Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.
The first scene with Iruka and Naruto is a nice little bit of sweet in my book. And I simply LOVE Iruka internalizing as he lays in bed and what his ultimate solution is for his insomnia. Hope you enjoy!
Picture This
Chapter 3
Kakashi whistled a happy tune as he strolled through the village towards his favorite ramen stand. He nodded a greeting here and there and when he turned the corner at the street that was his destination, he quickly ducked into a dark alcove and observed the pair sitting at the ramen stand.
Naruto turned and faced his former sensei fully and held his hand up, palm out, in what appeared to be some sort of challenge. Iruka faced the blonde boy, his face very serious.
What could they possibly be doing?
Kakashi watched as Iruka held his hand up against Naruto's, their palms pressed together. Suddenly, Naruto let out a defeated moan and Iruka merely chuckled as he ruffled the unruly blonde hair of the young man. Still not sure of what just happened, Kakashi remained in the shadows as Naruto finished the last of his drink and then got up to leave, giving his former sensei a hug and then running into the night, yelling.
"You just wait, Iruka-sensei! Someday I'll be just as strong as you!"
Kakashi smiled as he realized what the pair was doing. He thinks that if his hands are as big as Iruka's, then he'll be as strong as him. How endearing and naïve at the same time. That's our Naruto. There were very few in the village who knew of Iruka's immense physical strength. The chuunin kept it hidden very well during his mission days and used it sparingly. And now, he really had no need so his secret was safe. So I wonder how Naruto found out.
Kakashi waited until Naruto was completely out of sight before he approached Iruka. He didn't want any company during his time with Iruka because he was, as many people didn't know, very selfish.
"Good evening, Iruka. May I join you?"
The chuunin jumped slightly and looked to see Kakashi smiling down at him.
"O-of course." He gestured to the stool next to him and turned his attention back to his food.
Kakashi sat and waved down the owner and promptly ordered his dinner. He waited to see if Iruka would start up a conversation but it appeared the sensei wasn't feeling as talkative with him as he was with his former student.
"It's unlike you to be here by yourself."
"I was having dinner with Naruto. He just left a few moments ago."
"I see. Well, would you mind keeping me company?"
"Huh? Well, I, uh, guess not." He turned and offered Kakashi a smile. "Naruto told me what you said to him today."
"I meant it. He's improved greatly. If he could just learn a little more self control, he'd rival Sasuke easily."
Iruka chuckled softly. "That's just his big heart trying to break free."
Kakashi considered the sensei's words and decided he wasn't going to challenge the statement. He knew Iruka held a soft spot in his heart for the blonde and there was no bypassing it. Besides, he already thinks I like to prove him wrong.
"So do you have any students to brag about?"
"Hmmm….that's hard to say."
Kakashi waited patiently as Iruka pondered his answer and took the opportunity to study the chuunin. He drank in the sight of the tanned kin, the long dark eyelashes and the full lips. He noted amber highlights in the chocolate hair that always seemed to be pulled back tightly. I wonder what he looks like with his hair down. Hmmmm….
"There's one boy who is a borderline genius when it comes to the academic and practical applications. He makes it look effortless. But it's as if he's lacking something. I can't quite put my finger on it."
"The human experience."
"Huh?"
"Anybody can memorize honor codes and strategies and the science of being a ninja. But you need more than just intelligence. Instinct. A deep respect for life and death. Compassion. Wisdom. This boy needs to discover and respect the world around him before he's truly let loose in it. Sakura is the same way."
Naruto had grumbled to Iruka several times about Kakashi's bouts of philosophical insights when discussing what it meant to be a ninja to his young charges. Iruka's heart warmed at the sight of the genin sitting there, cross-legged, arms folded over his chest and his brows furrowed in deep thought as he tried to decipher his sensei's words. And now hear he was, sitting next to Kakashi listening to him speak so quietly and elegantly about his life's beliefs. The small speech opened Iruka's eyes to a whole new side of the silver-haired juunin.
"Y-you're right, Kakashi."
Iruka just stared in awe at the smiling man next to him. Has he always been this way and I've just never noticed? Or perhaps he's changing from becoming a sensei. Whatever it is, I have misjudged him.
"Ah! Thank you very much and give Ayame my regards." Kakashi paid for his food and turned back to Iruka. "I thank you for keeping me company, Iruka. I hope we can do it again sometime."
"You're leaving?" Why do I care?
"Well, I just came to pick up some dinner. But I'd be more than happy to stay and chat awhile longer."
Kakashi rested his chin on his hand and leaned in on his elbow just a bit, not able to resist teasing the easily flustered teacher.
"Oh, no, no, I wouldn't want to keep you from your dinner. I was, uh, just about to leave when you showed up."
Iruka stood up and started to back away but his foot knocked over the stool and as he reached down to right the overturned seat, a gloved hand closed over his and he looked up to see Kakashi's face mere inches from his own. He froze as he gazed into the piercing blue eye and his entire body suddenly became overheated.
"Iruka? Are you ok?"
"Huh?"
"You seem….flushed. You're not having a relapse are you?"
Kakashi took his glove off and reached out to feel Iruka's forehead to test his temperature when the chuunin let the stool drop again and abruptly stood up, backing away from the concerned silver-haired man. His anger at himself for being clumsy and for caring what Kakashi thought came through and he directed it at the unsuspecting man across from him.
"No! I'm fine! And I've had enough of your coddling. I can take care of myself."
Kakashi sat back on his stool and gazed at the flushed and angry man in total confusion. What just happened here?
"Iruka, I was just concerned---"
"Do me a favor and keep your concern to yourself."
Before Kakashi could regroup himself enough to plead his case further and calm the chuunin down, Iruka disappeared in a blur. I never knew he had such a hair-trigger temper. Or maybe it's just me that brings it out in him?
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Iruka lay in bed, listening to the steady ticking of his alarm clock as he stared out at the night sky framed by his window. Why did I act so foolishly? He rolled over with a sigh and looked up at his ceiling. After storming off and leaving Kakashi behind, Iruka had gone straight home and indulged in a manic moment, going through his cluttered office and organizing and boxing papers up for storage. After the adrenaline wore off, he took a long hot shower and prepared to go to sleep. But once he lay in bed he found he could not sleep. Instead, his conscious was plagued with doubts and his inner voice berated him for acting so childishly.
I'm not going to get any sleep tonight. And if I want to get some sleep tomorrow I guess I should apologize to Kakashi. But….why is he suddenly so concerned about my health? I'm not helpless. I can take care of myself. And why does my confidence go flying out the window when I'm around him? It's just Kakashi! Yes, he is a very skilled shinobi, but he's also lackadaisical, habitually late and too carefree with his teaching. And would it kill him to read something other than that nonsensical smut?
Iruka practically growled as he got out of bed and turned his alarm off. To hell with sleeping. I've been meaning to give the grout a good scrubbing anyway.
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He'd had enough conversations with Naruto to know that Team 7 always met on the bridge on the west side of the village and waited for Kakashi before heading out. He also knew that Kakashi always showed up at least an hour late so he'd adjusted his morning schedule to make Kakashi his first errand of the day.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Iruka-sensei! Hey, what are you doing here?"
"I need to speak with Kakashi so I thought I'd try to catch him here."
"Hmph. You could be waiting awhile. That lazy bastard is always---"
"A wonderfully insightful teacher and all around great guy?"
Kakashi shared a masked, good-natured smile with his students and then turned to Iruka.
"Good morning, Iruka. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"I was, uh, hoping to speak with you."
"Of course. What about?"
Iruka cast a glance at Team 7 and then looked back to Kakashi and the silver-haired jounin understood immediately. He turned to his students and made a "shooing" motion with his hands.
"Why don't you three run along and play amongst yourselves for a moment and let the adults talk, hmmm?"
After one suspicious look from Naruto, a concerned look from Sakura and a dirty look from Sasuke, Team 7 did as their sensei asked. Once Iruka was satisfied the genin were out of earshot he cleared his throat and did what he came to do.
"I wanted…..to apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"I…shouldn't have yelled at you last night. I just…..it felt like…" Iruka sighed and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want you to see me as some weakling. I know I'm just a chuunin and a school teacher but----"
"Weak? You?" Kakashi laughed and Iruka turned back to face him, his face heating up. "Iruka, you are one of the strongest people I know. How could I possibly think of you as weak?"
Iruka really had nothing to say. Kakashi's opinion of him was surprising and he wasn't sure how to feel. The more he learned about Kakashi, the more confused he became. He's always knocking me off guard and it's unsettling. Does he do it on purpose or is he really oblivious?
"And being a teacher….I have nothing but respect and admiration for what you do, Iruka. Especially when I see what you had to work with."
Kakashi gestured with his thumb to the three genin behind him and Iruka chuckled.
"Ok, so now that we've cleared up that little misunderstanding, why don't you join us for lunch?" Kakashi nodded to the stack of prettily wrapped and stacked boxes under a nearby tree. "It looks like Sakura has decided to show Sasuke what a good wife she'll be and made enough bento boxes to feed a small army. Which is good because with the way Naruto eats….."
Iruka couldn't stop the chuckle and he turned to observe Team 7 arguing playfully amongst themselves, as good friends should. Was I ever that young and carefree? I was always worried about what people thought of me. Is that why Kakashi's opinion means so much?
"I wish I could but I have a meeting with the Hokage this afternoon."
"Oh well. Maybe some other time."
Iruka turned back to face Kakashi and he smiled warmly at the copynin.
"I'd like that."
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Iruka was tired and he had a massive headache. The meeting with the Hokage turned into a full-blown debate between himself and three other teachers on the direction of the training and education of future ninjas.
Ugh. I can't believe Hokage tricked me like that. And why weren't all the teachers there?
The meeting lasted over four hours and he'd missed lunch. As if to stress the point, his stomach chimed in with a plaintive growl.
"I know, I know. Me too."
He appeared in front of his apartment door in a blur and practically fell over the stack of bento boxes on the floor. He reached down for the piece of paper sitting on top.
Sorry you couldn't make it for lunch. This was all I could manage to save from Naruto. I tried to deliver these to you but the guards wouldn't let me in your little meeting.
Enjoy!
Kakashi
Iruka chuckled and felt a twinge of happiness in his chest at the thought of Kakashi trying to deliver lunch to him. He picked up the four boxes and went into his apartment looking forward to some homemade food. I just hope Sakura can cook.
To be continued….