Naruto Oneshots + Imagines

Then, There's You (Kakashi Hatake x Iruka Umino)

The rain on the metal roof is incessant as Kakashi Hatake lies awake in the dark, staring at the ceiling.

It's pitch dark in their tiny bedroom and silent aside from the loud snores that surround him. All eight of his Ninken are startled enough by the storm that they've crowded Kakashi on the bed; there's two by his feet, two draped over his legs, one under each arm, one on his abdomen, and one on his chest. It's far too warm and quite frankly uncomfortable, but Kakashi doesn't care.

It's not like he ever sleeps during storms anyways.

Each time it rains like this, Kakashi finds himself awake, listening to the familiar pitter-patter of heavy raindrops being blown into the apartment by howling wind- that and the thunder... And the snores. Each loud crash of thunder brings back increasingly horrific memories; deaths of loved ones, funerals, Zabuza and Haku...

During the day, when he's alone, Kakashi is able to block out the trauma. He's usually busy enough with the kids or with missions, maybe even with friends, to do so. On clear and peaceful nights, Kakashi is able to sleep it off, only haunted by every fucked up thing that has happened to him in the occasional nightmare.

When it rains, however, Kakashi can't block it out. There are no little Genin running around to take his attention. There is no Might Guy, Kurenai Yui, nor Asuma Sarutobi to challenge him to a stupid contest or whisk him away to a bar to get his mind off of things. There are no missions for him to complete in the confines of these four walls, and the rain doesn't allow him the peace necessary to sleep it off.

So he stays awake. And he thinks, and thinks, and thinks until the sounds of rain and dogs snoring and insanity all seem to blend into each other so much that he can't differentiate them anymore.

Kakashi thinks he's a lot like the rainstorms he's learned to detest so strongly- so strong yet so brisk and inconsistent, fleeting, loved by some but hated by many and tolerated by most, cold, and very much capable of ruining most peoples' days. Maybe that's the more poetic side of his brain talking, or maybe it's the more loopy-because-it's-4am-and-he-hasn't-slept-in-32-hours side of his brain talking.

Kakashi sighs and turns to lay on his side, where he also sees nothing but pitch black. All of the dogs whine and grumble about being moved from their peaceful slumber, only to quickly settle against Kakashi's body once more within the next few moments. On nights like this, Kakashi can't help but feel more anxious than usual, so he reaches over to feel the body next to him. Initially, his large hand comes into contact with a warm shoulder, so he moves his hand up until he feels an equally warm neck. He switches from his palm to two fingers against the carotid artery and lets out a sigh of relief.

When he realizes that the man next to him hasn't so much has stirred from his rest, he moves his hand further down until he reaches a scarred pectoral. With a little bit of effort, he finds a slow and calm beating heart underneath the layer of tan, taut skin.

Kakashi smiles. The rainstorms have started sucking a little less since Iruka moved in, because while he's laced with trauma and a fear of thunder and so many other things, there's Iruka . Iruka is the antithesis to a rainstorm; a bright, happy soul who radiates warmth and joy and passion. Iruka is the antithesis to Kakashi, too- so weak yet so strong and consistent, constant, supportive, loved by all, and the reason that so many kids in the village are able to keep going after having suffered unimaginable loss and trauma. Iruka is the dawn that has finally cut through Kakashi's long, stormy night.

However, Kakashi doesn't dare wake him. He knows that if he were to do so, Iruka would fret over him oh-so-tenderly. Iruka would hold him tight, rub his back, play with his hair, kiss his cheeks, whisper sweet nothings in his ear to comfort him. Iruka would ask to take on Kakashi's burdens, to stay up all night with him and make them hot tea to drink while taking on his woes until sunrise. And Kakashi would let him do all of it, which is why Kakashi doesn't wake him up.

Iruka sleeps best during thunderstorms, after all. They've talked about it. The teacher finds the familiar rumble of thunder and the thrumming of the falling rain to be so comforting that he always goes to bed early on nights like these and manages to sleep nightmare-free. Kakashi would hate to ruin that for him.

Suddenly, a boom of thunder slams into Kakashi's ears. He jolts up from the onslaught of noise, his heart beating fast. A flash of lightning tears through the sky right after to make their bedroom glow bright white. Kakashi flinches and looks over at Iruka, who stirs from Kakashi's sudden movements.

The brunette sits up on his elbows and peers up at Kakashi. Though the room has fallen dark once more, Kakashi can feel the concern in Iruka's soft brown eyes.

"Kakashi, dear, are you okay?" Iruka asks and reaches forward with one hand. When that hand collides with the skin of Kakashi's arm, Iruka sits up all the way and rests a warm palm on Kakashi's cheek. Before the Jonin can blink, his lover's forehead is rested against his. Iruka's loose, wavy brown locks tickle the sides of his face. "That thunder was pretty loud. Did it wake you up? It didn't scare you, did it?"

"No, 'ruka," Kakashi answers, feigning grogginess the best he can. He leans forward to press a quick kiss to Iruka's lips, which taste like chai and vanilla chapstick from dinner. Iruka's apparently too sleepy to process it and kiss Kakashi back, which makes him chuckle a bit. "I'm fine. The thunder woke me up, but it's not a big deal. I'll be able to get right back to sleep, especially with the dogs here to warm me up."

"Mm... If you say so," Iruka shrugs, then lies back down. Kakashi joins him so they're both lying on their backs, shoulder to shoulder, feet intertwined at the ankles and eyes trained on the ceiling. "I'm gonna try to go back to sleep if I can. Wake me up if you need me, though. I love you."

Kakashi smiles and turns his body once more so he can cuddle into Iruka's side. Iruka makes room for him, pulling Kakashi closer so he can rest his head on the Chunin's chest. The familiar sound of Iruka's steady heartbeat doesn't lull Kakashi to sleep, but it does bring him peace.

"I love you, too, Iruka. Rest well."