Today was our first real mission. Our team alongside team Minato were tasked with delivering and guarding supplies headed for the frontlines of our Iwa front. I was making my way to the village gate alongside Shisui and Obito.
"So Shisui, Obito how do you feel about this mission,"
Shisui grinned and answered "why you nervous"
I laughed and pushed his shoulder "yea you wish"
Shisui spoke "Its a mission like any other we just do our best and remember our training, plus we have Minato senpai whos supposed to be like really strong"
Obito chimed in at that "Yeah! Minato sensei is super strong!He has this jutsu where he can just appear anywhere!"
Me and Shisui were intrigued by that. We have been practicing our body flicker technique but Shisui was way better at it than me.
"Really like a sunshin" i asked,
"No! He does it with kunai or he can just mark you, he said something about fuinjutsu whatever that is"
Me and Shisui nodded at that as we got to the gate.
"Hey guys! How are you, ready for the mission!" I announced our arrival. Everyone greeted us except Kakashi. He seemed more stuck up than usual.
Rin said "Minato Sensei and Shikaku Sensei are at the Hokage's office getting the mission brief they said to wait here".
As she finished, our sensei appeared.
Minato spoke "I see you are all here, our mission is as we told you guard and deliver these supplies to the frontlines, I sealed them into several scrolls so we don't have to haul them and can move quicker"
Shikaku took over "I will be leading this mission. Minato will take points at the top flanked on the left by Shinji and on the right by Shisui."
"I will be in the back in front of me to my left will be Obito and to my right Kakashi, Rin you will be in the middle of us all as your our only medic, with Guy acting as your cover in case of an ambush"
We all shouted "Aye sensei" and got into formation and like that we set out of the village, traveling atop of the trees leaping from branch to branch. It was about a 2 day journey so we stopped at night and made a camp.
Our sensei cooked then took watch as we ate leaving us genin eating by the small campfire our senseis built
I sat cross-legged near the fire, poking at a skewer of fish with a stick around me where the rest of the genin, some tired, some restless.
Might Guy was the loudest presence, as usual.
"I DECLARE," Guy said, holding up his rice ball dramatically, "THAT THIS MEAL SHALL RESTORE OUR YOUTHFUL SPIRITS!"
Obito snorted. "You've been declaring stuff all day."
Guy pointed at him. "AND YET, OBITO, YOU ARE STILL LISTENING! THAT IS THE POWER OF YOUTH!"
Rin laughed softly, handing Kakashi a wrapped ration. "Here. You barely ate earlier."
Kakashi accepted it without looking up from his book. "Hn. I'm fine."
Obito leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You say that every time, Kakashi. One of these days you're just gonna fade away like a ghost."
"Wishful thinking," Kakashi muttered.
Shikaku Nara lay back against a log, hands behind his head, eyes half-lidded. "You're all too loud. War's exhausting enough without this."
"Then why are you smiling?" Shinji asked casually. "Plus aren't you meant to be on watch"
Shikaku cracked one eye open, then smirked. "Tch. Sharp."
Shinji shrugged, a small grin tugging at his lips. "You're relaxed. That only happens when people feel safe."
Guy nodded vigorously. "YES! SHINJI UNDERSTANDS THE HEART OF YOUTH!"
Rin looked at Shinji curiously. "You're pretty calm for someone on their first frontline supply run."
Shinji tilted his head. "Is it that obvious?"
Obito waved a hand. "Nah, you're weird, calm. Like 'everything's-on-fire-but-it's-fine' calm."
"That's an insult," Shinji said lightly.
"It's a compliment!" Obito shot back.
Kakashi finally glanced up from his book, eye flicking to Shinji. "You don't talk like most Uchiha."
Shinji met his gaze without flinching. "Is that bad?"
"No," Kakashi said. "Just… different."
Guy leaned closer, whispering loudly, "HE HAS THE FLAMES OF YOUTH BURNING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION!"
Shikaku groaned. "Please stop saying that."
Obito squinted at Shinji and Shisui. "You two are weird. You barely talk, but it's like you're always on the same page."
"That's called trust," Shisui said lightly.
Rin tilted her head. "You've been teammates a long time, right?"
"Since the Academy," Shinji replied.
"And longer than that," Shisui added. "We grew up together."
Kakashi finally glanced up, his visible eye flicking between the two Uchiha. "That explains it."
"Explains what?" Obito asked.
"The way you move," Kakashi said. "You already think like a unit."
Shinji smiled faintly. "That's because we don't treat missions like solo problems."
Guy slammed a fist into his palm. "YES! THE POWER OF TEAMWORK IS—"
"Please don't," Shikaku muttered.
Rin laughed, then glanced toward the dark treeline. "Still being this close to the Iwa front is scary."
"It is," Shinji said calmly.
Obito blinked. "Wow, no joke or optimism?"
Shinji looked at him. "Being scared doesn't mean you stop moving forward."
Shisui nodded. "You just move forward together."
The fire crackled louder for a moment.
Kakashi closed his book. "Together or not, the mission comes first."
Shinji met his gaze. "And if the mission costs your team?"
Kakashi's eyes hardened. "That's the job."
There was a subtle shift then something quiet but heavy.
Shisui glanced at Shinji, just briefly. Shinji noticed.
"Sometimes," Shinji said evenly, "the mission isn't worth the cost."
Kakashi didn't respond.
Obito frowned. "Hey, can we not get all dark?"
Guy laughed loudly. "DARKNESS ONLY MAKES THE FLAMES OF YOUTH SHINE BRIGHTER!"
Shikaku sighed. "Tomorrow's going to suck."
"But we'll handle it," Rin said.
Shinji nodded. "We always do."
The group broke off and all went to their sleeping tents with Minato at watch and Shikaku already sleeping they felt… safe
The camp had settled into sleep.
. The campfire had long since gone out, leaving only a circle of stones and a smear of ash.
Kakashi sat near the dead fire,
"You're still awake."
Kakashi didn't look up. "So are you."
"Couldn't sleep."
"Frontlines will do that," Kakashi replied.
Shinji hesitated, then lowered himself onto one of the stones bordering the fire pit.
Kakashi broke the silence.
"You questioned me earlier," he said. "About the mission."
Shinji nodded. "I didn't mean to corner you."
"You did," Kakashi replied flatly. "But that's fine."
He exhaled slowly. "Say what you want to say."
"You said a shinobi who puts comrades before the mission is a failure."
"Yes."
"Do you really believe that?" Shinji asked.
Kakashi didn't hesitate. "I know it."
. "Even if it costs them everything?"
"That's the price of being a shinobi."
Shinji looked up at him then. "Is that what your father believed?"
The question hit like a blade drawn too fast.
Kakashi stiffened. His visible eye sharpened. "You shouldn't talk about him."
"Then you shouldn't live your life trying to prove he was wrong," Shinji replied quietly.
For a long moment, Kakashi said nothing. Then he laughed once short and hollow.
"My father chose his teammates," Kakashi said. "He abandoned the mission."
Shinji didn't interrupt.
"The people he saved lived," Kakashi continued. "But the village suffered. Other missions failed. Other shinobi died."
His voice tightened. "He was praised and then blamed."
Shinji's fists clenched.
"He couldn't live with it," Kakashi said. "So he ended his life."
The words fell into the cold air and stayed there.
"I learned something from that," Kakashi said. "Rules exist for a reason. When you break them, people die."
Shinji swallowed. "People died either way."
Kakashi snapped his gaze up. "That doesn't matter."
"It does," Shinji said. "To the people who were left behind."
"You think you understand?" Kakashi demanded. "You think you know what it's like to watch the village turn on someone you love?"
"No," Shinji admitted. "But I know what it's like to stand beside someone and trust them with everything you have."
Shisui sat beside Shinji
"Do you trust him that much?" Kakashi asked.
"With my life," Shisui said.
"And if that trust costs you the mission?"
"Then I'll accept that failure," Shisui answered without hesitation.
Kakashi shook his head. "That's exactly why shinobi need rules."
Shinji turned toward Kakashi fully now. "Or maybe it's why shinobi need each other."
Kakashi's voice rose slightly. "Bonds make you hesitate."
"They make you fight harder," Shinji countered.
"They make you reckless."
"They make you human."
The tension sharpened.
"My father was human," Kakashi said bitterly. "And humanity destroyed him."
Shisui spoke gently. "No. The village did."
Kakashi glared at him. "You didn't know him."
"But you did," Shisui replied. "And you still carry his death like a sentence."
Kakashi looked away. "I won't repeat his mistake."
Shinji leaned forward. "What if it wasn't a mistake?"
Kakashi's eyes burned. "He failed."
"He chose," Shinji said. "And he lived with it. Until the world made sure he couldn't."
"You think choosing your teammate makes you strong," Kakashi said.
"I think abandoning them makes you empty," Shinji replied.
Shisui nodded. "If I ever fall because Shinji chose me over a mission I'll accept it. But I won't accept being left behind."
Kakashi stood abruptly. "You're both wrong."
Shinji stood as well but didn't block him. "Then prove it. Tell me you wouldn't hesitate if it was Obito. Or Rin."
Kakashi froze.
Just for a moment.
"That hesitation," Shinji said softly, "that's the part of you your father gave you."
Kakashi didn't answer.
Eventually, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness between the tents.