Summary: Iruka, on his way home, runs into Kakashi, and they silently agree to accompany each other, there is, however, something on Kakashi's mind.
Warnings...check summary and genres, figure it out yourself. :) it's very innocent.
Here goes.

Unrequited

It had been an ordinary day.

Iruka had been on his way home, after finally getting away from the Ninja Academy where he had kept yet another extra class for the restless, unmotivated, or just plain lazy kids who had once again failed to pay attention in the regular class. He tried to convince himself that they paid more attention when singled out from the attentive students. As stated, he tried. Anyway, once out of the building, Iruka had a routine of letting go of these problems for at least a while, so that he actually got some time off his work, no matter how short these moments were in the end.

On his way he had gone into a grocery store, in which he had run into Kakashi.

It was quite innocent really. He had been trying to remember all of the things that he needed to buy; sugar, coffee, some fruits and milk when he had spotted Kakashi in the sweets aisle. Iruka had stopped dead in his step and looked again. As he thought, it really was Kakashi-sensei standing in the aisle looking at the seemingly hundreds of different types of candy, apparently trying to decide which to get. There was no mistaking it was him; not many people wore the masks that had been common among ninjas in past generations, and the mop of silver coloured hair called a haircut was unique for the jounin. Though uncommonly enough, it did not fly in every direction in an unkempt manner, but had been brushed down, at least a little, to hide the jounin's left eye. Iruka noted that it was set this way, since Kakashi wasn't wearing his hitae-ate, hinting that Kakashi had been home, but obviously had gotten an urge for something sweet. Chocolate apparently from what he was looking at.

Mentally shrugging, Iruka had gone along his own way to the dairies section.

It was somewhat a coincidence then that the two of them ended up leaving the store at the same time. Since they seemed to live in the same direction they silently agreed to accompany each other.

Iruka couldn't help to find it odd, since there was a store much closer to where Kakashi lived, that the jounin had walked an extra mile just to purchase – one – chocolate bar. It seemed not just a little bit unpractical. Then again, it wasn't his place to judge the jounin, though he had to admit he was tempted to pry.

Instead, he asked, nonchalantly, if the jounin's latest missions had gone well.

They had, except of some minor setbacks. With the grade of missions the jounin had gone onto after his team was dispatched, Iruka was afraid to imagine how minor, or not, these setback had in reality been.

They talked for a while of every day things. They were both happy that the stressed situation from the aftermath of the chuunin-exam, it was needless to say which, had finally subsided, and that the village was returning into its normal pace.

When almost halfway, Kakashi started to slow down, until he stopped entirely. Iruka turned towards the jounin, concerned that it might have to do with one of those minor setbacks on his mission. But he knew he couldn't say that out loud.

"What is the matter?" he said instead. "Did you forget to buy something?"

"No" the jounin replied "I got what I came for." He seemed to bring up his strength for something.

Iruka quickly scanned their surroundings, finding that they were all alone. So at least it wasn't an attack. Then the jounin cleared his throat.

"Iruka-sensei." He started hesitantly "I've been meaning to…"

Iruka waited in silence for a few seconds, before encouraging the other to continue

"Yes?"

The jounin was still hesitant.

"How did you get that scar on your face?"

Iruka could clearly hear that wasn't what Kakashi had originally intended to say. Nonetheless, it left him surprised.

"That... well… you see, there was this… I was…" Iruka stammered. He could not possibly tell Kakashi the ridiculous tale he told anyone who'd ask.

"I've heard that story you always tell people. With the S-class mission and the ten enemy jounin… " Kakashi looked at Iruka with a hint of a smirk in his eyes. The surprise on Iruka's face told him he'd read the chuunin's mind perfectly.

"It's a stupid story…" Iruka muttered. "But it makes people stop asking, so…"

"Won't you tell me how you got it?"

"No. It's a personal matter of mine."

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment.

"How about a bargain." He murmured at last.

He went over to a bench that stood nearby and sat down, gesturing for Iruka to sit down next to him. When the chuunin had done so, he spoke again.

"I am willing to offer you a bargain." He said. "If you tell me the story behind that scar, I will reveal something of myself that you, by some chance, would like to know."

Iruka looked away thoughtfully for a moment.

"Why would I want to do that?" he said at last. The reply was swift.

"Secrets." Kakashi smiled at the way Iruka lifted one of his gently curved brows. "Keep it to yourself and it's not a secret, three or more can't keep one... I know there's a saying that goes something like that."

"I believe you're thinking of 'two's company and three's a crowd'. Let me see if I got it right though. You want us to share secrets? With the trust that they will in fact remain as such."

"Yes, I think that is what I'm getting at… but I still think there's another saying."

"If there is I haven't heard of it. But you still didn't answer my question; why?"

Kakashi seemed to think a while before answering.

"For kicks? Really, this was just a spur of the moment idea. I do realize how eight-year-old it is."

"You're telling me? Have you been to the Academy lately? It seems like the new fly is secrets and intrigues and whatever else those soap operas have to offer…"

"Drama, endless conversations, artistic pauses and an occasional serial killer to spice things up?"

"Except of the killer thing, yes!"

"That is intriguing."

Iruka shifted his hold on the bag, making a humming noise.

"You wanted to tell me something." he said. Kakashi cocked his head to the side.

"Yes… well no, I think I said 'reveal', but does this mean you will accept the bargain?"

"No," said Iruka "I'm trying to walk around it. In short: I know there's something you want me to know, but instead of just saying it right out, you get side-tracked and… well here we are."

"Your analytical skills are impressive, for a chuunin."

Iruka shot the jounin a questioning look.

"Err, that is to say-"

"Whatever. I know what I know." The chuunin sighed, getting quite tired of the patronizing opinions the jounin's held against their inferiors. Kakashi knew of these opinions too, and knew he was one of the first people thought of when edging the issue, though often unjustified.

"Still," he persisted. "That was disrespectful, not to mention improper. I owe you an apology."

"There's no need for you to-"

Iruka stopped mid-sentence when he looked at Kakashi's face. His actual face. Without the mask. The milk-coloured skin, faintly tinted with pink on the cheeks. On the tip of the nose. Pink lips, formed to a small smile. A shy smile?

Handsome, the word crept up into Iruka's mind. Almost… pretty.

Then his eyes found the vertical scar that ran on the left cheek, up over the cheekbone, hidden by silver hair. It made him snap out of whatever dreamland he had gone into and he refocused his gaze. His eye. Just look him in the eye. Moderation, Iruka, dignity, don't look away from the eye. Un-focus everything else. I know I can do this…

"You bastard." He said. "You did that on purpose."

Then he had a hard time keeping focused as the smile broadened and became even more genuine, spreading onto the jounin's entire face, giving an impression it was what it had originally been designed to do, causing onlookers feel ecstasy by just seeing these almost entirely divine features express… pure happiness…

Iruka realized just how uncharacteristic these thoughts were and forced himself to calm down. Dignity, man, where is you dignity?

Kakashi had not missed the reaction he had caused to the chuunin, and couldn't help feeling self-conscious, as he always did when he didn't wear his mask. He brought a hand up to rub the back of his head and looked away, suppressing his chortle.

Iruka finally managed to pull himself into the present and did an unimpressed noise with his tongue.

"It's not that amazing. It's just that it's rare to see it." he muttered.

"I know," said Kakashi.

"Not to mention completely unnecessary."

Kakashi glanced at the chuunin.

"I think I do need my face…"

"You know what I mean. " Iruka sighed. "Look, Kakashi-sensei. I would love to stay and chat here all night, but I really need to get these groceries home, so could you please just say what you wanted to say without further small-talk and… whatnot."

Kakashi drew a deep breath. Then he chuckled for himself, as if thinking of something funny. Iruka watched him closely; trying to see what it was that troubled the jounin. He was drawn to attention when Kakashi finally spoke.

"You know, sometimes, times like this, I wish I was more like Gai." He risked a glance at Iruka, who hadn't changed his expression.

"That is a strange statement coming from you. What does Gai-sensei have that you don't?"

"Well, unfaltering courage for one thing. An untroubled way with words is another."

"You are brave. You wouldn't last if you weren't."

"Oh, yes, I'm brave in the sense of fighting. Brave enough to face a battle head on. Brave enough to retreat from one. Brave enough to trust my comrades… But that isn't the kind of courage I mean."

"So Gai-sensei has courage in a sense aside of battle, and you don't think that you have?"

Iruka tried to understand why Kakashi chuckled again.

"You are treating me like one of your students. Please, Iruka-sensei, don't keep your face in that understanding expression. I know you don't understand anything about what I am telling you. Or at least trying to. Somehow, I got off track again."

Kakashi watched as Iruka's face softened, and he saw a slight blush creeping up on the chuunin's cheeks as Iruka stopped keeping his face in check.

"There, you have my face in an utter clueless state. Are you going to tell me what's so important you have to dodge the subject any way you can?"

"I never could have guessed you could get so grumpy."

"Kakashi you're dodging the subject again."

"I am, aren't I? Well you can't blame me-"

"Just say it!"

"Infatuation."

Iruka paused for a second.

"Come again?"

"That's... what I've been trying to say. I think I am, well. I am pretty sure I'm-"

"Infatuated."

"Yes. Exactly."

"With who?"

"You."

Iruka paused again.

"Oh."

"Yes, like I said, it's just an infatuation, I'm sure it'll blow over soon enough. In fact I thought it would be good to tell you. Because, well, actually telling you would probably make me realize that, well, it's not really such a big deal. Because, people get fleeting fancies all the time and-"

"No!"

At Iruka's outburst Kakashi realized that he had been blabbering and clamped a hand over his mouth to shut up.

"No." Iruka said again. "it is a big deal. And it's really brave of you to tell me about it. That was what you meant about Gai-sensei. That he is brave. But you are too. Because it's painful. Unrequited love."

He was startled when Kakashi suddenly stood up without a word, pulling his mask back up on his face. Then he realized the depth of what he had just said. For some reason it made him very annoyed.

"Kakashi-sensei. Sit down."

"Why, there is nothing more to say." The jounin started to walk away. Iruka hurried to catch up with him, mindful not to drop his groceries. He grabbed the jounin's sleeve so that he wouldn't bolt completely.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's not that simple." He nearly shouted.

"It is that simple. It's just a silly infatuation." Kakashi's voice was in contrast oddly calm.

"Didn't I just say it wasn't silly. Kakashi I don't know what you expected, but I… I don't know you. You can't just tell me something like this and then just leave. I... man, I think I need more time do digest this. Do you understand?"

With a sigh, Kakashi stopped and withered out of the chuunin's grip on his sleeve before he started to walk again, but in a slower pace this time. Iruka didn't hesitate to follow.

"I though I left my temper at the Academy." Kakashi said to lighten the mood. "Guess I had it with me all along."

"No-one would believe me if I told them that Hatake Kakashi almost threw a tantrum." Iruka agreed.

A fragile silence fell upon them as Iruka tried to think of what to say next and Kakashi waited for him to do that. Finally Iruka decided that thinking was overrated in a situation like this and just said what he had been planning to say all along.

"I'm flattered."

Kakashi gave him a funny look.

"Is that all you're going to say about this? That you're flattered? I could have suffered in silence if that is the only thing I am going to get for my troubles."

"I don't know what else to say! Really. I'm flattered that you think of me like that. I'm aware of how difficult it was for you to tell me and I'm sorry that I'm not sure how to handle it. Like I said; I had no idea, and I don't know you well enough to know what to make of it."

They walked in silence for a while. Then Kakashi shared his thoughts.

"Perhaps that is where the fault lies; that we don't know each other. Who knows, maybe if I knew you better I'd realize what a jerk you are and just move on to a better candidate."

Iruka puffed up his cheeks.

"That's a great way of getting on my good side. Insult me some more and I'll show you just how much of a jerk I can be."

"Aa, I'll do that."

"What?"

"No! I mean, well. It wouldn't have to be dating…"

It took a while for Iruka to catch up on Kakashi's thinking.

"You're right, it wouldn't. It could be 'getting to know each other.' As the acquaintances we are. I could live with that."

"Aa."

The two of them had now reached a crossing where they would have to part to get to their respective houses. Iruka turned to Kakashi because a thought had struck him and he knew he had to ask, no matter how difficult.

"How did you know about my preferences anyway? I know I haven't told anyone."

Kakashi didn't seem to understand what he meant. Then the gears in his head apparently got in place.

"Oh, you mean those." He coughed into his fist. "I didn't know. I heard some women gossip about your former girlfriends at the marketplace and got discouraged. But then I thought I had gone just a little bit too far in... admiring from a safe distance, if you'd call it that. So I decided to… well, in lack of a better word, confess."

"You could say 'come out.'" They both forced a grin to the lame statement. Iruka cocked his head to one side, squinting at Kakashi under the street lamp. "How long have you had this crush, anyway?"

Kakashi looked at him funny again before he shrugged, turned and started to walk down the street to his apartment.

"Drop by at my desk tomorrow, well talk some more then." Iruka called after him, only getting a hand wave as a reply.

After looking at the jounin's retreating back for a few more seconds Iruka turned to his street and started to walk at a steady pace, trying to suppress the slight bounce in his step. He knew what that meant, but decided it was too early to get his hopes up just yet. He hoped that before tomorrow had ended, he would know for sure.

And it had just been an ordinary day.

End.