It begins

Comment: Though the story tells that the following events occur close to the second chuunin exam, I have taken no regard to the Orochimaru-affair after the first exam. So don’t rant.

Chapter 1 –
It begins

The gravel under Naruto’s feet made a loud, crunching noise as he walked down the lonely road on the borders of Konoha. He was way ahead of the rest of the team, as usual. He figured he had patience-problems. Not that much of a shock, though.
Suddenly the road forked. Naruto would have to wait for the others, seeing that he didn’t know which way to take.
Team 7 were out on a mission today. It had been weeks since last time, and Naruto was happy to get away from all of the pressure people were putting on him now, before the chuunin exam and all. It was good to get away from himself as well. In fact, the person putting the most pressure on Naruto was Naruto. In the last exam, he had made it all the way to the top, even beating Hyuga genius Neji. But the examiners didn’t believe Naruto had leadership qualities necessary for a chuunin. Naruto clenched his right fist. The mere memory made him agitated.
But regarding the mission, Naruto didn’t know much of the details. Nor did anyone else. All they knew was that it was a bodyguard/escort mission in the outskirts of the Fire Country. It was a B-rank mission, so Kakashi was tagging along. Naruto was glad. Kakashi’s presence was quite pleasing. As for his team-mates, Sasuke and Sakura, he wasn’t so exited. Sasuke was at it with his usual I’m-cooler-than-you-so-fuck-off routine, and Sakura was bitching about her jutsus. (That is, her lack of them)
As Naruto was reflecting upon this, the objects of his thoughts finally caught up with him.
“You’re so slow! I’ve been waiting forever!” Naruto complained.
“We’re not slow, idiot! You’re just impatient!” Sakura said casually, not taking her gaze off of Sasuke, who didn’t even bother acknowledge her.
“Well?” Naruto asked Kakashi, who was being all so quiet, looking up at the clouds. “Which way do we go?”
“Straight forwards. And you don’t have to walk so fast, Naruto. There’s no point in walking up front by yourself. You’ll have to stop and wait for us anyways,” Kakashi declared. There was a brief pause in which Kakashi threw a glance at Sasuke and Sakura.
“You can walk behind with me. Sasuke and Sakura will walk up front.”
Naruto grew suspicious. Sakura, on the other hand, was overjoyed. Her eyes were practically lit with stars. Sasuke was playing unaffected, as he always did.
“Why?” Naruto asked, his eyes narrowing.
Kakashi shrugged casually. “No particular reason. Now, do as I say.”
So now Naruto was walking side by side with Kakashi some twenty meters behind Sasuke and Sakura. Being a highly competitive individual, Naruto considered even this to be a loss against Sasuke, his self-proclaimed rival.
“Kakashi-sensei, why does Sasuke have to go first? Why can’t I?” Naruto sighed.
“Because I like walking with you, Naruto,” Kakashi replied. “And I would also like to talk with you.”
“About what?”
“Your training, amongst others.”
“Hum… What about it? I’m tired of people interrogating me all the time,” Naruto huffed.
Kakashi presented forth a little smile under his mask. For a small moment, Naruto once again wondered what hid beneath that mask of his. What did Kakashi look like? But he put the matter on hold as Kakashi started speaking again.
“Well, then I’m sorry you’ll have to go through it once more. But I’m really curious. I know I’ve been sort of neglecting you and Sakura to Sasuke’s advantage, but I’ll try my best to level things out from now on. So, tell me. What have you been up to?”
Naruto felt a lack of words for some few seconds. Kakashi was normally highly mysterious and unemotional, pretty much like Sasuke, and now he was even making apologies? This was most definitely something to take note of.
“Um…” Naruto mumbled, ruffling up the back of his hair. “I haven’t done so much progress, to be honest. I’ve been training on my moves, of course… but I already know them, and since there is no one to teach me anything new, I’m pretty much standing still.”
Kakashi looked at Naruto, and then up at the sky. Several seconds later, he replied:
“Well, I guess I could show you some tricks, then. After all, I am your teacher, and though doubtfully as good as Jiraya… But seeing that he’s gone away and all… What do you think?”
Naruto’s heart did a somersault inside his chest.
“Really? That’d be great!” he exclaimed, doing a little leap, raising his fist into the air.
Kakashi smiled once more. He seemed positively cheerful.
“So, so?” Naruto hurried. “What are you going to teach me? Is it cool? Tell me, tell me!”
Kakashi looked up at the sky again. He then just shrugged.
“I’m not sure. I’ll think about it, and tomorrow morning, before we meet up with our client, we’ll start your training.
“Awesome!” Naruto grinned. Kakashi was finally paying some attention to him! Normally it was all Sasuke, but it was finally his turn! He kept pondering over what technique Kakashi would teach him. The Chidori was no use. Naruto already knew the Rasengan, a technique better than the Chidori. Teaching him that move would be like teaching a bird how to run when it already flies.
The sun was starting to set over the tall trees of the Fire Country, and the shadows grew long.
They’d been walking since early that morning, and needed a place to rest for the night.
Naruto and Kakashi caught up with Sasuke and Sakura, and they decided to rent rooms at an inn some ten minutes off the road.
Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura waited in the reception as Kakashi rented the rooms.
“Here you go,” he said upon his return, handing one key to Sakura and one key to Sasuke, while keeping one himself. Three rooms.
“Kakashi-sensei? Where am I supposed to sleep?” Naruto inquired.
“I thought you and Sasuke could share a room. It’s a double, so you won’t have to share bed, if that’s your concern,” Kakashi stated. Naruto threw a dirty look at Sasuke, earning himself an equally nasty one in return. Sasuke had his objections too, apparently.
“My concern is him,” Naruto informed. “I’m not sharing a room with that idiot!”
“Don’t think too highly of yourself, moron. I have no desire to bunk with you either,” said Sasuke. Kakashi sighed and looked wearily at the both of them.
“Fine,” he then said. “Naruto, it’s your choice: either sleep in you own bed in the same room as Sasuke, or share a bed with me. And I can assure you, that isn’t a double.”
Naruto felt the blood surge to his cheeks, and even more relevant; his groin. Share a bed with Kakashi? He swallowed hard. He quickly recovered his poise, and put on a small act, determined to give the impression that he had too, over the fact that his insides were screaming with desire to bunk with Kakashi.
“I’d rather eat skinned monkeys than share a room with Sasuke, so I’ll stay in your room, Kakashi-sensei.”
For a split second, Naruto was positive he could see a trace of a smile underneath Kakashi’s mask. Or did he just imagine it? His heart was jolting again.
“Okay, then that’s settled. Sasuke, Sakura, go find your rooms and get some sleep. We’ll meet tomorrow morning at nine in the reception,” Kakashi declared.
They all bid each other good night and went to their rooms.
Naruto and Kakashi’s room was located a whole two floors above Sasuke and Sakura’s rooms, much to Naruto’s indulgence. In his mind, all sort of wicked fantasies were forcing themselves upon him. He liked it.
“Now, Naruto,” Kakashi said, as they entered the room. Naruto noted that the bed was indeed quite small for two persons, being barely larger than an average bed. “Pick a side.”
Naruto casually pointed at the closest side of the bed.
Kakashi suddenly took off his shirt, startling Naruto quite the bit.
“What are you doing? Are you going to bed already? It’s barely ten o’clock!” Naruto exclaimed, not managing to keep his eyes off of Kakashi’s muscular torso. He felt a hot surge to his groin again, as well as a little twitch in his briefs.
“I’m just taking a shower, Naruto. No need to get so worked up,” Kakashi stated lazily, tugging at his belt.
“Oh,” said Naruto, carefully examining his sensei’s gorgeous physique. Just then, Kakashi looked up and caught Naruto’s eyes, just for a second, but enough to notice where Naruto had been watching. Naruto could literally feel his face becoming red with embarrassment. He had been caught checking out his teacher.
“Sorry,” Naruto mumbled, quickly turning away, eyes fixed on the floor. Kakashi gave a little laugh.
“Don’t worry, Naruto. It’s OK,” he said, pulling off his pants and replacing them with a towel. Naruto turned towards him again a few seconds later, visibly embarrassed.
Kakashi took off his mask.
Naruto was stunned. He hadn’t thought about it at all. But naturally, Kakashi didn’t shower with the mask on. So after all these months and months of wondering what Kakashi looked like, Naruto finally found out by accident. And what a sight! Kakashi’s face was beautiful, but in a special kind of way. He wasn’t pretty, that wasn’t the word for it. He was just incredibly handsome, with appealing features and perfect proportion. Naruto felt his jaw drop some centimetres.
Kakashi didn’t seem to realize why Naruto was so odd for several seconds. Then he gave a little laugh again.
“Oh, I see. You’ve never seen my face before, have you? I didn’t think about it. Well, now you have, and I guess there’s not much more to it than that,” he smiled. It was an amazingly attracting smile. It was so odd to see Kakashi’s whole face, but definitely wonderful. Naruto felt an unspeakable desire for his teacher.
“Well, then,” said Kakashi. “I’ll go take that shower now. I think you should go to bed, Naruto. It’s gonna be a hard day for you tomorrow. I’ll come to bed as soon as I’m done.”
“Um, sure,” Naruto said, starting to undress. After stripping down to his briefs, he noticed that Kakashi hadn’t left the room jet. He felt himself being examined just like he had examined Kakashi just minutes ago. Naruto blushed and looked for hiding. He felt naked. (Though not far from). Kakashi wasn’t embarrassed at all. He gave Naruto a smile and went into the bathroom.
Naruto could hear the water being turned on in the shower. He lay in the bed, unable to do anything but imagine the hot water running over Kakashi’s breathtaking face, his chest, his abs, his… all the way down. Naruto got the biggest erection in his life. He didn’t even dare to move, being afraid that he might ejaculate by the mere sensation of his member rubbing against the sheets.
After what seemed like an eternity, he heard the water being turned off. After some few minutes, Kakashi emerged from the bathroom door in a pair of tight, white briefs, showing off a vague outline of the manhood within. Naruto could have died right that instant, and go into eternity as happy as he had ever hoped. He felt his own, fully erected member jolting underneath the sheets. He prayed to God that Kakashi wouldn’t notice his erection.
Kakashi slipped under the sheets and lay down. Naruto couldn’t help but notice that Kakashi was lying a lot closer to him than necessary, and that he had half a meter of space free on his side. Naruto’s head was once again swimming with fantasies about his unearthly handsome teacher, who was lying nearly naked only inches away from him.
“Naruto?” whispered Kakashi, raising himself onto his elbows.
“Yeah?” Naruto whispered.
Kakashi bent down and placed the tiniest kiss on Naruto’s lips, leaving him paralyzed.
Kakashi smiled.
“Good night.”
“…Good night,” Naruto managed to utter, despite his shock.
He barely slept that night.