-u (early morning) u-
It was very quiet, just because there was no one inside. But the shifts in the mission room were 24 7, there always had to be somebody, even at 5 in the morning. Kakashi came in and set on the table, deciding to wait.
He was there for 15 minutes already when the front door opened with a loud 'thum!' and the person on duty came in. It was a chuunin, infamous for his furious temper. Kakashi sighed, thinking about the poor state of his awfully written report, inwardly regretting he came here at all and preparing for notations and yells.
Unexpectedly, chuunin came directly to him and pecked his temple.
"Hi dear" murmured Iruka, throwing his bag to the corner and sitting at his desk tiredly, his eyelids half closed.
"Well… hi?" said Kakashi, not sure how to react at such familiarly greeting.
Iruka stretched himself and smiled in Kakashi's direction sheepishly.
"So sleepy today, had to correct a big pile of essays last night and it continued till one in the morning" Iruka signed, stood up and started to arrange things on his desk. "I guess I'll give my soul for a cup of strong hot black coffee now!"
Kakashi stood up and turned around to leave.
"Hey, where are you going?" muttered Iruka, still busy with his desk.
"I'll be back!" spit Kakashi, disappearing in the doorframe.
He was back in five minutes. As he came in, Iruka slept by the table with his head rested on his hands.
"Here is your coffee!" said Kakashi loud.
Iruka raised his head and stared at the cup, placed before his nose. He inhaled aroma and smiled.
"Thank you dear, you saved my life!" Iruka took the cup into his hands and seeped the coffee.
"So now I own your soul" grinned Kakashi.
"Mm?" under the effect of coffee Iruka started to wake up. He raised his head and focused his gaze on a person he was talking with.
Kakashi observed the amazed and stunned expression on Iruka's face with a secret delight.
"You said you'll give your soul for a cup of coffee" said Kakashi calmly. "Can I have it now, please?"
Iruka choked and stared at Kakashi.
"Hatake-san…"
"You called me 'dear' just a while ago, you know" laughed Kakashi.
"I called you a 'deer'?" didn't understand Iruka.
"Not a 'deer', but 'dear'!" pointed Kakashi.
Iruka put the cup at the table and rubbed his forehead.
"Well, sorry, I thought you were Genma or Izumo or Kotetsu or…"
Kakashi smirked and waved his hand.
"Whatever," he said, "now when I own your soul, I can give you my report with my own soul in peace" he handed Iruka a piece of dirty crumpled paper with unintelligible signs on it. "It looks great, doesn't it?"
Iruka sighed.
"You can be such a kid sometimes, Hatake-san" he shook his head, glaring at Kakashi's report disapprovingly.
"Maa, don't be so official now, Iruka-sensei!" smirked Kakashi.
"One more word and I'll call you a 'deer' for the rest of my life, get it?" barked Iruka. He thought about pretty big variety of other torturous methods to make a standard jounin know his place. Only that Kakashi was not a standard jounin. Iruka's gaze fell on the coffee-cup and he softened.
"Okay," continued Iruka after hesitating a little, "I'm taking your report for today. But only this time! Thank you for your hard work, Hatake-san. And for coffee" added he, giving Kakashi a smile.
Kakashi smiled back at him.
"You are welcome" he said and headed to the exit.
Already at the door, Kakashi turned around.
"I'm glad you are as corrupt as any other person" he leered at Iruka. "I should use this more often I think!"
With that Kakashi went away, leaving Iruka alone with a cup full of steaming coffee and his head full of uneasy thoughts.
-u (one week later) u-
When Genma came in, Iruka was at his desk, staring into the air absentmindedly.
"Hi there" said Genma and came closer. His gaze fell to the half-eaten bar of chocolate near Iruka. Genma smirked, helping himself to the piece of chocolate.
"I see Hatake was here again" nodded Genma, waving his hand in front of Iruka's head and making him focused. "How did he excuse himself this time?"
Iruka shook his head.
"He said that chocolate is good for my brain" he rested his chin at his palm and stared at Genma pleadingly. "Anyway, I feel so corrupt, it's awful!"
Genma shrugged and took another piece of chocolate.
"I'd not if I were you" he said, heading to his desk to make it ready for his shift.
Iruka signed.
"I'm thinking about abandoning the morning shifts. May be I have to ask Hokage for a change in my schedule".
"You'd better not" said Genma, frowning.
"Why not?" asked Iruka, already knowing the answer.
"Because there's no other idiot who is able to do those awful morning shifts!" said Genma. "And besides – if you think Hatake'll stop coming to you, you are very naïve" he rolled his eyes dreamily. "I imagine what happens if he'll come, caring chocolate or flowers, to our mission room in the middle of the day or in the evening with all those shinobi around…"
"Oh shut up, Genma, he won't do it!" cried Iruka unsure.
"Oh yes, he would!" speculated Genma. "He'll come directly to your desk and…"
Iruka jumped to his legs and slapped his palm on the desk loudly.
"Stop it Genma!" he shouted, noticing some shinobi entering the door.
"And you stop thinking about Hatake or you'll be late to Academy" pointed Genma.
Iruka blinked and checked the time.
"Shit!" he muttered, forgetting the fight and hurrying to his class.