CHAPTER 15

Yamato glanced at his lover as they travelled hastily through the thick green forest. From years of working and being together he noticed the slight changes in Kakashi's behaviour from the previous day. His chuckle was slower and forced; the Icha Icha book he held when they stopped for 5 minute breaks was angled higher than normal, the melancholy that usually followed Kakashi's nature also seemed deeper than usual. Yamato let out a sigh, this could only mean that things were much worse than they had initially thought and Kakashi was trying to protect him from the truth.

"Kakashi" Yamato stopped at a clearing ahead "let's stop for lunch. We're a few hours away from where Raidou and Genma hold base". Kakashi nodded in agreement welcoming the needed break. He took out there water canteens and went to fill them whilst Yamato prepared lunch.

Yamato watched Kakashi do little insignificant tasks whilst making tea to go with their lunch. They had stopped for 10minutes now and Kakashi hadn't said a word to him. "Kashi?" Yamato said questioningly as he watched his lover sharpen a kunai in deep thought. Kakashi looked up "Is lunch ready?" he asked and moved closer. "Eh…yeah, it is" he mumbled pouring the soup out for them and handing a bowl to Kakashi. It still amazed him how Kakashi ate with his mask on with lightening quick reflexes. If you didn't know what you were looking for, you would miss the calculated and precise movement of the mask being lowered just enough to reveal thin pale lips as his other hand delivered food in accurate proportions and the mask was lifted again, all within a millisecond without disturbing the air around him.

Kakashi gave his lover a small smile as he noticed he was being watched. Yamato blushed and went back to his soup as Kakashi got up and started tidying things away. Yamato couldn't take it anymore and approached Kakashi's back while he packed away the utensils. "Kashi, why are you avoiding me?" he asked. Kakashi froze momentarily and continued packing hoping Yamato hadn't noticed the error. "Kashi, stop please" he grabbed Kakashi's arm forcing the man to turn towards him "what it is? Kakashi tell me please". A million thoughts run through Kakashi's head as he weighed out each scenario in his head and its outcome. None of them as far as he could calculate would be good. He slumped his shoulders and looked at his lover's partially shadowed eyes. He was glad to see some light in the black pools finally and reached out run his thumb across the shallow cheek. The strain of the last months had taken a toll on Yamato's body and it showed the most in the hollows of the usually well-defined cheeks of his lover who had always had a healthy pale glow to his skin. It saddened him to see the beautiful skin so ghostly pale and knew he had to tell him.

Kakashi reached out for Yamato's hand who took it tentatively and was pulled down to sit beside Kakashi. He handed his lover the scroll "Yamato I got some data before we left". He watched as Yamato read the information and his eyes widened in shock as he read the last paragraph and dropped the scroll; Orochimaru alive; target CAT.

"Kashi" he whispered as he stared at the copy Nin eyes wide and visibly shocked. "It was me" the pale hands trembled as they covered his mouth. "It was me" he whispered again "I…but how?"

Kakashi kneeled in front of Yamato and took the trembling hands into his "Yamato I'm sorry we didn't tell you earlier" he saw the almond eyes narrow and fall onto his face "Tsunade Sama had a theory, but we weren't sure if it was accurate. This last bit of information from bear confirms it. Before I tell you Yamato you have to promise me, I know Iruka's already made you promise. But promise me too, if it gets too much you'll pull away. I don't need a hero for a lover, I just need you" he caressed the pale cheek once more. Yamato nodded in agreement "I won't carry out any heroics Kashi, but promise me you won't either".

Kakashi chuckled "can't promise that, I have a reputation to uphold. A man of a thousand jutsu" he smiled forcefully as Yamato looked at him worriedly. "Fine. I promise you, I won't" he sighed as his lover looked at him expectantly to hear Tsunade Sama's theory.

He took a deep breath "Tsunade Sama had this theory that with each experiment Orochimaru carried out, he used some of his own chakra in addition to whatever crazy plan he had going on at that time, as he ultimately wanted to possess those jutsu so needed to know whether he was compatible. She thinks that in addition to having some of the First Hokage's DNA, you also have some residual chakra from Orochimaru as did Anko. When Kabuto captured you both, that was what he was after. Kabuto had devised a jutsu that would allow him to take Orochimaru's residual chakra and bring him back". Kakashi stopped taking in his lover's reaction. Yamato was shaking, his hands were clammy and the black almond eyes look startled. Kakashi didn't have to finish the rest of the theory, Yamato had guessed.

"My breakdown, it was Kabuto" Kakashi nodded "he extracted it didn't he?" Yamato didn't need Kakashi to confirm it; he already knew "Orochimaru, he can't survive for long without using another's body". Kakashi wrapped his arms around Yamato comfortingly hoping he could keep his lover rooted as he knew the pieces had fallen into place in his lovers mind. "When you fought him, you sent him to another plain with your sharingan and he occupied the white snake" He looked up at Kakashi with vacant black eyes.

"Yamato, Yamato don't" he whispered into his lovers ear "Don't go there Yama" he pleaded seeing he was losing the lover they had worked so hard to get back.

"The whispers. The taunting. It wasn't my imagination; it was the seal falling apart. He was right" a vivid memory came back to Yamato.

"I am what you make me Tenzou; I need you to finish what I couldn't. You will be mine; I will have your body. Your mind. Your soul. For my use".

"It was me, I released him" he looked at Kakashi "I didn't mean to Kashi".

Kakashi hushed him "we know love. Stay with me OK" he caressed the soft brown hair as the body he held relaxed slightly at the touch.

But then it dawned on Yamato, his lover was in danger "Kakashi you have to leave me. I can't guarantee your safety and I promised Iruka I'd bring you back".

"Yamato I'm not leaving you now or ever" Kakashi said holding onto Yamato as he struggled to get away "Yama, I love you. We can defeat him".

"Don't you get it Kakashi?" He said freeing himself from Kakashi's grasp. "He'll hurt you to get to me!" He stepped back and looked deep into his lovers' eyes. "Kashi, if you love me, then leave me please" Kakashi shook his head and reached out for Yamato again.

"Kashi please, I'm…I'm…I'm his next chamber" he whispered.