Hopelessly

Bad news: Cafepress doesn’t have hankies. Sorry, I tried.

So many reviews; thank you all! Thus begins part 2.

Kcsecretgarden: You spoil me! Thank you; I’m so happy to hear from fans of my work! This and Black Swan are among my personal favorites.

callme2nitebaby: Oh, thank you so much! It means a lot to hear that you like my style. Misspellings will always be my Bain.

Hollow : Hello new fan! It’s called the art of the cliff hanger. ^_^

Inominatenoname: WAY more complicated. To write as well.

Cuzosu: Thank you! Had some trouble with it so I’m glad you liked that part.

DarkAngelJudas: Oh, my dark angel, remember, it is always darkest before the dawn. Translation: Things are going to get worse for Kakashi before they get better. I’m evil. But they will get better, much better.

Prescripto13: A rebirth so to speak.

00-night-eyes-00: Thank ye.

Seraphic: Thank you! I really did receive more than usual number of reviews for this one. With so much sex, people better review! Honestly, some of Kakashi’s growing affection comes from the chemical addiction people develop when they have sex with someone over a long period of time. I was going to have Kakashi try to rationalize his feeling with that, but it just didn’t work when I wrote it. But his feelings really are growing for him. But the rape, or at least rape-like—sex, doesn’t end with this. As to Sasuke’s feelings: he’s lonely.

ReaperninHiro: Thank you so much for your praise. The hatred for Sakura is palpable. Trust me, Sasuke agrees with you on that point.

Ikke: Happy new year to you as well!! Yes, I’m personally excited about the new direction this story is going in as of this chapter. I hope you all approve. And that you for being one of my very, very few reviewers on AdultFanFicton.

The Smiling Fox: Thank you! I have no betas, it’s all I can catch out of the hundred or so pages of various things I write every week. As for my perversions: gay male sex, cum, and a bit of humiliation. I do actually write about things I’m not into myself like heavy bondage and discipline, but yeah, I let my inner pervert runs free in fiction. I believe it’s unhealthy to completely suppress one’s sexual fantasies and needs. I hope I help others deal with it through my fiction as I deal with it by writing it. ^_^

Blisblop: The relationship is completely fucked up, but yeah, it’s more than just need to shag each other.

krito1389: hmmmm. Sasuke’s feelings are . . .

Note (*manga/anime spoiler alert *): As I’m finishing up the final draft of this chapter, the manga is at chapter 572. I’m just going with the bijuu ran off after that fight with Naruto because it makes my life so much easier.

Also, when I started this story, Tobi was, as far as we knew, really Madara. Now of course we know Tobi is not really Madara. I’m now using some info that we learn about Tobi/Madara, but I’m having to alter it a little to fit what I’ve already written. So we’re going loosey-goosey with canon at this point.

----------

He put Naruto into a coma, was prepared to murder Sakura, and turned Kakashi in the living embodiment of the village he loathed, but Sasuke still came home if only for a few minutes.

It’d been nearly a year and Kakashi’s standing had risen, though he barely saw it. Iruka practically dragged him out of his office to visit his class like Sandaime had and Sakura pulled him out for dinner and Gai lured him out with competitions—which he normally loathed, but at least they were some sort of physical activity. But Kakashi still only liked to leave when running with his hounds. He thought going out on missions day to day made him closer to his hounds, but he was closer to them now, counting them as his only real friends.

Kakashi was returning from an evening run when he saw Sasuke’s unmistakable silhouette at Itachi’s memorial. Lit by the full moon, he was in danger of being attacked by any number of villagers who wouldn’t hesitate if they thought they had the Uchiha in their sights and believed him distracted. Kakashi signaled for ANBU to fan out and prevent anyone from approaching the monument while Sasuke was there. It was late anyway, so it was probably safe. It wasn’t Sasuke’s safety he was worried about, but the villagers and the village.

In the year since the episode with the chunin, Kakashi’s relationship with Sasuke hadn’t changed much. But with every encounter, Kakashi couldn’t help enjoying it just a little bit more, couldn’t help touching him a little bit more. That smooth white skin and silky black hair. Those obsidian eyes. Like a snake’s eyes. Glittering onyxes. He wished he had the strength to claim him, to grab him and hold on to him, but he came to terms with the fact he could never possess Sasuke.

Kakashi watched Sasuke stand there. He was pretty sure Sasuke knew he was there, but Sasuke just stood there communing with his brother. Again, Kakashi wondered if he said the same things to his brother that Kakashi said to Obito.

It was taking a while.

Kakashi darted off for a minute and returned to find Sasuke had not moved. He appeared on the bench behind Sasuke, who still didn’t acknowledge him. “I was going to have a drink,” Kakashi said. “You’re underage, but I don’ think it applies to you. You look like you could use it.”

Sasuke was a few seconds turning. His face had sharpened a little more and he developed a habit of rubbing at the sparse stubble that was the extent his Uchiha blood would allow to grow on his face. He was finally looking like an adult. It was a bit sad to Kakashi.

Sasuke sat next to his former sensei and accepted a cup of sake. They’d become rather comfortable with one another, enough to sit and have a drink. Sasuke took a sip and winced at the taste. He looked up at the full moon.

“Ever wonder or wish this is all a dream and you’ll wake up to find your family downstairs waiting for you? I wake up sometimes thinking I’ve had the most horrible nightmare, but my brother and mother aren’t there. You have mornings like that too, don’t you?” He took another sip.

“Sometimes. I want to see my father in the morning before he leaves, but then I remember.” He took a sip. “It becomes less common as you get older.”

“Itachi was a fool. Leaving me alive had no purpose. He never saw me, he only had the knowledge I was alive. So selfish. Did he ever consider the pain I was living in? He did nothing to raise me, support me, nothing. Granted I had inherited everything. But he just had the satisfaction knowing he didn’t kill his precious little brother, every member of his family. And like I would run back here once I killed him. He told me to feed on my hate and anger; how was I ever to live a normal life? He should have killed me or . . . I don’t know. He should have killed me. He was just making sure there was someone who could kill him and salve his conscious. Bastard.” He downed the cup and held it out for a refill. “What good came of my living?”

Kakashi looked sadly at the young Uchiha and refilled his cup. “If you hadn’t been there to serve as obstacle for Naruto, he’d probably still be a class clown.” That got Kakashi a frightening look from Sasuke. “What?”

“My brother called himself an obstacle for me to overcome.”

“Forgive me, I didn’t know.”

Sasuke calmed and drank. “So I was to Naruto what Itachi was to me? You know, I sometimes liked Naruto; he was silly enough to make me smile sometimes. But I hated him more. I didn’t want to be around something so bright when I wanted the darkness. He sometimes made me forget. Every time he grew, I just felt like I was standing still. I had to leave, I had to remain ahead of him, prove that I was better than him. An Uchiha is better than some idiot. It was my pride that drove me to Orochimaru. Poetic justice, huh?” Sasuke downed the rest of the cup.

Kakashi didn’t know what Sasuke meant by that last part, but didn’t ask, knowing at this point it was the alcohol talking. He refilled Sasuke’s cup again.

Sasuke looked at the moon again. “The moon was full that night. It was full the night Madara told me the truth. That damn moon. I like looking at it when it’s full despite the bad memories. What else do I have?”

“You love Itachi but you can’t forgive him.”

“I can never forgive him. He made me into this. The elders of Konoha did this to me. Konoha did this to me. You—”

Kakashi stared at his profile.

“You—” Sasuke couldn’t finish that thought.

“Tried to stop you. Naruto, Sakura, and I tried to save you.”

“You said that you believed my letting you three live was not out of mercy, that it was a sort of revenge and you didn’t understand why, that you never hurt or offended me. You did. You gave me the third worst pain in my life: the slaughter of my clan by my brother and his words to me that night, then finding out the truth about Itachi after he was already dead, and lastly, you three.” His voice became a little wistful. “During that year—it wasn’t even quite a year, was it? It was fun. I could smile. There were times during that year when I was almost happy, maybe even actually happy. And I hate you for it.”

That made Kakashi’s hair stand on end. He finally understood Sasuke. For all the apathy and coolness he exhibited, Sasuke was in a lot of pain. They had showed Sasuke what he would never be able to have again. They were his conscious; he could have been a completely cold killer if it hadn’t been for them. He knew what he had left behind him and knew what he had chosen to deny himself for the rest of his life: happiness, friendship, laughter. Love. Sasuke resented it and choose to blame those who showed it to him almost as much as he blamed himself and those who put him on this path.

Sasuke was staring at the memorial. His cheeks were shining. He held out his cup again. Kakashi filled it. Sasuke got up and offered it as a libation to his brother, pouring it in front of the memorial. Sasuke came back to hand the cup to Kakashi. “I’m going home. Thanks for the drink. I’m sure I’ll regret it in a few hours.” And he was gone.

Kakashi sat back, nursing another cup of sake. As he drank, staring at the memorial, he realized that when he mused about why Sasuke let his old team live, he was not anywhere near Sasuke; he’d said that to Gai. Kakashi was certain that had been Gai and he was certain they’d been alone except for a pair of ANBU, Sasuke was definitely not within earshot. How had he heard that? Was a member of ANBU reporting to him? Have some kind of listening device in the office? How had Sasuke known what he’d said? Maybe he needed to get Sasuke to drink more.

-----

It seemed like a normal summons. Kakashi appeared before Sasuke, but in his throne room; it had been a while since he’d been summoned here; it usually meant he was in trouble. Sasuke’s expression was hard, so he was sure of it.

But he sounded rather musing. “Who do you think would make a suitable Hokage?”

“Excuse me?”

“I want you to retire as Hokage. Choose a replacement.”

“Right now?”

“Well, what’s your opinion right off the top of your head?”

“In whose interest? Yours or Konoha’s?”

“Is there a difference?” Sasuke was amused.

“Shikamaru, Neji . . . neither are sympathetic to you and they are rather young. My advisors Shikaku and Hiashi. Maybe Yamato, though he won’t want the post. Can’t think of anyone else at the moment. Except Naruto.”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Naruto’s name. “Give it some thought.”

“Do you not approve of my leadership?”

“Defensive?” Sasuke was very amused. “Choose some more names. I’ll choose a replacement. Don’t tell anyone, not even your little mouse. Just bring me names.”

“I will.”

Sasuke’s eyes turned hot, but rather than sex, Kakashi suddenly found himself back in his office.

He sat down and rubbed his face. His assistant had gotten used to Kakashi disappearing and reappearing; Yoshi barely jumped when Kakashi reappeared.

“Hokage-sama?”

“Sasuke’s being his unpredictable self.” He looked down at the cat sunning himself as always. It had come back soon after he and Sasuke had killed those missing-nins. Often it would just stretch out on the floor, but now it was curled up asleep on the pillow put there for it. Kakashi would miss the lazy sack of fur.

Being replaced . . . What did this mean for Kakashi?

-----

Kakashi got his answer two days later when Sasuke surprised him by arriving in his office. Yoshi looked like he would keel over. Sasuke turned to him. “Leave.” Yoshi gladly obeyed. “ANBU as well.” Their presence only vanished after Kakashi nodded.

“You have names for me.”

Kakashi opened a drawer and took out the files of all those he thought would be capable of being Hokage. He gave them to Sasuke. Sasuke brought a chair over from the wall to sit in front of Kakashi’s desk, giving an amused glance at the pillow on the floor. He read through them quickly with his Sharingan.

“Yamato. He’s the only one I think would be suitable.” He shut the files. “Now, you probably wonder what I intend for you. You will be staying at my side for now on. I will use you as a messenger and however else I see fit. You have a week to prep Yamato and put your affairs in order. You will not be coming back.”

Kakashi felt his spine tingle and blood drain from his head. “Understood.”

“It would probably be best not to let anyone know about this until the last moment or leave it for the new Hokage. If people ask, I no longer trust you, you’ve proven to be too defiant.”

“Is any of that true?”

“Of course not.” Sasuke stood. “My reasons are my own. Call it a whim. But you have led Konoha into an unexpected era of prosperity. Even if you hardly notice it.” Sasuke dropped the files on Kakashi desk as he vanished.

Kakashi sat back. He thought about that huge, cold fortress. To live there alone with Sasuke . . . It may be a hell he reached before his death or it might end up being a nice escape from the world. He’d shut everyone out, it would be nice to be alone. His dread gave way to ambivalence. No matter what, he would make the best of it. But how to tell Sakura.

-----

Before he had to tell Sakura, he had to tell Yamato.

“Huh? Did he say why me?” Yamato asked as he stood in front of Kakashi’s desk.

“He just said you would be the most suitable.”

“I have no choice, do I?”

“Not really. You can try objecting. I have known Sasuke to be somewhat accommodating at times, but his mind is not easily changed.”

Yamato looked uncomfortable. “You never asked how I escape from that fortress.”

“No. No one really wants to relive the war.”

“It was Sasuke who released me.” That perked Kakashi’s interest. “There’s nothing much to tell. It wasn’t until he came back with prisoners and he found me there. He didn’t lock me up, just told me to get out. I didn’t know what had been going on and I didn’t realize what Sasuke had done or that he had so many captives. Though I thought I should have done something to bring him back or kill him, I was weak and needed to know what was going on with the war and where Naruto was after that attack. I was stunned that after what he did he just let me go.”

“Sasuke’s unpredictable at the best of times.”

“Maybe he thinks I own him now.”

“I don’t think so. Just obey him. He doesn’t really ask for much from the village, at least he hasn’t. My only advice, either get a good sparring partner or force ANBU to let you go out on missions every once in a while. This office can become claustrophobic; I don’t care how big the windows are.”

-----

The day before he had to leave, Kakashi picked up the bouquet his assistant had bought for him and took one last look out his window. Sasuke was right: during his reign as Hokage the village was rebuilt and never looked as good as it did now with new buildings and no hint of dirt or decay or neglect. Missions were coming in and the village had money in the treasury. After Sasuke’s little play in front of the village he never heard another hint of dissent. Things were well in the village; he could leave with a clear conscious that he had done his duty to the village.

He left early and was glad to find Sakura in their rooms. Kakashi hid the bouquet behind his back.

“You’re done early?” she asked.

“I took the afternoon off.” He came up behind her and pulled the flowers out and held them up in front of her as he put his free arm around her waist. She took them and gave them a sniff followed by a satisfied sigh.

“They’re lovely.”

Kakashi put his other arm around her too. “Let’s go out to dinner. We can go anywhere you want and do anything you want. I’ll take you anywhere and get you anything. I want tonight to be perfect.” He gave her neck a kiss.

“What’s the occasion?”

“Do I need one? I know I’ve been depressed and a grump. I want to give you a perfect night; anything you want. I was thinking dinner at the best restaurant then a walk through the village, go up on top of the cliff to enjoy the view, then come home and spend some time alone.”

“That sounds lovely.” She turned her head to kiss him and he released her enough that she could turn completely in his arms and deepen the kiss.

They followed Kakashi’s plan. As they strolled through the village, Kakashi bought anything that caught Sakura’s fancy and his mood was lighter than it had been since before the war. Sakura was truly happy as they sat above the village and took in the starry sky and the lights of the village, unburdened as an ANBU had relieved them of their purchases and took them home for them. She leaned against her lover with his arm tightly around her.

They went home and he made love to her just as she loved; his every move perfect. After four orgasms to his one—which she didn’t even notice—she was too sleepy to even get up to clean up. She turned onto her side and Kakashi spooned her.

“Did you enjoy tonight?” he asked.

“It was perfect. I love you.”

“I love you. Thank you for everything; you’ve made this position tolerable. You don’t have a mission tomorrow so you can sleep in.”

“Hmmm, good.”

Kakashi hardly slept. He was glad he could make Sakura happy before he had to leave, but he was dreading the next day. She may never forgive him, or Sasuke, for this.

-----

Sakura woke up when Kakashi got up. “I have to go in for a while, but I’ll be back. Go back to sleep.”

Sakura hummed and did so. Kakashi made a few shadow clones to pack his things as he got dressed then went to his office; he didn’t have much time.

Yamato was waiting for him. “I’m really sorry about this Tenzou, but I think your term will be easier than mine. Whatever my role is to be with Sasuke, I’ll do everything I can to ease your burden and protect Konoha.”

“I don’t like this, any of this. What does he want with you?”

“I don’t know. I may never come back. I trust you, I think you’ll do well. Is there anything you want to ask me or anything before we go?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Kakashi nodded. “I’m going to say goodbye to Sakura then use this seal to summon myself to Sasuke. He’ll summon you at some point after that; be ready.”

“I will. In case we don’t have another opportunity . . .” Yamato held out a hand. “Goodbye, sempai. It’s been a honor to be counted among your friends.”

Kakashi took the younger ex-ANBU’s hand. “Goodbye, Tenzou. It’s been a pleasure to have you as a friend.”

Kakashi returned to his rooms. His clones had finished and dispelled before Sakura had gotten up. She was just finishing her normal routine when he returned. He was glad she was somewhat awake, but dread still coiled in his stomach.

“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” Sakura said. “Want some breakfast?”

“No, thank you. Let me make it for you.”

She chuckled. “I love you, but you’re not the best cook.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

She started making herself food. “Did you take the day off then?”

“Sort of.” His shoulder tingled. Sometimes it annoyed him, but he often was able to ignore it. Somehow it was almost reassuring this morning. “I have some time before I have to go.”

“Are you sure you’re not hungry?”

“Yeah. I don’t feel like I could eat.”

“Are you sick?”

“No, but not hungry.”

She looked skeptical, but didn’t continue to question him. They sat at the table and chatted while she ate. She could tell his mood had fallen since last night so she tried to lift it. Kakashi tried to act happier, but it was hard knowing what he was about to do to her. He was glad that she hadn’t notice things missing like the framed photographs of Team Minato and Team Seven. This was going to be hard no matter what.

Finally, after she was finished with her meal, he cleared the table for her and cleaned up.

“It’s kind of funny seeing the Hokage doing something as mundane as the dishes,” Sakura said. She’d joked about it before, but she wanted to lift the mood.

“It’s not something people consider.” He finished and dried his hands. He leaned back against the counter and looked at her. “Of course, the Hokage isn’t.”

“What do you mean?” She was genuinely confused.

“I’m no longer Hokage.”

Sakura blinked a few times and felt blood rush from her head, but she didn’t faint; she was thrown completely for a loop. “What?”

“Sasuke’s ordered me replaced. Yamato is now the Hokage. I’m presenting him to Sasuke today. And I’m not coming back.”

She was beyond speaking now. “Huh?”

“Sasuke’s ordered that I stay with him for now on. Probably wants to keep a closer eye on me. I’m taking only a few things with me; do what you want with the rest. I’m also leaving you all my money, though it’s not much. It’s all yours.”

She shook her head a little in confusion. “Wha—Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I didn’t want a drawn out farewell. I’m sorry. He only told me a week ago. I may never see you again. I wanted to make you happy just once before I left. Last night was the best I’d ever be able to do.”

“Will he kill you?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t know what he wants of me.” Kakashi approached her and kissed her. “Find someone else; someone younger than me. Goodbye.”

He was turning to pick up his bags. “No. You’re not leaving.”

“It’s not my choice.”

“Let me talk to Sasuke.”

“You know he wants to kill you. Don’t tempt him.”

“But I love you.”

“That means nothing to Sasuke. He’s sort of like a spoiled brat: what he wants, he takes with no regard to anyone or anything. And he can because he’s a brat with the ability to kill any who stands in his way. I don’t want you getting anywhere near Sasuke ever again.”

“I can’t lose you.”

Kakashi put a hand to her cheek and kiss her lightly on the lips. “I love you, but I should have never indulged in this relationship: I’m far too old for you and knew I could never truly make you happy.”

She wanted to refute him, but she couldn’t find any words to do so. Finally, she said, “Sasuke left me, he took my master from me, he took Naruto away from me, and now he’s taking you from me. I don’t know what I’ll do if you leave.”

“I have no choice. You can stay here for a while. Yamato will make sure you have a place to go. You can have some time off if you want. Spend more time with your friends and fall in love with someone more suitable than an old man.”

“You’re not that old, sensei.”

“But that’s just it: I am your sensei. I love you, but I shouldn’t have let this happen. Forgive me. I have to leave.”

Kakashi pulled away from her, pulled up his mask, shouldered a backpack, took up his two bags of possessions in one hand, and with the other hand activated the seal on his shoulder. He was gone.

Kakashi found himself in Sasuke’s bedroom. Sasuke looked up from where he was meditating on the floor. Kakashi dropped his bags and actually felt relieved. Sasuke said nothing but led Kakashi to his desolate throne room. Sasuke sat down in his throne and Kakashi took his position flanking him.

Sasuke used his time/space jutsu to teleport Yamato to stand a few meters in front of him.

“I hope you won’t try to betray me as much as this one did,” Sasuke began. He then told Yamato everything he felt the new Hokage needed to know like the scroll to summon him in case of emergencies or when responding to one of Sasuke’s ‘requests.’ Kakashi just stared at the ground in front of Yamato while Sasuke spoke imperiously. He wondered what Sakura would do, what she was doing right now. Probably crying. But he did feel immensely relieved.

Sasuke finished his briefing of what he expected from the new Hokage and sent Yamato home without much warning. Get used to it, Kakashi thought.

Sasuke stood and faced him. He snatched the Konoha headband from Kakashi’s forehead and flung it away. Kakashi kept his left eye tightly shut. “Just wear the eye patch for now on. I have work to do. Settle in. The places you’re forbidden from entering are obvious. Enter and you will die. You can go outside if you want.”

And with that, Sasuke picked up his sword and left Kakashi alone in the throne room. Kakashi put on the eye patch, picked up his headband, and made his way back to the bedroom to unpack. He immediately noticed the second dresser. It looked new rather than scavenged from another room.

Kakashi didn’t have much, filling only the first two drawers with clothes. He slipped his headband under his clothes along with his Jounin uniform. The third drawer was all weapons and scrolls.

He stared at the last two items—beside his beloved novels: the photographs of Team Minato and Team Seven. Sasuke probably wouldn’t mind the first photograph being left on top of the dresser, but he might object to the second. Kakashi gave each picture a long look before putting them in the fourth and last drawer with his folded up bags and his books.

Kakashi’d given the room a cursory look before, but now it was his home. Upon entering the room to one’s left there was a small table with a single chair very close to the same wall as the door. The left wall, past where the table stood in the corner, had the door that led to the bathroom and its spacious shower stall and luxurious ofuro. On the other side of the bathroom door was a display of weapons, available to grab or summon. The wall opposite the main door now had two dressers whereas there was only the one before. Then there was a closet. Kakashi had hung only two things in there, keeping his things far away from Sasuke’s.

The bed was centered against the last wall, small night stands on either side, a lamp on the one closest to the door on Sasuke’s side of the bed. The only other light was over the table. Kakashi could see that the large light that hung over the table had once been in the dead center of the room; Sasuke had moved it. It was on a dimmer dial rather than a switch and Sasuke always kept the light on the dimmer side. The walls and ceiling were burgundy and the natural stone floor was a darker shade. Sasuke left his meditation mat centered in the empty space beyond the foot of the bed.

Beyond the weapons and the mat, there was nothing personal about the room. At least Kakashi had always had those two photographs, a few books, a few paintings, and a houseplant. The houseplant would die down here, but he may be able to smuggle a painting or two in here and see if Sasuke would allow them or burn them.

It was still early afternoon. Kakashi grabbed some weapons and headed for Sasuke’s training room. He finished after two hours and took a shower. He was hungry and hadn’t seen Sasuke since they parted in the throne room. The Uchiha had to have a kitchen somewhere. Redressed in his mask/sleeveless-shirt and gray pants, he sat on the bed, bored. And hungry. He could go explore and look for a kitchen, but he didn’t want to miss Sasuke; the kid had to eat.

Kid? He was eighteen or nineteen now; Kakashi had lost track of time a while ago. He wondered if he would ever stop thinking of Sasuke as a kid. An arrogant, temperamental, bratty, kid.

Kakashi stared at the meditation mat. Sasuke really didn’t seem the type to him, never remembered Sasuke meditating before. Then again, perhaps that was the only way he could hold onto his sanity with Orochimaru. If he had held onto his sanity, which Kakashi wasn’t confident about.

Said potential basket case opened the door. The person opening it was actually a clone, Sasuke came in behind him carrying a tray.

“I’m going to work through dinner. Here’s yours.” The clone took a plate from the tray and put it on the table. “Just leave it when you’re done.”

Sasuke and his clone left with the second plate. That just seemed odd. Kakashi walked over and cautiously looked at the plate; he feared what Sasuke’s cooking would be like. He was surprised: it looked descent. Ravenous, Kakashi didn’t hesitate to attack the dish. Sweet and sour chicken—more on the sour side than sweet—with steamed rice. It was good. He figured with the Sharingan it was easy to learn to cook.

Bored, clean, moved-in, and feed, Kakashi turned out the overhead light, turned on Sasuke’s lamp, took out one of his books, and lay down to read. It was early, but what else was there to do? He didn’t feel like exploring today. Sasuke might put him to work tomorrow, so he lounged today. It wasn’t long before he put the book aside, turned out the light, and snuggled down in the bed. He did love this bed; it lulled him to sleep quickly. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

-----

Kakashi didn’t wake up when Sasuke came to bed, but he did when Sasuke sat up. Sasuke looked like a zombie, heavy-lidded and irritated. He growled and started his morning routine. Kakashi smirked at Sasuke’s hatred of mornings. He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, what time it was, or what time he fell asleep, but he was rested so he got up too.

“Train first or eat?” Sasuke asked, still not fully awake.

Kakashi was a little afraid to spar with Sasuke when he was this grumpy, however . . . “Train.”

The activity woke Sasuke and he didn’t try to kill Kakashi. Having worked up an appetite, they showered and changed quickly—Sasuke blessedly not attempting anything sexual while they shared the shower. Finally, Sasuke was going to lead him to the illusive kitchen. But Sasuke didn’t. Rather Sasuke transported them somewhere else.

From the material the room was made of and the smell of the air, they were no longer in the fortress. They were in a rather homey, well used kitchen/dining room. Sasuke pulled a bell rope and they waited. Sasuke took a seat at the table, crossing his arms and shut his eyes. Kakashi sat and looked around. A well stocked kitchen, nothing special about it. The walls were brick, the kind used for sewers, yet the air was clean and didn’t smell like a sewer. They were underground however. But he did smell something on the air that interested him: cats.

Before he could think too deeply about the cats, a girl about Sasuke’s age came in. She smiled at Kakashi. “You must be Kakashi-san,” she said in a cheery voice. “Sasuke-kun said he’d be bringing another mouth to feed. I’m Tamaki.”

“Pleasure.” He was shocked anyone so . . . normal was associated with the gloomy Uchiha.

Tamaki started working on food. Sasuke sat like a statue. Kakashi was uncomfortable just sitting there. “Can’t I help you?”

“No, thanks.”

So he just sat there. Breakfast didn’t take long to make and Sasuke finally moved when it was done. Tamaki didn’t eat with them, but she sat down.

“So, you were Sasuke-kun’s sensei?”

Kakashi looked to Sasuke, but he was completely ignoring them both, concentrating on eating.

“Yes. It was only for a year, but I trained him when he was fresh from the academy.”

“I heard you taught him his Chidori, that it was your original technique.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s so nice to have someone else to talk to; Sasuke never says anything so I usually leave him alone or he takes his food and runs.”

Sasuke was still not listening. Since he didn’t seem to care what they were talking about . . .

“How do you know Sasuke?” Kakashi asked.

Tamaki looked to Sasuke and Sasuke deigned to look at her briefly, but then went back to ignoring her.

“My grandmother’s worked for the Uchiha clan all her life and now I make sure the last of the clan is well fed.”

“It’s very good.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you make the meal from last night too?”

“I did. Sasuke can cook—I’ve seen him—but he usually has me do it.”

“It was excellent.”

She smiled broadly. “It’s nice to get a complement once in a while.” She looked at Sasuke who continued to ignore her. “He’s luckily I know that if he doesn’t say anything, it means it’s good, otherwise I’d whack him in the duck butt every time he visits.”

Kakashi couldn’t help laughing. Sasuke didn’t react.

He and Tamaki chatted while he and Sasuke ate. Sasuke nursed his drink while Kakashi finished up.

“Does Neko-baa have anything for me?” Sasuke asked when Kakashi was finished.

“To get what you want, you’ll need some other things to trade for them.” Tamaki took out a sheet of paper and gave it to Sasuke. “Once we have these things, we can fill your order.”

Sasuke grimaced. “Will they take cash instead of these items?”

“You don’t have enough. It’s not my fault you need expensive materials.”

“Fine. I’ll get them or something equitable.”

“Try large, flawless diamonds.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He stood up and Kakashi did the same.

“Thank you,” Kakashi said to Tamaki. She smiled and the pair vanished.

-----

Sasuke didn’t give him anything to do so Kakashi explored. Empty rooms. Corridor after corridor of empty rooms. If there had been anything here, Sasuke had gotten rid of it. Then he found the areas that were definitely off limits. The large seals in black ink threatened death by many manners of painful deaths. As far as Kakashi could tell they were attuned to Sasuke’s chakra alone. He mentally mapped these areas. Madara no doubt had planned to build an impressive palace once he executed his Moon’s Eye plan, but he never got that chance.

Kakashi wondered upward. He found a path that led to the top of the cliff overlooking the crater of giant bones and surrounded by beautiful forest. Even the bones had a beauty of their own. He liked it here actually. It was quiet and the air was fresh. After so long without going out on missions, he missed the dark of night in the forest, the stars, clean air without the smells of cooking, and the feeling of being alone. Even being a graveyard, this place was peaceful. He wondered if it was peaceful for Madara and Sasuke as well, maybe that’s why they stayed here. He enjoyed the sunset on the cliff before he went back down.

And he went further down. He carried a lantern down to the lowest levels, passing the cells where he and the others were kept after they surrendered to Sasuke. He stopped dead when he came to the lowest level. The statue that had housed the stolen tailed beasts was there. It was partially destroyed and listing to one side. He noticed that there was cavern under the statue. His shoulder burned as he carefully dropped down to this deeper cavern. The floor was covered in ash. Thick ash. It was kicked up by his descent, but it was mixed in the air by every small air current that entered this basement room making the air hazy. He looked around and saw evidence that this room once held quite a bit of water. There was also evidence of flames. Someone—most likely Sasuke—had burned whatever was down here, even evaporating the water. Sasuke had serialized this place.

Kakashi jumped back up to the upper room where the statue was and examined it. Pieces were cut away. Not jarred off by an explosion or knocked off by being hit by debris, it was sliced off by a sword. Sasuke had destroyed something purposely. Kakashi knew the seven bijuu that Madara had stolen were set free by Naruto when he battled Madara so the statue was empty.

What was down here that Sasuke destroyed?

-----

Sasuke was lounging in his throne, staring off into space, his attention elsewhere, pulling at his lip distractedly when he heard one of the spheres he had for communication with his villages disappear. The green one. Konoha. Sasuke rolled his eyes and decided to go himself right now. Not even two days. Looks like he might have to hand hold the new Hokage.

Yamato was started by Sasuke’s prompt arrival. “Sasuke-sama, forgive me, but Sakura has been demanding to speak with you. I sent her away because I didn’t think you’d respond so quickly.”

“About Kakashi.”

“Yes.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Bring her here, I’ll see her.” Sasuke teleported back to his throne room.

When Sakura arrived in Yamato’s office, she was immediately transported to Sasuke. He was reclining in his throne with a leg hanging over an armrest, his head cradled between the back and the wing. Despite the apathetic pose, he oozed imperiousness. Sakura almost felt like this was a completely different person from the one she once knew. His eyes were cold and disinterested as if he’d never known her.

“You wanted to speak to me?”

“Please let Kakashi come home, he’s all I have left, Sasuke-k—san.”

Rage rushed through Sasuke’s bloodstream. “Are your parents still alive?” his tone was hard, but even.

Confused, she answered, “Yes.”

“What about Ino, Kiba, Neji, Lee, and the others? None of them are dead, are they?”

“No.”

“You have a village, parents, friends. I’ve taken one person from you and you have nothing? That’s one reason you could never understand us. Not Naruto, not Kakashi, and certainly not me. Naruto never had anyone, he was always alone. Kakashi was probably too young to remember his mother before she died and his father was driven to suicide by your beloved village. And my entire clan was wiped out by that same village. None of us have a single blood relative left in the world. How can you say to me that you have nothing left? We have nothing left.”

Sakura was chagrined. “I love him.”

“You loved me. You even confessed to Naruto. Yes, I heard about that. Now you love Kakashi? He’s a decade older than you. Are you so desperate for protection, you cling to an older man? Or was it the protection of the Hokage that you craved?”

“I really love him. I really loved you. I lied to Naruto. I did need to feel safe, but I love him too. Please, Sasuke, give him back.”

“No. I have a use for him. And, quite frankly, that eye makes me nervous. I want him tighter under my control. I’m keeping him here. Anything else you wanted to chat about?”

It took Sakura a moment to recover herself. “What did Kakashi do to save my life? He wouldn’t tell me.”

Sasuke’s smirk was frightening. “I think he thought it a small price at the time, but he’s realized it wasn’t; he sold his soul to me.”

Sakura suddenly found herself back in the Hokage’s office.

“Did I . . . ?” She stood there stunned. Yamato came toward her, worried that Sasuke had done something. Sakura sank to her knees. She wondered if she was the reason Kakashi had to suffer. Perhaps, if he hadn’t tried to save her, Sasuke would have left Kakashi alone. She didn’t notice Yamato holding her as she cried.

-----

Sasuke was in their room when Kakashi came back. He sitting at the single table and was consulting papers and scrolls as he wrote.

“Sasuke, what was in the lowest level?”

Sasuke didn’t look up. “Been down there, have you? That is where the Zetsus were created. I used Amaterasu to destroy the rest of Madara’s army.”

“And the statue? It held the bijuu, didn’t it?”

“It did.”

“Keeping it for some reason?”

“No. I’m not so arrogant to try to become the Jinchûriki of the ten tails or a Jinchûriki at all. I’ve already had an evil, unpleasant soul inside me.”

Kakashi released a small laugh and Sasuke looked up and surprised Kakashi by smiling. “Having Orochimaru wasn’t all bad as long as he kept quiet. He had remarkable healing abilities. Most of his jutsu I learned, but he had unique abilities that even I couldn’t imitate.”

Sasuke returned his attention to his work. “No, I just keep the statue because it would take too much unnecessary energy to completely destroy it. I’m not worried about others using it as you need the Rinnegan. I should deal with it eventually though. Perhaps that should be one of your duties; you can test your most powerful jutsu against it. Turn it to dust.”

“I’ll do it; I don’t want anyone even thinking of attempting Madara’s plans again.”

“No hurry. I’m not worried about it; I destroyed all the Rinnegans.”

However, Madara had revealed that the Rinnegan was yet another step in the evolution of the Sharingan. Sasuke had the potential of awaking it, or perhaps already had. Or he may not even know of it. Kakashi was wise enough not to mention it. “Do you have any other duties for me?”

“Not at the moment.”

“Why did you bring me here? You have nothing for me to do.”

He thought Sasuke wasn’t going to answer as it took a few second for him to reply. “It takes a lot of chakra to send you back. Although it sort of invalidates all the work I put into that seal. I wrote that thing from scratch; took me nearly a month. I thought it was masterful job until I learned of your ability to summon yourself to me.”

“It also has a tendency to burn and ache.”

Sasuke’s head snapped up to look at him. “Really? When?”

“Random times; I’ve not noticed a pattern. It was burning a little while I was investigating the basement.”

Sasuke’s brow furrowed. “Let me know if it bothers you again. I assure you, that was not intentional.” He looked at his work. “I do have you here, I should utilize you.”

“Did you really bring me here for no real reason? A whim?”

Sasuke scowled at him. “I will have a message for you to deliver later. I’ll give you the option of me transporting you or go on foot. It’s going to the Mizukage.”

“That’s a little far.”

“Very well, I’ll send you there. I thought you might enjoy some time by yourself out there.”

“I would, but I don’t relish having to cross that much water.”

“Ah. I might need you to negotiate. I’m putting together the list. She will not be happy.”

“Splendid first assignment.”

Sasuke nodded. “Don’t let her kill you; that acid jutsu can be a bitch.”

-----

After being briefed by Sasuke the next day, Kakashi was sent to the Mizukage’s office. She stood and her ANBU were immediately around Kakashi, ready to strike. Kakashi put his hands up.

“Hey, hey, I’m just a messenger.”

“I heard you were replaced as Hokage,” Mei said. ANBU backed off.

“Seems I did too good of a job of restoring Konoha. I’ve been demoted; I’m Sasuke’s errand boy now.”

“What does that little bastard want now?” Kakashi handed the list to one of the ANBU who passed it to his Kage. “Shit. What the hell does he want with these things?”

“He doesn’t tell me anything.”

“How about the consequences if I tell him to go fuck himself?”

“When he gets bored he hunts and butchers gangs of bandits. If he were angry . . .”

“Fine, fine.”

As Mei continued to examine the list, a small white cat jumped up to sit on her shoulder. It purred and looked Kakashi right in the eye then meowed happily at him.

Kakashi was reminded of the cat in his old office and then the cats he smelled in Tamaki’s kitchen. His suspicions were aroused. “You like cats?” he asked.

“She sort of adopted me,” Mei said, looking away from the list and scratching the cat’s neck. She sighed. “I’ll have most of it ready for him in a week, but some of this is difficult even for me to get a hold of. How are you holding up, living with that bastard?”

“He’s left me alone for the most part. This is my first task for him.”

“I think he had you come here instead of him because he was afraid I’d melt him; I nearly got him in the Land of Iron. I’ll get these things for him if he doesn’t bother me with these requests again for the rest of the year. He’s asking a lot from us this time.”

“I think he’ll be fine with that since it is a large order.”

“And he has four other villages to soak.”

“Hai.”

“One week.”

Kakashi nodded and prepared to summon himself back to Sasuke.

“If you find a weakness we can exploit, you will let us know,” Mei said.

“Of course. Sasuke’s cautious, but I’ll remain alert.” Kakashi returned to throne room. “She will comply if you don’t make any other requests for the rest of the year.”

“That is acceptable.”

“I assume you’ll be sending me to all the villages with such lists.”

“Indeed. But not now. I have to figure out who can get what.”

“I could help you with that.”

“Board? I’m not about to let you that far into my plans.”

“What is it you want? What are you planning?”

“These things are not to subjugate the world more than I have or wipe them all out or arm my own personal army as you all fear. Nothing diabolical. Leave me to my . . . hobbies. In the end I want nothing. I don’t want anything at all.”

“There must be something. Why are you doing this then?”

“There is nothing I desire. I do enjoy seeing them all cringe and crawl; that’s why I do it. But there’s no other reason. I don’t need wealth or extravagance or numerous lovers or real power. Revenge has left me empty. There is nothing I want and there is no purpose to anything of this except to see them fear me.”

Kakashi couldn’t help feeling some pity for him.

“As for why I demand so many things of the Kage, I’ve continued a few of Orochimaru’s experiments, the ones I deemed worthwhile. But my interests and his are far different. As are my methods.”

“That at least is reassuring to hear. I’m glad you didn’t keep your captives to use the way Orochimaru did.”

“What would you know about that?” Sasuke proved his unpredictability by becoming suddenly angry.

“It’s common knowledge that Orochimaru used human Guinea pigs.”

“I’m nothing like Orochimaru,” Sasuke growled. “And you know nothing about what went on his labs and prisons.”

Kakashi took a step back. “Of course; forgive me.” Kakashi feared he’d be walking on eggshells for the rest of his—no doubt short—life.

“Don’t ever mention his name again.”

“I won’t.” But now Kakashi was curious: what kind of experiments did Orochimaru conduct on Sasuke? He thought Orochimaru would leave him mostly alone since he wanted Sasuke’s body, that he would want Sasuke undamaged. But Sasuke’s reaction seemed to say otherwise.

“I’m not interested in his biological experiments; we’ll leave it at that. Did the Mizukage require assurance that I would leave her alone, or did she already agree?”

“She agreed.”

“Very well. Get out.”

“Hai.” Kakashi decided to return to the sanctuary of their bedroom, one of the only warm and welcome places inside the fortress. He would have to find somewhere else to make livable to survive this new life.

Later that night, Sasuke ignored him, sleeping with his back like a wall between them. Temperamental little shit.

-----

Kakashi ran the other messages on foot. Even the sands of the Wind Country were preferable to staying in the fortress with Sasuke still cold to him. And it wasn’t just the Great Shinobi Nations, he also had to go to the other smaller nations, but Sasuke wanted far less from them. Konoha was the only shinobi village he hadn’t visited.

After being cooped up in the Hokage tower for so long without missions and only weekly runs with his pack, the transcontinental message running was tiring. As before, Kakashi sought out Sasuke’s chakra the moment he entered the fortress, but Sasuke wasn’t to be found this time. Just as well. Kakashi went to the bedroom. If he wasn’t sharing a bed with a volatile bedfellow, he would have gone straight to bed, but under the circumstance he took a shower first.

Kakashi sought Sasuke’s chakra again once he finished his shower. Nothing. He went to bed. The bastard could wake him when he turned up.

They hadn’t had sex since Kakashi moved in. Kakashi enjoyed the time alone out in the wilderness, but he was actually missing Sasuke. He’d come home, get a night of sleep, and a good shower then Sasuke sent him out again. Kakashi hoped for a nice long sleep.

The next thing Kakashi knew Sasuke was hitting him with a pillow. “If you want to eat, get up.”

Kakashi snarled softly. Living with Sasuke was rubbing off on him. That and he was sure he hadn’t slept very long, maybe five minutes.

Sasuke meditated while Kakashi dressed. He wasn’t very deep as he got up the moment Kakashi was ready. And they were in Tamaki’s kitchen. Kakashi was surprised to see food ready on the table.

“Any problems with Iwa?” Sasuke asked.

“They will comply.”

“Hn. Eat. I have business with Neko-baa.”

Sasuke left him alone. Kakashi sat down and realized that his dinner(?) consisted of salt-broiled saury and miso soup with eggplant, his favorites. Sasuke might as well have presented him with Donburi*. Sasuke wasn’t just a brat. There was even sake sitting next to his tea.

“Itadakimasu.” Kakashi dug in with relish.

After that meal and a small bottle of sake, Kakashi cleaned his dishes and then promptly fell asleep with his head cradled in his arms on the table.

He awoke to Sasuke taking a swipe at his hair. “We’re going home.”

Kakashi stood up to avoid landing on his ass when they arrived home. The bedroom. Kakashi looked at the bed with adoration.

“Get some real sleep; I have work to do.”

At least Sasuke wasn’t sending him out again. In truth Kakashi didn’t expect to be sent to Konoha; Sasuke rarely turned to Konoha for goods for some reason. The bed felt like heaven when he crawled in. He hoped Sasuke let him sleep this time. But there was something important he should have remembered to investigate at Tamaki’s, but he could not remember as sleep descended upon him. He was too tired to care.

-----

Sasuke didn’t wake him. He was meditating on the floor when Kakashi got up. Kakashi found it uncomfortable to be in a room with someone who completely ignored him like that, but he went about his normal routine. When he finished, Sasuke was still sitting there with his eyes shut. Nothing to do and hungry, Kakashi considered what to do while Sasuke was communing with his inner self or some other bullshit.

His stomach growling and not being able to stand being around the silent, unmoving figure, Kakashi finally spoke. “How long are you going to do that?”

Sasuke looked over his shoulder at him. “Usually as long as I can.”

“Well if you had a well stocked kitchen I or something for me to do on a regular basis, I wouldn’t interrupt you.”

“We’ll train first.”

They were both a little rusty, not having sparred or done battle for weeks now, but after a bit of a warm up, they were nearly killing each other like professionals again.

The shower was much more interesting. Seemed Kakashi was definitely not the only one missing the sex. Sasuke pushed Kakashi against the shower wall and latched onto his neck, biting him hard enough to draw blood. Though there was no one to prove possession to, Kakashi took it to be purely a territorial thing. Then Sasuke started rubbing his cock against the taller man’s thigh, consequently rubbing his stomach against Kakashi’s growing erection.

Kakashi pushed himself away from the wall with Sasuke’s added weight and force so he could lean back a little lower to accommodate Sasuke’s smaller stature. He was rewarded by Sasuke nibbling at his lips and taking both their erections in his hand to jerk them off together.

That was one thing about life in this fortress: time had no meaning. They could stand here in the shower until the water ran out. There were no pressing appointments, no set meal schedule, no bedtime, no one to answer to except perhaps each other. There wasn’t even a clock in this godforsaken place. They could take as long as they wanted.

Sasuke kissed him and Kakashi kissed back lazily. Sasuke sucked on his lower lip as he rocked his hips into his own hand and Kakashi’s cock. Sasuke used the slim space between them to trail his fingers down Kakashi’s abdomen.

For the first time Kakashi considered that no matter how much Sasuke may actually hate him, he was at the very least attracted to him. Humiliating him in exchange for Sakura’s life was one thing, to make him his exclusive lover was quite another. And it was one thing to order him to submit to him or just rape him, it was another to kiss him like this and drag his fingertips across his skin. And twice Sasuke had backed off. Then there was the fact they shared a bedroom. Sasuke hadn’t given him a different room or a cell, he gave him his own luxurious bed.

Kakashi grabbed one of Sasuke’s hips to pull him closer. Sasuke blindly reached for something to use as lube and ended up with a palm full of shampoo. He reached between Kakashi’s legs to prep him. Two fingers and he couldn’t wait anymore.

“Turn around.”

Kakashi did so. Sasuke entered him and took him fast and hard, but the angle was awkward because of the height difference. Sasuke hated fucking standing up.

“Fuck this.” Sasuke pulled out and forced Kakashi to turn around. He grabbed the soap to clean anything that might have clung to his cock and the shampoo, then he pushed Kakashi down to his knees. Kakashi got to work. Sasuke growled low in his throat.

“Fuck, you’re getting good at that.”

Kakashi couldn’t help relishing the compliment. He loved seeing Sasuke like this, loved the fact he was forcing the Uchiha to lean forward to brace himself on the wall, loved the moan that escape his throat, loved the expression on that normally blank face.

Sasuke pressed his hips forward until he trapped Kakashi’s head against the wall. Kakashi swallowed reflexively against the intrusion and tried to breathe through Sasuke’s wet pubes. He was relieved when he felt cum splash against the back of his throat. Sasuke took a moment to pull back, letting his cock deflate slightly inside Kakashi’s mouth.

Kakashi waited until Sasuke stepped away to stand up. He didn’t like the mischievous look on Sasuke face: he was considering leaving Kakashi hanging. But they both knew Sasuke genuinely enjoyed falatio. He dropped to his knees and sucked Kakashi off. Kakashi looked down at Sasuke’s shut eyes and stretched lips. His head went back as Sasuke tongued his weeping slit.

Sasuke teased the flair of his cock with his tongue, licking the back of it while sucking then putting his tongue against the roof of his mouth and pressing the tip of Kakashi’s cock against the smooth back of his tongue. Fuck, it felt good! There couldn’t possibly be a technique that Sasuke didn’t know. Kakashi couldn’t stop his hand going to those sable locks and just petting him. The petting turned to gripping as his climax approached. Sasuke took him balls deep right before he cam, cuming straight down Sasuke’s throat.

Sasuke stood. Neither of them were soft, but Sasuke seemed disinterested in another round. He finished washing up. He relinquished the hot spray to Kakashi who relished the water a little longer before turning it off.

He dried off and realized Sasuke was leaning in the doorway, still nude, waiting for him. He walked toward the bed showing off his amazing body. Damn, he wanted to be the one doing the fucking. Sasuke’s body just looked wonderful. Sasuke had thrown the blanket over the rumpled sheets as a fresh surface to fuck on.

After Sasuke’s aborted attempt to fuck him in the shower, Kakashi was honestly more than happy to get on the bed and let Sasuke finish what he started. Sasuke stopped him from getting on his back, pulling him to his hands and knees and covering his body with him own. Sasuke latched onto his neck again, making sure the skin would be deeply bruised. Kakashi felt a trickle of something that could have been saliva or blood run down his neck.

Sasuke put a small dollop of lube on his cock and assumed his stretching from the shower would be enough. It was. Kakashi pushed back as Sasuke entered him. Kakashi couldn’t see the sneer Sasuke was giving him at his apparent eagerness. He played his hands on the scared skin of Kakashi’s back and sides. Cuts from kunai, stab wounds from kunai and shuriken, a burn, and of course the thin white lines he’d given him. As he traced Kakashi’s scars he wasn’t moving within him and Kakashi was too turned on, he started rocking back on to him. Sasuke smiled again and let Kakashi do the work while he continued to touch him. His skin was still moist from the shower giving it a different texture than normal.

Without any warning, Sasuke thrust forward as Kakashi moved back, impaling Kakashi’s body hard. Kakashi’s head went down with a groan, of pain or pleasure, Sasuke didn’t know or care. Kakashi continued to push back, though a bit more gingerly now.

Sasuke hand went for Kakashi’s damp hair, got a good grip, and pulled so Kakashi’s head was forced up. Sasuke leaned over him to whisper a few inches behind Kakashi’s ear. “You feel so good around my cock.”

Kakashi wondered why that sent such a pleasurable tingle down his spine. He shivered and that was not lost on Sasuke. Kakashi seemed to have resigned himself to being his lover and decided to just enjoy it. Sasuke wouldn’t go so far as to say sex slave, but it wasn’t like Kakashi had much of a choice.

Sasuke let go of Kakashi’s hair and bent down instead to taste his clean skin, licking the flesh between his left shoulder blade and the top of his spine. He kissed and sucked and managed to get enough skin between his teeth to bite him. He snaked a hand around him and held him against him possessively.

“You’re mine,” Sasuke growled as he hit his prostate dead on. Kakashi’s eyes rolled back. Sasuke’s body seemed to lengthen, his head next to Kakashi’s. In reality, Kakashi bowed his back as Sasuke pulled on his body to inch up to his length. Sasuke rubbed the side of his jaw against Kakashi’s hair like a scent-marking cat; Kakashi didn’t make the connection.

Sasuke bit the top of Kakashi’s ear before he pulled back, drawing his cock out of his body as he trailed his lips down Kakashi’s spine. His path deviated to the globes of his ass. Sasuke lips, swollen from sucking him off earlier, felt hot and soft as they traced meaningless paths over one cheek. Sasuke took a few nips as well. If Sasuke was trying to addict him to the pleasure only Sasuke could give him, it was working.

Though the scent-marking had been lost on Kakashi, the biting wasn’t. Perhaps after sending him all over the continent, Sasuke felt the need to reinforce his claim on his former sensei. But Sasuke had never acted so possessive before.

When Sasuke entered him again, Kakashi couldn’t hold back any longer and cam hard with a strangled cry. Sasuke tried to catch as much of his cum as possible. As Kakashi came down from his orgasmic high, Sasuke rubbed his cum covered hand over his mouth and nose. He could smell and taste his own cum as Sasuke resumed fucking him, choosing a fast pace this time. Kakashi lowered onto his elbows, suffering through the rough fuck against his sensitive prostate.

Sasuke pressed his hips firmly against Kakashi’s ass to release as deeply inside as possible. He lay on top of Kakashi’s body.

Sasuke laughed softly. “Now we need another shower.” Sasuke used a finger to scoop up the little bit of blood that had from the bite on Kakashi’s neck and sucked it off his finger.

Despite Sasuke’s words, he fell over onto the bed to rest. Kakashi straightened out to catch his breath as well. He felt thoroughly fucked. Sleep called to him even though he felt like he’d slept enough. But after sparring with the demonic little Uchiha and the sex, he didn’t think he could move. Sasuke was feeling the same.

“I wish it didn’t take so much effort to have Tamaki bring food to us.”

“I don’t really want her to find us like this,” Kakashi said.

“Agreed. Come on, I’m hungry.”

Kakashi found that he was sore, more so than he would have predicted, but he followed Sasuke and cleaned up again. Sasuke just rinsed his body of a bit of sweat and the spunk from his cock. Kakashi had the blood on his neck, the cum on his face, the saliva on half his body, and the sweat that had broken out all over.

“Dress and change the sheets and I’ll bring breakfast,” Sasuke said as he left the shower.

Alone, Kakashi felt his abused hole. He didn’t realize in the heat of the moment how hard Sasuke had impaled him as he was thrusting back. The sparring had also tightened his muscles.  He eyed the ofuro and figured he had about half an hour. He filled it with hot water and relaxed, relying on his own sense of time to get out before Sasuke returned. He dried, dressed, and changed the bedding. Sasuke appeared with food just after he finished.

Kakashi sat down tenderly, but Sasuke didn’t look sorry in the slightest. As they finished eating and Sasuke gathered the empty dishes to return to Tamaki’s he said, “I’m sending you to Konoha tomorrow. Relax today.”

“I’m almost out of food to take with me.”

“You won’t be going on foot.”

“Will you allow me to stay there for a while?”

“No.” Sasuke teleported away.

Bastard. Kakashi threw himself on the bed. He may have withdrawn from them, but he did still have friends in Konoha. He’d even been getting friendly with Iruka since the man was constantly dragging him out of his office to visit children. And Sakura. How was Sakura coping? At least he could ask Tenzou about her while there.

He lay there sprawled on the bed, bored. He needed a hobby. Copying Sasuke’s own laziness, Kakashi made a clone to grab his books. He made it half way through the first page when he gave up, incredibly bored and not able to get even the slightest enjoyment from his beloved books. He fell asleep.

He awoke when Sasuke came in. He was shirtless and annoyed. He approached the bed. Kakashi moved over and grabbed his books out of the way. Sasuke threw himself down.

“What happened to your shirt?” Kakashi asked.

“Burned.”

Kakashi pushed himself up to see if Sasuke was injured, but saw no burns. He smelled chemicals. “Acid?”

“Hai.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No, it didn’t touch my skin.”

Kakashi took a closer look at Sasuke’s skin. He had acid stains on his hands, small white blotches where the acid had bleached his skin, but didn’t burn it. How had he not noticed before? Granted Sasuke’s skin was nearly the same color, but he should have been able to see them before now. Then he noticed white in Sasuke’s hair. Not gray hairs—which wouldn’t surprise Kakashi considering how traumatic his life had been—but drops of white like on his hands. Bleached by chemicals.

“Sasuke, you know whatever you’re working on his bleaching your skin and hair?”

“Hn.” Sasuke looked at the books in Kakashi’s hand. He smirked. “You still read those things?”

“Yeah.”

“It sometimes irritates me how little you’ve changed.”

Sasuke got up to wash up. Kakashi put his books away and tried to figure out how much time had passed. Sasuke looked exhausted as he came out of the bathroom so he figured he’d been asleep for a while.

“I’m going to sleep,” Sasuke said as he began stripping. Kakashi changed into his nightclothes as well, deciding to he was too bored to stay awake.

They got into bed. Sasuke lay with his back to Kakashi and Kakashi faced him. He couldn’t see Sasuke in the dark, but he could smell him. He inched closer when he heard Sasuke’s breathing slow and deepen. The smell of chemicals hung in Sasuke’s hair; Kakashi didn’t like it, didn’t like anything covering Sasuke’s natural scent and the fragrance of his hair.

Kakashi mentally smacked himself. Don’t let yourself fall in love, idiot! He turned away from Sasuke.

-----

Yamato started when Kakashi appeared and ANBU appeared just like in Kiri, but the Konoha ANBU pulled back as soon as they realized who was before him. They nodded to him out of respect and vanished again.

“Sempai, I’m glad to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you.”

The black cat walked up and rubbed up against his leg.

“I wish I was just here for a visit.” He handed Yamato the list.

Yamato’s eyes widened when he saw what Sasuke wanted. “This is an odd mix of things.”

“Sasuke’s an odd man.”

“I’ll try to get these things together as soon as possible.”

“How’s Sakura?”

“Really depressed. Do you have time to see her?”

“No. Everything well? How’s Shikaku, Haishi, Gai, Genma, Iruka?”

“Everyone is well and the village is doing well.”

“Good.”

“How are you, sempai?”

“Bored. So far I’m just a sparring partner and an errand boy.”

“Did Sasuke tell you that he granted Sakura an audience?”

“No.” Kakashi was very concerned. “Is she alright?”

“He didn’t harm her, but she was even more distressed after that. But he never told you?”

“No. But he doesn’t tell me anything.”

“She wouldn’t say what Sasuke did or said, but she’s incredibly depressed.”

“Sasuke can be cruel.” It was obvious he was speaking from personal experience. “Let her know I’m alright.”

“I will.”

“I’ll return before he can summon me mid-sentence. See ya, Tenzou.”

“Sempai.”

Kakashi returned to the fortress in one of the corridors, Sasuke nearly walking into him.

“That can be very annoying,” Sasuke said.

“Your seal.”

“He agreed?”

“Hai.”

“Good.” Sasuke moved around him.

“Did you talk to Sakura?”

Sasuke stopped and looked back at him. “I did. She kept nagging the Hokage and he passed on the message. I didn’t harm her, but I rubbed her nose in her own self-pity. She came here to beg me to send you back to her. She claimed you were all she had left. She never ceases to annoy me. Don’t you feel the same? She still has a family, friends; we have none of that. Don’t you resent people like her? They lose one person and they think their world is over. Have you ever watched a funeral where all these people mourn and say they’ve lost everything while they’re surrounded by friends and family? Doesn’t it make you sick? They don’t know true lost like you and I do. We have lost everything, we have nothing.”

“I had Sakura.”

“No, you didn’t. You know you didn’t. She’s a feckless, silly girl. She was never fit to be a shinobi. And so shallow. She never understood me, didn’t know me, but oh how she loved me. That little bitch cared for nothing but my looks. You never loved her either.”

“I cared for her.”

Sasuke scoffed. “Did she really offer you any comfort or was she just a convenient bedfellow? I’m still tempted to kill her, but right now I like the idea of her wallowing in guilt.”

“Guilt?”

“I may have hinted that you being under my thumb was because of her. I didn’t tell her what really happened, but if you hadn’t jumped to save her life, I might not have taken a liking to you.”

“Bastard. Let me go to her.”

Sasuke laughed. “No. I have to start collecting my goods.” Sasuke walked away. Kakashi wanted to attack him, but held back. Kakashi went up to the surface and summoned Uhei.

“Go to Sakura and assure her my current predicament is not her fault. Find out what Sasuke said to her. If Sasuke or one of his hawks finds you, just go home.”

“Hai.” The greyhound ran off.

Kakashi had confided much to his pack, but not everything. There were things he was sure they had deduced however. Uhei no doubt could smell Sasuke on him.

He remembered Sasuke’s possessiveness yesterday. He felt like a pet. He felt completely isolated sitting on this cliff overlooking the skeletons. He’d felt peaceful and free a few weeks ago before he started running messages all over the shinobi world, but now he just felt very alone.

----------

*Donburi is a dish presented to one as thanks for hard work.

Cats have a scent gland on their faces, which is what they’re doing when they rub up against you or anything else, they’re marking you. They also scent mark by pissing on you, but that’s not a kink of mine.