Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from the original series! Okami Etsu and the Onizuka's are mine however - so please ask nicely before borrowing! Any characters and situations herein are purely fictitious, and any similarity between those and persons living or dead is coincidental.

Friendship

Sunday dawned bright and clear, with just a faint hint of a spring chill in the air. Iruka lay staring at the ceiling of his one room apartment as he remembered his meal with Etsu the night before. He pondered his decision to ask the new Hokage about Etsu, but there really was no other person in the village he could tap for information on the kunoichi. Lady Tsunade would probably be in her office. She'd taken very little time to adjust to the position and had been very on the ball with missions... If not paperwork. He could speak to her before going back to Etsu's. Rubbing his eyes, he rolled out of bed and began his usual morning routine before heading out.

'Lady Tsunade?' Iruka knocked on the half-open office door.

'Iruka-sensei?' Lady Tsunade sounded surprised by his appearance. 'I thought you had the weekend off?'

'I do, but there's something I wanted to ask you... Oh...' Iruka fell silent as he entered to find a number of the villages' jonin and chunin already in the office.

'A private question I take it?' Lady Tsunade asked in amused tones. She rose from her desk and strode out into the hall, beckoning Iruka to follow her.

'It's about Etsu-chan...' Iruka began after he'd closed the office door and stepped away from it.

'Etsu?' Lady Tsunade's brow furrowed as she tried to recall the kunoichi to her mind. 'Oh! Okami Etsu, yes I know who you mean. What about her?'

'Well, I bumped in to her yesterday after... well - years...' Iruka paused, searching for the right words. 'I couldn't help but notice that she doesn't seem very - popular - in the village.'

'No, she wouldn't be. Which is a great shame in my opinion.' Lady Tsunade looked thoughtful. 'Well, I, at least, do not share the village's low opinion of her. She is a very skilled kunoichi - her family were herbalists you know? We use some of their medicine at the hospital... She has an ongoing long-term mission which occupies much of her time it would seem. Does that help some?'

'No, not really. You see I wanted to know why they hate her so much... I mean with Naruto-kun the reason is obvious, but Etsu-chan is a very good person without the problems of a jinchuriki. ' Iruka shrugged. 'It seems unfair.'

'Unfair or not, Etsu-san is no longer a child who needs adults to fight her battles for her. I cannot tell you why they hate Etsu-san so much... But I can say it is not something she has done, the problem is someone else, someone connected to her... The villagers fear she will become like that person...' Lady Tsunade leant back against the wall. 'In all fairness I think a lot of the animosity continues towards Etsu-san because it's very obvious that her fellow shinobi leave her strictly alone. She has no friends that I'm aware of... Besides which, she is a bit of an odd ball.'

'Yes. I see.' Iruka looked glumly down the corridor. He could sense the Hokage was not telling him the whole story...

'You know the best gift you - or anyone else for that matter - could give Etsu-san is friendship. Let people see you're happy to be around her. You are a well liked and well respected figure within this village Iruka-sensei. It may involve some little trouble for you in the short term, but long term I think it will help a lot.' Lady Tsunade smiled softly. 'As you say she is a very lovely person. Have you tried her cooking?'

'I ended up eating at her place last night.' Iruka blushed. 'I'm seeing her again today.'

'That's good to hear.' Lady Tsunade beamed. 'Well if that's all Iruka-sensei?'

She didn't wait for Iruka's nod before she strode back through the open doorway and closed the door. Iruka froze... Had the door been open the entire time? Impossible, he'd definitely closed it... unless someone in the room had quietly opened it again to eavesdrop on the conversation...

Iruka found his way back to Etsu's house with little trouble. He knocked loudly... No answer. Perhaps she wasn't awake yet. Iruka turned to leave and caught the faintest sound coming from the back of the house. He paused, unsure whether he should investigate or not. He took a deep breath and stepped onto the path that led to the back of the house. He smiled as he caught sight of Etsu, basket of eggs tucked under her arm and the other hand latching a gate closed to keep her livestock in.

'Good morning Etsu-chan!' Iruka waved to catch her attention.

'Good morning, Umino-san!' Etsu beamed. Iruka was relieved to see that it was one of her real smiles. She seemed slightly surprised at his appearance, but also very happy.

'Have you eaten breakfast yet?' Etsu asked as she led the way through the garden to the kitchen.

'Um, no.' Iruka swallowed hard. What if Etsu asked why he hadn't eaten? He couldn't exactly tell her he'd been questioning the Hokage about her... Especially since it didn't technically concern him.

'... fresh eggs... Umino-san?' Etsu turned and looked at him.

'Excuse me?' Iruka blushed, he hadn't heard a word of what she'd just said.

'I was asking if fresh eggs would be ok? I didn't know if you liked eggs Umino-san?'

'Um, yeah... I guess.' Iruka grinned.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, giving Iruka time to study the kitchen closely in the cold light of morning. It was very homey, and at the same time so lonely; the room so obviously arranged to suit the needs of one person. He helped Etsu clear the dishes and then followed her out into the garden. Of all the ways to spend his Sunday, Iruka had never imagined he'd learn so many new things! Etsu had already planned to spend her day off planting vegetable seeds in preparation for the spring and summer. She admitted that she hadn't been expecting Iruka to actually turn up. It was getting dark by the time Iruka made his way to the main gate of the compound with Etsu at his side.

'Sorry for making you do so much work Umino-san.' Etsu apologised for the thousandth time that day.

'Honestly, it was no problem. I really enjoyed myself and I learnt a lot. I'm a teacher after all, so I don't often get the chance to learn new things.' Iruka smiled. 'Do you have any time off this week Etsu-chan?'

'Oh... Well... I leave on a mission tomorrow.' Etsu sounded sad. 'I'll be back Wednesday afternoon though.'

'So maybe a night out Wednesday?' Iruka asked.

'Nnnnn... Yes... Maybe... If it's somewhere quiet. Thank you for your kind invitation.' Etsu murmured, looking at her shoes.

'Etsu-chan?'

Yes, Umino-san?' Etsu glanced up at him.

'I know I haven't been a part of your life for a lot of years, but can you forgive me for that?' Iruka rubbed the scar on his nose nervously. Lady Tsunade had said what Etsu needed most was ... Friends. He hoped fervently that Etsu wouldn't think he was weird... What if she didn't want shinobi friends? 'Could you forgive me enough to be friends?' Iruka held his breath as he waited for Etsu to answer.

'There is nothing to forgive Umino-san, honestly. Though I would like it very much... being friends that is.' Etsu smiled shyly, her face beet-red in embarrassment. She pressed a package into Iruka's hands before bidding him a final farewell and walking tiredly back along the main path.

Iruka carried the mysterious package all the way home, carefully unwrapping it on the kitchen table in his apartment. He gasped in surprise and then chuckled, Etsu had picked winter greens, radishes and a few leeks from her vegetable garden for him to take home. Just as he reached for a cookbook, a knock sounded on his front door. Iruka sighed and trudged back into the short hallway of his apartment. Who on earth came round to see him at this hour?!

'Hey Iruka!' Kotetsu grinned impishly as Iruka opened the front door.

'Oh... Hi Kotetsu, Izumo... Come in?' Iruka stood back to let his two friends in. He motioned them to come down to his small kitchen. Putting the kettle on to boil he pulled three mugs from the cupboard along with the utensils to make tea.

'What did you two want anyway?' Iruka asked tiredly.

'We wanted to know about Etsu-san.' Kotetsu blurted out. Izumo rolled his eyes and elbowed his friend sharply in the ribs as they sat down.

'Oh yeah, you guys were there this morning huh?' Iruka looked warily at his fellow chunin. Seemed some little trouble had already found him... Iruka rolled his eyes heavenward.

'We don't mean any harm... Just... Like you.. We haven't seen her in years, not since the academy in fact...And we wondered why you were suddenly asking about her.' Izumo explained propping his right elbow on the kitchen table and resting his head on his hand.

'I ran across her yesterday when I was out walking. She'd injured her leg... damn!' Iruka punched the kitchen side.

'What?!' Kotetsu and Izumo looked startled.

'I forgot to ask if she'd gone to the hospital... Hell! I didn't even notice if she'd changed the damn bandage yet!' Iruka was furious with himself.

'So go over tomorrow? Hey - she's injured?' Kotetsu frowned. 'Why wouldn't she go to the hospital?'

'She said she can take care of herself, but in some ways I think she actually puts little value on her own health. It's not like she has anyone who cares about her. Anyway she's off on a mission tomorrow.' Iruka sighed as he slid the mugs onto the table and took a seat.

'Well, she's a ninja and we all know how important it is to look after our bodies. I'm sure Etsu-san will take care of herself.' Izumo said soothingly. 'What's she like now anyway?'

'Etsu-chan? She's turned into a real beauty and her cooking is to die for... ' Iruka watched the jealous looks pass across his two friends faces. 'She still lives at her family home, and she grows vegetables and herbs. Seems to know quite a bit about medicine too...'

'Whoa... You sure know a lot - for having just met up again... What was it? Yesterday?' Kotetsu exchanged a knowing glance with Izumo.

'Whatever.' Iruka pouted.

'How does she feel about the village?' Izumo chewed his lip thoughtfully. 'She's not well liked, though I've never known the reason why...'

'She's been hurt, and she's nervous of strangers...' Iruka paused, searching for the right thing to say. 'Even so, I think she's still open to the idea of friendship.'

'So, you're following Lady Tsunade's advice?' Kotetsu whistled softly. 'That old bag may just be toying with you, you know?'

'I don't think so.' Iruka shook his head. 'Etsu-chan is too genuine a person for that to work. Besides, from what Lady Hokage said this morning, I think she actually respects Etsu-chan quite a lot.'

'Meh, I guess we could look out for her - eh, Izumo?' Kotetsu grinned wickedly. 'I wouldn't mind a cute little kunoichi to go out with.'

'Kotetsu!' Iruka barked in annoyance.

Kotetsu and Izumo glanced at each other and then looked hard at Iruka.

'What about the others?' Izumo asked curiously.

'Others?' Iruka looked puzzled.

'Heh, we weren't the only curious parties.' Kotetsu smiled wryly at Iruka's startled and rather worried look.

'I don't think they'll do anything to hurt her.' Izumo said slowly. 'I think, like Kotetsu and I, they are just curious... I mean you know she had no friends at the academy... And none of us have really seen her since then... Heck! I didn't even know she had qualified as a shinobi until we heard you talking to Lady Tsunade!'

'Who opened the door?' Iruka asked watching his friends closely to gage whether or not they were going to lie.

'You're not going to like this...' Izumo sighed. 'It was Anko.'

'Mitarashi Anko?! What the hell?! I mean Gai I could understand - Kakashi or Asuma even, but Anko? What the hell interest does that twisted little sadist have in Etsu-chan?!' Iruka exploded with a good deal of feeling.

'We don't know... She didn't seem like she was interested in a sadistic way...' Kotetsu drummed his fingers on the table.

'This is Anko we're talking about - she can make hello sound sadistic.' Iruka ran his hands through his hair. 'I should never have spoken to Lady Tsunade with all of you there.'

'Yes you should.' Izumo smiled. 'You pricked our consciences... I hadn't given one thought as to what became of Etsu-san. None of us had.'

'So what's for dinner?' Kotetsu asked, earning himself another poke from Izumo.

'Heh... I don't know - I only just got in.' Iruka rubbed the back of his neck.

'Where did you get the vegetables?' Izumo asked with a knowing look at Kotetsu.

'If you can't guess, I'm not telling.' Iruka pouted in annoyance at his two friends' teasing.

'Guess we'll leave you to it then Iruka-kun.' Izumo teased. 'And we'll keep an eye out for Etsu-san 'kay?'

'She's back Wednesday.' Iruka called after his friends retreating backs.

Here ends Chapter 2...

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