Author Note:

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Naruto. If I did my fingers would quit misspelling his name and I wouldn't have to keep hitting the backspace key.

Chapter Five

About Half an Hour Later

Kakashi opened the gate to his apartments small yard and was surprised to see Watarimono waiting for him. He said nothing as he walked up to her. She stood up and moved aside so he could put his key in the lock and open the door. Then she followed him inside and waited as he put on a pot of water for tea and took off his Jonin jacket.

"So how did the afternoon go with the teens?" she asked as he finally turned to face her.

"Alright with the boys but I think it's fair to say you made an enemy in Sakura. She definitely didn't think you had any call to chew her a new one and she told her Mother about it so now I have that harrigan on my case as well. Just let me say in advance. Thanks a lot."

Watarimono raised her brows. "Thanks for what?"

"Because when Sakura's Mom gets done chewing me out for not defending her daughter's honor I won't be able to hear for at least a month. That woman is louder than Sakura and twice as shrill."

"Oh well, you're welcome." Watarimono laughed. "But tell me what did the boys think and what did they say?"

"Is it really that important?"

"You know it is. Just tell me."

"Well, Naruto really doesn't understand it at all but Sasuke did. I think he thought it was about time someone stepped on Sakura. Naruto thinks that maybe he and Sasuke should have defended Sakura from you but while Sakura agrees Sasuke said no."

Watarimono nodded her head thoughtfully as she considered what he said. The pot whistled and Kakashi busied himself making two cups of tea. "And you? Do you think Sakura was unjustly accused of rudeness?"

"No. At first I thought she was right but then when you pointed it out that Naruto never makes a mess while eating I realized it's just that he eats so fast we expect there to be a mess. I realized that never once no matter how many bowls I've seen him consume have I seen a mess at his chosen spot. Also if he truly were the pig Sakura called him his apartment would not rival Sasuke's for cleanliness."

"And the Baka name? Do you think that one fits? I noticed you said nothing about that." she moved to stand behind him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Leave my mask alone Watari. Naruto has done his level best to earn the title Baka. I'm not sure why but he seems to relish people calling him that. But only Sasuke is allowed to call him Dobe. I've seen both those boys turn on others for calling him that one."

Watarimono massaged his shoulders until he relaxed and then so swiftly he couldn't stop her she removed his mask. "I told you not to wear this when we're alone, Kashi. I gave you plenty of time to remove it." She held the mask on her hand before she blinked her eyes. When she opened them again the mask was gone and Kakashi was staring at her in dismay.

"It's on your laundry pile and there it will stay for now." She fixed him with a look that dared him to move. His hands clenched but he stayed put.

"Why?" He asked.

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing this? What does it matter to you if I wear a mask?"

"Because when people wear masks in public it means they have something that's hurting them inside. When I see the mask I have to try and help. You've been hurting for a long time and it's time someone helped you. Besides you'll never be who I see you as if you keep that mask on."

"And who says I want to be that person you see? What if I'm happy behind my mask?"

She gave him a look that said it all. She finished her tea. "I have to get home to my girls but I'll see you tomorrow at the training ground." She leaned over to give him a small kiss. It was supposed to land on his whiskered cheek but he turned his head and it landed on his mouth instead. He reached up with one hand and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

"I missed you, Watari," he said when they broke the kiss.

"Then why did you leave me? I'll see you tomorrow." She turned and left. He didn't see her smile.

Kakashi made himself dinner and then did his dishes. He didn't even think of putting his mask back on after she left. Instead as he cooked ate and cleaned up he thought of her parting question. Why had he left her? She had made him happy each time they had run into each other and he could have brought her back here with him. He knew she would have been welcomed as his mate if as nothing else but for some reason he had gotten scared and turned tail. He could admit it to himself. She frightened him like no one ever had before and he didn't know why.

Watarimono made her way from Kakashi's place to her own where she knew Tsunade was waiting with her daughters. Shizune would have already made them some dinner and knowing her she would have also gotten them working on their homework. She walked into her own home. At her kitchen table Tsunade sat toying with a plate of food obviously waiting for her.

"Well? What did he say?" Tsunade asked.

"First I have a question for you. How long has Kakashi been wearing a mask?"

"I don't know. I think he put it on shortly after his father died but it could have been a couple of years later or even before then. I never really thought about it," Tsunade answered her.

"I remember when he started wearing it," said Shizune. "It was right after his father died. The day he finally left his room after finding him. He's worn it ever since."

"That long? Gees. No wonder it so hard for him to take it off now." Tsunade gave her friend a close look and wondered what was up with her interest in Kakashi.

"You do know he wasn't who I called you here for," she said.

"And you should know me well enough to know that mask of his is like a red flag to an enraged bull. I have to work on it's removable. Besides my girls deserve it."

"You mean to tell me..." Tsunade looked to the back bedroom where the twins were working on their homework. "Kakashi ...?"

"You didn't know that, Tsu? I'm sorry I just thought when you sent me the letter to come here you knew." Watarimono apologized.

"He's never said a word since I came home to take on this stupid paper-pushers dream job. And I was away from the village for a long time before then. I mean I had left the village right after Orochimaru defected and never came back for any reason."

"Well, he doesn't exactly know either. He left before I could tell him and it worked out for the best this way. I found out after he left that my father would have demanded that he stay and take on the role as my consort if he had known. I never would have gained my freedom if he had stayed."

Tsunade looked back at her plate. "You know he's gonna freak when you tell him. I need a drink."

"No you don't. You're getting sober, Tsu. No more Sake and no more gambling. Remember our deal."

Tsunade gave her friend an evil glare and then sighed and nodded. "I remember. While you're here I don't drink anything stronger than tea and I don't gamble. How boring!"

"Hello Kaa-san. How was your day?" asked two young voices from the kitchen doorway.

"It was fine. And how was your first day of school? Did you meet any nice kids?"

"It was ok Kaa-san. Some of the kids tried to scare us with tales of a demon and they say there is a haunted estate here in the village also but I don't believe them," said Jiyuu.

Tsunade asked, "Demon huh? I wonder where they got that one from." She smirked.

"Well, they said that about twenty years ago or so one attacked here and the Hokage of the time killed it but it's spirit still haunts the village. They said their parents told them the demon has blond hair and likes the color orange," said Jiyuu.

"But that's just silly. Everyone knows you can't kill a demon for real. You just have to suffer through their attacks and wait for them to go away. Then you rebuild and hope they don't come back," added Rakki. "And as for a haunted estate why should a dead person hang around the living? They have loved ones waiting for them and it makes no sense for them to hang out where they can't interact."

"Are you sure they are only six?" asked Shizune.

Watarimono laughed and said, "Yeah they are. Big words I know but they are very smart girls and I've never talked down to them."

"Anyway Kaa-san we just came in to say good-night. Good-night Aunty Tsunade and Aunty Shizune." Both girls bowed and turned back to their bedroom.

After they were out of earshot, Tsunade asked, "Do they know who Kakashi is to them?"

"Yes they know. They figured it out yesterday when he took off as soon as he saw me." She giggled. "I never thought of myself as being that scary but he took off like the hounds of hell were on his tail."

Tsunade laughed also and said, "I swear I saw his face go whiter than normal too. But you better tell him soon. Although they look a lot like you with that dark hair and your green eyes it won't be long before someone figures it out and does it for you."

Shizune added, "Naruto for starters. That boys' mask is more complete than Kakashis' for all that is invisible to most people."

"That smart huh?"

"Let's just say he is the Grand Prank Master for a reason. Some of those pranks he used to pull were pure genius and showed an amazing amount of ability. I can't figure out why no one here ever recognized his brains before."

Tsunade sighed and said, "Just be glad they didn't. If they had then the Old-Man may not have been able to shield him from the council and we wouldn't have ever gotten to know him let alone me keep my promise to his father."

"Ok Now you're talking over my head. Explain yourself as best you can," said Watarimono.

"Here have some dinner while we tell you as much as we're allowed to about Naruto and why it's so important that you get his mask off. I realize you really want to remove Kakashi's but his is nowhere near as important as Naruto's," said Shizune.

"Ok. Talk away."

Tsunade started the tale. "Ever since I met him the boy has been unfailingly happy. I don't mean that he's just been in a good mood. I mean he's been bouncing off the walls happy. Like a kid at his best friends birthday party which I know by the way he has never ever been to a birthday party before in his life. I'd be surprised if he even knows when his own birthday is but if he does than it's probably due to the fact that he has to go into hiding on that day. Things have gotten better since we came to town but it still isn't anywhere near good enough for the joyously happy face he always presents to everyone. I know for a fact his place was broken into just last week and his furniture was trashed. Someone broke in and broke his furniture into kindling and what they couldn't break, they poured saki all over. He just hauled it all out and now he sleeps on the floor. Kakashi is looking for a new bed for him but it'll take time to find him one. As for the rest of his furniture well..." Tsunade spread her hands in frustration.

"He said nothing about it at all," Shizune picked up the tale. "We wouldn't have known anything about it except Sasuke saw him trying to go into the furniture vendors place and get chased back out. Sasuke found out when he followed Naruto back to his place and saw the scraps on the refuse pile. He forced Naruto to show him his place and then he came storming to us. Come to think of it, that's the angriest I've ever seen Sasuke. He was literally ranting over how we allowed Naruto to live in such squalor. Apparently there are big holes in his walls and windows as well as the ceiling."

"Well, that does raise an interesting question. Why was he living in such squalor? For two people who supposedly care for the boy to allow him to live like that doesn't speak very highly of either of you."

"All I can say is he never invited us over to his place so I honestly had no reason to believe his place was in such bad shape. There is so much to do being the Hokage but that is no real excuse. I knew how this village feels about him and the council also. I should have made it a point to check."

"Anyhow that's why when I was showing you around town I made a point of showing you where we shop. This village is pretty much divided by those who have grown to like Naruto and miss him when he's not here and those who hate him for what he holds inside and cheer when he's gone. The places we shop are those places where Naruto gets fair treatment. Where he doesn't get thrown out or overcharged for what he buys which is never the best they have. Naruto is a good kid but he has to be angry over the way he's been treated. Yet he won't show it. At all," said Shizune.

"I brought over his medical records. Since you are a doctor you are entitled to see them but if you were to ask for them at the Hospital they would try to make you get special permission from the council first. And that would give them time to tidy up the records before you saw them. You need to see exactly what this place has done to that Gaki," added Tsunade. She set a thick file folder down on the table and rose to her feet. "Come on Shizune. I'm sure there's still a mountain of paperwork I was supposed to get through today." She and Shizune left Watarimono to her nighttime reading.

Several hours later Watarimono closed the file. It was very hard to relate the young man she had met today with the boy described in these records but for brief moments she had caught a glimpse of him. Tsunade was right. The boy was wearing a mask. A very large and fragile mask that could break at any time. And since he did house a demon the breaking of that mask would spell disaster for who ever caused it to break. She prepared for bed trying to think how to go about getting him to remove it without breaking it. Not once as she lay waiting for sleep did her thoughts turn to Kakashi as was her normal routine. His mask just wasn't as dangerous as Naruto's.

Author's Notes:

Ok I know this was a long chapter with a lot of boring back and forth but an author has got to lay the groundwork you know. Can't have much of a story without it you know...unfortunately. Once again Review and tell me if I should go back to just being a reader. I'm good at reading. Maybe good at writing too? Don't know. You tell me.