"You should try rescues," Kakashi said, after a long beat of silence. "Better karmic payback."

And it was easier not to split your focus between the mission and your teammates when your teammates were the mission. Even if rescues had a higher cost; longer odds, harder fights, the worst kind of guilt when you gave everything you had and still only managed to limp home with an extra set of dogtags.

His hand was still on Ginta's forehead. It hesitated as he looked at it, but didn't move away as his gaze skimmed down, taking in half-lidded blue eyes and relaxing lines of tension. Ginta had said his piece, unburdened some part of himself in laying out an unnofficial report he knew Kakashi was required to memorize. It was healthy, probably--a good sign that he was willing to talk.

I'm like you, you know.

I want you to remember me.

A hundred other memory-echos in Ginta's voice, wanting to get closer, get noticed, forge a connection.

Run away, coward. You make me sick.

Lashing out when he got knocked away.

"Sometimes," Kakashi said grimly, soft as a breath, "I don't think you'll be happy until you can get inside my skin and stay there." He lifted his voice, pulling his hand away and turning to check on his clone. "Don't fall asleep. We're eating in a second."