Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

Hi there and thanks for sparing my little story a few moments of your time! I have to explain the title because if you continue to read this story you'll think I'm crazy otherwise. This story came about because of all the wonderful pictures I've found depicting Iruka and Kakashi being their wonderful selves together. I wish I could tell you where I found each and every picture, but I can give you a few sources: twitchi, sakayume, Admantius, mangacat and hmo. Unfortunately, I can't tell you if they're on deviant art or y!hosting. Sorry about that.

Anyway, I hope you like the story. It's my first foray in Naruto fanfiction, let me know what you think.

Picture This

Chapter 1

He wandered the dark and deserted streets, his mannerisms suggesting one out for a casual stroll. However, all his senses were alert and stretched to their limits, seeking, calculating, very much aware of his surroundings from the birds in the trees to the bugs burrowing underfoot.

Hatake Kakashi didn't sleep much at night. He quietly roamed the streets, keeping a silent vigil over his home. Yes, it kept him from being on time to train his students, but it was necessary. He would rather his students look poorly on his sense of punctuality then die because he didn't keep his promise to always watch over them.

As he continued his nightly stroll, his one visible eye roaming over the buildings, he caught sight of an open window with light pouring out into the darkness. No one should be in the school building at this hour.

It was easy enough to reach the second story window ledge and secure the perch as he observed the room. Instead of finding intruders or troublesome children, he found someone slumped over a desk, completely unaware of his presence. This is why I must keep my vigil.

Kakashi quietly made his way over to the slumbering figure and allowed a smile to show through his ever present face mask.

"What would your students say, Iruka-sensei?"

He reached out and gently shook the teacher's shoulder.

"Iruka? Wake up. You need to go home. Iruka?"

A mumbled moan of protest and several seconds of slowly blinking eyes were all the reaction Kakashi received. He leaned over and studied the sleeping teacher closely and finally came to a conclusion.

"You're not just tired. You're sick."

Deciding he wasn't going to get any helpful movement from Iruka, he gently hoisted the sleeping man onto his shoulders and teleported directly to the med station. Once there, a very stern-looking older woman took Iruka off his hands, literally, and told Kakashi to remain in the lobby.

After two hours, Kakashi was approached by the nurse who took Iruka away from him and told him to go home.

"But…is he ok? May I see him?"

"He's resting now. We have given him an IV and he'll be sent home tomorrow. Now go home before I have one of my lovely assistants escort you."

He looked over in the direction the nurse nodded and saw three young bruisers all sneering at him, practically salivating at the chance to fight someone. Like they could make me go anywhere.

"Hmph."

Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke, deciding he would just check up on the ailing chuunin on his own time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Knowing the type of dedicated and stubborn person that Iruka was, Kakashi wasn't surprised when he showed up at the school early the next morning to find Iruka sitting at his desk, preparing for the day's lesson.

"Good morning."

Iruka jerked and let out a small gasp at the sound of the smooth voice. He looked over to see Kakashi crouching on the window ledge and he sat back with a sigh, trying to get his heart back under control. I can't believe I let him sneak up on me like that. I must be more tired than I thought.

"Good morning, Kakashi. What are you doing here? Don't you have students of your own you should be training?"

Kakashi waved his hand lazily, dismissing Iruka's raised eyebrow and smirk.

"If I showed up now it would only serve to confuse them."

Iruka saw the smile behind the mask and he could only shake his head. How someone like him became a teacher, I'll never understand.

"So how are you feeling today? I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up, but that nurse---"

"What?! How did you know I was at the med station last night?"

Iruka was standing, his hands firmly planted on his desk, his normally warm brown eyes demanding answers.

Kakashi hid his momentary surprise at Iruka's sudden change in demeanor and just chuckled as he made his way into the schoolroom and found his next perch: the corner of Iruka's desk.

"How do you think you got there? Didn't they tell you who brought you in? Don't you remember anything from last night?"

Iruka lost his rigid posture and hung his head, trying to hide his flushed cheeks that showed his embarrassment.

"When I woke up and didn't recognize my surroundings I left through the window."

"You left? That doesn't sound like the responsible Iruka-sensei I know."

The chuunin's head whipped up and he was once again glaring at the calm countenance of the silver-haired man leaning on the corner of his desk.

"I panicked when I woke up in a strange bed. The last thing I remembered was being here, grading papers. Are you saying that you found me and took me there?"

"Yup."

"But….how?"

"I saw the light on and came to investigate. I figured it was too late at night for anyone to be here, but lo and behold, I found our beloved dedicated sensei, passed out on his desk."

Iruka couldn't shake the feeling he was being mocked by the copynin and it only served to raise his ire even more.

"Well, we can't all have such flexible schedules like you, Kakashi. Some of us take our responsibilities seriously."

Even though Iruka's words were insulting, Kakashi heard the defensiveness as well. Why does he take everything so personally?

"Iruka, calm down. I'm only teasing you. I have nothing but the utmost respect for what you do. But I do think you need to take a step back and fully recover from being sick."

"I'm not sick!"

Kakashi met the defiant brown eyes with his one visible steel blue eye, his amusement evident. He's so stubborn and prideful. Kinda like a certain orange jumpsuited genin I know. He put his hands up in defeat and got up, making his way to the window again.

"Alright, I can see when I'm fighting a losing battle." Kakashi was crouching on the sill, ready to leap, when he looked back at the teacher whose eyes were still on him. When he spoke, his voice was softer, more serious. "Just make sure to take care of yourself, Iruka."

Iruka remained staring at the empty window for several moments, his thoughts occupied with a certain silver-haired man who had always been a mystery to him. He admired Kakashi's skills and knew there were few that could match his abilities in the village. He seemed to be well liked and it wasn't that Iruka hated the man, but they'd never quite reached a point where they cared to get to know one another outside of business.

Iruka could understand and appreciate why Kakashi had taken him to the med station, but what he couldn't figure out was why he had tried to remain with him. He mentioned something about a nurse. Did he find someone else to occupy his attention? Iruka frowned at the assumed carefree behavior of the copynin. And what was he doing out so late at night? More theories of immoral behavior popped into Iruka's mind and he growled as he sat back down at his desk. His behavior better not rub off on Naruto!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi washed the coffee cup and set it on the counter next to the coffee pot for use again tomorrow. He stretched lazily and yawned as he made his way back to his bedroom to get dressed and meet up with Team 7.

I'm sure Sasuke has kept them busy while I've been gone for the past two days.

The copynin smirked as he pulled his face guard up, imagining the young Uchiha making them work harder than he himself probably would have. That boy needs to lighten up or he's going to spontaneously combust.

The past two days found Kakashi on a mission for the Hokage and even though his mind had been totally focused on his goal, once his mission was accomplished and he started back for the village, his thoughts turned to Iruka. When he arrived late last night he made sure to stop by the school building to make sure no one was there and he was pleased to find the place dark and silent.

I guess he took my advice and stayed home to rest.

His own thought made him chuckle as he sauntered outside and headed towards the bridge where his students were no doubt waiting for him. As he made his way to his destination he noticed several children running around, playing. Shouldn't they be in school? He grabbed an unsuspecting young boy by the collar as he ran by and held him up for questioning.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!"

Indignant eyes soon went wide in recognition and the struggling boy suddenly stilled.

"Why aren't you in school?"

"S-sensei….he n-never showed up."

Kakashi dropped the young boy without another thought and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi popped in outside Iruka's apartment building and raced inside, looking for the teacher's apartment number on the building directory. Finding the information he needed, he ascended the staircase arriving at apartment 2B. After knocking on the door several times and receiving no answer, Kakashi threw propriety aside and made quick work of the simple lock and cautiously entered the apartment, prepared for the worst. It wasn't like Iruka to neglect his responsibilities. If he didn't show up and/or make other arrangements for his students, something had to be terribly wrong.

Kakashi found himself in a narrow entrance hallway, the apartment quiet as a tomb.

"Iruka?"

He slowly made his way into the apartment, body tense.

"Iruka."

A small moan stopped the ninja in his tracks. Suddenly all his senses were strained to their limits trying to detect the trouble that lie ahead. Prepared for a sneak attack, Kakashi cleared the short hallway and found himself in a spacious living room. There he found the source of the moan.

Iruka sat slumped on the corner of the sofa, no visible wounds, with his head resting on his arm which was on the arm rest. Kakashi made a quick search of the premises, just in case, and then returned to the sleeping man.

He stooped down and studied the sleeping chunin, his concern still demanding a thorough investigation. Satisfied Iruka was in fact just sleeping, Kakashi nudged him awake.

"Iruka. Iruka. Wake up."

"Nnnng……k…ashi?"

"You fell asleep."

"Yes…..sleep…."

Kakashi frowned, his paranoid nature putting poison back in the forefront of his mind. Maybe I should take him to the med station again. Kakashi picked Iruka up, gently cradling him, and teleported to the med station.

To be continued……