Unexpected Companions

Foreign yet Familiar

He'd always found it vaguely surprising, he mused as he flitted to another shadow, how inactive their village was for supposedly being filled with shinobi. Of course, he'd never hesitated to take advantage of the fact that there was not a real curfew to get in some extra training. But he had certainly started being more careful after running into people who wanted to reinforce the 'unofficial curfew.' Not that he really blamed them. He was 'just a kid' after all. The night was informally reserved for restless veterans that needed to do their own rounds to set their paranoia at rest; and they could be jumpy at best.

Surprising one of them, or raising their suspicions was not recommended. It was indeed recommended, that if you didn't have official reasons for being out and about at night, that you were not out and about. Though he doubted that the Kage or the Council would let them continue on if they were actually dangerous, people still tended to stay in at night. Well, except him of course. And the night guards. And the police. And jounin and Anbu leaving and preparing for last minute missions. But really, it was pretty quiet for a village of people who's occupation centered around the night.

In any case, he supposedly fell into the category of people that would be in danger if he surprised somebody. Perhaps that was true. But the warnings had simply lit the flame of youth within him; a new challenge to measure himself against. If they couldn't sense him then he wouldn't be warned off again, and nobody would be startled.

Common sense, of course, that tiny little voice in the back of his head, had tried to tell him that attempting to hide his presence and failing would be far more likely to get him negative attention than if he were caught training normally. But he'd shot back triumphantly at the already fading voice, if he didn't try to hide he would definitely be caught instead of possibly being caught! Risks were an integral part of the Springtime of Youth. And it was the perfect was to practice his stalk- er, stealth skills, for his challenges with Kakashi. One day he would catch his rival off guard and make him acknowledge that his stealth skills were the best!

He faded back into the deeper shadows of an alleyway and went still, keeping his heart rate steady and breath silent and even. A shinobi passed by only sparing a glance down the alley and moved on. He remained in place for several minutes to make sure he was out of hearing range, but in his head he struck his pose. -If I get caught tonight I'll run on my hands from the the gates to the top of the Hokage monument!-

If he was careful it wasn't very likely. Or it shouldn't be anyway, he thought with a pout as he slipped out of his shadow. He still hadn't figured out how Kakashi always managed to sense him before he got too close despite his trick. He'd thought it a stroke of that mystical genius everyone so praised and coveted. Until of course he'd tried it on Kakashi. Truly he had a most worthy rival!

No one really considered the possibility of a shinobi completely suppressing their chakra. The goal was always to mask it, the best being able to pass as a civilian, or even a small animal. Shinobi were too reliant on using chakra too enhance speed, strength, senses; turning off all of their advantages was considered far too risky. His peers may have laughed at him when he focused on his taijutsu, stamina, and strength, but he was the one who could keep up with them, pass them, while not using a bit of chakra. Invisible.

He dashed in silence down alleyways, focusing on maintaining top speed even while abruptly changing directions around corners. Adjusting course instinctively for obstacles that suddenly appeared from out of nowhere had been his last big training goal accomplished only days ago. Now he wanted to do so without interrupting his pace. Dodging other shinobi was just bonus training.

Light flickered and he was in the air, landing without a sound several meters ahead. He smirked as he left the puddle behind. How many of his peers could do that without chakra to soften the impact? How many would have noticed the puddle at all in the dark? How many would have needed their chakra to walk over it when they noticed it too late to clear it? Besides Kakashi.

Several hours later, he was struggling to keep his breath even and silent after so long in top gear. He'd made his way to the training grounds and back in that time, enjoying the change-up of the more natural random layout of trees compared to the sharp angles and regulated layout of the village's buildings.

Avoiding a side-street he knew would leave a scent residue on his clothes he ducked into another alleyway and slowed down to a jog to start cooling down. He was making an intense decision on what he should do next. The training grounds were calling him for kata work but the idea had struck him to include wall climbing in another round around the main village. Finding purchase on the flat walls in the dark, in complete silence, with no chakra? Already his youthful spirt was burning at the challenge. But he'd been waiting for a perfect night like this, with only a few restless shinobi about and the training grounds all but deserted. He'd laid eyes on a kata that he wanted to try that he wasn't supposed to have seen much less practice. How many nights did he get such perfect conditions for secret training? His fingers twitched as he considered the wall he was passing. The challenge-!

A sudden chakra spike to the west cut off his argument with himself. His sensing wasn't the best but he could tell it was at least halfway across the village. Within moments he could feel activity as the active shinobi reacted to the possible threat. The guards of course all had at least mid-level sensor abilities so no matter where they were in the village they should have felt the spike, but he wondered how many others noticed it. Those nearby would've been unable to ignore it - if they were awake. Many, if not all, of the restless veterans would have sensed it.

But like him they didn't immediately head over to investigate. Protocol was clear in a situation like this. On duty guards and those initially involved in the event were the only one allowed to get close. Attention needed to be maintained elsewhere in case it was only a distraction. All alert shinobi were to cover their area and remain alert for suspicious movement.

Twice as careful as before, and grateful that he regained his breath, he stole away from his current location, knowing it was already being covered. The last thing he needed was to be found sneaking about during an incident. He didn't want to detract their attention from what was really going on.

He moved to an new area that apparently wasn't aware there was something going on, it's people fast asleep. Mostly civilian quarters and a good distance from the chakra spike. Between and a bit back of two alert presences in their part of the village, it was an unlikely spot for a intruder to come through but he didn't even consider not standing guard. It was his duty as a shinobi bearing the hitai-ate of Konaha to protect the village. Whether anyway was aware of his presence or not.

A dark shadow of a random alleyway called to him and he settled in, concentrating on his senses as much as he could. The moonlight lit the rest of the alley in stark contrast giving him a clear view of it. Perfect to see without being seen in the unlikely chance someone actually passed through this specific alley.

Time crawled by but he didn't move until he felt the tension in the air begin to fade. He stood from his crouch and stretched. There would still be a general sweep of the village, but for now it seemed as if there was no active threat. It was unlikely that he would ever find out what the incident was about.

His only warning that he was about to be proved quite wrong was a shadow falling on the moonlit half of the alley. Startled, he looked up to find a shinobi falling from the roof. Before he could recover from the fact that he couldn't sense the shinobi and retreat back into the shadows, he was struck still and silent once more. Familiar silver hair glowing against the night, a half-mask that hid most of the face, a certain boneless grace that falling (not jumping down, but definitely falling) people shouldn't have, and a gesture for silence; he simply watched as the shinobi fell.

The building was five stories tall and he couldn't help the sympathetic grimace when he actually heard the impact in the man's legs even though he rolled to soften the impact. He had tried a few of the things shinobi took for granted when he had first started suppressing his chakra (that's what the shinobi had to be doing - even clones put off some chakra) and he'd instantly regretted it. The man didn't seem to like it any more than he had if the way he didn't get up from his crouch was any indication. He swayed unsteadily and his single, bored-looking, familiar eye was unfocused. But his apparent condition and the lack of tension the man exhibited didn't make him feel any better. It eerily reminded him once more of Kakashi - the deceptively boneless way he held himself right before an attack. Uneasy with confusion he kept his grip relaxed around the kunai he'd instinctively grabbed. He was almost positive it would be useless here even as the block he tended to use the things as and drawing attention to it could prompt a negative reaction. His real weapon would be releasing the suppression on his chakra. It would serve both to get the attention of other Konoha-nin and allow him access to his full strength.

But when the shinobi made no further action, despite the decades the Kakashi-look-alike had on the real deal, the eye covered by a hitai-ate that claimed no more affiliation than 'shinobi,' and the near certainty that he was being chased by Konoha nin, he couldn't bring himself to act either.

For several moments neither did anything, long enough that he was proud of himself for not flinching when the other spoke quietly. His voice was somehow a mix of bored, weary, and apologetic - both familiar and entirely foreign. "Sorry Gai, but I'll make poor competition right now. Rain check?" The voice was similar, though rougher and deeper, and he knew his name and about their competitions - but the tone. He wasn't sure that Kakashi had ever spoken like that in his entire life. Oh, the underlying bored apathy was familiar enough, but he didn't think he had ever heard him sound apologetic - he didn't think he'd ever heard him apologize.

The disturbing and confusing man rubbed at his eye in a clumsy manner while he was left scrabbling in the dirt for his wits, and spoke again as if just remembering something. "Ah, that might be quite some time - so many people don't want to let me rest." The very thought seemed to tire him out and he slumped backwards against the wall.

It made something in him stir; shinobi were always dangerous, but there were also things they just did not do in front of the enemy if they could help it. Collapsing was definitely one of them. There was always the possibility the man was faking but he trusted his instincts. Taking a few cautious steps nearer before he stopped himself, he spoke for the first time. "Who hurt you? How were you injured?" If he got an answer to that it would tell him whether or not he'd been fighting Konoha nin. (Where was the blood? Why hadn't he felt the altercation? Why had it felt as if the guards thought the incident over?) Or if this was something else. And it might also tell him disturbing-Kakashi's condition as well. Again, if he got an answer. "Can you hear me? Hey, are you still alive?" He frowned. He'd need to be closer to check. He couldn't see the chest rising and all of his pulse points were covered. Typical Kakashi really. "Where exactly are you hurt?" he muttered. He continues to complain a bit out loud in a running murmur, trying to feel less like maybe-Kakashi-impostor wasn't literally dead or dying under his hands. He was thoroughly surprised when the eye he thought may have been glazed over in death cleared and turned to him.

"Ne... I'll play you rock-paper-scissors for an undisturbed bed."

All his thoughts ground to a halt. No one knew about that. Not about the way Kakashi had been falling apart or the way he would push himself far past his physical and mental ability to deal with other people. No one knew that he'd offered him a refuge from the world he couldn't always face as it tore him apart, hidden him from the people. No one knew that after that first time, Kakashi often ended up beaten and battered at his place. No one knew that line that had first sealed their deal, the line that had turned into something of a secret code between them.

But even more than all that - maybe because of all that - it was a request he could never deny.

He approached without hesitation now, though slowly enough not to startle. Noticing that he'd lost man-Kakashi's attention again, he carefully placed his hand on his shoulder. As expected touch got his attention and he mentally sighed in relief that he was still in one piece. Looking him straight in the eye he was deadly Serious when he promised, as he always did when Kakashi came to him, "Anytime Kakashi." He was only slightly surprised when man-Kakashi passed out. Wasn't the first time.

Aware of the people that would be sweeping the village for any clues to the incident, if not directly looking for man-Kakashi, he was glad that he'd already been in 'stealth mode' and had covered his own tracks. He hoisted the dead weight over his shoulder, ignoring the the awkward size difference. A thorough check for revealed nothing as expected. Even if he was bleeding, Kakashi was paranoid and competent whether he was half-dead or not.

Casually he repositioned a trash can roughly in the spot man-Kakashi had been in, but not exactly over it. Then he pulled out a carefully wrapped item. It took only a practice flick of the wrist from several yards away and the item slipped from its wrapping to land in the trash. He disappeared without a trace before the effects could reach them.

Note: Not edited. Please let me know of any mistakes.

This is the first part of Gai's POV for my fic Hidden Depths. I have more written but not typed and this broke well here - I also just noticed that it's also the place that the first chapter of Hidden Depths ended which is convenient.

If you haven't read Hidden Depths then this is a time travel fic, and Gai is somewhere between 10-12 and the Third Shinobi War hasn't started yet.

I've tried to keep young-Gai in character and I think I have a pretty strong grasp on him but feel free to point out anything you feel is inconsistent.