Helpful note: Disclaimer & warnings are in the first chapter.

~o0o~

Kakashi follows the cat demon across the field to a nearby tree. Maneki leans against the tree facing Sagara's farm and Kakashi stands next to her. The silver-head jounin looks at the cat demon. She is purposely ignoring him for now. She is probably waiting for the Copy-nin to speak first. But Kakashi doesn't know where to start. He has a million questions he wanted to be answered.

The cat demon sighs in annoyance, "They won't stop staring."

Kakashi was about to ask her what she meant when he hears whispering. Kakashi looks to the road to see a few villagers gawking and talking amongst themselves. "They're curious about you and your master, but afraid to come any closer."

The cat demon scoffed, "Humans are such strange creatures."

"I would say the same thing about you, but you're not human, are you?" Kakashi began his questioning.

The cat demon smirks, but still not looking at the jounin.

"So your name is Maneki," Kakashi said. "And your master is -"

"Darkwater," Maneki interrupts. "That is my master's codename."

Kakashi can understand such a codename. He can now pristinely remember the black-blue power the masked kid possessed. The kid's power felt, looked, and flowed like the waves of a dark ocean. "Why did Sandaime lie to me?"

Maneki sighed and finally looked at the Copy-nin, "Sandaime didn't want to lie to you, Hatake. He was also under orders not to reveal anything that has to do with my master."

"By who?"

Maneki looks away from the jounin again, "I cannot answer that question…"

"So my questions and answers are limited," Kakashi commented and the cat demon nods. "What am I allowed ask and know?"

Maneki shrugged, "I don't really know. I guess that will all depend on the answers you seek."

"Is Darkwater a Leaf-nin?"

"Yes…"

"Do I know the person behind the black mask?"

"Yes…"

"Is he a friend of mine?"

Maneki looks at the jounin in the eye with a hard look, "To be honest, I wouldn't know how to answer that question, Hatake"

To Kakashi, her answer at least tells him they are acquainted with one another. "Do Naruto and Sasuke know the person behind the mask?"

"Naruto and Sasuke know of Darkwater as much as they are allowed to know. But they do not know his true identity though."

"I would think otherwise seeing how affectionate Naruto is toward you. Or how worried he became when you mentioned your master's condition," Kakashi said.

"Naruto has known Darkwater the longest. It was Jiraiya who had introduced them to each other."

"Master Jiraiya? Who else knows about your master?"

Maneki pushed herself off the tree and faced the jounin, "I will not answer any more of your questions."

"But -!"

"Hatake, I believe it would be more appropriate if you ask your questions to your Hokage instead of me," Maneki tells him.

"Godaime knows of Darkwater?" Kakashi said – it was more of a statement than a question.

"Well, duh!" Maneki rolled her eyes at the jounin. "She's the bloody human that asked for my master's help in the first place." The cat demon began to walk away.

"Wait! I -"

Maneki stops the jounin from following her, "For your sake, I suggest you do not get involve any further, Hatake. Do not use your sharingan or show any signs of aggression toward my master. Leave Naruto to deal with Darkwater alone. I promise you no harm will come to Naruto or Sasuke. Darkwater only seeks Naruto's help. Once my master is well enough to travel we will leave. I must go now." The demon cat began to walk away again, "I need to find some medical herbs Kagome needs for my master."

"Will I see you two again?"

Maneki paused in her steps, but kept her back to the jounin, "Once Darkwater gets his hold on you… I doubt it," she answered before continuing on her way.

Kakashi is left feeling confused by Maneki's comment. He silently watched the demon cat walk further away before she morphed into the size of a domestic cat and sprints away into the surrounding forest. Kakashi looks back to the barn where Darkwater lay. He's really curious to see how the masked kid looks now. It's been over ten years since he last saw him.

'Does he still remember me?' Kakashi thought.

Naruto and Sasuke stare at the Nine-tails laying curled up upon Darkwater's stomach. Kyubi's red chakra hazed around his little body causing Darkwater's own body to glow a soft red.

"Are you guys going to stare at me all day or something?" Kyubi spoke irritably but didn't open his eyes or lift his head from his comfortable position.

Sasuke looked away with a, "Hn."

Naruto flushed a little out of embarrassment, "Sorry, Kyu."

Earlier…

Maneki had led Naruto and Sasuke into the barn where Darkwater laid asleep on a stack of hay. They could not see his face or anything for that matter because the man was still wearing his hooded cloak and black mask. But they could see Darkwater's chest rising and falling while he struggled to breathe. Maneki told the young couple they are not allowed to move or touch Darkwater in any way.

Maneki then proceeded to show Naruto a complex jutsu that would bring out the Nine-tails. Maneki had Sasuke look away in case the Uchiha should copy the jutsu. Throughout Naruto's years as a ninja he has seen many jutsus from friends and enemies alike, but Maneki's jutsu was overwhelming. The hand-signs were so difficult and new to Naruto that he continued to mess up several times. And in order for the jutsu to work, it depended on Naruto's speed and elapse between certain combination signs. Naruto wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with carpal tunnel later on.

Finally, after many failed attempts Naruto completed the jutsu flawlessly. Naruto had lifted his shirt up to reveal the seal on his stomach when it began to glow. Red chakra seeped out of the seal into nine red swirls that gathered together on the ground. When a large amount of red chakra had gathered it released itself from Naruto's seal. The red chakra then became thicker until it solidified into a red blob. The red ball then started to mold and shape itself into a creature. It grew out four legs, two long pointy ears, a snout with a black nose, red-orange fur, and nine tails. The creature then stood on its four legs and shook itself before blinking open his blood-red eyes to look up at Naruto. The creature was no bigger than an average forest fox. This was the Nine-tails demon, Kurama.

"Don't let his size fool you," Maneki had warned the young couple. "Kyu-chan is still very dangerous."

The Nine-tails had glared at the cat demon. He didn't like anyone but Naruto calling him Kyu. When no one spoke to one another, Kyubi took it upon himself to break the awkward atmosphere by addressing the cat demon, "What must I do?"

Maneki had the Nine-tails lay over Darkwater while he cocooned the masked man with his chakra and will remain there until told otherwise.

Now…

"So what exactly are you doing, Kyu?" Naruto questioned.

Kurama opened one eye to look at his blonde vessel sitting beside him and the masked man. He can tell Naruto is still feeling a bit uncomfortable with his presence by how the blond kept squirming. He closed his eye and shrugged a little shoulder, "I'm not sure... I'm just doing as the feline said."

Kurama really didn't know what he was doing. Maneki claims his chakra will help tame the masked man's own powers, but Kurama hasn't felt or seen a difference as of yet. The only time he felt a change in the masked man was the moment Naruto stepped into the barn. It was like seeing a dark raging typhoon being calmed into a tranquil lake by Naruto's presence alone.

Kurama sniffs the masked man's scent with his little black nose and crunches his snout in annoyance. Another pressing matter is that Kurama still can't identify the masked man. After all these years and Darkwater's scent is still well hidden by the cat demon. He has considered the possibility this masked man is mating with the cat demon, but Maneki isn't tainted by her master's scent. Kurama figures Naruto and Sasuke are also thinking somewhere down his line of thoughts about Darkwater.

'Who are you…?' Kurama thought.

"How do you know Maneki, Kurama?" Sasuke questioned the Nine-tails.

"I know her from a long time ago…" Kurama yawned and stretches himself out, "…before the humans came after me." He lays himself out on his left side – looking more like a lazy cat than a powerful fox demon. "During the time I reigned terror over these lands, I met Maneki. She wasn't always this helpful and cheerful cat you know today."

"What was she before?" Naruto asked.

Kurama looked at his Kit with uncertainty – will it be wise to tell them of Maneki's past? Kurama closed his eyes and sighed softly, "She was a Soul Hunter…"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly as he stares at the fox demon resting on top of the masked man. "And what exactly is a Soul Hunter?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, boy," Kurama answered the raven-head jounin. "Maneki is a demon who feeds on human souls. She receives her power and strength by feeding on them." Kurama smirked a little, "Of course, the younger and purer the soul is, the stronger she becomes."

Naruto bolts off his seat and speaks with anger, "Is Maneki still eating human souls?!"

Kurama raised a curious brow at the masked man below him. The masked man's powers were suddenly stirring and becoming restless. But why? Kurama looks at the huffing and puffing Naruto, 'Are you reacting to Naruto…?'

Kurama decides to experiment, "Calm down, Kit." Naruto was about to have another outburst, but Kurama quickly interrupts him, "Let me explain and then you can judge. Isn't that what you taught me?"

Naruto shuts his mouth and sits back down. He nods at the Nine-tails to continue.

'Interesting…' Kurama thought because when Naruto settled down so did Darkwater. "Maneki does need to feed on human souls to keep herself alive," Kurama tells them. Naruto was about to yell again, but Kurama growled at his Kit like an angry parent to stop any further interruptions. "But I can assure you she's not purposely killing humans to feed on their souls anymore."

"And you know this for certain?" Sasuke questioned.

"I do," Kurama answered with confidence. "I don't know every detail, but I do know that long ago Maneki was captured and her eating fetish was restrained. And now, for some reason, this masked man has Maneki under his control. I am certain Darkwater is feeding Maneki his enemies' souls. Any more you guys want to know you'll have to ask her yourselves or Darkwater."

"That's not really an option, Kurama," Sasuke says, "Darkwater and his soul eating companion aren't really the sociable type."

Kurama grins at the Uchiha, "You mean like you?"

Sasuke glares at the fox demon, but didn't answer that question, "Once Darkwater is stable they will disappear like always."

Naruto looks at the black mask hiding Darkwater's identity. "You know…" Naruto spoke in a soft tone, "I still remember the first time I met him." Naruto smiles a bit, "It was during the time I was being trained by Jiraiya. One day he was training me on how to fight and defend myself without the use of my chakra or Kyu's. Jiraiya made things challenging by sealing mine and his chakra while we trained. So if anything were to go wrong it would become difficult to protect even each other." Naruto shook his head slightly, "Heh, that crazy old man…"

Kurama remembers that day too. More importantly, Kurama knows how much his vessel still misses the Sannin.

"That same day we ran into some trouble," Naruto continued. "We were attacked by some ninja wanting Jiraiya's head on a stick. We fought them off as much as we could without the use of our chakra. When things were becoming tougher Jiraiya decided to unseal our chakra. But the old man didn't get a chance to. The enemy knocked him unconscious and I was left alone. Jiraiya's limp body and I were surrounded by the enemy. Those ninjas then decided to end our lives painfully by using a fireball jutsu on us. I threw myself over Jiraiya's body wanting to protect him from the flames."

Kurama narrowed his eyes at that memory. He curses the Sannin for sealing his chakra from his Kit that day.

"That's when he arrived," Sasuke said as he looks at Darkwater.

Naruto nods, "Yeah." Naruto has told Sasuke of Darkwater long ago. "A wall of dark water burst out of the ground shielding Jiraiya and me from the flames and then gushed after the enemy. Even though the water was a foot off the ground – the water was drowning them. The dark water wrapped around them like fine silk and keeping them away from any oxygen. I watched those men fight against the dark water, but their attempts were all futile. Their weapons and their hands went right through the water like air while the dark water itself still held on tight to them and drowning them. In less than a minute they were all dead. The dark water then released the men and quietly evaporated into the soil and air. Even after witnessing what I did, the dark water left the air smelling fresh and clean and the ground a sparkling green in its wake."

"Then you saw him," Sasuke said.

Naruto nods again, "He was standing a few feet away from me. He looked just as he does now – with his black mask and dark gray cloak. And right next to him sat an enormous cat. When they began to approach us I took out my last kunai to protect us. But the cat pounced on me and batted my weapon away so fast I didn't see it coming. I saw Darkwater lift Jiraiya's body as if he weighed nothing and place him on Maneki's back. He then grabbed me and placed me on the monstrous cat's back too and took us back to his camping area. I watched him heal mine and Jiraiya's injuries without the use of a medical kit or healing chakra. Instead, he would moisten a rag with his saliva and then dab it on our injuries." Naruto chuckled softly, "At first I was thinking 'eww!', but I was shocked stupid when I saw the saliva glow for a second before it dried and vanished into my skin. It completely healed my injury as if it was never there. When Jiraiya woke up Darkwater wasted no time scolding the Sannin. I couldn't hear anything because they had stepped far away from me and Maneki was keeping an eye on me. I didn't understand why Darkwater was so upset with Jiraiya, but it was Maneki that told me; 'you still have a long journey ahead of you, Naruto. Your life is important to Konoha and the rest of the world. My master will always protect you when it's necessary'…"

"She said something similar to me too when I first met her…" Sasuke said. "I was running an errand for Orochimaru at the time. It was until later on, I found out that Orochimaru never ordered Kabuto to give me such a mission. Kabuto had sent me away on a dangerous task because he was being a jealous prick again. The mission turned out to be a failure after I misjudged my opponents – all thanks to Kabuto as well. I was captured and sealed inside a barrier where I had to fight against my own clones. The enemy's jutsu was going to make me kill my own self. Everything I used against my clones was predetermined – I was being drained of chakra and losing. Suddenly the clones disappeared and the barrier was released. My captors were all dead and looked as if something had purposely sucked the life out of them. One of them even looked like he'd been used as a chew toy."

Kurama chuckled, "That was all Maneki's doing."

"I then felt something soft against my leg," Sasuke continued. "I looked down to see a cat purring and rubbing herself against me." Sasuke shrugged, "Of course I got annoyed and kicked her away. That's when she got upset and finally spoke to me. Maneki told me she was the one who had rescued me. I asked her why and she told me because her master ordered her to. That's when Darkwater appeared and Maneki jumped on his shoulder. I asked him why he saved me, but he didn't answer me. Maneki answered for him and told me Darkwater speaks to no one but the Hokage. I became upset and told them I don't want or need Konoha's help. Maneki laughed and told me her master is not under Konoha's orders to help me. She continues to tell me; 'As dark as it may be, you have a long and hard journey ahead of you, Sasuke. My master will not stop you nor does he support your decisions, but he will assist you only when it's necessary'. I asked him why he cared and Maneki said; 'Because your very life is needed and it's important to one soul alone'. I never knew what she meant back then, but…" Sasuke looked into Naruto's blue eyes, "I do now."

Naruto blushed a little while smiling at his spouse.

"After that, I never saw Darkwater or the cat demon again until just a couple of years ago," Sasuke said.

"It was that mission in Lightning country, right?" Kurama questioned thoughtfully.

"That's the one," a female voice answered.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kurama quickly look toward the barn doors to see Maneki.

"How long were you standing there?" Kurama rebuked – annoyed with the fact he didn't notice the feline's presence.

"Long enough," Maneki said. She looks back and forth between the two young men, "So we're good?"

"Define good," Sasuke said to the cat demon.

"Good, as in you guys aren't going to kill me?"

"Hn…" is Sasuke's only answer as he looks away from the cat demon.

"We're good, Eki-chan," Naruto answered with a smile on behalf of him and Sasuke.

"Good," Maneki returns the smile. She walks further into the barn right up to her sleeping master. Maneki takes hold of Darkwater's gloved hand and concentrates her energy.

"How is he doing?" Naruto questioned.

Maneki released a breath of relief and let's go of Darkwater's hand. "He's doing much better now," she looks at the blond jounin with a warm smile, "Thank you, Naruto."

"Oh, no, I didn't do anything," Naruto shakes his head, "If anything, we should be thanking Kyu. He's the one that has been helping Darkwater all this time."

Maneki looks down at the little Nine-tails sitting on her master's stomach with a blank expression, "Right… Thank you, Kyu-chan."

Kurama scowls at the feline – not because of the annoying nickname she calls him, but because he knows Maneki is hiding something from them. Because he has a feeling he was never really needed from the start. Were his suspicions correct? Does Naruto have some control over the masked man? 'What could all this mean?' Kurama thought.

Maneki noticed the Nine-tails wheels slowly beginning to turn, 'No, no, no, there will be none of that.' Maneki picks up the fox demon from the back of his neck.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Kurama barks.

Maneki ignores him and tossed him over to Naruto, "You've done enough, Kyu-chan. You all should get going and get some shuteye. You have half a day's travel tomorrow before you reach Konoha."

"What about you and Darkwater?" Naruto asked.

Maneki smiled, "Don't worry about us, Naruto. We will be gone before daybreak."

"Oh…" Naruto then looks down at the little fox demon in his arms. "Um… what about -"

Maneki giggles, "Just release the jutsu like I showed you and Kyu-chan will return to his rightful place."

Kurama looks up at Naruto with big round glossy red eyes and whines pitifully like a kicked puppy, "But I like it out here…"

Naruto looks at Sasuke with a pout.

Sasuke sighed knowing very well what his spouse is thinking, "Does Kurama have to go back inside Naruto?" he asked the cat demon.

"No, he doesn't," Maneki tells the blond jounin with a smile, "Kyu-chan can remain as he is for as long as you want, Naruto. Just stay close to each other. Both your chakras have been split in half and carried by one another. Together you'll be as powerful as ever. But apart you'll be weaker."

"Right!" both Naruto and Kurama nod in understanding.

Everyone said their 'goodbye's' to Maneki and the cat demon waited until everyone was out of the barn before she turns to her master. Maneki kneels next to Darkwater and removes his mask. A pair of deep chocolate eyes fluttered open to look into a pair of yellow-green.

Maneki smiles, "Hi, Ru…" she speaks softly as she caresses Iruka's cheek with loving care. "Will you be ok to travel soon?"

Iruka leans further against her touch and closed his eyes. He nods yes for her, but then Iruka begins to frown – looking almost in pain.

"What's wrong, Ru? Are you feeling any pain?"

Iruka nods.

"Where? Show me. I'll try to help as much I can," Maneki offers.

Iruka moves his right arm and placed his hand over his heart, "Here…" It's his heart that aches and throbs with pain. "I hate lying to him, Eki-chan…" he sniffles as a couple of tears roll down his cheeks.

"Oh, Ru…" Maneki brushed away those tears before she hugs him tightly. She now understands Iruka's pain. It hurts Iruka deeply every time he lies to his favorite blond knucklehead. "Sssh…" she tenderly hushes him, "It's going to be ok, Ru. Sleep now, Ru, and by morning I promise you'll be strong enough to endure it all again," because the pain will always remain in Iruka's heart.

"So you're the Nine-tails…?" Kakashi asked the little fox on his bed with a skeptical look.

Kurama didn't want to share a bedroom with Naruto and Sasuke. For once he wants some peace and quiet, instead of having to feel and see everything Naruto goes through when his Kit and the Uchiha are mating.

"I am," Kurama sits proudly doing his best to look strong and intimidating regardless of his small appearance. Or the fact that sitting in a bed comforter with light blue and green flower designs is upping his cuteness.

Kakashi smiled down at the fox and ruffles the red-orange fur on top of Kurama's head, "Haha – you're a cute little fox."

Kurama growled at the Copy-nin, "I'm not cute or small! I'm ferocious and my true form is bigger than the Hokage Monument."

Kakashi continues to chuckle, "You're a funny little fox." Of course, Kakashi knows this is the real Nine-tails in the flesh, but when will he get another opportunity to tease the mighty Kyubi no Kitsune again?

Kurama swipes the jounin's hand off him with another growl. "What about you, Sharingan no Kakashi? Is there a reason why you're hiding this from Naruto and Sasuke?"

Kakashi stops laughing and stands up straight as he stares down at the fox with a blank eye. "What are you - ?"

"You're a clone," Kurama interrupts with a smirk.

Kakashi narrows his eye a bit.

Kurama continues to smirk, "I wasn't able to tell at first, but the moment you touch me I felt a difference in your chakra. What are you up to, Hatake?"

Kakashi looks away from the fox demon before walking up to the window. The sun had set long ago and the streets were becoming emptier. "Nothing…" was the clone's answer.

Kakashi sat on the branch of a tree facing Sagara's farm with a good view of the barn. He has masked his chakra and his scent so the cat demon won't detect his presence. He didn't want to tell Naruto and Sasuke what he was doing in case they tried to stop him. Or worse, they'd want to join him.

'And what exactly are you doing?' inner-Kakashi asked himself.

Kakashi didn't answer himself because he doesn't know the right answer yet. He wants to believe he is offering some help to Maneki since Darkwater is unwell, but that sounds more like an excuse to him.

Kakashi just feels he needs to be near Darkwater right now and wait…

'Wait for what? What are you waiting for?' inner-Kakashi questioned.

Kakashi doesn't know that answer either.

The day is nearing sunrise and Kakashi never got a wink of sleep. There hadn't been any changes or even a single chance.

'A chance for what?' inner-Kakashi asked suspiciously.

Kakashi stands and stretches. He yawns through his mask and feeling very tired now. If he returns to his hotel room now he can probably get a couple of hours sleep before Naruto and Sasuke wake up. It's going to be a long and exhausting journey home for him. His day wouldn't even end once he gets home. He would still need to turn in his mission report and speak to Godaime of the existence of Darkwater.

'I wonder if I'll see Iruka today…?' Kakashi suddenly thought of the Academy teacher and smiled.

Kakashi feels a strong need to go home now. He was ready to slip away but stops himself at the last second when he finally sees movement at Sagara's barn. Kakashi squats down to conceal himself better.

The barn door is pushed open and Maneki steps out. Kakashi watched her back as the cat demon speaks to someone inside the barn – obviously to Darkwater. Kakashi is completely out of earshot and he can't read the cat woman's lips because he's facing her back.

Maneki closed the barn door and Kakashi sees her seal the doors with her chakra. Kakashi watched Maneki morph into the size of a domestic cat before she sprints into the surrounding forest and is gone.

'This is my chance…' Kakashi thought.

'What are you planning?' inner-Kakashi questioned with alarm. 'Maneki told you not to get involve.'

Kakashi cautiously approaches the barn. His chakra and senses on high alert in case the cat should return or was never truly gone. He stands before the barn doors. He looks to his left and right – no one in sight. He turns back to the barn doors and sees the cat's seal. It looks like an average seal even a gennin could break easily, but Kakashi will not be fooled so easily. Kakashi pulls up his hitai-ate to reveal the sharingan. The sharingan spins as it sees the seal and what a powerful seal it is. The seal not only guards the doors, but it's barricading the whole barn from the outside world. There are dozens over dozens of chakra pathways surrounding the barn. It would take forever for anyone to decipher such a seal. But Kakashi Hatake isn't anyone.

Kakashi summons a few clones – they surround the barn. The Copy-nin and his clones use their sharingan's to see every chakra pathway. It isn't long before one of the clones finds a hidden pathway that will release the seal. It was well hidden underneath so many other pathways and kept moving its position. Kakashi sent away his clones before following the secret pathway. He needs to be quick because the secret pathway kept moving fast. If he catches another pathway by mistake – there is no doubt Maneki will be alerted of his presence.

Kakashi patiently waits as he counts every second and watches every direction in which the hidden pathway moves. When Kakashi finally figures out the pathway's pattern, he performs a jutsu that will release the seal and his hand lunges after the secret pathway. His own chakra jolts against the secret pathway and the barrier surrounding the barn quietly explodes and disappears.

Darkwater's eyes snap open the second the barrier falls. His deep brown eyes become smudge with amber and narrow in anger.

Kakashi used his sharingan to see inside the barn. His sharingan still can't see Darkwater's presence. It didn't before, why should it now? Darkwater's powers aren't like chakra after all, that much Kakashi knows. Kakashi pulls open the barn door ready to step in.

Kakashi's eye widens for a second when he sees the masked man coming at him too fast to dodge. Darkwater grabs Kakashi by the throat and hurls them across Sagara's land before slamming the jounin against a tree. The tree trembles at the impact causing its leaves to rain over the two men under its branches.

Kakashi groans at the pain coming from his back, but he begins to gurgle when a tight grip on his neck kept getting tighter. He opens his eye to look into the dark eyes holes of Darkwater's black mask.

"…!" Kakashi attempts to speak, but Darkwater is cutting off his vocal cords along with any oxygen. Kakashi can't believe the strength the man possesses. His toes weren't even touching the ground! He's probably as strong as Tsunade or more.

Kakashi can feel the claws of Darkwater's glove beginning to dig into his skin. He fought his own killer instincts away. The last thing he wanted was to hurt or battle with the masked man. Kakashi grabs the masked man's hand with his own two hands trying to pull the other away or at least weaken his strong grip.

"S-stop…!" Kakashi choked out.

Darkwater growls at the Copy-nin like a savage animal. Darkwater's wolf ears slip out from his hair to lay flat out in anger. His bristled tail slips out from under his cloak to curl on his back.

Kakashi's eye widens at what he's seeing, but he doesn't have much time to think about Darkwater's appearance when Darkwater begins to squeeze his neck even tighter.

"Stop…! It's m-me…!" Kakashi tries to reason with the other. "You said… before… you'd never let… anything happen… to me!" Kakashi choked out as best he could.

Suddenly Darkwater released Kakashi and the jounin falls to the ground.

Kakashi gags for air as he massages his bruised neck. He jolts back with surprise when Darkwater kneels between his spread out legs. Darkwater comes closer and Kakashi pulls back as much he can considering he has a tree behind him.

Darkwater's masked face comes closer to Kakashi's. The Copy-nin can hear the masked man sniffing him like a curious pup. Kakashi watched as Darkwater's animal ears perk above his head and his tail begins to wag.

Kakashi chuckles nervously when Darkwater begins to sniff his neck. Kakashi doesn't feel like Darkwater is sniffing him out recognition, but it feels intimate for some reason. When Kakashi moves his hand Darkwater quickly pulls away and watched the jounin warily. So Darkwater doesn't completely trust Kakashi yet. But Darkwater remembers Kakashi now, right?

Kakashi risked his privacy by unveiling himself to Darkwater. Kakashi wants to show the masked man that he can be trusted and that he is the same person Darkwater saved all those years ago.

Darkwater tilts his head as he watched Kakashi lower his mask. Darkwater's tail wags more happily seeing Kakashi's face. He lays himself between Kakashi's legs with his head resting on the jounin's stomach.

Kakashi blinked with surprise at Darkwater's reaction. The masked man is definitely behaving like a pup. Again Kakashi moved his hand and this time Darkwater doesn't pull away. Kakashi runs his hand over the masked man's loose ebony hair and combs his fingers through it. His hand then moves to the animal ears. They are soft, well attached to his head, and very much real. Kakashi continued to caress the pointy ears and Darkwater begins to softly growl a purr. Kakashi smiled and can't stop thinking how adorable Darkwater can be when he's not in kill-mode.

'Just who are you…?' Kakashi thought as he continued to pet the masked man.

It isn't long before Darkwater falls asleep. Kakashi considered picking him up and carrying him back inside the barn, but Kakashi doesn't want to wake the other. More importantly, Kakashi doesn't want to move. If just feels right to have this masked man so close to him.

When Kakashi's hand grazes the tie of Darkwater's mask for the umpteenth time, Kakashi paused. He stares at the mask hiding Darkwater's identity. He stares at the knot holding the mask in place.

Just one tug of that knot and the mask will slip off.

'But it's not right…' inner-Kakashi said unconvincingly.

Kakashi grabbed one of the ends of the tie and slowly begins to pull.

"What the hell did you do?!"

Kakashi looks up to see Maneki has returned.

Thank you for reading! (^_^)/