Red Rain

Title: Red Rain (probably has nothing to do with the story ^_^;)
Author: Oboro
Pairing: eventual Kakashi x Naruto, implied Kakashi x Iruka
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I obviously don’t own Naruto, or it’d all be yaoi baby, heh, heh.
Summary: After the loss of someone close to both of them, Kakashi and Naruto turn to each other for comfort.

Note: This just came to me one day when I was feeling particularly angsty. It’s sad, and I can’t believe I killed one of my fave characters! I’m so mean, lol. I also don’t normally like this pairing, but I wanted to see if I could do it in a believable way. So, yeah. Oh, and this has nothing to do with my other Naruto fanfic ‘Break the Seal’. So thanks for reading, and enjoy! *goes back to writing things she needs to complete*


Red Rain

Kakashi knew it was a bad idea when he first heard it. It wasn’t that he was being sent on a mission with a chuunin-who just happened to be his lover- or that it was a high C at best, but something felt off about it from the beginning. Something about the fact that they were going to kill a ninja that had been lurking about in the forests bordering Konoha, and that nothing at all was known about him. Normally this wouldn’t have upset Kakashi too much, but now it was eating away at him.

Kakashi noticed that Iruka was overjoyed to be given a mission with him though, especially since the silver haired jounin had agreed to teach him to fight and hone his jutsu techniques. But he still didn’t want Iruka to go, but he’d be damned if he’d tell Iruka about it. Kakashi was leery of saying anything of the sort to Iruka, afraid that the chuunin might lose confidence in himself or just get plain insulted. So begrudgingly Kakashi kept his foreboding hidden, and left soon afterwards with Iruka.

The mission started out standard enough; they left Konoha early in the morning and made their way slowly to the area the enemy was said to preside. Kakashi kept a more vigilant eye than usual, his ever-present calm gone with this horrid feeling permeating his gut. But while Kakashi was a wreck Iruka seemed to be having the time of his life, his face stern but excited as they flew through the trees. It would have made the Copy Nin smile if he didn’t feel so damn bad about the whole thing.

It was around sunset when they set up camp. The forest around them glowed amber and crimson, and Iruka gazed appreciatively at it, his brown eyes glowing in the soft light. That was what Kakashi remembered most; Iruka’s eyes, and how they seemed to encompass everything beautiful around them and reflect it right back at you. Even compared to the glorious sunset, Kakashi thought Iruka was more breathtaking than a million of them combined.

The sun was just disappearing behind the hills when Iruka finally turned, a bright smile lighting his face as he started to walk towards Kakashi. The Copy Nin sat on a fallen log, his unease temporarily forgotten with the sight in front of him. Iruka saw the wistful look on Kakashi’s face, and smiled as he said, “Kakashi, wha...” Kakashi started when Iruka suddenly paused, and stared as Iruka’s eyes went wide in shock. Kakashi’s blood froze in his veins and time seemed to stop as he watched Iruka stumble to the ground, the chuunin falling to his knees as a stain of red spread from the middle of his chest.

Kakashi snapped himself to act before Iruka’s face hit the forest floor, and in a flash was at Iruka’s side. Kakashi started to panic when he saw a large hook jutting from Iruka’s back, the blade embedded so far that it went through Iruka, the tip poking slightly from the chuunin’s chest.

His movements fast but jaunty Kakashi quickly pulled the weapon out, making Iruka cry out in pain as more blood started to poor from his wound. Kakashi knew in his heart that the injury was fatal, but his mind refused to comprehend it as he turned Iruka to face him, whispering words of encouragement in his ear. “It’s okay; I’ll get you out of here and you’ll be alright.” But Iruka started to cough up blood, a thin trail of red falling down the side of his mouth. Kakashi hugged Iruka to himself, not even caring if the enemy was still around; all that existed for him was the man dying in his arms, and the fact that he could do nothing to save him even if he tried. It was all he could do to keep from crying out and hunting down the ninja immediately, and instead tried to keep his calm as he absently stroked a hand through Iruka’s disheveled hair.

Iruka just smiled up at him though, and Kakashi could see that he knew he wasn’t going to make it. Iruka’s calm just unnerved Kakashi even more, and he couldn’t stop a single tear from streaming from his Sharingan. Iruka started to cry then also, and reached a hand up to lightly run over Kakashi’s visible eye. His smile vanished as he coughed again, and Kakashi noticed in horror that the blood was almost black.

Kakashi clutched Iruka tighter to himself, the blood from Iruka’s wound seeping into his vest so Kakashi could feel it warming his skin. He pulled Iruka up for one last kiss, pulling his mask down to press his lips to his lover’s. He could taste the man’s blood on his lips, and it mingled with Iruka’s tears to make a bitter sweet taste in his mouth. He pulled away, and Iruka’s eyes started to veil as death overtook him.

“I... love you...” said Iruka, and he finally faded away, his body going limp as the blood stopped flowing. Kakashi just sat like that, rocking Iruka’s body in his arms until the sun had long set behind the mountains. The forest around him was dark now, hues of blue and black surrounding him. Finally he released his lover, lying him gently on the ground like he was made of glass. Kakashi stood, his eye refusing to leave Iruka’s now peaceful looking body even as he started to walk off.

But he soon started to sprint, his eye shining in bloodlust as he sniffed the air, immediately picking up the man’s scent. Kakashi was panting heavily as he zeroed in on the ninja, the man not nearly fast enough to get away from the Copy Nin as he deftly withdrew several kunai to throw them viciously, pinning the ninja to a tree. A kunai went through all his limbs, his cries of agony echoing in the silent forest as Kakashi landed in front of him.

Kakashi didn’t even care to see where the man was from, and didn’t say a word as he pulled the hitai-ate from his head. The Sharingan swirled as he activated it, and smiling bitterly under his mask his ensnared the man in it’s jutsu, making him experience years torture as his limbs were ripped off and his innards ripped from his stomach. After he was done the man was a wreck, his eyes glassy and foam cascading from his mouth. Kakashi usually wasn’t prone to using his eye like that, but this man more than deserved it.

Before leaving Kakashi took out on more kunai, and slit the man’s throat so deep it almost decapitated him. Disgusted by the smell of the man’s blood Kakashi tossed the tainted kunai aside, watching it fall through the leaves before hitting the ground.

Kakashi’s whole body shaking from the adrenaline and the sickening realization of every that had just transpired. His stomach turned at the thought, but he kept from retching as he made his way back to Iruka.

Kakashi’s vision was a haze as he stepped up to Iruka’s body, and bent to gingerly
pick up his dead lover. His mind was a blank as he carried him all the way back to Konoha; he had accomplished his mission, but had lost his love in the process.

~*~*~*~

Kakashi stood apart from everyone at the funeral, purposely not meeting anyone’s gaze. It had been only a few days since the mission, but it had felt like an eternity in hell for Kakashi. Everything reminded him of Iruka, from the chuunin’s clothes still littering his apartment to the lingering smell of the man still clinging to his bed. He simultaneously wanted to get rid of it all, but also didn’t want to touch a thing. It hurt immensely to have all the reminders, but he knew he couldn’t bring himself to remove it. It was all he had left of the chuunin.

Tsunade had given Kakashi a few weeks off in light of the event, although he’d rather he was given missions so he could take his mind off of it all. Instead he was being forced to sit and ponder over it again and again, trying in his mind to think of things he could have done to save Iruka’s life. The fact that he hadn’t sensed the ninja’s presence was driving him mad, and he began to question his skill at being a shinobi. His conscience refused to let him rest, and he began to think he was responsible for Iruka’s death.

Kakashi’s morbid thoughts were interrupted by wailing coming from his far left, and he turned his head to see a completely distraught looking Konohamaru clinging to a very depressed Naruto. Jiraiya stood behind the pair, an old hand lightly gripping Naruto’s shoulder. Sakura stood beside Jiraiya, her face streaked with tears and red from crying. But it was Naruto that made Kakashi’s heart clench; the blonde wasn’t crying, but the lack of tears was more disconcerting to Kakashi than if the boy had been screaming and balling. It was so unlike the boy, and Kakashi knew that Naruto was probably more upset than he was.

Kakashi himself refused to cry in public, and instead just stared forward as the memorial commenced. The jounin half listened as friends of Iruka said nice things about him; how caring he was, how much he loved children, and how much he would be missed. Then Tsunade stepped up, her face somber as she recited a speech about dying with honor and for the good of a village. Kakashi had been through many of these by now, and it all sounded the same to him. Hell, he could probably recite everything Tsunade said word for word if he wanted to.

Kakashi sighed as it finally came to an end, and watched with disinterest as the people slowly filtered out. He walked away to go stand in front of the cenotaph, his eyes wandering over everyone he ever cared about to finally land on Iruka’s etched name. Just one more person Kakashi had lost, and he thought bitterly that he had a veritable collection of them now. He wondered if he was doomed to outlive everyone as he continued to go on dangerous missions and survive every single one of them. It would be just his luck.

Kakashi stood alone, or at least he thought he was alone. Naruto had followed him and still stood some several yards away. Kakashi didn’t say a word as his former student approached him; he didn’t know what to say, and instead opted for silence. But he was surprised when he felt a warm hand clasp his own, and looked down to see Naruto gazing forward, tears streaming down his cheeks. The display finally gave the Copy Nin permission to release his own sadness, and cried softly as he grasped Naruto’s hand tighter. The silver haired jounin was never one to be comforted, but Naruto’s presence felt so natural he just accepted it, letting himself go to grief in front of a boy he had grown to respect and cherish.

They both just stood like that for several minutes until Naruto finally withdrew his hand, giving Kakashi one last heartfelt glance before slowly walking away. Kakashi felt a pang of regret for not being able to tell Naruto anything, for not comforting him in this time of need. Kakashi felt even more like a failure than before; he had lost Iruka and Sasuke, and if he wasn’t careful he’d lose Naruto as well.

Kakashi ran a gloved hand over Iruka’s name, asking the chuunin mentally what he would do in this situation. But not answer came, and Kakashi again felt the pang of loss, of the thought that he’d never be able to hold Iruka again or argue with the brunette about Naruto.

The cold marble seemed to burn his hand even as he withdrew it, and his skin was still tingling as he said, “Don’t worry Iruka; I’ll take care of him.... for you.”

A/N: Well, that was fun to write. This is actually turning into something longer than I originally thought, but oh well. I still feel bad for killing Iruka; I seem to have a fetish for tormenting my poor little dolphin. Anywho, thanks for reading, and I’d appreciate a review ^_^