The Assassin and the Dolphin

Author: jabotus

Rating: T

Pairings: Kakashi x Iruka, Lee x Sakura

Warnings: AU – yaoi (two guys in a relationship)

Disclaimer: Don't own.

'…..' – thoughts

Chapter 4

Iruka was mumbling to himself when Sasuke and Naruto re-entered the pool. He couldn't believe the way he reacted with just a glance from the handsome human. It was Naruto's fault for first suggesting he was 'love sick' and now he was acting like some teenage girl!

"Bye, Iruka. I'm going to the Uchiha's tonight." Naruto called out as he followed Sasuke into the tunnel.

"What?" Iruka raced over to him grabbing his foot.

"I told you yesterday Sasuke invited me over."

"But…you can't leave me with him."

"Sakura gave him some herbs. He should be asleep most of the night." Sasuke told him who had swum back to them.

"But what if he's hungry? What if he wakes up?"

"Then bring him something to eat," answered Naruto.

"I can't…I can't talk to him. I…" Iruka knew his cheeks were turning red again.

"Then leave some food by the pool's edge. I'm sure he'll know what to do with it."

"But what if something happens? He could get a fever or sick from our food." Iruka recalled the first time he ate human food and threw up afterwards.

"Then you'll just have to keep an eye on him all night long." Sasuke smirked. He was enjoying seeing Iruka squirm just a little too much. Sadist.

Iruka looked at them in misery. How could they abandon him?

"Goodbye everyone, we'll be on our way now." They glanced up to see Sakura and Lee sinking down towards them. Sakura swam over to Iruka.

"I left some extra herbs in a bag on the shelf up there. If he gets a fever, add four spoonfuls to one of the bottled waters and have him drink it. He can have some up to three more times in the next 12 hours. I'll be here in the morning to check on the stitches."

"Thank you Sakura."

"He's very attractive Iruka. You certainly have good tastes."

"It's not like that."

"Oh really?"

"He was drowning and being shot at. I couldn't ignore that."

"Naruto told us, Iruka." Lee replied.

"Told you what?" Iruka glared at Naruto. The teen only smiled mischievously.

"About your crush."

"It's not a crush!"

"So it's more than that? Good luck then." Lee offered.

"I don't even know the man!"

"Well, here's your chance to get to him," said Sakura.

Iruka's mouth opened, but he didn't know what to say to that. The pink haired mermaid laughed.

"And if you stopped being so shy; let him get to know you, he just might like you." Sakura advised.

"Which reminds me," Sasuke spoke up, "He doesn't have a clue what we are. He thought my gills were cuts on my side."

"I don't have a chance then. He'll never understand."

"Not all humans are prejudiced." Naruto reminded them all. "Gaara, Shino, Kiba and his family aren't and Itachi is bringing home a human girlfriend." He counted their land-dwelling friends off on one hand.

"The argument would work better if you mentioned actual humans, Dobe. Shino and the Inuzuka clan are not human."

"Shino's not human?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "And we don't know who Itachi is bringing home with him, if he even is bringing someone. This is how rumors get started."

"Then Gaara. He's human."

"Barely," muttered Sakura.

"You guys are supposed to be helping me."

"Iruka relax. Just be yourself and talk to him. He seems to be a rational being. You shouldn't miss this opportunity to speak to him." Lee said and patted his shoulder.

Iruka could only give him an exasperated look. Some friends he had to abandon him when his crush…no not crush...an injured human to watch over.

"Lee's right. Talking won't hurt you though you might not want to blush so much when he looks at you. He'll figure it out." Sakura teased. "He's smart. There's something about the way he pretended to be asleep…" Sakura smiled to hide her slight worry. "Anyway, I wouldn't have realized he was awake if I hadn't been checking his pulse right then." Sakura kissed Iruka's cheek and entered the tunnel. "See you, tomorrow, Iruka."

"Good evening, Iruka. Sasuke, Naruto." Lee inclined his head before swimming after Sakura.

"You guys are horrible friends. I won't forget this when I find out who you like Naruto."

Naruto grinned. Then he hugged Iruka. "Oh, if he says anything about a fish, just say you're welcome."

"Huh? What fish?"

"Bye-bye Oni-chan." Naruto swam into the tunnel.

"Good-bye Iruka-Sensei." Sasuke followed the blond. He paused at the entrance and with a glance over his shoulder, "his name is Kakashi since you were too busy hiding when he told us." Iruka didn't get a chance to tell him he had heard despite his hasty retreat earlier before the merman was gone.

Iruka stared after them in misery. How could they do this to him!? And damn Sakura for introducing them to ninja films! He never knew what the hell they were saying to him. With a sigh, resulting in bubbles going up to the pool's surface, he entered the tunnel as well. He would have to hunt some food for both himself and the human.

A half hour later, Iruka was back in the pool, lobsters in hand. He knew humans ate seafood so thus the lobsters.

'He'll probably want it cooked though." Iruka didn't understand why humans cooked everything before eating it. 'They only ruin the taste of it,' he thought as he swam up to the pool's surface.

Iruka rose up silently from the water. The human was sleeping on the pile of blankets they had set him on earlier. It took a few moments to tear his eyes away. Then setting the lobsters on the cave floor, Iruka braced his arms and hoisted himself out of the water. With his arms, he crawled forward to a pile a towels they had collected, lost by humans who came to the nearby beach. Just leaving the water initiated the change; drying his tail off sped it up. In a minute's time, his five foot tail was gone and he could pass as human as long as his gills were hidden.

Remembering Sasuke had said Kakashi…Iruka couldn't help but smile, it was a good name…Kakashi didn't know what they were. He didn't want to startle him, at least not right away; perhaps not at all. If he returned the human to the surface while he was unconscious, then Kakashi would never have to know. Iruka could then cut off completely and never see him again. He hated the way the thought made his heart twist in a dull pain.

What was wrong with him!!!

Well, Kakashi was stuck here until Sakura said his injuries were healed. Knowing Sakura, she would probably lie so he would be taking care of him longer and have a better chance at getting to know him. Brat.

Iruka grabbed some clothes lying in another pile. Sasuke was the only one from their group who despised wearing clothes. He wouldn't wear any if not for the fact that it drew humans' attention when walking around nude. Of course, he had to try that out a few times at the beach…the reactions were quite humorous, but one time the police had been called out. Sasuke barely made it back to the water. He must have scared people when he didn't ever resurface.

Now clothed in jean shorts and a t-shirt, Iruka picked up the lobsters and carried them to the corner of the cave near one of the small openings. There were actually several, but all were too small for large creatures to pass through. On rare occasions, they had started fires here. Since fire was something they didn't have in their world, as children they had been absolutely fascinated by it. Iruka hoped he could get one started. It had been a few years.