:21:

Iruka was running through the snowy forest. He was panicking.

He forgot about his frozen hands and feet, he didn't pay any attention to the heavy shudders, which came over his body every once in a while. He was running as if his life depended on it. He was looking for Kakashi.

That morning Iruka had another lesson in the fields and already started the practical part, when he noticed the absence of his attendant. He began to look around every free minute, but Kakashi didn't appear in his sight.

"Um, like this," Iruka showed another student how to hold their fingers while creating the jutsu. "And now you move them down, that is when you say your verse, and slowly slide them apart. Yes, good work."

"Wow, Iruka-sensei!" the student gasped in an awe and immediately repeated the move. "Wow!" And the move was repeated again.

Iruka understood the feelings they all lived through when they succeeded like this, but right now he couldn't calm down, because Kakashi was nowhere in sight. In addition, Iruka couldn't feel his chakra anywhere near.

It felt cold without Kakashi.

"Um, have you occasionally seen my attendant?" Iruka wondered, doing his best to sound casual. "The silver-haired man with the mask on his face."

The student nodded, without quitting staring at his own slowly moving fingers. "I know very well who your attendant is, everybody does." There was a long pause, during which unaccustomed fingers trembled, trying in vain to end the complicated move. Iruka patiently corrected them, just for the student to gasp in awe again and continue to talk. "Your attendant followed some blond guy a while ago. There, into the forest." The student waved his head to the side and Iruka's eyes caught the line of seemingly hurried footsteps, disappearing into the dark forest. Iruka gulped. He didn't like it at all. He felt cold. He wanted to get to Kakashi.

Iruka went into the middle of their gathering and clapped his hands several times, loud enough to attract everyone's attention.

"The lesson is over. All of you did very well today. Please return to the tower and report your progress to your mentor."

There was a chorus of disappointed moans, and then students began to gather in small groups and move towards the tower. However, Iruka didn't pay attention to them anymore. He was already running through the forest, following the trail of light steps in the snow.

The mad thought that it was the first time he was thankful there was snow around, crossed his mind. The white fluffy snow helped him today; it carefully saved the prints of Kakashi's boots. That was the main thing. The fact that substance was cold as if evaporated from Iruka's head.

Iruka gave out a bitter laugh.

Then he came to the opening and saw two men. The blond man was on his knees; his eyes were wide open. He stared up, at Kakashi's face. And Kakashi was staring back at him with his both eyes, sharingan swirling in slow captivating manner.

"What are you doing?" Iruka cried, ran straight to Kakashi, and tugged his sleeve.

Kakashi started, blinked, and turned his head to Iruka. The red eye was closed now.

Kakashi's and Iruka's gazes crossed.

Without braking their eye contact, Kakashi's hand stretched, roughly grabbed the blond guy by the collar, and pulled him closer.

"I've just read his mind and what do you think I saw in this man's memories, eh, Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi asked sarcastically while shaking the man by his collar. The man let the jounin shake him, and only moaned occasionally; his eyes were still wide open, staring into nowhere.

Kakashi looked frightful. Iruka had no fear of him; still he didn't understand what was going on with him.

"What was it you saw there?"

"Oh, so you pretend you don't know? How sweet," Kakashi pulled the man even closer, forcing him almost to fall.

Iruka noticed the poor guy was frightened to death and already crying.

"I don't get it, Kakashi. What should I know?"

"Aren't you sly, you?" wondered Kakashi bitterly, and then turned his face to the captured man. "What I saw through his eyes, was you, Iruka. I saw you running to him, right into his arms." He paused and tugged the man up. "I saw you with him and I felt you embrace him. And I felt you purr on his chest while his hands groped you all over…"

Now Iruka finally understood. On one hand, he was relieved nothing bad happened yet, and on the other, he felt highly annoyed. He grabbed Kakashi's hands and forced him to let go of the man's collar. Kakashi wasn't ready for his sudden movement and dropped the guy immediately.

Iruka pulled Kakashi to his frame and threw an angry glance at the man in the snow.

"Get out of here. Be quick!" he hissed and turned his face back to Kakashi. "Now you!"

"What?" Kakashi made an effort to step back, but Iruka held him firmly. With regret, Kakashi watched the blond man crawl away and disappear around the nearest trees.

"Don't 'what' me, look me in the eyes!" cried Iruka. He made Kakashi turn his face, reached for his sharingan eye with his frozen fingers, and forced his eyelid up. "Look me in the eyes and read my mind, so that you can understand, you silly jounin!"

Kakashi didn't want to, but he was already looking. And what he saw there made his eyes widen even more.

He saw Iruka getting happy because Kakashi appeared before him, and happy Iruka was running to him; he felt Iruka's disappointment when Iruka realized that it was not him, Kakashi, who was holding him. He felt Iruka's urge to be embraced exactly by Kakashi. And how the teacher liked to be in his arms. And how he treasured the memories of their intimacy. And how he craved for more – unconsciously so far, but unexpectedly strongly.

Then Kakashi looked deeper, and felt the warmth he never felt before. Was it because he didn't need it, or because he didn't experience it before, he didn't really know. But now, when he saw what it was exactly and how dear it was to him to know it existed there, deep in Iruka's mind, he couldn't let it escape. He wanted it all.

Kakashi closed his sharingan eye and looked at Iruka's tearstained face.

"I get it now," he said, tugging Iruka into a tight hug.

Iruka sobbed.

"Did you see it?"

"Yes," confirmed Kakashi. "And I take full responsibility."

"Ha," Iruka laughed with relief, enjoying how nicely he was pressed to his attendant now, and how warm it was to stay like this together. "But what responsibility are you talking about?"

"Thank you for loving me," said Kakashi simply.

Iruka started. He raised his head and looked at the jounin. That sly masked face was beaming with delight.

"Are you sure?" wondered Iruka. "You watched me for one short moment and you decided I love you?"

Kakashi smiled. For Iruka it might be a moment, but for him it was like another eternity. And this time it was a pleasurable one.

"I saw it," confirmed Kakashi cheerfully. "I'm very sure."

The jounin was literally radiating with happiness. Suddenly Iruka felt the strong urge to steal that happiness from him. Alternatively, at least to share it with him.

"Whatever," he mumbled, giving up. He reached for Kakashi's mask, pulled it down and pressed his cold lips to the jounin's warm ones.

:+:

As Kakashi kissed Iruka back, he groped the teacher's body all over. And realized the body was frozen to the bones.

"I think we need to perform some warming here, Iruka-sensei," said Kakashi with authority. His hands stopped on Iruka's buttocks and squeezed them. "How about it?"

Iruka moaned appreciatively and caught his lips into another kiss. Somehow, he wouldn't let go of Kakashi's mouth, busy with the complicated play of the tongues. Kakashi liked that play, and played along with pleasure, but he also wanted to get to the main point as soon as possible. That was to stick his already excited cock into the teacher's tight passage. It must be still wet after their morning exercises.

Kakashi pushed Iruka away and made him turn around to have a better access to his well-build ass.

"Now, would you please lower your pants for me to take care of you?" he whispered into the teacher's ear while pressing him into the nearest tree.

Iruka gasped because of the forceful push, but obediently busied himself with his belt. As soon as it was undone, he shyly lowered his pants and presented his bare bottom to Kakashi.

Watching the process of the delicious flesh appear in its naked glory, Kakashi freed his cock.

"Spread yourself so I can enter you," he asked, and Iruka's trembling hands reached for his own buttocks and moved them apart. Kakashi pressed the tip of his cock to the teacher's hole. It was as wet and malleable as he imagined it to be. It swallowed him whole and he began to enjoy it immediately.

Right that moment Kakashi forgot about everything around. He forgot that they were in the snow country, which was unfriendly, and that they were outside in the cold, what was not good for Iruka's state, and that there was that blond guy hiding behind the tree, who pleasured himself while peeking at their action.

What existed was his hard cock moving in and out of Iruka's hole. That wet passage was pleasurably twitching around him, driving him crazy. He was very much into it. And out of it, for that matter. For jounin to react to something like that was the sign of true love.

Kakashi felt Iruka come, trembling under him with his completely pliant hot body. And Kakashi released his tension into him, filling him to the brim with all liquids he had stored for him.

Iruka shuddered under him another time, waited until Kakashi pulled out and fixed his pants on his hips again. And was immediately caught by the jounin, turned around and tugged into an affectionate hug.

While they held into each other, panting heavily, the heat still radiating from their bodies, Kakashi speculated how many bastards could be mad enough to hunt Iruka like that blond one did. There could be plenty.

"Iruka, we are leaving this country right now."

Iruka raised his head from Kakashi's chest and squinted at him, a doubt on his face.

"Fine with me. However, it would be wiser to leave in the morning. Because it will be a nightfall soon."

"Don't mind the night." Kakashi gave Iruka's thigh an affectionate caress. "I will warm you through the night the best way I can."

Iruka's not so long ago just calmed cheeks gained back the bright red color in a second. He could imagine it. The sooner the better. Unconsciously, his heart started to beat faster and all his body nagged in foretaste.

Kakashi gave him a worried look.

"Are you cold? Shall I start right now?"

"No!" cried Iruka hurriedly. "Not now. Let us get out of this country. I'm looking forward to you warming me through the nights on the way back to our village."

Kakashi nodded. That was Iruka for you! He couldn't wait to start warming the teacher, too. But he won't say it aloud.

He just realized he was into the sex with Iruka to the point he completely forgot he was his attendant and was there only to protect his well-being, not his ass.

:+:

When they entered the gates of the village, Iruka realized he didn't want to return here. He would rather continue to travel with Kakashi and let the jounin warm him time after time. The warming sessions increased during their trip back, and in the end, they were having these warming sessions every other hour, even in spite of Iruka had already forgotten when exactly he felt cold last time.

"Yo!" Kakashi greeted the guard of the gates. "What's up in our village?"

"Everything's good," replied the guard. "Just some scandal in the hospital. By Naruto."

Iruka started to run before Kakashi managed to blink. And he caught up with the teacher only at the hospital's entrance. They were immediately directed to the room where Naruto stayed and followed with the hopeful glances of the stuff.

Tsunade stood near the room and stared at the boys inside through the little window in the doorframe. She looked annoyed.

Iruka and Kakashi came closer and greeted their hokage.

"Oh, the real thing returned!" said Tsunade. She nodded at the door for both men to take a look.

Naruto was staying on the bed and shook Sasuke by the collar.

"…that's impossible! You are Iruka-sensei!"

Sasuke looked bored.

"What's going on?" wondered Kakashi, amazed.

"Naruto sees everyone around as Iruka-sensei. I think he will, too, until he sees the real Iruka-sensei before him."

"Shall I go inside?" asked Iruka politely.

Tsunade nodded.

"Please do. Let's end this circus."

Iruka opened the door and stepped inside. As soon as Naruto saw him, he dropped Sasuke's collar.

"Iruka-sensei!" he cried and jumped forward, right into his teacher's arms.

Iruka stroked his blond mane.

"Hello, Naruto. I really missed you during my mission."

Naruto raised his head and grinned at him. Then he noticed the others in the room.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei is back too!"

"Yo!" said Kakashi.

Tsunade clapped her hands.

"And now, when we are through with this misunderstanding, please get out of the hospital, you two," she pointed her finger at Naruto and Sasuke. "You have your training to catch up with."

Naruto turned his head to Sasuke.

"Wow, you are here too? Haven't seen you for a while!"

"Dobe," muttered Sasuke. "I was with you the entire time."

He stood up from the bed and bowed politely to Kakashi and Iruka.

"Are you treating me to ramen, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto grinned widely.

"Some time soon, Naruto," Iruka smiled and lightly pushed his former student to go away.

Naruto nodded, grabbed Sasuke's hand and pulled the boy closer. Then he kissed him. It was a mouth-to-mouth long kiss. After that, Naruto tugged Sasuke out of the room with words "Let's go spar, teme!"

Iruka was shocked; he opened his mouth but couldn't talk for a while.

"What was that?" he finally wondered after a long silence.

No one answered though.

Tsunade clapped her hands again, happy that Naruto was not bothering hospital anymore.

"Good. Come with me, Hatake, I have a mission for you." She said, but then remembered something and paused. "Or would you like to accomplish the punishment by Iruka-sensei I promised to charge you with?"

"That would be wonderful." Kakashi hummed and threw a hungry gaze in Iruka's direction. "May I continue with Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka blushed and averted his eyes.

Tsunade must have noticed something was out of character.

"No," she said sharply. "I have another mission for you. And Iruka-sensei is going to write the mission report."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Iruka nodded. He didn't look at Kakashi anymore.

Kakashi followed the hokage, but before he disappeared around the corner, he threw a hopeful glance back at the teacher.

"Good bye, Iruka-sensei. Our mission has come to an end. Unless you need my help with the mission report?"

Iruka was not looking at him. He was blushing heavily, that's why he was staring at the window.

"Of course I don't need any help with mission reports, Hatake-san. It's my specialty, after all," he said sarcastically. "Good bye."

Kakashi nodded, pointing he understood he wasn't needed anymore, and stepped away, disappearing around the corner.

Thus, for them, it ended indeed.

:+: (:extra extraction:) - (several years later)

Iruka quietly opened the door and slid into the dim-lit room.

Tsunade straightened her back and threw a side-glance at him. She waved her hand.

"No reason to be quiet, Iruka-sensei, he is far away from here."

Iruka came to the bed and looked at the body covered with the blanket to the very chin. It lay there, as if it was not a living body, but a pale stone. Additionally, its face was covered with the black mask from the chin to the very eyes. It looked sad.

"What do you mean – 'not here'?" wondered Iruka. He was afraid to hear the answer; he was already fighting the tears.

And his voice must be trembling, because Tsunade hurried to answer.

"Unconscious. No reaction at all." She paused, frowned at his worried face and waved another time. "Unconscious, but still alive. With Hatakes, you never know what comes next. We have to wait."

Iruka nodded and gave out a small forced smile.

"You never know, for sure."

Tsunade threw another strange gaze at him.

"Fine. You can stay here for a while. If he comes to his senses, please call me immediately."

"Of course, Tsunade-sama," answered Iruka.

When he was left alone with Kakashi, he sighed and sat at the chair, nearest to the bed.

"Hi there. You know, I don't know what I can do." Iruka moved the chair closer to the bed. "I'm afraid I'm going crazy." He reached for Kakashi's covered with blanket hand and tenderly stroke it with his palm. Unconsciously, he began to perform the slow strokes up and down while talking to the jounin. "It began after we came back from that mission to the snow country. I realized I think about you. It's not bad, actually. Nevertheless, what bothers me is that I think about you every single free minute I have. I start to remember your voice, your hands, the words you spoke to me, the smiles you gave me, your warmth, your supportive frame. If I'm distracted by something, or have an urgent task, I always think about you first thing after I'm done. When it began, I thought the time will pass and everything will return to normal, that I'll forget about you after a while. But it won't stop. The thoughts of you still come to me after so long! It's especially awful every time I go to bed. I remember how good it was to be in your hands, how perfect I felt when my back was pressed to your chest and your hands were entwined around my waist. I remember how you whispered soothing words into my ears, and how gentle you were with me, even when I behaved terribly. I understand very well that it all sounds unhealthy. Believe me, I tried my best to forget you. It won't work. I feel battered and smashed, really. I've got lost in these feelings. I hate myself for being so weak. I even can't help thinking 'Kakashi would say…', and 'Kakashi should see this', and 'If it was Kakashi he won't do it that way' now and then. I'm sorry, Kakashi." Iruka paused and focused his blurry gaze at his hand, which continued to stroke the jounin. He squeezed his eyes shut and hurriedly pulled his hand away. "I'm very sorry I'm such a fool. I shouldn't be bothering you, just, please, get better soon."

Iruka sighed heavily, stood up from the chair and opened his eyes. With another sad sigh, he looked at the jounin's face.

Kakashi's eyes were open and he was watching Iruka.

"The one who's the fool is me," Kakashi said hoarsely. "Want to know why?"

Shocked, Iruka gulped, but nodded.

"The reason I took mission after mission without stop was quite trivial, but it led me almost to the grave."

"And that reason was?" Iruka whispered, very much in awe.

Kakashi smiled sheepishly.

"It was because I could not stop thinking about you."

Iruka froze. The minute passed while they were staring at each other.

"And you kept silent about it," Iruka stated finally, his voice tensed.

Kakashi shrugged.

"So did you."

All of a sudden, Iruka jumped up from his chair and slapped Kakashi's face.

Kakashi endured it stoically; he winced only when the door slammed unnecessarily loudly behind the teacher's back.

"Tsunade-sama!" Kakashi heard Iruka cry in anger while stomping away along the corridor. "Hatake-san came to his senses!"

Kakashi slowly relaxed his exhausted body against the hard bed and a wide sly smile spread on his mask-covered face. Iruka's monolog was so promising he wanted to be healthy as soon as possible.

As soon as he is healthy again, he will go and continue to warm the teacher through life.

He won't let go this time. Even if the teacher in question doesn't feel cold, he will warm him until he himself feels no more.