Show me the way

XXIX: Truth

Kakashi just stood there for a while. Sarutobi had announced something that big so casually, with his closed-eyed smile and his intertwined fingers. He searched Sarutobi's face for any indication of deceit but found non. Jiraya seemed as much flabbergasted as Kakashi was.

It took a moment for Kakashi to move his stare from Sarutobi to Shizuka. As nervous as Shizuka seemed before to meet Jiraya, it was nothing compared to the fear-filled eyes and jittery movements that indicated his dread right now. It was like the moment froze and they were locked in it.

It was Jiraya that broke their trance, stepping forward and questioning his Sensei about his sanity and gullibility, but Kakashi's focus remained solely on Shizuka.

Now that the world seemed to move again, a lot of things clicked for Kakashi. The knowledge Shizuka seemed to have of Konoha, of Jutsu he shouldn't know, of things that were going to happen and about their targets. Shizuka had already known, had already lived through it. This information answered questions, definitely, but new questions arose with each piece that clicked into place.

Kakashi stepped closer to Shizuka, who flashed him a nervous grin and seemed to want to back away, disappear. Kakashi almost felt scared that Shizuka would, forever. He felt a sudden need to grab hold and keep a firm grip, or he'd lose Shizuka. Quickly, Kakashi grabbed his wrist to keep Shizuka from running and stepped closer still. He cupped Shizuka's cheek and held eye contact for a moment, attempting to silently convey his acceptance. Only after he saw Shizuka visibly relax did he turn his gaze back to the Hokage, awaiting a more extensive explanation. Kakashi let his hand wander from Shizuka's wrist to his hand, holding it as support and a lifeline for Shizuka.

"I'll go over the broader information first. The reason why Shizuka is here now and the things we've been doing to prevent the future from happening as he remembers. Basically, the Fourth Shinobi war happens, and it is a war centred around the Tailed Beasts. It was catastrophic enough to destroy everything, and Shizuka was one of the last Shinobi standing at the end of it all." Sarutobi explained carefully. Shizuka felt relieved that the old man didn't start with him personally. He needed a little more time to prepare himself for that.

"So, what? You want us to believe the kid is from the future and we're just supposed to trust him on his word?" Jiraya asked, leaning on the desk and pointing a thumb at Shizuka.

"Why, yes," Sarutobi answered almost cheerfully. "As a matter of fact, I do. Shizuka and I have had many discussions and many of those have firmed my belief in his story. Not to mention he knows about a lot of things that are otherwise impossible for him to know."

Jiraya dropped his hand and looked at Shizuka. The kid tensed when their eyes met, but there was no ill intent in them. Not even a speck. There was determination and something else, something scary, but no ill intent towards anyone present in this room. Jiraya sighed and straightened up. "So, who are you then?"

Shizuka tensed, clenching his hand around Kakashi's, who gave a reassuring squeeze back before letting go. 'Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto.' The signs were difficult to make. His tremor was so bad he wasn't sure he was understood, but the look of amazement on both Jiraya and Kakashi told him they did.

"Wait, wait, wait. Namikaze? As in, Namikaze Minato? You're his son?" Jiraya asked. Shizuka nodded. "And Kushina's..." Shizuka nodded again. "T-then you're my..." Shizuka nodded once more, this time with the nervous grin again. "Oh, Kami..." Jiraya muttered, closing his eyes for a second.

Kakashi felt like his brain was too slow in catching up. Shizuka was Naruto. His Sensei's son! If Minato had never died, Kakashi and Naruto would have grown up almost like brothers, and now they had found each other in an entirely different way. Kakashi felt a smile pulling at his lips. He guessed they were destined to be connected one way or another during their lives. He'd have to talk to Shizuka about their relationship before the... time-travel; was he really accepting that this easily? That they had some kind of relationship before this was clear enough. After all, Shizuka had told him Kakashi had died and Kakashi clearly remembered the utter sorrow Shizuka had on his face as he told Kakashi.

So his life, everyone's lives, were dependant on the success of a man lost in time, struggling with the loss of everyone and everything, and now stuck somewhere in another time where the dead were literally walking around him... Yeah, a whole lot more about Shizuka made sense now, but it brought as many questions as it did answers.

Shizuka shifted his stance, breaking Kakashi out of his stare. Shizuka wasn't looking at him. Not directly anyway, quick glances and uncertainty, and Kakashi didn't like that. He had thought Shizuka would be more trusting of Kakashi by now, but then again, this was Shizuka's biggest secret and such an incredible one at that that Kakashi did understand his apprehension.

"Shizuka." Kakashi said in a soft voice stepping closer to him. Shizuka flinched, but steadied himself, shooting a quick grin at Kakashi. "Calm down." Shizuka nodded but didn't actually calm down. With his shifting gaze between Kakashi and Jiraya, it was clear that he was waiting for a judgement of some sort. Kakashi sighed. Shizuka was too good at creating problems in his head sometimes.

In one smooth motion, Kakashi stepped even closer, backing Shizuka against the wall, pulling his mask down and kissing Shizuka. He dug his hands into Shizuka's hair and kept kissing until he felt the tension leave Shizuka and Shizuka kissing him back. Desperate hands twisted into his shirt and in response, Kakashi made sure his grip was firmer as well.

It wasn't a long kiss, just enough to break Shizuka's persistent worry. Kakashi broke the kiss, moving back only enough to be able to look at Shizuka. "Nothing has changed." Kakashi said, keeping eye contact persistently. "I trust you."

Relief visibly washed over Shizuka. He placed his head against Kakashi's chest and lingered there for a while. Just like that Kakashi had once again done what he himself couldn't; accept him, and make him accept himself a little more once again.

After a few seconds, he looked up, first meeting Kakashi's smile and smiling back, before realisation dawned on him and his focus trailed to the Hokage and the Toad Sanin behind Kakashi. Shizuka was unable to suppress a small blush when he found Sarutobi pointedly looking away to allow them a private moment, and Jiraya looking pointedly at them, seeming ready and aching to write down the small scene he had just witnessed. With a scrunched brow he studied his Godfather for a moment. In all the years Naruto had known the pervert, not once had Naruto caught any indication Jiraya had any interest in gay relationships. But maybe to a true pervert gender didn't mean anything. It also never came up as a conversation point between them. In retrospect, Naruto should have learned about the existence of same-sex relationships a lot earlier in life. It would have made his journey through adolescence a lot clearer, even if it wouldn't have been any easier.

But apparently, and Shizuka was able to see it now that Kakashi had calmed his mind, Jiraya believed him as well. Or at least, Jiraya accepted that Sarutobi believed him in the very least.

Kakashi blinked a few times when he saw the blush bloom on Shizuka's cheek and turned around to realise he had all but forgotten about the Hokage and Jiraya being in the room. He quickly placed his mask back and cleared his throat, to indicate to the Hokage their moment had passed more than anything. "Sorry about that. Where were we, again?" He said in his usual casual tone as he turned to face the Hokage once again, his fingers finding Shizuka's and intertwining them.

"Yes, well, good. Now that that's over and done with, we have a lot to discuss. Let's start with the next mission Shizuka has suggested." Sarutobi started. From there on out it was business and facts, laced with curiosity from both Jiraya and Kakashi towards the happenings of Shizuka's past, but both acknowledged and respected the boundaries as Shizuka presented them. After all, the Hokage's office was hardly the place to deepen a personal bond with someone, much less dig into what was clearly deep emotional trauma.

The meeting lasted long, but that wasn't surprising. In the end, Shizuka and Jiraya settled on a date for their mission, in three days at the break of dawn, and Jiraya left to prepare. Kakashi wasted no time to settle a dinner date for this day with Shizuka before Shizuka left as well, leaving Kakashi and Sarutobi to discuss the retrieval of Tsunade within the same timespan as Shizuka's mission.

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