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[Sep. 27th, 2013|11:03 pm]

hatake_kakashi
The rhythm of the boat didn’t seem to be greatly disturbed by the addition of sleeping killers and a reeking demon head. Though the weight of the head was making the deck list to the rear, and lifting the nose—prow? fore-piece? He didn’t know boat terms—slightly out of the water. The sailors didn’t seem much bothered by that, either. Granny Kawase manned the wheel with a steady hand and shouted casual abuse at her family. Two tall boat-hands stood at the front of the deck armed with long poles, which they used to shove branches and other floating debris aside. Above, Raidou’s ANBU spark glimmered faintly, wrapped in the shuttered glow of his chakra.

It was peaceful. Kakashi really didn’t need to stay.

He checked on Hisa, because that had almost been an order. She was asleep and quiet, chakra interlaced with the gangrenous hooks of the last demon hatchling. It had felt bad enough down in the mines, surrounded by the husks of other people. Here, in the warmth and light and regular mundanity of storage boxes, that crouching presence felt like a loose tooth in the universe. Something wrong that needed to ripping free.

He’d killed enough civilians this week.

Hisa’s parents were coping better than he’d expected, dry-eyed and collected. But they still smelled like salt-stress and sour grief, and they peppered him with questions about Konoha. As soon as he could, Kakashi pled shinobi duties and slipped away.

On the deck, it was still quiet.

There was no reason to stay.

He flicked an all clear hand-sign at Genma, remembering to use the ANBU-specific version at the last second. Genma’s mask tilted in a slight nod; he signed back the quick gesture that meant something in between acknowledged and thank you, and Kakashi hated him a little. Why was Genma so calm?

How could Raidou sleep?

Kakashi moved around to the unwatched side of the boat before he gave into the urge to kick one of them. Seconds later, one of Katsuko’s clones dropped down behind him.

“You seem tense,” it said. “What happened at the village?”

That was—observant for a clone.

“Maybe nothing,” Kakashi said.

“But probably something?”

He yanked a hand through his hair, giving it a hard tug. “Broken Link,” he said at last. “And no reinforcements available.” Which meant it was bad enough to take Konoha’s full forces while Team Six was floating in a tub.

The clone moved around where he could see it and stood ramrod straight, hands locked behind its back, looking out at the river. Katsuko’s secret professionalism showing its colors. “If you’re needed back home,” it said. “Then go. The rest of us—” six more clones dropped down, chakra glinting against his senses like the gleam on a weapon, “can keep the team safe.”

They probably could.

Kakashi looked over the railing. He could make it to the opposite bank in one leap, then run straight overland—

And say what when he got there? I forgot all my training, lost my cool, abandoned my team, and bolted home like a child. Sorry, Minato-sensei. Guess I wasn’t ready for ANBU after all.

If Rin was still alive when he got home, she’d punch him in the face. And he’d deserve it. He’d told her he’d try to be smarter this time.

“I can’t,” he told the clones, and straightened his shoulders. “I should stay. Besides, what are you going to do if you run into missing-nin on the way home, or sanctioned ninja? Bamph at them?”
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