Embracing Dreams

Warnings: humor, dialogue, cursing, bit of violence

Part 35

They used a length of thread, resentfully supplied by Sasuke, to mark the finish line. Kakashi sat holding one end of it so it glowed brightly in the grass. He was amused to have finally found a use for the ridiculous talent that had led him to meeting Sasuke. Hinata and Ino stood on either side, for those who wouldn't have the eyes to see the thread until they were right on it. Shikamaru was appointed the role of watching the start to be sure no one jumped out early. Ino had shot Lee down when he'd proposed inviting him to participate. He'd been injured so badly when that building came crashing down on them that even if he'd wanted to race, which she doubted, he'd just end up hurting himself. Kiba had scoffed at her supposed concern and immediately regretted it when both Sakura and Hinata gave him reproachful looks.

Sakura, the obvious longshot, was the only one at the starting line who was not taking this seriously. That left her free to enjoy the competitive way the boys were eyeing each other. They seemed to have forgotten that the point was for one of them to beat Akamaru. It didn't matter who won as long as it wasn't the dog. Thus she was the first to question Kiba when he got down and let Akamaru climb onto his back. "You're carrying him? You can't do that! The point is to see how fast he is."

"I'm running with him," Kiba scowled. "Did you think I'd pit him against a bunch of mutants all by himself?"

"You did say he was faster than anything on two legs," Lee pointed out.

"He is. We'll be running on four legs, not two. I'm just giving him a little boost, is all." Kiba pushed up on his fingers and toes, Akamaru ducking close to his back. Then they changed.

Sakura's hand flew over her mouth. If Ino had found him distasteful before, she was going to be horrified by him now. Kiba's entire body structure seemed to have changed, top heavy, thick in the shoulders, his weight resting on the tops of his hands and thickly clawed fingertips rather than the palms. His hands looked longer and she wondered, frantically, if his feet had lengthened as well. They must be painfully restricted by his shoes if they had. Then she shook her head sharply. How could he have the guts to do this in front of them? If his face had changed just a little bit more, he'd look like some kind of werewolf!

"That's so fucking cool!"

Sakura's head snapped to the side. Naruto's eyes were huge, amazement all over his face. Lee looked impressed, and even Sasuke looked more surprised than disturbed. She bit her lip. Was this a guy thing? Or a mutant thing...? She wasn't like Ino. Just because her talent was dangerous and useless didn't mean she thought other mutants should feel ashamed to use theirs. In fact, she envied the way Lee was so proud and matter of fact about his talent. It was just... She glanced at Kiba again and almost cringed. He'd just merged with his dog! She'd spent too much time trapped in a mind with Ino not to find that at least a little bit freaky...!

"Who's in control?" Naruto asked, excitedly. "You or Akamaru?"

"Doesn't work that way," Kiba said, with a shake of his head. His voice was thick and rough, scraping out over sharp teeth. "Just us. Gonna run like hell. Hey," his eyes snapped to Naruto. "Fox gonna run?"

Naruto stared and then grinned widely. He'd never have even considered running like that in front of Sasuke, let alone Sakura and the others. But, damn it, if Kiba could get away with it he wasn't about to be left out. 'Hey, Kyuubi! Get out here and help me beat this dog. Hounds hunt down foxes, my ass!'

Sakura flinched back a step when Naruto suddenly crouched on all fours next to Kiba. Surely he wasn't going to- She winced. He was going to. His hair fluffed, abruptly twice as thick, his lips curling back over sharp teeth, and there were claws at his fingertips, looking longer and even sharper than Kiba's. She almost stomped her foot. She was a girl, damn them! She barely even counted as a mutant. Didn't these guys even care that she was freaking out over here?

Naruto glanced at her with purple eyes and grinned, showing far too many sharp teeth. "Take it easy. It's just a race."

"Easy for you to say!" Sakura wailed. "You're not even two-footed anymore!"

"True," said Lee. He had an odd smile on his face. "If he were to win, it would prove nothing. Therefore, one of us three must win this race." He nodded to Sakura and Sasuke. Then he sighed. "I must say, Naruto-kun, your energy is quite invigorating."

Sakura flinched again when Sasuke stiffened, his eyes flashing red. She didn't let out a peep of protest when he ordered her to stand between Lee and Kiba.

"No closer," Sasuke warned Lee.

Lee blinked in surprise. "Have I done something wrong?"

Sasuke snorted. That tawny energy of his was bent nearly in half, straining toward Naruto's billowing orange. If he hadn't been convinced Lee had no idea what his energy was doing, he'd have done more than put more distance between them.

"Are you guys ready, or what?" Shikamaru drawled.

"Hey!" Sakura protested.

He let out an aggrieved sigh. "Are you guys, you canines, and you girl, ready or not?"

"Ready!" Naruto and Kiba bit out at the same time.

Sakura jumped, Sasuke snorted, and Lee beamed. Shikamaru decided that meant they were ready, too. He sighed again and muttered, "On your mark get set go."

Lee and Sasuke were out in front instantly, with Sakura a ways behind. Kiba and Naruto lurched a few steps before getting into a good stride, both wishing they'd taken their shoes off first. Within a few bounds they'd passed Sakura and were bearing down on the front runners. Lee pulled out ahead and Sasuke lightened himself till he caught up. He was the only one who understood what happened next.

Lee's energy rippled out behind him as Naruto got closer, straining until Lee stumbled. Sasuke dismissed the race and turned on him instantly. Kiba reared back, trying to slow himself with his hands and failing miserably. Naruto leapt nimbly to the side without breaking stride and crashed headlong into Sasuke. Sakura jumped over a flailing leg, Lee's, was almost tripped by a flapping arm, Naruto's, and finished the race. Her ear-splitting whoops of victory weren't the least bit ladylike.

"Take that! Yeah! Who's the boss! Shannaro!!"

"Damn it, Sasuke, why'd you turn for!?"

"Keep your lovesick energy to yourself!"

"Excuse me, but if you put your hand there again I will be forced to consider it groping."

"You tripped us, damn it! That doesn't count!"

"Arf! Arf! Grrr....!"

"She gets excited," Ino explained to a wide-eyed Hinata as Sakura continued to rant.

"That went well," Kakashi drawled.

.-.

Iruka considered the picnic a disaster. By the time he and Kakashi had pulled the boys apart, none of them were unscathed. Poor Lee was riddled in bruises, namely because he'd been too confused to defend himself. Iruka couldn't understand what had made Sasuke attack him like that. He hadn't seemed the type, though his stony silence was when asked was nearly as bad as Naruto's. At least he understood Naruto's reason, as absurd as it was. The way they'd all been rolling around it was only natural that hands had ended up in the wrong places. He seriously doubted Kiba had meant to grope Sasuke any more than he'd meant to grope Lee. And the way Kiba had erupted in defense of his 'straightness' made Iruka wonder if the blustering boy weren't in denial. As if it wasn't a commonly accepted fact that all mutants were inherently bisexual.

He lectured them all through the healing. Bruises and bites on Naruto and Kiba, especially Naruto. Akamaru had never gotten a rabies shot. What the hell had they been thinking? Scrapes and bruises on poor Lee. He should have defended himself at least a little. Bruised knuckles and scratches on Sasuke. Vicious, he hadn't pulled his punches at all. And how could Naruto have possibly misconstrued his attack on Lee as cheating on him? Sasuke had been reducing Lee to a pulp, not making out with him. By the time he was done, he was grateful they'd at least kept their talents out of it. Teenage brawls were bad enough without that.

Back at the house, he had them all clean up and then left the three violent ones in the kitchen with orders to make supper. Together. If there was any damage, to the kitchen or to each other, when they were done, they'd regret it. Akamaru was to stay outside. He'd be allowed in Kiba's room to sleep, but he wasn't to mingle with anyone else until he'd gotten all of his shots and Kiba could swear to him that he would never bite anyone living in the house again. Iruka's fear of biting dogs might have made him overly strict, but with the additional threat of rabies, he felt justified. He considered Lee entirely innocent and refused to let him take part in the punishment, however much he asked to be included.

Lee followed him to his office. Iruka had to bite down hard to keep from snapping at him. He couldn't believe a simple friendly competition had degenerated into a fist fight - with biting! - so quickly. And right in front of him, too. With Hinata and Kurenai watching on. Oh, Kurenai had laughed it off, just like Kakashi had. That didn't stop him from being disappointed in all three of the boys.

"I was also to blame," Lee said solemnly, taking the chair across from Iruka's desk. "Sasuke-kun made it very clear that my energy was behaving improperly toward Naruto-kun. My not being aware of it doesn't absolve me of responsibility."

"What do you mean by improper?" asked Iruka. He was getting a bad feeling about this.

"I experienced an invigorating reaction just before the race," Lee admitted. "It is possible that my eagerness stemmed from a natural attraction of my energy for Naruto-kun's. It was quite a stimulating sensation."

Iruka winced. He cleared his throat. "Was your reaction also...physical...in nature?"

Lee's eyes widened. "As a matter of fact, it was! I took that to be a natural reaction to the adrenaline and testosterone rush at being faced with such a challenging race. Do you believe I might have been experiencing a sexual attraction? Naruto-kun did mention that I was past the age where I should be feeling a sexual attraction for one sex or the other, if not both."

"Well..." Iruka stopped. He was going to have to give him The Talk. It had been bad enough giving it to Naruto. Giving it to Lee was...

"Oh!" Lee jumped suddenly, his eyes huge. Then he gradually slumped, drooping in the chair. "I see why Sasuke-kun was so upset with me. He did warn me before the race not to get any closer. He must have meant no closer to Naruto-kun." He ducked his head in shame. "How painful it must have been for him to see my wanton energy molesting his beloved. Oh, how could I, even in my ignorance, have allowed such a thing to happen? Naruto-kun has been so kind to me. To betray his trust in such a way is unforgivable. Yet," his eyes flashed up, pinning Iruka in his chair, entreating him, "what can I do to prevent my lustful energy from acting without my control?"

"I," Iruka blinked, blushed, and frowned. "I don't think it's...as bad as all that. Really. Every male experiences an...improper reaction...at one point or another. It's just a part of growing up." Lee looked so doubtful and upset that once again Iruka wanted to track down that 'mentor' of his and skin him alive. "Honestly, Lee, it's entirely natural. You may simply be attracted to certain energy types. That happens with some mutants. It would also explain why you haven't felt a preference for one sex or the other, since you haven't had much contact with other mutants."

"Naruto-kun does have energy more akin to mine than anyone else here," Lee frowned. "If that is the case, how can I prevent myself from having improper reactions to him?"

Iruka took a deep breath. With this one word, he was ensuring that his blush remained in place for the rest of the night. But he had to say it. Dear God, Lee was turning seventeen years old! He had to say it. "Masturbation."

.-.

Sasuke stared. "Do you even know how to cook?"

"Yeah," Kiba scoffed. "Skin it, shove a stick up its ass, and turn it over a fire till it's done."

"Right. Do you see anything here to skin?"

"I dunno, roast fox don't taste too bad if you cook it long enough."

"Yeah, right," Naruto growled, "and I bet you loved sticking that stick up their asses, too, sick bastard. I knew you were gay!"

"Damnit, you take that back! His ass was in my way or I'd never have touched it!"

"Yeah, and you were only squeezing Lee's crotch 'cause it was in your way, too, right!?"

"Damnit, that only happened 'cause your fat ass was on my back!"

"See? See!? You're obsessed with ass, you - closet homo!"

"Damnit, I am not!"

"Stop saying 'damnit' as if that's the only word you know," Sasuke snapped, turning from the open refrigerator. "Take it outside if you're going to fight."

"We can't," Naruto glared. "Iruka-sensei said we have to help!"

"You can't help," Sasuke snorted. "There's nothing for him to skin and you can't work anything but the microwave."

"Yeah? Well at least I know how to work a microwave!"

"What makes you think I don't know how?"

"Um," Naruto mocked, "let me think about it. The fact that you never go near it?"

"What the hell," Kiba sneered. "You can't work a microwave? You hit a few buttons. It doesn't get any simpler than that."

Naruto swung his head around. "Don't you make fun of my boyfriend. I'll kick your ass!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Sasuke whipped around. "Shut the fuck up right now or I'll kick both of your asses!"

"Like you could," Naruto mumbled.

"Naruto...don't make me come over there."

Naruto skulked at the table, not glaring at Sasuke until he'd turned back to the refrigerator.

Kiba scowled from his own seat at the table. "He's bitchy," he whispered.

"Tell me about it," Naruto grimaced.

"Naruto..."

Kiba snorted when Naruto cringed. "He's so got you whipped."

Naruto kicked him under the table. Kiba yelped, freezing when Sasuke shot him a venomous glare. The moment Sasuke's back was to him, Kiba kicked Naruto back. Sasuke rubbed his temple. He made dinner as quickly as possible, all the while ignoring the two idiots who were trying to kick each other to death at the table. He swore he'd never get in trouble again. Iruka's punishments were sadistic.

.-.

As expected, Iruka blushed all through dinner. The food was excellent, meaning Sasuke had made it, probably with the other two doing nothing but getting in his way. Sakura continued to beam, proving that at least one person aside from Kakashi had enjoyed the disaster of a picnic. Shikamaru ate a little more than he had at breakfast. Iruka liked to think Ino cringed a little less at his bad table manners, but it was probably just wishful thinking. Since Sasuke had been suitably punished having to put up with the other two, Iruka made them clean up afterward. Naruto broke two glasses, a plate, and somehow bent a fork clear in half. Iruka counted himself lucky that was all, and sent them to bed as soon as they were done.

Kakashi was waiting for him when he got to his room. No sign of Pakkun, but it didn't really matter. Iruka sighed. "Kakashi, I'm not in the mood."

"Oh?" Kakashi drawled, lounging on the bed. He'd considered stripping first, but Iruka had blushed so much through dinner he didn't want to risk embarrassing him to death.

"I had to give Lee The Talk."

"Which talk?"

Iruka blushed harder. His cheeks hurt from blushing so much. "The masturbation, sex, and condom talk. I couldn't get it up now even if I tried."

Kakashi winced. He was sure he could get Iruka up if he tried, but if there was even the slightest chance Iruka would be thinking about Lee when they were... Yep. That killed his libido, too. He sat up with a scowl. "Couldn't you have waited till tomorrow to give him that talk? I had plans!"

Iruka sat on the bed with a soft snort. "I'd rather not have given it to him at all. Apparently, he got an erection from being so close to Naruto's energy earlier."

Kakashi blinked. Yep, dead libido. Stone cold dead.

"Sasuke saw his energy doing...something to Naruto's and that's what set him off. It seems his 'Mentor,'" and he spat the word out, "taught him that erections are just a reaction to fighting. Adrenaline, testosterone, not a mention about puberty or-" He let out a disgusted huff and looked at Kakashi. "He's seventeen!"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably. "Surely he's..."

"No!" Iruka cried. "He hasn't! Not once! In his entire life!"

"That poor kid. No wonder he's so uptight." Kakashi couldn't imagine. Even Sasuke- Well, he didn't know that for sure. His kid had slept in the bathroom a lot, though. Kakashi grimaced. At this rate his libido would never recover. The pitiful thing was getting deader with every second he thought about this. "Hm. Should I go soundproof Lee's room?"

Iruka laughed despite himself. "I don't think he's rude enough to disturb anyone."

"I don't know. Seventeen years is a long time. And he does have trouble keeping his voice down."

Iruka laughed again and climbed under the blanket. Whether Kakashi stayed or went didn't matter. He was absolutely impotent at the moment. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." He chuckled and grimaced at the same time. "I hate giving The Talk."

Kakashi stayed, getting under the covers with him. "Who gave you The Talk?"

"No one. I knew everything about sex long before I was having any." He sniffed, snuggling into Kakashi's chest. "I don't want to talk about that either. I just want to sleep and not be blushing when I wake up."

"Alright, then," Kakashi sighed. He counted down from fifty. Iruka was out at twenty-two and completely gone at fifteen. His life sucked.

Hours later, Kakashi was woken by the sound of the door opening at the foot of the stairs. He slipped away without Iruka moving a bit. He was waiting with his mask in place when the door to the room opened. The mask hid his scowl. Hell. If he was going to get yelled at by Iruka's kid, he should at least have gotten some sex first. The blonde scowled at him and waved at the stairs.

"Outside," he muttered. "You're loud. If you wake him up, you'll be sorry."

Not quite what he'd said to the brat when he'd ordered him out of Sasuke's room that time, but close enough. He played along. He'd known it was only a matter of time before Naruto went off on him, anyway. Might as well get it over with. He let himself be herded out back. Then he folded his arms and waited for the explosion.

"Why did Sasuke try to run today?"

Kakashi blinked in surprise. Red eyes, cold expression, quiet voice. Not Naruto, after all. "I wasn't aware that he had. I told him not to run."

"What did you tell him? Exactly."

"Iruka didn't say anything about it?" asked Kakashi. He was actually impressed. He'd been sure Iruka would obsess over it until the whole house was on lockdown for the next week.

"He started to," Kyuubi grimaced. "I cut him off after hearing about some fortune-telling cult."

'We cut him off,' Naruto admitted. 'I'm as much to blame for that as you are.'

Kyuubi snorted. Naruto had been throwing an unholy fit since finding out where Kakashi was. He'd lost it even worse upon learning that Kyuubi had known exactly where Kakashi was and done nothing to stop him. It had taken an hour to talk him down. Naruto was only capable of rational thought now because Kyuubi still couldn't smell any sex on Kakashi's person. To Kyuubi it was simple. Naruto would never let him have Iruka. If Iruka wanted to have someone else, he had the right. As long as Kakashi didn't harm him, Kyuubi would accept Iruka's choice. Naruto was just childishly determined that his 'Sensei' didn't need sex, shouldn't have sex, would never have sex. Ever.

"Ah," Kakashi sighed. "You missed the most important part. Sasuke's brother is coming here. That 'cult' wants to have someone in the house to record what happens when he gets here. They think some kind of show-down, world-changing event, is going to happen when he arrives. Everyone's looking forward to it except Sasuke. There are some mutants in town who'd go to desperate measures if he tried to take off before his brother gets here."

"I knew it," Kyuubi growled. 'His brother is the only thing he's afraid of.'

'Why?' asked Naruto. 'He said his brother wouldn't do anything but talk to him if he came. Right?'

'At best. He said at best that's all he'd do if he came. He is coming and it's the worst case scenario he's afraid of.'

"This doesn't really involve you." Kakashi was suddenly the recipient of an extremely hostile glare. "If you try to interfere, you'll just end up making it worse for Sasuke. Look, kid, I've met a lot of mutants and his brother unnerves the hell out of me. No normal emotions, no normal expressions, abnormal responses to everything. He's a total nutjob. Sasuke calls him insane, but I'd say whatever is wrong with the guy is a lot stranger than simple insanity. Either way, I wouldn't want to fight him. You don't stand a chance against me, so what could you possibly do to him?"

"Kill him," Kyuubi snapped.

"Stupid kid." Kakashi's eye narrowed. "How do you think Sasuke will feel if his brother kills you? He's got enough shit without feeling responsible for your death. He likes you. At least, he likes Naruto. Cares about him. Don't make his brother kill the one person he's ever cared about in his miserable life. If you want to die that badly, fight me. I'll kill you. Then he'll just assume I lost control again, and that it had nothing to do with him."

Kyuubi's energy flared red around him. Kakashi stepped back into the middle of the dirt patch. He beckoned for the fox to attack. The moment Kyuubi darted for him, Kakashi dropped, one palm flat against the dirt. Kyuubi was immediately sucked under until only his head was above ground. The look Kakashi gave him was one of pure contempt. "Sasuke's brother has a lot more talents than I do. Deadly ones. Think about that while you're digging yourself out. Or the next time you're buried, it'll be in a coffin."

.-.

TBC