Growing along the line

Chapter 8: Settling in

This time you were alone when you woke up. Yawning widely, you stretched in the cushions and snuggled deeper into the pillow, a familiar and calming scent clinging to the fabric and making you smile lazily.

So warm. So nice. Must... Stay in bed... Five more minutes...

Strange. Your pajama wasn't this airy, your naked thighs stuck together and when you moved your legs, you noticed your socks were still on your feet. Miffed, you pouted into the pillow. You hated to wear socks while sleeping.

Also the blankets were a bit thicker than your own. And when you carefully opened your eyes, prepared to awake in a dirty, creepy underground basement with slimy walls and chains attached to the ground, you were greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar cramped bedroom and the memories of yesterday evening flooded your mind, making your smile widen.

Yesterday Iruka and you confessed. Yesterday he had asked wordlessly if you would stay the night. Yesterday you agreed, but when you had asked if you would sleep in the same bed, the teacher had blushed fiercely and stumbled over his own tongue, until he just shook his head and gathered a second set of blanket and pillow.

Well, he had tried. Chuckling and acting braver than you actually were, you had grabbed his wrist and insisted to sleep with him in one bed. Even though the only thing in which you slept were a wide shirt of his, your panties and strangely also your socks.

So... Where was Iruka then?

Your question was answered when the man silently creeped into the small and cramped bedroom, two cups of coffees holding and so endeavored not to make a single sound that the tip of his tongue was peeking out of his mouth. Through half-lidded eyes you watched him how he sneaked closer, a plain white shirt and a light cotton pants clinging to his body, a tad bit too loose to be called "skin-tight". His hair was openly falling around his face, making the brunet many years younger and when he noticed you were awake, the scar over the bridge of his nose crinkled in a smile.

"So you're awake." he said warmly and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Obviously," you gave gently back, then peered at the two cups in his hands, "and you made coffee?"

Iruka laughed pleasantly. "Obviously. One sugar, a spoon of milk."

"Just how I like it. Thanks." Your fingers brushed together as you accepted the beverage and you couldn't stop the little blush rising at the sweet touch.

"After all the weeks of working with you and your crankiness whenever I mistook it with the order of Mizuki," the teacher sighed dramatically out, "it's only natural I have learned that by now."

Embarrassed beyond measures, you snorted into the coffee. "I wasn't that cranky," you mumbled, "I really wasn't."

You nearly yelped when Iruka leaned over and stole a quick kiss from your lips. "Yes you were," he kissed you once more, a quick, loving pressure, "and everytime you were undeniably cute in your fits. I was so close to just hug and smooch you all over."

"Smooch me? Just a smooch or are you talking about a full-grown make-out-session?"

Strangely the teacher fell silent. Not the embarrassed kind of silence, but the uncomfortable "I don't want to talk about it"-kind of tense absence of any kind of words. Additionally his features clenched the tiniest bit, enough for you to notice something was off.

"Iruka?" Worriedly you reached out and touched gently his shoulder. "What...?"

"Uhm... I..." He wiggled on his spot, absolutely adorable and fidgeting around. "I... Have a confession to make."