Helpful note: Disclaimer & warnings are in the first chapter
~o0o~
Kakashi lazed around on top of the Academy roof while reading one of his old 'Icha Icha' novels. He can hear the children playing or training down below. Whoever saw the Copy-nin there they would be wondering what business he has at the Academy. Other than being lazy or hiding from the Hokage.
Tsunade has actually offered Kakashi if he would like to take on another gennin team. Now that Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, and Madara Uchiha are gone (or any major threats), days have become longer and tedious. Peace is always a good thing, but it can get quite boring. Like any ninja nowadays, Kakashi will take up any mission just to keep himself occupied no matter the rank.
But taking on another gennin team? Now that answer Kakashi wants to think through thoroughly. Kakashi doesn't think training some other three gennin will be so bad. Sure he had his ups and downs with Team 7, but in the end, everyone turned out ok.
Naruto Uzumaki has grown up to become one of the world's most powerful ninjas. Naruto is a Sage, the holder of the Nine-tails, a Hokage in training, and a diplomat for Konoha. Naruto has even become the spouse to the last of the Uchiha's. Then there's Sasuke Uchiha, who is married to Naruto. At the end of Sasuke's own dark journey, he has regained the trust of Konoha and a promising future with the help of Naruto. Sasuke is once again a Leaf-nin, an ANBU captain, and the future Hokage's right-hand. Sakura Haruno has grown up to become one freakishly strong kunochi and one of the best medic-nins in Konoha, second to Tsunade and Shizune.
And Kakashi Hatake? He had been offered the position of the 6th Hokage in case anything were to happen to Tsunade again. Or in case Naruto still isn't ready to take leadership over Konoha.
But that offer Kakashi easily refused. He's bored, not crazy! He can take on any mission. He can lead any team to hell and back. But to become the next Hokage? Now that was just suicidal. Kakashi has seen how many mountains of work Tsunade suffers through every day. No wonder Tsunade is always drunk off her rocker, has a gambling problem, and uses a jutsu to keep her looking young.
The real question was, is Kakashi Hatake ready to become emotionally attached to three more gennins? No, Kakashi doesn't believe he is. After all the emotional drama and angst with his previous team, Kakashi doesn't think he can handle three more.
Besides, Naruto has Kakashi tagging along with him and Sasuke when Naruto is visiting other countries. Even though Kakashi is a genius and all, Naruto still wants the Copy-nin to learn more and advice during his diplomacy. Naruto made it clear he would like to one day appoint Kakashi to Konoha's High-council.
Suddenly there's an explosion and an uproar down below. Kakashi looks down to the Academy's training grounds to see black smoke, screaming children running around, and two teachers trying to put out their flaming hair.
"Tohma, how many times have I told you exploding tags aren't toys?!" Iruka yells to high heaven. Iruka walks up to the kid and slaps him over the head.
Kakashi watches the entertaining spectacle the teacher and his students are, '…Iruka Umino…'
After that assessment mission one month ago with the chuunins, Kakashi had still felt a bit uneasy. He had used his sharingan to inspect the chuunins and the ANBUs. He didn't want to take any chance of letting some enemy walk into his village. But they were all who they are supposed to be. Kakashi never did figure out what that unidentified speck of chakra was or if that little distraction away from the chuunins was really nothing but a coincidence. Then there was the story the chuunins told of Iruka Umino. Was it true? Was it really a joke?
Kakashi went as far as sneaking into the Hokage's personal files and pulled out Iruka Umino's info. Other than an A or B ranked mission he took once in a while, nothing was extraordinary of the Academy teacher. He asked Pakkun to find out if the sensei possesses a Summon. The nin-dog came back empty handed. Kakashi then went ahead and asked Gai if he and Iruka are childhood friends. With his flamboyant manner, Gai gave a speech that every one of his colleagues and comrades are his friends. And Gai's loud personality is still enough proof he and the reserve Academy teacher can't possibly be that close of friends.
In the end, the chuunins were lying and making up stories to win a bet. Even Kakashi had felt like a complete fool for believing such a tale. Come on! Iruka Umino a super ninja? Impossible!
Kakashi feels an all too familiar signature chakra approaching him from behind.
"Is there a reason why you're here yet again, Kakashi-san?" Iruka questions too kindly.
'There's that tone again…' Kakashi doesn't bother to turn around. He isn't in the mood to face the teacher and his overly fake politeness. And Iruka's bogus civility always rubs him the wrong way. Ever since the Chuunin Nominations many years ago, Iruka's politeness is always too forced or fake. And for some reason, the teacher only behaves like that with Kakashi.
Kakashi shrugs, "Doing some personal research, Sensei."
"Lady Hokage mentioned to me she asked you if you'd like to take on another gennin team. Would you like to meet some of the children that will be graduating this year?" Iruka offers.
Kakashi stands up and stretches, "That won't be necessary, Iruka-sensei. I'll-" He turns to face the teacher, but is peeved to see the teacher already walking away from him. It irks him to no end how easily Iruka brushes him off. Kakashi can feel his emotions stirring. "Egotistical bastard…" he muttered.
Iruka pauses at the edge of the roof and looks over his shoulder. His eyes narrow, "What did you call me?"
Whoa! Kakashi did not expect Iruka to have great hearing. Either way, Kakashi is pissed and isn't backing down. "An egotistical bastard. Did you hear me now?"
Iruka stomps back to the jounin, "How dare you? Just because you don't like me it doesn't give you the right to call me names!"
"I don't like you?!" Kakashi returns angrily. "You're the one who doesn't like me!"
"What the hell?! You're the one always teasing me! You always give me your crappy mission reports! And you only do it to me! And for some reason, lately, you've been doing it a lot more you bastard!" Iruka growled through his outburst.
"Well, you're the one who's always treating me like some lazy-ass, perverted, spoiled, crazy, emotionally challenged child!" Kakashi actually yelled back.
"That's because you are!"
"You don't even know me!"
"You don't know me either!"
"I don't care to know you!"
"Neither do I! Good day to you, Hatake." Iruka leaps out of the roof and is gone.
Kakashi crouches down huffing and puffing. Kakashi can't remember the last time he's let his emotions get this out of control. "Dammit!" he slams his fist on the roof. He's supposed to be an elite ninja who has complete control over himself. He's not supposed to let anything or anyone affect him.
So why him? Why is it always Iruka Umino who manages to get past his barriers and drive Kakashi crazy when no one else can? Why is Kakashi hardly immune to the chuunin teacher?
More importantly, Kakashi wants to know why it does bother him that Iruka isn't interested him.
Kakashi walks into the Mission Room and is relieved Iruka isn't anywhere in sight. He doesn't feel like facing the chuunin right now after their little quarrel yesterday. And yet, Kakashi can't help feeling a smidge of disappointment not seeing Iruka in the Mission Room. If Kakashi was honest with himself, he hardly ever shows up when he knows Iruka isn't going to be present. So many times has Kakashi refused to turn in his report on time when he found out the Academy teacher was taking a day off, on sick-leave, or gone on a mission. One of the reasons why Kakashi never shows up at the Mission Room during the weekends it's because those days are always Iruka's days off.
Kakashi pauses in his next step. His inner-self looking somewhat disturbed and confused compared to his bored exterior. For a genius, Kakashi has just come to realize the close attention he gives to Iruka's personal schedule. For what reason could he possibly-?
'Because you like being around him, that's why,' inner-Kakashi answered nonchalantly.
Kakashi's eye nearly bugs out at his inner-answer. He was definitely not expecting such an answer. 'I don't like being around him!' Kakashi crazily defends himself against his own conscious. 'That teacher drives me crazy. I'm surprised at the control I have or else I would've killed him a long time ago.'
'Kill? Pfft - you wouldn't lay a hand on the sensei if the Hokage ordered you to. You would shrivel and die of boredom without Umino's attention. The guy is contagious and it's plainly obvious you've been infected by his charm for a very long time now,' inner-Kakashi tells him so.
Kakashi is eccentrically ready to argue back with himself, 'What the hell are you-?'
Inner-Kakashi interrupts, 'You've been captivated by the teacher ever since he confronted you back at the Chuunin Nominations. Admit it, Hatake. Ever since the teacher stood up to you without any regard to who you are, you've been enthralled. The teacher had filled your being with more adrenaline than you've ever felt in your whole shinobi life. And it happened in that one moment those dark eyes stared only at you. Ever since then you've been wanting… yearning for the sensei to look at you like that again. You've been deliberately teasing him, bullying him, challenging him, and riling him up just to give yourself an excuse to be around Umino.'
'Yearning? Ha!' Kakashi is feeling more defensive. 'I don't 'yearn' for nothing. I'll admit the teacher surprised me, but that was it! The teacher only made me think he might provide to be a challenge in a spar. I'm more curious about Iruka Umino as a ninja than interested in him as a person.'
'Really?' inner-Kakashi mocks. 'Then why have you been trying so hard to gain his attention for the past year till now?'
Kakashi doesn't answer himself.
'Haven't you noticed, Hatake?' inner-Kakashi continues in a bored tone. 'Ever since you became enthralled with the teacher all those years ago you never had the time to act upon your 'curiosity'. Only now that life has become semi-normal and boring you've been pursuing Umino's attention relentlessly. Admit it, you like him and not just as a ninja. You like the type of person he is. You like him because unlike the rest of the world, Umino actually treats you like a human being. Iruka doesn't care about ranks or status. Be it assassin or civilian, Iruka sees the good in people. This is why Naruto and the rest of Konoha adore him. I bet you're thinking he would make one amazing friend. A friend you can trust and depend on without the fear of being judged. That's the reason why you are so interested in Iruka.'
'Maa…but he's not interested in me…' Kakashi said and this time, his inner-self remained silent. Nothing has ever stung Kakashi's heart so much than those true words.
Bam!
"Heads up people!" Genma shouts while bursting through the door. "I've just confirmed that Iruka Umino will be gone on a mission. The betting pool is now open!"
More than half the ninjas in the room crowd around Genma making bets and handing in their money.
"What's going on? What bet?" Kakashi questioned.
Yamato steps up next to his senpai and sighs, "It's a longtime running bet. Probably as long as the one about your mask."
Kakashi's eyebrow twitches at that. Till this day everyone is still trying to sneak a peek or yank off his mask for two reasons. One, to see his face. And two, to win the betting pool. "And what is this bet about?"
Yamato massages his temples, "Who can date Iruka Umino the longest."
Something inside Kakashi snaps like a twig hearing those words. "What?" he growls under his breath. 'Genma is so dead,' inner-Kakashi fumed.
Yamato looks at the jounin, "You didn't know? I'm surprised. Like I've said, that bet has been around a very long time."
"Has anyone won before?" Kakashi questioned while trying to control the dark edge in his tone. Kakashi wants to know who, find them, and kick their asses. 'No one is worthy to date Iruka, especially to win a bet!'
Yamato shakes his head, "No, no one. Iruka Umino has been proclaimed the 'impossible conquest'. The challenge of it all is the reason why many continue to bet. Or why others try to capture Iruka-sensei's heart but fail in the end." Yamato moves to walk away, "I guess Iruka-sensei will always remain a dateless virgin at his age - Ooff!" Yamato has stopped abruptly.
Kakashi had slammed his palm against Yamato's chest preventing his exit, "Repeat that one more time. Iruka-sensei is a what?"
Yamato looks at the Copy-nin's steeled eye, "A dateless virgin?"
"Iruka-sensei has never-" Kakashi doesn't know why, but something hot is coiling inside of him.
Yamato frowns and wonders why his senpai's eye has suddenly darkened in color. "Well, no. According to Iruka-sensei, he's still a virgin."
Kakashi raises an eyebrow, "Iruka-sensei confirmed it himself?"
"Yes. Many years go. I guess you wouldn't have known since you've spent a lot of your time outside of the village," Yamato answered. "It's sort of a long story actually."
"Shorten it," Kakashi sternly requested.
Before Yamato can answer someone else joins in their conversation. "Why the sudden interest, Kakashi?"
Both men turn around to see Anko and Raidou stepping up to them.
"Are you planning on partaking in the betting pool?" Anko questioned, her eyes glaring angrily.
Kakashi stares at the kunochi for a second before answering, "No."
Anko smirks, but the edginess to her eyes doesn't lessen as much, "Good."
"Forgive her, Kakashi," Raidou said. "But Iruka-sensei's friends can get a little protective at times."
"Including you, Raidou?" Kakashi asked.
"Of course," Raidou said with an honest smile. "Even if the betting pool has been around for many years we don't want Iruka-sensei getting hurt. If Iruka-sensei were to fall in love with one of these idiots we all want it to be sincere."
"Mind filling me in on how all this started?" Kakashi asked again.
Anko shrugs, "There's not much to the story really. The betting pool was created when Iruka was sixteen years old. It started because Iruka refused to date anyone. And I mean anyone. Iruka refused to give an explanation as to why. Genma then started the betting pool to see who can win a date with Iruka. As years went on, Iruka kept turning everyone down, men and women alike. It wasn't until Iruka was eighteen that someone tried to force themselves on him…"
Kakashi's chakra nearly roars with fury at that info, but he quickly stomps on it.
"…They never succeeded of course," Anko smiles sadistically. "It's sad how many people underestimate Iruka. No one would believe it, but Iruka can be quite the beast when provoked." Anko then sighs, "After that incident, Iruka made it known why he will never date or fall in love with anyone. Surprisingly, Iruka made it very clear his heart already belongs to someone. And his loyalty to that person will forever remain true. But Iruka refused to say who he's in love with. That much he kept to himself. That's how Iruka was proclaimed the 'impossible conquest'."
"And the story about Iruka-sensei being a virgin?" Kakashi questioned.
"It's not a story. It's very true," Raidou said. "Genma with his usual bluntness asked Iruka-sensei if he's a virgin. Iruka-sensei didn't deny it. Iruka-sensei told Genma he's never been sexually intimate with this person he's so devoted to. Or anyone else for that matter, because Iruka-sensei refuses to betray the one he loves. Even so, everyone started to wonder why Iruka-sensei is still single. Where is this person Iruka-sensei is in love with? We then started to believe; maybe Iruka-sensei's love is one-sided. Since then Genma made everyone understand; whoever partakes in the betting pool will sincerely try to win over Iruka-sensei's heart. Whoever tries to force or hurt Iruka-sensei will have to answer to a dire consequence. That consequence being Ibiki Morino. You could say its Genma's way of continuing with the bet and protecting Iruka-sensei's chastity at the same time. And of course, Ibiki is more than willing to help."
Anko frowns at the crowd around Genma, "Although it's hard to tell the good ones apart from the bad ones. I mean, who wouldn't want to date Iruka? He's handsome and humble. The guy is a gentleman with a bad boy streak. He's smart and fun. Loyal and noble. He's amazing with children. Iruka will make one incredible husband and dependable father one day. He's near perfection in human form. Not to mention he has one sexy temper."
Kakashi couldn't have agreed more, "I take it you've tried?" he asked the kunochi.
Anko snorts, "Of course. We've been friends since our gennin days. I thought I would've been his perfect match." A hint of hurt sweeps past Anko's eyes before she quickly covers it up with a smile and a shrug, "He turned me down, but Iruka has remained my number one friend regardless," Anko says as she walks away.
Raidou and Yamato excuse themselves as well.
"The betting pool is now closed!" Genma announced. "Remember the rules people! When Iruka returns you all get a one-month time limit to woo him. If you are immediately shot down by our adorable Dolphin, that's it, game over! You've lost. Sorry, Osanai…" Genma turns to a specific ninja and grins slyly.
Osanai is a bitter looking man who is hanging out with his two teammates.
Genma continues, "but assisting Iruka with a mission is not considered a date."
The whole room burst into laughter. Osanai kicks off his chair and walks out of the Mission Room very pissed off. His two teammates follow after him.
Kakashi watches the man leave the room. While Kakashi's expression remains aloof, he really wants to stab that Osanai guy with a kunai and many others who've tried courting Iruka for a stupid bet. Not only that, Kakashi is starting to wonder why he's feeling so protective of the Academy teacher.
'And they call you a genius' inner-Kakashi comments sarcastically.
"Jounin?"
Kakashi looks down at the smiling chuunin at the desk.
"Do you have a report to turn in?" the chuunin questioned kindly.
Kakashi looks down at his report in hand then back at the chuunin. Thischuunin is female, pretty, and with a kind smile. But this chuunin isn't the chuunin he wants to see or give his report to. Kakashi turns away, "No…" and disappears in a puff of smoke.
Thank you for reading! (^_^)/