Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Can I keep You ? ❯ Chapter 17

Can I keep you?

Sequel to Pumpkins and Ravens

Main Pairings: Kakashi/Iruka, Sasuke/Naruto and others

Part of my 100 themes challenge.

 

Part 17 - TeamWork (41):

 

Kakashi had spent what felt like hours making his way through the streets of Konoha, trying to reach the south gate. He had managed about half way when he finally knew that he was going to be late, and this time he really couldn't do that it was too important. He carefully placed the basket he carried at his feet, and leaning against the nearest wall he rested for a few minutes as he slowly calculated in his head. After about ten minutes of rest he stood upright, settling the basket over his arm and making the hand signals required for a short distance teleportation.

 

He knew his chakra reserves were pretty low but as he managed to cover half the distance already he would be able to do this and with luck he could walk the last bit and only be a few minutes late. When he finished the seals he disappeared from the alley he had been walking down and the two shadows the jounin hadn't noticed exchanged worried glances at the use of the transportation jutsu. They both knew that there old sensei really wasn't up for anything like the chakra expenditure that it took to relocate to where he needed to go.

 

So, in rapid suction the two shadows simulated the seals the Copy-nin had used and disappeared in a flurry of leaves and smoke.

 

 

********

 

Iruka had spent the remainder of the week trying to get his life back in order. After Naruto and Sasuke had found him on the floor of his apartment that day the two boys had moved in to keep him company and he knew, to keep a watchful eye on him. He was happy that they cared but sometime it felt like they were the parents and he was the child wanting to rebel against them. They tried to smother him and though the attention made him work harder it could be frustrating at times.

 

He had finally gotten all the work prepped for the new semester that would start in a week's time and though Kakashi still filled his mind the anger that he had felt had drained away leaving a lonely ache in his chest that never lessened. When the two young shinobi had requested that he come out with them tonight he had started to protest but on spotting the calendar hanging in his kitchen he had realised what tonight was. They didn't want to leave him in alone but in some respects he wanted sometime to himself.

 

Yet when they insisted coaxing and cajoling him out to have a run in the refreshing night air under the full moon he had felt oddly drawn to the idea. It had been a while since he had just enjoyed being out with the two young in and perhaps for a short time he could try to distract his mind from the man that he missed so much. He had relented to the sight of puppy eyes form a pair of sapphire and obsidian orbs, it was so rare to see the young Uchiha insisting and coming very close to begging and he had to give a soft chuckle at the sight, relenting to his need to tease the raven, “I didn't know Uchiha's knew how to beg Sasuke.”

 

He heard Naruto snort at the comment and Sasuke scowled but the blush staining his pale cheeks gave his embarrassment away. Iruka leant forward and ruffled those dark locks much as he often did with Naruto and Sasuke had given him the oddest look. Those charcoal coloured orbs dilating and watching him with such a stunned expression. The chuunin had to know if he had done something wrong, “Sasuke - are you alright?” The raven had flushed brighter and shaken off the hand that had settled on his head, turning from Iruka to face the wall before replying in a soft voice, “I am fine Iruka-sensei.”

 

Iruka had given Naruto a concerned look and the blond had just smiled softly before shaking his head and sneaking closer to the other man. When he the blond had gotten close enough, he had tackled the dark haired nin onto the couch and they had both proceeded to tickle and rough house. The chuunin watched with a tender smile as they bantered back and forth as they played on the sofa and he felt a deep pang in his chest that he rubbed at with his knuckles just over his heart. He knew that the pain he felt would become a familiar thing and he knew he wouldn't give it up for the world. It was his reminder of the weeks he had spent caring from the jounin.

 

The chuunin walked through to his room, eyeing the bed sheets, he tilted his head enough to be able to hear the rough and tumble form the living and he slowly laid himself against ht sheets. He turned his face into the pillow and inhaled as deeply as possible, taking in the faintest traces of something fresh and tart in his nose. He hadn't been able to wash the sheets he had yanked from the bed, when the two shinobi currently wrestling in his living room had tried to take charge and wash them he had panicked, yanking them from Naruto's arms and taking them back to the bed.

 

He had remade the bed with the linen's wanting to sleep close to that scent for as long as it would linger in them. He had found it hard to sleep without that smell nearby. But now it had faded to almost nothing and he would have to learn how to sleep that way again. When the door creaked he turned his head just enough to see the two fine young men framed in the doorway and he got up from the bed slowly sitting on the edge. Naruto came into the room, striding across too the chuunin and placing a tanned hand on his shoulder in comfort and question. Iruka looked at the floor then back up at worried sapphire orbs, “I'll be alright Naruto. I just need some time. Let's get ready to go out shall we - we need to get there before night fall.”

 

His own hand reached up and squeezed the foxes before turning his face to see Sasuke's blank expression as he stood silently in the doorway. He nodded to the teacher and then turned abruptly, calling back over his shoulder, “Dobe you're going to make us late.” Iruka watched as Naruto spluttered in indignation before turning on his heel to stride from the room and berate Sasuke once more. Iruka looked down and stroked a hand across the sheets before he arose from the bed and walked without a backwards glance from the room.

 

 

*****

 

 

Kakashi came out a little closer to his destination than he had originally calculated, unfortunately that left him in the middle of the forest a few miles from the southern Gate. Although that was a good deal closer to his destination when he arrived there in a puff of grey smoke, he felt his legs give way as what little chakra he had managed to store inside was drained down to the very bottom. It left him exceedingly weak and shaken. It would seem though his reserves would naturally have built up over the time he had been sleeping but the mark that the Kyuubi had given him was stopping his chakra from building up inside him. It was likely that it drained off chakra both in an attempt to heal the wound but also because of the wound very nature, being inflicted by one of the tailed beasts.

 

The Copy-nin slumped to the floor, the basket that had been hanging from his arm dropping with a thud to the ground beside him as he rested himself. He was determined to make it to where he needed to go but his body felt unbelievable heavy and exhaustion swamped him. He knew being out here in this state was an extremely bad position - he was in many ninja books across the five nations and he was unbearably weak. He couldn't help but chastise himself for his stupidity, what had he been thinking he had seen how this type of injury affected people and had blithely ignored it to his own detriment. He was stuck between the village and the forest with no one the wiser as to where he was.

 

With that thought in mind he slowly dragged himself back upright, fighting against his body to retrieve the basket he had been given even though it felt like a lead weight attached to his arm. He curled his free hand around his chest, feeling a deep ache starting up where he had unintentionally jolted the muscles when he had fallen to his knees. He attempted to walk, but could only manage a staggered shuffle as he started for the closer of the two places. He just hoped someone would be there that he was expecting not an ambush instead.

 

 

*****

 

The three of them had taken the high road to get across Konoha and out the South gate without being noticed. Iruka took in the way the light from the ebbing sun turned all the homes and businesses of the town a luscious gold, and he turned to see it paint deep warmth across his two fellow shinobi. He couldn't help but notice that with each leap their hands brushed and he knew that in some ways Sasuke still felt guilty for what Naruto had given up to be with him. He now fought the hardest to keep Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage someday alive.

 

He turned his chocolate orbs back to watching the way ahead, dropping down under the tree line once they had moved further out of the village. The other two started to race ahead of him and he let them go, enjoying the feel of his body loosening up as he made confident leaps through the tree tops, hitting branches and feeling his chakra and adrenaline flowing in harmony. It had been to long since he had done this, far too much time spent indoors lately - that thought alone brought on that familiar ache once more and he rubbed at his chest again.

 

He pushed off faster now aiming to catch up with the two competitors and hopefully forget about the pain that ailed him whenever he thought of the jounin. He couldn't help but let a stray thought wander across his mind - what would this be like if he could share it with someone, if he could share it with him? He shook his head trying to release the idea but he let out a soft sigh when he pictured the two of them playing tag out here much as the younger shinobi were doing.

 

He landed squarely when he reached the clearing, letting his legs bend with the impact as he looked around in search of the elusive blond and the raven. He spotted Sasuke on the other side and saw a bright dash of colour as the Kyuubi charged across the clearing at the dark haired man. Iruka held his breath as the fox took a flying leap at the shinobi only to find the place he had thought he had been devoid of the last Uchiha. He let out a soft chuckle at their antics and watched the game of chase that ensued. Whenever one caught the other they switched, the tow where a blur of motion across the clearing, even ducking and diving around the rundown cottage at its centre. He walked quietly out into gray space, settling himself in a tailor's seat as he watched the two frolic around.

 

He was shocked when the young fox came to a halt just shy of him turning his head as if scenting the breeze. When the Kyuubi unleashed a deep fully bellied growl Iruka had thrown both his own arms up in response on to see that the beast wasn't looking at him but past him, those sharp eyes taking in something his own humans one couldn't see when he turned to look.

 

He got up from the ground, tentatively moving in front of the fox and walking forward trying to make out anyone that may be hidden in the shadows. He threw his chakra out, feeling both Sasuke and the fox ping off his senses and yet there was something there that he could feel but it felt odd. When the blur of orange ran past him, twin tails flying like a flag he reacted instantaneously - they couldn't have another incident like Kakashi's. He moved faster than he had before, putting all his strength into getting ahead of the creature gunning for whomever was in the trees, he leapt over the beast and landed squarely in front of the creature.

 

He yelled out into the darkness, taking the risk of an attack, “Whoever you are step out into the light right now.” It was an obvious command and he could hear the soft rustle of leaves before he saw the glint of silver in the moonlight before he took in the haggard appearance of the man he had been missing for the last week and a half. He breathed out a shaky gasp before speaking, only one word got out though, “Kakashi?” before the beast tried to attack the other man. Iruka shot across to the other nin standing in front of him protectively and turning and giving the fox a dominant growl. He felt a hand press against his back and soft words whispered across his neck, “I'm sorry...'Ruka.” before he heard a dull thump and that hand was gone.

 

He turned to see the Copy-nin folded over on the floor, dark orb closed and his breathing heavy. He knelt down beside him quickly easing him out so he wasn't curled over his delicate chest and rested his head in the chuunin's lap. He felt Sasuke approach and looked up to see him rub the fox around the ears and seeing those red eyes look up at the raven as it pushed its head further into that touch. It was just like a cat. He motioned the young man over so he could help him with Kakashi.

 

“Sasuke I need to get him back home, I have no idea what he's doing out here.” He stroked silvery locks from the jounin's face taking in the strained look before placing his hand over his chest and sending some chakra through the other man. What came back surprised the teacher, “He's barely got any chakra left - what the hell has he been doing all bloody week?” He scowled as he looked at the unconscious man before looking up to see a rather sheepish look on the young Uchiha's face. He looked between the three of them slowly, finally comprehending when his eyes landed on a familiar basket that had joined them on various picnics. “You told him to come here didn't you?”

 

He watched Sasuke with a piercing gaze he usually on reserved for the most troublesome shinobi in the mission room and the last Uchiha had the good grace to look away, his reply barely a whisper, “Hai Sensei.”

 

Iruka let out an exasperated sigh before asking another question, “But why?”

 

Sasuke looked up at the other man, taking in the scene before him, the way Iruka was protectively cradling the other man - it reminded him so much of Naruto. “Because you're both a wreck without each other and we wanted to help.” He turned a fierce glare on the chuunin hoping to show him just what he and Naruto had figured out. “You can't seem to admit that you like each other.”

 

That's when the jounin spoke up in a rasping voice, it sounded like he had been choked or had inhaled lots of smoke with how deep his voice was, “He is right `Ruka.” The chuunin looked down at the suddenly conscious man resting in his lap as he gently pressed a hand to his cheek, he hated that fact that he could barely see the other man face for the mask and his hit-ate but he needed to know what was going on he was so confused by it all.

 

“What are you doing out here Kakashi-san and what do you mean that Sasuke's right.” He gave the other nin a puzzled sigh when he spoke, feeling exasperated by the situation. He didn't hear the raven move away or the fox give another cursory growl before following the other raven.

 

Kakashi looked up at Iruka from his smoky grey orb and he lifted his hand to slowly push the hita-ate up so he could see the chuunin with both eyes. “He means that I care about you and I was an idiot. They were giving me the chance to apologise to you. Sakura even gave me a picnic as a peace offering.”

 

The chuunin's gaze flitted over to the basket before looking back at the other nin once more, taking in the sight before him, both eyes looking into him so deeply. He watched the slow whorl of the tomoe in the red orb before looking into the grey, feeling his gaze trapped between the engaging eyes. He took a deep breath and bent down closer to the other nin, “Does that mean you don't hate me?”

 

He watched as those mismatched orbs dilated in surprise before he felt a calloused palm lift to brush across his cheek, the tender words that left the jounin's lips made Iruka's heart still, “I will never hate you `Ruka.” He felt the older shinobi shift in his lap and he made to protest only to find both hands clasping his face between them, the Copy-nin's voice husky with repressed emotion, “Can you forgive me?”

 

He felt something hot and prickly stabbing at the back of his eyelids and warm trail running down his cheek as he looked deeply into those concerned eyes, he blinked slowly staring deep into them to search for what he wanted to know. When he felt a gentle stroke of across his cheek and saw the deep worry and fear buried inside those eyes he gave his answer, “Yes.”