Kakashi's Singleness
By: Violettachan
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.
Wow!!! So many reviews! I honestly didn't expect this many. Now I understand why people get into this. It's been THE key factor in making me want to continue this story. Oh, and for those who may have wanted to submit anonymous reviews...I totally didn't realize that I had it set not to accept them. Sorry. But please let me know what you thought this time.
Cuito, Me-la Kenzu, Aiko Yamada, Suzaku no miko, radicalL, Kitsune Angel, Lasaire, Fireblazie, Lady Geuna, Jewel Song, Soju, and RurouniGochan: thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate you taking the time to encourage me to continue.
As for the seeming hetero-ness of the fic... I'm not opposed to Kakashi being gay, but I thought I'd start his inner-self as straight. I can't see any indication of gayness in the manga, so if he is to go for a guy, I think it would be more gradual. That said, I don't think I could write something so intricate as a seemingly straight guy realizing yaoi feelings very well. Who knows?? For now, I guess I'm leaning towards hetero though.
Also, I do realize that I could bring in an outside character, but that feels just a tiny bit like cheating. I find that the fun (though difficult) part of a fan fic is working within the limitations set out by the original work. But it's so true that Naruto suffers from a lack of females to choose from. But what can you expect from a shounen manga (boy comics)?
Since I still can't think of a pairing for now, on fireblazie's suggestion, I'm going to attempt to write about Kakashi's mask.
======================================================================
Kakashi's Mask
Kakashi's mask...he didn't usually even notice its existence when he was alone. It was such a part of him and his habits that it didn't even seem significant. But the mask was a constant source of questions from others; though, "questions" might be a bad choice of word since most people didn't have the audacity to ask. However, their glances (or more often stares) were pretty much the same thing.
In Konoha, such things usually went unmentioned / unnoticed...curiosity had killed more than its fair share of shinobi, but of course that wasn't the case for Kakashi. The aggravating thing was that it wasn't even odd for a ninja to cover most of his face; it was the damn rumor that he was one of the best-looking men in Konoha that brought about the complication. Kakashi had no clue who to blame for this. It had been YEARS since he had last shown his entire face in public. How could they even know what he looked like anymore? For all they knew, he could have wrinkles and scars that would make Jiraiya's face look silky smooth in comparison. Well, of course that wasn't true, but the point was THEY didn't know.
Sometime, so long ago that he hardly remembered the reason, he had started wearing the infamous mask. Some assumed that it was to cover his lecherous looks; others whispered that it was out of vanity to cover disfigurements marking his beautiful face. Yet others believed it was out of an effort to ward off unnecessary attention and remain nameless, faceless as a true shinobi...which was hard to do with swooning women littering his path.
Kakashi had heard all these theories and more. None of the conjectures were really right; though there was a laugh to be had and a grain of truth to each: he did enjoy the poker face it gave; the mask, along with the hitai ate*, did help hide his sharingan and attention drawing face; but that wasn't why he had first donned the black fabric...
Sometimes, he wished that he had never bothered with the stupid mask. Then maybe people wouldn't be obsessing over it today. Perhaps they would have just gotten used to his striking features and stopped giving him unwanted attention... ah, but it was too late for that now; wasn't it?
Besides, he'd already seen how people reacted to pretty males like Sasuke. And he was a kid. That at least kept the drooling adults at arm's length, even if their eyes were more than a tad glazed when they ogled him. It made Kakashi shiver to envision what they were thinking (though with maybe just a touch of excitement with certain people). Imagine what the crazy women of the village would do if it was a grown man? The self-control of a ninja wasn't exactly limitless, *especially* for one that had been lonely for a while now. A ninja can train all he wants, but that doesn't make him a eunuch; the success of Naruto's "Oiroke no Jutsu" being a case in point. Hey, if even a hokage can't always control himself, who on earth would expect such a feat from Kakashi?
**************************************************************************** ***
It was true that life-changing events are most often unplanned and even go unnoticed at first. He didn't consciously set himself up to be a masked ninja...it had just happened.
When he had been nothing more than a baby-ninja in the Academy, he had always found it odd that people couldn't see past the words that described him: handsome, genius, and on and on... He felt intrigued by these terms that seemed so alien to him. Wasn't he just Kakashi?? Apparently not to the others.
There were fan girls who had never talked to him that proclaimed their love for Kakashi, though they didn't even know the first thing about him. It always amazed him that these girls could delude themselves into thinking that they could fall in love with nothing more than a pretty face. There were also boys who wanted to challenge him to a fight to prove their strength though they knew of Kakashi only through rumors. It wasn't as if they actually acknowledged him as an opponent worthy of respect, but merely saw "Kakashi" as a name that would look awesome on their "beaten list." It was amusing but also made a bitter smile appear under the black cloth when he actually thought of how the majority of people in his life had never cared to learn about his inner self.
**************************************************************************** ***
It was actually pretty funny how the whole mask thing had come about. A girl (he couldn't even remember who or why) had slapped him HARD. The only thing he DID remember clearly was that it was so unexpected that he didn't even have the time to move away from the brunt of the blow, even though she wasn't even a kunouchi. Little Kakashi was so embarrassed to have such a person get the better of him...hence the mask to cover up the splotch of color on his cheek. Since that fateful day (though only so in hindsight), he had learned that a mask could do much more than just hide a slap mark.
At first, he merely thought that the covering made him look dangerous and ninja-like. Even the effort required to keep his face covered all the time was "cool" to him since it subtly showed his skills.
Then as time passed he noticed that the mask seemed to give him an aura of inapproachability that kept away unwanted advances. There were less of both the annoying girls and boys that imposed on him. Even his enemies seemed more intimidated by him too. It was great.
As he rose up in rank, the black cloth became a part of his "ninja" uniform that made him mentally steeled to be a ruthless, emotionless, elite shinobi. After many years had passed, he found that it was actually more than just a part of his uniform. He realized that it was hard to contemplate being without the cloth even amongst his own team-mates to whom he entrusted his life on a daily basis.
The symbolic wall between himself and the world had become a comfort to Kakashi without him even noticing its existence until it was too late. With all that he'd been through, the extra barrier between him and others was welcome, if not necessary, to keep his good humored outlook on life.
By now, it was just a habit to put the mask on after every shower (that being the only time that it came off fully). No conscious thought required at all...except of course to keep away from the prying eyes of his sometimes too avid fan club who have been trying for years to catch him without his mask. The jounin girl had almost succeeded that one time, but thank god he had seen through that elaborate genjutsu. Not that he was exactly a blushing virgin, but being caught buck-naked by some random girl just wasn't his idea of a turn-on. He had made his bathing times irregular after that. Any trap that was clever enough to deceive him was hard to execute without a precise timeframe.
Some of his friends (the ones who seemed to realize that he used the mask to keep distant from the world) had been telling him that he should take the material off sometimes. That his fan club would stop bothering him when they could no longer fantasize about his features since reality was always more boring than dreams. That it didn't really provide much function (it wasn't as if it was poison/shuriken/kunai-proof or anything) and even hampered his sense of smell that might prove to be crucial at some point. Maybe they were right.
It DID get hot in the summer with a black cloth covering your breathing passages. And it did get ridiculous when he had to eat/drink/sneeze/cough/kiss...well, okay so he wasn't going to do the last thing anytime soon, but still...having to use major ninja skills to invisibly perform everyday functions was good to keep sharp but absurd nonetheless.
But it scared him to take it off, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else. Nobody but himself had to know about his intimacy issues. Well, that was until he found someone special that it would actually affect. Maybe that person would help him figure out what to do...
Oh well, the old saying was true...you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well, it was more like you can't teach an old dog to stop performing his old tricks. But habits are hard to kick. Besides, it was so much more fun for Kakashi to aggravate people who can't read his expression. The look of exasperation on their faces when they couldn't tell whether he was serious or joking was worth the extra effort having the mask required. Oh, the harmless but priceless joys of his life...how else was a man to stay sane while dealing with a bunch of angst-ridden teenagers?
======================================================================
*forehead protector with the village symbols
:::Wow, the first one just came out naturally but this one was extremely difficult. It's so hard to keep it congruent with the first chapter, especially since the subject matter is quite different.
Okay, so it's turned out almost THREE times as long as the last one. Is it too wordy? Should I have kept it tighter? Or do the extra words actually add more depth to the story?
Also, I'm often serious and silly within seconds of each other, so I used the same for Kakashi. I hope the switch from one to the other doesn't seem bipolar or anything. I think that he is a comedian that would see the funny or ironic side to his problems. Let me know if you think otherwise. I'm really open for constructive criticisms. And yes, the good karma is still valid for a review of this new chapter.
Cheers,
Violettachan
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and its related characters.
Wow!!! So many reviews! I honestly didn't expect this many. Now I understand why people get into this. It's been THE key factor in making me want to continue this story. Oh, and for those who may have wanted to submit anonymous reviews...I totally didn't realize that I had it set not to accept them. Sorry. But please let me know what you thought this time.
Cuito, Me-la Kenzu, Aiko Yamada, Suzaku no miko, radicalL, Kitsune Angel, Lasaire, Fireblazie, Lady Geuna, Jewel Song, Soju, and RurouniGochan: thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate you taking the time to encourage me to continue.
As for the seeming hetero-ness of the fic... I'm not opposed to Kakashi being gay, but I thought I'd start his inner-self as straight. I can't see any indication of gayness in the manga, so if he is to go for a guy, I think it would be more gradual. That said, I don't think I could write something so intricate as a seemingly straight guy realizing yaoi feelings very well. Who knows?? For now, I guess I'm leaning towards hetero though.
Also, I do realize that I could bring in an outside character, but that feels just a tiny bit like cheating. I find that the fun (though difficult) part of a fan fic is working within the limitations set out by the original work. But it's so true that Naruto suffers from a lack of females to choose from. But what can you expect from a shounen manga (boy comics)?
Since I still can't think of a pairing for now, on fireblazie's suggestion, I'm going to attempt to write about Kakashi's mask.
======================================================================
Kakashi's Mask
Kakashi's mask...he didn't usually even notice its existence when he was alone. It was such a part of him and his habits that it didn't even seem significant. But the mask was a constant source of questions from others; though, "questions" might be a bad choice of word since most people didn't have the audacity to ask. However, their glances (or more often stares) were pretty much the same thing.
In Konoha, such things usually went unmentioned / unnoticed...curiosity had killed more than its fair share of shinobi, but of course that wasn't the case for Kakashi. The aggravating thing was that it wasn't even odd for a ninja to cover most of his face; it was the damn rumor that he was one of the best-looking men in Konoha that brought about the complication. Kakashi had no clue who to blame for this. It had been YEARS since he had last shown his entire face in public. How could they even know what he looked like anymore? For all they knew, he could have wrinkles and scars that would make Jiraiya's face look silky smooth in comparison. Well, of course that wasn't true, but the point was THEY didn't know.
Sometime, so long ago that he hardly remembered the reason, he had started wearing the infamous mask. Some assumed that it was to cover his lecherous looks; others whispered that it was out of vanity to cover disfigurements marking his beautiful face. Yet others believed it was out of an effort to ward off unnecessary attention and remain nameless, faceless as a true shinobi...which was hard to do with swooning women littering his path.
Kakashi had heard all these theories and more. None of the conjectures were really right; though there was a laugh to be had and a grain of truth to each: he did enjoy the poker face it gave; the mask, along with the hitai ate*, did help hide his sharingan and attention drawing face; but that wasn't why he had first donned the black fabric...
Sometimes, he wished that he had never bothered with the stupid mask. Then maybe people wouldn't be obsessing over it today. Perhaps they would have just gotten used to his striking features and stopped giving him unwanted attention... ah, but it was too late for that now; wasn't it?
Besides, he'd already seen how people reacted to pretty males like Sasuke. And he was a kid. That at least kept the drooling adults at arm's length, even if their eyes were more than a tad glazed when they ogled him. It made Kakashi shiver to envision what they were thinking (though with maybe just a touch of excitement with certain people). Imagine what the crazy women of the village would do if it was a grown man? The self-control of a ninja wasn't exactly limitless, *especially* for one that had been lonely for a while now. A ninja can train all he wants, but that doesn't make him a eunuch; the success of Naruto's "Oiroke no Jutsu" being a case in point. Hey, if even a hokage can't always control himself, who on earth would expect such a feat from Kakashi?
**************************************************************************** ***
It was true that life-changing events are most often unplanned and even go unnoticed at first. He didn't consciously set himself up to be a masked ninja...it had just happened.
When he had been nothing more than a baby-ninja in the Academy, he had always found it odd that people couldn't see past the words that described him: handsome, genius, and on and on... He felt intrigued by these terms that seemed so alien to him. Wasn't he just Kakashi?? Apparently not to the others.
There were fan girls who had never talked to him that proclaimed their love for Kakashi, though they didn't even know the first thing about him. It always amazed him that these girls could delude themselves into thinking that they could fall in love with nothing more than a pretty face. There were also boys who wanted to challenge him to a fight to prove their strength though they knew of Kakashi only through rumors. It wasn't as if they actually acknowledged him as an opponent worthy of respect, but merely saw "Kakashi" as a name that would look awesome on their "beaten list." It was amusing but also made a bitter smile appear under the black cloth when he actually thought of how the majority of people in his life had never cared to learn about his inner self.
**************************************************************************** ***
It was actually pretty funny how the whole mask thing had come about. A girl (he couldn't even remember who or why) had slapped him HARD. The only thing he DID remember clearly was that it was so unexpected that he didn't even have the time to move away from the brunt of the blow, even though she wasn't even a kunouchi. Little Kakashi was so embarrassed to have such a person get the better of him...hence the mask to cover up the splotch of color on his cheek. Since that fateful day (though only so in hindsight), he had learned that a mask could do much more than just hide a slap mark.
At first, he merely thought that the covering made him look dangerous and ninja-like. Even the effort required to keep his face covered all the time was "cool" to him since it subtly showed his skills.
Then as time passed he noticed that the mask seemed to give him an aura of inapproachability that kept away unwanted advances. There were less of both the annoying girls and boys that imposed on him. Even his enemies seemed more intimidated by him too. It was great.
As he rose up in rank, the black cloth became a part of his "ninja" uniform that made him mentally steeled to be a ruthless, emotionless, elite shinobi. After many years had passed, he found that it was actually more than just a part of his uniform. He realized that it was hard to contemplate being without the cloth even amongst his own team-mates to whom he entrusted his life on a daily basis.
The symbolic wall between himself and the world had become a comfort to Kakashi without him even noticing its existence until it was too late. With all that he'd been through, the extra barrier between him and others was welcome, if not necessary, to keep his good humored outlook on life.
By now, it was just a habit to put the mask on after every shower (that being the only time that it came off fully). No conscious thought required at all...except of course to keep away from the prying eyes of his sometimes too avid fan club who have been trying for years to catch him without his mask. The jounin girl had almost succeeded that one time, but thank god he had seen through that elaborate genjutsu. Not that he was exactly a blushing virgin, but being caught buck-naked by some random girl just wasn't his idea of a turn-on. He had made his bathing times irregular after that. Any trap that was clever enough to deceive him was hard to execute without a precise timeframe.
Some of his friends (the ones who seemed to realize that he used the mask to keep distant from the world) had been telling him that he should take the material off sometimes. That his fan club would stop bothering him when they could no longer fantasize about his features since reality was always more boring than dreams. That it didn't really provide much function (it wasn't as if it was poison/shuriken/kunai-proof or anything) and even hampered his sense of smell that might prove to be crucial at some point. Maybe they were right.
It DID get hot in the summer with a black cloth covering your breathing passages. And it did get ridiculous when he had to eat/drink/sneeze/cough/kiss...well, okay so he wasn't going to do the last thing anytime soon, but still...having to use major ninja skills to invisibly perform everyday functions was good to keep sharp but absurd nonetheless.
But it scared him to take it off, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone else. Nobody but himself had to know about his intimacy issues. Well, that was until he found someone special that it would actually affect. Maybe that person would help him figure out what to do...
Oh well, the old saying was true...you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well, it was more like you can't teach an old dog to stop performing his old tricks. But habits are hard to kick. Besides, it was so much more fun for Kakashi to aggravate people who can't read his expression. The look of exasperation on their faces when they couldn't tell whether he was serious or joking was worth the extra effort having the mask required. Oh, the harmless but priceless joys of his life...how else was a man to stay sane while dealing with a bunch of angst-ridden teenagers?
======================================================================
*forehead protector with the village symbols
:::Wow, the first one just came out naturally but this one was extremely difficult. It's so hard to keep it congruent with the first chapter, especially since the subject matter is quite different.
Okay, so it's turned out almost THREE times as long as the last one. Is it too wordy? Should I have kept it tighter? Or do the extra words actually add more depth to the story?
Also, I'm often serious and silly within seconds of each other, so I used the same for Kakashi. I hope the switch from one to the other doesn't seem bipolar or anything. I think that he is a comedian that would see the funny or ironic side to his problems. Let me know if you think otherwise. I'm really open for constructive criticisms. And yes, the good karma is still valid for a review of this new chapter.
Cheers,
Violettachan