Backslide-Blackkat

Chapter 2

Not long now, he thinks, and with Naruto gone, forever lost to him, he cannot bring himself to truly mind. He will face his death here when Madara comes for him, comes for his eyes, or he will meet it before the sun rises three times, and use his own passing to trigger the suicide seals and keep Madara from ever gaining his Sharingan.

Either way, they've won. 

------

The Jounin Standby Station is sparsely populated, a handful of shinobi lounging on the couches or huddled in groups, speaking in low voices. Kakashi is perched on one arm of the sofa, hiding from Gai in the last place Konoha's Green Beast will ever look, knowing as he does Kakashi's antisocial tendencies. But Gai always underestimates Kakashi's drive to avoid his stupid challenges, and now is no different. He's got his book, his temporary peace, and all is right with the world.

Genma is watching him from the other end of the couch, senbon rolling between his teeth and expression entertained. Kakashi reading porn in public has never failed to amuse the other man, and now seems to be no different.

"I heard you got tapped as a sensei again," the tokubetsu jounin says lazily. "Gonna keep reading that in front of them?"

Kakashi manages to pull his eye away from the book long enough to fix Genma with a cool stare. "Why would I stop?" he asks disinterestedly, and turns a page.

Genma rolls his eyes at him, but he's still grinning. "I don't know, last time they asked me to take a team there was this whole long lecture about me not corrupting their innocent minds with my man-whore ways—"

"Yeah, but you're not Kakashi," Raidou puts in from the other couch, where he's got a pile of paperwork spread out. He doesn't look up, even as he tacks on, "And they only asked you because they were desperate and knew you'd fail the brats. How long did they last in your test again? Twelve minutes?"

"Eight," Genma corrects with a smirk. "Not my fault they couldn't make the cut."

Both Kakashi and Raidou level a look at the tokujo, who despite his lazy air is one of T&I's best interrogators, and one of the village's best assassins. His particular skillset would be enough to give a hardy chuunin nightmares, let alone a handful of green genin. There's a reason not even Kakashi has asked what test exactly he gave the kids. Some things even shinobi are better off not knowing.

Just then, the door blows open with a sharp bang and rebounds off the wall, though it doesn't quite dare to hit the man making his way through. Kakashi turns his head to watch Ibiki scatter jounin left and right as he makes his way to the couches. He's scowling fiercely, even more so than normal, and Kakashi arches a brow.

"Ouch," Raidou murmurs lowly. "Think Anko did something?"

"That's not an Anko-frown," Genma points out, and then raises his voice. "Everything all right, Ibiki?"

The big man changes course without so much as a hesitation, dropping down across Kakashi with a sharp huff. He scatters a handful of forms across the low table and growls, "Someone just claimed the bounty on Sasori of the Red Sand."

The senbon drops from Genma's mouth, and he only just catches it before it hits the floor. "What?" he manages after a stunned second. "But yesterday, didn't—?"

Ibiki nods, rubbing a hand over his bandana. "Yeah," he agrees grimly.

Kakashi looks between the two of them for a moment, and then asks airily, "Anyone want to fill in those of us who don't live in the T&I basement?"