So sorry about the wait on this chapter!
Usual disclaimer – Naruto etc. are not mine, this is a non-profit, for-fun work. All ownership belongs to the copyright holders yada yada yada…
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Stand Alone Scarecrow
-4-
Iruka woke early the next morning, showered, ate and was waiting for Kakashi by 11:30.
Maybe I'm being too eager… he thought to himself, I'll get some grading done while I wait… He fished out his correction pen and continued grading the essays where he'd left off the night before, his eyes darting to the clock far more often then he cared to admit.
Noon came…
and went…
Iruka glared at the clock that now read 12:45 and set aside the last essay.
Stay calm Iruka… he thought to himself… You don't know what Kakashi's circumstances are… "Dammit! How could anyone be this late…" he growled, standing sharply as his iron grip snapped the correction pen, spraying red ink across his face and neck. With a yelp of surprise he tripped over the chair and tumbled to the floor.
"Ow…" he muttered as he lay staring up at his ceiling…
Just then his door flew open, and Kakashi entered with a bound, his visible eye wide with… was it panic?
"Iruka!!" Kakashi froze, Iruka lay on the floor, his neck slit, the blood sprayed across his face. The dark-skinned teacher's dead eyes glaring at him from the floor…
wait…
Glaring!?
"You're late." The school teacher growled, as he untangled his legs from the chair.
"I... uh…" Kakashi moved his head to the side as a small projectile flew at his face. He turned to examine the correction pen. The tip had embedded itself a good quarter inch into the wall, and the lower half dangled limply, held to the rest only by the bar-code sticker taped to the side.
I suppose this accounts for the blood… Kakashi allowed himself a small sigh of relief.
"I had no idea grading papers was so… exciting…" he smiled
Iruka had plenty of practice with students trying to dodge his questions and wasn't about to let Kakashi's tactical change of subject slide.
The shorter man stopped just inches from Kakashi's face, piercing him with the glare that haunted the nightmares of every young nin in Konoha.
Kakashi's attempts at disarming smile wilted only slightly under the powerful glare of his "'teammate'".
"You're late." Iruka growled again,
"Ah ha ha…I don't suppose you'd believe I got lost on the road of life?" Kakashi smiled dodging the fist Iruka sent flying at his head.
"What kind of idiot would believe a clichéd excuse like that!?" Iruka roared, his kick blocked by a still smiling Kakashi.
"I helped an old lady cross the street?"
"Try again!" Iruka's kick was once again blocked by the silver haired ninja.
"I rescued a young girl's kitten from a tree."
"Did Naruto teach you to make up excuses? Stop treating me like I'm some kind of idiot!"
Kakashi's grin widened at that, even team 7 hadn't bought those excuses. His smile only made Iruka more angry, and he barely managed to catch the next punch Iruka threw at him. I should probably stop teasing him… If I make him TOO angry, he won't help me with Gai's stupid challenge. Kakashi released Iruka's captured arm, his grey suddenly serious he confessed softly,
"I was visiting the monument and lost track of time. I apologize, Iruka-sensei."
The anger burning in Iruka's eyes vanished instantly, and Kakashi looked away quickly. I don't want your sympathy… he thought, cursing himself for revealing the true reason for his chronic tardiness.
But when Iruka's gaze didn't shift, Kakashi found himself forced to meet those chocolate brown eyes once more. What he found surprised him. Iruka's endlessly deep gaze wasn't filled with pity, as he had feared, just… understanding. Of course… Kakashi chided himself… this is a man who understands loneliness, perhaps even more deeply than I do. And even knowing the pain of loss, he still allows himself something left to lose.
"Apology accepted" Iruka smilled, breaking Kakashi out of his monologue.
"huh?"
"Shall we go? I believe I can sense Gai-sensei's chakra on my roof."
Kakashi scowled, How could I have been so preoccupied with Iruka that I didn't even notice GAI'S arrival!? He shuddered, I need to get out of Konoha immediately if my skills are rusting this fast. He made a mental note to go speak to Tsunade as soon as Gai's challenge finished. Then reluctantly followed Iruka out onto the roof.
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Like I said at the top, I'm REALLY sorry about the wait on this chapter! It's been like, super-crazy for me these past few weeks. Myrtle Beach, where my grandpa lives, decided to catch on fire and he had to evacuate his house, which fortunately, did NOT burn down.
Then two tornado's decided to meander past my hometown and one of them made a direct hit on my boyfriends farm. The house is fine, but, except for one wall, the barn is Completely SMASHED and one of the sheep got killed. Poor Sheepy.
And then I had Finals.
Gah!!!
Super-crazy, but the good news is I'm back now and will hopefully be updating about once a week. Although I've started working on the actual tug-of-war battle, so hopefully I'll get that up later today.
And for anyone who was bothered by the fact that Kakashi just TOTALLY barged into Iruka's house without knocking, (it bothers me.) I'll address that in the next entry.
Also I'm a little worried that perhaps these guys might be slipping a little OOC? Perhaps it's impossible to take two (presumably straight) characters and throw them into a yaoi without slipping a little, but I'm trying to keep everyone in line.
I love hearing from you, so thanks to all who review!
