048. kakashi: reframing

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On the way home, Kakashi considers that perhaps he was wrong this entire time. It 's an uncomfortable thought for someone so accustomed to being right. Orochimaru 's words sit with him and Naruto 's bright blue eyes are now burned into his memory. How can he even think of caging the boy? How can he stomach such a thought? What sort of grotesque monster has he become that he considered crippling the boy he swore to protect?

Evening settles over the village, blanketing the houses with velvet shadows. The moon is hiding its face tonight, and although the market street glows with life and noise, nightfall somehow feels more haunted.