Title: Rebound
Story Warnings: Yaoi, language, sexual innuendo and potty mouths.
Rating: Mature- Older teens and adults.
Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
A/N: Because I just couldn't let it linger any longer, lol.
After dinner, Iruka insisted on washing the dishes while Raido looked through the massive DVD selection. They watched an old comedy, then played a first person shooter for an hour.
By then, they were both stifling yawns behind politely raised hands.
Iruka grabbed the futons. Raido cleared the coffee table and set it on its side against the wall, clearing a space. Between them, the bedding was ready in no time.
In the tight space, only a thin strip of floor separated the two futons. Iruka didn't seem to notice it. Raido couldn't stop staring at it.
Night time routines were followed, one after the other. It was late when the two men, stripped down to nothing but boxers, finally slipped under the blankets.
" Sleep well, Raido-san." Iruka's voice was nothing but a whisper in the darkness.
Raido mumbled a quiet, but sincere, " Good night, Iruka-sensei." He listened to the soft rustle of blankets and skin and turned over. Staring at another shinobi sleeping was not only creepy, but dangerous. And rude. Raido didn't want to be rude, so he shoved his hand under his pillow and idly stroked his fingertips along the handle of the kunai there. Thinking, as opposed to sleeping.
And squirming, too. Raido chewed on the inside of his lower lip and rolled onto his stomach, pressing the bulge in his shorts against the thick futon. Go away. Go to sleep. Go away. Go to sleep. The mantra didn't seem to help much. Possibly because the scent of Iruka was all around him, soaked into the blankets and pillows.
If today hadn't happened, Raido would be in Genma's bed fucking the younger man into oblivion. They'd snuggle together, soaked in sweat and cum and lube, and fall into deep, sated sleep. His usual pre-mission routine. Instead, he was here, sleeping less than a foot away from the subject of his daydreams and wetdreams for the past three years. Essentially lying to Iruka. Who'd help him gather his shit in the rain. Taken him in. Shown that amazing sympathy and compassion that had captured Raido's attention years ago. Shown that smile.
Raido rolled onto his back, pushing the back of his head into the pillow with undue aggression. He stared at the ceiling, bits of light filtering through the shades. Shadows flickered across the white surface; rain and leaves blown in the high wind.
He sighed. Raido couldn't do this. Not to Iruka. Swallowing thickly, Raido opened his mouth and forced a few coherent words to emerge. " … Genma didn't throw me out." Well, that was quite up front.
Raido held his breath. There was dead silence in the room. Even the air conditioning had shut off.
Finally, a small, uncertain, "Okay," issued from the dark lump of blankets.
Raido could practically feel the waves of confusion radiating from the other futon. He stumbled on quickly, digging a deeper hole but unable to stop himself. " I mean, he did, throw me out. But not how everyone thinks. We... we weren't together. Like that. Not since we were kids." Those memories were precious- awkward, humorous, and bittersweet. " And we fuck around. Everyone knows that. " Raido chewed on his lip again. " Genma made all that fuss so it would look like we were breaking up. So you would take me in. To give me a chance to..." He was making a damn mess of this.
There was nothing from Iruka. Not even a shift of the blanket.
" I like you, Iruka-sensei. For a long time, now. " Raido spoke so quietly, almost to himself. For all he knew, Iruka was ignoring him anyway. Best to get things said before he was tossed out on his ass. " Since that night you and Aoba brought us home. I don't remember much about it, you know. Pain, lots of pain. Genma screaming, Aoba carrying him over his shoulder. Smell of Hatake-san's dogs. " He paused, these memories hazy and unpleasant. The stuff of frequent nightmares and flashbacks. " Your voice, your smile. I remember that." A chuckle escaped him. " It's what got me through that agonizing trek back to the village. "
Raido wished Iruka would say something. Move, curse, hit. Anything. But nothing happened. Raido closed his eyes, disappointment heavy in his chest, throat tightening up. " Anyway, I'm sorry about all this. It was mainly Genma's idea, but I should've said something before. " He stopped again, waiting for some kind of response. " I'll leave now, if you want." Raido held his breath, forced his hands to unclench from the blanket.
A small rustling reached his ears. It was accompanied by a strange muffled breathing, broken and rather gaspy. Raido frowned and turned his head to look at Iruka's back. The whole line of his body under the blanket was shaking. Concerned, the tokujo reached out.
He was stopped mid-gesture when Iruka rolled over onto his back, hand over his mouth, eyes wet. Laughing. Hard. Raido frowned equally hard. " Iruka?" He hadn't expected quite this reaction.
Iruka rolled side to side, hands clenched around his middle. " G-Genma... oh gods, he... he knows me too well!" He settled, finally, on his back. Iruka's whole body continued to shake and spasm from the amusement. " I'm gonna get him."
A wave of relief washed over Raido at the intense laughter. Relief and confusion. And uncertainty about Iruka's last statement. " Me, too." He let it sit there in the quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He figured Iruka might need a moment, as well. " Are you pissed? At me?" Raido had to know.
There was a definite pause, then, " Not really. Kinda, but..." Iruka still sounded a bit out of breath. Raido could see his shadowy form in the darkness; a hand reaching up and briefly covering Iruka's face. " No. Not pissed." His hand fell away. " Fucking hell."
Raido was startled by the profanity and felt a soft brush against his own hand at his side. His reaction was instant. Raido opened his hand and accepted the callused one placed into it. Squeezed gently.
Iruka squeezed back, his thumb caressing the back of Raido's hand. " Liked you a long time, too. Not as long as that, but... I didn't even realize it until I threw up on you at that party." They both chuckled. Raido turned his head to stare at Iruka's faint profile. He ached to touch the facial scar. Iruka continued, voice tired but genuinely affectionate. " Don't remember much about that night, either, but... I remember you didn't get mad. And you helped me to the bathroom."
Raido felt the heat rise in his cheeks, remembering that night. He'd been so infatuated with Iruka at the time that even being vomited on by the man had been an honor. He looked back up at the ceiling, debating whether or not to make another confession. " You know, I-I kissed you. That night." Raido flinched. It was entirely possible this would be the moment when he was tossed out. But he loved that memory. Of pressing his mouth against Iruka's, his cheek pressed against the toilet seat. The acidic taste of Iruka's vomit tainted breath. He was ashamed of taking advantage of the younger man, but glad to have risked it. A guilty pleasure. He wondered how Iruka would take it.
Fairly well, apparently. " I always wondered if I'd just imagined that." Iruka laughed, fingers tightening around Raido's. A few moments of companionable quiet followed.
Raido broke it first. " So. Do we tell everyone that the cat's out of the bag? " The only person really affected by it would be Genma; his pride and ego would be bruised. His affectionate mischief abruptly ended. Raido hated to ruin the man's well intended gesture.
Iruka seemed to read his thoughts. Raido could hear the smile in his voice. " Nah. We'll keep playing the rebound game and let Genma have his little victory. In the meantime..."
Raido was suddenly covered in chuunin and extra blankets, strong hands and chapped lips. All thoughts of Genma's intentions and vomit-flavored kisses and even his mission the next morning fled at Iruka's gentle touch to his scarred face; his own fingers reciprocating across the chuunin's nose.
Yeah, this was totally worth the day's humiliating events.
end, finally :D