A/N: I'm glad that everyone liked chapter one so much. Chapter two is another one I've had planned since the beginning. I hope it works out well.

If you haven't read 'Pieces' and all the shorts in its arc, you're going to be confused by some of the references here.

If you want to read them, the correct order is:

All the Broken Pieces
1:47 in the Morning
Holding Fast
Snow Day
Strength
Can, Can't, and Won't
Falling Like Stars

Falling Like Stars
By: Reggie

Chapter 2

Iruka opened the door to the apartment he shared with Kakashi, dropping his now much heavier bag by the door and kicking off his shoes. He only had a little while to prepare dinner. Having a nice sit down dinner once a month was something they always did, if they could manage it between missions. This one had been planned for weeks, and it was the perfect opportunity for Iruka to set his skeleton of a plan into motion.

He reached into the side pocket of his pack and removed a little vial of white powder. It was tranquilizer that had been developed to give to ANBU after particularly difficult missions. It was odorless, tasteless, dissolved completely in water, and could not be detected by any conventional means. Best of all, it would knock a shinobi out cold for forty-eight hours in a deep, dreamless sleep. Tsunade had said she could only give him a head start as long as no one reported him missing. It was Friday, and if Kakashi wasn't awake to notice Iruka was gone, it would give him until at least Monday. Any advantage Iruka would have on those chasing him, he was going to take.

It would be so much easier to say good-bye this way.

He put the little vial in his pocket, and pulled out the scroll Tsunade had given him. Iruka's hand drifted down towards his stomach, clenching in his vest over the seal Kakashi had put there that sealed them together closer than two people should be. As long as that seal was in place, Kakashi would know Iruka was alive and Iruka's plan hinged on the idea that he could fake his death.

The ANBU would stop hunting him, and those he loved would think him only a coward—but no traitor. True, it meant he could never come back, but the chances of him surviving were nonexistent anyway, so what did that matter?

The scroll would help him first block the seal, separating their chakra systems once again, and then breaking it. This would probably be done the easiest if Kakashi was unconscious for the process, so he put the scroll on the bookshelf, where it would go unnoticed for now, before moving to the kitchen.

Dinner would have to be simple; he didn't have enough time or skill for anything else. It didn't matter, Kakashi was always glad of it. He claimed he was always happy whenever he could return to the apartment they shared after a day of training with his brats and Sai, who did not count.

Iruka looked through their refrigerator—it had been a while since either of them had the time to go shopping—to see what he knew how to make with what they had. It came down to oyako donburi, the simple chicken, vegetable, and egg dish. Iruka smiled, a little sadly, as he began assembling ingredients on the counter. It seemed fitting that his last meal in Konoha was the same one his mother had made the night of the kyuubi attack.

He had just finished simmering the vegetables and was about to add the egg when Kakashi came in the door. His lover grinned, pulling down his mask while also removing his shoes. "I'm home."

Iruka looked over his shoulder, trying to keep his voice and hands steady. He had to act normal, while still trying to treasure every instant of this last time together. The chuunin swallowed thickly, trying to force the thought to the back of his mind. "Welcome back."

Kakashi moved through the apartment swiftly, coming in to the small kitchen to wrap his arms around Iruka's waist and peer over his lover's shoulder. "Looks good."

"I hope it is." Iruka didn't turn to look at him, sure that if he looked Kakashi in the eye that he would be unable to keep his composure. Shinobi spent years learning how to resist interrogation techniques from the enemy. No one taught you how to resist the person you loved best.

The Jounin kissed his lover's temple, never once removing his arms. "You seem distracted."

The lie came so easily it ached. "I had my yearly psych evaluation with Tsunade today."

Kakashi simply nodded. All shinobi were required to have yearly evaluations, although not all of them from Tsunade. Both he and Kakashi were some of the few with pasts awful enough that Tsunade felt it important to keep up with them personally, and it was always a taxing experience.

"I can finish up, if you'd like."

"No, it's alright. I'm enjoying it, and it's almost finished. Why don't you go set the table?"

There was no argument from the Copy-nin, and Iruka felt ready to throw up because of it. Kakashi trusted him so much, loved him this much. And there was nothing Iruka could do to spare him pain that would not go against Tsunade's direct orders, or endanger the village they both loved and had sworn to protect.

Iruka ruefully wondered what Kakashi's life philosophy of protecting his comrades over the success of a mission would say about this situation. No one that was left behind was going to die from this effort, but what of the emotional pain that was sure to follow?

His hand was trembling so badly as he dumped the tranquilizer into Kakashi's drink that he nearly spilled both all over the counter and it was only through mustering up all his courage that Iruka managed to succeed in his task. He had lost a little of the powder, but it should not be enough to change the effect.

"Naruto is being stubborn, as usual," Kakashi called from the table. He sounded both irritated and fondly amused. "He seems to have gotten it in his head that if the Akatsuki come for him, he's going to have to stop them single handedly. The worst part is, he almost would be able to do it."

Iruka chuckled, but even to him it sounded sad. He wished he could be there, to prove to Naruto that he didn't have to do such things alone. If things had been different, maybe he could have.

Kakashi was at his side instantly. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem like you're not all here."

It was impossible for Iruka not to look up as gloved hands slid over his own. His eyes latched on to Kakashi's own. This all started with looking in his eyes. Iruka swallowed hard against the feeling of longing and the nausea that accompanied it. He couldn't stop his hands from trembling, and it was a good thing Kakashi was there to catch the glasses before they fell. Iruka looked down, half-choking on a sob.

Kakashi set the glasses down before pulling the Chuunin into a tight hug. "You're not alright."

"No," and he wasn't going to be, because he knew what lay ahead, and Kakashi didn't, and that thought alone was tearing him to pieces.

"Go sit down. I'll finish up here." Kakashi nuzzled the top of Iruka's head—didn't he know that he was slowly killing him?—before releasing the smaller man to do as instructed. "It's only a matter of adding egg anyway."

Iruka grabbed the glasses, not sure how he maintained the hold when he knew one of them was meant to help separate them forever, and put them both down in their places. The red cup containing the tranquilizer was almost screaming that he was a traitor, and if he'd felt braver he might have dumped it out and forgotten the whole idea.

But he wasn't brave. He was terrified of everything that was coming. Orochimaru had been terrifying enough when he was a child, but now that he was an adult? What might he be ordered to do? Who would he have to kill, maim, destroy, or…

Iruka dry-heaved a little, but managed to turn it into a cough.

It didn't take more than a few minutes for Kakashi to finish up, and he placed the well ordered dish on the table with a look of concern in Iruka's direction. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I can't. It's confidential." He wanted to make Kakashi understand that everything he was doing was not his choice. Hint to him that no matter what happened it was going to be okay, Kakashi was going to be okay.

Whatever hell Iruka had to enter, he knew that thought that Kakashi was okay, and safe, and here in Konoha would keep him going. Because Kakashi's being okay depended on him doing so.

The Jounin made a vague noise of understanding, but said nothing else as he slipped on hand under Iruka's that had previously been resting on the Chuunin's lap. They ate in silence, but Iruka carefully monitored each sip. He knew how much water Kakashi regularly drank and meals, and had been careful to give him just a little less than usual to ensure he drank it all. He felt disgusting, like an assassin, watching each swallow so closely.

Kakashi caught him as he was finishing the last gulp, and couldn't help twisting his naked mouth into a grin. "See something you like, sensei?"

It was perhaps a little impulsive, but as Iruka seized the sides of Kakashi's vest and pulled him forward for a mouth-bruising kiss, Iruka found he did not care. He did not care that he'd promised himself that he would leave without so much as a hint, because anything he said might only hurt Kakashi more. He needed this. He needed to have the taste of his lover burnt onto his mouth, and the feel of Kakashi's arms around him to keep him safe. He needed this memory more than ever.

Iruka pulled away, Kakashi still a little too stunned from the sudden attack to respond. Iruka wondered if it didn't feel familiar, like their first kiss. His first kiss good-bye to the Jounin. Iruka had been sure then, as he was now, that he was going to die, and it was so blissfully ironic that not kissing Kakashi had once again been something he knew he would regret. "I love you, Kakashi. You know that, right? No matter what happens, I love you."

"I love you too," the Jounin said, sounding still a little lost, but not lost enough not to sneak two hands up Iruka's shirt and lean in closer. "It's not even a question for me. You really can't tell me what's bothering you so much?"

Iruka shook his head, eyes sliding half closed at the longed for touch. Kakashi would be falling asleep soon, and if he was going to be there for two days he should at least be somewhere comfortable. Iruka stood and started leading the Copy-ninja by the wrists to their bed. He followed like an eager puppy. "If I could, I would."

He leaned forward and seized Kakashi's mouth again, pulling him forward and both of them backwards. Kakashi landed sprawled on top of him, hands on either side to keep him from crushing the Chuunin entirely. Only after a moment of lying there did he pull away. "Can I help you anyway?"

"You are." Iruka couldn't stop the sad smile, or the gentle caressing of his lover's face. He kept staring, trying to tattoo that caring smile onto his brain. This is what it was all for. This is what made it worth it. He rolled them over gently until he was straddling the Jounin's hips, before Iruka leaned down and kissed ever inch of that face, memorizing it with his mouth. Kakashi didn't struggle, content to let Iruka take the lead. Iruka doubted Kakashi even noticed when he began to fall asleep, but the Chuunin was sure the feeling of Iruka's lips on Kakashi's was the last thing the Copy-nin felt before he drifted off completely.

Once he was sure Kakashi was sleep, Iruka reached up to untie the forehead protector over the sharingan. He bit his bottom lip, but that did not stop the slow tears at all so he gave up. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. I wish you could understand. But please, whatever they try and make you believe about me…don't. Remember me, remember us, as we have been, and don't let them take that from you."

It was odd how Iruka's tears landing on his face made Kakashi seem to be crying too, and the Chuunin choked back a sobbing laugh. The forehead protector was laid aside on the bedside table while Iruka stood to prepare.

It would probably be best if he appeared as strong as he actually was to Orochimaru. Pretending he was only a Chuunin with Chuunin level abilities would make him appear useless. Claiming to be ANBU level without a tattoo or any proof would lead to testing Iruka did not have the courage to face.

Kakashi kept his ANBU armor in a box in the top of the closet. Iruka pretended not to know what it was, usually, even though it wasn't really a secret. Now he stood up and pulled the box down. Hopefully, a few days on his body and running through the forest would remove Kakashi's sent from the clothing. There was little Iruka could do about the tattoo, he didn't know the jutsu to create it and didn't have the equipment to make one, but maybe something would come to him later.

Iruka then moved to grab one of his forehead protectors to leave behind when he faked his death, for the ANBU to take back to Tsunade. His fingers fell on one wrapped in black cloth, that had Kakashi's smell on it no matter how many times Iruka had worn it. It was the one Kakashi's father had given him that the Jounin had in turn given to Iruka.

It was meant as a reminder that he could be strong.

Iruka pulled the cloth up to his mouth, breathing in the scent. This would be the most convincing piece of evidence for Kakashi, as Iruka wore it nearly everywhere, but he couldn't stand the thought of leaving it behind. The armor he was taking to convince Orochimaru and it would probably be swiftly disposed of. The thought of not having anything tangible to hold close to remind him of Kakashi when everything was just too much cracked the Chuunin's resolve. He put that forehead protector with armor, to keep hidden and safe as his reminder of home.

Another forehead protector was selected to be the one brought back, and all of these things were sealed inside a scroll to make the easier for him to carry. The despised card, with the ornate summoning seal, that would lead him to Orochimaru was removed from its hiding place in a hidden panel in one of Iruka's little used books and sealed away as well.

All that was left was to break the seal between himself and Kakashi, but Iruka swiftly found his resolve on that draining too. He was going to need any strength Kakashi could give him if he was going to survive long enough to get to Sasuke. But the potential damage to Kakashi once Iruka died was also great.

Frowning at the scroll, Iruka made a decision and swiftly acted upon it. He blocked the seal, but it could be broken if he needed it to be, before storing the scroll also. Iruka had always been abnormally good at reading his sensei's moods, and if things started looking like they were heading south, he would break the seal then.

Picking up the sealing scroll from the floor, Iruka put it into his vest before walking over and giving Kakashi one last farewell kiss. "Say good-bye to Naruto for me, and try to help him understand, if you can."

With nothing left to pack, and nothing else that could be said to his sleeping lover, Iruka opened the window and disappeared into the night.