Yes, I know it doesn't take that long to perform the substitution jutsu. And that this would never happen. But enjoy it anyway… it was fun writing it. R&R por favor!
--
Sasuke lied horizontally on the bench, looking upwards between dark lashes. Cloud-watching. Though he couldn't quite see what kept Shikamaru so enraptured. I mean, there was sky, and there was training. There was fun, and there was life. When your body and mind are in condition for training, you do it. Stuff like this—just sitting, being lazy – was stupid. Even if you really need a break, just to get yourself back into a position where you could train again, there were more constructive methods. Clean the house. Write kanji. Heck, even hang with the team. Sasuke smirked fleetingly at that. Yeah, like he ever just hung with the team. Still, 'hanging' had its own benefits. Sometimes, just being with a bunch of crazed, maddening ninja brought his training condition to a whole new level. And if 'hanging' was going to help him reach that mind/body point where he could conquer the world, or kill his brother, then who was he to protest. Unlike, of course, skywatching, which just made him more tired and spun his already-spinning mind in concentric circles.
"Yo."
Sasuke's head tilted fractionally as he glanced at the newcomer. Not that he needed to; he'd known from Kakashi's footsteps his identity, but then, Kakashi knew that too. Otherwise he wouldn't have walked so loud. Be polite, the Uchihas had always said. And tilting his head fractionally, for Sasuke, was.
"May I sit?"
Small talk—useless questions, rhetorical answers. Sasuke was already taking up the whole bench and there was no room for anyone else. But he thought he'd be polite and give the man an answer.
"No."
Kakashi just smiled through the mask and sat on his toes.
For a moment there was stillness, then Sasuke pulled his feet from under to unto his teacher's lap. Undignified, perhaps, but what rudeness done must be returned.
"Naruto and Sakura went out to eat."
Sasuke would hope so. It wasn't often they got an hour on their own between training times. And if he was doing something so utterly pointless as laying horizontally on a bench, staring at a cloudless sky, obviously they could not be doing anything better. Nevertheless, at the reminder he reached his hand into the sack he had brought with him and took a bite of the extracted object.
Kakashi looked amused. "You always let your guard down, you know, when you eat."
Sasuke was startled enough to let out a muffled "Hn" at that, and paused in mid-chomp, contemplating. Let down his guard? How preposterous. Then again.. his mouth was full and he wasn't chewing. Over a comment. He'd have to take care of that. Sasuke applied more pressure to his teacher's lap. Kakashi just grinned.
"Hn," Sasuke repeated, defensively.
He was greeted with a returning grunt as Kakashi began removing Sasuke's sandals.
Now THIS surprised Sasuke. His teacher was TOUCHING hisfeet. His. Sasuke stomped hardily, but he knew he was in a compromising position. At this point, Kakashi had all the control. Unless, of course, he tried a fire jutsu… but the cruel skywatching had already drained his stamina. Not to mention Kakashi would probably flip him upside down or something and he'd end up burning himself. Sasuke muffled a sigh and reached into the bag of food again.
"I tell you, off guard again. You'd have never let me do this during training." Kakashi paused thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, this amazing compliance of yours is a trick and you're planning to blow me up or something. In which case, you are welcome to bring it on."
Sasuke was distantly pleased that his teacher thought he was up to something, but remained impassive as Kakashi finished removing his shoes. White, ghostly skin peered up at him, scarred by cuts and scratches and overlong nails. That was the first thing Kakashi took care of, gently shearing with a kunai. Sasuke's veins pulsed almost unnoticeably with tension.
Kakashi noticed. "Calm, Sasuke. Training. This is training—you can't survive in the ninja world without touch. Stay calm, enjoy it—someday you'll do this again, and you'll want to know how to relax. Calm…"
Sasuke's fingers flexed reflexively as the massage began. First his toes, strong hands pressing and releasing pressure points, only to have to begin again as Sasuke stiffened.
Touch… such an innocent term. Alone, there was no problem. Sasuke's back rested on the smooth stone, and his kunai flew from his hand daily. He was okay with touch. But human touch—that was painful, and Sasuke pressed firmly with his palms as he performed the substitution jutsu.
"You'll be weak, you know, if you do that," Kakashi advised quietly, and Sasuke's hands slowed, but continued moving. "I can deal with touch. Sakura lives for touch. Naruto can enjoy touch. It's only you, Sasuke—and a ninja must be strong in everything."
Sasuke glared as his hands picked up speed once more. He had stopped the jutsu—by accident. It wouldn't happen again. "Not for my dream, I don't. I—" Sasuke stopped again and glared, frustrated, at his hands. "I—"
Kakashi glanced up briefly, but then looked back at Sasuke's foot. The veins slowed their rapid pulsing as Sasuke breathed deeply, and he deflated, resigned.
"It's like cloud watching, you know," Kakashi said after the quiet had stretched out a while. "Everything has a purpose. Everything is 'training'. Foot massages," here Kakashi chucked ruefully "—they're still life. Enjoy it. Relax. You'll only live once, Sasuke."
Kakashi finished his left foot in silence, and stood up, carefully depositing Sasuke's feet back into his sandals.
"Calm. Enjoy. Live. You can do it—I know you can."
Sasuke waited for the footsteps to disappear before he sighed wearily. He looked down at his feet, and his lips moved inaudibly. "Live…" Another one of the Uchihas' rules. "Live life as if it were ending." That left no time for skywatching. That left no time for massages. That left no time for 'relaxation'. But nevertheless, his eyes drifted upwards.
And Sasuke, once again, gazed tiredly into the sky.