The Truth Beneath the Rose [part 2]

[chidorikakashi]

Who: Iruka and Kakashi
When: January 26, Tuesday
Where: Some Caves and a Restaurant
Summary: Kakashi and Iruka go on the 'date' Iruka set up.
Rating: T (adult concepts and language)
Warnings: Kissing and Sex talks


Iruka leaned back, first pretending he was looking at Kakashi's ass despite the fact that they were both sitting and then twisting a bit more too look at his own. "Nope, definitely yours." He looked back out over the railing and sipped his tea. "Besides I should know..." He knew because he never got looks like that when he was alone. "I've seen both naked and I know where I'd be looking." It wasn't entirely true since when they'd been at the hotsprings he'd deliberately not been staring but now that he was paying attention it was true that his eyes tended to wander to just about any part of Kakashi.

"Most anyone would say that about themselves." It was a psychological fact. "I know I'd rather watch someone else's ass rather than my own." Maybe it was insecurities in some people's parts, but maybe it was also that familiarity that rendered it unappealing. He wouldn't argue whether it looked good or bad, but he knew which he'd rather look at. "I'm sure you look just fine without clothes, though I admit I refrained from looking at the springs." It was a... bit of a courtesy thing.

"I'm sure you're right." Iruka rolled his eyes and leaned on his elbows. "Again, not really the point."

"Apparently I'm not so good at capturing the point, then." Kakashi's hand was still on his glass, even as he leaned back a bit. "Too literal, perhaps..."

Chuckling, Iruka looked over at Kakashi. "Well, just a hint, but if somebody is referring to your looks in a positive fashion, it's not that they are necessarily saying they're unattractive, they're just saying you are." Iruka didn't have that particular insecurity, at least not to the point he'd have said he was unattractive. Kakashi however was extremely attractive and he'd known that even from the start, he'd just ignored it. "Really it's kind of an obvious way of flirting..."

"Really...." Kakashi wasn't sure how that worked, but Iruka would know better than he would. "I was just taking in that you made a comparison rather than a straight compliment..." Which he wasn't sure about anyhow. Iruka was a martial artist, he was built well.

"Well usually it depends on my mood and what's been said, I guess." He'd seen the opportunity to flirt so he had. "Sometimes an outright compliment isn't flirting so much as it's simply acknowledging the other and politeness. Sometimes it's because the person's brain as shut off and they can't think of anything clever to say. When it's some clever round about way of saying the other person is..." Iruka flushed then shifted his eyes back at the view of the city. "Well when your... going to the trouble of being clever with saying somebody's sexy you're always flirting even when you're not entirely aware you're doing so. You don't have to be serious about wanting to do more than flirt but you are flirting."

"Interesting theory. Consciously I think I'm a flop at it. I've always relied on glances and simple gestures than words." Then again, he wasn't ever trying to make something of it. Kakashi only did those things to show interest, there wasn't any beating around the bush for him, usually. "I prefer to appreciate silently for the most part." And he did, from time to time.

It made sense to Iruka, it seemed to fit Kakashi. "I don't know how well that will work for getting dates. Girls expect to be asked out and guys might not figure out that you'd be interested in dating even if they figure out you're interested." Iruka shrugged and drank his tea for a bit. "If it wasn't arranged to help Mizuki out I was the one asking so who knows it might work."

"Ah... I've heard that... that you have to ask to get someone, but the logic behind that is skewed." People didn't ask each other simultaneously. That meant one person asked and the other answered, its all there was to it.

"Maybe, but... you're probably more apt to get the one you want if you're the one asking." Iruka knew he'd said something very close to that before but this time he wasn't taking a jab at Kakashi, he was just pointing out the flaw in the logic. He heard the door open behind them and scooted a little closer to Kakashi without actually turning around to find out it it was one of the two girls that had been staring at them.

Kakashi didn't like people, he didn't crush like everyone else did. "I... don't think that changes anything in my situation, does it?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Iruka raised an eyebrow, not understanding.

"Because I wouldn't have anyone to ask." Kakashi said it bluntly, there was no use hiding something like that. It should have been obvious.

The explanation didn't really help and Iruka stared at Kakashi for a second. "This will probably make me sound like an idiot but why wouldn't you?"

"You just said you ask if you want someone in particular. I... don't have anyone like that." Kakashi had forgotten about the sound of the door, not even thinking about how long it had been since they ordered their food.

Iruka turned as the girl set their bentos down, thanked her then waited for her to leave before turning back to Kakashi. "You've never met anyone you thought was attractive and fun to be around or had anyone who just inexplicably drew your attention... somebody who... made you feel like your stomach was all twisted up for no apparent reason?" There were probably a dozen other reasons Iruka could list for asking somebody out but he was trying to explain the drive to ask out one particular person over every other.

Kakashi shook his head. "I... was very introverted as a child." And as he grew up it was one pain after another, no time to think about it.

"As a child?" Iruka chuckled slightly. "I've heard a lot of people advise against it but if somebody can evoke a strong emotion from you, probably especially from you, then it's worth finding out if there's anything to it. It doesn't have to be those exact emotions but those are good examples."

He turned to look at his bento and laughed, seeing as apparently the reason it had taken so long was because they'd been busy making it 'cute' and 'romantic'. The vegetables were all cut into little hearts along with various other little touches. "Sorry... if I'd realized they would do that I'd have gotten us something different." It was funny and at the same time he felt like bashing his head against the table since it was his fault the food had taken so long. If it had been a real date and it hadn't gone so badly earlier it would have been a nice touch and might have even looked planned.

"It's all right." It wasn't the worst thing to happen all day, not even close. Kakashi wasn't one to complain about weird shaped vegetables, anyhow. "They went through a lot of effort, it's almost worth throwing them a bone."

"It was nice of them..." Iruka tossed one of the little sausages down to Pakkun. "And either the portions here have gotten bigger or they packed extra." He couldn't remember ever getting sausages which is why he thought so. "Throwing them a bone how?" He gave Kakashi a curious look, not wanting to read something into it that wasn't intended.

Kakashi gave a shrug, looking from the girls to Iruka then back down at the bentos. "Well, if we were really courageous we could.... " But after a fake date with this much stress maybe kissing wasn't a good idea. "Or well, you could always make a show of one of those sausages." It would be either extremely horrifying to the girls, or extremely hot, either would be amusing.

It was probably a bad idea, Iruka was fairly sure it would be, but Kakashi had all but said it was okay by him. He picked up the second sausage, looked at it then looked at Kakashi before tossing it to Pakkun and leaning over to kiss Kakashi's cheek. "If you want a real one you'll have to take the mask off," he whispered, not pulling back. His heart thudded in his chest and the twisted up feeling he'd mentioned before only amplified the effect. If he'd misread what Kakashi was suggesting...

Kakashi would go through with it. It wasn't as though he hadn't kissed before, just not typically in the light of day. He had to pull Iruka in much closer, though. Even if he was pulling the mask down it wasn't to flaunt his face. In fact it was only pulled down to his chin microseconds before he pressed his lips against Iruka's.

Iruka's eyes widened from surprise, he'd actually expected to be wrong or at the very least for the mask to be an issue. Under other circumstances he might have been disappointed at not seeing Kakashi's face, his attention however was a little too caught up in taste and feel of Kakashi's lips. He closed his eyes and slid the hand not digging into the bench up Kakashi's chest letting Kakashi control the kiss since there was no way he could think straight enough to do so.

Kakashi let the kiss linger, moving his lips just enough to keep the kiss from going stale, though he didn't press to go deeper, either. A kiss didn't need tongue to be a good kiss. After a few long moments he pulled back, the mask going up with him.

A very quiet whine escaped Iruka when Kakashi pulled back and it took him a second before he took his hand off Kakashi's chest. He flushed a nice bright shade of red over the fact then shifted and stared at his food. It was only a kiss, not even a real one or a particularly deep one but he could see why people would throw themselves at Kakashi and why the man didn't need to pay attention to people who didn't. "I could still make a show with the sausage if you want..." he said, more to distract himself than anything. He didn't have to turn around to know what the girls thought, he could hear them giggling and awing from where he was.

"It would have to be with mine." Kakashi chuckled, teasingly. "You already gave yours to Pakkun." Not saying he wouldn't let him or it wouldn't be hot.

Iruka's cheeks darkend even more but he chuckled lightly and slid the hand closest to Kakashi to the man's thigh. He leaned over and took one of the sausages from Kakashi's bento. "This one here or did you mean the other one?"

"I only see one." Wow, Iruka could be really naughty, couldn't he? Kakashi couldn't say that was a bad thing either. It was kind of a shame.

"Mmhm..." Iruka licked the mustard off the sausage he was holding, sucking on it and making a show of it like Kakashi had suggested. He made sure the two giggling girls could see by not looking away from Kakashi as he did. "Not bad though I suspect the other would have tasted better," he teased, finishing the sausage off and licking his fingers. Picking up his chopsticks he slid his hand off Kakashi's leg so that he could pull them out of the paper and break them apart. "And there's two." He tapped Kakashi's bento pointedly as though he hadn't meant something else entirely. "I think our audience has been reading the same books as you," Iruka laughed, poking at his own food absently.

"Popular books." Kakashi said confidently, as if it were some sort of irrefutable fact. His eyebrows were up a bit, obviously interested. "Though its not often you get to see them live. When this thing is over I'm going to have to spend a little time in the bathroom thanks to you."

Iruka smirked despite the fact that his cheeks were still red from the whole thing. Embarrassment never had stopped him from doing anything, particularly when it involved being a brat. "You started it... both were your idea and I figured after that kiss it was only fair to return the favor." He was so far in over his head it didn't seem like it would matter if he pushed it since he'd passed the safe point and couldn't even remember where. "It doesn't have to be a bathroom and they can get kind of crowded with two people in them..."

Reaching out, Kakashi pinched Iruka's nose before righting himself in his seat. "If I thought you actually meant that, I'd take you up on it." But they both knew it was a game. All of it. The kiss, the euphemisms, even the date wasn't real.

"...yeah." Iruka smiled, like he hadn't meant it, like he hadn't just offered to climb into bed with Kakashi despite his fairly recent policy of not sleeping with people he wasn't in a relationship with. He poked at his food a bit but a lot of the amusement over it was lost. "Funny that we wasted enough time arguing and well then the food and uhm..." He motioned with his chopsticks at the view and the fact that the sun was actually starting to set.

Kakashi nodded, getting it pretty well, after all. "And so the date is opposite the way it would have been planned if it were a real date, right? We would have made the point to come up and eat here and then gone to your spot to watch the sunset?"

"It wouldn't have to be that way, it's just the way I'd have gone if I'd had half a brain..." Iruka shrugged, disappointed because if he'd kept his mouth shut it would have worked out. "View is still nice up here it's just... a lot of people see it from here so it doesn't seem as special." He wasn't entirely sure watching from his spot would seem all that special after everything anyway so he doubted it mattered.

"Thanks, Iruka..." Kakashi decided to say, finally, propping his chin on his hand as he poked at his food.

"Hm? For what?" He was honestly confused since as far as Iruka could see he'd screwed everything up and even managed to prove himself wrong. A bad date wasn't something you thanked somebody for and even less so when it wasn't a 'real' one. "If you mean for the 'fake' date that went so horribly wrong you don't need to. I'd be surprised if you even wanted to date anyone after this mess which is still a shame in my opinion."

"Well, if you hadn't arranged this date I wouldn't have been able to feel what it was like... even if it didn't work out." It was hard to convey properly, even for Kakashi. "Being so nervous about wanting to get it right and make a good impression, I've never had that before, and even that possibility there might be a connection. I don't know how to make this... make sense and not make you feel bad but... up until you reminded me it wasn't a real date... it was fun. I even kind of felt..." What was a good word for it? Wanted? Not exactly... but he hadn't felt as disposable. "Special..."

Iruka didn't know if he felt better or worse, it was kind of a mixture between the two. "I'm glad, that's what I wanted you to feel, it's how you're supposed to feel on a date, and it's why I see them as better than just picking somebody up in a bar. I really don't see anything wrong with that it just... it lacks that, that's all." People deserved to feel special and nervous and optimistic and the thought that Kakashi had never had that had bothered Iruka deeply. "I still wish I hadn't reminded you but I'm glad I didn't completely screw it up." When he'd asked that's all he'd wanted, it wasn't true anymore but at least he'd accomplished that much.

"Everyone should feel it once, right? That was the whole point of the date..." Though apparently because of the falsity of it all Kakashi hadn't gotten to use most of his research. He probably never would and a huge part of him wondered why in the hell he'd even agreed to do this.

"Yeah... at least that was the idea." Iruka picked up a heart shaped carrot and looked at it. "People get a lot of it wrong, they make it too complicated. I was trying to avoid that but it's harder than it sounds." Or maybe it was simpler and in his obsessing over it being simple was where he'd screwed up. He poked at the last little bit of his food for a few then gave up, set his chopsticks down, and stood up. "Let's go," he said, leaning over to kiss Kakashi's cheek again while the other could still take it as show and pretend.

The sun wasn't completely set, though the sky was painted in shades of red and orange. "All right, I suppose the 'date's' over, then." Kakashi stood up, putting his hands in his pockets. They might as well not stick around. "Can I at least walk you back out of the caves?"

Iruka had actually intended to take the stairs instead of going through them again but he just smiled and scooped up Pakkun who'd fallen asleep under the table. "Did we wear you out?" he chuckled, then swung his backpack over one shoulder and nodded to Kakashi. "Sure." He smiled politely at the girls as they passed them, grabbing Kakashi's elbow to steer him down the deck's steps instead of the through the restaurant.

Kakashi was actually a bit glad he'd found out so early in the date it was a fake, despite what Iruka might think. Had they gone through all of that and he'd thought it was real... that would have been three times the slap in the face. "You know, I think you're too hard on yourself, Iruka."

"And I'm still trying to figure out why you're not mad at me." If the roles had been reversed he'd have been pissed, had been if you counted the remarks about needing to get laid. "I really don't get why you didn't tell me to shove it and leave. Good intentions or not." He grabbed the door to the caves and held it, Pakkun still in his other arm.

"Is that what I was supposed to do?" Kakashi really didn't know what he was supposed to do. "No one's wanted to date me before, why should I be upset if its no different now?"

He waited for Kakashi to enter then followed him in. "And you say I'm too hard on myself... you're out of a lot of people's league, Kakashi, and it's obvious. I would bet you if you asked anyone they'd say yes. Well after they got over the shock anyway and then you'd have people falling all over themselves for you once they realized you wouldn't just say no." It discounted straight guys and lesbians though a few of them might even consider it. Iruka didn't doubt the man could have anyone he wanted. "I'll make you a deal though..."

"A deal? And I'm not out of anyone's league. I've slept with enough of them, they should know that." The way Iruka thought about relationships was nearly alien to Kakashi. He always thought it was the mask, in one way or another. That sleeping with him was one thing, but dating someone without a face was another. Or maybe... it was any number of bad or standout physical or personality reasons. Maybe the porn... or that he was cold. He didn't linger on it, though, it wasn't important to him to have relationships. Disposable people were better when they had nothing to lose.

"I'll stop being hard on myself if you actually try the dating thing, as in ask somebody out." Iruka didn't look at Kakashi as he said it though, wasn't entirely sure he could. In all honesty he hated the idea of it, but it'd be worth it if Kakashi found somebody, at least then one of them would be happy. It would have been easier for Kakashi if he hadn't already, as they'd both pointed out at least once, had the reputation he did. The selfish part of him hoped Kakashi would say no but he was trying to ignore it.

"It's not that easy to stop being hard on yourself." Kakashi couldn't force that, agreement or no. "Just like it's not fair of you to ask me to ask out someone regardless of how I feel about it."

The relief that washed over him made it hard not to smile, Iruka resisted the urge, mostly. "That's the crux of the problem isn't it? We're both being unfair, wanting the other person to do something that's probably in their best interest or at least because we think it is." He stepped around a bend in the path stopping in front of the tunnel that connected the main chamber to the one with the reflecting pool. "I'll try, alright?" This time he didn't ask Kakashi to make any kind of deal, he didn't really want to. In reality Iruka was a naturally optimistic person but he had his own insecurities and faults and being hard on himself when there was no doubt he'd screwed up was definitely one of them.

"I'd say the same, but not sure if I can." It felt like a bit of a drain, the downward slope from the date to whatever this was now. Kakashi let out a slight sigh. "I don't have the will or reputation for it." What Iruka said about being out of people's leagues, it didn't seem to be sitting well since he knew it was not at all the case. He was a good cop and a good martial artist, but when it came to personal issues he was terrible. People knew that.

Iruka shook his head. "It's fine, I'm not asking you to." He ducked through the tunnel, following the path that led along the reflecting pool. "Just so you know, Kakashi..." Iruka smiled over his shoulder at the other for a moment. "Anko and I found our cave and Mizuki followed us later... I've never actually brought anyone with me when I came here, so you should feel special." He hadn't brought Ibiki there or even oddly enough mentioned it to the man and he'd never been on a date of any kind with Mizuki let alone done anything there. It hadn't occurred to him that he'd never even considered bringing anyone there before.

Kakashi frowned, though obviously Iruka hadn't seen it. "You... should have saved it for someone actually special to you then...it's not right that I'd take that from you."

Stopping Iruka turned around to look at Kakashi. "You can't take something like that. I did it because I wanted to, because I wanted you to feel special. I managed to do that for a moment so it was worth it. It's funny though that I never considered bringing anyone else here but it was the first thing I thought of with you so I just thought you should know." He wanted Kakashi to feel special because the man deserved it as much as anyone else and simply because he was even if Iruka didn't have the right to tell him.

"Seems strange..." Kakashi quirked a brow at the shorter man. "Then it's not meant to be a romantic thing, huh?" It seemed like it could be. But if he hadn't even wanted to bring any of his boyfriends or girlfriends here, it must not connect that way inside Iruka's head.

"It's actually probably the most romantic place I could think of..." He didn''t know why he hadn't brought Ibiki there, maybe because they were both always so busy or because he hadn't really had to try all that hard. He'd never once actually gone on a date with Mizuki. Other than them he'd never really been in love, he'd had crushes a couple times but almost all of those dates were doubles with Mizuki. "...if it wasn't supposed to be I would have just dragged you on a tour of the place." It would have meant other people around which would have made it less romantic and he honestly couldn't figure out why it hadn't occurred to him to do that when he'd obsessed over everything else.

"So a first date is supposed to be romantic? The website said that--" Kakashi stopped himself right there and bit his lip. He just didn't learn, did he? His hands buried deep into his pockets, though he was tempted to reach over and scratch Pakkun's stomach.

Iruka steeped closer and looked up at Kakashi, smirking slightly. "Website? I thought I told you not to worry about stuff? It explains a lot..." He reached out and tugged lightly on the sleeve of the shirt wrapped around Kakashi's waist pointedly. "Not that I'm exactly complaining after all you do look nice and smell nice. If I'd realized you do that, even though I really do think I told you not to, I would have warned you that they tend to give rather bad advice." The rule obsessed morons were the type that tended to write those sites and while they occasionally had good ideas it was rare.

"Oh..." Kakashi wasn't sure what to say or do regarding that, really. He hadn't known what to do either way about a date, it had never crossed his mind that he may have to prepare for something like that. "It's obvious you prepared beforehand...I just... don't have instincts for this sort of thing... I needed to do something."

"It's not a matter of instinct, it's experience and those sites weren't ever much help. That's why I told you not to worry and just relax and have fun." Iruka had seen first hand the failed attempts brought on by bad advice either because somebody had tried to help or because sites like that were wrong. He'd done it, his dates had done it, so he really shouldn't have been surprised Kakashi had despite his attempts to steer him away from them. "So did they help? Are you more comfortable? Less?"

"Not really sure it's just... I mostly researched what to wear and what to say... whether or not certain things were okay..." Kakashi hadn't even gotten to most of the meat of it. "I read a lot of the stuff about where to go but figured since you were taking me somewhere that I shouldn't think about it. I guess I should have... been more ready for anything."

Iruka closed his eyes and sighed, amused by the response. "Looks like we both got obsessed over things we shouldn't have. If I'd realized how nervous you were I would have told you that I wanted you to dress casually since I'd be planning and could plan around it that way. Well that and I wanted you to be comfortable not worried about if shirt looked good with your shoes." He let go of the sleeve to pet Pakkun again. "You did fine holding a conversation before what made you think that would change?" It was true as long as you overlooked Iruka's own tempertantrums which weren't particularly Kakashi's fault.

"Well I always seemed to get on your nerves on my own." Kakashi pointed out, rather bluntly. "I wanted to play it safe and see if maybe we could connect. That's what you're supposed to do on a date, right?" Even if Iruka were out of his league, he'd wanted to make as best an impression as he could.

Iruka's eyes widened slightly for a moment. "You're right... maybe I discounted them too soon though I doubt any advice from a site will make that happen if it wouldn't have otherwise." He wondered if Kakashi thought they connected but he wasn't sure he wanted the answer. "We did still fight..." This time had been different though.

"We did?" And here Kakashi thought they'd done good. "Oh well... I suppose being social in general isn't a talent of mine."

"Sort of, not sure it counts since I wasn't even mad at you..." He'd been upset with his own stupidity and yelled at Kakashi out of frustration. Iruka chewed his lip for a moment, trying to get up the resolve he needed. "So... if me yelling at you when I wasn't mad at you doesn't count... did..." he hesitated, fairly sure he wasn't supposed to ask. "...do you think we... 'connected'?"

"We might have." Kakashi almost felt that nervous feeling again, his muscles tightened ever so slightly and his jaw clenched a little more. "I mean, it felt like we got along rather well before everything changed. If it kept going that well, we would have. If not, who knows..."

It wasn't quite what he'd meant but Iruka was fairly sure it would be unfair to ask Kakashi what he wanted to know. The answer didn't tell him if Kakashi had felt a connection or if he was just basing it off of what the website told him. "Hm... so..." Iruka looked down, shifting Pakkun before deciding his arm needed a break and setting the dog down. "...do you want to find out?"

"Find out?" Blinking, Kakashi glanced at the other man sharply. "Like... what exactly are you suggesting?"

Iruka shifted slightly. He'd been so sure Kakashi would never want to go out with him again after everything but ever since the 'thank you' he hadn't been entirely certain about that. "Another date... a real one." He'd have jumped in bed with the man at dinner and the kiss had been more than enough to prove that he felt a connection, he just wasn't sure if Kakashi felt the same.

Kakashi didn't know what to think. It was hard to believe that after one like this, fake and planned out, that Iruka would change his song for an entirely real date. "Iruka... " He chewed his lip lightly beneath the mask. "Why did you change your mind?"

It was like a cruel joke, only he doubted Kakashi realized he was doing it. The minute he answered that he knew he'd get turned down. Iruka sighed and dropped his gaze, knowing he didn't have a choice but answer it anyway. "The moment you called it fake I realized I'd screwed up not just because it was wrong for me to ask you out the way I did but because I'd screwed myself out of something too. When I tried to fix it or tell you it only made things worse. It's pathetic that holding your hand is what finally calmed me down enough to at least somewhat enjoy the rest of the date," he said, closing his eyes because it would be easier to hide being hurt when Kakashi said no. "I meant the kiss and the offer and you didn't believe me then so I don't know why I thought you would now."

Kakashi pursed his lips, trying not to furrow his brow. "This is rather complicated, how am I supposed to know when you mean something and when you don't..." It wasn't a no. In truth he wasn't sure, his brain kept trying to lock up when he thought about it.

Denial was a lot a simpler... Iruka should have known better than to ask. He stomped down on the twisted up ache and forced himself to look up, to smile, and take a step back. "I don't know... I can't ask you to believe me or trust me, it wouldn't be fair, so just..." he swallowed, it was harder than he thought because he didn't believe he'd be able to play the denial card again, not with himself anyway. "You should probably just forget I asked. I shouldn't have. It wasn't fair."

Was he taking it back? Kakashi opened his mouth, then closed it. Iruka was complicated and difficult... or maybe it was his incessant need to keep asking questions that was doing it... how was he supposed to know? "I was going to say... that you have to at least let me know in case it needs to be a particular state of dress. I can try it without advice, but I warn you I'm... gonna be a mess if I do..."

Iruka blinked, both surprised and confused by Kakashi's response. He wondered if it was the mask that made the man so hard to figure out. It could have just as easily been the way the man answered with questions rather than actual answers and the change in logic wasn't easy for him to follow either. "We could have dinner at my place then you can wear whatever you're comfortable in or look something up if you want to. I'll probably just stick with a t-shirt and jeans if that helps." Iruka felt very akward saying it but he really was more comfortable dressing casually when he didn't have a reason he had to do otherwise. "I can cook pretty much anything so if you have a favorite I could cook it..." He scooped up Pakkun, who hadn't moved from where he'd been set down, and started walking towards the exit again.

"I don't... really have one." In truth, Kakashi mostly made himself things he could just throw in the oven or the microwave, or he went to the diner or made a pot of rice with soy sauce. "I've always... I don't know, cooked for myself."

"Is there anything you particularly dislike? As long as I know that I should be able to figure something out." Iruka figured he could probably randomly grab one of his mother's recipes and be fairly safe.

"I'm not fond of sweet things... or fried things either. But... I'm not too awfully picky." Kakashi didn't want to sound like all he had was dislikes. That certainly wasn't true.

Iruka nodded, already mentally checking off several possibilities. "That helps, I'll figure something out for dinner. If you want something to occupy you, you pick out a movie and bring it over..." They could watch it while they ate and while he'd said he preferred something more original than a movie and dinner this was better than going out to both and therefore not the same. Plus he figured Kakashi picking out a movie would give him something to obsess over since he was clearly inclined to do so no matter what. Iruka could obsess over what to cook so he couldn't really say much.

"Well... what kind of movies do you particularly like or dislike?" The same question Iruka had asked about the food. It was only fair.

"I don't really like documentaries or really even fake ones, they're dry. I like romances if they're funny, I'm just not big on the slower paced 'epic' romances. I've always liked the fast paced heist movies except for the ones that have the never ending chase scene." Iruka thought about it, trying to think of a way to sum it all up. "If it's faster pace, funny, or well has a intricate story I generally like it."

Well, he didn't think asking a worker at a movie rental place would be cheating, since he'd know they weren't exactly unbiased. "I'll figure something out, since that's a decent but vague criteria." Kakashi decided not to stop moving, though he really did want to. Using things out of his books probably wouldn't work out too well.

Iruka smiled, following Kakashi. "If you need to know if I've seen it you can call or something but I'll generally watch a movie more than once and still enjoy it." He'd have offered to let him ask one of his friends but he didn't particularly want them getting ahold of Kakashi. "And you can bring Pakkun if you want." Since Kakashi took the dog with him to work and given that Iruka liked him, it seemed like the courteous thing to offer.

"If you want him there, just to let you know, he's a bit of an attention whore." He reached out to scratch the dog behind the ears. "Odds are if I pay more attention to you than him he'll crawl in your lap and try to get all of your attention instead." It was true. At the office, when Kakashi was working or reading, the dog went off on his own to find his own brand of attention from just about anyone who would offer it. Though... he did notice Pakkun liked some better than others.

"Hmm... well then as much as I like him, maybe he should stay home so we can enjoy our date without interruptions." Iruka wanted Kakashi's attention and while Pakkun had been good this time, they'd done a lot of walking which wouldn't be true the next time. "I can always send him some leftovers with you to make up for it."

Kakashi nodded. "That sounds fair. I'll feed him before I leave, he can have the leftovers in the morning." That way he covered a lot more bases.

Iruka stepped out of the caves and onto the stairs, the sun only just barely glowing on the horizon. It was enough of a reminder that they hadn't picked a day or a time. "When?" He wasn't sure when Kakashi's next day off was, he was fairly sure it was easiest for him to switch days given all the favors people owed him for switching or covering or other favors he'd done for them. It was rare enough for him to ask for them to return the favor that nobody ever complained about doing so. Given all the extra shifts he'd worked recently, mostly in order to avoid his own lack of a personal life and what had happened with Mizuki, he expected Jiraiya wouldn't care so long as the shift was covered.

"Well... how soon would you like it to be. My schedule changes weekly." By his own decision, of course. Perhaps staying unpredictable was one of Kakashi's way of feeling he had the edge on any enemies of the force.

"Right now I have Friday's and Saturday's off..." It would stay that way for a couple of months and then there'd be switch and somebody else would get it. "I switched with somebody to get tonight off but I still have Saturday off and well it's not hard to trade days if that doesn't work..."

"I'll talk to the Chief. See when my next Friday or Saturday is." Of course, Kakashi wouldn't tell the man why he was wondering that, and he was clever enough to not give it away if Iruka was uncomfortable with it. "Do you... not want him to know?"

Considering it for a moment, Iruka paused on the stairs. "The people I'm going to get the most flak from about all of this, already know so it doesn't matter," he said, then continued his way down the stairs. There were a few exceptions of course, Asuma, for example, didn't know.

"Already know?" That was odd for Kakashi, especially if this was a fake date.

"That I was out with you. Frankly I'm sure I'll get interrogated about it." It didn't matter that he'd insisted more than once it wasn't a 'real' date. "My friends are also quite aware of exactly how quickly you can get under my skin, or well that you used to." Iruka flushed at the admission that he'd ranted about Kakashi, more than once for that matter. "I about skinned both of them for agreeing with you on the fact that I needed to get laid." He'd resorted to other methods of retaliation of course. "Iwashi shut up after a rather abusive use of permanent marker and the knowledge that he sleeps in the nude." The man slept like a rock which never failed to amaze Iruka. "And Anko... never shuts up it doesn't matter what I do to her."

"So...." Kakashi quirked a brow. "Your friends were saying you were irritated with me because you wanted to have sex with me?"

Iruka glared at Kakashi, though he wasn't actually serious. "It might have been something like that..." He smirked evilly after he said it though. "Of course after I told them about your dream... they decided you wanted it too so at least I'm not the only target of their smartass remarks."

"You told people about that? And you got mad at me for telling you about it." Kakashi shook his head. "And besides, the only reason I said I wouldn't sleep with you was because you were a cold fish that didn't want it."

"I wasn't mad at you for telling me, really I just thought it was odd that you would." He'd also thought it was funny. "And, I said you probably shouldn't tell people that but more because well you're just not supposed to tell somebody that unless you're already involved with them. You might embarrass them or make them uncomfortable or well they might laugh." Iruka shifted Pakkun to his other arm as they reached the bottom of the stairs and the little mutt tried to climb up on his shoulder, probably more to get over to Kakashi than anything and Iruka held held him out to the man. "Sorry if I wasn't supposed to tell them. If I tell either one of them they both know and they'd started in again after I mentioned the date." He'd been hoping it would shut them up but it only encouraged them by convincing them they were right.

"It's up to you who you want to tell what. I'm just very surprised you did." Kakashi reached out, taking Pakkun from Iruka and settling him on his shoulder. "And maybe I'll... keep that kind of stuff to myself from now on. I don't exactly want to get tangled up just yet."

"Tangled up?" Iruka raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting way of putting things." He wasn't sure if Kakashi meant physically or emotionally with that. "My telling them didn't have anything to do with that, it's just unavoidable."

"I don't know your friends... do they know who I am?" He'd know who they were if they came up to him. Well, he assumed he would by what they'd apparently bring up.

Iruka shrugged. "Sort of... they knew who I meant but they're both undercover or well both were since pretty much the academy so I'm not sure if you would have run into them or if it's just by reputation and in passing." It was probably a bit of both but he hadn't asked. "My guess would be they saw you on a case they were involved with given that homicide probably gets it's share of cases involving drugs and prostitution which is their 'specialty'." Most of that was so they could get info on more important stuff but it was what they spent the majority of their time dealing with. "You shouldn't have to worry about them for a while, they should leave you alone at least long enough for us to figure out if well... if it's going anywhere."

That comment there was enough to make Kakashi lose what he was about to say. He'd been thinking only a few minutes earlier he'd never have to worry about dating again to this... it was just a little shocking now that it was actually sinking in. Kakashi only nodded. "I'm afraid I don't really have any t-shirts or anything..."

"Hm? Oh well that's okay, it doesn't have to be a t-shirt. You can wear what you have on again if you want or just whatever you're most comfortable in even if it's what you wear to work," Iruka said, smiling reassuringly at Kakashi. "It was only a suggestion and we're not going out anywhere so there's no dress code."

"And that will... technically be our second date?" Just the thought someone wanted a date after all these years, a small part of Kakashi was extremely pessimistic that it was another fake or an apology instead of a real interest. He didn't want to think it, but couldn't help it.

It made Iruka smile a little wider to hear Kakashi put it that way. "As long as you're okay with that, then yes."

Kakashi shrugged, barely moving the pug on his shoulder. "I'd be stupid to say no, right? Just hope I don't mess up again."

"I think you're crazy for saying yes but I'm not complaining that you are and you didn't mess up so you shouldn't be worried that you will." Iruka could see Kakashi's place from where they were, it brought up all of the nervous tension again, and he slid a hand to Kakashi's elbow deliberately slowing his own step. He didn't want it to be over because a small part of him was worried Kakashi would change his mind once it was over and he'd had time to think. "If... uh... we don't catch each other at the office you can call me and let me know when your next Saturday off is."

"Okay..." Kakashi looked away, up towards his apartment complex. "I'll... ask for your address once we have a day scheduled. And time for that matter."

Iruka didn't say anything for a few minutes, silently wishing Kakashi lived a lot further away. "You know..." he started as they reached the door. "...that offer still stands..."

"Iruka..." Gods it was a tempting offer, Kakashi bit his cheek, lightly. "I don't want this to seem... doesn't it seem that would make this seem more like... exactly what you didn't want in the first place?"

It was true except that either way Iruka wanted another date. "You're right... it might make it seem that way." He was torn because he didn't want it to end up that way either but he wanted Kakashi. "Can I at least have another kiss?"

Smirking, Kakashi pat Iruka on the back, lightly. "Weeeell... we already kissed once, so that shouldn't be pushing anything." Once they got to the door, of course, or at least to the stairwell. That was only... oh, about twenty feet away. "Hopefully the mask doesn't get in the way." He let out a chuckle, watching as Pakkun scuttled up to the door to the inside of the apartments.

"I'm not kissing a mask, I want skin contact, and if you don't at least let me have that I just might be forced to break the law. I've been picking locks since I was five..." He wouldn't really but Iruka couldn't help but tease about it. "And then I'll get a whole lot more than a kiss."

"Hm, all right." Kakashi wasn't going to say no, anyhow. "But you have to come close, just like last time." He wasn't worried about Pakkun, the dog had never run off before.

Iruka chuckled, then stepped closer and slid his arms around Kakashi's waist. "If it makes you happy, I'll even close my eyes..." It wasn't like he'd kept them open the first time anyway.

One hand pulled in Iruka's head towards Kakashi's. The other moved to the edge of his mask, ready to pull it down at any moment. "It's not necessary, considering how close we are now." His fingers slid down, their lips just barely brushing.

Taking a slightly more active role, Iruka tilted his head and pressed forward, keeping it soft. The fact that it was their second kiss didn't make a difference, he still felt lightheaded and his arms tightened around Kakashi. He parted his lips, licking Kakashi's lips lightly in a silent plea for more.

Kakashi hummed, parting his lips in return, though not entirely sure where to put his hands, now that Iruka's had taken residence on his waist. He supposed it was the chest or shoulders were the answer, but it was going to be unusual. He let his body be pulled in close, wrapping both around Iruka's neck. The height difference wasn't particularly extreme.

The sound made Iruka want to smile, instead he slid across Kakashi's lower lip, his teeth following in a light nip. His hands slid over Kakashi's back, the motion tugging lightly at the fabric of the tanktop. He liked the feel of it under his hands, the way slid slightly as he rubbed hands over the muscular back. Iruka licked again at Kakashi's this time thrusting his tongue into brush Kakashi's lightly before sliding against the other's lips again.

After a few moments Kakashi hesitantly pulled away, returning the mask to its original position. He had to stop for his own good if anything. If he kept it up... there was no guarantee he could stop.

Iruka pouted slightly but didn't voice the protest. He was half-tempted to offer to follow Kakashi and finish the kiss. It probably wasn't the best idea, even if it seemed it, though so he didn't. "I should go..." Iruka said, fairly sure if he didn't he wouldn't. He slid his hands to Kakashi's hips, letting them linger there for a moment letting the other man go, clearly reluctant to do so.

Kakashi stayed still in his spot, rubbing the back of his neck briskly for a second before stuffing both hands in his pockets. "See you at work."

"Mm... I hope so." It didn't always work out that way, due to the fact that they worked in different divisions it became completely dependent on whether they had downtime or paperwork. Iruka shifted his weight for a second then flushed slightly at the fact if he didn't leave it was going to edge into one of those 'you first' moments. "Bye, Kakashi," he said, still grinning as he forced himself to turn and walk since he wasn't worried anymore that Kakashi would back out.