Naruto: The Seraph Project

Chapter 69: A deadly Promise

 "Can you stop filling my glass?" I grumble. Once again, I must push away the bottle of sake about to spill its contents. "Let me finish it first..."

"You barely touched it. You're way too tense, Kakashi." Iruka hastens to swallow down his glass ... a little too quickly since he coughs afterwards.

Jaded, I sigh despite myself. He's on his second bottle, and he's had a few drinks. With his cheeks coloured in red, the alcohol is starting to go to his head.

"It might be time for you to calm down on your drinking, Iruka. You're gonna have a bad time with the kids tomorrow."

"I wouldn't be in this state if you helped me drink them," he retorts, swallowing his words, with a smile on his lips.

"Stop ordering for the both of us..."

A silence settles in.

I turn my attention back to my glass, which I barely sip and swirl more than anything else. I'm too worried. I don't know if everything is all right with Shikamaru and the rookies.

Besides, I accepted Iruka's invitation without thinking when we crossed paths. I was so angry that I needed to occupy my mind to forget the vile stench stuck on my skin, like those slanderous rumours that give me dirty looks and gratuitous hostility. That said, I wasn't turned away at the bar earlier...

In all of this, my Sharingan worries me. Attacks of sharp pain are much more frequent, although they're always fleeting, fading like a breath. I don't have enough chakra to examine it further. I have to save my strength in order to feed Naruto; hunger torments him constantly. I'm ready to bet that he's impatiently awaiting our reunion, which shouldn't take too long. As for my Sharingan, if it gets worse or if my vision is impaired, I'll have it inspected by Lady Tsunade...

"Since I have to feed Naruto with my body, I don't know if it's a good idea to drink," I explain.

Iruka giggles. "If I didn't know what you were referring to, I'd say 'bad choice of words,' Kakashi."

I roll my eyes as I blush.

"I learned that you're the only one who could give him what he needs," he continues darkly. "How does it feel...? You know... Your chakra...?"

Wearily, I glance at my forearms marked with scratches, bruises and bites, and camouflaged under the bandages that decorate my tortured skin. "It could be worse. It's not the pain that bothers me the most. My chakra reserves are greatly limited and I can't satisfy his hunger either."

"Naruto can only eat this way?"

I nod. "I highly doubt he can eat anything else."

"I see," Iruka mutters, refilling his cup once again. "I'd have liked to invite him to Ichiraku... I guess I can forget about the project."

He smiles, but his smile is fake.

A light appears on his head, implying that some idea has arisen in his mind.

"Kakashi, do you think he could eat a popsicle? Technically, it's water, and he liked it back then."

A silence, a questioning and a curiosity.

"Now that you say it... I wonder," I mumble, sinking into thought.

I'm convinced Naruto can't eat solid food. However, Iruka marks a point. My student always needs to hydrate. He's not limited to just water since he can drink tea and drinks of all kinds. Does this include liquids in solid form that can be melted?

Suddenly, I'm brutally torn from my thoughts when an excruciating pain burns my neck, as if lava had just been poured on it. Agonizing, I arch forward and slam my hand on it. I wheeze, tremble and moan in response to this pain that tears me in two.