Another Perfect Wonder

The next morning Manzô appeared alone while he was cleaning the squirrels that had been caught in the traps he’d set the previous night. He banged on the door until Iruka decided it was probably best to open it if he didn’t want Mama-san attempting to charge him for a new one. 

 

Hands still bloody he walked to the front of the house and opened it, “Yes Manzô, what can I do for you this morning?  Is it the criminal, has he been caught?”

 

“No the criminal hasn’t been caught,” he said staring at the suspected Konoha ninja’s hands as he decided whether or not to investigate further. After peeping around him not seeing anyone Manzô decided this may have been fate’s way of exposing the Copy Ninja.  Civilians did not heal that rapidly. 

 

He made sure to keep clear of Iruka’s hands as he pushed past him and entered the cabin uninvited.  Manzô looked around the main room and then the kitchen before asking, “Where’s your companion?”

 

“Shishi’s in the restroom,” Iruka said as he returned to skinning the larger of the two animals.

 

“Is he really?” Manzô asked turning away from the contents of the work table to glance in the direction of the hallway.

 

“I wouldn't go down there if I were you,” Iruka cautioned after easily reading his intentions.

 

His words only served to fuel Manzô’s curiosity and seemed to motivate him move faster.  The Snow ninja stopped in front of the doorway and frowned. He returned to the main room and muttered “I believe you” as he rapidly made his way to the exit.

 

Iruka was still laughing when Kakashi flushed several minutes later. He stopped when he caught whiff of the odor when Kakashi opened the door. “Next time you have to do that, don’t flush. It ran Manzô off so maybe we can use it to repel him if we bury it next to the porch.”

 

“Very funny,” Kakashi replied sticking his tongue out and pulling down his good eyelid.

 

“How do you feel? I really don’t know much about internal injuries other than light easily digestible food is best,” Iruka said seriously.

 

Kakashi lowered himself on the bed, “I feel like crap, but far less so than I did a few days ago. I’ve felt worse and recovered. I’ll be fine as long as you keep making that delicious stew for me.  I didn’t know easily digestible had a non-slop equivalent.”

 

“I’m not sure when I’ll be able to go fishing again and there’s only one left in the kitchen. I caught two squirrels in the traps I set last night.  I’ll make fish stew if you’re unable to stomach squirrel soup,” Iruka said looking down at the squirrels and wishing he’d been able to catch more fish since he knew they were lighter than game.

 

 Iruka sighed, “I wish I had gone to medical school like Mom wanted me to. I’m sure you’d be in much better shape if I were a doctor.”

 

Kakashi rolled his eyes, “If you were a doctor we wouldn’t be together, Honey. You’d be working at a hospital in some big city instead of in the sticks working for my family.”

 

“I would wouldn’t I?  You’d probably be shacked up with some big muscular guy who carried you around like a damsel in distress, fed you your meals using a baby spoon and insisted you were too fragile to do anything for yourself,” Iruka mused.

 

Kakashi’s left nostril flared and began twitching. There was that one time he’d been injured on a two man mission with Gai and that exact thing happened.  He had been so severely traumatized that multiple sessions with Ibiki and Inoichi weren’t enough to completely block the memory.  The man wouldn’t even let him burp without expressing manly tears of concern that Kakashi was unable to digest his food properly.

 

“Ru, please don’t say things like that. It’s very upsetting to imagine myself in that situation.  I would almost rather be with my husband if you weren’t the person here with me,” Kakashi said somberly.

 

Iruka paused then realized why the statement was probably so upsetting, he had most likely been injured and placed in Gai’s custody. “I am sorry, Shishi. I didn’t realize the prospect was so frightening. I’m glad I’m the one here with you too. Our relationship can only get better after this.”

 

Kakashi blushed as he imagined the possibility. He quickly retorted, “Either that or I’ll get on your nerves so badly you’ll call Manzô and tell him I’m that Hakashi Katake he’s looking for.”

 

 

Iruka smiled. He spent enough time around pre-teens with crushes to recognize the blush and comment for what it was.  “Yeah, well even if you were Kaketake Hashi, I don’t think I’d let go of you.”

 

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Author's Note: And so ends the Christmas posting marathon. Thank you all for reading, voting, and reviewing.



Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it. Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays and Happy Tuesday to those of you who don't.