Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. . . or Kakashi. And if your read chap 7 you know why. If you didn't, I congratulate you. You're a better person than I am. And if you did read it (snickers) I told you it was graphic. Perverts. . .heehee.

Chapter Eight: Morning, Questions, and Revelations

Morning sun broke through the curtains over the window and shone into his uncovered eye. He was alone in the bed but he could hear the shower going and figured Naruto hadn't been up long anyway. He yawned as he wondered how the boy would act when he came out of the bathroom. Obviously the drugs had cleared his bloodstream by now so maybe it was time to go back to their normal game of hide-and-seek. First, Naruto would seek him out and watch him for just long enough to be noticed before vanishing. Then later he would seek out the blond and return the favor. It was a game of interested disinterest and they were both masters at it.

While he was waiting for Naruto to finish with his shower, he gathered his clothes together and pulled fresh ones from the scroll he'd brought along. He didn't bother to get dressed though as he wanted a shower first. Sitting on the edge of the bed with his elbows on his knees he looked around the room as he waited for Naruto to come out of the bathroom. His nakedness didn't bother him in the slightest since he had put his mask back on already. He'd actually done that as soon as he'd opened his eyes.

He found a paper that must have fallen out of Naruto's jacket earlier since it was near where he remembered tossing the bulky thing when he had peeled it off him. He really needed to burn that damn jacket. It hid too much from his eyes. He opened it up and found it was a recent copy of the betting pool involving the two of them. He was thinking about where Naruto could have gotten it as he read the different bets and the names of the people taking one side or the other. Wait. What was that name he had just read? He went back and read it again. Orochimaru! Itachi? Kisame? Wasn't that the fish guy from Akatsuki? The one Naruto called Sushi? Even Gaara was listed on the paper. Holy shit! What was the world coming to? he wondered, as his eye widened even more at seeing some very high level names on the list. Names of people he didn't even know knew either himself or Naruto, let alone both of them. Ok maybe, given the type of films she had done, seeing Princess Yuki had made a wager wasn't really all that surprising but the name of the Daimyo's wife certainly was. He was so busy reading and thinking about the betting that he didn't even realize Naruto had come out of the bathroom already. Nor did he realize the paper in his hand was trembling from how tightly he was gripping it.

Naruto walked over and pried it out of his hand. Kakashi looked up at him still deep in shock. "Telling isn't it. So many perverts in the world and only one pervert busting technique known to man," Naruto quipped sitting on the low table so he could maintain eye contact easier. When he was sure Kakashi was back with him he said quite calmly, "I wanted to thank you for helping me last night. I know it couldn't have been easy no matter what you said. Gay guys are just as human as anyone else and no one wants to share that with someone they don't love in that way."

"Maa. I told you. It was not a problem for me. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't . . .have done quite so much." he said remembering demanding Naruto do him as well.

"None the less, Thank you," Naruto insisted.

"Answer me one question and we'll consider everything square." He indicated the paper in Naruto's hand. He reconsidered as he rather thought one question might lead to others that were just as important. "Ok, make that a couple of questions." Naruto tilted his head and indicated he should ask. "First, did you know about that before we arrived at this inn?"

Naruto shook his head. "Who would tell me they were wagering on my sex life or lack thereof? I'm just the clueless idiot who holds a demon in his gut. No one tells me anything until they have to."

"I don't see you that way. You're one of the brightest idiots I've ever seen. Anyway, second question. Are you gay as those bets would indicate?"

Naruto flushed a fiery red from his hairline all the way down his tanned neck. Kakashi's eye locked onto the visibly racing pulse there and watched fascinated as Naruto tried to hide his expressive eyes from him as they involuntarily flickered to Kakashi's exposed groin. "Nuh-uh. No hiding your eyes. I need to know the truth. Are you gay?"

Naruto swallowed and nodded. "I contain a very old and experienced female demon in my gut. It should have been expected that when it comes to sex, I would prefer my own." He waited for the question he knew would come next. Kakashi slid onto the floor crouching in the small space between the table and the bed getting as close to the blond as he could and being very glad of that answer. "And is there someone I have to compete with to have you at my side forever?"

Naruto frowned lightly as he thought that over. "No," he finally answered quietly. "I like you. Always have."

"Oh thank Kami," breathed Kakashi, wrapping his arms around the blond. Pulling his mask down, he fastened his mouth over Naruto's and licked his bottom lip asking for entrance into the moist cavern. Naruto opened up as he wrapped his arms around Kakashi's neck and twined his fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. He closed his eyes to better enjoy the sensations and feelings coursing through him as Kakashi showed him once again just who was the master at tongue dueling.

When they parted for air a few minutes later both were flushed and breathing hard. "I love you, Naruto," Kakashi said softly. "I have for a long time now and that was why it wasn't a problem helping you last night. You are right about it being a problem with someone you don't love but I do love you. And I will do everything I can to make sure you come to love me as well."

Naruto laughed, a deep chuckling sound that was so natural it had to be real. Smooth as velvet and rich as chocolate, it sent warm tingles through Kakashi's body. "I already love you. I have since I was three. I'll admit it's changed over the years but there was never any question in my mind who I belonged with."

"Three?" Kakashi's voice squeaked he was so surprised.

"First, you were my hero. You rescued me from that mob when no one ever did tried to interfere before. Then you got mad at Jijii though I'm not sure why but I know my life changed after that. You're why I bugged Jijii to let me be a ninja. I figured if you're getting mad at Jijii changed my life because you were a ninja then maybe someday I could do the same for some other kid. Silly I know but I was three. And over the years, every time I got discouraged, I'd see you somewhere and remember why I was trying so hard. I saw you really could see me and not just the Kyuubi prison." He shrugged.

"So when did it change?" Kakashi couldn't hide his curiosity.

"When you became our sensei. I may have just turned twelve but I knew a sexy person when I saw one. It grew from lust to love when I realized, even though you didn't act like it, you were always paying attention to me. Every time I needed money, you got us missions without me having to beg for it until I was even/steven again. And I know we weren't required to do nearly as many missions as we did. Every time the villagers would beat me up, you were there helping me get home or treating the injuries. I knew what you did for me and I knew it wasn't just because I was your student, regardless of what you told others. You even impressed Kyuubi with how you were always there and aware of what I needed."

Kakashi smiled. "I loved you from the minute I walked into that classroom and that stupid eraser fell on my head. I refused to admit it of course. A man in his twenties should not love a boy who just turned twelve. But there you have it. I did and I still do."

The sound of the door lock clicking told them they were free to go now and they just frowned at it for a few minutes. Kakashi said, "You do know Tsunade set this up, don't you?" Naruto nodded. "So you know he probably already knows everything we've said and done in here also." Again Naruto nodded. "And he'll probably tell the Old Hag it worked before we get back to the village." Once more Naruto nodded. He decided not to mention his other suspicions as to what the man might have. Instead he said, "So why don't we just go somewhere we want to be and wait for her to summon us?" A mischievous sparkle lit Naruto's eyes as he nodded empathically.

"I know just the place too. It's actually the only place that wasn't on that stupid list of hers."

"Wave," they said together into each others mouths knowing full well there was no way the owner of the hotel could have heard that. Naruto straightened up a little and waited as Kakashi took his shower, planning how he would get even with Baa-chan for this stunt. He did wonder how long she had been plotting this prank and just how it had gotten to be a subject for betting around the world. For that matter how had she found out he liked Kakashi? He thought he had done a good job keeping that under wraps. He knew damn well Kakashi had. So how had she figured it out? She wasn't that observant.