Disclaimer: Naruto is the creation of KISHIMOTO Masashi. I do not own anything related to Naruto, except for some manga from volume to volume something, and perhaps some plushies, but that's it. 4/25/03

Dwellings of Dolphins

Written by Starfire
Betaed by KrazyKazuko (Kei)

A young man with hair tied up in a short, stub pony tail, garbed in a white fishnet shirt stretched taut across his frame and dark black pants, leaned back on the roof, his eyes closed. Breathing in the air of the cool night he sat up and jumped carefully through his window into his room. The glow of the lamp illuminated the oil canvases, paints, and washcloths scattered around his room.

Sighing, the young man tugged on his hair tie, releasing his hair from its grasp, and pulled open a drawer to retrieve a well worn journal; its soft leather covering, once a deep burgundy, was now worn to a dull brown. Flopping down into a soft comfortable chair, he opened up the journal, picked up the pen tucked into the journal's binding, and began to write:

It hurts--this deep feeling of being abandoned to myself; no one understands this feeling of being alone like this, unless they too have experienced a tragic existence. I wonder why I bother keeping up my illusion-- always smiling, watching others interact, and the love they have.

He glanced over to one of the drying canvases; it displayed a grinning older man with black hair and blue eyes, while embracing a petite lady with laughing golden eyes and long ebony hair. The lady grasped a small hand in her palm; connected to the hand was a wrist guard--the same as his own. Returning to his journal, he scribbled more of his thoughts onto the crisp yellowing paper:

The love I have lost... it pains me that I have lost that love that families give; I had it all, but was abandoned in the end when they died. I know this is old news--which is boring--but today, after watching them (my old students) graduate and grow up... I felt so alone. They love each other--I can tell--and their teamwork shows complex intricate patterns in their relationship. Young... so young... they remind me of what I used to be, and I cannot help but envy that relationship they have.

His eyes trailed towards his left where another canvas leaned against the wall; in the middle of the painting, were three children crowded together, almost as if they were getting ready to have their picture taken. A black haired boy's startled dark eyes stared out of the painting, his cheeks blushing faintly. Two pairs of arms were wrapped around his neck--one pair belonging to a pink haired, cyan-eyed girl in a scarlet-red dress; the other, to a petite blond boy, his eyes crinkled up in a happy smile.

Sasuke--the foundation of this group: the level headed one, and when he is weak he has Naruto and Sakura with him. Musing at those words, he tapped his pen. Naruto reminds me so much of whom I used to be. Like him, I was an orphan; I wanted to be acknowledged, I wanted to be someone--I didn't want the villagers to look down on me because I was alone. It was so lonely--and still is--being that alone... Naruto was in the same boat, but now he has Sasuke and Sakura with him.

Standing up, he wandered to his maple desk and picked up the grey shaded pitcher to pour himself a drink. Swirling the amber liquor, he gulped it down and felt it hit his stomach with a pleasant burn. Leaning his forehead against the wall, he breathed in the faint traces of paint. The pictures hung on the walls called to him... the pictures he created of his family, friends, and past students. Each one he painted, wrought from his imagination to be brought to life; they were so real, and each one of them held a place in his heart.

Turning around, he picked up the journal from where he placed it on the desk and stored it inside the drawer, closing it. A ninja who had a diary was unheard of, but inside the diary, he only wrote vaguely about his feelings; sure, that might be a big no on his part to feel anything since he was, after all, a ninja himself... Yet, still he wrote in it, a precious gift from his parents; they wanted him to feel and clear things in his mind, and so he continued to write in it to this very day.

Restless at the feelings boiling inside, he fingered his pouch, reassuring himself that he had his kunai, and flipped out his window. He ran through the air, not caring where he went, running so fast he felt he could fly. With every hop and jump he exhilarated in the air rushing past him, whipping through his hair--his speed blurred his form as he glided ghostlike through the night. Finally, landing on a distant hilltop, overlooking the village, he sat down and stared into the town.

"What are you still doing up, Dolphin?" He shivered at the sudden soft voice, snatched his kunai and spun around.

To his surprise, he met resistance in the form of another kunai; startled eyes met one staring dark eye. "Kakashi?" He whispered in shock, and withdrew his kunai; he noted that there was no other threat from the taller man. What is he doing here? "Anou, I just was going for a walk. What are you doing here?"

"I was heading back to my house when I noticed a strange ghost ninja jumping and running across the roof tops as if there were no tomorrow," Hatake Kakashi smiled his trademark smile hidden by the black fabric, his eyes closed in their curved up happy look. "Well it seems my ghost isn't really a ghost after all, ne Iruka?"

Iruka flushed slightly. "I suppose you are right." He eyed Kakashi, noticing his dark outfit and its concealing fit; Kakashi's Anbu uniform. "Why were you going home this late?"

"I just got back from a errand for Hokage," The silver haired ninja replied. "He also told me that you haven't been yourself lately." Well, that wasn't necessarily true about the errand, he thought in faint amusement; he had been watching Iruka lately and noticed the younger man's sad disposition.

Iruka leaned his head forward, his long bangs shadowing his eyes, "I am fine, you can tell Hokage that too." He was rather put off at being babied, though inwardly he rejoiced that someone still cared enough to look after him. He had great respect for the Hokage; in a way he was a father figure, and he craved his attention as any doting child would.

Walking forward, he passed Kakashi, leaving his guard down--with lightning reflexes the silver haired shinobi grasped the unsuspecting Chuunin's wrist and jerked him to his side. "You're not leaving me, especially when you're lying Iruka!"

Twisting, Iruka tried to get out of his grasp. "I am not lying, Kakashi!" He hissed when the other ninja twisted his arm--kicking out, he tried to nail his leg against the other's knee. Eliciting a few grunts of pain from the older man, curses were spat, until they both tumbled onto the ground, struggling.

"Damn you Kakashi!" Iruka shouted; he was pinned on his back, arms over his head and his leg kept immobile by the older ninja's legs.

A strong hand griped the dolphin's head and jerked it until brown eyes met cool angry eyes--one blood red, the other dark like the deepest ocean. "Stop struggling you little fool and tell me the truth! Can't you tell that Hokage is worried about you? So is Team 7." Why the hell are you running away Iruka? The silver haired ninja thought in confusion, yet remained stoic on the outside.

"What would you know?" The harsh words spilled forward. "How do you know what is going on with me? What would you know about what I feel?" Iruka bucked his hips trying to free himself, earning a groan from the older man, yet it didn't sound like a sound of pain.

"Listen to me, Iruka. When you're acting childish and neglecting your students--let alone the Hokage--it becomes my business." The cool, placid tone of the aloof ninja streamed into Iruka's body, deflating the angry aura he was displaying and to his surprise, earning an involuntary reaction in his groin.

"Who appointed you to do such a thing?" Iruka jerked his chin out of the other's grasp. He could feel his breathing change and his eyes widened at the realization. Flushing hard, he looked away, his body freezing into stillness.

Twisting his wrists underneath the scarecrow's grip, he felt the hands tighten, warning him not to try anything. "What truth is that?" Iruka muttered.

"That is private," Iruka whispered. "When did you get that?"

"When you left your house." The other replied with amusement lurking in the depth of his eyes. Realize this Iruka, you can't hide from me...

All his secrets, his feelings of loneliness was professed to that journal of his--"How much did you read?" Defeated, he felt defeated; he knew that was the risk of writing in that journal of his, but still, inwardly he supposed a part of him was tired of pretending. I am so tired, the small voice whispered in his head. At least it was Kakashi who found out; perhaps he would help me end it. Yes, he was tired, very tired of everything, especially his life; he was weak--after all, he wasn't able to become like his parents: the greatest Anbu who died trying to save their Leaf Village.

"Every word, not to mention the pictures told me interesting things about you Iruka," A gloved finger stroked his cheek, the one hand that held him down squeezed slightly, warning him not to run, then removed itself to tangle into Iruka's mussed hair. "They mourn for you, they want you happy, Iruka," The silver haired scarecrow bent down until his cloth-covered lips touched the other's forehead, "Don't run away anymore dolphin, you're not alone anymore."

"I don't deserve their concern," Iruka whispered, the pain tearing him inside as tears began to trail down his cheeks, silent tears drenching the ground. "What part don't you understand? Why can't you just put me out of my misery instead if you truly understand."

"Baka!" The scarecrow retorted, an edge to his voice, "You are still needed and I don't care what you say. If you so much as try to kill yourself, I will tie you up, if you hurt yourself you will end up hurting Naruto, Sakura, and even Sasuke. Yes, even that boy--those two are orphans, and to Sakura you are a respectable, caring older brother. Do you realize what that means?"

He doesn't understand! He doesn't get it, this loneliness, this darkness inside of me, the marks of a bastard who didn't do enough to prove himself, a boy who was abandoned by those around him, seeing him as something repulsive. Iruka hunched up, tensing, as these thoughts trailed around his mind. Shame stirred at him for being such a coward--too afraid of throwing himself off a cliff or slitting his wrists to end it himself. "You don't understand these feelings, this empty feeling."

"But I do understand Iruka, too well," Kakashi whispered softly. "I know pain, and loneliness too, as well as others, but yours I understand very well." Winding his hands into the other's hair, he leaned forward until his eyes peered into Iruka's, his dark ruby eye seeming to sear fear and passion into the body of the younger man.

"Kakashi, what are you--" Iruka, nervous now of this feeling, it felt like fingers were pushing into him wrapping around his soul his essence, he felt his body twitch. What is he--Why am I feeling this aroused? What is he doing to me?

Kakashi brought his cloth-covered lips to Iruka's. "Is this loneliness? Your desire?" The scarecrow finally acknowledged inwardly that he truly did feel something for the young dolphin; with these restraints gone, he felt his body alight with his soul. He mused, it isn't the first time in the history of the Leaf Village that there had been male to male relationships, and for Kakashi... in truth, he had never thought of his preference since he had been too busy fighting.

Parting, Kakashi slid off of Iruka finally letting him go,but Iruka stayed motionless, regarding his disarranged feelings in shock. "Doushite?"

"Iruka, you're not alone at all," Kakashi was annoyed with his lack of self-control; before, he never behaved in such a brash way, except when he was near Iruka. When cirumstance involved the young dolphin, he pretty much tossed the whole book on cautions out the window. "If you look closer you'll realize that." Backing away, he turned his back on the other. "It might seem sudden to you, and I know that you're confused." Like I am! He cursed himself for this sudden discovery, and yet he was glad.

"Hai, I am confused, demo..." The ebony haired man confessed; he felt his heart tug almost as if by strings, when the other moved away. He rose into a half-sitting and half-laying position, not realizing the provoking pose he had taken. "What.I meant was, why did you kiss me?"

Kakashi laughed softly. "To tell you the truth Iruka, I am not exactly sure myself, but," Turning around until their eyes met he said: "I do know that I am attracted to you." He lowered his voice to a husky seductive tone. "Oh yes, I am attracted to you very much indeed."

Iruka gasped at the jolt that streamed through his body. "Don't... Don't play with me like this," The dolphin stuttered. "This is not fair, it isn't." His eyes widened, at the inhuman speed Kakashi used and ended up face-to-face with the other shinobi, one hand touching his lips and the other on his chest.

"It's not supposed to be fair. This feeling we have happened over time; sure, we notice it more now, but can't you feel it?" Kakashi's silky voice taunted Iruka, his eyes transfixed onto those deep glowing eyes; indeed Kakashi was the embodiment of a devil.

"Hai." Iruka agreed, his body was screaming for something he didn't understand, yet he knew what the silver haired man was talking about--for a long time, since he and the other had met, there had been a crackle of something between them. "I understand."

"Hokage knew," Kakashi smiled, his cloth-covered lips pressed against the other's neck, seductively. "That is why he told you about my record."

"He... why?" Iruka whispered in confusion, not piecing everything together. "If he did, how did you know?"

A hand stroked the fishnet shirt trailing down Iruka's chest further down. Iruka's breath froze in his chest, then released, when the hand remained in place on his quivering stomach. "Hokage saw us look at each other, he knew we both were lonely, so-" The silver haired shinobi prompted in amusement, noticing the other man's wide eye look at where his lecherous hands were wandering too.

"He wants us?"

"Hai, he wants us together." Kakashi was even more amused at the other's stuttering.

"He approves?"

"Dolphin, he approves; and damn that old geezer, he was right too," Fondly, Kakashi brushed his fingers down the other's scar. "He wants us together, and I am beginning to see why--can't believe that the old geezer was such a match maker."

"Does it matter?" Iruka felt a heavy burden lifted from his chest, realizing that it was okay for him to have these feelings, and the loneliness began to disappear slowly, at the soft looks that the Anbu was giving him.

Tossing his head back, Kakashi laughed. "No, it doesn't really matter, demo.." He sat back away from the other. "Where do you want us to go from here?"

"I am not sure. Can't we just take this slow?" Iruka smiled, happy at least that he made Kakashi laugh.

"You can take as much time as you want," The older man beamed. "I don't want to rush this at all, since it is new for both of us."

"Ah.. arigato." Slowly he got to his knees, crawled over to the other, and flopped onto his chest, giving him a weak hug, while pushing his face into the other's chest.

Startled then pleased, the Anbu readjusted his position so that Iruka was cradled securely on his chest; glancing down, he noticed the other had fallen asleep from exhaustion. Tugging on his pocket, he brought out a shielding sheet that would help retain body heat during the night, and wrapped it around his precious bundle and himself. Laying back, he stared above him at the stars, "Oyasumi, my Iruka." He whispered, finally drifting to sleep.

Definitions:
arigato - thanks
baka - idiot, moron
anou - um
doushita - why
demo - but
hai - yes
ne - right (when asking for agreement)
oyasumi - good night

Authors Note: Well that was a bit fun, if you don't like this pairing I am sorry truly I am, yet, I felt it would be nice to try my hand at a Naruto fic that was Yaoi. *winks* besides I find this pairing adorable. ^_^ Well I hope you enjoyed this fic, please review to tell me if it was alright or not, sorry if they seem out of character though, but I did try didn't I? *laughs*