A/N: Two chapters update!! Well, basically because if I put everything in one chapter, it's just too kinda long. But well, here you go. And though it may be a day after V-day, it's still ain't too late. So, enjoy!

Chapter 9: Sweet Celebrations

Iruka stepped into the restaurant and searched through the masses of people for the familiar silver crown of hair. He caught sight of it in a corner of the room and walked over with a smile, convinced that Kakashi has had got everything in place.

He walked towards the table and squinted his eyes in the dim lights to catch sight of his boyfriend.

As he neared the table, he paused in his steps as he gaped and took in the sight.

There, lounging comfortably in one chair and reading, was Kakashi. Seated opposite the jounin was Oukei, who had gone drastically pale for whatever reasons and seemed to flinch every time Kakashi moved a muscle.

He walked over tentatively and swallowed nervously. "Kashi?"

The jounin put down his book and glanced up. Iruka could distinctly make out a smirk under that mask.

Kakashi slipped his book into his pocket and studied his chunin.

Iruka was dressed simply in a black shirt and a pair of jeans. But what captivated the jounin most was the untied hair that framed the tanned face. Kakashi grinned as he stood up and walked over to the younger man, placing a masked kiss on the stunned face. "Hey, love."

Iruka looked over the broad shoulders to catch a glimpse of the other chunin.

Oukei was still sitting there, seemingly not noticing his presence. He turned back to Kakashi. "What did you say to him? He looks like he just came out from one of Ibiki's worst torture sessions."

Kakashi shrugged. "Nothing much. I didn't even lay a finger on him. I just told him that we are a couple and he went deathly pale."

Iruka eyed him suspiciously. But Kakashi merely grinned and held on to Iruka's hand as he walked back to the table.

"Well, Oukei-san." The jounin started. The other man immediately jerked and sat stiffly, the eyes moving slightly to watch Kakashi.

The copy nin leaned over the table and picked up his bouquet. Then he gave Oukei a one-eyed smile as he tugged Iruka forward slightly. "My date is here. I shan't disturb you any further. Enjoy your dinner."

Oukei's eyes darted from Iruka to Kakashi in a wild look. He nodded stiffly as Kakashi turned and pulled Iruka towards the counter, asking the waitress for their table.

The waitress showed them to a quiet corner, which was hidden from the general view. The table had rose petals decorated on it and a sweet-smelling candle sat in the centre, brightening up the small area with a soft, warm glow. The couple took their seats and Iruka waited until the waitress had left them alone with the menu before he glared at the jounin.

"Now spill. What did you do to him?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Well, I didn't do much. It was only a little interrogation session."

Iruka sighed as he flipped the menu and studied it. "You don't sound very convincing."

"Maa….. Have some faith in me. I didn't do anything to him."

Iruka shook his head in mild amusement. "Well, even if you did, I think he deserves it."

"So, is that consent for me to torture him?"

Iruka looked up from the menu and smirked. "Well, if you want to spend Valentine's having Ibiki interrogating you, by all means go ahead."

"I'm pretty sure Ibiki would let me go on that one." Kakashi chortled.

"So confident, aren't you?" Iruka grinned.

"Of course. You seem to have forgotten that Anko isn't too fond of Oukei as well. I wouldn't have doubted for a second that she would have already ranted it to Ibiki." The jounin hummed cheerfully.

"Uh huh, of course. If my memory served me right, none of them seems too fond of him, Izumo and Kotetsu included."

"Glad you know that." Kakashi chuckled as he reached for the bouquet beside him. "Anyway, enough of him. This is for you."

Iruka smiled. "Thank you." He accepted the bouquet and took a glanced at it. His eyes widened at the sight of the flowers. "Cala lilies? Where did you get them from?"

Kakashi smiled at the shimmering happiness in the brown orbs. He had a feeling that despite the events over the last few days, tonight would still go on as he had planned. "I knew you would like them. I had them specially ordered. Of course, had to pull some favors here and there to make sure they arrive on time, fresh and nice."

Iruka placed the bouquet at the side of the table, arranging it carefully to avoid flattening any of the lilies. "Well, but still, these flowers aren't easy to get in any nearby areas surrounding Konoha. And on top of that, they cost a bomb."

Kakashi reached over and placed a hand over the chunin's. "That doesn't matter. As long as you like them."

Iruka shifted his hand and grasped the jounin's in a firm grip. "Of course. Thank you." He raised an eyebrow. "So, are we going to exchange the presents now?"

Kakashi laughed. "You mean you actually had time to get a present for me? If I didn't remember wrong, you only recalled yesterday that today is Valentine's and Naruto had taken up most of our time today."

Iruka smiled sheepishly. "I have to get you something somehow."

"Oh really? I'm looking forward to what you could come up with in such a short span of time."

Iruka snorted. "Of course it's something nice. I bet if you know what it is, you would beg me to give it to you now."

"Right. So let's get it over and done with." Kakashi grinned. "After dinner, I'm bringing you to a place. So let's finish dinner and head over."

Iruka nodded and pulled his hand away as he went back to studying his menu. Kakashi leaned back slightly in his seat, as he watched his chunin blissfully.

His first Valentine's with Iruka is no doubt, a great one.

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Iruka walked along the streets, his fingers tightly laced together with the jounin beside him. He inched closer and leaned into the warmth slightly.

"Where are we going, Kakashi?"

"You will see." The jounin gave him a mysterious look and continued to lead him on.

Iruka grew confused when Kakashi took him to the training ground and stopped at one of the practice post.

"Kakashi?"

The jounin did not say anything. He released Iruka's hand and started to dig through the soil with a stick. Iruka watched him in confusion, not understanding his lover's antics.

Soon, Kakashi had dug a hole and he put his hand into it and pulled out something. Then he stood up and turned to Iruka.

"Iruka, remember how we never spoke to each other again after that minor conflict we had over the chunin's exam?"

Iruka nodded slowly, still trying to figure the older man out.

"And well, this is where we first met and spoke after that long period of cold standing." Kakashi grinned. "Right here at this practice ground."

Iruka smiled and wrapped one arm around the jounin's waist. "Yes, I remembered all that. I still remembered that you were here taking it out on those poor practice posts for god knows what reasons."

"Uh huh. Come to think of it, I can't even remember it now. Must have been some post mission jitters." Kakashi smiled. "But then, you spoke to me. You didn't know what happened. But all the same, you were showing your concern and trying to talk some sense into me."

Iruka laughed. "I must have been out of my mind. I actually did not fear being killed by some jounin who apparently had problems with sanity."

Kakashi leaned his forehead against the chunin's. "Well, but for your gesture, I actually fell for you."

"Yes. And I guess I should be thankful." Iruka placed a soft kiss on the masked cheek. "So, did you bring me here to reminisce?"

Kakashi shifted back slightly and produced the box, sat on his palm. "I remembered that when you were trying to soothe me then, you had mentioned that when there's a chance, you want to travel to the Ocean Country, because you have never been to the sea."

Iruka nodded slowly, trying to get his mind to recall.

"Well, we will travel there sometime soon. But now, just make do with this." Kakashi opened the box and brought out a beautiful glass paper weight, with a three-dimensional carved image of the Ocean Country sitting in it.

Iruka took it into his hands and stared at it in awe. "It's beautiful. How did you get it?"

"Favors. I had one of my ANBU friends get it for me when he went there on a mission."

Iruka placed the ornament back into the box. He closed the lid and held it in his hand together with the flowers. Then with his other, he reached up and tugged down the jounin's mask, leaning forward and claiming the other's mouth.

Kakashi returned the kiss as he slipped his hands around the small back, pulling Iruka closer. They stood there, enjoying the moment of bliss and tasting each other, until the need for air was too great.

They broke apart and panted as they gasped for air. Iruka tried to steady his erratic heartbeat as he looked up at Kakashi fondly. "Thank you."

Kakashi leaned forward and pulled him into a brief hug. He whispered softly to the chunin. "Come on, we still have two other places to go."

=-=-=-=

Iruka stared at the memorial stone in surprise. He blinked a few times before he turned his gaze towards Kakashi who gave him a knowing smile.

"Father, Sensei, Obito, Rin, we are here again. I hope you have kept my things safe for me."

Iruka raised an eyebrow as the older man walked to the back of the stone. He crouched down again and reached his hand into a gap in the stone, which Iruka had never noticed before.

Kakashi walked back a minute later, with a beautifully carved long, flat case in his hands.

"Kakashi, how did you hide that inside the stone?" Iruka stared at the box and then turned his gaze to the gap. How the jounin had fitted that long case inside was beyond his comprehension.

"Maa….. Ruka, let's not sweat over the small stuff." He opened the case and presented the contents to the chunin.

Iruka gaped at the array of finely made weapons lying on a velvet lining.

"Four months ago, right here at this memorial stone, I asked you to move in with me." Kakashi smiled.

Iruka nodded dumbly.

"The first time you went around exploring my house, you found this set of weapons, which I used in my ANBU days and you were amazed by the craftsmanship."

Iruka nodded again.

Kakashi swept his gaze across the kunai, shuriken and other weapons lying in the case. "I couldn't find that person who made my ANBU weapons. But there was this weaponry shop in the Land of Waves which I came across when I was there for a mission once and they made very delicate weapons as well."

The jounin looked up and smiled when he caught the dazed expression on Iruka's face. "I have them made it according to the standards of Konoha. But the craftsmanship is great and the materials used are of the best."

Kakashi closed the case with a one-eyed smile. "This is for you, Iruka."

Iruka felt a lump in his throat. He hadn't expected Kakashi to remember that he had once said he would love to own such a set of delicately made weapons. Hell, he hadn't even remembered until Kakashi reminded him just then. That had been just a passing comment. He had seen the weapons and had realized that it was very much different from the ones they could get in any weaponry shops in Konoha, and he had been astounded by the fine quality.

Kakashi eyed the chunin in concern when Iruka did not so much as bat an eyelash, as he stood there, stunned.

"Ruka?"

The chunin snapped from his daze. He swallowed hard and gave his lover a small smile.

"Are you alright?"

Iruka nodded. "I'm fine. It's just…. I was just… overwhelmed."

Kakashi chuckled. "Maa…. You are embarrassing me."

"You are embarrassing me." Iruka gave him a fond smile. "I'm surprise by the extent that you are doing this."

"I want to make it memorable." Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly. "After all, it's our first." He eyed the case tentatively. "I didn't think it was appropriate to give weapons on Valentine's. But well, I wanted to give you something practical."

Iruka laughed as he took the case into his hands and traced the carved patterns on the wood. He smiled. "I love it. Thank you."

Kakashi nodded happily. "Let's go to the last place."

=-=-=-=