Whispers of Wind

by thisisnotcreative

Summary:

Knuckleheaded and unpredictable: two words everyone always used to describe Uzumaki Naruto. Traveling back in time to save the world from his hellscape of a future proved those words fitting.

Naruto lost everyone he’d ever loved and didn’t think he could feel anything beyond the desire to complete his mission. He didn’t expect this new (old) Konoha, with new friends wearing familiar faces from his decimated past. He didn’t expect to care so deeply about random jounin he’d barely known before. And, perhaps a tad ironically, he really didn’t expect Kakashi.

Chapter 1: Prologue

Notes:

Hey all! This is the first fic I've published! I decided that since I've been reading a lot of Naruto time travel fics I should attempt to write one. Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions for things to add (though I have some ideas, especially based off backslide by blackkat and What Once Was Will Never Be by PrincessofWhiteSnow). I hope you enjoy!

Sasuke’s breath was coming in harsh pants. Naruto knew that if they didn’t end this fight soon, they’d both die. Kaguya was just so strong, and neither of them had enough chakra left to do much of anything. Sasuke had clearly realized the same thing; they’d managed to force her to retreat into one of her realms for a moment and they’d finally had a moment to regroup. We’re going to fail, Naruto thought, a grim set to his mouth.

They were the last ninja alive. The war had raged for close to six years and over that time, Naruto and Sasuke had lost everyone. They’d had to watch Sakura and Kakashi-sensei take their final breaths within weeks of each other. Naruto hadn’t known grief could be so debilitating, despite seeing Sasuke succumb to his need for vengeance.

Naruto was nearly numb.

Sasuke was the only thing keeping Naruto grounded now. Without Sasuke, Naruto knew he’d have killed himself months ago. He’d lost much of his optimism and the boisterousness he’d had at the beginning of the war, the time when he thought he could talk any enemy into seeing their wrongdoings. He missed that part of himself often. A small, miniscule piece remained for Sasuke. For Sasuke, Naruto would push through. For Sasuke, Naruto would hold his head high and continue to fight until he died.

Naruto knew Sasuke felt the same way.

“Dobe.” Sasuke’s voice cut through his thoughts. Naruto glanced at him, cataloguing the injuries he could see. Cuts littered his torso, his hands were burned slightly and he couldn’t hold his sword steady.

“What is it, teme?” Naruto asked dejectedly as he ran a hand through his hair.

“We can’t win this.” Naruto’s eyes leapt to Sasuke’s then back down, this time resting on the ground.

“I know,” Naruto whispered. Sasuke didn’t respond but his posture stiffened slightly.

“You know?” Sasuke said incredulously.

“Yeah, teme, I know,” Naruto snapped. “We’re fighting a losing battle. You’re injured and nearly out of chakra, plus your eyes are starting to wear out. I still have some chakra left, but it won’t be nearly enough to take her down. So I know we can’t win this.” Naruto’s eyes met Sasuke’s again.

“I’m just surprised, Naruto,” Sasuke said softly. “I thought you never gave up.” Naruto clenched his fists before gesturing to the barren wasteland surrounding them.

“Sasuke, what’s left to give up on? The only thing I have left to protect, to call a precious person, is you! And if we keep fighting her…” Naruto choked.

“I know. I have an idea, though.” Naruto stared at Sasuke.

“You have an idea?”

“Yes, dobe, that’s what I just said,” Sasuke said with a falsely condescending eye roll.

“An idea for what? Defeating her?” Naruto asked suspiciously. Sasuke hesitated, and that alone was enough to put Naruto immediately on edge. “Sasuke?”

“It’s…not a plan to defeat her. Technically,” Sasuke hedged. Naruto glared at him and motioned for him to continue. “It’s actually something that popped into my head because of something Shikamaru said. You know the Hiraishin is a space-time ninjutsu, right?” Naruto nodded slowly. “I’m thinking that with the correct altercations to the seal used for it, we could…potentially turn back time.” Naruto froze.

“You think we can…prevent this from happening? By going to the past?” Naruto managed after digesting what Sasuke said.

“I think we should at least try,” Sasuke said. “Do you think you could do it?”

Naruto pondered this for a moment. He knew they needed to move quickly, find somewhere to set up a genjutsu to try to keep Kaguya from finding them. “If this is going to work…” Naruto said slowly, “then we need to go to Uzushio. We need to set up a place to figure this out and there’s an unparalleled amount of sealing information there. Sasuke, if we’re going to do this, we need to move now.” Sasuke nodded and grabbed Naruto’s elbow before the blond focused and used his father’s jutsu to pull them away from the site of the last battle.

Naruto brought them to the edge of the Uzushio ruins. There was a barrier there, protecting the demolished city from intruders, though Naruto knew it would never stand up to Kaguya’s might. Naruto bit his thumb and traced his blood over certain parts of the seal holding up the barrier to open it. He had been to the city only once before in the second year of the war but he remembered how everything worked. He and Sasuke slipped through and the barrier closed behind them.

“Hey, teme, can you set up a genjutsu?” Naruto asked. Sasuke rolled his eyes and activated his Sharingan. Naruto watched his face pinched in concentration, maintaining complete focus and that deadly precision Naruto had always envied and adored. Naruto could feel the genjutsu settle into place as Sasuke turned away from the barrier.

“Lead the way then, dobe,” Sasuke gestured with a smirk. Naruto resisted the urge to roll his own eyes at the teme. He led them through the dirty, polluted streets of the once-beautiful Uzushio until he came upon the structure he was looking for: the Uzukage tower. It had been almost completely destroyed by Kiri and Iwa when they attacked, but the two villages were clearly not well-versed in sealing techniques. The first time Naruto was here, he’d easily found the library hidden beneath the tower rubble.

Copying what he’d done to gain entrance through the barrier, Naruto bit his (now healed) thumb again and traced some of the characters of the hidden seal. The stone creaked and rumbled as it moved aside to reveal a staircase. “C’mon, then,” Naruto said. Sasuke only hn’d back, making Naruto’s lips lift slightly at the corner.

The library was vast; scrolls and books were kept on towering shelves and stretched deep into what was essentially an underground bunker. Naruto saw Sasuke glance around, trying to be subtle about the awe that was clear (at least to Naruto) in his eyes. Naruto had learned a lot his first time around, teaching himself sealing and some of the Uzumaki clan techniques including their taijutsu. He knew how the library was sectioned and knew exactly what he was looking for.

Naruto led Sasuke to the table that was positioned near the middle of the room and had him sit. Naruto then went over to the bookcase that contained space-time seals and pulled multiple scrolls and books down. There was almost no chance he’d be able to construct a seal like the one Sasuke was hoping for unless he read through every book on the subject. Naruto considered the pile in his arms then turned and walked back to Sasuke. He dumped everything onto the table, kicking up the layers of dust that had settled and sending Sasuke into a coughing fit.

“Well, teme, how about we get started?”

~

It took six months of constant work. The genjutsu and barrier held, though it was getting harder for Sasuke to disregard the strain it put on his chakra. Naruto knew they were running out of time; Kaguya would eventually find them and she would finally achieve her goal of eradicating all the shinobi in the Elemental Nations.

Naruto couldn’t bring himself to regret giving himself and Sasuke a little extra time. Before Uzushio, they’d rarely had any reprieve to actually sit and talk. Sasuke had decided his whole revenge plot on Konoha was insignificant in comparison to the destruction they faced at Kaguya’s hands and had permanently been a part of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Naruto even got him to wear the Shinobi hitai-ate.

Talking in the library while working on the space-time seal theory spread to talking over the scant dinners they were able to cobble together which then spread to speaking in hushed whispers from separate futons at night and finally to soft, sweet (or as sweet as Sasuke could get) mumblings between kisses. Naruto could admit to himself he’d waited a long time for this, even if he hadn’t realized the extent of his affection for Sasuke until they’d fought side-by-side for nearly four years.

The six months in Uzushio working on the seal flew by. Though they were still alert, still wary, still trying desperately not to break under the weight of their shared grief, they’d managed to find something akin to peace. Naruto never thought he’d feel relaxed again but with Sasuke in his arms, it was hard to deny himself the simple pleasure of existing alongside his one and only, his soulmate.

Of course, it all came crashing down around them the day the seal was finally finished and Kaguya managed to find them.

Naruto was fiddling with Sasuke’s dark hair, his eyes tracing the now-complete lines of the seal, when he felt the overwhelming animosity that could only belong to Kaguya approaching. “Sasuke,” he said, an edge to his voice. Sasuke sighed.

“She’s here, isn’t she?” he said, voice resigned. Naruto swallowed.

“Yeah,” he said. Sasuke stood from his perch on the edge of the table in the library.

“Get the seal ready, dobe. I’ll hold her off for a bit,” Sasuke instructed. He began to walk away but Naruto grabbed his wrist tightly.

“Stay alive, Sasuke. You know I can’t do this without you.” They both knew Naruto wasn’t talking about the seal. Sasuke’s lips tilted up in the semblance of a smile.

“I’ll always stay alive for you, dobe,” he said, quickly pressing a chaste kiss to Naruto’s lips and sliding his wrist from Naruto’s grasp.

Once he disappeared from the library, Naruto took a deep breath and pulled out a kunai. He ran the blade across his palm and told Kurama (who was asleep and had been for about a year at that point) not to heal him. The blood ran from his hand where he formed a fist and dotted the blood on each anchor point of the seal. The seal only needed his blood and as long as Sasuke was touching him, they’d both be flung into the past. There was no way to code Sasuke’s chakra into the seal to activate from afar.

Sasuke’d have to hold off Kaguya for long enough to force the goddess into one of her alternate realms to recover. Naruto was hoping (praying) that it would be enough.

Naruto felt the barrier and the genjutsu shatter like glass. Intense bursts of chakra flared from the northern part of the decimated village. Sasuke had regained nearly all his strength throughout their time in Uzushio but Naruto knew the other man’s eyes were beginning to fail from overusing the Sharingan. Hold out, teme, I know you can do it.

Naruto began imbuing the seal with his chakra. He’d need to pull on nearly everything he and Kurama had, and even though the fox was asleep, Naruto knew he wouldn’t mind. Not if it meant saving everyone. He pulled in nature energy as well, something the sealing scrolls indicated would strengthen and balance the seal.

The flares of chakra were getting steadily closer and Naruto could tell Sasuke was losing ground fast. There was nothing Naruto could do to help, though, not with his chakra tied into the seal matrix. If Kaguya found him before the seal was ready Naruto would absolutely die. Naruto could now hear the crashing of rubble as jutsu after jutsu was fired. Please, Sasuke, Naruto pleaded.

Then, everything went quiet.

Naruto could still sense Sasuke but he couldn’t sense Kaguya’s immense hatred. She’d retreated, for the time being, into one of her dimensions. Sasuke’s chakra rapidly approached the library and he came hurtling into the room, breathing heavily and looking worse for wear.

“Are you ready yet?” Sasuke gasped. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated.

“About thirty more seconds,” he replied. “As soon as it’s ready put your hand on my shoulder,”

“Alright,” Sasuke said and shifted into position behind Naruto. His left hand was hovering over Naruto’s right shoulder. Nearly there, Naruto thought. He was waiting for the satisfying click! to tell him the seal was ready to activate. They were so, so close to going back, to changing everything and preventing the mass extinction of all life on earth.

Kaguya returned.

She broke through the sealed door at the top of the stairs with ease. She glided down and her Byakugan eyes rested on the two men standing in the middle of a glowing seal. Please be fast enough, Naruto begged, still waiting for the click!. But this time, time was against them. Kaguya drew two truthseeker rods, aiming one at each man. Move, Sasuke! Naruto shouted in his head. Kaguya let the rods fly.

Time seemed to stand still. Naruto’s eyes watched the rods approach them, noting that Sasuke did, in fact, move. However, Sasuke didn’t move away from Naruto; instead, he stepped in front of him and took Kaguya’s rod directly through his chest.

The sound of screaming was coming from somewhere but Naruto didn’t have the wherewithal to understand it was coming from him. Sasuke fell to the ground in front of Naruto, his eyes still red but not nearly as red as the blood now pooling beneath him.

Naruto heard a click! but it barely registered in his frenzied mind as he released the tiger seal he’d been holding and pressed frantic hands to Sasuke’s chest. Kaguya had disappeared for the moment but Naruto didn’t care about her, not while Sasuke was bleeding out in front of him.

“Naruto,” Sasuke rasped. He coughed and blood gurgled over his lips. “Dobe, you need to go.” Naruto raised panicked eyes to Sasuke’s.

“What? No! I’m not leaving you here!” Naruto bit back a sob that threatened in his chest.

“You’re not leaving me here, dobe. If anything, since I’m going to die, I’m leaving you here,”

“You’re not going to die! I’ll do something, I’ll figure something out, I’ll–”

“Naruto,” Sasuke bit out. “You can do it. I know you can. You can prevent the war from ever starting. You can stop Obito. You can save me,” he said. His hand came up to rest on Naruto’s whiskered cheeks, thumb wiping at the tears falling from the ocean blue eyes. “I believe in you, dobe. You’re the most powerful shinobi in the Elemental Nations. But more than that, you’re Uzumaki Naruto. You don’t give up. You’re compassionate and kinder than I deserve. As my last wish, I’m asking you to do something no one else could ever do.” Naruto’s tears were flowing freely now, breath hitching on sobs.

“I love you, Naruto. Now go save the world in the most unpredictable, gutsy way possible,” Sasuke said and smiled, a brilliantly real smile that Naruto hadn’t seen since before the Uchiha Massacre despite the blood coating his teeth and lips. Sasuke had never said those words before.

“I love you too, Sasuke,” Naruto whispered, pressing his lips to Sasuke’s temple and watching the Sharingan fade from his eyes leaving them dark.

“Go,” Sasuke breathed out, his final breath punching the air with his request. Naruto closed his eyes, unwilling to see Sasuke’s eyes go dull and his chest stop moving.

Naruto stood, moving his bloodied hands through the seals he’d practiced hundreds of times. “Jiku Fuin no Jutsu: Jikan no Ko.” Naruto slammed his hands into the ground and vanished in a flash of light.

Chapter 2: Akatsuki

The Jounin Standby Station was nearly in an uproar when Kakashi entered. The Station was almost always rowdy, but that day there seemed to be something specific riling everyone up. Kakashi’s visible eyebrow raised at the unusual commotion coming from the group of Genma, Raidou, Asuma, and Kurenai; usually, they could be counted upon to at least maintain somewhat level heads in the face of the craziness of Konoha. Kakashi meandered over.

“Yo! What’s all the fuss about?” he said cooly, trying not to exude any semblance of curiosity. The other four Jounin turned to him with wide eyes.

“You haven’t heard yet, Kakashi? Everyone’s talking about it!” Raidou said. Kakashi eye-smiled at them.

“Maa, maa, I’ve been busy,” he said. Asuma mumbled something under his breath and Kurenai elbowed him in the ribs.

“Well,” Genma began, “news reached Konoha this morning of some bounties being collected.” Kakashi turned his visible eye upon the other man who grinned. “See, I knew you were interested.” Kakashi sighed.

“Alright, I’ll bite. Bounties are collected often; what’s the big deal?” he asked.

“The ‘big deal’,” Asuma said, “is that all the bounties were S-rank nukenin collected by the same person. Five, to be exact.” That pulled Kakashi up short.

“One person took out five S-rank nukenin?” he clarified.

“Yeah, and all were collected within the past year,” Genma added. Kakashi stifled the urge to gasp but couldn’t stop his eye from widening slightly. Five S-rank bounties in one year? It sounded insane, even to the ex-ANBU captain.

“Who were the bounties?”

“Hoshigaki Kisame of Kiri, Deidara of Iwa, Sasori of the Red Sand, Kakuzu of Taki, and Hidan of Yu,” Kurenai said. Kakashi closed his eye.

“You’re kidding,” he said.

“You think anyone could pull a story like this out of their ass? They’re some of the most dangerous nukenin in the Bingo Book. Whoever’s taking them down must be extremely skilled,” Asuma said. Kakashi conceded the point.

“Does anyone know who’s doing this?” he asked. The other four Jounin glanced at each other before Genma cleared his throat.

“It appears to be a previously-unknown shinobi with blood red hair wearing an Uzushiogakure hitai-ate,” he said.

“Uzushio?” Kakashi repeated incredulously. Immediately, Kushina-nii’s face popped into Kakashi’s mind. “He’s an Uzumaki,” he murmured. Genma tilted his head in a slight nod.

“It appears that way. However, no one’s been able to confirm an identity as the man wears a henge to exchange the heads for the money,” Genma replied. That must be one hell of a henge, then, Kakashi thought. I need to talk to the Hokage.

“Kakashi, what are you–”

“Maa, maa, I’ve got something I forgot to do,” Kakashi said and with that, he Shunshined out of the Station in a swirl of leaves.

An Uzushio nin. It wasn’t impossible; after all, after the village was destroyed, the survivors scattered to all corners of the Elemental Nations. Most remained hidden in the shadows, unwilling to draw too much attention to their Uzumaki heritage that would inevitably lead to them being hunted. It sounded as though this nin no longer needed to do that, considering the powerful people he’d managed to take down on his own.

Kakashi ran across the rooftops to the Hokage’s office. He leapt through the window without warning, catching the brief look of surprise on the Hokage’s face before the old man’s face returned to his usual stoicism.

“Ah, Kakashi. To what do I owe this visit?”

“There’s an unknown nin taking down S-class bounties–”

“Ah yes,” the Hokage cut him off, “the mystery man claiming ties to Uzushio, our longtime sister village.” Kakashi nodded then hesitated.

“What are you going to do about him, sir?” he asked. Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe and blew the smoke into the air.

“Well, I was thinking of sending you or Jiraiya-chan to investigate and see if he really is who he appears to be. If he is, I would consider offering him a place in Konoha; after all, Uzushio is one of our greatest failures as a village. I would require your recommendation, of course.”

“And if he isn’t?”

“That’s a difficult question, Kakashi-chan. If he has negative intentions towards the village, we must act accordingly. If he does not, well, we have no reason to kill him. He has not harmed any village and has only hunted nukenin. I’m aware that he must be dangerous, considering the bounties he’s collected,” the Hokage continued, holding up a hand to forestall Kakashi’s inevitable protest, “however, I would not want to risk any of my jounin’s lives to mitigate a threat that may or may not be present.”

Kakashi thought about his response for a moment. He wasn’t even trying to appear nonchalant, not about something like this. This man could be a connection to Kushina and Minato-sensei, as well as… Naruto. Naruto, the only remaining Uzumaki in Konoha, orphaned and treated like trash by civilians. A member of the boy’s Clan.

“I would like to go and assess the situation,” Kakashi said. Sarutobi gave a small smile.

“I figured you’d say that. I sent a message to Jiraiya-chan to request any information he’s obtained on the Uzushio nin. We’ll wait for his response and, depending on his answer, you will either rendezvous with Jiraiya-chan before attempting to make contact or I will send you alone. I don’t think I have to tell you not to go off before I give you an official mission,” the Hokage said, a hint of steel in his voice. Kakashi bowed his head in respect.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

~

Naruto had landed in the past three years before he’d taken and passed his Genin test. He’d been dumped into the ruins of Uzushio, which made sense considering that was where the seal was placed. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been passed out, though he could tell it was longer than a day because his mouth was dry as the Suna desert.

He’d laid on the dirt road he’d landed on, staring up at the bright blue sky for a very long time. He was numb; the grief he felt for Sasuke threatened to overwhelm him if he let himself think too hard about it. Eventually, he stood and looked out over the crashing waves and the brilliance of Uzushio in the sunset. It didn’t bring him any peace.

Naruto had remained in Uzushio for over a year learning everything he’d never had a chance to before. He’d read every book and scroll in the library and trained as hard as he could. Eventually, though it took many months, he let himself grieve.

It was overwhelming. It was worse than when he lost Kakashi-sensei and Sakura; worse than losing Ero-sennin and Hokage-jiji and Tsunade-baachan and Gaara and all the rest of the Konoha 12. He realized that he wasn’t just grieving Sasuke, though. He and Sasuke hadn’t had time during the war to really grieve their comrades, so the guilt and the fear and the anger over those lost in those six and a half years of war finally hit him.

He’d been near-catatonic for a month.

Kurama still hadn’t woken by the time Naruto forced himself to up and leave Uzushio. He’d tried to wake the old fox, but the bastard simply snored on with his paws crossed. Naruto had sighed and left his mindscape, wishing there was someone he could talk to who would understand. Grief was hard enough as it was; being alone with his grief made it so much worse.

Before he left the ruins, Naruto located some Uzushio shinobi clothes and a hitai-ate with the trademark spiral. He’d replaced his battered Shinobi hitai-ate not with his beloved Konaha band but with the Uzushio one. Naruto kept Iruka-sensei’s gift locked in a storage seal painted on his body.

Naruto also realized he should probably look in a mirror before abandoning his hiding place. He looked too much like his father; anyone could (and would) make the connection between him and the Yondaime Hokage. He made his way down to the edge of the ocean, squatting to peer at his appearance. What he saw shocked him to his core.

His hair was red. It wasn’t the same shade as his mother’s but it was just as brilliant, shining and impossible to miss. His hair was short enough that he hadn’t been able to see it before. His eyes were still blue but they were darker, almost purple in color and because of the weight of his memories. His whisker marks were still present but they were somewhat faded. He was thin and his face was gaunt with hunger. War would do that to you, he supposed.

Naruto figured his change of appearance was more a blessing than a curse. It meant he didn’t have to rely on a henge at all times and it made it easier to proclaim his Uzumaki status: the Uzumaki red was distinctive.

He’d remembered his and Sasuke’s discussion about who they’d pretend to be. One of the things on the list was to choose a new name and Sasuke had rejected many until they finally came upon one they could both agree upon: Uzumaki Soma. As Naruto stared at his reflection in the water, he recognized himself as someone who no longer laid a claim to his own name. That honor (and what an honor it was, bearing the Yondaime and Ero-sennin’s legacy) fell to his younger self, the one still in the Academy in Konoha. No, Uzumaki Naruto, who had fought and lost the Fourth Great Shinobi War was no more. Now, he was Uzumaki Soma, but still the man who's lost the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

He’d hunted down information on the Akatsuki’s movements. He knew Nagato and Konan were in Ame, which was both good and bad because while Soma was aware of their location, he would have a difficult time convincing them that what they were doing was wrong. After all, he was no longer Naruto.

He decided to go after Kisame first after hearing that the sharkskin nin was traveling along the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Birds. Although it was quite far from where he was beginning his journey, he figured he might as well take down the so-called Tailless Tailed Beast. The fight was relatively simple and though the man certainly had larger-than-average chakra stores, he was nowhere near Soma’s level.

He lobbed off Kisame’s head, burned the body, and sealed Samehada. He used his Hiraishin technique to travel back to Kiri to deposit the head and the sword. He had no need for Samehada despite its allegiance switching to him due to Kisame’s defeat. While in Kiri he dispelled the genjutsu surrounding the Mizukage and left with only his S-rank earnings (which, he learned, were much more than he’d thought).

After Kisame (who thankfully wasn’t yet working with Itachi), Soma managed to find Deidara and Sasori. Sasori was easy; Deidara was slightly harder because he was young. He was so young, only a few years older than his younger (chibi) self. But the teenager was dangerous and wouldn’t sway under Soma’s kind words even if he’d tried. He didn’t try.

He claimed those bounties as well, then turned to locating Hidan and Kakuzu. Those two, Soma knew he’d feel vindicated for killing. Hidan had killed Asuma in his original timeline and Kakuzu was, from what Soma remembered, horrifying. Killing the two of them took a bit longer than the others and their teamwork was much better than Sasori and Deidara’s, but they still left barely a scratch on Soma.

By the time he was finished hunting down the most dangerous members of the Akatsuki, Soma knew he had to head for Ame. Nagato and Konan would be suspicious and though he’d used a different henge each time he’d claimed a bounty, it was likely clear someone was hunting them. So, Soma diligently made his way to Ame.

He found Konan and Nagato in the exact spot he expected: the highest tower in the village. They were immediately defensive and all six Pains surrounded him. “Hold on, I’m only here to talk,” Soma said, raising his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. The Rinnegan eyes bored into him, observing.

“Then speak.” The voice came from the Deva Path. Yahiko. Soma took a breath.

“I don’t want to fight you. I want to explain to you what will happen if you continue down this path,” Soma said.

“What do you mean? We are on the path of peace,” Nagato said through Yahiko. Soma shook his head.

“No, you aren’t. You’re being manipulated by the man called Tobi. The one in the swirly mask? He means to use you to destroy Konoha, use the Edo Tensei jutsu to bring back Madara Uchiha, steal your eyes, and start the Fourth Great Shinobi War.” Konan stared at him, an unreadable look on her face. The Pains never showed any emotion anyway.

“How do you know this?” Konan asked softly.

“I-I’m from the future,” Soma stuttered out. Konan’s eyes went wide.

“The future? That’s impossible,” Nagato said.

“No, not impossible, just not yet invented. I can tell you things about yourself that you explained to me in the future, if you’d like,” Soma offered. Soma was sure that if the Pains could show emotion, they’d be narrowing their eyes at him.

“Fine. Tell us what you know.” And he did. He told Nagato and Konan about everything they’d discussed after Soma had beaten Pain. He told them some things about Ero-sennin and the misery the man had felt after learning of his students’ deaths. He told them of the war that would start and the absolute annihilation it would cause. He didn’t mention his original name; after all, if they decided they didn’t believe him, Naruto would become a target. Soma was sure he could defeat Pain again, but he didn’t want to raze the Leaf in the process.

Nagato (the Pains, at least) and Konan stared at him. They’d let him ramble on for what felt like hours. Soma waited patiently for them to digest what he’d said. “I believe you,” came Konan’s soft voice. Soma and all the eyes of Pain immediately trained on her. She didn’t flinch.

“You do?” Soma couldn’t stop the tendril of hope that seeped into his voice.

“I do. There are few people who know our story, our whole story. Since you know as much as you say, I believe you. You couldn’t have received that information from anyone but me or Nagato,” she said. Soma nodded his head slightly at her then turned to look at Yahiko.

“And you, Nagato?” he asked, keeping his voice light. The Rinnegan eyes looked into him, through him. Then Yahiko, Nagato nodded.

“I believe you as well,” he said. Soma let out a sigh of relief and a smile, his first genuine smile since Sasuke’s death, bloomed across his face.

“Thank Kami. I really didn’t want to have to fight you,” he said. Konan smiled tentatively back.

“We understand. Now, what should we do?” she asked.

“Go into hiding. I’ve taken down the most malicious human members of the Akatsuki; now, the only ones left are Itachi, Zetsu, and Tobi. Let me figure out how to approach the situation with them. I’ll keep in contact with you; Konan, send me a butterfly with coded information once you’re settled and I'll get in touch with you afterwards. Does that sound alright?” Soma said. Konan and Nagato (Yahiko) nodded. “I’ll take my leave then. Be careful, and do not trust Tobi.” With that, he disappeared from Ame in a flurry of wind and leaves.

Notes:

So, I'm not sure how often I'll pull Nagato and Konan into this story (if I revisit them at all). Most of my ideas for this don't involve them, but I figured I'd need to get them out of the way pretty quickly.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first 2 chapters! I'll try to update regularly but I can't promise anything. The next chapter will be a bit longer than the first two, so I'm very excited about it.

Chapter 3: Meeting

Notes:

So, here's another chapter! I've kind of been on a writing binge recently so I'm cranking chapters out pretty quickly.

Enjoy!

Kakashi was summoned to the Hokage’s office for a mission on a bright sunny morning two weeks after his conversation with the Hokage. There went his plans of reading Icha Icha and avoiding Gai, then. He only showed up an hour late, which probably betrayed his interest in the mission. He knew what it was likely to be.

“Ah, Kakashi-chan, come in,” the Hokage said as Kakashi pushed open the door. “I was prepared to wait quite a bit longer for your arrival.” Kakashi saw the twinkle in Sarutobi’s eye.

“Maa, maa, I just didn’t run into the old lady with her groceries today,” Kakashi replied. 

“Well then, that’s fortuitous.” His eyes turned serious. “Kakashi-chan, I’m sure you suspect what this mission will be,” the Hokage said.

“Hai, I’m assuming it has something to do with the Uzushio nin.”

“Yes indeed. Jiraiya-chan sent me a report on the shinobi’s recent movements. He’s been all over the Elemental Nations including the Land of Fire. He’s never been listed as a nukenin of any village but he’s in every Bingo Book and wears an Uzushio hitai-ate. He does not appear to be targeting villages, only S-rank nukenin. I believe it is safe for you to go alone, but Jiraiya-chan will not be far if you need a quick getaway. I do not want to overwhelm him with numbers and Jiraiya-chan can be a bit…”

“Eccentric, sir?” Kakashi suggested blandly. Jiraiya was more overwhelming than anyone besides Gai.

“Hm, I suppose that’s a good way of putting it. So I believe it should be you to approach him.” The Hokage held out a scroll which Kakashi took. “He’s suspected of having a base of operations somewhere near Uzushio.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

“Good luck, Kakashi-chan. Please be polite,” the Hokage said with an intense look. Kakashi absently rubbed the back of his neck with an eye-smile.

“When am I not?”

 

Twenty minutes later found Kakashi leaping through the trees outside Konoha. The jounin had always enjoyed the forest and the feeling of leaves whipping across his face. The air was fresher and it felt easier to breathe there. Sometimes Konoha could overwhelm him, with all the people and the smells, but solo missions that had him jumping from branch to branch were his favorite escape.

It took less than two days to reach the outskirts of Uzushio. The village wasn’t in his sights yet, but Kakashi remembered the surroundings from his one and only venture there after Kushina’s death. He’d come to pay his respects outside the barrier that still remained despite the decimation of the village.

Kakashi sensed the man before he saw him. His chakra was a maelstrom, impossible to miss. Kakashi wondered if the man was overconfident in his abilities and felt no reason to mask his chakra or if he just didn’t care enough to do so. If this shinobi was adept enough to take down five S-rank nukenin, he definitely had the ability to hide his presence.

Kakashi crested one of the hills and saw the ruins laid out before him. The sun, low in the sky, cast a brilliant blood red over the crumbling stone. The sunsets were beautiful there, Kakashi remembered Kushina saying after her village was destroyed. They lit the stone in reds and oranges. They used to tell us that the sunsets gave us the color of our hair, that we soaked up the colors of the sun. His attention switched quickly to the man he was finally able to spot. Kakashi’s breath caught in his throat; if he thought the setting sun was the color of blood, it was nothing compared to this man’s hair. It was a deep ruby red, vibrant and absolutely Uzumaki. Maybe there was some truth to Kushina’s statement after all.

The Uzumaki (because Kakashi could definitively say that’s what he was) was wearing black shinobi pants taped at his ankles above black standard-issue shinobi sandals and a black mesh shirt under a dark blue short sleeve top that was open at the front. His red hair reached to the bottom of his shoulder blades. There were scars running up his chest and his neck as well as adorning his hands and arms, disappearing under his shirt. But what truly caught Kakashi’s attention were the seals.

For all that Kakashi was Minato-sensei’s student, he’d never be a seal master; his quick glance over the lines told him little about what each did and many were more complex and unusual than anything Kakashi had witnessed since the Yondaime. Seals were beautiful; these seals, tattooed up and down the Uzumaki’s arms, went beyond that.

He recognized some had elements of common storage seals used in Konoha but couldn’t make heads or tails of what the changes to them were supposed to mean. This man was intensely interesting, a feeling Kakashi was unused to. Since leaving ANBU, Kakashi’s life had been boring; if this Uzumaki decided to accept the invitation to Konoha, maybe there’d be something (someone) to entertain him more often.

If Kakashi had come across this man on the street, he would’ve immediately known he was dangerous and powerful even without the frankly enormous amount of chakra radiating off him. The man had the look of a hardened soldier, of someone who’d seen the worst war could offer. Strangely, though, the man didn’t set off any of Kakashi’s well-honed alarm bells.

He knew he’d been sensed but the Uzumaki appeared calm. He was seated in meditation, his eyes closed and hands loose on his thighs. It was almost peaceful, if Kakashi disregarded the slight bit of tension in the man’s shoulders.

The Uzumaki’s eyes opened, staring directly into Kakashi’s own. They were a mesmerizing deep blue, darker than Minato-sensei’s but still familiar somehow. Kakashi successfully fought back the memories surfacing, memories of his sensei and Kushina and Naruto. Instead of saying anything he really wanted to say, he raised his right hand with a wave and smiled at the man. He figured his trademark greeting would be good enough, so he simply said, “Yo!”

~

Soma waited somewhat impatiently outside the barriers of Uzushiogakure. He’d dropped many hints throughout Ero-sennin’s spy network, trying to lead Konoha to the right spot. He had to be careful not to make his intentions too obvious though. 

He was meditating in Sage Mode, legs crossed and hands resting on his thighs. If Ero-sennin was anywhere nearby, the other Sage would be able to sense him gathering nature energy. Soma wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but the meditation was something that always calmed his nerves.

Soma was surprised when he felt Kakashi-sensei’s distinct lightning-natured chakra move into his sensing area. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to see his former sensei, not when he’d carefully prepared himself for first encountering Jiraiya. His sensei’s death in the war was seared into Soma’s mind: the smell of smoke and blood, Kaguya and her Byakugan eyes, Sasuke and Sakura’s voices in his ear, the sight of Kakashi-sensei’s chest ripped open and a black chakra rod impaled assassin-style through his forehead. It was grisly and brutal, and Sakura had no chance of healing him. 

Sasuke destroyed Obito’s final Sharingan.

Soma remembered tears on his dirty face, grief and rage flooding through his veins. He remembered Sasuke pulling him away from his sensei’s body. He remembered Sakura’s wide eyes and her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. He remembered Kaguya’s calm, cruel demeanor after shooting that black rod through Kakashi-sensei’s skull to ensure Sakura couldn’t bring him back.

He remembered that that was the time Soma and Sasuke came closest to defeating Kaguya, their rage spurring them on. They’d almost trapped her between their palms despite the chakra exhaustion weighing them down. The fight was lengthy and Soma and Sasuke used everything they had. Soma had finally understood some of Sasuke’s desire for revenge.

Sakura had healed them once they forced Kaguya to retreat into one of her dimensions, but the heavy weight of grief and Soma’s guilt prevented any sort of conversation. The three of them sat, wide-eyed and shaken, staring at the corpse of their sensei. They’d had to seal him; if Kakashi-sensei had been reanimated by Kaguya, none of them would have been able to cut him down.

The memory played out in his mind’s eye and suddenly Soma was choking, heaving for air and screwing his eyes shut. He began rocking back and forth with his head between his knees trying to calm himself down. Another panic attack, huh? Soma thought absently. He focused on his breathing, timing his breaths on an in for four, out for four beat. Eventually, it worked.

Soma had needed to learn how to calm his own panic attacks while also helping his friends with theirs. The first time Sasuke had one in front of Soma, the stupid teme was embarrassed about it. He hadn’t wanted Soma to see him break down, didn’t want him to see him in such a vulnerable state. Soma told Sasuke afterwards about his own occasional panics and they agreed to help each other out with them. For the two of them, it was a very mature decision.

Sakura thought they were idiots. “Honestly, you both know that everyone gets them, right? I do, Kakashi-sensei does, Ino does, Shikamaru does. There’s not a shinobi in this entire Force that doesn’t get them. They’re expected when you’re at war, especially when you see something traumatizing,” she’d said matter-of-factly.

“Got it, Sakura-chan,” Soma had said.

So Soma used his careful training to pull himself back together. His breaths began to even out, his chest slowed its heaving, and he was able to concentrate on things around him. Kakashi-sensei’s chakra was closer now and he was within Soma’s ordinary (non-Sage Mode assisted) sensing range. Soma slowly eased himself back into his cross-legged meditation pose, but carefully made sure he wasn’t absorbing nature chakra. 

He was very tense and trying not to show it when Kakashi-sensei (maybe he should try dropping the -sensei honorific in his head) appeared over the ridges of one of the hills surrounding Uzushio. There weren’t many trees so Soma could clearly see the man coming but wasn’t sure if Kakashi (Kami, dropping the honorific was weird) could yet see him. 

He soon felt the other man’s gaze on him and knew he’d been spotted. He remained seated but tense, wary of what Kakashi would say when they were face to face. Soma’s fingers clenched the fabric of his black shinobi pants before slowly unfurling. It wouldn’t do to be nervous in front of Kakashi; he knew how to read this man like Kakashi read Icha Icha . A gray eye caught his blue ones and suddenly, Hatake Kakashi was standing before him.

“Yo!” he said with an eye-smile and a wave.

Soma couldn’t help but stare at Kakashi. He was the Kakashi he remembered from his early Team 7 days. Soma wasn’t sure how to approach this conversation; at the very least, he wasn’t sure how to treat Kakashi as more of an equal than a sensei.

His face was covered by the same blue mask he’d used the entire time Soma had known him in the previous timeline. His hitai-ate was still lopsided and covered the Sharingan. He was tall and lean, looking healthier than Soma had remembered seeing in many years, and his hair remained in its gravity-defying style.

Kakashi’s eye-smile, wave, and “Yo!” were classic gestures that Soma recognized from before the war. Kakashi hadn’t had the luxury of playing it cool in those last few years. It was a deceptively open move, one that Soma knew hid some discomfort. Soma could empathize; he was itching to fidget.

“Hello,” was all Soma could think to say. The two men stared at each other for a moment. Soma forced a small smile. “How can I help you, Hatake-san?” he asked, pulling the politeness drilled into him by Sakura out of his ass. Kakashi looked surprised.

“You know who I am?” he asked. A slightly more genuine smile graced Soma’s face.

“I have read a Bingo Book before, you know. Sharingan no Hatake Kakashi, the Copy-Nin from Konohagakure,” Soma replied. Kakashi blinked and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ah, yes. I should’ve assumed you’d know me,” he said. Soma inclined his head.

“Yes. So, how can I help you, Hatake-san?” he asked again.

“Well, first of all, what’s your name? No one’s been able to get one from you,” Kakashi said.

“My name is Uzumaki Soma, a shinobi of Uzushiogakure,” Soma replied, meeting Kakashi’s eyes. The gray-haired man was watching him with something that wasn’t quite suspicious but wasn’t quite friendly either. Soma had expected this or worse.

“I see. So, Uzumaki-san, as an Uzushio shinobi, surely you’re aware of the bonds between Konoha and your village. Why have you not sought us out?” Kakashi asked. This was the real question, in Soma’s opinion.

“It’s Soma, please. Uzumaki-san makes me feel…” he grimaced. “Anyway, I’m loyal to Uzushio. This village was, is , my home. I couldn’t just turn my back on it and find a new place to settle. It would’ve felt like a betrayal to my precious people. You understand, don’t you?” Soma explained. Kakashi was clearly considering it.

“Think about it like this, then, Hatake-san: if your Konoha was destroyed and nothing remained but scattered remnants of your once-great village, would you seek out another home?” Soma asked. Kakashi took a deep breath and something like realization appeared on his face.

“I understand. And call me Kakashi,” he said.

“Then, Kakashi-san, why are you really here? I’m assuming the Hokage didn’t send you all the way out this way for a mission that doesn’t involve me,” Soma pushed. He wanted to get the invitation to return to Konoha like nothing else. He would be able to make tangible differences there: prevent Hokage-jiji’s death, kill Orochimaru before he could mark Sasuke, save Sasuke from his avenger mission, and so much more. Those were only the early things, after all.

Kakashi sighed. “I’m here to ascertain your intentions towards Konoha,” he said simply. Soma nodded his head.

“I can assure you I mean no harm to Konoha. I hold no grudge for what happened to my home, at least towards your village. I have no way to prove it, but Konoha was my village’s sister. I protect my family, and in this case, that includes Konoha,” Soma said. He injected as much sincerity into his voice as he could; after all, he wasn’t truly lying. He wanted to save everyone in Konoha but no one needed to know that in his past life, he’d been one of the most loyal ninjas to walk Konoha’s streets.

Kakashi seemed to accept his words but still held a fair bit of suspicion for him. That was fair, and Soma wasn’t able to do anything to assuage those fears (yet). 

“Because your intentions seem pure towards Konoha, the Hokage has requested I extend the offer of a place as a shinobi of the Leaf. You are not required to accept and if you don’t we will not hunt you down, but as a shinobi of Uzushio, there is a spot available for you should you desire it,” Kakashi said in that weirdly formal way of his. Soma wondered if he was quoting a script the Hokage had given him.

“You’re offering me a position as a Konoha shinobi?” Soma forced himself to be surprised. He wasn’t, really, but he’d be expected to act that way. His Uzumaki heritage was beneficial in many ways in this timeline.

“Hai, Soma-san. Should you accept, I am to bring you to Konoha at your earliest possible convenience to meet with the Hokage,” Kakashi said. Soma stood and stretched his arms above his head, cracking his back. Frustratingly he was still quite a bit shorter than Kakashi, reaching only the Jounin’s chin in height. It was too much to ask for his changes in appearance to spread to his build, he supposed.

“I’ll go with you and hear the Hokage’s offer,” Soma replied. Kakashi eyed him before nodding.

“Alright. How long until you’re ready?” he asked. Soma grinned despite himself and held his arms out wide.

“I’ve already got everything I need.” Kakashi stared at him for a moment.

“You don’t have any belongings?”

“Seals,” was all Soma replied. Kakashi shrugged and turned in the direction of Konoha.

~

Kakashi wasn’t sure what to make of Uzumaki Soma. He was shorter than Kakashi would’ve thought and though his frame itself wasn’t all that threatening, his eyes were stormy and he carried himself in a confident manner that betrayed the man’s deep-seated security in his own power. He looked like a war veteran.

Soma seemed sincere, at least, when he stated he had no grudge against Konoha. He was following Kakashi across the branches of the forests as easily as any Konoha shinobi. Kakashi absently wondered how much time the other man had spent in the trees of the Land of Fire.

Soma was silent as they made their way to the village. His footfalls could barely be heard and Kakashi had to check a few times to make sure the Uzumaki was following. Kakashi knew many shinobi known for stealth, but Soma would likely be able to beat them all in one of the jounin games of hide and seek.

Kakashi appreciated the quiet, but his curiosity was starting to get the better of him. Once they made camp that night, Kakashi knew he’d cave and ask at least one of the questions that had been nagging at him all day. It was frustrating to have to start a conversation rather than inject his questions into one that Soma began. The Uzumaki must have something akin to endless patience.

It was nearing midnight when they finally stopped. Soma hadn’t complained about the pace Kakashi set or the fact that they were running in the dark. The Uzumaki didn’t even seem tired , damn him. 

But Kakashi had already run almost all day to make it to Uzushio and was reaching his limit. “Let’s camp here,” he said as he dropped to the forest floor. Soma followed him down and unsealed a bedroll from one of the many seals on his arms.

“Do you want a fire?” Soma asked. Kakashi hummed an agreement and Soma disappeared into the trees to collect wood. When he returned, Kakashi was setting out some instant rations he could cook in the pot he’d filled with water. Soma stacked the wood expertly and lit one of his fingers on fire to ignite it. Kakashi placed the pot over the fire and let the water boil.

They ate in silence, but Kakashi kept glancing at Soma and he could feel the other man’s eyes on him as well. It seemed they both wanted to talk yet neither knew how to break the tense atmosphere. Kakashi decided it would have to be him to take the leap.

“So, Soma-san, how old are you?” Kakashi asked. His eyes met Soma’s across the campfire and the redhead considered him for a moment.

“About 26, I think. I lost track of time for a few years when I was evading those hunting us,” he replied. He was the same age as Kakashi, then.

“Who was hunting you?” Soma scoffed.

“Who wasn’t? Uzushio was wiped out for a reason. Seal masters are rare and dangerous, so nearly everyone across the Elemental Nations either wanted to kill us or capture us to use our skills against our will,” Soma said. “One of the reasons I harbor no ill intent towards Konoha is because I know the Leaf Village wouldn’t try to hunt me down.” Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. He’d found it a bit odd that Soma had trusted him so easily but it was slowly starting to make sense.

“Well, you technically did hunt me down, but not for malicious reasons,” Soma said reasonably. 

“Can I ask what the seals on your arms are for? I recognize parts of some of the designs, but the rest are foreign to me,” Kakashi asked. Soma smiled a bit at him and held one of his arms out, Kakashi leaning forward slightly to get a better look.

“I won’t tell you all of their functions, but a lot of these are storage seals. I have different types of things in each one.” Soma indicated one of the seals just above his left wrist. “For example, this one stores my weapons, including my katana.” He pointed to the one above that, similar in design but with some different characters involved. “This one contains things necessary for survival like water and food. They look different because they seal different things and the best way to seal water isn’t the best way to seal a kunai.” Kakashi hummed thoughtfully.

“Other than storage seals, I have some that are useful for masking chakra and some that assist me in using elements other than my primary affinity, which is wind,” Soma explained. Kakashi wasn’t sure he completely understood but a primary wind affinity was rare in the Land of Fire.

“Can I ask you something now, Kakashi-san?” Soma asked. Kakashi sighed.

“I suppose it’s only fair,” he replied. Soma grinned.

“Why did the Hokage send you to extend his offer of a place amongst Konoha shinobi? I was expecting Jiraiya to find me first,” he said. Kakashi closed his eye and tilted his head back. Of course Soma would be curious about that.

“I asked to be a part of the assessment of your situation. I was…close to an Uzumaki living in Konoha many years ago. Hokage-sama felt that I was best suited to approach you as I’m a bit less, well, overbearing than Jiraiya-sama,” Kakashi said. There was a stifled snort of laughter and Kakashi opened his eye to see Soma’s eyes dancing with mirth. “What?”

“It’s just…nothing.” Kakashi stared hard at him and Soma visibly caved. “Your description of Jiraiya, I guess. It’s just funny,” Soma said, a tilt to his mouth as he looked at the ground. Kakashi grimaced.

“There are certainly other words to describe him. ‘Overbearing’ was one that encompasses quite a bit of his personality,” 

“True enough. Though personally, I think ‘pervy’ would suit him better, don’t you think?” Soma said, grinning.

“You’ve met him before, then?” Kakashi asked mildly. Soma stiffened slightly then sighed.

“In passing. I have a good idea of him as a person, I think,” Soma replied. Kakashi highly doubted that, but he had been spot-on with his “pervy” comment. “Whatever. Enough about Jiraiya. Tell me about Konoha?”

Kakashi relaxed slightly. “Well, I’ve been told that ninjas from my village are unique.”

“In what way?”

“Since you’ve been to other villages, you’d probably be able to tell me better once you’re actually in Konoha, but I’ve heard we emphasize teamwork and camaraderie much more than others,” Kakashi explained. The Sandaime had said something similar, at least, when he pulled Kakashi out of ANBU and made him a jounin sensei for the first time.

“The bonds of the people of Konoha are strong. There’s a reason we’ve never lost a war: we protect each other,” Kakashi said, watching Soma’s reaction. There was a tilt to his mouth, an almost melancholy smile touching his lips as he gazed into the trees over Kakashi’s shoulder.

“I know,” Soma breathed out. The sad look left his face and he brightened. “What about the citizens? Is there any gossip going around?” Kakashi glared at him.

“Do I strike you as someone interested in things like that?” Kakashi asked dryly. Soma laughed, then almost looked surprised at the fact that he had.

“No, I guess not.” He paused and looked up at the dark sky, the stars he could barely see through the leaves. “It’s late, we should probably get some sleep. Goodnight, Kakashi-san.”

Kakashi hummed back, laying down to sleep. That night, he dreamed of Kushina and Naruto.

Chapter 4: Konoha

The gates of Konoha rose in front of them and Soma’s breath was nearly knocked from his chest. He’d avoided the village on his trips through the Elemental Nations; after all, Konoha held both his happiest and most painful memories. He knew he had to be ready to face the ghosts of his past in order to change anything like Sasuke had asked.

Soma paused on one of the branches, inhaling sharply. He quickly scaled the tree he was in, latching onto the topmost part and gazing out over the village. The last time he’d seen Konoha, it had been razed to the ground by Kaguya. The citizens were dead and the shinobi were fighting a losing war. There was nothing Soma had been able to do to prevent it.

Now, looking out over his home, he could feel something familiar rise inside him: determination. Soma would save his village, his friends, his people. Soma never gave up, and he was finally prepared to meet his past.

Kakashi had stopped when he’d realized Soma wasn’t directly behind him anymore. Soma jumped down, landing softly on his feet and meeting Kakashi’s raised eyebrow with a grin.

“What do you think?” Kakashi asked.

“It’s beautiful,” Soma replied. Konoha really was beautiful, even after Pain’s attack and the destruction that followed. But seeing it as it had been when he was a child took Soma’s breath away. It brought back so many memories it was hard to parse through them. Soma decided he didn’t even need to try and just let them come. Snippets of being shunned for being a Jinchuuriki, having ramen with Iruka-sensei, attending the Academy, and being assigned to Team 7 with Sasuke and Sakura flashed through his head. I can do this, Sasuke, Soma thought to his best friend.

“Come on, then,” Kakashi said, and turned to walk through the gates.

Kotetsu and Izumo were, of course, manning the gate. Nostalgia surged through Soma upon seeing them slouching in their seats. He hadn’t seen their deaths in the war, which was a small mercy, but he’d heard about it from Iruka: “They defended the village to their last breaths,” he’d said. “They were more than willing to put themselves in the firing line to stall Kaguya long enough for people to evacuate.” It hadn’t worked, but Soma felt a small flare of protective instincts when he looked at them.

“Kakashi! Where’ve you been? Gai’s been hounding us about you,” Kotetsu said. 

“Maa, maa, I was on a mission,” Kakashi replied, meandering over to them. Soma followed silently behind him. Kakashi turned to Soma and Kotetsu and Izumo noticed the other man standing there. Their mouths dropped open.

“You…you’re the Flaming Tempest,” Izumo said in awe. His name in each nation's Bingo Book was the same. Soma supposed the nickname wasn’t too demeaning; whoever had given him that moniker thankfully hadn’t mentioned anything about his hair being the color of blood.

“Ah, yeah, that’s me. My name’s Uzumaki Soma. It’s a pleasure to meet you…” he trailed off, leaving them the opportunity to introduce themselves.

“I’m Hagane Kotetsu and this is Kamizuki Izumo. Welcome to Konoha, Uzumaki-san,” Kotetsu said. They were both still staring at him and Soma smiled slightly.

“Thank you, Hagane-san. Please call me Soma,” he replied. 

“As interesting as this has been,” Kakashi butted in, “I think we should go see the Hokage.” Soma rolled his eyes good-naturedly and turned to the silver-haired man.

“Lead the way, Kakashi-san,” Soma said, and followed Kakashi into the streets of Konoha.

Soma looked around curiously at the shops and market stalls he hadn’t seen in years. It was set up the same way he remembered from his childhood. He breathed in the scent of Konoha, something he’d never be able to describe but with which he was intimately familiar. There were specific aromas, of course, like the bao buns cooking at the stall he was passing or the paper from the bookstore that sold Jiraiya’s Icha Icha, but they weren’t the essence of Konoha.

Kakashi noticed him taking it in and repeated the question he’d asked in the forest. “What do you think?” he asked. Soma inhaled again and smiled.

“It’s nice,” he said. Kakashi hummed in agreement and continued on.

They walked to Hokage Tower in relative silence. Soma observed everything around him, the afternoon sun causing the bright colors to pop. It was slightly off-putting but definitely not in a bad way. Kakashi paused at the base of the tower before shrugging and leaping onto the roof of the building next door. Soma followed. Kakashi then jumped through the Hokage’s window, not even pausing on the sill. Soma hesitated, then again followed but instead of going straight into the room he stopped on the ledge, unsure of his welcome.

Kakashi stood in the middle of the room and eyed him pausing in the window. Soma looked away from him and saw Jiji sitting in his chair, hands clasped in front of him. Jiji. Kami, it had been so long since Soma had seen him and it hit him like a punch to the gut. The Hokage nodded at him and Soma finally stepped into the room.

It was precisely as he remembered from his many times in this office as an Academy student. The photographs on the walls stared at him as though judging if he was worthy. The desk was neat, though there were some papers strewn in front of the man. Soma looked at everything except Jiji’s eyes then bowed respectfully.

“Hokage-sama,” he said. “My name is Uzumaki Soma. I am humbled by your generous offer of a potential place among your shinobi.” His voice was steady and Soma thanked everything holy that manners had been drilled into him by one of the strongest, most unforgiving people he knew.

“Raise your head, child,” the Hokage said. Soma slowly lifted his eyes to his Jiji’s face. The man was as old as ever, wrinkles creasing his face but eyes still full of life. The Sandaime may not have made all of the right decisions, the greatest of which being Danzo’s continued influence and allowing Itachi to massacre the Uchiha Clan and take the fall, but the man was still Soma’s Jiji. It was hard to look at him, but Soma managed it well enough with a blank mask hiding his discomfort.

“Kakashi has explained the offer to you, yes?” the Hokage asked.

“Hai, Hokage-sama, although I assume there’s more to it than what I’ve been told.” He’s not my Jiji. He’s not my Jiji. He’s not my Jiji, Soma repeated to himself.

“You would be correct. I am extending this offer of a place as a shinobi of Konoha on a few conditions. Tomorrow, you will be tested on your skills in taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. This will help us determine your rank among our shinobi. You will also be subjected to surveillance and a probationary period of two months. I will send you on missions, but no matter your rank, I am not guaranteeing that any will be above C-rank for that time. Do you agree to these conditions?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Soma replied, trying to keep the breathlessness out of his voice. He was about to become a Konoha shinobi again and it was the best day he’d had yet in this timeline.

“Then welcome to Konoha and welcome home, Soma-chan,” the Hokage said with a smile. Soma gave a wobbly smile back then bowed fully.

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” he replied, and this time, he couldn’t keep the strain from his voice. Home.

“Kakashi will show you around the village for the rest of the day. I have an apartment prepared for you which Kakashi has the details for. Get some rest tonight; I expect you at Training Ground 7 at 0800 hours.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

Soma trailed behind Kakashi as they left (using the door this time). Soma was surprised Kakashi didn’t seem too down about having to show a newbie around town, but Soma figured it was a good enough excuse to avoid Gai-sensei’s challenges. 

They emerged onto the street. Kakashi gestured for Soma to follow and began leading them toward the Memorial Stone. They passed houses and restaurants as they went, Soma taking great pleasure in simply observing. Everyday life of the citizens in the village was something Soma had sorely missed after Konoha was eradicated. I’m doing this for Sasuke and my friends. But I’m also doing it for them, he thought, conviction hardening his eyes. 

If Kakashi noticed his change in demeanor, he didn’t say anything. He was slouching and his hands were in his pockets, a painful reminder of the Kakashi Soma had lost. It made him all the more determined to save everyone; his ex-sensei deserved something better than the life he’d been forced to live in Soma’s timeline. Kakashi was one of Soma’s precious people, and he wouldn’t give the silver-haired man up for anything.

~

Kakashi felt strange around Soma. He wasn’t sure how to approach him despite the conversation in the forest. They hadn’t spoken much at all the rest of the journey, though the air between them was less tense than before. When Kakashi watched Soma’s interaction with the Hokage, he noticed the careful mask Soma adopted to hide his emotions.

Kakashi was intimately familiar with that, after all.

He also noticed when Soma’s voice broke as he thanked the Sandaime. Kakashi figured that for someone belonging to a devastated village and near-extinct clan, the concept of “home” was foreign. Soma had been very young when Uzushio fell, and that meant he’d probably been on his own for longer than Kakashi cared to think.

Kakashi was also familiar with that feeling.

Soma’s relatively quiet demeanor wasn’t exactly startling, but Kakashi had the feeling the man liked to talk. Kakashi nearly groaned out loud when he realized that yet again he’d have to start a conversation. It was infuriating, and Kakashi resisted the urge to hide behind his Icha Icha.

He glanced at Soma out of the corner of his eye and saw the man gazing at the civilians walking the streets. Something seemed to shift in him as he turned his eyes forward, steely determination shining through. Kakashi was slightly taken aback but said nothing.

Without consciously thinking about it, Kakashi was leading them to the Memorial Stone. He took the familiar path to the site with Soma silently following behind. He sat in front of the stone cross-legged, indicating that Soma should take a seat next to him.

“This is the Memorial Stone,” Kakashi explained. “On it are engraved the names of shinobi who have died in service.” Here, Kakashi hesitated. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt the desire to tell Soma about his genin team and his sensei. Instead, he said, “The names of many of my precious people are up there.” Soma looked at him, a hint of understanding passing over his features.

“Do you come here often?” he asked. Kakashi looked away from him and back to the Memorial Stone.

“I do. I feel…closer to them, somehow,” Kakashi said. Kami, why was he saying this? He closed his eye, trying to reign himself back in. This was someone who couldn’t yet be trusted by the village; why did Kakashi feel some sort of odd kinship with the man? It didn’t make sense to him.

“I get what you mean,” Soma said softly. Kakashi opened his eye again, turning his head to look at Soma. He sat on my right, Kakashi thought suddenly. His right, the side with an eye not covered by his hitai-ate. Now that he thought about it, Soma had only been walking diagonally behind him on the right. Kakashi was floored.

It took people months to learn that he was more comfortable with people where he could see them, and this man figured it out in two days.

It was astounding.

“You do?” Kakashi said, forcing himself to refocus on the conversation. Soma let out a breath, looking at the ground beneath him.

“Of course I do. I lost my whole village. I’ve lost everyone dear to me: my parents, my sensei, my best friends, my lover,” Soma said. Kakashi startled at the word “lover” and Soma’s eyes met his. “I’ve been on my own for so long. I’ve been alone in my grief for years. 

“But there are some things I can do to feel closer to them. I eat tomatoes even though I don’t like them much because they remind me. I collect flower petals because they remind me. I read and reread certain books because they remind me. I’m as gentle and caring and strong and sharp as they were because when I act like them, I feel them.”

Kakashi was shocked. He’d never heard anyone put the feeling into words like Soma just had. It made sense.

He understands.

Soma was one surprise after another. Kakashi was right that the man liked to talk, but he never would’ve expected this to come out of him. Soma was a dangerous ninja, the Flaming Tempest as the Bingo Book called him, but in this moment Kakashi only saw a man like himself, someone burdened by his past. Unlike himself, Soma had been able to begin pushing past his grief, saying words Kakashi would never utter for fear of exposing too much of himself.

“I would’ve said as badass as them, too, if it wasn’t a lie,” Soma said with a wry smile.

“You don’t consider yourself badass?” Kakashi said. Soma let out a huff of laughter.

“Not nearly as badass as any of them.” He took a breath and slowly let it out again. “They were my team, y’know, the ones I remind myself of the most,” Soma said softly. “You actually remind me of one of them, Kakashi-san.” Kakashi blinked, and then:

We’re the same.

The thought drifted through Kakashi’s mind. He knew it was true and he desperately wanted to say the words but bit them back.

What he said instead was, “Just call me Kakashi.”

 

They left the stone about an hour later. They hadn’t talked much after that, Kakashi lost in his thoughts and Soma content to sit in silence. Kakashi led them away from the stone and towards the center of the village. The main street was packed with pedestrians due to it being dinner hour, and Kakashi felt himself tense up slowly the more he was forcing himself between people.

“Kakashi,” Soma said from behind him, grabbing his attention. “Do you wanna go to the roofs? It’s a bit tight down here, don’t you think?” Kakashi nodded and they took to the rooftops. Immediately, Kakashi relaxed.

“You’re not one for crowds either, huh?” Soma said from his place beside him on his right on his right on his–

“Maa, it’s not really my scene,” Kakashi replied. Soma chuckled.

“I could tell,” Soma said. Kakashi stiffened. “It’s not a bad thing, I promise,” Soma was quick to say. Kakashi nodded and slowly relaxed again. “I used to love crowds. They have energy, y’know?” Soma paused. “I think I’ve gotten used to being alone or only with people I know and trust. It’s hard to move away from that.”

“It is,” Kakashi agreed. It wouldn’t hurt him to confirm what Soma already knew, after all. Soma smiled a soft little smile at him.

“Come on, show me where I’ll be staying,” he said. Kakashi rolled his eye.

“Hai, hai.”

He brought them to the apartment complex by a circuitous route, showing Soma various points of interest in the village as they went. They stuck to the rooftops and Kakashi could see Soma mapping everything out in his head. They arrived at the building, at Kakashi’s own apartment building, where Soma would be staying. The landlady almost greeted Kakashi by name but he made a quick gesture to say not to. There was a slight quirk to Soma’s lips that Kakashi didn’t understand but disregarded to focus on the task at hand.

They got the keys and made their way up the stairs to the third floor; Soma’s apartment was two doors down from Kakashi’s. Kakashi was going to kill the Sandaime. He realized it was inevitable that Soma found out he lived there as well and immediately wanted to bang his head against the nearest wall. You want me on surveillance, huh? Kakashi thought angrily at the Hokage.

Soma had a glint in his eye that Kakashi distinctly disliked. The redhead was observing him as they entered the hallway, passing Kakashi’s door before making it to his own.

Kakashi stood awkwardly waiting for Soma to unlock the door. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say, so he waited for Soma’s lead. The door swung open and Soma stepped through to observe the space. He gestured for Kakashi to follow.

The layout was the same as his own apartment: an open-concept kitchen and living area to the right of the door and a hallway leading further back to a bathroom and a bedroom. It was empty in there, though, and even if Kakashi’s own place was sparse, at least there was a bit of a lived-in feel to it.

Soma was eyeing the space with something like apprehension in his gaze. It probably seemed like a lot of space to fill, especially if he’d been traveling for years. 

“Do you want to get dinner?” Kakashi blurted before he could stop himself. Soma looked at him with surprise.

“Yeah, sure. I haven’t had time to get anything to cook yet, obviously,” he said, gesturing to the empty space.

“What do you like?” Soma’s eyes lit up.

“Where could we get some good ramen?”

~

Soma was oddly comfortable around Kakashi. Even though he wasn’t his Kakashi, Soma instantly felt himself opening up. He was more transparent with the silver-haired man than he’d wanted or expected to be, and Soma was managing to convince himself that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Soma loved Kakashi-sensei, but this was a different side to him than Soma had been able to see as a student. Sure, they’d had deep and insightful conversations, but those typically involved all of Team 7.

Soma decided he wanted to get to know Kakashi as a peer and friend rather than a sensei.

Soma had to fight back a grin when they entered Kakashi’s apartment building to get Soma settled. The building was familiar; Soma had been to Kakashi’s apartment a few times while on Team 7 and he remembered the sparsely furnished third floor place like the back of his hand. He wasn’t expecting his own apartment to only be two doors down from Kakashi’s, though.

Soma fiddled with his new keys while Kakashi stood to the side. He could feel the awkwardness radiating off the man so before Kakashi could make a fool of himself, Soma opened the door and made a “come on” gesture with his hand.

The apartment was completely empty. It was more spacious than Soma recalled Kakashi’s place being, but that was probably because Soma hadn’t had his own space in many years. There was a seemingly endless expanse of blankness he needed to fill, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to do it right now. He didn’t even try to school his expression into something resembling excitement; he knew Kakashi would be able to read the grimness behind his eyes.

Kami, I really am starting over, Soma thought to himself.

He was waiting for Kakashi to make a hasty exit to go hide away with his Icha Icha. He was certainly not prepared for Kakashi to ask him to get dinner.

He found himself accepting, both hoping and dreading that his suggestion of ramen would lead them to Ichiraku’s. 

He closed and locked the empty apartment, content to follow Kakashi wherever the jounin would lead. And, as Soma expected, they found themselves ducking under the flaps of his favorite ramen shop.

“Welcome!” Teuchi boomed from behind the counter. Soma’s heart was thudding in his chest as he stared at the man. Teuchi and Ayame had died when Kaguya assaulted Konoha for the final time, and though like Izumo and Kotetsu Soma hadn’t seen their deaths, it had hit him hard.

These were some of the only kind civilians from his youth as Naruto, and Soma would forever be grateful to them for that.

Soma calmed himself enough to give a smile, following Kakashi to a pair of stools at the far end of the bar. There were a couple of chuunin Soma didn’t recognize sitting on the stools in the middle and Kakashi ignored them.

“It’s been a while, Kakashi,” Teuchi said.

“Maa, maa, I’ve been busy,” Kakashi replied, waving a dismissive hand. Teuchi didn’t look like he bought it but moved on with the grace of anyone who’d had to deal with the jounin before.

“What can I get you?”

“A tonkotsu ramen with pork for me. Soma-san?” Soma pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Just call me Soma. I swear to Kami I’ll hit you if you keep adding ‘-san’ to my name,” Soma said in annoyance. Kakashi just rolled his eye and gestured at Teuchi who was still waiting on Soma’s order. “I’ll have a miso ramen with pork, please.”

“Coming right up!” the old man said. He turned away to start on their food.

“So, Soma, you’ll hit me just for a pesky honorific?” Kakashi asked, his elbow on the bar and his cheek in his hand, face tilted towards Soma.

“Yes,” Soma replied simply.

“Maybe I should keep it up to see you try it.” Soma glared at him half-heartedly.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It just…feels weird to me,” Soma said, his face scrunching up in distaste. He smoothed his features again and debated his question. “The assessment tomorrow. Do you know what it’ll be, or even who I’m facing?” he finally asked.

“Maa, I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never seen an out-of-village shinobi ranked before, but I do know a few of the people who will be involved.”

“You do?”

Kakashi’s smile was devious. “I’ll be a part of it,” he said. Soma resisted the urge to bang his head against the bar. Of course I’ll be sparring Kakashi, he thought mournfully. Soma knew Kakashi-sensei’s fighting style like he knew Sasuke’s and Sakura’s. It would be a different type of spar without using his Rasengan, but he knew there was no plausible way he’d know the jutsu as a village outsider. He’d have to out his use of shadow clones because of how essential they were to his fighting which would be hard enough to explain. When Soma returned to his (empty, empty) apartment, he’d have to make a list of jutsus he could use.

“Cool. Wonderful,” Soma replied. He knew Kakashi was laughing at him under the mask.

“Maa, maa, it’s only a spar. I won’t go easy on you, though.” Soma laughed.

“I don’t think you’d be able to go easy on me and keep all your limbs, actually,” he said with a smirk. Kakashi’s eyebrow lifted.

“Oh?”

“Don’t get defensive. I know my own strength, and I know enough about you from word-of-mouth–-” (I know you too well as someone who fought beside you for over a decade) “--to know something of yours, Sharingan no Kakashi,” Soma said. 

“I see.” Kakashi was scrutinizing him with a new type of intensity Soma had never seen before. His gaze felt as though it was peeling off layers of Soma that had been carefully crafted since his leap through time. His eye promised a challenge, and Soma felt excitement race through him.

“You said your primary affinity’s wind. I must say, that’s something of a rarity in these parts,” Kakashi said, changing the subject.

“I know. I’ve had to create a lot of my own jutsus because finding A-rank and higher wind-based techniques is difficult outside of Suna. I’m a creative person by nature, so it’s not necessarily a problem for me, but I wish I’d had access to more foundational wind ninjutsu when I was learning.” A thought popped into Soma’s head and his eyes lit up. “You have a library here, right? Do you think I could take a look at what you have on wind-based techniques?”

“Maa, I don’t see why not. How many jutsus have you created, exactly?” Kakashi asked. Soma knew he’d get stuck on that point.

“Um, probably about ten? Twelve? The first one I made was actually an S-rank. I don’t use it anymore, though.” I can’t use it anymore, now that I’m in Konoha. He’d miss Rasenshuriken like a limb.

“How old were you?”

“Sixteen.” If only Soma could see Kakashi gaping at him underneath his mask.

“Here you are!” Teuchi interjected, brandishing their bowls with a smile. Soma picked up his chopsticks and turned his face slightly away from Kakashi to give him privacy.

“Itadakimasu,” Soma and Kakashi said and simultaneously broke apart their chopsticks.

Soma deliberately didn’t look at Kakashi while the jounin was eating. He’d learned a lot about respecting people’s privacy during the war and even though he was insanely curious about what the man looked like beneath the mask, he wouldn’t sneak a peek.

Kakashi walked him home after the meal, giving no indication that he lived in the same building. Soma resisted the urge to laugh at him and nodded his thanks.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” he asked at the door to his (empty, so very empty) apartment.

“Bright and early,” the jounin said with that new, intense look and Shunshined away.

Notes:

So, we made it to Konoha! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. The next one might be considered a bit of a filler, aka the calm before the spar, but nevertheless I'm excited about it. I love hearing from you, so let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Side note about the timeline here: this chapter occurs a couple of weeks before Naruto becomes a genin (I meant to make this clearer in the earlier chapters oops)

Chapter 5: Kickoff

Soma sat on the hardwood floor of his empty living room. He had a paper and pen out in front of him, making his list of usable jutsus. It was a long one, and Soma felt confident he could beat Kakashi with what he had, but the gaping holes left by the Rasengan and his Rasenshuriken made his heart twist. The Rasengan was one of the only things he had left in memory of his father; everything that had connected them in the previous timeline was now gone or altered: his hair, his eyes, his name. Rasenshuriken was the way he’d shown people who he was and that he could surpass the Yondaime.

All of Soma’s original wind jutsus were usable (outside of Rasenshuriken) and he had some powerful lightning and fire he could fall back on. His water arsenal was weaker than the others but at least somewhat beneficial. He’d never been good with earth and barely thought about it.

Soma also knew he’d have to avoid using Sage Mode if he didn’t want more questions than he was ready for.

It was late when Soma finally forced himself to put down his pen and unseal his bedroll. He’d have to go shopping soon, maybe after the spar the next day. He could bully Kakashi into tagging along, probably, considering the jounin seemed genuinely interested in Soma. He knew part of the reason for Kakashi’s interest was what he’d said at the Memorial Stone but he couldn’t help thinking that maybe the other man was just as much in need of a friend as Soma was.

Soma was worried about Kurama too. His friend had been asleep as though in a genjutsu for about four years. Soma desperately missed his friend, the only one who knew what happened in their original timeline and the one who had been with him through everything. He felt a piece of himself missing and wanted it back, damn it. He’d resigned himself to do nothing but wait, and eventually his thoughts turned sluggish and he succumbed to sleep.

Soma awoke at five the next morning. He’d slept surprisingly well; after years of war and traveling to hunt S-rank nukenin, Soma’s sleep schedule was shaky at best and nonexistent at worst. He typically managed less than three hours each night, but in his Konoha apartment with Kakashi’s chakra so close, Soma felt safe. 

He got up and decided to loosen himself up for the spar with some kenjutsu training. He wasn’t expected at Training Ground 7 until eight, but he figured he may as well use the space for a bit beforehand. He dressed, taping his ankles and thigh methodically while munching on some of the dry rations he had stored in the seal on his arm. The sky was still dark when he silently let himself out of his apartment. He hoped he didn’t wake Kakashi; the man could be hellish to deal with if he didn’t get enough sleep while not on a mission.

Training Ground 7 was one Soma had never really used. His genin team had used Training Ground 3 and even after Sasuke left, Team Kakashi stuck with that area. Training Ground 7 was a nice open space with a pond of water near one end and trees surrounding it. Somehow it was classically Konoha in a way Soma couldn’t describe. He walked to the center of the grounds, focusing on his sensing to ensure no one was nearby. He felt the distinct presence of three ANBU following him but they were far enough away that Soma felt no qualms about unsealing his katana. 

It was a beautiful sword, forged by the best weaponsmith in the Elemental Nations. It was a chakra conducting blade and though wind was a powerful force, Sasuke’s use of lightning while using kenjutsu caused Soma to primarily practice with that element. Training kenjutsu with lighting had the added benefit of expanding Soma’s ability with lighting release and he was even at the point where he could use Kakashi’s Chidori (not that he would, though; it was dangerous without the Sharingan).

Soma unsheathed the blade, named Dojikiri by Sasuke, and let the familiar grip calm him. He closed his eyes, imagining the rigorous training Sasuke put him through before allowing a spar. Treat your weapon as an extension of yourself, was one of the first things Sasuke had said when he began teaching Soma kenjutsu. If you and your weapon are not one, you are doomed to fail. The words were as ingrained in Soma’s mind as the movements drilled into him by the unrelenting Uchiha. 

His eyes still closed, Soma began to move through his stances. He spun and slashed, his blade whipping through the air with each strike. He was confident and his movement was flowing. Soma didn’t consider himself a kenjutsu master because compared to Sasuke his skill was insignificant; however, he was aware that most others would think him one of the most adept swordsmen in the Elemental Nations, courtesy of Sasuke’s tutelage.

Soma’s thoughts slowed until he lost himself in the dance. He didn’t need to pause to think about his next steps and slowly, he let loose. He was so focused and lost in the motions that he didn’t notice another presence approaching. 

His breathing remained steady even as he flashed lightning down the blade. He wouldn’t destroy anything with the surging, electric power; no, he wanted to let himself feel.

His control over the lightning was perfect. He felt it staticking the air, raising the hairs on his arms. He pushed himself harder, faster, until his steps were burning the ground beneath his feet. He felt alive.

He continued his dance, slicing through air and allowing the gracefulness of it all to calm him. He reigned in his lightning after about ten minutes of using it, falling back into his typical kenjutsu. He swung Dojikiri with practiced ease and unerring accuracy. 

Soma wasn’t sure how long he let himself go for, but eventually he forced himself to a stop. He’d have to showcase his taijutsu skills soon and he didn’t want to push himself too hard. When he concluded, he finally registered someone else’s chakra at the edge of the training ground. It was Kakashi, standing silent and still and watching him. Soma’s eyes were still closed and he sheathed Dojikiri before opening them and turning to his unexpected observer.

“You’re here early,” Soma said. He was honestly surprised; Kakashi’s habit of lateness was something that took years of war to shake. Kakashi was leaning against a tree with his arms folded over his chest. Soma slung Dojikiri across his back and made his way over to the jounin.

“Maa, I figured you’d be here when you weren’t at your apartment,” Kakashi said as though that was a reasonable response. Soma raised a brow.

“Why were you looking for me at my apartment?” he asked. Kakashi shrugged and pushed himself off the tree.

“I can’t want to check on the newest member of the Konoha shinobi forces?”

“You’re not that type of person, Kakashi,” Soma said with a scoff. “You’re one of the people keeping an eye on me, aren’t you?” Of course, Soma had already figured this out with how close their apartments were.

“Unfortunately,” Kakashi admitted, sighing.

“Hey! That was rude, y’know,” Soma said and Kakashi smiled. It wasn’t his shitty I’m-Being-Nice-Because-I-Have-To-Be eye-smile; rather, it was an actual smile that crinkled the corner of his visible eye and lit up his face. Soma liked it.

“I’ve been called worse.” 

“I’m sure you have,” Soma said, rolling his eyes. “How long have you been here?”

Kakashi looked surprised. “You didn’t sense me?”

“I was a bit…preoccupied with what I was doing,” Soma replied sheepishly. “Plus, your chakra is familiar to me. If it had been someone I didn’t know, I would’ve noticed.”

“Ah, yes. Preoccupied. You’re very good with a sword, though I’ve never seen that style of kenjutsu before. Where did you learn?”

“My best friend taught me. I combined his Clan style with the Uzumaki style and created my own, which is what you just saw. I can do both styles individually, but they don’t flow as well for me,” Soma said. It was true, too: Sasuke had taught him the Uchiha style of kenjutsu and when they went to Uzushio, Soma adapted many of the techniques from both styles to fit him. The Uzumaki style was more erratic and therefore worked well with his unpredictable nature, but the Uchiha style had many of its own merits. Kakashi was looking at him like he was a specimen under a microscope.

“What? Why are you staring at me?”

“Hm, it’s interesting, is all,” Kakashi said. Soma heard the underlying unspoken words, though: you’re interesting. Soma was giddy under Kakashi’s scrutiny.

“Why’s that?”

“Maa, your style’s unique. I know some people who would probably like to spar with you sometime, specifically in kenjutsu. We don’t have many masters in Konoha,” he said. Soma thought about the shinobi he knew: Gai would enjoy a vigorous spar as much as Soma; Genma, the senbon-wielding jounin, was stellar in taijutsu and used a variety of weapons; though Soma hadn’t known Hayate in the previous timeline outside of his brief stint as a proctor during the Chuunin Exams, the man was well-known for his kenjutsu skills and his Dance of the Crescent Moon. Any or all of them could be who Kakashi was thinking of.

Soma grinned. “I’d love to have a spar sometime. I wouldn’t say I’m a master, though.” Kakashi gave him an incredulous look.

“You are absolutely a kenjutsu master. I’ve never seen–” he cut himself off. Soma was curious what he was going to say but didn’t want to hazard a guess.

“I’m not. Well, I’m not compared to my best friend. He was the best kenjutsu user I’ve ever seen. I was never able to beat him,” Soma said, a wistful smile on his face as thoughts of Sasuke surfaced again. “Anyway, what time is it?”

“About six thirty. I got here just before six and it looked like you’d been going for a while. You do know you have a spar later, right?”

Soma waved a hand, dismissing Kakashi’s concerns. “Yeah, I just had some stress to work off. Once I eat a bit more I’ll be good as new. Speaking of, is there anywhere good for breakfast around here? I have rations and stuff, but I haven’t had time to go shopping yet and eating the same stuff as when I was traveling is boring,” he said. Kakashi eyed him for a moment then sighed.

“Fine, fine, come on. But you’re buying.”

Soma laughed and followed.

~

Kakashi wasn’t surprised when he found Soma’s apartment devoid of the red-haired Uzumaki at 5:45 in the morning. He grumbled under his breath and left in search of the man; he must’ve been masking his chakra this time because Kakashi couldn’t sense him anywhere in Konoha. He decided to try Training Ground 7 just in case Soma had wanted to scope it out.

Kakashi was very surprised at what he saw when he arrived.

Soma had a sword in his hand, a beautiful katana that reflected the weak colors of dawn. He was wearing the same black standard-issue shinobi pants and mesh undershirt he’d seen when they’d met in Uzushio a few days prior but instead of the short sleeve blue shirt that showed off the seals on his arms, he was wearing a long sleeve maroon one.

However, Kakashi was captivated not by Soma’s appearance but by his movements.

The man danced with the blade as though he was born holding it. He was graceful and powerful and every step was taken with an ease that came from years of practice. The form was unfamiliar to Kakashi but it was clear that whatever it was, Soma had mastered it. Kakashi himself was skilled in kenjutsu from his time in ANBU but he’d doubtless be outclassed by the Uzumaki in front of him.

Soma’s eyes were closed and his face was relaxed. His red hair was flowing behind him, the whirlwind speed of his movements tossing it every which way. He was absolutely stunning to watch.

Then, his sword was coated in lightning and Kakashi’s breath caught.

His dance didn’t slow to compensate for the chakra being released; on the contrary, he sped up. Kakashi fought the urge to use his Sharingan to track the moves when they became blurred to his normal eye. Soma hadn’t appeared to notice him yet, and Kakashi wasn’t about to use more chakra and disrupt the brilliance of what he was witnessing.

Lightning crackled across the blade and the power of it made Kakashi feel some sort of way. It was perfectly controlled, not contacting anything Soma didn’t want it to, though its energy seemed to touch everything around it. The air smelled of a thunderstorm.

He was content to watch even after the lightning faded from the katana and twenty minutes later Soma finally slowed. He came to rest with straight-backed posture, the tip of his blade angled at the ground, and took a deep, centering breath. He sheathed the sword and suddenly, deep blue eyes met Kakashi’s. Soma looked startled to see him standing there, leaning against a tree seemingly without a care in the world.

“You’re here early,” Soma said to him.

 

Kakashi really shouldn’t have been surprised that Soma didn’t consider himself a kenjutsu master. Everything about the man screamed humility despite what Soma had said over dinner the night before; Kakashi now understood Soma’s statement of “I don’t think you’d be able to go easy on me and keep all your limbs” as the warning it was. If Soma was as adept at ninjutsu as kenjutsu, Kakashi would have a hard fight ahead of him.

Kakashi led them to a small establishment close to the training ground. It opened early to cater to the ninja of the village and was one of the most reliable options. As they sat in a booth, Kakashi realized that he was, for once, looking forward to eating with another person. Soma was interesting, and any opportunity for Kakashi to learn more about him was one he’d take.

Kakashi swirled the water in his glass while observing Soma. “Most people don’t gear up for what will be a vigorous match by training,” he said. Soma smiled a mischievous, foxy grin that reminded Kakashi so much of Naruto his heart nearly stopped.

“I’m not most people,” he said.

You’re definitely not, thought Kakashi. He had a feeling that after seeing the spar later, he’d move Soma from the ‘interesting’ category into the ‘insane’ one.

“I’m assuming you still won’t tell me any details about the assessment, right?” Soma said, sounding resigned.

“Maa, maa, where would be the fun in that? It’s more entertaining to see what you do in a situation you’re unable to prepare for,” Kakashi said with an eye-smile. Soma glared at him.

“Of course you’d see it that way,” he huffed out.

“Are there any parts you’re worried about?” Kakashi asked curiously.

Soma hummed in thought. “I’d have to say genjutsu. I have too much chakra to perform one adequately so if they ask me to do that I’ll have to say no. I can dispel just about every genjutsu I come into contact with, at least, but it’s my weakest area.”

“That’s understandable.” Kakashi’s mind went back to the kenjutsu he’d witnessed. “I have to ask: who was your friend who taught you to wield a katana in such a way?”

Soma’s eyes went distant, a nostalgic smile appearing on his face. “He was my best friend and so much more. He…he was the reason I became strong. He left me behind to seek power and I chased him for years. I proved my strength over and over again to myself and my friends, but it always felt like I was two steps behind him. I pushed myself to my limits and beyond to reach him.

“When I finally caught up to him and he acknowledged me, he taught me how to use a variety of weapons. My skills in that area were severely lacking and he told me it was disgraceful, so he took it upon himself to teach me his Way of the Sword. He died a few years ago and whenever I need to destress, I pick up Dojikiri. That’s my katana, by the way.”

Dojikiri. Demon slayer. It was fitting, somehow, for Soma’s personality. Kakashi doubted any demon could stand up to Soma and live. Soma’s best friend (who Kakashi assumed was the lover Soma mentioned at the Memorial Stone) had to have been an incredible swordsman. Kakashi was insanely curious but wouldn’t press; after all, Kakashi wasn’t yet ready to share the details of his own losses with Soma.

“He sounds like a brilliant ninja,” Kakashi murmured. Soma smiled, and this time, the nostalgia turned into wistfulness.

“He was. A genius, they called him. A once-in-a-generation ninja.”

“If he fought with swords better than you do, I don’t doubt that,” Kakashi said. Soma laughed.

“I’m really not that good with blades–”

“Shut up, Soma,” Kakashi said mildly. Soma grinned at him.

“Fine, I guess we’ll agree to disagree on that, then.”

Their breakfast arrived and Soma turned away from Kakashi to give him some semblance of privacy. Kakashi had noticed at dinner last night when Soma was respectful of his desire to remain unseen and, like Soma consistently remaining on Kakashi’s right side, the action shocked him. Nearly everyone he came into contact with tried to get a glimpse under his mask; Soma didn’t even seem interested in attempting.

“I’m surprised we haven’t run into any other jounin yet,” Soma said.

“Maa, maa, you’ll meet some of them soon enough,” Kakashi replied. He assumed Soma’s spar would garner an audience of most of the jounin in the village. He was a new face and was notorious throughout the Elemental Nations for his triumphs over some of the most powerful S-rank nukenin in the Bingo Book. If Kakashi wasn’t fighting him, he’d have been there to watch.

“I’m sure. I’m trying to imagine what they’ll be like, y’know. I haven’t been around ninja I consider camrades in a long time.”

“Maa, we’re not that exciting,” Kakashi said, lying through his teeth.

“I doubt that. You’re the most intriguing shinobi I’ve come across since my friends died, Kakashi,” Soma said lightly. 

Kakashi, intriguing? This Uzumaki, who appeared out of thin air and took down five S-rank nukenin in a year, thought Kakashi was intriguing? It couldn’t have been because of the mask considering Soma hadn’t tried to get a look at his face, and it couldn’t have been the Sharingan covered by the hitai-ate that Soma already knew about. 

“You must not have met many compelling shinobi during your travels, then,” Kakashi said, fishing for information.

“No, I definitely did. But there’s something different about you.” Soma’s gaze was assessing as he propped his chin on his laced fingers, elbows on the table. Kakashi felt a blush rise to his cheeks and was suddenly very thankful for his mask.

“Maa, I’m just an average jounin,” Kakashi choked out, beyond grateful that his voice was even.

“I highly doubt that. I’d say you were ANBU at some point. Am I right?” There was a smirk playing on Soma's lips.

“Why do you say that?” Kakashi asked carefully.

“Just intuition.”

“Based on…?”

“Behavioral things, mostly, like the way you moved in the forest and how little silence seems to bother you. Stuff like that,” Soma said. “Oh, but if you were ANBU, you probably can’t tell me anyway. Sorry.” There was a sheepish grin on his face.

“Maa, it’s alright. I wasn’t expecting it, I guess,” Kakashi said with a shrug. Soma was more observant than he’d let on, then.

“In any case, who’s Gai? Hagane-san mentioned something about him yesterday,” Soma not-so-subtly changed the subject.

Kakashi groaned. “He’s a jounin and the bane of my existence,” he said. Gai’s challenges were entertaining sometimes, but Kakashi didn’t enjoy showing interest in, well, anything. Because Gai forced him out of his comfort zone near-daily, it wasn’t a stretch to say he truly was a nightmare for Kakashi to deal with.

Soma was smiling like he was trying not to laugh. Laugh while you still can, Kakashi thought. Soma had no idea about the terror that was Might Gai.

“Why’s he the bane of your existence?”

“He–”

“ETERNAL RIVAL!” Speak of the devil. Kakashi sighed and turned to Gai.

“Yo,” he said, sounding defeated. Soma was still smiling.

“No one knew you’d left the village on a mission! In our Springtime of Youth, you–”

“Maa, maa, Gai, it was sudden,” Kakashi interrupted before Gai could go on one of his rants about youthfulness. He caught Soma’s eye and the redhead mouthed Eternal Rival? at Kakashi with a smirk. Shut up, Kakashi mouthed back, not that Soma could see it.

“So this is Gai,” Soma said. Gai turned to Soma and flashed a dazzling smile.

“I am Might Gai, Konoha’s Sublime Green Beast of Prey! Who might you be, companion of my Eternal Rival?” Soma’s smile brightened.

“I am Uzumaki Soma. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Green Beast,” he said, nodding his head in a respectful greeting.

“AH! The famed Flaming Tempest! I have heard stories of your youthfulness in battle! I am honored to make your acquaintance!” Gai boomed. Soma didn’t seem fazed whatsoever.

“Would you like to join us? I have an assessment later, so I figured I’d fuel up in preparation of a… youthful display,” Soma said. Kakashi stared at him, dumbfounded.

“I’m aware of your assessment! Most jounin in Konoha are planning to attend! I, however, will be sparring you in taijutsu, as my Eternal Rival must have told you!” Gai said as he slid into the booth beside Kakashi. Soma turned his eyes to Kakashi and raised a brow.

“He neglected to mention that, actually,” he said. Kakashi knew this wouldn’t end well for him and resigned himself to his fate.

“Eternal Rival! You did not remark upon my prowess in battle? How–”

“Maa, Gai, I was only trying to keep things interesting,” Kakashi said with a wave of his hand. Soma rolled his eyes.

“Kakashi hasn’t told me anything about the spar other than that he’s a part of it,” Soma said. Kakashi glared at him.

“You know why I haven’t said anything, Soma,” he said. Gai was looking between the two of them curiously.

“Because you want to see how I react to unknown shinobi. It’s flattering, really,” Soma replied, a teasing grin on his face.

“Hai, hai, make fun of me all you want, Uzumaki.”

“Glad I got your permission, Hatake.”

“YOSH! My Eternal Rival and Uzumaki-san are in their Springtime of Youth!” Gai said loudly. Kakashi rubbed his ear in pain.

“Please, call me Soma. I already threatened to hit Kakashi if he kept calling me Soma-san, and Uzumaki-san is so much worse,” Soma said to Gai.

“YOSH! You must call me Gai then, Soma, though I will answer to Green Beast as well!” Soma smiled at Gai with another nod.

“It’s a deal, Gai,” he said. Gai flashed another brilliant grin and a thumbs up. Kakashi heaved a long-suffering sigh. 

“We should hurry up if we want to make it on time,” Kakashi said. Soma rolled his eyes and mumbled something under his breath that even Kakashi couldn’t catch.

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing!” Soma said with a falsely sweet smile plastered to his face. Kakashi narrowed his eye then shrugged.

“Fine. Remember you’re paying, Soma,”

“Hai, hai,” he said. 

They left the restaurant soon after. The three of them made their way back to Training Ground 7, Gai cheerfully conversing with Soma. Kakashi whipped out Icha Icha to avoid being drawn in and ignored them. There was a sudden silence about two minutes after he tuned them out, and both were looking at him expectantly. “Did you say something?”

Gai slapped his palm to his forehead. “Gah! My Eternal Rival is so cool and suave!” Gai exclaimed. Soma just watched Kakashi with a knowing grin.

“Maa, Gai, you’ll scare him off before he’s even started,” Kakashi said. Soma snorted but said nothing.

They reached the training ground and Soma stopped in his tracks. A large group of people were gathered on the field, clearly there to watch Soma in action. Kakashi paused with him and gestured for Gai to go on ahead. Gai nodded and ran to harass Asuma.

“Gai told you most of the jounin in the village would be coming today,” Kakashi pointed out. Soma nodded slowly.

“Yeah, I just…” he trailed off and Kakashi waited him out. Soma took a breath. “I don’t know, I guess I’m just not used to having such an…audience. It’s been a long time since anyone watched me fight for the fun of it,” he said. Kakashi nodded.

“Then just pretend they aren’t there. It’s just a spar and everyone’s curious. You’re well-known and new to the village, and it isn’t often we have unfamiliar people to fight against in matches that aren’t life or death. Let them observe, but don’t cater to them,” Kakashi said, though he wasn’t sure why he was speaking (comforting) at all. Soma was looking at him oddly.

“Are you curious, then?”

A little bit of truth, Hatake. “After seeing you with your katana earlier, I’d be insane not to be.” Soma smiled and the tension Kakashi hadn’t realized was there left his shoulders. Maybe, for once, Kakashi had said the right thing.

“Thank you,” Soma said, and walked forward.

Notes:

So! We have another chapter. I hope y'all are happy with this, cuz next is the spar/assessment. As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Chapter 6: Display

Notes:

Finally, the spar! I've never written action or fighting scenes before, so I struggled a bit with this chapter (especially the genjutsu part; sorry in advance), but I hope you enjoy it!

(Posting early because I won't have time tomorrow- on that note, updates will likely be on Saturdays going forward)

Soma was nervous. Despite Kakashi’s words, he couldn’t just forget that there was a crowd waiting to watch him. He hadn’t fought anyone for fun since before the war and it was slightly unnerving. I’ve been through much worse than this, he thought to himself as he walked towards the Hokage who was standing in front of the group of chattering jounin. It was easier to face the Sandaime today.

“Ah, Soma, there you are. And Kakashi-chan, too,” the Hokage said, as though he was surprised they’d arrived together. Soma nearly rolled his eyes. “Are you ready for your assessment?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” He unsealed his weapons pouch, Dojikiri still slung across his back.

“Now, as I mentioned yesterday, this will be a test of your skills in taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. Each discipline will have its own section and you will face different jounin for each. Might Gai–” he indicated Gai, “--will be your opponent for taijutsu. Yuuhi Kurenai–” here, he pointed to the future leader of Team 8, “--will face you in genjutsu. And Kakashi will be ninjutsu. Any questions?” Sarutobi said.

“Is there a time limit for each section? How will the winner of each fight be determined?” Soma asked. 

“There will be a thirty minute time limit for each. If the match isn’t decided in that time, it’s a draw. If one of you surrenders, the other wins.”

“Understood. Am I allowed weapons for taijutsu?”

“Yes, any you’d like.” Soma hesitated for a moment then sighed.

“I should probably tell you that I can’t perform any genjutsu of my own. I can only dispel the ones I’m caught in,” he said. The Hokage thought about that and then nodded.

“I can work with that. I’ll iron out the details after your taijutsu match with Gai.”

“Alright. Is the ninjutsu round ninjutsu only? Or is it more of a free-for-all?”

“You’re welcome to use any techniques you’d like when facing Kakashi, excluding genjutsu,” the Hokage replied seamlessly to Soma’s questions.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” Soma’s mind was racing through attack patterns he could use against Gai. He knew the man’s style and weak points very well. He’d have to draw out the fight a bit to show his taijutsu skills, though, which shouldn’t be a problem. 

“Good. We will start with taijutsu in two minutes. I’ll pull the observers back a bit for you.” 

“Appreciated, Hokage-sama,”

“Very well,” he said and moved off to corral the crowd. The jounins Soma hadn’t been able to bring himself to look at just yet for fear of breaking down scattered into the treeline. Soma could sense Kurenai and Kakashi, of course, along with Asuma, Genma, Anko, and all of the Clan Heads including Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi. Yamato-taicho was there as well. Danzo and the other Elders were absent, thankfully, and Soma forced his mind to quiet as he readied himself for the barrage that was Gai.

He pulled a leather strap out of his pocket and tied up his hair. The wind blew against the back of his now-exposed neck. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply through his nose and out through his mouth to center himself. It was a shame he couldn’t use Sage Mode; they’d really get a good show if he was able to do so. He sank down into his ready stance and opened his eyes.

Gai was watching him intently. His eyes were serious and Soma knew his own face reflected that back. Gai was also in his stance, the same as Lee’s, and Soma’s lips quirked as he looked at the green spandex-clad man. For once, the memories didn’t fill him with sadness. 

The Hokage’s voice came from the trees and said, “Begin.”

Soma moved first. He would be able to beat Gai in speed up to the Seventh Gate, which Soma doubted he’d open in a friendly spar. He aimed a punch at Gai’s ribs, ducked the kick that was aimed back at him, and it was on.

Twist, punch, evade, kick, flip. Gai aimed sweeping kicks at Soma’s ankles and his agility was enviable. They traded blows that were blocked or missed until Soma broke through Gai’s guard, landing a punch to Gai’s stomach and kicking him in his side. Soma was majorly pulling his punches because he’d break Gai’s bones and damage his organs if he didn’t, but they were hard enough to hurt quite a lot. Gai leaped away and put some distance between them.

“Fourth Gate of Pain, open!” Gai shouted and the chakra burst forth. Soma grinned and resettled into a new stance. Gai rushed at him and Soma stopped thinking all together.

He was having fun. He blocked out the spectators, his muscle memory allowing him to seamlessly dodge and block almost every attempt Gai made. Soma performed quick jabs reminiscent of Neji’s Gentle Fist style, whirling kicks based on Lee’s Leaf Hurricane, and movements he learned from the Uzumaki scrolls. He used speed as Sasuke had despite Soma not having the Sharingan.

Gai managed to land a few hits on Soma, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. At the Fourth Gate, Gai’s power was increased to above average, but Soma had fought him and Lee when both men were at their peak and had opened at least the Sixth Gate.

They’d been fighting for about fifteen minutes before Soma again forced Gai to retreat. Soma had landed two heavy hits: one on Gai’s sternum and one to his right leg. Soma was barely out of breath; years of war and then years of fighting on his own made his stamina even greater than it had been as a child. Gai, on the other hand, was breathing harshly. Even just opening the Fourth Gate caused immense chakra drain, especially on a Gai this young. 

Soma nearly felt bad about absolutely trouncing Gai before he realized the other man was smiling. Soma himself still had a grin on his face, and he nearly laughed out loud when Gai launched himself at him again. Neither of them were really trying to win, though both of them knew Soma had the upper hand. Gai wouldn’t open any more gates and Soma wouldn’t use his katana. 

Gai was a flurry of kicks and punches and Soma matched him. They went back and forth, flying leaps and graceful evasion and swift hits, until Soma ended it by showing his true speed. He caught a right hook, swung himself behind Gai in a move only trackable by the Sharingan, and shoved Gai to the ground with a foot on the small of his back. Soma hadn’t hurt him and the man struggled for a moment before allowing the Fourth Gate to close, going limp and saying, “I surrender.”

Soma let go of Gai’s wrist and took his foot off his back. He offered a hand up, which Gai took. Gai had tears in his eyes and a wide smile on his face.

“YOSH! What a youthful display of taijutsu, Soma! I wish I’d brought my team to observe!” Gai cried. Soma laughed.

“Maybe some other time, then?” he replied, for the moment dismissing the fear of seeing Lee, Tenten, and Neji again.

“I’m counting on it! I’d like to see what you can do with that sword, too!” Gai boomed.

“Maa, it’s pretty compelling,” Kakashi’s voice came from behind Soma. 

“You’ve seen it, Eternal Rival?!” Kakashi looked smug but was eyeing Soma with quiet contemplation. Soma rolled his eyes.

“He followed me to the training ground this morning like a stalker,” Soma said, just to see the annoyed look on Kakashi’s face. He wasn’t disappointed.

“That was very impressive, Soma,” the Hokage interrupted, walking up to the three of them. “I have to wonder where you learned some of that.” There was a distrustful look in his eyes as he assessed the redhead.

“I’ve fought many people, Hokage-sama. As someone who has been alone for a long time with a minimal taijutsu foundation, I’ve picked up a few things here and there. The aspects of the Gentle Fist style I’ve incorporated came from watching a Hyuuga fight a few years ago and reading up on chakra points. I don’t know the whole style, obviously, as I’m not a Hyuuga, but observation can get you far,” Soma replied. He hoped it was enough for now.

“Very well,” the Hokage said, a fair amount of suspicion still evident in his voice. “Next, we’ll assess your genjutsu.” Kurenai stepped forward from where she was standing beside Asuma. Asuma was, for once, without a cigarette. Soma hadn’t spent much time with Asuma-sensei before the whole Sora incident and learning the wind Change in Chakra Nature, so seeing a slightly younger version of Shikamaru’s sensei and friend was odd.

Soma vaguely recalled that Kurenai-sensei was known as a genjutsu prodigy. The only thing he’d be able to do against her was break the genjutsu every time she cast one. It was going to be monotonous at best.

“Yuuhi-san,” Soma said and inclined his head.

“Uzumaki-san,” Kurenai replied, returning the greeting. The Hokage was looking at them approvingly. 

“What we’re going to do is have Kurenai-chan here perform a B-rank genjutsu for you to break. If you can, we’ll go up to A-rank and then S-rank,” he said to Soma. “I know this gives you a bit of an advantage, considering genjutsu works best when the target is unsuspecting, but it’s the best we can do.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Soma and Kurenai replied. The Hokage took a few steps back, nowhere near as far as he had for taijutsu.

“Begin.”

Soma immediately felt the genjutsu settle over him. He’d never actually experienced one of Kurenai’s genjutsus, so he was interested to see what it was like. He instantly noted the differences between hers and Itachi’s: for one, Kurenai’s involved plants and trees where Itachi’s used crows. Soma didn’t want to get trapped, though, and dispelled the genjutsu with a simple shout of “Kai!” and a rush of chakra.

The genjutsu broke and the training ground came into view once more. The second genjutsu hit him nearly as soon as he got his bearings again. Kami, he hated genjutsu. 

This time, he barely had enough time to register the tree at his back before the branches began to shift to encircle his arms. He yelled “Kai!” again and pushed out a larger amount of chakra than before.

He didn’t feel the genjutsu settle again. He couldn’t sense anyone, including Kurenai. A tree grew behind him and Soma watched in fascination as it moved to wrap around his stomach, pinning his arms before he could disrupt his chakra to break the jutsu. It was like seeing Yamato-taicho’s wood release. A genjutsu nearly as good as Itachi’s then, Soma thought. He wouldn’t be able to escape it by normal means, so he pushed chakra into the seal Sasuke helped create to assist in defeating Madara. It would break even Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu.

The genjutsu broke and the tree faded from his body. He blinked and saw everyone on the training ground staring at him. Kurenai was looking at him with wide, surprised eyes.

“How did you do that? No one without a Sharingan has ever broken it before,” she asked. Soma laughed a little and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I, ah, have a seal that helps me break powerful genjutsus.” He paused, glancing at Kakashi and the Hokage before looking back to Kurenai. He sighed. “Would you like to see it?” She nodded frantically.

How troublesome, Soma thought, reminding himself of Shikamaru. He reluctantly peeled off his maroon shirt and pulled the mesh undershirt to the side to show his right shoulder blade.

The seal was a work of art. Soma and Sasuke had spent many hours perfecting it, incorporating wind and lightning elements to power it. He’d never be able to replicate it for anyone else, seeing as he and Sasuke had him specifically in mind when creating it. Sasuke didn’t need one with his Sharingan, after all.

Kakashi and the Hokage moved to stand beside Kurenai to observe the seal on his back. Soma was starting to feel tense, deeply uncomfortable with having people so close to him who didn’t fully trust him. Kakashi seemed to notice and started to back away. Kurenai followed and, after what felt like an age, the Hokage did as well. Soma pulled the mesh back up and put his shirt on again.

“That’s an impressive seal, Soma-chan,” the old man said. “Why are there lightning and wind symbols included?”

Soma took a breath, wishing the Hokage hadn’t asked. “My primary affinity is wind, so wind is for me. The lightning, that’s for my…friend. He helped me develop the seal to fight a powerful genjutsu user and we incorporated his chakra into it. I’ve only used it a few times, today being one of them. Your genjutsu is very strong, Yuuhi-san,” he said to Kurenai.

“Call me Kurenai, Uzumaki-san. I think it’s actually more impressive that you managed to break it.” Soma smiled at her.

“Then call me Soma, Kurenai-san.” He turned to the Hokage, desperate to change the subject. “So, next is ninjutsu, right?”

“Yes. All I ask is that you don’t seriously injure each other,” the old man said. “As I said before, the only thing you’re not allowed in this is genjutsu.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Soma said. Kakashi was looking at him with amusement in his eye.

“You’re full of surprises, Soma,” he said. “You didn’t mention that seal when I asked about them a few days ago.”

Soma shrugged. “I told you I wouldn’t tell you what all of them were for. I only described a few of them to you, and no, I won’t tell you more if you ask me again,” he said preemptively. Kakashi huffed.

“Fine, but you’re taking the fun out of everything.”

“No, I’m not. You didn’t tell me the details of the assessment today because me not knowing was fun for you. Now it’s my turn, Hatake,” Soma said.

“Maa, maa, don’t get snippy.”

“I’m not being snippy. Kami, I–”

“Boys,” came the authoritative voice of the Hokage. Both Soma and Kakashi shut their mouths with a snap, put out at being chided like genin. “Let’s get on with it. You have thirty minutes. We’ll watch from the tree line,” he said and disappeared. Kakashi and Soma began to back away from each other to opposite ends of the training ground, their eyes locked.

“You remember what I told you last night, right?” Soma said with a smirk, starting to gather and mold his chakra. Kakashi raised the hitai-ate covering his Sharingan, a serious set to his face that Soma rarely got to see in the previous timeline. Soma’s grin widened, a wolfish thing promising something exciting. “Good.”

~

Soma had officially moved from ‘interesting’ to ‘insane’. His spar with Gai was incredible to witness; Kakashi had never seen anyone outperform the taijutsu expert like that before. It seemed like Soma could read Gai’s movements seconds before they happened, though Kakashi wasn’t sure how that was possible without the Sharingan.

Once Gai opened the Fourth Gate, Soma’s entire demeanor changed. He loosened himself up, a genuine grin lighting up his face, and then proceeded to prove just how terrifying he could be. He was evading nearly every punch and kick Gai threw his way and he didn’t even seem to be trying. His stamina was no joke and Kakashi could tell he was pulling his punches. He really didn’t want to hurt Gai.

Gai, of course, was having the time of his life. He liked to let loose sometimes, and there were few people he could have a full taijutsu-only match with. Soma, it seemed, had already worked his way into Gai’s good graces.

The pieces of the Gentle Fist style in Soma’s taijutsu caught Kakashi off guard, and it looked like the other jounin had noticed too. Hyuuga Hiashi was using his Byakugan to track Soma and there was no way the Clan Head missed the open-palmed jabs breaking through Gai’s defense.

The fight ended with Soma as the victor in a move so mind-bogglingly fast none of the jounin were able to see it. Kakashi could have, if he was using the Sharingan, but he wouldn’t do so knowing he’d have to use it later. It still drained his chakra to dangerously low points, after all.

The match against Kurenai was different, if one could even call it a match. Kakashi knew Kurenai’s genjutsu better than most due to him practicing with her while using his Sharingan (it had been the Sandaime’s idea after he pulled Kakashi out of ANBU). The first and second genjutsus Kakashi figured Soma would be able to break. Even Kakashi with a Sharingan was unable to dispel the third, so he didn’t expect anything from that. When Soma disrupted the third jutsu, Kakashi was astonished; Kurenai was, too.

Kakashi admired the seal on Soma’s shoulder, noting the similarity in style between this one and the seals he’d observed their first night traveling together. Kakashi registered the tenseness in Soma’s shoulders quickly, though, and he knew he would hate to be standing in Soma’s place with three dangerous shinobi behind him he didn’t trust. He backed away, catching Kurenai’s eye and making a slight motion with his head to indicate she should do the same.

The Hokage took longer. He was carefully examining the seal with undisguised interest. Soma’s words from the forest came back to Kakashi suddenly: “Seal masters are rare and dangerous, so nearly everyone across the Elemental Nations either wanted to kill us or capture us to use our skills against our will.”

Kakashi felt an acute discomfort at the Hokage’s blatant interest. Soma was growing increasingly more tense, and Kakashi resisted the urge to pull the Hokage away from the man. Sarutobi finally backed away and Soma rushed to put his shirt back on.

“That’s an impressive seal, Soma-chan. Why are there lightning and wind symbols included?” Kakashi could have snapped at the old man.

Soma’s explanation of the wind and lightning elements of the seal made Kakashi feel even worse. The friend who had helped with the seal was obviously Soma’s dead lover, the one who had taught him kenjutsu. Please shut up, Hokage-sama, Kakashi thought traitorously at the Sandaime. Thankfully, Kurenai stepped in when Soma spoke to her.

Their awareness turned back to the spar rapidly after being reprimanded like children. Kakashi had been trying to distract Soma at least a little bit with his ‘snippy’ comment, and it had worked like a charm. Now, though, it was time to focus.

“You remember what I told you last night, right?” Soma asked. Kakashi could feel the chakra radiating off the man, powerful enough that even Shikaku sat up in interest. Kakashi recalled this power from outside Uzushio, but this time it was being honed. It was incredible.

Kakashi reached up and uncovered his Sharingan. He’d have to fight smart, considering Soma’s stamina and frankly alarming amount of chakra. He had a feeling he’d lose this spar, but he absolutely wouldn’t back down.

He wanted to see the man in action. He wanted to fight him.

“Good.” Soma was smirking.

“Begin.”

Soma reached into his weapons pouch and his hands flew through signs for a fire jutsu. “Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu." A volley of flaming shuriken ripped towards Kakashi.

“Suiton: Water Wall.” Water burst from the ground and doused the shuriken. While Kakashi defended from the shuriken Soma moved through more hand seals, this time for wind.

“Fuuton: Great Vacuum Sphere.” Oh shit, thought Kakashi and he quickly used an earth jutsu.

“Doton: Hidden Mole Jutsu.” He disappeared underground, sensing Soma through the earth. He moved through the ground, coming right under Soma and coating his hand in lightning.

“Chidori!” He burst upwards and his hand was blocked.

Soma had blocked the Chidori.

Soma had blocked Kakashi’s specialized assassination technique and he’d done it easily. 

Dojikiri was held in Soma’s hand coated not in lightning but wind. Kakashi pulled back, drew two chakra blades and crossed them to block Soma’s downthrust. The power of the strike made Kakashi’s arms shake under its weight. Kakashi quickly leaped away, putting distance between them again. 

The wind on Soma’s katana died down. He sheathed the weapon and grinned. “We’ll spar in kenjutsu later,” he said. Thank Kami. Kakashi barely had time to think before he registered something behind him. He brought a kunai up in defense as a Shadow Clone (how?) struck out at him. Kunai clashed and Kakashi ducked a kick. He needed to be on the offensive, so he switched his style and sent a volley of rapid swings with his blade. He and the clone were locked in a battle of taijutsu for a moment, the clone blocking most strikes. Kakashi managed a slash to one of its forearms, at least.

“Fuuton: Beast Tearing Gale Palm,” Soma’s voice came from Kakashi’s right and he had a split second to avoid the jutsu. He pulled the clone into the line of fire in his place, causing it to pop. He dropped and rolled, moving quickly through hand seals.

“Katon: Fox Fire.” Ten fire balls appeared around Kakashi which he then directed towards Soma to gauge the man’s reaction to controlled fire. Soma put on some speed and dodged the fire balls, running towards…

“Suiton: Water Wall.” Water exploded upwards from the pond on the training ground. The fires dispersed but Kakashi was ready for the possibility of Soma using a water jutsu. The fact that he was standing on the water itself behind the wall made things much easier.

“Raiton: Shadow Clone Jutsu,” Kakashi said under his breath. Kakashi buried himself in the ground again with the Hidden Mole jutsu and waited for his clone to attack Soma at close range after he dropped the water wall.

Though Kakashi was underground, he could hear blades meet and sensed that Soma was still on the water. Perfect.

A shock of electricity pulsed through the ground when Kakashi’s clone was dispersed. The memory of the clone showed Soma punching it hard enough that if it had been Kakashi himself, his jaw would be broken. It hadn’t been enough to take Soma out, of course, and Kakashi sensed him move again. This time, the range was ideal for what he wanted to do.

Kakashi weaved signs as he broke through the earth yet again, firing off two jutsus in rapid succession in a method he’d copied from the Sandaime: “Doton: Earth Dragon Bullet. Katon: Fire Dragon Bullet." The fire added to the mud made the jutsus devastating in combination. Kakashi hoped he’d be able to find an opening, as he was starting to feel the drain on his chakra courtesy of the Sharingan.

Soma was looking at Kakashi and not at the boiling hot earth hurtling towards him. He grinned that foxy grin of his and Kakashi was both excited and fearful for what Soma was about to do. Bird, rabbit, dragon, rabbit, rat, bird.

“Fuuton: Stormbreaker.” The wind seemed to stop. The entire training ground was eerily silent and the mud was still hurtling towards Soma at an alarming rate. Then, the sky erupted.

Gales of wind came down from the heavens, howling with speed, Soma at the epicenter of it all. The trees surrounding the training ground were nearly uprooted by the force. The clouds were following the wind, giving the appearance of Soma controlling the weather. The mud bullets dropped from the air with thuds, scorching the grass where they fell. Kakashi’s eyes were wide and his Sharingan catalogued everything.

All he could do was throw up an earth wall and hope for the best.

The blades of wind coming from the sky caused immense pressure to build, chakra in every molecule of air surrounding Soma. The wind tore at the ground, the leaves, and Kakashi himself, even behind the wall. When the wind died down and the dust cleared, Training Ground 7 was nearly unrecognizable. The grass was torn up and shredded and the pond Soma had used before was in a completely different place. The jutsu had pulled all the water up into the air and dropped it back to the ground when Soma ended it. It’s one of his original jutsus, Kakashi thought, and a powerful one at that. 

He’d escaped mostly unscathed, though his sleeves were torn and his jounin flak jacket was lost. Nevertheless, he had a feeling that if Soma had meant to hurt him he’d be dead despite his earth wall. The wall fell and Kakashi had barely a second to pull out a kunai to block Soma’s. They traded blows with kunai in hand again, which gave Kakashi a bit of time to analyze his own chakra levels.

I can do one more Chidori. He blocked the last one, so maybe I should hit him with something a bit more unexpected. My Chidori is one of my most famous techniques, so it’s plausible he’s heard of it before. Hm, what would he not predict? Kakashi was mostly blocking Soma’s kunai on instinct as he thought through his plan. He’s wind natured but can use high-level fire and lightning techniques. His water’s weaker, considering he used the pond to assist him in making the wall earlier. I haven’t seen him use earth.

Water’s my best option.

This would be his last jutsu. The one he was planning drained his chakra more than a Chidori. Kakashi broke away from the taijutsu fight and said, “Suiton: Water Beast.” He pulled the water from the pond and a wolf-like creature was created. He needed to focus; Kakashi could lose control of this jutsu instantaneously if he wasn’t careful.

Soma settled into a stance Kakashi wasn’t familiar with, formed a single seal and said, “Dancing Wind Tempest Technique.” Soma moved so quickly Kakashi had trouble keeping up with him even with the Sharingan. His palms were open, similar in many ways to the Gentle Fist style he’d integrated into his taijutsu. He treated his hands as chakra blades, wind coating his fingers in an uncanny resemblance to the Third Raikage’s lightning-based Thrusts of Hell.

The name of the technique was apt: Soma was truly dancing with the wind. He spun and twirled, dodging many of the streams of water the beast was spitting out. Soma deflected one of the shots with his bare palm, a smacking sound resounding through the field. It didn’t faze him.

He worked his way through the punishing water bullets like they were nothing. He effortlessly sidestepped the claws of the beast as they swept across the field, steps light and movements as fluid as his kenjutsu. Kakashi understood Soma’s Bingo Book moniker now: flaming red hair following the windstorm that was Soma. Kakashi’s concentration was slipping and his chakra was rapidly depleting but he held onto the jutsu. 

All at once Soma broke through the beast’s defense and slapped his wind-coated palms to the beast’s right flank. The beast exploded into droplets of water, raining down over the field and soaking Kakashi to the bone. Kakashi blinked and Soma was standing behind him with a kunai to his throat.

“Maa, I surrender,” Kakashi said with a sigh. Soma dropped the kunai and Kakashi turned to face him.

Soma had a blinding smile on his face, his eyes more lively than Kakashi had seen since they’d met in Uzushio. Kakashi could admit that the spar was invigorating; he hadn’t faced that caliber of opponent in years, especially one affiliated with Konoha. 

“Good fight,” Soma said and held out his hand in the Seal of Reconciliation. Kakashi was surprised for a moment but linked their fingers together.

“You too,” he replied, giving Soma an honest smile back. He covered his Sharingan with his free hand. They dropped their hands when they heard clapping.

The jounin of Konoha present at the spar were applauding. Kakashi figured it took them a moment to get over the display they’d witnessed, which Kakashi couldn’t blame them for. Soma showed incredible prowess on the battlefield and few could best Copy-Nin Hatake Kakashi in a spar.

Kakashi felt about ready to keel over and take a nap but the Hokage’s approach prevented him from leaving.

“Soma-chan, I believe I speak for everyone when I say I am deeply impressed by the skills you have exhibited today,” the Hokage said. The observing jounin began to make their way over to Soma and Kakashi, though they kept their distance while the Sandaime was speaking. The only one to walk up was Shikaku, standing behind the Hokage on his right side. Soma’s eyes flickered to him for the barest moment before refocusing on the Sandaime. 

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” Soma said with a respectful bow. 

“May we move this conversation to my office?” It was not a request. Soma’s eyes widened slightly in apprehension.

“Of course,” he replied.

“Very good. Kakashi, you come as well. I will give you ten minutes.” He Shunshined away, leaving Kakashi, Soma, and Shikaku standing in the decimated field.

“Don’t be late, Kakashi,” Shikaku warned as he turned to walk towards the Hokage Tower.

“Hai, hai,” Kakashi said, exhaustion weighing down his voice. Soma glanced at him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Maa, I’m fine. I haven’t used that much chakra in a long time, is all.”

Soma quirked a smile. “I could tell that suiton jutsu would be your last. I was surprised you held it for so long, to be honest,” he said. His gaze turned contemplative. “Does the Sharingan drain your chakra a lot, since you’re not an Uchiha?”

“Yeah,” Kakashi said with a tired sigh.

“So that’s why you didn’t unveil it during my spar with Gai, then?” Kakashi shot him a suspicious look.

“How do you know I didn’t–”

“I’m a pretty good sensor,” Soma said, cutting him off. “When you use the Sharingan, your chakra changes. Even if it’s just in my periphery, I’d be able to tell if you were using it.” Kakashi sighed again.

“That’s the main reason. I wish I’d been able to see that last move.”

“I can show it to you sometime, if you want,” Soma offered. Kakashi nodded.

“I’d like that,” he said.

They were interrupted by a barrage of jounin, Gai leading the charge.

“YOSH! Soma and my Eternal Rival are in their Springtime of Youth!” he yelled right in Kakashi’s ear. I’m too tired for this right now, he thought. “Soma, that was an awe-inspiring bout! I must–”

“Gai, give him some space to breathe,” Asuma said. “He’s right, though. That was some amazing jutsu.”

“Thank you, jounin-san,” Soma said, blushing lightly at the praise.

“I’m Sarutobi Asuma.” A flicker of recognition at the last name graced Soma’s features but he said nothing. “Please just call me Asuma.”

“Alright, Asuma-san. Please call me Soma, then,” he said, smiling at the taller man. Asuma clapped his hand on Soma’s shoulder.

“You should probably go see the Hokage,” he said, casting a sharp look in Kakashi’s direction. 

“Maa, Asuma, I’m not corrupting him with tardiness,” Kakashi said.

“Not yet,” Asuma replied darkly. Kakashi eye-smiled and Soma snickered under his breath.

“Let’s go then, Kakashi, before you can contaminate me with your lateness,” said Soma. Kakashi huffed and turned to walk away.

“When you’re made a jounin, Soma-san, you should come to one of our weekly pub nights. They’re on Thursdays and whoever’s in the village stops by,” Asuma said. Interesting, thought Kakashi. Usually it took Asuma a while to warm up to people enough to extend the pub night invitation.

“I will. Thank you, Asuma-san,” Soma said before following Kakashi away from the training ground.

The Hokage Tower wasn’t far, thankfully. Kakashi didn’t have enough chakra to even consider a Shunshin. Soma walked beside him quietly, though his eyes weren’t distant the way they usually were in the silence. Maybe the spar had been enough to force away the ghosts of his past, at least for the moment.

They used the door instead of the window, whispers following them up the staircase to the Hokage’s office. Soma didn’t seem to notice. Kakashi raised his fist and rapped sharply on the door three times.

“Enter.”

Kakashi opened the door and stepped through, Soma behind him. Kakashi stood a bit to the side and left Soma in the middle of the office. The Hokage was there, of course, along with Skikaku. The Elders weren’t present.

“Soma, this is Nara Shikaku, Konoha’s Jounin Commander and Head of the Nara Clan. I requested his input on your position in the Leaf,” the Hokage said, indicating Shikaku.

“Nara-sama,” Soma replied with a bow towards Shikaku before looking at the Sandaime once again.

“Uzumaki Soma, I would like to offer you a position in Konoha as a jounin. Will you accept?” the Hokage asked, his voice serious. Soma bowed and Kakashi could see his eyes shining.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

“Do you pledge to serve Konoha as a high ninja, no matter the mission assigned to you?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

“Will you protect Konoha against all enemies, both foreign and domestic?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” Soma’s voice was thin.

“Raise your head, Uzumaki Soma, jounin of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.”

Soma looked up with a watery smile on his face. When his eyes alit upon the Konoha hitai-ate the Hokage held out to him, Kakashi could see him choking down tears. Soma reached forward and, as gently as he was able, tied it around his head.

“Thank you, Hokage-sama.” The Hokage smiled at him.

“Go home and rest. We’ll fill out your shinobi registration papers tomorrow morning. You’re dismissed, Soma, Kakashi.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” they said. They left the office and Kakashi put a friendly hand on Soma’s shoulder, squeezing slightly. Soma looked at him, deep blue eyes still glistening.

“Congratulations, Soma, and welcome home.”

Notes:

I sincerely hope this lived up to some expectations! Please let me know if you enjoyed this (or not), and if you have any tips on improving my writing for action scenes, I'd love to hear them! Thanks so much for reading :)

P.S. The name "Soma" means "sudden" and "change of wind" in Japanese, which is why I chose it.

Chapter 7: Games

Notes:

So I felt like I should up the rating for the fic because of the swearing in this chapter and the ones coming. Thus, it's now rated Mature instead of Teen. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy!

Soma was fighting tears. For once, they weren’t coming due to nightmares, grief, or loss and he figured it was a step in the right direction. He was finally home in Konoha, accepted as a jounin and in a position to really change things. He had Kakashi’s tentative trust and the respect of most of the jounin who had watched his spar. He may not have been blindingly optimistic anymore, but Soma could still feel hopeful.

His attention was caught by Kakashi wavering on his feet beside him. Soma had forgotten how quickly the Sharingan could drain his chakra at this point in time; Kakashi had trained hard during Soma’s years with Jiraiya and was even more fearsome during the war than when he began training Team 7.

“Kakashi,” Soma said. An obsidian eye lifted to his face. “Where do you live? You’re about to keel over and I don’t want to have to take you to the hospital.”

“Maa, I already said I’m fine–”

“Kakashi,” Soma said sharply, his authoritative squad commander voice he’d used in the war leaving no room for arguments. Kakashi wilted.

“Fine. You’re not allowed to carry me, though,” he said.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. So, how far do you live? I’d offer my place, but I don’t have furniture and you need to sleep off the chakra exhaustion. Preferably in a bed.”

“I live close to you, actually,” Kakashi said with a sigh. What an understatement, thought Soma. 

“Alright, but if you faint, I reserve the right to embarrass you.”

“Hai, hai. Let’s go, then.” Soma kept pace with Kakashi through the streets leading to their apartment building. They didn’t take the roofs; Soma was legitimately worried Kakashi would fall and no matter how fast Soma was, he wouldn’t take the chance. They were moving slowly and Kakashi was getting steadily paler the longer they walked.

“Seriously, are you ok?” he asked. Kakashi shot him an annoyed look.

“It’s just chakra exhaustion, Soma. Stop worrying.” I can’t, not after seeing you die. Fuck. Soma shut off his train of thought and shoved his concern into the dark recesses of his mind.

They walked up to the doors of their apartment building. “You live close to me, huh?” Soma teased. Kakashi blushed, cheeks pink above his mask, and seemed to grit his teeth. “What floor?”

“Third,” Kakashi said dejectedly. Soma couldn’t help it; he laughed. He tried to stop, he truly did, but every time he looked over at the silver-haired man he burst into another round of giggles. Kakashi glared at him all the way up the three flights of stairs and when they stopped at his door, Soma had to bite his lip to keep from snickering. 

“You know, I’ll give you that living two doors down from me is living close by,” Soma said, the remnants of his laughter still lacing his voice. Kakashi unlocked his door and slouched through. He didn’t slam it behind him so Soma took it as the invitation it was and followed.

The apartment was the same as Soma remembered: a gray couch and wooden coffee table in the living room, a small circular dining table with four chairs around it, a spotless kitchen, and a bookshelf holding various scrolls, ninja tools and of course, Icha Icha. There was one painting on the wall, a lovely rendition of the gates of Konoha. When Soma was a genin, when he was Naruto, he’d asked Kakashi-sensei where it was from and received a non-answer. Maybe he’d get a better one if he tried again.

Kakashi was watching him take in the apartment with a keen eye and Soma felt abruptly awkward. “Um, do you need anything? I have some water, if you’d like,” Soma said and unsealed a bottle from his arm. He held it out to Kakashi who stared at it before hesitantly grasping it.

“Thank you. I just need to sleep, I think,” Kakashi replied. Soma smiled.

“Alright. Think you can make it to bed on your own?” he teased lightly.

“Hai, hai. Now get the hell out,” Kakashi ordered in as threatening a manner as he could muster. Soma raised his hands in surrender.

“I’m gone.” He poofed away and reappeared in his own apartment.

Soma observed the space he was presented with. From collecting S-rank bounties, he had plenty of funds to put towards furnishing the place. He had some pots and pans which he promptly unsealed and placed on the kitchen counter. He’d have to get a rice cooker and some food, too. He meandered through the apartment, noting just how much stuff he’d need to make the place feel less like a stopover hotel and more like a home. Another list it was, then.

An hour later and list in hand, Soma made the trek to the center of the village. There was one furniture store in Konoha that Soma was aware of, so that was where he went first. He purchased a bed frame, a mattress, a couch, a coffee table, pillows, and a dining table with chairs. Soma hated spending so much money at once but he didn’t have much of a choice.

He sealed them all away in the scroll he’d brought along for this purpose.

Soma decided grocery shopping was next. He was making good time and hummed a tune Ino taught him during the war under his breath as he approached the supermarket. He was inspecting the produce when a shadow fell over him and he turned, looking straight into the eyes of Nara Shikaku.

“Nara-sama,” he said, inclining his head, the honorific heavy and unfamiliar on his tongue. Shikaku was watching him with the same blazing focus Soma had seen in Shikamaru during the war. 

“Uzumaki-san. I would like to formally congratulate you on your appointment to jounin,” he said.

“Thank you, Nara-sama. Please, call me Soma.”

“Then, Soma-san, I would like to invite you to play a game of shogi with me. You showed interesting tactics during your spar today,” Shikaku said. Soma froze. A game of shogi against a Nara was akin to an interrogation, and Soma knew if anyone could figure him out, it would be Shikaku or Shikamaru. “It’s not an order, of course, though I believe it would be enlightening for the both of us.” Soma had no plausible denial for the request and knew he’d be cornered at some point anyway. Better to rip off the bandage, so to speak.

“I’d be honored, Nara-sama, though I have to warn you I’m not very good,” Soma replied. Shikaku smiled at him.

“I’ll be the judge of that, I believe. And drop the honorific and call me Shikaku, please. I’m your commander and it would be troublesome to have you call me ‘-sama’ all the time.”

“As you wish, Shikaku-san,” said Soma stiffly.

“Good. Meet me at the Nara compound at 1700 hours, if that works for you,” Shikaku said. It was about noon, which gave Soma plenty of time to unpack his purchases and panic about the game.

“Hai, Shikaku-san. I’ll be there.” Soma managed a smile and Shikaku nodded. The Commander turned and left without buying anything, leading Soma to believe he’d been tracked down for the conversation.

Soma mechanically went about the rest of his shopping, barely noticing what he put in his bags and how much he paid. He was almost completely unaware of his surroundings throughout his walk home, terribly dangerous even for a ninja in a shinobi village, and thanked Kami he made it back without more run-ins with people from his past. He got to his apartment, closed and locked his door, and let himself break down.

He remembered the first game of shogi he’d played with Shikamaru. It was during the first year of the war, when people still had hope there was a better future waiting for them. “Think of the board as a battlefield. The pieces are shinobi. You have to decide where to move them to ensure the protection of the king, and sometimes that means sacrifice,” Shikamaru had said.

“But… I don’t want to sacrifice anyone!”

“Naruto, you have to accept you can’t save everyone. People die in war, as you’ve already seen. Sometimes a sacrificial pawn is necessary to draw enemy fire and protect the rest of the pieces.”

“Shika–”

“No, Naruto. You have to learn this. Now, let’s play. Your unpredictability may come in handy. Don’t overthink your moves, but don’t rush into them, either. You remember the rules I explained earlier? Yes? Good. You start.” And they played. Naruto lost every game, but by the time Shikamaru died in the fourth year of the war, Naruto had learned the genius’s style and was able to give him a run for his money. He had also learned the fundamental lesson Shikamaru taught him: you can’t save everyone.

Kami, Soma hadn’t thought about Shikamaru in a long time. He’d never forget one of his best friends, of course, but he hadn’t fully recounted that first shogi game and his death since Soma’s year in Uzushio. Now, the dam was breaking, and Soma was drowning in memories.

“Come back safe, Naruto,” Shikamaru said whenever they had enough time to say goodbye before separating for missions.

“You too, Shika,” Naruto would say back.

“Seals are only limited to your imagination, right?” Shikamaru asked one night when they had miraculously ended up in the same hideout. Sasuke was there, too, along with Sakura and Kakashi-sensei. Naruto was working on a chakra absorption seal.

“Mhm,” he’d replied, barely paying attention. Shikamaru didn’t say anything else for a while and Naruto had nearly forgotten he’d spoken.

“I wonder if you can manipulate things other than space with them,” Shika said eventually. Naruto looked up from his scroll.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, just a thought. It probably wouldn’t be possible anyway,” he’d replied. That conversation had given Sasuke the idea of time travel using a seal.

“Do you have a plan, Shika?” Naruto asked through clenched teeth as they hid beneath Sasuke’s Susano’o. Shikamaru sighed.

“I do, but you won’t like it.”

“Tell me.” And Shikamaru outlined a plan that would end in the genius’s death but would allow Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and Naruto to escape Kaguya’s relentless assault.

“No, Shika. We have to find another way. There has to be another way. I can’t–”

“Naruto. Remember the first time we played shogi, when I told you that sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn to protect the king? This is one of those times. I’m dispensable; you aren’t.”

“No! You’re not a pawn! I’m not sacrificing you for shit! We can figure another way out of this. You’re the smartest person in the Allied Shinobi Forces, so–”

“So I’m telling you, this is the only way. Naruto, you have to let me go. You and Sasuke can save everyone. I know you can. Put your faith in me one last time, and I’ll do the same for you. We’re shinobi; death is in our very nature. We cause it and we accept it when our time comes. Let me do this.” Shikamaru had a gentle smile on his face as he placed a hand on Naruto’s shoulder. Naruto could feel the tears running down his face as he stared at the other man, wanting nothing more than to protest and keep his friend locked in Susano’o for eternity.

“Stay smart, Naruto, and someday in the far future I’ll see you on the other side.”

Shikamaru was dead, impaled on a spike, five minutes later.

 

Soma felt himself gasping for breath as another panic attack ripped through him. Fuck, he thought. He tried pulling himself out of his head enough to focus on breathing, but he couldn’t. He was beginning to lose his hold on his chakra and if he did, he’d have all of Konoha’s finest jounin on him in moments. The Kyuubi’s chakra wasn’t exactly subtle.

Fuck fuck fuck. This was bad. Even thinking about Kakashi-sensei’s death hadn’t caused him to panic like this. Soma had thought he was past it. His chest was heaving, his hands were ripping at his hair, and he couldn’t see through the tears in his eyes.

The memory of Sakura’s voice, his savior so many times he’d lost count, reprimanded him. “Baka Naruto, breathe in for four. Count.” Soma did. One. Two. Three. Four. “Now out for four.” One. Two. Three. Four. “Again.” One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. Soma wasn’t sure how long he sat there, regulating his breathing to the cadence of the volatile yet calming voice of his sister in all but blood.

Eventually he blinked the tears from his eyes and stared at the floor. His hands were shaking with adrenaline and he felt wrung out. He probably looked like hell, actually. He took a deep breath in and let it out, pushing himself to stand and staggering his way to the bathroom. He shut the door, turned the shower on to the hottest temperature he could, shed his clothes and, without looking in the mirror, stepped in.

Soma bowed his head under the spray and let the water wash away the worst of the panic attack. He unsealed some soap from his arm and ran it across his sweaty skin, scrubbing until he was red and raw all over. He put his hand on the scar branching across his chest, a permanent reminder of Sasuke’s Chidori and how far they were willing to go for each other.

I’ll do what you asked, teme, but it won’t be easy, he thought. Soma had to be able to do this.

He stood in the shower until the water ran cold. He toweled himself dry and put on a new set of clothes. The ones he’d worn earlier were soiled with sweat, water from Kakashi’s suiton jutsu, and the salt of his tears. He pulled on another pair of black standard-issue shinobi pants and a new mesh shirt and went to collect the sealing scroll containing everything he’d bought. He still avoided the mirror like the plague.

He set up his apartment quickly and efficiently, though he paused when he realized he’d forgotten both the rice cooker and sheets for the bed. He drew seals on the walls, doors, and windows, ensuring his chakra wouldn’t be sensed outside of his apartment. He added defense seals as well: no one would be entering his space without his permission. He put in an exception for Kakashi, though.

Doing sealwork always calmed him, but Soma still felt hollowed out from his earlier flashback when he began making his way to the Nara compound. He kept to the rooftops, the lengthening shadows of the late afternoon allowing him to hide much of his movement in a way that was instinctual due to the war. His footsteps were light and soundless against bright tile.

He arrived fifteen minutes early. He paused on the branch of a tree just outside the open gates, observing the activity of those within the walls. He didn’t see Shikamaru, which was a blessing, but the younger Nara could be napping just about anywhere. Soma’s teeth hurt from clenching his jaw so hard.

He sighed and hopped to the ground, leaning back against the tree to wait. He tilted his head up and gazed at the sky. He had taken cloud watching with Shikamaru for granted in the previous timeline; his hyperactive nature as a child hadn’t allowed him to appreciate the mundane. Since Shikamaru’s death, he’d taken to lying still on the grass with his hands laced behind his head whenever he felt he needed something relaxing.

“You’d get along well with my son.” Soma ripped his eyes away from the clouds and spotted Shikaku watching him from the gate.

“Sorry, what?” he choked out. Shikaku’s lips twisted into something like a smile.

“My son. He likes to cloud watch, too.”

“Oh, I was just–” he cut himself off. Shikaku’s dark eyes were calmly assessing and Soma sighed. “Alright, you caught me.” He pushed off the tree and walked to join the jounin commander.

Soma followed Shikaku to his house. Of course, Soma had been there before, but that was as Naruto and Soma felt himself take it in a bit differently this time around. It was quiet save the ticking of a clock on the wall and the gentle rush of water from the pool in the yard. It was really quite peaceful.

The shogi board was located on the back porch overlooking the courtyard. It was already set up to play, and Soma’s eyes immediately found one specific piece. “If I was a shogi piece, I’d be a knight,” Shikamaru had told him once. Yeah, you would, Soma thought to himself.

Shikaku took the far side of the board, leaving Soma with his back to the door they came through. Soma’s gaze jumped over the pieces, strategies and plays coming to mind as he sat in a lotus pose. The pillow beneath him was well-worn but comfortable.

“You start,” Shikaku said. Soma eyed his pieces and made his opening move. The game went on for a while, the clack of pieces lulling Soma into a state of calm. His mind was still sharp, of course, but the game was soothing. The weight on his chest from his panic attack lifted and he slowly unwound. Shikaku noticed.

“You said you weren’t any good,” he said, and it would have been accusing if it had been anyone else. 

“I’m not, compared to the person who taught me,” Soma said with a shrug. His focus remained on the game.

Shiaku hummed. “That surprises me,” he said. Soma lifted his eyes from the board for the first time since sitting down.

“Why’s that?” he asked, cocking his head slightly to the side.

“You have a very nuanced playing style. It’s hard to predict your next move,” Shikaku said. Soma had the feeling they were talking about more than shogi.

“You know, I used to jump headfirst into everything. I was really dumb as a kid and did stupid stuff to get attention. I had no finesse, no brain for strategizing and thinking through consequences. I learned the hard way that there were repercussions for my actions that impacted other people. Those I cared about.” Soma paused for a moment, considering his next words.

“One of my best friends taught me to play this game to help me learn that lesson. He told me to think of the pieces as shinobi and to build war strategies. I’ve always been a bit creative, and that’s let me win more fights than I can count, so it naturally translated into my playing style. My friends always said my unpredictability was my best weapon,” he said with a smile.

Shikaku was watching him closely. He could feel the piercing attention of the jounin commander like the man was breathing down his neck. Soma wondered what it was he saw; Naruto, maybe?

“One thing I did think through absolutely and concretely was coming to Konoha,” Soma said bluntly. “I haven’t had a village in a long time, and I’ve missed it so much it hurts.” He thought of his original Konoha, destroyed and bloody in a wasteland created by Kaguya. He thought about all those he left, but also of all those he could save.

“I want to be somewhere I can have a purpose again. To me, there’s no better goal than protecting my comrades,” he said, steel lacing his words. “Konoha is my home now. I will give up anything to keep it safe, including myself.” His voice was steady, the same one he used when talking to people who were trying to kill him. For all he knew, Shikaku could be planning Soma’s death right then and there.

“Troublesome,” Shikaku said mildly. The stiffness faded and Soma had to fight down a laugh.

“That’s one of the nicer things I’ve been called. And I suspect, coming from you, it’s a compliment,” Soma said. Shikaku narrowed his eyes slightly and Soma wished he could read the other man better.

“Troublesome,” Shikaku said again, and this time Soma didn’t fight his grin. Shikaku’s mouth lifted with a slight smile. “It’s your move.”

The game went on for another hour before Soma forfeited. He would’ve won in three moves but Shikaku would’ve won in five, so Soma pretended to lose the game. It was interesting that Shikaku didn’t notice; Shikamaru would have.

“Thank you for a most stimulating game, Soma-san,” Shikaku said at the door. The man seemed much more relaxed in Soma’s presence now.

“You as well, Shikaku-san,” he replied.

“If you’d like to play again, don’t hesitate to find me.”

Soma smiled. “I’d like that,” he said. He turned to walk home when he caught a familiar chakra signature much too close to him. Fuck.

“Yo, Dad,” Shikamaru said, his voice so much higher in pitch than Soma remembered. He was slouching and his face was obnoxiously portraying boredom. Kami, Soma had forgotten just how unmotivated Shikamaru had been at this age.

“Shikamaru. This is Soma, a new jounin of the village,” Shikaku said. Shikamaru’s attention turned to Soma and he felt like shivering. “Soma-san, this is my son, Shikamaru.”

“Uh, hi, nice to meet you,” Soma said and cringed. 

“Troublesome,” Shikamaru said, and the tension broke. Soma softened a little, and he saw Shikaku’s small smile. 

“I was just leaving. I’ll find you and we can play again, Shikaku-san.”

“Were you playing shogi?” Shikamaru asked, his tone bored.

“Yes, we were. Are you sure you don’t want to learn?” Shikaku asked his son.

“It’s too troublesome,” Shikamaru said and waved his hand as though batting away a fly.

“For what it’s worth,” Soma said quietly, and both Naras turned to look at him. He regretted speaking up almost instantly, “I think you’d be very good at it. Better than your old man, even.” Shikamaru’s eyes widened slightly, and from one moment to the next his disinterested look changed to one of intensity.

“Why do you say that?” Shikaku asked, voicing the question for his son. Soma tilted his head slightly, giving Shikamaru an assessing look. 

“Call it intuition,” he said. “Goodnight, Shikaku-san, Shikamaru.” He turned and fled, leaving the two Naras staring after him as he vanished into the night.

~

Kakashi fell asleep almost as soon as Soma left. He slept the rest of the day and probably would’ve continued sleeping if a knock hadn’t come at his door. He was slightly groggy but functional in less than thirty seconds, and he made his way to the door.

“Shikaku-san,” Kakashi said, surprised. He instantly felt more awake.

“Kakashi. I’m here to discuss Soma,” he said. Soma? Why? Kakashi stepped aside to let the man in. They sat at Kakashi’s dining table as though in a meeting.

“Soma beat me at shogi,” Shikaku said.

“What?” Kakashi said, stunned.

“He forfeited the match when he knew he would win. He saw I’d win in five but he’d win in three,” Shikaku confirmed.

“What?”

“I didn’t see it until after he left. I have the feeling that he’s used to being underestimated.” Shikaku paused. “He has a way with words, too.” Kakashi thought back to the Memorial Stone.

“He does,” he agreed. Shikaku looked at him sharply.

“You trust him,” he said. Kakashi sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Why?”

Kakashi thought about it. He thought about a man running from ghosts, a man who could put words to concepts Kakashi could never articulate. He thought about Uzushio and the seals covering Soma’s arms, and how despite being hunted by hidden villages for his talents, he came to Konoha at Kakashi’s request on behalf of the Hokage. Kakashi didn’t think he could ever fully understand Soma, but Soma could understand him. 

“He knows the pain of loss,” is what Kakashi says. Everyone in the village knew his past—his Friend-Killer Kakashi moniker would stick with him until he died—but Shikaku knew more than most. “He’s sincere in everything he says. He’s a leader, you can tell in his voice. He could’ve killed me at any time during our stay in the woods on the way to Konoha, but he didn’t. I trust him.” Shikaku looked at him for a moment.

“I do, too,” Shikaku said. Kakashi’s jaw dropped behind his mask. “He gave some very convincing arguments during our shogi game, and even after. I think he’s hiding something, but I trust him not to betray Konoha.”

Shikaku’s trust didn’t come easily, but another part of the statement caught his interest.

“After?” he asked. Shikaku looked at him.

“He met Shikamaru. He actually got Shikamaru interested in something. He told Shikamaru that he’d be better at shogi than I am, if he chose to learn,” Shikaku said with a nonchalant shrug. Kakashi could see there was something he was holding back. 

“He could’ve just been encouraging a young kid,” Kakashi pushed slightly. Shikaku knew exactly what he was doing but allowed it anyway.

“I would’ve thought that, too, if it wasn’t for the absolute confidence in his voice. It was like he could see what Shikamaru could become with one look at him. Shikamaru actually asked me for the shogi rulebook and to see the board, which was when I saw that I would’ve lost,” Shikaku said. Shikaku complained often about his son’s laziness and utter unwillingness to put effort into anything, including school. It was incredibly rare for Shikamaru to heed the advice of someone telling him to work at something. 

“We have to make sure he stays away from Danzo,” Kakashi said tightly. Shikaku nodded.

“I agree. I have quite a bit of pull with the council, but it would go far if you were seen as a friend of his. I don’t think that will be too difficult for you.”

“He’s growing on me and I can’t stop it,” Kakashi said, grinding his teeth.

“That’s not a bad thing.”

“I’m Friend-Killer Kakashi and he treats me like I matter,” he spit out. “He doesn’t see me for my past, but he should.”

“Do you really think he would judge you for it?” Shikaku asked. Kakashi didn’t answer. “We both know you’re not that person, kid. I think Soma would understand, don’t you?” Kakashi sighed.

“I know he would. The problem is that even though I should tell him and warn him away from me, I don’t want to,” he said, frustration evident in his voice.

“Then wait until you’re ready to tell him. He doesn’t need to know everything about you, Kakashi, but I do think it would help him understand you better. When you’re ready for that, tell him,” Shikaku said. It sounded far simpler when put like that. 

“Alright,” Kakashi said. Shikaku quirked a smile at him.

“I’ll take my leave then,” he said, standing and heading for the door. Kakashi trailed behind him on silent feet. “Have a good night, Kakashi.” He turned and disappeared down the hallway. Kakashi slowly closed the door, reaching up to scratch at his eye.

I’m going to let Soma in. The thought was terrifying. Soma was strong and could protect himself, but Kakashi knew that even the strongest people (like Minato-sensei) died. They were shinobi, after all. But Kakashi had been the catalyst for Obito’s death, for Rin’s death, and he knew Soma would be safer not knowing him. For some reason though, the idea of pushing Soma away was even less appealing than losing him once he became a friend.

I’m going to let him in.  

Fuck.

Notes:

As always, let me know your thoughts! :)

Chapter 8: Strength

Notes:

Happy pride everyone! I hope y'all have been able to celebrate a bit, especially if you're in the US with our rights being, y'know, attacked constantly. To all my queer friends out there: I love you, I won't stop fighting for us, and fuck anyone who tries to invalidate your existence <3

Uzumaki Soma, Jounin of Konoha. The title was strange on his tongue but it felt right. Now that he’d filled out the mountains of necessary paperwork and received his flak jacket, he was official. He caught his appearance in the window of a store he passed and grinned: he was formally a Konoha shinobi yet again and he looked the part.

The jacket felt odd on his shoulders, but he knew he’d get used to it quickly. It didn’t restrict his movements, thankfully. It was also a tad bit strange to not have Kakashi walking beside him, and Soma couldn’t help but be confused as to how the silver-haired man so seamlessly fit into his life in Konoha. He didn’t understand what drew them together.

Without consciously thinking about it, Soma was walking towards Kakashi’s chakra signature. Soma found him sitting in a tree at the edge of Training Ground 3, classic orange book in hand. Kakashi had noticed him and put his book down but didn’t jump to the ground. Soma sat with his back to the trunk of the tree and looked up at him.

“You finished everything, then?” Kakashi asked.

“Yeah. It was tedious and that photographer’s a menace,” Soma replied.

“Maa, he’s always been that way.”

“I believe it. What did the Hokage want with you?” Kakashi had come by Soma’s apartment that morning with a summons from the Hokage for both of them. Soma hadn’t seen Kakashi since Soma was forced into a seat to read enough documents to give anyone a headache.

Kakashi groaned. “He’s giving me a genin team. Again,” he said mournfully and Soma grinned.

“And that’s a bad thing why, exactly?” Kakashi leaned his head back against the bark of the tree and looked at the sky.

“I’m not cut out to be a jounin sensei,” he replied.

“Why do you think that?”

“I’m not good with kids. I don’t know how to interact with them, and I don’t know how to teach anyone anything.” Kakashi paused, as if debating his next words. “You asked before if I was in ANBU; I was. I can lead shinobi when I know their skills and can compensate for their weaknesses. But genin are different than ANBU. Genin look to their jounin senseis for everything, and I’m not a good choice for that position.”

Soma knew, of course, that Kakashi had a difficult time being a sensei. He’d struggled to look past his grief and see Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura for who they were and not as his old genin team. Soma understood now, with coming back in time and seeing all of his precious people again, but Kakashi needed to get out of his own head about it.

“Kids want to learn anything you can teach them,” Soma said slowly. “You can think of them like ANBU, in a way: see what their strengths and weaknesses are, but work towards developing their skills in areas they feel passionate about and have a good shot at mastering. Don’t single anyone out as being better or worse or similar to you. Get to know all of them individually. 

“Teaching is an art form, you know, so if you’re invested in them getting better, maybe try talking to their Academy teacher to see what methods work best. For example, I learn best by doing, not by studying theory. I get techniques faster when I’m allowed to actually attempt them. When my sensei figured that out, I was able to progress much further.”

Kakashi was looking at him, his head tilted slightly to the side. “Have you been a sensei before? You sound like you speak from experience,” he said. Soma laughed lightly.

“Not really. There was a group of kids who looked up to me for a while and I ended up teaching their leader some of my jutsu, but that’s the extent.” Oh, how he missed Konohamaru. “My own team was very dysfunctional for a long time, though, and I learned a lot by just watching my sensei try to pull us together.” 

He thought of Kakashi-sensei seeing himself in Sasuke, causing him to overlook the needs of his other two students. He thought of Sasuke feeling trapped in Konoha because he didn’t believe anyone could teach him enough to defeat Itachi. He thought of Sakura, a boy-crazy fangirl who had taken much too long to see that her worth wasn’t defined by Sasuke’s attention. He thought of himself, a child wanting attention that was granted too late.

Soma was aware that when he left with Jiraiya for those three years of training, Kakashi-sensei blamed himself for not being strong enough. Soma wanted to ensure that this Kakashi didn’t go through the same period of intense self-loathing that had almost reverted him to his cold ANBU persona.

“Thank you,” Kakashi said, breaking Soma out of his thoughts.

“For what?”

“Giving me good advice.” Soma smiled at him.

“Any time, Kakashi.”

 

“Where are we going?” Soma asked an hour later when they left the training ground.

“The Jounin Standby Station,” Kakashi replied promptly. Soma’s eyes went wide for a moment before he forced his expression to resettle into something neutral.

“Why?”

“You’re new and everyone’s curious. The other jounin will start to hound me for information, and that would be annoying.” 

“Wouldn’t want to inconvenience you,” Soma said with an eye roll. Kakashi gave him an eye-smile.

“Now you’re getting it.” They stopped in front of a nondescript building and Kakashi pushed open a heavy-looking wooden door.

Soma had never been there before as he hadn’t made it past genin in his previous timeline, so he took in the room with curiosity. There were curved couches throughout the large open space, and tables and chairs of varying shapes and sizes littered the room. There weren’t as many jounin there as Soma had thought, which was a small blessing, and he could see Asuma and Kurenai deep in conversation against a wall. The rest of the occupants were ones he hadn’t met yet (in this timeline, at least).

Kakashi led him over to two jounin sitting at a table by a window. “Yo, Genma, Raidou,” Kakashi said as he slid into an open seat. Soma stood awkwardly for a moment before sitting as well. 

“Kakashi. You finally deigned to introduce us?” Genma said, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

“Maa, maa, he hasn’t been here that long. You all are just incorrigible gossips,” Kakashi replied. “Soma, this is Shiranui Genma and Namiashi Raidou. Genma and Raidou, this is Uzumaki Soma.”

“Nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san. Kakashi’s been keeping you all to himself and we were getting worried that we’d have to track you down,” Genma said.

“Sorry about that. The past few days have been a lot of logistics,” Soma said with a smile. “And please, just call me Soma, both of you.”

“Alright, Soma, call me Genma. So,” he leaned forward with his forearms on the table, “did you really collect all those bounties?”

“If you’re talking about the S-rank ones, then yes,” Soma replied.

“Why?”

“They were dangerous and had to be dealt with. I figured I might as well, considering I had the means to do so,” Soma fudged a little. It wasn’t widely known that all five of the S-rank bounties he’d collected were part of the Akatsuki.

Raidou whistled. “Wow. We thought you might’ve had a vendetta against them or something,” he said, speaking up for the first time. “And call me Raidou, please.”

“It was a bit of a vendetta, honestly, though not for all of them. Two of them killed people close to me a long time ago and were going to target others,” Soma said, thinking of Hidan and Deidara and glancing at Asuma out of the corner of his eye. Kakashi sat up in interest.

“Really?” he asked. Soma hummed.

“Yeah. I was too weak back then to do much, so I ended up tracking them down later. I got lucky with intel,” he said simply. He had gotten lucky with the information that led him to Hidan and Kakuzu, at least.

“Well, given your display yesterday, we could all see that you were capable,” Raidou said. Soma quirked a grin and felt a light blush on his cheeks.

“Thank you. I had quite a bit of fun with the spar, actually.”

“We could tell,” said Genma. “You and Gai had the same looks on your faces. He’s been waxing poetic about your taijutsu to anyone who’ll listen.” Soma hid his face in his hands in embarrassment.

“Please tell me you’re joking,” he said a little desperately, peeking through his fingers. Genma grinned.

“Not at all. Once you impress Gai, he never lets it go. He might be a bit in love with you,” he said. Raidou was smirking and Kakashi had a glint in his eye. Soma knew he was beet red.

“No way,” Soma said, and Genma burst out laughing.

“Aw, Soma, you’re so easily flustered! I’m kidding!” he said. “…probably.” Soma groaned. Kami help me, he thought morosely.

“Thanks for that,” he said dryly, then brightened. “Hey, what’s the deal with Kakashi and Gai? I heard Gai say something about an ‘Eternal Rival’.” Soma knew there was a shit eating grin on his face and both Genma and Raidou perked up at the chance to fluster Kakashi.

“Well–”

“No, Genma,” Kakashi cut in.

“I think you mean yes, Kakashi. After all, since Gai may or may not be in love with him, Soma should know what he’s getting into.”

“He’s not in love with me,” Soma said petulantly.

“See? He doesn’t need to know,” Kakashi said firmly. Genma rolled his eyes.

“He does. He’ll probably be around next time Gai issues a challenge.”

“Ooh, a challenge? Do you keep score?” Soma interjected.

“Yes,” said Raidou.

“No,” said Kakashi. They glared at each other and Soma started laughing. Kakashi huffed and sat back in his chair with his arms crossed.

“You’re the one who gave me permission to make fun of you, Hatake,” Soma said.

“This was not what I meant,” Kakashi grumbled. He was trying to pout, but Soma could see the outline of his lips twitching with a reluctant smile.

“You’re all bark and no bite,” Soma said gleefully.

“Want to test that, Soma -san ?” Soma laughed again.

“I think I already did, you know, when I beat you yesterday?” He wasn’t bragging, but rather trying to get Kakashi to lose a bit of his composure.

“Keep saying things like that and I’ll want to fight you again,” Kakashi replied.

“Oh, you’re ready for another ass whooping already?”

“Fuck you, it wasn’t an ass whooping. We’re doing kenjutsu next,” Kakashi said. Soma’s smile widened.

“Alright,” he said.

“Are you good with a sword, then?” Raidou asked, bringing them back to the other two jounin at the table who were looking at them with strange expressions. Oops.

“I guess so,” Soma said with a shrug. “I’m not a master–”

“Shut up, Soma, you’re definitely a master,” Kakashi said. Soma rolled his eyes.

“Okay, by Kakashi’s standards I’m a master, but I rarely fight using just kenjutsu. It more or less supplements my taijutsu. I do enjoy it, though,” he said. Raidou had a look in his eye that promised a spar and Soma grinned at him.

“You should talk to Hayate,” Genma said, and Raidou turned a betrayed look upon his friend.

“Hey!” Raidou said, slapping Genma’s arm.

“Sorry, you should talk to Hayate after Raidou here is through with you,” Genma amended. 

“I swear to Kami, Genma–”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll castrate me with a rusty spoon, I got it,” Genma said, dismissing Raidou with a wave of his hand. Soma choked on the laugh that bubbled over and Kakashi eyed him with amusement.

“I told you that Konoha nin are different from others,” Kakashi said, and Soma couldn’t help but agree.

~

Kakashi and Soma chatted with Genma and Raidou for a while. Asuma and Kurenai ended up wandering over and joining the conversation, and Kakashi could only thank Kami that Gai hadn’t shown up. Soma was personable, easily making friends with the other jounin, and Kakashi could see just how much being alone had pained him. He forced Kakashi to actually participate, for once, and kept him on his toes.

Oh shit, Kakashi thought as a familiar chakra signature approached the Station. Anko.

“Where is he?!” Anko’s voice carried over to the group. “Where’s the Uzumaki?!” Soma’s eyes raised and surprise flashed across his features.

“Um, here?” he said warily, raising a hand as though someone was calling roll. Anko’s gaze snapped to him and she came marching over.

“Kurenai told me you’re good with seals,” she said bluntly.

“Uh, yes. Why–”

“Have you heard of the Cursed Seal of Heaven?” she asked without letting Soma finish. He looked at her contemplatively and Kakashi held his breath.

“I have,” he said slowly.

“Do you know how to remove it?”

“Can I see it?” he countered. Anko huffed and pulled aside her mesh shirt to show the seal on her neck. Soma stood and walked to the other side of the table, leaning close to really observe it. He was silent for a moment.

“Yeah, I can remove it,” he said. Anko’s mouth dropped open, as did nearly every jounin’s within earshot.

“You can?”

“Yes,” he said simply. Anko reached out, grabbed Soma’s wrist, and began tugging him along behind her. Kakashi stood and hastened to follow, figuring she was going to have him do it right then and now. He waved an absentminded goodbye at the others as he caught up.

Unsurprisingly, they were headed for the Hokage Tower. Soma looked unsettled but wasn’t resisting as he was dragged through Konoha.

“Um, can I ask what your name is?” Soma said.

“Anko,” the kunoichi replied tersely. She was much too focused to engage in conversation, Kakashi realized, and Soma didn’t seem inclined to say anything more.

Anko marched them through the Tower and up to the Hokage’s office. She rapped on the door and let herself in without waiting for a response, still tugging Soma behind her. She finally dropped his wrist when all three of them stood before the Hokage, who was unruffled by their sudden appearance.

“Anko, Soma, Kakashi. What can I do for you?” he asked and put down his pen.

“He says he can remove my Cursed Seal,” Anko said, pointing at Soma. The Hokage raised a brow.

“And you’d like me to supervise, I take it?” the Hokage said.

“Yes.”

“Alright, I have about an hour before my next meeting. Soma, are you able to do it in that timeframe?”

Soma thought about it for a moment before nodding.

“Yes. The actual removal doesn’t take long, but I have to write out another seal for it to work. That should take about twenty minutes, and the removal should take about five,” he said, confidence lacing his tone. The Hokage nodded.

“Do you need anything else?” he asked. Soma shook his head and rolled up one of his sleeves to reveal some of the tattooed seals. One glowed a bright purple, from which he removed sealing paper and ink. He set the tools on the floor and sat down, then looked up at the Hokage.

“If you’d like to watch, you can. Same to you, Anko-san, Kakashi,” he said. Kakashi walked over and sat to Soma’s right, beginning a circle. Anko plopped down as well, and the Hokage did so much more gracefully. Soma began.

Kakashi watched in fascination as a seal was created in front of his eyes. He had the thought that he should learn more about fuuinjutsu if he was going to spend more time with Soma. Few of the characters made sense to him, but the Hokage seemed to be following some of it. There were two rings of symbols around a central character with wavy black lines interspersed between them. Minato-sensei had tried to tell their team about how beautiful it was to see a seal come together in just the right way, but Kakashi had been completely oblivious to how true of a statement that was. Until now.

Soma’s face was creased in concentration and though Kakashi could tell the Hokage wanted to ask questions, none of them dared break the silence. There was no hesitation in the strokes of his brush as though he’d made this seal thousands of times before. Kakashi wondered how, at one glance, Soma had been able to create something to counteract one of Orochimaru’s seals so effortlessly. 

Soma added some finishing touches and laid down his brush, closely examining the seal. “Anko-san, may I check your seal again?” he asked. Anko pulled her shirt aside with no hesitation. Soma’s face scrunched up at the sight of it.

“Has your chakra been different since Orochimaru marked you?” Soma asked.

“Yes. It feels harder to use my entire network,” she replied. Soma nodded.

“That makes sense. Alright, this should do it.” He stood and sealed away his brush and ink but left the paper on the floor. “Anko-san, I have to warn you, this will hurt. Actually, Hokage-sama,” he turned to the Sandaime, “if you have some noise-cancelling seals in here you may want to use them.” The old man nodded and made a tiger seal, activating the runes around the room.

“Could you take off your shirt?” he asked Anko. “I need to be able to access the whole seal and it’s tricky with the mesh–” he cut himself off as Anko ripped her shirt over her head without a care in the world, leaving her in a bra. Soma rolled with it, easy as breathing. “Okay, great. You’re going to feel some faint pressure at first; that’s my chakra activating the seal and catching onto the maliciousness there. After that it’ll be very painful. Do you have something to bite down on?”

Anko grabbed her discarded outer shirt, the one she’d had over the mesh, and bit the sleeve. There was a smile playing at Soma’s mouth that Kakashi didn’t understand, but Anko’s eyes were clearly saying ‘get on with it’ and Soma wasn’t one to disappoint. He picked up the seal and placed the paper over Anko’s neck, directly above Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal.

“Are you ready?” Soma asked. Anko nodded aggressively.

“Just do it, Uzumaki,” she said through the fabric in her mouth. Soma took a breath and his eyes focused.

The seal began to glow purple as Soma placed his hands on it and pushed with his chakra. It didn’t appear to be painful until Soma took another breath in. He seemed to tug at something Kakashi couldn’t see, and Anko bit down hard on the sleeve of the shirt. A noise of pain tore from her chest but Soma didn’t even blink.

Soma began to sweat the longer he powered the seal. It was probably an exercise in extremely fine chakra control which, with Soma’s reserves, was likely difficult for him. His eyes were narrowed in concentration and it didn’t seem like he registered anyone else in the room.

A few minutes of pained sounds from Anko and absolute laser focus from Soma later, the redhead lowered his hands and pulled the sealing paper off of Anko’s neck. The skin was bare and Kakashi could see the relief in Soma’s eyes. He removed Orochimaru’s Cursed Seal of Heaven, Kakashi thought dazedly.

Anko slumped forward, breathing heavily, and Soma sat beside her. He offered her a water bottle with a smile. “It should be gone. Obviously, there will be some lingering effects, but your chakra network should revert back to its original state in the next few days. You’ll feel a bit off until then, but it shouldn’t be painful. If it is, definitely come find me,” Soma said. Anko had tears in her eyes, an extremely rare occurrence, and Soma didn’t seem to know what to do.

“Thank you, Uzumaki-san,” she said sincerely.

“Of course. And please call me Soma,” he replied. The Hokage was watching with a smile that was hiding his slight unease at the idea of having a relatively unknown seal master in Konoha. Soma was an Uzumaki through and through; Kakashi wasn’t sure what reservations the Hokage could still be having.

“Is that all, Hokage-sama?” Soma asked as he stood. Kakashi could see the discomfort in his eyes and it seemed the Hokage could too.

“Yes, Soma. You’re free to go. I must thank you for removing Anko’s seal.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t let a fellow Konoha shinobi suffer the effects of Orochimaru,” Soma said with a polite bow before turning and nearly running out the door.

“Hokage-sama,” Kakashi said, also bowing, and ran after Soma. He caught up to the redheaded jounin in the hallway. Soma’s gaze was distant, and Kakashi knew he was remembering something to do with the friends he’d lost.

“I don’t want thanks,” Soma said as soon as they hit the streets. “It was the right thing to do.”

“Maa, you’ve changed her life. She’ll feel that some thanks are in order,” Kakashi said. He knew Anko was like a dog with a bone and Soma wouldn’t be able to escape her.

“Kami, I hope she doesn’t track me down,” he said.

“She will,” Kakashi replied with certainty. Soma groaned.

“Great. I’ll add another stalker to my growing list.” Kakashi huffed a laugh.

“You have a list?”

“Yes. You’re at the top of it.”

“You wound me.”

“I’m sure,” Soma said dryly. They fell into a companionable silence as they walked side by side, no clear destination in mind. Kakashi glanced at Soma, brand new flak jacket on his frame and Konoha hitai-ate upon his forehead. He was a Konoha jounin, and he looked powerful. Dangerous. Kakashi wondered what would change now that Soma was in the village and steadily pulling Kakashi out of the depths of his long-lasting grief.

And Naruto. Kakashi wanted to tell Soma about his relative like nothing else. The two Uzumakis deserved to know about each other as some of the last of their clan. The Hokage had told Kakashi not to tell him yet, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t run into each other at some point naturally, and Kakashi hoped it was sooner rather than later.

Soma was watching people pass, exuding a warmth Kakashi doubted the man knew he possessed. Soma had kept up his serious character for all of two days around Kakashi and though he knew Soma could be solemn, his underlying personality was very different. There was a kindness to him, a sincerity that was exceedingly rare among shinobi. He was an amazing fighter, yes, but Kakashi could tell that his greatest weapons were his words.

Soma was confident but humble. He didn’t hold his win in their spar over Kakashi’s head. He could be goofy, too, and he gave as good as he got. Kakashi had read Icha Icha less in the past week than he had since he was in ANBU. Kakashi missed his genin team like nothing else, but when Soma was around, Kakashi forgot to be miserable. Soma was light, but not like the sun; he was a full moon, gentle but bright. A partial blood moon would be more apt, all brilliant red and sword steel-silver. Beautiful, Kakashi thought and was immediately horrified with himself.

You’ve known him less than a week, Hatake, he reminded himself, but something about Soma called to him. Soma carried so much grief on his own and was still able to go on. He took down S-rank nukenin to save people. He came to Konoha to have a home, a family again. Kakashi didn’t know if he’d ever be able to do that if he was in Soma’s shoes. 

Strong was the word that he kept going back to. A strong ninja but an even stronger man. Kakashi had been truthful when telling Shikaku he should push Soma away by revealing his past but that he didn’t want to. Kakashi hadn’t had a friend in many years, not one like Soma was quickly becoming. He was friends with Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, and Genma and Raidou, but they didn’t know him. Not really.

Kakashi didn’t have to put on a mask of indifference in front of Soma, and it was liberating.

He hoped he made the right decision, trusting Soma and letting him in. But Kakashi, ever the pessimist, couldn’t help but think something was about to go terribly, incredibly wrong.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed! This chapter was a bit tricky to write, solely because I couldn't decide on who's POV should go where. I think it turned out ok, though. Anyway, questions, comments, concerns, and qualms are welcome as always!

Chapter 9: Foxes

Soma had been in Konoha for a week and hadn’t been sent on any missions. He was starting to wonder if his placement as jounin was just for show until the Hokage felt he could be trusted. The Hokage had told him he wouldn’t be sent on anything higher than C-rank, which Soma was fine with, but even a D-rank mission would break the monotony of his days.

He wasn’t complaining about being able to spend time with Kakashi and the other jounin, but sitting on his ass was an unfamiliar feeling. He and Kakashi had seen each other every day, if only in passing, and Soma figured Kakashi was being held in the village for two reasons: to keep an eye on Soma and to prepare for taking on a genin team. The Hokage probably didn’t want Kakashi to drag his feet and be late (later, anyway) for team assignments.

The day of the Genin Exam was steadily approaching, meaning Naruto would learn about the Kyuubi from Mizuki and finally understand the cause of his ostracization in the village. Soma had gone back and forth about changing the events that occurred that night, but decided against it because it was when Naruto was truly able to get close to Iruka-sensei. Soma was somewhat glad he hadn’t run into his chibi self or any of the Konoha 12 besides Shikamaru yet, though it would be easier if the Hokage would just tell Soma of the familial connection. Soma didn’t want to force it, but he could see Kakashi was close to breaking and spilling everything despite what must have been an order from the Hokage.

Not going on missions also gave Soma lots of time to consider what to do about Danzo and Orochimaru. ROOT was hard to find on a good day and though Soma knew many of the hideouts the two ninja used, that was knowledge from the future. There was no guarantee the places would be in operation yet and Soma didn’t want to force his hand too early. It pained him a little, knowing they were wreaking havoc on the village from the shadows and forcing Sai to cage his emotions, but hopefully Soma could come up with a foolproof plan. If he could talk to Shikaku without giving himself away, he would’ve gone straight to the Commander; however, he didn’t believe he’d come up with a good enough story to convince Shikaku to trust him. Not in something like this.

Soma’s thoughts drifted from topic to topic as he sat on his couch reading a scroll on wind jutsu. Kakashi had come through with access to Konoha’s library, and Soma was steadily making his way through anything he could find on Fuuton techniques. In the spar against Kakashi, he’d used his own jutsu and two he’d seen performed before: Danzo’s Great Vacuum Sphere and Sora’s Beast Tearing Gale Palm. He wanted to learn more he hadn’t witnessed; after all, as Kakashi had mentioned, wind was an unusual affinity in the Land of Fire. He could only learn so much by watching.

He was absentmindedly taking notes when he felt a stirring in his mind. He dropped the pen he was holding and immediately closed his eyes. “Kurama?” he said in his head, hoping against hope that it was his friend moving around.

He was transported instantly to his mindscape and there, in the dingy sewer with a gate that had been open since Soma was sixteen, was Kurama, his eyes open for the first time in over four years. Soma’s hand flew to his mouth, his eyes wide and threatening tears as he swallowed a sob.

“Kurama,” he choked out, and then he was running through the ankle-deep water and throwing his arms around the old fox.

“Hey, kit,” Kurama said, the fondest Soma had ever heard him. Tails wrapped him up tightly against the old fox.

“You’re awake,” Soma said, voice muffled by orange fur. 

“I am. Sorry about the extended nap.” Soma pulled back to look at Kurama.

“Why were you asleep for so long? I thought you were under a genjutsu that even I couldn’t break,” Soma said, his voice tight.

“I was regaining my chakra. I’m not sure if you remember, but when you and that brat of an Uchiha nearly sealed Kaguya after your sensei was killed, you almost completely drained me. Then you had to go and use my chakra for a space-time seal jutsu, which took even more of my chakra, so I’ve been recovering. It took a very long time to be at even half of my original strength. The only reason I know you used that stupid jutsu was because I felt it,” Kurama explained, irritation in his voice. 

“I’m sorry,” Soma said softly. “It was the only way Sasuke and I could think of to stop her.”

“I know, kit. I’m not angry with you for it, though I know I should be. You’ve suffered enough without me adding to it.”

“Thank you,” Soma breathed. He couldn’t believe Kurama was awake and speaking to him. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said, and Kurama smiled at him.

“I know,” he said.

“You could at least pretend you missed me too,” Soma teased despite the relief coloring his tone.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, brat.”

“Sorry,” Soma said again, though he wasn’t really sorry at all. 

“You look different,” Kurama commented and Soma grimaced.

“Yeah, it happened when I went through time. I’m not sure why.”

“Naruto–”

“That’s not my name anymore,” Soma said a bit bitterly, cutting him off. Kurama looked surprised. “I couldn’t be ‘Naruto’ when there’s another me running around, could I? I go by Uzumaki Soma now.” Kurama looked at him sadly, understanding in his eyes.

“I see. Just know you’ll always be Naruto to me, even if I call you Soma.”

“Thanks, Kurama,” Soma said softly with a smile.

“So tell me what I’ve missed out on,” Kurama demanded haughtily. Soma nodded and perched himself atop one of Kurama’s tails, leaning against his flank, and began the story. He told Kurama of Sakura’s death, then Sasuke’s and using the seal. He talked about his time in Uzushio after he landed in the past, including his wallowing in grief, guilt, and anger. He spoke of hunting down the Akatsuki and collecting the five S-rank bounties he was known for, gaining him the title Flaming Tempest. He mentioned Nagato and Konan, too.

Then, he talked about Kakashi. He didn’t realize just how much time they’d spent together since their meeting in Uzushio, and he was gleeful telling Kurama small anecdotes from their conversations and spar. But his thoughts turned darker when he spoke of his panic attacks and loneliness despite the overwhelming relief he felt at being back in Konoha. 

When he finished, Kurama sat in a thoughtful silence. Soma let him stew, but then the old fox said something that caught Soma completely off-guard: “I have something for you.”

Soma sat up and jumped down from the tail he was on, looking into Kurama’s eyes. “You do?”

“Yes. Don’t sound so surprised, kit. We’re partners, right? Anyway, I need you to find somewhere isolated and set up a barrier. You’ll need to use my chakra for this,” the fox said. Soma stared at him for a moment before nodding and stepping back.

“Okay, I can do that.” He paused before exiting his mindscape. “You’ll still be awake, right?” he asked meekly. Kurama grinned at him.

“As long as you don’t overdo it with my chakra, I’ll be awake whenever you need me.” Soma let out a breath and smiled.

“Alright.” He left the sewer and found himself back on his couch, scroll still open on the table. He leapt up, created a kage bunshin, masked his chakra, and slipped out the window. He ran as quickly as he could to the Forest of Death, reaching out his senses to ensure he wasn’t being followed. The ANBU assigned to him (along with Kakashi) were all stationary in and around his apartment building and Soma grinned.

He made his way across the branches to an open clearing. The forest was much scarier as a genin, Soma thought as he touched down. He painted seals on five trees surrounding the clearing to hide his chakra. “Okay, Kurama, I’m here,” he said aloud.

“Good. Pull out a bit of my chakra and perform the Summoning Jutsu,” Kurama said. Soma blinked.

“Summoning?”

“Just do it,” the fox snapped. Soma rolled his eyes and acquiesced. 

“Summoning Jutsu!” Soma bit his thumb and slapped his palm to the ground. He expected to be greeted by the toads, not that he’d seen them in many years, but was surprised when instead of Gamakichi or Chief Toad, there stood an eight-tailed fox.

“What?” Soma squeaked, scrambling backwards a bit.

“You fool, this is my gift to you,” Kurama said. The eight-tailed fox stared at Soma for a moment before bowing its head.

“Kyuubi-sama has blessed you with our contract,” the fox said. A scroll appeared beside her, smaller than the one Soma signed when he contracted with the toads.

“A contract? Aren’t my summons toads?”

The eight-tailed fox looked at Soma like he was an idiot. “No. You and Kyuubi-sama have nearly become one entity, and therefore you have the ability to summon us, the kitsune. None have held this contract since the Sage of Six Paths,” she said. Soma was confused.

“But I can still access Sage Mode?” he replied, more of a question than a statement.

“Yes, because you learned under Fukasaku. Once you sign the kitsune summoning contract, your Sage Mode will change. You’ll remaster Sage Mode, and I guarantee it’ll be stronger than what you learned before,” Kurama said.

“Kyuubi-sama speaks the truth,” the eight-tailed fox said.

“You can hear him?” Soma asked, surprised.

“Yes. Kyuubi-sama is the leader of the kitsune, and we are connected to him on a deep level. We have been waiting for him to reawaken in you, Uzumaki Soma, previously Uzumaki Naruto,” the kitsune replied. Soma went pale.

“You know?” he said, voice strangled. The fox tilted her head, regarding him.

“Yes. Summons do not experience time the same way as humans, and we have seen the future that may come to pass. We have seen your suffering through the eyes of Kyuubi-sama and we would like to be of assistance to you,” she said, bowing her head once again. “Will you sign the contract?”

“You’re sure I can relearn Sage Mode?”

“Yes, kit. Kitsune Sage Mode has the same basic fundamentals as Toad Sage Mode, including sitting still and absorbing nature energy, so you already have that down. Your senses will still heighten and your strength will increase. What you’ll need to practice is fighting, as it’s a very different style,” Kurama said. “It’s more powerful.” And Soma could practically see Kurama’s smirk despite not being physically in front of him. He let out a breath.

“Okay, I’ll sign the contract,” he said. The eight-tailed fox nodded her head and opened the scroll with her paws. There was only one name on it: Otsutsuki Hagoromo. The Sage of Six Paths. Soma hesitated for a moment before unsealing a brush and signing his name.

“Very good, Uzumaki-san. We kitsune are now contracted to you. You may call on us whenever you’re in need. My name is Miko, the leader of the kitsune in Kyuubi-sama’s stead. In order to train in Kitsune Sage Mode, you will need to come to our forest. I’m able to reverse summon you now, if you’re amenable,” the fox, Miko, said. 

“Your clone will stay here. No one in Konoha should be able to tell the difference. You can be in the Land of Foxes for a few days and only a few hours will pass here. Go with her,” Kurama said. Soma considered this for a moment before agreeing.

Soma spent three days in the Land of Foxes (which was actually named the Forest of Sarudoi) learning Kitsune Sage Mode. Kurama was right in that Soma had the basics down from training with the toads, but Miko kicked his ass with ease during their first few sparring sessions. His Sage Mode looked a bit different now, too: he had red clan-like markings on his cheeks and forehead; his eyelids were not orange but a fiery red, the same color as Kurama’s cloak before Soma had learned to harness his power; his eyes were scarlet, lighter than his eyelids; and his pupils weren’t horizontal rectangles but vertical slits. Soma wondered what he’d look like combining Kitsune Sage Mode with his Kurama Mode.

Once Miko decided he’d remastered Sage Mode, Soma met some of the other foxes. Miko was the only one with eight tails, but the others all had more than one. Soma would try his best to remember all of their names (with Kurama’s help, of course), and there were two besides Miko Soma really liked: Kenko and Ginko. Kenko, a six-tailed fox, specialized in tracking and stealth and was quietly judgmental. He muttered things under his breath at Miko that got Soma laughing even as Kurama reprimanded him. Ginko, a four-tailed fox, was huge and one of the best kitsune for battle. He was brash and impulsive like Soma used to be, but could be serious when the time came.

Soma left the Forest of Sarudoi feeling much more at ease with himself. The energy in the Forest had spoken to him and Kurama like a melody, allowing both of them to relax and get back to the team they’d been before Kakashi-sensei’s death. He didn’t have to hide his Sage Mode as much anymore, either, which was so useful he could almost cry. All in all, Soma was grateful for the trip.

He arrived back in Konoha the same day he left, though it was now dark. He had only been gone a few hours there and hadn’t felt his clone disperse. Soma snuck back into his apartment, dispelled his clone, and rested on the couch. He was in desperate need of a good night’s sleep and closed his eyes. I need to make dinner, he thought to himself, and it was the last thing he remembered before drifting off into a nightmare-less slumber.

~

Naruto had been feeling off all day. At the Academy, he’d paid even less attention than usual, not that anyone but he himself noticed. Shikamaru had shot him some odd looks here and there, maybe because when he’d normally shout he stayed quiet, but Naruto had a feeling it was something else. 

There was an odd grumbling sound within his mind that certainly wasn’t coming from Naruto. It was like a dog growling, only deeper and more in a way Naruto couldn’t explain. He tried and failed to shut it out and by the time he got back to his apartment after school, he couldn’t stand it anymore.

Naruto despised sitting still. Iruka-sensei always complained about his seemingly untamable energy (in a caring way, though, that Naruto was unused to) and he knew his classmates couldn’t stand him. He’d never meditated before, never had the patience for it, but he had to deal with whatever the hell was going on in his head. So, he sat on his bed, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.

He didn’t expect to be thrown on his ass into ankle-deep water. His eyes opened to see a long, dark hallway stretched before him, with strange patterns on the walls and pipes on the ceiling. It looked like a sewer. The grumbling was louder here, and Naruto knew if he wanted to figure this out, he’d have to walk towards the sound. He was a bit nervous at what he might find.

He followed the corridor and eventually came to a large open area with tall vertical bars at one end. There was a seal plastered to the bars, and Naruto realized it was a cage. But a cage for what? Wasn’t he in his own head?

His footsteps were loud in the water as he approached curiously. The rumbling was definitely coming from behind the bars, but it was so dark Naruto couldn’t see beyond them. What the hell?

“Um, hello?” he said into the darkness. The sound grew louder and suddenly, Naruto was looking into a very big, very red eye. Naruto scrambled back a few steps in shock. “What?” he squeaked.

The eye stared at him and blinked once, and now Naruto could see beyond the bars. It was a fox, a huge one at that, with orange fur and a frankly ridiculous number of tails (Naruto didn’t bother to count them). The fox was standing, looming over Naruto with a glare that caused the hairs on Naruto’s arms to raise. 

“Who are you?” Naruto asked, trying to sound like he wasn’t scared out of his mind at having a gigantic fox in his head. The fox looked down at him imperiously.

“Oh? They haven’t told you?” the fox said.

“Who hasn’t told me what?” Naruto demanded. The fox gowled, the sound reverberating through the chamber.

“You remind me of her, ” the fox replied, which was definitely not an answer.

“Who? Who are you? Why are you inside my head?”

“I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here. You could let me out, you know. Just release the seal,” the fox said. Naruto thought about that for a moment, but something told him no. He crossed his arms.

“Not until you tell me who you are.” The fox grinned menacingly down at him.

“I’ve seen your entire life. You want to know why the village hates you so much? It’s because of me. ” Naruto froze.

“Because of you? How would anyone know you’re here when even I didn’t?”

“Because I’m the worst kept secret in Konoha,” the fox replied. “Don’t you want revenge on them? Don’t you want to show everyone your strength? If you let me out, you can prove yourself.” 

Naruto detested the way the civilians treated him. He was always alone, always hoping for someone to connect with. He did everything he could to get attention and came up with the best pranks (if he did say so himself). The only adults who spoke to him like a person were Iruka-sensei and Hokage-jiji. Did he want revenge? Did he want to free this fox (whatever he was) from the prison in his mind? Did he want this bad-feeling chakra released upon Konoha, his home? Even Naruto, idiot though he was, could tell that destruction would follow: the fox’s chakra was angry and full of hatred.

“No,” Naruto replied. “Konoha is my home. I don’t know who you are, or why the entire village hates me, but I can’t threaten my home.” He turned to walk away and heard a dark chuckle from behind him.

“You’ll change your mind someday. And when that day comes, I’ll destroy Konoha and everyone in it. You’ll thank me.” Naruto looked back at the fox.

“I would never thank you for that, no matter what. I’ll get the village to acknowledge me and become the Hokage on my own, dattebayo!” And despite not knowing how he’d gotten to the sewer, Naruto found himself back on his bed with the late afternoon sun filtering in through the window.

Why is there a fox in my head? he thought to himself. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. And what’s with the creepy amount of tails? For some reason, the fox having more than one tail stuck out to him. It felt like he should remember something about it.

The fox told him it was the reason he was shunned by the village and never managed to make friends. Naruto didn’t know what to think about that, and his first instinct was to go talk to Jiji. “They haven’t told you?” played over and over; who knew whatever secret was being kept? Was Naruto not supposed to know? It was his own head, damn it, so he should be in on it! Naruto hoped that there was a good explanation for it.

He had slid his shoes on before he realized he really didn’t want to talk to Jiji about it. What if Naruto was crazy? That would alienate him from one of the only precious people in his life, and he absolutely, 100% did not want that. Even Naruto knew that hearing voices and seeing visions was bad, especially for a shinobi. He vaguely remembered Iruka-sensei saying something about a ‘mental breakdown’ once.

And Naruto was determined to pass his genin test this time around. He wouldn’t let Sasuke beat him. He didn’t want to be pulled out of the Academy and sent who knew where even if he was crazy. The Genin Exam was only a few days away, so maybe after he’d proven himself to be the best ninja ever, he could ask someone about it. Maybe Iruka-sensei would know.

Naruto slipped his sandals back off and slouched into his kitchen. It was a mess that he didn’t feel like cleaning. He heated up some cup ramen and tried unsuccessfully to move away from thoughts of the fox. The chakra coming from the fox was nasty (Sakura-chan would probably know a better word for it) and it scared Naruto to know that that chakra was inside of him. Did having evil chakra in his mind make Naruto himself evil? The fox didn’t feel like an extension of Naruto; it felt like a separate, sentient being. Naruto had felt hatred before, both from the villagers and towards his shitty life experiences, but it had never been as powerful as he felt from the fox.

Maybe I shouldn’t be a ninja, he thought, and immediately wanted to simultaneously hit himself and cry. He couldn’t give up his dream of being the Hokage, no matter what was going on in his head. That dream was what he lived for. The fox was sealed away, and it didn’t seem like it could touch Naruto, so Naruto decided he’d continue down the path he’d set for himself years ago.

“I will be the Hokage, dattebayo,” he said to himself. He didn’t scream it this time, didn’t declare it for the entire village to hear. This was just for him. It was a reminder just as much as it was an affirmation.

Whatever the hell was up with the fox in his head, Naruto would ignore it. He’d train to be the best, to beat Sasuke, to be acknowledged for his strength, to be a leader. Naruto had always believed in his dream, was determined to see it through; now, he was absolutely resolute in his goal.

He laid back on his bed, staring out the window at the slowly darkening sky with his hands laced beneath his head, and said once more, “I’m going to be Hokage.”

Notes:

New POV! Generally, this story will still be from the POVs of Soma & Kakashi BUT having a Naruto POV worked well for this chapter. Sorry about the lack of Kakashi in this chapter, though. Let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 10: Impulse

Kakashi had to wonder who he’d pissed off enough to warrant the genin team he was given. The last loyal Uchiha deadset on revenge, a civilian girl with her head in the clouds, and his sensei’s prankster of a son were not what Kakashi would call team material. From what Kakashi observed of their living spaces, the kids could not be more different. Naruto’s horrible apartment nearly made Kakashi’s heart break and all he could think about was Soma. The Hokage hadn’t said anything about keeping the two Uzumakis separated and Kakashi wouldn’t ask, even if he did tell Kakashi that they had to meet naturally. He’d introduce them “by accident” no matter the outcome of the bell test.

At least Naruto was now aware of the Kyuubi sealed inside him. According to the Hokage, Mizuki spilled the beans about it when he’d convinced Naruto to steal the Scroll of Sealing—which, now that Kakashi thought about it, should have been impossible for a genin to accomplish, but Naruto was notorious amongst the ANBU for his traps and evasion. Kakashi supposed that two good things came out of Mizuki’s treason: one, Naruto was field promoted to genin; and two, Kakashi didn’t have to worry about hiding his knowledge of the Kyuubi.

Kakashi was sitting on his couch contemplating the genin when there was a knock at his window. Soma was perched on the ledge in a silent request for entry, which Kakashi granted. Soma stepped through the window and took off his shoes, casting a careful look back out at the street before sliding it shut.

“Are you hiding from Anko again?” Kakashi asked as he gestured for Soma to take a seat on the couch. Soma groaned.

“She won’t leave me alone. It’s starting to get extremely fucking irritating,” he said, slouching into the cushions.

“Maa, I told you she’d be relentless. Whenever she has something to say to anyone, let alone someone who did her a favor like you, she hunts them down,” Kakashi said with a smirk. Soma closed his eyes and laced his fingers together over his stomach.

“I really didn’t do much,” he replied. Kakashi scoffed.

“Right, because anyone could’ve done what you did.” The sarcasm was thick in his voice and Soma cracked open an eye to glare at him.

“That’s not what I meant,” he replied, his eye closing again.

“You should consider just letting her catch you. Get it over with, you know?” Kakashi suggested, causing Soma to groan again.

“I’d really rather not. It kinda defeats the whole point of avoidance.”

“Ah, but have you stopped to think about the thrill of the chase?” Soma sat up abruptly, his face white.

“No…”

“Yeah, she’s sadistic like that. Now that you’ve caught her interest, she’s never letting it go.”

“Fuck,” Soma said with feeling. “I’ll never be able to go anywhere without looking over my shoulder. I thought coming to Konoha would help out with that.”

“Maa, you’re being dramatic.”

“I’m really not.” He really wasn’t. Anko was nearly as bad as Gai on a good day. “Well, whatever. When do you meet your genin team?” Soma asked.

“Monday,” Kakashi said. “I’m kind of dreading it, to be honest.”

“Why’s that?”

Kakashi waved a hand, dismissing the question. “A few reasons,” he replied vaguely. Kakashi couldn’t tell Soma about his relative yet, and although the Uchiha Massacre was well-known throughout the Elemental Nations, Soma likely didn’t know the details. It seemed like Soma was going to push for more information but something on Kakashi’s face must have held him back.

“Alright, Mr. Mysterious, I won’t ask. Do you mind if I hang out here for a bit?” Soma asked. He looked like he was bracing himself for Kakashi to say no.

“Maa, I don’t see why not,” Kakashi responded. Soma clearly hadn’t yet concluded that Kakashi would do just about anything to be in his presence more often. Soma gave him a grateful smile.

“Thanks,” he said and promptly unsealed a scroll and notebook from one of the seals on his arms. Kakashi, curious as he was, leaned over to get a good look. It was a B-rank wind jutsu scroll, something Soma could easily master based on the ease with which Soma controlled the element, but what caught Kakashi’s attention was the notebook.

It was open to a page covered in writing. The kanji were messy and difficult to read, but Kakashi could make out various things including a list at the bottom. It detailed different ways in which he could use the jutsu: how to use it in taijutsu vs. ninjutsu fights, short-, mid-, and long-range battles, and even when facing ninja with unique kekkei genkai. Kakashi could see now how Soma was able to beat Shikaku in shogi.

Soma was watching him examine the notebook. “Do you do this for every jutsu you learn?” Kakashi asked. Soma scratched the back of his neck in what Kakashi was coming to realize was a nervous tic.

“I try to. It helps me to visualize how to use them in fights against different opponents. Knowing how to apply techniques to different scenarios came with extensive battle experience, of course, but I found that writing it out beforehand is a massive help,” Soma explained. Kakashi hummed.

“Have you tried the jutsu yet?”

“Not yet. I write out my intuitions, then after I try it, I amend what needs fixing. I told you before that I learn best by doing, and that still holds true, but it’s helpful for me to have an idea of what a jutsu can be used for before I attempt it.” Soma paused, and a light blush spread over his cheeks. Kakashi was entranced.

“I, ah, used to have horrific chakra control. I’d put way too much force into jutsus that didn’t necessitate it, and they wouldn’t turn out right. I started making these lists to help with that, as not everything is an offensive jutsu,” Soma continued.

“That makes sense, considering your chakra stores,” Kakashi said. Soma grinned.

“Yeah. Kami, it took so much effort to learn tree climbing and water walking. I had to work twice as hard as my friends to figure any of it out. I can’t do a regular bunshin, you know?” Soma said, as though it was the most common thing in the world. Kakashi’s jaw dropped.

“You what?” 

Soma shrugged. “It takes good chakra control to create a normal bunshin. I didn’t learn to control my enormous chakra reserves until too late in my training, so I’ve never been able to perform one. It’s probably an Uzumaki thing; we have large reserves, which is why I can use Shadow Clones well,” he explained. Kakashi nodded thoughtfully.

“Can I see what it looks like when you make a bunshin?” he asked, immensely curious. Soma nodded and formed the seal. A gray-white blob appeared on the floor, sprawled out and having little resemblance to Soma at all. It was actually a bit disgusting; it looked dead.

Soma laughed at the expression on Kakashi’s face. “I told you,” he said with a shrug.

“Can I ask something else?” Kakashi was eager now, finally able to slip the question that had been pressing at him since their spar into casual conversation.

“Sure.”

“Where did you learn kage bunshin?” he asked. Soma eyed him then sighed.

“I traveled for a long time. I picked stuff up along the way, like the parts of the Gentle Fist style I use in my taijutsu. But I also found shinobi around the Elemental Nations who were willing to teach unaffiliated kids what they knew. One of them taught me the Kage Bunshin when he saw what my normal clones look like,” he said, gesturing to the lump on the floor that he then dispelled.

Kakashi considered this. It was definitely possible for someone affiliated with Konoha to recognize Soma’s struggles with chakra control and recommend something that took slightly less finesse than a normal clone. Kakashi knew Jiraiya had taken on some students outside of Ame around the Second Shinobi War, which likely meant others had done something similar. It was another piece to Soma’s puzzle, but it also made Kakashi wonder how many different people had trained him.

“Interesting…” he mused. 

“If you say so,” Soma replied. He turned back to the scroll and his notes, effectively ending the conversation. Kakashi continued to observe him from his seat on the couch.

Soma didn’t seem to understand how fascinating, how scintillating his story was to Kakashi. The redhead’s history was sad; Kakashi could see the grief in the man’s eyes sometimes when he had nothing to focus on. But there were bits and pieces in there that made Kakashi think. He was sure he hadn’t seen the full extent of Soma’s power, either. Kakashi wanted (and dreaded) a situation where it would be necessary to showcase Soma’s true strength.

Kakashi was also holding back more questions that he’d likely receive vague answers to: Soma had been going after S-rank nukenin, so why hadn’t he claimed Itachi or Orochimaru’s bounties? Did he have anything to do with the rumors indicating that the Mizukage had been under a genjutsu that was broken a few months ago? Why did he return Samehada, Kisame’s sword, to Kiri? Why did he trust Kakashi?

There was so much that Kakashi didn’t understand about the man.

Kakashi had seen Soma draw a few more seals since that time with Anko in the Hokage’s office, and the way he’d methodically done so reminded Kakashi so much of Minato-sensei it was hard not to see a slight resemblance between the two. He knew he was projecting his own grief onto Soma, considering he was an Uzumaki and generally stirred up memories of Kushina, but there was something about Soma’s face when he was focused and serious that brought Kakashi back to thoughts of his sensei.

Kakashi had a feeling that Naruto would look very similar to Soma when he was older. Not on the surface, maybe, but deeper, underneath the hair and the eyes. Not that Kakashi knew Naruto well enough yet to say for certain, though (and whose fault was that?).

Soma looked up and caught Kakashi staring. “What?” he asked defensively.

“Nothing. You remind me of my sensei and his wife,” Kakashi said. Soma froze.

“What do you mean?” There was something off in his voice, but Kakashi couldn’t put his finger on what.

“Well, for one, my sensei’s wife was an Uzumaki. Uzumaki Kushina,” Kakashi replied, proud of the steadiness of his voice. It was hard, even after all these years, to talk about them. 

“You knew another Uzumaki? Kushina, you said?” For a second Kakashi considered saying nothing more, but Soma looked hopeful and there was no way Kakashi could derive him of at least this.

“Yeah. She was brilliant. They called her the ‘Red-Hot Habanero’. It was fitting,” he said. Soma smiled slightly.

“Ah, the infamous Uzumaki temper, I’m assuming,” he said. Kakashi chuckled.

“Exactly that. She was fiery, but one of the kindest people I ever had the pleasure of knowing, right alongside my sensei.”

“Who was your sensei?” Soma asked. Kakashi hesitated, then thought, fuck it.

“Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage.” Soma’s eyes were wide as he stared at Kakashi. Then he turned away, dropping his gaze to his lap where his fingers were fidgeting.

“She–” Soma cut himself off, then began again. “How long ago did Kushina die?”

“Twelve years or so,” Kakashi replied. Soma’s breath hitched slightly.

“I could’ve known her if I’d come here sooner,” he said, almost to himself. “Another Uzumaki…” And Kakashi immediately felt terrible for depriving both Naruto and Soma of their family.

“I’m sorry,” Kakashi said, the words layered with meaning Soma wouldn’t understand. Despite that, he looked at Kakashi as though he knew what he wasn’t saying.

“Don’t be,” Soma said, a small but genuine smile on his face.

They sat in silence in the slowly darkening apartment, Soma taking notes on the jutsu and Kakashi reading Icha Icha. It was domestic in a way Kakashi didn’t want to think too hard about just yet. The silence wasn’t awkward, not in the least, and it felt almost sacrilegious to break it. Unfortunately, Kakashi had been forced into other plans.

“Soma.”

“Hmm?” Soma brushed a hand through the hair falling over his shoulder on the side facing Kakashi, exposing his ear. He didn’t look up.

“It’s Thursday.”

“Okay?”

“Thursday’s the jounin pub night.” Soma finally raised his eyes, processing what Kakashi said, and Kakashi could see the realization dawn.

“Oh, no. You’ve been coerced into dragging me there, haven’t you?” he said. Kakashi gave him his best eye-smile, knowing Soma would see right through the bullshit expression.

“Yep. We better get going if you don’t want to be late,” Kakashi said. Soma glared at him suspiciously.

“Why do I have the feeling we’re already very late?” Soma said with a sigh. Kakashi’s perpetual tardiness was something Soma himself hadn’t experienced, but Kakashi assumed he’d heard about the habit through the grapevine. He was right that they were late. Only by about an hour, though, which for Kakashi was early.

“Maa, I don’t know why you’d say that,” Kakashi replied, standing and holding out a hand to help Soma to his feet. Kakashi wasn’t wearing his gloves, and when their palms touched, it was electric. He tried to push the feeling aside as he tugged Soma up, bringing the two of them inches from each other. Their eyes locked, and for a second, everything stopped. 

Soma’s deep ocean blue eyes were nearly hypnotic and the electricity from before was almost tangible. The air between them was charged and Kakashi held his breath. His eye unconsciously flicked down to Soma’s lips, and a wave of desire rushed through Kakashi, so potent that it caused him to stumble back a step and drop his hand.

Soma’s eyes were wide, staring at Kakashi with surprise and what looked, surprisingly, like fear. Kakashi had never been in this position before, never felt anything so strongly for another person as he did for Soma just then, and he had no idea what to say.

“I–” He didn’t finish the thought, he didn’t have anything going through his head at all except I want to kiss him I want to kiss him. He couldn’t say that, obviously.

“Um, should we go?” Soma asked hesitantly. Okay, he’s brushing it off, that’s good, Kakashi thought dazedly, and he nodded.

“Yeah, let’s–” He stopped again, berating himself for whatever the hell had just happened. Kakashi turned, so beyond grateful for his mask hiding the majority of his burning face, and marched to the door. Soma followed silently, sliding his shoes on and stepping out into the hallway.

What the fuck was I thinking? I wanted to kiss him? No, that’s not– Kakashi stopped himself and took a breath. Soma was walking beside him wordlessly, allowing Kakashi a moment of introspection before the chaos awaiting them at the bar. He usually hated considering anything to do with emotions, but this time, he knew he’d have to face them. He couldn’t deny this, not anymore.

I wanted to kiss Soma. So, where did that leave him? He wasn’t sure if Soma even swung that way, let alone if he’d be receptive to any sort of advances Kakashi might make. Kakashi had slept with people before, sure, but none of them actually mattered to him. They were one night stands, post-mission fucks in dark hotels with men and women he’d picked up at bars. They were fueled by adrenaline and lust and nothing more.

Soma, however, was someone Kakashi could easily see himself falling for. Yes, Kakashi could admit that Soma was physically attractive and there was lust involved, but that wasn’t the only layer. He and Soma clicked in a way Kakashi had never experienced before and doubted he would again.

Long story short, in Kakashi’s emotionally stunted mind, he was fucked. He could try to distance himself from Soma, but that would never work. Not only was Danzo a concern, there was also the fact that Kakashi really didn’t want to lose something so good. Maybe he could be selfish, just this once. Maybe Kakashi could grow out of this crush (the word sounded both insufficient and childish). Maybe, if Soma indicated any reciprocation of his feelings, Kakashi could be brave someday. And maybe, just maybe, Kakashi wouldn't be doomed to loneliness.

What a useless delusion.

~

He wanted to kiss me. Soma was in a daze as they left Kakashi’s apartment, replaying the way Kakashi’s eye flicked down to his mouth and back up before the man flinched away like he was burned. Soma doubted that Kakashi would’ve gone through with it, but the idea that the thought was in the silver-haired man’s mind was causing Soma to have a bit of a crisis.

It wasn’t that Kakashi was unattractive; on the contrary, Soma considered the man handsome in his own scarecrow-like way with his gravity-defying hair and only ¼ of his face showing. Kakashi was tall, lean, insanely fit, crazy smart, and of course, interesting. He was one of the few people Soma had never fully been able to crack even after years and years of war. But the Kakashi Soma knew from his original timeline was different from the one he’d gotten to know since coming to the Konoha of the past.

Soma hadn’t let himself think about Kakashi in that way, not because he didn’t see potential there, but because his mind kept flickering back to Sasuke. Sasuke, the one he’d watched die to save his life, the one Soma told himself he’d never, ever get over. He didn’t think he was over Sasuke, but the sheer want he’d seen in Kakashi’s eye made Soma consider some things.

He realized that when he spent time with Kakashi, he was able to forget some of the pain of his past. He was able to live in the present moment more often than not. He felt more at ease with the other man than with anyone except Kurama. Soma wasn’t sure what exactly that meant yet, and he wasn’t willing to risk a frankly amazing friendship to find out, but now the idea was buried in his brain.

What if Kakashi had kissed him? Would Soma have pushed him away or pulled him closer? He didn’t know, and that was what stressed him out the most. It felt like a betrayal to Sasuke to even consider anything like this with another person. He and Sasuke were soulmates through and through, and not just because their fates were intertwined as Indra and Ashura. He and Sasuke had balanced each other perfectly like they were supposed to. Soma and Kakashi, on the other hand, were literal worlds apart.

“I think you wanted him to kiss you,” Kurama said in his head, interrupting his swirling thoughts. Soma wished he wasn’t walking beside Kakashi so he could go into his mindscape.

“Why do you say that?” Soma replied, careful not to speak aloud.

“Kit, when I woke up, you spent more time talking about the cyclops than anything else from this timeline. I know for a fact that the Uchiha brat wouldn’t want you to hold yourself back from anything,” Kurama said. Soma pondered this, thinking back to their first conversation after Kurama’s extended nap. The old fox was right: he didn’t talk about the fights or Nagato or Jiji nearly as much as Kakashi.

“We’ve just spent a lot of time together,” Soma said, though he knew it was a flimsy excuse at best.

“Kit. Give yourself some time to come to terms with everything, but don’t let Sasuke hold you back. If he was here, he’d tell you the same thing: you can save everyone while also letting yourself be happy.” Soma smiled slightly.

“Thanks, Kurama,” he said. He wasn’t ready for anything with Kakashi (yet), but he wouldn’t push the man away. They were friends, and Soma needed a friend more than anything.

Kakashi was quiet as they walked, probably thinking about the same things. Before Soma knew it, they were in front of a bar Soma had only heard about from Iruka-sensei in the previous timeline: The Shadowed Shuriken. Soma could hear music and voices through the door; clearly, most of the jounin were already there. Kakashi glanced sideways at him and jerked his head to indicate Soma should follow, and he opened the door.

If Soma thought the noise was loud from the outside, it was nothing compared to the cacophony of sound that assaulted him when he stepped over the threshold. The bar was packed to the brim with shinobi, some of whom were unfamiliar to Soma (they’d likely died before he got back from his trip with Jiraiya). He took a deep breath to center himself so as to not be overwhelmed by the abundance of swarming bodies.

“You’ll be fine, Kit. If anything happens I’ll get you out,” Kurama said. Soma nodded and trailed closely behind Kakashi to the bar.

“Eternal Rival! You’ve finally made your appearance!” Gai’s voice boomed across the bar, somehow drowning out every other conversation. “And you brought Soma! What a youthful sight!” Every eye in the bar turned towards Soma and Kakashi as Gai pushed through the crowd to get to them. Soma resisted the urge to shunshin away from the stares. Kakashi gave him a look full of both sympathy and humor.

“Yo, Gai,” Kakashi said. “I said I’d drag him along, didn’t I?” The bartender placed two beers on the counter and Kakashi paid for both, sliding one over to Soma.

“Yosh! Soma, there are some people I’d like to introduce you to!” Gai said and grabbed Soma’s arm. Soma snagged his beer before he was pulled away and Kakashi gave him a lazy salute that told Soma he was laughing behind his mask.

Gai made the rounds, introducing Soma to some jounin he knew and some he didn’t. He met Yugao and Hayate officially along with Ibiki. As Soma spoke with Ibiki, Inoichi sidled up to the conversation.

“Uzumaki Soma, right?” he said. Soma inclined his head. “I’m Yamanaka Inoichi, head of T&I and the Yamanaka Clan.”

“Yamanaka-sama,” Soma replied with a slight bow.

“Just call me Inoichi. You’re already on a first-name basis with Shikaku, aren’t you?” Inoichi’s eyes glinted. Soma had a bad feeling about where this was going.

“Yes, sir. Please call me Soma.” Inoichi smiled.

“Good, good. Now, I have to ask, where did you learn to play shogi well enough to beat Shikaku?” Gai, who was still standing beside Soma, gasped.

“SOMA! YOU BESTED SHIKAKU-SAN IN SHOGI?!” he shouted. Immediately the entire bar went silent save the music playing over the speakers.

“What?”

“He beat a Nara at shogi?”

“No one’s ever beaten Shikaku-san before!”

The whispers circled Soma and he groaned, looking up at the ceiling before meeting Inoichi’s eyes again. “I forfeited, so I didn’t actually–”

“You did,” Shikaku said, coming over to stand beside Inoichi. “I’ll admit I didn’t see it at first, but when I looked at the board after you left, I noticed. You beat me.” Fucking hell, Soma thought. The other jounin were still staring at him in awe.

“I…sorry? I didn’t really mean to,” Soma said, hanging his head and looking at the ground. He hadn’t meant to give so much away during that game but playing with Shikaku was fun.

“No need to apologize. That makes it all the more impressive. You said a friend of yours taught you, yes?” Shikaku didn’t sound angry, just curious.

“Yeah, a long time ago. Before our game, I hadn’t played anyone in a few years,” Soma replied, forcing himself to look back at Shikaku. The other jounin were slowly turning back to their own conversations.

“I meant what I said before: I’d like to play again. Track me down any time,” the Nara said with a smile. Soma nodded slowly.

“Okay, Shikaku-san.” Shikaku nodded, putting his hand on Inoichi’s shoulder and turning them away. Gai was vibrating with the news, and Soma knew he was about to spout something about youthfulness. He caught Kakashi’s eye as the man moved towards them through the crowd. Soma noticed that he didn’t look surprised.

“When did he tell you?” Soma asked as soon as Kakashi was within hearing range.

“The night it happened,” Kakashi replied. Soma gaped at him.

“You’ve gotta be kidding,” Soma said, exasperated. Kakashi chuckled.

“Nope. I figured it would come out eventually,” he said. “Also, Anko’s going to be here soon, and you’re not allowed to escape this time.” Kakashi had that stupid eye-smile on his face that always managed to piss Soma off.

“Kami, tonight’s gonna be one thing after another, isn’t it?”

“Well, at least everyone already knows you removed her seal. She hasn’t stopped talking about it since it happened.”

“Small mercies,” Soma muttered. Kakashi put a friendly hand on his shoulder and clinked their beers together.

“Good luck,” he said jovially, and as soon as he said it, the door burst open and a head of purple hair entered the bar in a whirlwind.

“UZUMAKI!” Anko screamed. The crowd of jounin parted like the Red Sea as she stomped forward. Soma put his beer on the table behind him, trusting Kakashi to look after it.

“Yo, Anko-san,” Soma replied hesitantly.

She marched straight up to him and pointed her finger in his face. “You are impossible, Uzumaki! You’ve been avoiding me all week!”

“I–”

“No! See, I was ever so grateful to you for getting that damned seal off, but now I’m so fucking irritated I can’t even say ‘thank you’! What the fuck have you been playing at?!”

“I–”

“And how are you so good at dodging me?! I swear, I catch a glimpse of you and then you’re gone! It’s impossible!”

“Anko, let him explain–” Kakashi tried, and her murderous gaze fixed on him.

“And you! You’ve been helping him, haven’t you?! I thought you liked me, Hatake,” she said, pouting.

“Anko-san,” Soma began, and her eyes turned back to him, “the only reason I was avoiding you was because I didn’t want your thanks. I didn’t remove your seal to get into your good graces, or the Hokage’s for that matter. I was just helping a fellow Konoha jounin, you know? That’s what we do, right? Seriously, don’t thank me.” Anko stared at him, her eyes assessing though her gaze had softened from murderous to merely dangerous. That, Soma could handle.

Suddenly, Anko laughed. It was full-bellied laughter that took Soma by surprise and made him a bit wary. “Oh, Uzumaki, you’ll fit in well here,” she said through gasping breaths. Soma looked at Kakashi who shrugged. Her laughter died down but a grin was still playing at her mouth. “I won’t thank you, then. But next time, don’t avoid me. That’s a warning.” She stuck her finger back in Soma’s face and he went cross-eyed trying to see it.

“Got it. I’m glad it worked, though. You feel better, right?” he asked. Anko dropped her hand.

“So much better.”

“Good.” Soma smiled at her.

“So, Red, what’s up with you and Kakashi?” Kakashi, who had just taken a sip of beer, choked, and Soma flushed slightly.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you fucking? Or…” She was leering at them, and Soma wanted out of this conversation as quickly as possible.

“Um. No? I don’t know where you got that idea–”

“Don’t play coy with me. I see how he looks at you–”

“Anko.” Kakashi cut her off, voice sharp and deadly. Anko turned to him and fluttered her lashes.

“Just making conversation, Hatake. Well, I’ll leave you to it, then. See you around, Red!” she said and bounded away.

Soma pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Kurama was laughing at him in his mind and Soma shut him out. Gai sidled back up to them as Soma grabbed his beer.

“Soma! We’re having a drinking contest and everyone would like you to join!” he said and yanked both him and Kakashi over to a table in the back. Genma, Raidou, Asuma, Kurenai, and Yugao were sitting around it with shots in hand. Gai kicked out two chairs for Soma and Kakashi.

“Don’t let me get drunk, please. I’m worried about what will happen,” Soma said seriously.

“Got it, Kit,” Kurama replied.

A shot was passed over to him and everyone raised their glasses, even Kakashi.

“To the last man standing,” Genma said solemnly, and they took the shot.

Two hours later, Soma was clear-eyed and thoroughly enjoying the drunken shenanigans of his companions. Kakashi hadn’t lasted long before giving up and simply observing. The jounin were fun, and though Soma wasn’t quite comfortable with all of them yet, he felt as though he really could be. He knew what would come to pass if he allowed things to continue as they were despite the moves he’d already made.

“Kurama, we have to save them all.”

“We will, Kit, don’t you worry.” And, well, how could Soma doubt him?

Notes:

Here we go! Figured I'd give you all some quality Soma & Kakashi in this chapter after depriving you of that for a whole week. I always appreciate your comments, so please keep them coming! Have a great week & stay cool :)

Chapter 11: Exposure

Notes:

...and we're back! This is a bit more of a lighthearted chapter. I hope you enjoy!

So many thanks to my lovely beta reader Deany <3

Soma received a summons from the Hokage the next day. A mission. Finally. Soma had been wasting his days away training and talking, and he was close to just walking up to the mission assignment desk and asking for something, anything, even a D-rank. He may have improved upon his patience during the war, but that didn’t mean Soma was content to sit around and wait forever. Kurama had talked him out of it.

Soma tried to force himself to not rush to the Tower, but his feet didn’t obey. He was walking through the door about thirty seconds after receiving the message. “I’m here to see the Hokage,” he said to the receptionist. The receptionist nodded and gestured for Soma to continue to the Hokage’s door. Soma knocked three times, like Kakashi did, and entered when he was told to.

“Ah, Soma. I’m glad you’re prompt. I have a mission for you. I know I said I wouldn’t send you on anything higher than C-rank for the foreseeable future, but there are many jounin out of the village right now and genin team assignments are coming up. This is a B-rank escort mission. The details are in this scroll,” the Hokage said, passing a document over his desk. Soma took it and refrained from tearing it open.

“Will I be going alone?” he asked.

“No. There will be two others joining you. You’ll meet them at the gate as soon as you’re prepared to leave. Shiranui Genma will be leading the mission.”

“Understood.” The only reason there would be three jounin on a B-rank mission was for two of them to keep an eye on Soma.

“You’re dismissed,” the Hokage said, and Soma left. As soon as he was in the hallway he tore into the scroll, scanning the details. The mission was to the border of the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers where he and his teammates would collect a businessman and his family along with a scroll of unknown content. They would escort them to the Hidden Grass Village, bypassing Hidden Rain. The majority of the mission would occur in the Land of Fire, but the locations were close enough to potential enemy territory that the mission had earned the rank B.

He rolled up the mission scroll and placed it in one of his storage seals. He had everything he could possibly need for a mission on his person already, so he headed for the gates. When he saw who was waiting for him there, he grinned.

“Hey, Soma! You ready to go?” Genma asked from his spot beside Kotetsu, Izumo, and Raidou. Soma walked over to them.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied, Kotetsu and Izumo sharing a strange look between them as they observed Soma for a second time.

“Then I guess we’re off! See you later, Kotetsu, Izumo,” Genma said with a wave. Kotetsu looked like he wanted to say something but as soon as he opened his mouth, Izumo elbowed him in the stomach. Raidou sent them a smile and followed Genma as Soma did the same.

They leapt into the trees in the direction of Wind Country with Genma leading as they made their way through Fire then River countries. It wouldn’t take long to reach the border, and Soma was glad they didn’t have to navigate the harsh deserts of Wind. He’d had to enter Wind Country a few times during his hunt for the Akatsuki, and even with all the tricks up his sleeve, the desert was one place Soma had never felt comfortable navigating. Plus, it reminded him so much of Gaara it was hard to focus.

Soma sighed, thinking of the suffering one of his best friends was experiencing while Soma was getting comfortable in Konoha. He grit his teeth; he knew he couldn’t risk going to Sand, regardless of how much he wanted to help Gaara.

Soma, Genma, and Raidou had mapped out their route to Grass while jumping between branches. It was a very simple mission, but it would take a while to reach their destination with civilians in tow. Soma remembered the mission to Wave escorting Tazuna and how slow the old drunk had made their progress; he hoped this family wasn’t as horrible to work with.

His hope was dashed when the three ninja landed in the clearing where they were supposed to meet their client. A man stood with his arms crossed, scowling at the trees, while three other people sat on a flat rock fanning themselves. Soma knew Genma and Raidou were thinking along the same lines as him: this was going to suck.

“Where have you been?” the man demanded. “We’ve been waiting for an hour! You’ve completely disrupted our schedule!” Soma resisted the urge to sneer at the man—they were earlier than the scroll had indicated they needed to be.

“We apologize for the delay, Irahara-san,” Genma said. His tone was pleasant enough, but Soma could hear the undercurrent of annoyance in the words. 

“As you should! We’re paying top dollar for this!” Kami, Soma already wanted this to end and they hadn’t even started moving. He hoped he could remember all the diplomatic instruction he’d received from Sakura, but he wouldn’t count on it. Not if this man (Irahara-san, his mind provided) continued his behavior.

“If you’re ready to go now, we can be on our way,” Genma replied calmly. Raidou was standing still as a statue, clearly trying to keep hold of his emotions. He wasn’t one to let himself be swayed by agitation but Soma knew there was a limit.

“Yes, we’re ready! We’ve been ready for over an hour! Akane!” the man snapped at the woman sitting on the rock. She immediately lifted herself up and the two others with her, a boy of about ten and a girl of about eight, stood as well. They meandered over slowly in a way that spoke of wealth and being waited on hand and foot. Soma disliked it immensely.

“Do you have the scroll?” Genma asked neutrally. The man’s focus returned to Genma.

“Yes, and we’re not handing it over! I’ll keep hold of it, as you’ll be protecting me anyway. If you actually do your jobs, they won’t get their hands on me or the scroll,” he replied haughtily. Genma took a deep breath.

“Alright. Let’s go, then,” he said.

The walk was terrible. The man was annoyed at anything Soma, Genma, and Raidou did. The woman complained about the heat. The kids complained about foot pain, and when Soma glanced at their shoes, he had to force himself not to laugh. If the lot of them weren’t so horrible, he may have offered them some of the spare shinobi sandals he had stored in one of his seals.

They managed to get about a quarter of the way by the time dusk fell. Soma, Genma, and Raidou set up camp and got a fire going while the family critiqued them. The Iraharas apparently found fault in the way Raidou laid out the bedrolls, the wood Soma collected, and the pot Genma used to boil water. The three shinobi were praying for them to fall asleep quickly.

After a rough dinner where the jounin were forced to hold their tongues, the civilians finally fell asleep. Soma released a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. “Fucking hell,” he mumbled under his breath.

“You got that right,” Genma said lowly. Raidou nodded in agreement.

“I’m almost hoping something happens on this mission just to make them shut up,” Raidou said. Soma hummed.

“This is already the worst escort mission I’ve ever been on,” Genma drawled.

“They’re even worse than the drunkard I dealt with on my first one,” Soma agreed.

“Ouch,” said Raidou, and Genma snickered.

“I had a noblewoman try to sneak into my tent for a quick fuck while her husband was asleep. He caught her and blamed me,” Genma said. Soma laughed lightly and Raidou rolled his eyes.

“You liked the attention, don’t deny it,” Raidou said.

Genma gasped and clutched his chest dramatically. “How dare you,” he said, his eyes dancing with mirth and the reflection of the fire. Raidou shoved him over and they both laughed before glancing back to make sure their lovely guests weren’t awake. “I’ll have you know I’m a pure soul.”

“Yeah, pure as the skidmarks on your underwear,” Raidou muttered. Soma choked, slapping his hands to his mouth to keep his laughter muffled. The comment was childish and so out of the blue that it took Soma by complete surprise.

Raidou was grinning at him and Genma huffed, putting his nose in the air as though he were above them. Soma’s shoulders shook with his laughter, trying hard not to guffaw at the scene. Genma started to crack when his eyes landed on Soma’s face, which had to be bright red with both shortness of breath and the effort of keeping quiet, and he let out a chuckle of his own.

Suddenly they were just three Konoha jounin laughing in the woods. Soma felt himself loosen up some in their presence, relaxing into the role he’d carved out for himself. It was natural, almost easy to adjust to being a comrade and friend rather than a genin looking up to his superiors. Soma let himself have the moment.

“You’re so sappy,” came Kurama’s voice.

“Shut up,” Soma replied.

Their laughter died down and Genma stood. “It’s getting late, and I have a feeling we’ll need some extra strength tomorrow. Soma, take first watch. Raidou’s second and I’m last. We’re not expecting trouble, but be aware,” he said. Soma nodded and the other two men walked to their bedrolls. Not even five minutes later they were in deep sleep. Soma settled with his back to a tree to wait.

 

The next day was just a continuation of the first, but this time the three jounin spoke with each other a bit more. They had to have someone at the front and the rear of the party, with the third person floating around, so they took turns switching their positions. Soma got along well with both Genma and Raidou, and their miserable companions made it easier to find common ground. They were sick of the family by lunch and Soma truly resonated with the idea of something interesting happening. As a distraction from the complaining, he thought of possibilities: a strong nukenin coming across them, a trap set by Suna, Tora the cat appearing and a messenger hawk saying their mission assignment changed to capturing her. If only.

Nothing happened that day, sadly. They walked for hours, and when Genma or Raidou weren’t beside him, he talked to Kurama. It let him shut them out, at least a bit.

“Hey you! Tomato head!” the man yelled. Soma was walking at the front of the group and froze, nearly causing one of the kids to run into him. Soma turned, his gaze icy as he assessed the man.

“Don’t call me that,” he said, voice deadly sharp, and he couldn’t help the tiny bit of killing intent that leaked out. Mom’s nickname, he thought. Genma and Raidou stopped and watched.

“Hmph! I’ll call you whatever I like. I’m the one paying, after all.” Soma grit his teeth hard enough to crack them.

“What is it?” he asked, his tone carefully flat.

“My wife would like to know how much longer we’ll be traveling today. If we’re going to continue, you should let her ride on your back,” he said, as though that was a reasonable request. Soma seethed in anger.

“Rein it in, kid. Don’t let him get to you,” Kurama said. Soma met Genma’s eyes, glad to see that he looked just as pissed off as Soma.

“We’ll be traveling the rest of the day. I will not be carrying any of you,” Soma replied.

“You will! I’m paying for this, so I–”

“I am not a pack mule. You gave this mission a timeline of three days, which we’re trying to stick to.” Soma would do almost anything to get rid of these people faster, but he wouldn’t lower himself to that level. Not for a family like the Iraharas. 

“Irahara-san, this is an escort mission,” Genma broke in, attempting to remain polite but failing miserably at keeping the fury out of his voice. “That does not mean we are your personal slaves. We will do what was outlined in the mission you hired us for, but nothing more. You do not have the right to request that of Soma.”

The man spluttered indignantly. “You Konoha shinobi should be thanking me! I–”

“That’s final,” Genma said harshly. The man harrumphed and crossed his arms but made no further comments. Soma took a deep breath, turning back to the path they were following, when Genma sidled up to him.

“When we get back, we’re telling the Hokage to never accept missions from these people again,” he said under his breath.

“Good,” Soma replied. “I wouldn’t wish them upon anyone.” Except maybe Kaguya, but she’d kill them. I bet most shinobi escorting them would kill them, actually.

“Me neither. Hey, what do you think Kakashi would do if he was here?” Genma asked. Soma snorted.

“He’d probably hide behind his stupid porn book and block them out.”

“You think?” Genma said with a grin. “I would bet he’d put the fear of Kami into them to get them to shut up.”

Soma laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I don’t think any of us are scary enough to do that, sadly.”

“You’ve never seen Raidou truly angry. I bet you can be frightening too, though. If I were a civilian and saw you on the street, I’d steer clear,” Genma said. Soma looked at him curiously.

“Why’s that?”

“You’ve got this whole powerful and dangerous vibe. With the scars and the seals, I mean.” Soma raised a brow. Genma continued, “You look like you’ve seen war and the worst humanity has to offer.” Soma gave a humorless laugh.

“You’re not wrong, I suppose.” He paused, then asked anxiously, “None of you in Konoha are afraid of me though, right?” It was one thing to present a certain way to outsiders and another to be thought of as threatening by his comrades. Genma smiled at him.

“Nah. After seeing you interact with Kakashi and Gai, it’s hard to imagine you harming any of us. The civilians may be a bit wary, but they live in a shinobi village. They’re used to people with intense auras,” he said. Soma sighed.

“I hope you’re right. I don’t want any of you to think I’m a threat, at least towards Konoha.”

“You’ve taken down five S-rank nukenin and are in every Bingo Book. If you wanted to do us any harm you’d have done it by now. We all watched you spar with Gai and Kakashi; we could tell you were pulling your punches. The Hokage has to be wary of someone with power like yours to protect the village, but that doesn’t mean we think you’re a risk. Not to us,” Genma replied. Soma’s lips quirked in a smile.

“Thank you. I thought Kakashi and Gai were the only ones comfortable around me.”

“Honestly, Soma, it’s very hard not to like you. I did think that Anko would kill you for giving her the slip for so long, though.” Soma winced.

“I really didn’t want her thanks. I had the power to remove the seal, so that’s what I did.”

“I heard what you said at the Shuriken. You changed her life. If you’d done something like that for me, comrade or not, I’d want to thank you,” Genma said reasonably. Soma groaned.

“What sort of Konoha shinobi would I be if I didn’t help one of my own when I could?” Genma smiled and put a hand on Soma’s shoulder. 

“This is why you’re so easy to like and accept. You’ve only been a shinobi of the Leaf for a short time, yet you treat us like family.” Soma gave him a funny look.

“Of course I do. I haven’t had a village…no, I haven’t had friends or family in a long time. Being accepted by Konoha has given me a purpose again,” Soma said, echoing the words he’d spoken to Shikaku over the shogi board. 

“There you have it, then. We have no reason to fear you, so we don’t,” Genma said simply with a shrug. “Kakashi and Gai are good judges of character, too, which doesn’t hurt.”

Soma grinned. “You’re right. I’m guessing that getting closer with them scored me some points with the Hokage, which is why he sent me on a B-rank instead of the C- and D-ranks I was promised when I arrived,” he said. “Not that that was my goal or anything,” Soma continued hastily. Genma laughed.

“I never would’ve thought that. Honestly, I’m amazed that Kakashi has let you in. He’s so closed off with the rest of us…” Genma trailed off, gaze distant.

“I don’t know anything about his past,” Soma lied. “Maybe that makes it easier. I can tell there are things he’s unwilling to share, and I can accept that. If he doesn’t want to tell me, he doesn’t have to. Sometimes it’s hard for people to look past your history and see what’s in front of them. I don’t have that bias.” Genma hummed.

“You’re probably right. Kakashi hasn’t had an easy life,” he said. They fell silent as they continued through the forest towards Hidden Grass. They’d crossed back into the Land of Fire that morning and were nearing the border of Hidden Grass country. They’d camp in the Land of Fire that night, seeing as the sun was getting low in the sky and they only had about another hour of full daylight left, then complete the mission the next day. Thank Kami.

The rest of the mission consisted of ignoring the Iraharas and making idle conversation with Genma and Raidou. They reached Hidden Grass late in the afternoon on their third day of travel, happily passing them off to the Grass ninja waiting for them. Soma, Genma, and Raidou turned their backs and at last, they were free.

“I wish we could’ve left them in the middle of the forest,” said Genma.

“You and me both,” said Raidou sullenly. “Stupid rich civilians.” 

They had to camp in the Land of Fire that night before returning to Konoha. They were still far enough away that they’d be running most of the night if they continued on. They were all physically fresh, considering the mission hadn’t involved any fighting, but they were all exhausted from dealing with the Iraharas. They found a good spot in a small, easily defensible clearing. They were all more comfortable in Fire country, but that didn’t mean they’d let down their guard.

The watch rotation was the same as before: Soma first, then Raidou, then Genma. Genma and Raidou fell asleep almost instantly and though Soma was alert, he looked up at the stars through the canopy of leaves above him.

“Hey, Sasuke-teme,” Soma said quietly, careful not to wake his companions. “I haven’t talked to you much since coming back to Konoha. Sorry about that.

“I hope I’m doing the right thing. I have Kurama beside me, but it’s not the same without you. Kami, I wish you were here. I haven’t met our younger selves yet, and I promise that when I do I will do everything in my power to help you, but I’m scared. I’m so scared I’m going to fuck everything up with Team 7 and Kakashi. I’m scared I won’t be able to change anything no matter how hard I fight. I hope the world’s not fated to end up how it did for us.

“I miss you so much, teme. What I wouldn’t give to hear you call me dobe just one more time. I wish you hadn’t taken that shot for me, but I’ve had to learn to accept it. Surprisingly, Kakashi’s been really helpful in getting me through the worst parts of being back home. He’s helped me feel like I have a place in this world, now, as a Konoha jounin.

“I promise I’ll deal with Danzo and Orochimaru as soon as I can. They’re slippery bastards; before I dropped the breadcrumbs for Jiraiya, I tried to pin the snake down and had almost no luck. I’m not sure how exactly to deal with Itachi now that you’re not here, but I’ll think of something. I’m sure of it. I’ll do what you asked, Sasuke, if it’s the last thing I do. I don’t go back on my word.

“Keep watching over me, okay, teme? I’ll carry you with me always.”

The stars winked at him through the leaves in answer, and Soma knew Sasuke was listening.

~

Kakashi had met his team. It was as much of a disaster as he’d expected: Sasuke was dark, broody, and only desired revenge for his Clan; Sakura was so obsessed with Sasuke she made Rin seem like she hated Kakashi; and Naruto was, to put it nicely, brash. They didn’t mesh well at all. Kakashi doubted they’d pass the bell test, not if the way they acted in the classroom and during introductions was any indication.

They reminded him of his own genin team taken to the extreme. Kakashi tried to remember how Minato-sensei had dealt with such different personalities, but it was hard for him to think of his genin days beyond each of their deaths. Maybe when Soma returned from his mission he’d have some pointers.

“In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum.” Obito’s words had changed Kakashi’s life and his Ninja Way. Kakashi could try to force them into Sasuke’s brain, try to make him see that revenge wasn’t an end-all be-all goal, but he wasn’t hopeful. The Uchiha was a serious flight risk and it was something Kakashi would have to keep a very close eye on.

Kakashi had no idea how to go about disillusioning Sakura of her crush on Sasuke. He hadn’t learned anything about her during introductions outside of her desire to end up with the Uchiha and her hatred for Naruto. It was very disheartening to say the least, because Kakashi had the feeling that if she actually focused on being a kunoichi, she’d do very well. Her scores in the Academy indicated an analytical mind and near-perfect chakra control.

Naruto, though… Kakashi would need Soma’s help in dealing with him. Naruto grew up alone, hated by the village and his classmates for having the Kyuubi sealed inside him. Kakashi couldn’t help the twist in his stomach when he looked at the kid; he should’ve pushed harder to be a part of his life out of the shadows. In ANBU he’d taken night watch shifts no one else wanted so he could keep track of the blond. He looked so much like Minato-sensei that for a while, Kakashi struggled to keep his eyes on him. His temperament was all Kushina, though.

Kakashi didn’t think he was well-suited for this team but he understood the Hokage’s reasoning behind it: it all boiled down to the damned Sharingan. Obito’s gift was a weight Kakashi willingly bore, but this consequence was one he hadn’t foreseen. He hoped he’d never have to use his eye to control the Kyuubi.

Soma was off on a mission with Genma and Raidou and they wouldn’t be back until the next day. The days of separation between them had given Kakashi some time to consider his feelings and, like the emotionally stunted man he was, he needed them. His conclusions the night they went to the pub proved accurate: he wasn’t in love with Soma ( yet, his mind added) but he cared about him in a different way than anyone else.

Every night when Kakashi went to sleep, he closed his eyes and saw Soma before him. Kakashi imagined what he’d look like beneath him against the dark blue sheets of his bed. Red hair splayed in a halo of fire on the pillow adorning a deceptively small body that shimmered gold with hidden strength. Tattooed seals on full display across his torso and arms. Scars exposed, telling a story Kakashi was desperate to read. Soma’s layers peeled away one by one until it was just him. 

Needless to say, Kakashi was distracted. Gai had managed to corner him with little trouble in the market district to issue a challenge, and that alone was indication enough that Kakashi had a problem. He had initially hoped that by the time Soma returned he’d have everything sorted, a neat little box labeled Feelings for Soma tucked away in the back of his mind to rarely, if ever, be reconsidered.

Kakashi was never that lucky in matters of the heart.

What would you think of him, Obito? Kakashi wasn’t surprised that his thoughts turned to his best friend when mulling over emotions. Obito was the one who taught him how to be human again; it only made sense Kakashi would find comfort in Obito’s imagined presence. He liked to think he knew what Obito would say: “He must be one hell of a person to get you, of all people, to contemplate love. I’m glad you finally removed that stick from your ass, at least.” Yeah, Kakashi figured that was pretty accurate.

He realized he hadn’t been by the Memorial Stone in a while, so Kakashi made his way there through a dark, quiet Konoha. He sat in his usual spot, touching his fingers to Obito’s name, then Rin’s, then Minato-sensei’s. He stared at the stone for a while, letting his mind calm.

“I think you’d like him, Obito,” Kakashi said after he released  a cursory stretch of his chakra to ensure he was alone. “I imagine you’d have become a lot like him if you hadn’t made such a stupid sacrifice. He’s kind, humble, and smart. He’s overwhelmingly good. I don’t know what he sees in me.

“I want to tell him about you. I want him to know who you were and what you stood for. I want him to know that I got the Sharingan from you and what it represents to me. I want him to understand, more than anything in the world.” He took a breath, recentering himself quickly.

“You’d probably say I’m being stupid, right?” Kakashi smiled wryly. “I probably am. But you know how I am with sentiment. Compared to you, I’m a coward. I’m really fucking afraid of what he might say.

“I don’t think I could bear to lose him,” Kakashi confessed in a whisper, and wasn’t that the crux of the matter? “I’ve grown attached. I told myself I wouldn’t, couldn’t do the ‘friends’ thing again, and yet here we are. He’s so important to me, Obito. I wish you were here to guide me, to show me how to do this right. 

“I wish you could’ve met him. He’s become my lux in tenebris. My light in darkness, like the moon. You’re the same in that sense. I’ve been trying to see the future for you like you asked, and now I’m finally able to see the present too.

“I miss you, Rin, and Minato-sensei every day, but the pain is less with him. I hope you can forgive me for that if nothing else. I’ll talk to you again soon, Obito. I’m sure you’ll see it all through your eye, just as you always have.”

It was peaceful there, in front of the Memorial Stone talking to Obito. Kakashi rarely spoke aloud to him but found that whenever he did, he felt more at peace. He felt like his team was listening, watching over him and comprehending what he wasn’t able to say. He could be vulnerable with them; maybe it was time to be vulnerable with someone living, too.

Notes:

Genma & Raidou, nothing could ever make me hate you. As always, let me know your thoughts on the chapter! I haven't had much time to respond to comments recently, so I apologize for that, but I'm reading & loving them. See you next week!

Chapter 12: Uzumaki

Notes:

Beta read by the lovely Deany- thank you <3

Enjoy this week's chapter!

The brats passed his bell test.

Kakashi could honestly say he was shocked when Sasuke and Sakura shared their food with Naruto. They weren’t a team, not even close, but at least Sasuke sort of (not really) figured out the teamwork aspect. Kakashi could tell that Naruto was the one to take Obito’s words to heart. Not that that was necessarily surprising, given Sasuke’s relentless ambition and belief that his teammates would only hold him back and Sakura’s utter devotion to Sasuke and unchanged hatred of Naruto.

Kami, Kakashi had his work cut out for him.

He knew he could talk to Kurenai and Asuma about their teams, what their plans were for training and teamwork building, but Kakashi’s mind immediately went to Soma. Kakashi desperately wanted to rant to Soma about his new team and the struggles he was sure to face. He, Obito, and Rin were little terrors in their own right; Kakashi knew his Team 7 was much worse.

Kakashi decided to try Soma’s apartment. The Uzumaki had returned from his mission the night before. It wasn’t that Kakashi was stalking him or anything of the sort, but he’d been waiting for an opportunity. 

He knocked on Soma’s living room window. The redhead looked up and they locked eyes before a wide smile stretched across the redhead’s face. Soma opened the window, allowing Kakashi entrance.

“Hey, Kakashi! How’s everything been?” Soma asked. Kakashi stepped in and slid off his sandals. It was the reverse of Soma hiding from Anko in Kakashi’s place; this time, it was Kakashi sinking into the couch with things on his mind. Soma closed the book he’d been reading and set it on the coffee table.

“I have a genin team now, if that tells you anything,” Kakashi replied.

“They passed then?”

Kakashi sighed. “Yeah, they passed. No one’s more surprised than me. They’re going to be extremely difficult, I can tell.”

“What was the test like?” Soma asked, and Kakashi told him. He described in detail what transpired during the bell test, including the “1000 Years of Death” technique he’d used on Naruto—it made Soma laugh. He made sure to mention the absolute lack of teamwork he observed from all of the genin. He told Soma their names for the first time, omitting their surnames.

“Sasuke and Sakura shared their lunches with Naruto. Sasuke initiated it, and Sakura followed his lead.”

“That was the only way they could pass, right? I’m assuming you’d never let them get the bells if you could help it,” Soma said. Kakashi scoffed.

“As if three fresh-from-the-Academy genin could take them in the first place. But yes, I wanted to see how they’d approach the food situation.”

“So, they passed because teamwork was the goal and Sasuke helped Naruto,” Soma correctly observed.

“They don’t mesh at all. They’re all so different and there’s no common ground between any of them. They’re so immature,” Kakashi said, then detailed the introductions the three students made. 

“I don’t know what I can do to make them see the bigger picture, one beyond their own dreams. To be honest, Sakura’s the one I’m most worried about from the ‘teamwork’ perspective. She’s unwilling to see Naruto in any favorable way and only cares about Sasuke’s opinion. I’m assuming that when she started at the Academy she had a better goal than marrying someone, but I have no idea how to make her remember that. To show her how to be a good kunoichi.

“She’s going to die if she doesn’t get her head out of the clouds, Soma. Sasuke and Naruto are willing and able to learn and they want to get stronger. It might not be to protect their precious people, at least not yet, but their goals and dreams are only achievable through dedication. Sakura, on the other hand, doesn’t have that drive,” Kakashi explained. Naruto may be considered an idiot but Kakashi could tell he was a hard worker.

“Sakura can influence both of the boys and the functionality of the team. If I can get her to at least acknowledge Naruto and stop obsessing over Sasuke, I think they’d have a good chance of success. Naruto is charismatic, but he can’t do anything short of dying in the field to make his teammates treat him with any sort of respect. It’s worrisome.”

“Hm,” Soma replied, clearly deep in thought. Kakashi let him have some time to mull over the words before taking a breath and steeling himself.

“I’d like to ask a favor,” Kakashi said. Soma’s gaze immediately snapped to him, a question burning in his blue eyes.

“What is it?”

Kakashi hesitated, then decided, fuck it. “Would you consider helping me with my team? I think there are some things that you can teach better than I can. I…I don’t think I can do this alone. Not with this team,” he said, hating himself for faltering. Soma’s head tilted to the side, regarding him with an intensity Kakashi hadn’t seen outside of the spar they’d had and when he’d removed Anko’s seal.

“Will you show them that you care?” Soma asked suddenly.

“What?”

“Will you show them that you care?” he repeated. Kakashi stared at him, uncomprehending, and Soma sighed. “Kakashi, you need to show your team that you’re invested in them. You need to prove to them that you’re willing to teach them. Are you able to do that? Can you open yourself up to three genin?”

Kakashi nearly said “yes” out of reflex, but forced himself to think it over. He’d already been given this team, and that meant they were his genin for the foreseeable future. He thought about his connection to Minato, how that had helped him when he had no one else. Minato was openly kind to Kakashi when he didn’t deserve it and taught him everything Kakashi asked for (within reason). Kakashi understood Soma’s question, then.

“Yes,” Kakashi said slowly, “but I think it’ll take time.”

Soma smiled at him like that was the answer he’d hoped for. “If you’re willing to try, then so am I. I’ll help you,” he said, and Kakashi couldn’t help the sigh of relief that escaped him.

“Thank you,” Kakashi breathed. He felt like he’d been thanking Soma for so much lately. Once Kakashi introduced him to Naruto, though…

Well, Kakashi didn’t want to think about the repercussions of that.

“So, when do you want me to meet them?” Soma asked.

“Well, I really start with them tomorrow, since they passed today and I already let the Hokage know. Would you like to come to our first meeting as a team?” Kakashi hoped he’d say yes. Kakashi could manage them, sure, but if Soma was to be a constant in Team 7’s training, they should meet sooner rather than later. Soma hummed.

“I suppose, if you’re sure that’s what you want.”

“Definitely,” said Kakashi with no hesitation.

“Alright then,” Soma said and turned away from Kakashi. There was emotion swirling in his eyes that Kakashi couldn’t name. Kakashi could see grief in the lines of his face, though, having grown used to what it looked like on Soma in the many quiet moments they shared. He said he’d never really been a teacher, so who is he mourning? It was another question Kakashi was too afraid to ask.

He thought about giving Soma an out, saying that he really didn’t have to help with training Team 7, but Kakashi had never been a thoughtful person. Besides, Soma had already agreed, and Kakashi had the feeling that he wasn’t the type to break a promise. He remained silent, letting Soma stare blankly at the pages of his reopened book, and Kakashi wondered.

~

Fucking hell, Soma thought. There was a rumble in his mindscape and he quickly deposited himself in front of Kurama.

“Kurama, what the fuck am I going to do? How the fuck am I gonna handle seeing chibi Sasuke and Sakura tomorrow?” Soma slid slowly down to the floor of the sewer, pulling his knees to his chest and putting his head in his hands. Kurama’s tails were solid in their presence behind him.

“That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?” Kurama said. Soma didn’t even have the energy to glare at him. “Kit, you’ll be fine. They’re not your Sasuke and Sakura. They’re not dead. They’re not the same people you knew and they never will be as long as you do what you’re here to do.”

“How am I supposed to help them? I haven’t even ensured that our future won’t happen this time. I don’t know how to get Sasuke and Sakura to listen to me.”

“You just have to help guide them,” Kurama said. “You can show Sasuke your strength, and not just in battle prowess. Get Sakura into medical jutsu as soon as you can. Get her to focus on something shinobi-related to pull her out of her Sasuke phase. Kit, all you need to do is help them find things they enjoy and are good at, just as you told Kakashi to do. Heed your own advice for once.”

Soma shook his head. “All this Sasuke cares about is revenge. I’ll need to talk to Itachi at some point, actually. Kami, if my Sasuke was here, he’d call me dobe and have everything figured out already. I don’t think I can plan this out ahead of time,” he said. Kurama nodded.

“That’s fair. I know you’ve already thought about this quite a bit. If you haven’t come up with a plan yet, like Saskue or Shikamaru would have, then your best bet is falling back on that unpredictable, gutsy side of yourself.”

“I haven’t done that in a long time. I’m not sure I know how to be that person anymore, Kurama,” Soma said with a sigh. He stretched his legs out and leaned back into Kurama’s fur.

“You’ll always be that person, Naruto.” Soma snapped his head up to look at Kurama. The fox was grinning down at him. “Didn’t I tell you that you’ll always be Naruto to me? Just because you call yourself ‘Soma’ now doesn’t mean you’re not still Naruto. You’re still Konoha’s Number One Most Unpredictable Ninja. I know you have some crazy ideas rattling around in that head of yours; don’t be afraid to use them.”

Soma couldn’t help it: he teared up. Before he knew it, he was shaking violently with his sobs, mourning his own loss of identity this time. How amazing would it be to be called “Naruto” again? How much did he miss being the unpredictable prankster he was known for being? He didn’t even realize he’d missed it until Kurama used his true name again.

“Naruto?” Kurama said once Soma’s heaving, gasping breaths evened out.

“Yeah, Kurama?”

“When can I call you by your true name?”

Soma thought about it for a moment. “When I’m having a panic attack,” he decided. Kurama nodded in acceptance.

“Alright. Now get out of here before your boyfriend throws a fit.”

“He’s not my–!” Soma was unceremoniously thrown from his mindscape. Fuck you, Kurama, Soma thought angrily. The fox just cackled.

Soma cautiously looked up at Kakashi who was staring at him with a mix of concern and curiosity. Soma grimaced.

“Sorry, got lost in my thoughts for a second,” he said. Kakashi just nodded and didn’t push, for which Soma was grateful. They descended into silence again.

“Do you want to go get some udon?” Soma asked when he couldn’t even pretend to focus anymore. Kakashi hummed and closed his Icha Icha.

“Sure,” he replied and stood. Soma watched Kakashi as he stretched his arms above his head, revealing a strip of pale skin above his waistband. Soma’s mouth went dry at the sight of the pronounced V and trail of silver hair disappearing under Kakashi’s pants. Fuck.

Soma scrambled to stand and hoped to Kami that Kakashi hadn’t seen his less-than-pure thoughts slip into his gaze. Kurama started laughing at him again, and Soma knew his face was on fire. He turned his back to Kakashi and moved to the door, putting his shoes on. He took some deep breaths and shut Kurama out. Soma fiddled with his sandals for a moment before he felt prepared to look at Kakashi again. He grinned, knowing it didn’t reach his eyes, and said, “Shall we?”

The udon place Soma knew of was in the civilian district. They took the streets instead of the roofs, and for once, Soma was glad for it. That was, until an orange blur shot directly at him and Kakashi. Soma knew exactly who it was.

“Hey Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto yelled and Soma winced at the volume.

“Naruto,” Kakashi said mildly. “Why are you running in the civilian district?” Naruto stiffened but recovered quickly.

“No reason, dattebayo!” he replied, and Soma snorted a laugh before he could stop himself. Naruto’s gaze turned to him.

“Hey! Don’t laugh at me!” Soma grinned.

“Sorry, I wasn’t laughing at you. You reminded me of a friend,” Soma said. Naruto eyed him up and down.

“Your hair’s really red! I’ve never seen you in the village before. Were you on a long mission or something?” Naruto asked. Soma figured that his hair was eye-catching enough that his chibi self would’ve noticed him at some point had he been in the village longer.

“I’m new to the village and a jounin. I’m assuming you’re one of Kakashi’s students, then?” Soma said. It was a perfect opening.

“Yep! I’m Uzumaki Naruto, and I’m gonna be Hokage someday, dattebayo!” Naruto shouted. The pedestrians either glared at or ignored him completely. Soma adopted a look of surprise with ease thanks to the training sessions he’d been forced into with Sai when everyone decided his heart was worn too blatantly on his sleeve.

“Did you say Uzumaki?” Soma asked, and Kakashi tensed in his peripheral vision.

“Yes! Uzumaki Naruto!” the kid yelled, and Soma clenched his hand. It was in response to the noise rather than the name, but to onlookers, it seemed he’d gotten some agitating news.

“Well, Uzumaki Naruto, my name is Uzumaki Soma.”

Naruto froze. His light blue eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. “Uzumaki…?” Naruto whispered in awe. “There are other Uzumakis?” He whirled towards Kakashi. “Kakashi-sensei! Is it true? Is he–”

“He’s telling the truth, Naruto. We need to go talk to the Hokage and get this conversation off the street. We can answer your questions there, okay?” Kakashi said kindly, and Soma was impressed despite himself. Kakashi was handling the situation well.

“Really?” Naruto sounded both meek and excited at the same time, which was a feat.

“Of course. Soma?” Kakashi turned to him, apprehension in his gaze.

“Let’s go, then,” Soma said. “Let’s take the roofs. Naruto, would you like to ride on my back or Kakashi’s?” Naruto hesitated.

“Kakashi-sensei’s, please,” he said. Soma smiled at him as Kakashi squatted down with no protest. Naruto climbed on and wrapped his arms tightly around Kakashi. Then they were off, leaping between rooftops and over packed streets that would’ve taken ages to get through. 

“We need to see the Hokage urgently,” Kakashi said to the receptionist, Naruto still clinging to him like a sloth. The man looked up and went to say something, probably a request to wait for him to be done with a meeting, but then Naruto peeked his head out over Kakashi’s shoulder. The receptionist’s face paled and he stood quickly, barely knocking before entering the Hokage’s office.

There was some muffled conversation from the office, then the receptionist stepped out. “You may go in,” he said. Kakashi nodded once and their group entered the office.

The old man looked tired. He had bags under his eyes and the pipe in his mouth was puffing smoke on every sigh he released. If his day had been tough before this, Soma and Kakashi were about to make it so much worse.

Shikaku was standing in the corner of the office, papers in hand and eyeing the group with trepidation. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, though, which told Soma that Shikaku would be entertained by the conversation that was about to occur.

Kakashi let Naruto down from his back. Surprisingly, Naruto didn’t run up to the Hokage like he typically would; instead, he stayed between Kakashi and Soma in a show of almost-defiance—not that Soma thought Naruto knew he was doing it, but it was the principle of the thing. Soma, Naruto, and Kakashi stared the Hokage down and he sighed.

“Naruto–”

“Jiji, why didn’t you tell me?” And it was the most heart wrenching thing Soma had ever heard. Soma heard Kakashi suck in a breath and the Hokage’s eyes were sad.

“I’m sorry, Naruto. I didn’t tell you for your own safety, just as I didn’t tell Soma about you for the same reason. Soma is new to Konoha, which means he hasn’t been fully cleared of suspicion yet,” the Hokage said. “I also asked Kakashi not to say anything to either of you.” Here he addressed both Soma and Naruto.

“But Jiji, what could be so dangerous about him? He’s my family, right? He wouldn’t hurt me!” Naruto yelled, crossing his arms. Soma sighed.

“It’s about my sealing ability, isn’t it?” Soma asked. The Hokage’s eyes flashed to him.

“Why do you say that?” It was a threat if Soma had ever heard one.

“I think I’ve mentioned that I’m a good sensor, yes? I can sense the bijuu chakra inside Naruto. Don’t worry,” he continued, seeing the Hokage making to rise, “I won’t be tampering with his seal. I have no desire to see the Kyuubi attack the village. I haven’t been here long, Hokage-sama, but I hope you trust me enough to at least believe me on that.”

“You’re still in your probationary period, Soma. I cannot, in good conscience, allow you near Naruto until you’ve proven yourself loyal to the village,” the Hokage said.

“But Jiji! He’s family!” Naruto shouted. He quieted, and his next words were more of a murmur. “I’ve always been alone, Jiji. I’ve never had any friends or family. I can tell that Soma-san’s not a threat to me. Please, Jiji,” he begged, tears in his eyes. Kakashi’s hand was clenched in a fist.

“Naruto, I can’t–”

“If I may, Hokage-sama,” Shikaku said, speaking up from the corner. Naruto’s eyes flicked to him in curiosity. The Hokage gestured for him to speak. “I’m of the opinion that Soma is trustworthy.” Soma was surprised. He’d only really spoken with Shikaku during their game of shogi, which in Soma’s mind wouldn’t lead to trust strong enough for Shikaku to profess it to the Hokage.

“I concur,” said Kakashi, and though Soma was much closer with the silver-haired man, he was still taken aback.

The Hokage massaged his temples and sighed. “Are you absolutely certain, Shikaku?”

“Yes,” the jounin commander replied. “I see no reason to deny Naruto the family he rightly deserves.”

“And you, Kakashi?”

“You know my thoughts on all of this business, Hokage-sama,” he said icily, and Soma could hear the insult in the title. Soma assumed Kakashi meant the Hokage forbidding anyone who knew Naruto’s parents from having any contact with him, but the venom in his tone was new. Soma had never heard Kakashi speak like that to anyone. “I believe Soma is a good person. He’s lost his entire family, and he absolutely wouldn’t harm the only one he has left. I agree with Shikaku-san.”

Naruto was watching the exchange with wide eyes, probably trying to understand the nuances of the conversation. The Hokage closed his eyes, puffing smoke.

“As I said,” the Hokage began, “you’re still in your probationary period, Soma. So what I’m allowing is supervised visits. You and Naruto are allowed to see each other whenever you’d like; however, there must be another jounin present. Do you understand?” His eyes were hard, as though challenging Soma to disagree.

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Soma replied. “I’m very excited to get to know you, cousin of mine.” He turned to Naruto at the last, who was still teary-eyed. Soma smiled at the kid and Naruto threw his arms around Soma’s waist.

“I have a family,” Naruto said into Soma’s chest. Soma wrapped one arm around Naruto’s shoulders and ruffled his hair with his free hand.

“You do. We both do,” Soma said, and was suddenly jealous of Naruto. What he wouldn’t have done at twelve years old to meet a fellow Uzumaki.

“Can I call you Soma-nii?” Naruto asked, the question muffled into Soma’s shirt. Soma chuckled.

“Of course, Naruto.” Soma looked up and caught Kakashi’s eye. The jounin was looking at them with a soft gaze, and Soma realized how truly difficult it had been for Kakashi to pretend all those years. Thank you, Soma mouthed to him, and Kakashi nodded in reply.

Naruto pulled away from Soma with a brilliant smile on his face. Kami, did I really smile like that? “Soma-nii! Can you come practice with my team tomorrow? It’s our first day and Kakashi-sensei said he’s gonna start training us! I heard we start on missions, even though they’re only D-ranks, but they should be fun, and–”

Soma ruffled Naruto’s hair again. “I was already planning on coming, believe it or not. Kakashi asked me to stop by.”

“Are you going to teach us?! Are you strong?!”

“I’ll teach you, kid, don’t worry. I’m pretty well-versed in Uzumaki Clan techniques.” Naruto’s eyes brightened even further, which Soma didn’t think was possible.

“We have clan techniques?!” he shouted. Shikaku was smiling at them, the Hokage was trying to look impassive but failing, and Kakashi…

Kakashi looked thoughtful. He wasn’t really looking at them, despite his eye being trained on them. It was a face Soma recognized from the war: consideration, evaluation, and planning. Sometimes Soma managed to forget how smart Copy-Nin Kakashi truly was, but when his “scheming face” (as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had called it) was present, it was hard not to notice. Soma decided he’d ask about it later.

“Yeah, kid, we have Clan techniques. A lot of our history was lost when Uzushio was destroyed in the Second Shinobi War, though, so I don’t know everything,” Soma said.

“I don’t care! I want to learn!”

“You will, I promise.” Soma turned away from Naruto to lock eyes with the Hokage. “Is there anything else, Hokage-sama?”

“No,” he replied. “Kakashi, stay back for a moment.” Soma grimaced and shot Kakashi a commiserating look, giving him a lazy two-fingered salute as he pulled Naruto out of the office behind him. The door closed and silencing seals activated.

“Let’s wait here for Kakashi, okay?” Soma said. Naruto nodded vigorously. They didn’t have to wait long before Kakashi emerged, eye-smile in place and sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“How much trouble are you in?” Soma asked him lowly. Kakashi shrugged.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle. Hey Naruto,” he raised his voice to carry to the blond who was practically hopping in place. “Soma and I will walk you home. You need to rest for training tomorrow, right?” Naruto nodded excitedly and started chattering away.

The three of them walked to Naruto’s shitty apartment. As soon as Soma’s probationary period was over, he’d find a place so Naruto could move in with him. They stopped at his door, and Naruto looked abruptly shy.

“Um, thank you for walking me home, Soma-nii,” he said. “Will you really be there tomorrow?”

“I promise, kid. Get some rest,” Soma replied. Naruto waved at them until he couldn’t be seen anymore. Kakashi sighed.

“So, how angry are you?” he asked, resigned.

“I know you couldn’t tell me about him, Kakashi. It’s not your fault. I’m not mad at you, I promise,” Soma said.

“You should be,” Kakashi muttered.

“Why?”

Kakashi sighed. “Several orders have been issued by the Hokage regarding Naruto that I vehemently disagree with; keeping the two of you separated is one of them, even if I understand where he’s coming from. When we first met, you told me you protect your family and I sincerely believed you. I still do, obviously. I should’ve made that clearer when I reported back to the Hokage.”

“It was an order, Kakashi. There’s nothing you could’ve done at that time to change the Hokage’s decision. Thank you for standing up for me today, though. It meant a lot to both me and Naruto,” Soma said with a grin. Kakashi rolled his eyes.

“So you can give out thanks but won’t accept it, huh?” Soma laughed.

“Yeah, exactly. Now come on, we still haven’t gotten udon and I’m starving,” he said, and Kakashi gave him a gentle, honest smile.

“Alright, but you’re paying.”

“Hai, hai.”

~

Naruto arrived at Training Ground 3 thirty minutes early for training the next day. Neither Sakura nor Sasuke were there yet, but Naruto had been so eager to see Soma-nii again he hadn’t been able to wait longer. He’d barely slept the night before but he wasn’t at all tired. He didn’t want to just sit around and wait for anyone else to show up, so he went through some of the Academy taijutsu katas he remembered (not that he was any good at them).

Sakura showed up twenty minutes later and ignored him when he called out to her. Naruto pouted but went over to sit by her anyway. They were on a team now, right? That meant they had to start getting along. He sat far enough away from her that he was out of reach of her punches.

“Sakura-chan! Guess what?” Naruto said once he sat. Sakura glared at him.

“Shut up, idiot! I don’t care about whatever it is you want to say,” she replied haughtily. Naruto drooped a little and his crush on Sakura took a mighty hit.

“Okay,” he said, and forced himself into silence. He got bored after only a few minutes and was vibrating in place when Sasuke finally appeared, hands in his pockets and hair in that same stupid duckbutt style.

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura yelled, standing and running to him. Naruto just rolled his eyes. What was so great about the Uchiha anyway?

The three of them were clearly expecting to have to wait a while for Kakashi-sensei to show up, if he was as consistently tardy as he seemed. So they were very surprised when they saw Kakashi-sensei walking towards them only five minutes later than he’d said to meet. Soma-nii wasn’t with him, though, and Naruto couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“Maa, Naruto, he’ll be here soon. He had to drop something off for the Hokage,” Kakashi-sensei said when he saw Naruto’s face. Naruto lit up.

“Really?!”

“Of course. I promised, didn’t I?” a voice said from behind him, and Naruto turned to see Soma-nii grinning at him.

“Soma-nii! You’re here!” Naruto blocked out Sakura and Sasuke’s confusion and ran up to Soma-nii, hugging him. Soma-nii laughed and patted his head.

“I’m just here to observe for now. Kakashi’s your sensei, so listen to him, okay?” Soma-nii said when Naruto pulled away. Naruto saluted.

“Yosh!”

“Um…” it was Sakura who spoke up. She was staring at Soma-nii with a weird look on her face. “Who are you?”

Soma-nii rubbed the back of his neck, something Naruto also did when he was nervous. “Oh, sorry. I’m Uzumaki Soma, a new jounin of Konoha and Naruto’s cousin.” Sakura and Sasuke’s mouths dropped open.

“Uzumaki?!”

Notes:

The meeting you've all been waiting for! I hope this is what you wanted and more. I promise you'll get to see some Team 7 action next chapter. Your kudos & comments make this worth writing, so let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 13: Seven

Seeing Sakura and Sasuke again was easier than Soma expected. Their chakra was the thing most alike about them. Kami, Soma had forgotten how mean Sakura was when they first started out as a team. He’d never forget how aloof Sasuke was, though. 

“Uzumaki?!” Sasuke said and Sakura screeched. Naruto was beaming.

“Yep! Apparently I’m from a clan! They all died out, though, except for Soma-nii,” Naruto replied. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

“Wait, you said you’re a new jounin, right? Did you grow up here?” Sakura asked.

“No, I’m originally from Uzushiogakure. That’s where the Uzumaki clan was from before the village was destroyed in the Second Shinobi War. I’ve been… traveling ever since,” Soma replied. He wasn’t sure what the kids’ reactions would be if he mentioned his stint as a bounty hunter. “And what might your names be?”

Sakura flushed. “I’m Haruno Sakura.”

“Uchiha Sasuke,” Sasuke growled. Soma couldn’t be happier that this Sasuke was so divorced in nature from the one he’d loved.

“As Soma said,” Kakashi butted in, “he’ll be observing our training today. He’s agreed to help teach you three when he can. He’s an active jounin, meaning he’ll be sent on missions often. Don’t expect him here every day. Understand?”

“Hai, sensei,” chorused the genin.

“Alright, let’s get started. First, I want to assess your proficiency in taijutsu. Each of you will spar against me individually. I will only defend, not attack. Do your best to break through my guard. No ninjutsu or genjutsu is allowed. Clear?”

“Hai, sensei.”

“Good. Sasuke, you start. Naruto and Sakura, observe.” Kakashi lowered into his stance. His taijutsu, from what Soma remembered, was a mix of many styles but its foundation was the ANBU style. Kakashi was fast even without the Sharingan.

At this age, Sasuke used the Uchiha style step-by-step. It was predictable even if it wasn’t sloppy. Once anyone got a good read on his movements, they’d stop him every time. Sasuke was about to learn that the hard way.

Soma watched as Sasuke threw himself at Kakashi with pinpoint accuracy. Kakashi blocked the expected strike with ease, just as he did the next. And the next. And the next. Soma could see that Sasuke was getting frustrated quickly; he couldn’t find and exploit any openings in Kakashi’s position. Soma also noticed that there were gaps in his guard when he punched with his left hand.

“Pause for a second,” Soma said before he could stop himself. Sasuke halted his attempt to pummel Kakashi and both ninjas looked at him. Soma cringed. “Sorry, never mind.”

“No, Soma, what is it?” Kakashi said. Soma regarded him for a moment and then stood, making his way to Sasuke.

“Can I try something?” he asked both Kakashi and Sasuke.

“Be my guest,” Kakashi replied, and Soma could hear the smirk in his voice.

“Hah! You’re already stepping into a role as a sensei!” Kurama crowed.

“Whatever, stupid fox,” Soma said. He walked up and stood before Sasuke.

“What we’re going to do is the reverse of what you were just doing with Kakashi. I’m going to attack and you’re going to defend. I’ll use the Uchiha Style of taijutsu as my base, alright?”

“You know the Uchiha Style?” Sasuke asked, eyes wide.

“I know many different taijutsu styles. I was taught the Uchiha Style by an Uchiha many years ago after I lost my village. It doesn’t work well for my fighting style, but I wanted to learn. I can still use it,” Soma said. “Now, drop into your stance.” Sasuke got into position and Soma mirrored him. “Remember, you’re just defending. Ready?”

At Sasuke’s nod, Soma leapt forward. He held back as much as he could, going through the standard movements of the Uchiha style. Sasuke was able to block the first few strikes because Soma made them obvious and allowed Sasuke to read him. Then, Soma started going after the Uchiha’s weak spots.

Soma, still using only the Uchiha style, broke through Sasuke’s defense and tapped Sasuke in the spots where his guard was weak or nonexistent. He slowly increased his speed, forcing Sasuke to follow him, and gradually Sasuke adapted his defense to cover his weak areas. This was the method Soma had thought about using with Lee and Neji; after all, it was how Soma had learned so many of the taijutsu styles in his repertoire.

By the time Soma pulled back and allowed Sasuke a breather, the kid was panting and Soma was using about an eighth of his speed. Sasuke’s arms were still up in his guard but they were shaking with effort. Soma smiled.

“Take a break, Sasuke. Did you learn anything useful?” Soma asked. Sasuke rose out of his stance and let his arms drop to his sides.

“Hn,” Sasuke replied. Soma rolled his eyes.

“It’s a yes or no question. I expect an actual response.” Soma stared Sasuke down.

“Yes,” Sasuke finally said grudgingly.

“Good. You don’t have your Sharingan yet, but once you do, you’ll be able to improve your taijutsu drastically. You fixed your guard in the places I pointed out, which is a good start, but you’re very predictable. What you should do is learn other styles and combine them with the Uchiha style. It will make your moves harder to read. You remember how easy it was for Kakashi to block your strikes, yes?” Sasuke nodded. “Good. You did well. Stretch a bit before you sit down, then watch whoever’s next. Kakashi?” Soma turned and saw Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura gawking at him. He flushed. 

“Soma-nii! That was so cool!” Naruto shouted. “You fought like Sasuke-teme but better!”

“Baka Naruto! Don’t say anything bad about Sasuke-kun when you can barely hold a kunai!” Sakura said and she made to punch Naruto in the head. Soma wasn’t sure what came over him but in the next second, he was grabbing Sakura’s wrist before her fist connected.

“You know, I don’t take kindly to people hurting my family,” Soma said conversationally with Sakura’s arm still in his grasp. “Naruto didn’t say anything deserving of punishment, in my opinion.” Sakura stared at him wide eyed, clearly surprised that anyone stood up for Naruto.

“He’s right,” Kakashi chimed in. “Sakura, you’re not allowed to hit Naruto for saying anything negative about Sasuke if it’s productive. He was making an observation, not bashing your teammate. Do you understand?” Kakashi’s gaze was steel.

“Yes, Sensei,” Sakura replied, cowed. Soma’s eyes met Kakashi’s and there was a mutual understanding there: we won’t let Sakura bully Naruto into anything. Of course, Soma knew that Sakura’s bullheadedness wouldn’t disappear overnight, but maybe the two of them could make her comprehend that putting one person’s strengths over another’s was detrimental.

Kakashi clapped his hands and disrupted the somewhat awkward air. “Alright, now that Sasuke’s had his turn, how about we switch to Sakura?” The pink-haired girl nodded and shakily stood. She faced Kakashi in the standard Konoha taijutsu form, which Soma knew was good for her. Konoha’s style favored fire- and earth-users, and Sakura’s elemental affinity was earth. Her stamina was absolutely abysmal, though.

Soma sat between Naruto and Sasuke as they watched. Sakura had the basics down but had clearly never fought anyone outside of the Academy. She was sloppy and her body didn’t move through the katas naturally. Her practical application of the concepts she learned in the Academy was rough at best.

Soma noticed, however, that Sakura was unconsciously augmenting her punches with chakra. This boost was what had given her the incredible strength Soma witnessed after returning from training with Jiraiya. Her control was exceptional even without Tsunade’s training. If Sakura was able to hit Kakashi, he’d be thrown back far enough to reach the treeline. Soma considered his options as she attempted to rain her fists down over Kakashi, and decided that the earlier Sakura could focus on being a kunoichi over Sasuke, the better.

Sakura didn’t last long in taijutsu against Kakashi. Not that Kakashi was attacking at all, but Sakura’s stamina was poor. Soma observed her from the sidelines with Naruto and Sasuke, both of whom seemed quietly judgmental of their teammate’s lack of endurance. Soma was surprised that even Naruto was unimpressed.

Kakashi was obviously trying to think of something productive to say to the girl. Sakura was sweaty and panting from exertion, even though the spar lasted less than five minutes. Kakashi had a pinched look on his face that Soma immediately recognized as disappointment, though none of the kids were able to pick up on it.

“Sakura,” Soma said, drawing the kunoichi’s attention. Her pink hair was slightly frizzy and she’d taken great care not to damage her dress during the spar. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “You have incredibly precise chakra control. Your reserves are smaller than your teammates’, but what that means is you have the capacity to learn more delicate techniques. Have you ever heard of Senju Tsunade of the Sannin?”

“Hai, Soma-san. Tsunade-hime is the most well-known medical ninja in the Elemental Nations,” Sakura replied dutifully.

“Correct. With your chakra control, I believe you could aim to emulate her. It’s not a path to be taken lightly: medical ninja are essential to the operation of the Hidden Villages, and they are the ones on whom we fall when we need help. If that is something that appeals to you, you should do some research,” Soma said. Sakura blushed.

“I, um, I don’t think I could ever measure up to a Sannin, Soma-san,” Sakura said. Soma tilted his head quizzically and Kakashi looked slightly amused.

“And? So what if you never make it to her level? That’s the point of having a dream, a goal, is it not?” Soma asked. “I bet if you put your mind to it, you could surpass Tsunade. All you need to do is believe in yourself and the kunoichi you can grow to become.” There was a pause as Sakura considered it.

“Sakura, when you started at the Academy, why did you want to become a ninja?” Kakashi asked curiously.

“Because Sas–” she cut herself off. Soma was glad she did, because he didn’t want Kakashi to have to guide her to the right answer. Sakura considered the question as Kakashi had asked: it wasn’t who do you like or what’s your dream or who do you want to impress. Soma knew that in the beginning, Sakura had had a better motivation for being a kunoichi than she’d realized until it was almost too late.

“Because I was saved by a kunoichi,” she replied.

“Saved from what?” Kakashi asked, urging her on.

“Drowning.” Death.

“And why did that impact you?”

“Because without her, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Kakashi nodded at her response and Soma smiled. “There you have it,” Soma said. “Being a kunoichi is not about catering to others’ needs. As a kunoichi, you need to grow into who you truly are. You need to understand where you come from and your values. You need to be strong to help others, just as the kunoichi who saved you was, but you also need to be strong for yourself. Tsunade-sama is a prime example of both aspects. Your teammates will protect you with their lives, even if they don’t believe they’re strong enough to do so; can and will you do the same?”

Sakura bowed her head. “Hai, Soma-san,” she said. Despite the slight tremor in her voice, Soma figured it was a good start.

“Alright then,” Kakashi said. “Sakura, take a break. Naruto, you’re up.” Soma didn’t even have to watch the spar to know how terrible Naruto’s taijutsu was. He knew the Academy katas but he’d never had anyone to practice with outside of class. The knowledge was there, technically, but Naruto had no idea how to actually use it in a spar.

Sure enough, Naruto was chaotic and his form was littered with holes. He was much worse than Sasuke and only marginally better than Sakura, and the only reason for that was his stamina. Naruto could maintain a near-endless stream of energy no matter who he was fighting.

There was something sharp in Kakashi’s gaze as he watched Naruto try to hit him. Yes, Naruto’s taijutsu was immensely sloppy; however, he was able to catch Kakashi off guard a few times by throwing in some imaginative moves. Konoha’s No. 1 Most Unpredictable Ninja, Soma’s mind supplied as he watched. Naruto would likely gain that title once again if this spar was anything to go off of.

Kakashi looked pained when he called the spar to an end. Back when Kakashi was Kakashi-sensei and Soma was Naruto, Soma had been much too interested in his genin teammates to pay much attention to the reactions of the jounin. Kakashi was full of self-loathing and doubt, and so much of it came down to Kakashi’s belief that he should’ve fought the Sandaime much harder on Naruto’s forced isolation. Soma had forgiven Kakashi-sensei for that and he was sure Naruto would do the same.

“Naruto, we’re going to have to work hard on improving your taijutsu,” Kakashi said. His voice was almost flat in the way that it got when he was feeling intense emotions and didn’t want to show them. “We need to build your foundation up to a much higher level than you’re at now. Got it?”

“Yosh! I’ll work hard and be the best, dattebayo!” Naruto replied, saluting. Kakashi sighed and Soma stifled a snort.

“Soma, do you have any ideas?” Kakashi asked.

“Yeah, actually. Naruto, do you know your elemental affinity?” All three genin and Kakashi eyed him with interest.

“What’s an element affinity?” Naruto asked, scratching his cheek in confusion. Soma could see Sakura about to butt in with a cutting comment about Naruto’s brain capacity but Soma spoke first.

“An elemental affinity is a ninja’s natural and inherent ability to use jutsus of a specific element more easily than others. For example, my primary affinity is wind, meaning I grasp high-level wind jutsus much easier than jutsus of other elements, like earth,” Soma explained. Kakashi nodded along.

“Oftentimes, Clans pass affinities through their bloodline,” Kakashi continued. “Take the Uchiha, for example,” he nodded at Sasuke, “they tend to have fire as their primary or secondary affinities. They’re known for their Great Fireball jutsu throughout the Elemental Nations.”

“Can you tell me what affinity I have?! What about Sakura-chan and you, Kakashi-sensei?!” Naruto asked, bouncing excitedly in place. Soma met Kakashi’s eye.

“My primary affinity is lightning,” Kakashi offered.

“Cool!” Naruto shouted. “But! But Soma-nii, why does it matter what my affinity is? We’re doing taijutsu!”

Soma smiled. “You’re right. I’m asking because the taijutsu style taught in the Academy here is primarily centered around those with earth and fire affinities. If you’re wind-natured, like me, the Konoha Academy style is difficult because it doesn’t mesh well with how I naturally want to move.” Soma pulled some chakra-conducting paper from his pocket.

“This is paper that will tell you what primary affinity you have. Channel chakra into your fingers, like this,” Soma demonstrated, pinching the paper between his pointer and middle fingers and directing chakra into the paper. It split down the middle almost immediately. “It split, which means I have a wind affinity. Crinkling means lightning, crumbling means earth, getting damp means water, and turning to ash means fire. Now, you try.”

He handed Naruto a piece. The boy took it and his face turned serious (if slightly constipated) as he focused. The paper split down the middle, just like Soma’s. Soma relished Kakashi’s look of surprise.

“Soma-nii! I’m the same as you!” Oh, how true of a statement that was. Soma walked over and ruffled Naruto’s hair with a grin.

“You are! There aren’t many wind users in the Land of Fire, you know. It’s an immensely strong offensive chakra nature,” Soma replied, thinking of what Kakashi-sensei had told him while training to develop the Rasenshuriken. Naruto had stars in his eyes.

“Really?!”

“Yeah, kiddo. But, since we’re starting with training your taijutsu, I know some styles that are better suited to wind-natured people. I bet if you learned them, you’d feel much more comfortable in hand-to-hand. What do you think?”

“Yes, Soma-nii! Please teach me! I want to learn!” Naruto yelled. “Can we see what Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan’s affinities are?” The other two genin on Team 7 looked up in interest.

“Curious, are you? Kakashi, what do you think?” Soma replied.

“Maa, might as well,” Kakashi said. Soma grinned at him and handed paper to Sakura and Sasuke. Sasuke’s crinkled and Sakura’s crumbled.

“Sasuke has a lightning primary and Sakura has an earth primary,” Kakashi explained.

“Lightning?” Sasuke said, surprised.

“It’s not uncommon for an Uchiha to have fire as their secondary nature, Sasuke,” Kakashi said. “Lightning is a very good affinity to have once you unlock your Sharingan. Lightning-based attacks are fast, and having a Sharingan will let you expand your repertoire.

“Sakura, my secondary affinity is earth. Once we start ninjutsu training, I’ll be able to teach you earth-based jutsu. If Soma’s right about your chakra control and you decide to pursue medical jutsu, learning earth ninjutsu will be a great asset to you. Earth is especially beneficial in creating defenses.”

“When can we start learning ninjutsu, Kakashi-sensei?!” Naruto asked. 

“Kurama, did I always speak with exclamation points at the end of my sentences?”

“Before developing Rasenshuriken? Yes.”

“Ugh.” Soma was going to have to figure out a way to get Naruto to both lower the volume of his voice and stop wearing orange. What a daunting task.

“Hah! You’re fucked,” Kurama said gleefully. “Now you get to deal with yourself just like everyone else did.”

“Shut up, Kurama.” He had a point, though.

“There are other things we have to get through first,” Kakashi said in response to Naruto. Naruto pouted.

“But Kakashi-sensei…”

“No, Naruto,” he said firmly. Soma was impressed. “We’re going to do some stamina work next. Let’s start with some running. Ten laps around the village.”

“Ten?!” the genin shouted, Sakura’s screech louder than even Naruto. Kakashi eye-smiled.

“Yep! Get going now,” he said, and the genin grumbled as they trotted away. “And no stopping!”

“You’re a sadist,” Soma said, grinning. Kakashi just hummed and sat down to wait, pulling out Icha Icha. Soma went through some basic wind-based taijutsu katas he’d start Naruto on.

“Alright, we’re done for today,” Kakashi said once the three genin returned to the training ground, exhausted and sweaty. Naruto made a noise of complaint.

“But Kakashi-sensei! We haven’t even learned anything today!” Naruto said. Soma watched as Kakashi tilted his head.

“Are you sure?”

Naruto paused and thought about it, seeming to realize just how much he’d actually discovered over the course of the taijutsu session. “Sorry, Kakashi-sensei. You’re right,” he said. Kakashi gave him an eye-smile.

“I usually am. Now go home and get some rest.”

“Yosh!” said Naruto. “Soma-nii, do you want to get ramen with me? Ichiraku Ramen is the best around!”

“Sure, Naruto. We’ll celebrate your first full day of being a genin,” Soma said with a smile.

“Yosh! Kakashi-sensei should come too! And–” Naruto cut himself off, seeing that his teammates had already left the training ground. He drooped slightly but perked back up quickly.

“Maa, I’ll join you,” Kakashi replied. Naruto’s grin grew wider and he grabbed Soma’s arm to pull him towards Ichiraku’s. Soma let himself be dragged and listened to Naruto as the kid rambled on and on.

The three of them sat and ordered at Ichiraku’s. Teuchi greeted them and Naruto, as enthusiastic as ever about ramen, got extra pork slices for completing his first day on Team 7. Naruto talked non stop throughout the meal even as he inhaled three bowls. Soma and Kakashi contributed little but enough that Naruto knew they were paying attention. Naruto had started to loosen up a bit around the adults, learning to trust them in his own way.

Soma and Kakashi walked Naruto home again that night and said goodbye to the boy at his door. “I think today went pretty well, Kakashi,” Soma said as they left. Kakashi sighed.

“Maa, I suppose,” he replied. There were clearly some things on his mind and Soma didn’t push. They made their way back to their apartment building and when they got to Kakashi’s door, the silver-haired man hesitated.

“Are you okay?” Soma asked.

“I–” Kakashi paused, took a breath. “Do you want to come in? I have something I want to get off my chest.”

~

Watching Soma interact with Team 7 was fascinating. He was immediately able to clock their strengths and weaknesses in taijutsu and he saw future avenues for them to explore to improve. It was impressive.

Kakashi wouldn’t have thought to test the kids’ elemental affinities right off the bat. He didn’t think it would affect taijutsu, definitely not to the extent Soma indicated, and Kakashi couldn’t help but be curious about taijutsu forms from Kumo tailored to those with lightning affinities. Kakashi’s taijutsu had always been good, exceptional even, but having seen Soma fight Gai with different forms he’d picked up around the Elemental Nations made Kakashi want to know more. He knew a lot about the ninjutsu styles of other nations but not their taijutsu.

Soma had said he’d spar Kakashi in kenjutsu at some point; maybe he could be convinced to teach Kakashi some taijutsu, too.

His first official training session with Team 7 went much smoother than he’d expected. He figured it had quite a lot to do with Soma’s presence. He’d figured out a way to teach Sasuke in a non-condescending manner, one that didn’t single the kid out for anything. Kakashi hadn’t noticed Sakura infusing her taijutsu with chakra until Soma mentioned Tsunade (and wasn’t that a scary image: a civilian girl growing up to be stronger than the Slug Princess). And Soma knew exactly how to get Naruto engaged in things he’d otherwise have no interest in.

Something Kakashi couldn’t get out of his head was how similar Soma and Minato were. From what little Kakashi remembered about Minato-sensei prior to him becoming Hokage, he knew Minato was patient and kind while pushing all of Team 7 to be the best versions of themselves. Kakashi could never hope to embody that person to his students, but now he knew he could rely on Soma to fill some of that role.

All of these thoughts led Kakashi to thinking about Minato, Rin, and Obito. Shikaku’s words flashed through his mind: “Wait until you’re ready to tell him. He doesn’t need to know everything about you, Kakashi, but I do think it would help him understand you better. When you’re ready for that, tell him.” He was ready to tell Soma about his team.

Kakashi let Soma into his apartment. He sat on the couch, tense, as Soma came to sit beside him. They weren’t touching but Kakashi could feel the heat emanating off the other man, leeching between the ten inches that separated their thighs. Kakashi’s hands trembled and he clasped them together to hide the evidence of his anxiety. He must not have done a good job of it, though, considering Soma set him a worried look.

“Kakashi, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with your team? Did I do something? Is the village going to be attacked? Is–” Well, at least he’s a bit stressed, too, Kakashi thought ruefully.

“No, no, nothing like that,” Kakashi said, cutting him off before his guesses could get more outlandish. “This is more… personal.”

At that, Soma turned himself slightly. His knees pointed diagonally towards Kakashi, his back was straight, his hands were folded in his lap, and his expression was serious. Kakashi could feel the full weight of Soma’s attention on him and couldn’t meet his eyes. He stayed facing resolutely forward.

“I–” Fuck. Kakashi chanced a glance at Soma. The kindness on the man’s face was almost too much for Kakashi to handle and he squeezed his eye shut.

“Take your time, Kakashi,” Soma muttered softly. “I’m not going anywhere.” Kami, of course Soma would say that. Kakashi choked out a humorless laugh.

“They all said that to me, you know, in their own ways,” Kakashi said.

“Who did?”

“My team,” Kakashi whispered. Soma stiffened.

“What do you mean?”

“My genin team. It was me, Minato-sensei, Nohara Rin, and Uchiha Obito. Ever since I was assigned Team 7, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them; Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura remind me so much of us. I think…” Kakashi trailed off and swallowed. “I think I need to talk about them. Will you listen?”

This was the most vulnerable Kakashi had been in years. It made his skin itch and hands shuffle, restless and searching for somewhere to settle. He stared resolutely at the coffee table in front of him, his right knee bouncing in a clear sign of unease that he was typically able to hide. But not now, not in front of Soma. He couldn’t afford to allocate any of his mental capacity to calming his outward expressions of agitation, not when he needed this.

“Of course I’ll listen,” Soma said gently, and Kakashi saw the soft smile on his face from the corner of his eye. Kakashi released a breath and started talking.

“I graduated from the Academy when I was five. Rin and Obito were a few years older than me. I looked down on almost everyone around me, including my teammates. Being a Hatake, there were expectations set for me from a very young age: be the best, care only about the mission, and follow the rules. I memorized the shinobi rulebook by the time I started at the Academy and would actually quote it to Obito when he did something… well, outside the realm of what I considered ‘acceptable’ for a ninja.

“Minato-sensei gave us the bell test, just as I did for my team. It could probably be considered even worse than what Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura demonstrated, considering I used Rin and Obito essentially as pawns to get the bells from Minato-sensei. I certainly wasn’t the best team player back then,” Kakashi said, feeling a sad smile stretching his lips beneath his mask. Soma was silent, watching him with a calm sort of understanding.

“Sasuke reminds me of myself a lot. After my father… died, I decided that I didn’t care about anyone outside of my mission. I didn’t care about myself let alone my teammates. Minato-sensei tried his best to get me to see the error in that line of thinking, but I’d idolized my father and the circumstances that led to his death caused me to become averse to any sense of camaraderie. You know the story of the Uchiha Massacre, right?” Kakashi asked.

“I do,” said Soma. “Itachi is Sasuke’s brother, is he not?”

Kakashi sighed. “He is. Sasuke lost everyone when Itachi killed his clan. I’m sure the kid wishes Itachi had taken that sword to him as well, to spare him the pain of living.” Soma’s eyes glimmered in agreement.

“When you’re the last of all you’ve ever cared about, the grief is nearly impossible to bear,” Soma said quietly. Kakashi hummed.

“Exactly. I understand Sasuke to an almost frightening degree. You told me a while ago to not single any of my students out for being similar to me, but with Sasuke, I think it’ll be tricky. The problem is that I’m not sure how to help him,” Kakashi said.

“What helped you?” Soma asked. Kakashi grimaced.

“Nothing good,” he said. Soma didn’t press. “Anyway, Sakura reminds me of Rin. Rin was our medic, great with chakra control and keeping our team together. She, ah, had an… infatuation with me, though not to the extent Sakura has with Sasuke. She and Obito were friends before our team was assigned, which made things a bit easier. I never really paid her much attention until after–” Kakashi stopped. He didn’t want to talk about Obito’s death yet.

“Obito and Naruto are so similar it’s painful,” Kakashi continued. “Obito was my best friend. He was always late, giving lame excuses–” sound familiar? “--and shouting about becoming the Hokage. He was a black sheep of the Uchiha and he wanted everyone to acknowledge him. Obito cared deeply for his friends and comrades, just as I can see Naruto doing once his classmates stop dismissing him as a hopeless idiot.” Soma smiled a little.

“So, you don’t think Naruto’s a hopeless idiot?”

“Not at all,” Kakashi said, shaking his head. “He’s an orphan hated by the village and his classmates for the Kyuubi sealed within him. He hasn’t been able to learn properly, I’m guessing, especially if he has the same issues with chakra control as you did. Konoha isn’t Uzushio, so we aren’t as aware of how to train people with large chakra reserves like you and Naruto.” Soma nodded thoughtfully.

“And you, Soma, evoke memories of Minato-sensei,” Kakashi said. Soma startled and stared at him wide-eyed.

“I remind you of the Yondaime?” he asked, aghast. Kakashi chuckled.

“The way you teach is similar,” he replied with a shrug. Soma blinked at him and Kakashi finally relaxed a little.

“Um, thank you,” Soma murmured. He was blushing.

“Just speaking the truth,” Kakashi said with a smirk, causing Soma’s blush to deepen. Genma was right: Soma was easy to fluster. Kakashi’s thoughts turned serious once again.

“It all started to go downhill during the Third Shinobi War. One of the reasons I graduated from the Academy so early was because it was wartime and Konoha needed soldiers. Once Obito and Rin made Chuunin, we were sent out on increasingly dangerous missions. Minato-sensei was Konoha’s Yellow Flash, meaning he couldn’t be with us all the time, especially once I became a jounin.

“On my first mission as a jounin…” Kakashi swallowed the bile threatening to choke him. “I was still a stickler for the rules. There’s a quote I tell everyone I teach, ANBU and genin alike: ‘ In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum.’ Obito said that to me when I wanted to finish the mission we were set and leave Rin behind when she was captured by enemy nin. He changed my life,” Kakashi said. He forced his voice to be flat and emotionless. He’d never talked to anyone about this besides Minato-sensei and Rin.

Kakashi couldn’t force out the words he desperately wanted to say: this is Obito’s eye. He told me to see the future for him, but for the longest time, I didn’t think there was a future worth seeing. This eye has seen so much death. It’s seen me merciless and cold-blooded. It saw me kill Rin, the most precious person to this eye. Luckily, Soma offered him a way to say all of it and none of it.

“I’m sorry if this is insensitive to ask, and you certainly don’t have to answer, but Kakashi, did you get your Sharingan from Obito?” Soma asked gently. Kakashi stared at his hands and then nodded.

“Yes. It was a gift,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry,” Soma said, and it was sincere. There was no trace of pity in his voice unlike everyone else who’d tried to comfort Kakashi after Obito’s death. 

“Thank you,” Kakashi breathed, and for now, that was enough.

Notes:

We're back with some Team 7 training! Let me know your thoughts in the comments- I love hearing from y'all.

(And, of course, a heartfelt thank you to Deany for dealing with me & this story <3)

Chapter 14: Roots

Notes:

Early chapter this week because I'm moving tomorrow and won't have time to post. Featuring a new POV and a fight scene. Enjoy!

Soma had a plan. It wasn’t foolproof—what plan was?—but for what Soma needed to do, it would work. He and Kurama had devised the plan whenever they’d had time over the past week between training with Team 7, going on the occasional quick mission with other jounin (nothing higher than B-rank), and sitting around studying jutsu while Kakashi read Icha Icha.  

Soma had managed to pinpoint Danzo using Sage Mode. He knew the two places Danzo spent most of his time: his home and ROOT headquarters. Soma was sure that Danzo had evidence of his crimes in both locations but the most egregious files were most certainly in his office. There were ROOT agents protecting his home, of course, but his office in headquarters was by far more secure considering the sheer number of agents milling around at any given time. 

Soma knew Kakashi hated the man but absolutely didn’t want him involved in the plan. Soma had too much knowledge of ANBU and ROOT to explain away as an outsider, and he wasn’t sure if Kakashi felt strongly enough to condone killing Danzo. Which was exactly how Soma’s plan would shake out if everything went accordingly.

Sasuke deserved to be the one to kill Danzo, just as he had in the other timeline, but Soma couldn’t let the man continue poisoning Konoha and the Sandaime with his fanatical ideologies built upon control and ruthless sacrifice. Soma and Sasuke had discussed how to go about it. Sasuke, of course, had wanted to personally kill him again, which Soma was all for; however, now that his Sasuke was dead, the burden fell to Soma. Not that he minded, but premeditated murder of a Konoha shinobi sat oddly with Soma, even if it was Danzo.

Soma was still being watched by ANBU, but the numbers had dwindled, with only two sitting on him now which meant Soma would have an easier time escaping his apartment without detection. His privacy seals were activated as always, including chakra-absorbing ones, so Soma could create a shadow clone like he’d done when he went to the Forest of Death for Kurama’s gift.

A mask adorned the lower half of Soma’s face and a hood was drawn low over his hair, Dojikiri’s weight steady and familiar upon his back. He looked like a mercenary, or maybe the bounty hunter he was renowned for being, and Soma knew he wouldn’t be recognized even if Kakashi saw him (unless Kakashi used the Sharingan or saw Soma’s eyes). Clad entirely in black, he didn’t bother with a henge, knowing that it would disperse as soon as he entered ROOT headquarters.

Kurama was restlessly excited for this.

Soma slipped into Sage Mode, tracking Danzo to ROOT headquarters. There were another 100 or so chakra signatures there—ROOT agents, of course. Soma would do his best to avoid them, but for those he couldn’t, he had senbon and kunai coated with a paralytic poison Sakura had developed.

“Are you ready, Kit?”

“Yeah, Kurama, I think so. I won’t be able to let you out, you know. Your chakra’s too recognizable and my seals only hide my own while using it.”

“I know. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Soma smiled. “I’ll try my best.”

Konoha was quiet this late at night. The only sounds were crickets chirping and the occasional light footsteps of the shinobi on guard duty. Streetlamps were lit and lights were on in a few 24 hour corner stores, but there was no movement besides the moths flocking to the gleam of the lamps. It was tranquil and Soma was prepared to break the peace.

He ran on silent feet across rooftops he knew by heart. His days of pranking civilians and ANBU alike had shown him the best routes to take to avoid patrols. Hiding in plain sight was as easy as breathing.

ROOT was headquartered in a basement which Soma thought was apt. Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taicho had spoken about it a few times during the war, though Sai remained tight-lipped about his time there even after the cursed seal disappeared. Soma understood; it was a trauma that Sai had never been given the time to process. Soma’s teachers had described it as a dark hollow, haunted by a quiet sort of despair. Soma had to agree when he slipped through one of the windows and observed the open space before him.

There were a few guards stationed in the cavernous hall. If Danzo knew he was coming, there would most certainly be more and they’d be on much higher alert. As it was, Soma’s chakra suppression seals seemed to be doing their job.

He crawled along the ceiling and dropped silently behind the ROOT operatives guarding the entrance to the tunnel leading deeper into the building. He didn’t knock them out and hoped the decision wouldn’t come back to bite him. Soma hurried down the hallway, still in Sage Mode to sense the movements of those around him. No one was converging on his location—he was in the clear for the next few turns. Then, it would get challenging.

Soma turned right, then left, right, right, left. Danzo’s chakra was getting closer as he sneaked through the corridors without a sound. Soma crawled back up onto the ceiling before turning the next corner, sensing the presence of a few ROOT operatives moving towards his location. Their chakra was steady, though, leading Soma to believe they were simply following their standard patrol.

He snuck above four people in ANBU masks, none of them the wiser. He’d continue on the ceiling until he reached Danzo’s office: the foot traffic was much heavier in that area than the ones he’d passed already. He couldn’t risk having a blasé attitude and being discovered too early no matter how good his sensing skills were.

Finally, after passing over what had to have been half of ROOT’s entire force stationed within the building without being detected, Soma reached the corridor he’d been looking for. A big metal door stood in the center of the left wall, heavily enforced with seals Soma would bet everything he owned were stolen from Uzushio. There were four guards: one on either side of the door and two standing opposite them across the hall. Here, Soma would have to show himself.

He worked quickly. Senbon were sailing from Soma’s fingers before any of the ROOT standing guard even registered he was there. One, two, three, four. Each senbon lodged itself in the arm of a ROOT shinobi, causing all four of them to sink to the ground under the force of Sakura’s paralytic. It was potent; these ROOT members wouldn’t be moving for a long while.

The guards dealt with, Soma moved to dismantling the seals covering the door. They were designed such that only Danzo, those he trusted, and an Uzumaki with exceptional sealing knowledge could break them, and Soma was exactly that.

Soma drew silencing seals on the wall outside the door before completely breaking the defensive seals, hoping they would at least dampen the sounds of the fight that was to come. If the fight moved beyond the office, though, they wouldn’t have any effect. Oh well.

He broke the seals. Danzo’s chakra flared, just as Soma expected it would, and Soma slammed open the door.

Danzo was standing behind his desk, a severe glare leveled at whoever had dared step through his door. Soma, hood still up over his hair and mask on his face, didn’t see any recognition in Danzo’s gaze. Soma was going to kill Danzo there, so he figured he may as well show the man who was about to best him. He lowered his hood and pulled his mask down, a predatory grin on his face.

Soma was immediately hit with a wave of potent killing intent, blistering with malice. It wasn’t nearly enough to faze him, not when he’d experienced the KI of Madara, Zetsu, and Kaguya, and it flowed over him like water.

“Uzumaki Soma,” Danzo growled, his tone dripping with ire.

“Danzo,” Soma replied. Danzo’s eyes narrowed at the address.

“That’s Shimura-sama to you, boy,” he snapped. Soma tilted his head.

“Well, considering I have no respect for you whatsoever, I think ‘Danzo’ will suffice, don’t you?” Soma unsheathed Dojikiri, twirling the blade in his hand. He made no move to use it, though, and Danzo’s focus snapped back to Soma’s eyes.

“You’re new to Konoha. Clearly, you don’t know how things are done around here,” Danzo said. Soma laughed humorlessly.

“Oh, I think I know exactly how things are done around here. Or should I go ask Itachi about it?” Danzo’s visible eye widened almost imperceptibly.

“I don’t know what you think you know–”

“Let’s just say I know it all. At least most of it, I think, but my knowledge begins with Hanzo the Salamander and the Akatsuki,” Soma said conversationally. Danzo growled.

“You’re not welcome here, Uzumaki. The Hokage will have you in chains for this.”

“Perhaps,” Soma allowed, readjusting his grip on Dojikiri, and Danzo’s eye flicked to the sword again, “but you won’t be around to see it. I’ve come to kill you, you see.”

Danzo’s mouth twitched. “You, a mere bounty hunter, think you can kill me, a Konoha Elder?” 

“No, Danzo,” Soma said and he grinned, all teeth and feral, “I know I can.” He coated Dojikiri in wind chakra and, before the Elder could react beyond a slight step backwards, cleaved off Danzo’s right arm.

The appendage landed with a dull thud. The power Soma had been sensing from the Sharingan eyes and the seals on the wrappings abruptly faded. There was no blood pouring from the wound, not that Soma expected any. Before, when Soma threatened Danzo with death, the man was indignant at best; now, raw panic spilled into his gaze, the kind displayed only when one was in fear for his life. It gave Soma a thrill.

To his credit, Danzo recovered quickly. He leapt out of Soma’s immediate strike range and withdrew a chakra blade, channeling wind chakra into it to combat Dojikiri. What Danzo didn’t know was that Soma was a master of wind the likes of which this world had never seen. No matter how finely controlled Danzo’s wind was, it would never measure up to Soma’s. When Soma had used Dojikiri against Kakashi in their spar, he’d allowed Kakashi to block. He would not allow Danzo the same luxury.

Soma crossed the room in a blur, Dojikiri poised for another strike. Danzo brought his blade up to meet the katana and the sound of steel-on-steel splintered through the office. Danzo’s chakra blade shattered less than a second after contact was made. The man evaded the rest of Soma’s thrust by stepping just out of range and sweeping his leg out in an attempt  to knock Soma off balance. Then, Soma felt the power of Shisui’s Sharingan.

Soma knew Danzo had Shisui’s Sharingan implanted in his right eye socket. Both Sasuke and Itachi had spoken about its power: the ability to manipulate thoughts to the point where a person wouldn’t know he was being used. It was a genjutsu, though, and if Danzo had bothered to witness Soma’s assessment, he’d know that his attempts to use it were futile. From the moment Soma stepped through the door, he was continuously pushing chakra into the seal on his shoulder to circumvent Kotoamatsukami.

Danzo’s clenched teeth gave away his irritation at the genjutsu failing. Soma smirked and resheathed Dojikiri. Danzo began one-handed seals for a wind jutsu: Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere. If Danzo had come to his spar, he might have expected what Soma was about to do. 

Soma lowered into his stance, pouring his wind chakra into his hands and said lowly, “Dancing Wind Tempest Technique.” This time, he wasn’t holding back. As the slicing chakra flew at him, Soma stepped into his own version of the Gentle Fist, palms open, like Neji and Hinata. His chakra pulsed in the same form as the Third Raikage’s, his steps combining traditional Gentle Fist with the Uzumaki taijutsu style.

Soma channeled Sasuke’s righteous fury and met Danzo’s jutsu head-on. He dodged some of the bullets and deflected others. The power of the wind chakra over his hands allowed Soma to bat away the chakra like swatting a fly. He catalogued Danzo’s movements as the Elder hastened through another set of one-handed seals.

Danzo pulled out a kunai and breathed wind chakra onto it. Soma could see the chakra condense around the blade. It was a powerful jutsu, and if Soma had been a regular ninja, he’d be afraid. Instead, he made a shadow clone. Danzo made to throw the weapon but paused at the glowing blue chakra swirling in Soma’s hand.

“How do you know that jutsu?” Danzo hissed.

Soma shrugged. “I was taught,” he said.

“By who?” Danzo was shaking with anger. The wind chakra died on the blade.

“None of your business.”

“Yes, it is. Whoever taught you that jutsu is a traitor to Konoha.” Soma laughed.

“The person who taught me this jutsu was loyal to Konoha until the very end. He died for this village. He died to save everyone. He was no traitor, Danzo, unlike you,” Soma spat.

“You’re not from Konoha. That technique–”

“I am from Konoha, Danzo, just not this Konoha. Do you see?” Soma stepped closer, the jutsu glowing blue in his hand. “Do you see who I used to be?” He let his eyes flash red without releasing Kurama’s chakra. His incisors elongated slightly like fangs. Danzo’s eyes widened.

“A jinchuuriki. How?” Soma watched the realization dawn on Danzo’s face. “Uzumaki–”

“You want to know why I’m going to kill you? You want to know why you’re one of the few people I’ve actively sought to kill?” Soma stepped forward once again, his words reverberating through the room. “I’m doing this because of Sasuke. Because of Itachi, and Yamato-taicho and Sai and Kakashi-sensei and Yahiko. For enslaving Orochimaru in your madness. For leaking my name, Naruto’s name, to the villagers after the Kyuubi attack. For all those you have hurt or killed or annihilated over your lifetime. 

“I hate you, Danzo. I hate what you stand for and what you’ve done to my friends, my family. I will kill you in Sasuke’s place, just as he would’ve wanted me to.” Soma’s eyes were cold, releasing a miasma of killing intent and Danzo froze. Soma knew that when he and Kurama were both angry, his KI was on par with Madara’s. The look on Danzo’s face was priceless to observe.

“You underestimated me, Danzo,” Soma said and paced forward until he was just out of Danzo’s reach. “Your days of rotting the roots of the great tree of Konoha are over.” Soma slid his foot back then stepped forward, extending his arm to meet Danzo’s chest, and said: “Rasengan.”

~

Nara Shikaku was no longer used to being woken in the middle of the night by ANBU; thus, when he heard incessant tapping at his window at 2:30 in the morning, he expected to see a wayward tree branch hitting the glass. Instead, he was summoned to the Hokage’s office on an urgent matter.

Shikaku dressed quickly, kissing his sleeping wife on the forehead before following the ANBU to the Hokage Tower. His sharp gaze tracked the unusual number of shinobi hopping across rooftops and noted the lights shining from the Hokage’s office windows. Whatever had happened was big, then, and big meant troublesome.

The ANBU took Shikaku straight to the Hokage. The old man sat at his desk, tired eyes staring down at the wood and a slouch in his shoulders Shikaku rarely saw. The Nara knew the different signs of distress the Hokage displayed depending on the situation, and his demeanor betrayed that while the matter concerned the village, it was simultaneously personal. Danzo.

“You requested to see me?” Shikaku said, crossing his arms and leaning nonchalantly against a wall. He chose to appear calm and collected, giving no indication of his thoughts.

“Yes, Shikaku. Danzo–” I was right, “--was found dead in the old ROOT headquarters,” the Hokage said flatly.

“I see,” said Shikaku. He offered nothing more, knowing that Hiruzen would start talking if he stayed quiet. And boy, did the Hokage talk. Each word that came from the Hokage’s mouth caused anger to spark within Shikaku’s veins: the continued existence of ROOT behind everyone’s backs, the files in the office they were still going through but which indicated many shady dealings over the years and, absolutely worst of all, the arm full of Sharingan eyes.

When the Hokage presented him with a photograph of the arm, Shikaku, a hardened soldier and the Konoha Jounin Commander, was forced to choke down bile. Red, unseeing Uchiha eyes stared sightlessly but accusingly from the page before him, and Shikaku prided himself on his intelligence but could have never predicted something like this.

“Hokage-sama, this is…” Shikaku swallowed. The Hokage sighed.

“I know.”

“This is treason, Hokage-sama, you must know that. ” The man flinched. “Danzo stole the bloodline abilities of a founding clan of Konoha. Beyond whatever the files say, you must condemn his actions,” Shikaku said. The Hokage folded his hands on his desk.

“I know, and I will. I will also be stepping down as soon as we find a suitable replacement as Hokage.” Shikaku wasn’t surprised that Hiruzen was planning to step aside, not now that some of Danzo’s dirty laundry was about to be aired to the public. “However, I need to ask your opinion on another matter as well,” the old man said.

“What’s that?”

“The person who fought and killed Danzo was able to do so without raising a single alarm from the nearly 100 ROOT members in the building. Four shinobi were knocked out with a paralytic poison and Danzo was the only casualty. The poisoned shinobi were the ones guarding Danzo’s office, which means–”

“--whoever killed Danzo was skilled enough to infiltrate ROOT headquarters, kill Danzo in a fight, and escape without detection,” Shikaku concluded.

“Precisely. This is the wound pattern found on Danzo’s chest from the jutsu that killed him,” the Hokage said, giving Shikaku another photograph. The wound was in the shape of a spiral, one that was caused by an uncommon or even unique jutsu. Shikaku studied it closely and eventually recognized the damage: Rasengan. He knew of only two people alive who could perform that jutsu and he knew neither of them were responsible for this.

“Troublesome,” Shikaku said, giving no indication of his conclusion.

“Indeed,” the Hokage agreed. “We’re unsure what jutsu may have caused damage like this.”

“I’m uncertain as well,” Shikaku lied straight to the Hokage.

“Hm. We haven’t uncovered anything else that could lead to identifying whoever managed this. There were no chakra flares, residue, or reliable eyewitnesses,” the Hokage said, voice heavy with frustration. “There is also now the problem of the many ROOT shinobi who are out from under Danzo’s thumb. There was a Cursed Seal placed upon members of ROOT to avoid them leaking sensitive information, and now that Danzo is dead, the Seal has disappeared. I will need Inoichi’s help in assessing them, ensuring that their loyalty lies with Konoha.

“There is a former member of the Foundation in my ANBU and I will be requesting his help as well. He will be able to tell us more about ROOT and, since he has been out of the Foundation for many years now, he will undoubtedly tell us the truth of his experience there. Does that plan sound acceptable to you, Shikaku?”

“Hai, Hokage-sama. I would also recommend bringing in Kakashi. From my understanding, he has had multiple encounters with Danzo and ROOT over the years, both direct and peripheral,” Shikaku replied. The Hokage hummed.

“I’ll take that into consideration. All of the information you’ve just received is an S-rank secret until I decide what’s to be released to the public.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama,” Shikaku replied. Obviously, he didn’t say.

“Good. You’re dismissed unless you have anything else to add,” the Sandaime said. Shikaku shook his head.

“No, sir. I’d better get back to my wife,” Shikaku said and bowed, stepping out of the room.

He mulled over everything he’d learned that morning as he walked through streets lit with the colors of dawn. Who could possibly know the Rasengan who wasn’t Jiraiya or Kakashi? Who could pull something like this off without raising any alarms? Leaving no lingering chakra residue after a fight was almost impossible. It was only attainable through seals, and–

Seals. Of course. It had to be Soma. But why would he target Danzo? Had the Elder wronged him in some way? Was there something hidden in the files? If there was, how had Soma made the connection back to Danzo? Was killing Danzo his only goal as a Leaf shinobi? No, at his skill level he wouldn’t need to join the ranks just to assassinate an Elder.

Shikaku knew that the Uzumaki had been holding back in his spars. It was clear Soma was capable of a great many feats, but learning the Rasengan? Jiraiya wouldn’t have taught that jutsu to anyone outside of the Leaf. Either Soma had developed it on his own after hearing of Konoha’s Yellow Flash (unlikely) or he wasn’t who he said he was. But then, who was he?

Troublesome, Shikaku thought, and continued on his way home.

~

Shimura Danzo is dead. Kakashi sat on his couch and told Soma what he knew of Danzo’s death and the man himself.  There wasn’t much Kakashi could say that wasn’t classified, considering he’d gotten to know Danzo mostly during his time in ANBU, but he could speak of the man’s personality. It didn’t paint a pretty picture.

“So did anyone actually like this Elder? He sounds like a dick,” Soma said when Kakashi was finished. Kakashi snorted a laugh.

“I doubt it. I know the Hokage and the other Elders thought of him as a friend which never made sense to me,” Kakashi replied. There were so many instances where Kakashi felt it was in the Hokage’s best interest to dismiss Danzo from his upper-level positions in Konoha. The assassination attempt alone should have been enough.

“Is it wrong of me to say ‘good riddance’ then?” Soma asked with a grin.

“Not at all. I’ll agree once it’s socially acceptable for me to do so,” Kakashi said, smiling easily under his mask.

“What, is there a required mourning period or something?”

“Or something,” Kakashi replied. “It will depend on what the Hokage says when he addresses the village later on.”

“I see,” said Soma. “Are you cancelling training today?”

“I should. I know the brats will throw a fit, though,” Kakashi said with a sigh.

“If you want me to take them for the day, I can–”

“Maa, I wouldn’t do that to you. They’ve been relentless since I mentioned starting them on tree climbing soon,” Kakashi said. Well, Naruto and Sakura had been relentless; Sasuke just hn ed a tad more excitedly than usual. Honestly, the kid was so withdrawn even Kakashi was having a hard time teaching him. Soma, somehow, knew how to get Sasuke invested in both training and, more surprisingly, his team.

“Oh, right. I’ll leave that part to you,” Soma said with an indulgent smile.

“Thanks ever so much,” Kakashi said sarcastically, but there was almost no bite to his tone. “What do you think of Naruto?” he asked after a pause. He and Soma hadn’t really talked about the blond Uzumaki outside of training. Kakashi was a bit worried that Soma didn’t like the kid and was just hiding it behind a facade, but his worry was dashed when a gentle smile tugged at Soma’s lips.

“He’s a really good kid. He’s loud, yes, but he’s genuine and cares about people close to him. I understand his loneliness, perhaps too well,” Soma said wryly. “He yells and wears bright colors so people will notice him. Someone who’s been ostracized and feared to the extent he has ends up on one of two ends of a spectrum: desperate for love and attention like Naruto, or full of immense hatred towards those who have wronged them.

“Jinchuuriki are treated the same way in every village. They have to work harder than anyone else to achieve the same social standing as their peers. Fear, hatred, and cruelty are part of everyday life. Considering his life up to now, I think he’s remarkably kind and forgiving towards people who don’t deserve it. I’m happy that he’s my family and that he accepts me,” Soma said. 

When put like that, Kakashi felt he could forgive much of the behavior Naruto displayed that was unbecoming of a ninja. Not that Kakashi wouldn’t try to break the loud and disruptive habits the boy displayed, but he wouldn’t snap at him for them. Naruto’s personality made sense in the context of his life, but Soma was right: Naruto was very forgiving to those who absolutely didn’t merit it.

“Good,” Kakashi said, his voice rough. I’m one of those who shouldn’t have Naruto’s forgiveness. I should have been there for him. I can’t tell him why, but he should hate me. He should fucking despise me for letting the Sandaime do as he saw fit. I don’t deserve to have him as a genin, not when I can barely look at him without seeing Minato-sensei and Kushina. Minato, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so sorry–

“Kakashi, you’re spiraling,” Soma said, and Kakashi looked up from where he’d been staring blankly at his hands. Soma’s eyes were concerned and he reached a hand out towards Kakashi. Kakashi flinched back and Soma withdrew his hand slowly.

“I–I’m sorry,” Kakashi choked out, not even having the wherewithal to be embarrassed about his stuttering and heavy breathing.

“Don’t apologize,” Soma said kindly. Kakashi’s hands were shaking like they did when he thought about Rin and Obito, and that meant– oh. I’m panicking.

“Kakashi, you need to calm down. Can I touch you?” Kakashi nodded shakily and Soma reached out again carefully. He took Kakashi’s ungloved hand and placed it on his chest, over his heart. The beat was steady and Kakashi focused on it through the roaring in his ears. “Okay, breathe with me. In for four, out for four.” Soma breathed, and so did Kakashi. Soma’s voice was low as he counted, steadily breathing in and out. Kakashi followed him until his heart stopped pounding and his breath evened out.

Once Kakashi’s mental faculties recovered somewhat, embarrassment quickly set in. He gulped and went to pull his hand from Soma’s chest, but Soma’s fingers wrapped around his wrist before he could pull away. Kakashi bravely met Soma’s eyes.

“Are you okay?” Soma asked softly. His thumb brushed over the pulse point on Kakashi’s wrist, his touch tender and slow.

“Yeah,” Kakashi whispered. Soma quirked a grin and Kakashi’s eye automatically went to his mouth. Kakashi had known this would happen again, and this time he was better prepared for the rush of emotion accompanying the glance. He didn’t wrench himself away; instead, he relaxed slightly. Soma still hadn’t let go of his wrist and Kakashi felt Soma’s heart rate spike. Interesting.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Kakashi murmured. Soma shook his head.

“Please don’t apologize, Kakashi. I get them too. It’s not a weakness, I promise.” He released Kakashi’s wrist to let him pull away, but instead, Kakashi slowly trailed his fingers up to Soma’s collarbone, down the muscle of his bicep and along the tendons of his forearm. Kakashi squeezed Soma’s wrist before withdrawing his hand. Soma was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face but Kakashi was too emotionally drained to try to make sense of it.

“If you want to tell me what triggered you, I’ll listen,” Soma offered after a brief silence. Kakashi leaned back on the couch, closing his eye. He didn’t reply and heard Soma release a sigh. “Alright, well, I’m sorry for triggering you. Just tell me to shut up next time, okay?”

“Okay,” Kakashi whispered, and noticed a gentle smile pulling at his lips. He kept his eyes closed and felt Soma settle into the couch beside him. Contentment was a foreign feeling to Kakashi, yet he knew that was what he felt with Soma’s steady presence beside him, the quiet rustling of paper and scratching of a pen drowning out the emptiness clinging to his silent apartment. 

Kakashi let himself fall.

Notes:

I'm actually pretty happy with the fight scene in this chapter, so if you liked it, I'd love to hear. As always, I appreciate everyone's comments & kudos :)

Huge thanks to Deany, of course <3

Chapter 15: Effort

“Yo, Naruto, are you ready to go?” Soma called, his voice filtering through Naruto’s apartment door as he knocked. A second later, the door flew open to reveal Naruto dressed in his typical orange getup, Konoha hitai-ate gleaming proudly on his forehead.

“Yosh!” Naruto said, saluting. Soma couldn’t fight the smile tugging at his lips as he reached out to ruffle his hair.

“Alright, come on.” Since meeting Naruto, Soma had fallen into an easy routine: showing up to his apartment each morning he wasn’t on a mission, the two of them would walk together to the training grounds where they’d sit and eat the breakfast Soma brought along. Sometimes, even Kakashi would join them, though never on time. Soma would listen to Naruto chatter away about whatever was on his mind; Kami knew he needed the attention. It wasn’t a hardship for Soma to show he was interested in the kid’s life anyway.

Today was no different. They walked through the streets of Konoha, Naruto talking a mile a minute and Soma fending off any nasty glares sent his way. Naruto didn’t seem to notice, but Soma knew the blond felt lighter now that he had someone by his side to protect him.

“...and then Iruka-sensei took me out for ramen because he’d heard that I’ve been training hard! Obviously I have been, right, Soma-nii?!”

“Absolutely.”

“So the old man gave me extra pork slices! Ah, I wish I could eat Ichiraku Ramen for breakfast, dattebayo!”

“Ramen’s delicious, Naruto, but you’re still growing. You need vegetables too.” Naruto scoffed.

“Nah, ramen is the best! I don’t need to eat anything else!”

Soma bonked Naruto lightly on the head. “I’m telling you that you need other things to be healthy. You see how short I am compared to Kakashi?” Soma asked. Naruto narrowed his eyes but nodded. “I didn’t grow more because I had a terrible diet when I was younger. I didn’t have anyone looking out for me to tell me what to eat or to teach me how to cook. Do you want to be big and strong?”

“Yes!”

“Then listen to me and eat some vegetables.” Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.

“I didn’t know having a family would mean giving up ramen,” he muttered under his breath. Soma bonked him again. “Hey!”

“You don’t have to give it up, you just need to eat other things. You like the breakfasts I’ve been making, right?”

“Yeah! Eggs are good,” he said. Soma smiled.

“See? Other foods can be tasty.”

“Not as tasty as ramen!” Naruto argued. Soma sighed.

“Yeah, well, just try some other things, alright? I want you to be healthy, Naruto.” Naruto looked at Soma for a moment before turning his gaze forward again, lacing his fingers together behind his head as he walked.

“Okay, Soma-nii,” he said. Soma smiled at him.

“Thank you, Naruto.”

They reached the training ground where Kakashi was waiting for them. Sakura and Sasuke weren’t there—Sasuke didn’t want to socialize with them just yet despite an open invitation and Sakura ate breakfast with her parents every morning—so Soma handed out three containers of food. 

“Hey Naruto,” Soma said once they were done eating. “How are you feeling about the taijutsu katas you’ve been practicing?”

“They’re so much easier!” Naruto said, grinning. “Can you spar with me today, Soma-nii? Can you do what you did with Sasuke?”

Soma raised a brow. “You mean have you on the defensive?”

“Exactly! His form got a lot better after just one spar, dattebayo!” Soma hesitated and glanced at Kakashi.

“What do you think?”

“Maa, might as well try it. The other brats won’t be here for another ten minutes or so,” Kakashi said and gestured to the open training ground. Naruto shot to his feet and punched the air.

“Alright! This is gonna be awesome, dattebayo!”

Soma sighed and stood, setting his empty container beside him on the ground. “Warm up first, kid,” he said.

“Yosh!” Naruto saluted and began his stretches. Soma considered how he should approach the spar. He wanted Naruto to get better at the wind-based taijutsu style he’d been working on for the past couple of weeks, but maybe Soma could introduce some Uzumaki style. See how Naruto adapted and all that.

“Soma-nii, I’m ready!” Naruto called. Soma walked over to him and eyed his stance. It looked sturdier and more natural already, despite Naruto working at the style for less than a month. There weren’t any glaring holes that Soma could see and he nodded in approval.

“Good. Remember, stay on the defensive.” Soma sank into his own taijutsu stance and Naruto’s eyes hardened, a fierce determination flashing in their depths. Soma could only grin in response as he launched himself forward.

Naruto blocked Soma’s first strike well. He followed the elder’s moves with a grace Soma knew the kid never had when using the Academy style. His feet were light on the ground, never staying still for longer than a second. It was abundantly clear how natural this taijutsu style felt to Naruto.

Like with Sasuke, Soma sped up a bit to force Naruto to move quicker while maintaining his balance and center of gravity. Naruto easily matched him with minimal openings in his guard. The ones Soma saw he exploited, tapping Naruto hard enough to bruise so the kid would get the message and adjust. He did, and the changes were evident. Naruto was adaptable to many situations and opponents which he was proving effortlessly.

Then, Soma began throwing in some Uzumaki taijutsu. He used his flexibility to his advantage, contorting his body into unpredictable kicks, punches, and twists. Naruto’s eyes widened at the change but quickly adjusted to block what he could. Soma watched as Naruto got a feel for the style and tailored his defense to counter Soma’s strikes. Naruto may have been knuckleheaded, but the elasticity of his fighting style was an incredible strength when against stronger, unknown opponents.

Soma pulled back for a moment. “Alright, Naruto, let’s switch things up a bit. You go on the offensive and I’ll defend. If I see openings in your form, I’ll point them out like I’ve been doing. That’s the only attack I’ll do. Got it?”

“Hai!” Naruto said and launched himself at Soma.

Soma blocked all of Naruto’s strikes but as the spar went on, Naruto gained some confidence. His hits were harder and his steps surer. Soma urged him to speed up to the pace they’d set before and that was when Soma began tapping Naruto once again. He kept their tempo even, which allowed Naruto time to rework his form to be better defensible while attacking.

Soma felt Sakura and Sasuke enter the training grounds but didn’t pause the spar to greet them. Naruto didn’t seem to notice them, at least not yet, and from the corner of Soma’s eye he saw them stop beside Kakashi to watch. Naruto had improved in leaps and bounds over the last few weeks and his teammates knew it.

Naruto pulled back after a particularly harsh tap from Soma, breath ragged despite his stamina. “How did I do, Soma-nii?!” he asked. Soma let his stance ease, a soft smile playing on his lips.

“Really well, Naruto. Your taijutsu has advanced quickly. How did it feel?”

“Good! Ne, Soma-nii, can you teach me those moves you used before? I’ve never seen anything like that!” Soma walked over, his hand landing on Naruto’s head in a lazy pat.

“Of course. They’re Uzumaki taijutsu moves after all,” he said, and Naruto’s face lit up.

“Really?! That’s so cool, dattebayo!” he said excitedly. Soma chuckled.

“I’m glad you think so,” he replied. He turned to the rest of Team 7. “Good morning, Sakura, Sasuke. Ready for some training?”

“Hai, Soma-san,” said Sakura.

“Hn,” said Sasuke. No change there, Soma thought morosely. Kakashi stood and clapped his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Alright, since Naruto’s warmed up already, he gets a bit of a break. Then I want Naruto and Sasuke to spar in taijutsu. Sakura, I want you doing some laps around the training ground to work on your stamina while they spar. Got it?”

“Hai, Sensei,” said Sakura.

“Hn,” said Sasuke.

Soma walked over and sat beside Kakashi while Naruto stayed on his feet, bouncing on his toes and keeping his blood moving. Sasuke and Sakura warmed up with some stretches before slipping into their katas, Sasuke’s decidedly steadier than Sakura’s. Kakashi would have to work with Sakura one-on-one eventually to improve her taijutsu, but first she had to increase her stamina. She was already getting close to where she needed to be from Kakashi’s merciless training.

I wonder how our team would’ve been if Kakashi-sensei had acted like this, Soma thought absently as he watched the genin. Kurama rumbled in his head, though Soma wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a comfort or an admonishment.

Sasuke suddenly stood straight and walked to the center of the training ground. Naruto followed curiously. Sakura glanced at her teammates and muttered something under her breath before starting her laps. Soma and Kakashi focused their attention on the boys.

Sasuke and Naruto faced each other and lowered into their stances. Naruto didn’t shout or posture this time; he simply watched, brows drawn and jaw set. The usual bluster was gone, replaced with something steadier. Sasuke, of course, noticed the change and interest shone briefly in his eyes. Soma smirked a bit at the response.

“Begin,” Kakashi said. The boys eyed each other for a moment before Sasuke dashed forward. His speed was nothing to scoff at, but Naruto was familiar with Sasuke’s style, moving his arm to block just as Sasuke punched and using the momentum to flip himself, aiming a kick at Sasuke’s briefly exposed ribs. Sasuke barely avoided the hit, leaping back out of Naruto’s strike range. 

Naruto tilted his head, eyes narrowing just slightly as he regarded Sasuke. Whatever he saw made Sasuke shift, his shoulders drawing in under the weight of the stare. It was the kind of quiet seriousness Naruto rarely displayed, but Soma knew it well from the mirror and the war. He hadn’t thought he’d ever adopted that look before his training with Jiraiya. It was eerie to see it on himself so young.

Naruto blinked and the spell was broken. He shot Sasuke a grin, tilting his head as he beckoned him forward, casual, like he hadn't just thrown his teammate completely off balance. “C’mon, teme, fight me already!” he said. Sasuke growled and lunged forward with a punch, but Naruto sidestepped smoothly, catching Sasuke’s wrist and twisting it sharply. Before Sasuke could recover, Naruto snapped a sharp kick to the face. Sasuke stumbled back in surprise, narrowly avoiding the hit.

He’s reading Sasuke incredibly well, Soma thought dazedly. It had taken him years to get to a point where he could anticipate his opponent’s movements, even Sasuke’s. Well, he’s much more confident in his taijutsu this time around, Soma reasoned with himself. He caught Kakashi watching the spar with a keen gaze.

Sasuke leapt back from Naruto again, but this time Naruto followed. The blond went on the offensive, flowing into a twisting kick, his foot carving towards Sasuke’s chest. Sasuke blocked it just in time and slid a low foot towards Naruto’s legs, catching him off balance. Undeterred, Naruto pressed forward, launching into a flurry of taijutsu moves that battered against Sasuke’s guard. Sasuke blocked with relative ease, but the steady pressure pushed him back. That was new, and Soma caught the flicker of frustration in Sasuke’s eyes.

Of course, Naruto had only been working on this taijutsu style for about a week, and Sasuke managed to get the upper hand when Naruto went wide on one of his punches. It was over quickly after that, Sasuke breaking through Naruto’s guard and tripping the blond backward onto the ground, pinning him there. Naruto was irked at being on the ground once again, but he didn’t rail against Sasuke or the fairness of the spar; he simply stood when Sasuke let him up and dusted himself off.

“I’ll be better next time, dattebayo!” he declared to the training ground. Soma grinned.

“You will. Your taijutsu has improved quite a bit since our first session,” Kakashi said, taking everyone by surprise. Getting a compliment from Kakashi was rare and it was always genuine. Naruto’s eyes sparkled.

“Thanks, Sensei!” he said, his giddiness making him bounce on the balls of his feet. Soma’s grin widened.

“You both did very well,” he said. He turned to Kakashi and murmured, “I have an idea for Sasuke. I’m not sure if you saw, but the way he approaches taijutsu would make him an amazing swordsman.” Kakashi’s breath hitched.

“Kenjutsu. You’re right. I can’t believe I didn’t see it,” he breathed. “Would you teach him?”

“Can’t you?” Kakashi grimaced.

“You’re better than me. I’ve been out of ANBU for a long time; my kenjutsu skills are rusty,” he said. Soma eyed him.

“We’ll both teach him, then,” Soma said, and Kakashi rolled his eyes.

“Fine, but I guarantee he’ll learn more from you than from me. Hell, I’ll probably learn a lot from you.”

“Soma-nii! What are you talking about?” Naruto yelled directly in Soma’s ear. Soma didn’t flinch but it was a near thing.

“Nothing, just… Kakashi?” he deferred.

“Sasuke, what do you know about kenjutsu?” Kakashi asked. Sasuke blinked.

“Not much, why?” he asked suspiciously.

“You fight like a swordsman. I bet you’d do very well with a katana,” Kakashi said. Sasuke’s eyes widened in interest.

“You think so?” he said, trying to keep the obvious allure of the idea from his voice. It didn’t work.

“I do,” Kakashi said simply.

“Are either of you swordsmen?” Sasuke asked.

“We both are,” Kakashi replied. “Soma, care to demonstrate?” Soma glared at the silver-haired man but didn’t protest as he got to his feet. Kakashi was smirking beneath his mask, Soma knew.

Soma withdrew Dojikiri from the seal on his forearm. He unsheathed the katana, studying its blade briefly before holding it out for Sasuke handle-first. “This is my sword, Dojikiri,” he said as Sasuke grasped the handle. His arm immediately sank under the weight. “Use two hands. You have to build up strength to hold it single-handedly,” Soma continued quickly. 

Sasuke held the sword in front of him. It was almost comically large for him but his hands were steady. He assessed the blade in his hands.

“I like it,” he said softly. Naruto looked at him with wide eyes and Soma felt a smile tug at his face. “It feels…natural.” He spoke in a reverent whisper, and for a moment Soma could see his own Sasuke standing there. The air was punched from his chest as he watched the kid handle the sword, the sword that Sasuke had made for him. He stared at Sasuke, at this chibi version of the man he loved, and he ached.

~

Kakashi saw Soma’s eyes glaze over, lost in a place only memory could reach. Kakashi wondered if Soma’s lover had acted the same way as Sasuke around blades. Sasuke was still looking at the katana with stars in his eyes, and Naruto was watching Sasuke, so Kakashi moved quietly to stand beside Soma.

“Hey,” he whispered. Soma blinked but didn’t look at him. “Are you okay?” Another blink, this one slower than the last.

“I–yeah,” he said, voice thin with unshed tears. Kakashi glanced at the genin again and saw them still engaged with the sword. He took a deep breath and inched his hand slowly towards Soma’s, pausing just beside the other man’s hand then linking their pinkies together. Soma shuddered then all at once grasped Kakashi’s hand tightly in his own. 

“I’m here, alright?” Kakashi murmured gently. Soma exhaled shakily.

“Yeah.” He paused and took a breath. “You help ground me in the present, you know. Thank you for that,” he said, squeezing Kakashi’s hand. Kakashi squeezed back.

“You do the same for me,” he replied honestly. Soma looked at him in surprise and Kakashi felt like he was being read like a book.

“Really?” Soma whispered, the word barely audible. Kakashi hummed.

“Yes,” he said. Soma smiled. 

“That’s…good,” he said, and Kakashi felt like it was an understatement. “Still, thank you for being here.” Soma turned his gaze back to the boys with the sword and released Kakashi’s hand. “Alright, Sasuke, let me show you some kenjutsu.”

Soma took the katana back from a reluctant Sasuke and twirled it in his hand. He closed his eyes. “The person who taught me kenjutsu was the best swordmaster I’ve ever seen. He showed me how to treat Dojikiri as an extension of myself,” Soma said and stepped into his katas. They were simple steps unlike those Kakashi had seen him practicing before.

Sasuke watched Soma’s flowing movements with worshipful eyes. Kakashi could relate: this was only the second time he’d seen Soma exclusively use kenjutsu and what a sight it was. The sword glided through the air in graceful arcs, a dance that Soma knew the steps to intimately.

Sasuke and Naruto had yet to see Soma’s true strength and Kakashi could see them reevaluating what they knew of the jounin. This was especially true for Sasuke, who Kakashi had realized long ago thought there was no one in Konoha who could teach him what he wanted to learn. Naruto just looked excited.

Soma stopped and opened his eyes, turning to Sasuke with a small smile. “So, Sasuke, what do you think?”

“I want to learn,” he said immediately, his expression quickly shifting into a grimace at his own eagerness. Soma’s smile, however, only widened. 

“Alright, we’ll start working on that soon. We’ll have to find you a suitable practice sword for now. Kakashi and I can both train you. How does that sound?”

“It sounds…good,” Sasuke said. Kakashi smiled under his mask.

“Good,” Soma said.

“Let’s move on then,” Kakashi interrupted. “Sakura!” Kakashi called to the girl still running laps. He beckoned her over and had the genin sit in a semicircle at the edge of the training ground. “We’re going to do some tree climbing today. I’ll demonstrate.” He went to the nearest tree and walked up the trunk. Kakashi could feel Soma’s eyes on him, somehow making him nervous doing something he’d mastered twenty years ago.

He jumped down and landed before the genin. “This is an exercise in chakra control. You need to output chakra through your feet, but it has to be exactly the right amount to stick and hold. Too little and you fall, too much and you blast yourself off the trunk. You need to find that sweet spot. Understand?”

“Hai, sensei,” the genin said. It reminded him a bit of training ANBU.

“Good. Use a kunai to mark your progress as you go.” He watched each brat choose a tree and settled down to wait. He figured Sakura would get it easily with her inherent understanding of chakra control but Naruto and Sasuke…well, they’d probably need some extra guidance. It wouldn’t come from him, though.

Sure enough, Sakura made it to the top of her tree on her second attempt. She sat on one of the upper branches, swinging her feet childishly and grinning down at her teammates. Both boys looked at her in awe from their places on the ground, though Sasuke tried to hide it.

“Sakura-chan, that’s amazing!” Naruto yelled up to her. Kakashi was glad Sakura could demonstrate some skill in front of her team, especially with her performance in her first taijutsu spar still fresh in their minds. Kakashi knew Sakura had some strengths, one of which was chakra control on par with Tsunade-sama’s, but that capability didn’t lend itself to being shown in combat situations. Yet.

Sakura climbed down from her perch. “Kakashi-sensei, that was easy!” she said. She looked excited.

“That’s good, Sakura. Do it a few more times to really get a feel for it, alright? Then I’ll start you on water walking,” Kakashi said. Her eyes sparkled.

“Hai, sensei!” She walked back to her tree and began another ascent. Naruto and Sasuke observed her silently, evaluating what she was doing differently from them. Unless one of them was an extremely adept sensor, there was no way for them to note the distinction. Naruto grit his teeth and ran at his tree again, Sasuke following his example.

It was going to be a long day.

 

By the time Team 7 broke for lunch and started their daily D-ranks, Naruto and Sasuke were sweaty and dirty and Sakura was drenched head to toe in river water. All three of Kakashi’s brats were annoyed at themselves in one way or another and morale was the lowest it had been in days. Kakashi sighed, not knowing what to do to return them to their bubbly genin selves (well, Sasuke wasn’t bubbly at all, but Kakashi’s point still stood).

“You’ve made great progress today, all of you,” Kakashi said, eye-smiling at the genin. Sakura and Sasuke glared at him balefully.

“Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto said. Somehow the blond still had energy; his stamina was almost as insane as his cousin’s. It had to be an Uzumaki thing.

“How do you feel about getting some lunch? Kakashi and I will treat,” Soma said, likely seeing their expressions of exhaustion. Kakashi glared at him but there was no heat behind it. Food was as good a way as any to get his team back on track, he supposed.

“Yosh! Can we get ramen, Soma-nii?!” Naruto shouted excitedly, jumping up and down. Soma patted his head.

“Only if your teammates agree,” he replied. Naruto turned to Sakura and Sasuke eagerly.

“Guys, can we get ramen? Please please please?” he begged. Sasuke rolled his eyes and shrugged, emitting strong waves of I don’t care. Sakura took that as her cue.

“Sure, but I’m on a diet,” she said haughtily. Naruto pouted.

“You don’t need to diet, Sakura-chan. Think about how much energy we’ve burned today!” he said reasonably. Kakashi had been meaning to speak with Sakura about her eating habits, actually, considering kunoichi shouldn’t ‘diet’ the same way as civilians.

Sakura huffed. “Fine,” she said.

“Yosh!” Naruto shouted. “Let’s go let’s go!” He grabbed each of his teammates and started dragging them off towards, of course, Ichiraku’s. Kakashi and Soma exchanged an amused glance before following them in.

Kakashi had never been the biggest ramen fan but sitting at Ichiraku’s with his team and Soma made him appreciate the dish more. Sakura and Naruto managed to have a civil conversation with Sasuke acting as a buffer between them. The Uchiha didn’t poke fun at Naruto and he didn’t completely ignore Sakura, which made everything much more relaxed. They weren’t really getting along like teammates just yet, but the potential was there. It was more than Kakashi had expected in the short time since introductions.

After ramen (Soma and Kakashi split the bill evenly), they went to the Mission Assignment Desk for a D-rank. Team 7 had already done just about every type of D-rank Konoha offered besides one: capturing Tora the cat. Luckily for Kakashi, that mission hadn’t yet been picked up.

He doled out headsets to the team and had them read the mission scroll before sending them off to search. Soma stayed with Kakashi.

“I’m thinking you should train Naruto in stealth and trapping. I’ve heard about some of the pranks he’s pulled,” Soma said conversationally. Kakashi could only shudder for the sheer number of his colleagues in ANBU who’d been unfortunate enough to fall into Naruto’s traps. Kakashi was one of only two ANBU assigned to Naruto who’d managed to avoid every single one of them.

“Actually, I’ve thought about that before. I think I’m a bit worried about what could happen if he goes back to pranking, though,” Kakashi replied. Soma laughed.

“You and everyone else in Konoha,” he said easily. “It could be turned into a powerful asset for the village. Outside of ANBU, it’s hard to find shinobi who are as good at stealth as Naruto.”

“You’re right,” Kakashi said and paused, listening to the genin chatter over the radio. No need for Kakashi to intervene yet. “If you want me to train him, I will. I still have quite a few tricks up my sleeve from ANBU. You can also start him on fuuinjutsu.” Soma looked surprised.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “There’s no pressure if you don’t think he’s ready for it yet.”

“Maybe just start him on fuuinjutsu theory,” Kakashi said, grimacing at the thought of Naruto’s abysmal chakra control. Soma chuckled.

“Of course. He won’t be constructing any seals of his own for a while yet. I have the same issues with my chakra, remember?”

“Ah yes, how could I forget your…bunshin no jutsu,” Kakashi said sarcastically. Soma elbowed him gently.

“Hey! Shadow clones are better than a basic bunshin anyway,” he said, grinning. 

“Maa, whatever you say. Speaking of chakra control, though, do you know any ways to help Naruto with his?” Kakashi asked. Soma hummed and thought for a moment.

“Well, we could start with meditation. It would help him get a feel for his chakra pathways and teach him to maintain a steady output,” Soma replied. He paused. “It should, anyway. I was a bit older when I started learning so I can’t say for sure.”

“I see,” said Kakashi. “Well, it’s better than anything I’ve come up with so far. My reserves are relatively small, so I don’t have any experience in that area.”

“Hmm. Having as much chakra as Naruto and I do is both a blessing and a curse.”

“Seems like it. Not being able to use genjutsu must get a bit annoying.”

“I suppose. I’ve never had it in my arsenal, though, so I barely notice its absence at this point,” Soma said with a shrug. Kakashi went to reply, but a shriek sounded through his headset, causing him to wince. His genin were all talking over each other, but Kakashi got the gist: Tora had been caught.

“Target acquired,” came Sasuke’s bored drawl, slightly staticky over the radio waves.

“Does the cat have the physical identifiers of the target?” Kakashi asked.

“Pink bow on the left ear. It’s her,” Sasuke replied.

“Alright, let’s bring her back to her owner. Over and out,” Kakashi said and closed the channel. He grinned at Soma through his mask. “Do you want to see which one of them got all scratched up?” he asked. Soma smirked.

“You bet.”

Notes:

Happy Saturday! I hope you enjoyed some Team 7 shenanigans this week. Thank you all so much for your lovely and insightful comments and kudos on this work; hearing from y'all means so much to me :)

Much love to Deany, who got me through the worst of my writers block for this chapter <3

Chapter 16: Imperative

Notes:

Happy August everyone! Here's Wave part 1. Enjoy!

The brats had petitioned the Hokage for a C-rank and it was granted. They were accompanying a drunken bridge builder to the Land Of Waves. Kakashi couldn't ignore the feeling in his gut telling him there was more to this mission than met the eye and he desperately wanted to take Soma with them. Wave was a destabilized area after all, and Kakashi wouldn’t be surprised if they ran into some low-level nukenin. Hopefully they wouldn’t target Konoha genin traveling with a jounin.

Kakashi had asked the Hokage if Soma could come along, more as moral support for his team than anything, but his request was denied. Soma was out on his first A-rank mission with Genma and Raidou and was not expected to return for two more days. Kakashi and Team 7 were leaving with Tazuna at 0900 hours the next day. Plus, Soma wasn’t yet out of his probationary period either, which the Hokage said restricted him from going on out-of-village missions with genin.

Needless to say, Kakashi was frustrated.

It was about four in the morning and Kakashi was still awake, sitting on his couch with a lamp illuminating records from the library. After he’d sent the brats home, he’d stopped there to pick up some reading material on Wave. Kakashi had never been there before but he knew they didn’t have a hidden village. Kiri and Konoha were the shinobi villages asked most often for help, although recently, the missions there had been fewer and farther between. Kakashi hoped it meant Wave was doing well, but judging by Tazuna’s drunken state, he had his doubts.

Kakashi knew he’d do anything to protect his students, and by extension, Tazuna too. If it came to it, he’d reveal his Sharingan and burn through every last bit of chakra; whatever it took to keep them safe. His cute little brats didn’t yet know how dangerous out-of-village missions could be and Kakashi would gladly use himself as a shield for them. Plus, Soma would kill him if any one of them died.

Kakashi wished he could talk about his reservations with Soma before Team 7 began their journey to Wave. As it was, Kakashi decided to leave a note for the Uzumaki so he’d know not to expect them around Konoha any time soon. They were traveling with a civilian so the journey would take a while, and Kakashi had no way of knowing how complete the bridge was.

The morning had just begun to bleed into the sky when Kakashi stood, stretching until his spine gave a satisfying crack. He rolled his neck, shoulders still stiff from the night before, then grabbed a pen and scribbled a quick note for Soma. He checked his pack and weapons once more, fingers lingering over familiar shapes. Then, pulling out a worn copy of Icha Icha , he flipped through the pages, letting the familiar words fill the quiet.

Kakashi appeared at the gate at nine on the dot to find his students and Tazuna already waiting. “Yo,” he said, catching his team’s attention.

“Kakashi-sensei, you’re almost late!” Sakura said, pointing an accusing finger at him. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“But he’s not. Can we go?” Sasuke asked, annoyed.

“Maa, let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” Kakashi said with an eye-smile.

“Yosh! This is gonna be great, dattebayo! Sakura-chan, Sasuke, let’s go!” Naruto yelled and grabbed an arm of each of his teammates, pulling them aggressively through the gates. Kotetsu and Izumo were on gate duty, of course, and Izumo gave Kakashi a commiserating look.

“Good luck,” Izumo said. Kakashi sighed.

“Thanks. See you around,” he said and followed his students out of the village.

Kakashi caught up to them quickly, Tazuna walking at a sedate pace. Kakashi hated escort missions after moving at ANBU-level speeds for so long; trudging along forest paths felt like making himself a sitting duck. This is a C-rank mission, he reminded himself. There shouldn’t be anyone targeting us. Kakashi knew he could try to convince himself of that all day long, but the feeling of something amiss just wouldn’t leave him.

Kakashi took the position of rear guard while Sakura and Sasuke walked in front. Naruto was chattering away at Tazuna, asking about Wave and the bridge. Tazuna answered some of Naruto’s questions, including the ones about his family, but his replies to others were vague or nonexistent. Kakashi got a beat on what Tazuna didn’t want to discuss: what his village was like, why they were building the bridge now after many years of not needing one, and how the political hierarchy worked (not that Naruto knew exactly what he was asking, but Kakashi could read between the lines).

Kakashi was getting antsy and he wanted some straight answers. He wouldn’t ask, though, not until he was given a reason to. That reason came in the form of a puddle in the middle of the road.

The genin were still inexperienced on missions outside of the village and this was a C-rank. There was no reason for them to consider a mere puddle an indication of a threat, but Kakashi knew better. His genin and Tazuna passed the puddle, walking on unawares, while Kakashi stopped and waited. Sure enough, two shinobi appeared and went directly after him.

Kakashi slipped into a substitution jutsu right at the moment their chains wrapped around him. He noted their headbands and recalled their Bingo Book entries: the Demon Brothers, nukenin from Kiri.

Kakashi ended up in a tree and watched how his genin reacted. Sakura immediately fell back to protect Tazuna while Sasuke and Naruto drew kunai. Kakashi could sense their fear and knew the Demon Brothers could too. He decided to step back into the fight when the nukenin drove forward at his students.

In less than ten seconds, Kakashi had the Brothers securely tied up with their own chains. He turned to check on his students and Tazuna: Naruto and Sasuke’s hands were shaking as they held their kunai, Sakura was staring wide-eyed at Kakashi and the nukenin, and Tazuna looked shocked. Kakashi suspected the bridge builder was surprised by the defeat of the Demon Brothers rather than their appearance.

“Are you all okay?” Kakashi asked, ignoring the tied-up nin behind him.

“Hai, sensei,” said Sakura, and the boys nodded slowly in agreement.

“Sensei, we thought you were dead,” Naruto said quietly. It was the softest Kakashi had ever heard him speak.

“I know. I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. He put a hand on Naruto’s head, then Sasuke’s, causing the Uchiha to stiffen. “You all did well. You stood your ground. I’m very proud of you.” He dropped his hands and turned to Tazuna. “Now, Tazuna-san, I believe we should discuss the real rank of this mission,” Kakashi said in the tone he usually reserved for making enemies cower in fear. Tazuna shrank back and, with one glare from Kakashi, spilled everything.

~

Soma, Genma, and Raidou ran through the gates of Konoha at 2300 hours. They were all exhausted; they’d run into some combat on the mission and Raidou had been injured enough to slow them down slightly. They’d been expected about six hours earlier than they arrived, and Kotetsu and Izumo were no longer manning the gates.

“Do you mind going to the hospital with Rai to get him checked over? I need to give the Hokage the mission report,” Genma said tiredly. Raidou glared at him and looked as though he wanted to protest.

“Sure,” Soma said before Raidou could object. Genma gave him a weak smile.

“Thanks. I’ll see you around,” he said, dismissing them and walking toward the Tower. Raidou sighed.

“Well, we may as well get this over with,” he said.

“Agreed. Let’s go,” Soma replied and they made their way to the hospital. This late at night, there were no visitors loitering in the halls but, being a shinobi hospital, it was never really quiet. They quickly found a nurse and had her look over Riadou’s hastily bandaged leg and arm, during which she muttered about clueless shinobi, stupid risks and lack of field medical training. Soma personally thought he’d done a pretty good job of wrapping the wounds on the fly, but allowed the nurse to disparage his work. He wasn’t Sakura, after all.

Raidou looked less like he was about to keel over when they left and he shot Soma a small smile as he waved goodbye where their paths home diverged. Soma yawned into the back of his hand; it took a lot to actually tire him, but he hadn’t been able to sleep well for most of the mission because anxiety was twisting his gut around. He didn’t know why, only that it was persistent and still hadn’t disappeared, even being back in Konoha. Strange.

He got home and immediately flopped into bed, passing out and completely missing the note that had been left by his door.

The sun was glaring through his open blinds when Soma opened his eyes the next day. It was probably around seven, which was a little late for him to wake, but he didn’t think too hard about it and got into his shower to scrub himself down. He hadn’t bothered to change out of his mission clothes the night before and they were covered in dirt and dust, caking a layer of grime to his skin that itched. He’d been in worse states, of course, but it didn’t mean he enjoyed being grimy.

Soma stepped into his living room, toweling off his hair, and that was when he saw the piece of paper folded up on his floor. Curiously, Soma retrieved and opened it, noticing it was written in Kakashi’s telltale spiky handwriting before recognizing its contents.

Soma,

Team 7 and I are on our first C-rank. It’s a civilian escort mission to Wave Country, so we likely won’t be in town for a few weeks. I figured I should let you know so you don’t worry about your dear cousin (or the other brats—I know they’ve grown on you).

See you in a bit,

Kakashi

Soma dropped the note. He’d known there was something he was forgetting. The anxiety from the A-rank made more sense: subconsciously, he must have known that Team 7 was nearing the time they’d harass the Hokage for an out-of-village mission. Fuck.

Soma dressed quickly, readying himself to head out and strapping Dojikiri to his back. He’d talk to the Sandaime first so he hopefully wasn’t declared a nukenin, but there was no way he wouldn’t run after them. He wasn’t exactly sure when they’d left; Soma had been gone on his mission for almost a week, so it was possible they’d already met Zabuza and Haku.

He bounded across the rooftops at breakneck speed and jumped carelessly through the Hokage’s open window. The Sandaime looked up in surprise, seeing Soma standing there in his fatigues with his katana out of its seal. His ANBU guards jumped to attention and didn’t relax until the Hokage waved them back. The old man looked disapproving, but Soma didn’t care about propriety right then.

“Hokage-sama, I was informed that Kakashi and Team 7 are on a C-rank mission to Wave Country,” Soma began. The Hokage’s eyes narrowed.

“Where did you hear that?” he asked. Soma waved a hand, dismissing the question in a most disrespectful way.

“It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that the situation in Wave right now is not good. There’s a shipping magistrate called Gato controlling everything there, hiring missing nin and assassins from many different nations,” Soma explained. The Sandaime looked surprised.

“How do you know this?”

“During my travels, I went through Wave a few times. I have contacts there,” Soma said, and it wasn’t even a lie. “I’ve recently heard rumors that Gato hired Momochi Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist, as a bodyguard.” The Hokage’s eyes were wide and Soma saw a flash of fear.

“Are you certain?” he asked. Soma nodded.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” He took a breath. “Please let me go and help them. I know Team 7 best of any jounin here. Please let me protect my family, Hokage-sama,” Soma pleaded. The Hokage eyed him critically for a moment.

“Soma, you’re still in your probationary period. I can’t–”

“With all due respect, Hokage-sama,” Soma interrupted, “I don’t care about the probationary period right now. Naruto and the rest of his team are in extreme danger.” Soma sank to one knee, bowing his head. “Please let me go, Hokage-sama. I don’t care what further restrictions you place upon me when I return, but Naruto is an Uzumaki. He’s the only family I have left. I need to protect him, and I want to protect Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi as well. I’m begging you to let me do that.”

Soma kept his head lowered which meant he couldn’t see the Hokage’s reaction to his words. He could feel the Hokage’s eyes on him, though, and the intensity of it made him twitchy. Soma knew he could beat the Hokage in a fight, but the man was still a powerful shinobi and his scrutiny of Soma was blistering. The man hadn’t earned the title God of Shinobi for no reason, after all.

“Raise your head, Soma,” the Hokage said, breaking the strained silence. Soma lifted his gaze from the floor to Hiruzen. “I will allow you to go, but just this once. I am making an exception because of the information you have given me on the situation in Wave Country. If I hear from Kakashi or any of Team 7 that your actions are anything but satisfactory, you will be barred from being a Konoha shinobi. Do I make myself clear?”

Soma released a breath. “Hai, Hokage-sama.”

“Good. They left about two days ago.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama. I will protect them with my life,” Soma said as he stood, bowing to the Hokage. Hiruzen sighed.

“You’re dismissed.”

Soma didn’t need to be told twice. He shunshined out of the office and landed on the street leading up to the gates. He ran past Kotetsu and Izumo with barely a glance at them, though he noted their startled expressions. Soma leapt into the trees toward Wave.

“Soma,” came Kurama’s voice.

“What is it?”

“You should summon Kenko. He’ll be able to tell you how far ahead they are,” Kurama replied.

“Alright. Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” Soma bit his thumb and slammed his hand to the branch of the tree he’d stopped in. Kenko appeared, looking unimpressed with Soma.

“You haven’t called me out in ages, Soma,” he said. Soma winced.

“Sorry. I’ve been busy with missions,” he replied. Kenko’s scowl turned darker.

“You could actually use us during missions, you know,” Kenko said, and Soma felt like Kenko was pouting slightly. For summons who hadn’t had a contract since the Sage of Six Paths, the kitsune really did enjoy coming to this realm.

“I know, and I promise I will. I’m kind of on a mission right now, actually,” Soma said. Kenko looked at him sharply. Ah, that got his interest, Soma thought. He heard Kurama snort in amusement.

“What do you need?” he asked, all business. Soma bit back a grin.

“I need you to track Naruto. He’s on a mission to Wave Country right now, and he and the rest of Team 7 are in serious danger. Can you do that?” Kenko nodded.

“Follow me,” he said, and Soma didn’t hesitate.

They travelled for a while before they came across the remnants of the fight with the Demon Brothers. Soma wondered how it had turned out this time, if Naruto had gotten scared and if Sasuke made fun of him. Clearly this time, just like last time, the team had pushed to continue the mission. He and Kenko moved on quickly, though, and Soma swiftly dismissed the thought.

The closer they drew to sea, the heavier Soma’s thoughts became, the what-if s beginning to pile up in his mind: what if Kakashi didn’t beat Zabuza? What if Zabuza managed to kill one of the genin already? If Kenko noticed Soma’s distress, he didn’t comment.

Soma pulled on calming techniques he hadn’t used since the war. They were meant for when he was in battle and deeply agitated. He’d used them when he hadn’t known if his friends were dead or alive, or when he saw one of them fall and he still needed to fight. Sometimes Soma was able to forget the war for a bit when he had something else to completely focus on, but he knew he’d always remember it in situations like this.

He could hear voices in his head yelling for him: 

“Naruto!”

“Move, Naruto!”

“Nice one, Naruto!”

“You can do it, Naruto!”

“We’re in this with you, Naruto!”

Soma blocked them out. He knew he couldn’t give the memories the time of day, not when Team 7 needed him. He put up some of his walls, defenses he’d built in his mind throughout the war as each of his friends died. He’d taken them down when he’d landed in this time to allow himself to truly grieve and hadn’t put them back up. His friends were such a big part of him that he couldn’t imagine hiding from his memories of them.

However, he knew he couldn’t get distracted on this mission. He wanted to save Zabuza and Haku, but he would put Team 7’s safety over theirs anyday. He’d protect the genin and Kakashi first, Zabuza and Haku second. He hoped he wouldn’t have to kill Zabuza, but he especially didn’t want Kakashi killing Haku. Soma knew Kakashi had seen Rin when his Raikiri struck Haku’s chest.

“I sense chakra from a fight. We’re still far away, but there were strong jutsus used,” Kenko said, breaking Soma out of his thoughts. Soma grimaced.

“Are you able to sense any chakra signatures?”

“Hmm.” Kenko slowed his pace slightly and seemed to focus. “One is Kakashi. The other is not one I’m familiar with,” he said.

“It’s probably Zabuza,” Soma said with a sigh.

“Did this happen last time?” Kenko asked. Soma glanced at him.

“Generally, yeah. I’m not sure if the details will be the same this time, though, which is why I’m worried,” Soma replied. “Also, Haku and Zabuza weren’t actually bad people. The Hidden Mist had some bad leadership for a long time, causing people to hunt those with bloodline abilities. Zabuza attempted a coup d’état against the Mizukage, which didn’t end well for him. They worked for Gato because they felt like they didn’t have any other choice.”

“Why do you remember this so clearly?” Kenko asked curiously. Soma sighed.

“They were my first real opponents. Haku was the one who expanded my Ninja Way from just ‘never giving up’ to ‘never giving up so I can protect my precious people’. Not that it changed much in the end, but…”

“I see,” Kenko said, and they slipped back into silence as they ran through the trees.

Moving at typical jounin speeds, it would’ve taken Soma just over a day to make it to Wave. Soma was more accustomed to ANBU pace and faster, which meant he reached the water’s edge just after midnight after traveling all day. Kenko was still with him and wasn’t breathing even remotely hard from the run.

Soma coated his feet in chakra and stepped out onto the water. He moved slowly through the fog, senses on high alert even though the fog wasn’t from a jutsu. Kenko led him over the gentle waves and they passed the end of the half-completed bridge under the cover of darkness and mist. They broke through the fog all at once, just as Soma remembered from before, and could suddenly make out the island’s edge.

Soma remembered the destruction caused by Kakashi-sensei’s suiton jutsu, having been caught in it the last time, and it was in the same place as before. Trees had been uprooted down to a point that ended at a tree big enough to halt Zabuza’s path. It didn’t seem like anything turned out differently, then.

“This way, Soma,” Kenko said lowly. Soma nodded and followed him.

Tazuna’s house was mostly dark when they arrived, one light on in a room on the upper floor. “How low is Kakashi’s chakra?” Soma asked quietly.

“Very,” said Kenko. “It’ll take a couple of days for him to be back on his feet.” Soma sighed, even though that was what he expected.

“Alright. You can go back if you’d like. Thanks for your help,” he said, scratching Kenko behind his ears in a way the fox claimed he hated but Soma knew he secretly loved. Kenko grumbled at Soma, mostly for show, and disappeared in a silent puff of smoke.

Soma scaled Tazuna’s house and peeked in through the lit window. Kakashi was laying on his back with a hand behind his head, signature orange book held aloft. He looked tired and dishevelled: dark circles were prominent under his eyes, his hair hung limp and loose around his face, and one of his hands was bandaged. His hitai-ate was on the bedside table, exposing the scar running over his closed eyelid. Soma knew Kakashi hated to look anything like this, especially in front of his team.

Soma, not wanting to startle Kakashi too much with his sudden appearance, flared his chakra slightly. Kakashi’s head immediately shot up and his open eye narrowed, glancing out the window. His eye caught on Soma and a kunai was in his hand before he probably realized what he was doing. They stared at each other but Kakashi didn’t lower the blade.

Who are you? Kakashi signed with his free hand.

Just a fellow green leaf, dancing in the wind, Soma signed back. It was standard code for all Konoha shinobi when one didn’t trust that someone was who they appeared to be. Kakashi lowered the kunai and Soma slid the window open soundlessly.

“What are you doing here?” Kakashi hissed after Soma closed the window behind him. Soma knelt to undo his sandals before answering.

“I saw your note when I got back from my mission,” Soma replied in a whisper. “I know about the situation here in Wave from my travels. I knew there was a good chance you all would run into Gato’s men or Momochi Zabuza. This isn’t a C-rank mission, is it?”

Kakashi stared at him then slowly shook his head. “It’s at least B-rank, probably A. But Zabuza’s dead; a hunter nin from Kiri showed up after I fought him and killed him.”

“Do you truly believe he’s dead?” Soma asked. Kakashi glanced at him sharply.

“I may have some…doubts about that,” Kakashi replied. “But how did you know?”

“One of my summons helped me track you here. He said there was a live chakra signature that matched the unknown one he found at the site where you fought,” Soma lied carefully as he sat on the edge of Kakashi’s bed. Kakashi took it at face value and closed his eye, sighing.

“Fuck. I drained myself while using the Sharingan to fight him. If he comes back in the next few days, I’ll be as good as useless.”

“Well, you presumably did some damage to him during your fight. He’ll probably come looking for a rematch, but he’ll want to recover more first. I bet you have some time. Plus,” Soma grinned and cocked his head at Kakashi, who reopened his eye, “you have me now. We’ll protect the kids, Kakashi, I promise.” Soma could see Kakashi’s lips twitch beneath his mask.

“You’re right.” He paused, then shot a stern look at Soma. “You didn’t become a nukenin to follow us, did you? Naruto just got a family, and I’d hate to see him lose the only one he’s got.” Soma shook his head, still grinning.

“I’m sure Naruto would be the only one who missed me,” he teased, but there was no bite in the words. Kakashi rolled his eyes and shoved Soma gently. “In all seriousness, I went to the Hokage about my suspicions and knowledge of Wave. He let me come.”

“How’d you manage that?” Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow. Soma flushed.

“I, uh, kind of prostrated myself at his feet and begged.” Kakashi’s other eyebrow raised incredulously. Soma laughed lightly. “What, you think I wouldn’t grovel to protect the kids, to protect you? Come on, Kakashi, my pride isn’t that fragile. I’d do much worse if it meant I had a shot at keeping you all safe.”

“Whatever,” Kakashi grumbled, but there was a red tinge to his cheeks above the mask. Soma figured he hadn’t had someone who would willingly defend him in a long time. “So, what summoning contract do you have?” he asked. Soma’s brain had to do a quick summersault to latch onto the abrupt change in topic.

“Kitsunes,” he replied.

“Foxes? I’ve never heard of anyone with that contract before,” Kakashi said, clearly thinking back. Soma flushed.

“They’re very selective of who they let hold the contract. I’m the first in a long time,” Soma said. Kakashi huffed a laugh.

“You know, every time I think you can’t get any more mystifying, you pull something else out of thin air and make me reevaluate everything,” Kakashi said lightly. “Next you’ll tell me you're a Sage or something insane like that.” Soma froze and Kakashi’s eye narrowed immediately. His gaze was piercing, as though trying to read every secret Soma kept. Soma desperately wanted to fidget. “Soma?” he said slowly, dangerously. Soma’s hand went to the back of his neck. Fuck.

“I, ah, may or may not be a Sage?” he said. Kakashi stared at him and Soma folded. “Alright, yes, I’m a Sage,” Soma admitted. “Please don’t tell anyone else though, okay? I get enough scrutiny as it is.” Kakashi just kept looking at him. Then, suddenly, he broke out into full-bellied, loud laughter.

“Oh, that’s just fucking priceless. Soma, you’re certifiably insane. A goddamn Sage, what the fuck,” Kakashi said breathlessly. Soma felt himself blush rapidly in embarrassment.

“Shut up, Kakashi,” he hissed. “Do you want to wake the whole house?” As the words passed his lips, there was a sound of multiple sets of footsteps in the hallway. Soma glared at Kakashi, who was trying to reign himself back under control, and sat up straight to meet the three concerned genin hovering awkwardly outside the closed door.

“A goddamn Sage,” Kakashi muttered. There was a knock at the door.

“Not a word or I swear I’ll–”

“Kakashi-sensei? Are you alright in there?” came Sakura’s voice, interrupting Soma’s well thought-out and very specific threat of violence.

“I’m alright, Sakura. You can come in,” Kakashi said, and three genin pushed through the door with Sakura leading the charge. They stopped and stared wide-eyed at Soma sitting on Kakashi’s bed.

“Soma-nii?! What are you doing here?!” Naruto shouted. There was no way Tazuna and Tsunami hadn’t awoken now. Soma side-eyed Kakashi and heaved a sigh.

“Well…”

Notes:

I hoped you enjoyed this first part of the Wave mission! Next week will, of course, be part 2. Thank you all so much for your continued support, kind comments and kudos.

And, as always, many thanks to my lovely beta, Deany <3

Chapter 17: Burden

Notes:

Welcome back for Wave pt. 2 & the longest chapter I've posted so far!

“Tsunade-sama is brilliant! I’ve only read her introductory-level texts, but the way she explains utilizing chakra pathways in healing is ingenious!” Sakura gushed as she and Soma leaned against the railing of the half-completed bridge. Soma and Sakura had been assigned guard duty while Kakashi worked with Naruto and Sasuke on water walking.

“She’s very clever,” Soma agreed. “I take it you enjoy learning about medical jutsu?”

“Hai, Soma-san! I never knew good chakra control could be so beneficial to shinobi beyond what they teach you in the academy,” Sakura replied. Soma grinned at her.

“I’m glad to hear it. Kami knows those boys need someone to look out for them,” he said. Sakura blushed and wrung her hands.

“Do you think I could do that? Sasuke-kun is so strong and Naruto’s…” she trailed off, casting a quick glance at Soma. “Well, Naruto’s a lot to handle.”

Soma hummed. “I know you can. But Sakura, you have to acknowledge that Sasuke has weaknesses, just as Naruto has strengths. I know how you feel about Sasuke; trust me, I understand being infatuated with someone.” Sakura blushed and opened her mouth to reply, but Soma continued. “It’s something you’ll have to learn to push aside when you work as a team because you can’t put him above Naruto, not on missions where you need to rely on each other. Do you understand?”

“Hai, Soma-san. I’ll work on it, I promise,” Sakura replied, her gaze planted on the ground. Soma put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.

“You’ll be a great kunoichi, Sakura. Stop doubting yourself and your teammates. You’ll be working with them until at least one of you makes chuunin; might as well help them improve and become stronger with you, don’t you think?”

“Hai,” Sakura whispered. Her eyes were slightly watery. “I’m starting to realize how mean I’ve been to Naruto. I think he’s annoying, but he’s really not all that bad. He encourages me, too. I don’t know how to fix it.” Soma smiled gently at her.

“Well, you could start by apologizing and go from there. I’m sure you’ve noticed that Naruto’s not treated very well by most of the villagers; he’s ignored or actively shunned from most places and by most people. Just try treating him with some respect, alright?”

“Okay, Soma-san. Thank you,” Sakura said. Soma squeezed her shoulder once before letting go. There was a pause, then she said, “Can I ask you something? It’s a bit personal.”

“Of course.”

“When you said you understood my, um, feelings for Sasuke-kun, were you talking about Kakashi-sensei?”

Soma spluttered. Sakura thinks I’m in love with Kakashi?! Her face was the picture of innocence and her question seemed genuine, which threw Some deeper into confusion.

“Why do you think I meant Kakashi?” he asked, his voice almost squeaky. Sakura blushed deeper.

“Well, you’re always close to each other. Kakashi-sensei doesn’t like being touched by anyone except you, and you touch him a lot. I see the way you look at him,” she continued, gaining confidence, “and you can make him laugh. No one else can. I wish I could make Sasuke-kun laugh…”

Soma was frozen stiff. It was true that he liked being near Kakashi, hearing him laugh and seeing him smile genuinely. He liked the easy silences, the casual conversation. He liked getting to know this version of Kakashi with all his dorkiness and quirks and insecurities. He liked being the one Kakashi chose to turn to, and he was desperate to keep him safe. Fucking hell, I’m in love with Kakashi. I’m in love with Kakashi and a fucking preteen girl could tell before I could. Kami, I must be so obvious. Soma wanted to groan and bang his head against the nearest hard surface. Sakura was still gazing at him, though, and waiting for an answer.

Soma coughed. “I, ah, wasn’t thinking about Kakashi when I said that,” he replied, and it was true. Sakura looked surprised.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Soma-san, I didn’t mean to assume! I didn’t know you had someone else in the village,” she said, bowing her head in apology. Soma smiled ruefully.

“No, there’s no one in the village,” he said. Sakura raised her head, looking at him quizzically. “It was before I came to Konoha. He was…well, I suppose it doesn’t matter anymore, but I was honest when I said I understood your feelings.”

“Is he…is he dead?” Sakura whispered. Soma sighed and turned his face up to the bright blue sky.

“Yes. He died a few years ago,” he replied. He jumped when he felt a hand on his arm, fingers yet uncalloused by weapons brushing his bare skin.

“I’m very sorry for your loss, Soma-san,” Sakura said. Soma knew she didn’t fully understand—how could she?—but her words eased something in his chest.

“Thank you, Sakura.” They lapsed into silence and watched Tazuna work.

Kakashi showed up with Sasuke and Naruto in tow an hour later, both genin dripping wet and glaring at their sensei. Kakashi was steadfastly ignoring them, hands in his pockets and shoulders slouched as though he was walking through Konoha. Soma’s stupid, traitorous heart skipped a beat; it was the same feeling of nervousness and excitement he’d had when he’d first realized his feelings for Sasuke.

“You’re in love with an emotionally constipated, slouchy pervert,” Kurama said. Soma ignored him, but…well, he wasn’t exactly wrong.

“How was training?” Soma asked when the three of them were close enough. Sasuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms while Naruto groaned.

“Soma-nii, Kakashi-sensei’s so mean! He wouldn’t let me take my shoes off to practice, so now they’re all squishy!” he whined. Soma fought a grin.

“I see. Did you make any progress?” Naruto’s annoyance quickly morphed into excitement.

“Yeah! Sasuke-teme and I can walk out pretty far now! It’s harder when the waves get bigger, though…” This time Soma didn’t fight his grin and he ruffled Naruto’s hair.

“Good job then, kid. Sasuke, how do you feel about it?”

“Hn,” Sasuke said but, seeing Soma’s look, clarified. “It’s easier now. I think I got the feel for it.”

Soma smiled at him gently. “That’s great, Sasuke,” he said, and he thought he saw a hint of a blush on the kid’s face at the praise. Soma turned to Kakashi who was watching with fond amusement. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day, Sensei?” he asked with a smirk. Kakashi glared at him.

“Well, I was thinking we could go and get some lunch once Tazuna breaks. These two–” he indicated Naruto and Sasuke, “–should shower, too.”

“Sounds like a plan. When–” Soma broke off suddenly, sensing two foreign chakra signatures just before a pair of silhouettes appeared on the bridge. Zabuza and Haku.

“Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, get behind me and Kakashi. Protect Tazuna.” The genin didn’t move. “Now,” Soma said, his Kage tone slipping into his voice. The kids scrambled to obey and Kakashi sent him a look that Soma ignored. Soma kept his gaze forward, eyes trained on Zabuza.

The swordsman looked exactly as Soma remembered: tall, muscular, barechested and masked, Kiri hitai-ate sitting sideways on his head. From the corner of his eye Soma saw Haku’s fake hunter-nin mask and flowing clothes. The two nin had certainly painted a fierce picture when Soma was a genin.

“Now this is interesting,” Zabuza said, and despite the mask Soma could tell he was grinning. “I’m surprised to see a bounty hunter of your caliber here, Flaming Tempest.” Soma heard the genin gasp.

“Bounty hunter?” Naruto whispered from behind him, aghast.

“You must be Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Mist and one of the Seven Swordsmen,” Soma replied to Zabuza, disregarding the genin’s shock for the moment. He’d talk to them later.

“It seems you have me at a disadvantage, Tempest. No one’s been able to put a name to your face in the Bingo Books. I’d like to know it,” Zabuza said. Kakashi and the genin were tense behind and beside Soma, but Soma remained relaxed.

“Is there a reason?” he asked. Zabuza cocked his head.

“Do I need one?” he countered. Soma just watched him and they stared each other down. Finally, Zabuza cracked. “Let’s just say I’m curious about the man rumored to have taken down the Tailless Tailed Beast,” he said. Soma felt Naruto stiffen at the name.

“Ah, right. You must have worked with Kisame,” Soma said. His hackles raised slightly; he didn’t want Zabuza angry.

Zabuza waved a hand almost casually. “I never liked him. He turns traitor too easily, just like his bastard sword.”

“Mmm, you’re right about that. I’m starting to think I should’ve kept Samehada after I lobbed off Kisame’s head,” Soma said carelessly. Zabuza’s eyes flashed with something Soma couldn’t identify.

“The rumors are true, then,” Zabuza said. Soma didn’t bother answering and Zabuza simply stood there, waiting.

“I’m called Uzumaki Soma,” he said eventually, appeasing Zabuza’s curiosity. Zabuza let out a low whistle.

“I see. That’s a clan name I haven’t heard in many years.”

“I’m sure,” Soma said drily. Zabuza, like most older Kiri nin, knew about the fall of Uzushio.

Zabuza tilted his head slightly towards Haku, his eyes leaving them for only a moment. Soma took the chance he was given and murmured to Kakashi, “How do you want to play this? The kid with Zabuza, his chakra is different; I’m not sure our kids can handle him on their own.”

“The Demon’s focused on you now, rather than a rematch with me,” Kakashi said. “You handle Zabuza. I’ll protect the kids and Tazuna.” Soma gave him a little half-smile.

“I know you will,” Soma replied, and though his eyes never left Zabuza and Haku, he could’ve sworn he caught the twitch of Kakashi’s lips beneath his mask in response.

“Hai, Zabuza-san,” Haku said, voice carrying to the Konoha nin, and then he disappeared. Kakashi moved immediately, placing himself closer to the genin and Tazuna. Soma moved forward slightly, getting closer to Zabuza and farther from the group behind him. Be safe, everyone, Soma thought as he unsheathed his sword.

Zabuza raised his hand slowly, fingers curling into a seal. “Hidden Mist Jutsu,” he muttered. Thick waves of mist rolled in, the bridge swallowed beneath them. Soma figured Kakashi would get the kids away from the jutsu to allow them some awareness and he exhaled slowly, focusing his chakra and heightening his senses. It wasn’t as powerful as Sage Mode, but he’d honed the skill throughout the war. Iruka-sensei had shown him the basics of echolocation, and though Soma’s sensing ability wasn’t exactly the same, the training helped him pinpoint almost exactly the physical attacks coming at him.

Zabuza’s chakra lit up. Soma coated Dojikiri in wind and brought it up to block a heavy-handed downthrust at the last moment. There was no point in keeping his eyes open, so he closed them and allowed his other senses to compensate. He often trained in kenjutsu with his eyes closed, which meant the lack of sight wasn’t as jarring as it could’ve been.

Soma went on the defensive as Zabuza swung his sword again. Kubikiribocho was huge, heavy, and powerful in Zabuza’s hands, and though the wind chakra on Dojikiri made the katana stronger, Soma could feel each blow reverberate sharply down his arms.

The one thing Soma had on Zabuza was speed. His strikes, once he was able to go on the offensive, would be quick and harder for Zabuza to defend against. Soma had fought Kisame and won, so he knew he could defeat Zabuza, but he really didn’t want to kill the man. It would make the fight slightly more difficult.

Soma blocked another hard strike. Kubikiribocho came at his briefly exposed right side and Soma swung Dojikiri into a quick parry. The clang of the swords meeting echoed through the mist, and Soma relished the sound. It reminded him of his training with Sasuke, and Soma finally let himself fight for real.

He stopped thinking. He stepped into the flowing movements of kenjutsu and his blocks and parries came easier, smoother. Zabuza seemed to sense the change. He hesitated for the briefest moment on his next strike, giving Soma the opportunity to turn the tables.

Soma swung Dojikiri with practiced precision. He unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes, aiming for Zabuza’s ribs, arms, and hips. The swordsman had a nearly impenetrable guard, but the quick assault was starting to wear on him. Soma could feel his frustration at being pushed back; Zabuza’s kenjutsu was nowhere near sloppy, but Soma’s experience and near-endless stamina would put the Swordsman on his back foot.

Soma cut Dojikiri in a side swipe, aiming for Zabuza’s ribs. The clang came, but it was weaker and suddenly, the fresh scent of blood hit the air. Good, Soma thought, and allowed Zabuza to step back from the fight instead of pressing his advantage. Zabuza moved into the mist, dispersing his chakra in an attempt to blend with the air around them. However, Soma could feel him gathering chakra. Time for ninjutsu, then.

Soma opened his eyes.

“Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu,” came Zabuza’s voice. What is it with shinobi and their bullet jutsus? Soma thought, annoyed. His defense against bullet jutsus was, of course, his Dancing Wind Tempest Technique. He hadn’t used the jutsu nearly as often during the war as he had the past few months of being in Konoha. Soma moved through the jutsu and could feel Zabuza’s chakra spike in surprise at his wind-coated yet barehanded deflection of the intensely powerful stream of water. 

Soma decided that he’d take a page out of Kakashi-sensei’s book: using summons. Zabuza was large and strong, meaning Ginko would be his best bet. Ginko could sense chakra like Soma—not to the extent Kenko could, but Soma didn’t need that strong of a sensor for this battle. He needed one strong enough to hold Zabuza still so Soma could talk to the man.

“Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” Soma said, biting his thumb and slamming his hand to the wood of the bridge. Ginko appeared and didn’t even make fun of Soma for calling him. He was prepped for battle, which told Soma that Kenko made sure the other foxes were prepared to be summoned.

“What do you need me to do?” Ginko asked. He was a big fox, nearly as tall as Soma, his muscles well-toned. If any of Soma’s foxes could restrain Zabuza, it would be Ginko.

“I need you to capture Zabuza, the foreign chakra signature over there,” Soma said, gesturing to the Swordsman’s presence. Ginko nodded and growled lowly.

“Just capture?” he asked.

“Yes. Do not kill him. I’d like to talk to him.”

“Understood,” Ginko said, and leapt into the mist. Soma watched with bated breath as Ginko moved closer to Zabuza. There was a loud yell and the sound of a deep, guttural growl, and Soma knew Ginko had caught him.

The mist began to disperse.

~

Kakashi leapt backwards as soon as the kid with Zabuza disappeared. Soma had mentioned a weird chakra, so Kakashi wasn’t sure what to expect: perhaps a kekkei genkai? If that was the case, the kid would be annoying to fight.

Kakashi knew the nin would go for Tazuna. He felt the presence behind him and turned to jump in front of the genin and Tazuna, deflecting a volley of senbon with a kunai.

“Zabuza-san was right. You’re very adept, Kakashi-san,” the nin said. Kakashi couldn’t tell if they were male or female quite yet, and the voice behind the mask didn’t provide any answers. Kakashi narrowed his eye and felt the temperature around them shift from cool to almost frigid.

The nin disappeared again and suddenly, they were all surrounded by thick mist. Zabuza. He was using the Hidden Mist jutsu once again to fight Soma. Kakashi said a quick prayer that Soma would get through the fight relatively unscathed and looked at his genin and Tazuna.

“We need to get out of this mist. My Sharingan can’t see well through it. It looks like it thins out about 100 feet behind us,” Kakashi murmured to the group. He had no idea where the senbon-wielding nin was but hoped they had enough time to get clear. “Follow me. We’re making a run for it.” Naruto and Sasuke nodded, determination in their eyes. Sakura looked scared but willing to stand her ground. Tazuna was probably just hoping to survive.

Kakashi turned and ran. He heard the genin behind him and just as they were about to clear the worst of the mist, they heard a sharp clang! It had to be Soma and Zabuza fighting, and Kakashi forced himself to put the fight out of his mind. Soma was a Sage; of course he’d be fine. If Kakashi could beat Zabuza, Soma certainly could as well.

They made it out of the thickest mist in the nick of time. Kakashi raised his kunai instinctively, another set of senbon raining upon them. The genin and Tazuna skidded to a stop behind him.

“I have no desire to kill you,” the nin said. It seemed they were telling the truth: there was no killing intent radiating from them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous. 

“Then why do you attack?” Kakashi asked. The shinobi raised their hand, senbon placed between each finger.

“Because I will do anything for Zabuza-san. I have been given an order, and I need to prove my worth to him,” the nin said. They let the senbon fly and Kakashi again deflected while the shinobi took the chance to disappear.

There was water on the ground and Kakashi realized a fraction of a second too late that there was some between him and two of his genin: Naruto and Sasuke. Shit. The water rose and hardened into something like a mirror. Water from all over the bridge and the ocean began to move, creating a dome-like structure out of… was that ice? Kakashi had never seen a jutsu like that before. The dome cut him off from Sasuke and Naruto, both of whom were trapped inside.

“Naruto! Sasuke!” Kakashi yelled, and yes, it was unbecoming of a ninja of his caliber, but his students were in danger. Kakashi saw the shinobi slide into the ice and vanish from his sight. Would Kakashi seriously have to use his Sharingan against a kid? He’d learned long ago not to underestimate people based on their age, especially when he himself had been one of ANBU’s best at the young age of fourteen, but it was very rare for him to resort to it for anyone this young.

There was a yelp from inside the dome that sounded distinctly like Naruto and Kakashi knew he had to break the barrier. He coated his hand in lightning and charged straight at the ice, slamming his fingers into it. The ice cracked slightly but didn’t break. How?

“You can’t break my ice,” the shinobi’s voice wafted through the air. It was disembodied and unnatural, making Kakashi’s hair stand on end. “The only way to break it is to defeat me from the inside.” Kakashi peeked through the gap between slabs of ice and saw both Naruto and Sasuke with senbon sticking out of their arms and legs. Neither were gravely injured, at least not yet, but it wasn’t looking good.

Kakashi watched as senbon flew through the air from different angles. He saw the shinobi in every reflective surface, making it nearly impossible to identify where the real one was. He could do it with the Sharingan, but he’d have to get inside first. He didn’t think the shinobi would want that, but he needed to try.

“Sakura, protect Tazuna. I’m going in.”

“Hai, sensei.”

It’s an ice kekkei genkai. It’s probably wind and water, and though lightning can work against water, it’s almost useless against wind. I’m not sure I have a fire jutsu strong enough to break it. I’ll need to slip inside while the shinobi’s distracted with the boys.

Naruto gave him the distraction he needed. Naruto produced some Shadow Clones and aimed them at the ice mirrors. There was a flash of color as the ice nin leapt from mirror to mirror, knocking each clone away and dispelling them with well-placed senbon. Kakashi slipped into the ice dome in the cloud of smoke that followed.

Senbon flew in retaliation. Naruto and Sasuke were hit again before Kakashi could make it to them.. Kakashi ran to his students, pulling up his hitai-ate. He glanced at the boys and was shocked at what he saw: Sasuke’s eyes were red, glowing with a newly-activated Sharingan, an eye with one tomoe and the other with two. For a moment, Kakashi didn’t move. The sight pulled at something in his memory, about an Unchiha boy just as stubborn. He let the thought pass as he turned his attention back to the masked nin in the mirrors.

The shinobi moved again, quick bursts of motion that bounced from mirror to mirror. Kakashi’s sharingan tracked the flickers, the telltale shifts of chakra and a pattern seemed to emerge, the zigzag motion of the nin not quite random. Kakashi moved his hands in a blur through the signs for the Great Fireball Jutsu and released the chakra.

Kakashi’s attack hit the shinobi’s leg. Their momentum staggered and Kakashi caught a glimpse of scorched cloth before they slipped into another mirror. The masked nin reappeared quickly, arm cutting forward with a practised ease, releasing a flurry of senbon in Kakashi’s direction. These had much more power behind them, aimed with deadly precision. Kakashi was just thankful they didn’t direct the projectiles towards Naruto and Sasuke.

Kakashi deflected every weapon with a kunai and moved into a stance for another fire technique: Katon: Flame Bullet. Oil shot from his mouth and was immediately ignited, catching the ice shinobi off guard. The jutsu slammed into the nin’s chest and knocked them off course. The shinobi fell to the ground,  the ice mirrors slowly beginning to disintegrate. 

Keeping his guard up, Kakashi moved to check the shinobi. Their hunter-nin mask was cracked and falling away, revealing a face that was androgynous as the rest of them. Naruto and Sasuke had followed Kakashi over and Naruto gasped.

“He’s from the woods,” Naruto said. Kakashi looked at him sharply but Naruto’s eyes were trained on the unconscious shinobi.

“You know him?” Sasuke asked, pain from being hit with at least ten senbon making his voice tight. Naruto nodded slowly.

“I was out practicing on my own for a bit in the woods outside of the village. This boy came across me. We talked and I helped him pick some herbs,” Naruto replied, still staring at the nin. “He told me that a shinobi truly becomes strong when they have someone to protect. He was talking about Zabuza, right?”

“Most likely,” Kakashi said with a sigh. “He was right, though: if you have people precious to you and you grow stronger for their sake rather than for yourself, you will know true strength.” Sasuke stood staring blankly at the shinobi on the ground. Maybe that got through to him, Kakashi thought.

A deep, inhuman growl echoed through the mist, followed by a yell of pain. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke whipped their heads towards the sound. Kakashi narrowed his eyes: was it his imagination or was the thick mist beginning to clear? No, he knew it wasn’t in his head because he could suddenly see Soma’s silhouette.

Kakashi withdrew some heavy-duty wire from his flak vest and hastily bound the ice shinobi’s wrists and ankles. The mist had cleared further when he looked back up from his task. He felt Naruto and Sasuke stiffen at the sight of a huge fox sinking its teeth into Zabuza’s shoulder, the Swordsman on his knees with his hands trapped beneath giant paws. Soma was walking towards the pair, his katana sheathed on his back.

“Zabuza,” Soma’s voice rang out across the bridge.

“Uzumaki,” Zabuza growled. Soma raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, taking Kakashi aback.

“I’m not going to kill you, alright? I just want to talk.”

“Talk?” Zabuza spat. “What the fuck kind of shinobi are you?”

“One who only kills those who deserve it,” Soma replied. Zabuza’s face was covered but Kakashi could tell he was sneering despite the fox’s jaws locked onto his shoulder.

“Then you’re weak.” Soma shrugged.

“Maybe, but I like to think of myself as human first, tool second,” Soma said. Zabuza laughed, a cruel, harsh sound.

“Shinobi aren’t human,” he said derisively.

“We are. It’s easy to forget that, though, when we’re asked to do the unimaginable for the sake of our villages,” Soma said. Kakashi’s stomach dropped; Soma’s words hit much too close to home for comfort. “I know you defected from Kiri because of the Mizukage’s policies. I know you became a mercenary-for-hire because you had nowhere else to go and no other way to make money.”

“How the fuck–”

“I know you’re working for Gato because he promised you and your apprentice a significant sum. And,” Soma continued over Zabuza’s protests, “I know Gato will turn on you the first chance he gets. He’s not a man who parts easily with his money, and I guarantee he won’t pay you, even if you finish the job you were hired for.”

Zabuza was quiet, staring at Soma with a stunned expression. Kakashi couldn’t blame him, honestly, because Kakashi himself had the same thought: how on earth could Soma know any of that?

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Uzumaki,” Zabuza said.

“I know. But I do have some information that may interest you,” Soma said. Zabuza raised a sceptical brow.

“What might that be?”

“When I went to Kiri to claim Kisame’s bounty, I broke a genjutsu that Yagura had been under for years. He was being manipulated by someone on the outside and was forced to enact the policies that made Kiri known as the Bloody Mist,” Soma said, and Kakashi sucked in a shocked breath. The rumors were true, Kakashi thought dazedly. Holy shit.

Zabuza growled and tried to wrench himself away from the fox. The fox’s teeth sank in deeper, causing Zabuza to once again go still. “You’re lying,” he hissed, his eyes burning with fury and body shaking with rage.

“I promise I’m not. I know you still love your village and your country, Zabuza, and I want you to have all the facts before you make a decision. If you want to complete the task Gato set you, I’ll be forced to kill you. But, if you want to help restore your home to its former glory, I’ll let you and H– your apprentice go.” It was a good deal. A great one, even, and Kakashi knew Zabuza thought it too good to be true.

“How can I trust you? You’re just a bounty hunter,” he said. Soma cocked his head.

“I have no way to prove what I’ve said,” Soma replied. “However, Yagura is significantly weakened. He won’t be able to hold his position as Mizukage much longer. My contacts have told me that he’ll likely pass the hat to Terumi Mei. You don’t have to forgive Yagura for forcing you to kill your comrades; I know I wouldn’t,” Soma said, voice soft, “but if you think you can support Mei as a Kage, I’m offering you the opportunity to do so. You can go home, Zabuza.”

Zabuza’s eyes flashed with pure want and Kakashi felt for him. If what Soma said was true—and Kakashi was inclined to believe it was—it would mean a turnaround for Mist. Terumi Mei was an incredibly powerful kunoichi known for her lava style, and since Yagura had persecuted those with bloodline abilities, having a successor with a kekkei genkai would prove to Kiri and other Elemental Nations that Mist was serious about righting its wrongs.

“You don’t know me,” Zabuza said, but it was feeble. Soma smiled sadly at him.

“You’re right. But I do know how it feels to be alone and on the run, hoping that someday I’d have a home to return to.” Kakashi watched as Zabuza searched Soma’s face for hints of deception and, upon finding none, he slumped in defeat.

“Fine. You can let me go. I won’t attack you or your Konoha friends, I swear it,” Zabuza said, and Soma grinned, the smile lighting up his face with something akin to relief.

“Ginko, let him go,” he said. The fox who’d been tearing its teeth into Zabuza’s shoulder released its jaws and backed away before bounding over to Soma and circling him, tongue lolling like a dog.

“Soma! How did I do?!” the fox asked. Soma laughed and petted the fox’s head.

“Very well. Thank you for your help, Ginko. You can go back if you’d like.”

“But Soma! I haven’t met your kin yet!” the fox, Ginko, complained and looked in Kakashi’s direction. Naruto and Sasuke were still standing behind Kakashi with Zabuza’s apprentice tied up beside them. Sakura and Tazuna had moved closer to them, too, during Soma’s conversation.

Soma turned towards Team 7 and smiled. “I’m so glad you’re all safe,” he said, and suddenly he had an armful of Naruto. Soma met Kakashi’s eye over Naruto’s head, his smile turning lopsided and causing Kakashi to blush. Kakashi nodded slowly without breaking eye contact.

“Soma-nii, you didn’t tell us you were a bounty hunter!” Naruto said, face still pressed to Soma’s flak vest. Soma laughed again, but Kakashi could hear the self-consciousness behind it.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal of my life before Konoha, Naruto. Bounty hunting isn’t the noblest of professions for a shinobi,” he explained.

“But it’s so cool, dattebayo! You must have taken down some super powerful ninjas,” Naruto gushed as he pulled away from Soma’s embrace.

“He bested five S-rank nukenin in a year,” Kakashi said slyly. Soma glared at him as Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura gasped.

“Five of them?! Soma-nii, you must be crazy, super-duper powerful!” Naruto yelled. Kakashi would be willing to bet that Soma hadn’t even used Sage Mode for most of those fights.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Sasuke said from Kakashi’s side. Kakashi glanced down at the genin and he continued. “How strong is Soma-san really?” Sakura and Tazuna turned to stare at him, waiting for an answer as well.

“Maa,” Kakashi said, “he could probably best the Hokage or any of the legendary Sannin in a fight.” Sasuke and Sakura’s mouths dropped open in shock. “During his assessment for placement as a shinobi of Konoha, he and I fought. I barely landed a single hit on him and he wasn’t even trying. His taijutsu, ninjutsu, and kenjutsu are incredible.”

“Were you using the Sharingan?” Sasuke asked. Kakashi stifled a sigh.

“Yes, I was.” Sasuke’s gaze went from Kakashi to Soma, seeing something in the redhaired jounin that he hadn’t before. Soma, I hope you can help Sasuke, Kakashi thought. His attention was drawn back to Zabuza’s apprentice, still tied up on the ground but beginning to stir.

“Zabuza-san?” the kid said.

“Haku,” the Swordsman breathed. He stood on unsteady legs and stumbled to the ice nin.

“Zabuza-san, you’re hurt,” the apprentice, Haku, said. He sat up and grimaced. “Are we still fighting them?”

“No, Haku. We’re going back to Kiri after we take out Gato.” Kakashi was surprised at that last.

“Thank you, Zabuza-san,” Haku said. Zabuza cut through Kakashi’s ninja wire and released Haku’s wrists and ankles. Haku stood and bowed to Kakashi and Sasuke. “I apologize for the harm I have inflicted upon you.” He turned to Naruto then. “And you as well. I enjoyed speaking with you before, and I’m sorry everything has come to this. However, I’m merely a tool for Zabuza-san to guide.”

Naruto looked at Haku solemnly. “Soma-nii was right earlier when he said that a shinobi should be human, not a tool,” he said. “I’ll be my own person with my own beliefs even as a ninja, dattebayo! You should be able to say no to hurting a friend!”

Kakashi inhaled sharply. Haku looked at Naruto with wide eyes before bowing his head once again. “I’m not your friend, Naruto-kun. A friend would never attack you the way I did,” he said. Naruto tilted his head, exactly the same way Soma did when he found something humorous.

“It’s okay, I fight my friends sometimes, too. If you don’t think you were my friend when you were throwing senbon at me–” Haku winced, “–maybe we can start now?” Naruto grinned, the sun in his smile. Haku stared at him, then his lips tilted up slightly at the corner.

“Alright. Friends, then,” he said and held out his hand for Naruto to shake. Naruto gaped at it for a moment and swallowed visibly before raising his hand to meet Haku’s. Just like that, the tension broke.

“Well, now all we have to do is deal with Gato,” Soma said, amused. Zabuza tore off his mask and grinned sharply.

“Haku and I can take care of that.”

Kakashi couldn’t tell anyone exactly what came next, but it went something like this: Gato showed up on the bridge with a horde of thugs; Zabuza and Haku took a stand against them; Zabuza, with a mangled shoulder, could only hold a kunai in one hand; Haku threw what what to be 100 senbon with deadly aim; Kubikiribocho ended up in Zabuza’s grip, somehow, and was plunged unceremoniously into Gato’s chest.

At the end, Zabuza and Haku stood over the bloodied bodies of Gato’s forces. There was a proud glint in Zabuza’s eyes and he turned, inclining his head in a slight bow to Soma. 

“Uzumaki, you have given us a second chance. Should your information prove true, you will have allies within Kiri,” he said. Kakashi could tell it was sincere.

“Thank you, Zabuza. I hope we can be comrades in the future,” Soma replied. He held out his fist and raised his eyebrows. Zabuza stared at him, uncomprehending, before rolling his eyes and bumping their fists together. Soma grinned unabashedly. 

“You’re a strange one, Uzumaki,” Zabuza said.

“It’s been said once or twice,” Soma replied. “Good luck, Zabuza, Haku. I look forward to hearing of the changes you will bring to Kiri.”

Zabuza and Haku disappeared once again, and Kakashi finally let himself relax. Kakashi had some erratic thoughts swirling through his head, but the one that stood out to him was how the fuck did Soma do that?  

Kakashi, resigned to dealing with Soma’s eccentricities, looked over the bodies on the bridge and the gigantic fox running circles around Soma and heaved a sigh. At least the excitement of this fucking C-rank-turned-A-rank is over, he thought, and lowered his hitai-ate.

Notes:

I hope you enjoyed! I have to say that this was a bit of a challenge for me because of how much of the fight I changed. As always, let me know your thoughts!

(And, of course, a huge thank you to my beta Deany for dealing with my shit <3)

Chapter 18: Truth

Notes:

Happy Saturday! I hope you enjoy.

After the adrenaline-inducing Wave mission, Soma was happy to be back in Konoha and on regular missions. Genma and Raidou had become his go-to partners for the increasing number of A-rank missions he was being assigned. Soma’s shinobi status hadn’t been revoked after Wave thanks to Kakashi, and it seemed he’d been given a good enough review for the Hokage to start trusting him more: he’d completed his first solo B-rank mission days before.

Soma was experiencing a rare string of consecutive days in the village and used them to Team 7’s advantage. He’d begun training Naruto in fuuinjutsu and continued the kid’s taijutsu education, he and Kakashi had found Sasuke a good practice sword, and Soma had dug through many bins of medical texts to find the one he’d thought to give Sakura.

Soma’s probationary period was about to come to an end, too. He still wanted Naruto to move in with him, but he hadn’t had the time quite yet to look for a bigger apartment. Of course, he doubted Naruto would mind sharing a one-bedroom place, but Soma would prefer a bit more space—not that he didn’t love his younger self, but the kid would start going through puberty soon and Soma really didn’t want to live in such close quarters with a loud, angsty teenage Naruto.

Soma was thinking over his options while strolling through the village when he noticed Shikaku trying to catch his eye. The commander was standing with his arms crossed looking unimpressed. Soma raised an eyebrow at him, to which the Nara responded with a come hither gesture. 

“Shogi?” Shikaku said. The glint in his eyes made Soma a bit nervous.

“Sure,” Soma replied warily and fell into step beside Shikaku.

“So, how have you been adjusting to Konoha so far?” Shikaku asked as they walked. Soma’s lips twitched into a smile.

“I love it here,” Soma said. “I never expected to make friends with so many eccentric jounin.”

“Ah, yes. Our jounin are quite special indeed.”

Soma grinned. “When I first met Kakashi, I said I’d heard that Konoha shinobi were different from those of other villages. I didn’t know how true that was until I actually joined the ranks,” he said. Soma hadn’t seen the distinction during the war or as a genin.

“I see,” Shikaku replied. They passed through the gates of the Nara compound and Soma followed the commander to Shikaku’s oft-used shogi board. They sat facing each other, using the same sides as their previous game. Don’t think about Shikamaru.

“I’ll begin,” Shikaku said and moved his piece in a familiar opening. Soma countered quickly and waited for Shikaku to talk. It took about fifteen minutes of silent gameplay for the man to start speaking.

“I have something I wish to discuss with you,” Shikaku said neutrally.

“Alright. What is it, Shikaku-san?”

“Hm,” hummed Shikaku. “Before I say anything, I’d like to let you know that my house is entirely empty and I have powerful silencing seals in place around the property. No one will be able to listen in.” Soma put the piece he was considering down and straightened. It sounded serious, then.

“I understand,” Soma replied slowly, stretching his senses outward just in case, but felt no one in their immediate vicinity. Shikaku’s gaze pinned him in place, a quiet weight that made his skin tighten.

“I’m going to be blunt, Soma,” Shikaku began. There was an edge of steel in his tone. “I know you killed Danzo.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Soma said evenly, his body only betraying the slightest amount of surprise. Inside he was screaming. What had he done wrong? What had tipped off the Jounin Commander?

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. “Do not lie to me. I am willing to listen to your explanation for your actions. I have not told the Hokage yet, but I will if you do not tell me everything right here, right now. And by everything I mean everything. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

There was no way out of this. Soma could lie his ass off, but Shikaku would know and he’d be carted off to T&I before he could use the Hiraishin to escape. He could spin a tale that was part-truth, but again, Shikaku was a genius at reading between the lines: the commander would notice missing details. Fuck, Soma thought, and closed his eyes.

“I…it’s a long story,” he finally said. His voice was rough.

“We have the time,” Shikaku replied, and Soma opened his eyes to see him gesturing at the shogi board. The commander folded his hands in his lap over his crossed legs. “Now tell me.”

Soma took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay, I’ll tell you, but it’s going to sound crazy. I didn’t want anyone to find out about this. Fucking hell,” he muttered and ran a hand through his hair. “Shikaku-san, please, don’t tell anyone what I’m about to say. It would make my work here so much harder.” Shikaku raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll make that determination after I hear what you have to say.”

“Alright. Alright,” Soma said. Shikaku sat silently, waiting while Soma pulled himself together well enough to begin. Soma took another breath and raised his eyes from the shogi board to Shikaku’s face.

“Well, I suppose I should preface this with the most important aspects,” Soma said grimly. “I’m from the future and my name hasn’t always been Uzumaki Soma. I was born Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, son of Uzumaki Kushina and the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato.”

Shikaku’s eyes went wide, more of a tell than Soma had ever experienced from him before, and Soma quickly scrambled through an explanation.

“I can’t tell you everything that happened. I don’t want you to have extensive knowledge of a future that will not come to pass. What I can tell you is that the future I came from was horrific: there was nothing left but ruin. I was the last shinobi left alive. I came back in time to stop that future from happening again.”

Soma told Shikaku about the big things: the Akatsuki, the Tailed Beasts, the Allied Shinobi Forces, the War. He talked about the bounties he’d collected as the Flaming Tempest and why. He talked about Orochimaru. He didn’t say anything about Sasuke leaving the village.

Soma then went back and told Shikaku everything he knew about Danzo: all of the pots he’d had his fingers in starting with Amegakure and Hanzo, the way he trained his ROOT operatives, and finally, the Uchiha Massacre.

“In the other timeline, Sasuke killed Danzo before the War started. He learned the truth about Itachi and hunted him down for vengeance. Sasuke was my best friend, you know,” Soma said with a small smile, the first he’d cracked since he’d started talking. “He was supposed to come back with me. It didn’t, ah, work out that way, clearly, but he wanted to kill Danzo again. When Sasuke died, he passed that mission on to me.

“I want to put it out there that despite Danzo’s crimes against Konoha, I still felt conflicted about killing a Konoha shinobi. But I also didn’t hesitate to inflict a fatal wound on him because he absolutely deserved it.”

After Soma’s waterfall of words, the silence that came over the yard was loud. Shikaku was scrutinizing Soma, the full weight of his intellect crashing over the redhead like particularly aggressive waves meeting the shores of Uzushio. Neither man had touched the shogi pieces since Soma began his story; Soma was anxious enough about Shikaku’s reaction that he forgot the plays he’d been setting up. He watched the commander guardedly and waited.

“It makes sense,” Shikaku said. Soma clenched his teeth together to stop himself from speaking. “The pieces fit. You came out of nowhere as an unknown S-rank bounty hunter claiming ties to Uzushio. You adjusted easily to life in Konoha. You’ve been helping Kakashi train Team 7, and he’s told me how quickly you clock their strengths and weaknesses. You spoke to my son as though you know exactly what he’s capable of. You know things you shouldn’t.”

Soma stared. He hadn’t expected Shikaku to believe anything he said, especially something as crazy as time travel. Soma’s brain was whirring so quickly that he couldn’t pinpoint any exact thought to focus on. The one thing that stood out to him was: I told someone.

“How did you know I killed Danzo?” Soma asked, then flinched. It wasn’t what he’d meant to say at all, but he couldn’t deny he was curious how Shikaku had put it together.

Shikaku gave a small smile. “There was no chakra residue from the fight which, to my knowledge, is only attainable through seals. That narrows the field significantly considering Konoha doesn’t have many fuuinjutsu experts on hand. What sold me on it, though, was the wound pattern caused by the Rasengan.”

The wound pattern. Fuck. “I was careless,” Soma replied with a groan.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think anyone else could have put it together,” Shikaku said placatingly. “The Hokage himself didn’t know what jutsu could have caused damage like that. I remembered it from Minato’s mission reports.”

“I see,” said Soma. “But I never indicated I knew the Rasengan.”

Shikaku’s lips twitched again. “There are only two people—now three—who know the Rasengan: you, Jiraiya, and Kakashi. Jiraiya is currently out of the village and has been for years. Kakashi was keeping an eye on you…well, he was supposed to be, anyway. Additionally, Kakashi rarely uses the Rasengan in fights, so I made the educated guess that it wasn’t him. That left me with someone in the village who was a seal master and had mastered the Rasengan without anyone knowing. It led me to you.”

Shikaku really was frighteningly intelligent. Shikamaru was the same: he could see connections where Soma thought there were none. All it took was one small slip-up on Soma’s part for everything to come crashing down around him, for so many of his secrets to be revealed.

“Are you going to tell anyone about me?” Soma asked. He hoped to Kami that Shikaku wouldn’t, but if the commander decided he needed to say something, Soma would have to let him. He wouldn’t force Shikaku to keep this big of a secret from the Hokage if the man felt strongly enough about it.

Shikaku hummed. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Thank you,” Soma breathed out and let his head hang.

“I’m sorry for everything you’ve gone through, Soma, and I commend you on your resilience.” Soma looked up again and met Shikaku’s eyes. The man’s gaze was always intellectual but there was something softer there, too. “There aren’t many Konoha shinobi who could live through what you did and find the strength to continue fighting for a better future.”

Soma scoffed. “That’s not true. If anyone lived through what I did, they’d take the chance to come back and change everything,” he dismissed. Shikaku raised a brow.

“You’re wrong,” he said simply.

“What?”

“You’re wrong,” he repeated. “You lost everyone you’d ever loved. Think about what Kakashi did, what he became in ANBU after his team died one by one. You could have lost yourself to vengeance, and perhaps you did a little bit, but you came back to Konoha to right as many wrongs as you could. You’ve made authentic friends here, Soma, and someone who has lost hope because of their past wouldn’t be able to do that. There are very few who could claim to have that kind of strength.”

“I–” Soma stopped. He certainly didn’t feel strong; in fact, he felt weaker than ever having shared so many things with Shikaku at the mere threat of the Hokage knowing he killed Danzo. He’d also told Kakashi he was a Sage with minimal prompting. Kami, I suck at this, Soma thought.

“Soma, will you let me help you?” Shikaku asked, and Soma’s jaw dropped open.

“You…what?”

“Troublesome,” Shikaku muttered with a sigh. Then, louder, he said, “You can’t really think that I’ll let you go at this alone now that I know, right? I’m assuming you were one of my son’s best friends, just as Naruto is likely to be here. I want to help you prevent the chaos and destruction you spoke of for the sake of Konoha’s next generation. So, will you let me help you on your mission?”

Shikaku and Shikamaru had more in common than Soma had initially thought. The glaringly obvious similarity staring him in the face was that Naras would never stop surprising him.

“Are you sure you want to be involved in this? I’m never going to tell the Hokage or, hopefully, anyone else. It may be a case of ‘the less you know, the better,’” Soma said, staring hard at Shikaku. The Jounin Commander’s scars twisted as his mouth raised in a cunning grin.

“I’m sure. You need someone who’s good at plans, right? I may not be as smart as my son, but I’m certain I can be useful to you. And, I have to admit, I’m curious about all the tricks you have up your sleeve. As your new partner on this mission, I’d like to request a full demonstration of your skills. No holding back.”

Soma felt a smile bloom hesitantly on his face. “Well, we’ll need to be away from the village for that, Shikaku-san.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” Soma’s smile turned into a foxy grin and he let his eyes flash red. “I’ll need to let Kurama out to play.”

~

Kakashi couldn’t find Soma anywhere. He’d checked Soma’s apartment, Naruto’s apartment, the Jounin Standby Station, Hokage Tower, and all of the training grounds but detected no trace of the Uzumaki. He knew Soma was somewhere in the village, but Kakashi couldn’t think of anywhere else to look that he hadn’t been already. Technically, he could wait to talk to Soma about his plans for teaching Sasuke kenjutsu, but now that the redhead had disappeared off the face of the earth, Kakashi was determined to find him.

He was running across the rooftops of Konoha’s market district when he saw a flash of distinctive red hair. Kakashi beelined towards it and leapt down in front of Soma, blocking his path.

“Soma, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Kakashi said, then noticed the man walking beside Soma. “Oh, hello, Shikaku-san,” he added, almost as an afterthought. Shikaku’s eyes flashed with humor.

“Kakashi. I’m afraid I stole Soma away for a game of shogi,” the commander said, shooting an amused glance at the redhead. Soma rolled his eyes.

“You know, ‘stole me away’ sounds like you manhandled me into it,” he replied. Shikaku smirked.

“I didn’t have to this time.”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, what’s up, Kakashi?” Two pairs of eyes focused on him and Kakashi felt all at once like he was being assessed for a place in ANBU.

“Um,” Kakashi said inarticulately and his face heated. “I was just wondering if we could go over some kenjutsu points for training Sasuke, since we wanted to start him with that practice sword tomorrow.”

“Sure,” Soma said with a grin. He turned to Shikaku and muttered, “I’ll find you for another game soon, yeah?”

Shikaku nodded. “Have fun, kids,” he said, and spun to walk back the way he’d come. Something about the interaction sat oddly with Kakashi, but he let it go.

“Training Ground 3?” Kakashi asked.

“Of course,” Soma replied. 

They meandered their way through the village. Soma was quiet, and Kakashi saw that distinctive faraway look Soma adopted when he was deep in his thoughts, his memories. Whatever Soma had spoken with Shikaku about over their shogi game must have pushed some things to the surface, and Kakashi had half a mind to go to the Nara compound to give the Jounin Commander a piece of his mind—he wouldn’t, of course, but anyone who’d interacted with Soma at all should know to tread lightly around the “before Konoha” topic. Naras certainly weren’t known for their tact, though.

Training Ground 3 was deserted as Kakashi expected. Soma absentmindedly withdrew his katana from the seal on his arm, and having Soma locked in his headspace just wouldn’t do.

“Wait,” Kakashi said. Soma’s eyes cleared for a moment as he regarded Kakashi.

“What is it?”

“Before we talk kenjutsu, could you teach me a lightning-style taijutsu?”

Soma looked surprised. “I can,” he said. “I know two styles from Kumo: one is extremely difficult and time-consuming to learn, and I’ve only been trained up to chuunin level; the other is meant for taijutsu specialists like Gai, but since your taijutsu is powerful and you have incredible balance, I think it could work for you.”

“Alright, let’s try the second option then. But I’d like to see the other style, too,” Kakashi replied. Soma smirked.

“Of course you would. Okay, the style I’m going to teach you is called Denkou Kikku-Kentou, or Lightning Kickboxing. It’s extremely fast and deadly when mastered. Because the foundational chakra nature is lightning, you’ll probably get the hang of it much quicker than I did,” Soma explained. He shifted his feet to be slightly wider than shoulder width apart, bending his knees.

“The first stage focuses on balance, kicking, and defense.” Soma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “First, center yourself. Find your center of balance and return to it every time you move.” He flipped his hand out in front of him as though defending from an invisible attack. “Even moving your arm, like I just did, changes your balance. You have to learn to recognize every shift your body makes in combat.”

Kakashi watched him avidly. For any taijutsu style to be effective, one had to have good balance; however, from what Kakashi was observing of Soma, this style required more focus than that. Maintaining his balance had never required much conscious thought for Kakashi, since taijutsu always came naturally to him; this was bound to be interesting.

“You try it,” Soma said, his eyes open once again. Kakashi shifted his feet to be placed exactly as Soma’s had been and closed his eye. He felt the weight of his feet on the ground, how his core was his center. He moved his arm only slightly and felt his gravity shift, though it was a miniscule amount. He was surprised: Kakashi didn’t think small movements like that would affect his center of gravity.

Kakashi moved his arm a few more times to get the feel of it. Paying so much attention to his balance threw him off more than he cared to admit, but he wanted desperately to learn something new. 

“Alright, what next?”

Soma grinned. “Come at me with a kunai,” he said. Kakashi raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Just do it. And don’t try any weird attacks, just come straight at me.”

Kakashi sighed. “Alright.” He drew a kunai and ran at Soma. The Uzumaki had shifted back into position and this time when he moved his hand, it had a purpose. Kakashi’s kunai was deflected with the back of Soma’s hand, leaving Kakashi momentarily open to a counterattack should Soma have chosen to exploit it.

“I see,” said Kakashi. There wasn’t anything overtly distinctive about the deflection compared to other styles, but Kakashi could tell Soma was using his muscles differently than he’d seen before.

“Do you need to see it again before you try it yourself?” Soma asked.

Kakashi hummed. “Sure. Same thing?”

“Yeah.” They went through it again, Kakashi stabbing a kunai forward and Soma using the back of his hand to deflect it. Kakashi watched the movement of Soma’s arm closely so he could emulate it.

“Okay, get into the stance and find your center,” Soma said as he withdrew his own kunai. Kakashi did so, paying overt attention to his core. “Ready?”

“Yes.” Kakashi recalled the feeling of his balance shifting while he moved and when the kunai was just within arms reach, he moved his hand the exact way he’d observed from Soma. The kunai was deflected away and though there was the same potential opportunity for a counterattack, Soma did something with his other hand that would’ve defended against it.

“Great job,” Soma said with a grin as he pulled back. “Do you see where you’ll go with this?”

“I think so,” said Kakashi, thinking it over. “I need the deflection as part of my defense while utilizing kicks. Once I get used to the balance piece of this style, you’ll probably teach me more and more aggressive kicks and how to use my hands and arms in defense.” Soma was smiling proudly at him, looking so much like Minato-sensei that it took Kakashi’s breath away.

“Exactly. You’re so smart it’s almost scary, Kakashi,” he said. Kakashi waved a hand, brushing off the compliment.

“Maa, I’m really nothing special,” he replied. It was one of the few times he’d been humble about his supposed “genius” in years. Soma rolled his eyes.

“Right, Sharingan no Kakashi is ‘nothing special,’” he said wryly. 

“You flatter me,” Kakashi deadpanned. Soma shoved him gently, pressing an open palm to Kakashi’s shoulder. Kakashi could almost feel the heat of Soma’s touch through the thick fabric of his flak vest.

“Shut up,” Soma said. There was something distinctly fond in his gaze that had Kakashi blushing beneath his mask. He opened his mouth to retort but clenched his jaw tightly when his only reply was "make me.”  

“I’ll teach you more of the style later. Practice centering yourself and perfecting your balance,” Soma said over Kakashi’s unseen struggle. Kakashi pulled himself together and saluted solemnly.

“Hai, sensei,” he said. Soma shoved him again.

“So, what are your thoughts for Sasuke’s first day of kenjutsu training?” Soma asked, changing the subject.

“Maa, simple stances to start, I’d think. Of course, we need to teach him how to hold a sword correctly–” Soma grinned for some reason, “–but I’m sure he’ll get the hang of it easily.”

Soma hummed. “I agree. From what I’ve seen his existing taijutsu should adapt well to the addition of a sword, but I have the feeling he’ll be more amenable to learning other styles of kenjutsu than he is to changing his taijutsu.”

“He’s very rigid and by-the-book in taijutsu,” Kakashi said, thinking back to the sparring he’d witnessed between Sasuke and Naruto. Both genin were getting stronger, but Naruto was much more adaptable to change than Sasuke would ever be. It showed in their taijutsu matches during team practice.

“Overly so,” Soma agreed. “I’m assuming—hoping—that he’ll want to expand his kenjutsu to the point where it influences his taijutsu. Kenjutsu is about fluidity of movement and adaptability in defense and attack. It might force him to grow beyond the Uchiha style.”

“What stances would you start him with?”

Soma unsealed his katana once again, unsheathing it and handling it easily. He sank into an Uchiha style taijutsu stance and extended his sword arm forward, steady and sure in his movements.

“I’d start him like this,” Soma said. He stepped into simple Uchiha style katas, sword flashing through the air in time with his steps. Soma was right: it seemed Sasuke’s style was very easily adaptable to kenjutsu. Then Soma began moving his feet in a slightly different way and the motions came even more effortlessly. Kakashi recognized it somehow, but couldn’t place it. “I’d then shift him to this, which is a combination of the Uchiha style and Konoha ANBU style.” Ah.

“And where did you learn the Konoha ANBU style?” Kakashi asked drily. Soma smirked at him.

“Oh, somewhere along the road of life,” he replied. Kakashi desperately wanted to smack a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

“That’s my line,” he grumbled instead, but there was no heat behind it. Soma winked at him and Kakashi thought he might faint with how lightheaded he became at the gesture.

“Anyway,” Soma said, drawing Kakashi’s attention back to the kenjutsu he was displaying, “I think this is a good place to start. We can adapt it as needed to fit him as he grows into his own style. By the way, you should start working with him on using his Sharingan to copy techniques.”

Kakashi had thought about it. Extensively, actually. The trouble was, Kakashi had no idea how to teach Sasuke about the Sharingan. No Uchiha had deigned to help Kakashi understand his doujutsu when he’d received it from Obito, so he’d figured things out through trial and error (mostly error).

“I know,” he said with a sigh. Soma resheated his katana and watched him. He searched Kakashi’s face, though what he could read from a single eye couldn’t be much.

“You’ll figure it out,” Soma said quietly. “You’re not an Uchiha, so I doubt they gave you any formal training, but you’re a better teacher than you think. Just go with your gut.” Kakashi stood corrected: Soma could read entirely too much from that one eye.

“Right,” Kakashi said skeptically.

“Really,” Soma said, earnestness coloring his voice. “Sometimes improvisation is the best way to do something. I get that you’re a planner, Kakashi, but you can’t account for every possibility. Even Shikaku-san agrees with me on that.”

The worst part, to Kakashi, was that Soma was right. He could try to plan a thousand steps ahead, try to ensure that all potential problems were considered, and there would always be an inevitable wrench thrown into his plans. This was especially true for teaching his three brats: they were constantly surprising him at the most inopportune moments.

“I suppose,” Kakashi replied, hoping he didn’t betray his anxiety at the prospect of no plan.

“Alright, enough about that for now.” Soma resealed Dojikiri. “I have some food at home I need to get rid of, if you’d like to join me for dinner? I promise I can make things other than breakfast foods.”

“Maa, are you sure?” Kakashi asked. Soma looked at him quizzically.

“Am I sure I can cook a variety of things or am I sure about inviting you over?”

“Either. Both,” Kakashi said, waving a hand. Soma rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure about both. Kami, I can’t believe I’ve been in Konoha this long and you still haven’t had dinner at my place. I’ve improved a lot since I was younger, y’know.” Kakashi wasn’t sure why that last bit was important but Soma looked slightly embarrassed about it. Kakashi decided not to push but wondered when the hell Soma had begun sounding a bit like Naruto.

“Alright, I believe you. If you don’t mind another body in the kitchen, I’ll even help you chop,” Kakashi offered. Soma sent him a smile.

“I may just take you up on that,” he replied.

It was the best home cooked meal Kakashi had eaten since Kushina died. I think I’m in love with him, Kakashi thought dazedly when he was alone in the safety of his bedroom. He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. I'm so fucked.

Notes:

Sorry this chapter was posted a bit late in the day! I hope you enjoyed it. As always, comments and kudos are so very loved <3

And a big thanks to my beta Deany, too :)

Chapter 19: Masks

Notes:

Happy Saturday! Enjoy ;)

Soma was sent on a week-long A-rank mission with Genma and Raidou before he had the chance to give Shikaku a full demonstration. Kurama had been looking forward to showing off for the Jounin Commander, and he’d been grumbling his displeasure in Soma’s head like a petulant child since learning he’d have to wait a bit longer.

The mission was simple enough: take out a group of missing nin who were terrorizing small towns along the border of Fire Country. Soma, Genma, and Raidou had tracked them for a few days before eliminating the group. There were no issues or injuries on the jounins’ part, and Soma should have known something was about to go wrong; after all, he’d had too many “normal” missions recently.

They weren’t chatting as they leapt through the trees on their way back to Konoha, but they were within the borders of Fire Country and their guards were lowered slightly. Soma didn’t see a problem with that until he felt a familiar maelstrom of angry chakra enter his sensing range.

Obito.

Soma whistled to get Genma and Raidou’s attention. He made the field signs for incoming, S-rank strength, fast, and northwest. Genma and Raidou nodded their understanding, a grim set to both of their mouths.

This was going to be a tough fight without Kurama's power. They’d surely lose, but Soma figured that as long as he got Genma and Raidou out alive, it would be enough of a win.

The chakra signature vanished. Fucking Kamui, thought Soma. Obito appeared on a branch, effectively cutting Soma, Genma, and Raidou off. The three jounin skidded to a stop, eyeing the man before them. Obito was wearing his stupid swirly orange mask and an Akatsuki robe, reminding Soma of the first time they’d met in the previous timeline, although this time, Obito didn’t seem to want to play the part of “that dumb kid Tobi.”

Obito immediately fired off a katon jutsu. Raidou stepped forward to counter with a suiton, and it was on.

Obito let three more katon justus fly, one right after the other and all aimed at Soma. It didn’t surprise him that Obito would be entirely focused on him, considering Soma had almost single-handedly destroyed half of the Akatsuki. Genma and Raidou realized quickly that Soma was the true target of the ambush and moved to flank him, a classic Konoha team maneuver—although it was typically reserved for medic nins. All it meant in this situation was that Genma and Raidou were placing themselves in danger of serious injury, though Soma couldn’t do anything about that.

Genma and Raidou flung kunais that passed right through Obito. Both of them faltered slightly and Soma leapt forward to cover them, shooting off a quick Raiton: False Darkness. If Obito recognized it as one of Kakuzu’s jutsus, he didn’t show it; instead, he disappeared into his Kamui timespace to avoid the charged lightning heading straight for him. Smart.

Soma flung a kunai the moment he felt Obito’s chakra reappear on a different branch. Obito was forced to dodge, and Soma thanked Kami that Obito wasn’t able to use his Kamui disappearing act consecutively. 

Apparently, Obito didn’t like that nearly as much as Soma did. The masked man dropped to the forest floor and knelt, slapping his hands to the ground as he did so. The trees began to move, roots coming forth in waves and tearing up the dirt. Genma and Raidou were thrown from their perches as the trees shook violently. Obito’s really not pulling his punches, Soma thought. He’d nearly forgotten about the mokuton.

Tree branches shot directly at Soma. They were fast, faster than he remembered from the War. Maybe Soma had gotten comfortable in his cushy Konoha life and lost some of his battle-worn edge, or maybe Obito was just in a better headspace to control it. Either way, Soma was narrowly dodging every piece of wood flung at him and simultaneously trying to avoid letting his feet linger too long on each tree. If he was caught, he’d be left with fewer options.

Genma came back into the fray. He began to use katon jutsus to hold back the wood, and it worked…until it didn’t. One pointed piece of wood snuck through Genma’s guard and managed a hit to the jounin’s left flank, stabbing into him and causing Genma to grunt in pain. Shit.

Raidou appeared and caught Genma just as he was about to fall, blood already seeping through his flak jacket and dripping down his front. “Shit, Gen,” Raidou said.

“I’m…okay,” Genma said, then gasped and put his hands to the wound. “Or…maybe not.”

“You have field medic training, right?” Soma asked Raidou.

“Some.”

“Good. Try to keep him stable and awake. I’ll try to buy you some time to get out of here, alright?” Soma said.

“No,” came Genma’s breathy, pained voice. “Rai won’t…leave you. Can’t… leave you. We’re a…team.”

“Genma, please–”

“No. Rai, work on me here.” Another noise of pain. “I’m the…captain. Fuck.”

“Fine, whatever, just get far enough away to be out of range of his fucking mokuton,” Soma gritted out and shot a katon at the wood getting too close for comfort. I won’t let my friends die. Not again, Soma thought aggressively. He came back in time to make sure that would be the case. He couldn’t lose Genma.

Soma released the chakra from the seal over his right pectoral. Perfectly-balanced nature energy rushed through him and the world became sharper. Raidou hopped away with Genma, and Soma sensed them settle some meters away, still close enough that they could get caught in any big jutsus either Soma or Obito tried. But, to be fair, Obito’s sole focus was Soma, and Soma wanted to keep it that way.

Mokuton shot at Soma again and the trees became a blur of messy, unnatural limbs. Soma, now in Sage Mode, was faster and his strikes surer. He still couldn’t use physical attacks on Obito unless he forced the man into his timespace. That would be trickier now that he’d shown he could read Obito’s timing.

What Soma could do immediately, though, was get close enough to engage in hand-to-hand. If Obito wanted any chance of hitting Soma, he’d have to materialize long enough for a physical attack to land. Soma raced across the tangled branches, all of them thick enough to hold his weight, and started to dodge faster and faster. He didn’t avoid every hit, but in Sage Mode the pain went away quickly. He’d still have bruises for days, though, even with Kurama healing him.

Soma made it to the forest floor and leapt at Obito. Obito let the attacks pass through him, but by doing so, he had to let up on the Mokuton. His hands no longer touched the ground and the forest settled around them once again. Soma saw a punch coming and drew a kunai, slashing at the spot where Obito’s wrist was. It forced Obito to make that part of his body incorporeal.

Obito growled behind his mask. “You’ve made things extremely difficult for me, Uzumaki,” he said. He knows who I am, then.

“Oh, have I?” Soma replied nonchalantly. He punched out again and his fist went through the space where Obito’s chest appeared to be. Obito managed to clock Soma hard in the side of the head, causing Soma to briefly see stars. He pulled himself together and went at Obito with renewed, Sage Mode-assisted vigor.

Soma powered up his chakra and used one of his biggest, most powerful Sage Mode jutsus: Fuuton: Stormbreaker. He could direct the storm and wind at will, meaning he could keep it away from Genma and Raidou. Generally, at least.

The sky darkened, clouds as black as the night sky coming together above Soma and Obito. The wind positively howled. Currents of chakra connected Soma to the storm, and all at once, he was the master of all the air around him. Obito’s chakra flickered with something like surprise and Soma grinned.

Gales of sharp, deadly wind came down from the heavens. Soma controlled them with ease, directing them at Obito and the entanglement of trees surrounding them. Soma began wrapping the wind around Obito in a sphere, and Soma felt Obito disappear into his timespace to escape the jutsu.

Soma knew Obito’s timing intimately. They’d fought with and against each other enough during the War for Soma to have a good understanding of his movements. He knew where Obito would appear and Soma was ready for him.

Soma struck Obito with a fuuton-enhanced slap to the man’s sternum. The strike was designed to attack the air in the lungs. It wouldn’t be enough to kill him, but it would hopefully force Obito to retreat. Obito wheezed and dropped to one knee, then took Soma by surprise: he shot out a tree trunk-sized piece of mokuton and caught Soma directly in the chest, right as his Sage Mode faded. Soma was flung several yards backwards, his back slamming against a tree with enough force to crack it in half. Fuck, that hurt.

Obito’s chakra disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared in the first place. Soma, winded and undoubtedly bruised from head to toe, stood shakily. He kept his heightened senses activated even as his Sage Mode diminished with a little help from Kurama.

He waited, but Obito didn’t reappear. Soma let out a breath and slowly walked to where Genma and Raidou were. Genma was lying on the ground, awake and wincing as Raidou wrapped his side carefully. Genma turned his head to the side when he noticed Soma’s presence.

“You’re…alive. That’s…good. Kakashi would’ve…killed me,” he said. Raidou slapped his shoulder lightly in admonishment.

“I told you not to talk, dumbass. You’ll reopen your stitches.”

“You’re alright, then?” Soma asked. Genma nodded while Raidou made a so-so gesture.

“We should get him back to Konoha ASAP. He needs actual medical attention. I think a few of his organs were hit, and that’s beyond my ability to heal,” Raidou replied. Genma rolled his eyes and opened his mouth but Raidou cut him off. “What did I just say about talking?” His eyes flashed dangerously and Genma shrank back meekly.

“I can carry him back,” Soma offered, even though his back felt like it had been smashed against a tree, which it had been. Raidou’s glare was then leveled at Soma and Soma raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, never mind.” Genma was clearly trying not to laugh.

“You two are going to be the death of me,” Raidou muttered and stood. He pulled Genma up and swung him onto his back. Genma wrapped his arms and legs around Raidou.

“My savior,” Genma said and pushed his face into the nape of Raidou’s neck. Raidou looked torn between anger at Genma for talking and embarrassment at the display of affection.

“Let’s go. The sooner we get to Konoha, the better,” Raidou said, a flush to his cheeks. “You should get checked out too, Soma. You look like you were mauled by something.” Soma glanced at his arms and noticed that, yes, his skin was painted in black and blue bruises. No wonder Raidou didn’t want him carrying Genma.

“I’m fine,” he said. Raidou just leveled another glare at him and Soma figured there was no way to get out of going to the hospital. He heaved a sigh and started running back to Konoha, Raidou beside him.

“Why was that nin targeting you?” Raidou asked. Soma shrugged as nonchalantly as he could.

“I’m not sure. He could’ve been connected to one of the nukenin I took care of as a bounty hunter, I suppose,” Soma replied. It was only partially a lie.

“Did you kill him?”

Soma shook his head. “No, I only got him to make a tactical retreat. His space-time jutsu is difficult to counter.”

“I see,” said Raidou. “Well, let’s hope he’ll back off for a while, at least until you recover a bit more.”

“Agreed,” Soma said. There was an idea niggling at the back of his mind, something he’d have to talk to Kurama about when they were safely back home. Fucking Obito and his fucking Kamui, Soma thought morosely. Sometimes, Soma wished the villains in his life were a little less complicated.

~

“Did you hear Genma’s in the hospital? He got stabbed by a tree or something.” Kakashi was waiting in line at the Mission Desk to turn in a completed D-rank mission report for his team when he heard Anko’s muttered words. Kakashi stiffened slightly.

“Yeah. He and Uzumaki looked a little worse for wear,” another jounin replied. Kakashi clenched his fists.

“I’ll say,” Anko replied with a scoff. “I’ve never seen Red with any actual injuries before, you know? If it weren’t for the scars I’d say no one ever lands a hit on him, but those bruises are something else. I’m surprised they didn’t force him to stay in the hospital.”

Kakashi had heard enough. He slipped quietly out of the room and found his team loitering in the lobby of Hokage Tower.

“Something urgent has come up. You’re free for the rest of the day,” Kakashi said and used a shunshin to disappear before they could voice their protests. He only felt a little bad about not telling Naruto that Soma was hurt.

Kakashi ran to Soma’s apartment, his heart in his throat. Soma was injured on a mission with Genma and Raidou? Logically, Kakashi knew that Soma wouldn’t have been released from the hospital if he wasn’t healthy enough; however, his rational thought had fled in the face of his undignified, un-shiobi-like panic. Kakashi hammered hard on Soma’s door and prayed for an answer.

Kakashi felt the wards give as the door opened and he stared at the sight before him. Soma stood shirtless in the doorway, a myriad of mottled bruises painting the entirety of his torso. The seals tattooed onto his body were barely visible through the black and blue staining his skin. He looked like he’d been through the wringer, that was for sure.

Kakashi stepped forward into Soma’s space, placing roughly calloused fingertips gently against the largest bruise on his chest. “You’re okay?” Kakashi ground out. His voice was rough and a bit desperate.

Soma brought a hand up and circled his fingers around Kakashi’s wrist, pulling just enough for Kakashi’s palm to rest fully against Soma’s skin. Kakashi looked up and met Soma’s eyes.

“I’m okay,” Soma said with a small smile.

Kakashi couldn’t take it anymore. He stepped forward, pushing Soma backwards into the apartment and kicking the door closed. Kakashi lifted his free hand to his face, pulled down his mask without a care in the world, and pressed his lips to Soma’s.

Soma didn’t respond. Kakashi went to pull away, embarrassment beginning to flood through him, but Soma’s hands came up to thread through Kakashi’s hair and he was being tugged back down. Their lips met again and Kakashi couldn’t help the groan that forced its way out of his throat.

Soma kissed him hungrily, eagerly. Kakashi wrapped an arm around Soma’s waist and dragged him even closer. When their chests met, Soma gasped. Kakashi took advantage of it and licked his way into Soma’s mouth, running his tongue along Soma’s teeth. Soma groaned and moved one of his hands from Kakashi’s hair to the zipper of his flak jacket, tugging it down and pushing the thick fabric off his shoulders. Soma then went for the hem of Kakashi’s shirt, pushing it up and running burning fingertips along Kakashi’s back.

Kakashi ran his hands across Soma’s bare shoulders, his back, his toned chest and abs, through his hair. Kakashi wanted to touch him everywhere. Soma tugged at Kakashi’s shirt again and Kakashi got the message.

He reluctantly broke the kiss to pull his shirt and mesh armor over his head, dropping his clothes to the floor along with his hitai-ate. He went back in immediately for another kiss, but Soma pressed a hand to Kakashi’s sternum and stopped him. There was a look in Soma’s eyes as he gazed at Kakashi’s exposed face and torso, one that Kakashi couldn’t parse but that made him blush furiously. Soma raised his hand to Kakashi’s cheek and touched the corner of his mouth with his thumb, smiling softly.

“Kakashi,” Soma murmured. “You’re so beautiful."

“Fuck, Soma,” Kakashi breathed and crashed their lips together again. 

Kakashi felt all restraint leave him. Soma’s hands were everywhere, leaving trails of fire in the wake of their touch. Kakashi shivered as Soma traced a scar along his ribs and Soma bit Kakashi’s lip lightly in response.

Kakashi drew his mouth away from Soma’s and kissed his way down the other man’s neck. At the crook of his neck, Kakashi sucked hard enough at the skin to leave a bruise. Soma moaned.

“Kakashi,” Soma gasped breathlessly as Kakashi bit into his skin. “Fuck, Kakashi. Come here.” One of Soma’s hands went back to Kakashi’s hair and tugged, pulling Kakashi’s face away from his neck and bringing their lips back together.

Kakashi let his hands wander lower, sliding one down to squeeze Soma’s ass through his pants. Soma jerked slightly in surprise but released a very attractive sound at the touch, a sound that Kakashi swallowed eagerly. Kakashi had never felt like this with anyone before and he wanted more.

“Soma.” Kakashi mouthed along Soma’s jaw. “Soma,” he repeated in a whisper, ghosting his breath over Soma’s ear. Soma’s grip tightened where his hands rested on Kakashi’s hips.

“Mmm,” Soma hummed. Kakashi bit Soma’s earlobe, eliciting a delicious moan from the redhead. On impulse, Kakashi brought their hips flush together, and with a jolt he realized that both of them were hard. Kakashi hissed as Soma ground against him, letting his head fall back at the sensation. Soma kissed down Kakashi’s neck and then moved to his chest, licking his way to one of Kakashi’s nipples. Kakashi shivered.

“Soma. Soma,” Kakashi groaned.

“Mhm?” Soma encouraged, his tongue still laving at Kakashi’s nipple. 

“I want–” Kakashi could barely think enough to form a full sentence.

“You want…?” Soma’s teeth grazed Kakashi’s nipple, causing a full-body shudder.

“ Fuck. I want you, Soma. I want everything,” he said. Soma pulled away suddenly, and Kakashi had a moment to fear that he’d said something wrong, but then Soma was kissing him fiercely.

“Yes. Yes, Kakashi,” Soma said against his lips. Soma laughed, and Kakashi could feel the rumblings of it through his chest as much as he could hear it.

Kakashi backed Soma further into the apartment. It was the same layout as his own, which he was abruptly thankful for when he didn’t have to think about the steps needed to get to the bedroom. Kakashi had momentarily considered the couch, but if they were doing this, Kakashi was going to make damn sure they did it right. And that included a bed.

Soma was starting to find all the sweet spots that made Kakashi shiver and groan. Kakashi felt himself reacting more and more to Soma’s touch, biting back moans at every sweep of Soma’s tongue against his own. Kissing Soma was exhilarating; Kakashi had never felt a high quite like it, even during his years as an adrenaline-addicted ANBU. He’d never been read so well by a lover before, never had hands on him that cared beyond the pleasure of one night. This was different, Kakashi could tell. He hoped Soma knew it, too.

Kakashi opened the bedroom door and they fell through it. He closed it hastily, the same way he’d shut the front door a few minutes earlier. The slam of the door hitting the frame startled both of them, Kakashi whipping around to assess for a threat. Oops, he thought sheepishly.

He heard low, chuckling laughter from behind him and turned to see Soma watching him with amusement. Soma was absolutely beautiful, Kakashi thought as he took in the disheveled man before him. The curtains were closed and the desk lamp was lit, casting Soma in a golden glow. Kakashi had always associated him with steel silver, but gold was also incredibly appealing on him.

I’m so in love with you, Kakashi thought as he moved forward. He took Soma’s face in his hands and kissed him. Soma let Kakashi lead the kiss wherever he wanted it to go, and all Kakashi knew was that he wanted anything Soma would give him.

This kiss was intense in a different way than the ones before. It was slower, more controlled, but Kakashi still felt like he’d been struck by lightning. His body was tingling with awareness, alert for every touch Soma bestowed upon him. One of Soma’s hands was tangled in Kakashi’s hair; the other was drifting lower and lower, caressing the skin between Kakashi’s navel and his waistband.

Kakashi ran his fingertips down Soma’s spine. Soma shivered at the touch, his hips stuttering into Kakashi’s and making both of them groan. Soma’s deft fingers popped the button of Kakashi’s fly but paused at the zipper.

“Kakashi,” Soma breathed.

“What is it?” Kakashi whispered, nipping at Soma’s lips, hands still tracing patterns across Soma’s bare skin.

“You need to know that this can’t just be a one time thing for me,” Soma replied, the words barely audible.

“Me neither,” Kakashi murmured, kissing Soma again.

“So when you said everything…?” Soma asked into the millimeters of space between their lips.

“Yeah, Soma,” Kakashi said breathlessly, “I meant everything.”

~

Soma couldn’t stop staring at Kakashi’s bare face. It was a part of Kakashi he never thought he’d see. Kakashi-sensei had never once taken off his mask in front of Team 7 in all the years of war they’d gone through together, and now, there Kakashi was, baring his face like it was something insignificant.

Kakashi had a crooked smile and a beauty mark on his chin. The scar through his eye went further down his face than Soma had thought. When he blushed, red bled from his cheeks all the way to his chest. Kakashi was absolutely gorgeous, and Soma was losing his damn mind.

Kakashi was an intensely private person where it mattered. As far as Soma knew, the only other person alive who’d seen Kakashi without his mask was Gai. Sure, Kakashi had other friends, but they’d never been able to break through to his true self. Soma knew he was incredibly privileged to be allowed to see Kakashi like this.

Soma reached out and ran a finger along the scar bisecting Kakashi’s eye. They were lying in his bed facing each other with their legs tangled together, Kakashi’s arm around his waist keeping him close. Soma still couldn’t believe what had just happened; he certainly never thought Kakashi would initiate anything. Of course, Soma was delightfully surprised at the turn of events, considering he’d been in love with Kakashi for…probably a while now, even if he hadn’t noticed until Wave.

“What happened?” Kakashi asked gruffly.

“Hmm?” Soma replied absently, still tracing the scar.

“On your mission. What happened?”

Soma’s fingers paused their ministrations. “We were ambushed by a missing-nin on our way back from our A-rank,” he said. Kakashi’s eye narrowed and Soma fought not to squirm.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Kakashi said. Yeah. There’s a lot I haven’t told you, actually, and I despise having to keep secrets from you, Soma thought. He especially hated that he couldn’t tell Kakashi about Obito.

Soma sighed. “He’s strong, incredibly strong. He was after me, barely spared Genma and Raidou a glance unless they were defending me. That’s how Genma got hurt.” He closed his eyes for a moment and rolled onto his back, dislodging Kakashi’s hand. “Raidou probably told the Hokage this already while Genma and I were getting checked over in the hospital, but he had some sort of space-time jutsu and fucking mokuton, Kakashi.”

Kakashi propped himself up on his elbow and stared at Soma. “He used mokuton? But that’s–”

“Yeah,” Soma said. He heaved another sigh and ran a hand down his face. “I didn’t kill him. I think I should request solo missions from now on–”

“No,” Kakashi said forcefully.

“But–”

“No. He’s after you. You have a better chance of survival if you have a team to back you up. You know this, Soma.”

“Yeah, I know! But I don’t want anyone else to die for me; not again.” Soma flinched and covered his eyes with his forearm.

“Look at me, Soma,” Kakashi said softly, pulling Soma’s arm gently away from his face. Reluctantly, Soma met his eye. “I understand wanting to isolate yourself, thinking it’s safer for those around you. I did the same thing when I was in ANBU.” Kakashi grimaced. Soma knew that Kakashi’s time in ANBU wasn’t a good time for him and immediately regretted saying anything.

“I’m sorry–”

“No, it’s okay. What I’m trying to say is that you can rely on people here, Soma. There are so many of us who care about you.” Kakashi placed his hand on Soma’s cheek. “I don’t know much about what happened before you came to Konoha, and I won’t ask, but please, let us try to protect you.”

“Kakashi, I can’t–”

“You can. You’re a shinobi of Konoha now; you should know what that means.”

“I do,” Soma said. “Kami, of course I do. But there’s every chance that what happened before will happen again. I can’t lose more people I care about.”

Kakashi hummed. “I can’t promise that you won’t. I realize that I’m a hypocrite saying this–” Soma smiled a little at that, “–but letting people in, letting them help you, isn’t a weakness. You’re so strong, Soma,” Kakashi continued, and Soma felt himself blush hot under Kakashi’s hand. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. But you don’t need to do everything on your own.”

“‘M not strong,” Soma denied, shaking his head. “I was too weak to save my friends and family. I couldn’t save my village.”

“And yet here you are, still fighting for something better.”

“Because if I don’t, I’ll have nothing left!” Soma shouted. He sat up and put his forehead on his bent knees, arms wrapped around his shins. “I was given a mission,” he said softly, knowing his words were muffled into the blanket covering his knees. He felt Kakashi move beside him and didn’t startle when a hand touched his bare back, running soothing lines up and down his bruised spine.

“What do you mean?”

“My best friend, he…he took a fatal hit meant for me. Jumped in front of me,” Soma said, letting out a harsh breath. Kakashi’s hand stuttered. “With his last breath he asked me to keep going, to create a better world and a better future. I need to see it through for him, for all of my friends I’ve loved and lost. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” Kakashi replied, sounding choked. Soma raised his head to look at his face. “Fuck, Soma, I understand.” Kakashi’s free hand raised to his closed eye, the Sharingan. Soma instantly felt bad.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He lifted his hand to grasp Kakashi’s. “Shit, Kakashi, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Kakashi said with a rueful, if slightly watery, smile. “You and I understand each other. And I’m sorry, too.”

Soma smiled back. “Don’t be,” he said, repeating Kakashi’s words. Kakashi turned his head and pressed a kiss to Soma’s palm. It wasn’t enough, and Soma leaned forward to capture Kakashi’s lips in a gentle caress. “And I know you’re right. I need to trust in you all.”

“Easier said than done, right?” Kakashi murmured.

“Yeah,” Soma replied. “But I’ll work on it. I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kakashi said, and Soma believed him.

Notes:

I hope y'all are happy with how this went! I've never written a scene like the one between Soma & Kakashi before, so please please let me know if you enjoyed it!! Of course, any other thoughts & comments are lovely as well <3

Chapter 20: Obligation

Notes:

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that I didn't post last week; I know y'all were waiting on me. I'm probably going to have to switch to updates every 2 weeks now that school is back in session. I promise I'll continue updating, though!

“What was that all about?” Sakura asked, arms crossed and a scary expression on her face. Sasuke didn’t recoil from her anger, but he couldn’t say the same for the dobe.

“Sakura-chan, I’m sure he’s got a mission or something!” Naruto said nervously.

“Hmph! Well, Kakashi-sensei still shouldn’t leave like that,” she replied haughtily. Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes.

“If he has a mission, he has a mission,” Sasuke said. “Jounin aren’t given as much time to prepare as genin.” He remembered Itachi’s days in ANBU, how at the drop of a hat his brother would be gone for weeks on end without saying goodbye. Sasuke hated that his reference for all jounin was…that man.

Sakura huffed. “I know that! It’s still annoying, though.” Recently, Sasuke had noticed that Sakura was treating him similarly to Naruto. She’d stopped fawning over everything he said, which he was immensely grateful for. It also helped that Naruto wasn’t nearly as up-in-Sakura’s-face about his crush as he had been in the Academy.

Actually, much to Sasuke’s surprise, Naruto had begun to mature. He was still loud and obnoxious most of the time, but once he’d been introduced to Soma, he seemed to level out a bit. He wasn’t nearly as impulsive—although that wasn’t quite the feat it seemed, considering Naruto couldn’t really get any more impulsive than he already was—and he’d taken to silently practicing the Uzumaki taijutsu katas in Team 7’s downtime. Sasuke felt like if he himself wasn’t getting stronger, he’d be jealous of Naruto’s alarmingly fast growth as a shinobi.

And that was another thing: Uzumaki Soma. It was impossible not to hear the rumors flying around Konoha now that Sasuke was actually listening. Soma’s performance during the mission to Wave had piqued Sasuke’s curiosity, and apparently he wasn’t the only one curious about the jounin. On their trip back from Wave, Soma and Kakashi-sensei had given Team 7 a brief overview of Soma’s history before coming to Konoha, including the S-rank nukenin he’d taken out as a bounty hunter.

Though he’d never admit it, Sasuke was dying to ask Soma what he knew about that man.

“Oi, teme!” Naruto snapped his fingers in Sasuke’s face, bringing Sasuke out of his thoughts.

“What?” Sasuke bit back, maybe a tad more aggressively than he’d meant to. Naruto glared at him.

“We’ve got the afternoon off now, right? No boring D-ranks?” Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“Obviously, dobe.”

“Then we should go get ramen!” Naruto said excitedly. Sakura groaned quietly, and though Sasuke would typically echo the sentiment, Naruto had actually been more restrained about his ramen intake since Wave. He hadn’t even suggested Ichiraku’s when Team 7 had gone out for their occasional dinners.

“Fine, but no more than two bowls for you,” Sasuke replied. Naruto stared at him in shock.

“Really?!” Naruto yelled.

“Hn. Don’t make me change my mind.”

“I won’t!” Naruto reached out to grab Sasuke’s arm, but stopped short. when Sasuke raised a brow at him, heat rushed to Naruto’s cheeks. He dropped his hand and turned away. “Let’s go!”

Naruto led Team 7 through the streets of Konoha, Sasuke and Sakura walking slightly behind him. Sasuke thought back to a hushed conversation he’d had with Sakura once they’d returned from Wave:

“Sasuke-kun, have you noticed how Naruto’s treated in the village?” Sakura asked. It was in no way fawning, her demeanor serious and voice hard.

“Yes,” Sasuke replied, because he had. Sasuke, as the so-called Last Uchiha, had been on the receiving end of many whispers of admiration; Naruto, on the other hand, was shunned, ignored, and dehumanized by the civilian population. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t think we’ve been doing enough,” Sakura replied. Sasuke looked at her and she continued, “Soma-san has been showing that Naruto is under his protection. If you haven’t noticed, the glares have almost stopped when Soma-san is around.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Stupid idiot,” Sakura said, then blushed. “S-Sorry, Sasuke-kun, I didn’t mean that! I–”

“Just speak your mind, Sakura,” Sasuke said, annoyed, though not at the insult. She appeared to steel herself.

“I think we should show that Naruto is ours, too. We’re a team; we should show a united front. And that includes when we’re in Konoha.”

Sasuke thought about it. He had to admit that she had a point. Team 7 hadn’t truly been acting like the team they were meant to be outside of training, not like Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were. Naruto, although irritating, loud, and brazen, was Sasuke’s teammate. He could relate to Sasuke’s loneliness. Maybe, Sasuke thought to himself, Naruto wouldn’t be that bad if they truly got to know one another. They hadn’t had a jealousy-fueled altercation since Soma had shown up, actually, and Sasuke found himself missing the times he was able to rile Naruto up.

“Hn,” Sasuke said. “I suppose it would be…beneficial.” Sakura, seeming to realize that that was the best she’d get, smiled brightly at him.

“I agree. So, let’s make it our mission.”

“What are the parameters?”

Sakura thought for a moment. “Well, we should hide the true purpose from Naruto. I feel like he’d get mad at us and say that the way he’s treated really isn’t that bad.”

“Oh?” Sasuke said, surprised. Sakura raised an eyebrow judgmentally. Sasuke was grateful that she was treating him like a normal person instead of whatever idealized version she had in her head.

“Haven’t you noticed? He cares about proving his strength, which is why he says he’ll become Hokage, even if he doesn’t have the skills to back it up.” Yet, Sasuke thought, and knew Sakura had added the word in her head too. “And somewhere deep inside, he knows that he’s treated incorrectly. But he won’t face it, not really.”

“His smiles are fake,” Sasuke said, then bit his tongue. Sakura’s gaze turned sharp.

“So you did see it,” she said. Sasuke sighed.

“Occasionally,” he replied grudgingly. Sakura rolled her eyes.

“Alright, fine. Anyway, that’s the first part: not letting Naruto know what we’re doing. The second part is actually being seen with him in the village outside of training. He’s been trying to get us to hang out without Kakashi-sensei or Soma-san there, and we should indulge him.”

Sasuke grimaced. He hated spending time with people, and Naruto was like multiple people wrapped into one with the amount of chatter he could rattle off at any given time. Although, when Sasuke thought about it, Naruto rarely spoke of anything with substance. He managed to deflect the big questions, like “Why do you only go to Ichiraku’s?” and “Why haven’t you replaced your sandals yet?” Sasuke knew the answers to both, and knew Sakura did, too, but Naruto always diverted their attention to something else. It was infuriating.

If Sasuke “indulged” Naruto, as Sakura said, maybe he’d be able to break through to the person beneath the fake smiles and false confidence.

“Hn, fine,” Sasuke agreed. Sakura positively beamed at him, and he knew he’d gotten something right.

“Great! Now, the first step is–”

Sasuke and Sakura flanked Naruto on either side. Naruto ignored the glares cast his way, but the other two genin members of Team 7 did not. They glared right back, Sasuke adopting a sneer of superiority that reminded him of his father and Sakura turning her nose up in disdain. It was remarkably effective.

At Ichiraku’s, Sasuke sat on one side of Naruto and Sakura took the other. Naruto sent Sakura a bewildered look, which Sasuke couldn’t blame him for; at any Team 7 outing, Sakura tried anything she could to end up beside Sasuke. Naruto got over it quickly, though, sending her a bright smile.

“Ne, teme, how’s the swordfighting going?” Naruto asked after Teuchi-san had taken their orders.

“It’s called kenjutsu, dobe. Even a simpleton like you should be able to remember the word,” Sasuke replied, though without the usual bite.

“Whatever. I wish Soma-nii would let me sit in on your practices. I could be good at swordfighting too!”

Sasuke scoffed. “You’d need to learn another style of taijutsu first, dobe. The Uzumaki style isn’t well-suited to swords, or weren’t you listening?”

“I was listening!” Naruto said indignantly. “But Soma-nii has me reading all this stuff about sealing and I want to learn more that I can actually use in a fight! I’ve never seen Soma-nii use fuuinjutsu against anyone, y’know! It’s like he covered himself in seals just to show off,” Naruto grumbled.

“Hn,” Sasuke said. Then, before he could talk himself out of it, continued. “Why don’t you ask him, then? See if he’ll show you how to use fuuinjutsu in a fight.”

“But he…he said he doesn’t want me to learn high-level techniques yet!”

“So?” Sasuke said. “You’re there to see the potential for sealing, not learn the techniques, dobe. He’d show you if you asked.”

“I agree with Sasuke,” Sakura said. The boys looked at her and she shrugged. “What? He’s got a point. Soma-san would do literally anything for you, Naruto. He wants you to be excited about fuuinjutsu, so I’m sure he’d demonstrate.”

“Huh,” Naruto said, thinking about it. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned away, hiding his soft smile. We’re starting to be a team, he thought. The smile faded from his lips when he thought about his purpose, his whole reason for becoming a shinobi. I still need to avenge my Clan, Sasuke thought. Naruto and Sakura have no part to play in that. Sasuke couldn’t let himself get too comfortable with them. He needed to learn everything Soma and Kakashi-sensei could teach him so he could confront his brother, and that was something he’d have to do alone.

Sasuke’s thoughts were interrupted by a bowl of ramen sliding onto the counter before him. “Itadakimasu!” he heard Naruto call, and he echoed the words before breaking his chopsticks.

Sasuke knew he was stuck with the dobe and Sakura until he was at least a chuunin. It was an annoying set of circumstances for sure, but he could certainly see some of the benefits of his team: one, he got to learn from someone known in Bingo Books as the Copy Nin; and two, he got to learn from someone even stronger than Sharingan no Kakashi, someone who had taken out five S-rank nukenin in a year. Soma was only involved in Team 7 because of Naruto and Kakashi-sensei, and Sasuke would milk them for all they were worth.

But Sasuke realized he was hating the other genin members of his team less and less as time went by. Were they annoying? Absolutely. Were they holding him back from avenging his Clan? Maybe. But maybe was an improvement from his thoughts in the past, and Sasuke could recognize that. As long as Sakura stopped her stupid suck up act and Naruto didn’t scream at him in a jealous rage, Sasuke thought that they’d potentially, maybe, be fine.

~

Sakura and Sasuke were acting weird. Well, weirder than normal, anyway, enough so that Naruto noticed. It had started sometime after the Wave mission, though Naruto really noticed the changes the day Kakashi-sensei ditched them for an afternoon. Walking through the village that day felt different, and when Naruto glanced around sneakily, he caught his teammates flanking him. Protecting him. Sakura sitting beside him instead of Sasuke really drove home that no, he wasn’t imagining anything.

It caused Naruto to think deeper about his team. He started considering Sasuke and Sakura in a different light after their impromptu Ichiraku’s visit: Sasuke was still a bastard, obviously, but maybe a bit less of one than he had been at the Academy; and Sakura was beginning to treat him like an actual human being rather than an obstacle to a relationship with Sasuke. Naruto was being included in things for the first time, and he was giddy with excitement.

It was a training day, which meant Soma-nii would (hopefully) be there to walk Naruto to the training ground. If Soma-nii was on a mission, Kakashi-sensei would show up and let him know before pulling out his stupid book of porn (pervert!) and walking with him instead. Naruto could admit that it was nice to have some adults around when all his life he’d been alone and fending for himself.

There was a knock at his door and Naruto nearly flung himself forward to open it. Soma-nii had been on a mission for a few days and Naruto was seriously starting to miss him. Even if it was just Kakashi-sensei again, Naruto wanted to see at least one of them.

“Soma-nii!” Naruto shouted, throwing himself at his cousin who stood in the doorway. Soma-nii laughed and wrapped his arms around Naruto’s shoulders.

“Hey, Naruto. How’ve you been?”

“Good! I figured out that one taijutsu move I was stuck on and knocked the teme down! Kakashi-sensei showed me a fuuton jutsu that he said I could try out once you got back! And then Kakashi-sensei ditched us yesterday for some reason so we went to Ichiraku’s! Ah, ramen’s so delicious…” Naruto replied, rubbing a hand over his stomach. Soma-nii smiled and blushed a little, reaching out to ruffle Naruto’s hair.

“That’s great, Naruto!” Soma-nii said. Then Naruto noticed the bruising.

“Soma-nii, what happened?!” His cousin was covered in black and blue bruises, some already turning a sickly yellow color that meant they were healing. Soma-nii grimaced.

“Ran into some trouble on my last mission, is all,” he answered. Naruto looked him up and down skeptically.

“You look like you got into a fight with a bear or something!”

“Not a bear, no. A very strong nukenin capable of ambushing a team of jounin, yes.” Naruto felt his eyes go wide. A nukenin strong enough to beat Soma-nii up like that? After seeing him fight Zabuza during the Wave mission, Naruto hadn’t thought anyone could get the drop on his cousin.

“Wow,” Naruto said, awed. Soma-nii flushed deeper.

“Anyway, let’s get going. I have something I’d like to talk to you about before training today.”

“I promise I haven’t been playing any pranks, Soma-nii!” Naruto said anxiously. Soma smiled softly at him.

“I know. It’s not bad, I promise. Well, I hope it’s not bad,” Soma-nii replied. Naruto grinned.

“Okay!” He slid on his sandals and they started walking. Soma-nii was a great listener, and Naruto had no issue talking his ear off about anything and everything. In fact, Soma-nii had encouraged him to talk. Soma-nii seemed interested in Naruto’s life, and at first Naruto thought he was overwhelming his cousin with the sheer amount of words coming out of him, but Soma-nii never complained. In so many ways, Soma-nii reminded Naruto of Iruka-sensei.

They arrived at the training ground and, like every day they walked together, they sat down to eat breakfast. Kakashi-sensei would show up eventually, but Naruto enjoyed when it was just him and Soma-nii. “Some Uzumaki family bonding time,” Soma-nii had said once. Naruto wished his cousin was in the village more often, but he was even more impressed with how strong of a shinobi he was. Kakashi-sensei had said that Soma-nii was a great role model for Naruto to have.

“Ne, Soma-nii, what did you wanna talk about?” Naruto asked around a mouthful of rice.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Soma-nii chided gently. Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.

“Soma-nii…”

Soma-nii took a breath. He looked nervous. “Well, my probationary period in the village is about to end. That means the Hokage will trust me more and I’ll have more freedom here. I was wondering…” Soma-nii trailed off, looking at the ground and muttering something under his breath that Naruto couldn’t catch. He looked up and caught Naruto’s eyes again. “I was wondering if you’d like to live with me?”

Naruto choked on his rice. Soma-nii wants me to live with him?! This couldn’t be happening. Naruto had been on his own for so long with no one to care about him, no one to notice if he was going hungry or if he was safe. What would it be like to live with a family, even if it was just him and Soma-nii? Naruto didn’t realize he never answered the question until Soma-nii started talking again.

“I mean, if you don’t want to, it’s fine! Or if you want to get to know me a bit better before that, I don’t mind! Or if you like where you’re living or you don’t like me or–” Wow, Soma-nii can ramble just as well as I can, Naruto thought to himself.

“Yes!” Naruto interrupted. Soma-nii stopped talking and looked at him warily.

“Yes…?”

“Yes, I want to live with you! We’re family, Soma-nii!” Naruto stood and tackled Soma-nii to the ground, flinging his arms around Soma-nii’s shoulders. The tension left Soma-nii’s body and Naruto was being embraced tightly.

“Oh, thank Kami,” Soma-nii said. Naruto giggled and buried his face in Soma-nii’s chest.

“You really want me to live with you?” Naruto asked, words muffled by Soma-nii’s shirt. One of Soma-nii’s hands moved from Naruto’s back to his hair.

“Yeah, Naruto, I do.” Naruto raised his head, even knowing he had tears in his eyes. He gave his cousin a watery smile.

“Oh? What’s this, then?” Kakashi-sensei’s voice came from somewhere to their left. Naruto scrambled off of Soma-nii and ran up to his sensei.

“I’m gonna live with Soma-nii! He just asked me! Isn’t that so amazing?!” Naruto was bouncing on the balls of his feet with the force of his excitement. Kakashi-sensei’s eye widened then curved into a crescent, which Naruto now knew meant he was smiling.

“That’s great, Naruto! I’m happy for you,” Kakashi-sensei replied. Naruto wasn’t sure how, but he could tell his sensei meant it.

“Thanks, sensei! Now I get to eat Soma-nii’s food all the time! And maybe Sakura-chan and Sasuke can visit! And–”

“Of course they can visit, Naruto,” Soma-nii said, coming up behind him to ruffle his hair. “I haven’t found a place for us yet, though, so would you like to help me look?”

“You want my help?!”

Soma-nii smiled at him. “Of course. It’ll be a space for both of us, and the apartment I have now is too small. What do you say?”

“Yes, yes, yes! This morning keeps getting better and better, dattebayo!” Naruto knew he was shouting, but he didn’t care. He got to move in with Soma-nii and he got to help choose somewhere to live? Of course he was excited! He couldn’t wait to tell Sakura and the teme.

Soma-nii and Kakashi-sensei were having a conversation in low voices. Whatever Kakashi-sensei was saying made Soma-nii blush deeply, and Naruto had a sudden, horrible realization: “Wait, Soma-nii, if I move in with you, will I have to listen to you and Kakashi-sensei breaking the bed every night?!” Not that he knew what that meant, exactly.

Soma-nii choked on nothing, his skin flushing impossibly redder, and Kakashi-sensei looked like he was trying not to laugh. Whatever “breaking the bed” meant it was obviously embarrassing.

“Uh, no, Naruto, you won’t have to listen to…that,” Soma-nii said, his voice very high-pitched and face beet red.

“Maa, Soma–” Kakashi-sensei began.

“Don’t start,” Soma-nii said on a sigh, holding his hand up to stop Kakashi-sensei. Kakashi-sensei smiled at him and Soma-nii rolled his eyes. “Anyway, Naruto, as long as I don’t get sent on any missions in the next few days, we can start looking around, alright?”

“Okay!” Naruto said enthusiastically.

Sakura and Sasuke arrived not long after that. Naruto rushed to tell them the news, and was shocked when he got a genuine smile out of Sasuke for the first time… probably ever. He and Sasuke were both orphans; they’d been living on their own for longer than they should’ve been expected to, forced to act like adults before they’d even graduated the Academy. If anyone could understand Naruto’s luck and excitement in finding a family in Soma-nii, it would be Sasuke.

“Hey, dobe, have you asked him yet?” Sasuke asked as they walked towards Soma-nii and Kakashi-sensei.

“Asked him what?” Naruto asked, a giddy smile still on his face. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“About showing you how to fight using fuuinjutsu,” he replied. Naruto shook his head.

“Not yet. He sprung this whole ‘living together’ thing on me this morning and I kinda forgot.”

“Well, why don’t you ask him now?” Sakura suggested. Naruto thought about it for a moment.

“Okay, if you still think he’ll say yes.”

“Obviously, dobe,” Sasuke said with a scoff. This time Naruto rolled his eyes.

“Fine, teme,” Naruto replied and stalked over to his cousin. “Soma-nii! I’ve been reading all the books you gave me about sealing, but I don’t understand how you can use it to fight! Can you show me? Please please please pl–”

Soma-nii laughed. “Sure, I’ll show you. I should’ve known you’d want  a demonstration,” he said. Naruto’s eyes lit up.

“Really?! You’ll show me?!”

“Of course. I can’t have you thinking all this reading is for nothing, right?” Soma-nii leaned down and stage whispered in Naruto’s ear, “Also, your sensei hasn’t seen me fight using fuuinjutsu yet. I’d like to think I can still surprise him.”

“You so can, dattebayo!”

Soma-nii grinned and stood straight. “So, Kakashi, what do you say? A light spar to get us started this morning?”

“Maa, I suppose that’s alright,” Kakashi-sensei replied. Soma-nii pulled his hair back into a ponytail and his eyes flashed with something dangerous.

“Let’s get started, then.”

Notes:

I know this chapter is shorter than usual, but I hope you enjoyed anyway! I wanted some good Team 7 feels :)

As always, let me know your thoughts! I finally have some time to respond to comments, so I'll get to the ones you all so generously left on the last chapter. Thanks so much for reading and waiting me out!

Many thanks to Deany, ofc <3