Sins of the Family

A big thank you goes out to 'JB' for beta'ing this chapter!! This chapter almost rotted my teeth from all the sweet. 

 

 

Chapter 7. A Love Found, Then Lost Again



“I don’t believe it!” Iruka grumbled an hour later, both he and Kakashi were snugly wrapped in blankets as they waited for their clothes to dry by the heat of the campfire. The Chuunin could barely contain the anger and frustration from seeping into his voice as he gave his comrade a disgruntled look. “Why do you insist on me waiting again, and this time so far from the village?”



“It’s just a precaution, and I promise that it will be the last time that I’ll be leaving you behind.” Kakashi had returned to the campsite only a short time ago after hunting for a boar to satisfy his pack of nin-dogs, who were now on patrol. He had dismissed Pakkun for the night and then stripped off his wet clothes to dry alongside Iruka’s pants. The Jounin had a new mask comfortably in place, and like the Chuunin, had opted not to wear a Hitai-ate while his hair dried. The Sharingan eye remained closed as he tended to the cooking fish.



“Mmm, these smell good.” Kakashi turned the generous portions of skewered fish that were set near the crackling fire. “As a teacher, you should know that it is foolhardy to charge into an enemy encampment without a proper plan. Right now it is just speculation that the local gang of renegade shinobi thugs is behind your assassination attempts, and we don’t even have a proper head count of its members. This ‘Kanzaka Gang’ seems to be based inside Gizan Village itself; and I have yet to find any signs of enemy scouts patrolling the valley. I doubt that anyone would venture out in a remote place such as this, so you should be fairly safe with the nin-pack while I talk to Matsuri-san for the last time.”



The Chuunin sighed in exasperation and looked over at the dark waterfall that could be heard crashing nearby. “I still think that it would be wiser for me to accompany you for reinforcement tomorrow, who knows what can happen—and there’s no real reason for me to stay behind if you’re just gathering information. I’m eager to do something other than sit around all day!”



“Oh? Were my books not entertaining enough for you?” Kakashi wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.



“And besides,” Iruka continued, ignoring Jounin’s attempt to divert the conversation. “What about the mule and the cart? Won’t it seem suspicious if you were to return suddenly after abandoning it at the Inn for nearly two days? Any shinobi with half a brain would be watching it and the movements of outsiders in their town.”



“I’ve already sold everything that’s so burdensome a few days ago.” Kakashi selected a cooked fish and sniffed at it before taking a careful bite. “I’ve told Matsuri-san and anyone else that would listen that ‘Takahiro the Wandering Merchant’ had decided to visit someone outside the village to pay off gambling debts, though I wasn’t specific on who it was, and no one followed me when I left.” The Jounin spat out a long fishbone into the fire. “When I return, I will just tell Matsuri-san that I was delayed by this ‘someone’ who was a fishmonger—and that I had acquired a fair amount of fresh fish after a few hands of dice. It will help cement my image as Takahiro being an unassuming merchant with gambling problems.”



Iruka picked up a roasted fish for himself. “That would make a good alibi, but don’t forget that farmers are usually mean hagglers if you try to sell the fish to them.” The Chuunin smiled at his own words, recalling the sometimes heated bartering he had exchanged at the market stalls in Konoha. At the thought of his hometown and the elite shinobi that had volunteered to allow his escape, he suddenly became incredibly homesick. His appetite now gone he put aside the food and lost himself to his memories while he stared into the fire.



“What’s wrong?” Kakashi asked, interrupting Iruka’s thoughts.



“Nothing, I was just thinking of home.”



“Hmm, you really are a homebody” The Jounin had a thought that might lift the Chuunin-Sensei’s mood. “I have been meaning to send a messenger bird back to the Hokage to update her on our location and whatnot.” Kakashi produced a tiny strip of paper and a fine-tipped pen from his traveling pack. “Is there anything that you would like me to add?”



At first Iruka’s mind drew up a blank, then Naruto’s beaming face materialized. “I never had time to formalize any paperwork before we left. Please tell Tsunade-sama to make the proper arrangements for Naruto to inherit everything if I never come back.”



“Aren’t we pessimistic?” Kakashi said dryly, though his words held understanding at the decision. He scratched a few coded words onto the slip of paper then carefully tucked it away to send in the morning. “Naruto must really mean a lot to you to go as far as you’ve said” he observed.



“He’s an orphan who’s had no adult to depend on his entire life.” Iruka scratched the bridge of his nose where his prominent scar fell. “I know what it is like to be alone like that, I’d never wish for that on any child. Making him my heir is the least I can do for him.”



The Jounin said nothing for a while. “Your parents were killed by the Kyuubi, were they not? I’m sure you’ve felt differently at one time, like many of Konoha's residents still do.”



Iruka’s expression tightened. “I did, at one time” he confessed. “I’ve even went so far as to make a request to the Third Hokage to be transferred to a different class when I first heard that I was to teach the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails.” The Chuunin’s mouth quirked at the memory of his former mentor. “He refused of course. Sandaime-sama insisted that I’d be his teacher, and told me that Naruto was not the Kyuubi that I hated and feared, but like me, was another orphaned victim of the tragedy. I think because of that similarity, he knew that I would eventually be able to sympathize with Naruto, and acknowledge him as a person and not the monster who killed my family.”



“That would make sense. The Sandaime was both a wise man and perceptive Hokage.” Kakashi saw that Iruka had not touched the food since his mood had slumped; the Chuunin still radiated gloominess. He pointedly handed the cooked fish back to the other man. “Eat. You need to keep up your strength.”



Iruka eyed both the Jounin and the offered food for a few moments, and then gingerly accepted it. “You’re awfully pleasant all of a sudden after being a dick all day” he said bluntly.



Kakashi masked his urge to cringe at the accusation by turning it into a casual shrug. It had been unrealistic to hope that Iruka had forgotten about his earlier rude behavior. “I had a lot on my mind today.” 



“Oh really?” The Chuunin set the roasted fish aside and folded his arms in an obvious display of being unconvinced, and waited for the Jounin to say more.



“I err...was just lost in my thoughts on strategizing our upcoming assault...” Kakashi continued lamely, faltering a bit under the hard disapproving gaze.



Iruka raised an eyebrow at that, and remained patiently waiting.



Kakashi sighed and conceded to his defeat. “All right, I was really worried for you.”



“Ah.” Iruka held up a finger. Pakkun be damned, there had to be a different reason behind Kakashi’s distraction, and he knew that he was close to the root of the cause. “If that were true, then why didn’t you just say so?”



“Well...it’s complicated.”



The Chuunin was unmoved. “Try me.”



“It’s difficult for me to say this” Kakashi said after a long pause, he looked up at his companion, his one unclosed eye carefully held no expression. “I really like you, Sensei.”



Iruka’s heart fluttered under the Jounin’s intense look. He felt the familiar heat of his damnable blush spread across his face, and turned away. “I thought I told you not to call me Sensei” he muttered.



“Sorry, I really like you Iruka.” Kakashi's voice was gentle as he studied the varied emotions that flickered across the Chuunin’s face, who did not meet his gaze. “I think you feel similar, don’t you?” he ventured.



“Why?” Iruka whispered hoarsely, his fists clenched at the blanket he wore wrapped around his body as if it could offer protection. “Why would you like me like that? I’m a nobody compared to you.”



Kakashi was a little shocked by those words. “I can’t really say why” he admitted. “But I like you for who you are, and because you’re a fellow shinobi.”



Iruka looked up. “Why would that matter?” 



“Not very many citizens can understand what we must go through, and I have lived my entire life on the battlefield” he replied softly. “With a history such as mine, establishing a normal relationship becomes extremely difficult, and it is far more convenient and fulfilling to love a fellow comrade who could comprehend the hardship of being used as a living weapon.” 



Suddenly uncomfortable at revealing so much, Kakashi pulled a set of kunai from his pack and busied himself with honing the blades on a small stone. “I find it easier to relate to a comrade who can understand the hell of war, and its repercussions.” The Copy-nin shrugged. “Those amongst the Jounin and ANBU ranks generally live a short violent life. A living weapon must chose to either become just that, or make the effort to connect with people to retain a small measure of humanity. I feel the need to be with someone, and I’ve tried my best but I usually end up with unsatisfying people. Even among my fellow warriors, the temptation to use their partners for their own means is a very real threat. One must be extremely careful on where to invest their feelings.” 



For a very long time, both men said nothing. The only sounds that filled the silence were Kakashi’s kunai grating on the whetstone and the fire that crackled and popped as it consumed the bone dry wood.



“Mizuki was my first.” Iruka started tentatively, his brown eyes were fixed on the flames and his hands tightened and relaxed in nervous agitation. “We had been childhood friends since the Nine-Tails attack that took away my parents, and his mother. Mizuki was the only one who saw something deeper in me other than the class prankster I tried to be, and I cherished his friendship.”



Kakashi paused in sharpening his weapons to listen.



“However, as the years went by I had developed an informal friendship with the Third Hokage. Mizuki became jealous of the Sandaime giving me attention and he started to hurt me. It was little things at first with stinging comments and crude jokes on my part--but he refused to leave my side. There were too many good memories between us, and I chose to ignore the signs since he was my only close friend, and then shortly after I confided to him that I wasn’t attracted to women he leapt upon the opportunity to seduce me.”



Iruka’s head bowed with shame. “I was a lonely fool and allowed him to do as he would in fear of losing his companionship. He gave me what I wanted at first, attention and love, but shortly thereafter he used my emotions as a tool to manipulate the relationship for his own means.” The Chuunin’s clasped hands trembled slightly at the memory of his weakness. “My need to be loved was only a carrot to dangle before my face, I had a taste for it and I followed Mizuki around for any chance to experience it again, which he would only present whenever we fought or I threatened to leave. It was only at the end when I finally had enough of being taken for granted that he really turned for the worse. A few months later he went so far as to turn traitor and use Naruto to obtain the forbidden jutsu scrolls.” 



The Chuunin sighed and ran a hand through his loose hair. “I never thought that he would actually go so far as attacking me or Naruto. It was only then that I realized how little I had ever meant to Mizuki. The years of friendship, the love, and the torment I went through for the sake of it—it was all just a waste. I had been used the whole time.” A shaky breath escaped Iruka’s lips when he finished. It was a part of his personal history that he had never confessed with anyone, and he felt a little light headed after exposing so much. “I’ve been afraid to try anything serious ever since. I know it is stupid to feel that way over a miserable and spiteful person like Mizuki.”



“No, it’s not stupid, just logical.” Kakashi said as he wiped his last kunai clean and tucked it away. “It’s only natural for anyone who has been treated as such to push others away. It is possible for it to happen again, but like any mission you must take what you learned from a disaster and become stronger and more cautious by it.”



“That’s true…” Iruka grimaced, and his shoulders sagged unhappily. “I just miss what we once shared, even though I know that it will never be the same between us. The person I once loved had died, and turned into someone that I no longer recognize.” 



The loss that showed in the Chuunin’s face tugged at Kakashi’s heart. The Jounin quietly stood up and walked over to kneel before the younger man. On a whim, he pulled the mask off his head. Iruka’s brown eyes widened as both of Kakashi’s mismatched eyes opened to better hold his gaze. “He never deserved you, Iruka. You are too good a man to waste such love on a person who would willingly throw it away.” The Jounin’s visible scar across his left eye twitched, and he placed a hand over his companion’s to give it a slight squeeze to emphasis what words could not convey that he felt.



Iruka’s posture eased a little. He closed his eyes and leaned forward, both their naked foreheads touched. Kakashi took that as an incentive, and edged himself closer until he almost pressed his left cheek against the younger man's, and with his own eyes closed he deeply inhaled the Chuunin’s subtle spicy-sweet scent.



Confused at first, Iruka nearly pulled away. But then he remembered Pakkun’s earlier words. ‘That’s right, he likes my scent’ he relaxed, and allowed himself to enjoy the earthy musk that belonged to Kakashi. The Jounin’s long index finger gently brushed the surface of the Chuunin’s knuckles; Iruka lifted his hand to allow their fingers to intertwine. Deciding to take the risk, Kakashi bent his head to nuzzle at the Chuunin’s neck through the loose dark hair. Iruka gasped at the unexpected contact.



“Iruka?” Kakashi pulled away to study the other man's expression, whose face was flushed and body tense. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—“ Iruka cut off Kakashi’s words by thrusting himself forward with a kiss that nearly knocked the older shinobi over on his back. Kakashi made a surprised sound that was muffled by the Chuunin’s mouth; he was completely taken aback by the force of the other man’s intent. Iruka pulled back on hearing the sound. “I’m sorry, was I too forward?” 



“Forward?!” Kakashi laughed and pulled the younger man off his perch to straddle his lap on the ground. “I’d say so.” He had always suspected the Chuunin-Sensei to be more timid and shy when it came to initiating physical contact, providing how easily the younger man blushed. It was quite a pleasant surprise to be proven otherwise.



“Would you like me to go on then?” Iruka asked, and received a sarcastic snort in reply. “Stupid question, I guess” he chuckled nervously. "Sorry, it's been a while for me."



The Jounin touched his nose against his companion’s and smiled. “Whatever you like.” He moved back to exploring Iruka’s neck, his breath ghosted across the exposed skin which sent a delicious tingle down the Chuunin’s spine. The fingers of his left hand played with the ends of the dark hair that fell behind the tanned shoulders. “I really like your hair down.”



“It gets in the way when I’m hunched over a desk.” Iruka brushed a loose strand of the somewhat damp hair from his brown eyes. “I leave it down when I’m at home.” He shifted his weight on Kakashi’s lap then abruptly halted in his movement. “Um...” Iruka scooted back uncomfortably, suddenly aware of himself and the other man’s aroused state. He looked down wide-eyed to see two unmistakable lumps under the thin blankets.



“And what shall we do with these?” Kakashi teased, and gripped the other man around the waist to pull him a bit closer, and then bucked his hips up slightly--and was rewarded with Iruka inhaling sharply at the contact, the Chuunin closed his eyes and pressed back with a small moan. With a grin at seeing the younger man’s flushed wanton expression, Kakashi carefully began to pull the blanket off his companion’s body. 



“Kakashi,” Iruka said sternly and gripped the Jounin’s arms to still them. “I can only go so far so soon.” He swallowed audibly and warily studied the mismatched eyes, searching for possible deception or a negative reaction to his plea.



The Copy-nin was hard pressed on hiding his disappointment; he was used to going all the way with his partners on the first sexual encounter, but he decided that Iruka had the right to go at his own pace and that the Chuunin was worth the wait. “Alright” he said honestly after a few moments. Trust was definitely important to establish between them, and as much as Kakashi wanted to ravish the other man he would restrain himself until permitted otherwise.



Iruka smiled gratefully and visibly relaxed. The gratitude on the younger shinobi’s face alleviated Kakashi’s disappointment a little. “Thank you” the Chuunin said and kissed him deeply on the mouth, and then determinedly started to work his way down by kissing and gently nipping at the pale neck while pressing against Kakashi’s shoulders to encourage the older shinobi to lie down.



“What are you-?” Kakashi was mildly puzzled at first, and was about to complain about the discomfort of the hard river stones pressing into his back when both his eyes widened as Iruka’s mouth quickly began to travel down the Jounin’s chest, then his belly, then down to his...



Kakashi shuddered at the sensation of the hot breath on his erection. He arched his back to press up but then Iruka pulled away with his mouth a few inches above the twitching cock, and smirked with a devious glint in his eyes.



“You’re a bad Sensei!” Kakashi scolded, his breath hitched to near-groan.



“I have my moments,” the Chuunin agreed and licked up the base of the Copy-nin's hard erection, and savored the moan that he elicited. “And besides, I have to enjoy myself possessing the upper hand against a first rate Jounin while I have it.”



“Enjoy it while you can” Kakashi playfully warned, and gently wove his fingers through Iruka’s long hair with the slightest of tugs to encourage him to continue. Iruka did so with gusto, he licked and sucked while gently scratching and kneading the other man’s inner thighs. His sharp teeth just barely scraped around the rim of the throbbing head where a thin stream of precum had begun to trickle down. “You are such a fuckin’ tease!” Kakashi hissed through clenched teeth, his Sharingan captured every perfect detail of the Chuunin's actions. He wanted now more than ever to take the other man here and now, but was able to restrain himself to his partner's pace. Kakashi quickly realized that Iruka's surprisingly talented tongue was working far too well, and that his Root Chakra was going to quickly overflow and make him cum all over this partner's face before he knew it. He then had an idea that could satisfy both their needs, and gently tilted the younger man’s face to meet his own. “Sit up."



Iruka raised an eyebrow at the command, but complied and then scooted backwards until his back was pressed against the smooth log that he had earlier sat upon. The Jounin's face was shadowed by the bright fire which outlined his crouched body and turned his silvery hair to a dull gold; all that could be seen of the darkened features was the Sharingan that glinted with an unsettling red light reflected by the flames. Iruka had a fleeting image of himself as a rabbit about to be pounced by a hungry wolf, and briefly wondered if the comparison was an entirely good or bad one to make for his situation. 



Kakashi took a moment to appreciate the sight of a fully naked Iruka poised before him; the tanned skin illuminated by the flickering firelight, his mused dark hair, and the hint of apprehension that flavored the lust in those brown eyes as the Chuunin waited expectedly for the him to make the next move. 



A little unnerved by that unwavering red stare, Iruka drew his knees up in an awkward attempt to cover himself. Kakashi crawled purposely forward, his movements lithe and graceful as a cat on the prowl. Iruka understood then that the Jounin’s earlier reference of himself being a ‘living weapon’ was an entirely too accurate one--every inch of muscle on the shinobi’s lean body spoke volumes of deadly strength and power that the Chuunin could never hope to achieve, and the normally subdued chakra pattern that belonged to his comrade was now seeping with untapped energy. Iruka’s skin broke out in goose bumps at comprehending how truly outmatched he was when compared to sheer prowess with the infamous Copy-nin.



Kakashi ceased in his advancement once he was close enough, and then gently pulled the drawn-up legs apart. Iruka could not prevent himself from flinching when firm hands slipped under his bare thighs and then hoisted him up to straddle the smooth log with the Jounin settled close before the younger shinobi.



“You’re so twitchy” Kakashi teased and tenderly kissed the other man in an attempt to soothe the last of his doubts. “Nothing too bad is going to happen...” His right hand strayed downward to grip both their erections, dexterous fingers carefully slid up and down the base of both their cocks with the heads barely touching. Iruka groaned at the touch, and felt himself twitch sporadically in the Copy-nin’s hand. Kakashi smirked “...Unless you want it to!” he gave both a squeeze.



“S-shit!” Iruka hissed and twitched his hips forward as the Jounin’s hand started to move into a rhythmic pump over both their erections. His fingers dug into the older shinobi’s shoulders as the heat within his groin began to rapidly increase. A low growl rumbled in the Kakashi’s throat at the pleasurable sensation of Iruka’s sharp nails cutting into his flesh. He leaned over the Chuunin to scrape his teeth on the hard muscle between shoulder and neck, then bit down hard.



The added stimulation of pain intermingling with Kakashi’s administrations caused Iruka to lose the last part of his self-control. He choked back a cry and bucked wildly against the other man. Kakashi forcefully pushed Iruka to lie down on his back before they lost their balance off the log; the Jounin grunted and gave up using his hand when the Chuunin wrapped a leg over his waist to press himself for more friction. Iruka’s breath hitched, and then all coherent thought exploded when pleasure overtook his senses. Kakashi's teeth released its hold on Iruka's neck and he pressed his lips against the Chuunin's to smother the cries while the younger man rode out his orgasm. After a few more quick thrusts, Kakashi’s body shuddered with his own release, and added to the sticky mess between their two bodies. 



Iruka breathed heavily and remained where he was; his body now completely spent. Kakashi hovered above and lightly panted from exertion. The Chuunin looked up into the mismatched eyes beaming down at him; the smile that graced the Jounin’s uncovered face momentarily took his breath away. Iruka had always thought Kakashi handsome, but now he looked utterly striking with his silver hair askew and pale skin glistening with a slight sheen of sweat. He smiled back, and felt warmth for the veteran shinobi fill his heart. ‘I can really fall in love with this man’ he thought amidst his dizzying euphoria. 



“So you’re a screamer?” Kakashi grinned, completely ruining the moment. His tone implied that he was not very surprised at the discovery, and was more amused by it.



Iruka blinked a few times at the statement, then his left eye twitched in response. “Leave it to you to ruin the mood” he grumbled.



“I don’t know what you’re talking about--I’m always in the ‘mood!’” The Jounin nuzzled the bite mark he had made on the right side of the Chuunin’s neck. “And speaking of which, I believe that it’s my turn.”



“For what?” Iruka absently asked, and craned his neck to give the older shinobi better access to lick the bruised spot on his skin. 



Kakashi pulled away to give his lover a wolfish grin. “You’ll find out soon enough!” His smug face began to travel downwards towards the younger man’s groin.



“Oh!” Iruka’s brown eyes widened in understanding, then rolled back in pleasure as the Copy-nin started to prove that he was as talented with his tongue as he was with his hands. 



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Kakashi awoke to a peaceful misty dawn. His normal right eye roamed the clear pink skies above, and he heard the now familiar crash of the waterfall mingled with morning birdsong. Despite the lack of rest he had endured in the last two days, he felt refreshed and energized enough to begin his long journey back to Gizan Village. 



He glanced down at the cause of his sleepless night. Iruka had fallen asleep with an arm flung around the Jounin's chest, the younger man's eyes were closed and his breathing was relaxed and even, proving that he was still asleep. Kakashi took a moment to smile faintly at the tranquil expression in the Chuunin's face, then gently moved the arm and rolled off their combined sleeping pallets. 



"You're leaving already?" a familiar sleepy voice asked.



The Jounin had only half expected his companion to have awakened from his movements. With his Sharingan eye closed, he turned to smile down at the Chuunin. "I will be back sometime in the afternoon. Pakkun and the rest of the pack will be here to guard the perimeter."



Iruka did not reply, and laid unmoving on the bedroll while Kakashi, who remained naked, walked to the river bank with a strip of cloth to wash the evidence of the previous night from his body. Iruka's eyes roamed all over the Jounin's tall lean form, noting the horrific scars that marred the pale skin in several lethal areas. The bright morning sunlight brought the evidence of the Copy-nin's many battles into terrifying detail. the Chuunin slipped from the pallet and joined the older shinobi by the water. "Are you sure that you want me to stay?" he quietly asked.



"Yes." Kakashi simply replied, his voice brooked no argument as he continued to wash his chest. "I don't want you near the town when it's not necessary, there are still the safety of the village to consider if things get nasty."



"Do we even have a plan?" Iruka's eyes were fixated on a thin scar that ran down the left side of Kakashi's neck to the middle of the shoulder blades, which had meant to slice into his vertebrae.



The Jounin's shoulders shrugged. "Not really at this point. We can't keep you in hiding forever, and right now the best way to form a plan is for me to gather as much information as possible before a confrontation. The old miller is the best source, especially since I've earned a little of his trust after that Akiyuki woman showed up at his door."



Iruka turned away to kneel before the bank. He cupped river water in his hands and splashed it into his face; the shock of cold woke his groggy senses immediately.



"Iruka," Kakashi sighed, sensing the Chuunin's dour mood. "I meant what I said last night that this will be the last time."



"I really hope so," Iruka frowned. "My life has been disrupted enough as it is, and I miss Konoha." He looked up at the Copy-nin, and smiled shyly. "But at least some good things have happened because of it."



"I agree." the Jounin rinsed the cloth, then wrung it and started to wash his lover's back. With the mask removed, he had to hide the lecherous smirk from showing on his face at seeing the blossoming bruise of the love bite he had made on the Chuunin's neck. Perhaps he had been around dogs for too long if he felt an urge to mark his territory, though Iruka meant far more to him than a sexual conquest. In truth, Kakashi would feel more at ease knowing that Iruka was safely tucked away from the enemy's radius, but he would never admit so much in order to avoid wounding the younger man's pride.



After they had finished washing and dressing some minutes later, Iruka was down on his hands and knees besides the dead campfire. He cursed colorfully at the loose hair falling into his eyes as he searched for something small that had been lost the night before.



"Looking for this?" Kakashi appeared before his companion and held up the one remaining elastic hairband.



"Thank the gods you've found it!" Iruka cried and made a grab for hairband, only to see the Jounin's hand close around it. He scowled at the mischievous glint that appeared in the one visible eye on the masked face. "Give it."



"Hmm, I don't think so." Kakashi pulled the band over his right wrist to hide under the fingerless glove. "I would like to hold on to the memory of last night a little longer." 



Iruka was touched by the Jounin's words, and found it hard to remain sulky. He stood up with a resigned sigh. "Very well, just don't break or lose it." He looked Kakashi over carefully, knowing that the Jounin was about to leave. "I never thought that you would be the sentimental type."



"Only for those things that are important to me." Kakashi quietly replied, and pressed his cloth covered cheek against bare skin of the Chuunin's. "It will give me a reason to hurry back."



Iruka tugged the mask down and fiercely kissed the exposed lips. Kakashi responded in turn, then they both regretfully pulled away. "Please be careful" Iruka whispered. "I mean it."



"I always am." Kakashi smiled through his adjusted mask, then before Iruka could say more, he disappeared, leaving the Chuunin alone and blinking through a puff of white smoke in his wake.



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"I'm sorry to say this, Takahiro-san, but you have been cheated on all those fish." The old rice miller Matsuri chuckled and set two chipped ceramic cups on the worn kitchen table before his companion, who grinned back at the jibe.



"Don't I know it!" Kakashi/Takahiro agreed, and uncorked the sake bottle he had brought and poured Matsuri's cup first. There had been no means for him to preserve the meat he had caught the day before, with the hot summer weather quickly spoiling it. The best he could do was seal the majority of the fish inside an items summoning scroll then deposit them into a stolen basket upon entering the village. Maintaining the illusionary genjutsu of the old man 'Nakayama Takahiro' was proving to be an effective one. He had arrived in Gizan unmolested by unwanted company and had made a brief customary appearance in the village market in a show of trying to sell the fish, and had expectantly failed at doing so.



"Ah well." Takahiro/Kakashi sighed. "I'm sure that the old meat will come in handy for fertilizer in your fields. You can just have the lot since it's worthless as food." He drained the cheap sake, and brushed a few stray drops from the illusionary short grey beard he wore on his face.



"Yes, the fertilizer would be appreciated. It has not been a good year for my crops." Matsuri took a small drink from his own cup. The aged miller studied his companion speculatively over the rim of his cup, as if trying to reach a decision before he spoke again.



"The villagers seem more at ease this morning when I was at the market." Kakashi/Takahiro said as he sipped his drink, noting the strange way the old man was observing him. "Is there a festival coming up? I am not very familiar with this area of the River Country."



"No, there are no festivals here." Matsuri replied, still giving his companion that searching look. "Not since the Hashibara clan was destroyed."



"Hmm? That seems a strange reason to not hold celebrations." Kakashi was glad for the opening. "Especially for an event that happened so long ago."



For a long time Matsuri stared levelly at his companion, his expression unreadable. “Tell me,” he said carefully. “Why should I bother saying anything when the person I am speaking to hides behind the mask of another?”



Kakashi coolly eyed the old miller and placed his cup down. “What would make you say that?”



“I have spent my childhood serving a shinobi house, and I know when I am in the presence of a warrior.” Matsuri paused to pour more sake in their cups. "Many servants who serve powerful clans are given a little training in order to better protect their masters."



“You seem rather unconcerned.” Kakashi observed as he accepted the cup and waited for the old man to take the first sip. As per his routine before meeting Matsuri, the Jounin had secretly performed an illusion disabling jutsu in order to confirm the rice miller's identity. He could sense neither a warrior's aura nor any ill intent from the old man, but remained alert and wary. 



Matsuri shrugged. "Call it an old man's intuition, but I sense that you are nothing like those shinobi thugs who rule this town. Anyone who works for Kanzaka would not make the effort to earn my friendship and trust when looking for information...when it would be just as effective to torture me--or my family."



"You have a point there." Kakashi agreed and discreetly scratched under his black eyepatch to verify with his Sharingan that the old man really was not an imposter and found nothing to prove otherwise. "How did you know?" he asked, honestly curious.



“It took me a while to figure it out" Matsuri admitted. "Your illusion technique is superb, but a little more work is needed at using less grace in your movements while masquerading as an old man, Takahiro-san—if that is really your name." He gave the Jounin a long hard look. "And I also could not help but notice how you have been attempting to pump me for information on the Hashibara clan. Please enlighten me. Why would an outsider shinobi go through such trouble to dig up an old tragedy in a backwater town such as this?”



“I cannot say.” Kakashi stiffly replied. 



"Hmph. I figured as much."



"I am assuming," Kakashi continued, his hard tone reaffirmed his dominance in the conversation. "That the shinobi clan you had once served was the Hashibara family."



Matsuri bowed his head in defeat, knowing that he had little choice in the matter. The Old miller had the safety of his family to consider if he continued to evade the strange shinobi’s questions; he might become hostile. “You see, my family had once proudly served the Hashibara clan for many generations” he started while pouring a generous amount of sake into the two half-filled cups. “The family belonged to a distant branch of nobility, but they were never the types to get too high and mighty among the villagers they oversaw. My cousin even married a member, and I myself was a playmate of the children at the time.” The old rice miller pushed the filled cup towards his interrogator. 



Kakashi made no move to accept it. "When did it all start?"



“It all began when young Minako disappeared” Matsuri stated after a few contemplative moments of sipping his drink. “Yasunori-sama, who was her father and head of the Hashibara clan, was a great warrior during the First Shinobi War. All of the neighboring countries' shinobi factions were quite new and unsteady at the time, and in the aftermath many established clan houses were greatly weakened or destroyed. The Hashibara house was an exception, for Yasunori-sama and the elder members were sufficient enough warriors to represent their clan, and were able to spare the young from participating. He ordered many of the younger generation—including his own two children—to defend Gizan while he was away in order for them to retain a small degree of their innocence.”



Kakashi could understand a father's reluctance on including his children to fight in that war. The First Shinobi War had yet to establish a basis for many forbidden ninjutsus, and several-- including the then commonly used justus to resurrect the dead, were among the more heinous atrocities committed during those terrible battles.



“Of course," Matsuri continued. "In doing so many of the younger members of the clan felt jilted at their chance to fight, and Yasunori-sama's elder daughter Minako had just turned sixteen and was eager to prove her abilities. She was not all that bad apart from being head strong and stubborn; I remember Minako being a kind and gentle girl with a smile as bright as the sun and a fiery temper to match if you rubbed her the wrong way.”



‘She definitely sounds like Iruka’s family.’ Kakashi thought wryly.



“Her younger brother Torichi and I were of a similar age, though he was less skilled than his sister and of a milder temperament. When her father returned after the war ended, both he and I were present for a very heated argument between the two, and Minako ran off that night to never return.” The old miller shook his head sadly. “Being cooped up in a peaceful village during a war of that magnitude was extremely frustrating for the younger members of the clan. None of them could truly comprehend the horrors that real war provided.”



Kakashi readily agreed at that, as testament to his own self-hardening experience during the Third Shinobi War. 



Matsuri stared down at his cup; the late afternoon sunlight that filtered through the cracked windows greatly outlined his worn face. “Yasunori-sama went to fetch her back in the morning, but returned alone a few days later a different man. Something terrible had happened to his beloved daughter, and though he would never speak of the particulars everyone knew regardless that she was dead.” His grey eyes looked up at his solemn companion. “The Hashibara house, which was once a haven during the war as a place filled with light and laughter, was diminished forever. Minako was the source of that light and once she was gone so was Yasunori-sama's spirit. And two years after that, everyone in the clan was dead.”



“What happened?” Kakashi asked.



Matsuri hesitated in answering, and looked away. 



“Please, I need to know.” The Jounin pressed, his request now almost a plea. He was too close to obtaining the answers he needed to allow the old man to stop.



The rice miller sighed wearily. “On that night all of the staff residing in the mansion was killed, and the clan members were either slaughtered or were fortunate enough to escape--judging by the missing bodies. My mother and sister died, but my aunt Yumiko was the only servant to escape with her life.” Matsuri's eyes glazed over in memory. “She came to this very house terrified out of her wits and clutching the dead infant she had been entrusted with." The old miller's grip on the ceramic cup tightened. "From what we were able to gather, Yumiko was able to hide by cowering in a closet, but through the door she saw the servants, spouses and visiting friends attack any of the Hashibara blood. She had seen my own mother become stricken with a terrible look in her eyes and sliced a child’s throat with a kitchen knife. Yumiko claimed to have not witnessed any intruders during the attack, and described the slaughter like a nightmare…committed by a vengeful demon that possessed innocents to exact its wrath."



An involuntary shudder shook the old man's thin frame. "Of course the shinobi trained members retaliated during the attack, but whatever the affliction was, it passed one-by-one to the next victim as soon as they were killed. Any who hesitated were immediately cut down. The elderly, the children, and even the infants were not spared. Yasunori-sama would not defend himself against his own wife who was not of the Hashibara blood, and was murdered by her own hand. The poor woman took her own life shortly after that. This was all made obvious when my father and some of the villagers searched the house and discovered the bodies.”



Kakashi briefly considered this new information while the old miller took several long drinks from his ceramic cup. Whatever technique it was that destroyed the Hashibara clan, it was somehow flawed and could not be used against any who possessed the family’s blood. His thoughts snapped back into attention when Matsuri seemed ready to continue.



“My aunt disappeared the next day shortly after we buried the infant. We later found her body up north at the border of our rice fields. Yumiko had stabbed herself through the heart. I can't help but wonder if whatever curse or enemy that had infiltrated the Hashibara estate had caught up to her, and her death did not result in a convenient suicide.” Matsuri pushed his drink away, an angry look darkened his face. “Shortly thereafter, Kanzaka Masao appeared with a shinobi acting as a bodyguard and started demanding payment for his ‘protection.’ Ever since, Gizan Village has been under that brute’s thumb.” The old man rubbed his lame leg. “Any who opposed his taxes were dealt severely by his thugs. He controls not only the village’s revenue but also any outgoing messages that the townspeople might try to send to the River Council for help. We are a town under siege in friendly territory, and we have long lost the will to fight back.”



“Hmm.” Kakashi mulled over what he heard. The history behind Iruka's family--though fascinating--hardly provided any clues to defeat their current foe, and only proved that it was a technique capable enough to destroy an entire shinobi clan (no less one which included a few veterans from the First War) The details surrounding the 'Hashibara Curse' coincided with Iruka's recent assassination attempts, and confirmed the last of the Jounin's speculation on the two methods being one and the same. The evidence was even more damning since the two incidents shared the strange similarity of the family's bloodline being immune to becoming possessed. The sudden appearance of the criminal boss Kanzaka after the clan’s slaughter all but pointed a finger at him being the culprit. "What can you tell me of this Kanzaka fellow?"



“Kanzaka Masao is a cripple, and always had been since he arrived.” Matsuri explained. “The Kanzaka clan were once powerful shinobi before the First War, though disreputable ones at that. It was whispered that the family once possessed a terrible power which guaranteed victory in battle, but it proved to be nothing but a myth based on what little good it did for them in the end. They were all wiped out with the exception of a few unruly brats that survived the First War, and the handful of young Kanzaka clan members were driven out of whatever village they visited. They were always causing trouble--thieving, raping, and murdering and the like. They were a product of the war's brutality after all.” 



Kakashi nodded his head in agreement. It was not unusual for groups of young shinobi who lacked the bounds of family or loyalty to become dangerous criminals. It was every country’s responsibility to remove such threats, but with a major war occurring it was understandable for a few to escape unnoticed among the chaos.



Matsuri’s mouth twitched in a slight show of disgust. “The brats feared the power of the Hashibara clan and didn’t dare enter Gizan while they were around. Based on what a traveler told my father, they instead kept to themselves at an old shrine that their family once maintained, and preyed on unsuspecting travelers. We villagers had all but forgotten about the Kanzaka clan until Masao turned up after Yasunoiri-sama's family was destroyed. There he was, a boy of no more than fifteen bound to a wheelchair and accompanied by a young blind shinobi as his bodyguard. Anyone could tell that Kanzaka Masao was the most dangerous of the pair, as crippled as he was. We had little choice but to obey his demands.”



“What of the rest of the Kanzaka clan?” Kakashi questioned. “Are they with Masao?”



Matsuri shook his head. “We have never seen them. I assume that they had either died or wandered off long ago. But for all we know they are still holed up in that old shrine by Habiki Falls in the valley.”



Kakashi felt his muscles stiffen with apprehension. “Habiki Falls? Where exactly is that?” 



“It is the largest waterfall in the north end of the valley.” Matsuri shrugged. “It's located in a remote area where few dare to travel, and is still a dangerous place if any of the Kanzaka ilk are living there. The shrine is deep in the forest a good distance away from the top of the falls--or so I've been told. I suspect that is where Masao visits when he occasionally leaves town. You've seen the villagers this morning, everyone is more at ease whenever Kanzaka and his gang are gone.”



Kakashi stood up abruptly, he tried his best to not let the alarm show on his face. Matsuri's description of the falls matched the location he and Iruka had camped at, and every particle in the Jounin's being screamed with alarm and urged for him to head back. "I must leave.” 



Matsuri's eyes become wide with fright. “What? Do you intend to seek the shrine?" he cried. "You don’t want to go there, it's a cursed place!”



"I apologize for the inconvenience I caused you, Matsuri-san" Kakashi gave the old man a stiff bow and turned away. 



"Shinobi!"



The Jounin paused. He did not turn to face Matsuri when the rice miller's words filled the room. 



"You being here, asking all these questions..." Matsuri's voice shook as it fell to a hoarse whisper. "Does this mean some of the Hashibara family survived?" 



"I cannot say." Kakashi replied flatly. "I must go."



Matsuri watched the shinobi's disguised form disappear into a puff of smoke. When the room finally cleared he found himself alone. The miller wiped his eyes with one hand, and discovered a few unbidden tears had trickled down his wizened cheeks. He could not remember the last time when he had dared to hope, but hope he did. The old man rested his forehead on his cane, and prayed for the strange shinobi's safety.



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"Iruka! They are coming!" Pakkun cried as he shot out from the forest. "We must leave now!"



The Chuunin dropped the dry kindling that he had been gathering and faced the little nin-dog. "Report!"



"Two enemies, both very strong. They're heading from the northeast and they will arrive in about five minutes."



Iruka gnawed at the bottom of his lip as his mind raced for a strategy suitable for their limited options. "We will run in the opposite direction" he decided. "Summon the pack that are patrolling the south and west areas as we go, the others should be able to slow the enemy down for a bit." He checked the pouch of kunai and paper bombs he had stored in his pouch. "I think we have just enough time to initiate the second plan of defense."



"Roger that boss." Pakkun nodded and leaped towards the trees with the Chuunin quickly following.



'I will be in serious trouble if they are both Jounin-rank shinobi' Iruka thought as they sped through the trees, his loose hair whipped behind his head from under his Hitai-ate. 'I can't outrun them for very long, but I have to buy enough time for Kakashi. I just hope that he's on his way back. If not...' he touched the rows of shuriken he had stored in his vest pouch, and his lips curled into a snarl. 'I will show them that I will not die without taking one of them with me!'



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END OF CHAPTER 7