"Do you mind if I stare at you up close instead of from across the room?"

Iruka nearly choked as he burst out in a round of laughter, remains of the alcohol he'd just sprayed into the air dribbled down his chin as he snorted, gasping for air.

It was an annual tradition; every Christmas had Anko throwing some big party the night before. It was ridiculous; they all woke up with horrid hangovers from hell because the party always involved disgusting large amounts of alcohol and high levels of stupidity. Yet every year, Iruka found himself there anyways because Anko was his best friend and he couldn't get out of it.

Sometime late in the evening, or perhaps closer to very early morning, Iruka found himself just sober enough to wander his way across the room to the silver wallflower he'd been thinking about throughout the whole party.

"This is a party." He declared with a flourish, clumsily sweeping his arm over the room, the movement had him almost toppling to the floor if the jounin hadn't grabbed his arm to steady him.

"So it is." Was his only solemn and sober reply.

"So party Kashi-kun!"

"Ahh…Kashi-kun?"

"No, you're Kashi-kun silly!"

"Iruka-sensei, I think you've partied enough for the both of us."

"Ruka!"

Kakashi stared at the tan chuunin with an expression of confusion and a hint of amusement.

"Ruka!" the drunk teacher insisted, pointing to the jounin as if he were a child, "Kashi-kun!" The finger unsteadily turned to point at himself, "Ruka!"

"Ahh…well then…Ruka…." Kakashi trailed off, rather uncomfortable and unsure with the entire situation, even if it was amusing to see the normally uptight chuunin this…well, drunk.

Alcohol was well known to loosen one's tongue. And amongst Iruka's circle of friends, namely Anko, Genma and Raidou, it was also well known that their little Iruka had a very big crush on the copy nin.

Genma poked Anko in the side and gestured with a big grin on his face towards the pair. Anko's dark eyes lit up with mischief at the sight and nodded. It was a silent agreement as they snuck over to the pair.

Kakashi had never been particularly interested in Iruka, the teacher was boring in his opinioin, in his first impression. The chuunin exams had sparked a slight interest, not much, but it took guts to stand up to the jounin, to him. At least he had a gotten a better impression of Iruka that time around.

Now…Kakashi wondered as he found himself with an armful of Iruka, if there was something he just overlooked. He realized that might have developed some sort of attraction to the man at some point. Why or how, he didn't know.

His curiosity peaked as he found himself forcibly shoved towards the door by a suspiciously grinning Anko and Genma.

"Misteltoe!" they declared happily. Kakashi groaned. Iruka looked up with a pout and Kakashi couldn't resist the puppy dog eyes sent his way. He pecked Iruka on the lips, mask still in place.

"Kashi-kun! You didn't kiss properly!" Iruka suddenly right himself in the jounin's arms. Before Kakashi could protest, Iruka had yanked the masked down and attached their lips together all in one swift movement.

A bright flash lighted the area for a second, followed by a familiar puff as Kakashi bamfed the hell out of their with Iruka.

Anko and Genma pouted as they peered at the picture in their hands and wailed, "Ruka's head is in the way!!"