Hidden behind the mask

13

  "This apartment looks amazing Kakashi, but I should go wash up now. A nap would be nice too."
He gave me a nod and let me go into the bathroom that had a new paint job and a big new bathtub.   

A nap later I was ready to walk around Konoha and maybe even get some Ramen. 
"Do you have training today with Sasuke?" 

Kakashi that was pulling up his mask and getting ready to leave our apartment gave me a nod.
"Yeah, I'm meeting up with him in a few minutes. Want to join or are you going to visit Lord third?" 
I gave him a smile and a kiss on his masked cheek. I had to stand on my toes considering Kakashi was still a few inches taller than me, though I had almost reached his hight.
"I'll go visit Jiji first and report to him. I'll join you two after. Don't tell Sasuke about my return." 
With a smile, I left the apartment towards the Sarutobi mansion, that was located a bit outside of the busy village. 

Jiji was sitting in his kimono doing some calligraphy when I finally arrived. 
"I'm home, Jiji." 
Giving him a big smile I sat down next to him. Watching him place down his paintbrush. 
"I am glad you made it back unharmed. How was your mission?"
I gave him a quick rundown about what happened and what we found and he gave me a proud smile. 
"Good job. As always. Only a few more weeks left before the Chunin exams. Are you leaving afterwards with Jiraiya?" 

Sighing I laid down on the tatami mat I was formerly sitting on and observed the ceiling above us. 
"I was planning to but I don't want to leave Kakashi here for so long." 
The old man gave me an understanding nod and a small smile as he started his calligraphy back up. 
"Understandable but don't you think Kakashi would be happy for you. Leaving the village for a while would be benefitting for your mental health. He knows that as much as you do. Why don't you just talk it over with him in peace?"

Rolling over to my side I gave Jiji a look.
"Do you honestly think I haven't tried?! It's not that easy to tell the one person that has finally accepted you that you are leaving for several years at a time. What if he finds someone better than me?" 

Letting myself flop back on my back I covered my face with my hands, releasing a heavy sigh. 
"Talk to him, Naruto. He'll understand. I promise. If not you can always rat him out to me or Jiraiya or even Tsunade neither of us would let him do anything that could hurt you in any kind of way." 
Peaking through my fingers I could see the old man smile at me. Dropping my hands and sitting up I gave him a careful nod. 
"I guess you are right." 
"I am always right, young one." 
He gave me a boyish grin as I stood up to leave. Rolling my eyes with a smile on my face, I made my way towards the door. 
"Whatever you say, old geezer. See you around." 

With that, I left towards the training grounds. 
Sasuke was already running his warm-up rounds not noticing me walk into the training ground. Kakashi gave me an eye-smile as he spotted me. 
"Naru-chan, how was your talk with lord third?" 
Thinking back to my conversation with the old man I gave him a shrug. 
"Alright, I guess. There is something we have to talk about later. It's important." 

Kashi looked at me a bit worried but still gave me a nod assuring me that we would talk when we got home. 

I tortured Sasuke for several hours with some training and after I got bored with him I send him off for the day. It was getting late and Kakashi was walking up to me a bit hesitant. 

"What did you want to talk about?"
He sounded worried. Probably thinking about several different things I would want to tell him. I didn't want to hurt him by saying I would leave again for a few years. 
"Well, I was thinking, about this. For a pretty long time now. I didn't and I still don't really know how to tell you but I have decided to leave the village with Jiraiya for a few years."

Kashi looked at me a bit stunned apparently not expecting these words to come out of my mouth. 
"Thank God, I thought you were breaking up with me." 
He gave a tired laugh and went back to his thoughts for another few minutes. 
"What's a few years?" 
I shrugged my shoulders honestly.
"I was thinking three years but you never know what happens." 
Nodding, Kakashi sat down on a stone bench that wasn't too far from where we were standing. 
"Alright, when would you be leaving?" 
Wanting to sit down next to him I started moving but instead ended up on his lap turned towards him. 
"After the Chunin exams. I will be participating until the second round is over afterwards I will be doing Guard duty as an Anbu. Joining the Hokage until the end of the last round." 
Burring his face in my neck he sighed. 
"Alright. Promise to keep in touch." 
Snuggling closer I agreed already with a plan in mind to send him letters daily on what I saw and what I learnt. 

Weeks came and went. Sasuke was being tortured by me almost daily. With his Sharingan now activated and actively trained he had an ace up his sleeve. While we trained his Sharingan I mostly had focused on his other attributes to make sure he wouldn't rely on those 'oh so special eyes' of his. 
He had gotten strong. I knew he could with the right guidance and training. Whenever even the word of avenger or anywhere close to even hinting at hunting down his brother where mentioned. Little man got a good beat down. No way I was letting the last Uchiha leave this rotten village. 

Sasuke was ready for the exams. I had trained him to mid-Chunin with watered down Anbu training. Of course, I couldn't beat the ego out of him so now he was bragging about all this strength he had gained. 
"I am so going to be able to beat Naruto easily with all this new strength. Now he will finally shut up and see me as a superior Ninja."
Rolling my eyes at that I turned away from the raven-haired boy. There was no chance in hell I was ever looking at this brat as anything else than a brat. 
"Sure, whatever you say, brat. Anyway, the exams start tomorrow. You will be polite to everyone you meet and make sure to keep your team save. No rushing into battles that you are not sure you could win. No fighting with other leaf Ninja as long it's not part of the exams. Stay humble and be thankful for your training not many Genin get this kind of special treatment." 
He sighed but still gave me a nod after a few minutes. 
"If I find out you were being a little brat and trust me I will. There will be one hell of a training session after the second exam."
My eyes flashed with killing intent and I saw him shudder in fear. Happy with my threat I turned and started to leave. 
"Don't be later. Exam starts at 8 sharp."
With that, I was gone in black flames.