[1]

Recently, Naruto had become aware of a few things. First, ramen was becoming better and better with a certain someone's company. Second, that someone didn't know anything about this. At least he thought so… And third, Naruto liked Kakashi. That last fact had been discussed in his mind over and over again. Kami, even Kurama had participated in those discussions sometimes and ended up saying Naruto should just jump him. Of course he couldn't do that… or maybe he could be he didn't have the courage to. Kami-sama… Uzumaki Naruto didn't have the courage for something? Had that ever been said once in his whole life? Damn that Kakashi-sensei.

"Yo – Naruto, do you want to go eat some ramen?" Speak of the devil. The grey haired ninja stood, sitting on his window porch, smiling under his mask, scaring Naruto beyond words. God forbid Kakashi from actually using a door.

"I have a door, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto replied. Kakashi balanced his legs walking inside Naruto's flat, making himself comfortable lying on the bed. Naruto glanced at him and quickly averted his eyes. How many times had he imagined Kakashi on that same position? And now, without knowing Kakashi lay exactly on the bed where he had so many times wakened up hard as rock. Even now his member seemed quite interested in acting the dreams in real life and Naruto worked very hard to ignore it.

"Hai – Hai… But why use the door if I can do this instead?" He smiled again and sat "So kid, Ichiraku? My treat of course."

"Like I could reject that, Kakashi-sensei!" they both got up and headed to Ichiraku. They walked in the streets and the warm orange of a late evening sun shined upon their heads. The people started going inside their houses at this time so the streets became rather empty.

"So, how's the training with Sasuke going?" Kakashi asked.

"Eh… Sasuke-kun… He's not used to this." He said after some thought. And it was true. Sasuke was being welcomed sweetly by him and Sakura, and even Kakashi-sensei. But the others hadn't been with him since the beginning. They didn't trust Sasuke with their lives as they did with Naruto. Sasuke always had a thing for hiding his real feelings, and blurted out that he didn't mind because he didn't give a single fuck about them either. Naruto and Sakura quickly looked through him, and Sakura took over the job of making Sasuke used to all of this, to having people around, people loving and annoying you. "He gets frustrated when people don't trust him, even sad sometimes. Of course he won't admit it."

"Ah~! Sasuke-kun will get used to it. He has great friends after all." He patted Naruto's head awkwardly since it now stood a hunch taller than when the kid was 16, Naruto had truly grown. Naruto made that legendary sunny smile at Kakashi and they arrived at Ichiraku.

"Oi! Ramen-man! Two of the usual!"

"Should you be asking for other people's food?" Kakashi scolded.

"Well, I've become happy since Kakashi sensei came to get me, think of this as a treat of mine!" He smiled.

"Eh? Really huh… Then I'll be sure to eat ten times more." Naruto made a disheartened face and stared at his Gama-chan.

"Oi… don't enjoy other people's treats that much…"

"But Naruto-kun…you never pay."

"Eh- that- I pay a few times!" He filled his mouth with ramen and stared at Kakashi sensei with wide eyes. No matter how old he was he'd never stop trying to take a peek on what rested under that mask.

"Are you still trying to figure out how my face looks like?" Kakashi's honesty never failed to shock Naruto, who in return just turned his eyes to his ramen again. "Honestly, Naruto… You are still the same kid." Kakashi chuckled lowly.

"…not…" the blonde muttered lowly.

"What did you say?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm not a kid." Naruto slurped the rest of his ramen and looked straight dead at Kakashi "I've grown."

"Ah! You have. I think you're taller." Kakashi's hand to his forehead and Naruto's signalling the difference in height "See?"

"Not in that way – I mean… that way too – But I'm more mature now." He blurted out.

Kakashi stood there eyeing him "Well…You may have grown… But I'll always see you as the little bundle of blonde hair always yelling he'd be Hokage someday."

"That's your mistake sensei."

"My mistake? Naruto you're not making any sense today, are you sick?" Naruto grabbed Kakashi's arm and smiled to the Ichiraku guy and left some money on the counter. Dragging Kakashi to the corner he finally found the spot he'd been looking for, the tree he saw when he had first arrived to Konoha after his training with Ero sennin. Staring hardly at Kakashi sensei he finally let go of his arm.

"Naruto-kun?"

"Sensei- I-I…" Kakashi realized the whole situation almost instantaneously.

"Naruto… don't make this." He begged.

"I like you."

"You don't." Kakashi sighed and rubbed his temples.

"I do. I know what I want and I'm saying I want you."

"You're a ki-." Naruto grabbed Kakashi by his waist, thanking Kami-sama that he was tall enough that this would work, and smashed his lips so forcefully into Kakashi's that it sting. Pressing his lips he forced Kakashi to take a step back and lean against the tree while his hand roamed freely around his back, eventually going lower and groping a good amount of Kakashi's ass. With that same grope, Kakashi woke up to life and pushed Naruto back.

"No."

"Why?"

"You're young – you don't know what you want, you want relief, something warm to fuck at night." Kakashi leaned his two fingers on Naruto's chest keeping him away "I'm too old for these jokes."

"I'm not joking."

"You are, but you don't realize it yet, you'll get tired. I'd wake up one day to find you moved on. You're a kid Naruto, whether you like it or not, you'll go through many lovers and many heart breaks. I'm just not the one."

"Kakashi."

"That's Kakashi sensei to you. You're my student."

"I'll leave."

"Huh?"

"If I can't have you, I will leave. Kakashi sensei." Naruto's words felt hard, cold and too far away for Kakashi to reach. He probably should have paid attention, but he didn't. This was just children's play after all. Naruto couldn't and wouldn't leave everyone behind for him, it just wasn't possible.

"Then leave." He probably shouldn't have been so harsh, so mocking of Naruto's feelings, but he was tired of the same confessions, of the same jokes and one night stands. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and when he opened his eyes Naruto wasn't pressing warmly against his fingers. He simply wasn't there. He laughed miserably to himself and realized he would probably see him in the morning, when Naruto came to apologize for last night's events.

The idiot.

«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»

Kakashi woke up to the sound of loud knocking on his door and wondered what Naruto's definition of apologizing involved. In his dictionary it didn't include knocking on someone's door at 9AM. Grumpily he stood up from his warm bed and made his way to the door.

"Kakashi senpai! Wake up! The Godaime wishes to speak with you." What? He opened the door and saw Yamato standing there, looking quite frustrated and annoyed.

"What happened?" he asked immediately.

"Naruto-kun didn't appear to his report at 7AM, it's only been 3 hours and she's already sent ANBU teams looking for him in the village."

If I can't have you, I will leave. Kakashi sensei.

He didn't did he? He did.

"She ordered me to come get you." Yamato interrupted his thoughts.

"Why?" Kakashi gulped nervously, had Naruto told her something before leaving? That woman could be incredibly frightening if the subject was Naruto. Just look at the whole situation, only 3 hours missing and ANBU teams were already dispatched to look for him. Who knew? Naruto had been late so many times for these reports just because he slept late.

"Sakura and Sasuke have been called already. You three were part of his team, she figured you should go look for him." Yamato informed.

"Kami… That Naruto." He looked back at his apartment and turned to Yamato "I'll be there in a few minutes." He said moving inside.

"Try not to be late this time. Tsunade's sama temper at the moment is awful." Yamato finally left.

If Naruto had really left the village he had probably done so yesterday, there was no use in searching the village since by now he should be already quite far. He grabbed his vest and pants and dressed, ready to leave immediately. Naruto already had a few hours of advance on him, going to Tsunade's, waiting on Sakura and Sasuke, waiting on the Council's approbation to make this officially a return mission, all of these would only make the time gap even worse. If that idiot had really done this because of what he had said, no matter what happened, he had to go get him and bring him back safe.

He jumped through the window and landed on a nearby roof. It would be a bit harder to escape since it was morning, he would've preferred the comfort and camouflage the dark of the night provided, but alas he was in this position because of his nonexistent ability of being gentle with his words, he'd have to be more careful with Naruto in the future if this was going to be such a problem. He jumped over the tall wall surrounding Konoha, since it would be a bad decision to cross the gates. Thinking to himself, he hoped he was doing the right decision not meeting Tsunade.

«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»

He sat on a rock nearby and looked at his hands. He always rushed his decisions, and now, he was in a between the wall and sword position. He could come back to Konoha and face Kakashi again after telling him he would leave, or leave Konoha, his friends, his home. However, Uzumaki Naruto didn't go back on his word, he didn't know what he had hoped to accomplish when he said that to Kakashi, was he hoping Kakashi would shower him with sweet words and kisses? That wasn't him. That was in fact very unlikely to happen.

Then leave

But Kakashi's words still hurt. How could Kakashi just plainly tell him to leave like that? He wasn't a kid anymore, but he still he had his own feelings and hopes and Kakashi had destroyed both with two words. He looked around and saw a bridge and recognized it immediately, it was the Tenchi Bridge, where he had fought Orochimaru. He'd been running since he got out of the village and he hadn't stopped. Kurama had offered his power so he wouldn't get tired but Naruto declined right off the start. He needed to feel tired, something he could use to momentarily forget those words.

Hey kid, are you planning on sulking just because your crush rejected you?

Kurama had been mocking him the whole way and Naruto was about done with the fox.

"I'm not sulking." He fought back.

I'm inside your head, do you think you can hide something from me?

"Then you should know how I feel." He retorted. Damn Kurama could be hard sometimes.

I caught that idiot. Just go back and find someone else. Like that Hyuuga girl, what's her name? Hina?

"You mean Hinata? No. I've always seen her kind of like a younger sister, like one of my friends, someone I needed to protect." He thought about for some seconds "It wouldn't make any sense – us – together. She's a nice woman, she'll find someone who loves her."

She obviously doesn't share your way of thinking, she declared her love for you, remember?

"I do… But I didn't answer because I didn't want to reject her. I mean, look at me right now, I don't want her to hate me."

Do you hate Kakashi?

"I'm sad. I feel hurt. But I don't hate him."

Exactly. Now if you don't want anything else, kindly go back to the village and take what's yours.

"Kurama… That isn't how things work at all!" He yelled frustrated "He doesn't like me and I can't just force him."

Big deal! I didn't like you either and I was forced to be inside you. You're a smart kid, figure something out.

"Oi…" Thinking twice he added "Thanks." Naruto sighed, Kurama was hard, but somehow, in his strange own way, he was trying to help. But it would take more than a few jokes and sarcastic comments to lift his spirit up, he felt truly heartbroken, maybe he shouldn't have confessed when he did, or not confessed at all. He guessed he was tired of seeing things around him not change at all. Sakura had Sasuke, as hard to imagine that was, and he knew the black haired ninja was getting used to her. Shikamaru had gone in a few dates with Temari and even Sai had something going on with Ino. With that much love going around he wanted someone to be with him too, someone to share his life with, and he knew just who he wanted by his side. Problem was, or is, Kakashi didn't slightly like him, and even told him to leave. He couldn't go back to the village. He probably wouldn't see Kakashi again. But above that, he knew he couldn't give his word so easily, and even if it cost him, he wouldn't go back on it.

He stared at a snow crystal that fell slowly in front of him and looked up, it was winter and ironically it was snowing inside the Land of Fire, Kurama's chakra maintained him rather warm outside so he didn't have to worry about the cold, he could just sit back, and think of what he was going to do.

«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»«x»

It had started to snow and Kakashi hated every single aspect of it, it was getting awfully cold and his ninken would soon be unable to track Naruto's smell through the forest.

"Pakkun, you think you can track his smell even with the snow?" Kakashi was getting worried. He wouldn't turn back home without Naruto, but how difficult would it be to find him? How far had he gone? He had been at this for a few hours now and there was no sign of the blonde except the smell Pakkun caught every now and then.

"Kurama's powers make his smell almost indistinguishable. It's very faint, if we don't find it before the ground is covered in snow I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything…"

"I understand." He followed quickly behind Pakkun "Let's hurry then." They kept going forward, and everyone was already getting tired but Kakashi knew how loyal his ninken were, and how Pakkun would never give up.

"Here!" Pakkun's sudden call made Kakashi stop right behind him. He looked around but didn't see a sign of who he was looking for.

"Did you lose it?" He asked worried.

"No, the smell ends right, I'm sure of it." He walked around a bit before sitting with the other ninken "He's here Kakashi, our job is done." Suddenly they all disappeared in their very custom like small cloud of smoke, leaving Kakashi alone.

"Naruto?" He called. He felt stupid calling for him, after what he had said would Naruto even want to see him? Probably not. He heard a low noise above him and looked up to see blue eyes staring at him intensely. "Naruto?" He tried.

"Why are you here? You told me to leave. Why have you come for me?" Naruto was angry, Kakashi could tell by the tone he had rarely heard Naruto use.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. I didn't want you to leave, I just thought –"

"I know what you thought. You thought I wouldn't leave, that I was joking." Naruto snorted "I'm not a kid anymore, Kakashi. I have feelings as well, and if I act on them I'm not expecting such a half hearted answer."

"Naruto –"

"Kakashi-sensei, I'll make the things really clear. You heard what I said last night, and it's my nindō, I won't go back in my word, you know that."

"You can't leave everyone behind Naruto, you have to think clearly about what you're doing. You're young you can have anyone else-" Kakashi was interrupted as Naruto scowled and yelled at him.

"I don't want anyone else." The blonde yelled. Kakashi flinched slightly at the tone.

"But you can't just leave Naruto-kun!" He retorted getting a bit angry at the blonde himself.

"Then – be mine." Naruto stated simply.

That surprised Kakashi even though he had heard it a handful of times last night, Naruto could be as stubborn as rock. Was there a way to turn this around?

"Be yours?" he asked.

"Yes – You know. Date me. Actually give me a chance to prove I'm not kidding, that this isn't a kid's crush."

"Naruto –"

"If you accept I'll go back with you to Konoha." Naruto dropped down to stand in front of Kakashi "But – if you say no, I won't come home ever again. I swear on it." Naruto slid his hands into Kakashi's cheek and smirked "So what is your answer…" and the other hand slid into Kakashi's waist pulling them closer "Kakashi sensei?"

Kakashi hadn't been so torn in his life since he was a child. On one side, he had come here to take Naruto back home, and if he went back now, Naruto-less, how would he explain the situation in which he had gotten himself into? He went there, saw Naruto, and came back without him. It would be hard enough to explain why he had ran away in the first place. Naruto's warmth pressing against him wasn't helping him in any way, he could feel the younger's breath on his cheek and wondered if this was in any way similar to what he should expect if he entered in a relationship with his former student.

If he declined, Naruto would leave. He was certain of this, Naruto's nindō meant he never took back his words and never had Kakashi seen Naruto break it. So right now Naruto was threatening to leave everyone behind, everyone he had met and befriended, even the people that had been there since his childhood, he was threatening to leave his home even, for Kakashi. This wasn't something Kakashi could allow him to do. Ever.

"You're blackmailing me kid…" He sighed, Naruto wasn't giving him two options, it was a hidden one option kind of deal and Naruto knew that if pressured, Kakashi would choose the one he wanted.

"Maybe I am. But it seems this is the only way I'll get what I want. And I really want you, Kakashi sensei." Naruto gave a step forward and Kakashi almost fell if not for the tree right behind him. Did Naruto always look for trees to push him against or were these always conveniently placed by some word of Kami? "So? What's your answer?"

"Drop the honorific." He tried very hard to wrap his arms around Naruto's neck and forget the kid version of his student.

"What?" Naruto asked confused.

"You don't need to use an honorific if we… are in a relationship." By the huge smile Naruto gave him he could already feel the shivers in his skin telling him this was an awful idea.

A really bad one.

A.N: Hoped you enjoyed the chapter, I promise the rest of the story gets gradually more interesting and sexy ;) so just join in and read the rest, it won't disappoint!