A Lover for the Holidays

Theme 9: Red

Blushes and Kisses

Iruka shot up out of bed, one hand supporting him, the other covering his mouth, eyes wide in shock. He had kissed Kakashi, his friend and the man he had been harboring feelings for secretly ( well semi-secretly) for months. Not just kissed him but practically molested the jounin, right out in the open where anyone might have happened upon them. He hadn’t acted so impulsively ( or hormonally) in ages, but he had needed to know that the other man was willing to return his feelings. Shock was lost to relief when he played the past nights events again through his head. Kakashi he decided was more then willing to return his affections, the memory of a responsive mouth pressed against his own along with a wonderfully receptive body assured him of this.

Looking at the clock Iruka decided that 7 am was well past time to get up, he’d had a late night and school was out but that was no excuse to sleep in late, so much needed to be done. It wasn’t until he was getting his morning cup of coffee that the absurdity of the situation hit him. Doubled over, coffee cup balanced precariously on the counter ledge by his hand the chuunin teacher laughed until tears filled his eyes. Who would have believed that it would have been the upright academy teacher taking advantage of the villages resident jounin pervert. And to make matters worse through all that had happened in the last few days he still had no idea of what that frustrating mask hide. Taking deep breathes to calm himself and blaming the whole bizarre morning on the relief he felt that he hadn’t been killed when he accosted said jounin Iruka left his apartment to do his chores for the day. A plan for lunch forming in his mind.

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Kakashi lay in bed unmoving, as his mind quickly took in his surrounding, a field habit he was never able to lose even in the safety of his home. It was early still probably about 7 his internal clock told him, it was a shame really that he could never get himself to sleep in on the few days off he had. Sitting up in bed he absently touched his lips the memory of hot breath in his ear and brilliant hands at his waist came rushing back. Kakashi got up and headed for a quick shower trying hard not to think to much on Iruka showering the night before and how good the chuunins body had felt when he had used it to press him into the wall after their date. Date, that had definitely been the right word he decided as he dressed, and hopefully they would have many more dates. He thought he had had his friend figured out, but who knew the man could be so aggressive. Well he supposed he should have known, Iruka was the kind of man that went all out for what he wanted and believed in. He had been pleasantly surprised when Iruka had pounced him, although he had had to fight the instinct to reach for a kunai, he had been sure he was going to be the one to move them along. It wasn’t that he minded that he pondered leaving his apartment and heading for the memorial stone, it was just so typical of what people expected from him. Iruka making a move like that had been refreshing, a complete change from him having to be the man in charge. He spent an hour at the memorial stone sharing with his Sensei and teammate the fuss of last night and his plans for Christmas and his hopes for this New Year before heading into town to do some holiday shopping. Hopefully he could find Iruka for lunch.

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Waiting to be served at Ichiraku, Kakashi wasn’t to surprised when Iruka found his way there and sat beside him. Both men had had a feeling the other could be found here it was a favorite lunch spot for them and most the village it often seemed. The two sat in comfortable silence until Ayame came to take their order, which Iruka gave for them both.

“We’d like that to go please.” Iruka said startling Kakashi from his thoughts.

“Would we now Iruka-sensei?” Kakashi asked blandly his single eye conveying his curiosity.

“ Yes we would Kakashi-san, there is somewhere I’d like to take you .” he answered with such surety that Kakashi just couldn’t argue. When Ayame returned with their order Iruka paid the bill and took the food, then as if on impulse he grabbed Kakashis hand. The jounin allowed himself to be lead through Konoha and out past its high walls. On they walked through the snow and trees until they stood just outside a small grove.

“ Here we are” Iruka let go of the hand he had held captive and gave the ramen to Kakashi “ Hold this a second ok? I’ll be right back.”

With that Iruka disappeared into the grove. Kakashi listened carefully hearing the sounds of snow shuffling and a pack being opened. His keen ears picked up cloth being moved around and then Iruka’s footsteps back towards him. The tanned man reemerged from the grove taking the ramen again, and taking Kakashis hand in his own again.

“Close your eyes,” Iruka leaned close breathing the words softly into Kakashi’s ear. A rumble of laughter could be felt from Iruka when he realized how he had worded that. “Well I suppose just the one eye.”

Laughing along with the other man Kakashi did as he had been told trusting Iruka not to let anything happen to him, he was lead forward. A soft nudge on his shoulders told him to sit and he found instead of snow a soft cloth beneath his hands. Iruka sat next to him elbows and knees touching.

“ Ok open them”

Kakashi opened his eyes to find a beautiful sight before him. Nestled in this grove, surrounded by the white snow and grey browns of the barren trees, was a vibrant bush covered with red berries.

“Its called Holly” Iruka explained holding a sprig in his hand. “ Its been here a few years, a shinobi brought it from the west. They say its good luck and can ward off evil spirits”

“ Its wonderful” Kakashi replied amazed at the vibrant red of the berries in this winter landscape. “ Thank you for bringing me here” Kakashi turned and laid a soft masked kiss on Iruka’s cheek.

“ Well it wasn’t completely without selfish thought I brought you here” the other man laughed. Reaching over and tucking the sprig of holly in-between Kakashi’s silver hair and uncovered ear. “I wanted you all to myself and away from prying eyes”

Iruka looked at that depthless blue eye and raised a tanned hand to a pale cloth covered cheek.

“ I’d like very much to see under this” he said as his questioning fingers exploring the other mans face. When he received no adversity to his probing he gently pulled down the mask, then pulled away the hitae-ate covering the sharingan. Kakashi looked away unsure of the silence that followed, it had been along time since had had his mask off in front of someone like this, laid bare for all to see.

“ Your exquisite Kakashi” finally came the breathless words, calloused hands traced a finely chiseled jaw line and traveled up to supple lips then to th elong white scar running from above the right eye to just above his lips, the scar marking the face of the man before him. His nose had been broken before, Iruka could tell, but this imperfection only added to the over all perfection. He had nothing to hide but Iruka was glad he did because a jealous secret part of him reveled in the thought of only his eyes seeing this face. Everything about him was perfect to Iruka even down to the mismatched eyes one blue, one a whirling sharingan.

Much to Iruka’s surprise a red tint rose to the older mans cheeks. Hmmm… this was interesting who knew the cool calm Kakashi blushed. Unable to resist any longer Iruka leaned forward and softly kissed both blushing cheeks, flickering his tongue lightly along the scar and down to lips he needed to taste once more. Gently Iruka pushed Kakashi back onto the blanket taking until he lay over him. Taking in the sight before him silver moonlight colored hair and creamy skin, Kakashi reminded Iruka of the winter surrounding them. The bright red berry of the holly sprig caught his eye, red the color of fire and passion exactly how Kakashi made him feel. Iruka pressed himself along the body below him. Biting at the tender earlobe he breathed in the smells of the forest and Kakashi, he felt hands move down his back slipping under his shirt surprisingly warm for the weather. Kissing a soft lazy trail back to those pink pliable lips Iruka teased, licked and nipped, pulling away playfully whenever Kakashi tried to deepen the kiss. Finally the teasing earned him a soft moan from the other man, he quickly rewarded it by giving the jounin what he wanted. Kakashi decided that kissing Iruka was like playing with fire, it could be tame and safe or wild and dangerous. Their limbs tangled and Iruka explored Kakashi’s mouth once more, his tongue dancing along the other mans as he easily dominated the kiss. Hands tangled in hair and wondered under shirts. Finally the need for air caused the two to pull away from each other. Breathing heavily the watched each other, all at once both were grinning like fools, Iruka leaned his weight against Kakashi as they laughed together.

“Where as bad as some of the teenagers” Kakashi managed through his mirth.

Iruka rolled them onto their sides trying to get control of his laughter. He kissed Kakashi on the nose.

“Our food is getting cold Kakashi-kun” Iruka said fighting off the last of his amusement. Smiling warmly when Kakashi blushed at the suffix “ And so are we, I didn’t bring you out here to catch a cold”

Sitting up and leaning against tree Iruka pulled Kakashi against him. After a semi cold lunch, spent admiring the holly and each other the two men spent the rest of the afternoon playing like kids in the snow, neither could remember the last time they had been just had fun but this was an afternoon neither would soon forget