Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei, not me! And Harry Potter and all its characters belong to J.K. Rowling, again not me!
"Speaking in English" 'Thinking in English'
"Speaking in Japanese" 'Thinking in Japanese'
Kakashi-sensei,
Happy Valentine's day, I hope the chocolates are good, I know our tastes are different so I wasn't sure if they would suit yours. I would also like to use this note as an opportunity to ask you to stop avoiding me. Just listen to what I have to say, please. And I'm sorry for holding back for so long as well, I want this to be special.
Umino Iruka
Iruka grinned down at the page, it would have to do, since he couldn't come up with anything better to say. He laughed at his childish hopes that he could write something perfect. What had he been thinking? Kakashi didn't want perfection, obviously because he wanted Iruka. He wasn't perfect and Kakashi liked him anyway. Iruka let his thoughts settle on that truth for a moment. His heart swelled and his face flushed. Kakashi loved him, hopefully for himself and not some crazy image of Iruka that he had in his head. That made him a little uneasy since it was such a valid idea. Jounin were prone to insanity but Iruka had accepted Kakashi's, though he may have some trouble at times. So he was probably more prone to thinking that way then 'regular' people.
He re-wrote the note on the card he'd made, having shied away from the magical items in the shops in that town the students went to sometimes. That was also the reason he'd made the chocolates for Kakashi himself. As much as he was beginning to love this place, he wasn't comfortable with getting used to the magic, especially since at the end of the year he'd be going back to Konoha. Sighing, he slipped the card into its envelope, and then the bag he'd placed the chocolates in. It wasn't covered in hearts, but he did go with the traditional red.
"Whoo hoo!!" Iruka grinned, Naruto was surely excitable today, he slipped off his vest and forehead protector before picking up his gift and the one for him. He took a deep breath and headed towards the infirmary.
"I'm glad you like it, Naruto." Sakura smiled sweetly before giving Sasuke his gift as well. "Happy Valentine's day."
"Thank you." Sakura really liked the Valentine's tradition here, nothing was insinuated by giving chocolates to someone this day. She had already given her English friends their gifts in the morning, since she was on duty with the guys. Just some candy and chocolates she found in the stores that they liked.
The three genin finished their gift exchange, passing around silly candies they'd purchased. Naruto especially liked the every flavour jelly beans. Sasuke nibbled a chocolate daintily while setting the rest away for later.
"It's been a really calm year." Hermione said wistfully, flipping through the pages of one of her textbooks. Harry and Ron sat on one side of her, playing a game of wizard's chess.
"Mmm hmm. It's probably because of the guards." Ron said, "They're cool."
"Yeah, It's strange that Dumbledore would hire ninja though." Harry commented, frowning at the board.
"And we still have no idea how he hired them. And since when does he speak Japanese?" Ron muttered, stuffing another valentine chocolate in his mouth.
"There are many things he can do that we don't know about I'm sure," Hermione sighed, "But what I think we should be most worried about is the lack of threats. I can tell that it hasn't been hard for them, Sakura says that Naruto is always complaining about it."
"True," Ron said through his chocolate filled mouth, "Do you think maybe they're trying to lull us into a false sense on security?"
"Maybe, but they don't seem to follow the same sort of patterns as previous years." Hermione sat up fully, "It could be some sort of ploy, yes."
"What if they're some death eaters that are just trying to get in good with the higher ups?" Harry asked, the game of chess sat neglected as the three friends began to discuss the situation as they always would.
Iruka stepped into the infirmary and Madam Pomfry came out of her office. She rushed over when she spotted Iruka. He glanced towards the curtain around Kakashi's bed, feeling the jounin's presence behind it. The silver haired man was calm, a gentle feel to his chakra told Iruka that the other man was waiting for him. Pomfry smiled brightly.
"Hello, Iruka!"
"Ah, Hello Madam Pomfry." Iruka returned the smile and bowed slightly. "I was just.."
"Here to see your friend?" She winked at him. Iruka laughed, embarrassed.
"Yes. Uh, how is he doing?"
"He'll be able to leave in three days, if that's what you're asking."
"Oh, good." He stood there for a moment, trying not to let his gaze move towards the curtain that Kakashi waited behind. "Um.."
"Is she done yet?" Kakashi moved the curtain without a sound. He stood in plain white pants and his shirt that connected to his mask.
"Oh! Sorry, I'll leave you two alone." She said the last part with a strange tone in her voice that made Iruka suspicious. "But please, make sure he stays in bed. He could slow the pace of healing and.."
"And have to stay here longer, yes I know." Iruka smiled, "Kakashi-sensei, get back to bed."
"Yeah, yeah." Kakashi hung his head and walked back to the bed. Pomfry returned to her office, situating herself in such a way that she could hear them. She wouldn't know what they were saying, but sometimes the tone spoke more then the words themselves. She pretended to work, flipping through papers idly.
"Happy Valentine's day, Kakashi-sensei." Iruka started, setting the gifts on the bed near Kakashi's feet.
"Happy Valentine's. So, open yours first." The silver haired man sat up straight and watched eagerly for Iruka to open his gift to the chuunin.
"Right." He opened the gift carefully, pulling out a box of chocolates. He was grateful that he wasn't given something extravagant, or he'd feel stupid with just giving Kakashi chocolates. Iruka smiled softly before removing a single piece from the box and popping it into his mouth.
"Good?" Kakashi asked expectantly.
"Mmm, perfect." Iruka replied around the chocolate. Kakashi grinned. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Could you pass me my gift?" The jounin asked sweetly. Iruka snorted and did as he was asked. He finished off his chocolate and started on another one, slowly savoring it.
"Oh, there's a card!" Iruka mumbled, pulling the envelop from the box. A plain card was enclosed, obviously store bought but did not contain any words. Instead there was Kakashi's precise handwriting.
Iruka-sensei,
Happy Valentine's day, I hope you enjoy your chocolates.
Love, Kakashi
Iruka quickly read the note and just as he looked up, Kakashi did as well. The silver haired man held Iruka's note in his hand. He cleared his throat.
"Kakashi-sensei, I..." The chuunin sighed, "You shouldn't have ran out on me so quickly that time, this would have been much easier."
"...wh-what were you going to say?" Kakashi swallowed thickly, willing his heart rate to slow down. 'Whatever his answer', Kakashi promised himself, 'I will be ok.' Iruka smiled and moved his chair so that he was closer to the other man. He kept one hand at the jounin's arm. In case he attempted to escape.
"I like you very much Kakashi, so much that I'm sure I would break if we continued like this. I don't want either of us to pretend, and...I hate to admit this. I have started to miss your teasing. Ah, I lost my train of thought. Kakashi-sensei, I love you." He held his breath, feeling stupid for saying such weird things in this situation. Did he have to admit that? What was he thinking?
"Really?" Kakashi gripped the sheets, hardly able to believe the words.
"Yes."
Pomfry sighed from her desk, that moment being the only time she wished so fervently that their guests spoke English. Who's idea was it to have so many languages around the world anyway? She heard a few whispered words before a slight creaking of the bed and then silence. 'Stupid curtain.'
Slowly, as if in a trance, Kakashi's arms wrapped themselves around Iruka's neck. They drew the younger man closer. Iruka let himself be dragged down. He rested his weight on one hand on the bed. The other found itself on Kakashi's side. The silver haired man tilted his head as he leaned in farther.
"Um, what about your mask?" Iruka whispered softly, the breath felt hot against the jounin's cheek. He leaned in more, until they were nearly touching.
"You do it." Barely a whisper. Iruka's free hand slid up Kakashi's body, sending shivers through it. It cupped his face gently, thumb curling the fabric and pulling it down. Kakashi's eye twitched at the brief scratch from the younger man's nail but didn't say anything. He couldn't, not when it could ruin this feeling that surrounded them. Mask removed, Iruka's hand gliding back to his side, Kakashi unconsciously licked his lips. His tongue briefly touched Iruka's lips, and suddenly the moment seemed so real to him.
Suddenly all those months of thinking about Iruka, thinking about how it would be once, if, those lips touched his, they led up to this moment. They led past it. Suddenly it was real. He tightened his hold on the chuunin, pulling him as close as possible.
Iruka smiled slightly, understanding the move, feeling much the same way. He closed the distance between them, and finally, finally their lips met in a shared kiss. Iruka's hand fisted at the material of the other man's shirt. He tried to pull him closer, tried to show him that he was feeling the same. He felt the hands around his neck slid down to his shoulders. One attempted to pull his ponytail loose while the other cupped his face. The jounin pressed into him possessively. Iruka responded just the same. It wasn't his first kiss by a long shot, but it felt like it. He felt inexperienced when he came into contact with Kakashi. The man seemed to know so much, to be able to show him the world. He loved it, he loved all of it. He loved Kakashi. But for all the knowledge he possessed, the older man didn't seem to know anything about untying a ponytail.
Iruka broke away from the kiss enough to speak, his voice seemed loud at normal volume, they had slowly been lowering their voices to the point of whispers.
"Let me get that, stupid." He chuckled humourously, using his free hand to pull the tie out in one fluid motion. Kakashi's only response was a groan against his lips. He re-initiated the kiss, the hand he'd been trying to undo the tie with was buried in Iruka's hair. His other hand soon joined it.
"I love you're hair, I love you." Kakashi whispered when they broke the kiss once more. Iruka's hair wasn't as silky as a woman's, and it wasn't falling in neat layers. It was just soft, standing up in all directions and there was a definite kink where the ponytail had been. His fingers caught in a small knot or two, but to Kakashi, it was perfect.
"I love you too." Iruka laughed softly, "And I'd love to stay like this but the end of the bed is digging into my thigh." They parted reluctantly and Iruka settled back into his chair. Kakashi sighed, holding onto one of Iruka's hands. He was unwilling to give up their contact. He didn't want to think it could have been another dream.
"You haven't had any of your chocolate yet." Iruka pointed out.
"Oh, right." He languidly pulled out one of the chocolates and licked it. Iruka snorted. The jounin grinned at the other man, the one whom he hoped would be his forever, and bit into the chocolate. His eyes widened as he chewed. Once he swallowed the chocolate he sat up straighter.
"It was like...raspberry chocolate!" He exclaimed, already reaching for another one.
"I thought you'd like that."
WOOT!! Finally finished that chapter!! And I am SO sorry it's THIS late. WOW. I hereby declare that I have no idea when the next update will be. But I will not give up on this story!! I WILL NOT!
Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed that chapter! It's a bit longer then my usual ones...kind of. When I look at other stories I realize just how short my chapters are. Mine may have this many chapters but another one with like three chapters would be longer. Kind of makes my accomplishment seem small. But anyway, I wouldn't be able to get the chapters out at all if they were any longer! But I think I'm going to try that on the next one I write. Wish me luck? lol.
I think some of you know about my other KakaIru story, 'Love Story', well the other day I got my first flame. It was the stupidest thing I had ever read. It made me really angry, and I almost wanted to quit writing. But, why should I let some random -insert string of curse words here- to hinder my writing? So, I would just like to thank all of you who are enjoying my story! You've all been a great support! Please review?