Haha! I finally found the time and energy to write! :P Enjoy!
If Kakashi hadn't been so tired from having a "friendly bout between rivals" with Gai, he might have known there was someone in his apartment.
He opened the door, leaning against it, and was immediately greeted with a fist to the face. Before he could react, two hands grabbed his shirt and yanked him into his own apartment where he was thrown into a wall. He fell to the floor in shock only to have his attacker stand over him and continue to beat the crap out of him.
He finally gathered his senses and put a stop to the beating by sweeping the unknown feet out from under themselves, trapping the hands behind a back, and holding down the person with all his weight.
He held both wrists with one hand and grabbed a handful of the man's hair, pulling their head sharply backwards.
He was shocked once again to see the intruder was, in fact, Iruka-sensei.
"Let me go, you bastard! I'm not done pummeling you!" Iruka yelled, struggling in Kakashi's grip.
"Iruka-sensei, what is this all about?"
"What is it about?! Is that a serious question?!"
"Yes," Kakashi said calmly.
"It's about NARUTO! You stupid, arrogant, self-centered, perverted, crazy-old JOUNIN!"
Kakashi winced at the mentioning of Naruto's name. Every time he heard his name, a sharp pain seared through his chest. Why was that? He didn't understand. Maybe he just felt bad about hurting the boy.
"I thought you would be happy that I rejected him, Iruka-sensei. I know you didn't approve of our relationship. Or lack thereof…"
"I DON'T approve! But I approve even less of Naruto being in pain! Do you even know what you've done to him! You BROKE HIM!"
"He'll get over it, I'm sure. Naruto's good at bouncing back."
"This time…I'm not so sure. I've never seen him like this," Iruka said, quieting at the remembrance of the miserable Naruto.
"Like what?"
"I don't think he's stopped crying or left his apartment for three days now."
Kakashi was silent as he mulled that over.
"Iruka-sensei, if I let you go, are you going to attack me again?"
"Without the element of surprise? I think not."
Kakashi released the brunette and dragged them both to their feet.
"Why did you do it?" Iruka asked.
"Naruto didn't tell you?"
"Said something about seeing the Fourth instead of him, but not much of what he said was comprehensible."
"Well, that's it in a nutshell."
"So you rejected him because you still haven't gotten over the Yondaime?"
"Yes."
"But Naruto said that was okay, right?"
"Well…yeah, but-"
"If he said it was alright," Iruka said, cutting him off, "why did you still reject him?"
"Because I'm not going to make him be something that he's not."
Iruka shook his head like Kakashi was being unbelievable.
"Do you not know Naruto at all?"
Kakashi just gave Iruka a confused look.
"You broke it off with him because you didn't want him to pretend to be someone else."
"Yes, and?"
"Naruto is whoever you need him to be. That's who he is. You say you don't want to force him to be something he's not. Well, that's exactly what you're doing."
Kakashi stared at Iruka for a long time. He felt like he'd just been hit by a train. And the feeling wasn't because of Iruka's beating.
How could he have been so stupid? Iruka was absolutely right. Naruto had always adapted to who or whatever his friends needed. When Sasuke needed someone to be his rival, someone to push him to his limits, Naruto was there. When Sakura needed someone kind and gentle to hold her after Sasuke left, Naruto was there. When Kakashi himself needed cheering up, Naruto was there. He was like a chameleon the way his personalities changed. How had he never noticed it before?
Kakashi shoved past Iruka, almost running out the door.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Iruka called, but Kakashi never answered. "Tch. He's such a jerk. Why does Naruto like him so much?"
Rain started pouring down as he scrambled over rooftops in the direction of Naruto's place. He'd been an utter fool for pushing Naruto away. Why did he always have to look a gift horse in the mouth? Why did he have to pick at every little thing until it fell apart? Because he was a paranoid shinobi, that's why. But what he'd done to Naruto had really cut the cake. He just hoped Naruto would forgive him; take him back…
Dripping wet, he pounded on Naruto's door, calling his name over and over. When he got no response, he kicked the door open and entered uninvited. He needed to apologize, and he needed to do it NOW.
He searched the apartment, but Naruto was nowhere in sight. He wasn't even beneath the mountain of used tissues he found in the corner of the living room.
"Naruto…where are you?"
Hope this was all to your liking The next chapter will be the end! There may or may not be a lemon...okay, there's going to be a lemon XD most definitely!