Two Scarred Souls Heal Each Other
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. They belong to their respective authors and publishing/media companies.
Warning: Yaoi/Slash. Harry/Ibiki. Please don't read if its not your cup of tea.
Author's Notes: shout out to my beta: Latte2!
A big round of applause to the reader who led the charge of the Vote for Gai Brigade. Iruka won the voting, but your efforts absolutely tickled me! Latte2 called and informed me about your endeavor and all I could do was laugh. So, applause and cheers to you for completely making my day!
Much love to all my readers, reviewers, followers, and favoriters. I apologize for the update glitches for chapter 4 on Sunday, February 10th. Thank you for sticking with me! In dedication to you, this update is early and a Valentine's present to you all!
Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!
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Chapter 5: All Bets Are Off
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Saturday, the Day of the First Date
In the headquarters of the Torture and Interrogation Division, Ibiki sat at his desk in deep contemplation. Against his will, his mind constantly drifted towards his Emerald. In less than six hours, he would embark on his first date in years. Previously, Ibiki only had liaisons with fellow shinobi so an actual romantic date with a civilian (of all people!) was a cause of faint apprehension. However, the most pressing issue at this moment was the way Anko kept looking at him. It was a disturbing mixture of morbid curiosity and unholy greed. She repeatedly looked and stared at him, as if she was expecting him to reveal some deep, dark secret before breaking into a song and dance routine. In short, it was annoying the hell out of him.
"Anko! Don't you have something to do? Some prisoners to torture? Dangos to hunt down and devour? Anything but sitting at your desk and bothering me?" he growled after the umpteenth time she had glanced in his direction.
"Nope! Have something better to focus on." Anko replied back in a sing song tone. After spinning around in her chair a few times, she stopped and fixed a demented gaze on Ibiki.
"Hey Ibiki! Who do you think the jounin is that has a hot date with the new sexy café guy?" she called out, reaching for a dango stick to throw and embed into the ceiling above her desk. Her masterpiece was almost complete!
'What the hell!' thought Ibiki. 'Surely, she's not asking what I think she is asking about.'
"Ninja? A hot date? What are you talking about Anko?" the jounin asked impatiently.
"Its like this, Biki. Kotetsu and Izumo were eating dinner at the new Apothecary Café. You know the tea shop with all the badass dragons on the wall. They make some damn good pastries too, almost as tasty as dango! Anyways, the Hokage and Zune-chan walked in and ordered some food. Apparently, the pissy civilian council has been raising a fuss about foxy boy working at the Café. Those Blacks laid a verbal smack down and declared Naruto was welcomed there and everybody else could go to hell if they didn't like it." She paused to carefully aim another dango stick and threw it onto the ceiling to join the dozens that were already there.
"Now the kicker is, Senju-hime mentioned the guy had a hot date with a jounin. So, we are all trying to find out who the shinobi is! We even have a betting pool going. So any ideals on who it could be? I want to win that pool - dango ain't cheap you know!" she turned sparkly eyes towards him, the thought of mountains of dango dancing through her mind.
Ibiki aimed a deadpan look at his subordinate. Her new look was even creepier than the one before. And why the hell was she drooling!
"Exactly who is we? And why do you want me to help you win a betting pool?" he questioned, pinching his nose in frustration. 'Why can't Konoha shinobi have normal hobbies? And why betting pools of all things to focus on?' he wondered.
"Everybody! Tetsu, Zumo, Nai-chan, Iruka, me, and a whole lot more! Tsunade is running the pool and she is accepting bets for another hour from all shinobi expect for jounins. She said it would be unfair for them to be betting in the pool too because one of them may very well be the mystery man himself. So…even though you can't bet directly, I'll cut you a share of the pool if your guess helps me win!" she crowed ecstatically.
Well, that answered the question of why betting pools had become popular. The Legendary Sucker was flaming the fires of gambling herself.
Ibiki was not pleased with this new development. That betting pool meant the date with Emerald would now be a matter of public scrutiny, which could cause his koneko some distress. He had reserved a private dinner at a discreet restaurant. However, he faced the challenge of getting both of them there without gaining the attention of every shinobi, from genin to ANBU, that were a bunch of gambling idiots. 'Nothing I can't handle though.' he inwardly smirked.
Ibiki took a few moments to mentally review possible routes to the restaurant while he filed his completed paperwork. He was in the process of assembling a confidential report for the Hokage when an unexpected realization struck him like a lightning bolt. He just comprehended the significance of the latter portion of Anko's mad rambling. Hadrian and Hermione just stepped into dangerous territory with their hiring and acceptance of Naruto Uzumaki. Personally, he had nothing against the brat. Hell, he even admired the genin's tenacious spirit which shone throughout the Chunin Exams. Never the less, his Emerald could very well be in danger from the rabid, drunken, prejudice, and stupid population of Konoha. The damn mobs that always formed on October 10th were undisputable proof that some people were incapable of rationality.
Not surprisingly, he had the sudden urge to see Hadrian. The betting pool be damned. He needed to make sure his Emerald was safe and unharmed. Kami help the poor souls who dared to touch what was his!
Anko took her focus off the ceiling where she was admiring her beautiful rendition of Dangos on a Stick, which delightfully looked as if it was about to rain down and skewer her at any moment. She watched as Ibiki snatched up a folder and stalked out the room, briefly giving a curt nod of farewell in her direction.
'Huh. I wonder where he is going to in such a hurry? Its only 1' o clock, so maybe a lunch break? Meh! Now is the perfect time to see if I can create the Leaf's emblem above his desk!' She hurriedly stood up and grabbed more dango sticks to complete her new artistic vision.
Her mad cackles of delight ensured nobody was willing to walk into Ibiki's office and stop her impromptu decorating scheme.
Harry bustled around the kitchen as he got ready to pull the fresh batches of lasagna from the oven. Marinara sauce shimmered merrily on the stove, patiently waiting to be extra sauce for the famed Italian dish or ladled on spaghetti noodles. He made a plethora of crusty Italian and French bread along with a garlic favored butter spread. The tiramisu, cannoli, and ricotta cheesecake were the featured desert and had sold quickly all day. Madame Shijime even placed an order for a specially made tiramisu for her dinner party that night.
All in all, business was booming despite their public proclamation yesterday. There was still a steady flow of patrons who enjoyed the exotic cuisine and teas of the café, more shinobi customers than civilians though. However, there was a drop in the 'elitist' crowd which only made Hermione extremely happy since she didn't have to listen to them drone endlessly about their tea expertise every time they placed an order. Harry was just glad he was stuck in the kitchen due to his cooking duties. He quite disliked having to exercise politeness to pompous windbags.
Harry checked the time and saw it was nearing 1:00 pm. Naruto and his genin team would be coming in for lunch soon. Hermione and Harry wanted to meet the other three members of his squad and offered a free lunch spread as a bribe. The meeting wasn't necessarily for social purposes though. The wizard wanted to observe their social interactions to determine if they posed an emotional risk to his blonde worker. Both siblings were well aware of the damage that betrayal from a close peer or teacher could wrought on an individual. Over the past two days, they had observed the way he was basically starving for affection and knew that as an orphan, his genin team should be the closest thing to a family to him. Obviously, something wasn't right with the situation and Harry was determined to correct it.
The greened eyed chef walked to the kitchen table and examined the lunch that he had set aside for Team Seven. He had prepared several types of lasagna that day and selected a different variety for each individual, catering to their tastes and personalities based upon Naruto's knowledge of his teammates. In addition, there was tomato and fresh mozzarella salad along with the Italian Trio for desert.
He felt the wards pulse and heard the doors chime announcing the entrance of a new customer in the café. Harry knew it was Naruto because he had woven into the wards an alert system to notify the witch and wizard of the genin's presence directly outside or in the café. They did not want Naruto to unexpectedly walk into the café and witness magic or, Merlin forbid, see Dobby popping in as the elf dropped off supplies in the warded storeroom. Through the service window, the brother heard Hermione cheerfully greet the genin and his team while she ushered them to a table in the corner by the kitchen entrance. He watched their dynamics as they seated themselves, before he expertly loaded his serving tray with the lunch spread and entered the dining area.
"Good afternoon. My name is Hadrian Potter – Black and I am very pleased to meet the teammates of my new worker. Thank you for coming to Apothecary Cafe. For lunch, I have prepared a variety of lasagnas for you. Lasagna is a famous dish, traditional made with of layers of pasta, marinara sauce, and filled with a combination of meats, cheeses and vegetables. Marinara is a sauce derived from tomatoes, garlic, onions, and a variety of herbs." stated the wizard as he reached the table.
He saw the group perk up with interest from the delectable aromas and the introduction of their lunch. However, the gleam of anticipation in Sasuke's eyes regarding the new spin of his favorite food, tomatoes, meant the wizard chose the menu correctly. He began to lay the food on the table and described each dish to the intrigued quartet
"For Kakashi sensei, this is seafood lasagna made with shrimp, scallops, and crab meat with a cream sauce instead of marina. For Haruno-san, I have a healthy vegetarian eggplant lasagna with light marina sauce. An extra cheesy ricotta lasagna for you, Naruto-kun with a traditional lasagna of beef, sausages, and extra marinara sauce for Uchiha-san. In addition, there is tomato and fresh mozzarella salad alongside freshly baked bread that can be drizzled with a herb infused olive oil or coated with a garlic and herb butter. Desert will be served later. Please enjoy!" he smiled broadly and retreated to the kitchen to privately eavesdrop on the table. Magic was so useful in situations like this.
Kakashi looked around the café in interest. He had heard of the new restaurant from Kotetsu and Izumo, who practically gushed about the place. It had a relaxing atmosphere and the food certainly smelled delicious. Maybe a good meal will help his little genins relax for a moment and stop all their squabbling.
Sakura stared intently at Sasuke when he reached for his fork to begin eating his lunch. If he liked this new dish, maybe she could ask for the recipe? It would certainly prove to Sasuke that she would be a great wife for him if she cooked such wonderful meals. 'Ha, take that Ino-Pig! Sasuke will surely choose me: beauty, brains, and great cooking skills. There is no way I can lose to her!' she triumphantly shouted inside her mind. 'Maybe I can get a job here too? If they were desperate enough to hire Naruto, surely they'll hire me? Then, I can learn everything I need to know to snare Sasuke's heart!' Squeals filled her thoughts over the dreams of being Mrs. Sasuke Uchiha.
Sasuke took a tentative bit of his lunch. Immediately, the delicious taste of the lasagna exploded on his tongue. It was very, very delicious. 'Hnnn, at least the dobe picked a decent restaurant for lunch. Plus, it's free. Thank Kami, it wasn't Ichiraku's though. The dobe always shouts endlessly to eat there and normal people could only eat so much ramen, unlike that bottomless pit. I do like those paintings of dragons and phoenixes. Wonder where they got them from?' A sudden chill ran up his spine and he casted a suspicious glare in Sakura's direction. 'Why the hell did I get stuck on a team with HER! At the least the dobe only gets sparkly eyes over his precious ramen. Kami help me, if I ever get fanboys too!' he internally ranted.
Naruto ate his lunch enthusiastically, almost vibrating in his chair. He was bursting with pride over showing his teammate his new workplace. At first, they didn't want to come due to thinking it was job at Ichiraku's and they firmly vetoed more ramen. Which was crazy cause ramen was just plain awesome! They didn't believe him when he said it was the new café that everybody was talking about. Sakura-chan even punched him on his head for, in her words, "making up such lies".
'As if I would! That's totally against his nindo. Believe it!' he crowed. 'Now look at them: happily eating lunch at my new job. Awesome!'
At this point, the observing siblings were wondering 'What the hell? No conversations? No talking? Their group dynamics are totally dysfunctional!' They exchanged bewildered glances through the serving window. There was a very stunted silence at the dining table of Team 7. Finally, due to a lack of inspiration or better ideals, he gave a bemused wave at Hedwig, signaling she could go and greet the blonde genin. The owl had been stirring relentlessly on her perch since she spied his blond spikes in the dining area.
With a happy coo, she flew upwards and out of one of the new specially made additions in the restaurant. Harry had commissioned some minor renovations once he realized his beloved pet was going to be regular visitor at the restaurant. New high placed windows graced the back of the kitchen so she could fly in and out of the building. Two right-angle triangle cutouts were placed high on the wall that separated the kitchen from the dining area. Harry figured all the new windows would help vent the space and allow the waffling aromas to attract customers. If the windows made his beloved familiar happy, then it was well worth the cost of expenses.
Diving gracefully, Hedwig executed a perfect landing as she delicately perched on Naruto's shoulders. She leaned in to give a dainty nip to his ear when the peaceful surrounding was destroyed by an ear – shattering cry from a pink haired genin
"Oh Kami! What is that?" was the next vocalized thought form the loud menace as she sprung up and pointed at Hedwig.
Kakashi, Sasuke, and nearly everybody else turned and stared at Sakura in morbid astonishment. Hermione struggled to keep her composure and the muffled snickers from the kitchen was not helping her endeavors.
Naruto looked at Sakura and turned his head to peer curiously at Hedwig who was staring beadily at the female teen. He had no idea that owls could hiss. Indeed the low and hostile hoot that Hedwig uttered had a distinctive hissing quality to it.
"Uhmmm…..This is Hedwig-san, Sakura-chan. She is Hadrian's pet owl and is quite beloved and spoiled by him. You shouldn't be pointing or shouting at her like that. Its very rude, you know." He stated after giving her a searching glance, as if wondering about her mental facilities.
Sakura turned a deep and humiliated red. She just realized that her actions were very overly dramatic and very damning in her precious Sasuke's eye. 'How dare Naruto make me look foolish in front of Sasuke-kun. I'll show him who is the foolish one! Shannaro!' ran through her thoughts.
"Naruto! You're not supposed to have an owl in a café, you dummy!" She emphasized her statement with a fist against the blonde's head.
After the hit was struck, several things happened simultaneously. The first was the unsuspecting arrival of another person who just walked into the café. Secondly, the other males at the table realized things were about to get very ugly. Sasuke and Kakashi discreetly scooted their chairs away from the table. After a split second of contemplation, they both reached out and took their food with them. Hermione sensed her brother's rage churning and moved to detain him from erupting his legendary temper all over Pinkie's unsuspecting head. 'Not that she doesn't deserve it' mused Hermione, 'but its bad for business.'
Harry couldn't believe the audacity of the pink haired banshee. 'How dare she hit Naruto like that? What the hell! Is that normal?' he furiously thought as he ripped off his apron and turned to stalk through the door. Judging from the non-shocked expressions from all three males at the table, apparently it was. 'No matter. That bint is going to learn such behavior is not acceptable here!' he raged.
However, before Harry could launch into a vehement tirade or Hermione could prevent a verbal flaying of a genin, retaliation came swiftly and brutally from an unexpected source.
Loud battle cries of ferocious hooting echoed through the café. It was punctuated with the loud shrill cries of Hedwig's prey. The motherly snowy owl took strong offense to Sakura's actions. Her piercing loud voice and rude pointing was one thing, but to punch her hatchling's fledging in her presence? Intolerable and must be punished immediately!
That displeasure was thoroughly displayed with rapid peeking and whippings from her wings. She grudging restrained her attacks and refrained from using her claws or pecking hard enough to draw blood. The goal was to chastise the brat, not traumatize or maim the child….at least for now. Hopefully, she'll learn her lesson!
After Sakura left screaming from the café, Hedwig flew back and re-took her perch on Naruto's shoulder. This time, she gently nuzzled him as if to check on his injury before preening his hair. Naruto gave a slight jerk before petting her softly with a soft smile on his face, still shocked but extremely happy by her violent defense of him. Nobody had ever defended him like that before.
The brunet siblings proudly watched their interaction as Kakashi and Sasuke eased back to the table and continued with their meal. Both ninjas made a mental note to be leery of the white owl. Sasuke even took a bit of malicious glee in the way Sakura was rebuked. Honestly, she gave him the creeps. The lunch was less hampered by her presence and become more relaxing.
Harry retreated into the kitchen and returned with the new trio's desert along with strips of bacon as a reward for his brilliant familiar. He strolled to the table, and laid his tray down with a bright chirp of "Deserts, anyone?"
His nonchalance of his pet's attack on a customer was frankly surprising and somewhat disturbing to everyone in the café, with the exception of Hermione, Naruto, and one additional observer.
"What?" he questioned, with an innocent look as he lovingly fed bacon to Hedwig. "Does anyone else want to order desert too? I made three new deserts today. You should try them!" He smiled a beaming smile while his eyes warned others to tread lightly. Apparently, Naruto's acceptance by the Potter-Black included the protection of their pets. Once again, the rumor mills would be burning and working overtime.
Soft, husky chuckles drifted through the air and brought everyone's attention to the newcomer in the café. Harry blushed lightly as his emerald eyes meet the approving gaze of Ibiki's black ones. The jounin had no problems with Harry's coldness to the genin girl's plight. In fact, that ruthlessness was downright sexy.
The wizard quickly noticed the lustful gleam in Ibiki's eyes and could feel his body instinctively tighten in response. He smiled coyly at the approaching jounin. "Good afternoon, Morino-san. Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked flirtatiously.
'Heh, looks like koneko is being a teasing minx today.' His dark eyes swept appreciatively over Harry's form clad in a stormy grey with silver accents kimono. He gave a dark smirk and tapped the folder he was carrying against his thigh. The way Harry's eyes darted downwards and darkened before drifting upwards to continue his shameless ogling was arousing too. "Sorry to interrupt your lunch services. However, there are some questions that I need to ask you. Can you spare a moment of your time?" He held up the folder, giving the false impression that he was there for business purposes.
"Oh. Of course, Morino-san. We can continue this conversation privately in our business office. Please follow me so I can lead you there." Harry responded with a sly smile. The wizard had noticed the interest their conversation generated in the cafe's patrons and the way it seemingly dissipated under the misconception that it was an official shinobi meeting. 'Clever, clever Ibiki. Must reward him later for his positively Slytherin skills of misdirection.' he purred inwardly while he turned and directed Ibiki to the second floor.
As she watched them leave, Hermione gave a dainty snort of disbelief. While the civilians may have bought their little charade, the shinobi most certainly did not. The air between those two was positively charged with heat that was noticeable to herself, the remaining Team Seven, and the three other ninjas in the café. 'It was such a fabulous idea to move here. I haven't been this entertained for months!' She gave herself a silent round of applause and a pat of the back for being brilliant.
Her attention was directed outward when she heard the door chime and an excited shout of "Iruka-sensei!". Looking forward, she saw the sheepish entry of one Iruka Umino, who was smiling kindly at a bouncing Naruto who had bee-lined to one of his favorite people and was currently babbling about his delicious lunch and the amazing Hedwig-san. Hermione remembered the way Iruka had treated them kindly at the Hokage's Tower and how he patiently explained things to help them adjust to Konoha. The books he recommended were nicely informative without being dry too.
As she discreetly perused him, Hermione reaffirmed her early opinion that Iruka was a handsome man. His body was nicely toned and his face was very handsome with his scar adding a rakish appeal to him. Plus, his innate kindness was thoroughly visible, as evident by his close relationship with Naruto. Maybe, just maybe, it was time to move beyond the betrayals of the Wizarding World. Hermione refused to be broken or bound to her past. Konoha was supposed to be a new start on life for them. Her brother had already taken his first steps in a new direction and Hermione was determined to go forth too. She wasn't sorted into Gryffindor for no reason.
As Iruka made his way to the counter where Hermione was, a fiery determination ignited in her bruised spirit. 'Carpe diem, Hermione!' she told herself. 'Regardless of success or failure, at least you tried.' The hazel eyed witch gave a bright smile to Iruka who, despite being momentarily taken aback, returned the smile happily.
"Good afternoon, Umino-san. Welcome to Apothecary Café! Please order anything you would like from our menu. Your lunch today is free of charge today. I want to personally thank you for your kindness to my brother and I when we first arrived. The reading recommendations you gave me were truly wonderful. If you don't mind, I would love to sit down and discuss some questions with you?" She gave an appraising look from underneath her eyelashes and watched happily as Iruka blushed and stammered an agreement before he shyly directing his attention to the menu.
Go, go Gryffindor, indeed!
Harry excitedly led Ibiki up the stairs to the second floor that had previously been converted into an office area, a private restroom, and a comfortable break room. He shivered in anticipation, feeling the jounin's heated gaze firmly directed towards his swaying bottom as he climbed up the stairs in front of Ibiki. He could feel the slow stirring of his magic moving in tempo to the pulsation of lust in his veins. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he purposely injected a sensual edge to his walk as he moved towards the private office. Before he could open the door to the room, he felt hands grip his hip and was gently, but swiftly, spun around. His back was pressed against the unopened door as Ibiki stepped forward until their bodies were mere centimeters apart.
Ibiki leaned in and gave a teasing nip to his koneko's left ear. "Sweet minx, do you really think it is wise to tease me so?" he rumbled huskily against Harry's skin, his lips depositing a slow trail of kisses that cumulated into a sharp bite against his throat. "One would think you almost wanted to be ….punished."
Harry felt a little gasp of pleasure escape his lips at Ibiki's sensual bite. With the jounin's dark voice purring into his ear, his hips gave an involuntary jerk, signaling his unspoken demands to the shinobi. Never one to let an opportunity slip through his fingers, Ibiki closed the gap between them and passionately kissed his Emerald while moving one hand downwards to expertly grab one of the wizard's legs and lifted it up to his waist. This freed the jounin to press his body closer and begin to softly undulate against the panting chef.
The kisses were now hot and heavy, as tongues became involved while hands snaked up and down their partner's body. Soft pants and moans were breathlessly uttered by the wizard whenever Ibiki pulled back to give attention to his ears or neck in between passionate kisses. The husky words of appreciation from the warrior just heightened Harry's arousal. Realizing he was on the verge of embarrassing himself by plummeting over the edge, Harry reluctantly pulled back and broke their kiss.
"Talk" he panted, a slight arch in his back as the wizard pushed his bottom into Ibiki's bold hands. "We have to talk, remember?" gasped Harry, as he lowered his face into the jounin's shoulders, arms tightening into an embrace around his neck.
"Ah. So we do" Ibiki turned his head and nuzzled his Emerald's hair before giving a gentle kiss on the soft ebony locks. He straightened up, pulled Harry's legs firmly around his waist, and turned the doorknob to stroll into the office. Looking around the room, he briefly glanced at the two desks that were facing each other from opposite walls and zoomed in on the plush leather couch that was facing the door. Kicking the door shut, Ibiki made sure his hold was secured and stalked over to the couch while carrying his minx in his arms. The ninja stood in front of the couch and turned around before sitting with Harry straddling his hips. The blush that Harry sported when he noticed his new compromising position made him even more attractive to Ibiki.
Harry pushed down his shyness and gave a quick kiss to Ibiki's lips and leaned back. "So…..talk." he impishly demanded with a raised eyebrow.
Ibiki huffed a quiet laugh under his breath and settled into the comfortable couch. He gave a light punishing pinch to Harry's thigh before stating the reason for his impromptu visit. "Did you know there is a betting pool regarding your mysterious date this evening" he blandly questioned. Ibiki expertly hid his nervousness behind an impressive mask. He silently wondered if Harry would still want a relationship with him. Public speculation and scrutiny was a heavy burden to bear.
"What?" exclaimed the wizard. Dismay was quickly clearing the haziness of lust in his vein.
Ibiki heaved a heavy sigh. "Apparently, there is a betting pool run by the Hokage regarding our date tonight. Shinobi, with the exception of jounins, are placing bets as to who the 'mysterious jounin' you are dating is. Its nothing to be alarmed about, just another sign that a lot of ninjas need better hobbies.' he declared as he ran a comforting hand up and down Harry's back. "Its…..well its also a sign that if you date me, you will come under public scrutiny by the shinobi corps, and eventually, the civilians too."
The jounin took a deep breath and continued, trying not to let the way Emerald just tensed in his lap bother him. "I…..Hell, I just want to know if you still want to pursue a relationship with me. Are you okay with still going on a date? Despite the knowledge that people are going to watch and talk about it later?" He stared firmly into green eyes that were regarding him just as intensely.
Harry was momentarily thrown off balance that his barely new love life was already a matter of open gossip. However, he clearly saw the worry and fear that Ibiki tried to hide from him. He suddenly knew that Ibiki was just as apprehensive as he was , but the shinobi was still willing to push forward and brave the masses just for the opportunity to know him better. Him. Not the Boy Who Lived. Not the Wizarding World's Savior. And certainly not the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Just him. Plain ole Harry Potter.
That knowledge caused his muscles to relax as a feeling of happiness and exhilaration swept through his body. He gave a slow but gentle kiss and pulled back to look directly into Ibiki's eyes.
"I don't care. Let them speculate and gossip all they want too. I know how I feel about you. Being with you, here and now, feels wonderful. Unbelievable. And it feels right. So, yes Ibiki Morino. I would love to still go on a date with you. Pursue a relationship with you."
Harry gave another soft kiss. "Public be damned. Besides, if they're mostly just a bunch of retarded idiots who can treat Naruto so shabbily, the hell with them too!" he declared passionately.
Ibiki couldn't restrain his amusement. The feeling of relief that burst through his body needed a way to be released. Plus, the cute pout on his koneko's face was too adorably cute.
After a delightful and arousing 'snog session' (as Harry called it), he departed to return back to his office. They had agreed to meet in front of the Apothecary Café at 7 o'clock to publically declare and flaunt their new relationship to everybody. He was now eagerly anticipating their date, all previous nerves firmly exorcised. He prowled into his office and gave another brief nod to Anko, who had yelled a welcome back greeting to him.
Ibiki settled down into his desk chair and placed the lunch that Harry had quickly packed together for him. He opened his lunch and noticed the way Anko kept looking at his direction. 'Not again' he sighed.
Unlike before, Anko's gaze drifted back and forth at the ceiling and his direction. When Ibiki spotted that key difference, he narrowed his eyes in suspicions. Giving into the inevitable, he looked up at the ceiling above his desk.
The Torture and Interrogation Headquarters suddenly rang with a belligerent roar.
"Anko! What the hell did you do to my ceiling?!"
Posted: 2/13/13 Word Count: Over 5, 600 words.
Thank you for reading my story. Please take a moment and review. Thanks a million!
Author's Notes: Warning – next chapter may or may not contain a smut scene with Harry and Ibiki. Still struggling with the moral dilemma of should Harry put out on the first date. Decisions, decisions.
No, this will not be a Sakura bashing fic. She does need to grow up though and break out of her perpetual fangirl syndrome. Because Sasuke hadn't defected from the village, she remains a foolish and naïve girl. Expect it to be knocked out of her, one way or another.
Hedwig in the cafe: I know that would be a serious health violation in the real world, but it would be fine in Konoha. Its the land of summoning animals. Nobody questions the Inuzuka dogs or Tsunade's pig, so an owl in a cafe wouldn't be unusually.
As a side note, I will try to post another chapter this upcoming Sunday. Please understand that I do work full time as a teacher, and this chapter was fortunately written during a three day Mardi-Gras holiday break. So if I don't manage it, the next chapter will be up by 02/24/13.
Please look forward to it!