Kakashi has…lets call it, a hobby.
He likes to watch.
Animals, scenery, people.
Anything.
The Sharingan had taken his innate ability to learn by sight alone and had given him an eidetic memory. Blessing and curse. He remembers everything. Every movement, Every spatter of blood, every dead face staring up at him. Every angry, scared or mocking glance he has ever received is imprinted on his brain, for all time.
But he also has something to chase away these memories; something to shove them into to back of his brain.
Images of a Chunnin; Smiling, frowning, yelling, soothing, sleeping, waking…
Kakashi has…lets call it, an obsession.
Iruka…
Umino, Iruka.
He had never noticed the man before. Not until the Chuunin exams.
He'd never seen someone express themselves so freely, it had been liberating.
Nor had he seen someone so berate themselves afterwards.
Life is too short for regrets.
So he Watches….
And Follows…
And Wonders….
Who does Iruka visit in the confinement ward?
Why does he come out looking happier, but seeming to be even more depressed than when he went in?
Kakashi has…lets call it, a failing.
He hates to be ignored.
But that is what Iruka has been doing, unintentionally he's sure.
So he makes sure Iruka CANNOT ignore him.
He appears after Iruka is done teaching for the day, and simply follows him around. His mere presence grating on the younger man's nerves.
He shows up at Ichiraku, when he knows Iruka will be there with Naruto, making it impossible for the teacher to escape him without setting a bad example.
He only hands in his mission reports when Iruka is on duty, His fingers brushing against the others, lingering seconds to long, bringing up an adorable blush.
Weeks pass and slowly Kakashi wears Iruka down.
The Chuunin becomes accustomed to his presence and slowly….
Ever…
So…
Slowly….
Kakashi pulls away.
The void he leaves begs Iruka to fill it, and Kakashi knows he will.
Kakashi has…lets call it, a talent.
He can plan like the devil himself.
Subconsciously Iruka begins to seek him out. Then as the days go by it becomes conscious.
Invitations to Dinner.
To lunch.
But!
Kakashi knows it's up to him to make the final push.
So he appears one day in Iruka's class…
His favorite book, in plain sight.
The Man's reaction is predictable, anticipated, and prepared for.
"KAKASHI-SAMA! WHAT ARE YOU-"
"Doing Iruka-Kun? Simple, I came for a Kiss."
"Wha-?"
It is sweet, and new and pure, everything they aren't.
And the class stares in awe as their teacher punches a Jounin.
The visits to the confinement ward are less frequent now.
Kakashi still doesn't know WHO is in there.
It nags at him, in the back of his brain.
He can see that Iruka depends on whoever is in there.
And it's driving him up the wall.
WHO does Iruka need other than him and Naruto?
WHY does Iruka need this person?
The questions build and the heat rises until it spills over.
And after the fight is over, the words still linger in the air,
Harsh…
Grating…
Cold…
Kakashi has…lets call it, a revelation.
He loves Iruka…
And he might just have lost him forever.
OWARI
AN: Wow…this is the companion piece to Irukacentric and Mizukinetics. Someone asked me to continue and I thought, "Hey, how about one from Kakashi's point of view?". I tried to vary my writing style for each character and I think I managed very well.
Iruka's is very precise, and measured. Mizuki's is disjointed and rambling. And Kakashi's is well…Strange. I hope you enjoyed it!