Closer still
Title: Closer Still
Author: mizubunshin
Rating: G
Summary: Oneshot. Pre-Time Skip. With Sasuke departed, Naruto crumbles, but while Kakashi is still there for him maybe things won't be as bad as they look. Standard Kakashi+Naruto fluff. No yaoi.
Well, I decided to write this fanfic last night, but I barely managed four paragraphs before I got stuck. So my lovely sister helped me finish it and do some major editing to make me happy. :D [I know, I can hardly call it my own fanfic now. O__o]
---
"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered to himself, as several tears slid down his cheeks. Clenching his fist, nails cutting into his bruised palm, he crumbled to the ground. Sasuke... The pain burnt with searing reality. He had left ... and this time, he knew his team mate ... was never coming back.
"I - couldn't ... even - save him ..."
Kakashi stood behind Naruto, looking down at him, though his face held no visible emotion. Then slowly, the silver-haired jonin stooped down and gathered him into his arms before gently pulling him into his lap.
Naruto drew in a particularly long sob, then buried his face into his sensei's shoulder and continued wailing.
Kakashi remained silent for awhile, simply holding the boy, then softly took hold of his clenched fist against his chest and gently pried his fingers apart.
"Naruto ..." he began quietly. The sobs only grew louder. Kakashi drew him closer still, one hand slowly caressing the rumpled head of blond hair as the thumb of the other gently rubbed the now aggravated bruise on Naruto's palm, soothing it.
He closed his eyes. "Naruto ... He made his own choice."
"But I ... I couldn't ... stop him - I couldn't -"
"You did your best. And Sasuke knew that." Kakashi drew back a little so he could look his student in the face, his eyes calm. "All that matters now is that he left knowing you cared."
"... You think so?" Naruto managed, still choking bitterly on his tears.
The eye of Kakashi's that was visible crinkled into a slight smile. "Of course, Naruto."
Of course.
Naruto looked at him for a moment, still snivelling, then without warning threw himself back into Kakashi's arms, clutching at the green Konoha vest and burying his face back into it as fresh tears streaked down his cheeks, his voice small and choked, "Kakashi-sensei..."
The vulnerability of his noisiest and most rambunctious student was enough to melt Kakashi's heart, and the jonin wrapped both arms around Naruto's small frame and gently rubbed his back, saying nothing more.
* * *
It was a good couple of hours later when Naruto, wearied from the exhaustion his crying had left him with, opened his eyes to find himself being carried back to the main village on his teacher's back. Subconciously feeling the need for further security, he leaned further forward, hugging his sensei tighter, and when there was no reponse, he nestled his face into the crook of Kakashi's neck.
"Kakashi-sensei?" The boy's voice was so small Kakashi probably wouldn't have heard it if it hadn't been right next to his ear.
"Hmmm?"
"You're not going to go away like that too, are you?"
The question almost surprised him genuinely. "You never know for sure." He replied as he walked, keeping a secure hold on him. "Even I can't know the outcome of every mission that is assigned."
"But, Naruto," he added, his eye squinting into a smile once more even though Naruto obviously couldn't see it. "While you still need me, I'll always be here."
There was a long pause.
Then, "...Promise?"
"Promise."
Naruto nuzzled further into his neck, hugging him just a little tighter. "I love you, Kakashi-sensei."
It was innocent, straightforward, and honest, and if Kakashi's eyes could have gone any softer, they would.
I love you too, Naruto. I love you too.
---
Author: mizubunshin
Rating: G
Summary: Oneshot. Pre-Time Skip. With Sasuke departed, Naruto crumbles, but while Kakashi is still there for him maybe things won't be as bad as they look. Standard Kakashi+Naruto fluff. No yaoi.
Well, I decided to write this fanfic last night, but I barely managed four paragraphs before I got stuck. So my lovely sister helped me finish it and do some major editing to make me happy. :D [I know, I can hardly call it my own fanfic now. O__o]
---
"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered to himself, as several tears slid down his cheeks. Clenching his fist, nails cutting into his bruised palm, he crumbled to the ground. Sasuke... The pain burnt with searing reality. He had left ... and this time, he knew his team mate ... was never coming back.
"I - couldn't ... even - save him ..."
Kakashi stood behind Naruto, looking down at him, though his face held no visible emotion. Then slowly, the silver-haired jonin stooped down and gathered him into his arms before gently pulling him into his lap.
Naruto drew in a particularly long sob, then buried his face into his sensei's shoulder and continued wailing.
Kakashi remained silent for awhile, simply holding the boy, then softly took hold of his clenched fist against his chest and gently pried his fingers apart.
"Naruto ..." he began quietly. The sobs only grew louder. Kakashi drew him closer still, one hand slowly caressing the rumpled head of blond hair as the thumb of the other gently rubbed the now aggravated bruise on Naruto's palm, soothing it.
He closed his eyes. "Naruto ... He made his own choice."
"But I ... I couldn't ... stop him - I couldn't -"
"You did your best. And Sasuke knew that." Kakashi drew back a little so he could look his student in the face, his eyes calm. "All that matters now is that he left knowing you cared."
"... You think so?" Naruto managed, still choking bitterly on his tears.
The eye of Kakashi's that was visible crinkled into a slight smile. "Of course, Naruto."
Of course.
Naruto looked at him for a moment, still snivelling, then without warning threw himself back into Kakashi's arms, clutching at the green Konoha vest and burying his face back into it as fresh tears streaked down his cheeks, his voice small and choked, "Kakashi-sensei..."
The vulnerability of his noisiest and most rambunctious student was enough to melt Kakashi's heart, and the jonin wrapped both arms around Naruto's small frame and gently rubbed his back, saying nothing more.
* * *
It was a good couple of hours later when Naruto, wearied from the exhaustion his crying had left him with, opened his eyes to find himself being carried back to the main village on his teacher's back. Subconciously feeling the need for further security, he leaned further forward, hugging his sensei tighter, and when there was no reponse, he nestled his face into the crook of Kakashi's neck.
"Kakashi-sensei?" The boy's voice was so small Kakashi probably wouldn't have heard it if it hadn't been right next to his ear.
"Hmmm?"
"You're not going to go away like that too, are you?"
The question almost surprised him genuinely. "You never know for sure." He replied as he walked, keeping a secure hold on him. "Even I can't know the outcome of every mission that is assigned."
"But, Naruto," he added, his eye squinting into a smile once more even though Naruto obviously couldn't see it. "While you still need me, I'll always be here."
There was a long pause.
Then, "...Promise?"
"Promise."
Naruto nuzzled further into his neck, hugging him just a little tighter. "I love you, Kakashi-sensei."
It was innocent, straightforward, and honest, and if Kakashi's eyes could have gone any softer, they would.
I love you too, Naruto. I love you too.
---