Living It Up While We're Going Down (by livruka)
Umino Iruka's day has been long and rather stressful thanks to both a new apprentice who seems unable to carry the coffee tray at a steady pace, thus Iruka ending up with a burnt thigh and a ruined carpet, and a client who can never accept the offers he places. The client expects special services, be it the size of his banner or the amount of milk put into his green tea - and he only drinks it if the color suits his taste - every single time they meet. They've met rather often lately due to a large campaign the client is planning with Iruka's help.
Because of that, Iruka's mood is not the best as he waits for the elevator that never seems to come quickly enough when you need it the most.
"Ah, Umino-san, a good day to you."
The slow drawl at Umino Iruka's back doesn't startle him as it did when he heard the voice for the first time in a situation like this. It made him freeze and go rigid from head to toe when he first encountered the man, and all he could do was turn around slowly to face the unknown owner of the oddly unsettling voice.
This time, however, he doesn't even look up from the display his eyes are glued to ten hours a day. This time, he recognizes the deep sigh following the greeting due to his lack of an answer. He hears the same greeting-sigh combination every time they meet accidentally, be it on the stairs, in the entry hall, or at a meeting where he perpetually struggles to evade the man's intensive stare. Never has Iruka been able to figure out what exactly the other man is thinking or what the reason for his strange interest may be, but it is deeply unsettling to him to feel the glare at the nape of his neck, or to hear the quiet baritone that drives him mad and restless whenever he hears it.
'Is there actually something you want? Otherwise, please just leave me alone.' He's been wanting to dare to ask that since the first few encounters that all followed the same order of events: an accidental meeting where Iruka bumped into the other man while trying to sort through the stack of papers he held on top of his right forearm, while his left hand tried desperately to hold on to the laptop he usually spends more time with than his best friends, a surprised yelp on Iruka's end, and a low rumble of laughter from the other man when he slowly got up again to help pick up the papers that Iruka dropped and were scattered over the floor completely out of order, a quick apology from Iruka that was cut off just as quickly by the other man, and then, when Iruka was already mad with discomfort and worried that he’d be late for his next meeting, there was that comment. The comment that drives Iruka over the edge of this uncomfortable situation every single time and makes him snort in anger and burst with outrage, "I think you should take a day off or two, Umino-san. You seem stressed."
No, he isn't stressed, thank you very much. He isn't working too much either, nor does he sleep too little, given that his days are filled with work and even more work, interrupted by paperwork and presentations, and sometimes hurried calls to fill up the breaks. Is there any reason to be stressed?
No, certainly not!
"Umino-san, you're ignoring me again."
The quiet drawl sounds bored and insistent at the same time, and Iruka wonders how that is even possible - but he stops thinking about it after a few seconds, because he got used to that man making the impossible possible just to annoy him. He does it on a daily basis, and Iruka wouldn't be surprised to find out that he even gets paid for it, considering the time and effort he must put into his tactics. It does cost Iruka a lot of time he doesn't really have to calm down again after their encounters, anyway.
Right now, however, he just wants the elevator to come so he can make his way up to the 17th floor where his next client should arrive in 15 minutes.
"I'm not ignoring you, Hatake-san," Iruka finally replies. Calmly. Forcefully controlled. "I'm just busy planning out my next four weeks, which may be a good idea for you, too. Your time management is awful as ever, I hear."
The chuckle at his back makes Iruka want to step back just enough to plant his heel on the other man's foot. A hole in the polished leather of Hatake's shoes certainly won't hurt, would it? His weight will, though.
Iruka never was the violent type; he prefers words and communication over physical fights. For this man, however, he would go out of his way and find pleasure in another's pain. He deserves it, Iruka thinks, for annoying him on every single occasion and for being so damn good looking when Iruka feels plain and boring in direct comparison.
Hatake doesn't seem aware of the fervent hate Iruka is feeling at this very moment but decides to step forward and lean in close, so he can cast a glance over Iruka's shoulder at what the man is doing. A shock of silvery white hair appears right next to Iruka's cheek, brushing past his ear. It sends a slight shiver down Iruka's spine that settles in the small of his back.
"So provocative, Umino-san." The low drawl comes from just a few inches away as a second pair of eyes watches Iruka's fingers fly across the laptop’s keyboard. "Your schedule seems rather stuffed to me. Do you ever sleep?"
Iruka just glares at him while his fingers keep on typing. His peripheral vision is enough to ensure correct spelling - this is what he does all day long after all, he has to stay flexible.
Speaking of which, how is man supposed to be flexible and on time to set up meetings while the stairs are being renovated and the elevator seems to take more time the more often you wait for it?
"Do you ever get bored with bothering me?" He retorts, annoyed.
The slow shake of grey hair doesn't surprise Iruka in the slightest. He gets even more upset with the man, though, as the soft brush of his hair makes Iruka's skin crawl yet again.
"And stay out of my comfort zone, for your own sake!" He spits and steps forward. The silvery white disappears from his view, but all too quickly Hatake steps around him to stand in his field of vision yet again.
Iruka rolls his eyes, steps back to evade the man once more, and is rewarded with a short glance that Hatake shoots him over his own shoulder that seems more confused than teasing for once.
"I never get bored," is the slow answer to Iruka's inner pleading, and he is already expecting another comment, but Hatake seems oddly tame for the moment.
Relieved, Iruka returns to arranging meetings and working schedules for the next couple of weeks, as Hatake's voice draws his attention back to the other man once again.
"Why, exactly, are we waiting if you didn't even press the button?"
There's only a short moment of silence before Iruka actually realizes the meaning behind the words and starts for the stairs before remembering that he can't just run up there with the stairs being inaccessible right now.
Damn it. Here he was thinking the day couldn't get much worse!
Iruka hurries for the door, a calm smile on his face while a storm is raging on the inside. He dusts off the seams of his black suit and tucks the tie in. He's nervous. He always is.
Even with the help of both his hands, Iruka couldn't count the times he's been standing in front of colleagues and clients to present his newest ideas and project progress, but still he gets nervous every single time.
The amused and sometimes downright patronizing comments he receives from the one person in the room he'd rather live without tend to make things unnecessarily difficult and embarrassing. He always has to explain himself, always has to justify his decisions even though they are really reasonable in most cases. Hatake just seems to enjoy mocking him in front of everyone and even when they are alone.
Sighing, Iruka pulls out his tie once more to check the knot and stuff it back in. Suits are pretty much everything he wears these days; he's actually starting to like them. He looks good in them, or so he was told - “serious, tall, and well-built” according to the nice old woman who tailored them. The thought makes Iruka smile to himself.
Well-built? With a job like this? He's happy to manage one evening of training per week, two are rare, and more are simply impossible. He's lean and pretty tall in comparison to some others, alright, but not as well-muscled as he would have liked himself to be.
On the other hand, there isn't anyone who really cares but him. His job requires his time, efforts and attention 20 hours a day, and sometimes he doesn't get home at all. Especially during the past six months, he's happened to wake up on his laptop's keyboard more often than he likes to admit.
Given that routine sleep and a normal life remain stubbornly out of his reach, a relationship seems impossible under these circumstances and has proven to be exactly that whenever he’s tried - the last heartache left him restless and even more exhausted than his work usually manages to, and even though two years have passed since then, Iruka hasn't had the heart nor the opportunity to try again.
Muscles and relationships are for people with time, he decides, and buttons up his jacket before pulling the door open and stepping into the large meeting room.
The first thing he notices is the appraising look his first assistant is giving him, taking in his appearance and nodding slowly. He smiles at her, grateful for her attempt to encourage him. She knows how messed up meetings tend to get for him with progressing time and growing boredom on his boss' end. Hatake’s attention span seems ridiculously small when it comes to Iruka's presentations, or maybe he just likes upsetting his second-in-command for marketing and design, Iruka isn't sure.
Slowly he makes his way to the front, breathes in and out through his nose and ignores the rather disdainful glares Hatake must be giving him right now with practiced ease. He's still nervous, but shying away from the challenge won't help him master it; he's accepted that long ago.
Thirty minutes later, Iruka's well-practiced composure has dissolved into thin air, and he feels like he's going to explode at any moment.
The first project he presented seemed to please the audience - heads of business and finance as well as the present clients. His latest approach of including the clients' favorite products into the new campaign and their shared internet domain is quickly approved of and passed on to the managements for future use, as well as the customized color schemes that are supposed to allow the clients to influence their logos' appearance even further.
The second project, however, doesn't get Hatake's approval. A simple "No" interrupts Iruka's presentation and stops him in the middle of a sentence, and as all heads turn to watch the head of marketing and development shake his head slowly, Iruka swallows thickly.
"What is it you don't like about this idea, Hatake-san?" He inquires carefully, his hands getting wet with sweat as Hatake rises from his seat.
A quick swipe with Hatake's arm over the full width of the presentation canvas, and the case is clear: the idea will never get the head of marketing and development's approval. Hatake doesn't like a single bit of it. Iruka closes his eyes for a second to regain his control before he looks the other man in the eye. This project is what he's been working on for the past four months; he won't let his efforts be in vain without a fight.
"Okay, as you seem to see some weaknesses in this piece, would you like to explain what exactly you don't like, or what you would prefer instead?" Iruka offers, mostly to encourage himself. If Hatake states his opinion on this project, he himself will be able to get his composure back in the meantime. What Iruka didn't expect, however, is Hatake's readiness to embarrass him further in front of both co-workers and clients.
"Thank you kindly, Umino-san, but if I'm going to present our projects, what exactly are you here for?"
His look is kind, his voice quiet and pleasant, but Iruka hears and feels the threat behind it. The tone is half mocking, half soothing, and Iruka raises one eyebrow at his first-in-command. Slowly, he nods his head and returns his attention to the presentation. He's just about to raise his voice again, but he is - yet again - interrupted by the quiet drawl from the other side of the room.
"Don't you think you should skip this part and head on to the new advertising concepts your assistant has been working on?" Hatake has taken his seat again and is now pinning Iruka with a piercing, level gaze.
'Like a bird of prey' Iruka thinks 'He's just waiting to snatch me up and tear me apart.'
Breathing through his nose and counting down from ten to regain his calm, he exchanges a quick glance with his assistant and sees her lift a hand below the table in a soothing gesture. He chokes past the anger and tries to concentrate on a suitable retort, but nothing comes to mind.
Giving up on the project is not an option - too much time and effort have gone into it to let go of it just like that - Iruka thinks, and decides to at least try to gain his boss' approval. Carefully, he starts anew and explains the detail of the new format of banners he's just introduced to the audience, but all too soon another comment draws him out of his resolve and back onto the flaming grounds of his own temper.
"Maybe you want to close your fly before you continue?” The chuckle is all too clear in the low drawl, and Iruka blushes furiously. His anger is flaring as he slowly turns around to do what nobody should tell him to do in front of an audience, and Iruka’s resolve is crumbling.
What exactly is he working so hard for? Why does he allow this guy - why does he allow anyone, really - to treat him like this?
His head snaps up as he closes the zipper of his black pants, and he turns very slowly to face Hatake. His face must be burning red, but he doesn't care. Superior or not, nobody should have the right to treat him like Hatake does, right now, and he doesn't want to return the disrespecting way, so he nods towards the door and draws his shoulders up to his chin for a second.
"I'd like to talk to you for a moment. Is that possible?"
He almost expects Hatake to refuse him a private discussion, but the man surprises him with an unexpectedly serious nod of his head, grey locks bobbing as he gets up slowly, but with practiced grace, and follows Iruka out the door.
Iruka doesn't say a word, nor does he pay attention to any of the other attendants of the meeting. He strolls out of the room, hands clenched into fists and jaw working in a futile attempt to calm down.
Hatake has only just closed the door behind him as Iruka spins around on his heel and hisses at him, "What exactly is your problem? You know I'm working hard; you know I'm mostly fixing things that you don't feel like doing, and all you're doing is disrespecting my efforts! What have I done to you to deserve this? What gives you the right to treat anyone this way, especially in front of others? You're making me look absolutely ridiculous on purpose!"
For a moment, Iruka thinks he's just seen Hatake flinch, but he brushes the option away. The man spends his whole day making up ways to annoy and embarrass him; why would he back away now that he's confronted with another’s anger? He has to face impatient clients a dozen times a week, has to deal with hysteric employees, and certainly doesn't fear someone talking back to him, or else he wouldn't behave as he does. All. Day. Long.
Forcefully restraining himself, Iruka bites back another barrage of reproaches. He crosses his arms and waits for the other man to yell back at him, but he is, once more, surprised.
"Maybe we should walk a little further down the hall, unless you want your clients to listen." Hatake simply says and turns his back on Iruka to stroll past the offices until he reaches the upper platform of the southern stairway. Iruka follows suit, silently gnawing on his anger and frustration. Had he been any less composed at the very moment, he would have punched his superior right in the face.
As things are, he stomps down the hall past Hatake. A quiet snort blows past his lips as the other man turns around to eye him from head to toe, as if looking for more open zippers. Impatience almost gets the better of him, as Iruka waits for the other man to reply to his earlier accusations, but he refrains from giving into another yelling fit. No matter the circumstances, this is still his superior, and he won't lose all his carefully collected composure just because Hatake went about humiliating him yet again.
A moment of silence passes, as Hatake leans his elbows on the railing and offers his typical disinterested attitude. Then, finally, his thin lips stretch into a wide smile, and Iruka raises an eyebrow, irritated.
"There is no problem between you and me, Umino-san, is there? Maybe you're overworked, after all? Or just lacking a partner to work your stress out with?" he concludes and shrugs, completely unconcerned.
That drives Iruka over the edge of his self-control, and he explodes with a volley of nasty words and absolutely disrespectful expressions.
Hatake just stands there, silently, watching him without so much as a wince, seemingly unimpressed. He steps forward after a few minutes and takes a hold of Iruka's shoulders, squeezing them too gently for Iruka's taste. He would have liked the other man to touch him a little too roughly, so he could have actually slapped him without a hint of regret. This way, he simply tries to wriggle free by stepping back, yelling some more and actually cursing at his boss with a tirade of colorful words. Hatake still doesn't seem to care, squeezing his upper arms with more force than Iruka would have given him credit for owning, until it hurts enough for him to shut up with a whimper. Shuddering, Iruka stops thrashing against the other man's hold and tries to regain his breath, exhausted. He's still mad, feeling embarrassed and unfairly treated. However, as realization dawns on him and the red fog in his head starts clearing thanks to the pain in his upper arms that he would swear are starting to bruise by now, Iruka closes his lips and lowers his head in shame.
He's upset, yes, but yelling at his boss like this, cursing him in the most creative manner and actually fighting with him is undeniably one of his worst attempts at a solution. Silently, Iruka hangs his head in regret until Hatake lets go of his arms.
"Feeling better now?" he asks, unusually gentle, and Iruka dares to look up and meet his eyes. As much as he's yelled and quite obviously disrespected his superior, Hatake doesn't seem all that upset. Quite the contrary, he's watching Iruka with a look on his face that's almost worried. Before Iruka can really grasp that kind of reaction, the other man has rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and is smiling in his usual easy-going manner.
"Maa, Umino-san…," he drawls, and Iruka stares at him blankly. "Maybe you're misinterpreting my actions. I don't like the material you want to print the banners on, and you didn’t realize that there are some spelling mistakes on your canvas. You actually do seem overwrought at the moment, but if you feel like you can continue your presentation, feel free to join us again. I'll be going back now, we cannot leave the meeting without so much as a guide for the new concept." With that, he turns around, his hand held up in a greeting manner, and strolls away, humming to himself.
Iruka cannot help staring after him, his mind a hazy mess.
Spelling mistakes... and the wrong material?
The client requested flame resistant polyester, and only now does Iruka realize that he hasn't taken the clients' wishes into consideration for the new concept.
Hatake asked him to drop the subject and go on to the next project, apparently realizing that Iruka messed up badly on that part - did he actually try to help him out without making him look like a total fool by refusing his proposal?
Absolutely dumbfounded, Iruka continues standing in the hallway, carefully rubbing his upper arms where his skin feels hot and bruised. He stares at the ground, unable to grasp what just happened. It doesn't seem to make any sense, and Hatake still left him awfully embarrassed by pointing out the open zipper - but it really seems like he meant no evil after all.
It takes Iruka several minutes to process how inappropriate his reaction was - far more misplaced than he originally thought - and that he actually owes Hatake an apology as well as a thank-you for wanting to save his grace, even if he failed due to Iruka's own stubbornness.
Iruka glares over his shoulder, past the clients following him towards the elevator, towards the tall figure he can make out behind the other people walking down the hall.
Oddly enough, Hatake refrained from embarassing him any further when he finally calmed his confused mind and returned to the meeting room.
Oddly enough, Iruka still doesn't feel comfortable with the man's presence.
The friendly, almost encouraging nods and smiles he received from him during the third and fourth part of his presentation aren't making any sense to him, nor did he understand the other man holding open the door for him. There's something about their relationship Iruka can't quite place, something that doesn't seem to fit, and that's, most likely, Hatake's behavior.
One moment, the black-clad chest is shaking with laughter, bright, broad smiles are directed towards him, and an arm is slung around his shoulders without him really wanting the contact.
The next moment, Hatake's companionship wavers and finally disappears in exchange for something arrogant, disdainful. Something that appears mostly when others watch.
The sudden changes in Iruka's superior's behavior grew more frequent during the past hour of the meeting and are now constantly nagging at the back of his mind, because it's something he can't figure out. He can't assess it for the life of him, and it's driving him mad. How is he supposed to work with a person he can't get a handle on?
Iruka is still not sure of how to handle the man's help a little earlier either. Originally, he wanted to apologize, but the half-cordial, half-arrogant actions of his boss seem just as misplaced as his own behavior was.
How do you apologize to someone who helps you out, just so he can humiliate and confuse you furthermore just a minute later?
You don't, Iruka decides, as Hatake treads on his heel yet again - the third time since they left the meeting room.
Limited in his actions by the clients' presence, he remains quiet, stumbling a little as he tries to regain his balance. His assistant glances at him from the corner of her eyes, a sympathetic smile on her lips.
Iruka shakes his head. It's hard to believe that he ever asked Kakashi out, but they'd been young and he was enamored with the man who put up with all his pranks and still turned up routinely to help him pass his classes.
Careful not to drop the laptop that is - once again - poised on his forearm, Iruka slows down a little to type in a client's preferred time for their next meeting. In the process of staying back, though, he encounters an unexpected barrier. Hard and unyielding, it presses against his upper back, effectively keeping him from coming to a halt.
For the umpteenth time that day, Iruka glares over his shoulder to find himself eye to eye with a dark grey gaze he knows can only belong to Hatake. He snorts and bites his lip, irritated by the man's sudden appearance. Instead of a teasing comment, however, all he receives is a friendly murmur.
"Why so stressed, Umino-san? Your presentation didn't come out so badly, now, did it? The clients seemed rather impressed with your ideas." Hatake shrugs his shoulders and draws the arm he just used to stop Iruka in his tracks back to his side.
There's a short moment of silence where Iruka tries to decide whether to glower at the man or just ignore his cordial inquiry, as he still doesn't understand what makes Hatake try to improve their communication now, when he's certainly going to continue mocking him just a few moments later.
Ultimately, Iruka ends up shrugging his left shoulder; the right arm is still balancing the laptop he's now putting into standby mode.
"I don't understand your actions towards me. If you don't like me, don't want to work with me, or simply don't appreciate my efforts, let me know and I'll try to avoid you as well as possible. But please, these continuous changes in your mood and attitude are driving me crazy, quite literally. If there’s anything you want from me, could you just stop that and make your point clear?”
Iruka is quite sure his eyes are playing tricks on him this time. The faint blush disappears just as quickly as it formed on Hatake's cheeks, but the taller man's voice sounds slightly sad when he replies, "The problem isn't that I don't appreciate your work, Umino-san. You've worked with me long enough to know I'm speaking my mind, so of course I'm not harboring a secret resentment towards you. Where did the confident, upright man go that I used to work with? You changed a lot since I recruited you, Iruka."
Iruka purses his lips, half thoughtful, half offended.
So it's his fault his superior can't get his point across, now? It's not him who's behaving like he can't decide whether to like his co-workers! That's just hilarious.
On the other hand, and Iruka is honest enough with himself to realize that, Hatake is right. He used to be level-headed - with a temper, yes, but quite composed in the more common situations he had to deal with on a daily basis. Lately, he's just irritated with anyone and anything - nervous because of nothing and snapping at colleagues who happen to come across him when he's in a bad mood.
He used to be different when he was younger, when he was new to the job and happy to be given this chance. On Iruka's first day, Hatake insisted on end-of-the-week wrap-ups where they were just two men talking about how the week had gone, how clients made Iruka’s life increasingly difficult, and how to deal with special wishes and tricky situations. Hatake used to listen most of the time and then just step in when Iruka got carried away to the point of where he threatened to snap someone’s neck. When he got past his first year and started presenting increasingly impressive results, however, Iruka’s schedule picked up. Days got stuffed with meetings and project development, and the weekly get-togethers were the first thing to go. It was about the same time that Hatake started acting like what he actually was: his superior, with all his antics and patronizing arrogance.
When Iruka looks up to exchange a short glance with the other man, he realizes with a start that Hatake has continued his way towards the southern stairway. A fresh wave of anger washes over Iruka, as he grabs the notebook and stomps along the hallway after his boss. With a quiet growl, he comes to a halt a few meters behind his superior and clients, realizing that he can't take the stairs to avoid their company. Luckily enough, the elevator can't carry them all at a time, and Iruka finds himself waiting in front of the metal doors as they close in front of the biggest part of the crowd. Only Hatake stays behind to wait with him, leaving Iruka fuming again. The man could have fit on the elevator with the other people just fine. Iruka can only guess what Hatake may be thinking, while he himself is annoyed to no end.
Sighing, Iruka presses back against the cold metal wall of the elevator, his mind spinning with new ideas and plans for the coming week.
One of the clients was impressed - very impressed, really. The fuzzy feeling in his gut is competing against a wave of hunger now that his presentation is over, but it's still proof enough of how proud he feels for having managed to present his concepts in a way satisfying for both the attendants and his superior. On the other hand, it drives his mind into a state of restless re-consideration, since two of the clients he impressed today have asked for a personal meeting to work out their new advertising campaigns as soon as possible - which will be in four months, if Iruka doesn't manage to squeeze them in during the next few weeks' schedules.
Even with his mind buzzing with thoughts and rearrangements for his already fixed appointments, Iruka somehow manages to ignore the intent stare he feels boring into the side of his skull. Idly, he starts tapping his foot against the wall at his back and smiles at the small vibrations his spine receives as a result.
He's almost forgotten Hatake's presence when the elevator comes to a stuttering halt. Iruka slides his foot, which has been thrumming a low rhythm against the metal until now, back down to the floor, and he looks around confusedly. Hatake has stepped forward from where he stood, carefully eyeing the set of buttons near the elevator's doors before pressing one of the nubs, and a second one right afterwards. The long, pale index fingers find the red button for emergencies, and Iruka glares even more.
He can hear Hatake snort from where he stands.
"Great. Just great. Stairs down, elevator down, what can we still rely on?"
A large hand slides under the front edge of the suit jacket and opens the jacket with a few quick movements before Hatake pulls his arms out of the sleeves and drapes the piece of clothing over the polished steel of the railing, while a few droplets of sweat slide out of his hairline.
Iruka stares at him blankly for a second, wondering why exactly his superior would feel the need to undress on the elevator, until the pieces fall into place within his head.
"Don't tell me we're stuck," he breathes, slowly assessing the situation they're caught in.
On their way back down to the first floor. On an elevator. And close to finishing time, too, not that the common end of work day applies to Iruka, he tends to stay for several hours late just so he can work in peace, without the phone ringing continuously or his boss demanding a journal here and a blueprint there. Still, ten hours of sleep a week doesn't sound so bad.
Iruka's head falls back against the wall, his eyes closing in silent resignation. Hatake's right: This is great.
A low clang of metal hitting metal draws Iruka's attention back to the other man just a few minutes later. He stares at the tall man in disbelief as he watches him slide down the elevator walls to sit on the floor, cross-legged. A quiet chuckle escapes Iruka's throat, unintentional and husky.
"You're quite brazen, aren't you? Seems like you changed, too, Kakashi." He drops to the floor as well, tired and even half-amused by the hilarity of the bad luck he's having.
Hatake watches him, a full-blown grin on his lips. His right eye curves up into an unconcerned smile, while the left half of his face only lifts a little. Lips curl into an innocent smile, but everything above the left cheekbone remains still and hard as stone save for a few creases where the corner of a dark grey eye is raised.
'So he still does that' Iruka thinks, as he traces the small wrinkles appearing where muscles shift below pale skin with his eyes. Only few people ever saw Kakashi smile like this - the paralyzed parts of his face seemingly invisible in his usual casual expressions.
Iruka returns the smile a little shyly, realizing that although he has changed - and Kakashi has changed, too - a few things still remain the same. For a moment, he drifts back to the time where he and Kakashi were nothing but schoolmates, Kakashi tutoring him for better English grades in his free time, while Iruka dragged the older teen with him for soccer training and movie nights.
Out of the corner of his eye, Iruka catches Kakashi watching him drift in and out of memories and can't help smiling back when Kakashi's grin grows, wide and infectious. They spend several minutes just staring at each other, grinning like idiots and thinking back to how things used to be before adulthood happened. Iruka's heartbeat seems to pick up a faster rhythm, but he refuses to think about the option of giving into the sudden wave of feelings washing over him.
Several minutes pass - and Iruka doesn't bother checking the clock of his phone. Time doesn't really matter for once, as he is stuck in here anyway, and the meeting was the last appointment for today.
After a while, however, time starts to matter again, and Iruka gets up to check the buttons again. He eyes the emergency phone for a moment before turning to face Kakashi.
"Don't you think we should try to call someone? If anyone noticed we're in here, they would be trying to get us out by now, wouldn't they? I'll see if there's anyone available," he suggests as he picks up the receiver and dials the number attached to the part of the phone that is fixed on the wall. For a moment, there is nothing but an unpleasantly shrill noise, before finally someone answers the call. Relieved, Iruka describes the situation. He's feeling way better than before, reassured and hopeful, as he hangs up.
A quick smile he flashes in Kakashi's direction is wiped from his face in an instant when his eyes catch the other man's heaving chest, his breathing seeming rather forced.
Carefully eyeing the tall figure, Iruka bites his lips.
"It's going to be okay; no worries. They're on their way, but the alarm didn't go off before - something's wrong with the contacts, they suspect." He tries to reassure the other man, and Kakashi's breathing becomes a bit steadier, so Iruka goes back to waiting idly for the promised help.
It's only when a low pant reaches past his lethargy that Iruka realizes something is wrong. He looks up, surprised, to find Kakashi sitting up, his legs drawn up in front of his chest and his fingers all but clutching the smooth fabric of his suit pants. A small bead of sweat trickles down one of his temples, and Iruka cocks his head to the side in confusion.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Kakashi's breath is coming in short gasps, and he's only bobbing his head in a quick nod that Iruka doesn't believe, so he scrabbles over to where the man is sitting slumped against the wall. He flicks his fingers in front of the other's face to catch a glance of his expression. Kakashi doesn't look up right away, but when he does, his smile seems strained; his nose an ashen grey that could seem normal in the altogether pale face, but Iruka knows better. He's worried; alarmed, even.
It's been fifteen years since he's last seen the man in such a state, and at that time his condition was directly linked to his father's death. Carefully, Iruka presses his palm against the other man's forehead to feel his temperature and is kind of relieved to realize at least he doesn't have a fever. He doesn't miss the way Kakashi's hands are trembling, though, nor does it slip his attention how the man's eyes are darting through the narrow space.
He tries to draw Kakashi's attention again.
"Kakashi. Look at me, Kakashi. What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Kakashi's head lifts slowly, his gaze still flickering, and he swallows heavily. A small tremor runs through his shoulders and upper arms as he seems to search desperately for the right words. His head drops back against the wall eventually, and he sucks in a hasty breath.
"Don't.. I don't like tight spaces. We... could drop. Suffocate. I need to get out," he manages to gasp out with some effort, and Iruka tenses up automatically.
Crap. Now what to do with a person who has claustrophobia when there's absolutely no way to get out of the room quickly?
He shoots a distraught glance at the set of black nubs on the wall and gets up slowly to press his fingers against the emergency button again, hitting it repeatedly at the lack of effect, but the only reaction he receives is a sharp creak inside the wall and a few sparks of electricity that drop from the ceiling as the main lighting source goes out, followed closely by a shocked yell from the opposite wall where Kakashi is sitting. Iruka hisses angrily as he spins around to crouch down in front of where he expects the other man to be.
Carefully, he reaches out to touch Kakashi's arm and receives a punch into the gut for his efforts. Iruka stumbles back and sucks in a heaving breath while he tries to push down the bile rising in his throat at the sudden wave of pain. Meanwhile, there are shuffling noises from the place the blow came from. Kakashi's voice, husky and shaking with fear, reaches his ear from above.
"I... ugh, I'm sorry, are you….are you okay, now? I just… God, I'm sorry. Are you hurt? Iruka... where are you?"
A shaky laughter erupts from Iruka's throat, burning with the urge to throw up, as he tries to unbend.
"I'll be okay, but kami, did you need to hit me so hard?"
He stumbles into the direction of the low grunt that comes as a reply and bumps into Kakashi's chest. Surprised, Iruka takes a careful step back and closes his eyes - it's not like he can see anything, anyway.
"Stay where you are, okay? No more violence, please, otherwise I'll start fighting back. Now... It must have been a short circuit, I suppose," he thinks aloud, mostly to reassure Kakashi of his presence as he fumbles for the button pad. His fingers find the phone and he dials the emergency number again, but to no avail. The phone is just as dead as the overhead lamp.
Far more careful than before, Iruka approaches Kakashi again. This time, he starts talking to the man while lifting his hand to give a short warning and avoid another punch to the stomach.
"I'm coming to you now, Kakashi; it's all good. Don't worry, if there's anything touching you, it can only be me."
He reaches out for Kakashi once more and gets a hold of the man's shoulder, which he grasps firmly as soon as his fingers touch the shirt. To Iruka's surprise, Kakashi covers his hand with his own without a comment, and they slide back down the wall together.
Kakashi's breathing is still alarmingly labored, and Iruka could swear he smells sweat mixing with the man's usual scent. He's worried, really worried, but he can't let Kakashi nurse his fear any further, or else they'll both be facing a full-blown panic attack sooner rather than later, and Iruka intends to get out of the elevator without any further damage to either of them. He's still trying to figure out a way to distract Kakashi, and he's certainly not going to bring up work matters. He doesn't want to end up fighting with Kakashi, although it would make for a fabulous distraction for sure. A sudden buzz over their heads makes Iruka stop dead in his tracks, and he turns his head up to the metal ceiling to see a small flicker in the overhead lighting.
Iruka blinks, a little surprised, and sees Kakashi heave a breath of relief.
"That should be the emergency power supply. Are you scared of darkness, too?" He asks slowly. Kakashi shakes his head decidedly.
"No," the man replies, still audibly nervous. "But it adds to the general situation."
The overhead light keeps flickering, but it stays on. It's not much, that small, quivering source of light, but it's better than nothing. Sitting in the dark with a panicking man without a way out - Iruka doesn't want to imagine how things could have turned out. Instead, he swallows past the lump in his throat, caused by the pain still burning in his stomach rather than fear, and settles against the wall next to Kakashi's right shoulder. He decides to try and make some easy conversation, to break up the tension and anxiety.
"Do you still have that ugly guinea pig?" Iruka remembers the wiry fur and the sharp teeth the little bastard drove into his fingers more than once. Kakashi used to love that thing when they were teenagers. The other man's look turns half serious, half incredulous, and he stares at Iruka for a moment before he replies.
"No. Iruka, how long do you think guinea pigs live?"
Iruka doesn't know how to answer that, so he settles for the truth. "No idea."
"10 years. 12, if you're lucky. Jackson was 9 when I graduated." Kakashi replies with a snort. His breathing is settling into an even rhythm while he speaks, and Iruka smiles. The distraction tactic is working.
"That means you buried him a long time ago?"
Again, Kakashi snorts.
"Buried him? Where? In the flower box on my balcony?" He erupts into a low burst of laughter, apparently amused by the image. The next comment, however, shows Iruka how very wrong he is to make assumptions. "No, I put him into a bright blue gift box and sent him to my former chemistry teacher. I still owed him one for the F on my final."
For a moment, there's an awful silence between the two of them, and Iruka doesn't realize his mouth is hanging open until Kakashi nudges his chin with chilly fingertips. Only then does he get past the initial shock and bursts into a helpless fit of laughter. Kakashi, his annoying superior, exemplary student and everybody's darling in middle school, sent a dead guinea pig - and the thing was smelly even before it died - to his former teacher.
A mixture of chuckles and breathless giggles fills the elevator, and Iruka is panting with merry laughter. He can see Kakashi eyeing him suspiciously for a moment, before the other man finally gives into the relaxing bliss of laughter during the worst imaginable situations, and they laugh until tears of joy are gathered at the corners of their eyes at the hilarious memory.
A companiable silence stretches between the two as Iruka is finally able to calm down. Kakashi stopped laughing a few minutes earlier, but Iruka just kept on giggling helplessly, his belly hurting worse than ever.
Silence doesn't last long for a troubled mind, though, and it isn't long after they stopped laughing that Kakashi starts curling up again, pressing back into the wall and swallowing audibly into the empty space they're sitting in.
Iruka turns his head immediately to look at the other man, and he purses his lips. Worried, he leans forward to prod Kakashi's cheek with a finger, but is shocked into a state of immobility as Kakashi snaps his head up to stare at him.
"Iruka. Get me out of here. Please."
The husky voice is not much more than a whisper, and Iruka frowns. He cups Kakashi's cheek with his outstretched hand.
"I wish I could," he answers just as quietly, and he's feeling really bad for not being able to help. "But we will have to wait for maintenance. They know we're here; they'll get us out eventually. Please, hold on."
He can see Kakashi's pupils dilate for a moment - they're alarmingly wide already - before the man sucks in a quick breath and puts his head between his knees, shuddering.
Iruka can only guess what claustrophobia feels like; he's never been prone to fears on that scale. Watching Kakashi, however, builds a really clear image in his head, and he's glad he isn't panicking, too.
Funnily, it seems like Kakashi is aware that it would be a really bad idea to fall into a fit of hysteria. Iruka can't see his face, but Kakashi's voice is oddly calm, as if he's forcefully restraining his panic, as he grabs his hair with both hands and pulls at it.
"Do you think we could talk some more? It keeps me from thinking about this situation." He asks, and Iruka nods slowly, before he remembers Kakashi can't see that, so he just hums his approval and tries to think of something they could talk about, something that doesn't include pets. Pet discussions tend to go awfully wrong, although the one they had a few minutes ago was rather amusing, really.
Staring intently at the wall, Iruka's mind goes around in circles in search of something they could talk about, something that doesn't include pets and doesn't get too close to the claustrophobia thing. The matter may be a bit touchy, Iruka fears, and talking about it in an attempt to distract Kakashi would be absolutely crazy.
He settles for the most obvious of their mutual interests: work.
"I had some ideas for Watanashi Incorporated's next promotion..," Iruka tries to draw Kakashi's attention to their latest major customer who requested a whole of a dozen different poster designs with custom slogans to be printed on four hundred banners. Four. Hundred.
Iruka is still amazed by that large-scale order and is just about to tell Kakashi what basic concepts he has been working on for that specific client, but he trails off because Kakashi is lifting his head now to glare at him balefully. Keep talking about that, and I'll bite your head off is what his eyes say.
Iruka shrugs and nods slowly to show that he won't insist on the matter. Instead, he casts around for another topic. His head, however helpful on creative matters, seems terribly empty now, and he realizes once again how all his life revolves around his work. He has no hobbies, no interests he shares with Kakashi; there is nothing else to talk about, not even mutual friends.
Iruka can't help himself but lets out a quiet laugh.
Friends.
It's not like he has time for private contacts, and he doesn't expect Kakashi to be the social type in his off-work time either - he never was. Grinning more to himself than for Kakashi's sake, Iruka closes his eyes and lets out a quiet snort.
"Do you remember when I asked you to go out with me in middle school? You rejected me, because you were sure I was into girls." The memory brings an even wider smile to his lips, and Kakashi's expression seems to relax a bit.
"Maa, I thought you were making fun of me at the time, actually." Kakashi replies with a chuckle. "It's not like you were desperate for admirers, given how you rebuffed all the girls in middle school."
Iruka smiles at that.
"True - although I never understood their intentions. I wasn't the perfect future husband, to say the least."
The girls just kept running after him in middle school, in defiance of his prankster nature and bad grades in the subjects he just couldn't bring himself to care about - Iruka, however, preferred being free and independent, able to do whatever he wanted and with whomever he wanted, not having to justify his actions.
Looking up from his musings, Iruka finds that Kakashi is watching him intently, with something that could be badly hidden curiosity in his eyes.
"Do you have a girlfriend now?" The man asks him all of a sudden, and Iruka's shoulders tense up automatically. "I never saw you with a woman since your fiancée left you two years ago." Kakashi's voice is cool and smooth as he speaks, but his face is twitching nervously.
An awkward silence spreads between them while Iruka tries to make up his mind as to whether or not he should answer that. Kakashi keeps watching him with his forehead drawn into anxious creases, and Iruka screws up his courage eventually to try and get the topic over with.
"I didn't have a relationship with anyone ever since," he admits. "I prefer being alone at the moment. Women make life difficult, and what little free time I have, I prefer spending it in peace and without a beloved person betraying me behind my back." However hard he's trying, he doesn't manage to keep the pain from his voice, and Kakashi's look is sympathetic as Iruka looks up to meet his eyes.
"Sorry. I guess I shouldn't have asked," Kakashi replies.
For a moment there is silence again, until Iruka swallows his hurt and forces a smile.
"It's alright, certainly not your fault." His expression softens as he lets his eyes wander over Kakashi's slumped form. "How about you? I don't think I can remember seeing you with anyone in the past few years."
Iruka doesn't expect the rush of laughter that erupts from Kakashi's chest as the man sits up and rubs the back of his neck with one hand sheepishly. Carefully avoiding Iruka's surprised gaze, Kakashi shakes his head slowly.
"I haven't had a relationship with anyone."
It takes Iruka a few seconds to process that information before the comment finally sinks in.
"Wait, you mean you've never had a relationship? You've never been together with anyone?"
Kakashi shakes his head again, a faint blush creeping over his pale nose tip. He snorts to himself before looking up to Iruka.
"Pathetic, huh. An adult man, head of marketing and design in a company like ours, who hasn't even managed to find someone to be with-"
Iruka interrupts him with a growl. "You're not pathetic." For a moment he feels like he's been drawn back to the time where they were both teenagers and Kakashi kept being bullied by his classmates due to his unusual appearance. "I know we had discussions like this a billion times, and I'm not going to start this all over. You're successful, good-looking and smarter than most departments of this company all together. You graduated at 16. Do you really want to get me started on how you've already achieved more than most people can accomplish in a whole lifetime?"
By the time Iruka takes a break to suck in a quick breath, Kakashi is looking at him with wide eyes. His stunned expression is almost comical, his panic apparently forgotten, as he opens his mouth and closes it right afterwards, as if he's at a loss for words.
He probably is, Iruka concludes, considering how all they exchange nowadays are offensive glares and flippant small talk. Just now, however, they are back to what they used to be and are talking openly on a friendly basis.
This time it's Kakashi who breaks the silence, surprisingly sober.
"You know I've never been into girls. That makes things rather difficult for someone who stands out wherever he goes anyway - and not in a positive way. I've had my fair share of contact and experiences, just nothing of the lasting kind."
Iruka nods slowly; that's what he expected. He wants to tell Kakashi that's alright; everyone can choose their lifestyle freely.
Kakashi, however, speaks up again.
"I've been attracted to someone for a long time, but he never returned the interest. I never wanted anyone else." A meaningful look from dark grey eyes conveys even more impressively what lies open in the words. Iruka swallows, his throat suddenly tight.
"Kakashi..." At a loss for words, Iruka offers an insecure smile while his mind seems to go increasingly numb.
It's not like he's put off by the thought of Kakashi liking him that way. In fact, he felt attracted to his best friend when they were still schoolmates.
Unsure of what to say, he decides for the truth.
"That time when I asked you out... I was serious back then. I would have liked to go on a date with you."
Kakashi's look is incredulous, shocked, almost. He gapes at Iruka with the same wide-eyed stare as before, and Iruka looks away.
What is he supposed to do, now?
He hates the way their relationship is nowadays: angry, cold and distant. The distance makes it safe, though, and now that they've gotten close again, things are starting to spin out of control.
Here they are on an elevator, stuck for kami knows how long, remembering times when life was easy and they could be friends without overthinking everything, and he's just found out that Kakashi is attracted to him.
Iruka isn't sure what to make of this, but when he pulls out of his musing, he finds himself shockingly close to Kakashi's face. With a start, he realizes that Kakashi is gazing at him with wide eyes again, and he draws back quickly.
Damn, Kakashi is still his superior! However close they are, however nervously his heart is fluttering in his chest right now, he can't risk giving in to this sudden desire for contact.
From the way his stomach feels, Iruka can only guess that his personal feelings are growing by the minute. It would be highly inappropriate to kiss his boss now, though, he keeps telling himself, and it actually seems to work, until-
Kakashi leans in quickly, a hand reaching for the back of Iruka's head, and his lips are on Iruka's before he can pull back, startled. A little shocked, Iruka just stares at the man's dark eyes, so close to his face all of a sudden, and tries to decide whether he should try to back out, but the multitude of light kisses Kakashi covers his lips with chases the last doubt out of his head.
And damn, the man can kiss!
Carefully, Iruka leans into the soft touches, lips on lips, and rubs his nose against Kakashi's. The man answers with a quiet hum and responds with more kisses.
Soon Iruka has forgotten he was wavering to begin with.
His lips are on Kakashi's, nibbling the man's lower lip with careful bites and teasing licks. Kakashi responds with his own signs of affection, one hand untying Iruka's ponytail, while the other one slides under the hem of his jacket and pulls out the lower bit of his shirt. Without a second thought, Iruka pushes up onto his knees and settles himself on Kakashi's lap.
The moment Kakashi's fingers touch the skin of his lower back, cool and a bit sweaty, Iruka shudders, and Kakashi plants an apologetic kiss on his jaw.
"Sorry," he whispers, and Iruka closes his eyes with a contented sigh.
He enjoys this, enjoys it more than he would have imagined. His mind is blank, and his heart is beating faster than he remembers it is able to.
Blinded for the moment, he feels for Kakashi's collar and loosens the tie with a few quick movements. He then leans forward to slide his lips over warm skin at the base of Kakashi's neck, and the other man drops his head against the wall with a sigh.
"Iruka," Kakashi mutters, pleasure audible in his voice, "Why did you never tell me? We could have had this a long time ago..." He drifts off with a quiet hum as Iruka licks his throat.
"You didn't ask me," Iruka purrs back, and he smiles to himself as Kakashi shudders under his touch.
Kakashi is right, but he doesn't want to tell him that. He's not sure if his own attraction ever really disappeared; all he knows is that it's stronger than ever now that he's sitting here, on Kakashi's thighs, with the man's hands in his hair and on his back.
It makes so much sense now, how Kakashi tried to help him all the time, but didn't really succeed in breaking through Iruka's frustration and misplaced anger. However, their awkward relationship seems to lie in the past now, and Iruka pushes off his thoughts with a quick bite to Kakashi's earlobe. It doesn't matter now.
Kakashi seems to agree with him on that, his hand sliding up Iruka's back further as he kisses along his jawline. The cool touch on his sweaty skin makes Iruka tremble slightly, and goose bumps break through his skin all over his back. He presses back against Kakashi's hand, and the man captures his lips for another kiss.
Slowly, their touches grow more urgent, and Iruka feels a well-known wave of heat wash over him as Kakashi breathes against his mouth with an insistently whispered "Let me in." A low moan escapes his throat as Kakashi's tongue slides past his lips and the man proves his former judgment wrong: He thought Kakashi was a talented kisser </i>before</i>.
With an appreciative purr, Iruka presses forward and returns the kiss with the introduction of his own tongue.
The elevator was narrow to begin with; now the metal walls seem to close in on them, the air is becoming even warmer, and Iruka feels beads of sweat trickle down the nape of his neck. Kakashi catches them with a finger and draws his hand up to his face to eye the small drop for a moment, before thoroughly licking his own finger.
Iruka follows the movement of his lips with his eyes, and a fresh wave of goose bumps makes its way down his spine. He shudders.
The right corner of Kakashi's mouth lifts for a smile as he licks his finger again. This time, however, the man watches Iruka closely, before he reaches out, loops his arm around Iruka's shoulders and drags him down into a horizontal position. Iruka is pressed against Kakashi's chest, and he sucks in a surprised breath. A moist mixture of sweat, a tangy aftershave and something that is just Kakashi makes its way into Iruka's conscience, and suddenly the amount of contact they're sharing doesn't seem to be enough anymore.
A needy growl escapes Iruka's lips as his hands find the hem of Kakashi's shirt and slide right under it, and he presses his lips to the spot where the loose tie reveals pale skin, glistening with sweat in the flickering light of the overhead lamp. Kakashi lets out a surprised and quite un-manly yelp as Iruka starts sucking his skin just there, biting with more force than he intended to use, but buries his fingers in Iruka's hair, pulling him even closer.
Kakashi's free hand presses between them and onto Iruka's chest, and Iruka realizes with a faint blush that they are heading straight for something he never thought he might do with a man one day. Iruka doesn't pay much attention to Kakashi's fingers on his chest then, busy with kissing the heated skin of Kakashi's throat and neck, until his jacket comes off surprisingly fast. The shirt follows suit, and Iruka can't do anything but lift his arms for Kakashi to pull the sleeves over, and he finds himself completely topless.
Shuddering in anticipation, he lifts his head to look Kakashi in the eyes and finds that the man is watching him with that charmingly crooked smile of his. A little nervously, Iruka returns the smile, and Kakashi pushes up onto his elbows to kiss him on the lips affectionately. Quickly, Iruka slides his tongue between their lips to deepen the kiss, and Kakashi replies with a sudden jerk of his hips.
When they pull back, Iruka finds himself pinned by Kakashi's intense gaze.
"You think I'm good looking?" The other man's right eye is curving up into the happy arc Iruka starts to appreciate only now, and he breaks into a fit of low chuckles.
"I said that, didn't I?" he replies with a broad smile, just to be kissed again.
Kakashi's grin is just as wide as his as they move apart again, and Iruka lowers his head to suck on the little mark he left on Kakashi's upper chest. He can hear Kakashi swallow thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing in front of his face, and he kisses it carefully, only to return to the purple spot and lick at it some more until Kakashi lets out a quiet moan.
"Iruka," he can hear the husky voice twice now, let out through Kakashi's lips and from his throat where the sound is being created and makes his skin vibrate. "What are you doing to me?"
Iruka feels shudders running through his body at this, but he places a light kiss on Kakashi's throat before raising his head.
"What are you doing to me so I feel the need to do this to you? Crazy man," he replies with an affectionate smile and realizes with a start that his voice is trembling. Kakashi places a finger on his lips, carefully outlining the contours.
"You know there's no turning back if you keep doing this to me, right?" The words are spoken in a half-amused, half-serious tone, and Iruka looks at the other man with a silent nod.
"I know."
He really does.
From the moment where he cleared his mind and started giving into his feelings, and feelings alone, he hasn't doubted his decision. And a decision it is, indeed, to be here with Kakashi like this now, without hesitation and without regrets.
Then there's more affectionate kisses turning into passionate nibbling and licking, and it's Iruka who dares take another step by unbuttoning Kakashi's shirt while his lips suck on the skin that is revealed, carefully licking the sweat away. It takes him a moment to get his work done because his fingers are starting to make things difficult. They're shaking with nervous anticipation, and Kakashi has to steady Iruka's wrists to allow him to undress the other man further. With an embarrassed flush on his cheeks but a grateful smile on his lips, Iruka manages to get Kakashi out of his shirt, and the discarded piece of clothing lands on the heap that is their jackets and Iruka's shirt.
Kakashi smiles up at Iruka for a moment then, and Iruka lets his eyes wander over the planes of Kakashi's upper body, the muscled upper arms and chest and the flat belly where a short trail of white hair hints at what is hidden below. He swallows again, but is prevented from starting to doubt his decision now by Kakashi's hands, soft but firm on his hips.
"It's going to be okay," is all Kakashi says, but it's enough to encourage Iruka and carry him past his impending skepticism. He presses into the warmth emitting from Kakashi's body now that there is no cloth withholding it. Gratefully, Iruka accepts Kakashi taking over, rolling them around so Iruka is lying below him, and loops his arms around the other man's neck.
Kakashi starts licking his earlobe carefully, grazing his teeth over the outer shell and sucking at the soft flesh behind his ear, until Iruka gasps at a sudden wave of sensation that trickles down his side like an electric shock. Carefully adjusting himself below Kakashi's body, he looks up at the other man and sees Kakashi smile widely at him, something unknown gleaming in his eyes.
It's only when Kakashi's hand seeks his waistline that Iruka realizes he's half hard. Kakashi's fingers grope the rising bulge between his thighs, and Iruka presses up into the touch with a helpless moan.
"Mmmnh." He flushes furiously at Kakashi's intent stare that is now focused on his face. Kakashi, however, continues his careful touching, fumbling Iruka's belt and drawing burning lines on his stomach right above the waistband. Iruka, rather breathless, arches up to chase after the sensations that are well known on one hand, but so fresh and new on the other. He gasps again as a wave of goose bumps spreads over his bare arms.
Engrossed in the overload of feelings and sensations, Iruka doesn't realize Kakashi has unbuttoned his pants and tossed the belt over to the rest of his clothing, until a cool wave of air tickles his thighs. Kakashi draws back from Iruka's arms still holding his neck and kneels down next to him to cover his upper body and sides in passionate kisses. Lips and tongue slide over Iruka's heated skin, and he bucks up into the touches that educe moans and quiet gasps from his throat and leave him breathless and light-headed. He lowers his hands to find Kakashi's head and knead his hair between his trembling fingers, while Kakashi starts licking wet trails over his stomach.
The overhead lightning goes off and on again in the meantime, but neither of them really cares. Iruka isn't sure if Kakashi has noticed it at all; the man starts sucking on Iruka's hipbone now, and Iruka cannot suppress an excited groan. He arches up into the touch and is rewarded with a quick flick of Kakashi's tongue against his hot skin. Sighing with pleasure and anticipation, Iruka squirms under Kakashi's administrations, his body stricken by heated trembles. He's getting more aroused by the minute, and Kakashi's passionate sucking on his hipbone isn't helping. Iruka could swear he's leaving a mark, but he doesn't feel any pain so far.
When Kakashi's hand slides into his shorts eventually, Iruka shivers in excitement and arches up into the badly needed touch. His erection is completely hard by now, and he twitches against Kakashi's fingers. Iruka fumbles for a moment at Kakashi's belt, wanting to repay the favor, but his trembling fingers fail to open the belt, so he slides past it and grabs Kakashi's buttocks, carefully squeezing them.
A low growl erupts from Kakashi's throat; he stretches up to kiss Iruka fiercely on the lips while his hand encircles Iruka's straining cock, and Iruka gasps for air as he squeezes Kakashi's bottom tighter. Kakashi, on the other hand, moans huskily against Iruka's lips, and Iruka sees his eyes roll back into his head.
For a split-second, his concern is back, and he stares at Kakashi in complete stillness for a moment, to see if he's breathing, to see that he's okay and not passing out now, after all the time, because of his claustrophobia, before Kakashi licks Iruka's lips, panting. Iruka relaxes again then and returns the kiss.
They move against each other, moaning, writhing in unison, and Kakashi keeps rubbing Iruka's erection, from careful administrations to vigorous strokes, until Iruka cannot do anything but shiver and pant and feel.
Only then does Kakashi retreat a little, and he looks at Iruka for a long moment.
Iruka meets his eyes halfway before he looks him up and down. Locks of white, wet with sweat, are stuck to Kakashi's temples, and his upper body is glistening with tiny sweat drops in the dim light. The bulge between his legs is obvious now; Iruka can't blame him for it. He's rock-hard himself, and longing for release.
Kakashi eyes him likewise, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a wide smile.
"You're gorgeous," he mutters and caresses Iruka's sweaty face with his hand. "I want you. Now."
Iruka answers the unspoken question with a short nod.
"Take me then."
There's a moment of silence between them, where they devour one another with their eyes and nothing needs to be said, before Kakashi leans in for another kiss, affectionate and long, while Iruka feels his shorts being slid from his hips. Careful not to thrust up into Kakashi's clothes with his probably dripping erection, he returns the kiss with one of his own and slides his tongue into Kakashi's mouth for another bout of passionate licking, probing and sucking.
A low clanging sound indicates Kakashi removing his own belt, and Iruka blushes a little. So they're really going to do this. Iruka sucks in a nervous breath and squeezes Kakashi's butt before sliding the unneeded cloth down his hips.
He can't wait, can't wait to get as close as humanly possible, while some nasty little thought keeps nagging at the back of head, screaming Pain ahead! Iruka tries to ignore it and succeeds when Kakashi presses down on him with his dick in his hand, erection rubbing against erection.
The friction alone is almost enough to make Iruka groan, and he sees Kakashi open his mouth in a silent gasp as they grind against each other. A quick look down his own body reveals what Iruka didn't think was possible: Kakashi is just as hard as he is, and grinding his hips down rhythmically to meet Iruka's erection. He only stops once to pick up his jacket from where he tossed it and fumble through one of the inside pockets, producing a small tube.
Blushing, Iruka diverts his gaze to Kakashi's face, but is forced to clamp his eyes shut just a second later when the friction is threatening to become too much. Kakashi isn't any less impatient, if the wetness against Iruka's dick is anything to go by, and he's not at all surprised when Kakashi lifts one of Iruka's legs up to put it over his shoulder.
Aware of the fact that tension will mean more pain, Iruka tries to relax and not think too much, and finds support in Kakashi's lips caressing his again. The first finger probing against his perineum sends a surge of sensation into Iruka's lower abdomen and straight to his cock from there. Startled, Iruka recoils, eyes wide. His cock twitches, and he can see Kakashi smirk contentedly. The finger slides down the length of his perineum and circles the tight ring of muscle around his entrance, and Iruka finds himself tensing up against all good intentions, not even due to fear, but because of the jolts of pleasure that alone sends through his body.
Another insistent kiss from Kakashi, and he relaxes again, until the pressure against his entrance gets too much. The finger sliding into him causes sparks of what could be pleasure to explode in his belly, but the friction is a little unpleasant. Iruka tenses up as a second finger is added, but tries to trust the man in what he's doing. Carefully relaxing his back a little - he arched it up quite a bit when the tension got the better of him - Iruka tries to allow Kakashi to push in further, and although he feels like he must be too tight for this, like it shouldn't be possible for anyone to do this to him, Kakashi seems to manage.
Carefully, he pushes in past the tight ring of muscle, and when he's successfully passed that anatomical boundary, Iruka jerks with a sudden wave of sensation, erupting from a spot inside him he didn't even know existed. Surprised, he stares at Kakashi, who just smiles at him crookedly and keeps pushing against that spot. The same sensation jolts past the tension again, and Iruka arches up his back, this time out of pleasure. He moans quietly and stays relaxed when Kakashi adds a third finger. Although the pressure seems unbearable at first, it declines very soon, and Iruka tries to focus on the sweet bits of feeling that trickle past his belly, up his spine and down his cock.
When Kakashi finally lines up to sink himself in the tight space, Iruka doesn't tense up again. He opens his eyes to look at Kakashi, who looks back with such a burning hunger in his eyes that it leaves Iruka gaping for a moment. When Kakashi's hot erection presses into him, he swallows thickly against the impending nervousness, and Kakashi does his best to distract him by stroking his erection.
The pressure is much, almost too much, again, but Iruka tries to stay calm, and again he is rewarded with a sudden change in sensations. He still feels terribly tight, Kakashi is so hot and straining inside him, but pleasure soon takes over. The little sparks of pain he feels are mostly suppressed by the waves of lust washing over him, and Iruka can't help himself but moan when Kakashi pushes into his depths. Kakashi himself is panting audibly when he pulls back again, retreating until just above the ring of muscle and pressing into him with a powerful thrust again. A fresh wave of both pain and pleasure surges through Iruka's body, spreads like an inferno and just starts to recede as Kakashi thrusts again.
Within moments, Iruka is a moaning, writhing mess, pressing against Kakashi's hand and intrusion likewise, panting, groaning.
He can hear Kakashi pant as much as he does, interrupted by sudden moans of pleasure every now and then, and it's all they can do to share a few forcefully controlled kisses that all end in more biting and sucking than lips touching. Iruka is sure to taste blood at some point, but he can't bring himself to care. Too much does he enjoy this, too long has Kakashi waited for this. Their kisses have bruising potential now, but neither one cares - all they want is to be close, to touch as much skin as can be reached from their positions.
All the time, Kakashi stays close to Iruka's face, caressing his cheek wherever he can, speaking soothing words whenever possible. His thrusts are hard and needy, but he's careful enough not to let the pain become too much, and Iruka is incredibly grateful for his consideration.
Iruka's own desire grows with every move Kakashi makes, with every bit of friction inside him and every wave of pleasure washing over him - and there are lots of them. Moaning, he moves against the other man's erection, feels it slide in and out of him, and although the pain is inevitable, it is a minor sensation compared to the amazing flood of lust and passion.
They climax in quick succession after one another, Iruka first, because he can't contain the pleasure anymore, Kakashi right afterwards. Iruka can't imagine how the other man managed to pleasure his cock as well as his own, but he's certainly not complaining. Dripping with sweat, they remain lying on the floor of the elevator for several more minutes, and Kakashi covers Iruka's neck with tender kisses. Iruka is just recovering from the intense heat still circulating in his system as the overhead lighting goes off for a second to be re-enlightened right afterwards with its original brightness.
Iruka looks up at the ceiling, astonished, until the elevator jerks once and then starts moving at its usual speed, downwards. It's only a split-second in which they share a quick, panicked stare. Iruka can't seem to find his voice just yet, but he sees Kakashi cast a shocked glance at the metal floor, before he pushes up onto his hands and snatches up their clothes. The low rumble underneath their feet is proof enough of what happened on the outside, while they were enjoying themselves in this happy little panic room. Carefully, Iruka tries to get up and onto his feet. Cool fingers wrap around his wrist and pull him up slowly, and he feels the physical strain only now as his knees try to buckle under the weight of his body. Kakashi is there at his side, however, holding him up with one hand and passing him his clothes with the other. Only then does he leave Iruka to his own devices, so he can get dressed himself. Iruka does the same, only pausing as Kakashi leans in for a quick kiss on the lips.
Pulling on his pants is a rather difficult affair, and again Iruka is grateful for Kakashi's support. His back and butt feel like he just spent four hours training at the gym, or maybe riding - Iruka tried riding once, and he doesn't want to do it again. Ever. His muscles are as sore as they were back then, his back awfully stiff, and Iruka doesn't want to imagine what they will feel like the next day around.
It feels like several minutes until they reach the bottom floor, and Iruka is really glad they were so high up when they got stuck - whoever just fixed the elevator must be waiting in front of its doors now, and Iruka doesn't want to imagine what they look - or smell - like.
As soon as Iruka has his jacket on, Kakashi loops an arm around his shoulders, carefully settling his collar and tie, and Iruka tries to tie his hair up at least half as neatly as usual. The second before the elevator stops, he glances up at Kakashi and smiles at the rumpled state his hair is in; he tries to smooth it with his hand but fails miserably.
Kakashi chuckles quietly and plants a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"It's okay. I always look like this, don't you know?" He grins, and Iruka can only shake his head. Sad as it is, Kakashi is right.
When the metal doors finally open with a low clang, Iruka sighs with relief.
It was about time they got out of that cramped place that started feeling like a sauna a long time ago - however much he enjoyed their way of spending the time inside, he realizes how much he missed fresh air now.
The blue-clad engineers standing next to the elevator buttons with a whole arsenal of technical instruments next to their feet give them a funny look, and Iruka can only guess what they see: two business men in rumpled suits, obviously sweaty and rather weary, and possibly smelling like sex - well, he gets the picture.
Kakashi seems completely unconcerned, and that doesn't surprise Iruka. He walks straight towards one of the technicians and start talking to the man in his usual bored manner; from what Iruka hears, he's complaining about the elevator's condition and threatening the man to not let something like this happen again. The engineer looks reasonably startled; all he does is bob his head in silent acceptance, eyes wide and scared.
For a moment, Iruka watches the discussion from where he walked out of the elevator, before he steps up to the men, exhausted, and puts a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. Kakashi stops his insistent talking immediately, turning to look at Iruka, who just smiles up at him tiredly.
"Let's go for now," Iruka pleads, and Kakashi seems to hesitate for a moment before nodding his approval. He simply turns his back on the technicians, before he eyes Iruka in bewilderment and walks back into the elevator to get Iruka's laptop that lies forlornly on the floor, discarded. Mildly shocked, Iruka realizes that he forgot the item that usually defines his day. Things just seem a lot different from normal today.
The laptop tucked safely under his left arm, Kakashi takes Iruka by the hand when he steps back up to him, places a quick kiss on his temple and starts walking towards the front door. Iruka squeezes the cool fingers in his gently and follows the man outside into the night lying in front of them, cold and dark.
Just when they pass the main gate, however, Iruka stops dead in his tracks to turn around slowly and stare at Kakashi with one eyebrow quirked up questioningly.
"Kakashi... we used the elevator daily in middle school. We hid in your aunt's garden in the rainwater tank. Your office is the most cramped place I have ever seen, what with all the paperwork lying about. Where exactly did the claustrophobia come from today?"
Kakashi returns his accusing look with a charmingly crooked smile.
"I'm sorry, Iruka. You were stressed to the breaking point - everything I tried up until this point couldn't get you to open up. It seemed like a reasonable idea. It is only once in a lifetime that people get an opportunity like this. I couldn't let this chance slip…"
For a moment there is silence. Then the peaceful darkness of the night fills with angry yelling and colorful swearing, helpless laughter and forgiving chuckles.
Only the stars can see two lovers kiss under the night sky an eventful hour later.
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