Scene 4
Tsunade, the one called to be the Fifth Hokage, was the only person who could definitely awaken Kakashi from his persistent coma. It was very early in the morning and Kakashi was still dazed when Gai quickly explained to him what happened to Sasuke, who Tsunade also had awakened a few minutes ago, before taking off the woman to heal his beloved disciple Lee, who had been seriously injured during the chuunin exams.
Left alone in the hospital room, Kakashi was able to gather his memories. He had suffered a brutal genjutsu from Itachi, he remembered that well, and then he had probably fainted. He had awakened in his house, and there was Iruka. Who had alert Iruka? Wait. He had asked his mates to warn Iruka. And now surely they would suspect something. Iruka was going to kill him.
What else happened after? Oh, yeah. The kitchen table. Kakashi clutched at his hair. That had been pretty intense. Too intense. At that time he had felt such a need to be with Iruka... But Iruka had asked him to stop. So he did. Goodness. Then he must have passed out again, because he didn't remember anything else beyond that point.
"I'm glad to see you awake" a female voice said.
Kakashi looked up to Kurenai.
"And I'm glad to be."
The kunoichi sat in a chair beside the bed.
"Tsunade is amazing. How do you feel?"
"I'm fine."
"¿Do you know the news?"
"¿About Sasuke? Yes, Gai told me."
"Kakashi..." Kurenai hesitated. "Thanks for saving me from the explosion. I should be more careful. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry. It was nothing."
"If you need anything, just tell me."
"Thank you."
"Although I thought Iruka would be here..."
Kakashi tensed his shoulders and looked Kurenai askance. He'd assumed that sooner or later one of his friends would bring up the issue but not so soon.
"Don't look at me like that" the woman said, a smile dancing on her red lips. "It was you who asked us to inform him".
"I didn't know what I was saying" Kakashi muttered.
"Oh, are we really going to play to this? Come on, Kakashi. I know very well that you are in love with Iruka since long ago."
The jounin looked at her with his mouth open, so surprised he forgot to dissimulate.
"How…?" he managed to articulate.
"How do I know? Well, basically because I have eyes in my face". Kurenai smiled. "I have seen you for years sitting in that branch tree next to the ninja academy. Yes, that branch from which you can perfectly see the courtyard where children train. You sit there pretending to read your stupid erotic novels, when actually you are always watching certain teacher."
Again, Kakashi thanked that his face was covered by the mask. He was blushing as he hadn't blushed in years. Since he was a child, practically, he hadn't felt his face burning like that.
"Does anyone else know?" he asked quietly.
"Don't think so. Well, now Gai suspects, maybe Asuma too, but Asuma is so clueless..." Kurenai said with a warm smile, unable to hide his love for the bearded ninja. "But tell me; is there something between you two? Or is it a unilateral thing?"
"Well..." Kakashi wasn't sure what to say or how to explain it. He had never spoken of his love life with anyone else before. And his current relationship with Iruka wasn't exactly easy to define.
"Let me help you. Have you told him your feelings?"
"Yes."
"And what did Iruka say?"
"He didn't say much."
"But you are together?"
"Something like that."
"I do understand."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow in disbelief. How Kurenai could understand what was between them with so little and diffuse information? Well, she was the only one who had realized about his feelings. The kunoichi had a great instinct, no doubt. And, in fact, he was feeling relieved to talk about the issue with someone.
"Why do you hide? Do you worry about what people might say?" Kurenai continued asking.
"I don't, but Iruka do. He hasn't told me exactly why, but I think he doesn't like people talking about him."
"And if people knew this, they wouldn't stop talking" the woman agreed.
"I guess..." Kakashi paused and looked around. "If I'm honest, I also thought he would be here..." he mumbled without hiding the disappointment in his voice.
"He brought you here" Kurenai said, "when he discovered the wound in your back. And I know that he stayed every night. Perhaps he's just resting at home, taking a shower before returning here" she ventured.
"Maybe."
«Or maybe I scared him there in the kitchen...» Kakashi thought, feeling uneasy. Perhaps he hadn't stopped as quickly as he should have.
A bird perched on the windowsill and started chirping toward Kurenai.
"Ops, a mission. Sorry, Kakashi, I have to go" she said standing up.
"Be careful."
"I will. I promise."
Kurenai left Kakashi back alone with his thoughts. Throughout the morning he had other visits: Gai, Asuma, Jiraiya and Naruto, in that order. Guy and Asuma made no comment about certain chuunin, who didn't appear. At noon the medical team decided that there was no reason for Kakashi to stay in the hospital and the jounin went home.
Iruka heard that Kakashi had already been discharged from Naruto because, since the tense conversation with Gai, he hadn't returned to the hospital.
But now Kakashi was at home, and he was not to blame for what his friend could say or insinuate. In addition, Iruka was yearning to see Kakashi, so that afternoon -after make sure the jounin was alone- he went to his apartment.
Kakashi noticed Iruka chakra seconds before the chuunin gently hit the door of his apartment.
"Hello..." Kakashi greeted after opening the door.
"Hello..." Iruka greeted shyly. "May I come in?"
"Sure."
Iruka entered the apartment, followed closely by Kakashi.
"Naruto told me you were going to be discharged today". Iruka, Kakashi realized, was looking everywhere else but him. "How do you feel?" the chuunin asked.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired."
Something was wrong with Iruka. Although Kakashi had never been an empathetic person, he knew the chuunin pretty well.
"I'm glad" Iruka whispered.
"You don't seem glad at all."
Iruka flinched and looked ashamed.
"I'm sorry."
"Ey. What happen?" Kakashi decided to take the plunge and caressed Iruka's arm. He felt immensely relieved when the teacher didn't draw away.
"Nothing. I'm really glad you're okay."
"Iruka..."
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I didn't stay in the hospital."
"You didn't have to."
"Yes, I did" Iruka replied, and the meaning behind those words warmed Kakashi's heart. "But Gai..."
"¿Gai?" Kakashi frowned immediately. "What about Gai?"
"Gai was there and... I felt uncomfortable."
"Why, did he say something?"
"Not really. But I noticed that he knows..."
Kakashi sensed Iruka wasn't telling him everything, but he didn't want to press him. He would have a serious talk with Gai.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault" Kakashi said. "I know you don't want anyone to know about us, but after the Itachi thing... I just... I desperately needed you by my side."
He didn't pretend to be lame, but he meant it. Iruka blushed and Kakashi smiled.
"You are still wearing the mask" the chuunin said after a moment.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Sometimes I forget that I'm wearing it even if I'm at home alone."
Kakashi pulled down the mask with both hands. To his surprise, Iruka immediately grabbed his shirt collar and kissed him.
"Mmm…" Kakashi wailed, pleased. Immediately he hugged Iruka and respond to the kiss.
Their tongues teased each other for a few minutes, but soon the temperature rose. Kakashi remembered something and temporarily broke the kiss.
"Iruka..." he gasped. "Forgive me for what happened in the kitchen. I got carried away…"
"Don't worry..." Iruka was also panting. "Just... let's go step by step, ok?"
"Of course." And after remove the chuunin's rubber band, he kissed him again.
Despite what they had just agreed, soon they were in bed, Iruka sitting astride Kakashi's belly, their bodies again in a pleasant, yet agonizing contact, non-stop kissing. Iruka stood up and, after hesitating a moment, he rose Kakashi' shirt up to his armpits, leaving the pale skin of his scarred torso uncover.
Although Kakashi was dying to undress Iruka, he kept his hands on his thighs and fought to keep still. He didn't want to scare him again. In addition, for once Iruka was taking the initiative (sober), and he wanted to enjoy it.
After contemplating his bundle torso with approval, Iruka slipped back slightly -Kakashi hissed when the chuunin's rear ran over his groin- and bent down to start kissing the skin of his chest. Gradually he was going down and kissing his belly, his lower stomach... Kakashi reached down and grabbed the sheets strongly when Iruka licked just above the waistband of his pants.
"Iruka..." he gasped.
Ignoring his mute appeal, or rather the opposite, Iruka continued kissing the delicate area, that invisible border. When he felt that was enough "torture", unzipped Kakashi's black pants and released the jounin's excitement. Kakashi gasped when cold but soft fingers grabbed his member, and again when they started to massage him.
"Iruka..." he gasped again. This time Iruka looked up and he seemed… shy? How could Iruka still feel shy or embarrassed while doing something like that? It was fascinating.
Suddenly, Iruka hung his head. Kakashi held her breath, waiting. He wouldn't go to...?
Kakashi hissed when Iruka's mouth enveloped his cock.
Oh yes.
After Iruka's unexpected "gift", which Kakashi did not hesitate to reciprocate as soon as he recovered, the two shinobi lay on the bed for a long time, Iruka resting face down and Kakashi on his back.
"Next time" Kakashi began looking at the ceiling, "I want you get naked".
Iruka said nothing.
"You will?" Kakashi insisted.
"Maybe" the chuunin muttered.
Kakashi smiled happily. Step by step. He turned around until he was on his side facing Iruka, who was blushing all the way to the back of his neck. He stroked his loose hair, taking strands and releasing them.
«He's very shy» Kakashi realized. «Even though he looks like a sex god, even though we just came in each other's mouths, even though he has plenty of experience... he's still shy.»
Experience... Kakashi frowned when the face of the undesirable Mizuki crossed his mind. It was obvious that he had been the one who had given Iruka that experience. Kakashi noticed a bitter taste in his mouth. «Well, it is what it is», he thought. He wasn't exactly a virgin either. He had never had a stable partner, but he had many casual relationships, with both men and women, most of them outside the village. Of course, none of them had been traitors... He dismissed that thought immediately as unfair. It wasn't Iruka's fault that his then-boyfriend had lost his mind and with it his freedom. And all that was water under the bridge.
«Mizuki is already out of his life» he told himself. «The question is: is there room for me now?»
"Why do you always untie my hair?" Iruka asked, breaking him out of her thoughts.
"I love your hair. I love to pet him."
He continued to do so until Iruka turned.
"It's late. I should leave."
"No", Kakashi said more vehemently than intended. "I mean, why don't you stay overnight?"
"You should rest" objected Iruka.
"I can do even if you sleep here beside me. Or do you think that I will not be able to hold back?" the jounin teased. He leaned over Iruka's ear and added in a whisper: "In truth it's hard... but I will, I promise. I will not undress you tonight."
Iruka snorted, but again there was that lovely blush.
"All right" he accepted for the jounin's joy. "I'll make some dinner."
For Kakashi, waking up the next morning beside Iruka was quite an experience. He had never spent the whole night with anyone in the same bed. And opening his eyes (or better said, his only eye) and see Iruka's sleeping face, had been just perfect.
Having nothing to do, Kakashi turned to contemplate him until after some time, minutes or hours, didn't know, Iruka also woke up.
"Mmm..." the chuunin murmured, stretching himself. "Good Morning."
"Good Morning."
"What time is it?"
"No idea."
"Mmm." Iruka sat up. Her loose hair was completely disheveled.
"Did you sleep well?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes. I've only been a little warm. I need a shower."
"You can shower here."
"You don't mind?"
"Of course not. And take the clothes you want to change you."
While Iruka was in the shower, Kakashi sat on the bed, sighing. He was happy to have Iruka with him -something that only a few weeks ago seemed impossible-, but the truth was that he still felt very tired. And he was just thinking that when a bird landed on the windowsill and chirped.
«I already have an assigned mission…»
When Iruka returned to the bedroom, dressed in slacks and a shirt that were slightly larger for him, met with the jounin already wearing the uniform.
"What are you doing?" he exclaimed.
"I've been called to a mission". Kakashi tried not to think about how sexy Iruka looked with wet hair.
"Are you kidding, right?" Watching Kakashi's face, Iruka immediately understood that it wasn't the case. "No way. You're still recovering."
"Konoha needs all his effective" Kakashi said mechanically.
"But…"
"I'll be fine, don't worry."
"The hell!"
"Sorry?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows, amazed at this outburst.
"I'm sorry" Iruka said immediately, embarrassed. "Sorry... I just... You're not okay, and they call you for a mission... It's not fair, and you are like always..."
"Come here". Iruka looked puzzled, but Kakashi insisted with a wave. Iruka obeyed and then the jounin wrapped him in his arms. "I'll be fine, really. I don't want you to worry, to be upset or to kill whoever has awarded me the mission, okay?"
Kakashi heard Iruka's soft laughter against his neck.
"I'll try."
"Very good. And what are you going to do today?"
"I'm going to have lunch with Naruto."
"All right. See you on my return."
Kakashi gave him a quick kiss on the lips and left through the window.
«Can't use the door?» Iruka asked mentally, watching the blue sky over Konoha through the window where Kakashi had disappeared. Moody, the chuunin sat on the bed and pressed his arms around the belly.
He was worried. He didn't even know what kind of mission Kakashi have been awarded. An easy one, perhaps. Or perhaps a range S one, that a still convalescing jounin could not overcome. Maybe that was the last time he had seen Kakashi alive and he still didn't know.
No, he could not be so pessimistic. Nor worry every time Kakashi was out in a mission, or he would end up sick from stress. So he got up, went to his house to dress in his own clothes, and went back to the street. Naruto was waiting in Ichiraku to eat with him.
Luckily, that was not Kakashi's last mission. When the jounin returned, just a few hours after leaving, he appeared right at Iruka's home.
Iruka greeted him with a hug, a kiss and a huge relief.
This time it was Kakashi who used Iruka's shower, and while the chuunin was waiting in the kitchen preparing dinner, he realized that the familiar feeling in his stomach was intensifying.
And as much as scared him, he had to admit it.
He was falling in love with Kakashi.
TBC