A/N: Thanks so much to those who review! I really appreciate seeing all
your comments because helps kick me in the butt to keep going. I plan on
editing too, Really! I'm not lying!
This is a long chapter from Iruka's POV (he's a pensive kinda guy) and yes there is implied kakairu again, no lemon, so while you don't need to read, you'll miss some important stuff and some fun!
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Chapter 12 – Singing with Eel
"Can I have another please?" asked Iruka politely, waving at the bartender.
The man smiled and came over to refresh the young sensei's drink. "You don't normally go this many rounds before dinner. Everything alright sensei?" he asked amiably.
Iruka place a hand behind his head and grinned. "I know, I just had a rough day! I'll be ordering food in a little bit."
The man nodded in understanding and moved back down the long stretch of bar to serve other customers and give Iruka the privacy he appeared to crave. Iruka was a regular visitor to this restaurant. It was nice, affordable, and sat on a corner only a couple of blocks from his apartment, which made it very convenient. For the past few years, everytime payday rolled around, Iruka had gotten into the habit of treating himself to dinner here.
However, he rarely had guests with him. It was almost as if solitude was a ritual part of the meal. The chef, a loud happy fellow, would alway joke with him that they were going to add a 'dolphin' roll to menu in his honor. Iruka would also laugh and always say he would be very honored as long as they didn't use real dolphin.
The chunnin stared into his drink for a long while. His stare fixed, watching the ice fade slowly, dissolving into the pale liquid, dying with that tiny squeaky crunching sound as it decayed to its watery form. The cold seeped through the sweating glass and robbed his fingers of warmth. He slipped into oblivion as his thoughts flew elsewhere.
The events of his day's end replayed endlessly. The sequence unchangeable despite his desire to see it otherwise. Time was like painting with watercolors in a way. Once you moved on from your yellows to your reds you couldn't go back. Iruka realized missed painting, it was a nice distraction sometimes.
"What does that boy live for now?" he thought.
Today was his weekly review with his charge, Uchiha Sasuke. The eighteen year old who was still a mystery to Iruka even after dozens of hours of observation. It was delusional on his part, but Iruka still liked to think of himself as Sasuke's teacher. He knew of course it was only because the other more appropriate labels had left a sour taste in his mouth.
Anyone else would have used the right words. Without hesitation they would have called him his parole officer or even worse, his warden. It wasn't anyone's fault. The Hokage had made perhaps the only decision she could once Sasuke was brought back.
In a trial of disaffected calculation, Iruka ran through the alternatives that were all considered back then. Memories, which even three years later still tickled his gag reflex in a wave of nausea.
"Orochimaru's interest in him was dangerous," they said, "... he should be eliminated....too valuable... he could be forced to reproduce... have his eyes extracted... it's been done before...but with Itachi gone... perhaps...then... all the Uchiha should be."
Iruka shuddered involuntarily, the remains of ice tinkling in his glass marking the tremors.
After much deliberation the decision was finally made to keep Sasuke alive and intact. Along with it came a decree that last of the Uchiha could not leave Konohagakure upon pain of death. It was an order sealed to all the adults of the village as only the Leaf's dirtiest little secrets were.
"I'm being too negative." Iruka thought. The Hokage wouldn't have let those dire things happen unless it was unavoidable and they had been. Over time Sasuke was relieved of house arrest and allowed to help in teaching at the Academy under his supervision. Ino and Rock Lee had helped out and soon Sasuke's life was given some sembelance of normalcy.
To everyone's surprise he had seemed to embrace it, but only to a point.
Iruka was still haunted by the end of today's conversation.
"Did you enjoy the field trip with Ino and the children, Sasuke?" he had asked.
"I enjoy the kids a lot, Iruka-sensei," responded Sasuke. Though he'd grown accustomed to his manner, Iruka was still amazed at differences in Sasuke the child versus Sasuke the young man. His meek, polite manner rivaled Hyuga Hinata's.
They all look up to you, Sasuke-kun," Iruka told him, "It's an important obligation being a teacher to academy students because you become their role model, their measure of what growing up means."
"Hai, sensei."
"I'm sorry to lecture you," Iruka had apologized. "I'm sure you were happy to be given permission to go outside the village walls. You see, I told you that as you demonstrate your responsibility and good character the Hokage would give you more freedom."
Iruka took a long swallow from his glass and let the burning sensation clear the catch building in his throat.
Sasuke had looked at him then with that pleasant, kind smile of his. It was an expression that seemed to brighten his whole face; the one that made all the little girls swoon and the little boys grin sheepishly.
His words had been a mockery of that smile.
"A cage is still a cage Iruka-sensei, even if you can't see the bars," he had said.
A hand placed on his shoulder roused Iruka from his worrisome stupor. "Drinking alone, Iruka?" came a slightly smoky, feminine voice beside his ear.
Iruka turned in surprise to find Yuuhi Kurenai smiling at him.
"Ahh, Kurenai-san. Konbanwa."
She sat on the stool next to him. "So formal! Just call me Kurenai. The fact we are both willing to talk to Anko in public makes us more than acquaintances." Her deep red eyes filled with mischief at the jab.
Iruka's mouth twisted out its smile. "Anko-san, ahhh, ... is she joining you?" Like a summoning, the poor fellow caught hearty slap on the back as the other woman draped herself on his other side.
"How's it hanging, Iruka-kun! Got a hot date lined up?"
Iruka felt the sweat start form on his forehead.
"H-Hello Anko-san. Ahno, no, I was just about to treat myself to a nice sushi dinner after a long week."
Kurenai briefly eyed the glass in his hand before leaning an elbow on the bar to look at them both. She looked up suspiciously at him, like he was hiding something.
"Why don't you join us?" she offered brightly."We all had the day off so we went over to Tanza. There Asuma lost a bet to Anko on a dog race so we came here to collect on dinner."
Iruka was a little more aware of his surroundings now that he'd been attacked by the two women. They all looked over towards the door expectantly before it opened. Asuma Sarutobi entered raising his hand with friendly wave followed by another gentleman. When Iruka spied the tuft of silvery hair over Asuma's shoulder he could barely suppress a groan. He did not need to deal with that guy tonight.
"Oi, Anko" Asuma said,"You invited Iruka too! Am I treating half the village?"
Anko leaned over Iruka's back almost pulling him off the stool to stick her tongue out at the tall jounin sensei. The academy sensei gripped the bar for dear life.
"Don't be stingy, Asuma! You lost fair and square!" yelled Anko.
"If it's a problem, I'm happy to leave..." said Iruka still with a deathgrip on the counter.
Kurenai laid a hand on his arm and shook her head in apology at the misunderstanding.
Asuma quickly corrected, "No, no Iruka, I'm sorry to be rude. I was just teasing Anko." He jerked a thumb at Kakashi next to him with a wry grin. "Fair and square? This one told me the race was a sure thing and instead I nearly lost my shirt."
For the first time, Iruka allowed himself to look at Kakashi. The masked nin looked almost small next to the towering Asuma, yet his dull bored looking expression didn't alter as Iruka stared at him. The chuunin relaxed a little. "Oh good," he thought, "He's not acting all weird... maybe this won't be so bad."
With everyone's attention turned to him, Kakashi dug his hands his pockets and shrugged noncommittally. "I put Pakkun in the race, "he said, "to drive up the stakes. Because he's little and doesn't look very fast, but well, he's been fighting off a cold... and they had some pretty fast dogs there." His shameless grin seeped through his mask. "I guess we weren't the only ones with a ringer in there!"
"Serves you both right," said Kurenai with laugh very much like her voice, low and charming. She stood and turned toward the hostess as she approached them.
The woman bowed. "Your private table is ready ma'am."
The party moved to follow her as she led them to the far side of the restaurant and back along a short hallway. Sliding open a door that blended almost seamlessly with the wall, the hostess moved aside inviting them to be seated in the small dining room.
Anko pushed forward to get her first choice. "Come on, Iruka," she said dragging him along with her, "sit next to me!" Iruka stumbled over the low table and slid in with her, rubbing the shin he abused as she pulled him down.
"Since I'm a leftie when I eat," offered Kakashi taking the opposite side from them, "I'll sit on this side."
Kurenai sat down neatly to Iruka's other side and Asuma filled in next to Kakashi. Once they were situated a waitress came up to ask if they were comfortable and to tell them the specials for the evening.
As the server finished Kurenai looked around the table. "It all sounds good. What should we get?" she asked.
"We'll since I'm treating," said Asuma, "I want some Bulgogi." (bulgogi = Korean BBQ)
"You're no fun, you always get the same thing." pouted Anko, "Iruka what did you want?"
Iruka rubbed his neck in a reflex, still slightly uncomfortable with the unexpected situation of dining with four jounin. "Umm...the barbacued eel is very good here..."
"The eel sounded good to me too," said Kakashi. Iruka smiled at him, relieved someone shared his tastes, then quickly averted his gaze to look at Anko as he felt a blush rising up.
"Why am I blushing?" the chuunin thought, "I'm being ridiculous, Kakashi- san has probably forgotten about the prank he pulled already."
Kurenai gave the waitress the full order once they all agreed. The young lady bowed and asked, "Would you like anything to drink, ma'am?"
Asuma perked up. "I'll have a beer and also we'll need an ashtray, " he pointing at the cigarette he was about to light.
"I'd like..." began Kakashi. Before he could finish his speech was arrested when Anko placed her hand over his mask.
"Who cares what you want Kakashi!" she said obnoxiously. "What do you want to have, Iruka?" she asked sweetly.
Iruka blinked at her. It had been a while since he'd been exposed to Anko's disturbing mood swings. He knew deep down Anko was a very serious person and given how Orchimaru had used her and tossed her away like trash when she was a thirteen year old genin, most ninja put up with her volatile behavior kindly. He also knew that she somehow blamed herself for the evil sennin's creation of his atrocious jutsu which stole a person's body. It was her desire to keep living with the seal that had advanced his research to the next level. It showed others would too, others like Sasuke. Her crazy behavior and carefree outlook on life allowed her to fight against the darkness and depression she felt well up from such a past. She was a lot like Naruto in that way.
Watching Kakashi's eyebrow arch in puzzlement as he looked at Anko's hand covering his mouth almost made Iruka burst out laughing.
Trying keep a straight face, Iruka answered, "I don't know, ah..."
"I know!" interrupted Anko excitedly as she retrieved her hand from Kakashi's face.
"Let's get sake! How about it, Kurenai? Come on!"
The other woman looked at her in dismay for a moment, but then assented. "Hai, hai, As long as it's not plum. Plum sake gives me issues."
"Yay! Everyone's getting sake!" cheered Anko.The waitress bowed and glided away gracefully fill their order.
As they waited the four senior ninja all recounted tales of their day in Tanza to Iruka. Kurenai poked fun at Anko, explaining to Iruka what a challenge sharing an apartment with her was. Anko defended herself of course saying that at least she did her chores most of the time and that if Kurenai didn't like it she could move in with her boyfriend, the human chimney.
The jab scored points as Kurenai and Asuma produced flustered looks. Their hush-hush relationship was about as secret as the Hokage's age. Kakashi pointed out the obvious saying that he was sure the rent was cheaper with a roommate and asked Asuma out of the blue if he'd would be interested in rooming with him. Both Anko and Kurenai laughed so hard they were crying. They teased that between the stench of old cigarette butts and Kakashi's ponderous collection of hentai manga strewn about the place they'd never get anyone to visit them. Both men didn't seem that put off by the idea, who said they wanted visitors anyway.
Iruka just listened for the most part. The jounins' cammaderie had started back when they all took their first genin assignments not so long ago and it had gelled into a tight knit group of friends. It was pretty rare to see a jounin have any true friends. Friends ended up being emotional liabilities to ninja as death too often took them away from you. There was no training to prepare you for their loss, no jutsu to ease your pain as you buried them.
These guys had beat those odds and it was a atmosphere Iruka enjoyed being around.
The sake and food arrived quickly and everyone dug in, Anko attacked the rice wine more than the food and seemed obsessed with Iruka's progress.
"Come Iruka, drink with me!" she yelled in his ear.
"Ha, ha, sorry Anko, I had a head start on you remember, I want to eat more first."
Iruka went to grabbed some of the eel sushi he'd ordered when he noticed almost half the plate was gone. He grabbed a piece and watched the plate as he chewed to catch who the eel 'hog' was.
He pretended to look over at Asuma who was talking when he saw Kakashi's chopstick's dart out and snag a piece.
"I'll finally get to see his face," Iruka thought.
He learned soon that wouldn't be the case. Kakashi brought the sushi up just above his head then in the fluid motion pulled his mask away from his face and tilted back to let the sushi drop in. The material snapped back in place lightly as the one-eye nin chewed contentedly.
Kurenai leaned over to Iruka's ear as he gawked in astonishment at the process. "I see this is your first time witnessing Kakashi's "garbage pail" technique, "she commented. Iruka nodded still watching.
"Well," she confided, "you're not going to see beneath his mask that way, but there are other ways to get him to... expose himself." Kurenai's tone was completely scandalous. Iruka turned to her with an appalled look.
"What do you mean by that?" he said to her.
She smiled like a cat and pointed back to the table. "You'd better stay sharp or Kakashi's going to suck up all your eel!"
He was blushing again he realized, he hated that. He looked back and saw there were only four pieces left and a happily munching masked jounin.
"God dammit," he thought. Iruka scarfed up two pieces as Kakashi score another.
The lone piece sat on the plate as Iruka swallowed hurriedly and reach for the last piece. He secured the piece but as he tried to pick it up another set of chopsticks latched on.
"Iruka, gomen, I didn't realized you wanted his piece," said Kakashi.
"Iie, no worries Kakashi-san," Iruka said pleasantly with his eyes glaring. Despite Kakashi's chivalrous words the grip on this sushi was like iron.
The two stayed locked as Iruka tried to free his sushi from the villan's grasp.
Iruka gritted his teeth. "I can't budge," he thought.
Anko who had consumed enough sake equal to the rest the table's population woke up from the little nap she was taking. "Yay!" she cheered, seeing the two nins in a deadlock, "Chopstick Battle!"
She grabbed her utensils and stabbed towards the food. Iruka lurched with effort trying to lift the poor eel roll from the complete anniliation Anko's involvment brought. Kakashi seemed to agree and together they raised their locked chopsticks to safety as Anko's hand impacted with splintering wood on the plate.
A lone chopstick shot through the air and like a shruiken sliced through the eel splitting it in two. Iruka's arm recoiled with his half a piece in hand and turned to see Asuma smile at them and making the peace sign. Kakashi chuckled at the result and devoured his half. The chuunin could only do the same.
The meal was mostly finished when Anko got a second wind.
"Bored now." she complained. Leaning over she dug under the table for something and came up with a triumphant look that elicited a collective groan from the other three jounin.
"Karaoke!" she squealed. In her hands was a little Karaoke player that he learned from the others was her pride and joy. She immediately jumped in to setting it up before anyone could say more.
"The problem is, "Kurenai said to him in a hushed tone, "Anko's the only one who wants to sing."
Iruka teased, "I'll be happy to sing, but I'd need a little more sake first."
Asuma's eyes lit up as he moved to pour Iruka another cup, despite the other man's protest. "Well, come on man, drink up! Anko doesn't have the best voice in the world. You'll at least break it up before her encore get's ear splitting."
Iruka had stuck his foot in mouth and now all three jounin pressing him. He was still reluctant until the first strains of a tune were coming from the little player. Anko's 'on again, off again' relationship with melody soon became quite apparent.
He needed little prompting after that.
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The night air felt wonderfully cool to Iruka as he was carried outside piggyback by Kakashi. Kurenai following right behind the pair with Anko being carted in like fashion by Asuma.
"Bye-Bye! Iruka-kun!" yelled Anko from two feet away.
"Bye-Bye! Anko-chan!" yelled Iruka back. The chuunin sensei was plastered. "Guess it time to put the kids to bed," said Kakashi jokingly.
Kurenai put her hand over her mouth to hide the smile. "Hai, hai" said Asuma, "Have a good night, fellas."
"Don't you doing anything to Iruka-kun, Kakashi!" said Anko heatedly, "I know how your dirty, little mind works.. Ack! the world is spinning! Kurenai it's some powerful genjutsu! Quick counter.."
Asuma and Kurenai who had turned and began walking while Anko was still speaking faded away into the night along with her non-stop yammering.
Kakashi sighed and turned to stroll the opposite way.
Iruka suddenly realized he didn't know where they were going. "Where are you taking me Kakashi?" he yelled.
"I'm going to drop you in that trash can over there if you scream in my ear again," the jounin said with slight menace.
"Of course, if it gets back to Anko there be some explaining to do and that could get messy." Kakashi gave a slight chuckle at the thought of that predicament. "I didn't know you two were that close. She's very protective of you."
Iruka was thrown off by the talkative scarecrow. "She's always been that way... since we were kids, "he mumbled. However, Kakashi made no sign that he'd heard Iruka and continued to casually walk in the direction of Iruka's home.
"I didn't know you had such a good singing voice," he said, complimenting his parcel.
"I'm not that good, "said Iruka modestly before turning evil, "It's just Anko sounds like a cat that's been stepped on." The two laugh softly. "Why didn't you take a turn?"
"Oh, me," said Kakashi humorously, "I sort of sound like a crow... that's been stepped on." They laughed again.
The silver haired man began to hum along to a tune from earlier in the night's little concert.
"That final song you did with both Anko and Kurenai was catchy," he said to Iruka, "It was foreign, right? How did it go?"
Kakashi began to sing in a baritone accompied by a little dancing that bounced Iruka up and down.
"'Sitting on a mountaintop'..."
"Ka...ka... shi!"
"'Burning like a silver'...."
"Stop it!... Please!"
"'goddess of...' "
"I'm gonna be sick!!"
Kakashi chuckled a little, ending his sadistic fun to return walking Iruka homeward. He didn't bothering his passenger with anymore conversation.
Sure that the jounin had finally stopped dancing, Iruka relaxed and let his head rest on the larger man's shoulder. The silence gave him the opportunity to note some things about this annoying, mysterious man upclose. Iruka could feel the power his body held as he shifted underneath him in walking, but that was to be expected of a jounin.
It was other things that intrigued him. With his ear against him Iruka could hear Kakashi's heartbeat as it ran just slower than his own with a deeper rythym cycling in and out with his breaths, long and steady. His unusually colored hair, appeared completely natural and not dyed which someone might think at first glance. Iruka moved his head a little so his cheek could brush up against it and he was surprised how soft it felt. He sort of expected it to be coarse and to smell bad. Actually it didn't smell bad at all... just the opposite.
He looked up a little and noticed Kakashi's ear, the tiny hairs on it reflecting in the moonlight. Lookin at it Iruka felt the strongest urge to blow on it lightly. He knew he shouldn't as he breathed in anyway.
Alas, Iruka's playtime was brought to an abrupt close as he fell onto something hitting down hard. He exhaled in shock as Kakashi stood over him
"Ride's over," Iruka's former bearer informed him.
Iruka saw he was dropped onto the park bench infront of his apartment. "Oww! What the hell did you do that for?" he asked Kakashi.
"I told you to get down twice," the jounin said calmly, "but you seemed to be in your own little world."
Iruka thought was lying, he was sure he'd have heard him. "I should have known you'd be an asshole even taking me home," Iruka spat back.
The foul language out of the normally polite man amused the jounin. "Well someone gets a potty mouth when he's tipsy. " Kakashi said mockingly crossing his arms. "I am sure your years of ninja training can get you up the steps and through the door. Or did you expect me to put you in your pajamas and tuck you in too?"
Iruka's mouth worked, but no words came out, an all too familiar redness flooding his face.
Kakashi put his foot on the bench next Iruka and bent in close to bring his masked face nose to nose with Iruka. "Isn't that what you wanted to happen?" he asked playfully.
Iruka's eyes widened fearful as he tried lean back further. "I don't know what your talking about. You're insane," he yelled.
Kakashi said, "No I'm not. You couldn't take your eyes off me all night." The jounin looked down briefly then smiled widely under his camoflage. He moved in an unhurriedly fashion to get up and walk away.
"Don't be afraid, Iruka. I want you to be eager, willing and completely sober," he said as he departed. "You and your little 'friend' have a good night."
Iruka was confused. "My little friend?" He looked down at his lap and spied what Kakashi had earlier. He turned the color of a beet with a groan.
"Screw you, Kakashi!"
"Hai, hai, another time," the scarecrow-nin called back with a wave. "Sweet dreams, Iruka-kun."
Iruka was steaming and knowing he should just shut up, he screamed one more thing at the retreating figure.
"And my 'friend's' not little!"
As it hit Iruka that he just publicly defended his manhood at 2 o'clock in morning on a bench in front of his house, he laid back, arching over of the bench in disgust. With his arms hanging, he watched his house from an upside down perspective praying silently that his landlady, Ms. Tanaka had not been awaked by his tirade.
He waited till the danger time had passed then dragged himself up to his waiting bed . Getting ready to go to sleep, Iruka continued to grumble to himself about how his night had been hijacked and how a certain bastard with a shitty grin tortured him all the way home.
Later, as he passed out, the tightness and creases of worry melted from the young sensei's face replaced with a wide contented smile. It was a smile that betrayed the happiness he'd gotten out of his hijacked evening and it was accompanied with a small wish that more unexpected things like that would happen in the future.
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To Be Continued
The dreaded sasusaku next chapter!
A/N: I made a choice not to go all leather and trapezes (zes..zes) on the character hook-ups in this story, so if you want the NC-17 detail you'll need to use your own ero-imagination. (I certainly do!)
Yes, that was a (bad) 80's song reference. Yes, I've watched too much Buffy, slayer of the vampyres. and I like British people.
This is a long chapter from Iruka's POV (he's a pensive kinda guy) and yes there is implied kakairu again, no lemon, so while you don't need to read, you'll miss some important stuff and some fun!
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Chapter 12 – Singing with Eel
"Can I have another please?" asked Iruka politely, waving at the bartender.
The man smiled and came over to refresh the young sensei's drink. "You don't normally go this many rounds before dinner. Everything alright sensei?" he asked amiably.
Iruka place a hand behind his head and grinned. "I know, I just had a rough day! I'll be ordering food in a little bit."
The man nodded in understanding and moved back down the long stretch of bar to serve other customers and give Iruka the privacy he appeared to crave. Iruka was a regular visitor to this restaurant. It was nice, affordable, and sat on a corner only a couple of blocks from his apartment, which made it very convenient. For the past few years, everytime payday rolled around, Iruka had gotten into the habit of treating himself to dinner here.
However, he rarely had guests with him. It was almost as if solitude was a ritual part of the meal. The chef, a loud happy fellow, would alway joke with him that they were going to add a 'dolphin' roll to menu in his honor. Iruka would also laugh and always say he would be very honored as long as they didn't use real dolphin.
The chunnin stared into his drink for a long while. His stare fixed, watching the ice fade slowly, dissolving into the pale liquid, dying with that tiny squeaky crunching sound as it decayed to its watery form. The cold seeped through the sweating glass and robbed his fingers of warmth. He slipped into oblivion as his thoughts flew elsewhere.
The events of his day's end replayed endlessly. The sequence unchangeable despite his desire to see it otherwise. Time was like painting with watercolors in a way. Once you moved on from your yellows to your reds you couldn't go back. Iruka realized missed painting, it was a nice distraction sometimes.
"What does that boy live for now?" he thought.
Today was his weekly review with his charge, Uchiha Sasuke. The eighteen year old who was still a mystery to Iruka even after dozens of hours of observation. It was delusional on his part, but Iruka still liked to think of himself as Sasuke's teacher. He knew of course it was only because the other more appropriate labels had left a sour taste in his mouth.
Anyone else would have used the right words. Without hesitation they would have called him his parole officer or even worse, his warden. It wasn't anyone's fault. The Hokage had made perhaps the only decision she could once Sasuke was brought back.
In a trial of disaffected calculation, Iruka ran through the alternatives that were all considered back then. Memories, which even three years later still tickled his gag reflex in a wave of nausea.
"Orochimaru's interest in him was dangerous," they said, "... he should be eliminated....too valuable... he could be forced to reproduce... have his eyes extracted... it's been done before...but with Itachi gone... perhaps...then... all the Uchiha should be."
Iruka shuddered involuntarily, the remains of ice tinkling in his glass marking the tremors.
After much deliberation the decision was finally made to keep Sasuke alive and intact. Along with it came a decree that last of the Uchiha could not leave Konohagakure upon pain of death. It was an order sealed to all the adults of the village as only the Leaf's dirtiest little secrets were.
"I'm being too negative." Iruka thought. The Hokage wouldn't have let those dire things happen unless it was unavoidable and they had been. Over time Sasuke was relieved of house arrest and allowed to help in teaching at the Academy under his supervision. Ino and Rock Lee had helped out and soon Sasuke's life was given some sembelance of normalcy.
To everyone's surprise he had seemed to embrace it, but only to a point.
Iruka was still haunted by the end of today's conversation.
"Did you enjoy the field trip with Ino and the children, Sasuke?" he had asked.
"I enjoy the kids a lot, Iruka-sensei," responded Sasuke. Though he'd grown accustomed to his manner, Iruka was still amazed at differences in Sasuke the child versus Sasuke the young man. His meek, polite manner rivaled Hyuga Hinata's.
They all look up to you, Sasuke-kun," Iruka told him, "It's an important obligation being a teacher to academy students because you become their role model, their measure of what growing up means."
"Hai, sensei."
"I'm sorry to lecture you," Iruka had apologized. "I'm sure you were happy to be given permission to go outside the village walls. You see, I told you that as you demonstrate your responsibility and good character the Hokage would give you more freedom."
Iruka took a long swallow from his glass and let the burning sensation clear the catch building in his throat.
Sasuke had looked at him then with that pleasant, kind smile of his. It was an expression that seemed to brighten his whole face; the one that made all the little girls swoon and the little boys grin sheepishly.
His words had been a mockery of that smile.
"A cage is still a cage Iruka-sensei, even if you can't see the bars," he had said.
A hand placed on his shoulder roused Iruka from his worrisome stupor. "Drinking alone, Iruka?" came a slightly smoky, feminine voice beside his ear.
Iruka turned in surprise to find Yuuhi Kurenai smiling at him.
"Ahh, Kurenai-san. Konbanwa."
She sat on the stool next to him. "So formal! Just call me Kurenai. The fact we are both willing to talk to Anko in public makes us more than acquaintances." Her deep red eyes filled with mischief at the jab.
Iruka's mouth twisted out its smile. "Anko-san, ahhh, ... is she joining you?" Like a summoning, the poor fellow caught hearty slap on the back as the other woman draped herself on his other side.
"How's it hanging, Iruka-kun! Got a hot date lined up?"
Iruka felt the sweat start form on his forehead.
"H-Hello Anko-san. Ahno, no, I was just about to treat myself to a nice sushi dinner after a long week."
Kurenai briefly eyed the glass in his hand before leaning an elbow on the bar to look at them both. She looked up suspiciously at him, like he was hiding something.
"Why don't you join us?" she offered brightly."We all had the day off so we went over to Tanza. There Asuma lost a bet to Anko on a dog race so we came here to collect on dinner."
Iruka was a little more aware of his surroundings now that he'd been attacked by the two women. They all looked over towards the door expectantly before it opened. Asuma Sarutobi entered raising his hand with friendly wave followed by another gentleman. When Iruka spied the tuft of silvery hair over Asuma's shoulder he could barely suppress a groan. He did not need to deal with that guy tonight.
"Oi, Anko" Asuma said,"You invited Iruka too! Am I treating half the village?"
Anko leaned over Iruka's back almost pulling him off the stool to stick her tongue out at the tall jounin sensei. The academy sensei gripped the bar for dear life.
"Don't be stingy, Asuma! You lost fair and square!" yelled Anko.
"If it's a problem, I'm happy to leave..." said Iruka still with a deathgrip on the counter.
Kurenai laid a hand on his arm and shook her head in apology at the misunderstanding.
Asuma quickly corrected, "No, no Iruka, I'm sorry to be rude. I was just teasing Anko." He jerked a thumb at Kakashi next to him with a wry grin. "Fair and square? This one told me the race was a sure thing and instead I nearly lost my shirt."
For the first time, Iruka allowed himself to look at Kakashi. The masked nin looked almost small next to the towering Asuma, yet his dull bored looking expression didn't alter as Iruka stared at him. The chuunin relaxed a little. "Oh good," he thought, "He's not acting all weird... maybe this won't be so bad."
With everyone's attention turned to him, Kakashi dug his hands his pockets and shrugged noncommittally. "I put Pakkun in the race, "he said, "to drive up the stakes. Because he's little and doesn't look very fast, but well, he's been fighting off a cold... and they had some pretty fast dogs there." His shameless grin seeped through his mask. "I guess we weren't the only ones with a ringer in there!"
"Serves you both right," said Kurenai with laugh very much like her voice, low and charming. She stood and turned toward the hostess as she approached them.
The woman bowed. "Your private table is ready ma'am."
The party moved to follow her as she led them to the far side of the restaurant and back along a short hallway. Sliding open a door that blended almost seamlessly with the wall, the hostess moved aside inviting them to be seated in the small dining room.
Anko pushed forward to get her first choice. "Come on, Iruka," she said dragging him along with her, "sit next to me!" Iruka stumbled over the low table and slid in with her, rubbing the shin he abused as she pulled him down.
"Since I'm a leftie when I eat," offered Kakashi taking the opposite side from them, "I'll sit on this side."
Kurenai sat down neatly to Iruka's other side and Asuma filled in next to Kakashi. Once they were situated a waitress came up to ask if they were comfortable and to tell them the specials for the evening.
As the server finished Kurenai looked around the table. "It all sounds good. What should we get?" she asked.
"We'll since I'm treating," said Asuma, "I want some Bulgogi." (bulgogi = Korean BBQ)
"You're no fun, you always get the same thing." pouted Anko, "Iruka what did you want?"
Iruka rubbed his neck in a reflex, still slightly uncomfortable with the unexpected situation of dining with four jounin. "Umm...the barbacued eel is very good here..."
"The eel sounded good to me too," said Kakashi. Iruka smiled at him, relieved someone shared his tastes, then quickly averted his gaze to look at Anko as he felt a blush rising up.
"Why am I blushing?" the chuunin thought, "I'm being ridiculous, Kakashi- san has probably forgotten about the prank he pulled already."
Kurenai gave the waitress the full order once they all agreed. The young lady bowed and asked, "Would you like anything to drink, ma'am?"
Asuma perked up. "I'll have a beer and also we'll need an ashtray, " he pointing at the cigarette he was about to light.
"I'd like..." began Kakashi. Before he could finish his speech was arrested when Anko placed her hand over his mask.
"Who cares what you want Kakashi!" she said obnoxiously. "What do you want to have, Iruka?" she asked sweetly.
Iruka blinked at her. It had been a while since he'd been exposed to Anko's disturbing mood swings. He knew deep down Anko was a very serious person and given how Orchimaru had used her and tossed her away like trash when she was a thirteen year old genin, most ninja put up with her volatile behavior kindly. He also knew that she somehow blamed herself for the evil sennin's creation of his atrocious jutsu which stole a person's body. It was her desire to keep living with the seal that had advanced his research to the next level. It showed others would too, others like Sasuke. Her crazy behavior and carefree outlook on life allowed her to fight against the darkness and depression she felt well up from such a past. She was a lot like Naruto in that way.
Watching Kakashi's eyebrow arch in puzzlement as he looked at Anko's hand covering his mouth almost made Iruka burst out laughing.
Trying keep a straight face, Iruka answered, "I don't know, ah..."
"I know!" interrupted Anko excitedly as she retrieved her hand from Kakashi's face.
"Let's get sake! How about it, Kurenai? Come on!"
The other woman looked at her in dismay for a moment, but then assented. "Hai, hai, As long as it's not plum. Plum sake gives me issues."
"Yay! Everyone's getting sake!" cheered Anko.The waitress bowed and glided away gracefully fill their order.
As they waited the four senior ninja all recounted tales of their day in Tanza to Iruka. Kurenai poked fun at Anko, explaining to Iruka what a challenge sharing an apartment with her was. Anko defended herself of course saying that at least she did her chores most of the time and that if Kurenai didn't like it she could move in with her boyfriend, the human chimney.
The jab scored points as Kurenai and Asuma produced flustered looks. Their hush-hush relationship was about as secret as the Hokage's age. Kakashi pointed out the obvious saying that he was sure the rent was cheaper with a roommate and asked Asuma out of the blue if he'd would be interested in rooming with him. Both Anko and Kurenai laughed so hard they were crying. They teased that between the stench of old cigarette butts and Kakashi's ponderous collection of hentai manga strewn about the place they'd never get anyone to visit them. Both men didn't seem that put off by the idea, who said they wanted visitors anyway.
Iruka just listened for the most part. The jounins' cammaderie had started back when they all took their first genin assignments not so long ago and it had gelled into a tight knit group of friends. It was pretty rare to see a jounin have any true friends. Friends ended up being emotional liabilities to ninja as death too often took them away from you. There was no training to prepare you for their loss, no jutsu to ease your pain as you buried them.
These guys had beat those odds and it was a atmosphere Iruka enjoyed being around.
The sake and food arrived quickly and everyone dug in, Anko attacked the rice wine more than the food and seemed obsessed with Iruka's progress.
"Come Iruka, drink with me!" she yelled in his ear.
"Ha, ha, sorry Anko, I had a head start on you remember, I want to eat more first."
Iruka went to grabbed some of the eel sushi he'd ordered when he noticed almost half the plate was gone. He grabbed a piece and watched the plate as he chewed to catch who the eel 'hog' was.
He pretended to look over at Asuma who was talking when he saw Kakashi's chopstick's dart out and snag a piece.
"I'll finally get to see his face," Iruka thought.
He learned soon that wouldn't be the case. Kakashi brought the sushi up just above his head then in the fluid motion pulled his mask away from his face and tilted back to let the sushi drop in. The material snapped back in place lightly as the one-eye nin chewed contentedly.
Kurenai leaned over to Iruka's ear as he gawked in astonishment at the process. "I see this is your first time witnessing Kakashi's "garbage pail" technique, "she commented. Iruka nodded still watching.
"Well," she confided, "you're not going to see beneath his mask that way, but there are other ways to get him to... expose himself." Kurenai's tone was completely scandalous. Iruka turned to her with an appalled look.
"What do you mean by that?" he said to her.
She smiled like a cat and pointed back to the table. "You'd better stay sharp or Kakashi's going to suck up all your eel!"
He was blushing again he realized, he hated that. He looked back and saw there were only four pieces left and a happily munching masked jounin.
"God dammit," he thought. Iruka scarfed up two pieces as Kakashi score another.
The lone piece sat on the plate as Iruka swallowed hurriedly and reach for the last piece. He secured the piece but as he tried to pick it up another set of chopsticks latched on.
"Iruka, gomen, I didn't realized you wanted his piece," said Kakashi.
"Iie, no worries Kakashi-san," Iruka said pleasantly with his eyes glaring. Despite Kakashi's chivalrous words the grip on this sushi was like iron.
The two stayed locked as Iruka tried to free his sushi from the villan's grasp.
Iruka gritted his teeth. "I can't budge," he thought.
Anko who had consumed enough sake equal to the rest the table's population woke up from the little nap she was taking. "Yay!" she cheered, seeing the two nins in a deadlock, "Chopstick Battle!"
She grabbed her utensils and stabbed towards the food. Iruka lurched with effort trying to lift the poor eel roll from the complete anniliation Anko's involvment brought. Kakashi seemed to agree and together they raised their locked chopsticks to safety as Anko's hand impacted with splintering wood on the plate.
A lone chopstick shot through the air and like a shruiken sliced through the eel splitting it in two. Iruka's arm recoiled with his half a piece in hand and turned to see Asuma smile at them and making the peace sign. Kakashi chuckled at the result and devoured his half. The chuunin could only do the same.
The meal was mostly finished when Anko got a second wind.
"Bored now." she complained. Leaning over she dug under the table for something and came up with a triumphant look that elicited a collective groan from the other three jounin.
"Karaoke!" she squealed. In her hands was a little Karaoke player that he learned from the others was her pride and joy. She immediately jumped in to setting it up before anyone could say more.
"The problem is, "Kurenai said to him in a hushed tone, "Anko's the only one who wants to sing."
Iruka teased, "I'll be happy to sing, but I'd need a little more sake first."
Asuma's eyes lit up as he moved to pour Iruka another cup, despite the other man's protest. "Well, come on man, drink up! Anko doesn't have the best voice in the world. You'll at least break it up before her encore get's ear splitting."
Iruka had stuck his foot in mouth and now all three jounin pressing him. He was still reluctant until the first strains of a tune were coming from the little player. Anko's 'on again, off again' relationship with melody soon became quite apparent.
He needed little prompting after that.
~~~~~~~ +++ ~~~~~~~~
The night air felt wonderfully cool to Iruka as he was carried outside piggyback by Kakashi. Kurenai following right behind the pair with Anko being carted in like fashion by Asuma.
"Bye-Bye! Iruka-kun!" yelled Anko from two feet away.
"Bye-Bye! Anko-chan!" yelled Iruka back. The chuunin sensei was plastered. "Guess it time to put the kids to bed," said Kakashi jokingly.
Kurenai put her hand over her mouth to hide the smile. "Hai, hai" said Asuma, "Have a good night, fellas."
"Don't you doing anything to Iruka-kun, Kakashi!" said Anko heatedly, "I know how your dirty, little mind works.. Ack! the world is spinning! Kurenai it's some powerful genjutsu! Quick counter.."
Asuma and Kurenai who had turned and began walking while Anko was still speaking faded away into the night along with her non-stop yammering.
Kakashi sighed and turned to stroll the opposite way.
Iruka suddenly realized he didn't know where they were going. "Where are you taking me Kakashi?" he yelled.
"I'm going to drop you in that trash can over there if you scream in my ear again," the jounin said with slight menace.
"Of course, if it gets back to Anko there be some explaining to do and that could get messy." Kakashi gave a slight chuckle at the thought of that predicament. "I didn't know you two were that close. She's very protective of you."
Iruka was thrown off by the talkative scarecrow. "She's always been that way... since we were kids, "he mumbled. However, Kakashi made no sign that he'd heard Iruka and continued to casually walk in the direction of Iruka's home.
"I didn't know you had such a good singing voice," he said, complimenting his parcel.
"I'm not that good, "said Iruka modestly before turning evil, "It's just Anko sounds like a cat that's been stepped on." The two laugh softly. "Why didn't you take a turn?"
"Oh, me," said Kakashi humorously, "I sort of sound like a crow... that's been stepped on." They laughed again.
The silver haired man began to hum along to a tune from earlier in the night's little concert.
"That final song you did with both Anko and Kurenai was catchy," he said to Iruka, "It was foreign, right? How did it go?"
Kakashi began to sing in a baritone accompied by a little dancing that bounced Iruka up and down.
"'Sitting on a mountaintop'..."
"Ka...ka... shi!"
"'Burning like a silver'...."
"Stop it!... Please!"
"'goddess of...' "
"I'm gonna be sick!!"
Kakashi chuckled a little, ending his sadistic fun to return walking Iruka homeward. He didn't bothering his passenger with anymore conversation.
Sure that the jounin had finally stopped dancing, Iruka relaxed and let his head rest on the larger man's shoulder. The silence gave him the opportunity to note some things about this annoying, mysterious man upclose. Iruka could feel the power his body held as he shifted underneath him in walking, but that was to be expected of a jounin.
It was other things that intrigued him. With his ear against him Iruka could hear Kakashi's heartbeat as it ran just slower than his own with a deeper rythym cycling in and out with his breaths, long and steady. His unusually colored hair, appeared completely natural and not dyed which someone might think at first glance. Iruka moved his head a little so his cheek could brush up against it and he was surprised how soft it felt. He sort of expected it to be coarse and to smell bad. Actually it didn't smell bad at all... just the opposite.
He looked up a little and noticed Kakashi's ear, the tiny hairs on it reflecting in the moonlight. Lookin at it Iruka felt the strongest urge to blow on it lightly. He knew he shouldn't as he breathed in anyway.
Alas, Iruka's playtime was brought to an abrupt close as he fell onto something hitting down hard. He exhaled in shock as Kakashi stood over him
"Ride's over," Iruka's former bearer informed him.
Iruka saw he was dropped onto the park bench infront of his apartment. "Oww! What the hell did you do that for?" he asked Kakashi.
"I told you to get down twice," the jounin said calmly, "but you seemed to be in your own little world."
Iruka thought was lying, he was sure he'd have heard him. "I should have known you'd be an asshole even taking me home," Iruka spat back.
The foul language out of the normally polite man amused the jounin. "Well someone gets a potty mouth when he's tipsy. " Kakashi said mockingly crossing his arms. "I am sure your years of ninja training can get you up the steps and through the door. Or did you expect me to put you in your pajamas and tuck you in too?"
Iruka's mouth worked, but no words came out, an all too familiar redness flooding his face.
Kakashi put his foot on the bench next Iruka and bent in close to bring his masked face nose to nose with Iruka. "Isn't that what you wanted to happen?" he asked playfully.
Iruka's eyes widened fearful as he tried lean back further. "I don't know what your talking about. You're insane," he yelled.
Kakashi said, "No I'm not. You couldn't take your eyes off me all night." The jounin looked down briefly then smiled widely under his camoflage. He moved in an unhurriedly fashion to get up and walk away.
"Don't be afraid, Iruka. I want you to be eager, willing and completely sober," he said as he departed. "You and your little 'friend' have a good night."
Iruka was confused. "My little friend?" He looked down at his lap and spied what Kakashi had earlier. He turned the color of a beet with a groan.
"Screw you, Kakashi!"
"Hai, hai, another time," the scarecrow-nin called back with a wave. "Sweet dreams, Iruka-kun."
Iruka was steaming and knowing he should just shut up, he screamed one more thing at the retreating figure.
"And my 'friend's' not little!"
As it hit Iruka that he just publicly defended his manhood at 2 o'clock in morning on a bench in front of his house, he laid back, arching over of the bench in disgust. With his arms hanging, he watched his house from an upside down perspective praying silently that his landlady, Ms. Tanaka had not been awaked by his tirade.
He waited till the danger time had passed then dragged himself up to his waiting bed . Getting ready to go to sleep, Iruka continued to grumble to himself about how his night had been hijacked and how a certain bastard with a shitty grin tortured him all the way home.
Later, as he passed out, the tightness and creases of worry melted from the young sensei's face replaced with a wide contented smile. It was a smile that betrayed the happiness he'd gotten out of his hijacked evening and it was accompanied with a small wish that more unexpected things like that would happen in the future.
__________________________________
To Be Continued
The dreaded sasusaku next chapter!
A/N: I made a choice not to go all leather and trapezes (zes..zes) on the character hook-ups in this story, so if you want the NC-17 detail you'll need to use your own ero-imagination. (I certainly do!)
Yes, that was a (bad) 80's song reference. Yes, I've watched too much Buffy, slayer of the vampyres. and I like British people.