"I Waited For You"
By RemusLupinGirl
WARNINGS: Major character death, major angst, and yaoi
Disclaimer: ME NO OWN!
Iruka stared at his student, a sad smile crossing his scared face. He stepped closer, his pace slow and cautious.
"Naruto, don't you think it is time that you came back inside? It is raining you know," he asked, his voice kind. The blonde jounnin glanced back, his normally vibrant blue eyes dull and lifeless.
"I told him I would wait for him Iruka-sensei…"
The dolphin sighed, his hand on his forehead. His student blinked before turning his gaze back towards the gates. It was hopeless, Iruka knew that. He had been gone for five months now, on a journey that should have taken two. The rest of his team had come back months ago with tails of how brave he was in battle. But he had just disappeared afterwards. No one knew where he went. Teams had been sent out to search for him, but came back with no evidence of his whereabouts. The Village of Konoha had given up all hope of his return. His name was carved onto the Monument; his stories of glorious victories told at ceremonies in his honor. Life was slowly going back to normal in his absence, for all except one. Naruto waited, day after day, in the same spot for his lover's return. He never left, not for food, sleep, or even nature's call. His food was delivered to him, and a small bedroll was set up for him. The Hokage, as strange as it was for Tsunade to do, was very accommodating to the eighteen year old warrior.
"There has to be something you can do Hokage-sama! There has to be!" Iruka pleaded, his chocolate brown eyes filling with tears. The Fifth Hokage turned towards him, a small smile on her face.
"You know there is nothing I can do Iruka-sensei," she shrugged, "He wouldn't listen to me even if I tried."
"But he's sick! I heard him coughing last time I visited him!"
"I know-"
"He's going to die if he keeps this up much longer! He can't keep waiting for-"
"He's dead Iruka."
The chunnin stopped, the tears finally falling from his eyes. The woman in front of him sighed and turned back towards the window.
"But…but you said that…" he stuttered, his heart breaking for his lost friend and student. He slumped to his knees on the hard floor, covering his face with his hands.
"They found his body not far from the battle site. I just…never had the heart to tell him that his beloved was never coming home to him…"
"Iruka-sensei? Are you alright?" a deadpanned voice asked from in front of him. Iruka's head shot up, his eyes meeting Naruto's. He nodded, clearing his head for the task he was given.
"Naruto…"
"I told him I would wait for him, even if it killed me Iruka," Naruto stated, his voice firm with conviction. Tears fell down the jounnin's pale cheeks as faced the closed gates. Iruka could only stare dumbfounded as his favorite student spoke.
"I know Iruka-sensei. I know he's gone. But a promise is a promise. I will wait till he comes back."
"But you'll die!"
"Then I'll be with him again! BUT I REFUSE TO BREAK MY PROMISE TO HIM!" Naruto shrieked as he rounded on his sensei. His blonde hair fell across his face in greasy locks, shadowing his blue eyes. His teacher stumbled back with the force of his words, but kept his balance.
"Why is this promise so important that it has to cost you your life Naruto?"
"………"
"No! No way! This mission is too dangerous for you!"
"I have to do this Naruto, you know that."
"There has to be someone, something else! Go on a different mission! Have baa-san choose someone else!"
"And have someone else die? I don't think so."
"But that's just it! You might die!"
"We're ninja's! Every mission we go on could kill us!"
"But this mission has five percent survival rate! Damn it, I don't want to lose you!"
"…I know that…"
Naruto clutched the man closer to him, tears rolling down his cheeks in waves. The man held him closer to his body, his lips carefully kissing the blonde locks under his chin.
"I love you…oh god I love you…"
"I love you too. But you have to let me go now."
"No…never…"
"Naruto…"
"I'll wait for you."
"…what?"
"I'll wait for you to come home, as long as it takes. Even if it kills me, I will wait."
"Naruto…"
"I promise you that."
The man smiled and lifted his love's face towards him. He placed a small kiss on the jounnin's upturned lips before pulling back. His eyes stared deeply in to Naruto's, his smile slipping just a tad as he stepped back towards the gate. With a turn he was gone, leaving his lover standing there, alone in his grief.
"…it was the last thing I ever got to say to him…"
Iruka sighed, his heart breaking even more for his young "brother". He stepped foreword and wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulders. His head rested on top of Naruto's as the two stared at the gates together.
"I could wait with you if you want," the dolphin asked, his voice telling the jounnin that he had finally accepted the inevitable. The brunette didn't see the small smile cross the blonde's face, but could feel him shake his head no.
"I don't think so Iruka-sensei. But thank you for offering."
Iruka found him the next day, lying in the same spot he had left him. With tears in his eyes he gathered the jounnin into his arms and walked slowly towards the Hokage's building. He stopped before it as the doors opened and everyone Naruto cared about poured out. Sakura got to him first, her body shuddering as waves of sobs hit her.
"No…oh gods no…" she cried out as she collapsed to her knees. Her husband Sasuke held her close, his shoulders shaking with his pent up emotions. Naruto's friends, his family through love, followed their lead one by one as their grief overtook them. One, only one, stood straight as a board, her voice ringing above the sobs and wails.
"His body was delivered this morning. The funeral will be arranged for two days time."
Iruka glanced up, his eyes meeting the Fifth's from across the way. The woman's face was streaked with tears, but she held firm. He nodded, a sad smile on his face as he glanced down at the now peaceful face of his student.
"His birthday, huh? Yes, Naruto would have liked that."
Grey mist gathered around him, clouding his vision. He swiped it away with a swat of his hand, but it only deepened.
"Damn, I can never find him in all of this!"
"Then why don't you let him find you?"
The blonde swiveled around, his eyes landing on the figure in front of him. The uniform of a jounnin graced his willowy figure. Silver hair was spiked away from his head. His face, though Naruto knew its beauty by heart, was covered in a black mask and a hitai-ate.
"It's about damn time. I was wondering when you were going to get here Naruto."
A wide smile spread across the young man's face as tears gathered in his now vibrant blue eyes. He rushed forward and jumped, his arms wrapping around the body of his lover.
"Oh gods Kakashi, I missed you so badly," he sobbed, his body quaking. The scarecrow smiled under his mask and gathered his love close to him. The man was babbling, just as he had in life, and the older man reveled in it. Five months wasn't a long time in death; time was non existent when one died. But even one second of being away from his Naruto was long enough.
"I missed you too love."
"I waited Kakashi. I promised I would wait and I did! Did you see? I kept my promise!"
Kakashi's shoulder's shook as he chuckled silently. With a quick mask pull he silenced his love with a kiss. As innocent as it started it turned passionate very quickly. Naruto moaned and pushed closer as the scarecrow's tongue plunged into his wet cavern. As his mind slowly shut down, one thought rang clear.
'I waited...and now he is finally home...in my arms...'
THE END
Okay, I know you tought it was probably Sasuke or something. Sorry, but it's Kakashi! I kinda like that pairing! Well, please review! I live off reviews!
RemusLupinGirl