Chapter Three

It was common knowledge that Iruka got up very early in the morning, but precious few people other than Naruto knew anything else about his sleeping habits. Only a couple of his friends were aware of the fact Iruka would suddenly wake up and be disoriented for several moments. More than once, the teacher nearly had a heart attack when he felt muscular arms wrapped around him as soon as he came to. It took him quite a few calming breaths to recall that Naruto had come over to visit and – for one reason or another – had ended up falling asleep in his bed.

When the blonde was young, sharing a bed was purely innocent – Naruto had been afraid of everything from the monster under his bed, to storms and the dark, so he took refuge in Iruka's bed quite often. Iruka had grown accustomed to the cuddly blonde, but when Naruto decided that he was too old to sleep in his brother's bed, Iruka all too quickly became easily startled once again. Then there was Naruto and Sasuke's volatile relationship in recent years, which more than once resulted in the blonde being kicked out and having to spend several days at Iruka's apartment.

The day Sasuke proposed was one that made Iruka dance in joy for more than just his brother's sake. No longer would Naruto be kicked out at unholy hours only to break into Iruka's home and slip into bed with his unconscious brother. No more would the teacher have to wake up shrieking when he found a beautiful blonde man wrapped around him in nothing more than frog-print boxers. More than once, he was put in the awkward situation of trying to peel his brother off of him as Naruto, obviously acting out some of his more adult-themed dreams as he slept, somehow mistook him for Sasuke.

At least, Iruka had hoped that marriage would calm those two down enough that Sasuke would never kick Naruto out because of some stupid fight over what day of the week was ramen night. And that, sadly, had been one of the many reasons for Naruto's temporary homelessness.

Marriage had suited the pair, but the love-filled atmosphere was enough to sicken anyone around them. Perhaps that was why Tsunade had footed the astronomical bill of sending the two jounin on a six month honeymoon that took them around the world. Most jaws dropped and minds blanked at the thought of their stingy Hokage voluntarily paying for anything, but there were still a few people with enough mental faculties remaining to question her generosity. Her only response was that her favorite blonde and heir should get the chance to see the world before he took on the ultimate responsibility of ruling Konoha.

Naruto and Sasuke had left a couple months ago, leaving Iruka with empty nest syndrome. Despite the fact Naruto had not lived with him since the blonde was twelve, Iruka had loved the fact his brother would visit him on a whim and that, no matter what, the boy was just a few minutes away unless he was on a mission.

Iruka couldn't help missing the one person who knew him best. He missed that ball of happy, loving energy that did everything he could to make others smile. He desperately wanted those strong arms to hold him, to hear that deep voice banish his fears with an asinine boast. He needed those broad shoulders to cry on. Had Naruto still been in the village, he would have smothered Iruka with love and care – which did have its drawbacks – but at the same time, the blonde could have warned Iruka's bodyguard about the teacher's jumpiness and temper when waking up in an unfamiliar place.

As things stood, the poor unsuspecting jounin had his eyes trained on his rarely-used bed where the brunet had been sleeping for several hours. With his mind on things far from G-rated, the silver-haired man had no idea what he was about to face.

XXX

Dead silence, unfamiliar scents, and a bed far too large and firm – that was what Iruka was immediately aware of as woke up. He was not so disoriented as to forget about his accident – the nothingness his eyes were met with served as enough of a reminder – but that did not help matters. He wasn't in the hospital, where he could easily place the scents of medicine, alcohol, and disinfectants.

Wherever he was, it was not familiar, which immediately put him on edge far more than he usually was upon waking. Blindly reaching for anything he could use as a weapon as he sprung from the bed, Iruka was driven by pure instinct. His heart pounded in his chest as he held his breath, searching the room with his chakra. He could feel another presence approaching him with astonishing speed, which only made the teacher even more uneasy as he readied himself for an attack.

A flicker of energy told him that a hand was reaching out for him and, from years of practice, Iruka moved. As he shifted, closing in the distance between him and his attacker, Iruka grabbed the person's wrist with one hand. One quick spin brought the teacher behind his attacker, twisting the person's arm behind his back and locking it there with a pain-inducing amount of force. At the same time, his other arm wrapped around his attacker's neck and pulled back just enough to begin strangling the stranger.

It was a move he had taught Naruto back in the academy so the blonde could protect himself. It needed no chakra, no illusions, or other skills that Naruto had not proficiently accomplished by the time he graduated, so it was the perfect thing for the boy to know if he was ever attacked. Any normal person would cry out in pain, squirm and otherwise hurt themselves even more. A well-trained shinobi would be stopped for a few seconds as they tried to find the restraint's weaknesses and use them to break free.

Instead of breaking his hold, Iruka's attacker did something that surprised the teacher. He stood perfectly still, not fighting the forearm against his windpipe or the hand nearly wrenching his right arm out of place. Slowly, the stranger brought his free arm up to his neck and, instead of trying to pull himself out of the brunet's grasp, began to write against the bandaged limb.

You move pretty quickly for someone who just woke up, Iruka-sensei.

That beautiful handwriting, mixed with a tinge of humor, made Iruka squeak as he instantly let go of the ANBU. Memories of his bodyguard flooded into his head as the teacher flushed in embarrassment.

"I-Inu, I'm so sorry!" Iruka was sure he squeaked as he pedaled backwards in order to give the deadly shinobi some breathing room. If Inu was like any other ANBU member, he would be angry for being momentarily bested by an academy teacher. Some shinobi might turn that anger inward while others would lash out at him. Iruka had no idea which one his bodyguard was.

Iruka felt his heart pounding in his chest not from exertion, but from his earlier instant of surprise and fear. Similarly, he was breathing heavily, sucking in air through his nose so quickly it took him a moment to recognize the scent of mint in the air. Almost as soon as he put a name to that particular smell, Iruka felt a finger press against his trembling hand.

I didn't mean to scare you, Iruka-sensei. And scare the teacher was exactly what he had done, Kakashi realized only now as he studied the quivering brunet in front of him. He had experienced the feeling of being cornered far too many times to not recognize the tell-tale signs. Slowly, Iruka's breathing returned to normal, but his shaking hands took longer to still, and Kakashi knew it would be some time before his heart stopped racing.

"I-It's alright… I shouldn't have attacked you," Iruka apologized softly as his shivering arms wrapped around his middle as though to hold himself together. Kakashi felt a shot of self-hatred as he helplessly watched the teacher.

The jounin berated himself as he brought a hand up to rub his aching shoulder. He should have known better than to bring Iruka to his apartment. There would be nothing there for the teacher to recognize and, like any good shinobi, Iruka was on edge when faced with the unfamiliar. He hadn't thought about how Iruka would feel about waking up in a strange place. He had instead thought that, other than Sasuke, he'd never voluntarily had anyone in his apartment since the Fourth died. He didn't care that, in a small place in his guarded heart, he felt uneasy about having someone in his home. All he wanted was for Iruka to be safe and, of all the places he thought of taking the teacher once Iruka passed out, his apartment was the one place he knew the brunet would never be harmed.

If someone could get past his shields and traps, they were either elite shinobi or a comrade who had been warned about his mistrust of others. In the case of the latter, Kakashi knew they would never hurt Iruka. If someone was elite and, for some reason, after Iruka, there would be no place safe for the teacher. In that case, the only thing that could save the man would be a dedicated guard watching over him at all times.

The corner of Kakashi's lip twitched upwards as he massaged his shoulder. Despite being an elite shinobi – perhaps the strongest of his generation – he truly had not foreseen the teacher's attack. He'd never thought that an academy teacher could move so quickly, much less that a blind man could maneuver so effortlessly as to restrain an ANBU. Iruka was certainly more than he appeared to be.

"Is your shoulder alright?"

Iruka's question tore Kakashi from his thoughts. Perhaps it wasn't so much his words, but the warm touch that surprised the jounin. He couldn't help but glance down and stare at the bandaged hand resting on top of his own. No one had ever touched him so gently, much less without warning. People learned all too quickly that the Copy Ninja was jumpy and not too comfortable with physical contact.

Iruka was different.

His touch wasn't one that meant to bring pain, nor was it erotic, but nonetheless, the jounin's heart sped up and his body warmed. He wanted nothing more than to lean into that compassionate touch and wrap his own arms around the brunet.

"Inu?"

Again, Iruka's words tore at the jounin, reminding him of his place. Instead of embracing the teacher, Kakashi let out a regretful sigh and lifted Iruka's hand off of his shoulder.

My shoulder is fine, Iruka-sensei. I underestimated your strength, but I learned my lesson.

If only it had been his strength Kakashi had been surprised by! No, it was more than just his speed, his control, and his fighting instincts. The more Kakashi learned, the more he was fascinated by the man. Blind and deaf, Iruka maneuvered more gracefully than most shinobi with all their senses. He obviously was someone who didn't rely on just his five senses, but learned to trust his intuition and to gauge movements based off of chakra.

It wasn't only his shinobi abilities that surprised Kakashi either. The fact that he woke up so quickly spoke of a hard life where he had to be fully conscious in the blink of an eye. His unease with unfamiliarity was another unexpected indicator of Iruka's personality. His immediate decision to defend himself by any means necessary spoke of a painful past.

All of it added together to tell Kakashi that the kind, soft-spoken man before him was someone who did not trust easily. He was someone who cared about his brother and his students, but beyond them, he was troubled by everyone else.

Kakashi didn't know why Iruka mistrusted so many or why he had the reflexes of a battle-hardened elite jounin. The man who had restrained him was not the same compassionate teacher that everyone loved. He was someone who had been through hell and, because of it, knew exactly who he was and what he was capable of.

That one quick movement told Kakashi that he didn't know Iruka at all.

"I'm sorry. I've never used that move on anyone other than Naruto, so I'm used to having to be a little more forceful in order to get my point across. He can be pretty stubborn – and unbreakable," Iruka stated softly as his head tilted upwards as though he was looking Kakashi in the eyes.

Momentarily stunned by the teacher's comment – unable to believe that anyone could restrain Naruto unless they promised ramen or, in Sasuke's case, sex – Kakashi could only stare at the brunet. Kakashi was not used to surprises, much less ones dealing with people he thought he knew. Of course, all of his knowledge of Iruka was based off of what he found out from everyone but the brunet himself. He heard glowing comments from past students, including his own genin team. Other information was taken from sealed records that he borrowed from the Hokage's Office.

Everything else he knew about the teacher was based off of his own reconnaissance as he watched the teacher at work. Everything seemed to add up – a very loyal shinobi who had lost his parents in the Kyuubi attack. He was a man who was compassionate, but strict so that his students would not become troublemakers like he had. He was someone who was able to love Naruto, despite the fact the boy contained his parents' murderer. He took Naruto in, not believing for a moment that the blonde was capable of wreaking the same havoc the Kyuubi did. He gave everyone second chances, he believed in them despite the odds.

But he trusted precious few people.

Was it because he had been orphaned at such a young age? That he had to grow up too quickly in order to be his brother's guardian? Or was it because of the one story that had somehow never reached his file? It was something that had been hushed up immediately and Kakashi had only heard about it because of gossip. It was rumored that Iruka had nearly been killed once, readily giving his life to protect the village. Other than that, Kakashi knew nothing and the jounin was familiar with village politics enough to understand that someone very high up had made sure that no one knew the truth in order to protect Iruka. There was only one person who would have done such a thing – the Third.

What could Iruka have done that would warrant a Hokage getting involved in covering it up?

XXX

After Iruka's accidental attack on Inu, the teacher was subdued for the rest of the day. He didn't argue when the ANBU demanded he eat something, though the teacher had no idea what exactly it was that he ate. It could have been oatmeal, it could have been eggs – all he was certain of was that his bodyguard was obviously not accustomed to cooking.

He accepted Inu's explanation as to why he was going to be staying in the man's apartment. Inu was right in pointing out that, if someone was truly after him, his own home would be far from safe. Right or not, it didn't make the teacher feel any better as he stumbled around the unfamiliar apartment. He had already given himself enough bruises and sprains to last a lifetime. The tables were unfamiliar, both in placement and in height, so Iruka found himself constantly running into them, despite already figuring out their general location. Not only was he hitting into furniture, but he had broken a few things – though Inu didn't tell him if they were pictures, figurines, cups, vases, or anything else. All the ANBU said was that they were replaceable and for Iruka to stop apologizing and trying to clean up. It didn't make Iruka feel better.

Currently, curled up on the couch as he was, Iruka was finally certain that he couldn't break anything. With his legs tucked tightly underneath him and his arms wrapped around his middle, Iruka felt safe from embarrassment for the first time today.

From time to time, Inu would ask him if he wanted anything, but very rarely got anything other than an acidic response. Iruka had nothing to do – he couldn't read or write, he couldn't watch TV to pass the time. There was nothing for him to do other than think and hide his misery from his all-too-observant bodyguard.

Sensing a familiar flicker of chakra enter the living room, Iruka turned towards his guard and was met with a puff of mint-scented air. Inu had sighed. Having grown accustomed to such mannerisms in the past few days, Iruka didn't even have to think to understand what such minute changes in the air around him meant when it came to Inu.

Would you like to go out on a walk, Iruka-sensei? It's nice outside.

Those considerate words were written on Iruka's one shoulder blade, which was the only part of the teacher Kakashi could reach without prying Iruka's arms away from his middle or lifting the man off the couch.

Despite his dark mood, Iruka felt a small smile come to his face. He was sure that going out on walks was not part of an ANBU bodyguard's job description. Going on a walk meant going outdoors, where Iruka would be less protected and more open for attacks. By the very act of asking, it meant that Inu felt he would be safe outdoors so long as the ANBU was nearby. Either that or the man would be willing to give up a little security to give Iruka a taste of his old, normal life.

"Wouldn't that make you uneasy? Having me out in the open?" Iruka asked, quashing the little glimmer of hope that had arisen at the thought of returning to normalcy.

If you can take an ANBU member by surprise and restrain him, I think we can take the risk.

Kakashi wasn't willing to tell Iruka that he was close to hyperventilating at the idea of taking the brunet outside. Outdoors, he couldn't judge where an attack could come from, he couldn't control every situation. But it was infinitely worth it, the jounin decided when he saw the small smile come to Iruka's face.

No matter how uncomfortable he would be outside, it would be better than being tortured indoors as he watched Iruka dig himself into a depression. Kakashi understood the emotion far too well to let the teacher start feeling worthless because of his handicaps.

"Any conditions?" Iruka asked as he finally released his tight grip around his midsection. Gracefully, he unraveled his legs from underneath him and moved to stand up. Watching the teacher closely for any indication he was going to trip, bump into something, or otherwise hurt himself, Kakashi was unable to come up with a response. It wasn't until Iruka had navigated around the coffee table and only brushing one knee against it that the jounin came up with an answer.

No using up all your energy to study chakra pathways. I don't want to have to drag you back home again.

"I think I can promise that one," Iruka replied sheepishly as he, in a very Naruto-like manner, scratched the back of his head. When he had wasted his chakra in such a way yesterday, it was out of sheer stubbornness in not wanting to ask for help. Still exhausted from his little stunt, Iruka was hesitant to try that again. Perhaps in time, with practice, he might be able to use such an ability in daily life.

XXX

Kakashi stayed a few steps behind Iruka, keeping his gaze trained on the teacher. His body was tense, waiting for the brunet to trip so that he could catch him. He was also edgy as he focused the rest of his attention on their surroundings. If Iruka's attacker returned, would he come from above? Below? Would he use a close-range attack or keep his distance? Thousands of questions raced through the jounin's head as his natural eye flitted around for any indication they were about to be attacked.

Sure his jumpiness was not due to an imminent attack, but his understandable concern for Iruka's wellbeing, Kakashi forced himself to calm down before he started grating on the teacher's nerves. There was nothing unusual around and, considering the beautiful autumn weather, there were relatively few people outside. Then again, considering the cool breeze that ripped through Kakashi's uniform, there might be a reason for lack of people out and about.

Shivering at the cold chill that ran down his back thanks to the breeze, Kakashi tightly wrapped his cloak around himself. He didn't hate the cold – being a shinobi, it was one of the many things he had gotten used to over the years – but it had been some time since he had worn the thin layers of an ANBU uniform. He desperately missed his thick flak vest and long sleeves.

Unaware of his bodyguard's shivering, Iruka hardly noticed the cool breeze as he zipped his chuunin vest as high as it would go before stuffing his hands into his pockets. Taking in a deep, refreshing breath, Iruka let his concentration on the slightly uneven ground lessen as he caught the scent of delicious, fresh ramen. It was an aroma that he and Naruto drooled over, but Iruka now believed the theory that, when someone lost a sense, the others made up for it. Never before in his life had ramen smelled so powerfully or so good.

Instantly, the teacher's feet changed directions as he followed that scent. Behind him, Kakashi cursed cold weather and tightened his cloak even more, but it didn't help. Following the teacher, the jounin found his jaw dropping as the younger man finally stopped at a small stand. Without even asking Kakashi if it was alright, Iruka sat down as though he had been without sight his entire life.

"I'll have the usual, Teuchi-san," Iruka spoke calmly, facing a wide-eyed man. The old man glanced over at Kakashi, who simply took a seat next to his charge with a sigh, then back to one of his two favorite customers. "Would you like something, Inu? I recommend the pork ramen."

"Erm… I guess the pork?" Kakashi said as he studied the teacher. It was the first time since Iruka woke up blind that the jounin had seen a real smile on his face. It was enough to nearly stop his heart. For that one smile, Kakashi was willing to risk the chance of poison. Then again, as he glanced around, he recognized the restaurant as Naruto's favorite ramen stand. If there was one safe place to eat, Kakashi knew this was it. If the next Hokage could eat here without ever getting sick from the food, the jounin doubted anyone could slip something into Iruka's meal without the owner noticing.

That didn't stop Kakashi from taking Iruka's bowl away as the owner was setting it down a few minutes later.

"Oi! That's mine!" Iruka squeaked as he felt his steaming bowl of ramen slip out of his fingertips. Since the force was coming from the direction of his bodyguard, it didn't take more than a moment for the teacher to understand why Inu was taking his bowl away. "It isn't poisoned!"

Kakashi believed the teacher, but he needed to make sure. If, by some impossible chance, his food had been tampered with, the jounin would not be able to forgive himself for not performing one of his most important duties as bodyguard. A cursory sniff gave away nothing – then again, anyone knowing anything about poison would have added something that was scentless and, more than likely, tasteless.

Picking out a noodle at random, Kakashi tasted it only to spit it back out a moment later as the flavor registered. As the jounin desperately looked around for something to wash the taste out of his mouth, Iruka took the opportunity to steal his ramen back and began to happily, if not slightly messily, eat his jalapeno ramen.

By the time the owner gave Kakashi a glass of cold milk – all the while smirking knowingly – Iruka was already on his second bowl. As soon as Kakashi washed the hellishly spicy taste out of his mouth, he looked over at Iruka as his jaw dropped. If someone dared to poison the teacher's ramen, Kakashi doubted it would even work. The man must have a cast-iron stomach to eat something like that. And to eat it in such amounts!

Unaware of his bodyguard's disgusted fascination, Iruka continued happily eating by-far the tastiest ramen he had ever had. Had Teuchi tried some new ingredients? No, it took Iruka a few moments of savoring his favorite, specially-made ramen to realize it was another perk of his heightened senses. Not only did his ramen smell like heaven, but tasted so spicy, it was almost unbearable. For years, Iruka had tried to find just how much spiciness he could take, only to find out that the spicier a food was, the more he liked it.

So absorbed by watching Iruka eat, Kakashi didn't realize a bowl was placed in front of him until the owner coughed. Blinking as he turned towards the old man, Kakashi looked down at his own meal and his stomach growled angrily, as though reminding him that he hadn't eaten since breakfast because Iruka was his first priority.

"ANBU-san, is it true that someone is after Iruka-sensei?" the old man asked quietly, obviously not knowing that Iruka couldn't possibly hear him. As the teacher went on slurping his noodles without a care in the world, Kakashi nodded his head slowly. "Who would want to hurt Iruka-sensei? He's loved by everyone."

"There must be someone who has a grudge," Kakashi pointed out, hoping to pump the old man for information to help Tsunade's search for Iruka's attacker. Whatever information the man could give could save Iruka's life. The owner dashed Kakashi's hopes, however, when he shook his head negatively.

"No one I know of. Iruka has no enemies."

"Oi, if you are going to talk about me Teuchi-san, I should get another bowl of ramen on the house," Iruka commented good-naturedly. He had no idea what his guard and the old man were talking about, but he knew they had been having a conversation. Judging by how the puffs of mint-scented air abruptly stopped, Inu had fallen silent and, considering he could no longer pick up the distinct smell of Teuchi's favorite sake, so had the old man. He guessed right.

Going back to his bowl of ramen, Iruka did his best to pick out the noodles with his chopsticks, imagining how he must look to a passerby. As much as he loved ramen, no one should have to concentrate so hard on their food only to have three-quarters of it fall back into the bowl and splash broth everywhere. Apparently he was going to have to practice more than just maneuvering around things and walking on uneven ground.

By the time Iruka was finished, Kakashi had been able to mentally recite the shinobi code of ethics in three languages. Having started translating it into a fourth language, it took the jounin a moment to realize Iruka was talking to him and even longer to figure out why Iruka's question was not in Arabic, as his thoughts currently were.

"Eh?" Momentarily forgetting Iruka's deafness, the jounin waited for the teacher to repeat himself. Looking up to the owner, Kakashi inwardly cursed as he realized the man was on the other side of the restaurant and there was no way Teuchi could have heard Iruka and clued the jounin in on what his charge had asked him.

"Daydreaming?" Iruka snickered, easily guessing why Inu had not responded and why the man's gaze somehow felt lost. "I wonder who she is," he added jokingly as he easily found his wallet in his breast pocket. Having nearly lived at Ichiraku's since it opened, Iruka easily tabulated their bill in his head and, it took only a few moments for him to count out pieces of paper. Never was he as thankful as he was at that moment that he was obsessive compulsive. Putting the bills all in perfect order and always knowing exactly how much his wallet contained so that everything was organized, it was easy to pick out the exact amount.

Just to mess with his guard's mind, Iruka silently put the money down on the counter without explaining how he had been able to pay, and then slipped off his stool and onto the ground. Starting off in the direction of his apartment, Iruka walked very slowly as he felt the unevenness of the ground beneath his feet. The direction wasn't hard to figure out from his frequent visits to the ramen stand, but gauging his steps was another thing entirely. He had always just walked until he reached the flower shop before Inu had turned them onto his street, but now he had to figure out another method of finding his way.

It took only a few moments before he caught a whiff of something sweet. Though almost nauseating in its aroma, Iruka followed the flowery scent back to its source. Walking as slowly as he was, it took longer than he was accustomed to in order to reach the Yamanaka flower shop.

Another few steps and he turned down the right street. Iruka could sense Inu catching up to him, if the bursts of familiar energy were any indication. Knowing of his bodyguard's approach, Iruka didn't flinch when he felt a strong grip wrap around his hand.

She?

Unable to help himself, Iruka chuckled. Of all the things to ask, Inu was most curious about what the teacher had said back in the ramen stand. It seemed strangely fitting for his unusual bodyguard. "I was assuming you were thinking about someone. You were being very quiet during dinner."

I was translating something to pass the time… I thought you would like some time to yourself.

Iruka felt strangely touched by the ANBU's thoughtfulness. The man's next words, however, reminded the teacher that his bodyguard was also a pervert.

Anyway, if I was thinking about someone, it would be a he.

"O-oh," Iruka stammered, feeling his face flush beneath his bandages. Sexuality was one of those things that made the teacher embarrassed no matter who or what he was discussing. The day Naruto came out and told him he was attracted to a boy, the two brothers had been blushing up a storm and, seeing one another's reaction only made the mortification worse. It didn't matter that Iruka was also homosexual – it was an awkward conversation, almost as much as when Naruto had asked what exactly two guys did when they were attracted to each other. Recalling that day, Iruka felt another blush coming on as he realized Naruto must have been asking for a particular reason. And that reason just happened to now share the blonde's last name.

What kind of dirty thoughts are you having, Iruka-sensei?

Iruka was sure that a snigger accompanied that question.

A snigger was anything but what nearly escaped Kakashi as he watched the teacher turn a bright shade of red. No one had a right to be that sexy when blushing! Could Iruka possibly be thinking about the jounin and some other man? What if that other man was himself? The slim possibility that Iruka was picturing the two of them together sent a hot jolt of desire into the jounin's groin. If any sound came out of the jounin, it would certainly be in the realm of moaning.

"I-I… erm… I mean…" Iruka stammered, knowing that his blush was creeping down his neck for everyone to see. "I just didn't picture you as…"

Gay? Kakashi supplied, biting his lower lip as he sent up a prayer of thanks that Iruka couldn't hear at the moment. He was certain that he wouldn't be able to form words, much less hide his desperate gasps for air.

"H-Hai."

What did you picture me as? Kakashi asked curiously, wanting to know how a blind and deaf man imagined him without knowing who he truly was. Without knowing about his Sharingan and reputation, what kind of impression did people get from him?

"Um… tall?" Iruka said quietly, a new wave of embarrassment hitting him as he felt several puffs of minty air hit his face. Fairly certain that the ANBU was laughing only made his humiliation worse.

I'm only a little taller than you.

Iruka fought the urge to point out that he wasn't exactly of average height, which made the elite shinobi unusually tall. "You're muscular." He recalled feeling up the man's chest and arms, which sent him into an entirely new blushing fit.

What shinobi isn't?

"You're making this difficult," Iruka pouted, wishing his face wasn't so warm. He knew Inu well enough to understand that the ANBU member was having fun with his obvious discomfort, but at the same time was very curious about Iruka's mental image of him. But what could Iruka say? He recognized Inu's chakra whereas others recognized people based off of physical features. There was no way he could accurately guess the man's facial features, his hair color, his eyes or anything else that could improve Iruka's vague mental picture of the shinobi.

Does it help if I tell you that, compared to you, I'm lanky?

"Not much," Iruka admitted softly as he continued walking, but keeping his pace matched with Inu's longer, yet more sedate one. "You have longer legs than me, but you walk very slowly."

What else have you figured out about me? Kakashi didn't want to admit it, but he was fascinated with how Iruka was slowly piecing together an image of him. A part of him wanted to throw the teacher off, but he knew he couldn't lie to the man despite the difficulties he was bound to run into. The more Iruka knew about him, the faster the teacher would recall the silver-haired jounin he hated for reasons Kakashi never fully understood.

"I would call you flippant, but you really do care. You know exactly what to do or say to make me feel better. I'm very happy Tsunade assigned you to protect me," Iruka said, knowing that he would make his bodyguard uncomfortable if he thanked the man for being so understanding. Shinobi didn't talk about their feelings, much less thank someone else for doing their job.

For a moment, Kakashi was utterly speechless. Not even in his best dreams did he ever think that Iruka would be glad that he ended up with an emotionally twisted, physically handicapped jounin who was incapable of normal human relationships.

Thank you. It was the only thing he could say. In response, Iruka smiled and it was that quick show of teeth that wrapped Kakashi around the brunet's finger. He would do anything to bring that smile back to the teacher's face. If it meant teaching Iruka not only to adapt to a life without sight, but to become a better shinobi because of it, then so be it.

Kakashi just had no idea where to start.

XXX

Authoress: *squeals* Oooh, and the plot finally starts forming! I can just see the emotional/physical tensions rising already! And thank you B.Z.-chan for beta-ing once again!