Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. ^^
You are the one who freed me from my cage...
You are the one who soothed my flaming rage...
My eyes...
They were the first thing you saw, not the blood splatters in my clothes, not the tainted sword I held, not even the dead corpses that lied between us...
You only looked into my eyes, you who were clean, pure and innocent as the blue eyes you had.
You were the first one who did not screamed murder, killer...monster...towards my existence.
Instead, you just reached out and held out those hands of yours, your lips formed in an understanding smile, like that of a god who knows every sins that was done by my hands and still held his arms open to welcome his lost child.
I reached out...but I hesitated. The voice in the back of my hand shouted at me to stop, stop what was I doing...stop before I taint you with my darkness...
Yet my hand continued to reach to yours. My bloodied, sinned hand.
I watched in trepidation as you stepped closer, and before I knew, it your hand held mine...
With your warm smile, you had accepted me...
With your warm smile, you had let myself see...
It was a disaster...It was all my fault...
If only I was fast enough to shield you, if only I was strong enough to pull you out of harms way...If only...If only I was not drowning in the thrill of bloodlust then maybe you wont be lying there...On a bed, sleeping in a death like state.
You were pale as a snow, your lips were chapped and breathing ragged. But despite that you were peaceful, as if you are just sleeping beneath the moon light.
Every time I visit you, my eyes would always stray to the bandages around your torso, those thin cloth wrappings still held some hues of your blood. They always reminded me of my mistake...my sin...another regret to add in the sea of self loathing.
For weeks I stayed by your side, prayed to the gods that I don't know. Prayed that I can see your beautiful blue eyes again, but you did not...you still kept sleeping, oh so peacefully. It hurts me more to know that you're so near...yet so far away.
I always left when the sun reached the peak of the sky...when I'm beside you, I was being tortured yet at the same time calmed by your presence...it was too much.
And so I trained...it kept my thoughts from wandering into and endless void of dark whispers.
I trained and trained, until the sun wave its goodbye and moon glowed in greeting, until my body has reached its limits, until I was sure that I am stronger as each day passes by...until I was sure that I can protect you...
You are the loving sky who took me in...
You are the one who forgave my sins...
"You're leaving?" you asked while leaning against the door with an unreadable look.
I was halfway perched on the window sill, mask in place and sword already stashed at my back. I paused and glanced back at you.
"Yes." I replied in soft tone, like a child being chided for taking a cookie.
You walked towards me and I stayed still, I watched as your long unrestrained hair flow with the night breeze it was a mesmerizing sight...It has been a month since my last mission, one where I came out barely alive nearly empty with life yet filled with more sins than anyone.
"Be careful..." yous poke as you lifted up my mask and blue clashed against gray eyes. "I'll be waiting for you, so please...please come back safe..."
I can only nod, knowing that I can't keep that promise...I broke so many of them, but this time...
I'll try.
I will promise I'll be right by your side...
A promise I'll forever abide...
I was dropped from the force after that mission, I seems that you had spoken to the head and said a few very well thought out words, I was released without any complaints, you even mange to get me back into my previous rank.
However that course of action...upsets me.
I don't know what to think of it, but it made me feel that I did something wrong...
But when I see your relieved smile and relaxed posture, it was worth keeping my insecurities silent, locking it tightly at the back of mind.
Still you saw through it, every time we spent together your blue eye saw something in mine and began asking mem, relentlessly if I may say, I kept my silence. Knowing that if I told you, your eyes will held something I won't be able to bare.
It was a mystery...to me how you were able to let me say it you...that night I was never able to forgave myself when your eyes held disappointment and regret...something that set my heart clenching in guilt that I was the one who put those miserable eyes in that emotion.
The next day you came to me, a bit subdued yet your eyes held some mischief that you wore when we were still children. My question never left my mouth when you told me that I am needed in the office.
Dutifully I followed the order, albeit a bit late as you snagged me off to treat you for lunch.
That afternoon, I left the building with elation, a scroll in my hand and a certain mask hidden beneath my jacket. I never thought that you had the gall to demand that to your surrogate grandfather, but you did.
We met at the bridge and you greeted me with a cheeky smile.
"So, how did it go?" You asked.
"Thank you..." I said, my eyes formed into what you always call eye-smile.
"No need to thank me, silly." You said as you pointed at my masked nose.
"How did you know?" I asked, I never confessed the real reason why I was down, I left that part out yesterday.
"A little bird told me." You replied impishly. "So...full time bodyguard eh?"
"Hmm." I hummed in agreement as I gazed at the sky and back to your eyes. "I made a promise."
Even if the nature is against my will...
Even if the gods if to curse me ill...
"Kakashi!" You shouted, your bloodied hand reached out helplessly as I continue to held back the squad of enemy.
They were after you, they were after your life...it was unforgivable...
"Naruto! Run!...please." I said staring back right into you blue eyes filled with fright.
I held the gaze a few more seconds until I saw you clench your fist, your shoulders were shaking and tears began to fall from your pain filled eyes. You looked so frail right now...I hate seeing you like that...
The enemy took the small opening I made and ran directly to you...I saw him held his sword high and it reminded me of the time I failed to protect you...
I made a promise...and I would die before I broke that one.
And so I rushed to you, forcing my legs to run faster than I ever had. The simple saying don't turn you back to your enemies rang true as I felt a barrage of kunai embed in my back. I ignored it, the blood, the pain, the fatigue...they were nothing...the pain of knowing that I might loose you...loose you to death...it's unbearable.
"Naruto!" I called out again...but your eye were closed...unable to see...unable to defend.
I blew a string of curses and saw that the enemy was directly behind you.
Fear crept into my heart as I saw him swing...
I opened my eyes just in time to see a shadow fell over me, it was stupid. I let my guard down and this might be the second time a sword will be lodged in my torso. It was a very frightening situation and as I saw the blade swung at me I knew that pain would soon follow...
But it never did.
Because you were there, you were all bloodied...fatigued...pain...and smiling...
I reached you...I don't how I did it but I reached you...
You're safe, uninjured...alive.
I clenched my sword and swung, decapitating the enemy in one swift move. I saw the others coming and without prompt I lift you up and began to weave through the tree tops.
"Kakashi!" A worried cry echoed on my shoulder and saw you staring at the sword lodge in my body and possibly the set of kunai in my back.
"Don't mind that." I said as I landed on one of the more sturdy branches and let him down. "Naruto...I need you to run, straight back to Konoha."
"B-but what about you?" You asked, glancing at the weapons still embedded in my body.
Despite the wounds, I manage to gave an eye smile. "I'll be right at your back."
A lie...and we both know it...
I created a clone who began to pull out the weapons, I was glad you didn't call the lie out and instead silently helped my copy. Blood began to flow freely.
A few meters away I felt the enemies close in, you did too.
And you looked me with dread filled eyes.
"Go." I said softly, caressing the tears that began to fall again.
"Go, I be right behind." I repeated this time more stern, you nodded and and turned around.
"I'll be waiting for you, so please...please come back safe..." You whispered and began to ran away.
"I'll try..." My answer went unheard as you were already far away.
I'll protect my sky until my last breath...
I'll protect you even beyond death...