Disclaimer: The characters of Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.
Pairings: Eventual KakaIru, AsumKur, others
Warnings: First-Time, Minor Spoilers

"Lost in thought?"

With a far-away look in his chocolate eyes, the scarred chunnin replied to the stranger, his eyes never leaving the traveled road, "Hai, I suppose you can say that." Iruka allowed a soft chuckle to escape his lips by the indistinct answer he gave to the man to replace the silence that would sure follow.

But when it registered that his tone sounded overtly hollow to his ears, Iruka cut the flat laugh and found himself starring up at the mackeral sky. As the events that lead to his current life, caught up to him at last.

He sighed sadly by the realization.

Was he happy.

It's not that he regretted his time spent with his boisterous troublemaking blond haired student. Just,... Iruka did regret not living up to the standards and dreams his father had set upon him.

The only parent Iruka seemed to please, was his mother. Serving once as a teacher at the Academy before she resigned and joined the Anbu along side his father.

"So, what is it?" inquired the silver-grey haired jounin, as he faced the chestnut-haired man with his hair tied up in a high pony-tail. He had been studying the younger man for quite sometime now from within the distance, when he had crossed path with him on his journey towards the Hokage Tower. It seemed the younger man was heading in the same direction as him. As there were only a few location spots that lead to the center of the village on this road, that were of any importance.

In fact, by the look of piled student lesson books in the scarred chunnin's arms, the younger man was either carrying out an errand issued by the Sandaime or was a teacher at the Ninja Academy. Whom obviously was late for his class, by his loitering here on the main road.

Iruka decided to share with the inquiring stranger of what had been bothering him, "Well, I was just remembering how I walked this very street when I was a young boy. At the time, I had been so" Iruka looked away, biting his lip," ---lonely," he confided. A frown that did not fit on his scarred face, insinuated itself there, as Iruka scolded himself for the small quiver in his voice; horrified that it cracked. He avoided eye contact with the silver-grey haired man, as his cheeks flushed hotly. Squeezing his eyelids shut to prevent the tears that formed in his eyelids by the loneliness he had to endure as a child, Iruka tried to cool his emotional self down.

Finally, relaxing himself, he opened his eyes and Iruka was surprised that the stranger was still with him and wasn't ridiculing him for his emotional slip, as that was not very shinobi like.

Hatake Kakashi start, his uncovered eye widening from the confession. He had not expected this young man, this strange man, to share such a vulnerable period of time to him. To a person he just barely met on the street and knew neither name or background, except that they both shared the same occupation of being a shinobi for the village and that it was possible, the chunnin was also a teacher at the Ninja Academy.

Seeing that it was safe to go on, Iruka curled his lips up in an ill-humor smile, deciding to tell the rest of his tale. He did not know if the man was even listening to him but Iruka felt compelled to go on, so that he could finally get this off his chest. Even if it to a stranger he was sure he'd never meet again.

"When my parents died, everything changed. I had to move out from our home, because I couldn't afford to stay there any longer. It was hard. No one took pity on a orphan child who just lost their birth parents, even if lost by the demon fox. I ended up living on the streets until I had enough money for a small room apartment. It wasn't much but it still was a place I could call home."

Kakashi could just guess how this young man had to go about to gain the funds for such a task, "Then what happened?" he asked, urging the young man on. It was obvious the scarred man had kept this to himself for a long time. Most likely, because he had no one to confine with. Forced to bear the pain alone, like so many others had to because of the result of that day.

He wasn't excluded from that group either.
Had losing his sensei.

Iruka seemed surprise that the silver-grey haired man inquired about him. So surprise, his heart skipped over a beat and thudded noisily in his chest, as he continued on with his story, "Well, I still went to school but the difference was.. I ended up becoming the class clown for someone to take notice of me. And they did but that was ---vacant. I couldn't believe how cruel it could really be in this world without someone you can lean to for a helping hand. I was so angry. I couldn't understand why all the adults were mistreating me. It had gone on until the Hokage stepped in and stopped their abuse. By that time, I was able to concentrate more on my studies and I finally passed and became a genin. A year later, I was nominated to take the chuunin exam and even though noone teamed up with me, the Hokage allowed me to pass."

"Hmmm,..."

"I'm sorry, we barely know each other and I've already shared my life story with you. You must excuse me, I just haven't been myself lately," he used as an excuse. He had wanted to tell.

There was something about this man, that made him want to know him instead of them walking away as strangers.

So, to cover up the awkwardness brought on by his confinement, Iruka stuck out his hand, " I didn't catch your name. I'm Umino Iruka. I teach at the Ninja Academy."

So he is a teacher, thought Kakashi to himself.

He stared at Iruka's hand, a silver brow raised in wonderment by the gesture before accepting the school teacher's hand, "I'm... Hatake Kakashi but you may call me, Kakashi."

"Well Kakashi, will I be seeing you around?" chuckled Iruka, a hand rubbing the back of his head nervously, afraid he scared off any further contact from the jounin.

Kakashi took a moment to think about it. He had been summoned from his duty by the Third Hokage to oversee three students that had graduated from the Academy today. He already knew the results, since past test, but this time, Kakashi had a feeling that he'll be sticking around, "Hai, I believe you will, " he smiled, closing his uncovered eye in joy at being able to get a chance to know this young man better.

Maybe even become friends, regardless of their ranks.

Iruka looked at the silver-grey haired man in question, confused by his cryptic answer.

Kakashi chuckled, embarrassed, clarifying himself, "You see, I've finally returned to the villiage from duty."

It took a moment for Iruka to absorb what Kakashi had said to him but when he did, his eyes brightened in understanding, "Ah, you've been away from the villiage on duty, I see. Well, I hope you can become comfortable again from your long stay away. A lot has changed in these short years."

Kakashi found he was starting to really like this Iruka, even his nervous rambling on, "I'm a quick learner. No pun intended since you're a school teacher but considering you're a resident here, could you give me some pointers on a fine place to dine for the afternoon. I'm starved."

Iruka bit his lip in deep thought than snapped his fingers as he remembered a great place Kakashi could go for a quick bite to eat, "There's a Ramen Shop, Ichiraku Ramen. I frequent there a lot. There may even be a stool with my name on it,...but uh, they have the best ramen. The owner of the shop even puts lots of layers of meat on your order, if that's what you like and it's no extra charge."

"I think I might drop by. Would you like to accompany me, Iruka?"

"Sure!" but then that's when Iruka heard the mid-morning bell go off for the Academy and he let out a sad sigh, "I'm sorry, I'll have to decline. I've got to head to my class or my students will make a reck of the classroom without my supervision. Today is a special day for them, you see," Iruka allowed a graceful smile to flit on his scarred face before he remembered his detained new aquaintance and he replaced his smile with an apologetic edge, "Another time, maybe, Kakashi-san?"

Kakashi was disappointed too that Iruka could not join him but hid it from him, "No, you're right. It would be wrong for me to hold you up from conducting class, Iruka. I'm sure we'll bump into each other again on the streets and if not, be sure to see me at that Ramen Shop you are raving about. Then, we can go from there, when we meet up."

Iruka blinked, clutching his books and school papers to his chest and broke out in a wide grin by Kakashi's recommendation, "Yeah, that sounds like an excellent idea. Bye Kakashi," waved Iruka, almost dropping his baggage, "See you around!"

"Goodbye, Iruka," murmurred Kakashi as he watched the school teacher run off to the academy.

Before Kakashi could go himself, a heavy hand landed on his shinobi vest, pulling him back, "Not so fast Scarecrow and as amusing as it is of watching you get familiar with the regulars around here, the Third has changed the time and has summoned all the jounin to report for the meeting at his conference room in an hour instead of 3 o'clock."

Kakashi sighed dejectively when he saw his new visitor smirking at him, a cigarette daggling from his lips, "Long time no see, Asuma. You still owe me $25 bucks for leaving me with the meal tab."

"Yeah well, funds have been running low since I've been assigned to look over some kiddies from the academy. How about I make it upto you by sharing a drink with you at my house when this is over?" suggested the bearded jounin.

Kakashi thought about it and smiled grimly, "It matters if your place is overflowing with cigarette buds or not."

Asuma chuckled heartingly, not at all offended by Kakashi's comment, "Nah, that was last week before Kurenia made me clean up. Said no 'night-time activities' if she had to endure another nicotene drench. So I caved in, naturally."

"You would," mumbled Kakashi, granting him a ire glare from his smoking friend, "As long as you're providing the service, I'm in then," he recovered quickly, earning a 'gotcha' grin from Asuma.

"Knew you would," and before Kakashi could protest of his empty stomach state to his old-time friend, Asuma lead him to the Hokage Tower, where the meeting revolving around their new genin team was going to take place.