"Evening, Iruka-sensei! The door's open, I'm coming in, I was thinking we could go out for dinner to- Iruka?"

The blonde froze, mouth hanging open. His mentor stared back, eyes wide with surprise, before a scarlet blush started staining his cheeks.

"Iruka? You look... different."

The brunette looked down at his feet and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. "Um, Naruto, hey... what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to take you out to dinner... are you going out, Iruka-sensei?"

The elder nodded, slowly, one hand coming up to his bare throat. The other tugged on his short jacket, trying to make it cover the bare skin between mesh shirt and low pants.

"You look really different with your hair down..." Naruto leant in, ducking to look up at the down turned face. "You look really different full stop. Your eyes look different, or something. Not sure what it is. Why you blushing? Huh? Huh? Why are you blushing, Iruka? You look good. You look, well, sexy is the wrong thing for me to think, because thinking of you and sexy is just kinda squicky, but I bet pervert Kakashi would say you were sexy."

"Oh."

"Where are you going? You're all dressed up, does Iruka-sensei have a date? Are you going on a date?"

A large hand was buried into the loose hair. "I... guess so."

"You what! With who? Huh? Who are you going out with? Is it anyone I know, of course it's someone I know, I know everyone in the village, it is someone from in the village, right? Is it a chunin?"

"I don't really think that's any of your business, Naruto..." His voice sounded uncertain.

Naruto stopped and looked at his mentor. "What's wrong, Iruka? Aren't you excited? You're going on a date. I didn't think you dated at all."

"Hm."

"Hm? What's that meant to mean? When's she going to be here? Soon? Can I meet her?"

"Naruto... I'm going out for my date. Why don't you go home and I'll take you out tomorrow, yeah?" He pushed back the messy strands again, only to have them fall forwards once more. "I promise. I just... can't cancel this close."

"I wouldn't want Iruka-sensei to cancel his date!" He threw himself into Iruka's arms, it felt strange to feel leather and mesh instead of the thick vest he usually wore. "You go out and have fun and we can have dinner tomorrow. I'll tell you all about our mission. Well, you know, what I can..." He looked up, suddenly sombre. "Tomorrow... can we talk about your letter?"

Iruka looked away.

"Can we?"

"Maybe. I don't get to see you very often." He smiled brightly, ruffled Naruto's hair. "I don't want to spend the time I have with you being serious and sombre. I just want you to be everything you can be." He kissed the boy's forehead and turned him around, pushing him to the door. "Go on, go home. I need to leave if I'm going to get there on time. Make sure you get a good night's sleep and have something other than ramen for dinner. Something green preferably."

"Iruka! Don't fuss, I'm not a little boy anymore. I'm the same rank as you."

"I know." One more brief hug from behind, and Iruka didn't smell like Iruka when he was wrapped in leather and a strange cologne that he would never have worn to school or on mission. "Tomorrow. I promise."

"You promise. Pinky swear."

Laughing, Iruka entwined their fingers and squeezed. "And now, get out of here, I have to leave."

"All right." Naruto bounced down the street, grinning at the wide smile on his mentor's face. "Have fun tonight, Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka smiled until Naruto was gone.

Then, face blank, he locked up and slowly walked away.