Hatake Kakashi sat on the grey wooden bench in the hospital's courtyard garden, the one and only place in the whole damn complex where he could stand to be for any length of time. For here the smell of disinfectant, of blood, and the sour undertones of stale urine and sweat, were far enough away to keep his stomach from wanting to heave.
Taking a lungful of morning air he smoothed the rough cotton hospital blanket, which had obviously been boiled just a few too many times, over his lap. More to cover his naked legs than for the sake of any warmth it offered. Three more days.
He was here to rest, so he was resting. Obediently obeying orders as he had his whole life, and would until the day he died. Resting to recover and refine his edge, to become once again the sharp and deadly tool that his village required him to be.
He focused his attention back on the central feature of the garden, and the one that drew him here time after time. It was a small koi pond, littered with blossoming lotuses and fed by a bamboo pipe fountain. Water from the pipe spilled over tiers of cobbles, splashing and gurgling until it reached its level, spreading as bright ripples across the surface of the pond.
Kakashi had always loved the sounds of falling water, from the roar of mighty waterfalls in the mountains and the crash of raging torrents they fed, to the patter of rain on the leafy canopy of Konoha's forests. Water that brought life to the fields. That washed even the most sullied landscape clean turning ash and blood to nothing more than fertilizer. And that slowly but surely carved the whole wide world into a design of its own unfathomable desires.
The little fountain seemed to have been designed to create the sounds of a mountain brook. And it almost did. Some of the deeper notes were missing and the tinkle was a little too repetitive, but still, it was pleasantly tranquil and soothing. Now if only he had his book.
He didn't look up as he felt the man enter the courtyard, nor as he stood and bowed politely before him.
The voice was the one he'd been, well maybe not expecting, but definitely hoping to hear.
"You wanted to see me Hatake-san? Are you quite recovered now?"
Keeping his gaze hidden in the double shadow of his hair and the overhanging willow, he patted the worn wood beside him and touched the bandage over his left eye with his other hand.
"Yes. Well still weak but at least I can remember everything, and I wanted to thank you, for this." He stole a fleeting glance at Umino Iruka's pretty face as the teacher sat and turned slightly towards him. "It was kind of you, and thoughtful."
He swiveled to meet the other's eyes square on.
"Is that the way you are Iruka-sensei? Kind and thoughtful?"
The teacher blushed, as delightful as in his memory, and lifted his hand to rub at the heated skin of his scar.
"No, that is… you were clearly confused, and in so much pain. I just…"
Kakashi grabbed the tanned hand and relished the sensation of seeing those fingers trapped in his for a second time.
"Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all… to repay your kindness?"
The other man lowered his hand, but didn't try to pull it away. The single word was as soft and light as the touch of a feather.
"No."
They sat side by side, each keeping his breathing measured, each suppressing the emotions roiling within, as seconds stretched into minutes.
Eventually Iruka broke the silence, obviously fighting furiously for control of his features.
"That is unless… can I… can I see it?"
Kakashi smirked wickedly under his mask.
"Of course Umino-san, you only had to ask."
He spread his thighs a little and started to peel back the blanket.
"No!" Iruka slammed his hand onto the other man's lap to stop him. Then jerked it away just as fast when it landed on something unexpectedly hard. Or had it been quite so unexpected?
To Kakashi's immense gratification the battle was lost and the blush was back, deepened to a crimson glow.
"No, I'm sorry. I meant your face. Can I see it again? Please?"
Kakashi pulled down his mask and moved in close, so close that their breath met and wafted over flushed lips, hot and moist in the cool shade.
"Ah, but for this I'll want another favour."
The reaction was better than he dared hope. With a strangled gasp, Iruka raised both hands to trace over his jaw, his nose, the fine contours of his cheeks, as if he couldn't trust the evidence of just one of his senses.
"Oh God you are… I though perhaps I'd just imagined…"
Kakashi remained completely still, letting him linger, enjoying his touch and his little noises of appreciation much more than he knew he should. It was good, so good, but he wanted more and he knew how to get it.
"Iruka-sensei, when they took away my clothes they took my book. Would you track it down for me?"
The hands flew away and remained palms out, fingers spread.
"No! That's outrageous. I can't. I won't encourage that kind of thing."
Kakashi half lowered his eyelid and peeped out from beneath it, while his unmasked lips pointed into an unmistakable pout.
"But now you owe me a favour, although I suppose I could ask the kids…"
He swallowed his chuckle in favour of feigned innocence as Iruka leapt to his feet, his face red with fury.
"Don't you dare! If I find that Naruto... or…or the others have been reading…"
The enforced rest had been good for him. Even he was impressed by the speed with which he had his visitor pinned into the corner of the courtyard, hidden from view by the low spread of the tree. He pulled the tie from the teacher's hair, releasing it to spill around his face.
"You see… I want to find out what happens next."
The glow of Iruka's eyes burned out from under the dark veil. But the anger in his voice had been replaced by another, huskier, emotion.
"Hatake-san, did you ask me here to seduce me?"
Perceptive.
"Not necessarily… that is unless…"
He leaned in, pressing his captive against the wall, sweeping his tongue across those enticing lips and sucking in the lower one as it trembled in response. Having won his objective he exploited it ruthlessly, plundering the other's mouth, searching the sweetest deepest corners. Within seconds Iruka was giving as good as he got. He hooked his arms around Kakashi's neck, securing him at the right angle to match stroke for stroke, caress for caress with his tongue, gasp for gasp until they were both almost sobbing with want.
Kakashi's hospital issue yukata started to slip off one shoulder, but he didn't care, it was the perfect moment to shed his clothing. This was everything he'd hoped for, and more. Just as he'd expected the man was as passionate as he was beautiful. He could hear his pounding heart, matching beat for beat the one sending hot blood racing throughout his own body, far too much of it to the lower regions to be comfortable. He slipped a hand low between them, letting it trace a slow and agonisingly exquisite path up the other's inner thigh.
Suddenly Iruka pushed him away and stood, hair tousled, head bowed, his right hand still gripping a pale muscular shoulder.
"No, please. I…"
Hatake Kakashi didn't give up so easily. He dotted a line of kisses across Iruka's scar, rejoicing at the catch in his target's breath as he closed his eyes and involuntarily leaned in again. Ah how he wanted to see those eyes clenched tight and teary. And that mouth drawn open wide, baring his teeth as he choked out little barks of pleasure.
"Be honest with yourself Iruka-sensei, isn't this the real reason you're here?"
Iruka's eyes flashed open. He stared back, but there was no denial this time.
Kakashi remained silent, listening to the sound of Iruka breathing, ragged barely controlled sucks and gasps, forming an impenetrable barrier of nothing and everything. He resisted the impulse to throw back his head and laugh. This was just too precious.
"Do I frighten you Iruka-sensei?"
But it was Iruka who laughed. His whole body shaking with the force of his explosive chuckle before relaxing into a smile, that warm, mischievous, mysterious, wonderful smile.
"No Hatake-san. Not frighten, but you do make me feel strange… nervous."
Kakashi nipped his earlobe gently and traced the tip of his tongue around the grooves of his ear before whispering into it.
"Then that's good. There's no need, I promise I'd never hurt you."
In one quick movement Iruka had reversed their positions so that Kakashi was pressed back against the wall. He could feel the cold rough texture of the stone through his thin garment, even as Iruka twisted and flung himself against it beside him, panting, as if the effort had exhausted him. Kakashi could hear the thunder of his heart from two feet away, above the splashing water of the fountain.
"Ok I…I'll do it. That is… I'll find your book."
He stooped to pick up his hair tie, bowed stiffly, then turned to hurry out of the courtyard.
Kakashi let the wall support his weight as he watched him walk away, a glint of appreciation barely registering in his visible eye.
"Yes Sensei, you'll do it."
Next time.