Chapter: 96

[Tayuya]

It wasn't often that she woke up early without someone or something waking her up. Actually, she couldn't remember when the last time had been, if ever. She wasn't what one would call a morning person, she could tell you that. 'Mornings are fucking evil,' She grumbled to herself as she twisted, ready to continue sleeping.

At least, she would have, if she hadn't heard someone else move and decided to check what was up. What she saw made her freeze. There, twisting where he laid, was Eiji. Their leader, fearless leader himself, twitching and whimpering like a small child, pale and sweating.

Tayuya could honestly say that she had never seen the boy look so… afraid, small and weak. She'd always seen him as the strongest one around. Even when they had been standing in front of the Tsuchikage, Eiji had this aura that made him seem just as important, at the very least. She was both annoyed and in awe of that particular aspect of him.

That had been one of the reasons that had convinced her to follow and obey this boy. That, and the absolutely terrifying genjutsu he'd put on her, that is. The memory still sent a shiver down her spine. A few seconds were all that she had experienced and if she never got to be under it again, it'd be too soon.

Regardless, she'd gotten to know who Eiji Satou was much more since then. She learned that she'd never have to worry about that unless she made some reallybad decisions. Moreover, she'd probably earned her way out of Eiji's list of possible targets and into the one that would never be put under the Genjutsu. She was almost sure of that.

Thus, Tayuya laid there, staring as Fearless Leader looked anything but the nickname she'd given him. She was suddenly reminded of what he'd done, what he'd risked. Eiji had taken a bomb that would have leveled the entire place and made them all disappear and risked his life to get it away from all of them at the risk of himself.

She'd thought he'd shrugged that off. He seemed to be perfectly fine after he came out of the hospital. Four Eyes hadn't mentioned anything to them either, besides the physical problems Eiji had dealt with during his recovery. Now, she was witness to something that she hadn't even thought was possible for him.

Weakness.

"It happens often," She heard, and she turned once more, this time to look at Kabuto, who seemed to be on watch duty that day. The silver-haired med-nin was staring at their team leader with an almost blank expression. At least, if it weren't for the slightest of frowns on his face. "I haven't asked the others, but I'm pretty sure it happens every night at least for a while," He added, his voice soft, to avoid waking up everyone else.

Tayuya stayed silent then, unsure of what to say.

Shrugging it off or dismissing it sounded wrong in her mind. By itself, that was already pretty strange, in her opinion. She'd never cared much for that kind of thing, but then again, nobody had risked their life for her before Eiji. Saying it was nothing was like saying that saving her was nothing, which might explain why she felt as she did in regards to that.

However, that reasoning also sounded wrong to her. Was that it? Was she just trying to keep the importance of Eiji saving their lives, hers included? That sounded like… belittling the action.

"You are here because I have a proposition for you two."

"Hey, at least the music is nice."

"Well, if you need help, I know a thing or two about Genjutsu."

"Nobody but me will be able to see through your Genjutsu by the time I'm done with you. The world will fear you."

"Nice job, Tayuya."

"If this team works out well, maybe I'll try to keep it."

Lots of memories rushed through her mind then. From the moment she'd met the Fearless Leader with Jirobo to all the time she'd spent with him in the team. She remembered all the time he'd taken from his own training to teach her. She remembered all the times he'd complemented her genjutsu and her music. She remembered what he'd told her not so long ago…

"You guys will continue to be my team."

"Can we do something?" Tayuta asked, her voice almost inaudible. She thought it likely that Kabuto might not have heard her at all. However, just as she went to repeat herself, louder this time, he replied.

"We try and ease his burdens," Kabuto answered. "We become stronger, so that he can worry less."

She would have laughed at that idea not so long ago. How would them being strong make Eiji feel less concerned? Surely it would make things worse, right? But it wouldn't. The boy, for some unfathomable reason, trusted them. The people that had attacked his village and his family, however indirectly in the latter's case.

"And your music," Kabuto added, sounding slightly amused, although the smirk on his face had little mirth behind it, his eyes still fixed on the twisting Eiji. "He enjoys it. I think it helps him relax."

It did. Eiji had commented on that at some point. Said something along the lines of her music helping him calm down. It felt like so little help though. Surely there would be something else they could do, right?

"I'm Eiji Satou," Kabuto continued then, his eyes unfocusing. "I like my friends and I hate anything that endangers them," He recited. "Eiji told me that once. That's how he described himself."

Tayuya listened, even though she wasn't sure where the silver haired boy was going with his words.

"Do you think we are in that group? His friends?" He asked and she found herself unsure.

"You guys will continue to be my team."

"Maybe," Tayuya replied, looking away. She didn't wantto believe that. However, there was a little voice in her head that kept asking if maybe, just maybe, it was the case. Could it be?

[}-o-{]

[Temari]

She had a lot in her mind, if she was honest.

The team was moving, approaching Konoha at a rapid pace now that Eiji could go as fast as he wanted… without leaving them all behind, at least. It was almost funny, how they had to slow down for him while he recovered and now that he was back in peak condition he had to do so for them. Regardless… The speed they were going at made things more complicated for her, since it meant she'd have less time to think.

And she needed to do it a lot.

What would she do once they were back? Would she leave the team and go back home to her brothers? Help Gaara be Kazekage? Surely he needed her help. Also, her brother would need help in case Akatsuki went after him, and now Temari had information about them courtesy of Eiji. She'd be able to help him prepare, in case they went after him.

Or…

Or she could stay in the team, continue to hunt Akatsuki to make sure Gaara wouldn't even need to face them to begin with. Work with Eiji to eradicate the organization before they could even think of going after her brother. That was something she could do, and it was the one that had the most chances of success. She loved her brothers and her village, but Suna wasn't in the best of conditions at the moment. There was a reason they'd gone for a desperate move such as the Invasion, Orochimaru influence or not.

Eiji though, had proved that he could do the job. Temari wouldn't let his condition and how the battle went fool her. Her team leader was keeping cards close to his chest. She was fairly sure Eiji could have finished the battle almost as soon as it started. The only reason he hadn't was because there were bigger threats to worry about in Akatsuki, and this way he saved his best weapons for them.

And her current leader was also making her stronger. Well, the entire team, really, but the point stood. She hadn't been weak before, she was sure, but she'd also been nowhere near as strong as she currently was. Her repertoire hadn't grown, but her skill and power certainly did. If she stayed longer… surely she would become even stronger, right? That would increase her chances if she had to face Akatsuki without the team to help her brother.

However, if she stayed, she wouldn't be there with Gaara in case Akatsuki went after him before they could deal with them. How would she feel if that happened? If she lost her brother because she wasn't there? How would she feel if she lost her brother because she was but wasn't strong enough?

The more she thought about it, the more she was sure there wasn't an actual correct answer to any of her questions.

She'd still have to decide though, which was the worst part.

[}-o-{]

[Kabuto Yakushi]

He was growing more and more confused.

However, that was a good thing, surprisingly enough. Kabuto could almost feel how his identity solidified as time passed. It was something he'd always been aware was missing, but at the same time it was a hole he… hadn't noticed. Or maybe it was more accurate to say that he hadn't realized how important what he lacked was. A strange concept, to be sure, but that was as well as he could explain it.

Now though, he was filling it. Small things at first, like petting and interacting with Yuki. Kabuto was almost sure that he was a 'dog person'. He'd take Eiji up on his offer to visit the Inuzuka vet when they arrived to Konoha, something that Kabuto had decided almost on a whim.

He found those were the best decisions, after all. Choices that he made without thinking it over, without trying to associate them with a mask or a thought out purpose. He knew he couldn't go through life thoughtlessly, but those were the times he was sure it was a decision made for himself. Kabuto was starting to take those as foundation to build his identity, to fill up in his mind who Kabuto Yakushi was.

Small decisions such as those turned into bigger ones, like defying Eiji and enforcing the team leader's recovery process and ordering him around during it. Telling a man that he was absolutely terrified of - no matter how he also looked up to him - what to do. Doing so being fully aware that he could drag him back to a hell that he never wanted to experience.

He'd taken a last step, one last attempt at seeing if he could be himself, when he had decided to try and get Sasori in the team. It was a dangerous move for several reasons. For one, Sasori was one person that Kabuto had met before, someone else that wanted to use him like a tool. For another, the Akatsuki member - or now ex-Akatsuki member, Kabuto supposed - could be a concern for everyone in the team. Lastly, and more importantly, such a move could put Kabuto back in Eiji's bad side, something that he thought he'd never even think to risk.

He'd still done it though. Because Kabuto had confidence that nobody would ever want to go against Eiji after experiencing his particular brand of hell. In the end, he'd been proven right, even if Eiji seemed to have some doubts about him now. It didn't matter though, because Kabuto knew the boy wouldn't find anything to turn against him.

It had been terrifying to do all that… but also liberating.

Kabuto had done it all because he felt like it was what he had to do, it was what he wanted to do. He'd thought others were wrong before, Danzo, Orochimaru, all of them had done something he didn't agree with at some point. There were also times where Kabuto thought he had ideas that would help. He'd never done anything about it before though, because he had a role to play.

Not anymore though.

He was only Kabuto Yakushi to Eiji and he didn't need to play the part of anything else… It was disconcerting, confusing, frightening. However, it was also… freeing, in a way. He could do whatever he felt like doing with no risk of Eiji saying it was unnecessary, or useless, or a waste of time.

Kabuto almost thought experiencing the Void was a good trade for what Eiji was giving him now. It was almost enough to pay for him finally being able to be himself, or try to, at least. Almost, but not quite.

That didn't mean he held it against Eiji though. He could understand the position his team leader had been put in. He could reason it and see why and how it had all come to be. Eiji himself had explained it all to him when he'd asked, without even hesitating.

Regardless of it all, Kabuto was unlikely to ever be put under the Genjutsu and he was eternally grateful for that fact. Now, he could focus on living his life as he wanted, on seizing the chance he'd been given to take off the masks he'd worn for his whole life. And he had Eiji to thank for it all.

He wouldn't forget that.

[}-o-{]

[Eiji Satou]

"Man, now this is a good sight," Eiji exclaimed, looking at the vast woods in front of him with a wide grin. This was how home looked. Green and brown for as far as the eye could see. Life everywhere, with birds and trees and plants and the occasional insect and mammal. "How I had missed this."

Nothing against Iwa's imponent mountains, but he much preferred the lively look of the forest around Konoha. Then again, he was biased and he knew it. It didn't make it any less true that he preferred that sight. It was a matter of opinion and his opinion wasn't likely to change.

"We know, Fearless Leader," Tayuya pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "You haven't shut up about it since we left Iwa… before that, actually."

"Not even you can ruin this for me, Tayuya," Eiji replied, smile still in place. He took a deep breath in then, closing his eyes. He'd never gotten over that slight joyous feeling that filled him whenever he did that and focused on it. Breathing would always be one of the pleasures in his life, he knew. Just like the Void would haunt him forever, the feeling of his lungs being healthy would always fill him with happiness.

"Don't tempt her," Jirobo advised but Eiji just waved him off, still relishing the smell of the forest.

"Eh, she can try. Won't work," He said then, turning towards his team just in time to see Tayuya considering the challenge. "And if she annoys me too much, I can just up the training," He added, taking the wind from her sails. "Everyone's training," He continued then, grinning widely as the redhead started sweating under the team's glares. Then, he turned towards the woods once more. "Say, which's better, Iwa or Konoha?"

"Iwa," Temari blurted out, clearly not having expected the question. Then, Eiji saw her pale. "I mean, it's, I, um, you see-"

"Smooth, Bimbo, smooth," Tayuya mocked, earning herself a glare from the blonde.

"Iwagakure looks similar to Sunagakure, that's why. Suna has less mountains and more desert, but there's a lot of rock around too," The fan user explained, trying and failing to not look nervous. Eiji, for his part, nodded with a hum.

"That makes sense, I guess," He mused. He should have seen that coming, actually. "What about the rest of you?" He asked then.

"Iwagakure too, for similar reasons," Yugito admitted, almost shyly. Eiji guessed they really didn't want to insult his home, but they were also trying to be honest. He got it, but it was silly. He couldn't get angry at them for that, honestly.

Even if they were wrong.

"Well, I don't know where the hell you two see the appeal of seeing nothing but fucking rocks everyone," Tayuya spat out dismissively. "I prefer the forest a lot more. At least it has some damn color and life to appreciate."

"Foul language aside, I agree with Tayuya," Jirobo commented, looking like it pained him to share his opinion with the redhead.

"I think I'm biased, but I prefer Konoha too," Kabuto mused, although he looked slightly surprised for some reason. Why, Eiji didn't know, but he'd just roll with it.

"Man, at least I have people with actual taste in my team. Good to know. Got a little worried there for a second," He said with a sigh in relief.

"Excuse me!" Both blondes exclaimed then, outraged.

"With that said," Eiji started then, laughing as they glared daggers at him. "Let's get on with this, I want to go home. You are all invited for dinner, by the way."

He'd have waited for Sasori's answer, but he, and the rest of the team, had learned quickly that the man wouldn't speak unless absolutely necessary. Most of the time only when addressed by Eiji himself or under his orders. It created some friction within the team, but he hoped it would change with time… With some luck, that wouldn't be just wishful thinking.

"It'll be a pleasure, Eiji," Kabuto replied with a smile. Eiji, for his part, narrowed his eyes as he tried to tell if he was honest or just humoring him. 'Have they actually eaten a meal made by me in a kitchen?' He wondered, and he wasn't sure. He'd have to make it happen, it seemed.

"Sure will," He nodded, in the end. "I'm a great cook. Just behave yourselves or I'll make any training you've gone through look like a warm up."

With his team suitably threatened, he hopped on a tree branch.

[}-o-{]

Eventually, the team found themselves approaching a set of Konoha's gates. Eiji's grin widened then, before he started chuckling and then cackling. It was so very fitting though, he just had to laugh.

"Fearless Leader finally lost it, huh?" Tayuya asked then, sounding like she'd expected that to happen. Eiji had to wonder how much of that was a joke, but at that point nothing could ruin his mood, he was sure.

"Eiji?" Temari, for her part, asked, slightly concerned.

"Nothing, nothing," He waved off, getting his laughter under control. "It just… something caught me off guard," He 'explained' as he continued walking. "Man, of all people, I should have expected you to take the Gate Guard mission. Somehow, I didn't though," He said out loud towards the guardian.

"Eiji?" Shikamaru asked, snapping into a sitting position from where he'd laid resting his head on his arms over the desk. "You are back?" He asked, looking more awake than was normal for most Naras. "The Spiders didn't say anything about your mission being over," Shikamaru said then, narrowing his eyes.

"Don't know what you are implying," Eiji shot back with a wide grin, lying through his teeth. Of course he'd told the Spiders to keep the secret. He wanted his return to be a surprise. "How have you been, Shika?" He asked then, his expression softening.

"I've been living the life," The Nara replied, relaxing on his seat. "The group's been trying to take missions inside the village, mostly. We're keeping Naruto company, since he isn't being given any missions outside. Sasuke and Kiba get a little antsy from time to time, but everyone else is fine."

"Thanks for telling me about the others too," Eiji told him with a grateful smile. Of course Shikamaru knew he wanted to know as much as possible about the group.

"How about you tell me how you've been?" The Nara prodded, his eyes going to Eiji's hair, which he'd decided to have cut short and faded on the sides to 'fix' the damage done by Deidara. He knew that it'd give him away instantly, but what could he do?

He grinned wryly.

"Don't suppose you'll believe me if I say I just chose to change style?" Eiji asked, because he had to try, right? The unimpressed raised eyebrow he got from Shikamaru answered that question by itself. "Things got a little out of control," He started, ignoring the snort behind him. "I'm sure I can tell all of you once we gather at home, yeah?" He offered, because he really wasn't looking forward to telling the story so many times.

For a long moment, the Nara stared at him before simply sighing and slumping where he sat behind the desk.

"Why'd you have to go and become troublesome, Eiji?" He asked with a long-suffering tone. "You used to be nice to have around."

"This world is troublesome, Shika. It's what it is," Eiji commiserated. Because he'd really have preferred for things to remain as peaceful as they had been when they were in the Academy. "So, you were working on an original technique, right? How's that going?"

"It works now," Shikamaru said with the slightest of smirks. Which on him might be the proudest, most excited he'd ever seen the Nara be. "I'm still tweaking details though, because it's not really usable just yet," He added with a sigh.

"It's how it is. From there it'll be easier if you are still up to the challenge," Eiji reassured, earning a grimace instead.

"Yeah, no, I'll leave at this, honestly," Shikamaru replied before looking behind Eiji at his team. "Guess you have to go, huh?"

"We have to report at the Hokage building, yes," Eiji confirmed with a sad smile. "We'll see each other as soon as you get off from here, yeah? I have to try and look for the rest. Is anyone not here?"

"No, everyone's here. You got here just in time too. Kiba was talking about getting something to do outside, even if only for a few days," Shikamaru explained as he started going through the paperwork to let them pass with Eiji. "You know how he gets."

"Yeah. Guess we can spar so that he can let out that energy, yeah?" Eiji asked, a grin forming on his face. One that widened as he saw Shikamaru start to sweat. "Everyone can participate too, of course," He added, making him pale.

"Oh, your poor bastards. I almost pity you," He heard Tayuya mock behind him.

"I said everyone," Eiji said simply, almost laughing when he heard a smack behind him. He didn't need to use Web Sense or Senjutsu to know what had happened. "Well, I'll report to the higher ups and hunt down the rest of the group. Probably ditch this bunch somewhere in the middle of that."

"Bitch, please, we'll ditch you," Tayuya shot back, before he heard another smack. As if that were true. He might put a good word and ask for them to continue being part of his team, but there was no way Konoha would let them roam around unchecked. Chances were that he'd be held responsible for anything they did and expected to keep an eye on them at all times.

Temari pointed out just that, which prompted Tayuya to shoot some insult at her that Eiji decided to ignore. From there, Yugito joined, voicing that they were both children. Why? Eiji had absolutely no idea. They just seemed to love having something to argue and fight over.

With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Shikamaru then regarded the group behind him and Eiji could almost hear the complaints in his mind. Really, his team was the very definition of troublesome… or the women were, at least. He'd just realized that the males in his squad were mostly calm, in comparison to their counterparts. 'I'm definitely not saying that though,' He decided then and there.

"I pity you, Eiji," The Nara said, and Eiji gave him a tight smile.

"Let's get this over with," He grumbled to himself. "Let's go," He said, making them all nod. At least they listened. 'Thank God for small mercies.'

"It's good to have you back, Eiji," Shikamaru said, leaning back on his chair and giving him a wave with a half-smile on his face.

"It's good to be back, Shika.