Yos! thank you all for the reviews last chapter. Also many of you mentioned your thoughts about Gai and Anko's future children. In honesty I hadn't even thought about their kids, so thank you to everyone for the nightmares ;P
RythL that being said, on with the story!
Iruka: If the readers rebel against you for this chapter I wont be helping you.
Ryth: *cringes*
…..
Ibiki hummed to himself, ignoring Kiri who was playing with the helm of his pant leg, as he ran a razor carefully over his jaw. Turning his head to reach the final spot, Ibiki had to fight a smile as he caught sight of the other two kits through the open bathroom door.
Geki and Moya were playing in the sleep shirt he'd discarded on the bedroom floor. Every so often he would glimpse a little ear or fluff of tail while the two play fought each other.
Setting down the razor and wiping his face he glanced down at the third tiny creature who had hooked her little claws into the fabric of his pants, causing her to slid along with it every time he moved his leg.
Sighing he reached down and detached the little talons from his clothing and gave her a gentle push out the door. Kiri gave him a kitty look of rebuke, before she forgot the insult to her dignity and moved to pounce on the rustling forms of her siblings, leaving Ibiki in peace to get ready.
It was Thursday, or as Ibiki had privately dubbed it, Hell Day.
He didn't have to show up at T&I till afternoon on a Thursday as he had to attend the weekly Council meeting in the evening. The Council demanded the presents of all Clan Heads, unit leaders and managers of all factions (such as the Head of the School Board, Special Division, Code and Security) to give updates on the goings on of the Village over the past week. Despite the fact most of the people forced to attend were also required to send them reports that detailed anything they had to say.
Since Ibiki managed not only T&I itself, but was the Head of the Interrogation department and helped in the supervision of new ANBU recruits as well he had three reasons to be there. Not that it made it any more bearable. And as this would be the first time seeing the Council Members since he had ignored their summons, it was needless to say he was looking forward to it even less than usual.
Ah well, least he'd have Tsume there as back up. That woman didn't care why she was scaring someone, so long as they pissed their pants.
And he'd have Saturday to look forward to. Though his luck seemed to have been improving over the past week, his date with Iruka was still looking to be the high point.
He'd subtly plied Anko for information on the Chuunin the other day. Something that wasn't very hard to so as Anko loved talking about her adopted little brother almost as much as he boyfriend. She was also extremely willing to gush about the man to him, dropping blatant hints every other sentence.
He'd learnt a good deal of useful things over their lunch break, from Iruka's favorite fruit (Strawberries and nectarines) books (Mystery and fantasy) and colour (green) to the fact he was mildly afraid of the dark (that bit had slipped out and Anko had refused to say more, so he hadn't press. Considering their shared Sensei, he probably didn't want to know.)
It was also currently extremely amusing to be around Anko at the moment, knowing what he did.
When he had returned home on Tuesday there had been a message from Iruka waiting, guarded by Moya, saying that Gai had indeed bought a ring and that it was gorgeous and perfect and liable to make Anko say yes just so she could wear the thing. It then indicated that Gai was in a state of Hip Manly Panic over how to pop the question and that he (Iruka) was currently trying to talk the petrified Jounin around.
Anko of course had no idea and Ibiki almost wished he could be there when it happened, just to see her face. This thought however was quickly followed by the reality that Anko's actions would undoubtedly turn R rated relatively fast.
Finishing his morning routine Ibiki grabbed his watering can and did his rounds, kittens bounding about under his feet.
The sun was once again streaming in through the windows, the past week of good weather promised a hot and clear summer ahead. Down in the markets he'd head the farmers already discussing plans for new irrigation channels to the fields. Which meant Ibiki had a pretty good idea what a many of the Genin missions would involve cleaning that summer.
Finishing the watering Ibiki set down the watering can and moved to fill the kitty bowls with food. He glanced out the window again before glancing at the clock. Smiling he went and gathered his things, giving each of the kittens a good scratch before he put on his gloves.
Forgoing his coat Ibiki headed out the door and down the hill toward the village. It was so nice out, and he still had an hour before his shift, making it a good time to check the market. This close to the weekend there was occasionally traveling merchants already there and setting up. This meant they would have a sample of their wares out at low price. It was a tactic that drew people in and advertised their goods around town so they could jack their price up for the weekend and larger crowds.
Ibiki hardly ever bought 'specialty' items, except around the holidays, but he still loved looking. He used to buy exotic foods and wares in the places they were grown and made, when he was younger and traveled for espionage. But as he was no longer allowed out of village very often, and never alone, he had to settle for the vicarious option.
The next hour passed pleasantly for Ibiki. The space of time between morning and noon was always a slow time in the markets and he'd found that the people that made their living manning the carts and stalls were far more friendly and unafraid of him than others. The traveling merchants especially were more than willing to talk to him without the flinches and stares he often received.
Mim wasn't at her cart when he stopped by, but Jin was. The girl had greeted him cheerily and chatted as she wrapped a bag of oranges for him. Kiy apparently as off with her boyfriend and their mother was back at the house, working in the orchard. Jin also mentioned that it had been tense around the house lately, but was reluctant to elaborate.
Ibiki'd had to bite back a sigh and settle for thanking the girl and asking she give her mother his regards.
His dinner purchased and tucked away in his bag (there was never any time to eat before the Council meeting, so he'd long since started packing one. Experience stated he wasn't pleasant when hungry) Ibiki headed toward the Monument Caves, where the T&I building was settled, half buried in the hillside. (This was the reason why, through all the attacks on Konoha over the years, T&I had never been destroyed.)
Realizing rather belatedly that he had left his trench coat at home Ibiki debated a moment about going to fetch it, shrugged it away. The world would not end if he didn't wear it and it was too hot out besides.
Ibiki pushed open the heavy metal doors to the main area, unsurprised to find the place in disarray. Another reason he hated Thursday, since he wasn't there in the morning, there was no one to control the impeding chaos that his staff were so skilled at wreaking.
Luckily today had a noticeable lack of slime, burn marks or fire. A definite plus on his scale.
"Aoba!"
The room quieted noticeably at his yell as the man in question jumped, paper flying from his hands into the air (much to the dismay of the desk workers) as he turned.
"I- It- Yes Sir!"
Ibiki smirked and lumbered forward. He liked Aoba in all honesty, though he had a tendency to ramble and – unfortunately for the other man – gave the best reactions when startled or embarrassed.
"Just what is going on in here?"
Ibiki didn't peg himself down as a sadist – not sexually at any rate – but he did have to admit that watching the colour drain from Aoba's face was extremely amusing.
"I- uh – well, t-there's been a bit of a breach. Also Anko interrogated the wrong prisoner and took the one Inochi was supposed to have, so between the crying and screaming and Anko's ranting we're trying to work that out. The elders have been flooding us with missives demanding a file Tichi here-" he gestured to the harassed desk worker who was sorting files "-says doesn't actually exist-"
'And if it does their yelling at the wrong department, because it is not filed here.' Tichi didn't look up from his sorting as he flashed the words to his superiors in shinobi short hand sign language, annoyance clear in the hand movements.
"Ah, right, but other than that we've been ok. There was a small fire in the staff room this morning, but since we've removed the sprinkler system after the last time nothing happened."
Ibiki smiled and reached out to give Tichi a pat on the shoulder after the young man had shuddered at the reminder of the Great Soaking. "Good. What kind of breach?"
"Mmm? Oh!" Aoba set down another stack of paper on the desk, missing the irritated look Tichi gave him. "Over at the Hospital, their Permanent Care Mental Ward. One guy slipped through the doors early morning. They requested people to keep an eye out and asked for some teams to look. I sent out two three cells, all green recruits; give them something to do for a while. The guys not down as dangerous, so there's no panic."
Ibiki frowned, but nodded. "Okay. What's his name?"
"Oh, ah, Oran Moki, exJounin." Ibiki froze, taking the picture Aoba handed him with numb hands. "Use to specialize in assassinations, so small wonder that he's done the disappearing act so easily."
The other man's words washed over him as a dull roar filled his ears. The picture showed a man is his early thirties with cropped blond hair. Pale blue eyes stared up from sharp features above a twisted smirk.
Ibiki's heart thundered in his chest. "What do you mean he's not down as dangerous? The guy attacked a civilian!"
Tichi's brows rose in surprise at the outburst. Aoba however simply a hand dismissively.
"Nah, the report says the situation was over dramatized."
He felt a bubble of disbelief well up. "And under whose opinion was the stated?"
Aoba blinked. "Ah, the council?"
Ibiki drew in a breath and exhaled it sharply. "Then I suppose you don't care that the witnesses were an Academy Teacher and several Jounin rank parents, who stopped Oran from killing a civilian mother in the middle of the Academy? Or is that what they claim to have been 'dramatized'?"
Aoba paled and he instantly started shuffling through Tichi's neat stacks of paper, pushing them out of order. The mute Nin stared at the other man for a moment before giving him a sound cuff over the head. Aoba yelled in surprise and looked up, only to have a file shoved in his hands before the younger man huffed and stalked away from his destroyed work station.
Normally Ibiki would have enjoyed the amusing moment, but in the current situation it was all he could do to make a mental note about giving Tichi another raise.
"Aoba" Ibiki snapped his fingers in front of the other man's face grabbing his attention again. "I need you to go tell Anko that Iruka may be in trouble then send out more teams to find this guy. Clear?"
Aoba's eyes widened again at the mention of Iruka and he nodded as he ran for the stairs. Ibiki didn't watch him go as he turned on his heel and swept from the building. Stepping out into the bright sun he took off full tilt toward the Academy.
Oran had considered Iruka his last attempt to cling to sanity, which meant he would most likely go to find Iruka. Since the Academy alarms had not gone off, he hadn't tried anything yet, but that didn't mean he wasn't waiting. After the kids left would be a perfect time for him to move, or when Iruka was walking home. The younger man had once mentioned that he liked walking the back alleys as well.
Reaching the brightly painted building Ibiki almost skid in his haste to enter. Slipping slightly on the polished floor Ibiki raced for Iruka's classroom, hand fumbling with the handle before he slid the door open with a bang.
"Morino-sama?"
Ibiki blinked in confusion at the petite woman staring back at him with equal confusion and a small amount of concern. Thinking for moment he had the wrong room Ibiki glanced up at the rows of children staring at him with a mix of emotions from fear to awe.
He gaze settled on a group of three Inuzuka, two girls and one boy, puppies settled by their feet or in their laps. The three had been in one of the stories Anko had told him. Laughing as she explained that the Inuzuka had fallen in love with Iruka years ago, and demanded their 'pups' be put in his class, causing the number of them in a class to raise with each year.
So, this was the right room, but wrong teacher.
"Iruka" the words tumbled out as he addressed the Kounichi. "This is his class, where's Iruka?"
Her lips pursed. "He didn't come in this morning, so we gave him a sick day. He's overdue for one any- Mornio-sama?"
Ibiki barely heard her concern call as he launched himself back down the hall, panic filling his chest and giving speed to his feet.
Iruka had never shown up. Oran had slipped out that morning.
Tiles flew under his feet as he raced across the roofs toward Iruka's apartment. Breaking down the roof access door with a solid slam of his shoulder Ibiki stumbled down the stairs to the correct floor. Iruka's door yielded just as easy as the first, with the noticeable lack of traps as he charged into the house.
Air caught in Ibiki's lungs as he took in the familiar place, now ripped to shreds. Glass littered the floor, mixed with stuffing from the furniture and torn pages from Iruka's beloved books. There was more than one shurkien and kunai in the walls or on the floor.
"IRUKA"
The name tore from his throat, and his heart almost stopped when a moan came from behind the couch. Pitching forward Ibiki stumbled his way to the sound, breath catching again when he shoved it away to reveal the prone form of Oran Moki.
The exJounin was sprawled out on his back, one foot twisted the wrong way. Blood dribbled sluggishly from numerous slashes across his body, and a dark, slightly dented spot on his head told of how he had ended up on the floor. Clearly, whatever he had tried, Iruka had wanted none of it.
Bending down Ibiki quickly pressed a pressure point, knocking the man out again. The medics could deal with him later.
Standing Ibiki glanced around the apartment again in its destroyed state and pushed down feeling of sorrow. Iruka had friends; himself included, that would help put it right. In that moment though he still had to find the other man.
Glancing down Ibiki's heart sped up as he noticed the trail of blood leading away from Oran toward the bedroom. The door to the room was hanging slightly off its hinges, telling of someone being thrown against it with force. Ibiki winced as he realized that person was probably Iruka.
Pushing the crooked door open Ibiki followed the crimson trail to the bathroom door, this one completely intact and warded by a jutsu.
Breathing deep Ibiki placed his hands against the cool wood frame. He recognized the jutsu easily; it was the kind they used to hold more dangerous prisoners in their cells. Iruka must have learnt it from Anko. At any rate, though it was meant to hold people in, Ibiki supposed it would work just as well to keep people out. Or to keep someone away.
"Iruka?"
Gently he tapped on the door; making is voice calm and soft. If Iruka was hurt to the point he had drawn back rather than gone for help Ibiki had to treat him the same as a post traumatic ANBU.
"Iruka? Ruka its Ibiki."
He waited, heart thundering in his chest, praying Iruka was there, was listening. Wasn't unconscious from blood loss.
"Iruka? Please drop the ward. Oran's out cold, he can't touch you."
Slowly the glimmering ward wavered before sliding down the door like water, leaving the opening clear. The door itself was locked as well, but few locks had anything against the full force of Ibiki's shoulders when he put his mind into it.
The door shuddered open and Ibiki had to grab the counter to stop himself from falling as his feet slid on the blood slick floor.
"Iruka" The name was whispered from between numb lips as Ibiki knelt in front of the other man, ignoring the blood as it soaked into his pants. "Fucking hell, Iruka."
A muffled sound came from behind the towel Iruka had pressed to his face, obscuring it from view. As with Oran small slices crossed the dark skin, there was a deep stab wound in Iruka's thigh, shown clearly by the old house shorts he was wearing. His left arm looked dislocated and his left wrist was definitely broken, probably from having been wrenched from Oran's hold with too much force.
Iruka's hair was down, hanging loose and limp against the Chuunin's shoulders, the ends sticky with crimson liquid.
All in all Ibiki thought he looked better than Oran had. The dented frying pan laying on the floor by the younger man's thigh, wooden handled slick with blood, stood testament to the bump on Oran's head.
The towel however was what concern Ibiki.
Slowly, gently Ibiki pressed his hand against the back of Iruka's head, stroking the dark hair soothingly as his other hand reached for the blood drenched towel. Iruka jumped slightly when he felt the pressure but calmed when Ibiki hushed him.
"Iruka let me look." Slowly the dark hands moved from the towel, leaving Ibiki to gently peel the once blue fabric back from the small face.
Ibiki sucked in a breath, biting at his lip to stop a swear. Iruka's eyes were squeezed shut, as if he was afraid of the older man's reaction. Controlling his breathing Ibiki took in the sickening sight of the long familiar scar - known by nearly every shinobi in the village - reopened and still bleeding sluggishly, despite the amount it had already expelled.
A shuddering breath escaped Iruka's lips and Ibiki gently shushed him, stroking his cheek. Having received facial scars himself Ibiki knew just how painful they were. Iruka's particularly as it was over bone and close to the delicate skin under the eyes.
"Do you feel dizzy?" Iruka gave a small bob of his head, which Ibiki took to mean 'sort of'. "Ok, let me leave a note for Anko, she and a team should be here soon, then I'll get you to the hospital."
Another small bob. Ibiki grabbed a new towel and pressed it back against the still bleeding wound. Holding the younger man close with one arm as he summoned an ink set – the kind ANBU teams used to leave messages for each other – a jot down a simple note on the sink counter. Figuring since the whole place had to be cleaned; one more thing wouldn't make a difference.
That done he gathered the smaller man into his arms gently and teleported them way.
….
Ryth: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! *dives behind desk*
Shale: Wimp
Ryth: *peeks out* note my complete lack of denial.
Shale: What do rivers have to do with this?
Ryth: *facepalm*
Review? *.*