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It was the perfect conditions for climbing. Early enough that it wouldn't be sweltering, the sun was hitting Kakashi's favorite cliff face at the right angle for ideal visibility, it hadn't rained in days, and most importantly, he'd told his new genin team to meet him ten minutes ago at a bridge on the other side of the village. He should be able to get one ascent in before he had to start ambling towards their general direction. Two if he felt particularly unpunctual.
Only when he got to the best spot for climbing one-handed without chakra, someone was already there.
As he neared, it wasn't hard to figure out who. The ponytail might not have been a dead giveaway, but the large, still fresh back scar certainly was.
Kakashi blinked at the shirtless man steadily making his way up the cliff face.
Since when did Umino Iruka have arms like that?
Kakashi realized he'd probably had them for a while. Arms like that didn't happen overnight. But before this revelation, he'd also been certain Iruka was the type who never took off his uniform, no matter what he was doing, whether sleeping, showering, or other things that started with s. He'd always seemed far too straight-laced to ever be out of uniform, let alone completely nude. Not that Kakashi thought about Iruka being naked often.
Apparently he'd been wrong, and he couldn't say he minded. With the way Iruka's muscles shifted as he pulled himself from handhold to handhold, he was a sight to see.
The entire village knew Iruka had one hell of an ass, but damn, they needed to see those arms.
Original plan forgotten, Kakashi watched Iruka work his way up the cliff. Pleasing aesthetics aside, Iruka was doing a respectable job of it. He was using both hands, which Kakashi hadn't used on this particular wall for a while, but it was clear he wasn't using chakra where most shinobi would default to it, so Kakashi couldn't fault him on that.
His form was textbook perfect, not that Kakashi would have expected anything else. His shoulders looked engaged, his center of gravity was low and close to the wall, and he was keeping his arms straight and his footwork intentional. He paused now and then, assessing the path upward, but he didn't hesitate or falter, his grip was steady and secure, and it wasn't long before he reached the top.
Kakashi watched for one more moment as Iruka stood, hands on his hips, breath heavy, a triumphant expression on his face as he took in the view.
Well, fuck, Kakashi thought as he turned to leave. Of course Iruka had pecs and abs to match. The world was unfair like that.
~*~*~
The next time Kakashi saw Iruka, it was from a tree as he supervised his team while they learned the highly important and useful ninja skill of catching a stray cat. Iruka must have been on his lunch break from the Academy. He had also, sadly, been reunited with his shirt and vest.
Iruka sat on a bench a little way outside the Academy grounds, warm sunlight streaming over him, his empty bento box next to him, and a confused look on his face as he regarded the snarl of yarn in his lap. Whatever he'd been attempting to knit, Kakashi doubted it was supposed to be a giant knot.
He couldn't help but watch as everything Iruka tried made the tangled mess worse and the furrow between his brows deepen.
Maybe Iruka needed to stick to climbing; it was clearly more his thing.
Or he could try knitting shirtless. It might not help, but at the very least, it couldn't hurt.
Kakashi didn't stick around long enough to suggest that though. His team had a cat to catch, and how were they ever going to manage that if he didn't occasionally chime in with helpful comments like, "Have you checked under that rock over there yet?"
~*~*~
Kakashi's students assumed he wasn't a morning person, that he was always late because he was too lazy to get out of bed.
"Iruka-sensei was never late for any of his classes," the loud one insisted.
The broody one scoffed. "How would you know, idiot? You were never on time yourself."
Kakashi would learn their names eventually, he just wasn't convinced it was necessary yet.
"Doesn't matter. Iruka-sensei would never be late," the loud one said with utmost certainty.
Kakashi wondered when he'd last had that much faith in someone. If ever.
In actuality, he wasn't a morning person, but he also wasn't a night owl. Both required sleeping at some point, and Kakashi didn't do much of that these days. Hadn't for over a decade now. His team would never believe that he was often out in the village for hours before he met up with them.
There was something calming and peaceful about the still village in the early morning, before everyone was out for the day. There was a tranquility to wandering the empty streets in the predawn light as he kept out of sight of the few other people who were around. Other sleepless jounin and ANBU did the same, but by silent agreement, they didn't acknowledge each other's presence or the restless, unofficial patrols that came from too many nights on missions where sleep was ill-advised.
When the quiet bustle of shop owners getting ready for the day grew loud enough to drive him further from the center of the village, he walked through the training grounds. Most stood empty, but Number Forty-Five was always the exception at this time of day. It was small, tucked into a clearing, close enough to the river that the gentle tumble of water over rocks filled the air.
Every day a group of shinobi and civilians gathered there to practice yoga in the early morning light.
Normally Kakashi would avoid a gathering of two dozen people, but this was his one exception to that rule. They fit into the flow of the morning as easily as they moved from one position to the next.
Kakashi had never practiced yoga, but there was stillness even in the motions that appealed to him, like he might be able to find the peace that eluded him if he could ever allow himself to be that present, like harmony did exist even if he hadn't found it yet.
He never joined them, only watched for a brief moment before continuing his rounds. He wasn't one to join anyway, especially not when it felt like his own internal turbulence would infringe on their fragile tranquility.
The group's membership was consistent, never changing much from one day to the next. Kakashi hadn't seen a new face amongst the members in a while.
Today was different.
Iruka was as easy to spot as he always was. The group was mostly women; the few men stood out. His motions were smooth and fluid, his body welcoming to the poses he twisted himself into.
Kakashi should keep moving, he was standing here far longer than he usually did, but it was hard to look away.
Iruka's loose, sleeveless t-shirt showed off his arms, and Kakashi recanted his previous thought that other people should have a chance to see those sculpted works of art. But it was too late to keep that secret in sleeves now. The way most of the women, kunoichi and civilian alike, were looking at him out of the corner of their eyes was ravenous. Some of the men as well. Kakashi couldn't blame them, but that didn't stop him from feeling more proprietary than he should.
When he finally worked up the willpower to leave, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't, but it was close.
The broody one was there, a little ways off, staring at him with a cool, unreadable expression before turning away, clearly on his way to their team meeting for the day. He'd be on time if he went straight there.
Kakashi shook his head. He hadn't realized he was being watched. He was going to have to be more careful.
He made sure he arrived extra late that day. Served members of his team right for going around spying on unsuspecting people.
He didn't let himself think about the irony of that statement.
~*~*~
The next ninja skill of critical importance that his team needed to learn was the art of helping an older civilian couple move from one house to another.
Kakashi didn't bother to hold back a sigh as the loud one proclaimed he'd carry the most boxes each trip and move the most total by the end of the mission, just you wait and see.
The broody one scoffed like he was above such a pathetic competition, but there was a gleam in his eyes that said he was more interested in it than he wanted to admit.
The rest of the day was nothing but rushes to carry the biggest, heaviest boxes and arguments that it didn't matter that the broody one was carrying more boxes because the loud one's boxes were heavier. Neither boy seemed to realize that while they were arguing, the girl moved twice as much as either of them.
Kakashi was glad they managed to get through the mission with minimal brawls and without breaking anything. It was a low bar, but this was what his post-ANBU life had come to.
When they got to the mission room to turn in their report, the scent of frosting filled the air. A cluster of ninjas made appreciative noises as they gathered around a table with an embarrassed looking Iruka standing next to it.
It took a few moments before the crowd dispersed enough for Kakashi to see that the table was covered with an impressive number of brightly colored cupcakes that were getting picked over.
"I had yesterday off and thought I'd give it a try," Iruka was saying to one of the shinobi. He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks as pink as some of the frosting.
"Iruka-sensei, you bake?" the loud one yelled, bounding up to the table, heedless of the highly trained killers he was pushing past to get to the front of the line. "That's so cool! You never said you could bake!"
Iruka's eyes flitted towards Kakashi before he focused on the kid.
"I just started learning. These are some of my first attempts. I make no promises they're good."
"Well," the kid said, "if you're learning, you need someone to test them to make sure they're good."
Iruka laughed. "Are you volunteering?"
"You better believe it! I'll be over for dinner!"
"Perfect," Iruka said, casting another quick glance at Kakashi.
"Great! See you later, Iruka-sensei!" the kid said, grabbing two cupcakes before bounding off.
Kakashi wondered if it could really be that easy. He didn't ask, instead slipping Iruka their report.
Iruka thanked him for his hard work then brought the report over to the piles on the desk.
Kakashi took one last look at the cupcakes as he turned to leave.
He didn't have a sweet tooth.
But that didn't stop him from swiping a cupcake anyway.
He'd thought he'd been smooth about it. Iruka's back was turned to them, most of the other shinobi in the room had already grabbed cupcakes and were busy eating them, the girl seemed to be having an internal debate over whether she wanted one. No one would notice.
But then he saw the broody one watching him again. His hint of a smirk said Kakashi hadn't been as covert about the whole thing as he'd thought. He tried to convince himself the kid wasn't as knowing as the look in his eyes seemed to be.
He didn't succeed.
Lack of a sweet tooth and suspicion from his student aside, the cupcake wasn't half bad.
If Iruka were to offer to make him more, he wouldn't refuse.
~*~*~
Iruka was climbing a different cliff the next time Kakashi saw him. This one was more difficult than the last, the angle a hair past vertical, but he was doing a good job of it. He was still sticking to static moves, but his footwork was even better than before.
He was shirtless again. So climbing was a shirtless activity, yoga was sleeveless, and knitting was full uniform. Kakashi wondered where baking fell along that spectrum. It was probably somewhere between yoga and knitting. Likely a vestless activity. But Kakashi knew which one he was hoping for.
Kakashi didn't climb that day either, just watched again and wondered why Iruka had taken up chakraless climbing. Not many shinobi liked to climb without chakra; most thought there was no point to it, not when it was easier to walk up the cliff face. They might argue it was more important to practice the chakra control needed to do that. But Kakashi had been depleted enough to know both were necessary.
He watched until Iruka reached the top, then he took the scenic route to the place he'd promised to meet his team.
"You're late again! Where were you?" the loud one demanded.
Kakashi shrugged. "Watching poetry in motion."
The broody one snorted and gave him a look that said he wasn't fooling anyone.
Fucking geniuses, Kakashi thought. This Sasuke kid was too smart for his own good.
~*~*~
Each time after that, whenever Kakashi saw Iruka, he was doing something different.
Once he was wandering through Konoha with a camera, taking pictures. He kept looking through the viewfinder, readjusting, trying again, never seeming happy with what he was seeing. Kakashi itched to give him pointers on the best way to frame shots. Maybe lean in close and help him find the right angle. He didn't, but that didn't keep him from thinking about it for the rest of the day.
Another time he ran across him in the library. Between the shelves, Kakashi saw him poring over a magazine, taking copious notes. After he left, Kakashi found the magazine he'd been looking at. "The Twenty Best Onsen in Fire Country!" its cover proclaimed. He didn't let himself think about Iruka in an onsen. There was only so much a relatively sane man could handle.
He saw him knitting a few more times, the yarn in his lap slowly becoming less tangled and more like someday it could be something.
Yoga had become part of Iruka's daily routine, and Kakashi had to wonder if he should pick it up as well. It did look relaxing, even with all the women aggressively eyeing Iruka during his rather impressive downward dogs.
It was hard not to be curious about Iruka's change in behavior. It wasn't like he'd been antisocial before, but he spent so much time at the Academy and mission desk, those were the only places Kakashi had ever expected to see him. And given the fact that Kakashi didn't have any reason to go to one of those places, he'd rarely seen Iruka. But now he was everywhere, doing everything.
Kakashi had even seen him out drinking with friends. Granted, Kakashi didn't go out much himself, so he could have missed the times Iruka did go out, but he'd never seemed like the type to go out drinking.
He caught glimpses of Iruka through the shifting crowd, heard his laughter over the din of the bar and the story of Youth and Passion Gai was currently telling. Iruka's friends seemed to be teasing him, elbowing him in his side, making him blush.
Kakashi angled himself so he might happen to read their lips.
"Go for it," one of them said.
Iruka shook his head firmly.
"Just do it," the other said.
What they wanted Iruka to do, Kakashi didn't know, but whatever it was, Iruka didn't seem inclined. From all the blushing, Kakashi guessed it was something embarrassing.
One of his friends leaned over and said something that Kakashi couldn't see.
Iruka looked at his friend in disbelief.
His friend raised an eyebrow at him, a challenge.
Iruka shook his head again before glancing around the room, his eyes catching on Kakashi's gaze. If anything, his blush deepened before they both looked away.
Gai slapped Kakashi hard on the back, and Kakashi choked on a breath he absolutely had not been holding.
Across the room, Iruka's friends were laughing while Iruka shook his head harder, his cheeks bright red.
Kakashi couldn't help wondering what they were trying to get Iruka to do.
~*~*~
Iruka had become a regular on the cliffs around Konoha, and it was distracting. No one should look that good climbing.
He was a quick learner, that much Kakashi had to admit, and he was tenacious too. He'd find he was on a false start up, realize his mistake, backtrack, and start over as many times as he needed to get a climb right. Though he didn't need many tries.
Kakashi had been watching Iruka climb more than he'd climbed himself recently. He needed to rectify that, but it was hard to remember his resolve to start climbing again when all he could focus on was the steady strength in Iruka's body as he worked his way up the cliffs.
Given all the times he'd seen Iruka recently, it wasn't too much of a shock when he started to appear in his dreams as well. Kakashi never slept long enough to have many dreams, but still, Iruka was there. Climbing. The smooth flow of his yoga poses. That quick glance from the bar. His body, strong, powerful, shirtless. His arms feeling as good as they looked.
Kakashi could try to blame it on all the times he'd seen Iruka around lately, but that didn't keep him from blushing the next time he handed over one of his team's mission reports.
When he turned to leave, the girl's eyes were wide, darting back and forth between Kakashi and Iruka.
Sasuke snorted.
"You knew?" she hissed at him.
He shrugged and walked away, leaving her there to stare at Kakashi.
Kakashi would not let himself be afraid of whatever a twelve-year-old girl might do, no matter how devious the glint in Sakura's eyes was becoming.
The loud one yelled goodbye to Iruka as he bounded out of the room, promising he'd be at Iruka's in time for dinner.
Kakashi was glad he taught one idiot at least.
~*~*~
Their next mission was to help repaint the Academy. Kakashi took the mission so his team had experience with the ultimate ninja skill of watching paint dry, not because of who would be supervising the teams that had been assigned to help.
Painting was a sleeveless activity.
Kakashi swallowed hard and tried not to notice the smear of paint Iruka had gotten on his left arm.
There was a triumphant "Told you so!" behind his back, and Kakashi glanced over to see the loud one with his jaw hanging open as his eyes jumped between Kakashi and Iruka. Sakura and Sasuke were standing next to him with smug looks on their faces.
Apparently Naruto wasn't a complete idiot after all.
How his team was going to learn the skill of watching paint dry when they spent the rest of the day watching him and Iruka instead, Kakashi would never know. At least they managed to paint the Academy between all the staring. That was something. Ninjas needed to be able to multitask after all.
On their way to turn in their report after they'd finished, Kakashi did his best to pretend he couldn't hear the hushed, hurried whispers that were happening behind him.
There was no agreed-upon consensus as to when, but Naruto was adamant that the answer to why was because "duh, Iruka-sensei is awesome." Though he was also equally as sure about the fact that Kakashi was a pervert and not good enough for someone as awesome as Iruka.
Sakura thought they would make a cute couple and gave her stamp of approval to their future relationship, complete with a white picket fence, 2.5 adopted kids, and a dog. Kakashi didn't mention he already had eight.
And Sasuke, well, he just wanted them both to shut up.
Kakashi had to agree he was making a valid point.
~*~*~
Kakashi wasn't sure how his team had convinced him to buy them food. When this whole teaching thing had started, he'd sworn he wouldn't be buying anyone meals. What was he? A parent? No.
But somehow here they were, in a restaurant Kakashi had never heard of. Naruto had wanted ramen, but Sakura had suggested this place and Sasuke had shrugged a shoulder, the closest he got to outright agreeing with someone, so Naruto had been outvoted.
Kakashi let them lead him there. He'd bet his favorite kunai they were trying to see his face again. Thwarting their plans would be mildly entertaining. Depending on how far they took their antics, it might be worth the money he was about to drop on their food.
The restaurant was small and out of the way, across the street from a community garden.
Sakura wanted to sit outside so they could enjoy the view. Sasuke snorted but didn't object. Naruto didn't care as long as they got their food already.
There was some event going on in the community garden. Close to a dozen people were milling around, performing various maintenance tasks and planting flowers. Kakashi wasn't surprised when he realized Iruka was one of them. At this point, he would have been more surprised if he hadn't been.
Iruka's sleeves were rolled up just enough to show off his forearms. His fingers dug into the dark earth as he transplanted small seedlings into the ground at regular intervals.
A Yamanaka was running things, pointing out where certain plants should go, checking everyone's work. When he got to Iruka, he slid in closer than was entirely necessary to show someone the best way to plant something.
It took Kakashi a moment to realize there was another Yamanaka in the garden, this one much younger than the other. She was looking back and forth between Kakashi and Iruka in an all too familiar manner.
She made eye contact with Sakura. They shared a decisive nod, then both seemed to realize who they were looking at. They made unpleasant faces at each other and quickly looked away, pretending like they hadn't just agreed on something.
The blonde girl glanced once more between Kakashi and Iruka.
He was losing his touch if a bunch of twelve-year-olds were making him this easily.
Naruto complained he'd already finished his meal, and a good jounin-sensei would buy seconds if they were going to sit here forever.
Kakashi wasn't a good jounin-sensei, but he did end up buying them seconds.
If they had asked, he would have said meals were an excellent way to ensure strong team bonds. It had nothing to do with wanting to see what happened in the garden.
But they didn't ask.
They didn't need to.
~*~*~
Kakashi's team was looking more suspicious each time he showed up late. He wouldn't normally be worried about that, but from the glint in their eyes, they were starting to plot things. For now, he was telling himself he was encouraging teamwork. The team that plotted against their jounin-sensei together was the team that stayed together.
At their next training session, Naruto showed up with something vaguely scarf-like around his neck. He proudly told them Iruka had made it for him, as if the violent orange color didn't give away the fact that it was a custom job.
Kakashi had to admit Iruka was getting better. He didn't let himself wonder if it was because Iruka had given shirtless knitting a try.
It wasn't scarf weather, but that didn't stop Naruto from wearing it the entire time they hauled trash from one side of the village to the other. Yet another highly important ninja skill for them to learn.
Sakura spent the day as she had every day for the last few weeks: casually bringing Iruka up in conversation. Did they remember that lesson Iruka-sensei taught them about.... Oh, that reminded her of that one time Iruka-sensei had....
She watched Kakashi out of the corner of her eye, waiting for a reaction. Kakashi was sure he didn't give any, but the occasional snorts from Sasuke and frequent scowls from Naruto were making him feel insecure about that belief.
It wasn't until they were dropping off their mission report that their true plan unfolded.
Iruka greeted them, as bright and cheerful as ever. As Kakashi handed over their report, he saw Sakura elbow Naruto. Naruto glared at her, she glared back. An entire discussion was had through aggressive eye contact. There were points and counterpoints, arguments and rebuttals. And all Kakashi and Iruka could do was stare at the silent debate. But eventually, Naruto admitted defeat via narrowed eyes and a scrunched up nose, then he turned to Iruka.
"Iruka-sensei," he said, "I was thinking, if you really wanna get good at cooking, you should cook for more people. I mean, I'm really awesome at knowing how good food is. But if you have more people try your food, you'll know how not-as-awesome people think it is. Like, three more people would be enough."
It was the most unnatural speech Kakashi had ever heard, and Kakashi hung out with Gai more than was healthy.
Iruka bit back a smile, his eyes flickering between Sakura, Sasuke, and catching on Kakashi.
"Any suggestions?" he asked.
"Well, I mean, these three would probably work," Naruto said, gesturing at his teammates and Kakashi. He threw in a glare at Kakashi for good measure. "They definitely aren't as awesome as me, and they do eat."
Iruka rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks coloring. He glanced at Kakashi again, then away to the rest of Team 7. "I can't make anything fancy, but you're all welcome to come over for dinner tonight if you'd like."
"We'd love to!" Sakura said, accepting the invitation for the whole team.
Kakashi didn't bother to correct her.
~*~*~
Kakashi stared at the door to Iruka's apartment.
He should knock.
But it was five minutes before they were supposed to arrive. It wouldn't look good if he showed up early. Especially not with Team 7 there. They were suspicious enough as it was. Being early would make that worse. As far as they knew, he'd never been on time for anything in his life.
He should walk around the village for a bit and come back at a more appropriate five to ten minutes late.
A little behind him and to his left, an annoyingly familiar scoff sounded.
So much for not being early.
He turned his head to see Sasuke standing there. It was difficult to tell, given the constant judgment on the kid's face, but Kakashi was willing to bet his entire pack of ninken that Sasuke was judging him. A broody twelve-year-old who was repressing his own crush had no right to judge him.
Kakashi knocked.
When Iruka opened the door to greet them, a rush of warm air escaped his apartment, curling its way around Kakashi. He hadn't realized it was chilly outside until that moment.
Apologizing for intruding, he stepped inside. Iruka's kitchen looked chaotic, but the scent of home-cooked food filled the apartment, appetizing with only the slightest undertone of something that had been burnt earlier.
Naruto and Sakura were already inside, arguing in hushed whispers that carried from Iruka's living room.
Iruka's cheeks were pink as he turned to call out, "Kakashi and Sasuke are here!"
The whispers intensified for a few moments before Sakura bounded out of the living room, dragging Naruto with her.
"Kakashi-sensei! We're so glad you're here!" she said brightly before glancing at a clock on Iruka's wall. "And you're early!"
She elbowed Naruto, who glared at her. "Yeah. Totally glad. So great you made it."
Sasuke needed to be careful. If Naruto kept up this level of sarcasm, his monopoly on snark was in serious trouble.
Iruka insisted there was nothing for them to help with and ushered them back into his living room to wait the last few minutes until dinner was ready.
Kakashi did his best to ignore the looks his team was sending him as he glanced around the room.
Iruka’s place was homey in a way that Kakashi’s had never been. It felt lived in and warm, not just a place where he kept his weapons when he wasn’t using them or he was in the hospital because he hadn't used them efficiently enough.
It wasn't sterile. It didn't lack personal details. Kakashi only allowed himself a few, and those were hidden away in his bedroom in case he had to invite someone inside. There was something relaxing about Iruka's apartment, and that made him feel off-kilter. He didn't relax in unfamiliar places. That sort of thing got you killed.
"So..." Sakura started to say, the manic gleam in her eyes impossible to ignore. "You and-"
"Dinner's ready!" Iruka called from the kitchen.
Kakashi had never been more thankful for a meal in his life.
They squeezed into the mismatched chairs that had been assembled around Iruka's small dining room table that was meant to seat only two. Sakura grabbed Naruto by the collar and yanked him into the seat next to her, leaving the chair on Kakashi's right open.
For all Iruka's declaration that it was dinnertime, it still took a few minutes for him to bring the food to the table. Kakashi stood to help, but Iruka motioned for him to stay put.
The offer was polite, but it wasn't altruistic. With the way his students were staring at him, any excuse to get away from the table would have been welcome.
It was a simple meal, Iruka hadn't been lying when he'd said it wouldn't be anything fancy, but Kakashi couldn't remember the last time he'd had a home-cooked meal made by anyone but himself. There were a handful of side dishes and a main dish of mabo nasu.
Kakashi had to wonder if one of his students had suggested Iruka make something with eggplant in it. From the way Sakura was beaming, he had his suspicions. After all, she'd badgered him about his favorite foods a few days ago while they were pulling weeds in the park next to the hospital, yet another ninja skill of dire importance for them to learn.
When Kakashi had said eggplant to get her to change the subject, he hadn't realized she'd been gathering intel to use against him. Damn twelve-year-olds. He was going to have to be more careful.
His team watched him as closely as ever as he ate, trying to get a glimpse of his face, their desire to see beneath his mask a nice distraction from the other things they were attempting. Over a month of trying and they still hadn't given up.
Kakashi was used to it. Everyone did it.
Iruka did not.
He angled his head away from Kakashi enough that he wouldn't have a clear view of his face if Kakashi did accidentally show it while eating, but not so much that it seemed impolite or like he was excluding Kakashi from potential conversation.
He didn't have to. Kakashi had more than enough practice at avoiding prying eyes that it'd become second nature, but he appreciated the effort.
It took him a minute to realize that his team wasn't staring at just him though. They weren't only trying to see his face. They were staring at him and Iruka.
Iruka seemed to have realized too from the way the color in his cheeks was rising.
The room was quiet except for the sounds of eating. It was making Kakashi jumpy, waiting for an attack.
Sakura cleared her throat, and Kakashi forced himself not to flinch at the sudden noise.
"This is a very nice meal," Sakura said.
"I told you Iruka-sensei was an awesome cook," Naruto said.
The color in Iruka's cheeks deepened at the praise. "I still have a lot to learn."
Everyone waited for someone else to speak.
No one did.
They went back to eating for a few moments before Sakura tried again.
"It's... um... been very nice weather recently, hasn't it?"
"Yes," Iruka said. "Very nice."
Sakura gave Kakashi an expectant look.
"Yes. Nice. Nice weather," he agreed. When he didn't add anything more, Sakura's look turned unimpressed.
They chewed on in silence.
"I heard it might rain... next week," she tried.
Naruto was looking at her like she'd gone insane. Kakashi thought it was a team quality.
"Ah, yes," Iruka said. "It might."
They turned back to their food.
"And... how's the Academy?" Sakura asked with desperation in her voice after a few more bites spent looking at Kakashi pointedly.
"Good," Iruka said. "We, ah, just had the entrance ceremony for the new first years."
"Oh," Sakura said. "That's nice. Isn't it, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Very nice."
Naruto was looking more disgruntled with every passing second while Sasuke was starting to look like he was enjoying himself.
"Any... new teachers?" she asked. Each time she tried to start a conversation, it drew more attention to the silence pervading the room.
Iruka blinked at her. "One. She seems nice."
If Sakura tried any harder to send a message to Kakashi through her glare alone, her eyes were going to pop out of her head.
Kakashi refrained from sighing. The things he did to prevent his students from losing eyes. He took a breath and dove into the conversation. "Does she have any teaching experience?"
Iruka looked startled but recovered quickly. "She does, actually. She's a tokujo and has done a lot of private tutoring. This will be her first time teaching a full class though."
Kakashi couldn't stop himself from shaking his head. His team was bad enough, he couldn't imagine how the Academy teachers handled a whole classroom full.
"We'll see how she does," Iruka said, a hint of amusement in his voice, as if he were reading Kakashi's mind.
Kakashi let out a soft huff. "Do teachers have backup available?"
Iruka laughed. "It could come in handy with certain classes."
Speaking of. Kakashi realized all of Team 7's eyes were darting back and forth between Iruka and himself, though at least Sasuke was pretending he was still eating.
Kakashi froze under Sakura's grin.
Next to him, Iruka did the same. For one moment, Kakashi had almost forgotten the mission his students were on. Rookie mistake.
"Right, I think-" Sakura started cheerfully before a yawn too wide to be real interrupted her sentence, "it's time for us three to get going. It's nearly bedtime."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.
Naruto glared. "It is not time for bed."
"It definitely is. We need to get home," she said, gesturing to the three of them. "Of course, Kakashi can stay later. He's like super old, so he doesn't need to go to bed yet."
She paused for a moment, frowning. "Well, not super old. Like, you know, about your age, Iruka-sensei. Probably. I mean, he has gray hair. But I think that's just like, his hair?"
Kakashi had never seen Sasuke try not to laugh before. Amusement looked unholy on his face.
Sakura stood and sent Naruto and Sasuke pointed looks.
Sasuke shrugged and stood. Dinnertime entertainment aside, Kakashi doubted he cared either way.
"We haven't even had dessert yet," Naruto complained.
She kicked him under the table and glared.
To Kakashi's disappointment, Naruto got the hint.
Iruka saw them out, and Kakashi attempted not to notice the wink Sakura sent him behind Iruka's back.
When Iruka turned from the door, their eyes met and they both froze. Kakashi swallowed. There was no way this wasn't going to be horribly awkward.
Iruka let out a nervous laugh, then suppressed it.
They stared at each other for another beat before Iruka made his way back to the table.
Kakashi's team was trying to kill him. That was the only logical explanation.
Desperate for some kind of firm footing, anything that would give him purchase, Kakashi reached for the first thing that seemed like it'd hold.
"So..." Kakashi said, testing the topic before going all in. "You've been starting some new hobbies?" He nodded towards Iruka's kitchen.
"Yeah," Iruka said, a little tension bleeding out of his shoulders. "I've always wanted to get better at cooking, I just never thought I had the time to try."
"You have more time now?"
Iruka shrugged, rolling his shoulder blades and shifting his back. "Who knows?"
The atmosphere threatened to turn awkward again, Kakashi's fingers slipping from the hold. He reached for the next one, not too far away.
"You've started climbing too?" Kakashi gestured towards Iruka's hands. They were rough, scraped, and calloused more than even constant working with weapons would cause.
Iruka looked surprised but then grinned and shifted his weight towards Kakashi.
"I wanted to try climbing without chakra. I've seen civilians do it and always thought if they can, there is no reason we shouldn't be able to. I know most ninjas think we should just use chakra, but..." He trailed off like he'd realized Kakashi might be one of those ninjas.
Kakashi nodded, "But what if you're low on chakra or near a sensor. It's always good to know what your body is capable of doing. I climb chakraless too."
Iruka looked relieved. He leaned in closer like he was going to tell Kakashi a secret, his eyes glittering. "I sent that wall just north of the village on-sight yesterday. The one with the pine grove on top of the cliff."
Kakashi was impressed, that wasn't an easy climb, especially not error free without looking up information beforehand. He would have liked to see Iruka do that.
"Have you climbed any of the southern cliffs?"
Iruka shook his head. "I've been sticking to static climbs. I've heard those ascents require a lot more dynamic moves and it was good to have a spotter just in case, particularly for the ones with more prominent overhangs. I wanted to improve my fundamentals before I moved on to those."
A thought hit Kakashi. "Is that why you're doing yoga?"
Iruka blinked at him. "How did you know that?"
He shouldn't have mentioned that. Kakashi shrugged, trying for casual. "There are a couple jounin in that morning yoga group."
It wasn't a lie. It also didn't answer the question.
Thankfully Iruka took it at face value. "I heard it was good for climbing."
Kakashi nodded. "Improved flexibility is useful when you want to climb something hard."
Iruka blinked again, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink.
Oh, shit. There was a double meaning to that, wasn't there? Kakashi hadn't meant that. At least not consciously.
"And knitting?" Kakashi said in a rush, needing to change the topic. "Is that also good for climbing?"
Iruka laughed. "You saw Naruto's scarf?"
Kakashi nodded. Sure, they could go with that.
"Not so much," Iruka said, answering Kakashi's question. "My mom used to make scarfs for me when I was a kid and I thought it would be fun to try. But climbing is my main focus right now."
"I could spot you," Kakashi said on impulse before he could stop himself.
"What?"
"On the southern cliffs. I've climbed them before. I could feed you beta if you need it and spot you." He was getting dangerously close to rambling, so he forced himself to stop.
Iruka looked surprised. It was a big offer, and it'd be even bigger for Iruka to agree. The climber needed to trust their spotter completely. If he fell from a cliff and couldn't catch himself with a jutsu in time, Kakashi would need to do it. It was rare that a shinobi couldn't save themselves from a fall like that, but chakraless climbing meant it took an extra few seconds to mold chakra and prepare a jutsu, and not everyone had the presence of mind to do that while plummeting to a rocky death. It was unlikely Iruka would need him, but for the more difficult cliffs, it was still best to have someone there.
Maybe it was too much. They didn't know each other well enough. Kakashi was about to retract the offer when Iruka grinned.
"I'd like that."
Kakashi's heart raced in his chest as a grin formed on his lips. He'd like it too.
"Are you free the morning two days after tomorrow? Around seven in the morning?"
Kakashi was supposed to meet his team at eight. Climbing any of the southern cliffs would take a couple of hours. "That works for me."
Iruka smiled, warm and open, everything Kakashi was not.
Kakashi swallowed hard.
Outside Iruka's door, there was a series of harsh whispers and then the sound of a scuffle.
They both looked at the door, then back at each other.
Iruka blushed. Kakashi did too. He was painfully aware of the fact that his mask wasn't covering it entirely.
"Right," Kakashi said. "I should..." He realized their dishes still covered the table. "...help clean up?"
Iruka's eyes were soft. "I've got it. But thank you."
Iruka saw him to the door. "I'll see you at the cliffs?"
Kakashi nodded.
They stared at each other for a moment, then unsure what else to do, Kakashi left.
He wasn't surprised to see three heads pop out from around a corner the moment Iruka's door was shut behind him. All three looked more than a little crazed.
Kakashi turned away from them and started walking down the street towards the jounin apartment blocks.
They fell in beside him.
"I thought it was past your bedtime," he said.
They ignored him. Naruto's face seemed to be caught halfway between a grin and a scowl, like it couldn't decide which expression it wanted to make. Sakura beamed, and there was a ghost of a smile threatening the corner of Sasuke's mouth.
"You better not be late," Naruto grumbled.
Kakashi didn't have to answer. Sakura did it for him. "He won't be."
Sasuke snorted.
Kakashi looked up at the sky. What had he done to deserve a team like this? He owed Minato an apology the next time he went to the Memorial Stone.
With a shake of his head and a poorly suppressed grin hidden by his mask, Kakashi saw them home.
~*~*~
Kakashi wasn't late.
He was early again.
Iruka wasn't even there yet.
This was a slippery slope. People couldn't know he was capable of something like this, especially not twice in a row. It would set all kinds of expectations that he didn't need. What would they want from him next? Correctly filled out paperwork? He couldn't have that.
As a precaution, he did a quick patrol of the area, making sure there were no meddling twelve-year-olds hanging around, then managed to show up exactly thirty seconds late. He thought it was a nice compromise.
Iruka was waiting by the time he circled back around. If he noticed Kakashi's tardiness, he didn't mention it, instead giving him a hesitant smile.
He was also, disappointingly, in his full uniform. Kakashi had thought climbing was a shirtless hobby. Apparently he'd been wrong, but he didn't think that was the sort of thing you could bring up with your first-time climbing partner.
"So, where are we going to start?" Iruka asked after they'd exchanged a few words of greeting.
"How good are you at edging?"
Iruka blinked at him.
Kakashi swallowed. He should have phrased that differently. "There's a cliff face just over there with extremely narrow edges. It's good if you want more advanced practice for basic skills."
"Oh," Iruka said. "Oh, right. We could start with that."
Kakashi pulled out a set of wireless radios from his back pouch. "We can use these so you can still hear me as you get further up the cliff." It was nice the things would finally get used for something other than catching cats.
Iruka nodded and took one, slipping it into his ear.
They stared at each other for a moment.
"Uh, right," Kakashi said after a beat. "Let's climb?"
Iruka grinned and nodded, clearly nervous but excited as they made their way towards the suggested cliff.
Kakashi did his best to ignore Iruka's heavy breathing in his earpiece. Maybe the radios weren't a good idea after all. He also tried not to get distracted by Iruka's ass. With his arms covered, no one would blame him. Instead, he focused on watching Iruka's technique as he worked his way up the cliff, slow and steady, his footwork quiet and soft on the delicate edges of the face. He was ready to catch Iruka with a jutsu if he fell, but it wasn't necessary. All he had to do was feed him a few bits of information along the way, making it easier to decide where to go next. One "The rock directly above you is going to start getting brittle, work towards your left if you can," and another "The crux is coming up after this section, rest and shake out if you need it," was all Iruka needed.
He didn't give Iruka too much beta, wanting to see what he did when he reached the most difficult section of the climb. He only got stuck once, scanning the area above him for his next handhold, a few moves from reaching the top.
Iruka was far enough above him that Kakashi couldn't see the rock well, but he remembered getting hung up at that same place the first time he'd climbed this cliff too.
The wireless radio caught Iruka's sigh. "Suggestions?" he asked.
"There's a pocket above you and to your right."
Iruka looked in that direction. "I don't see it."
"You can't see it, but it's there. Use your fingers to find the right spot. It'll be tight, but you should be able to get two in."
Iruka's strangled "What?" sounded in his ear.
Fucking First on a cracker. When did everything in climbing start sounding dirty?
On the cliff, Iruka shook his head, then reached a hand upward, sliding it along the rock until he found the pocket where Kakashi remembered it would be.
"That's good," Kakashi said. "A little more and you can top."
Iruka's foot slid as he moved to grab the next handhold, but he caught himself quickly.
Kakashi decided it would be best for all involved if he stopped talking.
It only took Iruka a few more moves to finish the climb, sure and clean. Not bad given the difficulty of these cliffs. He turned back around and grinned down at Kakashi. Success was a good look on him. Kakashi wanted to see that expression on his face a hundred times over.
It was too bad there was an entire wall between them.
"Nice flash, Sensei," Kakashi said through the radio. "Do you want to go again?"
Iruka gave a startled chuckle then shook his head. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Kakashi shrugged. Patience was also an incredibly important ninja skill for his team to learn.
"Tell them I'm sorry for making you late."
"You knew?"
It was Iruka's turn to shrug. "Given their early bedtime the other night, I thought it wouldn't be good if they had to train too early in the morning. They clearly need their sleep."
That startled a laugh out of Kakashi. "Shame I didn't tell them that earlier."
"Terrible shame," Iruka said, amusement in his voice.
"Another time?" Kakashi asked, feeling daring.
Iruka nodded. "Next week? Same time, same place?"
Kakashi didn't say it was a date, but he wanted to.
He took the scenic route on his way to meet Team 7.
He'd had a grudging respect for Iruka for a while. He didn't take crap from anyone, Kakashi included, and Kakashi liked that. But he'd also thought Iruka was strict, the type that would never consider breaking the rules. These last few weeks had been eye-opening. He'd seen Iruka laugh in exasperation over his own failed attempts at winter accessories, seen his face soft and relaxed as he flowed through his yoga poses, seen beyond that uptight image of a model shinobi Kakashi had always projected onto Iruka.
He'd known he and Iruka would never be a good match, but he'd thought that for all the wrong reasons. Iruka wasn't uptight, he wasn't a stickler for the rules. He took at least parts of his uniform off from time to time and possibly enjoyed torturing his students just as much as Kakashi did.
Not that Kakashi enjoyed anything about his students. He would still firmly deny that accusation.
Kakashi had made a lot of assumptions about Iruka, and he was realizing all of them were wrong. But that didn't mean he'd been wrong about everything.
He and Iruka would never work out. That held true. After all his years in ANBU, he hadn't figured out how to fit back into society. He didn't make connections, and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
When Kakashi reached his team, they looked decidedly pleased with themselves.
He should have made them wait another hour.
Sakura asked him about his morning half a dozen times before he bought them dango to shut them up.
For whatever reason, that just made them look smugger.
Kakashi was never going to understand his team.
~*~*~
Gai hauled him out that night. They seemed to be making this a weekly thing. Kakashi wondered if there was a way he could discourage it from continuing. A challenge to see who could appear in public the least? Pretending he was on a mission for the next ten years? But in the end, he let himself be hauled.
Iruka and his friends were already there, a number of empty glasses in front of them.
The one in the bandanna elbowed Iruka in the side and whispered something that made Iruka choke on his beer.
Gai spent the rest of the evening pontificating about the Youth and Passion of his Beautiful team as they sat at the bar. Kakashi wondered if Gai would be willing to take on his as well, then discarded the idea. They might be brats, but he wouldn't wish this amount of green spandex on anyone.
Iruka's friends spent another evening trying to get Iruka to do something, though Kakashi still couldn't tell what.
A few times, Iruka glanced in Kakashi's direction, quick and fleeting, his cheeks red from alcohol. Kakashi's cheeks were warm under his mask, but he couldn't blame his own blush on the few sips he'd taken.
Towards the end of the night, Iruka's spiky-haired friend pushed him away from their table and pointed towards the bar. And for one heart-stopping moment, it seemed like Iruka was walking straight towards him. Behind Iruka, his friends were shoveling mixed nuts like popcorn into their mouths.
But the moment Kakashi let himself think Iruka might actually be heading his way, Iruka made a quick dart to the left, slipping between two kunoichi at the bar and waving over the bartender.
Iruka's friends slapped themselves in the face, nuts forgotten as they shook their heads and groaned.
Kakashi sighed and went back to listening to Gai gushing about his Cool and Hip students, only momentarily distracted as Iruka walked away from the bar, three beers in hand.
~*~*~
Their second climbing date started out much the same as the first, with awkward greetings before they found surer footing when they moved on to discussing what Iruka wanted to practice that day.
As they stood at the bottom of the cliff Kakashi had suggested, one with an overhang that sloped to near horizontal right before the top, Iruka took a deep breath, letting it out in a rush.
Kakashi looked over at him only to realize he was unzipping his vest as he glared up at the cliff with determination.
Oh, god, was climbing about to become a shirtless activity again?
Kakashi held his breath as Iruka tossed his vest down at the base of the cliff. It landed with a heavy thud that Kakashi couldn't hear. Apparently his ears stopped working when Iruka was pulling his shirt over his head. Good to know.
It only took a moment to realize Iruka wasn't baring tan skin, instead he had on a tight, blue undershirt. Kakashi wasn't sure if he was thankful or disappointed he didn't have to deal with the distraction of a shirtless Iruka. But then Iruka was tossing his uniform shirt on top of his vest and turning towards him.
Kakashi swallowed hard. He was thankful, definitely thankful.
The undershirt was sleeveless, displaying Iruka's arms in all their sculpted glory, but more than that, it was tight enough to hint at the lines of Iruka's abs.
Kakashi hadn't thought this whole climbing thing through. He hadn't realized he was signing up for his own personal brand of torture.
Iruka laughed nervously and tugged at the shirt. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? Izumo and Kotetsu bought it for me and insisted I wear it. They said it was guaranteed to help me 'climb new things.'"
Oh, First help him, were those Iruka's nipples? Could he see the outline of Iruka's nipples through the thin fabric?
He swallowed again and nodded. "Couldn't hurt." He yanked his gaze up to find Iruka staring at him, searching his face. "Right. We should get started?"
Iruka's face fell for a moment, then firmed into determination again as he nodded and looked up towards the top of the cliff.
Iruka's shirt was significantly less distracting once he was multiple feet up the wall and it wasn't as easy to see the way it clung to his body.
Iruka made his way up the cliff face steadily, requiring only minimum beta until he got to the overhang and had to slow. Kakashi watched with his breath held as Iruka worked his way towards the top. But even as he hung nearly horizontal on the overhang, his movements were sure. It didn't take much longer for him to top out.
He sat on the edge of the cliff and looked down at Kakashi. It was hard to see Iruka's face clearly from this far away, but it looked like he was ecstatic.
"Not bad on that overhang, Sensei," Kakashi said through the radio. "I'm taking it too easy on you."
"Is that your way of saying I should be worried about next week?"
Kakashi grinned, already knowing exactly which cliff he wanted Iruka to try next. "I may have something nice and hard just for you."
Iruka's choked laughter in his ear made Kakashi realize exactly what he'd said. He needed to stick to not talking.
"I'm looking forward to it," Iruka said. "Same time, same place?"
Kakashi didn't let himself think about how warm Iruka's voice sounded. He nodded. "Same time, same place."
Same shirt, Kakashi wanted to add, but he didn't.
The shirt still made an appearance the following week. And every week after that as climbing became a regular thing.
If Kakashi thought his team had looked smug before, it didn't begin to compare to the ungodly levels of self-satisfaction they radiated whenever anything remotely Iruka-related came up. When they walked by the Academy, they smirked. When they headed towards the mission room, they all but rubbed their hands together in giddy anticipation. Even Naruto seemed to have set his reservations about Kakashi's lameness and depravity aside in favor of failing to hide his grin when he demanded to know why Kakashi was late again on the mornings he'd been climbing with Iruka.
Kakashi did his best to kill their mood. He picked up the lowest level missions available, all manual labor and little chance for ninjutsu. He extolled the skills necessary to spread organic fertilizer on a field ready to be planted. They wrinkled their noses and asked him if he had any plans tomorrow morning, knowing full well it was his usual day to meet Iruka. He lectured on the shinobi value of persistence as they cleaned out the storm drains around the Hokage Tower. They mused loudly about whether or not ramen was a good post-climbing meal. He brought in Gai to speak at length about the Beauty of Youth as they changed diapers in the hospital's maternity ward. They told stories about all the lessons Iruka would be teaching these babies in twelve years' time until Gai changed topics to the Beauty and Passion of Teachers.
Apparently, their mood was an S-rank target. It would not be killed by any conventional means.
The stubborn, insubordinate little shits.
If they kept this up, Kakashi was going to start becoming fond of them and no good would come of that. He was already buying them food after their missions more days than not. He shuddered to think what he'd do if he actually liked them. They might start thinking he'd buy them dessert every time they went out to eat together as well.
Besides, Iruka was getting really good at the whole baking thing, and it was important they saved room for the treats he slipped them when they turned in their reports while he was on shift. And on Team 7's stubborn insistence, they only turned in reports when Iruka was on shift.
Iruka was also getting exceptionally good at climbing. He'd been good to start with, but he'd be joining the one-handed climbing club in no time if he kept it up.
His biggest hangup had been dynamic moves. He never seemed to want to take the risk required, like he'd taken a hard fall and was hesitant to do the same thing again.
Kakashi started him out with deadpoints, letting him get used to throwing for a hold just out of his reach while his feet were still against the wall, before they moved on to the harder dynamic movements, the ones that would require Iruka to detach from the wall.
Iruka understood the basics of it. He knew to pull in close to the wall and keep his core tight, he knew to press down hard with his feet and explode upward, using momentum to throw himself to the next hold.
It wasn't a lack of knowledge but the letting go that was the problem. Needing to give himself completely to the motion in order for it to work. There could be no hesitance, no holding back.
Kakashi watched Iruka as he rested a third of the way up the cliff face. The lines of his back were tense, speaking of an internal debate as he prepared himself for the move.
"I know a jutsu that can soften the ground," Kakashi said, his voice bored.
"What?" Iruka asked, glancing down at Kakashi with a frown.
"For when you fall."
Outrage flooded Iruka's expression. "I will not fall."
Kakashi shrugged. "If you keep hesitating like that, you will."
"I will not fall."
"Prove it."
Iruka turned back to the wall, muttering to himself low enough that his words were only a quiet hum in Kakashi's ear. From what he could catch, Iruka was less than impressed with his challenge.
Iruka started to rock on the cliff, building up momentum, then leapt for the next hold.
Kakashi held his breath, the split second Iruka was detached from the wall stretching long in his mind until Iruka's hand found the hold he was throwing for. He hung there for a moment, almost like he was surprised, then he got firm footing back on the wall. He laughed, breathless and delighted.
"Perfect," Kakashi said. "Now you just have to do that three more times."
Iruka glanced sharply down at him. "You said there was only one dyno on this cliff."
"I said there was one, not that there was only one." Kakashi grinned and shrugged. "I knew you could do it, and now that you do too, the other three will be no problem."
Iruka spent the rest of the climb muttering and cursing Kakashi under his breath, but he made it to the top and more importantly, he didn't hesitate in the slightest on the next three dynamic movements.
When he topped out, he looked down at Kakashi with a glare that was completely ruined by the wide smile on his face. "You bastard," he said, warm and without bite.
Kakashi grinned up at him. "Now you have no excuse not to go for it."
Iruka shook his head. "I guess not."
He started doing dynamic moves on his own after that. The spark of recklessness every climber needed tempered by knowledge and reality.
It wasn't long after that Kakashi gave up on spotting him from the ground, instead climbing the cliffs slightly behind him. He was confident in Iruka's skill and Iruka was confident Kakashi would catch him if he did fall, even if they were climbing together.
It was easier to talk to Iruka when they were both on a cliff, when it was all about the holds and moves and the condition of the rock. As long as Kakashi remembered some words could be taken multiple ways. Though, when he did forget and told Iruka to edge a little more or to use three fingers on a hold or that the next part would require fisting, Iruka would respond with startled laughter and extra color in his cheeks, and Kakashi couldn't say he minded.
And sometimes, after they'd reached the top of a cliff, Kakashi would forget that this was supposed to be awkward. That he didn't know how to interact with people who weren't wearing porcelain masks or how to give anything but violence and death. That he wasn't meant to feel at peace.
But Iruka grinning triumphantly next to him as they looked out over the world below, still and calm in the morning light, felt suspiciously like it was just that.
~*~*~
Gai wanted to go to a bar again. Despite Kakashi's emphatic protests, going out for drinks was well on its way to becoming a tradition and he'd resigned himself to the weekly ritual.
Only this time, Gai had been plotting behind his back.
The moment they stepped into the bar, Gai made a beeline to a booth in the back corner. Kakashi trailed after him.
"Why," Gai boomed, "Kotetsu, Izumo, and Iruka-sensei! How strange to see you here!"
Gai was not suited for undercover work.
Kakashi wanted to hit his head against the nearest flat surface. They'd planned this. Gai and Iruka's friends had planned this. And from the look on Iruka's face, he'd been as unsuspecting as Kakashi.
He found himself unceremoniously shoved into the booth, sandwiched between Gai and Iruka, across from Kotetsu and Izumo. Gai was taking up more than his fair share of room, forcing Kakashi closer to Iruka than was considered tactically allowable. He tried to keep it so they weren't touching, but whenever he had to dodge one of Gai's overly enthusiastic gestures, he found himself pressing up against Iruka's side. His body was warm even through the layers of their uniforms.
If he moved away slower than he was capable of after those moments, he didn't think anyone would blame him.
Their ruse was even more obvious when fifteen minutes later, Iruka's friends announced they were going to get drinks at the bar and Gai offered to help.
None of their drinks were less than half full. But that didn't keep them from leaving Kakashi and Iruka there, sitting close and unsure how to start a conversation that wasn't about which path up a cliff face they were going to take.
Kakashi was torn between not liking how Iruka was on his blind side, making it difficult to look at him, and liking the chance to have Iruka close more than he should.
He slid out of the booth.
Iruka looked up at him, a flash of something flickering on his face faster than Kakashi could identify.
"Are you also heading towards the bar?" Iruka asked, something like disappointment tingeing his voice.
Kakashi shook his head and took the seat opposite Iruka. "I have a feeling they'll be a while."
Iruka snorted. "It's easy to get lost on the way."
"Getting drinks can be an S-rank mission," Kakashi agreed.
Iruka's fingers danced over his beer bottle, like he was about to peel off the label, but then they stilled and he looked up at Kakashi.
He cleared his throat, his blush redder than the alcohol in his system would account for. "Are you free next Saturday? I have the whole day off, no mission desk shift, and shouldn't have any papers to grade."
Kakashi knew where Iruka was going with this. "You want to try multiple ascents?" There were no climbs near Konoha that would take a full day or even multiple days to climb, but that didn't mean they couldn't still climb for the entire day.
Iruka grinned and leaned forward. "I want to test my limits and see how much I can do."
"You want a long, hard climb?" The double meaning wasn't entirely unintentional this time and a thrill ran through Kakashi.
Iruka's grin widened, taking on a mischievous cast. "The longest and hardest you've got. I want you to push me until I'm dripping sweat and exhausted. So I'll feel it for days afterwards."
Kakashi swallowed. Iruka was better at this than he was, but he hadn't read massive amounts of trashy romance for nothing. "Make sure you prepare yourself. I won't go easy on you."
"I'll stretch so I'm not too tight. Should I bring protection?"
"We haven't used it before. Why start now?"
Iruka laughed. "So is that a yes?"
Kakashi nodded. "I'll be there."
"Are you sure you don't have any prior engagements? No one that will be waiting around for you?"
Kakashi shrugged. "I generally try not to be an entire day late."
"Good," Iruka said. "It's a date?"
Kakashi told himself there was no double meaning in that, but his heart still skipped a beat. "It's a date."
They spent the rest of the night talking about the cliffs they might climb, more than once sliding into something that might be flirting, and they even managed to talk about a few things that weren't climbing related.
Their friends never came back from the bar, apparently lost beyond hope of rescue.
Not that either of them noticed.
~*~*~
Kakashi was early again, but he didn't care. His entire team could know, he didn't mind. He wasn't going to be late for this.
"Are you ready to wear me out?" Iruka asked by way of greeting when he arrived a few minutes later. He was early too.
"You came prepared?"
"Stretched and ready to go."
Kakashi grinned. This was going to be fun.
He hadn't lied. He wasn't going to go easy on him. Kakashi took Iruka to the cliffs that he only climbed when he was feeling particularly masochistic. The climbs that required all his effort and concentration and had very little room for error. And he wasn't surprised when Iruka kept up with him, matching him hold for hold.
By the end of the first ascent, they were both drenched in sweat. After the second, Kakashi could already feel exhaustion creeping into his muscles. They stopped only for a quick refueling then moved on to the next cliff.
He'd saved the best, or possibly worst, for last.
Iruka looked up at it as they stood at the base of the wall. He whistled softly. "You've been going easy on me."
"Just wanted to make sure you could take it."
Iruka grinned. "Oh, I can take it alright."
And he could.
It wasn't an easy climb. They both had to support each other, Kakashi feeding Iruka information about what to expect and the best path to take while Iruka relayed back the condition of the rock. Kakashi spotted Iruka from a few holds behind whenever a particularly difficult dynamic movement was required, then Iruka would get a few holds ahead and wait for Kakashi to complete the same movement before they climbed on together.
Kakashi wasn't used to relying on someone like this, but he couldn't say he disliked it. He felt connected to Iruka, in sync, like he knew what he was thinking, which moves he'd make.
They topped out just before the sun started to set, pulling themselves on top of the cliff, rung out, muscles burning.
Iruka turned to him, breath rough, dripping sweat, but grinning wide. "Is this the worst you've got?"
Kakashi grinned back. This was about the hardest Konoha had to offer, but there were other places in Fire Country they could go, places Kakashi knew about but hadn't climbed, places they could climb for the first time together. "I'm sure I could get something harder for you."
Iruka smiled wider.
They stretched, cooling down. Iruka was at his most distracting like this, his arms pumped and hard from the climb as he worked through his stretches.
Kakashi usually looked away, today he let himself stare. Iruka stared right back.
When they were finished cooling down, they sat next to each other, looking out over the cliffs below them as the sunset painted the scenery in warm colors.
Kakashi had never considered climbing as something romantic, but it was feeling suspiciously like it could be at that moment.
"I started this list months ago," Iruka said, breaking the comfortable silence between them. "All the things I'd wanted to do, but put off because I was 'too busy.'"
Everything clicked for Kakashi. "After you saved Naruto?"
Iruka nodded. "I didn't want any regrets."
"So rock climbing, knitting, baking, yoga?"
Iruka nodded again. "Photography, volunteering more, going out with friends more. Going to all the best onsen in Fire Country. Going to Hidden Eddy Village and swimming in the sea there." He shot Kakashi a look. "Don't even make the joke you're about to make."
Kakashi held up his hands. "Wasn't going to."
Iruka shook his head.
"I've heard there are some good cliffs around Hidden Eddy."
Iruka's grin widened. "I've heard that too."
They stared at each other for a moment. Kakashi thought Iruka might be thinking the same thing, but he wasn't ready to ask that question yet.
"Anything else on your list?" he asked instead.
Iruka inhaled, his cheeks coloring before he glanced away from Kakashi.
"Reading the Icha Icha series."
The confession startled a laugh out of Kakashi. He didn't think Iruka should be blushing over that.
"Do you want to borrow a copy?"
Iruka shook his head, but it wasn't a no.
Kakashi blinked, remembering the two times he'd seen Iruka in the bar with his friends. "What do your friends keep pushing you to do?" It had to be related.
Iruka muttered something under his breath and his cheeks got redder, but then he stilled, determination forming the same way it did before he threw for a hold.
"You," he said.
"Me?"
"This whole list started when I was out drinking with them one night. Climbing was the first thing I put down. But as I got drunker, I started putting down things I had been less willing to admit before." He paused, then rushed on. "AndIputyournameonit."
The last part was a jumble of words, but Kakashi caught the drift. "I'm on your list of things to do before you die?" he asked, more than a little stunned.
Iruka wasn't looking at him directly. "Well, I mean, hopefully, not just do, but..." He bit his lip and glanced at Kakashi from the corner of his eye.
Kakashi's heart raced in his chest. "So, what you're saying is you want to climb mountains and me?"
Iruka grinned. "Something like that."
"I think you should know, Sensei, I'm not an easy climb."
"Require a lot of dynamic movements, do you?"
"Ideally," Kakashi replied.
"Do I even want to know how steep your incline is?"
"Wouldn't you prefer to find out on site?"
Iruka shook his head, chuckling. Maybe Kakashi wasn't so bad at this whole flirting thing.
Iruka turned a little more towards him and took a steadying breath. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"
"Will it involve climbing?"
"I was thinking dinner first, and then we'll see."
"You want to work up to the hard things?"
Iruka groaned and buried his face in his hands, blush still visible between his fingers.
"Do you want to keep topping first?"
Iruka muttered something into his hands that sounded like "He's become a monster."
Kakashi grinned and tugged one of Iruka's hands away from his face, letting himself touch Iruka for the first time, loving the way Iruka's callouses felt against his own. He wondered what kind of activity dating was. Hopefully it'd end up as a shirtless one at least.
"Tomorrow night? Ichiraku?" Kakashi asked.
Iruka squeezed his hand, grip solid and sure. "I'd like that."
Both grinning, they turned to watch the sun finish sinking beyond the horizon.
~*~*~
To Kakashi's great delight, dating wasn't a shirtless activity, it was a pantless one.
They kept their weekly climbing dates, which became more distracting once Iruka decided climbing was a shirtless activity again.
Iruka kept up with his other hobbies too, letting Kakashi show him how to line up good shots with his camera, planning trips to check out onsen together, and packing Kakashi snacks to share with Team 7, which they ate with unbearable levels of smugness. And for his birthday, Iruka gave him a scarf that looked entirely scarf-like.
He invited Kakashi to join him for his morning yoga sessions as well, but Kakashi decided he wasn't much of a morning person after all. Not that he'd tell his team they were right about that too. It'd go straight to their heads, which were big enough already.
But he thought not wanting to get out of bed in the morning was understandable. Who'd want to when Iruka was in it?
There weren't many things he liked more in the world than when Iruka returned from one of his early morning yoga sessions and crawled back into bed with him, his body all limber and loose.
Besides, when he asked very nicely, Iruka was willing to give him private lessons, and there were positions excellent for things other than climbing.
Like everything else in life, it was just a matter of knowing what to hold.
~*~*~