Broken

------ Ch. 9 ------

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Iruka asked from behind him, still sliding the soapy rag over Kakashi's shoulders.

"Call you what?" He asked the question, even though he knew perfectly well what the chunin was referring to. Sometimes Iruka backed off when pushed, this didn't seem like a bad time for that, in the jounin's opinion. Of course, on the other hand, if Iruka pursued the question and clairified, then it meant that he was starting to get passed some of his anxiety. It might also give Kakashi more insight on how Iruka felt. A pang of guilt in his chest told the copy-nin he was more curious about the latter than the former.

It was a while before Iruka spoke, and it was hesitent, like he was having to force the question out. 'So, not over the anxiety,' Kakashi mused.

"You keep calling me Iru-koi, or am I mistaken?" The tone giving away that Iruka knew very well he hadn't misheard.

"Maa, it was the first thing I could think of that I didn't think anyone else would have used." Anyone meaning Ibiki, Naruto, or Mizuki, of course. "That and Iru'ka', Iru'koi'..." He grinned, turning to look at Iruka's face. The chunin looked like his head hurt. "You know... Iruka, dolphin, koi, fish," He winked, still grinning. [3.]

Iruka's response was to shove Kakashi under the water. "That is, the /worst/ joke ever!" He said as Kakashi broke the surface, already laughing. "Seriously, I think there is something wrong with you," the brunette laughed. "Icha Icha is rotting your brain."

"Hmph! I thought it was clever," he said, mock pouting.

The chunin swiped a hand at him, sending the water spraying at the jounin. "I'm sure it took you all of five seconds to come up with it."

Kakashi made a quick hand sign, and a wall of water came up to block the splash. "Well, I figured Iruka was too boring, Iru-kun seemed a little too obvious, and I thought you'd kill me if started calling you Iru-chan, as cute as it sounds."

"Hai, it's far too girlie." The chunin shook his head and made a hand sign of his own, shattering the water wall and spraying Kakashi in the process. "I think I would have to kill you if you tried using that one."

"I mean, if you really hate Iru-koi, that was my second choice..." Kakashi smirked. "It really is quite cute. Kind of suits you when you're blushing..."

"Don't you dare start calling me that." The chunin took another swipe at the water; this time Kakashi simply dodged.

"Aw, Iru-'chan'..." the copy-nin teased.

Iruka lunged at him, but instead of the silver-haired brat he'd been aiming to strangle, he found his hands wrapped around a towel. "Get over here so I can strangle you!"

"And ruin all the fun, Iru-'chan'?" Kakashi whispered from right behind him.
Iruka swung around, crashing into Kakashi shoving him under the water. Two pale hands grabbed the chunin's waist and pulled him beneath the water as well. Their bodies slid against one another, and the brunette found himself spluttering as the older nin pulled him to the surface again, chuckling.
"I don't know. I think you like the nickname more than you want to admit," he teased.

The chunin's face flushed, and he shoved Kakashi back. "Gomen, Kakashi-sensei. I... I... excuse me!" The words out of his mouth, Iruka turned and fled barely taking a moment to wrap a towel around his waist before darting inside.

The jounin sat there staring after him, slightly confused as he considered exactly how badly he'd screwed up, and what to do about the situation. Iruka's physical response to the teasing hadn't been apparent, do the steam and dim lighting, until he'd pulled the chunin against him. It hadn't been intentional but it seemed to Kakashi that Iruka still wasn't completely at ease with him. The thought hurt a little but he pushed it aside.

Finally, he climbed out of the hot springs and drapped a towel around himself before heading inside to find Iruka. He was hoping the chunin would still be in the bath house changing, but he wasn't exactly surprised to find the room empty.

He dried off and slipped into the gi he usually wore to bed before slipping out the door to find the chunin.

------

Surprisingly, it took him almost five minutes to locate Iruka. The brunette was perched on the roof, looking out into the forest, his chakra tucked carefully around him.

"Iruka?" Kakashi frowned when Iruka's chakra didn't even flutter. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He realized as the words left his lips that it was the first time he'd appologized to anyone who could actually hear him. The last time he'd uttered the words had been when he'd carried Naruto home unconsious after his battle with Sasuke.

"Go away, Kakashi. I'd really rather be alone right now," the chunin said without so much as sparing the copy-nin a glance.

"It's a good thing. I mean uhm.. you..." The logical explaination was that Iruka was responding to somebody, him, without the reaction having to be coaxed from him. Somehow, the words seemed a lot harder, actually, when Iruka had just told him to get lost. "Remember what I said before about how sometimes we just react. It's good that you are."

"Says you." He could practically hear Iruka rolling his eyes.

"I'm just trying to help." He took a step towards the chunin.

"Yeah, well, stop. Because I'm really not in the mood for one of your explainations at the moment. I can figure /this one/ out on my own." Iruka turned to glare at him briefly before turning his back on him again

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk down to you." Kakashi wondered if he really should leave.

Iruka sighed. "I know, and usually it really is helpful. It's just not right now, okay?"

Kakashi nodded, even though Iruka wouldn't see it. "Hai. I'll go. If you need me... I'll be inside." He moved to leave.

"You could stay... if you want." The jounin barely caught the softly spoken words and turned to look at the chunin, unsure if he'd heard them at all.

"Would it bother you if I did?" Iruka didn't say anything, merely shook his head.
Kakashi hesitated but then decided he'd probably just end up pacing downstairs and headed over. The brunette didn't turn to look at him, even as he walked over and sat down beside him.

They sat there, the silence stretching between them for what was probably hours. Kakashi was used to the quiet, and so he waited patiently for the other to break it.

"I'm sorry," Iruka said, sliding over and leaning his head against the copy-nin's shoulder. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's fine." He laid his head against the top of Iruka's, finally relaxing.

"I think it's time to go home. I'm ready." The words were soft, sleepy even, but confident.

Kakashi wanted to argue, but he knew he'd be lying to himself only to delay the inevitable. "Alright."

[3.] Obvious play on Iruka meaning dolphin is when it's written as Kanji, not sure if this holds for the endearment but it's simply meant to be corny and cheesy.