A/N: Not entirely sure how a conversation about Ayrton Senna spawned into this... All I know is that Boris won't stop biting my ankle and I did think this idea was kinda sweet.
Disclaimer: The guys are NOT MINE! *Sobs* They belong to Kishimoto; I just enjoy playing with them.
Unbeta'd so mistakes are all mine.
Benefactor
"Thank you again for your help Iruka-Sensei."
Iruka smiled softly at the young woman and stepped down from the ladder he had been precariously balanced on, keeping a tight grip on the bucket of tacks.
"It's not a problem Gishiki-san. Hokage-sama said that you needed some help preparing for some kind of celebration."
The young lady known as Gishiki-san grinned madly and nodded emphatically.
"It's Benefactor day."
"Benefactor day?" Iruka asked confused.
Gishiki laughed lightly and flicked her auburn hair over her shoulder.
"I always forget that people outside of the orphanage don't know about today."
Dark brows rose in amusement and Iruka found his curiosity peaked.
"So humour this outsider and explain this little celebration to me, it sounds interesting."
"Well it all started about seven years ago. One morning the manager came to the front door and there was a basket full of cash, with a note saying that it was for the orphanage."
Here Gishiki paused seemingly lost in thought.
"We thought it was a hoax at first but when the basket didn't poof into nothing and no one came to claim it back we assumed the donation was genuine. So we spent the money on renovating the building."
"Renovating...? Just how much money was in there?"
"A lot. It was surprising the first time we received the donation, even more so the next year when we received another one, on the same date and even larger than the one previously given."
Iruka's eyes went very, very wide. Just who had that kind of cash that they could give such a substantial donation every year? It was completely insane.
"This time one of the children found it... and well how do you explain that to a child? So we made up 'Benefactor day' and celebrate it every year. The children make little gifts and bake things and we leave them out for whoever it is."
"Whoever it is... You mean you don't know who it is?"
"I'm afraid not Iruka-Sensei and not through lack of trying. Everyone who tries to find out who it is ends up falling asleep. Last year I woke up with an awful crick in my neck."
The brunette laughed in earnest at the embarrassed look on the young woman's face; apparently he wasn't the only one with a healthy dose of curiosity.
And curious he was.
It was clear that whoever the benefactor was they had some shinobi training, the simple sleep genjutsu attested to that. Mentally he ran through people in his mind that would have such an extensive cash-flow and were not too stingy to share their wealth. It left a virtually non-existent list of people and the only person he could think of was nowhere near old enough to be carrying out such an elaborate ruse for such a long period of time. Rubbing his hands together Iruka smiled evilly, it was time to crack out his old kit.
Later that evening the brunette found himself crouched in the bushes outside of the orphanage. Gishiki had given him enough information to form a quick plan of attack and he had painstakingly set up his traps and wards to capture the mysterious benefactor. So now all he had to do was wait.
Hours ticked by and Iruka kept himself focused on the task at hand. Stake-outs had never really been the brunette's forte but when he put his mind to something there was very little that could stop him. Finally a crackle of chakra rippled through the air and instantly set the Chuunin on edge.
The benefactor had finally arrived.
A thick fog quickly rolled in shrouding the whole area in white and Iruka could sense the controlled chakra rolling through it. It seemed he'd been right about whoever it was being a shinobi, the hidden-mist jutsu required finesse and control to perform correctly. Intently the brunette stared out into the soup, looking for any sign of movement and unsurprised to find none. Shifting his gaze he focused on the entrance to the orphanage, the final destination of the benefactor and the area where Iruka had laid most of his traps.
The fog seemed to swirl around the doorway, taking the form of a figure. It moved forward and the brunette waited with bated breath as it stepped into his barrier trap. The air flashed as the trap activated trapping the apparition inside, the smoky being seemed to turn around and scan the surrounding area, apparently looking for the scoundrel who had trapped them.
Feeling confident that the benefactor was truly ensnared in his trap Iruka moved out from his hiding place and began to walk toward the entrance. He reached the edge of the barrier and smirked triumphantly at the entity, who looked extremely bored by the whole situation.
"So you're the mysterious benefactor, I have to admit I expected more."
The fog figure merely shrugged and the waved what Iruka assumed toe a hand in a nonchalant fashion. The brunette felt his temper flare at the person's audacity; just who did they think they were?
The moment of distraction cost Iruka dearly.
Before he even realised it the barrier that had been separating the Chuunin from the benefactor had been destroyed and the entity was standing almost on top of the brunette. Iruka's eyes went very wide as he realised how badly he'd underestimated his opponent. Whoever they were they were highly skilled as not just anyone could remove that particular barrier, it required incredible chakra control and an in depth understanding of advanced traps. The figure once again raised his hand this time waving a foggy finger from side to side in a condescending way. Frustrated Iruka drew a kunai and lobbed it haphazardly past the persons head; it cut through the fog surrounding the head, a slight wisp in the air indicating that it had come into contact with something.
This appeared to annoy the benefactor as they rushed forward toward the brunette. Iruka tried to move out of the person's way but found himself rooted to the spot, growling at the bastard as he realised the entity had reversed the polarity of one of his snaring traps. The figure stopped in front of the brunette and once again wagged it's finger like a disapproving mother. It then very slowly and deliberately moved it upwards and extended it into a noticeable point before jabbing it forwards and nailing the Chuunin square in the forehead.
Iruka instantly felt his eye lids begin to droop and try as he might he just couldn't stave off the wave of sleep that assaulted him. The last thing the brunette remembered before he succumbed to slumber was a pair of strong arms catching him as his legs gave way.
Brown eyes fluttered open and Iruka groaned as his head pounded like a kettle drum. He shifted slightly, wincing as his back began screaming in pain. Just why exactly was he so sore? Finally fully rousing the Chuunin shot upright, the memories from the previous evening flooding back through his mind. That cheeky git had completely ripped through his traps like they were nothing and then had the utter cheek to knock him out cold for the entire night. Furious, Iruka clambered to his feet or at least attempted to, as he rose he almost tripped as his legs became entangled in the sleeping bag he had been placed in.
Shocked, he stared down at the standard issue sleeping bag and felt his opinion of the benefactor rise a notch, whoever they were they at least clearly cared about their comrades. Extracting himself from the bag he walked toward the entrance and as predicted the basket full of ryou was waiting. Even though he was annoyed he'd been tricked by the benefactor he felt happy that his meddling hadn't interfered with the donation.
Out of the corner of his eye Iruka spotted the glint of metal and made his way over to retrieve his kunai. He reached down and picked up the weapon, the weight a familiar and comforting feeling in his hand. Slowly the brunette examined the blade for damage and it was then that he noticed it. There, snagged between one of the tiny cuts in the blade was a small tuft of silver coloured hair. Grasping the feather light strands between his fingers Iruka felt a smile bloom across his lips; it appeared he'd gotten his answer after all.
He had an infamous perverted Jounin to see.
Five hours, six minutes and twenty nine seconds later found Iruka standing outside the apartment of one Hatake Kakashi. He hadn't expected it to be so difficult to find out where the Jounin lived, but the guy was practically a hermit. It was only after he used some of his well honed persuasion techniques (or threats as some would call them) that he made any progress and got the information he needed.
Tentatively he raised a fist and knocked on the wooden door not really sure what he was going to say to the man, that was of course if he deigned him with a reply. The brunette waited patiently for the Jounin to answer, he knew Kakashi was home he'd checked with the mission desk. Frustration began to bubble beneath the surface and Iruka rapidly found his temper beginning to flare. He raised his fist and thumped again but instead of hitting wood, his hand came into contact with an unclothed shoulder.
Eyes wide Iruka rose his gaze from the pale shoulder to meet a tired but amused storm coloured orb.
"Hello Iruka-Sensei, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
The Chuunin felt his ire spike at the man's attitude, how dare he act so casual after knocking him out cold all night. He folded his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired man, who looked utterly disinterested in the world at large.
"I think you know exactly why I'm here Kakashi-san, don't play coy with me."
A silver brow arched.
"Really Iruka-Sensei you should know me by now, I don't play coy."
Iruka narrowed his eyes further and pursed his lips into a scowl, trying to will away his anger. He knew the Jounin would use his temper against him as a means of misdirection and there was no way he was leaving without an answer. He needed to be calm, focused, to win a battle of wills with the copy-nin. Taking a deep breath he met the amused stare of the silver-haired man.
"I know it was you Kakashi-san."
There was no perceivable change in the man but the air shifted slightly around the Jounin.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Iruka-Sensei."
The lie was flawless, Iruka would give Kakashi that much. Of course that wasn't exactly difficult when three quarters of your face were hidden from view, but what was visible was his body language and that was perfectly controlled. That was until the man attempted to stifle a yawn, the Chuunin grinned.
"I think you do Kakashi-san, up late last night were we?"
There was a brief flicker of something but it had vanished before the brunette could even latch on to it. Kakashi's natural eye blinked a few times before curving up into a happy arc.
"Very late, but what happens between the sheets, stays between the sheets. Right Iruka-Sensei? And I'm not really one to kiss and tell."
Fury erupted behind the brown orbs and Iruka attempted to wrestle in his temper once more. The man was such a pervert, but maybe, just maybe he could play the man at his perverted game. A wicked smile broke out across tanned features; let's see how much the copy-nin liked it when he fought back.
A slender mahogany brow rose to punctuate the next statement.
"Oh very true Kakashi-San but next time at least make sure I'm awake before having your wicked way with me."
Now that got a reaction, the formerly lazy looking eye widened and even behind the mask Iruka could see the man's jaw drop. Inwardly the Chuunin was laughing his ass off, he always loved being able to shatter peoples preconceptions of himself.
"So are you going to tell me the truth Kakashi-San or do I have to I have to take my findings to someone else."
At this an unreadable look crossed the Jounin's face as he stared at Iruka, trying to take a measure of the brunette. Apparently the silver-haired man thought he had squat as he merely shrugged and began to close the door in Iruka's face.
"Fun as this has been Iruka-Sensei I have things to be getting on with. I still have no idea what you are talking about and since I see no proof I'll assume whatever little crusade you are on has nothing to do with me."
Taken aback by the brashness in the man's tone Iruka felt himself bristle. He was unwilling to let this drop he just knew the Jounin was the benefactor, he'd gone through every possible candidate in his head and Kakashi was the only one who fit all the parameters.
Fine, if the silver-haired man wanted proof then proof he would have.
The brunette rummaged around through the pockets of his Chuunin vest and extracted a small, transparent plastic bag. Inside was the small tuft of silver coloured hair that Iruka had caught on his blade. With a smug grin on his face he held up the bad in front of the Jounin and cocked a dark brow, challenging Kakashi to contradict him.
"Look familiar?"
To his credit the Jounin didn't show a shred of emotion and just stared blankly at the small bag.
"That could be anyone's, just because it's a similar colour to mine doesn't mean it is."
Iruka's smirk widened, he had expected that response.
"That may be true Kakashi-San, but out of all the people who share this hair colour you are the only one except the Hyuuga elder who has the money to contribute the substantial donation that the orphanage received."
Kakashi was still stood very still but his body had taken on the tenseness that bespoke a defence reflex kicking in. Inner Iruka began to do a victory dance; he knew he had caught the copy-nin out.
There was a brief, awkward moment between the two of them before Kakashi stepped aside leaving the doorway open.
"I think you better come in Sensei."
Inner Iruka promptly stopped dancing.
The brunette just about controlled the urge to flee, the serious tone of voice the Jounin using enough to set even the most battle hardened warrior on edge. Iruka weighed up his options, on one hand he could run away. But that was futile, pointless and wouldn't get him the answers he was looking for. On the other hand he could enter the copy-nin's apartment, possibly get the answers he wanted or possibly end up dead. He seriously doubted the Jounin would hurt him over something so trivial but then again the higher ranks were not exactly sane.
Iruka shook his head, no Kakashi wouldn't hurt him, he was a comrade.
Taking a deep breath he stepped inside and tried not to shudder as he heard the door click shut behind him. Turning he faced the silver-haired man, who was casually leaning against the doorframe.
"So what do you want?"
Iruka's eyes widened in confusion.
"What do you mean Kakashi-San?"
"What do you want to keep quiet?"
"I... What?"
Kakashi folded his arms across his chest, his visible eye narrowed and hard.
"Don't play dumb with me Sensei; you must have something you want otherwise you wouldn't have come to me."
The brunette shrank back, suddenly regretting his hasty decision. The Jounin's chakra began to swirl around the room.
"I don't want anything!"
"Stop playing games, tell me what you want!"
Kakashi snarled stepping forward using his height to tower over the Chuunin but Iruka stood his ground.
"I WANT TO KNOW WHY!"
The silver-haired man's eyes went wide as the brunette bellowed down his ear.
"W-what?"
"I want to know why, I was just... I just was curious. I really don't want anything Kakashi-San I just want to know why."
The taller man sighed and took a step back allowing Iruka some breathing room. A tense, awkward silence filled the room and the Chuunin fidgeted nervously. This had been a mistake, he knew that now, he shouldn't have butted his nose in where it didn't belong. And now he had offended and upset one of the most infamous shinobi in the five nations. Guilt wormed it's way through Iruka's stomach as he watched Kakashi walk across the room to the window, absently picking up one of the two photos stood on the sill.
Unsure of what to do the brunette just stood and watched the Jounin, waiting for him to either answer his question or ask him to leave.
Kakashi stood silent just staring at the photo the ghosts of his past assaulting his senses, his mistakes laid bare in front of him. He let out a deep sigh and walked back toward Iruka, holding out the photo for the man to inspect.
"K-kakashi-san?"
"You wanted to know why, she is the reason why."
Dark eyes widened as the brunette took in the picture. It was obviously Kakashi's genin team; the silver-haired youth a blatantly give-away but Iruka didn't recognise any of the other youngsters. The boy on the left hand side had a cheeky grin on his face and if the brunette had to guess he would have swore that he was an Uchiha. The other youth was a girl, she had chin length cropped hair and two distinct markings on her face. She was smiling widely and it lit up her entire face, enhancing her already pretty features.
"Who is she?"
"Her name is Rin; she was part of my genin team."
Iruka nodded as his suspicions were confirmed.
"So why is she the reason?"
The Jounin paused as if trying to gather his thoughts; clearly this was not a topic he was comfortable talking about. The brunette suddenly felt quite humbled at being allowed this rare glimpse into the staunchly private man's life.
"Rin... She... For the longest time she thought she was in love with me. After Minato-Sensei died she was the only one who stopped me going completely off the deep end. But as time passed she finally got over me and found happiness with someone else..."
There was no bitterness in Kakashi's voice only a wistful longing and a hint of regret.
"I... Was happy for her, even more so when she told me she was pregnant. I still remember the day she went into labour, she broke my hand in three places, apologised profusely once the pain had died down and then told me that I was the Godfather to her son. I don't think I'd ever been more terrified than in that moment. Two weeks later both her and her partner were sent on an emergency mission to earth country... They were ambushed and never made it home. The boy was sent to the orphanage and even though I was named godfather, because it wasn't official I wasn't allowed to visit. So I did the only thing I could think of to ensure he was well looked after..."
Iruka's heart ached as the Jounin finished his tale. He couldn't begin to imagine how painful it must have been for Kakashi, unable to see and talk to the child of one of his most precious people. Feeling his eyes water slightly the brunette turned away and quickly rubbed the traitorous tears away before the Jounin noticed.
"So now you know, what are you going to do now?"
The Chuunin had been expecting the question but the sudden coldness in Kakashi's voice didn't fail to make him shudder.
"I don't intend to do anything Kakashi-San, you've made it quite clear that you don't want your involvement known and I respect that. Although I don't understand why."
The silver-haired man sighed again.
"I don't want him or any of the other children to become a target. I also suspect that is why the orphanage originally denied me access, it isn't worth the risk."
Iruka felt a wave of anger roll through him at the unfairness of the whole situation. He could understand the reasoning but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"But still..."
"But nothing... Do you know how many shinobi would love that kind of information if it meant they could get at me? I accepted it a long time ago and I'm okay with that."
There was something in Kakashi's voice that told the brunette that the Jounin wasn't exactly telling the whole truth but he decided to drop the matter, lest he tempt fate any further. Suddenly feeling drained Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, he really needed something to eat and a shot of strong sake. An idea suddenly hit him.
"Join me for dinner."
The request caught the silver-haired man off guard, eyebrows shooting into his hairline.
"What?"
"Join me for dinner, consider it an apology."
"Thank you but I'm not hungry."
Kakashi's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly causing the Jounin to blush, the tint of red just visible over the top of his mask. The Chuunin chuckled lightly folding his arms across his chest.
"That settles it, you're coming with me and I won't take no for an answer."
The Jounin conceded defeat, his shoulders slumping in mock despair.
"Fine but you're paying. I'm a little short on cash right now."
Iruka burst out laughing and nodded emphatically, feeling a warm feeling bloom in his chest at the genuine eye smile that appeared on Kakashi's face.
Even though today hadn't started too well it certainly looked as though it was going to end well.
~The End~
A/N: Er... So yeah ^_^. Hope you liked... Reviewers will be showered with love!