I know I usually write Twilight Fics but had these little stories in my head for a while now and had to post them...so here they are.

Please READ AND REVIEW!

Disclaimer: Sadly, the wonderful world of Naruto Does't belong to m.e No copywrite is intended and nothing belongs to me except my plotline.

Sasuke's Heart

Not So Frozen Solid

Naruto watched Sasuke shivering in the corner of the large tent. He'd wrapped himself up tightly in his sleeping bag, squishing himself into the small corner as much as possible. His face was passive as he tried to maintain his pride, but Sakura and Naruto could see he was obviously freezing. That sleeping bag wasn't doing anything for him. Before they'd gotten here it had already been in the cold for at least an hour and Sasuke's body heat definitely wasn't enough to warm it right now.

It was the coldest day of the year here in the usually warm land of rice. Snow and ice raged outside, covering the usually warm, sun soaked ground. Wind rocked the small orange tent as Sakura and Naruto huddled close together in the opposite corner to prevent frostbite.

"S-S-S-Sasu-ke really….y-y-you're gonna…f-f-freeze" Sakura stuttered, near tears as the wind continued to blow, causing the small area to feel like arctic tundra.

Both Naruto and Sakura had offered Sasuke to join them in the other corner quite a few times so that they could conserve their body heat; however, with an icy glare in his eyes, he refused. At this point they both knew the glare was a complete act.

This was just their luck. Being out on a mission in shorts and t-shirts on the coldest, worst storm the area had gotten in years. It had started as they had just left the tiny village they were working in, but not even their sensei was able to determine it escalating to this level. It was just kind of thrown at them like someone had turned over a bucket full of frozen ice chips.

At that moment, the kid's teacher came in. What you could see of his face was blank and void of emotion but Naruto could see the worry in his eyes.

"How're you guys doing?"

When none of them responded other than cringing further back against the direct wind coming through the open tent flap, he turned around to zip it back up and shake the frozen white flakes out of his hair.

"Sorry… I can't contact anyone inside the village right now. The storms too bad so we're gonna have to rough it out for the night." He said, his eyes growing worried as he noticed the genin's bright red skin. They seemed be shivering uncontrollably. Then again he was pretty sure he was shaking too.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of Sasuke curled up away from the other two but said nothing as he knew the boy was exhausted from his fight.

It had been early that morning, after completing their mission to pick up some scrolls in the land of rice. They had left early in the morning, wanted to get back by nightfall-so much for that. Everything had been fine until they had been attacked by a group of ninja determined to get the scrolls for their own village. There had been five of them and each of the genin had taken one on while Kakashi had taken on the leader and his right hand man- or so they thought.

Team seven realized later, that just before the other five ninja attacked, their leader had doubled back letting his right hand man assume position as leader. While Kakashi was busy with who he thought was leading them, Sasuke, who'd been keeping the scrolls in his backpack took on the true leader.

Kakashi was proud that the boy had been able to hold his own for quite a while before Kakashi realized what was going on and quickly took down his two so that he could help Sasuke. It was quick- he simply sweeped in while he was busy with Sasuke, took him down, then turned to deal with the two Naruto and Sakura had been doing very well with on their own.

In that time Sasuke had exhausted a mass load of his chakra, and Sasuke, being Sasuke wouldn't allow himself help as he got up and walked the rest of the way on shaky legs. Only now he could see the kid's strength coming back. He may be cold, but at least he was resting. He hadn't had to worry about Naruto with the Kyuubi and Sakura hadn't needed to use much herself.

"But S-S-Sensei, we're going to freeze." Naruto moaned. Sakura whimpered weekly, and Sasuke just continued to look on at the man.

"I know…but come on…it's not that bad" Kakashi said with a light smile, however, he knew it was bad. The walls of the tent blocked the wind but not the cold.

"Look… I was able to warm up a blanket with some jutsu, here." He said walking over and putting the now warmer dark green blanket he'd been holding against him over Sakura and Naruto.

He hadn't thought to bring many blankets on this trip not expecting weather like this, so they sadly only had the frozen sleeping bags the genin were laying in, and the two blankets he had brought for himself as he'd ripped his sleeping bag on his last mission. He gave the second one to the kids who not only just had the cold sleeping bags but were also wearing only thin t-shirts and shorts.

"Sensei?" Naruto said glancing inconspicuously at his team mate and rival.

"I'll take first and second watch tonight." He said. "Sasuke when I come back to check on you guys-I don't care how big your ego is-you better be over here with the others."

He only gave a humph that could either mean, I understand, Whatever, I understand but you can forget it, or Screw you Sensei. It just happened that none of them could tell which one it was this time.

Kakashi walked over to Sasuke, grabbing his face with his cold hand and forcing Sasuke to look at him.

His whole face was red and icy cold in his fingers but he seemed to be regaining his strength and chakra. Sasuke wrenched his face away from his teacher with a growl and Kakashi got up, turning to open the flap of the tent. All three cringed back again.

"I'll be back in a bit, try to get some sleep." He said "And Sasuke, you heard me."

Once the flap was closed again and their sensei gone, no one said anything. Everyone merely glanced at each other for a minute.

"Sasuke…" Sakura said.

Before she could continue he said "Shut up."

"Sasuke…" Naruto continued for her.

"I said just shut up dobe. You're wasting your heat" He said with a sneer "And your voice is giving me a headache."

"No!" Naruto shouted. "My voice isn't giving you a headache. The cold is giving you a headache! Your weak chakra is giving you a headache… but my voice isn't giving you a headache! Why don't you swallow that stupid pride you seem to think you have and listen to Kakashi Sensei? You don't think he's cold too? You don't think he's tired? He only had the two blankets and gave one of them to us, plus offered to take the first two watches, and saved your stupid butt from that ninja freak today! Stop being such a teme and get the hell over here."

"No!" Neither Sakura nor Naruto had ever heard him yell quit so loudly. "Just shut the hell up and leave me alone! Who the hell do you think you are? Just shut up you weak, disgusting loser!"

Everybody fell silent as Sasuke finished, his fingers clutching at his own head. He fell over onto his side and pulled the sleeping bag around him as tight as possible.

"Sasuke?" Sakura whispered.

"I'm sorry, just please, shut up." He whispered.

The only sound that could be heard for the rest of the night was the harsh wind whistling through the tiny cracks in the tent flaps, chattering teeth, and quiet breathing as the three ninja did their best to stay warm and sleep.

It was hard to keep your eyes closed while every whistle of the wind brought with it another cold blast of air, but huddled against each other with the now heated blanket that kind of jump started their generating body heat had them soon resting in a little nest of warmth. Naruto knew he would likely be woken in a few hours for third watch. That was usually his watch after Sasuke but if Kakashi was going to take his watch then it didn't really make a difference.

Before long, Sakura was pressed tightly against his chest, breathing softly, and he still couldn't get to sleep. Any other day he would have jumped at the chance to have her against him like this, but something was wrong. It just didn't feel right to leave Sasuke there in his shorts and frozen sleeping bag while they were in their own little world over here.

Naruto wished his sensei would come back like he'd said. He knew he was going to come back and check on them like he said, he just didn't know when. If Kakashi weren't so cocky, he probably would have come back already to make sure Sasuke had done what he had said. Instead, he'd probably just assumed –even knowing each of their separate personalities-Sasuke had followed his orders. Or something like that anyway.

Naruto had thought it was so cool how Kakashi had swooped in and just killed all those ninja that attacked them today without breaking a sweat. Well, mostly, he'd probably gotten kind of nervous when he noticed they were being played. He knew he would…but then again he wasn't a very accomplished jounin himself. Kakashi'd been so calm and confident. He wanted to be like that one day.

That was the last thought Naruto had before he slipped into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile Sasuke lay on his side. His body had stopped being cold not too long ago, and a strange feeling had overcome him. His head had stopped hurting, his teeth had stopped chattering, and the quiet sound of the whistling wind had stopped bothering him. Sasuke tried to turn over-to see if Sakura and Naruto were asleep. He didn't hear the sound of chattering teeth or ragged breathing anymore and found it strange. However he thought it more strange that he couldn't make his body turn…or move at all for that matter. Maybe he had used up more chakra then he'd originally thought. Maybe he should have listened to his sensei. Sasuke laid still and silent as he waited for sleep to overcome him.

"Sasuke….Sasuke…" A strange hazy whisper filled Sasuke's ears as consciousness gradually overcame him.

"Sasuke...Sasuke buddy, you have to wake up." It sounded so familiar…the voice…

It almost sounded as if someone was calling his name but it just didn't…

"Sasuke, open your eyes…come on"

Was that…

"Kakashi Sensei?" What was he doing here? It wasn't Sasuke's shift yet? That was what he was thinking as he forced his eyes open. Kakashi never woke them before their shifts unless there was a threat. That was so weird. It was strange…why we're his eyes so heavy…almost stuck together even? Why was his body so heavy? Why couldn't he get himself to move?

"Sasuke…" Kakashi sighed, relieved to see the boy wake up. To see his eyes open, even if his eyelashes still looked to even be frosted over.

"Hmm…where am I?" Sasuke looked around himself in confusion. This wasn't his tent. Where we're Sakura and Naruto? What was going on? Why did his body ache so badly while at the same time felt completely numb.

He tried to reach down to his pants under the thick blanket around him trying to get a kunai out of his pouch. Something was wrong. This wasn't his teacher…this wasn't his tent. However, he was frozen…why couldn't he move!? And why was he left only in his boxers?

Kakashi watched Sasuke as he looked around himself. Watched him try to move his fingers, watched him trying to reach down, watched him begin to panic when he couldn't, and watched him realize he was almost butt naked.

Ooops, this didn't look good. Maybe he should have thought about waking him up and telling him before undressing him. But honestly, there was no time for this.

"Sasuke its okay…it's me, everything fine."

"W-What's going on?" He asked confused now.

"Sasuke why wouldn't you listen to me when I told you to go sleep near the others? Do you honestly have so little respect for me? For your team mates, and for yourself? You hardly feel my hand on your back right now do you? You didn't even know it was there really did you?" He asked when Sasuke's lips parted in confusion.

'You're not cold anymore…you're body aches, and you can't move. Sasuke if you had just listened to me you wouldn't be in this situation right now! Shit! This is my fault. I should have known you wouldn't listen to me but no! I was stupid enough to think you had some common sense…and the decency to freakin listen! I was only doing what's best for you!"

Sasuke whimpered when Kakashi's yelling reverberated through his raw ear canals and into his brain. Kakashi felt his angry eyes soften and his heart clench at the boy's moment of ungaurdedness.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but I need to get you warmed up. You're very close to a fatal case of frostbite. You're so lucky I came in there when I did or you probably would have lost a limb or two by now. I'm surprised I even have you conscious." He whispered rubbing the boys shoulder gently.

The boy whimpered as Kakashi sensei scooped him up, pulling the warm blanket off.

"Frostbite?" he asked.

"Yes frostbite, and this isn't going to feel good when you get some feeling back but you're going to be fine."

"W-What are you doing" Sasuke asked. Kakashi wasn't really sure if he was able to process what he was saying yet.

Kakashi opened the flap of the tent where Sasuke could see he'd finally gotten a small fire going-probably using jutsu. He reached out and pulled a small bucket in before sealing the door closed and pulling a small piece of cloth from his bag.

Sasuke closed his eyes, his head both light and heavy at the same time. He jumped when he felt a strange tingling sensation in his hands not two minutes later.

Kakashi had taken the bucket of hot water and put it between the boy's legs so that he could keep his hands in it. At first Sasuke didn't seem to notice his hands in the water but it wasn't long before he jumped, opening his wide confused eyes until he saw that his hands had been put into the hot water.

Kakashi took his thick jounin jacket off, putting it around the boy's shoulders before adding the thick blanket around him again. After which he took out a bottle he had previously filled with the warm water and put it to the boy's lips. Sasuke would have fought but was beginning to feel sick so he took it without complaint.

Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment in relief. He didn't think Sasuke would comply to him so easily but relaxed a little when the boy took a few gulps before again leaning his head back against the wall.

Kakashi set down the bottle, leaned down to brush the boy's now damp hair out of his eyes and whispered "I'll be back."

Making sure the tent flap was closed behind him he walked out into the now lightly falling snow, checked to make sure Sakura and Naruto were still asleep, and began walking. Just walking.

When he'd walked back over to the genin's tent a few hours after he'd left before, he wasn't sure whether or not to be surprised Sasuke was still curled up alone in one corner while the other two slept. At first the thought that Sasuke was dead crossed his mind and he panicked. Sasuke's skin had turned a scary shade of violet, his closed eyelids and lips almost indigo and his hair, eyelashes, clothes, and sleeping bag were thinly coated in frost.

His heart had stuttered a minute but he calmed down a little when he heard the thin, ragged breathing coming from between his lips. The snow and wind had gotten worst as Kakashi had been standing guard but it had begun to calm by then. Kakashi had then snapped in to action, strong anger raging through his body at the boy. The stupid, arrogant boy! He had thought until he remembered his own childhood.

He'd still been quit young at the time,sent on a mission with Obito, Rin, and Minato sensei. They were tracking a group of ninja from the land of waves but had been unexpectedly been hit with such a storm it had blown the roofs of some of the smaller houses in the area.

At that point they decided to rest for the night. Put up their tents and take out all their blankets to keep warm. Kakashi remembered being angry at having to waste his time there when he could be finishing off the missions. He didn't dare do so but once everyone went to sleep, pride got the best of him and he'd gone out into the immense wind and blinding snow to just do some extra training. He'd hated being still. Hated doing nothing when he could be training.

By the time Minato sensei had shown up, he'd collapsed in the snow, exhausted from his training and frozen by the storm.

"Kakashi what the hell do you think you're doing?" he'd yelled. Kakashi had kept his eyes closed, ignoring him.

With an annoyed growl, Minato picked him up and carried him back to the tent. He remembered being in a strange emotional state when the warmth hit him and crying against his sensei's chest. Cried for his lost father, cried for his lost childhood, cried just because he was so tired and so cold and so frustrated. Even now, he still didn't understand why he'd cried that night. Why he'd bawled his eyes out. But he sure as hell knew how embarrassed he'd been when he'd woken up sick and tired the next morning.

And tonight, he finally understood the look on his teacher's face when Minato laid down beside him, and just held him after coming in from the cold air.

"Sensei why the hell would you come get me? Why don't you just leave me alone, I was doing just fine on my own!" He'd said.

Minato pulled him tighter against him.

"Because I care about you Kakashi" he simply said.

Sasuke's situation was a lot worst though. Kakashi had done everything he could to warm him up until he woke up. And even when he'd struggled to open his eyes, all dazed and disoriented the relief Kakashi felt was intolerable. Sasuke's skin had gone back to red and before he'd left the tent to cool himself off, he'd noticed the boy already seemed to be getting feeling back and along with that sickness.

He couldn't blame Sasuke for this. He knew the boy was rough, arrogant, proud. He'd been stupid to not wait and make sure he did what he said. Stupid not to go check on him sooner like his sensei had done for him. He probably would have ended up like Sasuke that night or worst, if Minato hadn't showed up. He hadn't slept in days during that mission. Waking up to nightmares, training all day, that when that wave of exhaustion just hit him, he didn't ever think he would get up.

No, it was his own fault this had happened. It was his own fault his student hadn't listened to him. It was his own fault he'd panicked and failed his student once again. Now all he could do was help him out and be there for him.

Kakashi didn't know how long he'd been walking but it couldn't have been too long. He turned around and started back toward the tent now much calmer than before.

It took about five minutes to get back so he was right about not being too long, however it was a long time when you were sitting in a tent with your skin defrosting.

When Kakashi opened the tent, his eyes widened.

"Sasuke!" he exclaimed. The boy was lying bare in a pool of water beneath him. The blanket and jacket thrown in a heap to the side, the bucket tipped over on the ground and the boys whimpered and ragged breaths the only sound in the quiet night.

"Hey" he said picking him up and re-wrapping the blanket around him as the boy cried and fought against him.

"Sasuke"

"No, no sensei!" He cried as tears began to flow down his cheeks. "Please it hurts, why does my body hurt so bad? It's burning!"

Kakashi's eyes widened, not expecting this reaction. He knew the boy wouldn't feel very good but he never thought the boy would cry this way. Kakashi's heart melted in his chest. Just like him Sasuke never cried. Ever.

"Shhh I know Sasuke I know. Your senses are coming back, your nerves are reawakening. If we we're near the village right now the hospital would have you on sedatives or something to numb the feeling. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He said pulling Sasuke into his arms and putting the jacket around him as well.

"Hmmm….Sensei" He groaned on the verge of screaming as his fingers tried to clutch at the man's shirt.

"Shh Sasuke. It's okay, you're okay, I'm here." He whispered.

Sasuke groaned and whimpered, tightly holding onto his teachers arm and burying his face against his chest.

"I'm sorry sensei, I'm sorry." His voice low and strained.

"Ahhhgg!" He cried

Kakashi held the bundle of blankets close as he over and over simply whispered that it was okay. That it was alright. His voice was soft and soothing in Sasuke's ears, calming him down as the flames covering his skin and head raged stronger.

The tears stopped after a while but the little groans and whimpers escaping him never did that night. Neither did Kakashi's tight. gentle arms around him.

Amidst the pain Kakashi was the anchor. Kakashi was always the anchor, he just never realized it. Never let himself realize it. He was the safe harbor and Sasuke just didn't understand why.

"Sensei" he whimpered before trying to clear his throat a little.

"Why are you helping me? I was the one who chose not to listen to you. To go against what you said. Why don't you just leave me alone? Let me deal with…this pain on my own?" Sasuke panted, though hoped his sensei wouldn't leave him right now with all his heart.

Kakashi seemed to pause for a moment before his arms tightened around the boy.

'Because Sasuke, I care about you."

Sasuke sighed and reburied his face against his sensei's chest, gone to the world. It was a few hours before he was able to calm down enough to sleep but the whole time he bared with it because he knew that even though he'd defied Kakashi, Kakashi bared with him too.

The next morning, Naruto woke up early. He felt groggy and sore all over but very warm. Actually he was even sweating a little where Sakura's breath hit his chest.

He gently moved Sakura's arm so that he could get up without waking her when he suddenly realized he had never been woken for his shift last night. And judging by Sakura's position, neither had she. Had Kakashi sensei stayed up to watch all night? That wasn't right. Even Jounin were always told to take shifts so that they would all have their strength for the day.

He soon found that there was no point in trying to let Sakura sleep when he looked around the tent.

"Sakura!" He shouted "Sakura, Sasuke's gone!"

At Naruto's yell she had woken up but not understood what he said. She quietly rubbed away the grogginess in her eyes and smiled up at Naruto.

"Morning Naruto." She said before she realized the panic stricken look on his face.

Naruto had not forgotten the strange feeling that something was going to happen from last night.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" She asked jumping up from her position.

"Sakura, Sasuke's gone and we were never woken up for our shifts last night!" He shouted.

"What?" She said shocked.

"Are you sure? Did you check outside? Maybe he's already up?" She said.

"Right" Naruto said running to open up the tent flap.

Bright hot sun came into the tent, momentarily blinding them before they looked out and saw the ground covered in white, sparkly fluff.

"Wow" Naruto and Sakura were both momentarily dazed at the pretty sight before them before throwing their shoes on and running into the snow"

"He's not here, he's not here" Naruto said looking around the sight they'd set up camp in. The traps set hadn't been touched, no sight of footsteps other than their own, and the remains of a fire that he guessed Kakashi sensei had managed to light last night.

But why did he bother to try to light a fire? Who knew how long that would have taken? Then again if he was staying up all night in the storm to watch for attacking shinobi he'd probably find another way to stay warm as well.

Giving himself up to complete panic he ran to his teacher's tent with Sakura in tow, trying to quickly open the tent with fumbling fingers. When he finally managed, the sight before him shocked him.

"Kakashi sen-!" he was cut off by Kakashi putting his finger to his masked lips in a "shhh" gesture.

Sitting in the corner of the tent, was Kakashi sensai, with an empty bucket beside him, a pool of water in front of him, and a bundle of blankets with a pale skinned, onyx haired boy sleeping against his chest.

"Oh thank Kami, we though he was missing!" Sakura shouted before realizing what she was looking at.

"Kakashi sensei, what the hell happened last night?" Naruto whispered after a minute snapping out of his shocked faze. Sakura still hadn't gotten over it. He just looked so cute sleeping in her sensei's arms with his wet, sweaty hair, and little hands clutching the teacher's shirt.

"Long story Naruto, Sakura, but I'll tell you on the way back. Right now he just really needs to sleep, and so do I. Why don't you go out and see if you can scavenge some fish and start a fire for breakfast."

The two stood there staring open mouth wide eyed for a second before nodding and turning around to do as they were asked. Just as they secured the tent flap, they heard Kakashi whispering a single sentence before running off.

"Because I care about you Sasuke. Because I care about all of you" he whispered.

So what do you think so far? Let me know pleasee:) READ AND REVIEW!