... So. Fanfiction, eh? It's been a while.
There were times when Hatake Kakashi wondered why he had ever become a teacher.
Was it the late nights, the bad pay, the crowded lunch hours and the disrespect? Was it that he missed out on eating most days because he had to sit down, put the glasses on and go over test paper after test paper after test paper all for the sake of a bunch of adolescent maniacs who had next to no interest in his subject anyway? Or was it simply the students themselves? Hormonal and difficult and annoying and emotional, who he was bound by law not to strangle senseless, but to protect and look out for?
He looked at the stack of papers on his desk, then the sun unfairly far away outside his window, and the two students standing at the door of his staffroom, and decided that it was probably all of the above.
"Hatake-sensei? We were looking for Sarutobi-sensei?"
"Hes on class."
"Ah. Okay. Thanks, then."
And that was probably it the highest point on the incredibly flat rollercoaster that was his typical day. School life was monotonous and boring, as much for the teachers as it was for the students. But it was worse for him, he thought. They might think that learning about things like literary techniques were boring, but at least they didnt have to repeat it to an unwilling crowd ad nauseam, day after day, week after week, month after month until the thought of smashing ones brains out against the whiteboard started to look unsettlingly appealing. So then, the question was: Why did he keep doing it?
The simple answer was that he didnt know what else to do. Stuck in a familiar rut was still better than being stuck somewhere unfamiliar. School was based around a routine dull, but tolerable and everyone understood his character enough to know when to leave him alone or when to speak to him as well as what they could and could not speak to him about. Unfortunately, the conversation frame was tiny, and the vast majority of his colleagues had given up really trying. Most would call his existence lonely, and, if he was honest with himself, he would probably label it the same, but it worked for him, and he didnt see any real need to change it. Nobody was particularly worth stepping outside the shell for anyway.
He sat back in his chair and looked through the window again. The sky outside was bright, but it was winter, and the temperature was deceptive. He caught the eye of a student passing by and received a snarl for his trouble. Sasuke stalked away with his usual storm cloud hovering over his head, and Kakashi reconsidered.
Maybe he should make more of an effort to socialise, if only for the brats sake. Kakashi felt hed lived his life well enough up to this point, scraping by socially on looks and a mysterious demeanor alone, but he had his doubts about Sasuke. Whereas the guy had the same prodigious abilities, he seemed at a loss with what to do with them. At sixteen, he still hadnt been in any sort of relationship - not even so much as a drunken one night stand. Kakashi knew he came home, studied, then went to bed. Never so much as a phone call was made or answered unless absolutely necessary, and whenever people - two girls in particular - dropped by, he'd speak no more than he had to before slamming the door in their faces.
No tact. No social ability whatsoever.
"Morning, Hatake-sensei!" grinned a student passing by the door.
Kakashi grunted dismissively, waving a hand without even bothering to see who it was.
But seriously. Something had to be done about Sasuke. He hadn't had the happiest life so far, Kakashi understood, but everyone had issues - including Kakashi himself. Problem was, Sasuke dwelled on it. For someone like Kakashi, who had come to a decision a long time ago to operate firmly under the belief that if you ignored it, it would go away, he was at a loss with what to do. At least Kakashi already knew all about Itachi, and Sasuke was aware of that, so if he wanted to talk, Kakashi was there. He need only ask.
...
Ah. And there goes the bell. Same time as usual.
He blew hair from his eyes with a bored huff and got to his feet, conveniently ignoring the year 12 essays that needed urgent attention. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he made his way out onto the grounds, cutting a path through the swarm of newly-freed students as he did so.
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Playground duty was by no means an entertaining pastime, but at least he was outside, away from those pesky papers. He stood at the edge of the school oval, casually slumped, chewing nonchalantly on a piece of cake kindly donated to him by one of the canteen ladies. At least that made a nice change. In front of him, students were either standing around and eating or playing games of soccer and football on the grass. Kakashi marveled at their energy. There was a time when he could have run around for hours, too. It seemed like an age ago now. Was he getting old? Or did the boredom just make life seem longer? He took another bite of cake, mind completely null and void of anything significant.
That was, until an old, loud car made its way into the student car park, roaring and spluttering like no machine Kakashi had ever heard. Everyone on the oval stopped and turned, like predators sensing prey. Kakashi found himself caught up in it. He kept his eye on the two people that got out of the shrieking car.
...
Truth be told, it was a let down. At least, Kakashi thought, one of them could have had tentacles or something. Maybe a pair of wings or even kinky thigh-high boots? Just something more than a blond in the senior uniform accompanied by a tanned guy with a ponytail, who was, despite the scar across his nose, probably the most normal person that Kakashi had ever seen. At least the younger one looked like he had some kind of personality.
It seemed everyone else was of the same opinion. As the two newcomers made their way up the path past the oval, the other students turned away and returned to what they were doing beforehand. A cold winter breeze blew across Kakashi as he stood, still watching them. The older of the two had singled him out and was heading his way. As a teacher, Kakashi couldnt very well just ignore or run away from anyone who was obviously a new student with his guardian, but he tried to make himself look as distant as possible nonetheless.
No such luck.
"Hello! My names Umino Iruka, and this is Uzumaki Naruto. Are you a teacher here?"
Kakashi sighed inwardly. Such a generic greeting. Once again, nothing interesting worth noticing, except that they both seemed unnaturally bright.
"Yup."
"In that case, could you tell me where to find the front office? Need to enroll this guy, and apologise for being late." White teeth stood out against tanned skin as he smiled. His good humour was actually kind of irritating. Kakashi found himself hoping that something would happen soon to smoosh that out of him, and was surprised. That was unreasonably hostile, even for him.
"Its over there," he mumbled, uninterested, raising an arm and pointing blithely. "Can't miss it."
There was that smile again. "Thanks. Come on, Naruto. Youre already late enough without making it worse." He gestured for the blond to follow him before continuing up the hill, but Naruto stayed, eyeing Kakashi suspiciously. The teacher returned his look blankly, sneakily taking another bite of cake and chewing nonchalantly.
"Why're you hiding your face?" he asked, standing on tiptoe and trying to see over the high colour of his jacket. "Are you ugly?"
"Heartbreakingly so," Kakashi answered agreeably.
On the interesting scale it was better than anything else that had happened that day - or that week, for that matter - but being asked about his face wasnt that uncommon. Strangely enough, more strangers asked him than acquaintances. Certainly no student of his ever had, although the odd comment was made every so often when they thought he couldnt hear them.
"Where'd your other eye go?" was the next question that came straight from the blond's mouth. "Do you even have one? Why do you hide it? Does it shoot lasers?"
Kakashi was about to answer that yes, yes it did, when Naruto was grabbed by the collar and yanked away from him. Iruka scolded him for annoying others and apologised to a mildly amused teacher before dragging him onwards and upwards towards the front office. Kakashi watched them go, listening to the cries of protest as the student, bent over because of the difference in height, tried to struggle free of Irukas iron grip.
Kakashi stayed still for a bit, then took another bite of cake, acknowledging Sasuke's sudden presence beside him with a brief glance.
"I'm not going to be in class next period," the student told him. Kakashi was aware of the girls who had suddenly stopped what they were doing to turn towards his charge, and hoped the reason for his absence would involve one - or more - of them.
"Where're you going?" he asked in the spirit of duty.
"I have an appointment," was the reply. That said, Sasuke promptly left. He was never one to linger if he had nothing to say. Kakashi didnt bother to ask what sort of appointment the teenager had. He wasnt one to skip class without a reason.
Truth be told, it was a little annoying having such a good student under his care.
I don't even know where I'm going with this. Want to play around with two - maybe even three - pairings though. KakaIru +....? You can guess if you'd like?
...
Um. It ate my commas and speechmarks... That's really annoying...