(A/N: Yea….chapter 6…woot! I think this the farthest I've ever gotten in a fic, and its all thanks to you guys who read and review –glomps every single one of her reviewers-So here I am typing out fan fiction when I'm supposed to be doing homework…and revising for a math re-test and a bio test…yikes, I lead a sad life…oh well…)
(A/N 2: About this chapter…its really weird…you'll see what I mean…oh it's split into 3 parts so I can update faster.)
Chapter 6-Inverted Reflections
Day 1
Kakashi's eyes snapped open as he heard soft noises. He lay in bed, whiling away the hours to dawn, waiting for the whimpers to subside. The kid was probably just homesick…
Day 2
Soft cries awoke him again at night. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. He had a mission tomorrow night…
Day 3
Kakashi opened the door wearily as the first rays of sunlight hit the Hidden Village of Leaf. It had been 2 months since he had gone on an A-rank mission, and to go on an S-rank mission now…
But there was a reason for it, as with all things in the world. After being inactive for 2 months, there would no doubt be rumors that the infamous Copy-nin was dead. And Konoha could not afford to show any sign of weakness given the current situation. Sandaime Hokage was old. He was older than any other Kage ever had been. And he had not found a successor. To put it simply, there was no successor. As such, if Konoha were to lose their Hokage now, pandemonium would undoubtedly occur.
It was customary for a Kage to be succeeded by his student or a student's student. But the Sannin were scattered. Sannin Jiraiya's student, Yondaime was dead. And Kakashi was Yondaime's only surviving student. As for the other Sannin…Tsunade had taken her sole pupil with her and Orochimaru had deserted with all of his, leaving only Mitarashi Anko behind. He knew her well. She was friends with the Cat.
He fled from that thought. He did not need to be thinking about swords and blood on the morning after he had just returned from his reintroduction to both. It had nearly the final time he had to face both. And isn't that what you yearn for?
It was true. All he wanted was…
A whimper broke that chain of thought as well. Kakashi was, at that moment, very glad for Naruto's presence. He walked over to the boy.
Naruto was rolling in his sheets, gasping soundlessly. Drops of sweat ran down his forehead and had already drenched his blonde hair.
Pain. It hurt so much. Why? Why were they doing this? Was he really so evil? What he ever done?
A voice pierced his thoughts. "Yes, little monster. You are evil incarnate. You are worse, than the Grim Reaper himself. You don't deserve life. No one wants you…No one cares!" the voice screamed at him.
He was plunged into a maelstrom of memories. Everywhere he looked people were screaming and throwing things at him. The worse though, were the glares. Poisonous, hate-filled glares that shook him to the core and promised things he could not begin to imagine at.
Stop! He wanted to scream but he could not. The words refused to leave his mouth. Something was squeezing his chest and everything was red and black. He tried to shout for help or say anything at all. But he couldn't. He wanted to cry but he had not the strength.
He opened his mouth in desperation. He had to-
Kakashi knew it was bad when Naruto started thrashing and gulping at the air. The boy had never done this before. He grabbed his hitai-ate from the bed stand and put it on to cover the Sharingan.
He reached over and shook the boy awake.
Naruto came to, gasping for his very life. He looked around in panic, adrenaline pumping through his system and narrowing his focus. He tried to untangle himself from the blankets-in his mind they were ropes tied to hold him down and sobbed in frustration when he couldn't.
Kakashi reached out gently and placed a firm arm on Naruto's shoulder. The boy jumped at that. He stared wildly at Kakashi, unable to distinguish friend from foe. Blue eyes glared into a single black one for a long moment.
"It was a nightmare", Kakashi said at last, slightly unnerved at the ferocity of the boy's gaze. He had stared down cold-blooded maniacs before without flinching…but this boy…his eyes had been so feral, like a cornered wild beast. Perhaps the Kyuubi was still in there…
No. He refused to pursue the thought. Naruto was Naruto. He was a six-year old boy, nothing more, nothing less. He might be the Kyuubi no Kitsune's container. But he was still Naruto. Besides, Kakashi seriously doubted that any youkai would gulp down ramen the way the kid did.
"Just a nightmare…it was so real…"
There, you idiot. See? He's just a small boy!
Oh really? And how do you know? Experts on youkai all of a sudden are we?
Kakashi firmly ignored the voices in his head and headed to the kitchen. He uncapped the warm water he kept in a flask for such occasions and poured a cup.
"Here. It'll help clear your head", he offered the cup to the boy. Naruto silently accepted it and drank the water. He drained it and gave it back to the jounin who wordlessly returned it to the kitchenette's shelf.
"So, want to talk about it?"
Naruto shook his head.
"Cat got your tongue?"
"Why are you so concerned?" Naruto asked petulantly.
Kakashi didn't reply this time. They stood in silence, both of them looking everywhere but the other.
Naruto finally turned his gaze to Kakashi, and gasped. Kakashi frowned at that-he had made sure both his mask and forehead protector were secured before he woke the boy up.
"You're…you're bleeding!"
Kakakshi's eyes widened. "Aa…well that…you shouldn't shout you know. You'll wake up the neighbours".
"But…but you're hurt!"
"Mah, mah. I know that Naruto-kun. But it's just a scratch. I'll go clean it up now, ok?" he smiled inwardly. The troublesome slash he'd received across his right shoulder had been worth something after all-it had taken the boy's mind off his dreams.
He went to the cabinet in the kitchen and got out his rather extensive first-aid kit. He had treated a multitude of his own wounds himself over the years and this was nothing. His first-aid kit was of course due to Rin's influence. She had always forced Obito, himself and even sensei, into stocking up on medical supplies.
He reached down to open the box and winced as his shoulder twinged in response to the action. Naruto reached sown immediately.
"Here, I'll do it. The medic-nin at the hospital taught me to dress my own wounds", Naruto got out the roll of gauze, sticky tape and scissors, as well as the alcohol dabs with the air of one who was accustomed to such things.
Kakashi watched bemusedly as the boy measured the gauze out and cut it with the cautiousness of a six-year old. The boy held the gauze up when he was down before he realized he had to put it on Kakashi.
Kakashi decided to humor the kid. He stood up and disassembled his body armor before pulling his shirt off. A stab of pain ran down his arm at that. Damn, he really had to get that looked at tomorrow. He sat down in front of the kid and waited.
Naruto took the unspoken cue to begin. He used the swabs to meticulously and gently soak up the blood and clean the long gash. He soft touches gave Kakashi an odd sense of déjà vu. He could almost hear Rin chiding Obito for being careless as she cleaned his wounds…
Naruto was wrapping the shoulder by now. He finished and tried to hold the bandage in place while he (unsuccessfully) tried to cut a piece of medical tape at the same time.
Kakashi felt a grin tug his mouth at the boy's humorous attempts. At last, he reached out a hand to hold the bandage in place. Naruto looked up at him, seemingly having forgotten about his 'patient'.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him and the kid blushed. He yawned as he cut the tape and plastered it on.
"Well, I suppose its time for you to go back to bed".
"But it's already morning!" Naruto said in between two humongous yawns.
Kakashi shook his head. Naruto pouted. He picked the boy up and deposited him on the small futon before the kid could protest. He turned to leave, envisioning a long soak to soothe his now aching shoulder. A tiny tug stopped him.
"Can…can I…I don't wanna sleep alone", the words tumble out of the boy's mouth as he studied the ground.
Kakashi considered saying no. He looked at the blonde kid and memories flooded him of waking up screaming to empty silence and the drunken groans of a broken man. He had a chance to make a difference. The bath could wait. He picked the kid's bedding up and put them down across the hall, beside his own futon.
"I'll be back after taking a shower". His bath could wait till morning.
Kira-Reen
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(A/N: Ok…experimentation with a new style here…like it…don't like it? Read and review. Next chapter
