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Chapter Text

In a faraway land in the middle of a majestic forest, a castle stood, hidden in the leaves. In there lived a prince. The rumour was that he had beautiful blond hair and eyes so blue that even clear skies could not compare. For the longest time, though, no one has seen the prince. Against his very will, he was locked in the castle's tallest of towers, away from the world.

A fierce dragon held him there hostage. And there was no salvation for the prince.

This is not how this story began, however. 

It began with a feather, a witch, and a snake.

Chapter Text

"You haven't been practicing," Iruka wasn’t angry at his student, but he was disappointed. He closed the book in his hands with a sigh, placed it back on the top bookshelf, and looked down from the little cloud he was sitting on. "It's a simple levitation spell I taught you last week."

A little boy no more than six years old sat on the floor of the library cross-legged and intently stared at the feather in his hands, all nine of his bright orange tails swished nervously to the side. A thin gold crown adorned his bright hair. He was the crown prince and yet, no matter how much he stared, whether he tilted his head to the right or the left, the feather refused to move.

Iruka—a practicing witch—was recruited to tutor the boy on the basics of witchcraft so that, when the time came, he would be able to protect the kingdom better. The whole castle and the villages beyond it loved Prince Naruto but knew that he was a hellion. So, no one wanted to volunteer as his teacher. Iruka only agreed to it to gain access to the royal library. The rumour was that it had the most extensive collection of books on mythical creatures. And he required information on the rarest beasts – dragons. Quite quickly, though, Iruka grew fond of the boy. 

"It's boring! Magic is boring!" Whining in a rather dramatic fashion, the prince let go of the feather and watched it float to the floor. That simply wouldn't do! No one had the right to call magic boring! Even Iruka's tall hat perked up at the accusation. He had to teach the boy a lesson... 

He huffed, and in the next moment, the feather shook then sprung up and flew in the direction of the boy's desk. Amused, Iruka watched him jump up and follow. The feather dipped itself in ink and then hovered over a picture frame threateningly. The boy gasped, and the tails twitched in full alert. The danger became more apparent when the feather drew the first line. The boy screamed. 

"No!" 

The prince tried to catch the mean object, but it effortlessly avoided his grasp and (to Iruka's immense satisfaction) successfully drew a set of horns and a pointy tail over a masked man in the portrait. 

"Magic is only boring if you make it boring, your royal highness," from his little cloud, Iruka laughed at how the prince took the frame in his hands disbelievingly, mouth gaping in absolute shock.

"He is going to kill me," he whispered, probably worried about the masked man reprimanding him. Iruka rolled his eyes at that. Why the prince even had a portrait of his royal guard (the most annoying one at that) was beyond him. 

A sudden movement caught his attention, and Iruka swiftly sent the feather flying in that direction, then jumped off his cloud and placed himself between the window and the prince. Naruto looked up at him questioningly, to which he simply smiled.

"Why don't you go downstairs and check out what Chef Akimichi has cooked for us today? I can already smell the spices in the air." That quickly piqued the boy's interest. In the next moment, he was already running down the stairs of their tower.

Once Naruto was out of sight, Iruka turned back to the window and frowned at where a snake was pinned by the feather to the windowsill. It was dead. He then looked out from the tower down to the little creek glistening in the sunlight and further to the village below, where the citizens of Konoha went about their day not realizing that an unknown foe was attempting to kill their beloved prince – the apple of the kingdom's eye.

Chapter Text

For many years Tenzō has been employed by the crown, serving the Lord Regent and before him the Queen Kushina Uzumaki with her husband Minato. Since the day he had sworn his loyalty, he had been performing his duty honourably. And any recruits that came under his tutelage were taught the same standards of respect to their post.

Tenzō watched as the prince's tutor stormed into the throne room, carrying his hat in one hand and a dead snake in another. Even though he knew that the witch posed no threat, as a royal guard, it was his duty to stop him from approaching the regent by placing the halberd on his way. His partner from the other side of the door did the same. 

Witch Iruka Umino was a frightening young man. He'd joined the castle's staff only recently but had already made an impression on absolutely everyone. It seemed that man was the only one capable of taming the young prince.

"Let me through," Iruka hissed at him, but Tenzō didn't move, not until the order came from behind his back:

"Guards, at ease!" Sakumo Hatake, the current regent, called from his seat next to the sovereign's throne. The throne itself was bare, as the late Queen Kushina's child, Prince Naruto, was too small to even climb on it.

"Lord Regent," the witch bowed in greeting, clutching the hat to his chest in a polite gesture. He then walked past Tenzō and threw the snake at Sakumo's feet. A moment later, the reptile's body dissipated into thin air. "This is the third one this week. Now, even the library—the tallest tower in the whole castle—is no longer safe. What are your guards doing about it?!"

Tenzō's grip on his weapon tightened. The attempts on Prince Naruto's life had become more and more frequent. The first few years were quiet after Her Majesty and her husband passed away suddenly from an unknown disease. Queen Kushina's most trusted advisor and the head of the royal guard had accepted the post of a regent to look after the kingdom and raise the young prince. A few were unhappy with the arrangement and contested the prince's right to the throne, then Sakumo's right to be a regent. Eventually, most everyone agreed on how things were, and the kingdom was once again at peace. 

This was when the assassination attempts started. 

First, an ambush on Lord Regent, as he traveled home from a neighbouring kingdom. Then, there were more subtle attempts at poisoned produce delivered to the castle's kitchen. All were intercepted, of course, but it had put everyone on alert. The new head of the royal guard, Sakumo's son Kakashi, had been working around the clock, securing the castle, ordering the watch, and personally sampling any food prepared for his father or the prince. Tenzō did all in his power to support him in that as the man barely slept.

This is why, when the tutor insinuated that the guard hadn't been doing anything, he felt a taste of bile in his mouth. He didn't let anything show, though. Before Lord Regent had the time to respond, Kakashi entered the room with his right-hand man, Gai.

"The guard is busy with securing the whole castle and not just one room," Tenzō watched as Kakashi disposed of at least ten more snakes. Similar to the other one, the snakes dissipated as soon as they touched the floor, leaving only a wet spot in their wake. "You did well, ponytail."

"What did you just call me?!" The tutor's face became red at the nickname, making the scar that crossed his whole face over the bridge of his nose much more visible. Even his ponytail seemed to bristle. Tenzō could swear that the man would physically attack Kakashi, just like many times before. He wasn't sure what it was between his captain and the witch, but there was something.

"Now, now— no need to get violent before his lordship," his captain's smile was visible even through the black facemask. Tenzō could only roll his eyes – the men's bickering was never-ending. "I'm just saying that it's cute that you were able to catch one snake, while we were busy defending the whole castle."

"Are you spread too thin, perhaps," the witch said in response, still red in the cheeks. "And not capable of looking after one child? Isn't that the whole point of the royal guard – to guard the royal? Then, why are you not with him all the time?"

"Enough," with a tired voice, Lord Regent intervened to stop the bickering between the two. "You both performed your duty well. Gai, what can you tell us about the snakes?" 

"They're familiars," Tenzō listened intently to the captain's right-hand man. Gai was from a long dynasty of elves that served the kingdom for generations. His mastery of elemental magic knew no bounds, or so Tenzō was told. He hadn't truly seen the man perform any magic aside from speaking to birds and turtles here and there, which for all he knew could very much have been a sign of insanity. "They have been summoned, my lord, to infiltrate our castle, and each was forced to carry poison. We believe we have caught them all."

"They have come from the forest in the west, it seems," Kakashi added and then gripped at his sheathed sword. "Lord Regent—father, we have found five in your private chambers alone. As you predicted, they've become more frequent. And we still don't know—"

"We do, Kakashi. We've always known."

"But that's—"

"Nothing is beyond possible for that man. You know this as well as anyone," Tenzō watched as Lord Regent's face twisted in a frown. "It is clear, though, that the boy cannot be left alone. Even at night. And as you pointed out, my chambers are the least safe."

"I will be with him at all times, my lord," Kakashi kneeled before his father, but the witch's laugh made him stand up. 

"What a joke," Iruka scoffed.

"You just accused me of not being around him enough!"

"You can't even watch after your own tail! Who would ever entrust you with a child?!" Tenzō stifled a laugh. True to Iruka's word, his captain stepped on his own cloak.

"And what about you? Your room is a fire hazard!"

"I beg your pardon?!"

As if by the will of the heavens to save them all from another session of bickering, Prince Naruto ran into the throne room laughing loudly with a flustered handmaiden in tow. He ran up to Lord Regent and hugged him in greeting. All nine tails waggled wildly as Sakumo picked him up and held him in the crook of his arm.

"Naruto," Sakumo said. "With whom would you like to stay the next few nights, Kakashi or Iruka?"

"I can't stay with you?"

"No, little prince." 

"I could train you, as you always wanted," Kakashi tried to sway the boy's decision.

"Cool!"

"And I could show you how fun magic actually is." Clearly, Iruka didn't want to lose to Kakashi in this. Tenzō could only sigh at that moment. There was truly no way for them to be around each other without fighting or trying to outdo one another. 

"Will you give me a ride on your cloud?" The boy's eyes were lit with hope, and Tenzō knew that his captain lost this battle. 

The witch smiled wickedly and put on his tall hat; very neatly and almost instantaneously his hair moved out of the ponytail and into a side braid. With a puff of smoke, glitter and a whisper of 'fu zük', a cloud appeared under his feet. It was just big enough for him and one child.

"Hop on!"

It only took a moment for the boy to run down the throne stairs towards Iruka and climb up. As they sat on it cross-legged, Kakashi glared at the witch, his whole attire covered in sparkles. In his eyes, this competition was unfair from the very start.

(Art by microrockets: Witch Iruka in a tall hat and Prince Naruto with a crown, sitting on a cloud in the throne room. Kakashi glares at them, covered in sparkles)

Swiftly, Prince Naruto and the witch flew out of the throne room, and Tenzō watched them scare the help that stood in their way. He was happy for his prince – with a tutor like Iruka, the boy could continue being a child, unaware of the threat to his life and the life of the kingdom. At least, just for a while longer.

He was so preoccupied with watching the little prince that didn't notice a man approach him.

"May I be permitted the blissful pleasure of escorting you home tonight?" Tenzō turned his head so quickly that his faceplate slid down to hit him in the nose.  

"Sir Maito! I'm at my post!" He hissed, blushing furiously and trying to set his faceplate straight. It wasn't proper, and right in front of Lord Regent and his captain, too! The elf always did that! Catching him off-guard with ridiculous propositions, all the while smiling at him with all of his teeth. 

"I am aware,"  Gai dared to say. Scandalous! "Is that a yes?"

"No!"

The man visibly deflated, and just for a moment, Tenzō felt bad. But what could he do? He was at his post, and all that was deeply embarrassing, and it wasn't like the elf was serious—he was just teasing, right? Right?

"Another time then..." Tenzō watched the elf leave with sunken shoulders. 

"Ah, Tenzō. Don't be so harsh," Kakashi patted him on his pauldron. "The enemy's defeated for today. Consider having a bit of fun."

"And who's talking?" Tenzō squinted at his captain. "You're planning to do rounds all night again, aren't you? How many energizing beans have you had? It's not healthy to go this long without sleep."

"Ouch, talking back to your superiors?" Tenzō was mortified. Kakashi has been his captain for a few years now but it still felt new. They started as peers, as friends. It was too easy to fall back into the old ways.

"I am so sorry, my captain," he apologized but the man just laughed and left him at his post. 

Iruka's room was the safest in the castle. He made sure to set the wards properly around the whole perimeter and not just at the door and windows as the amateurs from the royal guard did. Iruka used the rarest inks for seals as well, and one mustn't forget his nature — a talent for magic. Most importantly, though, he made sure to disguise the entrance to his room – it looked like any other wall in the castle and only showed the door handle to him.

As soon as the fun from riding the cloud wore off, the prince started complaining about the arrangement. Spoilt brat. Even Iruka began to feel annoyed at the ordeal – it was his personal space, dammit. It wasn't meant for children wandering about. He should have let the bothersome captain keep the kid. 

"You can find somewhere to sleep, but the bed is mine." Iruka walked into the room, waited until the boy followed, and rearranged the wards. He went straight to his bed then, picking up a few items along the way from the floor. 

"That's your bed? Who would want to go anywhere near that?!" The boy said disbelievingly. "Why are they all apples?"

Iruka looked around. In his room, there were thousands of apples or apple-shaped items, carefully collected through the years. Along the wall: at least seven paintings of apple arrangements and orchards, a set of three tall artisan apple-shaped vases with intricate design elements and artificial flowering branches, two apple chairs with footrests, and apple-patterned throws. On tables, bookshelves, and windowsills: apple-shaped serving bowls of hundreds of colours set in barely balancing towers, waxed candles that couldn't be told from the real fruit, bags, trinket boxes, wooden apples, glass apples, porcelain decorative ornaments, mugs, more plates, and a jar of buttons. Countless apple-shaped stress balls and plushies, and apple-patterned blankets and pillows, with apple-themed jewelry (brooches and pendants, and strings of apple-shaped pearls) were towering towards the bed and crowding it halfway to the ceiling. 

Iruka took it all in and smiled – it looked fabulous; it looked like home. He turned around to see the prince's look of disgust and huffed – the boy must have been jealous; his room looked nothing like this.

It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Text

After dinner, Tenzō returned to his post at the doors leading to the throne room and the regent's private rooms. It wasn't his turn, and he had to dismiss one of the guards for it, but there was an uneasy feeling in his chest that he couldn't ignore.

He was worried.

Gai has been setting up protective wards around the perimeter. It turned out that a few of those that the elf sat up only that morning had been damaged by careless help. It wasn't as if they were weak, no. You would think that people would be more careful around them, but someone broke a whole wall from the inside! 

Kakashi increased the number of guards at the great gate. For that, he had to decrease the numbers inside the main building. Tenzō understood the reason behind it but he was still worried. Which was why he requested to be reassigned back to guard his lordship. 

The other guard at the door didn't look like he cared about his post. He leaned onto the wall, supporting himself with his halberd, and actually snored!

People truly didn't realize the whole importance of the situation. Just earlier, Sakumo held a meeting with all workers of the castle and put them on alert. Still, the majority didn't take it seriously. Tenzō didn't agree with their views, though. He felt something bad coming. And he was readying himself to defend his lordship and his prince.

Iruka couldn't sleep. He twisted and turned in his bed, and even spent time sorting out and looking through various apples, studying them in his hands, which has always been rather meditative for him. Still, there was a sense of dread in the air that was difficult to ignore. The prince slept soundly on a chaise to the side, clutching a plush toy that had a horrific resemblance to the captain of the royal guard. It was uncanny. 

Ever since Iruka’s first day on the job, the captain had been annoying. With a condescending look in his eye, he continuously underestimated Iruka's knowledge, and just plainly disregarded his profession. Called him ponytail too, so disrespectful. Iruka liked his hair long, and it was true that he most frequently put it up in a ponytail—it was convenient and most practical. Still, there were many other styles that he wore when he had the opportunity to brush them properly, without magic. Next time the man called him that, Iruka would turn him into a toad. He could do that. Anytime.

At that last thought, Iruka couldn't quite stop the smile from stretching his face. He even relaxed enough to zone out and fall asleep.

"Wake up! You're a disgrace," Tenzō nudged his partner with the dull end of his halberd's shaft. He gave the man plenty of time to sleep – the moon was already up and spilled its light into the throne room from behind the windows.

"Why are you even here?" His partner groaned, cracking his thick neck, and finally straightening out. "Should have stayed with the others at the gate."

"And leave you here? How did you even graduate from the royal academy with that attitude?"

"'tis easy!" The man's smile turned wicked in the moonlight causing a chill to go down Tenzō's spine. "I didn't."

The next thing Tenzō heard was the swooshing sound of a halberd in the air.

A sudden sound of something breaking from behind the door caused Iruka to startle out of his sleep. He jumped out of bed, quickly walked over there, and leaned in to listen. There were rushing footsteps, grunts and curses, and sounds of metal, clashing against the stone floors. 

Behind him, Naruto stirred and slowly sat up, an apple-patterned blanket slid down to his lap. 

"What's going on?"

"Shush," Iruka urged him to stay silent. Something wrong was going on in the hallway. He took a step back from the door and formed a few intricate hand signs while whispering,  "Shï chülïksh re ngilï".

Iruka felt the prince walk toward him and clutch at his pant leg as the spell took a moment to activate. Soon enough, the door and the surrounding wall turned transparent to show them what was going on outside. 

People were running.

The help hurried down the corridor as if they'd seen a ghost, the guards were pulling back, too, frantically defending themselves with their swords. And the enemy —

Iruka couldn't see it at first, but gasped once he did.

— Countless snakes of all sizes and shapes crawled over floors and walls, hissing, attacking. It seemed that some of them carried poison, as each person who was bitten fell to the ground instantly. Other snakes looked strong enough on their own – a few guards struggled for breath as the menaces wrapped themselves around their throats.

It was horror, but Iruka simply stood there, stunned, and watched. Only a sudden scream of outrage and the following flare of fire pulled him out of his stupor. 

The witch quickly deactivated the spell and then turned around to scan the room. It was indeed the safest in the castle from a stealthy invasion, but it wasn't protected from fire. Now, though, the hallway was filled with the raging flame that could easily find its way inside and trap them in a blazing jail. 

They would not survive it. 

They had to leave. 

They had to hurry. 

Iruka rushed for his bag and began to frantically fill it with necessities. He made sure to pack inks for his seals, healing potions, a blanket, and his jar of apple-shaped buttons (he’d spent half of his life collecting those). He ran to grab a set of clothes when a sob and a cry of fear reached his ears.

"Iruka!" 

In his panic, he didn't hear Prince Naruto call for him before that moment, but the sound of his name and the boy's tear-stained face brought him to a full stop. Through hiccups and sobs, the boy kept asking him what was going on. Iruka was frightened, yes, but Naruto—

The kid was terrified. 

After taking a quick second to swallow a breath and get his act together, Iruka crouched down next to the boy and took small trembling hands in his. To have even the smallest chance of getting them both to safety, he needed to explain what little he understood himself.

"Your Highness—" he interrupted himself. There was no time for formalities, and he was talking to a scared child for damn's sake. "Naruto, the castle is under attack. We need to find Sakumo. I'm sure that he is waiting for us. Okay?"

Even when everything inside Iruka screamed to run, he took a moment to wipe tears from the boy's face and waited. Soon, his patience paid off and he received an uncertain nod in response. 

"Please grab what you need and we'll go. Only the most important things, we can't carry everything."

Iruka expected the prince to want to take with him everything that the footmen left: all of his pretty clothes and toys. However, the boy surprised him by grabbing only the plush toy that resembled the captain of the royal guard, of all things... He even left his crown on the floor near the chaise. Iruka's heart squeezed – that toy must have been special to him.

On the last scan of the room, Iruka picked up his staff and hat, the prince's crown (he couldn't just leave it there) and the book that he had stolen earlier that day. 

'Dragons of the Lost Kingdom'

The book title flashed, reflecting the moonlight.

Iruka had a feeling when he first saw it on a shelf in the furthest corner of the royal library – the kind of feeling he couldn't ignore. 

He secured it to a strap behind his back and opened one of the windows.

He saw licks of fire colour the door the moment the air rushed in from the outside – they didn't have much time, but they had enough. Iruka promptly jumped on the sill and helped Naruto up. There was a hidden staircase on the exterior wall, leading directly to the regent's chambers, that he’d discovered earlier by pure accident. He just needed to find the key to activate it. 

Strong winds of the night caused him to almost lose his balance, all the while feeding the flames that kept swallowing his apple-shaped collectables. Very quickly, the room was filling up with smoke. Naruto clung to his leg and Iruka made sure to shield him from the gusts as much as possible. Soon, his hand located that one stone that felt different from all the others. After a desperate push, the wall began shifting and changing to create a pathway for them to escape from the fire. 

"Hold on tight, okay?" Iruka picked Naruto up together with his toy. The gaps between the stairs were too large for a small boy, so he had to carry him. Small hands wrapped around his neck in response.

With a bag behind his back and Naruto at the front, it was hard to keep balance, but Iruka managed. He moved as fast as he could, from stone to stone, holding fast to the wall when the winds got too strong, then moved quickly when they were still. Down under them, the moat water reflected the night sky.

By the time they made it to the regent's private rooms, the attack on the castle was in full force. The great gate had been breached and an army of enemy soldiers was marching through. They were carrying purple sigils that reminded Iruka of a music note or a snake. Despite a large number of advancing forces, the royal guards fought bravely in the courtyard and weren't letting them through to the main building.

The window wouldn't open.

As the winds picked up, Iruka made the decision to break the glass with his staff to get them inside. The room was empty and dark but no enemy was in sight. He jumped down to the brick stone floor, crushing the shards under his boots. Carefully, he helped Naruto down as well to avoid him cutting himself. 

In search of Sakumo, they made their way through the chain of rooms and private galleries to the throne room as quietly as they could. This section of the castle felt safe, even in darkness. It gave him some hope that the royal guard was able to hold back the enemy and would soon prevail. 

The closer they got to the throne room, though, the louder the sounds of the fight were. Iruka and Naruto didn't stop. They needed to find the regent. Trying hard to not make a sound, they proceeded further. 

Their breathing slowed down with every step. 

Iruka didn't let go of the prince's hand, not for a moment, not even when it started to drip with cold sweat. 

When they approached the throne room, through the half-opened door Iruka saw Sakumo in his full battle armour fighting with three opponents. His guard, Tenzō, was fighting four more, one of whom Iruka recognized. He was another royal guard, which meant that the enemy had spies within the walls of the castle and probably had for a while. 

There was nothing else he and Naruto could do other than to stay hidden and wait for the fight to end, hoping that it would be Sakumo and Tenzō who would win.

Through the roar of the full-on invasion of the castle, Tenzō heard more enemies approach. They were at the far end of the corridor that led to the throne room where he and Sakumo fought. He was trapped near the entrance and turned to see them running towards him. Thankfully, they were still far away. 

His immediate concern was the four enemies around him and many more snakes under his feet.

He was pressed from all sides, without any room to swing his weapon efficiently. He kicked and pushed his opponents away just enough to bend down and spin around with his axe creating more space. Snakes crawled up his armour but, thankfully, couldn't penetrate it. The enemies attacked him one at a time, conscious of his halberd, which was now free to move as it pleased. Soon, though, they grew reckless and began to approach in pairs, always from two sides. He swung his weapon from the top down to land a hit on the traitor's pauldron. He kicked another man at his back, sending him flying, then repeated the motions for the other two opponents. All the while, he tried to free himself of the snakes that climbed as far as his waist. 

Tenzō gritted his teeth when a sword grazed under his arm, and he swung his halberd again, this time from the floor to the ceiling. The motion took the enemy by surprise and caused one opponent to stumble and crash to the floor. It was the traitor – the one who pretended to be a guard. Tenzō took the opportunity to pierce the spike through his armour. Now, he was faced with only three opponents. And snakes, so many snakes.

More enemy soldiers were coming, and he needed to do something to protect Sakumo from them. Tenzō caught his female opponent's longsword with the fluke of his halberd and pushed her away from the door, disarming her. Quickly, he snatched the weapon and locked the door with it. Even with bare hands, the woman didn't stop her attack and slid down, intending to kick him off balance. He used his halberd as support to jump over her to avoid the hit and kicked her partner in the face with a foot, sending him flying. He turned around to finish the woman who was then trying to take back her longsword and open the door. 

Sakumo fought by his side at a safe distance but was close enough to cover his back. The man was much older than Tenzō and hadn't been on a battlefield for many years. It seemed, though, that the skill to kill followed a man through life. He heard the regent's sword cut through the enemy soldiers and countless bodies of snakes – the sound followed by screams of agony and hissing. Together, and with the doors safely shut, they had the advantage. It was a matter of time before the last enemy in the room collapsed to the floor defeated, and the bodies of snakes dissipated into thin air. 

Their victory was a small one, however. The screams and battle cries outside the throne room told them that it wasn't yet clear who won the fight.

Chapter Text

Tenzō breathed heavily and took a moment to wipe off the sweat and grime from his face. Sakumo looked composed but when he took off his crowned helmet, Tenzō saw a face of a tired man.

"You did well, Tenzō," his heart swelled at his lordship's informal address. "Thank you. Now, you need to go."

"What?" He couldn't believe the words.

"Find Kakashi and send him to the safe house – he knows which one. I will find Iruka and the little prince and send them there too. They need to be taken out of the castle. He will be able to protect them."

"Why would you ask me to leave you here?! There are—" Tenzō protested but was interrupted by a loud banging on the doors. He and Sakumo looked at it in alarm, but a shuffle from the other side of the room caused them to grasp their weapons again and turn there. Iruka and Naruto stood at the doorway to the regent's private quarters. Tenzō's blood ran cold at the sight – with the enemy's army behind in the corridor, the prince was so close to danger. Too close.

He felt Sakumo's arms on both of his shoulders and turned back to look at his lordship. The man looked determined.

"I will hold them off for as long as possible, to give Prince Naruto and Iruka the time needed to run away. Now, go and give my words to Kakashi."

With that, Tenzō ran towards the throne and disappeared behind a curtain next to it. He knew that there was a hidden tunnel leading to different parts of the castle. 

Iruka's heart was beating wildly as he approached Sakumo. He did his best to hold the prince close so that the boy didn't see the bodies on the floor. There was nothing he could do about smell, though – the disturbing smell of dissipating snakes.

Lord Regent met them halfway and brushed his uncovered hand at the prince's cheek which was stained with dried tears and dirt from their trip down the wall of the castle. Sakumo's gesture was gentle and reassuring. Iruka could tell that from the way Naruto's hands finally relaxed around his neck.

"You must leave the castle," his lordship spoke as another bang on the door pierced the silence in the room. "Listen carefully, Iruka. Behind that curtain is a tunnel that will lead you outside. Take the second exit on the left and go all the way straight. There's a path leading away from the village into the forest, at the end of which you will find a cabin. Stay there until Kakashi comes, and then leave for Uzushio."

"But I can help here," Iruka argued. He had powers within him that could be useful in a battle. The main reason for his acceptance of this job was to find more information about them. He hasn't fully mastered them yet but could at least try. "With my magic, we could win—"

"I don't want to leave, 'kumo," the boy in his arms started crying again.

"Your job is to protect the prince. And Naruto, please look after Iruka, alright? He will need your help too," Iruka was about to protest again but Sakumo continued. "I sent a bird to Naruto's uncle in Uzushio – King Nagato is just and wise. He loved his dear cousin, our late Queen, and won't let her kingdom fall to ruin. He will send his army to assist us. And he will take care of Naruto until peace returns to these walls."

Iruka wanted to ask what they needed to do if Kakashi doesn't make it to the safe house, or how long he should wait there. However, another loud bang interrupted him. Sakumo urged him to go into the tunnel.

As soon as they disappeared behind the curtain, the door to the throne room was broken. Iruka heard the loud noise followed by the clash of swords and turned around. He paused, shushing Naruto, and looked at how bravely Sakumo fought. There were dozens of enemies around him, snakes crawling up his legs, immobilizing him. However, all too soon, the man fell to his knees. Swords hit at his armour, which was the only thing still keeping him alive. 

Suddenly, the enemy stopped the beating, and Iruka feared the worst. Thankfully, the regent moved. 

Tired out, wounded, but he was alive. 

Soldiers stepped aside as a man walked into the room and approached Sakumo. He was tall with long black hair and pale skin (so pale that Iruka doubted there was any blood underneath it). Dark purple robes fluttered from the non-existent wind in the room. It was a sign of immense power, characteristic of only wicked wizards who sold their souls to vile creatures.

"My, my... The White Fang—the greatest warrior of Konoha! On his knees... How I have longed to see you there—" as the man removed Sakumo's helmet and gripped him by the jaw, Iruka held his breath. Then, he stumbled back in shock—a giant serpent rose from the purple smoke that suddenly crawled down the floor. The beast hissed threateningly and moved parts of its body in oscillating motions, filling the room almost completely. 

No, not a snake. 

Wingless, limbless—but a dragon.

Iruka realized that if he didn't move now, Sakumo's sacrifice would be for nothing. So, he ran. With Naruto in his hands, whatever little things they had—he ran.

Tenzō hurried through the tunnels and then corridors of the castle as fast as he could, killing those invaders that dared to cross his path. He knew that the fastest way to find his captain was to find the biggest fight. Swooshing sounds, metal clashing, screams and battle cries were coming from the direction of the great gate. At some point, it had been breached, and many more enemy soldiers came through it into the ward. So, that's where he went. 

When Tenzō arrived, he climbed up the stone wall, hiding in the shadows – it was still early for him to engage in a fight here. His assignment was to find Kakashi and pass him the message. He needed to remain alive to accomplish that. From this vantage point, he could see the whole battle.

It was a brutal one – halberds split the crowds, swords cut and pierced through, flaming arrows coloured the skies red. The royal guards (those who were loyal to the crown) have fought with all they had. Their opponents were reckless and strong, countless. And amid this battle was Tenzō's captain, as predicted.

Kakashi was at the bottom of the stairs leading to the main building, defending it with his life. He always stayed at the lower step, not allowing the enemies around him to pass further. And there were at least a dozen of opponents at a time, continuously replacing the fallen ones. His sword reflected the cold light of the moon and the blazing fire of flying arrows. Kakashi's other hand was charged with electricity – his pauldron was enchanted, Tenzō knew, transforming his rage into lightning. He pierced one opponent, kicked another, cut through the third then jumped to send a bolt of lighting through the rest. The sound of a thousand birds swept through the air, distorted by the noise of the battle. A kick landed him a few stairs up but this didn't stop him. It only gave him further advantage as he lunged forward to defeat the foe. 

Not far from Kakashi, Tenzō saw Gai and even tighter held onto the stones. The elf's mouth moved to recite spells and his hands circled in intricate gestures. Wherever he directed his attention, a stone wall appeared to shield allies. In other parts of the ward, the enemy soldiers were swallowed by the earth or thrown backwards by a gust of wind. It was the first time Tenzō was seeing Gai in action. The rumours were true about the man's ability to command elemental forces. Magic, however, was not the only thing the elf was capable of. When an opponent managed to come close, Gai reacted with a series of kicks—strong and mercilessly precise. Even without a physical weapon, he was a skillful fighter.

It took a while for Tenzō to get to them. As soon as he got out of the shadows the enemy was on him. He fought and ran, and swung his halberd to make way. When he finally made it there, it was just in time to shield Kakashi from a sly attack from the back. Tenzō caught the opponent's sword with the fluke and forced them to stumble backwards and lose their footing to only be swallowed by the crowd.

"You must leave, captain!" He shouted as loudly as he could, already busy with another opponent. Kakashi didn't seem to hear him so he shouted again. "Captain!"

"I'm busy!" He barely heard the response before Kakashi's lightning pierced the air again.

"The prince needs you!" Tenzō tried to catch his attention. This seemed to do it as Kakashi sharply turned his head in his direction, almost missing a hit. His captain called for Gai next and then a stone wall appeared, shielding them. 

Tenzō didn't waste the time and walked closer to pass his message.

"Why are you not with my father?!" Kakashi beat him to it.

"Prince Naruto and Witch Umino had to run to the safe house," he said between breaths. "Lord Regent asked you to follow and protect them."

"You left him alone?" Kakashi's eyes widened.

"It was an order!" Tenzō shouted back. His captain was being unreasonable. "Prince Naruto needs you!"

The wall shielding them began falling apart under the weight of many enemies that tried to crawl over it. Tenzō switched his attention to them, not letting anyone through. Kakashi moved closer to Gai and gave him orders. Soon after, the stone wall rose even higher, and the elf's attention was now fully on it. 

"Follow me!" Kakashi shouted at him, quickly climbing up the stairs. Tenzō followed.

They used a different way to reach the throne room, avoiding the common hallways – it seemed that the castle had many non-obvious ways to connect the rooms. They hid out of sight and slowed their pace as soon as the entrance came into view. Carefully, they approached it, expecting to find many enemies inside. However, what they saw far exceeded their fears.

Tenzō heard his captain release a deep growl and, immediately, had to hold him back. Kakashi didn't even look at him, eyes focused on what was happening in the room, so Tenzō finally peeked inside. 

He gasped.

Sakumo was held up high in the air by a tail of a giant snake – so far up, he almost touched the beams on the high ceilings. He was beaten, wounded, and the crown that fell from his helmet got caught on his pauldron and dangled as if it meant nothing. Tenzō's hold on Kakashi tightened. He couldn't let the man act on his urge to save his father – the odds were not in their favour. 

"You're despicable! Sending your familiars to kill a child!"

"My familiars? Ah, you mean the snakes?" A thin but evil voice came from the centre of the room. "They are helpful little things but aren't mine, at all. This one, though, is Manda. My pet. He can crush you, Sakumo. It would take only the barest of efforts. So, show some respect."

Tenzō recognized this voice – it was Lord Orochimaru. Well, a former lord. He was stripped of his title and land after trying to overthrow Queen Kushina when she was still alive. He was an evil man possessed by the desire to hold the throne. Now though, it seemed that he had the magic of a vile beast on his side. 

"I still need your sorry existence, though." Orochimaru continued, sounding disappointed. "You see, our beloved prince will be soon with us and—"

"You'll never find him!" Sakumo shouted, but the snake's hold on him tightened, eliciting a sharp cry out of him.

"As I was saying, Prince Naruto will join us soon. I will show the whole kingdom that I am much better suited to be a regent! My army has come here not to destroy, you see? We've come to liberate! Free the whole kingdom from your cowardice!"

"No one will ever believe you."

"Oh, but they will, they will. After I publicly execute you, my dear Sakumo, for escaping and killing Prince Naruto in your blind rage."

"You're sick!" At this, the snake threw Sakumo to the floor at the feet of two enemies.

"Throw him in the dungeons," Orochimaru ordered then climbed the steps to take a seat on the throne.

Tenzō could barely contain his rage at the way his lordship was treated. Kakashi, though, was already unsheathing his sword. Tenzō stopped him.

"You can't!" he whispered. "There are too many of them there."

"He is my father," Kakashi hissed at him, trying to break free.

"You know he is important to me too! And he is alive, which is more than I would be able to say about us if we walk in there."

It was painful to watch his friend suffer through this. Heck, he suffered just as much. The man was in there, tortured, but outside these walls, their friends were dying. The prince was in danger, too. 

"Kakashi," Tenzō urged his friend to take a breath. They needed to think. "He asked you to protect Naruto. By doing that, you will be keeping Sakumo alive, too. You heard Orochimaru, he needs Naruto for his plan to work!"

"You're right," his friend finally moved away from the doorway and back to the same hidden corridor that they came from. "We lost this fight, but this is not the end. Go to Gai and have him pull back as many of ours as you can. Regroup in the forest. And I will go to the safe house."

Chapter Text

As soon as Iruka made it out of the castle, he ran to the forest, following the trail as Sakumo instructed. Sounds of the fight were heard far behind them now. He knew, though, that if he were to turn his head, he would see the flames over the majestic building. 

He didn’t turn around. 

Grand and proud, the Castle of Konoha had been a symbol of peace and prosperity of their kingdom for centuries – Iruka didn’t want to sully that image in his memory. 

The further they went into the forest, the colder it got. Though, Iruka didn’t realize it until a stifled sniff came from the boy in his arms.

"‘m sorry," the boy whispered and wiped at his nose with a sleeve.

"Hey, It’s okay," Iruka slowed his pace before stopping and letting Naruto down on the ground. His arms and muscles immediately felt the relief after stretching. "I think I have something."

He dove into his bag in search of necessities. 

They didn’t know how far the safe house was, and no one seemed to chase them. So, they had a little time. Iruka grabbed a cloth and wiped it at the boy’s nose, asking him to blow it properly. There was nothing he could do about tear stains on scarred cheeks as they long dried out. He pulled out a small blanket and wrapped it around Naruto, who immediately buried himself deeper into it. The boy even covered his ears and all of his tails. This chill wasn’t just from the night air, Iruka understood, but from fear and shock, too. He took a moment to wear something as well, including his hat – it was better out of the way. Finally, he took out a lantern and whispered a quiet spell to light it up. 

In the meantime, the prince watched him with wide eyes, probably asking himself how so many things could fit into such a tiny shoulder bag. Well, the answer was obvious – a lot. Iruka was very proud of himself for learning the spell of the fifth dimension that allowed such a trick. Maybe, he would get to teach Naruto that one day. Now, though, was not the time for lessons on magic. As soon as the kid warmed up, he changed his curious gaze to a sleepy one.

"Let me carry you on my back," Iruka told him. "This way, you might get some sleep."

After receiving a tired nod, Iruka packed Naruto's toy, took the blanket and asked him to climb up his back. He grabbed the ends of the cloth and slid it upwards to cover the boy's back from hips to shoulders. He then took one side of the blanket and placed it over his shoulder. The other end he pulled from under his armpit before tying them both in a secure knot. Carefully, Iruka straightened and asked if Naruto felt comfortable. He got a quiet thanks in response and then felt small arms clutch at his clothes. 

Iruka was surprised by how calm the boy was, in stark contrast to the loud and spoiled child he had been tutoring all this time. Aren't kids supposed to cry their lungs out and demand to be returned home? 

When Naruto's head thumped softly on his shoulder, Iruka sighed and continued walking,  trying not to think about anything. Certainly not about the fact that he woke up to one of the worst nightmares of his life.

Iruka didn’t know how long he walked, but the morning still seemed far away. As if it didn’t want to come at all. The fresh smell of the forest he knew and loved turned rotten and stale. Soon, its tall and proud trees were replaced by their weaker and darker sisters. Surrounded by shallow waters, they were dripping and covered in moss. Everything was filled with thick silence. Even the splashes from under his feet were swallowed by mud and dead leaves before the sound reached his ears. 

The water got very close to the path and then covered it completely. It even seeped into Iruka’s boots, which was incredibly gross. He wondered whether he perhaps took a wrong turn somewhere, but there were no turns. The path was clear even in the dark of night; he could easily tell where he needed to go. Still, he was careful. The murky water could hide many things – both benign and dangerous. So, he walked slowly, one foot after another, probing the water with his staff before stepping there.

On his back, Naruto slept soundly. The prince was exhausted, and not only physically. Iruka couldn’t imagine how he was coping with all that. He was brave, though, always listening to what Iruka asked of him without a fit. It was a relief, for now. Once they make it to the safe house, he will talk to Naruto properly. Holding stuff in wasn't healthy, even for a little boy. He was allowed to cry and express his emotions in different ways.

Just when Iruka thought that he would not be able to take another step, a small cabin appeared from behind the trees. Immense relief washed over his body. He even released an audible sigh – to allow the air that had been trapped inside his body from all the tension and fatigue to escape. Naruto stirred from the sound and woke up.

"We’re almost there." Soon, they would be able to get some rest. Surely, Kakashi was not far behind them.

As they approached, he could better make out the details. 

It was a simple wooden hut with just one window and a saggy roof. Its walls had as much moss as the nearby trees, but it still looked habitable. Iruka had no doubts that this was where the regent sent them. He sped up his pace, hurrying to take off and dry his shoes, and give Naruto a proper place to sleep. 

Before he had a chance to reach the door, though, it opened. 

Iruka stumbled back in surprise and immediately took on a fighting stance, his staff shielding them from whatever unknown foe was in there. 

No attack followed, though.

"Witch Umino, I'm glad you made it here safely," Iruka raised his lantern to spill some light on the man in the doorway. 

He would never admit to it, but he was hoping to see the captain of the royal guard, already waiting for them in the cabin. It would have made his night so much better. He didn't feel prepared to protect the prince all on his own – he was a witch, not a warrior. 

However, the man who greeted them, though also with silver hair, wasn't Kakashi. He was the same height as Iruka but looked a few years younger. He wore the armour of the royal guard, which was comforting – they were in good hands. Maybe, the captain sent this man here beforehand, just in case. After a moment, Iruka recognized the guy – he had seen him around the castle a few times. How was he called, again?

"Sorry, I don't recall your name," Iruka admitted and approached the door.

"It's Kabuto," Naruto said from behind his back.

"My prince, I'm honoured that you remembered my name," the man bowed in a sign of respect and let them inside the cabin. 

Iruka released a long sigh of relief. Finally, they made it to the safe house.

It was a simple one-room place, quite empty. There was a table and three chairs near the only window, a small fireplace that wasn't on (probably not to draw the attention of the enemies), and a simple place to sleep on the other side of the room. Iruka promptly walked to the bed and helped Naruto down. Even though the boy got some sleep while they walked, it couldn't have been at all comfortable, and he needed to rest. 

Iruka himself felt like he was about to crash at any moment, now that the adrenaline wore off. His legs felt weak, and both hands started to shake, and he hid it under the pretence of fixing Naruto's blanket. 

"Would you like something to eat?" Kabuto closed the door. "It is quite a walk from the castle."

That was true, though Iruka wasn't concerned about himself. 

"Are you hungry?" He asked the boy and received an unsure nod in response.

"Please, come," Kabuto sat on a chair and invited them to join him. On the table was a spread of different foods: meats and cheeses, hot bread and a steaming cup of some deliciously smelling soup. 

It looked divine. 

It looked odd.

Iruka was sure that, when they came inside, there was nothing on the table. Now, the food was fresh and warm and beautifully served. They only turned around for a second. So, how could Kabuto prepare everything so quickly? The fireplace and the coils in it were cold. So, how?

Perhaps, Iruka was more tired than he thought, and more time passed, which meant that they couldn't handle anything heavy now. He dug into his purse and took out an apple. It was fresh and crisp and exactly what they needed. Naruto immediately bit into it like a starved little animal.

"Thank you," Iruka addressed Kabuto. "Please forgive us, but we're too exhausted to eat anything heavier than that."

"Not even a glass of water?" The guard was next to him, suddenly. Either Iruka was too tired to follow the man's movements, or Kabuto was moving insanely fast. In any case, drinking water after fruits was not good, and the apple was juicy enough.

Iruka smiled at the guard, despite feeling uneasy. He was used to people being excessively nice to Naruto – they wanted to earn his grace. However, this particular man here was all around Iruka—a mere witch—and barely acknowledged the boy. Something wasn't right.

"No need," he said, hoping that Kabuto would let it go and give them some time and space to rest. Once again, he caught himself thinking of Kakashi, who couldn't come fast enough. 

His response displeased their host – the guard's previously sweet expression turned sour. 

"Now, this simply won't do," Iruka heard the man mutter just as his round spectacles glinted in the moonlight. 

There were spies in the castle... 

Of course! How could Iruka be so stupid?!

Kabuto grabbed him by his hair and tried to force the drink into him, but Iruka kicked the glass away. It crashed on the floor, spilling water everywhere. Immediately, the wood started hissing and bubbling. 

"Naruto, run!" He pushed the boy towards the door and pounced at the traitor, tackling him to the ground. 

"You think you can beat me?" A loud laugh escaped the man just before Iruka was thrown to the other side of the room and into the table. He broke a chair on the way, but it didn't matter – Naruto was already safely out of the cabin. 

Iruka dashed for the door.

He barely made it outside when something slick wrapped around his leg and yanked him. He fell on his side and then twisted to look back at a snake dragging him through the mud. Kabuto grinned from above. He stood in the doorway, looking completely different from how he was inside. His armour was replaced by a maroon-coloured cloak with a hood. White, red, and yellow markings on the hood resembled the eyes of a serpent.

Kabuto was a mage.

Iruka couldn't remember if he was ever before more scared for his life. 

He looked back at Naruto, who hid behind a tree, then whispered in a rush:

"Fu mede doifa." 

A stream of flame spread from his palms to free him of the snake and set the wooden steps of the cabin on fire. Kabuto only laughed. The spell may not have eliminated the threat, but it gave Iruka enough time to get back on his feet.

The witch called back for his staff from the cabin and soon had in his hand. The ball at its tip glowed with Iruka's awakened power just in time for Kabuto's attack. His opponent jumped, and, in the air, his arms turned into two hissing snakes. They pounced, intending to sink their fangs into him, but Iruka shielded himself with an energy field and sent Kabuto flying backwards. The man landed in the swamp's dirt and muddy water as if he were born there. Immediately, a ball of energy came from that direction, and Iruka jumped to the side to avoid it. However, more blasts were thrown at him – larger and more powerful each time. Soon, the staff was struck out of his arms, and Iruka was left defenceless.

Defenceless but not defeated.

Despite his urging, Naruto didn't leave, only hid somewhere not far away – Iruka could sense him behind his back. As such, he couldn't lose just yet. There was one other spell he could try – he had never tested it before, but it should work. Their lives depended on it. 

"Where are you going to run, little witch?" Kabuto tried to rile him up just as Iruka jumped away from another ball of energy. 

"I'm not running!" he shouted back before concentrating as much as he could on the next spell. "La ülje!"

Right away, he felt the rush of magic through his very bones. It buzzed inside. Its song rang in his ears, powering him up. It was a gift from his parents, and all his ancestors before them. From his childhood, he knew of this power that had no limits. And he felt himself changing right there. 

It was supposed to be a quick transition but—

"No!" he cried out in fear. 

—the melody in his ears changed to a deafening screech. He felt scales on his skin, so itchy and out of place. One of his arms became blue and green and deformed. Then, it grew twice the size, ripping through his clothes. 

Everything felt wrong! 

Iruka stumbled backwards, reaching up to feel his pounding head only to find frills in place of his ears and a horn growing out of his skull. He fell to his knees from pain and anguish.

He failed. 

The spell failed.

And now—

Now, Kabuto was going to take Naruto and drag him back to the castle, or worse, kill him right there. 

"Run!" He cried out again, hoping that the prince listened this time. Only, it came out as a roar – hoarse, wild, and foreign to his own ears. 

He was on the ground, helpless, and could only growl, looking at his opponent.

Iruka watched the foe approach and smirk, growing two more red glowing spheres and aiming at him.

Kabuto didn't get a chance to finish him off, however. 

Suddenly, someone jumped from behind Iruka with a sword and immediately attacked the mage. He deflected one blast of energy and jumped away from another. 

Iruka recognized that armour and bright red cloak – it was Kakashi. 

(Art by microrockets: Partially transformed Iruka on the ground looking up at an unknown foe. In the background, Naruto hides behind Kakashi, who has glowing lightning in his hand)

Kakashi swung his sword once, then twice, but the enemy masterfully evaded it. The bastard hissed and sent snaked hands the captain's way, confident in his ability to trap him. Instead, Kakashi cut them off. He didn't stop there, though. For the first time, Iruka heard the sound of a thousand birds and then saw lightning pierce through Kabuto.

After that, everything went dark.

He wasn't sure if he would live to see the day after the battle. 

Chapter Text

Iruka was excruciatingly uncomfortable.

He couldn't find any of his cuddly apples, no matter how long and wide his arms wandered. Where were they? His pillow felt oddly cold, too. Freezing, like, it was made of metal and not the usual goose down and fluffy feathers he was used to. The whole side of his face was getting numb from the contact. Why? 

He wiggled a little bit to put a palm in between his head and the pillow, but then his hand started getting cold. It was intolerable. He moved his head away and found it falling backwards as if there wasn't even a bed underneath it. What the hell?

He startled awake and opened his eyes, gasping for air. Against the morning sunlight, he saw a familiar (still deeply annoying) masked face and a condescending look in one grey eye. 

"Let me go!"

"Stop wiggling!"

They shouted at the same time. 

Iruka felt his eyes widen. He was shocked to notice arms underneath his back and knees –  the captain of the royal guard was carrying him princess style. What, in the living hell? 

"Are you okay?" He asked Naruto who was walking beside them, carrying his hat and staff diligently, not letting them touch the ground. He was so happy to see the boy safe and unharmed, but why were they in the forest and not the castle?

It all came back like a boomerang to his face – the invasion of the castle, snakes, Sakumo fighting many enemy soldiers, the wizard and his dragon, the safe house, Kabuto, and, then, his failed spell...

Oh, no! His spell! 

He looked at his hands and feet – they looked normal. There were no claws nor scales. Iruka examined his head, too, and was glad to not feel any horns or frills. Thank heavens, he returned back to normal. 

The last thing he remembered was Kakashi jumping out from behind some trees to save him. The man arrived at the last moment, like some freaking hero, blasting his lightning and killing Kabuto. He should probably thank him for that. 

Iruka looked up again and saw freckles on the exposed part of the man's face. He had never noticed them before. Maybe they became darker from the morning sun, just like Iruka's cheeks. It looked cute—

He abruptly stopped that thought in its tracks and focused on the main issue at hand – he was in the annoying bastard's debt. 

Just great.

"Put me down, now," he ordered, willing the blush away from his cheeks. No! Not a blush. He wasn't blushing! The sun was just too hot.

"You look flushed," Iruka narrowed his eyes; he could swear Kakashi was smirking at him, even though he couldn't really know with that mask on the way. "Are you sure you can walk, ponytail?"

"Stop calling me that!" Enough was enough. Iruka wiggled and weaselled out of the man's hold. 

When his feet finally found the ground, he breathed out in relief. He made a quick scan of his body to confirm that all the remains of the faulty spell were, indeed, gone. Then, he blushed even more, dammit, at how all his clothes were ripped in odd places, probably from his incomplete transformation. There was a red cloak around him, and he wrapped himself further into it before realizing that it was Kakashi's. He was torn between wanting to throw it back at the captain and not walking half-naked. 

By the way—

Iruka looked around the forest but couldn't quite place where they were. 

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the castle," he couldn't believe his ears. Did the guy really just say that?

"What?!" Iruka looked at Naruto for confirmation but the boy dropped his head dejectedly and stared at the ground under his feet. What the hell! With anger coming damn close to steaming out of his head, he stepped in front of the captain and forced him to stop walking. "We didn't run away from the castle just to have you bring us back!"

"I need to save my father." Kakashi stared down at him, cool and collected, as always.  

"I don't care what you need! Did your guards fight off the enemy?" When he was met with silence, he pressed further. "Did you win? It's a yes or no question!"

"No," The man looked at him with furrowed brows, as if asking to move aside. Stubborn asshole. Well, Iruka wasn't one to back down at the sight of sheer stupidity. He crossed his arms in response and raised his chin in challenge.

"Then, you're walking us back into a trap, no?"

"I can protect you."

"From one evil mage who was already tired out by the fight with me, yes. But from the whole army, their dark wizard leader and his pet dragon? How?"

"I gave instructions to salvage what is left from our army. We will plan a counterattack when we get there. This is our castle and we need to take it back. My father—"

"Lord Regent—" Iruka's noticed how Kakashi's hand tightened around his sword. They weren't seriously going to fight over it, were they? He pressed his lips together and breathed out sharply before continuing. "Your father instructed us to go to Uzushio. He had asked for help from Naruto's uncle. It will take a few days for his army to arrive in Konoha, but they are coming. Your guards can't take the army all by themselves! These men, though, that invaded our home won't rest until they get the prince. Naruto will be safer in Uzushio!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." This was so frustrating! The man even dared to start walking again.

"It was your father's plan!" 

"Then, he didn't know what he was talking about!" Iruka was shocked to hear the captain's outburst, but he quickly shook it off and stormed after him.

"Look at my mouth and follow what I'm saying!" He grabbed Kakashi's arm and forced him to look him in the face. "Uzushio! We're going to Uzushio!"

"I need to save my father," Iruka was taken aback by the pain in the other man's voice and expression but didn't waver. 

Yes, he understood this need to save a parent, way too much. It was irrational and overwhelming. The only way to make the other see it was to give him some time to cool down. The time that they, unfortunately, didn't have. So, Iruka had to be cruel to get through to Kakashi and make him do the right thing. 

He didn't want to play this card, but he was left with no other choice.

"Is your loyalty to the regent or your prince?"

Tenzō sunk to the ground and leaned his back against a tree. His armour felt heavy, so he took the upper part off – it needed cleaning anyway. He was so damn tired but even more so, he felt empty. 

He lost many friends last night, and not just at the hand of the enemy. Some people that he considered to be closed to turned out to be spies. It was painful to raise his halberd against someone who bore the same sigils, the same armour, but he did it. 

And it hurt. 

Now, though—

Now, he just felt numb.

Whoever was alive and loyal gathered here, at a clearing not far away from the village and the castle but a safe distance, still. Kakashi was gone, but Gai was in command, and everyone followed his lead. He reacted to Tenzō's message instantly by breaking the stone wall that protected the main building and focusing on protecting those guards that were still alive and fighting. He urged them to fall back. The enemy was distracted and excited by the freed entrance, which allowed the royal guard to escape. 

Once they reached the safety of the forest, the elf with his apprentices made sure to tend to every survivor, heal their wounds and provide food. The meals were probably the product of Gai's magic, too, but no one questioned it. To starving soldiers, it smelled good enough to eat, and that was enough. If they were planning to take back the castle, they needed to be at their strongest. Can't do that without nutrition or sleep.

"How are you, my friend? Here, have something to eat," Gai crouched down next to him with a bowl of soup and a piece of bread. The elf looked worse for wear but smiled nevertheless. His usually perfectly styled hair was in disarray and the armour – was stained in dirt and ash. His cloak was torn in many places, making Tenzō wonder how it still stayed attached to his pauldrons. 

"What about you? Did you get to have a break?" The answer was written all over Gai's face, and Tenzō frowned before pushing the food back to the man. "Not unless you eat as well."

"But I haven't tended to everyone yet, and—"

"Sit and eat," it was endearing how Gai immediately complied with his command, but it was also worrying. The man must have been exhausted even more than the others. He didn’t need to carry a heavy weapon into the battle, but wielding magic to save people couldn’t have been easy. 

Tenzō stood, ignoring the numbness in his legs, and went to get food for himself. He came back to find Gai sleeping with the empty bowl in his hand. That confirmed his suspicion about the man being exhausted. Once he sat and began eating, the elf slid down to lay his head on Tenzō's shoulder and lightly snored. 

Tenzō was glad that he took off his pauldron earlier.

They woke up to a bird flapping its wings in front of their faces. Tenzō realized in horror that at some point after eating, he zoned out, too, and that his head was now resting on top of Gai's. It was warm and comfortable, and he missed the contact as soon as they both straightened out.

The bird didn't calm down until Gai raised his arm for it to sit. It chirped and ruffled its feathers, and chirped some more, clearly excited to share something. All the while, the elf nodded and then smiled with relief before sending it off.

"What did it say?" Tenzō wondered. After seeing the elf in a fight last night, he had more respect for him and his magic. Even more so, he was curious to learn about them.

"Uzushio received the note from Sakumo just after the attack began. This little guy flew there and back without rest, catching the current of wind to make the trip faster. They have already sent reinforcements. It's only a few days travel from there – just enough time for us to come up with a plan."

"We should start with the local clans," Tenzō offered and the elf nodded in agreement. "Let's see if they can help. I mean those who haven't bought Orochimaru's story about liberation."

"Of course, my dear Tenzō!" Gai beamed at him. "We will need all the help to take back the castle and save Lord Regent. My heart can't rest, knowing that he is locked in the dungeons. It's only comforted by the knowledge that Naruto is safe with my rival, which is keeping his lordship alive."

Tenzō was hoping that Kakashi caught up to Naruto and Iruka in time, and they were now on the way to Uzushio. He wished for their journey to be safe and uneventful.

Iruka felt disgusting. 

He was sweaty and tired, still dirty from the last night's events. He kept the red cloak on for some sense of decency, but it only made him sweat more. His usually proud tall hat looked all droopy and sad, suffering from the heat and humidity just as much. They've been walking for the whole day without a break, and it started taking a toll. At times, it felt like the sun decided to make it the hottest day of the year and fry them. The forest didn't provide much relief either. Even though it was almost evening, it was still way too damn hot.

Though, there was one thing that elevated his otherwise foul mood – Kakashi looked much worse. With all his armour shining in the sun, he looked gloriously awful. In all honestly, the captain resembled a toad in a can that was heating up slowly. Just, beautiful.

The only one in great shape was Naruto who was chilling on Iruka's back, flapping his robe to create some wind. 

When Iruka heard the miraculous sound of a creek nearby, he quickly changed direction. They needed to stay the night somewhere, but most importantly, they needed to clean themselves up. If they were to travel like that, they risked getting sick way before making it to Uzushio. 

Surprisingly, the captain didn't object. Though, he did look kind of grumpy, which annoyed Iruka to no end.

"Stop sulking!" He couldn't stand it any longer and once they found a perfect clearing, he made his thoughts known.

"Excuse me?"

"You've been sulking since the moment I forced you to walk with us to Uzushio." They worked towards setting up a camp for the night but Kakashi's brooding was ruining the energy. Iruka did not sign up for this.

"Well, I'm sorry for worrying about my father who is probably being tortured as we speak."

Spending what could be a whole week in the company of this annoying guy was one thing, tolerating his moping was— No, thank you. He was prepared to give Kakashi a slap in his face to make him see things clearly.

"Do you seriously have so little faith in your men?" Kakashi stopped, trying to light the fire, and looked back at him.

"No. I trust Gai and Tenzō with my life."

"Well, what you're saying is – you trust them with your life but not your father's life. Am I right?" Kakashi didn't give him a response, just continued setting up the fire. Iruka evened out his breath and changed his tone a bit. He tried to sound comforting because, dammit, he knew what the man felt. It hurt. "I'm sure they are working on a plan to get him out. And not only as your soldiers but as your friends. I know, you three are close. Don't forget that you're doing your part, too, by keeping Naruto safe and away from the castle."

Kakashi chose to stay silent, but there was nothing he could do other than continue with his task. 

"Why do I have to pick up these stones?" Naruto whined nearby. He was tasked with clearing out the ground around the fire from large stones so that they could sleep on it tonight. "This is so boring! And I am the prince! You should be bowing before my grace."

"I'm not your maid, and, besides, you wanted to be helpful," Iruka smiled at him. "Clearing out the stones is helpful."

He watched as the boy took another big stone and carried it over to the other side of the fire, all the while grimacing at how dirty it was. With a groan, he wiped both hands at his robe and went to pick another one.

"You could practice the levitation spell, you know." 

"I don't need no spells!" The prince stomped his foot and groaned even louder but continued picking up the stones, without any magic. 

Iruka could only sigh.

Any kitsune, like Naruto, was capable of greatness. They had the ability to channel the energy much faster and more precisely than any human or an elf. This was why most kingdoms were ruled by a kitsune. Even more so powerful was the Uzumaki bloodline, which meant that Naruto's failures with spells were the product of his own disinterest in magic overall. Hopefully, little by little, Iruka would be able to show him how fun it actually is.

Now, though, he simply looked forward to a quiet night in the forest.

Chapter Text

When they finally cleared enough space for their camp and lit the fire, the sun was only an hour away from setting. Iruka couldn't see it from behind the tall trees, but the way the birds sang their songs told him that. The air cooled down, too, and not just from the water nearby. It was a pleasant evening.

Preparing for the night, Iruka grabbed his bag and took out three sets of clothes. All of them were his size, of course, but with a quick spell, he turned two of them to fit Kakashi and Naruto. They should be grateful to have a capable witch, like Iruka, with them.

He dug deeper into the bag. His arm was now in it up to his shoulder, much to the amused glances from his companions. He chose to ignore them. There was a system to his bag. While no one could look inside, everything in it had its place. He was sure, there was that one thing they absolutely needed—

"Aha!"

—In triumph, Iruka pulled out his limited edition apple-themed traveller kit. It had a large green bedroll with a blanket that made him smile like a madman (both were embroidered with adorable tiny apples in a corner). He didn't need to sleep on the cold ground tonight! There was also a waterskin, some dried apple protein snacks, and a tin and tinder box. 

At the sight of the last item, Kakashi growled.

"You couldn't have found it before I started the fire with sticks and stones?"

"You did great there! Besides, I thought you would use your lightning, actually. Why didn't you?" Iruka examined the items one by one, ignoring the exasperated looks from the captain. "Isn't it, like, your specialty?"

"It's not a matchbox, you don't play around with it," Iruka itched to interrupt and say that no one should play with matchboxes either but held himself back. Kakashi was talking about something else other than going back to Konoha – it was progress, which he didn't want to stall. "It channels my killing intent into a bolt of energy. And I don't really feel like killing anyone right now."

"Ah, so I don't annoy you enough?" Iruka smirked. "I can certainly fix that."

"You're this close," the captain narrowed his eye at him while holding his thumb and index finger almost together. 

Iruka decided to ignore that, focusing instead on the items in front of him.

He found this kit by chance at a market and couldn't stop himself from buying it – he knew it would come in handy one day. He saw matches in the tinder box, dry wood, and other items that can very well be used in times of emergency, should they ever need to light a fire in rainy or otherwise damp conditions. The waterskin was too small for three people, but that didn't ruin his mood. He quickly gave it the same spell as to his bag to be able to store much bigger amounts. 

Naruto tried to steal a pack of snacks from under his nose, but Iruka immediately slapped his hands.

"Not yet! We need to wash up first and change," he received another unhappy whine in response. What a bratty child!

The creek turned out to be a small river deep enough for a good swim, and it was absolutely wonderful. 

Iruka washed Naruto's robes while the boy played around in the water, casing frogs. They seemed to like him, and a few even let him pet them. Kakashi had gone somewhere to find ingredients for their dinner before coming back with the weirdest mushrooms and plants. Iruka shamefully admitted to not knowing any decent cooking spells. He had honestly tried to learn many times but always ended up messing them up. Making apples was the only spell he was actually good at because it wasn't a cooking spell – it was a creation spell. At Kakashi's request, he produced three yellow starchy fruits.

When Naruto tired out all the frogs, Iruka helped him dress into clean clothes and sent him off to sit by the fire, where Kakashi was cooking. 

"I miss Chouza's food!" From his place by the water, Iruka heard the boy whine again and rolled his eyes. In his opinion, any food was better than no food. A prince wouldn't know that, though, would he? "Are you sure it's edible?" 

"My father taught me this recipe," he heard Kakashi respond. "We might not have any salt here, but the forest's herbs will give it the kind of taste you'll remember forever."

"Sakumo knows how to cook?!" Naruto gasped in shock. Truthfully, even Iruka was surprised. Hatake family seemed to him like an old line of warriors in service of the crown, rich and powerful. Why would they need to know how to cook if there were maids to do everything for them? 

"He may be too busy now, but when I was a kid, he used to cook all the time. And this one, he taught me when we went camping."

"I want to go camping, too!" 

"And what is it that we're doing here?"

"Running away from bad people," the boy's demeanour changed drastically, making Iruka's heart sink. 

"Hey," Iruka almost ran to give Naruto a hug, but Kakashi beat him to it, of course, as he was much closer. It was their moment, too. So, he stayed where he was near the water and watched the captain lean in to comfort the prince. "You don't need to think about that. Look at this fire, the stars above the trees – this is exactly how I camped with my dad. The only difference is – we had two bedrolls."

They laughed at that, and Iruka smiled from the side.

"Do you think he is okay?" The boy asked, clutching at the plush toy that Iruka helped him clean just a bit before.

"Yeah," Kakashi surprised him with the answer followed by a quick glance in his direction. "Iruka is right. Gai and Tenzō will make sure that he is okay."

"Yeah!" Naruto threw his arms in the air. "The green beast is the best! And Tenzō will scare them all with his ghoul face!"

"He showed you his ghoul face?"

"It was terrifying!"

Relieved that they were getting along well, Iruka tuned them out after that. He very much wanted to rid himself of the torn clothes and wash up. He did that as soon as he hung Naruto's clothes on a rope to dry. 

He washed his hair first with river clay – it always did wonders to his wavy hair. Then, he scrubbed at his skin as much as he could, finding more cuts and bruises as he went. It wasn't all that bad, though, nothing a healing salve couldn't fix. He was just glad that he came out of it alive, and that the prince was unharmed. 

All clean, Iruka dove in.

As soon as he was underwater, he let out almost all air from his lungs in relief and sunk to the bottom. It was pleasantly cold around his tired and sore body, and he simply gave in to the feeling. Iruka couldn't remember the last time he had a chance to enjoy the water in such a way. Surrounded by algae and other river plants, he was at peace. Some fishes swam past him, and a crab crawled, dragging a piece of wet wood with it. 

He could stay underwater for a very long time without the need for air but didn't want to scare his companions. So, he swam up and immediately wished he didn't.

"What the hell?!" Iruka sputtered at the sight of one very naked Kakashi. 

"I need to wash, too," the guy shrugged his shoulders and then shivered when he finally walked into the river. "Didn’t see you fighting dozens of enemy soldiers last night."

The madman had no decency whatsoever. He covered nothing when entering the waters, except for the lower half of his face. His face! Who covers the face and leaves out the—the rest?!

Yes, Iruka was naked too, but he was discreet about it! Not showing off his chest and abs, and legs, and abs, and—oh, gods. Iruka promptly turned around and dunk to cover his heating cheeks with water. Unbelievable! When his face refused to cool down, he dove only to come up again, silently screaming as Kakashi swam next to him. 

"Can’t you wash somewhere else?!" He pushed away into the deeper area.

"It’s too shallow in there," the man gave him the most innocent eye-smile before looking around. "Did you see any fish in there? Dinner is almost ready but if we get some fish…"

"Ugh," Iruka groaned moving further away from the captain. "You wash while I get us some fish."

It was much better to be preoccupied with fishing than to stay close to this indecent kind of human.

He didn't spend too much time. One dive was all he needed to catch a salmon big enough for all three of them. He chose to ignore the whistle Kakashi gave him when he got out of the water. 

He was sure it was praise for the size of the fish and nothing else.

The food was incredible. There were mushrooms and apples, herbs, some green leaves and what looked like young ferns. Salmon was perfectly cooked, not raw but not overcooked either. It added important proteins to the meal and filled them up quickly. Iruka couldn't believe it. If it wasn't for Kakashi's smug face, he would have given him a compliment. Alas, he left all the gushing to Naruto.

All three of them ate as if they hadn't for days. 

They ate in comfortable silence filled with a song of crickets, their occasional slurps, and the crackling of the fire. Once they were done, Kakashi made sure to pack leftovers for breakfast and their travel tomorrow.

Iruka, though, walked around their camp to set up protective wards. They were happy to be put to use after a long time in his bag and chatted cheerfully, promising to alert him of any dangers. He was so proud to have them – they were good wards. When he was getting back to the bedroll, already occupied by the prince, Iruka's hand wandered to his shoulder absentmindedly. 

Throughout the whole day, he would catch himself checking different parts of himself, remembering the faulty spell. He had phantom sensations of a horn on his head or scales on his skin that wouldn't leave him alone. Every time, he was relieved to feel his body be its usual shape and colour, but the doubt would creep in, and he would touch again.

"Was it a curse?" Naruto asked quietly, not moving his gaze from the fire. The boy must have noticed him clutching at his shoulder again.

"What was?" Iruka wanted to be sure that this was what the prince asked. He sat on the bedroll close to Naruto, who was hugging his plush toy, and listened.

"When Kabuto attacked—" ah, just as Iruka suspected. When he regained his consciousness that morning, he expected this question from either Naruto or Kakashi, but neither spoke of it, until now. "—you had a horn and scales."

"No, it wasn't a curse," Iruka responded honestly – he had nothing to hide. "It was a spell, and I messed it up. It is so important to follow what your teacher says, Naruto – I didn't follow my own advice there, and look where it got me. I was lucky that the transformation dispelled so quickly."

"What was that spell? And why were you trying to do it?"

"It's—ah," the boy looked genuinely interested. So did Kakashi, who sat down on the bedroll next to them. Iruka grabbed his belt that he put aside for the evening, and unstrapped the book that he borrowed from the royal library. "Let me show you instead."

"You don't have to explain, if you don't want to," Kakashi's voice was strangely comforting, and he couldn't help but smile at him.

"Thank you, but it's okay," He then opened the first page of the book, showing them a picture of a magical creature there, and started telling his story. "Once upon a time—"

—there was a kingdom, where humans and dragons lived together. It was such a long time ago that no one even remembered its name anymore. People had been referring to it as The Lost Kingdom. Dragons walked the streets among humans and wore a human form. They were only different in the levels of magic flowing through their blood. Their spells were stronger, their potions lasted longer. When there was a need, they transformed into large beasts without much effort. They depended on humans in other things, though. For example, when dragons overused their magic, they needed to be around people to recharge their power reserves – they were social beings. For centuries, they lived in harmony, and there was no kingdom stronger or more beautiful.

With time, though, humans grew jealous of dragons, and dragons thought themselves superior to humans. They wanted to chase each other out. They fought, and together they brought their beautiful kingdom to ruin. Not a trace was left of it. Humans went their own way and dragons—

Well, some dragons decided to shed their human form. They lived as giant beasts in hate of people, attacking their new kingdoms, and bringing more terror to their lands. Other dragons made a different decision – they hid themselves and their nature among humans. 

In their day-to-day lives, they had to conceal their powers from others. However, they passed their skill to younger generations, hoping that humans and dragons would once again live in peace. And there were signs, indicating that things could get better – those dragons that continued to hate humans grew practically extinct, and humans began growing partnerships with other magical beings, like kitsune and elves.

"I believe that my ancestors chose to hide among humans," Iruka said, remembering his parents. "I once saw my mom transform into a beautiful creature. Both of my parents died before they could teach me about this transformation. I've been trying to recreate it but—maybe, I didn't inherit their power." 

"I bet, you are an awesome dragon! And I don't lose bets!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at him with big eyes. Then, the boy yawned widely and fell back on the bedroll. His next words were sleepy but surprisingly wise. "Maybe you need to practice more? You always tell me to practice."

Both Iruka and Kakashi laughed at the snores that immediately followed. 

"Okay, you have to tell me," Iruka asked when they started getting ready for sleep as well. "What's up with that toy?"

"It's just something that helps him sleep better," Kakashi chuckled at first but then protectively tucked the blanket around the boy. "He was kidnapped once."

"What?!" Iruka was shocked to learn that. He always talked badly about the castle's security and Kakashi's job but, truth be told, he had always known how very well protected the place was. Orochimaru's attack was only successful because of his spies. No castle is immune to that.

"It was not long after his parents died. My father and Naruto were on their way to visit some relatives in the Kingdom of Sands but were ambushed. It's being kept a secret, for various reasons," Kakashi paused to clear his throat and take off his boots before continuing. "We lost him for two days. He got his scars, then, presumably from the captors. Anyway, I found him in a cave – he had managed to escape and hide in there. When we made it back to the castle, he had trouble sleeping."

"No wonder," he agreed. The boy must have been traumatized by the whole experience.

"Yes. So, I stayed with him a few nights after that, but then—he knew I had other duties, too, so he asked me to leave," Iruka saw the captain's gaze soften and felt his heart swell. "Told me he was all grown up and didn't need me anymore. I learned from a maid later that he had nightmares. So, I made him this."

"Wait, you made this?" Iruka gasped. "This monstrosity?!"

"Hey, he likes it!"

He couldn't believe it. Though, it also explained Kakashi's portrait in the library. Somehow, Iruka felt a tiny bit sorry for drawing horns and a tail on it. Perhaps, the guy wasn't all that bad – he helped Naruto, didn't he? Not as a royal guard but as a kind human being genuinely concerned about a small child.

Iruka shook his head of these thoughts promptly. Kakashi was still the same annoying bastard who constantly teased him, he couldn't have been that nice. Yet, the ugly plushie was proof, as was his delicious cooking. 

Trying not to think on this further, he fell asleep, cramped in between Naruto and Kakashi and ignoring the heat coming from the captain's back. Still, he wondered what else he might learn about the man and the boy on this journey. And, really, what awaited them out there – was anyone chasing them? So far, they only had to deal with one mage, were there more? To protect Naruto and make it to Uzushio safely, would they be able to account for everything that may come next?

Chapter Text

Tenzō hated the fact that he had to sneak into his own home. 

There was no other way around it, though, as the village and its gates were patrolled by many enemy soldiers. Under the cover of lush trees, he climbed over the stone wall and paused for his partner to do the same. Gai didn't keep him waiting, at all, moving as effortlessly as him. 

Just in case, they gave up their armour in favour of a much more comfortable attire, very well suited for a stealthy mission. This way, they could move quickly and without any noise. While he couldn't find any fault in the functionality of their clothing, the rest of the design was somewhat questionable. 

For damn's sake, they were wearing skin-tight jumpsuits made from the most ridiculous shimmering green material! 

It clung so tightly to their skin that every single muscle was on display. Tenzō was so embarrassed that he seriously considered plucking one or two large maple leaves to cover himself. He didn't, though. Gai's obvious pride in designing such a perfect stealthy outfit made him swallow his pride and get on with it. It's not like anyone was supposed to see them, anyway.

They didn't want the enemy to know that they had ever breached the walls of the village, which was why they decided against weapons, too. Tenzō didn't even bring a knife – nothing at all that could produce a sound. They weren't completely without a defence, though. Gai produced pouches of dizzying powder for them. It was designed to cause brief light headiness and leave the enemy with partial amnesia, ensuring that their encounter would be forgotten. Yet, the memory loss would be so minor that no one would suspect a thing.

When they finally reached his house, Tenzō quietly unlocked the door and let his partner in. He immediately went to his bedroom to throw a robe on and gave Gai one as well. Soon, they would have company there and he wanted to look at least somewhat decent.

After that, he didn't know what to do with himself. In the awkward silence, he started picking up items here and there, attempting to seem like a good host waiting on his guests and completely ignoring the one that was already there.

Since the very moment he woke up with his nose buried in Gai's soft hair, Tenzō had been somewhat edgy. He paid too much mind to the elf's every move and word. Many times today he found himself curious about him. It wasn't like he never considered the elf interesting before, just never to this extent. And their attire didn’t leave anything to the imagination. Not a thing! So, in the privacy of his brain, he was forced to admit that Gai was a very attractive man. He was reminded of it over and over, because they had been together for the whole day, carrying the responsibility of planning the strategy of their counterattack.

It wasn't only that, though. It was also Sir Maito's unrestrained and way to apparent happiness whenever they were around each other. 

He wouldn't say that it made him uncomfortable, though. The issue was more related to the fact that he simply couldn't understand the reasons. It also made him think about all the other conversations they had before the attack. How he could have misunderstood the elf's previous attempts at socializing and (if he dared to admit) flirting. 

"I must confess when I proposed to walk you home, climbing the village walls wasn't what I had in mind," Gai said, putting a stop to whatever meaningless chores Tenzō was attempting to do. "Even though, I am delighted at having had the opportunity."

"Sir Maito, would you please stop with your teasing?" Tenzō furrowed his brows at him. Even though he was thinking so hard about their conversations, trying to make sense of them, teasing seemed like the only viable reason, still. Perhaps, Gai simply enjoyed watching his reactions. Like many other people in the past. Even if the elf looked so sincere, Tenzō shouldn't be letting his guard down. "Their lordships will be here any minute."

"Teasing?! I am wounded! I hadn't ever made the efforts to provoke or make light of you in any way," Gai's tone changed to serious as he walked towards Tenzō and clasped both of his hands. "You must know, my attempts at courting you have been nothing but genuine. I am filled with a blossoming feeling of love for you." 

Not teasing, then.

Love. 

Gai had just admitted to having been courting him all this time. Could he truly believe his words? Suddenly, the room felt suffocating, as if all air was sucked out of it. The elf couldn't have been serious. Tenzō never viewed himself as particularly attractive, not to a degree of someone seriously considering him as partner material.

"Surely, now's not the time," he tugged at his hands but Gai gently held them back.
 
"That's what I thought at first, also, but we're at the springtime of our lives – any moment is the best moment to ask your love interest on a date!" In quite a shock, Tenzō allowed Gai to bring his hands up and came back to his senses only when two small kisses were planted on his fingers. 

"I—it truly is not the time," his heart was beating wildly as he watched the elf press his lips to his hands again.

"Not the time for what?" Tenzō heard from the doorway and jumped as far away from Gai as he could.

"For distractions!" He responded in a rush, trying to compose himself. His heart continued to thump against his ribcage, trying to break free. "Not the time for distractions, my lord."

"I agree," this was Shikaku, the head of the Nara family. Tenzō showed him towards the dining table, where he was expecting to have all other guests, too. The man was a known strategist in old wars, responsible for masterminding countless manoeuvres that lead to the expansion of the Kingdom's borders. 

Soon after his arrival, they were joined by the leaders of the Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Hyuuga families. Chef Chouza Akimichi, the cook of the castle, joined as well. He was a well-known warrior that returned to his passion for cooking in retirement from active service. Now that his prince and the kingdom were in danger, he couldn't stay on the sidelines.

"We expect the men from Uzushio any day now," Gai began the discussion after everyone found their place at the table. Everyone was happy to know that Naruto made it out of the castle. Even though his current whereabouts were unknown, they felt confident in Kakashi's abilities to protect the boy. Especially with the witch's help. "Even with their numbers, though, we will need to be smart about our counterattack."

"Orochimaru is hosting a banquet soon," Chouza offered thoughtfully. "He asked me to roast a boar for that one. So, it will be big enough for a cover. This could be a good opportunity."

"A banquet?" Tenzō frowned. 

"For the lords of the village, in celebration of the so-called freedom," Lady Tsume of the Inuzuka clarified. "We expect lords from some other castles to arrive as well."

"He has lied to us all about the heir. He told us that the boy is still in the castle," Mikoto of the House of Hyuuga added. "Prince Naruto is expected to be at the banquet. He knows that no loyalty will come from us if the boy is harmed." 

"Which means, he sent someone after Naruto," Tenzō nodded at Lord Inoichi of the Yamanaka's words. "Perhaps, he knew about Sakumo's plan to send him to Uzushio." 

That wasn't surprising – there were spies in the castle, after all. Uzushio had always been an ally, too. So, it was an obvious choice to send the prince there. This was, probably, the reason why Lord Regent insisted that Kakashi went after Iruka and the prince. Who could he trust more than his son to do this job?

They talked almost all night. In the end, they decided that, indeed, the banquet would be the best moment for a counterattack. They couldn't wait to free Lord Regent, of course, but rushing into battle without reinforcements or a solid plan was dangerous. The only comfort was in knowing that, without Naruto, Orochimaru was keeping Sakumo alive.

Gai didn't raise the subject of the giant serpent at the meeting, only briefly mentioning it. On their way back from the village, he assured Tenzō that he had a plan for it. A magical being could only be defeated with magic, he said. Which meant that only Gai and his apprentices would be able to set up a trap for the beast. 

Tenzō wished he could help him but knew that he couldn't – his assignment was to rescue Sakumo. It meant more to him than anything. He still felt guilty for leaving him in that throne room, for not even trying to get him out of the serpent's grasp when Kakashi insisted. He knew that the decision he made was the right one, but still—

And now, he was walking further and further away from the village, when he should be going straight to the dungeons...

"You shouldn't beat yourself up, my dear Tenzō," he felt Gai's hand on his arm and stopped walking. The whole weight of his guilt concentrated at that one point of contact and then travelled down, as Gai's hand slid to clasp his palm. He took a sharp breath not knowing what to do or say. "Leaving Sakumo there was the bravest thing any warrior could have done. You believed in his strength, protected your captain from running to certain death, and with that ensured that we all have a chance at winning."

Tenzō knew all that. 

He didn't need these words of comfort. 

He was fine. 

It was just a temporary moment of weakness, and he didn't need help going through it. He had lived his life all by himself, making responsible choices, driven by logic and nothing else. What he was feeling now didn't matter, because he did the right thing. He had orders.

"I shouldn't have left the throne room," he breathed out when Gai wrapped both arms around him. It was an irrational thought, but it was all he could think of. It occupied his whole mind, pushing everything else aside. He clung to Gai's warmth, breathing laboriously, overwhelmed by his regret. "Shouldn't have—I must save him. I owe it to Kakashi to save him."

He knew he will. He was just so worried.

"My treasured one," Gai whispered into his hair soothingly. Somehow, Tenzō felt safe enough to relax into the elf's embrace. He didn't know why Gai called him that, why he was interested in someone like him, but it felt nice. He closed his eyes and breathed in the man's scent. Yes, it felt nice, but it wasn't something he deserved. Yet. He will, though. He just needed to focus on bringing peace back to the kingdom.

Iruka woke up surrounded by warmth. He felt the boy stir under the crook of his arm, poking his ribs uncomfortably. His face was turned to another side, though, and he snuggled further into the warmth coming from that direction.

It felt so good.

Soft and smelled nice, in stark contrast to how he woke up the day before – with his face into the annoying captain's armour. Here, he felt comfortable enough to spend the whole day like that. 

Wait.

If Naruto was on his one side, then that meant that—

Shit.

Iruka opened his eyes to find himself nuzzling into Kakashi's shoulder. Oh, no, he even left a little drool on it. He carefully moved away and wiped sheepishly at the cloth, trying to not wake the man. When he was done, however, and looked up, he was met with a curious look in the grey eye surrounded by freckles.

"Feeling me up, ponytail?"

"You wish!" He pushed at the annoying bastard enough to shove him from their bedroll and onto the grass beside it.

"Will you show me how to make apples?" While Iruka and Kakashi packed their camp that morning, Naruto was busy chasing frogs. As soon as they left, though, he needed a new entertainment. "I want to feed them to the little froggies the next time we see them!"

Their journey was easier than the day before, because they got some rest, cleaned up, and had plenty of water with them. So, Iruka didn't see a reason why he couldn't indulge the prince a bit.

"I don't think they can eat apples, Naruto," he laughed and ruffled the boy's head.  "Turtles may eat apples, on occasion. So, if you still want to, I can teach you, of course."

"Yeah!" the prince jumped with a fist in the air and made a circle around Iruka; his ears were perked up and tails wiggled merrily from the excitement. At that moment, he looked like any other curious kid, not burdened with the invasion of his kingdom. 

"You remember how I taught you to close your eyes and feel the nature around you?" Iruka started his lesson.

"Yeah, I always hated that part," Naruto growled, suddenly losing all interest. "You just sit there and do nothing! Why is it so boring?" 

"Stop calling it boring!" Iruka slapped the back of Naruto's head.

"Hey! Respect your prince!" The boy half growled half whined.

"It is you who needs to show some respect! Calling magic boring is equal to calling yourself boring, because everyone is magic. You are magic."

"It doesn't make sense!" 

Iruka had to stop and take a deep breath at the prince's outburst. He then looked at Kakashi, who walked not far away from them and was relieved to see a nod of approval. The man was the prince's bodyguard and had the right to execute Iruka on the spot. It seemed, though, that he also understood the importance of teaching Naruto some discipline and respect to his nature and ancestors.

"Magic is everywhere," he crouched down to be at the same level as the little prince and continued. "It is everyone, and everything. It powers our sun, feeds the soil, and gives strength to the winds. Every being acts as a channel to move magic from one place to another and transform it. It is harder for humans to do because of their nature. No offence," he sent a quick look Kakashi's way. 

"Not taken," the man brushed him off without disrupting his story.

"It's not impossible, though. Some of them make talented witches, mages, and wizards. Then, there are elves, who we call magical beings now. Generations ago, they were human, too. They were very talented in channeling elemental magic and connecting with nature, which they practiced religiously. With time, they developed interesting features like pointy ears to help them connect with animals."

"So, Gai is human?"

"In a way, yes. Kitsune, like you, are some of the most powerful magical creatures but they also used to be humans. Magic flowed through them with such ease that they needed to be grounded by something to control it. Foxes were great companions for them and acted as familiars, at first. Eventually, just like elves, they became who we now call a Kitsune – they developed fox-like features. Ears and tails."

"So, we're all humans?"

"Yes, and we're all magic. So, tell me, are you boring?"

"No..." Iruka smiled gently when the boy lowered his ears and tails in shame. 

"Okay. Every spell of creation or transformation begins with feeling the nature around us. And we don't just sit there and wait," Iruka continued, explaining everything slowly and patiently. The boy looked at him with curiosity, again. Perhaps, outside the usual environment and after the history lesson, Naruto would be able to see the beauty in his craft. "We cannot create anything out of nothing. Instead, we focus and channel the magic through us. We give it a different shape by having a clear picture in our minds. Look." 

Iruka stopped walking, closed his eyes and listened to the forest around. There were birds in the trees and a gentle breeze playing in between leaves. He always loved this moment, when the magic of nature found its way into his body, energizing it. He opened his eyes, raised his palms and, with a clear picture of a sweet apple in his mind, whispered "Ülje su foüngs". 

"Wow!" Naruto jumped on a nearby tree stump just in time to see Iruka mould a shape of an apple, seemingly from thin air. The energy between his hands glowed, taking form very quickly. 

He slowed it down, so the boy could see better. 

Then, he moved his hands to turn the forming object on its axis, checked how it came out and continued explaining.

"'Ülje' is how we call Nature in the ancient language of Kirk – the place where all magic came from. 'su' is for 'becoming' and 'foüngs' means food. So, the spell’s rough translation is 'nature becomes food' – It’s very simple! And—" without finalizing the form of an apple, Iruka changed its image in his mind. Instantly, the fruit became of a different colour and shape. "You can change it until you get exactly what you want. Yellow, green, or red?"

"Orange!" Even Kakashi laughed at Naruto's request.

"No, you can only create what can already be met in nature," Iruka explained. "There are no blue or orange apples, but there are some with a mix of yellow and red. Here!" He finished the spell and got a ripe yellow fruit with specks of red. The boy immediately took a bite.

"It's so good! So much better than the useless feather!"

"Ah, but if you master the levitation spell, you'll be able to fly on a cloud!"

"No way!"

Iruka's heart swelled with warmth. From the spoiled and bored young prince, Naruto showed the first signs of change.

Chapter Text

Tenzō was a bundle of tightly entangled emotions, and he didn't like it in the least. So, he responded to it in the only way he knew how – he spent his day working himself to the bone. 

What else could he do?! Not sit around and wait until the Uzushio soldiers arrive. Anyway, he wanted to make sure that everyone was ready for the next stage of their plan for taking back their castle.

He checked on his wounded friends and made sure they had everything they needed. Trying to get an estimate on their recovery, he talked to some of Gai's apprentices who were healers. He calculated how many battle-ready soldiers they would have for the day of the banquet. After that, he went to count all weapons and ordered some guards to sharpen them, and others – to clean the armour. Then, he sent a few men deeper into the forest to gather wood for arrows. There was just enough time to replenish their supplies. Even if they had no way of making arrowheads, they could light them up to surround the enemies with rings of fire. 

He also tried to stay away from Gai, limiting their time together to short exchanges of new information and nothing else. The man was busy anyway, discussing strategy with squad leaders. 

Tenzō had other stuff to do. 

And that didn't include thinking back to the previous night and his breakdown in the forest. He didn't want to remember how it felt being embraced by the elf's strong and reassuring arms, didn't want to imagine repeating that under different circumstances. He most certainly didn't want to think about all the opportunities he had missed, out of his blindness to the man's advances.

Gai called him his treasured one. 

It was such an odd phrase, and it filled Tenzō with some unfamiliar but not unwelcome emotions. They twisted and turned inside him, making him feel dizzy and anxious. So, he kept himself busy to not pay them much mind.

"I urge you to sit down and rest," Gai's voice reached him. 

Just outside their camp, Tenzō was sharpening the blade of his halberd, hoping that he wouldn't need to interact with the elf until the next day. 

"I am sitting," he defended himself, focusing even more on his weapon.

"Your vigour and dedication are admirable. Many have told me today how much you helped," Gai sat down on the fallen tree next to him with a sigh. "But, my dear, you haven't stopped once today. And after such a long and exhausting night. Did you even sleep, or eat anything at all?" There it was again – another form of endearment that made his heart skip a beat. No one before called him any pet names. He also never heard others call each other that – was it normal?

"Please don't call me that," he asked in a thin voice, not believing that this was happening. "There are people around, what would they say?" 

Suddenly, Gai started laughing hard. He even slapped his thigh and shed a tear. Tenzō watched him in bewilderment. What was so funny?

"It's not a secret that I pine for you," the elf smiled at him after calming down. "It seems you were the only person in the castle not aware of my feelings. I find it most adorable."

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to respond to that."

"You don't have to!" The man waved a hand in front of him in reassurance. "My only wish is, if you permit?"

"Go on."

"Please think about the possibility of us. Tell me if you can find it in your heart to be with someone like me."

"I—" Even without the elf's request, he had been thinking about this, to be honest. How could he put it into words, though?

Words were easy for someone like Gai but not for Tenzō. How could he explain that he wasn't worthy of the man's kindness? That he was someone who left a man behind. Not just any man but someone who was like a father to him...

"I know your mind is busy with Lord Hatake's rescue, but Tenzō—" he blushed when Gai's hand landed on his arm in the same soft gesture as last night, in the forest. "You don't have to bear the weight of it all by yourself. There are people who care about you, who support you. Even if you decide that there is no future for us, I will still be here for you."

He frowned but nodded. It was true that his other friends were still there. They tried talking to him, and he only shooed them away. Tenzō thought he needed to be alone because it was his own fault that landed Sakumo in the dungeons, not theirs. Hearing Gai say that, made him think differently. His friends still needed him just as much as he needed them. What was it about the elf that made him see things more clearly?

"Anyway," the elf stood from the tree and stretched his arm in an invitation. "Have a meal with me? You showed me the importance of rest the last time, allow me to pay you back in kind."

In fear of pursuit, Iruka and his companions stayed away from the main roads to Uzushio and travelled along the edge of the forest. This, unfortunately, added time to their journey. Somehow, though, they got along quite well. 

Naruto was more curious about magic, now, and even got to lift a leaf several times. He was also curious about sword fighting, and Kakashi was more than happy to teach him. Iruka helped to make two wooden swords just for that. It was fun to watch them – he wasn't sure what was part of the training and what was a simple play. 

Iruka spent time studying the book about dragons, hoping to find the answer to his faulty spell. He didn't dare to try it again even when Naruto and Kakashi encouraged him. Was he channeling the magic incorrectly or was he not performing the right hand symbols? It was all very odd. The book was very informative, though, so he continued reading it.

For example, it taught him that the dragons were indeed humans, that their dragon form was their second nature. Meaning that they weren't beasts taking the form of a human but the other way around. Unlike kitsune and elves, dragons were able to retain both of their forms without merging them into one. This alone explained many things. He was glad that had taken the book with him from the castle.

They were approaching the village of Tani. 

To get to Uzushio, they needed to reach the sea. There were two roads they could take. One went through the village and was relatively safe but would require them to come out of the forest's cover. The other route was long and tricky – it led through mountains and a desert. It was doable, but Iruka didn't want to risk going there by foot – that terrain was different from the forest and would take more effort and time. In Tani, though, they would be able to catch a coach to the shore and not walk the rest of the way. 

The choice was easy. The only problem was that they couldn't just show up in the village as a witch, the prince, and the captain of the royal guard. This could attract too much unwanted attention.

"We need to change our appearance before we get closer to the village," Iruka finally voiced out his thoughts at their next water break.

"I thought you would say that," Kakashi groaned but agreed. Naruto excitedly screamed in the background saying something about going undercover. "Any ideas?"

"Well, with Naruto, it's easy. Come here," He took the boy by the hand and muttered 'dächi no'. There was a poof with smoke and glitter, and nothing seemed to have changed in Naruto's appearance but—

"My tails!" The prince gasped and then laughed when his robe, no longer supported by the furry appendages, fluttered down on the ground around his little feet.

"Yes, without your tails and ears, you're just a little human boy," Iruka smiled at him and ruffled his head again. "And a peasant."

"I'm a peasant!!" No one in the whole kingdom was as happy as Naruto at that moment, looking like a poor ordinary child. He was so darn cute.

Iruka carefully packed his staff and the hat into his bag, made a few hand signs and a mirror appeared to help him work on his own appearance. He already looked like any other human in his black shirt and simple pants. Dashing, even, if he said so himself. He redid his hair into a braid, then tried a couple of more outfits with the same spell that changed his clothes to Kakashi and Naruto's size. 

"Nope, not good enough, I need more colour," Iruka changed through the outfits one after another quickly. At one point, he tried an armour with a similar cloak to Kakashi's, sending Naruto into a fit of laughter. "Now, I just look annoying," he grimaced and continued until the clothes and their colour finally felt right. "Aha!"

He settled on a loose-sleeved shirt with a black undershirt and a pair of loose pants with embroidered patches of apples here and there. It was perfect and in style. His hair found its way into the ponytail to complete the look.

"Now, what do we do with you?" Iruka turned around to face Kakashi as the mirror disappeared. 

"Please, none of what you've gone through," clearly, the man wasn't looking forward to a makeover. Boring fellow.

"Well, you have to lose the armour, for starters," Iruka mused while checking Kakashi out from different sides. "That's if you want to pass for a regular civilian."

"I'm not trying to pass for a civilian and I need an armour," the stubborn captain pushed back.

"You can't expect to walk into the village wearing your armour and not be recognized. You are Kakashi Hatake of the Lightning, the Captain of the Royal Guard! Everyone in the whole damn kingdom knows how you look!"

"I'm not asking you to keep my armour," Kakashi crossed his arms in front of him, not backing down. "I'm asking you to disguise this one or give me another. I could be a sword for hire."

Ugh, this was going to be difficult. 

Iruka looked the man over again: long legs, strong arms, wide chest, the ever-present mask covering the lower part of his face, an eye patch. He was a rather handsome-looking fella, and Iruka almost got lost in the memory of Kakashi walking into the river but then— 

He saw the usual condescending look in the man's one visible eye, and the moment went away.

"Art tazt mi oi," he cast the spell, and Kakashi's armour transformed into something resembling moss from a nearby fallen tree—this wasn't going to work. Transforming so carefully crafted metals and enchanted things like Kakashi's glove and pauldron was too difficult. He would need to be constantly focusing on keeping the spell active. So, he asked Kakashi to take off the armour and promised to give him something simpler but still efficient. 

The next try resulted in a proper outfit that was similar to Konoha’s royal guard standard armour but from a different era. It looked old because that’s exactly how he remembered it from picture books in the library. He tried again and got something very close to it but a bit simpler. Then, he remembered reading a story about samurai from a faraway land... Kakashi looked as if he walked out from the pages of that book. It was incredible, to be honest. He would have kept it if not for the stern look from the man. He tried a few more. 

"Stop doing that!" Every time Iruka changed something, a cloud of sparkles exploded above Kakashi, making him pat his shoulders and curse. 

It was the best! 

Payback for all the teasing and name-calling the guy had been doing since the day he started working in the castle. Naruto was giggling non-stop on the side, running around under the shower of glitter.

Soon though, Iruka landed on a set of leather armour that fitted Kakashi perfectly. It was practical and sturdy, yet looked like something that a villager could afford. Iruka made sure there were metal scales underneath. He read from somewhere that leather alone was a good enough protection from smaller blades and arrows but with an added layer of steel underneath, it would shield the guy from long swords, enhanced crossbows and even some axes. It was proper armour.

Kakashi looked pleased for a second there before grimacing and sneezing.

"Why do you always add glitter to your spells?" The guy had trouble getting all the sparkling mess out of his hair, shaking it like a dog with lice. Naruto helped him pat his pants and boots but there was always more.

Iruka made sure there was always more.

"It's more fun this way," he admitted stifling a chuckle. He didn’t want to tell them that the glitter was going to disappear on its own in no more than an hour. It was deeply amusing.

"So, you don't actually have to use them?"

"Ah, no."

"Unbelievable!"

When Kakashi walked back to his armour and picked up his sword, Iruka gaped.

"What are you doing? It doesn't match your disguise," he moved to get the item back, but Kakashi sent him a shooting look. So, he stopped in his tracks.

"If I'm going to be a sword for hire, I need a sword. And this one is it." 

"It's too recognizable! I can make you something else," Iruka gestured towards the pile, urging the man to his senses. "Put it back."

"No. I have never parted with it since the day my father gave it to me," Kakashi looked at him pointedly, and Iruka understood that he was serious. "I'm not about to start now."

They haven't talked about Sakumo at all since that first night. Still, all of them were worried about his well-being. So, Iruka allowed Kakashi to keep his sword, advising him that he wouldn't be able to disguise it, so he should wrap it in a cloth, or something. The captain agreed.

The last thing to disguise was Naruto’s toy, and Iruka had the perfect idea for it. 

"Art su oizh," the spell quickly turned the thing into a plush frog. 

"Admit it, you’ve always wanted to turn me into a toad," the captain stood next to him, while Naruto admired his new plushie.

"You have no idea," Iruka looked up and smiled at Kakashi mirthfully. Surprisingly, there was no spite in the man’s gaze only another smile. 

When Kakashi slowly removed his mask, revealing a handsome face underneath, Iruka’s eyes widened. He stared at the thin nose and more tiny freckles scattered over the cheeks. The captain's lips parted as if saying something, but he couldn’t decipher anything, because his mind stopped working at the sight. 

"What a boring face!" Naruto’s voice threw him out of his stupor. "You were supposed to have fangs! Buck teeth!! And that’s just boring!"

"What were you saying?" Iruka asked the man as Naruto dramatically sunk to the ground.

"Just saying that it would be less suspicious if I took it off." It was unnerving to see the guy smile not just with his eye but with his perfectly even teeth, too. "Do you find me handsome, ponytail?" 

"One more word and I will turn you into a toad!" 

Preposterous!

It was preposterous that for a brief moment there Iruka indeed found Kakashi Hatake, the annoying bastard, quite attractive. This face on that body that he saw at the river was—

Unfair. 

Just, unfair.

"Will you kiss me to turn me back?"

"Who said anything about turning you back?! Once you're a toad, there is no turning back!"

Chapter Text

At last, the soldiers from Uzushio arrived, in great numbers, which was reassuring. 

The village's lords sent their fighters too. And for the first time since the attack, Tenzō didn't feel helpless. Instead, he felt energized. He was fuelled by regret and determination. He went over the plan of action with his squad many times, trained them hard in hand-to-hand combat, and made sure their weapons were cleaned, sharpened, and ready. They didn't have any room for mistakes. He could not afford to compromise this mission.

He worked with Gai on finalizing the plans for other moving pieces of their attack. The last time, they were taken by surprise, weakened by spies that have spent months undercover. This time, the place was under watch and battle-ready day and night. However, they had spies of their own – there were many loyal to the crown workers in the village and the castle who supplied them with information. Their intel told them that Orochimaru was growing restless because his cronies still haven’t captured the prince. And now that the banquet was only a night away, he needed to find excuses to explain that to the lords. The evil wizard still thought he would be able to win the hearts of the village and the kingdom. 

Gai, Tenzō and others were there to make sure he didn't.

Everything was going according to their plan. So, nothing should have been bothering Tenzō.

Except, something was.

Tenzō struck the spike of his halberd into the ground, defeating an imaginary foe. He pulled it out, then pushed the dull end of his weapon backwards and then forwards, again with the spike. He swung it in an x-like movement, allowing the weight of the axe to guide him. If there were opponents, they would be pulling back or trying to block themselves with their swords. His weapon was heavier, however, it would catch the steel with the fluke and force it to the ground. 

He's been training all evening but this annoying frustration inside him wouldn't leave. 

It persisted.

Gai had been avoiding him, which was confusing.

The elf asked Tenzō to consider them as a couple and then distanced himself. Who did that? They still talked, of course (they were responsible for the strategy behind the counterattack, after all) but they didn't talk-talk anymore. They didn't eat together either. Even though these moments were spent in silence before, Tenzō treasured them. Gai's company had become a source of comfort for him. Now, though, it stopped so abruptly that it made him wonder.

Did he do something to upset the elf?

Perhaps, he did. 

If he thought harder on it, it all started after that one incident. 

There was a spring nearby with cold but fresh water flowing out of a crack in the stones, forming a small waterfall. One of the guards constructed a pipe out of bark and repurposed it for a shower. It wasn't much but, it allowed them to clean up after the battle and stay clean while they waited. 

When he was washing himself there, Tenzō heard dry twigs break, indicating that someone else was waiting for their turn. He looked back to say that he was almost done and saw Gai. The elf apologized profusely, closing his eyes with both arms and blushing to the tips of his pointy ears. Then, he quickly ran away. Tenzō didn't mind his nudity – it was what it was. Gai's behaviour, though, made him blush too. It made him wonder if the elf liked what he saw...

Now, though, Tenzō wondered if, perhaps, Gai didn't. The man barely looked at him since then. Was he disappointed, put off by all of his scars? Tenzō wasn't ashamed of his scars.

He pierced his spike through yet another imaginary opponent and groaned in frustration. 

"You're a fearsome fighter," Tenzō's breath stilled at that voice. Gai was there. After avoiding him for what seemed like a century, he sought him out himself. Tenzō turned to face the elf who come out from behind the trees into a little clearing where he was training. "Mind if I interrupt?"

"Sir Maito, I thought you were asleep already," he admitted. 

"I was about to join the others in the Land of Morpheus, indeed, but then, I heard you here. You should be resting with all the others."

He missed that, Tenzō realized – this kindness from Gai. He was a very loud and energetic man, usually, in stark contrast to Tenzō's quiet demeanour. When they were alone, though, he was like a solid rock one could always lean on. Tenzō was sorry that he didn't recognize this sooner. It wasn't that he didn't like the everyday loud Gai (he did, actually, very much so, he could admit to that) but seeing that kind of depth of the man was—different. 

"Spar with me," Tenzō blurted out. He was originally going to agree with the man, that they both should be getting rest, but something prompted him to say this instead.

"What?"

"I want to be more prepared for tomorrow," he rushed to explain. And it was the truth, just not the whole truth. He wasn't ready to admit the whole truth even to himself, yet. "I saw you fight off many opponents in hand-to-hand combat. You're very skilled."

"You need to spare yourself a bit, my dear," there it was, the endearment he was hoping for. He missed it. Even a breath escaped his lungs at that, but he didn't say anything in response. Gai filled the silence with a rather sudden question. "It's more personal for you, isn't it? Not because he is a regent of our kingdom. Is it because he is Kakashi's father?"

Tenzō was stunned yet again at how well the elf understood him. Only he was just a bit off course.

"No, it's not because he is Kakashi's father. It's because—" He lowered his gaze to the ground, then sighed and sat down on one of the dead trees. "It's because Sakumo is the only thing close to a father that I have ever known."

When Gai didn't leave but joined him instead, Tenzō told him his story. How he never knew his parents, only the lord of the little village he grew up in. That man raised him and a few other orphans as child soldiers. They were only tools to him, nothing else. 

One day, Tenzō was sent to assassinate Queen Kushina when she visited their village and the orphanage. Kakashi had just joined the royal guard then and accompanied her highness together with his father. Tenzō couldn't fool him, and they fought. Though it was a close one, it wasn't a fair fight from the start, and he truly thought that would be the end of his life. However, Kakashi spared him. The Queen wasn't so merciful to his lord, though. 

It went without saying that the village was in need of new leadership. Sakumo was tasked with finding the most suitable candidate who could turn things for the better. He spent in the village a year after that, helping to set things in order. He also looked after Tenzō during that time. Unfortunately, his other friends didn't survive to see the better days of their village. It was during that year that Tenzō found out what it meant to have a family, a father who cared about his well-being and not just his skills as a killer. When he grew up, he went to the Castle of Konoha to join the royal guard. Kakashi and Sakumo accepted him with open arms.

"I didn't know that," Tenzō looked up at the elf's words followed by a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Though, his lordship's kindness doesn't surprise me in the least. And Kakashi's."

"They are a family to me."

"It is most honourable that you wish to protect them," he watched Gai stand up and stretch an arm to him. "Alright then, a quick spar. After that, we must rest."

Gai was a formidable opponent. 

His moves were precise and merciless. They both started on the defensive, moving in a wide loop around each other on the grass, testing the reactions with a few throws of hands and feet. Soon though, the elf seemed to notice an opening and launched his attack. Tenzō deflected a strike to his side and then his face. A kick aimed at his gut forced him to jump backwards. He crouched down to avoid another kick, then threw his leg in a circular motion, intending to make Gai lose his balance. Instead, the elf jumped out of the way. 

Back on his feet, Tenzō lurched into the next attack head-on. 

He sent a series of kicks with one leg before bending down to throw his other leg into his opponent’s torso from the side. Gai blocked, causing him to spin in another direction. He didn’t see the elf’s next move but felt it on the side of his face. This only pushed more adrenaline into his blood. He jumped backwards just in time to deflect a kick to his gut. Tenzō responded with a throw of both hands forward and smiled when the heels of his palms pushed the breath out of Gai.

What followed was a tornado of movement as both of them attacked and counterattacked at blinding speeds. He hadn’t had an opponent this skilled in a long time. 

It was exhilarating. 

Gai grabbed at him, and suddenly Tenzō found himself hurled over the elf’s shoulder. The move was meant to land him on his back and end the fight. Instead, Tenzō used the momentum to spring back with his feet from the ground to circle his legs around the elf’s neck and under the armpit. The force brought them both down, only, this way, Tenzō was victorious, having successfully immobilized his opponent.

They breathed heavily, remaining on the ground for a long moment. Both were too tired to move a muscle. Only when Tenzō realized that Gai’s head was on his inner thigh, he scrambled up. Still, when the elf sat down, too, their position didn’t help his heart. His pulse only sped up its rhythm, as Gai continued to be seated between his legs. To hide his embarrassment, Tenzō wiped at his sweaty face with a sleeve and heard the other man do the same. It dawned on him then that his frustration didn’t quite ease. Even though the elf came to see him tonight, what were the guarantees that he wouldn’t distance himself again tomorrow or when the fight for their kingdom was over? He wouldn’t be able to rest before an important battle unless he cleared something very important between them.

"Do you find me attractive?" He watched Gai’s eyes widen at his question then relax, and soon, the elf was looking back at him.

"Very much so." 

This response didn’t leave any room for doubt, but Tenzō needed to clarify one more thing.

"Is this why you've been avoiding me?" The man’s immediate smile and the way he raked a hand through his dark hair made Tenzō’s stomach flip.

"That wasn’t my intention, but yes," Gai sighed deeply. "I just needed a moment to get myself together and to stop thinking about your marvellous naked form."

It was good to hear that. Gai wasn’t repulsed by his body, at all. He didn’t need to worry. It actually made sense that the man would need some time away after seeing his love interest in a birthday suit. Tenzō would probably also—

"Do you?" Tenzō snapped his head up at the sudden question. "Find me attractive?"

"Maybe," he confessed. He wasn’t yet ready to say outright that yes, he found Gai charming and incredibly handsome, but he wasn’t below admitting that he was curious. Very curious. Especially when the elf was looking at him with a serious gaze, softened by dilated pupils.

"It is true that I'm a patient man. And I will wait for your decision, you have my word," Gai shifted to bring their bodies closer. Tenzō felt hot from the way they were positioned but didn’t dare to move. One of his legs was around the elf’s back while the other stretched over his lap to the other side. He was stupid, stupid. Why did he have to use that move at the end? Gai continued, though. "But seeing you then and now— Having you here so close to me— Would you allow me this moment of weakness?" 

"What are you asking?" Tenzō swallowed hard. He didn’t feel any threat from Gai. No. On the contrary, he felt safe like that. He could spend a decade just like that. When the elf’s hand reached his cheek, Tenzō sucked in a breath.

"Not a lot," the man said, not breaking their gaze. "But it would mean the world to me."

Unable to say anything, Tenzō nodded, which caused his cheek to brush the elf’s palm. This touch alone summoned butterflies to his stomach, but then Gai leaned in. 

Tenzō’s eyes fluttered close when the man gently pressed their cheeks together. 

They stayed there, unmoving, for a while, simply exchanging heat through their connection. It was such a simple moment, yet it felt like the universe ceased to exist. There was no danger, no kingdom – even the sounds of the forest faded away. Nothing existed, except for them.

When Gai moved again, Tenzō gripped at his arm, not quite ready to let go. The elf didn’t leave, though. He grazed his nose at Tenzō’s cheekbone and then his temple, pausing for a few deep breaths that sent shivers down his spine. Tenzō felt the other side of his face being cradled and gasped when Gai turned to kiss him on the cheek. Full lips were parted and hot against his skin. They pressed harder as if to stop the man from progressing further, to where he truly desired contact. 

This wasn't a kiss of a friend, a chaste fleeting ‘thank you’. 

No. 

It was an offer of companionship, a promise of the kind of passion Tenzō had never experienced before. He only needed to reach out a little to get it, but he was too shell-shocked to move. 

Gai pulled away slowly and let go of his other cheek. Tenzō turned his head and saw the elf look at his lips intently. He wetted them on instinct and watched dark eyes flare with desire.

"You can if you want to." He heard himself say through the thick haze in his brain.

"There is nothing more that I desire, my treasured one, but no." Gai pushed from the ground and stood up, patting off his pants from grass. "I don't know what will become of me. If you reject me now, I will be able to find the strength to move on. If you reject me after I taste your lips, I— this is my biggest fear."

"What if I don't reject you," Tenzō accepted the man’s hand and got up. "And then you find me a terrible kisser?" 

The elf laughed hard at that, startling a bird from a nearby tree. Even a few tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.

"That's simply not possible," the man said and pulled Tenzō closer by his waist. "But if it is, I'll have a lifetime to teach you and will take great pleasure in doing so."

"So confident in your skill, huh?" He teased back. 

As they walked back to the camp, he thought that with Gai by his side, he could live a blessed life.

Chapter Text

Iruka breathed out in relief – they had finally made it to Tani. 

It was a large village full of wonder and life. Even without a castle, it was almost as big as Konoha. Many trading routes passed through it, so it was rich with merchants and entertainment.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to arrange a coach to the sea shore that day, nor for the day after. However, one of the coachmen introduced them to a cargo-wagon owner who was driving in that direction the next evening. He agreed to give them a lift. They weren't happy about staying in the village for the night, but their feet were tired, and the wagon was still going to get them there faster. So, they agreed to wait until then. 

They needed to find something to do in the meantime, and also lodging to spend the night in.

To not draw suspicion to themselves, they decided against a regular inn. It would be the first place for the enemy to look at, should someone trace them to this village. Instead, they chose one of the most popular tourist destinations here. And, no, it had nothing to do with the fact that Iruka had always dreamed about visiting it.

"Welcome to the Great Tani Hot Spring Resort! The largest family recreation facility in the whole Kingdom of Fire!" The lady at the reception greeted them cheerfully, passing them a pamphlet. "We have many packages available. Our three days and two nights package is the most popular!"

"Just one night for us, please," Iruka smiled at her sweetly then put an arm around Kakashi's waist to bring him closer. "I'm here with my husband and our baby boy. We are just passing through but heard so much about your resort! We couldn't possibly stay anywhere else!"

"We usually don't accept visitors for one night only. We're a resort, not an inn. Perhaps, you could try..." The woman started, but Iruka couldn't let her finish that sentence. That was precisely the reason they chose this place – no one would be looking for them here.

"You know, it took me almost a year to convince my husband to take a vacation and go with me, touring the kingdom." He leaned in to whisper as if sharing a scandalous rumour. "And he still insisted on bringing his sword! Can you believe it?"

"But you love me, anyway. Right, darling?" Kakashi drew him back into a side hug and nuzzled his ear. "Besides, it's my duty to protect you."

"It sure is, cupcake."

"Eww, gross!"

The woman laughed at Naruto's grimace and agreed to look up if they had any rooms available. Their little performance worked brilliantly, even if it left Iruka just a tad out of breath. 

For whatever reason.

Their room was simple with two twin beds and a window. Naruto immediately ran inside, climbed on one of them and started jumping on it. He was excited to see soft mattresses and pillows. So was Iruka, to be honest. He couldn't wait to get inside and sprawl himself on a bed. 

He made the move through the doorway at the same time as Kakashi, causing them to get stuck in it. 

"What are you doing?" He was still embarrassed by the way the captain hugged him at the reception. Now, being pressed to him didn't help his quickly reddening cheeks.

"I’m trying to get in," the bastard sounded completely unfazed.

"Well, so am I! Can’t you wait?"

"Why should I?"

They struggled, but Iruka wasn't in the mood to lose. With a grunt and another push, he weaselled through and promptly occupied the second bed, flopping on it unceremoniously. He was hoping that their days of sleeping on the ground were gone for good. He wished to fall asleep right there and never have to move again.

"We need to eat something," even though Kakashi spoke reason, Iruka didn't want to leave the comfort of fluffy pillows. "Come on, I'm sure there is a ramen place somewhere around here."

"Did you say ramen?" Iruka perked up at the mention of a delicious treat. If there was anything that could trick him out of bed it was fragrant broth with noodles.

"What's a ramon?" Naruto asked, and Iruka gasped. 

He couldn't believe his ears.

"Thish ish the besht shing efar!" Both Iruka and Kakashi laughed at the way Naruto stuffed his mouth with noodles and slurped on the broth. He was already on his second bowl.

"I can't believe he has never eaten ramen before," Iruka helped the boy wipe at his mouth in between his attacks at the food.

"Too many ingredients to watch out for," Kakashi admitted. "His meals have been very simple in the last few years." 

It must have been tough to watch over every single item being brought into the castle. Here, though, they didn't need to be wary of things like that. They could just simply be. Perhaps, there was still a chance for that in the future, when no one would want to steal the kingdom from Naruto.

They finished rather quickly and went around the village for a bit, strolling the streets. Naruto talked about how much he wanted to eat ramen every day. That even though Chouza and Kakashi's cooking was delicious, it wasn't the same. How there was no food greater than a bowl of ramen. Iruka heard Kakashi curse himself for that because now he wouldn't be able to force the boy to eat his vegetables and fruit.

Back at the resort, they decided to visit the public spring. Iruka had to stay close to Kakashi to keep up with the appearances, but he willed himself to not overthink it. At least, this time, the man had the decency to cover his nether regions with a small towel before getting into the water. Naruto quickly ran away to the kids section, and for the first time, they felt safe enough to let him go. It wasn't far and there were many other children – it wasn't at all likely that any of them were spies. 

"Your boy is so lively!" A woman nearby addressed Iruka and Kakashi. "I hope he can help ours get along with other kids. Look at them, aren't they cute?"

"Yes, they are," Iruka agreed, smiling, while Kakashi just nodded. Naruto was talking to a shy-looking red-haired boy.

"I'm Kurara, and this is my husband, Rasa. We came here from the Kingdom of Sands, what about you?" The woman seemed nice and her husband kind of reminded Iruka of Kakashi, on a bad day. Still, they didn't look threatening.

"Ah, we're from around here, just touring the lands on a little vacation. It's been a while since we had the chance to do that, and our boy has never been to hot springs." He gave a somewhat vague response but still aligned it to what they shared at the reception desk. "I'm Iruka, and this is Kakashi."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Kakashi continued the conversation as if they were indeed there for a little retreat and not to hide from any conspirators, trying to overtake the kingdom. Then, Iruka felt an arm wrap around his waist underwater and shivered but forced himself to ignore the sensation. "To tell you the truth, it wasn't Naruto, our boy, who wanted to visit the springs but my husband here. I still owe him for our honeymoon."

"Oh, what happened on your honeymoon?" Rasa inquired, and Kakashi continued with the most outrageous story of how he and Iruka were planning a small wedding with most of the money put aside for their trip to a nice little hot spring. Then, out of the blue, his father came to the village. He was so happy about his son's marriage that invited half the village. There was no way around it, of course, and they had to host everyone. Kakashi's father had no money whatsoever, so they had to spend their savings on the party. All ended well in the end because they received many gifts for their new dwelling. Still, no money was left for the honeymoon. 

The couple bought the story and laughed a lot, and Iruka finally felt his shoulders relax. Kakashi was playing a very lovable husband. For a moment there, he thought that Sakumo would indeed want the wedding of the century for his son – he was exactly that kind of doting father. Only, he would have enough money to host it. Iruka also wondered what kind of spouse Kakashi would want to have. He had never seen the captain in the company of anyone other than Gai or Tenzō, but those seemed more friendships than romantic relationships. 

Iruka felt himself being pulled to the man's side and looked up to meet Kakashi nose to nose. Grey eye widened, and he felt his own eyes do the same, but then the captain leaned in to discretely whisper into his ear.

"Play the part, you're tense," the next thing, though, completely stopped Iruka's heart – Kakashi planted a kiss on the side of his mouth. He stayed there for what seemed like an eternity, processing what had happened. Before he could fully sort his feelings out, all the sounds from around came crashing down on him. 

"Aren't they adorable, Rasa?" The woman laughed, kissing her husband sweetly. That's where Iruka remembered that they were pretending to be husbands, that married couples kissed all the time, and that Kakashi was damn good at this pretend game. So, he should also play along.

"I don't know about me, but my husband is indeed adorable!" Iruka said, snuggling closer to Kakashi and ignoring all the lean muscles sliding against his side. "Especially, when you get him to blush."

"It was a good idea to come here," Kakashi admitted when the couple left and no one else was around. Iruka looked at him a bit confused, prompting the man to continue. "Naruto hasn't been that relaxed since his parents—he has had to endure a lot since then. I know, everyone thinks that a prince has everything, and it's true that he has never been in need of food or shelter. Still, he wasn't given a chance to be a kid, like now, without a worry in the world."

Iruka looked at the children's spring where Naruto happily laughed with a bunch of kids. There were hundreds of yellow ducks floating around, and everyone either jumped over them or played with them. 

"My one wish is to give him that, one day," Kakashi finished solemnly. "I owe it to his father, who was my mentor."

"I'm sure you will," Iruka placed a comforting hand on the man's thigh underwater. He honestly believed in that. On their journey through the forest, he'd understood how deeply Kakashi cared for Naruto. He, too, grew fond of the boy and wished only good things for him. "We both will."

"My, my, aren't you bold tonight, darling?" Kakashi leered at him, and Iruka promptly pushed him aside, causing the man to almost drop the towel from his head into the water. He stood from the spring promptly to get Naruto – they stayed in there for far too long anyway.

They were on their way to the village, and just like many of his comrades, Tenzō couldn't wait to reach the gates. Everyone was anxious to free their castle from invaders and ensure the safety of the villagers. He knew, though, that patience was key today – every step of their operation had a trigger event, calculated by the fiercest of minds with over a century of combined battle experience. Squad leaders, like Tenzō, made sure to hold their teams on a short leash until their moment comes. They all stayed close to each other while advancing through the forest under the cover of its rich foliage. 

Gai found him among countless soldiers, caught him by the hand and pulled him to the side.

"We'll catch up to them in no time," he said. His full armour was polished to shine and looked almost as bright as his smile. 

Tenzō really liked his smile. 

He was happy that Gai sought him out – he would have done so himself, closer to the village, maybe. After last night, he was certain of his attraction to the elf. Even more so, he liked him. He really, really liked him. And he wanted to give him his response. As Gai said before, the time was always right to make feelings known.

"I need to tell you something," he began but Gai interrupted him.

"Allow me to go first," after his nod, the elf continued. "I want to thank you for yesterday. You have infused me with the most powerful elixir of vitality. May I?”

How could he refuse anything Gai asked, when he looked so happy and energized? Even when the elf pointed at his halberd, Tenzō passed it over without question. 

Gai held the weapon against a tree and closed his eyes in concentration before taking a breath and whispering words in a language Tenzō would never understand. He watched in fascination how the tree responded with a gentle glow of browns and gold, and how thin vines grew out of it to wrap around the halberd. The elf let go, but the weapon didn’t fall – supported by vines and leaves (now countless, continuously moving), it stayed where it was. It glowed together with the tree until blooms started to appear seemingly out of nowhere. 

It was magical.

Gai took his hand and placed it over the spot where the wood met steel. The vines wrapped around his arm, and Tenzō immediately felt a connection, as if the halberd was now an extension of his body.

“What is it?” Tenzō asked when the tree gently let go of him and the weapon. A few vines remained on the halberd, however, forming intricate patterns along its shaft. Some even engraved themselves into the blade – it was the most beautiful thing Tenzō had ever seen.

“The forest blessed you," the elf explained with a gentle smile. "From now on, a piece of it will always remain with you. In times of need, it will help – be it in a battle or not.”

“It’s too much, Gai. You didn’t have to—” 

“I barely did a thing! As an elf, I have the power to speak to the elements of nature. So, I spoke to the forest about you and asked it to look after you. What came next wasn’t because of me. It looked inside you and saw a spirit worthy of its protection.”

Tenzō breathed in deeply and looked up. The forest was coloured with scattered light, filtered through trees. It seemed to him that magic was everywhere.

“Thank you,” he was too shocked to say anything more, but the rustle of leaves made him feel that the forest accepted his gratitude.

“Let’s go and catch up with the others," Gai nudged him towards their comrades who marched in even lines. 

They marched to win.

Tonight, their fight wasn't just for the castle – it was a fight for freedom.

Chapter Text

“Is this how Kakashi got his Chidori, The Enchanted Pauldron?" Tenzō asked as they walked faster to get to their squads.

"Not exactly, yours is a blessing of creation. His – of destruction," the elf walked in silence for a while, and Tenzō thought that, perhaps, he shouldn't have asked. After a long moment, Gai spoke again. "The year before you came to Konoha had been difficult for Kakashi, as you must know."

"Yes," he remembered his friend talking about it with great pain. Over a span of just a few months, Kakashi had lost two of his best friends. Even to this day, Tenzō knew, he blamed himself for not being able to protect them.

"He had so much rage in him," Gai continued. "And having been just tasked with training new recruits, he couldn't cope well. He needed an outlet for all that anger. This was when the skies blessed him with a gift."

"His pauldron transforms his rage into lightning, so he can protect his loved ones."

"Exactly. My rival is one of the few entrusted with this kind of power. Not many are capable of finding an honourable application for it." There was obvious pride in the elf’s voice, which Tenzō could easily relate to. Their friend was one of the most righteous and level-headed people this kingdom has ever seen. 

They almost caught up to their team, when Tenzō remembered one more question he wanted to ask Gai. It was something that had been bugging him ever since the first time they snuck into the village to talk to the lords.

"I'm sorry for having so many questions, but every time I try to ask you this, something else keeps coming up."

"Of course, my treasured one, I have no secrets from you." Tenzō calmed down the butterflies in his stomach at the endearment – his feelings could wait for a bit longer as what he wanted to ask was important.

"You never told me your plans for defeating Orochimaru and his giant snake, Manda."

"A dragon, not a snake. His kind are called Wyrms. They don't have limbs or wings, but they are still dragons."

"When were you going to tell me that?!" Tenzō couldn't believe his ears. "You just said that there were no secrets!"

"This wasn't a secret, I swear!" Gai put his arms up in defence. "You know how careful we’ve been, focusing each squad on a particular task – we didn't want to place unnecessary stress on those soldiers who won't even cross the beast's path."

"Go on," as much as it was angering, it made sense, and he wanted to hear the rest.

"We will lure the dragon into an open space with the call of an ichneumon. My apprentices can imitate it very well. Outside the confines of the castle, we expect it to become vulnerable to our attack from multiple sides. After that, I—" Gai cleared his throat, and Tenzō had a sudden feeling that he wasn't going to like what the elf was preparing to say next. "After that, I will open the gates to the Lost Kingdom and summon a spirit of a dragon to help us in this fight."

"Isn't that—" the elf didn't need to reply for Tenzō to know that he had the right answer. What the man was intending to do was incredibly dangerous. The Eight Gates of the Lost Kingdom was the spell that took the life of Gai's father. He heard this story many times from other elves in the castle, and Kakashi filled in the blanks with more credible information. The fact that the elf had decided to use this spell worried him. However, he knew that there was no other way – magical beings could only be defeated by other magical beings.

Tenzō glanced at Gai and saw a warrior who was ready to sacrifice his life for their kingdom, in whose strength he believed with all his heart. He also saw a man he wasn't yet ready to lose.

With resolve, Tenzō took Gai by the hand and stopped walking. He made a step closer and looked him in the eyes before reaching up to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. He lingered there for a moment and then moved away. He didn't let go of the hand, though, and even tightened the hold.

"Come back to me, and I will give you my answer." 

It was nice and cool back in the room. After a long soak in the spring, Iruka simply wanted to flop on the bed and sleep through the next week. Wouldn't it be amazing? Yes, it would. Only Naruto wouldn't shut up, which was tiring but precious in its own way. 

"I asked a lady, and she told me that there was a whole thousand of rubber ducks! Can you believe it?" The boy was so happy talking about a great time at the spring and the new friends he made. Iruka made sure to listen to it while getting their beds ready for sleep. "And one frog! We all tried to find it! Even Gaara joined! He is so shy, but we raced! I searched for so long, behind the rocks too, you know! And, of course, I was the first one to find it! It was this small!"

"Oh, wow. Do you know that frogs make great soup?" Kakashi was only riling the boy up with his questions, but Iruka didn’t mind. It was fun to hear them talk. 

"Really?!"

"Yes, you don't need much to make a soup. Just some warm water and meat, like ducks or frogs."

"What?! I was in a soup!" Naruto looked shellshocked at this revelation, much to both adults' amusement. Then, the boy beamed even brighter. "Can I swim in ramen next time?!"

Iruka couldn't hold back a laugh and fell backwards on one of the beds. Kakashi tucked Naruto in, who was now sprouting his nine tails again as Iruka dispelled his disguise for the night to give himself some rest. It was the only spell he had to continuously maintain, as it changed Naruto's physical appearance, not just clothes.

He was almost asleep but then had to jump up on the bed, when Kakashi tried to get in there next to him.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to bed, I'm also tired." That truly didn't answer the question.

"Why are you not sleeping with Naruto? I thought that's what you were planning to do?"

"Let the prince have his own bed tonight, and relax, this bed is bigger than your bedroll. I can barely see you from all the covers."

Indeed, that made total sense. Still, Iruka was a bit weirded out by the whole idea. Sleeping in the same bed with the captain felt odd and way different from sharing a bedroll. 

That was a necessity. 

This wasn’t. 

If he wanted to, Iruka could take out that same bedroll and spread it on the floor. However, the mattress was so comfortable that he didn’t want to move. He also couldn't really blame Kakashi for wanting to sleep on it either.

"Stay on your side," he huffed and turned away, tugging the covers up to his ear. "And if you steal the blankets, I'll kick you out."

Returning to the castle felt deceivingly like coming back home. Tenzō knew these stone walls like the back of his hand, he walked these tunnels for the last few years and remembered how many turns each of them had. Even those secret passages that he only learned about recently were now imprinted into his memory. So, the moment his squad approached the castle, he had to remind himself that this was hostile territory. It will soon become home again but for tonight, it was still full of danger.

In complete darkness, Tenzō led his men. They didn't use light as they couldn't afford to be noticed. He didn't need it, though – his bare hand on the dry stone wall and the dull end of his halberd were enough to guide him. On a few occasions, he had to remind his team to be quiet but overall, they were moving very well. A rare skitter of a stone from under someone's feet was quickly covered by the sound of the moat's water. 

Deep inside the castle's tunnels, he counted the turns they needed to take. Though, he actually smelled the moment they reached the entrance to their hidden passage – one end of it lead to the kitchens, and the aroma of Chouza’s cooking was hard to miss. They needed to go in the opposite direction: along the walls of the grand dining hall, and then down, and down, all the way to the dungeons. 

The toughest part of their way was through the dining hall. The walls were very thin there, so it wasn't at all possible to walk without being noticed. Not with all the armour they were wearing. Which was why they were instructed to stop there and wait for the signal before going any further. 

Even though he knew about the thin walls, Tenzō didn't expect to actually see through cracks in them into the dining hall and hear everything that was going on. 

There was music, and dancers performed on a stage; festive flowers and rich fabrics adorned the windows. Gallant guests in extravagant clothing were seated around the long dining table, feeding on morsels of different foods. They were the village's elite that Orochimaru invited to this banquet. Some of them were the bastard's avid supporters but others were the lords that Tenzō and Gai met on their secret visit to the village. He knew exactly what they were doing there.

"I thank you all for joining me today!" He heard the sound of Orochimaru's voice and gripped at his halberd tighter. They were so close, and he hated the fact that he couldn't just go in there and cut the evil wizard’s head off. No, he had to stay with his team and wait for the signal. And even after that, he was under instructions to not engage but move further and into the dungeons. "And what a joyous occasion for our reunion, my dear friends. We're here to celebrate! Each of you, raise your chalice and drink with me! To our freedom!"

The crowd responded with a loud cheer. That was when Lady Mikoto of the Uchiha House stood up from her chair. In a matter of microseconds, she took a flower from her hair, split it in two with one hand and threw it in Orochimaru's general direction.

"To freedom!" she cried just as two guards fell to the floor, slain by hidden shuriken. What followed was pure but masterfully orchestrated chaos. 

Lord Inoichi of the Yamanaka took throwing knives out of his bejewelled corset. Intricate design elements on Lord Shikaku's tall boots turned out to be short but sharp double-bladed swords. More lords and ladies of Konoha's houses jumped from their seats to rid their kingdom of the invaders and their supporters. They concealed weapons within their lavish dress but didn't need to hide them anymore.

"Let's get this party started," Lady Tsume withdrew two axes hidden under the table and smiled wickedly before charging at the approaching guards.

This—this was Tenzō's queue to move. Under the noise, no one would hear them running behind the wall.  

When they made it out of the secret passage and into the final tunnel to the dungeons, the battle cries were heard from the outside, too. Tenzō knew that the Uzushio army was attacking from multiple fronts now, trying to overpower the enemy that occupied the castle. Under such pressure, they wouldn't even remember to send reinforcements so deep underground. This was exactly what Tenzō counted on when planning Sakumo's rescue – they only have to deal with a limited number of men guarding the regent.

It was still a big number, as it turned out. 

The dungeon was a spacious ward made from a natural giant cave, on top of which the whole castle was built. It was secured with stone walls and wooden beams. There were small vents under the ceiling, but they weren't windows. They were passageways to the surface for airflow. The only source of light was oil torches – one near each cell spread out around the perimeter. They always burned through oxygen quickly, leaving a foul thick smell in the air.

At least twenty heavily armed men were inside. They constructed a barricade in the centre, expecting someone to attempt to rescue Sakumo, eventually. Being caught in the middle of a card game, it was clear that they didn't expect this to happen tonight, though.

This was the fight that they've been waiting for, trained so hard for. 

Without hesitation, Tenzō lunged into the attack head-on and heard his teammates follow. The enemy soldiers responded in kind. Metal screeched as swords and axes clashed, turning the battle cries and chains of curses from both sides into a baffling mess. 

Tenzō threw his halberd forward, intending to push one of his opponents backward with a spike. Instead, long wooden beams grew out of it, just as sharp. They pierced through the armour of at least three enemies. That was new, probably connected to the forest's blessing, but he didn't stop to think about it further. He jumped as far in the air as he could, swinging his halberd, and crashed it at the barricade. It was destroyed instantly, allowing him and his teammates further inside.  

They worked efficiently. Having the advantage of a surprise on their side, they finished the fight in no time. Locating Sakumo took no effort either.

The man looked worse for wear, sitting on the stone floor that was only covered by his cloak. He barely moved when they finally worked the cell open. Tenzō approached him carefully and sat down beside him, taking out a flask from his belt. He didn't know if the enemy fed Sakumo or not all this time, so asked Gai's apprentices to create a warm nutritious potion just in case. While the man didn't look particularly starved, which was good, he finished the drink in one go. It should give him enough strength to leave the dungeons into safety.

"I knew you would come for me, Tenzō," Sakumo said when they made it to the surface of the castle. His voice was still hoarse and raw but showing signs of improvement. "You've always been someone I could rely on, just like my boy. How is he?"

"We don't know," Tenzō confessed. "He left after Iruka and the prince, as you instructed, but we haven't heard back from them. We only know that Orochimaru never got his hands on Naruto."

"That's good," Tenzō held Sakumo as he coughed, then paused the team to give him a short break. 

"They should be reaching Uzushio soon, I think. Or, perhaps, hiding elsewhere," He wanted to assure the regent that everything was alright with Kakashi, but with so little information that was the best he could do. They would be able to send a bird to Uzushio to inquire after the castle is freed from the invaders. For now, they could only hope that their prince, his captain, and the witch were safe.

Here, in the castle, their attack was progressing well, it seemed, but he still didn't know anything about Orochimaru and Manda. He was hoping that Gai wouldn't have to use the Eight Gates of the Lost Kingdom.

Chapter Text

Tenzō found a way to the watchtower at the great gate. It was windy and cold, but it was the perfect place for them to be. From there they could see and hear multiple battles inside and outside the castle. The enemy was overwhelmed by their counterattack – some areas of the keep were already secured. He could tell because the foreign purple sigils were torn down and replaced by the original ones. Many invaders were chained – their fate would be decided by the regent later.

He saw Orochimaru at a clearing past the gates. 

It was the middle of the night and everything was dark, but Tenzō could see clearly – the evil wizard was held up in the air by energy wires that stretched from multiple directions, buzzing and crackling under the pressure. Gai's apprentices did their best to keep him there. The elf himself was further down the road, standing in between the wizard and the dragon. The giant snake—the wyrm—looked even bigger than Tenzō remembered it. Perhaps, out here in the open it could finally show its true size. 

Was this part of the plan?

Tenzō heard Manda laugh when Gai openly challenged it. This didn't seem to discourage the elf as the next thing Tenzō saw was him charging into battle. Tree roots grew out of the ground, wrapping around the dragon's tail. Then, the earth itself rose to throw a punch at its head, drawing a menacing hiss out of it. 

What a fascinating show of the elf's power.

Stone walls towered around, trying to immobilize the wyrm, but then—the beast ripped the roots out with force and destroyed the unfinished cage. 

Gai repeated the attack from different sides again, and again. 

It lead to the same result every time – he couldn't catch the monster before all the efforts were shattered. The rumble of falling stone and snaps of roots travelled through the air like thunder and lightning, filling Tenzō with dread. His heart ached, and he hated it, hated it. There was nothing else he could do but watch as the man he came to adore so deeply fought a losing battle. 

The elf tried a different tactic – he summoned a giant sphere of water that turned into wave mid-air and snaked around the wyrm's head. Quickly, the liquid hardened into ice, intending to immobilize the dragon. The beast shook and twisted, and too soon it smashed the constraints to tiny shreds. 

It was time to use the forbidden spell to open the gates to the Lost Kingdom. With held breath, he watched Gai pause and look at his opponent with resolve. When he formed the next series of hand signs, Tenzō knew that this was it. 

He held onto the edge of the stone wall, worry gripping at his heart just as hard.

A glowing red aura surrounded the elf soon after the last hand sign. It expanded as Gai lunged forward, and grew even more as he ran towards the beast. Slowly, it took shape of a dragon as big as his opponent and joined him in the attack. 

This being wasn't made of flesh and bones. 

It was a phantom of the dragons that walked these lands way before this kingdom even existed – a valorous creature of unearthly grace and power. 

It didn't breathe or roar like a real dragon would have, but its claws and teeth were just as sharp. 

Manda hissed when the first hit landed at its head and then slithered away to regroup. It retaliated with a loud screeching sound before striking with its jaws.

Gai looked so small in comparison to the two magical beings, but he moved at lightning speeds, controlling the phantom. His clothes were ripped. The tears showed how the magic—this immense power—glowed brightly in his veins. 

Even his hair looked red. 

He was a channel for all this energy that found its way through time and space to fight on his side. He—his body couldn't possibly sustain all this stress for long.

"I need to—" Tenzō turned to Sakumo, wanting to ask for permission but no words were coming out. He could leave the regent here, couldn't he? It was safe here with the rest of his team. "I—"

"Go," his lordship gave him a nod, and Tenzō ran. 

He couldn't stand there and watch without trying to do something—anything.

He made it out of the gates just in time to see Gai's dragon spit out streams of red energy at the wicked wyrm. It wasn't fire but burnt just as badly. 

Manda was angry. 

It didn't expect an opponent of this calibre. Hungrily, it took a gulp of air and breathed out purple smoke in response. It was toxic, Tenzō noticed, as the leaves on nearby trees turned rotten in a matter of seconds. In horror, he watched the elf fall into a fit of cough. His phantom dragon faltered at the next attack and took a heavy blow instead. 

The wyrm roared and moved its body around in never-ending loops. Exploiting the sudden weakness, it sent its tail straight at Gai, but the phantom protected the elf with its body. They struggled, spilling more red energy and purple smoke, making it hard to see what was going on. 

It was messy, and Tenzō was terrified, but he continued to run. He was almost there.

Another strike of the tail had a better aim.

Tenzō screamed. 

Manda threw Gai across the clearing into the woods and released a loud cry of triumph. The red dragon dissipated instantly but Tenzō didn't care. He ran toward the elf's limp body, not stopping to watch as the wyrm broke the energy wires to free Orochimaru. 

He needed to get to Gai.

Orochimaru spoke something but then Manda cut him off.

"You're weak!" Its voice was deafening as it hissed at the wizard. Tenzō fell to the ground at the sheer ferocity of it. He looked up to see the wyrm hover over Orochimaru threateningly. "I gave you power. An army! A purpose! And you— You drink, dance, and sit in a chair that has never been yours. You could have killed every soldier, every human in this village—the whole kingdom! You could have conquered lands beyond this wretched forest, but no—you're too weak. I have no use for you!"

Tenzō watched Orochimaru stumble away from the beast and move backwards until his back was against the stones – the fallout of the battle. The dragon was supposed to serve the wizard, be his pet. 

Instead, it turned on its master.

Something odd happened next. The winds picked up and Tenzō could barely hold onto the ground without being blown away by the strong gusts. There was lighting too, crackling louder that anything he had ever heard before. 

It was deafening. 

And then, he saw purple energy being sucked out of Orochimaru into the wyrm's mouth. 

As quickly as it came, the storm ended, but Tenzō's ears continued to ring. 

"You even failed to capture the child," Manda snarled, spitting bile next to the wizard who looked drained and old now. "I'm glad, though, that your partner has proven to be more useful. He has found the fox, at last. And now that our bond is severed, I can leave to kill him. And then, I will return to kill every human in this kingdom."

Tenzō felt all blood drain from his face. 

Someone found Naruto. 

The thought repeated in his head, sounding louder and louder every time. 

Someone found Naruto, and there was nothing he nor any of them could do to help. They were days of travel away from them.

He got up on his feet as soon as the beast disappeared in a swirl of purple smoke. He gave the orders to a general from Uzushio to chain Orochimaru and keep him in custody until Lord Regent decided what to do with him.

Then, Tenzō hurried to Gai.

He found him among the trees just past the edge of the forest, unmoving but still breathing. Though, barely. Tenzō fell to his knees and quickly scanned the elf's body for injuries. There were many, way too many cuts and bruises. In places where he previously saw red lines glowing with power were traces of burnt skin. 

"Gai—" Tenzō whispered, brushing away stray hair from the man's face. It turned back to its original ebony. "Please—"

He took off his cloak and put it under the elf's head as a small pillow and continued to call out to him, urging him back to consciousness. Tenzō didn't stop even when tears started to roll down his cheeks. He promised to give his response to Gai, and for that, he needed the man right here with him, in good health and with the same blinding smile that he wore every day. He needed the man to wake up and call him another ridiculous form of endearment. So that Tenzō could—

He heard leaves murmur above them and a light breeze come out of the forest. 

His halberd glimmered as thin vines grew out of it. They stretched and wrapped around Gai's legs and arms, and crossed his bare abdomen and chest. Everywhere the leaves touched emitted gentle green light. 

Every cut and bruise quickly healed, one after another. 

Tenzō was flooded with hope. He squeezed Gai's hand and waited. 

Soon, the elf stirred and groaned, face twisting from coming back to consciousness. Tenzō sobbed and laughed from immense relief. 

"You, imbecile," he muttered, helping the man up from the ground into a sitting position and checking for any more injuries on his back. “Throwing your life away like that.”

"Tenzō—” Gai’s voice was raspy and foreign from exertion, but damn if Tenzō wasn't happy to hear it. He couldn’t stop smiling even when the elf looked at him in confusion. "How—"

“You came back to me. Because Manda knocked you out before you died from the spell, or because the forest healed you, somehow, I don’t care—” he hugged Gai as tightly as he could without adding to his injuries. “You came back to me.”

“I’m here, my treasured one,” Gai finally returned the embrace when the vines retreated, having healed most of the wounds. His voice already sounded better. 

"I'm so mad," Tenzō groaned into the elf's shoulder. "So much time wasted. I was so thickheaded, and just when I finally realized, you—I almost lost you."

"Tenzō?" The man retreated to look him in the eyes, but Tenzō couldn't stand being separated from him. Desperate to be closer and to convey his feelings, he held Gai's face with his palms and pressed their mouths together, hard.

(Art by microrockets: In a dark forest, Tenzō kisses wounded Gai)

"I promised you my answer, didn't I?" As soon as he let go, thoughts and worries crowded his brain again. What awful timing! The man was wounded for damn's sake. He rushed to apologize but didn't manage another word before Gai's lips were on his again.

He stopped thinking after that.

"We have successfully secured the castle," Shikaku reported to Gai once they made it back to the gates. It was still dark out and the stars shone brightly in the sky. "Our prince is still in danger, I'm afraid."

"We sent another bird to Uzushio so that they prepare for a potential attack," Sakumo added. He looked much better already – the healing potion was doing wonders. "I hope that the boy makes it there in time."

"I failed, didn't I?" Gai asked dejectedly.

"No, you didn't," Shikaku patted a hand over the elf’s shoulder in comfort which was still covered by Tenzō’s cloak. "We have thought the enemy to be Orochimaru, but it was the dragon all along. We all failed to see that. So, it's not your fault."

"And the prince is on the way to safety," at Lord Regent's words, Tenzō remembered what the wyrm said earlier

"Manda spoke of Orichimaru’s partner, said that he was more useful. Do you know who that is?"

"I don’t," Sakumo admitted. "It must be the one who was controlling the snakes. Orochimaru admitted before that they are someone else's familiars."

Sleeping like this should be a rule, not an exception.

Iruka was so comfortable—so freaking comfortable that he didn't even miss his apples. He was holding something so incredibly warm that he wanted to curl around it and purr. This source of heat held onto him, actually, not the other way around but, whatever. It made him feel safe and cozy, and he didn't want to give it up.

A quiet shuffle nearby made him open his eyes in alert. He breathed in sharply and immediately realized that his nose was buried in a piece of fabric. 

It smelled nice. Sweet and musky. 

Iruka moved his head up to see the captain's neck and chin, accidentally brushing his nose over it. 

There were freckles everywhere.

His heart was beating wildly from the way Kakashi hugged him in his sleep – tightly, protectively. It wasn't something he expected, but at the same time, it wasn't something he minded either. It was just strange—strange how natural it felt. He lowered his head and rested his forehead on the man's chest again, trying to listen to the waterfall of feelings inside him—

The shuffle repeated. 

This time, Iruka was sure that it came from the other side of the room. He tried to get out of the embrace gently, but the hands only tightened their hold around him. 

"Kakashi," he looked up again and pushed slightly to stir the man awake. When the captain's sleeping face finally grimaced and one grey eye opened, Iruka stopped breathing.

They were so close. 

Yet, not close enough.

He could see every freckle, the details of the scar bisecting the other eye, and even little wrinkles here and there. There was no room to run away from the attraction he felt for the man. So, he accepted it. He would have to think about the consequences of this decision later but for now, he just accepted the fact that he found the man—this sleepy, gorgeous man—good enough to eat.

"Ah, I'm sorry," the arms finally let go, and Iruka immediately missed them, but there was that sound again, so he sat up on the bed.

"No, it's not that," he said, blushing from head to toe and pushing indecent thoughts away for a second. Then, he pointed in the direction of the shuffle, this time followed by a thin whine and a hiccup. "I think it's Naruto."

Without another word, Kakashi stood up from the bed and went to check on the prince. 

"Hey there," the captain spoke in the kind of gentle voice that Iruka only heard him speak to Naruto. "Nightmares?"

The boy didn't respond, at first, just continued to toss and turn on the bed. 

"Th—re were," after being pulled awake, he clung to Kakashi. "There were bad guys in the—the castle. 'nd we—" 

Iruka turned on an oil lamp on their bedside table and watched as Kakashi shushed the boy, rocking him side to side. 

"You're safe. We're safe."

"Bring him here," he called and made space on their bed. The captain nodded and stood up, not letting go of the prince.

Kakashi put Naruto in the middle of the bed, tucking the blanket around before getting in himself. Iruka wiped tears away from the boy's puffed cheeks and stroked his head, trying to comfort and lull him back to sleep. This seemed to help as the little prince relaxed quickly and closed his eyes, soon his breathing evened out. 

Iruka fell asleep shortly after as well. 

If his hand clasped Kakashi's when he did, it wasn't anyone's business. 

He couldn’t remember the times when they were only a prince, a witch, and a captain of the royal guard.

Chapter Text

Iruka didn't really know how long he slept but it wasn't enough. He could stay in that bed for years, easily. It was such a huge difference from sleeping on the ground in the forest! Here, he had pillows and a comfy mattress, and more fluffy blankets. Naruto was snuggled close, too, and Kakashi wasn't far either.

He finally woke up when the weight on the mattress shifted, indicating that the captain was getting ready to get out of bed. Kakashi didn't leave right away, though. Something made him pause, and Iruka opened his eyes to check what it might be. He caught the man looking at him and Naruto. 

(Art by microrockets: Kakashi is watching Iruka and Naruto in their sleep)

There was a small gentle smile on Kakashi's face when their eyes met. 

His heart didn't race like last night but felt incredibly full. It was all so oddly comfortable and peaceful. He wanted the three of them to remain like that forever, was it possible? Away from the threats and all the fighting, just disappear somewhere to a small village and live simply, without castles, together. 

He wanted to be with them as a family.

A part of his brain was busy with thoughts about this being only a pretence – they were forced into these circumstances by an evil wizard. Would they ever had grown so close without the invasion and the need to flee?

The rest of his brain ignored all this noise and enjoyed the moment.

Kakashi leaned in to say something, and Iruka wanted nothing more than to trace each of the man's freckles with his fingertips. He would have, if not for the sudden loud snort from the boy between them that immediately sent him into a fit of laughter. A moment later, Kakashi was chucking together with him. 

The little prince woke up and yawned widely before smiling at them both. He looked happy and rested despite the nightmares.

"Can we have ramen for breakfast?"  

They didn't get ramen, of course. (Not that Iruka was opposed to it. If he and Naruto agreed on anything, it was that ramen was a gift from gods. Contrary to Kakashi’s opinion, it had vegetables in it and important nutrients.) They weren't able to buy it because the place was still closed. So, instead, they had a simple traditional breakfast offered by the resort. After that, they wandered about the place and visited beautiful gardens on its territory – all the things that people on vacations were supposed to be doing there.

Naruto took this chance to play with some other kids. Iruka saw a little girl showing him a bit of her magic – she created a blooming flower from what looked like a little pebble from the nearby fountain. The prince jumped excitedly at that and made an apple, carefully following the steps that Iruka taught him before. 

"Dad, look! It worked!" Naruto shouted in triumph before turning back to the girl to give her the apple. Even though it was part of their disguise, he grew used to being called a dad.  

Every time it made him feel warm inside. 

Did Kakashi feel the same?

After the apple, the prince also tried to call for the cloud carpet but instead got a gust of wind knocking him on his butt. Everybody laughed, and he laughed with them. It was so cute that Iruka awwed and held his pretend husband's hand. Kakashi smiled beside him as well. 

"What did I do wrong?!" Naruto asked him afterwards when they finally got to the ramen place for lunch. "I said fu zük, just like you always do. And I even listened to the wind around, and all, trying to channel it into the spell, but it didn't work!"

"I didn't teach you the spell because you haven't mastered levitation yet," Iruka watched how Naruto took a bite of his noodles with a groan. That spell was his nemesis, it seemed.

"I'm also curious why we couldn't have just used your cloud to travel here instead of walking," Kakashi to his side wasn’t happy either. 

Both of them looked so similar in their disappointment that Iruka laughed out loud. They very much resembled a father and son.

"It is only safe to fly it in enclosed spaces. Out in the open, maybe, it can provide a cushion or other kind of support but for a very short moment – too easy to lose control and fall from it," he explained in between bites of gyoza. "And the full spell is 'fu zei-hew-we-fram zük', which means 'the carpet of breeze'. It's a mouthful, I know. When you practice a spell many times, you can shorten it because your mind already knows it. You always have to start with the full spell, though."

"More studying! Just great!" Naruto angrily stuffed his mouth with noodles again, and Iruka reprimanded him for it. It was important to show respect for the food they ate. Who knows when he would be able to enjoy ramen again. 

"Maybe—" Kakashi finished his bowl and looked at him, furrowing his eyebrows. What he said next made Iruka’s eyes widen. "Is it possible that the spell that you tried was also a shortened version of it?"

Could that be right? 

It was possible because when his mother transformed, she had to do it very quickly. 

They were on their way to Konoha, where his dad just got a new job. Iruka remembered being excited about moving to a bigger village, going to school, and making many friends. When they passed through a marsh, they stumbled upon a wild ichneumon – a large magical creature with a long neck and body, brown fur with glimmering specks of gold, and sharp claws and fangs. 

It was the largest and scariest animal Iruka had ever seen.

It was generally indifferent to humans, allowing them passage through its territory. That time, though, it sniffed the air, bristled its tail, and immediately pounced on them. At the cost of his life, Iruka's dad pushed him and his mother out of its way. They fled, but the beast wouldn't stop its pursuit. 

His mother hid him near the river, instructing him to cover himself in mud and be very quiet. Then, she dashed towards the ichneumon, screaming the spell and transforming right before his eyes. 

They fought with claws and jaws, and tails. 

They circled in a cruel dance of death, roaring and hissing, before pouncing at each other again. 

He learned later that dragons and ichneumon were natural enemies.

"You okay?" Kakashi's warm palm on his back pulled Iruka out of the painful memory. 

"Ah—yeah," he said and took a sip of his tea, trying to compose himself. "You must be right, actually. Can't believe I haven't thought of it before. Maybe the book has some hints on what the full spell is. I will look into it."

As their ride to Uzushio wasn't leaving until late evening, they decided to enjoy the hot spring one last time. Naruto immediately ran off to play with other kids and a thousand of yellow ducks, leaving his pretend parents alone.

They chose a smaller pool, this time, shielded from view with willow trees and large stones. It was nice and secluded there, so they didn't feel the pressure of keeping up the appearances. 

Iruka released a long breath and leaned his head back, resting it on his towel. He heard Kakashi do the same.

If someone were to ask him a week ago that he would be so comfortable in the captain's presence, he would have laughed in their face. Now, though, he felt peaceful, at ease. As if they were indeed a family that cared for each other. 

While his body relaxed, enjoying a good soak in warm water, his mind was occupied with the spell and what Kakashi said at lunch. What if, indeed, he had the shortened spell all along? Was there any way to restore it? Would he ever be able to transform or at least find out if he even inherited his mother’s gift? Many questions rushed through his head, crowding it with confusion and anxiety. 

He might never be able to find the answers.

"Stop thinking so hard," Iruka snapped his eyes open but not at Kakashi's voice. Under the cover of water, the captain's hand slowly slid down his arm to intertwine their fingers.

His whole body stiffened at the contact, and he froze, not knowing how to react.

Immediately, his thoughts about the spell were replaced with memories of the events from last night and that morning – to Kakashi's embrace and his gaze. From under his eyelashes, he glanced at the man now to find the same expression – gentle and hopeful.

His heart skipped a beat.

"I—ah," Iruka didn't know what to say or do. 

He didn't mind the gesture, that he knew. 

He liked it. 

And because of it, he felt flustered. 

It was such a simple and innocent touch, with fingers brushing over his knuckles, but all Iruka could see were Kakashi's lips and freckles... 

So many freckles.

Again, he had the sudden urge to touch them. He wanted to trace them with his nose and kiss them one by one.

"Naruto might need us, we—ah," Iruka shook his head to rid himself of this daydream. Kakashi and he weren't like that. He should stop thinking about this before it was too late.  Or better yet, put some distance between them. "I need to go!"

He tried to free his hand but Kakashi moved closer, sliding his naked body against his side.

Iruka wanted to scream.

No, he wanted to be even closer to Kakashi.

"No, you don't," the man's voice soothed all rushing thoughts in Iruka's head.

"I don't?" He felt a blush burn his cheeks but couldn't stop looking in the grey eye – so earnest and slightly amused. When the captain's palm cupped his cheek and firm lips pressed to his, he stopped thinking altogether, giving in to the sensation. It was a simple kiss, and all too soon, it ended, igniting something new and exciting. "No, I don't," Iruka breathed out the words before bringing their mouths back together.

(Art by microrockets: Kakashi kisses Iruka in an onsen)

He groaned when the captain responded in kind, cradling his face with both hands and kissing him harder.

Kakashi was incredibly frustrating on the best of days, attractive but so exhausting. Now, though, Iruka couldn’t get enough of him, of his taste. 

It was exhilarating. 

It didn’t even matter that they were in a public place where anyone could walk by and interrupt their kiss. 

He just wanted to be closer—

"Eww, gross!" He heard Naruto’s voice and quickly scrambled away from Kakashi. In horror, he saw his towel float in the water, completely drenched. Even his hair was loose and wet from their antics. What were they thinking?! (They didn't, that was the problem) "Chouza owes me so many cookies!"

"What?" Kakashi asked exactly what was on Iruka's mind, his voice sounded just as out of breath as Iruka felt.

"He said you would never kiss!" Naruto threw a fist in the air before struggling to catch a towel that slid down from the gesture. 

Iruka wrung his towel and wrapped it around himself before getting out of the pool.

It clung disgustingly to his thighs. 

Ugh.

"So, does this mean that I’m gonna get a little sibling now?"

"No!" Iruka blushed down to his toes at Naruto’s question, while Kakashi just snickered. He wasn’t in any way affected or embarrassed by their kiss nor the fact that Naruto saw them. Gods, anyone could have seen them in there! Not that they were doing anything too far out of line but still—it was a public place! 

"That’s too bad," Naruto sighed and tightened his hold around Iruka’s index finger as they walked through the village. Iruka looked at their hands and smiled – he grew fond of the boy's habit. He knew that Kakashi found it adorable as well. "I always wanted a sibling or at least a dog.”

"You can play around with mine," the captain ruffled the little prince's head.

"Kids?" Iruka gasped. He didn't know Kakashi had kids.

"Dogs," duh, of course, the man meant dogs and not kids, what was he thinking.

"You have dogs?!"

"I have eight."

"Gods help us," Iruka imagined eight dogs running around the castle after Naruto. Chef Akimichi would be so angry if any of them were to sneak into his kitchen. 

It was getting late but they barely noticed, chatting away as they walked towards the meeting place with their coachman. Only when they had to turn into one of the less lit alleyways did they notice how dark it had become. Iruka quickly fished out the lantern from his bag to help them on their journey. 

Naruto kept asking to teach him how to carry so much stuff in a tiny bag, to which Iruka laughed. He shared a secret that the levitation spell was part of this one too. It was endearing to see the prince’s face twist in distaste. That was okay, though, one day he would learn this and many other much more powerful spells. He was a bright boy with an amazing talent for magic, destined for great things. Now, though, Iruka was just happy to see that Naruto finally found some interest in it.

"A beautiful night for a stroll, isn’t it?" Iruka's head jerked towards the unfamiliar voice. A large man whose face resembled a boar walked out of the shadows baring a battle axe to light. Soon, he was joined by at least a dozen of other men with weapons, completely surrounding them. "Give us the prince and we might just let you go."

"Over my dead body," Kakashi growled, immediately unsheathing his sword and taking a fighting stance. 

"I like your choice of words," another foe sneered and licked his lips in anticipation of the fight. 

It was that sick gesture and not the number of opponents that sent a shiver of dread down Iruka's spine. These people weren't sent there just to take Naruto and deliver him to Orochimaru. 

No, they were hungry for violence. 

Iruka quickly sat down to talk to Naruto.

"Wear this," he passed the boy his tall hat while calling for his staff. "And don't even think about taking it off until we're safe."

The enemy attacked as soon as he straightened out. 

He should have known that their peaceful time at the village was short-lived. Somehow, he fooled himself with hope that they would be able to make it to Uzushio without such encounters. Alas, here they were.

Iruka focused on building the energy in the stone adorning his staff and just in time to block a strike with a power shield. The attacker was thrown back by the impact but another one jumped at him with an axe almost immediately. He called for a powerful gust of wind and quickly followed with 'fu mede doifa'. He didn't even stop to look at the flame growing out of his hand to form a sphere before throwing it at his opponents.

Behind his back, Kakashi fought just as fiercely. Iruka could hear his sword clashing at the weapons of their enemies and tearing through their clothes. One after another, the opponents fell but more were coming out from the darkest corners of the alley as if the shadows were portals to an endless supply of evil. So, they continued to defend themselves, back to back. 

In between them, Naruto curled into a ball on the ground, hiding underneath Iruka's hat. It was capable of withstanding a house crushing on it, so he wasn't worried. As long as the boy stayed underneath it.

They were caught off guard in this alley, blocked from the exit on both sides. There weren't even any ladders or windows around to use as a way of escaping. So, Iruka and Kakashi continued to fight with all they got. They did a damn good job, too, staying close and never once leaving Naruto unattended.

All of a sudden, hisses and rattles flooded from everywhere around, and soon, a plague of snakes swarmed across the pavement. 

In a panic, Iruka grabbed the boy from the ground but then screamed as an invisible force picked and threw them both against a wall. They didn't fall, however, being chained to the brick by glowing wires of red energy. The more he struggled, the tighter they got.

This wasn't what worried him the most, though.

All of it was way too familiar – the sea of snakes and the vile taste of dark magic in the air. He has seen this before in the castle and at the safe house. 

At this realization, a wave of fear hit him like a tsunami. 

Their pursuers weren't just some thugs, starving for a fight. Among them was a mage. And not just any mage – it was the one who controlled the snakes in the castle, the one they'd met in the past.

Chapter Text

It seemed to Iruka that the night got even darker. 

The only source of light in the alley was his lantern that he dropped at the beginning of the fight. However, he still recognized the man even before he finally stepped out of the shadows. 

"Kabuto—" Iruka growled when the enemy soldiers retreated to make way for the mage. Naruto stiffened in his arms at the name, probably remembering the attack in the safe house.

The bastard was wearing the same maroon-coloured cloak with a hood. His round eyeglasses had a crack in them, which only added more threat to his smirk. It was the only evidence of the fight at the cabin. How was it possible? Iruka was sure that Kakashi finished him off!

"Ah, you remembered my name, witch? I must have made quite an impression the last time we met," Iruka hugged the boy tighter at the predatory smile the mage sent their way. He heard Kabuto address his men next. "Our master is on his way here, go and guide him to me."

If Iruka knew that they were being followed by the mage, he would have never stopped at that resort. Hell, they would have avoided Tani altogether! The road through the mountains was long and risky but they would have been able to hide in caves. The mage would have never caught up with them. 

They should have stayed out of sight!

It was all his fault. Iruka swore under his breath and called himself stupid.

Now, it looked like Orochimaru was nearby, too. It was odd that he would leave the castle but, perhaps, he wanted Naruto in his hands as soon as possible.

"I saw you dead," Kakashi looked just as shocked as Iruka. Snakes had already reached him and were crawling up his legs. Thankfully, the armour was protecting him from bites.

"Not easy to kill a snake, you know," Kabuto sounded pleased, approaching the captain. "What you saw was nothing but a shell – a thin layer of skin that one can easily shed."

"I will be more thorough this time, then," Kakashi cut the snakes from his feet receiving angry hisses in response. "Let them go." 

"They would be in our way," the mage took on a fighting stance and shook his head. Immediately two glowing spheres formed around his palms. "We still have a score to settle, don't you think, captain?"

Kakashi didn't wait for a clearer invitation. 

Iruka watched him raise his sword and jump at Kabuto. However, the metal only clashed against the stone of the pavement as the bastard flickered to the side. A flash of red, and Kakashi had to bend down to avoid a blast of energy and then jump from the snakes aiming at his throat. 

The captain fought with ferocity, infusing every little bit of skill and experience into his moves. This didn't look like a fair fight, too, as his opponent used advanced magic and familiars. Kakashi, though, didn't have his pauldron, Iruka realized with terror. Why? Why in the living hell did he ask the man to surrender it? Now, the captain was at a great disadvantage. Was there even a way to defeat a mage without magic?

Chained to the wall with a child in his arms, Iruka couldn't help. He could only watch the fight and wait to be rescued like a freaking damsel in distress.

Kakashi swung his sword quickly, in an x-like motion, trying to catch the mage or cause him to trip, but the weasel evaded every strike. Kabuto moved faster than Iruka remembered him to. Perhaps, he was better prepared to fight the captain of the royal guard this time.

"Without your lightning, you're worthless," Kabuto laughed into the night before charging at Kakashi with more snakes and blazing orbs of burning energy. "Once again, your little wards will perish because of your incompetence."

Iruka didn't know what the mage was talking about but it must have hit the nerve as Kakashi faltered in his next advance and missed his target by a fair margin. He paused as if fighting something in himself before rushing back with determination. 

Kabuto was ruthless in his defence and managed to wound the captain before sending him flying to the ground. Still, Kakashi didn't give up.

"They are not my wards," the captain growled, standing up and storming back into the fight. "They are family! I don't need magic to protect my family!"

Iruka's heart threatened to jump out of his chest as the captain pounced at the mage with no regard for his own life. 

Kakashi's sword whistled as it cut through the air over and over. It never once slowed down, hungry for its target. The evil bastard evaded one strike after another, sending more blasts of energy. It was difficult to keep up with the whirlwind of the fight, and Iruka cursed. He struggled more trying to break free but not to harm Naruto who was still hiding underneath Iruka's tall hat. Wait—

"Naruto," Iruka whispered, tugging at the energy wires again. They tightened around his hands, as expected. "Do you remember the levitation spell?"

"I hate that spell, it's useless! We need to help Kakashi!" The boy's voice sounded muffled through the material. 

"We will! I need you to remember that spell," he urged. "If you focus hard enough—as that time when you made a pretty apple, remember?—you will be able to lift this hat off of you."

"But it's stuck! The wire wraps around it, I can sense it."

"Yes, I can see the wire. However, this hat is practically indestructible. If you wish for it to move, it will. And it will rip the wires in the process, freeing us." The prince stilled at that, not yet convinced. "I know you can do it, Naruto."

"Can't you do it?"

"No, you're wearing it now. It will only listen to you."

There was another pause, but Iruka didn't rush the boy. Magic couldn't be forced, so Naruto had to make that decision himself. 

"I—Won't we fall, if it works?"

"Don't worry about that. I got us covered."

Naruto shifted a bit in his arms and mumbled something ineligible before taking a series of deep breaths just as Iruka had taught him before. He stayed like that for a long moment, focusing on the surroundings and tuning in to nature's magic.

"Art ngä" the boy whispered but nothing happened. So, he tried again only with more confidence and a touch of desperation in his voice. "Art ngä!"

The hat wiggled. 

Then, it jerked up and down, and from side to side. It pushed itself against the wires that constricted its movements. It was a good sign. 

"You're doing great, Naruto!" He encouraged the boy. "Just like that! A little more—"

Below them, Iruka saw another flash of red followed by the glint of the sword. Kakashi finally got close to Kabuto, tearing at his cloak. The devil bent down and rolled over the pavement to avoid the grasp. However, Kakashi was relentless. Soon, he drove the mage into a corner and tackled him to the ground, then raised his sword over the bastard's chest. 

Iruka's heart swelled with hope. Kakashi did it, he defeated Kabuto and without the use of magic. It was incredible!

"You're done, snake!" The captain's voice was raspy from exhaustion. He didn't wait to pierce the blade through the enemy's chest. 

"So are you," Kabuto coughed out as Iruka screamed.

"No!" 

One of the mage's arms turned into a snake and bit into Kakashi's side, cutting its fangs through torn armour to inject venom into the captain's body.

Kakashi fell limp as his opponent's body dissipated into the evening air together with all other snakes.

The hat continued to fight until one of the wires finally snapped. Then another, and one more, and then Iruka found himself in a free fall with Naruto. He quickly called 'fu zük' and was relieved to feel the support of a cloud underneath them. It was unstable but good enough to get them to the ground safely.

In no time at all, they made it to Kakashi. 

The captain was on his side on the pavement, clutching at his abdomen. His face wasn't even twisting in pain, crushing all Iruka's hopes – he just laid there without any visible signs of life. He had a pulse though, very weak but it was there— 

The prince cried beside him as Iruka dug into his bag in search of healing potions and shimmering salves. His own eyes were watering too as he voiced out all the healing spells he could remember to get the venom out, clean the bite wounds, and apply the salves. With shaking hands, he put the bandages on. This would work, he told himself. This had to work!

Naruto shuffled and then whispered that someone was coming their way. So to not risk meeting the rest of Orochimaru's men, Iruka picked up Kakashi from the ground and leaned him against his shoulder. With the help of his levitation spell, he carried the captain – they needed to make it to their wagon and out of Tani at once.  

Thankfully, they made it there quickly. Their coachman was skittish at first and not willing to take on passengers that clearly brought only trouble with them. However, after some negotiation, which may or may not have involved persuasion powder sprinkled over a few coins, they were safely inside the wagon and out of the village's gates. 

"Dammit," Iruka swore as he held Kakashi against his chest, trying to make him take a healing potion. "Only an annoying bastard like you would play a hero like that. Going against a mage alone—dammit. Come on, drink!"

The captain was still unmoving but Iruka managed to force a few drops into his mouth. He waited. 

It was a fast-acting potion made from moon-night mushrooms, infinite waterfall mist, and morning blooms pollen. Iruka worked on this recipe for years. He hunted for the ingredients and carefully prepared them each summer solstice, hoping to never have to use it. It was created to fight strong toxins and venoms in a body, to push them out through sweat – not a pleasant process but it was supposed to do the job. 

When the captain finally showed some emotion and stirred, Iruka quickly poured the rest of the cure in. Kakashi swallowed and immediately started coughing at how disgusting it was. 

"There, there—" Iruka breathed out in relief and placed a few reassuring kisses to the grey hair. He knew then that Kakashi would make it. With care, Iruka put the captain's face mask back on, noticing how this helped the man to relax even more. One day, he would ask why Kakashi wore it in the first place. There was probably another ridiculous story from his past,  but Iruka would listen and treasure it. He wanted to know everything about him, to spend the rest of his life with him. 

Right now, though, they all just needed to rest. 

Thankfully, the wagon was rather comfortable despite of being a cargo wagon, not meant to be moving passengers. The coachman threw some blankets and cushions for them between the boxes and bags. 

It was enough.

Iruka leaned back to rest his head on a sack of some vegetables and sighed. 

Naruto clung to his side, wrapping his tails around his leg and the captain's hands in comfort. His ears were downward from worry, and Iruka petted them gently then tugged a blanket higher. He had to let their disguise dispel earlier, after spending so much magic on the fight and the healing. This way he could allow his body to recharge, just in case the rest of Orochimaru's men found them.

Their wagon drove for many hours but Iruka couldn't sleep. 

His worry didn't ease even when the colour finally returned to Kakashi's face and Naruto snored lightly on his lap. He was on edge all night, expecting the worst to come knocking again. Because it always did. 

He wouldn't fool himself anymore, thinking that they would get to Uzushio without trouble. This time, he decided to anticipate and prepare for it.

They were getting close to the shore. He could tell from the jerky movements of their wagon on the rocky road along the grand cliffs. There was also salt in the air, and Iruka breathed it in hungrily. It's been too long since he's been near the sea.

Even then, knowing that they were on their final stretch to Uzushio, he stayed alert.

This was why when there were suddenly noises and shouts all around them, Iruka didn't startle. He knew they were coming, and he was ready for them. He was determined to protect both Kakashi and Naruto.

Soon after the attack started, the wagon screeched to a full stop. Their coachman didn't stick around having taken the horses and galloping away as fast as he could. There were laughs and triumphant wolf calls at finding a prey. 

They had no idea what was coming for them. 

Iruka's face twisted and he released a snarl when the covers of the wagon finally flapped open. He growled louder when the familiar boar-like face stared at him, eliminated by a torchlight. Naruto shivered in fear and scrambled closer, and Kakashi who had never once come to full consciousness during the night moaned from pain under his arm. 

(Art by microrockets: In a wagon, Iruka holds Naruto and Kakashi protectively and snarls at an unknown person holding a torchlight in the foreground)

This was it.

They had nowhere to run anymore.

And this made Iruka angry.

So freaking angry.

He felt the magic in him boil with rage, twisting and turning, and trying to find a way to the surface. His robes fluttered as a surge of power shot through him. 

He was going to protect his family.

With a cry, Iruka jumped out of the wagon and pounced barehanded at the enemy. He punched and kicked, every hit amplified by his magic. When two opponents went down, he turned around to the wagon and in haste placed a protective barrier spell over it. 

"Stay inside!" he shouted at Naruto and turned around to face advancing foes. 

He didn't know where the strength was coming from and didn't have time to think it over. He just fought with all he got, trying to free them from pursuers, thinking of nothing but delivering Naruto to safety and Kakashi to a more experienced healer. 

Iruka thought that there would be no end to the men attacking him from all sides, but still, he sent them flying one by one, and then two at a time with powerful blasts of energy. If only he could do it earlier in the alley, then Kakashi would be so hurt now.

He wanted to cry from exhaustion – he wasn't a soldier, wasn't used to fighting people this way. Iruka was a practicing witch, nothing more. He was someone unimportant, who only took on the job at the castle so that he could find something about his ancestry in the royal library. 

He didn't sign up for this. 

He wasn't meant to be caught in the middle of an invasion of the castle nor to run through the kingdom with their little prince. He wasn't meant to come to think of the boy as family, as his son, nor was he meant to fall in love with the captain of the royal guard, who was gravely injured. 

Yet, here he was. 

Doing what he could to protect his loved ones. 

He shouted spells and threw more punches, not looking at where his attacks landed. He shielded himself from swords and axes with power fields, exhausting his opponents before striking again. He gave it his all until, finally, the last thug fell down to the ground.

Swirls of purple surrounded him as he stood over defeated bodies. Iruka breathed hard but the air kept getting stuck in his throat,  being coughed back out. 

He knew that this smoke signified the arrival of a new enemy – the one he's truly been waiting and preparing for.

Iruka was afraid, but he was determined to fight. 

He knew now, with every fibre of his being, that he had his mother's gift in him. He was a dragon – one of the dragons of the lost kingdom.

Chapter Text

"You're a nuisance!" 

Iruka was pressured down to the ground by the deafening power of the voice from above. Then, the space around him was filled with rings of a long scaled body – Orochimaru's wyrm was finally here. The wizard himself, probably, wasn't far behind.

"Give me the fox!" the voice repeated just before a large tail smashed at the wagon. To his relief, the barrier stood strong, protecting Kakashi and Naruto inside. 

"Never!" Iruka shouted, unable to see the head of the monstrous dragon from the inside of the clouds of smoke but assuming it was out there somewhere. He moved towards the wagon, attempting to put himself in between it and the new threat, but was late.

"Then, I will swallow this thing whole," the beast hissed threateningly, wrapping a tail around it and picking it up from the ground. 

"Get away from them!" Iruka reacted quickly, sending a stream of fire above the wagon and forcing the tail to let go. The flames burned through the mist to finally reveal the dragon's face. "Your master will never get his hands on Naruto!"

"I am Manda the Slayer! I have no master, witch!" He was taken aback by the statement and even stumbled over some tree twigs under his feet. "You think it was Orochimaru who invaded the kingdom? You think wrong. I did!! I planned it all! Gave him the army, the power, and he put it all to waste! Useless human! I need the fox!"

He was shocked to hear all that. For so long, they thought that Orochimaru was behind the invasion. No one even considered that a mythical creature would be the one. He remembered, then, how the book spoke of some dragons who decided to live in hatred of humans. Was Manda one of them – one of the dragons of the Lost Kingdom, too? 

Whoever he was, he was a threat to Naruto and Kakashi, and Iruka was determined to protect them.

"You won't get him!" He made his challenge clear. 

"And who are you to stop me?" The dragon laughed as if it all was a joke to it and nothing else. "I already fought a fool like you, who thought that he could take on a dragon. And you—you're not even that strong. I will squish you like a bug."

"Try me!" He could not stand to hear from the beast any longer.

Iruka jumped high in the air with a spell ready on his lips. He threw his hands up and sent giant spears of ice at Manda. It didn't stop the beast, of course (it wasn't meant to) but it did buy him some time.

After landing on a large stone, he crouched to feel the smooth surface with the palm of his hand and took a deep breath.

He concentrated. 

To defeat a dragon—to have even the slightest chance of doing so—Iruka needed to perform the transformation spell.

He thought about it all night in preparation for fighting Orochimaru. Little did he know that his enemy was much, much worse than a wizard. Still, he was readying himself for this He could do this.

If 'la ülje' that meant 'my nature' was a shortened spell, then the complete one would have had the call for action and a reference to the subject, himself. As the dragon's nature was naturally hidden, only being called upon at times of need, the action would be 'chu-dzzim', which meant 'to reveal'. 

This lead him to think at first that the full spell would be 'I reveal my nature'. However, he remembered how the book spoke of his ancestors as humans with special abilities, how they weren't beasts wearing a human disguise. No, they were humans who possessed the power of taking a form of a dragon. It was their second nature, not first.

So, by the time their wagon was stopped, he had the full spell in his head. He went over it again and again, kept it on the tip of his tongue, waiting for the right time to use it. 

Now, on top of this stone while being connected to the surrounding magic, he heard his mother's faint voice, coming directly from his heart:

'I reveal my second nature'

When Manda shook off the ice spears, bared his teeth and breathed out a stream of purple smoke, Iruka was ready. He focused and very deliberately voiced out his next words.

"Shï-chu-dzzim la-zei-za ülje!" 

He felt the immediate rush of magic flow through his veins. 

It tickled at first, then soothed. He heard the familiar melody powering him up. Last time, the song faded away quickly, leaving him in pain and with a dreadful sense of everything being wrong. 

Now, though, everything felt right.

In a flash, his body grew and transformed. 

The scales and horns didn't feel foreign – they felt like skin, like something that belonged to him since his very first breath. Soon, he stood in the middle of the clearing on all fours, claws digging into the dirt. He felt a tail behind him and moved it experimentally. 

His senses were elevated, too. He could hear a bird flying as far away from that clearing as it could. He even heard the heartbeat of his opponent.

Iruka shook all the way from his mane to the tip of his tail to feel the muscles of his new body that was no longer human. 

He was a beast now. 

(Art by microrockets: Iruka in his dragon form stands between Manda and a wagon)

His opponent was still larger and more experienced, but where Iruka lacked in strength, he made up in agility. 

Without a delay, he lunged at Manda and felt with satisfaction how his teeth scraped the wyrm's skin. He tore at the flesh before being thrown to the side. His opponent was angry too but that couldn't compare to Iruka's rage and sheer instinct to protect his loved ones. So, he bounced back to his feet and threw himself back into the fight.

"I haven't seen another dragon here for centuries," Manda evaded his attacks, slithering his body away from each one and hissing back. "Why fight? We could share the fox, his kind has enough energy for two."

"What do you want with him?" Iruka jumped to the side to avoid the enemy's tail. Then, he scratched at it with his claws. 

"His power!" The wyrm laughed into the morning air. "Once it's mine, I will lay waste to this kingdom! These pathetic humans infested our lands, took away our cities—why are you fighting on their side?!"

"I am human!" Iruka roared and sprung forward in another attack. "Just as you once were!"

"Weak is what you are."

Manda released more smoke at him—stifling, poisonous smoke. Iruka shook his head, trying to rid himself of its vile taste and smell. Rage boiled inside him even more now, and, suddenly, he knew what to do with it. 

Iruka bent down into a deep crouch and growled, feeling that rage taking the form of something much more than just an emotion. He lifted his front legs and pushed hard with both hind legs to jump as high as he could, and then—

Then, Iruka opened his mouth to release a stream of bright blue energy. It wasn't fire nor ice but it left deeply satisfying cuts on his opponent's skin. 

This took their fight to another level. 

Iruka was getting more and more familiar with his new body and learned how to listen to all his senses. However, he had a strong ancient monster for an opponent. 

After another strike of Manda's tail, Iruka stumbled backwards and lost his footing. Immediately, the evil wyrm charged at him with his large poisonous fangs. Iruka got away just in time to see the curved teeth sink into the ground, spurting ugly venom. He barely got time to put himself together before Manda was on him again, encircling him with its body. It was getting increasingly harder to breathe.

They tumbled down the uneven ground, smashing trees on their way and sending boulders rolling. Iruka bit into the snake's flesh drawing a roar of pain – he was not going to give up. He fought with the kind of ferocity he had never known to have because now there was someone he wanted to protect. 

Iruka didn't see which way they were moving, sky and earth all faded into a blur, but he bit and scratched, and tore at the enemy.

The next thing he knew, he was falling.

He and Manda fell off a cliff into the sea below.

Surprisingly, this didn't scare him. Something was telling him that he would be okay, that the sea was somewhere he belonged. So, he snarled at the dragon above him, who writhed in the air helplessly, clearly not expecting this turn of events.

After mere seconds in the free fall, Iruka's instincts kicked in, and he turned his body around to dive into the water headfirst. 

Cold water was welcoming and soothing to his wounds.

It felt like coming home. 

Frills behind his ears flared, helping him hear as he swam, pushing at the body of water with all four of his legs. He saw—and felt—Manda dropping into the sea much less gracefully. It was clear then, that he wasn't amphibian, like Iruka. Which meant that here, underwater, he was vulnerable. 

***

Iruka used his tail to propel him toward his opponent. He gripped at the wyrm with claws and dragged it deeper, not letting it take a gulp of air. 

He failed. 

Manda managed to wrap its tail around his neck and tried to strangle him. It choked on water and had to push up to the surface, releasing him in the process. Then, the wyrm was back on him.

Its tail was strong and fast and sent powerful strikes at Iruka. He was able to avoid most of them but got caught by a few and had to retreat. He circled Manda, waiting for the perfect moment to retaliate. Always staying underwater would eventually force the other dragon to dunk to check his location. 

He was waiting for it.

To not let it think that he swam away, Iruka bit and scratched at the wyrm's skin in short bursts before getting out of its reach. 

As soon as Manda dove, trying to catch him, Iruka charged forward to wrap himself in a death grip around its tail. 

They struggled. 

Iruka cried out in pain as one of the fangs left a nasty cut on his back but didn't let go. Large bubbles rose up quickly to the surface, indicating that his opponent was losing air. 

It was good. 

It was what he was counting on. 

He navigated with his tail to drag them both further into the depths. 

Manda twisted and squirmed in agony and even tried releasing the poisonous smoke again, but everything was useless. Iruka always knew that he belonged to the sea just as much as its shores, he could spend hours and hours without needing another breath. His opponent was different from him – he was meant to crawl on the surface and through underground tunnels. 

Here, it had no chance. 

Iruka didn't release Manda even when its kicks lost their strength. He waited, and waited until the very last air bubble slowly climbed its way up. Only then, he withdrew his claws and teeth from the dragon's skin and pushed away.

***

As he watched the wyrm's body sink, Iruka thought of his parents and how they gave their lives to protect him from harm. Today, he was able to do the same for his own family, and by pure miracle, he stayed alive.

Iruka rose to the surface and took a deep breath, then swam towards the shore. He wanted to get back to Naruto and Kakashi, see how they were doing. During the fight, he lost track of the wagon, focusing on the immediate threat. The barrier spell that he used, though, should have protected them from harm. 

He climbed the cliff feeling the fatigue in every bone, but he pushed through. His claws grasped at the stones, one after another, until he finally reached the top. Iruka looked at the destruction he and Manda left with tired eyes and breathed out slowly through his large nostrils. He scanned the area and listened for the familiar voices. 

There, near a fallen tree and partially buried under rubble was the wagon. 

It was flipped on its side, which caused Iruka's heart to hiccup in worry. He hurried over there on all fours and was relieved to see the barrier being intact. 

Naruto watched him with a smile and tear-stained face. Kakashi was watching him too.

They were safe.

Iruka managed to keep them safe.

He concentrated on dispelling the barrier and soon his boy was running toward him. He lowered his head to allow Naruto to pet his maw. It was a weird sensation—small hands on his scaled thick skin.

"I told you that you're an awesome dragon!" the boy squealed excitedly.

"Careful, Naruto," Kakashi came out next, clutching at his abdomen. It was reassuring to see the man on his feet again – the healing potion must have worked. "Iruka looks injured, too."

"I'll be fine," he huffed out and shook his mane. "Come on, we need to get to Uzushio. And it looks like I found a shortcut."

"Don't you say?" the captain inquired. 

"We will swim."

"We will do no such thing," Kakashi protested. "You have a gush on your back the size of the Great Canyon of the Dead, you need medical help."

"Worry about yourself!" Iruka couldn't help but growled at that, flaring his nostrils. "You just regained consciousness and already bossing people around."

"You're a dragon."

"That I am."

"O-kay—" Naruto drawled to interrupt their banter and addressed Kakashi. "I'm going to ride a dragon and you won't stop me, old man. Dad says it's okay."

"Why does he get to be a dad and I'm an old man?"

"Because you're old, duh."

"I'm not—"

"Get your aging bones up my back."

"I'll show you aging..."

Iruka couldn't stop himself from releasing a chuckle. His back did sting at that but he would rather die than admit to the captain that he was right.

As soon as Kakashi and Naruto managed to grab a hold of his mane, Iruka jumped towards the cliff and carefully went down, making sure to not drop his precious cargo. His boy laughed in delight when they finally reached the sea. 

Swimming was easy.

Iruka used his feet to push at the body of water, which propelled him forward. His tail moved from side to side to drive him in the right direction. He knew where to go simply because he could see their destination on the horizon. It was Uzushio, the Kingdom of Whirlpools and Waves.

Chapter Text

Uzushio was a kingdom of one castle, but the beauty of it couldn't compare to anything Iruka had seen in his life before. 

Located in the middle of the sea, it rose from the depths and stretched its tall walls and towers up to the sky. Around its perimeter was stunning stonework, adorned with grand statues of deities and mythical creatures – the protectors of the kingdom.

Above swallowtail flags that flapped in the breeze, seagulls hovered, purring and squawking, pleased with the abundance of fish nearby.

Naruto could barely sit still from excitement. 

Iruka knew that the boy had been here before with his parents. However, it would have been soon after his birth, when he was nothing but a little baby in his mother's arms. Today though, he had a chance to get to know the place properly and remember it for years to come. 

They reached the shore and climbed out of the water at the docks—the only entrance to the castle. There were guards with spikes and crossbows in defensive positions, but all of them were at a loss for what to do. 

No one expected a dragon to visit their lands. 

As soon as Naruto got off of Iruka's back, though, people recognized him and bowed. Even if some of them hadn't seen the boy in person, it was custom to bow down to a kitsune first and ask questions later. 

Remaining close to the water to not appear as a threat, Iruka watched as Kakashi approached one of the guards. He quickly introduced himself and explained their situation, asking for the audience with King Nagato.

Iruka lost track of what they were saying next; he was just so relieved.

They made it.

Naruto was safe.

It meant that Iruka's job was over.

He felt the weight of that realization in his very bones and quickly succumbed to the darkness. 

"Morning, sunshine," Iruka heard Kakashi's gentle voice and opened his eyes, squinting again at the bright light. "You need to hydrate."

That he did.

He propped himself up on an elbow and consumed the offered drink with hungry gulps. It ended way too quickly, so he asked for more. 

"Easy," Kakashi smiled but obliged and passed him another glass. "How are you feeling?"

Iruka didn't respond, concentrating on emptying another glass. Once he finished, he looked around to find himself in unfamiliar quarters. It was a nice room but too bare for his liking. The bed was comfortable, though, and sunlight was streaming from two huge windows. Once his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he saw the vast green sea and blue skies outside.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked, searching for Kakashi's hand, and sighed when he found it. He was still in that weird state where he couldn't quite tell the dream from reality, but feeling the warmth of the captain's fingers grounded him.

"We arrived yesterday. So, about eighteen hours?"

"Damn,"

"Yeah, but it looked like you needed that," Kakashi brushed over his knuckles absentmindedly. "We all needed that."

"What about you? How are you healing?" Iruka couldn't help but worry. He searched the man's face for any signs of sickness but was happy to see that natural colour finally returned to his cheeks. "And where is Naruto?" 

"He is with one of King Nagato's trusted advisors – Witch Mitarashi. She hasn't left him for a minute," Kakashi snorted. Naruto must have been running around the castle, trying to find out everything about it. "The boy says that she is scary but he also learned a few tricks from her already. He is having fun. And I'm okay. You—you saved my life out there."

"We saved each other," Iruka relaxed into the pillows after hearing that everything was well. He hissed as soon as he touched the material.

"The wound on your back was pretty serious," Kakashi explained. "After you turned back into your human form, the healers worked their magic on you. It left a scar which will be sore for a little while."

"Have you heard anything from Konoha?"

"Yes, the king received a bird before our arrival warning them about Manda and asking to send someone to help us. They didn't know that we had a dragon of our own to fight the beast."

"Shut up."

"The note also said that the castle is free and that my father is well," the captain's voice turned even softer at that. Iruka was so happy to hear to good news. "We can return anytime."

"I think I want to sleep for another week," Iruka groaned, and Kakashi laughed in agreement. 

After the events of this past week, all of them deserved some rest.

"We can always take the scenic route," the captain held his hand gently and winked at him in that special one-eye way. "Share the bedroll under the stars and all..."

"No thank you," Naruto came out of nowhere and climbed the bed to hug Iruka and curl under his arm. "My precious princessy feet are tired from your so-called scenic route. We're riding a horse!"

"Is he going to go back to being a spoiled brat?" Iruka laughed, scratching at the boy's ear.

"Definitely," there was no doubt in Kakashi's voice.

"Oi, I'm right here! And I want ramen!"

Konoha looked better than when they left it. It was scraped clean and decorated for celebrations – everyone in the village was delighted to see the prince return safely. The streets of the village were filled with music and loud cheers, and the market buzzed with joyful festivities. 

Tenzō couldn't wait to see Kakashi and learn about their difficult trip. When he heard that Manda was defeated, he couldn't believe his ears and needed to hear all the details. Gai was just as anxious to know. 

The elf recovered very quickly and assumed his post almost right away. Just as Tenzō did, dutifully guarding his lordship. They didn't get a chance to discuss the status of their relationship further, and it worried him but only just a bit. Somehow, deep down, he knew that everything was going to be okay from then on. 

Perhaps, it wasn't even worry but anxiousness. 

Anticipation. 

Who was he kidding, he couldn't wait to kiss Gai again. And he knew that the other felt the same. They just needed to wait for the right moment. 

When Prince Naruto reached the main building, Tenzō could hear it from the throne room – the little fox was loudly greeting everyone and laughing at their shocked expressions. Later, Tenzō found out that Chef Akimichi even shed a few tears.

Tenzō was so giddy to see them that when they finally made it to the hallway behind him he couldn't wait and turned around. It was against his training, he was required for them to make it to the doors, but he did it nonetheless. Sometimes, rules could be bent just a little bit.

"Tenzō!" Naruto called for him cheerfully and ran the remaining half of the corridor to give him a hug. "Did you scare off the bad guys with your ghoul's face? I was telling Iruka how terrifying it is! Show me!"

Who was Tenzō to refuse the prince? He quickly worked the muscles of his face into the most ghost-like expression he could muster drawing a delighted squeal from the boy.

"So cool!!"

"Won't you greet me as well, my prince?" There was a voice from behind him, and Tenzō immediately straightened out.

"S'kumo!" The regent picked Naruto up and sat him in the crook of his arm, as usual. "You're okay! I missed you! Oh, and Kakashi told me that you can cook! Can you make ramen?!"

The whole castle was happy to see the prince back. However, only when Tenzō saw his captain stride across the room to his father and embrace him tightly, did he feel his shoulders relax. With every pat on the back they gave each other, his heart grew lighter.

They've all been through so much. 

Kakashi's hug came as a surprise, and Tenzō stumbled backward. 

"Thank you, brother," his breath hitched at the address. "I knew you would help him. Thank you."

"It wasn't just me, you know—"

"Don't," Kakashi stopped him right away and hugged him even tighter. "Only you care for his life as much as I do, and no one else would have gone to the lengths you did to save him. So, thank you."

His response got stuck in his throat but that was okay because they were all back together again. 

A wave of relief washed over him.

His family was safe now, and that's all that mattered. 

"You should have taken the crown," Kakashi said as Iruka dragged him down the corridors of the castle. "Without you, we wouldn’t have defeated the wyrm."

After the celebratory feast, Sakumo took them both into his chambers and admitted that the attack made him feel too old and tired to continue being a regent. Both of them were his first choice of a successor as they proved themselves capable of protecting their prince and the whole kingdom. The man took off his crown then and offered it to either of them.

"Me? Can you imagine my ponytail sticking out of that thing?! Bloody ridiculous!" Iruka laughed. He had no ambitions of becoming a regent of the whole kingdom. And Kakashi seemed better suited for the job anyway. "Besides, my tall hat would get jealous and stop listening to my commands. I can't have that, can I?"

"Your hat? Jealous?" Kakashi clearly didn't believe him.

"Did I ever tell you about that time when Genma convinced me to try a bandana?"

"I can't tell if you're being serious right now or not," from the puzzled look on Kakashi's face, Iruka knew that the man tried to picture him in a bandana and failed. "Where are we going?"

"My room," Iruka stopped and held Kakashi's hand in his. There was a tornado of butterflies in his stomach and it didn't have anything to do with how much he ate. He took a step inside the captain's personal space and smiled. "I haven't had the chance to thank you properly for saving me twice from Kabuto."

"Ah—maybe we should go to mine?" What nonsense was the man saying? They were practically there. 

Iruka stretched his arm and opened the door that suddenly appeared on the wall that was empty just a moment before. He sucked in a breath and immediately coughed it out as the clouds of ash and soot blew out of it.

"Tenzō said something about them not being able to find your room and fix it," Kakashi sounded apologetic. Why did no one tell him that before?!

"Okay, your room it is, then," he groaned, patting down his soiled pants and shirt, only making it worse in the process. "I need a bath now..."

"We can always have one together."

Iruka liked the sound of that.

Tenzō's shift was over half an hour ago. Usually, he would be already on the way home but not today. Today, he stalled. He waited for an opportunity to talk to Gai who was a popular person at tonight's festivities. Everyone wanted to know about his fight with a dragon.

Surprisingly, and quite endearingly, the elf stayed humble, masterfully avoiding questions and stirring the conversation towards the team efforts of his apprentices and individual squads during the whole battle. Tenzō liked that about the man. 

He stood in a corner of the ballroom, watching Gai from afar and staying out of people's way. When another man walked over to the elf and offered a dance, Tenzō snapped. He gripped at his halberd and took a step forward. Then, he took another, and soon he was striding across the room with intent. 

He took the stranger's hand off of Gai's person and pointedly ignored the groans of protest. 

"Walk me home?"

Gai actually dropped his drink at the question, causing people around to jump away but Tenzō didn't startle at all.

"Of course!" Gai responded and smiled at him with the brightest smile yet. Tenzō had to dunk his head to hide a smile of his own.

"I must say I am mad," Tenzō admitted once they finally made it out of the castle and slowed their pace on the road to the village. It was a pleasant night for a walk. "You’ve been avoiding my presence again."

Gai was about to protest but Tenzō stopped him, 

"I know, I know. You’ve been busy, and so have I…" He knew all that and yet, he couldn't help but think that in the forest, they were much closer to each other than now. Things should be better now, not worse. "Still, you should have made an effort, like before. What happened to the springtime of our youth?"

"To be utterly honest, I wasn’t sure where we stand," the man scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly, continuing to look under his feet and nowhere near Tenzō. This was quickly becoming frustrating. Where was that overconfident elf who courted him and flirted with him without shame in front of the regent himself?! Instead of being with Tenzō, he spent time with practically everyone else. And Tenzō wanted all of that attention on himself. 

Dammit, he shouldn't be this selfish, but he missed the man so badly.

"I gave you my answer, didn’t I?" He offered gently after taking a few levelling breaths.

"I am told that passions spike violently with adrenaline, near-death experiences, and even more shaken by the endorphins and exhilaration at the win," Gai blabbered without taking a breath, every word deepening the frown on Tenzō's face. "Your beautiful mind could have been clouded!"

"Do I look like a man controlled by his hormones?" Enough was enough, he needed to stop this nonsense.  

"No.."

"Was your attraction to me a product of adrenaline and endorphin spikes?"

"No!"

"Then kiss me already and get it through your skull that we’re together," he blurted out blushing from head to toe. "And stop with—"

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Gai pressed their lips together. 

There, it was much better. 

Tenzō moved closer to the elf and melted into the touch. He felt how the crinkle between his eyebrows finally disappeared and smiled. Gai took this as an opportunity to deepen their kiss.

The sounds of the forest and the crickets' songs all faded into something far far away. Tenzō could only focus on the warmth spreading through him, soothing his worries and insecurities. When they parted, breathing heavily, Gai didn't leave. He brought their cheeks together like that time in the camp and embraced him even closer.

"I'm so sorry, my treasured one," the elf apologized profusely, squeezing the life out of Tenzō. "I will never make you feel lonely again or give you any reasons for jealousy!"

That snapped Tenzō out of his daze.

"I wasn't jealous!"

"Sure, my love."

"I'm telling you, I wasn't—" Gai silenced the rest of his words with another searing kiss.

Chapter Text

In a faraway land in the middle of a majestic forest, a castle stood, hidden in the leaves. In there lived a prince. The rumour was that he had beautiful blond hair and eyes so blue that even clear skies could not compare. For the longest time, though, no one has seen the prince. Against his very will, he was locked in the castle's tallest of towers, away from the world.

A fierce dragon held him there hostage. And there was no salvation for the prince.

"Stop being so dramatic," Iruka ripped the note Naruto was writing and with a simple gesture evaporated it into thin air. "You've been grounded for only two days! No one will forget your eye colour if you study for two days!"

"But dad! Everyone is out playing!"

"And you would be too! If you didn't deem it reasonable to lock Master Ebisu in the dungeon, making him believe he was sentenced for life!" Iruka slapped the prince on the back of his head, causing his crown to slide forward. "You're supposed to be writing an essay about why it was wrong to do it, not a novel about you being a damsel in distress."

"It was just a joke," Naruto grumbled but accepted a blank piece of paper from his father. 

"A very inappropriate one!"

"C'mon, everyone knows that I don't make any decisions here. Old man is!"
Iruka breathed out in frustration and crossed both hands in front of his chest. 

"Stop talking back and write the damn thing or I will send you off to Witch Mitarashi."

"Okay, Okay! I will do it! Anko is so damn scary..."

"So, you're more worried about what she could do and not what your parents think?" Iruka felt his eyebrow twitch. 

"I—ugh!"

Naruto was sixteen, in two short years, he would be old enough to finally rule his kingdom. And Iruka knew that he was mature for his age and ready to take on this responsibility. Still, something changed recently that made him behave like a spoiled brat.

"Hey," he sat down beside the teen and softened his tone. "You are a prince, you don't have to prove anything to anyone."

"I know," Naruto dropped his head on Iruka's shoulder with a thump. "It's—some kids dared me to, and I just—"

"You do know that it was wrong, don't you? Just because you have the power, doesn't mean you have to use it."

"Yeah"

"And I know that you have better friends than those kids," Iruka ruffled the teen's head before fixing the crown back in its place. "How about we invite them for a study session?"

"Okay," Naruto beamed before tackling him into a hug. "You're the best dad in the whole world!"

"Make sure to tell Kakashi that."