YAY! This chapter was recovered all thanks to Mirai-Kung (: ENJOY!
Chapter 7
"They fell for the trap."
"They did? Soka..."
"But..."
"But?"
"We lost both the original copy and the man."
The air whistled as the snakeman's head extended forward to latch itself on his aide's throat.
"Orochimaru-sama..." the voice trembled in fear.
The head released its hold and recoiled.
"Incompetent fools." Orochimaru spat, greatly displeased.
"We still have the duplicated copy and it wouldn't be difficult to make a second attempt. We will try again, master. Please have more patience."
"Hnn..." Orochimaru sat back on his chair. "Just make sure that you get it soon." He flexed his fists, testing the muscles of the new body. "I want his Sharingan. I will use it to uncover all the jutsus in the world! Come to me... Hatake Kakashi..."
Kakashi stood at the foot of the bed, coffee in one hand, admiring the sleeping Iruka. He was angelic in sleep, peaceful with strands of hair falling lightly over his face and brows slightly furrowed in concentration. He lay curled on one side, one fisted hand tucked under his chin for comfort. His lips were slightly parted...
Iruka awoke to see a mug of steamy aromatic coffee before him. Blinking wordlessly, he took the coffee and trustingly downed it in one gulp.
M... heaven...
The coffee cup had barely left his lips when he felt it being whisked away. Two strong hands pulled him out of bed into the arms of...
Iruka blinked, looking up at Kakashi, bewildered. "What are you doing?"
"Claiming my morning kiss." Kakashi grinned cheekily before covering Iruka's mouth. The teacher had no chance to protest... not that he wanted to, really.
Kakashi lightly nipped Iruka's bottom lip, sliding his tongue over and over the full, luscious mouth. Iruka pressed closer to Kakashi, wanting to taste Kakshi in his mouth... But still Kakashi teased and eluded Iruka with his tongue. Sliding his hands beneath Iruka's rumpled shirt to the taut stomach underneath, Kakashi's hands left a trail of burning sensation as they skimmed across Iruka's already flushed skin.
Iruka moaned in pleasure when Kakashi's talented hands cupped his bottom and pressed him against Kakashi's hard length. Iruka reached up, angling his head, silently pleading for Kakashi to deepen the kiss.
Kakashi obliged, thrusting his tongue inside, swirling around to taste the bittersweet remains of coffee in Iruka's mouth. Iruka surrendered totally, allowing Kakashi to plunder, to taste him fully. His hands crept up to cling onto Kakashi's broad shoulders. Kakashi was kissing him senseless and all he could do was to grab on to the only safe anchor amidst the storm of desire.
Kakashi ground himself into Iruka's body, so soft and so frail beside his own lean and tough one. His tongue explored and conquered, claiming Iruka as his own.
"DING!"
The shrill cry of the toaster broke the heated kiss. Iruka jumped in surprised and promptly blushed a deep red as he felt Kakashi's evident arousal pressed hard against him...
Kakashi cradled Iruka's face in his gloved hands. One hand lifted the stray strands of hair to tuck it behind Iruka's ear. "Be my lover." Kakashi whispered.
"Baby... be my lover and let me be yours... " Kakashi crooned.
Iruka's chocolate eyes widened and trembled slightly with emotion.
Kakashi chuckled. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me no right away. Besides, I'll wait you out, I'm a patient man... I, Hatake Kakashi always get what I want in the end." Saying so, he brushed a light kiss across Iruka's lips before extricating himself from Iruka's arms to tend to the neglected breakfast.
"Be my lover?" The words played again and again in Iruka's head. How bad would that be? To lose himself to the dark mysterious depths of the man called Kakashi. To bury himself in the silver-coloured hair and hard body. To surrender himself to desire and succumb to the pleasure that Kakashi promised... How hard indeed? Not hard at all.. not hard at all...
Kakashi mentally punched himself as he skillfully tended to the two eggs sizzling happily in the frying pan. The words had erupted out of his mouth before he had been able to stop them. Funny thing though, that he didn't regret them.
"Be my lover, Iruka..."
So much for maintaining his attractive bachelor reputation. Kakashi snorted.
But... having Iruka in his bed would be the best thing to happen to him in a long time... On the other hand, Kakashi wondered if that was wise.
Right now I'm wanted by an S rank criminal. If Iruka were to get dragged into this mess because of me...
Kakashi shook his head, trying to clear away his doubts. Their target is me... besides Iruka can take care of himself... and... there's no way I'm going to let Iruka get too close to me... no way will they use Iruka against me...
Orochimaru... what do you want with me?
The week progressed with Kakashi hot on Iruka's heels (literally).
Sunday: Kakashi let the sausages burn as he pinned Iruka against the kitchen skin and ravished him with his mouth. "Kakashi! Behave!" Iruka gave a most unseemingly scream when the smell of burnt sausages jerked him out of the haze of desire. Kakashi merely chuckled as he released Iruka and sat back on his chair. He then proceeded to unsettle Iruka by staring none-so-politely at Iruka's tight little ass while the disgruntled chuunin tried to salvage breakfast.
Tuesday night: Kakashi offered to comb the tangles out of Iruka's hair. His deft fingers had strayed from the thick mass of cholocate-coloured hair to the smooth bronze coloured skin on Iruka's nape and shoulders. Iruka had sighed in pleasure as those skillful hands worked wonders on the knotted muscles on his tired neck and shoulders until a hot and wet tongue had teased the sensitive spot behind his ear.
"Kakashi!"
Thursday morning: Kakashi had tackled Iruka to the ground when Iruka had gotten fed up at being ignored over a"dirty and pervetic book" and had yanked it out of Kakashi's hands. Kakashi had retaliated by tickling Iruka mercilessly and the duo had ended up on the floor of the apartment. "Ah... no! No! Not... an... any... more!" Iruka squirmed, pleaded and threatened amid breathless laughter and tears. Kakashi, delighted at having bested the stuffy-think-I'm-so-smart chuunin, had gone rock hard when the soft body had moved restlessly beneath him. The "battle" had ended in one hot and steamy kiss.
Saturday: The air between them practically crackled with electricity. The looks Kakashi gave Iruka were boredness layered with intese desire. Every accidental touch between them burned the flesh as if on fire. Both suffered from a hard on that no amount of cold showers could rectify.
"Say yes, Iruka, say yes." Kakashi murmured softly into Iruka's ear as he captured the teacher from behind, wrapping his strong arms around Iruka's trim waist.
"Kakashi?" Iruka awoke abruptly, half marked papers strewn across the table top. Kakashi's warm presence surrounded him, offering him security. Iruka relished at being held for a quiet moment before prying himself away.
"Let me be your lover, Iruka..."
"You know I can't, you know why..."
"No, I don't know. Why? Are you scared?"
"Who said I was?"
"Then why don't you dare to find out what's between us?"
At a loss for words,Iruka was silent. Kakashi came to sit in the chair opposite him. His face expressionless, almost bored. Perfect for concealing the hurt he did not wish Iruka to see. It was a hurt he was keeping even from himself.
Iruka was afraid, yes, he was very afraid. Afraid of what Kakashi could make him feel. Afraid that he could so easily fall for this cold assassin, this pervetic jerk who was always late. In front of Kakashi, Iruka had no denfeses, no plan B. He was afraid that he would fall for him, and that it would be a hard fall, with no one to catch him at the bottom.
Kakashi picked up the calendar on Iruka's desk. It was labelled with many red circles and neat lines of black words. He looked at May 26. It was circled with a red marker and labelled neatly in black ink "Naruto's birthday." Beneath it, in a smaller untidy scrawl (probably Naruto's) were the words, "Iruka's birthday!"
Kakashi's eye(s) narrowed. Jerk. He didn't even tell me his birthday was tomorrow."Oi, Iruka-sensei.. when are you going to tell me that your birthday is tomorrow?"
"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to Iruka.. Happy birthday to you... "
"Quick! Quick! Iruka make a wish!" Anko urged, slapping Iruka on his back and producing a pained look on his face.
"No need to hit the young man so hard." Ibiki commented, slightly amused as Iruka hastily made a wish and began to cut the cake.
"Our Iruka is all grown up!"(sniffs) "Oh hail the youths of Konoha! May the fire of youth burn forever in you!" Gai proclaimed loudly.
Beside him, Asuma sweat-dropped while Kurenai gave a resigned sigh.
"Let the sake flow! My treat tonight!" Tsunade announced generously as she gulped down her tenth cup of sake.
"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune warned disapprovingly. Turning to Iruka, she bestowed him with a lovely smile. "Happy birthday Iruka-sensei."
They were at a restaurant owned by a good friend of Anko. When Kakashi had approached Anko regarding Iruka's birthday, Anko had gleefully whipped up a 'surprise party'. The result was 10 over odd shinobi gathered in one crowded room in the restaurant with Iruka being uncomfortably the center of attention. All invited were Iruka's good friends; either fellow colleagues or friends he had 'picked up' along the way.
Everyone here genuinely cared for Iruka and Iruka knew he could count on all of them to be his true friends. He should have felt ecstatic. He should have felt touched by their efforts. He should have been overjoyed. But even as he plastered a fake smile to his face, he couldn't quite ignore the hole in his life that had become achingly apparent tonight.
The culprit of this event stood slightly apart from the rest, watching as food, sake, chatter and laughter flowed freely on his happy occasion. He hoped his efforts and good intentions would relieve the load from Iruka's mind. But judging from the amount of sake Iruka had consumed, it was not working.
In the lively atmosphere, Iruka chatted amiably to everyone. He smiled, he teased, he flirted. He drank cup after cup of sake. All my friends are here to celebrate my birthday with me. Today is my birthday, it's a happy day... a happy day... Through the haze of liqour and chatter, Iruka tried very hard to convince himself that he was happy.
"I'll see him home." Kakashi propped a semi-conscious Iruka against him as he waved goodnight to Shizune and Kurenai, the only two sober people around. The rest were indisposed at this moment.
Kurenai worried her bottom lip. "Iruka-san doesn't usually drink so much." She smoothed Iruka's hair gently. Placing one small hand on Kakashi's arms, she beseeched him with trusting eyes "Take care of him, will you?"
"Of course." Kakashi smiled before spiriting away with Iruka undertow. Although he had recovered from his injuries, his stamina had yet to return and Kakashi was slightly out of breath by the time he reached Iruka's apartment.
Kakashi laid the now unconscious chuunin on the bed. Deftly, he removed all contrapments and outer jackets and shirts, leaving Iruka in his underclothings only. Grabbing a towel from the bathroom, Kakashi gave Iruka a cursory wipe down, finishing the job quickly as he tried to ignore the warm, tanned skin beneath his fingers. Kakashi gently tucked Iruka into bed, pressing a soft kiss on his forehead before leaving to retire to his bed.
Kakashi awoke in the middle of the night. His hand snaked out to grab a kunai from below the bed. Listening intently, he heard a muffled curse coming from the kitchen that was identified as Iruka.
Kakashi's hand relaxed.
Iruka swore as the splitting headache caused him to misjudge in the darkness and stub his toe against the fridge. He finally found the aspirin and quickly swallowed two, hoping for instant relief.
I drank too much... I don't remember the trip back home... It must have been Kakashi who brought me back. He... he undressed me? Blushing in the darkness, Iruka gingerly checked himself but detected no soreness. Thank goodness he played the perfect role of an honorable gentleman.
Iruka donned a large coat and made his way to the roof. Cold May wind blew around him, causing him to pull the coat closer around him. Iruka sat atop the roof, facing the direction of the imminent sunrise. The sky was still dark, with nary a cloud, few stars and a half-full moon hanging brightly in the sky.
Iruka sat with his knees pulled close to him, chin resting on knees and arms around his legs.
It was cold. The wind attacked him constantly. In the quiet of the night (or early morning, depending on how you looked at it), Iruka could very well believe that he was the only person awake in this lonely night.
Naruto... where are you? Are you training well with Jiraiya? I hope he taught you many new skills. "Happy birthday Naruto." Iruka spoke into the howling wind. "I wonder if Jiraiya knows. How did you celebrate your birthday this year? Do you still carry that pendant I gave you last year? You should, because it is supposed to protect you. Remember how we used to celebrate our birthdays together? Just the two of us. Every year we'll go splurge on something, then we'll go to someplace new, and at night we'll have a feast, although you being you.. you always ate ramen."
Images of Naruto eating ramen flashed across his mind. Staring out into the night, Iruka could almost see Naruto's grinning face waving at him, jumping up at him saying "Ano-sa! Ano-sa!". With a start, Iruka realized that tears had spilled over onto his cheeks.
"Naruto... do you ever wonder about Sakura and Sasuke? Sakura is growing prettier and stronger everyday. She's going to become a great shinobi."
Sasuke... Iruka remembered the card Sasuke had given him on teacher's day. It was a simple handmade card that bore only four words. "Thank you, signed: Sauske". Yet Iruka treasured that simple card that carried great depths. "Sasuke.. do you ever think back on your life in Konoha? Do you ever think of Naruto? Of Sakura? Do you ever regret?"
The tears were flowing freely now, stinging cold on his face in the harsh wind.
"Sandaime!" I remember what you always say to me, to find the people I love and treasure them, love them and then do whatever I can to always protect them. This was your ninja code and you've lived true to it, but... but...
"We all miss you!"
Iruka was not happy. No matter how much he tried to bluff himself, the hole in his life could not be filled. What was a birthday without the people you love most? His favourite students, Sasuke, Sakura. His mentor, teacher, friend, Sandaime. His brother and almost nearly son, Naruto...
Iruka buried his face as silent sobs wrecked his body. Around him, the wind howled, lashing and spitting out as if in agony.
Iruka wept silently, letting all the longings inside of him, all the grief flowed away with the tears.He cried till there were no more tears to be shed.Lifting swollen eyes to the horizon, he could just make out the first colours of dawn.
Irukastayed silent for a few moments, waiting to see the first ray of sunlight pierce through the monotonous dark sky, the beginning of a new day of hope.
"Kakashi-sensei... what is it that you want?" Iruka croaked out, still staring intently at the sky.
If Kakashi was surprised that Iruka had felt his presence, he did not show it.
"To keep you company. To prevent you from doing foolish things."
Iruka snorted, or at least tried to. "I'm a teacher for heavens sake. Don't you think I'll be sensible enough?"
Kakashi moved silently to stand behind Iruka. "You miss them."
Iruka lowered his eyes. "Yes, I do... I miss them so much it hurts... " The confession came out in a whisper.
Kakashi stood there helplessly. He knew what ailed Iruka, he knew the cause to Iruka's tears, yet he knew not what to do.
"It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. I'm alright now. I miss them, but crying helps. And no matter how sad I am before that, I only have to look at the sunrise and I know that there is still hope and much more love left in this world." Iruka stood up to face Kakashi, his eyes still swollen and red from crying.
Iruka managed a weak smile. "I believe that someday Naruto and Sasuke will come back to Konoha and I know that all that Sandaime and my parents died for is not in vain. The people of Konoha continue to inherit the fire to protect the people they love. And that is what I believe in."
Kakashi nodded, not sure of what to say at such wise words coming from the young chuunin before him.
"Kakashi-sensei... I doubt you're here to watch sunrise with me... So tell me, really, why is that that you are here?"
This, Kakashi knew how to answer. "Because I want you... I want to be your lover... "
The sun chose at this moment to peak out from the buildings, bathing the sky in orange, yellow and pink light.
Iruka saw the hope in Kakashi's eyes, he saw the promise of pleasure, of desire. He turned back to see the sun bearing hope and joy of a new day, a new beginning.
Iruka turned around to look at Kakashi in the eye. He smiled.
"Yes."
The end of chapter 7! I could end here, really... but no.. I don't think so... Thank you all for reading until here... this story is harder to get out then I thought, but thank you to all reading and hope you like it! (: