Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Hope ❯ Part 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Okay, Iruka is going to be a bit confused. Perhaps the best word to use is - ummm - Denial? I prefer to keep this story within the Kakashi and Iruka chain only. I guess from now there will be brief mentioning of Naruto. Not always, but it's there. Mostly, I keep this fic limited to the feelings of both Iruka and Kakashi. So, to those hoping for some Sasuke and Naruto interactions, I'm really sorry. I despise Sasuke, because he's too arrogant. I'm sorry guys, but that's my opinion. But, maybe later on, I might right a GaaraNaruto with a SasukeNaruto. But I'm still pondering on it, get me? But oh well!

Thank you for all your reviews. You make my day! *mwah*

HOPE 7

Kakashi closed his copy of Icha Icha Paradise, and closed his eyes. Three hours have passed since Iruka had gone to sleep and he was really getting restless. He had changed in to a clean pair of gray pajamas, removing his mask and hitai ate. The cool breeze from the open window blew against his face, his long hair tickling his exposed neck and face. It felt peaceful in the house and somewhat warm. He had helped himself to a glass of orange juice earlier on and now he was lying wide awake, sleep far from his reach.

He sighed and stood up, closing the window since he was beginning to feel a bit chilly. The room he was in was quite spacious and had a dresser, a cabinet and a bed good enough for two people. The walls were sky blue in color and the windows were tainted green. Otherwise it was empty, save for a painting of a waterfall on one side of the wall and a clock on the other.

Kakashi lay back on the rather soft bed, grabbing a pillow and tucking it under his head. He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep would claim him. He heard a groan coming from the room next door. To any other person, such a groan would not even be heard, but because his ears were trained in such a way that even the smallest peep could be heard, he stood up and headed for the next room. He opened the door and found Iruka lying sprawled on the bed, sheets around his waist and between his legs.

Kakashi approached man, who was clearly having a nightmare. He watched his sweat drenched face and neck toss from side to side, a pained expression in his face. He sat beside him and began to shake him awake. Little cries were escaping his parted lips and Kakashi found himself staring at the sight Iruka made.

"Iruka! Iruka, wake up!" He held him by the shoulders and shook him a bit hard. Iruka's hands came on to his forearms and he shook him again. "Wake up, Iruka!"

A loud gasp escaped Iruka's lips as his eyes snapped open, fingers unconsciously digging in to Kakashi's forearms, making the man wince just a bit.

"Kakashi." He breathed out, his voice husky.

Kakashi felt his head spin from the sudden rush of blood to his cheeks and at the same time, he gritted his teeth because the blood had also rushed down and concentrate on one particularly private area. The way Iruka said his name, that rather tired and drowsy look on his face, the breathing coming out in heavy hot pants, the way his chest kept rising up and down and the sweat scent clouding his senses - Kakashi quickly shut his eyes and turned his head to one side.

"Is that you?" Iruka inquired, face now a bit red from the sight that was in front of him.

"Yes." Kakashi answered and made movement to move away, the fingers on his forearms releasing him immediately and roughly shoving him off the bed.

"Get your hands off me!" He screamed, pulling the covers over himself. The image he made on the bed reminded Kakashi of a virgin experiencing the arts of sex for the first time. Does Iruka know what he can do to people with his innocence?

Kakashi scoffed. Innocence? He lost that by force nearly a month ago. "I'm sorry." He whispered and stood up from the parquet floor. "You were having a nightmare. I just wanted to wake you up."

Iruka narrowed his eyes and glared. "You may live under my roof and you may watch my every movement but you may not and I mean you may NOT touch me! Lay one finger on me, Hatake Kakashi, I swear I'll kill you!"

The threat was nothing to Kakashi, but he heeded his words. It also pained him inside that Iruka hated him with a passion. "I'm sorry. My acts were solely based on good intentions. Now that you're awake from that nightmare, I believe you'd be able to sleep peacefully now." Kakashi turned around and headed for the door.

Iruka grabbed the sheets hard. He then turned his eyes away from the silver haired man. "My apologies, Kakashi-sensei. I - I understand you meant well, but next time, refrain from touching me. I'll be fine. I don't need help, especially from you. You have your own issues, so leave me with mine."

Kakashi said nothing and left the room, lightly closing the door behind him. He headed for his own room and lay on the bed, facing the ceiling. Iruka's words rang in his head over and over again. His mind then flashed him of Iruka looking up at him dazedly.

Kakashi.

Kakashi shut his eyes. Iruka's voice kept replaying itself in his head.

Kakashi.

He turned to his side; an arm sliding around his waist while the other pillowed his head.

Kakashi.

Kakashi.

Kakashi.

Kakashi felt stiff as a rod. He rushed in to the bathroom, grabbing a towel and turning the cold tap on full blast.

"Damn." He said, dipping his head. "This isn't going to be as easy as I thought it would be."

*

Kakashi gritted his teeth. Two months zoomed by his very own eyes and he was going crazy in all possible aspects. By all means, Iruka looked better than better. His sunken eyes were now lively and no longer hollow looking. His pale skin was replaced by a light golden tan. He was no longer an underweight adult, but a lean and healthy looking man. His cheeks were now full and had that slight tinge of pink to show his blossoming health. He ate like there was no tomorrow. Kakashi remembered that during the first few days, Iruka couldn't even finish an entire plate of rice for he would end up vomiting everything out. Now, Iruka could down at least three plates of rice and could compete with Naruto at Ichiraku ramen stall on who can stack the highest ramen bowl.

He was also back in shape. Every morning, Iruka would go out for a run around the village and then do some katas in the training field somewhere near the Hokage monuments. When he came back home, he'd do at least one-hundreds sit ups or push ups then would go about doing his daily chores after taking a shower. At night, he'd read books on all sorts of things varying from encyclopedias to crime paperbacks. He was dealing with people well now, not flinching whenever there were contacts like a handshake or a brotherly pat on the shoulder. He was hugging the kids for crying out loud.

Basically, all of Kakashi's general report on his progress was positive to the Hokage.

Save for the personal ones (which is not included in the report).

During the first month of his stay, Iruka had nightmares nearly everyday. From that single experience with him on his first night in the chuunin's house, he never lingered for more than a second after he woke up Iruka. As soon as Iruka opens his eyes, he would be gone. But that did not mean Iruka was nice to him. Polite, yes. But he was cold, distant and rather sharp with his words. Kakashi felt hurt inside him and the more Iruka pushed him away, the more Kakashi found himself wishing that the chuunin would just like him.

Like that incident when Iruka had fallen asleep on the bathtub. At the sheer memory, Kakashi brought a hand to his head and a sigh escaped his lips.

~Flashback~

Kakashi resumed his position in being an ANBU member once again and he had come home after a two-day mission to find the house empty on a late evening. He had called out Iruka's name and got no reply. He stripped his white flak jacket off, setting his white ANBU mask on the table along with his jacket, sword and arm protectors. He searched the whole house and found it devoid of any signs of Iruka.

"Iruka!" he called out again and finally checked the bathroom. He entered it and found Iruka slumped on the bathtub his head leaning against the bathroom wall, hair plastered to his face and neck. "Oh my god! Iruka!" He called out sharply, instantly panicking. Iruka did not stir from the sharp call of his name and immediately, Kakashi's pulse began to race. "Iruka! Iruka!" He pulled his facemask down and grabbed Iruka's shoulder. "Iruka! Iruka! Shit!" He cupped one side of Iruka's face in his gloved hand and with the other felt for a pulse. Iruka then began to stir and his eyes fluttered open.

He slowly turned his sleepy gaze to Kakashi, and Kakashi would do anything to see that adorable and almost innocent look on Iruka's face when he woke up. The fact that he had little drops of water not-so-innocently trickling down the sides of his neck and his cheek flushed a bit from the warmth of the water and the fact that he was naked made Kakashi just want him then and there.

But Iruka had reacted violently. So violent that Kakashi actually felt fear in him. Iruka had screamed his loudest and punched Kakashi square in the jaw sending him sliding down the bathroom floor and hit that back of his head on the wall behind him. Kakashi saw Iruka's naked form move from the bathtub towards the towel rack to grab his robe and towel which was quickly wrapped around his slim and lean body.

"You touch me again, I will castrate you using a fork! You bastard!" He yelled and left the bathroom, shaking, tears welling in his eyes.

Kakashi did not move for several minutes from his fallen position in the bathroom floor.

*

Ever since then, Kakashi had been looking at Iruka differently. He liked the way Iruka's hand moved in fluid strokes when he wrote. He liked the way he held his chopsticks whenever he was eating a meal. He loved the way Iruka gave attention to the children or the way he spoke with that light tone of his, the one that wasn't filled with disdain. He liked the way Iruka entered the door in the mornings after his jog. He even liked the way Iruka swept the carpet rug with the brush. He liked the way his hair fell on his back and the way it shone under any light. He even found himself liking Iruka's rather prissy side - from how sandals should be wiped first by the door rug before coming in all the way to how the milk should be kept first followed by the orange juice in the fridge. Kakashi found it attractive.

And the man really did love Naruto. Naruto was in Iruka's apartment everyday of every week whenever he could spare the time and when he was not in missions. They chatted like father son and watched movies together, laughed together, played board games together, and of course ate together. Kakashi found himself jealous several times and that jealousy would flare in such a highly dangerous green flame whenever Naruto hugged Iruka and the man would just hug him back. Sometimes the hugging would lead to a tickling-war and Kakashi found himself longing to join the fun and be able to play with Iruka.

To be close to Iruka.

Kakashi had gone through memory/mind torture since the first day he came. He still couldn't forget the way Iruka said his name when he woke him up from that nightmare he was lost in. That low husky call of his name.

Kakashi flung his copy of Icha Icha Paradise across the room, the book making a very audible thump as it hit the wall then the ground. He then buried his head in his hands, massaging his temples. All A-Class missions were given to other jounins. He had a mission that night to assassinate someone, but otherwise nothing exciting has been happening and he had already written his report for that week. One more week and the third month will be over. He could go home and maybe play a little with Pakkun, go back to his carefree ways - miss Iruka.

Kakashi cursed loudly, clenching his hands in his hair.

The light footsteps in the hallway approached the living room and stopped a good eight feet away from him. He could see Iruka bend and pick up his fallen book and close it lightly, placing it on the coffee table. He then turned his calm gaze to Kakashi.

"You only have to deal with me for another one week. If throwing things around means your frustrated, by all means leave. I won't breath a word to Hokage-sama."

Kakashi felt hurt inside. He bit the urge to just do what Iruka just suggested and instead asked him a question.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

TBC

Wah! Oh, poor Kakashi. He needs to get some sweet, sweet lovin' from dear Iruka.

Tune in next time!