HUD: Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews and follows. I appreciate you all dearly. :) Now, I know I mentioned it before, but here's the deal with this - I have four chaptered stories going right now. So I have everything in rotation to keep the updates fair. It is as thus: Hesitate, Summertime Cafe, Tony Stark's How To: Guide for Seducing Loki Laufeyson, and Behind Closed Doors. Nothing is on hiatus, nothing is a one-shot (just to avoid confusion). Thanks for reading, and I'll see you below!

At seven the next morning Iruka was up. He dressed casually and light, deciding the interior for the shut in café was probably full of dust and stuffy and far too warm. He brushed his teeth and pulled his hair back a bit higher than usual, too. Finally ready, he locked his rented room door behind him and took the stairs two at a time.

The drive to the café wasn't far - in fact, it was only half a mile down the road. Iruka knew that would be good for business to be so near a school and one of the town's busiest bed and breakfasts. Perhaps he could speak to the owner and make a partnership.

He pulled his old Honda in and swung in a wide circle, backing his trunk up directly before the door. Iruka debated briefly about taking his keys in - he didn't want to risk losing them - so he dropped them into a cup holder and rolled his window down manually. After popping the trunk, he paused before the café.

The open sign for The Den was off, with a small laminated sign on the door for normal hours. Iruka walked up, reading nine for Tuesday. It seemed to open at nine each day except Sunday. The owner had never called Iruka last night, but one of the things he wanted to discuss were operating times. The teacher had a limited window to work with during the summer, after all. Just thinking about work made Iruka sigh. The drive wasn't terrible, but he would need some place to live for the three months he would be here for summer. Maybe the bed and breakfast -

"Maa, you're early." Iruka nearly jumped from his skin as he spun. The man from yesterday - Kakashi - was standing almost directly behind him. Today he still wore the black sweater pushed back at the elbows and dark jeans and scarf, but he honestly seemed as surprised to see Iruka as Iruka did him.

"So are you," he accused. Kakashi's eye crinkled in a smile.

"Just out walking," Kakashi deflected. "Good morning."

"Oh, ah, 'morning," Iruka said, feeling his face flush. He spent all his time trying to teach kids manners and proper language through literature and he forgot his own. "How has your day been so far?"

"Uneventful," the man answered. Iruka nodded, smiling pleasantly. "Early."

"A late sleeper?" Iruka teased. Kakashi shrugged.

"Try to be. This little brat wouldn't leave me alone," he grumbled, jerking his right arm. The action drew Iruka's attention to a thin leash attached to his wrist, and even further to the small furry mass sitting patiently.

"Well hello!" Iruka cooed, crouching down closer to Kakashi's feet. The little pug eyed him with the single most bored expression Iruka had ever seen on a dog's face when he held his hand out. "He looks so enthused."

"Maa, you know what they say - dogs tend to look like their owners." Iruka glanced up at Kakashi and then back down at the pug and couldn't agree more.

"What's his name?"

"Pakkun," Kakashi answered. He nudged the dog forward with his boot. "Say hello."

Pakkun huffed but moved. He lazily nudged his squished snout against Iruka's outstretched fingers. The teacher smiled and scratched lightly. "See, not too bad, Pakkun. I'm friendly."

The dog huffed again, as if agreeing was quite a chore. Iruka chuckled and treated the dog to a thick chin scratch. His little tongue flopped out in a wide doggy grin when Iruka was finished.

"He's adorable," the teacher said, smiling, as he stood.

"Don't let him hear you say that - it'll go straight to his ego," Kakashi answered. As if on cue, Pakkun trotted forward and jumped up against Iruka's legs for more attention. The teacher patted his head and scratched between his ears.

"Too late, apparently," Iruka chuckled. Kakashi gazed at him for a moment. Iruka felt the stare but ignored it in favour of Pakkun. Kakashi was just keeping an eye on his dog. Obviously.

"Well," Iruka said once the weight of Kakashi's gaze became too much. "I should get started. I have a long day ahead."

"I could help," Kakashi offered. Pakkun jumped back from Iruka's legs and settled back into his previous seat - on Kakashi's boot. "I have nothing going on."

"I...what about Pakkun?" Iruka asked quickly. He could feel his face beginning to flush.

"He'll hang around," Kakashi said dismissively. He stooped to unhook the leash from Pakkun's black leather collar. The pug gave a long shake that began from the tip of his nose and ended at his cropped tail. He trotted over to the tree on the edge of the café and flopped down on the cool roots. Iruka swallowed.

"Well, then," Iruka said, smiling. "Thank you."

Kakashi nodded and folded the leash up. "No thanks needed," he said, tucking the leash in his back pocket. He held his hand out towards the frosted glass door. "After you?"

Iruka nodded and swallowed again - hard - before digging out the keyring the lawyer had given him. It had three keys and a flip flop keychain with sand in the heel, stamped in faded black text: Destin, Florida. Iruka flipped around until he found the one marked with FD, which he could only assume to be 'front door', and pressed the key in the lock and turned.

A soft hiss echoed when he pulled the door out. The stench of stale air, heat, and dust made his nostrils tingle as he stepped in. There was a bright blue brick near the wall that Iruka used to keep the door from swinging close. After a quick glance at Kakashi, he stepped in.

The interior would need a serious overhaul. Several of the barstools had rips from the leather not being properly nurtured, a few splintered chairs and cracked tabletops. Everything carried a thick lair of dust, undisturbed in the twenty years the café had last seen life. A quick sweep calmed Iruka's suspicions of rats or mice living in the lot, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"There's no droppings, at least," he muttered. Kakashi had wandered further in, dropping his hand to the top of the bar.

"This was my seat," he said. The bar top was small, only four stools wide, but very homey. "I was here almost every Saturday."

"So was I," Iruka said with a smile. "Maybe we met."

The look Kakashi gave him rooted him. "Maybe." The gaze was intense, the tone soft, and it took all Iruka had to suppress the sudden shiver racing up his spine.

Kakashi had not at all seemed familiar to him, but then again all he had seen were pale forearms and his right eye. Maybe they really had met - they're around the same age, or so Iruka guessed, so the odds aren't so farfetched. He had been here so young, though, and so much had happened since then.

If he was lucky, maybe he could see what Kakashi really looked like, under that scarf and wild hair. Then again this place was pretty dusty, and keeping the scarf up would make much more sense -

"Iruka?" Iruka started, not realizing he had been lost in thought until Kakashi's hand was waving in front of his face. "You with me?"

"Uh, yes! Sorry!" He stuttered, grinning to hide the flush he felt creeping up. Kakashi, thankfully, didn't mention it.

"Should we get started?" He said. Iruka nodded quickly.

"Yeah, I'll bring in the supplies." Anything to get some fresh air. He lifted his trunk lid and pulled out the box of cleaning supplies he had brought - bleach, floor cleaner, a few mouse traps, box of gloves, hand duster, bag of old shirts for rags, disinfectant wipes, toilet bowl cleaner - and trudged back in. A cloud of dust billowed out when Iruka dropped the box onto a nearby table. After a second trip he had the broom and mop and bucket inside as well.

"If you've changed your mind about helping, I don't blame you," Iruka said when Kakashi slid over next to him. The proximity was almost too close, and Iruka could suddenly smell something far better than the stuffy old café.

"I'm a man of my word, Iruka," Kakashi answered. He opened the box of gloves and pulled a pair on. "Besides, I couldn't very well leave you alone in this mess."

"...thank you," Iruka answered genuinely. Kakashi's dark eye - a strange metallic silver - crinkled in what Iruka came to recognize as his smile. He felt his face heat again and looked away sharply.

Iruka was glad he had the foresight to call the utilities and have the water and electricity turned back on. He found the kitchen (still no sign of rats, thank god) and filled the bucket with cold water and several dabs of bleach. He found an old pickle bucket and rinsed it out, filling it the same for Kakashi.

An hour in and they had all the table tops and counter cleaned. Iruka was impressed - all the damage wasn't nearly as bad as he had initially thought. The cracks were actually a pattern in the countertop, a soft brown splintering effect in the pressed wood. It was quite becoming, especially once Iruka discovered the colour of the leather for the seats was a dark forest green and matched with a similar splintering effect. All the tears were mere nicks from extended wear. At least reupholstery wasn't going to cost him a fortune.

Kakashi worked quietly. He had pushed his sleeves up higher and wrapped his scarf tighter. Iruka found his eyes drifting on more than one occasion. When Kakashi stood on a chair to clean the glass, Iruka was thoroughly distracted.

Kakashi was tall and lean, despite his slouched posture, and watching him stretch to reach the very corners of the glass was quite the sight. His shirt rode up slightly to expose his belt and a thin sliver of pale skin. Iruka was surprised the man could be that pale all over. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't really help himself.

Kakashi was being so friendly and helpful to a complete stranger. Sure, they may have met some years ago in this café, but Iruka had no way of remembering because of his age and Kakashi wasn't exactly being very chatty about it. Still, there was something inexplicably drawing about the man and his blatant mystery. Iruka was warmed by his kindness and stoic presence, secretly hoping to see the man around more often. Perhaps he would treat him to lunch later for his help -

"Oh fuck," Kakashi hissed, drawing Iruka's attention.

"What's wrong?" He asked, alarmed, as Kakashi stepped from his chair with a sigh. He ripped the rubber gloves off and ran a hand through his hair.

"You'll see," he grumbled. Iruka frowned and looked around him. The glass was much cleaner than before, giving Iruka a clear view of the parking lot and the small group walking up. He began to smile.

The trio walked towards the café. Iruka mimicked Kakashi, setting aside his rag and gloves to smooth down the few errand hairs he felt sticking up. Just in time for the loud cry he was expecting.

"Iruka-sensei!" Iruka couldn't help his chuckle. He had seen him coming a mile away, after all. A blond blur barreled into the open door of the café and almost tackled Iruka - he was braced from years of practice. Iruka laughed and returned the embrace.

"Naruto! Goodness, it's been years. What are you doing here?" Iruka asked, pulling back to look down at his favourite student.

The boy - no, almost adult, now - grinned up brightly. He still had the same bright blue eyes and small whisker-shaped scars on his cheeks as Iruka remembered, but he looked more like the pictures Naruto had sent him to keep in touch than the petulant teen Iruka remembered sulking in his last period of the day. He even grew a few inches, too.

"I live here, Iruka-sensei! These are my friends from college," he said, nodding towards the other two lingering in the doorway.

"Yes, I met Sasuke and Sakura yesterday," Iruka said, nodding at the two. Naruto whirled and pointed at them accusingly.

"You saw Iruka-sensei yesterday and didn't tell me!?" Naruto exclaimed. They rolled their eyes simultaneously,

"We didn't know he was that Iruka-sensei," Sakura sighed. She flipped her bright pink hair over her shoulder. "We didn't even know he was a teacher."

"How many Iruka-senseis do you think there are in the world, Sakura?" Naruto grumbled. She shook her head.

"I see the study abroad program in Japan worked out well for you?" Iruka said, trying to change the subject. Naruto spun back around and grinned.

"Hai! My first two years of college were there, sensei."

"That's wonderful," Iruka said, ruffling the teen's hair. Naruto grinned and pushed his hand back. "I'm glad you're doing well."

"Thanks!" Naruto said. Iruka couldn't help his smile - he really had missed Naruto. Two years didn't sound like a lot, but when he saw the kid everyday and mentored him and took him for lunch for four years - it was hard to lose that. "So what are you doing here?"

"Well, this café used to belong to my grandmother. I inherited it and just now got around to coming by," Iruka said. "The last landlord just decided to leave, so I had to come by and play the part."

"Oh, that reminds me - " Sasuke said. He turned towards Kakashi.

"Already handled," Kakashi answered abruptly. Iruka was surprised to hear such a languid and bored tone drift from the man. Just before their arrival, he had been rather lively and...pleasant. Iruka would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. He dismissed the feeling and turned back to Naruto.

"So you're gonna move here?" Naruto asked, suddenly excited. "Are you going to be here all the time?!"

"Well, just until Friday - " The crestfallen look on Naruto's face almost crushed him, so he quickly added: "But I'll be back in the summer. I came to clean up the café and find a place to stay when I return."

"You can stay with me!" Naruto announced.

"No, he can't," Sakura snapped. Naruto whirled and frowned.

"Says you? As if."

"He can't!"

"Why not?!"

"Because Sasuke is your roommate," Sakura said, rolling her eyes. "DUH."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest but stopped. "...oh, that's right." He whirled on Sasuke and pointed a finger. "Move back home, bastard!"

"Naruto!" Iruka snapped, missing the synchronized 'No' from Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Sorry, sensei," Naruto grumbled. Iruka sighed but smiled.

"Don't forget what I taught you about elegance, Naruto," Iruka chided. "They're your friends. Besides, I'll be fine. I still have four days to find something."

Naruto nodded. "Where are you at now?"

"The bed and breakfast a half a mile down," Iruka said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

"Yamanaka B&B?" Sakura asked. Iruka nodded. "That's Ino's family's place. Her mom runs it. She's such a sweet lady."

Iruka nodded, remembering the pale blonde woman with equally pale blue eyes waving to him as he left that morning. "She is, and giving me a great deal."

"I can speak to her, if you like. I'm sure they could work something out for you during summer," Sakura offered. Iruka felt himself smile brightly.

"That would be wonderful, Sakura. Thank you," he said. She smiled back, a small flush tinging her cheeks.

"You're welcome, Iruka-sensei," she answered. There was a pause where her flush darkened as she felt four sets of eyes focus on her. "What? It's fitting!"

"Right?!" Naruto laughed. Iruka smiled and just shook his head. Naruto had a gift, he always believed it, and it seemed that the boy had grown into it with age, and, hopefully, discipline.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! Can we go somewhere for breakfast? I'm starving!" Naruto whined, pulling at Iruka's wrist.

"Naruto, we've only just started. I can't really leave - "

"I'll help after we get back!" Naruto announced.

"I will, too," Sakura offered. "I would just hang out in that stuffy old bookstore and watch Sasuke do his homework anyway."

Iruka smiled, suddenly feeling exasperated. The added help would make everything go quicker, but he wasn't sure how he felt about pressing his old student to labor. He glanced over at Kakashi, wanting help from the only other adult. The man had picked up the window cleaner and rag again and was cleaning the lower half of the window. "Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

"How does a break sound to you?" He paused and lowered his arms.

"Maa, I suppose I do owe you a coffee," he said, the earlier teasing tone back.

"Don't forget me," Sasuke quipped. Iruka marveled at Kakashi's self-restraint from not rolling his eye. Kakashi pulled his mobile from his pocket and glanced at the time.

"It's only ten after eight," he said, looking towards Sasuke. "We should have enough time."

Naruto whooped and grabbed Iruka's wrist, dragging him towards the door. "Let's go to IHOP, sensei! Unlimited pancakes!"

"Naruto! I need to lock the door," Iruka said between chuckles. Sasuke and Sakura were already outside with them by the time Iruka freed himself. "Just a second."

Iruka turned back just in time to smack into Kakashi's back. He inhaled quickly, catching his breath and that fantastic smell not masked by cleaner and dust, as Kakashi turned. He grabbed Iruka's hand and dropped something against his palm.

"You left the keys on the counter," he whispered, eye crinkling in a smile. Iruka blinked, cursing his untimely flush. Kakashi just seemed to smile wider.

"Ah, thanks," Iruka muttered, closing his hand and taking a step back to rid himself of everything Kakashi. Kakashi just nodded.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto whined, pulling Iruka back to earth. He cleared his throat - he probably isn't interested in men anyway, let alone me - and turned around.

"Okay, I'm coming. I'll drive us," he said, pocketing the keys. They were still warm from Kakashi's light grip. The three teens pulled open the doors to his Honda and piled into the backseat. Iruka hesitated. "Kakashi - "

"Is Pakkun okay in your car?" He asked. Iruka nodded. Kakashi turned towards the tree and pulled his scarf down slightly. Iruka was rewarded with a flash of flawless complexion (was that a scar?) and straight nose as Kakashi pressed his pinky and thumb to his lips in a high pitched whistle. In an instant the scarf was back in place and Pakkun was galloping as fast as his little legs would take him towards Kakashi.

After they were both seated in the small car, Pakkun passed back to Sakura, Iruka pushed the key into the ignition. "So, anyone want to give me some directions?"

Naruto called his consent from the seat behind Iruka and pulled himself forward. Sakura squawked as he worked his way against the centre console. "I know the way, sensei!"

"Why not sit in the middle, Naruto?" Iruka asked.

"Yeah, brat! Poor Pakkun is being squished!" Sakura growled. The pug merely yipped and moved into Sasuke's lap. The teen dropped his hand to his head and scratched his chin.

"'Cause the middle seat is for girls," Naruto answered, grinning. Iruka thumped his nose.

"Manners, Naruto," Iruka chided, putting the car in drive.

"Aww, yes, sensei," the blond grumbled as he rubbed his nose. Sakura chortled from the backseat. Iruka could hear Kakashi chuckle beside him, a low and soothing baritone.

"Yes, sensei," he mimicked. His tone didn't waver from that low timbre. Iruka rolled his eyes to hide his flush - and the shivers that voice sent up his spine.

"Oh, not you, too."

"What can I say? It's fitting."

A/N: Questions? Comments? Concerns? Tell me all - in that little box below. :) See you next time!