Chapter Two
Unable to do much else, Iruka laid still as he focused his attention on the other presence he could sense in the room. For once, he couldn't feel the ANBU member's eyes on him, but there was something that told the brunet that he was still around. It took him a few moments to realize that, though obviously well-cloaked, it was the man's chakra that informed Iruka he was nearby. It was a tiny flare of energy that warmed the air in the room ever so slightly. It was so faint that Iruka doubted a person would even be able to notice unless they were concentrating as closely as he was.
"I thought I told you I didn't need a babysitter," Iruka commented. Though unable to hear his words, he had the feeling they would sound cold to anyone's ears. The first shock of losing his sight and hearing had worn off, but the brunet couldn't decide what was worse – that fear from yesterday or the numbing emptiness that he now felt.
That warm energy flickered, telling Iruka that the ANBU member had heard him and responded in some way. He doubted the man had spoken, so Iruka was left with trying to figure out what the elite shinobi could have done. Had he been surprised to cause such a waver in his energy? Or had he moved in some way?
Feeling eyes on him, Iruka realized that the ANBU member must have turned to look at him. Now knowing what caused the brief change in his almost undetectable energy, Iruka turned his head towards the origin of that chakra.
"You must have something better to do than hang around the hospital," he added as he concentrated even more on his guard's energy. After a few moments, he felt another burst of energy disperse throughout the room. Something else changed in the air around him. It was faint – even more so than the ANBU member's chakra – but Iruka was just barely able to pick it up. It was a weak scent of mint. It took Iruka quite a while to guess that the man had sighed.
Slowly, that energy approached him. Had it not been for his hearing loss once before, Iruka would have been unnerved by the lack of sound as the ANBU member approached him and sat down on the edge of the bed. As the mattress dipped down, Iruka sat up, his body in far less pain than it had been yesterday. Almost unconsciously, he stretched his hand out until he came in contact with the man's long fingers.
You sound better this morning, Iruka-sensei. I take it you slept well?
Iruka furrowed his eyebrows, biting back the snappish retort he wanted to say. He was not going to demand that the ANBU member have intercourse with himself – he would not give the man the satisfaction of riling him up. And the brunet had the feeling the ANBU member would be satisfied with an angry response. Instead, he settled for a forced smile that he was certain would throw the man off.
"Wonderfully. And I'm sure you had a great time watching me sleep all night long," Iruka replied calmly, nearly snickering when he felt the ANBU member's fingers jerk back in surprise. He hadn't been sure that that was what the man had done all night, but that quick response told him his guess was right. All he had been certain of was that the man had been there every single time he had woken up throughout his restless night.
If nothing else, the sarcasm he now felt would help fill the void left from yesterday.
After a few moments, the man's fingers returned to his palm, though they made no characters immediately. It was as though he wasn't sure what to tell Iruka. Having never thought shinobi to be hesitant – especially not ANBU – the brunet was interested.
It's not healthy to bottle up your emotions and pretend that you are fine, Iruka-sensei.
If he could have done so without agonizing pain, Iruka would have rolled his eyes at the man's comment. It was almost identical to what he had told Naruto a number of times, but the thought that someone else was trying to give him that same advice rubbed the teacher the wrong way. Growling softly – or at least what Iruka hoped was quietly, though for all he knew, he was loud enough for the entire hospital to hear – the chuunin turned his head to the side, away from the direction his guard was sitting in.
When Naruto pretended to be that constantly happy child, Iruka had done everything he could to get the blonde to open up, to show some of that pain that he had tried to hide away so that it wouldn't one day overwhelm him. It was a defense mechanism all shinobi seemed to share – and a very unhealthy one at that – but Iruka didn't care that the ANBU member was right. He would rather not feel anything than cope with the pain and fear that would most certainly engulf him if he let them. No, a calm and confident façade was much easier to manage.
"Is there any way I can get rid of you?" Iruka asked, hoping to change the subject away from his emotional state. He wasn't sure, but he had the feeling his voice had sounded weary. Not even a full day around the ANBU member and he was already exhausted by his presence.
There's nothing you can do. I'll leave when we catch your attacker. Until then, you have to deal with me.
Iruka couldn't wait for the day his hearing returned. If the man's voice was just as bouncy and mocking as his characters made him seem, the brunet felt like it would entirely be within his rights to strangle the optimistic bastard. After the ANBU member, Tsunade would be next for assigning such a person to Iruka.
"Pain in my ass," Iruka grumbled under his breath. In response, another, stronger wave of mint assaulted his nose and the brunet wished his eyes were uncovered so he could properly glare at the ANBU member – blind or not. The man was laughing at him, he knew it!
I'm not that bad, Iruka-sensei. And I won't be a pain in your ass unless you ask me really nicely.
The suggestiveness of that comment made Iruka's cheeks color despite the chuunin's best attempts to keep his expression angry. The blush certainly took away from his pitiful efforts to frighten the ANBU member away with his fearful glare and grimace combination that sent most students into tears. Not only bubbly, his bodyguard was also a pervert! Tsunade better have a good reason for assigning such a person to him.
"If you are going to unnecessarily follow me around, what am I supposed to call you? 'Asshole' doesn't seem like a good option if we're out in public," Iruka commented, turning his head back to face the elite shinobi.
Inu.
It was a quick response, as though the man was nervous. Iruka furrowed his eyebrows, wondering when he had become so quick to judge peoples' moods just by a brief movement. Then again, he had years of reading mission reports, so he had grown accustomed to reading 'underneath the underneath' when it came to the unstated implications in a written report. It didn't take much to adapt his unique ability to this situation.
"I take it you wear a dog mask?" Iruka asked. Despite himself and his hatred of the ANBU member, he found he was somewhat curious about the man. Inu. With that kind of name, the man might be a member of the Inuzuka clan, but Iruka doubted it. No Inuzuka would be without their dog for long and he had certainly not gotten the feeling a canine was in his hospital room. Who else, then, would be named after that animal?
Hai.
Iruka also had the feeling the man before him was not an Inuzuka because the only remaining male member of the clan was Kiba. Even with such a dangerous mission, the trickster would have told him exactly who he was. It would have been a relief to know that someone he cared for and deeply respected was the person protecting him. And, as close as he and the brunet had become over the years since Kiba graduated from the academy, Kiba would certainly not make a perverted joke like the ANBU member had done. It would be far too awkward of a situation for both of them had such a statement come from Kiba.
"Inu… is there a reason for your name?" Iruka finally let his curiosity get the better of him as he shifted in his bed, focusing all of his attention on the man mere inches away. He felt several consecutive puffs of air hit his face, all smelling and tasting of the mint he was starting to associate with the shinobi. The bastard was laughing again!
I have very good senses. Some say even better than an Inuzuka.
Iruka shook his head, not believing it. Kiba could pick up the smallest of things – whether it be what Iruka had for dinner the night before or which jogging route the teacher had taken that morning just by the smell of him. It was slightly unnerving at first, but in time, Iruka got used to his student's impeccable sense of smell. Kiba's hearing and sight were also abnormally sensitive. It was to the point the brunet had been distracted by things occurring several blocks away from the academy.
You don't believe me?
"I taught an Inuzuka. He was able to tell me when the Sandaime was having a meeting several streets over," Iruka replied truthfully. The idea that the man in front of him could possibly have senses equaling those of an Inuzuka was insanity.
In my case, it takes a great deal of concentration. You have a knack for it – without sight or hearing, you can pick up on things you would have otherwise not noticed at all.
Iruka didn't say anything, momentarily amazed at how Inu had known he was able to tell when the ANBU member was laughing or sighing, when his eyes were on him. Even little things like shifting his weight on his feet – they were things that Iruka could pick up, but it took the teacher a few moments to discern what the changes he sensed meant.
You pouted when I was chuckling before, so you obviously knew what I was doing.
That explained how the man had known that Iruka was paying an inordinate amount of attention to little things that gave him some idea about what was going on around him. "You smell like mint," Iruka stated quietly. He didn't know why, but his face warmed at that admission. For some strange reason, he felt embarrassed for noticing such a thing.
And you smell like medicine.
"You have such a way with words," Iruka responded quickly, feeling the barest of smirks come to his face. Their banter was strangely comforting; it kept away that numbness and made Iruka feel less like the useless and lost person he was. Inu made no mention of his handicaps, but treated him just like he was anyone else.
I haven't gotten started yet, Iruka-sensei. I haven't told you about your hair-
Abruptly, Inu's hands were gone, leaving Iruka's fingers strangely cold and, if the teacher had to be truthful, lonely. In the same moment as that strong, yet gentle grip left him, the weight disappeared from his bed. Shifting his attention away from his tingling palm, the brunet felt a change in the room. That flicker of energy he could sense before was now radiating everywhere. Momentarily shocked by the sheer amount of chakra, it took Iruka quite some time to notice that that small amount of energy was still there, originating next to his bed. Another few seconds of studying the differences between the immense chakra and that little flame told him that they were different chakras. Someone else – a very powerful someone – must have entered the room.
Iruka turned his head in the direction he assumed the door was in. It wasn't long after that he felt a different touch on his hand. This time, the fingers were most certainly feminine, but they were far stronger than Inu's had been.
"Hokage-sama," Iruka greeted, assuming the woman now sitting down on the edge of his bed was none other than his lazy boss. A deep breath made him realize he had to be right – the air around him was thick with the smell and taste of sake.
How are you, Iruka?
"Other than reeking of medicine, as my babysitter has informed me? Fine," Iruka replied as he turned his head back to face the place he could sense Inu standing in. Another wave of mint assailed his nose and Iruka found himself smiling, sure that his bodyguard had not been expecting him to tell the Hokage about their conversation if his chuckling was any indication.
Apparently you're feeling much better.
Ignoring the tightening in his stomach, Iruka kept his smile in place. He didn't want to ask Tsunade how he could possibly feel better when he was blind, deaf, and saddled with an annoying, but strangely comforting ANBU member to watch over him. He had the feeling that such a comment would only end in him yelling. It was better for all of them if he just ignored that momentary sensation of anger.
I just came by to check up on you and to see how you and your bodyguard were getting along. It looks like you two were having fun before.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Iruka didn't speak. How could it be considered fun when two of his five senses were missing, leaving him stuck in bed where he had to deal with the aggravating presence of Inu? He did not enjoy having to focus all of his attention on his hand so that he could understand what someone was trying to say to him. He hated no longer being able to hold a normal conversation with someone because he couldn't hear them, nor could he read their lips like he had last time he had lost his hearing. He couldn't stand having to guess what was going on around him or who was nearby, watching him with that pity he could sense coming from the Hokage now.
That overwhelming sense of sympathy was what did it for him. He was fine with Inu's harmless mocking and the ANBU member's presence. To a degree, he could even stand Tsunade being in the same room as him, though her uncloaked chakra was starting to hurt his head. But the thought of her pitying him made his anger boil out of control, no longer containable in the same place he had hidden the rest of his emotions.
"Get out!" Iruka demanded. He wasn't sure if he had whispered it or screamed it at the top of lungs – and he didn't care in either case. At that moment, all he wanted was Tsunade and her compassion gone. Ripping his hands out of the woman's grasp, he tightened them into fists and repeated himself, this time certain that he was loud enough for the whole city to hear.
Suddenly, the Hokage's presence was gone, as was Inu's. Left alone in the room, Iruka bowed his head, wondering where that warm, comforting presence of his guard had gone. He had only meant for Tsunade to leave. Inu didn't pity him – he treated him like a normal person – and because of that, Iruka could stand having him around.
XXX
"What the hell was that?" Tsunade demanded, wrenching her arm out of Kakashi's bruising grasp. She had never before seen the jounin move so quickly, so she had no chance to defend herself as he had dragged her out of the room and down the hallway, only slowing to a stop on the other end of the hospital floor. Though Iruka couldn't hear them, Kakashi had moved them out of hearing range – whether intentionally or not. "I didn't say anything to him about his injuries." Though she had desperately wanted to apologize for putting him in such a dangerous situation, she knew better than that. She didn't want to remind Iruka about his handicaps while he was still growing accustomed to them. She could not, however, help but feel sorry for the teacher.
"He isn't an idiot – he can still sense emotion. Do not treat him differently just because he cannot see or hear you," Kakashi replied quietly, though his tone was far deeper than Tsunade had ever heard before. She stared at him, her annoyance swelling when she caught a glimpse of his shadowed eyes through his mask. He was furious at her!
"And what were you doing? Writing on his hand isn't treating him differently?" Tsunade retorted, glaring at the jounin. She would not admit to him that Iruka's outburst had surprised her – perhaps even scared her. In all the years she had known the academy teacher, she had never seen him blow up like that.
"I was adapting to his situation. Not talking to him at all would have been far worse," Kakashi responded as his arm lowered to his side, his fist clenching and loosening rhythmically for a few seconds as the silver-haired man took deep breaths to calm himself back down. "Your pity was what set him off."
"Pity? Of course I pity him! He has lost everything!" Tsunade pointed out as she eyed the jounin. That little bit of calmness that had returned was quickly lost as Kakashi's entire body tightened until he nearly trembled. It was only then, as she stared at the jounin bowing his masked head, the muscles in his arm shivering from strain as he fought the urge to lash out at her, that she started to understand.
Before her stood a partially blind man who had become arguably the greatest shinobi of his generation. Most of his feats were accomplished after losing function of one eye, but he had never once let his handicap hold him back. He refused to let anyone feel sorry for him. He would rather live a lie than have to deal with others' pity. Kakashi was no longer thinking about just Iruka – this was about him as well.
Tsunade had the feeling that if she ever attempted to treat the proud jounin differently because of his handicap, he might just lose that steely control over himself and snap at her.
"I'm sorry," Tsunade whispered softly, not sure how exactly she should treat Kakashi and Iruka. Their cases were similar, but she couldn't think of ever feeling any pity for the jounin before her. She had never known Kakashi before he lost half his sight, so perhaps that was what made the difference between the two men. Iruka was someone she had known for so long, she knew exactly how his handicaps would affect him. That thought – that his entire life now had to be turned upside down because of his injury – hurt her. She could not help but feel sorry for him.
Kakashi did not verbally respond to her apology, but his body relaxed slightly and his fists loosened as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. After several seconds of silence, the jounin turned away from her, his gaze focused on the floor.
"I want Iruka out of the hospital," Kakashi finally said. At that, he looked up at the Hokage, his shadowed eyes daring her to argue with him. The idea of moving someone whose life was threatened was dangerous enough – to do so with someone who could no longer defend himself was insanity. Tsunade, however, kept those thoughts to herself as she waited for Kakashi to explain himself. "The sooner he gets back to a normal life, the better. It will be some time before he will be comfortable with teaching again. He first has to relearn how to do everything without his eyes."
"Everything?" Tsunade repeated, raising an eyebrow at the jounin's statement. She wanted to agree with him, but she had no idea how Iruka could possibly relearn so many things that had been dependant on his sight. Most of all, she feared for the teacher's safety; another side of her worried about his mental stability. Would Iruka be able to cope with stumbling everywhere, needing to ask for help with once simple chores, and other problems he would encounter? She did not even want to consider what kind of danger Iruka would be in if the stubborn jounin took it into his head to train Iruka to fight without his most important sense.
"You would be surprised how little you need your vision." Kakashi's words were so soft that Tsunade almost didn't catch them. However, she heard him and smiled sadly as she remembered all the things Kakashi had accomplished by teaching himself how to live with his own loss of vision. He had somehow been able to do it alone – his presence around Iruka could only help the teacher.
"I hope you know what you are doing," Tsunade replied. Without another word, Kakashi made his way back to Iruka's room. As he walked, she followed him with her eyes and found herself for the first time noticing little things about his movements. Though his gait was slow, it could not be called lazy. Only with the trained eye of a medic could she see that his balance shifted differently than a normal person's, putting all of his weight to one side as he stepped with the opposite foot. It took only a few seconds for Tsunade to realize that he must do it so that, if by chance he ever did misstep, he would not stumble. Maneuvering around objects and people, he gave both a wide berth – just in case he misjudged the distance separating them. They were small things that anyone unaware of his condition would never even notice, but now watching him, Tsunade wondered what it had been like for Kakashi those first few years after losing sight in one eye.
To hide everything that might reveal his condition to others – to learn to walk so that he would not constantly trip or bump into things, to fight with a massive blind spot – it all seemed impossible to do, but as she watched Kakashi walk into the chuunin's room, she had the feeling it was far harder than she could even begin to imagine.
Perhaps it was because she caught a glimpse of the jounin's left shoulder ramming into the frame of the door as he turned to enter the room. It happened so quickly, no one else walking down the hallway noticed it, and it was only because she was closely watching him that Tsunade had seen his moment of clumsiness at all. It might have also been how Kakashi ignored it as though nothing happened, refusing to draw attention to himself even though, with the force that his shoulder had hit into the doorframe, it must have hurt him. Either way, those lessons were obviously things that would take a lifetime to master.
XXX
Iruka had to fight the urge to smile when he sensed Inu – or more specifically, that small little flame of energy that he had quickly come to associate with the man – enter the room. Though the shinobi was optimistic, bubbly, perverse, and otherwise everything that grated on Iruka's nerves, the man's presence was something the brunet was thankful for.
"What was that about?" Iruka asked softly as he shifted on the bed in order to give the man room to sit down. Almost as soon as he spoke, Iruka could feel those strong fingers grip his wrist and turn his hand so that his palm was up.
I'm sorry, Iruka-sensei.
"You didn't do anything you need to apologize for," Iruka replied slowly. He was not going to mention how his momentary burst of unchecked anger was because of Tsunade and her pity for him. Inu was kind and understanding, but how could anyone sympathize with him? How could an ANBU bodyguard know what it was like to be helpless, powerless, and, worst of all, have to live with everyone's pity because of it? To constantly be reminded that he was not whole anymore, that he was in some way flawed and broken?
You are being discharged from the hospital today.
For a moment, Iruka could not think of anything intelligent to say. Only a few days ago, he had nearly been blown to pieces and, in those past several days, he had his entire life torn apart. No one dared to speak to him about it – not Inu and obviously not Tsunade. The doctors and nurses that came in intermittently did not speak to him at all. No one told him that he had lost his shinobi status. They didn't want to tell him that, for the first time since he was five years old, he was a defenseless civilian.
"And what am I going to do outside the hospital?" Iruka wasn't sure how his voice sounded to Inu's ears, but he hoped that it held every bit of acid that he felt as he tore his hand away from the ANBU. He wanted the man to feel the same stinging pain that Iruka did his best to ignore, but it always came back to him whenever he was left alone to drown in his own thoughts.
No longer concentrating on the ANBU sitting next to him, Iruka turned his head to the side as he bit down on the insides of his cheeks to keep another outburst from erupting from his mouth. Feeling those long fingers slowly snake around his wrist, Iruka jerked backwards in a mixture of surprise and anger. Even without his sight and hearing, he had been able to tell when Inu was getting ready to talk to him – but now, with his attention focused entirely on his blossoming anger, he knew nothing about what was going on around him. It was just another stab to his heart.
"Why can't you leave me alone!" he snarled as he turned his head back in the bodyguard's direction. "I can't go back to the academy, I can't work at the Missions Office or as Tsunade's secretary, so what else could I possibly do outside the hospital? I will be sitting around my apartment, unable to do anything! I don't need an ANBU bodyguard to do that!" Raking his fingers through his hair, Iruka bowed his head and quietly admitted the only thing he was sure of anymore.
"I wish my attacker had succeeded."
This was not life – having to depend on someone else for everything, unable to fend for himself. Without his shinobi status, his life meant nothing. It wasn't worth living if he couldn't do what he loved. Iruka wasn't sure when he started crying, but slowly became aware of the fact that he was sobbing. His throat hurt, his eyes burned and his lips had the salty taste of tears covering them. After several gasps for air, Iruka began breathing deeply in hopes of calming himself back down. Any chance of that quickly disappeared when he felt something against his left cheek.
A single finger brushed at the wet line of tears that escaped from underneath his bandages and trekked down his less marred cheek. Weakened from his outburst, Iruka didn't have the strength to pull away. Instead, he leaned into the tender touch, recognizing the callus-hardened digit as that of his stubborn bodyguard. After several moments of that gentle pressure against his cheek, Iruka tried to take a breath, but only succeeded in letting out another sob.
Though blind and temporarily deaf, Iruka still had many of his shinobi qualities, which included impossible speed. Using that swiftness, he moved to curl up against the ANBU who was trying to comfort him. Clinging to the man, he pressed his head against his vest, not caring about the stabs of pain that ran through his arms and chest due to his quick movements or the agony his face was in as he buried it into a muscular chest.
For the briefest of moments, he felt the man's body tighten, reflexively preparing for an attack, but that unease quickly dissipated, replaced by another type of awkwardness. Iruka didn't have to see to know that the shinobi he was clinging to was having a large mental debate on whether or not to embrace him – he could feel the man's muscular arms shifting back and forth as he tried to make up his mind. Finally, those strong limbs wrapped around him and simply held him until, after what seemed like an eternity, Iruka finally ran out of tears.
Feel better?
Iruka let out a breath of air that he could only assume sounded like a choked laugh. Those long fingers now wrote across his back, not even trying to get Iruka to release his vice-like grip on the ANBU's vest.
If you would have given me a chance to explain, I was going to tell you that you are going to take a vacation, and you will be returning to the academy when you are ready. You have not lost your shinobi status – and you won't, so long as you can prove you still deserve your chuunin title.
A mixture of emotions flooded Iruka at those words. Disbelief, anger, embarrassment, and gratitude washed over him as he tightened his fingers around the elite shinobi's vest. Inu didn't have to state it outright. Iruka understood that the ANBU member had something to do with why he was still being considered a shinobi despite his handicaps.
"Thank you," Iruka whispered into the man's vest, unable to do anything else. No longer fighting fresh tears, he slowly released the ANBU, leaning away from him, but his hands rebelliously remained on that chest whose muscles could still be clearly felt through the vest protecting the elite shinobi. "But…" He swallowed heavily, unsure how to ask a man he had only known for two days why he was doing all of this for him. How did Inu get Tsunade to agree to such conditions? Why had he done it? Was there some reason behind Inu being assigned to him?
It will be difficult to adapt without your eyes or ears, but it is not impossible.
Those words, delicately traced across Iruka's back, were ones that made the teacher shiver. It was not simply the feel of the elite shinobi's fingers pressing against his skin, mapping out characters that took every ounce of concentration for Iruka to understand, that made him tremble. Those words made Iruka realize that Inu was different from everyone else.
The ANBU bodyguard showed him no pity, but treated him as an equal. He firmly believed that Iruka could adjust to a life with his injuries so much so that he could resume his duties in time. The brunet had the strange feeling that Inu had such faith in him because he was the only person who could truly understand what the teacher was going through.
As soon as you are dressed, we can leave.
Unable to help himself, Iruka asked, "You aren't going to offer to help, are you?" He tilted his head back out of habit, as though he was going to look up into the shinobi's face, but instead of seeing physical features, he was hit by the sweet aroma of mint. Underneath his hands, he could feel the man's chest rise and fall in rapid succession. Inu was laughing again!
You are not an invalid. Dress yourself. I'll be waiting outside the room when you are ready to leave.
Iruka smiled at that comment. Inu's words would have been considered unfeeling – cruel perhaps – by other people, but to Iruka, they were the kindest things the bodyguard could have possibly said. Even Naruto, as much as he loved his adopted brother, would have treated him differently, assuming he was incapable of taking care of himself without his vision and hearing.
As the man moved to stand up and leave the room, Iruka nodded his head, agreeing with the guard's statement. He could only hope Inu understood how much he appreciated not being watched every moment and having people assume he was unable to do something as ordinary as dressing himself.
Iruka had the feeling that his bodyguard knew exactly how he felt, though he had no idea why someone like Inu could understand what it was like to be a blind shinobi.
XXX
Kakashi leaned his head back against the wall, fighting the urge to go check on his proud, stubborn charge. So far, he had heard three loud bangs, several interesting curses, and the crash of something breaking, but there were no cries of pain or requests for help. He could only wonder if Iruka would ever ask for help voluntarily. Considering everything he knew about the teacher, probably not.
Closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths in hopes of calming his racing heart. He had never expected Iruka would look to him for comfort, especially not to the point where the brunet began sobbing against his chest. The jounin bit his lip, replaying that one heart-stopping moment when Iruka had pulled away and looked up at him – well, tilted his face upwards. Realizing how close those soft, moist lips were to his, Kakashi understandably began to hyperventilate.
If it had not been for Iruka's loss of hearing, the teacher would have certainly known something was wrong with him. With Iruka's deafness, the jounin could only hope that the pout on the teacher's face meant he had assumed Kakashi was laughing again. How could he have explained to the brunet why he was gasping for air without telling the younger man that he had to fight to keep himself from kissing him? And Kakashi wasn't sure if he could have stopped with just one kiss. Suddenly, the door to his right opened and his charge calmly stepped out of the room, thus wrenching Kakashi out his painful, impossible fantasy of kissing the teacher senseless.
Fully clothed in an outfit Gai had been kind enough to pick up from the brunet's apartment the other day, Iruka looked a thousand times better than he did in the pale hospital garb.
Kakashi's fingers itched to reach out and fix the uneven cuffs of the teacher's shirt, but he valiantly fought against doing so. Instead, he looked over the teacher in astonishment. Had it not been for the thick bandages covering three quarters of the teacher's face, no one could possibly tell that he was unable to see.
Iruka had been able to dress himself in his customary shinobi uniform, but opted to roll up the sleeves – unevenly, though Kakashi was not going to complain – so that the material wasn't tightly wrapped around the bandages on his forearms. Though Iruka had made no comments on the injuries covering his chest and arms, Kakashi had the feeling that they pained the stubborn man almost as much as those to his face.
"I bumped into the nightstand before," Iruka calmly explained the noises that had come from the room while turning his head in Kakashi's direction, though the teacher had obviously not heard something break. Had it not been for the fact he had over a day to get used to the teacher's eerie ability to figure out his exact location, Kakashi would have been a little unnerved at how accurately Iruka was guessing his position. Instead, he let out a silent chuckle, now knowing that – with his fantastic sense of smell – Iruka would understand exactly what he was doing.
"And you laugh at me…" Though he grumbled, Kakashi couldn't hear any anger or hurt in those words, so the jounin simply snorted again before pushing off the wall and moving to stand next to Iruka. Without any kind of prompt on Kakashi's part, a tanned hand was held out pleasantly.
Kakashi could only shake his head, wondering if Iruka would even need more than a few months in order to adapt before returning to school. So far, the teacher had surprised him at every turn. Even with his chakra almost fully cloaked, Iruka could still sense him. He could pick up on small movements and actions by using his remaining senses to the point he was aware of things that others with their sight could not pick up on.
Lifting his fingers, he began writing as neatly as he could. All the calligraphy classes his father had made him take as a child had never been put to use until these past few days. He had never before wanted to take the time to write so that someone else would have no problem reading his characters. With Iruka, however, he was willing to show some patience.
I was wondering how long it was going to take you.
He made no mention of the uneven cuffs, nor did he point out that Iruka had actually been able to blindly navigate the room and dress himself in only twenty minutes. He didn't say that he was infinitely impressed by how quickly Iruka was adapting. Getting dressed was normal enough that Iruka would not appreciate the awe. It would be better for the teacher if Kakashi treated him as though there was nothing wrong with him.
As Iruka stepped over the threshold, Kakashi moved quickly. Before it even registered in his mind that the teacher tripped over the small lip separating the room from the hallway, the brunet was against his chest and his arms were protectively wrapped around the younger man.
Time itself seemed to stop as Kakashi looked down at the brunet against him and he lost all ability to breathe and think rationally as he slowly realized that his dreams had come true and the handsome man was in his arms.
In the past day, he had quickly come to realize that Iruka's normal body temperature was slightly higher than his own. Now with the teacher pressed flush against his body, that minute difference in temperature was glaringly obvious as every inch of the jounin's front felt like it was on fire. It was a burning sensation that the silver-haired man was all too eager to endure. Swallowing heavily, Kakashi could only stare as he felt Iruka shift within his embrace, his tanned hands going up to gently press against his chest.
It took him several seconds to get the hint that Iruka was instinctively trying to push him away. Reluctantly, Kakashi slowly released the man, mourning the loss of the teacher's addictive warmth. As soon as his arms were no longer surrounding the brunet, he began nervously scratching the back of his head and fell back a few paces. He doubted that Iruka had even had time to fully realize that he was about to fall face-first to the ground before he was snatched out of the air by the jounin. He had promised himself to let Iruka learn for himself, but a part of him could not help but want to protect the brunet from any scratch and bruise that might result from his blindness. As he took another step back, he studied the teacher.
"You have fast reflexes" was the only thing Iruka said in response to the jounin's hasty act. His words were soft, but not condemning as Kakashi would have thought they would be. He had all but clung to the younger man, greedily memorizing every line and curve of the teacher's frame and now looking at the brunet, he felt wholly embarrassed by his actions. Iruka's discomfort was obvious from the blush peeking out from underneath the bandages on the left side of his face.
As Iruka silently walked out into the hallway, he only stumbled slightly, but was quick to correct his balance, so Kakashi kept his distance, knowing that his aid would not be welcomed. A few more steps were taken, but with each one, Iruka became more secure in his footing. By the end of the hallway, the teacher was walking at a sedate pace, though he did break down and let one of Kakashi's hands touch his elbow, directing him around the various objects and people they had to avoid.
Infinitely thankful that Iruka's room had been on the ground floor of the hospital, Kakashi walked side by side with his stubborn, head-strong charge, giving Iruka only the barest of directions with his loose hold on the teacher's arm. As they stepped out into the busy streets of Konoha, Kakashi was starting to doubt the intelligence of his idea. He could direct Iruka around a few people and objects, but the crowded sidewalks of the village were another matter. He had enough problems maneuvering the village on his own, despite the wide berth people gave the infamous Copy Cat Ninja out of a mixture of respect, awe, and perhaps even fear. Kakashi had no idea how he could possibly lead Iruka back to the man's apartment without having the blind teacher bump into at least several people.
Iruka solved Kakashi's conundrum as he boldly set off in the direction of his apartment, leaving his wide-eyed bodyguard behind until Kakashi shook off his surprise and caught up to the brunet. Staying a few steps behind Iruka, Kakashi could only watch in amazement as Iruka wove in and out of the crowds as though he could see each and every person.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that Kakashi came to understand how Iruka had accomplished such a feat. The teacher's legs barely had time to begin buckling before Kakashi scooped the smaller man up into his arms, inwardly cursing himself for not realizing sooner that Iruka had been focusing on people's chakra in order to avoid them. Sensing chakra was second nature to a shinobi, but to focus on it so intently that one could map out pathways on everyone they saw in order to maneuver around them would quickly drain anyone's energy.
The people around them didn't see Iruka pass out, nor did they have a chance to notice how Kakashi gently cradled the brunet against his chest. All they saw was the puff of smoke of a transportation jutsu before the two shinobi disappeared.
There was no chance they had caught a glimpse of the ANBU lifting away the porcelain of his mask to press bare lips against the unconscious chuunin's forehead in a brief display of affection.
XXX
Authoress: GAH! Kakashi, you're too damn cute! Anyways, now that the story's plot is finally starting to emerge, I hope everyone keeps reading to find out what happens next! And thank you B.Z.-chan for doing, as usual, a wonderful job betaing! Until next time, ja ne!