A New Dawn

[Izanagi]

In some ways it was hard to believe he had been a Jounin and Commander of Anbu for 4 months now. The time seemed to fly by, Katana squad had thrived, training relentlessly over the last few months and taking on a few routine missions between training stints, investigating missing-nin sightings and removing potential problems flagged by border patrols. It was public knowledge now that the 18th Hokage; Awai Fanho had been reportedly killed by one of Konoha’s own, a Bannin, Hatake Tenzin who had been a frend and mentor to many, starting his Jounin career as an academy teacher. Few knew the finer details of what had happened on that day. The current acting Hokage; Sarutobi Taiga was still undergoing his official trials, yet had taken a cautious approach, ordering Anbu to keep their activities close to Fire country, being permitted only a few days of activity at a time in other countries in order to keep them close in case other nations attempted to invade.

It had not been an ideal transition for the 19-year-old man, and he had leaned heavily on former commander Aizawa Yoru’s expertise. Beyond that he had continued to hone his body, filling out with considerable muscle and boasting a physique that nearly rivaled that of his late father; the 17th Hokage and former commander of Anbu. It was hard to believe that in the span of just 2 years Konoha had lost as many Kage. It was unprecedented and everywhere one looked the uneasy tension was evident. Civilians and shinobi alike were apprehensive, fearful with the idea that the village was vulnerable to another invasion. The scars of war and Kirigkaure’s occupation of Konoha was still fresh in their minds. And so many turned to vices to cope; Takeshi was no exception.

But on this night, he had reserved a table at the Konoholic not to mourn or drown his anxieties but rather to celebrate. He had invited all of his Katana squad as well as his former teammate, Senju Noeru, who had been like a brother to him once, as well as another close friend and cousin, Hyuuga Akito. The table, large enough for precisely 7 people was located in the corner of the crowded bar, 3 chairs and 4 spots along the corner bench seat. Naturally, as the one who organized the get together, Takeshi had arrived early and ensured he secured the table, ordering himself a beer and a large plate of various appetizers to share with the others as they arrived. He wore black pants, a sleek black jacket of modern style that clung to his muscular arms and a dark blue shirt. His hair was tied back into a ponytail, the sides shaved. Across his forehead the teal-coloured curse mark betraying his branch family status was clearly visible. He carried no weapons, though on the middle finger of his left hand a large red gem sat against a ring made of intricately designed black steel, its ancient and foreign design humming with sinister power. Behind him the window was left open slightly, allowing in a gentle breeze of the fresh spring air, birds chirping even as the sun began to set as the clock struck 8pm, the time he had set the invitations for.

[Kaida]

Akemi was both excited and nervous for the team outing that night. She had spent most of her day training to release the anxious energy flowing through her body. It had been 3 months since she joined ANBU, and she had not only made significant progress, but she had also made a home there. Finding connection in her teammates that brought a sense of peace to her soul. From helping Kaito improve to becoming closer with Eiko, it all felt like it was where she was supposed to be. And that wasn’t even taking her situation with Takeshi into account.

Standing in front of the mirror, Akemi pondered on what to wear. She appraised her reflection, looking for any differences in her demeanor now that she was 18. Her cheeks still on the fuller side, freckles adorning her face like a mask, eyes bright and wide; her features still looked somewhat childish to her if she ignored what her body looked like. The realization wasn’t what she was hoping it to be. Shrugging it off she went to her closet and pulled out some options, being drawn to her standard black and red color scheme.

She donned a pair of black jeans that hugged her hips as they hung low on her frame, flaring out slightly from the knee down; placing a black belt with a small silver buckle through the loops of her pants. She pulled on a bright red spaghetti strap cropped shirt that came to just above her belly button. Between her shirt and her pants, most of her spider lily tattoo was visible. Slipping on her black heeled boots and a black ¾ sleeve cashmere cardigan she gave herself a once over, adjusting her various facial piercings to make sure they were securely in place. Her hair stayed aloft in her usual messy bun at the base of her neck, side bangs coming down to frame her face. Deeming herself good enough, she left headquarters and made her way to meet her team.

She arrived at the bar at 10 to 8, personally preferring to be early to such things. Entering the establishment her eyes immediately drifted towards her commander, a smile gracing her face as she walked over to sit with him. “Evening Keshi, figured you’d get here before everyone else.” Her tone was playful, but it was easy enough to see that she was happy to see him. She sat down beside him along the wall, their legs brushing as she made herself comfortable. Akemi waved their waitress down and ordered a vodka cranberry, needing something to help quiet her nerves. The atmosphere in the bar was dimly lit, the cadence of the patrons a low hum of life all around them. She found it fitting that Takeshi would pick this place, having learned a little more about him over these past few months. “You look good tonight, you ready for a little chaos?” She winked and stuck her tongue out at him, still finding it funny that he agreed to have all of Katana squad out at a bar for drinking. If anything, the night would be entertaining.

[Izanagi]

Takeshi drank slowly from his beer, assessing the crowded room, a little over a third of the patrons were shinobi from what he could tell by their mannerisms, stature and choice of clothing. Considering shinobi only made up 10% of the population of Konoha it was a high turnout but then again, the Konohohlic was well known as being a favoured shinobi bar. Still, with less than five hundred active Jounin to the villages name, he doubted there was anyone around that would be able to cause much trouble for himself and his companions once they arrived.

He picked at an array of assorted meats between taking drinks of his beer, smiling as he saw the first of his teammates to arrive. Of course it was Nara Akemi. “And I should have figured you’d be next. Happy birthday” he said, raising his glass before taking another deep sip, downing the remainder of the drink. It was only a few days past her 18th birthday and celebrating her was part of the reason for the gathering in the first place. Though, he realized he hadn’t actually bought her a present, though he supposed he could think of something he could gift her afterward. Something best exchanged in private, perhaps. She moved to sit to his left side. He ordered another beer as the waitress came by, feeling he would need the comfort of a pleasant buzz before too long. Things had been somewhat awkward between himself and Akemi over the last few weeks and he had avoided being alone with her.

He glanced over toward her, “You look good too” he said with a warm smile. “Hey. There will be no chaos tonight. I expect you to be on your best behaviour” he said, pointing at her before flicking her across the forehead. “But, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. You’ve worked hard and it isn’t everyday you turn 18. You deserve it” he said before his pale eyes returned to scanning the crowd, wondering who would show up next.

[Kaida]

Akemi bumped her shoulder against her captain, her eyes looked like warmed whiskey in the dim light as a soft smile appeared on her face. “Thanks Keshi.” It made her feel warm and fuzzy inside being this close to him again and having him remember her birthday. They hadn’t seen much of each other since their training session, she had tried to ignore the hole it left behind knowing that there were still some things to work out.

She bit at his hand as he flicked her across the forehead, smirking as she just missed him on his withdrawal. “I don’t know what you’re talking about sweetheart, I’m always on my best behavior.” Her eyes danced in the light as she winked at him, their playful banter making things feel normal after weeks of awkward tension. Part of her wondered as they sat together if maybe he felt that what had happened had been a mistake but chose to actively push that to the side. Tonight wasn’t the time for such conversations.

She grabbed some grilled chicken from a plate off to the right of Takeshi, her arm brushing against his center. Popping the delectable morsel in her mouth she sighed, good food and drinks with her team would be good for her. She hadn’t seen Kohaku in months, and Eiji only very briefly. Work and training had kept her busy...and she didn’t think she was ready yet. Between what happened with them, Eiko and Takeshi, she had been feeling very overwhelmed lately. “I’m sure it’ll be a good night, as for enjoying myself, that’s what the vodka is for.” Chuckling at herself she flagged the waitress down for another drink, this time opting for a double. A buzz would hopefully dull her mind enough to push her troubles aside and enjoy the evening for all it was worth.

[zory_alechiv]

They were normally right on time to things, or barely early. Eiko saw no point in getting there before everyone else, and it was annoying to be the last one to arrive and harder to take attention off of yourself. So, like the queen they were, they were neither early, nor late. They arrived precisely when they meant to, which was just a couple of minutes before eight.

Despite wearing standard-issue shinobi pants and sandals including the handy weapons pouch on their thigh, It was clear the eldest of the team had put in a little effort in their appearance and showed more skin than they normally would. They wore a long-sleeve, mesh armor shirt with a black crop-top pulled over. The straps over the shoulders were thick and there were crisscrossing straps down the length of their abdomen until they disappeared under their pants. They wore a pair of fingerless gloves, one stopping above their wrist and the other stopping at their bicep. They pulled a short-sleeve coat over that that stopped at their knees. Eiko had placed black eyeliner around their eyes and kept their head in a loose braid. Their mask was a bit different than usual, black like their clothing, but looked more like a medical mask with straps that hooked around their ears.

They walk in quietly, hands thrust deep into their pockets as they are led to the table that Takeshi had reserved. Unsurprisingly, Takeshi and Akemi were already there and already side by side. It wasn't really their concern, they'd just made a note of it. Walking by their cousin, they pushed their hand into the top of her head, fingers diving under strands of hair before they purposefully messed it up. "Watch it, Imouto-chan," they say, their voice deeper than they would normally allow. "You're drooling into your perfectly good drink. Don't you know that's gross?" Their lips twitch in amusement even as they maintain their fake boredom.

Sliding into a chair beside Akemi, they wave the server down. "Umeshu please, on ice?" They say politely before inclining in their chair. In the dim light, it was harder to see the scars that littered their neck and body. The eldest of their team leans forward to look at Takeshi and inclines their head. "Showering together wasn't enough? You have to see us uninhibited too? You play dirty, Takeshi." They chuckled and took a sip of their plum alcohol, carefully dragging down their mask to hook underneath their scarred lips briefly before letting the mask slide back into place.

OutfitShow

Outfit

[hobnob]

Noeru was wearing a white linen shirt, done half way up exposing some of his chest. His legs were covered by navy blue chino shorts, and his feet were clad with some rustic looking sliders. Around his neck he wore a leather necklace with a metal replica of his clans emblem. Now he was ready to leave.

As he made his way through the village he thought of the last time he had a chance to relax like this. It was in the bath house, in a foreign country. What an entertaining night that was. But times have changed a lot since then. The war, his kidney, Takeshi becoming commander, the death of two Hokage. It’s been a busy few years.

Noeru arrived at the venue Takeshi told him about, and upon entering he immediately spotted the two he saw at the training arena the other day, and another he had not met before. A smirk appeared on his face as he observed their body language. As he approached them he did not take his eyes off them. “The Rizzmeister back in action I see…” Noeru let out and laughed. He sat down opposite the two at the table and waved down a waitress, ordering himself a beer and reaching out for some skewers off the plate. The place was nice, good choice on Takeshis part. But, Takeshis vigilance was growing tiresome within the first few minutes of Noeru being there. “Hiya Akemi. Please tell your man to stop being so vigilant, we’re here to have some fun.” Noeru said with a smirk as he snatched what was left off Akemi vodka and poured it into his bottle of beer.

[HotelBravo]

---

When the waitress disappeared into the kitchen with everyone’s orders, it was Nakano who exited the kitchen with balancing drinks and appetizers in her hands. She wore a white and red kimono. The fabric was worn loose, off the shoulders to reveal part of her bosom and shoulders, and her tasteful neckline as her hair had been done up in an up-do as well. The clack of her geta gave her presence away long before she actually made any kind of appearance. She set the drinks down in front of respective individuals who had ordered their drinks. ”Yes, Please do tell /your/ man that he should relax a little.” Nakano chimed in, adding her voice to Noeru’s comment. ”We’re all friends here. Maybe a little bit more even?” She mused. ”Be nice to me and I’ll be nice to you.” She quoted Akemi, absently setting down the Umeshu on ice before Eiko. ”What do you think, Eiko? Did she cross a line? That kind of phrase was so open to interpretation after all. If I remember right, the stipulation for breaking the rules was…what was it? Being burnt alive?”

Nakano pulled out a lighter, and ignited it. Nakano examined the lighter thoughtfully, as she considered the table and the copious amounts of flammable liquid that had been ordered. ”To be honest I’m not really a fan of burning people alive, but the rules are the rules. If they were ignored they wouldn’t be rules anymore, and if they weren’t enforced they have no power. I’m honestly not bothered in the least that someone else broke a rule. I used to think that maybe I’d get mad, but honestly I find it really tragic more than anything else.” She lit the fresh Order of Vodka on fire with the lighter, kissed the side of the glass to leave a red stain in the shape of her lips, and set the flaming cup in front of Akemi. ”Now. What was this, about showering together? Why did no one invite me?” Nakano moved over towards Noeru, and helped herself onto his lap. ”Noeru. Good to see you again. Sorry that things didn’t work out with the Casino - oh by the way was this seat taken? I hope you don’t mind.” She flashed a challenging look at Takeshi.

Yes, Takeshi had discussed things with her before this event, and Nakano honestly was not even angry - but rules were rules. “I only want you” Takeshi’s rule. “Be nice to me and I’ll be nice to you”, Akemi’s rule. ”I’ve put poison in both of your drinks. Drink it and I’ll consider the trespass forgiven.” They didn’t know whether it was poisoned or not, Nakano was not beyond lying when it suited her. IT was her job after all. Could she be lying and this was a test? Even if it wasn’t a lie, Takeshi knew very well that she was more than capable of removing any poison that they drank. Yes, she had that loyalty to Konoha- ah but wait - that was based on her contract with him, and if he was in violation would she actually rescue them?

[Izanagi]

Takeshi smiled softly as Akemi thanked him, “Yeah, no problem” he said simply, meeting her gaze for but a moment before scanning for the others. He expected most of them to arrive in a timely fashion, the majority of them were part of an elite unit after all. Surely enough he saw Eiko making their approach just as he pulled back his hand as Akemi attempted to bite him. The teenage commander straightened in his seat, unaware how much the Nara cousins had confided in one another. “Glad you could make it” he said with a smile as Eiko took a seat. He shook his head in disbelief as Akemi claimed she would be on good behaviour, “Yeah, we’ll see about that” he commented, chortling lightly.

As the trio ordered another round of drinks, Takeshi’s former root teammate, Senju Noeru arrived, taking a seat directly opposite him. Leaning forward, Takeshi clasped the man on the shoulder. “Good to see you Noeru. This is Eiko and you’ve met Akemi, looking forward to working together again, just like old times” he said with a nostalgic smile. He had looked up to his Senpai, along with their other teammate Ibakuro Aiya, and even now Takeshi hadn’t caught up to Noeru’s skill level, despite his promotion to Jounin and Commander of the entire Anbu while Noeru remained a Special Jounin. While he was talking to Noeru he was aware of the Nara cousins making conversation next to him but didn’t quite pick up on the details, only paying attention as Eiko spoke to him directly. "Showering together wasn't enough? You have to see us uninhibited too? You play dirty, Takeshi." The Hyuuga captain chuckled, raising a finger playfully, “Hey, the shared showers is a relic of my dad’s time as Commander. It’s just tradition at this point, team bonding I’m sure he would have called it” he said, grinning. He couldn’t recall the last time he had talked about his father without feeling mournful, but in this moment, he felt happy to remember Takeo’s reputation. Perhaps he was becoming similar to the man after all, despite years of resentment.

Takeshi turned his attention back to his friend, the longest friendship he had, having grown up with Noeru since he was 13 years old. “The Rizzmeister back in action I see…” the Senju commented, and Takeshi glanced toward Akemi, realizing how close they were sitting, their shoulders brushing up against one another. The young man’s face flushed lightly as he held up his hands, about to protest. His eyes darted around the room, wondering when his girlfriend might show up, he already suspected she would be punishing him in some form or another for his growing closeness with Akemi. “It’s not like that” he said, barely believing himself. “Hiya Akemi. Please tell your man to stop being so vigilant, we’re here to have some fun.” Noeru insisted, at this Takeshi cleared his throat, “I’m actually dating Naka-“ his eyes widened as his beautiful Yamanaka girlfriend appeared before the table carrying their drinks. “-no” he finished, sliding himself slightly away from Akemi before grabbing his beer. “There you are. I was just thinking about you” he said, meeting her gaze and knowing immediately that she was about to make the evening much more lively. He met Nakano’s gaze as she spoke, feeling the immediate tension between her and Akemi. He couldn’t say he was surprised, nor was he surprised when she sat on Noeru’s lap. His jaw clenched as he bit back the urge to allow his jealousy to surge forth, instead sitting back and sighing, he supposed it wasn’t unusual behaviour for her and it was the least of what he deserved for breaking her trust, though he was sure she would continue to prod at him as the night went on.

Takeshi glowered, accepting his fate but resenting the fact that he caused tension between the women of his squad, no matter how superficial the wounded feelings might be. He knew he had no ground to stand on to chastise Nakano for her behaviour and so he would allow Akemi to respond to Nakano’s prodding. The women would have to sort things out and determine how to cooperate moving forward. ”Now. What was this, about showering together? Why did no one invite me?” At this Takeshi smirked, “You’ve been missing too many group training sessions lately, honey. We almost always shower together afterward, you’re always welcome to join” he invited. Of everyone on the team it was Nakano who was lagging behind the most, particularly making a habit of being conveniently busy on their more grueling physical training sessions. Just as he was about to take a drink from his beer, Nakano chimed in, her eyes dark and sinister ”I’ve put poison in both of your drinks. Drink it and I’ll consider the trespass forgiven.” Takeshi froze, meeting her gaze. He was not a man to back down from a challenge or shy away from his fate, particularly when it meant accepting the consequence of his actions. “Kanpai!” he said, raising a toast to the group, never breaking eye contact with his psychotic girlfriend. “Here’s to us and those like us. Damn few and they’re probably dead” he toasted with a wry smirk, undaunted as he drank deeply, finishing the pint in 3 seconds flat before clanking the glass against the table.

[Kaida]

Akemi coughed as she choked on the vodka making it’s way down her throat as Jashin entered, teasing her about drooling over their captain. More than likely poking fun at how close they were. “Yugata ani-san. More than likely I spilled in my haste to try and enjoy my evening surrounded by a bunch of crazy people.” She shook his hands out of her hair, feeling the strands falling even messier in front of her face. Her hands came up to her hair tie and let her honey brown strands fall loose past her shoulders, a faint hint of cedar in the air.

Her face turning beat red as her cousin chastised Takeshi for playing dirty, of which Jashin knew probably too much about at this point. She chugged the rest of her drink, having chosen to avoid that line of thought all together, and giving her a convenient excuse not to speak on the matter. The liquor was starting to settle into her bones, her head falling over to nudge Jashin’s shoulder, her voice muffled by his sleeves. “I’m glad you came though.” The soft smile easily heard through her voice.

It was then another voice entered into the conversation, one she vaguely recognized from her training with Takeshi weeks ago. She squawked at his proclamation that Takeshi was her man, her freshly calm face now the color of a bright tomato as she sputtered and attempted to rebuke Noeru. But before she could get a word in, Nakano came bearing more drinks, a devious look on her face as her eyes passed between Akemi and Takeshi.

Realizing that they were still sitting closely together, she moved away from him at the same time he did, causing her to firmly lean into her cousin in her haste. Looking between Noeru, Nakano and Takeshi, she was sure she looked like an owl with her head spinning. She grabbed out at her cousins arm under the table to ground herself, feeling the tension in the room and feeling like she needed a smoke all of a sudden. “Takeshi, is not mine. He’s with Nakano.” The words felt like glass as they left her throat.

She watched as Nakano challenged Takeshi, clearly unhappy with him, meaning she was also unhappy with Akemi. Which was a perfectly natural response for what had occurred, the guilt had been eating away at her, a little more than his avoidance of her had. Now that she knew Nakano knew, she wanted to apologize for the hurt she had caused, and the unintentional rift that was now present in her relationship. The best way to start though, was by drinking whatever she had put in her glass. Raising it up alongside Takeshi, she downed her newly brought double and let the head rush take over as she breathed out the burning sensation settling into her stomach. “Dead sounds good right about now actually.” She was annoyed that Takeshi didn’t tell her about the conversation and hurt that he had been avoiding her.

Trying to push her sullen thoughts aside, she half stood and half climbed over her cousin to exit the booth. Turning to Nakano, her eyes were soft and genuine as the guilt passed through her once more. She couldn’t say she regretted what had happened, but that doesn’t mean she enjoyed the fact that it had caused a problem. “As for crossing lines Nakano...I am genuinely sorry. And I’d like to talk it over if you’d be willing. For now though, I think I need some air...and a smoke.” She bowed before the table and grabbed a shot of vodka at the bar, her 4th drink of the night, before exiting the establishment. The brisk night air helped to sober her mind as she leaned against a wall some 10 feet away from the entrance and pulled her pack of smokes out of her back pocket. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. Always so fucking stupid. It’s like I never learn.” Her head collided with the solid brick behind her, muttering under her breath as she chastised herself and lit a cigarette. Inhaling deeply she let the tobacco settle into her lungs, a new burning sensation contended with that of the alcohol she had been rapidly drinking. She allowed herself several minutes to calm her mind, reminding herself that she was there to have fun and bond with her team. Even if so far all she had done was make a mess of things.

Finishing her smoke, she stamped the butt out on the concrete and tossed it into the trash can in front of the bar. Steeling herself for what awaited her inside, she entered once more and grabbed another drink as she went to sit back down between her cousin and her captain. Making sure to leave adequate space between herself and Takeshi, finding comfort in the heat of Jashin’s frame and that he was there with her.

[Drak]

There had been a plan to get to Takeshi’s little get-together on time, at one point. Then one thing had led to another, the party had nearly started, and Akito had yet to change out of his more formal clothes. I suppose I could show up in my university attire. Then again… no. I’ll already be the oldest there by far, and showing up in formal clothes will only more immediately reveal me as a skeleton. He rushed home to slip out of his clothes, let his hair down, and change into a yutaka of deep blue silk with a pattern of coppery koi fish swimming across it – a more fitting garment for a night out.

Akito walked through the door and quickly spied the table. As he approached, he saw what had already seemingly turned into a scene. Nakano was on the lap of Noeru, who’s return Akito had heard plenty about. Takeshi was in the middle of the group, and a dark-haired woman was seated very close by. He gave Takeshi a quick two-finger salute as he strode over.

“...Showering together wasn't enough…” “...poison in both your drinks…” “...Takeshi, is not mine…” It looks like things have already gotten interesting. I don’t know what I expected. It seems like every time I see Takeshi and Nakano together something entertaining happens.

“Shochu, please,” he said to a waitress, briefly slowing his approach. “I will be at that table.”

Drink order placed, Akito continued walking over, elegantly gliding through the bar, skillfully dodging . He saw Akemi rush off and gave Takeshi a smile that was equal parts confused, entertained, and exasperated.

“Good evening Takeshi,” he greeted his cousin, loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bar. “It looks like the night has gotten started without me. I will have to buy you a drink at some point.”

“Nakano, Eiko, good evening,” he continued, looking around the table for familiar faces. “For those of you who have not met me, my name is Akito. I am Takeshi’s cousin.”

With a small bow, he turned back to Takeshi. He readied himself to speak, but was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. The waitress. She handed him a glass of clear, strong liquor and he took a sip.

Akito nodded his head at the door Akemi had run through.

“Someone manage to have a little too much already?”

[hobnob]

“You too, Takeshi. Looking forward to seeing what you will do with anbu.” Noeru said in response to Takeshi. And then just paid attention to him and Akemi. It made him chuckle, Takeshi once again getting himself into trouble by not being able to resist his urges. A moment later Nakano turned up. Noeru placed his hand over his eyes in a face palming fashion. The chuckle turned into a laugh. “It’s going to kick off anyyyyyy minute now…” Noeru though and then Nakano slid herself onto his lap, the laugh turned into a smirk. “I don’t even remember the casino… why don’t you remind me.” He said as his hand moved to the small of her back and his other hand began moving as fast as it could in a vibrating fashion and moved it along the inside of her thigh towards her fanny.

[zory_alechiv]

Eiko inclined their head in a short at their greetings, their eyes crinkling as they smiled behind their mask. As they were introduced to Noeru, their bow would be slightly deeper. "Hadjimemashite, Noeru-san," they greeted formally, but paid no more attention to the Senju than they allotted them.

“Hey, the shared showers is a relic of my dad’s time as Commander. It’s just tradition at this point, team bonding I’m sure he would have called it.”

"I'm fairly certain that's as close as we can get," they teased lightly, even as their voice softened at their friend's fondness as they spoke of someone they lost. They were glad to see it. Perhaps it wasn't the norm for friendship, but the two of them had bonded over the people they had lost as well as understanding. Eiko was happy for Takeshi in that moment. It was all they had time to say as Noeru began teasing Takeshi and it turned awkward.

Just when Eiko didn't believe it could get any more awkward, Nakano showed up. "Yabai," they groaned to themselves, pushing their gloved fingers into their eyelids even as their drink was placed in front of them. The elder Nara hated social awkwardness and his cousin (and Takeshi) had really pushed them far out of their comfort zone. It got even worse when Nakano purposefully asked his their opinion and they pulled down their mask to take a long gulp of their drink to keep from talking. Nara's and emotions? Those two never went together and it was clear by looking at the two at the table that neither could wrap their big brains around the situation fast enough.

In fact, it wasn't until Akemi was crawling over them and Eiko placed a steady hand on their waist so they could leave that the elder Nara caught up with everything. For a moment, they watched their cousin rush out before turning back to Nakano and offering a single-shoulder shrug. They continued to leave their mask down, showing the long, jagged scar that stretched from one ear, through their lips and to their other ear in a macabre smile. "Please don't kill my cousin, Nakano-chan. She's the only family I give a shit about." It didn't answer Nakano's question, nor did it refute her right for justice. Their cousin had made mistakes, but they also believed the crime should fit the punishment. Death for a little tryst? They didn't know how deep Nakano and Takeshi's bond went but if they were in Nakano's place, they'd be more angry at Takeshi. Yet, they also knew the Yamanaka wasn't hurt. Her rules were broken which mean her restraints were gone.

Akemi returned and they wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder even as another Hyuuga arrived. What was it with all of these pretty people arriving? They nearly groaned, even as they slid their mask back over the lower half of their face. Were they jealous? Oh yea. The way they were all effortlessly pretty and even trying, Eiko couldn't hope to achieve that, not now. Still, they weren't petty enough to be angry and merely shoved those thoughts to the side and inclined their head. They didn't know Akito Hyuuga well, Eiko may have but Jashin did not. Yet, they were familiar enough to point them out in the crowd, despite not really seeing them since their academy days.

"Konbanwa, Akito-san," they greet and push the chair out next to them. "Please join me as the only person who has not lost their ever-fucking mind," they chuckled, purposefully ignoring Noeru and Nakano.

TranslationsShow

Hadjimemashite - A polite way to say 'Nice to meet you.
Yabai - Oh God
Konbanwa - Good Evening

[HotelBravo]

---

Takeshi was saying some things but she didn’t respond to them. Instead she watched in silence, not revealing her hand, and giving a wicked smile when he raised the glass as a toast and drank it down. Akemi followed soon after. Akemi had gotten up and left after drowning her glass as well. “Here’s to us and those like us. Damn few and they’re probably dead” Takeshi finished, setting his drink back down with a soft clink. Entertaining. Nakano let the moment sit, watching Takeshi’s response and waiting for Akemi to return. She didn’t put up any fight as Noeru ran his hands across her body, but she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. ”Down Sparky, not an inch of shame on you it seems. I like that kind of assertiveness. Attractive, if not a little shameless. Now be a good little piece of Arm candy and keep those hands to yourself or I might have to find a more comfortable seat..” She said to Noeru.

. "Please don't kill my cousin, Nakano-chan. She's the only family I give a shit about." Eiko asked. Nakano broke eye contact with Takeshi for the first time since he drank the alleged deadly little cocktail.”Kill? Who said anything about killing? These little cocktails are so much more…subtle than that. You see, considering the observation done on my personal life by my colleagues it would be highly inconvenient for me to actually kill my own team mates. And get caught at least. So subtle : First, it crosses the blood-brain barrier - that thin line of defense your body built to keep dangerous things out of the mind. Just like a Yamanaka - no invitation needed..” She drew a line in the air as if it would help as a visual aid.

”It’ll bind to the G.A.B.A. receptors - little locks on your brain cells. The ones that tell your body to calm down. They’ll turn the key just a little too hard - then suddenly your neurons can’t talk to each other. You’ll stumble, your words will tangle - your mind will become cloudy. Then it Blocks the Glutamate, which is your brain’s ‘go’ signal. Learning? Memory? Reaction time? All dampened. Like your muscles, you mind turns to jelly.

Meanwhile, your liver works overtime. It desperately converts the poison into a safer yet equally toxic compound called acetaldehyde. Then comes the nausea.

Your Liver will start to scar. HEpatocytes die and no amount of jutsu can help regenerate. Fat builds up, inflammation. Cirrhosis. At that stage you start to rot from the inside and its not much longer until it unravels her nervous system, poisons her blood chemistry, impairs cellular respiration and eventually convinces her own body to destroy itself.

If any of that bothered you - you should put the Plum Wine down - Thats simply what alcohol does to you. See? She is already suffering the effects. As far as I’m concerned Alcohol is just a slow acting poison. Truthfully anything can be a poison in the right dosage. Sometimes the dosage is zero.” Nakano explained as Akemi returned to the table.

”Now that we’re all here together, Akemi - Takeshi. I frankly have no feelings about your little trysts. Fuck if you want to. I think a man establishing dominion is attractive. So, do what you want, but don’t break my rules. Renegotiate if you can’t keep the ones you set. Oh, Hi Akito. ”

[Throniv]

---

The evening air was thick with the scent of grilled yakitori and spilled sake as Kaito approached the dimly lit entrance of The Konoholic, a wooden box tucked carefully under one arm. The sweet, floral aroma of sakura mochi seeped through the gaps in the lacquered lid--his mother’s recipe, painstakingly wrapped in cherry leaves just that morning.

"Team bonding is just as important as training, Kaito," Kagura had chided, pressing the box into his hands before he could protest. "And no one says no to sweets."

His mother had long retired from being a kunoichi and ran a small sweets shop now--and she was pretty good, if he said so himself--so he couldn't exactly justify not sharing them with his team, but some part of him vaguely feared that he was breaking some kind of social norm--but his mom should know, right?

He adjusted the hitae-ite around his neck, the fabric scratchier than usual against his skin. Social gatherings weren’t his forte. Battle plans? Easy. Small talk over drinks? Terrifying. The bar’s door creaked as he pushed it open, the murmur of voices and clinking glasses washing over him as he scanned the room with his dark brown eyes, until he saw the captain sitting in the corner along with a few others. He recognized Nakano and Akemi, and the third was a Senju he didn't recognize--he had a big family, but he could see the Senju features in the man's face.

Silently, Kaito walked up to the table and slid the box onto it with a quiet thunk, feeling vaguely embarassed as he removed the lid and revealed about a dozen pieces of sakura mochi held within.

"…My mother made mochi," he announced, as if delivering a mission report. Then, remembering his mom's advice about tone, he awkwardly tacked on, "They’re. Um. Good."

He hovered by the edge of the booth, shoulders stiff. Were you supposed to sit first? Offer one to everyone individually? Why were there no codified rules for this kind of interaction? He knew what to do when he was working: follow orders, be creative, achieve the mission objective, move on to the next task, but this was... uncomfortable for him.

[Izanagi]

Takeshi smirked at Eiko’s comment about not being able to get closer than showering together, “Oh, I’m sure we could get a little closer” he said with a playful wink. He knew the Nara’s secret of course, and didn’t expect for them to ever grow quite that close, but he enjoyed flirty banter in his downtime. And Eiko was quickly growing to become a close friend, one he wished to continue getting to know better. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both twins. Takeshi’s own twin sister had been MIA for over a year, and he confided as much in Eiko during their trip to Kumo 2 months ago. It had brought a whirlwind of emotions that Kaori had returned with no memory of her whereabouts mere weeks before his tryst with Akemi.

He still felt stretched thin, pulled between the relentless training regimen he had put the squad through these last few months and his concern for his sister’s wellbeing. A night out to drink away the stress among close friends was desperately needed. He spared an apologetic look as he observed the way Akemi shrunk in on herself, he had only broached the topic of Akemi to Nakano a few days prior, but he had told the Nara that he would be talking to Nakano in order to figure things out. Perhaps he could have been clearer in his communication between all parties involved.

As Akemi left for a smoke, Takeshi gave a two fingered wave to Akito as he noticed his cousin’s arrival, smiling at the welcome sight. “Someone manage to have a little too much already?” the elder Hyuuga asked, Takeshi’s gaze lowered, some level of remorse crossing his features, “More like not enough” he said lowly, glancing her way as he watched her with longing as she moved to step out to the smoking area. He turned his attention back to Akito, smiling warmly. “Glad you could make it cousin, first round is on me, one for the table!” he said, waving over a server as he allowed everyone to make an order on his tab. "Please join me as the only person who has not lost their ever-fucking mind," “Shots?” he suggested with a devilish smirk, like most 19-year-olds he wasn’t picky and would drink anything. As the server took down everyone’s requests, and he chimed in to add a few extra random shots Takeshi then leaned closer to Eiko, “Hey, I heard that!” he said, giving his friend a light shove, “But I suppose you’re not wrong” he admitted, chuckling lightly.

Takeshi’s lighthearted mood suddenly soured, his lip curling into the briefest scowl as he noticed how comfortable his supposed best friend was getting with his girlfriend. After nearly 2 years of dating Nakano he was accustomed to her flirtatious ways, often teasing others and getting a kick out of making him jealous, but she seldom ever went further than that, at least not when he was around to witness it. Noeru was getting close to crossing a line with his brazenness, though Takeshi being ever the gentleman, it was Nakano’s own boundaries that were most concerning to him. The moment Nakano told the Senju to reign it in, Takeshi watched the man like a hawk, ready to intervene if necessary. He didn’t care that Noeru was once his Senpai, and still the most powerful shinobi among them despite only being a Special Jounin. All it would take was one strike to knock the man clean out cold or even kill him, the problem was Noeru’s remarkable speed, but at such a close distance all it would take was Noeru slipping up for a fraction of a second in order to catch him clean.

His staring down of Noeru would last only a few moments before he instead focused his gaze on Nakano, deferring to her comfort levels. He half expected to begin to feel pain or shortness of breath any second after downing the supposed poisoned drink, watching her with bated breath as she explained what she had done to him. It didn’t take him long to catch on and he found himself exhaling slowly, sitting back in his chair as the waitress returned with the round of shots and he grabbed one at random, raising it to Nakano with a light chortle as he downed it. “A good choice of poison, better than smoking at least” he admitted, nodding to Akemi as she rejoined the group and sat down again to his left. He really needed to quit at least that one bad habit. He didn’t smoke much, perhaps only 2 or 3 cigarettes a day and only in the evenings but as Akemi returned and he smelled the tobacco on her, he found that he craved it more than he should. “Cheers, got one for you too” he said, moving one of the shots in front of her before raising another to her. ”Now that we’re all here together, Akemi - Takeshi. I frankly have no feelings about your little trysts. Fuck if you want to. I think a man establishing dominion is attractive. So, do what you want, but don’t break my rules. Renegotiate if you can’t keep the ones you set. Oh, Hi Akito.” He felt relieved in that moment, for all of the dysfunction of his and Nakano’s relationship they rarely argued and almost always made up the same day, typically through their particularly fulfilling bedroom activities. It worked for them, even if it wasn’t something healthy for long term, but he was grateful for her. She was his first and only partner, and perhaps it was time to explore what others might have to offer. “To team bonding then” he said, smirking before drinking back another shot. If getting wasted and ending up sharing beds was what it took to further their comradery then so be it.

When Kaito arrived a few moments later, Takeshi realized he had nearly forgotten the youngest among them had even been invited. “Kaito! Come, sit” he encouraged, patting the empty seat next to him to his right before reaching for a mochi. It had been years since he had any. Takeshi’s diet was simple and extremely strict, protein rich with ample complex carbs and green veggies but extremely minimal salt and sugar. But 5 drinks in already and he was feeling adventurous, and it seemed rude to dismiss such a considerate offering. His tastebuds exploded with sensory overload with the sweetness, yet he didn’t hate it. “Delicious” he said, gulping down the bite, before shoving the rest in Akemi’s face. “So, Akito, how’s things been? It’s been too long” he said with a sincere smile. It had been months since they had gotten together, and Takeshi had only continued to grow, filling out with dense muscle and now rivaling his cousins stature, though notably more defined compared to Akito’s softer features. “Not getting bored of being a fancy Professor, are you?” he teased, “Still training?” he questioned, his eyes gleaming with an unspoken challenge. They were each Jounin now, he wondered if his cousin aspired for anything more. Naturally, as the son of two Bannin, Takeshi wouldn’t settle for anything less than the pinnacle of what it meant to be a shinobi.

[Kaida]

Akemi glanced between Noeru and Nakano, an uneasy feeling settling into her stomach as she caught the hard look on Takeshi’s face out of the corner of her eye. ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys. I’ve done enough damage already.’ She was grateful for Jashin’s hand on her side as she took her reprieve. Reminded her that somehow it would be okay.

As she returned, he put his arm around her and she leaned into it, finding some solace amidst the fuckery going on around her. Takeshi pushed a shot towards her as she settled in, still keeping her distance from him and nodded her head in thanks, her now loose hair swaying with the movement. She listened as Nakano gave her ‘blessing’ for Akemi and Takeshi to do whatever they wished, something that simultaneously upset her and made her happy. Hearing her captain cheers to team bonding, she lowly raised her glass, her eyes lowering slightly as she stared at the table. A subtle self-deprecating chuckle falling from her lips at the notion. “I’m nothing if not fun.” Her voice came out more dour than she had intended, and she quickly downed the shot to hide it. Comparing the feelings between the boys and Takeshi was a no brainer, considering she actually had feelings for the man beside her. But the thought of being just fun or a comfort again left a sour taste in her mouth that the alcohol couldn't chase down.

Kaito entering the bar had her smiling at the young boy, she found his awkward demeanor endearing. The fact that he brought mochi made him her favorite person at the moment. “Hi Kaito-kun! Thanks for the sweets.” Her energy picked up slightly as she addressed him, he was like a little brother to her and it was impossible to stay completely down around him. She was about to say something to Jashin, when Takeshi shoved a piece of mochi in her mouth. The flavor profile hit first, the super sweet undertones lacing her tongue as it melted in her mouth. However, she as annoyed that Hyuuga next to her had literally shoved the mochi and the tips of his fingers into her mouth. Before swallowing the mochi, she bit down hard on his fingers and ripped her mouth away. Flashing him a cheeky sardonic grin as the morsel slid down her throat. “These are amazing! You're my new favorite for the night.”

She turned to speak to Jashin as Takeshi started speaking to someone she didn’t recognize, though he looked similar to the man on her right. She nodded at him and gave him a warm smile. “Sorry for my lack of manners, I’m Akemi.” She reached over her cousin to grab at some cured meats, knowing that if she planned to drink her night away, she would have to eat some more. “Hopefully the ensuing shenanigans of the evening won’t scare you off.”

[Drak]

“I can drink to that,” Akito said, taking the seat next to Eiko and returning Takeshi’s smirk. He and Eiko had known each other in the academy, at least a little. They were never close, nor were they exactly distant. He, I, and Takeshi will make a good subgroup within the maelstrom of this larger gathering. Akito gave a single glance to his cup of shochu, short only a sip or two from its original fullness. Had Takeshi’s offer come a moment before, Akito would have ordered his current drink. Instead, he set it down and asked for one of whatever Takeshi was having. He wasn’t one for shots, usually, but he could play along.

As he sat, a single chuckle escaped him as Nakano’s threat to “find a more comfortable seat” rang out.

“I am almost more worried about that threat than that of the poison,” he murmured conspiratorially to Eiko and Takeshi.

A moment later, someone else joined the group. Akito recognized him: Senju Kaito. Another one of the boy geniuses Konoha seemed to be replete with. As the mochi passed around, Akito took one and had a bite.

“Very good,” he announced, such that Kaito would be able to hear over the commotion of the table. “Thank you.” The sweet, floral notes of the mochi paired perfectly with the nutty, almost astringent flavor of the shochu.

“No need to worry about me,” he said to Akemi. “I have seen worse from these two.” He tilted his head first to Nakano and then to Takeshi.

“It has been some time,” he turned to address Takeshi. “I keep busy enough that any monotony from my duties at the university can easily be shaken up. Between the transition in power,” Akito winked at Takeshi subtly, the movement of his eye looking almost more like a one-eyed blink. Takeshi would surely recognize it from the investigation of Fanho-sama’s disappearance. “... normal missions of both armed and diplomatic nature, teaching a squad of genin, and other, personal affairs,” that same blink again. “It seems that I rarely have any time to myself. But, it seems to be paying off. There have been rumors of promotion flying around.”

While the exact circumstances of Akito’s potential promotion were still secret, and would remain so, the basic fact of it was not. That sort of oblique speech was not exactly foreign to your average shinobi, and Akito was sure his cousin would pick up the hints in what he said.

[zory_alechiv]

“Oh, I’m sure we could get a little closer.”

"And ruin our perfectly good friendship with Akemi and Nakano when I steal you away, Keshi-kun?" They drawled, the flirt mitigated by a hard roll of their eyes. They hadn't been lying when they had told Akemi that their squad leader had torn through their walls. The younger man was slowly becoming one of their closest friends, or rather friend in general. They couldn't remember actually having friends outside of Eiko and Akemi. They hid that morose thought by taking another sip of their drink.

"...which is your brain’s ‘go’ signal. Learning? Memory? Reaction time? All dampened. Like your muscles, you mind turns to jelly.

Meanwhile, your liver works overtime. It desperately converts the poison into a safer yet equally toxic compound called acetaldehyde. Then comes the nausea..."

That was about the time they dropped their chin to their chest, rubbing it along the mesh top they wore as they shook their head. Nakano had easily gotten them all and Jashin had to hand it to her. They had actually been concerned this night was going to be a lot worse. Instead, they hmmphed in agreement and squeezed Akemi's shoulder as she returned. They finished off their glass in spite of Nakano's warning and when Takeshi suggested shots, they agreed.

They'd finished their shot when Kaito walked through the door and the Nara smiled behind their mask. "Kanbanwa, Kaito-kun," they said. wondering if they could smuggle alcohol for the kid. He was a killer and if he was old enough to kill, then he was old enough to drink. Taking one of the mochi, they tugged down their mask again to take a tentative bite. "Tell your mother Thank you, please. It's delicious."

As Akito sat next to them, they tapped their glass against the Hyuuga's. "Cheers," they mutter before downing the second shot. Nerves began to settle in despite the poison that was supposed to slow it down and they barely listened to the conversation going on around them. Only Akemi would be aware of their turmoil and that was because she could feel the incessant tapping of their fingers against her shoulder.

“I am almost more worried about that threat than that of the poison." They did scoff at that, offering a small grin in return. They listened to Akito mention the rumors of promotion that piqued their interest but they remained silent. Conversation from others continued to filter in around them but their eyes were solely locked on their glass in contemplation.

To team bonding then...

Takeshi's words continued to ring out as they continued to think. "You know, we're a very odd group, considering," they said, breaking the silence they had. "I wonder, what makes you guys tic. Why do you keep doing the things you do? Why keep pushing forward? Anyone care to enlighten the table?"

[HotelBravo]

---

Nakano got to her feet and found another seat. Now that the teasing was done, she no longer needed the previous seat she had chosen. ”To team bonding.” Nakano agreed with the cheer, only because it was custom. She didn’t actually drink any alcohol as she had already explained she saw it as a type of poison. Shortly after Kaito had made his way over to the group. . ”Cute.” was all she had to say when the rather stiff Kaito arrived with Mochi that his mother had made. At the general merry making Nakano was rather bored of the events at the table and the greetings. She wasn’t too interested in stirring up the pot, because she ultimately needed her team mates to like her enough to not let her die if they were out on a mission and she was imperilled. She sat quietly watching everyone until suddenly Eiko asked a question.

”What a delicious Question.” Nakano smiled at Eiko. ”Are you saying you’d be interested in talking a walk through memory lane?’ Nakano, of course, meant this in a very literal sense given that she was a Yamanaka. It was well within her abilities to show the minds of others to her own comerade. ”The rules states that I stay out of your mind, so there doesn’t seem to be anything against showing you someone else’s mind. Honestly it sounds fun. Why don’t we do it?” She gave a tempting smile, a dark and sultry smile. She was the devil and she was offering a deal to Eiko. ”Honestly though, what makes people tick I find to be rather more disappointing. Everyone always has some kind of secret and they are always afraid that someone will find out about those secrets. The truth though? Usually people around you have an idea about your secrets already and they just politely choose to overlook them. Everyone keeps secrets and everyone seems to think that their secrets are world shattering. I honestly have yet to find a secret that was truly as world shattering as the secret holder thought it was.”

Well there were always state secrets, but those kinda weren’t hers to share at a dinner event - even if it was with comrades. None of them were currently on duty so it was pointless to even bring something like that up.Thus, she didn’t. ”Should I go first? I don’t really have anything to hide. I don’t have any kind of drive or determination like you might think. I work because it is necessary to survive, and I comply with the laws of the land because it is convenient to have allies. I imagine if I had been born in a different village It would have been little difference to me. Fortunately Konoha found me first.”

[Izanagi]

Takeshi smirked, his lavender eyes warming as he regarded Eiko (Jashin) and their playful banter. The Nara was quickly becoming one of his closest friends, certainly they had potential to make for more meaningful friendship than the bond he had shared with Noeru. Ever since he had returned from his captivity in Crescent, the Senju seemed to be unable to care for much of anything, always wearing a mask and searching for the next thrill to keep his mind busy. It troubled Takeshi, knowing intimately the effects of grief and trauma. Every one of them at this table, perhaps only Akito excluded experienced trauma in some form, it was what bonded them together and why Anbu had found them and taken them in. Despite the suffering war had caused, it seemed there were few others that could truly understand this group.

He smiled at Akito, enjoying his cousin’s presence. Among the Hyuuga, Akito was the only family he still felt close to. His uncles had abandoned him, and he had been denied further instruction in Jyuuken now that it was public knowledge that he and Nakano were dating. His adopted sister Hyuuga Hanako was married to the former Anbu Commander, the Bannin Aizawa Your who had been his father’s student. For quite some time before his stint as a rogue shinobi, Yoru had been treated as an uncle. But ever since he stole a Byakugan, Takeshi found his trust in the man waning, even marrying his sister seemed likely to be done with nefarious purposes. He rarely saw Hanako anymore. She was from the main family, older by 10 years. Truthfully, Akito had come to feel more like a sibling than her.

“No need to worry about me,” he said to Akemi. “I have seen worse from these two.” He tilted his head first to Nakano and then to Takeshi.

“Yes, you have. Sometimes I wonder how we make it work” he admitted, chuckling. The truth was he enjoyed the excitement that Nakano brought with her, there was no such thing as a boring night out with her around. Beyond that, there was a part of him that found comfort in her darker nature, it resonated with a piece of himself that he rarely admitted existed. In his own pursuit of power he had obtained two cursed legendary weapons and the more he used them the further he felt drawn into his darker impulses. Even now he could feel the sinister energy radiating from his ring and could sense his sword calling to him from Anbu headquarters, crying out like a piece of his own soul demanding to be reunited with him. As much as he felt responsible for keeping Nakano in check, he felt he deserved someone like her. He could focus on his work, on becoming as powerful as possible and indulging in the rush that such power brought with it.

Akito referred to the events of the 18th Hokage’s disappearance, declared an assassination by a former Bannin, but only four men knew the finer details. Konoha was vulnerable and it was up to those who sat around this table to fill the void left by those they had lost. They were the future, forced to grow up too soon, to become more and push themselves beyond their limits, sacrificing everything they had to become strong, everything except one another. He had been working them hard for the last year, none had a social life to speak of, Anbu was their lives. And the results had been incredible. Another year or two and they would surely each be elite Jounin, some of S-ranked calibre. Some of them already were. Outside of Anbu, Akito was among the most promising Jounin Konoha had to offer. “That’s good to hear cousin, the clan wont like it, but I think you and I have been the subject of their ire for long enough. It’s about time we take what we deserve. Fuck them” he said, smirking wryly. There hadn’t been a branch family Hyuuga Bannin in over a hundred years. And the last Hyuuga Bannin, Takeshi’s main family mother was a rebel who openly defied her family’s policies, decorating her body in piercings and tattoos and boasted a brash demeanor, she was known for her fiery temper and blamed for the death of the former clan leader during the invasion of Yaku and Enma 20 years ago. The Usurper she was called, one who had tried to become clan leader and been rejected time and time again. Her marriage to the 17th Hokage, a half Inuzuka was only one of the many reasons the clan despised her, and that disdain had carried down onto Takeshi.

The muscular young Hyuuga recoiled his hand sharply as he shoved Mochi into Akemi’s face. “Ow!” he yelped playfully, shaking his hand. “That’s extra PT (Physical training) for you” he insisted, though the young woman hardly needed it. She was nearly as strong as he was now and equally as fast. Takeshi reached for some yakitori, eating as he listened intently to Eiko’s question. He nodded, approving of the thought-provoking question. They trained diligently together, but it was rare for them to all sit together like this and have heart to hearts, truly bonding one’s heart and soul rather than simply honing their bodies together. He watched Nakano as she spoke, sitting next to him on his right. He always found her mind to be quite fascinating, and even after several years together and spending time within her body and her consciousness he found he still gleamed new insights. Her motives didn’t surprise him, though her lack of interest in secrets did.

He hummed for a moment, becoming introspective as he finished swallowing the last piece of meat, twirling the naked skewer between his powerful fingers. “I’m not sure I have any interesting secrets, but the reason I keep training? Well, the cliché answer is family, to protect them, at least that was my motivation to start with. But now my dad is dead, so is my brother, my twin sister Kaori went missing years ago, she was in Suna when Iwa attacked, and my mom left to go search for her, she has only come back a few times since, a week or two at most. Even Emi, the former Kazekage’s daughter who is like a sister to me has left” he spoke slowly, his heart heavy but his mind resigned to the reality of it. Despite how close he was to his team it wasn’t like him to talk about his family, he had always kept whatever life he had outside of Anbu close to the chest. There was a heaviness to his gaze and tension in the air as he thought about all that he had lost, and then a brief sense of relief as he exhaled sharply. “But, uh. My sister is back now, so I have her again. My twin, Kaori. Just walked back into the village recently, no memory of anything that happened to her, so I have her at least and I have all of you” he said, looking between them each. They were the reason why he fought, why he pushed them so hard. They needed to be their best to make sure every one of them came home after every mission. Though he had lost most of his family, he had yet to lose a teammate under his command. He could be proud of that at least. He was still processing what it all meant, to have Kaori return so suddenly. He wanted to feel grateful, but his training had made him suspicious, good things didn’t just happen. It was difficult to not expect she was being manipulated somehow or that she had turned against Konoha and would be used against them. But he wasn’t quite ready to admit that even after his twin had been returned to him from the dead, he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust it. "So, who's next?" he said, more upbeat as he waved down a server and ordered himself another beer before deftly stabbing the skewer several inches into the table and procuring another morsel of yakitori.

[Kaida]

Akemi had been leaning against her cousin when he had spoken up, asking about their motives for why they kept going. Fueled by Nakano’s suggestion of mind transfer to make it easier. She squeezed Jash’s hand under the table, knowing he was struggling with how to move forward now that he was leaving his biggest secret behind him. Akemi was proud of him though, for coming forward and even if he didn’t directly ask for help, it was a step in the right direction. Hearing Takeshi tease her about extra training had her looking at him and sticking her tongue in response. "Sure, if you want me to be able to beat you faster, captain." Her sass was back, though it felt more like a shield than anything else.

Her thoughts were paused as Takeshi started to speak, her hands falling back into her lap as the wave of emotions fell from the man beside her. She wanted to comfort him, provide some sort of reassurance and understanding. She sat up and away from Jashin a bit, and bumped her shoulder with her captain, placing a hand on his thigh, gently squeezing as he continued to speak. Despite being ignored all of her life, she had no idea what it would feel like to lose all of her family. The ache it would bring, the loss and increased loneliness...it made her grateful to have Jashin back. Him and Eiko were 2 of her 4 constants in life before ANBU. And since joining, she’d lost Eiko, Eiji and Kohaku. It also made her sad for Takeshi, knowing all that he'd lost and how that must effect his day-to-day life. It would be a lot of pressure for him given how young he is. Her hand still on his thigh as she spoke. "I'm sorry Keshi, for what happened with your family. It's unimaginable to think of being left alone so quickly. At least there's a bright side, with your sister returning. And knowing you have a family here, even if we're a little fucked up." She bumped their shoulders together again, and moved back to be inbtween him and Jashin once more.

She saw through the attempt that Takeshi made at making light of the situation. Downing another shot of vodka, Akemi cleared her throat and signaled for another. Taking a deep breath she looked around the table of misfits, all of them with their own struggles and insecurities. No wonder she felt so at home. She looked specifically to Nakano, a horrible drunken idea coming to mind after the last month of painful existence. “You can go through my mind if you wish, maybe you can make sense of the mess in there.” She laughed at herself, somewhat self-deprecatingly while still passing off the joke. It would be a miracle for someone to be able to parse out the thoughts in her own mind, hidden behind walls she couldn’t even remember building.

Turning back to Jashin she smiled softly at him and laid her head on his shoulder as she felt the alcohol burn slowly through her body. “Drive huh?” She chuckled to herself, what drove her beyond feeling like she something to prove? Beyond feeling the need to feel like she was worth something? A question she’d been asking for years and never once had found an answer for. Her slender fingers drew circles around the rim of her newly arrived drink as she pondered what she could say. “Growing up, it was always the acceptance of my family that drove me. The need to be worth something, that will probably never go away. After realizing they would never notice or care, aside from Eiko and Jashin, it was to protect Eiji and Kohaku. But I couldn’t do that forever, eventually we had to grow up. And I had to surpass them to keep going...and the thought of being just another casualty of comfort in my life...well it’s not a great feeling.” She took a sip as her mind slowed; the feelings still so raw inside her.

She lifted her head, looking at Jashin as she rubbed her head against his own. “Now though? Now I have you back, and I have a team that not only challenges me but keeps up with me. A place I can belong to, even when I feel small. Even if all my hard work never amounts to anything, maybe that could be enough.” She took another sip of her drink as she settled herself back against the booth, and leaned her head back against the wall a gazed back out at her team, her eyes half-lidded from the vulnerable turn the night had taken. “Someone else talk now, please.”

[zory_alechiv]

Nara Eiko Jashin

Jashin listened intently as Takeshi spoke of family, of losing his twin and the joy of having her back. Their own loss of their twin had created the foundation for them to bond and while he thought he might feel overwhelming jealousy and anger that Takeshi got her back, he found he was happy for him. Sure, there was wistfulness underneath his calm demeanor but he knew Eiko was never coming back. He had watched her die.

Akemi's story wasn't new to him, but he appreciated her opening up to the team anyway. It gave him more courage to do so which was why he had asked the question in the first place. It was selfish and self-fulfilling, but he supposed he wanted other people to be in this with him so he didn't feel alone. The fact that it was Takeshi and Akemi taking the first steps made him smile behind his mask and Nakano? Well, there was something in her words that he felt kin to.

"Sure, it's only fair since I asked the question. I'll start with my drive. At first, it was like you, Nakano," he said, tipping his glass towards her. "I did it because I just needed something to survive and be left alone. Not that that lasted very long," he chuckled, patting Akemi's head. "Though, I would say mine was more bloodlust than actual survival. I wanted to make others hurt, didn't matter who, but I knew that people in Konoha were off limits," he shrugged. "Now it's different I suppose."

Jashin chuckled and reached up to remove his mask. "As sappy as it is, I've come to depend on you guys and I want to be someone you can depend on so here's my darkest secret." Their fingers traced along the scars that forced a permanent smile on his face. "Everyone thought it was Jashin that died from the Kiri nin. It wasn't, it was Eiko, but I knew people would rather her be alive, so I thought I'd keep her alive. I get it, it's weird and off, but I felt she deserved to live over me so I felt I was giving her life by pretending to be her."

Though Akemi and Takeshi already knew this, there was a relief in telling others that were apart of his team. "Obviously, I'm kind of tired of doing it because it's not going to bring her back. It's still me no matter what I do, but I'm coming to terms with it. Parents had a sick sense of humor so my name is Jashin, but I actually don't mind if you shorten that or something." He shrugged and glanced over at Takeshi over Akemi's head. Please don't let this fuck everything up, he thought. Of course, their leader and Akemi knew more, but it felt like a rock had been lifted off of his chest and for the first time in years, he could breathe again.

"Anyway, that's my dirty little secret, so if you knew EIko, I'm sorry for you loss."

[Drak]

Akito placed a reassuring hand on Takeshi’s shoulder as he spoke, pushing gently on him as if to prop him up as a member of his family, however distant. His hand remained there as Akemi and then Jashin spoke, slowly sipping on his drink as they played along with Nakano’s little conversation starter. Jashin’s revelation raised Akito’s dark eyebrows as he took it in. It wasn’t information that directly affected Akito, or that would deeply upset any balance of power, but it was interesting nonetheless. Just the kind of thing that Akito loved to overhear and hang onto, squirreling away in his mind until such a moment arose to trot it out.

The table fell silent for a moment, still chewing on the preceding stories. Akito took his hand from Takeshi’s shoulder, gave his cousin two thumps, and cleared his throat.

“I suppose it is my turn, is it?” he asked the table as he swished shochu around his glass. “For those of you seated here who do not know, like Takeshi, I am one of the hated Hyuuga half-breeds. Looked down on by a clan that respects filial piety and purity of blood above nearly all else. I spent my early childhood away from the clan, with my mother’s family. We were only readmitted to the clan when I began to show promise with the Byakugan and my father agreed to the ignominy of an early retirement from shinobi life. Despite being among the most promising students of the Jyuuken in my generation I was denied training and equal opportunities again and again. I threw myself into the most dangerous of missions and earned great acclaim, but the clan only ever saw a half-breed hardly worthy of acknowledgement.”

He paused. Anger and resentment had been bubbling up into his usually calm, deep voice, and he needed a moment to still himself.

“I spent years – pushing into decades – in that limbo. Spending all of my time and energy scrambling for the recognition of my clan even to the detriment of my advancement in the village. Then, finally, I heard how the elders spoke about me behind my back. I recognized that if twenty years of living among them and fifteen of true accomplishment had not changed their minds or softened their hearts, then nothing would. I moved off the clan compound and began to work not for the approval of the Hyuuga but for my own edification. I cannot say if that will earn me my clan’s approval. Similarly, I cannot say that I have ceased to want it. What I can say is that the next step I take will be my own.”

Akito's face was painted with a mixture of bittersweet happiness and hope. He raised his glass to those assembled around the table.

"To last and next steps," he said, before draining his cup.

[Throniv]

---

Kaito pulled up a seat and quietly watched the group as they began talking amongst themselves about the various hardships they faced--many of them describing situations that were instituted for them before they were ever born, by their parents or by their clans or by circumstances outside of anyone's control. He supposed he was lucky, in that regard. His parents were in love and still alive, thankfully, and he'd never had to face the derision of his clan beyond a few muttered whispers of jealousy from some in the main family. He'd never paid any of it much mind--a feat he was beginning to realize might have been because of the love and support of his parents that shielded him from the worst of it.

He'd have to thank them when he got home.

No, his trauma was more recent than any of the other shinobi at the table--he'd participated in the defense of Konoha while he was still in the academy, he'd killed his first man when most kids his age were cowering in hidden bunkers. He'd ripped out a kiri-nin's throat with his teeth in a moment of desperation-fueled rage, and he knew the taste, smell, and texture of fresh life-blood in a way that almost no one else knew. Really, he was glad that Tengu-Taicho had discovered him. Without ANBU, there probably wouldn't be many others who could understand him, who knew that beneath his flat, cold exterior there was a boy who wanted nothing more than to protect his village.

"The village," Kaito said quietly, looking down at the table as he picked at his left thumb with his right index finger. "When I was in the academy, I saw it get attacked and occupied. I want to be strong enough to stop anything like that from ever happening again. I don't want any more kids to know the things I know, or see the things I've seen. We're all shinobi, but... I don't know. The village should be safe for us, no matter what."

Kaito dared a glance up at the group, glancing at Tengu-taicho to see what he thought of his words. His motivation didn't seem that deep, now that he'd heard all the tales of personal tragedy and familial hardship the others had to endure, but the truth was his. His Nindo was simple: he didn't want to save the world, he wasn't that delusional. He wasn't so humble as to think he could only protect the ones he could reach, either. He wanted to be strong enough to protect a village full of people--and with his captain's help, he was sure he could get there.

[Izanagi]

As Takeshi spoke, he felt Akemi return to his left side, her hand moving to rest on his leg in a comforting gesture. His own hand moved to meet hers, finding solace in her touch. He leaned forward onto the table, sparing an appreciative glance toward Akemi as he drank deeply from his glass. His fingers laced with hers, hidden from view from everyone except Jashin. He placed his empty glass on the table, burying his pain once more yet allowing a slight moment of vulnerability as he locked eyes with Akemi, her words of comfort helped to lighten the burden somewhat. He knew she too understood what it felt like to be alone, even if the circumstances were vastly different. Nakano had helped distract Takeshi from his grief, but she could never truly empathise with how he was feeling. This was the first time he had been able to share his pain and feel genuinely understood and cared for. “Thank you” he whispered softly, as if it was a secret between them alone, despite the others at the crowded table. He looked to the others then, she was right. They were his chosen family, each with their own issues, outcasts in some way from their families but together they had made their own home, forging bonds that would continue to grow stronger as time went on.

Releasing Akemi’s hand, Takeshi raised a shot with Akemi and drank together. He would have to slow down his pacing soon, already his mind was buzzing. He looked between Akemi and Nakano as the former spoke of the state of her mind. A pang of guilt rang through him, he hadn’t meant to but he realized he may have been leading Akemi on, even if Nakano didn’t mind whatever was going on between them, he owed it to both of them to make a proper choice. He reached out, squeezing her leg as she spoke of not wanting to simply be a casualty of comfort and of seeking acceptance. A nod and a knowing look were his only response. He could do that for her at least.

He waited until she was finished speaking entirely before he would comment. “You’re one hell of a shinobi, Kemi. You belong here, our work does make a difference” he assured her, his lavender-white eyes filled with conviction. Despite being the newest member of Katana squad she was already well on pace to surpass both Nakano and Jashin, though not quite the prodigy Kaito was, Akemi was still one of the finest shinobi in Konoha and would only continue to grow and surpass any expectations of her.

As Jashin spoke next, Takeshi felt some level of understanding, like Nakano and Jashin he harbored his own darkness, possessing two cursed items that fueled his desire for vengeance against those that had taken his family from him. It was evident in each of their eyes that they understood one another on a deeper level, though it was not lost on Takeshi that Kaito also possessed the cold eyes of a ruthless killer despite his youth, yet he seemed to kill more out of necessity rather than hatred or even pleasure in the case of Nakano. The others had killed too of course, but for whatever reason it hadn’t seemed to taint their souls in the same way.

Takeshi met Jashin’s eyes as he revealed his secret to the rest of the squad, as well as Akito and Noeru. For months Takeshi had known, ever since Jashin had transferred to Katana squad he had picked up on the deception, his keen senses from his Inuzuka heritage able to discern gender from scent alone, not to mention his Byakugan and ability to read visual tells when someone was being deceitful, though even his perception couldn’t crack Jashin’s stoic demeanor. The Anbu commander and captain of Katana squad nodded, a look of pride and acceptance crossing his handsome features. The team couldn’t afford to keep such secrets from one another, they needed to have each others backs completely, to trust one another, and now he felt they were finally on that path. If only he would clean up his own mess in regard to the pair of women on the squad. It seemed perhaps he had inherited some of his father’s tendencies after all, a troubling thought and one he vowed to rectify. As their captain, and newly promoted commander of the entire organization, Takeshi owed it to them to be an example of the conduct he was to expect. He needed to do better, Jashin inspired him to do just that. “Thank you, Jash, for trusting in us to accept you. We won’t let you down” he said, taking the liberty of speaking for the team.

Takeshi sat back, exhaling slowly as a slight smile graced his serene features. This had been a good idea, he could feel his squad healing and growing closer to one another. As hard as he had been pushing them over the last few months, they needed this time to truly connect and unwind. And he was glad to have Akito here for it, though a distant cousin and a connection he had only begun to foster over the last 2 years, Akito had become among his closest friends. Despite their vastly different mannerisms, the two had much in common, they shared in the scorn from the main family of the Hyuuga and had each worked tremendously hard to become recognized and accepted. They were even each dating Yamanaka women which would only further draw the ire of the main family if it was discovered, the clans still holding onto their ancient feud. Akito’s story therefore was one that mirrored his own in many ways, but where Takeshi had given up being accepted, shaving the sides of his head and changing his attire in defiance, even becoming more brazen about his relationship with Nakano, Akito instead continued to toil away in order to earn their favor. “I believe in you Akito-san” he spoke respectfully toward his elder. “If anyone is capable of changing the way the elders view the branch family, and us half-breeds in particular, it is you. I’ll always have your back, as I know you have mine” he stated, slurring slightly but the conviction in his gaze conveyed it was not merely the alcohol talking. He truly believed Akito was capable of succeeding where both Aina and Takeshi had failed. Joining him in the toast, Takeshi drank one last shot of sake. He would begin to taper himself off, becoming tipsy was suitable but it would not do for a Commander of Anbu to become drunk or belligerent in front of his subordinates, at least that wasn’t the type of leader he wished to present himself as.

Kaito was the next to speak, the young teenager seated to Takeshi’s right. The commander turned his attention to his Fukutaicho, a young man who held immense promise, the kind of potential to become commander himself one day. Takeshi knew Kaito’s story in depth, despite being 4 years his junior, Kaito had successfully fought back Kirigakure invaders while still an academy student, while Takeshi, a Genin at the time had been able to do little more than escort civilians to safety alongside his twin sister, rushing back to the village after they were ambushed and their Jounin Grandfather Natsuki Isamu was slain holding off the first wave of Kirigakure forces. To this day Takeshi carried immense guilt at not being able to fight alongside his grandfather, the man who had taught him how to hunt and use a bow while his father and elder brother were off fighting in the war. Kaito’s words resonated deeply with him, he had long harbored resentment toward his father for supporting the Fire country Daiymo’s campaign to expand territory to the South. While the 17th Hokage himself had fought mostly in Earth country, laying siege to Iwagakure alongside several of Konoha’s Bannin, Takeshi’s brother, Natsuki Yozei had commanded forces far away in Dragon country alongside Gerudo Zakuro and Anbu forces including Aizawa Yoru and Hatake Tenzin. It was this campaign that Takeshi credited for sealing Konoha’s fate of being ransacked by Kirigakure. An avoidable loss. Though Tea country samurai were also to blame, leaving their own lands vulnerable as they assaulted Shark country, allowing Kirigakure, led by Karagata Shinjiro and the other Seven Swordsmen of the Mist to seize their lands on their way to Konoha. Ambition and thirst for conquest had led to the loss of Tea country as a vassal state, their survivors branching off to form the independent and largely neutral Heart Empire. It had been a devastating end to a war that otherwise Konoha had been victorious in nearly every endeavor until then.

Takeshi met Kaito’s eyes, agreeing wholehearted as he nodded and reached out to clasp the young man’s shoulder. “You’re right. We can’t allow that to ever happen again. Most of us weren’t alive when Yaku and Enma attacked and were only kids when Kirigakure invaded. It’s our responsibility to ensure the next generation doesn’t suffer like we did. No more expanding territories overextending our forces, we need to keep the village secure and well defended at all times and deploy strike teams to take out key threats before they can rally against us. Each and every one of us will play a key role in doing just that.” he asserted. It wasn’t about land, it was as simple as manpower, they needed to assassinate Iwa and Kiri Bannin while bolstering their own elite forces until they once again became a threat that was too great a risk for their enemies to consider a full-scale invasion. And it would largely come down to those seated at his table to do just that. A new dawn was coming for Konoha, and they would be the one’s to usher it. Yet for that to happen blood would first be spilled. Each and every one of them would have to be prepared to sacrifice themselves, and there was no telling how many would live to see the new era they dreamed of.