Title: Scotophobia
Author: B.l.k.tyger
E-mail: PG
Warnings: implied M/M relationships
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters to the anime series Naruto, by Masashi Kishimoto etc.,
Author's Note: Inspired by the story I'm Not Afraid of the Dark, by ah...damn...Tyger forgot. Err...you'll probably find some similarities, but Tyger tried her best. Anyhow...have fun reading, review if you have the time!

Kakashi was curled contently on the floor of the living room. His back was leaning against the couch, reading the latest edition of Icha Icha. The book had been a gift from Naruto after the boy, no…young man had returned from a mission with Sasuke and the Toad Hermit.

It had been a few years after Naruto had returned with the Uchiha. However, with both Sasuke and Naruto in the village, with their destructive tendencies, well…Tsunade had pulled a favor from Jiraiya to take the two out. It was necessary experience and it gave the boys something to put their energies into.

It was storming outside, lightning and thunder flashing and roaring. Kakashi didn't need to look to know that it was raining really hard. Iruka had gone out to eat with the boys, having been invited to go eat with them at Ichiraku like old times.

Kakashi had declined because of the weather. He didn't like getting too wet and it had been obvious it was going to rain. Iruka had gone of course, never passing up a chance to hang out and chat with his ex-students. They had been gone for about two hours now.

Kakashi only looked up from his book when he heard his lover open the door. Iruka was completely and utterly drenched as he stood there, grinning sheepishly as he looked over at his seated lover and closed the door. Kakashi chuckled, setting the book on his lap.

"When are you ever going to bring an umbrella, dolphin-chan?" Kakashi gave a mock sigh of irritation as he watched the academy teacher remove his sandals near the front of

"Hmm…probably never!" Iruka replied innocently, only glaring playfully at the nickname.

Kakashi leaned forward and rested his elbow on his crossed legs, resting the side of his face in the palm of his hand. "And is there any specific reason why you never bring an umbrella?" he asked, mirroring Iruka's innocent tone.

Removing his vest to hang on the coat rack, Iruka looked at Kakashi, "Yup." Iruka replied cheekily, still smiling.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow, removed the book from his lap and stood up. He walked over to help his chuunin remove his shirt. "And your reasons are…"

Iruka chuckled. "I like walking in the rain."

Kakashi grinned lecherously. He grabbed Iruka by the waist and pulled him close. Iruka gave a little yelp of surprise from the sudden movement, pulled flush to Kakashi's warm chest. Kakashi had pressed his face to Iruka's neck, breathing in his scent.

Iruka's face heated up instantly, though he did pull back slightly, resting his forehead against Kakashi's

"Love you." He whispered.

"Mmm….love you too." Kakashi murmured back, planting a chaste kiss on his lover's lips.

Kakashi loved moments like these. He always felt the urge to push up the hitai-ate band and just let the Sharingan memorize every little detail for him. It wasn't that he didn't do that already with his own eye, but it lacked the ability to retain said details over time unlike the Sharingan.

He nipped at Iruka's lower lip playfully. "Go get changed already, before you catch a cold. I don't kiss sick people!"

Iruka laughed, stepping away as he made his way to the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes. Kakashi settled back in his place on the floor and started reading his Icha Icha again, waiting for Iruka to finish showering.

Iruka sat on the couch, now wearing casual clothes like Kakashi. Kakashi wore a white t-shirt and black sweatpants, while Iruka wore a navy blue shirt that had Anbu printed across the front that belonged to Kakashi and his own grey sweatpants.

He was reading a book that had been gifted to him by Sasuke. It was actually quite interesting.

Outside was a musical cacophony of nature's sounds. Unlike most people, Iruka enjoyed the sound of storms; it didn't scare him at all. He was used to it, and it was fun to hear. Kakashi didn't seem to mind the lightning and thunder either. He had lightning moves after all.

They sat comfortable together, reading as the listened to the harmonies of nature outside. It was soothing and peaceful. That is until the lights began flickering.

Iruka had looked up from his book when the lights flickered the first time. When he looked down at Kakashi, he couldn't help the grin that threatened to make its way through.

To anyone who didn't know the Copy nin, they wouldn't have noticed it. The wouldn't have noticed the way the jounin's shoulders tensed, the way his single blue eye would shift nervously up towards the light before fixing itself resolutely back at his book.

When a particularly loud clap of thunder echoed through the house and the lights went out completely, Iruka found himself with an armful of jounin.

"What?" Kakashi asked defensively.

Iruka chuckled quietly, trying to hide it, but he knew his lover could feel his shaking frame. He set his book down over the side of the couch and smirked at the jounin, even if the other couldn't see it. "Kashi-kun...are you afraid of the dark?" he asked teasingly.

Kakashi's eye widened in the complete blackness. "What?!" he shouted incredulously, that was obviously an impossible thought. "Of course not! Why would you think that?" Kakashi asked with narrowed eyes and a small pout.

"Because you've been tense since the lights started flickering and…maybe the fact that you're currently in my lap now that the lights are out." Iruka couldn't see the pout, but he could practically feel it anyways as he raised an eyebrow at his lover.

Kakashi blushed a small tint of pink and buried his face in the chuunin's chest. "I'm not afraid of the dark." He mumbled, "I'm a shinobi! We're warriors of the dark!"

"That is very true, but it doesn't mean you're automatically not afraid of the dark. Admit it, you're afraid of the dark!" Iruka almost snickered.

Kakashi huffed. "No. I'm not afraid of the dark." There was a pause as Iruka felt Kakashi shift away from him and settled back on the floor. Kakashi narrowed his eyes stubbornly at Iruka, whom he was quite sure was smirking at him. Kakashi pouted. "I'm not afraid of the dark...I just wanted to sit on the couch with you..that's all." he defended weakly.

Iruka grinned and squealed inwardly. 'He's adorable...and I'm the only person who gets to see it!' Iruka thought with a chuckle. "There's nothing wrong with being scared Kashi...if you just admit it, you don't have to use lame excuses to cover it," he said, shifting in his seat on the couch, now that the lights had flickered back on.

Kakashi sat up and twisting around to move closer to the couch and face towards Iruka. He kneeled, wedging himself between Iruka's legs, nudging them further apart so that he could rest his arms on either side of Iruka's thighs. Iruka had picked up his book and was already back to reading it, but he moved it to the side to look at Kakashi with a raised eyebrow.

"What is it, Kashi-kun?"

Kakashi had his eyes narrowed at Iruka. "I'm not afraid of the dark, Ruru," Kakashi said sternly, his eyes challenging Iruka to say something to counter this obvious 'fact'.

Iruka just stared back at Kakashi for several seconds before nodding. "Okay." he went straight back to reading his book without another word.

Kakashi gasped, taken aback by this reaction. Okay? Okay?! That's all he had to say?! He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Iruka. "You don't believe me, do you?!"

Iruka shook his head, forcing his face into a neutral expression. "I believe you." he said in a very familiar voice. It was the voice of a parent or teacher when they were talking to their child about imaginary friends. It was the voice that clearly said, 'I don't believe you, but I'll say it to make you feel better'.

"Rukaaa!" Kakashi whined. "I'm not af-" the lights abruptly went out again as a bright flash of lightning struck quite close. Caught off guard, he lunged for Iruka again. This time he was blushing deeply when he felt Iruka's eyes on him. He just knew his lover had a smirk on his face that made Kakashi feel pathetic.

Kakashi glared at Iruka's chest and pushed himself away, settling back down where he was before. He crossed his arms, huffing, looking irritated and fidgeting the slightest bit as he forced himself to stay where he was.

Iruka chuckled and took pity on his silver haired jounin. "Kakashi love...even if you're afraid…" he could feel Kakashi's glare turn on him, "If you just want to sit with me, then come up here already." Iruka smirked.

Kakashi contemplated Iruka's words for a few moments, then stood up. Iruka shifted on the couch, turning lengthwise as Kakashi snuggled in between his legs. Iruka wrapped both arms around Kakashi's waist, hold him close and rested his chin on a shoulder. He smiled when Kakashi wiggled a little closer to him.

"Ruka-koi?" Kakashi whispered softly.

"Yes Kashi?"

"Y-You don't think less of me, do you?" he asked in embarrassment frowning at the thought that now, Iruka might think less about him because of this…fear.

Iruka frowned, tightening his grip slightly. "Why would I ever think any less of you?" As if that were possible. He thought sarcastically, keeping the thought to himself.

"Because…I-I'm Sharingan Kakashi…the Copy nin…and I get ahh…I'm afraid of the dark" he muttered the admittance under his breath, the shock of silver hair shifted in Iruka's face as his lover lowered his head.

Iruka shook his head and smiled. "Kashi, that's nothing. I find it incredibly cute actually." Iruka chuckled when he realized that Kakashi was now sulking. "And I still love you, no matter what your fears are."

"Really?"

Iruka laughed. Too cute. "Really."

"Really really?" Kakashi grinned slightly, but when he didn't hear any more from Iruka, he twisted around, opened his mouth and got cut off when his lover pressed his lips sharply to Kakashi's own. Iruka smiled through the kiss and put his hand behind Kakashi's head, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss.

Kakashi didn't protest the action what so ever, happily responding with matching enthusiasm. Iruka's tongue was making him forget everything, and he loved the way Iruka would run his tongue across every bit of his mouth.

When they separated, Iruka smiled warmly at him. "Really really." he placed his arm around Kakashi again and reached around to grab his book and resume his reading. Kakashi stared at Iruka and sighed softly.

"Ruka?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." He tilted his head up slightly and kissed the Iruka's forehead.

Iruka blushed and smiled. "I know koi."

"So Ruka-love...why don't you admit your fear and read an Icha Icha book?" Kakashi asked with a lecherous grin.

Iruka narrowed his eyes at Kakashi. "Dream on you pervert! I'm not afraid of that book!" He retorted with a blush.

"Uh huh, you're pervert though." Kakashi replied in that same voice of disbelief Iruka had used on him, smirking at the glare he received.

"Damn right." Iruka grinned affectionately.

Kakashi rested his head with Iruka's and continued to read his own book, forgetting the darkness that had once flooded the house. He felt much safer and much more comforted lying like this in a warm silence with Iruka. He smiled at the thought twisting back around to lie comfortably up against Iruka's chest, lightly laughing when Iruka nuzzled him.

Perhaps the darkness wasn't that bad after all.