A/N: WARNING: I HAD TO UP THE RATING TO MATURE FOR THIS CHAPTER! Eheh…XP Sorry…I really didn't have to, but I think that it'd be appropriate for one of the more intense parts..

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, it would'a been a yaoi. Heh.

This is a rather long chapter, but it's been fun, you guys! THANKS FOR READING! And sorry for this ending…you're gonna hate me! XD

Much love,
Atari.

"Aiye! Arigato gozaimasu, Iruka-sensei!!" Moegi called early in the morning.

"Thanks, Iruka-san!" Kurenai cooed later that day, kissing him delicately on the cheek.

"Ah, Iruka! You're the best!" Shizune smiled as the two heard a 'Fuck, YEAH, bitch!' in the background from Tsunade.

"Iruka-sensei!! This's awesome dattebayo!!!" Naruto yipped towards the end of the day.

Nearly eleven at night and Iruka was already exhausted. The chuunin had been around the entire village all day handing out presents. It was Christmas after all. He held one last present in his hand.

Kakashi's.

Looking up to the twinkling sky, small shimmering flakes of pure white started trickling down like water, gently blanketing Iruka from top to bottom in a shy sheet of snow crystals. He could hear the celebration in the village going off not far from where he was- the laughter and jubilance of the children, the chitter-chatter of the adults, the bells and Christmas carols being sung for all to hear. Everything in the village was decked out in crimson, emerald, and silver. It was a sight and parade villages from all over united here for- for one night, all the fighting would stop. For one night, everyone would be friends.

Iruka wasn't one for celebrations. Especially when he realized the entire day, he hadn't once seen Kakashi. The gentle glow of the celebration glimmered like a star on earth not far in the distance. Iruka smiled delicately as he knew everyone was having a good time.

With a sigh, he shrugged and looked down at the small palm-sized present in his hand. Just where was Kakashi? He shook his head and put it in his jacket pocket. Tying his scarf tighter around his neck, it was then that he headed home.

"…Well…at least I managed to make everyone else's Christmas a bit better…" Iruka mused as he went to his computer. As he put his finger on the 'on' button, he paused. With slight hesitation he withdrew his hand. "One night off work won't hurt," He bit his lip, hoping that'd be okay.

He looked around him- his small house was dimmer and more dreary than ever before, it seemed. With a small sigh, Iruka decided a nice hot shower would do him some good. It was Christmas, so no AC was on, but the cool winter air still blew in through the cracks that were inevitable.

As the chuunin stripped down, he felt a shiver go through his entire body. It was colder out than he thought! Then again, he had had his regular uniform, jacket, scarf, boots, and other winter accessories to help him with the warmth. He quickly turned on the water and went out to snag a pair of clothes from his bedroom to change into while the water heated up.

Looking over, steam started to pour from the bathroom door. The water was scorching hot.

Iruka stepped into the shower and felt another shiver go through him, though this time from the heat instead of the cold. He let out a sigh of relaxation as the water cascaded down his body, trickling through his hair, and slithering through every indent on his body. The feeling of the warm water made his skin prickle with pleasure. It had never felt so good to be under a hot faucet before. When opening his eyes, he could see his reflection on the shower's door, his hot breath steaming the window with each pant he took, fading to fogged, then back to clear, then to fogged again as his breath met the window-like material.

He closed his eyes again and let the water take all the pain away. He blocked out every sound and just listened to the drip drop of the water against his body. To say it was relaxing would be an understatement.

In his mind, he could see Kakashi, leaning in to kiss him that previous night. That devious wink and smirk combo he had given him had brought a tingle through his body. It was then when his thoughts got hazy with the steam. Iruka imagined Kakashi with him this Christmas eve. He imagined them kissing. He could even feel the warm saliva flowing through his mouth as their tongues danced around each other in pleasure. He could feel Kakashi take his lips from his and kiss gently on his neck, the spot that drove him crazy. He could feel his rough hands on his hips, tracing around towards the front and pulling him back by the belly into the jounin's body.

"I love you, Iruka," Kakashi would say in that devious tone the chuunin knew so well. "I love you with all my heart."

"I love you, too, Kashi-kun…" Iruka moaned to himself in the shower. "I love you too…"

"Just who are you talking to?"

Iruka's eyes shot wide open. It was then that he was brought from his alternate reality. Yet, it was also then that most of what he had just been imagining, except for the words, were true.

The chuunin tried to whirl around, but Kakashi's hand held fast on his waist and pulled them close together as the jounin licked at Iruka's neck, nibbling feverishly. He knew it was his hot spot.

"Ka-Ka-Kakashi? Wha-what're you-?"

"Doing naked in your shower?" Kakashi asked, bringing his hands up to Iruka's chest and tracing delicately with his fingers around his nipples. One small squeeze made Iruka jump. Kakashi laughed. "You're so innocent," He whispered, hot breath falling through the water onto Iruka's ear as Kakashi let his chin rest on his shoulder. "But, I can change that…"

Iruka was panting- this HAD to be a dream! Just another one of his fantasies! There was no WAY this could be happening! Yet…it was all real. Every single thing was real. Even the feel of Kakashi's hard penis pressing up against his back.

"Kakashi…" Iruka moaned as the jounin's fingers slithered down to his cock, lacing the index and thumb around it and squeezing gently.

"Happy Christmas…Iru-kun," Kakashi whispered through a strained whisper as he pressed harder on the chuunin's cock. "I love you."

It was the words Iruka had been waiting to hear his entire life.

"How long have you known?" The chuunin asked in an orgasmic tone, referring to his being 'UI'.

"Since the second email you sent me."

"How?"

"Easy. I know you, Iruka…All too well. Don't you think I could tell you apart from everyone else? Besides, you said things that gave you away. Like, knowing I lived in Konoha…and how you mentioned the past of your parents dieing and such…" Kakashi paused, now turning Iruka to face him.

All four eyes interlocked.

"Now," Kakashi continued. "How long did you know it was me?" He inquired. Iruka blushed.

"Since the first email you sent me," He smiled. Kakashi smirked.

"How clever…" He whispered, draping his arms around Iruka's neck and pulling them close together. With a lazy side-step, the jounin twirled Iruka around once in the hot water and pressed his lips to the other's. Iruka could feel hot water and warm saliva seeping delicately through his lips as a rough cat-like tongue met his own and danced with his own in his mouth. Kakashi laced his fingers into Iruka's flowing mocha strands and massaged at his scalp while the two deepened the kiss. No longer could either distinguish water from saliva. It was all a hazy blur. The water had only gotten hotter and the steam was making them dizzy, as though intoxicated with heat.

Kakashi let his fingers run through Iruka's hair, only to trace down his back and towards his ass. Iruka let the kiss drop only to fall onto the elder of the two's chest, hearing the soothing lull of the jounin's heart beat drum faster as Kakashi fell straight into rhythm and latched his lips onto Iruka's neck, sucking and lapping at his virgin flesh as though it were the last drop of water on earth. Iruka could feel Kakashi move down onto his shoulder and nibble lovingly. The chuunin let out a soft moan of pleasure as he felt his knees go weak with nostalgia.

Kakashi grabbed onto the chuunin and pulled him closer, kissed him once, then took a hand to grab a bottle of shampoo, all the while the two kept their stare as loving as ever into each other's eyes. The two sparkled with water droplets after Kakashi led the two out of the water to the side of the shower where he could wash his lover's hair.

Without a word, the jounin took the bottle and squirted some shampoo on the top of Iruka's head and put the bottle back in place. Iruka hugged onto Kakashi as the jounin massaged the suds into the chuunin's hair, making his mocha locks a soapy white. Kakashi took his hands from Iruka's head and blew the bubbles off them, the few that still remained drifting into the air and dancing around before they popped. One landed gently on the tip of Iruka's nose. Kakashi merely smirked and popped it with his tongue, right before licking the chuunin, who flinched at the pop. When their eyes met, they both broke into a small fit of giggles before Kakashi took control once more and pressed his lips to Iruka's, lacing his fingers right back into his soapy scalp and massaging once more.

Iruka felt himself being pushed by Kakashi back into the water as he let their kiss break. The jounin looked down at the chuunin, who, he noticed, was a significant amount shorter than he, and saw the scorching water running it's course through Iruka's hair as the suds trickled downward to the drain, forming a white and clear puddle at his feet.

When the rinsing was done, Kakashi didn't bother with conditioner.

"C'mon…I have something I wanna show you…" Kakashi whispered into Iruka's ear before licking at the lobe and tugging gently with his teeth. Iruka smiled in spite of himself and let the jounin drag him out of the water.

It was freezing out. A shiver immediately ran through him, waking him from the gentle nostalgia the steam and hot water had coaxed him into. He immediately took a towel and wrapped it around himself. About to grab a towel for his hair, Kakashi snagged it up and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"Allow me, Sir Umino," He chuckled, draping the towel over the chuunin's head and rubbing gently, hitting pressure points lightly with his thumbs. It took nearly fifteen minutes to dry the two off. Even then, neither were exactly dry, but slightly sticky with the remnants of water.

"Why're the lights dimmed?" Iruka asked, puzzled. Kakashi smirked.

"Get dressed," He urged, nuzzling Iruka at the neck. The jounin, regardless of the cold, stripped Iruka's towel off him and grabbed a loose t-shirt and pulled it over the chuunin.

"I can do the pants myself, thanks," Iruka mumbled, embarrassed. Kakashi laughed.

"But that'd be no fun!" He snickered seductively, pushing Iruka onto the bed and pinning him. His grey hair, when wet, flowed a shimmering silver, the remaining water droplets sparkling a clear rainbow all throughout his hair. Both eyes were set lazily on Iruka, a tiny sincere smile caressing his lips. Kakashi, regardless of temptation, pulled himself off of Iruka and grabbed some pants, not even bothering with any boxers or briefs. He carefully slipped them over Iruka's legs and pulled them up slowly, pausing right before the penis.

"Kakashi? Wha-what're you…?" Iruka felt a tingle of worry sweep over him. He yelped when he felt a warm tongue licking at the head of his cock. "Ka-Kakashi!!" He screeched as Kakashi let his hands make their way under his shirt and lather his abs. The chuunin was ready to kick him off, but Kakashi knew better and let up, pulling Iruka's pants up all the way, zipping and buttoning them closed for the finish. He then took his time getting to his feet and winked at Iruka before clothing himself. "Asshole…" Iruka murmured, though the smile on his face gave his accusation no foundation. Kakashi smiled back.

"The one and only," He stated, offering a hand to Iruka to pull him up off the bed. The two were both now fully clothed. "C'mon…I wanna show you something," He coaxed. Iruka took his hand and let him pull him to his feet. Kakashi pushed Iruka in front of him and placed both hands over his eyes. "Now, I'm gonna guide you. No peeking!" He commanded in a deep tone of mischief. Iruka only went along with it, a smile plastered on his face. He couldn't tell where he was being led. He could, ever so slightly, hear soft music cooing louder and louder as he approached it. "Wait, wait…waaait…alright," Kakashi stopped and took his hands from Iruka, who opened both eyes and blinked twice, letting his vision adjust.

"Oh my God!" He gasped, his smile flying wider.

"Surprise," Kakashi sung, placing his arms around Iruka's waist and belly and pulling him back.

The lights were dimmed down to 'low' and a soft cascade of classical music sung it's tune softly from the stereo in the living room. There, in the middle, sat a small kotatsu for two, with the heat tuned up to full as two glasses with strawberry Champaign sat in tall, slim crystal glasses, a slice of strawberry on the rim. Two lit candles sat in the middle of the table- which was decorated with white out-of-season cherry blossoms. On the table sat two fancy plates with one delicate warm chocolate slice of moist fudge cake, drizzled in a delectable fudge sauce in some sort of asian design, tiny slices of strawberry candy sprinkled all over. In the background, a fire crackled and popped in the fireplace just under the sound of the music. The table was set up to look straight out the window and onto the snowing outdoors.

"C'mon, silly, the food'll get cold, you know," Kakashi teased, pushing Iruka towards the kotatsu. The two snuggled into the mountain of pillows and nuzzled close under the heated table together. Kakashi took Iruka's strawberry off his glass of Champaign and gently pressed it to the chuunin's lips. Iruka smiled and opened as Kakashi fed him the strawberry, the chuunin's lips sliding over Kakashi's finger as he withdrew. "Sweet?"

"Very," Iruka cooed, leaning into Kakashi, who snagged both their Champaign glasses and gave one to Iruka.

"To love," He proposed in a toast. Iruka smiled.

"To love," He agreed, clanking the two glasses together, then taking a sip. Iruka blinked. Something towards the bottom of his glass sparkled. "Hm?" He brought the glass from his lips and gazed into the rosy liquid. And at that moment, his eyes widened, along with Kakashi's delicate smile. "O-oh my-…is…is that-?"

Kakashi nodded as Iruka gazed up at him. He looked like he was about to cry as he grabbed his fork and dipped it into the glass, pulling an eloquent golden ring out of the bottom of the glass.

"It's beautiful!" Iruka gasped, placing his glass down. Kakashi took the ring from him.

"Iruka…" Kakashi whispered, taking the ring and slipping it onto Iruka's ring finger. "Will you marry me?" He asked. Iruka stared in disbelief. Okay, this COULDN'T be real! This HAD to be some sort of set up! Where were the cameras!? Iruka was ready for them to jump out and laugh at him. This COULDN'T be happening! Had he accidentally taken some sort of drug? Was he really in his house? This COULDN'T be happening! It just COULDN'T! It was so not Kakashi! What about Anko!? Just under a year ago, he had been asking Iruka about what he had thought of him asking her for her hand in marriage! Besides…gay marriage was illegal in Konoha!...wasn't it? Oh, wait…Tsunade had changed that rule for Izumo and Kotetsu…

Iruka blinked in disbelief. This wasn't real…he was dreaming! He had to be!! "I-…" But, what if it was real? He couldn't turn him down if it was real! His heart was racing a mile a minute. All this time…all this fucking time! What the hell was going on!? He had only drunken one sip of his Champaign…he couldn't be drunk yet…

"I…don't…I……huh?" Iruka asked, confused. Kakashi laughed.

"Will you or won't you?" He asked calmly, as though there was no doubt that Iruka would say yes.

Oh, this was SO fucked up…

"I…y-ye…yes…?" Iruka asked. Kakashi blinked.

"You sound like you're asking me…" He mused, sounding baffled.

Iruka bit his lip as hard as he could. When he tasted blood and felt the tingle of pain, he knew it was real. One hundred ten percent real. With a smile of disbelief, he looked Kakashi straight in the eyes and nodded simultaneously.

"Yes…Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!" Iruka laughed, pouncing on Kakashi in a hug. The Hatake fell over backwards and the two were on their backs, both laughing hysterically. This was so unreal…

That was when Iruka pulled out the package he had been waiting to give Kakashi from under the kotatsu. "And this's for you," He sung, handing the red and green wrapped package to his lover, who looked on in surprise and took it. He sat up cautiously, Iruka hugging onto his arm as he opened it. And, for a second, everything was quiet, except for the lull of the soft music and crackles and pops of the fire.

In the box, sat a small silver ring.

Kakashi could only smile, before he brought Iruka into a kiss.

"Happy Christmas, Iru-kun…Aishteru," Kakashi whispered, kissing him again. It was then that the two fell back over and started making out right there on the floor.

None of the dessert was ever eaten.

Brrrrrring!

Iruka moaned in agony at the sound of his alarm clock in the morning. Classes were on- even though it was the day when every little boy and girl in the village woke their families up at 4am just to open presents. And Iruka had to get up.

The chuunin rolled over onto his side, trying to feel for Kakashi. It was then that he realized he was in his bed.

"Huh?" He blinked, confused and, now, fully awake. "Kakashi?" No answer. He quickly got out of bed and went to the living room where everything had been set up last night. Everything was gone- as though nothing had happened last night. Iruka's heart seemed to slow. "Kakashi?" He asked again, now checking through the entire house.

When he found nothing, the chuunin rushed through getting dressed and dashed out the door to the school, without looking back to the bed- which held in it's sheets a small golden ring.

When he got there, he rushed to where Kakashi normally was, zigzagging between passerby the whole while and almost slipping in the snow on his way there.

"Kakashi!" Iruka yelped, finally spotting the jounin, who was examining papers with Shizune. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!!"

"Oh?" Kakashi inquired, looking back at him.

"Y-yeah! Um…this might sound a bit crazy, but, were you at my house last night?" He asked, out of breath from running all the way here and looking around. Kakashi looked almost bewildered.

"At your house?"

"Yeah…" Iruka's brow furrowed in nervousness.

"No…Not that I recall," The jounin said, going back to his papers. Iruka's eyes went wide.

"Wha-what? But what about the rings?"

"Rings?" Kakashi looked back to him.

"Yeah, the-" Iruka held out his left hand, only to find no golden ring around his fourth finger. "…rings…" He whispered, finishing his fragment. He examined his hand as though it were an alien specimen. "…" Kakashi stared at him, as did Shizune.

"Iruka…? Are you feeling okay?" Shizune asked, coming to his side and feeling his forehead as the bewildered chuunin kept his puzzled gaze on his hand. "Iruka?" Shizune repeated.

"Y-yeah…" He whispered, dropping his gaze and looking at Shizune, who looked right back with worried eyes.

"Are you sure? Tsunade could take a look at you…" She coaxed. Kakashi kept one eye fixed on the chuunin as he looked back to him.

"No…no, I'm fine…" He whispered, then turned and went out, completely confused. He paused at the doorway. "What day is this?"

"Why, it's Christmas morn, of course," Shizune stated matter-of-factly. Iruka nodded.

"Yes…yes, that's what I thought…" He said slowly, and walked out, thinking: 'Maybe it really was a dream after all…'

Shizune looked back to Kakashi.

"Rings?"

The jounin merely shrugged.

"Maybe he's finally gone delusional…"

"OI!" Tsunade's voice boomed as she walked in the doors. " Shizuuuuune! Could you deal with these people?" The Hokage whined as she waltzed in through the doors and sat in the spinny chair behind the desk, propping her feet up on the table before her. Shizune groaned. "Yeah, yeah…" She mused, walking out of the room to greet the people whom Tsunade was referring to.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head like a dogs, taking off his scarf and gloves- it had gotten pretty hot and the winter clothing was beginning to faze him on the indoors. Tsunade watched him carefully as he went back to examining the papers. When he picked one up, Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"Where'd ya get the ring?" She asked, in that 'damn-you-have-something-fancier-and-more-expensive-than-I-do-you-fucking-prick' tone.

"Huh?" Kakashi asked, looking at his left hand calmly. A small smile formed under his mask. "Oh…you know…" He mused, shrugging. As the jounin took some papers in his hands, he turned on his heel and walked to the door, pausing at the frame. "My lover," He whispered, and walked on out.

-Fin-

-Epilogue-

Umino Iruka never found the ring on his bed. And, after going through intensive therapy, had convinced himself it was merely a dream- an illusion of his own desire. Hatake Kakashi kept the secret to himself. Nearly two years later, he and Mitarashi Anko were married on December 12th. However, Kakashi held two rings on his finger forevermore- his sparkling golden marriage ring on his left and his shimmering silver engagement ring on his right.

What was a memory for one, was merely a dream for another.

-Things are not always as they appear-