Chapter 29

The two looked up when the door burst open. "What happened to Iruka-sensei?" Naruto demanded.

"I'm right here, Naruto," Iruka held up his hand.

He smiled when the blond rushed to him. "Are you okay? I was told to come right away, it was about you. What's going on?"

"Everything's fine, Naruto," Kakashi said plainly. "Iruka-sensei just needs to talk to you."

"Oh! Alright! Let's go get some ramen and talk there! You didn't have to go through the trouble of summoning me here! I'm sure Kakashi-sama has boring Hokage stuff to do anyway. Let's go, Iruka-sensei!" He spun back to the door.

"Naruto... this is serious," Iruka made him turn back, "and... private. You have to promise not to go telling anyone."

"What? What's going on? Not even Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto, just listen," Kakashi instructed.

He looked expectantly between his former senseis.

Iruka's face began to brighten. He ran his hand up his neck under his ponytail. "Well... Naruto, there's something I- we need to tell you but you've got to promise not to freak out okay?"

"What? Freak out about what? Just tell me already!"

"Um, well, it's- uh" Iruka's face got progressively redder.

Kakashi stood up and walked around his desk. He put a hand on Iruka's shoulder. "Iruka-sensei's getting married."

Naruto's eyes went wide. "What? Really! That's great, sensei! Is she pretty? Is she nice?"

"Ummm," Iruka's stammering didn't improve. His nervous embarrassed lip twisted into a frown.

"She's me, a he," Kakashi's eyes closed with a smile.

Naruto's eyes would have fallen right out of his skull if they could have. "No way! What's really going on? Iruka-sensei, say something!"

Iruka's head hung between his shoulders. "It's true, Naruto..."

Naruto turned on the Hokage, "What are you up to, Lord Pervert! You can't make Iruka-sensei marry you!"

Iruka suddenly stepped forward, "Naruto, he's not making me do anything. I-" he held the younger man's shoulders. "Kakashi-san and I have been seeing each other for a few months. I love him."

"You do?" Both Kakashi and Naruto asked at once.

Iruka smiled back at him.

Naruto shook his head and shoved Iruka's hands off of him. "But, sensei, HIM? You can do so much better! I'm sure there's a nice lady out there, that isn't a perv or wears a creepy mask, and is actually a good person. She'll grow you daffodils and make you dinner because it's what you deserve, sensei!"

"Do you hear that, Kakashi? I deserve daffodils and dinner," Iruka declared.

"Agreed. Though, I'm still a little upset he doesn't think I'm a good person…" Kakashi hung his head slightly.

"You are a little, abrasive sometimes," Iruka pointed with a small laugh.

"I've never been anything but gentle to you, unless you ask for something else," his tone became a little more suggestive.

"Ah! Stop it!" Naruto's arms flailed and he covered his ears before throwing an accusing finger at Kakashi. "I don't believe you! Iruka-sensei can't love you! You're a man!"

Iruka sighed. They both were afraid that'd be Naruto's first reaction. "Naruto," Iruka said seriously, "you can't help who you're attracted to. Did you ever ask yourself why you had a crush on Sakura-chan? No, you just knew you did. I kept waiting for the woman I'd like that way but she never came… I just felt that way about other people. I'm sorry I kept it a secret from you. I was afraid you'd hate me or think I'm gross or something." His eyes went from the corner of the Hokage's desk back to the blond. "I understand, Naruto, if you don't trust me anymore, or if want to stop hanging out."

"Iruka-sensei..." he said quietly, "I- I don't know what to think."

Iruka sighed. "I'm sorry, Naruto."

Kakashi stepped forward to be at the teacher's side again. "We need your help, Naruto. We need you to talk to the Fire Daimyo on Iruka's behalf."

"What for?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Kakashi-sama is the Hokage, he needs the Daimyo's permission to marry," Iruka explained.

Kakashi nodded. "He already had given me permission to marry someone else, so he's a little suspicious this time. He wants to talk to you, as the Hero of the Hidden Leaf and the person who knows Iruka-sensei the most."

"I thought I did," Naruto said quietly.

Iruka's eyes dropped heavily to somewhere else in the office.

Kakashi's hand settled on his back between his shoulders. "Please, Naruto, will you do this for us?"

The blue eyes drifted up from wherever they were staring off thinking about the situation.

Kakashi realized what a sight he and Iruka must be in that second. Swallowing shame and pride to ask for help from their former student.

"You really love Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, looking hard into his former team leader's dark eyes.

Kakashi nodded. He turned his head to look at the slightly shorter man. He had his arms folded across his chest and a nervous frown tensing his features. Admitting his feelings had always been hard for Kakashi to do. He always kept himself removed from his emotions, rationalizing everything. It might have been easier if it were just him and Iruka, but Naruto had to hear it too, they needed him to. "More than anything." That didn't sound like it was enough. "More than words can ever say."

A shy smile pulled at Iruka's worried expression, brown eyes still focused on something else in the room.

"If you don't want to do this we understand," Kakashi went on, forcing himself to look back to the blond.

Naruto sighed. "Can I think about it?"

They both nodded.

Kakashi moved his hand across the chunin's shoulder as they watched the young jonin leave the office.

Iruka's head rolled heavily onto the white robe covering's his Hokage's shoulder. "Do you think he hates me?"

"I don't think Naruto could ever hate you," Kakashi pressed his covered lips to the leaf headband on Iruka's forehead. He could feel the cold metal through his mask.

They raised their heads when the door opened. "Hokage-sama, I saw Naruto leaving is- oh… um, I'll come back," Shikamaru started to back out the office without ever fully stepping in.

Kakashi side stepped and walked back to his chair. "It's alright, Shikamaru, did you need something?"

"I'll go," Iruka said. "You can get back to work."

"Dinner at yours later?" Kakashi asked, trying to promise Iruka an evening in his comfort zone.

Iruka nodded wordlessly before leaving, passing the Nara on his way out.

Shikamaru was carrying an armful of scrolls. "It looks like negotiations have hit a snag," he explained. "The Stone, Mist, Cloud, and Sand have all written regarding some sort of problem."

Kakashi nodded and started releasing the seals of the more confidential information. "Maybe we need another summit."

"I thought your idea for meetings with representatives was alright," Shikamaru said.

"They all thought so too until recently." He fell back into his chair with a frustrated sigh, who knew leading part of a war would be easier than peace. "Thank you, Shikamaru, you're excused. Go get some lunch, watch some clouds. I have enough to keep me occupied for a while."

"Yes, Kakashi-sama," he bowed and left the office. He knew exactly where he was going for lunch, and who he'd more than likely find there.