I apologize in advance, dear readers. This chapter took me far longer to write than it should have - call it writers' block, I guess. Anyway, it's done now, and I hope I won't have similar problems in the future. As usual, I would like to thank you all for reading and reviewing. Now, on with the chapter!

32. Sailing Right Behind

Kakashi Hatake sat on his sofa Saturday morning, sipping a cup of coffee as he watched the morning news. The previous night had been quiet – not that there was anything wrong with that, of course. He had enjoyed simply staying at home and finishing up the latest novel from Jiraiya. Now that his book was finished, however, the silver-haired man was decidedly bored.

At the same time, though, he was tingling with anticipation. He and Iruka had decided to meet early that morning to go out and spend some time together. It wasn't anything particularly special – just a trip to the park, maybe lunch. Still, Kakashi was looking forward to seeing Iruka again. They had talked a few times since their date earlier that week – if you could even call it a date – but this was the first time they'd actually be together for an extended period of time as a couple.

And it made Kakashi as nervous as hell.

He liked Iruka – really, he did. Their brief kiss earlier that week had brought out feelings in Kakashi that he hadn't felt for some time. But, of course, that left Kakashi somewhat uneasy. He knew he would have to move on from Obito, and he told himself that time and again. No amount of logic could possibly remove that lingering hesitation – only time could heal what remained of that wound.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, causing Kakashi to glance up from the television in surprise. He hadn't been expecting Iruka this early – he wasn't even dressed yet. Deciding his pajama pants would have to do, the silver-haired teacher rose off the sofa, scratching his bare midriff as he approached the door. With a sigh, he threw open the door, only to have his doubt vanish in an instant.

"Good morning, Kakashi!" Iruka said with a bright smile. He looked momentarily concerned when he saw the other man's attire. "I'm sorry! You weren't sleeping, were you?"

Kakashi smiled, chuckling as he scratched his chin. It felt strange, talking to someone without wearing his trademark mask, but he didn't feel self-conscious about it around Iruka. "No, no – you're fine. I was just lounging around a bit. Come on in."

Stepping aside, Kakashi let the brunet inside before shutting the door behind them. They stood awkwardly in the entryway for a moment, neither one knowing quite what to say. "Umm… would you like some coffee?"

"Sure, sounds good," Iruka responded, following the other man into the living room.

"I'll grab you some real quick. Have a seat on the couch and I'll be right in," Kakashi said as he strolled into the kitchen.

It took only a moment for Kakashi to pour Iruka a cup and join him on the couch, where they proceeded to watch the news as they chatted. "So, what's the plan for today? Did you want to go out for lunch after our walk?"

"We'll play it by ear," Iruka said, sipping the coffee. He glanced up suddenly when the television screen turned dark. "Oh? What's this, now?"

A news anchor's voice came through the speakers as the screen showed a rainy scene on the Konoha Bridge. "A tragic story almost took a turn for the worst late last night as a young man by the name of Gaara Subakuno contemplated suicide here at the Konoha Bridge. It's been revealed that, earlier that evening, Gaara suffered a serious trauma as he killed his own father in self-defense. In his despair, Gaara was going to throw himself to his death, but was stopped by a heroic friend named Naruto Uzumaki."

Kakashi's eyes widened as the familiar blond's face appeared onscreen. In the photo, he was standing up at the top of a tower on the bridge alongside Gaara. Before he could say a word about this, however, Iruka suddenly shouted out in a combination of indignation and horror.

"NARUTO?!"

For a moment, Kakashi wasn't sure what surprised him more: the fact that Naruto was on the news, or that Iruka somehow knew who the blond was. He decided to find an answer to the simpler question first. "You know him?"

"Know him? He's my son!" Iruka replied, his leg bouncing up and down as he bit his lip nervously. It was like he was debating whether to rush out and find Naruto right then so he could give him a piece of his mind.

Son? He did say he had a son, but I never would've thought it was Naruto! This might complicate matters…

"I didn't know that. You should've said something – Naruto's in one of my classes," Kakashi added, hoping he could somehow calm the other man down.

"He won't be when I'm through with him! What the hell did he think he was doing?!" Iruka exclaimed, leaping off the couch so he could pace back and forth in agitation. "I mean, it's bad enough that he climbed to the top of that tower to begin with, but to chase after someone unstable like that? He could've been killed!"

With a sigh, Kakashi rose and placed a hand firmly on Iruka's shoulder. "Look, I'm not saying you're wrong – it was stupid – but I'm sure Naruto knew what he was doing. I've seen him at work before – he could probably work as a hostage negotiator if he wanted to. He has a gift to make people listen to him, to make them trust him. Does that make sense?"

"How would you know?" Iruka asked in a momentary state of confusion.

"Didn't you hear about the fight he had with Gaara before?" the silver-haired teacher responded quickly, realizing he'd said too much.

"You mean this isn't the first time something like this has happened?! Oh, he's so dead… no! I'm going to punish him so hard he'll wish he was dead…"

I'm really digging myself a hole here…

"He probably kept it from you because he didn't want to worry you. Look, here's the thing – Gaara was picking a fight with Sasuke, and it looked like he was going to win. Next thin you know, Naruto's jumping in to protect Sasuke, and soon both he and Gaara are lying in a bloody heap on the ground."

"Oh, so he can defend himself. That's good to know – he's still dead, though," Iruka seethed, his eyes glued to the television.

"That's not the thing, though! You see, afterwards, Naruto and Gaara became good friends. It was like Naruto cast a spell on him or something – I haven't seen him attack anyone since."

"Except his father, apparently," Iruka muttered before glancing up at the other man and sighing. "Look, Kakashi, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but this is something Naruto and I are going to have to work out on our own."

Kakashi hesitated before nodding with a soft smile. "I understand – it's not really my business. Still, don't let it ruin your day. Let's just go to the park as planned, and you can deal with Naruto when we're done."

For a moment, Iruka seemed intent of hunting down Naruto and tearing him a new one, his eyes practically boring a hole through the television screen. When he finally met Kakashi's eyes, though, his anger receded and he sighed reluctantly. "All right – but I'll have to pass on lunch today. This whole thing's made me sick to my stomach."

"Fair enough," Kakashi responded before turning towards the hallway. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a minute, I have to get dressed."

All in all, it only took Kakashi five minutes or so to get ready. He threw on some black pants and a green shirt, as well as his trademark mask, before heading to the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth. Once he was ready, he and Iruka started for the park, which was just a short walk from Kakashi's apartment.

As they walked in relative silence, Kakashi contemplated the new revelation about Naruto. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, but Kakashi had received a phone call from Jiraiya the night before, warning him to be prepared to take on guardianship of Sasuke. If the worst did happen, it was very likely that Kakashi would end up acting as the Uchiha's father. And if Kakashi was dating Iruka, that would also mean that their sons would be dating as well.

I mean, I guess I'm not technically related to Sasuke or anything… and Iruka's not related to Naruto. It's not like it's incest or anything, but… it's weird!

The problem, of course, was Kakashi couldn't actually say anything about this dilemma to Iruka. The truth was, Kakashi wasn't even supposed to know that Sasuke and Naruto were a couple. It was all supposed to be a secret – at least, that's what he assumed, since no one at school was talking about it. And even if they were official, it wasn't Kakashi's place to tell Iruka about Naruto's personal life. Maybe Naruto was still insecure discussing such things with Iruka – how would he feel if Kakashi suddenly started blabbing about it without the blond's consent? No, the best policy at the moment was to keep quiet – the issue with Naruto and Sauske would have to be his burden to bear alone.

Soon, Kakashi and Iruka arrived at the park, where they proceeded along the path at a leisurely pace. As they strolled along, they watched the birds flying overhead, the orange and yellow leaves on the trees, and the squirrels scurrying about, gathering nuts for the winter. It was all a very pleasant sight, and it helped ease Kakashi's worry. It wasn't long before the silver-haired man was ready to ask the question that had been burning within him for the past half hour.

"How did the two of you meet? You and Naruto, that is," Kakashi asked casually, glancing over at the brunet.

"What makes you think we met? He's my son, after all."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Look, you're not fooling anyone. News spreads quickly around here – Naruto's past is very well-known."

Iruka sighed. "Is that so? And here I was hoping he'd be able to escape that by coming here…"

"Believe me, I have nothing but admiration for him because of it. To imagine going through something like the Kyuubi murders and coming out as such a strong young man… it's nothing short of incredible."

"Well, let's have a seat, then. It's a long story," Iruka said before the two of them sat down on a bench beside the park's trickling stream. "It was several years after the Kyuubi incident when I first met Naruto – he was six at the time. To tell you the truth, I didn't know who he was at first. When I went to the orphanage, I didn't really know what I was looking for. It was a confusing time for me…"

"How so?" Kakashi asked with a puzzled frown.

"I was a student when the murders first happened – just finished my freshman year and was feeling pretty good about myself. The night Kyuubi went on his rampage, I was home on break. I'd gone out to see a movie with some friends, and I went home alone. When I got there, it was already swarmed with police. Apparently my parents were some of Kyuubi's first victims," Iruka admitted solemnly."

Kakashi was shocked. He couldn't even bear to make eye contact with the other man, but only stared at the grass, regretting having brought up the subject. "I'm sorry to hear that. Look, let's talk about something else…"

"No, no – you forget, this is a happy story. You have to go down before you can go back up, right?" Iruka interrupted with a weak smile. "I'll admit I was traumatized when I found out. It felt like my whole life had been turned upside down. Still, I managed to go back to school and focus on my studies – I guess they distracted me from my problems. When I graduated, though, and I realized I no longer had a home to return to, I suddenly felt the pangs of loneliness."

"And that's why you went to the orphanage?"

Iruka nodded. "I suppose I wanted to try and fill that void in my life, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it than to adopt a child. When I arrived at the orphanage, though, I really had mixed feelings about the whole thing. I mean, I was a single man just coming out of college – how could I possibly raise a child?

"That all changed, though, when I saw Naruto. See, the first kids I saw didn't really impress me. I'm sure they were great and everything, but none of them seemed like a good fit for me. They all huddled around me, trying to win me over, but it didn't work, and I was considering just abandoning the whole idea altogether. But then I saw that little blond boy sitting in the corner by himself, and I suddenly felt something inside of me – something that screamed, 'This is the one.'"

"So you went over and talked to him?"

"Well, I tried. I crouched down and tried to get him to look at me, but he was a stubborn little guy. Whenever I tried to look him in the eye, he'd just turn his head the other way. Clearly he didn't want anything to do with me – but I was determined. I can still remember that first conversation perfectly. I just said, 'Well, you're a funny little guy, aren't you? What's your name?' to which he replied with a 'Hmph.'"

"Really? Naruto just completely ignored you?" Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "I can't even imagine that."

"Oh yeah – I've never seen a kid with such visible contempt before or since. I pressed on, though. 'Aren't you going to say hello?' I asked him, trying my best to sound friendly. He wasn't buying it, though. He looked right up at me and said, 'No.' Just like that."

"I was a bit confused, as you might imagine, so I asked him, 'Well, why not?' I didn't expect his response at all, and it broke my heart. He said, ''Cause you'll hate me like everyone else. Just leave me alone!'"

Iruka paused, his eyes growing misty as he watched a chipmunk rush through the leaves nearby. "I didn't say anything else at the time. I knew I wasn't going to gain any ground right then, but wasn't ready to give up. I asked the woman in charge of the orphanage if she could tell me what was wrong with the quiet blond boy in the corner. Her face grew serious all of a sudden, and she shot Naruto a worried glance before answering. 'Remember Kyuubi? The man behind all those murders a few years ago? That's his son – the boy's a monster. You don't want him.'"

"Sounds like a swell lady," Kakashi muttered in disgust.

"I can't really blame her for feeling that way. Kyuubi was still fresh in everyone's mind at the time – just mentioning his name was enough to send a shiver down your spine. To the people in Mizu, Naruto was nothing but a living reminder of that night – nobody wanted anything to do with him," Iruka continued, looking somewhat ashamed. "That includes me."

"You're exaggerating. Kyuubi killed your parents – it's only natural that you'd feel uneasy around Naruto."

"But it wasn't just uneasiness – as soon as I found out who Naruto really was, I suddenly felt nothing but hatred for him. I think that's how everyone felt – even the other kids in the orphanage. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those kids were only there because Kyuubi killed their parents, too. Just about everyone in town was affected in some shape or form. It hurts to even think about it now… but to us, he really was just a monster."

"Then how did you get over that?" Kakashi asked, leaning back on the bench to eye the other man. "I mean, you did end up adopting him, so I'm assuming you don't hate him anymore."

Iruka smiled. "You're right – I did get over it. As soon as I learned who Naruto was, I immediately left the orphanage. My heart was racing – it was like I was living that night all over again. When I stepped into my apartment, I didn't even dare to turn on the lights – I was convinced I'd find my parents lying on the bloody floor again. As I sat there in the dark, though, I think my loneliness really started to sink in. If I had someone to turn to for comfort at that time, I wouldn't have had to sit there terrified in my apartment. But, of course, I had no one. It was just me and that haunting image of my parents."

"I'm not sure why it happened exactly – maybe thinking about my parents and Kyuubi brought me back to it – but that's when I found myself thinking about Naruto. Something about that little blond boy sitting all alone in the orphanage – I realized we were more alike than I'd thought. We were both victims of Kyuubi's murders, left all alone in the world in the aftermath. I think logic took over at that point – it didn't make much sense for the two of us to keep on living alone when we could at least comfort each other. And, of course, once that idea entered my head, it wouldn't leave no matter how hard I tried."

"How long did it take you to go back to the orphanage, then?" Kakashi asked with a smirk.

"About twelve hours. The next day, as soon as they opened, I was waiting at the door. Again, Naruto was sitting in the corner, and I went right over to him and sat down on the floor. He only glanced at me for a moment before turning his head to the side, saying, 'Oh, it's you again.' I knew exactly what to say this time, though. I didn't want to patronize him – I knew perfectly well that he was more mature than he looked. Instead, I just stared down at him and said, 'I know I can't possibly understand what you've been through. I can try, though.'"

"Did that work?"

"It got his interest. He looked up at me in surprise and asked, 'What do you mean?' I just stared back at him and said, 'You know what I mean. I'm sure you think nobody understands you – and you're kind of right. Nobody here has been through what you have. You're not alone, though.' That irritated him. 'What do you know?' he snapped. All I had to say was, 'My parents died too. They were murdered.'"

"You told him that? Even though he was so young?" Kakashi asked in astonishment.

"I knew he could handle it. Murder was such a big part of his life – to ignore that would only be insulting to him," Iruka responded, shaking his head. "He knew exactly what I meant, too. Almost immediately, he turned his head to the side and said, 'So you hate me, too.' I shook my head and said, 'No. I admire you.' That's when I think he started to trust me. He seemed positively stunned. 'What do you mean?' he asked. So, I told him, 'You've been through so much, and you're determined to make it on your own. I went through a loss like that, but here I am, trying to find someone that can help me go on. I only wish I had your courage.'"

"Was all that really true?"

"Of course it was," Iruka replied with a solemn nod. "He never asked for anyone else's help – though that was also probably because he knew he'd never get it, not from anyone in Mizu at least. He caught on to my intent, of course, asking why I didn't just pick one of the other kids to take home. And that's when I told him, 'Because I don't want them. I knew the moment I saw you that you were the only one I wanted to bring home with me. So, what do you say? Will you give me a chance?' Though he maintained his moody look, I could tell something had clicked in him. He laced his fingers behind his head and laughed, 'I guess so – since you're all lonely, and everything.'"

"As I got up to talk with the head of the orphanage, I heard him call after me, saying, 'It's Naruto.' I was confused, so I glanced back at him, and he clarified, 'My name… it's Naruto.' I smiled, saying, 'Pleasure to meet you, Naruto. I'm Iruka.' His face scrunched up a bit at that. 'Iruka? That's a funny name.' I chuckled and replied, 'Same could be said about Naruto. I guess it's something we'll just have to get used to.'"

"And that's how the whole thing started, huh?" Kakashi concluded as he rose off the park bench and stretched.

"I came back a week later after filling out the proper paper work and we left the same day," Iruka added, standing up as well. "He was still a little cold and distant at first, but he started to open up more and more. After a month or so, his playful side started to show, and the next thing I knew I had my very own wild child."

"Sounds like Sasuke," Kakashi muttered, only to freeze as soon as the words left his lips.

"Sasuke? You don't mean Sasuke Uchiha do you? How do you know him?" Iruka asked in bewilderment.

"Oh, he's in my class too. He's Obito's cousin, so we've known each other for some time – he didn't particularly like that Obito and I were dating, but he warmed up to me after a while," Kakashi replied hastily before holding his breath, hoping the lie would work.

"Really? What a small world. I met Sasuke the other day at Naruto's apartment – it was actually a little awkward, to tell you the truth," the brunet began with a laugh as they started back down the path. "I was going to help Naruto clean up – there were clothes lying all over the place – but when I ripped the sheets off Naruto's bed, there was Sasuke in all his glory."

Kakashi found himself blushing at this story, and was very glad he was wearing his mask. How much does he know? Is he really this naïve? "That's… unusual."

"Apparently he likes to sleep naked, and Naruto had let him spend the night because of the storm the day before. I felt so bad about it," Iruka said with a sigh. "I just hope I didn't scare him off."

"I don't think you need to worry about that – he and Naruto are very good friends… from what I can tell, that is," the silver-haired man added quickly, realizing that this conversation was headed for disaster. He decided to change the subject as soon as possible. "So, are you going to call Naruto or not?"

Iruka considered this for a moment but finally shook his head. "No… let's just go to lunch instead. My treat."

I knew he'd come around…

"All right, then. Lead the way," Kakashi responded with his signature smile, and together the couple strolled through the park, enjoying their calm, quiet Saturday.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha lay in his bed that Saturday morning feeling utterly exhausted. He hadn't been able to sleep after the preceding night's events, and instead had tossed and turned, his eyes growing increasingly weary with every passing hour. Now that the sun was peeking through his windows, Sasuke knew it was futile to even try and get some sleep. Still, he didn't feel like getting out of bed, but instead just stared up at the ceiling, going over the previous night in his head for the twentieth time.

The thought of Naruto climbing up the side of that tower on the Konoha Bridge made Sasuke's stomach lurch. Yes, Naruto had promised him he'd be fine – and Sasuke knew he meant it. At the same time, though, Sasuke knew there were some things Naruto simply had no control over, and fate was one of them.

He could've died up there… he almost did! When he fell back like that, I thought it was all over…

Sasuke tried to reason with himself – to convince himself that Naruto had everything under control. He took deep breaths, trying to calm down his heart that was beating faster and faster as his thoughts progressed, but nothing seemed to help. The truth was, even though everything had turned out okay, Naruto had taken a big risk the previous night.

Any number of things could've gone wrong. Naruto could've lost his grip climbing up the ladder – it was wet and windy, after all. Again, he could've fallen once he got to the top, and he almost did, too. And what about Gaara? Everyone knew he wasn't in a stable mindset. Shikamaru thought that he might even come after Sasuke to finish what he'd started. It was only a stroke of luck that Gaara trusted Naruto enough not to shove him off the bridge in an instant.

Then again… what if Naruto just knew Gaara well enough to know he'd be safe? He probably would've done the same thing for any of his friends… or for me…

Still, the fear remained. Even though Sasuke knew everything had turned out okay, that precarious moment had planted a seed of doubt in the Uchiha's mind. What if Naruto had fallen? What if he'd died? It would've left Sasuke alone all over again, and just the thought of that horrified Sasuke.

I'm in too deep to do anything about it now, though. It's not like I can just walk away, knowing how I feel about him. But to think of having that taken away from me…

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. For a moment, Sasuke just ignored it and rolled over, pressing his face down into the pillow. After a few more rings, however, he realized that Itachi must have gone to work, and the servants weren't there on the weekend. With a sigh, he rolled out of bed and threw on a pair of pajama pants before stomping downstairs. Upon throwing open the door, the Uchiha glanced up in surprise to see a familiar, white-haired police officer standing with a bundle tucked under his arm.

"Ah, hello there… Sasuke, was it? I hope I didn't wake you," Jiraiya greeted with a grin.

"May I help you?" the Uchiha asked curtly as he stared up at the man.

"Oh, no – I'm just here to drop this off," the officer replied, holding out the bundle. "A few of my subordinates came in late last night with these – apparently they found them on some punk kids who were drunk driving."

Sasuke untied the bundle curiously to find a pile of clothes within – his and Naruto's clothes. "You found these?"

"Well, the kids admitted to stealing them – they had other stolen goods on them, so it was easy enough to get them to confess. Then I saw your ID, so I figured I'd drop them off. It looked like that Naruto kid's were in there, too – I thought you might want to give them to him yourself next time you see him," Jiraiya said with a knowing wink.

The Uchiha ignored this particular comment, and reminded himself to kill Itachi the next time he saw him for blabbing about his love life to begin with. "Well, thank you. Is that all, then?"

"Your brother wouldn't happen to be here, would he?" the white-haired man asked, almost as an afterthought.

"No, he's not. I think he's at work."

Jiraiya snapped his fingers in disappointment. "Oh well… maybe you can pass a message along for me, then? Just tell him I'd love to talk to him sometime soon. Very soon."

Sasuke gave the officer a skeptical look as he slowly closed the door. "Sure… I'll pass that along to him."

Without another word, the Uchiha sealed the door shut and stomped back up the stairs to his room, where emptied the contents of Jiraiya's bundle on his bed. He was pleased to find that all of their clothes were there, and proceeded to sort them out into two separate piles – his clothes and Naruto's. It was only after all the clothes were neatly laid out, however, that Sasuke decided to check and see if anything was missing from his pockets.

After digging around briefly, Sasuke was pleased to find that his wallet was still right where he left it, containing exactly $22, just as it had when it was stolen. After shoving the wallet into his own pocket, the Uchiha's attention then shifted over to Naruto's clothes. He hesitated.

Should I really be going through Naruto's things? It's not like I'm prying or anything – I just want to make sure nothing was stolen, is all…

Having justified his decision, Sasuke picked up the blond's black pants and slid his hand into the pocket. There, he felt the distinct texture of leather, and pulled forth a worn wallet, which he opened up tentatively. As Sasuke soon discovered, though, he had opened the wallet upside down, spilling all of its contents onto the bed.

"Crap," the Uchiha muttered as he gathered up the various odds and ends that had somehow made their way into Naruto's wallet.

Sasuke couldn't help but wonder when the blond had last cleaned out his wallet, considering the miscellanea that he was stuffing back inside. Movie tickets from five years ago, a receipt for a donut, coins from countries that Sasuke wasn't even sure existed anymore – they were all buried inside the bulging wallet. What the Uchiha took particular interest in, though, was Naruto's student ID, for it was there that Sasuke caught a glimpse of a number that made him freeze.

"October 10… that's next week!" Sasuke exclaimed, staring at the blond's birthday in shock.

Then again… I guess I knew that. He did say something about that back when we were working on that project. Did I just not care at that time? I'm sure I'd remember if he told me now… and he probably remembered everything. How did he manage to put up with me then, even when I was acting like such a jerk?

Sasuke shook his head and replaced the ID, effectively filling the wallet to the brim. After closing it, he returned the wallet to Naruto's pocket and collapsed on the bed, feeling somehow more exhausted than he had ten minutes ago.

"Now I have to get him a birthday gift… something that sums up my feelings for him," the Uchiha murmured, sliding a hand down over his face wearily.

Well, what are your feelings? Excitement, fear, trust, anger, sadness, awe, anxiety, bliss… love…

Sasuke chuckled. "Damn you, Naruto – you couldn't make this easy for me, could you?"

Before the Uchiha could dwell on the complicated emotions surrounding Naruto any longer, however, his heavy eyelids had finally fallen, and before long he was snoring softly, his dreams filled with the images of his beloved blond.

---

Well, there you have it! What is going to happen with Kakashi and Iruka, now that their connection to Naruto and Sasuke has been revealed? What about Sasuke and his gift for Naruto? And what of Gaara? How is he holding up after his whole ordeal? Find out in the next chapter of For Naruto, Whenever I May Find Him!