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Iruka beat his fist against the wooden door to Kakashi’s home. “Hatake, I need to speak with you.”
“Come in.”
Iruka let himself into the small house, startled to see Kakashi sitting on the small couch he had, a chair across from it. Two cups of tea were sitting on the table.
“Are you expecting someone?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“I figured if you were going to come and yell at me about Naruto, I might as well not pretend to be surprised when you did.”
Iruka closed the door behind him and walked across the room, sitting in the chair across from Kakashi. “I don’t agree with you at all.”
“To let Naruto compete in the tournament this weekend?”
“Those new recruits from the Sound Village are stronger than the last bunch!”
“And he is stronger, isn’t he?”
“Well yes, his attacks are stronger, but they’re more tactically advanced than he is.”
Kakashi paused and reached up toward his head. Iruka watched as he carefully pulled his mask down to his neck. Iruka couldn’t speak as he did this, because after all these years it is rare for him to see this man’s lips. Iruka sees Kakashi as more of a human than a spectacle when he does.
Kakashi took his cup and parted his lips to sip on his tea. “So you don’t believe he can handle it?”
Iruka looped a finger through the handle on his cup. “I don’t understand why you allow him to put himself in unnecessary competition when he could very well get injured.”
“I believe he’ll be just fine. The boy has to figure out his strengths and weaknesses on his own at some point, without us telling him so.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t think very strategically, we both know this.”
“Then isn’t it my job to teach him these strategies, Iruka? Do you think I’d just let him in blind?”
Iruka took a sip of tea from his cup. “I worry.”
“I know, Iruka, but he is my student, and he has been my student for years now. He is still alive and well, and thriving, I might add.”
Kakashi leaned down to meet Iruka’s eyes. “When will you begin to trust me?”
Iruka looked at Kakashi, his almost bare face. He reached forward and slowly pushed Kakashi’s band up on his head, revealing his ruby eye. Kakashi let him, not breaking his gaze. Iruka felt him subtly press into his touch, inciting a flutter in his chest.
Iruka pulled his hand away and slumped back in his seat. “I will never trust anyone to lead Naruto down the right path enough to not worry.”
“You mean other than yourself?”
“I trust myself the most, but I still worry.”
“Well sure, but I think the both of us have done a pretty good job so far.”
Iruka felt Kakashi’s finger tips caress his own fingers, across the soft skin until they met leather. And then Kakashi’s hand was cupping his own.
“Besides, you feel completely unprofessionally about Naruto.”
“Someone needed to look after him when he was younger.”
“Then how come you still do all these years later?”
Iruka smiled and tilted his head. “Habit.”
Kakashi smirked. “I understand completely.”
They were silent for a moment before Iruka sighed. “Besides, this is unprofessional as well.”
Kakashi sat straighter. “What do you mean? We are two senseis discussing our ideas on how to better one of our current and former students.”
“No, I mean this. Us. The nature of our discussions.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Well, for starters, your hand is still on mine.”
Kakashi smirked again. “There is no rule that states that my hand cannot rest on yours.”
Iruka looked to the side.
“And there’s no rule that states that it cannot stay there.”
Iruka looked back at him. “What are you saying, Kakashi?”
The grey-haired man was quiet. “I’m saying I’d like to hold your hand for a long time.”
Iruka bit his lip, trying to hold back a smile. “How long have you wanted to hold my hand Kakashi?”
“A very long time.”