(A/N: Third time's the charm right? My stupid cat kept knocking the internet connection from the wall...anywho, yay! It's getting fun again! .) )
Disclaimer: This gets annoying...as usual, nothing changed from the previous chapters...I'm still poor and have no legal rights of Naruto. I'm just using the characters for my own amusement.
Chapter Seven
Iruka jumped, immensely startled by loud pounding at his door. He glanced at the green numbers on the DVD player and groaned at the time. It had been two hours since his nightmare and, instead of trying to get back to sleep like a normal person, he had opted to watch a John Wayne marathon. Oh God, what had he become? Nevertheless, he rose from his position on the sofa and went to the door, peering through the peephole his face contorted into mixture of different emotions.
"Anko, what's the matter?" he asked as he opened the door to his flushed neighbor. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"No, no, I'm fine but," she glanced over her shoulder at the sound of the elevator doors ding. "Can I come in?" Iruka hesitated, unsure how to respond but warily stepped aside. "Sweet!" Anko rushed in, pushing past him with great hurry.
"Yea, no problem." He quietly shut the door just in time to miss the heavy footfalls of three men barreling down the hall. Streaks of burgundy caught his eye and he followed the trail to his wayward neighbor, now slumped against the arm of his couch. "Anko, are you okay?" He approached her with worry. She's hurt, she's hurt oh shit she's bleeding! Dropping to his knees, he forcefully gripped her ankle and examined the dirty, bloody foot. "What happened? Your feet are filthy and you're bleeding!" She moved to protest but he hushed her with the raise of a hand. "No, save it. Wait here, and don't trek anymore blood on my carpet."
Anko huffed in annoyance, although she honestly felt quite flattered as he disappeared into his bedroom, returning a short time later with a washcloth, peroxide and a box of band-aids. "I'm fine doctor."
He disagreed with the shake of his head. "No, you're not. That'll get infected if you don't clean it." Squatting to the floor again, he reclaimed her foot and twisted the white cap from the antiseptic.
She tried to jerk her leg out of his grasp, only to have it tightened. She frowned slightly surprised by the strength behind his hands. "Stop. I'm fine."
His eyes lifted to meet her icy gaze, and returned it with just as much intensity. "No, you're not. Your feet are black and cut. If you want to stay, I'm going to clean them." Repositioning her ankle between his knees, he poured a generous amount of peroxide into the clean washcloth and took her general lack of protest as a sign of compliance.
Now, Iruka wasn't known as having a foot fetish, in fact, it's safe to say other people's feet made him want to gag under all circumstances; however, as he gently ran the washcloth over the bottoms of her feet, something strange bubbled in his chest. Stealing a short peek at his friend, he found her staring out toward the balcony with a lost expression.
The hair prickled along Anko's neck and her eyes snapped to the young teacher, a pink tint dusting his cheeks. She blinked as he shakily took her other foot in his hand, what the hell was wrong with him? "What the hell is wrong with you?"
He startled. "I…what? Nothing's wrong with me, what's wrong with you?" He smiled at the shift in mood and tickled her foot, feeling brave.
She giggled, yes contraire to popular belief Anko could in fact giggle, mostly when being tickled or at that break of sanity we all feel every now and then. "Don't!" She jerked her foot away from his dancing fingers. "I hate being tickled."
"Touchy." He took hold of her opposite leg and began to wipe away the dirt. "Where are your shoes?"
She shrugged. "I forgot them at work." Liar. "Had to chase a taxi down, must have stepped on glass or something."
"Uh-huh." The washcloth was now stained black. "Crap, I need another cloth." His eyes locked with hers. "Stay here."
"Yes doctor." Her eyes flickered over his body as he rummaged in the kitchen. He was a fairly attractive male specimen, slightly scrawny but he did have some strength. She smirked, yet he had a permanent stick up his ass. He returned with a roll of paper towels and reclaimed his hold on her. Anko watched him pour more of that God awful substance into the paper and came to the conclusion that she was going to break him, not in that sense, but she was going to take him out and show him a few good times. Hell, maybe even dislodge that stick.
"This is going to burn."
His even voice rang through her thoughts. "I thought you were done?" Then the fire came. "OW! Shit!" She jerked and tried to wretch her leg from his grasp, but he fought back and managed to work even more peroxide into the jagged cut.
"Stop being such a baby." Her struggles did not cease and instead increased in tempo. "God damnit, hold still Anko!"
"No, that burns! Fucking A, stop it!"
"That's because it's working, now hold still!"
"I said STOP!" She kicked him, plain and simple. Her foot contacted with his sternum, and he briefly tittered on his heels before losing balance.
Iruka was dazed for an instant but it quickly flared into anger. "What was that for?" he growled, feeling his temper slip as he forcefully yanked her boney ankle a tad too hard. Bad idea, Anko slid off the couch and promptly landed straddle-legged on Iruka's lap.
The two locked eyes and for one pure minute of awkwardness neither said a word. Iruka, being an innocent teacher, blushed and broke eye contact. His attention wondered to her fishnet shirt, hey it seemed like a pretty safe place to stare, and yet we bring you another bad idea by Iruka Umino. Immediately, the unknowing man's face turned three different shades of red at the realization that she wore no bra, and he could see everything! EVERYTHING!
A large smirk stretched across Anko's lips at their current position. "You move fast there Ace." She winked and blew a kiss to him.
His mouth fell open, his eyes still captivated by her chest. "I-I-I…" He gulped, suddenly very aware that his hand had traveled further up her leg, and now rested on her thigh. "Anko," he tried again with a dry throat, "why don't you…" God, he could hardly breathe, let alone speak.
The purple haired vixen followed his line of vision, and snickered lowly as she understood why he was in such a tizzy. "What's the matter?" She cocked a perfect eyebrow. "Never seen a pair before?"
He honestly didn't know how to respond to that. Of course he'd seen boobies before, plenty of times…but only in semi-serious relationships. Never had he been exposed like this…they were just out there, you know, begging for attention…his attention. Shit, he hadn't even bothered to check if she was already seeing someone, he could be committing a crime against another man and not even know it! Oh well, that thought only made his temperature rise…along with something else. He frowned and mentally slapped himself. Stop it Iruka, there's no need for this, pull yourself together man!
"Why aren't you wearing a bra?" he finally asked with a weak voice. His sharpened senses picked up the faint scent of her shampoo and he shuddered. Lord have mercy, had it really been that long since his last romantic encounter?
"Hmm, you don't seem to mind, am I correct?" Her fingers tangled in his ponytail and gave it a playful tug.
He twitched, clearing away the fog and looked sternly into her eyes. "Stop, I'm not like that." His hands enclosed around her waist and with a grunt, gently lifted her onto the couch. He pushed himself to his feet and once again retreated to the bedroom.
Anko blinked, dumbfounded and at a loss for words. Surely assuming her night with the young teacher to go a little further than an A&E John Wayne marathon. Reality bit at her as a black ball of fabric came hurling toward her and she fumbled to catch it. "What's this for?" she asked, examining the black t-shirt with disinterest.
"For you to wear. Please change Anko, for the sake of my mind, please." The young man caressed his temples and leaned against the countertop.
"Does it bother you that much?"
Okay, what the hell was wrong with this woman? "Yes, in fact it does. I'd like to think I'm above blinding gawking at breasts, not to mention I would think-or at least hope-that you wouldn't want to expose yourself like this. Honestly, do you really want everyone to stare?"
Anko tensed as her defenses rose. "Who are you? My father? No, so why don't you just shut it!"
His eyes narrowed. "Real mature. What are you, some kind of cheap call girl?" He missed the way her shoulders slumped. "I'm trying to be nice, but I can only go so far. If they're out there, I'm going to stare and I think that's rude and you deserve a better friend than that!" A pause. "God damnit! It's three in the morning and all I want to do is sleep! So if you're not going to change then just get the hell out of here and leave me be! Christ, you haven't even told me what you want at this hour!" He pulled his hair free of the tie and ran his hands through the brown locks with a sigh.
She stood, clenching tightly onto the clean black shirt. "I'll leave then, don't want to interrupt your beauty sleep," she sneered hotly and quickly started for the door, being sure to let him know just how pissed she was.
Guilt hit him like a train and he raced to the door. "Anko." He intercepted her and closed the door as she opened it. "You don't have to go, I'm sorry." Honey brown orbs looked at him showing off more hurt than anger. "Ah, shit...I'm sorry, I get cranky whe-"
She cut him off, not in the mood for explainations. "You're not the only one who's had a long night." And just like that she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a half-ass attempt at a hug.
He froze against the warmth of her body, yet again unsure how to respond until he finally gave in and awkwardly returned the gesture, coming to the conclusion that he had no idea how to read this woman. One minute she was being seductive, the next minute pissed to high heavens and then finally doing another one-eighty and seeking comfort. "Uh, yea." He wiggled out of her grasp and took a respective step back, scratching his neck as his cheeks darkened.
A worn smile tugged the corners of her lips at how easy it was to rile him. "Can I stay here tonight?" He faltered. "You're right, I should have told management about the broken lock…I'm just a little paranoid to be alone." She sure as hell hoped that sounded okay.
"Um, yea, no problem. I'll, uh, I'll take the couch."
"No, I don't mind." She sank into the cushions of the said furniture and clutched the shirt to her chest, giving her some kind of decency.
"No, no. I insist." He disappeared into the bedroom for like the millionth time that night. "You don't have to change if it bothers you that much," he called from the room. He entered the living room with his pillow tucked beneath his arm and a sheet, noticing with much relief that she had adorned the large shirt.
Her eyes snapped to him and she grinned. "I'm not really tired, I'm gonna stay up and watch TV." She scooted to the floor. "Is there anything else on? I'm not really a John Wayne type of girl."
"Well, what type of girl are you?" he asked, throwing the pillows on the couch and sitting next to her. Keeping a healthy distance, of course.
Flipping through the channels she replied, "Ah, you know…horror, action, comedy, those sorts of things."
He nodded. "Well, you're out of luck doll," he imitated John Wayne's voice. "There ain't nothin' on." He finished that sentence with a cheeky grin, quite pleased with the how he pulled off the aforementioned actor's famous monotone droll.
Anko stared at him as if he just grew a fourth head. "Don't ever do that again," she finally replied after a stunned moment and went back to channel surfing. "Or I'll castrate you."
He didn't respond to that, not wanting to chance the shaky peace with her. Iruka sighed and leaned his head onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Even in this most uncomfortable of positions, his body was relaxed. No more thoughts or disillusions of his previous nightmare kept sleep at bay. His head rolled in Anko's direction and he stared at her, drinking in her…no, no, he wouldn't let himself go there, but yes, she was beautiful. As his eyes grew heavy and his muscles grew heavier by the second, the last thing on his mind was her.
Oh no, oh yes, he was beginning to fall for her…if only he knew just how far he would fall before being impaled on the jagged rocks of faith.
***
A young man, no older than twenty grimaced as he glanced around the apartment, his grip tightening on the handle of his pistol. "She's not here, is she?" He looked to his partners for an answer. He growled and pushed wire frame glasses up with a well manicured nail. "Damnit, we're too late."
"The little skank's got to be around here somewhere," a man with dark sunglasses and a mullet-like haircut replied. "Should we start knocking on doors, Kabuto?"
"Are you crazy Yoroi?" the third member of the party asked. "At this hour? Nobody's gonna answer the door for us."
"That's why we make them answer, shit for brains!" Yoroi grumbled, irate at having been challenged.
"Why you...I'll show you who has shit for brains!"
"Oh yeah? Bring it on shrimp!"
"That's enough!" Kabotu growled, annoyed at having been paired with those two morons. "Misumi is right." The grey haired youth tapped the glass of Anko's snake enclosure. The reptile curled into a tight ball, stiff and rigid, ready to strike the offending hand. "She'll have to come back eventually." The snake hissed and struck the lid of its cage, dislodging the cinderblock that kept the animal locked in. "And when she does, we'll be right here waiting for her."