Chapter Text
“Kakashi, I have a mission for you.”
The Copy Nin straightens from his slouch slightly and slips his ever-present book into the front pouch of his vest. Leaning back into his chair – likely the furthest the village leader will be from his desk for the day – the Hokage takes a long drag from his pipe. Kakashi watches with a half lidded eye as Hiruzen holds his breath for a moment, closes his eyes, and exhales a slow stream of smoke into the still air. Pausing, he savors the moment of peace before waving his hand and opening his eyes.
If he were any less of a shinobi, Kakashi might have flinched at the feeling of the Hokage’s privacy wards washing over the room. The seals hum with a cold, intrusive buzz that unsettles even hardened anbu. His gaze almost flicks to the empty corner of the office, where Tenzo shifts just enough to betray his cloaked presence. Kakashi smirks faintly. He’ll have to remind his kohai that a concealment jutsu is about more than staying hidden. It’s about discipline. Self-restraint? Whatever sounds more official. Hmm, perhaps he can trick Tenzo into doing something for him under the guise of more training…
He comes back to himself as the Third speaks. “Now then,” the Hokage begins, his voice oddly clear in the pervasive silence of the warded office, “There have been rumors near our border with the Land of Rivers. A rogue cell may be using a genjutsu technique stolen from Konoha during the First War. I don’t expect direct confrontation, but your sharingan makes you our best asset if it comes to that.”
Obito’s sharingan twinges painfully for a moment, as if it knows it is being spoken about. Kakashi resists the urge to reach up and rub at it through his hitaiate to soothe the ache. “Yes, Hokage-sama,” he replies instead.
“Due to the sensitive nature of this particular jutsu, this will be a solo reconnaissance mission. Avoid combat. However, I don’t suspect these nin to be particularly strong, so if it comes down to it, I know you can handle them,” the Hokage’s eyes harden minutely, “If this truly is the genjutsu we think it is, it’s dangerous. We don’t know why they’re only using it now, so gathering intel is our top priority. If our suspicions are confirmed, I will set you up with a team once you return to neutralize the threat and recover the jutsu scroll.” The Third waves his hand once more, and Kakashi can breathe a little easier as the privacy wards lift.
“I’ll send a hawk with the mission details. You have about an hour to pack for a two week trip and make arrangements for your genin team.” Kakashi bows, taking the dismissal for what it is, and turns to leave.
“Kakashi.” The tone is serious, but when he looks back, there’s a glint of amusement in the Hokage’s eyes. Kakashi suppresses the urge to groan. “Do try your best to not come back chakra exhausted. This is reconnaissance only .” The Third lets out a huff of air that could be construed as a laugh. “It would be a shame if dear Tenzo-kun had to watch after your genin while you recovered.”
Kakashi finally lets his eyes land on the empty corner as he turns to leave again, where he can feel Tenzo’s chakra shiver momentarily. He hears a desperate “Senpai” on the wind of the open window. The Copy Ninja smirks, digging out his book and slipping into his slouch once again. He puts a hand up, offering a lazy wave as he walks out the door. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
-
The jonin slowly ambles towards his apartment block from Hokage Tower. Nose tucked in his book and senses turned outwards, he can hear the ever-present whispers of civilians and fellow Leaf nin as he goes. Friend-Killer. Cold-Blooded . It’s always the same. The monikers will follow him for the rest of his life, regardless of what he tries to do to put his past behind him.
Iruka never calls him names. Well, he does, but it's mostly lazy, perverted, things like that. But never those names. Kakashi’s friendship with Iruka was rocky at the start, but the unlikely pair have grown close in the last few years. They will frequently get a bite to eat together and complain about Naruto’s antics or the other happenings in the village. Ah, they were supposed to have dinner tonight. Maa, Tenzo will know to drop by and let him know he has been called away. He had extended the invite to his kohai after all.
A cackling howl is followed quickly by a wail and Kakashi changes his direction towards the noise.
A few moments later, the Copy Nin finds himself tucking his book away to look on bemused at the sight in front of him. Team 7 sits at a table nestled in a small tea shop. The shop's patrons shoot startled glances at the genin as Naruto rubs his head, clearly in pain. Sakura is shaking her fist at the blonde, yelling something about the tea stain still spreading down the front of her pink dress. Sasuke huffs idiot under his breath, but leans down to pick the shattered remains of a tea cup off of the ground at their feet. A small frog hops away as it is uncovered from under one of the porcelain shards.
Kakashi figures he should probably intervene before Sakura’s yelling gets them kicked out of the tea house. He ducks under the welcome banner and steps up next to the kids’ table. They startle upon noticing him, but Naruto quickly yanks his hands away from the growing lump on his head to grab onto Kakashi’s vest. “Kakashi-sensei, thank god! You gotta get me away from her, she’s crazy!” Sakura’s momentary silence shatters. Her face flushes red with anger as she socks Naruto on the other side of his head with her fist. The jinchuuriki wails in pain dramatically, curling in on himself, now clutching both sides of his head as Sakura shouts, “ Me? Crazy?! You don’t put a frog in someone’s tea! I oughta string you up and let Sasuke use you for shuriken practice!” Sasuke raises an eyebrow slightly in interest, but otherwise says nothing.
“Sakura-chaaan,” Naruto laments, “It’s just a prank, ya know. Haven’t you ever heard of a prank, huh Sakura? Haven’t you?” Kakashi steps in as Sakura’s fist begins to pull back for another shot. He grabs the back of their shirts, holding them up out of their seats and away from each other. “Now now, my dear students. Do you really want to spend the last moments with your sensei fighting?” They freeze, and three pairs of curious eyes land on his single one.
They blink at him for a few moments. “You done?” Kakashi asks. Sakura heaves a sigh and falls limp in his hold. “Yeah, for now at least.” Naruto shoots her a skeptical look but for once says nothing as he sets them back down into their seats.
“Mission?” Sasuke asks, ever quick and to the point. Their jonin-sensei nods, “Lord Third gave me enough warning to get you guys squared away for the next two weeks.” Naruto deflates. “Two weeks?! Aw, but Kakashi-sensei,” he wines, lip out in a pout, “You were gonna teach us that super cool new jutsu tomorrow.” The silver-haired jonin gives into the urge to ruffle the kid’s blonde hair. “Maa, my cute little genin, don’t worry. I’m leaving you with homework!” He eye smiles at them. Naruto continues to glower, Sakura perks up in her seat, and Sasuke’s eyes flick away from him, muttering under his breath. Though the Uchiha appears annoyed, Kakashi can tell from the way Sasuke is angled towards him that he is just as interested in the homework as Sakura. “I’m going to write up some chakra control exercises for you three to practice while I’m gone,” Kakashi continues, “If you meditate on them a few hours each day after your sparring sessions, by the time I get back, you will be more than ready for that new jutsu and be able to pick it up much quicker.”
Naruto sighs and sits back in his chair, sinking dramatically a little bit. “ Fine Kaka-sensei, but you better put a lot of detail into it. I don’t know what you’re saying half the time and-” “ Legible!” Sakura abruptly shouts, slamming her hand down on the table, startling a few of the closer patrons as they turn to look at her. An embarrassed flush begins to grow on her cheeks as she slides her hand back into her lap. “I mean, could you just make sure your writing is actually legible, sensei? Last time you left written instructions for us…” she trails off in a grumble, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration. Sasuke nods, “I couldn’t read it with my sharingan.”
Kakashi is already pulling his book out again, seemingly not paying attention to the kids in front of him. He waves his hand as he turns to leave. “Maa, maa, just have Iruka-sensei help you. He knows how to read my mission reports. I promise I'll be back before you know it to teach you that new jutsu. See you in two weeks!” Twin squawks of outrage and a quiet sigh trail out of the tea house behind him, followed by hasty well wishes to come back safe. Kakashi smiles inwardly. He never figured he would be any good at this whole sensei thing, but he’s been having more fun with it than he thought. His students are growing stronger every day, and weaseling their way into his heart. Ever since the chuunin exams fiasco and Sasuke’s near defection, the kids have unknowingly become part of his family. His pack . He continues his way to his apartment, still thinking of his kids as he unlocks his front door and tucks his book away once more.
-
By the time Kakashi is finished packing and writing up his students' homework, the Hokage’s messenger hawk is tapping frantically on his balcony window. Unbothered by the bird’s apparent urgency, the jonin meanders over, taking his time to unlock the window and retrieve the mission scroll. As he sends the bird away, he swears it gives him a dirty look for his slowness. But it’s a bird. Birds can’t do that… right? He purses his lips thoughtfully.
Still wondering about birds, he pushes his hitaiate up and off of his head, opening his sharingan. His hair falls into his face and tickles the bridge of his nose. He cracks the Hokage’s seal and unrolls the scroll, scanning the contents and committing them to memory. Solo reconnaissance in River Country, not far from the defunct Katabami Gold Mine, but closer to the coast. Do not get caught, do not engage unless necessary, blah blah blah. The standard fare. Kakashi shivers in anticipation as he lights the scroll with a small katon, scattering the ashes out onto his balcony.
He closes the window, remembering the last time he was in the Land of Rivers during his time in anbu. The famed Copy Ninja, Hound, Master of a Thousand Jutsu, got stuck in the muddy waters of the swampy area and had to be pulled out by Tenzo’s mokuton. Needless to say, his kohai has never let him live it down to this day.
Returning to his headband, Kakashi carefully wipes the grime of the day from the silver plate of his hitaiate. For just a moment, he observes the way the sunlight coming through his blinds faintly glimmers off the polished metal. It reminds him of- He shakes himself out of a memory and ties it back around his head, tilting it just so.
The jonin sneaks a quick peek in the mirror above his dresser, giving his mission-ready reflection Gai’s patented thumbs-up pose. Kakashi drops his hand, staring at himself for a moment in shock. Damn, I hang out with Gai too much. He distracts himself by grabbing his pack and heads to his front door, adhering his student’s homework to the door with chakra for them to find the next day, and resetting his wards as he goes.
As he passes through the gates of Konoha, the Copy Nin ruminates on his mission. He has never been so far south in the Land of Rivers and prays that it's more rocky than swampy, as it is closer to the coast.
-
Much to his chagrin, it's just as gross as he remembers. After three days of non-stop running, Kakashi is caked with mud and chilled to the bone despite the humid air in the swampy region. He sniffs deeply, wrinkling his nose at the boggy smell of rotting vegetation. His mask does little to filter the smell. Luckily, despite the mud, there are more rocks this close to the coast like he suspected. So much so, that there are small caves scattered around the mounds of boulders that seem to be growing in size the closer he gets to his destination. The ground is far too muddy to set up camp, and the limbs of the surrounding trees are too thin to stay perched in all night. He wasn’t looking forward to the arduous task of looking for a dry spot to set up camp, but since it is more than likely he will be camping out in a cave, he likes that even less.
When the jonin estimates himself to be an hour’s walk from the town the rumors originated from, he finds a small cave big enough for himself to stand up in with his hair brushing the ceiling, lay down fully stretched out, and not room for much else. It’s the perfect size for a lone shinobi to set up camp without being worried about being discovered by local predators or missing nin sneaking around. The entrance is small, but given his lean, wiry body, he is able to shuffle through the opening with little difficulty. He reaches back through the opening to pull his pack in after him, giving one last glance to the setting sun as he retreats into the darkness of the cave.
He takes a moment to just sit on the dusty floor, his pack discarded next to him. The cool, slightly damp stone underneath him seeps through the warmth of his jonin blacks, grounding him. He simply looks around, breathing deeply to center himself. Ever since the Kannabi Bridge incident, Kakashi has had some… reservations about caves. It’s gotten better over the years, trauma management or something. Gai is always yelling about the youthfulness of therapy, but yeah, no thanks. He prefers his deep breathing and occasionally possibly semi-frequent nightmares to speaking with a random nin that couldn’t give two shits about his problems. As long as he keeps finessing the yearly psych evals, he is content to do his own thing.
If he is forced to stay in a cave on missions, which is often the case when based in coastal or mountainous regions, Kakashi will take a moment to just sit and acquaint himself with the cave. He’ll quell the urge to take large gulps of air, still his shaking hands, and push away the cool sense of dread that washes over him. If his chakra reserves allow, he will typically use the sharingan to memorize the details of the cave; entrances and exits, places he could safely perform jutsu, areas prone to collapse, especially those areas .
After a moment to himself, Kakashi wipes the moisture collecting under his sharingan – crybaby Obito – and sets out his bedroll, tossing his pack aside to deal with later. He sits on top of his bedroll despite the mud on his clothes. It’s seen worse than a little dirt. He takes off his hitaiate, gently cleaning and polishing the worn metal with his sleeve, glancing his mismatched gaze reflected back at him for a moment before replacing it on his forehead. He sighs deeply, lacing his fingers behind his head and settling down to relax. His chakra stores are a little lower than he’d like… Guess that's what tree hopping for three days straight gets you. Sorry Hokage-sama. I’ll take my time getting back so you don’t have to scold me for chakra exhaustion when I return . He giggles breathily to himself as he begins to lightly doze, thinking of the scared look on Tenzo’s face when he inevitably returns exhausted anyways. He has told his kohai enough horror stories about his kids to have the anbu running for the hills if he ever has to look after them, even under the Hokage's orders. Intent on beginning his reconnaissance in the morning and allowing his chakra some time to replenish, Kakashi falls asleep as the stars emerge for the night.