Little White Feathers.
"Good afternoon Kakashi-Sensei."
Kakashi looked up from the pages of his infamous orange book and straight into the eyes of one Umino Iruka, who merely smiled politely. The silver haired man nodded curtly in response and put his book into his weapons pouch and waited for the brunette to respond. After a few minutes he lost his patience.
"Good afternoon Iruka-Sensei, to what do I owe the honour?"
"Um… I was wondering how Naruto was getting on with his new training regime?"
Kakashi gave a small frown under his mask. He had been on the receiving end of the teachers' rather 'overprotective' tendencies before, especially when it concerned the blond fox boy. The two of them hadn't really spoken since the Chuunin exams and the Jounin had no real desire to start now, he knew it would just lead to trouble. After all neither man (Kakashi had found) could be civil when around the other, every time they came into contact one of them ended up being dragged away by an assortment of nins. The fact that Iruka was making the effort didn't sit very well with the copy-nin.
"Naruto is doing fine; in fact his training is coming along very nicely indeed."
"That's… good, very good." Iruka looked down frown lines creasing his forehead.
Kakashi's frown deepened, something really wasn't sitting right with this situation. He prided himself on being able see 'underneath the underneath' but at this moment in time he couldn't fathom out the reasoning why. The copy-nin decided to try a tactic considered a little unusual for him. Kakashi was going to be blunt.
"So what's the real reason you came to speak to me Iruka-Sensei."
The academy sensei at least had the decency to look remotely embarrassed and he muttered something under his breath. Kakashi gave a smirk; an embarrassed Iruka was an interesting thing.
"What was that Iruka-Sensei?"
"Naruto…" He muttered a little louder in reply, face turning a faint red colour.
"But we already had that conversation, he's doing fine."
Iruka's eyes narrowed in annoyance "That wasn't the conversation I meant..." he gave a sigh "Naruto isn't the reason why I'm speaking to you. He's the cause of why I'm speaking to you."
"The cause…?" Kakashi's visible eye widened in curiosity
"Naruto has seemed to have gotten it into his head that well…… we don't get on that well and he um… wants us to get along better."
Kakashi almost laughed out loud at the absurd confession. "He wants us to 'get along better?'"
Iruka nodded "Those weren't his exact words, I believe his exact words were to 'suck it up and stop acting like a pair two year olds around one another.' How could I argue with that?"
The silver haired man smirked "So what did he threaten you with?"
"You don't want to know." The brunette gave a sheepish smile.
"Then I'll not ask."
"So how about it, fancy not acting like a two year old and saving a man from a fate worse than death?"
Kakashi shrugged "What's in it for me?"
"All the sake you can drink."
"Works for me."
Iruka nodded in response and turned to leave, it was then that the silver haired man spotted it clinging to the bottom of the brunette's ponytail. A small feather, white as pure snow. Without even realising it Kakashi reached out and grabbed the feather, inadvertently pulling the other man's hair in the process. Iruka spun around fury blazing in his normally calm brown orbs.
"What the HELL!!"
"You had something in your hair…"
Kakashi held out the offending article, fully expecting the full brunt of Iruka's wrath to be rained down upon him. He had learnt not to underestimate the teacher, in particular his right hook. So it was to Kakashi's great surprise when no further outraged cries pierced his ears. Instead he was shocked to find Iruka just dumbly staring at the small feather clasped in his outstretched hand. Then he just turned on heel and walked off. It was now the copy-nins turn to stare dumbly, just what had that been all about? He was prevented from musing any further by a call from Iruka telling him to move his ass if he wanted to see tomorrow. Not missing any free invitation Kakashi followed, because even if the company wasn't that fantastic there would at least be sake.
~*~
Several hours later Kakashi could honestly say that this hadn't been the worst idea ever, in actuality he had enjoyed the evening immensely. The Jounin had discovered that when the two of them weren't fighting both he and Iruka had a fair amount in common. Of course at first the conversation had been... forced, but once the alcohol had begun flowing so had the words. By this point both men pretty inebriated.
Kakashi grinned and reached into his weapons pouch for his Icha Icha, he was curious to see what kind of reaction a drunk Iruka would have to his infamous novel. The orange book slid out of his pocket with practised ease and he opened it at his bookmark. He was about to start reading when something small caught his attention.
'Why is there a....feather??' his mind drunkenly rambled as he gazed at the object trapped in the spine of his book. Then in a flash his brain clicked into gear and the memory returned.
'Iruka, hair, wrath...FEATHER!'
With all the finesse he could muster (not much) two slim fingers plucked the tiny feather from it prison and held it up in front of his uncovered eye. The silver haired man twirled it around, sloppy smile under his mask. Just why had this insignificant object caused such an unusual reaction. Kakashi looked across to his companion, whose head was drooped on the table they were sitting at.
Time to do some investigating.
Feeling bold Kakashi poked the Sensei on the top of the head.
"Mmh... go away or at least make the room stop spinning." Iruka mumbled raising his arms and curling them around his head protectively.
The Jounin resisted the urge to giggle; he was a full grown man after all. Instead he amused himself by poking the brunette again, this time a little harder. Bloodshot eyes shot up and glared blearily.
"What!?" Iruka grumbled irritably.
Kakashi didn't say anything just twirled the white feather around in Iruka's face. The brunette just stared wistfully and gave a deep sigh, gingerly he reached out and plucked object reverently from the copy-nin's grasp.
"You want to know why?" Iruka said quietly, suddenly sounding a lot older than his twenty seven years.
Kakashi nodded slowly not liking the melancholy that had settled over the other man. He was starting to regret this whole endeavour, although he couldn't exactly explain why. It wasn't as if he really liked Iruka, after all this was the first 'civil' encounter the two of them had ever shared. Blaming his confusion on copious amounts of alcohol, Kakashi listened to the tanned man talk.
"It's an old and somewhat sentimental story my mother used to believe in. My mother said that the little white feathers were from the wings of those who had passed on and who were watching over you, guiding you.... for a long time I didn't believe in it, I've never been particularly religious and I rationalised the appearance of the feathers and then one day..."
Iruka drifted off and played with the end of his tail, a nervous habit of his Kakashi had noted. The silver haired man watched the Sensei with wonderment; he hadn't expected Iruka to the type to indulge in sentimentality, compassion yes, sentimentality no. Eagerly the Jounin waited for the brown haired man to continue.
"I'm sorry..."
Kakashi blinked at the statement.
"I must be boring you.... I'll go" The nervousness and embarrassment in Iruka's voice was obvious.
Kakashi blinked again and watched as the other man rose to leave, he had to do something he couldn't let his curiosity go unfulfilled. The copy-nin reached out and gently clasped the younger man's wrist. Iruka turned around red faced and levelled the Jounin with a glare.
Kakashi sighed. "You're not boring me Iruka-Sensei and you shouldn't be embarrassed about indulging in some sentimentality. Especially since you are not the only person who is guilty of doing so."
Iruka eyes widened in shock at the statement, was Kakashi saying what he thought he was saying?
Kakashi continued unsure of why he was telling the man this "Have you ever wondered why I am always so late to everything?"
"Yes" Iruka replied, startled that Kakashi would even consider telling him something like this.
"I'm always late because I spend most of my morning at the memorial stone; I talk to those I've lost. I need to have that feeling that at least someone out there is still looking out for me. I maybe a Shinobi but I'm still human and.... sentimental."
That last word was said in a wistful tone and Iruka sat back down looking both shocked and honoured at the same time. The brunette gave a small smile.
"Naruto"
"Huh?" Kakashi looked confused "What about him?"
Iruka gave small quiet laugh "The thing that changed my mind about the feathers. It was Naruto, they brought him to me."
The Jounin simply nodded with what Iruka assumed to be a smile on his face. Feeling slightly reassured the Sensei continued his explanation.
~ Flashback~
"Okay I think that's everything." a seventeen year old Iruka muttered to himself, readjusting the grocery bags balanced precariously in his arms.
The Konoha winter was setting in quickly and snow had already begun to fall coating the village in it's white incandescence. It was looking to be a harsh one too, the temperatures had already dropped well below normal and Iruka shuddered into his thick coat, currently very glad he'd saved up and bought it. The teen was brought out of his musings by a small blonde blur careening into him and knocking him flat on his back
After a few seconds Iruka regained his composure and looked down at the object that floored him and which was still sprawled over his torso. It was a child, a very..... Under dressed child. Iruka's brow puckered into a frown, what was a child this small doing running around in nothing but a pair of shorts? He sat himself up and braced his weight on one arm, while the other gently shook the dazed child.
"Come on kid wakey, wakey."
Big blue eyes in a small whiskered face looked up and Iruka felt his blood run cold.
Kyubbi.
This kid was the Kyubbi vessel.
The shivering child in his lap got to his feet, moved a few steps away and stood braced for something. Iruka couldn't even begin to think what that was.
"Aren't you gonna hit me?" The five year old voice piped up.
The brunette's eyes went wide with shock and a sick feeling settled in his stomach. The kid may be the Kyubbi vessel but he was still a human, a child for Kami's sake. Iruka forced down the wave of anger and turned back to the child.
"Why on earth would I do that?"
The little blonde shrugged "Dunno, it's what they all do."
Iruka bit back the fury crashing through his system "Well I'm not. What's you name kid?"
The child shuffled nervously on the balls of his bare feet.
"Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki."
Iruka smiled "Well come here Naruto."
Naruto hesitated, he'd only been alive for five years but he already knew that people being nice was a ploy. They lulled him in and then sucker punched him. Iruka saw the hesitation and really couldn't blame the child. If the small exchange they'd shared was anything to go by most of the village used him as a punching bag.
"I promise I'm not going to hurt you. I promise Naruto."
Again the hesitation was there and Iruka frowned, he had to get the child out of this weather. From where he was sitting Iruka could see the blue tinge to Naruto's skin, the onset of hypothermia.
"Okay don't come, but at least put this on." Iruka pulled of his coat and threw it toward the child.
Blue eyes went wide "Why?"
Iruka smiled his teeth chattering "Because believe it or not, not everyone in the village wants to hurt you. Now hurry up and put it on. If you come with me I'll fix you a hot meal too, just after I've picked up my groceries."
The whiskered face still managed to flush even in the chill "Sorry 'bout that."
"Hey accidents happen." Iruka said cheerfully, picking up one of the bags.
Ten minutes later Iruka was now precariously balancing not only his shopping but a coat clad Naruto on his back, but he didn't mind. He gazed up at the dark clouds in the sky, praying that the snow would hold off at least until they made it back to his apartment. He decided not to think about it, because that usually resulted in the very thing happening.
"Oh, look snow."
Damn. No such luck.
The teen looked up at the sky waiting for the inevitable snow storm and yet saw nothing.
"Snow?" he asked the child clinging to his back.
The small blonde grinned and pointed upwards, Iruka's gaze drifted to where the small child was pointing, he squinted and then he saw it. A lone white something was floating down from the sky, slowly it floated down toward them. Around Iruka's neck Naruto held out his hands to catch the object, as it drifted down the brunette saw that it was a feather. His eyes widened, it was the middle of winter there were no birds in Konoha at this time of year. So where on earth had the feather come from? Iruka's mind wandered back to when he was small and his mother finding a similar feather and the story she told him.
"It's pretty." The small blonde said, clutching the feather tight.
A smile crossed the teens face "Yeah it is, come on lets go get some food."
~End Flashback~
Kakashi smiled under his mask "No wonder the kid is so attached to you."
Iruka laughed "I think it's more the fact that I gave him food. I couldn't get rid of him after that."
The Jounin laughed in response "That makes sense, that kid can eat for the fire country."
Outside the bar the clock tower began to chime the bells for midnight. The brunette's eyes widened, was that really the time? The Chuunin turned to Kakashi and smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry Kakashi-Sensei I've got to get going, school tomorrow and all that."
Kakashi nodded "I understand. This has been fun we'll have to do this again sometime."
"Yeah, we should. See you round Kakashi−Sensei."
"Goodnight Iruka−Sensei."
The brunette blushed and bowed before turning and leaving. Kakashi watched the academy teacher leave, a smile on his face. The evening had certainly been interesting and the Sensei even more so. He was looking forward to their next meeting.
Really looking forward to it.
~The End~
A/N: I'm writing this because I feel I have to explain the reasoning behind this fic, to me this is quite a personal story. Iruka's mothers belief is actually my own mothers belief and I suppose in a roundabout way Iruka's reaction is my own. When my Uncle died a few months back I was having a really rough time and weirdly enough I did keep finding tiny white feathers everywhere. The day I got my interview for my job I found two clinging to my coat. So I'm kinda a believer now ^_^