The Trick Is Not Minding

Chapter Six

Iruka watched Kakashi toss and turn in his sleep. He smoothed the sweat-soaked silver strands back from his forehead, soothing the tormented genius into a deeper, calmer sleep. The troubled chuunin rose and headed to the living room, it was time to check in with Ibiki and see if Aoshi had been found yet.

“Any news?” The teacher asked. “Nothing good. Apparently they found a body in an inn near the border with Grass. Kuroshin Aoshi matches the description of the man who was seen entering the room with the victim. . . they had already issued an arrest warrant by the time I asked for him to be summoned. He’s not in his apartment, ANBU is searching for him. The good news is that this means we can deal with Aoshi without having to bring Kakashi into it and letting their relationship become public knowledge.”

Iruka paced and fretted “But that means he could be anywhere, even on his way here. How can I hope to stop him when Kakashi couldn’t?” Ibiki laid a large hand on his shoulder. “First of all, you aren’t alone. Secondly, he doesn’t have any idea Kakashi’s here.” “About that,” the chuunin cut in “I don’t know if he knows where I live, but it’s easy to find out. And he suspects something is going on between us. He spoke to me last night while I was getting takeout, just appeared out of nowhere and asked where Kakashi was, like he assumed I’d know.” “That would have been good information to have from the beginning,” Ibiki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “The two of you are confined here under guard until further notice.”

Iruka sputtered, “What about my classes, my shifts at the mission desk. If I turn up missing people will wonder why. Not to mention Kakashi and Aoshi going missing at the same time.” Ibiki stood and stretched, joints cracking loudly, face set in its usual intimidating scowl. “No offense Iruka, but two high level jounin not being seen and you going missing aren’t likely to be related in most people’s eyes.” “Jeez, thanks for the compliment.” the chuunin muttered. “My pleasure,” the interrogator smirked, “I’ll assign it as a mission and get a substitute for your duties. The important thing is you stay out of sight until we find Aoshi. From what you’ve said he may think Kakashi would go to you for help.”

“I just don’t get it,” the chuunin shook his head “isn’t Kakashi the strongest? How could someone do this to him?” “There could be a lot of reasons, it may be that, although he’s stronger now, he was weaker than Aoshi when this first started and he gave up fighting before the balance of power shifted in his favor.” The interrogator rubbed his hand over his bandanna covered head and continued, “It may be he liked it at first, and then it escalated beyond the point of pleasure.” “Liked it,” the chuunin exclaimed, “how could someone possibly like being hurt like that.” “That’s . . . complicated Iruka, but the fact is that some people find pain increases their sexual pleasure . . . and there are more than a few pain junkies in ANBU.” “I so do not want to go there.” The chuunin snorted, “is that it?” “No,” Ibiki continued after a short pause, “it could be that he feels he deserves it. He’s had a hard life, he may feel he has a lot to atone for.” At that the chuunin shook his head in defeat “Oh ‘kashi, I promise you didn’t deserve this.” he muttered as he turned to go back to the bedroom to watch over the copy-nin.

Kakashi woke with a gasp to find the world was not as he expected. He fought down his rising panic at waking up in a strange bed, trying to assess the situation, hoping to turn it to his advantage. Someone obviously healed me, he thought, not Aoshi, so who, and more importantly, why. Whoever it is cleaned me and gave me fresh clothes . . . but they left my mask alone. I’m not in the hospital . . . that means there’s some good Samaritan who’s now in the line of fire.

The jounin sighed at the thought. He’d spent years avoiding people, especially people who might figure out what was going on. Now there would be someone else he’d have to protect, he had enough blood on his conscience without adding an innocent stranger to the list. Scanning for others in the area he came across two chakra signatures in the next room, but none nearby. Sensing an opportunity to escape he swiftly slid out of bed and made his way to the door, listening for sounds from outside. Hearing footsteps approaching he threw himself back into bed and pretended to sleep, lying in wait for the opportunity to overpower whoever entered and gain his freedom.

The door swung open and shut, then a voice flatly proclaimed “I know you’re awake.” Kakashi resigned himself to his fate and opened his eyes, to be met with the worry-filled chocolate orbs of none other than Umino Iruka. I’m so dead, he thought, this is so much worse than just touching. “Where . . . where am I?” he croaked brokenly. “You’re at my house, Hatake-sama, I found you in the street and brought you here.” “Did you change my clothes?” “I healed you as best I could, you wouldn’t go to the hospital, then I cleaned you up and got you in fresh clothes. I didn’t look under your mask, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m sorry about your clothes, they were pretty much destroyed and I threw them out.” The chuunin continued to stammer out his explanation, eyes cast down. “Well,” the copy-nin said dryly, “I think you can call me Kakashi then.” “Thank you, Kakashi-sempai.” “Just Kakashi, Iruka. Thank you so much for all your help, but I really need to be going now.” The copy-nin rose from the bed and prepared to make to hand signs to transport away. Iruka grabbed his wrist and held on, whispering fiercely “I know what’s going on. There’s an arrest warrant out for Kuroshin Aoshi right now,” at this the jounin paled even further, so the teacher hurriedly continued “for the murder of a young man from Grass. You have nothing to do with it, but we need you to stay here where it’s safe.”

Kakashi’s mind was reeling under the flood of information. He had so many questions he needed answered, even though he dreaded what he might hear. “Who exactly is we and what do you think you know?” he finally managed. “I saw the . . .” Iruka paused, unsure, and then made a vague waving gesture, “you know, on your back, and I asked you how long, you said fifteen years. That’s what I know, is there more you want to tell me?” “I think not.” the reclusive man replied, “and we are . . .?” “That would be Ibiki, I called him because I didn’t know how else to keep you safe. And he’s the best at keeping secrets, I didn’t want to damage your reputation.” The chuunin finally ground to a stammering halt, half expecting to find himself dead at any moment at the powerful copy-nin’s hands.

When Kakashi spoke again his voice was soft and terribly sad “Why would you want to keep me safe?” Iruka almost blurted out exactly what he was thinking at that moment, because I love you and you’re mine, but, thankfully, realized how very bad such a response would be right now and tempered it instead to “because I’d like to think I’m your friend, and I want you to be safe and happy. I will do my best to protect you, always.”

The copy-nin’s mind nimbly recoiled from the implications that so heavily underlaid the chuunin’s words. Instead he decided to concentrate on more tangible matters. “Water?” he croaked, causing the chuunin to leap into action, bolting from the room and returning moments later with a sealed plastic bottle of water, knowing the jounin would be wary of drinking from an open container. After a few sips Kakashi’s throat loosened and he nodded “Thank you.” “No problem” the chuunin said, when a loud growl from the older man’s stomach cut through their conversation. “Something to eat?” he inquired mildly, and the copy-nin’s face lightened a bit, causing the chuunin to leap for joy inside.

“First, though, I need to use your bathroom.” Kakashi shyly requested. “Oh, of course, it’s just through that door, please, take your time and I’ll see you in the kitchen.” With that the chuunin excused himself, leaving Kakashi alone to do what he needed in private.

When the door shut behind the teacher Kakashi slumped to the bed, desperately trying to decide what he should do next. Should he trust this man? If he did, what price would he have to pay? Should he just slip away and let Aoshi find him and end it once and for all? He decided that the last choice, at least, was not an option, otherwise he wouldn’t have run away in the first place. So trust or not? The teacher had been respectful of him and his privacy so far. He hadn’t peeked underneath his mask, and he had kept the information confined to the fewest number of people. He was gentle and good with children. He was weaker. Assessment made, Kakashi decided in favor of trust, at least for the moment. Course set, he headed into the bathroom and then on to the kitchen, ready to accept what Iruka had to offer for the moment.