Disclaimer: I don't own.
A/N: I hadn't originally planned on continuing this but it happened.
When Iruka woke the next morning the bed next to him was empty and stretching out his senses he could find no trace of Kakashi's chakra. Moving slowly he sat up and got out of the bed, ignoring the slight twinge of pain from his chest.
Feeling vulnerable as he never had before in his home he quickly dressed in sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt in complete disregard of the unusually hot morning. With trembling fingers he picked up a kunai, pointedly not looking at the faint rust colored flecks on the blade. Avoiding the squeaky board outside the door to his room he made his way to the living room, dark eyes scanning the corners. Just because he couldn't feel the other man didn't mean a thing. He was the Sharingan Kakashi after all.
After checking every corner of the house including under the sink he realized he was truly alone. The kunai dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers and he moved towards the bathroom stripping as he went. Passing the mirror he caught sight of the marks on his chest. Feeling nauseous but morbidly fascinated at the same time he turned to fully face the glass.
The six lines were completely healed though they retained the look of new scars. He couldn't turn away from the sight, eyes riveted on his reflection. They were a mark of shame now. He could have tried harder to fight Kakashi. Yes the older man was a Jounin and had been part of ANBU but he could have made Jounin too. He'd simply preferred teaching at the Academy, to mold the younglings into honest intelligent ninja.
He would have to wear Kakashi's mark until his death. Going to Tsunade was not an option. He would be forced to reveal what had happened. There was only one ninja with the initials KH in Konoha that could have gotten the drop on him.
"Don't look so unhappy Iruka. Someone as beautiful as you should never be anything but happy." Kakashi appeared behind him in a swirl of smoke one arm sliding around his waist, the dark fabric rough against his stomach. The Jounin's other hand came up to cup his chin, thumb brushing over his lower lip. "Seeing you always makes me feel better Iruka. My life before you was so sad."
The younger man couldn't stop the shudder that ran through his body when Kakashi nuzzled his neck, the fabric of the mask like satin against his skin.
Kakashi's hand drifted downwards until coming to a rest over his initials. His voice was so low when he spoke that Iruka could barely hear him. "I had to mark you. I couldn't risk losing you." Silence pervaded the air around them and Kakashi's fingers started tracing the scars in slow motion, paying no mind to the way Iruka shivered in his arms. "I'm so lonely." He collapsed against the younger man, holding him close even as he pushed him into the sink.
'I'm so lonely.' The words echoed in Iruka's mind. He knew how Kakashi felt. Other then Naruto's occasional visits he was alone. For a ninja like Kakashi the solitude must have been devastating. Without thinking he caught the silver haired man's hand with his own. It couldn't hurt to give the Jounin a chance. After all, he understood the man's pain.
"Don't worry Hatake-san. I'll be here."