Into the Fire

Chapter Sixty-Four

“Today’s a red letter day ‘kashi.” the interrogator hummed as he set a breakfast tray in front of the copy-nin, “After the doctor checks you one last time you’ll be able to leave the hospital. Tomorrow’s the wedding, tonight you have the rehearsal and then dinner with everyone.”

“Why would I go to the wedding rehearsal?” Kakashi asked uncertainly.

“You’re Gaara’s best man, Genma’s standing up for Raidou. Itachi’s performing the ceremony since he’s from a neutral nation.” the scarred man continued easily, “So everyone you know will be there tonight.”

“Surely Gaara-sama has someone better than me to stand up for him.” Kakashi fretted, “I’ve never done anything like this before. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to wear?” he continued to worry.

“You’re over-thinking this ‘kashi.” Ibiki stated confidently, “Tonight you can wear whatever you like . . . and Gaara had your clothes for the wedding sent to our room.”

“We’re sharing a room?” the copy-nin questioned uneasily.

“A room and a bed . . . don’t you trust me sweetheart?” the interrogator worried.

“No . . . I need to get used to it.” Kakashi decided, “You won’t hurt me.”

“I will never, ever hurt you.” the scarred man confirmed with a smile, “Now eat your breakfast so we can get you checked out of here.”

Soon they were headed toward their room in the palace, the copy-nin shuffling determinedly along, mouth set in a grim line as he repeatedly refused all offers of help. “I’ve been lying in bed forever.” he groused, “I need to hurry up and get back in shape.”

“There’s no reason to rush things.” Ibiki proclaimed nervously.

“You mean because I’m not a ninja anymore.” Kakashi concluded sadly.

“No silly,” the interrogator quickly corrected him, “because you just got released from the hospital five minutes ago. You can start building your strength back up gradually beginning tomorrow. Today you’re supposed to take it easy.”

“Yare, yare, it’s always something.” the copy-nin muttered in frustration, “Why bother letting me leave if I can’t do anything.”

“You’re walking across the village . . . I’d say that’s quite a lot after spending so many weeks in the hospital. Besides, you need to save some energy for later on.” the scarred man reasoned patiently.

When they reached their room the pair was surprised to find the door open and Kurenai sitting in a chair waiting for them. “Finally.” she exclaimed in delight, leaping up to wrap her arms around a startled copy-nin, hugging him tightly and planting a kiss on his cheek, smiling to herself when red blossomed over the edge of his ever-present mask.

“What was that for?” Kakashi asked suspiciously.

“I’m glad you’re out of the hospital. I’ve missed talking to you.” the kunoichi explained happily.

“You talked to me every day.” the copy-nin retorted, obviously confused.

“That’s not the same, silly.” she chuckled, patting his cheek and settling him on the couch before fetching a cup of tea and pressing it into a pale hand. “Drink up, it will give you energy.” she advised.

Kakashi sipped his tea, careful to keep an eye on every move the dark-haired woman made, content to trust Ibiki not to overstep his invisible boundaries. “So, Kurenai,” he ventured tentatively once he’d had a few sips of tea and caught his breath after the exertion of the walk, “what brings you here?”

“I wanted to ask what you were wearing to the rehearsal tonight.” she explained, “I wasn’t sure what you had here . . . I’d be glad to go pick up something for you if you’d like.” she hastened to add with a broad pleased smile, already happily planning a shopping trip.

“Ibiki said I could wear whatever I wanted tonight.” the copy-nin replied in a slightly panicked tone.

“Within reason.” Kurenai conceded, “No uniform . . . and no basic blacks either.” she scolded, seeing the thoughts ticking through both men’s brains. “Morino-san, you can wear that outfit you got for your first date . . . as I recall that will do quite nicely. As for you,” the dark-haired kunoichi mused, tapping her finger on her chin as she studied the wary jounin, “Show me what you have and we’ll decide what to do.”

A hour later Kakashi was trying on yet another selection for the choosy woman, hoping against hope that this one would pass her critical inspection. “Well?” he muttered sulkily when he came out of the bathroom, holding his arms out stiffly and spinning rapidly in place.

“No, that won’t do either.” she finally declared after studying him intently, “Why don’t you try this shirt instead?” she suggested, picking one out of the pile next to her seemingly at random and shoving it at the copy-nin.

“I think that’s enough for today, Kurenai. Why don’t you just go pick something up and drop it off here for ‘kashi. It’s time for him to rest a bit . . . he did just get out of the hospital.” Ibiki declared, concern apparent in his voice.

“Of course, you’re right. I’m sorry to have intruded for so long.” the kunoichi replied stiffly, “I’ll drop some things by for you later Kakashi.”

“I didn’t mean to offend you Kurenai.” the interrogator ventured apologetically, “I just don’t want ‘kashi to end up back in the hospital.”

“I understand Morino-san . . . I didn’t realize how long we’d been at it.” Kurenai responded graciously, “Tell Kakashi I’ll see him later.”

“Thank you Kurenai.” the scarred man replied honestly, “You took his mind off worrying about tonight. But now he needs to get some rest or he’ll never make it through the evening. It wouldn’t do to have him nod off during dinner, after all.”

Once he’d seen her out, the interrogator returned to the bedroom, sweeping the piles of clothes onto the floor before beckoning the copy-nin over to sit next to him. “You,” he declared teasingly, hooking a finger under Kakashi’s mask and pulling it down to pool around his neck, “need a nap . . . and I’m going to join you.” He pulled the startled jounin into his arms, settling them together spooned comfortably on their sides, Ibiki’s muscular arms wrapped around the lanky torso as he snuggled close to husk in a delicate ear, “You have no idea how much I’ve missed holding you.”

The copy-nin tried to resist, remaining stiff and rigid as he fought the urge to succumb to the pleasure of relaxing in Ibiki’s arms after so long apart. The longer he laid there, however, the sleepier he became, until he finally slumped bonelessly against the interrogator’s warmth, murmuring a pleased hum when the scarred man’s arms automatically tightened to keep him close. “Love you sweetheart.” Ibiki rumbled happily before shutting his eyes and relaxing into the first real sleep he’d had in weeks.

Kakashi woke from his nap feeling better than he had since leaving Konoha. Although he tried to attribute it to the exhilaration of leaving the hospital, he knew that it was mostly due to the comforting presence of the man still cradling him tenderly. The copy-nin inhaled the fragrance of his lover, comforted by the earthy musk he associated with the scarred man.

“Did you sleep well ‘kashi?” Ibiki rasped sleepily, running his hand soothingly up and down the copy-nin’s side as he waited for an answer.

“Yes, surprisingly well.” Kakashi answered honestly, “I feel better than I have in months.”

“That’s because you belong with me.” the scarred man declared possessively, “Your body knows it, even if you aren’t willing to admit it.”

“Or it could be that I’m just relieved to be out of the hospital and free to do as I please for the first time in months.” the copy-nin snarked back, unwilling to be pressured into admitting he enjoyed the scarred man’s company.

“Well then let me remind you.” Ibiki whispered, pulling the jounin back into his arms and kissing him deeply, smiling to himself when Kakashi immediately opened his mouth, groaning into the kiss as their tongues battled desperately. “Gods you taste good.” the interrogator broke away to exclaim before diving back in, skillfully devouring the copy-nin’s mouth, his agile tongue mapping every nook and cranny for future reference.

For his part Kakashi was content to be swept away in the passion of the moment, only coming to his senses when the scarred man’s rigid length rubbed insistently against his thigh. The copy-nin pulled back abruptly, blinking away the glamour that had caught him up and rooting himself firmly, once again, in the real world. “Ibiki, stop . . . I can’t.” he protested feebly.

“Can’t what sweetheart?” the interrogator rumbled happily, “Your lips seem to be working just fine.”

“But you’re . . .” the copy-nin gestured uncomfortably toward the bulge resting against his thigh.

“You don’t need to concern yourself with any of that.” Ibiki insisted, “I just want to hold you and kiss you . . . can I do that ‘kashi?”

“But what about you?” the jounin retorted petulantly, “You’ll only end up frustrated.”

“I promise I’m not frustrated.” the interrogator swore solemnly, “Believe me, I can think of much worse things to suffer through than an unsatisfied erection.”

“But eventually you’ll get tired of always being left unsatisfied.” Kakashi worried.

“I doubt it.” the scarred man snorted, “If not, I have two perfectly good hands. Now, shall we get back to what we were doing?”

“I think we need to get ready now.” the copy-nin demurred, “After all, if we’re late Kurenai is sure to come hunting for us . . . you wouldn’t want her to walk in on us in a compromising position, now would you?”

“Sweetheart if I’m with you I wouldn’t care if the whole village strolled through to take a peek.” Ibiki declared sincerely, but Kakashi merely shuddered at the thought, carefully slipping out of bed to go in search of the clothes Kurenai had dropped off, glad for the excuse to escape. The interrogator watched him go with hooded eyes, filing the details of the copy-nin’s protests away for later when he could devise a plan to combat them, content, for now, to just bask in the pleasure of having the jounin up and around again.