Title: December

Author: Cheza-chan

Rating: R

Summary: Fired from his job, his world freezing around him, Umino Iruka must try and cope with the fact that he no longer has anything else left. Hatake Kakashi, owner of an animal clinic, proves that there are things worth living for.

Pairing: GenRai (new), OroIru (non-con), KakaIru, SasuNaru, ShikaKiba, GaaSaku, NejiHina

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto—sadly. I'm just using the characters to express my mounting love for the show.

A/N: (sits under the lamp of interrogation) I've… I've been busy… Work—it was becoming strenuous! Now… I'm on academic probation after ONE SEMESTER! (okay… that one's my fault… I didn't go to class) My mother has threatened to deprive me of all computer privileges unless it has to do with school… With all of this being said and done, this might be the last chapter you see for another month… (hangs head) GOMEN NASAI! (taking Japanese classes now—finally!)


Chapter Twenty-One - Trapped

Two days down, the northern couple had three more left. Kakashi would have to give one to Iruka for him to rest because he was going to be tired after all the hiking. He dropped into the snow, grinning as he panted, and waited for the other to join him. If Iruka fell—Kakashi laughed. If Iruka fell, it would be a real-life reenactment of a cartoon character rolling down a snowy hill and becoming a snowball. "Put some back into it!" Kakashi yelled.

Iruka glared up at him then muttered under his breath, "How about I break your back, you slave driver…"

"What was that, darling?" Kakashi shouted down.

"Help me, you freak!"

The veterinarian jumped up and skidded his way down the mountain. He dropped into the snow beside the brunet and pulled the young man into his lap. "I'm going to make you enjoy nature if it's the last thing I do."

"It just might be," Iruka scoffed, pulling his cap down over his eyes. "Why are we doing this again?" he groaned.

"I want you to see the view at the top," Kakashi said, helping the man to his feet as he also stood. "Let's go." He clasped Iruka's hand tightly and started upward. His pace was moderate so the young man was able to keep up. At the top, Kakashi released Iruka and stretched his arms above his head. He glanced at the brunet and smiled.

Iruka was stunned. Before him were tumbling, snow-covered mountains. The sun's rays bounced off of the snow or, a more feasible possibility, hidden patches of frozen water—ice, causing beacons of sparkling light. Iruka stepped slightly to his right and his eyes widened. "Is that…?" The city that thrived in the night with its dark strobe lights sparkled during the day. It all looked like something from ancient times, where cities were made of gold.

Iruka sighed deeply, his breath visible before him. He turned to Kakashi only to realize the man had been staring at him the entire time. The flushed color in his cheeks increased and he turned away.

"If you want, we can stay here for a while." Kakashi said that and was already taking a seat. "It's not that cold and if you get hungry, we can go back."

"I'm fine." The young man sat, leaning back on his hands, and stared at the picturesque view. He smiled warmly.

'Even the mountains get that smile!' The silver-haired man whined softly then set about making himself a miniature snowman. He changed his mind, destroyed it, and started on a new project.

Iruka glanced over and a tick appeared above his eye. "What is that?" he asked softly.

"You," Kakashi chirped, drawing his finger across the dolphin's nose to make the scar. "'Iruka' means 'dolphin' in Japanese."

"I'm well aware of what my name means. That thing doesn't look a thing like me."

"Are you kidding? It's adorable." The miniature bottlenose dolphin would have been blushing had Kakashi been able to use something for the red or light pink color.

"Speaking of fish." Iruka pounded a hand into the sculpture. Kakashi whimpered. "What about yours? And who's looking after the house?"

"Shikamaru," Kakashi replied, trying to salvage the dolphin's nose. That was destroyed also. "He's watching the fish and the house," he said in a small voice, poking the snow where the dolphin had once been.

"The bored-looking boy," Iruka snorted.

"He takes after his father," Kakashi laughed, pulling the brunet across the snow and into his lap. "But the Nara family consists of geniuses." Iruka sighed and closed his eyes. He placed his arms over Kakashi's and relaxed, tucking his head under his chin. Kakashi squeezed the young man until he was pinched on the back of his hand. He closed his eyes also and the new couple sat on the mountaintop in silence.

It snowed overnight, thus they were buried in their cabin. Kakashi was up and about while Iruka remained in bed; the young man was grateful to the gods for the snow because it meant no more wilderness treks. He turned onto his side as the door opened, back to it, and faced the wall again. "How bad is it?" he mumbled.

"How… bad?" Kakashi snorted and crossed into the room and to the window. He pulled back the curtains.

Iruka sat bolt upright. A tiny stream of sunlight came through the upper right corner of the window. A snowdrift blocked the remainder of it. "We'll be here longer than New Year's. I can just image what your truck looks like."

"I think I forgot to close the tonneau top… Damn! All that snow…"

"Snow or no snow, I doubt it would have started anyway," Iruka muttered, stretching toward the nightstand. He picked up his phone and checked the signal. "Better than yours. Call your associates and tell them we're trapped." He tossed it to Kakashi then sat back against the headboard, legs crossed under the sheets. Kakashi sighed and dropped onto the edge of the bed, phone to his ear.

§§§

Kurenai looked up from the paper she was reading and sighed. She released one side of it and picked up the phone with her free hand, placing it to her ear. Her eyes were still scanning the written words as she spoke. The crimson orbs widened and the woman set the entire paper down, leaning forward so her hands were braced atop the table. "Well, well. Hatake Kakashi. To what do I owe the pleasure of hearing you?"

"Kurenai," Kakashi sighed, drawing his leg up to his chest. "I just wanted to tell you I'm trapped up here."

"Snowstorm?" the woman inquired.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"We got a few inches down here."

"We got a good several feet."

"'We'?" Kurenai drawled, raising the coffee mug to her smugly smiling lips.

"I thought you knew I kidnapped Iruka." The silver-haired man glanced over his shoulder and smiled at the brunet who was shaking his head. "So, yeah. I'm unsure of when we'll be back. So cancel any plans you might have made for me."

"Will do. Have fun, Kakashi!"

"Whatever." He hung up then started dialing again.

§§§

The dark head rose sharply, the young teenager snorting softly as he was shocked from his sleep. Fur Elise continued playing, the tone rising, as a call came through. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and reached across the second slumbering body for his phone. "Hello…?"

"Shikamaru!" Kakashi blinked and pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at it incredulously.

Iruka leaned forward slightly. "What?" he inquired.

"He hung up on me," the older man sputtered.

Iruka smirked and shook his head. "Just call him back. He's the one you really need to talk to." With a frown, Kakashi pressed the TALK button twice.

§§§

Both figures in the bed groaned and Shikamaru swatted Kiba's hand away from his phone. He accepted the call and sat up, his back to the whining Inuzuka. "Sorry. Kiba did it. What is it?"

"I'm trapped in my cabin because of the snow. From the looks of it, I won't be out until spring."

"Don't kid like that!" a voice other than Kakashi's shouted.

"Don't kick me!"

Shikamaru sighed as he gave a half-smile. "Iruka's with you."

"Guilty as charged! Keep taking care of my house and clinic and pray for us!"

"Yeah, yeah." The boy hung up then tossed his phone onto the bed beside him.


A/N: This chapter may seem a little short—maybe—but that's because I had to chop out a lemon. If you want to see it, you know where to go: AdultFanFiction . net and look for "Cheza-chan". Also… did I mention how much I love playing with Kakashi and Iruka? (squeals loudly!) I know they don't belong to me, but… but… I just wanna squeeze them tightly together, mebbe throw them in the closet for "Seven Minutes of Heaven", is it?