Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Can I keep You ? ❯ Part 15 - Abandoned ( Chapter 15 )

Can I keep you?

Sequel to Pumpkins and Ravens

Main Pairings: Kakashi/Iruka, Sasuke/Naruto and others

Part of my 100 themes challenge.

 

Part 15 - Abandoned (38):

 

The two young men made a beeline for Iruka's home, hoping that the chuunin would be kind enough to feed them as there house likely had no food left in it after having been away for a week and a half. Naruto turned to his tired lover, taking in the dark shadows that were under his piercing eyes and wanting to get him home to rest. The mission had been a taxing one but they had returned to Konoha victorious as usual. He spoke quietly to the silent man trailing behind him, “Hey teme hopefully Iruka-sensei will feed us and then you can get some sleep alright.”

 

Sasuke didn't have the energy to speak to the bouncy blond, and gave a very Uchiha like grunt in response, eyes fixed on the floor as he placed one foot in front of the other. He was a little battered and bruised but he was pleased that noone had gotten hurt and that he was home with the annoying idiot once more. He had been hoping that in their absence the two oblivious adults in their lives would get a clue - but that was likely wishful thinking.

 

Naruto rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly as he walked a few steps faster, expecting the Sasuke's ire with his next few words to be followed by a fist to the head much as Sakura often did. “Ohh…uhm…I think I forgot to clean out the fridge again.” He felt himself squirm under the piercing glare directed at him from the silent raven, but there was no impending head bashing.

 

Sasuke huffed quietly at the stupid blond, he always did this and he knew how to get his way even if he was too tired to clip the dobe over the head. He wouldn't be the one cleaning the kitchen. “Baka, you will clean the fridge or I will withhold your ramen for a week.” He watched as the blonds face dropped at the threat and he knew what would be coming next.

 

“But Teme….” Naruto whined and was heading straight to moaning when he heard Sasuke's next words.

 

“Don't or I will withhold something else and wait to see you with a case of blue balls.” Sasuke let a smirk curve his lips and turned heading for Iruka's once more, leaving a gaping Naruto behind him. He heard the thundering of the blonde's feet as he raced to catch up to him once again.

 

“You wouldn't…right?” He almost caved at the needy whimper that followed that statement. They had agreed when they got together that when they were on mission together there would be no sexual or romantic contact between them. They had agreed that their relationship was a danger to both of them outside the village and that they couldn't focus if they were to busy with each other. So the blond hadn't had any sexual or affectionate contact for over a week and the strain showed in the mournful expression on his face.

 

Naruto turned his face from the smirking raven and pouted, his balls were already blue thanks to the time this mission had taken and he missed the pale mans touch almost desperately. The blond knew that Sasuke would cave with a little wearing down but he needed him now, so he capitulated with a disgruntled whisper, “Fine then Teme.”

 

Sasuke heard the annoyance in his lover's tone and when the blond relented to the cleaning he so hated doing, he reached out his hand after checking around the quiet streets and carefully laced his fingers through Naruto's. He gave the digits a tender squeeze and felt Naruto's curl firmly around his own. That is how they arrived at Iruka's home.

 

They stood on the doorstep for what had felt like ages after they had knocked and the two grew concerned when they could feel only one chakra signature inside the small apartment. Naruto rummaged through in his various pockets and pouches and finally found Sasuke and received a nod in return. He pressed the key into the lock and turned, swinging the door open quietly. He knew there would be no traps set in the chuunin's home unless he was asleep and his chakra was coming from the living room where he would never sleep - Iruka liked his bed too much. Although, he had taken up residence in the lounge since Kakashi-sensei had been staying with him.

 

As they both walked silently into the quiet apartment, leaving their sandals at the door, the blond darted his head around the bedroom door to find the bed empty and the sheets stripped from the bed. He frowned and made a gesture with his head at the open doorway, watching as Sasuke's eyes took in the empty bed and the linens across the floor. Iruka was never this messy and where was Kakashi?

 

They turned back to enter the living room and they found the man they had been searching for. Iruka sat on the floor, back resting against the sofa as he gazed empty eyed at the paperwork on his coffee table. Naruto cleared his throat quietly trying to let the other man know that they were there but received no reaction from the usually alert ninja. He spoke quietly then, “Iruka-sensei? Are you alright?” He approached slowly, taking in the glazed chocolate orbs. He turned pleading eyes on his lover; he had no idea what to do or what may have happened and looked to his lover for some sort of explanation and comfort.

 

Sasuke approached the chuunin, purposefully making scuffing noises as he crossed the wooden floor dragging his feet, carefully kneeling at the man's side when he reached him. He didn't turn his obsidian gaze from Iruka when he spoke to the blond, “Go make some tea and something to eat Dobe” He heard the blond shuffle off into the kitchen and turned all his attention on the shinobi before him. He spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, “Iruka-sensei look at me please?” When the teacher turned his gaze to him he could see the distress clearly in his eyes.

 

“Iruka where's Kakashi-sensei?” He watched as pain filtered across the chuunin's features and knew then that something was amiss. He watched as Iruka tried to formulate the words to tell him where he was but from the expressions that flittered across his face he could guess what had happened. “You told him didn't you?” He got a short sharp nod and then watched as the male curled into himself, arms holding his legs to his chest and his face burrowed in his knees. When the brunet spoke again it came out muffled by the cloth of his trousers, “He…He left two days ago…after…I told him about what he did. I was so angry at him…he…wouldn't see… what I was trying to say…”

 

Sasuke reached out a pale hand and ran it down the teachers back in smooth circles, feeling his t-shirt bunching under his hands at the movement. He had never seen the man looking so forlorn; his pain was a palpable thing. He knew that as much as it would hurt him he needed to know what Kakashi had said to leave Iruka in this state and how he was going to fix the situation between them. How could things have gotten so bad in the short time they had been gone.

 

Iruka sat quietly listening to Sasuke's quiet words, he just didn't have the energy to respond at first, but after the first attempt had failed he had curled into himself, supporting his forehead with his knees as he rambled quietly into the cloth. He sighed and turned shadowed eyes to the last Uchiha, seeing concern on the young mans face for the second time in his life. He turned his gaze back to the table and the schoolwork he just couldn't concentrate on. He had tried to distract himself and had failed on quite a few occasions. The emptiness of the place he had called home made him feel equally empty and desperately lonely; he missed the jounin's familiar presence.

 

Naruto returned to the living room and curled up next to Iruka, not attempting to hold the man as he wanted to but resting his body against the chuunin's side to let him know he was there for him. It was something he had done since childhood with people like Sasuke who didn't like open affection; he would offer his support quietly. He gave his lover a tender look as the raven settled on Iruka's other side offering the same comfort.

 

He let Iruka sit there for a while in silence, watching the steam swirling up from the tea cups on the table that he had set there on his return from the kitchen. He had noticed one of the normally pristine set was missing and he remembered the day that Kakashi-sensei had been frozen in Iruka's bed. He remembered seeing Iruka drop the tea leaves in the kitchen, as he ran to the other mans side, not even noticing that he had accidently knocked one of the treasured tea set to the ground - it had cracked on impact.

 

Naruto looked over the bowed head of his sensei, seeing his lover looking straight back at him with turmoil churning in the dark depths of his eyes. The blond gave him a pained smile, it felt tight and slightly forced, before returning his gaze downwards quietly speaking to the hunched man, “Talk to us Iruka-sensei…what did that bas…man do, to you to leave you like this.”

 

Iruka wasn't sure he wanted to answer the blonde's question, but maybe they could understand where he had failed - it was the confusion that had left him feeling lost and adrift in his own home. He turned back the pages in his mind to that fateful day, seeing the jounin in his mind's eye once more and he let the words spill out for the pair to see.

 

It had started out so promising on that day.

 

Iruka had awoken to the touch of rough fingertips lightly tracing the scar across the bridge of his nose, he tried his best not to react to the soft pressure and kept his breathing as even as possible to attempt to feign sleeping for longer. He thought he had fooled the other man in his bed as he had continued his exploration of the chuunin's tanned features. He slid pale digits through the loose strands of his hair and ran light feather like strokes across every feature of his face.

 

It felt wonderful to have those fingers touching his sensitive skin; he had wanted this for so long. It was like Kakashi was learning him, touch by touch and he couldn't help but feel his heart swelling with hope and possibilities. When those fingers brushed his ear lobe he flinched back with a light laugh, snorting quietly as he pawed at his ear, “That tickles Kakashi.” He opened one eye then at the warm, rich laugh that escaped from the jounin's mask covered lips. His other eye slowly opening to stare at the other man, awed by the way those sensual sounds made his senses come alive with need.

 

Iruka absorbed the sight of the jounin looking so amused and, dare he say content. He couldn't help but smile whilst he felt his cheeks flame. He went to roll over to rise from the bed to start breakfast for the happy Copy-nin but found his body pinned down by a bare arm laced firmly over his waist. He looked up into Kakashi's smiling eye and back down again at the toned arm pinning him to the bed. He eyed the way Kakashi was now watching him from behind that mask of his. Iruka spoke quietly to the man, “Why aren't I allowed to get up?”

 

He watched as Kakashi's exposed eye crinkled merrily at him before he gave his reply, “Why is that your question not what do you think you are doing?” Iruka felt his blush creeping down his neck, at the question that was thrown back at him.

 

But he gave a winning smile when he gave his own retort, “Why do you always answer a question with a question?” He tried to give the jounin as good as he got but he knew with his years of experience, Kakashi was one of the best at avoiding questions and responsibility.

 

He watched as the jounin mulled that one over before responding, “Because I like answers. And in answer to your first question because I don't want you too.”

 

Iruka lay stunned for a moment at the answers he had received not having expected any, as he tried to discern what Tsunade had once called “beneath the beneath” it was something the other nin was able to do so easily, but he struggled. He gave in with a sigh and pouted at the shinobi, playing a game he knew better with the Copy-nin, “Fine then what do you mean by not wanting to let me go?”

 

He was surprised when the other man, curled closer to him, brushing his cloth covered cheek against his own as he felt hot breath ghost across his ear, “Because I like being in bed with you.” He felt his heart stutter at the implication of what the other shinobi had just said; unsure whether what he had said was what he was implying. He gulped back the lump in his throat quite audibly and found himself stuttering to respond but no words coming out. “I...you...what...” sighing at his lack of articulation in the face of this man. He had watched Kakashi as he pulled back and saw his embarrassment on his heated face - he had laughed at him once again.

 

Iruka felt his skin flame hotter in response to his embarrassment at being in this predicament and realising that the dratted male had been teasing him all along. He felt himself deflate and his heart tremble in his chest with its need to have the other man but he moved back, scowling at him as he whispered almost vehemently, “That was cruel Hatake-san.”

 

He would get his dig's were he could and he knew that the use of the formal with Kakashi always annoyed him. But for once the other nin kept laughing, and he watched as he gasped between guffaws for air as he alternated between wincing and laughing,

“Ohh...hahah...'Ruka...hurts.”

 

He gave Kakashi a smug smile as he slipped off the bed whilst Kakashi's hands had wrapped around his aching ribs, “Then you shouldn't tease people, ne?” He walked towards the door, Kakashi's laughter ringing in the room made his lips curl further. He had never heard the sound before but he hoped to hear it again.

 

The chuunin felt quite comfortable wandering around his own home in his cotton trousers and vest that he wore to bed, it had made him a little nervous at first once Kakashi had awoken to have forgotten that he wasn't fully dressed and wandering around in front of the man he was interested in. But he had soon adjusted, when Kakashi had stated firmly that this was his home and he shouldn't feel obligated just because he was staying with him to be a stiff as he phrased it - especially since they had been sharing the same bed.

 

He prepared a good breakfast for the two of them and when he entered the living room he found the jounin seated on his couch ready for his morning meal. He smiled down at the other man as he placed the tray down, “Finished laughing then have we?”

 

“Yes - thank you for breakfast Iruka.” The chuunin was already returning to the kitchen to potter about making his own food and letting the Copy-nin eat in peace with his mask off for a while. He quietly hummed a meandering tune that he seemed to have stuck in his head of late when he heard Kakashi speaking from the other room, “What is that song? It sounds so familiar.”

 

Iruka moved to the doorway to hear what the shinobi said, making sure to keep his eyes averted as he gave a quiet reply, “My Mother used to sing it to me when I was a child. I... I guess I got in the habit of humming it to you when you were sleeping for all those weeks.” Iruka turned back into the kitchen, hoping that would be the end of that train of questioning.

 

He knew that Kakashi wanted to know what had happened between them and he had refused to tell him about it until he was better, he wasn't certain how the other man would react to the news - he was hoping he would maybe apologise and that would be the end of it but he had never been that lucky. He had been purposefully avoiding the topic and anything that might come back to it for a week or so now and he hoped it would remain that way.

 

It looked like that wouldn't be the case when he heard Kakashi again, “Iruka?”

 

“Hai Kakashi?”He turned in the kitchen. Putting the plate he had been getting down on the counter ready for food to be put on it.

 

“Come here a minute.”He sounded a little off and Iruka started for the other room, concern tightening his gut.

 

“Have you finished your breakfast?”He questioned the other man in hopes of understanding the odd note that had entered the jounin's voice.

 

“Hai.” Unfortunately his one word answer gave nothing away and yet he could feel the first stirrings of apprehension and knew something was coming - and it felt bad.

 

When Iruka came back into the lounge and circled the couch he found that Kakashi's barely touched food sat on the coffee table. He turned a questioning gaze on the other nin, wondering why he had lied only to find himself being grabbed and tugged down onto the couch with him. He let out a startled cry, “Kakashi!”

 

He saw the determined expression on the other nin's face as he held tight to Iruka's wrists, he couldn't understand what had brought this on but he was afraid in that moment. “This is not what I wanted Iruka, but I need to know. It's important that we don't have secrets.” He watched as Kakashi held him easily, manoeuvring his body so his back was flat against the sofa, wrists clasped in one of the other shinobi's hands as he trailed his other hand upwards. Iruka didn't understand what he meant by secrets but he could see what the other man was planning, it showed in the stubborn set of his body. He was getting his answers the only way he had left to try.

 

“Kakashi please don't...” That hand kept coming and he squirmed to get away from it, feeling the skin of his neck prickling at the proximity between it and the vulnerable skin his stomach twisting in fear and betrayal. The jounin was deathly silent above him; the loss of weight it seemed had little effect on his strength as he had easily restrained him.

 

Iruka felt tears gathering at the corner of his eyes as his breaths became ragged the closer that hand came, he squirmed harder to no avail. He turned tear-drenched eyes to the other nin, seeing determination and what he thought was regret, before those fingers closed on his throat. He stopped breathing, eyes wide with panic as he bucked and writhed beneath Kakashi. He felt his body panicking and though his mind was cognizant of the fact that Kakashi wasn't squeezing his throat, the memory of it had him whimpering, “Please... let go... Kakashi.”

 

He saw the jounin's eye close and the pressure on his hands and his neck eased, he waited only moments to get off the sofa and across the room. His fingers rubbed at the tender skin of his throat, taking in deep lung filling breaths. He started when the other shinobi finally spoke, breaking the dead silence in the room, “I tried to strangle you didn't I Iruka. When I was in a coma I tried to hurt you.” Iruka could hear the anguish in his voice but the adrenaline pumping through his system added to the hurt and betrayal he felt at Kakashi's attack.

 

“How could you do that to me? You selfish ass? Wasn't once enough you had to do it again”? His mouth clicked shut realising just what he had accused the other man of doing, he wanted to take back those words but still feeling the pain ripping through his chest at the other nin's behaviour, the force he had employed to get the answers he wanted kept him silent. It shocked Iruka that this seemingly lazy and oddly affectionate man could be so cold and brutal in his quest for answers.

 

Iruka froze when the other shinobi spoke again, his voice sounded dead, “I am leaving Umino-san. Now.” Iruka watched the jounin with wide eyes, trying to process the fact that he was leaving.

 

The teacher stumbled over his words as he tried to fight the panic that was welling inside him at the thought of the Copy-nin leaving - he wasn't ready. “Kakashi... you didn't hurt me on purpose ... you didn't know who I was ...it wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry.”He could see that the infamous nin had cut him off, not listening to his words and he didn't know how to get through to him. The man he cared for so much was leaving. How had it ended like this, he knew he was going to leave soon but not like this... what had he done?

 

He watched the other man get up from the sofa, moving towards the bedroom talking back over his shoulder so quietly, “I haven't behaved that way in many years and I won't go back to it again. You helped me heal up and it's time I returned home.”

 

“I... Kakashi... please... listen....”Iruka wanted to explain to Kakashi, to make him see reason but with that final word he knew this was it.

 

“Enough.” He felt crushed, bereft and the Copy-nin hadn't even left yet. He watched as he passed through the door to his room, and he felt the panic take him for a moment, his feet felt like they had disappeared from beneath him. Iruka felt his heart stuttering in his chest at the loss. He clamped down hard on his runaway emotions - just keep it together. He's not going to listen and he's still not well enough to walk that far.

 

Iruka walked to the bookcase against the wall behind the sofa, pulling out a summoning scroll he had been given when Kakashi had been brought to his home. He unravelled the parchment and bit his thumb, dabbing the set of symbols required to activate the scroll. He whispered silently as he worked, the summons was designed to turn into a message when it reached its destination.

 

“Hatake-san is leaving my apartment. Will you come and meet him part way so he makes it back without incident. Umino.”

 

When the last word fell from his lips an inky image pulled itself from the paper in the form of a pigeon, he gave his last order, “Go to Gai-sensei - hurry.” He watched the ink based summons that Sai had given him at Sakura's instruction disappear out the window. He stayed there silently staring out the window, he felt the odd quiet fill the space of his home and he knew that Kakashi had left. He never had liked doors and though his concern was running rife through him he knew Gai would take care of his oldest friend and rival. He just hoped Kakashi would let him.

 

He walked quietly around the apartment picking at odd things that reminded him of the other nin, before walking into his room. He could see the jumble of things that the Copy-nin had taken with him, his heart squeezed at the emptiness that filled him. He walked to the bed, pulling the sheets off methodically, his mind in a daze as he threw them into the small washer next door. He walked to his school work that he had left on the coffee table next to Kakashi's untouched breakfast and settled onto the floor, staring at the grilled fish and rice he had made.

 

He stayed there for hours, not getting up or even thinking, his mind was blank, he didn't touch the food even though his stomach growled in hunger. He sat there waiting, not sure what to do or how to behave - he felt like his heart was shattering but his emotions where trapped inside.

 

What would he do without Hatake Kakashi?

 

Iruka sat between the two boys as he relayed the story, feeling the emotions he had finally bubbling to the surface and coming through as he spoke. He kept his face buried in his arms and when the last thought went through his mind, he felt something warm and salty spill over from his eyes to trail down his cheeks. He raised his head, running trembling fingers across his cheeks and running the damp between his fingers, he let out a choked chuckle, “Well... ha...that proves it...”

 

He heard the blond shuffle beside him, not daring to look into those cerulean orbs when he spoke, “Proves what Iruka-sensei?”

 

“That I'm an idiot and I'm alone again.” He felt it all fall into place then, he had been rejected by Kakashi and he had seen why in his own mind. He had accused the other man of trying to kill him - when it had become obvious that Kakashi was growing to like him if only as a friend. He felt the tears fall more rapidly, soaking into the cloth covering his drawn up knees.

 

“Such an idiot.” He whispered between choked sobs.

 

He never saw the other two shinobi exchange concerned looks before the blond wrapped an arm around the distraught man, tugging him close to his own warmth as Sasuke shuffled closer and let his hand trail soothingly up and down the chuunin's back. They could feel the sobs racking through the unhappy man and both felt a burning desire to go and fix what had happened between the two unhappy shinobi they considered family. But they knew this had to be done by them, though they would give it a helping hand along the way.