Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Shouldering the Blame	By : fuyunoakegata Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1329 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Rating: NC-17,
because Genma has roving hands and can�t keep them off Raidou ;)

Pairing: Kakashi/Iruka Iruka/Kakashi      I
like my boys to switch xD same with Raidou and Genma :D

Status: WIP, but hope to finish soon... yes, I know you�ve heard that
from me before, lol. Summary: Kakashi returns from a mission; Iruka
patches him up and fluffiness ensues. Kinda�

Genre: WAFF, fairly mild angst (it always slips in there if I�m writing
Kakashi, doesn�t it?) HC

Warnings: biseinen ai, yaoi, coarse language and provocative
conversation, medical imagery, blah blah blah, pre-drunken shinobi shenanigans

Disclaimer: I asked Kishimoto-san for several shinobi for my birthday� I
kinda conveniently forgot to put them back when I was done� So
technically they aren�t mine, but I think they have a lot more fun with
me� Kasumi-san is mine, however.
Author's Notes:   Thank you to Hatochan aka chikatai
my sane island in an ocean of insanity� you�re the reason I
started writing again and the reason I continue, despite my doubts and all the
little bumps in the road� this is part of Hatochan�s Tolerant Intolerant
universe and occurs just before Hato�s Playing Doctor, but works better if you
read it after hers. After way too much INTENSE scrutinization of our
story timeline we pinned it down for sure� right Hato? Uh� right? Crickets
chirping� oh damn� Playing Doctor occurs 3-3 �
months after the wedding from her Along the Way: Ch.10 � Prancing� so
it�s January. We think� Don�t you love
the joys of a fluid timeline? They are
married and living together in a house, so the old apartments are now
gone... (waves at Anise)

Hatochan's Playing Doctor :    Playing Doctor is fairly explicit,
guys. DO NOT read if you're not legal... or if you can't handle some yummy
kinkiness... ;) and relax, it doesn't hurt near as much as y'all
seem to think, errr uhmm or so I've been told...   shuts up and goes
back to crocheting scarf... The
Gen/Rai scene is dedicated to Nobiki and was co-written with Hatochan Happy Birthday, 'biki.
Another Long-Ass Author�s Note, bear with me: Nikujaga is a Japanese meat and potato
stew. Very homey� mom�s cooking type
dish. I figured it�s nice for a
drizzly/snowy winter day and decided Raidou seems like a simple, �Kaa-san�s
home-cooking, meat and potatoes lovin� type guy :) Few meals in Japan are complete without rice. Other dishes served at a meal are known as okazu,
or side dishes. One of the most common
meals in Japan is �one soup, three sides� or ichiju-sansai. It consists of rice, a soup, and three
different side dishes, prepared in three different ways, often one simmered or
boiled (the nikujaga), another grilled (the teriyaki kabocha skewers),
and the third usually a raw fish sashimi.
Such a meal typically finishes with green tea and pickled fruits,
flowers, or vegetables, tsukemono.
Goby is a traditional late fall/early winter fish that migrates from
freshwater areas to the sea for spawning.
A common preparation is tempura style, cooked in sesame oil and then
dunked in a hot tuna broth. Gobi
sashimi is rare at restaurants since a kilogram of live goby can cost over $100
dollars (US) at a Tokyo fish market, but there are two main types, ito
tsukuri, called thread sashimi, and a non-sliced, raw fillet-style called arai,
which means washed. Raidou seemed a
likely fisherman, so they lucked out with an affordable dinner :) Winter melon, or winter gourd, is a member
of the squash family. A thick, waxy coating allows storage up to a year. They can be rather large, and a favorite
preparation is made into soup, served in highly carved bowls made from the
outer shell of the squash itself. Shiso
is an herb used a lot in Japanese cooking; also known as perilla or beefsteak plant. Kabocha is a hard winter squash also called
Japanese pumpkin; it�s somewhat similar in taste. It�s been mentioned as one of
Genma�s favorite foods in the data books � I like it curried, stir-fried, or
simmered in a bit of broth, mirin, tamari, and grated ginger. Shochu is pretty
much the Japanese equivalent of vodka.. it is a distilled spirit made from
rice, sweet potato, buckwheat, barley, or brown sugar. Occasionally chestnuts
and other grains are also used and add to the flavor. It�s usually about 50-90 proof, and the different ingredients
favored in each region give subtle flavor and aroma differences to the final
product. Raidou is also preparing a sweetened, dessert version of okayu,
a rice porridge. It�s yummy and
unfussy, and although wagashi or some other Japanese sweets might be more
traditional, this is definitely seasonal and appropriate to the weather. Some Japanese rice cookers have an okayu
setting. Iruka�s Zo is a Zojirushi rice
cooker. Zojirushi makes very nice,
dependable rice cookers and bread machines.
They tend to become the quiet workhorses of your kitchen, rather like a
Kitchen-Aid standmixer. You may not
think about them a lot, but they do a lot of work for a long time. It probably doesn�t matter to anyone but me,
but as a bit of trivia, the bottled beer is Sapporo�s Fuyumonogatari
(Winter�s Tale), a light, seasonally-brewed Japanese malt lager. Yes, it used to be a rice lager. No, it isn�t now :) Yes, I�m a geek and spend way too much time
looking up/refreshing my memory about facts on the internet. No, I don�t care :) Golden Monkey tea really exists. Stash tea carries it, the info is reworded
from the blurb on their website, stashtea.com

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Genma swung the partially
empty six pack through the air by the thin plastic rings, his other hand busy
inching its way under the back of his husband's shirt. A very cold can of beer pressed against
Raidou's warm skin.

"Genma..."
Raidou's voice was low and husky and Genma felt it rumble through him as they
walked.

"Remind me again why we
went fishing in the dead of winter instead of fucking in our warm bed?"
Genma whined.

"It isn't exactly the
dead of winter, Genma. It's rain, not
snow� and we, no *I* am fishing because I saw goby in the stream, damnit, and I
told Iruka I'd bring them for dinner tonight.
I know you prefer them tempura style, but Kakashi hates tempura, and
they are so good as sashimi. Only reason they're still around was because the
winter's been so mild up till now. Now
quit griping and stay out of the beer.
Save some of those for tonight."
Irritation tinged the scarred man�s voice.

Genma pulled the beer can
from under the dark material and popped the tab. The dark brew was sipped slowly,
the can crinkling as the tokujou rationed his alcohol for the afternoon. Raidou would be pissed if he drank the
entire six-pack before getting to the house. "Still cold as a monk's
prick." He mumbled sourly into the
can.

"It wasn�t that bad,
Genma. I built you a fire. We had a
tarp under the trees. We even had a
wool blanket. Was today really so
horrible?" Raidou idly watched the
pinecone Genma was kicking along the path.

"It was cold and every
time I tried to get warm you got mad at me." The beer can was half empty, the remains sloshing around as
Genma's arms moved naturally with his gait.
A few drops escaped the hole and fell darkly on the frosted path.

"I got mad at you
because you decided to warm your hands on *me* not at the fire. I don't like cold hands under my waistband,
and when I jerk, it scares the fish. It
takes 2 or 3 good-sized fish per person for goby sashimi. Just because I was lucky enough to find them
didn�t mean I was going to be lucky enough to find a dozen nice sized fish. I didn't want you scaring them all
away." They bickered with all the
long-practiced ease of their three years of marriage and over twenty years of
close association.

" Well, you got a dozen
anyway. So can we fuck in their bathroom between dinner and dessert?"
The pinecone shot off into
the undergrowth. Genma shifted his senbon to the other side of his mouth.

"Genma. What's wrong
with waiting till we get home tonight?
Anticipation makes things that much better." They were most definitely married �

The younger man sighed
deeply. "We won't get home 'til almost sunrise and you know it. And by
then you'll be too tired to do anything."
(Not a bit of this is drawn from experience or anything, mind you�)

"Since when am I too
tired? I can still manage to wear *you* out and you�re two years younger than I
am." (Think Genma struck a nerve?)

Genma upended the last of
his beer and threw the empty can at a nearby tree. A senbon pierced the
aluminum, imbedding in the pine.
I'll pick it up on the way back home.
" Yeah, well..."
Genma trailed off into barely heard mumbles. He stopped swinging the beer, eyes picking out another pinecone
to kick forcefully up the lane.

Raidou drew his eyebrows
together. "Even if it's just an
aluminum can, you know that isn't good on your senbon. You're always complaining about those little
nicks and how much harder it makes it to clean the poisons off."

" Hmmhmm." Genma kicked the second pinecone into the
undergrowth as well.

Raidou stopped under a pine
tree only a hundred feet from their destination. "Ok, Gen. We're not going
anywhere till you tell me what's going on, today."

Shadowed honey colored hair
shifted as Genma looked towards his lover, his free hand already retrieving
another senbon from his vest pocket. " Nothing's goin' on. I'm horny.
You're not. That's all." The long
needle slid comfortably between his lips.

"It's not that I'm not
horny. I'm just focused on what needs to be done. It's called priorities. I
told Iruka I'd get the fish. I said
we'd be there by five. I plan on
keeping my word, Genma, no matter whether you can keep it in your pants or
not." Raidou watched the weapon
intently.

"So that means we can do
it in their bathroom, right? Since we got the fish and we'll be on time and
I've been a good boy?" Genma
smirked around the metal.

Raidou sputtered. "Good
boy? Obviously we're not on the same
page, here. Do good boys go 'fishing
for worms' down their husbands� pants?
Or push them back and try to drink beer from their navel?" Raidou crossed his arms, looking sternly at
Genma.

"Only exceptionally
good boys do that." Genma was
purring, now, absolutely oozing sexual tension.

Raidou dropped his arms,
slumping in defeat.

Genma leaned forward,
careful to keep the pointed weapon away from Raidou's face.

Raidou's eyes followed the
senbon, almost hypnotized by the slender metal.

The tokujou pushed two cold
fingers under his husband's waistband, pulling him closer. Slightly chapped lips pressed against the
other man's, senbon safely to the side.

Raidou groaned.
"Genma..." The name was no more than a hoarse whisper and warm lips
remained just slightly parted, so close he could smell the yeasty breath washing
over his husband's pearly teeth.

Genma pressed a little
closer, then pulled away, his fingers sliding from the warm confines of fabric
and skin.

Unconsciously, Raidou
followed, pressing closer to Genma.

" That's all I wanted;
a promise of things to come, or cum rather." Genma snickered and gave his lover a mischievous smile.

"Huh? What? Why you...
You little tease..." Raidou couldn't stop the words, or the flush on his
face, or the massive erection tenting his pants.

Without looking down, the
hand in charge of the beer lightly stroked over the bulge in the older
brunette's pants, the remainder of the six-pack brushing against Raidou's
thighs. Genma took the senbon from his mouth and put it away as he spoke.
" Don't think it's little, and you know I'm only a tease if I don't follow
through. " He gave the clothed
prick a firm squeeze. " And I always follow through... Just not always
when you want it."

Raidou spared the tiniest
glance at his wristwatch. Time enough
to teach a certain senbon sucker a lesson. He dropped the bad of groceries and
placed the bucket on the ground. A
predatory gleam appeared in his eyes and two large hands pressed against the
old pine, on either side of Genma's shoulders.
"And you complain about me not giving in when *you* want
it?" Warm lips dipped to the
younger man's neck, sucking lightly.

" The difference
between you and I, other than an inch or two in length and girth, is that I
lack the upstanding morals that would burden me with the guilt of leading
someone on." Genma smiled
brightly and let the beers drop from his hand.
He tilted his head to the side to give Raidou better access to his
neck. The pale fingers squeezed along
Raidou's length, already feeling the bit of moisture near his thigh. " Mmmm, have I ever told you how much I
love your big dick?"

By this time Raidou was too
far-gone to even follow Genma's words.
He felt the other man's hand on him and pressed the honey haired man
against the tree roughly.

Genma's smile broadened at
the feel of rough bark against his scalp.

Genma worked his hands at
Raidou's waist, deftly unbuttoning the fly and pulling the material apart.

Raidou hissed at cold hands
and air on hot skin. "Oh kami,
Genma..."

The thick piece of flesh
jumped into Genma's hand, his palm molding against the familiar shape and
weight. He leaned forward and kissed the scarred jaw line. " My big boy, already to play with
me." The tokujou let his knees
bend, his back sliding down the bark.

Genma stopped himself once
he reached eye level with the large cock.
Without preamble, he wrapped his lips around the meaty head and sucked
gently, knowing how much Raidou liked the soft feeling of his tongue sweeping
over the glans.

Raidou slid his feet wider
apart as Genma's face moved closer to his groin. He barely muffled a cry as
Genma swiftly engulfed him in his warm mouth.

Honey colored eyes looked up
through the shaggy bangs and twisted hitai-ate tie. Genma tilted his head back a bit more so his husband could better
see his lips sliding up and down the warm member.

Large hands ached to leave
their braced position and pull the fabric from the soft strands. Raidou felt himself harden further at the
sight of Genma's mouth wrapped tightly around his engorged cock.

A moan vibrated through
Genma's mouth and into the piece of flesh held captive there.
He loved the heated look in
his husband's eyes.

"I couldn�t think about
anything else when you kept shifting that senbon in your mouth, babe."
Raidou�s voice was low and raw in the hushed twilight.

Genma would have smirked if
his mouth had been able to, but it was much too full and he was much too
occupied. Relaxing his throat muscles,
the tokujou carefully slipped the sizeable cock further into his mouth, feeling
it hit the back of his throat.

"You want to know what
I'm going to do as soon as we get home tonight, Gen? Ahhhhh kami.... Gen-ma...."

Genma sucked a bit harder in
response, pressing his hand tight against the tendons just above the back of
Raidou�s knee.

"Nghhhh. I'm going to
lay you on the bed and hold your arms and kiss you till you cry for me to fuck
you silly." Raidou�s eyes
promised even more.

Genma's look of victory was
unmistakable; Luckily Raidou was too caught up to notice. He loaded the quivering cock with as much
saliva as he could before pulling away, watching the glistening skin for a
moment.

"And then... I'm gonna
take this cock... oh sweet kami, Genma"

"And do what with it,
Rai? Huh?" Genma straightened his
legs and came face to face with his husband. His voice was low and breathy and
arrogantly challenging.

Raidou shivered at the
sudden blast of cold air on slick skin

Genma quickly undid his own
fly, pulling his aching cock from the rough fabric. He grabbed both their cocks in his hands and pushed his hips
forward, his hands sliding up and down.
Genma kissed the soft spot of scar tissue just under Raidou's ear.

Raidou moaned deep in his
throat, pushing Genma against the tree, completely forgetting the question.

The younger man kept up his
slow strokes, squeezing the two appendages firmly, gasping whenever his lover
pushed against him.

"Genma...... "
Raidou growled against his husband's neck, cinnamon eyes hazy with desire.

Genma's spit streaked his
own skin, slicked his palms with each twist. "Touch me, Rai."

Raidou ground his hips in a
small circle, pressing Genma against the tree.
One large hand slipped between them to circle the two slick members held
in Genma's hand.

Genma shook at the contact
of the large warm hand.

"Want you,
babe." Raidou's voice was rough
and shaky with need.

Genma pulled his hands away
and pushed them into the sides of Raidou's pants, palms moving over scarred and
smooth skin until one cupped a perfect globe and the other pressed into the
small of his lover's back.

"Ahhh, Genmaaa...
� Raidou crushed the smaller man
against him, kissing deeply.

Chapped lips gasped into the
kiss, hips moving in a similar rhythm to their tongues. Genma could feel their cocks rubbing and
sliding and pressing together against their bellies. The sensation of Raidou's gentle hands unmercifully gripping him
close was absolute bliss.

Raidou could feel the heat
coiling swiftly low in his belly.
"G.Gen-maaa..." He ground frantically against the younger man,
and Genma relished the rough feel of the bark pressing into his back.
Raidou stroked faster,
unable and unwilling to hold back much longer.

Genma tilted his hips
forward, bringing one leg up to curl around his lover. The kiss began to steal his breath away,
everything melding into a warm thrusting mix of sensations. He moaned desperately, feeling his cock
beginning to twitch between them.

That moan seemed to go right
through Raidou. The husky, needy sound
sent such a strong jolt to his already strained control, and he felt the hot
stickiness flood against his hand and over their cocks and between their
bellies.

The heat was incredible and
Genma tightened his hold. He thrust into the new warmth, watching the almost
pained expressions flicker across Raidou's face as he succumbed to the driving
need in his belly.

"Genma,
love...." Raidou held his husband
close and kissed him deeply as the shudders still wracked through their bodies.

Genma slowly came down from
the orgasmic high, the cold air helping with the process.

"Hey, Raidou.. How's it
hanging, Genma?" The smirk was
evident in every bit of Aoba's being as he waved jauntily at the post coital
pair.

"Hey, Aoba." Genma
managed a lazy wave.

Raidou came down much
quicker with the impetus of a spectator.
Raidou barely managed a muffled grunt as he fumbled with his pants

Genma ground his hips once
more.

Raidou moaned, slick,
softening flesh pinned.

"What was that Raidou?
I don�t think I heard you." Aoba
was definitely smirking.

" He said go the fuck
on, Aoba." Genma tossed off a
shinobi hand sign� one not used in any jutsus, but universally recognized.

Tanned flesh darkened, scars
showing more prominently against the blush.

A wicked, yet satisfied,
smile spread over Genma's face. " Don't worry. I won't let him see your
dick," while a rueful expression
settled on Raidou�s. " It's
aaaaaallllll mine."

"You set me
up...." Raidou finally realized.

" Possibly." Yep, Genma was purring again.

"You... and then you...
and..." Raidou sputtered incoherently.
"I was had..." Raidou finally fumbled out.

Genma pulled a hankie from a
vest pocket and gently wiped them clean. " Oh, I also expect to be
properly nailed when we get home tomorrow morning, as well. Just so you
know."

Raidou nodded, clearly not
trusting himself to speak.

The soiled hankie was wadded
up and shoved into another pocket. Genma smiled as he buttoned up Raidou, then
himself. He then looped both arms around the taller man's neck and kissed him
soundly.

Raidou finally allowed
himself to speak "You�re a
manipulative son of a bitch, but you�re my husband and I love you..."

" You're a gullible
bastard, but you�re my husband and I love you the more for it..."

"Hmmmm" Raidou�s
grumble was distinctly bearlike, this time.
His lower lip quirked slightly�on any other person Genma would call it a
pout.

Genma pressed their crotches
together, though decidedly with less force than before �My growly
Rai-bear.� He smiled.

Raidou tangled his fingers
in Genma's honeyed locks. �My sexy
little honey-pot.�

Genma splayed his fingers
over Raidou's lower back.

"I'm sorry I got so
caught up in things I neglected this, Genma...� Raidou kissed his husband soundly.

"You know, I didn't get
any oral lovin' and we have at least three minutes left..." That sexy, pouty whine of Genma�s was back
in full force.

Raidou let out a distinct
growl. " Don�t press your luck, Shiranui...."

"I'd rather press you,
Namiashi, right back against that tree...� Genma�s purr turned to a growl.
Kissing the big man softly,
he chuckled and reluctantly turned his lover loose. He reached down and picked up the beer, adjusting his vest before
heading to the house.

Raidou kissed Genma�s nose
then turned to grab the forgotten bag of groceries and the remarkably
un-upturned pail of fish. He left the pack with the tarp and blanket beneath
the tree.

Genma made sure to wiggle
his ass with each step, just for fun...

They walked up the lane and
turned into the gate towards the softly glowing lanterns as the thick soft
flakes began to fall.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The rain started coming down
more heavily as Iruka slogged through puddles and rivulets of water. He was relieved when he turned down the lane
that led home. Overhanging pine trees
made an artificial twilight even at midday, but blocked out almost all of the
steady downpour. He went through the
gate and up the walkway, making a mental note to light the oil lanterns outside
before Genma and Raidou arrived for dinner later this evening. As he arrived in the entranceway, he toed
off his zori and whispered a soft �Tadaima,� smiling at he performed the ritual
even when Kakashi was (hopefully) too asleep to notice and reply with the
traditional �Okaeri.�

He put water to boil and set
down the day�s purchases, leaving the food for tonight�s dinner on the kitchen
counter. Changing into warm dry clothes
was his first priority. When he entered
the bedroom, Kakashi lay silent and unmoving.
He really is exhausted. Why
can�t I knock into his head that arriving home a few hours early isn�t worth
this exhaustion? Iruka shook his
head at his husband�s stubbornness and tucked the blankets closer around the
still form. He donned the dry clothing
and grabbed a towel for his hair before returning to the kitchen.

Luckily, the water was
boiling and a steaming mug of tea was no more than minutes away. He picked up the bag from Kasumi-san�s shop,
intending to hide the package now, while Kakashi was asleep, and wondered at
the unexpected weight. The old man
must have slipped in a gift of his own when he wrapped it. Iruka chuckled fondly, knowing he could no
sooner break the merchant of his generous manner than break Kakashi of his
habit of avoiding doctors. The parcel
was soon stowed in a dark corner of a closet, behind a trunk, where he hoped it
would remain hidden. He pulled out the
remainder of the envelopes from the bag, only belatedly realizing there was an
extra.

The words scrawled on the
envelope were somewhat shaky, but still legible. Consider this a free sample, Iruka-sensei. It�s not the cheapest of teas, but if you
like it as much as I think you will, I�ll more than make back the money from
this small sample. It was a special favorite of Sandaime-Hokage. Enjoy.
Kuroshio Kasumi As Iruka lifted the envelope, a small card
fluttered loose.

Golden Monkey tea

From Yunnan province, China
Made from the same leaves that makes
the famous medicinal Pu-errh
tea. Grows
in hard to reach, mountainous areas,
so
sometimes picked by specially trained
monkeys.
Brews a golden amber cup of tea with
hints of
smoke and honey flavor. Full of yellow fibers
which look like the hairs of Golden
Monkeys.

Iruka shook his head as he
prepared a cup of the new tea and, smiling, sipped the warming brew.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Iruka was checking the
nikujaga one last time when a slightly mussed Genma and a heavily breathing
Raidou arrived at the door. Ah, it�s
going to be one of those nights.
Iruka grinned as he pulled a few pine needles from the honey locks just
barely dusted with large, wet flakes.
He didn�t mind how frisky Genma got tonight, he was just glad everyone
was mending from the stresses of the last several months. Genma was carrying 2� packs of beer and
Raidou had a small bag of groceries and, as promised, a pail of fish. "Hey guys, come on in." He opened
the door and they removed their zori and outergarments before moving into the
kitchen.

"Hey, Ru," Genma
entered the kitchen and set the beer on the counter.

"Hey, Iruka. Where's Kakashi?" Raidou set the pail on the floor and began
removing ingredients from the bag.

"Still asleep. He was exhausted when he got in last night,
so I figured I'd let him sleep till we're ready to eat.� Iruka brought Raidou the soy milk and got
out the spare rice cooker. �He was a
little banged up when he got home, nothing serious, really. I patched up the worst of it, a cracked
wrist, and he�s pretty much been asleep since then.�

Raidou saw the faint blush
that stained Iruka�s cheeks and idly wondered exactly what that pretty much
entailed, but as he wasn�t nearly as perverted as Genma, he let it slide.

�Would you check him over
later, after dinner, Raidou?� asked the chuunin as he pulled out the bottle
opener. �Oooh. The winter brew.�

Raidou nodded as he snagged
a beer for himself and Genma and started adding the ingredients to the rice
cooker. Soy milk, coconut milk, finely
minced ginger, and honey joined the rice.

�For once he actually seems
to have taken care of himself. He used
this jutsu, Rai, and it immobilized it and kept the swelling down�� Iruka got
very enthusiastic whenever he encountered a new jutsu he thought would benefit
his students.

"Redirected the chakra
flow around the joint? Yeah, I know the
one, it's an old ANBU trick. A lot of
shinobi used it back in the wars, too.
Kakashi probably learned it then or maybe from his father. I know he and the Sannin used it more than
once back then. They don't teach it
anymore, though, because the chakra drain is such a bitch. You can't really move at much more than a
walk if you want to be of any use for the next four days. There were several incidents where shinobi
overused it and their whole patrol paid the price. Yes, that�s the real story behind that ambush near the bordertown
by Grass. It�s one of those little
tidbits they don�t really teach in school.�
Raidou�s voice grew quiet and somber.
�There were also some rumors that one of the shinobi with Hatake-san
used it on that mission. That�s
probably why you haven�t encountered it before. Tsunade would probably have Kakashi�s hide if she found out he
used it on a low-priority mission.�

Iruka took a slow pull on
his beer and blinked. �Four days? He
said he'd be fine after a night's sleep...�
He frowned and placed skewered chunks of kabocha on the little ceramic
grill.

Genma nonchalantly placed
his empty on the counter. �You've said it before, Iruka... Kakashi's definition
of fine and any other sane shinobi's definition of fine don't always mesh...�

Iruka growled. �He wasn't walking, either. He was running� at full ANBU pace.�

Raidou certainly was glad he
wasn�t in Kakashi�s shoes right now. Still, it probably wasn�t as bad as it
sounded. He eyed Genma, who was trying
to sneak one of the last three cans without him noticing. He was a trained shinobi. Did Genma really think he could get away
with it? Even if he did, there was no
way to hide the distinctive noise of the can�s pop-top. He turned his attention back to his
friend. �Relax, Iruka. Knowing him, he
tweaked the jutsu a little bit. Even Kakashi isn�t that uh... well... you
know... � Raidou floundered, looking
for a diplomatic word.

"Stupid? Idiotic?
Moronic?" Gen offered.

"I was thinking more
along the lines of stubborn, maybe."
Raidou temporized.

There was a loud pop-hiss
sound as Iruka punched the senbon-specialist in the shoulder, followed by a
loud slurping sound. Raidou and Iruka joined in laughter as Genma moved to
protect his newly semi-opened beer, thin metal sticking out of the top like a
straw as he desperately sucked the foaming Kirin. "Describing him, or you, Gen? I seem to remember a time when
you were just as stupid and stubborn about doctor visits. More, actually, since your particular ah afflictions
had such an impact on those around you...�

Genma had the good grace to
blush, but, being Genma, hid it behind the can.

�You eventually had some
sense knocked into you, I'm sure I can convince Kakashi as well, I may just
need to use more creative methods with him.�
He went silent, probably pondering ways of torturing, ah I mean
teaching, the jounin. After watching
Raidou smack his husband for trying to peek at the dessert, Iruka decided to
put the tokujou to work. �If you have
such a fascination with rice cookers, you can start the rice for dinner� and
I�m sure Raidou would love your help with the sashimi. Why don�t you clean the fish? Then maybe you can manage to stay out of
trouble until dinner�s served.�

Genma grumbled, but brought
the rice out of the cupboard, as ordered.
After starting up Iruka�s well worn but trusty Zo, he carefully washed a
kunai in the sink and retrieved the pail of fish. Raidou started to complain at the kunai, but subsided at Iruka�s
hand on his shoulder. �Which cut,
Raidou? You�re the expert fisherman who
landed these monsters��

Raidou quirked an eyebrow at
the monster moniker being applied to the dozen 6-inch long fish. �These are the last goby we�ll have until
September. I was lucky to find these so
late. It�s a bit untraditional, but do
either of you mind if we make two types of sashimi?� Both men shook their heads.
�Ok, Genma, take half and cut for thread sashimi, very thin lengthwise
strips of the skinned filets. For the
other six, leave the skin on the filets and we�ll put them in ice water until
the rice is done. I forgot to ask,
Iruka, I�m sure you have shiso leaves, but what about winter melon?�

Iruka thought. �I think there are a few in the root
cellar. Want me to check?�

�If you don�t mind. It really sets off the fish nicely if you
have one, and I can make you and Kakashi some soup one night later this week
with the leftovers if Genma doesn�t mind carving the bowl for you.� Raidou
stated as he watched Genma�s knife skills in this non-threatening application.
Well, non-threatening to anyone but the fish, that is�

Iruka trotted off to the
root cellar and Genma looked at Raidou, consideringly through shaggy
honey-colored strands, the senbon once more waggling between his lips. �I�m not sure I�m doing this right, Raidou�
Can you come over here and check?� (Hook�)

Raidou walked over behind
Genma, peering over his shoulder, staying just within peripheral sight, mindful
of recent events. �You�re doing just
fine, Genma. Very thin. Nice work,� Raidou commented professionally just
before Genma pressed back against Raidou�s groin. (Line�)

Genma waggled his senbon
suggestively and Raidou groaned, pushing Genma against the kitchen counter
(Sinker�) just as Iruka returned with a large, green, waxy gourd. (Awww, the
big one got away�)

�You didn�t have to send me
off for ingredients, Raidou. There�s
always the bathroom between dinner and dessert,� Genma laughed at the blush
mottling Raidou�s face as Iruka unconsciously echoed Genma�s earlier plea.

Raidou apparently decided
discretion was the better part of valor and ignored the comment in favor of
plating the fish. The thinly sliced goby was placed atop a bed of shiso leaves in
one corner of the plate. Shiso petals
were strewn on top. After patting them
dry, Raidou placed the now whitened, opaque, slightly curling filets on top of
a bed of ice in the other corner of the platter, separating the two
preparations with mounds of the shredded white gourd.

Iruka
finished basting the teriyaki on the grilled squash and started moving the
skewers to another platter as Genma put the rice in a large serving bowl. Raidou quickly grated a small mound of
ginger to be added to the soy for dipping the arai, and brought out the wasabi and soy for the sashimi. Iruka transferred the sweet, sticky mess to
a large blue ceramic dish and Raidou quickly added some diced mango before
putting it in the refrigerator to chill.
Plates and bowls were gathered, serving dishes carried in to the low
dining table. Genma selected an
appropriate sake to be warmed and a room temperature, yuzu-infused shochu that
would be a nice, citrusy accompaniment to the fish. Raidou and Genma finished the last preparations as Iruka softly
padded down the hallway to the bedroom.

He silently slid the door
open, the wood worn and smooth from decades of similar motions. The bedroom was still dark, the older
shinobi still laying on the thick futon.
Iruka watched him for a moment before stepping inside to wake him...
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Shouldering the Blame

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