KAKASHI'S POV

Arriving at Iruka's I knocked the door, smiling as I heard a yell for me to come in from inside the house. I sought him out and found him in the kitchen; making tea and stirring a pot on the stove slowly. He was wearing a plain apron.

"Don't just invite people in without seeing who's there first - I could have been a pervert or an attacker.'

"You are a pervert and an attacker, besides I knew you'd be coming over today anyway. Don't lecture me." Iruka huffed in reply, not turning away from the pot. I couldn't help but smile as I walked up to hug him from behind, dropping my nose to his neck and breathing in.

"Kakashi get off me, I could knock it over." He admonished me. His not saying that he wanted me away from him because he didn't want me there only made me want to squeeze him more. He might deny it, but he likes it. I laughed lightly and settled for loosening my arms around him and moving my face from his neck; I didn't move away. He didn't tell me to shift any further and I grinned because I knew he couldn't see it. For a long time now, even before the kiss, we had been doing this, meeting up, often with other jonin and chunin, or me coming to his house for tea; though I had never actually taken a sip. This was the first time he had offered to cook for me, and I had gladly accepted.

"What are you making?" I asked, peering over his shoulder into the pot.

"Soup. It's almost done now - it just has to simmer for a bit and we can eat. Do you want some tea?" He moved from the loose circle of my arms to pick up the tray; after taking off his apron and hanging it up. I noticed that there was already two cups on the tray, so I didn't reply - just followed him through to the living room and sat down on the settee facing him, the coffee table between us as he set the tea tray down.

"Good day at school?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and smiling as I took the little cup he offered me. Of course he could only see my one eye and brow, so the expression was lost on him.

"Ugh, don't even ask. The children are so noisy and loud, though not as bad as Naruto's year" He sighed. "How is team seven?" He added, sipping his own tea and looking at me expectantly. I knew he was worried about his former pupils, Naruto especially, and with the chunin exams approaching, I knew he was more than a little concerned.

"Fine." After their mission to the land of waves, where Naruto had proved himself stronger than even I could have guessed, calling on the fox demons power when he had thought that Sasuke was dead, Iruka had been both relieved and more worried for his ex-pupils. "They don't seem to want to work as a team though." I sighed as Iruka had just done and continued, "Sakura is determinedly stalking Sasuke and not practicing enough. Sasuke is doing his best to wind Naruto up enough that he might just explode; fighting dirty and cheating in sparing matches to make him mad - picking on him, calling him names, Stuff like that. And Naruto retaliates every time. Though I think Sasuke's attitude is helping him focus on becoming stronger. But they're all over the place." I bought the cup to my lips automatically, but dropped it before it reached them - I couldn't drink through my mask. "Sasuke set Naruto on fire today, and then after training I think he kissed him."

Iruka gasped "But why?" He asked, confused.

"I don't know, maybe it was another joke - or maybe he actually likes him and that's why he's being so horrible. I'll never understand kids."

"What did Naruto do?"

"Well, when I went after them, Sasuke had gone and Naruto was standing there looking bewildered. Then he asked me what I would do if you suddenly kissed me - because we're friends, so I kind of figured it out from that."

Iruka stood up, putting his empty cup back on the tray. I did the same with my still full one, following him back into the kitchen.

"And what did you say?" He asked setting the tray back on the side and reaching to put the apron back on, purposely not looking at me; though I saw him sneak a quick glance in my direction with only his eyes. I took the strings at the back of the apron from his hands to tie them. Pulling on them to draw him closer to me, my mouth by his ear, I whispered, "I wouldn't mind at all."

"Kakashi! You pervert. Don't say things like that to him, he could get the wrong idea." I laughed at his incredulous tone, unable to hold back; I pecked his cheek. "Would you prefer I lied?" I asked him. His face was bright red as he moved away from me to tend the soup, his fingers coming up to brush over the place where my mask covered lips had touched him. I felt heat steal through me at the look on his face. He had no idea how damn sexy he was.

"Iruka -" I started toward him but he cut me off.

"Could you get two bowls please? They're in the cupboard in front of you." I obeyed as he took out a ladle from a nearby draw to scoop the liquid into the bowls. We took our bowls, a set of chopsticks and a spoon each and settled at the small table at the end of the kitchen. Iruka began eating his soup, not looking at me to see if I ate mine. His face was still a little pink from blushing. I looked down into the bowl. Chicken, noodles, and stir fried vegetables, in what smelled like miso broth. It looked delicious. Decided, I hooked my finger into my mask and pulled it down to my neck, picking up the chopsticks.

"Mmm, This is good."

Iruka looked up at me and his jaw dropped. He stared at my face and I fought a smirk as I continued to eat. His eyes lingered on my mouth, as though in disbelief. The last and only time we had kissed, it had been in the dark and he hadn't actually seen my face. We had gone drinking with friends, though I didn't actually drink that night. Iruka had had too much, and being the only sober one, I had offered to take him home; not minding in the slightest when he had leaned all over me to keep his balance. The last thing I had expected when I loosed him into his house was for him to grab my shirt and yank me inside.

I licked my lips because I realised Iruka was still staring, though I kept my eyes on the soup bowl. He dropped his gaze and began shovelling the food into his mouth to distract himself. I smiled inwardly, knowing he was probably remembering the same thing I was and returned to my soup.

That night, the shy man sitting across from me had dragged me through his front door, and emboldened by alcohol, pushed me backwards into the wall. Before I knew quite what he planned to do, Iruka had slipped my mask down to my chin, wound his arm around my neck and pulled me down to his lips. Of course, I had kissed him back, pulling him closer to me when he moaned into my mouth. His hands had been everywhere; So had mine. Until he had come to his senses, horrified with himself and muttering about 'raping me' he had apologised, shoved me from his house and shut the door. Then he had avoided me for two weeks.

I gulped, setting my chopsticks beside the bowl, my trousers suddenly uncomfortable. "I have to go." Iruka looked back up, still staring slightly and I flashed him a wicked grin, before rising from the chair and crossing to him.

"Why?"

"I remembered something that I have to do." He made to rise and I pulled him up, turning with him and pressing his ass against the edge of the table, moving closer. "Naruto asked what you would do if I suddenly kissed you too. I said you would probably slap me" I leaned down, smiling inwardly as he blushed again. Before he could say anything I continued "But right now, I can't bring myself to care." And then I kissed him. Sliding my tongue into his mouth I groaned, swallowing his gasp of shock. He kissed me back, brushing my tongue with his own. I pushed him more firmly against the table, rocking once against him, but keeping our crotches apart. I didn't want him to freak out again. His hand found its way into my hair and I bit back a moan, pulling away from him, both of us breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry" I said, not sounding it at all.

"Kakashi-" Iruka started breathlessly.

"Thank you for dinner" I cut him off, leaning to place a chaste kiss on his lips before turning to go "I'll see you tomorrow - if you'd like?" I left then, not waiting for a reply. As I left I heard him mutter "Definitely. Idiot" when I was out of the room and he thought I couldn't hear.

Grinning I pulled my mask up to cover my face and started home, to take a long very cold shower.

Sorry about the lateness of the update - I've moved house and my computer was all boxed up for ages while we were decorating *sigh* hopefully there will be updates soon to make up for it.