AN: This ended up coming a few days later than I wanted to get it done, sorry! I uh, got really into HunterxHunter and have watched almost all of that this past week so... yeah that's kinda why

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Following the events of the graduation, Iruka's life had gotten pretty boring. He'd started with his new class, and sure some of the students were troublemakers, but overall they weren't that bad. The only person he saw that was more bored than him was Rōzu.

"You can read?" he'd decided to visit them after class, and was shocked to see what looked like books surrounding them. The fact that they were still wearing pajamas didn't escape his notice.

"Tell anyone and you're dead to me" they glared at him over the book. "But yes I can, and now that Naruto and Sasuke are out on a mission I've got nothing else to do."

"So you bought a bunch of" he picked one up. "Manga?"

"No, ok, well, I'd gotten Naruto a bunch of book ones as gifts" Rōzu waved to the various stacks of books. "But because he's cool he didn't read any of them, I was doing some cleaning the other week and found a few of them."

"So you read them?"

"Yes, and I need you to swear to secrecy here, I really got hooked."

"So you bought more?"

"Yes…"

"To be clear, when I asked you to train every other day last week and you were busy."

"..."

"Was it to read" he picked up one of them. "HunterxHunter?"

"Ok so I got a little addicted and may have" they pulled the book out of his hands. "Decided to skip training to read this."

Iruka leveled a look upon them. He had words to express this feeling, but decided a look of disappointment would convey it better.

"LOOK I AM A MOTHER BIRD AND MY NEST IS EMPTY" Rōzu frantically waved at the literal nest they'd made in their home. "I DON'T TELL YOU HOW TO COPE."

"They're on a C-rank mission" he hadn't expected them to fall apart so soon after the genin teams were made. "They left two days ago and should be back in like two days."

"I'm aware! That knowledge does not ease my issues!"

"But reading all of these manga volumes is?"

"Gon is a really sweet boy."

"Ok let's get you outside for some fresh air before you imprint on the fictional boy."

Using one of the books as bait, his plan to bring them outside worked. He'd used this method on Kakashi before, and so far it had a one hundred percent success rate. Once they were at a training grounds he returned the book.

"Doesn't the sun feel nice?"

"I've been outside you know" Rōzu looked away from him. "I'm still going to work."

"Allegedly."

"I can call the Hokage and he can confirm I was at work."

"Then do it."

"Alright fine yeah I called out of work today, do not tell him that."

"So you agree that maybe you're handling this new situation poorly?"

"What no way! I was a cool lone wolf before I adopted Naruto, now I'm just adjusting before re-entering my cool loner phase. Next week I'm buying a sweet leather jacket."

Iruka pulled out a paper he'd brought along. It didn't say anything on it, but they didn't need to know that.

"That is actually number one on my list of disguised cries for help."

"Well I'm sorry that not all of us got either a class or team of impressionable children to mold into better child soldiers!"

"Again, I'd really prefer if you stopped describing my job like that."

"And yet you don't deny that's what you do at work."

"This is a deflection!" Iruka had let them distract him.

"Fine! You want to train so badly we can train now" Rōzu rolled up the pants of their pajamas.

"I feel like talking this out is a better idea."

"Nope! I wanna fight now!"

In terms of their overall skills the two of them were about even now, Iruka was pretty sure he had them beat in active combat experience as well. When it came to just brute strength, they still had him beat. The latest hit to his stomach only served to remind him of that fact as he flew back.

"You know I take it back" following the fairly short fight the two went to get dinner. "Going outside today was pretty nice."

"The feeling of being right outweighs the pain" Iruka had overestimated his condition after having been blown up this month.

"Ah perfect" Teuchi handed them both menus. "We've got a new special bowl and I want some expert opinions on it."

"Oh no" he could see the fishcakes on the image for it.

"Naruto" as he'd expected, Rōzu was on the verge of tears seeing the pictured special bowl. "They put my boy on a ramen bowl, AND HE'LL NEVER EVEN KNOW!"

"He'll see it in two days when he's back" Iruka took the menu from them to try and prevent them from making a bigger scene.

"When you travel I don't get like that right" Teuchi watched the scene unfold against Iruka's best efforts.

"No this is on a whole other level" Ayame watched some other customers move away from them.

After removing them from the ramen stall Iruka grabbed some togo bowls before meeting back up with them. Rōzu had, thankfully, calmed down.

"I've become my own mother" that realization seemed to be what calmed them down.

"You're just overreacting because you haven't been away from Naruto for this long, it's a normal thing most parents do."

"How dare you validate my emotions like this, but not want me to own a sweet leather jacket."

"You can get the jacket after Naruto's back and if you still want one. I just will not go anywhere with you while you wear it."

"When I wear it you won't even be able to see me through the crowd of admirers fighting for my attention."

"But will any of them offer the charm and allure of me accusing you of treason? I think not."

"Hm, a fair point" they reached over and took his hand in theirs. "Very few people are able to pull that off."

"I'm glad my unique charms are appreciated" he gave their hand a small squeeze.

"Well, you know, with Naruto out of town, I could show you just how appreciated they are" Rōzu followed that up with a small wink.

"Uh" Iruka froze up, they'd made similar comments before and after some discussion with Kakashi he knew what was going on. Moves were being put onto him.

"Hey mom hey Iruka!" Naruto saved him from the moment by suddenly appearing with Sasuke. "Gotta grab some medical supplies be gone in a few!"

The pair watched the two kids search the apartment for the previously mentioned supplies. It took Rōzu a few moments to break out of the shock their sudden arrival caused.

"Why exactly do you need medical supplies?"

"Oh Kakashi, he's doing uh" Naruto looked to Sasuke.

"Bad, he's doing pretty bad."

"What?" Iruka decided to speak up now. "Aren't you just escorting some guy?"

"Yeah and then some guys tried to kill us, and then a sword guy tried to kill us, turns out a lot of people want to kill this guy."

"Iruka."

His own words about how easy the mission Naruto was on from before echoed in his head. He could feel Rōzu's gaze burning into him.

"Well you better get those supplies to him fast!" he said this while leaping out the window. "GOOD LUCK!"

His action paid off as they were too busy helping the kids to pursue him. Iruka was also worried about them given what little info they'd shared, but given their ability to teleport back to the village, he assumed they weren't doing too badly. He was sure if worse came to worse they would come back for help, and if it didn't come to that he could hear about what the hell happened from any of them later.