Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Regret Not A Thing ❯ Ch. 7: The Hardest Part ( Chapter 7 )

Regret Not A Thing

By Mizerable

 

 

 

Ch. 7: The Hardest Part

 

“You look exhausted.”

 

Kakashi raised his head at the sound of Gai's voice. He couldn't say exactly how long he'd been sitting there staring at his beer, but it was clearly long enough for him to not have even noticed Gai approaching. Bad form, indeed.

 

“You know,” Gai paused to order his own drink, “Going on all these consecutive missions is going to get you killed. And you know I would never have a rival who'd go and die like that.”

 

Kakashi had probably been smiling a little underneath his mask, however morosely it might have been.

 

“So did anything turn up?”

 

“Not so much,” Kakashi answered, and might have sighed though Gai couldn't tell with that mask in the way, “Jiraiya-sama's information network all but went silent a little while after the Sound fell so it's hard to find anything now. Though I guess it might be a safe assumption to say that the network's been compromised in some way.”

 

“Hmm, maybe someone was planted in the Sound and got killed in the fight,” Gai answered grimly, “Though you'd think we'd have at least known about that.”

 

“Hard to say. There weren't really any bodies found, though that might be even worse.”

 

They didn't talk about people that might have been captured, tortured, and killed for information. They didn't talk about how it might be Konoha that's compromised now.

 

“Though,” Kakashi continued, “Even if a there was a spy in the Sound, it's still rather strange that there hasn't been one person to pass along any news of the Akatsuki's status. Even finding him had been purely luck.”

 

“Him” being Itachi. His death was still considered classified information, and all. They couldn't really speak of that here.

 

“Have you gone to see him at all?”

 

This time, it was about the other classified Uchiha.

 

“No,” Kakashi answered blandly, “I can't see what good could come out of that.”

 

“…Come to think of it, have you met with any of those kids lately?”

 

Kakashi didn't answer so Gai assumed that meant that he hadn't. The fact that Kakashi was hardly ever around anymore should have made it less surprising to learn.

 

“No matter what happens, they're always going to think of you as their teacher. You owe it to them to check in on them once in a while.”

 

Kakashi seemed to have snorted at that, but that damn mask could be awfully deceptive.

 

“As a teacher, I failed them when it mattered most. And when it comes right down to it, I ran away again just as I had in the past. I doubt they'd appreciate anything from me when I wasn't never really there when they needed me.”

 

“I never knew you could be this much of a pessimist,” Gai sounded exasperated more than anything else, “They're still alive, aren't they? What could matter more than that?”

 

Kakashi straightened up in his chair and wondered how he always managed to be such a fool.

 

“Sorry, Gai. Seems something's come up.”

 

Gai tried not to laugh until after Kakashi left the bar.

 

“My dear rival, your excuses are as atrocious as ever.”

 

* * *

 

Naruto hated waiting.

 

It was a rather typical evening in the village. Lanterns lit and people bustling and all that other crap. He and Sakura had been milling about together, though she had popped into the bookstore to look for some medical text. Naruto knew her “quick visit” was probably going to take a while, considering her love of books, so he took to standing around outside. Though considering his impulsive nature, he wasn't very good at just staying there doing nothing.

 

And he wasn't sure if it was a good thing that the only person who stopped to chat was Shino.

 

They saw each other often enough since Naruto hung around Team 8's training ground to see Sakura. But Shino was just one of those people that made Naruto a fair bit uncomfortable. Yet here they were talking…sort of.

 

“Did you end up finding a medic?” Shino asked, though he didn't sound as if he'd care one way or another.

 

“Yeah, got one assigned. We leave tomorrow, I guess,” Naruto shrugged,” Must be nice for you though, having two on your team.”

 

“Sakura isn't ready for field operations yet in that regard.”

 

“Yeah, that's what she says,” Naruto muttered, wondering how perfect Sakura felt she needed to be to feel “ready,” “Hey, Shino…”

 

He managed to convey his irritation without having to say anything. He just wanted Naruto to come out and say whatever it was he was thinking.

 

“Sakura-chan…she's been doing okay on missions, right?”

 

“She's a fine kunoichi,” Shino answered flatly. He didn't add that Naruto knew Sakura better than anyone else and should have already known how she was doing.

 

“It's just, I don't know, I worry. Since I can't be there to protect her myself.”

 

Shino was fairly certain Sakura didn't want anyone to protect her. With an arsenal of powerful genjutsu, medical techniques, and chakra-honed superior strength, she was rather adamant about not needing help.

 

“And Hinata's okay, too? I mean, after…after, ya know, she just seems to be overworking herself. Like Sakura-chan. Juuken and medic stuff, now a research project,” Naruto had conveniently skipped over mentioning the mission (Kiba's death) out loud, but nobody ever said anything out loud about it. Not really.

 

“She'll be fine,” Shino was terse as always, though Naruto got the impression there was an extra bit of edge to it now, “She's my teammate so I'll keep her safe…For Kiba's sake, too.”

 

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like talking about anything remotely connected to the mission. Figured a guy like Shino would have no problems just putting it out in the open like that.

 

“Man…Kiba really liked her, huh…” Shino gave a noncommittal grunt in response.

 

“Ya know, with you looking out for her all this time, I bet Hinata might like—“

 

“You shouldn't assume things,” Shino cut him off briskly. He was sorely tempted to punch Naruto simply for being so dense. But he didn't. It wasn't his place to mention Hinata's true feelings in any of this.

 

At least Sakura had the good fortune to exit the store at that moment.

 

It seemed this was where they would part ways with Shino when a voice caught their attention.

 

“Hey, have you two had dinner yet?”

 

“Kakashi-sensei??”

 

* * *

 

“It's been a long time since we've done something like this,” Kakashi said as he stared across the table at his former students. He tried not to think about how a third person should be sitting there. Or that he could be sitting there. Just as he didn't think about how there were three other people from a team long ago that should be sitting there with him.

 

“So what's the occasion?” Naruto drawled. Sakura, however, only glanced up now and then from the book she was reading.

 

“No reason, really. I just wanted to see how you two have been,” Kakashi replied, ignoring their somewhat skeptical expressions, “So training's been going well?”

 

“Well enough,” Naruto said between mouthfuls of noodles, “Ain't like I'm gonna get promoted for it, though.”

 

Kakashi raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. He knew Naruto had to have changed a little over these past years, but he hadn't been expecting this cynical side. Though it wasn't as if Naruto didn't have the right to feel that way, all things considered.

 

“Well, I guess as soon as the Akat—those guys are outta the way, I'll move up to jounin in no time,” Naruto offered a grin. Perhaps not everything was lost just yet…

 

“Who'd trust you with kids?” Sakura spoke mildly as she turned a page.

 

“Hey! I can see you laughing behind that book!!”

 

Kakashi felt his heart warm, seeing those two bicker just like they had years ago. He really should make an effort to see them more often.

 

“And what about you, Sakura? Fairing well with two specializations?”

 

“Kurenai-sensei's taught me almost everything there is to know at my current level, and my exam is coming up next month for my medical license,” she answered briskly, not seeming terribly excited by her achievements.

 

“Not many people can withstand that kind of effort. You should be very proud of yourself,” Kakashi stated, trying to remember a twelve-year old girl who cared more about boys than studying jutsu.

 

“I have a long way to go. It won't do me any good to become complacent with my growth,” she finally put the book away and started in on her meal.

 

Kakashi wondered how strong she hoped to be if she were to seek revenge. He realized Sasuke, as he was now, probably wouldn't survive a fight with her. At least not if she punched like Tsunade.

 

Yet he somehow killed Itachi…

 

* * *

 

Anko hid her smile behind her hand as Kakashi brought her groceries inside. Normally, they'd have some genin brats bring over groceries as a D-rank mission. Or “helping out that crazy snake lady” as they called it. She usually hissed at them just for good measure. If she was feeling particularly snitty, she might have made an off-handed comment about the things she was doing at their age. Maybe the Hokage decided not to send over any more green genin?

 

Yeah right.

 

“You know you can come see him whenever you want, right?” she tossed out.

 

“Hmm? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.”

 

Geh, lame as ever.

 

As Kakashi sorted out the food, he'd study a package here and there.

 

“I didn't think he developed a taste for sweets,” he finally said.

 

“…He doesn't really eat as it is. So I don't think he's going to complain.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“He should be in his room,” Anko added. She wasn't much for subtle behavior.

 

Kakashi nodded once and headed down the hall. She was right; Sasuke was in the spare bedroom, sitting in a chair in the dark. Well, almost dark. There was a nightlight on in the corner.

 

“You didn't have to come here.”

 

Interesting choice of words, Kakashi thought. Not “you shouldn't be here” or even “why did you come here.” Maybe he and Sasuke had reached some sort of understanding.

 

“But here I am,” Kakashi said plainly.

 

“Hn.”

 

“Now,” Kakashi took a seat on the edge of the bed, “I don't suppose you're ever going to explain how you won that fight?”

 

“I don't see how that's any concern of yours,” Sasuke snapped back, “It's over and done with.”

 

Still a sore subject, eh?

 

“And do you wish now that you hadn't gone through with it?”

 

The silence that followed was the heaviest Kakashi had known in a long while. It felt almost like a physical force pushing down on his shoulders. Some part of him wondered if he should tread a little more carefully, given Sasuke's condition. The rest of him recognized he didn't have that kind of time.

 

“No,” Sasuke's voice was relatively soft, but he sounded more confident now than in the entire time since returning to Konoha, “I needed to do this. I don't think I could have taken not knowing. Especially not back then.”

 

Sasuke really had grown up during his time away. He may have been hiding quite a bit about what went on in his absence, but he could still be brutally honest about his self-realizations.

 

Kakashi knew he probably should leave. Sasuke clearly wasn't going to answer any questions about Itachi or the Sound. Not to mention moments like this were going to make it that much harder when Sasuke did die. Kakashi wasn't sure who it was going to be harder for.

 

“They're going to find out sooner or later. You know that, right?”

 

Of course Sasuke knew. Everything always came back to that, didn't it…

 

“I haven't got much time left so there's no point in ever telling them the truth. I'm sure you can think up something creative to pacify them with.”

 

Kakashi was sure he knew now. He knew who this would be harder for.

 

* * *

 

Temari let the door slam shut as she tugged off her shoes. She was getting right sick of coming back to a hotel day after day here. Maybe the three of them should think about getting an apartment in Konoha. They were in town often enough…

 

“Hey, I brought take-out,” she called out. Kankurou was lounging by the table, spare puppet parts scattered about.

 

“Took ya long enough.”

 

“If you're not gonna be grateful, you're not getting anything to eat,” she snarled before depositing the bags on the table none-too-gently. He muttered something about bossy sisters but cleared away his gear and helped unpack dinner.

 

The rattling shuffle of sand was a sound neither of them really took notice of anymore as Gaara made his way in.

 

“You hungry?” Temari gestured to the table.

 

“A little,” Gaara answered and took a seat. Temari brushed stray hair from his eyes, pleased that he didn't flinch under her touch. She was even more grateful that the sand held still.

 

“Your hair's getting long.”

 

“Do you dislike it?”

 

She smiled faintly, watching the blood red strands spill through her fingers.

 

“No, it looks kinda cute on you.”

 

“Cute?” Gaara seemed to shift uncomfortably.

 

“Heh, before you know it, the girls'll be flocking to you,” Kankurou laughed.

 

“…”

 

“Oh, quit teasing him,” Temari snapped and finally sat with them.

 

“But seriously, you never know. Even our dear sister has a Leaf boyfriend, and all.”

 

Temari raised an eyebrow and wasn't too happy about that curious look on Gaara's face.

 

“That's news to me,” she said coolly before digging into her meal.

 

“What? You're not dating that Shikamaru guy?”

 

She slammed her chopsticks hard against the table, startling the other two (some more so than the other).

 

“Why would I date that idiot?”

 

Kankurou tried very hard not to laugh at her. He decided she must have it pretty bad for that guy.

 

“I don't need a boyfriend,” her composure rapidly returned, “Right now, this is enough.”

 

The three siblings looked at each other and thought maybe she wasn't completely wrong.

 

“That's true,” Gaara added quietly, “This is enough.”

 

For now, having a family is enough.

 

* * *

 

A sense of foreboding drenched the training ground when Team Gai showed up. A million questions buzzed through their heads when they took one look at Neji's dark expression. Gai couldn't be certain, but he could venture a guess about what problem had arisen. He gave a curt nod to his student and was glad Neji could at least offer one in return. Lee, being Lee, prepared to rattle off a long string of questions. He liked to think that he and Neji were on good enough terms that he'd answer. Unfortunately, he never got the chance.

 

“Hey Neji,” Tenten spoke up, “I was thinking up this new attack pattern. Let's try it out.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Gai wondered if anyone could have foreseen this team becoming this strong. Tenten was such a perfect fit for this group. She always gave just what was needed. Neji wasn't going to get any benefit from people asking about what bothered him. Keeping him distracted and engrossed in training was the easiest way he could work off his frustrations.

 

Gai felt a great deal of pride for his students. Ah, the grandness of youth…

 

Just before the sun began to dip, they called it a day. Neji still seemed to have a certain heaviness to his presence, but there was a marked improvement from this morning. Lee seemed satisfied with Neji's moderate upturn in mood and no longer deemed it necessary to badger him with questions. All was well, more or less.

 

Right before running off with the rest of her team, Tenten turned to face her teacher.

 

“Gai-sensei, I need to speak with you.”

 

* * *

 

Tenten made her way home, heading for the family dojo. She slid the door shut and walked to the center of the room, minding the creaky floorboards slightly to her right. She stood there in the middle, soaking in the warmth from the ruby red sun as it set, watching the dust motes drift aimlessly in the light. She knew all there was to know about this room. Every angle, every texture, everything.

 

She took a deep breath, every nerve tingling as if preparing for battle. She exhaled slowly, leaving only confidence in her body.

 

“Yes,” she told herself, “I am ready.”

 

* * *

 

The initial anger had passed. Only a deep, bone-aching sorrow lingered.

 

“That night,” he tried to quell the tremor in his voice, tried not to grip the sheets so tightly, “I was supposed to die then, wasn't I.”

 

“Yes. You were supposed to die.”

 

 

 

To be continued…