Sup, I'm here! Woah, this was long coming and I was pretty damn sure it was dead. I had half of the second chapter for ages, but couldn't really force myself to write anything for it. I'm posting whatever I have now just because. I don't really know in which direction I want this to go so it is at even greater stalemate than before. I'll try to complete this story at least to some sort of finale so it wouldn't just hang here.

Obviously, my style has changed a lot. I'm abusing present tense and Kakashi's POV a lot here. Also, I'll update my bio so anyone interested can nag me on my tumblr. Enjoy!

IIIIII

The cold is sinking into his bones, freezing him inside out, eating away what wisps of consciousness he still retains.

His clothes are wet and now, while he is lying in the snow they're turning into ice. He failed the mission and his interaction with the enemy left multiple lacerations and bruises along his body.

His death is now inevitable. The cold the only thing left. The pain and hunger and thirst – all fall away. His last coherent thought is 'this is how it happens'. Then it's gone.

IIIIII

It hurts. His body is on fire and his brain seems intent on mixing itself into a paste of pain. The cold is a distant memory and instead he feels thousands of heated needles in his muscles.

He tries to analyse the situation. He failed his mission. He was captured. He was- . He ran away. He was cold. From then to now somebody found him and transported him. His body is still unresponsive. Blood loss and wounds render him weak an helpless. He can feel, however, bandages up and down his limb, wrapped around his torso, covering his neck. Then he becomes aware of quiet gasps. For a second unsure of where they're from Kakashi realises it's his own throat that's making them.

Then words reach him. He leaves his struggling mind aside and concentrated on them. Soothing, concerned tone. When was the last time he heard anyone talk to him like this…? Ah… Iruka. Someone's hands are touching him and he withdraws, but they're gentle instead of being harsh. The gasps turn into sobs and Kakashi's only distantly aware of clutching fabric in his fist.

Now that he can feel it, he can't stop. His body is trembling and the realisation that it's the first time in months that he feels safe hits. It's just like Iruka, even though it cannot be Iruka. He's at home, safe in Konoha. And so Kakashi tries to move away, but to no avail. The stranger holds him tight and he feel consciousness slipping out of his grasp.

IIIIII

The next time he wakes up the world is much clearer. He feels content. Even the lack of physical sensations isn't alarming. Kakashi allows his gaze to wonder around the room he's in, without moving his head. He stops as his eyes stray over the stranger sitting at the minuscule desk near the window. The guy, a teenager, is leaned over a book, teeth worrying the end of the pen in his hand. The concentration is palpable and Kakashi uses it to study him.

The teenager is wearing a once bright sweater, now dulled by long wear, and torn down jeans. One of his legs is tucked under him and he sits in the peculiar way teenagers manage. Like cats, balancing on the most uncomfortable surface, complete with twisted arms and legs all around them. Then Kakashi notices the wooden stick, visible because teenagers left sleeve has slipped down towards his elbow.

The leather holster is frighteningly similar to the ones his captors had and despite the clear lack of threats in this situation, Kakashi can feel his pulse rising. Despite his attempt to stay unnoticed, his breathing becomes shallow and his fists crunch the blanket till his skin turns white.

Kakashi doesn't even notice that he no longer watches the teenager, before he feels gentle hands running through his hair. Defending himself is an ingrained response, but it seems absent now, as the stranger radiates calm. And after the first few minutes of serenity, it sets him on the edge.

Without giving away his distrust, Kakashi slowly relaxes and directs a questioning gaze at the teenager.

'It's alright now. Don't worry.' The guy assures him. 'What's your name?'

Kakashi stays silent at that. The teenager sighs.

'It's okay. If you want I can give you mine first. I'm Harry.' He says, with what seems like a curious look. It's just that Kakashi himself has given this look too many times to miss the spark of relief at non-recognition (though that happened sparsely to him).

Kakashi just nods hesitantly without giving his own name. The smile on so-called Harry's face is understanding, but Kakashi can feel the underlying thread of tension. After a few moments of silence, Harry seemingly gives up and with a sigh relinquishes his grip on the harmless façade. Nothing seems to change, but Kakashi knows that Harry understands he's not harmless and not as confused as he lets on. The underlying tension seems to disappear and suddenly Harry is not someone Kakashi would want to face in a fight.

'I get that you don't want to tell me your name, but I really wish to call you something.'

And really, even though giving up your name is not something any shinobi would do, Kakashi has come to realize that almost no-one knows him or of him on the Outside. Giving up his name may increase Harry's trust and might just give him a chance to get away. With that, he stops analyzing the situation and decides to trust his intuition, which is always more reliable when he's hurt or otherwise distracted.

'Kakashi' he says. And with that one word, Harry seems to brighten. The grin that stretches across his face does not seem fake, but Kakashi knows it hides something. Oh well, it's too late to take it back now.

IIIIII

Harry continues to hover around Kakashi for the next two or three hours, clumsily cleaning up the table, sorting piles of books on the floor, and making them tea. It seems familiar and placating, but Kakashi recognizes it for it is. The second time Harry steps out into what seems to be a pantry with a load of jars in his hands, Kakashi is out in a few seconds.

Closing the door behind him, he chooses a direction and starts running.

IIIIII

It turns out that running away is not smart at Kakashi's condition. Not half an hour into his escape, he's crawling through the snow and berating himself for his stupidity. Maybe it's from the injuries, maybe it's something Harry had given him, but Kakashi's mind is foggy. The harsh wind does a good job of waking him up, but it's not enough.

If not for the blizzard mixing skies with the earth, he would have left a red trail behind him, for he can feel his reopened wounds. Kakashi wouldn't even mind being in the cabin again, even with a stranger if he wouldn't have to suffer the million needles piercing his skin and burrowing into his bones.

Then Kakashi hears a howl and for a few moment his mind goes blank, just as it had hundreds of times before seemingly certain death. Being a dog summoner, he's on good terms with Fire nation wolves. That doesn't seem to transfer to the Outside.

Everything else, unfortunately, does, so he's certain there is a wolf pack on his back. Probably after the overwhelming smell of his blood, because even the snow cannot hide the coppery tang in the air.

Kakashi presses his body to the ground and goes through his pockets. Then he remembers that it's unlikely anything has been left to him. First, after his captors and then, when the stranger changed him. The resignation comes as it had times before, but where a civilian might give up, Kakashi ignores it, lets it pass as a cloud of ineffective emotion over his mind.

However, as panicking is out of question, he's left with no options. Crawling forwards seems the only logical action, though which direction is forward is unclear. He isn't left alone with his doubts for long, though. Only shinobi instincts save Kakashi's throat. Fangs sink into his hands.

For a moment one grey eye meets two gold ones and Kakashi is thrown into the snow with a massive wolf above. He knows this is the end. Just as many times before, he embraces the fact and continues fighting because that's what he does.

And yet, the feeling of dread is different. It's not the enemy shinobi, which he can trick and deceive. It's a natural born predator. He managed to escape the cold. Second time against mother nature won't be so lucky.

He closes his eye, ready to take whatever is thrown at him. He does not expect it to be another wolf, however. Especially, as the second wolf seems intent on ripping the throat of the first one. It's midnight black, a slender shadow in the blizzard. It's body is slender, yet strong, and it radiates power. The first wolf doesn't last long.

Kakashi knows he should run. And yet, he cannot stop staring. A thought appears, that this is how death looks like. Not the many times he has been certain were the last. But this beast, a shadow that leaves only blood and bones behind himself. It's scary how every time that seems like a new thing to Kakashi.

As it approaches Kakashi, the two perfect amber with deeply simmering gold and a vibrant green line around the iris meet his. Then the wolf form starts changing. It bends and stretches and there is a boy where the wolf stood seconds ago.

The air of danger dissipates and Kakashi is left reeling, confused. Maybe he just hallucinated what has happened? But the pain in his arm is real. And the boy has vibrant green eyes, just as the outline in the wolf's, and there are rings of amber around the pupils. And so he doesn't resist when Harry raises him up, and they start walking through the storm.

IIIIII

Once inside, it seems that nothing has changed. Kakashi's failed escape attempt is regarded with humour and Harry sets about preparing tea and warming the soup, which was apparently made with Kakashi's condition in mind. Despite being in unfamiliar territory he doesn't feel threatened.

His opinion of Harry, though, changes. Kakashi has seen a few shinobi who could hide their professionalism, power, experience behind the mask of cheerful oblivion. His own being one of the variations. Harry's mask, however, feels more like just another layer of his personality, like something he enjoys manipulating, playing with. The most dangerous shinobi were the ones who managed to transform their mask into another part of themselves. There were demons beneath and Kakashi wasn't sure he wanted to see Harry's after the display in the blizzard.

That was another reason to worry. The casual display of power beyond everything Kakashi has seen indicated familiarity with power in general. Something he has seen only in seasoned and highly dangerous shinobi before.

More than that, however, he was uneasy about his inability to judge people around him. Magic, as he has come to know it in the Outside, seemed to have vague rules and strange limitation, and while some skills were obviously above average, he couldn't scope Harry's power compared to his captors, for example.

Either way, the plan of action now was to heal, learn more about Harry and magic, and search for clues about what Harry wants from him. Not the most satisfying, but the most concrete plan he could come up with with his mind blurring and the room loosing straight lines. Only then he realizes he's slipping. It's too late.