Hello! As promised, here's Chapter 7! I wanted to try present tense. I'm not too sure if it works, let me know. :)
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Chapter 7: Attack of the PervertTenten has Metal in a headlock when Kakashi arrives at Rock Lee's house. A silver eyebrow rises at the scene in front of him. The boy squirms in his Aunt's vice grip but he is no match for the weaponess.
"Metal! You will not harass Kakashi-sama." Kakashi hears her hiss, "Don't even think about challenging him."
The boy flails for a couple seconds more before the fight goes out of him and Kakashi feels a bit put off with the sudden yield. It almost makes him feel guilty. Surely, the retired Hokage can humour one of his shinobi.
"Ah, Kakashi-sama," Tenten greets, waving her free hand as if she just noticed him, "I thought Sakura would be with you?"
"She must have gotten lost on the road of life. I'm sure she'll join us soon." He was not about to tell Tenten that the Haruno-Uchiha household (yet again) has a crater in their front yard because Sakura lost her patience with Sasuke. He'd let Sakura tell the weapons master all "hot goss" later.
"I suppose we can start without her?" he looks over at the door and catches Metal's eye. The mottled red is steadily climbing up his neck, but the teen follows the adults into the home without a word. Kakashi wonders what's up with the kid.
He settles at the table and surveys his surroundings as Tenten makes tea. Thank god the kunoichi has better taste in interior design than her teammates. Everything about Tenten's home feels lived in. The tables have nicks on their edges and the cushion on the chair he is sitting on feels barely there. The appliances are a mismatched stainless steel and white. There are photographs everywhere - in frames on the table by the couch, a corkboard filled with memories. Metal stars in a lot of the pictures and Kakashi can't help but compare Iruka's place to Tenten's. They are very similar and if Kakashi closes his eyes and lets himself daydream he can swap out the smell of kunai conditioning oil and tea for cardamom and coffee. Interim reports strewn over the table in the study and the horribly orange moka pot with the broken handle that Iruka refuses to get rid of. There are the photos too, only instead of Metal, it's Naruto or Boruto or Himawari.
But he doesn't close his eyes and dream because everything reminds him of Iruka. Thus, everything reminds him of his purpose for his visit today. Kakashi has decided that the best way, really the only way he knows how, to go about wooing his favourite principal, is to regard it like a mission. Of course, there's still the issue of Metal boring holes into the back of his head. No good ninja can let down his guard when they are being so obviously watched.
"Is he always like this?" Kakashi asks when Tenten reappears, balancing a tea set.
"No, he's just-" Tenten starts and beckons to the boy, "Have you greeted the Rokudaime yet?"
Kakashi puts both his palms up, "There's really no need." but Metal is beside him already and Kakashi thinks Guy would be very proud at the teen's speed.
"Rokudaime-sama." a moment, then a stiff bow.
He doesn't move like someone has locked him into the Nara's famous shadow technique, but his eyes are just brimming with something Kakashi cannot discern. For his part, Kakashi does not know what to say. He doesn't know what questions to ask, what words are appropriate to fill the space between him and his Greatest Rival's God-Grandson. Iruka would know. He always knows what to say.
"Okay, this is clearly not going away. Why don't you just tell Kakashi-sama what you've been fussing all week." Tenten acquiesces.
Two dark orbs are locked in a stalemate with one bored grey eye. The silence is palpable and Kakashi flounders in his mind, but his face remains the definition of cool and calm.
"Are you going to marry Iruka-sensei?" Metal finally says.
Kakashi blinks and with it, falls the tension.
"Aren't you too old for Iruka-sensei?"
"Marriage is about love, right?"
"Do you love him?"
"Does Iruka-sensei love you?"
"If Iruka-sensei doesn't love you, are you going to force him to marry you?"
Metal's face pulls to the side as he bites the inside of his cheek to stop the questions from flowing out like a waterfall crashing down on Kakashi's hopes and dreams. Because this is the first child who has asked him these things and the seventh person overall who's given him the talk and Kakashi suddenly finds it very hard to breathe with his mask on. He knows he doesn't compare to the god that is Iruka Umino, village darling, Will of Fire incarnate, voted Best Shinobi by popular vote every year after the ninja census first began. Somewhere, in his pink and fleshy brain, he is reminded that he is allowed to have good things, to surround himself with good people, that just-Kakashi is enough. He exhales as the door opens and Lee shows up with Sakura. His former student is complaining about Sasuke and his 'stupid, dumb, idiotic man-pride.'
And so, Kakashi answers Metal honestly, "I hope so; no; sometimes; yes; I don't know. And never. I would never force Iruka to do something he doesn't want to." he pauses, then adds, "Not that Iruka would ever agree to something he doesn't want to." he gives Metal his patented eye smile. No, his Iruka has never been cowed by Kakashi. Pushed, coerced, tricked? Maybe. But never forced.
Metal nods. Tenten sits witness and then she claps a hand on Metal's shoulder and tells him she's got a bunch of weapons in her store, Ten Ten Ten, attached to the house that needs to be inventoried. She sets him on this task, but not before the teen greets Sakura and Lee.
Sakura gestures at the teen's retreating back, but Kakashi and Tenten just shrug. Kids are kids.
"Are you going to take me up on the offer to fix your house?" Kakashi is already reaching for his cheque book in his back pocket when the pink-haired woman shakes her head.
"Sasuke's adamant that he'll fix it. The busted pipe and the lawn." she rolls her eyes because it makes sense to accept Kakashi's offer. He's retired with too much money to spend and he has an entire account sectioned for Sakura's mishaps. Sasuke's pride be damned. But not really, because this has been an area of contention ever since Kakashi paid off the mortgage as a wedding present to the pair.
"You'll be doing me a favour. No one's using it anyway."
"Thank you, but it's fine." except it isn't.
Kakashi hums. He's not going to get into it in front of Rock Lee and Tenten. He files it away for later, "Okay, but the offer stands."
"So," Rock Lee claps his hands together, "How can we be of service Kakashi-sama?"
Kakashi hums. He's good at delegation. Brilliant would be a better descriptor. He knows how to play into his subordinates' talents and how to match them together to make the team more than the sum of its parts. However, there are things that require a lighter touch and this is where Kakashi finds himself caught.
You can't use raikiri in the middle of water even if the water is so murky and full of debris, it might as well be land. The blade that slices through everything is nothing without someone to wield it.
"I'm stuck." Kakashi finally says, "The order of the dates have been randomized. Mine is one of the last."
It goes without saying that Kakashi wants to strike first and strike hard. The longer he waits, the greater the possibility that Iruka finds someone he fancies prior to going out with Kakashi. If it comes to that, the entire dating scheme would be a moot point.
"So you'll just have to impress him more than everyone before." Tenten says.
Sakura agrees, "Blow him right out of the water!" she gives him an impish look and nudges his ribs with her elbow.
Kakashi's about to take her jibe to the next level, because he's sure to do more than just blow, but Lee interrupts their leering contest.
"Is there a rule about not seeing Iruka-sensei earlier?"
"Oh, not explicitly, I don't think." Sakura snaps her attention to the other man. Her mouth opens once but clamps shut just as quickly. Everyone sees. She says it anyway, "I suppose it would seem a bit underhanded, but no one would stop Kakashi from seeing Iruka-sensei."
Tenten hums in agreement. Her teammate shakes his head, bowl cut hair swaying like a shampoo commercial.
"All's fair in Love and War. If Kakashi-sama is steadfast in his Burning Affections for our Esteemed Principal, surely the other Suitors will understand. A Love that yearns so deeply cannot be held back by Idle Waiting."
His hands clasp around Kakashi's and pull. If Kakashi didn't chakra-reinforce his ass to the chair, he would have been dragged across the table.
"I believe the only Question now is: What is the Apt Time to strike?"
Tenten pulls out a scroll detailing the chronological order of all the dates Iruka will be subject to. There are names and detailed notes beside every name. It is mostly occupation-related - what is their field status, where do they work, what ninja rank are they. Kakashi would be remiss to not note The Council's ensignia on the scroll.
As if she read his mind, Tenten says, "Temari is our in." The fact that she must have swiped this from her husband goes unsaid.
"She's having a ball with this. Imagine going from watching a Suna drama about a forbidden love triangle between the Kazekage and his two assistants to seeing it happen in real life." rolling green eyes, the other kunoichi continues, "Different village, different people, same story."
She looks over the scroll and leans against her old teacher, "Hey, doesn't Iruka-sensei hate Ebisu-san?"
"They don't like each other." Kakashi doesn't understand who approved Ebisu's request to be on the official To-Date list. Eyes narrowing at the name, he decides to pay a visit to Iruka after his date with Ebisu. He'd bring sake and offer to help Iruka forget about the man. Good ole friendly companionship.
Except Kakashi still needs to figure out how to move past friendship.
"Ebisu-sensei's not all bad!" Tenten and Lee both protest. Of course, Gai's genin team was with Ebisu and Genma back in the day. Of course Gai's second genin team has a soft spot for the ninja their current hokage still refers to as the 'Closet Pervert.'
"He's just… come across an epiphany of sorts." the tips of Tenten's ears flush red and she doesn't look at Kakashi.
"You know something," he says.
She doesn't respond.
Rock Lee looks between the two of them, confusion clear on his features. Then the answer hits him. Kakashi and Sakura can pinpoint the exact moment when it does because Rock Lee's face goes through a series of expressions faster than the Sharingan can memorize them if Kakashi still had the eye.
"Lee." Sakura warns.
"No, don't." his teammate grips down on his armband tightly.
"They're going to hear it anyway."
"Genma-sensei's going to get in enough trouble as it is with Iruka-san."
What does Genma have to do with it?
"That's if he finds out."
"When he finds out. You know everyone who works in the Academy has eyes and ears all over the village."
"This is nothing that will bring our Principal into disrepute."
"What about Ebisu-sensei or Genma-sensei?"
"Unfortunately, I think they're already in disrepute." the genius of hard work pats Tenten lightly on the hand with which she administers her vice grip.
He gives them a wry smile that has no place being on Rock Lee's face. Not when he's the paragon of optimism.
"Genma-sensei is using a Most-Profitable yet very Un-Youthful Gacha Scheme with his Betting Ring."
Sakura gets it before Kakashi does and his breath catches in his throat. His Sakura has always been smart.
"You mean the photos!" Sakura reaches into her bag and pulls out a card holder. It is the kind that looks like a photo album, the black leather cover is embroidered with the flower that is her namesake. The embroidery only takes up one corner of the item. It looks too reserved to be something Sakura bought for herself and there's only one ninja who's been out travelling to get her a souvenir. Maybe he should hold off on transferring the repair money directly into Sakura's account afterall.
She flips it to the appropriate pages and shows everyone the photos of Iruka printed on what looks like trading cards. A lot of these are candids spanning many years. The Academy really needs better security if even the Academy ANBU can't catch the paparazzi.
"We're all collecting at the hospital. So far, we haven't come across any of the rare ones." she pauses, "I assume that Ebisu-san has."
"It's a.. ah. Rather delicate photo, yes." Tenten finally says.
The pink blooms across the bridge of her nose and her ears are fully reddened. Lee is not looking any better. They've seen it. And they let Genma sell it. There is a knocking coming from within Kakashi's chest. His heart beats harder and angrier against the sharpness of his ribs. It feels like his bones are a cage reigning in his rage, holding his anger close to the center until the pressure forms a stone that will sit in the shame pooling at his base. For all that he wants to protect Iruka, to find the people who leaked his trust and burn every trace of this "rare, delicate photo," there's a part of Kakashi that wants to see it. More than that, he wants to touch.
"It's not a nude is it?" Sakura asks.
The shock on Tenten's face confirms it isn't and the anger bleeds away like water in a sieve.
"No, no! Of course not. It's a photo from one of the wet-tshirt contests the bars in the Village Central like to host. It seems like Iruka-sensei's won several before."
The anger might be gone but the shame stays with Kakashi long after the group decides how to tackle the series of meet-cutes they've devised for Kakashi and Iruka.
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Yugao is nice.
She picks up Iruka after school and they visit the new yakitori restaurant on the new side of town. They have a private booth and both ninja decide to try the frozen beer slush. Iruka can't help but feel a bit embarrassed. He's never been wined and dined before.
It's nice. And thoughtful.
Like how Yugao is nice and thoughtful.
The teacher in Iruka whoops because he's finally found another adjective besides "nice" that he can describe the purple haired woman with.
He cringes when the words that escape him are, "This is nice."
"Yes. Nice. We should do this more often." she muses into her drink.
She's not looking at him, she's looking through him. The hairs on the nape of his neck bristle the way one would if faced with a bear in the woods. Yugao is dangerous. She is dangerous and thoughtful and nice. Iruka struggles with how multifaceted she is and how, for the last twenty years of his life, he's only ever seen her as an accessory to his late friend, Hayate.
Guilt wraps its way around his throat. He should know better. As a father to Hinata, a grand-father to Himawari, the countless kunoichi who studied under his tutelage. The guilt constricts in pulses. It is a bear claw wrapped around his larynx, tightening just enough to make breathing an unnatural sensation.
Yugao snaps her eyes away and downs the rest of her drink, the crushed ice is clear by the time the mug meets the table. Iruka can breathe again.
"You will like him and he will be good for you." she says.
Confusion is evident on Iruka's face but Yugao continues, "He's eccentric but not overbearing. You'll find that he'll push you to do better, but he knows when to stop. He'll pull you back from the ledge if you need him to or he'll make you do it yourself."
"He'll like you," she mirrors, "And you'll be good for him."
His mind flounders a bit, trying to find the dots that Yugao wants him to connect. There is only one name that comes to mind, someone who has pushed and pulled, whined and wheedled his way into the important decisions in Iruka's life.
"I don't know if I would say he's not overbearing." Iruka scratches the side of his face.
He is fond of him, of course. Kakashi is rather endearing when he's not actively trying to be an ass. Or maybe he's always an ass and being adorable is an active trait. A flush rises to cover his scar, the warmth is similar to when Kakashi holds his hands or tries to pull his cheeks into a smile. It is terribly juvenile and not at all the way a previous hokage should act around his once-subordinates, not when one is in his forties and the other has hit the big 5-0. Still, they skirt around one another like teenagers who want to dance but don't know the steps. Mid age is a confusing time, Iruka thinks. A second puberty that comes with the same growing pains only this time, it's not from a growth spurt but a deteriorating cartilage between his joints.
"He's not going to treat you like Naruto, Iruka. Unless Mokuton cages are your thing." her eyebrows furrow when his eyes widen in understanding.
"Oh!" his head shakes, ponytail swinging, "Sorry, I thought you were talking about Kakashi. I don't know Yamato-san well."
Yugao's eyebrows furrow deeper, "No. Iruka, I don't think you understand. Kakashi-taichou is a brilliant leader and a good man, but he will ruin you."
Brown eyes narrow at the woman, "Excuse me?"
"He will ruin you." she repeats.
"Do you care to explain that?" Iruka bristles, "Actually, I don't need to hear it. I am perfectly capable of handling myself. Don't make Kakashi out to be a monster."
"I'm not saying he's a monster or that you can't protect yourself. Iruka, listen to me," she grabs his arm that's holding his wallet. They are standing over empty drinks and burnt skewer sticks. Iruka could turn and march out, Yugao isn't holding on too tightly, but something nags at him in the crevices of his mind. It's as if his body is telling him that he would be remiss to ignore Yugao's warning.
"Look, Iruka. I don't mean to upset you, but you have to understand. Kakashi is a genius, the way savants are. He's always going to be two steps ahead of people like you and me and because he can see farther than the rest of us, he'll try to sway you into doing things the way he wants them to pan out."
Iruka wants to tell her that they're shinobi. It's in their nature to convince and where convincing is impossible, to manipulate. She continues before he can get a word in.
"He'll never respect you the way you want to be respected. He will override your concerns, your actions, and your wants because the end goal is what's important to him. He doesn't care how he gets there as long as at the end, the people he cares for are there with him."
She lets go of his arm, "Even if you don't want to listen, promise me that you'll think about it. I don't want to see a friend hurt."
Iruka has always been too soft and everything in him tells him that Yugao is being sincere. He's never turned down a sincere request when he could do what they asked. He nods and lets her treat him to the meal. She doesn't walk him home and he doesn't offer either. The yakitori sits heavy in his stomach.
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Ebisu wanted to go to Ichiraku but there is no fucking way Iruka would let the closet pervert anywhere near his good memories of the best ramen restaurant in Konoha. Instead, they are waiting for their orders to arrive at an all-day breakfast joint. Ebisu keeps waffling on about how good this place is, that when Team Chouza visited the city, they used to eat here every time. There's something about how happy he is that the franchise opened a chain in Konoha a couple years back and now the "boys" don't have to go into the city for some good ole "brekkie."
"Did you ever take Konohamaru here?" Iruka cuts in. If he has to stay for the whole date, he might as well listen to something worth hearing.
Ebisu freezes mid sentence, irritation pulling his lips into a thin line, "No." he finally says.
"I thought you'd be a bit more sentimental about it. Team Chouza, Team Ebisu, I think Konohamaru would take his genin here if they knew."
It's a low blow and Iruka knows it. Konohamaru has outgrown Ebisu ever since the Third's death. It's not that Iruka takes joy in Ebisu's loss. He got the boy as a jounin instructor afterall. It's just that Iruka has always known that he's the better teacher and Ebisu is well… they don't like one another and the other man is acting suspicious.
"Does he come to see you?" Ebisu asks.
Iruka studies him for a moment. He could be mean, but it's not in Iruka's nature to kick a man when he is down.
He answers truthfully, "Not enough. He likes to help with the physical exams at the Academy, but if I needed a Sarutobi to gauge the students' abilities, Mirai is much more observant than Konohamaru."
"Everyone seems to go to you for advice."
"Not everyone, but it comes with the territory. I take care of their kids and once the adults know what's happening, they want to know how it happens."
Ebisu sits up a bit straighter, "I wanted to apologize. I hope you can take me seriously."
"What are you apologizing for?' Iruka thanks the waitress as she sets down their food and drink. Regardless of what Iruka thinks of Ebisu, the pancakes and potato wedges smell divine.
"For whatever I did that upset you." Ebisu slices into his sausage.
Iruka drenches the pancakes in syrup. In his peripheral, he can see the other man grimace.
"Don't make empty apologies."
"Then can you tell me what I did? I can't apologize for something I don't know."
"You already did." Iruka caps the syrup and bites into his pancake almost viciously.
"So you accept my apology?"
"No."
Behind his sunglasses, Ebisu glares. Perhaps this wasn't worth the effort but he reminds himself of how Iruka looked and how he looks now and how Ebisu would love to be the reason he makes that face.
Iruka continues, "Forgive me for forgoing decorum, but we don't like one another. We've never liked one another so this," he waves his hand over the food, "this is suspicious."
Ebisu's voice drops into a low timber that would otherwise be sexy but because it comes from Ebisu, the noise it makes scratches Iruka's ear canal, "Do I have to accept that apology?"
"Yes, you do. And you have to tell me why you are on this date." Iruka spits the last word out. He's aware that he's eating at an inhumane pace, almost matching Naruto's speed in inhaling ramen.
Ebisu looks put off but he is nothing if not persistent so he says, "I might have had a revelation and I want to make amends."
Iruka stabs his last blueberry and plops it into his mouth. He talks around it, "What revelation and what kind of amends?"
"I was introduced to another side of Iruka-sensei, that's all."
Iruka kicks Ebisu under the table. While the esteemed tutor is a stickler for rules, Iruka has no qualms being a troublemaker when he wants to be. He sees Ebisu clench his jaw to keep from yelping.
"Being coy is highly unattractive, Ebisu-sensei."
Ebisu scratches the flap over his vest's front pocket and Iruka knows. He knows because he's a teacher and he knows because Ebisu is a shitty liar. Iruka reaches over and shoves his hand down Ebisu's pocket, rummaging until his fingers find a stack of cardstock and pulls back. He flips the cards right side up in the hands and stops.
Iruka doesn't know how Ebisu has these photos of him. He doesn't even know these photos existed. However, he can place them in a rough timeline. There are ones from the Morgue Party that newly minted chunin go to. There's one when he was a field ninja. There are several from the ages 18 to 22 before he met Naruto and stopped going to the wildest bars in town. One in particular has a shirtless Iruka swinging on a pole with one high heel on. His right shoulder is covered in glitter and it's honestly a fun memory from when Iruka liked to party, liked to dance, and liked to kiss strangers in the dark. He's not interested in those experiences anymore, but he doesn't regret it. He had fun then and he's not mad that there are photos to prove it happened. However, the annoyance that Ebisu, of all people, has these in his possession seeps into his bones like ice. Whatever fondness he has in reminiscing over his youth is cut by the cold rage that is steadily building.
Iruka doesn't say anything, he doesn't trust his mouth to not loose cannon a litany of curses at the other teacher. Ebisu, for his part, looks mortified. It doesn't make Iruka feel any better as he stomps out of the restaurant.
Somewhere behind the pounding of blood rushing in his ears, he hears Ebisu telling him to wait. Iruka walks faster, the waitress will hold Ebisu for moments longer. Iruka needs to go before there is a scene. He needs to go and find out who else has these photos and he needs to get to them before the parents do. Naruto will tell them to fuck off, but Iruka really does not want to deal with the PTA's passive aggressiveness during exam period or any period really.
A hand grabs his arm and pulls. Reflexively, Iruka spins and slogs Ebisu in the face.
"Fuck you!" Iruka says.
Ebisu lurches forward and pulls himself up with Iruka's lapel, "No, you listen to me! You're hot okay? Really fucking hot and I'm an idiot for not seeing it sooner. If you could stop being so cold for a second, I can make this work."
Iruka's eyes bulge from their sockets. This fucking holy terror of a man - no, cockroach. Ebisu is definitely a cockroach. Even if Iruka has the chakra reserves to jutsu the Second's water dragons (which he doesn't) to blast this poor excuse of a human being to the earth's core, Ebisu would survive like the indestructible insect he is. Why the fuck is he so persistent?
His eyes snap closed momentarily as Iruka takes a calming breath. When he opens them, Ebisu is charging forward with his lips puckered. Iruka has never gone through hand seals so fast prior to now.
The web of chakra spews forward from his mouth. A trapping barrier to hold down the menace. The barrier sails through air and lands, dissolving into the ground. There is no Ebisu in sight. Iruka looks around frantically, locating a muted shouting above him. There is a box with breathing holes hanging from the tree above.
A man hops down from the branches and his hands curl around Iruka's arms, shaking him gently.
"Iruka-sensei, are you alright?"
Yamato. Iruka's brain pieces together the information. Yes, yes, he's fine. Iruka tries to say that much but the sheer ridiculousness of Ebisu's advances and getting saved from a pervert by Naruto's old team captain is making his mouth too dry to speak. He nods rapidly instead.
The hands drop away suddenly, "Sorry," Yamato says.
Iruka has no idea what he's apologizing for. All that matters is that Ebisu is stuck in that wooden cage and Iruka is going to make an official complaint to the Neighbourhood Shinobi Association about persistent perverts who try to kiss people without consent.
"Sorry," he says again, "I shouldn't have jumped in like that. I'm sure you had it under control, but you looked a bit… distressed." he finishes lamely, rubbing the back of his neck.
It wouldn't do to insult his future date by implying that he was some damsel who needed Yamato's saving, but that's really how Iruka looked - distressed. Scout's honour!
Iruka recovers miraculously quick, "It's fine, as long as you keep him there until he learns his lesson."
"Always trying to teach a lesson, huh?" Yamato smiles down at him, the grin a fraction lopsided. It makes him look younger, Iruka thinks.
"My hero." Iruka pats the other man's forearm and watches pink bloom over his cheeks. How charming.
There's a lesson in this too. Something Iruka has forgotten. Don't drop your basket in front of handsome men because they'll pick up after you.
Yamato gathers the trading cards quicker than Iruka can react. He checks them over and frowns. Iruka's heart drops.
As Yamato hands the photos back to him, he leans in and murmurs, "Is he blackmailing you?"
"No-no, he's not. I don't know how he came across these though." they are so close Iruka can smell him. Would it be bad manners to sniff? Hana would say no, but she's an Inuzuka. Then Yamato steps back and puts a respectable distance between them. Iruka doesn't know if he likes that.
"That's good! I would hate to have to report a Konoha shinobi for threats against another."
Iruka finds himself nodding along. It couldn't have been more than several seconds, but the silence that stretches between them is punctuated by the muffled shouts from the cage above.
"Thanks, I should go now." Iruka finds himself saying.
There is a brief flicker of emotion across Yamato's face, "Yes, I'm sure you've got places to be."
His tongue darts out to wet his lips. Iruka's eyes follow the pink motion. Yamato seizes the opportunity.
"But when you have the time, I'd love to know the stories behind those memories." he gestures at the photos.
That, thinks Iruka, That is how you do a sexy voice. He tilts his head and agrees.
As the two go their separate ways, they don't notice a cloaked individual sitting on the buildings parallel to the street they were standing on. The sake bottle, freshly chilled, cracks in a gloved hand. The alcohol leaks through fingers that hold too hard to hold on.
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A/N: Don't worry, I haven't decided on whether this will be Iruka/Yamato or Iruka/Kakashi yet. But it's fun to bully Kakashi, especially now that he's DEFINITELY going to make Yamato's life a living nightmare.
Additionally I wanted to put some tension between Sasuke and Sakura in the background because the man is never home and Sakura has to keep up her job as a ninja doctor and take care of Sarada. From what is known in the series, her parents will definitely help Sakura out with her conditions. In my slight AU version of the Naruto verse, I like to think Kakashi can relate to Sakura where her parents cannot (because he is a ninja too) and is more than wiling to help her with any difficulties she might have. Sasuke's finally back in the village for an extended period of time in this story and he's definitely going to butt heads with Kakashi over what they each want to teach Sarada and over how Kakashi dotes on Sakura. THERE WILL BE NO ROMANCE HERE. Only in-law tensions. LOL Maybe I'll write a companion piece on Sakura's pregnancy and how Kakashi finds out.
I don't include Moegi as someone who would take her team to Ebisu's favourite diner because I love the idea that every generation of Ino-Shika-Cho only stans Yakiniku Q. Honestly, I adore Ino-Shika-Cho which is why I'm currently working on a set of one shots that can be read together or by itself about team 10. It's called "ISC Realty" and focuses on Team 10's extracurricular activities - aka how they're keeping their respective clans in the black financially.
Next time: you can expect Iruka trying to hunt down whoever is distributing his photos. Sasuke has a talk with Iruka over the house-repair situation. Tsunade has her "date" with Iruka; Sakura figures out the problem (with Tsunade but not the problem she has with Sasuke). Yamato and Iruka hang out and Kakashi does a thing. And then a wild Raidou appears.