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

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, but we've been having internet problems. Anyway, thanks for all the responses about the airport! Hopefully the airport descriptions are not too confusing. Enjoy!

Chapter 19

"Wake up Iruka."

Iruka yawned and opened his eyes. He was glad for the nap since he had stayed up all night worrying and watching over Kakashi on the beach. The warm body he was leaning against shifted away from him.

"Come on. You can sleep on the plane."

Plane? Oh yes. Iruka smiled to himself. Kakashi had given in to him and was taking him wherever it was the human was going. A city in New York? The car door opened and Kakashi slipped away from him. Iruka jumped into movement. He didn't want to be left behind after all.

Kakashi was paying the cab driver as Iruka stumbled out of the car, banging his head on the roof. Why did humans make them so they had to crouch to get in and out? While rubbing his head, Iruka took in the new sight. A large building stood about 20 feet away. The sidewalk was full of people and luggage. Vehicles lined the road behind him, more people and luggage being shuffled in or out of them.

A hand grasped his elbow. Iruka looked at Kakashi who nodded towards the building.

"This way. I have to buy tickets first." Then Kakashi led him through the crowd towards the building. Glass doors swished open for them and they stepped inside. Kakashi paused a moment to glance around then set off again, walking over to a line of people.

"Shit." Startled, Iruka glanced at Kakashi who looked like he'd forgotten something.

"What is it?"

"I suppose it's too much to hope you have an I.D. on you?"

I.D.? Iruka reached into the front pocket of his jeans.

"Sakura took us to a bar last summer, but we had to have I.D.'s to get in." Iruka handed Kakashi the fake I.D. He didn't know if that was what Kakashi meant or not but he knew it was similar to the one Sakura had made when she decided to go to a school on the surface.

"I don't have any money," Iruka said softly as Kakashi studied the picture I.D.

"Don't worry about money. It won't be an issue."

"But aren't plane tickets expensive?"

"I have more than enough for the both of us." Kakashi handed back the I.D. "That will save us some time."

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

Kakashi glanced around them, but nobody was watching them. Then in a low voice, "I know you have a lot of questions, but this isn't the place for them. We need to keep a low profile. Can you keep your questions to yourself for now?"

Iruka nodded, more than a little disappointed. He didn't want to upset Kakashi though, so he would wait. As they stood in the line, Iruka silently observed the humans rushing one direction or the other, dragging bags and suitcases with them. Others were hugging and kissing in either greeting or goodbye. It was too loud and busy. Nobody in the ocean was in a hurry to get anywhere else. There was never any need for it.

Eventually, they reached the desk and Kakashi began talking to the man standing there. Iruka tried to pay attention, but all the noise and presence of so many humans was getting to him. He inched closer to Kakashi.

"We got lucky. There was a cancellation on the next flight." Kakashi said as he started walking away from the desk. Iruka hurried to keep up. "We have about an hour to get through security." Kakashi easily moved into the flow of people and led Iruka away from the front crowd and over to another line. At the end of this one stood humans dressed in identical uniforms and tables with moving belts on them. People were setting items on the belts and then walking through rectangles.

"Get your I.D. out. You'll have to show it to someone up here." Kakashi handed him one of the tickets he'd just bought as well. Looking ahead, Iruka saw a man who was looking at everyone's I.D.'s. A few moments later, their I.D.'s were checked and both sent on.

"Take off your shoes and put them in here." Kakashi set a plastic box on a table. Iruka complied, glimpsing over at the other humans doing the same thing. It seemed a rather odd thing to do, but Iruka had observed humans with stranger rituals.

"Do you have a wallet or anything in your pockets? You need to put them in here too." Kakashi took out his wallet and set it in the box. Iruka didn't have a wallet, but he did have his knife. It wasn't in his pocket though. Slipping it out from his waistband where it had been pressed against his skin, Iruka showed it to Kakashi.

"What about this?"

Kakashi glanced down at the six inch piece of coral in Iruka's palm. His eyes widen slightly.

"Um, put it in the box and we'll see what happens. Don't say anything if they stop you. Let me handle it, all right."

Iruka nodded and put the knife into the box. It was Kakashi's turn. He walked without incident through the rectangle and their box rode along the belt to disappear behind a curtain. A woman gestured for Iruka to walk on through, but he overheard two of the humans talking.

"What is that?"

"I don't know."

Iruka walked through the rectangle, but their box was being held. Kakashi gave him a look, which Iruka easily interpreted. He kept silent.

"Sir, would you care to explain this?" A uniformed woman held up the coral piece. Iruka bit his lip. That was his favorite knife. He would hate to lose it.

"It's coral," he blurted out.

"Coral?"

Kakashi intervened. "You'll have to excuse my friend. He's not from around here."

"You should know you're not allowed to take anything from the beaches."

"Yeah, sorry about that. We'll leave it here if it's a problem."

Two of the guards spoke then the woman holding the coral set it back in the box. "Next time, put it in your check in luggage."

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

The box was sent down to them and the next person in line passed through. Kakashi shook his head, but he had a slight smile on his face as they put on their shoes.

Picking up the knife, Kakashi said, "You should have told me about this." He examined the coral, recognizing it for what it really was.

"It's for sharks." Iruka responded before he could ask. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't know it would be a problem."

"No, you wouldn't have. It's fine. Keep it close." Kakashi handed it over to him and Iruka tucked it back into his waistband. Then grabbing his wallet, Kakashi led him into one of several large hallways with stores lined along both sides.

"Are you hungry?"

Iruka shook his head, "I ate while I was waiting for you to wake up."

"The terminal we want is down this way. If you do see anything you want, just let me know. You can't just take what you want here. It has to be paid for." Kakashi said with a hint of humor in his voice, referring back to one of their conversations in the cave.

Iruka blushed. "I know that, but you have to admit up 'til now it has worked in my favor."

Kakashi laughed. "You mean my favor. Who kissed who the other night?"

Iruka ducked his head, though it hardly hid his blush. He was happy to hear Kakashi laugh again. Falling silent, they continued down the hall, passing by other terminals. Some empty, others with waiting people sitting in the rows of seats.

Iruka was nervous. The environment was decidedly uncomfortable for him and soon he was going to be on a plane. He didn't know anybody who had been on a plane before. Knowing Kakashi was going to be with him every second of the way, was reassuring.

"Terminal five. We have about…a half hour," Kakashi said after glancing at a clock on the wall. I suggest you use the restroom now then on the plane." Then he gave him a curious look before asking, "Do you know how to use a urinal or a toilet?"

"Kakashi!" Iruka blushed again. Why would he bring that up now?

"Well it's not like I saw any in the cave." Kakashi gestured for him to sit down in one of the vacant seats. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Iruka panicked when the only human he knew in this place moved away from him.

"Restroom."

Iruka nodded, but Kakashi already had his back to him. Iruka watched him go. The commotion seemed much worse without somebody he trusted to lean back on. Settling back in his chair, Iruka watched the humans around him. There were men and women dressed nicely in suits, most on either a laptop or cell phone. Several families were scattered around, the kids playing or bickering with one another. And a group of young men and women lounged close by laughing and joking with each other.

Huge glass windows gave a partial view of the airfield and the people working outside. There was a plane already parked in front of terminal five, but several people and unrecognizable machines were underneath it.

Left alone with an apprehension of his environment, Iruka's thoughts turned inwards. He began to wonder if he was doing the right thing. Iruka thought he was in love, but was he? Could he just be excited by a chance to escape his boring life? The thrill of going somewhere new, with a person he found interesting? And Iruka may have convinced himself he was in love with him, but Kakashi had yet to return any words of affection. For all he knew he had been a whim to the human; something to pass the time by when he was in the cave. But why would Kakashi relent to bringing him along if that was the case?

A few minutes later Kakashi came back, stopping at a nearby booth to talk to a woman working there. Then he zigzagged around the rows of chairs to where Iruka sat waiting. Taking the seat next to Iruka, Kakashi offered him a smile.

"We'll be boarding soon. They had some minor mechanical adjustments to make on the plane."

"Mechanical?" The alarm was apparent in his voice.

"Relax; it was only a minor problem. I fly all the time and I've never had anything happen. It's safer than driving; less things to run into up there."

"Just a long fall," Iruka muttered.

"You don't have to come with me. I'm not forcing you to. In fact, I'd feel better if you stayed here." Kakashi wasn't looking at him, but rather the plane outside.

Iruka felt something lodge in his throat. He hadn't once considered Kakashi's perspective in of all this. He'd been too concerned over somebody else attacking the human, Iruka failed to see that he might only be causing more problems for Kakashi. Even now he was out of his environment among all these humans and their machinery. If Kakashi was distracted by Iruka's anxiety, it could put his life in jeopardy.

Without realizing it, Iruka had stood up. Maybe Kakashi would be better off without him and as much as it hurt him to consider it, Iruka had to. He couldn't force himself into Kakashi's life any more than he could force Kakashi to stay with him in the ocean.

"The restroom is over there." Kakashi pointed in the opposite direction Iruka planned to go.

"Maybe I should go."

"Iruka?" Kakashi turned to him.

"I'm sorry I'm being such a nuisance to you. I'll pay you back for the ticket when…if I ever see you again."

Iruka stepped away only to have his wrist grabbed and be dragged down onto Kakashi's lap, with a sound of surprise slipping through his lips. Iruka noticed conversations and the general noise around them hushed a moment before Kakashi's glare sent the on-lookers back to minding their own business.

A young woman's voice from the group closet to them reached his ears.

"The hot ones are always gay."

"Hey, you said I was hot when we first met!" A young man spoke up.

"The room's lighting was dim."

"And she was drunk." A third voice added sending the group into laughter.

"Kakashi, people are staring."

"Only because they're jealous that you're taken."

Iruka wanted to disagree with that, but he wanted to lose the attention more. He struggled, but Kakashi held fast.

"Stop squirming unless you want to get me excited."

Iruka froze, his face blazing red. Here! He would try something here with all these humans watching!

"Tell me why you want to go home after all your trouble in following me."

Defeated, Iruka slumped against Kakashi's chest. "Because I'm only causing more trouble for you. And…"

"And what?"

"You've never said a word about how you feel about me. You're probably biding your time until you can have your kinky sex with me," Iruka whispered.

Kakashi chuckled and Iruka could feel his chest move with the effort. "If all I wanted was sex, I would have had you that night in the cave."

"That's what you think!"

Kakashi chuckled again and slipped a hand underneath Iruka's shirt to rub small circles on his bare stomach. He nuzzled Iruka's neck sending bolts of pleasure through Iruka's body. He melted.

Lifting his head, Kakashi whispered, "Admit it, you were seconds from giving in to me." Then he blew a breath of warm air against his ear.

Iruka was miserable and mad at Kakashi for being right.

"As to how I feel, I told you before that I like you."

"Well I 'like' fish. I 'like' the blue-green color of the ocean. I 'like' many other things, but that doesn't really say much does it."

"I see your point. If you want the truth, I'm not in love with you." Iruka didn't get the chance to feel the sting of the words before Kakashi went on saying, "but I am falling. It took my years to figure how I felt about Obito so I'll need time. Just don't give up on me Iruka."

"I won't."

"And I won't stop you from going home if that's what you really want to do. I don't want you to leave though."

"But you said you would feel better if I didn't go with you."

Kakashi sighed and rested his head on Iruka's shoulder. "You would be safer if you stayed with your people."

"I can fight."

"I'm sure you can but I'm hoping to avoid a fight. I just need to find the right people and talk to them. And then…then we'll see what happens. We can take a vacation. Is there anywhere you wish to go?"

"Saudi Arabia." Again Iruka felt Kakashi's chest rumble underneath him as he laughed softly.

"Any reason why?"

"Hinata and Gaara live there. It's been a while since I've seen them and I've never been to their home."

"Saudi Arabia it is then. And then…maybe I'll retire and settle down."

"Retire from what?"

Kakashi didn't respond, but Iruka hadn't expected an answer. Possibilities tumbled around in Iruka's thoughts. Iruka knew he had money, traveled a lot, and was once a Marine. Kakashi had never said he stopped being a Marine…maybe he was some kind of government spy...like the guy in the movies, what's his name…James Bond? It could explain the traveling, his need for secrecy and even why some people were trying to kill him. James Bond was always being shot at.

Iruka smiled to himself and relaxed further against Kakashi's warm body. It would make life interesting certainly, but whatever this situation Kakashi was in, Iruka was determined to help in any way he could. Naruto believed he could handle it and so he would. Anything, if it meant he could stay with Kakashi. Though there was one question Iruka couldn't keep to himself any longer…

"Kakashi?" The human's arms tightened around him briefly.

"Yes, my dolphin?" Iruka felt warm and fuzzy inside at the nickname. He liked the idea of belonging to Kakashi, as long as Kakashi wanted him.

"Why does my ticket and the sign over there, say 'Destination – Chicago' on them?"

Silence.

Then, "So you can read English as well as speak it?"

"Yes, I can."

Before Kakashi could respond, the woman at the booth spoke into the intercom, announcing: "Flight 510 to Chicago is ready to board. Will first class passengers please board first?"

As a handful of people stood and gathered their carry-on's, Iruka heard a whisper in his ear. It was the only response he would get.

"I have to pick up a few things."