Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Time Travel is Impossible, at Least for Humans ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Would I be writing this if I owned them?

Back at uni so updates will be less frequent.

 

Chapter 5

 

 

“Iruka-sensei you're back!” Iruka braced himself as Naruto slammed into him, wrapping his arms around the small boy.

“You're better now, right?”

 

“Hundred percent.” Iruka smiled and reached out to ruffle Sasuke's hair and clasp Itachi's arm briefly.

 

“I'm glad you're back sensei.” Sasuke said even as he tried to settle his hair back into its normal style. Itachi nodded and gave a tiny smile. Caring for Sasuke and with Naruto and Iruka always nearby was slowly thawing Itachi out. While still silent and stern he was learning to show more emotion to those in their small group.

 

“How have you three been?” Iruka asked as they began walking down the street. Kakashi had vanished as soon as they'd entered the village to report to the Hokage.

 

“We got another substitute, she's nice and doesn't call me names.” Naruto said and Iruka shot a look at Itachi but the teen stared blankly back.

 

“Kurenai-sensei is a good teacher but everyone will be happy you're back.” Sasuke told him. Iruka nodded, surprised Kurenai had subbed for him but glad too, she'd never had a problem with Naruto.

 

“We've moved out of the compound now, some of the others were getting vocal.” Itachi's eyes flicked to Naruto letting Iruka know what he meant.

 

“It's a great little house, really cosy. And guess what?” Naruto bounced.

 

“What?” Iruka asked smiling.

 

“I get to live there too!” Iruka's smile widened to a grin. Itachi shrugged.

 

“He's over so much he might as well live with us.” The teen explained coolly but he knew he wasn't fooling anyone present.

 

“We all have our own rooms, we painted mine orange!” Iruka laughed, no surprise there.

 

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Iruka watched as Itachi trained both younger boys. Naruto had really learned a lot from the ex-Anbu and was fast approaching Sasuke when it came to fighting. His academic scores could still be a lot better but they had improved. The blonde wouldn't be `deadlast' this time around. So what reason could he give for putting the two boys on the same team? He still had two years to decide luckily. He winced in sympathy as Naruto hit the ground, hard.

 

Naruto would be ten in three days and the party was all organised. Under the protection of their group many of their fellow shinobi with children had warmed up to Naruto a lot sooner. Last time it had taken the chuunin exams for the others to see what Iruka had known for years, that Naruto was simply a lonely child starved for attention and affection. Now nearly all of the children who would one day be known as the Rookie Nine would be attending the ten year olds party as well as some older ninja and the Hokage himself. It would be quite the party.

 

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“Happy New Years Iruka-kun!” Iruka sighed and adjusted his grip.

 

“You're drunk.” He stated dryly.

 

“Yep! You're not?” Kakashi slurred, leaning heavily on Iruka.

 

“I can't get drunk, believe me I've tried.” Iruka replied as he opened the door, disabling the traps automatically. He lowered Kakashi onto the couch.

“You can sleep here tonight. I don't envy you the hangover you'll have tomorrow.” He chuckled. Of course he could take care of it for him but where would be the fun in that? His lapse in concentration cost him as Kakashi yanked him down and kissed him clumsily, his mask raised just enough to free his lips and chin. Iruka froze in shock, fighting the urge to kiss back and finally managed to pull away.

“Kakashi…”

 

“You want me.”

 

“But you're drunk and I won't take advantage of that.” Iruka kissed him gently on the forehead.

“Go to sleep.” With that he retreated to his own room for what was left of the night.

 

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Kakashi stared groggily up at the ceiling. It wasn't his but it was familiar. His head hurt too much to think beyond that. Pulling his protesting body upright he spotted a familiar photo, so he was at Iruka's and had obviously slept the night on his couch. What had happened last night? He staggered out to the kitchen and downed a glass of water before bolting for the bathroom and losing what little was in his stomach. While leaning against the toilet he thought about the previous night. He'd gone to the New Years celebration and had a few drinks, okay more than a few drinks. Iruka had offered to help him home. The younger man hadn't been drunk and Kakashi very vaguely remembered him saying something about not being able to get drunk, lucky him. Then…Kakashi froze. Oh no he didn't…did he? He thought hard. Yep, he had. He had kissed Iruka. And Iruka, ever the gentleman, had pulled away and gone to bed. But why had he kissed him?

 

“Not feeling the best?” An amused voice asked. Kakashi blearily stared up at the far too chipper chuunin and groaned. Taking pity on him Iruka wet a face cloth and wiped Kakashi's face gently before handing him a glass of water.

“Rinse and spit.” Kakashi did as ordered. Iruka sighed and gently cupped the pale face in his hands, reaching out with his power. Kakashi blinked and straightened as his headache began to fade and his thoughts to clear.

 

“What?” He gave Iruka a puzzled look and the other man smiled.

 

“Figured you might like to get rid of the hangover. Feeling better?” Iruka moved away.

 

“Yeah, thanks.” Kakashi stretched languidly and then stood. Iruka stood as well and Kakashi suddenly felt very awkward. He scratched at the back of his head and then froze as he suddenly realised something, his mask was down, bunched up around his neck. Seeing the blossoming panic Iruka stepped forward and held his face between his hands. He smiled up at the taller man, running tanned fingers of his revealed features.

 

“Why do you hide?” Iruka asked softly. Kakashi swallowed hard as he stared down at Iruka, trying to hide the fact that he had started to shake. But Iruka still saw and frowned in concern. He gently pulled Kakashi out of the bathroom and into his bedroom, pushing him down so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed, Iruka kneeling in front of him.

“Kakashi, look at me Kakashi.” Iruka ordered firmly. A single dark eye slowly rose and gradually focused on him. Iruka smiled at him gently.

“It's okay.” He assured the silver haired man. Kakashi suddenly gripped his wrists as if Iruka were the only thing holding him to sanity. Still giving him that gentle smile Iruka worked his mask up for him, gently settling it into place over his face. That seemed to help a bit as the shaking settled and Kakashi seemed able to focus on him better.

“Are you okay?” Kakashi blinked and then he was suddenly on the other side of the room.

 

“I'm fine, thanks for the help with the hangover.”

 

“Don't Kakashi, don't shut me out. What happened in there?” Iruka stood and moved to block the door not that it would stop Kakashi since the jounin was standing next to the window.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Kakashi managed his usual slouch but Iruka could see the tenseness in his shoulders and sighed. At the precise moment Kakashi went to lunge out the window Iruka froze him in place. He forced himself to ignore the anger he could feel pouring off his friend even as he lifted Kakashi's slightly taller body and carried him out to the lounge room, placing him on the couch.

“Promise not to run if I give you back control?” Kakashi managed to glare and Iruka sighed.

“Please Kakashi, talk to me. You're my best friend and frankly whatever happened in there scared me.” Iruka gently brushed a hand through Kakashi's hair.

 

“Let me go.” Kakashi ground out.

 

“No. Kakashi that was not a safe reaction. What happens if you're ever captured and they remove your mask? Please talk to me.” Iruka all but begged. Kakashi's expression slowly relaxed and he sighed. He felt bad about worrying Iruka like that but he really didn't want to talk about it. But for his friend maybe he could.

 

“I look like him.” Kakashi said softly and Iruka frowned. Him? And then it hit him, Kakashi looked like his father. Iruka thought back to what he'd seen and then the one time he had seen Kakashi's father as a child, there was definitely a strong resemblance. But surely that wouldn't be enough to cause the reaction he'd seen. He slowly released his control over Kakashi's body but kept stroking his hair, trying to comfort him.

“After…they all stared so I took away their reason to look.” He refused to look at Iruka as he spoke even though he could feel that he had control back, something he was grateful for. It was not a comforting feeling to be totally aware and yet not be able to move. And he wasn't going to admit it but Iruka's fingers in his hair felt very nice.

 

“There's more to it than that, isn't there?” Iruka asked softly and after a while Kakashi nodded.

“You don't have to hide your face from me Kakashi. I don't care if you look like him or not.” Iruka smiled warmly down at him as Kakashi slowly raised his visible eye to look at him. Gradually Kakashi smiled back though it wasn't quite up to his usual standards. Iruka decided to let the other reasons lie for now and relaxed back against the couch.

 

“I kissed you last night, didn't I?” He asked, half hoping his memories were wrong but also hoping they were right.

 

“You were drunk Kakashi, don't worry about it.”

 

“Did you like it?” Iruka swallowed and looked away.

 

“You know how I feel about you…how can you ask that?” He asked shakily.

 

“Sorry. If it helps, I liked it or at least what I remember of it, its fuzzy.” Kakashi admitted softly.

 

“Kakashi?” Iruka was staring at him, eyes wide.

 

“Could we, maybe, do it again? See if…I don't know but I'm willing to try.” The jounin admitted. Iruka nodded and urged him to sit up on the couch so that they were facing each other. He gently pulled Kakashi's mask down before leaning forward and gently pressing his lips to the others. Kakashi hesitantly returned the kiss, not really sure what he was doing but somehow something was telling him it was right. Iruka pulled back slowly and looked at him closely, worried that Kakashi would decide it had been a mistake and would leave. So it was to his utter shock when Kakashi slowly entwined their fingers and lay back down with his head in his lap.

 

“Kakashi?”

 

“It feels right.” The jounin shrugged as much as one can when lying down and Iruka smiled. He began stroking Kakashi's hair again, his smile widening as Kakashi slowly drifted off into a deep sleep, showing just how much he trusted Iruka.

 

TBC…