-u (1 month later) u-
"Iruka, stop it!" shouted Genma furiously, hiding his face in his hands. "I can't stand you in this state, please, don't!" he tried to take sake-bottle from Iruka's hand, but Iruka was faster. He turned around and took several mouthfuls strait from the bottle.
"You know, Genma, you know… I know that you know! Hhaha… He just waved to me, you know? Just like this," Iruka waved his hand meaningless and turned his face to Genma. "He said he wishes me a good day, damn it! Damn all days in the world, you know?" he sipped again. "And you know, you always knew I like him, but I was afraid and unsure and everything in between, so what? I hate myself, but it's only my fault!"
Genma tried to get the bottle again. This time the effort was successful, though the bottle appeared to be already empty.
"Iruka, calm down, you are drunk!" whined Genma quietly.
"I am drunk when I feel nothing, when I remember nothing, when I desire nothing! And when I don't hate my life!" Iruka sniffed. "He wrote me a note, you know? Seven damn words! I have it here with me, wait, I'll show you…" he reached to his pocket and got a little dirty paper. "Here, see…"
"Iruka, I've seen it thousand times already!" said Genma tiredly. It seemed Iruka didn't hear him.
"See, here it is" he shoved the note under Genma's nose. "Mission. See you soon. Be careful. K." Iruka sobbed and hid the note in his pocket again.
"I need another bottle".
"No, Iruka, no, it's enough for today!" said Genma pleadingly.
"What with this 'be careful', Genma?" asked Iruka entering his furious mode for a second. "He'd better save it for himself!" he paused. "You know, we got so close to each other in these last days. Almost there, you know? Almost true, almost forever…" the tears started to run from his eyes. "What? Stop staring at me with these pitiful eyes, Genma! Damn it! So close, but so far… I thought we have all time of the world, you know. Do you know that feeling? The slower the better, more torturing pleasure from awaiting, you know? Oh… whom I ask…" Iruka smeared tears on his cheeks. "I'd better jumped him the moment I laid my eyes on him, damn me!" hissed Iruka, dropping his head on the table. "Let me have another bottle, please, Genma".
"How often does he do it?" asked Tsunade, appearing near Genma.
"Every Friday" answered Genma. "But it gets worse with every passing week. I'm afraid there can be a point of no return".
Tsunade came to Iruka and put a hand on his shoulder.
"You should stop drinking, Iruka" declared she.
"Says who?" asked Iruka angrily, raising his head from the table, turning it in her direction and trying to focus his deliquescent gaze.
"He got you there, honorable Hokage!" laughed Genma.
Tsunade gritted her teeth and slapped Genma's nape.
"Shut up, brat!" she hissed, then pushed Genma away from his chair. "Go get us two more bottles of that sake!" she said firmly.
Genma looked puzzled for a second.
"But you said he should stop…" started he and was immediately interrupted.
"Do it now, Shiranui, I won't repeat twice!" barked Tsunade.
"Yes, Hokage-sama" muttered Genma and headed to the counter.
Sighing, Genma took two bottles of sake from the bar; after a seconds thought he took one more bottle for himself. Tomorrow could bring a great sickness, but it meant nothing because there was an opportunity to forget about past for now.
-u (Monday morning) u-
Iruka came to the mission room, tired and miserable, his eyes swollen and red. He closed the door carefully and went directly to his desk, not paying attention to any other object in the room. He set at the desk, slowly arranged the things and froze there, staring at the desktop, but seeing nothing.
"Actually, when I said I want you to stop kissing everybody and calling names, I didn't believe you'll obey so neatly" the voice tore Iruka out of his uneasy thoughts. Leisurely, he raised his head. There was a certain silver-haired jounin, sitting on the table.
"Kakashi?" asked Iruka in a tiny whisper.
"Yo!" said Kakashi, smiling at him sheepishly.
Iruka stood up and came to Kakashi, his fists clenched; anger radiated around his frame.
Watching this unexpected reaction, Kakashi felt agitated.
"Iruka?" he asked, fully alarmed.
"If it's another damn joke, Genma, you are so dead!" hissed Iruka and brought his face strait to Kakashi's. "You'll regret you were born, believe me! I'm sick of your silly inspirational attempts, that cause me only uneasiness and pain and…" he stopped, confused by the totally amazed and admiring expression easy read in the single visible eye in front of him, and sniffed the air. That was definitely not Genma.
Kakashi sighed and uncovered his second eye for a while, showing the red iris and spinning points to Iruka and simultaneously memorizing the happy smile that slowly appeared on Iruka's face.
"Kakashi…" Iruka rested his forehead on Kakashi's and closed his eyes. "You are back!"
Grabbing Iruka in a tight hug, Kakashi nodded.
"Hokage'd cut my secret surveillance mission off" he stroke Iruka's hair. "That's great, because it was really boring".
"I missed you" whispered Iruka, entwining his hands around Kakashi's neck. "I thought about you every day! I was afraid I'll never see you again… I'm so paranoid!" he giggled stupidly.
"I heard about it" said Kakashi. "And I'm under well-marked impression half of this village yearn to execute me" he winced and turned his head to look Iruka in the eyes. "Seeing you so worn and miserable makes me want to accomplish it myself".
Iruka laughed slightly, hiding his face on Kakashi's chest.
"I won't let you, don't you even dream about it! I'm fed up with the last month full of thoughts of never seeing you again…"
"Maa, Iruka, I'm a jounin, I can be dead any moment" said Kakashi.
"That makes me want to be dead too, so you are to be alive for me!" declared Iruka enthusiastically, tilting back, squeezing Kakashi's forearms and jolting him gently.
Kakashi shook his head.
"I can't understand if you are so deeply romantic or you are totally greedy!" he mumbled, drawing Iruka closer to himself.
For a while Iruka said nothing, enjoying the sensation of peace and protection brought him by Kakashi's strong arms. He rubbed his cheek on Kakashi's shoulder.
"Oh, imagine whatever you want, just stay alive and available" he murmured. "Promise me!"
"And you are cruel, you know? You let me imagine things… that's a torture!" Kakashi shook his head.
Iruka moved his head to the side and leered at Kakashi.
"You mean you have some desires?" he asked innocently.
Kakashi rolled his eye.
"Don't be a tease, Iruka!" he growled, tightening an embrace around Iruka's waist.
"A tease? Am I? My dear deer, you really start to imagine things!"
Kakashi frowned. He made his hands travel up and down Iruka's sides, what caused rather sensual fidgeting.
"I say you are a tease, Iruka!" told him Kakashi. "Acknowledge it!"
"Ahaha, stop it, 'kashi!" whined Iruka.
"No! Not until you acknowledge you tease me on purpose!" said Kakashi trying hard not to laugh and sound strict.
"Ahh… what purpose?" asked Iruka, panting hard.
Someone coughed. Both Iruka and Kakashi turned their heads at the sound. There was Genma in the doorway. A very angry, tired and injured Genma indeed. Iruka blushed immediately.
Kakashi frowned.
"You are hurt" he stated.
"What you not say!" hissed Genma. "I'm hurt seeing you act like cats in springtime!"
Iruka hid his face in his hands, watching Genma thru his fingers.
"Is it that bad?" he muttered.
Kakashi let Iruka go and they came to Genma, checking him for injuries.
"I told him he's stuck with you, every now and then, constantly!" said Genma, showing Kakashi a deep cut on his side and one more on his leg. "But he's not listening when he's drunk."
"Who made him drunk?" asked Kakashi, his voice very plain.
"No one made me drunk" said Iruka quickly. "I did it myself".
"He did it every week" pointed Genma, hissing on sensation of Kakashi's fingers touching his wounds. "Yes, Iruka, I'm objecting! You made me really worried!"
Kakashi shook his head and lifted Genma carefully in his arms.
"I'm taking him to the hospital" he said. "There'll be a lot of nice stitches on you, my thoughtful friend".
Muttering something unintelligible about stitches, Genma tried to kick Kakashi with his uninjured leg.
"Yes, Raido'll be impressed" added Kakashi, smirking evilly.
Genma whined aloud.
Kakashi turned to Iruka to ask him.
"See you in the evening, Iruka?"
Iruka smiled at him and nodded happily. He stood there, stunned, just looking in Kakashi's eye, feeling the warmth and strength and trust and faith and gratitude and relief and…
"I'm bleeding here!" shouted Genma in Kakashi's ear.
Kakashi winked at Iruka and both men disappeared in a puff of a smoke.