Disclaimer: I hope everyone realises that the original cast of Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Chapter 20

Over the next month Kakashi and I didn't have as much time together as I would have liked, but then again, when had we ever had the time together I wanted? He'd been training his team, so I wanted to fill my time effectively. And I had an idea.

I was going to join Hokage's bodyguard for the chunnin exams. I may not be able to stop or change certain things, but I sure as hell wasn't just going to sit back and watch the disasters as they occurred. If the bad guys were going to do some damage, I'd do damage back.

Well, to start this off, I needed to get the Hokage to agree. I knocked on the door before me and waited patiently. "Come in." I opened the door and bowed politely to the old man before me. "Natsuki, what can I do for you? I hope nothing is wrong."

I shook my head, "Nothing is wrong Hokage-sama, I came with a request." The Hokage nodded his head and gestured to me to continue. "I wish to be included in your guard during the chunnin exams."

His face dropped into a slight frown, "Natsuki..."

"I know that because I know what's going to happen makes being objective harder, but I really think I could help. I mean, maybe you don't have to-"

He held up a hand and stopped me immediately, "Natsuki I appreciate your loyalty to me, but when my time comes, I will go. You don't know the consequences of what could happen if I live. For one, Tsunade will never be Hokage, and you know how important she will be to the village."

I dropped my head and nodded, feeling like a child again. "I would still like to help."

"Hmm... very well then. I suppose you could help, but not in my bodyguard. I trust you Natsuki, but I do not doubt that you would go against my judgement when the moment of my death arrives." The Hokage said, "Do you have any other ideas on where you would like to help?"

"... I want to be on the front line." I said, "I want to help at the village wall."

He frowned again, more wrinkles appearing on his already lined face, "You do not wish to help at the chunnin exams?"

"No."

"I thought you would have chosen to be able to watch Naruto."

"I know he will be strong enough by himself. Besides, I don't trust myself not to interfere with his exams should I see him in danger."

The Hokage nodded, taking several thought-filled puffs from his pipe, "I see... Very well. You may assist the guard on the village wall under the condition that if it seems likely you are to be captured by the enemy you are to drop back immediately. The last thing we need is the enemy getting their hands on someone who knows the future of this world." I nodded my head and bowed at the Hokage, before teleporting to a training ground. I had promised to go for lunch with Naruto, and started to walk to his training ground when I spotted Itachi. I hadn't spoken to him for a while, probably due to him being very busy as one of the last 'two' surviving Uchihas, as well as the 'oldest'. I hurried to his side, and he turned to face me, probably having heard me coming up already.

We had a common ground the two of us; we would do almost anything and everything for our brothers. I had Kakashi now, true, but for a long time, all I had was Naruto, and in the end he might be all I do have. I had rarely spoken to Itachi really, but I felt I could trust him. "Uchiha-san, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, and you can call me Itachi-san if you feel more comfortable Natsuki-san."

I smiled slightly and nodded, before I placed a more serious expression on my face. "Can we go somewhere more private? I don't want what I say to be overheard." He nodded, and led me through the village, towards the Uchiha compound, now abandoned and empty of the life I had once seen in it. At least it was not Itachi who had spilled the blood, and he was still here to support and hopefully lead his brother in the right direction.

"No one will disturb us here. I presume what you wish to tell me is highly important, and like last time, is probably not something you wish me to pass on?"

"Yes." I said, "Itachi-san, when the chunnin exams start, something... bad... will happen. A lot of bad things actually, especially to Sasuke." His eyes studied my face as I explained a general overview of what was to come, and he took my word unquestioningly as he had before. I only hoped I'd done the right thing. I didn't tell him everything; just enough so he wouldn't be too surprised or upset with what was to come. "Do with this information what you will, but please think about the future. It might seem awful right now that Sasuke might leave, but if he doesn't, many, many lives will be affected, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not."

Itachi nodded his head, before bowing slightly, "Thank you Natsuki-san, again I am in your debt."

I smiled slightly, "It's nothing-"

"It could mean everything to me... I need some time to think, thank you once again Natsuki-san."

I nodded and watched as he disappeared in a puff of smoke, before letting out a huge sigh. "You're turning into a big softy for the genins you know?"

I spun around and had a kunai out and ready to attack, before I realised it was only Kakashi. Relaxing, I walked up to him and straight into his arms, smiling to myself when he hugged me. "I had to tell him."

"...I suppose, but, maybe I need some more convincing." I lifted my head to see the pout Kakashi was pulling, even through his mask.

"Well, I can't convince you. There's a piece of cloth in the way." I watched him carefully for his reaction.

He didn't move.

Oh well... it was worth a shot.

I started to pull back when Kakashi held me tighter, stopping my escape from the slight awkward silence. Slowly his hands trailed up my back, resting on my shoulders momentarily before continuing their path down my arms. When his hands reached mine, he drew them in front of him, kissing each hand through his mask. Not once did his eyes leave my face. It was sort of intimidating, while also being unbelievably sweet and equally confusing. I watched him slowly lift my hands to rest on his face, specifically letting my fingertips rest on the edge of his mask.

"Kakashi-" he couldn't be doing what I thought he was doing right?

"Shh... it's okay."

"I didn't mean- you don't have to-"

"I want to." He said, "I want you to see me." I could only nod to him as I held my breath, watching him slowly curl both our fingers around the edge of his mask. Then, seemingly millimetre by millimetre, he dragged our hands down, and the mask with it, but I kept my eyes trained on his. Only when his mask was pulled down fully with my hands resting on his collarbones, did I finally look upon the face I had been waiting to see for eight years.

He was predictably pale, not even a tan line from his mask. His nose was almost perfectly straight, with a small crook at the bridge. The mask had been hiding faint traces of stubble, and several scars all ninjas accumulated over the years. Slightly darker than his skin colour, the scars were only small, except for on running down his chin and another scar resting just above his Adam's apple. Pushing his hitai-ite up and of his eye, I lightly traced the scar around the spinning Sharingan eye. So many scars... Brushing my fingertips lightly across his cheekbones, I traced several other scars before reaching his lips. Lips I knew but also didn't know. Lips currently curling up in a small smile I would now never forget.

I had a smile to match the eye-expression next time he smiled with his mask on.

"So? Do you approve?"

I beamed up at him, pulling him closer and placing a small kiss on the lips I had finally seen now. "You're perfect."

"I know." I punched him lightly on the shoulder, but all he did was chuckle, looking down at me. "I love you."

I grinned again, nuzzling into his chest. "I love you too." Today was a good day.

"Okay, what's got you in such a good mood? You've been like this all week."

I just grinned at Azami, hoping she would figure it out by herself.

Perhaps I shouldn't have let her reach her own conclusions though. Azami's eyes widened and she swivelled to face me fully on the sofa, the film on TV forgotten. "You slept with Kakashi!"

"No!" I sighed in frustration at Azami, "Is your mind constantly on sex or something Azami?"

"Only with you sweetie."

"... I don't know whether I should be smug, freaked out or annoyed by that."

Azami started batting her eyelashes at me. "Oh yes, because you're just too sexy for me to handle Natsuki-chan. I cannot help thinking of you, all day, every day, in every way."

I shook my head at her, but decided to play along. I was in too good a mood not to. "Really? Because I feel the same for you Azami-chan. There's no one like you."

A deep voice interrupted Azami's reply. "Well, either I'm dreaming or someone's playing a cruel and painful joke on me." We both turned to see a smirking Kakashi leant on the open door frame, his visible eye darting between the two of us. "Natsuki, should I be worried?"

"What are you doing here?" Azami asked, "I thought you knew it was girl's night tonight."

"I know... and I was so hoping to stumble upon a pillow fight." I chucked a cushion at Kakashi's wistful expression. "Hey! I meant a pillow fight with each other, in your nighties or something."

I rolled my eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I missed you?" I raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. "Please don't make me go back to Gai's place. He's feeling 'un-youthful' without his wife. Him being 'un-youthful' is surprisingly scarier than him being youthful."

"Why don't you hang out with someone else then? And not us Kakashi."

"Yeah," Azami said, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. What is she planning now? "Why don't you hang out with, who was it, Raidou? Iruka?... Genma?" A dark look passed over Kakashi's face. "What's that look for Kakashi? You aren't jealous are you?"

I glared at Azami. "Of course his not, are you Kakashi-" no one was at the door now. "If Genma is found mysteriously murdered, it'll be on your conscience Azami."

She just grinned. "I had to determine whether you had or hadn't slept with him."

"And how did that help?"

"Obviously if he had slept with you he would have felt perfectly at ease with gloating over his assumed sexual prestige. Instead, as you saw yourself, he's jealous of another man who he seems to know has already slept with you." I shook my head at the scheming friend giggling beside me now. "So why were you so happy before?"

"Kakashi let me see his face-"

"OH MY GOD! What was it like? Was it manly? Girly? Did he have fish lips? Was his nose crooked? Does he have a really big scar? Is he hot? Does he have a tan line? Did he-" I rolled my eyes at Azami again, letting her ask question after question with no answer from me. This was something I wanted to keep to myself, even from Azami, which was rare. But it felt special. I wanted to be the only one – other than Rin – who had seen Kakashi's face. I didn't want to share this. I didn't want to share him.

This was too private and special a moment for me to share.