Hi yall. This is my first Naruto fic, I've never read the manga and I've only seen four bootleg epis but I'm hoping I managed to make an accurate and enjoyable story for you to read, so go ahead and enjoy.

Disclaimer- If I owned Naruto the boys would be jumping each other constantly, and Sakura and Ino would be the least of Sasuke's concerns.

Ch1 Resolve

Iruka had to wonder around what time had it become common for him to wait for Kakashi in his kitchen, wondering when the jounin would appear unexpectedly and sweep him up in the passionate wave that was Kakashi.

He knew for a fact that it had only been a month ago that Kakashi had shown up at his door, wanting to speak about Naruto. Naturally Iruka let him in. As the evening progressed Kakashi gave the chuunin no cause for discomfort.

They ate, they drank, they discussed Naruto, and at the end of the evening Kakashi left, silently, his demeanor thoughtful. It was only the next day that Iruka once again opened the door to the jounin. It was the first but not the last time that the copy ninja had pinned him to the wall and initiated what had to be a chaste kiss. What kiss wouldn't be chaste through a mask after all?

True, all the kisses in their rough and tumble relationship were chaste, if nothing else was. Kakashi came when he pleased, no time was late or early, and Iruka could only allow it. What else could he do after all? He wanted it as much as Kakashi.

Sometimes however, he had to wonder, what would happen if he protested? Would Sharin-gan no Kakashi cease his actions and question the objection? Would he continue as if nothing had happened, perhaps binding his wrists as he often did? Turning Iruka's blind trust into a horrible, horrible mistake. Or would he simply leave, making the shy chuunin sensei wonder if the whole incident had been a twisted dream brought on by too many long hours in the classroom with no companionship.

The thought of making that protest terrified Iruka. No matter what had happened in this elicit affair of rough desperate kisses and swiftly taken innocence, he didn't want to lose Kakashi.

Therein lay the problem.

He was fairly certain he didn't own Kakashi in the first place.

Where lust incited bruises and bite marks marred his skin on a regular basis, he hadn't seen Kakashi's face during the duration of their trysts, nor had they ever spoken a word.

The evenings ended with Iruka falling asleep, exhausted and spent next to the other man's body. But he always woke up alone. It wasn't even that Kakashi was an inconsiderate lover. He'd been very careful in taking Iruka's innocence and he even had the consideration to always see to it that his lover reached climax, preferably at the same time as himself.

That still didn't change the fact that while he'd seen the Sharingan on several occasions during their…lovemaking, he'd still never seen the lower half of the face of the man he professed belonging to. No. He didn't want to protest. He just needed to.

He couldn't abide being the simple toy of any man, not even the great Hatake Kakashi, not without at least knowing where he stood. That's why that night he stood in wait, not even knowing if he'd show up, but simply praying he would before his resolve left him.

XxXxX

Earlier that evening

Iruka had to smile at Naruto's antics as he gleefully told a tale of how he'd rubbed the great Uchiha Sasuke's face into the dirt, all the while chomping down ramen and somehow managing not to choke. The boy's innocence was still a wonder to Iruka after all these years and impulsively he ruffled the boy's hair as he signaled for another round of ramen.

Naruto's fixation on Sasuke could not be explained away by his supposed crush on Sakura. Iruka knew him better than that. No, clearly the boy had moved on to some deep seated admiration of the Uchiha. As for the Uchiha's fascination with Naruto, now that worried Iruka sometimes.

At these times he reminded himself that what he saw in Sasuke was completely different from the darkness that he saw in Kakashi. Beyond that, Naruto was the light to Sasuke's darkness. He would clear away the shadows until only a clear summer day remained and they'd continue on happily.

He however was too weak to clear away the darkness of Kakashi. Kakashi who wouldn't even show him his face. He sighed and Naruto looked at him inquiringly, to which he responded with a smile. Naruto frowned, knowing something was amiss, had been amiss, but he knew better than to pry.

It was when Naruto mentioned "Kakashi-sensei" that Iruka snapped to full attention.

"Kakashi sensei has been acting strange lately." mused Naruto. "I haven't seen him read Icha Icha Paradise for over three days,"

Iruka smiled dryly. It figured the mention would be something like this. Naruto would never know the same side of Kakashi that he did. "Perhaps he's awaiting the next volume," he muttered.

"You're probably right… You care about him don't you?"

Iruka looked up, stunned by how intuitive Naruto could be when he really wanted to before blushing and stuttering. "What do you mean?"

"Well, whenever I mention him around you, you get that look in your eyes…Warm, but sad," he murmured with a smile. "I'm glad…But if he hurts you I'll kick his ass!" said Naruto causing Iruka to laugh shaking his head.

He ruffled Naruto's head hoping Naruto would never have reason to attempt fulfilling that promise.

XxXxX

Iruka was torn from his reminiscing by Kakashi's scent. The only thing that could announce the arrival of the jounin when he didn't deliberately make sure Iruka knew he was there, and sometimes the friendly chuunin missed that too.

It was a sharp scent of cinnamon and apples, as if Kakashi had just come from sleeping in an orchard- which was actually quite probable. He took in a sharp breath when his lover surprised him by winding his strong arms around the shorter ninja's slight waist.

The rough fabric of the mask caressed his throat and he knew that through it lips pressed to his flesh in what would have been an intimate gesture without it.

"Iruka," growled Kakashi in a low voice.

It wasn't long before they were in the bedroom in a tumble of lost clothing and passion. It was clear that Kakashi intended for this to be one of their rougher nights of love-making as he bound one of Iruka's wrist to the bedpost.

Iruka took in a sharp breath to clear his head. Now or never. "Kakashi…Stop…Please."

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