Disclaimer: Although I wish I did, I do not own Naruto. –tears-

Refresher:

Iruka glanced at the jounin, who started at him with adoration in his single black eye. Iruka shivered happily and helped the jounin upright. He looked at Sakura,

"You can go home. I'll take care of Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura nodded, she left without another word. Iruka looked at Kakashi, then went to get the horses…

"You didn't have to push this on them this fast Kakashi-sensei."

Iruka said to the jounin, who looked at him and shrugged. Kakashi hadn't known that Sasuke was scared of horses, and if he had, well; Kakashi would have just had more fun. The man limped towards his horse, not even bothering to move when the horse's snout launched at him he just batted it aside with a careless hand. Snare looked slightly offended.

"Maybe your right, but they need to learn to use their chakra in an instant Iruka-sensei."

Kakashi said, slightly agreeing with the chestnut haired chuunin before him. His black eye twinkled merrily. Iruka nodded, it was true that they should learn this skill fast, but at this pace? They were still genin! Iruka wasn't so sure he agreed with Kakashi 'theories' of learning chakra 'control'.

"What are you going to do about Sasuke-kun? He's probably terrified of horse's now."

"I don't think he will be."

Iruka was taken aback, what did Kakashi mean? Obviously the boy was scared of horses, but why wasn't Kakashi worried about it? Iruka threw him a suspicious glance,

"What do you have in mind?"

He asked his voice slightly cold. Kakashi glanced at him, smiling through the mask. He grinned and the barely-contained laughter came out in his voice, it made the chuunin want to laugh as well, which he nearly did.

"Well, obviously I'll make him get back on."

"How are you so sure he'll actually get on? I don't think he'll ever set foot here -- "

"I'll have Naruto-kun outshine him."

Kakashi said it so easily, so calmly, as if it was the prefect plan, Iruka realized slowly; it really was the perfect plan. If Naruto outshone Sasuke, just once, then Sasuke would do whatever (including getting over his fear of horses) just to make sure that Naruto wouldn't outshine him ever again. Iruka chuckled; he looked at the jounin and smiled slightly, he couldn't have stopped the laugh in his voice if he'd wanted too (not that he really wanted to in the first place).

"I guess it would be the best. You know how Sasuke-kun is about being 'the strongest.'"

"See Iruka-san? I'm still smart."

"I never said you weren't Kakashi-san. But you are always late."

"I had to help and old lady, what else can I say?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the chuunin, who blushed under the look that Kakashi gave him. Kakashi smiled and easily led his horse (still moving stiffly when he walked) towards the stalls. Quickly unsaddling the gelding and placing him back into his stall, the horse gave him one half-hearted nip an went to feed on the alfalfa in his food bin. Kakashi closed the gate and smiled when he locked it.

Kakashi walked back to Iruka who was busy untacking Mountain. Kakashi grabbed Snow Fall, Sakura's mare and untacked the gray mare, who shot him a nasty look, then became more docile as Kakashi whispered a few choice words into her light gray ear. She snorted and stood still, not offering a touch of attitude to the man when he led her back to her stall, which was located (conveniently) near Snare's stall. Kakashi limped back to Iruka who was now untacking Honey Snapper. Kakashi looked at the horse and eyed the animal,

"Iruka-san."

"Hai?"

"Did you make sure his face is alright?"

"Hai, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi walked up to the side of the horse's face. Honey Snapper whipped a snap at him when he reached up a gloved hand to touch the side of the horse's face.

"Hai, that's still tender isn't it horse-kun?"

Kakashi asked playfully, slapping the horse gently on the neck. Iruka threw him a look; the chuunin had been pondering a question when he was brushing Sasuke's horse. His hand rested on the dun's firm shoulder,

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hai?"

"Are you still going to make Sasuke-kun ride this brute?"

"Hai."

"And Naruto-kun is going to ride the stallion?"

"Hai."

"Oh."

Kakashi smiled and looked at the chuunin who turned and looked at him over the horse's neck. He fingered black mane of the horse slowly, pulling some of the strands through his fingers as he thought. Idly, he closed his eyes and thought. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, startled, he turned and looked at Kakashi.

"Don't worry Iruka-san. I won't let Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, or Sakura-chan be injured."

"I would hope not Kakashi-san."

Iruka blushed as Kakashi's hand brushed against his face, bringing a red hot flash to his face. Looking at the man, his black eyes blinked as he looked at the jounin. He smiled, and looked at Kakashi. He lifted a hand to Kakashi's lips and smiled,

"What are you doing Iruka-san?"

Kakashi said, his face was tingling where Iruka's hand had touched him. He smiled and closed his eye happily. He leaned forward and gently kissed Iruka's cheek. Iruka jerked back, a bit shocked, one, at himself, for liking it, and two, for recoiling from Kakashi's 'kiss.' He smiled and looked at the jounin, who chuckled and looked at him, Iruka felt the blush creep up along his face.

"Nani?"

"You're cute when you blush Iruka-san."

"Hai, don't you blush Kakashi-san?"

"I don't know. Can you see a blush through my mask?"

Iruka chuckled and looked at Kakashi, who was now busy patting and grooming, cooing softly to Honey Snapper. Iruka ran a hand up the jounin's back. Kakashi shivered, and then winced slightly, Iruka could tell the difference, even though the jounin was trying hard not to show it. He'd seen the jounin's shoulder's bunch.

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hai?"

"Does you back still hurt?"

"Hai."

He said tiredly. Looking at Iruka, he smiled slightly and looked at Iruka, his smile reached his eyes, like it always did when he smiled to Iruka. Somehow the chuunin never made him frown and life seemed a bit lighter when the man was around. Kakashi reached a hand up the journey-man's shoulder and rested it there happily. Iruka smiled and slipped hand around the waist of the elite-nin and smiled happily.

"Kakashi-san?"

"Hai?"

"We need to tend to the last horse."

"That Naruto-kun's fiend?"

"Hai."

"Together?"

"No."

"No? What do you mean?"

"You hold him and I'll groom him Kakashi-san."

"Why?"

Iruka rested hand on the bridge of Kakashi's nose and smiled as he poked the jounin playfully. His hand found it's way into Kakashi and he held the gloved hand happily. Iruka smiled and looked at Naruto's horse. He sighed, the stallion was glancing at them as though they were insane to try and touch him. Him, the all-mighty god of horses. Kakashi and Iruka burst into a fit of laughter. The horse whinnied loudly.

Honey Snapper, ever the one to be on guard for a good chance to strike, snapped at Iruka's shoulder, nipping through the cloth and protection. Iruka called out and waved a hand at the horse. Kakashi laughed harder, he sat down on the ground. Groaning a bit as his wound stretched. Iruka looked at him reproachfully.

"What is so funny pray-tell? That bite hurt!"

"Your reaction Iruka-san."

"Nani? How is it funny!"

"You acted like Sasuke-kun, though you missed the horse's face."

Iruka glowered at the jounin and quickly led the dun gelding back to his stall. Kakashi, making sure that he was out of site, leapt up and walked to the stallion's strong shoulder, moving fast enough to dodge a sharp blow to the shoulder from Nightmare's fangs, Kakashi smiled and patted the horse and leaned on the warm ebony side. Basking in the heat from both sides, his front exposed to the light and his back warmed by the heated pelt, his head tilted back slightly, pale skin soaking in the light from the sun.

He rested there, feeling the gently breathing of the horse as the stallion breathed. Kakashi smiled, he could see the horse's head as he moved from side to side, trying to see if he could get a good nip on the man before he'd have to go to his stall. Kakashi smiled slightly,

"Easy Nightmare-kun."

The horse snorted as the man slowly ran a hand up and down the horse's shoulder, the stallion, feeling the soothing motions relaxed and lowered his head, basking in the sunlight and enjoying the warmth of the sunlight. Both stood there, each at a sudden peace. Kakashi's hand still grooming the horse's shoulder gently.

"Well, well, well."

Kakashi and the horse, their peace broken, turned to look at the chunin. Kakashi smiled slightly, he hadn't even felt the man approach. He looked at Iruka and patted the warm hide of the stallion with a gentle hand,

"Well what Iruka-san?"

Kakashi asked the man softly, Iruka winked at him slightly, then closed one eye against the glare of the sun. He raised a hand as a hand to shield against the light of the sun, he opened his other black eye once more. He had a grin on his slightly childish features.

"I never knew that the son of Konoha's White Fang to be so relaxed around and animal that could kill him on a whim."

"Are you jealous Iruka-san?"

Kakashi teased. Iruka gave him a hard look and walked over. He smiled, slightly and playfully looked at the horse, then back at Kakashi, he leaned forward and gently kissed Kakashi's forehead protector. He looked at the man and smiled,

"Should I be?"

"Maybe."

Iruka was taken a-back, would Kakashi choose a horse over him? Iruka smiled, he knew it was a tease, but then regained his mock-shock look. He fingered the scar on his nose and turned from the two of them, feigning sadness, Iruka spoke to the two of them,

"Well, hic, I hope your happy!"

He turned and looked at Nightmare, eyeing his 'competition' with his black eyes. He walked over to the horse and frowned. He gave a ghost of a grin, grabbing onto the horse's bridle with his left hand, he stared into that great eye, the eye that radiated anger, peace, and inner turmoil. Iruka actually jerked back.

"The eye is a window to the soul my Iruka-san."

Kakashi said, coming up behind the chunin and planting a hand on the man's shoulder. He slipped his other hand around the chunin's waist and held him there. Kakashi's head lowered over Iruka's shoulder and he smiled up at the man. Iruka frowned slightly,

"I suppose it is Kakashi-san."

He applied a hand on Kakashi's forehead protector and gently pushed the unresisting jounin back. He playfully came in close to the jounin's face.

"And yours tell me you're always late."

Kakashi chuckled and he gently grabbed Iruka's finger and held it in his own long pale fingers,

"And yours, my Iruka-san, tell me that you are worried about your former students."

With a wink of his black eye, Kakashi playfully went on.

"And your jealous of a horse having all my love. Did I miss anything?"

Iruka smiled gently, he shook his head slightly, feeling his finger enclosed in the warmth of Kakashi's sunbathed hand.

"No, my Kakashi-san, you didn't miss a thing."

Iruka took Kakashi's hand, and placed it on the bridle of the horse. He slowly moved off, Kakashi trailing with Nightmare following after the two of them. After they had untacked the horse (which just mostly included taking off his bridle) they both put the stallion away, who nibbled gently on Kakashi's arm and gave a real snap to Iruka's hand when the chunin tired to pet him. Kakashi gave a hearty laugh,

"It would seem that Nightmare-kun is jealous of Iruka-san's love!"

Iruka growled at the horse and slipped a hand around Kakashi's waist, almost possessively, he drew the jounin in close, totally confident, he stuck his tongue out at the horse and said coyly,

"Mine."

The jounin and chunin laughed and they moved off towards the front of the stables, when a horse-y laugh rendered the air. Nightmare was rolling on the ground, giving off the total impression that he was laughing as well. Iruka and Kakashi smiled and walked out of the stables, hand in hand with each other. Kakashi looked at Iruka as they parted in front of the stables,

"See you here tomorrow then Iruka-san?"

"Hai Kakashi-san, will you be on time."

Kakashi's black eye twinkled with merriment,

"Maa, I might just avoid the old ladies for your sake."

Iruka smiled and then leaned forwards, Kakashi also had leaned forward, without a second thought, Iruka's soft, tanned lips touched Kakashi's clothed ones. They broke apart (unwillingly) and nodded to each other. Kakashi held out a hand. Iruka twined his fingers in the jounin's and smiled.

"See you tomorrow then Kakashi-san."

Kakashi nodded and felt Iruka's fingers relax. He smiled and then they both built up chakra and were gone, leaving a small cloud of dust in their wake.

Pansk: Waka! Chapter four is done! Sorry I have a lot of time on my hands and wanted this to be what I wanted it to be…and Kakashi-Iruka fanfic! Muhahahahahahahahaha! –proceeds to work on next chapter-

Kakashi: How could you think I'd love a horse more than I love you Iruka-san? -looks hurt-

Iruka: Umm…It was a joke?

Pansk: Tune in for the next chapter! R&R PEOPLE!