Disclaimer – The characters do not belong to me, although I share the same ability with plants as the creator of the Naruto universe, I share nothing else with him.

Warning – This story is rated for violence and sexual content. That content will be Slash as well as non-Slash. That means Male/Male as well as Male/Female, if this is disturbing to you, please read something else.

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Water Runs Red – Chapter 7

Iruka's movements never lost their rhythm to the music as he wound his way through the crowd. Kakashi followed, but not nearly as gracefully. Kakashi was left to watch the man's back as he was lead through the sweaty, writhing crowd. Kakashi tried to get his mind back into focus by studying the Chuunin's back. The large scar from the night Mizuki had almost killed the teacher was still tender looking, but Kakashi had expected it to be worse than it appeared; it seemed to have been healed since the hospital last week. The kunai wound on the shoulder was nearly invisible. If it hadn't been treated with the difficult to obtain ointment, it should have been much more apparent. A brief feeling of pleasure at being right about the ointment passed through the jônin.

Finally, they reached the area where the music equipment was set up and Kakashi noticed a paper screen by one of the largest speakers. Iruka disappeared behind it and Kakashi followed.

As soon as he got behind the screen, Kakashi felt himself pass through a jutsu and everything was much quieter. Iruka sat down with his back to the speaker, his bare chest rising and falling as if he had been running around the village, but then again Kakashi had seen how energetically the man danced. If Iruka fought with the same intensity that he danced, Kakashi would have loved to watch a match.

A quick glance around showed Kakashi the only other stuff behind here was four backpacks, one of which Iruka was reaching into and grabbing a bottle of water. The teacher handed it towards Kakashi, "Water?"

Kakashi nodded and took the bottle from him and opened it as Iruka grabbed another and started to gulp it down. "Kakashi-san, I'm glad you did make it. Anko said you were supposed to be here."

Kakashi nodded, "Kurenai wanted to come." He was busy looking around at how unnoticeable this silencing jutsu was, "This is nicely done. I didn't notice the spell in place until I was passing through it."

Iruka wiped a hand across his face, flinging some sweat onto the floor. "Izumo is good at this stuff."

Kakashi looked over at Iruka, "Oh, you didn't do it?" After the substitution the man pulled on him while he was watching the apartment, he had assumed this would be something Iruka would do.

Iruka smiled, a very nice smile, "No. Izumo is the talented one of the group with delicate stuff. Kotetsu was in charge of the bar. I handled music. Anko handled making sure everyone knows there will be the bar and music. Between the four of us we can throw a pretty good party."

Kakashi just nodded, it did explain how Iruka was able to so seamlessly transition from one beat to the next as songs changed though. "It is a large party."

Iruka nodded and closed the bottle of water he was drinking, "Why did you come?"

Kakashi was taken aback by the upfront question but he didn't let it show, "Kurenai wanted to come."

Iruka started to edge towards Kakashi, leaning on his hands and knees as he uttered "Bullshit." The younger man looked straight at him the politeness of earlier gone, "You've been following me and watching me, and I deserve to know why."

Kakashi nodded and looked at the tipsy, annoyed man; this may actually be a case where honesty was best. "The other night at the mission desk when I grabbed for your vest, you blocked me."

Iruka looked like he was waiting for more, when he didn't get any more elaboration his eyes narrowed, "And?"

Kakashi shrugged, "I didn't think you'd be able to move that fast."

Iruka blinked, "You expect me to believe you've been following me because I didn't let you grab my vest and threaten me?"

Kakashi nodded as he kept staring at the half-naked man just a few inches from him.

Iruka leaned closer to Kakashi, a drop of sweat from the brunette's hair dropping onto Kakashi's hand. Iruka looked up at Kakashi with half lidded eyes, the man's breath was hot on the jônin's pale skin. "Surely the famous copy-nin has better things to do than break into a boring school teacher's bedroom."

Kakashi could feel Iruka's hot breath as he spoke not even an inch from his masked face. He was just about to say something when suddenly lips were placed over his with only the thin material of his mask between them. Before Kakashi could react the lips were gone, "Are you ready to tell me why you are stalking me?" The chuunin was whispering to him, letting his breath fall across Kakashi's ear.

Kakashi forced himself to focus. He didn't see a threat from the Chuunin. Iruka kept inching forward, starting to force Kakashi to lean back. The chuunin's voice was barely audible, its low, husky tone almost blending with the dull thump of music. Innuendo wrapped around every syllable, "I can think of one reason a man like you would be watching me."

Kakashi's visible eye widened and he pushed the chuunin off of him, pinning him to the floor. "What do you mean by that?" Kakashi was holding the other man down by his shoulders. He looked down at the man pinned under him. Iruka wasn't resisting, he wasn't moving. He was just looking up with half-lidded eyes and a slight blush across his cheeks.

Iruka gently smiled, his tone more like one of someone teaching something to a small child as he parroted Kakashi's own phrase back to him, "Look beneath the underneath." Iruka remained pinned without any attempts at getting out from under the taller man.

Kakashi took a deep breath. The grip he had on the tan shoulders beneath him was slippery from the sweat. What did he mean, look beneath the underneath? Iruka reached up with one hand to grip Kakashi's shoulder, slowly urging him closer.

As Kakashi allowed himself to he urged lower towards the chuunin, he felt a leg brush the outside of his thigh as Iruka bent his knee. Kakashi was inches from those warm lips below him. Slowly sinking towards them as he felt the heat radiating from the chuunin. He closed his eyes when he could feel the heat from those lips almost ready to brush the mask over his own. Kakashi felt Iruka's fingertips tracing the skin right under his ear, causing a small shudder to run though him.

Kakashi lowered himself to be pinning the younger man with his body, his shirt against the wet naked chest below him. He traced a line along the tan skin with one pale finger, smiling underneath his mask at the shudder that rippled through the chuunin's body. "How did I not notice someone like you before the other day…?" Kakashi's voice trailed off. Had he been following Iruka for a sexual motive? His mind was racing trying to think of when he first found the other man desirable and when he decided to follow him.

Iruka took a deep breath and pushed against one of Kakashi's shoulders. It was as if someone had used a substitution jutsu and suddenly Iruka was no longer the warm, soft, radiating sex presence he had been. His voice was now cold and emotionless, "Get off me."

Kakashi rolled to the side. He was confused, one minute ago, the chuunin had been seducing him and now Iruka's eyes burned with a different fire – rage. "Hatake-san. I am not the play toy of any jônin. Please excuse me."

Iruka stood up and bowed in his very formal manner. "Please pardon me. I will not take up any more of your time." Then in an icy tone, he added, "You will also not take up any more of mine."

With that, Iruka turned around and walked off to the door leading to the back portion of the building. Kakashi watched as the chuunin walked off. He reached back to scratch the back of his head, evidently one of the answers he gave must have irked the other man. He stood up and made his way towards the door to follow the chuunin.

Iruka's POV

He was mad. He was pissed actually. He really wanted to punch Kakashi in the face, but he wasn't stupid enough to start a fight with the infamous copy ninja. As for his other thought to bring a knee up real quick between the other's legs … well he didn't want to get in trouble either.

The nerve of that man following him around. He ran up the steps to get to the roof of the building, he needed to cool down. He burst out onto the roof and the night air hit him. He took a deep breath of the cold air and walked a few feet away from the entrance to the roof. He brought his hands together in front of him. Slowly he raised his arms until he was looking up through his arms at the moon in the night sky. He then whipped into the block, block, punch, punch, punch, kick of the Kanku Kata. The familiar movements helping him calm down and concentrate again.

A/N Kanku is a Kata of traditional Karate. As one's hands are brought together in the opening position, one gazes to the heavens through the hands to and reflect on the significance to man of the glory and infinity of the heavens. As long as heaven and earth remain in their celestial sojourn, all will be well. The sun will rise again tomorrow and with it comes new hope, regardless of how hard today seemed.

He was about halfway through when he felt a familiar presence on the roof walking towards him. He stretched out his awareness for a second time that night until he located Morino Ibiki walking towards him. He went back to finishing the Kata and decided to ignore Ibiki for now. If it were important, then the man would interrupt him.

Finishing the final move, Iruka bowed deeply, and then stood as he took a deep breath. He turned towards the other man, finally opening his eyes, "How can I help you Morino-san."

The interrogator looked over at the half-naked chuunin. "I need to send you three on a new mission."

Iruka shook his head, "They aren't ready. They need a break. They are going to crack if you keep sending them out."

"It's dangerous. I can assign them as backup. This mission is too important and too dangerous to send only you."

"Ibiki-san, all our missions are dangerous. Those two need a break. Hell, those two might need to stop doing this. Maybe I need a break." His voice was hollow sounding as he admitted how his missions were wearing on him.

"Iruka, you know I wouldn't send you out again so soon if I didn't have to. This is just too important and you need to have back up."

"Let me see the mission." He took the folder, knowing the other man knew he would never actually turn down a mission. He paged through it, taking a deep breath. "I can do this alone. I don't want those two to be near anything like this."

"I am not sending you out there without backup. We have had this conversation countless times before. I refuse to send you alone."

"I said I can do it alone. I've had enough with being underestimated today." The last part was shouted towards the door which lead up from below.

Kakashi's POV and a bit earlier

Kakashi slowly walked to the door. As soon as he left the area by the speaker, he was assaulted by how loud the music was. When he got to the door and got it closed behind him, once again the music was down to a dull roar. He started to search for Iruka. The rooms on the first floor were empty. The second floor revealed a few pairs of people trying to be alone in various rooms.

Iruka was nowhere to be seen, but he resisted the temptation to barge in and ask either Izumo or Kotetsu if they had any ideas. Anko from the sounds of things might kill Kakashi if he interrupted her evening.

He continued up the stairs to get to the roof, maybe the missing chuunin was up there. As he reached the door, he heard voices.

Iruka was saying, "I can do this alone."

Then he heard a surprising voice answer, "I am not sending you without backup. We have had this conversation countless times before. I refuse to send you alone." It was Ibiki. Kakashi didn't have much contact with the man, but he was well acquainted with the man since he was the head of the torture and interrogation division. Where could Ibiki of all people be sending Iruka?

Iruka's voice answered. "I said I can do it alone. I've had enough with being underestimated today." The chuunin practically yelled the last part, and Kakashi knew it was directed towards him.

He casually opened the door and stepped out onto the roof, tilting his head and scratching his neck, with a slouch he simply greeted both men with a "Yo."

Ibiki raised an eyebrow as Kakashi stepped onto the roof. "Kakashi." He glanced over at Iruka as if looking for an explanation.

"Morino-san, Have you met my stalker Hatake-san?" The bitterness of the chuunin's words could not be hidden in the properness of their form.

Ibiki nodded, giving the chuunin a questioning look, "Kakashi and I know each other."

Kakashi kept scratching the back of his neck with one hand as he walked over, "Sorry if I am interrupting, I was just looking for Iruka."

Iruka glared at Kakashi, "Perhaps, Hatake-san, you should inform Morino-san that you followed me last Friday night as well?"

Ibiki looked over at Iruka before glancing at Kakashi. "This is true?"

"Oh that." Kakashi did his best no big deal shrug, "I didn't realize the three of them were on a mission and they were acting oddly so I was just trying to figure out what was going on."

Ibiki frowned and turned to Iruka, "The presence you felt?"

Iruka nodded, "Yes. I was sure of it when I caught him watching my apartment."

"Watching your apartment?" Ibiki looked over at Kakashi as if expecting an answer.

Iruka smirked and rocking back and forth on his heals in a near perfect imitation of a tattling 8 year old, "Kakashi doesn't think I can do anything either, so when I stood up to him, his crazy jônin mind decided to stalk me."

Ibiki turned back to Iruka, looking decidedly unpleased, "Look. I said you are not going alone, and you are not going alone. Kakashi, this does not leave this roof. Iruka, I am not sending you without backup." His tone made it clear this was not open for discussion.

Iruka frowned and dropped his act. "Fine, just don't send them out yet. If you give them the rest of the week off, I'll do the mission however you want."

Ibiki nodded, "Anyway I want. I could assign an ANBU guard, or …"

Iruka just shrugged and turned around, bringing his hands back together in front of him and taking a deep breath. He muttered, "Whatever, I don't care." Slowly he brought his arms up and he took a deep breath, pausing when his arms were at the top to look through them at the moon hanging in the sky.

Before Iruka could start the blocking and punching routine of the kata, Ibiki smirked, "Perhaps I could assign your stalker to baby sit you."

Iruka turned around and looked at the two jônin. The glare on his face was worse than any he had ever shot at his classroom. He muttered, "Fine, whatever." As he turned back to restart the kata, hands in front of him once again. Barely a whisper, his griped, "Crazy jônin."

Kakashi watched as Iruka lifted up his arms again to look through them at the moon before launching into a very precise series of blocks and punches. He had been right, the chuunin's move's were exacting.

Ibiki walked over to the silver haired jônin. He touched the sleeve of the shirt Kakashi had on, "I need to assign you a mission."

Kakashi just nodded, turning to look at the other jônin, "Of course." The fact that his ANBU tattoo was just under the fabric of his shirt didn't need to be said.

Ibiki turned to head towards the edge of the roof, "Both of you in my office at Noon. Bring everything you'll need with you."

Without waiting for a response from either man, Ibiki jumped to the next roof top and was quickly gone.

------------------------- Notes -----------------------

I am finally happy with how they ended up being sent someplace together. Sorry for the tease with them almost getting together but it was too early In the story and the tension will only help things move alone.

It makes sense to me that Iruka would be good with kata, he is after all a teacher and has to do all that training for his students. He needs to be good so his students don't beat him. He is not uber-Iruka though, it just hasn't become too apparent yet where his real weaknesses are.

Thanks everyone who is reading and reviewing, I –love- the reviews and am trying now to respond to all the news ones.