Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the other wonderful people mentioned in this fic. (I wouldn't work at Walmart if I did!)
The Birthday of the Fourth
By Tintiger
As Iruka watched, the child clumsily tried to stand up. After a few tip-overs the boy, whom he instinctively knew to be Naruto, gained his new position and grinned up at the tall figure standing in front of him. The Yondaime smiled down proudly at the child and scooped him up in a close embrace. "I'm so proud of you, my son . . . He murmured into the boy's soft yellow hair, so proud."
Wait, the Yondaime had died before Naruto was able to even think about trying to stand up. Iruka thought to himself as the realization woke him from his light doze. And Naruto as the Yondaime's son? Well that could be possible. Naruto does resemble the deceased hero quite closely. He stretched his muscles to their limit, basking in the warm sun shining through his window.
Today was a special holiday, so Iruka had taken advantage of a rare day that he could sleep in. There were no classes at the academy today because it was the fourth's birthday. Konoha celebrates the birthdays of all the past Hokages, but many felt the one of their hero, Yondaime, was the most important. After all if he had not sealed the nine-tailed fox thirteen years ago, Konoha would be nothing but a memory.
Iruka smiled and though how fitting to be dreaming about the man on this day. He owed the Yondaime so much more then the rest of the village. He had left Naruto for Iruka. I'll have to stop and thank him properly sometime today. Iruka thought as he rolled out of his futon and headed for the shower.
As Iruka prepared his breakfast, he mused on his life and friends. If he had been called on to make the sacrifice that the Yondaime had, would he have been willing? He doubted that he would have had the courage. So intent was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice the bright orange clad Naruto had entered his apartment, until he dropped into the chair across from him.
"Oh, Naruto I didn't hear you come in. He greeted the boy with a smile. What's wrong?" His smile dissolved into a worried frown as he saw the look on Naruto's face.
The boy looked at him. "What makes you ask that Iruka-sensei? Everything is fine. Jiraiya-sensei let me skip training today, Sakura-chan wasn't drooling over Sasuke today yet, and I went to visit the Yondaime-sama this morning. I think he's tired of being in the ground." He joked with a grin pasted on his face.
Anyone who didn't know Naruto as well as Iruka, may very well have believed that everything was fine. But Iruka knew Naruto better then anyone, and he wasn't buying it. "Naruto, he chided in his best scolding sensei voice, you know better then to try fooling me like that."
At the admonishment Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Well . . . He began slowly, accepting the cup of tea that Iruka pushed toward him, it's just . . . it's just, today they all hate me the most. Because I survived instead of the Yondaime. When I went to the KIA memorial to honor him, they all glared at me so I left." He finished sadly.
"Naruto, I'm sorry. He didn't know what else to say. A few years ago he was on the villagers' side. Even though Iruka had taught the boy every day at the academy, he would join the others, hating the boy who had lived while the Fourth, their hero, had perished. That was before, now he was so ashamed of all those years. I'm so sorry."
"Hey Iruka-sensei it's ok. Naruto came around the table and wrapped Iruka in a fierce bear-hug, I forgave you a long time ago, so don't worry about it." He stepped back and smiled. They can glare at me all they want, I'm still gonna be Hokage!"
Iruka grinned. "Are you sure? You're still pretty short, Hokages are usually tall, he teased. Anyway Naruto I was planning on visiting the Fourth as well. Would you like to come with me?"
At this question, Naruto grinned, not a fake grin, but a genuine one. "Yeah, yeah, believe it! He exclaimed.
As the two of them walked down the street, Iruka told Naruto a little about the Fourth, ok maybe it was a lot. He hadn't meant to make it sound like a lecture, but he was a teacher after all. Naruto didn't really seem to mind though, and that just encouraged Iruka to tell more. As they rounded the corner down from Iruka's apartment, they found Sasuke leaning against the wall by the bakery.
Now Sasuke had been minding his own business, standing, enjoying the solitude, and the smells coming from the bakery. They were baking raisin bread, his favorite, though no one but Itachi would know that now, and probably wouldn't care even if he did. All of the sudden he heard Iruka coming and talking about the Yondaime. He discovered, before Iruka rounded the corner, that he was actually interested in what the older man had to say. Plus when Iruka started talking in his lecture voice, Sasuke by force of habit, felt that he had to listen. So when Iruka and Naruto appeared, he followed along.
Naruto spun around at him. "What do you want Sasuke? He queried, with annoyance in his voice. We're going to visit the Yondaime-sama so I can't fight with you now!"
Sasuke was slightly surprised, he didn't think Naruto used the Sama honorific on anyone. "Shut up idiot, I want to hear what Iruka-sensei was saying about the Yondaime." He fixed one of his glowering scowls on Naruto.
"SASUKE!!! Naruto bellowed angrily, if I . . ." Iruka stepped in front of him and Naruto cut his attack short.
"Come on Naruto, Sasuke-kun can come if he wants to. The more people the better. He smiled a gentle smile to calm Naruto down. I think that the Fourth would enjoy a visit from Sasuke-kun too."
Naruto huffed, a tad upset about the subtle admonishment that Iruka had given him in front of Sasuke. "Fine."
A little further down the street they met Sakura. Sakura was thrilled to see them, or to be more accurate, to see Sasuke. She quickly joined the group, chatting the whole way about something to Sasuke. Until he got annoyed and told her that he was trying to listen to Iruka. After acting hurt for a little while and not getting sympathy from Sasuke, she too was drawn into the lesson on Yondaime.
closer they got to the Fourth's memorial the larger the group became. Ino saw Sakura walking with Sasuke and wanted to be sure nothing was going on between them. Shikamaru felt that he couldn't abandon Ino, even though it was such a drag. He also pulled Chouji along for emotional support. Hinata joined because Naruto was there, and also partly because it was a group and it wasn't obvious that Naruto was the reason she came along. Kiba saw Hinata was in the group and joined to make sure that she would be ok. Lee wasn't about to be left behind so he tagged along at Gai-sensei's suggestion that he go and frolic with his youthful peers. Even Konohamaru and his gang tagged along after their "Boss."
Iruka had long run out of things that he knew about the Yondaime and was now listening to his former students all interact. They all seemed to be enjoying the sunny afternoon. Even Sasuke had stopped frowning and was, well he wasn't really smiling, but his normally gloominess seemed to have lessened a little. Iruka was so proud of them all, they were growing and bonding. Accepting each others differences and starting to get along.
They reached the cemetery and everyone hushed respectfully. Ino handed out the white peonies that she had brought along when she had learned where they were headed. Iruka lead the group through the marker stones until they reached the Fourth's. The freshly cleaned memorial stone shown in the sun. The light seemed to fall over the stone in silent blessing for the man who had done so much for the village. Only one figure stood here at the Yondaime's privet marker. One figure dressed in black, paying silent respects to the hero.
"Iruka-sensei, do you think it's really ok for us to come here? Isn't only family allowed? Naruto asked in an only slightly hushed tone. Aren't we supposed to visit the KIA memorial? Everyone else is."
Shaking his head, Iruka smiled at Naruto. "It isn't wrong to be here. In the village everyone is family, especially to the Hokage. Besides would you rather have me come visit you in the mission room or at your house?" He whispered gently.
Slowly Iruka stepped forward and laid the peony Ino had given him on the white stone. Then he stepped back, joining the figure in black and making room for the teens to follow his example, as they had so often in the past.
Silently Iruka thanked Yondaime for the work he had done for the village and the selfless way that he had given his own life to protect them all. He thanked the Fourth for being a consent inspiration of courage, for him and the young ninja that followed after. He also thanked the Fourth for always watching over the village. Most of all he thanked him for Naruto. Even the way that the fox was locked inside of Naruto, the hardships that he faced because of it had tempered him into an understanding, caring, person.
One by one they all paid their respects and thought of the Yondaime's sacrifice. Then they quietly melted away leaving Iruka and the man beside him in quiet companionship. After the last young ninja had left, Kakashi Hatake turned to Iruka.
"Thanks." Was all that Kakashi said. But to Iruka, his face spoke volumes under his mask. Kakashi had started to believe that people had forgotten that his sensei had been a real person. So caught up in the hero that he had become, that the happy, caring, somewhat clumsy, 'Yellow Flash' was forgotten. But Iruka had remembered the man, not just the name on the KIA memorial, and shown the kids as well. That made Kakashi happier he had been for a long time.
Iruka turned back to the stone marker. "Sure." He simply replied. It seemed to him that the sun shown even more brightly as the Fourth grinned a, 'Naruto' grin down on them as a thank-you.
-End-