Wild-filly: Salutations and welcome to the reviewers' tribute chapter! Sorry for taking so long to update – I changed computers, so it's taken me a while to get used to writing on a laptop, instead of perched at a monitor…go figure. Well, I've taken into account all of the suggestions that I've been given and have prepared an in-character, in-plot fanfic extra for you all to enjoy.
Please note that the chapters to follow this will be getting progressively darker. I don't want to upset people, so I offer this warning in advance. However, I counter this by saying that I also love a happy ending, so please bear with me and don't flame me for necessary plot twists! I'm not as cruel as you might think! The fic doesn't end until it ends up in the present day, Kazama Hasaki, so don't worry –everything will tie together soon enough (grins).
Disclaimer: wild-filly does not own Naruto, or more importantly, Kakashi.
Hall of fame! Many thanks to the wonderful Hanariko, Tora Macaw, YamiKitsuneKami, Kazama Hasaki, Andrea, hiddenwindmill, tinky and JapanAnimeGirl! I hope that I do your ideas justice!
Drunkenness, lime, nakedness, fluff and other (ahem) goodness all ahead! Consider yourselves warned!
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Okumen Gokurakuchou: Chapter 25
………..
The sun was strong in the sky, light flooding in an offensively bright manner into the disaster that was Kakashi's apartment. If possible the mess was looking even worse than usual, despite the fact that most of Kurotaka's garments were missing and Kakashi's own were still rolled up in a ball stuffed in his knapsack. It was feasible that the lack of frequent moving about the apartment was to blame for making it look worse than it was – ordinarily the number of falls that occurred due to tripping over miscellaneous objects ensured that no dust was able to remain in one place for long. As such, the apartment tended to maintain an illusion of scruffy cleanliness. In the Shinobis' absence however, both dust and spiders had moved in with a vengeance and were staging a battle for dominance of the room.
This was, mind, a battle that Kakashi was blissfully ignoring, because he was still wrapped in a great tussle of blankets, peacefully sleeping the morning and early afternoon away. He and Masurao had talked until deep into the night. The fatigue from his earlier mission also weighed on his shoulders, however both strains of tiredness were currently being combated with a form of premature hibernation. He shifted awkwardly in his sleep, murmuring under his breath. It was strange to be the only one occupying the space. The absence of Kurotaka's lithe form, swathed in sheets and curled with her back against his stomach was most disconcerting. Fingers twitched, hands empty and a need for warmth ached in Kakashi's slumbering consciousness. Even in sleep he missed her. How pathetic.
A sharp rapping came at the door. Kakashi twitched slightly, a frown ceasing his face, still softened by sleep. One silver eyebrow flickered, and then he relaxed. There was a brief pause, and then the rapping began again, this time louder. Without even opening his eyes, Kakashi rolled over in his sleep, pulled the pillow over his head and proceeded to ignore the rapping annoyance without even apparently acknowledging its existence.
"Kakashi! Get the hell up!"
Still no response came from the tangled mound of sheets. From where he was enjoying the experience of being ignored outside Kakashi's door, Masurao muttered to himself. He stared irritably at the door, appearing to be considering whether his life would be worth living if he broke it down. Kakashi'd have to foot the bill for it – not something that Masurao particularly wanted. Especially since he'd probably end up hung, drawn and quartered for his generosity.
Ah well. Life was overrated anyway.
"Kakashi! If you don't open this door right now, I'm breaking it in!" With that, the shorter Shinobi planted one foot on the solid wooden frame and thrust, piercing straight through the wood and sending the entire frame inwards in a shower of splinters. Kakashi growled from the depths of the bed, blearily raising his tousled head to glare sleepily over at Masurao, who was now coming to terms with the issue of how to extract his foot from the aforementioned door.
"Why'd you go and do that?" He questioned mildly. He rubbed wearily at his eyes and began the complicated process of untangling the blankets from himself. Not an easy pre-morning coffee task. Masurao divested himself from the clutches of the door and staggered into the room. "Because you wouldn't wake up otherwise. I've been up for hours; I've organized everything while you were sleeping."
"Then why couldn't you leave me here a little longer so that I could be fashionably late?" Kakashi grumbled half-heartedly, now sitting on the side of the bed and looking vaguely more alive. Masurao shook his head in chagrin. "Never mind, Kakashi-kun. Just make sure you're ready to leave in an hour and it'll be fine."
"How precisely? You broke my door down!"
"The carpenter's already on his way. I sort of foresaw this maybe happening." He had to duck as Kakashi heaved his dog-eared copy of Icha Icha Paradisu that Kuro had bought for him at the grinning Jounin's head. "Now, now, don't be like that. Today's going to be fun, I promise you."
"So what have you done precisely?" Kakashi yawned, pulling on his mask as he searched clumsily about the room for clothing that could pass as clean, or at least lacking in spiders. He had a slightly bad feeling about this. Masurao was one for taking things to the extreme when given his head in arranging matters. The celebrations after their passing the Chuunin exam had been controversial to say the least…
Masurao's eyes bent into a grin, dark bangs obscuring them from view. "Well, I thought that we should do a little more than just sit around and get drunk today. We haven't even had time to celebrate becoming Jounin! So I looked around for inspiration and managed to arrange something that you didn't even consider yourself."
"What was that?" Kakashi glanced up in confusion from where he was shooing a spider out of his only clean shirt.
"A romantic getaway for you and Kuro-chan of course!" At the look on Kakashi's face, Masurao knew he was right – he hadn't even considered it.
"Are you stupid or merely a very good actor?" queried Kakashi in disbelief. "You actually went out and planned part of Kuro's life for her? Do you have a death wish?"
"No, I believe you do, since it's booked in your name" Masurao grinned cheerfully. "Come now Kakashi, don't look so disturbed. It's a weekend stay at the mountain hot springs resort; nothing drastic or incriminating. We're going to a hot spring today to give them a trial run; it's got sake and it's pretty close to Gai's house."
"And that's a good thing, how?"
"Because it means that we can get drunk and not have to stagger too far to desecrate his house!"
"Who mentioned anything about needing to get drunk for that?"
"Oh shut up and work with me Kakashi."
"I can see a large problem with your argument."
"And what would that be?" Masurao asked the question, but obviously wasn't interested in the answer.
Kakashi glared, rolling his eyes. "There's a risk that he'll see us coming, since we have to pass his house on the way to the resort. We'll be stuck with him then."
Masurao winked. "It's a risk I'm willing to take Kakashi. Come on. Think of this as a bachelor party of sorts. Let's go out and do something stupid."
"That's funny. You've never needed an excuse to do that before."
………..
"Quiet. That's his place over there."
Kakashi glanced lazily over at the shaded apartment block towards which Masurao was gesturing in a cautious manner. It was intriguing how his companion managed to look both nonchalant and panicked at the same time in his pointing out of the fixture. Shinobi mind ever aware, Kakashi took in several details. A collection of spindly trees flanked the apartment, which was about eight stories high. Not too difficult to gain entry to. There was a fountain in the neat gardens before the building's entrance. There was also Gai, standing incredulously in the middle of the manicured lawns.
Damn.
"Masurao-kun and rival-Kakashi! What brings you to my humble abode!" There was no such thing as ordinary speech with that man; everything had to be either a declaration or an oath, either way it would be accompanied with a minimum of one exclamation mark. Kakashi smacked his forehead against his palm irritably as Masurao stammered a greeting. Great. So much for the stealth option.
Bounding forwards to meet them, the green-clad Jounin flashed his trademark grin and struck a pose. "You've never come to see me before! Can I take this as a peace offering, rival-Kakashi?"
"No, just a miserable coincidence" deadpanned Kakashi. Masurao frowned at him and turned back to the glowering Gai, sweatdropping nervously and waving his hands in a placating manner. "Now now you two… we didn't come here to pick a fight. We were just passing by on the way to the hot springs." Kakashi could have killed him then and there, as Gai's eyes lit up with a smoldering fire.
"The hot springs! A centre of relaxation and rejuvenation! A perfect rehabilitation centre for wearied ninja."
"Only for ninja who've booked ahead," chimed in Masurao, shaking his head in feigned disappointment. Gai's face fell, much to Kakashi's relief. Unfortunately though, he suddenly brightened. "Ah! How could I have forgotten? The owners of the resort springs company are old friends of the family! I'm sure they'll let me fit in somewhere!"
Kakashi was very tempted to call off the outing altogether, but for the look of utter patheticness that had now taken up residence on Gai's face. He obviously didn't get out much. Ah well. If he came with them then at least it would be able to find him for drunken abuse. Or something like that. Kakashi had a nasty feeling that Gai might be a violent drunk.
"Fair enough then" Masurao grinned awkwardly. "Shall we be off?"
It took Gai only a whirlwind of movement in order to pull together a couple of belongings and then sprint to catch up with the other two ninja, who had declined to wait for him. Kakashi scuffed down the path irritably. This was just what he didn't need; an annoying tag-along. It wasn't long before Gai had caught up to the two and was inflicting conversation upon them both.
"Masurao-kun! How have you been after the mission? My techniques are super-sharp now!"
"Not too bad. I've been keeping life quiet, so I'm not sure how my techniques are doing." For some reason, Masurao seemed quite anxious to avoid this train of thought, "so, how're things over at your end?" Kakashi snorted. Since when did Masurao care?
"Fine as usual, fine as usual" Gai's face was a picture of sunny pleasure. "How are you holding up from your sickness, Masurao-kun?"
"Sickness?" queried Kakashi. "You never mentioned that you got sick on the mission."
Masurao glared at Kakashi, "it was a stupid mistake okay? I forgot to bring my rainproof cloak, so I caught the flu. I was fine and still am."
"He kept coughing whenever we neared enemy lines, so I had to brew a special tea to make it stop" added Gai cheerfully. Masurao grimaced. "All that the revolting tonic did was weld my mouth shut! It had no beneficial properties whatsoever."
"I don't suppose you could show me how to make it in case of emergencies then, Gai?" Kakashi was amazed at himself. He had actually addressed a question that was more or less sincere at the other Shinobi. Gai too seemed somewhat taken aback, blinking in flame-eyed surprise. Unfortunately, he hastily recovered.
"Of course rival-Kakashi! I'm always ready to help you through your failings!"
Damn him.
Rolling his eyes, Masurao took off at a swift ninja-run. In a hurry to get to the springs, or simply to avoid conversation? Kakashi didn't know, but he was all for the second option. He broke into a quick lope in response, leaving Gai with the choice of speeding up, or continuing his discussion with a tree. Although in hindsight, a tree would probably be less sarcastic.
Easily keeping up with Masurao's pace, after about half an hour of running Kakashi noted the appearance of large clouds of steam, hanging over a patch of woodland up ahead. Masurao's jog lead Kakashi through a series of twists and turns, eventually bringing them to the gateway of the springs.
Kakashi glanced about them. The place looked pretty rundown. "You expect Kurotaka to want to come here?" he questioned Masurao skeptically. "She has issues with the loose skirting board in the flat. I hate to think how she'd react to giant holes in the wall." His attention was focused on a particularly large gap in the fencing. Perfect for some of the more perverted members of society, he mused.
Masurao chuckled. "Not quite, Kakashi. This is the 'lower' branch of the springs. The one I've booked you for is owned by the more up-market part of the company. It's up in the hills. I figured that we could probably risk slumming it down here."
"Good to hear." Kakashi stared about the place in a bored fashion. He could handle the shabbiness; if it meant that he could get drunk and annoy Gai. Well… drunkenness hadn't been much fun the last time he tried it. Maybe that was just one bad experience. After all, Kurotaka had been there ready to blackmail him.
Masurao went on ahead to sort out their bookings, while Kakashi and Gai meandered aimlessly outside, waiting being let in. Kakashi was quietly plotting to himself. What would be a good way to humiliate his shiny-headed rival without being caught? Immediately at least. A couple of ideas were manifesting themselves evilly in the back of his head. He wondered if Gai was on the lookout for attacks of this nature. Not that it was likely at this point in time, considering the other Shinobi was busy practicing poses in the background. Honestly.
"Ok, we're in!" Masurao's head craned out around the door of the management building. "No problems with you being here Gai… or at least none that you weren't aware of already" he nodded at Kakashi, who had opened his mouth to refute that comment. "Come on – the sake won't be there forever."
All in all, there were worse ways to spend the afternoon, considered Kakashi. Not that the strangeness of the situation hadn't escaped him. He was sitting chest-deep in scalding water, with a cold, soggy towel on his forehead and two morons sitting opposite him. The temperature of the water had shocked him at first, but he was slowing coming to enjoy the feeling of searing pain all over his body. It ranked right up there with sitting on a barbeque. He didn't know how the other two were managing to look so damn cheerful about it. The only bright side of it all was that one; they weren't talking to him and two; he was holding his fourth helping of sake in one parboiled hand.
Sipping luxuriantly at the strong liquor, Kakashi dimly noted the approach of another figure, garbed in a dressing robe and heading for their pool. Masurao and Gai chose that moment to burst out laughing; ear-splitting tones irritating Kakashi. He turned and watched the other spa-goer as they too slid into the water. There was an interesting hand-shaped bruise welling up on the muttering ninja's face.
Deciding that being sociable with this annoyed stranger might be less offensive than talking to Gai, Kakashi maneuvered himself closer. He caught a train of mumbling coming from the stranger. Something about writing, research material and restraining orders.
"Problems?" Kakashi poured out a measure of sake and offered it to the downcast bather. Perking up, the man took the sake and swilled the draught eagerly, rubbing his bruised face. He had a great mane of white hair, bizarrely spiked. Not that Kakashi was one to talk on that front.
"Yeah" he groaned, emptying the shallow cup and helping himself to another one. "I'm supposed to be researching material for my newest book, but every time I get near the pretty ones they always start screaming…" Kakashi blinked. "The pretty ones…?"
"The pretty ladies" filled the white-headed, now self-confessed pervert, emptying his second cup and holding it out for a refill. He flashed a grin at the perplexed Kakashi. "Don't you recognize me?"
Kakashi struggled with himself. "I…I know you by a different reputation… Jiraiya-sama. I didn't know that you were a writer." Or a pervert, he added silently, sipping on his own cup of warm sake.
The Legendary Sennin blushed modestly. "I started writing a couple of years ago, and wouldn't you know it? The public loves my work! So I've just got to keep training, improving my knowledge and developing my style."
"By spying on bathing women?"
"Of course!"
It then dawned on Kakashi that he hadn't asked what KIND of books the Legendary Sennin had been devoting his time to writing. "Very well." This was going to take a lot more sake. "How many books have you published?"
"Just one so far." The grin on the older man's face was infectious. "Even the ladies are buying it! Some amazing beauties, and even the bad-natured ones! Imagine that! Just a little while ago I sold one in person to one of the most antisocial kunoichi there is. She came to me specially for a 'training' manual." He grinned lewdly, eyes partially closed in delighted remembrance. Kakashi's heart leapt into his throat, then sank and stomach contorted simultaneously, forcing an expression of grotesque discomfort across his face. The sake he had been drinking somehow contrived to go down his throat the wrong way, causing him to erupt in a coughing fit. Banging a heavy fist on the spluttering Shinobi's back, Jiraiya continued cheerfully.
"Yeah… some achievement eh? She was a spunky-looking one as well… the kind I like to write about; the ones who fight it all the way, you know?… but anyway…" he cleared his throat. "I'm trying to find some new material, but it really isn't working out. All the volatile pretty ones are really hard to work with. Feeling better?"
Kakashi gave a tortured groan and shook his head, pouring a deeper serving of sake and downing it. Oh Kurotaka, how could you? She'd gone to Jiraiya for a training manual and come back with that – and had given it to him no less! He hoped that Jiraiya wouldn't say anything foolish: he didn't fancy fighting for Kurotaka's honour against one of the Legendary Sennin.
"Hey Kakashi, you ignoring us over there?" Masurao's slurred voice carried sharply over to the two pale haired Shinobi. Kakashi grimaced. Oh not now… Jiraiya grinned in response. "I was just talking about my new book to your friend."
"What kindaf booksat?" Gai suddenly manifested at Kakashi's side, draping one arm over and leaning against the startled and highly affronted Shinobi. "Kakashi doesn' read… yerwasting, your… time" His speech was even odder than usual, Kakashi noted as he dispassionately detached the drunk Gai from his shoulders and dumped him back into the spring with an air of disgust. Masurao chuckled, hiccupping at the same time. "You're perverted-Jiraiya-sama, aren't you? I've read your book…"
Far from looking offended at that little reference, Jiraiya's face took on every appearance of delight. "Yes! Don't you agree with me then, that the difficult ladies are always the most fun to work with?"
Masurao grinned widely, nudging Kakashi with a clumsy elbow. "And this one'd knowalllabou' that, eh?" Kakashi glared at him in warning, but was sadly unable to penetrate the drunken fog of ignorance that had settled over Masurao's consciousness and put his brain out of work for the day.
"Say what now?" Jiraiya leaned forwards with interest, throwing back another helping of sake and generously refilling Kakashi's cup. "Come on! Tell all! You could be the inspiration for my next book!"
Kakashi shook his head. It would be suicide. If Kurotaka found out… but what if she didn't? "I… I can't betray her trust like that" he mumbled unwillingly.
"Come on, that's no fun" Jiraiya scowled and refilled his sake cup. Gai remerged from the water, spluttering from where Kakashi had dumped him earlier. He'd forgotten all about him.
"RivalKakashi! I'll kill yooouuu…" he trailed off, reaching for the sake bottle and upending it into his beaker. He swallowed cheerfully, blinked a bit and then sat back down, face a picture of placidity. Kakashi decided to file that death threat under "lesser offences for later consideration".
"Yeah, Kakashi" Masurao chipped in, retrieving the bottle and filling his own glass, signaling to an attendant to bring over another. "It's no fair. You're the only one of us with a girl, so share a little!"
"Fine" growled Kakashi, sipping at his cup. "If it'll get you off my back-" He broke off to glare at Gai, who had draped his arm over his shoulder again. He flipped the Shinobi off and settled himself down uncomfortably to talk. He left out as many critical and graphic details as he could, offering only the bare bones to the ravenous and now very intoxicated audience before him. Even with the sketchy details, Kakashi was able to distract his drunken cohorts until the sun was sinking deeply into the horizon. By that stage, alcohol poisoning was well on its merry way to setting in.
"Excellent!" slurred Jiraiya, cross-eyed with glee. "You've given me a great filler plot for my next novel, Kakashi-kun. I'll be sure to put your name in the credits."
"Hm?" Kakashi stared blearily back at the older Shinobi, head in his arms, leaning against the side of the pool. He was suddenly feeling very sleepy. Gai twitched, stood aloft, made a controversial statement about kunai and women's underwear and then keeled over, completely unconscious, sinking beneath the tepid water. Masurao stared pensively at the prone body of the flamboyant ninja and then, with a look of intense concentration, began poking it in the ribs.
One of the spring attendants had the foresight to drag the unconscious Gai out of the pool before he drowned and contaminated the water for future patrons. Masurao and Kakashi sat and mulled over the hot water and alcohol-soaked thoughts, as Jiraiya scribbled illegibly onto a notebook which had materialized from apparently nothing. Kakashi had the vaguest feeling that this was going to hurt in the morning. Something else occurred to him though.
"Weren't we going to do something?" he queried Masurao, eyes heavy with liquor.
The other ninja blinked back drowsily. "Oh yeah. Toilet papering Gai's house rings a bell. Anything else?"
"Nah" Another idea was forming in Kakashi's muted brain however. He grinned goofily. "Hang on… how about we colour his hair?"
Masurao's eyes brightened, momentarily losing their sleepy composure. Both ninja staggered over to the snoring form of the intoxicated Gai. It then occurred to them that neither of them had any means by which to colour his hair in the first place. Come to think of it, they didn't even have any toilet paper. Kakashi would have smacked himself on the forehead if he could find it.
"Well, what do we have then?" Thinking hurt his head too much.
"Maybe we can find some hair dye inside" pondered Masurao, groping about for the sake bottle. Kakashi nodded and swayed towards the entrance to the springs, without even stopping to question the logic behind that one. He'd see what he could find and make the most of a bad situation.
It was later revealed, after some very inexpert burglary, that they would be making the most of a tin of inexplicably salmon pink paint. Masurao found it inside the storage room; probably intended for some garish interior decorating. Either way, it was heavy-duty stuff and offensively coloured: perfect. Within moments, Gai's head was dripping pink paint, though the Shinobi snored blissfully on.
"Should we swing by his house?" questioned Masurao. "That is what we planned to do, wasn't it?" Kakashi yawned. "Too much effort. I reckon we've done enough anyway. Let's go home." He nodded to Jiraiya, who was busy hiding himself in the bushes, waiting for any potential female bathers to venture down to the baths. "If he turns homicidal, tell him that we could have dressed him in drag and left him in the training arena, but declined; if it's worth anything."
Jiraiya grinned and gave a lopsided thumbs-up. "Thanks for the material, Kakashi! I'll see you next time I need some inspiration."
In hindsight, Kakashi realised that he should have been much more worried about that parting comment than he actually was.
………..
"So what's going on here, Kakashi-kun?" Kuro's voice was perplexed, her eyes cocked in a confused manner at the other Shinobi. Kakashi smiled, silver hair spilling freely over his forehead. She stared briefly at his eyes for a moment and then gave a snort of laughter. "And just what are you wearing?"
He'd removed the hitai-ate for favour of a small black eyepatch, loaned to him by Masurao, originating from a costume shop. The other Shinobi had insisted that, if he wanted to make a good impression, then he needed to prove that he could independently operate his wardrobe AND do the washing. He wasn't sure whether or not to take offense to this. "An eyepatch, Kuro-chan. I decided to go without the forehead-protector for once."
She grinned at him, choking back a snigger. "It's not so bad, once you get over the initial pirate impression. Who gave you that idea? I bet it was Masurao". Kakashi's brief nod only made her roll her eyes, midnight blue almost black in the late afternoon. She'd returned from her mission only a couple of hours ago, but was remarkably refreshed. "So where're we going?"
"I've booked a place for us out in the mountains. A hot springs of sorts. I thought that you might enjoy it." At the startled look on her face, he knew that he'd guessed right.
"How on earth did you manage to get a booking? Those places are full for months…" He shook his head mysteriously; a good tactical move, since he had no idea how Masurao had in fact come by the reservations. "It's only for the weekend, so I suggest that we enjoy it while we can."
She grinned and shook her head, dichotomized bangs flipping haphazardly over her face. "I don't know what to make of you Kakashi-kun, I really don't."
As long as it's not a punching bag, then I couldn't care less. The though flitted through his mind and was hastily ruled out as inappropriate for the occasion. Maybe later, when she wasn't feeling so... positive towards him.
"Meet me at the gates in twenty minutes or so. There's another surprise waiting." Her eyes widened with pleasure, curved into a grin and then she vanished, spirited away to their apartment. He'd already removed his pack from the room, so he needn't double back with her. Great. Now to meet Masurao and find out what the hell the surprise was going to be any way.
The sun was exuding an intense tangerine light over the surrounding woods, now awash with darker hues than normal, forming a haze of violent colour about the village. Kakashi stepped nimbly between the gates and froze. Masurao was standing there, grinning from ear to ear. But what had stopped Kakashi was what the other ninja was holding.
"Are you crazy?" Kakashi hissed, hurrying over to his waiting "friend". "How in the name of all things holy did you manage to come by those?"
"The horses, Kakashi dear?" Masurao chuckled, stroking the white-splashed muzzle of the chocolate brown mare nearest to him. "They belong to an old acquaintance. And very well trained they are as well, so you needn't worry about getting bucked off into a tree or thrown into a river…" Kakashi shook his head dismally.
"What am I going to do with you?" Déjà vu. Only Masurao just grinned wider.
"Put it on my tab. You owe me for this one Kakashi. When I get a girlfriend, then I want you to uphold this debt. Play the violin for us or something." Kakashi was torn between glowering and smirking. "Are you sure about that? I'd probably scare her off if she were subjected to my musical skills." Masurao dismissed it with a wave of his hand, shoving two sets of reins into Kakashi's hands.
"Right. The chocolate mare is Yumi and the dappled grey gelding is Hoshi. You'll take them via the mountain trail to the hot springs. There're stables and stable hands up there to look after them. You can take them out whenever you want, but make sure that you bring them back here by the end of the weekend for the owner to collect." A couple of tokens were shoved on top of the reins and Masurao winked. "Have fun!" With that he bolted, sinking into the scrub just as Kurotaka strode through the gates.
The look of complete shock on her face was almost worth the humiliation that Masurao would bestow upon him later. Her entire face appeared to light up with wonderment, eyes widening impossibly. She didn't seem to know how to respond. It was then that Kakashi noticed that she'd changed from her normal, high blue kimono-shorts hybrid into a different outfit. One that he hadn't seen strewn on the floor before. She now wore pale blue trousers, loose to the point of resembling a skirt and cut just above the ankle, sitting on her hips. A sash of darker blue was draped over the top, impractically hung with silver bells. Obviously this was not something designed for ninja chores. She too had abandoned the forehead protector, hair unchecked from its white cord and falling past her shoulder in generous coils. A dark blue obi, picked out with white embroidery held her sleeveless shirt of the same pale blue tightly about her form. Curves were highlighted but not flaunted, the neckline a sharp dive that stopped tantalizingly close to her breasts.
Kakashi shook himself mentally. Honestly. He'd never paid so much attention to female clothing in his life. Normally it only caught his attention whenever it failed to serve its intended purpose.
"We're going to get there by horse?" She stepped towards him eagerly, belt bells chiming sharply with her decisive movements. "Amazing! I haven't worked with horses in ages!" She stroked the mottled muzzle of the lanky gelding, chuckling as the tall animal bent his head lower to meet her, ears pricked to attention and muzzle softly tickling her face. Kakashi grinned despite himself, tossing her the reins.
"Come on. We've got a bit of a trail to follow." He turned to the chocolate mare and eyed her appraisingly. Kakashi was capable enough in the saddle to get a horse to more or less do what he wanted; provided that the horse was good natured enough to listen. The mare eyed him questioningly, snorted and turned away in order to crop some grass. Maybe that was a good sign. She hadn't attempted to trample him yet.
Springing lightly into the saddle, Kakashi awaited Kurotaka to mount her horse and then wheeled the mare, reins sliding through his fingers gently, to head towards the woods. The gelding fell into step behind him, but was obviously not content to do so. Within moments the two horses were abreast, both riders' legs brushing as the horses sauntered in close formation.
Kurotaka didn't say much. Her eyes were everywhere, flying from the darkening sky to the cool wilderness to Kakashi's face and her mount's neck. It was as though she were trying to imprint the sights of that evening into her memory. Kakashi smiled quietly to himself. It was nice to see her so happy, so relaxed for once. Neither of them was consciously checking for enemies, traps or thinking of the warfare exploding hundreds of miles away. For once, they were an ordinary, peaceful couple.
The woods filtered away to form a winding path, climbing in an easy slope up the mountains and into a valley, supported by the steep slopes of two conjoining peaks. Kakashi's horse snorted slightly as the terrain shifted from soft, springy turf to bare rock and rubble. Kakashi let his reins slacken, allowing his mare to pick the path for herself. Behind him, Kurotaka was humming slightly to herself, talking intermittently to the lanky gelding. Kakashi contemplated feeling usurped from favour by the loping equine, but pushed the thought from his head, chuckling dryly.
"What's so funny?" Kurotaka's voice was light, cheerful as though she were continually fighting the urge to laugh. "The view here's incredible!"
"That it is", murmured Kakashi. The bare face of the mountain leant to the Shinobi an uninterrupted view of the wilderness. The sun had only recently set, but the night's dark folds were draping themselves over the forest. The juxtaposed colours; day's vivid brightness and night's cooling tones were matched in a fierce dichotomy, splashed over the horizon and bleeding into the darkening forest below. Sky, mountain and forest formed a seamless union to their eyes. Kurotaka had fallen silent. The only noise about them was the huffing breaths of their mounts and the distant chirps and rustles of night creatures beginning their nocturnal affairs.
Kakashi turned in the saddle to see Kurotaka gazing at him, a peculiar expression writ on her face. "What's the matter?" he asked, slightly concerned. "The springs are only another ten minutes or so away, if you're tired."
"I'm not tired Kakashi" she smiled at him. "I just don't know what to say… nothing's the matter though, so don't worry." She fell silent and Kakashi turned his head the other way, concentrating on their path. She had been struck speechless… now that was a first. A good sign? The mountain's slope was leveling out as they neared the small valley. Situated at a height, the valley was, in all honesty, a mere joining point of the two mountains, partially up the length of their bases. The area was sheltered, lushly grassed and sparsely inhabited, but for the people who had built the holiday resort within the wooded space. It was secluded, quiet, clean and in the presence of great natural beauty. A haven of sorts. Kakashi had seen brochures. It would be somewhat different from the springs that he and Masurao had crashed.
The sparse mountain trail was widening as the horses clopped placidly higher, the loose rubble becoming earthier and more heavily trodden as it leveled off more and more, finally ceasing to decline altogether. Kurotaka nudged her horse forwards as soon as the track widened sufficiently to fit the two riders. Kakashi smirked at her, eyes creased into a smile. "Almost there. I think." She grinned in response.
"Would that gate up ahead be the entrance?" she queried, tossing her head in the direction of an elaborate gateway. It was clearly ancient, sculpted of wooden carvings and brightly emblazoned with red paint, gold leaf and mahogany trappings. A veritable work of art exposed to the wilderness. Kakashi shrugged. "Looks like it to me."
"In that case, I'll race you to it." With that, Kurotaka put her heels to the gelding's flanks, leaning over the horse's crest and hissing in his ears. The animal surged forwards, hooves spraying gravel behind him. Kakashi's mount snorted angrily, head flying up and ears flattening in annoyance. He grinned and pushed the irate mare forwards, legs wrapping about her sides so that she sprang, an arrow released from a bow to pound down the path after the fleeing kunoichi.
The grey gelding had only had a moment's head start, but the animal's longer legs were widening the distance between the two faster than Kakashi's mare could close it. With a growl he lowered himself over the mare's neck, hands kneading into her neck as he pushed the mare onwards. A kick of her heels and the mare sprinted forwards, brown tail a dark banner streaming in the wind, framed by the dying light. Ahead of them, Kurotaka's dark hair mixed with the pale mottling of her dappled mount's mane, the kunoichi's dark form almost invisible on the pale steed's back. Kakashi grinned as they closed in on the two. Kurotaka was getting lenient, enjoying the rush of speed and cool air more than the thrill of the chase. As he drew level with her, Kakashi reached over and playfully tugged on one of the flying locks of her hair.
In an instant, she flinched and glared at him, but quickly softened the glare into a smirk as she kicked the grey's rounded flanks again and pushed him on faster. The two horses were galloping side-by-side, nostrils flared and breath roaring with each thunderous footfall. Kakashi responded with a kick to his own mount's sides, the smaller mare echoing the sympathy with a burst of speed as she fought to keep pace with her taller rival.
"You can't win Kakashi!" laughed Kurotaka over the deafening thunder and rush of the wind, "you're too heavy for that horse!"
"We'll see about that!" he snorted in indignant reply. Of all the nerve! As if the insult had been directed at her personally, the mare's ears flattened against her skull and she pulled forwards, neck fully extended and head snaking menacingly. Chocolate and grey legs extended and contracted in an incessant flurry, chocolate limbs pushing onwards even harder. Kurotaka's grey struggled to match the extension, as Kakashi's mare lunged towards the gateway, bearing down on the low barrier that had been erected for ornamental purposes. Kakashi grinned triumphantly. They were in the lead!
As the gateway drew even nearer, he eased up on the mare's pace, drawing the reins back to himself and sitting back in the saddle. Gasping for breath, the mare snorted and shook her head, bit rattling between her teeth as she fought the brakes. Kurotaka's gelding fretted in a similar fashion behind them, anxious now that he was behind the mare. Kakashi twisted in the saddle to eye-smile at Kurotaka. "I've made it first! So what were you saying about being too heavy?"
Kurotaka just grinned at him again, pushing her horse alongside and overtaking Kakashi, bearing down on the barrier that stood at chest height before them. Kakashi swore as he realized what she was about to do. She wouldn't! He'd only jumped a horse once before, and even then it had been over a mere log and he hadn't been able to walk in a straight line afterwards for shaking. He didn't know if he could follow her over that and still remain in the saddle.
Kurotaka eased her gelding up a stride, collecting the surging animal below her and in response, the horse's ears flicked backwards. Nose rising to sight the jump, the gelding coiled beneath the kunoichi like a spring, shooting upwards as Kurotaka rose in the saddle, hands knotted tightly into the grey's mane. Unfairly professional. Kakashi's mount snorted in excitement, head flinging into the air. He checked her carefully and then pushed forwards. If Kuro had done it, then he'd better follow.
The feeling of the chocolate mare bunching, muscles rolling like koi fish in a shallow pool beneath him was something quite foreign. With a grunt, the mare thrust herself into the air, Kakashi tipping forwards instinctively, he wrapped his hands tightly into the coarse mane in an effort to steady himself. The barrier rose and swept beneath them, uncomfortably far below. The mare was only suspended in the air for a moment, but it felt like an eternity before her hooves bit deeply into the turf and bounded to meet Kurotaka's sweating gelding, pitching Kakashi forwards onto her neck as he fought for balance.
"Nice jump Kakashi!" She crowed, "but I still made it in first!"
Shaking slightly, Kakashi reined in his mare and let the animal walk, head swinging low with fatigue, alongside Kurotaka's plodding horse. "Kindly warn me the next time you're going to attempt something suicidal. It'll give me time to write my own will."
"I thought you looked a little nervous up there" she snickered. "All's well that ends well, ne?" He chuckled and shook his head at her. "Never mind. I think they've seen us coming by now." A well-lit little house on the side of the path was coming ever closer to them, a couple of curious heads poking around the doorframe. Kakashi took the lead, fumbling in his pockets for the registration tablets that Masurao had given him. It would just be luck to have dropped them somewhere on the mountain path, or for them to have gone flying into leafy oblivion during the jump earlier. Thankfully the cool tiles came to his fingertips.
Kurotaka hung back, smiling quietly to herself and stroking her gelding's crest, now glowing slickly with sweat in the lantern light. Kakashi pushed his horse towards the waiting doorkeepers and dismounted, swinging easily down from the saddle. He briefly exchanged words with them, handing over the tiles and his horse's reins before walking over to Kuro.
"We've got a little cabin just down the path there," he gestured towards a winding trail that lead down through the wooded gardens, faintly lit by strings of dangling amber lanterns. "Shouldn't take us much more than a couple of minutes to wander down. We can leave the horses here. They'll be taken care of."
Within minutes the two were walking hand-in-hand down the winding path, fireflies darting all about them. Kakashi wondered if they had been trained to do it specially; fireflies bred and trained to add to atmosphere on command. Either way, it was certainly working. He'd never seen Kurotaka look so alive with delight. It occurred to him that she'd probably never done anything like this before. Her family circumstances hadn't exactly allowed her to go on nice trips to the mountains.
"Where are the hot springs?" she queried, craning her head over her shoulder. "I can see the steam, but they don't appear to be anywhere nearby."
"Not far off" he reassured her, "they're screened by trees. The cabin we have has its own private pool, so one we find it, we'll find the spring soon enough."
They rounded a scrubby corner and were met with a small wooden hut, built from slat pine and with a traditional Japanese tiled roof. Kakashi unlocked the sliding door and ducked as he entered, hastily remembering to remove his shoes before he tracked mud across the polished floors. Kurotaka followed suit, though she did not have to duck. "Remarkable Kakashi. I would never have picked you for a traditionalist." Her gaze was on the rich silkscreen paintings on the walls, dark wood fixtures and low furniture glowing in firelight, obviously appreciative. He shrugged nonchalantly in response. "I didn't know whether you'd like it or not. There's something oddly comforting about old architecture."
"Depends on the architecture," she chuckled. "I for one am not keen on old bridges or ladders, for one thing."
"Different type of architecture," he shook his head in mirth, sliding open another door. A low futon, thickly adorned with heavy cream blankets filled the centre of the room, flanked by dark mahogany bedside cabinets and even more silkscreen paintings. A small heater was positioned beside a great stack of fluffy white towels and dressing-robes. This place must have cost Masurao a fortune, he thought in wonder. He definitely needed to pick up his bar tab or something to pay him back.
"You go on ahead to the springs, I'll meet you there."
Startled, Kakashi glanced over at Kuro, but she wasn't looking at him; her attentions diverted by a tall standing vase, filled with new sakura branches, cut from one of the trees outside. "As you wish" he intoned. Grabbing a clean robe the pile, he dumped his pack unceremoniously on the floor and quitted the place. It didn't take much meandering in a lost/aimless fashion for him to come across their spring.
Thick foliage obscured the pool from public view. Rising steam from other pools and distant laughter told Kakashi that he was not alone outside tonight, but enough for him to have a little privacy. Uncertainly, he tugged off his mask, unwrapping his pale bandages and stripping away black trousers and a dark blue shirt. He hadn't bothered with the Chuunin jacket today. Kunai and shuriken clunked into a neat little pile beside his clothing and he stepped gingerly to the pool's steaming edge. Cautiously he dipped a toe into the tepid water. Pleasantly warm; not scorching like the last experience. He eased himself carefully into the hot water, scars on his chest tugging and stinging as he did so. A hiss of pain rose and died in his throat, replaced by the warmth of relaxation, the heat draining his muscles of nervous tension. The soft light of the lantern strings seemed to blur and wink in a friendly fashion, just as the stars above him did.
"May I join you?" His eyes snapped open. He hadn't even noticed them closing. Kurotaka was grinning down at him. "Sleepy are we? I won't keep you up then."
"No, no, I assure you, I'm perfectly fine with the idea of being kept awake." She was dressed in one of the linen robes that he had brought down with him, starkly pale against the raven's black of her hair, spilling loose down her back. The taut fabric clung to her form, secured there by a thick white girdle. He found himself somewhat preoccupied with the tightness of that robe; something he was rather embarrassed to admit. Kurotaka caught his train of sight and flushed, hands moving to the girdle, fingers prying the knot loose. Her eyes locked onto Kakashi's; forcing his attentions back to her face and not the other equally interesting aspects of her person.
Nervously, she slid the robe from her shoulders, drooping to bunch down at her waist. She hesitated there for a moment, closed her eyes and then let the rest of the material fall, landing silently on the rocky ground. Midnight blue eyes opened again and rested demurely on his. "Well?" she murmured. Kakashi could only stare at her, unable to put voice to his thoughts.
"Are you going to say anything?" she was grinning, nervously it was true, but she was still mocking him in his wordlessness. "This isn't the first time you've seen me as I am" she chuckled.
He shook his head, still enraptured. The only times he'd seen her though, had been in the moonlight, curves partially obscured by the play of shadow and light. She stood before him now completely unhidden, unobscured and unadorned in the light of the lantern strings and crescent moon. Her skin was almost pallid in its paleness, a crisscrossing of scars scoring their way across her belly and upper arms. The scar that she'd gained from the Jounin exam was a faint line, marring otherwise ethereal features on her face. Ethereal in his eyes at least. Dark hair spilled forwards, almost long enough to hide her full, pale breasts from view, but not quite so. She stepped forwards, stooping to enter the water and then freezing, watching him.
Kakashi sighed. In one swift movement he was at the water's edge, arms seizing her wrists and pulling her towards him. Unbalanced by his actions, Kuro staggered forwards, splashing into the pool with considerably less dignity than she'd intended. Both of them fell, flailing back into the water, Kakashi's head completely submerged in the process. Well that could have gone better.
"Kakashi, you idiot!" Her voice was shrill with indignance and barely suppressed laughter. He rose to the surface, drenched and silver hair flopping pathetically into his eyes. Kuro leant forwards and brushed it away from him, laughter no longer held back. "You really do look like a wet dog like that" she informed him. "Just what were you thinking, grabbing me just then?"
"I'd tell you, but I think you'd hit me" he responded, eyes creased into a smile. Thankfully his eyepatch had remained in place. The Sharingan was certainly more trouble that it was worth at this point in time. She smacked him playfully on the shoulder. "Tell me. I've hit you already, so the worst is yet to come."
"I don't like the sound of that" he grinned, reaching forwards and placing his hands this time on her shoulders. His fingers knotted themselves in thick tresses of black hair, combing through them absentmindedly. He lazily let his fingers trace her neck, stroking the soft skin at the nape of her skull. "What was I thinking? Now let me see… I'll have to jog my memory."
Kakashi leant forwards, lightly kissing her on the ear. The heady scent of the jasmine shampoo that she used blended with her own natural smell, slightly sweaty from the ride. It wasn't unpleasant, but rather oddly comforting in its own way. She whimpered slightly as he brushed his cheek against her own, eyes hidden by her hair. This was a difficult business with her hair loose; he'd never considered that fact before. Pulling back slightly, he slowly kissed her on both cheeks, eyes carefully fixed upon hers.
"I was thinking… come now… what was I thinking?" he mused out loud, stare becoming one more cloying, mocking. His lips moved to her forehead, trailing a line of small kisses from one side to the other, then placing a fluttering kiss on each trembling eyelid. She was riveted, unable to move and breathing elevated; he could hear each intake of breath whirl noisily in her chest. He dropped his head to her chin, planting a gentle kiss there and moving slowly to her neck, continuing his careful trail until he kissed the back of her neck. Hesitantly, his tongue flickered to taste her skin, deepening the kiss there. Returning his eyes to her own, he smiled. "Now I remember…"
Voice husky, Kurotaka stared back at him, eyes lidded as though lulled into a sleepy stupour by his ministrations. "Remember what?" He chuckled at her. "I remember what I was thinking of course! What else would I remember?" She frowned at him but appeared to give it up, eyes sinking shut again as he kissed her cheeks, hair tickling against her face. "Oh give over, Kakashi" she mumbled, "I'm not in the mood to hit you anymore."
"More's the pity" he commented wryly, forcing a grin to her lips. His hands stroked their way lower, tracing the path of her neck and shoulders to trail down her shoulder blades, massaging the dense muscle groups he found there. Years of martial arts training had brought her body to a subtle peak. As his fingers kneaded into her soft flesh, he felt her body respond, muscles rolling to admit his care. Kurotaka groaned contentedly, her own hands moving up to seize his upper arms as though she would force him to keep massaging. He quirked one eyebrow. So she enjoyed this, did she? Carefully he pushed his hands harder into her tense back muscles, rubbing and circling assertively, forcing another moan from her. Tension bunched against him, but he persisted, smoothing out her flesh.
"When was the last time you went to the physiotherapist?" he chided her, "your back is a mess of tension knots here." Not that he was complaining though; she was visibly sagging into his arms as he spoke, head lowering to rest on his shoulder. She mumbled something, then angled her head upwards to look him more or less in the eye. "Why would I pay for a physiotherapist when I have you here and now?"
"Point taken" he conceded, bringing his hands in widening circles, fingers stroking their way to the front of her body. She grinned drowsily at him, eyes sparking a little as she moved from the relaxed state that the hot water and Kakashi's massaging fingers had brought about. He gently traced her stomach, following the soft grooves of her abdominal muscles, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he did so. "I was saying earlier… what I had remembered…"
"Hm?" She stared at him critically as he continued to stroke her stomach, hands now gently moving to skirt the edges of her breasts on the way back up to her collarbone. He kissed her again, gently between the nubs of bone that were her collarbone, causing her to shift against him. Then he straightened, cupping her face in both hands, turning her attention entirely to him. She looked at him questioningly, eyes large with interest and partially hidden by her white-tipped bangs.
"I thought, Kurotaka, that you were the most wonderful creature that I have ever seen." He spoke sincerely, heart pounding as she blushed and smiled, a mocking edge returning to those eyes. "Truly? And you're including what you see in the mirror in that comparison, aren't you?" He just grinned at her in response. "The mirror? Come now Kuro, you know better than to make me choose. That is entirely unfair of you to make me choose between my two greatest loves." She gave a bark of laughter in response and lunged upwards, seizing his lips with hers.
Her body rocked forwards into his, demanding his attentions entirely. Kakashi's hands ensnared the curves of her upper body, stroking her supple skin appreciatively as she massaged his shoulder blades. Her hands tickled his skin, stroking the arches and curves of bone and muscle they found, as though molding them from clay. Knots of tension flowed pliantly from his body at her touch, subservient to her ministrations. His mouth was on hers, delicately tasting her mouth. He nibbled at her lip and smiled into her as she opened her mouth in response, bidding him entry. The two embraced internally, his senses full of the touch, taste, sight and sound of her; Kurotaka moving for dominance in the kiss, pushing Kakashi downwards so that she could look him in the eye, sparkling with mischief. He could only grin back at her, rapt with foolish delight.
Her hands traveled lower, embracing the full extent of his body. He couldn't suppress a shudder of gratitude as she tended to his strained muscles, gently but determinedly working the kinks out of his lower back. She trailed soft kisses down his face, following the curves of his neck as he leaned into her affections, kissing her skin through drapes of long black hair. She then opened her mouth, teeth delicately tracing the curve of his neck and shoulder, tantalizingly close before pulling back and coming in, nipping his flesh. He gave a hiss and his body roiled with desire, kissing her fervently and unashamedly. Their bodies meshed into a living framework, surrounded by steaming water and the silent solace of the wilderness under the moon.
The two remained there, locked in the tangle of each other's embrace, unashamedly exposing the height of their pleasure to the early hours of the morning. The ambience of the wilderness, shadowed flora their only curtain to shield them from the stares of other spa-goers. The steaming hot water held their bodies in a warm boundary, protected from the rawness of the elements yet at the mercy of their own ministrations. At last, exhausted, Kakashi scooped Kurotaka into his arms. She sagged, limp and satiated into his tight grasp, unconcerned as he stepped carefully out of the pool and recovered their clothing.
Dumping their bundle of possessions onto Kurotaka's sodden lap, still ringing wet from their little exploits in the pool, Kakashi walked stealthily down the path towards their cabin. Completely naked, but for Kurotaka's equally bare form carried protectively before his own, Kakashi felt somewhat vulnerable to attack, not to mention the chill breeze. Darkness was all about them; the lanterns burning on mere stumps of wick. It would be dawn soon.
Snuggling closer to Kakashi's damp chest, Kurotaka heaved a sigh of contentment. "Maybe a towel would be a good idea in future, Kakashi-kun"
"Hai, Kuro-chan" he smiled wryly. The cabin beckoned before them. Sliding back the door, Kakashi carried Kurotaka through to the main bedroom. She leapt down from his arms nimbly, grabbing a thick plush towel from the pile that was sitting by the electric heater, conveniently there for the use of returning bathers. Within seconds she was dry; hair twisted into a wet knot at the back of her head. As Kakashi dried himself off, she slid into the thick blankets, patting her hair awkwardly.
"Honestly Kakashi, you need to learn not to muss up my head like that. Do you have any idea how long it takes me to get all these knots out?" she grumbled, trying and failing to finger-comb out the worst of the knots.
"I'm so terribly sorry" he muttered sarcastically, flipping back the blankets and curling up beside her. His arms attached themselves in a warm circle about her lithe form. "And you accuse me of being vain. Shall I brush it for you in the morning?"
"Sounds good" she yawned. "I fancy breakfast in bed as well, since you're feeling so generous."
"That's pushing it" chuckled Kakashi, closing his eyes and resting his chin above her head, Kurotaka's nose pressed against his chest. "but maybe you deserve it." She gave a noncommittal grunt. "I can't be bothered arguing any more. I'll beat you down later."
………….
Wild-filly: Please review!
Just curious – does anyone have issues with my including of song lyrics in later chapters? I promise that they'll be relevant and carefully/tastefully incorporated; but I just want to know what people think before I do anything. Thanks!
