Title: I'm Right Here

Author: BakayaroManiac (Aida)

Series: Naruto

Pairing: Iruka x Kakashi (yes little Ruru is seme :D)

Genre: General/Romance

Warnings: weirdness, OOC , me attempting to write Iruka as seme.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Iruka x Kakashi, Raidou x Genma and Kotetsu x Izumo would have been canon pairings. It all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and Shonen Jump.

Summary: Iruka tries to find a way to tell Kakashi that he's in love with him.

Iruka had stayed late in the mission room again. The young man was patiently waiting for a certain Copy-nin to hand in his very, very late report. Normally if anyone continuously came late with a report, Iruka would scold said ninja severely. It suddenly mattered less that the nin had been out for weeks, fighting, killing and almost losing limbs and life, Iruka was a very scary man when one didn't give in a report at a right time.

But as it was, Iruka-sensei seemed at first glance to be practicing his patience. People who knew Iruka better, those who worked with the tanned chuunin-sensei or his students, knew the man had incredible patience and the thought of the man practicing it was to them utter bull.

Yet Iruka sat there, waiting for Sharingan Kakashi while correcting jutsu essays written by his elder student class. People who knew Iruka more personally, Kotetsu and Izumo, soon guessed that Iruka had developed a crush on the older man.

Kotetsu had once slung an am around Iruka's neck and jokingly mentioned it on the way to a bar and the chuunin had blushed severely and stuttered very un-Iruka like. Izumo had laughed exclaiming that Iruka should ask him out to Anko's party. Both of Iruka's friends stared when Iruka actually pondered this option with a serious face, swirling his drink gently.

Iruka looked up from his last essay, dotting a final stop and leaning back in the uncomfortable wooden chair, stretching his limbs. It was two hours past his shift, but today was the day before Anko's party and Kakashi-sensei would be turning up and he could ask him out there.

He stood and stepped by the window, noticing by the clock that it was nearing ten thirty. He opened the window, letting a gentle cool breeze brush his face and hair. He took a deep breath, looking over the little yellow dots of the lights in the buildings beneath him from the Hokage tower. Tsunade was probably still working three floors above, sipping her sake as he often had seen her do when he was called up to assist her. Half a year had passed since Naruto had left with Jiraya and Iruka missed him, his high pitched voice screaming for a ramen treat from Iruka's middle where the boy had buried his face in tight hug.

A little group of chubby messenger doves caught his attention, perching on the cable wires dozen feet from his window and he suddenly grinned at the cooing, resting birds. He turned to take a piece of paper and ripped a bunch of slips, crunching them into little balls. He then brought the little handful to the window, aimed and threw a little white ball. There was a surprised squawk and a flutter of wings from one of the birds, stirring up the others. Iruka chuckled to himself while the birds settled again, flicking another one at an angle that hit one in the wing and making it bounce off to flick the bird to its left. They flapped at each other, the one to the left pecking at its innocent and confused comrade. Iruka started laughing gently now entertained for the time being.

"Having fun, Iruka-sensei?" a lazy voice drawled, laced with slight amusement. Iruka whirled around and found no one. "Down here." He looked out the window and found Hatake Kakashi perched on the ninja-sturdy roof of the Hokage tower by his window. Iruka flushed.

"Yo," a gentle wave.

"Kakashi-sensei! Ah, w-welcome back… How was your mission?" The chuunin stepped back to let the taller man step in, putting away the orange book he had his face buried in. Iruka sat by the mission desk and took the report the taller man had digged out from one of his vest pockets. Iruka mentally cringed at the state of the crumpled paper. Thank goodness the man at least had a relatively acceptable handwriting considering the speed rate the characters were written which his trained eyes didn't fail to notice.

"Maa, it was boring. It was just a really long escort mission. The only reason they sent me was because of my reputation and Tsunade-baba wanted to make a good impression." The silver haired jounin smiled, eye crinkling by the force of his cheeks pulling up.

"Lucky you" Iruka deadpanned, earning a little chuckle from Kakashi. Iruka enjoyed talking to the Copy-nin. He knew the older man missed his former students, who had left to pursue their dreams for better or for worse. Both of them had reacted to their departure in a similar way; by burying themselves into their profession and spending as much time from their empty homes as possible. When Iruka had realized that Kakashi was dealing the same way as him, he decided that befriending the Jounin could be good for them both. Iruka had been happy that the other seemed to have consented and gladly shared horror stories from the missions and Iruka, in turn, told him of the years in the academy.

"Ne, Iruka-sensei, how have you been?" gentle tone. The Jounin had perched himself on the desk and Iruka had paused for a short second, staring at the butt –Kakashi's butt- perched on his desk where he had just cleared away papers.

"Ah..?"

"My face is up here." Still that gentle tone. Iruka looked up at him, blushing a little. "I-I'm fine Kakashi. Just working, that's all. Some of us go out for a drink some times…"

"Doesn't it ever bore you?"

Oh god yes, but I have nothing else to do. "Ah, it's alright, I guess." Smiles, "I'm saving up for a trip in the summer vacations if Tsunade-sama will give me a little break." Iruka yawned at the last words.

"That sounds like a great plan. But I think I have kept you long enough and you look tired, good night Iruka-sensei." Kakashi slid off the table and started walking towards the window again. Iruka fidgeted. "Kakashi!"

Kakashi stopped one knee already on the windowsill "Hn?"

"Uh… A-are you busy tomorrow night? C-cause Anko's having a party and…"

"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, I have another mission tomorrow…" Kakashi scratched the back of his head.

"But you just came back from a mission!"

"Aa, but that wasn't exactly a mission - mission. Tsunade still needs me for this last spying job. I'll get a whole month of freedom afterwards!" He added lightly, walking back to Iruka.

Iruka smiled, "You probably need it… Good night Kakashi." The silver haired man patted his back. "Lets go out for Ramen when I get back then. Jaa!" Iruka's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but the jounin had already disappeared. Iruka sighed, plunking his forehead on the table.

"I suck!"

- IxK IxK IxK -

Anko's party was a success, as usual. Many a jounin and chuunin turned up with drinks and snacks, the music booming and laughter filtered though it. Iruka had been given several cheer-up drinks from Kotetsu and Izumo and he had really enjoyed himself in the beginning. But as the night progressed and people got more drunk and some more frisky,(Anko had felt up his ass three times by now) he decided to get some fresh air. He passed Kurenai who was trying to have Asuma to get up and dance with her and further down the dance floor he could see Kotetsu looking a lot like he was trying to grind a hole through Izumo's pants. He chuckled at the two pairs, stepping out.

His balance was a little off, but he managed to walk, breathing in the cool spring air. He made his way down the street and found his feet taking him down a little, but well-used path, the lack of streetlights there bathed everything around Iruka in a silvery-white moonlight. The sky was completely clear for an almost complete full moon to light up the familiar path.

Iruka's heart sank a little as he moved down the path, trees soon spreading to reveal a small rounded clearing with a paved circle in the middle. A particular sculpture was also placed in the middle decades ago. Names engraved, decades ago, years ago, months, weeks, maybe even a few days ago. His eyes located a spot on the long list of names long before he reached the paved area.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, a silent greeting to the dead as he stoked the engravings of two particular names. After a few moments a loud pop and rustling of clothes startled him and he flipped around immediately taking on a defense position.

"Iruka!" a voice just as startled as he felt.

"K-Kakashi?" Iruka straightened, a hand braced on his thundering chest.

"Maa, did I startle you? Sorry!" He patted Iruka's back gently smiling apologetically.

"Ah, didn't expect anyone to turn up here at this time!" He smiled at Kakashi.

"True. Weren't you supposed to be at Anko's party? I think half the Jounin and Chuunin population is there."

"I bet they are. I don't know… I was there, but… I don't know. Didn't feel like getting smashed alone. You know Kotetsu and Izumo are together right?" Kakashi nodded. "And I think Raidou scored with Genma-san. Oh, and even though Anko constantly tries to flirt with me and molest me, I do have a feeling she has a thing going on with Gai."

Kakashi's visible eye widened comically and Iruka chuckled. "What?"

"No way, she chose Gai - Maito Gai – over you?!" He inspected Iruka closer, looking into his eyes. "You sure no one put something in your drink to cause you hallucinations?" Iruka laughed outright, deep from his belly, his eyes shining. The laugh was obviously contagious because Kakashi soon joined the laughter. When they calmed down, Iruka's face flushed and and Kakashi's eye watered, Iruka looked at him.

"What about you? Visiting family before leaving?" Iruka turned to search for the Hatake name on the stone.

"No family, just old friends." He pointed at the stone on a name before the nin who died in battle at the Kyuubi incident. Uchiha Obito. Then the finger filed over the long list of names through the Kyuubi incident to the last name on that particular list. Yondaime.

Iruka looked at both names for a long while. He knew the Yondaime was Kakashi's Genin sensei back then. He only remembered the Uchiha boy vaguely from seeing him as a young child, he assumed that he was probably also on Kakashi's team. He then turned to the Jounin beside him. Kakashi looked tired, the moonlight making his pale skin look as transparent, shiny and white as a ghost. For a brief second Iruka's stomach clenched in fear as his imagination flared making Kakashi look like he was slowly disappearing before his eyes.

He grabbed Kakashi's arms, desperate to know, to feel the man was still there. "Hey…" Kakashi's eyes remained blank. "Kakashi-sensei." He turned Kakashi by the shoulders to look into the eye and patted his cheek gently. The man blinked the eye focusing on Iruka now. "You alright?"

"Aa… I was… speaking to the dead, so to say." He smiled nervously and Iruka saw a small tint of red show just over the edge of the dark facemask from his close proximity. Iruka decided that he looked adorable like that.

"How rude, to speak to the dead when you have a live friend right beside you."

Iruka felt a hesitant hand curl into the fabric of his shirt over his shoulder. A hopeful, almost desperate look in the single grey eye. "We're friends?"

"Of course. And I mean it you don't have to speak to the dead. I'm right here."

Kakashi broke their stare; the hand was now clenching the shirt as he stared at his feet. A long silent moment passed. Then Iruka slowly moved forward and wrapped his arms around Kakashi's firm, but slim waist, one around his torso the other around his lower back, pulling the taller man against his chest. The jounin was tense and his breathing had stilled. Iruka gave him a persistent squeeze which made Kakashi relax considerably. Then slowly he buried his face into the space between Iruka's shoulder and neck and Iruka felt the others chest rise and fall in a deep sigh.

Iruka was surprised at himself. He wasn't blushing or stuttering, his heart wasn't thundering in a wild attept to break through his chest. He finally had Kakashi in his arms and he felt calm and collected. It was wonderful. He smiled at the moon and mentally howled at it in satisfied glee and pride. A small chuckle escaped his lips.

Kakashi turned his face towards him, the spiky grey mess also known as Kakashi's hair, tickled the Chuunin's ear. "What?"

Iruka, turned his head, their faces less than an inch apart. He smiled softly at Kakashi, who was still blushing and judging from the muscle pulling Kakashi's cheeks up and crinkling his eye, the man was smiling back.

Iruka didn't think. If Iruka had thought he would have mentally kicked himself. His mind would have screamed for him to stop. He would have run as far away as possible over the city's rooftops and all the way to his house which he once had shared with loving parents, under the blankets of his bed and stayed there for a long long time, fighting embarrassment. But Iruka wasn't thinking. He was acting on pure impulse for the third time in front of Kakashi.

He tilted his head forward and had his lips pressed firmly to where he assumed Kakashi's lips were under the mask. When Kakashi didn't pull away, he tilted his head a little to the side and felt with his lips where the swell of lips exactly was located. He felt Kakashi shift in his grip, making a little noise then pulled his face away.

"Kakashi… I…" Iruka slowly loosened his hold.

"Stupid mask is in the way." Kakashi pulled the mask down with a free hand and grinned at Iruka, his face completely red now.

Iruka's brain imploded. He damned all the wonderings about what Kakashi's face looked like to Hell and tightened his grip again feeling Kakashi's hands curl into his shirt on his back. Their lips pressed together again and Iruka's heart skipped a beat. Kakashi's lips were incredibly soft and Iruka couldn't resist nibbling the lower lip, getting a small pleased noise from Kakashi.

He licked at the lower lip, parting them and Kakashi shyly opened his mouth to give the younger man access. Iruka slipped his tongue in and licked at Kakashi's getting a hesitant response. He wondered if the Jounin had ever kissed anyone before. The man seemed so shy and hesitating, but Iruka loved that. He loved it even more when Kakashi kissed back with more enthusiasm. None of them cared how long it took for them to finally pull back for precious air; Iruka gave Kakashi's upper lip a little breathless nibble before pulling back and smiling at the pale man.

"Guh…" Kakashi's face was beet red by now, his eye glazed over and judging from the heat Iruka felt in his cheeks, he was pretty sure he sported a blush to rival Kakashi's. The silver haired jounin buried his face in Iruka's shoulder again.

Iruka was gently stroking Kakashi's back and kissing the warm temple. "I think it's time for you to go…"

"Hn? Where?"

"You have a mission Kakashi-sensei" Iruka spoke with mirth in his voice.

"Oh yeah."

Neither moved. Iruka's chest convulsed and he let out a laugh again. Kakashi hummed in response and pulled out of Iruka's grip. He pulled on his mask and stared up at the stars.

"When will you be back? You still owe me ramen."

"In three weeks or so…" Kakashi scrathed the back of his head.

"Then I'll see you in three weeks."

"Sure."

"Jaa matta."

"Jaa!" A rustle of clothes and Kakashi had leaped into the trees and disappeared into the darkness.

Iruka stood there for a while, letting it all sink in. Then he jumped and shouted out loud sounding like someone who just won a long bloody battle. He turned towards the memorial stone and grazed his eyes over the names of his parents, then Obito and Yondaime. "Wish me luck and let him come back safe." He whispered to them and bowed deeply.

TBC
IxK IxK Ixk

Woo I finally wrote an Irukaka fic! Goodness that was about time. I hope this wasn't too bad.

Anyways… I should be drawing art for this fic XD

And tell me, how many of you guys like Iruka seme? Anyone of you who like me think there isn't enough? I'd gladly write (and especially draw) yaoi porn with them if anyone is interested cause I'm better at drawing than writing. I already have a bunch of artworks on Deviantart if anyone is interested in seeing those. (Includes a fanart for Princess Tyler Briefs' fanfiction 'EvenThough')
linkage is found on my profile.

Love - Aida