Something Precious

Chapter Twenty One

When Kakashi arrived half an hour early the next day he was surprised to see that he wasn't the first one there. Naruto was laying at the base of a tree, the same one as the day before. His posture was the same as well - relaxed in a way that made it look like he was asleep, except his eyes were open this time as he gazed at the sky seemingly deep in thought. He had dirt in his sunny hair and his clothes were slightly torn and rugged, they were also covered with dirt and grass stains. Had he been training?

As Kakashi came nearer, Naruto's blue eyes caught his. For a moment they stayed like that, Kakashi wanted to look away but at the same time it was like he couldn't. The blue orbs seemed so sad. Sol lonely. Such pain that Kakashi felt he would never understand. They were eyes that belonged to a man who had lost more than he could afford to. They seemed so wise to the worlds horrors, more so than he was. And the way he was looking at him, as if he was part of it all. Then the blonde blinked and it was if a spell had been broken. Whoa, what was that?

"Good morning Kakashi." Naruto greeted with a smile, the chunnin couldn't help but note how it seemed slightly forced but somehow genuine at the same time. What was with this guy? He was beginning to catch the young chunnin's interest. He figured he would have to ask around about the blonde later, but for now there was one thing he wanted to ask.

"Would you spar with me again?" Kakashi blurted without meaning to. Since the training session the day before he kept thinking of how easily the blonde had beaten him, how hard he had pushed him. He felt as if he was fighting a brick wall for all the good he was against Naruto, but that only made him want to try again and to do better this time than he did last time.

Naruto blinked in surprise. "Uh, sure, I guess. Do you want to wait for the others first?" he asked. Kakashi immediately shook his head. Naruto shrugged and stood from where he rested, he walked to the approximate middle of the training ground were Kakashi was and got into a defensive position while the young boy did the same. "When ever your ready Little Man."

Brushing off the annoying nickname, Kakashi didn't wait this time, he ran towards the man and made an onslaught of kicks and punches that were all either blocked or dodged. Just as he had yesterday Naruto went on offense and didn't give the kid an easy time, he worked him to have quicker reaction time and better defenses, without ever uttering a word he showed him when to block and when to dodge. Every time Kakashi felt he was improving Naruto would push him all the more until once again he lay exhausted on the ground, unable to move a muscle.

He heard Naruto pull something out of his pocket and turned his head just as he offered him a water bottle. Kakashi didn't hesitate to greedily gulp the cool liquid down his burning throat. He downed three-quarters of the bottle before finally breaking for air.

"Thanks." he mumbled lowly while looking at the ground, and he wasn't just thanking him for the water.

"Your welcome." Naruto smiled and offered him a hand up just as he noticed that two others were approching.

"Hey guys. Doing some warm ups?" Minato said noting Kakashi's heavy breathing. Kakashi only nodded while accepting Naruto's outstretched hand.

"Well anyway, the Hokage wants to see us in his office, he has a mission for us." the team sensei informed. Kakashi was surprised by this.

"Really? I thought it would be a while before we got another mission, it seems like we just got back from our last one, not to mention we got a new member assigned to our team only yesterday." Rin spoke, that was exactly what Kakashi had been thinking. It was strange to be assigned a new mission so soon, even if they were short on teams.

"That could actually be why. In the middle of a war it is important that squad members be flawless in coordination, and in order to be coordinated you got to know eachother well. What better way to get to know eachother than to spend, say weeks on a mission doing strategy and camping out together. I've do - I mean I would probably do the same thing if I was Hokage." Naruto explained. Minato looked thoughtful for a moment, he had never thought of that.