Water Spirit
part one
The first time he saw the forest spirit he was young, but the spirit seemed much younger. The small boy had been playing with some flowering vines by the lakeside on their summer property. Kakashi had only been six, but the small child in the blue yukata looked barely old enough to walk as he toddled off after a dragonfly and disappeared into the thick foliage. Even when Kakashi's curiousness had him searching he wasn't able to find the child again that entire summer.
It was a few summers later when the Hatake family spent their summer in the small village. Once again the property behind their secluded house was overgrown, but the older Kakashi had no problem navigating the bushes with sticks to push them apart enough to slide between.
Only a week passed before his vague memory of a small child proved true; he saw the boy once more, immediately recognizable by the scar across his face. This time he was wearing a green outfit that caught dappled shadows of leaves as they slowly moved overhead. The young boy was playing with a stick, stirring the lake to make whirlpools for tadpoles to get caught in. Kakashi was as silent as possible, but the brown haired boy turned to stare straight at him.
They warily watched each other until a wide smile finally stretched across the boy's face. He picked up his stick and used it to point at Kakashi's then swooped it back down into the lake without a single splash.
"What are you doing," Kakashi asked hesitantly as the boy began to vigorously stir the water again.
"Making soup," the boy said simply.
"In a lake?"
The boy continued smiling as he pulled up some grass and threw it into the water. "The fish need to eat, too. They like the grass that doesn't grow in the water. It's special." He pointed into the water where Kakashi could now see many little fish nibbling at the floating strands.
"What's your name," Kakashi finally asked as they sat and watched the fish.
"Iruka," the boy answered.
"So you're a fish, too," the older boy teased and wound up with some grass in his lap.
"Wrong water," Iruka complained. "Dolphins play in the ocean, not in a lake."
"Do you live in the water here?"
"I don't live in the water! Only the fish live in this water. This lake doesn't like people swimming in it." Iruka stood and ran off leaving his stick behind him. Just as before, he disappeared into the foliage, and Kakashi couldn't find him or the path he used.
That night at dinner Kakashi felt proud to announce that he'd found a forest spirit. His mother had laughed quietly, but his father had scowled.
"There's no such thing," his father told him. "And you were playing in those woods again, weren't you. Haven't I told you not to go near that lake? Children have drowned in that water before. It's full of weeds that will catch your legs."
Kakashi considered for a moment then picked up his rice bowl. "He might have been a ghost then," he decided aloud. "He was wearing an old style yukata both times I've seen him, and he had a long scar across his nose."
His mother moved slowly as she served her husband some more tea. "There's a temple hidden in the woods around here. My grandmother took me there when I was younger. We should go there and thank the forest spirits for not letting you drown." She turned bright and serious eyes to her son. "But your father is right, Kakashi. That lake has taken several lives already. I don't want you to be the next one. Please stay away from it."
Kakashi could only nod in acceptance.
(ooo)
The Hatakes were back that next summer on a more permanent basis than before, and it was only two of them instead of three. The sun was already setting when his mother released him from both the house and the moving in chores; Kakashi made directly for the lake after grabbing a flashlight.
Just as before, his forest spirit was by the lake. Iruka stood there, a bit taller but still dressed in an old fashioned yukata. This time his outfit was in dark colors that swallowed the light from the smaller boy's paper covered lantern.
"Do ghosts change their clothes," Kakashi asked quietly as he switched his flashlight off.
"I don't know," Iruka answered as he sat on the grass by the lakeside. "I've never seen one." He scooted over as Kakashi joined him. "We can't get too close to the water."
"Why not?"
"It's hungry this year," Iruka explained. "My Daddy says he can feel it, so now the fish won't get fed their favorite grass. We need to stay away from the water."
Kakashi shifted closer to the water on his knees. "If the water kept me, maybe I could see my dad again." He felt a clammy hand on his ankle and looked back.
"You won't," Iruka whispered. "There's a castle under there, a magnificent castle where a witch lives. She's the one who takes the people who swim in the water. She keeps them and never gives them back. You don't get to see your family ever again if you go there."
"Have you ever seen her?"
"I have."
Kakashi nodded and sat back down. "My dad didn't give us a chance to say goodbye. That's all I wanted."
The younger boy leaned close to Kakashi, but he didn't seem to offer any warmth at all. "The water witch won't help you; she never helps anyone; not even the little fish that want to be dragons. This lake isn't connected to the sea anymore and so they'll never get any bigger."
The boys sat for some time watching the lake reflect the starlight. Kakashi didn't get another evening or day to run and find his forest spirit that summer. His mother was coughing when he got home; it was four years later when she stopped.
The funeral was over and he was still dressed in a dark formal suit as he once more slid through the afternoon forest as silent as the dogs beside him. Over the years the strays of the village had collected at his home, a good security system for him and his sick mother; their antics bringing rare smiles to her face. Now they were the only family he had left.
The waters were still there when he emerged from the overgrowth, but his expected friend wasn't. He called out Iruka's name several times, but the boy never appeared. A sound from the water drew his attention and he watched as quick ripples spread from the center of the lake. The dogs arranged themselves behind him as he kneeled by the water's edge and peered into the water looking for fish that desperately wanted to turn into dragons.
His fingertips touched the water to cause their own small ripples and brought tiny speckled fish to investigate as he allowed them to drag around in the cool liquid. Without any further thought he removed his shoes and tossed them to the side ignoring his dogs as they attempted to fetch them back.
The water wasn't as cold as it looked when he was completely submerged, but the lake was much larger when viewed in his peripheral vision as he floated on his back in the very center and stared at the clouds in the colorful sky above, so bright and high.
It wasn't until he was making his way back to the shore that the witch of the lake grabbed him in her fingers. Kakashi was trapped, but not afraid as she pulled him under. He could still see the deep blue sky above him…
…Until it was blocked by a face. A frantic pulling and then a tug on his belt and coat had him rising in the water until two heads broke the surface with gasps for air. The young face that stared back at him under the sunlight was scowling as water ran over his scarred nose.
"Feeding the witch only makes her stronger," the boy complained as he pulled on Kakashi's collar to begin dragging him towards shore. "Lift your legs and swim like a frog or you'll get caught again."
They reached firm ground before Kakashi spoke. "Would she keep me forever, would she never say goodbye," he asked almost angrily.
Iruka dragged him onto dry ground only to flop beside him and speak softly. "She would keep you for an eternity of servitude, and at night she would go to sleep stroking your bare skull because humans can't live in water. You would die."
"Can you visit her palace?"
A hand smacked the anger and frustration out of Kakashi's heart with a wet slap. "I told you, I don't live in the water."
"Where do you live," Kakashi finally asked. "Do you have a little house on the other side of the forest? Do you own a dog and have parents that kiss you goodnight?"
Iruka laughed. "I live in a temple just north of here. There's a little fox in the woods that I play with, and I have people who take care of me, but they're not my parents." He paused for a moment. "I haven't been kissed goodnight in years."
"You rescued me," Kakashi informed him. "Aren't you expecting a thankful kiss from the comely maiden?" He watched as the boy beside him stood and laughed.
"You're not some innocent maiden, and far from comely when you're covered in mud and lake leaves," Iruka said as he pulled the drenched and clingy material of his yukata away from his skin.
"But I am thankful," Kakashi said with a smile while still lying splayed on the ground. "I didn't think I would be." He moved quickly to stand and grabbed his rescuer's wrist. Iruka was pulled close and briefly kissed on his lips.
The boys parted after their few seconds of touching to stare at each other. Kakashi was only a bit taller but the meaning he put into the curve of his neck as they touched lips again wasn't lost on Iruka.
A cool hand touched Kakashi's cheek. "Stay out of the water," Iruka reminded him in a whisper. "If you tempt the witch too much, she'll come and get you no matter where you are." He turned to leave through the ever present barrier of bushes.
"I'll be going away to school," Kakashi yelled after him. "It will be years before I'm back. Wait for me, Iruka!" His only answer was a despondent watery gurgle and the last bit of orange sunlight breaking through the trees.
(ooo)
Kakashi was twenty-two and the midsummer sun was shining. As tradition demanded, he finished moving back in to his little house before even looking at the forest behind his property. Every evening he turned back around to grab a hammer or some other piece of equipment. He might be done with unpacking, but there was still much to be done to his run down house both inside and out before he could go play at the lake.
It was another week before the remaining building materials arrived, another to hammer, refloor and take advantage of the beautifully hot, hot weather to repaint. Finally he was done. His house was as done as he could make it, and the lake was calling.
The sun was beginning to set, but the familiar flashlight stowed in his back pocket had him fearless as he once more strode purposefully but silently through the forest. Slim lines of light bounced down through the tall treetops illuminating what had become a barely noticeable trail. Familiar trees seemed to welcome him back as he drifted past. The lake came into view shortly with the spare amount of light being swallowed by the murky waters.
A kimono clad form was clearly evident the closer Kakashi came, but a few more steps proved it wasn't his watery friend being illuminated by a dim flame. A woman was there, kneeling in gorgeously patterned silk by the waters whispering prayers and offering dishes of buns and sake in front of her.
Kakashi waited till she seemed done and cleared his throat. Her bright and tear-filled eyes turned to him quickly then turned to the water again.
"You are the property owner," she acknowledged softly. "I apologize for trespassing, but I needed to appease the water witch. My son was saved from her fingers, and I don't want her to hunt for another child after losing him."
He could only nod and kneel beside her to offer up a small prayer of his own. "I was saved from her once, also."
The woman smiled then gasped. "Did you see him, the dolphin spirit? My son could speak of nothing but him, and how he scolded so fiercely."
With a laugh, Kakashi sat back on his heels. "Iruka always hangs around here. He's even scolded me a few times; kept reminding me that he didn't live in the water." He didn't notice the woman's wide eyes as he continued. "I expected to find him here today; he's always feeding the fish here. Maybe this time I'll invite him home for tea."
"Hatake-sama," the woman whispered softly, almost reverently. "It is a blessing that there are still young men holding to the old ways. I am sure that the dolphin spirit would be happy to accept the invitation of an old friend." She stood with the soft groan of older muscles. "My prayers are done." She bowed in farewell and made her way through the quiet trees.
Within moments a rustling was heard and a dark brown covered head popped up with an easy smile and a scarred nose.
"You've started pulling your hair back," Kakashi noticed aloud.
"And you still haven't brushed yours," Iruka returned with a laugh.
"A nice lady left you some food."
Iruka sighed and moved to sit beside Kakashi. "Her son decided to be adventurous. I was almost too late."
"What would these people do if you weren't here?" A few strands of grass were pulled up and thrown into the water. Kakashi noticed that the fish seemed to be a bit bigger this time around. "Are they any closer to becoming dragons," he asked.
"Not really. The stream that led to the sea has dried up, so they're still stuck." Iruka's voice was wistful as he also offered some grass to the hungry fish.
"Are you going to drink your sake?"
A quick movement poured the clear rice wine into the water. "The witch has been hungry. She took a young couple last year. They were swimming in the night before she was to be wed."
"How evil of them," Kakashi murmured. "Were you asleep?"
"I was elsewhere; an anniversary was passing for a lonely friend, and he needed my company." Iruka sighed sadly. "They were so young."
"They knew the dangers, or maybe those dangers were what they wanted," Kakashi suggested.
Iruka nodded. "Her father hadn't liked him ever since he was a small boy throwing rocks at the Jizo near their house."
They were silent together until he spoke again his words nearly carried away by the soft songs of dancing leaves. "I know I can't save everyone, but I can wish it. If I was stronger maybe, but maybe not… There are many people called by the kami too early for reasons we don't get to know."
"You pray for them all, don't you? I should visit this temple you live at and pray for them myself. If so many people keep dying on my property it might cause me bad luck, and I need all the good luck I can get right now."
"That's not a good reason to pray for them," Iruka scolded.
"Speak for yourself! I signed a contract to write three books in the next four years. Bad luck could cause writer's block, and that would be disastrous."
"You're writing a book?" The interest in Iruka's voice was unmistakable.
"My mentor trusted me with his beloved series. I'll be writing under him for the Icha Icha titles." Kakashi smiled wide with pride. "They're great stories full of love and drama and adventure."
"And PORN!" Iruka jumped up. "I thought you were weird before, but now you're planning on praying for the souls of the dead so that you don't get bad luck and writer's block so you may continue to write porn filled books!"
"It sounds pretty bad when you put it that way," Kakashi agreed.
"It's bad any way you put it," Iruka continued yelling. "I'm leaving to go pray for your soul."
Kakashi watched him go with a smile. It was time to go after his pretty forest spirit with a serious eye, and he would start by tracking down his home.
The small town all got a look at the mysterious young Hatake as he lazily traipsed through on his mission. Old women were splashing water on stoops for much longer than normal just to get a chance to glimpse him or hear the gossip from whomever he finally chose to speak to. It was the vegetable seller and his small bicycle cart that finally eased their curiosity.
"He was asking about the dolphin spirit; called him just plain Iruka! Then wanted to know about that small temple the Uminos ran until that fever took 'em." The women immediately nodded as one in perfect conclusion. The young man was doing the proper thing and praying for the souls that had been both lost and saved in the lake on his property. He was such a kind young man, and grown up so straight and tall since he lost both of his parents in tragic ways.
That tall, silver haired young man was thinking anything but pure thoughts as he traveled along the dirt path he'd been pointed to. The old man had been very talkative once he'd praised his eggplants and even purchased a few to be dropped off at the house later. The small path hadn't been easy to find; hidden behind a house and marked only by a few small piles of stones. It was only further along the path that he could tell he was on the way to a temple as he started seeing ropes of sacred straw, shimenawas tied tight around trees and rocks far off the path, or an occasional small wooden shrine covering a mossy stack of rocks along with their small offering of sweet fruits.
Kakashi passed by them all with quick bows and smiled when he finally saw wooden steps peeking out of the earth. He wasn't smiling later as he continued to climb the badly maintained stairs. Bits of wood broke off underneath his feet causing him to jump from safe looking spot to safe looking spot. He quickly realized that the wood wasn't there as a staircase, but more to keep the path from being one long incline, something that would have been very dangerous after a few drops of rain.
It was farther and higher along the path that the few buildings which composed the temple finally came into view, and Kakashi was disappointed. The deterioration was evident all around even though a small chime still sang merrily in the wind near what looked like a small tea house to the left of the main building. Kakashi's steps gravitated towards the sound and he was soon inside looking around.
The tatami below his feet was swept clean, but some leaves seemed to have freshly blown in. Several tea sets were artfully arranged on dusty shelves near a small wood burning hearth. As he slid open the shoji on the other side of the simple one room building he saw a pile of wood carefully stacked and covered with oilcloth for protection from the wet. He also saw a pebbled path leading away and into a grove of young trees that couldn't yet hide the building behind them. Again, Kakashi let his feet choose the path as he meandered through the grove.
He called out for Iruka when he stepped up onto the wide porch of what he knew had to be the housing for whoever took care of the temple. A sharp breeze empty of any voices replied with an attack until he slid open the door and stepped into the entryway. A tasteful screen kept him from view as he placed his shoes next to two pairs of adult sized sandals. They were covered with dust.
The rest of the house was the same way, nicely decorated with clean lines and traditional furniture, but it was all covered in dust and showing age. Not a single personal item was found until he wandered into an empty room and dared to open a cabinet hidden in the wall. Instead of the expected moth eaten futons he found a simple stack of unframed photographs. The one on top seemed to be almost new and showed a pair of students at graduation from the local school. The girl beamed with happiness as the boy held her close. The next few were of youngish children then an adult and another child. The farther down the stack he went the older the photographs looked until he reached the last, a black and white photo of a young girl stiffly standing in a long sleeved kimono, her hair covered with flowers and jeweled pieces. A quick flip dated the picture in 1910.
The stack was carefully placed back in the empty cabinet once Kakashi finally felt a shiver of unease. The house was left behind as he continued to follow the pebbled path farther through the grove until it entered an older forested area. It ended suddenly at a sun filled meadow covered in bright grass and flowers. At the far edge he could see the small roofs of three different tiny shrines. The first he came to had a mischievous looking fox statue sitting underneath its roof. A small flat stone held the withered flowers and battered child's toy of an old offering to the tiny kitsune. Kakashi bowed and went on to the next where a barely recognizable Jizo was taking shelter. The small statue had a fairly new child's bib wrapped around its shoulders and a patterned lacquer bowl full of fresh water in front of it.
He pondered how old that statue was for a moment before making his way to the next small roof which turned out to have a small board explaining its existence in careful script. When Kakashi recognized the statue he realized why the explanation board was there. A small landlocked village did not normally see shrines to dolphins, much less one that was considered a protector spirit.
The creature enshrined there had swum up a now dry riverbed many years ago to play with the local children. One day it had saved the life of a young girl who had fallen into the river in her heavy clothes, but soon after it disappeared from the river completely. The villagers wondered greatly and finally mourned when they found the dolphin's body somehow floating in the witch's lake. They had given it a proper burial and lovingly laid its bones to rest here in hopes that it would continue to save their children from drowning.
Kakashi sat down beside that small shrine and thought for a long time. He looked at the other two shrines in turn and did his best to recall every short conversation he'd ever had with Iruka. He wound up going to stand by the small kitsune shrine.
"Are you the fox he plays with," he questioned softly. Not a single answer was given; even the wind that had before been so adamant that he leave remained still. Kakashi stayed in the meadow for a short time then started back down the mountain before the sun began to set.
It was a week before he saw Iruka again with his yukata bunched up into his thin obi and the full sleeves tied back. He was knee and elbow deep in the lake as he kept pulling up long vines of slimy green then discarded them only to pull up more.
"Taking up gardening," Kakashi questioned smoothly as he slipped his sandals off and sat down comfortably.
"Someone lost a toy. Little kids hate losing toys so he's bound to come back when he shouldn't and try to find it." Another handful of slime was thrown to the side.
"Ah, preventative measures; a sound idea. What type of toy?"
"It was made of heavy metal, some sort of soldier or something. Children play with the oddest things now. I had a ball and a rope and a stick."
Kakashi laughed at the frown on Iruka's face. "And a temple, a forest, a lake, many fish, a witch, and a fox. I think I found your pet."
Iruka stopped and looked up at him with an unblinking stare. "Did you? He's normally very reserved… well, somewhat reserved." He considered for another quiet moment. "No, no… I was very surprised when he told me about your visit and how he didn't do anything to scare you. He doesn't trust strangers anymore."
"The house I saw wasn't very lived in," Kakashi fished around.
"No one lives in that house anymore. I've got a much smaller roof over my head, but it's comfortable."
"But you live at that old temple. I didn't see any other paths leading to houses."
Iruka smiled mysteriously and returned to searching the sludge again. "You passed right by. It's not my fault you didn't stop by to say hello. Maybe my little fox would have recognized you from all of my stories."
"You should bring him by…"
"Found it!" Iruka interrupted Kakashi without a thought and held up a palm sized space ship. "It's a ship, not a soldier." He shrugged and cleaned the remaining sludge off in the water then gratefully crawled on to shore with the help of Kakashi's hand.
They sat together while Iruka rested until stars began showing up and Kakashi stood and reached for his flashlight.
"Will you drop it off for me?"
Kakashi turned to see Iruka handing him the space ship. "The little boy will want to sneak out tonight. Will you take this? You're much closer to the town and its owner than I am."
A quick nod was his only answer as they stood in the dark. Kakashi noticed how Iruka's eyes gleamed with pleasure. "You'll owe me a favor, won't you? Will you let me have another kiss?"
Laughter rang out as Iruka pivoted around and released his yukata from its restricting ties with a few quick pulls. "I already saved your life once," he reminded Kakashi. "Maybe you still owe me a few more favors before you catch up. Maybe you can look forward to a triumphant kiss when you've returned the ship properly."
The dark swallowed him up even as his laughter lingered. Kakashi stood and listened to only crickets until the lake gave a watery gurgle. He stared at the dark water and could almost see the unhappy witch lying deep in those waters, pouting over her lost meal. The cold toy was pocketed and his feet set down the path to his house and then into town before he stopped. Iruka hadn't told him which boy he needed to deliver this to.
Kakashi shrugged. His family had always been known to be eccentric so knocking on the all the doors of town would just help the image along.
It was a nice night for a walk, and the town was barely lit, but still welcoming. The first house he came to on the long main street had a cheery light at its front and a soft glow coming from a few windows. The man of the house had only two daughters already abed, but his wife pointed towards the house across the way. They had a small boy old enough to play with space ships.
That house's little boy was doing his best to stay awake, but hadn't ever seen that toy before even though it was very neat. He offered to show Kakashi where all his classmates' homes were just before he yawned hugely. The young mother escorted him instead to two other houses with no luck, but they did attract a small group of followers as they went across streets and down alleys and behind shops. Finally only one last house was left, but everyone knew that no young boys lived there. Kakashi just shrugged. Iruka had told him that the boy lived in town, and so this little ship would be finding its home tonight.
The last house was dark but for a dim light around the back. A traveling light began bobbing past classically styled paper doors seen across a small courtyard after Kakashi knocked. The village of people behind him held their breath as the doors were slid open, and an old man held out an electric lantern to illuminate whoever had disturbed his evening.
The small toy was presented. "This toy belongs to this house," Kakashi announced decidedly. "Iruka wanted me to return it before the water witch took another life tonight."
The old man touched the toy and whispered a name that Kakashi couldn't hear before he grasped it fully. The wind blew, the town breathed, and Kakashi spoke again. "That's all, have a good sleep," he said in parting and turned to go; his mission was accomplished. The crowd stepped aside for him and began swarming the old man in his night robe.
The last people Kakashi passed in the crowd were three boys far too old to play with metal spaceships. The tallest walked away with an easy shrug, another wearing an American sports jersey followed suit, but the third took a long and scared look at Kakashi who nodded knowingly. Someone's life had been spared that night, and another one's remembered.
Iruka was at the lake again the next day when Kakashi arrived with two small packed lunches and a case full of writing materials. "You did a great job," the brown haired man rewarded his friend with a smile.
Kakashi took a few minutes to stare at the man before him, resplendent in a summery patterned yukata with his hair flowing free. The trees hadn't protected him from the sun enough and his tanned skin glowed with health as he lay on his stomach dragging a few fingers in the lake.
"Does your little roof keep you warm in the winter?"
Iruka moved to a sitting position. "Warm enough, but sometimes the winds still get in. It is a traditionally styled house, after all."
"You can come and stay at my place if you're ever too cold there," Kakashi offered as he sat down and began arranging his writing tools. "I have a very good comforter you're welcome under any time."
Iruka beamed and deftly ignored the proposal. "Are you going to work outside today? It is gorgeous, isn't it?" He looked up to the sky as a warm wind blew softly, and then watched as Kakashi pulled out his small portable typewriter. The afternoon dissolved into continuous soft clicks and dings while Kakashi's manuscript grew by many pages. Iruka lay on his back in the grass and watched in fascination.
"Do many people read your stories?"
"I'm hoping they will," Kakashi answered during a pause. "It's my first full book. My short story was published along with several others, but mine was voted best to further the series." He finished a page and stretched. "Thanks for the wonderful view, Iruka. My creative juices have really been flowing today."
"Really? Wait… Were you using me as motivation to write porn?" His face blushed brightly as he sat up quickly. "That's ridiculous!"
"Why would it be ridiculous," Kakashi asked as he reached for the two lunches and offered one to the fuming man. "You're a very handsome man."
Iruka considered for a moment and finally gave in with a sigh as he took the tightly wrapped package. "Who did you pair me with? Some busty, big hipped blonde?"
"Tall, slim, fair haired, but not blonde." Kakashi took a bite of rice. "Wouldn't a sleek, hereditary shade of silver be nice instead of always going with a blonde?"
"Well, tall and slim is nice, but what type of personality does she have?"
"Who said your partner was a she?" Kakashi leaned over and stole a small bit of fish from Iruka's lunch.
"Oh… Stop eating my lunch. So, a tall, slim, silver haired man." Iruka looked at him with a twinkle in his eye. "Is he a writer?"
"No, this fellow is a simple farmer who becomes attached to a mysterious spirit that wanders the forest only at night, but he's very stupid even if he is good looking, the farmer that is. He thinks the spirit is real and keeps trying to bring him to his house to ease his lusty thoughts in a bed instead of up against the trees."
Iruka coughed as Kakashi beamed with pride. "People are going to read that?"
"Yes."
"You're an idiot even if you can type quickly."
"I'm an idiot who would love to invite you to my house to ease my lustful thoughts. Would you be able to leave your watery bed for a night with me?" Kakashi leaned forward closing the distance between them.
Iruka actually closed his eyes in thought much to Kakashi's amusement. When he opened them again, the deep brown was sparkling with humor. "The water tells me that you are a pervert, your house is too far away for me and that I should go home right now because someone is about to visit." He stood to leave while carefully not looking at Kakashi.
A quick pause and turn of the head had him squinting into a small smirk that accented the very visible scar across his nose. "The water said nothing about you coming to my home."
Kakashi watched until the last bit of pattern was disappearing into the leaves before yelling. "You owe me a kiss!" He stood and stumbled into the concealing leaves to be caught by a strong pair of arms.
"And so I do," Iruka smiled at him in the shadows. Strands of hair brushed Kakashi's upturned face as the object of his affection moved closer. Two strong hands moved to cup his cheeks once he had found his balance, and Kakashi couldn't seem to remember anything after that other than his promised kiss, but somehow they parted lips and tongues leaning against a tree with Iruka's hands pushing his back and shoulders into the bark.
"Satisfied," Iruka dared to ask huskily.
Mischievous arms tightened around the form pinning him to the tree and Kakashi nipped a shadowed lower lip. "You're going to invite me to your house?"
Iruka paid back with interest as they dissolved into another slow kiss exploring each other for the first time. "Not now," he breathed heavily, "but soon." He pushed away even as Kakashi did his best to hold him tight.
It was only when a stray bit of sunlight escaped from the heavily dappling leaves overhead that Kakashi could see the warm promise shining in those brown eyes. Arms loosened as hands slid down Iruka's sides offering their own promise. "Then I'll see you soon."
He watched curiously as Iruka finally pulled away and started down a small path with many looks backwards before stepping behind a large tree. Kakashi chuckled when he didn't appear on the other side and took a few steps back to the empty bento boxes and his typewriter, all of which needed to be packed away and taken home before he could begin packing himself an overnight bag to bring tomorrow.
Iruka's taste lingered and eventually faded once he was home, but the memory was still there. Kakashi decided that he would have to work to make sure it never faded again as he placed his pajamas back in his small wardrobe. Where he was going, they wouldn't be needed.
To Be Continued...
A/N: During an extremely stressful time of my life this past December I was forced to watch children's movies instead of teh hardcore porn and horror movies that usually sear my eyes. My sister's kids made me watch My Neighbor Totoro... this is what came of it. Please enjoy.. . and no, I don't really watch a lot of hardcore porn and horror flicks, though my hubby is forcing me to watch the Saw series with him... damn you Netflix!