Title: The Truth Behind His Smile
Genre: Fluffy angst...
Pairing: KakaIru
Summary: refer to the title..
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does and I don't get paid to do this cuz if I did I'd beat his ass... *twitch* Bad Kishimoto!
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"Why do you do that?" Kakashi asked curiously, his head tilted to the side as he studied the brunet sitting beside him.
"Do what?" Iruka asked in that manner of his that to anyone else would have appeared to be perfectly innocent. But, to Kakashi it was anything but.
The silver-haired jounin frowned and brushed his thumb over the younger man's lips softly as though he could erase the expression. "Smile that way..." he asked finally, his thumb still resting agaist the warm mouth.
Turning away just enough that Kakashi's finger slid to his cheek the brunet smiled again, staring out over the hokage monument. "What do you mean, smile like what?"
Seeing it for the obvious avoidance, he pressed his lover again. "Like that." It bothered him the way the man could smile so infectiously that despite knowing the illusion for what it was he was helpless to resist and always found himself smiling back. The expression bothered him more than any other Iruka was prone to wearing.
At the tone of voice, Iruka's lips curved into something closer resembling an innocent smile than one that begged for yours. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't..." He had no doubts as to whether the other man knew what he was talking about and the blatant denial was beinging to drag against his nerves.
Iruka sighed before turning two soft brown eyes on him. The smile was gone, replaced by something closer to grim resignation and for once the man didn't try to make it appear to be anything else. "You shouldn't ask me that, it'll ruin the illusion."
"Obviously the illusion isn't working then, maybe it never has, because I'm asking," Kakashi admonished, sliding the hand touching Iruka's face down to the tanned hand, simply resting on top.
Rolling his eyes, the chunin shoved Kakashi with his shoulder and laughed. "You should understand about masks Kakashi-san, after all you wear so many yourself."
Kakashi nodded, unable to deny the fact when it was so obviously true. "Yes... but none are like yours."
"This..." Iruka sighed and leaned against him. "It's not just about me. I don't like worrying my friends, especially the ones who have so much else on their minds."
There was a definite loneliness to the tone that Kakashi recognized immediately. It surprised him a little coming from somebody as adored as the academy sensei who worked doubly hard by helping out in the mission room and who was loved by everyone. Instead of questioning it, he simply squeezed the hand he was holding and waited for the other to continue.
"They needed it, needed me to give them a reason to smile and hold onto that hope..." The words were choked out as tears touched the chocolate eyes and after a moment Iruka looked away, staring again at the sky. "So... I started smiling for them... to remind them that they could and it that it was okay." His voice cracked, the tears leaking down scared cheeks. "And... I guess I forgot it's also okay not to."
"Ah..." Kakashi said knowingly, nodding. "Well, I'll be here to remind you in the same way you remind me... and everyone else with that damnable, infectious, and completely loveable smile of yours." He smiled softly before leaning over to kiss the tears away. And, I hope I can be a reason for you to smile, that rare honest smile.
*AN* This was inspired oddly by a IrukaxAnko / GenKaka RP that I'm involved in with Vernajast, Lecanis, and Fuyu_no_akegata on the Naruto404 RP boards. It's angsty fluff and has really been a fun way to play with my characterization of Iruka at about 15.