Speaking the Language

Author's Notes:

When I originally sat down to write this, I said to myself, oh, wouldn't it be fun to write a quick bit of smut, just for an hour or two this afternoon? Three days and five thousand words later, it's finally done.

Sasuke is older in this--possibly as old as twenty-five, maybe as young as eighteen or nineteen. I had no real specifics in mind, except that Sasuke had come back to Konoha at some point and things went well from there.

Speaking the Language

Sasuke has a dream, a nightmare, that wakes him in the middle of the night. He lays still in his bed, pushes

himself into the mattress to calm the shudders racing across his body. Still trapped in the dream atmosphere, it

takes him a minute to realize that someone is crouched on his windowsill. He throws a kunai out of habit, but the

interloper catches it on a finger. It is Kakashi. His hair glows white in the sliver of moonlight that creeps in

between the curtains. Sasuke frowns, but he pulls back the covers. He rises from the bed and goes to the

window.

“What do you want?” says Sasuke.

He knows it’s pointless to use the lateness of the hour as an excuse to get rid of the man. Best to be direct,

rude even, to get him to go away. He hitches at the neck of his night shirt.

“Oh, I was just in the neighborhood,” says Kakashi.

Uninvited, he hops down into Sasuke’s bedroom. It’s indolent, the way he stands there, one hand in his pocket,

sweeping the room with his eye, mouth twisting beneath the mask. He is measuring Sasuke, the accoutrements of

his life, and Sasuke doesn’t like it.

“Get out,” says Sasuke.

He points at the window and is surprised to see that the nightmare lingers on in his fingertips: cold and shaky

beyond his control. He curses himself and drops his arm, fisting his hand at his side. There is a keen attention in

Kakashi’s bearing and he hates it, hates that Kakashi wouldn’t have missed that moment of weakness even if he’d

been blindfolded.

“Bad dream?” says Kakashi.

There is something a little off about the way Kakashi says this, a kind of hesitance, and it makes Sasuke want

to think about why he’s here. He concentrates instead on how Kakashi is invading his space.

“Get out,” says Sasuke. “I’m fine, so leave.”

He’s lying through his teeth, and he knows Kakashi knows, but this doesn’t stop him from doing it. He hates

how smug his former teacher is, like he knows all about it, like he knows every thought that goes through Sasuke’s

head. Kakashi isn’t god and he can’t fix this.

Unsurprisingly, Kakashi doesn’t go. He takes his hand out of his pocket, pulls the chair up from Sasuke’s desk,

and sits. His feet rest flat against Sasuke’s floor and Sasuke just knows that he’s left a trail of dirt across the room.

For a second he wonders if this is how Kakashi conducts all his visits. And then he regrets thinking about it at all,

because jealousy rises up at the thought of Kakashi making stops at other people’s homes. It’s nothing to be jealous

of because Sasuke doesn’t want him here in the first place.

Sasuke engages in a staring match with Kakashi. Even though it’s the middle of the night, there’s enough light

from the moon for him to see general outlines of things. Kakashi’s knees are a little high coming off the seat of the

chair. Maybe Sasuke’s room is too small for this presence, though it always seems too large when he is alone. The

bandages on Kakashi’s legs are a grayish blur, his torso and shoulders nearly indistinguishable from the dark wall

behind him. Sasuke’s mind fills in what he can’t clearly see: the silent rise and fall of his breathing, the dark band of

Kakashi’s hitai-ate, the contours of his face beneath the mask, the very end of the scar that bisects his eye and

parallels the bridge of his nose. That one visible eye, dark and glittering, stands out all the more in the thin, pale

slice of his face not obscured by dress or shadow.

Sasuke swallows. Kakashi has not moved, has not blinked, and his gaze drills into him. He knows he’s been

staring and shame burns its way across his face, scorching his cheeks and blunting the edge of his anger. Since

when has he been able to get Kakashi to do anything, anyway? He can’t force him to leave. Sasuke shakes his head

and crosses his arms.

“Take off your shoes if you’re going to stay,” he says.

He doesn’t expect an answer, except maybe the quirk of an eyebrow or some sort of weird and unrelated

proverb, so it surprises him all the more when Kakashi speaks.

“All right,” says Kakashi.

His clothes shift and rustle as he bends to unfasten his sandals. Sasuke is flabbergasted as Kakashi takes them

off and sets them neatly underneath his chair. He unzips his vest, the tag clinking against the head of the zipper as

he lets it go. He drapes the vest over the back of the chair. Kakashi looks up again and catches Sasuke’s eyes.

“Yes?” says Kakashi.

There are possibilities in his voice, things Sasuke can and can’t name, things he won’t name because that one

little word has dredged up a host of responses in him and he can’t face them all. His shoulders tremble and he can’t

stop them. Sasuke harnesses that energy and forces it into a shrug. He hopes Kakashi doesn’t expect a reply,

though it twists his insides to think that he’s already given away more than he ever intended. Sasuke crosses his

arms.

“I’m going to bed,” he says.

Though it is not his usual habit, Sasuke climbs onto the side of the bed closest to the window. He cringes at

exposing his back to the open window, but it’s better than feeling that gaze, intent and sharp upon his back. As it

is, he almost can’t stand the thoughtfulness radiating from Kakashi. It isn’t obvious in Kakashi’s expression, but

Kakashi is thinking. Sasuke can tell. It is probably about him. This both chills and warms Sasuke and he prays that

Kakashi can’t see the goose bumps rising on his arms as he flips the covers back from the bed. He just knows

Kakashi will say something and the anticipation digs into him.

“Good night, Sasuke,” says Kakashi.

Kakashi rearranges himself slightly in the chair, leans back a little more, slides his feet forward on Sasuke’s

floorboards with a soft scrape. He folds his arms across his chest and that too-knowing eye closes. His face

slackens, incurious. Sasuke doesn’t doubt that Kakashi is still watching, all appearances aside. Sasuke tucks

himself in, pulls the covers up to his chin and stares at the darkness of the ceiling.

He catches himself holding his breath while listening to the small sounds Kakashi makes. Sasuke has the

vague idea that Kakashi is noisy on purpose just so he won’t startle him. And, against his expectations, Sasuke

starts to relax as the minutes pass by. He closes his eyes. He realizes, rather calmly, that he and Kakashi are

breathing in synch now…and it's not unpleasant or distasteful like he might have imagined. Normally, Sasuke hates

doing anything at the exact same time as anyone else, but this is different. Almost nice. He settles down again and

warmth creeps into his body.

Sasuke is on the edge of sleep, ready to drop from the half-aware into the fullness of dreams, when Kakashi

starts talking.

“You had a nightmare,” says Kakashi.

“What?” says Sasuke.

His eyes jerk open and he rolls over to look at Kakashi. He strains his eyes against the darkness and picks out

the shape of Kakashi’s face.

“Your chakra was disturbed,” says Kakashi. “I felt it all the way across town.”

Sasuke’s heart races. The blood pounds in his ears, though he prefers to think it is because Kakashi has

startled him awake. Embarrassment mixed with something else, something equally humiliating as his failure to

control himself, wells up in the pit of his stomach. He is dizzy with the strength of it. Kakashi came across town in

the middle of the night. For him.

“’M fine,” Sasuke says. “Really.”

“I know,” says Kakashi. “You’re always fine.”

Sasuke rolls over again, his back to Kakashi, and stares out the window. There’s nothing he can say to that,

really. He’s being humored, and Kakashi is being polite not to call him out or to question him further, which is

exactly what Sasuke doesn’t expect of him. Kakashi’s always been incisive in conversation, cutting into the heart of

whatever the topic is. His silence distresses Sasuke. What if he’s waiting for an apology? Or an explanation?

Sasuke is sure he would die if he had to give either.

Without his conscious approval, his breath comes faster. Sasuke notices, for the first time, a strange taste in

the air. Not a taste, he decides after a few more breaths. A smell. It’s Kakashi. The smell of him--clean, a little spicy,

warm and human--is filling his sterile little room. Sasuke realizes with a start and a faint flash of horror and

embarrassment that Kakashi smells nice and that that scent is going to be all over his things, if it isn’t already.

Sasuke takes a deep breath and holds it.

The idea of going around all day tomorrow smelling like Kakashi sends his thoughts fluttering like wounded

birds. The whole flock scatters when it hits him that he’s hard. When Sasuke exhales, a sound escapes him, and he

doesn’t have time to tell if it’s a good one or a bad one, because Kakashi is suddenly right there with him, sitting on

the bed. Kakashi leans in close, hesitates, and touches Sasuke’s shoulder.

“Sasuke,” he says. “It’s okay.”

His breath hits the side of Sasuke’s neck, warm, and Sasuke can feel Kakashi’s lips are a fraction of an inch

away from his ear. Sasuke’s heartbeat deafens him.

“No it’s not,” says Sasuke. “It’s not okay.”

And he means it, really he does, but he finds himself twisting around anyway, half underneath Kakashi and

feeling claustrophobic and self conscious because Kakashi knows. There’s no way he couldn’t know this close

up.

“Look at me,” says Kakashi.

Sasuke does.

“It’s okay,” says Kakashi.

He is emphatic and, finally, it sinks in for Sasuke as Kakashi pulls down his mask. Though Kakashi’s back is to

the window, Sasuke can see enough, sees more than he ever expected and something dangerous spreads through

his chest. He lets go of the breath he wasn’t aware of holding. He moves forward and up into the darkness. His lips

touch Kakashi’s and Sasuke is torn between pulling away and getting closer. Kakashi’s lips are dry, warmer than

Sasuke might have expected if he had had any expectations for this situation. He is suddenly doubtful and he

breaks the kiss.

Kakashi holds still and Sasuke is beyond grateful that he hasn’t made a move to leave, that he hasn’t mortally

offended the man. Sasuke tries again.

He presses his lips against Kakashi’s, harder this time, maybe too hard or not hard enough. It is so strange and

Kakashi’s teeth are very close behind his lips. Sasuke hasn’t ever given much thought to his gums before, but he

does now because they are tingling and sensitive, feeling the pressure of his mouth on Kakashi’s.

This time, Kakashi moves back.

“Sasuke,” he says, his voice a bit rough. “I…you…”

It dawns on Sasuke, rather late, that Kakashi has probably given this situation thought before now. A lot of

thought, he amends, if the timbre of his voice is anything to judge by. It’s a little frightening, a little overwhelming,

but it is also relieving to know that Kakashi might have actually planned for this. He looks at Kakashi again. This

close, he can feel the heat radiating from the other man‘s body, and his scent is intoxicating. Kakashi draws close

and Sasuke wants to smile, for all his nervousness.

“Whatever,” says Sasuke, and the word carries a certain affection.

Kakashi smiles and moves over him once more. He kisses Sasuke, lips slightly parted, and Sasuke is surprised

at how different it feels, how much softer it is, how his teeth aren’t threatening to come right through his lips this

time.

“May I?” says Kakashi.

His hands come to rest on Sasuke’s shoulders and Sasuke figures out that Kakashi wants to pull the blankets

down a bit. He hesitates. He knows it’s bad and that it will probably be taken as rejection, but he can’t seem to get

himself to do it.

“You know,” Kakashi says. “We don’t have to…”

Sasuke gives him a withering glare.

“Shut up,” says Sasuke. “I…just shut up.”

He can’t believe he has said that. It was rude, for one, but more importantly it wasn’t anything like what he

had intended to say. Kakashi backs off, settling himself on the foot of the bed. Sasuke breathes in and collects

himself. Then, neatly and without looking at Kakashi, he rolls the blankets down to his waist. He thinks a minute

more before pulling the rolled part to the side, exposing his legs and a triangle of the bed beneath him. He feels

Kakashi’s scrutiny and resists the urge to squirm.

“Kakashi?” says Sasuke.

Kakashi looks at him and comes up the bed again. He waits for a minute as Sasuke struggles to form

words.

“Yes?” says Kakashi.

Sasuke feels his face flood with color. He turns his head to the side and somehow manages to squeeze the

thought out of his mouth and into the range of Kakashi’s hearing. Kakashi’s eyebrow jumps upward, but he

nods.

“Okay,” says Kakashi.

He pauses and looks Sasuke right in the eye. His gaze pins Sasuke to the pillows.

“Thank you for being honest.”

Sasuke really does writhe in embarrassment now. Still, it is short lived because Kakashi is very, very close to

him again. Kakashi’s hands land on either side of his head, and Sasuke meets him halfway, craning his neck

upward to kiss him. Kakashi breaks the contact after a minute and returns to kiss him more deeply. His tongue

traces Sasuke’s bottom lip. Sasuke opens his mouth, gingerly, awkward and hesitant because this is Kakashi and

Kakashi matters more than the others he’s kissed and more than he wants to admit. They kiss again and Sasuke

feels electric as his tongue reaches Kakashi’s.

Eventually, Kakashi pulls back, his lips shining in the faint light. Sasuke presses his lips together, licks them

and tastes Kakashi on himself. He smiles at Kakashi for the first time, not sure if he will see it in the dark. Sasuke

hears the clink of Kakashi’s hitai-ate going onto the nightstand. And Sasuke understands this exchange. He knows

now that Kakashi saw his smile. Kakashi’s face is wholly exposed to him now, and if Sasuke were to turn on a light

he would see it in its entirety.

Kakashi is the one who reaches over and turns on the bedside lamp. He looks both younger and sadder than

Sasuke expects, which makes him all the more handsome. Sasuke smiles again and Kakashi’s face softens around

his mismatched eyes. Sasuke turns out the light. He is uneasy thinking that anyone on the street could look up and

see the shadows they cast against the window. He gets off the bed and opens the curtains to let in the moon

instead. Sasuke goes back to the bed and sits on the foot of it.

Kakashi looks at Sasuke’s night shirt and tilts his head. Sasuke nods and undoes the buttons down the front.

He tries to slow his breathing, but the way Kakashi’s eyes move up and down over his chest and abdomen and the

way his hands smooth over and expose Sasuke's shoulders, pushing back the pajamas with his callused fingers…

it’s a losing battle. He shudders as those roughened palms skate over the skin of his back, approaching his spine.

Sasuke yanks the night shirt the rest of the way off and tosses it to the floor. His underwear is the only clothing he

has left. His heart beats triple time and embarrassment wars with arousal under Kakashi's frank gaze. Sasuke is

sure Kakashi can measure the pulse at his throat. When Kakashi nips along the underside of his jaw, the sensation

undercuts his bad thoughts.

“Please,” says Sasuke.

He tugs at Kakashi’s clothing and Kakashi nods. He stands and unrolls the wrappings around his legs,

removes his shirt and then his pants. He lays it all neatly on the abandoned desk chair. Sasuke is captivated by this

matter-of-fact performance. It seems like the sort of thing Kakashi would do in his own home, before bed, and

Sasuke appreciates this honesty.

Kakashi is naked and Sasuke’s mouth dries out. Heat rolls over him as he takes a long look. He starts at

Kakashi's feet and works his way upward, lingering here and there. Eventually their eyes meet, and Kakashi is

grinning. It looks good on him. Sasuke turns his head to the side, but the offence he takes is only for show. He

doesn’t even try to wipe a smirk off his face as he trains his nearest eye on Kakashi's body.

“Well then,” says Kakashi. “On or off?”

His eyes drop to the only clothing on Sasuke’s body. Sasuke swallows, and he knows what he’ll say and it

shocks him in a pleasant way.

“Off,” he says. “If you want, you could…”

And he feels some small mortification that his voice rose so much on that last word, but it doesn’t matter so

much now because Kakashi has interpreted things correctly. He nudges Sasuke further onto the bed, one broad

hand over Sasuke’s breastbone, pushing gently, directing him down onto his back. Sasuke brings his legs up onto

the mattress.

Kakashi hooks his middle fingers underneath the waistband and slides the underwear down. The rest of his

fingers make sure the fabric doesn't catch, stretching the elastic out over Sasuke's body, riding along the sides of

his thighs and knees and down his shins. Sasuke quivers as the article of clothing is gently dropped off the edge of

the bed.

Kakashi crouches over him. He kisses Sasuke, and his mouth travels down the jawline to the throat. His teeth

close gently over Sasuke’s pulse point and on each side of his Adam's apple. He bites harder near where Sasuke’s

curse seal used to be, and Sasuke jerks underneath him, mouth open and sucking hard for air. Kakashi makes a

matching bite on the opposite shoulder and Sasuke’s hips rise, bringing a moment of heated contact between

them. Kakashi groans. Sasuke repeats the motion and Kakashi pushes back against him. The friction is exquisite

and Sasuke wants to do it again, but hard hands dig into his hips, holding him still when he tries to surge forward.

This irritates Sasuke, and he reaches out and tugs Kakashi’s hair.

“What’s your problem?” says Sasuke.

Kakashi’s eyes hold his and Sasuke grips Kakashi’s hair a little tighter.

“There's no hurry,” says Kakashi.

And really, Sasuke had thought he was all out of embarrassment, but a fresh blush heats his already warm

cheeks. It doesn’t stop him from pulling a little on the soft, silvery hair in his hand, though. Kakashi hums in

pleasure and moves one hand from Sasuke’s hips to his chest. He strokes across Sasuke’s pectorals, putting a little

pressure onto one nipple with his thumb, testing the waters. Sasuke arches his spine, brings his body up into

Kakashi’s touch, breathing hard and wanting more. Kakashi obliges, licks his thumb and forefinger, pinches more

and more firmly until Sasuke forgets he is still holding onto Kakashi’s hair and pulls a little too tight when the

pressure is just about perfect.

“Easy,” says Kakashi.

He sounds amused more than anything else.

Sasuke still feels guilty and he loosens his grip. He runs a finger along Kakashi’s scalp. He drops his hand to

the sheets and twists it there, which is a great idea because Kakashi has one nipple pinched between his fingers

and the other in his teeth and it is jaw-clenchingly good. Sasuke doesn’t think it can get much better, but it does

when Kakashi switches sides, biting what he has pinched, and rolling between his fingers what he has bitten.

Sasuke lets go of the covers and instead lays his hands on Kakashi’s shoulders. Kakashi moves lower, his

hands gliding along Sasuke's sides, mouth brushing his sternum, the slight depressions between the muscles of his

abdomen. Sasuke flinches when Kakashi comes to his navel. Kakashi looks up at him.

"It's okay," says Sasuke. "Sensitive spot."

"Ah," says Kakashi.

And Kakashi touches first with his fingers, stroking gently. Sasuke grits his teeth and concentrates on

breathing out his nose. Kakashi settles himself between Sasuke's legs and uses his tongue to map his navel and the

skin around it. He circles, dips into the shallow indentation, presses his mouth against it and warms it with his

breath.

Sasuke exhales shakily. His fingers squeeze Kakashi's shoulders tight, blunt nails catching on the dense

muscles. Kakashi groans into Sasuke's middle, but he doesn't stop lavishing attention on him. His face is warm, and

his tongue is slippery as it traces patterns over Sasuke again and again. Sasuke struggles to find his voice.

"Hey," he says.

He nudges Kakashi's side with a foot. His toes are cold and Kakashi startles and sits up.

"Hmm?" says Kakashi.

His eyes are dark, irises barely visible around the pupil. Sasuke is drawn to his mouth: parted wet lips, a flash

of strong teeth behind them. He shivers and pulls himself up face to face with Kakashi.

"I want to…" says Sasuke.

He falters and reaches out to Kakashi. He catches one of Kakashi's hands in his.

"I want to touch you," says Sasuke.

"I'd like that," says Kakashi.

Sasuke is gratified that Kakashi's eyes darken further as he brings Sasuke's hands back to lay on his chest.

Sasuke can feel Kakashi's heart beating fast under the skin. Kakashi is sweating, too, and he breathes hard when

Sasuke slides his hands up along his breastbone. He sweeps along the collarbones, leads his fingers back along

Kakashi's shoulders and into his hair. He places gentle bites under Kakashi's left ear and down his neck.

Kakashi murmurs his appreciation and shivers when Sasuke winds his fingers in his hair and nips at the base

of his throat. Sasuke can tell Kakashi's holding himself back because he's anchored himself to the bed, fists balled

in the covers. His arm muscles are tight and stand out sharply beneath his skin.

Sasuke presses closer and enjoys the feel of Kakashi's body meeting his. Kakashi is hot and a touch slick with

sweat now, the spicy scent of him strong in the air. Sasuke tastes the salt of his sweat as he mouths Kakashi's right

nipple. With one hand, he follows a thin scar that curves over the muscle there and goes down and out, skimming

low along his ribs. The other hand presses flat over Kakashi's left pectoral. Sasuke feels the nipple slowly

contracting against his palm, and it connects to the almost unbearable heat building in his groin.

Sasuke is surprised to find that he is sweating hard. He swipes at his hairline with one hand and, before he can

dry it against the covers, Kakashi grabs him by the wrist and licks a line from the tip of his middle finger down to

the heel of his hand. Sasuke's hand tingles. Kakashi smiles, and when he speaks his voice rumbles in his chest and

vibrates against Sasuke.

"I really want to taste you," says Kakashi. "Can I?"

Sasuke swallows, nods, and kisses Kakashi hard. Kakashi kisses back, and Sasuke can taste a hint of himself in

Kakashi's mouth. He catches his reflection in Kakashi's Sharingan eye.

Kakashi eases him back onto the bed. Sasuke stretches his legs out, rotating his ankles and tipping his toes

back toward his shins. His calves burn pleasantly as he works the muscles there. He looks at Kakashi.

"Okay," Sasuke says. "I'm ready."

Kakashi puts his hands on Sasuke's legs, making space between them. Kakashi strokes the soft skin of his

inner thighs. Goosebumps rise in his wake, and Sasuke bites his lip at the feel of Kakashi's hard, callused hands as

they work their way up. Sasuke exhales through his nose as he struggles not to pant. A strangled noise tears from

his throat when Kakashi follows the same path, first right, then left, with his tongue. His hands come to rest on

Sasuke's sides, and Kakashi bows his head down.

Sasuke cries out.

Kakashi’s mouth is so soft on him, so gentle and hot and wet. Sasuke gasps. He can't seem to stop making

small noises. He wants to bury his head in the pillows out of sheer embarrassment when Kakashi looks at him, but

he reads approval in that face. Sasuke shudders and his hips cant upward.

Sasuke is a quiet person by nature, but he knows Kakashi understands this language his body now speaks.

Each indrawn breath is loud and each time he lets the air out it stutters, hitches on his tongue. He can’t fill his

lungs enough to satisfy the demands of his racing heart, can’t stop the quiver in his belly as Kakashi works his

mouth over him. His muscles tighten reflexively and he fights to be careful of where his feet are planted on the bed.

Sasuke tries not to kick Kakashi when he is surprised by the friction of his tongue over a particularly sensitive

spot.

He can't decide where to put his hands, can't think well enough with Kakashi building a rhythm of lips and

mouth and tongue. He pants open-mouthed, sweat breaking out on his chest, and finds that one hand has wrapped

itself around Kakashi's bicep. The other he shoves underneath himself, grabbing a handful of sheets and scrabbling

for purchase. Sasuke squeezes tight around Kakashi's arm. The muscles underneath his fingers swell and flex.

Sasuke digs his nails in, and Kakashi groans, and Sasuke see stars. It is almost enough and he is so close he

can taste it in the back of his throat and he moans.

"Please, " says Sasuke. "Please, Kakashi, please."

He is only half-aware, his focus narrowing around where Kakashi and he are joined. Sasuke arches his back

and his neck. Just a little more. His heart pounds. Just a little further. Kakashi's teeth scrape against him ever so

gently, and Sasuke moans, low and sharp and hard. Sasuke is suddenly there, air roaring in his lungs, heart

thumping, fingers so tight around Kakashi's arm that he can't feel them, hips jerking involuntarily as he strains,

testing himself against Kakashi's body. He can't breathe, can't feel anything but the heat that pools low and

spreads through him, can't hear past the white noise rushing into his ears.

Sasuke comes back to himself, hot and shaking. Kakashi is looking at him, desire evident in his regard, and

something like pain there as well. Sasuke realizes that Kakashi is still hard as he comes up to kiss Sasuke on the

mouth.

"Sasuke," says Kakashi.

They are speaking the same language now, and Sasuke understands. He pulls Kakashi to sit between his legs,

his still-quivering front to Kakashi's. Sasuke licks his palm and reaches out.

Though the angle is awkward, Kakashi slips forward into Sasuke's touch, groaning as the hand slides up and

down. Kakashi's head is thrown back, mouth held tight. The muscles in his neck stand out, lined and shining with

sweat. He twitches once, twice in Sasuke's hand and Sasuke knows it won't take much. He removes his hand and

Kakashi makes a noise of protest.

Sasuke leans down, licks his lips, and gives Kakashi a long stroke with his tongue. Kakashi gasps, his chest

rising and falling. Sasuke does it again, holds onto him and sweeps his tongue up and down and up again. Kakashi

tenses. Sasuke touches him with the very tip of his tongue and Kakashi comes, gliding easily in Sasuke's hand,

moaning with his eyes screwed shut, his face turned to the ceiling. Sasuke watches as Kakashi bite his lip so that

hard he bleeds. Sasuke keeps moving his hand, and with each stroke Kakashi shudders and gasps until, finally, he

drops back on the bed.

Sasuke lies down beside him and cleans his hand on the sheets. They both work to catch their breath for a

minute. Sasuke starts to think again.

"Now what?" says Sasuke.

"Hmm?" says Kakashi.

He rolls over to look at Kakashi. He is rubbing at his left eye and wincing. Without needing to be told, Sasuke

reaches and grabs Kakashi's hitai-ate. Kakashi puts it on while laying down. He sighs.

"Thank you," says Kakashi. "And as for what's next…"

Sasuke is surprised when Kakashi's hand makes its way into his lap. He jumps and Kakashi laughs.

"We could get some breakfast," says Kakashi. " Shower here, eat breakfast out, and then come back

here."

Sasuke looks out the window and sees the sky is already starting to grow light. He scoots a little closer to

Kakashi, until their sides touch. He thinks about Kakashi's offer. He'd been expecting to hear something rather

different, for all that it sounds very good. Kakashi interrupts his thoughts.

"Or," says Kakashi. "We could shower here, go get some breakfast, and then…"

Kakashi hesitates. Sasuke sits up and stares at him. Kakashi is nervous, Sasuke realizes. He'd never known

Kakashi to be nervous, not even on an impossibly dangerous mission. Sasuke is fascinated. He watches Kakashi

swallow.

"We could go back to my place when we're ready," said Kakashi.

Sasuke is struck dumb. For all the years he's known Kakashi, Kakashi has never let him in further than the

front door. Thoughts swirl around in Sasuke's head as he tries to puzzle it out.

"I'd like that," says Sasuke. "I'd like that a lot."

He is awestruck, but at least he didn't hesitate. He finds his hand reaching out for Kakashi's hair. Sasuke

settles for fluffing the covers instead.

"Of course," says Kakashi. "That means we'll have to get out of bed at some point. I'm not sure I can do that

yet."

Sasuke is startled into laughing. Kakashi joins him, and they quiet down after a bit. They lay without bothering

to get under the covers. Neither man says a word for a long time.

Later, they watch the sun rise, still lying in Sasuke's bed.

A/N: My basic premise for this story was twofold. I wanted to do present tense from Sasuke's perspective, and I wanted to work with a less mature version of Sasuke. (And by less mature, I mean the way he behaves and thinks, not his physical age.)

I think the thing that surprised me most was how Sasuke kind of breezed past his angsty start. I actually had to curtail the sap factor. You have no idea how much I wanted Kakashi to be all "don't worry, we'll be together forever and I'll protect you from the bad dreams." I figured going out for pancakes and having more sex after would be a much better (read: less stomach-turning) way to end it. Awesome sex does not equal instant romance!

Two more things. One: I realize I spliced commas all over the place in this story, but I defend it as a wholly stylistic need. Two: if you were left wondering what Sasuke whispered into Kakashi's ear, it was something like this: "I am not interested in anal sex. I have tried it before and it was not to my liking." No, Sasuke was not a virgin in this story. He was, however, blindsided by his response to Kakashi and had not previously fooled around with him.

Sorry for the excessive notes, but thank you so much for reading!