Warning: OOC, weirdness, sexual references and foul language. Any misspellings or wrong grammar is unintentional. I am my own beta. I could have missed some stuff.

I do not own Naruto.

ROOM-MATE

When his eyelids fluttered open and his eyes came to focus, he knew immediately that he wasn't in his room. The low-watt halogen white light and tiled ceiling above him was not something he recognized. The flimsy rough cloth covering him left him feeling exposed and his left arm felt like it was pricked by several needles.

"Awake now, huh?"

Iruka shut his eyes, ears not functioning well from the cold he felt he had. His nose was just too stuffy than he last remembered. "'Zumo?"

"Wrong guess."

Iruka frowned and forced his eyes open again. He could see a blob of silver and a dark colored shirt. "Oh. Kakashi."

"One and only, love." Kakashi peered down at Iruka, waving a hand over his heavy lidded eyes.

"Kakashi-san, please step back and contain yourself from breathing over Iruka-san. He is not fully recovered and he doesn't need to be contaminated. He is still sick!"

"Shut the fuck up, Kabuto."

Iruka turned his face away, not wanting to deal with any of the bantering duo. He forced himself to fully open his eyes and found Kabuto in a doctor's coat on his right and Kakashi on his left. "W-What happened? This isn't my bed."

"No, it isn't." Kabuto said mildly, reaching out to feel Iruka's forehead for a fever. "You were brought in by your two friends and Kakashi­-san. You've been delirious from the fever and it's been three days."

Iruka frowned, slightly more awake now. He had a mild headache and his body still felt heavy from the high fever. "So I didn't get to class." He mumbled to himself.

"Seems not." Kabuto smiled, going over his chart. "I'm going to give you a checkup before alerting the head doctors."

Iruka moved his hands from under the blanket, turning his gaze to Kakashi who was looking at him quietly. He didn't move as Kabuto folded the blanket till his waist and pulled out a thermometer from his white coat. Iruka opened his mouth mechanically when Kabuto gently pressed the cold device against his lips, sliding it under his tongue, all the while keeping his gaze locked with Kakashi's. He could feel Kabuto push aside the hems of his robe and gently press the cool surface of the stethoscope over his diaphragm.

Because of his fever, his body had gone from sensitive to extra sensitive. When Kabuto accidentally brushed against his nipple, Iruka felt a shudder wrack through his entire body, making his skin flush and the thermometer wobble against his lips from his sudden sharp intake of breath. Before Iruka knew it, Kakashi was already gripping Kabuto's wrist, smiling a little too sinisterly at the intern.

"I think that's enough checking." Kakashi said, hands tightening around Kabuto's wrist. Iruka looked alarmed and lifted his hand (and it felt heavy) to tug at Kakashi's wrist so that he'd release Kabuto.

Kabuto's look turned dark under his polite gaze. "Please let go of my wrist, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi gave the pale wrist an extra squeeze before letting it go; Kabuto's wrist was surely going to bruise. Nothing further was said as Kabuto pulled the blanket over Iruka's thin form once more and took the thermometer out of his mouth. He made a few notes on the chart after taking the reading.

"Done?" Kakashi asked sourly.

Kabuto paid Kakashi no mind as he checked the dextrose bag mounted on the stand. "Iruka-san, you're fine as of now. Your temperature and breathing is all right with consideration to your clogged nose and narrowed air passage. You've been coughing non-stop since you were brought here."

Iruka found himself nodding weakly, not remembering coughing at all. "I see."

"I've alerted Dr. Ryuuken of your condition. Once you've recovered, just reconfirm the closest session appointment with him." Kabuto smiled, tucking his hands in to his white coat.

Iruka nodded again. "Okay."

Kabuto nodded and patted his hand, looking concerned for his well being. "Get some rest. I will come by later to give you your oral medication. If you need anything, just ask for me."

"Thank you." Iruka smiled tiredly, giving Kabuto's hand a light squeeze. He did not miss the bitter look Kakashi threw at Kabuto's direction, nor did he miss the sneer the intern gave in return. Once the door clicked shut, Iruka looked at Kakashi and found himself frowning. "Why are you here?"

"To keep an eye on you." Kakashi sat down on the chair beside the bed, crossing one leg over the other and leaned comfortably against the back rest.

"It's a hospital." Iruka mumbled. There was more than a pair of eyes keeping watch on him anyway.

Kakashi tugged at his collar and brushed his hair back. Iruka could see the dark line that crossed over the man's left eye, which remained closed while he kept staring with his marble gray one. "So what?"

Iruka looked away, feeling a bit insecure. He could still remember the sight Kakashi made when he argued with Raidou and Genma under the pouring rain that night. Remembering Raidou, Iruka started to sit up. "Where's my phone?"

"Izumo took it to recharge. And what do you think you're doing? Go back to lying down." Kakashi said, getting on his feet and pushing Iruka against the bed.

"I gotta talk to Raidou-san! I promised to take him to dinner! He must think I'm rude and -"

"Oi." Kakashi forced him to lie against the bed, glaring down at him. "Stop thinking of other people and just think of yourself for a minute."

The tight grip on his shoulders made him wince; the glare reminded him of a familiar monstrous face that made him recoil back in to the pillow, eyes widening with fear. "P-Please d-don't -"

"Look." Kakashi turned to look at the side table where a basket of chocolates laid, a get-well-soon card folded and taped to the handle. "Raidou was already here earlier. He brought you that."

Iruka turned to face the basket of chocolates, cheeks coloring in gratefulness and a bit of shyness. It was very thoughtful of Raidou to bring him a get well present (it was actually the good branded chocolates too). He found himself smiling a bit fondly at the basket as Kakashi let go of his shoulders.

"How nice of him." Iruka sighed, closing his eyes and shifting his head position so that he was facing the ceiling.

Kakashi moved to sit on the bed, the mattress dipping lower on the extra added weight. "How are you feeling?"

Iruka felt dirty and greasy. The bubble of his hair tie was starting to annoy the back of his head; he felt like dried old cheese left to go stale out in the open. He felt as if his skin was crusty and would peel off like dried mould if he scratched it. His eyes ached, the steady drumming sensation in either side of his temples was starting to piss him off and the fact that he's been sick for three days (and still counting) did wonders to increase his sense of annoyance.

"Tired. Dirty."

Kakashi chuckled and looked off to one side before he reached out to undo the hair tie off Iruka's hair. It was awkward that Kakashi was lifting his head up and gently untangling the greasy strands off his blue rubber band, elbows on either side of Iruka's head, the smile on his lips soft and reassuring. The tie came undone and Kakashi placed it by the table.

"With every right to feel so." Kakashi stared down Iruka, hands still beside Iruka's head as the tanned young man remained as stiff as board under Kakashi's towering shadow. "Do you like Raidou, Iruka?"

Iruka felt his cheeks color a bit. "He's a good friend."

"So you're romantically involved with him."

Iruka shook his head slowly, swallowing thickly and managing to croak out, "No, I'm not."

"With anyone?"

Iruka shook his head a bit. Kakashi reached out to finger the scar over his nose, making him blush even redder and frown. "No. Not with anyone." Iruka looked away, forcing Kakashi to retract his hand.

"I see." Kakashi got off him and sat on the chair, leaning against the backrest in a comfortable slouch. Iruka found himself sighing at the relief of having Kakashi off him and stared at the ceiling. "I e-mailed your instructors. You're given an extension to hand in assignments because you're a good boy. Izumo and Kotetsu reconfirmed that yesterday too."

"Oh." Iruka blinked, wondering why Kakashi even bothered in the first place.

"Are you three involved?" Kakashi suddenly asked.

Iruka turned to give him a wide eyed look. "Excuse me?"

"Do you guys do threesomes and stuff? Because Kotetsu was awfully very protective and -"

"You sick sonofabitch." Iruka growled, sitting up glaring at Kakashi with all his anger.

"So you're not."

"Kotetsu and Izumo are very good friends of mine and no, I am not involved in their relationship! Not everyone thinks like you, Kakashi!"

Kakashi quirked his visible brow. "Oh?"

"I don't squeeze my friend's buttock in greeting." Iruka answered.

"Oh." Kakashi looked amused. "This is about Genma."

Iruka felt his eyebrow twitch, headache and heavy feeling forgotten as his temper got the better of him (Kakashi was just so good at ruffling his feathers). "No, this is about you making assumptions that I indulge in sexual activities with two of my friends, who might I add, are already a couple."

Kakashi pointed at Iruka in a lazy accusing manner. "So you're jealous that I squeeze Genma's butt."

Iruka fumed, seeing red. "Give me one good reason why I'd want to have my buttock squeezed by a crazy, perverted lunatic like yourself!"

"I am not a pervert."

"Really, this isn't any of my business. But I won't have you talk about my friends or myself in that fashion any longer!"

Kakashi leaned against the bed, smiling at Iruka. "I'll promise you something."

"What?" Iruka snapped.

"When you get out of here and you're feeling better, I'll give your ass a squeeze. You'll love it."

Iruka felt the top of his head blow like a nuclear explosion. He grabbed his pillow and started hitting Kakashi on the head with it.

XXX

When Izumo and Kotetsu came by that evening, they found the room floating with feathers, Kakashi against the chair with his hair and dark sweatshirt covered in said feathers and Iruka making death threats and waving a pillow case. The nurse had shrieked and demanded Kakashi leave the room at once for riling up a patient. Iruka eventually calmed down once Kakashi was kicked out of the room by an annoyed nurse.

Fifteen minutes later after the feathers were cleared away and Iruka was given a new pillow, Izumo set down a bag of clothes by the bed. Kotetsu pushed the window open to let the cool air in, pulling an extra chair towards the bed.

"We got you clothes." Izumo said. "We also spoke to your doctor. As long as you don't show any increase of temperature tonight, you can head back to the dorms tomorrow afternoon."

"They said that they want to keep you in for another night." Kotetsu rubbed the back of his head. "You gave us quite a scare there."

Iruka looked guiltily at his hands. "Sorry. I really didn't mean to cause so much trouble."

"Do you remember anything?" Izumo asked, taking Iruka's hand giving it a squeeze.

Iruka shook his head.

"We tried calling you during lunch coz' we know you were free. We were going to head over to Route-66 to grab a bite instead of boring mess hall food." Kotetsu answered, reaching out to tuck a lock of Iruka's hair behind his ear.

"But you weren't answering. We actually thought you got your cell phone stolen or something, so we asked around." Izumo explained, rubbing Iruka's thumb with his in comfort.

"One of the guys in your class came looking for you. Iwashi was it? Said that your instructor was asking for you because of your thesis?" Kotetsu asked. "Has a bit of a goatee?"

"Yeah. That's Iwashi." Iruka sighed, head drooping in a tired nod.

"When he told us you weren't in any of your morning lectures, we got worried. So we came to your room to see what's up. No one was answering but we could hear your cell phone ringing." Kotetsu said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Scared the shit out of us. You really weren't feeling well already the day before."

"How did you find me?" Iruka asked, reaching out take Kotetsu's hand as well.

"We looked for Kakashi. We found him through Gai who had no classes that day. He got us Kakashi's cell number and we gave him a call." Kotetsu mumbled. "That bastard. This is his entire fault!"

"Kotetsu -" Iruka started, ready to reason but couldn't get any further than his friend's name.

"No, Iruka! If he had the decency to think of others and not drive in the cold fucking rain, you wouldn't be sick!" Kotetsu argued. "You weren't even responding! Your temperature was so high, it's quite a miracle you didn't fall in to comatose or whatever shit that quack was talking about! It's not funny!"

Izumo glared at Kotetsu to calm down. "Oi, Kotetsu."

"And I told that damn idiot! I don't care if he was concerned or if he cared! That does not give him an excuse to go dragging you around like some stuffed toy as he pleases! What is he, a kid? Can't he think? If I didn't know better, I'd say he wanted you out of his room the moment you stepped in! That bastard! Is he trying to kill you?"

Iruka squeezed Kotetsu's hand to calm him down, Izumo already sighing and giving up. Kotetsu was flushed from anger. "Come on. You know that's a bit unreasonable, Ko'. He couldn't have known." Iruka tried to reason.

Izumo wisely kept his mouth shut, not wanting to take part in the one sided venting.

"No! He should have acted responsibly! He could have at least checked! You were as red as a fuckin' lobster, Iruka! A peek wouldn't have hurt now, would it? Or was he just so full of himself to take note that you were already sick that morning?" Kotetsu glared, not meaning to but his anger was finding an outlet through any possible means.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it. He was here earlier, wasn't he?" Iruka said, as if Kakashi's presence earlier accounted for something (even when he was busy hitting him over with a pillow till he ruined it).

"Bullshit!" Kotetsu hissed. "He just came here because he feels guilty for being irresponsible. That or he's a heartless bastard who thinks he deserves to be praised by you in one way or another just because he was the one who carried you here!"

Izumo glared at Kotetsu harder. "Kotetsu, that's enough."

"H-He carried me?" Iruka blushed from extreme embarrassment. "If someone woke me up, I'm sure there was no need -"

"That's just the thing 'Ruka! You wouldn't wake up! Wouldn't even mumble a word!" Kotetsu pressed. "W-What were we supposed to do? We panicked! Last time we saw you like this was when - when -"

Iruka looked at Izumo's hand, remembering the night Mizuki attempted to end his life the second time. "I know."

"What were we supposed to do?" Kotetsu whispered, looking away. "We were scared that something happened to you is all."

Iruka tugged Kotetsu close and embraced him. Kotetsu didn't move for a few long seconds, before firm arms wrapped around Iruka's small frame. "It's all right, 'Ko. I'm okay. Ne, Izumo?"

Izumo merely dipped his head, gripping Iruka's hand too tight. "Yeah."

"You stupid idiot." Kotetsu muttered, arms tightening around Iruka in a protective and brotherly manner.

Iruka felt a smile tug at his lips, hand reaching up to ruffle Kotetsu's wild and natural spikes. "Yeah, I know." He gave Izumo's hand a squeeze, pulling the slightly shorter man to give him a hug as well. "I'm sorry, you two."

"No. It's not your fault." Izumo said, shaking his head against Iruka's arm.

"It's not Kakashi's either. I chose to go with him that night. You know how the weather has been lately." Iruka mumbled, trying to reason with the other two and giving Kakashi a bit of defense since it really wasn't the man's fault.

Izumo pulled away and eyed Iruka closely as Kotetsu took a step back and gave him a funny look. "Are you defending that nutcase?" Izumo asked, unbelieving.

Iruka shook his head fast. "N-No! I just think it isn't fair for any of us to assume that it's his fault because, well, you know."

Kotetsu eyed Iruka closer, face near Iruka's face. "Oi, did he sweet talk you in to liking him when he took you out that night? And made you sick might I add!"

Iruka felt his cheeks heat up even more. "Kotetsu!"

"Did he?" Kotetsu glared some more. "Coz' if he forced you, I'm going to pummel his head in and -"

Izumo gave Iruka an almost knowing look before taking a seat. "Tell us where he took you?"

Kotetsu looked at Iruka, pouting and reluctantly took his seat, not letting go of Iruka's hand. "What did he do?"

Iruka coughed up a bit and sniffed, nose twitching. "Well, he wasn't going to take me to dinner really. I mean, I don't know. I guess it all started when he saw Kabuto." Iruka narrated to his two close friends just what had taken place and how his therapy went, watching how they went from wide eyed to frowning to laughing to fuming.

"I'm going to kill Genma for touching you!" Kotetsu vowed, fisting his hand. "I bet he did the same thing to Hayate, that poor guy."

Iruka sighed as Izumo swatted at Kotetsu's shaking fist. "Don't make assumptions. They're just rumors."

"No, I'm sure Genma was part of it. That ANBU group thing! Previous members who quit the darn group were talking about it in the library. They say it was the girl's ANBU group that got our dorms blown up! The nerve of those moronic -"

"Kotetsu!" Izumo glared. "ANBU is no more. It's just some campus legend students like to gossip about because they're 'so great'. Besides, how do you know that Hayate died trying to get in to ANBU? It's just some stupid Fraternity crap!"

Iruka frowned at Kotetsu. "Where are you getting all this information from?"

Kotetsu shook his head. "Nevermind that! But I'm telling you that ANBU is still around! Our building blew up and no one said a thing! ANBU is a very tight and close-knit buncha' assholes! It isn't just any normal sorority thing! They can keep things quiet within the campus! Just like when Hayate died!"

Iruka felt is heart hammer just a bit faster than normal. "Now, Kotetsu. It was an accident. The news reported it too! Even the police officers who were investigating -"

"I read the post mortem report." Kotetsu said, frowning.

Iruka blanched and choked on his own air. "What?"

"I read it. I got in to the forensics' database and I read it. Hayate didn't die from the impact of falling. He was already dead before that!" Kotetsu pressed. "Don't you get it? He was killed! Three bullet wounds to the chest. Of course police wouldn't report that -"

"Listen, Ko', there are just some stuff we shouldn't be intervening with and you -" Izumo was starting to lose his temper and feel very afraid.

"- it was an accident! The university would close down if that happened! They can't afford that!"

Iruka raised a hand to shush Kotetsu up. "Okay, stop. Stop. Now you're being silly and over the top. What ANBU? There is no ANBU. It's a legend and figment of people's imagination. And what were you thinking of hacking in to forensics? Have you gone insane?" Iruka hissed.

Kotetsu shook his head. "I didn't care, 'Ruka. And I swear I'm not lying to you 'Zumo." Kotetsu leaned closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "I was messing around one day, bored as fuck. I was sifting through the police records and got in to Morino's task division force's database. I've never seen security as tight as that before and they had a symbol. A grotesque look a like of a flame drawn by some two-year old."

"You tried to get in to Morino's division through the police network? Kotetsu, that's punishable by law! That's the Ministry of Defense you're messing with! Are you mad? That guy can make you disappear without a trace! I thought you promised to stop!" Izumo looked panicked.

"You knew about this?" Iruka looked at Izumo with shocked wide eyes. "What were you thinking?" Iruka hissed, completely forgetting the fact that he was sick from his worry.

Kotetsu wasn't listening to either of them. "I was asleep one morning and Genma was getting ready to head out. The guy sleeps in his boxers. I woke up a few minutes later and I saw him rubbing concealer over one of his arms while talking on the phone."

"Kotetsu -"

"He had two of them! On both arms and I saw it! It was the same mark as the logo in the secured database in Morino's division!" Kotetsu stared at his two stunned friends. "Don't you get it? Genma is ANBU! And so are his friends!"

Iruka frowned. "You have no proof of that!"

"Check for yourself if you don't believe me. I saw what I saw. And I tried looking for that secured place once more just to make sure. I couldn't find it anymore. It's under layers of encryptions that one computer can't handle." Kotetsu folded his arms. "You've got to be careful, 'Ruka."

"This has nothing to do with me. There's nothing to be careful about." Iruka shook his head.

"Yes it does! And there is! Because Genma's been hanging around you for too long and is getting too close. That's how it started with Hayate!" Kotetsu pressed.

"I'm not Hayate and I am most certainly sure that I won't end up like him. Besides, I'm just here to get my masters and then I can go back to teaching. Whatever ANBU is, I'm not interested."

"Oh you will be. Because Mizuki got his -"

"Shut up, Kotetsu!" Izumo glared.

"- information through Morino's divisions and -"

"I said, shut up!" Izumo raised his voice, startling Kotetsu to silence.

A nurse popped in to the room to check if there was anything wrong. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes. Just a little joke and misunderstanding." Izumo said quickly. The nurse gave them a suspicious look before leaving the room.

Iruka was staring at both his friends with wide eyes, unbelieving. "You both knew something about that?" Izumo looked away. Kotetsu sank in his seat, not looking at Iruka. "Why didn't - didn't you tell me?"

"This is why, 'Ruka! We wanted you to get over Mizuki!" Izumo reasoned.

"I am over him!" Iruka reasoned, voice hitching up to a slight screech.

"No, you're not!" Izumo reasoned, grabbing and pulling Iruka in to a fierce embrace. "You're not and you know that! Mizuki was scared and freaked out because he got in to things he shouldn't have. That's all there was to it, nothing more."

Iruka felt his eyes sting with the memory. "Both of you are sick! You're all sick!" Kotetsu pulled Iruka in to a hug as well, apologizing for what he just said.

"We're sorry, 'Ruka." Kotetsu mumbled, face buried in to Iruka's trembling shoulder.

Iruka shook his head, swallowing the growing lump in his throat and blinked the tears away. Izumo had his arms around Iruka's neck and his cheeks pressed against the tanned one. "It was an accident. And Mizuki was a good cracker. He must have just stumbled across it by accident like we did. He musta' been bored too."

Iruka nodded stiffly. "I - I don't know."

"That's probably it." Kotetsu said, smoothing down Iruka's hair. "I mean, he may have been a nut, but he musta' really cared for you. He woulda' killed you if he didn't."

Iruka felt his heart clench as he sunk deeper in to Izumo's arms (just as Izumo slapped Kotetsu at the back of his head for saying things he shouldn't). "Just forget it. You two will have to stop sniffing around over this whole ANBU business. It's probably not something we should be interfering with anyway. Promise you two won't start or do anything stupid with your curiosity that'd get you in trouble?"

"We won't. Promise." Izumo answered, throwing a glare at Kotetsu that clearly told him to keep his mouth shut.

"Good." Iruka sighed, moving to lie back on the bed.

Silence fell upon the trio as a minutes ticked by. It was when Kotetsu started to squirm did Izumo and Iruka frown at him.

"What now?" Izumo glared.

Kotetsu grinned at both his friends. "I gotta pee."

Iruka ended up snickering as Izumo started hitting Kotetsu on the head with a rolled up magazine from the side table, lecturing him on being polite and proper and not announcing such things out loud.

TBC

Hah. I love those three together. They're like brothers. I partially blame scribbleitsm for the impression she left on me with her fic Water Runs Red. These three together is just too good.

Credits:

I was in the mall and passed by a chocolaterie called Patchi. They had a lovely basket of chocolates and it just reminded me of Raidou very much.

EDIT - Reuploaded and replaced Sorority with Fraternity (sounds more manly). Lots have complained about the sudden introduction of ANBU ... maaa. Can't be helped. I needed the sudden introduction. Kotetsu was never meant to be smooth.