.:Nakama ga Soba ni Iru Nanimo Kowakunai:.
A/N: WOW! Thank you for all yuor kind words guys! Im glad you liked it! I know it kinda sounded like a one shot but it was never meant to be! So heres the next installment. Theres an rant from me at the end of the chapter. its not really important, but might be worth a read anyway. Please send more of your wonderful reviews. its so nice to be compliamented XD!
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Iruka groaned. He hadn't had a hangover in a very long time, and nothing hits the head more than a sake hangover. Before he opened his eyes, he tried to remember the night before.
Kakashi had invited him to drinks with Genma and Raidou. They had played the ton-ton game, Genma and Raidou had left. And then… nothing. Why did he always forget the last thing that happened before he fell asleep? It was always the most important!
Okay, first things first. No injuries other then the self-inflicted headache. Alright, now: where was he? Iruka was very against the idea of opening his eyes, but with no telltale signs to give away his location, he knew it was inevitable.
Just a tiny bit at first, but it still sent waves of pain into his brain. He groaned again and rolled onto his stomach and fully opened his eyes to stare into the mattress. Why was he so uncomfortable? Where the hell was he? It felt like he was sleeping on a log… a warm log, he noted. A warm log? Iruka was suddenly a little worried about where exactly it was that he had passed out.
Turning his head to the side, he noticed he was on a futon, flat on the ground. The wall on the far side of the room gave no hints as to where he was. So, hoping for more clues, he turned his head to face the other direction. And froze. A mop of silver hair atop a pale face filled his vision.
Kakashi…? Iruka closed his eyes hoping the man would go away. Opening them again, the offending man was still there, snoring slightly. Iruka then realized that he had rolled onto Kakashi's out-stretched arm.
Get yourself out of this one, baka…Iruka thought and mentally punched himself. Okay… just sloooowly sit up… Pushing himself up ever-so-slowly, Iruka slowly turned himself over to a sitting position. So far so good… Iruka noted when Kakashi didn't stir.
I must be in Kakashi sensei's apartment… But why am I here?... And where are my shoes? Iruka thought noticing his bare feet. Kakashi must have brought me here and put me to bed… He looked at Kakashi. When asleep, the ninja actually looked sad. Iruka had always thought that Kakashi wasn't the kind of person to openly show emotion. But here, vulnerable, sad, Iruka wondered how Kakashi hid his feelings so well.
In a move that startled even him, Iruka reached over and gently brushed aside some hair that had come to rest over Kakashi's closed eyes. "What's making you so sad, Kakashi?" Iruka whispered to the sleeping Jounin.
At that point Iruka's stomach growled at him and despite that fact that he felt like he would throw up anything he ate, he decided to go off in search of food after finding his shoes. Silently deciding to return with some food for Kakashi, he jutsued to the street outside, got his bearings and walked off slowly towards the first place he could find that didn't sell fried food.
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Kakashi lay still on the bed. He had been awake for a while, but afraid to move and wake Iruka. He knew the other man was still asleep. He could tell by the breathing. After the smaller man had passed out on the sofa in the mountain, Kakashi had had one hell of a mental battle with himself as to what to do. Not an easy thing when you're rather drunk with another man sleeping in your lap.
He had 4 options. One: fall asleep on the sofas in the room with Iruka. But it wasn't very comfortable so that was out. Two: Go home and leave Iruka to sleep alone on the sofa. Not a very nice thing to do. Iruka probably wouldn't think to fondly of him after that. So that was definitely out. Three: Take Iruka to his own place and put him to bed. But besides the fact that he didn't know where the Chunin lived, it wasn't always the wisest idea to break into another ninja's house without permission. Who knows what kind of traps Iruka had set. So that was out. This left only Four: Take Iruka to his house where they could both sleep comfortably on his futon.
Yes that sounded good. At least it had last night. Now that he was awake, sober, and hung-over, he wondered how he would explain to Iruka why he was not only in Kakashi's house, but in his futon, and currently in the new position of lying across Kakashi's arm.
Kakashi noticed a change in Iruka's breathing. Damn… He's awake… Kakashi slowed his breathing and closed his eyes, faking sleep. He felt Iruka move his head over and tense up when he realized who he had been sleeping next to. Shit, wrong move, Kakashi… Should have left him behind… He felt Iruka very slowly sit up and then not move for a bit. However, what had happened next almost ruined Kakashi's façade. He felt a soft touch on his face and Iruka tucked some stray hair behind his ear. "What's making you so sad, Kakashi?" Iruka whispered, barely loud enough for Kakashi to hear. Knowing better than to answer, Kakashi continued to 'sleep'. He heard Iruka's belly rumble and then felt the Chunin stand. He heard the familiar sound as Iruka disappeared to somewhere else.
Kakashi let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Iruka…" He sighed and put his hand over his eyes. God, his head hurt. What was it about the academy teacher that made him weak in the knees? Hatake Kakashi brought to a halt by none other than Umino Iruka. He had never really had a relationship before. He'd never had feelings like this for anyone. Not even Obito.
But how is this even possible? I don't even know the man…Not the type of person to believe in silly things like 'love at first sight', Kakashi was left wondering where this attraction had come from. Sure the sensei was good looking. Hell, he was adorable. Kakashi didn't really have a preference when it came to men or women. He had told himself long ago that a relationship was dangerous. But then why was it that every time he walked into the mission room and saw Iruka, he felt like stripping the Chunin of all his clothes and taking him right there on the desk?
Of course he respected Iruka to much to do that and knew that should anything like that ever happen, he didn't want it to just be physical. There was something about the smaller man that tugged on heart strings Kakashi didn't know he still had. So why was it so damn difficult for him to just tell Iruka how he felt? Kakashi wasn't sure where Iruka's stand on homosexuality was and, moreover, he didn't know what Iruka thought of him. He had thought this through many times before and could see no easy way to ask Iruka if there might be something between them.
He was so deep in thought that he jumped in surprise when Iruka appeared back in his room, holding 2 bowls. Quickly regaining his composure, Kakashi closed his eyes and slowed his breathing.
Iruka walked over to Kakashi's side of the futon and knelt down, carefully placing the bowl on the floor, still none the wiser to Kakashi's deception.
Kakashi breathed in long and slow through his nose. Mmm. Miso soup…He thought.
"Sensei…" Iruka said softly, knowing better than to startle a Jounin out of sleep. "Sensei, I brought you some breakfast." Kakashi knew he should 'wake up' but wanted to see how far Iruka would go to wake him up.
He felt a light touch on his shoulder. "Kakashi-sensei, come on. It'll go cold."
Kakashi supposed the Chunin was right and slowly opened his eyes, blinking. "Iruka-sensei…" He croaked out in his best 'I'm hung over and just woke up' voice, which was half true, he was hung-over… "You're up early…" He grinned.
"It's one in the afternoon… half the day is already gone." Iruka said matter-of-factly.
"Really?" Kakashi inquired, sitting up. "I wonder where it went…" Iruka rolled his eyes at Kakashi's lame attempt at humor and passed the larger man a pair of chopsticks.
"I hope Miso soup's ok. I wasn't sure what you liked…" Iruka commented as his snapped apart his own chopsticks and lifted his bowl to his lips.
"This is perfect, Iruka-sensei. Just what I felt like." Kakashi smiled at Iruka. "Thank you."
The pair finished off the soup in silence and when both were done Iruka opened his mouth to say something. Kakashi knew what he was going to ask.
"I brought you here because the sofas aren't comfortable and I wasn't sure where you lived." Kakashi offered an answer to the unasked question.
"Oh. Thanks…" Iruka wasn't sure if Kakashi had given a good answer or not. To be honest, he had been having some very unusual feelings towards the Jounin that morning. He had done some thinking while he was looking for food. Why wasn't he more worried about waking up in Kakashi's apartment? Iruka had very few close friends, if any, so then why did he feel the need to tell Kakashi things he'd never told a soul? Why did he want to know why Kakashi had looked so sad? Why did the stupid Jounin create more questions than he answered? Iruka, frustrated, figured the only way to sort out all these thoughts was to spend more time with the enigma who was Hatake Kakashi
"So…" Iruka started again, no knowing how to finish the sentence.
"So…" Kakashi added noticing the Chunin was uncomfortable with the silence. "What will you do with your days off?" Kakashi asked as he stood and started to fold his futon up. Iruka got up to help.
"Well there's hanabi (fireworks) tonight down by the river. Its going to be pretty crowed but I figured I'd go anyway." Iruka picked up the blanket that had been discarded during the night and began folding it.
"Well why don't we watch them from somewhere else?" Kakashi suggested, hoping that his hint that they go together wouldn't go un-noticed.
"Like where?" Iruka asked as he handed Kakashi the folded blanket so he could put it away with the futon.
"Hrm. Somewhere where there are no people… How about on top of the Hokage's building?" Kakashi hoped again that Iruka had caught onto the 'no people' part.
"Hrm, that could work." Iruka pondered. Wait… Did Kakashi say 'we'? And 'no people'? Iruka suddenly caught onto Kakashi's words. However instead of being angry or annoyed, it actually made him feel excited. Why did it suddenly feel like there were a million butterflies trying to escape from his stomach… "Uh, sure okay. Well what time do you want to meet up? Do you want to get some dinner first?"
Inner-Kakashi was doing flips! Iruka had noticed! Not only noticed but asked Kakashi to dinner! Okay so it wasn't a date or anything, but it was a start, wasn't it? "Sure, lets go to Ichiraku. What time to the hanabi start?"
"Eight." Iruka answered.
"Okay, then lets meet at 6:30. That gives us plenty of time to get to the Hokage's." Kakashi smiled and put his hands in his pockets.
"Okay. Well I had better go, it's already mid-afternoon. And oh crap! I never marked those tests! Ahh and I have to get my Yukata (summer kumono) organized… I'd better go!" Iruka made ready to jutsu out when Kakashi stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks for the soup, Iruka-kun." He said kindly.
Iruka blushed, this time, there was no darkness to hide it and Kakashi's insides turned to jelly.
"Anytime, Kakashi-san. And thank-you for last night. I had fun. Tell Genma and Raidou if you see them." Kakashi nodded and then laughed. "What's funny?" Iruka asked with a concerned look.
"That's the first time you've called me Kakashi and not been drunk." Kakashi's could have sworn all his organs had melted into his feet at the blush that now rose to Iruka's cheeks.
"O..oh.. sorry…" Iruka mumbled.
"Don't be." Kakashi replied and gave Iruka's shoulder a slight squeeze before letting go. "Ill see you at 6:30" He said and took a step back.
It was all Iruka could do to nod and smile at the Jounin before disappearing in a puff of white smoke.
Kakashi sat down on the spot and lay back onto the floor. He sighed happily and would have been content to die then and there.
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Iruka arrived home with all the tests from the school, dumped them on the table and collapsed onto his sofa. His head still pounding from the hangover, but the wiggly feeling in his stomach was slowing drawing his attention away from how bad he really felt.
Why does Kakashi want to spend time with me… alone… Iruka got up to go and dig out his yukata.
After finding all the pieces that went with the outfit, including the shoes, and getting all the creases out, Iruka began to dress.
Finished, he studied himself in the mirror. He was an attractive man. He didn't really see it, but he was never short of dinner invites from the single mothers of students. For some reason he had always turned then down though. He found himself hoping that Kakashi would like what he saw.
Why did he suddenly care what Hatake Kakashi thought of him? He pulled a face at himself in the mirror. Did he like Kakashi? As in like like? If yes, what the hell was he supposed to do about it? Iruka had never started a relationship, always letting the other half make the first move. But Kakashi… make a move on him? Hadn't Kakashi been the one who wanted him to go alone to watch the hanabi together? While Iruka was definitely not against gay couples, he had never had to deal with feeling 'that way' towards another man, let alone Hatake Kakashi.
What the hell is wrong with me? Iruka thought. Come on… get it together. He's a person just like you are. Just… be yourself… He told himself.
You should wear your hair down more often…
Where did that come from Iruka wondered. Reaching up he pulled out the band holding his hair up and ruffled it with his fingers. Straightening it with a comb, he took one last look in the mirror and then made to leave. If he worried too much about what he looked like, he wouldn't have a good night. And he planned on having a good night.
Walking slowly towards Ichiraku he realized that he was way too early. Even by walking, not jutsuing, he would still be there right on time. Kakashi was renowned for being late. He sighed and walked a little slower, giving the tingling sensation in his fingers a chance to grow further up into his hands. Why am I nervous? I'm a grown man for crying out loud…
Kakashi, on the other hand, had been at Ichiraku's since 5 o'clock. He looked at the clock behind the counter and it read 6:35. Had he been stood up? What had he done wrong… Damn it! I knew I came on to strong…
"Kakashi-sensei!" Iruka remarked with surprise after pushing aside the curtain and seeing Kakashi sitting at the counter. Kakashi spun around in his chair, a silly grin obvious through his mask, and stood up to greet Iruka. "Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time…" Iruka offered as a lame excuse.
"Oh, I hadn't even noticed…" Kakashi lied. Both men stood there for a few seconds, Kakashi the first one to speak again. "You look great tonight…" He said as he looked over Iruka. Kakashi couldn't believe how a simple yukata could make a man look so unbelievably stunning. Iruka was wearing a dark blue yukata with a simple, but traditional wave pattern printed on it and a matching sash to keep it together. Not that Kakashi didn't like Iruka in his uniform, but this… this enough to leave Kakashi almost lost for words. And his hair was down… Oh god, his hair was down… Kakashi had to look away before he became noticeably aroused…
"You too." Iruka blushed under Kakashi's stare. Iruka noticed Kakashi's yukata did, in fact, look really good on the taller man. A cream colour, with white rice stalks, heavy with rice, printed around the bottom. Somehow Kakashi had found a mask that was the same color as his yukata and a bandanna the same color which he had folded and used to cover his Sharinngan eye.
Iruka once again had that feeling that he wanted to get to know Kakashi more than just what he looked like behind the mask.
"Are you two going to just going to stand there all night or are you actually going eat something?" The old man behind the counter said light-heartedly.
Both men smiled and sat to order their food.
Dinner was comfortable. Not a lot was said, but it's hard to talk with a mouth full of ramen. It gave the men time to reflect on their feelings. And even though it took them almost an hour to finish, neither had come to any conclusions as to how to deal with their emotions.
"We should go; we don't want to miss the start of the hanabi…" Iruka said as he paid for his meal. Kakashi nodded paying for his bowl. "Are you going?" Iruka asked the old man.
"Yes, I was just waiting for your two…" He smiled.
"Oh I'm sorry. Thanks for the meal." Iruka and Kakashi both bowed and left the shop, making their way towards their destination.
They walked slowly, enjoying the summer evening. The streets were almost empty; everyone was already at the river.
"Thank-you for coming with me, Kakashi-san…" Iruka broke the comfortable silence between the two shinobi.
"Thanks for letting me tag along, Iruka sensei.…" Kakashi answered.
"Iruka is fine." Iruka said shyly, not looking at Kakashi.
"Well then just Kakashi is fine, Iruka." Kakashi smiled down at the Chunin walking beside him.
"Thank-you for your company, Just Kakashi." This time he looked over to Kakashi, only to seem him smiling back at him. He gave a smile and continued their walk to the Hokage's roof.
They jutsued up to the roof and sat down next to one another. Not so close as to be touching but close enough to feel each others body heat.
They sat, content with the night sounds to fill the silence, until they heard the first whistle that was the telltale sign of a firework being launched.
A bright green light was shed over all of Konoha, as a firework the shape of a leaf erupted in the summer sky.
Kakashi leaned back and stretched his legs out, supporting himself with his hands behind him, slightly behind Iruka. Iruka sat with his knees bent, elbows on his knees, chin in his palms. Kakashi couldn't help but stare at Iruka as the fireworks burst above them, covering them in different colored lights. Kakashi knew he should be watching the fireworks, but he couldn't drag his eyes from Iruka.
Iruka stared in child-like awe at the myriad of colors in the sky. He had always loved hanabi.
Together the two men sat and watched for almost 20 minutes. Iruka's backside had started to go numb from the hard roof, so he shifted, planning on taking the pressure off his bum and putting it onto his hands. As his leaned back to place his hands on the roof, instead of meeting with cold roof tile, it met with warm soft skin. Instinctively Iruka turned to see what he had put his hand on. When he realized it was, in fact, Kakashi's hand, he made a move to pull it away.
However just like the other day, Kakashi seemed to move without Iruka seeing it, and before he knew it, Kakashi's fingers were clasped through his own, gently squeezing.
Iruka looked up to Kakashi's face. When did he take his mask off? Iruka wondered as he stared at Kakashi, who smiled somewhat unsurely at him.
Iruka softly squeezed Kakashi's hand back and smiled, quietly giving Kakashi permission.
Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God… Kakshi's brain had turned to jelly.
This is nice… Iruka looked back towards the fireworks. Iruka moved his thumb to stroke Kakashi's hand softly. Kakashi thought that, for the second time today, he could have died happy right then. It wasn't until Iruka slowly dragged his thumbnail softly across Kakashi's palm a few times that Kakashi lost all his senses to the Chunin sitting so silently beside him.
Shifting so he was closer to Iruka but without breaking hand contact, he reached up with his free hand and turned Iruka's face towards his own. Studying Iruka's eyes in the rainbow light from the hanabi, Kakashi searched for anything that resembled fear or unwillingness. Finding nothing, he leaned forward and placed his lips on the Chunin lips closing his eyes. Neither moved for a moment, frozen in a kiss that was barely lips touching. Slowly pulling back, Kakashi studied Iruka's face once more.
Iruka was yet to open his eyes; his breathing was faster than it would normally be.
Kakashi cursed his boldness. There was no way Iruka would tolerate him now.
Slowly Iruka opened his eyes and drew his bottom lip into his mouth.
"Iruka sensei… I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that…" Kakashi sighed, annoyed beyond belief at himself, and lay down onto his back so he didn't have to look at Iruka when Iruka told him politely that he didn't feel that way… blah blah blah. "Baka…" Kakashi cursed himself and closed his eyes.
A moment later he felt a tickling sensation on his cheeks. He opened his eyes, to see Iruka leaning over him, the tanned face mere inches away from his own, Iruka's loose hair softly shifting in the night breeze across his face. Iruka smiled, closed his eyes and kissed Kakashi as the final firework exploded and the night sky went dark.
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A/N Rant:This isn't going to be a dragged on fic. Ive noticed my attention span shrinking as of late, so yes I know things seem to move fast but that's kinda how its meant to be. I know that in real life it would probably take a lot longer for 2 guys to hook up but I haven't got any gay friends so I wouldn't know. I do know, however, that this world is generally not a nice place for homosexuals. Which is why I would think that it would make the founding of a gay love (be it guys or girls) a very difficult and confusing time. Im not here to make that kind of story. If people get past the first chapter then they are obviously ok with homosexuality and I need not go into the DEEEEEEP details of the stuggles a budding gay romance would face. Because this isn't about being gay… it's a about Kakairu. Lets assume they live in a world much more accepting than ours where although being gay poses a rather 'hey, whats this strange urge to have sex with the same sex' problem, there isn't the 'I cant get married, I can aopt childrent, Ill get beaten for being different…(u know the drill)' problem. I hope this makes sense… lol thanks for listening!
Review! XCD