Title: After the Rains: Chapter Three
Comments: Almost done! Another chapter or so…dum dum dum….no lemon yet though some strong R for descriptive nummy yaoi-ness.
Disclaimer: You'd think that they'd accept gumballs since this is a kid's show but noooooooo. I'm still not the owner. Would you like a gumball?
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It was a full five or ten minutes before Iruka was brave enough to actually step back out of the room. Kakashi had made himself scarce in the meantime as he recreated the burned grilled cheese sandwiches and finished making the rest of the food.
Back in Kakashi's room, Iruka paced back and forth like a caged panther, his footfalls silent upon the ground as he fruitlessly tried to walk off the tension running through him. Uncertainty had his mind in chaos, confusion left him a bit weak-kneed and fearful. Not because he was afraid of Kakashi trying to attack him or anything but rather because he was afraid he would like it.
Those rich and expressive dark eyes gleamed brightly with puzzlement as the scar-faced chuunin nibbled on his lower lip and made yet another turn in the small space of Kakashi's bedroom. The tanned man had pulled on the pants Kakashi had given him though he'd yet to get up the gumption to go digging through the jounin's closet in search of a shirt and when he peeked his room out the room, Kakashi turned to him with a grin curling that one dark eye.
There had been no sound, no indication that the chuunin was moving around but the silver-haired man seemed to sense him all the same and Iruka felt his cheeks heat once more with a blush. "Come have a seat, dinner's ready." As if nothing had happened, Kakashi started spooning
the odd-looking soup into bowls. Iruka eyed it warily, taking in the oddly colored broth and noodles with a raised brow. He was tempted to mention that he'd eaten already but that would have been rude so he merely kept his peace and watched the chunks of what looked like
chicken floating in the broth
"What kind of soup is that?" Intrigued, the chuunin stepped out of the room to approach Kakashi so he could get a better look at the soup.
The masked man smirked to himself as he granted Iruka a mischievous wink.
"Something I picked up along the way. It's not ramen but it's not bad either." That playful look had Iruka looking wary once more and the dark-haired man just shook his head before moving around Kakashi in the hopes of helping him with the food. A swift forearm blocked his
way as the silver-haired jounin pinned him with a look, "I've got it, why don't you go sit down." A curious look around Kakashi's apartment had Iruka raising an ironic eyebrow.
"Where?" To be truthful, Kakashi didn't have much in the way of furniture. He didn't have a table to sit at aside from an end table near a battered-looking recliner situated near a bookshelf glowing with obnoxious orange covers. Iruka's eyes widened as he realized just
what Kakashi had sitting there in plain view and his jaw fell open with shock. Kakashi grinned to himself and waited for the chuunin to explode.
"You have those out in open sight! What if Naruto had come over here you pervert!" It was always fascinating for Kakashi to watch those dark eyes grow hot and flashing with outrage and he had to fight to keep from doing something he'd regret like grabbing Iruka once again to kiss him breathless. As much as he liked watching the flash of temper in Iruka's eyes, he was curious to see if those expressive depths would grow hazy and dazed with passion or perhaps hot and wild with need.
An uncomfortable thought indeed and Kakashi cleared his throat softly as a minute shiver ran through him. That one taste he'd had of Iruka had not been enough to satisfy his craving, had not been enough to take the edge off his hunger for the chuunin. If nothing else, it made it sharper and thus it wore away at Kakashi's control.
"Considering I've never had them over and I never intended to, I think we're fine." The silver-haired jounin purred with another curve of that one dark eye. Iruka hmphed softly and he wandered back into the living area with a sway of those still wet and clinging dark strands.
"Bad enough he's off with that person" The chuunin muttered under his breath and eyed Kakashi's couch warily. Was that hair on it? The poor thing looked like it was on its last legs and there were a few stains that had the dark-haired man deciding that ignorance truly was bliss.
His decision made, Iruka settled gingerly on the floor and Kakashi carried a tray with the soup and sandwiches on it to settle next to the dark-skinned man. "Where are my clothes, by the way?" A mildly testy note entered Iruka's voice as he eyed Kakashi from the corner of
his eye before turning his attention down to the soup being presented to him.
"They're being washed, don't worry about it." Kakashi had the grace to look a bit sheepish then as Iruka glowered at him from beneath a dark fringe of sable hair.
"You stole my hair tie too..." Kakashi was well aware of this and in his personal opinion, Iruka looked downright edible with his hair free and loose around his shoulders.
"They'll be done in a few hours so eat your soup." Those pale fingers brushed against Iruka's darker ones as he handed the soup over to the other man. It was definitely odd looking to say the least with its unusual yellow color. It was not like miso soup with its often silty layers and he poked at the spoon with his pinky only to garner a laugh from Kakashi for his childish action.
"Relax, it's not going to bite you, I promise." Kakashi shook his head, those gravity-defying locks of silver hair not even twitching as he picked up his own bowl of soup. Iruka's eyes widened then and he hastily looked away, those dark eyes training anywhere but at Kakashi.
The jounin was tempted to tease Iruka about that but he didn't. The fact that the chuunin had looked away troubled him? Was that what he was feeling? Didn't the man realize just how rare it was for the jounin to let anyone even into his apartment? Into his life? It was vaguely irritating actually and Kakashi wolfed his soup down as swiftly as he usually ate his food. "I don't mind you know..." The jounin muttered then, catching Iruka's attention as he moved to take that first sip of the soup.
"Eh?" The spoon paused inches from Iruka's lips as he peered at Kakashi through those dark bangs. It was Kakashi's turn to fidget then as he shifted fractionally. It was barely even noticeable but to the trained eye of a ninja, it was a telling sign.
"I didn't mind if you saw it." Why was it suddenly so hard to meet Iruka's eyes? He was Sharingan Kakashi yet he found it all but impossible to force himself to look at the suddenly startled looking chuunin. "Look. I like you and I'm attracted to you so some time or
another I'm going to want another kiss and have you burst into a fit of giggles at seeing my face."
Kakashi was not one to mince about words it would seem and he was not one to be hesitant when he wanted something. Unfortunately, his forwardness seemed to break Iruka because the chuunin just sat there with a pole-axed look on his face.
The spoon fell back to the soup with a clatter and a splash of broth. The mask over Kakashi's throat shifted a bit and bobbed as he swallowed nervously and watched Iruka's every reaction with quiet intentness. The scar had gone pale with Iruka's face but then grew pink with color as he flushed brightly and ducked his head shyly before clearing his throat.
"You don't waste any time, do you?" Came that faint whisper as Iruka studied the trembling ripples in the soup and how it had slashed across the oddly toasted bread next to it. Kakashi hadn't expected mad proclamations of love but some hopeful return would have been
appreciated. Instead, Iruka's quiet words had a chill settling in the jounin's heart and he felt the gathering tides of dread running through him.
"Look, just think about it, okay? I...I know I probably shouldn't have done that earlier and maybe I'm completely off here but I thought I felt something from you as well when I kissed you." Iruka flinched as if he'd been struck and his face grew even brighter if possible."Is it really that terrible to consider?" Kakashi's voice held a decidedly wry note and he smiled bitterly from beneath the dark mask covering his face. Once more, Kakashi found himself thankful for the
dark fabric and the slanted forehead protector that hid his face from view. It kept people from being able to guess what he was thinking and kept them from seeing through the shallow facade he felt he often times presented to the world. At the moment, it kept Iruka from realizing just how deeply his rejection cut. He wasn't the type to try and laugh this off however so he simply sat there and fought the urge to squirm.
"It's not that..." Iruka finally whispered; his voice quiet and subdued as it filtered through the thick curtain of his hair and bangs where it flowed down into his face and across those bare shoulders.
Those quietly uttered words caught Kakashi's attention however and that one dark eye trained upon the younger man. He'd fallen back upon his welcoming and comfortable shield of cynicism and sharp wit and he eyed the blushing Iruka with a gleam of something dangerous in that dark orb.
"Then what is it, Iruka?" His words were harsh and as tense as his shoulders as he sat there slouched against the couch. The scared chuunin was more sensitive to Kakashi's mood than the jounin would have been comfortable with. However, a tanned hand extended to lay
softly on the dark fabric of Kakashi's shirt. He'd lost his flak-jacket somewhere along the way and had yet to change out of his uniform.
"You're asking a lot, Kakashi. And you're just dropping this into my lap without giving me any time to even think about things."
"What's there to think about? You either return the sentiment or you don't. It's not exactly a tough call there, Iruka." Sarcasm. Oh, sweet sarcasm his friend, how it had kept the pain away in the past and would not doubt shield him from it in the future. But this time it just didn't have the same effect because he could feel the burn of tense hurt curling in his stomach and upsetting him even further. What was it about this guiles man that endeared him to him so much. Without
even realizing it or trying, Iruka had managed to worm his way into the silver-haired man's heart, thus putting him into a position only few people had ever been in. He was in the position to hurt Kakashi and that made the jounin downright antsy to be honest.
"It's not that simple for me." Iruka protested quietly as his lips became a thin and grim line. "Half the time I want to kick your ass for the stunts you pull."
"That's just my lovable personality." Ever the witty one, Kakashi couldn't resist putting in his two cents and all he earned for his troubles was a narrow-eyed look from Iruka.
"Are you done?" The 'I'm so innocent' look Kakashi gave him did little to reassure the chuunin as his lips quirked up in a grim smile.
"You're extremely frustrating you know that? You come into my life and make things chaotic when I've got everything nice and orderly. I don't like disorder in my life..." Pale fingers curled a bit into a fist at Kakashi's side then before those tanned fingers slid down his sleeved arm to curl atop the jounin's hand. "I am interested but I'm also afraid I won't be able to keep up with you." Iruka gained the dubious honor of being one of the few people to truly surprise Kakashi and his
half-masked gaze flew up to meet the chuunin's warmly smiling eyes as that one wide orb stared at him. It was Kakashi's turn to be wary then and it kindled in that visible gaze when he looked solemnly into Iruka's eyes.
"What are you trying to say, Iruka?"
"Nothing. Let's just see how things go, hmmn? You're known for being able to think on your feet, right? We'll make it up as we go along." The wry smile that curved Iruka's lips was oddly charming and the jounin nodded slowly before an answering smirk curved his lips. His
hand rose slowly then to cup Iruka's face in a soft grip, the warmth from his hand hot against the chuunin's already burning cheek. Kakashi slowly leaned over so that he could lightly press his lips across Iruka's There was a faint tremor, a slight wavering in Iruka's resolve but he stayed put as those masked lips covered his own. It was Iruka's turn to regret the barrier between them however and he was about to reach up to take care of the problem when Kakashi drew back with a twitch of his lips which Iruka felt.
"Eat your soup, Iruka-sensei." A playful tap found Iruka's nose then as the jounin leaned back with yet another mysterious smile. Inside, Kakashi was going a victory dance but he gave little sign of his elation as he lazily went about pulling down his mask once more so he could eat the sandwich. Iruka was still staring at him, a delightfully flustered and dazed look of surprise in those changeable eyes. And without even realizing it, Iruka got his first look at Kakashi
unmasked. The silver-haired man's profile was finely sculpted and almost delicate in its sharpness. His nose was slender and graceful, lips a tad thin but oddly appealing in that sexy smirk it had curled up into when Kakashi realized he had an audience. This side of his
face was unblemished and smoothly skinned save for the faint shadowing of stubble lightly dusting the skin of Kakashi's jaw line. This seemed to strike an amusing cord in Iruka and he shook out of his reverie with a chuckle. It took a lot to tear his eyes away from that long-lashed dark eye and the masculine beauty of Kakashi's face. But the mental image of that prickle of stubble on Kakashi's jaw just amused the hell out of the chuunin and Iruka wondered to himself if it began to itch after a time to have the mask up. Did he get ingrown hairs? It was a valid question but Iruka sensed it would not be well received because Kakashi was growing a tad defensive looking now. Go figure, he didn't like being laughed at. A man who revealed himself as rarely as he did tend to be uncertain about how people would react if they saw his face and the fact that Iruka was chortling to himself did little for the jounin's self-esteem.
"Amused are we? I didn't think I was that bad looking." Did he just pout? Iruka could have sworn he caught a petulant curve to Kakashi's lip before the jounin moved to tug the mask up again. A tanned hand intercepted his however and lightly hooked the fabric to tug it
downwards while turning Kakashi's face towards Iruka's. All humor had faded from the chuunin's eyes then and he looked oddly intent as he studied Kakashi's face silently for a moment. Silence reigned between them then and Iruka's fingers finally moved to nudge at the edge of
the sagging forehead protector that masked the rest of Kakashi's face.
The fact that the jounin didn't push his hand away as he moved that encumbering band out of his view of Kakashi's face spoke of just how deep a level of trust the silver-haired man had in him. With hesitant carefulness, Iruka moved the headgear out of the way so he could look at Kakashi's full face without it blocking his view. The chuunin took his time looking his elder over, those dark eyes intent and serious as they traveled over and mapped out each and every plane and curve of Kakashi's face. The jounin was unused to be studied so intently and he felt oddly naked as his hand fell limply once more to lay at his side.
The unsettling crimson gaze of the Sharingan eye trained fully on Iruka's face, the triple pupils almost dizzying to look at as Kakashi silently dared the chuunin to look away. Iruka didn't however and his fingers trailed across Kakashi's face, one tender fingertip tracing cheek.
"You're beautiful." Came that simple yet heartfelt murmur as Iruka's lips curved up into a smile. "Absolutely breathtaking actually." His face wasn't perfect to be certain because the sharp line of his cheekbones and nose were almost too sharp, too delicate in their sculpting. Now that he could see all of Kakashi's face, Iruka saw the small scar marring one corner of Kakashi's lips, the faint scar of a pockmark on his jaw from where he'd no doubt suffered from chicken-pocks as a child. His face should have been too delicate, too feminine yet there was a masculine grace to his features that saved him from being too effeminate. "Can I kiss you?" That shy question had
Kakashi's eyes widening slightly, the dark pupil in the unscarred eye narrowing slightly before a goofy grin curved his lips.
"I thought you'd never ask." Despite his teasing words however, Kakashi sat right there and didn't move an inch as the furiously blushing chuunin slowly pushed the trey with his untouched soup and sandwich on it out of the way. Tanned fingers finally curved along the line of Kakashi's jaw, those calloused yet sensitive fingertips scraping along the stubble there as Iruka leaned over to kiss him.
Their noses bumped a bit however as the chuunin grew clumsy in his hesitant shyness and both drew back with a chuckle to eye each other.
Iruka looked mildly horrified while Kakashi seemed amused by the whole thing. "Let's try that again, shall we?" Kakashi's hands rose, tangling in dark locks as he pulled Iruka back in and guided him until their lips met truly for the first time. Both men shivered a bit at the press of heat as warm tiers molded and settled in a fairly chaste kiss. The promise of more was there however and Iruka lightly brushed his lips across Kakashi's in a teasing manner that had the silver-haired man wondering if he'd go mad with each feather-light caress. Those pale fingers tightened in Iruka's hair. However, a silent warning before Kakashi tilted his head to slant his lips across
the chuunin's mouth with a lot more heat than the dark-haired man had been expecting.
Surprise flared up in Iruka then as his eyes flew open. He hadn't even been aware they'd closed and the soft flick of Kakashi's tongue against his lower lip had a small whimper rising in his throat. Half of him was delirious with happiness and wanted to continue while the
other half, the logical half, was telling him to take this slowly. He had learned bitterly in the past what could happen if you rushed headlong into a relationship with little care for the consequences.
"Iruka..." His name was a mere breath upon his lips as Kakashi whispered that name like a plea. His mouth moved along the chuunin's once more, teeth nipping lightly at the other man's bottom lip as he sought permission to continue. The jounin could feel his control growing shakier and shakier by the second because with each breathy sound Iruka made, Kakashi found his resolve not to molest the other man right then and there slipping a bit. Finally, after what could only be a small eternity in Kakashi's opinion, those warm tiers slowly parted beneath his. Once more, Iruka should have known better than to give Kakashi an inch because the jounin shamelessly took advantage of his partner's acquiescence and his tongue slipped smoothly into the warmth of Iruka's mouth.
Surprise shown brightly in the chuunin's eyes then as he started to pull away only to find himself trapped by those slender fingers in his hair. A shiver ran through Iruka then as Kakashi explored his mouth with a dizzying amount of skill before the jounin sought out his own tongue to engage it into a duel of sorts.
Neither knew who groaned first but the sound filled the air all the same as the kiss spiraled out of control then. Basic logic like the fact that this was going to get out of control quickly or the fact
that they might need to breath just didn't seem to get through to the two of them as the kiss deepened and grew more impassioned.
Logic had been thrown out the door by now and Iruka found out just how dangerous a repressed sex drive could be when presented with someone as desirable as Kakashi. As they finally drew away to pant lightly to themselves, the chuunin discovered that somewhere along the way his
hands had grown minds of their own and had snaked under the edge of Kakashi's shirt to trail warm fingers along his back and chest.
Kakashi's hands ghosted across the chuunin's stomach in revenge, causing the younger man to gasp softly as his flesh recoiled from the ticklish touch. Both men were far more shaken than either wanted to admit and silver hair mingled with dark as Kakashi leaned his forehead
against Iruka's with a grin. "If that's your idea of a kiss I think I could spend the rest of my life doing this." It was corny as all hell and no doubt pulled directly from one of his beloved Icha Icha Paradise books. Iruka groaned and flicked Kakashi's nipple in revenge.
The jounin actually squeaked then and jumped as he pulled away. "Hey now! I was just giving you a compliment." Mischief was born in Iruka's eyes as it mingled with dark passion that was almost as dizzying to look at as the swirling wheels of the Sharingan eye.
"Allow me to return the favor." Iruka was still blushing brightly but there was a definite hint of experience in the man's gestures as he brought his lips to Kakashi's jawline and began to nibble at the slightly rough skin there. His lips were silken and oh so hot as they explored the sensitive skin of the jounin's face. Because it was covered up most of the time, the silver-haired man's skin had become hypersensitive and erogenous as Iruka discovered when he licked the hollow of Kakashi's jaw. The breathy moan that rumbled in the jounin's throat delighted Iruka to no end and he did it again, licking and suckling lightly on the skin there before skimming his lips to seek
out newer flesh.
"If you're going to breed at least have the decency to not do it where I sleep." An irascible voice broke through the haze of passion then, shattering that fragile bubble of lust like glass to leave both men gasping for air as reality slammed back into them. Iruka all but jumped three feet in the air and almost gave himself whiplash as he whirled around trying to find the source of the voice.
When those panicked eyes fell upon the small form of Pakkun, his mouth just dropped open in shocked surprise.
Iruka looked much like he was going to burst into flames right then and there. He was an almost unhealthy shade of red as he finally caught sight of Pakkun who stood there dripping and rather testy looking a few feet out of the way. Well out of snatching and throwing distance of course, but close enough that the dog could get his mortifying message across all the same. A squeak that wasn't supposed to come from anything but a strangled mouse rose in Iruka's throat as
he leapt to his feet and bolted for the bathroom with a hastily croaked "Excuse me!" Hearing the door slam shut put the final nail in any hopes Kakashi had of getting laid tonight and the look he shot Pakkun was downright dirty and hateful.
"What the hell was that about, mutt?" A thread of danger could be heard in Kakashi's voice then, that rich timbre low and seemingly calm in its apathy. Pakkun knew that tone all too well but wasn't very impressed it would seem because all he did was pant and shake off the excess water.
"I'm wet and cold. I ran that stupid scroll for you and now I want to go to bed so get out of my bed." Those tiny paws left little muddy prints across the hardwood floor as the nin-dog padded over to Kakashi and used his thigh as a vault so he could climb up on the couch.
"Besides, you're pushing him too much, idiot." That single dark eye narrowed in a faintly menacing look then as Kakashi's unmasked face grew tight with annoyance.
"And why should I take the advice of someone who has fleas?"
"Don't talk that way about yourself, brat." If possible, a wolfish grin curved the pug-like face as he slowly walked in a circle around the couch cushions in search of the perfect place to lay down. "Do you really think he was as fine with that if he bolted like a scared bunny like he did? Use what's left of your brains." Dammit! He hated it when the damned mutt made sense! It wasn't fair...grrr...
"I'm still wondering why I'm taking romantic advice from a mutt like you, Pakkun. Who died and left you as the authority on human social interaction?" He was more petulant sounding than peevish now and Pakkun just snorted in disgust. Kakashi probably didn't like the concept of accepting advice from a canine. Not that is was Pakkun's problem if the boy didn't want to use good advice when it was presented to him.
"Look at it this way, I've got more experience in the romance department than you. So are you out to keep him or just screw him into a wall? If it's only screwing then by all means continue but I promise you that if you push him too far he'll bolt."
"...and what do you suggest O Mighty Fleabag?" Sarcasm was still his best friend when people's barbs landed too close to home and the silver-haired jounin crawled to his feet with all the lanky grace of a feline.
"Well see there was this one bitch I knew. She was like that, really skittish."
"In case you missed it he wasn't exactly skittish when you walked in!" Annoyance laced Kakashi's voice then as he glowered down at the dog and sent a disgusted look down at the now wasted soup. He'd be lucky to get Iruka out of the bathroom much less out here again with Pakkun on the couch.
"Let me finish, brat!" A warning growl as the canine matched him glare for glare. "She was the excitable type. Got very, very hot however and just lost her mind and that was just fine with me. Of course after she regained her senses she bolted like a skittish rabbit and I never saw
her again..."
"...I think that just means you're terrible in bed." Came Kakashi's deadpan reply then, those mussed locks falling into that unmasked visage as he granted his nin-dog a disgusted look. Pakkun didn't seem to appreciate that too much and growled warningly once again, his hackles rising then as slightly yellowed canine's were revealed in a snarl.
"You want my help or not, whelp?"
"Not particularly." The silver-haired man shrugged lazily and stretched before moving to gather up the discarded dishes from their barely touched meal. "I'm going to try and talk him out of the
bathroom before he crawls through the air vent or something, night mutt." The dishes were dumped unceremoniously in the sink and Pakkun opened a lazy eye to observe his human before snorting and burying his nose in his paws.
"Night, whelp."
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Okay so thanks goes out to everyone who's just been absolutely amazing with the supporting of my poor hesitant writer's heart, especially my beta for this chapter pixeth and maldaeien who's been a real sweetheart and has been my sounding board and fellow fangirl. . And killer of my muse! XP No more hairy Gai legs! Also telosphilos and demondreams! And of course carcinya, bite the hands that feeds, and chibirisu-chan /sniffs/ I wanna grow up and write like you three….;; And of course for Nezuko who rocks in their own right, dk-joy, Eyes-of-Truth, RukaIayLomperGay, Karaii-chan, eyes0nme19 and anyone I'm forgetting this early in the morning... X.x
Okay enough with the gushing….only another chapter or so to go and maybe this plot bunny can be put to rest to go breed other bunnies. Just gotta keep it away from the crack variety.. .okay I go and die now