AN: It's been a bout a year if not more since the last time I've posted anything, but just because I haven't posted, doesn't mean I haven't been writing. I present to you this little tidbit of my work. I have a bunch of stuff lined up and a lot of them are multi-chaps. =] So I'll stop rambling so you can start reading.
Disclaimer: With my work ethic, if Naruto were mine, you'd never get a new chapter every week…
'Thoughts'
"Talking"
Iruka had a bad day at work. His class had been more annoying than ever, unable to sit still for more than five minutes before they started talking and complaining that worksheets were boring and they wanted to go outside for kunai practice. Many small children were hung upside down from the ceiling that day… To add to the misery, the missions' room was more crowded that usual. It was that time of the month again, when ninja of every rank and age would gather to hear the latest gossip and place their bets on the latest contests, wagers, etc. Tsunade could have stopped it, had she not been participating in it as well. When it got to a point that Iruka couldn't even hear himself think (which it did every month) he would explode and start yelling at the nin to get their lazy butts out of the damn room and find somewhere else to hold their … Whatever this was. The room was empty in a heartbeat. 'But they'll be back next month. They always are.' Not to mention that through all of this, Iruka was constantly thinking about Kakashi, who was supposed to be back from a week-long mission three days ago.
Finally the end of his shift finally arrived and Iruka was on his way home, carrying a bag of hot, delicious ramen from Ichiraku's and he couldn't have been more relieved that this hellish day was over. At least, that was what he thought before he opened the door to his and Kakashi's shared apartment to find said man resting on their couch in a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt with his mask and headband removed.
Iruka was overjoyed. His boyfriend was back and he seemed fine, if not a bit tired, but he usually was. As he was setting the bag down in the kitchen, he heard Kakashi sleepily call out his name.
"Sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked.
"Yeah, but I'm glad you did." Kakashi said, rubbing his eyes and sitting up with a wince. "Come here. Sit with me."
"Are you sure? You're not hurt, are you?" Iruka asked when he noticed the wince. The copy-nin looked a bit stiff.
"Nothing major, I'm fine. I'm just tired. Now sit." He said, patting the couch.
Iruka joined him on the couch. Kakashi was lying on it in such a way the only option was to sit between his lover's legs. Once settled, he laid back on Kakashi's chest and the other wrapped his arms around the younger man.
"Why so affectionate?" Iruka asked. "Usually you just pass out on our bed and sleep for days after a mission like this."
"Don't worry, I will. I just need this right now. I just need to hold you. Just like this." Kakashi said, tightening his arms around the chuunin.
"If you're hungry, I bought ramen." Iruka said.
"It's okay, I already ate." The older man lied. "Just stay here a little longer."
A comfortable moment of silence passed between them. No sound was heard other than the ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Iruka was falling asleep in the jounin's embrace when the older man's voice brought him back.
"You know I love you, right?" Kakashi asked.
"Of course I know that. And I love you too."
Kakashi smiled. Oh how Iruka loved that smile. Kakashi gave a tired chuckle and sighed. "You know you're too good for me, right?" He asked.
It was Iruka's turn to sigh. "Kakashi, how many times have we gone over this? I'm not too good for you and you're not too good for me. We're perfect for each other, just as we are, and leave it at that."
"I know." Kakashi admitted. "I just love hearing you say it."
They stayed like that a bit longer, another comfortable silence falling over the two. Again, Iruka was falling asleep in his lover's arms, the exhaustion of the day catching up with him, but this time there were no words to rouse him and the two fell asleep like that on the couch; ramen completely forgotten on the kitchen table, but neither of the two men could care in the least, because it was moments like these that made everything worth it.
There's an alternative ending to this story! ^_^ I'll post it up later today. Until then, Ja ne!