Blushing is the colour of virtue
-Diogenes
Part Two
Harpy Haru the Harridan was back.
"Oh Yumi-chan!" The sing-song voice warbling down the hall got louder and warbly-er as it got closer.
Iruka made a face to himself as he heard the door to his room sliding open. When he turned it was with a pleasant smile. "Yes, Haru-sama?"
"Oh Yumiko," he said, his horrible voice lusty and prurient. "You have a handsome noble calling on you tonight. He's young and eager for you, so I bet you'll enjoy yourself toni-ight!"
Haru-sama enjoyed this. Iruka didn't know how Yumiko could bear the man. He took great delight in pointing out what ugly noble was there and what deviancy he thought they'd enjoy most. Yumiko didn't sleep with everyone he entertained, Iruka had learned. It was only a select few that he'd sleep with, but it seemed as though they all came calling the week Iruka was there.
"I'm sure I will," he said diffidently as he raised his arms, waiting for Haru-sama to tie the obi loosely around him. The man didn't like getting too close and Iruka was perfectly at ease with that. He didn't want the cross-dressing old hag to even breathe on him. He ignored, for the moment, his own bout of cross-dressing. And how much more comfortable the kimono was than his ninja uniform.
"Let's tie this in front, yes?" Haru-sama leered as Iruka turned around to face him. Each time they did this, Iruka forced himself to think of Yumiko, the courtesan this mission was set up to protect.
He'd first met Yumiko the night they traded places. He'd had fifteen minutes to learn the young man's secrets, specialties, and absorb his wealth of knowledge. Iruka had been on many difficult missions, even a few A-ranked missions, but nothing had prepared him for going undercover as a courtesan.
"You bear a startling resemblance to someone in grave danger," Tsunade had told him in introduction to his mission. During the briefing she had gone into more detail.
"I have a medical jutsu for you scar. You'll get into the brothel wearing a henge and—"
"Is the jutsu permanent?" He'd grown up with that scar; he wasn't ready to lose it.
Tsunade smiled. "It doesn't have to be. Yumiko's disguise as you will be harder to handle so you have to switch the minute you arrive."
She stared at him gravely for a moment before continuing. "I know this is an odd undercover mission placement, to say the least and I don't know how long it will take. The Daimyo wants this murderer brought to justice and the courtesan who spoke out kept safe."
"I'm a shinobi at your disposal, Hokage."
She nodded as she dismissed him. "This mission exemplifies that."
Iruka still couldn't believe that no one at the tea house had noticed that Yumiko looked different.
Iruka didn't think they looked that much alike, but there hadn't even been a question of 'did you cut your hair?' or anyone wondering if he'd lost weight. Yumiko was the same height as Iruka, but had glossy black hair falling to his waist, and easily outweighed him by about twenty pounds. Where Iruka was sharp, solid and compact, the added weight only sweetened Yumiko's allure.
The man oozed sensuality and decadence. In the short moments during the exchange Iruka watched how he moved and found that mimicking him wasn't beyond his capability, though he had no doubt that what was hard work for him, came as easy as breathing to Yumiko.
"Just relax, sensei," Yumiko said, stretching. "Act as if you have all the time in the world."
What Iruka had most trouble imitating was his voice. Yumiko's voice was deep but soft, coy and lustful, just like the man himself. Iruka had a teacher's voice. It was irritating, grating, and loud.
But it couldn't be as bad as the harridan, could it? Iruka tried not to cringe at the harsh voice in his ear.
"So, Yumiko, you're wearing the orange tonight. It's very becoming on you, but I hope the nobleman likes it. You can't displease him you know. He looks like a virile one!" Haru-sama called out gleefully.
Yumiko had also told Iruka that since the night of the murder, Haru had watched over him like a hawk, dressing him and escorting him to clients.
Iruka grit his teeth as Haru-sama pulled tightly, tying off the obi. "That's what I like best, of course." Meaning, that what was he disliked most. But he knew Haru-sama's code by now: 'virile' and 'young' meant old enough to be Iruka's father, maybe older. 'Handsome' meant hideous.
'Eager' probably meant perverted.
Iruka was not surprised when Haru-sama pointed out the table he was going to. The man was so old his hair was completely white.
Wonderful. Another old man trying to prove his youth. Hopefully He'll pass out after a round of sake. At least he has hair.
After attempting to mollify himself Iruka adjusted his expression and raised his hands to his mouth as he approached the table.
Haru-sama bowed and presented Iruka. "Thank you, Haru-sama," the man said smoothly. "I'd like your best sake, and I do mean best. Quality not quantity, please."
That's a familiar voice, Iruka thought as he sank gracefully to the floor. Haru-sama left them, humming with the order for their most expensive sake. For a minute, Iruka wondered if he would get to keep his earnings during this mission. He would have a good argument with Tsunade over deserving them.
"Oh my," said the nobleman. "How very orange you are tonight, Mi-chan."
Mi-chan? Great, another regular. Will I have to drug him?
"Does the orange not please you, sir?" Iruka looked up as he spoke and frowned.
There was no way the man was as old as his hair suggested. And Haru-sama was right: he was handsome. The longer Iruka stared, the more handsome he got. He wore an eye patch over one eye, giving him a slightly dangerous look. But his mouth, wide with a smile and indolent, made up for it.
"Oh it's fine. I see a lot of orange in my work, that's all. It suits you. The turquoise peacock is lovely too," he said, tilting his head where Iruka's legs were twisted under him and grinning. Iruka could feel himself blushing. I'm just pleased to be talking to someone my age for a change, that's all.Someone my age and handsome. And flirtatious. Willing, able…
Iruka cleared his throat in an attempt to shut his mind up. "And what sort of work does my lord do? It looks dangerous."
Haru-sama slipped in beside the table and sat the sake down, along with the serving set. Iruka gave the set his now standard covetous gaze. It looked like his father's set, passed down from his father before him. The pale wood had a character burned into each cup, just as his father's set had. Maybe when this was all over, if it ever ended, Iruka could ask Yumiko where he could find a similar set.
The noble waited until Haru-sama left and Iruka began pouring the sake. He accepted the cup Iruka slid toward him and smiled.
"Oh nothing too dangerous. This was an accident," he said, waving his hand toward the eye patch. "I work with children," he said, in a low voice.
Iruka looked up again, curious. "Children? Do you teach?" He was staring at the eye patch and the tiny line of a scar coming down the man's cheek. He felt a tiny tug of camaraderie.
The nobleman's smile widened and Iruka could see his teeth. He looked as if he were about to laugh aloud. "Pour yourself a drink, Mi-chan, please."
Iruka smiled. Most of the men hadn't wanted him to have the luxury of being drunk. Which of course worked in his favour, but tonight, he thought, a cup of sake might be welcome. He poured the sake and the man leaned forward, speaking softly.
"'The foundation of every state is the education of its youth,' wouldn't you agree?"
Iruka cocked his head as he made room on the table. Lifting the bottle once again, he began refilling their cups.
"I have three students. Soldiers, actually."
Iruka startled as he looked up, eyes wide. He dropped the bottle of sake, but the man had leaned over far enough that he caught it easily.
"What?" Iruka breathed as he stared at the man who was now so close Iruka could see the tiny pores on his nose.
The noble's other hand wrapped gently around Iruka's wrist and pulled him so close he was leaning over the table. Iruka looked closely as he whispered. The man's voice was quiet; he was almost mouthing the words. Iruka could feel the sake-scented breath of each word. "Look beneath the underneath, beautiful."
All Iruka could do was stare, searching the man's eye, realising with a sudden jolting shock why the voice was so familiar, why he wore the eye patch. Why he was here.
Kakashi.
When Kakashi leaned back, his warm fingers letting Iruka's wrist drop, the frozen moment vanished. "I'm so weary tonight, Yumiko. I think I'll have a bath, then just rest."
Iruka blinked, realising exactly why Kakashi was here, and glad for it, but suddenly unable to move. Hatake Kakashi was his client. He could… Iruka realised with an odd sensation in his belly that he wouldn't be able drug Kakashi and knock him out with a little chakra.
Iruka shook his head quickly realising that he was slipping out of character, and just where his mind was going. Kakashi is not my client. He seems awfully familiar with Yumiko, but he isn't my client. I do not have to sleep with him for…
Oh.
Iruka blushed at the thought. He picked up his cup and gulped the contents down in one swallow, breathing heavily through his nose as he looked back up at Kakashi.
"You blush so prettily." Kakashi smiled smoothly. It was genuine and very pleased. Iruka, back in character and a little hysterical, couldn't help being charmed. He ducked his head face toward his shoulder trying not to giggle and only blushing more in return. It was an effort not to laugh out loud.
Kakashi chuckled at Iruka's movement and trailed his finger along Iruka's wrist. "So coy, Mi-chan."
Well, that's a little much.
Iruka pursed his lips, making a face at Kakashi as he looked back up. He's flirting. Does he not understand the danger here? That I've had to—
"You are a very well bred courtesan."
Iruka tried not to laugh, the ridiculousness of the setting and the sake quickly going to his head. Just what was Kakashi trying to say?
"Of course I am. I entertain well bred men. They wouldn't give me a second glance otherwise, my lord. They wouldn't let me warm their bed and they certainly wouldn't give me their wealth and their secrets." His humour almost faded at the reminder of his mission. I want out of here. He leaned forward to refill Kakashi's sake cup.
"I would think you too smart for this occupation, Yumiko," Kakashi replied, rather cryptically, Iruka thought.
Iruka smiled again. "I know little, save the fact of my ignorance. A cynical man once said 'stand a little more between me and the sun.'"
Kakashi looked both surprised, but he nodded solemnly. "I see." Kakashi sipped at his sake. "I hear you dance. Perhaps you sing as well?"
Iruka tried not to make a face at him, but he really wanted to pick up the fan tucked into his kimono and smack Kakashi with it. He's enjoying this! How dare he?
"I do," Iruka said tightly, trying not to glare.
"I'd like to see dancing on my next visit. For now, just take me to the baths after we eat. I think a massage and hot soak will relieve me of the agony of travel."
Next visit? Iruka smiled as he swallowed. I'm supposed to bathe the Copy Ninja? Massage him? Ringing for the dinner attendant, he started to wonder if he was going to have to drug Kakashi like he'd been drugging nobles all week.
Privately, it amused him that they were so hot for him. He'd seen Yumiko the night they switched places, undressing and exchanging outfits, and the man oozed so much sexual appeal that he couldn't compete with or match it, but he couldn't deny wanting a taste.
Iruka had found that getting himself off was easy enough, leaving come all over his body and client's bodies was unpleasant but doable, and feigning difficulty walking afterwards was a breeze. Keeping these dirty old nobles from having sex with him was probably more work than it was worth, but suddenly as never before Iruka found his virtue to be of utmost importance.
It sounded easy enough, but he had to, as carefully as possible, use just enough chakra to wear his clients out in an attempt to replicate the pleasant weariness of sex. A lot of sex. Yumiko had told him, in a rush as they changed clothes, that the rooms were not quite completely chakra blocked.
"Oh, and the rooms are supposed to be chakra-blocked, but they aren't completely. You can use a little, maybe half a hand?" he spoke uncertainly of the concept, but Iruka was surprised the courtesan knew anything at all about chakra.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
"Ah, well, I have one good client who is shinobi. He has some, oh, creative ways of using his chakra and one time, mmm, he used too much," purred Yumiko, smiling with his eyes closed. He opened his eyes and fixed Iruka with a serious gaze. "Guards came running. Just be careful. Now, as far as sex goes, so, you can use the chakra to avoid sex, just use this to drug them." He showed Iruka a bottle with the instructions "One drop in their drink and you're set."
Iruka tucked the bottle into his pocket and looked up expectantly.
Yumiko grinned and reached out to adjust the kimono Iruka had tugged on. "You're pretty with your hair down, sensei. You'll do well." With that he'd leaned forward and kissed Iruka. Iruka froze, not sure what to do, but Yumiko let go before he had a chance.
Yumiko studied Iruka before speaking. "I don't kiss just anyone. Maybe you can visit me when all this is over."
He left the room and Iruka began his mission as a courtesan.
The remains of their meal cleared, Iruka stood and assisted Kakashi in joining him. "It's much more private in my room, my lord. Perhaps you'd like to change there?"
Kakashi nodded and followed Iruka to his room. As soon as Iruka slid the door shut, Kakashi was on him, pushing him onto the futon, hands sliding under his clothes.
Iruka shivered at the far too familiar touch, and tried to relax.
"They might be watching you," Kakashi whispered, before dropping his mouth to Iruka's neck.
They might be watching?
"Update," he commanded.
Iruka responded immediately to the order, telling Kakashi everything he knew. "Contact dead, close, but nothing intercepted. The new manager is involved. Not allowed downstairs alone. Baths are separate, no exit. Guards. Oh-only a little chakra in the room. Curfew check at—ah!—midnight." His barely breathed reply was punctuated with gasps, whimpers, and moans as Kakashi's hands and mouth roamed. "Still haven't seen the nin. Haru seems to be running things, but he isn't the murderer."
Without warning, Kakashi flipped him over and stretched over him. He rubbed against Iruka as he talked. "Are you… all right?"
Iruka squirmed, but moaned easily. "Yes."
"No one has uh… bothered you?"
Iruka shook his head, murmuring, feeling Kakashi's erection poking against his lower back. Kakashi lifted, arching his back, moving fast and hard against Iruka. Their bodies were covered by the layers of Iruka's elaborate kimono and Kakashi's robes, but it probably didn't look that way to anyone watching.
Only, they weren't watching.
Iruka knew they weren't because he'd been using chakra and drugging every man that had come up here for the last two weeks. But he couldn't seem to get that out, in fact, right now, he couldn't think of much of anything aside from the hardness now rubbing against his backside. He gulped when he felt Kakashi's mouth by his ear again.
"I'll leave after the bath. I'll report and come back as soon as I can. I'm leaving a summoning tag. Use it only if your life is in danger."
Kakashi put his hands around Iruka's neck and pressed against him dramatically. "Oh, Mi-chan, such a sweetness as I've never encountered. They were right about you." Kakashi moaned as he gathered himself up to stand.
Iruka heard Kakashi shifting as he lay there panting, worked up over… what exactly was this? He could feel the heat on his face. He wondered briefly if Kakashi knew Yumiko intimately. Why else would he be so aroused?
And really, Kakashi, the great Sharingan Kakashi, liked men? Somehow, Iruka realised, as he gathered his strength to stand, it didn't surprise him that much.
"Yumiko, I can't have worn you out that much, won't you massage me at the baths?" Kakashi's amused tone goaded Iruka to jump up to his feet. He glared at Kakashi, but couldn't contain the shiver that ran up his back. Kakashi's smile widened. He was already wearing Iruka's bath robe.
"I… of course. Please come with me." Iruka stepped toward the door, but Kakashi's hand held him back.
Kakashi's head was tilted lazily to the side. "Why don't you take off that lovely kimono? You don't want to ruin it, do you?"
"You—you want me to accompany you naked?" Iruka spoke politely, but his expression was incredulous.
"Whatever the noble wants, right?" The amused smile lurking around Kakashi's lips infuriated him, but he nodded, untied the now loosened obi and began removing the kimono. The under kimono slid off easily leaving him naked but for the bright red fundoshi he wore.
Kakashi smiled. "Perfect."
Iruka was sure his face matched. "The… clients like them."
Kakashi pushed him through the door and Iruka led him, humming in delight, down the hall to the steps that led to the bath.