Disclaimer: i dont own naruto
Chapter 3- Ways to Take Away Fear
Quit playing games with my heart…
Sasuke sat down on his sleeping bag and looked over at Kakashi, he had the flask of water in his hands and every so often he would take a small sip to calm his twisting stomach. Maybe he did have a phobia of storms, what was the name for that anyway? He had been scared of storms since as far back as he could remember, it didn't stop him, and he could still fight in a storm. But being lost in the forest like that had absolutely petrified him like Kakashi had said.
Kakashi was looking out the top of the tent, it was a translucent blue colour and they sky out side was the blackest thing Sasuke had ever seen, and considering he spent most of his life wearing black, that was pretty black. A blue flash of lightning illuminated the sky for a second or two and Sasuke put the flask down and picked up his pillow. Hugging it tight and extracting all of the beautiful dreams, he shut his eyes tight and heard a sigh at the other end of the tent.
He snapped his eyes open and glared at Kakashi, his teacher was not getting on his good side, what did he want? And what was he sighing at? He found himself flinching again as thunder sounded to go with the lightning that had flashed not long ago. Rain pounded down heavily at the tents top and Sasuke was frightened it would be ripped off some time soon. He hugged the pillow tighter.
"Why do you do that?" asked a muffled voice, Sasuke looked up to see Kakashi turned to face the other way.
"Why do I do what?" he asked in turn, he knew what Kakashi was talking about but was stalling until he really had to answer.
"Why do you hug your pillow?"
Sasuke sighed; he had been right in his guess of what Kakashi had meant. He could answer the question with the truth and risk the humiliation he was likely to get if he did. Or he could lie; only problem was he didn't have a good lie in mind.
"Because when I was younger I was always afraid of storms, I didn't like them, they did scare me. I can admit that. My best friend told me to extract all the dreams from pillows and think happy thoughts and soon the storm would be over" he answered, the full truth, he didn't care if Kakashi laughed, he didn't care if he was Kakashi's next joke and he told Naruto and Sakura about it and he would be the joke of the village for the next week or so. 'Great Uchiha, scared of storms' he could see it now.
Right then all he wanted to do was go back to Konoha and go back to his daily ritual and be a predictable, yet happy person. He didn't get a reply for a while and was becoming nervous to if he was going to get one at all. He was just about to turn round and say something when Kakashi beat him to it.
"That's… deep and… stupid" he said after awhile, Sasuke groaned, he knew Kakashi would make a joke out of him but did he have to lead him into a false sense of security first?
"Thanks" he said sarcastically and flinched as lightning flashed, holding on to the pillow tighter, no matter if Kakashi thought it was stupid; it almost worked for him.
It was late, very late, and he knew it. But he simply couldn't get to sleep, rain was still hitting the tent roof full pelt and he was hugging the pillow so tight it was likely to just burst any time soon. He was lying on his side staring at the blue of the tent wall and not blinking. Every once in a while he would turn over and face Kakashi then sigh and turn his back on the sleeping figure. Then he fell asleep.
He was running, from what he couldn't tell. But he was running like his life depended on it. A stitch was eating away at his side and he seriously considered stopping and giving up, but whatever it was that was chasing him gave him new motivation to just keep running.
He heard the storm above his head and flinched, half at the lightning, half at his sides growing pain. The trainers he wore where worn down and his running slowed, he was simply too tired to keep it up.
He then saw what had been chasing him, a great flash of lightning illuminated it for a second or two and he founded himself stuttering, it was bad, he screamed. He stood still and screamed hoping that someone would hear him and rescue him. He simply screamed.
"Sasuke, Sasuke, wake up" it was still night and Sasuke sat up in his sleeping bag, shaking involuntarily. Kakashi had put a hand on his shoulder and was sitting next to him giving him a sympathy look. "You were shaking and muttering in your sleep, something about pain and death. I figured you were having a nightmare and thought I better wake you up, I tried shaking you and I even tried tickling you. But you started to scream. So I shouted over the top for you to wake up" said the silver haired man.
Sasuke shivered, not because of the dream, or the flashing images of that dream that filled his head, but simply because it was cold. "Thank you" he said and reached for his pillow. "I know you find this stupid but it calms me, a bit. So please don't laugh" he said before attacking the white pillow case in a bone (or feather) crushing hug.
Kakashi didn't laugh, and he didn't go back to his sleeping bag. Instead he just sat next to Sasuke and watched his student hugging the pillow in interest. It was still stormy, most storms would have passed by now and he wished this one would. He wasn't scared, but it was for Sasuke's sake. Plus he could do with out having to stay up every night to comfort the Uchiha.
He patted the younger male on the back and rested his hand on the small of it. Sasuke bit his bottom lip and threw the pillow down in frustration.
"No!" he shouted, and Kakashi took his hand away quickly in half respect, half fear Sasuke had gone mental. "This is wrong! I shouldn't be afraid, being afraid is weak and I can't have courage if I'm afraid!" he shouted resting his head in his hands. It didn't matter how many times he told himself not to be afraid though, because the next time thunder sounded his head would be under the covers in a second.
"Sasuke" said Kakashi inching slightly towards the dark haired teen. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather, knowing that what you have to do is greater and more important than fear. You can still be brave when you are afraid. If you weren't afraid then how can you conker your fear and there fore be brave?" he said resting a hand on the teens head and smiling down at him. Some one very wise had once told him that, and hopefully Sasuke would be able to tell some one else that in turn.
Sasuke 'eeped' not expecting the flash of lighting and clap of thunder that time and buried his head in Kakashi's shirt, he wrapped his arms around his teacher's waist, in a hug. Kakashi looked taken a back for a bit but relaxed and let his arms rest on Sasuke's back. The boy was shivering and he flinched every time the sky lit up in the storm, his grip on the back of Kakashi's shirt seemed to tighten every time he heard thunder sound. Sasuke didn't care that only a few days ago he had shivered at the thought of bursting into tears and hugging Kakashi, grated this wasn't quite the same as what Gai and Lee did, but he was crying, though it was involuntarily and he was hugging his teacher.
As if he had just realised what he was doing he pulled away and hugged his knees instead. Kakashi was half smirking at him and half still stunned he had just been hugged by his grumpy, gothic student. He felt like he was turning into Gai and almost shivered. "Erm, sorry" he heard the dark haired boy say and Kakashi just shook his head.
"Don't worry, every one needs a hug some time" he said, it was probably a bad move considering he was talking to the most mood-swinging, stubborn teenager ever.
"I wasn't in need of a hug, just something to, well…" he trailed off and groaned, he turned away and refused to face Kakashi.
He jumped as something round and red on a small white stick was shoved in front of his face. When it came into focus he almost laughed, it was a cherry lollypop and had been produced by Kakashi. "What the-" he said and Kakashi cut in.
"I always carry them with me, just eat it. They take away all bad feelings" he said and Sasuke took the sweet obediently and unwrapped it.
"Thank you" he said popping it into his mouth and sucking out the cherry flavour. It tasted nice, and Kakashi was right, it settled the twisted and turned feeling in his stomach almost instantly.
Kakashi shook his head "don't worry about it, I have so many I loose count" he said laughing out the sentence like it was a really funny joke. Sasuke sucked on the sweet and stared at Kakashi blatantly, the Jounin didn't seem to mind though as he just stared back. Eventually he said something "Your staring at me" he stated and Sasuke blinked and turned away.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to" he said hugging his knees closer. He turned back to Kakashi after a while when he realised the storm was still going, Kakashi was right, the lollypop had relieved of that sickly feeling in his stomach for a bit but it had just come back, even more stronger than before.
He silently groaned and pulled one arm across his stomach, cradling it like a baby; like it was something so valuable and delicate it cost more than his entire inheritance. He knew Kakashi was watching him closely but wasn't about to say anything, he thought he had caused too many problems that night already; he blamed it on Mother Nature for bringing the storm.
Eventually he looked up at Kakashi, it was almost two in the morning but he had no thought of sleep, not that night. Kakashi seemed to have no thoughts of sleep either, he was watching Sasuke with interest, something he rarely saw in any one, mostly the looks he got were of adoration (from the fan girls) or loathing (from Naruto, and lately from Shika, Chouji and Kiba as well).
That was another thing, first the only looks of loathing he got was from Naruto, but lately as he went about his normal daily ritual he had found himself getting more looks of loathing, not such the loathing he got from Naruto, but anger was definitely in them and they looked and Sasuke. Sasuke didn't know what he had done to the boys but they seemed to be getting mad at him for something. Thinking about it Sasuke found he wanted to find out what it was and fix it when he got back to Konoha, Shika, Kiba and Chouji were good people to have around. He presumed that Naruto had just told them a rumour or something, he hoped so, that would be something he could fix easily.
He suddenly realised he was staring at Kakashi again and looked down, it didn't seem to stop the older male though, who was still blatantly staring at Sasuke with interest. Sasuke remembered the last time he had gotten a look like that. It was the day he met Hinata, he smiled at the memory; Hinata was not like other girls at all.
She was watching him from afar, he was a loner, his dark hair and dark eyes gave off the effect that he was cold and gothic. She tilted her head to the side trying to figure the boy out. He was watching her, not in any way she would notice, but he was watching her. She would tell him all about watching him later.
He took his eyes off her for a minute, watching the other children in the play park, he was a loner, and he didn't talk to them. Not that they didn't try to talk to him, the girls mostly, would come and start a conversation. He would wave them off, or in most cases, go and sit somewhere else.
The girls didn't know anything about him, except for the fact that he had dark eyes, dark hair and a smile that could apparently make all the girls 'melt' he smirked at the thought. He wasn't interested in those children though, not the girls or the boys. Only one person in this crowded park interested him, and that was the dark haired, white eyed girl by the swing set who was watching him, with what he could make out, was interest.
He glanced back over at the girl and for a very slight moment their eyes locked, she smiled and waved and Sasuke felt she was acting normal. Not like all the other girls who would giggle and turn away. One of those giggling girls came over.
"Hi!" she said over excitedly, Sasuke stared at her, she had pink hair which she tied back with a red ribbon, the ribbon looked nice, the hair was a little… out. "I'm Sakura" she said laughing at the name, "it means cherry blossom!"
Sasuke stood and stared at Sakura, he had seen her around somewhere, maybe she was a friend of that blonde girl, what was her name? Ino. He smiled knowing he had it right.
"Hello, erm, what do you want?" he asked being polite, actually he didn't care, but he had always been taught to be polite.
"Well, I was just, well, erm…" the girl stuttered and Sasuke looked over her shoulder at the white eyed girl and mouthed a quick, 'help me'
The girl made her way over and took Sasuke's hand "Hello Sakura" she said smiling at the other girl, Sakura looked at there linked hands, Sasuke had been to scared of the pink haired stuttering girl to care what the dark haired girl did to get him out of it and so kept their hands linked securely. The pink haired girl smiled and Sasuke and sent a look of annoyance at the dark haired girl before walking away with her head held high.
The white eyed girl dropped Sasuke's hand and smiled at him "is that what you wanted me to do?" she asked in a quiet, almost timid voice. Sasuke had trouble believing this girl was timid as she had just helped him get away from the scary cherry blossom child. He nodded.
"Thank you" he said and searched for a name, he couldn't find one and told her so in his look.
"I'm Hinata, who are you?" said Hinata in the same voice she had used before, only somewhat kinder.
"Sasuke, would you like to be my friend Hinata?" he asked out right, the girl had saved him, and she didn't seem at all like blonde Ino or stuttering Sakura. Hinata nodded and Sasuke smiled.
Sasuke broke from his chain of thought as thunder sounded, he hadn't seen the lightning, his eyes had been closed while remembering back to when he was a very small child and had first met Hinata; he jumped at the sound and gasped he was not ready for it. He smiled thinking about his very first meeting with Hinata, and felt eyes on him.
He turned to look at Kakashi and raised an eye brow "Now you're staring at me" he said tilting his head to the side. Kakashi smirked and did not remove his eyes from the dark haired teen.
"I know" he stated and Sasuke frowned at him, he started to get what Gai meant by Kakashi always acting to cool getting on his nerves. It really was quite infuriating. He stuffed his hands in his pocket so he didn't attack the Jounin out of spite. Or for any other reason actually.
"So are you going to tell me why you're staring at me?" he asked glaring at his teacher, Kakashi just smiled back and waved his hand as a sign that it didn't really matter "no don't wave your hand at me, tell me why you're staring"
Kakashi sighed and edged closer to Sasuke so his mask was almost brushing against the smaller boys ear. "Are you still scared?" he asked and Sasuke gulped, as much as he hated to admit it, he was scared, of the storm, or the forest, and right now of what Kakashi might do next. Knowing him if he answered yes he would be made a joke out of. He swallowed is pride and nodded though, even if he was made a joke out of he could always deny it if Kakashi tried to tell Sakura and Naruto. He didn't seem like a guy who was scared of storms form the out side did he? He hoped not.
Kakashi had pulled away now and Sasuke jump as he saw the Jounin eye right in front of his own two eyes, there noses were millimetres apart. Kakashi had a mixture of amusement and confusion in his eye and Sasuke felt an over whelming feeling in the pit of his stomach, like it had suddenly decided to practise back flips. He could feel Kakashi's breath, through the mask, on his lips, but he refused to pull away, as that would be a sign of weakness.
"Why are you scared?" said the silver haired man, hair fell over his eyes and he glance up at it quickly before returning his gaze back to Sasuke. Sasuke's hand self consciously made its way up to Kakashi's hair and pushed his hair back. He pulled away as soon as he realised what he was doing and Kakashi smirked slightly.
"I don't know why I am, but I am" Sasuke said, silently cursing himself for brushing away Kakashi's hair, it had felt soft under his touch and he had allowed himself to keep his fingers there longer than needed.
Kakashi lent forward only a tiny bit and Sasuke felt a warm feeling in his forehead, where a mask had made contact. Kakashi had kissed him there and then pulled away, smiling down at the younger male. "Don't be scared" he said and slipped into his sleeping bag on the other side of the tent. Sasuke didn't really have much space in his head for being frightened any more, it was taken up by confusion, annoyance and some, only a tiny bit, but some, happiness.