Title: Flowers For Iruka-sensei
Author: SirenM
Category: Romance (definitely but the rest is unsure as of yet)
Keywords: Flowers. Secret Admirers. The wooing of Iruka-sensei.
Rating: Gen for now
Spoilers: none that I know of, anyway. It's AU set before the Chuunin Exams.
Summary: It happened one morning, Iruka finds a bouquet of flowers from a secret admirer. Then the next morning he receives yet another. Is someone hell bent on wooing everyone's favourite chuunin sensei? Or is it just some insane stalker? (pairing unsure as of yet) possible KakaIru or GaiIru or even GenIru or OroIru, who knows. (...maybe in another fic, read my profile. :o)
Disclaimer: The characters and world of Naruto was created and owned by Masashi Kishimoto. Honestly, if I owned this would I be writing fanfics? Oh, I forgot about this in the first few parts, I got the meanings of the flowers from these websites: Flowers and their Victorian Meanings, The Language of Flowers and Language of Flowers, by Meanings.
MY FIRST HUNDREDTH REVIEWS! You guys make me soooooooo HAPPY! THANKS A LOT! You keep me so fueled up to write the next chapter! :o)
Before I go though, I would like to credit these readers for spending time to write their reviews or e-mail me. :o) Thank you, guys.
Shi-chan (I think it should be the other round. I'm honored that you should read my writing instead. :o) Glad you like the words but one of the quotes "manly, manly tears", belonged to one of the authors of Full Metal Alchemist scratches head if only I remember who...)
kitsune-lilith (I'm sorry if the chapters are too short for your liking but I really can't help it. That's the fastest and longest that I can write within a time limit without losing my interest in the fanfic)
Eikou
KabutoWhore
diamond (glad it made you happy, just hope it continues to make you happy :o)
Lainey-chan (Asuma...Nicotania... I guess it would make sense... if Genma did give straws...)
Uzumaki Pryde (breathe! breathe! dun die before reading the last chap! :o)
KakashiLvr (It's deliberate, heh heh heh)
MoonSweet (Thanx for the double reviews. But just let me just say this, eewwwwwww… the snakey tongue. Ughhh! Now I can't get it off my ton…mind TT.TT You've brainwashed me…!!! For that! Make sure you read the sneak preview at the end of the chapter!)
Yuen-chan
Nonie-chan
Random Person
Evil Kasumi (also an Asuma/Iruka fan, huh... your preferences never cease to amaze me...)
cdkobasiuk
AJ the Dark Raven
VertigoMesmerizer
kei (here's a hint: who was the last person that was talking to Iruka-sensei before he went to the office?)
afk
Rui Yazawa (alright, I won't put Hiashi/Iruka but instead OroIRU!!! Kah kah kah... but then again, you might not find this pairing scary... like some ppl .)
Iceheart19 (here's another hint: This person is not a Shinobi for nothing even if she is a genin)
Naruke (Thanx for writing to me :o) Really fun!)
A (Definitely more clues here or not... heh heh heh)
RukaIayLomperGay
Renn
ChibiRisu-chan (sorry, can't tell you whether you're right or wrong on that theory, because if I do, then it'll spoil the story ;o)
Temari-chan (;o)
Isolde1 (it should be the other way round. I should be honored :o) Asuma reminds you of your pop huh. Heh heh heh. But then again, Iruka is the mother hen, so it should be a very compatible match eh? Snicker)
Hotaruchan27 (I'm reading Shi-chan's fic too and I know how it feels about GenIru too... :o)
Hmm, now, did I miss anyone out? I hope not. If I did, I sincerely apologise but for now, let's get on the story.
Chapter 4B - Confusion and Suspicion Part 2
Wednesday morning, Iruka went to work after discovering yet another bouquet at his front porch. This time, it's a bouquet of white Lilies with a white card written with the words:
White Lilies for Your Sweetness.
He have had three days to get used to the idea of someone sending him flowers, a secret admirer. Three torturous, headache-inducing, wondrous days. Somewhere in his heart, he felt very flattered, happy even and every time he thought about them, he felt... appreciated.
Iruka shook his head, feeling a little giddy as he headed towards the academy. The children, especially Konohamaru and his gang were their usual destructive, distracting and annoying selves but Iruka was his usual self too. So, naturally, he hit them on the head for making a ruckus and sent them to stand outside.
Later, during lunch, after giving the children a deliberately long and boring lecture, he went to the library to check out some new books that he knew was being stocked that day.
The librarian gave him a smile and pointed him towards the direction of the new books. Iruka walked passed the bookshelves that were lined systematically. He stopped when he suddenly caught the sight of a familiar person by the corner of his eyes.
"Ebisu-sempai, you're here?" Iruka stated questioningly, blinking at the sight of the Jounin tutor.
The said dark haired man jumped, dropping the book he was looking at.
"IRUKA-SENSEI!?"
Iruka winced at the startled shout, somewhat shocked himself. How could a jounin be so easily surprised by a Chuunin like him? He looked down at the book Ebisu had dropped as the Jounin stumbled on his explanations on why he was there. Iruka bend down to pick it up, wondering what the nervous Jounin was looking at.
Please don't tell me it's one of those books that Naruto has been telling me that Kakashi reads. He thought to himself offhandedly until he saw the title on the cover of the book.
Eh? Victorian Meanings of Flower? What is he doing with a book like this? OH, kami-sama. Could it be…
The other dark haired man laughed somewhat awkwardly, a very visible blush on his face whether from his embarrassment of being caught unaware by Iruka or something else, Iruka couldn't discern.
"Iruka-sensei, what are you doing here?" the Jounin asked embarrassedly.
"Just looking at the books, I was hoping to find something to help me teach the students with," Iruka answered carefully, looking up at the nervous bespectacled Jounin.
"Eh, heh heh heh, me too," the other dark haired man said a little too quickly.
"Ah," Iruka replied to indicate that he understood, even though he really didn't (didn't want to, more like). He handed the book back to Ebisu.
"Well, I think I'll leave now to your work," Konohamaru's tutor said quickly, and then, as if he was doing a jutsu, disappeared hurriedly behind a bookshelf.
Iruka just stared wide-eyed after him.
This is getting weirder by the minute. Iruka was having a very difficult time trying to figure out who was sending him the flowers. His mind kept circling the possibilities of those who sent the flowers, mind whirling about in confusing dizzying loops.
Ebisu-san? He was looking at the book…
Asuma-san? He bought same flowers the other day…
Kakashi? Why does he even know what basil means?
This is such a headache, Iruka thought to himself, scratching the scar across his nose. He sighed and tried to focus on the report he was trying to process. The keyword here was 'trying'. He had been on the same report for the past ten minutes to no avail.
He lifted his hand and slapped his own cheek in hopes that he could then concentrate but it only served to cause him pain and several concerned looks from the others.
"Are you okay, Iruka-sensei?" Iwashi asked gently. Iruka flushed a little.
"Ah, Daijoubu, just a little distracted," Iruka said, laughing awkwardly. Then he dragged the file up to cover his blushing face. He sighed and glanced back at his report again. The pony-tailed sensei felt himself about to drift again until something caught his attention.
Similar consequences should be avoided…
Iruka read to himself, eyes riveting back to the 'S' word. It looked familiar. Like the ones written on the cards.
Iruka turned the file to see the name written on it. The report of the mission conducted by Gekkou Hayate, was written by Gekkou Hayate.
Iruka put down the file dazedly.
It doesn't get more complicated than this. He thought to himself as he vaguely contemplated on banging his head on his desk in an attempt to cure his throbbing headache.
Thursday was the mark of the fifth day since Iruka started receiving flowers from his secret admirer. That morning, he had received a beautiful bouquet of white Lily of the Valleys and Lavenders with a cards stating:
Lily of the Valley: For your Sweetness and Humility
Lavenders: To represent my devotion to you
Iruka had gone about his whole day the same, anticipating the second bouquet that would always come in the afternoon to the administration office. The day before, it came in the form of a basket of white Magnolias delivered by Ino herself. She told him that magnolias represented sweetness though there really wasn't a need to tell him that since the white and gold card inside stated that:
White magnolias reminds me of your pure sweetness.
And he was right, there was a second bouquet that day too. Only that he didn't expect it to be sent in such a manner...
"Izumo, I'm going to send this to Hokage-sama, do you have any other documents you want me to give him?" Iruka asked, stacking his administered late reports. (By yet again, who else? Kakashi-sensei, of course.)
"Ah, yes," Izumo answered, selecting a few files. He handed them to Iruka, thanking the older man for his help.
Iruka nodded and headed towards the exit, still looking at the files to make sure that he had them all sorted out properly. He nearly dropped them though when he bumped into someone the moment he stepped out of the office.
"Ah, Gomen," he said quickly, looking up to see the perpetually straw-chewing Genma.
"It's alright," came the deep voice. "It's a good thing it's you. Here."
A beautiful bouquet of colourfully mixed Garden Ranunculus was tossed gently into his arms, atop the files.
"Genma-san?" Iruka stared at the bouquet, then at the jounin.
"I found it," was the only reply. The other long haired man seemed unperturbed to the fact that he had actually presented a bouquet of flowers to another man, "At the front of the building."
Iruka nodded/bowed stiffly, not knowing whether to believe what Genma claimed, then he glanced at the clolourful little card sticking out. He shifted a bit to free his hand and took it out to read the content.
The card read:
You are radiant with charm, Iruka.
Again, there was no signature, no indication as to whom the one sent the flowers was. He glanced back at the impassive Jounin who merely gave him a bored look.
"Uh, um. Thank you," Iruka bowed then quickly turned back into the office, conveniently forgetting what he was supposed to be doing in favour of blushing all shades of red.
Genma chewed on his perpetual straw, a little smile tugging at the side of his mouth. Then, humming gently, he headed in the other direction.
Tsuzuku
This is the normal part where everyone screams, SIREN, YOU EVIL EVIL PERSON! How could you leave it like that!?
Be patient! Just one or two more chapters to go (which is half way done but it depends on how long it is but most like it'll just be one more). Just need to finish it, clear some loop holes and edit it once more before I post them up. This marks the end of the votes. You'll find out soon enough who it is. ;o)
The next chapter(s) will come next week, possibly the end of it. Then I'm gone for the month! (or two) :o)
And before I go, here's a…
Sneak Preview: (MoonSweet! This is Revenge for that tongue cheekiness ;o)
Of Sea and Land
Iruka got up hastily from his chair, but the serpent was much faster. The dark one slithered up to him effortlessly causing Iruka gasped at the sight of the grey slit pupils so close to his face. But before Iruka could even move away, his hands were held captive by the colourless sea serpent.
Panicking, Iruka tried to pull them out of the strong grip but it was in vain. The more he tugged the firmer the clasp seemed to become. Iruka gasped in pain at the unyielding hold as the serpent slid closer still. Orochimaru grinned, his fangs gleaming dangerously as his tongue slithered out. (eeewwww… .)
Then, finally, Orochimaru released the distressed envoy's left hand to wind his own freed hand around the slim waist, pulling the silver blue mer to him. Iruka didn't dare to breathe as he tried to push away from his assailant's chest and grip but to no avail.
When the leering face of the sea serpent approached his, he turned to the side in an attempt to avoid contact with the pale lips (and disgusting tongue XoP). But the powerful monarch was not to be discouraged at the action. Iruka cringed in disgust when he felt the serpent's tongue slid across his neck to his ear.
"Sssweet little dolphin…," the soft low hiss was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, enough to make Iruka scream and struggle anew. His silvery blue tail hit the chair that he had once sat on as he thrashed about. The impact knocked the chair backwards as the two tumbled onto the floor.
THIS IS SO WRONNGGGG! MY POOR LITTLE IRU-CHAN!!!!! TT.TT
GAHHH!!! This is so traumatizing, it has been circling my head for the past few days. Okay, breathhheeee...
HA! Try to get that scene out of your head! (I did, didn't work no matter how many times I hit my head on my desk) I know, I know, evil evil Siren yada yada... :op It'll probably make it worse if I tell you that Oro is probably more turned on when Iru-chan tries to struggle or fight back. Grins evilly.
Oh, I forgot. I missed out one pairing. It's Kisame/Iruka. Lainey-chan suggested it. The little shark wanting his little dolphin. Snicker.
Iruka: cries piteously Someone help save me from this author …TT.TT
SiM: Poor thing. All my poor fave characters. The more I like them, the more they seem to suffer… Take Kurama or Remus for example.
Remus: Pats Iruka's back soothingly There… there… it'll all be over soon. Just close your eyes and think of better times. I do.
Kurama: When she finally gets bored, life will get much much better.
Iruka: sniffles Really?
Kurama: Yep.
SiM: That's what you think.
All three: turns pale…
Heh heh. Just kidding.
Until next time! :o)
Luv,
SirenM
Ps. Mer is a short for merman. I'm going to refer them as mer instead of mermaids or mermen, it sounds better this way. :o)