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Publicly, peace comes immediately at the end of the war. Privately, it is a time of massive clean-up, especially for the skeletons in Konoha’s figurative closet that rattled in the war. Yet, the war has thinned their ranks, leaving a shortage of people to risk their lives to preserve this peace.
In answer, Naruto and Kakashi go quietly into Anbu on the pretense of an apprenticeship. It is a choice that makes sense. Sasuke leaves the village as soon as he can and can’t be trusted just yet with the village’s secrets. Sakura is needed in the hospital. More so, with their respective skills, they compliment as 2 man duo that can tackle missions too risky to even be labeled S rank.
In the first month, Kakashi watches Naruto carefully to see how he adjusts to life in Anbu. He ignores the distraction of their now matching forearm tattoos and the tightness of the Anbu uniform over a well-muscled chest. Instead, he pays attention to how Naruto reacts to orders and recovers after missions.
Naruto has grown even more since his return from training with Jiraiya and the fresh fox-faced Anbu mask puts it all in stark relief. Naruto is quieter here in Anbu. He is sure of himself and economical with every move and word. Without Kakashi’s notice, they fall into a rhythm that slowly and surely replaces his previous bleak memory of his time in Anbu. Anbu life still sends him on missions that push him to his mental and physical limits but now the hardships are tempered with moments of wonder and laughter. He tells himself that it is because the war has made the unsavory parts better, but he knows it has as much to do with having Naruto this time around. Naruto who takes to Anbu surprisingly well. Maybe, Kakashi had babied him too much?
In the following months, the partnership cements and Kakashi starts to see Naruto as an equal instead of his former student. There is something building, and he doesn’t want to name it.
When the something cracks open, they have just returned from a mission, difficult not for the labor but for the emotional toll of what they had to do. There is something that hangs heavy in the air while they shower. By unspoken agreement, Naruto follows Kakashi back to his room in the barracks.
They don’t make it to the bed. Naruto’s teeth leave marks on his neck and chest. His hand holds him down firmly as he pushes into him. Kakashi gasps over and over again. With nowhere to go, he has to take it. Everything that Naruto is pushing into him.
If he had allowed himself to imagine this before, he would have expected a noisy bumbling chaotic affair. It’s not. Instead, it’s very quiet and deliberate like Naruto wants to take apart all Kakashi pieces and put him back in better order.
They are on another mission the following day. They don’t talk about the night before, just go silently in the way that they do. He both hates himself and jubilates for knowing what Naruto is like in bed -- a golden force sucking Kakashi in like a vortex. The scent of Naruto hasn’t left his nose even though they travel through Konoha’s dense forest. He knows the old Kakashi would have run at the first hint of attachment. Post-war Kakashi has put some of his demons to rest. So, he responds with an answering moan when Naruto presses him against the shower wall when the mission is finished.
It becomes a thing. On missions where it is just the two of them, they stay in one tent pressed close together, sharing breath, not touching just relishing in their togetherness. Outside of their tent, his ninken keep careful watch, noticing immediately that something had changed between the former student and teacher. When they run missions as a squad, they back off but move around each other with an ease that suggests long years of partnership. The touch of Naruto’s finger against his is a rare pleasure he takes on those grueling missions. And then, Naruto is sharing his bed at barracks to the confusion and consternation of their Anbu squad mates.
One day, he overhears them cornering Naruto about his face. He’s effusively vague saying a blithe “all the parts are there” to their groans.
“That’s so unfair you have gotten to see his face.”
He flushes when Naruto responds, “I’m the luckiest man on earth.”
Kakashi wants to be surprised by how far they’ve fallen, but he remembers that first time. The insistent press of Naruto’s lips and the frantic movement of his hands contrasted with the gentle pressure of his touch. He had held Kakashi with awe and reverence. Even then, he suspected that this would be something more than blowing off steam.
Kakashi would always take whatever Naruto was willing to offer him.
So, he tries to be as open with his affection as the slowly healing scars of his past will allow him to be. He curls his hand in Naruto’s long blond hair and presses open mouth kisses to his neck. He holds Naruto delicately but firmly. He lets him into his secrets and gives him his maskless face when they are alone off duty.
Their next mission brings them by Sasuke who is carrying the knowledge and raw fire power to allow the three of them to wipe a gathering clone army off the face of the earth. He awaits them on fallen tree in that cool casual way of his. He likes to think that some of that was his doing. Sasuke has grown his hair out to cover the purple eye of the Rinnegan. Physically, he looks like he’s been sleeping outside, but there is peace in his face that only makes him more handsome.
He rises when they arrive, nodding to Kakashi before standing too close to Naruto. Kakashi knew this couldn’t last forever but he thought they would have more time. In the end, he was a placeholder. He feels sick, almost dizzy like he does when he has depleted his chakra reserves.
He’s grateful that the mask will hide the sure frown of his mouth.
Suddenly, Naruto is pushing Sasuke off with a “teme”. There is rare surprise on that usually stoic face. He can’t imagine Sasuke hears many rejections. The relief Kakashi feels is immediate and nearly embarrassing. He mumbles something and goes to scout out the best vantage to see the hideout. He misses Naruto’s frown.
Understanding dawns on Sasuke’s face later when Naruto brushes a casual hand across his mask to brush off the soot from the hideout they leave burning. For a moment, Kakashi wonders if Sasuke will turn his Amaterasu on him when he sees the dark look in his eye.
Before they part, Naruto and Kakashi to Konoha and Sasuke to the Land of Snow, Sasuke asks him why. He shrugs glibly but also honestly. His attraction and affection for their shared teammate just is. Everything that Naruto is, he wants. Now that he’s been offered it willingly when Naruto is old enough to both kill and stay for a drink, he can’t imagine letting it go.
Maybe, he should feel bad he’s taken Naruto from Sasuke. Was it destiny he’s tampering with? He looks at the stump of Sasuke arm and remembers the slightly chilled feeling of Naruto wrapped arm across his back. If this was destiny, he was glad to take him away from it. Kakashi will cherish Naruto. It goes unacknowledged that he thinks Sasuke hasn’t.
Their next fight sees them bleeding from multiple wounds. Naruto’s collarbone and rib are fractured before they put down the band of missing nin. Kakashi carrys Naruto back in his arms stubbornly; he knows the kyuubi has healed him by now. Naruto protests at first. Upon seeing Kakashi won’t let him down, he just tilts his head into Kakashi’ s chest. Strands of his blond hair tickle his chin. They smell like blood and the sun.
That night, Naruto traces the scars all over his body. He’s had less since partnering with Naruto. He cares about living more now. Still, Naruto eye’s slit and flash yellow when he promises to protect Kakashi. Not to be outdone, Kakashi tells Naruto he would give his life for him.
Naruto shakes his head. “No live for me.” The if you love me is silent.
They spend the twilight hours kissing long and slow, aware that this thing between them is unshakable now.
For all that they are free with their affection, no one outside of Anbu knows. They discuss telling Sakura, the last member of their team not to know (Sai has run Anbu missions in a delicate cat mask). Kakashi balks at it.
Naruto, as usual, knows the right thing to say. “I’m proud to be with you.”
Kakashi is familiar with the admiration and affection in his voice, but the note of yearning confuses him. Because Naruto has him. He guesses he could understand the feeling though. It’s never enough. He wants to know Naruto inside and out and also wants to just watch him without touching. He wants to spend afternoons observing the curve of his lips, whiskers of his cheek, and the sharp contours of his jaw before moving to his neck, then his chest until he reaches his toes. It’s a delicate act balancing all the desires of his senses when it comes to Naruto.
And so, it goes on, building brick by brick this thing between them. The seasons change.
Kakashi, not Hound, is called into the Hokage’s office. It is not a new mission.
“It is time. I am tired,” the Godaime says. He can see it in the crows’ feet beside her eyes and the wrinkle in her forehead even her formidable jutsu cannot get rid of.
Nevertheless, he refuses, “I would like more time in Anbu.”
Something he never thought he would say. Yet, he thinks of the cactus on his window seal along with the frog and dog statue sitting on the nightstand. He doesn’t want to leave the life they have built together. He has left Anbu before; nothing follows you aside from the memories.
He’s pulled away from his thoughts by the slam of the Godaime’s hand on the desk. Papers flutter to the ground as the bottle on the table rattles.
“If this is about Naruto…” she growled.
Of course, she knows. Nothing goes on in Anbu without the Hokage’s consent. Yet, he hasn’t been called here before so he takes it for allowance it is. He tilts his head in acknowledgement. The meeting passes in the blur as they talk about the transition and choose a date for the coronation ceremony.
In his last night in the barracks, the two of them whisper about the future and who they will be to each other in this new era. The three words go unspoken. Everything is clear from the careful traces across each other’s skin.
On the morning of the ceremony, Kakashi who hates transitions because all his life has been one big shit storm to the next feels calm when the Hokage hat is placed on his head. He feels Naruto’s proud presence behind him, masked and cloaked in the shadows. As they agreed, Naruto joined the Anbu guard to be closer to him. There’s still time before he must train as the Hokage’s assistant. Kakashi knows Naruto could be anywhere doing anything but here he is.
He loves Naruto. He knows. Naruto knows. And the shadows know.
Later, when he sits in his new office after the ceremony with only one Anbu guard for company, Kakashi lifts his fox mask. The wild golden smile is still there. He kisses him in the stretching shadows of the room, out of view of the all-seeing windows. He fantasizes about the day they can kiss in the sun with Naruto’s golden hair twinkling under the Hokage’s hat.