Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Iruka's obsession ❯ Chapter 13

Part 13

 

Iruka felt his heart beat uncontrollably at the sight of his …er…crush. He had been able to forget Kakashi during the mission; he had even been able to convince himself that he was finally getting over it. It was apparently a lie, since the moment he laid eyes on Kakashi it was all he could do to stop himself from hugging him. The face looked haggard, with tired eyes, and closer examination showed that it didn't look as young as it had at first glance. Kakashi looked like an eighteen year old who had been through hell. Iruka so wanted to lean forward and brush back the hair from Kakashi's forehead, but he was becoming fascinated by the facial expression on the now blond-haired man.

 

Iruka had always blushed easily and so had been the source of entertainment for many of his peers. But his blushing was nothing compared to the way Kakashi colored up. Being lighter than Iruka, he seemed to turn three shades red, and the flush seemed to spread from his face down to his exposed shoulder. It was like watching a forest fire spread, and Iruka had to fight back a sudden snicker at his next thought. No wonder the man wore a mask - no ninja had the right to blush like that. It was adorable but a dead giveaway where emotions were concerned. He had the urge to lean forward and wipe away the smudges of dirt from Kakashi's face and…

 

“Where's Gai?” Iruka felt his heart stop and drop like a rock to his feet. Kakashi actually looked around as if expecting to see the green-spandex-clad man. “Why are you here? Where's the team I requested?”

 

It was a good thing Iruka still had his spare kunai in his pocket, since he'd have to dig his heart from the sole of his foot.

 

“We…were attacked on the way,” Iruka said, sounding apologetic, misery seeping into his bones like a poison. What had he been expecting after the way they had parted, a warm reception?. “Shizune was hurt and Gai had to stay back to…”

 

“Just how badly hurt?” said Kakashi with a scowl. “And Neji?”

 

“Hyuuga ceremony,” Iruka said, head down. “Gai asked me to come in his place, since Shizune broke both her legs and someone needed to watch over her…”

 

“Gai is always interfering like this,” Kakashi said, sounding displeased. “He could have chosen to mind his own business instead of trying to jeopardize the mission with his outdated ideas of romance.”

 

“I'm sorry,” Iruka mumbled, downcast. “But since I'm here, is there anything I can do?” He did not think he should try to defend Gai just then, in case it angered Kakashi too much. “Is there a plan?” he asked.

 

In answer, Kakashi glared down at him, his mismatching eyes narrowed. Then he looked around and scowled, “I get off work in a couple of hours. Think you can stay out of trouble until then …what are you in here for, anyway?”

 

“Dogs,” Iruka mumbled.

 

Kakashi scowled and looked away, then seemed to go blank. Iruka looked up hastily to see that the smaller serving boy whom he'd stopped earlier was looking at them with a frown. Though they had not been talking for long, ordering drinks probably did not take that long, and their conversation had been far too detailed for a mere request for a drink. Iruka tensed, wondering if the boy would approach them…

 

“Is there a problem here?” It was the man in black who had spoken to Iruka earlier. Iruka fought the urge to turn around but rather let Kakashi deal with it, since he was the one the attendant had spoken to. Perhaps there was a policy in the club where the customers were not referred to for anything other than the most serious of issues.

 

“No, sir.” Kakashi's voice sounded low and servile. “This gentleman said he was interested in dogs, so I was offering him a quick peek at our collection.”

 

“Surely you do not want to go to the kennels, sir,” the attendant sounded slightly repulsed. “It is not a place for visitors.”

 

“But I do like to see them beforehand,” Iruka replied, grasping the situation. He had an idea that no one went down to these kennels very often, which was probably why Kakashi wanted to take him down there. Perhaps they could have a proper conversation without having a room full of people trying to eavesdrop on them.

 

“Very well,” the man said with a shrug, as if he found Iruka's request strange but could not be bothered to argue. “You…” to Kakashi “…you're the one who feeds them these days, aren't you, take this gentleman down and show him what he wants to see.”

 

“Yes, sir,” said Kakashi with another bow and motioned Iruka to follow him. Iruka obliged immediately, starting to walk behind the taller figure when the attendant stopped him with a firm hand on the bicep.

 

Iruka turned around, tensing for a fight but not yet reaching for his kunai. “Yes?'

 

“He gets off duty in another hour,” the attendant told Iruka. “If he's your type, I suggest you take him with you to a room outside. We don't run a brothel here. The clientele we deal with have far too varied a taste, but we don't interfere if you find your entertainment here. Just don't do whatever you do during his working hours. It's bad for business.”

 

“Eh?” Iruka said, perplexed. “I… that is, really do …er… dogs…” he stammered then blushed. “I…”

 

“You're new here, so that's the only reason I'm telling you this,” the attendant continued. “There is a proper brothel down the road if you want some entertainment.” The advice was given in a kindly tone as if Iruka was an idiot. “I saw it in your face you wanted him, so…”

 

“He just reminded me of someone I knew before,” Iruka said, looking at his feet and answering truthfully, knowing that a total lie was beyond him. “Startled me,” he added softly. “But, now, I really do want to see the dogs I'm betting on, nothing else. So if you'll excuse me…” He shook his hand free and started to walk towards Kakashi, who was standing by a side door waiting patiently. The undercover ninja looked relaxed, but Iruka noted that he was still holding onto the serving tray, his fingers spread, ready to throw it like a Frisbee or a weapon should the need arise.

 

He followed Kakashi in silence through the side door onto a small landing and another flight of steps leading upwards. Head held down, he was paying attention to the steps rather than the destination when a firm hand grabbed him by the neck. Startled, Iruka stumbled, grabbing the hand that was cutting off his airway for balance as well as to try and ease the grip. He looked up to see Kakashi's face glaring at him, both eyes fixed on him intently

 

“K…Ka…” Iruka wheezed as the hand the tightened further, making his eyes water.

 

“When did you see my face?” Kakashi asked in a low voice.

 

“What!” Iruka spluttered as he gasped for breath. He was going to be killed in a small back alley stairway because he was unable to curb his curiosity. He'd known he was destined for a short life…

 

“When. Did. You. See. My. Face,” Kakashi said, pronouncing each word slowly which was probably just as well, since the lack of air was making Iruka's ears buzz.

 

“Hos…pital,” Iruka gasped out. Kakashi's grip was stronger than his, and the hand Iruka was picking away uselessly at felt as solid as metal. But Iruka had a hidden kunai -- he also had more chakra than Kakashi, since the Copy-nin had none at the moment--and was sure he could manage a few seals even when his brain was short-circuiting due to lack of oxygen.

 

But he could not feel the intent to kill, and even as he spoke, Iruka could see that Kakashi was relaxing. He waited for the Copy-nin to move back, releasing his neck, and took a few deep breaths to make sure his windpipe wasn't crushed. It felt fine, and even the urge to cough disappeared as he made a conscious effort to relax his throat. Most ninjas were taught at a young age how to suppress the need to sneeze and cough at the most inappropriate of times, since a sneeze could effectively get someone killed in enemy territory as surely as a sword to the stomach.

 

“So it was you,” Kakashi said, watching Iruka recover with a blank face. “I thought so.”

 

“I don't see what the big deal is,” Iruka said a little hoarsely. He knew he should be angry, but staring at Kakashi's tired face, all he could drag up was mild annoyance. The man had a face most people would die for, and here he was trying to cover it up and throwing a fit when he realized someone had seen it. “Your face isn't the sort that needs to be covered,” Iruka said truthfully, slowly coming to realize a few things.

 

Kakashi's expression remained neutral but a flush speared over his features, clearly evident in the semi-darkness. Had he been wearing his mask, he would have been unreadable, but without it…Iruka couldn't help it; he leaned forward and brushed his lips faintly against the other man's cheek. Kakashi smelled of smoke, dirt and sweat - not exactly a pleasant combination, but Iruka could not help himself, it was still Kakashi. Kakashi stepped back sharply as if Iruka had stabbed him with a kunai and took two steps up.

 

“Stop that,” he all but snarled before limping up the steps towards the faint square of light in the distance.

 

They reached the top and stepped out, Iruka wrinkling his nose at the smell. It was the smell of rotting meat, wet dogs and blood - they had reached the kennels. The kennels were an enclosed space about the size of the Konoha Academy dojo, with a pen in the middle, surrounded by strands of chakra and barbed wire. The area was well lit by spluttering torches and, from the looks of it, Iruka was not the only person who was interested in viewing the dogs before a fight.

 

There were several other heavily-robed ninjas, most of them covering the lower half of their faces with cloth as if to stifle the smell. A female with a scar on the side of her face (the way she wore it proudly, making no move to cover it screamed ninja) was walking around peering through the wire, holding a delicate white handkerchief over her nose.

 

Iruka stepped closer, shivering as a gust of wind blew over him, feeling the sudden change in temperature after being in a crowded, underground room with little ventilation. He peered through the partition as well, squinting until his eyes got used to it after the sudden light of the surrounding torches. He could see vague moving dark shapes, which resolved into dogs under further scrutiny.

 

Iruka leaned closer despite the smell, breathing through his mouth from practice to take a closer look. The smell was stronger inside the pen, and he also gasped aloud when he saw the insides. He was not exactly a dog lover like the Inzukas; he was more of a kind person who liked all animals and did not believe in needless suffering. He had been the only one who had refused to kill the rabbit during his camping practices and still let some other Academy teacher handle that. It was not that he was against killing; given a choice between his life and rabbits, he would kill the fluff ball without blinking; he just did not believe in senseless killing when something else would do equally well.

 

He also did not believe in senseless torture of animals.

 

The dogs in the pens were a mistreated lot - bleeding in places, full of festering sores and some with evidently broken legs. He did not even want to know what sort of internal injuries they were suffering. He took a step back, realizing the smell was that of gangrene and rotting flesh, some of it alive. The cages that kept them separate were small, damp-looking and had not been cleaned in a while. Some of the dogs were either dead or dying, and the pitiful whines that filled the air were more than he could bear. Iruka took a step back and straightened, looking for Kakashi.

 

He spotted the taller man immediately; he was with the woman, probably answering some question she had asked. Iruka moved closer to them, purposefully keeping his eyes fixed on Kakashi, not wanting to see the disturbing sight so close to him.

 

“…ma'am,” he was saying. “The black one there is a good fighter - was before he broke his leg--but should be all right in a couple of days. See the shoulders, can push a …”

 

Iruka tuned out the description and looked away, feeling vaguely nauseated. He took a deep breath and regretted it as the smell filtered through his nose to the back of his throat and lodged there like a rock. Iruka walked towards Kakashi with every intention of getting out of the hell hole. Seeing Iruka approach, Kakashi broke away, bowing low to the woman and limping towards Iruka slowly.

 

“Sir?” he said softly.

 

“Get me out of here,” Iruka all but snarled, angry at Kakashi, though he knew the condition the animals were in was not the other ninja's fault. “I …I've changed my mind. I don't want to ….to…”

 

“Did you come here straight away?” Kakashi asked in a low voice as a gust of wind blew over them.

 

“Uh!”

 

“Do you have a place to stay?”

 

“No,” Iruka said, realizing just how repulsed he was by the whole thing. “Should do something about the dogs,” he told Kakashi in a low voice. “Maybe…”

 

“It's not a part of the mission,” Kakashi's voice was as cold as a blade of ice. “Sensei, I suggest you leave …I'm staying in a small boarding house ear the north end, a small yellow house with a tiled roof. The only one in this district, so you can't miss it. I'm on the second floor, a small room with a futon and washbasin. Just go…”

 

“I…” Iruka stammered, still reeling from what he'd seen. He could understand killing humans, some just asked for it, but animals that had no idea what was happening to them, it was sickening. “My stuff…”

 

“Give me your token,” Kakashi said. “Leave through the side exit. I'll be there in an hour's time. I'll bring your stuff … if someone asks, I'll tell them you went ahead to get a room for the two of us…”

 

Iruka flushed when he realized Kakashi must have heard the advice he had been given by the attendant in the room below. But he was starting to realize that he just might not be cut out for the undercover business of gambling dens and dog torture chambers. He gratefully nodded his head and made his way to the exit Kakashi had pointed out. Right then he did not care if everyone thought he was so full of lust for one dirty serving boy that he needed to leave in a hurry, leaving all his gear behind.

 

Kakashi's room was easy to find - a small, cramped place smelling faintly of mildew, but clean enough. Iruka stood in the middle of the room, feeling overwhelmed by the entire day, wondering how to proceed next. He was not sure how to act or react, for that matter, as he stood there numbly. Finally, spurred by the sound of falling rain on the rooftops, Iruka took off his sandals and sat gingerly on the edge of the futon and took stock of the room he was in.

 

Kakashi had chosen well. The room was not overly large but had two windows facing opposite directions. One window overlooked the rooftops, while the other opened into a back alley. Though there was only one front entrance, in a tight situation, the windows would provide more than one escape route. The roof overhead was corrugated metal, and the rain drops fell on it like pebbles, but there were no visible leaks, and the temperature inside the room remained constant.

 

After lighting the single lamp, Iruka did a quick survey of Kakashi's gear, noting that there wasn't so much as a kitchen knife in his collection. He sat back when he heard the tread of light footsteps up the wooden staircase and waited for Kakashi to come in. Kakashi walked in casually, now wearing an old pair of sandals and carrying Iruka's gear over his shoulder. His was wet, and his hair stuck to his face in limp strands, making him look younger.

 

Kakashi threw the weapons at Iruka and also a small paper bag. Iruka opened the paper bag and was assaulted by the smell of food and realized just how hungry he was. He looked up at Kakashi, who was walking across the room to open a window, and then down at the small unidentifiable fried object, which smelled delicious.

 

“Is this your dinner?” he asked tentatively.

 

“I already ate,” Kakashi replied shortly as he continued to look out the window.

 

“Uh…thanks,” said Iruka as he also stood up, unable to remain seated, since it was rather awkward. He took a bite out of the UFO, decided it was greasy, full of things which should not be eaten if he was expected to live a long, healthy life -- and finished it off in two more bites. He was a ninja and was not expected to live past thirty.

 

“How many attacked you?” Kakashi asked as he turned away from the window and looked straight at Iruka.

 

“Eight, maybe more,” Iruka replied automatically, realizing he was making a mission report to a senior. “It was while we were camping in the area between the two countries …”

 

“Was there a message?' Kakashi asked. “I left a message requesting Gai to come and pick up the information I had collected.”

 

“No,” Iruka shook his head. “Gai-sensei did not mention anything like that. Was it left in a specific place?”

 

“Gai knows where,” Kakashi said shortly. “So, in conclusion the border patrol must have stumbled onto my message and decided to capture you. Maybe they were planning on waiting to see if the person who originally left the message would come back and capture him in the process.”

 

“What do we do now?” Iruka asked, fighting the urge to lick his fingers.

 

“I'll give you the scroll with all the information I have collected in the past few weeks, and you can leave,” Kakashi said coldly. “You should be able to avoid the patrols and get to the border. If I know Gai, he'll have reinforcements by now.”

 

“What about you?” Iruka asked. “How long are you going to stay here?”

 

“That is none of your concern, sensei.” Again the cold tone that did not leave room for questioning. “Just do your part.”

 

“Uh,” said Iruka looking down awkwardly. “There were a lot of missing nin there in the Citadel today. I was wondering - were they from Konoha as well?”

 

“Some were,” Kakashi said briefly and then sighed as if Iruka was being slow witted. “Every village has a few missing nin, and not all of them are dangerous. Some of them are the disgruntled genin who never get promoted. After failing the chuunin exam a few times, they get disillusioned, blame the village for their failure and run away. Sometimes, we do what Orochimaru did with Kabuto and have a few high-level ninja defect to other villages and live there as genin. Excellent source of information.”

 

“Oh,” said Iruka feeling slightly foolish. He was not well-versed in the art of spying, since he'd spent most of his time inside the village. He looked around a little, wondering what to say, then finally settled on what had been bothering him from the beginning. “Let me treat that cut on your foot.”

 

“No need.”

 

“The least I can do for the food,” Iruka replied irritably as he walked forward. “Was it broken glass?”

 

“My mistake,” Kakashi replied as he evaded Iruka's hand and sat on the futon. “Yesterday some bastard tried to take a swipe at me, and I dodged. So today he decided to see if I was really blind on my blind-side. I had to step on the glass to prove I was.”

 

“You can see from that eye,” Iruka confirmed what had been nagging him even as he fell to his knees and undid the strap of Kakashi's sandal. Close up, he realized Kakashi had washed before entering the room; he was clean, and he smelled like he always did. Earlier, Iruka had assumed the rain had washed away the dirt smudges on the other ninja's face …now he realized that it had been washed away deliberately.

 

“Rin was a good medi-nin,” Kakashi said almost absent-mindedly, as if he was thinking of something else. Iruka turned up the foot and studied the cut, wondering who Rin was. Whoever he or she was, that person was no longer a medi-nin. Since most medi-nins from Konoha did not retire to become go-go dancers in the Vegetable country, that person was most likely dead.

 

Wordlessly, Iruka went over the hand seals for the basic healing spell he used in the Academy to treat cuts and bruises. “With your chakra sealed away, your Sharingan is inactive, isn't it?” he asked, putting down the foot carefully.

 

“Yes,” said Kakashi as he slipped off his other sandal as well.

 

“You were spying on the ninja in the …the…” Iruka wondered if it was a bar, a gambling den or something else altogether. “…without your Sharingan.”

 

“I was listening in on the conversations,” Kaakshi said slowly. “I also met with a few other Konoha undercover operatives, and we swapped information. Plus,” he added casually. “….I'm a genius. I don't need the Sharingan to memorize.”

 

“Oh,” said Iruka, feeling like a fool.

 

“Maybe you should get off your knees, sensei,” Kaakshi said his voice strangled, low and teasing. “You're giving me ideas.”

 

Iruka scrambled to his feet, blushing furiously.

 

“Interesting,” Kakashi said as if observing a new specimen. “I expected you to be angry at me after our last conversation…”

 

“I should be,” Iruka agreed, looking at Kakashi. He shrugged and looked away. “I was….I was going to …” Rip your head off and feed it to Orochimaru “…but when I saw you today, you looked so tired, I didn't think you co…”

 

“It was fun,” Kakashi said slowly. “You…the mission Naruto assigned me. On most missions, people give us free food and don't expect payment in return. It's called common courtsey … You, sensei…” Kakashi`s leer was clearly visible since his face was uncovered. “…you offered something even better than food…”

 

“Why are you doing this?” Iruka asked, feeling something churn in his middle - something like humiliation, anger and disgust - but also curiosity. “Why are you behaving this way?”

 

“Because you think you're in love with me,” Kakashi spat out. “Face it, sensei, I knew it the moment you came knocking on my door and telling me you didn't know I was watching over you at Naruto's request. Before, I thought it was rather charming you were acting so naïve, but then I realized - you weren't acting, you are naïve.”

 

“How dare you,” Iruka could feel genuine anger seep out. “How dare you say something like that when you know nothing about me?”

 

“You know nothing about me, sensei,” Kakashi said calmly. “You say your feelings are genuine, but whom are they for?”

 

“What do you mean?” Iruka asked, confused.

 

“Do you even know me?” Kakashi asked. “You're just like the rest of them - you want a piece of the Copy-nin - the famous Sharingan Kakashi.”

 

“You're certainly full of yourself,” Iruka snapped back. “There are two of you already, so you don't need to create clones. You and your ego should be enough to take out an entire platoon.”

 

“What I'm telling you is,” Kakashi said getting to his feet carefully. “You can't have feelings for a person you don't know. You saw my face at the hospital and decided you liked me. That's shallower than Sakura moaning over Sasuke. It's like being in love with a super star on TV.”

 

“Am I?” Iruka shot back. “Tell me, Kakashi,” he used the name for emphasis. “I might not know everything about you, but I sure as hell know that you're a jerk.”

 

“Well,” said Kakashi looking away. “That's a start.”

 

Iruka frowned as Kakashi said it. He was going to tell Kakashi that he knew him. He knew what Naruto had told him - Kakashi was always late, he read porn in public, his summon was …Really, how dare Kakashi imply he was shallow. “Fuck you, Hatake,” Iruka said looking away.

 

“Would you like to?” Kakashi asked. “You really don't know, do you, if I prefer to top or to bottom.”

 

Then Iruka came to understand that what he knew was also what everyone else in the village knew. It was the sort of thing Kakashi maintained in his everyday life as a shield. He did not know what Kakashi's favorite color was or what he liked to eat. He did not know who Kakashi's favorite person in the world was or what he did in his spare time. A small voice in the back of Iruka's head pointed out that Kakashi didn't know anything about him, either, but he realized he was the one who was supposed to like Kakashi, not the other way around.

 

Defeated, he stepped back. “Give me the information,” Iruka said dully. “I'll take it back with me.”

 

“Leave tomorrow at daybreak,” Kakashi said, looking out the window, where rain was falling heavily. “The security is lax then, and the rain now also acts in their favor. Wait for it to stop or at least let up.” He walked over pulled up a loose floor board and brought out a scroll, which he handed over to Iruka. “Read it first-- should it get destroyed, you'll be able to at least remember some of the things in it.”

 

Iruka nodded, took out the report and sat on the edge of the futon to read it. He read it in silence as Kakashi paced the room, the wind from the window making the flame of the lamp dance. He finished reading, rolled it up and put it in one of the watertight containers in his backpack. Iruka looked up at Kakashi slowly and spoke.

 

“I do know you,” he said carefully. “I know you hate getting dirty … you must be the cleanest ninja in Konoha. You took a shower before coming here - cold water from a streetside tap, because you hate the dirt, but if you have to, you will get dirty. I also know you are one of the kindest people around. You might kill and pretend to be cold but you really aren't. Your mission here is already complete, but you're going to stay here because you want to help those poor dogs. You might pretend you follow the rules and that the mission is the most important thing, but you know - you do have a heart.”

 

Kakashi was silent for a bit then looked away.

 

“When are you going to make your attack?” Iruka asked silently. “At daybreak…what you said for me probably applies for you as well,” he answered his own question. “Let me come with you.”

 

“No!”

 

“You don't have any chakra, you can't use any jutsu, and I don't think you should be unsealed without medi-nin present unless we are in a really tight spot,” Iruka said with a small smile. “You have no choice in this.”

 

Kakashi looked at him steadily with mismatching eyes, but did not word a protest.

 

A/n- the night is not yet over. They're in a room, one bed and it's night. Do the math ppl. You guessed it; they're going to kill each other.

 

Actually, do you want a NC-17 scene? I know I rated this fic as high as possible with that eventuality in mind. But fanfiction net in particular does not encourage this. So, I'll take a vote.

 

I have to thank everyone for commenting on my fic. It makes it so much fun for me to write it. While I do not answer comments, I do appreciate them. If you have specific questions about the fic or plot holes or things you want to point out, ask and I will answer.