The Assassin and the Dolphin

Author: jabotus

Rating: T

Pairings: Kakashi x Iruka

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

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

'…..' - thoughts

Chapter 15

Iruka sank to the bottom of the pool trying to absorb what had happened in the last few minutes. Kakashi had kissed him! Not once, but three times! The human was right though. He had enjoyed them but Iruka wasn't too happy about being tricked into the kisses. But then he had never expected Kakashi to kiss him in the first place. Iruka didn't think Kakashi would be interested in him like that, especially after last night. So what had happened in such a short time? Maybe nothing had changed. Kakashi did seem to enjoy making him uncomfortable by teasing him. Maybe the kisses were just another way to tease him? Which would mean the kisses meant nothing to Kakashi, nothing significant anyway. Nothing close to how Iruka felt about them…

Iruka suddenly felt very used. The guy was a pervert after all. A pervert who pushed him into the water two days after making a comment about kinky sex with a merperson… Was that why Kakashi had wanted to go into the pool? To have sex with him while he was in his natural form?

Iruka blinked when it occurred to him, he didn't know how that could work. He wasn't completely ignorant about sex, but it wasn't like there were lots of other same sex couples among his people. And there was no way he could ask Neji or Sasuke…Gah! What was he thinking!? This is all that perverted human's fault! If Kakashi hadn't ever brought the topic up…or kissed him…even it the kisses made his stomach twist into knots and his heart pound…

Stupid human! Iruka would go up there and give Kakashi a piece of his mind. Iruka began swimming up, but as he passed by the tunnel entrance he wondered why Kakashi had wanted to locate it. Unless…he wouldn't…he couldn't! If he tried on his own, Kakashi would never make it! There were dozens of tunnels which led to dead ends and by then he wouldn't be able to find his way out, let alone reach the exit before running out of air. It would be suicide. Iruka swam faster. Kakashi would definitely be getting an earful now.

Iruka burst through the surface and before he even saw Kakashi he yelled, "You're going to try and escape tonight!" Then he caught sight of a half naked Kakashi who had paused in the middle of pulling a shirt on. They stared at one another for a few seconds before Kakashi chuckled and tugged the shirt down over his chest.

"I guess you found me out. You know what this means right?"

Iruka's anger turned to confusion. How did Kakashi do that to him?

"You're going to have to stay here and guard me all night long."

Was this part of his plan? Even if Kakashi kissed him, which he could do while Iruka slept with the same effect, it wouldn't give him enough time to swim out. But Kakashi wouldn't know that.

"You won't have enough oxygen to get through the tunnel."

"Then you'll have to stick around to rescue me when I attempt my escape. Are you going to sleep in the water?"

Damn perverted human acting all smug and confident.

"Why don't you join me up here?"

Iruka swam to the edge without thinking, but then hesitated at the edge. What if this was his plan? Kakashi had tricked him into coming closer to kiss him. What if this was a ploy to lure him on land where he could do more? Iruka would be safer sleeping at the bottom of the pool than anywhere near Kakashi.

"I'm not a rapist, Iruka. I promise I won't do anything you don't want to do."

Iruka wasn't reassured. After all he had liked it when Kakashi kissed him even if the kisses meant nothing to the human. If Kakashi started to kiss him again, Iruka could easily be persuaded to do more…probably…maybe…

'Is my self-control that fragile?' Iruka asked himself. He glanced up at Kakashi kneeling at the edge of the pool. 'Around him…yes.' And if anything happened, it would mean nothing to Kakashi. I would mean nothing.

"Suit yourself. Goodnight Iruka." Kakashi stood up and moved towards his sleeping pallet.

"Wait…I'll stay." 'Did I just say yes?' He must have because Kakashi was smiling and reaching for some dry towels. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

Iruka braced his arms and lifted himself out of the water. When he was completely out, Kakashi knelt beside him and handed him a towel. He was staring as usual.

"I don't suppose I could…" he gestured to Iruka's tail.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now."

"Then may I ask why you don't want me to touch your tail?"

Iruka glanced away, concentrated on drying his tail as quickly as possible. This was embarrassing! "It's a very sensitive area, especially when exposed to the air like this before we change. And…" Iruka trailed off, not really wanting to say anything else.

"And?"

Noisy perverted bastard.

"When…it's…part of…before…"

"I'm not following you."

Iruka sighed in defeat. He might as well get it over with. "It's like with dolphins… before actually mating… they rub up against each other…"

"Oh, so like foreplay. I'll keep that in mind."

"What!?" Kakashi dropped another towel over Iruka's dripping hair and laughed as he walked away. For a moment, Iruka considered staying where he was, his face hidden from view, but it was soon too hot under the towel and he was forced to pull it off. Kakashi was putting out the fire.

"I've been thinking," Kakashi started, "and considering the situation we're in, I suppose it won't hurt to explain about the shell."

"Really?" Iruka didn't know why Kakashi was so willing to explain tonight and not last night but he would dwell on that later.

Kakashi nodded, then settled with his back pressed against the cave wall. "I already told you it was a gift from a friend who died. His name was Obito. Well, we grew up together. We spent most of our time together since both of us had parents who were always working. After high school, we even joined the marines together. The training was harsh, but we made it. For a few years, life was great. We traveled the world and did our part to protect other people. Other than a few incidents, such as the mishap with eye in a rain forest, life went smoothly until we moved back to our hometown. Obito began dating his old high school sweetheart, Rin. They were married after only a few months."

Iruka discerned the bitterness in Kakashi voice, but said nothing to interrupt the story.

"I was his best man at the wedding," he added a bitter smile to go with his voice. "Obito stayed in the marines though Rin didn't want him to. She almost got her wish when she became pregnant the first time, but he chose to sign on for another two years. I think Rin believed I was the reason he wouldn't quit. She hated me for that whether it was true or not." Kakashi paused and this time Iruka question him.

"Were you?"

"I don't know. Obito never told me his reasons. Anyway, the two years passed quickly. They had two girls by then and Obito was ready to stop traveling. He wanted to settle down and help his wife raise the girls. He had four months left on his contract and he planned on quitting the military all together. Rin's father owned a restaurant and Obito was learning all he could about running a business in his spare time." Kakashi fell silent again.

Iruka noticed his tail was gone as he waited patiently so he grabbed some dry clothes, quickly pulled them on.

Finally Kakashi started again. "Four months before he was going to quit, we were in South Africa, tracking down a terrorist group. They had set a school building on fire during school hours. Later we found it had been a distraction while they planted bombs elsewhere. We were already there and the excuse for a fire department was a long way off, so our team went inside to rescue the children. We thought everyone was out but when the teachers did a head count, one teacher remembered a girl had just gone to the bathroom when the fire started. In the panic, she was forgotten. Obito…Obito was probably thinking of his own two little girls back home. It's the only explanation for why he went back in there."

Kakashi took a slow breath. "He didn't even make it to the floor the girl was trapped on before the roof cave in." A pause. "Not only did he fail to save that child, but he left his own children fatherless."

After a few minutes of silence, Kakashi lost in his memories, Iruka dared to speak up. It may have been a long shot but there was something about Kakashi's eyes when he spoke of Obito that showed nowhere else on his features. "May I ask a question?"

"Go ahead." From his tone, it was as if he already knew what Iruka was going to ask.

"Were…were you in love with him?"

Another long pause, then Kakashi finally answered, "I think I may have been."

"But you never told him."

"No, I didn't. How could I? He was in love with someone else. They were married and raising a family together. I wasn't going to disrupt that for feelings I wasn't even sure about at the time. Besides I already knew what would happen if I said anything and I didn't want to loose the only close friend I ever had. He was the only person who had ever been there for me through everything."

"Surely you…"

"I don't. Acquaintances, yes, but no friends, at least never anybody close enough to tell them what I'm telling you now."

Iruka was caught between emotions. He was distressed to hear about Kakashi's friend, but at the same time, pleased to discover Kakashi trusted him enough to tell him about his past. Maybe he was wrong about Kakashi only trying to lure him on land to sexually harass him.

"I see I've made your day."

Iruka ducked his head, slightly ashamed of himself for being found out. Kakashi didn't rebuke him though. Instead, he stood up to turn the lantern on dim. Sakura had brought extra batteries for it yesterday or it would have gone out long before now. After sitting down on the pallet, Iruka felt Kakashi's eyes on him. The feeling of being studied went on for a long while. Iruka finally glanced up to meet Kakashi's mismatched eyes.

Kakashi hadn't just made that story up to get his sympathy had he? No, that didn't make any sense since earlier he had been angry that Iruka felt pity for him. A story like that would only increase sympathy. The story had to be true, but Iruka wasn't sure why Kakashi told him. The only way to find out was to ask.

"Why did you tell me about Obito?"

"Because you wanted to know the story behind the shell."

"You didn't have any ulterior motives?"

"No."

"So when you…"

"Yes?"

"When you kissed me…were you just teasing?"

"No, I kissed you because I was curious."

Iruka felt his heart sink a little.

"And because I like you. I like you Iruka and I like being around you."

"I…I feel the same about you," Iruka admitted.

"Then why don't you come over here and share my bed for the night?"

Iruka's eyes widen. He had assumed too soon.

"I don't think I like you that much yet."

"Looks like the dolphin has a dirty mind after all."

"I do not! You're the one who suggested we 'share a bed.' I know humans use that as a code for having sex!" The human may consider sex as nothing important, but Iruka wasn't ready, at least he tried to tell his body that.

"A code?" Kakashi laughed. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but all I had in mind was sleep. The cave floor is too cold to sleep on."

"The cold doesn't bother me." Iruka crossed his arms.

"Then it's a softer place to sleep. I promise no touching below the waist." Kakashi raised up both hands in surrender.

Iruka stared at him while he debated his options. The cave floor was quite rough compared to his usual bed of sand. If Kakashi tried anything at all, he promised himself, he would just push the human into the water to cool off. Iruka finally nodded his consent and stood up realizing he was giving in way too easily to Kakashi. Iruka would have to work on saying no…tomorrow.

Kakashi scooted over to make room for him, lifting up the towels serving as blankets. As Iruka slipped in-between the pallet and towels, he felt something brush against his butt. He froze in place.

"Opps. Sorry, my hand slipped. Won't happen again."

"It better not." Iruka laid down on his back, wondering how he let himself be talked into this. He strengthened his resolve to shove Kakashi into the water if he tried anything.

"You really shouldn't grind your teeth like that Iruka." The amusement in Kakashi's voice only confirmed it hadn't been an accident.

Iruka stared at the ceiling. Although Kakashi claimed the pallet was softer than the rock floor, it wasn't that comfortable.

Kakashi was still lying on his side, his elbow bent with his head leaning on his hand, looking down at Iruka.

"I thought we were going to sleep."

"You don't look very comfortable."

"I'm not. Not when you're staring at me like that."

"May I make a suggestion?"

"I suppose."

"Sit up a moment."

Iruka complied and felt Kakashi move closer.

"Now lay back down."

"But…"

"The pallet is too small. We'll both be more comfortable this way. We won't do anything but sleep."

Iruka gave in… again. He laid back down, but this time, he was tucked into Kakashi's side. He stiffened when Kakashi wrapped on arm around him.

"Relax. This is better right?" Iruka nodded but it was a few more minutes before he could relax. Kakashi's body was warmer and softer than either rock or sand bed.

" 'night 'ruka."

"Good night Kakashi." As his body relaxed further, Iruka was unable to stay awake. The merman fell asleep to the sound of the human's heartbeat.