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.

Chapter 18

He was cold and wet with the sound of waves crashing against the shore in his ears. He heard the call of a seagull and then a dog barking in the distance. Opening his eyes, Kakashi stared into the predawn sky. Sitting up, he vaguely recognized the beach he laid on. Had he fallen asleep here?

Brushing sand out of his hair, Kakashi thought that wasn't right. No, he had been in the water… he had been shot…and nearly drowned. His hand went to his shoulder to find it was bandaged. A young woman with pink hair had removed the bullet…Sakura. But that had been in a cave, hadn't it? How did he get to the surface?

A name found its way through the haze - Iruka. With it, other memories came back.

Waking up in the cave. Befriending the merpeople. And Iruka. Kissing Iruka. Iruka sleeping in his arms. Iruka's hug.

Iruka's pained face before disappearing into the pool. Sasuke telling him it was too late.

Hurting Iruka.

While waiting for somebody to return, he had fallen asleep and he had spoken to Naruto. And now he was back where he wanted to be…only there was a part of him that wanted to be someplace else.

But sitting here, staring at the ocean, Kakashi could almost convince himself it was nothing more than a vivid dream. He had been living in a cave spending time with merpeople for god's sake! Merpeople didn't exist!

It couldn't be a dream though; his heart refused to believe that Iruka didn't exist. No, the merman was somewhere out there. Kakashi had hurt Iruka so Iruka sent him back to his own world. He had told himself it was better to leave. His life was too complicated to bring the kind dolphin into it.

Thinking of complicated, Kakashi pulled his gaze from the beach. Somebody was trying to kill him. He'd live longer if he moved away from this particular beach. Standing up, Kakashi saw a dark object lying next to him. He picked it up and opened up the familiar shape. It was his wallet and everything was still there. He hadn't even thought where it was during his time in the cave. One of the merpeople must have found it and realized he would need it. Thank goodness for small favors. He really hadn't wanted to risk going back to his apartment for one of his other I.D.'s.

Kakashi stood up and started ambling to more solid footing than the sandy beach. Halfway there, he paused and glanced back. Had he just made the biggest mistake in his life? Did it matter now?

Of course it did. Maybe…maybe if he survived the next few days, he could come back here. If nothing else, he owed Iruka an apology if the merman would revisit this place; if he would even speak to him. Perhaps if he tried to drown himself, Iruka would save him. Then again, who would lift a finger to help the person who broke your heart?

The sky was getting lighter. Kakashi couldn't stay here any longer. He had to get to New York before Orochimaru discovered he was still alive. With one last helpless look at the ocean, Kakashi turned his back on it and returned to the land of humans.

The first stop was the shower/restrooms near the beach's parking lot. He didn't have a change of clothes so he would have to make do with what he had. They were damp and smelled of the ocean. He tried to ignore how the scent reminded him of Iruka.

The next stop was the closest gas station where he grabbed a hat, sunglasses, and a large cup of coffee, a luxury he sorely missed along with flushing toilets. The hat and sunglasses were a poor endeavor, but it would have to do for now. After donning the disguise, Kakashi found a payphone and called for a cab to come pick him up in front of a nearby diner in thirty minutes. Kakashi hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday and was craving for something that didn't come from the ocean.

The walk to the diner only took a few minutes, but Kakashi's entire body was alert for any signs of danger. He felt naked without a gun on him even though he would have had to dump it before going through airport security. Once inside the small building, Kakashi refused to let his guard down. He ordered eggs and toast, glancing over the other customers. It was early, but a fair number of people were inside. Nobody paid any attention to him. He was just another face in the crowd. There was only one waitress working this early in the morning so she was too busy to linger near any one table.

Kakashi ate his fill and dropped some bills on the counter before quietly slipping out. It was 8 am on a Tuesday morning; the date was December 28th according to the newspaper he picked up. His cab was nowhere in sight so he leaned against the wall of the diner and lit up a cigarette which he had also picked up at the gas station. Smoking wasn't really his thing, but it gave him an excuse for lingering out here without people wondering why.

The longer he waited, the more nervous he became though he doubted anybody watching would notice…watching. A chill went down his spine. Kakashi was being watched. Trying to look bored as he smoked, he searched the surrounding area. Several empty vehicles were in the parking lot, including a van. A cab came down the street and slowed down to turn into the parking lot.

Kakashi dropped the cigarette and smashed it into the ground with his sandal. He waved his hand to get the cab driver's attention as he stepped away from the building. Now the question was, would he be shot in broad daylight or followed to the airport? But nothing happened as he approached the cab which had pulled up to the curb. Moving closer, Kakashi glanced behind him, but there was nobody there and yet he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. A good sniper would never reveal his position…but did Orochimaru have access to a sniper?

The area was too open for his liking, but staying here was not an option. Kakashi was getting too paranoid and that was just as dangerous as not being paranoid enough. Either could lead to impulsive decisions with fatal results.

'Get in the cab and decide where to go from there,' Kakashi told himself as he reached for the door handle. Then grasping hold of it, his eyes flickered to the dark windows and he caught sight of something he hadn't seen before. Kakashi swore under his breath. Letting go of the handle and signaling the driver to wait, Kakashi spun around and marched back to the diner. He went straight to the corner of the building, reached out his hand and grabbed a fistful of clothes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kakashi knew he shouldn't yell at him, but he'd spent the last thirty minutes anticipating a threat on his life.

Iruka had the sense to flinch at his angry tone. "I…I followed you."

"Why?"

"Because I was afraid someone might be trying to kill you. I thought they might try at the beach again."

"And so you thought you would watch my back inland as well? If they had shown up, which they very well still can, just what is it you think you can do to stop them?" Kakashi didn't want to yell or scare Iruka, but Iruka just being here, was putting his life in danger. If anything should happen to Iruka…

"I don't know, but I couldn't abandon you!"

Kakashi released Iruka's shirt and took a step backwards. This was not the way to handle this. "You are the dumbest fish I've ever met."

"I'm not a fish!" Iruka whispered, glancing around, but the few people outside were across the street. "Besides how many…fish do you know?"

"Tons. And they all ended up dead on a dinner plate. These people don't mess around. They will not hesitate to kill you. Go home Iruka."

"No."

Damn stubborn fish! He changed tactics. "If you go home, I'll take care of this mess and then I'll visit afterwards."

"Liar. If you survive this mess, you will never come back here. You'll probably not ever return to this state. You'll just disappear as far as everyone is considered."

"Iruka…" Why did his dolphin have to be so adamant?

"I…I love you….you probably guessed that already. I don't want you to disappear."

"You don't know what I am. What I told you hardly counts."

"I know enough. You may not think much of yourself, but I know you're a good person. Maybe I don't know everything, but if you leave I'll never get the chance to find out."

"It's better if you don't find out."

"This is my choice to make."

"No, it's not Iruka. It's mine." Kakashi remained just as willful.

"I'll follow you."

"Nobody can follow me."

"I just did." Iruka pointed out.

"It's too dangerous. What do I have to do to convince you?"

"I know it's dangerous. I saw those men shoot you!"

"What about your brother?" Kakashi was grasping for anything now.

Iruka hesitated, but then said, "He'll understand."

Kakashi sighed and looked back at his waiting cab.

Then softly Iruka said, "I know you're going to New York." Surprised, Kakashi swung his head back around. Had Naruto told him?

Iruka continued, "I can find this Mr. Yamanaka and ask him where you are."

"It's not as simple as that and how do you know that name," Kakashi demanded.

Iruka blushed and lowered his eyes before mumbling, "You talk in your sleep."

Oh god, why had nobody told him he talked in his sleep! Because you never let anybody get that close to you…not since Obito. And here is someone who wants to be near you…

It was then that Iruka bravely raised his eyes to meet his. "If you disappear, I will find you so you might as well save me the trouble and take me with you!"

Whatever his reasons before seemed to be swept away with that one sentence. Wasn't there a saying that if you let something go and it comes back to you, you can keep it? Iruka was certainly proving that he was going to keep coming back until Kakashi relented. The temptation to be selfish rose up. Just this once, he wanted to keep someone for himself. Iruka wanted to be with him so why was he fighting it? And after all, Haku and Zabuza had managed to make it work and the two were as different as night and day.

Kakashi couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from turning up.

"I don't see what's so funny about this." Iruka snapped, crossing his arms.

"You are my dolphin."

"I'm not fu…your dolphin?" The hopeful look in the merman's eyes frightened Kakashi. He prayed to whoever would listen that he could someday deserve Iruka's trust in him.

"If it's okay with you."

Dumbfounded, Iruka managed a nod. Clearly, he hadn't expected to actually win this argument.

"You can come to New York City with me, but once we get there, you are going to stay with some acquaintances of mine while I fix the mess I've gotten myself into. You have to promise me you'll stay with them and let me do what I have to do."

Iruka nodded, but at Kakashi's unsatisfied look, he said, "I promise if you promise to come back to me."

"I'll do my best."

"That's not…" Kakashi interrupted his protest with a kiss. Reluctantly he released Iruka. There would be time for that and more; after they reached New York.

"Come on." Kakashi smiled and took Iruka's hand. He led the merman back to the cab. Kakashi opened the door and gestured for Iruka to get in. After Iruka was inside, Kakashi hesitated. Something was bound to go wrong. Iruka didn't even know what he did for a living and he was not eager to see the gentle merman's reaction when he did. And he would find out someday. Kakashi couldn't keep something like that a secret if they were to have a healthy relationship. Secrets like his destroyed lives, literally.

Kakashi glimpsed through the window to observe the worried look in Iruka's eyes. He had time yet. Maybe he could make Iruka so completely in love with him, the fact he was a killer wouldn't matter. Yeah right. But there was hope, wasn't there? He had to believe there was because he was falling hard and fast. Kakashi didn't want to consider what would happen if Iruka rejected him after receiving a taste of what being in love felt like. Especially when the other person felt the same… Now that it was in his grasp, Kakashi didn't want to lose it or Iruka.

"Kakashi?"

Kakashi managed a weak smile and slipped inside the cab.

"Portsmouth International Airport," he told the driver (1).

"Is everything all right?" Iruka asked quietly.

"Not yet, but it's looking better." Not caring what the driver thought, Kakashi slipped an arm around Iruka and pulled the merman against his side. Kakashi kissed the top of Iruka's head as the other man sighed in contentment, his eyes closing. If it didn't last for whatever reason, Kakashi was determined to make the most of what time he had with Iruka.

(1) – I've never been to this airport so bear with me on this. I'm assuming that most airports more or less resemble each other.