This chapter is rated K+, no spoilers. Have fun! (Pakkun certainly has...)

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The Right Way

by nayru-kleinefee


Chapter 6 – Strawberry Confessions

“That was very good, Kakashi-sensei”, Iruka sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I’ve never eaten eggplants like this before, but it’ll definitely be one of my favourite ways to make them from now on.”

“I’m glad you liked it, Iruka-sensei”, Kakashi told him, practically beaming with pride at his first A-rank cooking mission successfully completed.

“I liked it, too, boss”, Pakkun threw in, then yawned widely. “I’m sorry, Iruka-sensei. Tough day today.“

“Yes.” Iruka smiled. “I already heard. Naruto came to me to complain about you, Kakashi-sensei.” He grinned. “He smelled so unbelievably bad, I knew he was coming quite some time before he actually knocked on my door.”

“Then he’ll maybe really learn his lesson this time”, Kakashi laughed. “Sasuke and Sakura didn’t come?”

“They waited outside the house, hiding in some bushes as far as I could see. I heard them talk to Naruto when he complained about me not having any pity at all. In fact, he said we were both Mean Senseis Of Doom and that he wasn’t sure whether I’d really been myself or just one of your clones.”

“That boy…” Kakashi laughed and shook his head, then stood up and collected the dishes. “What about desert now?”

“Oh, you really made desert? You shouldn’t have, Kakashi-sensei”, Iruka told him.

“Is that a ‘no’?”, the Copy-nin asked, smiled and raised an eyebrow. “I really don’t think I can eat all the chocolate strawberries by myself and-”

“It’s not a ‘no’!”, Iruka assured hastily, then grinned. “It’s a ‘yes, but you have to allow me to return the favour soon’.” He blushed a little at that.

“Oh. Is that an invitation for another dinner?”, Kakashi asked. Please please please please plea-

“Sure it is.” The Chuunin blushed a little more. “After this delicious dinner, I have to make sure to show you I can cook, too.”

“I’m looking forward to it”, the Jounin answered. Yes yes yes yes YES!

“Can we go to the couch for desert?”, Pakkun asked. “Would be much more comfy.”

“Good idea.” Kakashi nodded approvingly. “You two go there now, and I’ll just clean up and then follow.”

“Oh, please let me help, Kakashi-sensei.” Iruka stood up and went to follow the Copy-nin into the small kitchen.

“No, just sit down with Pakkun”, Kakashi told him and turned him around again gently. “I’ll only put the dishes into the sink and then get the sake cups and the strawberries and follow as soon as possible.” And you definitely don’t want to see the kitchen battlefield right now, believe me.

“‘kay…” The Chuunin made his way further into the living-room and settled on the couch with Pakkun, then soon started to chatter with the dog.

Kakashi entered the kitchen, carefully stepped over little heaps of eggplant filling on the floor and took a deep breath when he took the sake cups out of the shelf and the desert from the counter. Perfect evening so long, Hatake. And you already got another da- dinner. Now just make sure to behave and don’t ruin the evening, will you? He took another breath, then turned around and entered the living room.

“Oh, you made so many strawberries?!” Iruka sighed. “You’re perfect!”

“Oh. Hehe.” Kakashi scratched his head a little sheepishly. “I don’t think anybody ever told me that before.”

“Certainly not.” Pakkun snorted.

Iruka laughed. “Then you certainly didn’t spoil them with chocolate strawberries.”

“That might be it”, Kakashi laughed, then sat down on his guest’s left side, opposite to Pakkun, and offered the sweet desert to the Chuunin.

“Thanks a lot.” Iruka smiled and took a strawberry carefully, then bit off the tip slowly before his eyes closed and he sighed in bliss.

Oh my- He’s- he’s- he’s biting and sighing and his eyes are closed and- Oh Kami, he’s licking his lips! Iruka’s licking his lips! With his tongue! And now he’s eating the rest of it and he’s sighing again and I bet he tastes like strawberries now and-

“I want one, too!”, Pakkun declared.

“Wh-what?”, Kakashi gasped and realised suddenly that his face was almost touching Iruka’s whose eyes were fortunately still closed. The Copy-nin yanked his head back hastily, then also noticed his almost panting breath and his racing heart.

“A strawberry…”, Pakkun growled and threw a look at his master that clearly said, ‘what the hell are you doing, you idiot?!’.

“S-sure”, Kakashi croaked hoarsely, blindly grabbed one of the fruits and handed it to his dog, not caring how much chocolate was on it. Oh Kami, I almost- and then I- I- I almost- and- He shifted uncomfortably and placed one of his legs over the other when he felt that his pants were quite a lot tighter than before.

“Mmmmh”, Iruka sighed, not at all helping Kakashi’s strained state with that. “That was delicious.”

Yes, it was…

“Can I have another one?”, the Chuunin asked.

“Sure.” Kakashi nodded and offered him the bowl, willing his hand to stay steady. Eat as much as you want and then do that again, please, and-

“Don’t you want any?” Iruka frowned. “If it’s because of the mask… I won’t look, just like I did before when we ate the eggplants. I promise I won’t look if that’s it. Or I can turn my back to you and-”

“No, that’s not it”, Kakashi assured, reached into the bowl and put a strawberry into his mouth, then chewed hastily. See? Everything’s perfectly fine! It’s not that I have trouble to sit. You can eat another strawberry now, please, and-

“Ka- Kakashi-sensei”, Iruka whispered, staring wide-eyed.

“Hm?” The Copy-nin swallowed and looked back, then froze in horror. He didn’t notice my… problem, did he? Please not, he’ll-

“Kakashi-sensei, your… your face…” The Chuunin kept staring, then started blushing, slowly but thoroughly.

“My face? What-” Kakashi’s eyes widened suddenly when he recalled himself putting a strawberry into his mouth. Into his mask-less mouth. “Oh.” He reached up to touch his face in surprise.

“No, please don’t!”, Iruka exclaimed and reached out to the Jounin but stopped himself before he touched his face, then blushed even deeper. “I mean… I mean… don’t… don’t cover it again, please…”, he whispered and quickly looked down to the floor.

“I… I didn’t notice I… did that”, Kakashi stammered, still dumbfounded and only half noticing that the shock at his involuntary revelation had effectively solved his earlier… problem.

“You didn’t?”, Iruka asked, looked up again and visibly forced himself not to stare too long at the Jounin’s face.

“No… I’ve never done that before without noticing…” The Copy-nin looked down to Pakkun who gave back his disbelieving stare.

“Oh.” The Chuunin looked down to his knees again where his hands twisted themselves into each other. “Do… do you want me to leave now?”, he asked. “If you don’t want me to be here anymore, I will-”

“No!”, Kakashi exclaimed at that and made Pakkun and Iruka jump in surprise. “I… I mean, you don’t have to leave. Please stay.”

“If you’re sure you want me to…” Iruka smiled hesitantly, then took a quick glance at the Jounin’s face again.

“Yes.” Kakashi smiled back, relieved. “Please stay.”

“That is, if you can stand the sight”, Pakkun said and grinned cheekily.

“Pakkun!”, Iruka scolded him. “Don’t say that! I think Kakashi is very handsome, and you shouldn’t-” He broke off, took in a sharp breath and then blushed deeper than the Copy-nin had ever seen him do.

“I… Iruka-sensei”, Kakashi murmured. Did I just really hear that?

The Chuunin stood up suddenly. “I should go now. I’m sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I’m sorry I embarrassed you like that.”

“No! No, please don’t go!”, Kakashi pleaded and stood up, too, then he grabbed Iruka’s wrist. “Please don’t leave. You don’t have to. Please stay a little longer.”

“But I…” The Chuunin shook his head. “I don’t think I should…”

“Please stay”, Kakashi repeated softly, his heart racing in his chest from excitement at the Chuunin’s former confession, from anxiety that he could leave, from so many feelings he couldn’t quite get them all.

Iruka looked up. “I’m sorry”, he whispered.

“Please don’t be”, Kakashi reassured him gently. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And please stay a little longer. Please.”

“You really want that?”, the Chuunin asked. “Although I…”

“Please”, the Copy-nin repeated, then sat down and gently tugged at his guest’s wrist until Iruka settled next to him again. When he saw Pakkun nod at him expectantly, he mustered up all his courage and added, “I… I like being with you.”

“Oh”, Iruka breathed out, barely audible, but then he relaxed visibly and his blush faded a little. “I’m so glad you’re… not angry, Kakashi-sensei.”

“But sure I’m not. And please call me ‘Kakashi’”, the Copy-nin offered.

“‘kay.” Iruka nodded and smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Yes.” Kakashi smiled back. “I’d like that, too… Iruka.”

The Chuunin smiled more warmly and thus made the Copy-nin’s heart flutter. “Then you’ll still come over to me for dinner, Kakashi?”

“Yes. If you still want me to.”

“M-hm.” Iruka nodded again, then took another strawberry and nibbled on it, looking down to his knees.

Kakashi watched him in silence while he tried to focus on the Chuunin’s brown eyes and flushed cheeks and did his best to ignore the way Iruka’s teeth and lips were moving while he ate the fruit.

“Can I get another strawberry, boss?”, Pakkun asked and approached Iruka slowly until he could place his front paws on the Chuunin’s right thigh.

“Sure.” Kakashi handed him another fruit without taking his eyes from Iruka’s face.

“Thank you”, the dog said before he munched on the strawberry happily, then he laid his head on the Chuunin’s thigh.

“Pakkun!”, Kakashi scolded him. “Don’t-”

“It’s okay, Kakashi”, Iruka assured him and carefully reached down with his right hand to Pakkun’s head. “Do nin-dogs like to have their coat ruffled, too?”, he asked, smiling.

“They like it even more than ordinary dogs”, Pakkun told him and nodded eagerly.

“He’d do anything for a nice belly-rub or for getting his ears scratched”, Kakashi laughed. Although right now I’d really like to exchange places with him.

“Tell me if I’m doing it right”, Iruka laughed and started rubbing the dog’s head gently.

“Perrrfect”, Pakkun purred and threw a mischievous glance at his master before he closed his eyes in bliss.

It’s stupid to be jealous of a dog, isn’t it?, Kakashi wondered. But still… Iruka should be stroking me. After all, I’ve seen him first… and I’m the handsome one here. I mean, you can’t really call a pug ‘handsome’, right? And I definitely would like to have my ears scratched by Iruka, too. I wonder if he would mind me laying my head on his other thigh…

“The boss is right about you”, Pakkun murmured.

“Right about me?”, Iruka asked.

“M-hm.” The dog tilted his head a little to give the Chuunin better access to his left ear and sighed happily when Iruka found a good spot to scratch. “Somebody who can give such good rubs only can be a very nice person.”

“Oh.” Iruka blushed a little. “Kakashi said that?”

“M-hm. He said you were the kindest person he’s ever met.”

“Pakkun”, Kakashi tried to stop him, feeling his cheeks heat up. “You-”

“And he would never have removed his mask if he didn’t really feel that way, you know”, Pakkun continued, appearing to be lost in ear-rubbing bliss. “He’s never before removed his mask unconsciously. He must like you very much, Iruka-sensei…” The dog sighed, then winked at his master and grinned impishly without Iruka noticing.

“Oh.” The Chuunin blushed more, threw a glance at Kakashi and bit his lip.

“Iruka…”, the Copy-nin started.

“It must be wonderful to have a friend like Pakkun”, Iruka said softly and looked down at his knees again. “You mean so much to each other and you care so much about each other.”

“We… we know us for a very long time now”, Kakashi murmured.

“Do… do you think…” Iruka broke off.

“Do I think?”

“Do you think another person could… mean that much to you? That you could care about another person just as much?”, the Chuunin asked.

“I… I’m sure I can”, the Copy-nin whispered, not daring to take his eyes away from Iruka’s face although the Chuunin still didn’t look at him. “If that person’s caring about me…”

“Do you think that… I could perhaps mean that much to you?”, Iruka whispered.

“Yes”, Kakashi confessed and took a deep breath. “And I think that you could mean even more to m-” He was suddenly silenced in a very surprising and very pleasant way when he felt the Chuunin’s lips on his, pressing gently. Oh.

“Oh”, Iruka breathed when he backed away again, then laughed nervously and blushed deeply. “I… I didn’t really intend to do that…”

“Oh.” Kakashi looked at him, his eyes still widened in surprise and his lips tingling from the caress. “But you could do it ag-”

“I should go now”, the Chuunin announced suddenly, then he lifted Pakkun’s head from his thigh gently and stood up.

“No, you don’t have to!” Kakashi jumped up. He’s not regretting it, now is he?

“I know.” Iruka smiled. “But… but I think I should. I think I need some time to… to think about everything. And you too, I guess.” He turned around, then went to the front door of the apartment and put on his sandals.

“But- but I don’t need-”, Kakashi stammered and followed his guest to the door. I already know I want this. This thing… this everything… Please don’t go away now.

“I will not run away, Kakashi”, Iruka said softly and opened the door, but then turned around and smiled again. “I just need a little more time, please.”

“You can have all the time you want”, Kakashi promised. Just come back to me and don’t tell me you don’t want it, please.

“Thank you, Kakashi. That you give me time means a lot to me. And please don’t believe I only want to put you off, it’s just…” Iruka sighed and shook his head. “I’ve made… I… Somebody once… I’ve found out in the past that rushing things doesn’t work for me”, he finally said. “I don’t want to make that mistake again and… ruin this, do you understand?”

Kakashi nodded. “Please take all the time you need. I’ll wait.” And then you’ll come back and want to be with me, right?

“That’s very kind of you”, the Chuunin said and smiled, then bit his lower lip. “So… do you maybe want to come over tomorrow evening for dinner? Seven o’clock again? I could cook something and then we could… talk and…”

“I’d like that”, the Jounin told him and smiled back. “I’ll be there and we can talk or do whatever you want.” Like you telling me that you want to be with me.

“Thank you, Kakashi”, Iruka whispered, then reached up with his right hand, touched the Copy-nin’s face gently and slowly followed the scar running down his left cheek from his Sharingan eye with his fingertips. “I want to make sure we’re doing this the right way for both of us.”

“I want that, too.” Kakashi smiled and leaned his face into the caress.

“Good night, Kakashi.” The Chuunin seemed to hesitate a little, then leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on the Jounin’s lips, barely touching them with his own. “Good night, Pakkun.” Then he turned and left the apartment.

“Good… night…”, Kakashi whispered, still standing in front of the open door and staring at the wall opposite to it. “…Iruka…” He blinked in surprise when the door closed silently and looked down to see Pakkun press against it.

“Don’t want anybody else to see you, hu, boss?”, he asked and smiled.

“Hn?” Kakashi blinked again, then looked at the solid wood before him and lifted his hand to touch his lips.

“Come on, boss.” Pakkun prodded with his forehead against his master’s lower leg. “Let’s sit down again, okay?”

“M-hm.” The Copy-nin let himself be led to the couch, then slumped down on it bonelessly.

“Boss…”, his nin-dog tried to wake him up from his dreamy state, grinning now.

“He kissed me”, Kakashi whispered, still absorbed in the memory. Iruka kissed me.

“I know. I saw it.”

“Twice.” Kakashi touched his lips again. Iruka kissed me twice.

“Saw that, too.” Pakkun grinned and helped himself to another strawberry. “Told you he likes you.”

The Copy-nin blinked, looked down at the dog and then took the bowl away from him. “Not good for you”, he mumbled, not quite sure whether it was the bowl or the contents that were dangerous.

“But boss, don’t I deserve a reward for tonight?”, Pakkun complained. “After all, if I hadn’t told Iruka-sensei how much you like him, he certainly wouldn’t have kissed you.”

“True…”, Kakashi murmured and handed his dog a strawberry, almost sure it was the bowl that wasn’t good for the pug. After all, eating bowls wasn’t the healthiest thing to do…

“Thanks, boss.”

“How did you know what to say?”, Kakashi asked after a while. “I mean, the last part.” I never know what to say when Iruka’s around me.

“Didn’t”, Pakkun told him, chewing.

“… Didn’t?” His master frowned.

“Nope.” The dog shrugged. “Just thought it was a good idea back then.”

“W-wait.” Kakashi blinked several times, trying to digest that. “You mean you didn’t know how Iruka would react but did it nevertheless?”

“Yup”, Pakkun told him, grinning broadly and being obviously very pleased with himself. “I mean, I’m a dog, I don’t know much about this stuff. I just guessed he would like to hear it. Can I have another-”

“But- but why? Iruka could have become mad!”, Kakashi shouted.

“But he didn’t. I-”

“But he could have! And what then? What if he had become mad or embarrassed and hadn’t wanted to see me again? You couldn’t just-”

“But he didn’t”, Pakkun growled. “He kissed you.”

“Iruka kissed me”, Kakashi whispered and sighed at the memory, then frowned. “What did I want to say before?”

“You wanted to give me another strawberry”, Pakkun told him.

“Oh.” The Copy-nin handed him one.

“Thanks, boss.”

“When, did Iruka say-”

“Seven o’clock, tomorrow evening. He’s cooking.” Pakkun grinned. “Strawberry, boss?”

“Here you are. That’s a date, isn’t it?” Invitation, dinner, talking… sounds like a date…

“Don’t know, never had one.” The dog shrugged.

“Our first date…” Kakashi smiled.

“Or your fourth.”

“Our fourth?”

“Sure. First date, going to the market. Second date, eating ramen. Third date, tonight.”

“Those weren’t dates”, Kakashi told him and frowned down at the bowl in his hands. Weren’t there more strawberries left?

“You sure?” Pakkun took another strawberry.

“…No.” Did Iruka eat that many of them? Mmmmh, Iruka eating strawberries…

“Would it make any difference?”

“I guess not…” Kakashi watched as another red berry disappeared in his dog’s mouth. “Wait a minute…”

“Boss?” Pakkun looked at him, eyes big and innocent.

“How many strawberries did you eat?”, his master growled.

“Can’t remember.”

“How many?”

“One?”

“How. Many?”

“You mean before or after Iruka-sensei kissed you?”

“I mean… I… Iruka really kissed me.” Kakashi sighed.

“Humans”, he heard Pakkun mutter and saw him shake his head in what seemed to be disbelief. “Strawberry, boss?”

“Sure.”

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A/N:
We will now have to say good-bye to Pakkun and let him go his puggy ways. He will maybe have a special appearance later again, but for now I think he’s done his best and can let the two humans manage their stuff alone. Thank you very much, Pakkun!

Nayru