Chapter 53:
They spent the next few days reliving all the moments they had previously shared in the area. Walking out along the beach at low tide to collect clams, gathering tinder and foraging edibles from the nearby forest. They spend hours each afternoon swimming out in the open water, Naruto gradually becoming more confident in his abilities. They spared and practiced chakra control each morning at Naruto's request, the blonde deadset on proving to Kakashi that he was capable of handling himself in a fight. Kakashi smiled fondly at the young man, "It's not that I doubt your abilities, love. I know for a fact you are strong, it's just… my immediate reaction is to protect you." Naruto sighed heavily, a bright smile reaching his lips. The nin grabbed Naruto by the wrist, dragging him along, "Come, I want to refresh your memory..." Kakashi led them back to the spot in the gully, where Naruto had mastered his Rasengan. The blonde ran a hand over the hole he had punched into the stone wall, shaking his head and laughing, "I still can't believe I managed this…" Kakashi pulled him into a tight hug, "Well believe it, love. You are incredible, don't underestimate yourself."
On the fourth day spent back in the gully, they set about making an early dinner, eating it in comfortable silence. Kakashi was too nervous to eat, pushing his food around on his plate. "How about we go for a walk along the beach after dinner, love." Naruto smiled at him brightly, nodding his ascent. Dinner finished, Kakashi collected Naruto's hand in his and led him out of the gully onto the open beach. Finding a comfortable spot in the sand with a rock for him to rest his back on, Kakashi sat down, coaxing the blonde to sit with him, his back pressed tight to the nin's chest. The sun was setting low over the open ocean, the sky painted breathtaking hues of pink and yellow. "Wow, so beautiful, Kashi." the blonde murmured.
"Are you happy, love? How do you feel?" Naruto hummed happily, rubbing his hand up Kakashi's embracing arms, "I am so happy, Kashi. This place means a lot to me… my life feels like it changed entirely here." Kakashi smiled, kissing softly at the blonde's neck, "Both of our lives changed here. You opened yourself up to someone for the first time in your life and I let someone into mine for the first time in a very long time. Thank you, Naruto. Thank you for giving me that chance and accepting me into your life."
Burying his face in the young man's hair, he inhaled deeply, his scent helping quell some of his nervousness. Kakashi's hand made its way into his pocket, "I want to show you something, love." Kakashi pulled a small box from his pocket, collecting a silver chain within. Resting its pendant in the flat of his palm and showing it to Naruto, "My father gave this to me when I was a child. The design stamped into the face of the pendant is the Hatake clan symbol, the diamond shape and its pattern are meant to represent a sectioned out piece of farmland after our namesake, Hatake meaning farmland when translated literally." Kakashi hesitated before flipping the pendant over in his hand, hearing the blonde gasp in front of him, "When I went into the village to collect supplies for this trip I brought the chain with me, bringing it to a jeweler to stamp your clan symbol on the other side…" Kakashi kissed softly at the side of the blonde's neck, the young man taking the chain from his hand, rubbing his thumb along his swirled clan symbol, flipping it and rubbing along the Hatake symbol. Kakashi recollected the chain from the blondes fingers, unclasping it and pulling it around the blondes neck, "I want you to have the chain, love. You are very important to me, you are my family, you are my heart. I love you so much." Chain secured in place, Kakashi pressed another soft kiss to his neck, feeling the blonde trembling against him. Naruto spun himself around to face Kakashi, tears spilling freely from his eyes. The blonde knelt in front of the nin, bringing his hands up to cup either side of his face, pulling him into a warm lingering kiss. Kakashi hummed happily against his lips, curling his arms around him. Finally pulling back, Naruto gave the nin a bright smile, quickly wiping the tears from his cheeks. "I'm so grateful you came back to me. You saved me from a life of sorrow and loneliness. I don't have the words to express how much I love you, Kashi. Thank you for showing me what love feels like… Let's go home." Kakashi smiled, murmuring "Home… yes, love. Tomorrow we can go back home."
The End