Search for Strength

Search for Strength

A/N: Just a reminder that the time line is a little off. Okay, so I’m officially a habitual liar when it comes to the length of my stories. I wanted this to be a really short snapper but I’ve been curses/blessed with hyperactive imagination therefore this story is probably going to be more like ten or eleven chapters. Extra special thanks to my editor the spectacular, incomparable michelerene!

Disclaimer: If i made money from this i wouldn't be perpetually broke

Warning: Pretty clean. Some sexual thoughts but nothing to graphic.

“Why won’t you tell me?” Iruka dropped his gaze from the master interrogator to the clean white sheets beneath his hands.

“It’s my problem, Ibiki, and I can deal with it myself.” The scarred man sneered coldly,
“I see you’ve been doing well thus far.”

“I didn’t want to deal with it before and I didn’t know how. Don’t worry. It’s taken care of.” Ibiki scowled, running his hand through his dark hair before applying his most intimidating face possible.

“Iruka, you’re going to tell me or I’ll-.”

“You’ll what? You’ll torture me? You’ll take away my sensei rank? Please.” The jounin gaped in shock at the now scorning chuunin.

“The school would fall apart without me. I have every right to keep my privacy and I’m not going to talk so you might as well report that to Tsunade.” Ibiki made to argue but the look on Iruka’s face told him that the conversation was over. Sighing he nodded and moved to the door, pausing in the threshold, “Get back on you’re feet. You’re students miss you.”

Ibiki was shocked at how well the chuunin stuck to his guns. Not many did that in his presence. His smile faded as he passed Kakashi in the hallway. Kakashi was certainly strong enough to inflict that kind of damage and Ibiki was one of the few that knew his sexual orientation. Eyes narrowed as Kakashi headed straight to Iruka’s room and the interrogator dashed off in the direction of the Hokage tower.

“Congratulations, you’re being released today!” Iruka beamed at Kakashi.

“Thank Kami. I don’t think I could stand another day in here. So are people asking questions?”

Kakashi shrugged, “Just the people who care about you…so basically the entire village is frantic.”

Iruka chuckled, “Well, that should make things interesting.” Kakashi settled on the edge of the bed and loosely gripped a tan hand.

“So how are you doing?” His voice was soft and gentle in a way that Mizuki’s had never been.

“I’m good. Still stiff in a few spots. Nothing a trip to the bathhouse won’t fix.”

“Iruka,” Kakashi squeezed his hand gently, “how are you doing?”

His smile slipping a little Iruka sighed, “I don’t know. I’ve made my decision but I still have to face him. I’m not afraid anymore though.” Kakashi encased the trapped hand in both of his.

“Liar.”

Iruka chuckled at Kakashi’s ability to read him. “Okay so I’m a little…anxious. But I can do this. If he tries to hurt me again, you can break you’re promise. Assuming that is I don’t kill him.” Kakashi gently ran his thumb over the small scar on the tan temple before dropping it to trace the scar just under Iruka’s jaw.

“I’m here any time you need me. I told Tsunade that, barring an emergency, I’m only taking light, short missions for the time being.” He quickly added seeing the furious and panicked look on Iruka’s face, “I didn’t tell her why. I just said I needed a bit of a break…and team seven needed more training.” Kakashi’s heart flipped at the warm smile Iruka sent him while adding the last free hand to the pile.

“Thank you. For everything.” Kakashi shifted at the words he had hope Iruka wouldn’t say again.

“Don’t thank me. It’s my fault. I talked to him. That’s why he beat you so badly. I should have listened to you. Because of me, what I feared was coming, happened. I’m so sor-.”

Iruka pressed a tan finger to his covered lips.

“No, Kakashi. I’m not dead. Who knows how long I would have stayed if you hadn’t put together what was happening and scared me half to death in your apartment. I would have bled to death if you hadn’t found me. I’m grateful for what you’ve done. You’ll see eventually how much you’ve helped. Once you stop feeling guilty that is….please feel free too be a kiss-ass until that happens.” Kakashi smiled gently, nodding to Iruka with a surge of new found respect.

“You got it.”

“Good. You can start by grabbing my clothes for me.” Iruka swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood gingerly as Kakashi handed him a clean uniform from the closet, turning partially to face the window when Iruka unabashedly removed his hospital shirt. He turned back when he was sure the brunette’s pants were in place, his eyes roaming the tan, scarred, naked torso. He reached out not even thinking and ghosted his fingers along the newly formed scar on the muscular shoulder where one of the chuunin’s bones had broken the skin, making Iruka tense before relaxing to the touch. Sighing, Kakashi pulled back and shook his sliver hair.

“You’re a lot tougher than people give you credit for.” Warm brown eyes widened at the compliment and a delightful blush spread across the tan, dimpled cheeks. Iruka opened his mouth to say thank you when a knock at the door interrupted. It slid open to reveal Mizuki bearing a bouquet of flowers. His sheepish gaze wavered at seeing Kakashi standing so close to his Iruka.

“Hey, Baby. How are you feeling?” he asked, eyes raping Iruka’s still half dressed form. Kakashi took a menacing step forward when a bronze hand wrapped around his arm. He glanced down at the warm brown pools that could melt anyone’s heart.

“Kakashi, could you go get me a tea or a coffee or something?” Kakashi wanted to protest but the resolve in those eyes made him remember his promise and head to the door.

“I’ll be back soon.” He shot Mizuki a threatening glance that read ‘if a single hair on his head is missing, you’re ass is mine’ before adding in a deadly whisper, “very soon.”

Mizuki moved to Iruka, running his hands possessively yet gently along the exposed muscular back, laying a trail of kisses up the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry, baby. I love you. I’m so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?” Iruka dropped his chin, still not facing his violator.

“I already have.” Mizuki exhaled slowly.

“That’s a good boy. Come to my place. I’ll cook you dinner.”

“No.” Iruka thrust his arms into his shirt and pulled it over his head, effectively ending Mizuki’s contact with him before moving to the other side of the bed to collect the enormous stack of pictures that his class had drawn for him, fingering the top one of a blonde, himself and a brunette wearing goggles and a long scarf lovingly.

“What do you mean no? I thought you just said-.”

“I do forgive you, but I’m not staying with you, Mizu.” The silver haired man moved to the end of the bed.

“Please, Baby, I’m sorry. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking-.”

“And when exactly did you do that thinking? The three days I was in the hospital? Or how ‘bout the sixteen hours you left me to bleed to death on my floor?” he dropped his voice which had risen in anger, “I forgive you…but I’m not suicidal, Mizu. You almost killed me. I have a life that I want to live and…and it can’t include you.” Mizuki stared at the complete stranger in front of him. All the work he’d done to carefully shape and mold the teacher since his parents died was lost and he sank to the bed in defeat. Iruka placed the last gift he’d received in his bag and laid a hand on the slim shoulder.

“Get some help, Mizu. I know you’re still in there somewhere.” The door slid open again and Kakashi reentered the room holding a coffee and a tea.

“Are you ready to go?” Iruka nodded picking up his bag, hesitating, he pecked the pale forehead and whispered goodbye before joining Kakashi and stepping into the hall.

“Uh, I didn’t know which one you wanted so I got one of each.” Iruka smiled weakly.

“I’ll take the tea if you don’t mind.” He handed the brunette a cup, and pulling the bag from his hand and throwing the strap over his shoulder the Copy Nin glanced at his very contemplative companion.

“Are you okay?” Iruka shook his head but smiled a little wider when he met Kakashi’s gaze, “no, but I will be.”

They both felt the murderous chakra flare behind them but neither looked back. Iruka shivered slightly, knowing that is was far from over, and Kakashi wrapped a strong arm around his shoulder comfortingly.

“Come on. We’re meeting team seven for lunch.”

“Ramen, that’s right! Ah, that’s exactly what I need right now. You really are a genius.” He leaned a little into Kakashi’s body, his heart fluttering when Kakashi squeezed his shoulders and smiled down at him, not knowing that his bright smile was doing the same to the reserved jounin’s.

The five minute walk to Ichiraku’s took nearly half an hour as people were stopping Iruka to ask how he was doing and telling him how much their children miss him. The modest teacher was all blushes and smiles when the ramen restaurant was finally in view.

“So what exactly have you been telling everyone?” The jounin looked at Iruka questioningly. “Well, so far all the civilians haven’t asked me what happened. I know the shinobi won’t buy whatever story you’ve been selling to everyone else.”

“You’re rather intuitive aren’t you? I’ve been telling the civilians that you were attacked at home after a mission by someone you thought was dead. Most people have bought it. As far as the shinobi, I’ve been mostly telling them to ask you when you got out of the hospital.”

“Oh, just freaking great. So now I’m going to have to convince dozens of ninja not to ask me about it?” He glared light heartedly at Kakashi who shrugged.

“Your prerogative, not mine.” Iruka bumped him playfully with his shoulder.

“Jerk. So are you buying again Kaka-huagh-!”

He was cut off by an orange blur and flurry of pink hair tackling him to the ground.

“Iruka-sensei! I’m so glad to see you.”

“Naruto, you saw me yesterday…and the day before that…and the day before that.” The blonde and pink heads of hair pulled back.

“I know, but it’s different seeing you in the hospital. I’m so glad you’re out.”
Smiling softly as the two released him from the bone crushing hug, he whispered, “Me too.” Naruto bounded to his seat at the counter while Sakura flipped her pink hair and waited for Sasuke to sit before she chose her seat. Iruka was about to pick himself up when a slim pale hand reached into his line of sight. He glanced up at the seemingly emotionless Uchiha who proceeded to pull the now very dusty teacher to his feet. The smaller pale hand squeezed his before releasing it and Sasuke gave a curt nod. To most this would seem like an almost languid display of respect but to Iruka, who had known Sasuke for years it was practically a deluge of emotion. Deciding not to push his luck he smiled and returned the nod before picking a seat in the middle beside Kakashi and Naruto. Sasuke chose the seat on the end by Kakashi leaving a sulking Sakura with the remaining seat on the other end. When the meal arrived Iruka and Naruto broke open their chopsticks and chorused ‘Ikadimasu’ before diving in.

The loud mouthed blonde was on his fifth bowl and Sakura was talking loudly down the counter to her crush when Sasuke stood up and mumbled something about going to train. Sakura hastily slurped down her bowl before rushing after him.

“Wait, Sasuke-kun. I’ll come with you!” Naruto furrowed his brow and glared at his sixth serving that was waiting on the counter. In a flash it was gone and with yet another bone crushing hug to Iruka he dashed off after the pair.

“Sakura-chan, wait for me!”

Iruka and Kakashi glanced at each other and burst out laughing simultaneously. Wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of his eye Iruka finally caught his breath.

“Oh Kami, I’ve missed this.” He locked eyes with Kakashi and they just stared at each other for what seemed like minutes. A bill slapped on the counter startled them out of…whatever that had been and Iruka blushed furiously reaching for his wallet.

“Only six bowls for Naruto. I’m getting off easy today.” Kakashi quickly snatched the bill from the tan hand and paid before Iruka even had time to protest.

“My treat.” He stood from the counter and sauntered down the street, Iruka moving after him, pulling money from his wallet.

“You treated last time! Let me pay for it.” Kakashi shook is head and gave his companion a very ‘it’s done, just leave it’ look. Sighing Iruka glanced around the street waving to a couple of well-wishers.

“I guess…I should probably go home. I’m sure you have things to get done.” Kakashi shook his head.

“Nope, you should probably come with me.” Arching a brown eyebrow Iruka asked, “Where are we going?”

“What would be the fun in just telling you? It would spoil the surprise.” The pair traipsed through the village, tan lips breaking into a Cheshire grin when they stopped in front of the bathhouse.

“Wow, when I said kiss ass I had no idea you’d be so good at it.” The slim, pale man simply smiled and held the door for him.

“Gee, it’s awfully quiet in here today,” Iruka noticed as they entered the change rooms.

“I suppose it is,” the Copy Nin replied evasively. Iruka nearly jumped a foot when he heard a ‘Yo’ from behind them and turned to see another Kakashi leaning lazily against the wall.

“You’re still here?” Kakashi asked the other who shrugged. The first Kakashi quickly dispelled his clone before shedding his clothes and wrapping a towel around his waist.

“Wait, what was that about?” Kakashi hesitated at the door to the bath, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“Ah, well I figured you’d relax better if the bath wasn’t full so I…uh…convinced them to close down for the afternoon.” Iruka gawked in surprise at the slim, pale, naked… ‘damn it, Iruka, look at his face’.

Blushing furiously he stuttered, “huh…oh…uh…th-thank you,” desperately trying not to think about how much Kakashi must have spent while convincing. The jounin simply nodded and walked out into the bath.

Iruka shed his clothes, his mind racing. Why was Kakashi doing all this? It couldn’t be simply out of guilt. It wasn’t out of friendship, he didn’t think. Until very recently they were hardly friendly, never mind friends. Was it attraction? Now there’s a laughable thought. Everyone knew Kakashi’s reputation for being a heartthrob…a real ladiesman. Iruka frowned when the most logical solution came to him. Pity. This was some instinct to help someone weaker than him, someone who couldn’t protect themselves. He must have some kind of hero complex and Iruka was playing the part of the ‘damsel’ in distress. He pulled his hair out of its restraint and shook it out. No. It wasn’t right to think of Kakashi so harshly. He was jumping to conclusions. He wrapped a towel around his own hips and trudged into the steamy area beyond.

Kakashi was sitting against one of the walls of the bath, a wash cloth draped over his face, his mask set aside behind him. His eye opened as the sound of padding footsteps reached his ears. He swallowed hard and was suddenly very glad not only that he had entered the bath first but that he was already waist deep in the water. Iruka smiled gently, tucking a strand of his chocolate hair behind his ear before blushing and unhooking his towel and stepping gracefully into the water. Kakashi averted his eye for a second before turning his head and opening his left eye to drink in every detail when he noticed Iruka’s gaze was firmly on the stairs he was slowly walking down. The chuunin’s body was slim but slightly broader than his and very toned. He sucked in a sharp breath before turning his head and closing his eyes a fraction of a second before Iruka looked up.

Everyone knew that Kakashi slept with women. A few people knew he slept with men as well, and roughly four people knew that he greatly preferred the latter. There was something about Iruka that seemed to stir the man in more places than his groin. He hadn’t felt like this for someone since…

A splash made him open both eyes again. His sharingan caught movement on the bottom of the bath and he watched Iruka perform three breaststroke pulls along the bottom ot the pool before standing quickly and flipping his hair back as he broke the surface of the water.

Kakashi was instantly reminded of the cheesy posters with a dolphin leaping from the water in front of the moon. He needed to get one to put over his bed if it held the promise of bringing this exact moment to mind when he looked at it. Iruka slicked his hair back to his head and moaned as he sunk back to his neck in the hot water.

“This is amazing. Do you know it’s been ten months since I’ve been here?” he smiled gently and leaned back, letting his head and shoulders float along the top of the water. “Aaah. So, how many lucky ladies have been treated to this pleasure? Although I guess it would be somewhat less relaxing…and then more relaxing.” The chuunin chuckled at his own lewd remark.

“None.” Groaning softly, Iruka stood again and sat along the same wall as Kakashi, rolling his sore left shoulder slowly.

“So why is that?”

“No one has ever been worth the effort.” Iruka, choosing not to read to far into that, snorted in disdain.

“Did you ever think that maybe you’re to picky. You could have your choice of almost every woman in the village.” Kakashi arched a silver brow in slight contempt; his walls and defenses that the beautiful, tan man seemed so good at disarming snapped back into place.

“Are you trying to give me dating advice?” He mentally kicked himself in the head, regretting the words immediately. Iruka’s smirk folded into a deep scowl, hurt evident in every part of his face.

“Ouch. Kind of a low blow, don’t you think?” He huffed and turned away. Several minutes passed before strong hands sliding up his back made him jump.

“I’m sorry. That was out of line. How’s the shoulder?” Iruka moaned loudly as the very talented hands began to manipulate the muscles along his back and shoulders.

“Mmmm…oh Kami, that feels good. Ah! Easy, that spot is tender.” A sultry murmur of ‘sorry’ floated past his ear and Iruka’s mind raced again.

‘Oh gods. What am I doing? I’m falling for yet another emotionally unavailable man. At least Mizuki was gay. This is bad. It’s too soon for me to even be thinking about this. I’m so stup-oh Kami, that feels so good.’

Moaning again he dropped his head forward as the jounin’s hands searched out the muscles that needed the most work, the two bodies sliding closer and closer together until Kakashi wrapped his arm around the tan chest, hand resting on Iruka’s left pectoral.

“It’s going to be alright, you know. You’ll find someone else. Someone better, who knows how you deserve to be treated.” Iruka leaned back into the embrace and realized that it would be impossible for the jounin not to feel his rapid pulse through his chest. He was about to respond when an obnoxious cry broke the peaceful mood.

“Iiiiieeeee!” A loud splash drew their attention to the middle of the bath where Naruto was coughing and sputtering. Kakashi was several feet away from Iruka, cloth back over his face by the time the drenched blonde laid eyes on them.

“Oh no! I’ve led him right to you!” The question on Iruka’s lips was answered second’s later when and very annoyed Genma appeared by the edge of the bath.

“Ah, finally. Iruka-sensei, Hokage-sama would like to speak with you.” Iruka sighed, knowing this day was too good to be true, “Ah, okay. Please tell her I’ll be along within half and hour.”

Genma shot a death glare at the sopping wet Naruto who proceeded to dash from the bath and leap over its high walls, screaming as Genma gave chase, hissing about making himself a fox hide coat.