AN: NC-17.

I have maybe 3 or 4 more chapters. I might integrate a few shorts that I've written as part as this.

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Two days later...

Kakashi stood at the entrance of the kitchen for a moment before entering. He looked at his son who was chopping some vegetables in preparation for Iruka to cook later. He moved to lean against the counter next to him, and dark eyes glanced at him briefly.

There was a long moment that was filled with the sound of a knife meeting a cutting board. "Are you mad at me?"

Minoru looked at his dad, a bit confused before he shook his head, "No," he answered simply, and smiled, "I was, just a little, but not anymore."

Kakashi sighed and looked at his son, his gaze moving to the vegetables he was cutting, "I'm sorry, for making you worry."

Minoru shook his head and cut the ends off a bell pepper, "It's okay, you do what you have to do. It's understandable." He cut the bell pepper and scraped off the inside, "Can I ask you something though?"

Kakashi hummed in response and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Minoru hesitated and washed the inside of the bell pepper clean of seeds, "What did he have to go do anyway?"

There was a brief moment of silence where Kakashi considered him, "I can't tell you, you know that."

Minoru stopped chopping and looked at his dad, a knowing smile on his lips, "I also know that as Hokage you have liberty to speak of any mission freely. So that means you don't want to tell me."

Kakashi smiled, his gaze moving to the dining table, "I take it that you haven't asked Naruto, then?."

"I haven't," Minoru grinned slightly, "Thought I could ask my dad instead."

Kakashi chuckled and looked at Minoru who was looking at him patiently, "I ask because he didn't want me to tell you." His son's expression turned confused, "And I have to respect that."

"He didn't want you to tell me? But why?"

Kakashi smiled and gave a small shrug, "You should ask him," he pushed away from the counter, slipping his hands into his pockets, "But I can tell you this, he went to Ishigakure," surprised dark eyes turned to him, "And he volunteered."

Minoru looked at his dad confused before moving his gaze to the window. He knew Naruto well enough to know why he would keep from telling him certain things. Things that in the end slipped out anyway.

"Kakashi-dad?"

"Hn?"

"Didn't you say you had a meeting right now?"

"Ah," Kakashi said in a nonchalant tone, "I knew I was forgetting something."

Naruto opened the door to his apartment to a smiling Minoru. He smiled back and let the younger man inside, "This is a nice surprise, I thought I wasn't going to see you until after your shift," he planted a brief kiss on the younger man's smiling lips before moving back to the kitchen.

Minoru followed the older man, "Just wanted to see before my shift," he explained and pulled himself up to sit on the counter next to where Naruto was cutting up some apples and strawberries. He watched him for a moment, as hands cut apples into slices and put them into a bowl, "Why didn't you tell me about your mission?"

Naruto smiled. Part of him knew. He cut a half into four slices and pressed a slice on the younger man's bottom lip. His smile widened when he bit it playfully and snatched it away, "Did Kakashi tell you?"

Minoru chewed as he shook his head, "No, I asked. All he told me was that you volunteered to go to Ishigakure." Cerulean eyes glanced at him and the older man cut more slices, "He said that you didn't want him to tell me." The older man smiled at him and pressed a strawberry on his lips, and blushed despite himself as he took it in between his teeth.

"I didn't like the fact that they had intentions of using you as leverage towards Kakashi, and if they were willing to use you, then that meant Iruka-sensei as well," he cut the stem off a strawberry and cut it in half, "I had to talk Kakashi into letting me go and... Deal with the situation..."

He glanced at the younger man as he cut another strawberry, "I tried reasoning with them, but that didn't work. I found out the why and I made it clear that if they wanted anything to do with you," he looked at the younger man, "They'll have to go through me first." He set down the knife and moved to stand in between the younger man's thighs. He smiled at him, and rested his hands on his upper thighs. The midnight blue eyes looked at him, "And the reason that I didn't tell you was because I knew that you would've tried stopping me."

Minoru opened his mouth to retort but stopped himself and sighed when he realized that the older man was right. And apparently Naruto knew that even before he did.

"Because I know you, and you do this thing, every once in a while ever since you unlocked your ability."

Minoru furrowed his brows, "What thing?"

Naruto smiled, "Back when you stopped your training. When you thought you were a burden, that you weren't worth the trouble" his smile softened as the midnight blue eyes averted their gaze, "You still think that sometimes, I can see in your eyes. Not as often, but it's there and I'm not sure why. For what it's worth, you're more that worth it Minoru, don't forget that."

Minoru nodded after a moment, "Okay."

Naruto rubbed a thigh, "Are you mad at me for not telling you?"

Minoru sighed and looked at the older man, "No," he answered simply. He cupped the slightly bruised cheek and gently brushed his thumb over it, "Why are you like this?"

Naruto tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

A smile tugged on Minoru's lips as he brushed his fingers over the older man's brow, "It's just, you're so...amazing," he chuckled nervously, "I feel inadequate sometimes," he pressed his fingers on the older man's lips effectively stopping his retort, "But, I try not to." He moved his fingers away and replaced them with a sweet kiss, the older man hummed in approval and pressed closer.

"How long do you have?"

Minoru grinned against lips, "I have some time. I always have time for you."

To say he was a bit out of it when he got to the mission room would be an understatement. Because when he was headed to the double doors he was easily distracted and looked down the hall as he walked towards them, just as they swung open. It was inevitable, something hard crashed into him as he lost his footing. And papers spilled. Everywhere.

"Oh, crap! I'm so sorry!" He looked up to see a rather flustered looking Hatchi.

Hatchi offered a small smile as he squatted down and started to pick up the papers, "It's fine," he chuckled, "Seems that I have a tendency to crash into you with boxes involved."

Minoru smiled, "It's alright," and helped Hatchi pick up the papers.

"Are you alright?"

Minoru quirked a brow and reached for more sheets, "What?"

"You look flushed," Hatchi furrowed a brow.

Minoru froze momentarily and cleared his throat, "It's kinda warm outside." Was the best excuse he could think of. And tried very hard not to think about the real reason. Tried very hard not to think about the look on Naruto's face as he came in his hand. Tried very hard not to think how it felt to come inside the older man. He tried very hard not to think about any of that.

"Minoru-san?"

Minoru was snapped out of his musings and felt his eyes flicker and quickly looked away, "I can take this for you." He offered, "Well, I can fix it and take it for you."

Hatchi hesitated, "Are you sure?"

Minoru nodded and piled the papers on top the closed lid to fix later, "I don't mind." He heaved the box up and took it down the hall and into the storage room where he set it down and leaned heavily against the door behind him. He look down at the box and thanked it for giving him a distraction.

After various trips to the storage room and the Hokage tower, Minoru walked into the mission room and was instantly greeted by Gai.

"Springtime of youth! How are you?"

Minoru smiled, "Very good. Did you just get back?"

Gai beamed, "Yes, my team and I had quite the adventure. Oh! I hear you've got your jutsu mastered!"

Minoru laughed, "Pretty much."

"Ah, good good! I hear that Naruto had really helped you master your chakra control as well."

Minoru nodded and nudged the taijutsu matter, "We have to train soon so you can see what I'm made out of now."

Gai beamed, "Very soon! For now, I have to go pay the Hokage a visit." He laughed, "Say hello to your love for me!"

Minoru shook his head and moved to sit behind the desk, and the room suddenly felt very quiet without Gai's loud talking.

"I didn't know you knew Gai-sensei," Hatchi said after a moment.

Minoru chuckled, realizing that he must have gotten stuck covering for someone, "Yeah, he's a close family friend."

Hatchi made a sound of acknowledgment, "I've worked with him and his team before. He's a really nice guy."

Minoru propped his chin on a hand and nodded, "Gai is something else. Not to mention Lee who is like a mini version of Gai." He chuckled, remembering a time has told Lee just that and the taijutsu master took as such a compliment he was pretty sure he cried 'manly' tears.

"How are you and Naruto doing?"

Minoru slowly turned to look at the other man. Ever since that time that Naruto expressed his suspicions of the other man, he had been in denial. He would rather be in denial than to think that this prick could have some sort of crush on him. And the weird part was that ever since then, he has lessened his prick-ness. "We're good," he answered carefully, "Why do you ask?"

Hatchi cleared his throat, "Just wondering."

Minoru drew his attention back to the double doors and glanced at the clock. He pulled out the logbook and started to log the reports from that afternoon. And tried to not think about how awkward the silence was between them.

"I guess, I just don't understand how you could be with him."

And he wished the awkward silence wouldn't have been broken.

Minoru's hand stopped and he put down the pen and directed his attention to the other man, "I'm sorry, what?" His voice came out harder than he intended to but he didn't care.

"I didn't mean to sound rude, I just personally don't get it," he furrowed a brow, "I mean...You do know right?"

Minoru clenched his jaw and briefly looked away, "If you talking about what sealed inside of him, yes, I'm well aware."

"Then... How can you be with him?" Hatchi turned more towards him, "knowing that's inside of him?"

Minoru kept a passive face, while internally fuming, he vaguely wondered if his eyes were giving him away, "Because I care about him, more than you'll be able to understand."

"But he's...," Hatchi made a dismissive gesture and shook his head.

"He's what?"

Hatchi hesitated before looking at Minoru, "You could do better..."

Minoru stood and took a deep breath, "You have no idea, you have absolutely no idea to even start passing judgment on me or Naruto." He looked at the other man passively, but he could feel himself losing his nerve, "And frankly I won't stand for it."

"Minoru-san, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you -"

"You know what," Minoru pinched the bridge of his nose, "I can't. I can't deal with this anymore," he turned a cold look at the other man, "I've been patient with you, I've been taking your attitude and comments with a grain of salt. And quite honestly, I don't know what your problem is with me, but it's one thing insulting me and another thing insulting someone that I truly care about."

"Minoru-san -"

"My shift is over. I'm leaving." And with that Minoru moved from around the desk and left the mission room.

He walked through the hall and through the main door to find Naruto leaning on an adjacent wall, with a pair of dark jeans and a black t-shirt, and an amused look on his face, "I didn't know you were going to come here..."

"I wasn't," Naruto said with a smirk, "But then I thought it would be nice to walk with you and go get something to eat. But then i got here a bit early..."

Minoru frowned and glanced at the building, "You didn't...By any chance..."

Naruto's smile softened, "Yes, and I didn't want to interrupt you giving Hatchi a piece of your mind." He noticed how the midnight blue eyes flickered before averting their gaze. He straightened when the dark eyes flickered again, "Hey, are you okay?"

Minoru swallowed and nodded, "Yeah," he looked at the older man and saw that he wasn't convinced, "I'm okay," he smiled and the cerulean eyes narrowed slightly. "Let's just go, okay?" He reached for the older man's elbow with a half gloved hand, letting his fingers linger, "Please?"

Naruto studied the younger man for a moment before giving in and letting the pale hand pull him away from the wall. The younger man smiled at him and he couldn't help smiling back at him.

They wound up at the ramen shop, and ordered their usual. Naruto watched the younger man sitting across from him. And pointed at him with his chopsticks, "Don't let him get to you." Dark eyes looked at him sheepishly as the younger man slurped his noodles.

"I'm not," Minoru said and frowned at the deadpan look the older man gave him, "I'm not, I finally gave that guy a piece of my mind!"

"Exactly! So why do you have that look on your face?" Naruto gestured at said face with his chopsticks.

Minoru's frown deepened, "I have no such look!"

Naruto gave the younger man an unconvinced look, "Minoru..." He trailed off when a hand closed over his on the table.

"Naruto, it's fine," Minoru offered the older man a reassuring smile.

Naruto sighed and let it go. They finished their late lunch and as they left the ramen shop, a pale hand slipped onto his elbow and he looked over to the younger man.

"Let's take a walk?"

"Of course."

They walked towards the forest and Minoru slipped off his gloves, stuffing them into his pouch. He slipped his hand into the older man's as they walked and smiled when the hand squeezed his. He tugged the older man, leading him in a different direction.

Naruto vaguely wondered where Minoru was taking him, but in the end it didn't matter. He was happy simply holding his hand, letting him lead through the dense forest. His eyes lingered on the younger man, causing him to almost trip on a tree root. The hand in his pulled him and he found himself against the body that distracted him in the first place.

"Distracted much? Being overtaken by a tree root," Minoru grinned and Naruto laughed.

"You are very distracting, always have been."

Minoru blushed, "Come on."

Naruto chuckled and continued to let the younger man lead them. They reached a wide river, the trees were beginning to become silhouettes with the setting sun. Minoru beamed at him and gestured for him to sit on the grass. He watched as the younger man dropped to the ground in a sitting position, his feet tucked under his knees. He sat down next to him, leaning back on his hands, "This is nice." Minoru smiled and nodded. A breeze rolled in, causing ripples in the calm river. His eyes wandered over to the younger man, studied his profile as another breeze drifted by. Midnight blue eyes looked at him, a soft smile on the younger man's lips. His hand gravitated to a pale cheek, smiling when Minoru leaned into his touch and kissed his palm. He brushed his thumb under an eye and they opened to look at him, and he felt a flutter in his chest at the emotion he saw in them. In the warm smile that graced his lips. He leaned in without realizing, and their lips met in a slow kiss. A hand threaded into his hair, deepening the kiss. When they pulled apart, lips brushed against his with a smiled for a moment before the dark head dropped to rest on his shoulder.

He looked out to the river as the sun started to set. His attention went back to the younger man when he felt his chakra spike ever so slightly. He cupped his lover's cheek and tilted the dark head up to find a faint glow in the normally midnight blue eyes. But it wasn't the glow he was used it, it wasn't the kind due to happiness or lust, no this one was somber. "Minoru?" The younger man's lips pulled into a small smile.

Minoru sighed, "I was trying not to let it bother me, I really was." Fingers undid his hitai ate and lips kissed his forehead in a soothing gesture, "I'm sorry, Naruto. I'm so sorry that you had to hear that."

Naruto smiled, combing his fingers through the dark unruly hair, "It's okay. I'm used to it." Dark brows furrowed at him, "I'm used to it. Ever since I was little people have treated me as such. Like I was some sort of monster that needed to get lost," He noticed how the glowing eyes glistened and the younger man's jaw clenched in response. He smiled and stroked his thumb on a cheekbone, "So I'm used to people saying things. I've come to learn to listen to those that matter, and not to those that don't know any better." His smile softened as he wiped at the younger man's eyes.

Minoru wrapped his arms around the older man in a tight embrace, and strong arms returned it without hesitation. It wasn't fair. This man, this beautiful man that he was so fond of, that he loved so much, that has done so much for their village, that had done so much for him. It wasn't fair. For him to be so mistreated, so misjudged, by others that didn't even know him. It wasn't fair for others to judge them, to say things when they have no idea.

Naruto planted a kiss on a temple, and smiled when the younger man pulled away, hands moving to cup his jaw and direct him into a soft, sensual kiss. Minoru moved closer, straddling his thighs as he deepened the kiss.

Oh how he loved kissing him, how he loved it when their tongues danced, when Minoru would moan softly against his lips. When he would seem so reluctant to pull away even for air. Never did he imagine that he would be fortunate enough to have this kind of bond, let alone with his best friend. Only in his wildest dreams did he ever think that he would be kissing him, touching him, sharing intimate moments with him. Only in his wildest dreams did he even think that Minoru felt the same. This man that accepted him without hesitation even after he learned about the kyuubi. That has cared for him even when he didn't need to. That cared about him so much that him being in trouble triggered his ability. And when he pulled away to look at him with illuminated eyes, those eyes that spoke volumes to him. That only let him in, eyes that only he saw. And when those lips pulled into a loving smile, his hands went through seals without even realizing.

They reappeared in his living room with Minoru's legs wrapped around his waist, chuckling against his mouth. Minoru used the momentum against him and managed to maneuver them to the couch, but he didn't mind. His mouth easily found that spot on the pale neck that made the hips against his ground down in a delicious friction that made both of them moan. Eager hands pulled at his shirt, and he leaned forward to let them pull it off. Lips sealed over his again as hands smoothed over his bare chest, over sensitive nipples. He sighed into the kiss and tugged off the younger man's shirt, his mouth latched onto a dark nipple, earning him a low moan. His breath hitched when the slender hips ground down onto him, his hands followed the movement. Their hands undid each other's pants, and he watched entranced as Minoru sat up on his knees, gave him a lingering kiss before sliding off of him and dropping to his knees in between his thighs. Glowing eyes leered at him as he lifted his hips so that hands can pull off his pants, freeing his erection. His hips bucked forward when a warm hand took his erection into a loose teasing grip and his lover's tongue pressed against the tip. He heard himself curse, his head arching back into the couch as he moaned when lips wrapped around him, engulfing him, massaging his length. A hand smoothed over his inner thigh, up to his hip and splayed above his navel. The tender touch made it hard to breath and made his body flush hotter. He lifted his head and looked down, the dark head bobbed down and glowing eyes looked up at him, "Minoru," he said breathlessly, his hand moving to tangle in the dark locks. Illuminated eyes closed at his touch and he hummed around him in approval. He thrust up into the younger man's mouth and made a noise in the back of his throat, "God - Minoru." He tugged lightly on the dark hair and the younger man pulled away, grinning at him, "Not yet," he said, his voice husky.

"Not yet," Minoru repeated softly as he stood and the older man sat up and undid his pants. He kicked them off and straddled him, gasping as their erection rubbed, "Not yet."

Naruto groaned and pulled the younger man into a searing kiss, delving his tongue into his welcoming mouth. He sighed when Minoru pulled away and softly chuckled at him.

"Hold me," he placed the older man's hands on his hips, "I forgot the lube is in my pouch, which is on my pants."

Naruto grinned, "You mean from earlier?" He swallowed as the younger man leaned back, arching and stretching to reach his pants on the floor. His eyes roamed over the aroused body, the muscles stretching and contracting as they moved. He couldn't help it, he leaned down and took the erect member that was standing at attention into his mouth just as Minoru made a triumphant sound.

"Ah - ! ," Minoru gasped and managed to push himself up with Naruto's knees, "I - I said ho-hold me not - ah!"

Naruto grinned as he pulled away and helped the younger man up right, "I couldn't resist."

Minoru laughed, "That's why you ran out of lube." He slicked his fingers, "It's not because we have too much sex or anything."

"Of course not."

Minoru reached behind himself balancing with a hand on a strong shoulder. His breath hitched as he pushed a finger inside himself, and cerulean eyes locked on him, "Naruto," he gasped as the older man pulled him closer and sealed him in a hot kiss. Hands moved to his rear, kneading the muscle there as he pushed another fingers inside of himself. He withdrew his fingers, deeming himself ready and slicked the older man's thick erection. His body flushed hotter in anticipation as he positioned himself and impaled himself on the rigid length. Hands waited patiently on his hips, while his own kept his balance on the older man's shoulders.

Naruto groaned as the tight heat enveloped him, his fingers flexed on the slender hips as the younger man became fully seated. Glowing eyes looked at him, lips parted as he panted for air and hips rolled against his. Minoru started a rhythm, riding him, lifting himself and pushing back down. His eyes were fixed on the handsome face that contoured with pleasure as he increased his pace. His hips move on their own accord, thrusting up into him in sync. He moaned as the younger man circled his hips and leaned back, using his knees as leverage and tilted his hips, lifting and pushing. Naruto gave a sharp thrust, knowing exactly where to aim and grinned when Minoru cried out and nearly lost his balance.

"Na-ruto -" Minoru choked on a moan as his prostate continued to meet the older man's rigid length, making his erection throb. Hungry eyes roamed over him and he felt a pulse course through them when they focused on him. The hands on his hips tightened and pressed him flush and he choked on a gasp at the pressure. An arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer as a hand closed around his erection, the thumb swirling around the head and gathering the precum there, "Yes! Y-yes!" His hands found purchase on the edge of the couch as he moved, his hips thrusting and riding, feeling the tightness in the pit of his stomach building. His sensitive body twitched when the older man's tongue traced his nipple and teased out into a nub. The hand on his hip moved up his back, following the curve of his spine and coming to rest on his shoulder blade. Naruto tilted his head back and grinned up at him, his hips snapping up into him.

"Kiss me."

Minoru complied to the husky voice with no hesitation, moving a hand to thread into blonde hair as their lips met in a passionate kiss. He moaned into the kiss when the hand on his sped it's pace and the hand on his shoulder tightened.

Naruto felt it. He felt it before Minoru broke the kiss with a gasp, before the hips riding him faltered in their rhythm, before his name came out as a broken moan. The erection in his hand pulsed and the hand in his hair tightened as the younger man came, hard, oh so hard. His seed spilled in strong spurts onto his stomach. "God Minoru," he moaned, and rolled them. Minoru's back met couch with a soft thud, and glowing eyes looked up at him with a breathless smile. "Minoru," he breathed out as he hooked his hands under the younger man's knees and drew them up. He thrust into the tight heat and lost himself, his rhythm turned heated and the younger man rolled his hips against him, clenching around him.

"Come for me," Minoru panted out, pulling the older man down and licked his bottom lip, "Come inside of me."

Naruto's breath caught and his hips jerked and he thrust sharply into the younger man, eliciting a gasp. "Minoru," he groaned as his orgasm claimed him, filling the younger man with his seed, making the body under him arch towards him. He dropped his head into the crook of Minoru's neck and groaned. His lover laughed breathlessly against him and threaded a lazy hand through his hair. He lifted his head, and the hand in his hair moved to cup his cheek. "I love you," he said softly and Minoru smiled, that smile that always managed to make his heart flutter in his chest.

"I love you too," Minoru whispered back and traced the older man's brow, "So much."

Naruto was directed into a soft kiss, and felt Minoru softly chuckle. He couldn't help but laugh with him, "What?"

Minoru shook his head, "Nothing," he sighed and gave the older man another kiss, "I'm just happy."

Naruto's smile widened, "Me too."

The next morning, when Naruto woke up, his eyes focused on pale skin. On the sleeping face next to him. A smile tugged on his lips as he watched the younger man sleep. He rolled onto his side and braced himself on an elbow as his eyes trailed over exposed skin. His hand moved without thinking, his fingers gingerly brushed over the younger man's shoulder, to his bicep, over his flank and over the small of his back. His smile widened when Minoru sighed in his sleep but didn't stir. He leaned down and planted a soft kiss on the exposed shoulder, his fingers following the curve of the spine.

"You could do better..."

A short chuckle escaped his throat as he shook his head. Because the irony was that at some point, years ago, he thought the same. At some point, he thought that it would be best if he kept his feelings a secret, best if he just pushed them aside. Because part of him thought exactly that. But it turned out he wrong all along. Minoru wanted him. All of him. And as hard as it was to believe sometimes, it was true. And looking at him sleeping next to him with the morning light filtering in through his window, it felt much like a dream. He looked over at the painting on his wall, and a silly smile tugged on his lips as he remembered the words that were written under the layers of paint.

"Someone's thinking nice thoughts."

The soft sleepy voice drew his attention back to the man who was giving him a warm sleepy smile. "Nice thoughts," he said softly as he cupped a warm cheek in the palm of his hand. Minoru's smile widened as gentle hands pulled him down and closer.

"Be lazy with me."

Naruto chuckled and pulled the covers closer around them, "Of course."