Iruka felt a cool breeze on his exposed back as he tried to snuggle his chest further into the bed. A shiver woke him up as he blurrily saw what time it was on the alarm clock. The blanket was mostly covering his lower half but his body was splayed out over the bed. His neck was sore just from slightly lifting his head up to see the time.

11:30 AM Iruka thought sleepily. He knew it wasn't a school day considering he set the alarm when it was. So it had to be a weekend he concluded.

What the hell happened? Iruka thought glumly peaking his eye open again seeing it was now 11:45.

Better get up and shower, I feel kind of weird Iruka thought yawning pushing his body up slightly with his elbows. That's when pain spiked up his back making Iruka gasp out clutching his lower back tightly.

"Fuck" Iruka grumbled shutting his eyes tightly in pain. That's when Iruka's memory shot into overdrive and he remembered every dirty, perverted, completely hot piece of memory his mind gave him. Iruka's blush slowly doubled every time a new piece of memory entered his head.

How the hell did I even bend that way!? Iruka thought hysterically stuffing his head under the pillow. They had actually made it a nine to four ratio. It ended up that way considering Iruka cheated and used chakra to make the man come early. Kakashi had to bind his hands together for two more orgasms until Iruka learned his lesson. Gods did he learn his lesson.

He was currently remembering the last orgasm he had with the man. The position was…complicated to say the least. He clearly remembered Kakashi's erotic face beside him and was now trying not to have a nosebleed. He could only imagine how his face must have looked. All of their sexual frustration was gone after their first round and the rest was just needed pleasure and comfort by the two. It was off and on hardcore to soft core for some of their sexual endeavors but boy did Iruka remember every second.

Iruka tried shaking his head willing his memory to settle down a little. Iruka turned his head wondering where the man who held him last night was. Iruka was a little crestfallen that he didn't see the man next to him.

Iruka decide that rubbing his ass would maybe sooth his muscles a little in order to sit up; it didn't. It brought more pain in some spots then others but he was determined to get up and take a shower. He felt sticky and gross. He probably didn't smell all that great either and it was probably a mess down there.

Iruka sat up having pain shoot up his spine again only to lean over the edge of the bed gasping in pain. Iruka wobbly stood up having more pain course throughout his body. He hung onto the wall as support telling his body the pain would go away once he reached the shower. That convinced his body only partially.

I thought Kakashi relaxed that part properly Iruka groaned out angrily.

Once the hot water hit his body he felt slightly better. Iruka washed his hair with a vanilla shampoo he found by chance in the market liking how sweet it smelled; it wasn't even close to a sickly sweet so he really liked it.

He started to scrub his body down (with cinnamon and citrus body soap- the citrus cleaned his skin well while giving his skin a soft cinnamon scent) wanting to get rid of the sweat only to feel something run down his leg. He looked down seeing a very small white puddle starting to form near his left foot.

Iruka gasped blushing insanely needing to calm down and get his body properly cleaned by the end of his shower. Once the shower was over Iruka's body didn't feel as stiff and cramped. It felt really painful though; like it was stabbed everywhere. He stepped out to brush his teeth only to gasp seeing that his body was literally covered in hickeys. Some were grouped together while others were splayed out. Iruka turned his body to see his entire back was covered as well. He saw a few of them were slightly bleeding. His ass was especially covered.

Iruka took a few deep breathes before brushing his teeth trying not to wince in pain with every move he made. Screw it if the bed was still gross, he'd never make it to the couch and he was about to die of pain if he didn't lie down soon.

He couldn't even grab his penis to pee without some kind of pain running through him. He didn't have to look down to know there were probably hickeys down there of some sort. He breathed in and out heavily becoming sad all of a sudden.

Where is Kakashi? Iruka thought glumly He'd never leave after a night like that…would he? Iruka opened the bathroom door wishing for him to at least see the man before he left. Iruka leaned heavily on the door frame of the bathroom.

Shit, I don't think I can even make it to the bed Iruka thought shutting his eyes tightly in pain. He'd have to ask Sakura somehow if there was anything she could do. Not that he would go into specifics or anything. Iruka slid to the floor leaning heavily on the frame.

I miss Kakashi Iruka thought. He really wanted to wake up with the man but he didn't think he'd get that depressed about it. Iruka sighed sadly feeling very hungry, but he didn't think he could do anything anyway without burning down the kitchen.

"Iruka!" Kakashi yelled bending low to the man.

"Kakashi" Iruka whispered looking up.

"Hold on" Kakashi tugged off the bed sheets, disappearing to the laundry room, before returning and placing clean sheets onto the bed quickly. He picked Iruka up placing the man onto the bed. When Iruka opened his eyes Kakashi was covered in hickeys (not even remotely close to Iruka's amount) and had a split lip.

"I'll be right back, I was making breakfast" Kakashi said quickly leaving. When he turned his back there were some pretty decent scratch marks all along his back. He had an ice pack wrapped around his shoulder and one on his hip. Iruka blushed pulling the pillow over his face.

"Hey you can't eat if your face is covered you know" Kakashi said playfully. Iruka peaked out from it with a smirking Kakashi looking at him. Iruka didn't own any trays so Kakashi just placed his food on a wooden place mat instead. Iruka looked up blushing, putting a piece of food on his fork, before offering it to Kakashi avoiding all eye contact.

"I already ate, you eat. You must be hungry right?" Iruka nodded before consuming the food faster than he thought necessary but he was hungry.

"I didn't even hear you shower" Kakashi laughed softly rubbing the back of his head. He sat next to the man who was completely absorbed with eating.

"I have some ice packs for you but I'm not sure if it'll help" Kakashi said softly. Iruka looked up blushing nibbling on the rest of his food. Kakashi wrapped one around his middle lower back and one against his neck. Iruka shivered but had finally finished his food. Kakashi took his plates and place mat to the kitchen. Iruka sighed, happy that his stomach was full and some of his pain was ebbing because of the ice packs, before turning on his side.

Iruka felt the bed dip as Kakashi held him from behind holding him very gently and trying to avoid his bruises. Iruka felt Kakashi's fingers tracing the old scar he had along his hip bone.

"Iruka?" Kakashi said softly. Iruka wasn't really sleeping but was too lazy to even give a reply.

"Are you mad?" Kakashi whispered, sounding hurt.

"Yes" Iruka said playfully. Kakashi stopped his movements to look into his lovers face seeing him smiling.

"Just kidding" Iruka smiled bending up slightly to kiss the man.

"Don't do that, I was worried" Kakashi sighed into the man's neck, holding him close.

"Well my ass seriously hurts" Iruka snorted.

"Well excuse me Mr. Give It to Me Harder" Kakashi laughed loudly causing the man to blush. Kakashi gave small kisses on the man's neck and along his shoulder.

"I didn't mean to hurt you" Kakashi whispered quietly.

"It's alright Kakashi, I asked for it anyway" Iruka coughed out the last part, his blush not able to disappear.

"But you're in so much pain. I want to do something for you" Kakashi nuzzled into the man's hair breathing in the lovely vanilla scent. Iruka didn't know what to say. To have Kakashi so worried about him because of how he was feeling, made his heart flutter happily.

"I was just going to ask Sakura-san to get rid of the pain tomorrow" Iruka laughed lightly.

"No one is allowed to touch you" Kakashi practically growled. Iruka sweat-dropped at Kakashi's protectiveness.

"I'm sure she'd be happy to help…" Iruka coughed wishing he didn't bring up the topic. Kakashi snorted not liking the idea at all.

"Iruka…I kind of have two questions for you before you fall asleep again" Kakashi chuckled.

"I don't know if I'll make it" Iruka pretended to yawn only causing Kakashi to pout.

"Hahaha you're funny Kakashi-kun" Iruka laughed as Kakashi only sighed. Iruka rolled onto his other side ending up face to face with man. Iruka smiled happily at Kakashi who moved a piece of the man's hair back into place.

"What?" Iruka asked curiously resting his head on the man's chest, careful to avoid the hickey that was placed there.

"How did you get the scar on your hip?" Kakashi asked gently. No one ever asked about scars. You only talked about it if the other person, who had the scar, brought it up first. It was safer to ask about body scars than about facial scars; facial scars were personal usually.

Kakashi licked his split lip wishing that perhaps he hadn't said anything. He was about to apologize for bringing it up before Iruka interrupted him.

"Remember" Iruka whispered suddenly, "when I told you that my Ex attacked me to get what he wanted?" Kakashi didn't reply, only listening intently his heart beating painfully.

"That's what he did to me" Iruka squeezed his eyes shut, "I fought him off as hard as I could. Tsunade-sama was actually there when he lost control and tried to…kill me… I suppose is the right way to say it. She had to take him out. He's not here anymore if it makes you feel any better."

Somewhere in between his story he heard Kakashi's breath hitch. He hoped with vain that the man wasn't too angry.

"Did she kill him" Kakashi whispered darkly.

"She didn't mean to kill him but yes, she did" Iruka whispered back hearing the evident anger in the man's voice.

"Good" Kakashi said darkly, "whether you would end up angry at me or not, I would have killed him myself."

Iruka inwardly shivered knowing Kakashi would be more than true to his word. Iruka didn't feel any anger towards the man at all in fact he felt really touched. Somewhere in the back of his head he wouldn't have really minded if Kakashi killed him; not at all. Iruka felt touched all the time now since Kakashi did everything for him. He wasn't even sure why the man did it, but was glad that at least Kakashi was happy.

"I wouldn't be angry at you" Iruka said honestly. Kakashi looked at him trying to search his face for something, and Iruka tried to convey how happy he was with Kakashi. The man must have found what he was looking for in Iruka's eyes because he sighed happily back into the man's hair-line, resuming his gentle kissing.

"Now what is your second question" Iruka yawned. Kakashi laughed into the man's hairline before hm-ing in thought.

"Why did you look so sad for when I walked back into the room?" Kakashi asked curiously. Iruka lifted up his eyebrow in question before blushing slightly.

"S-Sad" Iruka coughed slightly. He would have thought that the man would have asked teasingly why he was in pain.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about or I'll make you tell me" Kakashi purred into the man's ear, licking one of the hickeys on the man's neck.

"Well I just thought that maybe…" Iruka started, getting more embarrassed by the second.

"May~be" Kakashi chirped.

"That you left while I was sleeping" Iruka whispered out quickly hoping the man didn't hear him.

"What?" Kakashi asked disbelieving, "why?"

"Well I didn't see you next to me and I guess I just start assuming the worst" Iruka whispered sadly.

"It's okay" Kakashi started, smiled slowly, "I like proving you wrong."

Iruka sweat-dropped at the comment knowing the man would say something smart. Kakashi leaned down happily to kiss Iruka gently on the lips which Iruka was glad to return. Iruka licked Kakashi's split lip as an apology making the man smirk.

"I really am sorry I hurt you"

"You didn't"

"But you're in pain"

"I asked for it"

"But-"

"I'd ask for it again" Iruka whispered the last part with a blush. Kakashi smiled down giving Iruka a smoldering kiss.

"Let's sleep, neh, Iruka?' Kakashi winked at the man.

"Yeah" Iruka yawned tiredly snuggling into Kakashi's warmth.

"You know, we kissed in public" Kakashi sighed happily. He felt Iruka stiffen in his arms before relaxing again.

"Kakashi, really I don't like doing that stuff in public" Iruka whispered.

"It isn't so bad. Besides our friends egged us on and they didn't see us fully kiss since I stood in front of you" Kakashi stated hoping it would convince the man.

"But Kakashi, please I don't want-"

"Don't want what? For people to know that we're a couple!" Kakashi stated. He was just playing but it wasn't getting far.

"Well what if I don't" Iruka stated, not wanting to anger the man but it wasn't working out.

"Why?" Kakashi asked not meaning to sound so angry.

"Because-" Iruka started slowly knowing what he wanted to tell him, but not wanting to tell him.

"Are you embarrassed or something?" Kakashi sounded very angry and very hurt.

"No I'm not it's just that…" Iruka didn't know what to say. Hearing Kakashi that angry was making him lose his voice.

"Just what?!" Kakashi's anger was beyond evident.

"Well I-I" Iruka lost his voice seeing how much anger was in the man's eyes.

"What are you scared of!? Who cares what people think!" Kakashi stood up suddenly from the bed.

"I care!"

"Why!?"

"Because-Because"

"You can't even finish your sentence! You must not even have a reason at all!"

"That's not true it's just that-"

"You keep running in circles just admit that you don't want to be with me because your embarrassed."

"I want to be with you, its just-"

"Why do you care what they think Iruka!"

"Well I'm not some big bad copy-nin so I'd like to keep what reputation I have. It doesn't have to do with our relationship, I don't want to ruin either of our reputation!"

"If you aren't going to actually tell me than don't bother lying!"

"I'm not, I'd never, I-"

"What is so wrong with me!?"

"Nothing! I love you…"

"I can't even deal with this right now, I need to go" Kakashi disappeared out of Iruka's apartment. Iruka placed his head in his hands trying to wipe some of the tears that escaped him. He loved Kakashi and there was nothing wrong with him. He wanted to be with the man and always make him happy. He wasn't embarrassed about being with him and letting people know, but if that compromised any of his reputation with the villagers he couldn't help but blame himself.


Iruka fell into an uneasy sleep. He woke up at around 8:00PM feeling his stomach grumble but he didn't even feel hungry. He fell asleep again only to wake up at 4:00AM the next morning. Iruka unsteadily stood up, stumbling to the bathroom to go through his normal routine, and then stumbled his way to the kitchen. He drank a few glasses of water but he was far too queasy to consume anything. He sat in front of his and Kakashi's plant seeing that the flowers (at the very top) had actually combined colors beautifully. However, several of the petals were falling off on some of the flowers.

Iruka just sat and watched it becoming more and more depressed. He missed Kakashi. He missed his voice, his hair, his smile, his face, his body, his laugh, his hands and every other thing that Kakashi did. When Iruka woke up, he saw tear stains in the mirror and figured that he must have been crying in his sleep. The only thing getting him through this entire thing was the hope that his students would distract him for most of the day.

He packed up his satchel and walked slowly through the village. He walked extra slowly trying to avoid the pain that would spike through his body if he moved too fast. He could see people whispering through the corners of his eyes but he just ignored them. When he entered the class he was giving the most forced smile he could muster. The class went by fairly well with little qualms between the children.

"Iruka-sensei?" A little girl in the class raised her hand who was usually very quiet. Her parents were civilians but she showed the ability to possibly be a ninja.

"Yes, dear?" Iruka asked quietly.

"My mommy said that you are a bad person because you kissed another man" She said quietly.

"Yeah that's what my mom said"

"My parents said that too"

"What's going on Iruka-sensei?"

"Tora-chan" Iruka whispered, his heart constricting painfully. He kneeled down to eye level with the girl.

"Do you think I'm a bad person?" He asked quietly.

"NO!" Tora yelled startling the class and Iruka. Then the entire class burst out saying that they thought Iruka was wonderful and that their parents were just being rude that they couldn't have someone like Iruka's boyfriend.

"We already figured out that it was probably Hatake-senpai anyway" Konohamaru chirped in, "the man came into class often enough."

The children nodded in agreement.

"To have such an idol walk into our class"

"It's so wonderful"

"He's so cool!"

"Iruka-sensei is so lucky!"

By the end of the entire class discussion, amongst themselves really, Iruka's face was beyond red but it did make him feel a little better.

"We'll tell our parents to stop sticking their nose into our sensei's business"

"You are important to us and they shouldn't spread awful rumors about you because their bored"

"Adults are just rude now a days to people"

"Yeah we'll tell em'!"

"Well I don't want you to get in trouble with your parents" Iruka lead off.

"It's of our own reasoning to scold them because no one should be mean to you. After all you help us become the ninja we are meant to be. How could anyone consider you bad without purposely making drama" Konohamaru finished magnificently.

"Th-Thank you…you can leave class early if you like" Iruka whispered giving them a soft smile. All the children whooped leaving the class in a hurry.

"Good luck with your boyfriend!" The children chorused as they left.

Iruka locked the door behind them, turned off the lights, shut the window and sat against the wall right below the window (with his knees pulled up to his chest) so no one would see him. Right then and there, Iruka wept.

Their parents hate me. I've ruined my reputation and worse…Kakashi hates me. Iruka sobbed at the thought. They had almost been dating for ten months now and Kakashi just wanted Iruka out of his life. Iruka finally gave himself to the man he loved and that man wanted nothing to do with him.

I'm so sorry Kakashi! I love you so much that my heart hurts Iruka couldn't keep in his tears but he tried with all his might to silence his cries. He didn't want to be seen like this. Not by anyone.

I've already sent my reputation down the drain by now, I can't have yours doing the same. I know you don't care, but I'm going to care for you! No matter how much you hate me…I'll always love you. Even if it hurts to love you. Iruka hiccupped painfully trying to keep his eyes dry knowing that he had mission room duty at 4:00 and wouldn't be off until 7:00. He was filling in for Raidou partially.

Iruka peaked out into the hallway seeing that it was empty, running to the bathroom quickly. He dry heaved into the sink looking up into the mirror. His eyes weren't red anymore but the tops of his cheeks were red slightly. It would hopefully disappear by the time he got to the mission room. Iruka slowly left the school building taking in a deep breath keeping his head down and concentrated on his feet; they would know where to go.

Iruka stepped into the mission room, sitting in his usual seat. He doodled on the blank paper in front of him waiting for someone with a completed mission scroll to walk in; of course he deeply hoped that no one bothered him for the next three hours. Everyone avoided the brunet at about a ten foot radius.

Every single ninja looked on sadly at the man wondering what was wrong. If they didn't know better they could have said he was crying but they were afraid to make such an assumption.

"What happened?" Kurenai whispered to Asuma.

"No idea. I thought that they were off to have sex after the picnic" Asuma said.

"I didn't see either one on Sunday so I thought they were staying in bed for obvious reasons" Anko butted in.

"Yeah, so did everyone else" Kotetsu stated.

"Kakashi said they got in a fight" Gai whispered quietly startling the group since he never whispered.

"When?" Genma whispered.

"Sunday" Gai whispered back.

"So they had sex and then had a fight?" Anko butted in again.

"I think so, but I don't know details" Gai whispered, "I think Kakashi was feeling insecure because Iruka didn't want to make their relationship public or something."

"I can see why he would be upset"

"I think both yelled at each other"

"Iruka looks heartbroken and like he's been crying"

"Kakashi looks angry but I know by rival is very hurt"

"Really, Gai?"

"Yes. I think I heard him mumbling about how Iruka was not embarrassed about their relationship, just his reputation. I think he feels awful about yelling at the Academy Teacher (trying to contain his loud voice). Something about not letting Iruka talk."

"Well he normally doesn't allow people to talk when he is angry" Sasuke butted in.

"Iruka was probably too scared to talk back anyway"

"Yeah it's already startling enough to see Kakashi-senpai slightly mad"

"But to see him angry must have been awful"

"Well whatever it is they need to figure it out because I can't stand them being like this" Naruto whispered, worried.

"You'd think Iruka-sensei would hide it better though, he has before when something was bothering him"

"True, which is why I'm worried."

Each sighed sadly glancing at the man who seemed to be on the verge of either tears or anger.

"Iruka hasn't even noticed I'm back for my shift" Genma whispered too afraid to tell the man. This really wasn't like Iruka at all.

"Don't worry, I've asked Kakashi to meet us here. Maybe that will convince him to at least talk to the man" Gai whispered hopefully; the others nodded.

Kakashi walked in, hands in his pockets, head down, not wanting to even meet his friends but Gai kind of forced his hand. He looked up with the bored look in his eyes. His friends stiffened seeing obvious pain in the man's eye and tried not to shiver in fear.

"What did you want Gai" Kakashi asked rudely, he was not in the mood to play nice. Gai went off talking to his friends trying to explain Kakashi's mood playfully purposely making the man stay in the mission room; he avoided his question entirely.

Kakashi glanced noticing Iruka. His heart ached painfully seeing the man. Iruka looked awful. He looked tired, like he had been crying, was a paler color than his normal bronze skin. He looked ill and Kakashi's heart throbbed with worry.

Kakashi watched every move Iruka made seeing as how the man didn't bother looking up to see the time or anyone in the room. Kakashi bit his lip looking sorrowful. Iruka reached up to rub his eye feeling that tears would spill out at any moment. He knew Kakashi was in the room. Hell he could sense the man's chakra signature a hundred miles out of the Leaf if he wanted to.

He's not even bothering to talk to me. He probably wants to avoid me. I must be like the plague to him Iruka breathed unsteadily. Kakashi's partial gasp could be heard by his friends (Kakashi had bit his tongue to prevent himself from fully gasping –his friends had stopped talking a while ago knowing the man was no longer paying attention to them). They all looked worriedly at the two along with everyone in the mission room praying inside their heads that things were going to be okay. That someone made a move.

Please don't cry Kakashi begged inside his head. He took a step towards the man, worry clearly etched into his masked face. No one moved in the mission room. Kakashi stretched his hand slightly towards the man walking towards him, heart beating fast. Kakashi had missed Iruka the moment he cooled down from his rant. He pushed Iruka to go public the way he wanted. He never wanted to push the man. Some would have argued that Kakashi should have gotten what he wanted once in a while, but to just have Iruka love him for who he was, was more than enough.

He was so stupid to have yelled at the man who clearly stated that he didn't want to hide their relationship, just not ruin their reputations. He loved how much the man cared for him, but he really wanted people to know that Iruka was his.

Kakashi knew what he had to do. He scared his love away because of his temper. He didn't give the man a chance to explain how he felt. He pushed the man away and made him the person Kakashi was seeing. Both were heart broken. But Kakashi wasn't going to give up; never. Not on the one person who loved him for all of his faults.

"Iruka" Kakashi whispered hoarsely, barely audible. Everyone looked back and forth between the two. Kakashi was in the middle of the room looking so hurt at Iruka for what he had done. Iruka, however, couldn't help but believe this entire mess was all his fault.

Kakashi, for once in his life, didn't know what to do. What to say to make the brunet see that he was there. To see that he was sorry.

Just start with, "I'm so sorry, Iruka" Kakashi's inner directed him. Kakashi gulped about to say the words, until he was interrupted by a pink blur running past him.

"Iruka-sensei" Sakura whispered quietly, placing her hand on the man's shoulder. Iruka looked up at her feeling no comfort even though the girl was trying her best to comfort him.

"I heard about you and Kakashi" Sakura whispered, but everyone could read her lips anyway, "You don't actually believe what they said, do you?" Sakura looked like she was about to cry for the man. Everyone immediately perked up their hearing (and lip reading skills).

Did something else happen to Iruka-sensei?! Everyone thought at the same time. Iruka looked up at Sakura, on the verge of tears before he glanced at Kakashi for the first time he entered the room. The pain Kakashi saw in the man's eyes was enough for Kakashi to yell out to him.

"Iruka!?" Kakashi yelled loudly with worry and confusion. Iruka placed his face in his hands when Sakura instantly transported the man back to his apartment.

"What they hell were they talking about" Kakashi yelled out darkly. Everyone backed up in fear yelling at each other to see if they heard anything. No one had heard anything.

"I want to know what they were talking about, now" Kakashi commanded. No one dared to oppose him. They moved quickly through the mission room, splitting up into groups, to figure out what rumors were going around exactly about the brunet.

Sakura was passing by Iruka's class, who left early, to see all the students confront their parents. Most of the parents were shopping in the area. She heard every word, from every child, defend Iruka's reputation. Apparently the woman who had seen Iruka kiss Kakashi started a rumor that they were dating among the civilians. A small group of parents who believed a reputation was everything, didn't want Iruka to ruin Kakashi's since he was a valuable asset to the village. So they just ruined Iruka's reputation instead.

After the children were done scolding their parents, who were shocked and guilty from the amazing speeches from their children, the children waited for their parents to say something back to them. The group of parents who had turned the rumor into a negative direction, stepped forward saying they would apologize to Iruka personally. All of the adults nodded, joining the group of parents considering they helped spread the rumors. They felt bad, they really did. To have hurt Iruka so much, was more cruel than what they intended. But that was what happened and they were hoping to change it. They vowed never to talk rudely of Iruka again no matter who asked.

Sakura gasped. She had already overheard from Naruto and Sasuke that Kakashi had a fight with Iruka the day before. Kakashi was insecure and pushed Iruka away; Iruka believed his words so much that he thought the man hated him. She already knew the copy-nin would have probably felt worse than awful for having treated Iruka that way, ever. But for Iruka to endure the fight along with the rumor was more than one person should deal with by themselves.

"Please leave me alone, Sakura-san" Iruka whispered. He was about fifteen seconds from crying his eyes out. He was in pain, nauseous, and heart broken.

"You are not a bad person. Kakashi-sensei loves you, and I will bet my life he will come to prove it to you" Sakura said boldly before leaving the man on his couch. Iruka looked up for a moment in shock before he hobbled to his bedroom, locking himself in the bathroom, before sitting in the bathtub to soak his pained body and to cry his eyes out.

"Haruno!" Sakura heard her last name yelled out darkly. She turned with fear, figuring there was an enemy about to kill her, only to be slammed into a building wall by her collar. Shikamaru was gripping the man's arm tightly. Ready to slam his body against the man's incase he lost his control.

"No one in this god damn village can tell me what happened to Iruka besides the fight I had with him. Apparently that had spread like wildfire. You tell me and you tell me, now" Kakashi said darkly, the grip on her collar was already restricting her breathing. She had half a mind to beat the shit out of the man for hurting Iruka so much, but she could already see the pain, worry, and heartbreak in his one eye and it scared her. She noticed that all of her friends had surrounded them. Sasuke was already behind Kakashi, ready to attack, while Naruto was ready to step in front of Sakura.

"Besides his heart being destroyed by you, considering he thinks you hate him, having a negative rumor fly around about him also is too much for one person to stand on their own" Sakura breathed out angrily. Kakashi looked on the verge of tears himself and Sakura didn't know if she should have hugged the man or feared for her life.

"What was the rumor?" Kakashi tried breathing out evenly but it sounded more like strained growling.

"His entire class asked if he was a bad person and some other things because one of their parents saw you two kiss in the street. His entire class. Their parents had been talking so badly about Iruka-sensei because the rumor only got more and more negative the further it went along. Each child heard the conversation from their parents and confronted Iruka-sensei about it. To have the children he loves more than anything asking if he was a bad person…" Sakura choked sadly not able to finish her sentence. Kakashi partially released his grip on her as if her words had burned him.

All of the shinobi looked shocked at the girl. To have a group of children, children Iruka-sensei loved to death, question his qualities as a person, was heart wrenching.

"They stood up for him though" Sakura whispered, "declaring he wasn't a bad person and that their parents were trying to hurt someone they cherished" Kakashi looked at her hurt hoping that someone really was there for him. He should have already been there for him.

"What are you doing here from him then?" Kakashi asked bitterly considering Sakura was the only one who understood everything Iruka was upset about.

"He…pushed me away. He's so heartbroken…I don't even know if the plant can help anymore" Sakura whispered.

"I will. I won't stop trying" Kakashi stated boldly, straightening up significantly, "I will never stop trying."

"Then what are you waiting for moron" Sakura smirked. Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke as Sakura choked, trying to fill her lungs back up again.

Everyone hoped from the bottom of their hearts that the two would get back together; they needed each other more than a person needed oxygen to survive.


Poor Iruka and Kakashi ): Must read more to find out what happens next don't you? (;