Chapter Text
“Will you just think about it, Kakashi-sensei?”
A book thumped onto the counter and Tenten stomped into the weapons shop's backroom, leaving Kakashi to stare at the dust jacket in the empty storefront.
How many times had she brought up this inane idea? Kakashi would say three, but that wasn't accounting for Lee's not-so-subliminal messages.
“Maa, I would, but my mission schedule…”
Tenten scoffed from the back.
It was no secret that the post-war mission shortage was putting entirely too much idle time in Kakashi’s hands. Guy's students had noticed. Now the position Guy had left vacant in Kakashi's life held three new incumbents.
Lee, predictably, followed Guy's legacy. He made spontaneous appearances at Kakashi's apartment, challenging him during the day and whispering affirmations through the window when he thought Kakashi was asleep at night.
Neji took a more rational approach, offering quiet presence each morning at the memorial stone. Though Kakashi never said anything, flowers for Obito, Rin, and Minato began appearing along with the two Neji left each week for Guy and Hinata.
Then, here was Tenten, who had somehow gotten it in her head that a Kakashi-curated book selection in her family’s failing business would solve both their problems.
Kakashi sighed loudly, making sure the sound carried to the back. “I sure hope I get my shuriken order before Tsunade-sama issues a bench warrant for failing to appear.”
Though he wasn't technically pressed for time, he did finally have a real mission assignment meeting today. His readiness would only serve as evidence in his favor against everyone trying to force him out of the field.
Tenten reemerged with his order looking utterly unimpressed and unhurried. An array of shuriken dropped on the counter over the book she'd left him a moment ago.
Before she opened her palm for payment, she nudged the book toward him one last time.
He gave her a cheery, double-eye-smile as he ignored her and passed over the money.
Outside the shop, he caught the sound of an overly motivational voice booming their direction. If Lee caught him this morning, Kakashi didn't have a real excuse to deny a competition until much later in the day.
He shunshined away with his shuriken, without his change or Tenten's book.
Tonton squealed and jumped out of Shizune’s hold as Kakashi blasted through training dummies. Chidori after Chidori, Shizune pulled her lips tighter and tighter as she monitored.
Though he could probably do three or four more, Kakashi called it after the ninth. But then, just to punctuate his point, he shot out a torrent of purple electricity and exploded the tenth training dummy from across the field.
A few seconds after he straightened up his posture, Shizune looked down at his medical chart.
“My notes say that when you had the Sharingan, you could only do four a day safely.”
Kakashi shrugged.
When Shikamaru had recommended every shinobi who participated in the war for physical and mental health evaluation, Kakashi had been plagued with daily migraines and chakra flare-ups. Turns out, magic eyeball replacements did indeed have side effects that put one on a medical watchlist. But it was nothing an intensive training regimen couldn’t remedy.
“Well, I can medically clear you for duty now that your chakra control is… under control.” Shizune scratched something on her clipboard.
Her eyebrows held a subtle tension; her weight shifted slightly; her tight smile twitched. Kakashi knew where this was going.
“But”—she tapped her pen twice—“have you given any more thought to Lady Tsunade’s offer?”
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. “Most people would consider thirty-one a ridiculously early retirement age.”
From the look Shizune gave him, one might have guessed he’d casually suggested blowing up the moon. “Most people don’t start elite military careers at six years old.”
He didn't see how that was relevant.
The village still needed shinobi, even if the demand was lower and the scope of work was changing shape during peace time.
Kakashi’s trained expression didn’t waver. “I’ll consider retirement when my working condition warrants evaluation.”
After a steady glare, there was another grating mark on Shizune’s clipboard.
“Fine. I’ll notify Lady Tsunade of your decision.” Shizune shook her head. “Your assignment meeting is in her office in two hours.”
“Sakura-san, why don't you deliver this one.” Tsunade smiled maliciously as she handed Kakashi's mission scroll over to his former student.
Sakura sighed, but grabbed the scroll without hesitation. “Kakashi-sensei, you are being assigned as a guide to Iriegakure on Tokijima. You-”
“You’re aware I have a bounty on me in the Village Hidden in the Cove,” Kakashi checked Tsunade.
While being sidelined again was the last thing he wanted, he was beginning to suspect ulterior motives here. If something were to happen on this mission, it would give her plausible reason to suspend him from active duty. He couldn’t afford to give her that opening.
Tsunade gestured toward Sakura who looked like a vein was about to pop out of her head. “Please address the hokage-in-training if you have any complaints about your assignment.”
Sakura forced a smile, and handed over his scroll. “Yes, Kakashi-sensei. We know. The client only requested a guide who knows the area, not a security detail.”
The island was about as far as you could go into Water Country. The journey wasn't difficult, but he could see how one would want their escort to be familiar with the route. He remembered it well enough from his ANBU assignment all those years ago.
“Between the two of you, bounty hunters won't be a problem,” Tsunade cut in with a sharpened smile. “It’s your client you really have to worry about.”
The two of us? Kakashi wrinkled his eyebrows as he unrolled his mission scroll. Sakura’s gaze flicked away a second too fast.
“...Who exactly am I escorting?”