I Don't Think You Understand

I'm about to keel over if you all keep this up! I will say one thing, though. This story gets written according to what I think of. This sounds a little weird to say, but just because something I happen to write sounds awfully close to what someone's thinking doesn't mean that I'm following your suggestions.

I know where this is going. I'm not going to stop now.

As usual, I don't own Naruto, or Sasuke, or Kakashi, or Iruka...but I wouldn't mind have autographed pics of them.

***||***

Dating is such a fluid term. It can mean simply that two people go out on an evening and enjoy each other’s company once in a while, or imply that said people are in a more permanent relationship. “I’m dating this person,” someone says. “We’re together.”

Kakashi could say those things now. He knew what they meant, but the full significance had yet to occur to him.

Things had settled into a routine between Iruka and him now. Since the chuunin was so busy with his students and helping out at the mission desk, Kakashi made sure to volunteer some of his time with grading the homework to take some of the workload off the chuunin.

He knew he wouldn’t be going on missions for a while; Tsunade-sama had not gotten in contact with him recently (I think I may have scared her when I came in like that) and probably wouldn’t for the foreseeable future. He had savings enough for a year of few missions anyway, so it wasn’t as if he was suffering.

Besides, it gave him more time to spend with Iruka.

As the days went on, and the occurence of the sudden erections lessened (though he still had to “take care of business” after kissing the chuunin goodnight), he took the time to enjoy life and the company of his...his boyfriend. He still had a hard time saying that.

Iruka never referred to Kakashi as his “boyfriend” in public, and after Iruka had explained himself, Kakashi reciprocated.

Konohagakure was an open place; high-ranked shinobi went around in same-sex relationships all the time, but it on more of a “I don’t want this very powerful and strong ninja to come kick my ass for not accepting me and my lover” basis than as a measure of tolerance, though that was changing slowly.

Their dates mostly consisted of them meeting at Iruka’s apartment, and one of them cooking dinner. Kakashi did most of the cooking; he was better than average in that department, and he found he liked the expression of pleasure that came over the chuunin’s face as he took that first bite. It made his fantasies after their date so much better.

Tonight, they were going out to listen to a concert. Kakashi hadn’t objected to going, but he hadn’t seen why it was necessary. ”Variety is good for a relationship, Iruka had replied. ”It’s never a bad thing to have, and it keeps people from getting bored or the relationship from getting stale.”

Kakashi figured he’d just wear some simple black pants (containing another version of his “home territory” arsenal) and a v-necked long-sleeved shirt the color of his natural eye (and the mask and hitae-ate, of course). Examining himself in the mirror, he had to admit that he looked pretty good, but he’d wait to see Iruka’s expression first.

Not wanting to soil his clothing with sweat, he teleported to Iruka’s door and knocked politely. Two soft thumps later, the door was opened--

--and Kakashi’s jaw dropped. Literally.

Iruka should wear black more often. A black, long-sleeved, button-down shirt shot through with sinuous silver dragons graced the chuunin’s upper body. The first two buttons were open, displaying a glimpse of tanned collarbone and a simple silver choker. Iruka’s pants were equally black, but conformed in such a way as to give the illusion of being skintight without actually revealing anything. The hitae-ate Iruka usually wore was tied around his left bicep.

The outfit wasn’t the only reason for the reaction. Iruka’s hair, usually tightly pulled back and up, was down, touching his shoulders and giving him an air of androgynous beauty that had Kakashi swallowing to wet his suddenly dry throat.

Iruka was staring in a similar way at him. “You look really nice tonight, Kakashi-san,” he said softly.
“So do you,” Kakashi said, wondering why his voice came out sounding so husky. “You ready?”

Iruka nodded, a faint blush on his cheeks. Tugging lightly at a lock of hair (...hanging gloriously down!), he shut and secured his door.

They walked quietly down the street, side by side. The conversation covered the inconsequentials in each others’ lives (“I graded papers today; what did you do?” “Oh, sparred with Naruto-kun and complemented Sakura-chan on her extremely low cut shirt today.” “That explains the fading bruise on your eye.”).

Reaching the concert hall, they paid their way in and sat down to enjoy the music. It was a purely instrumental evening (so the flier said), and the musicians were visitors from Otogakure...appropriate for a village composed of sound-based shinobi.

Cautiously, not knowing if it was okay but feeling the urge, Kakashi reached over and took Iruka’s hand in his, noting the calluses, texture, and strength of it. It was dark enough that he figured no one would notice.

To his relief and elation, Iruka didn’t slap it away, but threaded his fingers through his. They remained that way for the rest of the evening.

***||***

The strings being plucked, the flute being played, and the drums being pounded wove their way into Iruka’s blood, making him feel pleasantly lively. He halfheartedly wished that this concert hall had a dance floor so he could get rid of some of the excess energy in his veins, but only a little.

Kakashi sat next to him, seemingly absorbed in the music, but the stiffness in his other arm showed Iruka what few others knew; the man was always on alert.

Not a bad thing to always be on the lookout, but does he always have to sit like he’s got a stick up his ass?

Not that that particular thought had unpleasant ramifications, but...no. He has to be introduced to this slowly, or he’ll think that it’s okay to just leap into bed with people right and left.

That would be a great way to get a nasty disease, truth be told, and Iruka knew it.

The music had made him feel fantastic before; now it guided him into a form of meditative trance solely dedicated to the problem of “how to avoid releasing a sexual butterfly into the world.”

How, indeed. When he was following me he didn’t even have a reason why; a month later he finally figures out that he’s attracted to me, and now we’re up to kissing after a week of dating. People dating for a week are usually up to some mild petting by now. I don’t look forward to teaching him about flirting if this is his track record.

Iruka wasn’t frustrated with the lack of action; in reality, he was far from it. However, his mind was much easier to convince than his body, which was more or less constantly reminding him that the jounin had an incredible body, that the mask-covered lips felt very nice, and that hugging the man only brought that body close to his, allowing him to feel every ripple, every breath, and to inhale the smell of the man, something akin to green leaves and herb tea....

...man, it’s been a while. Deep breaths, Umino, deep breaths...

“Iruka-san? The show’s over.”
“Huh?” Iruka broke out of his daze, realizing the music was done thrilling his blood. “Ah, yes it is. Shall we go get dinner?”

Kakashi nodded, standing up and tugging at their still-joined hands. With a faint blush, Iruka saw that their fingers were intertwined for everyone to see, and with a briefly apologetic squeeze, released him. A smaller nod from the masked man confirmed that he understood that Iruka hadn’t actually wanted to let go.

If I could just go around Konoha beating the shit out of everyone who looks at same-sex pairings in a cross-eyed manner, I would do it. And damn the consequences.

“Any preference?” He asked Kakashi, standing up and shaking out the stiffness in his legs.
“I wouldn’t mind going to Ichiraku, if that’s okay with you,” ventured the masked man.
“That’d be fine,” Iruka grinned.

The trip there was short. Iruka ordered miso ramen, and after a slight hesitation, Kakashi did the same. As they were awaiting their meal--

“Hey! It’s Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei!”
“Hn.”

“Don’t call me ‘sensei,’” Iruka said mildly, turning around to greet his former students. Out of the corner of his eye, Iruka saw Kakashi turn as well, though judging from his eye drooping (how does an eye droop?!), he did so with a lot more reluctance.

“It’s great to see you,” Naruto continued calmly, slapping Iruka gently on the shoulder in greeting. “Good to see you too, Kakashi-sensei.”

Sasuke just nodded his head at them before going to a stool some ways off and taking a seat, glaring pointedly at Naruto. One awkward silent second later, Naruto hurriedly said “bye!” and joined his companion at the other side of the bar.

With impeccable timing to diffuse the situation, the cook placed down two steaming bowls of broth and noodles and bade them enjoy. As had become custom, Iruka turned slightly away from Kakashi as he ate. I wish he’d take off that damn mask sometime. It’s driving me crazy!

***||***

I wish I could take this mask off now. It’s driving me crazy.

He was walking Iruka home. That was fine; he often walked Iruka home, but usually he would enter afterwards. This time, he would be dropping the chuunin at home and going to his. That is what people did after a date, or so Iruka told him.

Still, I really, really wish I could take this mask off. The evening had been a bit humid, and the mask was sticking a little closer to his flesh than he liked. In the right light, it would reveal the contours of his face...and I’m not sure if I want Iruka to see my face just yet.

Kakashi wasn’t ugly. He wasn’t displeased by what he saw in the mirror (before and after masking himself in front of it), but showing his face to people had become something of a trust issue. If people knew his face, they could identify him if he failed in a mission.

There had been a few years after the woman had fucked him that he had desperately tried to search her down and kill her because she had seen what no one else (except his parents, but they didn’t count) had seen. Hearing of her death (she’d had a heart attack while riding another man) after those long years had been one of the sweetest moments of relief he’d ever felt.

He knew he didn’t want to have to deal with that problem yet, but he had had the thought in his head for a while that it’d be really nice to know what Iruka’s lips felt like without the mask in the way.

They reached his door and said the usual “had a great time” routine (he’d learned that was a ritual as important as saying “good night”) but this time, there was a change in the routine.

“Could you close your eyes?” Kakashi asked.

Looking at him in puzzlement, Iruka backed up to his door and did as requested. Making sure no one was around (or peeping, or had set up equipement that could peep at him from a distance), he carefully lowered his mask past his chin, covered Iruka’s eyes with a hand to ensure that he couldn’t see anything...and kissed him.

Soft. Iruka must have realized what he was doing at the first touch; he immediately relaxed and pressed back against Kakashi. Moving his lips gently across Iruka’s, Kakashi lost himself for a few minutes before he remembered that breathing was a good thing and that someone could be by at any minute. He quickly pulled his mask up, wished the blushing chuunin a good night, and leapt up onto the nearest rooftop.

He was blushing too.

I’m going to do that every time I kiss him now...but... He sighed as he looked down at his pants. I’m not going to be sleeping for a while, if this is any indication.

***||***

I have no idea how to say this...wait, yes I do, but there is no surety in its coherency. I'm a virgin. I've never had sex, but I have friends who have, and they tell me that sometimes a kiss does a hell of a lot more for them than any amount of sex does. I don't know if they mean that the kiss excites them more or is more pleasurable in general, but gathering from my own experience with kisses (which isn't much, but is there), they do have a tendency to excite more than someone doing some form of heavy petting.

I love reviews. Please leave me some more of them.