Kakashi wiped his nose and let himself into his house, feeling a little tired. He'd been drinking again, but he never got drunk in public. He was too private for that, and drunks tended to spew their private problems and lives for public viewing.
Kakashi his door open and slipped inside. Kicking off his tennis shoes, he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, downing it in one long swallow. Then he walked into his bedroom, sighing. Iruka lay on his side on Kakashi's bed, curled into a fetal position around one of Kakashi's pillows. In the weak moonlight, Kakashi couldn't see anything, but he could clearly smell the blood. He'd smelled it when he first came inside. Silently cursing, Kakashi drifted across the room and sat on the bed, very carefully, then brushed his fingers across Iruka's cheeks.
Iruka came awake with a start, clutching the pillow and jerking away from his touch. "Iruka, it's me." Kakashi said quietly. "Kakashi."
"'Kashi?" Iruka whispered hoarsely. Frowning, Kakashi reached out and flipped the bedside table, then nearly gasped.
The bruises on Iruka's neck were clear and easy to understand; Iruka flushed with shame, turning his head away and hunching his shoulders. Kakashi silently reached out and tilted his chin up, his body tense. "Did you black out?" he asked finally.
Iruka nodded. "Yeah." He croaked softly. "And…I'm really dizzy…I think my head hit the wall a few times." He whispered. Kakashi sighed and rose, unwinding his scarf and tossing it over a chair, then leaned down and helped the younger man stand. Iruka leaned on him, blinking owlishly, and Kakashi led him to the bathroom. After a shower, he sat Iruka down and patiently explored his skull with tender fingers, finding no cracks or bleeding, but a few very large, nasty bumps. Kakashi decided that Iruka probably didn't need to go to the hospital, but he made him drink some tea before curling up with him in the bed, stroking his back while Iruka rested his forehead on his chest.
After a long time, Kakashi thought Iruka was asleep, so he was surprised when Iruka shifted, rolling a little so he could look into Kakashi's face.
"Why are you doing this?" Iruka asked softly. "Why are you taking care of me? What…what do you want from me?"
Kakashi tried not to let the hurt show on his face; he must have slipped, because he saw Iruka's eyes darken a bit. "I don't want anything." Kakashi said quietly. "I'm helping you because you need it. Because if our situations were reversed, you'd do it for me."
"You'd never be in this situation." Iruka said, his voice bitter. "You're not that stupid…"
"It's not stupidity." Kakashi said slowly. "Iruka…I know. I know how…empty you must have felt, how alone. After my father killed himself…" Kakashi hesitated, then sighed. "After my father killed himself, I lost it. I died inside. And I was saved by a man named Minato. He was my teacher-and my friend …if Minato had been less of a good man, and more like your Mizuki, it could have well been exactly the same. I would have let Minato do anything he wanted to me, as long as he didn't leave me. He could have broken every bone in my body and I still would have loved him. I was too young for it to be physical love, and he was too decent of a man to want me like that, but if he had…" Kakashi sighed. "I know how it feels. You just picked the wrong person to cling too."
Iruka blinked at him slowly, clearly thinking deeply about what Kakashi had said. Finally he sighed, his body loosening as the tension that had been present since he'd woken up bleeding away.
"Thank you." Iruka said softly, closing his eyes. "Kakashi-san…"
"Shh." Kakashi said, kissing him gently. "Just sleep."
Kakashi held him until he was really asleep again, then slid out of bed. He wanted to have a little talk with Mizuki…
…
"Don't."
The voice surprised Kakashi; he jerked around, and saw a big, heavy shaped body standing in the doorway. He'd gone to Iruka's house, but Mizuki wasn't there. He had no idea where Mizuki lived, and he had been sitting in Iruka's living room on the off chance that Mizuki came by, pondering.
He narrowed his eyes, unable to distinguish the bulky shape with the light behind him. "Who are you?" He growled.
The shape moved, and it slowly became Morino Ibiki. Kakashi narrowed his eyes further, his hackles rising. He didn't like Ibiki; the feeling was mutual, he assumed. Ibiki was the head of the police force; he and Kakashi had tangled a few times over Kakashi's tendency to beat the crap out of anyone who bothered him. Ibiki had never arrested him, but there'd been some harsh words exchanged. Ibiki seemed to feel that just because he'd been Minato's friend, he had to keep an out for Kakashi. He glared at Ibiki; Ibiki gave him a flat stare and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Don't what?" Kakashi asked, standing. He felt at a disadvantage; he cold probably take Ibiki with one hand tied behind his back, but there was something about the man's sheer presence that kept him from even considering it.
"Don't go after Tojiro Mizuki." Ibiki said flatly.
"Why?" Kakashi asked, frustration and suspicion clear in his voice.
"Because we're already investigating him, and I don't want you stepping in our way." Ibiki said flatly. "There's a lot about Mizuki we don't like, and some things that are downright suspicious. We think there's more going on than we can see, and we want to know what he's up to, and if you beat the crap out of him, it'll mess up our investigation."
"Fuck your investigation." Kakashi said coldly. "He deserves…"
"Why do you want to hurt him so badly?" Ibiki asked, uncrossing his arms. Kakashi stopped, surprised-there was honest confusion in the other man's voice. He doesn't know about Iruka, Kakashi realized.
Quickly, Kakashi filled Ibiki in on the situation. Ibiki sighed, giving him a keen, searching glance, but shook his head. "Not good enough. Iruka will live; he won't even have a scar, from what you tell me. So hands off Mizuki."
"No." Kakashi spat, anger overriding his good sense. "I want to see him bleeding…"
"You probably will." Ibiki said, his voice steely. "But we want to know what he's up to. If you touch him, I swear Hatake, you'll regret it."
Kakashi stared at him. Then he launched himself at Ibiki; he wasn't thinking anymore. Blind rage had filled him and, for the first time since his father had died, his control utterly snapped. Ibiki went down under him, fending off his wild blows but making no effort to stop him. Kakashi slammed his fists into Ibiki's raised arms a couple of times, then suddenly stopped, going utterly still.
They sat like that for a time. Then Kakashi sighed; it was a broken, pained noise. Ibiki lowered his arms, looking up at Kakashi, and Kakashi was surprised to see compassion in Ibiki's normally cool black eyes.
Ibiki sat up a little and wrapped his arms around Kakashi and Kakashi leaned against him, drawing in several deep, shuddering breaths. "I know." Ibiki said softly. "And I promise, someday he'll pay for this. We won't forget, and we won't forgive, but we must defer. It's too important to know exactly what he's up to. We suspect some pretty bad things; rape and torture barely register on the list. We have to know, Kakashi. And Iruka would tell you the same thing, if he was aware of the situation. It has to wait."
Kakashi nodded against Ibiki's chest. He knew. His brain understood, even if his heart refused to listen. Ibiki pulled away and sighed. "Sometimes I forget how very young you really are, Kakashi." Ibiki said softly. "You've always been so self-reliant, never needed any help. But Minato asked me to, so I've been watching you for so many years…I forget how very young you are." Kakashi looked at him, surprised all over again, and Ibiki laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh, but it was a laugh. "What? You thought I hated you?"
He sounded…wistful. Kakashi stared at him and suddenly realized just how much of Ibiki's cold, distant exterior was a mask to protect not only himself but those he cared about. Throwing his arms around Ibiki, Kakashi hugged him tightly; trying to tell him everything he was feeling without having the words to say it. He felt Ibiki's arms around him and they sat together, silently, until the sun broke over the horizon.
…
Iruka woke. He blinked his eyes a few times, then sighed and stretched. God, he was sore. Rolling over, he sat up, and then recoiled.
Kakashi was sitting on the end of the bed, his legs crossed and his chin propped up in his hand, obviously watching Iruka sleeping. Iruka sat up further and backed away until his back hit the headboard. He gathered the sheets up and pulled them to his chest, feeling oddly defensive and exposed.
"You're not going back there." Kakashi said flatly. "You're not going to see him again, and if he touches you, I will personally make him regret it. You're staying with me until he gets the point, and I want the entire damn city aware that we're a couple. That alone should make him back off; even he's probably not crazy enough to tangle with the 'star athlete and bar fighter of Konoha' over a boyfriend." Kakashi said, ignoring Iruka's confused, gaping expression. "After that….well, after that, we'll see how things are. You're sleeping with me, but…"
He paused, then suddenly he was in Iruka's face, his lips almost brushing Iruka's. Iruka felt a blush rise on his cheeks and he pressed himself backwards, too confused and uncertain to even begin to feel aroused.
"I want to make a few things clear." Kakashi said, staring into his eyes. "I want you. I want you bad-I think you're absolutely hot, and the very thought of having sex with you is enough to make me hard. However, you are not my property, nor are you my toy, and you're under absolutely NO obligation to have sex with me. If you want, this will be a purely platonic relationship, although there will have to be some public holding of hands or kissing to seal the appearance. I want to get to know you; I want to be your friend, whether or not we become lovers in fact." Kakashi continued, blinking seriously. "This isn't a decision to make now; you have all the time in the world, and even if you think you want it, and then you change your mind, it won't change how I feel or me helping you. Do you understand?"
Iruka licked his lips, dazed, and nodded. It was almost too much to take in; Kakashi seemed to sense this and took pity on him, returning to his original position on the end of the bed. "Good. Now. I have the next week off; I know you have classes, but you're going to skip them. We'll get your homework. It's clear that you got beaten up; no one will question you needing to stay home for a while. Today we're going to stay in, and let you rest and recover. Then tomorrow, we're going to go out and make our first public appearance as a couple. Maybe the day after that, we can go pack your things and move you in here. As you can tell, I don't have much; you're welcome to spread out and make yourself at home. We need to make sure it looks like we're firmly coupled, and you redecorating my house would make a good impression in that direction. And now…I'm going to make breakfast. Any requests?"
Iruka continued to stare at him. Finally, under Kakashi's mildly questioning gaze, he shook his head, then managed, "N..no. Thanks. Whatever you make is.. .fine."
"Ok." Kakashi's whole mood changed; he slid from sober and serious to almost bouncy, and he rolled off the bed. "You should take a shower; when you come out, breakfast will be ready. Do you like tea or coffee?"
"Coffee, please." Iruka said. He felt…bizarrely comforted. It was clear that Kakashi was dead set on protecting him. Iruka supposed that, if he wasn't so confused and disoriented, he'd maybe feel a little angry at Kakashi's high-handed handling, but…
..but I need his help, Iruka thought soberly. Obviously, I can't handle this on my own. He raised his hand to his throat and touched the bruises, then sighed. I'm so pathetic…
He slid out of the bed and took a shower, only crying a little in the hot water. Drying off, he found a pair of pants laid out on the toilet and flushed; when had Kakashi been in there? Slipping them on, he grabbed a towel and started drying off his hair, padding out to the kitchen. The coffee smelled delicious, and Iruka found himself smiling as he slid into a chair. Kakashi looked up from the stove and smiled back, making Iruka blush.
Kakashi slid a full cup of coffee in front of him, followed shortly by a plate of food. Grabbing a similar plate, Kakashi sat down and started eating, and Iruka picked at his, not really hungry but wanting to eat because Kakashi had made it for him. He forced some eggs and bacon down, then sipped the coffee, wishing his throat didn't hurt so much.
"You ok?" Kakashi asked suddenly. Iruka turned and gave him a thoughtful look, then shrugged with one shoulder.
"Yeah." Iruka said slowly. "I think I'm ok now."