A World Apart || Naruto

9

It was the wait that set him on edge.

The mist was dense, obscuring their already limited vision. The scent of petrichor had flooded the air. It was silent, except for Naruto's pointless squabbling and the soft crunching of their shoe soles. Kwesi's back remained rigid, his mind already running multiple scenarios through his head. That small, sane part of him screamed, why on earth would you agree to this? Do you want to die?

They were walking straight into the belly of the beast, and every fibre of his being detested it. Kwesi wanted to do many things, like pull Kakashi aside and tell him that hey, nuke-nins are waiting for us a couple of yards ahead! He wanted the man to put down his porn, he wished Sasuke could stop looking at him like he was a punching bag. He wanted to turn around and march his ass back to the Leaf. Furthermore, he also wanted Naruto for once-bless his innocence-to shut the fuck up.

But he kept quiet and walked. Because he wasn't sure what he might say if he opened his mouth. Zabuza was there, he was waiting for them and Kwesi knew that.

It was never the action that made him worry.

It was always the wait that kept his every sense on high alert.

They kept a brisk pace, surrounding the old man, to Naruto's chagrin. Kwesi insisted that they needed to protect Tazuna, and be ready to defend at a moment's notice. His sensei had raised his lone eye at him and assured him, "Maa it's alright Sakura-chan, I'll protect you all." With the condescending head pat and all.

Kwesi had swerved around to meet him dead in the eyes and flipped him off. Fuck being nice, his nerves were on fire. His sensei merely raised an eyebrow in question, and the whatever-the-hell-he-identifies-as resisted the urge to grab his shoulders and shake him viciously.

He was starting to hate this fever dream.

The hairs on the back of his neck raised, as the temperature took a sharp drop.

Oh, fuck me in the asshole.

"On the ground now!" came Kakashi's voice as a giant fucking sword sliced through the air. The thing wedged itself deep into the bark of a tree just behind them. And that was when shit got real.

Everyone remained crouched and on edge. Their breathing became ragged, alight with fear, and the grips on their poorly maintained kunai tightened. A chill crept down their spines, Kwesi felt his knees buckle under the pressure. Sasuke and Naruto were no better, with the former in worse shape.

So this is the infamous Killing Intent.

Kakashi's back seemed almost colossal at that moment. The jounin was alert, and his posture braced for combat, and Kwesi took a shuddering breath. He could trust Kakashi, right? He'd protect them, that lazy, porn loving, PTSD riddled sensei.

Likewise, he knew that he was in good hands, but he did not want to believe it. The fear was real, the strong stench of death that made up Zabuza's presence was too real. This wasn't facing his mother when she was in a bad mood, this was not a backyard brawl. This was fear, and he was a shinobi now.

Sasuke turned a pointed tip to his jugular, eyes scrunched in pain. He was breathing heavily, Kwesi felt the fear replaced quickly by panic. Without thinking, his noodle hand had reached out and slapped the ravenette.

Sasuke turned to give him a look.

Kwesi looked back.

"Sasuke. Sakura." Kakashi's low voice cut through the pressure like a sword (oh, he definitely thought he was funny with this joke). "I'll protect you all."