A/N: Happy Valentine's to everyone of you!! Attached or not, may you have a great day!! And well, thanks for all the reviews. It made me smile and that's really great when stress at work gets me down. So yep, here's my love to all of you on this special day! Well, big hugs for everyone!
Nope, this fic ain't done yet. The final chapter will come up on the actual day. *grins* And after that, there would be an epilogue. So, yep, enjoy!
Chapter 7: Making Up
It was late in the evening when Iruka slipped into the seat in the restaurant, only to be greeted by a scowl and an exasperated sigh.
"What?" He stared at his two friends bemusedly.
Kurenai shook her head and smiled. "Seems to me you are pretty busy lately, Iruka. What happened the last few days that you can't even come out and meet us?"
Iruka gave her a tired smile. "The kids are having their exams next month. We are busy preparing for it."
Kurenai nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean."
Iruka grinned and turned to the other kunoichi who still wore the scowl on her face plaintively for all to see. "What's wrong with you?"
"I can't believe you, Iruka. Just what has that chunin got that Kakashi doesn't?" Anko snorted.
"What are you talking about?" Iruka blinked confusedly. Anko frowned
Kurenai sighed. "You agreed to go out with Oukei tomorrow, didn't you?"
Iruka paused as his brows furrowed together in deep thoughts. "Tomorrow……?" Then he gaped. "I…. I…."
"What the hell were you thinking, Iruka?" Anko glared at him.
The chunin sighed. "I didn't mean it." He leaned back in his chair as the waitress served his drink. He glanced up at them for a moment before dropping his gaze. "Kakashi came to the academy a few days ago to look for me. And Oukei was there too, trying to ask me out."
"And you just agreed?" Kurenai raised an eyebrow.
"No." Iruka rubbed his face tiredly. "I rejected him initially."
"Initially?" Anko stared at him.
"Yeah. Then when I saw Kakashi, I just……" Iruka looked at them guiltily. "I guess I was so angry I just couldn't think straight."
"Angry? What are you angry with Kakashi about?"
Iruka opened his mouth to say something. Then he closed it and shook his head firmly. "Never mind."
"So you did it to spite him?" Kurenai eyed the chunin. Iruka nodded slowly, as the guilt hit him.
Kurenai sighed and shifted in her seat slightly. "You think he is cheating on you, don't you?"
Anko gaped. "Cheating? Kakashi? When did it happen?"
Iruka was silent. Kurenai leaned forward in the table and stared at him intently. "What exactly gave you that idea, Iruka?"
Iruka shook his head as he sighed tiredly. "I don't know. I've been thinking about it the last few days. And I have to admit that I kind of overreacted. I should have been more mature about it and talk things out."
"Overreacted? About what?" Kurenai asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Iruka gave her an awry smile. "It's nothing, Kurenai. Don't worry about it. We will sort it out between us."
"If you will, then you wouldn't have agreed to go out with Oukei tomorrow." Anko snorted.
Iruka groaned. "Stop that, Anko."
"What? Did I say it wrong?" The kunoichi scowled.
"I actually forgot all about it." Iruka murmured.
"Forgot?" Kurenai turned amused. "How on earth did you forget? Knowing Oukei, he would have reminded you every day."
Iruka sighed. "He only came to me the day after he asked me out to inform me the restaurant that he had reserved a table at. After that, I had been busy at the academy and didn't really have much time to bother about him."
"So you had no intention to turn up tomorrow?" Anko sat up in her seat and stared at her friend, as the anger faded away.
Iruka shrugged. "I said I forgot. I wouldn't deliberately stand someone up. And now that you reminded me, I would have to think of a way to get out of it."
"And if you can't?" Anko's eyes narrowed.
"I would just go then. And take it that I'm having dinner with a colleague."
Anko's eyes widened in shock. Kurenai stared at him as though he had grown another head.
"Are you kidding me, Iruka?" Anko almost roared. Iruka jumped, startled by his friend's response.
"What?"
"Iruka, how could you 'go for dinner with a colleague' tomorrow when you are attached?" Kurenai asked incredulously.
Iruka blinked once, twice, then he frowned. "Why not? I do that all the time."
Kurenai and Anko exchanged glances. Then Anko cleared her throat and turned back to the chunin, eyeing him suspiciously. "Tell me, Iruka, do you know what day is tomorrow?"
Iruka snorted. "Saturday."
"Idiot! I'm not asking about the day of the week." Anko snapped.
"Then what?" Iruka frowned.
Kurenai stared at him, appalled. "Iruka, do you know the date tomorrow?"
The chunin mentally calculated for a while before he smiled at the genjutsu user. "It's the 14th."
Kurenai nodded slowly. Anko stared at him, waiting for him to react.
Iruka stared back at them, wondering what he had said that got them so quiet all of a sudden. He mentally ran through what he just said. He frowned. He didn't say much. Kurenai had asked him for the date and he had given it to her. So what's next, were they testing him? He was a teacher, damn it. Knowing days and dates are second nature to him. And why the hell is everyone so worked up about one Saturday?
"14th February, Iruka." Kurenai said softly, trying to hint the chunin.
Iruka stared at her. Right, 14th February. So what about it?
Then his frown deepens. Wait a minute. Now that sounds familiar. But what is so familiar about that date?
Anko and Kurenai watched the chunin, ready to knock sense into him if he said he couldn't remember. Iruka looked deep in thoughts as his brows furrowed together.
And then, the tension between Iruka's eyes eased away and the brown orbs widened in shock and horror as realization dawned on him. The chunin almost jumped out of his seat.
"Oh my god! I forgot!"
Anko smacked her forehead in exasperation. Kurenai rolled her eyes as she sighed deeply.
"What the hell, Iruka?" Anko groaned.
"I forgot." The chunin paled. "It's Valentine's."
"Yes, it is. Where have you been hiding all these while that you missed all the signs in the village hinting that Valentine's is here?" Anko grimaced.
"I…. I….." Iruka stared at them helplessly. "I forgot."
"Yes. And if I must remind you, you are going out for dinner tomorrow night and your date is not your boyfriend." The serpent user snorted. "I can't believe you."
"I didn't mean to." Iruka mumbled.
"Right. I really wonder where you have been." Anko shook her head in empathy. "Kurenai had even gotten her Valentine's present."
"Correction." The red-eyed kunoichi smirked. "That's a pre-Valentine's present. I'm expecting another one from Asuma."
Iruka stared at her glumly. "Lucky you. So what have you got?"
Kurenai stared at him for a moment, before she grinned and tucked her hair behind her ears, flashing the jewelry on them.
The glittering accessories caught Iruka's attention and he leaned forward slightly to take a closer look.
"Aren't these earrings a beauty?" Kurenai smiled, obviously in bliss.
Iruka felt his head spinning when he recognized the accessories. Weren't these the same as those he had found in the velvet box that had slipped out from Kakashi's pants?
"Right. And I can still remember that sappy message carved on the box." Anko snickered. Kurenai glared at her.
"Message?" Iruka asked weakly, though his mind was already beginning to piece things together. Right, he had so overreacted.
"Yup." Anko grinned gleefully. "It goes something like to the woman of my life…..Mmph……" Kurenai's hand slammed over her mouth, cutting her short. Iruka paled.
The younger kunoichi finally managed to pry the fingers off her mouth. She glared at Kurenai. "What was that for?"
"You don't have to announce it to the whole world, you know?" Kurenai scowled as her face turned red.
"Ah…. Are you embarrassed?" Anko chuckled. "That was a message from your boyfriend. What's so embarrassing about it?"
Kurenai snorted. "From what I heard from Genma, Asuma did not write the message. He gave the general idea and Kakashi wrote it. Tell me how sincere that is."
Iruka gaped as he digested the details, the bantering between the two women going unnoticed. Now everything made sense. He had not only overreacted, but he had suspected his boyfriend of being unfaithful.
A thought crossed his mind. What if Kakashi had gotten upset with him after being ignored for so many days? That wouldn't do. He had to get things cleared out before that happens.
"Iruka?" Kurenai noticed his dazed expression and called out in concern.
The chunin licked his dry lips as he stood up. "I…. I've got to go."
Before either of them could react, Iruka had bolted out of the place.
=-=-=-=
Iruka unlocked the door and stepped into the house, closing the door behind him.
The apartment was in total darkness. Iruka walked in tentatively, not bothering with the lights, as he stretched out his chakra and tried to sense where his boyfriend was.
"Kakashi?" Iruka called out hesitantly.
There was no response. Iruka sighed despondently, realizing that the jounin was not home yet. He bit his bottom lip in nervousness as he walked over to the couch and sank down in it. He pulled off his jacket and tossed it carelessly to the couch at the side.
He groaned miserably, knowing he had a lot of explanations to do.
=-=-=-=
Kakashi unlocked his door and stepped into the apartment. The moment he closed the door behind him, he tensed and his senses heightened.
There was another presence in the house.
"You are home."
The jounin startled a little at the familiar voice. "Iruka?"
There was a deep audible sigh. Kakashi walked over to the side and flicked the lights on.
And there, seated on the couch, in a defeated posture, was his lover, who had been ignoring him for god knows what reasons for the last few days.
Kakashi walked over gingerly. "Uh……"
"I'm sorry." Iruka mumbled.
The jounin paused in his steps. He blinked a few times, trying to decide if he had heard what he thought he heard.
Iruka was apologizing? For what? For ignoring him for the last few days? For agreeing to go out with Oukei in front of him? For accusing him of something he didn't do? Kakashi wasn't sure. He decided to be safe for the moment and opted to sit down in the couch opposite the chunin, just in case Iruka decided again that sanity wasn't his cup of tea that night. He tugged off his jacket and put it beside him.
"Well……" Iruka scratched the scar across his nose nervously as he briefly glanced up at the jounin before averting his gaze. He sighed. "I want to explain."
"Oh?" That was all Kakashi could manage as he became more confused over his boyfriend's antics. Now Iruka wanted to explain. If Kakashi had remembered it right, wasn't he the one whom the chunin demands an explanation from?
"I'm sorry I took it out on you, Kakashi." Iruka started, guilt evident in his tone.
Kakashi scratched the side off his head. "Uh…. Well…. Um…. I guess I'm used to it?"
"Not that!" Iruka glared at him. "I mean……" He blushed as he turned away. "I…… I'm sorry I doubted you. I should have gotten my facts right first."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that statement. Oh, so there was doubts involved. "Uh, Iruka, I don't quite understand what you mean. You may have to explain that."
Iruka buried his face in his hands and sighed deeply.
=-=-=-=
By the time Iruka finished his explanations, amidst blushing, stammering, choking and the occasional incoherent statements, Kakashi was staring at him, bewildered and amused.
Somewhere through the explaining session, Kakashi had removed his mask and forehead protector, and Iruka found himself getting more embarrassed when he saw the stunned and surprise look on his boyfriend's bare face.
Kakashi gaped a few times at the chunin, unable to form words, before he rubbed his face tiredly and groaned. "So that was what it was all about."
"I'm sorry." Iruka mumbled as he fidgeted in his seat. Then his head snapped up and he glared at the older man. "And don't you dare laugh."
Kakashi held up his hands in defense before he sighed and stood up. He walked over to the other couch and sat down beside the chunin, finally sure that Iruka wasn't going to pull another quick one on him.
He wrapped his arms around the chunin and pulled him closer, nuzzling his neck. "At least I know that you care enough to be jealous. Even though there wasn't a need to."
Iruka snorted. "What else could I think when I found a woman's accessory in your possession?"
"Right, I'm sorry. But you could have confronted me about it instead of keeping it to yourself and made me play some guessing games."
Iruka sighed. "I…. I just wasn't sure…." He trailed off.
Kakashi raised an eyebrow. He shifted slightly and studied the chunin's face. "What aren't you sure about?"
"I…." Iruka shifted uncomfortably. "We weren't together for long. But everything in our relationship took place so fast."
"And you are unhappy about it?" Kakashi shifted away a little to give the younger man some space.
"No." Iruka frowned and pulled off his hair tie and forehead protector, tossing them onto the coffee table. "I just don't know what to think about it. We were only together for half a year and I moved in with you. And for the last four months, we've been trying to adjust to living with each other."
"What are you trying to say, Iruka?" The jounin frowned.
"I don't know what to think about this. It's just….. Before all these, we weren't even that close. I don't know who your previous partners were and whether you had any quirks that I do not know about. I don't even know where this will take us." Iruka ruffled his hair in frustration. "I… I guess I sort of freaked out when I found those earrings." He admitted quietly.
Kakashi smiled softly, finally understanding his boyfriend's insecurities. He leaned forward and enveloped the chunin into his embrace.
"I don't have any previous partners, Iruka. You were my first."
"Liar."
"I'm not lying. Before you came along, I guess I never took notice of anyone else around me. I would just bury myself in missions after missions and put the village before anything else."
Iruka tentatively wrapped his arms around the jounin's waist, feeling himself melt at the jounin's words. "But….."
Kakashi grinned and whispered into his ears huskily. "We will leave the explanations for later. How about some make-up sex?"
Iruka blushed. So much for romantic atmosphere. He shoved the jounin lightly. "Kakashi!"
"What?" The jounin nipped the tanned neck, causing a shudder to run down Iruka's spine. "I was away for a mission for three weeks. I couldn't blame anyone for that. But when I came back, you deprived me of it for a week. So of course you have to compensate me for that."
Before the chunin could even react, he was pinned down on the couch with his older lover hovering over him with a feral grin. He blushed as he reached up, pulling the jounin closer to him.
"I'm sorry."
"Maa…… Forgiven. Just make sure you tell me what's on your mind the next time." Kakashi grinned.
"Of course." Iruka chuckled as warm lips pressed against his.
Their kiss deepens as tongues fought for dominance. Hands roamed, feeling bare skin under the shirts. Kakashi ran his fingers through the loose brown hair and cradled the back of the chunin's head, pulling him closer and tasting every inch of his lover.
Things were getting heated when suddenly, a loud banging came onto the door.
"Kakashi-sensei! Iruka-sensei! I'm home!"
The two lovers jumped apart immediately. Iruka gasped for breath as he stared at Kakashi, shocked. The jounin blinked back in surprise, wondering what that loud noise was.
It took a while for the both of them to regain their composure. And then the banging and the boisterous voice came through again.
"Sensei! Are you in there?"
Kakashi groaned. Just when he thought he could finally enjoy some peaceful moments with his lover.
Iruka grimaced. "It's Naruto." He picked up his hair tie and swiftly put his hair up into a ponytail. He stood from the couch and straightened his shirt before turning to the jounin, who was putting his mask back in place. "I almost forgot that he's coming back."
Kakashi sighed. "Me too." He stood from his spot and joined Iruka, who was walking over to the door to open it.
The door opened before Naruto could bang on it again.
"That's enough, Naruto. You are going to tear down the door." Iruka looked at the blond boy disapprovingly.
Naruto grinned sheepishly and scratched his head. Then he beamed at his two teachers at the door. "I missed you!"
Kakashi snorted and Iruka laughed as he ruffled the blond hair. "We missed you too. Now come on in."
Naruto smiled happily as he ambled into the room and plopped down onto the couch. Iruka went to the kitchen and set some water to boil to make tea, before he returned to the couch and sat down beside Kakashi.
Kakashi wrapped his arms loosely around Iruka's waist and pulled him closer. Naruto stared at the two of them before he blushed lightly and smiled. "I'm so glad you two are getting along fine. I was worried that you would kill each other the first month you start living together."
"Have some faith in us, will you?" Kakashi grunted.
Naruto shrugged. Then he grinned happily at the two men. "I'm so happy everyone is getting on well."
Iruka nodded. "Of course. How about you, Naruto?"
The boy's blue eyes sparkled. Kakashi groaned, knowing Iruka had asked the wrong question. Now, they were in for some story-telling, which he was sure, wasn't going to end that very soon.
So much for make-up sex.
=-=-=-=