There were no sunbeams making their way through the curtains, but still the room was filled with a strange light that made Iruka wake up and wonder if he'd overslept. He got out of the bed and went over to the window, gazing out. For a moment the white light dazzled him, but after blinking and looking out again a surprised smile spread across his face.
"Kakashi," he said.
There was no reply.
"Kakashi."
Still no reply. Iruka sighed and climbed back into the bed, grabbing his lover's shoulder and shaking it gently.
"Kakashi!"
"Gnh…" Kakashi rolled over to the side, his back against Iruka.
"Kakashi, wake up!" said Iruka impatiently. "It's snowing."
"No."
"What do you mean 'no'?"
Kakashi turned around to peer sleepily at his lover over the top of the blanket.
"It doesn't snow in Konoha. It's the Fire Country."
"Then what's that outside our window?"
Huffing slightly, Kakashi sat up, putting one arm around Iruka in the process., and looked at the white flakes falling softly on the other side of the glass.
"Well, look at that," he said, mildly surprised. "Guess I'd better cancel training."
He made to lay back down, pulling Iruka with him, but the brown haired man wriggled out of his grip.
"Oh, no you don't. It's time to get up, come on."
--
After making sure Kakashi did not go back to sleep again Iruka made his way slowly to the Academy. He had seen snow before, on missions to remote mountain countries, but he'd never heard of it snowing in Konoha. The village looked different, kinder somehow, with the white mass softening all edges and muffling all sound. The cherry trees that had almost bloomed yesterday were now a strange blend of white and pink. It was beautiful, but a shame on the flowers that would die before they reached full blossom.
As he entered the school yard many of his students were already there, happily exploring this new phenomenon and its possibilities. Most of them had probably never seen snow before.
"Iruka-sensei! Have you seen this? It's snow!"
"Yes, Keitaro, I've seen it," Iruka laughed. "Do you all have warm clothes? We're doing some special training today."
--
When Kakashi and his team got to the training grounds, wrapped in scarves and late as usual, there was already someone there. They could hear the laughs and shrieks long before the clearing came into view.
Sasuke frowned and muttered:
"Sounds like a bunch of kids, let's go somewhere else."
"If it's kids we'll just tell them to sort out," said Naruto. "You're not afraid of some brats, are you, Sasuke? Oh, look, it's Iruka-sensei! Oi, Iruka-sensei!"
Kakashi looked up from his book to see Naruto eagerly run to meet his former teacher. Himself, Sakura and Sasuke followed at a slower pace.
"Yo," he said as he was almost level with Naruto. "What's up?"
"We're having a snowball fight," Iruka smiled. "As part of training."
"Naruto-niisan!"
Three of the children were running up to Naruto, waving happily. Kakashi recognised one of them as Sandaime's grandson.
"Iruka-sensei, can Naruto-niisan be on our team?"
"Oh, I don't know…" Iruka glanced at Kakashi, who shrugged.
"Sure, why not. It'll be good training."
Actually, it was a brilliant idea. This way Kakashi didn't have to do anything. He could just sit there, watching Iruka take care of the brats. It was always nice to hear Iruka yell at someone other than himself and almost as nice to hear someone other than himself yell at Naruto.
"Allright," said Iruka and the children cheered. "Naruto and Sakura, you can be with Konohamaru, Sasuke…"
The boy gave him a dark look that clearly said 'if you think I'm doing this you're even stupider than you look'.
"… you'll be on the other team. It's a strategy and battlefield exercise…"
As Iruka went on to explain the rules Kakashi had to admire his boyfriend. Had Sasuke given him that look he wouldn't even have bothered to try and convince him, but Iruka just continued as if nothing had happened and Sasuke obeyed. Kakashi had to find out how he did it.
"And to even the odds a bit you three Genin are not allowed to use ninjutsu," Iruka concluded his explanation. "Allright everyone!" he called and the children gathered around him. "Teams take their positions, you start at my signal. Go!"
--
The battle had only raged for a couple of minutes when four more people entered the scene, making Kakashi's heart sink. This did not bode well.
"A snowball fight! How youthful!" Gai boomed, coming to a halt next to Kakashi. "And I see you've let your students join. A magnificent move, worthy of my rival."
Kakashi grunted something incoherent.
"Indeed, indeed," Gai nodded thoughtfully. "Right." He turned to his team. "Lee! Neji! Tenten! You'll be joining as well."
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee called, immediately running to join Naruto.
Tenten walked over to Sasukes team with a somewhat resigned expression. Neji lingered for a while, looking almost as reluctant as Sasuke, before sighing and following her. Apparently almost two years with Gai had taught him when to swallow all dignity and accept his destiny.
There was a brief pause in the fighting as the newcomers were introduced to the rules, then it flamed up again. Quite literally, since Sasuke tried to use the Goukayuu no Jutsu to destroy the other team's stock of snowballs.
"Sasuke, no ninjutsu!" Iruka called, earning him a dark look from the boy.
--
With the six Genin in the mix it did not take long for the battle to deteriorate. Naruto and Sasuke seemed exclusively focused on hitting each other as hard as possible with as many snowballs as they could manage while Iruka constantly had to remind Tenten that she was supposed to throw snow, not weapons.
"Naruto, did you not hear me when I said no ninjutsu!" he bellowed for the thousandth time.
"This is a snowball!" Naruto protested.
"No, it's a Rasengan with snow in it!"
Kakashi had the feeling he would have really enjoyed this if it hadn't been for Gai standing at his side watching the fight with a dangerously manic gleam in his eyes.
Any minute now…
"Youthful indeed," he mumbled.
Kakashi sighed. Here we go.
"Honoured Rival!" said Gai pompously, turning to face him. "I challenge you to a snow fight!"
"No," answered Kakashi automatically, but he knew it was pointless.
"It is my turn to choose the event, you cannot decline."
Kakashi sighed again. He didn't have any choice. Iruka would kill him for this.
"Fine. Let's get it over with."
Snowballs are dangerous enough as they are, with hidden pebbles and miniature icicles, but when mixed with chakra and placed in the hands of two super strong Jounin, they're directly lethal. At first the students watched Kakashi and Gai's combat in amazement, keeping a safe distance between themselves and the fighters, but soon they started to withdraw further and further into the forest, some of them seeking cover behind the trees. When Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate to reveal his Sharingan, Iruka thought it safest to evacuate the children altogether.
--
Iruka had already showered, put on warm, dry clothes and started dinner when Kakashi got home, soaking wet and dripping slush all over the floor. He stopped in the hallway, peering carefully into the kitchen where Iruka made no sign of having noticed him.
"I won," he said hesitatingly.
"Good for you," said Iruka, still focused on the carrots he was chopping.
"Are you angry?"
"You ruined my class."
"Yeah, that was stupid. I should be punished."
"You will be." Iruka glanced up at Kakashi and couldn't help but smile. He looked like a drenched puppy where he stood, melted snow dripping slowly from his clothes, lumps of ice still stuck in his hair and the one dark eye fixed warily on Iruka. "Are you going to stand there all day? You'll catch a cold."
Kakashi hastily started taking of his vest, but his fingers were still stiff with cold and he fumbled with the zipper. Iruka sighed and put down the knife.
"Here," he said, taking the few steps over to the hallway, "let me help you."
He unzipped the vest, then proceeded to taking of the gloves and scarf.
"I can undress myself you know."
"Really? I never noticed that."
Kakashi smiled under the mask and slipped one hand under his lover's shirt, causing him to gasp and step backwards.
"Your hands are freezing!"
"Sorry. More punishment for me."
Iruka glowered at him.
"Don't look so happy about it. You'll be doing the wash-ups after dinner."
"What a crappy punishment."
"Suit yourself. Now go and change, it's almost done."
"Yes sensei."
Iruka looked out the window where a grey dusk was now falling. The snow had already started to melt away. Tomorrow everything would probably be back to normal. Just as good, Iruka thought. Snow in Konoha seemed to be slightly more dangerous than in other places and if it came often it would probably cause more trouble than joy. It had been a nice change though.