A/N: And yes, I've finally decided on how to continue the story. So, thanks to all those who have been reviewing and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! ^_^

Chapter 11: Closer to Victory

Kakashi leaned on the kitchen counter, as he watched Iruka cook the soup. He glanced around the room, and tried to see if there was anything else that he could do.

The table had been set. The ingredients were laid out on the counter beside the stove. The vegetables were chopped. The meat and fish were thawed. And Kakashi had even made tea.

But the jounin was still bored and Iruka refused to let him help with the cooking.

Of course it wasn't because of his injuries. But rather, it was due to the copy nin's skills or rather, lack of it, in the kitchen. Iruka had kicked him out of the cooking area after a failed attempt at cutting the vegetables. Apparently, the jounin had regarded the cabbage as some form of an enemy and had mutilated it into tiny shreds. Thankfully, the chunin had discovered and salvaged it before the entire cabbage was being minced into uneatable portions.

"Iruka-sensei, isn't there anything that I can do?" Kakashi asked as he fiddled with a spoon.

"Yes. The one thing you can do is to stop asking me that question every five minutes, so that I can concentrate on cooking the dinner." Iruka answered, as he added some spices into the soup and then turned his attention back to the fish cooking in the pan.

Kakashi frowned. Surely there was something that he can do to help the chef in his kitchen. But then, he decided that he had been asking the question enough. So with a shrug, he retreated to the living room to read his book.

The delicious aroma of the food fresh off the stove wafted in the air and filled the senses of the jounin lounging in the couch, making his stomach growled. Kakashi put away his book and strode to the dining table where Iruka was setting down the dishes.

Kakashi blinked at the feast before him as the academy teacher walked back into the kitchen. He could have sworn that he had died and gone to heaven. Forget the fact that he hardly cooked for himself. Even before, when he had dinner at Iruka's house, he had never had such a spread before. It was usually a simple home-cooked meal of noodles or rice. But this……

Kakashi was almost sure that if Iruka was to retire as a shinobi one day, he can jolly well become a chef.

The jounin plopped down on his chair as Iruka set down the soup on the table and took off his apron, slinging it over one of the chairs. He then took his seat opposite the copy nin.

"God, Iruka. What a spread. What's the occasion?" Kakashi asked as he pulled down his mask and started to attack the salmon.

"No occasion. You bought too much food. If I don't start cooking, it will turn bad after a while." Iruka snorted. Kakashi laughed softly.

"But that doesn't call for so much food in one meal, does it?" The jounin said, as he put a piece of chicken into his mouth and looked at Iruka speculatively.

Iruka rubbed the scar across his nose nervously as his cheeks was dusted with a faint pink. "Well…… Um….. You've just returned from a mission. So…… Um…… I thought that you would prefer a proper meal after surviving on ration bars for a week." The chunin muttered.

Kakashi grinned. "So thoughtful of you, sensei. Well, I will be sure to finish up everything to show my appreciation."

Iruka turned red as he picked up his chopsticks and dug into his own meal.

"So how was your day?" Kakashi asked nonchalantly.

Iruka shrugged. "The usual. Except for some reasons unknown, the children were more rowdy today."

Kakashi chuckled and the pair soon settled into a comfortable conversation with the occasional teasing. That is, until Kakashi swerve the direction of the conversation to more serious and personal matters.

"Say, Iruka-sensei, what do you think about being in a relationship?" Kakashi asked as he put his chopsticks in his mouth and stared at the ceiling.

Iruka blinked dumbly. Hadn't they just been discussing on the best ways to put rowdy kids under control just ten seconds ago? He turned two shades darker when the question eventually sets in.

"Uh….. Why the sudden question?" Iruka mumbled as he prodded his fish.

"Just curious." Kakashi continued staring at the ceiling, as if it would provide him with some forms of answer.

The next few seconds of silence felt like the longest for the jounin as Iruka fumbled for an answer. He hadn't meant to put the teacher into such an awkward position, but he needed to know, so that at least, it will provide him an idea of some sort and pave the way for him.

"Uh…… I guess anyone would want to be in a stable relationship, wouldn't they?" Iruka scratched his scar nervously. "I mean, when they reach a certain age that is……"

"So, I'm assuming that you are not opposed to being in a relationship now?" Kakashi said in a teasing tone.

"Well…… Um…… I guess not." Iruka began to fidget nervously in his seat. Just what was the older man up to and how a simple question like this could make him so nervous was really beyond his comprehension.

"Ah……" Kakashi smiled. Iruka blinked again. Whatever did that mean? And did he just notice that the jounin had relaxed visibly?

Kakashi didn't say anymore and started digging into his meal. Iruka frowned. Somehow, whatever the copy nin had started had put an edge in him and he wasn't satisfied until he got an answer on why the issue was even brought up.

"So, Kakashi-sensei, what was that all about?" Iruka raised an eyebrow as he set his chopsticks down by his bowl. Kakashi chuckled softly.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to see what your views of being in a relationship are." Kakashi shoved a mouthful of vegetables in his mouth as he turned thoughtful. "What do you look for in a partner, Iruka-sensei?"

"Er……" Iruka blushed as he bit his bottom lip. "Commitment, understanding and caring, I guess."

"That doesn't seem too hard." Kakashi smiled happily as he dug into his food again.

"Huh?" Iruka simply couldn't understand where the jounin was coming from. Truth be told, the entire topic baffled him.

He stared for a few more moments before he frowned and picked up his chopsticks as he started to dig into the food again.

Just when he thought that Kakashi wasn't going to dwell on the topic anymore, the jounin popped a question, which almost caused Iruka to choke on the mouthful of rice.

"Iruka-sensei, which way do you swing?"

"What?!" Iruka's face turned shades darker than his usual normal skin tone.

Kakashi laughed. "That's nothing to be shy about, Iruka-sensei. Well, maybe I should start with myself. I swing both ways. And my previous lovers are……"

"I don't want to know." Iruka groaned. How did a simple dinner turn out to be a heart-to-heart talk about their preferences in a relationship?

Kakashi grinned at the chunin's response. Well, he had no intention to tell him either. That was just his way to get Iruka to open up. From what he had gathered the past one month through his interactions with the younger man, he had come to know that although Iruka was a straightforward person, he was also wary about what he says and would only share something when the other person is also willing to share.

And Kakashi felt almost guilty at manipulating the chunin to sing to his tune with this little piece of knowledge, since he hadn't been totally honest about what he had been sharing. But that was beside the point. His main objective is still to get his answer from Iruka.

"So, Iruka-sensei, what about you?" Kakashi smiled, his eye arching up.

Iruka cleared his throat and focused on his rice. "Shut up."

"Aw…… That's not fair, sensei. I've told you my sexual preferences. It's only right that you tell me too." Kakashi tapped his chopsticks against the edge of the bowl.

Iruka glared as his face heated up. "And why is it that you want to know?"

"I'm curious." Kakashi smirked. "Since I have never seen you dating anyone before."

"Well, that's not surprising." Iruka snorted. "You haven't known me for very long, have you?"

"Hmm….." Kakashi stared up at the ceiling, as if contemplating. "It may be true that I haven't known you for very long. But if you have ever been dating, the news would have spread like wildfire in the village. After all, this is a village of shinobi and a village of shinobi is also known as the village of gossips."

Iruka gaped. Then he sighed. The jounin was right. There is nothing to hide in a village of shinobi. Even the best kept secret would be found out when you are living amongst a pool of prying ninja. Unless, of course, you hide yourself so well that you are almost non-existent in the eyes of the gossip community, like a certain silver-haired jounin.

"So, Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi smiled, not at all relenting.

Iruka growled. Then he sighed in defeat. "I…… Um…… I…… I swing both ways too."

"That's good to know." Kakashi nodded happily. Iruka blinked.

He definitely does not know what is wrong with the jounin that night.

"That was a nice dinner, Iruka-sensei. Thank you very much." Kakashi beamed, as he stood by the door while Iruka was putting on his sandals.

"You are welcome, Kakashi-sensei. Please take care of your wounds." Iruka nodded as he picked up his bag and sling it over his shoulder.

"Are you sure you do not want me to walk you home?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"I'm absolutely sure. The nurse asked you to minimize your movements. So, you should at least keep to that and get some rest. I can make it home on my own." Iruka smiled.

"So, when can I see you again? I still have a lot of food waiting to be cooked." Kakashi grinned at the chunin expectantly.

"Oh…… Uh……" Iruka scratched his scar in embarrassment. "I can come over tomorrow evening, if you are available."

"Of course I am. I will see you tomorrow evening then."

"Sure." Iruka muttered as he turned to walk away.

"Iruka-sensei." Kakashi called. Iruka paused and turned around. His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the jounin fidgeting nervously. In all the time he had known Kakashi, he was well aware that the word 'bashful' can never be used to describe the older man.

Kakashi stepped closer to the chunin, until their faces were mere inches apart. Iruka swallowed and tried to step back, but a hand on his waist restricted his movements.

"Good night." Kakashi said and closed the gap, placing a soft kiss on the chunin's lips. When he felt the chunin tensed, and then relaxed, he almost smirked into the kiss.

Iruka blinked dazedly when the copy nin stepped back. It took him a while to recover before he realized what had just happened and he flushed.

"Good night, Kakashi-sensei." Iruka mumbled and hurried away.

Kakashi watched the hastily retreating figure and grinned. He was happy. And why wouldn't he? He had achieved his objectives for that night. Iruka, although a little hesitant initially, had eventually told him about his views and what he looks for in a relationship. And then, there was the kiss.

Kakashi wasn't sure what it was that made him suddenly step up to kiss the chunin. But he was pleasantly surprise that Iruka hadn't freaked out and pulled away.

Step four – Opening the chunin up to the idea of a relationship.

A complete victory.