The Original Copy-Cat

Title: The Original Copy-Cat
Pairing: KakaYama
Summary: KakaYama Sometimes we think we're so unique nobody understands...
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... obviously because there are no canon yaoi pairings... and my favorite character is MIA and possibly KIA...

'Copy, show off, braggart, clone, replacement'... all words he was far too used to hearing. He'd have to be deaf not to hear the things they said, especially when there were those who had no qualms about saying it to him.

It didn't really matter if they bothered waiting for him to turn his back or not, because he could see it in the contempt clearly displayed on their faces. Those who didn't seem to hate him, looked at him with awe, as though he was the first. And, that was actually worse. Because... he knew he could never live up to it.

Usually, he tried to ignore them. Sometimes though, when things were really bad and one of the ones who looked at him as though he was the reincarnation of Shodai-sama turned to him for answers... he pretended he was who they saw him as.

Always, later, he hated himself for both, because either way it fed their distorted views. The one's who saw nothing in him, only continued to see him as aloof and arrogant. And, the others... their expectations weighed him down until he thought he'd be crushed under the possibility of failure.

All of it was why he'd decided to join ANBU. A mask... a cloak... something to hide behind... freedom.

However... Fate had an awful sense of humor. He'd just been informed that he was being assigned to a team that had lost a member. Akio Fujii had been killed in action while on a solo mission and because they shared an affinity for the earth element, he'd been chosen.

He didn't know who his other teammates were only that one specialized in taijutsu, another in genjutsu, and the third... was his captain who was meeting him here. Or, rather, was 'supposed' to meet him here over three hours ago. The sun was starting to set and whoever the person was, he was starting to think they simply weren't coming. Tenzou tensed his shoulders then slowly relaxed them trying to force the agitation away.

"Maa... do you always stand like you have a stick up your ass?"

The jounin spun around, surprised by the voice, not having sensed the man approach. His eyes widened again as he realized who he was looking at. Slouching against the tree, the silver-haired man looked as though he'd been there all day. It made Tenzou question exactly how long he had been there and he hoped it had only been for a moment. "Hatake-sama..."

"Kakashi," the man corrected, his eye curving up in what was obviously amusement. "But you can call me 'Senpai'."

"Hai, gomen, Senpai," Tenzou said bowing.

The act or possibly the words seemed to amuse the man more and his new team leader laughed and walked over. "And here I had a really good excuse about monkeys being out of bananas and having to search nearby villages for one for his dinner... but, if you're going to apologize I guess I don't need it."

Perplexed, Tenzou straightened and stared at the man. He was nothing like the legend portrayed him to be. It confused him for a moment and he gaped openly surprised.

Coming to stop in front of him, the man smirked and due to their close proximity, it was visible even with the mask. "Do I have something on my face?" Kakashi asked, patting his face as though to check.

"Iie. Gomen, it's just..." he hesitated, then flushed feeling like an idiot for staring. "...you're nothing like I expected."

The other's expression changed, sobering and becoming incredibly serious. "We are rarely exactly what we seem or what other's expect us to be," Kakashi said, shoving a plain black box into his hands. "If you're going to be on my team, you need to realize that. You can either keep worry about what they think, see what truth there is and where it ends."

Tenzou blinked as the man released the box. The sudden shift in the man's mood caught him further off guard and he found it hard to look away, and what he saw there... threw him. Understanding.

Had it been anyone else, he might have questioned it. But, everyone knew who Kakashi's father was, what he'd been, what he'd done... And, then, there was of course the name the man had earned for himself... 'Copy Ninja Kakashi'.

"You can either accept who you are... or not." Kakashi shrugged, his words interrupting Tenzou's thoughts. "But if you don't know who you are when you put on that mask... you will lose yourself to it." There was a brief flash of something resembling regret on the visible part of the pale face, a furrow of his brow, and then he smiled again. "And, that would be a shame, because I think I like you already."

Flushing from the compliment, Tenzou shifted his gaze away, looking down at the box before lifting the lid. The white porcelain mask was painted to resemble the face of a cat. It could have been a tiger, but he knew better. 'Copy-Cat'. Despite the fact that it was an obvious jab at his insecurities, Tenzou found himself smiling. Replacing the lid, he tucked the box under his arm.

"Thank you, Senpai," he said, finally looking up only to find Kakashi was already walking away, his face buried in a bright orange book. Rubbing a hand over his face, Tenzou sighed and shook his head again. 'Definitely not what I expected...'