Rating: T

Words: 4,800

Pairing: Kakashi/Iruka

Warnings: Kakashi is oblivious, and slightly stalkerish, Matchmaker!Genma (this needs to be a thing), so much fluff

Author's Note: I don't even remember how this came about but welcome to the next ship that I've quietly dragged into my armada. Sorry, not sorry?

"You realize that he likes you, right?" Kakashi half-turned to face Genma with a raised eyebrow. The man bobbed his senbon toward the missions table, hazel eyes shining with amusement. None of the shinobi gathered behind it looked at the pair in the doorway; they were too busy shuffling through the papers in front of them.

Kakashi rolled his eye skyward, then started for the door without dignifying Genma's comment with a response. His friend followed. "He's had a crush on you for so long that it's pathetic. You're too intimidating, Hatake. If you weren't so standoffish, you'd probably get laid a lot more than you do."

"What are you going on about," Kakashi asked, realizing that Genma wouldn't be dissuaded by his silence. Scratching idly at the stretch of skin exposed by his rolled sleeve, he waited. Genma grinned around the senbon perched between his lips, entirely too smug for his own good. Nothing good ever followed that expression.

"Umino likes you," Genma divulged with a smirk, watching Kakashi closely for a reaction. "I'm surprised that he doesn't faint when you hand him mission reports. Everyone knows that he has feelings for you. You cannot be this dense."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck without speaking. Genma's words usually needed to be taken with a grain of salt. They were a quarter truth, and the rest nonsense that he made up to get under someone's skin. Genma had a special talent that he honed regularly. Kakashi couldn't tell if this particular piece of information was more truth or fabrication. The jonin didn't consider himself inept when it came to other's feelings; he just didn't pay attention to things like that. Okay, maybe that qualified as slightly dense.

Umino Iruka wasn't someone Kakashi had thought about beyond his usefulness to the village. The man had been mediocre on missions, then discovered his calling as an Academy sensei. Obviously, Iruka had some skill with assigning shinobi to correct missions. Beyond that, there wasn't much. Iruka was a chunin shinobi who spent most of his time with children; he didn't interest Kakashi in the slightest.

"Don't you ever get sick of sticking your nose in other people's business," Kakashi complained, narrowing his eye at Genma.

The tokujo laughed and flashed a smile. "Never."

As much as Kakashi hated to admit it, Genma's words had gotten under his skin. He dealt with Iruka often enough that he could observe the man's mannerisms firsthand without raising suspicion. When he returned to Konoha after his latest mission, Kakashi picked his timing carefully. Iruka was the only person working the desk when Kakashi sauntered in, half completed report in one hand and smile curving his eyes.

"Hatake-san," Iruka greeted properly, nut brown eyes rising momentarily, then falling back to the box of scrolls in front of him. The chunin dug through and pulled out the one he was looking for: a list of B-rank missions. Nodding to himself, Iruka returned his attention to Kakashi. "Any trouble to report?''

Smiling beneath his mask, Kakashi placed his report into Iruka's outstretched hand. Though the other man wouldn't be able to see it, Kakashi knew that the amusement would be audible in his voice. "None at all. It was too easy, truth be told."

"Wasting your talent on missions too easy for you? Be careful that you don't start to sound arrogant," Iruka chuckled, eyes skimming over the paper that Kakashi handed him. The jonin remained silent, idly watching a strand of hair that had worked loose from the band on Iruka's head. Kakashi wondered what it looked like down, tousled, long fingers tangled in-"You cannot be serious."

Iruka's words startled Kakashi from his entirely inappropriate thoughts, and he cursed Genma for planting them there. "Hm?" Kakashi asked, keeping his ponderings to himself.

"New students could do better than this," Iruka huffed, looking at the chicken scratch handwriting that scrawled across the page. "It's almost indecipherable."

"Almost," Kakashi agreed cheerfully, watching the flush of annoyance spread up Iruka's cheeks. The color improved his appearance, settling beneath the pale scar that crossed the bridge of the man's nose. "The mission is finished, that's what counts, right?"

Kakashi placed a palm on the table and looked at the report Iruka held. "I'm exhausted. All I need is dinner and a hot shower." He noticed Iruka's hands tremble ever so slightly at the words and almost felt bad for testing the man. "You'll straighten it out for me, won't you?"

"Just this once," Iruka responded, exhaling as if he'd been holding his breath. "You're supposed to be an exemplary jonin, Hatake. You should be doing your own reports."

Kakashi eye-smiled, reaching for the paper. "If you don't have time, I can fix it." His fingertips brushed the back of Iruka's hand when the man pulled the report away. Warmth flooded through the jonin, and the page fluttered to the desk as it slipped out of Iruka's grip.

"Just don't do it again," Iruka mumbled, shuffling the papers on his desk and pointedly not looking at the jonin.

Kakashi bobbed his head in agreement and turned toward the door. Dammit, he hated when Genma was right.

Umino Iruka led a boring life. He spent most of his day at the academy, training young shinobi, and the rest of it at the mission desk. The man exhibited an admirable amount of dedication to his village for someone who rarely left Konoha. Kakashi knew that Iruka had completed several missions before becoming a sensei, but his record wasn't impressive. Sensei. That title tasted strange in Kakashi's mind as he crouched in the leafy canopy, watching the man in question. Iruka was leaving the academy after a hectic day of dealing with the brats that passed for ninja in training.

Kakashi had leisurely watched Iruka try to teach Minato-sensei's son to throw shuriken. Seeing the golden-haired boy made Kakashi's chest ache in a way that he thought he'd left behind long ago. I wish I could, sensei, but it's safer if I don't associate with him. Despite the truth in the thought, it rang hollow. Seeing the offspring of the Hokage, his Hokage, hardly able to throw a weapon made Kakashi sick to his stomach. Naruto should have been at the top of his class, following in his parents' impressive footsteps. Instead, Itachi's little brother showed him up, which led to heated words and balled fists until Iruka pushed them apart.

In the chunin's favor, he pulled Naruto aside after the lesson. Though Kakashi was too far away to hear the words, Iruka's body language clearly showed an attempt to encourage his student. Naruto shrugged out from under the hand the man placed on his shoulder, scuffing at the ground with one foot. Then, he said something that made Iruka's face redden, burst into laughter, and darted off. Kakashi chuckled from his hidden perch. Apparently, Naruto had some of Kushina's fire in him.

After classes ended, Iruka stayed late into the evening, grading papers until dusk gathered around the windows. Kakashi watched the man's brow furrow at the darkness outside as he pushed his chair back and gathered his bag. Before going home, the man stopped by the market to buy groceries. Kakashi approved of the selection of vegetables and fish that Iruka chose, and ironically, the kindness that he showed the woman running the stall. Normally, Kakashi would have marked such a thing as weakness, but in the village, it was acceptable, even fitting of someone like Iruka.

Bag held in the crook of his arm, Iruka made his way home without noticing the shadow that ghosted after him. The simple dinner, created with a bit of blood when Iruka cut himself chopping vegetables, made Kakashi wonder if anyone had ever taught Iruka to cook. The jonin itched to take over and improve on the simple fare. Kakashi's stomach grumbling in protest at not having eaten yet, but he ignored it. There would be time to eat later, once his surveillance was complete. Iruka cleaned up his dishes and headed to bed not long after. Kakashi sighed; why couldn't someone interesting have feelings for him?

Leaping to the ground, the jonin wandered through the street without any specific destination in mind. Kakashi had never given himself time to think about pursuing a relationship after everything that had happened in the war. He'd lost so much; he couldn't risk opening up to someone else and having them ripped away again. Walls of apathy and sarcasm were meant to protect him from that. The thoughts were foolishness, Kakashi didn't plan on starting anything with Iruka. The other man couldn't be more opposite from everything Kakashi wanted, even if he were looking for a relationship. A shinobi like himself needed someone more dangerous, more unpredictable. Hell, Genma was more his type than Iruka.

Shaking his head, Kakashi bounded into the darkness in the direction of home, dismissing the idea completely.

"What's wrong with you?" Genma asked, leaning one elbow on the table to look at Kakashi. The tokujo settled into the sticky, plastic cushion behind him and raised a beer to his lips. Clearly, he didn't plan to give up until he got an answer.

Kakashi raised his drink and took a long pull, finishing half of it. "Who says there's anything wrong?"

The crowded bar buzzed with the voices of other shinobi, none of whom had invited themselves over to the two men sitting in a corner booth. Kakashi and Genma had been friends for long enough that it wasn't unusual to find them sharing a drink together on a Friday night. What was unusual, however, was Genma prying into Kakashi's emotions. After returning from a mission, Kakashi wanted to unwind and let his mind drift away from the thoughts that had been troubling it lately. Genma couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Where's Raido?" Kakashi asked, deftly changing the subject before it could get too close to things he didn't want to talk about.

"On a mission," Genma answered with a shrug, peeling off his bottle's label. "You're the most on edge that I've seen in a long time." The man didn't push for more information, but his willingness to listen was evident. Kakashi finished his beer without answering. He couldn't put his thoughts into words, even if he wanted to. Silence was easier.

As usual when entering an enclosed space, Kakashi had positioned his back toward the wall so he could watch the rest of the room. By this time of night, dozens of familiar faces had appeared. One continued to draw Kakashi's attention, no matter how frequently he tried to avoid it. He'd noticed Iruka immediately when the man entered the establishment half an hour earlier. The sensei had ordered a beer, talked to a handful of people, then settled at the bar. Kakashi wasn't paying attention to him specifically, he was simply hyper aware of his surroundings, as a good shinobi should be.

Genma raised an eyebrow at Kakashi, then shook his head. "Fine, keep your damn secrets. I'm getting another drink."

Nodding, Kakashi watched the tokujo step away. Then, his eye inadvertently drifted toward Iruka again. The sensei wore his standard issue uniform, blending in with the rest of the crowd. Even so, Kakashi had noticed him right away. When Iruka turned, the jonin interested himself in his beer bottle, reaching for the book he always kept secreted in a pocket. Icha Icha provided an excellent distraction when avoiding people.

Halfway through a particularly steamy passage, Kakashi heard a bottle and glasses clink against the table. "About time," he complained, lifting his eyes to Genma.

Except, Iruka stared back, looking distinctly uncomfortable. A blush tinted the man's cheeks as he pushed the bottle toward Kakashi. "Um," he began, color darkening. "Genma said to tell you that he'd been called away for a mission, but he ordered this for you. He also said to have fun, whatever that means."

Asshole, Kakashi thought vindictively. The silence stretched between them as the jonin tried to figure out what he wanted to say. Iruka smiled, sensing the uncomfortable tension. "I'll leave you be. Enjoy your night, Hatake-san."

"You should stay." The words escaped Kakashi's mouth before he fully thought them through. Genma's plan to push them together like some type of twisted matchmaker couldn't have been more poorly thought out, but Kakashi grasped at it. Getting to know Iruka better didn't sound like a completely wasted evening, at least. Maybe it would help put his mind at ease and answer the lingering questions he had. "I can't drink this whole thing by myself."

"Well, that isn't very adventurous of you," Iruka laughed, slipping into the booth across from Kakashi. "I would hate to find out that the famous Copy Nin of Konoha was mostly made up stories. You aren't really a boring old man, are you?"

The words stunned Kakashi enough that he forgot to answer for a moment. "I didn't think academy sensei drank," he offered, not bothering to defend his reputation. Real smooth. You couldn't come up with something that wouldn't immediately make you come off as an ass?

"You obviously haven't been around children enough," Iruka chuckled. Kakashi liked the honest, innocence of the sound. To cover his own nervousness, the jonin picked up the bottle and poured two glasses of the sake Genma had ordered. This particular brand had a higher than average alcohol content. Kakashi vowed to punch the tokujo the next time they were together.

Turning his attention back to Iruka, Kakashi wrapped a gloved hand around one of the glasses. "That's because I have common sense," he argued.

Iruka reached for the other cup. The man held it briefly, then to Kakashi's shock, he drained it in a single swallow. Raising his eyebrow, Kakashi refilled his companion's glass and lifted his own, sipping through the dark fabric of his mask. The movement was messy and entirely self-indulgent, but Kakashi didn't intend to reveal his face.

The younger man chuckled. "I'm glad to see that you keep some things a mystery."

Kakashi inclined his head and rested his glass back on the table, most of the liquid still inside. He had no doubt that Genma's plan had been to get Iruka and Kakashi both drunk so they tumbled into bed together. The man couldn't resist meddling in other people's personal life. Kakashi refused to fall for it. Watching Iruka take his second drink, Kakashi shook his head. "You aren't what I expected."

"What do you mean?" The scar over Iruka's nose scrunched up as he turned warm, brown eyes toward Kakashi. "You've known me for years, Hatake-san."

Swirling his drink thoughtfully, Kakashi shrugged. "I didn't know you drank," he mumbled. "And, since we've known each other for years, why don't you call me Kakashi, Iruka?" Though it wasn't the first time that Kakashi had used Iruka's given name, it felt different this time, more personal. Iruka noticed as well, and the flush on his cheeks deepened handsomely.

"Sometimes," Iruka answered, picking up his drink. "I didn't mean to interrupt your night, Kakashi. I'm sure you'd rather spend your evening with someone else."

There was something about the way that Iruka said Kakashi's name, the delicate way it rose on the final syllable made his heart speed slightly. "I'm perfectly fine spending it with you." Kakashi's cheeks warmed at the admission. "I mean, unless you have somewhere else you'd rather be? You don't have play Genma's errand boy all night if you have other plans."

"Not at all," Iruka said, more smoothly than Kakashi could have managed, and settled into the seat. "It's nice."

And, the evening was nice. The pair finished the first bottle of sake relatively quickly with Iruka drinking more than half. Once he got some alcohol into his system, the chunin loosened up considerably. Iruka laughed and told stories about the kids he taught, most of which Kakashi feared were true. Jutsu gone wrong was common enough, but the accidents that Iruka told made his skin crawl. He couldn't imagine putting up with that level of insanity willingly. During the lulls of conversation, Kakashi filled in with details about the missions he'd recently completed or gossip he'd overheard in the village.

Time sped away impossibly fast as the room emptied of patrons. Three bottles of sake sat on the table, the final one almost dry. Iruka laughed at something Kakashi said, completely oblivious to the looks of the barkeeper who was undoubtedly ready to close up for the night. The chunin's cheeks were permanently flushed red from alcohol, and his eyes had taken on a glassy cast. "We should call it a night." Kakashi spoke carefully, trying to ignore the foot that brushed against his leg when Iruka turned. Though it had to have been an accident, heat suffused his chest.

"Come on." Kakashi stood, and Iruka followed, swaying on his feet. The younger man took one step, then stumbled, half falling into Kakashi's arms.

"The room is spinning just a little," Iruka apologized with a noise that sounded dangerously close to a giggle.

Chuckling under his breath, Kakashi slid one of the man's arms around his neck and splayed payment on the table. Iruka's free hand tangled itself in Kakashi's flak vest, ostensibly holding on. Ignoring the touch, Kakashi curled his free hand around the man's hip. "Let's get you home, sensei."

Stars shone down from an otherwise perfectly clear sky, and the night air helped cool the heat in Kakashi's cheeks, though it did little to temper Iruka's drunkenness. Thankfully, the streets were nearly empty at this time of night, so hardly anyone saw them. Iruka slurred out directions to his apartment in a jumble of words that Kakashi couldn't quite catch, but, thanks to his earlier investigations, the jonin knew where he was going. Hopefully, Iruka wouldn't remember that particular detail in the morning. Kakashi doubted the man would remember much given his current state.

"Why'd you drink with me tonight?" Iruka leaned against Kakashi's chest, the smell of sake heavy on his breath.

"Because I could," Kakashi responded with a shrug, practically carrying Iruka up the stairs to his apartment. He didn't have the luxury of thinking about what he wanted to say because the close proximity of Iruka's body clouded his judgement. He reached out to steady to other man, feeling the give of muscle beneath fabric.

Iruka hummed softly, then nodded. "We should do it again sometime."

Kakashi didn't answer as he reached for Iruka's door. Of course, it was locked. The chunin patted his hips halfheartedly, then shrugged and laughed. Rather than fishing through Iruka's pockets himself, Kakashi picked the lock. Thankfully, there were no traps to disarm. Iruka stumbled through the opening, catching himself on the frame to keep from falling.

When Iruka turned back to Kakashi with a sheepish smile and smoldering eyes, the jonin knew he was in trouble. Reaching out, Iruka caught Kakashi's flak vest and bodily pulled him into the apartment. "Wanna come in?"

Chuckling, Kakashi eye-smiled. "It seems a little late for that question." Somehow, he managed to keep his voice from leaping wildly like his heart.

"Mmm," Iruka agreed, sliding his hand upward.

To his surprise, Kakashi didn't want to stop Iruka from tugging the mask away and exposing his face to the softly blended moonlight and darkness of the doorway. The other man's touch crept higher, fingers brushing over Kakashi's pulse point. Evident desire colored the movement, but there was gentleness as well, like Iruka knew how long it had been since anyone touched Kakashi affectionately.

Exhaling, Kakashi caught Iruka's hand and lowered it away from the edge of his mask. "Another time, perhaps." Before his resolve could waver, Kakashi shunshined out of the apartment.

Once he got home, Kakashi had trouble falling to sleep. He never would have imagined that Iruka would invited him to stay over as easily as he did, even after the amount of alcohol he'd ingested. The realization that Iruka had feelings for him made Kakashi uncomfortable. Everything he'd learned thus far said that the man was boring, common, domestic.

"Why can't I stop thinking about him,"Kakashi wondered aloud. His room offered no answer. Kakashi didn't want another relationship, or any relationship for that matter, since he'd never had one to start with. Rin had been the closest thing to love that Kakashi had ever allowed himself to consider. After the tragic way that ended, he couldn't imagine wanting to invite that level of pain into his life again.

There had been flings of course, few and far between, but nothing lasting or significant. Kakashi was secure enough in his sexuality to have been with men and women equally. He'd had chemistry with some, but most of his experience had been falling into bed with someone after a mission left him on edge.

Iruka was dangerously different. Kakashi felt the stirrings of desire around the man, but it was more than physical. He'd enjoyed laughing with Iruka tonight, hearing his silly stories about the academy. There was no urgent ripping off clothes, no heated touches dragging him toward forgetfulness. It was deliberate, even with Genma's interference. Knowing that Iruka had feelings made it impossible to ignore.

After giving up his thoughts as pointless, Kakashi forced himself into an uneasy sleep.

Rain pelted down, bouncing off armor and slicking silver hair into Kakashi's eyes. He moved, knowing it was too slow. The enemy shinobi lunged forward. The jonin couldn't get there in time despite every muscle in his body straining. Iruka stood less than three feet away when the enemy reached him. Even with his armor, the chakra infused blade ripped through fabric and flesh alike. Crimson blood spilled over the man's olive green vest.

Kakashi's lips opened in a wordless snarl as he barrelled into the attacker. His chidori tore through the man's chest, but it was too late. Iruka lay at Kakashi's feet, pain etched in his brown eyes. Blood bubbled from his mouth when he tried to speak. The air disappeared from Kakashi's lungs. "I'm sorry," he gasped, images of Rin and Obito overlapping Iruka's until the pain drove him to his knees.

Kakashi jerked awake, heart pounding wildly. Sweat soaked his trembling body as he threw off the blankets clutching at his damp skin. Iruka was safe in his apartment where Kakashi had left him hours ago. Shuddering, the jonin flipped on the lamp and pulled out his battered copy of Icha Icha. The familiar pages calmed him enough to ease back to sleep by the time the sun rose.

Several hours later, Kakashi woke to someone pounding on his door. Icha Icha rested across his face, and the bedside lamp shone despite the sunlight streaming through the window. "I'm coming," Kakashi grumbled, stumbling to his feet. One arm had fallen asleep when he did, and pins and needles shot through his fingers and forearm.

"I'm coming, hang on," Kakashi growled, wondering who would bother him this early in the morning. After adjusting his mask, he pushed the door open.

An exceptionally embarrassed Iruka stood on Kakashi's doorstep, face crimson. "Good morning, Hatake-san. I came to apologize for my behavior last night, I drank far more than I should have and-"

"Maa, maa." Kakashi cut Iruka off with a wave, trying to ignore the adorable stutter in the other man's voice. "It's fine. We've all done it before. Maybe next time you'll walk me home." Kakashi wondered if Iruka remembered inviting him to stay the night, then decided he'd rather not know.

Iruka blushed and shifted his weight onto the opposite foot. Maybe he did remember some things about last night. "Can I at least buy you breakfast to make up for it?" Iruka glanced at the sky, chuckling. "Maybe lunch, since we seemed to have missed a good part of the day."

Kakashi looked at the position of the sun and realized it was nearing noon already. Eye-smiling, he shrugged. "Why not?"

There were several more why not moments over the next few weeks. Iruka and Kakashi shared a handful of meals together, usually dinner, but sometimes lunch or breakfast. When they met on the street, they stopped to chat before going their separate ways. Kakashi didn't go out of his way to put himself into Iruka's path, but it happened often enough.

The first time that Genma saw them together, he teased Kakashi relentlessly. Initially complaining that Kakashi failed to appreciate the present that Genma had sent, nicely wrapped up in an inebriated bow. Then, he poked fun at the fact that Kakashi was dating like a civilian. Kakashi adamantly refused to call them dates, as did Iruka. Even so, the jonin struggled to convince himself that he didn't want more.

Iruka settled into the friendship easily, not asking for anything more, but clearly enjoying their time together. Three weeks passed before he asked Kakashi over for dinner. The meal had been a disaster when the jonin arrived, vegetables burning, pots overflowing, and more than a little blood on the cutting board. Kakashi had pushed Iruka out of the way as kindly as possible to save the dish. The embarrassment on the man's face was palpable, but it eased somewhat when Kakashi included him in the cooking. Domestic, the word tickled the back of Kakashi's mind.

Despite his enjoyment, Kakashi worried that he might be growing soft under Iruka's influence. When a mission came up that required the shinobi to be out of the village for nearly a fortnight, Kakashi took it without question. He said goodbye to Iruka in the mission room and left without looking back.

Two weeks turned into three, then four. Nearly six weeks passed before Kakashi dragged himself back into the village. Blood coated his chest despite the hasty bandaging he'd done, and it burned like an infection might have set in. Kakashi knew he needed the hospital, but his feet carried him to the academy instead.

Midday sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the faces of the children sitting outside with rice balls and juice boxes. Kakashi ghosted through the doors, checking Iruka's classroom first. When it turned out to be empty, he glanced at the clock. There were approximately ten minutes before lunch break ended. Iruka was either in the teacher's lounge eating, or in the records room collecting scrolls for his next lesson. Taking a stab in the dark, Kakashi headed for the latter.

Kakashi had barely made it through the door when he spotted Iruka hurrying toward the exit, arms full of scrolls. The man's eyes grew round as they skimmed over the jonin's body. "You're back," Iruka breathed, soft smile curving his lips.

At the expression on Iruka's face, Kakashi's chest tightened. "I am," he agreed, resisting the urge to run his hand over the other man's cheek.

The mission had been far more difficult than the ranking had led Kakashi to believe. The extra time it had taken, along with the wounds littering his body, evidenced that fact. All of it paled in comparison to being back in Konoha, with Iruka.

The chunin shifted the pile of scrolls in his arms and checked at the clock above the door. He had less than five minutes to get back to class. "Do you want to get dinner later?" Iruka asked, gentle smile playing over his lips.

"Yes," Kakashi answered, stepping closer. For weeks he'd thought about the fact that he liked Iruka and would hate to die on the mission without telling him. It was stupid and juvenile, unbefitting of a jonin, yet also undeniable. "But, I have to know something first."

Iruka had enough time to make a questioning sound before Kakashi pressed nearer, bodies almost close enough to touch. The chunin's shoulders bumped into the wall behind them, and he started to stumble over his words. The sound strangled to a halt when Kakashi rested his right forearm above the man's head and used his left to tug down the mask that normally covered his face. Before he could lose his courage, Kakashi pressed his lips against Iruka's. Scrolls clattered to the floor between them.

The world shifted, ever so slightly, and Kakashi didn't bother trying to hide the breathless sensation spinning through him when Iruka answered. The heat between them rekindled instantly, hot enough to drive out the fear of rejection. Exhaling, Kakashi pulled back to rest his forehead against Iruka's, then ran a thumb over the man's damp lips. "I'll see you tonight, sensei," Kakashi laughed, feeling more alive than he had in weeks.