Random Rambling: I just saw "Grave of the Fireflies" and that movie was so sad… I almost cried at the end… and I don't cry from movies…

Other than that… Oh it was really warm this weekend that was wonderful – I even got sunburnt (which wasn't as wonderful, but nevermind… ) xP

You have to tell me; do you want a happy or a sad ending for this, because I have two ways the plot could move, and I want to please the crowd… I'll go after what the majority says, so you better state your mind

If you don't say anything you can count on my brain typing out whatever comes first, and I'm telling you, it's not gonna be happy nor pretty – it would probably result in heartbreak and lots of blood and goriness…

Disclaimer: Still not mine – though when I take over the world sometime in the near future it will be…

Last chapter: Kakashi confessess to Naruto, Naruto's heart stops - but he lives and Naruto now knows of Kakashi's feelings for him... some ShizuIru-ness too, they're so sweet together Naruto is out of his coma xD

Go on, read and review, you've been good at it lately xD You who do are basically the reason I keep on writing… It's no fun if you don't get any feedback (though I would probably still write anyways since if I didn't my head would explode with ideas and stuff…)

Chapter 11

"Naruto's awake," As he opened the doors into the hokage's office and slowly walking inside, Kakashi had regained his normal, uncaring posture. "He was awake, rather, he fell asleep again right before I left..." As usual a bright orange book was placed in Kakashi's hand, the man lifting it and proceeding to read some more of his favourite volume of the Icha Icha series when he finished speaking.

"He's awake? And you didn't tell me immediately because?!" Tsunade, who was usually quite good at concealing her emotions when it came to any other shinobi, yelled at Kakashi. Her 'little brother' had been awake and she hadn't been there for him...

"Well, If I were to tell you immediately I'd have had to leave him while he was awake, now wouldn't I," a slight nod from Tsunade showed that she understood the reason for his not telling her at once. "So I figured I'd rather stay with him till he fell asleep again, then come back and tell you. He's out of the coma, that's all that matters, right?" Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, he couldn't help it, the blonde was finally back with the living.

Jiraiya, who had been sitting in the corner chair as usual, listening passively to the conversation so far, decided to speak. "Well, how was he? Did he say anything about..." a moment of hesitation passed the sannins voice as he was unsure how to ask, choosing the simplest way. "Itachi?"

"No, there was no mention of the... incident at all, we just talked about" I can't exactly tell them what we talked about... I mean, they know that I like him already, but it's a private matter... "Stuff."

"Sou ka... Well, Tsunade, shouldn't you be with Naruto instead of here then, he might wake up again soon, I doubt you'd want to miss awakening number two." Jiraiya smiled kindly at Tsunade, who was already standing at the door, ready to leave.

"Aren't you coming?" She looked a little surprised, she'd expected Jiraiya to hurry with her, he was almost like the kid's father after all.

"Nah, I'll be right there, just give me a little while... He's already out of the coma, he'll be ok now." Jiraiya gave a slight nod to Tsunade as if giving her permission to leave without him, then watched her leave the room before turning to Kakashi.

The two males stood in silence for quite some time, Kakashi all the while wondering about the look Jiraiya was giving him. He didn't like the feeling of being studied like he was; he was usually the one two read other people, the situation felt highly uncomfortable to him.

"So... What stuff did you talk about when he woke up, Kakashi?" The dreaded question, and he'd known it was coming all along.

"Well, he asked me if it was true," the meaning of the one, simple word it was implied so both males understood what the silver-haired jounin meant, "and I answered him honestly." Jiraiya nodded, he'd known that much had happened, it was a given.

"Nothing more?"

"He smiled. A real smile." Kakashi's eyes looked happy yet sad at the same time; happy for the sake that Naruto had smiled, but sad because the boy's heartfelt smiles which had come so easily when the boy was younger were now such a rare sight.

"Ah. Well, I suppose I should go see to him. Ja, Kakashi."

"Ja." Kakashi and Jiraiya left separately, Jiraiya talking the door, Kakashi using a jutsu, teleporting to the door of a certain Chunin he felt should know of Naruto's awakening.

--

He loves me. He lies. He loves me. He lies… The same thoughts had been repeating themselves in Naruto's head for a long time, the blonde so badly wanted to believe the words he'd heard, yet he had long since acknowledged that he couldn't and shouldn't trust what people said blindly no matter how close to him they were to him. He was trying to convince himself that the jounin was not lying to him, that he really did care for him and loved him, but for every reason to believe the man he always found an argument against too.

He was there every day I was unconscious. He was never there before.
He says he loves me. It could all be a lie.
He acknowledges me. In the past he looked right passed me.
He said he needs me. He always preferred
him.
He saved me, twice.

Naruto sighed, at least there was one argument for believing the male, but there was only one. Kakashi had always had the chance, he could always have been there for the blonde and shown him what he truly felt, but every time he'd chosen others over the boy, Sasuke in particular, and that hurt Naruto more than anyone could wish to understand.

"Damn it!" The blonde's fists were clenched by his sides as he sat on the ground, his frustration and confusion showing clearly and he did nothing to hide it.

"What is it, kit?" The kyuubi looked at the form of its host, the boy was slumped together against a wall, his blue gaze focusing on nothing in particular but giving away just how troubled he was.

"Hm? Oh, nothing, really…" It's sad, Naruto, how even in your own mind you have to put on your mask, can't you even give yourself this, being free in your own thoughts?

"Don't lie, kit, I can tell you're not fine. You'd better tell me or maybe I won't let you go back and see that Kakashi of yours…" Naruto froze, he wasn't a good liar, so going on and taking the risk was no good; he had to see Kakashi again.

"Well, it's just... Uhm… I'm just not sure that I can trust him… I mean, I want to and everything but if there's one thing I've learned from my way of life it's that you shouldn't really trust people until they've done something to prove they are worthy of your trust…" The boy sank back into thought as the Kyuubi growled not so subtly.

"That man has practically saved you're life two times, kit, he's brought you back beaten and bloody but alive more than once, but you still refuse to trust him. The mere fact that you're still alive is owed to him, hadn't he come to find you when you went after Sasuke the first time you'd be dead by now…" Naruto shuddered, the fox realizing that it might have taken things to far.

"But on the other hand it was his fault that all those things happened, remember? If he hadn't he trained Sasuke so much he wouldn't have been so strong, and hadn't he been so strong I could have beaten him, gotten him home." Naruto knew that what he was saying wasn't exactly the truth, Sasuke would still have beaten him, the raven had been prepared to kill, he hadn't, but he partially blamed Kakashi for all those things that had happened, and those very things weren't easy to forgive. Although the boy pretended to have forgiven Sasuke - he pretty much had too, he supposed – he couldn't help feeling nauseous when he though of his former best friend, the repulsion that he felt at any kind of intimate touch which he would otherwise have enjoyed was the reason he'd never dated anyone, he simply couldn't handle the intimacy or the thought of being rejected and left.

"So, what are you going to do then, kit? Run like every time before, pretend that everything is fine as you fall apart like you have for the past years. If you keep it up I won't be able to heal you, you know that, I can only heal your flesh wounds, the wounds of your soul are something different."

"I suppose I'll give it a try, in the worst case he'll leave me like pretty much everyone else, the best… Well, I'd rather not get any expectations, if you know what I mean…" Oh yes, the fox knew all to well. This boy, although the demon lord wasn't a particular fan of him, he had to admit had had a harder life than he deserved; it was quite a shock he hadn't gone under yet, his strength was admirable.

Getting to his feet Naruto started walking, leaving the dark room to roam the small, flooded corridors that were in the strange place he knew to be his mind. He kept going, occasionally turning to walk in other directions, seemingly knowing where he was going as there was something definite about the way he walked. I'll give it a go, Kakashi, I hope you won't let me down, disappoint me…

The boy stopped as he reached a door, a bright light shining through the small openings between the door and the doorframe. Carefully, he opened it and walked into the light.

--

Knock. Knock. Knock. The annoying noise kept repeating itself as Iruka stalked out of the bathroom, grabbing a towel and throwing it around his tan hips on the way out, then ran over to the door, opening it slowly.

"Kakashi?" The chunin scratched his head. He never had much of a relationship with the silver-haired male standing at his door, so what was he doing outside of his apartment at 9 pm in the evening? It was definitely not about a mission as Iruka had asked to be off mission duty until Naruto awoke – he was unable to concentrate properly as his mind always seemed to return to the boy – so what could it be? A worried look briefly passed his face as he understood that the older male was there about Naruto. "Damn it… It's about Naruto, isn't it?" The tan male bit down on his lower lip drawing blood, it took all he had not to break down as he was terrified something bad had happened.

"Yes, it is. He's out of the coma, Iruka, I just though you'd like to know." The jounin grinned through his mask, something which was unusual for him, but the teacher's reaction was adorable. The male in front of him seemed not to comprehend at first, then his face seemed to pass every possibly emotion landing on the happiest smile he could possibly put on as tears fell from his eyes.

"H-he's awake?" The jounin shook his head but kept smiling.

"No, but he was just a while ago, don't worry, though, he's just sleeping this time." Iruka wanted to hug the man in front of him and would have done so had it not been Kakashi. The man was slightly intimidating to Iruka although he was Naruto's former sensei and a quite famous leaf-nin, he didn't exactly seem like the type one hugged just for the sake of hugging.

"Thanks for telling me, if you'll excuse me I have to go see him now, then!" Kakashi didn't reply but merely moved out of the way as Iruka stepped outside his apartment before realizing he was not wearing more than a towel and quickly ran back inside shutting the door in the jounin's face. Wow, you really care about him, don't you? I can see why he trusts you, you've always been there for him… Kakashi couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the younger male for having Naruto's complete trust, but he knew the man had earned it. As he felt a chakra appearing at the door again he moved further away from it just in time to see it slam right passed the spot where he'd just been standing and into the wall, revealing a fully dressed Iruka who seemed ready to leave.

"Oh, Kakashi, I figured you'd already left. Did I hit you? I'm sorry if I did." The chunin was fumbling with his keys as he locked the door, then smiled at Kakashi before he started running, quickly taking off to the rooftops, hurrying to the hospital.

--

Naruto was lying there in his hospital bed, Tsunade watching the boy as he slept. The state he was in resembled his coma, but the difference was that now he moved in his sleep, even spoke at occasions, and his chakra felt different and lighter.

"Ngh…" A groan escaped the blonde's throat as his hands came to rest over his eyes, rubbing them repeatedly until the white light that seemed to blind him turned into actual colors, his eyes no longer burning.

"Good morning, Naruto." A kind, familiar voice sounded as he opened his eyes, looking around. He quickly caught sight of Tsunade, smiling brightly at her, secretly wishing that instead of her the person sitting next to his bed was Kakashi. Although he'd been asleep for some time he highly doubted that he'd gotten any real rest, his mind to preoccupied with the aforementioned male.

"Hiya, Obaa-chan." Naruto looked into the woman's eyes just to see concern being replaced with joy and relief. "Do you have any food?" A loud growl sounded from the blonde's stomach as he spoke as if to underline what he'd said

Tsunade couldn't believe the boy, he'd been out for over a month and the first thing he did when he woke up was ask for food. But she did understand him; he must be starving as much as he usually ate. "Well, I have some right here, if you ask nicely…" the woman chuckled, she'd known he'd be hungry when he woke up and so she'd brought some fruits and other foods for the boy, handing over a basket full of edibles to him.

"Arigatou!" A large smile settled on the blonde's face before he started digging in on the food, Tsunade was surprised he didn't kill himself eating at the pace he did, finishing the whole basked in little more than 10 minutes.

"That was good!"

"You were quite hungry, weren't you?"

"Mhm! Of course I was, I haven't eaten in a while, now have ah… IRUKA!"

The brown-skinned chunin had barely opened the door to Naruto's room, his name being called so loud that all of Konoha could probably hear it.

"Naruto, how are you?" Iruka was in super-mother hen mode as he walked over to Naruto and started drying the stains off his face and combing through the unruly blonde locks with his fingers. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling great, Iruka, and Tsunade brought me all this great food and… Nevermind. How are you doing?" Naruto remembered the sobs and pleas from his former sensei and only 'family' as he was in the coma, he'd been worried about the male no matter how bad he was at doing anything about it.

"I'm just fine, it's you that's been in a coma…" Iruka smiled, it would seem that the blonde was back to his old self, the contagious grin plastered across his face.

"That's good. So you haven't been too worried, then?" Naruto poked Iruka gently in the shoulder and grinned, this time it wasn't real. He knew just how worried the chunin had been, but he had to play pretend for just a little while longer, his façade would only fall when he wanted it too. "How long was I out?" Naruto suddenly realized the fact that he had no idea, looking to Tsunade to give him an answer.

"Let's see, how long has it been…?" It was more as if the woman was talking to herself as she started pulling the fingers of her hand back obviously using them to count. "Well, a month and some days, need any more detail?"

The blonde shook his head and let a loud yawn, smiling at the two people in the room with him. "Well, I'm getting kind of tired, is it ok if I go back to sleep now?"

Tsunade chuckled, as did Iruka, the boy certainly did have a heart for sleeping. "Yeah, I want to run a few tests on you later, though, just to make sure there's nothing wrong with you. Well, we'll leave you to your rest now, but don't be expecting too much as there are probably a bunch of people who want to see you." She smiled, even as she spoke the boy had fallen into slumberland.

When Tsunade was done speaking, she and Iruka left the room, Iruka stopping her as they were only meters down the hall.

"What do you mean 'check to see that there's nothing wrong'? I though he was ok…" She'd known that Iruka could be naïve at times, but she hadn't been expecting the questions.

"Iruka, the boy's just woken up from a coma, there are tons of things that could be wrong with him, both mentally and physically, but there probably isn't, it's just for safety's sake – we do it with anyone who's been out for too long or who's been in a coma…" It was easy to see that the male calmed down, his face seeming much calmer again and his eyes no longer displaying fear.

"Sou ka… Well, I have to go, I've promised to meet someone in a couple of minutes, I don't want to be late."

"I suppose I have to get back to my Hokage duties too, I'll see you around I suppose, Iruka." The woman smiled, it was nice to know that the boy had people who cared so much about him as the chunin did, people who were always there for him. Iruka waved at her until he rounded a corner, then hurried away, the Hokage walking slowly back to her office in the nice, sunny weather.

--

"Did ya hear, Naruto's awake?" Shikamaru sighed happily as the dog-nin grinned widely, the Inuzuka had just gotten word from Hinata that Naruto had come out of his coma, and when he ran into Shikamaru on his way to the hospital he had to tell him.

"He is? I'm glad, that's good to hear." Shikamaru was quite deep in though when Kiba approached him, which was the reason for his distantness.

"Aren't you gonna be more enthusiastic than that? Well, me and Akamaru are going there to see him now, do you wanna come with?" Kiba's enthusiasm was quite contagious and Shikamaru smiled, he'd actually been thinking about the blonde when Kiba shook him from his thoughts, well, the blonde and… another blond.

"Yeah, sure, I'll join you, I haven't been there this week at all, so I guess I owe him, ne?" Kiba grinned even broader as the two shinobi and the dog walked through the quite calm streets of Konoha with direction for the hospital.

--

Iruka and Shizune were at a small bar not so far from Iruka's apartment, the local Shinobi hangout, called the Snare (A/N: I seriously couldn't think of anything better from the lack of sleep I've been getting lately…) each with a half drunk pint standing on the table before them. The two had been talking about any random things that popped into their hands until the topic of Naruto came up.

"So, how is he? I heard he woke up today." A big smile formed on Iruka's face, Shizune smiling back at him, her big, black eyes locked on his.

"He's fine, back to his old self it would seem…" Iruka let out a little chuckle as he though about the boy.

"What?"

"No, nothing really, it was just that the first thing he did when he saw Tsunade was ask for food, it's so typical of him." The kunoichi laughed back at him, it really was typical for the blonde. The smile on Iruka's face as he talked about the blonde was breath taking, she found herself wishing that he'd smile like that for her sake, too.

"Well, how about you then, are you taking on your usual missions again or will you stay just a teacher for a little while longer?" Secretly, Shizune was hoping for the latter, she'd seen much more of the tan male lately, and she was enjoying his company.

"Well, I'll be taking on missions again next week, but only the shorter ones that should be three days at the longest I think, I don't really want to leave Naruto alone for too long at a time, that and there's the kids, the genin exams are in not too long, I feel like I should be here to help them out, you know…" Iruka, she had to admit, was probably the most selfless person she'd ever met, he put everyone, and especially Naruto, before himself.

"Sou ka, well, I guess you've got lot's to do, then?" There was something in her voice, something distant, that Iruka noticed, as he kept speaking.

"Well, yeah, but I've got a little time of so…" Iruka was cut short as the slightly younger woman took his hand in hers.

"Would you go on a date with me? Okay, I know this is so immature and all and It's really embarrassing, but I… There's something about you." He returned the light squeeze she was giving his hand, smiling brightly.

"Yes, of course, how's Thursday night for you?"

"That would be perfect," Shizune nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll pick you up at 9, is that ok?" another nod from the kunoichi as the two sat there talking about everything, drinking the rest of their beers.

--

Kakashi had been sitting by the boy's bed for hours, he'd arrived just as Shikamaru, Kiba and Akamaru were leaving. He knew he didn't have to be here, knew that he could easily get someone to call for him or post one of his nin dog's to watch over the blonde but he wanted to be there, and if Naruto woke up he didn't want to miss a minute of his time.

Minutes passed as he sat still, the sun slowly setting on the horizon outside, the only movement he made was his hand playing in the blonde, silky hair, waiting for those beautiful eyes to open. He'd only felt this way once before, and that was towards Rin. He hadn't admitted it at the time, something which he had regretted for the most part of his life, but he'd loved her. He'd loved her and she'd loved him, yet due to his cold nature he hadn't let anything happen, maybe if he had she'd still be alive, maybe Obito would…

Blue eyes fluttered then slowly, trying to get used to the light, opened revealing the cerulean depths that Kakashi had been thinking about not too long ago looking straight at him.

"You're here?" For some reason it seemed more like a question, as if the boy hadn't been expecting him to be there.

"I said I loved you, Naruto, didn't you think I'd be here?" He tried to hide the hurt he felt due to the boy's distrust, but he knew he probably deserved what he got.

"It's just… every time you've chosen others over me. Earlier you would have taken weeks just to come see me, but now you're here. It's almost too good to believe, like it's just a dream.

"Well, it's not a dream, Naruto, and you better get used to it, cause I'll be here. I've requested not to be sent on any long missions before you're well, and I'm going to be here for you no matter what." I'm sorry I was never here before, I wish I could take it all back, all those things I've done, if it would make you really smile…

Reaching out his hand he lightly traced his fingers across Kakashi's mask covered face, he had to assure himself that this wasn't all just a dream, that every time he woke he'd see the man and that he wouldn't just leave him when he pleased.

"You're really here…" Kakashi couldn't take it anymore, he knew he'd done nothing to deserve the teen's trust, but this cold front he was putting up was too much for even the jounin, as he looked into those blue eyes.

"Is there anything I could do to make you trust me even just a little bit?" He bit his lower lip unconsciously, keeping his focus on Naruto's distant eyes. He knew he'd have to work for it, but he'd gain the boy's trust no matter what.

"Show me your face." It wasn't a question, and Kakashi didn't hesitate to comply, reaching his hands up and gently pulling down his mask.

The mask. Why Kakashi wore it would forever be a mystery to the blonde, the man was perfection. Naruto had never seen anything more beautiful in his life, the scar that went across his eye and all his other marks and scars only seemed to enhance the beauty. His two mismatched eyes looked at the boy seeming to search for something. Naruto's hands reached out to touch the face, cupping it gently and stroking the calloused yet soft skin with his thumbs as red and charcoal eyes kept searching his for something he didn't know.

"Do you trust me?" The question surprised the Naruto, he hadn't been expecting it. He wanted to answer yes, wanted everything to be perfect from the start, but he knew that by doing so he would be lying to both himself and Kakashi, deciding to go with the truth.

"No." Kakashi visibly flinched at the response. What had happened to the happy, trusting, carefree boy he used to know? The truth was, he knew, he knew all the horrible things that had happened to the boy and quite soon he'd have to confront him about it, but not yet. "But in time I could. I'm just not ready to really trust anyone but those who already have my trust at the moment, but I'm sure that if you're willing to bare with me I'll learn to trust you…" The boy's smile seemed to take away all bad things in the world, radiating the kind innocence and kindness that the blonde used to possess before everything.

"I suppose you're right not to, I haven done anything to prove myself, have I?" Kakashi was sad to admit it, but he knew it was true; he'd never really done anything to deserve Naruto's trust.

"Kakashi…" Naruto could see that the jounin felt out of his element, he looked troubled, almost sad, his eyes again meeting Naruto's as the boy spoke. The blonde couldn't help but shudder as Kakashi's warm breath blew over his face, as he they spoke they'd unconsciously moved closer and closer until their faces were now only inches apart. Not able to resist the temptation any longer, Kakashi closed the distance, landing a gentle kiss on soft, pink lips.

Naruto was stunned, paralyzed as Kakashi's lips met his, his body wanted it so much but in the back of his mind something was screaming at him. Kakashi's hands moved behind his back and neck as they held him close, the kiss seeming so passionate and loving though it was close to one-sided. Naruto had no idea what to do, due to his issues with intimacy he'd never been with anyone before, and he'd never even consensually kissed another. He was scared, he wanted to respond to the kiss, but he didn't know how. Suddenly, something in his mind snapped, the hands on his back suddenly felt colder, the lips thinner, the skin of the male touching him, kissing him, paler. All he could feel was Sasuke, and when he opened his eyes all he could see was Sasuke.

"Don't please…. D-Don't do this again, don't hurt me please…" The blonde pulled back, pushing Kakashi away, he looked fully terrified as fear shone from his cerulean eyes.

"Naruto…" Kakashi was unsure of what to do, desperate to get Naruto back and furious with himself for having done something so stupid. "Naruto' it's not Sasuke, it's me, it's not him. I'm Kakashi, Naruto, please listen… I'm not going to hurt you, I promise… I'm so sorry." He wanted to hit himself, his mind screaming at him for having done something so thoughtless as the blue eyes locked onto his, calming down.

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Kakashi shushed him, holding the boy to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around him.

"Don't be sorry, Naruto, it's my fault, I shouldn't have…"

"Wait, why'd you say you weren't Sasuke?" Kakashi looked dumbstruck, he'd just admitted he knew.

Naruto was getting a growing feeling that something was wrong, Kakashi couldn't simply have guessed at a name… How do you know, Kakashi? And why, why do you have to know… I didn't want you to know that side of me, and since you do, why are you still here? Why don't you leave me, the monster that I am, I am not worthy of you, or anyone for that matter…