The Song of a Lover
Hatake Kakashi had imagined this moment so many times, but he never expected it to actually happen. By now his time was running out. Konoha was finally going through with it. After the unprompted strike on the Church of the Immortal Flame, which was one of Konoha's prominent hierarchy of electors and elites. The head of this Church was Hiruzen Sarutobi who was also one of the unsuspected casualties during the explosion. Konoha and the Church had blamed the leader of the of Kitsune rebellion the man of both worlds Uzumaki Naruto, to be the mastermind behind the attack. He was a hybrid part man and part Kitsune, which was a race of descendants from the late nine-tails demon fox who wreaked havoc on the village of Konoha centuries ago. Fire country only tolerated the Kitsune race, because Sarutobi was a major sympathizer for them.
He believed them be victims of an unfortunate circumstance. However, that was all about to change, only three nights ago Hiruzen was supposably assassinated by the same living beings he supported, this in returned gave The Church of the Immortal Flame ammo to strike back but this time with fire and brimstone, so as retaliation the Church teamed up with Konoha's armed guards and local civilians, rounding up the Kitsune's from their shops and homes, so that they could be tried and cleansed by the eternal flame, and anybody caught harboring them would be put on trial and burned, as well.
The Church wanted Uzumaki head on a spike as a warning to the others. His face was plastered all throughout the village square. He was the reason why Kakashi was in making such haste. Tensely, Kakashi combed a hand through his unruly sterling locks, pausing in the middle of packing. It had taken him a second to realize that the boy he took in and raised as his own had been watching him this entire time. Kakashi knew that he would have to explain to Uchiha Sasuke that he would be leaving him home alone. Feeling a rush of dread the platinum-haired blacksmith sighed, not knowing how to truthfully explain this, or where to begin for that matter.
How do you tell a fifteen-year-old that you would be leaving him home alone for a month?
"Just go Hatake." It was like Kakashi's world had jerked to a completely stop. He locked eyes with the teen as he tried to catch his breath. So many unanswered questions but nothing were coming out.
"I always knew about you and him."
Indeed, Kakashi had fallen in love with a kitsune male, Umino Iruka to be precise, and together the couple schemed away to help the remaining Kitsunes escape from the Church of the Immortal Flame clutches. Kakashi and Iruka had figured out the safest route out of town, which was through the sewers of Konoha. They had to pay a massive fee for a trustworthy sea captain and his ship since anyone caught aiding Kitsune's who be executed on the spot. Nevertheless, they had it all figured out the couple was going to leave in six months, but due to the unprovoked attack on the Church, they had to speed up the voyage preparations. First off, Kakashi and Iruka had to find the others who had went into hiding after the attack.
"I know what you're plotting to do. So go Hatake before the Church catches you out before curfew."
It was like a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He wanted to say thanks for understanding and how did he find out but he had no time. However, he did have one thing to say, and it was the utmost importance.
"I need you to get rid of the wind chime from our backyard burn it, as well as the parchment in my room. If the Church comes for me tell them I went to Sunagakure for supplies this is crucial Sasuke. I want you to burn these things as soon as the sun rises, so as not to draw any unwanted attention. You must not break routine if they ask why I left without you, just tell them you've fallen ill."
Even though it hurt him to say it, that wind chime was a gift from Iruka some kind of trinket a sort of way to call a long lost lover, so his gift held a special place in his heart. Kakashi could only hope Sasuke would not get a visit from the Church anytime soon since he was known to be Konoha's finest blacksmith. He was the only one who could melt and forge even the most stubborn of iron, steel, copper, ore and gold into a thing of beauty. He slanted his knapsack over his left shoulder.
Even though he knew the young raven-haired genius hated it the blacksmith had turned back around giving the teen a hefty hug. "If I just so happen to get caught I have more than enough currency stashed underneath the floor boards near the fireplace. You can start a new life with it and forget about this place. Shit, I got to go. Remember to burn everything at daylight." And with that said Kakashi had left from the back way of their home.
Barely twenty minutes had passed when Sasuke heard it. A loud thrashing against the same wooden door that his guardian had exited from. He stood there debating if he should answer or not. The thrashing continued but this time became more desperate, making Sasuke believe it to be his guardian in distress. Normally, he wouldn't have answered but this time, he slowly inched it open and like on cue the heavens cried out as lightning crack across the night sky like a whip. The shadowy figure cloaked underneath a long hood had stood on the other side. Suddenly, the man had dropped to a knee, collapsing through the threshold, and plopping face first at Sasuke's bare feet in a muddy heap on his kitchen floor. This man was no Kakashi. Kakashi stood at 6'2 and this individual stood exactly at 6'1. Swiftly, he tried dragging the unconscious man inside. Keyword tried. After three minutes of grunting and tirelessly yanking, his hands were numb and tingly from lack of circulation. The bean stock of a man wasn't budging anytime soon. Without warning, the cloaked heap groaned as the man slowly began to come to. Instantly Sasuke had released those tattered robes taking a step back. By now, the rain was pouring outside as another crack of thunder rang out. Gradually, the stranger had pushed himself up, whilst positioning himself cross-legged near the fireplace.
"Oy, how long was I out for..." He grumbled while pulling the hood of his cloak back. There he rubbed a hand over his short mop of golden-blonde spikes, his deep blue eyes instantly locking on the teen, but it wasn't those immersed blue depths' that had Sasuke feel as if the air left his lungs. It was those distinctive three whisker marks on the apples of his bronze cheeks. Sasuke had seen this face before, but it was plastered throughout the village walls. He was the most wanted man, in fire country Uzumaki Naruto.
It was his next words that took Sasuke by surprise. "Geez, I'm glad you answered that door. I lost my pursuers some ways back, but ain't no telling when my luck was going to run out, and then out of nowhere, I heard it, the soft melody of your wind chime beckoning me here of all places. Are you a place of refuge for my people, and aren't you a little young to be living on your own? My gods! You're stunning..." Naruto had broken eye contact deciding to stare at the ceiling instead, as he scratched at his left cheek innocently.
"Shit kid you should really get rid of that trinket! The Church is searching any place that might seem even the least bit suspicious." Naruto jumped to his feet scrambling out the back door Sasuke had no time to shut and lock the door behind the blonde before he was back, but this time with the wind chime clutch between his digits. He closed the door with his foot.
"I'm sorry but, hopefully, your lover will understand." He stepped closer to the teen towering over him before wrapping his unoccupied hand around Sasuke's creamy wrist. He gently placed the trinket in his palm. Their eyes connecting again.
It took a minute for Sasuke to realize what the blonde just implied. "That trinket does not belong to me."
"Really? Huh…" Naruto had freed his wrist. "I hope you don't mind if I stay the night. I'll be gone at dawn, I just need a place to hide out for right now. I promise I won't eat all of your food…"
"Actually-" Sasuke paused when the man began to remove his cloak and then his shirt in two large strides he had plopped down by Sasuke's fireplace, adjacent to the kitchen he was shirtless and bleeding. The Kitsune had bitten down on his tatted shirt using his canines to tear the fabric into two long strips and use them as bandages. He wrapped the bandages that he created around his abdomen three times, securing it with a knot.
"Man this is so fucked up…" He drifted off as his blue orbs reflected the glowing embers from the fireplace. "I can't believe Sarutobi is really dead." He curled up embracing his knees like that of a five-year-old. "Now my people are truly doomed…"
Sasuke felt like he had been hit by something solid. "You're telling me you didn't have a hand in the attack on the Church." Sasuke did not understand it but he believed him, even as he questioned the blonde.
"Why would I murder the only man who could do some good for my people that make no sense, and yet everybody believes what the Church says."
Sasuke knew all too well what the Church was capable of. They were partly the blame why he was orphaned. The Church was afraid of what power his father held. How he could unite people. His parents were mavericks powerful and intelligent, and the Church of the immortal flame feared them.
Fearful, his parents would have the people of Konoha revolt against their rule. The Church did what it had to do, and that was by manipulating Sasuke's older brother Itachi into slaying his entire family but when the time came for him to cut down his brother. He left him alive not even having mercy to allow him to rest in peace with his parents. Instead, he let him suffer in this hell alone. So to say Sasuke wanted to see that Church crumble was an understatement, and now he had the leader of the rebellion against the same Church that organized the massacre of his family, to his home asking for help, how could he decline?
"You can stay for as long as you need. I just want one thing in return," his inky-pools narrowing.
"I'm all yours." The blonde had to tilt his head slightly and giving the teen a wolfish smirk. Sasuke had missed the look or chose to ignore it as he continued.
"Let me assist you in bringing the Church down. I don't care what the consequences may be."