25 Days of Christmas-Day 17
Kakashi snapped awake in the manner he was trained to, but it took his mind a few seconds to remember where he was. The feel of a warm body against him, legs twined with his own, was a startling reminder. But not an unpleasant one.
Iruka was warm and comfortable beside him, head tucked in the crook of Kakashi neck and one arm wrapped around his waist. Kakashi shifted slightly and Iruka’s brown eyes snapped open, dazed, but quickly regaining his senses. He smiled, a breathtakingly open expression. For one moment, there was nothing hidden in those eyes, in that smile.
“Kakashi-san…” Iruka breathed. His fingers crept up to rest against one masked cheek. “I thought I was dreaming again.”
“Again?” Kakashi said softly; thinking how warm those fingers were, even through the fabric of his mask.
Something in those rich eyes shuttered, closing away. Iruka was still smiling, but it was a tad less genuine than before. “We all dream, Kakashi-san.”
“What were you dreaming of?” Kakashi felt compelled to ask.
Iruka’s fingers fell away from his cheek and his lips twitched. “Breakfast. I’m starving.”
It was hardly a graceful diversion, and Kakashi wasn’t buying it. “What was it?”
Iruka untangled himself from Kakashi and rose, elongating his body in a stretch that would have done a cat proud. He sighed and glanced back over his shoulder at Kakashi. “Things that could have been. Just memories and intangible clouds. Nothing important.”
Something told Kakashi it was important, but he would get no more out of Iruka on the subject. A towel hit him in the face. “Take a shower while I fix breakfast. We still have to go pick up the gift you were going to get for Sakura, and if I’m going to have a full house for the holidays, I’ll pick up some more stocking stuffers and the makings for some cookies. I really haven’t had a reason to bake for a long time.” There was that brief shadow in his eyes, but he smiled as he offered Kakashi sweatpants and another of those mysterious masked shirts, this one in a soft gray. Kakashi resolved that he was going to find out why the chuunin had those shirts if it killed him.
He showered quickly and dressed, leaving the water still running. He crept to the door, listening to the sounds of the other man moving around the kitchen and humming softly. Pleased, he slipped over to the dresser, easing open the drawer he’d seen Iruka take the masked shirt out of. There were socks. He frowned and moved them aside. There. A dark charcoal gray. He reached for it.
“Haven’t you heard it’s not polite to snoop? Especially in a fellow shinobi’s home.” The voice was filled with some mixture of amusement and another emotion he couldn’t name. Iruka leaned against the doorframe, arms folded and head tipped to one side as he watched him. He was smiling, but it wasn’t very cheerfully.
“Meh…” Kakashi scratched the back of his head.
“Just turn the water off,” Iruka sighed. “No point in wasting it. Breakfast is ready.”
Kakashi returned to the bathroom. When he came back out, Iruka was sliding the drawer shut. There was no sign of the gray shirt he’d spotted.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<
After breakfast, they left for the shops. There was a dusting of white on the railing of the stairs. Iruka grinned. “It’s snowing! Kakashi-san, look!”
Kakashi turned his gaze up to the cloudy sky. “Mah. It’s not going to stick. It’s too warm for it.”
Iruka turned to him with a pout more suited to a child. “Spoil my fun, why don’t you?” he laughed.
Kakashi shrugged. “What? It’s the truth.”
Iruka ran a hand along the railing until he’d gathered a handful. He chucked it at Kakashi, who dodged. “I like snow.” Iruka said. “It’s too warm here to snow much. The last time it did, I was still a pre-genin.” He said wistfully. “The pond iced over and my mother taught me how to ice-skate.”
Kakashi smiled. “My father taught me that year too.”
Iruka took his hand as they walked and Kakashi let him.
Iruka was warm and comfortable beside him, head tucked in the crook of Kakashi neck and one arm wrapped around his waist. Kakashi shifted slightly and Iruka’s brown eyes snapped open, dazed, but quickly regaining his senses. He smiled, a breathtakingly open expression. For one moment, there was nothing hidden in those eyes, in that smile.
“Kakashi-san…” Iruka breathed. His fingers crept up to rest against one masked cheek. “I thought I was dreaming again.”
“Again?” Kakashi said softly; thinking how warm those fingers were, even through the fabric of his mask.
Something in those rich eyes shuttered, closing away. Iruka was still smiling, but it was a tad less genuine than before. “We all dream, Kakashi-san.”
“What were you dreaming of?” Kakashi felt compelled to ask.
Iruka’s fingers fell away from his cheek and his lips twitched. “Breakfast. I’m starving.”
It was hardly a graceful diversion, and Kakashi wasn’t buying it. “What was it?”
Iruka untangled himself from Kakashi and rose, elongating his body in a stretch that would have done a cat proud. He sighed and glanced back over his shoulder at Kakashi. “Things that could have been. Just memories and intangible clouds. Nothing important.”
Something told Kakashi it was important, but he would get no more out of Iruka on the subject. A towel hit him in the face. “Take a shower while I fix breakfast. We still have to go pick up the gift you were going to get for Sakura, and if I’m going to have a full house for the holidays, I’ll pick up some more stocking stuffers and the makings for some cookies. I really haven’t had a reason to bake for a long time.” There was that brief shadow in his eyes, but he smiled as he offered Kakashi sweatpants and another of those mysterious masked shirts, this one in a soft gray. Kakashi resolved that he was going to find out why the chuunin had those shirts if it killed him.
He showered quickly and dressed, leaving the water still running. He crept to the door, listening to the sounds of the other man moving around the kitchen and humming softly. Pleased, he slipped over to the dresser, easing open the drawer he’d seen Iruka take the masked shirt out of. There were socks. He frowned and moved them aside. There. A dark charcoal gray. He reached for it.
“Haven’t you heard it’s not polite to snoop? Especially in a fellow shinobi’s home.” The voice was filled with some mixture of amusement and another emotion he couldn’t name. Iruka leaned against the doorframe, arms folded and head tipped to one side as he watched him. He was smiling, but it wasn’t very cheerfully.
“Meh…” Kakashi scratched the back of his head.
“Just turn the water off,” Iruka sighed. “No point in wasting it. Breakfast is ready.”
Kakashi returned to the bathroom. When he came back out, Iruka was sliding the drawer shut. There was no sign of the gray shirt he’d spotted.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<
After breakfast, they left for the shops. There was a dusting of white on the railing of the stairs. Iruka grinned. “It’s snowing! Kakashi-san, look!”
Kakashi turned his gaze up to the cloudy sky. “Mah. It’s not going to stick. It’s too warm for it.”
Iruka turned to him with a pout more suited to a child. “Spoil my fun, why don’t you?” he laughed.
Kakashi shrugged. “What? It’s the truth.”
Iruka ran a hand along the railing until he’d gathered a handful. He chucked it at Kakashi, who dodged. “I like snow.” Iruka said. “It’s too warm here to snow much. The last time it did, I was still a pre-genin.” He said wistfully. “The pond iced over and my mother taught me how to ice-skate.”
Kakashi smiled. “My father taught me that year too.”
Iruka took his hand as they walked and Kakashi let him.