vi. Sweet Lullaby
Kakashi successfully wrapped up his mission with Yamato and the rest of the Cloud shinobi. There was no major casualties that cost anybody's lives in both sides. But it was tough nonetheless.
The resistance of both the gangs and the unique shinobi clans belonging to the Hidden Village of Sound have been the most challenging part in bettering the Village.
They were refusing in opening the village and be under the five great shinobi nations. Though it wasn't the motive of the five nations to fully have the sound village to submit to their force, the sound villagers were suspecting it was the case.
Honestly, if it wasn't for Orochimaru's appearance and his newly resolved promise to the Sound Village, the negotiations would dragged on and deaths would have been irrepressible.
It proved really hard for Kakashi to work with Orochimaru without him thinking many ways into killing the guy. Orochimaru has been the cause of some of his grief and the grief of those he loved (his team seven, in that matter).
Even though he and Orochimaru are working for the same cause, Kakashi wished he doesn't have to get some help from the sannin at all. He's not somebody Kakashi would want to involve with.
So the relief of Kakashi finding himself back in Konoha two weeks after that tastes so sweet.
Kakashi and Yamato finished their oral report to the Hokage and they both can see how this report alone made Tsunade look slightly relieved. Hearing how Orochimaru is acting upon his other end of the deal is making the Hokage somewhat happy. She does not have to fear for herself for the trust she gave him.
Still, Kakashi doesn't fully or even slightly trusts the man. The man had soaked his hands on blood willingly (even those of his comrades) and there's no even worse scum than being that.
Yamato and Kakashi turned on their heels, preparing to leave. Yet, Tsunade made them stop as she recited their next mission after two days off-day.
"Yamato, you will have a mission in escorting Sakura and Ino back from the Village of Mist. I have sent both of them a week ago after the Village of Mist requested for backups of medic-nins. There was a tragic casualty near their border that caused a lot of deaths and injuries. It was so unfortunate. You will bring both Sakura and Ino back safely as there was so many rogue ninjas throughout the other small villages who were after medic-nins… a sannin like Sakura in particular is in their own bingo book. Don't get me started on Ino being targeted for the informations she kept in her mind seeing she practically runs the Konoha Investigation Unit now." Tsunade explained and it was obvious that the Hokage has been stressed about this. After all, Sakura and Ino are both her best students.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"And for you, Kakashi." Tsunade absent-mindedly flipped some pages on the files she has in front of her but then closed it anyway as she looked at the jonin. "You will go to Vilage of Stone."
Kakashi's ears perked as his focus heightened, his hands on each of his side pockets became restless. Did the Hokage just told him he will go to Iwagakure where Naruto, if had been successful on his mission in Sunagakure, will be there. Oh heavens, why being nice to me now? Kakashi smiled widely in his head and seeing the observing eyes of the Hokage, he cleared his throat to answer, "If you don't mind, what's the reason, Hokage-sama?"
"It wasn't me," Tsunade scoffed, "The brat requested if he can have you as a backup because he said the mission the Tsuchikage had for him needs brains. He had his choice of who to take from his village and expectedly he asked for you." Tsunade's eyes stayed attentively on Kakashi's every twitching of muscles.
But Kakashi is not an easy prey or that he thought because by the way Tsunade biting on her lower lip impatiently or frustratingly, Kakashi realized there was no use of redeeming himself anymore. He's not so stupid to play this card any longer when he is wide open before this wise Hokage. He sighs, "I'll pack and leave tonight."
"But senpai, you have two days off, haven't you?" Yamato exclaimed.
The Hokage only snorted, her doubts now as clear as the bright summer sun. Oh boy, how am I gonna deal with this. She buried herself on the piles of papers on her desk, resisting the urge to pull her hairs out as well. This is way too much for her to handle. This is beyond her. She can't simply pry or talk sense to these two as both are of aged. If by chance might cause debates or riots if publicized, she obviously could not do anything more for the goodness of two.
She doesn't have anything against Kakashi in particular or his more than platonic affection towards Naruto. For an idiot person like Naruto, Kakashi might be just the best lover he could ever get. The way Kakashi have been there for Naruto during the worst times, the way that Kakashi changed himself for the boy, didn't go unnoticed.
Tsunade has been secretly both a witness and a fan to that.
Naruto is an idiot, plain and simple but the boy is somebody one would easily absolutely love and Kakashi is just one those people who fell so badly for the boy. Tsunade did too herself but she'd like to say it in a different kind of level, thanks Kami.
So, she does understand and feel for Kakashi. Yet, as she said, this is beyond her already. All she can do is to try to lead them in the direction that would be good for both of them.
"Maaa, Kinoe." Kakashi hummed and turned, "It'll take roughly three days to Iwagakure, if nothing comes up. I prefer to be there the earliest. Imagine the longer I leave Naruto there…the…" the more I'll miss him. He mentally added but refused to say, "Maa, you know what I mean… he's an idiot."
Yamato shrugged, "Well, I bet you're right. Alright then, I'll be gone." The occasional ANBU left.
Kakashi also bowed and went for the door.
"Kakashi,"
Kakashi looked back, "Yes, hokage-sama?"
"I don't appreciate this," Tsunade started and watched the well-kept anxiousness that crossed Kakashi's face on her remarks. She added, "But I do not entirely opposed." She huffed and unwillingly continued, "Just… try and be patient with Naruto…he's still young…he doesn't know half of what's going on this world. He probably wouldn't know how he'd react if you'd try. I just want to make sure you won't do anything drastic."
Kakashi nodded, "Don't worry, Hokage-sama. I don't intend to—"
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" Tsunade heave a sigh, trying to calm down. "Correct me if I'm wrong but if you'd try and find the best approach…you might have a chance here, Kakashi."
"There was no need. I wasn't planning to—"
"Well, I'd say you should." Tsunade sighs, feeling defeated now. How did she just end up completely giving her blessing now? "I'm sorry, Kakashi. Ignore me. I'm just saying that you two could be good for each other. Besides, I'd prefer you than any other dumbass there around. You know Naruto better than the rest. I know you just… arg, just go and see the brat. You're dismissed." She waved him off, feeling her face getting red in embarrassment. She could not believe the words she spurted out there but then she only thinks for the good of the brat and Kakashi could be just the best kind of good Naruto deserved.
And Kakashi is a hell of a man, Naruto's so damn lucky to have this man fall for him.
Kakashi knocked twice on the door after the Stone shinobi had showed him where he would be staying for the time being while he is in the village. Slightly hoping Naruto is waiting for him as he can feel the young man's chakra masking the place, he readied himself while at the same time also calming himself.
"Sensei!"
Kakashi heard the young man exclaiming from the inside so he opened the door, readying his eye-smile pretending this is just the usual occurrence, "Maa, Naruto… why you asked for me. Can't you not do anything without me—"
"SENSEEEIIIIIIIIIII!"
Kakashi almost choked on his own blood stuck on his nose and his throat as he finally caught senses with what his eyes are seeing but once he did, he came across the pillow powerfully shoved in his face. His bag fell on the floor as the rest of himself weakened as if white zetsu sucked all his chakra out in one swift.
Why Naruto is naked, he doesn't know.
With the pillow still stuck on his face, unable to speak, he heard footsteps approaching him and the pillow taken off of his face. Kakashi was able to see Naruto's wide embarrassed grin.
"Sorry about that, Kakashi sensei." Naruto grinned wider now, scratching his nape. "I just got out of the shower and I thought you won't be here until the day after."
Kakashi still couldn't come up with anything sensible to say because Naruto has only managed to wrap his lower body with a skimpy towel. And behind that small piece of cloth is what made Kakashi the worst scum ever because not only once he let himself wander to the thought of exactly that.
"Ne, sensei. You've arrived quite early. I wasn't expecting you soon." Naruto sat on the other bed comfortably, not even caring if the towel wrapping himself show some of what made it there in the first place.
Kakashi was just there silently and blankly recited in his brain the law of shinobi mixing with his favourite verse on Jiraiya's first book which was his last resort to get his mind occupied distracting himself from ever diving onto the thoughts of Naruto actually seductively (and naively) exposed in front of him.
Oh dear, Kami, my love should not sway to being sexual but man this boy is challenging my deepest steadfastness.
"Sensei?" Naruto confusedly called for his sensei's attention. He stood up and went to inspect the jonin's forehead, "Did something happen on your way here? You're feverish… you should rest, sensei."
And Kakashi is sure he is not halfway there because it was easy for Naruto to lead him to bed and lie him there effortlessly. Kakashi is so nothing himself, lying there limp.
"You looked fine a moment ago." Naruto murmured, more to himself than his former sensei.
Naruto went towards his own single bed and grabbed his pair of his favourite pyjamas and dressed himself. He then felt his sensei sighing loudly from his own bed. He returned there and sat, "You okay sensei? Can you breathe?"
"Y-yeah." Kakashi said and the blood on his head is now slowly coming back in circulation. Oh how did he end up making a total fool of himself? This is so unrealistically himself.
Naruto smiled and sat comfortably now facing the jonin. "So, how's the mission in the Sound Village?"
Kakashi has finally got a hold of himself and started to brief Naruto with the progress in the Sound Village and it feels like he was reporting to a hokage. He could easily see Naruto being a Hokage, maybe not now but in the near future.
Naruto smiled in satisfaction seeing how the five nations are working closely together not only for respective villages but the neighbouring smaller villages as well. "That's nice to hear."
"So, tell me… how's your mission in Sunagakure?" Kakashi also asked. A grimace crossed his face briefly remembering the Cloud shinobi mentioning about the Sand villlagers lusting over Naruto whenever the latter comes over the said village.
Naruto chuckled, completely oblivious of what crossed Kakashi's half-masked face. Or if ever he did, it was disregarded easily anyway. Naruto is just as dense as that. "A group of rogue ninjas specializing in Wind element finally joined the Sand Village. They were all jonin level. I could tell, I fought them myself. With them all against me, they had managed to melt my Zetsu arm." He grinned, showing his artificial right arm.
Kakashi reached for the said hand and inspected it. It was also noticeable that the sand medic-nins have fixed the arm. How Tsunade forgot to mention about the incident, he let it off. Sure, it's not something to worry about especially everything is all fixed now. If he would have found out Naruto was in any sort of danger, he wouldn't know to what extent he go through just to get to Naruto's side. "Your arm okay?"
Naruto shrugged, "You know it wasn't the first I destroyed this."
"Yeah, I could remember you intentionally breaking it a couple loads of time." Kakashi agreed remembering that Naruto was once so upset of how his arm turned out but he moved on a few weeks after realizing that what came with losing his arm was far greater.
Sasuke and Naruto will never be the same again with each other but there was this oath only the two young men spoke for themselves. And they were quite contented of it that they let each other goes separate ways.
"So, what can I do for you?" Kakashi asked, trying to change the topic as he felt a tiny pang of somewhat close to jealously remembering that Sasuke has been Naruto's focus all these while.
He remembered how Naruto temporarily felt lost after settling his score with Sasuke after their final fight in the valley of the end a couple of years ago. Naruto has always been after saving Sasuke, set him as a goal in becoming stronger and stronger and when the time comes that he doesn't have to, he had to stop for a second and think for himself what his purpose in life is.
It took Naruto a little longer to reclaim his goal of being a hokage without ever thinking of an Uchiha who needs saving. It also took a short while after that to actually set a new goal in keeping the liaison between five great countries. Those have kept Naruto going forward after the war.
The whole village didn't know about this sort of thoughts ever crossed hero but Kakashi knew… he just knew.
Naruto hummed before reaching underneath his pyjama top and twisted his fingers there. It looked like he was turning his kyuubi's seal tighter.
"What's that for?" Kakashi asked, confused.
Naruto sighs, "Ow. I can't keep him sealed for more than a minute or else he'd realize what I'm up to."
"And what are you up to exactly?" Kakashi asked judgingly.
"Kurama is hiding something from me. I don't know if my sage mode is fucking up or what but I couldn't sense as good as I can before. I could feel him intercepting— clearly he's hiding something."
Ow, so Naruto caught up. Kakashi thought as he knew about this but he didn't realize that Kurama still has to do this. The ongoing mystery happening randomly between borders must still be worrying the kyuubi that he has to resort to this. What are you hiding, Kurama?
"So, that's what it's all about?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto groaned, impatient. "Of course, I need you to help me with the old geezer's job for me. But I'm more worried with how Kurama seem to hide something from me. It doesn't make me feel comfortable."
"Kurama sure might have some reason."
"I know that." Naruto muttered. "It started with when a report near the border of Village of Sand had reached Gaara. A few very good ANBU have been killed and there was no trace of who the culprit was. I went to investigate but before I could further get any evidence, Kurama intercepted me. The next thing I know, I'm at the hospital of the Sunagakure. Tell me I'm exaggerating but this didn't happen only once. When I was this close of figuring what's going on, I'll faint. Again and again. The damn fox is hiding something."
That's indeed strange. If Kurama go through this extent, something must be really big happening. And Naruto shouldn't know. "Did you ask him instead?" Kakashi instead asked.
"Yes, I did. But Kurama said he has been sleeping the whole time and doesn't have any idea what I'm talking about. Saying I'm exhausting myself. Bullshit. My stamina is no joke, you know that, sensei."
His stamina is no joke….and I should know that, he says. Kakashi repeated in his mind several times, completely passively caught into his own world where he knows no bound. Like, doing something both unthinkable and incredible to his former student.
Yet, before he could deeply lose himself there, he cleared his throat and managed a reply, "Don't worry, Naruto. Tsunade-sama sent her own jonins to check what has been going on. The other four villages sent their own as well. We'll hear from them soon and you know you won't have anything to worry about then." Kakashi smiled and before he noticed it himself, his fingers already tracing the whiskered scars on the man's face.
Naturally, Naruto leaned to it, smiling.
And Kakashi wished this is so natural of a gesture than what it actually is because his hand has a mind of its own that it is slowly caressing the man's jaw now and occasionally the side of his neck. Naruto felt so warm and smooth underneath his fingers –exactly what he imagines him to be.
And Naruto doesn't flinch away which made it even harder for Kakashi to break the magic that is slowly gathering around them. Kakashi has always wished he could hold Naruto this way without scaring the young man.
"Sensei…."
That sounded so out of breath, making Kakashi groaned inwardly. This is too much for his resolve.
Naruto held on Kakashi's hand caressing his face. He smiled, "Sensei… you…you make me feel…"
Kakashi literally stopped breathing, panicking endlessly in his mind. He didn't just ruin anything between them, right? Stupid, Kakashi.
"…strange." Naruto finished as he went closer to Kakashi until their faces a thread away. "Really, really strange…" The last word sounded frustratingly annoyed. "I don't understand…" He said, pushing closer to his sensei and only found himself contended finding himself straddling Kakashi to the backrest of the bed.
Naruto settled there, just staring endlessly at Kakashi's face. How he actually missed the man is beyond him.
Naruto reached for the man's forehead's protector that says 'Shinobi' instead of the symbol of Konoha covering his left eye. Naruto expected there for a split second to see the eye that made the man so famous across the five nations but only found the other pair of right one.
Yes, Naruto himself brought the man's eye back in existence after losing the sharingan from the 4th Shinobi War. And now Naruto is able to see how beautiful Kakashi truly is just being fully himself without getting haunted by the pass through the sharingan. He also liked how Kakashi embraced the sudden change or perhaps just the chance of having his own eye again.
Naruto just stared there, longer now as even the vertical scar on the usually hidden eye doesn't make him think otherwise of how Kakashi's both eyes compliment the jonin's face.
Face. Just what is hidden underneath that mask?
Now that Naruto had been blessed to see Kakashi's pair of eyes freely whenever he wanted to, he felt a little possessive and adventurous to see more.
Will Kakashi let him? Well, there's no harm trying.
Naruto noticed how the jonin doesn't move a muscle at all and this confuses him but at the same time glad that it made it easy for him to act upon his curiosity.
Slowly, without leaving the man's eyes, he dropped the man's forehead protector on the bed and reached up to hook his finger on the mask. At the same time, he noticed himself holding his breath afraid that it will break his courage altogether.
Kakashi was still before him, not showing any resistance and just given all the freedom to Naruto and so the blond did.
Without even thinking of breaking eye contact, he all too carefully and leisurely pulled the mask down, slowing releasing the air stuck on his chest as the mask started to go down.
As he found the mask completely pooled down the man's neck, his breathing was cut short as he became speechless, eye's widening and mouth gaped open.
He couldn't breathe or think at all. He was stuck there staring and embracing the familiar yet somehow new sight before him.
He could have sworn he whimpered the moment the mouth he had seen for the first time curved into that tiny argh-kami-so-fucking-damn-annoyingly-gorgeous smirk.
"So, is it close to what you imagined?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto still couldn't breathe for the life of him. He could barely remember what him, Sakura and Sasuke assumed of what's hidden underneath the mask because damn it in hell, this wasn't it at all.
Even looking at this unmasked face while listening to Kakashi speaking made Kakashi voice different and everything else different.
"Naruto…" There was a hint of impatience, whining and the same time worries on the man's voice.
And Naruto found himself whimpering mentally. Damn it, he should have never crossed the line. Clearly, Kakashi hid under the mask for some reasons and part of it is to safe Naruto's poor soul.
"Naruto… hey…"
Naruto finally caught his breathing, was able to take his eyes away from the god-forsaken handsome face. "Shut up, Kakashi." He murmured, reaching to covers the man's face with his palm where the mask used to be.
Naruto sighs and let his intoxicated head bury on the crook of the jonin's neck and shoulder. It was the last resort he could think of to sway himself away from forming strange emotions on his hurting chest.
Everything in him is about to explode and he doesn't know what causes it and what he should do about it. Funny realizing that it has got to do with finding his sensei extremely handsome.
"Naruto…?" Kakashi worriedly tried to peel Naruto's face of his shoulder but the latter is adamant. "Sorry… are you okay?"
Naruto only nodded, still refusing to look at the man's face because this is completely different. It's as if his chakra is draining along with his soul.
"Is my face scaring you?" Kakashi made an awkward laugh.
"Unfair…" Was all Naruto's reply.
"What? What's unfair…?" Kakashi asked, putting his mask back seeing this whole thing is making Naruto uncomfortable. He should have stopped the younger man earlier but he was just not entirely himself too as he was caught submissively with those seeking blue eyes before him.
Naruto had enchanted him through this. Otherwise, he would have had a tiny bit of fight. A tiny bit.
"Unfair because, sensei… you're way too handsome." Naruto muttered, showing a tinge of jealousy in there or something else that Kakashi couldn't begin to name.
Kakashi felt his face reddened by the open compliment and God he couldn't help but to encage Naruto into a hug, pulling the man closer to him.
They stayed there like that for a good few minutes, quietly and hoping to calm themselves down. Kakashi felt Naruto's muscles easing each seconds passing. "Are you okay now?" He asked again.
Naruto nodded and murmured. "Ah this is nice…" Naruto murmured, having been there for a good fifteen minutes on Kakashi's lap, comfortably settled there.
Kakashi gently chuckled onto bundle of warmth on his lap, cuddled to him. It's beyond his imagination already, both of what just happened and what is still happening. And his brain is debating whether everything of it is real or what. "Naruto…"
"Sensei," Naruto replied.
"You should really get off…or are you comfortable there?" Kakashi tried to ask. Though the sensible part of him is asking what is Naruto up to now as there is at least a reasonable explanation as to why the blonde is doing this that could sway Kakashi's mind away from thinking what he wanted it to be.
"I haven't had any sleep for more than two hours every night for two weeks," Naruto explained and yawned to get his point across. "Sorry, sensei. And yes, I'm very comfortable…"
"Are you sure?"
Naruto nodded, lazily now as his eyes only fluttering gently, lashes unconsciously sending shivers on Kakashi's whole system. "You know, sensei, you're like the sweetest lullaby. You could just be my bed forever."
Kakashi felt the smile forming on Naruto's lips before the man was successfully engulfed into his slumbering.
And you, Naruto, perhaps be mine too? Kakashi was almost tempted to reply but contented himself by freely caressing the man's back, liking how Naruto unconsciously relaxed to his caress.
Forgive me, Minato sensei, but this love knows no bounds.