Broken Pieces

Chapter 5

The ninja approached like the whisper of the wind, nothing more than a shadow in the recess of a giant, towering tree. It was his first time on Konoha soil since he'd deserted so many years before. His collection of dangerous, rogue ninja were fanned out in the woods at strategic points. Tonight, he needed information, and his informant would not be escaping if he wasn't satisfied with their conversation.

Danzo-san's approach was unhurried, casual and at ease, as if he were merely taking a late-night stroll through the forest. He was not at all unsettled when a katana blade blocked his path, level with his throat.

"You have a job for me...and information that I supposedly want," Sasuke said, his emotionless eyes staring down the length of the blade. Danzo turned towards him, his faint, eerie smile never wavering.

"I'm glad my proposal managed to find you. If the blond demon vessel is to be believed, locating Sasuke Uchiha is not a simple task."

"Perhaps because he's simple-minded. Your Root ANBU found me very easily...almost as if they had connections to criminal networks that would know of my location," Sasuke said, the implication clear. After the accusation had hung for a moment, Sasuke replaced his blade in its scabbard.

"Now, now, no need to throw a low punch. I'm sure my ANBU are merely skilled trackers," Danzo replied, when the threat of the blade was gone. He offered a placid smile, a cloak for evil intentions.

"Enough. Why did you summon me?" Sasuke demanded, his low voice flat and apathetic. Danzo cleared his throat, as if he were about give a lecture to a classroom of students.

"It's fairly straight-forward. I wish to be Hokage. The position should be mine. In a week's time, the Lord of Fire Country will be arriving in Konoha, and he'll be bringing his eldest son and heir. If his legacy were to...have an accident...right under Kakashi's masked nose...it would lend weight to my claim at the council meeting that he is neither strong nor capable enough for the office he holds. The council members will play right into my hands and revoke his title, and offer it to the man who recognized the danger in the first place."

"And what could possibly possess me to do this for you?" Sasuke asked, cutting straight to the point. He knew Danzo knew of his past with Kakashi, and it seemed he was taking an awfully big risk to ask the student to turn on his old teacher. Then again, Danzo seemed to be just brimming with all kinds of knowledge he wasn't supposed to have. Sasuke was intrigued, despite himself.

"I have your brother's old files. Tell me, did you get to speak to him before he died?" Danzo asked innocently enough. Sasuke's hand clenched around his blade hilt and he scowled at Danzo. The look would have turned a weaker man into a pile of jelly.

"We spoke," Sasuke confirmed.

"Then it could be in your best interest to have damning evidence against the council behind the assignment. It was poor leadership. No, worse than that; it constitutes criminal negligence and a gross misuse of power. Uchiha Itachi's files would result in the dismissal of the elders from their posts, and the restoration of Itachi's good name. They believe the files to be destroyed, but they are not, and they are yours if the heir is killed during his stay," Danzo promised.

"You were part of the council that assigned my brother's mission," Sasuke replied shrewdly. Danzo quickly shook his head.

"I may be accused of many mistakes, but Itachi's fate does not rest on my conscience. He was the perfect shinobi—there has never been and there never will be one quite like him. He is the standard I set for my Root ANBU, and his disgraceful treatment at the hands of the elders is a perfect example of why they should be eliminated and I should be Hokage. For years they have allowed Konoha's best talent to be squandered—do you really think your brother was the first blade they ruined? You should ask your old sensei how the elders handled his father. Whole armies fled at the sight of the White Fang, and what do the elders do? They drive him to ritual suicide, of all things. It sickens me to see Konoha so weakened by the leadership of fools. It must change, and I will be the one to change it."

"If you have such a problem with the elders, and you have evidence that would get them dismissed, why have you held onto it so long?" Sasuke questioned. Danzo smiled a little wider, his gaze turning back to Konoha.

"The surest sign of a young, inexperienced shinobi is that he attacks too soon, and wastes his energy too fast. What would be the benefit of eliminating the elders if I were not in a position to become Hokage? As much as I disliked Tsunade, my dislike alone would not have been enough to remove her from office. Conditions have finally aligned in my favor now, so now is the moment to strike. Do we have a deal?" Danzo asked, his good eye sliding over to Sasuke's shadowy presence with frightening intent.

"For now," Sasuke agreed, disappearing as silently as he'd come.

~*~

The kiss had changed things. A non-eventful few days had passed since Iruka's suggestion that they have a date, and today they were planning to take a long lunch break together to buy groceries for the meal.

"Kakashi, can you hand me the receipts from the construction crews? They should be in your bottom desk drawer," Iruka said, from somewhere beneath a massive pile of scrolls he was reviewing. It was obvious to Kakashi that Iruka was making a point of being more calm around him, treating him like a student or a new employee at the mission desk instead of a superior ranking ninja. Kakashi should have minded the informality, but he didn't, not when it gave him such wonderful opportunities. He easily located the file and stepped around his desk, between the piles of scrolls Iruka had spread out around himself, and extended the file. Iruka took it, smiling up at him, their fingers brushing innocently.

"Would you like to see how I'm doing this?" Iruka asked. Kakashi was writing his speech for the council meeting that would be held soon, but he happily took a break, sitting down cross-legged by Iruka. "I'm trying to figure out our expenditures for this past month, which is nothing more than good record keeping and simple math, but in the wake of the attack and all the chaos that followed, it was put off. So, now we have to take these," he opened the folder and quickly flipped through the contents, "And we record them, here, in the green ledger. It gets a little tricky, though, because the record of mission profits are in these scrolls here, and all of that information has to be recorded in the—"

"Do you like seafood?" Kakashi asked, smiling absently. Iruka sighed, for the moment abandoning his scrolls and ledgers.

"You're not listening, are you?" Iruka confirmed, a hint of reproach coloring his tone. Kakashi, unaware of his own expression, began to pout.

"I've been reading all those boring mission summaries all morning, and then writing all those tedious speeches, and now that you're here I just want to go get lunch. Why don't we just go now?" Kakashi suggested. Iruka, however, was already shaking his head.

"I have to get this budget proposal done before we leave for lunch, so that we can take a little longer than normal during our lunch break and so that we can get out of here early today."

"Can't you do it after lunch?" Kakashi asked, glaring distastefully at the piles of scrolls and receipts. He realized he needed to be more persuasive if he wanted to cajole Iruka into cutting work early. He smoothly placed a hand on Iruka's knee. Immediately, and with an attractive blush, Iruka lifted Kakashi's hand and returned it to its owner.

"If I don't finish by two, I won't be able to get it down to the records room and the treasury in enough time for them to lay out next month's budget before the council meeting later this week," Iruka said firmly. In response, Kakashi's stomach grumbled pathetically. Iruka's hard expression softened, but whether it was because of Kakashi's unbelievably sad one-eyed begging or his loud stomach, Kakashi didn't know. The brunet sighed. "I'll work fast, I promise." Kakashi frowned, once again unaware of the effect his pout had on Iruka. Especially susceptible to puppy-dog eyes, even though it was a weakness he desperately tried to hide, Iruka realized if he didn't compromise, he was going to cave completely.

His hand moved on its own to cup Kakashi's masked cheek, his thumb soothing over Kakashi's pouting lips. "There's a ration bar in my bag. You better eat it before that pout makes me forget all about the budget and being responsible," Iruka teased. Before his hand could fall away, Kakashi placed his hand over Iruka's and held it in place, turning a teasing gesture into a tender moment.

This time, Iruka's stomach grumbled loudly to interrupt. Kakashi sighed and reluctantly released Iruka's hand.

"Alright, explain it again. I'll help you so we can get done faster and get out of here," Kakashi said with a small smile.

~*~

From his concealed position on the roof, where he could hear the conversation drift up on the wind through a gap in the window, Genma smiled. It was a new record—four days with no screaming from Iruka, and no flagrant reading of porn from Kakashi. He clicked his new senbon against his teeth, the sound reminding him of how he'd lost his favorite as a result of Kakashi's unexpected threat. He'd have to be more careful about teasing Iruka in the future. It wouldn't be in his best interest to be on Kakashi's bad side.

"Like this?" Genma heard Kakashi ask, almost nervous sounding. Perverted thoughts filled his head and Genma grinned.

"Yes, but push a little harder—you're not getting through," Iruka replied. Genma snorted. His mature self realized Iruka was talking about the double layered paper used to make multiple copies of documents, but his perverted Jounin mind couldn't help but point out they were making paperwork sound like one of Kakashi's novels.

"I don't think I'm doing this right," Kakashi replied a few moments later, "Where does it go again?"

Genma couldn't help it. He had to slap his hand over his mouth so the Hokage and his assistant didn't' hear his bark of laughter.

~*~

If Kakashi thought grocery shopping with Iruka would be an intimate chance for the two of them to talk, he was sorely mistaken. They'd barely stepped into the market before they were both singled out.

"Iruka-sensei!" A small brunette girl called. She came running from amidst vegetable stands and threw her arms energetically around Iruka's leg. From the other direction, a heavy-set civilian came jogging towards them, trying to catch Kakashi's eye.

"Hokage-sama! How convenient to see you in the market! I was just on my way to visit your office to speak with you about—" Kakashi's focus shifted to the little girl, who was practically shouting in her excitement to have Iruka's attention.

"My brother called you a bad name today after school, but I told him that you helped me find my doll, and that he's just a—" Kakashi was distracted yet again at the arrival of a small boy, predictably the girl's brother.

"Shut-up!" A young boy yelled, attempting to cut off his little sister's tattling, pushing himself between Iruka and Kakashi in the process. The civilian continued rattling on to him, and tried to block his view of Iruka and the children, but Kakashi couldn't help but peek around him to watch the scene play out, a strange tugging on his heartstrings. Iruka had knelt in front of the little girl, and Kakashi realized her shade of hair almost perfectly matched Iruka's. There was a gentle smile on the Chuunin's face as he consoled away her worries.

"I submitted the paperwork, but—"

"Excuse me," Kakashi interrupted, stepping around the man and moving back to Iruka's side. The now crying little girl looked up at him with big, watery brown eyes while her brother was not-so-subtly attempting to hide from him behind Iruka.

"What's all this about?" he asked. The brother paled, but his sister launched into her complaint again, most likely unaware she was speaking to the Hokage.

"My brother, Mokuba-kun, called me dumb, and he said he was going to tear up my dolly for good this time, all because I told him he was a meanie for saying bad things 'bout Iruka-sensei!" the little girl wailed, clutching her doll protectively. The doll's painted eyes screamed for oxygen that would never come.

"You're her brother, kid?" Kakashi asked. Mokuba gulped, staring up at him with wide eyes. Iruka stood, looking down sternly at Mokuba, his little sister still clinging to his pant leg, sniffling. Kakashi gave Mokuba the reproachful glare he had perfected on a young team seven.

"You should be nice to her—a leaf ninja should always use his strength to protect his family and friends," Kakashi said solemnly. Nervously, the little boy nodded so hard Kakashi worried for a second that he would rattle his brains. Not as easily intimidated by his status, or perhaps just precocious because of her age, the little girl smiled up at him and then pulled a crumpled little flower from her pocket.

"I was gonna give this to Iruka-sensei, but you can have it 'cause you scared Mokuba-kun!" she praised, offering him the pitiful little weed. Unsure, Kakashi took the tiny flower in his gloved hand.

"Alright kids, run on and play now," Iruka said, giving the children an encouraging smile and waving them off. Iruka's smile turned soft as he gently closed Kakashi's fingers around the flower. "You should keep it—it'll bring you good luck," Iruka said with a wink. Kakashi looked down at Iruka's hand curled around his own.

"It's working already," he said, grinning.

"Err...Hokage-sama?" the civilian interrupted. Iruka reluctantly released Kakashi's hand.

"Ah, Kaoru-san, someone from the office should be getting in touch with you soon about your damage claims. I know it's difficult conducting business out of a partially demolished store, but we are working as hard as we can to sort it out," Iruka promised. Pacified, the civilian nodded, chatted with Iruka for a few moments, and then continued on, finally leaving them in peace.

"Come on. We better get to the ramen stand quickly or else we'll get stopped again," Iruka said, grabbing Kakashi's hand and tugging him down a side road, partially congested with rubble. Kakashi let himself be led, smiling at the man who had captured his heart.

'We make a good team,' Kakashi realized. 'As long as I have him, there's still something I can offer Konoha.'

~*~

"What spices do you have already?" Kakashi asked, his hand hovering over the neat little rows of jars in the spice aisle of the small grocery store. Iruka smiled sheepishly and scanned his eyes down the impressive selection.

"What could someone possibly use all this for?" He replied. Kakashi sighed, his revealed eye drooping, and shook his head.

"You really can't cook, can you?"

"Hey! I have other talents," Iruka protested, trailing down the aisle after Kakashi. The Hokage grinned lecherously and half-turned, so Iruka could see his arched brow.

"Really, now, Sensei? Do tell," Kakashi teased. Oblivious, Iruka's suck his nose up haughtily. He probably would have crossed his arms if he hadn't been holding the little red basket.

"I'm a good long-distance runner, and I have excellent penmanship, and..."

"Oh, I thought you were referring to something else," Kakashi interrupted, unable to believe Iruka was too innocent to catch the joke. Finally, Kakashi's true meaning sank in and Iruka's cheeks flushed a dark red.

"Just get your spices, Hokage-sama, and don't concern yourself with my talents," Iruka threatened ominously. Quite suddenly, Iruka made the plastic basket he was clutching look like a deadly weapon. Iruka's eyes seemed to scream, 'Oh yes, I'll hit you with it, and it will hurt.'

"Easy, easy! We'll need soy sauce, and some peanut oil," Kakashi said, pointing at a small jar near Iruka's elbow.

"This?" the brunet confirmed, picking it up skeptically.

"Yes. The last thing we need from here is a small bottle of sake. We'll get the vegetables from the stands and the meat from the butcher's place close to your house."

"They sell vegetables here, don't they?" Iruka asked.

"True, but the stands are fresher. A dish is only as good as the ingredients you use," Kakashi explained.

"Hmmm...good to know," Iruka said with a bright smile. Kakashi returned it and they stood in the aisle simply grinning at each other for a moment before Kakashi remembered where he was and what they were doing. He put the soy sauce into Iruka's basket. Iruka looked up at him as he did so and their faces were just inches apart...

Iruka pushed up onto his toes and gave Kakashi's masked lips a chaste little kiss. He smiled again at his stunned boss, spun on his heel, and was moving towards the alcohol section before Kakashi's brain could catch up.

"I'll just get the sake, then," Iruka said lightly. Kakashi swallowed thickly, shook his head to try and clear away the fog, and followed after him.

~*~

The flirting had started in the grocery store, but it hadn't ended there, by any means. As they bought vegetables and meat and carried their purchases to Iruka's house for safe-keeping, they found countless ways to touch each other unexpectedly: a brush of the hand against Iruka's hip to catch his attention, a teasing tug at Kakashi's mask to distract him from the bookstore. They'd quickly put away the food at Iruka's and returned to work, where they'd shared another kiss by the file cabinets, without the barrier of the mask this time. By the time work was over and they were leaving for Iruka's house, they were hand in hand.

"It's such a nice day," Iruka commented. "I'm glad we got everything finished early and we can enjoy it." Kakashi gave the younger man a gentle smile and then scanned his eye over the blue, cloudless sky. A soft breeze tickled over the leaves, lifting a few off their branches and sending them playfully spiraling down, like children playing tag.

"You have a nice route to walk home. Before the attack you would have gone right by all the Yamanaka family gardens," Kakashi commented. His fingers were laced around Iruka's, the day was beautiful, and Kakashi would have been hard-pressed to think of something that could have made it any better.

"So...I finally started reading my gift last night," Iruka said, stealing a coquettish glance at him. Kakashi grinned. Iruka was just full of surprises.

"Maa...did you like it?" he asked. Iruka grinned mischievously.

"Nope. It was utter trash."

Kakashi narrowed his eye and gripped Iruka's hand a little tighter, spinning mid-step so he was glaring down at the shorter man, who smiled happily, pleased with Kakashi's reaction.

"Those are dangerous words, Iruka-Sensei," He warned silkily. Iruka's grin broadened, and his eyes were unmistakably issuing a challenge.

"I can think of a few ways it could be better, that's all," Iruka said levelly. Kakashi arched a brow.

"Impossible. You can't improve upon perfection."

"Oh, I could improve. It could have a plot, for example."

"It has plot. In every position you can imagine and some you couldn't," Kakashi boasted with perverted pride. Each challenging exchange had brought them closer and closer, to the point that now Kakashi brushed his fingers against Iruka's hip. Iruka squeezed Kakashi's hand and tilted his lips up, and Kakashi mock frowned.

"You've belittled Icha Icha...I don't think you deserve a kiss."

"I think you're going to kiss me anyway," Iruka replied boldly. Kakashi smirked and tugged down his mask, coaxing a laugh out of his date.

"You're entirely right," Kakashi replied, before he slanted his mouth over Iruka's. Iruka's free hand wound around Kakashi's neck, and his other guided Kakashi's hand around his back. Obligingly, Kakashi wrapped Iruka up in his arms and deepened the kiss, steadily backing the brunet up against a nearby tree. On the outskirts of town already, they were far from prying eyes and only the forest would know that someone had insulted Icha Icha in Kakashi's presence and escaped with their life.

~*~

Iruka watched him cook, cat-like with his inquisitiveness. The rice was bubbling in the cooker, the vegetables were sizzling in the pan, and Kakashi was whipping up a marinade for the chicken.

"Take-out is much faster...but less attractive," Iruka concluded, nibbling on some freshly washed bean sprouts. Finally able to pause his cooking endeavors, Kakashi lightly swatted Iruka's hand away from the rice toppings and stole a kiss.

"It's a kitchen rule: no sampling unless the cook gives it to you," Kakashi informed. He temptingly held a few crisp, pale green sprouts on the tips of his fingers. Iruka smiled and took the bait, remembering a similar situation they'd been in a week prior.

'Thankfully, this cooking experience is much less awkward,'Iruka thought, loving how warm and full his kitchen felt once again. It was a sentimental feeling that had filled up his heart. Since the loss of his mother, Iruka didn't spend much time in the room, usually unable to bear how empty it felt. It didn't feel that way now, though, and Kakashi was the one to thank for that.

"I'm supposed to be figuring you out Kakashi, but you keep distracting me with kisses," Iruka accused light-heartedly, hopping up to sit on the counter near Kakashi. The silver-haired man grinned and Iruka could appreciate the expression fully—Kakashi's mask was puddled around his neck.

"Maybe distracting you is my plan. What could you possibly want to know about me, hmm?" Kakashi asked. He did a skillful toss of the skillet and Iruka's brows arched, clearly impressed.

"Lots of things. Why do you wear a mask?" Iruka asked. Kakashi shrugged.

"I started wearing it as a kid—the memory's vague. I wear it now just because I like how curious people get about nothing."

"You're such a tease," Iruka joked, snacking on more of the sprouts despite Kakashi's rule.

"Why do you always wear your hair up? I've never seen you with it down," Kakashi said. Grinning, Iruka quickly pulled out his hair band and swept his fingers through the chocolate-colored strands, smoothing out a few tangles. Kakashi stared, riveted, unable to resist the urge to move closer and touch it for himself.

"Wearing it up keeps it out of my face. I don't know why I haven't just cut it," Iruka said, oblivious to Kakashi's desire. Sizzling vegetables forgotten, Kakashi came to Iruka's side and slipped his own long, pale fingers into the silky brown strands.

"Don't you dare cut it," Kakashi ordered, completely serious. Iruka gave a shy little smile and leaned into Kakashi's petting.

"You really like it that much?" Iruka asked. Kakashi nodded, petting for a few more moments before he reverently tucked it behind the curve of Iruka's ear. He followed the motion with a sweet kiss to the skin he had just revealed. "You forgot the vegetables..." Iruka reminded. Kakashi hurried back to the pan and gave it another toss before he turned off the heat and moved the pan off the burner.

"We'll reuse the pan to fry the meat in just a second," he said. Iruka nodded and took a deep, shaky breath. Something about feeling Kakashi's strong hand in his hair had rattled him. He struggled to regain his focus.

"Do you...um...what do you like to read? Aside from your favorite series," Iruka asked. Kakashi seemed glad Iruka had asked a harmless question, and he began to scoop the meat out of the marinade and into the pan.

"I like reading about other parts of the world, and history interests me. Icha Icha takes up most of my time, though," Kakashi replied. Iruka nodded, satisfied with his answer. "What do you read, Iruka?" Kakashi asked, though it was only to be polite. Kakashi had spent far too much of his time studying the teacher to be unaware of what he liked to read.

"Poetry is good, because it's short, and I'm usually so busy that when I do have time to read, it isn't much. Short-stories are good for the same reason. I really love mysteries. You know, the ones that give you all the clues you need to solve it while you read."

"Are you any good at solving them?" Kakashi asked. Iruka smiled boyishly.

"I'm pretty horrible at it. That's okay, though. It makes it all the better when I do guess one." Kakashi smiled fondly over at the brunet.

"It's my turn to ask a question, now," Kakashi said after a few moments of quiet between them.

"Okay," Iruka replied, sounding a little nervous.

"What made you agree to go on a date with me?" Kakashi asked. Iruka's brows creased in thought, and he actually seemed to be considering the question carefully.

"I guess...because you remind me a little bit of Naruto," Iruka said. Kakashi's expression quickly turned horrified and Iruka laughed, startled out of his deep thinking. "Not like that! I just meant that...I don't know how to put it without sounding stupid...but I just felt like you needed me. It's silly, I know."

"It's not silly. It's true. You have good instincts, Iruka," Kakashi said softly. The topic had made Kakashi look thoughtful, and a little sad. Iruka didn't like that. He leaned over and placed a kiss on Kakashi's cheek.

"Plus, you're very pretty for a man. You're lips are so soft, like the skin of a peach." Iruka's teasing smile made Kakashi huff in amusement, the somber mood was effectively broken.

"I'm not pretty. You're the pretty one, with all that silky, girly hair," Kakashi retorted.

"Mmm...nobody's ever called me pretty before. It's kind of nice," Iruka replied. Kakashi left the meat to fry and once again moved closer to Iruka, unable to get enough of the other man.

"Iruka Umino, you are, without question, the most gorgeous, the most handsome, the absolute prettiest Hokage's assistant in all of Konoha," Kakashi complimented, loving the way Iruka's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"I'm the only Hokage's assistant in Konoha," Iruka replied.

"Well, it wouldn't matter if there were a hundred more. You'd still be my favorite," Kakashi replied easily. Iruka felt something inside him melt into a puddle of goo. He'd definitely learned one thing from this date of theirs—Kakashi was dangerously charming when he wanted to be. The two melded together in another earth-stopping kiss that left them both breathless. Panting a little, Iruka shook his head at how right the two of them together felt. It was as if all their animosity and misunderstanding had magically morphed into something magnetic and hot.

"Are you going to feed me or just kiss me all night?" Iruka asked, licking his lips. Kakashi watched the arc of the little, pink tongue and barely registered Iruka's words. Iruka didn't protest when he wrapped his arms firmly around the younger man's midriff and lifted him gently down off the counter. The kiss that followed was intense, and Iruka felt his knees go a little weak. Iruka finally had to pull his head back and brace his hands against Kakashi's firm chest.

"Too fast?" Kakashi asked huskily. Iruka just nodded, and Kakashi reluctantly stepped back. "Dinner's ready," Kakashi said. "Take a seat and I'll bring it to the table in just a minute."

"Okay," Iruka agreed, thankful for the moment to collect his thoughts. If he didn't cool things down slightly, their first date would go into territory Iruka wasn't comfortable with yet. He thought of previous dates he'd had, how awkward and overly-polite they'd been, and compared them with the feelings of electricity currently racing through his body.

He and Kakashi...they were on to something with this. No matter that it was slightly unconventional, nothing wrong could possibly feel so completely right.

~*~

A/N: Wow, that was a lot of fluff. It's like a I ripped open a frickin' teddy bear. Oh well, the plot will have to develop next chapter. I had too much fun making their first date romantic and cavity-inducing sweet! Hope you all enjoy, and thank you so much for the reviews! You inspire me to write with such great encouragement, you really do.