Title: Your Wish Is My Command
Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: KakashixIruka
Rating: NC-17 for later chapters
Summary: Iruka gets hit by a jutsu and is left unable to make a decision on his own. When someone to look after him is searched, Kakashi can’t flee fast enough. Poor him?
Spoilers: Slight spoilers for the events right before the time-skip.
Disclaimer: Don’t own.

Your Wish Is My Command

by nayru-kleinefee


Chapter 5

“Genma can’t come”, Kakashi said and closed the door behind the messenger. “He’s on a mission.” Oooh, such a pity…

“Oh.” Iruka’s face fell a little. “Such a pity. I’ll make lunch for us two then.” He disappeared into the kitchen.

Oh, this wasn’t good. Unhappy Iruka wasn’t good at all. Kakashi had to do something. But what? Hmmm… Yes!

The Jounin quickly formed the seals for his summoning jutsu. “What about a day with Iruka, me and lunch?”, he asked, distinctly suspecting that ‘Iruka’ and ‘lunch’ probably were the keywords.

“Sounds good”, the cloud of smoke answered.

“Iruka, look who came over to visit you”, Kakashi called out into the kitchen.

“Hm?” Iruka poked his head out, then a bright smile lit his face. “Pakkun!” He immediately crouched down and gathered the pug in his arms. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, thank you, Iruka-sensei.” Pakkun wagged his tail happily when the Chuunin started to scratch his ears.

Kakashi couldn’t help but smile softly at seeing Iruka happy again. He felt a little bad for asking Pakkun to come over since… Well, if he was honest with himself, it partially had been to have somebody to distract Iruka and even more himself from the promising temptation the respective other meant. But while he looked at Iruka’s smiling face and heard him laugh, he knew that it had been right. Not what he wanted or what was really right in a moral sort of way, but right in a way that would protect Iruka from any pain and hurt.

“What about we go for a walk in the forest?”, he suggested to chase the guilty thoughts away. “We could take sandwiches with us and make a picnic.”

“Perfect idea.” Iruka smiled at him before he set Pakkun back down on the floor. “I’ll prepare the food.”

“I’ll help”, Kakashi said. He liked to see Iruka cook. It was almost like a dance, the Chuunin was so very sure in everything he did in the kitchen. Unless he burned his fingers, which he did rather often. But then Kakashi could kiss it better.

“You’ll just stare at me again”, Iruka accused. “You never do anything.”

“I wait for a good opportunity to take a bite.” Kakashi took him in his arms and nibbled at his neck. “Yummy.”

“Pervert.” But Iruka laughed, turned around and kissed him after saying that.

-----

“Feels good to be outside”, Iruka sighed and took a deep breath while they walked through the giant trees just outside the village, Pakkun a little way in front of them.

“M-hm”, Kakashi agreed, then took the Chuunin’s hand into his and held it, entwining their fingers. Now it felt even better.

“Someone could see us”, Iruka told him softly but didn’t move to get his hand back.

“Shall they.” Kakashi smiled at him. “I don’t care.”

“Really?”

“Not a bit.” Kakashi tugged at the Chuunin’s hand until Iruka was right beside him, then laid his arm around his waist. “As long as all they do is looking. No touching Kakashi’s Iruka.”

Iruka didn’t say anything but he snuggled closer to him, and Kakashi didn’t need more than that.

-----

“Your chakra’s changed, boss.”

“Hm?” Kakashi didn’t take his eyes from Iruka who was standing in the small river next to their picnicking spot and tried to catch a fish for dinner.

“Your chakra. It has changed”, Pakkun repeated.

“How?”

“It’s all directed at him.” The pug moved closer to him. “When I first met him, your chakra was still as always, circling around you. But now it’s like his.”

“Like Iruka’s? What do you mean?” Kakashi looked at his dog.

“His chakra was already directed at you when I first met him. It was still circling around him but somehow also… feeling out for you. And now yours is the same towards him.” Pakkun snorted. “And if you’re close to him, your chakras mingle. Now that’s tasting weird.”

“Tasting? How come chakra and words can taste?”

“Words can taste?”

“Never mind.” Kakashi smiled softly when Iruka dove his hands into the water once again only to get even wetter without catching anything. “So, our chakras mingle?”

“Yes. But not mingling like in mixing, you know, because they still stay separated.” Pakkun shrugged. “If you want a better word, you could say that they embrace whenever you two are close.”

“Ah.” Kakashi nodded. He’d never heard of something like that before, but it felt good to think about his chakra and Iruka’s embracing.

“I think he caught something”, Pakkun announced. “Ah, or maybe not.”

“You should use your chakra”, Kakashi shouted towards the river.

“And where’s the challenge then?”, Iruka asked back, dripping wet and grinning broadly. “Everybody can catch a fish by using their chakra.”

“Likes challenges, hu?” Pakkun snorted a laugh. “Now I understand why he chose you, boss.”

Kakashi just shrugged. He still didn’t understand why Iruka had chosen him, and he was rather sure that he would never understand that. But he was grateful for it nonetheless.

-----

“I can’t believe you’re so reckless”, Kakashi growled. “And I can’t believe I let you stay in there for so long.”

“Don’t be so grumpy”, Iruka murmured and kicked the second blanket off his body. “I feel fine.”

“You’re cold like a fish from standing in that river for so long.” Kakashi put the blanket back in place. “Stay in bed now and be good.”

“Kakashi, I feel fine”, Iruka assured. “I’m just a little cold, that’s all.”

“You’re just a little cold, hu?” Kakashi snorted. “I’ll get you a hot-water bottle.”

“Kakashi, that’s really not necessary.”

“Well, I think it is.”

“Kakashi, that’s…” Iruka shook his head. “The moment you leave the room, I’ll get out of bed.”

“You’ll not.”

“I will.”

“Will not. I will tie you to the bed if necessary.”

“Yeah, sure.” Iruka laughed. “Kinky but unlikely. Unfortunately.”

Kakashi sighed. “Just stay in bed, will you please? You were shaking from the cold when you came out of the river. I know it’s already spring, but you could catch something.” He sat down next to the Chuunin and stroked over his head. “Just let me make sure that you don’t get sick because I didn’t look after you.”

“I can-”

“I know you can take care of yourself”, Kakashi interrupted softly. “And I know you can decide on your own. It’s just that I wa- wish that you are perfectly fine, okay? I know I’m overreacting, but that’s just because I’m afraid that you’ll get sick because I didn’t pay enough attention. Once in the water, one quickly doesn’t notice the cold anymore, and I should have realised that while the air’s warm already, the water’s still too cold for a bath.”

Iruka looked at him, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll stay in bed if it makes you happy. But no hot-water bottle.” He grinned suddenly and wrapped his arms around the Jounin’s neck. “I know something better to keep me warm. You can be my full-body warming Jounin-pillow.”

“How could I refuse that?”, Kakashi laughed and quickly crawled under the two covers and into two awaiting arms.

----- ----- -----

Kakashi smiled softly and closed his eyes when he heard Iruka’s voice singing gently in the kitchen. He sighed. This was how he wanted to spend all his free days, just lying on the couch and listening to Iruka sing. The Chuunin’s voice was soft and tender, and although Kakashi couldn’t understand the words of the song through the door, he felt the intention behind them, the tell of love and care they told.

“Hey”, Iruka startled him out of his light doze. “I made you hot chocolate.”

“Thank you.” Kakashi smiled up at him, sat up and carefully took the mug. “Sit with me?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Iruka sat down and snuggled against his side.

“How do you feel?” Kakashi placed his free hand on the Chuunin’s forehead. Good. No signs of a fever.

“I told you I feel fine.” Iruka took the hand and placed a kiss on each fingertip. “Stop worrying.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright, you worrywart.” Iruka kissed his palm before he let go. “Careful, the chocolate’s hot.”

“Okay.” Kakashi carefully took a small sip, enjoying the bittersweet taste. “It’s perfect. You make the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.”

“Flatterer”, Iruka murmured.

“No, it’s true.” Kakashi took another sip. “What’s your secret?”

“It’s my mom’s recipe.” Iruka sighed softly. “You have to use milk, not water. No, never water. Water for hot chocolate is eew-eew.” He made a face and then grinned.

“So little Iruka was getting spoiled with hot chocolate made from milk.” Kakashi grinned back. “No wonder you’re so sweet.”

“I got even more spoiled. If you have someone special to make the chocolate for, you can use only half chocolate powder and half melted chocolate.” Iruka looked up. “And if you have someone very special to spoil, let’s say an annoying, wonderful Jounin you really, really like, you can use only milk and melted chocolate.”

Kakashi looked at him, the mug of chocolate in his hands and then back at the Chuunin. “You’re a god, you know that?”

“I know. But keep talking.” Iruka grinned, then looked at the mug. “Share?”

“A little maybe.” Kakashi grinned back and held the mug out for the Chuunin to drink.

“Greedy Jounin”, Iruka accused and took a sip, then another.

“Hey, that’s enough now”, Kakashi chuckled. “My chocolate.”

“My Kakashi”, Iruka told him and grabbed the mug. “Therefore my chocolate.”

“Be careful”, Kakashi laughed. “You’ll spill my chocolate.” He stabilised the mug but the Chuunin refused to let go.

“My chocolate”, he insisted and took a rather large sip, some of the sweet liquid sticking to his upper lip due to their struggling.

“You can keep the mug”, Kakashi decided at the sight. “I’ll just take the chocolate.” He let go of the porcelain and instead leaned forward and licked the chocolate off Iruka’s lips.

“More?”, Iruka offered and took another sip before he put the mug down on the low couch table. He looked at the Jounin and arched an eyebrow, not having swallowed yet.

“More.” Kakashi instantly captured his lips, feeling them open slowly beneath his own, and then tasted the warm chocolate inside his Chuunin’s mouth. Who needed mugs anyway?

“More”, he heard Iruka sigh softly after they’d shared the chocolate, “Kakashi, more.” And then the Chuunin pushed him backwards gently and moved to sit on his lap, straddling his thighs.

“Can’t reach the mug”, Kakashi chuckled while he wrapped his arms around the other’s waist.

“You taste like it enough for me.” Iruka leaned down and pressed his lips against the Jounin’s in a chaste, sweet kiss first before licking over them, demanding entrance. When Kakashi obeyed happily, the Chuunin bit his lower lip playfully before sliding his tongue in to search for any remaining taste of chocolate.

“Iruka…”, Kakashi whispered when he leaned back and instantly pulled the Chuunin close again for another kiss. He sighed in approval when he felt Iruka’s warm hands slip beneath the hem of his shirt and caress his stomach and chest.

“Kakashi…”, Iruka whispered back, and the Jounin decided that he liked nothing more than hearing him say his name like that, wrapped in tenderness and care. He could definitely listen to that all day.

Kakashi frowned slightly when he had to break the kiss because Iruka removed both their shirts, but then he found that, yes, that had to have been the best idea ever, because now he could feel the Chuunin’s warm skin on his own and his heartbeat against his chest. He let his hands roam over Iruka’s broad, muscular back and chest and relished in every low sigh and little gasp he gained with that. And now he would find out what it took to make his Chuunin sigh a little more, and what places it would take to caress to make him moan a little and-

Kakashi stilled. Bad idea.

“Mmmh, don’t stop”, Iruka whispered into his ear while his hands trailed invisible pattern over the Jounin’s chest. “So nice…” He tilted his head for another deep, sensual kiss.

Kakashi kissed back just as hungrily, not able to resist that, while his thoughts were racing. He had to stop this, no matter how much he liked it and how good it felt. If he didn’t stop, he would lose his self-control and probably go further than he was allowed to, further than he could risk. But he wanted this so much, and Iruka… Iruka seemed to want it just as much, and it wasn’t that far he would go, he would stop as soon as-

Kakashi gasped softly in surprise when he felt fingers on his belt, undoing it swiftly, and then on the waistband of his pants. Okay, that was bad now, really bad, and nice-perfect-good-moremoremoremo-

No! He couldn’t do that. Not until he could be completely sure that Iruka wanted it.

“Iruka”, he gasped, “Iruka, I-”

Iruka only silenced him with a deep, demanding kiss while he opened the Jounin’s pants slowly, one of his hands lightly stroking over his still cloth-covered member. Then Kakashi heard something clink and saw from the corner of his eye how Iruka threw his own belt on the couch beside him before he felt knuckles brush over his hardening front while the Chuunin opened his own pants.

“Iruka”, Kakashi panted and closed his eyes, knowing that the sight of the flushed, gorgeous man on his lap wouldn’t help his self-control at all. “Iruka, I can’t-”

“No”, Iruka interrupted him. “No, I won’t let you leave now.” He bit the Jounin’s ear hard, making him yelp. “I don’t care what you think you have to do now, but I won’t let you go.”

“But-”

“No.” Another sharp bite, at his neck this time, but then Iruka kissed the spot almost apologetically and nuzzled it with his nose.

“But I have to… to…” Kakashi desperately searched for an excuse, anything to prevent risking to hurt the Chuunin. He could feel his body tremble and his hands shake and twitch in the desire to touch Iruka, but he had to resist, he had to-

Kakashi’s eyes widened when Iruka suddenly seemed to shrink on his lap, curling against his chest.

“You’re still not comfortable with me being a man”, he whispered with a trembling voice. “I can’t change that, Kakashi. I almost wished I could, just to make you feel better, but I can’t. And… and it hurts to see you rejecting me, but I understand that I have to-”

“No!”, Kakashi gasped. “That’s not it!” Nonono, he’d hurt Iruka. He had never wanted that, never.

“It’s alright, Kakashi, I understand it.” Iruka sighed and moved to get up. “It’s just… Sometimes it seems as if everything’s alright, and then suddenly it isn’t, and… it’s just hard to accept, but-”

“No.” Kakashi pulled him against his chest again before he could leave. “No, Iruka, it’s not that.”

“But… but you… whenever we are about to come close, you suddenly say something to stop it, and then… I thought you still…” Iruka closed his eyes and hid his face against Kakashi’s neck.

“I didn’t do it because I felt uncomfortable”, Kakashi whispered truthfully. “I… I just…” He sighed and decided to go with a part of the truth. “I’m just… I don’t really know what to do. Everything’s so different.” He had never cared that much, had never had to be so careful.

“Is… is that true?”, Iruka whispered softly against his neck.

“Yes, I promise.” Kakashi tightened his embrace.

“Then you’re not uncomfortable with me being a man?”

“No, I’m not.” Kakashi gently stroked with his hands over his Chuunin’s back, then around him to his chest, massaging the strong muscles there. “I like every part of you and I will never wish to change you.”

Iruka sighed against his neck. “Promise?”, he murmured softly and gently nipped at the pale skin.

“Promise.” Kakashi smiled and embraced him again. It wasn’t about gender with Iruka, not at all. It was just Iruka he wanted, and he couldn’t care less about the fact that they were both men. It had taken some time, but he had finally understood that.

“I also like you the way you are.” Iruka kissed his neck, then his jaw. “Very much.” He let his hands travel over the Jounin’s chest, slowly going lower.

“That’s… good”, Kakashi whispered weakly, closing his eyes. Somehow, he was now even deeper in it than before. And how should he deny it to Iruka now? It would hurt him again, no matter if the Jounin made up an excuse or told him that he didn’t think that Iruka was able to know what he really wanted.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t like”, Iruka whispered into his ear. “Just do what you feel good doing and tell me if I do something you don’t like.”

“M-hm.” Kakashi swallowed. Iruka doing something he didn’t like wasn’t the problem right now, it was more Iruka doing so many, many things he liked so very, very much what was troubling him.

“You like this?”, Iruka murmured and then started to gently massage the Jounin’s groin.

Kakashi gasped softly and opened his eyes. His mouth dry and his breath hitching, he nodded weakly. He liked this much more than he was allowed to, he knew that, and he had to quickly find a way to stop it or-

“And this?” Iruka slipped his warm hand into his boxers.

“Y-yes”, Kakashi panted breathlessly and gritted his teeth when warm waves of pleasure washed through him. Everything was so good, so very, very good, and also so very, very wrong, and he didn’t know what to do.

“Would you like to touch me?”, Iruka whispered. “But you don’t have to.”

“I wa- I… yes.” Kakashi tilted his head to kiss him while he slowly moved his hands over the Chuunin’s back to his stomach and then lower to the waistband of his pants, but then hesitated unsurely and took a deep breath. Alright, he had never done… that before with another man, but this shouldn’t be difficult. It would just be like touching himself, and he wanted to pleasure Iruka, so this would be easy. Right? And… and then Iruka would gasp again and moan, and-

“Mmmh… good…”, Iruka moaned softly against his lips before he started to gently stroke the Jounin in his pants.

Kakashi gasped and arched his back at the caress, then quickly ripped off his hitai-ate to look at Iruka with both his eyes and remember everything. Taking a deep breath, he slipped his hands inside the Chuunin’s boxers and a little hesitantly still wrapped his fingers around him. Okay, this would be just like touching himself, nothing special and just-

But then Iruka gasped and threw his head back with a low moan, and that made it special for Kakashi, so very special, because his Chuunin was… was… God, he couldn’t even begin to describe it. He just could look and memorise as much as he could of how Iruka was moving and gasping and moaning and arching his back and biting his lip and writhing beneath his touch. And he was doing that for Iruka, only he was making him look like that and sound like that, only he.

“Iruka…”, Kakashi whispered, his eyes still captured. The Chuunin looked gorgeous, perfect, like everything he’d ever wanted.

“Kakashi…”, Iruka panted back and leaned forward again to kiss him. “Don’t stop… please…” And this one word held so much, want and lust and desire and devotion and so much more.

Kakashi swallowed hard before he claimed the Chuunin’s lips again, never ceasing to gently pleasure him. He longed to see Iruka get lost in this pleasure again, longed to make him feel it again. And that… that would be all he would do. He would make Iruka find his release, and then just look at him, and then he would do what he’d done the time before. He wouldn’t let himself take pleasure from Iruka, he wouldn’t risk to take advantage of him.

“Ha… Kakashi…” Iruka bit his lower lip. “Almost… al… most…”

“Let go”, Kakashi whispered back. “Let go, Iruka.”

“Mmh… you… you first…” The Chuunin flashed him a lustful, devious smirk, and then-

“Iruka!”, Kakashi shouted and arched his back towards him when he felt the fingers around him do things that made his head spin and his blood boil suddenly.

“I couldn’t… see you the last time…”, he heard Iruka whisper into his ear. “This time… I’ll look at you…” And then he squeezed and rubbed and did wonders to Kakashi’s body and disasters to his self-control.

“Iru… ka…”, he barely managed to whisper. He couldn’t let that happen, he had to resist.

“Yes… show me, Kakashi.” The Chuunin’s voice was breathless, husky, demanding, coaxing at the same time.

“Iruka…”, Kakashi repeated weakly, noticing absent-mindedly that his hands were still moving although he didn’t know how he was able to get enough thoughts together to do that. He couldn’t make out what exactly Iruka was doing with him, but it didn’t matter because it was the best thing that had ever happened to him. And although he knew that it was wrong, he didn’t know a single thing he could do to stop it anymore.

“Show… me”, Iruka demanded again, his breath hitching. “Show m- Ah! … N-now, Ka- ha… Kakashi.” And then he bit down hard, possessively on the Copy-nin’s lower lip.

Kakashi heard himself give a loud, wordless shout at that, feeling the slight pain and the burning arousal and boiling lust inside him mingle, wrap around each other and then explode suddenly. His eyes opened wide, and he was utterly grateful for that because he could see Iruka throw his head back with a growled, almost animalistic moan before the Chuunin fell forward and collapsed against his chest, panting harshly.

Sighing deeply, Kakashi closed his eyes and lifted his heavy hands to wrap around his Chuunin’s body, frowning slightly at the sticky wetness on them and in his pants, the slight throb of his lip and the bruise that was sure to appear soon but that would thankfully be hidden under his mask. But it didn’t really matter, not when Iruka was warm against him, heavy on his lap and so wonderfully, perfectly close to him and completely his, only his.

After taking some deep breaths, he opened his eyes again, and now that he wasn’t distracted, he could see what Pakkun had been talking about. With his Sharingan, he could see his and Iruka’s chakras whirl and circle around their bodies, but also dance and spin where they were close, mingling and parting, dissolving in each other and coming free again. The sight made his head spin but he couldn’t look away from the fascinating play. He wished he could show it to Iruka, because describing it would never be the same as witnessing.

“Didn’ see…”, he heard Iruka murmur against his left collarbone after a felt eternity.

“Hm?”, Kakashi questioned softly and finally forced his eyes away from the chakras and instead looked down the Chuunin’s broad back.

“Didn’ see you.” Iruka slowly lifted his head and even found the strength to pout.

“Poor Iruka.” Kakashi smiled softly. “Maybe next t-” He broke off when he remembered what he’d been determined to not, no, never do. And had done still.

No. Nonono. What had he done to Iruka?!

“M-hm.” The Chuunin lazily nuzzled his throat. “Next time.”

“Iruka…” Kakashi swallowed hard while guilt burned like acid in his stomach. What had he done? He’d just given in to his selfish desires, hadn’t resisted like he should have. What if he had done something Iruka hadn’t really wanted? What if he had taken advantage of him? What if-

“You hands are sticky”, Iruka told him softly.

“Sorry”, Kakashi choked out. “I’m sorry, Iruka.” He could hear his voice break.

“Not that bad”, the Chuunin murmured and snuggled even closer to him, sighing softly and completely oblivious in his sated bliss. “Just stick to me forever and never leave me.”

“I… I wa- … please let me”, Kakashi whispered. God, he was praying and hoping so very much that Iruka would still want him, still let him be with him after the jutsu would have vanished completely. That he wouldn’t blame him for not resisting. He had tried, had tried so much, and still he hadn’t been strong enough.

“Stay with me, Kakashi”, Iruka whispered and looked up, looked into the Jounin’s mismatched eyes with a look full of longing, care, hope and something deep, deeper than anything Kakashi had ever seen in any pair of eyes directed at him. “Never leave me.”

“I won’t”, Kakashi breathed, capturing that look with his cursed, blessed Sharingan eye, that breath-taking look that made his heart race. “I promise.” And he would be stronger from now on, would never again do something that could hurt Iruka later, could make him sad. He would do everything possible to be worth the trust Iruka set in him.

----- ----- -----

“Iruka?” Kakashi nuzzled the neck before his face. “Iruka…”

“Hrmnph.”

“Iruka, you have to wake up now. We have to go for your check-up.” Another nuzzle, but then Kakashi froze when he noticed that the Chuunin’s skin was sweaty and heated. “Iruka?”

“Hrnn… Don’…”

“Iruka, please look at me.” The Jounin sat up in alarm.

“Mrmmm…”

“Iruka, you’re burning up”, Kakashi gasped when he felt the Chuunin’s forehead with his hand. “We have to get you to Tsunade-sama.”

“M-mmh…” Iruka curled even more into the sheets.

“Iruka, have you felt sick yesterday already?” Kakashi gently shook his shoulder. “Iruka, please. You have to tell me.”

“A little… evening…”, the Chuunin murmured. “Sleepy now…”

-----

“It’s just a flu, nothing serious”, Tsunade declared. “Just keep him warm and feed him chicken soup, and he’ll be fine again in some days.”

“Are you sure?”, Kakashi asked softly while he dragged the blanket just a little bit higher under the Chuunin’s chin. “That it’s nothing serious, I mean?” And it was all his fault for letting him stay in the cold water and sitting with a sweaty and… well, sticky Iruka on the couch for too long. He should have taken him somewhere warm immediately or-

“Don’t worry, mother hen.” The Sannin chuckled. “Half of the shinobi have the flu at the moment. Has he been with any of them lately?”

“Anko was here the day before yesterday.” For ‘chatting’ she’d called it. More like for babbling Iruka’s ears off and keeping him from snuggling.

“Ah, there you have it. She’s sick, too, at the moment.”

“Hrn.” Kakashi snorted. She deserved to be sick, that Anko. How could she dare to infect his Iruka?

“Seems your mask prevented you from becoming ill, too”, Tsunade guessed. “You should keep it up for the next days so you can take care of your precious Iruka and not get sick, too.”

“Okay”, Kakashi murmured reluctantly. And how was he supposed to kiss Iruka then? “So, bed rest and soup?”

“Yes. And I’ll give you some fever-reducing medicine in case it gets worse. And-”

“Ka… shi?”

Kakashi immediately was beside the Chuunin. “Shh, Iruka. I’m here. Go back to sleep.”

“Too warm…” Iruka tried to get the blanket off his body.

“No, don’t do that”, Kakashi whispered. “You’ve got the flu, Iruka. You have to stay warm.”

“Flu?”

“M-hm.” Kakashi stroked over his sweaty hair. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

Iruka frowned. “Always have… to do that…”

“I don’t mind at all”, Kakashi told him softly. “In fact, I like to take care of you. That way, I can make sure that you’re alright.”

“Thank… you…” Iruka’s eyes closed slowly.

“No, thank you”, Kakashi whispered back, so softly that only the Chuunin could hear it. “For letting me care.”

Iruka just smiled tiredly.

“You know, if some of the people having you in their bingo books could see you now, they would laugh their asses off”, Tsunade declared.

Kakashi ignored her. What did she or anybody else know? They could never understand what Iruka made him feel.

“You know”, Tsunade said softer, more seriously. “You’re right to try to wrap your Iruka in cotton wool.” She patted the Jounin’s shoulder gently. “Hold him fast, Kakashi, care and let him care. He’s probably the best that will ever happen to you. And the other way round, too, I guess. Be happy that you found each other.” And before the Copy-nin could respond anything, she turned around and left.

----- ----- -----

“I hnate bneing snick”, Iruka declared grumpily on the third of his flu-induced bed-days.

“I can understand that.” Kakashi chuckled. “I don’t like ‘bneing snick’ either.”

“Don’ make fnun of mne.” Iruka pouted.

“But you’re so cute when you’re grumpy”, Kakashi laughed softly. That and grumpy was so much better than sweaty and weak and feverish.

“Meany.”

“‘Meany’? ‘Mea-’ I’m sorry, but did you just call me ‘meany’?”

“Yes.” Iruka pouted more.

“And then you have the nerve to tell me that you’re not cute? When you’re even cute while insulting me?”

“Mean meany.” Iruka turned his head away and sniffled indignantly.

“Aw, don’t do that to me”, Kakashi whined. “You know I’m suffering when you ignore me.”

“Den don’ bne a meany.” Iruka peeked at him from the corner of his eye.

“I’ll be good now”, Kakashi assured. “No meany anymore.”

“Hrn.” Iruka snorted but turned around. “Meany”, he murmured before he blew his nose, then sniffled.

“Would you like something to eat now?”, Kakashi asked. “Or a tea?”

“Tea”, Iruka decided. “Kakashi?”

“Hm?” The Jounin stopped in his movements to get up and instead sat down again.

“Thank you. For taking care of me.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” Kakashi stroked his cheek tenderly. “I have nothing I would rather do.”

“But… but still.” Iruka looked down at his hands. “You do so much for me, and-”

“Iruka.” Kakashi placed a finger on his lips. “Iruka, I wa- I like to take care of you. I like to be with you. For the first time in years, I feel as if I am where I belong.”

“Really?”, Iruka breathed, his eyes wide.

“Yes, really.” Kakashi smiled. “I like to take care of you, Iruka. And when you’re fine again, and I mean completely fine, then I will be there for you still and still stay with you. If you wa- if you would like that, that is.”

Iruka nodded immediately, grinning but also blushing. “You know I wan-” He broke off and blinked, then sighed. “Would like that.”

“Perfect.” Kakashi leaned forward and gave him a masked kiss. He belonged here, he knew that. And he wished that Iruka would allow him to stay despite what he’d done.

----- ----- -----

“Hey, Kakashi.”

“Hm?” The Copy-nin looked away from the Chuunin in the kitchen to the crouched figure on the windowsill. “Hey, Jiraiya. In town again?”

“Only today for a meeting with my publisher. I’m leaving tomorrow morning with the kid again.”

“Then Naruto’s probably coming over soon? Iruka will like that.” Kakashi smiled. The Chuunin had almost completely recovered from his flu again and would certainly be happy for a distraction since Kakashi was determined not to let him go outside for another day or so.

“Probably. And I already heard you have to babysit”, Jiraiya said, grinning, while he entered the apartment and sat down on the couch next to the Jounin. “Sounds like fun.”

“It’s not babysitting”, Kakashi told him. “I take care of Iruka and make sure that he’s alright.” And if the other was here to do anything fishy with the Chuunin in his charge, the Sannin would find himself thrown out of the window before he could even have said ‘Icha Icha’.

“Whatever.” Jiraiya shook his head. “Where is he?”

“In the kitchen and making dinner.” Kakashi grinned. “If you’re lucky, he’ll invite you.”

“Good cook?”

“Very.” One of the reasons why he’d agreed to Iruka getting up and making dinner that day despite of him still recovering. Another reason had been big, pleading eyes looking at him and a pair of irresistible lips pouting.

“Then I have to make sure to behave.”

“That won’t get you anywhere”, Kakashi laughed. “If he doesn’t w- like the idea of you staying, he just won’t take out a plate for you, and that’ll be it.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. Some days ago Anko came to visit and made some… rather dirty jokes about teachers and pupils”, the Copy-nin said. “And Iruka didn’t say anything, just took the third plate off the table again.”

“Priceless!”, Jiraiya laughed. “So Iruka-sensei’s famous politeness really isn’t stronger than the jutsu?”

“No.” Kakashi sighed. “In his… condition, you can either demand something with that word and he can’t refuse – and I’ll kill you if you try that – or you can just hope that he likes the idea and decides to do it.”

“Someone’s getting protective, eh?”, Jiraiya asked. “Very unlike you.”

“Maybe”, Kakashi murmured, then looked up when Iruka entered the room.

“Good evening, Iruka-sensei”, Jiraiya greeted him. “How do you feel today?”

The Chuunin smiled and answered, “Very good, thank you, Jiraiya-sama. How is Naruto?”

“Great. But you can ask him yourself, he’ll certainly come here soon”, Jiraiya said.

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Iruka smiled brightly. “Then I’ll make more dinner.”

“What do you w- Why are you here, Iruka?”, Kakashi asked softly while he still enjoyed seeing the beautiful smile on his face. “Would you like me to do something?”

“I… I only…” The Chuunin bit his lower lip and threw an unsure glance at the Sannin, but then took a step forward until he was right in front of the Copy-nin. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on his masked lips before he smiled and went back into the kitchen.

“Wow”, Jiraiya murmured after some silence. “Is he doing that often?”

“M-hm…”, Kakashi sighed absent-mindedly and craned his neck to catch a glimpse at Iruka through the door. He looked back at his companion when he heard the Sannin laugh.

“You know”, Jiraiya told him, “you really seem to have it bad.”

“I know.” Kakashi sighed. “I just wished I knew whether he really… really does this because he…”

“Feels that way?”

“M-hm.” The Copy-nin nodded and sighed. “I don’t know if this is really what he wa- … You know.”

“I don’t see why he should kiss you although he doesn’t want i-”

“Shh!”, Kakashi hissed. “Don’t say that word!” He hurriedly got up from the couch to look at the Chuunin, but to his greatest relief Iruka was still moving around in the kitchen and didn’t seem to have heard the Sannin. Sighing, Kakashi went to sit down again.

“I’m sorry”, Jiraiya murmured.

“It’s alright. He didn’t hear.” Kakashi shook his head. “And it’s not that it would be a catastrophe if somebody said the word to him, it’s just…” He sighed. “It hurts when he gets that empty look in his eyes.”

“I understand.” The Sannin grinned. “You know, this would make a really good Icha Icha story. A woman unable to deny anything and a noble hero trying to defend her from the villains who try to take advantage of her.”

“And where’s the porn in that?”, Kakashi asked. Icha Icha without porn… Now really, Jiraiya was a nice guy, but the Jounin didn’t read his books for their storylines.

“Well, the hero would only make sure that no other than he gets the woman, but he could have lots and lots of passionate sex with her.”

“You would make him rape her?” The Copy-nin arched an eyebrow in surprise and more than only slight disgust. He hadn’t know that his old friend would ever step that low as to write rape as entertainment.

“No! She’s deeply in love with him since the beginning!”, Jiraiya assured.

Kakashi shook his head. “It would still be rape.”

“No, it wouldn’t. Not if she lov-”

“Yes, it would!”, the Jounin interrupted briskly. “She wouldn’t be able to deny anything and wouldn’t do it because she wants to but because he wants her to. Where’s the difference between that and taking advantage of a drunk or drugged or using force?”

“But…” Jiraiya frowned deeply. “Well… okay…”

“See?” Kakashi sighed. “And even if he does something on his own accord, I can never be sure if he really wants it.”

“You really have it bad, Kakashi.” Jiraiya patted his shoulder. “I would even say that you have it worst.”

“What shall I do?”, the Jounin whispered.

“I really don’t know.” The Sannin laughed. “I’m not really an expert in affairs of the heart… But I think that if you let Iruka-sensei take the lead, it will be fine. I can’t believe that he would do something like kissing you without wanting it.”

“Maybe.” Kakashi shook his head but didn’t say anything more. If it had only been kissing, he wouldn’t be blaming himself so much now for not resisting.

“Dinner is ready”, he heard Iruka announce, then the Chuunin stepped up towards him and again gave him a kiss.

“How many plates?”, Kakashi asked.

“Four.” Iruka gave him another kiss, his lips this time lingering longer on the Copy-nin’s, then the Chuunin smiled a gentle, wonderful smile that left Kakashi breathless.

“Seems you’re lucky, Jiraiya”, he whispered without taking his eyes from Iruka.

“No. Seems you’re lucky, Kakashi”, he heard the Sannin answer and couldn’t help but agree.

-----

“And then we met those street bandits”, Naruto told his former senseis excitedly. “Ten, no twenty at least! And they were all, ‘Aren’t we big and scary, and now give us all your money’, and all that. But I showed them!”

“But sure…” Iruka looked at his former student doubtfully but with a fond smile on his lips. Kakashi couldn’t quite suppress a smile. The Chuunin was the perfect listener. He found the right times for staring in admiration, for gasping in surprise and even for voicing his doubts that the things Naruto narrated were indeed the truth. It was a gift on its own to be able to watch him.

“It’s true!”, Naruto assured. “Tell him, Ero-sannin!”

“Don’t call me that, brat”, Jiraiya growled back. “And we both know they were hardly half a dozen.”

“But they were big! And strong!” Naruto waved his hands agitatedly. “And I fought them all on my own!”

“You did?!”, Iruka asked, his eyes wide and sparkling with mischief although they also looked a little tired already. “Really?! And Jiraiya-sama didn’t help you?”

“No! That old pervert was busy peeping at some girls bathing in the river!” The blond boy huffed.

“Hey! I was researching. Researching! Alright?” Jiraiya huffed, too, then pouted.

“You were peeping”, Naruto gave back. “Especially at that blond girl with the big-” He broke off and turned beet red.

“Look who’s taking on some new habits”, Kakashi murmured loud enough for everybody to hear.

“Naruto!”, Iruka scolded. “I’m not happy to hear that!” But the Copy-nin could see a small smile tug at the Chuunin’s lips.

“I didn’t really look!”, the boy defended himself. “And they didn’t look any good at all!”

“Ah.” A devilish grin appeared on the Chuunin’s face. “No resemblance to Hinata-chan then, hu?”

“Iruka-sensei!”, Naruto wailed.

“Hinata-chan?”, Kakashi listened up. “You mean that quiet little Hyuuga-girl from Kurenai’s team?”

“She’s not that little anymore. And Naruto is sooo not interested in her.” Iruka winked and grinned.

“Iruka-sensei!”

“I see…” Kakashi scratched his masked chin, enjoying tormenting the boy immensely. “I wonder if they kissed already…”

“Kakashi-pervert-sensei!” Naruto’s face discovered a new shade of red, it seemed.

“I don’t know.” Iruka shrugged. “But I don’t think any of them would really mind to give it a try. Or more than one.”

“Iruka-senseiiii!” The boy let his head fall to the table. “Why are you doing that to me?! I mean, Kakashi-sensei and Ero-sannin… but you?!”

“It’s the jutsu”, Iruka declared, grinning. “Made me lose all my inhibitions and good manners.”

“Really?”, Naruto asked, peeking up at him.

“Mmmh… Nope. I guess that’s just me.”

Naruto groaned. “I bet that’s Kakashi-sensei’s bad influence.”

“I hope so”, Kakashi declared, grinning.

“Pervert”, Naruto grumbled.

“Did you visit her already?”, Iruka asked. “To tell her that you’re alright? I bet she would like that.”

“We’re leaving tomorrow morning already…”, Naruto murmured.

“Then why don’t you visit her right now?”, the Chuunin suggested. “It’s not too late for that yet.”

“I can’t just visit her…”

“And why not?”

“Because… because… What should I say?”

“Just that you are back.”

“Right. I go there and just tell her, ‘Hey, Hinata-chan, I’m back. Bye.’” The boy sighed.

“Not like that, stupid.” Iruka rolled his eyes. “Just… just say, ‘Hey, Hinata-chan. I’m back for some hours and I thought I could just come over and see how you’re doing.’ And then tell her something about your training or about the places you’ve visited. It doesn’t matter what you tell her, just show that you think of her.”

“That’s…” Naruto frowned. “And you’re sure that she’ll like that?”

“Absolutely. She will certainly be very happy to see you and to know that you think of her.”

“Okay…” The boy frowned deeper, then suddenly grinned happily. “That’s a very good plan, Iruka-sensei! You’re the best!” He jumped up and embraced his former teacher happily. “The old pervert suggested to read Icha Icha to her.”

“Well…” Iruka looked at the Sannin, and Kakashi noticed an odd glint in his eyes. “What would you expect from a man who’s scared to ask the woman he’s after for years already out for a date?”

“Wha… That’s…” Jiraiya’s face turned red immediately. “Better be careful about what you’re saying, Chuunin, or-”

“And who doesn’t see that she’s only waiting for him to do that? Who’s too blind to see that all he needs to do is be serious with her and ask her out? So that she doesn’t have to drown her sorrow in sake and then whine about him being a ‘blind, perverted idiot’ to the Chuunin doing her paperwork?” Iruka threw the Sannin a challenging look.

Kakashi witnessed something just as shocking as a silent Naruto then. A stuttering, gaping Jiraiya, blushing like a teenage boy when the little wheels in his head almost visibly started to rotate.

“And if he would only ask said Chuunin”, Iruka continued mercilessly, “he would be told that today is Friday and that on Fridays, a certain woman stays late in her office to do paperwork. On her own.”

Kakashi could hear the clock in the kitchen tick away the seconds while the Sannin across from him just sat there and stared into space. He really wondered how long it would take.

“Whoa, Iruka-sensei!”, Naruto murmured while he poked his frozen teacher into his side without getting a reaction. “You’re amazing!”

“I do my best.” Iruka grinned, but it looked tired. Kakashi decided to give him some more minutes with the boy and then put him into bed.

“How do you know so much about women?”, Naruto asked.

“You just have to listen, Naruto”, Iruka told the boy gently. “You have to listen to everybody, women and men, to understand them. And you also have to hear what they don’t say sometimes.”

“What they don’t say?” Naruto frowned. “I don’t think I understand that…”

“You still have much time to learn that.” Iruka ruffled his hair affectionately.

“Hey, hey, Iruka-sensei!”, Naruto called, grinning cheekily. “How come you don’t have a girlfriend then?”

“Oh… That’s… because…” The Chuunin blushed and threw an unsure glance in Kakashi’s direction.

“Iruka doesn’t need a girlfriend”, Kakashi said and took his hand into his. “And he won’t get one either, because I got him first.” Hey, they would have had to tell the boy some time, so why not right now?

“You?!”, Naruto shouted.

“Me”, Kakashi gave back. So the boy wanted to make a scene. Fine. Should he. But he wouldn’t let him say something that could hurt Iruka.

“Iruka-sensei!” Naruto turned towards his former teacher. “Why him?! Couldn’t you choose someone… less perverted? Like… like Genma-san? Or Kotetsu-san?”

Kakashi stared. Okay, that was… rather unexpected. But not unwelcome. Although he felt a little miffed that Naruto thought that he was more perverted than Genma who was sticking his ‘senbon’ practically everywhere and Kotetsu who had probably already christened every hard surface in Konoha with the help of Izumo and Shizune.

“Naruto, I’m happy with Kakashi”, Iruka told him softly, making the Copy-nin’s heart beat faster.

“And does he treat you well?”, the boy inquired, glaring at his former Jounin instructor. “If he doesn’t…”

“He does.” Iruka smiled at him fondly. “Don’t worry, Naruto. I can take care of myself.”

“Okay, Iruka-sensei. As long as you’re happy…” Naruto sighed deeply. “But I really wish you had a better taste”, he declared.

“Well, I like my taste well enough”, Iruka gave back, smirking at him. “And you shouldn’t judge my taste without even having seen what I chose…”

“Whoa, Iruka-sensei! You saw it?!”, Naruto gasped.

“I did not only see it, I even kissed it.” Iruka grinned.

“Aaah! I didn’t ask for that!”, the blond boy wailed. “Just for how it looks.”

“Could we stop referring to me as ‘it’?”, Kakashi growled.

“Sorry.” Iruka gave him an apologetic kiss.

“Hrn.” Kakashi pouted.

“Don’t do that”, the Chuunin whispered into his ear. “You know I can’t resist that…”

“Stop!”, Naruto shouted. “I don’t need to see you two making out in front of me, really!” He sniggered and once again poked at Jiraiya. “Although it would maybe cure the old pervert.”

“It’s my apartment”, Iruka declared. “I can make out whenever, wherever and with whomever I choose to.” He looked at Kakashi and grinned. “Any objections?”

“Maybe to that ‘whoever’-part.” The Jounin embraced him possessively. Kakashi’s Iruka.

“Mmmh… I might be in the mood to negotiate about that…”

“Alright, alright, that’s enough now!”, Naruto shouted. “Hey, Ero-sannin!” He slapped the man on his shoulder. “Say something to that! Tell them they can’t be all smoochy-kissy with us still here!”

“Hu?” The Sannin blinked. “I…” He blinked again, then his eyes widened suddenly. “I have to go! Somewhere!”, he declared and hurried out of the window, even leaving his sandals behind.

“Was about time”, Iruka murmured.

“Old pervert…” Naruto sighed, then stood up and collected the man’s shoes. “I’ll go then, too.”

“Visiting Hinata-chan?”, Kakashi asked, grinning.

The boy blushed. “Maybe…”

“Would you like to come back afterwards and sleep here?”, Iruka offered. “Kakashi’s futon’s still in the closet.”

“Can I?”

“But sure.”

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei!” The boy jumped the Chuunin, almost throwing him to the floor in the process if Kakashi hadn’t prevented that in the last moment.

“I’ll just leave the window to the living room open for you, alright?”, Iruka gasped softly.

“Alright!” Naruto let go of him and jumped to the window. “See ya! Good night!”

“Good night!”, Kakashi called after him, embracing Iruka tighter. “You missed him, hm?”

“Very much”, Iruka sighed. “I wished he could stay.” He turned around. “But now that I have you, I guess it will be easier to see him leave again.”

“Sure.” Kakashi kissed him. “I’m surprised he took it so well. Us, I mean.”

“I already told him about my… preferences years ago. I couldn’t risk that he one day walked in on me and another man and thought that it was unnatural or wrong. I couldn’t stand him being disgusted of me.”

“I can’t believe that he would ever think about you like that, don’t worry”, Kakashi whispered into the Chuunin’s ear, then carefully walked towards the bedroom, pushing Iruka with him.

“The dishes”, the Chuunin protested softly.

“Can wait”, Kakashi declared. “I can see that your eyes are really small. I have to have you sleep now, else I risk that Naruto thinks I’m not taking good care of you.”

“But you are.” Iruka kissed him softly. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me”, Kakashi whispered. “It’s all my pleasure.”

----- ----- -----

On their next check-up, Kakashi tried his best to ignore the fact that his Hokage looked rather… relaxed. Not to say, laid.

Iruka sniggering behind his back the whole time didn’t help his composure.

Life was unfair.

----- ----- ----- ----- -----

AN:
I’m sorry for the long wait, but my new job started and I have much to do and even more to learn. Furthermore, I wasn’t sure whether I really wanted Kakashi to ‘give in’ and kept rewriting it again and again. But hey, he’s only human and really tried his best, ne?
Nayru