FAIR WARNING: I completely suck at fighting scenes. So… yeah…

Helpful note: Disclaimer & warnings are in the first chapter

~o0o~

Kakashi saunters toward Konoha after finishing up his recent mission. After a well-done mission, surviving death, and coming home in one piece, the great Copy-nin is looking very listless and dispirited. He isn't looking like is normally nonchalant self.

Kakashi exhales deeply before looking up at the bright moon through the foliage of trees. There's a lonely and longing look to his single eye. It's been one week and four days since Iruka left on his own mission and Kakashi is dying of boredom. Kakashi has been deprived of torturing his favorite chuunin for far too long already. He's ready to burst, but he'll wait for the temperamental Dolphin's return. Besides, there isn't anyone back in Konoha who is worth Kakashi's time to rile up or who is as entertaining as Iruka.

Well, there is Naruto. But teasing Naruto will be an endangerment to his life. Seeing how Sasuke is a very jealous and possessive man when it comes to his Dobe. Sasuke prefers Naruto's full attention on him than on anyone else. It's one of the reasons (and a stupid reason for that matter) why Sasuke does his best to do away with Naruto's enemies. Sasuke doesn't like anyone touching or even being too close to his knucklehead, even if they are trying to kill the Jinchuuriki. It's crazy to believe even the Uchiha becomes jealous of Naruto's enemies. To think, after Naruto spent a long time chasing after Sasuke, it's now Sasuke obsessively doing the chasing and clinging to Naruto.

No, Kakashi will rather remain unharmed until Iruka comes home. Then the academy teacher can be the one to tear him apart if he wishes to. Kakashi chuckles to himself; sometimes he wonders if he is a bit of a masochist. Kakashi shakes his head with a smile underneath his mask. He's desperate for the chuunin's attention.

'I guess I really do need Iruka in my life…' Kakashi admits to himself.

For days he's been pondering about the truth his inner-self pointed out. Everything is true. He really does enjoy Iruka's company. Kakashi is attracted to Iruka's humanity. Being around the sensei makes Kakashi feel more human than a killing tool for his village.

But for some reason, the unpretentious Iruka Umino doesn't like the jounin and wants nothing to do with him. Kakashi dares not say or think the teacher hates him. But Kakashi always feels some hostility from Iruka. It's the way the sensei will reject Kakashi's kindness or apologies. How easily the sensei becomes angry with him. The way the teacher subtly avoids him without anyone noticing; especially Naruto. How Iruka won't offer a smidge of possibility to becoming real friends with the Copy-nin. Or the way Iruka will only feign benevolence with Kakashi with his over exaggerated respect for the infamous jounin.

Kakashi bows his head with his shoulders slumped as he drags himself home. It hurts when Iruka shows him those fake smiles. It bothers him when Iruka offers him a cold helping hand. Kakashi figures he can stand in Iruka's good graces if he stops bothering the sensei with his teasing, crappy reports, and pervy comments. If anything Kakashi is certain they can get along better if Kakashi just stops seeing the sensei for good.

Kakashi shakes his head violently like a spoiled child, 'No! That won't do!' he thought to himself. He wouldn't dream of leaving Iruka's side even if it will make the sensei happier. If he stops seeing Iruka that will mean he will be miserable. What Kakashi needs to do is figure out a way for him and Iruka to become true friends. 'I will not accept defeat! I am the great Copy-nin after all!' his inner-self boosting with confidence, for now. First, he needs to find out why Iruka doesn't like him and change that. Kakashi inwardly chuckles to himself, 'I never thought I would see the day that I would want to change myself just so one person can like me.'

Throughout his whole life, he's trained himself to become the perfect killing weapon for his village and leaders. And now he wants to change himself to become a functional human for one single person. Kakashi knows it's going to be a tough transition from killer to human, especially considering his dark past and tainted hands. But…

Kakashi looks back to the moon. He pulls his hitai-ate up to reveal the sharingan. The sharingan spins slowly and Kakashi can visually see all those moments he's seen Iruka smile. It's a beautiful smile that can melt Kakashi's heart. A smile that reaches the sensei's deep brown eyes and makes them twinkle. A smile that makes the chuunin look like a creature of light and unattainable. Kami knows Kakashi can use some of Iruka's light to brighten his darkness.

Sadly, Iruka's smiles are never directed at him. Kakashi always has to watch on the sidelines or from afar when Iruka graces others with his smiles. Kakashi can't help but envy whoever receives those bright and warm smiles. He wants Iruka's smiles. He wants… needs Iruka's friendship and kindness.

Kakashi lowers back his hitai-ate in place to recover the sharingan. He continues on his way home with a bit more energy to his steps now. Yeah, it's because of those smiles that Kakashi is going to do his best to reinvent himself. It's because of those smiles he's going to do his best to win over Iruka's friendship. And nothing is going to stop him. Nothing!

"Jizen!" someone yells out.

Kakashi quickly conceals his chakra and hides in the shadows of the forest. He peers from behind a tree to see two Leaf jounin. One of them is male and looking upset as he makes his way toward the village. The one trying to catch up to the male is a flustered kunochi and doing the yelling. 'Why do they look familiar to me?' Kakashi thought.

"Jizen, please listen to me!" the kunochi implores.

The shinobi stops in his steps and whirls around to face the woman with an angry glare. "Listen to what?! There is nothing you can say that is going to justify what he's about to do! Why are you even defending him, Miren?"

Miren bows her head in shame, "I can't help it. I still love him regardless of his stupidity…"

Jizen continues to glare, but his expression holds a bit of sympathy for his teammate, "I pity you, Miren…" He turns to walk away again, but he's stopped by the kunochi.

"I know you're angry, Jizen, but please don't tell anyone," Miren begs. "Osanai will kill you if you expose him!"

Kakashi's brow furrows, 'Now why does that name sound familiar too?'

"Osanai is just going to play with him for a bit," Miren continues desperately as tears fall from her eyes. "Once he's satisfied everything will go back to normal-"

"Normal?!" Jizen yelled as he snatches his arm back from the kunochi. "This is not normal and you fucking know it! What Osanai is doing it is disgracing everything us Leaf-nins stand for. He is disgracing himself, the village, and his comrades. That teacher is an innocent bystander and does not deserve what Osanai is going to do to him." Jizen glares harder, "Now go back to your psychotic teammate. I want nothing to do with you or him ever again. Goodbye, Miren."

The kunochi sniffles once more before she disappears in a puff of smoke.

Jizen quickly turns around to make a mad dash back to the village. Bam! Jizen smacks right into something and tumbles back. When Jizen looks at what stood in his way his eyes widen with fear, "H-Hatake…?"

Kakashi isn't glowering or looking upset, but Jizen can feel the infamous jounin's chakra spiking dangerously. "I do not intend to repeat myself a second time. Tell me what is going on, now."

Jizen gulps. The Copy-nin is still looking nonchalant, but his voice sounds as dangerous as his chakra felt. "U-um… One of my teammates… Well, soon to be ex-teammate… He's planning on assaulting another Leaf-nin…"

"What?" Kakashi growled. If there is one thing Kakashi hates amongst his comrades, its Leaf-nins hurting other Leaf-nins because of petty rivalry. "Why does your ex-teammate have a grudge against another Leaf-nin?"

Jizen exhaled deeply, "The idiot is upset because the teacher rejected his feelings. Osanai intends to force himself on Iruka-sen—Waaahh!" Jizen cries out when he's roughly pulled up by his collar.

"What did you say?!" Kakashi's chakra explodes around them like a lightning storm. "Where are they?!"

"Not far! About two miles north-east from here!" Jizen hurries to tell the Copy-nin.

Kakashi drops the jounin to the ground. He nips his thumb and summons Pakkun.

The nin-dog appears in a puff of smoke. Pakkun is about to scold his master after being woken from his nap. They just finished a tough mission and he's tired and cranky. But one look and feel of his human's murderous aura makes Pakkun flinch back. "W-what's up, Boss?"

"I need you to sniff out this man's other two teammates and Iruka-sensei. We need to find them now. Iruka-sensei is in trouble!" Kakashi ordered.

Hearing Iruka-sensei being in trouble, without question Pakkun gets to work. He sniffs Jizen's clothing and the ground where the kunochi once stood. It isn't long before Pakkun picks up on their scents and races off into the forest.

"Hurry back to the village and get help," Kakashi ordered.

"Hatake!" Jizen calls to the jounin before he can leave after his nin-dog. The Copy-nin gives him an impatient look. "Even without your order, I was planning on exposing my ex-teammate. I happen to like Iruka-sensei in more ways than one. He does not deserve this kind of hurt. I hope you make it on time."

Kakashi feels a speck of jealousy at the man's words but chooses to ignore it. He nods once at the other jounin out of gratefulness before he races after Pakkun.

Iruka coughs and wheezes. His face is covered in sweat. His usually soft bronze skin is looking yellowish. Iruka looks tired and ill. To make matters worse, Iruka is lying on the cold ground with his wrists and ankles tied up with chakra rope. He has a couple of wounds on his left thigh and a shuriken embedded into his left shoulder.

Iruka hacks violently before he looks up at his assailant. "Why are you doing this, Osanai?" Iruka can see the unconscious kunochi lying on the ground behind the jounin. Miren had tried to stop and reason with Osanai, but the jounin was too skilled for her.

Osanai crouches down and smirks at the chuunin. He reaches out behind Iruka's head to remove the Leaf headband and pulls off the sensei's hair tie as well. Osanai's smirk becomes more perverse seeing the teacher's silky ebony hair spread open. He makes himself more comfortable on the ground before he moves Iruka's head to lie on his lap. Osanai runs his fingers through Iruka's hair admiring the softness. He takes a handful of Iruka's hair into his hand and leans down to take a deep inhale of the teacher's intoxicating scent. Osanai looks at the teacher, who is looking shocked, angry, confused, disgusted, and frighten.

"You're beautiful, Iruka," Osanai said.

Iruka's temper flares, "Don't touch me!" Iruka thrashes around trying his best to get away from the jounin. "Gah!" Iruka cries out when he's roughly slammed back against the ground.

"That's not very nice of you, Iruka," Osanai said with control anger. He takes hold of the shuriken wedged in Iruka's shoulder, "I don't want to hurt you, Iruka, but…" He twists the shuriken.

"Aaahhh!" Iruka screams painfully.

With one more twist Osanai pulls out the shuriken roughly. He smirks seeing those painful tears leaking out of the sensei's eyes. "You're even more beautiful when you're in pain, Sensei," he licks the blood from the shuriken before humming with satisfaction.

Osanai uses the same shuriken to slice open the chuunin's vest and shirt. He smiles seeing the exposed bronze skin and those two dark brown nubs. He runs his hand over the soft unscarred flesh and that tight hard stomach. His finger circles around the chuunin's navel before his hand continues lower.

"Stop!" Iruka yells at the jounin and trying to hit the other with his bound wrist.

Osanai growls with frustration and flips the sensei over on his stomach. "Be patient, Iruka. Soon I'll make you feel all kinds of pain and pleasure."

Iruka gasps feeling the jounin trying to remove his pants. "Bastard…" Iruka growled lowly. Unbeknownst to Osanai, something is awakening within the sensei.

'Iruka, don't! You can't!' an alarming voice speaks to the teacher's ears alone. 'You are too weak to unleash anymore of your powers. Let me deal with him.'

Iruka's dark chocolate eyes are being smudged with amber and looking animalistic. Iruka's breathing is coming out more labored. His hidden expression is becoming savage. The chuunin's hands and feet softly glow a black-blue and the chakra rope is melting away. Osanai's hand draws closer to his manhood and Iruka snaps.

'No! Stop! Control yourself, Iruka!' her pleas are falling on deaf ears.

Iruka growls once again. His powers are a second away from exploding out of him to defend himself and kill the stupid human.

"Gaaahhh!" Osanai is suddenly thrown off the sensei.

Iruka blinks in confusion when he sees a couple of shuriken stuck to Osanai's back. "Wha-?" a round of barks and growls soon crowd around the teacher. A pack of eight dogs surrounds Iruka protectively as they continue to growl angrily at the jounin. "You guys are…"

"Are you ok, Sensei?" Pakkun questioned the befuddled teacher.

Iruka blinks again, "Well, yes, but… What are you guys doing here?"

"You stupid piece of shit!" someone yelled angrily.

Iruka looks up at those cursed words and sees Kakashi Hatake punching Osanai square in the face.

"How dare you wear the Leaf symbol and do such a thing to Iruka-sensei!" Kakashi roars angrily so unlike himself. Not yet appeased, Kakashi swings his fist to continue punching the other jounin. He's going to make this scumbag regret ever laying a finger on Iruka. No, he's going to make this person regret ever being born.

This time, Osanai blocks seeing the infamous jounin attacking once again. He twists away from the Copy-nin while trying to sweep the silver-head jounin off his own feet. He flings kunais at the Copy-nin while somersaulting away. "Mind your own business, Hatake! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Bastard! You're attacking a fellow Leaf. It is my business!" Kakashi does a quick hand seal that causes a large puff of smoke to engulf him. When the smoke clears away there stood four Copy-nins. The four silver-head jounins approach their opponent with graceful speed. Kakashi and his three shadow-clones attack the jounin from every side.

Osanai continues to attack with his kunais - dispersing the shadow-clones, but they kept on disappearing and reappearing. And Osanai is still missing the original Copy-nin. The four Copy-nins are coming at him from his left, right, back, and front. One of those four clones has to be the original Copy-nin. Osanai grips tightly onto his last two kunais preparing himself and concentrating his chakra. Osanai then feels a tap on his sandal and looks down. His eyes widen with surprise to see the Copy-nin crouched down right before his legs and glaring at him. Osanai doesn't have time to react before one last uppercut sends Osanai flying back and crashing to the ground.

Kakashi towers over the groaning jounin. His chakra keeps crackling with killing intent toward the other man. He can't believe what he saw at his arrival. This jounin was actually going to rape the Academy teacher without any regard for Iruka's feelings. Seeing this man over Iruka's body, seeing Iruka injured, seeing Iruka's clothing ripped open…

Kakashi's vision turns red, his expression demonic, the hidden sharingan spins hysterically, and his chakra roars and thunders with uncontrolled fury. He never wanted to kill someone so much as he does with this man. He wants to slowly slice him open and let the jounin bleed to death. He wants to char his body with his chidori until he turns to ash.

Kakashi's expression is going dark. His mind is going blank. He's losing himself. His hand twitches and begins to glow and spark with the coming of the chidori. Kakashi wants retribution. His hands want to be tainted with this man's blood. "How dare you lay a hand on Iruka…" Kakashi begins to lean down. His hand reaches out for the jounin's throat.

Wham! Bull came charging and knocks Kakashi away from Osanai. Kakashi slams into a tree with Bull landing on him. The painful collision knocks the wind out of the jounin and wakes Kakashi from his darkness. Kakashi takes deep steady breaths and his chakra eases into calmness.

Bull's deep whine of concern questions his human's well-being.

Kakashi places a hand on the side of his head feeling a bit out of it. His other hand pets Bull's head as a 'thank you'. "I'm fine…" he assures his biggest nin-dog. Kakashi can't believe he was about to kill a comrade. No, scratch that. He can believe it. The bastard deserves to die.

Bull whines again as he removes himself off the jounin. Bull's worry expression and whines keep directing his human toward the rest of the pack surrounding Iruka.

Kakashi's mind sprints back to life. He quickly stands up and is at Iruka's side in half a second. His nin-dogs are covering as much of Iruka's body as possible. The teacher is trembling and sweating. His skin is looking more paler than yellowish now. Iruka's breaths are coming out like strangled wheezes.

Kakashi reaches past his dogs and touches Iruka's forehead. "Shit, he's burning up. We need to get him to the hospital. Everyone, go back." Kakashi ordered his nin-dogs and they all disappear in puffs of smoke.

Kakashi draws closer to Iruka. His blood runs cold again seeing the state Iruka is in. The Copy-nin wants to go back to Osanai and really kill him this time. A whimper and a cough from Iruka wakes the silver-head jounin from his killing intent. "This is not the time, Hatake," he berates himself. "Let Ibiki deal with that asshole. Your priority is Iruka right now."

Kakashi moves a hand underneath Iruka's legs and his other hand goes underneath the sensei's shoulders. He will take Iruka in his arms and teleport them as close to home as possible. But before Kakashi can get a good hold on Iruka he's suddenly and roughly shoved back. Kakashi sits up to see Iruka glaring at him with those deep brown eyes. Iruka's expression promises death to anyone that comes near him. Kakashi figures the chuunin isn't in his right state of mind with that burning fever.

"Iruka-sensei, it's me…" Kakashi speaks softly like one would to a wild animal. "I won't hurt you. I want to help you. You need medical attention, Iruka-sensei." Kakashi draws close again. His hand reaches out for the teacher. "Let me -"

"Don't touch me!" Iruka growls.

Kakashi's brow furrows with confusion as he stares at the sensei. There is something odd about the chuunin. The way Iruka growled at him just now, it didn't sound human. Or the way Iruka's brown eyes seem to brighten a bit with color. Then there's the younger man's chakra. Iruka's chakra feels practically nonexistent, but some other power source is lurking deep within the sensei which Kakashi cannot identify. Who Kakashi is looking at now seems like a completely different person to him. But why?

Kakashi tries again, "Iruka-sensei, it's me, Kaka-"

"I know who you are," Iruka interrupts with a snarl. "And more than anything, I don't want you touching me. I would rather take on Osanai than have you touch me." Iruka's words are spat out like venom. "Try to touch me one more time, Hatake, and I swear it on all of Konoha, I will kill you."

Kakashi's eye widens as he sits back on his bent legs and continues to stare at Iruka. The teacher's eyes are irefully narrowed, his top lip quivering, and his nostrils snort like a bull ready to attack. Kakashi can't believe it. The teacher is confirming what Kakashi feared the most. This isn't another one of Iruka's temper tantrums. No, this is hatred. Iruka doesn't just dislike him. The teacher actually hates him.

Kakashi places a hand over his chest, his fingers grasping his vest tightly. His body and soul… it hurts. It hurts so badly hearing those awful words being said to his face by the one person that gives light to his own darkness.

"Why…?" Kakashi painfully whispers that one word which is asking a million questions.

Kakashi notices the chuunin flinch slightly at his distressful question. Within seconds, Iruka's eyes swim with different emotions. There's definitely anger and hatred, but behind that Kakashi sees betrayal, sadness, and pain. Iruka glowers some more before stubbornly looking away from the Copy-nin without giving an answer.

"Kakashi! Iruka!" Gai races into the clearing and comes to a sliding halt next to the jounin and chuunin.

Three ANBU show up after Gai. Two of them apprehend Osanai. The third ANBU assists the unconscious Miren.

Gai gasps loudly taking in Iruka's ill, injured, and disheveled appearance. He kneels before the teacher, "Iruka! What happened?! Are you ok?! Kami-sama, you're burning up. I need to get you to a hospital now."

Kakashi is surprised as he watches Gai fuss over the teacher. He's never seen Gai behave and speak so normally, whilst still being concern. Gai is behaving more like a worried and protective big brother than a skillful assassin. But what's more surprising is Iruka's own behavior. The second Gai arrived, Iruka's brown eyes glazed over with unshed tears. Iruka smiled and cried as he glomped the Green Beast and allowed himself to be held securely within Gai's arms. Iruka kept repeating Gai's name desperately like a mantra, seeking warmth and comfort from the green-clad jounin. Iruka looks so small and vulnerable with Gai compared to the hateful savageness he had shown Kakashi a moment ago.

With a single sweep, Gai smothers Iruka against his chest and stands up. He faces the three ANBU, "Get that scumbag out of my sight! Ibiki will deal with him soon enough." The two ANBU nod and disappear in puffs of smoke taking Osanai with them. "You, take that kunochi to the hospital to get checked out. Once you receive an ok from a medic-nin take her to Ibiki as well. There will be some questions she must answer."

"Understood," the last ANBU said and disappears with Miren.

Gai looks down at the silver-head jounin still sitting on the ground. "Will you be alright on your own, Kakashi? I must take Iruka home now."

Kakashi is listening to Gai, but he keeps staring at the sniffling and affectionate teacher. "Y-yeah, I'll be fine…"

Why?

"Thank you for all your help, Kakashi!" Gai said with a bright smile and a wink. "I'll see you back at the village, my Eternal Rival." Gai dashes away with Iruka cradled in his arms.

Why?

Kakashi keeps his eye on Gai's back until the other jounin is out of sight. Kakashi releases a shaky breath before he looks up at the moon. He can feel Obito's eye watering. 'Hey, Obito… do you know why Iruka hates me…?'

Thank you for reading! (^_^)/