Naruto Oneshots + Imagines

Always (Kakashi Hatake x Might Guy)

It's past four in the morning in the middle of the Land of Fire, where Kakashi Hatake is stuck on a grueling S-Rank mission. He's been tracking a criminal rogue ninja, also an S-Rank in the bingo books, for two days straight with no rest. Thankfully, he at least has a lead from another spy in ANBU; the rogue is staying in a hotel just a few hours away and should be there for at least another day or two. Now, all Kakashi has to do is catch up.

The problem is that he's exhausted, and when he gets exhausted, he gets paranoid as most people do. Every single sound, every brustle of leaves being blown by the wind and every one of his footsteps- it has him on edge. Though, he does know that someone is following him, and that unnerves him even more even if the pursuer isn't an enemy.

Frustrated, Kakashi speaks to the man who's poorly hidden in the trees of the forest.

"Come on out, Guy, I know you're there," Kakashi orders, only to receive no response. "Guy... Seriously, this is getting tiresome. You've been at it for two days now. Go home already."

Guy doesn't answer. Kakashi sighs and reaches into the weapon pouch that's strapped to his right thigh. Six years have passed since Kushina and Minato died, and somehow, Guy has gotten worse and worse and worse about following Kakashi to places he shouldn't. Instead of following Kakashi to his apartment or to the training grounds to challenge him to a new contest, Guy now spends his free time following Kakashi to dangerous ANBU missions, brothels, bars, and all the other places he believes Kakashi shouldn't be spending his time at.

Kakashi grabs a kunai and chucks it in the direction of the tree he knows Guy is hiding in. He doesn't want to actually injure the older man, just force him to come out, and it works. Kakashi hears the sound of the kunai puncturing a tree branch, followed by the sound of Guy's feet hitting the ground in front of him.

After two days, the ravenette has finally come out of hiding.

"Wow, that was close!" Guy laughs.

"Seriously? You're going to get yourself hurt out here," Kakashi says in an attempt to get Guy to go home, but as per usual, it doesn't work.

"Eh, I'll be fine, Kakashi," Guy easily dismisses the ANBU member with a smile and a playful wave of his right hand. "There isn't anything out here that your fine rival here can't handle!"

Kakashi's eyes narrow as he stares at Guy's face.

"Why aren't you mad at me for throwing a kunai straight at you?"

"Kakashi, you have a perfect aim! Yet, that kunai landed five or six inches away from me. I know just as well as you do that you didn't intend to hit me; you intended to scare me away."

"Fine," Kakashi admits with crossed arms. "Then what is it you're here for?"

"You know why I'm here," Guy mutters, his happy expression falling into one of concern and his voice dropping in tone and volume.

"Just tell me, will you?"

"I'm worried about you, and I want to keep you safe," Guy reaches out and places a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi shrugs it off while trying to tell himself that no, he does not desperately crave or need that warm touch. He's fine without it. He's fine. "I know that the village is going through a shortage right now, but the fact that they'd send you after an S-Rank rogue by yourself with no back-up... It's worrying."

"I'm fine by myself. I've been doing these sorts of missions for years and I'm still alive, aren't I? At this point, I can't help but think I'm cursed to outlive everyone I've ever cared about..."

"Kakashi... You aren't invincible, and you aren't cursed, but I can see you falling into darkness and I'm starting to get seriously concerned!"

"You've been concerned if the fact that you've been following me for half a decade is anything to go by," Kakashi grumbles and takes a step back, only for Guy to outdo him by taking two steps forward.