Chapter 9
"A Changed Man?"

Kakashi didn't see or hear from Iruka for the rest of the week. When he'd woken up the morning after their fight, the boys had been gone and the apartment was clean. He felt like something had snapped inside of him – like his heart was broken. He threw himself into his work, acting as if he were a machine instead of a man. He only stopped taking missions when the Chuunin at the mission desk would no longer give them to him.

The hound became a monster, prowling the land like a hungry, wounded beast and killing without mercy.

He entered the mission room and ignored the stares that everyone gave him.

"I need another mission," he snapped. His uniform was filthy and his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. The Chunnin behind the desk nervously rifled through some paperwork. "Now!" Kakashi growled impatiently. The man gulped and thrust a piece of paper towards him. He snatched it and stalked away without another word. His eyes scanned the briefing disinterestedly.

It was a D class mission. A woman that lived on the edge of the village needed an animal killed that was attacking her chickens at night. Perhaps if he'd been more like himself, he would have noticed that the name of the woman was familiar.

He leapt quickly and silently across rooftops until the buildings thinned out and his only option was to run on land. Minutes later the quaint farmhouse came into view. Kakashi slowed his pace and approached the woman working in her garden. When he was behind her, he cleared his throat. She jumped in surprise.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. She stood, brushing the dirt off her simple sundress. In the fading sunlight, she looked beautiful – there was a soft glow about her. Kakashi, of course, didn't notice.

"You requested a ninja to exterminate an animal attacking your chickens," he recited in a monotone. She surprised him by extending her hand towards him, obviously not frightened by his terrible appearance. Reluctantly, he shook her hand.

"I'm so glad you've come. I'm Tsubaki. What's your name?" she asked politely. Kakashi's revealed eye narrowed.

"You're Tsubaki?" he asked, letting go of her hand. She nodded, looking puzzled.

"Do I know you?" she asked. Kakashi scowled.

"Mizuki-san mentioned you. You're the girl he deceived, cheated on, and then dumped," Kakashi said harshly. Tsubaki's pleasant smile faded and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you…a friend of Mizuki's?" she asked, a bit coldly.

"I wouldn't piss on him if he were on fire," Kakashi spat in reply. Tsubaki looked up at him with big, startled eyes.

"He's hurt you, too. Please come inside. Dinner is almost ready, and you look very tired. I would like to talk to you about him," she implored. Something in her gentle manner left him unable to refuse. He followed after her.

Her home was small and tidy, and it smelled delicious. She sat him down in the kitchen and quickly brought him tea. She turned off the oven. He took a hesitant sip of his drink and then a larger one. It was warm and mildly sweet with a hint of honey.

"You're better off without him," Kakashi said. Her gentle voice and the atmosphere of her home suggested she was a sweet, simple girl. She didn't deserve someone like Mizuki in her life. Tsubaki poured her own tea and joined him at the table. Her pale, dainty hand clasped his gently. He didn't tell her to let go.

"Mizuki is very angry inside. His life before I met him was hard, but he's changed. With our wedding approaching, I could tell he was getting frightened. Mizuki isn't very courageous. He has to work hard to be a good person," she said. Kakashi chugged down the rest of his tea in one gulp.

"He stole my boyfriend and is raping him, using his kid to manipulate him into doing whatever he wants," Kakashi said without a hint of sympathy. Tsubaki's delicate hand covered her mouth, her eyes startled and glassy with pain. Kakashi felt guilty for being the one to break it to her, but he was too miserable to care very much. He looked away and out the small window over the kitchen sink. "I'm sorry I said it like that," he mumbled. She wiped at her eyes with a nearby napkin and made a visible attempt to pull herself together.

"No…I'm glad you told me. It's just that…you see…I'm pregnant. Mizuki left before…before I could tell him," she explained sadly. Kakashi glanced at her sharply.

"I'm going to kill him. I really am," Kakashi replied hoarsely. Tsubaki shook her head and reached for his hand again.

"It seems we both love someone who's hurt us," she said. Kakashi scowled.

"I can't love Iruka. I hardly know him," Kakashi replied. Tsubaki shook her head slowly.

"You love him. I can tell. You haven't slept or eaten. At least I've had my baby to keep me going, but you don't have anything left to fight for," she whispered. Kakashi snorted.

"I didn't have anything to begin with."

"Things ended badly between the two of you?" Tsubaki asked gently. Kakashi nodded once. She sighed sadly. "I don't know what to do. I guess you don't know either. I've been hoping Mizuki would come to his senses once he realized that he wasn't happy without me."

"I've thought about taking him out in the woods and beating him," Kakashi offered, only half-joking. Tsubaki didn't smile.

"This Iruka of yours…is he a good man?" Tsubaki asked. Her voice was doubtful. Kakashi glanced at her sharply.

"He's got a heart of gold," Kakashi replied. Tsubaki nodded, as if settling a debate that had been going on in her own head.

"Then perhaps I can help you. I still need to tell Mizuki about the baby, but I don't know how he'll react. He's been violent around me before, but now I have more to consider than just my own health. Could you could take me to him?" Kakashi didn't understand how that would help him, because if the girl thought Mizuki was going to give up his plaything just because of an unplanned baby, she was underestimating just how big of an asshole he was. Still, she seemed naïve and sweet. If she was determined to tell Mizuki, it was best that she did it when he was there to protect her.

"I don't know where he is," Kakashi said. Tsubaki stood, tugging gently on his hand. He stood as well, waiting for her reply.

"I'll take you to his house. Let's go," she said, her eyes full of determination. Wordlessly, Kakashi allowed her to lead him out of the house and back into the village.

It took them a long time to reach Mizuki's apartment, and as they walked, Tsubaki talked about her relationship with Mizuki.

"When he came to Konoha, he had nothing. He was young and determined to make a good life for himself. We met at the market where I sell my vegetables. I thought he was very handsome, and I treated him kindly. When I needed work done, I gave him the jobs. I came to understand his situation, and I invited him to stay with me until he could find steady work. I had fallen pretty hard for him by that point," Tsubaki said with a small smile on her face. Kakashi listened but didn't comment. She continued her story after a few moments of personal reflection. "He was polite but distant. He explained that he had never had good relationships in the past, and that he didn't want to repeat his old mistakes. He was trying to change everything about his life, and I could tell it was very hard for him. My uncle is a Jounin ninja in charge of running the Academy. I told him about Mizuki and asked him to repay a favor."

"I wondered how he became a Chuunin without graduating from the Academy," Kakashi commented. Tsubaki pulled her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. The wind was getting chilly.

"Mizuki did go to the Academy before his parents were killed, so he knew the basics. He was only a year away from graduating when he was sent to the orphanage. He was a fast learner, and worked very hard. In just two years he managed to pass the Chuunin exam and my uncle offered him a teaching job at the Academy. All the while he helped me with my farm and we grew closer. He didn't like telling me about his past, but over the years I pieced things together. All I asked of him was to be honest with me, and for the most part he was. Being a ninja gave him an outlet for his anger, and it was rare that he lost his temper with me. He tried very hard to treat me differently than he had treated women in the past, but I could tell it was a struggle. There were times he wanted to leave me, and times he got very drunk and told me terrible things to try and scare me away from him. When he had enough money, he got his own place and probably cheated on me a few times."

"Why stay with him? Why let him treat you that way?" Kakashi interrupted. Tsubaki sounded just like Iruka – snared helplessly by whatever mysterious power Mizuki held over them. Tsubaki, much to his surprise, gave him a bright smile.

"Because I loved him. I didn't expect him to be perfect. Every time he messed up, he would come to me and apologize. He was honest about it, and sincere in wanting to change. No road that long is without hardships, so I expected him to falter. It got better. When he proposed, we had dated for eight months without any problems."

"Then Iruka came," Kakashi finished. Tsubaki nodded.

"Yes, and then Iruka-san came." They walked a little longer in silence. Kakashi was curious about what Tsubaki knew of Iruka and Mizuki's past together, so he asked.

"Did Mizuki-san ever mention Iruka?" Tsubaki's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, as if she had been pondering the question before Kakashi asked it.

"I've never been told his whole story, so Iruka-san could have been one of the many people Mizuki has mentioned from his past. I can tell you that Mizuki has had more than one male lover, and all for the same reason. He feels he has darker desires that a woman can't satisfy. He said that being a ninja replaced those urges, but I suppose old habits die hard," she commented.

"So Iruka wasn't as special to Mizuki as he leads Iruka to believe?" Kakashi concluded.

"Probably not. Mizuki has a manipulative streak. No doubt Iruka-san sincerely loves him and Mizuki is taking advantage of that to re-live his younger days. I've been told he's drinking heavily again. It's just cold feet before the wedding, but because he is who he is, naturally it has to be as dramatic and painful for me as he can possibly make it. It's his final fight. If he can come out of this and realize it's not the kind of life he wants, he can leave it behind without regrets."

"I don't understand why he's worth all the effort, and I don't think he deserves all the faith you put in him," Kakashi grumbled, frustrated by the fact that he couldn't understand the situation. A large apartment building came into view as they rounded a corner. Tsubaki took his hand once again and squeezed it gently.

"It seems no one has ever told you, Kakashi-san. Love rarely makes sense. It's messy and painful, and it makes you foolish. Sometimes you feel like you loose more than you gain, and I know better than anyone that Mizuki is a hard man to love. But there are moments when it's simple and pure and good. We've sat watching the sunrise together and I've realized that without him, the world wouldn't be quite so beautiful. For me, those moments are worth all the pain. Love isn't like the fairy tales, and it isn't for quitters."

Kakashi sighed. He could understand her words, but he still felt like he was missing something. It was as if he could see brush strokes, but the painting as a whole remained hidden. Kakashi knew nothing about love.

Finally, they stood outside Mizuki's door. Kakashi let Tsubaki work up her courage for a few moments before she knocked.

Iruka answered.

"Kakashi! What are you doing here? And who's this?" Iruka asked immediately. Tsubaki, much to Kakashi's surprise, answered him in a tone that sounded nothing like the gentle voice she'd used earlier. It was firm and strong and without any hesitation.

"Are you Iruka-san?" she asked. The brunette nodded. Instantly, before Iruka or Kakashi even knew what was happening, Tsubaki had slapped him across the jaw. "That was for having sex with my fiancé. You should be ashamed of yourself. If I were you, I'd run back to the man who loves you while he'll still take you back, because Mizuki is mine."

Stunned, Iruka didn't protest when Tsubaki pushed by him and into the living room.

"Mizuki! Get out here this second!" Equally surprised, Mizuki came stumbling out of the bedroom half dressed. His eyes widened almost comically when he saw who stood in the living room.

"Tsubaki!" he exclaimed.

"Sit down and listen, and don't interrupt me," she ordered. Obediently, Mizuki sat on the couch, blinking up at her in a dumbfounded kind of way.

"I know what you've been up to behind my back, and I know just what kind of person you are, Mizuki. Despite that, I'm here because I promised to love you and I'm going to stand by that promise. I know you're just using him because you're afraid."

Mizuki's expression turned dark and he glared up at her. "I'm not afraid of you," he said in a voice that lacked conviction. Tsubaki just shook her head.

"Before he came, you were doing well. You quit drinking, you were getting noticed at work, and you were finally starting to let yourself heal. Then he comes back and you let yourself start thinking that this person is who you are – you give up on yourself! Inside of you is a good person, Mizuki, and I'm not going to accept that this is the best you can offer the world. Your life has been hard, and I know that, but I won't let you give up and go back to your old ways. You love me in a way that you don't love him, and that scares you. The idea of getting married scares you, because it means your old life is over and you have to let the past go."

Mizuki stood, scowling heavily, unable to face the petite, pretty woman that had suddenly become so passionate. Kakashi was beyond amazed. The whole scene was like watching a movie – like they were all actors and it was not his real life.

"You say you understand me, but you don't know. Iruka knows – he knows what I've been through. He loves me at my worst! I don't have to hide or suppress anything around him," Mizuki ranted. Rather than backing down, Tsubaki drew herself up and clenched her fists.

"Are you proud of the person you are with him? Does his love make you happy?"

Kakashi and Iruka watched as Mizuki slumped back down onto the couch. He gave Iruka a long, hard look. Then he looked at Tsubaki, and his gaze softened.

"I'm sorry, angel. You're right. I'm not…I'm not this person anymore. I'm not happy," he confessed. Tsubaki crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him. "And what do you have to say to Iruka-san?" she questioned harshly. Slowly, Mizuki raised his head.

"I…I had forgotten all about you until I saw you again at the bar. You've always just accepted whatever I did to you, and I've never respected you because of that. Tsubaki saw me at my worst, too, but she wants me to be better. You, and all the others before Tsubaki, gave up on me a long time ago. I'm sorry for lying to you and using you to see if marrying Tsubaki was what I really wanted. I know now that it is."

Before Iruka could reply, Tsubaki began talking again.

"I'd hoped you would figure this out on your own, but obviously you needed a kick in the pants. I'm glad you've finally come to your senses, because in eight months we're going to be parents."

"Angel! You're…pregnant?" Mizuki asked weakly. Tsubaki smiled at him and nodded her head. Mizuki stood and slowly, a sincere, loving smile crept onto his face for Tsubaki. Iruka had never seen such a smile on him before. It wasn't the Mizuki Iruka remembered as a child – it was better than that. It was a man that had been changed. It was a man who had moved on. Or it was a man that knew how to fake it really, really well.

Kakashi watched Iruka watch the happy couple. The brunette looked betrayed, confused, and hurt all at the same time. He hadn't been eating, and his eyes looked dead. Gently, Kakashi grasped Iruka's hand.

Iruka held onto him tightly. After the couple had kissed and made up, Tsubaki focused once more on Iruka.

"Kakashi-san is a good man, and I may not understand what he sees in you, but I suggest you learn to appreciate him and stay away from my Mizuki. Am I clear?"

Iruka could only nod weakly. Before Kakashi could stop him, he pushed past him and out of the apartment. Turned so that Mizuki couldn't see, Tsubaki floored Kakashi by giving him a sweet smile and a wink. She was like a flower coated in steel.

Smiling a bit to himself at the surprising turn his night had taken, he left the apartment as well. Kakashi thought maybe he could see another, new brush stroke. Tsubaki was just as uncomprehending of why he was attracted to Iruka as he was when it came to why she loved Mizuki. Still, the big picture eluded him. But he understood just a little bit more about love, he realized.

'Nobody outside of it can comprehend it – not when they haven't felt those moments of epiphany for themselves. Tsubaki's never seen Iruka in the way I've seen him, so she doesn't see how perfect he is for me,' Kakashi realized.

Iruka didn't go far. He didn't break down, but it was a close thing. When Kakashi caught up to him, he was leaning against a building and staring up at the stars that were just coming out.

"He left me a long time ago. I should have expected something like this. I wasn't strong enough to ever really let him go, but he didn't love me, and I knew that. I've been…terrible to you and to Naruto. I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"You can have a new start, too, Iruka," Kakashi said simply. The brunette didn't reply. "Where's Naruto?" Kakashi asked. Iruka, still staring at the sky, was quiet for a long time before he answered.

"He's…with Sasuke-kun, I think. I haven't been a very good dad this past week. Naruto's mad at me. We got kicked out, and he realized I was with Mizuki and that Mizuki was hurting me. I shouted at him," Iruka explained. Kakashi sighed.

"Iruka, come here," he encouraged. The brunette pushed off of the wall and hugged him. For a long time, he just let Kakashi comfort him.

"I don't deserve your comfort after how I've acted. I've been so fucking stupid," Iruka mumbled into his chest. Kakashi grinned underneath his mask.

"We were both stupid. It's okay to make mistakes when you're learning," Kakashi said. Iruka blinked up at him and swallowed despite the lump in his throat. He had to confess.

"I wanted to give up. This week has been hell, and I didn't think it was ever going to end. I was going to…to do something really stupid," Iruka confessed. Kakashi tightened his hold on him, but Iruka rushed to finish before Kakashi could react. "But you didn't give up on me. You came for me, and I needed you. I've messed up worse than I ever have before, but you still came for me," Iruka repeated, as if he almost didn't believe it himself.

The thought of Iruka ending his own life scared him more than anything else ever had before. He remembered his father, and the way he'd looked when he found him. He'd had fewer reasons to kill himself than Iruka had. Yet, Iruka was still with him, still alive, still clinging to whatever hope Kakashi could give him. History was not repeating itself, and the proof was breathing in his arms.

When he hugged Iruka again, this time it was practically bone crushing. When the embrace ended, Iruka was crying big, fat tears. Tenderly, Kakashi brushed them away.

"I'm a bad father. I was so selfish! I was in so much pain that I forgot about my own child. What kind of father does that?" Iruka asked him, oblivious to the memories he was forcing Kakashi to relive.

'What kind of father does that?' Kakashi asked in his head. 'Mine did that.'

Oblivious, Iruka began to wipe at his tears uselessly. Iruka had snapped and now he needed him to be strong for both of them.

"Come on, Iruka, I'm going to take you home," Kakashi said gently. He wrapped his arms around the shorter man and used a jutsu to transport them to his apartment. He scooped Iruka up and carried him, bridal style, into his room. He tucked him into bed and kissed his forehead. "Go to sleep. I'm going to go check on Naruto."

Iruka nodded and his eyes closed obediently. He was almost acting child-like, as if all his strength and will had left him and he was helpless. Kakashi would be strong for him, then, until he could be strong for himself again.

Kakashi left the apartment and headed for the old Uchiha complex on the edge of the village. It wasn't too late, so he simply rang the doorbell. It took a few moments, but eventually the door cracked open to reveal little Sasuke glaring up at him. His expression changed quickly upon recognizing him. He opened the door wider.

"Naruto-kun is sick," he said immediately. Quickly, Kakashi entered the complex and told Sasuke to lead him to Naruto. He heard the sounds of retching before he saw the boy. Naruto was pale and his eyes were glowing red. He'd vomited into a trashcan, and sweat poured down his face and bare torso. Sounding childlike in his worry, Sasuke rushed to explain. "He can't eat anything. After he fought with his dad, he's been really upset. He keeps waking up from sleep screaming, and he's scratching himself and pulling out his hair. His eyes are glowing red. I've never seen that before."

From his spot on the bed, Naruto dry-heaved again and looked up at him miserably. A bit of blue seeped into his irises.

"I w-w-want my d-d-d-daddy!" he sobbed. Kakashi understood what was going on. No doubt, when Naruto became overly emotional, the demon inside him became stronger, feeding off of Naruto's lack of control. Kakashi was not an expert at sealing techniques, but he could repair a seal that was weakening.

He joined Naruto on the big bed and lifted up the boy's shirt, searching for the seal. Naruto fought him, squirming and scratching him with his nails. Thankfully, the seal was easy enough to locate. It stood out darkly on his pale stomach. Without hesitation, Kakashi dug his fingers into the seal and sent his chakra flowing into the tiny, paper strip that trapped the demon behind bars inside of Naruto's soul. The blonde boy shook violently and then collapsed, limp in his arms.

Kakashi lifted up an eyelid. As he'd suspected, the boy's orbs were blue again. The seal on his stomach was already fading away to nothingness. It had weakened a great deal since he'd first received it. It was a miracle that Iruka had been able to halt its deterioration. With a relieved sigh, Kakashi picked Naruto up in his arms.

"He's better now, but I'm going to take him to the hospital. Will you be alright here by yourself?" he asked. Sasuke tried to look tough.

"I live by myself. I don't need a babysitter," he replied. Nodding in reply, Kakashi left quickly.

At the hospital, his reputation got him instant attention.

"Kakashi-san! What's wrong?" a nurse questioned.

"This boy has been sick with…the stomach flu. I've been trying to help him recover, but it's gotten too serious. He can't keep any food down." Kakashi knew he should have told them about the demon, but he told himself that Naruto was fine now that the seal was strengthened – he only needed some food and rest.

"Get me a stretcher," the nurse said to another member of the staff. To Kakashi she said, "We'll take excellent care of him, so don't you worry."

"I know he's in good hands now," Kakashi said. Nodding in a no-nonsense fashion, the nurse took Naruto from his arms and placed him on the stretcher. He was whisked away. Another nurse came up to him with some paperwork to fill out.

"How are you related to the patient?" she asked, pen ready to mark his reply.

"I'm his teacher. His father has also been sick this week, so I'm taking care of them."

"Alright, what symptoms does he have?" she asked.

"He was throwing up, fever, unable to sleep well," Kakashi replied in a monotone. She scribbled down his answers and then signed her name on a portion of the paperwork.

"You can fill out the rest, please," she said as she passed him the clipboard. Nodding, Kakashi took it and sat down in the lobby. There were quite a few questions he couldn't answer, so he just left them blank. When he'd answered everything that he could, he returned the paperwork to the nurse. She glanced at it and then filed it away.

"The nurse says Naruto-kun is weak but he should be fine by morning. The only overnight visitors allowed are family members, so you can't be in his room, I'm afraid. You might as well go home and get some rest and come back at six tomorrow. We'll have him in better shape by then and he'll probably be allowed to go home." Kakashi nodded, thanked her, and left.

By the time he made it back home, it was almost nine. He realized he hadn't completed his mission, but he figured he'd turn in a fake mission report and take care of it tomorrow if Mizuki didn't take care of the animal for her.

Iruka wasn't sleeping. The shower was on, and Kakashi didn't hesitate to open the bathroom door and check on him.

"Iruka? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Iruka called back. Satisfied that Iruka was holding himself together, Kakashi decided not to tell him about Naruto just yet. He toed off his sandals and slipped off his flak jacket. He dug around in his dresser until he found some clean boxers and a tank top. Lastly he took off his mask and left it on the nightstand.

The bathroom door opened and Iruka emerged in a cloud of steam. He had a towel around his waist and one twisted around his long hair. He looked a little better. Kakashi watched as he came closer, entranced by a droplet of water rolling down his chest.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" Iruka asked. Kakashi's eyes snapped back up to where they should have been all along and he nodded. Iruka sat on the bed while Kakashi searched for some old pajama pants he'd bought a long time ago. Wordlessly, he passed them to Iruka. He expected the man to tell him to turn around or leave the room, but Iruka merely dropped his towel and stepped into the pants without any hint of modesty or embarrassment.

Sometimes Kakashi forgot just how experienced Iruka really was, and how any bashfulness Iruka pretended to have about his body was just an act. Kakashi liked seeing him act naturally around him – he liked how comfortable and real it felt. Iruka untwisted the towel around his hair and rubbed his head roughly a few times before flipping his hair back. It looked even longer wet. It almost reached his lower back.

Iruka noticed Kakashi's intense gaze and misinterpreted the meaning behind it.

"It's getting too long, I know. I need to cut it," he said absently. Kakashi didn't know what they were supposed to talk about after the night they'd had, but a haircut didn't seem quite right. Iruka sighed and looked at him apprehensively. "Don't look so serious, okay? I know I scared you tonight. I'm sorry. A million times, I'm sorry," Iruka said almost pleadingly. Kakashi nodded a bit stiffly.

"Are you…okay now?" he asked unsurely. He felt so vulnerable without his mask – like Iruka could read every thought in his head. The brunette sighed again by way of answer.

"I'm better than I was before you showed up. How was Naruto?" Iruka asked in a tone that carefully hid his true emotions concerning his son.

"He's fine. You don't have to worry about work tomorrow, and he doesn't have to go to school, so you can talk to each other then. As for tonight, get some rest. You need it," Kakashi said. There were a few moments of silence. Iruka didn't seem like he wanted to jump under the covers any time soon. He reached out his hand, and confusedly, Kakashi grabbed it. With a look of intense concentration on his face, Iruka pulled him forward, until he was standing between Iruka's knees. From his spot on the bed, Iruka stared up at him, his hands idly running up the back of Kakashi's bare legs.

"Thank you," he half-whispered into the darkness. Kakashi nodded, his own hands tracing up Iruka's arms and coming to rest on his cheeks. Iruka's hands skimmed over his backside and locked around his waist. He pulled him again until Kakashi crawled onto the bed, sitting in his lap.

"You've had a long day," Kakashi remarked, still caressing Iruka's face. Iruka stared up at him, his eyes narrowing.

"You don't look so great yourself. What were you doing all this week? It looks like you haven't eaten or shaved for days." Iruka scratched his fingers gently over the stubble on his jaw to prove his point. Kakashi smirked, leaning over to playfully rub his cold nose against Iruka's.

"I didn't feel like eating and I threw myself into work. I missed you," he said. Iruka surprised him by kissing him firmly on the lips in reply.

"Then let's eat. I'm hungry, too," he said when the kiss had ended. The two of them made their way into the kitchen. Iruka started to open the refrigerator, but Kakashi re-directed him to the table. Iruka sat down and watched him.

"I'm cooking. You're resting," Kakashi ordered. Iruka gave him a lopsided smile and rested his head on his crossed arms.

"I'm resting," he repeated obediently. Kakashi flashed him a grin.

"So how long are you going to be a good boy and do what I tell you to do?" Kakashi asked.

"Hmmm," Iruka mused out loud. "Until you get sick of me, I guess."

Kakashi paused.

"So does this mean you're going to give me a chance?"

Smirking, Iruka replied, "Well, I don't know any other gay guys in Konoha."

"I deserved that, didn't I?" Kakashi replied. Iruka only smiled. Kakashi pulled down a mixing bowl from a cabinet and shook his head. "Look, I can't believe I'm about to say this…" he began. Iruka sat up quickly with a worried look on his face. Kakashi rushed to finish. "I think we shouldn't have sex!" he forced out quickly.

Iruka's worried look turned into one of pure disbelief.

"Should I come pinch you and see if you're real or not?" he asked dismissively, running his fingers through his wet hair to get rid of tangles. Kakashi shot him an irritated look and continued cooking.

"I'm serious," he said. Iruka quit messing with his hair and looked at Kakashi like he was crazy.

"So let me get this straight. I spend weeks telling you that I won't sleep with you, so all you do is try to get in my pants, and then when I tell you I will sleep with you, you don't want to."

"It sounds strange when you say it like that, but I'm just thinking you need a break," he replied, almost sounding hesitant. Iruka took a moment to consider what he'd said, staring at him intently as he did so.

"That sounds good," he finally agreed. Kakashi nodded and smiled, even though he felt like someone should tattoo the word idiot onto his forehead for even suggesting the idea. Iruka left the table and hugged him from behind, burying his face into Kakashi's back. Setting his stirring spoon down, Kakashi reached an arm around and pulled Iruka to his side. He smiled down at him and rubbed his back. Smirking, Iruka stood on tiptoes and kissed his jaw. Into his ear, he whispered, "I give you one week."

Kakashi gulped. He'd been challenged, and he wasn't going to loose.

Hopefully.


A/N: So who believes Mizuki is really reformed? And how long do you think Iruka and Kakashi's peace will last? Thanks for reviews - I"m loving hearing what you have to say about the story.