AN: Ni hao ma.
Warnings: After last chapter? Are you shitting me? You still want some sort of warning? Well, then, beware the strong language! Oooooo.
Notes: I was listening to my Pandora "Mumford" station and Lily Allen's "Who'd Have Known" came on. (The original, not that bastardization that involves rap that someone did recently). It seemed oddly appropriate and I had a giggle fit.
Additional: Thank you to everyone for the reassurances that I didn't botch the previous chapter. I'm incredibly grateful for your support. Meg, I fixed the double-review posting after I laughed a bit. ^_^ Thanks also to those who caught more of my silly typos. I've fixed them all up. I think I need to start saving the posted versions on my computer, though, just in case I get hit by the icky purge. I'd hate to have to go through and find all the damn typos again!
Also: After seeing it on someone else's profile (yes, I'll actually read writer/reviewer profiles) I've decided to start a Progress Counter for "Gifts" (and any subsequent stories I write) that lets you guys know what the current word-count is for the in-process chapter. It'll give you an idea of the wait-time for the next update.
Shameless Plug: If you're bored after reading this, hop on over to my profile. I have the start of a short story posted.
Chapter Eleven: In Which Hekai Gets Some News and Iruka Gets Very Angry
Breakfast was gone. The dishes were all washed and set out to dry. Both men had taken much needed showers to wash the previous evening from their skin. Iruka didn't have desk duty until that afternoon and Kakashi had given Team Seven the morning off as it was Saturday. There were no papers or tests to grade, no mission reports to fill out, no laundry that was in desperate need of washing. There was absolutely nothing left to distract them from the much needed discussion Iruka had mentioned before they had sat down to eat.
Knowing they couldn't put it off any longer, both shinobi stood in the living area of the main room, looking at each other over the back of the couch. Iruka thought he should probably sit down on the furniture but an unbidden blush threatened to creep onto his face at the thought of sitting there with Kakashi. After all, the last time he'd sat there with the older man, it had ended with sex. Good sex. Extremely good sex.
Iruka mentally shook the thoughts from his mind. He didn't need to be getting distracted when they really did have some things to discuss. With a resigned sigh, the school teacher leaned his forearms on the back of the couch as Kakashi perched himself on the cushions. The jonin raised a questioning eyebrow and motioned toward the seat invitingly.
"I think I'll stand for now," Iruka murmured, avoiding the narrowed look Kakashi sent him. He saw the hand reach toward him but wasn't quite fast enough to avoid it. Cursing the jonin's speed, Iruka's world view skewed briefly as he was pulled over the back of the couch. He landed with a soft thwump on the cushion next to the Copy-Nin. The older man chuckled at the grouchy glare Iruka shot him and released the younger nin's wrist, sitting back against the armrest in a lazy slouch.
"You'll be much more comfortable here," Kakashi said by way of explanation. He shifted slightly, drawing one leg up onto the seat so he could rest his forearm on his knee. Iruka did not respond and they lapsed into a surprisingly comfortable silence while the chunin gathered his thoughts. Finally, the younger man sighed deeply and ran a hand through the loose locks of his hair; he had not bothered to tie it up that morning.
"What in the world are we doing?" he asked heavily, brushing the strands behind his ears with practiced fingers. He cast an unsure glance at Kakashi, trying to gauge the other man's feelings. The expressive lips were pursed thoughtfully as Kakashi looked back. He opened his mouth to speak but Iruka cut him off. "If you're about to answer that in a literal sense, I'm going to pound you," he threatened, eyes narrowing. "I'm well aware that we're sitting on my couch."
The pale jaw snapped shut and the mischievous twinkle faded from Kakashi's eye, replaced with a look that Iruka could only describe as hungry. "Well, Iruka," he murmured, the corners of his mouth starting to twitch up in a smirk, "I'm not usually the submissive kind but if you really want to then 'pound' away."
Iruka's mouth worked for a second before his voice did. With a scowl, he punched Kakashi in the thigh. "I'm being serious!" he snapped.
"So am I," the jonin replied evenly. He received another glower from the chunin before he lifted both hands in surrender. "Okay, I'm sorry. Can you blame me?"
"Yes," Iruka muttered before running his hands over his face and back through his hair again. "Kakashi," he continued, the seriousness of his tone leaving no room for further teasing, "I need to know what's going on here. Last night… I don't do that sort of thing."
"You don't do what 'sort of thing?'" Kakashi prompted quietly. His expression had turned guarded and Iruka sighed heavily.
"I don't just have sex with random people," he bit out, rubbing one hand over his eyes. "Not that you're a random person but the principle is the same," Iruka amended quickly. He flopped back against the armrest on his side of the couch, staring resolutely at the ceiling. "I don't sleep with my friends. What do you want from me? What was last night?"
The silence that greeted his question started to stretch thin. Iruka glanced over at the Copy-Nin to make sure he was still sitting there. He couldn't read any emotion from Kakashi's face and it made Iruka somewhat nervous. He probably could have handled the situation a little less frankly but sometimes being to-the-point was far more effective in getting the answers he needed.
"Well?" Iruka prompted when Kakashi still failed to say anything.
The jonin sighed then, shifting his position a little so he more fully faced the younger man. "You want the complete, unabridged truth?" he asked calmly.
Iruka's lips thinned. He nodded once and held the gray-eyed gaze firmly. He wasn't certain what he was expecting to hear and did his best to not come to any conclusions until the other man had a chance to say his piece.
"I think we both want the same things." Kakashi laid an arm along the back of the couch, letting his leg slip off the edge. "Or, more specifically, we both don't want the same things."
"That's the unabridged truth?" Iruka asked incredulously, shaking his head. "One of these days I'm going to get a straight answer out of you."
"You want me to be blunt?" Kakashi's eye narrowed sternly and he continued before Iruka had a chance to answer the question. "I don't want a boyfriend. I have no interest in a labeled relationship with anyone. Right now, I'm pretty certain you don't want those things, either."
Iruka's fish impression was getting a lot of practice lately. He forcefully closed his mouth and stared at the jonin. Although he wasn't sure what he'd wanted to hear Kakashi say, Iruka was surprised to feel relieved at the other's words. There was also a pang of disappointment mixed with the mortification that he was probably going to lose a friend over their mistake. "How do you know what I would want?" he managed to ask while attempting to sort through the conflicting feelings.
"You don't hide your emotions well," Kakashi answered.
"Fine." Iruka's tone was more petulant than he'd intended, miffed that Kakashi claimed to be able to read him so easily. He looked away, fixing his eyes on some invisible point in the kitchen. "What do I want then?"
"A friend."
Kakashi's reply startled Iruka and the younger man blinked rapidly as the truth behind those words triggered something inside him akin to hope. It was instantly quashed, though. "Well, I fucked that one up then."
It was Kakashi's turn to look surprised, his eyebrow darting upward. "You're still my friend, Iruka." The Copy-nin's soft voice drew the teacher's gaze back to the older man. "Nothing has changed."
Iruka started to say something but he couldn't form a coherent word. He managed to get an "Uh" out before Kakashi interrupted. The jonin's tone was still gentle and when he placed a hand on Iruka's shoulder, the chunin did not pull away. "If you need to assign something to what happened last night, call it a comfort."
"Comfort?" Iruka flushed a deep red as images of the previous evening flashed through his mind. The physical discomfort aside, Iruka wouldn't call having sex with Kakashi a mere act of comfort. Mind-blowing satisfaction, yes. Comfort? That was definitely not the right word for it.
"We've both had incredibly shitty weeks." The hand on his shoulder shifted to push errant strands of hair behind Iruka's ear. The older ninja scooched a cushion closer, his thigh bumping the other man's leg. "We needed some sort of release and, seeing the opportunity, we took it." The hand ran along Iruka's jaw and took hold of his chin, tilting it slightly upward so they would maintain eye contact. "I still want to be your friend and I would hope we're both adult enough to recognize that two friends can, on occasion, go beyond the normal boundaries of their relationship without things getting awkward."
"Uhm," Iruka replied thickly. His heart thudded rather uncomfortably in his chest at how close Kakashi was right then. He mentally shook himself and managed to utter a few coherent words. "Okay. And what if it gets awkward?"
"It'll only be awkward if we make it awkward." Kakashi released Iruka's chin and sat back, regarding the younger man with a half-closed eye. "I don't make a habit of sleeping with my friends, either," he continued reassuringly. "I'd really like to not lose your friendship over this, if it's all the same to you."
Iruka nodded a couple times, forcing himself to not rub at his chin; he could still feel the warmth from Kakashi's fingers. He sighed, the sound carrying the relief he felt that Kakashi still wanted his friendship. "I'd like that," he said honestly. They lapsed into silence for a few minutes as Iruka looked back toward the kitchen. "Now what?" he asked quietly.
"You mentioned pounding."
Kakashi's helpful comment was met by Iruka's fist against his bicep. "Trying not to let things get awkward," the chunin snapped, repeating the punch a few times for good measure. He was inwardly pleased that Kakashi didn't bother blocking the hits. He knew very well that the jonin was fast enough to have dodged without any effort.
"Well, friends or not, after last night you can't really blame a guy for wanting seconds." The Copy-Nin's voice was teasing and Iruka did his best to not crack a smile. A tiny blush crept onto the younger nin's face, though, at the thought that Kakashi had enjoyed himself as much as Iruka had. He wondered fleetingly if going back for more would really change the dynamic of their relationship now that they'd established that the previous evening's sex wasn't going to ruin their chances of being friends.
"I agreed to be your friend. I didn't sign up for the benefits package," Iruka said instead, smirking as he stood from the couch. He started to head for the kitchen, his mind already moving to settle on the jug of sun-tea in his refrigerator.
"Huh, now there's an idea." Kakashi stood as well, a contemplative look on his features. Iruka paused in the kitchen, one hand on the cupboard housing his glasses. He glanced back at Kakashi, brow furrowed at the oddly sincere tone in the older man's voice.
"What?" Iruka started moving again, pulling down a glass. He held it up toward Kakashi in a silent question then snagged a second cup at the other man's nod. He busied himself with filling them with the ice from the freezer and tea from the 'fridge. "What's an idea?"
There was a sudden presence behind him and Iruka nearly dropped both glasses as Kakashi's hand reached forward to curl around Iruka's, holding the chunin's hand to the cup. "Friends with benefits." His breath was hot against Iruka's ear and the younger man suppressed the shiver that wanted to run down his spine at the sensation.
"Don't be ridiculous." Iruka tried to extract his hand from under the pale fingers of the older shinobi but realized the only way to do so would probably cause him to drop the glass. He stilled as Kakashi's other hand slid over his hip. The slightly taller nin's body pressed firmly against his back, their similar heights making the position feel comfortably natural. "Kakashi," the smaller man started warningly as the hand on his let go and moved to rest on his other hip.
"Iruka," Kakashi replied in the same tone.
"Did we not just agree five seconds ago that we were going to remain friends and keep this as un-awkward as possible?" The chunin carefully set both glasses down on the countertop and turned, glad that Kakashi didn't try to prevent the motion. The Copy-Nin's hands replaced themselves on Iruka's hips, though, once the younger man was facing him. "You can't just change your mind sudden-mffph."
Iruka was effectively cut off as Kakashi captured the instructor's mouth with his own. The kiss was brief but incredibly aggressive, the jonin biting down on the chunin's bottom lip before pulling away to gaze into the flushed face of the younger man. Iruka took a few deep breaths, looking away from the satisfied expression on Kakashi's face. He started when he realized his hands were gripping the front of the older man's shirt.
"You can't tell me that you didn't enjoy that," Kakashi murmured.
"That is entirely beside the point," Iruka snapped, releasing the fabric. He tried to back away but bumped against the counter behind him. "Friends do not jus-mmphfft!"
The second kiss was softer, coaxing. It took only a few seconds of Kakashi gently gliding his lips over Iruka's for the chunin to start reciprocating. When the older man pulled back, Iruka was unable to stop a small mewl of protest from escaping him. His cheeks tinged pink at the heady look in Kakashi's open eye. He wasn't able to formulate more than half a thought before Kakashi returned his lips to Iruka's.
"You don't want another boyfriend right now," Kakashi murmured as he ghosted tiny kisses against the younger nin's lips. "And I don't date. Period." His tongue slid along Iruka's bottom lip, followed by the scraping of his teeth. "I do find you attractive though." He delved his tongue into Iruka's mouth briefly, teasingly flicking it against Iruka's before retreating back to the little brushes of his lips. "And I can tell you share that opinion." Kakashi pulled back just enough to tilt his head the other direction. His mouth traveled away from Iruka's, along the tanned jaw line to the spot on the chunin's neck that he seemed to find particularly delicious. "So it stands to reason-" he bit down gently before swiping his tongue along the thudding pulse point, bringing a gasp to Iruka's lips "-that if we don't want to be overwhelmed with sexual frustration, we could very well be friends who also, on occasion, have sex."
Iruka fisted his hands in Kakashi's shirt once more, closing his eyes as the older ninja started to suck at the sensitive skin of his neck. With the jonin attached to him like that it was incredibly hard to argue with the logic of Kakashi's words. Iruka really didn't want to get into another serious relationship after having just broken up with Hiro. At the same time, he couldn't deny that every time Kakashi touched him, he felt like he was about to melt into a puddle of aroused goo. He wasn't very enthused about the idea of being a booty call, though, and finally managed to push Kakashi back half a step. Breathing deeply, Iruka thinned his lips as he tried to consider what the jonin had suggested.
"I'd like to take some time to think about it," the chunin told Kakashi firmly. "Sleeping with someone just for the hell of it isn't exactly part of who I am." Something flickered through the jonin's eye but it vanished too quickly for Iruka to interpret. He dismissed it as unimportant for the time being.
"Take whatever time you need. For now, we can just ignore last night." Kakashi pulled his hands away and gave Iruka a reassuring smile. Iruka returned it and, with a small twist, snagged both glasses of tea from the counter behind him. He offered one to the older man before sipping at his own thoughtfully.
"It's only nine in the morning," Iruka spoke, glancing at the kitchen clock. "I don't need to be at the tower until two. What time are you training?"
Kakashi scratched at his cheek, swirling the contents of his half-empty cup absently while he thought. "I think I told them to meet me at the bridge at three. Although it could have been closer to two."
The chunin raised a brow at his houseguest. "I'm starting to understand why you're always late."
"It's a gift, really." Kakashi grinned, the expression making tiny crow's-feet appear in the corner of his eye.
Iruka drank in the sight over the lip of his glass, still amazed at how expressive the other man's face was. He definitely suspected that part of the purpose of the mask was to keep that face looking a lot less readable. He made a note to ask Kakashi about it at some point in the future when they weren't sitting in a limbo between "Friends" and "Fuck Buddies."
"I have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the morning," Iruka continued. He tapped the top of his glass against his teeth for a second before downing the rest of the drink. He placed the cup on the counter before scratching at the scar on his cheek. "Any ideas?" He realized he was probably opening the conversation back up to innuendo but he'd take that risk. He was pleasantly surprised when Kakashi actually took the question seriously.
"There were a couple things I wanted to pick up at the store that I haven't gotten around to replacing yet. If you're bored, you're welcome to come with me."
Iruka nodded a few times. "Yeah, that sounds good, actually. At some point we need to stop by the onsen and get our clothes back."
Kakashi chuckled and nodded, although something in his eye made Iruka think he looked slightly nervous about that. "Hopefully they haven't made any connections with two completely left behind sets of clothing," he murmured a second later, confirming Iruka's suspicion that Kakashi regretted leaving it there.
The younger man shrugged. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I don't label my underwear or anything. I doubt they'd notice whose it is. We'll stop by on our way back here, though. If we can't ninja our way in and get our things back unnoticed, then we don't really deserve our ranks, now do we?" Iruka sent the other man a slightly lopsided smile and Kakashi returned the expression. "Just let me get my other leaf protector and tie my hair up, then I'll be set."
"Meh, keep it down." Kakashi reached over and tugged at a lock. "You look good with it loose."
Iruka swatted his hand away impatiently but he smiled a little as the compliment caused a curl of pleasure to roil around his insides. He hated going out with his hair down – it blew in his face, made his neck sweaty, and was a general nuisance – but something in him wanted to leave it free if Kakashi liked it that way. He'd just bring the tie with him in case it got uncomfortable. Within minutes, they had donned their flak jackets, slipped on their sandals, and headed out of the apartment into the morning sunshine.
As expressive as Kakashi was without his mask on, he was incredibly adept at hiding his emotions when he wanted to. The moment Iruka had shot him down in the kitchen, a mask of indifference had settled on the older shinobi's face. In truth, he was incredibly disappointed and rather annoyed. He had offered up the perfect solution to their problem, in his mind, but Iruka was not immediately on board with the idea of being friends with benefits. Kakashi hoped that, given the time he requested, the chunin would come around.
Kakashi hadn't lied when he'd said he didn't want a serious relationship. He was also being entirely truthful when he'd told Iruka that he found the younger man quite attractive. It wasn't just the instructor's handsome face, either, that made him so tempting; he had a stellar personality. Iruka was friendly, selfless, and level-headed, despite his horrible temper. Kakashi had yet to really see that last part, though, so he couldn't really judge Iruka based on the rumor of hot-headedness. Most of what he'd witnessed from Iruka was a quiet sort of kindness and it was incredibly endearing.
Kakashi also hadn't lied when he'd said he had zero interest in being in a romantic relationship with anyone. After the disaster that was Yasu, Kakashi had washed his hands of making lasting connections on that level. He'd gotten by on his flings just fine and didn't really see much reason to change that. He'd already had a good friend that understood him so he figured he'd been set on companionship. He hadn't counted on gaining another friend that was not only attractive, but shared the same preferences. Iruka came with the added bonus that he didn't want to get romantically involved with anyone right then, either.
The Copy-Nin kicked a rock idly as he walked next to the chunin through the market district. He chanced a glance at the younger man's face; Iruka was busy reading a shopping list they'd complied before they had left the apartment. The instructor easily sidestepped a couple of children that nearly barreled into him, his ears obviously telling him exactly what was going on around them without having to look. He seemed completely at ease, despite their actions the night before and their conversation that morning. Kakashi took that as a good sign.
Really, the solution of being friends who were also open to sleeping together was perfect. They both found the other physically pleasing, they were obviously compatible in the sack if last night was any indication, they wanted to remain friends, and neither wanted an actual relationship. Plus, Kakashi noted practically, it would mean that he could finally stop having to resort to faceless fucks whenever he was away from the village; he could come home and have sex with Iruka. It was a win-win situation. He wondered how long Iruka would have to mull it over before the instructor came to that same conclusion. Kakashi bit back a sigh of impatience. He was a shinobi; he was supposed to be able to exercise extreme patience whenever it was needed. He would give Iruka all the time he needed and just do his best to be a good friend in the meantime.
A finger poked the side of his head and Kakashi blinked a couple times before looking over at the chunin. "Yes?" He was slightly disconcerted that Iruka had managed to touch him without his noticing. Kakashi chalked it up to how comfortable he felt around the younger nin. He tended to let his guard down around Iruka. He would need to try harder to not be so careless; he hated to think what would happen if an enemy took advantage of such a lapse.
"For the third time, do you mind if we stop by a book store? I finished my last one and I have nothing to read." Iruka gave him an exasperated look. "If you don't want to, though, that's fine. There's no reason to ignore me about it."
"I wasn't ignoring you," Kakashi denied. He'd just been lost in thought. "But if you need something to read, I could make a suggestion."
Iruka rolled his eyes. "If that suggestion is annoyingly orange, I'll pass."
"Suit yourself." Kakashi shrugged and followed the chunin as the younger man altered their route slightly.
He was surprised when they stopped at a fairly unobtrusive shop nestled between two civilian fashion stores. Entering it, Kakashi was hit with the instant scent of dust and old books. He looked around curiously while Iruka waved a greeting at the bookkeeper, who looked about as old and dusty as the shop smelt.
The store itself was filled with books to the point where it looked like a misplaced nudge would send a cascade of reading material to the floor. The shelves that lined the center stretched all the way to the ceiling. Every available surface was covered with books. As Kakashi started to look more closely, he noticed that, despite the chaotic feel of the store, everything was ordered with incredible accuracy. It was almost to the point of being obsessive and the Copy-Nin thought that the book shop owner was very appropriate in choosing this as a profession.
"I'm going to go browse," the jonin told his companion. At the incredulous look Iruka sent him, Kakashi let his eye arch up in a smile. "I read more than just porn."
"Uh huh." Iruka's tone wasn't convinced but he made a dismissing gesture with his hand before moving off down an aisle. It looked to Kakashi as if Iruka knew exactly what section he wanted to look in.
With a shrug, Kakashi slouched off in another direction. He let his eyes travel over the worn covers of used books, occasionally noting the presence of a brand-new copy hidden on the shelves. He wasn't really looking for anything in particular – he had restarted Icha Icha the other day and was just getting to the best part - but it didn't hurt to look for fresh reading material.
When he found himself standing in an aisle surrounded by cookbooks, all thoughts of leisure reading flew out of Kakashi's mind. He stood rooted in place, staring in unrestrained glee at a slightly worn copy of Chef Tobiko's Magical Pan: The Best Stir-Fry of the Fire Nation. He snagged it off the shelf and started flipping eagerly through the pages, ensuring nothing had been ripped out. It was intact and, before he really thought about it, Kakashi found himself standing next to Iruka in the Mystery genre aisle.
"Look!" he said excitedly, shoving the cookbook at Iruka. The startled chunin almost dropped it but recovered quickly.
"What's this?" Iruka asked, opening it to flip through a few of the recipes. There was a picture on every page of the delicious food and Kakashi felt his stomach start to rumble in anticipation of a good meal.
"It's my favorite," Kakashi explained, taking it back when Iruka held it out. His expression sobered slightly. "I lost mine in the fire." The smile Iruka gave him sent little butterflies into Kakashi's stomach to wrestle with the hunger-growls. He shoved them away and tucked the book under his arm as the chunin continued to browse.
"This place is great for finding just about anything you'd want to read," Iruka noted as he snatched a book from above his head. His eyes lit up and he uttered a brief "Ah-ha!" before showing it to Kakashi. "Case in point, I've been looking for this one everywhere. I should know better than to waste my time at those other shops, though. Mr. Tanochi has the best selection-" he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "-and prices in town."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to look around a bit more." Kakashi fingered the edge of the cookbook. There were quite a few written works that he'd lost in the blaze; he wanted to see what else Mr. Tanochi's shop could replace.
"Go ahead. I'm not done yet, either." Iruka shooed the Copy-Nin away with a pleased grin before turning his attention back to the shelves in front of him.
The Itou family lived in a spacious house surrounded by a lush, green lawn and a tall, ornate stone wall. Unlike the Hibei complex, which consisted of multiple buildings nestled together on the farmlands the family owned, the Itou lived in a single structure. They were city merchants and had no use for outbuildings on their home property. As only their eldest son had chosen to walk the path of a shinobi, there were no training halls within the walls. An old guest room had been renovated into a small armory but that was the extent of the modifications done to the house after Hiro had earned his hitai-ate. The lack of ninja facilities was something the young man had apologized for when the Hibei had arrived earlier that week.
Hekai hadn't really cared about that sort of thing, although his brother seemed a little put off by the fact that if he wanted to do any sort of training, he would have to do it elsewhere. The young chunin had a lot of other things on his mind since their arrival to give any sort of damn regarding their accommodations. He was happy with what they were offered. He had a clean room to sleep in and plenty of food to eat whenever he was hungry. His new brother-in-law's family was warm and receptive of their visitors. Hiro's mother went as far as to fuss over the "poor, overworked children" whenever he and his nephews returned from a training session. Considering Hekai never received so much as a hug from his parents, he rather liked the attention Mrs. Itou doted on him. Their families definitely had different ideas regarding parenting.
Boys in the Hibei clan were typically raised to be shinobi and coddling was strictly forbidden. Only Yasu had escaped the life of a ninja – he had proved completely incompetent when it came to anything relating to chakra and their parents had given up on him being anything but a farmer after he failed to show any sort of skill in the secret arts. At the time, it had suited the family, though, and he was prepped to take over the family business of managing the cabbage empire their great-grandfather had built. From what Hekai understood, Yasu had been blessed with a very pragmatic mind and was incredibly good with numbers.
Not that any of that mattered anymore. Even though his brother had passed away the previous spring, Yasu had been effectively dead to the Hibei clan for the better part of ten years. Shinji had taken over the family business instead and, as their father's health was decidedly failing, the eldest of the children had also taken control of the family affairs. He headed the household, made all the decisions, and trained both his sons and his brother to follow in his path. It was a sore point for the elder Hibei to know that the youngest constantly resisted many of his teachings. It certainly didn't help their relationship that the young boy was well on his way to being a better ninja than the elder brother.
A year ago, Shinji had signed them up for the chunin exams and told them to consider it more of a practice run so they would know what was in store for them when they were actually ready for promotion. He made it clear that he hadn't expected them to get beyond the first trial and that he thought they were all too young for the responsibility that came with the chunin rank. The shock that all three made it to the finals was quickly quashed when, of the three, Hekai had passed. The youngest, most insubordinate of the Hibei genin beat out – and quite literally beat up as they were forced to fight each other – both of Shinji's sons.
Hekai almost regretted not holding back in the arena when, after his promotion, his home life became almost unbearable. Shinji was livid that Hekai had out-shone his own children. It didn't help that Hekai had broken Gorou's leg during the final fights, and knocked Satsui unconscious for a few days. Both the older boys hadn't really forgiven him for that but Hekai had long since stopped caring what his family thought of him. He knew he wasn't really wanted.
Hekai had not been lying when he'd told Team Seven that he was an "oops." His mother was not supposed to have more children – she barely survived having Megumi – but apparently she'd had just enough left in her for one more just after turning forty. The pregnancy was a difficult one and, after Hekai was born, she had been too sickly to really take care of him. Shinji's wife, Keiko, had taken over his care but she was under strict orders from Shinji to do only what was necessary; the no coddling rule applied if they were going to make a shinobi out of the unexpected little brother.
As he'd grown, he became aware of snide jokes about him being a replacement child. When he was six, he finally asked Shinji what that was supposed to mean. It was then that he'd first heard about the disgraceful middle brother. He'd been told that Yasu was dead and that his name wasn't to be spoken in the presence of their parents. Even at such an impressionable age, Hekai hadn't understood what Yasu's crime was supposed to be but he knew enough to not ask further. The boy had learned early that it was easiest to not ask questions at all.
In the end, relying on his own intuition and information gathering abilities to answer questions had helped to hone his skills faster. It was another thorn in Shinji's side that Hekai was a natural at being a shinobi. Many would call the boy "gifted." Shinji tended to just refer to him as bothersome. The brothers typically avoided each other unless it was necessary, and that was exactly what Hekai was currently doing.
Perched on the roof of the Itou's house, Hekai watched people wander by on the street beyond the wall. He hugged his legs to his chest, his chin propped up on his knees, as he contemplated the events of the past couple days. When he'd promised Yasu he would deliver that letter, he had not imagined he would be fulfilling that oath so soon. He had carried that aging envelope around for a year, unbeknownst to Shinji, but thought he would probably have it in his possession for a much longer amount of time. He never expected to run into Kakashi in a town as huge as Konoha. He was glad that the man had taken it, although he hated having to tell Kakashi of Yasu's death. If what Yasu had told him was true, there had been love between the shinobi and the farmer.
Shaking his head, Hekai sighed and straightened his legs. Leaning back on his palms, the boy glanced up at the sky. Small, fluffy clouds ghosted by but on the horizon, a dark, ominous billow of charcoal gray loomed. It looked like Konoha was about to get a much overdue summer thunder storm. Hekai wasn't sure how fast those clouds were moving but he figured he probably had a good hour of blistering sun left before the sky darkened. He debated leaving the rooftop before he found himself sunburned; he had inherited the typical pale skin of the Hibei. At least with his hair down, he wouldn't have to worry about burning the back of his neck. He hadn't bothered cutting his hair since he met Yasu and the pale yellow strands had grown to reach well below his shoulders. Long hair on a man was another thing that irritated Shinji and, conscious or not, Hekai's decision to follow in Yasu's footsteps by growing it out was a slight against the eldest Hibei.
A noise by the front gate brought Hekai's attention back to the ground below. A messenger stood there, ringing the bell. Curious, the youngster jumped down to land just on the other side of the wall. He opened the gate and peered out at the exhausted looking man on the other side. Hekai's brows rose slightly at the hitai-ate on the man's forehead: he was a Mist nin.
"Can I help you?" Hekai asked sternly, immediately distrusting the foreign man.
"Letter for Shinji Hibei," the other shinobi replied evenly, holding out the envelope. Hekai took it with a frown. It was addressed to the Itou's house but was clearly labeled for his brother. Whoever sent it knew where they'd be staying. His eyes flicked between the messenger and the envelope.
"I'll give it to him," Hekai said shortly, doing his best to make it sound like the dismissal it was. He tucked the letter into his hip-pouch and practically slammed the gate in the face of the Mist nin. Not waiting to hear whether or not the foreign shinobi voiced any complaints, Hekai moved off the lawn and into the house, shedding his sandals in the entryway. He briefly entertained the idea of throwing the letter into the koi pond out back just to spite his brother, but immediately thought better of it. If Shinji found out, Hekai's hide would be thoroughly tanned.
With a resigned sigh, the youngest Hibei padded silently through the house and up the stairs to the second story. In a matter of moments, he stood outside Shinji's designated room. Hekai pulled out the letter and knocked lightly on the wooden shoji-style door. At the acknowledging grunt from the other side, the boy slid it open and stepped into the room.
The head of the Hibei clan sat on his futon, a lap desk balanced on his knees. He was writing figures in one of his account books and didn't even look up at Hekai when the boy entered. They were family and would recognize each others' chakra signatures without having to see one another.
Hekai didn't bother saying anything at first, flipping the envelope across the room with a flick of his wrist. Shinji caught it without even pausing in his writing, setting the letter down on the bed next to him. For a minute, the only sound was the scratching of his pen against the notebook. When Hekai remained just within the door, Shinji finally paused and glanced up, his gaze full of annoyance.
"What do you want?" The elder Hibei narrowed his eyes at the boy. Hekai returned the look with unguarded dislike.
"A Mist ninja dropped that off a few minutes ago." Hekai folded his arms, voice dripping with suspicion. To his surprise, Shinji's lips twisted into a smirk. The man put down his pen and snatched up the envelope, tearing into it without a word. Hekai, incredibly irritated, shifted impatiently while Shinji's eyes scanned over the letter. Eventually, the older brother laughed a couple times, the sound carrying absolutely no humor.
"How appropriate that you bring this to me," Shinji started. He moved his lap desk to one side and stood with a fluid movement. He waved the paper at the younger Hibei almost mockingly. "It deals quite heavily with you."
"What is it?" Hekai demanded immediately, brow furrowed at the letter. "And what's with the Mist ninja?"
Shinji chuckled again and toyed with the paper for a minute. He re-read it silently, the twist in his lips never once leaving his face. Hekai started to feel rather uncomfortable with the silence and was about to speak again when Shinji interrupted. "This is from an old friend of mine who has graciously agreed to a joining of our families."
Hekai felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at Shinji. "What?" he managed to force out, his throat trying to constrict over the sound.
"Kujira has a daughter he's quite willing to get rid of. She's teme but it's about all I expected for you. His older girls are either already married or have followed down his shinobi path." Shinji carefully folded the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope. Hekai wanted to smack the smug look off the older shinobi's face but he couldn't even form a coherent word, let alone move his body.
When he was finally able to make his mouth work, the only intelligible thing he could think to say was, "Why did a Mist ninja deliver it?"
"Kujira is from Kirigakure," Shinji replied simply. He did not elaborate and Hekai was too rocked to really care about how his brother was on good terms with a Mist nin. The man looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping the envelope against his chin. "I had hoped for a little more than just his bastard but oh well. This is more of a political match than a financial one. He certainly won't send much of a dowry."
"I don't want to get married." The words left Hekai's mouth before he could shove them back down. The sharp look Shinji sent his way caused the young ninja's hands to tremble and he clutched them tightly behind his back to keep the tremors from showing.
"That's too bad, now isn't it?" Shinji shifted slightly, his features darkening as he regarded the youngest Hibei.
"I'm only ten!" Hekai said again, silently berating himself for his inability to shut up. He knew better than to protest – Kakashi had been right on the bridge when he'd said Hekai was probably going to be served up as marriage fodder – but the words came unbidden to his lips. "I can't get married!"
Shinji stared at the boy as if questioning his intelligence. A sneer crossed his face and he rolled his eyes. "You won't wed until she's eighteen. According to Kujira, you have about six years to grow into the idea. Get used to it now, Hekai; you will do as you are told and marry this girl."
The boy's mouth moved a couple times without any sound before, hands fisted at his sides, he glared at his brother. "Six years? I'll only be sixteen!"
"You can count," Shinji replied sarcastically. "Good for you. Now get out of here, I have a letter to compose and you're distracting me."
Hekai did not move. He continued to glower at Shinji, mind racing for something to say. He knew it was useless to argue as much as he wanted to; Shinji was the head of the clan. If he said Hekai would marry the Mist girl, he would marry the Mist girl. There was no point in debating why Satsui or Gorou couldn't do it; there was no way Shinji would give a teme to his own sons. Hekai, the unwanted and uncooperative sibling, would bear that punishment. He deflated suddenly, fingers going slack, arms hanging at his sides. He stared at the floor, bottom lip between his teeth as Shinji chuckled. A hand pat Hekai on the top of his head.
"There's a good boy. Now, go." Shinji pointed toward the door. Hekai turned to slump from the room but paused on the threshold.
"What's her name?" he asked quietly, one hand on the shoji. He chanced a glance back at Shinji and the older nin frowned briefly, having to reopen the letter to check.
"Koori. Now get out."
Hekai beat a hasty retreat, not pausing until he had reached the entry way once more. He slipped on his sandals and bolted from the house. He had a lot to think about right then and the last place he wanted to be was in the same building as Shinji. In the distance, a low rumble rolled over the outskirts of town; the thunder storm was growing closer.
They were settled under a droopy willow tree beside the river, their purchases piled against the trunk. They had chosen that location as the privacy of the low-hanging branches had allowed them to share lunch without Kakashi worrying about being spotted with his mask down. Completely surrounded by a curtain of green, it felt like a tiny oasis in the middle of the busy city: calm and quiet. Iruka rather liked it and made a note to visit that spot again in the future.
The chunin, lying on his stomach with his book resting on the ground, propped his chin on his hand, his elbow digging into the soft grass as he read. Kakashi sat close by, his sandals and leg wrappings absent as he dangled his legs into the fast-flowing water near where the long branches dipped into the river. In his lap he cradled the beloved stir-fry book.
"I know exactly what we're having for dinner."
Iruka glanced up from his book only to be faced with a picture of some sort of noodle dish nearly pressed to his face. It did look rather delicious – Iruka was a sucker for a good bowl of noodles, even if it wasn't quite ramen – and the chunin peered around the edge of the cookbook at Kakashi. The jonin was smiling, his eye arching up with the expression as he pulled the book back to his lap.
"Do we need to stop by the grocer's on the way home?" the younger nin asked. He dog-eared the page he was on and closed the novel. Pushing himself up onto his knees, Iruka half-crawled closer to peer over Kakashi's shoulder at the recipe. The jonin nodded a couple times and Iruka caught the distinct scent of his own shampoo on the older shinobi. It reminded him that they were nearly out so a trip to the store would be in order anyway. Two men with longish hair seemed to burn through shampoo at an alarming rate compared to how quickly Iruka usually used it up.
Shaking his head free of the mundane thoughts, Iruka started to comment on how tasty the dish looked when a loud rumbling interrupted. Startled, Iruka stood and moved to the curtain of willow leaves, pushing them aside to gape out at the rapidly darkening sky above. He whistled low at the sight and started to turn to tell Kakashi about the swift change in the weather. He needn't have bothered, though; the Copy-Nin was standing directly behind him. He felt a blush creep onto his face as the sudden warmth of Kakashi's chest pressed against his back. A chin rested on his shoulder as Kakashi gazed up at the sky through the hanging branches.
"Maybe we should head back now before the rain arrives," the jonin suggested, turning his head slightly to look at the side of Iruka's face. The chunin glanced at Kakashi out of the corner of his eye and nodded. The warmth vanished as Kakashi stepped back to gather his sandals and re-wrap his calves, his mask snapped back into place. Iruka took a couple deep breaths and moved to pack away his book and pick up their purchases. He silently chided himself at feeling disappointed when the jonin had removed himself from the near-intimate way in which he'd pressed against his back.
Kakashi had been doing things like that all morning, invading Iruka's space with causal – and sometimes not so casual - touches and it was seriously distracting. Iruka had been doing his best to give Kakashi's proposition the careful consideration it needed but every time the Copy-Nin "accidentally" brushed Iruka's backside or ran his fingers along Iruka's knuckles, the Academy teacher's brain would derail. Part of him wanted to tell Kakashi to knock it off so he could concentrate. The other part of him told the first to shove it; he was honestly enjoying the sly attention.
Iruka promptly pushed those thoughts out of his head as they exited the quiet little sanctuary of the willow tree. They walked quickly to the grocer's, each keeping an eye on the dark and grumbling sky above them; the last thing either nin wanted was to be caught out in the rain those clouds were promising. Around them, other people seemed to have the same idea as the citizens of Konoha rushed to finish their errands.
They made fast work of the grocer's and were halfway back to Iruka's apartment when their progress was waylaid. An ANBU appeared suddenly in front of them, startling Iruka slightly. ANBU had always made him a little nervous to begin with and he hated it when they just poofed into existence with hardly any notice. Their flickers were so quick, his sonar had a difficult time keeping up. Anyone else Iruka could more or less predict their arrival but ANBU… ANBU were a whole other entity.
"Kakashi-sensei; Iruka-sensei," the deep, male voice greeted from behind the mask, his tone crisp and business-like. "Fortunate that I found you both. This will save time. A meeting has been called by our Lord Hokage. You are both required to attend. Please make your way immediately to the tower." Although the words were spoken with a considerable amount of politeness, there was no mistaking that it was an order. Iruka glanced down at the bags in his hands.
"Do we have time to drop this off at home?" he asked, frowning. He had purchased fish and he did not want it to spoil while they attended a meeting.
"No," the ANBU said shortly. "Please make your way to the tower."
Iruka was grateful when Kakashi supplied the perfect solution. "Hold this for a second?" Without waiting for the Black Ops agent to agree, Kakashi shoved his purchases into the unwitting man's arms. The Copy-Nin brought his hands up into a pose that Iruka recognized Naruto using. A second later, an identical Kakashi stood beside him, slouching lazily.
"Ah, the weather's nice today," the clone announced, peering up at the sky with a bored expression.
"Very," Kakashi replied evenly. He snagged the bags from the ANBU's grip and passed them to the clone. Iruka was quickly relieved of his burdens, too. "Take this home if you would, and put them away; then you're dismissed." The clone nodded and, in a swirl of smoke, vanished.
As soon as the clone was gone, the ANBU turned to the two other men. "Shall we?" He reached out a hand toward each. Kakashi offered his wrist but the younger man balked.
"Not teleportation," Iruka said firmly. "I'll walk."
"It is imperative that we hurry," the ANBU replied courteously. "It is no trouble for me to teleport both of you there immediately." Despite his tone, his body language spoke of impatience. The porcelain mask fixed its blank gaze on Iruka and the ANBU snagged the chunin's wrist in a vice-grip. He was obviously not used to being contradicted. A split second before the jutsu triggered, Iruka thought he saw realization dawn on Kakashi's face. The Copy-Nin made a small sound of protest but it was too late and they vanished from the street.
The moment Iruka slammed his way into the missions room, the occupants fell deathly silent. Eyes turned slowly toward the tanned chunin as he moved across the floor toward the desks. His anger rippled off him in palpable waves, causing many of the present shinobi to shrink back as he passed. Haphazard lines straightened immediately, the mix of jonin and chunin turning into model citizens in the face of the mission room nin's infamous temper. Everyone knew better than to act up when Iruka was obviously that angry or someone would be leaving on a stretcher.
Visibly seething, Iruka slammed himself down into his chair, glared at the room, and barked, "Next!" Despite his sour mood, half of the room rushed to obey, populating his line as if eager to interact with him. To not follow an order from that particular chunin would bring consequences no one wanted to face.
From his left, Kotetsu openly stared at his friend. The spiky-haired chunin chanced a look at Izumo, who was currently sitting in a frozen state on Iruka's right. The brown-haired nin shrugged, baffled by the horrible mood Iruka was in. Steeling himself, Izumo cleared his throat delicately to get Iruka's attention.
"What?" Iruka asked sharply, stamping a report with more force than necessary. He shoved a new mission at the hapless chunin across the desk before shooting Izumo an impatient look.
"'Ruka," Kotetsu started in a placating tone. He clammed up when Iruka's head whipped around, the brown eyes fixed on the older chunin. Iruka's gaze was nearly black with how angry he was.
"Yes?" Iruka asked bitingly.
"Uhm," Kotetsu replied intelligently.
"Your hair is down," Izumo offered from the other side. "Looks nice?"
"Yes. Very nice with your hair down," Kotetsu continued, grasping at the conversation-rope that Izumo had chucked out there. Nearby, the shinobi in line were nodding vigorously in agreement.
Iruka's hands flew to his head, patting rapidly. "Damn it," he snapped. He'd completely forgotten Kakashi had asked him to leave it down. The thought of that smarmy prick brought an even darker look to the chunin's face. Quickly, he gathered the locks together into their typical high ponytail, securing it in place with a tie from around his wrist. "There. Now if everyone is done gawking, can we get back to business here?"
Eyes were immediately averted, all the other mission desk shinobi snagging their stamps to busily process reports and hand out new scrolls. All, that was, except Kotetsu. The man gaped blatantly at the lead instructor. Iruka could see him clearly through the sonar and felt a prickle of intense annoyance.
"What?" Iruka hissed, fixing Kotetsu with a stern glare.
The other chunin lifted a hand and pointed toward Iruka's neck. Iruka frowned and opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when Kotetsu interrupted him. "Dude," he started in a shocked voice. "Where in the world did that come from?"
"What?" Iruka's brow furrowed, his expression changing from irritated to confused. "What are you talking about?"
From Kotetsu's other side, Tseno leaned back in his chair to look at what Kotetsu was pointing at. "Wow, that's one impressive hickey," the older nin told him, his tone approving.
Mortification and anger warred across Iruka's face, each vying for dominance as he processed what Tseno just said. He didn't think it was possible to be more upset with Kakashi than he had been three seconds ago but he'd been proven quite wrong. Embarrassment won out and Iruka clapped a hand over the offending mark, face turning a deep shade of red.
"If everyone could please form two lines on that side of the room," Izumo's voice cut through the curiously staring crowd, "These three stations are temporarily closed." With that, the brown-haired man stood, snagging Iruka under the armpits to lift him bodily from the chair. Once Iruka was planted firmly on his own feet, Izumo transferred his grip to Iruka's upper arm and, with Kotetsu hurrying after, Izumo bustled the taller chunin from the room. He didn't stop until they were securely locked in one of the rooms that housed the completed mission files.
The two smaller chunin took a moment to ensure that they were alone in the filing room before turning to Iruka. The younger man slowly took his hand away from his neck and braced himself for the forthcoming interrogation. He slumped resignedly against a filing cabinet, looking anywhere but at his two close friends.
"You need to calm down," Izumo started firmly. "Do you know how this looks for you, storming in like someone just killed your best friend, and with a hickey the size of a shuriken on your neck?"
Iruka paled under his tan briefly. "I didn't realize I had this," he offered weakly, tapping at his neck. He was going to murder Kakashi the next time he saw him.
"What's going on, 'Ruka?" Kotetsu asked next, taking his cues from Izumo. "You haven't been this pissed off in months. Did you guys have a fight?"
Iruka blinked at Kotetsu for a long moment, trying to process what the older man was asking. Yes, he and Kakashi had a fight; a huge fight right in front of the Hokage and all the other instructors. A fight where Iruka was essentially berated by a man that had, moments before that, gently held Iruka's hair back as the younger man vomited his lunch into a potted plant. At the time, Iruka had felt a momentary flash of gratitude for the silver-haired jonin when Kakashi had promptly socked the ANBU in the gut when they'd landed outside the Hokage's office, then rubbed soothing circles on the chunin's back until the vertigo subsided. The Copy-Nin's words of derision during the meeting rattled around in Iruka's head and his eyes narrowed involuntarily at the memory. They'd had a fight alright, and it was far from over. His expression must have confirmed some sort of suspicion because the other two exchanged grim glances.
"If you need to talk about it, we're here for you," Izumo told him carefully. "This isn't like you."
"What isn't like me?" Iruka asked waspishly. "I'm allowed to get angry, aren't I? Stupid, stuck-up, self-centered jonin."
Kotetsu smirked slightly but wiped the expression off his face quickly at the look Izumo shot him. The shorter chunin cleared his throat. "I'm sure it'll all blow over soon. You guys'll be back on the up and up in no time."
Iruka gave Kotetsu a very strange look. There was no 'up and up' to be had; it wasn't like Kakashi and him were dating. Maybe he just meant that they'd mend their currently strained friendship. That made sense but at that moment, Iruka wasn't sure he wanted to be Kakashi's friend. The man had royally ticked him off.
"There's something that doesn't add up here," Izumo interjected. His lips were thin as he stared hard at Iruka's neck. "Never once in the last year did he ever give you one of those." Izumo waved a hand toward Iruka's neck, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "Why were you fighting, Iruka?"
The younger chunin glowered at a stack of scrolls nearby, dismissing the odd comment about the hickey. He was too upset to think too clearly. "He was being a dick," he near-snarled.
"Care to expand on that?" Izumo pressed. "We just want to help."
Iruka sighed deeply, running his hands over his face. "The chunin exams are starting soon; I just came from an instructor's meeting. That bastard had the gall to tell me to butt out when I voiced concerns that the genin weren't ready."
His words were met with momentarily blank stares from his friends. Izumo was the first to recover himself, although he looked decidedly confused. "So… wait. What was Hiro doing at an instructor's meeting? He doesn't have a team."
Iruka stared back. "What? Why would Hiro be there? I'm not talking about Hiro."
A moment of silence descended on the three men as they exchanged baffled expressions. It dawned on Iruka suddenly that he had never told Kotetsu and Izumo about his breakup; he'd been decidedly distracted by his unconventional houseguest. The three had been best friends since their Academy days; they knew everything about each other, shared everything.
"Then who are you talking about?" Kotetsu asked slowly.
"Kakashi."
Izumo and Kotetsu shared a puzzled glance between them before Kotetsu managed an, "Uhm?"
Iruka dug his palms into his eyes for a moment before thumping his head back against the cabinet he leaned on. "Hiro and I broke up. Sorry if I didn't call you earlier but my life has been turned rather upside down lately."
"When did that happen?" Kotetsu exclaimed. "I thought you guys were serious."
Iruka's scowl returned with a vengeance. "We were until he brought home a wife on Wednesday," the younger man spat.
"Shit." Kotetsu reached over and placed a hand on Iruka's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "I'm sorry, man."
"That hickey is fresh." Izumo crossed his arms. "If you broke up with Hiro four days ago, who gave you that?" The intelligent chunin gave his friend a searching look. A light seemed to click on above the older man's head and his eyes widened slightly. Iruka felt the blood drain from his face as Izumo gaped at the younger nin. "Kakashi?" Izumo gasped.
Kotetsu coughed violently, having choked on his spit at the name. He thumped his chest with a fist while Iruka paled even further.
"What? No," the instructor started to object. Izumo sliced his hand through the air, effectively cutting off the protest.
"You're a horrible liar," Izumo told him bluntly. "Seriously? Kakashi?"
"Didn't know he swung that way," Kotetsu rasped, finally gaining control of his voice again. He wheezed slightly, leaning back against a shelf. "You sure don't waste any time, do you?"
Iruka pressed both of his hands against his face. "It's not like that," Iruka mumbled through his fingers, squeezing his eyes shut. "When the fuck did my life get so complicated?" The question was obviously rhetorical and neither of his friends decided to attempt to answer it.
"How is it, then?" Izumo questioned grimly. "He doesn't really seem your type."
"We're not together!" Iruka hissed, dropping his hands. "And right now I'm about to throw him out on his ass for being such an insufferable prick in that meeting."
"Throw him out?" Kotetsu scratched his head. "You're living with him? You don't just move fast, you flicker."
Iruka clunked his head back against the cabinet again. He growled out a frustrated noise before plunking down onto the ground. "Sit down," he snapped. "Before anyone makes anymore stupid assumptions, I'll explain the situation." Once his friends had situated themselves on the floor nearby, Iruka launched into an outline of the past few days. He went over the circumstances of his breakup with Hiro and how Kakashi lost his house in the Maki Street fire, having nowhere else to go. He explained that they were trying to be friends but mentioned nothing about Kakashi's back-story – that was certainly none of their business. Iruka also omitted the fact that he'd actually had sex with the Copy-Nin, although he did admit to a bit of heavy petting that led to the hickey. He ended by reiterating Kakashi's behavior in the Hokage's office, his anger starting to show again.
"Sounds like he was just being Kakashi," Izumo said logically once Iruka fell silent. At the raised eyebrow Iruka gave him, the older shinobi clarified. "You've said it before; Kakashi's a lazy, aloof ass. Why expect anything different in public, even if he's sucking your neck in the privacy of your own home? I mean, how many people besides you – and, well, us now – know he's gay?" Izumo scooted over and put his arm around Iruka's shoulders, pulling the taller man into a half-hug. Iruka rested his head on Izumo's shoulder, trying his best to dispel the resentment he still felt toward the Copy-Nin.
"I've got the perfect solution to this," Kotetsu spoke up suddenly, smacking his fist into his open palm. "After desks tonight, we're going out to the Double Shuriken. We're going to get absolutely plastered, you'll puke your intestines up, and in the morning everything will seem so much better by comparison. You'll be back to letting that jerk suck your neck in no time."
Iruka glared at Kotetsu. "I don't want him to suck my neck! I want him to fuck off."
Izumo snorted and shook his head. "Drinking is not the answer," he admonished. "And we have gate duty tomorrow. I don't want to be hung over for that."
"Meh, that's not until three in the afternoon. C'mon, guys. When's the last time we went out as bachelors?" His question was met with contemplative silence and the spiky-haired chunin grinned in victory.
"Okay, fine. But just for a bit. We're home by midnight." Izumo stood, pulling Iruka up with him. "What do you say?"
Iruka nodded. "Yeah, I'm game." He wasn't really feeling much like drinking right then, but it was better than having to go back to his house and deal with Kakashi, assuming Kakashi was even there when Iruka got home. With a deep breath, Iruka tugged his hair out of the constrictive ponytail, effectively hiding the hickey from view before following his friends out of the archive and back toward the mission desks.
As soon as the mission desks closed for the day, Iruka raced home to change. The thunderstorm still growled overhead, although it refused to dump any water on the dry village. When it did finally let go, Iruka felt it was going to be a pretty spectacular storm.
He hesitated outside his door for a minute before unlocking it and heading inside. The place was empty and Iruka wasn't sure if he felt relieved or disappointed. He noted idly that Kakashi's things were still sitting in the far corner so either the man hadn't been home yet, or he didn't think his actions at the meeting were worth moving out over. Not that Kakashi had a say in the matter of getting to stay; it was Iruka's apartment and he could boot the jonin out whenever he felt like it.
It took the instructor only a few minutes to change out of his uniform into casual wear. The trio had a pretty set rule regarding nights out at the bar: no uniforms, hitai-ate only - Kotetsu claimed the girls were a lot more responsive to a ninja than to someone who looked like a civilian, something he proved time and time again when he'd left the bar with at least one, sometimes two, willing companions. He claimed there was no reason to stay in uniform and be uncomfortable, though, so a forehead protector was all that was needed to show their status. Iruka, who found his uniform rather comfortable and had absolutely no interest in taking a girl home, went along with the rules because it was easier than arguing his point.
Clad in a loose, forest-green t-shirt and dark blue jeans, Iruka untangled his hair with swift strokes of his brush. He hesitated, eyeing the tie around his wrist before decided to keep it down over the top of his hitai-ate. He thought he looked oddly younger with only the metal plate visible, his face framed by the long, layered strands of brown. He tugged lightly at a lock; it was about time to cut it back again. He usually liked it just above his shoulders but he'd been too busy to bother trimming it. Now that it swayed just even with his collar bones, he realized it was probably at least three months overdue. Where had the time gone?
A noise in his living room alerted Iruka to Kakashi's return. The chunin took a little longer in the bathroom than was really necessary, going as far as to brush his teeth a second time. He was trying to give Kakashi plenty of time to get his things and get out if that's what the jonin wanted to do. When he didn't hear the front door open again, he felt a little annoyed. He was going to be late meeting Kotetsu and Izumo.
Finally, knowing he couldn't delay any longer, he opened his bathroom door and emerged into the living area. He intended to make a b-line for the front door, escaping before he was waylaid. He didn't make it more than halfway before Kakashi's voice stalled him in place.
"Where are you going?"
Iruka glanced over his shoulder at the jonin. Kakashi stood in the kitchen, his mask down. The stir-fry book was open on the counter top. Iruka's eyes flicked between Kakashi's face and the book, his memory jogged. Before the meeting, they'd agreed on dinner. Something twisted in Iruka's stomach akin to guilt at the accusing look on Kakashi's face as the older man eyed Iruka's outfit.
"Out with my friends," Iruka finally said. The words came out suitably harsh. Iruka was still upset with him and he wasn't going to hide that fact. He didn't elaborate any further on his plans and, before Kakashi had the chance to object, Iruka slipped his sandals on and left the apartment. Try as he might, though, he couldn't block out the crestfallen look he had seen on Kakashi's face as he left. His stomach gave a painful clench but Iruka shoved the feeling aside. He picked up his pace, suddenly feeling a lot more like getting incredibly drunk.
AN: Sorry for the large wall of OC happenings. It's really important to the plot (yes, there's an underlying plot…) that we know what's going on with the Hibei clan. Thanks for reading!