Kakashi was thankful that his apartment was just audio bugged, with no cameras. That meant he would not have to explain why Naruto slept in the bed and Kakashi slept on the couch. Although the two had a furious scribbling contest about it, with Kakashi winning by saying if Naruto refused to sleep on the bed, Kakashi would just wait until Naruto was asleep and then put him there as he relocated to the couch, it was still saddening…and maddening.
The knock on the door woke Kakashi up. Getting up off the sofa, he looked out the door. Frowning, he opened it, letting the ravenette in, Sakura following from behind. "Yes?" he asked, looking confused.
"You owe me breakfast." Sasuke glared.
"I owe you nothing of the sort." Kakashi glared lightly back.
"Yes, you do, at Tenzou's." Sasuke held up eight fingers.
Kakashi nodded in recognition. Tenzou's, while a restaurant, had a secret room, only open to a select few who knew the handsign. If Sasuke knew of it, it meant that he had Tenzou's trust…and, thereby, Kakashi's. "Let me just leave a note for Naruto for when he wakes up." Scribbling a quick note, Kakashi went into the bedroom quietly and got some clothes on. Seeing Naruto laying there, looking adorable sleeping on his stomach, a bit of drool from his mouth, Kakashi swallowed hard. Shaking his head, he walked out. Grabbing his wallet, cigarettes, and cell phone, Kakashi ushered the couple out.
As they went down to the restaurant on the twentieth floor, a well-built man with dark hair and almost black eyes came out from a side door, wearing a white dress shirt, black slacks, and black dress shoes. "Kakashi!" Smiling, he grasped Kakashi's hand in a firm handshake. Leading the three to the back of the restaurant, the man opened a curtain, exposing an ornate door made of mahogany. Opening the door there was a table that seated six.
"One moment!" the man declared, pushing a button. In just a moment, some servers came out, quickly lighting candles. While doing this, the man gave the trio some menus. After placing their orders, the man left the three alone.
Sakura cleared her throat. "Kakashi-sama…" Kakashi held up a finger and searched the room. As he was done, the man came back in. "Kakashi, I thought you knew me better than that." A frown tugged at his lips.
"I do, Tenzou...but I don't trust our company..." Nodding, Tenzou sat the food down, along with a pitcher of water.
"You won't be disturbed." Closing the door, silence descended on the room.
Serving food on the plates, Kakashi looked at the two of them. "Now, what are you wanting of me?"
Sakura gulped, looking down as Sasuke stared at him with hard eyes. "I'm not getting Konohamaru. He is a child. I have my standards."
Kakashi lit a cigarette, staring hard at the two. "You realize denying a mission potentially means death?" Sakura was pale, but Sasuke was determined.
"He is a child." Coal black eyes studied stormy gray.
"She isn't." Kakashi pointed his cigarette at Sakura. "And you know how Danzou punishes impertinence once you have a … liability." Kakashi took another drag on his cigarette, gaze sliding from Sakura to Sasuke through the haze.
"She will not be harmed." Sasuke growled through gritted teeth. Kakashi just shrugged. "If you touch her, I will kill you."
Kakashi stared disinterestedly at Sasuke. "It may not be me."
Sasuke stood. "You are disgusting. I hoped that you weren't as big of an asshole as you are." As his eyes went red and black, Kakashi's hand lit up in lightning.
"Sasuke! Don't!" Sakura yelled, grabbing Sasuke.
The two men stared at each other in a tense silence for a few moments. Finally, Kakashi nodded. "Sasuke, you've passed. I'll help you."
Naruto sat up, stretching. Scratching his stomach, he looked around. Seeing no one, he shrugged, getting up and using the bathroom. Afterwards, he headed out to the kitchen. No one in there, Naruto set about getting some breakfast. It was only a couple more days until school started. Frowning, he sat eating some toast as he drank some chocolate milk.
Never thought my life would end up this…fucked up. Naruto thought ruefully. Sighing, he got up after finishing eating, slipping the dishes in the sink. Going into the living room, he didn't know what to do. He turned on the television, but nothing was interesting.
Finally, he noticed the bookshelf shoved full of books. Sitting in front of it, he looked at the books. Might as well get to know Kakashi's tastes a little better cause I'm nosy. The titles were all boring, biographies, war tactics…however; a ragged slip of a cover of one book was sticking out like it was shoved haphazardly in the bookshelf and it caught Naruto's eye. It was an Icha Icha Paradise book that his godfather wrote…the first one, it looked like. Jiraiya said he only wrote five copies of that. Grabbing the book, the jinchurriki pulled it out. Opening it, he looked in confusion at the handwriting which clearly wasn't his godfather's. It was not the Icha Icha series…while Naruto had not read them; he knew that his godfather wrote smut. Opening it to the first page, Naruto was confused.
Dear Obito,
I miss you. You were like a brother to me. I think diaries are stupid, and they are a liability. But, if I write letters to you, they aren't a diary, right? They are just letters to a friend. Maybe, someday, you will get a chance to read these. But since I have two eyes again, I don't think so.
-K
Naruto gulped. It was a diary...Kakashi's diary written like letters to somebody named Obito...the name sounded familiar, but he did not remember why. Guiltily, Naruto continued to read.
Dear Obito,
Ramen had his first birthday. I know M & K would have liked to be there. I watched from the window. He got lots of food.
-K
Naruto scrunched up his nose. Who the hell is Ramen? Naruto kept reading. He felt guilty, but Kakashi kept so much from him, it felt like Naruto was evening the score up somehow.
Dear O,
Ramen wanted to see under my mask...he just turned two and is into everything! I told him no, everybody needs secrets. I must go on a mission, but I think when I come back I may see about him living with me. Would be better able to protect him than Froggy.
-K
Dear O,
Got back from the mission, was successful. However, Ramen was gone. Froggy took him. Well, guess he was safer that way. I really miss him though.
-K
Naruto froze. I...I am Ramen? Naruto dove back into the book.
Dear O,
Got a new mission. Gotta go deep. Hopefully it will help me forget how lonely I am without Ramen. Supposed to save Ramen though. I really miss him.
-K
There were a couple of empty pages. The next entry was written in a bit neater script than the juvenile scribble from before.
Dear O,
Sorry it's been so long. Been deep, for a long time. Seems I have some...special...abilities that I didn't even know I had. The ladies like me as do the men. That's been my way in, and my way working up the ladder. Ramen is twelve now. I check on him occasionally at night, since I had Pakkun find him. I feel like a pervert, but I think he is gorgeous. I'm losing my mind. I know that I'm setting this up for a really good thing, but I just feel lonely.
-K
Naruto frowned. He needed to stop reading, but he just could not.
Dear O,
Ramen's ready...Pretty sure I'm going to have to go out to collect it. I don't know if I want to see him again...he probably thinks I abandoned him. He didn't know I visited him, sitting outside his window, at least twice a week. He doesn't know about all the things I've done to protect him. And he never will. I can't put him in harms' way. I'll protect him, til my last breath.
-K
Naruto's eyes were shining, his throat swollen shut. Turning the page, there was one last entry.
Dear O,
Everything is going the way I knew it would. And he hates me for it. Thinks he is just a mission. I love him, O. I'm IN love with him. But he pushes me away, and I am the only one at fault. I did all this. Damnit, Obito, he's never been just a mission. He's been my reason for surviving. Everything, EVERYTHING I've done has been for his safety. I'm too old for him, he's so happy and full of life...is it wrong that I enjoyed those few days of "meeting" him before he realized who I was? Even though he hates me, I'll protect him with my dying breath. I want this mission over, so I can go back to my downward spiral of destruction and loneliness. Cigarettes, booze, and unknown people in my bed...at least I don't have to think, don't have to hurt, and don't have to imagine that they all have blonde hair and blue eyes.
-K