Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters, terms, and affiliates of Naruto are not mine, but belong to their respective owners, Masashi Kishimoto, TV Tokyo, VIZ &c.

Just a wee little thing (as usual). Written about two years ago and is mostly the same except for a few additions here and there. Something tells me I was listening to Damien Rice at the time.

Cannonball

Kakashi expected rain.

It seemed more appropriate in the aftermath of last night. Horrible, wonderful night. Going to hell night. Going to hell willingly for one more hour night.

Turning his head, he watched the sunbeams play with the dust bunnies over a dainty shoulder rhythmic with sleep. A perfect sunny day. Who would have thought?

The chilly fingers of his quiet apartment tempted him back underneath the warmth of his sheets. Back into forgetting all the subtle horrors waiting outside his door. Out there, the loneliness, shared pains, and—since honesty apparently became him in the morning—a spark of something that shouldn't have caught fire in the first place would be picked apart by others, whittled down by the force of their what are you doing's and she trusted you's.

Perhaps he should have been alarmed because the regret was starkly absent. It left him naked, unsure of what to wear when his favourite pair of sweats were missing.

More alive? Maybe.

Exposed? Probably.

Doomed? Definitely.

There were expectations to be met. People to please. Rules to follow.

Lines to be crossed.

A resigned sigh left him as he knew they had more than just crossed the line. They had crossed, danced, and blown apart the line in the sand until going back was impossible. At least, for him it was. She had age (or lack thereof) on her side.

Ah, there was that wince.

People will forgive her more easily. Him? Not so much. He knew better than anyone else that memories ran so much longer when the taint of shame was attached to it. He rubbed his jaw, bare and slightly rough with stubble, and paused as the action disrupted his companion. She muttered and squirmed and huffed into his shoulder before settling back into sleep. He was slow in moving his eyes away.

Yes, he knew shame very well.

It just didn't share his bed today.