Disclaimer: Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka belong to Masashi Kishimoto. No profit was being made from this submission
Red
Their love was a fragile thing if it was called love at all, swaying with the wind, barely hanging on only by a frail red thread connecting between their hearts. It could be broken at any moment, just by a single tweak or pulled on a whim. But damn would they ever hang to it. Neither knew why and neither dared to wonder if ever the thread was to snap. But no action was taken to strengthen it. Again, why? Their affair was undefined. Lovers? Companions? Or merely a bed warmers? None of the labels fit right in. But they didn't seem to care and fine with the way they were. Or so they thought.
So Kakashi kept visiting Iruka's apartment when he had the chance and Iruka too willingly welcomed him into his house, into his arms and unconsciously into his heart. Kakashi believed he was only taking without giving anything in return (his body didn't count; scarred and broken that it was). How wrong had he been when one day Kakashi returned to the village bloody and broken on his teammate's back. He didn't know how long had he been unconscious but when he came to it. The first thing he saw once he opened his eyes were a sorrowful pair of brown eyes, surrounded by dark rings. The tan face was pale making the horizontal scar across it more visible. The trembling chapped lips and the unshaven chin, even the usually lively and perky ponytail laid lifeless in its bound. Iruka looked like a mess but damn it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
'Idiot' was the first word that escaped Iruka's mouth. His hands clutched tightly to his blanket ever so mindful of the tubes connecting between his body and the supporting machine, afraid of harming the frail body further.
'Idiot' He said it again. This time a tear accompanied the word. Iruka buried his wet eyes on the crook of Kakashi's neck. The silver haired man could felt his body trembling and his neck wet. His heart wrenched painfully at the muffled sobbing sounds near his ear. With great difficulty, he lifted his hand and rested it on Iruka's broad back. The hand made soothing circles across it and he tried his best to calm the distraught man.
'I'm sorry' Kakashi apologized, his voice croaked from disuse. He begged him not to cry anymore, not to fell sad over him. Because he's alright now and he'll be up and about in no time, promise. The pale man sung the opening song he heard from Icha Icha the movie to cheer Iruka up only to received snorts in return.
'Idiot' Iruka said it again (my idiot). He lifted his face, shining brown eyes now red-rimmed from the tears. But the breathtaking smile adorned on the handsome tan face assured him that it's alright now. Kakashi smiled in return (your idiot) but soon sleepiness took over his body and he closed his eyes content to feel warm fingers lacing with his own.
He had realised now that the frail red thread between them had strengthened without his knowledge. But strangely he did not feel afraid nor any threats even when the string tightened almost painfully around his beating heart, controlling him. Kakashi relished in it instead; the suffocating respite. It made him feels alive and he knew Iruka felt the same. Was this love?
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A/n: Obviously this kind of writting doesn't suit me but anyway I enjoyed writing it so to all readers, please enjoy. XD