Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or any Naruto characters.

Italics – thoughts

General – normal, narrative

Full Summary- After a joint mission gone wrong, a certain chunin starts having feelings towards Kakashi. Will Iruka fall in love with this man or will the sudden attacks on Kakashi be enough for him to leave, breaking two hearts in the process. Kaka x Iruka


Bounty

Chapter 1: Crushed

They moved swiftly through the elaborate hallways of the complex, Iruka looked back making sure there were no guards following them. Nodding, Iruka gave them the go ahead and Kakashi and Naruto moved in. Snatching the scroll from the numerous shelves and decorations which decorated the Feudal Lord's desk, and they made a hasty retreat. Sakura, who dared to glance back, felt that it was too quiet; too peaceful. Looking to her team leader, she could tell Kakashi felt the same way. Something was off.

Reaching an exit, they opened the door as silently as possible and were confronted with a few dozen lighting-nins.

"It's Sharigan-Kakashi!"

"Well he probably has the scroll then!"

"Take them out!"

Rushing forward, the guards drew their weapons, hoping for a quick and easy battle.

As someone took a swing at Iruka, he ducked, avoiding a swipe to the head.

"Iruka, move to the left!"

On hearing the command, Iruka moved and dodged another blow. He knew that Kakashi had just given out his name, but this wasn't an Anbu mission, and if Kakashi felt it was okay to say it then he was probably safe.

Moving full speed, Kakashi reached Naruto's side and helped him fend off the ninjas attacking him. Working together, they both sliced through and defeated the decreasing enemy ranks.

Pulling his hands together to form hand seals at a speed that was incomprehensible, Kakashi created a tornado of fire, scorching many of the front line warriors.

While her boys fought, Sakura slammed her fists into the ground, forming mountains and canyons in the middle of the building. Smiling as she did so, she couldn't help but think how sadistic and evil she looked. As she fought along side of men, she crushed skulls and destroyed walls with her fists.

As the enemy's numbers were wearing thin, more reinforcements were called upon, decreasing the chance of escaping ten-fold. Formulating a plan in his head Kakashi started to attack long range, at the ceiling. Catching on, Naruto did the same, sending some of his clones to rip foundation off of the cross beams. Iruka and Sakura fought off of the enemies which started to encircle them, hoping to all that's holy that this plan will work.

As the ceiling, started to collapse, Kakashi almost felt proud of himself. His plan worked! All they had to do now was dodge the enemies and falling boulders. Damn, well it sounded worse now.

"Sakura!"

Whipping around at Iruka's yell, Kakashi caught the sight of a concrete boulder falling downwards, Sakura just underneath it.

Moving with the speed the Fourth would be proud of, he grabbed Sakura, and with the momentum he had built, he threw Sakura towards Naruto and Iruka. Watching them catch her in complete reflex, he didn't see the boulder that he had saved Sakura from; the one that landed on him.

Iruka screamed. He didn't know he did it until he felt the rawness of his throat. He had screamed and yelled for the lost man.

"Kuso!" Naruto yelled.

"Kaka-sensei!"

Iruka watched as the two ran forwards in a desperate attempt to reach their fallen sensei. Scanning the rubble Iruka assumed the enemy had been defeated, the ceiling had crushed them, but the fact that Kakashi was killed overrode that.

'I… what… he's…no…Kakashi.'

Iruka walked towards the massive pile of boulder that Sakura and Naruto were trying to dig into.

"We…we need to go."

"No! Kakashi-sensei might still be alive!" Naruto retorted, tears streaming down his face.

"We've got to try and look." Sakura said quietly, voice just above a whisper, tears rolling down her face as well, which made Iruka want to ball.


Kakashi woke up, his head and leg pulsing with pain. Reaching his hand around his head, he gingerly touched the sensitive area. Gaze moving downwards, Kakashi looked down at his leg. It was caught under the pile of rock and debris. Crushed

'Oh Kami…that plan went swimmingly.'

Attempting to move his leg, the pain that soared up his leg to his stomach, robbing him of breath.

Coming up with yet another brilliant plan, Kakashi forced all of his chakra into his palm. Blue lightning shot out in a fit of electric activity. Slamming his fist into the rock that rested on his leg, he immediately felt the strain. Pushing his fist harder, Kakashi felt the rock crack.


Feeling some odd sensation coming from under the debris pile, Iruka shot forward and knocked the kids out of the way as slabs of boulder blasted out. Shaking herself off, Sakura looked to see what happened, and saw a shadowed figure in the dust.

'No one has that kind of hair!' She thought as she jumped to her feet.

Sakura blew past Iruka and Naruto and ran full speed for the person. More tears dripped off her face as she neared Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Heads shooting up, Iruka and Naruto saw Sakura tackle Kakashi back to the ground. Leaving Iruka alone, Naruto ran for his teacher, yelling insults at the silver headed jounin for his stupidity. Iruka smiled, and wiped his own tears away.

As Naruto landed on him, Kakashi felt searing agony fill his being. Every fiber felt on end. He suppressed a scream, but his vision swam and he closed his eyes, trying to regain control again, unsuccessfully.

Sakura seeing her sensei's contorted facial expressions, she asked if he was alright.

"Are you okay sensei?"

"Yea…yeah, I'm fine."

Iruka just having caught up with the commotion seated himself by Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei, I just got here and I know that you're not fine."

Sakura took a look at the jounin, and frowned at his leg.

"You idiot! You call this fine! It's crushed." She yelled as she placed she hands on his leg, and started the tedious work of mending bone back together with her medical skills. Kakashi squeezed his fists together at the pain.

"I feel bad for whoever was your practice dummy."

"If you don't shut up you'll be my practice dummy for major head wounds."

Iruka smiled, they were like children. Kakashi had the maturity of one of the kids he taught at the academy.

"Well this will be good enough for the trip home, but it's no where healed." Sakura stated while simultaneously wiping sweat from her brow. Nodding, Kakashi attempted to stand up, but was pushed back down by Sakura.

"I said your leg will make it home without worsening the break, not you can run all the way home."

"Hmph"

Iruka stood up and stretched, brushing dust off of his clothes. Offering his hand to Kakashi, he felt himself blush when the jounin grabbed it. Pulling the silver haired man to his feet, he felt the other man sway. Placing his arm around Kakashi's waist, Iruka's blush deepened and he coughed nervously.

"Well, are we set to go?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Naruto yelled, feeling it was important for him to put in his opinion.

"Stay off of that leg Kakashi-sensei." Sakura warned.

"Alright"

Moving somewhat slowly for the hole in the wall, Iruka couldn't help but feel that walking was worsening Kakashi's condition. His suspicions were proven right when Kakashi accidentally put his leg down spreading a feeling of anguish and agony throughout his body. Not being able to keep the wretched sound down, Kakashi screamed. His scream scared Iruka, and Naruto and Sakura wheeled around. Iruka placed his hand on Kakashi's forehead and wiped the sweaty brow, noticing how hot and feverish he felt. By the time Sakura had reached her former sensei's side, Kakashi had calmed down and regained some composure, some.

"I'm okay now; I just placed too much weight on it."

"Kakashi-sensei, you shouldn't put any weight on it."

"Iruka-sensei…"

Iruka smiled and turned to Kakashi.

"We'll go piggyback style."

"Umm… I'm good."

'I'd rather walk all the way home.'

"Come now Kakashi-sensei, no need to be a spoil sport."

"A what?"

"You heard me, a spoil sport."

"Iruka-sensei, no one has ever called me a spoil sport."

"I just did"

"…so you did."

"Well Kakashi-sensei, it's your choice." Iruka smiled, "we can walk home like we've been doing, or I can carry you."

"…"

"Some time today Kakashi-sensei."

"Fine"

Iruka smiled again and turned so he was in front of the jounin and gave Naruto his packsack. Kakashi sighed and leaned forward, resting on Iruka's back. Iruka wrapped his hands under Kakashi's legs, making sure he was sturdy on his back. Sakura and Naruto smiled, looked at each other and laughed. Kakashi sighed again, and placed his face into the crook of Iruka's neck. Iruka felt the blood rush up to his face.

'Is it possible to die of too much blood to the face?"

Clearing his voice, Iruka told Kakashi to hang on.

"Okay"

"Kakashi-sensei…"

"Hmm"

Iruka felt the yawn on his neck, he was sure the man was exhausted.

"Iruka-sensei, why did you come on this mission?"

"I… to be honest, I wanted to spend more time with Naruto and Sakura." Iruka said quietly, "I haven't seen either one of them in a long time, and I missed them."

He felt Kakashi nod; his silver hair tickled his neck.

"Why did you take the mission?"

"If I didn't Tsunade-sama would have tried to beat me up."

Iruka laughed, he laughed at the trueness. Tsunade probably would try and pummel the jounin.

"But I think she'll be angrier when we show in Kohona"

Iruka smiled then heard Kakashi mumble something about a stupid boulder.

"How long have you known Tsunade-sama?"

Kakashi didn't answer right away, and then said, "Probably my whole life, all the sannins were close to my father, well except Orochimaru."

"Your father?"

He felt Kakashi tense on his back. Iruka felt guilty he had asked. There was a moment of silence then Kakashi spoke up.

"Sakumo Hatake."

"Oh"

"Iruka?"

Iruka's mind froze at the question. Was Kakashi going to ask something really personal? Would it be about his parents?

"Yes?"

"Are we almost there yet?"

Iruka choked on a laugh he was so relieved.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei, we aren't there yet and won't be for a while."

Kakashi made some sort of childish whine and buried his face in Iruka's neck. Iruka chuckled. "Why don't you take a nap, Kakashi-chan?" Iruka asked playing along.

"Hmm" Kakashi murmured, nuzzling closer to Iruka's warmth. Iruka grinned and shifted the copy-nin carefully, moving his gentle weight closer to himself. Kakashi wasn't heavy and that made Iruka smirk, Sharigan-Kakashi the light-weight. Iruka thought back to when he was watching Naruto and Kakashi steal the scroll from the Lord's desk. Well he wasn't watching Naruto as much as he should have been, he had been watching Kakashi's lithe form move swiftly and quickly. He had studied the man's movement, entranced in the contours of his form. Iruka tried to push the thoughts from his mind. So deep in thought, Iruka hadn't noticed Sakura and Naruto ahead and almost ran into them.

"We're pretty much at the village."

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei did you hear…"

Iruka was cut short by Sakura, who had placed her hand on Iruka's shoulder.

She looked at him and smiled, "he's asleep."


-TBC-

A/N: For those of you who have read I Promise, I'm sorry that I had to leave that one alone for the moment. I want to get this monster out of the way, because I just came up with it and I'll probably forget about it if I didn't write it.

I like beating up Kakashi, don't I. Hehe XD.

Clarity