Chapter 24
Keigo was thriving.
He and Kakashi had been together for a few months now and he had never felt better in his life.
Kakashi knew how to love him, he was kind and gentle but without becoming sappy and oh, how he made him laugh.
They had both seen the worst in and of each other and every day they helped each other bring out the best in themselves.
But their love was private, no one knew, when they were on missions they acted as if nothing had happened and among their acquaintances and family they were like great friends.
So no one knew about them, well no one except Tenzou, but he wasn't counted out by Keigo as Tenzou was his best friend he knew him better than anyone else and Keigo was rubbish at lying to him.
(Tenzou had understood this on his own the day after they had confessed and at the slightest pressure from him Keigo had spilled the beans, yapping about his boyfriend)
In short, their secret had been jealously guarded for more than five months and Obito had ruined it in just ten seconds.
In short, their secret had been jealously guarded for more than five months until they let their guard down too much.
The blue couch in Kakashi's apartment was remarkably comfortable.
Keigo loved relaxing on that couch and loved it even more when Kakashi joined him.
Team Fo had no training sessions scheduled that day and so the two were having a lazy morning. The first rule was that on lazy days pajamas were a must, so both still in their pajamas moved from the kitchen to the sofa.
Kakashi was lying on his back reading a book while Keigo half lying on him peeked every now and then at the words on the page. Kakashi's arm was wrapped around Keigo's body while his legs were over his belly.
Boredom began to invade Keigo's head and the more he thought about it the more his body begged him to move, the position that a few seconds ago seemed the most comfortable in the world now made random muscles ache.
As usual, Kakashi ignored as best he could the first movements that Keigo began to make before having to inexorably get up.
Sick of being ignored, Keigo stuck his head between the book and Kakashi's face to look him in the eye.
"My belly craves dango" He said with the best puppy dog eyes and pout he could muster.
Kakashi smiled sweetly at him and caressed his cheek, Keigo thought he had him in the bag then.
"Then I'll keep the couch warm for you while you go get the dango"
The smirk sent his way was not welcome.
"but that's not how it works, you should have offered to come with me and maybe even take a trip to the river and a swim while we were there" Keigo was stunned.
A loud laugh made rumble the chest beneath his.
"Oh baby, i love you so much"
Keigo's chest always filled with this warm feeling that made him feel all squishy when Kakashi called him that.
He slammed his lips onto Kakashi's and soon thoughts of dango and walking were out of their minds.
Things were starting to get hot, hands were wandering, shirts were abandoned on the floor and their breaths filled the small living room.
They were so distracted by each other that they didn't hear the knock on the door or even its opening, Keigo was the one who always forgot to lock it leaving any guest the chance to invite themselves in.
"Kakashi get your lazy ass out of bed, you're softening in old age you left the door open and I know you're there since your sandals are here, I swear th-"
Obito, former inhabitant of that apartment and their great friend, was lost for words when he saw them on top of each other, without shirts and with bruised lips.
"Wait, what?" Obito's mouth was open in shock, his eyes kept jumping between Keigo, Kakashi, and the discarded clothes.
"Wait we can explain, don't panic and don't scream" Keigo was quick to stand up, his hands raised in a calming gesture.
"You're dating Bakashi"
The look of shock on Obito's face was turning into a smile that Keigo didn't like very much.
"You're dating Bakashi and nobody knows" Keigo didn't like where this was ending at all, "Sensei will be so happy to know that his precious little Kei is so close to his student"
It was inevitable that sooner or later someone would find out and that their relationship would become public knowledge.
Keigo knew his father should have known long before but he never found the right time to confess it.
Dinner that evening was very embarrassing and so were the following days, when Minato realized that Keigo wasn't actually spending the nights at Tenzou's as he said he was.
Soon, now that everything was revealed, Keigo began to gather his things to move them permanently to Kakashi. By now he spent most of the week there and there was no point in continuing to go back and forth.
Keigo was so lost in the general chaos that he didn't notice his little brother's general distress, not until the last evening he would spend sleeping at the tower arrived.
Keigo knocked on Naruto's door like every night waiting for it to be opened so he could tuck him in.
The door was opened silently for him, usually by then his ears were already exploding from the amount of chatter his brother was doing about his day.
"Something wrong?" Keigo asked.
"Nothing" Naruto wasn't looking at his face yet.
"Come on I know you too well, I know something is wrong, was anyone bad at school today?"
At that point Naruto exploded.
"Kids at school don't like me, dad is always away, I just want to be somebody people want" he cried.
"I want you, you're my little brother, I love you more than my own life" Keigo tried to reassure his little brother.
"Then why are you leaving?" the accusation was loud in Naruto's voice, "I don't want you to go away and leave me here alone"
Keigo's heart broke at Naruto's words.
It was true that Keigo had been his only constant throughout Naruto's life, he was the one who put him to bed every night, he was the one who cooked most of his meals, Keigo helped him with his homework and it was Keigo who kissed his bruises and consoled him. When Naruto got up from a nightmare he went to Keigo's room and it was Keigo he asked for hugs.
"You will always be my priority and dad will still be here so you won't be alone" he tried to reassure.
"But now you're not gonna have time for me, you'll spend all your time with stupid Bakashi"
Naruto really had to take after Obito.
"Nobody can replace you Naruto, you're still my favourite person" with a laugh trying to escape, Keigo managed to respond.
Keigo took his little brother into his arms, it had been a long time since Naruto allowed him to hold him like that.
Like when he was little, Naruto snuggled into his hold, his little nose cold against the skin of Keigo's neck.
Keigo walked around the room swaying gently trying to calm the boy.
He began to hum a song he usually used when a little Naruto woke him up after a nightmare.
"Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster's gone
He's on the run
An-"
"And my bubba's here" Naruto completed for Keigo.
The two brothers stared at each other, two pairs of identical eyes met for what was the millionth time, and each time they understood each other without words.
"Sometimes you feel more like my dad than Dad himself" Naruto knows how to break Keigo's heart into a thousand pieces.