Disclaimer: Naruto and all it's characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei, not me!

Warning: Yaoi!

Iruka woke up the next morning with a new resolve. He wished the day would go by quicker though, he had a few classes to teach before he was free to do anything. All through them he was fidgeting and anxious. He just wanted to get out of work so he could go find Kakashi. The day was moving so slowly and he was getting somewhat testy. Finally classes were over and he could go find Kakashi.

The first place he tried was the jounin's apartment. He stood in front of the door for almost five minutes before lightly knocking. He waited a moment and knocked again, louder. He spent almost ten minutes waiting for an answer. None came. He headed off for team seven's usual training area, figuring they must still be training. He arrived a the training grounds and found no one. So he searched around the are as well, even called out their names!

Not feeling very hopeful he wandered around familiar areas. Figures it wouldn't be easy. He decided to head over to Ichiraku's. Maybe Kakashi was there. But before he could get very far he heard someone shout his name. He whirled around. Was it Kakashi?

"Iruka-sensei!" Gai was running towards him. "How nice to see you on such a wonderful day!"

"Oh, Hello Gai-sensei!" Iruka forced a smile. When had been the last time he'd seen this particular jounin? Not including the mission room he'd seen Gai last with Kakashi. He was looking for Kakashi and maybe Gai knew where he was! "Um, I was wondering if you'd know where Kakashi would be?"

"Hmm, he was talking to himself earlier. Mentioned something about a chat in the forest! Before you go, oh wise teacher of the children, I need to ask you for your help." Gai smiled hopefully and Iruka being the nice person he was sighed and agreed to try. Excellent! You see, there is this woman I've been trying to court but she hasn't been responsive."

"A woman?" Wasn't Gai gay?

"Yes, a woman. I've been sending her flowers and candy but she hasn't responded!"Gai said dramatically. Iruka rolled his eyes in good humor.

"It really all depends on the woman. Some women like the traditional flowers and candy and others like you to be more creative with gifts. Some are a little trickier." He replied, relaxing his stance. No need to look like he was about to dash off right?

"Hmm. More creative?"

"Well, it all depends on the woman. I over hear them talking a lot while I'm at my post in the missions room." Iruka blushed at his admittance to eavesdropping. He scratched the bridge of his nose. "It would help me a great deal if you told me who she was."

"Oh. Well, I wasn't sure I should tell anyone." Gai looked around to make sure there was no one around to hear, in a very obvious way that had Iruka trying not to laugh. "Promise not to tell a soul?"

"I promise."

"Her name is Mitarashi Anko." Gai whispered and Iruka nodded. Anko? He'd thought he'd seen her with some flowers one morning. If he recalled correctly she'd had a small smile on her face.

"I see. I think you should ask her out. Casually, for some of her favourite treat. I don't remember the name of it, but I'm sure you would." Iruka smiled at the other man.

"Oh yes, I know." Gai looked a little nervous.

"You'll find out." Iruka corrected and the green beast nodded with an embarrassed laugh. "So, where is it that I can find Kakashi?"

"He would be at..." Gai told him the location he would find Kakashi and Iruka nodded gratefully.

They parted ways, Iruka headed straight for the area Gai had mentioned. As soon as he neared the area he heard muffled voices. Curious, Iruka slowly approached, looking through the shrubs and foliage. He spotted Kakashi and a woman, squinting Iruka could see that it was Kurenai. Confused, Iruka listened and watched for a moment, he strained his ears to catch some of the conversation.

"...I was wondering...you'd like to...me for...sometime." Kurenai was saying. Iruka's heart leapt into his throat. Did she just ask Kakashi to go out with her? He missed Kakashi's low voice, but apparently he'd said something to the negative. "Would you like to go out sometime?" She asked more firmly and he seemed happy. His head nodded and everything! Iruka felt tears brimming in his eyes. Then they hugged.

Iruka dashed out of there, not really paying attention to anything around him. Tears flew from his eyes and he ran. He ran all the way home, barely noticing where he was going. His worst fears had come true. He was too late, Kakashi had moved on. Iruka had ruined everything and now there was not a shred of hope. Kakashi didn't love him anymore. He didn't even have the chance to tell Kakashi that he loved him back, and now he never could.

Brokenhearted he lay in his bed, crying for hours. He'd opened his heart and had ruined it all. Loving Naruto had been something so easy in comparison to loving Kakashi. The boy wouldn't stop being his honorary son, but Kakashi, Kakashi had moved on so easily. The man had come into his life, unexpected and not entirely wanted at first, had wormed his way into the chuunin's heart and then left so abruptly. And it was all Iruka's fault.

A few days later, Tsunade, frustrated with the way things were going for her pet project decided to do something drastic. At first she had done little, had interfered little. But now the once happy couple were suddenly so depressed. It wouldn't do to have them so depressed they couldn't do their jobs properly. Not that she was a romantic sap. She called in Kakashi first and soon she was sitting at her desk, a serious expression on her face with the bored looking ninja standing before her.

"What's wrong?" She started.

"Nothing's wrong." He replied in a bored tone, but she could tell that was a complete lie.

"Liar, what happened? You were so happy before, Naruto was scared out of his mind by your cheerfulness." She stared hard a the man before her, silence reined between them until Kakashi sighed and told her what happened. From how He and Iruka had gotten together to how they had broken up. He didn't want to believe they had broken up. He mentioned how Kurenai had come to him for relationship advice and how he'd neglected to tell her that he wasn't in a relationship anymore. Tsunade raised an eyebrow, she'd have to call in Iruka right away and get this fixed. "Ok, I've got a million things to do, you're dismissed."

She called an ANBU guard to fetch Iruka for her. The guard quickly came back with Iruka in tow, he seemed tired and hopeless but he was trying to appear not so. She stared at the chuunin for a long time before asking what had happened. His eyes had widened and he looked away.

"Nothing."

"Something is wrong, I know you and Kakashi were together." She said, Iruka started. "So tell me, what happened?"

"He..I...we.." He took a deep breath and told her everything that had happened, from Kakashi dumping to seeing him and Kurenai. When he was finished he sank to the floor, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry."

"Iruka...Kurenai was asking Kakashi for advice on how to ask Asuma out." Iruka jerked his teary gaze up to her face. "He was in here a little while ago, looking absolutely miserable."

"A-are you s-sure?" He hiccuped, wanting to believe but scared of getting hurt once again. "She a-asked him out."

"Roleplay. Go find him!" She waved him off with a smile. He wiped his face and nodded, walking out the door. Now he had to find the jounin. He walked slowly down the road, he paused in front of Ichiraku. He was forgetting something.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto launched himself onto the chuunin. Iruka suddenly remembered he was going to take Naruto out for ramen that night as he and Naruto hit the ground.

"Hey Naruto." He patted the genin on the head and picked himself up. Naruto laughed a little nervously. They took their seats at the stand and ordered their ramen. Naruto chattered away and after their meal was finished and Naruto was about to say goodbye, Iruka stopped him.

"Could you do me a favor?" He asked and Naruto rose en eyebrow in interest.

"What is it?"

"Could you get Kakashi here when the Academy is out. I need to speak with him, but don't tell him I'll be there ok?" Iruka asked and Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

"Sure. He'll be here." The blonde promised and waved goodbye. Iruka smiled broadly

"Thanks!" Iruka went on his way, home and straight to sleep. His sleep no longer affected by his depression because he knew Kakashi still loved him and they would be together tomorrow.

Tomorrow came and the day couldn't go by slower. Iruka was antsy to get his classes over and done with so he could go make up, and later make out, with Kakashi again. Even his students noticed his strange mood and took to opportunity to irritate him without getting in trouble. Iruka was too distracted to be able to scold them properly and his students were getting many laughs out of watching Iruka splutter in confusion before growling and moving on.

Finally Iruka could go and he almost ran to the ramen stand, he made sure to slow down right before arriving so he wouldn't seem like he'd run the whole way. He noticed straight away that Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi were all there, inside and sitting. He took a deep breath and moved the flap away, taking a seat next to Kakashi. The silver haired man turned to face him right away in surprise. Iruka stared into his eye for a full three minutes before greeting him.

"Hello, Kakashi-sensei." He said softly, blushing a little.

"Hello, Iruka-sensei." Kakashi replied, just as softly, maybe more so.

"I'm sorry..." Iruka looked away nervously for a moment.

"I see."He said, interpreting Iruka's pause to mean that he was sorry that he couldn't ever be open, or that he was sorry he ever decided to be with him in the first place. His chest tightened painfully.

"I'm sorry I was so scared, and I'm sorry I was such a jerk...and I'm sorry it took me so long..." Iruka looked back up to him and smiled. "...to say that I love you."

"Iruka..." Kakashi's eye was glistening suspiciously. He swept Iruka up into a hug, burying his hand in between Iruka neck and shoulder. He started chuckling, then full out laughing in his joy. Iruka laughed with him, unable to resist his infectious laughter and his heart swelled.

They stood there in the middle of the ramen stand, holding each other close and laughing. Iruka could feel tears starting to fall down his cheeks he was so happy and he knew that Kakashi must be crying as well from the wetness he felt at his neck. He opened his eyes slowly, wondering when he'd closed them in the first place, and tensed. Sasuke, Sakura dn Naruto were staring at him with wide eyes. Kakashi felt Iruka tense and squeezed him gently.

"Hey," He whispered into Iruka's ear, "I'll be beside you the whole time." At those words Iruka relaxed and smiled at the three genin. They pulled apart reluctantly, Kakashi wouldn't let go of Iruka's hand and the chuunin liked it that way.

"Hello, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke." Iruka greeted lamely.

YES! Finished and posted JUST in time! HA HA! I don't think I've ever posted it right on my due date o.O anyway thank you all for reading and reviewing always! I just hope it wasn't too anti climactic or whatever! Next chapter...AWKWARD! XD Now please REVIEW! XD