So shoot me, I'm late for Naruto's birthday. xD
Notes: Fluff, and more fluff. Consider yourself warned. I tried for a simpler style than my previous Naruto ficlet, in attempts to get rid of my penchant for run-on sentences.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, though I do sincerely wish him a happy belated birthday :]
----
I Dream of Blue Eyes
by Silence
"What do you dream about, Iruka-sensei?"
Sleepy, blue eyes looked up at me over thin covers.
I frowned thoughtfully at the sudden question, drawing blanks. "Well, I don't know. Nothing in particular."
He rolled his eyes exasperatedly at me. I had half a mind to do the same, myself--from the way he was acting, you'd think he was the adult around here, and I the child.
"Everyone dreams about something. What do you dream about?"
What did I dream about?
I dreamt about my parents. I dreamt about my mother's warm scent as she held me when I slept. I dreamt about my father ruffling my hair for a "job well done" whenever I did well at school. I dreamt about being forced away from their bodies after they died in the War.
I dreamt about my kids at the academy. The quiet ones, the loud ones, the lazy ones, the bright ones. I dreamt about them graduating to become fine ninjas who would make me proud. I dreamt about their awed eyes as I handed them the head-protectors they'd earned with their own abilities. I dreamt about them surpassing me, coming back as jounins with a, "It's been a while, sensei."
His eyes were still looking at me, expectantly.
"I dream about…"
'You,' I wanted to say. Because most of all, I dreamt about him growing up, becoming the Hokage if he so wished--simply because he deserved it. I dreamt about a time when villagers would accept him for the wonderful, vibrant boy I knew him to be, when they would no longer scorn and condemn him for a crime he did not commit. I dreamt about his happiness, unhindered by a tragic past he had no part in, and a hateful present he did not deserve.
When did I become so attached? How did he manage to get under my skin? This child who I could very easily have hated. After all, I was more affected by the War than most other villagers.
It was not much of a question, as my gaze redirected to his unwavering, blue one. I was caught, the instant I saw those eyes, tearful and framed by a face scraped by rocks which were undoubtedly thrown at him, staring up at me from his huddled body.
Because in those eyes, I saw myself.
Of course, if I said that, I had no doubt in my mind he would say I was being mushy. So, I didn't.
"I dream about the safety and prosperity of the village."
Another roll of his eyes, as he loudly proclaimed, "Jeez! You're so boring!"
I didn't hold back my smirk; I should have seen that coming. "Oh yeah? Then, what do you dream about?"
I already knew the answer before I finished my question. It would, of course, be 'To become Hokage and make the village acknowledge me!' I wondered why I even asked.
"You, Iruka-sensei." The reply was quiet and his eyes were earnest…a split-second before his face colored in embarrassment and he rolled so that his back faced me.
"Shouldn't you be getting home? An eight-year-old like me can take care of himself, you know! Unless you're scared to go home in the dark by yourself and you wanna stay here overnight. 'Cause I'd understand. Not everyone can be as brave as me."
He looked at me over his shoulder, then. Somewhere in his expressive, blue eyes, I could tell he was afraid I'd leave him.
A grin came unbidden. "Now that you mention it, I think I will stay for the night." The way his eyes lit up was enough to convince me I made the right decision. "Scoot over."
"What?? A man like me doesn't need someone to sleep with him!"
"No, it's just me. I'm afraid something will get me if I sleep on the floor, all alone," I clarified indulgently.
"Well, if you really need me to protect you, I guess I can't help it." Even as he spoke with his long-suffering tone, he made room for me in the bed.
I ruffled his hair as I settled into the small futon, pulling the blankets over both of us. "Good night."
He turned to face me again. "Night, Iruka-sensei."
"…Happy Birthday, Naruto."
For once, he said nothing. But with the way his eyes glowed--he didn't need to.
I had no doubts about what I would dream that night.
Notes: Fluff, and more fluff. Consider yourself warned. I tried for a simpler style than my previous Naruto ficlet, in attempts to get rid of my penchant for run-on sentences.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, though I do sincerely wish him a happy belated birthday :]
----
I Dream of Blue Eyes
by Silence
"What do you dream about, Iruka-sensei?"
Sleepy, blue eyes looked up at me over thin covers.
I frowned thoughtfully at the sudden question, drawing blanks. "Well, I don't know. Nothing in particular."
He rolled his eyes exasperatedly at me. I had half a mind to do the same, myself--from the way he was acting, you'd think he was the adult around here, and I the child.
"Everyone dreams about something. What do you dream about?"
What did I dream about?
I dreamt about my parents. I dreamt about my mother's warm scent as she held me when I slept. I dreamt about my father ruffling my hair for a "job well done" whenever I did well at school. I dreamt about being forced away from their bodies after they died in the War.
I dreamt about my kids at the academy. The quiet ones, the loud ones, the lazy ones, the bright ones. I dreamt about them graduating to become fine ninjas who would make me proud. I dreamt about their awed eyes as I handed them the head-protectors they'd earned with their own abilities. I dreamt about them surpassing me, coming back as jounins with a, "It's been a while, sensei."
His eyes were still looking at me, expectantly.
"I dream about…"
'You,' I wanted to say. Because most of all, I dreamt about him growing up, becoming the Hokage if he so wished--simply because he deserved it. I dreamt about a time when villagers would accept him for the wonderful, vibrant boy I knew him to be, when they would no longer scorn and condemn him for a crime he did not commit. I dreamt about his happiness, unhindered by a tragic past he had no part in, and a hateful present he did not deserve.
When did I become so attached? How did he manage to get under my skin? This child who I could very easily have hated. After all, I was more affected by the War than most other villagers.
It was not much of a question, as my gaze redirected to his unwavering, blue one. I was caught, the instant I saw those eyes, tearful and framed by a face scraped by rocks which were undoubtedly thrown at him, staring up at me from his huddled body.
Because in those eyes, I saw myself.
Of course, if I said that, I had no doubt in my mind he would say I was being mushy. So, I didn't.
"I dream about the safety and prosperity of the village."
Another roll of his eyes, as he loudly proclaimed, "Jeez! You're so boring!"
I didn't hold back my smirk; I should have seen that coming. "Oh yeah? Then, what do you dream about?"
I already knew the answer before I finished my question. It would, of course, be 'To become Hokage and make the village acknowledge me!' I wondered why I even asked.
"You, Iruka-sensei." The reply was quiet and his eyes were earnest…a split-second before his face colored in embarrassment and he rolled so that his back faced me.
"Shouldn't you be getting home? An eight-year-old like me can take care of himself, you know! Unless you're scared to go home in the dark by yourself and you wanna stay here overnight. 'Cause I'd understand. Not everyone can be as brave as me."
He looked at me over his shoulder, then. Somewhere in his expressive, blue eyes, I could tell he was afraid I'd leave him.
A grin came unbidden. "Now that you mention it, I think I will stay for the night." The way his eyes lit up was enough to convince me I made the right decision. "Scoot over."
"What?? A man like me doesn't need someone to sleep with him!"
"No, it's just me. I'm afraid something will get me if I sleep on the floor, all alone," I clarified indulgently.
"Well, if you really need me to protect you, I guess I can't help it." Even as he spoke with his long-suffering tone, he made room for me in the bed.
I ruffled his hair as I settled into the small futon, pulling the blankets over both of us. "Good night."
He turned to face me again. "Night, Iruka-sensei."
"…Happy Birthday, Naruto."
For once, he said nothing. But with the way his eyes glowed--he didn't need to.
I had no doubts about what I would dream that night.