A/N: Since it should be evident in some form now, the main pairing is Genma and Iruka (: hope you enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter 4: Red Herring
(Sunday, September 11)
Genma stood outside Iruka's door, nervously wrenching his hands together. This was ridiculous. He couldn't believe he was standing here in a dress again, and if he hadn't pinched himself about a hundred times on his walk over here he wouldn't have. Sighing deeply, he reached up and knocked. Almost immediately the door flung open to show a very happy Iruka. Genma paused for a second, looking at the figure in front of him. The academy teacher, for as long as Genma knew him, was always sweet and kind, but bordering stressing out and having a mental breakdown. The man took on too much, half because he was so kind, half because he was alone so there wasn't much else to do. Genma knew how it felt to come home to an empty apartment. It usually didn't bother him, but some nights it down right depressing. A man like Iruka, who seemed to thrive on company, must wilt being alone. No wonder he is always at the Academy.
"Aiko." Iruka said, grasping his hands together.
"Hello Iruka." He mumbled out, trying to find the same voice he had used for the last date. "Shall we go?"
"I actually made dinner here." Genma's heart dropped to the floor.
"H-H-Here?" In seclusion? Where anything could happen?
"Yes, I hope you don't mind? I went shopping today for groceries, and remember a dinner my mom used to make. It brought back fond memories, so I thought would make it for you." Swallowing his nerves, Genma nodded meekly. Iruka stepped aside, allowing the man to walk in.
"That's a lovely dress." Iruka said, still in the door way and grinning from ear to ear.
A flash of blush crossed Genma's cheeks as he realized Iruka was watching his ass. "Thanks." He mumbled. He would have to tell Kurenai that her dress met the approval of Iruka when he returned it back to her.
Iruka blushed faintly, a roseyness flashing under his eyes and going across the bridge of his nose. He closed the door behind them. Gesturing towards the couch, he said, "Please make yourself comfortable. It will only be a few minutes." And he disappeared off into the next room.
Genma mumbled to himself, cursing a few different people, but sat down on the couch. Obsessively, he kept fixing the dress, hoping it wouldn't be easy to notice his legs under this thing. I knew I should have worn something less form fitting. Ohh… I don't know if I can do this. I don't want to date Iruka, or have the man obsess about me, but the poor thing. So happy. And I have to break it by the evening. Damn Kakashi, he should have done this!
"Aiko?" Genma looked up, hands still preening the dress. "Dinner's ready." The man nodded meekly, getting up and walking into the other room. You think you're a special jounin. Ha! That's nothing. Well, if I think of this as a mission… yeah, a mission. End result: broken heart of Iruka. There. Detach any emotions and it will go much smoother…
He paused at the doorway of the next room though, losing his train of thought. His eyes glanced over the table setting, marveling at its beauty. There was a simple red table cloth draped over a small table. On top were two tall white candles lit, flickering shadows and their very movements on the walls. All other lights were out. If he wasn't adamantly opposed to dating another male, this dinner would be quite… romantic.
"I hope it's not too much." Iruka whispered over Genma's shoulder and into his ear, causing the man to jump slightly at the touch of his breath. He hadn't realized the man was still behind him until now.
"No." Genma finally mustered out. "It's... beautiful." And it really was. Mission. This is a mission. An A-rank mission, but one you can complete. You are, after all, a special jounin! But the pep talk in his mind did nothing to help him as Iruka gently grasped his arm, directing him to the food. His fingers lightly on Genma's skin, carefully holding but not squeezing, and brushing off of him as Iruka helped him into his chair, it was causing quite an undesired reaction. An undesired reaction not in Iruka but in Genma's… underwear.
Taking a deep breath, he put as much of his focus on the food as possible. The two talked as they ate, usually about Iruka. There was no history that Genma knew about "Aiko" since she was just a stupid name Kakashi had chosen, so he tried to steer clear of bringing up anything.
"So, we determined last date you aren't as pure as you appear. Any other bad habits the world doesn't know about Iruka?"
The teacher blushed but replied, "I play cards."
"Huh? You do? Why don't you play with-- I mean, do you play with the other teachers?"
"Not usually. Kakashi-sensei sometimes..."
"Why don't you play with the others… what's their names? Raidou, Asuma, Genma, all of them? You should try to open up to them and join their games."
"Ah, they're in it for the money or bragging rights. I just like to have fun."
"Oh..." Genma replied albeit a bit stupidly, not sure what to make of this. One of the main reasons he was opposed to dating Iruka was the man seemed to have his students and that was it. Very one dimensional. But he had… interests outside of school. "You've got me curious. What other hobbies do you have?"
Iruka turned a brilliant shade of red, causing a chain reaction of more curiosity in Genma. Curiosity killed the cat, his mind warned him.
"You'll laugh."
"No, I swear I won't." To prove his point, Genma leaned forward on to his hands, elbows on table, looking directly into Iruka's eyes, keeping the straightest face he could.
"I… well, I draw."
"Draw?" Genma looked around the plain apartment. "You don't have any pictures up."
"Well, I'm not very proud of them… That's why nobody knows…" Iruka laughed slightly,
"Can I see some?"
Iruka said no. Genma, who was more curious than a two year old who first realized there was places on the kitchen counters his mom didn't want him to go, begged. Pleaded. Nearly whined. Finally after much coaxing, Iruka agreed to show one drawing. Coming back from the other room with a scroll, he gingerly laid it out on the table Genma cleared while he was gone.
Genma took a deep breath as the scene unfolded. To put it in its simplest terms, it was of Iruka hugging a young Naruto, maybe around the ages of 20 and 7 respectively. The lines were perfectly sketched and the scenery was neatly drawn. But the details, the realism, the quality were all outstanding.
"It looks like a picture… It's really wonderful." Genma whispered, gingerly running his fingers over the pencil drawing. "You should hang this up."
"You're just saying that. It's sweet though."
"No, I'm serious Iruka. If you won't hang it up, I will."
Iruka laughed nervously, quickly rolling the scroll back up. "Maybe someday I will. Just… not right now, I guess." He disappeared out of the kitchen, most likely to hide the scroll back. Genma smiled. The not-so-pure teacher that plays cards and draws well. I wonder what other secrets that man's hiding…
Almost as if he could read Genma's mind, Iruka quickly changed the subject to dessert when he came back into the kitchen. Iruka placed a dessert down on the table, a very delicious looking mochi, when he gently rubbed his foot against Genma's feet. It could have been a complete accident but it shocked the hell out of Genma, so much that he nearly fell out of his seat, and had to struggle to keep himself in composure.
"Sorry." Iruka mumbled after seeing his reaction, bowing his head and becoming suddenly very interested in how his dessert looked.
"It's ok..." Genma muttered back, a red hue spreading over his cheeks. "Just surprised me a bit." Surprise...? Not repulse?
Iruka snapped his head back up, such hopefulness in those eyes.
The rest of dessert they ate in silence, every now and then meeting eyes, but mainly watching their food. At the end, as they both stood up, and Genma announced he should be going, Iruka said it again. "Please let me walk you home. I can't imagine how you and Kakashi-sensei can think it is ok for you to walk alone at night."
"How bout half-way?" Genma mumbled, unable to look at those eyes anymore. The floor, at least, didn't stir up weird feelings of sympathy and regret.
"Great!" Iruka nearly squealed, but he quickly composed himself. "Let me go get my coat."
The two were soon walking down the streets of Konoha. Iruka kept walking slightly closer to Genma, making sure their shoulders nearly brushed. For his part, Genma kept trying to back away, but always found himself somehow squeezed back next to the other male. He gave up. Plus, in the cold September breeze that ran through the town, a warm body close to him felt good. He lead Iruka to the general direction of Kakashi's apartment, planning on stopping in to make sure the teacher remembered his threat of castration. A few streets away, he brought Iruka to the entrance of an alley, and he was about to say "we need to talk" when Iruka gently pushed him up against the wall and planted his lips on Genma's.
He froze. What the…? But as Iruka become more confident in himself he pushed slightly harder, and any confusion melted away into him pressing his lips back. There was a soft moan from the man, as Iruka's hands found his hips, gingerly squeezing them. Iruka's body kept getting closer and panic buttons rang off in Genma's mind. Oh if he comes any closer… he's gonna definitely know I'm a male! But, just centimeters away from rubbing the two covered cocks together, Iruka withdrew, stepping back.
"I hope I will be able to see you again, Aiko." He whispered, letting one hand off of Genma's hip to trace his jaw. "Goodnight." He leaned in for a light peck, and then, before Genma could comprehend what was going on, walked away as quickly as he could.
Genma stood there for awhile, just blinking. What had just happened? And why did he want for it to happen again? Shaking his head, and gathering enough sense for him to be able to walk again, Genma strolled out of the alley way and to his apartment. He would bother Kakashi some other time.