Well, you didn't have to wait too long. And it is four pages 

Ok the usual, disclaimer- we still do not own Kakashi, Iruka or Naruto.

Sorry about any errors and such like, we try to get rid of them.

Um.. enjoy

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Kakashi was feeling surprisingly high and mighty about his life right now. Well at least in comparison to the way that he'd been feeling before. He had kept away from Irukas house that morning and had planned his day around his team and a meeting with the Hokage, and not stalking his favorite person.

It was strange, he knew so much about Iruka but had barley talked to him outside of teasing and arguments. He knew a lot about and caring, kind, strong minded, hot headed, and proud Iruka was, but had not actually spoken to him that much. This was probably the reason that Kakashi loved Iruka whilst Iruka hated Kakashi. And it was his own fault; he had never tried to talk to Iruka in a normal situation, not once.

Kakashi tried to stop thinking about Iruka and headed toward the training grounds. He hadn't had a proper work out in a while. Once he had arrived, he quietly surveyed the shinobi of Konoha, working and running and sparring across the open area. The thing that drew his eye, was, the ever exuberant, Maito Gai leaping across the ground with both hands behind his back singing, "she'll be coming round the mountain"

As soon as the gleeful shinobi spotted Kakashi, he raced up to him to challenge his rival to a duel. Kakashi nodded his head in agreement and the contest started.

---

Iruka was partly laughing at himself for being such a pathetic teenager girl. It was ridiculous, but images of Kakashi were swirling round his head. It was utterly unrealistic but Iruka had come to the conclusion that, well, he LIKED Kakashi. This was stupid because a) he didn't really know anything thing about he copy-nins actual personality b) Kakashi knew far more about him that he wanted him to and c) he had never managed to have a conversation with Kakashi without one of them storming off or doing something melodramatic.

However Iruka saw Kakashi's mystery as alluring and a challenge, and more importantly, Kakashi seemed to be, at least, protective and caring about Iruka (the note and the hiding to away all to myself conversation) which made Iruka not so much nervous but excited and, dare he say it, hopeful that, maybe, Kakashi had something a little more than a crush on him.

Of course, the other more shallow reason he had a crush on Kakashi, was the fact that the man was, well, gorgeous, Iruka tried to make a point of not thinking about other peoples body's in that way, but Kakashi was a serious exception. Tall, pale, stunning and unusual, combined with a, literally, killer body and flawless muscles, gave Kakashi something that, when mixed with his dangerous/scary aura, made him perfect fantasy material.

Iruka pondered all these things as he went on walking, hoping that he would bump into Kakashi. Once he realised that he was wondering aimlessly he made his way over to the training grounds to try and do something vaguely productive, like train possibly.

Upon reaching it he saw a straining Maito Gai in crab position with several rocks on his belly counting (he was up to 187).

"What is it this time, Gai-senpai?" Iruka asked jokingly.

"My hip and smooth rival Kakashi has bested me in a challenge, to redeem myself I shall stay in this position and count to thousand!" Beamed Gai

Covering his extreme interest; Iruka asked nonchalantly, "Did you happen to see were Kakashi-san went Gai-senpai? Is he late for something or other?"

It was a long shot, Iruka doubted it was like Kakashi to divulge were he was going.

"Ah, yes, he went to enjoy a healthy and intriguing lunch at the wonderful new youthful pizzeria on the main street, I heard my companion mention something about something called an 'American hot'".

Iruka thanked Gai a little too enthusiastically (not that Gai would notice) and planned to think of excuses and things to say to Kakashi, once he was talking to him.

Iruka refrained from skipping all of the way from the training ground to the high street; mainly because of the weird looks he would get and the fact that it would make the Hokage think he had gone bi-polar and finally lost it. Iruka was worried what he would do when he talked to Kakashi, because, if just thinking about talking to him was making Iruka act like a child, then he certainly wasn't going to fair well when he was actually face to face with the man.(ahem, giggly teenager rather like the authors of this)

He prepared himself by running through a few sinarios through his head; they tended to begin with, um... hello, fancy meeting you here, and then resove in a romantic scene of some description (think backing music). After mentally chastising himself for being so unrealistic, and generally not helping his situation, he decided that if he did accidently meet Kakashi in a cafe he would not normally have a speech prepared, so gave up on trying to make his little fantasies constructive. (And just let them roam free)

He was too caught up in visions of 'ehem' intimate situations with Kakashi, to realise that he was only a few metres from the cafe where Gai had said that Kakashi would be eating. Hundreds of doubts that Iruka hadn't thought of swarmed him and snapped him back to reality. Would Kakashi actually want to see him?-the last time he had seen Kakashi Iruka had unceremoniously (or ceremoniously depending on the way you look at it) rejected him by slamming the door in his face. What if this was just another one of his tricks? What would he say?

Iruka stood just outside the door deliberating if it was such a good idea after all. What if he just made a complete fool of himself (forget if, when he made a complete fool of himself). He really wanted to see Kakashi, just to get to know him, to tell Kakashi that he forgave him for his cruel taunting over the few months. Iruka decided that he would believe that Kakashi didn't know what he was saying and that that was just his way of taking out his nervousness. If so, then it was kind of cute.(naww!) Anyway, Iruka probably wouldn't be able to compose himself any better if he talked to Kakashi. So he was weighing out his options, see Kakashi but probably make a complete idiot of himself, or just play it safe and talk to Kakashi tomorrow.

His choice was made for him a moment later when Kakashi stepped out of the door and almost walked into Iruka.

'Kakashi-sensei' he gasped, 'fancy meeting you here'. (Sticking to the plan then)

----

Kakashi paid for his pizza, deciding that he preferred ramen or sushi and that the whole world was becoming far too American (technically it's Italian but the USA took over pizza land), and stood up to leave. He began to let his mind wander to Iruka, because he had been refusing it all morning (his mind), before pretty much slamming into said man.

'Kakashi-sensei' the man gasped, 'fancy meeting you here'

Was it just Kakashi or was Iruka blushing slightly. then he thought about it and decided that it probably had something to do with Kakashi pretty much declaring his undying love last time they spoke "still" his inner thoughts went "yeay, I made him blush".

-How awkward for Iruka- he also mused. but his musing were cut off by the fact that his heart was now beating much faster, his breathing was speeding up, and he was almost at a loss of how to continue with the situation. Hell, if you wanted proof of love, this was it; without him saying a word, he had made Kakashi more hyped up and freaked than an S-class mission ever had!

He smiled warmly and sincerely "Hello Iruka-san, you look good today." Kakashi internally winced at his slip of the tongue, he had meant to say "well" not 'good', but still, it wasn't a lie.

Irukas blush deepened "Hello Kakashi-san, and thank you? I am please I bumped into you as I discovered an old letter in one of my books that shed an awful lot of light on situations." he manged to stumbled out.

Kakashi's heart rate increased more, so Iruka had only just got his note? Unsure of what the right thing to say was he stayed silent.

"Ah, so, yes. It made me realise that was under a misconception and I treated you rather unfairly, I do apologize"

Kakashi opened his mouth so say that there was certainly no such need but Iruka ploughed on.

"As for the many strange conversations you, we kept on having the comments you made, well I myself I not sure why but I forgive you totally for them.

Relief washed over Kakashi, Iruka's words had a ring of conviction and truth to them now and he honestly hadn't expected to be forgiven. The darker haired man had such a way of saying things, short and to the point, but everything he wanted to say was enweaved in his words quite simply. Kakashi still had only said one sentence so far so thought it best to pipe up.

"That's utterly unexpected and wonderful, thank you so much for that." He smiled again. He wanted to say much more but was now extremely ware of letting his tongue run away with Iruka about.

Iruka to seem lost for words a little but replied "Not at all, I wanted to ask though, a question that's still kind of plaguing me, what is it that makes you so interested in me?" Iruka's question was clearly more than it appeared, in view of last nights conversation; it appeared that he wanted a confirmation of what Kakashi had said before. About all that stuff of mush and brewing emotions that Kakashi had let out...

Kakashi knew he should be embarrassed by the things he had said, he really did, but frankly he truly meant every word of it and it wasn't bothered by it. He wouldn't have believed it himself, but Iruka unwittingly forced him to drop his mask, so to speak.

So there was really only one answer wasn't there? (Besides he was already really quite late for the meeting with the Hokage).

H took a deep breath and said: "Iruka, I meant every word I said last night and I think you no that, but if you haven't already read between the lines or aren't sure, then let me confirm it" leaning closer to Iruka, he whispered "I love you."

Then he turned and ran.

---

Iruka blinked once... twice. Then the words set in.

---

That went well, thought Kakashi happily as he ran to the Hokage's tower. Once again, he was glad he was wearing a mask; because the manic grin that he was sure was plastered across his face would probably make people he passed, and the Hokage, worry about his mental health. He knocked on the door of Tsunades office and, after waiting for a reply, entered.

'Kakashi, you have a mission' she said in a bored tone before handing him a scroll.

'It's solo, s-ranked and should take a week to complete' she said, then dismissed him.

a/n yes, all you people who have read far to many fics of this structure, this is where everything goes wrong

Warning: it may get a bit angsty from here onwards. I will repost all chapters very soon I promise, and then it will be legible =)

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