Promise but Don't Break
Naruto and Sasuke usually sit quietly, side by side, watching. Sakura has already gone somewhere else, having become bored of the game.
Iruka glares. Kakashi ignores.
Naruto tilts his head to the side. "Kakashi-sensei is arrogant," he murmurs.
Sasuke sneers. "Iruka-sensei doesn't like to lose," he replies.
Iruka scolds. Kakashi grins.
Naruto blinks. "Kakashi-sensei won't go out with anyone lesser than a Jounin," he thinks thoughtfully.
Sasuke smirks. "Iruka-sensei can fight and win from some of the Jounin," he tells quietly.
Iruka fumes. Kakashi teases.
Naruto kicks his legs. "Kakashi-sensei wants someone just as strong as him," he whispers.
Sasuke gives an icy laugh. "Iruka-sensei is stronger than him," he says.
"It's some kind of never-ending dance," Naruto and Sasuke repeat always, "Kakashi-sensei wants someone as strong as him, but refuses to fight those that aren't from his rank. Iruka-sensei knows this, but he's stronger than Kakashi-sensei. Iruka-sensei knows many things, is strong, but he refuses to become Jounin. It's a never-ending dance, because they're both stubborn and they won't yield."
Iruka smirks. Kakashi blinks.
Naruto pauses. "Maybe it's a promise?" he wonders.
Sasuke blinks. "But what kind of promise would bind them like that?" he frowns.
When Iruka is alone, when only Naruto can come near him without being attacked in some way, he cries. Naruto knows he cannot interrupt. It's Iruka's moment of grief, and he mourns the dead, the missing and the betrayers with no distinction. Naruto can only make sure Iruka knows he's there and that Iruka is not hurting himself, and later murmur a subdued "It's not your fault," as they go to Ichiraku. Sometimes, Iruka doesn't cry, he goes to an empty field and begins to train. It's when Naruto doesn't find him in his home and only finds him after some time of searching, since Iruka sometimes changes where he goes. Iruka seems to appreciate the silent company, even if he says nothing to it.
When Kakashi is alone, when only Sasuke can hide his own presence from the adult and therefore watch, he rages. Not ranting or venting his frustration on someone else, but rather, he furiously claws at his covered Sharingan, making frustrated noises that remind Sasuke of a wounded animal. If Sasuke manages to catch Kakashi's attention, all he does manage to see is a maddened blue eye furiously searching for intruders in his moment. Sasuke knows it's his moment of grief, and only approaches later, pretending to be someone he's not and saying some words of comfort. Kakashi seems to appreciate the gesture, though he never says anything. Sasuke knows because on those days, the training isn't as harsh and afterwards they go to Ichiraku.
Iruka sighs. Kakashi leaves.
Naruto holds his head in his hands. "Iruka-sensei promised to not be a true, heartless killer," he tells uncertainly.
Sasuke crosses his legs on another seat. "Kakashi-sensei promised to not unjustly hurt the weaker, " he completes, understanding.
Iruka and Kakashi are seen as truly stubborn. When the quantity of Kakashi-fans heightened suddenly, the warning that he'd only go out with someone that defeated him spread, along with the restriction that he would not fight anyone from other ranks. Iruka had found the warning and restriction ridiculous, and keeps trying to prove that he's strong, but he refuses the Jounin exam.
They're left in a loop, bound by feelings and promises, refusing to break any of them.
Naruto and Sasuke watch a never-ending dance, where the past binds the future so tightly that they can't let go. And although Iruka and Kakashi don't know, they mourn for the chances that are left behind unused though very much wanted.
Aika: Not really a drabble and not really a one-shot... -shrugs- couldn't help it. Too many words. So little space. Didn't quite reach the good place of a thousand words, but overdid the usual hundred of drabbles. Like I can talk about it, my Yu-Gi-Oh! drabble has two hundred words... -sigh-. Well, that's it. KakashiIruka (can't say unrequited), and SasukeNaruto if you squint.