TW: Underage drinking
Naruto was drunk.
The semester was over and Kiba had dragged him to some frat party to celebrate and now here he was, leaning heavily against the wall and looking blankly over the crowd and wondering where his friend had gone. He had only been drunk a few times before, and usually, he regretted it because Jiraiya would torment his hungover ass relentlessly the next morning. But Jiraiya was off on a book tour and drinking seemed to be dulling the ringing in his ears. It muted everything to a pleasant hum that he knew was short-lived, but the relief was worth it. But he was still feeling anxious and keyed up. Maybe it had something to do with the flashing lights that reminded him a bit too much of the accident.
He tore his eyes away from the shapeless crowd to reach in his pocket for his phone only to remember that he had left it back in the dorm for this very reason. Who was he going to call anyway? He had told Jiraiya to go to Ame, that he'd be fine, and he had said the same to Sasuke when he left for the holidays. It wasn't their fault that it was the anniversary of their death. He shook his head, ignoring how everything still seemed to move and spotted Kiba's messy brown hair in the throng and pushing off from the wall. He was here to have fun.
Kakashi turned as he heard Naruto's raucous laugh at the party, eyes searching the crowd. He hadn't expected to see him here, he himself was only there because Rin, Asuma, and Kurenai had dragged him out for the end of the semester. He thought that Naruto had already gone home or off with Sasuke to wherever they were going this year. It had seemed his trick of forcing Naruto into that lecture seemed to have worked better than he had expected, and he hadn't seen the blonde lurking around corners, but he still found himself looking. Watching him from the corner of his eye whenever he glimpsed him in the dining hall or in the common room late at night. His eyes finally landed on the blonde, goofing around with a few other guys at a table littered with plastic cups. He was smiling, but Kakashi could see that it didn't quite reach his eyes. Kakashi had noticed as something had settled over his shoulders and those striking blue eyes seemed duller than usual. He had just chalked it up to the stress of being a freshman and dealing with finals, but maybe there was something else going on.
"Oh, isn't that Naruto?" Rin appeared at his side, smiling around a straw. "Are you going to go talk to him?" She asked, nudging him with her shoulder. "Oh wait, but you don't like him." She was baiting him again, waiting for him to admit that he did actually like the kid.
"And what if I said I did? What then?" He asked back and her large brown eyes looked shocked.
"Well." He didn't get the chance to hear her reply because his feet were moving as Naruto stumbled against the wall, beer sloshing out of his cup and down his hoodie. He caught his elbow before he could slip further towards the floor.
"Oh, hey Kakashi~!" Naruto slurred as he noticed him, but his eyes didn't seem to focus on him.
"I think it's time to go Naruto," Kakashi said softly, taking his arm to help him up.
"Who's the stalker now huh?" He grinned crookedly, leaning heavily against him. "'M fine," he mumbled, making a half-hearted attempt to push him away before falling back against his side.
"Sure, you are, c'mon let's go." He slung the arm he was gripping over his shoulder and maneuvered them through the crowd, catching Rin's eye again.
"Oi, this isn't like the Uchi-Uchihaha's party," Naruto complained, coming more aware with the cold winter air. "You can't boss me around y'know!"
"I'm still older than you," he observed, and Naruto grumbled incoherently for a moment. And apparently unable to ignore you. "If you throw up on me I'll leave you out here to freeze."
"You gonna make me go to another stupid lecture?"
"I don't see any professors on, what was it… marine parasites, around do you?" He asked and Naruto threw his head back and laughed, it wasn't as raucous as before but still loud and pleasant.
"Bastard," he hiccupped. "I sat in there for three hours!"
"Did you learn something?" He teased.
"No," he pouted, leaning heavily. "How'd you know I was followin' you?"
"You were obvious."
"Pffft!" The blonde blew a messy raspberry. "I wasn't really stalking stalking you though."
"Then what were you doing?" Kakashi asked but Naruto fell silent once again and Kakashi decided to focus on getting them back to the dorm. "Hey, Naruto, we're almost there," he urged as the teen started to list to the side towards a bench.
"Jus' lemme sit for a minute," he slurred, sitting heavily, tipping his head back against the wood. Kakashi stuffed his cold fingers into his pockets, looking around the mostly deserted campus before landing back on Naruto. He looked washed out under the streetlamp, but his cheeks were flushed, either from the cold or alcohol, and his blonde eyelashes were dark against his skin as they fluttered shut.
"Don't fall asleep on me now," he nudged his foot with his own and Naruto groaned, grudgingly pushing up to rest his arms on his thighs.
"Why are you still here anyway huh?" He asked.
"I like the quiet," he shrugged. "Why are you?"
"I don't," he replied bluntly and there was that look again, Kakashi realized, the same that he had seen at the Uchiha's and still looking out of place on him. "It's cold." His hand passed over his face, rubbing at his scars.
"You know, there's this thing called inside," he drawled, sitting down next to him on the bench and the blonde hummed dismissively as he shifted a bit closer to him and Kakashi was mildly grateful for his warmth against the chill of December. "Naruto," he started, realizing that if he kept prodding, this was probably his chance to get Naruto to answer honestly on why he had been following him around.
"No one's there when it's quiet, y'know," he slurred, head heavier against his shoulder. "My parents died seven years ago," he sighed and Kakashi stiffened, he had gathered his suspicions but he hadn't been sure. "An accident, I was too," he swiped at the uneven scars on his cheek again and he finally knew how he received them.
"I'm sorry Naruto," he said, closing his eyes against his own unpleasant memories, but it made sense now, the shadow that he had seen seeping in.
"It's fine. I can, I can handle it." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself of that. Kakashi had said the same thing enough, but Naruto always seemed so genuinely carefree. But maybe it was just a mask… or maybe Naruto had just gotten drunk and now he wanted to get it off his chest and Kakashi was the one who happened to be there.
"Come on, let's get you home," he stood again, grabbing his arm to haul him up, the teen grumbled under his breath for a minute before moving with him, shuffling the rest of the way to their dorm. "Naruto where are your keys?" He grunted, jostling him as they approached his room.
"Sasuke has 'em," he mumbled, half asleep.
"Sasuke isn't here," Kakashi groaned, tempted to just drop him in the hall.
"Oh right. Don't you have a what'sathing?" His head tipped back against his shoulder so a bleary blue eye could peak at him.
"I didn't bring the master key with me to a party," his eyes went skyward. "I didn't know anyone was still here," he added, Obito hadn't told him, he sighed heavily as he redirected them towards his room. He could get the key and bring him back. "Don't get comfortable," he ordered as Naruto stumbled into the room like it was his own, before searching through Obito's desk.
"I wasn't really stalkin' you; I was just…"
"Just?" He prodded, turning around. "Hey what did I say about getting comfortable Naruto?" Naruto had already removed his shoes and was now struggling with his dirty orange hoodie from where he was sitting on Kakashi's bed.
"I was just curious is all," Naruto ignored him, dropping the hoodie on the floor before promptly burying his face in his pillow and Kakashi wanted to groan, could he drag him back to his own room in this state? At least this way he could make sure the kid didn't choke on his own vomit or do something stupid he supposed, cringing at the thought. He ran a hand through his hair before dropping to the mini-fridge and grabbing one of Obito's fancy, expensive waters.
"Drink this before you pass out," he prompted, nudging at his shoulder. The blonde groaned but rolled over, blue eyes meeting his as he chugged the water.
"You and that silly mask," he grinned suddenly, pushing himself up and a tan finger hooked over the elastic in the fabric before pulling it down to his chin. "Tha's better," his smile grew and Kakashi was frozen as Naruto wriggled around, getting comfortable on his bed before promptly falling asleep. He stared at him for a moment, Naruto was only two years younger, but he looked impossibly young in sleep. He closed his eyes, he knew the mystery of Naruto now, but he still felt that he wanted to know more. In fact, there was still something compelling about him that made him want to be around him more. But he was used to keeping most people at arm's length and this would mean opening up to someone else.
He shook his head, changing quickly and crawling into Obito's bed, listening to the soft snores coming from the blond before falling asleep himself.
Naruto groaned as consciousness grudgingly returned him. Stuffing his head under the nice-smelling pillow to try and quell the throbbing in his brain. He licked his lips to get some moisture into his dry mouth only to grimace at the taste. God, what did I do? He thought, clenching his eyes shut. He remembered feeling shitty and going to the party with Kiba and drinking.
"If you throw up on me I'll leave you out here to freeze."
"You and that silly mask." His fingers brushing against cold skin, Kakashi's dark eyes locked on his, unmoving as he slipped down his mask. "Tha's better."
Fuck. He felt his face heat up from embarrassment and he tried to smother himself with his pillow.
"Fuck," he groaned.
"Finally alive are you?" He bolted upright, feet tangling in his blankets and he found himself crashing to the floor.
"How'd you get in here," he mumbled around his fuzzy tongue, Kakashi's face swirling above him, hair damp and a towel slung over his shoulders.
"It's my room," Kakashi shrugged casually, and Naruto frowned.
"What?" He looked around, noticing a distinct lack of his ramen posters and Sasuke's textbooks. "Shit." What did I do? Kakashi hummed dismissively.
"Come on, get up."
"Stop bossing me around!" He snapped, groaning and throwing his arm over his eyes as the loud noise made his head hurt more.
"Here." He moved his arm when Kakashi prodded him and accepted the cup of water and two pills.
"Thanks," he mumbled, downing them. He looked up at him out of the corner of his eye as he moved around the room, he took off the towel and Naruto noticed he wore a baggy black sweater and jeans and he wasn't wearing his usual mask yet. You and that silly mask. "Did I do something stupid? Why are you here?"
"Like I said, it's my room, and you asked me that last night before passing out in my bed," Kakashi sounded amused, Naruto felt his face turn red, he didn't remember any of that. "I said I liked the quiet."
"Well sorry to bother you then," he grumbled, lurching to his feet. He needed to brush his teeth, maybe take a shower, and then crawl into his own bed and not leave until he had to drag himself to work in a few days. "I'll try and be quiet." Kakashi huffed behind him as Naruto moved to pick up his discarded things.
"I didn't say that. Do you want to get something to eat?" He whirled on the man.
"What?" This had to be some kind of joke, or maybe he was dreaming, because he had been nothing but a pest to him, stalking him and invading his space, so why was he asking about food? "You wanna get breakfast with me?"
"Lunch at this point, and I don't see anyone else here," he shrugged, and Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Yeah, okay I guess," Naruto conceded as his stomach growled.
Twenty minutes later found him sitting on a stool at Ichiraku's and sulking into a bowl of ramen, the cool air from the walk easing his head somewhat. He glanced over at Kakashi, eyeing the slouch of his shoulders. He still didn't make sense to him, and his previous snooping had been fruitless. He was wracking his brain to see if he had done anything else idiotic last night to him, but the man's face gave nothing away. But something felt off, why else would he be so nice to him after everything?
"What were you curious about?" Naruto blinked, realizing that Kakashi was speaking to him. "Last night, you said you were following me because you were curious. What about?"
"Oh," he swallowed the noodles in his mouth, feeling embarrassed. I'm never drinking again. "Nothing really, just something you said is all. It was stupid."
"Maa, first Icha Icha and now listening when I talk. I guess I should be flattered that you paid so much attention to me, Naruto." He could tell that Kakashi was teasing him like he had before when he made him go to that lecture.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You weren't really that interesting to follow around y'know."
"No one said I was," Kakashi chuckled. "Maybe there's a reason for that."
"Yeah, okay, I'm sorry all right?" Naruto sighed, massaging at his temples as the hangover headache returned and the ramen feeling heavy in his stomach. "Can we start over?"
"Without you bowling me over this time?" Kakashi leaned back on the stool, somehow making it look graceful with his long legs.
"That wasn't my fault!" He squawked and the man snorted, the sound seeming odd coming from him.
"Right, you're usually so nimble," he smirked, slipping that stupid mask over his face.
"Ass," he muttered, pulling out his wallet to pay for his food.
"Is this how you usually start over with people? Calling them names?"
"Only when they deserve it. Oi! Where're you going?" He shouted after him as he stood and started walking away.
"Hmm? Oh, you're paying, didn't I tell you that?" His eyes crinkled in the way that Naruto was starting to associate with a smile.
"Huh?"
"You owe me, remember?" Naruto frowned; he had tried to forget about the incident where he had nearly set the dorm on fire with cup ramen.
"But I gave you Tactics!" Kakashi flapped his hand at him.
"That was before you owed me. I'll be outside." Naruto gaped at his back as he left the restaurant. He felt like he was getting whiplash from dealing with him. But he didn't hate it oddly enough, but it did feel like Kakashi was always getting in his head. Maybe it had something to do with that watchful stare of his, like he was able to see his thoughts and read them easily.
"Have you been following me Naruto?" He asked, his voice low as he leaned in closer, hand hot against his chest. "I swear I keep seeing you around."
He scrambled to his feet, shaking his head hard enough to make the room still spin and quickly paid for their food. Kakashi was quiet again on the walk back, his shoulders still slouched with his hands deep in his pockets. Naruto was never good with the quiet, Kakashi had been nice to him so far and he felt like he should say something.
"Hey, thanks y'know," Naruto blurted out, picking up the pace to match his long stride. "For last night and all."
"For giving you my bed?" There was that teasing tone again.
"No!" He bristled. "Just for everything else. I don't usually do that, the drinking thing."
"Well let's not make a habit out of it, the drinking or the bed-stealing."
"You really are a bastard sometimes," he felt his face heat up.
"Maa, are you rethinking our 'starting over'?" His eyes crinkled.
"No, I don't give up that easily!" He stated.
"Noted," Kakashi hummed. "You never told me what it was that I said. I'd hate to repeat it and have another nosey blonde freshman tail after me."
"Oh, it was stupid," he tried to shrug it off and there was that stare again. "It was just… how you said something."
"How I said something made you follow me around for weeks? You really are paying attention to me." Kakashi said, eyebrow raised, and Naruto repressed a groan.
"At the party, you said that the family thing was a bit much. But you said it like… like you knew what I was feeling right then," Naruto said quietly, sticking his hands in his pockets, not really wanting to think about why he had been drinking last night in the first place. "My parents died when I was twelve."
"I know, you told me last night," he said softly, and Naruto froze, he didn't remember that. What else did he stupidly say or confess?
"Great," he groaned, feeling a mix of embarrassment and shame at his behavior last night. "I don't, it's not," he tried to think of what to say. "I usually can handle things better but…" he trailed off. He usually tried to pass off whatever he was really feeling for Jiraiya or Sasuke because he didn't want them to worry, but he was tired.
"I'm not judging, I can't judge," Kakashi sighed. "My father died when I was eight and I have very few memories of my mother." Naruto's breath hitched, so that was it.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Don't be sorry, Naruto, you wouldn't have known," he stopped walking, running a hand through his crazy gray hair. "I can understand." His eyes were intense as he held Naruto's gaze and he swallowed heavily. "You can talk to me." He wished that Kakashi wasn't wearing the mask so that he could see his full face and get a better read on him. But it didn't sound like he was messing with him again.
"Yeah, thanks Kakashi," he nodded, feeling a little lighter and better than he had in weeks.
"Let's go," Kakashi turned, waiting for him to follow. "Or are you going to make me carry you back again?" Naruto felt his face flush, he was never drinking again.
"Ass!" He sputtered, and Kakashi smiled, turning and starting to walk again. "Hey, you gonna tell me why you read the perv's books?" He asked, running to catch up.
"No," he replied bluntly, picking up his pace.
"Oh, come on," Naruto needled. "I'll let ya meet him. Oi! You're thinking about it, aren't you? You hesitated!"
"How about we go back to you trying to be sneaky hmm?"
AN: Yeah, unfortunately, I've thrown out the update schedule. I'm traveling at the end of the week, that might make it better or worse, we'll see.
