Title: A matter of chocolates
Characters: GirlGenin Iruka, AnbuTeenKakashi
Summary: Kakashi attempts to make Iruka stop crying
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does... wish I did but I don't
Warnings: Gender Bender...
Dedicated to Beasiesgal


The little brunette sniffled and hugged her knees, her pony tail swishing as she scrubbed her face on her arms. Kakashi had seen her at the stone several times before, talking to her parents. 'Iruka', he'd heard the third call her that once. She cried a lot when she thought nobody was looking but the minute anyone saw her she'd scrub them away and give the most blindingly bright smiles, like nothing in the world could ever be wrong. He liked that smile, it made him wish he was half as brave as her and didn't have to hide his pain not one but two mask. He'd had the blue one for years but the white one was new, he'd had to add it after Minato-sensei died. Maybe that was why he didn't like to see her cry... why it always caught his attention.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi asked, springing from the tree and landing right in front of her.

Iruka startled and nearly fell over backwards despite the fact she was already sitting. "I wasn't crying," she said wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands, like it could erase the fact. It didn't. The blotchy redness didn't fade and it seemed to make the scar that cut across her nose and cheeks stand out more.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi repeated.

"Nothing... just because nobody wants my stupid chocolates doesn't mean anythings wrong..." Iruka mumbled, looking away, frowning and furrowing her brow. "Valentine's day is stupid anyway."

It was then he noticed the box sitting beside her. He picked it up and pulled the top off. Inside were several very sloppy chocolates, obviously hand-made. "You tried to give these to somebody?"

"Well..." The irritated look fell off Iruka's face and she sighed. "I was going to... but Mizuki showed me the ones Tsubaki gave him and they were perfect and he kept saying how good they were and that'd he'd have to get her something for white day..." She frowned again. "Stupid Tsubaki, stupid Mizuki, stupid Valentine's Day."

"Why didn't you give them to somebody else?" Kakashi asked, setting the box down, not sure why 'Mizuki' was so important.

Iruka sighed and looked away. "Everyone else laughs at me and they'd just laugh more. They don't look very good..."

Kakashi hated sweets, he really did so he wasn't quite sure what possessed him to pick up one of the chocolates and quickly fumble with the masks while she was looking away. It tasted fine, for a chocolate, even if he didn't like them. "They don't taste bad so if they don't want them can I have them?" He didn't want them but she seemed want somebody to want them and if it would stop her crying he would eat them.

She looked up, looked back down at the box, then at him again. "You want them?" Iruka asked, clearly skeptical.

"Yes. Can I have them?" He didn't pick the box back up as he asked, but looked from her to it.

Iruka grinned, picked the box up and haphazardly put the lid back on before shoving it at him. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

It amazed him how the effect that smile had on him. Kakashi felt like he'd been waiting for it the entire time and really he supposed he had. "Thank you..." He took the box then disappeared back into the trees, stopping only once he was out of sight and then only long enough to look back and make sure she was still smiling. She was.