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Kakashi wondered when his interest in Iruka had started.
Was it the mission all those years ago? He had been leading a team Iruka was part of. It was the first time he had met Iruka.
Their task was to steal a scroll. Or well, retrieve it, as it had been theirs first, then it was stolen from Konoha, and they were getting it back. But stealing had sounded more fun, and the team had joked to be a bunch of thieves.
Kakashi had cut the jokes short, telling them to behave and to take the mission seriously. The two kunoichi in the team had fallen silent at his harsh voice, but Iruka had just turned to him with a smile.
“Don’t worry, we won’t let you down”, Iruka had smirked and winked.
Iruka had sounded like Kakashi was a boring old man.
It had irritated Kakashi beyond measure. First of all, it irked him to be sent on such an easy mission with bunch of reckless young chuunins, and then this fucker had the audacity to wink at him.
Maybe he had been a bore, he thought now. He was kind of full of himself when he was younger.
As the mission had gone on, he had to admit Iruka was right – they didn’t let him down. The mission had been fairly easy, the team was professional despite their constant joking and Kakashi had to reluctantly admit Iruka was their best asset. He wasn’t fooling around, except that he kind of was. He seemed to have fun when he set the traps. He had had a certain glimmer in his eyes when he had talked about his plans, and he had been very pleased with himself when they had been testing some of the traps.
They had to use traps that would slow the enemy down if they came after them. They didn’t want to kill the enemy, preferably not even hurt them too badly. They wanted to be quietly in and out without confrontation. The politics were already a drag when the scroll was being tossed around, everyone trying to steal it in turn – if someone were killed, all hell would break loose.
Kakashi had been impressed by Iruka’s skills. He hadn’t been as reckless as Kakashi had thought, but he was mischievous and clever. His traps had been elaborate and precise, his imagination with them so sophisticated and complex Kakashi was certain even he would fall into his traps.
Maybe it was the last night camping, Kakashi thought.
They had been on their way to Konoha, spending the last night in the woods. They would reach Konoha the next day.
Kakashi had been on the first and the last watch. He had woken up and watched Iruka sit near a small fire. The fire had painted his features golden in the darkness of the night.
“Anything?” Kakashi had asked quietly as he had sat next to the young man.
“Nothing. The first and the second wave of the traps have gone off, but numbers three, four and five are intact. Based on that I think the enemy is far behind, if they are continuing the pursuit at all”, Iruka had answered.
“Good. You can go sleep. I will keep guard until morning. We’ll reach the village by noon if we leave early”, Kakashi had said.
“Thanks. And thanks for the mission. It was fun. It’s nice to end things with such a high note”, Iruka had smiled.
“End? What do you mean?” Kakashi had asked and raised his eyebrow.
“I’m leaving active duty. At least for the most part. I’ll start teaching in the Academy, so I won’t be going to a lot of missions”, Iruka had explained.
“Why? I mean, I’m sure you’ll be a great teacher, but with your skill set you should be going for a jounin”, Kakashi had said.
Iruka had chuckled.
“Thanks, but I’m not that good. And I really like teaching. I can pass some of this knowledge on”, he had smiled.
Was that the time he had taken an interest in Iruka? It had been interesting that someone with such a specific skill set hadn’t gone straight into improving them, but rather looked at the bigger picture and the things they actually wanted to do, not just what they were good at.
If it wasn’t that, it definitely was the first time he had seen Iruka teaching. There had been a field test in the Academy for all the genin who wanted to prepare for chuunin exams. There had been a variety of shinobi, different ages and backgrounds.
Kakashi and few other jounin were ordered to participate too. Iruka and other teachers had given them instructions on how to handle the genin and what level of tests they could arrange for them.
They had been standing in the training grounds where the participants were given their schedules and information. Kakashi and other jounin were standing in line as the teachers took their time in turns to explain the ground rules.
From the corner of his eye Kakashi had spotted one kid playing with his kunai, apparently bored with the talks and do this, don’t do that’s. He had been throwing the kunai in his hands carelessly. Just as Kakashi had thought it might be dangerous, the kid had thrown the kunai towards a tree. Unfortunately, another kid had just stepped back in line and was now standing in front of the tree the other kid had aimed at.
Kakashi’s eyes had gone wide, but he didn’t have time to react. Before he had known it, Iruka had been standing in the middle of the students. He had grabbed the kunai in his bare hand just before it hit the unfortunate kid’s arm. Blood had splattered around, and everyone fell silent.
“I told you to put your weapons down and listen to the instructions. If you can’t do that here, how will you do in the field? Your carelessness might cause someone’s life – either your own or your teammates”, Iruka had said with a serious voice.
His fast action, authority in his voice and the way he calmly bandaged his bloody hand had impressed Kakashi. Iruka hadn’t flinched when the kunai hit his hand, he hadn’t yelled at the students or pointed out the guilty student especially. He had made it a lesson for them all, and Kakashi respected that.
But when had his interest turned into such wanting?
Okay, this one was easy, Kakashi thought. This on he could pinpoint by day and almost by hour.
By that time he had known Iruka to be witty, funny and when needed, strict and firm. They had met occasionally every now and then, but they had been more acquaintances than friends.
He had been on his way to the training grounds when he heard noises. He had seen Anko and Iruka sparring together.
All thought had left his brain as he noticed Iruka. He had been shirtless and sweaty, his skin glistening in the sunlight. His hair had been on its usual ponytail, but it was ruffled and messy.
Kakashi had been able to tell Anko was holding back but he had also noticed how gracefully Iruka moved and how he smiled when Anko tried to hit him. His body had been moving easily – with one glance it was clear that Iruka hadn’t been slacking even if he wasn’t on active duty anymore.
When they were done, Iruka and Anko had hugged each other with a laugh and thanked each other for the sparring.
Kakashi had wondered how it would feel to hold Iruka against him.
He had wondered that again in the evening before going to sleep. And quite many times after that as well.
So yeah, that was an easy one.
Okay, he had pretty much established when he had taken an interest in Iruka. He also knew when lust had replaced any reasonable parts of his brain.
But love – that was harder one. When did he realize he might have stronger feelings for the man?
It was after the incident at the training grounds, that he was sure of.
Because of that sight he had decided to try his luck. But despite his porn-reading habits he hadn’t been comfortable approaching Iruka so straightforward. He had been steadily falling into the friend-zone, which had been nice in its’ own way, but it hadn’t been what he was hoping for.
Still, thanks to that friendship he was informed when Iruka was hospitalized. He remembered how the killing intent had taken over him when he had looked at Iruka lying on the hospital bed. Kakashi had been told Iruka was conscious when he was brought in, but due to the painful operations he had to go through he was sedated and blissfully unaware of the world.
It was thanks to Asuma he hadn’t broken into the prison and killed Mizuki with his bare hands.
“Kakashi, be reasonable. Don’t make this situation any harder that it already is. Behave yourself and be there for him when he wakes up”, Asuma had said, his grip too tight on Kakashi’s arm.
Yeah, in hindsight that reaction might have been a clue, Kakashi thought now.
His love had only grown over the years. Through their argument about the chuunin exams, all the trouble and worry over team 7, the wars, guilt, sorrow and hurt. Through all the joy, laughter and happiness.
Iruka was still beautiful after all these years. It seemed he aged like a fine wine. His hair had grown so long, his eyes as mischievous and kind they had been the first time they met. Kakashi loved the lines on his face, they way he laughed, the way he sighed when he was frustrated. He loved the way his principles didn’t falter, how he kept his head, how he took care of others.
Kakashi still wanted him with every fiber and every bone in his body.
“I can feel you staring. What is it?” Iruka asked without lifting his eyes from the paperwork in front of him.
He really should get a desk, so he wouldn’t have to work on the kitchen table, Kakashi had told him that many times.
Kakashi smiled and put down the book he had pretended to be reading.
“I was just thinking about how much I love you”, he said from the sofa.
Iruka smiled at his words, but still wouldn’t look at him. His hair was open, and he pushed the loose strands behind his ear.
“You’re so weird sometimes”, he said, eyes on the paper, writing his name at the bottom and stamping the official Academy sign next to it.
“It’s not weird. It’s a fact”, Kakashi said, “I love you.”
“Going soft, are you, Hokage-sama?” Iruka asked, still smiling at the stack of papers in front of him.
Before Kakashi could say anything, Iruka raised his hand as to stop him from speaking and continued:
“I take that back. No need to tell me, I noticed the trap I set for myself”, he said quickly and turned his head to meet Kakashi’s eyes, “I love you too.”
Kakashi smiled when Iruka looked at him gently and bit down the indecent comment he was about to make.
“You really need to stop calling me Hokage. I'm glad to have passed that title to Naruto", Kakashi said instead, letting Iruka off the hook this one time, and continued, "Do you remember the restaurant we used to go when we had just started dating?”
Iruka frowned.
“Yeah, wasn’t it destroyed? I always assumed they never rebuilt it, the owners were so old”, he wondered.
“I think they did rebuild it after all. We should check it. Tomorrow?” Kakashi asked.
“Why not”, Iruka smiled, “Are you reminiscing the past or where did you suddenly get the idea?”
“Maybe I am”, Kakashi smiled, “My only regret about the past is not asking you out sooner.”
He had finally had the guts to ask Iruka out when Sasuke had gone awol and Naruto had left to train with Jiraya. It was the time he and Iruka had both been equally lonely and lost.
Iruka pushed his chair back and walked up to Kakashi. He sat next to him and leaned close with a smile on his face.
“We’ve been together for ages”, he said with a smirk, “You might have gotten tired of me if you’d asked sooner.”
Kakashi lifted his hand behind Iruka’s head and pulled him into a kiss.
“I'll never get tired of you”, he said fondly, his hand still caressing Iruka’s hair.
Iruka raised is eyebrows.
“Is that a challenge? Because I’m pretty sure I can still wear you out”, he said and tilted his head.
“Oh my, sensei, I hope you’re not talking about anything dirty”, Kakashi said and mocked a horrified look on his face.
“And if I am?” Iruka smirked.
“All the more reason to love you”, Kakashi said and pulled him into another kiss.