A/N: Sorry for taking so long...I just started working and have been really busy. Anyway, as to the question of weather or not I wrote the poems in the beginnings of each chapter, the answer is yes. I wrote them. They are the essence of the story (not really). Consider them my muse and me pouring out the unedited emotion of the chapter to come. I write them off the top of my head and never change a single word. I'm glad you like them. smile
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...but this fic is all mine. And no sticky paws on the poems!...without my permission of course.
Thanks: mini-kero: I made you cry? I didn't know I could do that...I'm sorry! hug, rhea: I'm sorry if Iruka seems too weak..he's my favorite chara too, HatakeKakashi22: eats gummi worm I said what happened to Naruto...I quoted what he said and did in ch.1. Read ch.64 of the manga online to get better details. I read it off of narutofan dot com., shake-it-buddy: greedy is good! I hope you won't be mad about the delay..., thanks also to Kaoro, R.A.Elric, and of course ruka-kun smiles (I know the chap was short...but I couldn't resist the cliff hanger effect!). Now, on with the fic!
Sea of Tears
Beating slowly
Beating quickly
Beating heart
Misunderstandings
An ocean of questions
A field of tears
Shouted words
And deflated pride
Beating slowly
Beating quickly
Beating heart
Flushed faces
Rushing blood
Flowing fast
Rising slowly
Beating slowly
Beating quickly
Beating heart
Sadness draining
Confusion drowning
Beating slowly
Beating quickly
Beating heart
Iruka had many choice words to say to Kakashi, but he found all he could do was stare. Kakashi just opened the door and froze when he saw Iruka glaring at him from his bed. Iruka opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he saw his clothes hanging over Kakashi's arm. Dang it! If I shout at him he might not give me my clothes...that bastard... Again he felt so helpless, even when it came to such little things. He clenched his jaw and waited for Kakashi to break the silence.
Kakashi couldn't help the smile from forming on his lips at the way Iruka looked wrapped up in the blanket. He was just thankful that his mask covered it. He was temped to hold on to Iruka's clothes as a bribing tool, but decided against it. Iruka was the type to hold a grudge for stuff like that and he was pretty scary when he got mad. So tossing the chunin his clothes, he stepped out of the room and walked down the hall to the right.
Iruka stared after Kakashi for a second before hastily donning his clothes. They were clean, warm and smelled faintly of soap. He must have just finished washing them! The thought left him stunned that a jounin would go out of his way to do something like that. He shook his head and figured he would have probably done the same.
Cautiously, Iruka stepped into the hallway and looked around. The hallway to the left looked dark; same as it did before with closed doors. The hallway to the right opened up almost immediately into the living room. Peering further down the hall he could make out the kitchen, which had a wonderful smell emanating from it. He could also hear Kakashi moving about inside.
He decided to risk it a little and gingerly walked down the hall into the living room. He noticed his shoes were by the door and walked over, intending to put them on, thank Kakashi, and leave. He wasn't so lucky, however.
"Leaving so soon, Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi queried from directly behind him. Iruka whipped around, startled. Kakashi looked almost hurt and he could see tea and ramen placed on the table just behind him. And it wasn't instant ramen. He made breakfast!...He can cook!
Iruka had been a teacher for many years and was a fairly good ninja. He had learned very well how to look underneath the underneath and could easily sense that what Kakashi really wanted wasn't just his company. He meant to pry into Iruka's business. Makes sense though, seeing as how I acted last night...
Iruka's startled look melted into one of sadness. The hallow look that had encompassed his being yesterday was now just an echo. But it was still there. Kakashi was confused. But first, the breakfast he had worked hard to prepare was getting cold. Placing a gentle hand on the chunin's shoulder, Kakashi pushed him toward the table, and the food.
Even after almost a lifetime of training, Iruka couldn't stop his stomach from growling. Kakashi's eye curved up in a smile at the sound. "Please, sit down and eat something. You sound hungry." Iruka blushed. He hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. He had been so nervous for Naruto that he couldn't eat.
As he sat down and looked at the ramen, he realized that it was very well prepared. It almost looked and smelled better than what you got at the ramen shop! Kakashi sat down opposite him and broke open his chopsticks. "Please, eat. We can save the talk until afterward." Iruka flinched slightly but nodded. He too broke his chopsticks and slowly picked up a few noodles, slurping them carefully. Oh my goodness! This tastes way better than the ramen shop! Where did Kakashi learn to cook like this! He took a sip of tea. And he makes really good tea too! Naruto would love to taste this! I should...
Kakashi couldn't even take advantage of Iruka's shock to pull down his mask and eat without being noticed. Instead, he just watched the chunin slurp noodles. It was funny. He looked like Naruto. Then suddenly, Iruka stopped. Sadness crept into his chocolate eyes and tears welled up for a moment. Damn. He's thinking about Naruto too. Kakashi sighed. I guess I'll have to shock him even more so he won't think about it and just eat. He did spare a moment to think about why he wanted to make Iruka so happy, but pushed it aside for later. He was about to do something he had never done before...
Iruka stared at the noodles, focused only on trying to make the tears stop. He knew he was being ridiculous. Why should he be so depressed just because Naruto wants to grow up and move on? Why should he be sad? He only lost his only friend. Big deal. Not everyone had friends..and besides, who needed them? He only lost someone who was like a brother. Someone who was like a family...
"Iruka." Kakashi's voice sounded strangely clear to him. He looked up, thinking vaguely that it was strange he wasn't called sensei like usual, and froze. His eyes widened and a blush immediately flushed his face. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He could only stare and blush. He...!
"Don't think about it. Just eat, Iruka." Kakashi used all his power to stop from smiling and laughing at the look on Iruka's face. He slowly, using iron control, slurped his noodles.
He...his mask...he...he's GORGEOUS! The blush darkened and his mouth opened as if to say something. Nothing came out of his mouth. However, something red did trickle down from his nose, though he didn't notice.
Kakashi did. And he couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. He started laughing, if a bit nervously, and scratched at the back of his head. "Do I really look like a girl?" he laughed.
"N-no! I-I.." Iruka stammered, waving his hands, only then noticing the blood. If possible, he blushed even darker as he wiped it away with his sleeve. Kakashi's smile, his laugh...to finally be able to see it was so mind blowing that Iruka couldn't think of anything else even if he wanted to. His flawless pale skin, his ripe, luscious lips slurping the noodles...his tongue licking those perfect lips...Iruka was hypnotized. He even has beautiful teeth for crying out loud!
Kakashi smiled again as Iruka stared at him. He quickly finished his ramen and drank his tea, putting the mask up over his grin. "Now you know why I wear the mask." He laughed. This seemed to snap Iruka out of his trance and he laughed nervously. In a vain attempt to hide his fading blush, he raised the bowl to his mouth and gulped down the last of the delicious broth. Wiping his mouth self consciously he smiled.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," Iruka said, bowing slightly, "You're a really good cook." He grinned and licked his lips, still able to taste the flavor. Kakashi's eye widened a bit before curving up in a smile. Iruka could now picture perfectly his smile without the mask. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't cook often." He replied.
Kakashi sighed. He had put it off as long as possible. He looked straight into the chunin's eyes, all humor gone. "Now, Iruka-sensei...we talk."
A/N: end of chapter. Dum dum DUM! Please review. It makes me soooooo happy! And without reviews...I lose my muse...so please...if you liked it, say so. Even if it's just one word or something. Thanks.