Carrying a basket of apples Iruka walked down the street towards the hospital. He had been going there every day for a week now to visit Kakashi. The first day he had brought him a box of chocolates but since the other boy was not a big fan of sweets it had ended with Iruka eating most of them.
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They usually had quite a good time together, playing cards, talking and laughing. Sometimes Kakashi talked Iruka into sneaking in to the kitchen and steal sandwiches and then they spent some time eating and feeding them to the birds. Iruka was impressed by how much Kakashi knew about birds. He had never pictured him as the kind of person that was in to nature, but on the other hand he had never pictured him as the kind of person that would have any interest in Iruka either so it seemed that his picture of Kakashi hadn't been very correct at all.
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When he opened the door to the room he was greeted by the slightly chocked face of a nurse that was just on her way to open it from the inside.
"Oh Iruka, I didn't hear you coming. How are you today?" she said.
"Fine thanks. And how are you?" he answered her with a smile.
"Very well thank you. I see you have apples with you today."
"Yes. Do you want one?"
"Yes please, that would be lovely." She took one and then left the room. Iruka walked over to the bed and put the basket in his friend's lap.
"I picked them myself" he said and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Our neighbours have the best apples I know."
"Not bad" Kakashi said after biting in to one.
"What did the nurse say?"
"You know, the usual, turn over, take off your shirt, cough, that sort of thing"
"OK"
"Oh yea, and I'm being released tomorrow morning."
"You are? That's fantastic! Are you all healed up now?"
"Yea. There's no way a little head injury is gonna keep me down for long."
"Kakashi. A cracked forehead is not a little injury."
"But it was quite a small crack."
"Still, I was really afraid"
"How cute of you to worry about me." Kakashi said and pinched his cheek. Iruka blushed and all but stuttered,
"Well I'm like... I mean it was kind of my... like, it's because of me you ended up in here"
"No. It's because of those idiots I ended up in here."
"But you were fighting them to save me." Iruka insisted. Kakashi didn't answer, he just shrugged and took an other bite of his apple.
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They spent some time playing chess. Iruka won but he had a suspicion that Kakashi held back on purpose to let him win. He didn't like it but he knew there was no point in complaining because the older boy would never admit it. It was the same with almost every game they played, Kakashi pretended to mess up just because he knew it drove Iruka crazy. Like when they played "Go 'fish"and he asked for the same cards over and over and then suddenly exclaimed "Oh silly me, I forgot I already have all of those. Now I wasted all those rounds for nothing". When Iruka commented on it he just said he had a terrible memory but then moments later he had no problem telling him the exact score from the game they played two days earlier. If it hadn't been for the bandage around his head reminding him that Kakashi was hurt Iruka would probably have hit him across the head with the chessboard quite a lot of times by now.
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"If I get out tomorrow I want to take you out to celebrate. There is a new Kung-fu movie running in theatres now. How about we do the whole dinner and a movie and such? My treat," Kakashi suddenly said flirtatiously blinking with one eye at Iruka. Iruka blushed again and stuttered
"Oh I'm not... I'm sorry if I made you think... I really like you but just as a friend. I don't fall for guys that way, not that there's anything wrong with it, I have no problem with you being... It's just I'm strait."
"Relax dude. OK, no date. Can we go out to celebrate just as friends then? I'll even let you pay for your half if it'd make you feel better about it."
"Not like a date?"
"Not at all."
"Just friends?"
"Absolutely"
"And you're not mad?"
"No, I'm glad. Being your friend is the most wonderful thing I could ever imagine." Kakashi said with eyes that held nothing more than honesty.
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The following evening Iruka was just a bit nervous. He had spent quite some time looking through his wardrobe for the perfect outfit to wear. He wanted to look cool but still like himself. With a deep sigh he realised that maybe cool and Iruka was not really compatible so he gave up and just put on something he felt comfortable in. He looked in the mirror and thought to himself, at least the cloths are clean, it would have to do. He had no idea where they were going to eat so he was also a bit nervous that maybe they were going to one of those fancy restaurants and they wouldn't let him in because he was too casually dressed. He would have to ask Kakashi about that when he came.
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They had agreed Kakashi would come and pick him up around seven so he laid back on his bed to wait for him. By the time the clock on his bedside table was showing 19:43 he began to feel worried. What if Kakashi had changed his mind and wasn't coming. What if it had all been a joke from the start. What if he had not really recovered after all and he was now laying unconscious somewhere after hitting his head. Luckily Iruka did not have time to think of more horrible things that could have happened because then someone knocked on the door. He looked down the stairs and saw his father opening the door. Outside was Kakashi.
"Good evening. I'm here to pick up my friend Iruka." he said.
"Ah, Kakashi I presume. Please come inside I will fetch him for you."
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"You're late" was the only thing Iruka could think of saying when he got down to the living room where his friend was waiting.
"Yea. Sorry about that, I ran in to a really long ladder I had to go around" Kakashi answered scratching the back of his head. "But I brought you these." he continued handing Iruka a bunch of flowers.
"Thank you. But this is still not..."
"Not a date, I know. I just wanted to give some flowers to a friend that's all."
"Thank you they're really nice" Iruka said and went to put them in water before leaving.
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He had forgot to ask about the restaurant before they left but to his relief Kakashi seemed to be dressed on pretty much the same level of fancy as him.
"So where are we going?" he asked.
"I thought we could try that new ramen place down town. You like ramen, don't you?" Kakashi said without looking at him.
"Yes I do. Quite a lot actually"
"Thought so, you eat it quite a lot I've seen"
"Have you been spying on me?"
"No. I just happen to remember it whenever I see you doing thing's."
"OK?" Iruka tried to remember ever seeing Kakashi around when he ate but no matter how hard he tried he could not call forth even one memory of the silver haired boy, not from anywhere. If he was spying on him he was good.
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After the movie they took a walk up on a hill to watch the sunset. They sat next to each other on the grass and talked about nothing while the big yellow orb disappeared behind the edge of the forest. As the night creped in from the east Iruka began to feel slightly cold. He hadn't been smart enough to bring a jacket or something and now he would have to face the consequences. He tried his best to ignore the cold but he still couldn't keep from shivering just a bit. Kakashi looked at him and without a word he pulled one arm out of his own sweater and put it on Iruka so that they where both wearing it at the same time. This forced them to sit very close together and it didn't take long before Iruka felt warm again. To make room for both of them inside Kakashi had put his arm around Iruka's waist. Iruka first felt a little strange about it but then decided that it was just to avoid their arms fighting for the same space, no big deal. It actually felt kind of nice sitting so close in an almost embrace from those strong arms. He tried to remember when was the last time he had done this with anyone but his parents. He came to the conclusion it had to be when he took that dark haired girl from down the street to the theatre two years earlier. But that had just been awkward and uncomfortable, nothing like this. Unable to stop it an other shiver went through his body, a different kind of shiver.
"Are you still cold?" Kakashi said turning over too look at him. This put their faces just a few cm apart, Iruka could almost feel the soft breaths seeping out through the fabric of the mask the other boy wore over his mouth and nose. He swallowed hard.
"No it's just... ehm... you tickled me a bit."
"Sorry, I'll try to keep still." Iruka couldn't be absolutely sure but it looked in his eyes, those warm caring eyes, like Kakashi was smiling. He swallowed again.
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Without realising how it had happened Iruka suddenly felt the soft fabric against his lips. He had no idea who it was that had leaned forward, it could just as easily have been him. He could feel the contours of the other lips through the mask and he couldn't help but wonder what they would feel like without it. As if reading his mind Kakashi hooked a finger over the edge of the mask and slowly began pulling it down without once moving away from Iruka. The feeling of the material sliding across his lips tickled a bit but was not at all unpleasant, quite the opposite actually, it sent an other shiver down his body to rest as a warm little ball in his stomach. When the mask had finally come to rest under the boy's chin Iruka could feel the soft, slightly colder, lips press harder against his own. He had already lost focus and when Kakashi's tongue slowly began working it's way in to his mouth he closed his eyes. The little warm ball had grown by now to a size that took up most his upper body and seemed to fill his belly with butterflies. The pressure of the other boy's hand against his side sent wave upon wave of something almost electric tingling trough his body. He carefully put his hand on Kakashi's knee and tilted his head a little bit back to counter for the others slightly longer torso. Then, just when Kakashi put his free hand on Iruka's shoulder to pull him closer, it was like the realisation of what he was doing suddenly hit the younger boy. He quickly pushed away, scrambled out of the sweater and stood up.
"I...I can't... I'm sorry. I... eh... Thank you for everything... The movie and the food. I had a really good time but I have to go home. I have to think..." he said backing of. He stumbled on his own feet and fell flat in the dirt.
"Iruka are you OK?" Kakashi said making an attempt at standing up to come and help his fallen friend.
"I'm fine. It's just I wasn't... This wasn't... I wasn't suppose to... I have to go. See you around" Iruka said before turning around and running off leaving Kakashi sitting alone on the ground with a surprised look on his face.
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Iruka ran through the streets fighting back the urge to cry. This was not how it was suppose to be. He was not suppose to kiss his friends and he was not suppose to get a warm ball in his stomach from being near an other boy. And what would Kakashi think of him for running away? What if he didn't want to be his friend any more. What if he got really mad and never wanted to see him again. No matter what, Iruka did not want to lose his new-found friend that fast. If only he had been smart enough to listen to his mother when she told him that it might get cold later in the evening. Then he might have brought a jacket and then maybe he would still be sitting next to Kakashi on the hill just talking about nothing and being friends. But no, Iruka had to try to act cool by disobeying his parents and not listen to their advice. Now everything was ruined, maybe forever. Never, never again would he be so stupid. If this just somehow worked out he would never again go against his parents. He would listen to them and take their experience seriously. Even when they where too old to take care of themselves any more he would at least listen to their advice before making decisions. If he could just come out of this mess facing the right way. If he could just keep his friend.
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He took a deep breath and locked away the last shreds of tears before opening the door. His mother stuck her head out of the kitchen door and said,
"Home so soon. How was your date?"
"It wasn't a date" Iruka muttered as he took of his sandals before entering the house.
"I know honey, I'm just teasing you. He seemed like a nice boy though and the flowers he gave you are beautiful"
"Jeez, why don't you go on a date with him?"
"I don't think he'd be interested in me and by the way I already have your father."
"That's not what I meant." Iruka growled.
"Why are you so angry tonight, did something happen?" His mother looked at him with a worried look. Iruka quickly tried to smile a little and said.
"No it's just I stumbled and hit my elbow, it hurts. I'm going to take a shower and wash the dirt off, then I'll probably go to bed."
"OK sweety, I'll be down here if you need anything," she said sensing that Iruka just needed to bee alone for a while, she would be there for him when he was done thinking. Iruka silently thanked what ever mystical powers that seemed to come with motherhood.
.
When Iruka finally fell asleep that evening it was with Kakashi's voice ringing in his ears, "I thought you didn't want me Iruka. Well I have plenty of other friends, stronger, braver, more beautiful friends, I don't need you. Go home to your mother, she's probably the only one who will ever love you." And when he woke up it was with the picture of Kakashi's hurt expression in front of his eye's. He went down stairs and found his parents at the breakfast table. He sat down next to them and started pealing a banana to have something to do while he gathered the courage to ask them something.
"Mom, dad, just a hypothetical question. Me and Kakashi talked yesterday about how our parents would react to things, ehm. So, ehm, what would you say if I told you I'm gay? Not that I'm saying I am." he said without lifting his eyes from the table. His parent's looked at each other and then his mother said,
"Just hypothetically speaking?" Iruka nodded.
"We would be proud of you for having the courage to tell us but other than that I don't think much would change." his father said. "I would have to start chasing young men away from my son instead of young women though." he then added with a smile.
Iruka smiled as well. He was still quite sure he was not at all leaning that way but it felt good to know that he wouldn't have been thrown out of the house for it. Then the smile vanished when he thought about how he might still have lost his friend over something as silly as a kiss. He still didn't know what to do. Half the banana remained uneaten, he had completely lost his appetite.
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Later that day Iruka was helping his mother in the garden when he heard a knock on the door. He wiped his hands somewhat clean on his pants and went to open it. Outside was slightly nervous looking Kakashi with a big box of chocolates.
"Oh, hi Iruka" he said.
"Hello Kakashi" Iruka answered.
"Look about yesterday. You did say you had a good time so I came here to ask for a second chance at being your friend" Kakashi said. "I brought you a gift" he continued holding out the candy. Iruka ignored it and flung his arms around the boy in a near neck breaking hug.
"Of course, I want nothing more in the whole world." he whispered with tears in his voice. After planting a quick kiss on his forehead he let go of Kakashi's neck just to grab a hold of his hand.
"Mom I'm going out for a walk with Kakashi. I'm leaving you half a box of chocolate" he yelled towards the garden and took out the top layer and put it on a small table by the door. Then he grabbed the other boys hand again and they went off down the street.
"So where do you want to go?" Kakashi asked him.
"I don't care as long as you are going there with me" he answered.