Fallen Leaves (Formerly Kakashi: No Regrets)

The next day, Sasuke’s group made their way toward the Akatsuki waypoint near the River country.

Sasuke decided to give Itachi control for a while. His relish in it was the same as before and it tore at Kakashi’s heart even as it made him angry. Itachi grew tired and retreated by pausing briefly on a branch. Sasuke immediately assumed his usual scowl and set off again. Kakashi realized it made Sasuke angry too.

Kakashi kept his promise once they were back in their home base near the border with the River Country. As if in retribution for the way they had sex last time, Sasuke pulled Kakashi onto Itachi’s bed to kiss him while they were still sitting on their knees then Sasuke shoved him against the wall the bed stood against. Kakashi braced himself against the wall, wise enough to lean forward on it.

Sasuke’s pressed in behind him, feeling his body and rubbing his erection up and down his crack. He racked his upper teeth down a shoulder blade before gently lapping at the lightly reddened flesh.

Then Sasuke uncapped the lube, putting a dollop on his finger. The cold substance pressed to his hot entrance made Kakashi jump slightly.

“It’s been nearly a week since I took you, hasn’t it?” Sasuke asked. “Wonder how tight you are. Or should I even bother loosening you?”

“I think the lube’s enough.”

“Desperate are we?”

“A little.”

Sasuke pressed one finger in, taking some of the lube with it. “Then you’re not desperate enough.” He slowly moved the single finger within him then added a second, stretching him as if he were a virgin. Touches to his prostate made Kakashi hump air a few times. Sasuke used his other hand to flick Kakashi’s left nipple and he purred against Kakashi’s neck.

Kakashi hissed his lover’s name, pressing his blushed cheek to the cold wall. Sasuke deemed him ready. He nudged Kakashi’s knees further apart, lowering his body then positioned himself at Kakashi’s entrance and pushed up into him in one thrust. Kakashi growled.

“I don’t think I fuck you enough, still so tight.” Kakashi agreed with that; being fully impaled with one thrust still hurt even after a decade of experience with this. Sasuke’s thrusts were shallow for a while, which was fine with Kakashi since it was almost relentless strikes to his prostate.

“More,” Kakashi gasped.

“Can’t get much harder or faster you greedy little slut.”

Kakashi hummed back at him.

Sasuke was getting close and scratched Kakashi’s stomach giving him red welts running horizontal to the healing scars he’d given him in the forest on the cooling body of an ANBU. Kakashi was reminded of that and pushed back against Sasuke to get off faster. Sasuke punished him by pushing his chest against the wall hard.

“I dictate this one.”

“Yes, sir.”

Not deeming that enough punishment, Sasuke reached down around Kakashi’s erection and racked Kakashi’s scrotum with his nails. Kakashi gasped in pain. But Sasuke noticed his erection didn’t flag. He grabbed them and applied a little pressure. Another gasp, but no deflation.

“If you did this to me, you’d be through the wall,” Sasuke said. “I like how you tighten when I do this.” Sasuke tightened his grip again.

Sasuke’s thrusts had slowed. “Please,” Kakashi begged. “I’m so close.”

Sasuke took his hand away and grabbed Kakashi’s hip to help him start fucking at full speed again. Kakashi cam and Sasuke followed. Kakashi sank even further forward onto the wall. Sasuke was tired from their journey and his orgasm and he twisted around to lean back against the wall next to Kakashi. Kakashi peeled himself away from the wall to lay down and ease the stress on his spread hips.

Sasuke shut his eyes and looked like he would fall asleep, but his eyes snapped open. “Toss me my cloak; Madara’s summoning me.”

Kakashi reached down to the floor and tossed the cloak to him. Sasuke raised himself onto his knees and slipped the cloak on then sat back down and contacted Madara. It wasn’t necessary to wear clothes since it was a metal projection, but Sasuke found it an uncomfortable to talk to Madara while naked.

“Pein was delayed, but he is now on his way to Konoha. I will let you know when he succeeds. But you should probably know, Pein killed Jiraiya.”

“Naruto’s master?”

“Yes. It will take a few days for Pein to arrive. Where are you?”

“We’re back in one of the Akatsuki way stations I noticed on a map in your base.” Which was true except Sasuke hadn’t really taken note of it at the time, but it was a plausible answer. Sasuke would never even hint that Itachi was living on in him. “We’re laying low until you give us the go ahead to go in after Pein.”

“Good. If you find yourself in a difficult position, put on Itachi’s ring and I will come for you.”

“Thank you, I will.”

The connection was cut.

“Jiraiya’s been killed. Pein is on his way to Konoha,” Sasuke said out loud to Kakahsi.

“Really?”

“Yeah. He also offered to help us if we get into trouble. When I sent you all out last time, I told him I considered him all the family I had left and played upon his grief for his brother. Itachi said I look like him. I think it worked. He’ll trust me.”

“So you can get close to him and kill him.”

“Ah. Thanks to Madara, I’m not sleepy anymore.”

Tired enough though.

Sasuke chuckled. “Blame Kakashi for that.”

Kakashi looked at him confused.

I’m glad you’re so relaxed now. You’re dark and tense most of the time.

“Thank Kakashi for that.”

I still sense a lot of hate in you.

“And you said I would never have enough.”

I wish I had been right.

All humor left Sasuke. “So do I, Aniki. So do I. Sometimes I think about it, abandoning revenge and trying to go back to happier times. But I can’t let it go. Not until Madara is dead.”

When? What are you waiting for? You don’t make me privy to any of your plans.

“I don’t want what you to see what I’ll have to do. I treasure your council, but leave this to me. Me and Kakashi.”

I’d advise you to leave it, leave all this and find peace now, but I know you’re the only one now who can defeat Madara.

Sasuke hummed. “Another month maybe. I doubt it will be that long. Madara is warming to me. Very soon. I may have to bait him with Naruto. I don’t want to, but I may have little choice.”

That was news to Kakashi, but he was surprised that it didn’t disturb him. His memories of Naruto’s face and Minato’s blurred slightly. It didn’t matter to him anymore; let Naruto die or be captured, what Sasuke willed.

“We’ll see. Pein has been sent to capture him.” He felt Itachi’s disturbance. “What? Do you think Naruto doesn’t stand a chance?”

Pein is powerful. It appears he possess the Rinnegan.

“The Rinnegan?” Sasuke said. That word caught Kakashi’s attention as well.

“Surely that’s just a legend,” Kakashi said.

Itachi pushed to take control of Sasuke’s throat and Sasuke gave it. “No,” Sasuke said in a deeper voice. “It’s all true. About the Great Sage and his sons. As far as it matters anyway. I don’t know the extent of Pein’s powers. Is he going to Konoha?”

Yes, Sasuke answer internally.

“Then I fear what the collateral damage will be.”

That did worry Kakashi and Sasuke and they allowed it to show. They wanted to level Konoha themselves, not leave it to Pein.

“Maybe we should go to Konoha,” Kakashi said. “Maybe take Naruto ourselves.”

Sasuke took back possession of his body. “Perhaps. We all need to rest before we can head out again.”

-----

The seal was breaking. The black seal on Naruto’s abdomen melted. Kyuubi almost seduced Naruto to completely remove the seal. But Minato appeared and stopped him.

After their tearful—and physically painful—reunion, Minato shifted to a subject close to them both.

“Kakashi and Sasuke,” Minato said. “Kakashi was my student. I thought I knew him. I can’t believe he would turn on Konoha. I can’t understand it.” He was obviously grieved, more grieved for Kakashi than for the village. Kakashi had murdered so many people.

“I loved Kakashi like a son. I can’t imagine his heart turning black. And Sasuke. I knew his father. The Uchiha did always have the most exquisite pride, but it goes against Itachi’s wishes. If he killed their clan to protect the village, I would think Sasuke would respect his wishes and at least leave the village unharmed if he couldn’t return. The same for Kakashi. Grief must have driven them mad. You might have to kill Kakashi and Sasuke.”

“No, I can’t. There must be another way.”

“There will be no forgiveness for either of them. If you can speak to them, if you can change their hearts, they will be forced to flee or die. They are lost to you. I almost welcome oblivion now. To see my last and most precious student fall so far.”

-----

Konoha was little more than a crater. Sasuke’s team perched in a tree just beyond the destruction.

“Itachi wasn’t kidding,” Sasuke said. “Collateral damage indeed. I don’t even think Madara anticipated this.”

“You think your boy Naruto is still alive?” Suigetsu asked.

Sasuke made a clone and it transformed into an unremarkable Konoha shinobi. He leaped away to gather information. Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

“I don’t see him. There is residue of great chakra all over.”

“I see it too,” Karin said. “It stains the air and ground like blood.”

“It goes off beyond the village. We will wait for the report from my clone.”

They waited for some time. At least they knew the clone was not discovered or Sasuke would have the information. Finally, Sasuke stiffened as the information filled his mind. He scowled.

“Pein destroyed the village. However, Naruto defeated him and somehow convinced him to resurrect all he had killed. There were no casualties.”

“Pein could resurrect the dead?” Kakashi asked.

“That’s what the Konoha shinobi are saying. Naruto has just returned. There is celebration going on. Shall we party crash?” Sasuke smirked at his lover.

“With pleasure. It might be fun.”

-----

Konoha was celebrating. Naruto smiled, but his heart was heavy, heavy with what Nagato had told him and what Minato, his father, had told him. He was acutely aware of Kakashi’s absence. He knew that he would have been proud of him. Not now. And what of Sasuke. He might have to kill two of the people closest to him.

People congratulated him and slapped him on the back, giving him the recognition and respect he always desired. That didn’t keep him from noticing the robed figures approaching them. People stood back at the look in his eyes and looked. Five people were approaching. They had their hoods down and everyone recognized Sasuke and Kakashi in the lead. The non-shinobi fled.

Naruto, a new resolve born of the conversation with his father, stood out in front of the pack of shinobi.

The five newcomers stopped, Karin keeping far in the rear.

“Congratulations on your victory, Naruto,” Sasuke said. “As a reward, I’ve decided to give you a chance to save the village.”

Kakashi looked at him, not privy to this plan.

“I want the elders. Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and that shit Danzo. Bring them to me and perhaps I’ll spare the rest of you. There’s a fine venue for a fight down there,” Sasuke gestured to the crater. “Of course, if they want to lay down their guilty lives, I will be please with that as well.”

“The Hokage is unconscious,” Naruto said. “I can’t just do what you wish.”

Sasuke’s face darkened. “Then we will murder you all.”

“Stop!” Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura approached. “Our lives are not worth the safety of the village.”

“I’m glad you see reason.”

“But you will continue to attack even if we die.”

“If I don’t find satisfaction in your deaths. Where’s the other one, Danzo?”

“Probably hiding with Root.”

Sasuke raised his sword. “Will you submit? As part of the village’s payment for Itachi?”

“I thought he was a better man than that.” Everyone turned to see Danzo walking toward Sasuke. “That bastard. Did he spill the beans as he was dying? I guess you really were special to him.”

Kakashi could feel the rage radiating from his lover. Sasuke’s Sharingan was blazing.

“But why are you so upset? Self-sacrifice, that is what defines a shinobi. Scorning the sun to work in the shadows, that is how it has always been. That is a true shinobi. Many shinobi have died like that, Itachi was not the only one. It’s thanks to people like that that we have been able to maintain peace. You ignore Itachi’s will. You cannot understand. But in telling you his secret, he has betrayed Konoha.”

Sasuke’s chakra flared around him, beginning to form Sasano. “Don’t you dare impugn my brother’s honor! Itachi never told me anything!”

“Oh? Then who did?”

“Madara.”

“So, he’s still alive. He betrayed Itachi.”

“Do not speak to me of Itachi again!” Sasano’s arm grew and reached out to grab Danzo. Kakashi and the others all stumbled back, only Kakashi having seen it before during their excursions and private training.

Sasuke felt Itachi demanding attention but he pushed him back. The chill of his chakra and the rage had alerted Itachi.

Sasano’s hand clinched and destroyed Danzo. That felt good.

“You’re right. Now we must speak with our eyes.”

Sasuke spun around. Danzo was there. Danzo tried to stab him, but Sasano’s body protected Sasuke. Sasuke swept his blade at him, but he vanished. Danzo moved into the crater to give them all more room to move. The other two elders did not move. Sasuke and Kakashi moved in unison, each killing Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura before leaping after Danzo, the other three joining them.

No one else interfered. Naruto, horrified by the sudden murder of the elders, watched the fight which seemed to be a battle of monsters. Sai appeared next to him. “You’re wise not to interfere,” Sai said. “Danzo should be killed. And if this frees of us from further attacks from Sasuke, all the better.”

But Sai was wrong. When Danzo was finally killed, Sasuke was incensed. Naruto had never been so afraid. Kakashi wasn’t happy either. They came out of the crater with an obvious intent to kill.

“But Sasuke, you said—” Naruto tried to argue.

“Curse Danzo in hell!” Sasuke yelled as he attacked.

Many shinobi ran in the face of Sasuke’s rage. Naruto was stunned when he was passed over. The four fighters tore into the gathered shinobi; Karin stayed back. Naruto locked eyes with her. She held his gaze, but it wasn’t as strong as Naruto expected. He turned to fight, disregarding her.

Many of the shinobi who stood to fight had died. Others fell back. Naruto would not fall back. He found it too hard to face Sasuke and Kakashi so he attacked Suigetsu. But as his fellows’ numbers thinned, Sasuke turned his sights on Naruto.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the scruff of the neck and threw him into a clear area. Sasuke attention was ripped away by more attacking shinobi. Naruto tried to stand, but Kakashi forced him back down with a kick to the chest. Kakashi looked down at him with hateful eyes, seeming to be restraining himself from attacking while Sasuke fought off those who would distract him.

Naruto looked up into those darkened eyes. “Kakashi-sensei, please,” Naruto pleaded, not for his life, but for his village, “I know my father was your sensei, how can you do this?”

“So, you know who your father is?” Kakashi said. Sasuke approached.

“He sealed some of his chakra within me and I was able to speak with him.”

“Like Itachi,” Sasuke said. He shook his head when Itachi pressed for attention again. Suigetsu and Juugo moved in to protect the distracted pair.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, but returned his attention back to Kakashi. “Please, he wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want you to do this.”

“Don’t dare talk about Minato to me!” Naruto had never seen Kakashi truly angry before. Even Sasuke took a step back. The fighting paused for a brief moment at the sound of Kakashi’s rage. “He was like a father to me since my own killed himself,” Kakashi nearly growled. “But then he abandoned me! At least my real father was dead, but Minato just walked away, just washed his hand of me when I needed him the most! Rin was killed and he did little more than pat me on the head and tell me it wasn’t my fault. But he couldn’t hide his disappointment in me; he blamed me for her death. And he never spoke to me again. He blamed me for Obito too. I was still a child! Your precious father, your beloved Hokage abandoned me! You ask him way.”

Naruto was too shocked and scared to answer right away. “I can’t anymore.”

“Humph. I knew who your father was. You look somewhat like him, but you don’t have his talent or intelligence. You take after your mother. I agreed to take you on only because of that and Sandime’s request. I won’t kill you, but I won’t protect you.” He turned to Sasuke. “I’ll cover you.”

“Kill anyone who tries to interfere.”

“Ah.”

But before Kakashi turned away, he unleashed his most powerful Chidori at the Hokage Monument, but it was too far out of range.

“What are you going to do?” Naruto asked Sasuke.

“We’re taking you to Madara. You’re the last one Akatsuki needs.”

Just as Sasuke was about to use his Sharingan on Naruto, wooden spikes grew between them. Sasuke moved back. Reinforcements, including Yamato, had arrived. Many of those who had fled before and during the battle had regrouped and returned.

“Sasuke!” Suigetsu called in a panic.

They were tired and their chakra depleted. The reinforcements seemed to include a lot of ANBU and Root. Sasuke growled and ordered them to retreat. He abandoned Naruto on the ground.

Sasuke leapt up to a tree branch to cover his people’s escape, but he grew dizzy. Kakashi landed next to him and put out a hand to steady him.

“Not now, Itachi,” Sasuke said through gritted teeth. But Itachi wrestled control away from his exhausted brother. He looked around at the devastated area in horror.

“What is this?”

“Itachi? Not now, we have to retreat.”

“What happened?!” Itachi demanded.

“Pein’s attack. We can’t be caught here!”

Itachi looked at him and sank away. Sasuke rallied and chose to be the flank of their group and they ran in the wrong direction for a while to throw off pursuit, but there was none; the shinobi of Konoha had other priorities at the moment.

-----

Tsunade hadn’t woken up. The three elders were dead. Konoha was headless.

“Just a few weeks ago I would have suggest Kakashi to become Hokage,” Shikaku said.

Naruto was staring at the dirt floor of the tent. He wasn’t really a member of this council, but they wanted him there to keep an eye on him. Sakura and Shikamaru sat of either side of the glum Jinchuriki.

“I think it should be you,” Sakura said, her voice unsteady.

“Now, I’m not the most powerful here.”

“Then who?” Inochi asked.

“Yamato is powerful.”

“But he’s also very young.”

“We need some kind of leadership,” Hiashi said. He was still affected by Neji’s murder and mutilation. Shikaku deemed him too broken by that to be Hokage.

“Perhaps we should lead as a council, the three of us,” Shikaku said indicated himself, Inochi, and Hiashi. “At least until Tsunade wakes up or we choose a Hokage.

“They’ll come back,” Naruto said. They all stared at him; those were the first words he’d spoken since Sasuke and Kakashi had pulled back. “They’ll come back for me. Maybe I should leave.”

“No,” Shikaku said. “They will come here for you and attack even if you’re not here. Hiding you will not save the village. And with your Senjutsu, you are one of the few who can stand up to them. You’re staying.”

“I can’t fight them.”

“Neji believed in you,” Hiashi said.

“If Neji failed . . .”

“You beat Neji in the chunin exam. You did because you never give up. Remember what you must protect!”

Naruto looked into his eyes and nodded.