Naruto Fic: Perception

[txilar]

Perception
Adult | ~3500
Summary: Kakashi learns that Iruka can teach him a thing or two about perception.
Notes: Written for the kakairu-fest Fest Community 2012 Winter Round.



Perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye
Miyamoto Musashi

With grim foreboding Iruka peeled open the black-tipped scroll. A faint shiver touched his upper back as he read it. In a fit, he snapped his fingers sending a burst of chakra that ignited the scroll. He shook his head, knowing that while he could destroy it, he still had to follow the orders.

He'd known this was coming. There was no point in pretending otherwise.

'I have a wounded soldier out there. By now, it might be a dead one. It's delicate and I need you. Go home. Prepare.'

Iruka wasn't worried about his skills being up to par. He wasn't worried about his ability to complete the mission. He was worried about what--about who--he might find. There was only one ninja scheduled for the coordinates she'd sent.

Kakashi.

And it wasn't that he didn't want to go. This just wasn't how he wanted to see Kakashi. Iruka checked his kit and began strapping his weapons.

"Iruka, come on." Kakashi's fingers were a little tight on his arm and his tone had moved from condescending amusement into impatient boredom.

"That is not your most persuasive line." He was tired of this, he really was.

"You're a chuunin," Kakashi said again. "You teach children. There's nothing wrong with that, but--"

After that, it hadn't taken long before he realised Kakashi's subtle egocentrism. Jokes began to take on an edge and little comments began to add up to something that wasn't funny at all. And while, Kakashi wasn't like some of the other ninja of his rank, Iruka had never expected such from him. Where some of the other jounin wore their pride like a uniform, Kakashi, better than them all, didn't show his true colours until he was involved with someone.

Iruka shook his head, checked his armbands, and left. Fifteen minutes later he was heading west where his target had last checked in. According to the last scroll Tsunade sent on his way out of the village, the target was most likely wounded.

And not likely to survive.

Iruka's approach was quiet, but not hidden as he approached the dense copse nestled against the ruined wall of an ancient and long forgotten fortress. He had to assume his target--that Kakashi was still alive and able to defend himself. There was no way Kakashi was...

Iruka shook his head. Just because it was Kakashi didn't mean he started wondering and worrying. This is a mission like no other, he told himself.

A tumble of rocks created a shelter and the distinct scent of a fire drew Iruka in. He ignored his sudden sense of relief.

Kakashi was against a wall, his head tilted back. His leg struck out at an odd angle beside the small fire and his arms were tightly crossed over his chest. He shivered. It was faint, but distinct. For someone who claimed to be hot natured, he looked like he was freezing.

Iruka took a step forward, making his presence known, if for any reason Kakashi hadn't already noticed it, and raised his hand in a proper greeting.

"I'm here to assist you."

///

"Oh, are you kidding me? Why couldn't I hallucinate the Cherry Blossom Twins?" Kakashi could hear the slur in his voice, so he was certain the hallucination could too. The hunter's mask tilted and he could almost see the expression on Iruka's face. That patient, frustrated, wry, smug, irritated, amused... Kakashi was running out of adjectives--and painkillers.

He was cold, worn out, he knew he'd pushed himself too far, but poison happened. Lots of things happened. More than the expected number of enemies happened. Chakra depletion happened. Tripping on stupid roots also happened, but he wasn't going to ever tell anyone that. Ever.

At the least, his brain could offer suitable entertainment. The Cherry Blossom Twins were not only limber, they wore so little you didn't even care if they didn't take it off. Which was good because he was in no position to handle that himself. His hallucination had way too much armour on.

"Look, brain, come on. Where is this coming from? You're supposed to be helping me get out of here."

"You cannot walk," said the Hunter-Iruka-Hallucination.

"My hallucination is a wit. No, I can't walk, do you see my leg? Iruka... You're a teacher, what are you doing here? I mean, why, in my brain, now?" Kakashi's arms fell to his side and he was seized by shivering again. "I'm an idiot," he muttered. And he didn't mean just the whole tripping on a root thing. He'd decimated that root as soon as he got rid of the three ninja that has precipitated his ungainly stumble.

"I won't argue with you Kakashi-san, but an army is headed this way. We have a head start of about two days. We need to leave."

Kakashi leaned forward and fussed with the binding on his leg. It wasn't enough. The paralysing poison was setting in as he'd started the bandaging and it was only through sheer force of will that he'd got the bones into place and a makeshift splint started.

Iruka rifled through a small pack and knelt beside him. For a hallucination, he had a well packed medic bag. "Take this. It'll help get the poison out. And put your jacket back on." He didn't have to say it like that.

"Oh, ah, I got hot, then I was cold, but a chipmunk family was here and they needed--"

"Put the jacket on and shut up. This is going to hurt." Hunter-Iruka-Hallucination got to work, cutting Kakashi's clumsy bindings away. For a hallucination, he had awfully cold hands and--

Kakashi let out a ragged yell. "That was healing!"

"Sorry."

Kakashi panted. "You don't sound sorry. You're not a hallucination." You're a smartass.

"It's a good thing. The Cherry Blossom Twins have little expertise in this area."

"Oh, ha ha." Now that he'd been graced with the clarity sudden pain often brings, he was irritable--and in pain. His jacket was damp--probably with chipmunk piss, he hadn't been making that part up--and he felt grimy, and he was clammy, and his saviour was a bitchy little chunin who didn't put out.

He stared, watching as Iurka tended Kakashi's leg, as carefully as any medic.

"You can take that mask off, you know." Iruka either didn't hear him, or, more likely, was ignoring him. He licked his lips. Even with his mask they were dry and flakey. He really needed lip balm. A shower would be nice. And a blanket. A mug of tea. He bit his bottom lip when Iruka pulled out a needle. And another. And another. Stitch thread and chakra-mend.

Look away, self.

Trying to ignore the needles, he pondered Iruka. A number of comments went through his mind. Wisely, he kept them there, settling on the smartest thing he could say for now. "I didn't know."

"So you don't know everything after all."

"You don't have to--Ow!" Kakashi's yell broke off into a low growl. "Are you enjoying this?"

"Sorry, I didn't know you were afraid of needles," he said blithely. Iruka made no pretence to disguise his voice. Not that it would have made a difference. Kakashi had recognised him in a split second. It hadn't even been conscious.

"I'm delicate." Kakashi shivered again. "Can't you numb me?"

Iruka turned, slipped the mask over his head, and fixed a hard stare on Kakashi.. "Weren't you listening? We have twelve hours travel ahead of us that we need to make in seven. And that's just today."

Kakashi moaned in despair. "I thought you were here to take my head and ritually burn my remains. It would probably hurt less."

There it was. That expression. The same face he made when Naruto said something stupid.

"Well, you're closer to alive than was expected."

Four hours later, Kakashi was near tears. No really, he was. If he thought it would have moved Iruka to mercy he would have cried and pled for his life.

"When are we going to stoooop?"

"You're worse than my kids. You know what I teach them? Pain is a state of mind. You can erase fear, you can erase pain. You cannot erase defeat."

"Oh god, I'm going to diiiiiie."

Three hours after that, they stopped for the night. Iruka built a fire, caught, skinned, herbed, and cooked a rabbit, filleted two thick salmon, and found a pile of berries. Still river-wet, he pulled off his shirt and hung it near the fire to dry before settling next to Kakashi.

"You are so much better than the Cherry Blossom Twins. Maybe not as endowed," he said, checking out Iruka's chest as the fire flickered, "but certainly..." His dark, shiny, toned, wet... Kakashi licked his lips. "Where was I?"

"We made excellent time. You did well. Have more berries."

"They're bitter."

"They're good for you."

"I don't like them."

"Tomorrow there will be no stops. It's fourteen hours. We'll make it in nine."

How generous. An extra genin hour. Iruka was treating him like a genin.

"You sound like a genin! Stop whining. Drink some water, eat some more berries and let's get moving. I'll check your bandages in two hours." Iruka checked his weapons and supplies at their second break. Well, Iruka called it a break. Kakashi wasn't so sure he knew what the word meant. He must have learned about breaks from Ibiki. At least Iruka came to a complete stop.

"Can't we sit down? My leg hurts."

"No. Rather a pained leg than capture."

"You're mean."

Iruka's only answer was an overly dramatic sigh. Or maybe that was his version of a patient sigh.

"I told you half an hour ago." Iruka was gritting his teeth. That was not good dental practice.

"Tell me again, I forgot."

"Four. More. Hours."

"Will you miss me, when we get back? I don't see you that often." Was it his imagination or just Iruka just whisper 'Thank God?' "Maybe we could go out to dinner one night. Have drinks back at my place?"

"What about your Cherry Blossom Twins?"

"Those are just characters in a book, Iruka. They aren't real. Sadly."

There was a long silence during which Iruka seemed to gather his chakra meditatively.

"I mean, if you really are asking me out--I'm not exactly a Cherry Blossom Twin, Kakashi. What are you expecting?"

Kakashi stopped, just stopped. Iruka made it fifty feet before stopping and cursing in a manner inappropriate for a teacher. Kakashi leaned against a tree, palms on his knees, panting. He looked up at Iruka's approach.

"What?" His voice was weak. He was weak. Had Iruka just suggested...?

"You're tired, you're wounded, you're delirious. Stand up." He pushed at Kakashi's shoulders until they faced each other and kissed him. Hard.

Iruka tasted like rabbit and berries and seven hour runs. Iruka closed his eyes to kiss. Kakashi knew because he didn't close his eye. Iruka was hot, warm, sweaty, and delicious. He purred.

Kakashi whimpered when Iruka pulled back.

"Three more hours. We're almost home." Iruka sauntered off looking right pleased with himself.

Once again, in Iruka's presence, Kakashi was close to tears. He was beginning to understand Naruto's frustrations.

They weren't far from the gate when Iruka put his mask back on. Once he slid on his mask, he became a Hunter Nin. Something wholly and entirely different than the expressive pony-tailed sensei.

Kakashi had no idea how he had recognised Iruka when he'd first seemed a hallucination. There was nothing of the self-effacing, loud-mouth prude in the masked ninja in front of him. He seemed taller, gracile and fluid, as if he could dissolve at will.

Kakashi followed obediently. Whatever he knew, had thought he'd known, he knew he had no business treating the Hunter Nin as he had Iruka.

They were not one in the same, and yet, they were.

It must have been a big deal. There were more guards than usual at the gates. There were far more people than usual out and about, crowding the Mission Building, and looking anxious.

Had people really thought him dead? While the concern was touching, the worry was insulting.

Without speaking, Iruka led them to Tsunade's office, moving as if he expected people to move out of his way. And they did. Without a sense of consciousness, people stepped aside or simply melted out of his way and in no time, they were outside Tsunade's office.

I'm going to have to tell her about that damn root.

ANBU opened the door at Iruka's approach, without a hint of hesitation, as though they expected Iruka. He felt a slight shimmer of surprise. They hadn't expected him.

Iruka knelt before Tsunade's desk and bowed his head, waiting patiently.

"Thank you, Hunter."

She fixed her gaze on Kakashi. It was the look he'd seen mothers give to misbehaving children when forcing them to apologise for their actions. She then looked pointedly at Iruka--the Hunter Nin.

"Thank you, Hunter," he repeated, bowing slightly. Now that he was still, he ached. Oh, how he ached. There was nothing on him that didn't ache. Except maybe his ears. Ears were hardy like that.

"You're dismissed, Hunter. Kakashi, sit." He sat and watched Iruka walk out.

Tsunade rose and came before him, pressing a soft cool hand to his forehead. "I thought he would return with your head."

"I asked him to."

Her other hand clutched his arm and it was not cool and refreshing, it hurt. Hurt badly. He knew better than to complain. The simple gesture said enough. After a moment, her grip relaxed and he felt a soothing wash of chakra flow over him. He sighed and relaxed into a comfortable slump that he knew was bad for his posture.

"We'll go over your report quickly and I'll escort you to the hospital."

Maybe he could leave out the part about the root.

///

Iruka rubbed his forehead.

How can these kids be such idiots? They handled deadly weapons and trained to defend their village but their reports were little more than accounts of how awesome they'd be with a new uniform.

The knock at the door was welcome respite until he opened it.

"Kakashi-sensei. What a... lovely surprise. Won't you come in." He hoped his words sounded less welcoming than they sounded. Then he looked at Kakashi, who hesitated. He wasn't wearing his mask. There were faint dark marks under his eyes. And his expression was nearly sheepish. Browbeaten.

Iruka stepped back. "Really, come in."

"I was told to get out and do things," Kakashi said as he came in. "The holy terrors at the hospital released me yesterday. They were even less gentle with needles than you." Unconsciously, Kakashi rubbed his arm. He was dressed in simple recovery blacks. A narrow band of embroidered red leaves decorated the hems.

"We all have our fears. Would you like something to drink?"

"Only if its alcoholic."

Iruka laughed. "Sit down. Clean bill of health?" he inquired as he walked into the kitchen

"Clean bill of pain and agony." He was quiet for a moment. "I appreciate all you did. I know I'm not... not the best charge."

Iruka came back in the room with a tray. Luckily he'd been boiling water and luckily he found a second clean mug. Green tea would put some colour on Kakashi's pale cheeks.

"I was doing my job."

"Ironic."

"Not really." Iruka sipped at his tea. Kakashi looked a little miserable. But contrite. Iruka smiled at him.

"I misjudged you. I want to apologise." Kakashi sounded almost formal, but Iruka knew it had to be difficult for him.

"You didn't have to come all this way to tell me that." Iruka hadn't realised how close Kakashi was. He'd moved while Iruka had been in the kitchen.

"How else could I ask you out to dinner?" The contriteness was fading away into Kakashi's customary cockiness. Though it felt a little put on, a little... fragile.

Iruka sat his mug of tea down, turning away from Kakashi to do so. When he turned back Kakashi's eyes were still on his. "Do you want to go eat now?"

Kakashi shook his head. Iruka smiled.

"Drinks?"

Kakashi shook his head again and Iruka leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Bed?"

Kakashi was so still for a moment that Iruka feared he'd misjudged everything. And then Kakashi nodded again. His breathing was a touch shallow and Iruka could almost feel his heart racing. He leaned in again, tilting his head closer to Kakashi's and very slowly dragging his cheek alongside Kakashi's. Then he leaned back.

"Just because you think I'm worthy now?"

Kakashi blinked.

Iruka's smile was easy and he was so, so very relaxed. He leaned back against the sofa, one arm resting on his bent knee, his hair loose over his shoulders. How--how had Kakashi not noticed? How had he ever written Iruka off as 'just' a teacher?

He was about to deny what Iruka had said, but Iruka's hand had inched its way into his lap and his fingers were now slipping their way under the drawstring waistband of his hospital pants. It was a good thing the pants were roomy, because he was going to need room to grow.

"Uh," he whimpered. "No..."

Iruka nipped as his bottom lip. "I'm not worthy?"

"Oh yeah," he said, but it wasn't an answer. It was a response to a strong, warm hand wrapping around his cock.

"I mean, no. Yeah."

"You're just saying that because I have my hand around your cock." Iruka licked Kakashi's lips and then ran his teeth alongside Kakashi's jaw.

"N-no."

Iruka released his grip and slid over Kakashi, his legs straddling Kakashi's hips. They were almost face to face. Iruka was about to kiss him, but Kakashi couldn't wait. Iruka's hands slid up his neck and Kakashi grabbed his shoulders and kissed Iruka hard, like he was about to be taken away, like it was the last kiss he'd ever get.

Iruka gave as good as got--better even than that hasty hot kiss in the forest. The wet shock of Iruka's mouth and tongue did things to Kakashi's insides that he'd forgot could ever happen. Things he hadn't felt since he was--well, maybe he'd just read about the way your belly could twist with winsome agony. The way your entire body could prickle in excitement for lust the same way it did for battle.

Had he read about the way it would feel to have Iruka's tight body between his legs? Because suddenly it was all he could think about, even with Iruka's legs around him and his hard cock grinding into Kakashi's belly. He'd think about fucking Iruka later. Right now, he wanted Iruka inside him, surrounding him, owning him completely.

"Can we--"

"God, yes."

Kakashi stood, Iruka sticking to him like a leech, stumbled a little, and promptly flattened Iruka against a wall. Iruka's legs wrapped against his waist and they broke apart heaving hotly against each other's lips, before Kakashi took another few steps, pressing against another wall.

"Next."

Iruka kissed like he was starved of Kakashi's lips.

"Door."

They'd lost some clothes on the way. Kakashi walked them to the bed, hands under the only thing left on Iruka. His shirt.

Kakashi ran his hands over smooth, rough, scarred, taught, muscled skin. He licked into hollows, dips, peaks, creases, and tasted every inch he could reach of Iruka, before settling on his cock.

Iruka was a livewire, his body flickering against Kakashi's. They both yanked at Kakashi's pants, rolling, until he was on his back and Iruka was between his legs.

He sort of loomed over Kakashi, looking like he never looked--loose, fierce, powerful--like a Hunter. His skin was damp and shining, his hair wild, and the look he gave Kakashi was pure lust.

There was a single moment, a sudden sharp clarity that pierced Kakashi's mind the same time Iruka pierced his body.

There was no going back from this knowledge, from this moment. He had seen the unviewable, and what he had perceived he could not undo.

He closed his eyes and let Iruka fuck him, body and soul, into a million pieces, and then back to one.

"How. How did I miss this?"

Kakashi was still flat on his back and unmoving. Iruka had been up, showered, brought Kakashi a wet cloth, wiped him down when he proved too worn to do it himself, made them tea, shifted the blinds, picked up their clothes, and was now stretched out beside him, outlining a training regimen that would get Kakashi back to his standard.

Smiling, Iruka reached out to run his fingers through Kakashi's ever defiant hair.

"You know what I teach my kids? Close your eyes and perceive that which cannot be seen. You didn't look beneath the beneath, Kakashi."

/end