Chapter 0

Summary: Kakashi is troubled by his emotions, which he didn't feel for over ten years somehow, he couldn't suppress his feelings for a certain someone.

The story doesn't start with him already in love or already a couple. This is the story of how they got together, or did they?

Author(ess?) Note: So, this is my first fan fiction story and please be gentle with reviews, okay? I'm not exactly sure that anyone will read it, and not just because I suck at summaries and entries and titles… Yeah, what was I saying? Hm… I'd appreciate if you'd just leave a review even though you don't like the story…I guess it's called "constructive criticism". Yeah! And thank you for reading my story! =)

Disclaimer(I saw many stories do that and guess I should do it too though I didn't see anything about it in the regulations. Well, I don't want to be suspended, right? :D): I do not own Naruto. But this story is mine. Well I kind of stuck with the real story line, as close as I could. So…don't know what to say more =)

26.09.11 edit

Thank you so much for betaing this Maxine101! She's an amazing beta!

End of another mission. After the Kyuubi attack and the Fourth Hokage's death, the Third had reacquired the title and was doing everything he possibly could to recover the village and get things back to normal. Having lost so many shinobi, they were short-handed on Jounin, so there were many solo missions. This was one of those. Not knowing that later he would decide and like going on solo missions, now he just thought it was boring on road.

That was just before he heard something. He suddenly stopped – frozen. Could he have been followed without noticing? And if someone had followed him, what the hell could possibly make such a noise? It was coming from somewhere distant. That's when he realized they couldn't have followed him because the sound came from ahead of him.

He wasn't on Konoha soil yet, so he didn't think it would be someone friendly, but he was still wondering what that was. It was coming from far, and it wasn't loud. On the contrary, it was quiet and soft. Almost being a part of his summoning pack, he could hear things normal human ears couldn't, but he didn't hear it again. After a few minutes of trying to figure out what it could have been, he started to think that it was his own imagination and nothing more. But being overpowered by curiosity, he wandered toward where he thought the sound had come from.

That's when he heard it again. He realized what it was then: it was a muffled sob. It was just ahead of him, but without his superhuman hearing, he couldn't have heard it.

As he was getting closer to the source, sixteen-year-old Kakashi Hatake was trying to understand the situation. Could it be a trap? No, no one could possibly know he was going to take this route and nobody else would be able to hear these sobs. Why would someone cry in the middle of the forest?

Listening to the voice, he could tell that it was a kid. They were probably younger than Kakashi, but he couldn't be sure. They couldn't have been from Konoha, but that was the closest village. They wouldn't let a child leave alone, but he didn't sense any other presence than the crying child. But a child this young couldn't have escaped either! He would have been seen and stopped by the gate guards.

Now that the other was within the range for him to sense their chakra, Kakashi froze. He felt like he'd been slapped in the face. The kid's chakra was harsh, angry, resentful, hurt… The pain was too thick around him, he could taste it. Kakashi jumped into a tree, wanting to see the kid.

The picture in front of his eyes was heartbreaking. A boy was crying, trying to bite the sounds back and hugging his knees, buried in despair. Kakashi could almost see the layers of pain and anger swirling around him. Then, he saw something flashing on the ground. Looking carefully now, he was surprised that he hadn't seen it before; it was a hitai-ate. That made more sense – the kid was a Genin. But being able to sneak out of the village was quite impressive, because sneaking in to Konoha was known to be almost impossible and since security had been increased after the Fourth's death sneaking out was even harder. But why the hell was his hitai-ate thrown on the ground?

Another quite sob interrupted his thoughts. Kakashi almost instinctively stepped towards the boy to comfort him, but he managed to stop himself. He didn't even know the kid! At least, he thought he didn't judging from the unfamiliar chakra signature. The boy had his face buried in his knees, so Kakashi couldn't get a clear view of his face. He couldn't recognize the clothing either. But, more importantly, why was this kid crying out in the woods? And why the hell did Kakashi wanted to go down and comfort him all of a sudden?

Yes, the kid was pathetic, in despair and in unendurable pain, but Kakashi was known as "the perfect shinobi".

It wasn't just because he was a true prodigy and got promoted to Jounin at the age of thirteen – it was mostly because he was never overpowered by his emotions. Never caring, and making the perfect shinobi. He didn't remember himself crying, either. He didn't remember his mother's death, but his father had said that was the last time he cried. He didn't even cry when his father died, but he remembered having felt another emotion: hatred. He hated his father for taking his own life. He hated him because he didn't think about anyone but himself. That was then when he stopped relying on others. That was then when he decided he wouldn't care for anyone else.

But… four years ago, he had cared. He cared about his comrades, and ended up losing them. He ended up feeling the same pain and despair.

But from that day on, he swore he wouldn't let any other comrade die. He took an oath to himself that he would become stronger and never let anyone slip through his fingers. He didn't want any personal feelings, such as friendship or love, so he swore he'd protect his comrades with his life, and he also swore he wouldn't feel anything more towards anyone. Feelings were a burden, just causing more pain. As a shinobi, he knew if hefeels, it would only end up losing the one he cared for. And then the pain would come. Twice was enough. He wouldn't fall into that endless hole again. If he had friends, they would be comrades and comrades died too quickly.

So, after deciding no love, no connections and no relationships, why the hell was he feeling sad? He had no feelings! Not anymore!

He was so succumbed by his feelings and so focused on the crying boy, he couldn't sense the approaching chakra until the newcomer was in sight. He felt the angry and murderous chakra at the same time as noticing him and he had his kunais between his fingers in a flash, but he stopped immediately when he heard the newcomer calling, "Iruka!"

The incomer was a kid too. Damn, Kakashi thought. If he had called for his friend one second later, he would have been killed by Kakashi's kunai. And, judging by the kid's age and apparent skill level, he wouldn't have been able to dodge it!

The crying brunette lifted his head, revealing a scarred face covered in tears. "Mizuki?" he asked.

The bluish-white haired kid had taken a deep breath to lecture the brunette, but he stopped as soon as he saw his face. Getting closer to Iruka, Mizuki started mumbling, "What do you think you're doing here? Everyone is worried about you, and how the hell did you manage to sneak out of the village?"

Kakashi wondered that, too.

"I-I didn't want to be there anymore! I just couldn't stand those pitying looks, and the people telling me that I should be proud because my parents died protecting this village!"

Kakashi almost stumbled backwards with surprise. He had lost his parents? Plural? As in both. That's when Kakashi realized why he wanted to go over to the kid and tell him everything's gonna be alright: because he understood the brunette. He had recognized and understood his pain. He's been through that darkness but still he could only imagine how it was to lose both parents at the same time, becoming completely alone in an instant.

"The Kyuubi has reincarnated as a baby." The white haired kid replied his friend, building up a chakra with murderous intent. If it's this cold that would send a shiver down a normal person's spine now, Kakashi could only imagine what it would become when the boy grew up. It made Kakashi want to separate him from the oblivious brunette.

"And although he is well protected, we can get to him," the newcomer continued. Having put his head down once again, the brunette lifted it to look at his friend, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Mizuki answered as he sat down next to his friend. "I mean that, despite the fact that he's being protected by ANBU now, I know I can get us near the baby so you can get your revenge."

The kid was talking about murder! Of a baby! Murder of a baby that was under ANBU protection! With Hokage's personal orders!

The brunette looked at his friend in shock. He couldn't possibly be thinking about it seriously! "W-what revenge? Why would I want to hurt a baby?"

"He's not a baby! He's the nine tailed demon! He's the one who killed your parents!" the white haired kid – Mizuki – replied.

Kakashi observed curiously as the white haired kid's chakra ramped with fury and grew bloodthirsty.

"N-no way! That's just a baby! He's not the one who took away my parents! The Kyuubi did! And although the demon is sealed inside of him, he's a baby! An innocent baby! It's not his fault he was picked to be the container!" Iruka had underlined the word "sealed" on purpose.

The icy haired boy stood up. "He is the Kyuubi, and you don't have to be so soft all the time! If someone hurts you, you get your revenge! Even if you don't, I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you anymore and I will get your revenge for you!"

The white haired boy had snapped. Kakashi understood now why his chakra was so angry and murderous when he appeared. It wasn't towards this brunette kid. It was towards the Kyuubi!

After he said those words, Mizuki turned, intending to leave. Iruka, who was already standing up with shock, grabbed Mizuki's arm. Mizuki turned around, but did nothing in his surprise.

Kakashi was almost as shocked as Mizuki. The brunette didn't seem to be the type to stand in anyone's way.

"What are you doing Iruka, let me go!" Mizuki demanded. He tried to free his arm, but Iruka's fingers didn't move an inch.

"You are not going to hurt a baby! Even if you think its revenge, it's my revenge, right? So it's none of your business!" The brunette said before continuing under Kakashi's and Mizuki's surprised looks. "If you even think that I'm going to let you do that, you're wrong."

The brunette was calm and determined. He was not the person he was a minute ago, with no sign of the crying little boy. Kakashi was stunned with this change.

"Yeah? What are going to do to stop me? I'm way stronger than you are. If I want, you won't even leave this place!"

The kid was serious. Kakashi prepared for combat, but Iruka didn't even loosen his grip on Mizuki's arm and the determination never left his face.

"I will do whatever I can to protect a fellow villager. I swore that when I became a shinobi."

Kakashi was impressed. He wasn't a needy child that needed to be protected. Iruka was a shinobi.

But Mizuki didn't even move a muscle. He just looked at the brunette with disdain. "Fellow villager, huh? Even the one who killed your parents? Even the one who killed dozens of other shinobi? Even the one who's probably going to destroy this village?"

"The baby is not responsible for all that. Even if it was, it's not my place to judge. Neither is it yours."

Kakashi was astonished. The brunette was just a twelve year old little boy. Why would he want to give everything he had to protect the life of a baby who carried the monster that killed his parents? How could he be that wise and strong? After his father's death, even Kakashi had blamed someone; although that time he had blamed his father himself. Apparently this boy was not blaming his parents. But how could he not blame the child who's carrying the demon who took his parents – his whole world – away from him?

As the brunette continued, he unknowingly answered Kakashi's question. "I hate the demon. I do. And I can't stop myself from thinking it's all his fault, but I know it's not! It would be so much easier to blame him like everyone else does, but I can't, because it's not his fault. And although I see the Kyuubi when I look at him, I won't let you make the poor orphan pay for the demon's crimes!"

He's an orphan, thought Kakashi. He understood what it was now: the brunette knew it wasn't baby's fault that he had the Kyuubi sealed inside him. And he was an orphan, all alone in the world. Just like Iruka. Just like Kakashi.

"I can kill you right now, and nobody would even know. And I still could go and kill the brat." Mizuki threatened. Kakashi was ready to jump, interfere and protect the brunette, but that wasn't necessary when Iruka spoke.

"He's just a baby! Everybody already hates him, thinking about him like you do. But I'm not going to let you lay a finger on that orphan! Even if it costs me my life, you won't be able to touch him."

Kakashi knew Iruka couldn't be very strong since he didn't suppress his emotions, but somehow this boy with a scar on his nose was strong. But how?

The other boy started laughing wickedly and shook his bluish-white haired head. "You never learn, do you?"

Then in a blur, the two boys were gone. Kakashi wasn't expecting anything such, so he was just standing there, left all alone in the area.

After telling Iruka that he would never learn, Mizuki had made an attempt to stab Iruka with a kunai. Iruka had jumped back in order to protect himself from the kunai, forcing him to let go of Mizuki's arm. That's when Mizuki took the opportunity to flee the scene. Iruka, filled with a determination to stop him, had chased after him.

Iruka was certain he wouldn't let Mizuki kill a baby. He felt a little reassured when he remembered that Mizuki had said the baby was being protected by ANBU, but when he said he could get in, he looked serious and confident. Iruka knew that if Mizuki wanted something, he would get it. This time, however, Iruka was trying to get in his way, although he had seen what happened to the people who stood between Mizuki and what he wanted. Losing his confidence, Iruka thought that if Mizuki wanted to, he definitely could kill him. But, if that were the case, why had Mizuki run away instead of killing Iruka immediately after his denial? With that, Iruka remembered what Mizuki had said:

"I won't let anyone hurt you anymore." Iruka couldn't make sense of it. "I will get your revenge."

"What? My revenge?" thought Iruka, confused. Although Mizuki was his best friend, he was never the caring type. Iruka thought that Mizuki hadn't wanted to be friends with him in the first place, but if he didn't care about Iruka then why the hell had he said things like that? And if he wouldn't let others hurt him, why in the world did he himself threaten to do just that? On the other hand, he didn't lose anyone close to him in the Kyuubi attack, so was he telling the truth about wanting revenge for Iruka?

Although Iruka loved him as his best friend, he was petrified of Mizuki. His chakra was too dark – he couldn't help but be afraid of him. He only revealed that chakra when he was furious; otherwise he was just a normal kid with a particularly greedy ambition. He cared, he did have feelings, but he'd rather exchange them for acknowledgement.

Iruka saw Mizuki standing on the branch he was supposed to land on and tried to stop in mid-air. He failed, instead losing balance and slipping from the branch Mizuki had been standing on. Before he could actually fall down, Mizuki grabbed Iruka's elbow. They stood like that for a moment, Iruka too surprised even to stand on his own again. Mizuki just stood there, looking into Iruka's eyes, holding Iruka so he wouldn't fall.

When Iruka came to his senses, he quickly jumped off of the branch that Mizuki and he were standing on, and landed back on the previous branch he'd leapt from. Iruka couldn't help but wonder why Mizuki didn't let him fall, even after he had threatened to kill him by his own hands.

Lost in thought and surprised the fact he was still alive, Iruka didn't notice the painful look on Mizuki's face.

"Iruka…" Mizuki started.

"Mizuki?" Iruka asked, jolted out of his daze.

"…I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. And the stuff I said…"

That was the first time Iruka had seen Mizuki apologize for anything. "Mizuki, I…" Iruka was confused and too surprised to answer. He couldn't find the words inside his head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry because I hurt you. I threatened to do worse. I wasn't thinking. The only thing in my mind was how that brat had hurt you that much, and he should have paid and…"

"I-It's ok now, if you don't intend to do so." Iruka interrupted. He didn't say it as a question, but he was waiting for an answer.

Mizuki bowed his head. Then he looked up to Iruka's face. He jumped next to Iruka and suddenly hugged him.

Iruka was too surprised – again – to react. It was strange for Mizuki to do something like hugging. Before he could find an answer to this, he felt something sharp pressed into his skin, and immediately started feeling dizzy. He swayed and fell into Mizuki's arms.

Mizuki couldn't bear the thought of his sweet Iruka being hurt. He would get his revenge. He had been sincere with that apology – he really didn't want to say those things, and he never wanted to hurt Iruka! On the other hand, he knew Iruka, and if he said he would stop Mizuki, then he would. He couldn't have his brunette fighting against him. He had to knock him out. Iruka would thank him someday.

Mizuki gently laid the brunette on the branch as Iruka's eyes slid completely shut and turned away. Before he left for the village, he turned his head and looked at the sleeping brunette over his shoulder. He mumbled something and left.

Kakashi was shocked observing the events. He didn't see that coming and he was considered a genius! He really didn't expect Iruka to stand up for the infant with his life when he should hate it. He didn't expect Mizuki to flee. He didn't expect him to stop and trick the brunette on his way. More than that, he really didn't expect those words!

"I love you."

Kakashi seriously didn't expect the twelve-year-old cold-blooded bastard to be in love with this brunette. He was way too young to experience that kind of feeling, so it should be just a childhood crush. Even so, that crush was what was going to make that boy take the life of a child.

Kakashi nipped his thumb in a rush and summoned a large dog. "Bull, will you help me carry this boy?"

With the dog's permission, Kakashi tied the boy on the dog's back to prevent him from falling off. When Kakashi realized he might not make it in time, he suggested that he would go ahead and Bull would catch up with him in the village.

"Yes master, but don't forget to tell the guards." Bull reminded him.

Kakashi nodded. As the distance between Bull and his master grew further, Kakashi wondered why he took the kid. He could have simply left him there. Why did he keep pursuing them, even for so long?

Not them, him. His mind corrected him.

He explained it away as curiosity, but then why did he take the kid with him? It wasn't safe unless they were within Konoha's protection and the idiot that had claimed to love this one had left him there probably thinking it was safe.

Idiot! He was angry now. How could you leave him there like that! What if some bandits had found him, or even worse, an enemy ninja! His hitai-ate is still back where he was crying, but his gear would tell anyone that he's a ninja!

The copy nin was shocked by the fact that he actually wanted to protect this boy. Even though he hadn't met him… damn, he thought, I hadn't even met him.

But…why? He mumbled inwardly. Why the hell do I want to protect this kid?

The he remembered brunette's words:

"I'm not going to let you lay a finger on that orphan. Even if it costs me my life, you won't be able to touch him."

The brunette boy should have hated that baby. He hated the demon, but he protected the baby? He said it himself that he saw the Kyuubi when he looked at him, so why?

He stopped immediately when he saw the white haired boy standing just ahead of him. Kakashi stopped a few branches away from the boy.

"Following me, eh?" Mizuki asked.

Kakashi didn't answer.

"So, what's your excuse? You are a kid, too. You can't be over eighteen."

Kakashi kept his cool.

"That means you can't be over Chunin. Nothing I can't handle." He smirked.

Kakashi just looked at him. He was underestimating his opponent, one of the worst mistakes a shinobi could make.

"Still not answering? Or are you afraid?"

The white haired boy was seriously underestimating Kakashi; smirking with contempt and making fun of him. Well, he sure was lucky that Kakashi didn't have feelings. Most of the time.

This time, Kakashi decided to answer, just to have some answers. "Why?" he asked.

The cold chakra releasing figure paused for a second, confused. "Why what?"

"Why take revenge for someone else?" you really are monstrous and self-centered, so why?

"Because I care about that someone else! He was the one that was there when I was an outsider. He was the one there for me when I was crying. He stood up for me against others. Now it's my turn!" He didn't hold anything back since he thought the boy in front of him wasn't going to last long enough to tell anyone else.

However, what he said didn't make sense to Kakashi, so he asked, "But you're a cold, heartless bastard who only thinks about himself. Even your chakra is completely filled with hatred. How is it possible for you to love him?"

"I don't know," The boy shrugged, not denying the insults. "I guess he's an exception."

Thinking about his own current situation, Kakashi agreed. "Guess he is," he said quietly, mumbling to himself.

"So, let's get it over with already, I got some work to do before he wakes up." Mizuki snapped out, taking a combat stance.

Taking combat position of his own, Kakashi added, "By the way, you were wrong. I'm a Jounin."

Normally, he wouldn't have let anyone he was about the fight know what his rank was. They would look at him, judge him by his age alone and underestimate him. He wasn't exactly the bragging type, and he wouldn't have revealed the truth now, either, if his opponent hadn't been a twelve year old Genin who was too full of himself.

Kakashi's right eye widened when he realized what was going on: he was pissed. Kakashi was pissed after a so many years. Since his mother's death, it was true that he hadn't cried, but he hadn't smiled, either. More importantly, he hadn't been pissed except for his father's death.

But how the hell did he get pissed off at a pre-teen brat? And the subject had nothing to do with Kakashi at all! So, Kakashi thought, why?

"Afraid?" Mizuki asked and added "I don't believe you're a Jounin."

"Want me to prove you wrong?" Kakashi really was pissed.

A.N. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review! ^_^