-o-o-o- Iruka, age 18 -o-o-o-
Iruka looked over the schoolyard quietly. It was currently empty save a few stragglers and one bedraggled looking teacher. The man took a long sip from a mug that contained something steaming and most likely spiked. The added moisture made the man’s breath fog out in an even bigger cloud at his next exhale. Iruka registered a presence slide up beside him, but didn’t turn. A puff of smoke – not frozen breath, smoke – revealed the owner of the voice as the new arrival spoke. “You kinda feel bad for him, huh?”
“I dunno, Asuma. Teacher’s life doesn’t seem so bad.” Iruka turned to look at the older man, smiling genially. “I know why I’m out in the freezing cold, what are you doing here?”
“Wondering what you’re doing out in the freezing cold, mostly. I was looking for you in all the normal places; home, missions’ desk, anyplace above freezing temperature. Instead I find you here, staring at a miserable man being paid far too little to watch small, frightful children.”
Iruka quirked an eyebrow, cutting through the useless information and focusing on the issue at hand. “Why were you looking for me?”
Asuma paused, taking a drag from his cig. “Well, I was wondering if you’d be taking a test next month. Though, I guess since you’re here, that answers the question for me.”
Both of Iruka’s eyebrows pulled down in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Asuma sighed, taking one last drag and dropping the white stick onto the ground. “The tests. Next month, they’re testing for new teachers. That’s also when the next jounin test is scheduled.”
“Jounin test? But I’m not-“
“That’s why I was looking for you. Kurenai brought up the fact that you could probably test. I went to the Hokage and he agreed that if you wanted to test, you could.” Asuma glanced over the small playground. The children had left now and the dejected teacher was shuffling back towards the building and the blessed heating it offered. “Course, you’ll have to pick one or the other, so the question isn’t really if you’re going to test for jounin but which test you’re going to take.”
Iruka could feel another presence approaching from behind him. This one he recognized without any clue and his eyes fell slightly. “You really think I could test for jounin?”
Asuma smiled widely. “I remember some of the stuff you pulled in your academy days! It’s a wonder you didn’t graduate straight to chunin, of course you’re ready to test up again. So? Should I put in your name?”
Iruka shifted uneasily from foot to foot. If he tested for jounin – if he actually made it – it would put him a level above Mizuki. The pale boy drew within arm’s reach and leaned silently against the schoolyard fence behind Iruka. For a long minute, Iruka thought about everything that would mean. He would be out of reach, in a way; immune to the chunin. But the schoolyard would also be out of his reach. Jounin didn’t teach at the academy. “No, Asuma. I don’t think I’ll test for jounin. I probably couldn’t make it anyway.”
The older man shrugged. “Not sure I agree with that last bit, but it’s up to you. Good luck on the sensei exam; you’re testing too, aren’t you Mizuki?”
Iruka didn’t turn to look at the other chunin, but he could practically feel him nod. With a nod of his own, Asuma turned to go, pulling another cigarette out of his vest, leaving Iruka alone with the pale man beside him. “You thinking about testing for jounin, ‘Ruka?”
Iruka finally turned, smiling tightly at the other. “Asuma was just telling me I’d been invited to test. I’m still set on becoming a teacher, of course. But, have you been asked?” Iruka focused on keeping his eyes blank as he muttered the little barb. He wanted Mizuki to take it for what it was – a quiet warning – without reading the torrent of emotions playing through him.
His heart felt tight as Mizuki kept his expression equally blank, impossible to read. After a moment, his eyes narrowed and he leaned closer to the boy. “No, Iruka, I haven’t been invited. Do you have something else you’d like to say?” His voice was quiet, rolling across the scarred man like thunder.
Iruka flinched, pulling away from the nearness. “No, Mizuki. Did you come here for a reason?”
“Just to wish you luck, ‘Ruka. I’m leaving on a mission and I probably won’t see you again until the test.” Iruka’s eyes lit up and he cursed the reaction. Mizuki’s eyes just narrowed a little more. “I’ll see you then.”
Iruka nodded, still smiling tightly. “Be careful, Mizuki. Take care of yourself and your team.”
-o-o-o-o-o-
Iruka was walking on cloud nine. He floated down the street, beaming to everyone he passed. Most had no idea what had buoyed the man’s mood so high, but those that did rushed in to give their congratulations. Hayate smiled even as he coughed slightly. “I hear you made it, Iruka. Congratulations.”
Iruka did his very best to blind the man with his smile. “Thanks, I can’t wait to start teaching!”
A jounin Iruka didn’t know but certainly knew of caught him up in a bone-crushing hug. “Your Youthful Glow overwhelms the whole village! You will be a wonderful addition to the academy, leading our children into their Beautiful Springtime of Life!”
Iruka tried unsuccessfully to free himself before resigning to let the enthusiastic man drag him along the road a ways. When he was finally released, Iruka was still beaming, rubbing the faint bruises forming on his arms. Even potential crush trauma at the hands of one of the strangest villagers in all of Konoha couldn’t dampen his mood.
Iruka reached his apartment shortly after that, still smiling so wide it forced his eyes partly closed. He unlocked the door, entering in a pointless flourish to help proclaim his joy.
Mizuki was waiting for him.
Nothing could bring Iruka down from his personal heaven. Nothing except the dark look on the other chunin’s face. His smile faded, though it didn’t disappear. His heart was still racing, riding the adrenaline high he’d gotten from seeing his name on the list of newly accepted teachers. Another un-named force sent his heart racing even faster, though, as Mizuki straightened and began walking towards him.
“I didn’t make it, Iruka.”
The young teacher swallowed thickly, licking suddenly dry lips. “I’m sorry Mizuki. You’ll be able to test again next-“
Mizuki closed the last few feet in a heartbeat, leaning close to the teacher and pinning him to the closed door behind him. Iruka’s mind raced, replaying the blinding move in his mind. He hadn’t closed the door, Mizuki had closed and locked it as he closed the distance. “Iruka . . .”
The man shivered as long fingers trailed down his arms. He could hardly form a sentence through the quiet panic invading his brain. “Mizuki, I - I’m a teacher now. I can’t-“
Mizuki silenced the boy again with a gentle caress across his stomach, fingers dipping dangerously low. “I didn’t make it . . .” he repeated, ducking his head towards the new teacher’s neck.
Iruka’s eyes fell shut, fine muscles quivering as he struggled for control. This was all right, he could do this. After all, he’d achieved his dream, and Mizuki had failed. Mizuki had saved him, was quite possibly the only reason he’d passed at all. Iruka nodded quickly, giving permission to the hands already shucking off his clothing.
Once he’d been stripped, Iruka was carefully turned around, his hands guided behind his back with gentle movements. Iruka’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t resist. If Mizuki was in the mood for a little bondage, it would be alright. “This . . .” Skilled fingers ghosted across Iruka’s stomach, stilling the words in his throat. Mizuki knew exactly how to arouse him, how to make his body beg, even if he never could get the words from Iruka’s lips. The barely there touch against his growing arousal was almost enough to completely derail the tanned man’s train of thought. For another moment he struggled with speech before forcing the words to form. “This has to stop, Mizuki. This has to be the last time.”
For a moment the hands paused. Quickly, fingers twisted in little patterns along the small of Iruka’s back. Iruka gasped, shuddering at the touch. The long fingers continued their caress, tracing all the sensitive areas Mizuki had learned over the years. His other hand continued the faint touches to his front, effectively silencing him as it was increasingly difficult to move the air in his lungs. Mizuki leaned down to nibble at sensitive shoulder blades. “I swear Iruka. This will be the last time we ever do this.”
Iruka was bent forward, his head pressed against the wall, while Mizuki moved on to binding his hands. Iruka grit his teeth to fight the urge to tell him not to. He’d been subjected to this for long enough that he knew how it worked. His body was screaming for more attention, but that wasn’t how Mizuki did things. If Iruka asked for something specific, Mizuki would take pleasure in teasing him another way. If he asked for more, Mizuki would take a step away and deny him.
Swift fingers wound around Iruka’s. The pattern distracted him for a few moments and he focused on it. The thin cord twisted around each finger multiple times as well as tying his wrists together. In the end, his first and second fingers of both hands were secured in one place, unable to bend in any direction. Dimly Iruka realized he would be unable to get out of this binding; any jutsu or escape trick was counter-acted by the positioning of his fingers. The teacher shivered; why would Mizuki go to so much trouble?
Mizuki pulled away, carefully turning Iruka around. For a minute he just stared at the bound man, a predatory gleam in his eye. Then his smile grew, his hands flashing through seals between them. Iruka’s lungs seized up, completely failing as he realized what was happening. The smoke exploded around them, transporting him from the safety in his apartment. His eyes widened, white completely encircling the brown irises. No, no – this couldn’t be happening. Mizuki wouldn’t –
The smoke cleared, revealing a popular picnic spot. Not far to the left was a beautiful lake, popular with dating couples, and the small clearing bordering the water was only a few feet wide before ending abruptly in a dense but dangerous-monster-free woods, also popular with couples though for completely different reasons. Iruka struggled to pull breath into his lungs, managing a sort of hitching sob. “No. Mizuki, don’t do this.”
The pale man stepped forward, breaking Iruka’s balance and pushing him back. The teacher clenched his eyes shut as he landed against a partly fallen tree at the edge of the clearing. While it kept him up at roughly a forty-five degree angle, it forced his legs apart if he wanted to maintain any control at all. Iruka’s eyes opened again, pleading with the man above him. He’d always managed to stop himself from begging to the other, but now the words tumbled from his lips unimpeded. “Please, Mizuki, please no. Don’t do this, please!” He pulled and twisted his hands, but the thin rope proved just as sturdy as he’d thought. All he could do was pray this was some twisted joke.
“What’s going on here?” Iruka froze, a fine trembling spreading through his muscles at the voice. There was someone there! He clenched his eyes shut again, feeling tears streak down his cheeks. Iruka cursed silently, trying to banish the salty streams. He hadn’t cried in front of Mizuki in years, he couldn’t give that up.
Mizuki was chuckling above him. “Itsuo, you made it,” he chirped brightly.
Iruka’s eyes snapped open again, as wide as they could go. The stranger in the clearing was slightly smaller than Iruka, dark hair and eyes and a lecherous look on his face. More tears raced down his cheeks. “Please, please. I’ll do anything, Mizuki . . .”
“No need for all that, ‘Ruka. You’ve met Itsuo.” Iruka shuddered, still begging to be brought home. Mizuki bent, licking away one stream of tears. “’Ruka, relax. I’ve been telling Itsuo about you for a while. We decided on this not long ago.” Out of his field of vision, Itsuo began tracing nails along the planes of Iruka’s stomach and more sensitive areas. “Itsuo’s a good friend of mine, you can trust him. You trust me, don’t you?”
Iruka tried to focus on the words, tried to think of a way out of this situation, but there was none. He had no choice in what happened here and there was nothing more he could do short of breaking his own arm to get out of the binding. Even that may not have been enough. Itsuo was speaking, hushed words meant for only Mizuki’s ears. “Looks like he’s taking it harder than we expected.”
“No, this is about what I thought he’d do. But he’ll accept it, won’t you, ‘Ruka?” Iruka realized then that nothing was going to change. Mizuki’s earlier promise had been a blatant twisting of information – it was true that the game would never be the same again, but it wasn’t going to stop. It was only going to get worse. The unfamiliar fingers were making it especially difficult to concentrate. Useless pleas were still falling from his lips as Mizuki straightened, undoing his pants. “Maybe he needs to be taught a lesson, though, about who’s in charge here.” Itsuo gave a confused look that Iruka couldn’t see and Mizuki let out a chuckle. “Our little ‘Ruka doesn’t really like using his mouth, but . . .” Strong hands steadied Iruka’s head as Mizuki shifted forward, forcing his hard member into the teacher’s mouth and forcing him into relative silence.
At the same time slick fingers traced Iruka’s entrance, gently working their way inside. Iruka gasped at the sensation, giving Mizuki the chance to push in further. While the pale man was forceful, even rough, Itsuo took his time, making sure Iruka was ready before removing his fingers. Iruka didn’t know which was worse, the knowledge that he couldn’t stop one or the thought that he actually wanted the other. Itsuo hesitated, taking a moment to massage the teacher’s prostate, making him see stars, before repositioning to thrust into him.
Iruka was still crying, strangled sobs making it nearly impossible to breathe past the intrusion in his mouth. He was starting to see spots and did the only thing he could. If he could just finish Mizuki, the man would pull back and at the very least he wouldn’t asphyxiate. The pale man groaned as Iruka began participating and made a quick gesture to his friend. At the cue, the newcomer’s hand circled around Iruka’s sac, sending shocks of pleasure through the teacher. After a moment, however, the hand pulled tight, pinching off the pathways that would allow Iruka to come.
Iruka’s hips bucked up completely of their own volition. It was an odd sensation, to say the least, which quickly turned into a maddening one as his body approached that precipice. Itsuo didn’t loosen his grip, keeping him just shy of release, while his free hand did wicked things to his swollen manhood. On his chest and shoulders, Mizuki was tracing patterns again, not helping Iruka’s situation in the slightest as he tweaked over-sensitized nipples.
Mizuki came first, one hand pulling painfully in Iruka’s hair. The scarred man coughed, semen spilling from his mouth as Mizuki retreated and he hungrily sucked in air. It wasn’t a minute before Itsuo came as well, freezing where he was with a strangled cry. He didn’t release his hold and after a brief pause, resumed stroking Iruka gently. Iruka was ready to scream, a strange mix of sobs and moans spilling into the silence around them.
Without warning, the space exploded in smoke, transportation jutsu carrying all three men back to the sanctuary of Iruka’s apartment. Itsuo’s hands disappeared suddenly, all stimulation ceasing. Iruka groaned again, still helplessly hovering on the edge and unable to do anything about it. Strong hands held his legs in place, keeping him spread-eagle and fully erect on the bed. Iruka could only thrust weakly upward, seeking anything to complete him. “Please,” he sobbed to the ceiling.
He didn’t realize Mizuki had moved until the man’s voice came from his feet. “You can do better than that, ‘Ruka. Please what?”
The bed sagged above his head and Iruka turned his head to see Itsuo climbing onto the sheets. Iruka’s eyes clenched shut as he forced himself to say the words his tormenter wanted to hear. “P-please Mizuki. Finish me. L-let me come, please!”
Hands shifted on his legs and others were suddenly steadying his shoulders as Iruka was flipped onto his knees, hands still securely behind his back. He blinked in surprise, breath hitching again as he stared at Itsuo’s once more hardening cock, inches from his nose. Mizuki’s fingers traced at his entrance, hand pulling his sac tight again. “You’ll get what you want, but not before we do. Now do as you’re told, ‘Ruka.”
Iruka’s eyes squeezed tightly shut as he lowered his head, taking as much as he could and sucking. One hand released his shoulder to tangle in soft hair, forcing his head down further before settling into a steady rhythm. Mizuki pushed into him from behind, his free hand raking down the teacher’s back as he started his own rhythm. Iruka was helpless to stop them; his body never wanted it to end, completely ignoring the rest of him as it blindly sought anything that would bring it completion.
-o-o-o- Iruka, age 25 -o-o-o-
Kakashi watched his lover in silence. The teacher had gone completely silent as they’d approached the lake that Kakashi led him to. The silver-haired man had carefully prepared a picnic lunch for them, basket stuffed to the gills with all the foods Iruka loved best. He’d surprised the other jounin just after class and drug him away from the academy before most of the students had even left. Iruka had been all smiles and blushes until they neared the beautiful lake. Then his face had darkened, something decidedly evil entering his eyes. Kakashi sighed, taking a step away from the teacher. “Iru-chan?”
Iruka snapped to the present, looking up at his companion in shock. “Oh! S-sorry, Ka-kun. Didn’t mean to zone out like that, are we eating here?”
Kakashi felt his chest tighten. He was doing it again; Iruka was blocking him out, lying right to Kakashi’s face. Something had happened here in the past, something bad, but Iruka was going to pretend nothing was wrong. If asked, he would lie outright; if accused he would deny it and steer the conversation elsewhere. It was what he always did when his hated past crossed paths with his present life.
Kakashi’s mind raced, calling to mind the landscape beyond the lake to see if he could play it off as simply passing through the area. But the other side of the lake bordered one of the forbidden areas – a less than romantic locale for any date. He sighed, accepting that he’d really done it this time. He couldn’t even suggest they leave – past experience told him Iruka would refuse, becoming cold and distant if Kakashi forced the issue at all. “Yes,” he sighed, “I thought it would be a nice place to have a late lunch.” The evil look hadn’t left the teacher’s eyes completely, though he seemed to be trying to hide it. He was gazing vaguely towards the trees and Kakashi struck out in sudden inspiration. He caught up the other man’s hand, pulling him towards the lakeshore and the several small rowboats that floated permanently just a few feet out. “I thought we could eat on the lake?”
Iruka hesitated a minute before his lips twitched up in a forced smile. Kakashi breathed another sigh, this one of relief, as he quickly untied one boat, rowing them several yards onto the small lake. Mentally, he added the lake to the short list of places he couldn’t take Iruka without stirring up memories that were most definitely unwanted. There weren’t many, most of the memories being confined to Iruka’s apartment and individual people, but the list was still there, growing a little more detailed every day. It was really too bad, this lake was absolutely gorgeous for a date . . .
-o-o-o-o-o-
Iruka walked to his window with heavy steps. Kakashi slid into the apartment, shutting the door silently behind them. He’d been this way since the lake, practically the walking dead. He reached up, slowly closing the window in his living area. Kakashi stayed beside the door, giving the teacher his space. This had happened before; the slow, deliberate movements as he activated traps and turned on security devices were familiar. Once they’d made their relationship official, Kakashi had devoted a good portion of his time to breaking Iruka of these habits. Now, most nights he left the window unlocked. Most nights they slept with Iruka’s bedroom window open.
Iruka had gotten this same look about a month after they’d been dating. It was the first mission Kakashi had gotten that would send him out of the village for more than a day. Iruka had shut his windows just like this, activating the traps with weighted fingers. It had been unexpected then, but this time Kakashi wasn’t surprised when Iruka spoke. “I want to be alone tonight, Ka-kun.”
The first time it had happened, Kakashi had argued, insisting they be together until the very hour he had to start preparing for the mission. He’d finally retreated when Iruka had started yelling, frantically insisting that he had to be alone. Kakashi had retreated, fearing he’d truly hurt the teacher, and hadn’t slept at all, hovering on a nearby rooftop, worried what might happen if he left the man alone. When he’d had to leave for his mission, Kakashi had all but demanded his friends in the ANBU watch Iruka’s apartment while he was gone. He was just as worried that Iruka might fall into a depression as he was someone would try and take advantage of his absence. He’d been distracted the whole mission, and it had cost him an extra day because of it.
Kakashi had returned and gone to his friends first, before even stopping by the missions’ desk. According to them, nothing happened. When he’d darted to his lover’s apartment immediately afterward, he’d been told the same thing. It was a full week before he found out they’d all been lying. Iruka had completely broken down the first night he’d been gone, skipping class the next day. Keiko had spent the whole day with him and both had lied to Kakashi’s face. Furthermore, Sato had stopped two different people from visiting Iruka and had kept that from Kakashi, too. The jounin had made sure those particular ninja got the message about the game being over. He was fairly certain Iruka didn’t know he’d found out about any of it.
This, though, this was different. Iruka was shutting down, retreating into himself just like he had then. But it wasn’t fear of being left alone. This was driven purely on his memories. Kakashi cursed softly, this was all because he’d brought him to that stupid lake. “Kakashi? Did you hear me?”
The silver haired man looked up, meeting his lover’s eyes. “You sure?” Iruka nodded, turning towards his bedroom. Kakashi stayed where he was beside the door. “’Ruka, I didn’t mea-“
“Don’t call me that,” Iruka snapped, freezing in the doorway.
Kakashi blinked a moment before realizing what he’d done. “Iru-chan. I didn’t mean to upset you. I wanted today to be perfect . . . I’m sorry.”
Iruka seemed to sag, deflating where he stood. After several moments he turned, offering a forced smile to the other. “It’s not your fault. I just need some time alone, all right?”
Kakashi just nodded. “Tomorrow’s Saturday, will you be all right to teach a class?” Iruka’s smile purified a little, bringing a bit of life back to the teacher. He was constantly hounding Kakashi to come to the advanced class he taught, but the copy nin usually refused or showed up with only five minutes left. He made a promise to himself that he’d be there for the teacher tomorrow. “Night, Iru-chan.” Kakashi slipped back out the door, wondering what he would do now.
-o-o-o-o-o-
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