vii. Moonlight
Iwagakure
Kakashi doesn't know for how long he has been staring at Naruto while the young man slept through the night. Kakashi himself managed to sleep but remembering that one time he slept in allowing Naruto to escape the dreadful reality of finding himself in Kakashi's bed that one morning, Kakashi does not want that happening again.
Naruto is not going anywhere, Kakashi won't give him any reason to. There's no reason to be embarrassed. The more this happens in regular basis, the more it would seem normal, the more Naruto will be relaxed around him –the more he could wake up with the blond right next to him.
That would be just ecstasy.
Kakashi's right hand holding his Icha Icha book while his other hand caressing the boy's smooth blond hair as he realize just how the boy calmed down to him stroking his hair when the first episode of his nightmare struck a couple of hours ago during the night.
Kakashi flinched when he heard his companion in bed squirming. He opened his drowsy eyes and found the mess of blond hair before his face and it took only a second for him to remember that he has Naruto on his designated bed.
The night is still in Iwagakure, even quieter than the nights in Konoha so it was easy to hear every movements, every suffering mutterings of the boy beside him.
"No…I…"
Kakashi froze as he heard Naruto muttering that he has to lift his head from the pillow just to see Naruto's face. Is the blond awake?
"You're not gonna die… nobody's dying."
He frowned when it struck him that this is what Kurama was talking about. Kurama mentioned about Naruto having nightmares occurring every so often.
"I won't let you die… come on…" Naruto stirred on his sleep, his voice hoarse and almost whimpering, "Take my chakra… hold on to it. Come on…"
Kakashi carefully sat up now, fingers cupping the blonde's face, hoping to ease the strain on the man's face. "Shh… Naruto…" The jonin slowly and carefully mumbled, not meaning to wake the man up.
"Sasuke…"
Kakashi's lips formed a firm line hearing the blond uttering the name. He doesn't want to discern the instinctive response coming out of him just now but he knew he should stop. Jealousy isn't something healthy to harbour. It's the evilest of thing possible for somebody who experiences love.
"Neji…"
Clearly, Naruto is still grieving over the people who he had lost –who everybody has lost during the 4th Shinnobi war. For somebody who wore to protect everybody, it wasn't easy to just try to live on without thinking that somehow even so slightly, you once failed.
"Ero-sennin… Nagato…Obito… Yondaime… Mom…"
"Shh… Naruto…" Kakashi couldn't listen to all the names that escaped Naruto's mouth as all names impacted great aching in his own heart, completely resonating that of the blond's.
The pain of losing someone, of having been feeling terribly helpless and the guilt of having to see somebody sacrifice their lives for you. These are the pains of a shinobi.
Naruto's eyes fluttered open to this, mouth trembling while trying to see who owns the warm careful hand holding him. "Ka…kashi."
"Shh…I got you." Kakashi smiled, taking in the wary, pain-stricken deep blue eyes of the blond. "I got you…it's okay now."
Naruto hummed to that assuring voice coupled with loving hands. "Kakashi…" He muttered as his eyes heavily lulled him back to sleep. The ache in his chest completely gone without a trace. Strange, completely strange to think it was only this sensei who is able to provide him comfort and security.
Kakashi feels for Naruto, he truly does. Having uninvited nightmares every so often is something one just couldn't easily live down. If it doesn't go away, it might actually be the end… a shinobi's death.
Kakashi noticed Naruto stirring slightly and after a minute or two, the boy opened his eyes. The horror on the boy's blue eyes last night is completely replaced by that of pure joy and excitement.
"Good morning…" Kakashi smiled underneath his mask, lowering his book onto his lap.
After having to realize where he was, Naruto flinched, a tiny bit of red hue on his face. "Goodmorning, sensei…" He replied but as he sat up, levelling himself to the jonin.
If Naruto has any tendency to be rational and question the idea on why he's sharing a bed with his sensei, that got to be discuss a tiny bit later as he remembered something he has to deal with first. A panic then crossed his face as his hand flew towards his stomach. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Kurama!" Unsealing the beast right away. He is so effin' dead right now.
Amusingly Kakashi watched Naruto closed his eyes, allowing himself to converse to the kyuubi inside of him. Err…Looks like somebody needs some explaining to do. He chuckled as he let his own eyes get back to reading his Icha Icha book, leaving Naruto deal with the beast on his own.
"Na. ru .to….!"
Naruto awkwardly grinned towards the stretching kyuubi in front of him. An enraged Kurama is something he doesn't want to wake up to. "Maa, maa, Kurama. Relax…" He stepped back, waving his hands defensively.
"Sealing me the whole night…What's the big idea, brat?" The nine tailed fox growled, puff of strong red chakra almost sent Naruto backwards.
"I don't mean to… I… Kakashi…" He's always been terrible at lying so he wasn't so surprised to find himself stuttering. He doesn't even know where to start lying or whether it's wise to even lie in front of the beast who had lived with him since the day he was born.
Kurama jerked his head, trying to see through what's in front of him, feeling the surrounding around Naruto's physical self.
The fox amusingly laughed, a sudden change from the murdering aura just half a minute ago. "Trying to go private on me now, huh? What, you think snogging with that silver haired brat all night is enough of a reason to seal me?"
"Snog…snogging? I wasn't snogging!" Naruto immediately flushed. He's quite sure that wasn't the case at all. Yeah, snuggling might be but not kissing… "Kurama!"
"Boy, if you weren't kissing, definitely there wasn't any other reason why you must seal me. TIGHTLY." Kurama's glare flared again.
Naruto panicked as he stepped backwards a few more, "I…I…was… snogging." He doesn't know where that came from but Kurama stopped glaring at him instantly so he definitely got that going for him.
"Kakashi that brat." Kurama swirled until comfortably lying surrounding his own fur. Contentedly he muttered, "Go on, brat." He waved his own jinchuriki away.
Naruto smiled happily as he exited his subconsciously.
Kakashi heard Naruto sighing a few moments after. He lowered his book again as he asked, "How's it?"
"He's furious…" Naruto heaved more before crossing his arms before his chest, "Told him we were trying to be private…snogging and all." Naruto explained, sighing in relief even more.
Kakashi was glad Naruto hasn't noticed the blush showing easily on his face. Surely Naruto doesn't have any idea that somehow he might have placed a tiny peck on his forehead last night, right? He tried to be so cautious about it. "Well, that's great you sorted it out." He mumbled.
Naruto nodded as he eased himself out of the bed, stretching as he did so. "Now, now…sensei… Let's not keep the old geezer waiting…"
"Yeah." Kakashi nodded back as he got out of bed himself. He hoped today's mission from the Tsuchikage would keep his mind off Naruto.
Tsuchikage watched the two shinobi of the Konoha in front of him. How he wished he has these two of the most dignified shinobis under his command as a part of their Village of Stone and not just because they have an alliance.
Going against Konoha is even scarier now that we've get to see first-hand what their shinobi can do. The Tsuchikage mentally said.
"I'm glad Tsunade-hime didn't hesitate to send his two best ones around." The kage started.
"Maa, maa… old geezer. There's no point getting praises now. We are in an alliance and I would like to keep it that way." Naruto gave a nod to the Stone Kage, "So, what's our mission now? I hope it's not one of those diplomatic missions I had to go to. I had enough with the feudal lords already. Really, at this point, I'll rather go to D-rank missions and weed some old woman's meadow."
Such a loud mouth youth…hasn't changed. Tsuchikage groaned, feeling his temples about to explode. Sighing, he decided to get on with what's troubling him. "We tried to assist this problem by ourselves here in Stone Village. We didn't try to let the other four great nationS involved as this is our village's mishaps."
Kakashi and Naruto nodded. Of course they understand. Even Konoha had some matters they do not let the other villages involved. Sure, the Tsuchikage has his own sreasons too. Seeing how the certain Kage is asking for Naruto's help only shows this is beyond what the Stone has assumed.
"There's a Kekkei Tota bar myself." Onoki revealed. "I have known of its existence since the day this person was born. I have also ordered for this person to be locked away in a certain hidden village in the southern part of the Land of Earth. I feared for the boy's life as he was born in midst of war… we were against Konoha at that time and Konoha has always been after destroying what makes the other villages stronger.
That aside, the problem is now. We received an information from the small village itself a decade ago that the boy had killed each one of the villagers. The same time, killed himself. No bodies have been found. Seeing how he is a Kekkei Tota, I could just imagine how the bodies turned to dust. We all thought he died but recent findings, a decade after, that he lives."
"Is he a threat now?" Kakashi asked.
Onoki heaved a sigh, burdened, "Well, we tried to contain him and each one we sent never get to come back."
"Maybe the guy just wants to be alone." Naruto said, a matter of fact.
"Maybe so," Onoki agreed, "but we are wary that the boy may turned against us. The reason why we want you for this mission because apart from you, there's no other shinobi who can get through anybody. We just want to make sure the boy doesn't pose a threat. We will leave him alone if you, Naruto, could come back with assurance he doesn't attack."
Naruto didn't say anything as he weighs what he should really do. Obviously, the Kekkei Tota could really become a threat and he should eliminate any threat around as soon as possible. But he does not entirely agree on how the boy is seemingly referred as a monster without trying to know the boy. Sure, the entire small village has been murdered but there was no evidence he was responsible of it.
He groaned, "Fine. But if I prove this Kekkei Tota is harmless, you leave him alone. If he's dangerous, you won't hear anything of him by the time I get back."
"Hm." Tsuchikage nodded, agreeing. "I'll leave everything to you."
Kakashi watched Naruto looking upset and he knows where the blond is coming from. The way the Kage explained is how most of Konoha would describe Naruto back in the days. He placed a hand on the blond's shoulder, "Let's go, Naruto."
Naruto nodded.
It'll take roughly four days just to get to the whereabouts of the Kekkei Tota. Normally, it will take a week but it was because that they've decided to be a two-man cell for this mission, with Kakashi and Naruto being one of the fastest shinobi around, a week journey could easily become four days.
"Let's camp here." Kakashi stopped in the clearing. He made a few hand seals to put up safety barriers surrounding them. Though it was beyond unnecessary seeing Naruto could sense possible threats from miles away, there's really no harm being cautious either.
Naruto sighs as he let his backpack fell on the ground, followed by his body. He spreads wide open there, heaving as his exhaustion hit him in one blast. They've been travelling for a day and a half after all.
After finishing making his barriers, Kakashi noticed the boy already falling asleep in the most uncomfortable manner. He shook his head as he unpacked his sleeping bag and tent. He quickly built his tent and prepared it.
He went back to Naruto who is still fast asleep, he laughs to himself hearing the blond snoring for a little bit. "Naruto… will move you for a bit." Regardless of knowing Naruto won't wake up at this point even if a hurricane will come ploughing them, he still warn the guy.
He picked the young man up, briefly taking notes how the man's weight changed over the year. He nodded to his shadow clone he called out a few minutes ago to take out Naruto's own sleeping bag as he picks him up.
He waited for his clone to arrange the man's sleeping bag before he laid Naruto down there. He lets his clone vanished and sat beside the now comfortable sleeping young man. He stroke the blond hair, smiling to himself.
A few minutes after he had happily filled himself with just staring at Naruto's handsome gentle face, he gave the latter a peck on the forehead. "Goodnight, my love." He smiled lovingly and blushed as he realized what he just uttered.
Out of his embarrassment, he jumped back to his own prepared sleeping bag and force himself to sleep. There's no point dwelling on something impossible.
On their third day travelling, Kakashi chose the camp near an isolated hot spring. Man, both him and Naruto really needs a proper long bath.
So, when he set barriers on their camp site, he didn't let Naruto hit the ground. "Nah ah, Naruto. You are not just gonna fall asleep."
"But sensei…." Naruto whined.
"We are going for the hot spring a few meters from here." Kakashi placed all his belongings to the ground, stretching his aching back.
"But I'm tired." Naruto whined coupled with long yawning. "Very tired." He emphasized.
Kakashi moved closer to the blond and warned, "Don't make me carry you and throw you to the pond myself." He used his sensei-tone knowing it always seem to work on Naruto when he was still a genin level. "And don't say I won't."
Naruto pouted while sending murderous glare towards the sensei. Realizing that Kakashi wouldn't let him off this time, he crawled away towards the pond and finally stood up to start walking mumbling something about Kakashi becoming an unreasonable demanding old geezer.
This for instance just made Kakashi laughs like a madman, sending shivers to Naruto who scram towards the pond quickly now.
Kakashi leisurely took his time towards the pond and was glad when he found Naruto already submerged on the pond, a smile of satisfaction written all over his face.
Looking at the sight alone made Kakashi growled to himself. How did he let himself plan his own death right here?
Naruto's blond hair shimmers enchantingly under the soft glow coming off the moon, his tan flawless skin makes the best contrast between the sparkly water and his blond hair. The serene smile the man is showing now make it even captivating for anyone's watching him.
Kakashi couldn't move from where he was nailed motionlessly, loving the way Naruto childishly plays with the water as he chuckles in between.
"Sensei… don't be unfair now and join me here." Naruto took noticed of him, sending him those as if he was being mistreated wide blue eyes.
Kakashi doesn't want to join because he was afraid he would just ruin this perfect scene but seeing how Naruto kept eyeing him slightly impatient now, he sighs and relented.
He placed his towel and started undressing. On his last garment, he was glad Naruto turned and gave him privacy. He quickly took his mask off as well and slowly went towards the spring.
The warm water is welcoming under his exhausted feet and he couldn't wait for the rest of his body to feel the same pleasure. "Ah, this is ecstasy." He muttered the moment he was able to fully dip himself bar his head.
"Yeah. This is good." Naruto agreed and gave him that huge warm smile.
Kakashi could just melt and be gone. That smile can snatch his soul away so easily.
"It's been a while since we went to a hot spring, sensei." Naruto said as he looked at the jonin's face directly now. "I kind of missed it."
"Sorry if sensei hasn't brought you to hot springs anymore, neh, Natuto?" Kakashi playfully said, smiling as he even went closer to ruffle the drenched blond hair.
Kakashi sensei's smile. Naruto froze witnessing for the first time the jonin's smile. It wasn't a smirk like the few nights before, this time it was that playful smile.
Despite the dark, the moonlight was enough for Naruto to catch those perfect set of teeth, beautiful thin lips and the irresistible shy dimples on both side of the man's cheeks. They weren't the deepest dimples, they're barely there but there's no denying that they exist either.
"Dimples…"
Kakashi's eyes widened as the realization struck him, he stepped backward. He doesn't have his mask on and it was too late to conceal himself. Though his dimples weren't entirely the reason why he hid underneath the mask, he is still uneasy having it so exposed like this.
Naruto couldn't keep his eyes away from his sensei. Damn, the man is so captivating he doesn't know how to explain it. He thought he had known everything about the man but clearly not especially when something new rushing through inside him he couldn't name.
Naruto noticed Kakashi distancing from him and this gave him an uncertain displeasure so before he could think, he caught the sensei's arm to still him. He himself was shock of the way he acted but he's always been open towards of how he feels in front of this man, "Sensei… stay still." He muttered.
"What…." are you doing? Kakashi wanted to ask but he was so caught on how close they are to each other, how Naruto's eyes imprisoning his. For the man who longed for this, he isn't able to act rationally and resist this huge temptation.
"I want to see you." Naruto explained, eyes still couldn't be swayed away. "I want to know you even more…let me see you."
It was easy to do what the blond says because Kakashi's mind is already all over the place he doesn't know how to react. He liked the attention and the appreciative look the young man is giving him but at the same time, it worries him.
Because at this moment, Naruto is breaking all the kinds of walls Kakashi had made sure were there to keep himself in checked. All he could think now is to grab Naruto and pin him to the nearest rock and kiss him silly there. Everything else be damned.
