A/N: Thanks for all the review, everyone. Here's the next chapter. Mainly angst over here, so I hope no one kills Kakashi after this. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: First Strike Out

Iruka had no idea what exactly triggered the argument. One moment, he and Sakura were in the kitchen making tea while the rest were peacefully having dinner at the dining table and in the next second, plates were flying across the room and Naruto was leaping from his seat, pouncing on the silver-haired jounin and pinning him against the wall.

"What the hell did you say?" Naruto growled as he grabbed the jounin's collar.

"Naruto, what are you doing? Let go!" Sakura gasped as she ran towards the two and tried to pry her teammate away.

"Calm down, Naruto. Senpai don't mean what he said!" Yamato rubbed his temple as he tried to convince the Kyuubi vessel.

"He means every single fucking word!" Naruto glowered. "Just how many times are you going to put Iruka-sensei down? Do you really think he is not worthy enough to be your lover?"

"Naruto, that's enough. Please, just leave it as it is." Iruka tried to separate the duo. He had no idea what had really happened that caused the younger boy to go into such a rampage. But he had to stop them while things are still within control.

Kakashi calmly eyed the blond boy in front of him. "If you don't mind, please release your hands."

"And if I don't?" Naruto's blue orbs narrowed in slits, glinting dangerously.

"Then I will make you." Kakashi stated as he gripped the teen's hands in a firm grip and in one swift movement, he pulled it away from his collar.

Naruto struggled and broke free from the iron grip and snarled at the older man before he moved forward again, attempting to bring Kakashi down. He threw a fist towards the jounin and Kakashi immediately took on a defensive stance, blocking off the blow and quickly finding the spot which Naruto had left himself open.

The silver haired nin threw a punch into Naruto's guts and the force of the fist flung the teen against the opposite wall.

Everyone gaped. Iruka blinked; horrified at the fact that Kakashi had gotten serious against his own teammate.

Naruto groaned as he hit the wall and slid down to the floor. He took a moment to recover before he staggered to his feet, clutching his stomach, his anger hiking to an all new high level.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Iruka hurried over to his side, examining his wounds.

"Bastard!" Naruto growled as he swiped off the trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. Iruka placed a hand on his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward.

"Please, Naruto. Stop." Iruka said, trying to remain calm even as he trembled from the different emotions that were coursing through his senses.

Fear was the very first thing which he was feeling. He had never before seen Kakashi so angry or lifted a hand against his own comrades. The Kakashi he knew was someone who would put his life on the line to protect his comrades. Not someone who would rage over something minor like a teenager's anger and get serious over it.

Anger was the second emotion threatening to overwhelm him. He was angry at Naruto for stirring up the fight. He was angry at Kakashi for losing his temper and hitting the younger boy. But most of all, he was angry at himself for being so helpless and unable to do anything.

And then there was the third feeling which was tearing him up. Agony. If it hadn't been clear enough before that Kakashi was no longer the person whom he had been so used to, it clearly spells it out now. Kakashi would never ever fight back if the other party is not an enemy. And it hurts Iruka to know that the two people closest to him are fighting, and from what he gathered, was because of him.

Naruto growled again and tried to push Iruka out of the way. But the chunin tightened his grip and pushed the younger boy against the wall.

"Calm down, Naruto. It's alright."

"It's not alright!" Naruto snapped as he glared at the jounin across the room. "That bastard! Just because he lost his memories doesn't give him the right to insult others. It doesn't give him the right to not listen to what others have to say and stick to his own opinions. And it definitely does not give him the right to be such a jerk and completely deny his relationship with you!"

"And so what if I am?" Kakashi glared back as he folded his arms.

"Senpai, stop provoking him." Yamato sighed as he tried to push the older jounin into the kitchen. "Just give him some time to cool it off."

"I will kill you!" Naruto broke out of Iruka's grasp and ran towards the copy nin.

Sai tried to catch the blond boy half-way, but Naruto managed to dodge the arm reaching out for him.

"Naruto, stop this nonsense." Sakura is getting worried, both for her teammate and her team leader. As far as she knows, Naruto is no match for the silver-haired jounin, at least not at this point in time. And she doesn't want him to get hurt. And she couldn't help but think how the jounin would react when he finally recalls everything someday.

Iruka sprang into action. He moved forward quickly, hoping to catch Naruto before he inflicts any further harm on himself.

Kakashi pushed Yamato aside and raised his hand, ready to strike again. He did not know what had overcome him. It wasn't like him to get so worked up over a genin. But all he was aware of now was that he couldn't allow the blond boy to wreak havoc at his home and land a hit on him. That is going to wound his pride as a jounin if he can't even defend himself against a kid.

As he prepared himself to strike the charging boy again, a hand caught his arm and brought all his movements to a halt. Kakashi turned his head and his eye narrowed when he met the brown orbs of Iruka's, pleading silently with him to stop this tirade. From the corner of his eye, he saw Naruto nearing him.

Before he could even process his mind to work, he had acted. His fist connected with Iruka's cheek and the force of the blow flung the chunin a distance away. Iruka hit the couch and the piece of furniture toppled over from the impact.

All movements and sounds in the room ceased as everyone stared in shock. Even Naruto was stunned by the scene that he had just witnessed. Kakashi himself was reeling from the headache which had been plaguing him the entire night and only seemed to have been amplified by the conflict.

Sakura was numb with shock. She gasped in horror at the sight before her. Never before had she seen her team leader in such a wild state before. Fear gripped her as she swallowed hard before she recovered her senses enough to decide that she needs to get Iruka away from this mess.

"I… Iruka-sensei!" She took two stumbling steps forward before running towards the chunin. Sai moved quickly over to the couch to help the academy teacher sit up.

Iruka was in a daze. He couldn't seem to register the fact that his lover had just hit him. It must have been a mistake. It couldn't have been Kakashi. It must have been some stray jutsu that he was caught in.

A gentle hand on his cheek brought his attention back to the reality. He was in so much shock that he did not even register the tears that were streaking down his cheeks until someone brought a napkin to his face and gently wipe away the tears.

"You jerk!" Naruto was ready to pounce into action again. He was prepared to beat the crap out of Kakashi if the older man isn't going to apologise to Iruka.

"Naruto!" Sakura's voice cut in, making him paused in his actions. Then in a softer voice, the medic-nin continued. "Leave it. We've got to get Iruka-sensei home."

Kakashi watched as the kunoichi helped the stunned academy teacher up and gently guided him out of the apartment. Naruto threw him another angry glare before trudging out after the pair. Sai shifted his gaze from the retreating group to his team leader. He shrugged and righted the couch before following his teammates out of the apartment, closing the door behind him.

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"Just what were you thinking, senpai?" Yamato asked resignedly when the house was finally quiet once again.

"It was a natural reflex." Kakashi snorted. "I had another attack coming my way. Of course I have to get that chunin off my arm."

"What reflex are you referring to? That is Iruka we are talking about. How could you even lift a finger against him?"

"Look here, it's not like I meant to hit him. I had to do something to get him out of the way before that brat actually beat me up!" Kakashi snapped.

"All these wouldn't have started if you hadn't insulted Iruka in front of Naruto." Yamato folded his arms as his gaze turned intense.

"And what did I say that exactly insulted him? Wasn't he the one who asked me what I think about the rank difference between a jounin and a chunin? Wasn't I right to say that chunin and jounin will never be on the same par? Tell me, isn't that a fact?" Kakashi challenged.

"Yes, that is a fact." Yamato sighed. He couldn't deny the truth behind the statement.

"That settles it then. I wasn't talking about Iruka and me. I was talking about all chunin and jounin in Konoha as a general. Isn't Sakura a chunin as well? What makes him thinks that I'm talking about Iruka? If he can't accept the answer, then he should never have asked me the question." Kakashi leaned against the wall, as he clutched his head, trying to will the headache away.

"Well, the way that you immediately denied all associations with Iruka after that statement made him think that! How could you even say that you will never enter into a relationship with Iruka? You know how sensitive Naruto can get." Yamato shook his head.

"So it's my fault that he is sensitive?" Kakashi growled, the pain taking on a new level of discomfort, making him irritated.

"I'm not saying it's anyone's fault. I'm just saying that you shouldn't have said that in front of him. After this one month of knowing him, you should be well aware by now how protective he is of Iruka." Yamato said in an even tone.

"Sorry then that I do not understand human emotions. I was never trained to do that." Kakashi snapped.

Yamato was about to say something when he noticed the older jounin's discomfort.

"Are you alright, senpai?"

Kakashi closed his eyes, as he tried to keep the ache under control. He swallowed hard. He needs some quiet time to sort out his thoughts and his head. "Yes. Now, if you are done talking, just leave me alone."

Yamato shook his head in exasperation. "I will take my leave then. Have a good rest."

Kakashi heard the front door opening and then closing as the other ex-ANBU moved out of his apartment. He waited until the footsteps faded away before he allowed himself to slide down the wall onto the floor.

He simply didn't know what had gotten him so angry. He had always had wonderful control over his own emotions and he was sure that a genin's words shouldn't have any impact on him. But that night, he had lost it. Perhaps it was his headache; perhaps it was the irritation at being disturbed. Or perhaps, it was the medication. There were so many explanations that he could give behind his weird behaviour. But, whatever it is, he knew he wasn't himself that night.

There was only one thing though that he did not understand and couldn't explain, no matter how he reasoned with himself.

He had no idea why his heart clenched and guilt flooded his entire being when he remembered the punch he gave Iruka. He had no explanation as to why he felt his heart crumbling when he met the pained and lost look that the chunin had thrown his way. And he definitely did not understand just what that new emotion surging through him is.

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