Naruto Oneshots + Imagines

Monster (Kakashi Hatake x Iruka Umino)

Kakashi Hatake detests being Hokage. He also detests the stupid council that's allowed to dictate so much of what he does, and he detests their ideas, too- including this one; a party thrown at the Hokage's Residence to celebrate his inauguration.

Kakashi is already tired from the aforementioned inauguration, which was bright and early that morning. Now it's just past six in the evening and the party is starting. He's glad that he doesn't actually live in the Hokage's Residence like many of the other Hokage chose to do, as he can't imagine the mess that's sure to come from this that he's going to have to assign some poor Genin to clean as a D-Rank mission come tomorrow.

It's clear that the council are inept to what kind of things happen when there's parties with alcohol that ninja are allowed to attend; intoxication, violence, and sex, which are all things that Kakashi has had more than his fair share of in his lifetime. So he tries to avoid everyone by staying in the corner despite it being a party thrown to celebrate him and his big accomplishment.

To make things even worse, he's able to hear a familiar voice by the doorway that makes his charcoal eyes go wide and his heart skip a beat.

None other than Iruka Umino walks into the room and takes off his coat, chocolate brown eyes bright and full of life. Kakashi swallows the lump in his throat and tries to make himself as small as possible, but that's difficult to do when he's one of the tallest men in the room and donned in a bright white outfit with the Hokage's hat atop his head. It doesn't surprise him when he catches Iruka's eyes. He sees it happen as Iruka's face lights up immediately.

He looks so nice, so lovely even though he's only adorned in his modest work uniform; dark navy pants and a matching turtleneck with a Chunin vest and a village headband. The only thing that's remotely different is the puffy green coat that the brunette abandons on a hook by the doorway before walking over to Kakashi with a grin.

Kakashi can't breathe. The needy, desperate side of him wants nothing more than to grab Iruka and pull the brunette into his arms. The rational side of him prays that Iruka will just get bored of the celebration and go home.

"Kakashi, we should grab drinks after this," Iruka says, and Kakashi knows that it's a genuine invitation, but he also knows that it's one he'll never accept. Iruka wants to be Kakashi's closest person; a friend, a confidant, a lover, his special one. He makes it obvious in how he sends Kakashi the occasional gift and uses every excuse to talk to him regardless of how Kakashi tries his best to ignore him. "You know... Alone . I'd love to catch up with you. It's been a while."

Iruka, as kind and as sweet and as trusting as he is, never expects anything from Kakashi. So he doesn't wait for an answer, instead turning away and going to join the crowd that he sticks out from so beautifully with his lips painted light pink and his hair let loose from his ponytail.

Iruka is cruel in the way he dances with his friends and coworkers, seeming like he's having the time of his life as he unknowingly tears Kakashi to shreds. Iruka is cruel in the way he shakes his hips, in the way he smiles radiantly and flips his wavy chestnut locks underneath the red glow of the party lights.

Kakashi can't have him, even though they both want each other. Iruka is a kind-hearted person and even if Kakashi didn't somehow ruin him, there's a myriad of people who still want Kakashi and his loved ones dead that probably would. Kakashi can't get too close. That's why he rejects every dinner invitation, brushes off every subtle touch, and breaks the heated eye contact. Any time he's aware that Iruka is going to be present somewhere, he avoids it like the plague.

He questions if Iruka knows his true feelings or if Iruka is completely oblivious. At the same time, Kakashi doesn't think he wants the answer to that.

The music is too loud. It's a bunch of shit that Kakashi doesn't like, blared through speakers that he feels like they shouldn't even have. The technological advancements they've made since the war have been crazy, change on top of change on top of change that Kakashi just isn't ready for yet. Times are peaceful and yet he can't move on. If anything, he feels worse. Everyone else is moving on with their lives, getting therapy, making peace, starting families. Kakashi is somehow above everyone status-wise and simultaneously being left behind.