Chapter 7: unfurling

Toshiro swipes a hand through both Shikaro and Kaname's blood (there is certainly plenty of it around) and folds his fingers into a series of hand signs. He presses his hand to the side of room 441's door, ejecting a burst of chakra into the seals to allow the two men passage.

"Inside." He orders, then carefully pushes Shisui and Hoshika further into the room. Kaname grasps Shikaro by the elbow and drags the other man in after.

Toshiro observes the four before him and proceeds to do what he does best.

Heal.

"You'd think a man like Danzo would have kept his agents close by." Toshiro murmurs, wiping sweat from his brow. Shikaro and Kaname had been healed enough to leave, immediately taking the three captured nin to T&I. From the bursts of chakra and sound of distant explosions, the battle still raged.

"Do you know why he attacked me, Aikawa-sensei?" Shisui shifts under Toshiro's healing hands, his single eye back to the usual Uchiha black. Hoshika already had her turn, and is now slumbering in the next bed over after using up so much of her energy.

"To steal your eyes, I presume." That's pretty obvious, considering the current state of the other man.

Shisui nods, keeping his voice soft so as to not wake his girlfriend. "I'll tell you a secret, but only because you wear those earrings so candidly."

Toshiro blinks. The cherry red earrings had become a staple in his wardrobe, he barely ever takes them out — if he even has, to his knowledge.

"The sharingan has multiple stages, the ultimate being the mangekyou. Each mangekyou is unique to the Uchiha who possesses it." He raises a shaky hand up to the bandages covering the empty eye socket. "And each offers the user an….ability."

Toshiro frowns, "So Danzo wanted yours, then. Dare I ask what your mangekyou lets you do, if the man was willingly to attempt a second retrieval?"

Shisui offers a wry grin, "Probably best if I keep that to myself, no offense."

He shakes his head, "None taken, Uchiha-san."

"Ugh," Shisui wrinkles his nose, distaste obvious in the tone of his voice. "Please, there's too many Uchiha for you to refer to me as such. 'Sides, we're the same age! Call me Shisui! And don't you dare add some stuffy suffix, either!"

"Shisui." Toshiro says, unable to help the smile from pulling at his lips. "Feel free to call me Toshiro, then."

The man settles back, grinning cheekily, "This makes us friends, right?"

Danzo made a mistake. Perhaps his plan would have worked if not for Hoshika's presence. They'll never know. As Toshiro looks down at their sleeping forms, he only feels glad that things happened the way they did.

Danzo is dead and the hospital is crammed to full capacity. All those medical ninjutsu classes finally come in handy, with multiple students at a basic enough level to aid in caring for the injured, even in a minor sense.

Over half the Root nin were killed, the rest incapacitated and currently being processed at T&I. Toshiro only knows the barest amount of details via overhearing shinobi talk as the hospital fills up and overflows to the tents set up outside. There were multiple casualties on their side too, and they'd already lost a few to their injuries. It's brutal work, pulling their hands off a shinobi who dies beneath them and immediately moving on to the next without pause. Toshiro doesn't allow himself to think about it. If he does, they could lose more. He can't afford to be distracted, can't afford to care who's bleeding out on the operating table.

(You must kill your emotions to heal.)

Be pragmatic.

Heal. Heal. Heal. Move on. Heal. Move on. Heal. Heal. Heal.

Until exhaustion pulls at his bones and he sags under the weight of it, a headache blooming behind his eyes. His chakra reserves are depleted, his muscles cramped and aching. You can work as tirelessly as humanly possible, but once you're out of chakra it's useless to continue. Toshiro pulls away, scarfs down a bento box prepared by an Akimichi — the whole clan passing around food to recovering citizens, shinobi and civilians alike — and passes out on the futon in his office.

When he wakes up ten hours later, the world has changed again.

He leaves his office, groggy, aching, chakra not even half-recovered, and finds Uchiha Mikoto outside, hand raised to knock.

"Oh," he says, stepping back before he bowls her over. "Uchiha-sama, I'm sorry. I didn't notice you there."

"It's no trouble." She says, her face lined with stress. It doesn't look like she's slept at all. "You're being summoned to the Hokage's office."

He furrows his brow. "Shouldn't Aoyama-sensei be—"

Mikoto shakes her head, halting his words. "Your presence is being requested as an Ally, not as a Council Member. Aoyama-sensei still holds her seat."

"Ah," he replies lowly, rubbing remnants of sleep from weary eyes. "I see. Please, lead the way then."

The Hokage is grim faced and bruised, moving slower than usual as he seats himself down at his desk. Every ninja in the room is injured in some manner. A decent portion of the village has been leveled by the fight, displacing more than a few businesses and about sixteen blocks of residential space. Rebuilding will take months, and hundreds of people are without homes or have lost their places of work.

Fugaku is in a wheelchair, dressed in a gray kimono that poorly conceals the amount of bandages wrapped around his skin. He's missing half of his right leg from the knee down. Itachi sits beside him, also dressed in loose clothes and covered in bandages. He's not missing any limbs but there's a freshly healed scar, still pink with new, fragile skin, slicing diagonally from above the teen's left eyebrow to the bridge of his nose, narrowly missing his left eye. It appears as though someone tried to take out his biggest weapon — his eyes — and ultimately failed, but not without leaving a permanent mark.

Shikaku and Inoichi look battered and bruised, but don't have any new visible scars to showcase. Understandable, seeing as neither are frontline fighters. Inuzuka Tsume, Aburame Shibi, Hyuuga Hiashi and two elders that Toshiro recognizes from the Council are also present.

Tsume's right hand is wrapped in bandages and Hiashi's arm is bound tightly in a sling, his fingers twitching on occasion.

Toshiro is the least injured out of all of them, the two elders aside. He's also the last to arrive, gaining the attention of everyone when he enters the room. The two elders scowl in his direction and he — frankly, is so tired he ignores them.

"Hokage-sama." He greets, eyes flickering over everyone and taking stock of all their injuries.

"Aikawa-sensei." The Hokage sighs deeply. "Thank you for joining us, there's much to be discussed."

He isn't sure where this table came from, or how exactly they got it in the room, but he takes a seat in the open space beside Itachi. It seems a little odd for him to be here, in his opinion, it's not like he's a member of a Clan — or the leader of one.

"Danzo's crimes exist beyond his death." Fugaku begins, expression sharp and unforgiving. He looks like the man Toshiro first met, when he strolled up to ask about making a deal. "His demise does not forgive them."

"Do ya know how many teenagers we put down today?" Tsume chips in, sharp teeth flashing. "And where are the rest, huh?"

Shibi follows his friend's statement with one of his own. "It's likely kidnapped children remain, too young and untrained to be used in battle. Why make this assumption? Because the list of missing brought to court contained those ages ten and under. All Root operatives faced today were at least fourteen."

Hiruzen lets out a gusty sigh, "Shikaku, Inoichi, can I trust you to find the rest of the missing children?"

"Yes." Shikaku replies, one hand prodding at his temple. There's a grimace on his face that speaks of a headache. "The issue is what to do with a bunch of traumatized kids after the fact."

Inoichi's sigh mirrors the weight of the Hokage's. "We'll figure something out. My Clan will have their work cut out for them, but we'll do the best we can. Integrating them back into the public will depend on the state of every individual."

"The orphanages may not be able to handle the influx of children if it comes down to it, not when most of our resources will go into rebuilding the damage to the village." Toshiro murmurs quietly. Everyone hears, however, for no matter how low he speaks he's still in the company of elite ninja. "And with kids like that, who will no doubt need a serious support system for perhaps even years depending on the extent of psychological trauma and conditioning, they can't be shoved into apartments and left to their own devices."

That kind of thing doesn't even work well for untraumatized kids. He doesn't say, though he desperately wants to. It's not the concern right now.

"We can't figure out a plan until we have all the facts." Shikaku points out, frowning, "We'll continue this line of discussion once we've located any remaining children and assessed their condition."

Fugaku slams a hand down on the table, "There are Clan children among them! What Danzo has done is play us all for fools!" He levels a venomous glare at the Hokage, "You were too lenient with him, there is no return from such an act."

Everyone in the room shifts uncomfortably at his aggressive words, though no one speaks up.

Well. Almost no one.

"Watch your tone! That is your Hokage you're speaking to," The Elder woman snaps, "You will show some respect!"

"I am Uchiha Fugaku, Head of the Uchiha Clan and responsible for people Danzo has targeted for years under the nose of a Hokage who allowed poison to fester at the very heart of our village. YOU WILL WATCH YOUR TONE WITH ME." The man snarls in response. "I am not in the mood for your desperate, simpering words. You may be an Honorable Elder and part of the Council, but you have no place in Clan business. Your close relationship with Danzo has already placed you on thin ice, need I remind you?"

The woman snaps her mouth shut, face twisting into an expression of deep offense. The man at her side bristles as well, and tensions in the room rise to a palpable degree.

"Fugaku." Shikaku says, leveling a look at the man. "We will find them."

Fugaku exhales harshly, his eyes flashing red.

"Turn those off." Toshiro immediately snaps without thinking. "Your chakra levels are abysmal right now, do you have any idea how dangerous—"

Itachi lets out a laugh, disguising it as a cough at the last second. Though not soon enough for anyone to not know what it was. Toshiro pauses in his rant and flushes down to his neck. Tsume roars in laughter, smacking her unbandaged palm on the table in explosive mirth.

Fugaku blinks slowly, his eyes returning to black. The corners of his mouth twitch but do not blossom into a smile. "As you say, sensei."

The tension in the room cools, though the two Elders still look exceedingly grumpy.

Good, Toshiro thinks to himself as the flush on his skin recedes. They'd only feel so offended if they were guilty, so they will have no pity from me.

"In light of these recent events...I have decided to step down from my post as Hokage."

Everyone freezes, directing their gazes to Hiruzen with a wide range of emotion.

"It is true that my actions, or perhaps my inactions, are to blame for this current tragedy. The village has torn itself apart while under my care, and no amount of reparation from myself could ever make up for it." The man meets all of their eyes steadily and individually, relaying his seriousness. "I've recalled my student, Jiraiya, and asked him to attempt to bring in Tsunade as well. My hope is that one of them may fill in until a suitable Hokage is found for a more permanent replacement. That being said, when taking into account the specific targeting of and crimes against the various Clans, in order to regain a little more balance within Konoha…. I nominate Uchiha Itachi as my successor, and implore him to take the mantle of Godaime Hokage when he comes of age."

As expected, what follows next is an uproar.

In the end, Itachi will be Godaime upon turning sixteen.

(That's two years away.)

Toshiro is pretty sure he almost saw Fugaku cry.

Work continues at the hospital. All deaths are noted, corpses sealed and moved to the morgue for further processing and preparation for burial. Most shinobi are set to be cremated as a precaution against the theft of DNA, jutsu or kekkei genkai. There's far too much to be done, and Toshiro has very little time to catch up with anyone for days. He's been sleeping in his office the whole time, using the employee showers when he's able and being force fed food by worried Akimichi clan members.

(He keeps forgetting to eat. The stress of everything ruins his appetite.)

Shikaku visits him, looking haggard but almost fully healed.

"We located nineteen children."

Toshiro takes a shaky breath, adjusting the position of his little mint plant in a bout of nervous energy. "There were thirty-seven confirmed orphans missing. Eighteen potential Clan children."

Shikaku lowers his gaze, eyes closing momentarily. "We located nineteen children." He repeats softly. "Along with evidence that there were many more. It seems the training they were put through resulted in a high death count."

A burst of rage flashes through Toshiro's body. His face twists into a scowl, and it feels odd and awful on his face. Angry has never been an adjective to describe Toshiro. But he can't help the absolute fury coursing through him at the thought of so many dead children. The only consolation was that the whole thing was over.

"Of the children retrieved, eight were orphans. One Yamanaka. Two Akimichi. Four Uchiha. Two Inuzuka. One Aburame. One Hyuuga." Shikaku finishes, giving Toshiro a moment to run over the numbers.

That meant twenty-nine orphaned children were dead. Two Yamanaka, three Uchiha, one Inuzuka, and one Aburame also dead. He presses his hands to his face. So much blood spilled under their noses. Children who thought they were safe in their homes, not knowing that it was that very home that was unsafe.

"I presume the Clans are taking responsibility for their respective retrieved children?" He finally says, scrubbing his hands down his face before propping them on his hips. "What of the eight orphans left?"

"They're remaining with the Yamanaka Clan right now. At least until it's decided they're mentally capable of returning to normal society."

Toshiro bites his lip, "Okay. Then I suppose I'll have to speed up my orphanage reforms. It wouldn't do for them to return and then get tossed on their asses."

Shikaku huffs a brittle laugh, "What you said a few days ago is correct. These children will likely always carry the effects of their time under Danzo's control. Giving them stability to recover and then taking that away would only be detrimental. Unfortunately, the Yamanaka, Uchiha and Nara Clans are going to be extremely busy picking up this mess we've found ourselves in."

"Which is where I and my Clan come in." A voice announces, and both men turn to see Aburame Shibi in the doorway. "Why? Because the Aburame Clan has just as many resources as any other, and a vested interest in making sure this never happens again. Is that acceptable, Aikawa-sensei?"

Shikaku and Toshiro exchange a short glance. Nodding grimly, Toshiro steps forward and meets Shibi's gaze with blazing peach-pink eyes.

"I look forward to working with you, Aburame-sama."

"Shiro-chan!" Shisui calls, limping over to Toshiro and throwing an arm over his shoulders. The man is a year younger but some four inches taller, so easily coddles Toshiro into his space. They proceed like that down the hall towards the main lobby.

"Shisui." He replies with faint amusement. The other man had gotten it into his head that they were something like best friends now, and Toshiro wasn't mad about it. "You're very energetic today. Happy to be let free?"

"Oh, absolutely! I feel like I've been going half out of my mind layin' around all day." The Uchiha sighs, releasing Toshiro to stretch his arms over his head. "Not that I didn't love having the constant company of my darling Hoshi-chan!"

"I'm pretty it was you driving everyone else out of their minds." Toshiro raises a brow cheekily. "And there's probably a reason Hoshika ditched you and left earlier."

"That is incredibly hurtful."

"Really? Wounded by words? I'd hate to see you in a fight."

Shisui laughs, knocking their shoulders together. "What a deceptive face you wear, Shiro-chan. So pretty yet so biting…."

"Please," Toshiro says, half-smirking. It's funny, having a friend that's about his age. "What would Hoshika say if she heard you?"

"She'd probably ask to join." The man replies with equal parts mischief and flirtation, smiling like a shark.

"Shisui."

They both glance up to see Itachi, who's standing rather awkwardly by the reception desk. The scar on his face is still eye-catchingly fresh, but it's not particularly large — nor does it take away from his pretty features. Fourteen and already growing into quite the good-looking fellow, as is the curse of the Uchiha. Toshiro has witnessed firsthand the gaggle of fans the poor boy has.

"Itachi," Shisui smiles, ignoring the way the younger boy's gaze flickers to the bandages around the left side of his face. "How unfair of you to pull off a facial scar with such grace."

Itachi's lips pull into a reluctant grin, something like exasperation on his youthful face. "I'd say the same about you, but…"

Shisui gasps in mock outrage, turning to Toshiro. 'Did you hear that, Shiro-chan? The absolute disrespect!"

Toshiro rolls his eyes. "Oh, just leave already."

"Toshiro." Itachi murmurs, cutting off Shisui's next quip. "Kakashi-san wanted me to tell you that he's okay. Just busy."

"Ah," he murmurs, unable to stop the soft smile of relief. "I was getting a little worried about that guy."

"And my father wants to let you know that if you're willing, there's a few eligible Uchiha able to enter a marriage contract—"

Shisui throws back his head and cackles.

"Ahhh! I don't wanna know!" Toshiro turns around quickly, throwing a wave over his shoulder, "Itachi, take your cousin home and make sure he rests!"

"Sensei—" Itachi calls.

"Nope! Can't talk right now! Med-Nin duties calling!"

With Danzo out of the way and Root disbanded, there's no need for Toshiro to live with the Nara. He's able to return to his home. It's hard, especially with how comfortable he'd gotten. Leaving the domestic, family atmosphere made him feel a little...sad. Plus, Shikamaru ended up taking it pretty hard. Pouting the way a nine year old who denied the fact that he was pouting did.

"What," Toshiro says, stuck in his usual position of running a hand through Shikamaru's hair while the boy used him as a mattress. "Mad that your personal heater is leaving?"

The boy presses his forehead tight against Toshiro's chest, little hands gripping his kimono. "What a drag," he murmurs, petulant, "Even if we never napped together again I wouldn't want you to go."

Heart in his throat, Toshiro moves his hands away from the boy's dark hair to wrap around him and squeeze, letting out a sigh as Shikamaru starts complaining loudly. "You're so cute, Shikamaru-kun! Ah, I'm really gonna miss you…."

The ages are a bit wrong — Shikaku and Yoshino are a little too young to be considered his parents, but Shikamaru is about the age of….well, a younger brother. And the way they'd all acted around each other had felt just like a family. For a guy who'd spent his second childhood as an orphan who'd had to raise himself, the experience was scarily addictive.

"If I were to have a little brother," he says softly into Shikamaru's wild hair, "I'd wish him to be just like you."

Shikamaru stops struggling, his fingers momentarily tightening their grip on Toshiro's clothes. "You don't need some dumb little brother like that. You already have me."

"Come by often, okay?" Yoshino frets, brushing imaginary dust from Toshiro's shoulders and glancing skeptically around his apartment. She seems especially wary of his kitchen. "Really, are you sure you don't want to come back for dinner tonight? You can barely cook!"

Shikaku makes a face at him behind her back.

Toshiro laughs lightly, "Give me a few days to settle back in! I'll be around before you know it." If he went back tonight then he may never leave.

"I know where you live now." Shikamaru announces, slouching at his father's side.

Toshiro smirks. "How ominous."

"We'll see you around, Toshiro." Shikaku says, dropping a hand on his son's head. "Sooner rather than later, with the way the world is right now."

"Of course. There's a lot of work to be done."

Shikamaru sighs, shaking his father's hand off and kicking at the floor. "What a troublesome big brother."

Toshiro stands alone in his apartment, wondering how his mood could possibly drop so low within hours after the Nara's returned to their own home. The silence feels grating now, even if the Nara weren't particularly loud — aside from Yoshino, who certainly was — so he supposes what he really misses if the feel of their chakra. Their presence. Knowing he could stroll into the next room and find one of them there.

(He really had gotten attached, hadn't he?)

All his things had been brought over today, unsealed from storage scrolls and put away under the watchful eye of Yoshino. There was even food from her in the fridge. A smile played at corners of his mouth, she was only thirteen or so years older, but mothered him as if he were her own.

A familiar chakra signature breaks him out of his stupor.

Toshiro moves quickly to his door and pulls it open, revealing the silver-haired, lax figure of Hatake Kakashi. The taller man throws up a two-fingered salute.

"Yo."

Toshiro smiles indulgently, pulling the door open wider to let the man in. "You certainly had me worried." He surreptitiously looks over Kakashi, checking for any possible new scars. Hard to do when the man has ninety percent of his body covered.

Kakashi shrugs and steps in, "Sorry. Business to take care of."

"Were you injured? I presume you fought?"

"You would presume correct," the ANBU nin replies. "And not as badly as others were. Still have all my limbs, for one."

"Uchiha-sama's recovery has gone remarkably well." Toshiro says, thinking of the proud man currently struggling with the adjustment of having only one complete leg.

Kakashi nods, "So I've heard."

They end up on the couch again, after Toshiro putters around the kitchen to make his favorite mint tea with the leaves he'd received from Yoshino. The heat from the cup warms his fingers as he settles under a mound of plush blankets.

"Are you allowed to tell me what kept you so busy?" He asks after a few sips and minutes of contemplative silence. He keeps his gaze away from Kakashi so the man can drink his tea without worrying about revealing his face.

"Ah, well, after the fight I spent some time in the hospital. Then I ended up on the squad that tracked the location of the Root hideouts. We found the kids, I'm sure Shikaku-sama already told you."

Toshiro nods, "He did."

"Then...I crashed a Council meeting."

Toshiro blinks down at his cup, catching himself before he turns to Kakashi out of shock. "You...crashed a Council meeting?"

Kakashi makes an affirming sound. "Some guy I know kept telling people to do things if you had the power to. Guess I got a little inspired."

Toshiro grips his cup tightly, the heat searing his palm. His chest feels funny.

"So I announced to the Council that I'm taking up the Hatake Clan's seat. It's been abandoned for decades and the Hatake aren't particularly...active anymore, but as the defacto Hatake Clan Head I was able to reclaim the position."

"They let you?" Toshiro exclaims, thrown so far off guard he doesn't think at how rude his words are. "But you said it yourself, your Clan is essentially just….you."

"And why give power to a single person?" Kakashi concludes Toshiro's thought process, still slumped against the couch and giving no indication that he's offended by Toshiro's disbelief. "Well, for one, the Hatake Clan still has a huge amount of stock in various businesses, as well as a family-bound contract with nin-dogs who prove to be valuable assets for infiltration. And second...there's no one to tell me how I run my Clan. Since the Hatake have no kekkei genkai or special technique, it's not as if blood relations and direct heirs are particularly important. All Konoha needs is the money and resources we provide. Meaning I can adopt people into my Clan as I see fit. The Council decided I would be allowed to take up the seat if and only if I increased the population of my Clan."

Toshiro can't help it, he turns to the man. The mask is already up, so he doesn't feel guilty. Rosy eyes wide, he stares, beseeching, voice coming out soft and near-breathless. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm suddenly the guardian of eight traumatized orphans. Help?"