0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
(This one takes place very early in their relationship… Kakashi is 29, Iruka is 28, It's mid-October.)
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Chapter 9; Cecelia
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Cecilia, You're breaking my heart. You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh Cecilia, I'm down on my knees. I'm begging you please to come home
Awww... Cecilia, you're breaking my heart. You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh Cecilia, I'm down on my knees. I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia. Up in my bedroom
(makin' love) I got up to wash my face, When I come back to bed
Someone's taken my place
Cecilia, you're breaking my heart. You're shaking my confidence daily
Oh Cecilia, I'm down on my knees. I'm begging you please to come home
Come on home
Jubilation. She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Jubilation. She loves me again
I fall on the floor and I'm laughing
Paul Simon—Art Garfunkle
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Music was a hobby of Iruka's.
He was rather fond of it, and considered himself a grand master of all things lyrical.
Kakashi, on the other hand… Bless him, had a copy of the Icha Icha Movie Soundtrack, and that was it. And the CD wasn't even open. The cellophane wrapper still neatly covering it.
'It's a Collector's Edition!' he would say defensively, pointing to the little gold sticker on it.
So, after three dates, and an overnight stay with Kakashi in the hospital since the older man had shown up at Iruka's door fresh from a mission with a shuriken in his back, just to tell him that he was home and not dead, Iruka sat Kakashi down on the rug in his living room, pulled out the large milk crates from his closet, his father's old record player… And introduced the jounin to all that was truly beautiful and musical.
Kakashi sat there, cross legged, his left arm in a sling, still smelling heavily of hospital antiseptic, scratching absently at his unshaven chin through his mask while Iruka explained the differences in style and technique between each song, album and artist.
He didn't expect Kakashi to take to it in only one evening. The silver haired man could be terribly stubborn when it came to lectures and actually paying attention to something he had never deemed 'worthy' of his attention.
But by the seven that evening Iruka noticed Kakashi had started drumming his fingers on his knee, his lower jaw thrust forward, pushing his chin against his mask, head bobbing slightly when he thought Iruka wasn't looking.
He seemed to like Iruka's father's old blues and jazz records, and oddly he thought it was fitting.
Kakashi was like cool, smooth jazz… Slick and simple, but darkly complicated underneath.
Kakashi also reminded him of expensive black coffee. Slightly bitter, but with sweet undertones and a slightly caramel scent that made your chest rumble in satisfaction.
Oh, yes, Iruka decided, he had it bad.
Kakashi found the beat to each song easily, toes flexing under his knees subconsciously in tune with it, and Iruka found he couldn't stop smiling, as he methodically went through each record in his first two crates. Explaining the history behind each artist, band and group.
He'd decided to start Kakashi off on simple stuff. Blues and Jazz, some of that folky music with the excellent harmony his mother had liked. Music that rolled easily, with lyrics almost everyone could relate to.
It wasn't until the next day when he overheard Kakashi humming and softly singing to himself, that Iruka realized he'd done something important.
He'd made an impact on Kakashi.
That night he invited Kakashi over again, tempting him with takeout and more music.
That was the first time he'd ever seen Kakashi smile genuinely through his mask. The first time he'd ever heard him give an honest chuckle.
All because of a lyric from one of his mother's old records.
"Making love in the afternoon with Cecilia. Up in my bedroom
(makin' love) I got up to wash my face, When I come back to bed
Someone's taken my place…"
It was almost half-past ten that night before Iruka realized he'd been sitting there with Kakashi for almost five hours, just listening to music and poking at now cold, rather dry noodles.
"Do you have any other hobbies, Iruka-sensei? I think it's fair to say, that this one has piqued my interest."
Iruka blinked and propped his ear nervously on his hand, his cheeks heating slightly. "Well, I can cook."
"Really?"
"Ah, yes…" Iruka wanted to fidget in a shy manner, but settled on scratching the back of his head and looking toward the record player. "Sandaime-sama's wife, while she was still alive, she taught me quite a lot."
"Well, you'll have to teach me about that too, ne?" He gave a little nervous laugh. "I can cook well enough to keep myself from dying of malnutrition, but I've given up on it ever tasting better than wet cardboard."
Iruka laughed. Deep and full, then leaned his forehead against Kakashi's shoulder smiling.
A few seconds later, there was the warm press of a masked cheek against the crown of his head, and the record player whirred to a stop.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0