Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters, I am not making any money off of this fic and I don't have anything to offer anyone who sues me for borrowing some of my favourite characters.

Author's notes:

To SilhouetteSeeker:

Thank you for your honest opinion (I hate when people don't actually sign in and own up to negative comments); I appreciate your point of view and I actually like Genma!

However, I needed a bad guy for my story; Zumo and Raidou both cried when I suggested them and Tetsu didn't think he could pull it off, but Genma volunteered as long as I got him a new senbon and box of chocolates. He really is a good actor, you know, it's why he gets seduction missions all the time (that and his pretty face, sometimes I think he'd give me a run for my money if he decided to dress in drag, lol).

Anyhoo, sorry to y'all for taking so long! Real life has this little knack of getting in the way of my fantasy world sometimes, but A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who stuck around! To be honest, this is ending in the next couple of chapters and it isn't exactly the ending I'd first envisioned; but I'm in a bit of a mad dash to finish it.

My first thought was to have Genma end up with Shino, weird as that couple sounds at first glance and I wanted Kakashi and Iruka's story to be more drawn out, and have more happen in the story in general, but I just don't have the time to finish it as I first wanted it to be. I hope this is good enough for y'all!

Waaaah! I'm sorry the formatting did that, I don't know why it did!

It was a lazy morning, and Iruka was enjoying every minute of it. He'd woken up early, as usual, but it was just somehow better. Better because he wasn't waking up alone; better because he knew that Kakashi wanted to be there because he loved him.

Actually, the first thing Iruka had done after getting up was make tea, then he'd sat drinking it, watching Kakashi sleep. As he'd watched him, he'd come to a conclusion. He really didn't care anymore what Genma thought of him. Kakashi loved him, just as he was and that was enough for him, forever.

He smiled as he reached his conclusion, setting aside his cup and running a hand lightly through his lover's hair. He sighed, and then leaned down to gently brush his lips against Kakashi's bare temple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kakashi woke up to the smell of miso soup and tea. He stretched languidly, and then dressed is a pair of very loose and worn pyjama bottoms. He ran a hand through his hair, tying a loose sash around his Sharingan eye to keep it well rested, but didn't bother with a mask. He was in his own home, after all and he didn't mind Iruka seeing his face.

Wandering slowly into the kitchen, Kakashi smiled to himself, watching Iruka pad around his kitchen in nothing but boxers, a tank and thick, knit socks.

He moved forward silently, stilling Iruka's movements with a bear hug from behind. "I like the socks, sensei. Knit them yourself?"

"No actually, Naruto did." Iruka turned in his lover's arms and laughed quietly at the 'WTF' look Kakashi gave him. "Well, you watched him grow up, right? So you know that the vendors were not always as kind to him as they could have been."

"Yeah, but I always made sure he had enough to eat, you know, putting care packages on his doorstep and whatnot." Iruka cupped Kakashi's face gently, and kissed him on the lips.

"Thank you for that, you really are a closet sweetheart, aren't you? I don't see why you don't want anyone to know how good you truly are, but it's not what I meant. I always knew someone had to be feeding him other than me or he would have been nothing more than skin and bones. Didn't peg you for it 'til later though. I meant clothes-wise. It's why he wears orange—that was usually all that was left because it's not that popular of a colour, he associates it with clothes that he could afford which is why the colour comforts him even today. He would wear clothes thin until they completely broke down, that way he wouldn't have to go in so often to buy new ones."

Kakashi nodded sagely, "That makes sense. The knitting though?" He raised a light brow.

Iruka nodded, disentangling himself from Kakashi's arms and making his way over to the stove, ascertaining their breakfast wouldn't burn. "That's actually thanks to Ayame, from the ramen stall. Her father has always been kind to Naruto and I suppose she inherited his good heart. One year we had really bad monsoons and she caught me with no coat. I was a regular patron, so she invited me into the stall even though they were closing up. She asked why I had no coat, since I'm usually a very prepared person. When she found out I gave it to Naruto since his was stolen and shredded, she got this look on her face. The next day, I came in with some cookies to thank her for her hospitality and I saw her teaching Naruto to knit at the front counter. He left that day with a bag full of socks she had knitted herself, as well as enough supplies for him to do the same for himself for a while to come."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully, "I should find a way to thank her. How would you feel about having her and her father over for dinner every now and then?"

Iruka smiled at Kakashi, "Hmmm, like I said, closet sweetheart."

Kakashi blushed hard and retorted, "Well, they cook all day for everyone else. I thought they might like some time off." He folded his arms over his chest petulantly.

"Oh, Kashi, I didn't mean anything bad by it. It's endearing really how you want to help people without them knowing and thank others for being good people."

Kakashi relaxed and started to set the table for two. "What do you think though? Dinner once a week, we could invite Naruto too, maybe that girl that stutters over him all the time, I'm sure she'd be good for him."

Iruka laughed out loud at that, causing Kakashi to cross his arms again with an affronted look on his face. "What?" he demanded.

"Playing matchmaker now, too?"

Kakashi pouted again. "It's not funny."

"It's sweet. But they're already together, you know. Naruto and Hinata, I mean."

"Really? I didn't know." Kakashi began to pour tea.

"Hiashi doesn't approve, so they're seeing each other quietly for right now."

"Well then, we'll be helping them too, right? I mean, how can Hiashi fault a doting schoolteacher like you for having a few of his students over for dinner." Kakashi grinned triumphantly.

Iruka sighed, looking at the table with a wistful smile. "Actually, I'm having a hard time imagining us eating at that table again, much less having company over to sit at it."

"Just because of last night?" Kakashi grinned, pulling Iruka close and whispering in his ear, "I'm just so attached to that table. I was definitely intending to keep it and bring it over to your place."

"Bring it over?" Iruka looked questioningly at the copy-nin as they took their places at the breakfast table.

"Mmmm," Kakashi responded nonchalantly, glancing up through his lashes as he added, "Your place is cosier, homier, you know, so it makes sense that's the place we'll keep, but my table is bigger, better for entertaining." He kept eating to hide his nervousness, but kept an eye on Iruka the whole time to watch for his reaction. At first, there was nothing, and then—

Iruka's head shot up, "Oh. Oh!" It was quiet at the table as the meaning of their conversation sunk in, then, "I suppose that makes sense. What else were you thinking of keeping?"

Kakashi let out the breath he didn't know he was holding in relief. "Well, I don't know if you'd noticed the difference in the bathroom from the last tie you were here. I was hoping you would."

Iruka looked up thoughtfully, "I'm not sure . . . . I wasn't paying that much attention last time, I was sort of nervous, you know."

"It's, uh, matching sets. Of, you know, everything. Like . . . . towels and things. I had a set in forest green for myself and so I picked up a matching one in royal blue for you. I uh, even had them monogrammed." He blushed lightly as he finished.

Iruka smiled. "You're subtle, you know. I mean, I would never know what you wanted if I didn't look beneath the underneath."

Kakashi chuckled, "I suppose I'm really not being subtle, am I?" He reached for Iruka's hand across the table. "I told you I'm not too good at this relationship stuff. But . . . . I think, I think . . . . that this feels right."

"Don't worry, I agree completely. How about we use the day off to start packing up?"

"What about your dates, your bet? I don't want to get in the way of—"

Iruka cut him off with a wave of his hand. "It doesn't matter anymore. I don't care what Genma thinks of me. I know you love me for me and that's enough. I've already sent messenger birds to most of my dates already. It's unfair to them and you if I go and honestly, Genma probably doesn't give a rat's ass anymore either way. He'll think of it as him winning and he'll be happy with that. If it boosts his ego, I really don't mind. I mean, I always thought it was because he thought so highly of himself and lowly of me, but really, he's insecure so he overcompensates with false bravado. I think that deep down, he knew as well as I that I was only settling for him—now that I understand that, I actually feel kind of sorry for him."

Kakashi squeezed the hand he'd been holding. "Sounds good, love."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was many hours later, when Kakashi's belongings had all been packed up in scrolls to move over to Iruka's place. Iruka smiled at the thought of Kakashi sharing his home. It had always seemed a little empty since Naruto had grown up, left and stopped spending every other night in the guest bedroom. Though, now that Iruka had thought about it, it might be a little crowded with all of Kakashi's dogs.

Which is why he'd talked to his landlord that morning after breakfast, while Kakashi had been organising some of his things. Iruka knew that the landlord had been planning n moving in with his son and daughter-in-law, to take it easy in retirement and since Iruka had always helped him out with maintenance, he was only too happy to allow Iruka to expand his space into the apartment next to his and take over as the building manager, only increasing the rent by a small percentage. Upon hearing this, Kakashi had called his friend, Tenzou, and had him help with restructuring the wood building frame. Then Iruka had called Naruto and to Kakashi's amusement, the boy had helped Tenzou put up walls, doors and windows with record speed, thanks to his kage bunshin.

Now, the new couple had a room just for the nindogs, while keeping Naruto's guest room and adding another for other guests. They also had two living rooms rather than the one Iruka had previously had and they wanted to turn one into a study, where Kakashi could keep all of his scrolls and Iruka could grade homework in peace. The second bathroom was left as is for guests, but the second kitchen had been converted into a beautiful dining room with an attached bar for hosting get-togethers.

Kakashi hid it well from others, but Iruka knew he was secretly pleased by this room especially, as he was used to such a solitary life, but knew Iruka was a more social creature. Coupled with Gai and Tenzou's encouragement to be more social himself, Kakashi was glad for the opportunity to invite others into his home and life and create stronger bonds with those he already cared for, such as Naruto and the newfound friend he'd found in Iruka's 'sister,' Anko, who also happened to be his closest friend's new girlfriend. All in all, he was happier and less lonely than he ever thought he could be.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was coming to the end of the week off that Tsunade had allowed him, (with a laughingly written letter, taunting him that she 'knew what he was doing and with whom!') and Iruka was wandering around the market, looking for eggplants, plum wine and saury for the dinner he and Kakashi were hosting for a few friends. They'd have seven guests in total: Anko, Gai, Naruto, Hinata, Tenzou and the ramen stand owners over. Kakashi was at home bathing his dogs and warning them into their best behaviour while Iruka did some last-minute errands.

They had adjusted well to the new living arrangements, Iruka thought happily, neither having lived with anyone else for several years, in Kakashi's case over a decade. They had thought it would take a little more work, but it just seemed to come so naturally to the pair. Iruka was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice Genma sidle up to him.

Genma paused, watching Iruka as he meandered around peacefully. He never looked that happy with me. He sighed, and then approached the pony-tailed man.

Iruka looked up when he heard a throat clearing, in a familiar timbre. "Hello, Genma."

"Uh, hi."

He continued shopping, though he glanced up every now and then, waiting for Genma to speak.

"I'm sorry, Iruka."

Iruka looked up. "So am I, Genma. I may have been settling with you, but I thought we were happy."

"Then I messed it up."

Iruka contemplated him for a long time before he spoke, "It wasn't all your fault, you know. I once heard someone say, 'No one can ever make you feel inferior without your consent.'1 I let you belittle me because I thought you needed the confidence boost, but then I got so frustrated that I blew up. I shouldn't have let the put-downs happen in the first place and I definitely shouldn't have bottled up all of that pent-up anger until I couldn't handle it anymore."

Genma sighed, relieved that this didn't look like it would end in a fight, as Iruka continued, "But you're right too. You did mess up, just as much as I did. You knew I was pining after someone else long before you approached me and you still never gave it up, so I gave in. Then you tried to feel better at my expense and didn't expect any repercussions. See, Genma, even if you weren't my first choice, you were a good guy and I was willing to try and make it work. You really hurt me, though. It broke my heart to think that all of those mean things you said were really the way you thought of me."

Iruka sighed, putting down the vegetables he'd been perusing. "I'm not sorry it's over. The relationship wasn't really good for either of us in the long run and I am so happy now. But . . . . I think . . . . I think you need closure, right? Isn't that why you're here?"

Genma nodded. "I . . . ." Iruka waited expectantly, but nothing else was forthcoming from Genma, so he continued to wait patiently.

"I don't know what to do, Iruka." He looked down and shuffled his feet. Iruka looked at him and continued to wait.

"It was right after a break, after an S-class mission, that I started to fixate on you. I knew you longed for Kakashi, even then, but I wanted you because you were so alive and you weren't afraid of emotion and everything else most ninjas shied away from. I knew you were kind though, and that if I kept it up you'd eventually feel sorry enough for me to concede. I'm sorry for taking advantage of that."

He looked up at Iruka and continued, "At first it was great, but then I realised that even your cheerfulness, even your kindness couldn't chase away the darkness in me. I started to resent you for not being able to be my happy fix anymore and so I started to take it out on you by hurting you where I knew it would count the most."

He sighed, a deep, heavy, mournful sound, then continued, "I'm sorry for that too, because I knew what I was doing and I was trying to hurt you on purpose."

Iruka sighed. He was going to be late for dinner at this rate, which was not good because he didn't want Kakashi to try and make dinner himself, as Kakashi had set the stove on fire their first morning in the apartment together—a sweet thought, really, to try and wake Iruka with breakfast as Iruka had several times already, but the results were disastrous. Adorably disastrous, Iruka chuckled to himself, but disastrous nonetheless. He didn't want to leave Genma so distraught though, and alone, since he knew firsthand what that could push a ninja to do. So he smiled and sighed.

"Look, Genma, I don't know what's brought this on, but I appreciate that you're trying to make amends here. I just don't think our issues can be resolved over the produce section in the market. They're just too big. Meet me for coffee tomorrow? Say at noonish, by that teahouse near the school? You know the one."

Genma smiled, then nodded. As an afterthought, he turned back to Iruka and said jokingly, "It's not an ambush, right? You're not going to send your new super-ninja boyfriend after me, are you?"

Iruka shook his head laughingly and headed home as Genma wandered off forlornly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Almost done, thanks for sticking with me and sorry that there were no juicy, sexy bits today!

Love, Chickie