Naruto: Pretender
Chapter Three
Coincidence
-And in this state she gallops night by night
Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;
O'er courtiers' knees, that dream of curtsies straight;
O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream,
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues
Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are.
- Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Act 1, Scene 4
Iruka sighed and let the book's heavy cover fall shut. Did Queen Mab assault his dreams at night? This royal lady's attack might explain why his dreams had become so much more vivid. The boy's eyes were so compelling that his whole being shivered, his voice so soothing that he felt completely relaxed and his touch was so voluptuous that Iruka was in ecstasy even as he slept.
It had escaped Iruka's mind, but it was only after he met Kakashi that these dreams intensified so.
Iruka sighed. Even as his dreams became more and more sexual in nature, his days became more and more mundane. Everyday it was the same thing, wake up, remember your promise, shower get dressed, go teach, come home, eat, remember your promise, sleep. Iruka desperately needed something to bring a spark of light into his gray days.
At one time, that spark had been Naruto. The fiery boy had been enough to get him up in the morning. During those days Iruka's goal for everyday was to help Naruto, but now that Naruto was gone to another teacher, Iruka had lost his goal and his life was purposeless. He only saw Naruto on the weekends now, and that was usually for lunch only.
It was on one of those occasions where Iruka was treating Naruto to ramen, that Iruka spotted Kakashi in the restaurant. He was sitting alone at a booth and reading the same book as before. Naruto saw him, too, and, before Iruka could stop him, he had sat down in front of Kakashi.
Hey, hentai-sensei, what's up?
Iruka hurried over.
Naruto! Don't say things like that. It's mean, you ill-tempered slug,
Yes, mother. said Naruto, rolling his eyes.
Kakashi laughed and iruka glared at him. Kakashi seemed so familiar... The three finished lunch together. Naruto left to go do more training, but Kakashi decided to walk Iruka back to his house and talk along the way.
How long have you been taking care of Naruto? he asked.
Since he came in my class,
Because I saw how bad he really wanted to be a shinobi and how hard he really tried.
That's surprising, seeing as your... history is...
I know it's a little odd, but think of it like this. Naruto isn't the Fox, he's himself. And yet the Fox has impacted his life almost as much as anyone in this village, really more, I think. He scorns the Fox inside him as much as we do, yet he still tries to win or love, not give up on him like we did.
Kakashi thought for a moment.
You're right... So, any students to warn me about for next year?
Iruka sniggered.
Only two.
How bad?
Imagine two Narutos...
If there were two Narutos we'd all be dead.
... two Narutos with Sasuke's abilities...
We'd be beyond dead.
... But all their destructive energy is aimed at one another.
Oh, I see. It's still not very uplifting though.
Yeah. That's Chou and Shi for you. The only reason they learn anything is so that they can maim the other one.
Great. I'll make sure they end up in my class.
You seem to like challenges. said Iruka with a laugh. It was strange, he had only met Kakashi a few days ago and yet, he felt as if he had known him for years and could tell him anything.
Don't you?
Well, I... oh, here's my house.
Iruka was sad to have to end the conversation. It had been so nice and... and he didn't know what. Kakashi must've smiled because his eye scrunched up. Then he brushed two fingers under his Hitai-Ate band, the part covering his left eye. It was odd, as if he was wiping away a tear. Iruka blinked.
Parting is such sweet sorrow, Iruka,
Um... bye, Kakashi,
Iruka turned and went into his house. Things were so strange. How did Kakashi know that he had been reading Romeo and Juliet' a few days ago? Did he know that it was his favorite? How could he know...
Over the next few weeks, Iruka's dreams, although he hardly thought it possible, intensified even more. He went through the day in a haze, still reeling from the boy's touch. He hardly even noticed when Naruto excitedly told him that he was going to go on a week long mission trip with his team and Kakashi-sensei. Iruka woozily told him that it was great news.
Iruka had been seeing a lot more of Kakashi lately. He seemed to be everywhere, Iruka saw him at the store, at the ramen shop, at the bath house, waiting outside the Hokage's office, almost everywhere that Iruka went. Whenever Iruka saw Kakashi he would stop, say hi' and maybe talk a little. Kakashi didn't talk much, he seemed to like listening to the little glances into Iruka's normal days.
Iruka had begun to expect and enjoy these little talks. During them he could feel free to look Kakashi up and down, drinking in every detail that he could see of Kakashi's lean body, while gently prying to learn about his days.
But now... Iruka wasn't sure if he could stand one whole week without his little chats with Kakashi. They... they had become his new spark, his new goal, learn about Kakashi.
