𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 || Naruto x BNHA |

Chapter 9

The room's doors swing shut behind them.

There are several chairs pushed against the sides of the room, modern artwork scattered along the walls, a water dispenser left of the door. A small shelf with books on the short right wall, cameras in the room's upper corners.

Waiting Room. Smart.

Aizawa hums to himself and throws a glance over his shoulder back at the team and oh what the fuck...

A careful neutrality has settled over the two student's faces like a curtain. Kakashi looks still somehow threatening, but his features have smoothed over, back straight, eyes stern.

Rin is not smiling anymore. The look in her eyes is still calm, but it assesses him with an icy clarity. Yikes.

-

Kakashi takes in the room around him carefully. Three exits: two doors, one window (small, at shoulder height, though he'd fit through, probably locked)- scratch that, four exits: the grill of a ventilation shaft on the ceiling.

Possible weaponry: Books, parts of the pictures' frames, shards of a cup from the weird looking machine to his left, chairs' legs.

The room's too open, too wide, too light for anything resembling a holding cell.

"For reasons of space we'd like to split you up for questioning," the detective says and that's all it takes for a shinobi to go full on defensive. 'Reasons of space' his ass. (Kakashi keeps his face neutral, of course; showing fear means signing your own death warrant.)

But honestly, what were they expecting? Kakashi doesn't care what the Aizawa guy says, this is a T&I situation. Even if Aizawa 'doesn't do torture', there must be some people around that are in possession of a fucking spine.

"Your students may stay together of course, and you are free to decide in what order you will talk to our officers."

Kakashi's ready to bolt at Sensei's order, to shunshin outside, or make a break for the window, but Minato is there, and he nods at the detective, tight-lipped but cooperative. "I'll go first," Sensei says and it's like a haze when he turns to give Kakashi a long look.

Minato-sensei's fingers form two signs, lightning quick, gone in the blink of an eye, unmistakable still. 'Stand down.' and 'Wait.'

Kakashi's thoughts come to a very sudden halt. What?! Rin is next to him, and though her face is nonchalant he sees past that in a second. She has narrowed both eyes, looking as confused as fearful.

Kakashi straightens and blinks, grits his teeth, and wills his thoughts into obedience. If Sensei says so, he will stand down and wait.

Because what can a shinobi do but obey?

(Except, the last time he followed orders, it almost killed Obito)

-

Aizawa leaves the waiting room with Nedzu, Naomasa and Minato. Kakashi and Rin stay behind, looking chillingly composed.

Aizawa doesn't have the time or the energy to really get into that so he just...you know, focuses on the things ahead. Which currently is Minato's very straight and broad back and, more metaphorically speaking, an interview-slash-interrogation that could either go successfully or turn out to be a complete disaster. Taking the last two days into account, Aizawa knows what to expect, but that doesn't stop him from fiercely praying it'll be the first option. (Aizawa has never been a faithful man. It's not very likely the gods would be in his favour) 

They head down another short corridor, a way Aizawa has walked hundreds of times before.

They stop at a door labelled II-04. Naomasa holds it open for Minato, who passes the doorstep with an air of secure confidence. Aizawa unlocks the next door down the hall, which leads to a small room with a monitor and a control unit. One wall is completely occupied by the one-way-mirror that allows them to watch the interrogation room Naomasa and Minato just entered.