the sun set. The caravan stopped to make camp, everyone gathering in a circle around a large bonfire in the woods. You stayed away from the main group, opting to lounge in the canopy above and secretly analyze the space below. 

However, a few of the men noticed your absence, hollering up at you after the flask had been passed around. 

“Whatchu’ doin up there, girl?” A tall, squirrely man shouted, egged on by his friends. 

You opted for silence, not bothering to respond to their insolence. This was the problem with mercenaries— they have no honor and even less sense. 

The silence only goads them, earning some disgruntled responses from the sober members of the caravan. It wasn’t until the insults started that your lip twitched with annoyance, deciding that an altercation might get some pent-up emotions out. 

God knows you could use that. 

“I know you hear us, bitch.” One spits towards you as he throws a rock into the fire.

“Stop playing hard to—”

With an irritated groan, you jump down from the branch and land between two of the men, both falling as they try to dodge you. 

“I’m only going to say this once,” you warn as you give them an icy glare, lip pulled up in a snarl. “Shut the fuck up.” 

“You aren’t scarin’ no—”

Before the man beside you can finish, your foot collides with his sternum, sending him flying further into the woods with a sickening thud. 

“Last warning.” You conclude dangerously with an emotionless face, quickly resuming your spot back on the tree as they watched on with shocked faces. 

This time you're blessed with silence. 

. . . . . .

The rain poured heavily, cascading all around you as you zoned out. The only things that existed were you and the frogs that bellowed in the nearby creek. You were sitting on the ground, knees pulled against your chest as you breathed slowly. The cenotaph was always quiet around this time in the morning, and the rain ensured that few stragglers would be passing through. 

You could hear each drop ricochet off the marbled stone of the monument, joining the puddle that formed below on the uneven ground. You closed your eyes as a swift breeze moved through the trees, causing goosebumps to spread across your wet skin. A shiver moves through your body, and you can’t stave off the violent shudder that comes next. 

“Cold?”

You look up, squinting your eyes, expecting the rain to pelt your face. Standing over you is your Captain, effectively blocking the rain as he peers down at you with his Sharingan eye closed, brows raised. 

“K-Kakashi—” you stutter dumbly as you scramble to your feet, silently cursing yourself as you realize that you’re absolutely soaked.

“Didn’t expect to see you here.” He says simply, his voice light and devoid of emotion. 

“Could say the same for you.” 

You were both lying. You were here for your parents, and he was here for his comrades. The two of you had fallen into a strange syncretic pattern– catching the other on their way out with a simple nod.

A nod that turned into a smile. And a smile that led him to stay with you, being a strong, silent presence that guarded as your fingers traced over several names etched into stone. 

He rarely said anything, but he didn’t need to. 

You both stare at each other in silence for a moment, the rain echoing in your ears along with your heartbeat. His expression softens slightly as he sighs, motioning you forward. 

“Let’s get you out of the rain,” he instructs as he begins walking back toward town. 

You follow his lead, quickly falling in step beside him as you attempt to keep up with his wide gait. “I’m fine, you know.”

“Questionable.” 

You roll your eyes, a gentle smirk pulling at the corner of your lips. “It’s just my daily mid-life crisis,” you murmur as you chew your bottom lip, feeling his eye on you. 

“You’re not even 20.” His voice is flat, but it’s the most you’ll get as a joke out of him. 

You throw him a look from the corner of your eye before abruptly grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards a vine-covered walkway, coming up with a plan. Kakashi glances down at you with furrowed brows as you lead him through a cloister of buildings leading towards the Leaf Nursery. The two of you burst through the glass doors into the greenhouse, greeted by the warm and dry air inside. Stifling a sigh of relief, you turn to face him with a mischievous gleam in your eyes as you wring out your hair. 

“Can I ask you a question, Captain?”

His eye narrows as he considers, immediately suspicious, knowing how you are. “I suppose I can’t stop you.”

Well, good enough, I guess. “What’s that book you’re always reading?”

A knowing smile played on your lips as his eye slightly widened. A subtle blush creeps up his cheeks, just barely visible under the mask. 

“Uh-h, it’s um–” He stammers as he breaks eye contact, his hand coming to the back of his neck as his mind racks for a response. “It’s just a… romance series.”

You give him an incredulous look, one hand on your hip. “Romance? They’re pure smut and you know it!” You jab an accusatory finger into his chest, backing him against the nursery wall. 

Kakashi looks almost terrified, something you’ve never seen before. It almost makes you feel bad, but you can’t hold back your girlish giggle as he stares down at you nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly below his mask.

“I’m just kidding, the only reason I know is cause I’ve read all of them.” A cheeky smile breaks out across your face, and Kakashi lets out a heavy sigh, unsure if he should feel at ease. “Oh come on,” you continue to tease. “I see you reading them at least four times a day, not like it’s a secret or anything.” Kakashi glares at you, but there’s no heat behind it.

“Is that what you dragged me in here to ask me?” He asked, his voice slightly shaky.

“Nope,” you grabbed his hand again and pulled him further inside the nursery, towards the blocked off lower level. He follows you apprehensively, noticing that devious look returning. 

“Where are you–”

Past the fruit trees and down two flights of stairs, you get to a set of locked double doors, testing their strength with a quiet push. Kakashi is watching you with an exasperated expression, and you should take it as a sign to stop, but something emboldened you. Your Captain allows you to provoke him, and lately you’ve been wondering why he lets you get away with things others wouldn’t dare. You may be emotionally constipated, but you’re not dumb. You wanted to test the waters, and what better way to do that than by committing a crime in front of him? 

Kakashi makes no move to stop you as you crouch down and pull a pin from your damp and ruined hair, twisting it into the lock and popping it open swiftly. You peer back behind you to see Kakashi’s face shift, a mix of amusement, concern, and curiosity warring inside him. 

“Just follow me, I’ve done this hundreds of times.” You say casually as you hold the door open.

“Is this what you do in your free time? Break into government buildings? Hundreds of times?” Kakashi follows behind you, becoming immediately aware of how the building seems to age; the doors are lined with oil lamps, and the wall crumbles as if it may give way at any moment. 

“Only the cool ones,” you smile as your pace slows, scanning over the random array of wooden doors littering the underground space. 

You come to a standstill, glancing between two on opposite ends, the old doors sealed shut as if they hadn’t been opened in centuries. 

Kakashi sighs as he runs his hand through his hair, finding it wet and tangled, much like yours. “Don’t tell me we’re lost.”

“Have some faith in me, Captain.” You chide as you ultimately pick the door on the left, leading to a narrow tunnel that feels like a mine shaft. 

The space was narrow and tight. Kakashi was slightly crouched over, following so close behind you that his breath felt hot against your neck. The only source of light was a small ball of flame you summoned in your palm, casting an array of shadows down around you.

Places like this would scare any normal person, but luckily, you aren’t normal. 

And apparently, neither is Kakashi, as he blindly follows you into a mysterious tunnel without question. 

If that wasn’t a sign that he trusted you, then what is?

After a few minutes and a couple of awkward stumbles, a red door emerged, carved with various sigils and runes.  

You turn to face him, holding the flame delicately as you look up at him through your lashes. “Are you ready?”

“I have no idea.” He answers honestly, his breathing controlled as if he were preparing for battle.

“Relax, Kakashi.” You gently wrap your hand in his and extinguish the flame, leaving you in pitch darkness before you wrench the ancient door open. 

Light immediately flooded in, revealing a large underground grove hidden beneath the village.

Kakashi is at a loss for words as you drop his hand, taking in the hidden paradise. A small creek ran through the overgrown gardens, with sunlight breaking through from the vaulted ceiling. Large roots dripped moss and were covered in colorful fungi. An array of thick vines drape over everything, concealing ancient stone statues and benches, reclaiming them— an entire sanctuary, trapped beneath stone.

Many moments went by before he looked back at you, still in awe.

“How did you...?” He trailed off as he watched you bend over to pick a red flower, twirling it in your fingers before smiling back at him.

“I didn’t like rules as a kid,” you say nostalgically. “So when the elders said I couldn’t come down here, the first thing I did was break in.” Kakashi takes in your story, not looking surprised as you continue. “Supposedly, the tunnels were built by Hashirama as emergency escape routes in case the village was ever attacked. I guess they just got lost with time.”

“I didn’t know any of this existed.”

You take a step closer to Kakashi, peering up at him as you place the flower in his hand. “Practically no one knows. I think we’re the only people who’ve been down here in ages. I haven’t had much time to come down here since I joined the Black Ops, though.”

“Why did you show me this?”

His question stuns you. Why did you bring him here? Outside of messing with him, the answer wasn’t immediately clear as you stared at him blankly, searching the depths of your mind for an explanation that made sense. “I… trust you.” 

It was the only thing that came to mind, besides the obvious ‘I wanted to see how far you’d go with me,’ but you could never tell your Captain that. And it wasn’t a lie. You do trust Kakashi. Your Captain is a complex man, feared and ruthless, always guarding himself from the world. But you see through him, through the small cracks of his walls, just like the grove. 

You watch Kakashi swallow, his expression unreadable. Anxiety pools in your belly, fearing you said something wrong. You open your mouth to apologize, an embarrassed heat rising to your cheeks as Kakashi cuts you off.

“Thank you.” 

Your brows knit together as he takes a step towards you, your face only inches away from his chest as you gaze up at him. 

“For trusting me.” 

Your breath hitches as he places the red flower behind your ear, brushing several strands of hair along with it. Feeling his fingertips gently graze your face causes you to shiver involuntarily, his thumb brushing ever so slightly down your cheek. Goose flesh follows, clear evidence of what his touch does to you. Kakashi says nothing, only studies you as his unscarred eye watches intently as you try to control your breath. 

But you were at a loss for words. All your constant prodding and teasing, only for him to render you speechless with a single action. And he knows it, by the way he clenches his jaw, as if he is trying to convince himself not to move. Always the epitome of self-control, though in this moment, it appeared to falter. 

“Are you scared?”

You don’t know what possessed you to ask him that, but it rolled off your tongue before you could stop it. Something flashed over his face, causing him to look away with a sigh. 

He’s silent for a moment, staring at the bubbling creek as he ponders. “I… don’t really know how to say it.” His response is honest and straightforward, having never been the one to confess his feelings until it's too late. 

“You don’t have to say anything,” you nearly whisper as you move beside him, squeezing his hand. 

Kakashi doesn’t respond, except tightening his grip on your hand when you lean your head into his arm. The two of you stood there for an unknown amount of time, staring at nothing and everything, minds entangled as they wander. Your fingers laced with his, rooting him to reality as he questions himself, searching for answers that may not be there. There was a war going on behind those calculated eyes, and as much as you wished to help, you knew it was a battle with himself. 

Because he is scared.

Scared to lose.

He doesn’t have to say it. It’s written all over his face, despite it being mostly covered. So you offer solace with your presence, a firm reminder pressed against him that you’re still here.

Abruptly, he turns to you, his shoulders dropping just a hair. 

“I’m shocked you haven’t gotten caught yet.”

His words cause you to laugh out loud, echoing throughout the chamber, as you gently roll your eyes and tug him along further into the grove. “Don’t jinx my luck, Captain.”  He lets you guide him, hand in hand, to the center of the atrium. “Besides, it’s the perfect place to read smut.”

“Brat,” he counters with a huff as you smile up at him.

A beam of filtered light hits your face, and for a moment, he feels as if he can’t breathe. Here he is, standing on forbidden ground, holding hands with his subordinate. Part of him insists that he’s made a series of bad decisions and should retreat before he makes more, while another craves vulnerability. Peace. Touch.

“Oh, I just have one rule.” You say as you head towards another door, earning a raised brow as he listens. “No dates here, unless it’s with me.” 

His cheeks run hot at your insinuation, and before he has a chance to stumble over his words, you’re leading him into another tunnel.

. . . . . . 

You were on your final stretch home.

If you had to guess, you were maybe three to four hours out at most. The last two days among the caravan had been tense, the summer heat making everyone fluster easily. At the old man's insistence, everyone pulled over to a nearby waterfall, giving the animals the chance to hydrate and cool down. The delay was annoying, but you chose to keep silent and head to the far side of the basin, kicking off your sandals before stepping into the pool. You waded into the water until it reached your thighs, pulling up your white sundress to keep it dry. 

There were splashes on the opposite side of the water where the rowdy group of mercenaries decided to follow suit. You watched them cautiously, hoping they would keep their distance and avoid another situation like the one the other night.

But of course, that was too much to hope for. 

You made your way back to the edge of the basin to retrieve your shoes, stopping for a second when you hear a small splash. As you turn, you see the shadow of a man behind you, his arms outstretched as if to pull you back into the water. Ducking to avoid him, you step back and stumble on the rocky edge as the man disappears into smoke— a shadow clone. You expect to fall into the water, but instead you feel two hands clamp around your waist. 

“You should be more careful, girl.”

Immediately, you push off the figure, stumbling backward into the grass as the mercenary laughs. It was the man you kicked the other night, likely taking his chance to get back at you for embarrassing him. Apparently, he also knows some jutsu. 

Figures.

You get back to your feet, cursing him for dirtying your sundress as you steady your glare. The mercenary only smirks, a chorus of laughs and shouts coming from the other side of the waterfall. The stare off lasts only a few seconds before the mercenary moves closer, attempting to circle you like prey. He tries to buck up at you to scare you, hoping to see you flinch. It was childish and had no effect on you; your only response was boring your eyes deeper into his, calculating his every move.

“This won’t go the way you think,” you warn as you slightly adjust your stance.

“What are you going to do? Kick me again? I can take it, I like it rough,” he growls as his smile turns sinister, causing your muscles to tighten. “That’s right, you should be scared.” He takes two steps closer, attempting to back you up against the tree. 

Your mind flips through scenarios, trying to determine the best way to handle this. Sure, you could slaughter every man here and make your way back home on your own, drenched in blood, and make a dramatic entrance. But that wasn’t your style. The mercenary takes another step forward, causing your brain to work faster. Only one person was advancing, so you decided to make an example of him to deter the others from doing the same. 

He moves to take another step, but you’ve closed the distance before he can finish, swiping a leg at his feet to take him out. He predictably falls on his back with a thud, cursing loudly and obscenely as the rest of the caravan gathers to observe the commotion. 

Before the mercenary can sit up, you’re on top of him, straddling his chest as you lay devastating blows to his face. Each hit pushes his head further into the mud, spraying a mix of blood and dirt around you. His nose caved quickly, his curses muddled into gargled cries as you continued to beat him. His face became the victim of your pent-up rage and frustration, more disfigured with each blow.

You may have gone a little overboard, screaming curses at him as you pummeled his face into the ground, stopping only when you hear an authoritative voice cut through the gasps and murmurs. 

“What’s going on here?”

Your attention snaps from the mercenary to the mysterious voice with an intense glare, ready to unleash your fury on the next target. 

As your eyes meet, you freeze.

He’s a Leaf Jonin, with scruffy brown hair and an unmistakable faceplate. You stand to face him, watching as his brows knit together as he looks over you, face contorting with shock.

“Sparrow?” His voice is barely above a whisper, but it’s loud enough for you to hear. 

Without another word, you rush over to him and throw yourself in his arms, wrapping your legs around his torso, squeezing the air from his lungs as he captures you. “Tenzo! You’ve gotten so tall!” You lean back to squish his cheeks like you used to do back in Team Ro, smiling ear to ear as his face flushes red. It was only then that you noticed the three teenagers behind him gawking in various states of confusion. 

You unwrap your legs as Tenzo guides you back to the ground, looking at you with matched bafflement. “I didn’t know if I'd ever see you again,” he mumbled with a sincere expression.

“Yeah, me neither. But I guess the stars finally aligned. All it took was the capture of almost every jinchuriki, the destruction of the Leaf, and the Fourth Ninja War.” The last part came out more bitter than intended, still dealing with the mixed emotions you repressed for the last eight years. 

“Uh, does anyone know what’s happening?” The blonde boy behind Tenzo asks, scratching his head. 

“Oh, uh, just call me Yamato until we get back to the village. I’ll give you the rundown later,” Tenzo leans to whisper in your ear as you nod with a small smile. Ignoring the blonde kid, Tenzo’s eyes flash between your bloodied dress and the unconscious man lying in the dirt with a look of concern. “Are you alright?”

“Me?” Your smile spreads as you wipe your knuckles on your already soiled dress. “Oh, I’m fine. I’m not sure if the same can be said for that creep, though.” Tenzo raises a brow, his worry replaced with casual shock as he takes in your appearance. Barefoot, bloody, and a smile on your face– at least that much hasn’t changed from Team Ro.

“How about you travel with us? We're headed home ourselves, if you want better company.” Tenzo suggests as the rest of the caravan watches you wearily.

“I’d love that, but I have an entire wagon full of… things.” You drift off as a harsh realization hits you. Your apartment was surely destroyed with the village, along with every semblance you had of your life before you left.

Tenzo must have watched your face fall, as he quickly offered to use the remainder of their transportation scroll for your belongings. Happy to escape the brutes of the merchant caravan, you fall into a comfortable place with Yamato, answering the barrage of questions you got from Naruto. Most of the time, your answer was something along the lines of ‘I’m not at liberty to discuss that,’ earning a huff from him before he throws another question at you. 

“That’s enough, Naruto, she’s just coming home from an eight-year mission. I’m sure the last thing she wants to do is be interrogated.” Tenzo interjects with a stern voice. 

“Fine, fine. But I’m not through with you, lady!” Naruto turns around dramatically before running over to Sakura, presumably to annoy her next. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard about Kakashi,” Tenzo hinted with a lower voice, watching your face as you chew your bottom lip. 

“Yeah, I’m sure he’s absolutely thrilled.” A small smile tugs at your lips as you clasp your hands behind your back.

Tenzo laughs lightly; the sound feels familiar yet different, stirring something inside you. Longing. To be around friends again, people you can trust, your people. That’s when the true homesickness settled in. 

“You’re definitely right about that. He had some time to prepare, though. After Danzo’s death, he was chosen to be the Sixth Hokage, but then Tsunade awoke from her coma. Then of course…”

“The war... Yeah, I heard about that when I was at court. I wish I had been there to help with the Akatsuki problem. And then everything about Danzo and his involvement with the Uchiha massacre.” You feel the teenager's eyes move to you at the mention of the Uchiha’s, immediately understanding that it’s still a sensitive subject.

Tenzo’s eyes softened as your shoulders bumped into his, your gaze falling to your feet. “Kakashi will be happy to see you.”

You look at him then, a nervous smile coming to your face. “I don’t know, I feel like I’m a little rough around the edges. He’s the god damn Hokage now. Meanwhile, I barely know how to be a regular person.”

His brows furrow, but he doesn’t question you, knowing now is not the time or place. “He’s changed a lot since you’ve seen him, and I mean that in a good way!” He laughs nervously, trying to put you at ease. 

It doesn’t.

You’ve had to be a cutthroat, charming dignitary of the high court for the last eight years of your life. You wish you could say you haven’t changed, but then again, would he like you as you used to be? What about now?

You curse yourself, trying to silence your thoughts. You assume he’s even interested. You’ve heard nothing of his love life besides the occasional noble family complaining about him turning down their marriage proposal. That was pretty standard. However, it was rare for people to know his business; he was a very private man. Few people have seen his actual face.

At least you can say you’re among them. 

The rest of the journey home went well, but your feet hurt from the short amount of walking, having grown accustomed to your cushy life in court. Though you are still a highly skilled ninja, there's going to be a mild adjustment period. You feel as if your entire life has been uprooted and dropped into a place you used to know. 

That feeling was confirmed when you approached the gate to the village, your heart almost coming to a complete stop, only moving again when Tenzo clasps an arm around your shoulder. You were thankful to have a friend by your side as you came home after feeling alone for so long. Tenzo had always been more keen on your emotions, picking up in the slight inflections of your voice and twitches in your face, since he was a young man. You’re pretty sure his attention to emotions was rooted in trauma, but that was the case for most shinobi. 

“Don’t worry, there are a lot of people here who missed you. And if there’s anything you need, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of.” Tenzo consoles you as he squeezes your shoulder, hoping to muster your smile.

It works, even though your stomach is doing flips and your mind is running wild. Seeing Kotetsu and Izumo, both fully fledged Jonin now, made you feel better. You made sure to ruffle Kotetsu’s hair and pull Izumo’s headband over his eyes before you left, following Tenzo to the Hokage’s tower and waving goodbye to the kids. 

Though the city has been rebuilt, some aspects are exactly the same. The aura of the village was warm and inviting, just as it was when you left. Many things have been modernized, and there are far more buildings than you remember; you can’t help but swivel your head to map everything. Tenzo helped rebuild most of the village and guided you, explaining the significant changes that had occurred and where the districts were located. 

The closer you got to the Hokage’s tower, the more you felt your throat tighten. You could hear your own pulse, distracting you from Tenzo’s words as he led you inside. The air conditioning felt amazing, bringing you the only sense of relief as you both climbed the stairs, each step feeling heavier and heavier as you trailed behind your friend. As you approached the office door, you could hear voices talking over one another, a chaotic mix. 

That did nothing to calm your nerves; they went into a frenzy, and you worried that you had arrived at a bad time. Pausing by the door, you felt Tenzo’s hand come to the small of your back, gently leading you inside. 

“It’s always like this. He was only appointed a few weeks ago, so it’s been hectic. I’m sure he’ll be happy for a break.”

“Break? What do you mean?” You ask frantically in a hushed voice as you’re practically pushed inside the office. 

Directly in front of you is Kakashi himself, wearing casual wear with no headband and slumped in his chair, head in his hand as he stares at a piece of paper.  No one even noticed you two enter, too engrossed in an avid conversation about the defense budget. A young man who looked like Shikaku stood by the Hokage’s desk with his arms crossed, looking visibly annoyed while debating with a black-haired woman on the other side. 

The first person to meet your eyes was Genma, a familiar face that leaned against the wall directly behind Kakashi, looking more bored than the Hokage. 

Standing beside you, Tenzo clears his throat to announce his presence. “Lord Sixth, we have returned successfully, and I have brought along a straggler.”

“I told you not to call me that,” Kakashi says casually, unmoving. Genma rolls his eyes and lightly kicks the back of Kakashi’s chair. With a huff, he puts down the paper, briefly glancing up from his desk before returning to the document.

Your heart begins to sink, but before it drops completely, his gaze immediately darts back to you, eyes widening as he abruptly stands, causing everyone’s eyes to land on you. You feel heat rise to your cheeks, chewing your bottom lip nervously as Tenzo chuckles knowingly beside you. 

He did recognize you.