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Chapter 6

Iruka felt terribly sick as his hand wrapped about a hidden kunai, knuckles white as he clutched the weapon yet it remained holstered as Kakashi pulled away from him. He couldn't... There was a warm hand that touched his cheek causing him to cringe faintly before realizing it was the Jounin. A tear threatened to spill but he held it back, tightening his grip on the kunai to slowly pull it free.

"How did I ever miss it, Iruka?" Kakashi seemed almost disappointed with himself, the normally lazy eye held respect and maybe, just maybe some grief at Iruka's position. He should have known that Iruka was stronger then he let on, smarter than just being a school teacher, deadlier than any Chunin.

His gaze turned into false happiness while he still lightly stroked Iruka's cheek, purposely ignoring the fact that those dark eyes were too sharp for the situation. "After all, you pack quite a punch."

With an anguished cry in his mind Iruka lashed out at Kakashi, tackling the Jounin to the ground with the tip of the deadly weapon to the other man's throat, just barely pressing in the material of the mask. "I don't want to do this Kakashi... I've ne-never killed to protect my identity."

Kakashi only smiled behind the cloth over his mouth and closed his eye. "No hard feelings. At least I can tell everyone in the afterlife that I know more about Umino Iruka then anyone else."

"Why...why do you care so much about me, Kakashi?"

The air somehow became hard to breath as the downed shinobi slowly opened his eye to gaze up at the confusion written across Iruka's features, making the smaller man so much younger than he was. Slowly the pressure from the kunai was removed from his throat and Iruka pulled away from Kakashi, staring down at his hands clasped about the weapon in his lap.

"You want to know why?" Before Iruka could take another breath he felt two strong arms slide around him from behind, soft puffs of air against his neck as Kakashi placed a feather light kiss upon his skin. He put up no resistance as the Copy Ninja removed the kunai from his loose grip, hearing it being tucked away. "Because you call to my soul."

Iruka stiffened within Kakashi's embrace, eyes wide and staring forward into the darkness. He must have heard wrong because no one could have said something like that to him, it just didn't seem to fit into Iruka's make of the world. To the dolphin, he was born to be alone as his fate was sealed with the death of his parents by the demon fox and acceptance of becoming a hunter-nin for the village. Everything...everything led to his solitude. That was it then, Kakashi was only mistaken in those feelings and Iruka bowed his head trying to push away the bite of hurt. "You must be insane..."

Stunned by the cold and distant tone, Kakashi was caught unaware when Iruka suddenly broke free of his arms taking off through the streets. He remained there for little more then half a heartbeat before giving chase but instantly felt he was at a loss with the knowledge of just how skilled Iruka really was. A rock settled in the pit of his stomach when the man's silhouette slowly disappeared from view leaving him standing alone in the night air.

Kakashi slowly turned his gaze upward to the half moon above, wishing he knew why Iruka had taken off like that. He wanted an answer from the Jounin and Kakashi gave him the truth, no one other than Iruka had ever struck Kakashi's interest so soundly that he was willing to track the brunette time and time again. With a faint smirk he thought: I'm even on time for Iruka!

It seemed that gazing at the half orb wouldn't give him the information he needed and so Kakashi started an easy walk in the direction Iruka had taken. He may be a hunter-nin but Kakashi was still part of ANBU giving him an edge of his own to track down others. With that thought in mind the walk quickly changed into a blur of speed, Kakashi's senses working nonstop while houses turned into trees, trees in open grass as the distance was crossed.

When the small field was traversed and blended back into forest Kakashi halted upon a thin branch, almost weightless as he scanned the area with his chakra. His eyes widened faintly at a light sting of energy slowly moving some ways off to his right. If he wanted to catch Iruka off-guard he would have to work without his chakra, masking himself completely by shutting it off within his body.

Making his way to the forest ground, Kakashi vanished all traces of energy, using his own stamina in running where he felt Iruka's presence last and hoping the hunter-nin hadn't put any more length between them. He pushed back branched that threatened to smack him off his feet and leapt over rocks laying in his way. It felt like he was running for hours before the trees began to thin once again, long blades of grass filling up his view with midnight flowers blooming all around in loose clusters. Silently Kakashi made his way through the waist high grasses, actually ceasing to breathe when a deep sigh came to his ears.

Creeping forward the Jounin saw that he had finally found Iruka, the man seemingly so distraught as to leave his defenses almost gone. There was a pang of guilt as Kakashi found himself being the source of Iruka's depression, of which he was determined to correct it. Using all stealth both gifted and learned Kakashi stole closer to the dolphin sitting upon a moss covered rock surrounding by the sweet smelling blossoms of the night. It seemed that Iruka's internal sensory had triggered when his head shot upwards, giving Kakashi the signal to attack.

Out from the tall grass was a blur of darkness that Iruka had little time to stop before he was toppled over, his fall cushioned by the foliage. Beyond shocked he stiffened up, ready to evade any weapon aimed at him but his vision only found a happy arch of one visible eye with a shock of silver hair. "Kakashi!"

"Tag, you're it." The Copy Ninja wished Iruka could see the wide smile on his face but the feeling disappeared when the teacher began to struggle within his grip. "Please, Iruka, don't try to get away. Listen to me just this once."

The writhing stopped though the smaller body didn't relax an inch, the only sound being the return of cricket chirps as Iruka waited for Kakashi to speak. Of course this had Kakashi off-guard since he didn't know what to say, too busy with chasing the brunette he hadn't even thought of what to tell him when he caught the illusive dolphin. "Well, I can tell you one thing. I'm not insane...completely, so don't assume I'm just having a fling of emotions."

"All right..."

"Yes, well," He coughed a moment, unsure of where to go and thinking himself an idiot for being short of words which rarely happened, if ever as Kakashi could remember. "why did you run off like that?"

"Better then killing you."

"I suppose it is but I think it's more then that."

Iruka turned his head away from Kakashi to stare at a nearby flower that had been crushed in the surprise tackle. "No one's...no one's ever said something like that to me before. Ever." Iruka could feel the embarrassed blush coming to his cheeks and wished he wasn't currently pinned beneath the fellow shinobi.

"You don't believe what I'm saying, do you Iruka?"

"I barely even know you!"

"So?" Kakashi pulled back to instead straddle Iruka's waist, arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at the younger man. When the dark orbs turned to look at him they held distrust that made Kakashi fight not to grab Iruka and kiss him...but he promised he wouldn't do that again. He settled for a frustrated sigh and idly scratched at his mask covered chin with one finger as if in deep thought. "How can I prove to you that I mean what I said?"

"I can't just say how to prove your love."

"I didn't say I love you."

As soon as Kakashi said that Iruka could feel the strong rip at his heart, maybe he didn't love the Jounin either but after saying Iruka called to his soul and then...and then admitting something like that! Iruka bit his lower lip and attempted to push Kakashi away from him but his wrists were captured in a strong yet gentle grip before they were pinned above his head. Iruka's shout of protest caught in his throat when he could feel the warmth of Kakashi's breath against his lips, their eyes locked together.

"But that doesn't mean I never will." As Kakashi leaned in further Iruka closed his eyes as he felt his heartbeat speed up, expecting a kiss that was purely Kakashi. When there was a light sweeping kiss to his cheek instead Iruka could only gape in silence when the ninja sat back up, releasing the hold on his wrists though the hunter-nin was too stunned to move. "I ask again, how can I make it possible for you to trust my words...my feelings?"

It was all too new to Iruka, never had he been put in such a position, both physical and emotional. Dumbly he gazed at Kakashi who merely sat upon his torso expecting an answer. Thoughts whirled through his mind until Iruka suddenly recalled a conversation on the radio between a confused couple.

"You want to know how Kakashi?"

"Mm-hmm."

Iruka folded his arms over his chest as well, staring the instructor in the eye with the utmost confidence. He'd see who would get out of this situation with pride intact because Iruka was tired of feeling jerked around. "If you want me to believe you, you have to court me. Try and seduce me." A familiar gleam came to Kakashi's eyes and Iruka quickly added as an after thought.

"And not physically."

"Alright. From this minute onward, I Hatake Kakashi am courting you Umino Iruka."

Well, Iruka didn't quite expect that or when Kakashi suddenly got up from sitting on the teacher and scooping the brunette from the ground into his arms. "What are you!?"

"I'm carrying you back to the village. What else would you think I was doing?"

"I can walk Kakashi!"

This only made the man hold Iruka closer to his chest with a dramatic sigh.

"But I tackled you to the ground and surely must have bruised your poor skin. To make up for the error of my ways I shall carry you all the way back to your home."

"Baka." Iruka couldn't help the faint flush of color to his face and dipped his head down as Kakashi began to walk, holding Iruka much like a newly made bride. That thought only made the dolphin's cheeks all the brighter and he tried to pull out of Kakashi's arms to walk and avoid any more contact between them.

He ceased moving when cloth covered lips brushed his ear. "I can tell you're more tired then I am so let me carry you." Iruka shivered faintly but nodded his head slowly, the tension slowly draining from his body that was gathered by the mission, to the stand-off, to running, and finally to yet another stand-off. Just this once...Iruka will let his guard fall completely.

A soft smile came to Kakashi's face as he felt Iruka's head rest against his shoulder, the hunter-nin having fallen asleep instantly. Soft breath started to warmth the side of his neck as he walked towards Hidden Leaf, not once did his muscles complain when holding the slumbering bundle.