by:Love_me_to_Death
Rated:NC-17


Kakashi flipped through the pages of his favorite book, sighing when he reached the end. He hadn't finished the book, he had been looking for something to help him and hadn't found it. He hadn't felt this helpless since Obito had died. The more he thought about it, what he was about to do would kill him. No, it wasn't what he was going to do, it was the answer he could get in response to his question, that would kill him. He sighed and stopped, seeing he had reached his destination, he put the book away. Clearing his throat, he knocked on the door and waited, he felt his heart jump when Iruka poked his head out of the door. "Good morning, Kakashi-sensei." He just stood there and felt a blush heat his cheeks, which were thankfully covered by his mask. He regained his composure and quickly answered,"Good morning, Iruka-sensei." Iruka looked at Kakashi curiously, and asked,"Was there anything you needed?" Kakashi let his mind wander a bit, but quickly shook his head 'no'. "Oh," Iruka looked at his watch and seeing the time, he panicked.
"I have to go Kakashi, but it was nice to see you. Shouldn't you be heading off too?" Kakashi laughed,"You know I'm never on time." Iruka merely laughed and left with a 'poof'. Kakashi sighed, at least he'd been able to talk to him. He headed off to the grave of his teammates, and thought about how Naruto and Sasuke had recently confessed their feelings. It made him feel better to think of their problems, because it made his fear of rejection seem like a small thing. Naruto and Sasuke were 18 now and they were engaged, he sighed realizing that he was 32 and Iruka was 28 and they still weren't together. Kakashi stopped, seeing that he was at the resting place of Rin and Obito, Yondaime too, now that he thought about it. He looked around and once he was sure no one was there, he let it slip. The mask he wore, not the one concealing his face, the one concealing his heart slipped off. Kakashi spoke in a voice only for his comrades,"Hello guys." He could hear Rin now,'I am a girl Kakashi!' He'd laugh and as usual ask her for a date, but she'd turn him down. Then she'd turn to Obito, and ask him out, and he'd turn her down. He chuckled to himself and to his friends, "If only you could see how alike we all are. Well, I'm not like you, Arashi-sensei. But I know a certain knucklehead that will certainly grow into your shoes, I can't wait." He sighed, 'Oh what I'd give for you to be able to answer me.' He wiped away a stray tear and laughed softly, until his voice hardened again and he knew his mask was back in place. Kakashi sighed and said his farewells to his comrades before he vanished with a 'poof'. Behind a nearby tree, a certain brown haired ninja smiled and hurried off to his own students.
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Naruto and his teammates waited at the bridge for their sensei, Sakura stood away from Sasuke and Naruto. It wasn't that she was mad at them, she thought they needed some time alone. She wasn't giving up on Sasuke yet, she had a plan, it would make Sasuke hers and leave Naruto in the dust.(Sakura is pathetic, I mean she should just move on and seriously, what is up with pink hair, I HATE PINK!!! *hyperventilates and breathes into a bag**bows*gomenasai, just sharing my feelings) She smiled at herself, thinking how clever she was. Meanwhile, Sasuke was staring at his fiance with hungry eyes and imagining all the naughty things they could do as soon as they were done here. Naruto's mind wondered on a very different topic, their wedding. He wanted a huge wedding, with everyone he cared about there to celebrate his happiest day with him. Sasuke, however, wanted a small wedding, and right now he wanted Naruto underneath him. He wanted his blonde flushed, aroused, and Sasuke wanted to be inside him NOW!!! He was about to make his move, when his sensei appeared with a 'poof',"Now Sasuke, I don't think it's proper to do that in public."
Naruto turned to face his sensei,"Huh? Is Sasuke masterbating again?!" Kakashi went white and smirked,"So he's done it before,eh, Naruto?"
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After training was over, the team went their separate ways. Naruto for Ichiraku, Sakura for Ino's, and Sasuke for Naruto.(heehee, pervert) "I'm alone again." Kakashi sighed. 'Man, I hate this. I wish Iruka were here, then I could really smile.' As if he knew Kakashi needed him, Iruka appeared with a 'poof'. "Kon ban wa, Kakashi-sensei." Iruka said, smiling. Kakashi jolted and blushed answering,"Kon ban wa, Iruka-sensei. How are you?" Iruka smiled again and Kakashi melted. "I was actually looking for Naruto, have you seen him?" "Yes, but I'm afraid he's in Sasuke's clutches." "Ah, oh well." He was about to leave when he heard Kakashi speak to him,"Would you like to eat some ramen with me?" Iruka blushed a little,"Er...yes, I'd love to." Kakashi's heart soared at the words"love to", and he felt like Gai for a moment, caught up in his youth. "Kakashi-sensei, are you alright you look feverish?!" "I'm fine, just a little tired. Now let's get something to eat, hn?" (copying Sasuke now, huh, Kakashi)(gomen) As they sat there, nothing was said, until Kakashi accidentally touched Iruka's hand. "Eh, oh I'm so sorry, Kakashi-sensei." Iruka immediately tried to move his hand, but found himself unable to. Kakashi blushed and spoke up,"Well, I'm not and I like your hand there." There was silence and then Iruka said,"Eh, Kakashi.." 'Could he actually feel the same?' Unfortunately, Kakashi mistook the look on Iruka's face
to mean something else and said hurriedly,"Because my hands are cold, you know." Iruka hid his disappointment and smiled(taking after Naruto?) "Yeah, I know." 'So he doesn't feel the same. Could he be straight?' (NOOOOOOOO!!!!)(Itachi-"That's it, now I have to "punish" you." Rakuen(my naruto character)-"Just try it!" (Itachi is hers,mwuhahahahaha)Itachi grabs her and nibbles on her earlobe, while undoing her shirt....Rakuen-"Well,um, ahhh, here's the story..ahhhh...G-gomenasai!) *****(okay my devoted fans, I loved your comments, I have returned)*********************************************
"Well, I guess I'd better go. Thanks for the meal." Iruka bowed and disappeared. Kakashi walked home after paying, and sighed again and again. 'I really wish it weren't so hard.' he sighed, 'I mean it's only a three word sentence. "I love you."' He sighed, again, and unlocked his door, throwing his keys somewhere. (How many people do that? *raises hand* and how many of you read the stuff in these parentheses? please let me know! do you find them funny? thank you and gomenasai) Going to his room, he pulled out his book and began where he left off. He never remembered falling asleep, nor did he sense the chakra of someone in his apartment.

The next day was crazy, and it was all Sakura's fault. Itachi had come to the village with a strange girl, and Sasuke had tried to kill him, only to be thwarted by Naruto and that girl. She looked about 2 years older than Sasuke, but about 3 years younger than Itachi, making her twenty. She introduced herself as Rakuen and she said she was from Sakuragakure, and that her brother was the Demekage. The reason it was Sakura's fault, was because she had blatantly announced Kakashi's feelings for Iruka, and now everytime he saw Iruka he would run away. He couldn't take the rejection, and he also had to help Itachi. Rakuen explained that she was wary of Itachi herself, but she saw the demon that had possessed him, and discovered that it had killed the Uchiha clan and had been using Itachi's body since he was thirteen.

She had exorcised the demon, but it had gotten away, so she brought him back to his native village. Sasuke was skeptical at first, but once he saw the seal from the exorcism, he believed her. Itachi had barely said a word, but the way he looked at the woman who had saved him, gave away his feelings. He was in love with the tall, black-haired, blue-eyed Saku-nin in front of him. Tsunade had found them an apartment, but Sasuke, who believed in his brother again, wouldn't hear of it. He insisted the couple, while Itachi profusely denied that, stay with him. But he was still wicked, he made them share a room, much to Rakuen's protest and Itachi's silent (coughs/ grateful/ coughs) agreement.

After that was all sorted out, Kakashi had no reason to avoid Iruka, except that he couldn't stand the rejection. He ran into the man constantly, and just as Iruka was about to say hello, he'd poof away. Iruka sighed, staring at his ramen, "Kakashi, why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" Iruka shook his head 'no' and then stood and paid for his meal. He would get Kakashi, or he'd die trying. He went to the Uchiha mansion and knocked, Sasuke answered and nodded for him to come in. Iruka looked distressed, but he had to ask a favor of the new girl. Said girl entered the room, and smiled at Iruka. He reminded her of her brother, quiet and strong, yet always in pain, yet kind and thoughtful, it made her agree to his plan.

Kakashi had to help her with anything she needed, seeing as she had to stay longer, until the council's hearing, where she had to tell her story and reinstate Itachi as a ninja. So, Kakashi had been assigned to make her stay as comfortable as possible, and she could make him do pretty much anything she asked. Itachi's little glares over her shoulder seemed to help with that, and the men who asked her out. She agreed to meet with he and Kakashi, along with Itachi, at the training grounds at 9 the next morning. Itachi had plans of his own and toyed with the ring in his pocket as he thought of them. Rakuen assured Iruka it would work, and bid him farewell.