soft spells from forest heart

They didn't talk in the morning.

Gathering all their belongings from the cabin didn't take long. When the sun was setting, they set off in silence.

She had a lot to say, but for some reason the words wouldn't come. Something had grown between the two of them, a barrier making them strangers again.

A familiar feeling flooded her chest, taking her breath away. Fear.

They were close to the end of their journey. With Shiguro probably already after them, and Konoha on the horizon - she felt trapped.

*

Every step was harder than the last - and not because of his physical state. Many of his past missions had been full of injuries, exhaustion and discomfort. But he had always been able to rely on his own judgement and that had helped him through the worst times.

Now he felt lost.

Just stick to the plan, he told himself, pushing ahead, step by step.

Never before had the thought of aborting a mission come to his mind.

*

They spoke to each other politely and only when needed.

Jun tried not to look at him. She really wanted all of this to be over. Waiting for the hit somehow seemed worse than experiencing the pain.

She was so tired, just like she had after leaving the Sound prison. Until now she never had to voluntarily head into another captivity and torture. Could she run away?

She gave him a quick glance. He was hurt, slower, probably not expecting her to do anything reckless.

She would run - and what then, even assuming he wouldn't catch her? She could hide for some time, but there were no safe places for her. All of the countries were willing to pay a lot for her knowledge, and that meant headhunters wherever she went.

Every step felt so heavy. She looked at the sky, the morning sun painting clouds in pastels.

It was hard to let this world go. But she might have to, while she still could. Without pain, on her own terms.

*

He heard her cautious steps behind him. She had been quiet for many hours now - he would have given a lot to know what she was thinking about.

He summoned his ninken. The dogs were happy to see them alive, but quickly noticed the shift in the atmosfere. Still, Bull and Guruko came to Jun, wagging their tails. She greeted them with the ghost of a smile; her eyes seemed empty. He hadn't seen something so sad for a long time.

*

"Kakashi," she said, breaking the long silence. "When Shiguro finds us, probably soon, just focus on him. They won't hurt me. And he's too dangerous for you to be distracted."

"Noted."

When she thought he wouldn't say anything more, he added:

"I'm not in the best shape right now. But we're close to Konoha, and if I fail, other shinobi will take my place and protect you from him. I'll send Pakkun ahead with a message. Just please, cooperate like you have until now, and no one will hurt you."

It seemed like he had thought a lot before finally saying it. His attempt to secure the mission only gave her heartache. If he was considering the possibility of being killed by Shiguro, his condition had to be bad.

She couldn't bear the thought of that.

"You have to be careful with his water jutsu," she said quickly. "Don’t use your lightning thingy unless you really have to - he's great at illusions and traps. He uses earth chakra to protect himself, too. Don't underestimate him because of his age - he's quick."

Kakashi was silent for a moment.

"Thank you, Jun," he said finally.

*

The dogs allerted him just like expected.

They were approaching the great river, and fighting there - considering Jun's earlier warning - seemed like a death wish. He decided to go higher, up the hill, where they would have a good vantage point and be far enough from the water. They should also be easy to spot when the support troops arrived.

When they reached the top, with the view of the valley opening before them, they were already waiting.

Three shinobi stood in the middle of the clearing. Kakashi figured out that the oldest one, with the strong, furious chakra, was Shiguro. He was accompanied by two men, one of them being Gato, the ninja carrying a katana on his back whom they had met before.

"You killed them all," Gato spat the second their eyes met. He drew his weapon with a sharp movement, impatient.

Shiguro stopped him with a single gesture.

"So it's true," he said, slowly walking towards Kakashi and Jun. "The infamous son of the White Fang took our little traitor."

His voice was calm on the surface, but Kakashi could sense his fury from a distance.

"I can see the Hidden Leaf Village really wants to take what's ours, and I can't blame you. But let me give you an old man's advice - consider whether it's even worth it. You're injured, and you'll be killed. We'll take the girl anyway. But if you hand her over without a fight, I might consider sparing your life. As a gesture of a goodwill in return for saving my time."

*

Kakashi didn't say a word, and Jun had the feeling he wasn't even listening to Shiguro. He was simply looking at the three men with his usual relaxed posture. But she could sense how tense he was.

Shiguro's presence filled her with nothing but fear and resentment. Years of trust and respect for her former sensei had been ereased by the last few months and now - looking at his face changed by anger, listening to disgust in his voice as he spoke about her- she couldn't understand how things had changed so rapidly, so brutally.

She didn't know the other two shinobi very well, and that was frightening. Her trust in Kakashi's skills was high, but he was wounded and alone. She was only a burden. Worse - with or without her consent, she was the reason he had to fight. The reason he had to risk his life and, she felt deep down, lose it.

One more look at him, and she made her decision.

*

Kakashi couldn't fully use his left hand, so fighting all three of them at the same time was far from ideal. The best he could do was slow them down long enough for the support to arrive and save Jun in time. Luckily, he still had his Sharingan - and his reputation.

"Too scared to even answer?" Shiguro took another step towards them. He was cocky, but cautious. The other two moved behind him like shadows. Kakashi focused on the one with the katana.

"Yes, I killed them all," he said calmly, looking him straight in the eye. "I heard they were among the strongest in Rain... But they barely managed to scratch me, even working together with all of their strength. I must admit, I was expecting something more."

The effect was immediate. Gato's eyes widened with pain and fury, and he lunged forward, this time ignoring his sensei's attempt to stop him.

Kakashi grabbed Jun with his good arm and dissapeared with her, fast as lightning.

"I'll keep them busy. Wait for the allies," he muttered before leaving her closer to the slope, where he could keep an eye on her while keeping their opponents away.

He rushed back towards Gato, not letting him get closer to Jun, and parried his katana with a kunai. Gato jumped back and attacked again, yelling in anger.

"I thought a village constantly at war would raise tougher shinobi," said Kakashi, catching him in a clinch.

It was enough to make him too furious to think clearly. Kakashi slashed downward with one powerful strike.

The other Rain shinobi yanked Gato back at the last second, saving his life. The kunai cut through his thigh instead, leaving a deep wound.

"Idiot," Shiguro spat. "Listen to my orders!"

"Not the best ones left, I see," Kakashi commented.

"Enough! Attack his left side - he's wounded there!"

If Shiguro wasn't rushing to confront him himself, Kakashi thought, either he wasn't in great shape either, or he intended to go after Jun personally. If he was sick or wounded, he was good at hiding it. Forcing him into battle would be the quickest way to find out.

Kakashi positioned himself in the middle of the clearing, keeping Jun behind his back and guarding every approach except the slope. He pulled up his headband.

Gato was easy to provoke, but he was though. Limping, he attacked with full force from Kakashi's right, trying to make him expose his injured side. His comrade struck at the same moment, aiming straight for Kakashi's heart.

He spun in a quick dodge, but they immediately returned to the same positions, forcing him to retreat - something he desperately wanted to avoid. Letting them get to Jun would cost him too much, like last time.

His attention was split between protecting his left side and watching Shiguro with the Sharingan. The old man still stood behind them, simply observing.

His opponents changed tactics, now leaving openings for counterattacks at the cost of drawing Kakashi out of position. He refused to take the bait, unwilling to let them separate him from Jun.

His left arm hurt like hell, sending waves of pain all the way to his fingertips. He was bleeding again; warmth spread beneath his shirt. Keeping up his pace demanded more and more effort. Playing for time would have been the perfect strategy under normal circumstances. He was not in the position to stretch the fight longer than needed.

Remembering Jun's warning, he avoided using lightning attacks - for now. Instead, he knelt and used an earth jutsu, shifting the ground beneath Gato's feet before striking quickly, before he could regain his balance.

It paid off. He managed to slash deeply across Gato's dominant hand, making him unable to wield his weapon. The katana slipped from his limp fingers and clattered to the ground.

Kakashi barely dodged furious attacks of the second shinobi. Then he noticed a change in Shiguro's chakra.

It was closer, lurking behind them, waiting for the right moment.

Kakashi didn't have time to figure it out. The shinobi attacked wildly, striking from left and right, relentlessly targeting his wounded arm. Defending himself was becoming too difficult. He needed the Sharingan.

He spotted an opening when the shinobi stepped back to gather momentum for another strike. Kakashi forced his aching arm forward, grabbed the man's sleeve and pulled him close.

The surprised shinobi found himself face to face with Kakashi. The dark maroon eye was the last thing he ever saw.

Something heavy crashed into Kakashi's back.

It was Gato, trying to body-slam him in a desperate attempt to save his partner.

Kakashi spun instinctively, cutting high with his kunai, precise and lethal.

Both shinobi fell to the ground, lifeless.

*

Kakashi's determination to keep her beyond Shiguro's reach gave her the perfect opportunity. She had only a few seconds to make her final decision.

All it would take was a couple steps backwards. The cliff behind her, with raging river far, far below, was the perfect solution, the exit she needed.

Just one last move, and she would be free of pain.

What doomed her was a simple desire to see Kakashi one more time.

One glance was enough for her to realize with terror that he had already lost.

*

Kakashi noticed it a second later.

Shiguro hadn't move the entire time, but his range was astonishing. Standing at a distance, never risking direct combat, he had covered almost the entire battlefield with an impossibly thin layer of mist.

It was invisible to Kakashi's normal eye. The Sharingan showed him the veil of water coating everything around him, including his legs.

"So you finally see," Shiguro smiled. "You probably know how much water there is in the human body. I only need an opening to establish the connection."

Kakashi understood.

His blood, dripping down his body from the open wound.

Shiguro formed a hand seal and knelt, placing one hand against the ground.

For a second Kakashi didn't understand what was happening. Then he noticed movement behind him.

The bodies of Gato and the other shinobi were twitched.

Sharp, unnatural movements forced them on their hands and knees. Their bloody faces remained still, empty eyes devoid of even the faintest trace of life.

Shiguro made them stand. Heavy silhouettes, crooked to one side, their heads hanging limply against their chests like broken marionettes, took one step towards Kakashi.

Then another.

Kakashi wasn't surprised that he couldn't move, not even an inch.

He could only watch as the bodies reached for the weapons lying on the ground, stiff fingers forced shut around their hilts.

Shiguro positioned Gato on Kakashi's right, the other shinobi - on his left.

That was it. Kakashi had neither the time nor strength to do anything.

The bodies raised their weapons in sharp motion.

Kakashi

- slowly lifts his eyebrows

- so the tease fest begins, huh?

- you'll regret it later

Sasuke

- walks up to the kitchen counter

- slowly pushes the mug to the edge, looking you straight in the eyes

Shikamaru

- "you're trying to trick me into the doggy style, aren't you"

Naruto

- "i am THE BEST boy"

- he says as he lays his head on your lap, his big blue eyes looking up at you with endless love and devotion

Gaara

- he smiles, hugs you and kisses you on the forehead

- he doesn't really know what that means, but it sounds like a compliment to him

- blushes when you explain it to him

Kiba

- sats you on the kitchen counter

- falls to his knees

- spreads your legs

Rock Lee

- blushes

- gets hyper like a puppy

- starts kissing you everywhere

Itachi

- gives you a tired look and gets back to work

- reminds you your words late at night

- "let's see if you're a good girl then"

Neji

- he's offended

- that's so immature and disrespectful

- wakes you up in the middle of the night and asks if you really think he's a good boy

- you reassure him and he goes back to sleep peacefully

Shino

- he just stares at you

Kakashi

He proposed it first.

To be honest, there was no other way. It was so cold you didn't feel your feet and hands already. Sleeping alone would have been risky, not to say: stupid.

The thought of it made your stomach flutter in a weird way, even if the purpose was simply survival.

You set your small camp together in silence, moving with the effortless coordination you'd developed over the course of the mission.

You both were tired, already travelling for a long time, far from villages and comforts.

Kakashi put his bedroll next to the campfire, in a small nook provided by a big tree trunk, shielding you from the freezing wind.

"You can sleep first," Kakashi said, crawling under the thin fabric and making room for you.

It was too cold and you were too tired to even hesitate. Maybe later, if the gods let you make it out of this mission alive, you would come back to this moment and have time to process that you slept in the same bedroll with Kakashi Hatake, the man you were yearning for for ages.

Now you just squeezed yourself inside the cover, as respectfully as the situation allowed.

"I-" Kakashi cleared his throat. "I know it's probably uncomfortable, but if you turn to face me, I could warm your hands a bit."

Your heart started pounding just on the thought of that.

You slowly wiggled your body to lay on your side. Your gaze settled on his chest, dressed in the black shirt. You didn't have the courage to look up.

His hands found yours.

"Your fingers are cold as ice," he sounded worried. "Do you want to put them under my shirt, skin to skin? It'll be the fastest way to warm them up."

You considered the possibility that you already died and your body was laying somewhere, frozen still. And now you were experiencing your personal heaven.

"Okay," you agreed in a high pitched voice.

He took your hands and put them under his clothes, pressing them against his chest, just like that.

You were cursing your stupid fingertips for being too stiff to feel anything beside the warmth.

But it was his warmth, and that was more than enough.

----------------------------------------

Sasuke

Neither of you wanted to admit that you were too exhausted to continue your journey.

It was late at night, the cold rain was robbing your bodies of the last ounces of warmth. You were shivering under your dark cloak, pushing forward only on pure stubbornness.

Suddenly, Sasuke stopped under a slope providing a small shelter from the rain.

You shot him a questioning look.

"We're stopping for the night," he said. "I can hear your teeth chattering from a few feet away."

"I'm fine," you said firmly. Even if it wasn't true, showing even a hint of weakness in front of him never sat well with you.

"Sure," he answered with arms crossed on his chest. "If you faint along the way, I'll just leave you."

"Oh, how lucky I am to have a teammate like you."

"We're staying there until sunrise," he ordered, ignoring your comment. "I'll make a fire."

You hid under the slope, grateful for the break. It was so relieving not to feel heavy rain hitting your skull incessantly for hours you almost wanted to cry. You sucked it up instead and took off the cloak, heavy from water and unpleasantly sticking to your skin.

When the campfire was ready, Sasuke followed your footsteps and joined you on the ground. You unpacked both of your bedrolls.

"Your lips are blue," said Sasuke, his dark eyes glancing over your face. "Do you have any spare clothes?"

"No."

He murmured something angrily.

"Then we will share."

"What?"

"I have a spare set of clothes, they should be dry. You can take the top."

When you finally undestood what he was proposing, your face instantly went red.

"I-I think I'll be alright, we have the fire..."

Sasuke thought for a second.

"No," he said strictly. "If you fall ill, we'll fuck up the whole mission. We need to change in dry clothes and warm ourselves up as quickly as possible."

"You want me to stay just in your shirt?" you asked in a faint voice.

"It'll be long enough on you."

"But you'll be left with nothing but pants. You'll get cold."

"Not if we stay close to each other. Stop inventing problems and just do as I say."

He pulled his clothes out of the bag and gave you a neatly folded shirt.

"Change now. I'll turn around."

You stopped trying to change his mind. The fact was, the cold clothes stuck to your body really made it impossible to warm up. And if Sasuke himself was offering you his shirt, you're gonna take it, for fucks sake.

It really was long enough to at least cover your ass. The fabric was dry and thick, and it smelled nice. You changed into it quickly and rushed to your bedroll, burying yourself in it up to your nose.

You didn't dare to look at Sasuke until he put his bedroll down right next to yours.

He was indeed shirtless. Droplets from his still-wet black hair were streaming down his arms and chest, slowly drawing lines on his skin, curving around muscles.

Miraculously you weren't cold anymore.

-------------------------------------

Shikamaru

"I'm freezing my ass off," you muttered angrily, rubbing your hands together.

He was the one leading your two-person team on this mission, and it was his idea you'd stay the night at some ruins at the top of the hill. The observing point was great, but you couldn't even light a fire without being spotted. And the night was freezing cold.

"Can we mourn your ass in silence," asked Shikamaru with his usual annoyed tone. "Just try to get some sleep."

"I already tried, smartass. Not everyone is like you - capable of sleeping in any conditions."

"Not any. I can't sleep when someone is constantly whining."

You stayed silent for a whole minute.

"I think my corner of this stupid hut is colder than yours."

"Then come here."

You hesitated for a second.

"Can't we just switch places?"

"I'm not moving anywhere."

"Fine."

You took your bedroll and dragged it across the floor, stopping about a foot away from Shikamaru. It seemed proper enough.

"Happy?" he asked, when you lay back down.

You checked.

"No. It's as cold as before."

He sighed.

"I thought women store more fat under their skin to stay warm."

"Women have slower metabolism, you dumbass," you hissed. "And estrogen makes us feel cold easier. It's basic knowledge."

His silence was the best proof that he didn't know about that, which would give you satisfaction, if you weren't so uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry I didn't take it under consideration," he said, and it was surprisingly nice for his standards.

"It's okay. It's just this fucking stone floor, cold as ice."

"All i can offer is lying on me instead," Shikamaru said in this specific voice you heard from him a couple of times before. The voice you couldn't really decipher, if he was joking or being serious.

"That would be nice," you said, just to tease him. If he wanted to fluster you, he picked the wrong one.

Shikamaru lifted his head enough to look at you. His dark eyes were curious, as if he was checking how serious you were.

"Then come here."

It suddenly became a game of who will back down first. And you, if you were honest, didn't like to lose.

You stood up, and he opened up the zipper of his sleeping bag.

You moved over him, and he was looking at you with a challenge in his eyes.

You knelt down with his body between your legs and he... became red.

"Don’t get all worked up, pervert," you said, knowing damn well you won this round.

But then he put his big hands at your hips, not breaking the eye contact, and suddenly something in you shifted. Your throat got dry.

"Just lay down already, smartass," he answered with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

--------------------------------------

Naruto

"It's so cold," you stated the obvious, shivering in your sleeping bag.

You and Naruto were spending the night under the bare sky, with nothing to shield you from the freezing wind.

"I know exactly what to do," said Naruto, getting straight down to work.

He left his bedroll and started taking off his shoes.

"What the hell are you doing?" you asked. When it came to him, everything was possible, and you were not sure yet if you should be concerned.

"I remember it from training! When it's really cold, and you're with someone, you can share one sleeping bag together, but facing opposite ways. This way, I can put my feet under your armpits, and you can do the same. Get it? It's a great hack to not lose your feet in freezing temperatures!"

"Naruto," you tried not to laugh. He was so proud of himself. "We didn't shower for two days. Get your feet back into your shoes."

"Oh, come on, give it a try!"

"Won't happen. It's not even freezing, just cold. Our feet are safe, I think."

"Fine." Naruto put his shoes back with a pouty face.

Suddenly, he brightened up again.

"What about hands?" he asked.

"What about hands?" you repeated.

"I can get into your sleeping bag and you can warm your hands under my armpits."

"And let you stick your hands under mine? Nice try, Naruto."

"No, just your hands. I'm not that cold anyway. With you in the bedroll, I think I would be alright."

His face was so cute and innocent, as always. And you didn't really mind sleeping next to him.

"Fine. Come here," you said, making space for him.

He rushed to you with the biggest smile. The sleeping bag squeezed you both tighter than you thought it would. Suddenly you found yourself closer to Naruto's body than you have ever been.

He wiggled and moved for a while, making himself comfortable, not minding tossing you around a little. When he finally stopped, you had one leg around his hips and his arm under your head.

"This is nice," he said, smiling down at you, blushing a little.

It was indeed very nice.

"Now put your hands under my armpits."

"You know what, there's no need," you said in a sleepy voice.

------------------------------------------

Gaara

You had no idea the desert nights were that cold.

Not being fully prepared for your mission was not your style and made you ashamed of yourself. Especially since you were with the Kazekage himself.

He, used to the desert climate, had a nice, thick sleeping bag.

You took only your thinnest blanket. It was embarrassing.

While both of you were getting ready to sleep, you hoped he wouldn't notice. At first it seemed like it - he wished you a goodnight and closed his eyes.

You curled up under your cover and watched his peaceful face. The view was breathtaking - dunes to the horizon, night sky dusted with stars. And him, with his maroon hair - such a perfect addition to the landscape.

It didn't take long for you to start trembling with cold.

"Well, all I can do is make it to the morning," you thought.

But the temperature dropped so much it was hard to bear. You hid your hands between your thighs, but your feet dressed in light shoes, so comfortable during the day, were freezing. Your nose started running.

"Fantastic," you thought, feeling more and more uneasy. "I was supposed to show myself from the best side. And now he will see me unprepared and sick. Couldn't be better."

Too tired to beat yourself up endlessly, you finally fell asleep.

A quiet sound of crackling fire woke you up.

You opened your eyes and didn't see the stars.

You jumped to your feet in fear, drawing a kunai.

But then you saw Gaara sitting next to the campfire, giving you the reassuring smile.

You looked around and realized you're in some kind of cave, made of... sand.

Gaara's sand.

The realisation hit you like a brick.

"Are you warm now?" Gaara asked quietly, worry in his voice.

"Yes," you choked out.

He made a whole shelter, just so you could be warm.

Your heart started pounding.

"I'm so sorry," you whispered, not able to look him in the eyes.

"For what?" he looked confused.

"I caused you so much trouble!"

He shook his head.

"You were taking care of me for the whole day. I should make sure you're comfortable during the night. I'm sorry that i didn't notice earlier."

-----------------------------------------

Kiba

"Hey, is something wrong?" Kiba asked, pointing at you suspiciously, like you were trying to hide something from him.

Because you were. And he, as always, noticed a change in you.

You were the one guarding your little camp, while he and Akamaru tried to catch some sleep. You were supposed to switch later.

The thing was, it was so freaking cold. On one hand, it successfully chased the sleep away. On the other, you were so jealous of Kiba and Akamaru, cuddling together so peacefully.

"Everything is fine," you answered Kiba's question.

Akamaru lifted his head, silently judging you. They both knew you were lying.

"Sure. Your scent is telling me something different."

"Stop smelling me."

"Are you not feeling well?"

You gave up, knowing he won't leave you alone.

"I'm fine. I'm just cold."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, surprised.

"Akamaru, let's go."

"What are you doing?" you asked, watching them getting up and stretching.

"We can cuddle in a pack," answered Kiba like it was the most obvious solution.

And maybe it was in the Inuzuka clan, you thought.

Before you could voice your objections, Kiba sat next to you and wrapped his arm around you, pulling you closer.

Akamaru lay down by your side and placed his big, fluffy head on your lap.

Your cheeks started burning. It was not usual for you to cuddle with anybody, especially on a mission. For them, it was like the most natural thing in the world.

Kiba's hand caressed your arm. He leaned his head back and not long after started snoring quietly.

It took you a couple of minutes to relax your stiff body. You even gathered the courage to rest your head on Kiba's chest.

It was warm and comfortable. You heard his strong heartbeat and it made you feel... safe.

------------------------------------------

Rock Lee

You were pretty sure Lee would want to continue your travel for the whole night. He didn't show any signs of exhaustion, not even the slightest hint of fatigue.

You couldn't say the same about you. You needed a break and, more importantly, to warm yourself up. The night was so cool you started to worry you'd catch a cold.

You were embarrassed to ask for setting up a camp, but it was Lee - you knew he wouldn't judge you too much.

"Lee, I'm afraid I need to stop," you said. "It's so cold I can barely feel my body."

He turned around to face you, instantly worried.

"Oh! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked, taking off his backpack. Before you realised what he was doing, he took out his cloak and wrapped it around your arms.

"Look, i think we could set up a camp near these trees. Let's go, it's not too far."

He led you there, sat you down and started setting up a tent.

"Lee, you don't have to do it all by yourself-" you tried to interrupt him, but he gently took tent pegs off your hands.

"I can see now how tired you are. Just rest, i'll take care of it this time."

Just a couple of minutes later the tent was ready. Lee took your backpacks inside and called you over.

"Quick, to the sleeping bag," he ordered and you noticed that he zipped the two of them together, so they became one big sleeping space.

Lee blushed under your look.

"The most efficient way to warm someone up is with another person's body heat," he said with his usual enthusiasm.

You could only blame yourself for the turn your thoughts took.

He got into the sleeping bag first and lifted the fabric in a welcoming gesture, unaware of your sinful imagination.

And sinful eyes, noticing the tensed biceps of the arm he was leaning on, and the muscles of his chest, visible in that position even beneath his jumpsuit.

You slipped into the bedroll, getting redder and redder in your face.

"Do you mind if I cuddle you?" Lee asked shyly.

"I don't," your voice was hoarse.

He went closer, putting one arm around your waist - respectfully, hand placed on the ground.

The heat radiating from him was so comforting, so tempting for your freezing body.

You switched to your side, becoming a little spoon, and he followed up immediately, cuddling you from the back.

His breath tickled your neck.

"You'll be warm soon," Lee said in uplifting tone.

You quickly forgot about the cold, focusing on all of the places where your bodies were touching.

-----------------------------------------

Itachi

Itachi had never missed any detail in his life, you were pretty sure, so it was not really a surprise, when he said:

"I can see you're cold and exhausted. You can just tell me, there's no need to push over your limits."

"Noted," you said, not seeing the point in arguing. It was true you tend to overwork yourself and he had spoken about it with you once. Or twice.

"Let's take a break. There's a small cave, half an hour from there, on the east. We can spend the night there."

You didn't question his familiarity with the area. Working with Itachi was accepting that he simply knew things.

The cave had just enough room for two people, but in those conditions it was more than enough.

"I remembered it being bigger," said Itachi. "It'll have to do."

You sat in the deepest corner, knees to your chest. It was nice to have a shelter from the wind. And it was nice to watch Itachi's hands, when he was lighting a fire.

It was a little secret pleasure of yours. His long fingers had always been mesmerizing to you.

"Come, sit closer to the fire," he ordered. You obeyed, squeezing yourself between the cave wall and his body. You sat there in silence, arm to arm; the fire slowly warmed you up. Your muscles stopped trembling with cold and your body finally relaxed a little. Sleepiness caught you off guard; suddenly it was impossible to keep your eyes open. You slowly drifted off.

You woke up in Itachi's arms.

It took you a second to realize that you fell asleep as you were sitting next to him. You probably just fell on him and he was too kind not to wake you up.

You jerked back in terror and embarrassment.

Itachi let you move away from him, but didn't take the arm he was holding you with off your back.

"I'm so sorry," you murmured, feeling all hot and flustered.

"It's okay. Let's just sleep."

You looked him in his dark, forever-tired eyes. It was always so hard to decipher what was hiding behind them. Especially when they were as close.

He gently pulled you closer, and you obeyed, letting him place you in his arms.

-----------------------------------------

Neji

Your hands were shaking so much you were barely able to lit the fire at your camp.

It was the coldest night in your life, and it caught you under the bare sky, in the middle of a mission far, far from home. You couldn't believe when it began to snow - small white flakes were peacefully falling from the sky, making you feel completely alone in the world.

You were travelling solo for over a week now, and it already took a toll on you. Even basic human interaction felt in this moment like something precious, undervalued by you till now.

Shinobi instinct kicked in even despite your exhaustion. Someone was coming.

You quickly stamped out the fire, covered up your tracks and hid on a tree.

You weren't expecting to hear familiar voice.

"Byakugan."

Neji came alone. You couldn't mistaken his dark, long hair, tall posture and, above all, striking light eyes, which were piercing right through you at this moment.

"Come down immediately. You're so cold I have almost mistaken you for a tree branch." His voice was harsh, but you knew him well enough to know it meant he was worried.

You jumped off the tree.

"Neji? Something bad happened?" You asked, feeling your stomach dropping.

"Not yet," he answered, observing you carefully. Swollen veins showed up near his eyes.

"Everything alright?" You asked, feeling uneasy.

"No."

He knelt, taking off his backpack, and began building a new campfire in a place of destroyed one.

"I finished my mission earlier and wanted to check on you. Definitely wasn't expecting to find you in that state," he said angrily.

Flick of a match, and fire spread on dry sticks neatly formed into the stack. The way flames reflected in his eyes was hypnotizing.

"In what state?" You asked, sitting down. You were so tired you allowed the possibility that he was just a product of your imagination. Which should probably scare you.

"You're close to hypothermia," he answered. "Don’t stop moving. Stand up and walk around me."

You simply obeyed, not wanting to worry Neji - imagined or not.

He quickly finished with fire and set up your sleeping bag.

"Now get inside," he ordered, and you welcomed it with a sigh of relief. You could barely stand from exhaustion.

The inside of the sleeping bag was warm and cosy, probably. To be honest, you couldn't feel that much.

Neji wrapped himself in his bedroll like it was a cloak. Then he took you in his arms, sweeping you of the forest floor.

You gasped, surprised. Strong hands pulled you close. Neji sat near the fire, placing you on his lap.

"You can't manhandle me like that," you said in a weak voice.

"We'll talk about it next time."

One hand was rubbing your legs, from feet upwards, the other took care of your arms. You rested your head on his chest.

"Don’t fall asleep," Neji rasped to your ear.

"Are you angry at me?"

"Yes."

"I can't control the weather, you know."

He sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry."

-----------------------------------------

Shino

You always liked missions, where it was just the two of you. You seemed to understand each other well, both operating the best in silence. Shino was your only teammate you felt comfortable with, when you were not talking- he was giving you the space to simply exist, without wasting energy on socialising.

Since you both were mostly living in your pretty closed up worlds, you didn't expect him to notice, that you were not doing great.

You decided to spend the night under the trees, but the temperature dropped too low.

You tried to fall asleep, burying yourself under the thick layers of sleeping bag, a blanket, and your coat, but you just felt too cold.

"Your limbs are too cold," you heard a voice from under another tree, where Shino earlier took his bedroll.

"My limbs and everything else," you answered, trying not to sound too whiny.

"How do you know? You're cold too?"

"No, my bugs told me."

"Oh, right."

You thought it would end on this simple exchange, but a moment later you heard some noise. You lifted your head to see Shino dragging his sleeping bag to you.

You quietly observed, as he placed it close to your body and knelt on the ground. As if it wasn't surprising enough, he took off his coat. Which he rarely had been taken off.

He placed it at the top of your mound.

"Thank you," you said, really touched by his kindness. "But aren't you cold now?"

"I suggest we cuddle," answer Shino, which made you question everything you had known about him to this moment.

"Kiba taught me this on long missions," he explained, shrugging his arms.

"Oh," you suddenly felt... butterflies. And they were not Shino's. "Sure, we can cuddle."

He lay down as close to you as he could and snuggled to your side. You looked up - it was nice to see his dark brown hair, usually hidden under a hood. You never saw Shino's face from this close. The dark glasses were shielding his eyes, as always, and you thought how nice it would be to see them.

"You're staring at me," said Shino.

"I can't see if you're doing the same," you replied, which was a sneaky move from you, you had to admit.

As you were hoping to, he took off his glasses, sliding them on the top of his head.

His eyes were dark, with surprisingly long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks.

You lost your words for a minute, just admiring how beautiful they were.

And realizing how hot you were getting.

Kakashi

- he sits up so fast, instantly wide awake

- he heard what?

- he wouldn’t be more surprised if someone attacked him in his sleep

- he starts wondering if he just imagined it because he wants it to be his name

- but then he hears it again, a little louder, a little longer

- congratulations, your voice has just engraved itself into his memory forever

- a thousand thoughts race through his mind, and he starts feeling a little feverish

- now he definitely has something to think about for the rest of the night

--------------------------------------------

Sasuke

- he smirks

- of course you would think about him. who else?

- he decides it's so obvious you have a crush on him

- completely ignoring the fact that he spent last week losing sleep over whether you felt the same way about him

- also, he can't stop smiling like an idiot

------------------------------------------

Shikamaru

- he almost misses it because he was already drifting off

- but then he hears it again and opens his eyes, confused

- is that what he thinks it is

- well, that changes a lot

- also, you're bold for doing that with nothing but a wall between you

- you must really want him

- as if he hadn't been falling asleep thinking about you every night lately

-------------------------------------------

Naruto

- he thinks you're calling for him and leaves his room without thinking

- just before knocking on your door, he realizes what's actually going on

- and freezes there with the dumbest expression on his face, suddenly feeling very, very hot

- he quietly sneaks back to his room, face burning, butterflies going wild in his stomach

- and immediately presses his ear against the wall, hoping to hear a little more

----------------------------------------------

Gaara

- he's not entirely sure what's happening, but hearing you say his name in that voice rewires something in his brain

- he feels like he was never supposed to hear that and gets unbelievably flustered

- he'll never admit it happened

- but he'll treasure that memory in his heart forever

-----------------------------------------

Kiba

- definitely unexpected, but more than welcome

- he'll absolutely ask you about it later

- he wasn't completely sure you liked him that way before, but now that it's been cleared up, he has no intention of wasting any more time

- also, that's incredibely hot

- when he thinks about it, why he shouldn't just join in from his own bed

------------------------------------------

Rock Lee

- did you just...? No, there's no way

- but then he hears it again, and this time it's unmistakable

- he desperately tries to think if you know any other Lee, but comes up with nothing

- he stands up, then sits back down

- he turns pale, then red, then pale again

- his heart starts pounding, his brain short-circuits

Jun was acting automatically, not letting her fear take the lead.

She unzipped Kakashi's vest. His blouse was soaked in blood, cut just under his right collarbone. In the vest’s pockets, she found bandages and a handful of different vials.

She pressed the patch to the wound in his chest, slipping it under his blouse. He groaned in pain. She slid her hand under his back and placed a second patch beneath his shoulder blade.

“Which vial?” she asked, her voice tense.

“…The green one.”

She snapped the tip off the vial, pulled Kakashi’s mask down, and poured the liquid onto his lips.

“I’ll sleep now,” he whispered, slipping back into unconsciousness.

She let herself stare at his face for only a second. It was beautiful, and she wanted to remember how he really looked.

Then she took one of his kunai and stood up. She had a lot to do.

*

He slept for a long time, tormented by fever dreams. A few times, he woke with the sudden thought that he was alone; too weak and dazed by the medicine, he quickly drifted off again.

Finally, a terrifying realization made him jerk upright, eyes wide open. Sharp pain shot through his shoulder, followed by a single thought: she was gone.

“Lie down, Kakashi!”

A small figure moved near the door.

He needed a second to orient himself.

Jun hadn’t run away. She was sitting by the door, blocking the entrance with her body, a kunai clenched tightly in her hand.

She had patched him up, covered him with a blanket, and guarded him while he slept.

He wanted to hug her.

“Kakashi?” Jun got up, worried.

“I’m fine,” he said quickly, his voice hoarse.

“Sure. You just have a hole through your body. Here — you need to drink some water. And eat something.”

She reached for the bags lying in a pile on the floor. They hadn’t been there before.

“Those are…”

“I took them from Rain shinobi,” she said quietly.

“You went back?”

“Yeah. I didn’t know how long you’d be unconscious or what you might need.”

“Jun… that was really dangerous. What about that Shiguro—”

“That was my main reason for going back — to remove all of our traces. If he found us here, we’d be dead by now.”

“You cleared our traces?”

Kakashi felt lightheaded. He lay back down, keeping his eyes on her, trying to piece together what had actually happened.

“Yes. I was a shinobi once, you know. I can do a thing or two. Here — drink. You slept for a long time.”

He took the canteen she handed him and emptied it in one gulp.

“How long?” he asked.

“A whole day. And part of the night. Eat some bread too.”

He noticed her hand was shaking. She looked exhausted.

“You need to rest,” he said.

“No need. I’m fine. I’ll stand guard so you can recover.”

A strange lightness spread through his chest.

“Why didn’t you run away?” he finally asked the question that had been bothering him.

“I wanted to,” she admitted. “But I couldn’t leave you like that. You were bleeding badly. And… in the last few days, you showed me more kindness than anyone ever has.”

He knew he cared for her more than he should have — even if he wouldn’t admit it.

“I need to get you to Konoha in one piece,” he said.

“Yeah,” she replied quickly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “It doesn’t matter. You saved me back then — from Mirai.”

“She wouldn’t have killed you,” he said quietly.

“No. But she would’ve cast her jutsu through the wound, making me unable to resist. Then she and Giru could’ve controlled me even without Tora’s seal.”

“He said he would probably die by my hand.”

“Yeah. I think he wanted to distract you long enough to hurt you. And in some way, he succeeded — if Shigure finds us now, you can’t fight.”

“You knew them well,” Kakashi said gently.

She nodded.

“I knew them all for as long as I can remember,” she said. “We were in the same team — Tora, Giru, and me. Mirai was my friend. We were all friends… at least I thought so for a long time.”

She looked him in the eyes.

“I don’t know how much you know about me. In my home, I’m known as a traitor. I don’t think that’s true — at least not completely. But for them, I was. I think I was just unlucky.

“I was trained in intelligence; that was my role in the team. One day, Shigure ordered us to gather information on a specific person. I didn’t know anything about them — I was just his soldier. He ordered, I obeyed.

“Tora and Giru stayed behind, ready to intervene if something went wrong. I snuck in and listened. Unfortunately, I heard things I shouldn’t have. After his confession, the culprit killed his comrades — and himself.

“I trusted my friends. I trusted my sensei. So I came back and told them the truth — that I had heard everything, but some things should never be brought to light.

“At first, they thought I was joking. Then they thought I was in shock and unable to think clearly. Shigure finally lost his patience and locked me up.

“Tora and Giru tried to convince me to talk, said it wasn’t worth the consequences I’d face. At first, they were worried — but when one day turned into a week, then into a month in jail, they lost their patience too.

“I heard I had lost my mind. But it felt like everyone else had lost theirs. And when the torture began, I became even more certain I was doing the right thing.

“I think Shigure’s obsession with that forbidden information attracted other intelligence cells. I spent two months in Rain’s prison. Then Sound shinobi came — and somehow, it got even worse.”

Kakashi didn’t say a word. He just listened.

“I know those were the consequences of my decision,” she continued. “But since then, nobody has treated me like a human being — only like a vessel everyone tried to pry open by force. Until I met you.”

Tears filled her eyes, but she wiped them away roughly.

“That’s why — even if you’re taking me to another prison — I wanted to repay you somehow. For your kindness.”

“Come here,” he said softly. “Please.”

She obeyed, kneeling beside him. Kakashi looked into her teary eyes, fighting his feelings. Finally, he pulled her closer with his good arm.

She didn’t resist. She clung to his side, resting her head against his chest. He caressed her hair, her back.

There was so much he wanted to tell her — but he bit his tongue. His feelings couldn’t take the lead. The mission still came first, and he didn’t know what that meant for her. He wasn’t the one to decide.

*

For this one moment, she didn’t care about the future. She focused entirely on his closeness — his warmth, the weight of his shoulder, his gentle touch.

Something in her wanted to remember this. For later. For the hard times, when reality would catch up with her again.

*

“My father died because he chose to save his team instead of completing the mission,” Kakashi said quietly. “He was branded a traitor, and it destroyed him. I was a child then. For a long time, I believed that following orders was the most important thing.

“My friend showed me otherwise — that the people you love always come first. That’s when I realized my father wasn’t a traitor. He was a hero.”

*

When she fell asleep, he gently kissed the top of her head. Her hair smelled like autumn leaves.

He wanted to hold her endlessly. She seemed so fragile. He wanted to know her — what she liked, what she thought.

But that would’ve been one step too far.

He had already gone too far — he knew it. Still, he couldn’t resist this one moment of comfort and peace. For her. And for himself.

She shifted in her sleep, tilting her head back and bending her leg. Her lips were close to his face now, her thigh brushing against his.

She sighed; her breath tickled his neck. His heart began to pound.

*

Jun forced herself to leave Kakashi’s side only because of his wound. He stirred, waking up. For a second, his arm reached out, searching for her where she had been moments before.

Warmth bloomed in her chest.

“We need to take care of your wound,” she said when he looked at her, confused. “You were pierced all the way through, you know.”

“Not for the first time,” he replied, his voice still hoarse with sleep. “And probably not the last.”

“Shinobi life is tough, I guess. Come on — if you lift up a bit and take off your shirt, I can clean the wound and bandage you properly.”

“That’s a decent excuse to make me undress,” he blurted out.

The meaning of his own words hit him a second later. Jun glanced at him, surprised, and he felt his face heat up.

“You were the first one who made me take my shirt off, remember?” she said, bending over the supplies she had organized earlier.

She let her hair fall forward, hiding her face — but he still noticed her smile.

“I couldn’t forget that,” he said.

What was he doing? He shouldn’t say things like that. Up until now, he had been doing so well at controlling himself.

He tried to blame the medication, his weakness — but deep down, he knew better.

You need to stop.

So why was he following her with his eye as she gathered the supplies? Why did he want so badly to see her without the oversized shirt hiding her figure?

He rubbed his good eye.

No matter what was happening to him, he needed to get himself together.

*

Jun felt the shift in the atmosphere.

Just moments ago, everything had been calm and comforting — and now… it was different. As if the temperature in the cabin had suddenly risen.

Acting casual became harder as a strange flutter filled her chest.

Kakashi was watching her with an inscrutable expression when she sat down beside him.

“Take off your shirt,” she said, trying to sound casual.

It didn’t quite come out that way.

He obeyed without a word, without breaking eye contact.

She realized she had forgotten to breathe. Her hands were shaking.

She forced herself to focus on his wound, on the blood-soaked bandages — not on his sculpted chest, broad shoulders, or — gods help her — his toned stomach, the faint line of silver hair disappearing beneath the hem of his pants.

Her face was burning.

Wound. Horrible wound, she repeated in her mind.

It didn’t help.

Her trembling fingers managed to remove the old bandages and clean the wound. Kakashi flinched when she touched him, but he didn’t make a sound.

He leaned forward obediently when she reached the cut on his back.

Unfortunately, he was just as attractive from this angle.

She took a fresh bandage and began wrapping it around his chest, one knee between his legs.

When she leaned forward to pass the bandage from one hand to the other, he placed his hand on her hip.

It seemed casual. Natural.

Her skin burned beneath his touch.

She dared to look into his uncovered eye.

It was a mistake.

*

She was too close.

He felt her warmth — her scent, her skin.

His body reacted before his mind could stop it. His hand slipped beneath her shirt, caressing her hip, her waist, her stomach.

He pulled her closer.

Their eyes stayed locked. Their hearts pounded at the same wild pace.

He kissed her.

*

It was a long, slow kiss — one that made everything feel unreal. She felt like a flame flickering beneath his fingers.

His lips — beautiful lips — kissed her as if they’d done it a thousand times before. Gently. Passionately. Awakening feelings she had never known.

She felt herself drifting into something unknown.

And she didn’t have the strength to stop.

*

It was wonderful.

Too wonderful.

What the hell was he doing?

He had fucked up everything.

Before the kiss, there had been a way back. Still painful, but unspoken.

Now he had to stop.

“I’m… sorry,” he whispered, barely catching his breath, forcing himself to pull away.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes softer than before — dreamy, starry.

She was so beautiful.

He had to look away.

“We need to stop,” she said quietly.

He nodded.

Her fingers trembled as she finished bandaging his wound. He didn’t dare look at her anymore.

This couldn’t happen again.

No matter how much he wanted it.

*

Something had changed — and she knew it was irreversible.

Their journey couldn’t last forever.

Her feelings tried to deceive her, reaching for hope in dangerous places. Her body ached for closeness, and the kiss felt like a door opening to something new. Something terrifying.

Something she craved with her whole being.

Kakashi put his shirt back on and thanked her without looking at her.

Sudden exhaustion washed over her.

Maybe those tender moments weren’t good for her after all.

Coming back to reality hurt too much.

*

Seeing how she lost her smile, how she curled up in the corner of the cabin — quiet, withdrawn, just like when he had first met her — felt like a punch to his gut.

He didn’t know how to make things right anymore.

He couldn’t trust himself where she was concerned. The boundaries blurred too quickly, too naturally.

He had to remember this wasn’t a normal situation.

The power imbalance between a jōnin on a mission and the mission’s target was unfair. And dangerous.

Logic told him clearly: he couldn’t trust his feelings. Only reason would get them through this safely.

“Tomorrow, we head to Konoha as fast as we can,” he said firmly — almost convincing himself.

She had turned her back to him. He couldn’t see her face.

“Do you want me to summon Bull and the rest of the pack?” he asked.

“I’d rather not,” she replied quietly.

He respected her wish.

*

She tried to sleep.

She couldn’t.

Anger churned inside her — how could she have let herself be so blinded by her feelings? She had known disappointment was the only possible outcome.

Maybe she had never truly believed he could feel the same way.

It had been so long since anyone had kissed her — it felt like another lifetime. And now it was him. Someone she cared for far more than she wanted to admit.

She wanted to hate him. That would’ve been easier. He was leading her to another prison. Another torment.

Even if he treated her kindly, it didn’t change the end of the road. In the end, she was still a target he had to deliver.

It hurt to realize, once again, that in this world — in this lifetime — she was alone.

*

He didn’t sleep at all.

His eye kept drifting to her curled-up figure. He wanted to pull her into his arms. Hold her. Kiss her.

He knew the world wasn’t fair. Some people simply weren’t meant for happy endings.

Still, he wanted to protect her from everything. It was hard to accept that, in some way, he himself was part of the danger.

It broke his heart.

He told himself feelings were just feelings. They passed.

Longing passed too.

This was just another mission. Soon it would be over. His life wouldn’t change much.

But hers?

That thought refused to leave him.

He trusted the Hokage to make the right decision — for the village, and for everyone involved. And he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.

But in the end, her fate wasn’t in his hands.

And — the most brutal realization of all — not in hers either.

Kakashi

- his whole reality shifts; he's completely thrown off

- the dream was vivid, a mixture of an Icha Icha plot and real-life situations

- he's now painfully aware of how attracted he is to you

- and he can't even distract himself with reading because now he sees you in the female protagonist

- he tries to avoid you for a while because he's afraid you'll somehow figure it out

- he feels like a pervert

- and he can't stop replaying the dream over and over in his mind

--------------------------------------------

Sasuke

- he wouldn't admit to it even under torture

- he's quite good at pretending nothing happened, or at least he thinks he is

- but all it takes is your accidental touch when you lean over to grab something from your bag

- and suddenly he freezes, staring at you as he remembers a certain position from his dream

- his ears turn red, and he tries not to breathe

- you smile at him softly after noticing his gaze, and for some reason he suddenly needs to stand up and take a walk

--------------------------------------------------

Shikamaru

- he tries to remember what he was thinking about before falling asleep because he wouldn't mind if it happened again

- when he sees you, he tries to separate the real you from the dream version of you, but it's not easy — suddenly he starts noticing little things, like the way you lean back when you laugh, the way you close your eyes in satisfaction when you eat something good, the way you hold your weapon...

- he's completely useless that day; everyone has to repeat everything to him

----------------------------------------------

Naruto

- he giggles and turns bright red whenever he sees you, so it's pretty obvious something's going on

- you're convinced he's planning something mischievous and keep watching him suspiciously

- but really, it's just that his head is full of fantasies about you, and now he's kind of flustered and shy

------------------------------------------

Gaara

- that was new for him

- he woke up feeling like a mess of unfamiliar desire, a strange heartache, and guilt

- because he doesn't want to think about you in a disrespectful way

- but now he can't stop imagining things

- he has no idea how he's supposed to look you in the eyes

--------------------------------------------

Kiba

- he just tells you about it and waits for your reaction with a straight face

- apparently, being shy is for the weak

- when you try to keep your composure and ask him what exactly happened in that dream, he tells you every detail he can remember while looking you straight in the eyes

- it'll come back to bite him when the dreams won't stop, leaving him more and more frustrated

----------------------------------------------

Rock Lee

- poor guy, he definitely feels bad because you're friends

- the fact that he enjoyed the dream so much - and has hard proof of it - makes it even worse