Kakashi stared at the night sky while sitting on the mountain carving of the fourth's head. He knew that the fourth's desired for everyone to see Naruto as a hero instead of a monster, for to carry such a deadly monster within him was brave enough to be called one of the best heroes in the entire village. Kakashi suddenly spotted Sasuke and Kiba walking hand in hand in the deserted park from where he was sitting. They were heading towards the exit and kissed each other before parting ways.
"It all started when he asked about guys kissing." He mumbled. He would gladly give Naruto a kiss maybe even a little French. He blinked at the thought, a flush coming to his cheeks. He then decided to pay Naruto a visit.
A secret visit.
As he expected, Naruto was dead asleep in his empty house. He let himself in the window and pulled the covers up the sleeping figure. He looked around the messy room, the floor littered with scrolls of different jutsus. Looks like the little boy was making trips to the village library. He could see the scrolls containing different fire-based jutsus and the occasional earth and water. He smirked under his mask and arranged the scrolls in to a neat pile in the middle of the room. He gently placed a light kiss on one corner of Naruto's lips before heading out the window.
The next day, Naruto was three minutes late. He arrived at the bridge yawning. "Good morning." He mumbled.
"You're late, dobe!" Sasuke said, smirking. Kakashi noted that he was obviously in a good mood. Probably from his meeting with Kiba the other night.
"Hmm. Sorry." Naruto said, yawning again. Sasuke blinked when he did not say anything else, and so did Sakura. "So what are we doing?"
"What's wrong with you dobe? Can't think of any come backs today?" Sasuke asked, and at this, Kakashi and Sakura waited for Naruto's reaction. He reacted violently when anyone called him dobe.
"Hmm? Nah. Can't be bothered. Can we get on with missions already? I didn't get much sleep last night." He said and yawned again.
"Why not, dobe?" Sasuke asked, stressing on the word dobe.
"I don't think it concerns you, Sasuke. So just mind your own business and I'll mind mine okay?" He said tiredly and in such a deadpanned voice.
Kakashi decided to break it up. He'd treat Naruto to ramen at the end of the day. "Okay, let's head off for the Ling residence. We have to help them today in planting geraniums."
Naruto did his chore without complaint and this made Sasuke and Sakura feel weird. At the end of the day, Sasuke punched Naruto so hard in the gut that the boy fell on his side gasping in pain. "Sasuke-kun! What was that for?" Sakura said, staring at her teammate with bewilderment.
"Oi! Sasuke!" Kakashi warned, not approving of what the boy just did.
"That's for acting weird! What's with you, dobe?" Sasuke snapped, clearly the past two weeks of Naruto acting weird was finally getting to him.
Naruto got to his feet and coughed a bit. "Ah." He said, and dusted his clothes. "That hurt, Sasuke." He said and turned around, shoving his hands in to his pockets and heading home. "See you guys tomorrow."
Sasuke stepped back with a gasp at the reaction he got. Without another word he cursed and left his other teammate and teacher. Sakura then left as well, after watching Sasuke run down the path and disappear down the street.
Kakashi found Naruto by the hot springs, practicing jutsus. He performed some seals and then executed a jutsu. "Mizu bunshin no jutsu!"
Kakashi watched as a Naruto clone was created from water. He felt proud of his student. After the mess they had gone through with the village of the sound and sand, Naruto had become stronger in controlling his chakra. Now he could do several jutsus without struggling. He was even good with the basics. He watched Naruto give a smile of triumphant to himself as the clone disappeared in a splash of water.
"See? I can do it to." He said to no one in particular.
Kakashi felt his insides clench. The chuunin exam was months away and Naruto was training the hardest among all the three. He watched as Naruto headed for the male section of the hot springs and soak himself in the warm water, placing the little white towel on his head. Kakashi then perched on a rock and placed his hands on his knees watching his student.
Naruto conjured up the miniature version of the Gamabunta and allowed it to hop from rock to rock. "Ne, ne, little frog? Do you think it would be better if I left?" The frog croaked in reply. "Maybe I can do what Ero-sennin does, you know? Travel I mean, not write those stupid books." The frog croaked again. "Maybe on the way I can find someone who can love me right?"
Kakashi froze.
"You know, maybe Sasuke is right. Maybe no one will ever love me here. Maybe I really should leave, ne? I can travel and learn a lot of things! Maybe if I bump in to Ero-sennin I can join him or something. Though I won't listen to his perverted crap! Hmm! Hmm!" He nodded to himself. He then jumped up. "All right! That's what I'll do! I'll travel! Ne?" The little summoned frog hopped up and down and croaked. "Better go tell baa-san!"
Kakashi was aware of Naruto dressing up and running towards the Hokage's office. He suddenly felt a gaping hole in his chest grow and grow as Naruto got farther and farther away.
TBC
Naruto is leaving? WOH!