100 Themes fics

Title: Can You Hear Me (Sequel to Seeking Solace)

Pairing: KakaIru sorta MizuIru

Rating: PG

Warnings: Yaoi M/M relationship, angst, WAFF, One-shot, COMPLETE, no sexual content

Summary: What does it take to say goodbye to the people we once loved?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto



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"Hello Mizu...ki," Iruka said sitting down on the chair beside the bed, Mizu-kun a breath from his lips.



The white-haired man chained to the bed laughed, looking far older and nothing like the beautiful man he'd once been. "Aw... look at you try to disassociate yourself from me." He made a tsking sound and shook his head weakly. "Stop trying to fool yourself." Mizuki laughed again and rolled his eyes. "Though, you are rather good at that."



"You're right," Iruka said simply. "I didn't want to see who you'd become; I don't want to see it now, but I do see it." He laid a hand over Mizuki's, casting the man a somewhat surprised look when he didn't try to jerk it away.



"You always were too forgiving and that monster doesn't deserve it," Mizuki said coldly, eyes narrowing in obvious irritation. "Neither do I."



Iruka squeezed the hand he was holding, gently. "I'm sorry."  Tears slid down his cheeks and the chunin reached up with his free hand to brush them away. "Tsubaki and I should have seen something was wrong, we were your friends, we loved you... but we didn't see it when you changed and we should have. If we had maybe this all could have been avoided."



"You're both fools, and I'm not sorry," Mizuki growled. "That monster killed our families and you protected him..."



"I protected a child, Mizuki; I followed my hokage's orders, and I did the right thing." Iruka pulled his hand away and reached up instead to brush hair out of Mizuki's eyes. "I'm sorry that hurts you, but you're wrong about Naruto; he didn't hurt anyone. What the ninetails did isn't his fault, and we were all wrong for blaming him."



"NO!" The man yanked at his restraints, half-hauling himself up before his strength left him and he fell back again. "It's his fault! He is the monster, just you wait, you'll see, you'll all see and then you'll wish you'd let me kill him!"



Iruka sighed and shook his head. "No, that won't happen. I believe in Naruto." He stood up, staring down at the other. "I'm still sorry, I wish I could have saved you, too."



"Do you hear me? You're pathetic, naive', and weak. You've always been so fucking easy to deceive, you couldn't have stopped me if I'd told you what I was planning let alone figured it out for yourself." Mizuki's face screwed up more and more as he spoke. "Why are you even here? Do you think these little visits of yours are going to 'redeem' me?"



"Maybe I thought that once. Maybe I believed if I could get you to see how wrong you were that you'd become who you were before." Iruka shook his head again, sadly. "I loved you, Mizuki, as much as Tsubaki did." He smiled at the surprised expression on the other's face. "So I really thought this would hurt more..." Iruka looked towards the door then back at Mizuki. "It took me a long time to get over you, to find somebody I could trust enough to love again. I've found him, though, and as much as he's been hurt, he isn't twisted up the way you are. He doesn't see me as weak or stupid and he doesn't see Naruto as a monster; he believes in him the same way I do." The chunin stepped away from the bed and turned towards the door. "Goodbye, Mizu-kun."



The prisoner screamed profanities at the young sensei's back, jerking on the restraints. Then, as Iruka opened the door, began pleading for him to stay, not to abandon him the way he had, begging for him to come back, and swearing if he left him alone he'd never forgive him.  The chunin paused at the door, then opened it and stepped through, closing it on the bargaining of the dying man.



"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked, sliding an arm around Iruka's waist casually.



Iruka smiled and while there was a definite sadness to it, there were no tears. "I think so." He stepped away, catching a gloved hand as he did, and headed for the door. "He can't hear me... he never could."



"I do," Kakashi said, squeezing the other's hand.



"I know." Iruka smiled. "That's why I was able to say goodbye."