The day of departure came quietly, with a subtle shift in the air that all of them could feel, even if none of them chose to acknowledge it directly.
This was no longer a routine assignment within the safety of the village, no longer another D-rank task that ended before the sun set, but something that carried distance, uncertainty, and the weight of responsibility that came with stepping beyond familiar ground.
Minato arrived first, already prepared, his presence steady as always, while Kakashi stood nearby, calm and composed, his attention sharp even before the journey had begun, his instincts already shifting into something more alert, more focused.
Rin came shortly after, carrying her supplies neatly packed, her expression a mix of quiet excitement and determination, aware that this mission marked a step forward for all of them.
And then—
There was Obito
Late.
As expected.
"I'm here!" he called out, slightly out of breath as he rushed toward them, clearly trying to make it seem as though he had not, in fact, kept everyone waiting.
Kakashi didn't miss the opportunity.
"...You're late."
Obito scowled immediately.
"I said I'm here, didn't I?"
Before the exchange could escalate further, Minato raised a hand, his tone calm but firm.
"That's enough. We're leaving."
The road stretched ahead of them, winding through trees and open paths, the village slowly fading behind them as the rhythm of travel took over, each of them settling into their roles without needing to discuss it.
Kakashi moved with quiet awareness, his gaze shifting constantly, scanning their surroundings with practised precision, his senses tuned to anything that might be out of place. At the same time, Obito filled the silence with comments, complaints, and occasional jokes that carried more energy than necessary, his voice cutting through the quiet in a way that felt almost intentional.
Rin walked alongside them, occasionally responding to Obito, occasionally glancing at Kakashi, her attention divided but thoughtful. At the same time, Minato observed it all from just ahead, noting the dynamic without interrupting it.
The journey would take two to three days.
By the time the sun began to set, painting the sky in fading shades of orange and gold, Minato signalled for them to stop, choosing a suitable clearing where they could rest safely for the night.
Camp was set up quickly, each of them falling into place with a level of efficiency that showed their training had not been wasted, even if their teamwork was still far from complete.
Minato took the first watch.
And as the night settled in, quiet and still, the rest of them prepared to rest in shifts.
When it came time for Obito to take over—
Kakashi spoke first.
"I'll take your watch."
Obito frowned immediately.
"And why would you do that?"
Kakashi didn't hesitate.
"Because I don't trust you not to fall asleep."
Rin let out a small laugh before she could stop herself, and Obito's face flushed instantly.
"I do NOT fall asleep!"
Before the argument could grow, Minato intervened once more, his voice calm but carrying enough authority to settle it.
"That's enough. Everyone will take their own watch."
There was no room for debate.
And when Obito's turn finally came, he stepped away from the camp with far more seriousness than he usually showed, his earlier frustration replaced with a sense of responsibility he wasn't entirely used to carrying.
Obito frowned slightly, his gaze shifting as he moved further from the camp, following a faint instinct he couldn't quite explain, until the trees began to thin and the sound of water reached his ears.
A lake.
Kakashi stood near the edge, his back partially turned, his posture still, his attention fixed somewhere beyond the surface of the water, as if he were looking at something that wasn't there.
"...What are you doing here, Bakakashi?" Obito called out, his tone lighter than his expression.
No answer came.
Obito stepped closer, his confusion growing as he noticed the subtle movement of Kakashi's hand near his face, as if he were reaching for something, adjusting something, or simply grounding himself in a way that didn't make sense from the outside.
"Hey," Obito said again, this time placing a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
Kakashi reacted instantly.
He jerked away, turning sharply, his guard up for just a second before recognising who it was.
"...What?"
"It's my turn," Obito said, trying to sound normal despite the reaction he had just seen. "You don't have to stay here."
Kakashi stared at him for a moment.
"...Fine."
He turned as if to leave.
But Obito stopped him.
"Wait."
"...Do you want to stay for a bit?"
Kakashi's expression shifted slightly, not in understanding, but in confusion, as if the question itself didn't make sense to him.
"...Why?"
Obito scratched the back of his head, his usual confidence replaced with something more uncertain.
"...Because it's quiet," he said. "And... I don't know. It's kind of peaceful here."
"...Alright."
They sat side by side, not speaking, not arguing, just being there together.
The lake reflected the night sky above them, still and undisturbed, the silence stretching between them in a way that, for once, didn't feel uncomfortable.
And for the first time, Obito didn't try to fill it. He was trying to understand.
___________________________
By the time Minato and his team reached the small village, the sun had already begun to dip, casting a soft golden light over the rooftops and narrow streets, giving the place a quiet, almost peaceful appearance that contrasted with the purpose of their arrival. It was not a large settlement, but it was active enough to make blending in both easier and more dangerous, depending on how well they handled themselves.
They chose to stay at a modest inn near the centre of the village, the kind of place where travellers came and went without drawing much attention, and once they had secured a room, Minato gathered them together, his expression shifting from relaxed to focused as he began to outline the mission.
"Alright, Team 7," he said calmly, his gaze moving between them, "we've reached our destination. Our objective is to locate and retrieve a missing scroll somewhere within this village."
A brief pause followed before he continued.
"To do that effectively, we'll need to split up. I'll move on my own, and the three of you will work together. Kakashi will take the lead."
Kakashi gave a small nod, accepting the responsibility without question, while Obito responded with a quiet, almost reluctant hum, not arguing, but not entirely pleased either.
"There's one more thing," Minato added. "We'll need to blend in. No shinobi attire, no unnecessary attention. Change into something appropriate before we head out."
One by one, they stepped away to prepare.
Rin returned first.
Her usual appearance had changed completely; the familiar purple markings on her cheeks were gone, replaced by clear skin, and her hair, now hidden beneath a soft red wig, framed her face differently, while her clothing had shifted to something simple and civilian, the kind that allowed her to pass unnoticed in a crowd.
For a moment, Minato blinked.
"...You look like a younger version of Kushina," he said before he could stop himself.
Rin tilted her head slightly, not fully understanding the comparison, but she smiled anyway.
Minato cleared his throat lightly and turned away, already moving to prepare himself.
When he returned, he had transformed as well, his usual presence softened beneath the appearance of an older villager, a white wig resting over his hair, his posture slightly altered, his expression subdued just enough to pass as someone ordinary.
Then—
Obito stepped out.
He had removed his goggles, something that alone made him look unfamiliar, while his hair had been dyed faintly blue and his clothing adjusted to match, giving him an appearance that stood out less than usual, even if his energy still threatened to do the opposite.
He glanced at the others, clearly expecting some reaction.
"...What?"
Rin smiled.
Minato nodded slightly.
And then, Kakashi stepped out. The room fell silent because, for the first time.
They saw his face.
No mask.
Nothing to hide behind.
Even Minato, who lived with him, had never seen it before.
Kakashi wore a light brown wig, his features softened slightly by the change, and around his neck hung a small camera, one Minato recognised immediately as the gift he had given him not long ago.
Kakashi looked at them, unimpressed by their silence.
"...What?"
Minato blinked once before smiling faintly.
"...Nothing. You look good, Kakashi."
Obito, however, reacted differently.
"...You have a normal face."
Kakashi's expression didn't change.
"...Of course I have a normal face."
He looked away after saying it, just slightly, and that small shift was enough for Minato to notice that something felt... off.
"Kakashi," Minato said gently, "is something wrong?"
Kakashi hesitated.
Only for a second.
"...It's not enough."
Minato studied him more carefully this time, his gaze sharpening as he looked past the disguise and into what Kakashi was actually seeing, and then it clicked.
Even with the wig
Even without the mask
Kakashi still resembled Sakumo Hatake.
The similarity was subtle.
But undeniable.
Minato's expression softened, something sad flickering behind his calm as he began to speak.
"Kakashi, I think—"
"I have an idea!" Rin interrupted suddenly, stepping forward before the moment could deepen.
Without waiting for permission, she grabbed Kakashi's wrist lightly and pulled him aside.
"Come with me for a second."
They returned a short while later.
And this time—
Kakashi looked different.
Soft purple markings now rested beneath his eyes, similar to Rin's, altering the balance of his face just enough to shift the resemblance, to create distance from something he clearly did not want reflected at him.
Obito blinked.
"...Rin, aren't those your clan markings?"
"Yes."
"...Then why did you—"
She cut him off with a glance.
"Because he's our teammate."
Obito froze for a second, caught between understanding and something else entirely, something closer to jealousy that he didn't quite know how to process.
"...Bakakashi," he muttered, crossing his arms slightly, "you could at least say thank you."
Kakashi looked at Rin.
"...Thank you."
Rin smiled immediately, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"It's nothing, Kakashi."
Minato watched the exchange quietly, something lighter settling in his expression as he let the moment pass without interruption before clapping his hands softly to bring their attention back.
"Alright," he said, his tone shifting back to mission focus, "we'll move out soon. Use your cover names while we're here."
He glanced at each of them.
"I'll go as Hashi."
Obito straightened slightly.
"I'll go as Tobi."
Rin followed.
"I'll be Mika."
Their attention shifted to Kakashi.
"...Sukea."
Their mission began.
The village did not feel dangerous at first glance, and that was exactly what made Minato cautious as he moved through the streets under the name of Hashi, his posture relaxed, his pace unhurried, blending seamlessly among the villagers while his senses quietly mapped every movement, every conversation, every subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Elsewhere, Kakashi, now moving as Sukea, led his small team through the narrower paths of the village, his steps measured, his gaze observant without being obvious, the camera hanging at his neck giving him a believable reason to pause, to look, to study details others might ignore.
"Stay close," he said quietly, not looking back as he spoke, his tone calm but firm enough to be followed.
Rin walked beside him, her attention divided between the surroundings and the people they passed, offering polite smiles where needed, her presence helping to soften their approach, while Obito lingered slightly behind, doing his best to appear casual, even if his curiosity made him look everywhere at once.
They stopped near a small market area where vendors spoke in low voices, their conversations blending into a quiet hum that felt ordinary on the surface, but Kakashi listened more carefully, filtering through the noise until something stood out.
"...still not found?"
"...no, and the headman is getting impatient..."
"...if it's not recovered soon..."
The voices faded as the speakers moved away, but Kakashi had already turned slightly, his expression unchanged even as his attention sharpened.
He lifted the camera casually.
Clicked.
But his eyes moved past the frame, catching details others would miss, the direction the men had gone, the guarded tone in their voices, the tension hidden beneath normal conversation.
"Rin," he said quietly, "ask the vendor about recent problems in the village. Keep it casual."
Rin nodded immediately, stepping forward with an easy smile as she approached a nearby stall, her voice light as she began a conversation that sounded harmless, almost friendly, while Kakashi shifted his position slightly, glancing at Obito.
"Follow the two men who just left," he said under his breath. "But don't get caught."
Obito blinked.
"...You're ordering me now?"
Kakashi didn't look at him.
"Yes."
Minutes passed.
The village continued its quiet rhythm.
Rin returned first, her expression thoughtful.
"They said something was stolen a few days ago," she reported softly. "No one knows who took it, but it's important enough that the village leaders are trying to keep it quiet."
Kakashi nodded slightly.
Obito returned.
"They went to a building near the edge of the village," he said, lowering his voice just enough. "Guards posted outside. Not a lot, but enough to make it suspicious."
Kakashi's gaze shifted toward the direction he indicated, his mind already connecting the pieces, the fragments forming something clearer.
"...That's our location," he said.
Rin looked at him.
"...Already?"
"It's not confirmed," Kakashi replied, his tone calm. "But it's the strongest lead we have."
A brief pause followed before he turned slightly, adjusting the camera at his neck as if nothing had changed.
"We regroup with Minato-sensei," he said. "Then we move."
And just like that
The mission began to take shape.
But beneath that calm
Something waited.
Something not yet seen.