Disclaimer: I own nothing

Warning: Here be sex between two dudes.

Night in Mirkwood

The night was dark and void of any stars beneath the thick canopy of Mirkwood. It made most people uneasy, but Kakashi had walked these woods before, knew what lurked in its depths, and he wasn't worried. Sitting cross-legged on the forest floor, heavy cloak drawn around his shoulders, hood over his head he was a mere shadow. Completely at ease in his surroundings he was sharpening his sword with practiced movements, the sparks from the sharpening stone running against the old metal of the blade the only light in the dark.

He looked to be lost in thought, but in fact he was acutely aware of his surroundings. He noted the rustling of mice, the distant hoot of an owl, the tinkling from a stream of water nearby and quickly identify them all as not worthy of his attention. He knew the forest, knew the sound of danger, always aware. This cognizance of his surroundings had kept him alive all these years in a world that seems to be set on killing him, be it at the hands of orcs or more natural beasts.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" His voice was loud in the otherwise quite night, a raspy quality to it from not having been used in a few days. He didn't look up from where he was working the blade, knew well who was lurking on the edge of the small clearing Kakashi had taken up camp in for the night. He recognized the scent and the sound of his breathing. The other was silent, and most people would never have noticed him watching them, but Kakashi wasn't most people.

The smallest sound of wood against wood betrayed the bow and drawn arrow most assuredly directed at him, and even though Kakashi knew that if the other man should let that arrow fly he would be dead before he had a moment to react he was not afraid.

There was another moment of nothing happening, then he stepped out of the forest. In the dark night he was but a shadow, but Kakashi knew that shadow, even though it's been a long while since he last saw him. Long for him at least.

"Kakashi," the other said simply, arrow still resting against the bow, nimble fingers ready to draw and release in an instant.

Kakashi finally lowered the sharpening stone, putting it into a pouch he carried on his belt and laid his sword flat across his crossed legs. He hadn't lit a camp fire, but his eyes had adjusted enough to the darkness to see the slim form of the other, see that he hadn't changed at all in the years since their last meeting.

"Iruka," he acknowledged with a small nod, his calm exterior not betraying the way his body reacted to the knowledge that he was there, and even though it's been at least five years since the last time he saw him his body still reacted to him just being there.

Iruka took a step closer, bow lowering a fraction.

"Are you really going to put an arrow in me?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm still contemplating it," Iruka said. "After all, you are trespassing on our lands, and we do not take kindly to strangers."

Kakashi's lips quirked into a smirk, and he knew the other could see it well, even in the darkness. Iruka's eyes were much keener than his own human ones.

With quick movements Iruka placed the arrow back in its quiver along with the bow. Kakashi allowed his eyes to trace across Iruka's body. The moon had pierced through the veil of clouds, and some of its light was filtering through the heavy foliage, enough to make him see that Iruka hadn't changed a bit since the last time he'd seen him. Keen eyes were trained on him, and Kakashi knew that they were the softest shade of brown in the light, speckled with gold. His skin was flawless, and his body lithe and strong. He wore soft clothes in browns and greens, making him seem almost a part of the forest around them. He was beautiful, the only flaw on him a ragged scar across his nose that only seemed to enhance his beauty rather than take away from it.

Kakashi knew that behind that ethereal beauty was something fiercely strong though, and that juxtaposition was what had always drawn him towards the elf, ever since they first met some fifteen years ago.

"If they found you here they'd drag you to the cells," Iruka said, and both men knew it was true. The elves had never appreciated his kind much, and even less when they encroached on their territory, which Kakashi had done a few times too often.

Kakashi slowly placed his blade back in its scabbard, the sound very audible in the heavy silence that surrounded them. Mirkwood was a dark forest, but it never bothered Kakashi much. He'd always felt drawn towards the dark, preferring shadows and nights to sunlight and days.

Placing a hand on the soft ground he pushed himself to his feet. He knew the motion wasn't quite as fluid as it was the first time he'd met Iruka, when Kakashi was a mere eighteen years old, young and foolish. The years hadn't been too gentle with him, too many cuts and bruises and breaks. He was still strong though, had always been.

He swept off the hood as he rose and shook out his hair, a mess of gray that he chopped off whenever it got too long, leaving it ragged and uneven, falling across one side of his face.

Iruka took a step closer to him. His long hair was braided away from his face, showing off cheekbones and pointed ears and those gorgeous eyes that were focused only on him, and damned if that wasn't a heady notion, that he managed to keep the attention of someone like Iruka.

"You've changed," Iruka said bluntly, and Kakashi knew it was true. His hair was grayer, his face more lined.

"You haven't," he replied. Iruka hadn't changed at all since that first time he laid eyes on him. Just as he hadn't changed in the last centuries, or would change in the centuries to come.

"What brings you back here?" Iruka asked as he stepped closer.

"Traveling," Kakashi answered, amused by the game they played, as if they are merely old acquaintances exchanging pleasantries.

"Most people stay away from these woods when traveling," Iruka said.

"I'm not most people," Kakashi stated, and could see a flash of amusement cross Iruka's face for a moment before he schooled his face back into the stoic mask he usually presented.

"No, you most definitely are not," Iruka admitted, and the words were low and husky, and Kakashi felt himself hardening in his pants just from hearing that voice again. Just being close to Iruka, seeing him, smelling him, it had this intoxicating effect on him. The elf was magnificent, and Kakashi craved him, even though he knew it'll never become anything of it, an elf and a man, it's mostly unheard of. That does not change the attraction between them, the attraction that lead them together over and over again, hidden away from the view of both of their races.

It had been three years since the last time, but the memory was still vivid in Kakashi's mind. He'd been longing to have Iruka again, and now he was right there with him, and the night was dark and silent around them. They were far away from Iruka's home; no one should catch them here. Iruka only found him because they were drawn together by the strings of fate. Somehow they always found each other when they were close.

Kakashi ran his hand through his wild hair, pushing it away from his face, and he saw Iruka's eyes narrowing on him, a slight frown between his eyes. He stepped close, his hand lifting and brushing at a point just over Kakashi's left eyebrow, right where a scar started. Iruka didn't say anything, just followed the scar with a soft finger, down across his eyelid to where it ended on his cheek.

"This was not here last time," he stated, frown still all too apparent. He didn't like what he saw, and Kakashi couldn't help but to like that the elf was seemingly worried for him. It was… endearing?

"I ran into some orcs," he stated with a shrug. One swipe of a jagged blade had almost lost him an eye, but he had been lucky, left with only the scar. Scars was nothing new, he had plenty of scars.

Iruka's hand fell down. "Where are you traveling to?" he asked, as if he was truly just patrolling the borders of his land, wanting to know Kakashi's reason for trespassing on their realm.

"I'm going to Gondor. There's a darkness brewing in the East. I will pledge my sword to the steward of the city."

Iruka did not seem happy with that answer. The elf probably knew exactly what was growing in Mordor, and what the outcome of joining that particular battle was likely to entail. "You fool. It will be your death," he spat out, anger flaring in his eyes.

"Then be it, what else do I have to live for? I am but a sword, bred for fighting."

Iruka's expression told Kakashi just how much the elf resented that Kakashi was so willing to join a fight that was not his to begin with. He grabbed onto Kakashi's tunic, pulling him close. "Do not throw your life away so willingly, Kakashi. There is yet something to live for in this world." His eyes sparked with passion, and it lit a spark in Kakashi that was too easily ignited by the elf.

He grabbed onto Iruka, twisting them until Iruka was pressed up against a tree. "I do not intend to throw my life away, I am merely saying that if I am to die I will rather do it in battle, not wither away in old age, hiding from the terrors of the world."

They were so close their breaths mingled. It had always been this way between them, a volatile nature in their relationship that had them caught up in either anger or lust the moment they were together again. Iruka was different than the other elves, easier to rile. And nothing pleased Kakashi more than to see the elf give in to his emotions.

"Kakashi," Iruka said on a breath, and Kakashi couldn't help himself as he smashed their lips together.

It was rough, it always was. No tender meeting of lips, but an extension of a fight. Lips molding together, tongues pressing into mouths, tasting, testing, exploring. Iruka's kisses always made Kakashi forget everything. Gone were Gondor and the terror rising in the east. Gone was the knowledge that this could only be a swift meeting before he wouldn't see the elf again, possibly forever.

Right now all that mattered was the body he was pressed up against, the hands clutching at his shoulders, the teeth that bit down on his bottom lip. His hands quickly moved over the elf's torso, unlatching buckles as he went until the quiver Iruka wore fell to the ground. Iruka's deft fingers moved up Kakashi's arms, digging into hard muscles along the way until he found the clasp in the hollow of Kakashi's neck, unsnapping it and allowing the heavy fabric of Kakashi's cloak to fall to the ground as well. Then there were fingers in Kakashi's hair, burying themselves in the shock of gray and tugging, hard.

Kakashi tore his lips away from Iruka's long enough to groan in passion. Iruka was too tempting to stay away from for too long, though, and soon he was back, kissing down Iruka's golden skinned neck, tasting the hint of salt that lingered on it. His tongue traced the soft skin before his teeth latched on, biting hard enough to leave indents but not pierce the skin. Iruka was clawing at his back at that point, a heady moan spilling from his mouth.

Kakashi moved back to his mouth, claiming it in a kiss, tongues dancing, and lips clashing. His hands were moving down Iruka's body, following the dips of ribs and hipbones before moving to the firmness of his behind. He used his new grip to press their bodies together hard, eradicating any air between them. Iruka's arms wrapped around his neck, holding him there as their mouths continued their dance.

They were both hard by now, lengths pressing together through too many layers of fabric. Kakashi's hips moved against Iruka, but it wasn't enough, he needed more, needed all of the elf.

His fingers wrapped in the soft fabric of Iruka's green tunic, and he pulled it up, forcing Iruka to let go of him long enough for him to pull it off him and throw it away, leaving the elf only in the soft fabric encasing his legs and the supple boots on his feet. Kakashi let his eyes rove over the newly revealed skin, noting that it was as flawless as it had always been, golden perfection over hard muscles. Iruka was lean and sinewy, in the best way possible. Not a single hair marred the perfect skin, and Kakashi was quick to lean in, tracing his tongue along the sharp dip of a collarbone, down a gently toned chest, to flick at a dusky nipple.

Iruka's head fell back against the tree as he allowed Kakashi to pleasure him. His fingers were not idle though, moving across Kakashi's shoulders until they found the laces that ran down the front of his leather coat. He tugged at the knots and soon could loosen the laces, pushing away the leather with shaking fingers, allowing it to fall away from Kakashi's lean shoulders.

Kakashi's teeth locked around the nub he'd been playing with, furrowing lightly at the sensitive flesh, and Iruka's hand flew to his mouth, locking in the spill of moans as he writhed at the feeling.

"I want to hear your screams," Kakashi growled into the flesh he was teasing, and Iruka dropped the hand from his mouth obediently. Mirkwood was vast; no one would hear them here.

Iruka's hands didn't stay quiet for long; soon back to pulling at Kakashi's clothes. His coat was tugged down his body until he could shrug out of it, and then his undershirt was swept over his head and thrown away. Slim fingers started dancing over his now exposed upper body, gently caressing muscles, stopping to trace along the ragged scars adorning his body.

Kakashi abandoned dusky nipples to find Iruka's mouth again, kissing deep and hard. Then hands were pulling at his pants, loosening and then tugging them past hips until his erection sprang free. Iruka didn't hesitate for a moment, fingers wrapping around the hard length, stroking every inch with a firm hand, driving Kakashi further into madness. Delicious madness.

Kakashi sucked Iruka's soft bottom lip into his mouth, biting down hard, loving the way the elf arched against him. Iruka might be beautiful and poised, but Kakashi knew what the elf really wanted, knew that he was not one for slow, tender loving. Which fit him just fine, because he was desperate enough that he never could have gone for slow and tender. He needed Iruka with a fierceness he only ever showed with him or in a battle.

Kakashi wasted no time tugging Iruka's remaining clothes down lean hips, and the elf kicked off his boots and allowed everything to pool to the ground, leaving him gloriously naked. Kakashi took a moment to appreciate the view. Not a single mark marring him, just pure perfection from the tips of his toes to the perfect, hard cock curving towards a flat belly to the soft hair that fell from his head. His hairless skin was soft underneath his fingertips as he ran them over him, touching every part of the elf, soaking it up, knowing that every time they met was quite possibly the last time.

The elf allowed him his explorations for a while, then he grew impatient and soon the rest of Kakashi's clothes were pulled off, joining their falling comrades on the ground. The night was cool enough that his nipples were hard buds, and a cool wind through the trees made him shiver ever so slightly.

Iruka seemed to notice and he pulled him close, pressing their bodies together hard, chest and thigh and cocks. Kakashi groaned, nails digging into the bark of the tree as Iruka undulated against him. It was too good, and it was going to end all too soon. He was not about to let it, not before he got to bury himself in the tight warmth of the elf, feeling him clench around him.

Kakashi created some space between them as he lifted to fingers and placed them on Iruka's lips, pushing against the soft flesh.

"Suck," he ordered huskily.

Anger and indignation flared in Iruka's eyes for a moment, he might be naked and moaning, but he was still an elf, with all the pride that entailed, but then lips parted and a warm tongue traced fingers and sucked the digits into the wet heat of his mouth. Their eyes locked as Iruka swirled his tongue around them, coating them in saliva, well knowing just why Kakashi wanted him to do this.

Pulling his fingers back Kakashi again claimed that delicious mouth in a rough kiss as his fingers now moved behind Iruka, one hand lifting Iruka's thigh enough to give the other access to where he wanted to sink in. Wet fingers pressed against the puckered opening, one sliding inside.

Iruka gasped slightly at the intrusion, and the arm he'd slung around Kakashi's shoulder tightened, nails digging into flesh, probably leaving marks. Kakashi loved that, the sting of pain and the knowledge that for a while he'd be carrying evidence of their meeting in his flesh.

The elf was tight and warm around him, and Kakashi wanted nothing more than to bury himself in him and just lose himself in pleasure. He just had to hold out a little while longer. Another finger joined the first, pressing in firmly. Iruka's back arched and a gasp left his mouth. Kakashi loved that he was able to unravel the elf so. Iruka caught up in the throes of passion was a sight to behold.

Kakashi licked up his neck, biting down harshly before soothing the red mark with his tongue. Iruka was twisting and arching underneath him, hips moving against him as he either tried to get away from the sensations or get more of them. Kakashi grinned into the flesh as he moved up, sucking his lobe into his mouth, biting down once, before licking up the edge of an ear, following the sharp angles so unlike his own rounded ones.

The hand not working on stretching the elf open moved up his body to cup the back of his head, fingers tangling in soft hair, locking around the single braid down the back. He tugged hard enough to force Iruka to bend his head backwards, exposing his throat. Kakashi sucked on the flesh before dragging his teeth across it, feeling the shudders that racked Iruka's body.

"Kakashi," Iruka moaned huskily as his own fingers buried in Kakashi's unruly hair, tugging him away from his flesh, forcing him to meet his gaze. His brown eyes were flaming with passion and lust, and his cheeks tinged with red, making him seem oddly young and innocent.

"Yes?" Kakashi asked calmly as he pressed the fingers inside further in, making Iruka's eyelids flutter close for a moment before he composed himself again.

"I… need more. I need you," he stated, voice cracking as Kakashi withdrew the fingers only to add a third to the stretching.

The sound of Iruka pleading was enough to do Kakashi in, and he knew he couldn't wait any longer. They both liked a bit of pain interlaced with their pleasure, a fact that they had discovered during one of their earlier meetings. Nails and teeth and rough thrusts made them hard and aching, and right now Kakashi ached to bury himself in Iruka's tight heat, to feel him clench around him, take all of him.

He pulled his hand away and spit into his palm, spreading the saliva over his cock, mixing with the sticky liquid already dripping from it. They might like it rough, but he still had no wish to harm the elf.

Iruka's arms tightened around his shoulders as Kakashi grabbed taut buttock and lifted him easily, pressing his back against the rough bark of the tree. Lean thighs locked around his hips. Kakashi was always surprised over how light the elf was, as if the muscles he was corded with weighed next to nothing.

He managed to get a hand around his cock and steadied it as he moved towards his goal. He pressed in slowly, feeling the flesh slowly open up to him, spreading to take all of his girth. He paused when the head of his cock was inside, needing to just breathe to ensure he wouldn't come already. He had forgotten how this felt, forgotten how Iruka felt around him, all warm and tight and soft. Combine that with soft panting in his ear and nails scratching down his back and it made for a lethal combination.

Then he started moving, shallow thrusts at first, hips jerking against Iruka, burying his hard length deep within him. He felt Iruka's hard length against his abdomen, a trail of liquid spreading on his skin whenever he moved against him. '

He'd missed this. Missed Iruka's body and the sounds he made and how he took all Kakashi had to offer eagerly, giving back in equal measure. They were perfectly matched, two different pieces that fit together seamlessly. Kakashi had always been surprised at the fact, but every time they met each other it only got reaffirmed.

In another life maybe there could have been more, a life where they weren't elf and man, but equals. Kakashi thought they could have been happy then. As it was this was all he could get, a small taste of what could have been. He would savor that piece for as long as he lived, knowing that he once had perfection in his arms.

He had no faith that he would come back alive back from Gondor, was prepared to give his life to save this world of his. If the world lived on, then maybe so would Iruka, and that was a good enough reason to sacrifice oneself.

Pushing his morose thoughts to the back of his mind he focused on the elf wrapped around him. He had enough time to contemplate his fate later, now, this night, all that mattered was Iruka.

His fingers dug into the soft flesh of Iruka's buttocks as he slammed inside his body, pulling them both towards the edge of release. He knew he wouldn't be able to last long; Iruka was too good around him.

"Touch yourself," he commanded huskily before locking his teeth around whatever flesh was closest to his mouth, biting down on his shoulder, the saltiness of his skin filling his mouth. He loved the taste of Iruka, loved the smell of him, all woods and spice.

Iruka's fingers were yanking at his hair, forcing his head away from him. Iruka smashed their faces together; lips tangling in a desperate kiss before a sharp thrust angled just right had him pull away in a moan of pleasure. He finally seemed to catch up on Kakashi's demand, his slender hand moving between their bodies to wrap around his neglected length. Kakashi leaned back enough that he could watch that hand work that length of hard flesh.

He felt Iruka clench around him, and knew the elf was close. He angled his hips, making sure every thrust would brush against the one spot that made Iruka shiver.

Then Iruka was gasping, his head thrown back as he came, ribbons of pearly-white liquid coating his hand and their abdomens. He clenched down hard around Kakashi, and Kakashi couldn't hold back any longer, but started thrusting hard and fast, feeling his body tense up as he was swept over the edge of release that he had been tethering on. He pressed Iruka hard against him, his cock pushing deep inside as he came.

Time froze, and in that moment there was only the two of them in the world, and Kakashi wished it could have stayed like this forever, that they would be stuck in this moment of perfect bliss.

But then it broke, and again they were back in Mirkwood, and Kakashi knew this was just one stolen moment of happiness before he would have to go to his people and Iruka to his people. No one would have ever accepted them, and Kakashi knew that Iruka deserved better, that he was too pure for him.

His legs growing weak he lowered the two of them to the ground, lying down on his cloak. Iruka rested on his stomach, too sated to move, and Kakashi moved close, perched on his side as he allowed his fingers to idly trace the golden skin of the elf, tracing over lean body, scarred nose and pointed ears, marveling at his beauty. A soft smile graced Iruka's lips, and his brown eyes were focused on him.

His eyes traveled down Iruka's body, and he winced when he saw small cuts and scrapes marring the skin on his back, realizing that they were from being rubbed up against the rough bark of the tree. He gently traced the edge of one red mark. "I'm sorry," he whispered and brushed off a piece of bark.

Iruka just looked at him with that soft smile and those sparkling eyes. "Don't be. I don't mind."

When Kakashi didn't immediately answer he lifted a hand and gently brushed a finger against the frown on Kakashi's forehead, pushing it up, as if to remove it.

Feelings his lips tug into a smile he laid an arm around Iruka, pulling him close to him, allowing his eyes to slid shut and just let the smell and feel of Iruka invade his senses. This night was theirs, and he did not want to tarnish it with worry or thoughts of what he could never have. Tonight Iruka was his, and he would make the most of it before he had to leave as the dawn broke.

A/N: This is My Thought Bubbles' birthday present, she wanted KakaIru in LOTR setting, and I was all over that, because YES. Now that you finished this fic you should immediately go read her fics, because they are awesomesauce with extra awesome on top. Also, I made a picture of Iruka to go with this fic. It's... not all that good, but you can check it out over on my Tumblr if you wanna (I'm Miasen there as well). I'll probably leave a link in my profile to make it easy for ya'll too. *nods sagely*