A/N: You guys are awesome reviewers and I love you. I think most of you may be giving me and the plot of this story more credit than I and it deserve, but you guys are great and I'll try not to let you down.
Also, I decided Asuma lives in this AU. Why? Because, that's why. (Sorry, to that one reviewer, his part's no where near as epic as you wanted it to be, but I applaud your insight, wish I'd thought of it. However, like I said, I have an outline of how things gotta go down.)
Naruto's part at the beginning was supposed to be at the end of the last chapter but I opted out of putting it in at the last minute for some reason, changed my mind, and then put it here. Not sure how much I like the flow of it this way so I may change it later, but for now, on with the chapter.
Chapter 3: A Lead
When they had finally reached a point several hours outside of Konoha the Daimyo's men stopped chasing him.
Naruto hesitantly took this as a sign and paused as well, albeit a few yards away from the black-clad soldiers.
He waited and so did they, but for what he wasn't sure until the gray-haired leader sauntered into view once again, barely looking winded.
Without preamble the man said, "You understand, Jinchuuriki, that you are exiled and are not to return to this village, yes?" although, to Naruto it didn't sound like a question.
Well, since you're the only one here to explain what's going on, I suppose I'll have to take your word for it.
The cynical little voice that kept popping into Naruto's thoughts was beginning to sound disturbingly like a certain Nine-Tailed demon that the blonde had no interest in conversing with at this point in time thank-you-very-much.
"I . . . I understand, yes," Naruto replied haltingly, his voice rougher than he thought it should be.
"If you make any attempt to return or make contact with anyone in the village, we will be forced to follow through on my earlier threat," the man said gravely, pinning Naruto's blue gaze with his own, "It will not end well for you or this village, am I clear?"
Naruto felt his mouth twist and his throat tighten but answered simply, "Crystal."
"Good," the man said and made some signal behind his back at his men. A few of the others came forward carrying pumps full of some foaming liquid that they started to spray on the grass and in the trees, "Then go."
At the word 'go' several kunai and shuriken flew at Naruto and blocked a few but ultimately fled. He didn't notice when his jacket tore on a sharp branch or that the small cut was bleeding. He was too focused on getting away and where he could possibly go.
These people wanted him out of Konoha, did that mean they wanted him to stay out of every other village as well?
He shook his head and added to his speed.
Naruto would just have to wait and hope the others would find him when this mess was sorted out.
Yes, he would find a place to hide and wait. The others would find him when it was safe.
Or will they?
They had not found him.
The search had died a wet, muddy death when the rainstorm hit and Kakashi and Team 8 had only had an hour to work out the general direction Naruto had run. On the plus side the rain had washed away the Scent Neutralizer the Daimyo's men had used. On the down side it had washed away everything else.
In a slightly desperate move on Kakashi's part, he'd summoned his entire pack. Even though they had managed to pick up some vague scent trail there was no way to follow it to it's end in the downpour. Shino's insects were even less effective as they refused to come out of their shelter to face the rain.
Kakashi finally had to call it and they had headed back to the Leaf, soaked, miserable, and empty-handed. At the very least the Daimyo's men were completely driven out so the bedraggled trackers didn't have to dodge them (or beat them to a bloody pulp, if Kiba's mood was any indication).
Tsunade was angry, of course, but not at them.
"Naruto couldn't have gotten that far," the Hokage said, and to Kakashi it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than them, "We'll start the search again when the storm lets up. He's probably just hiding out in a nearby town until things cool off." Which was logical thinking.
Except this was Naruto and with Naruto logical thinking had a tendency to just slide off the table in defeat.
The worst part of getting back, though, was when two more people burst through the door of Tsunade's office, and the first was Sakura.
She ran in dripping all over the floor, a question already spilling out of her mouth, "Where is he? Did you find —" But she stopped when she looked at them, with no Naruto to be seen.
"We're sorry, Sakura," Hinata whispered.
"Yeah," Kiba said as Akamaru whined. Shino seemed to shrink further into his coat.
The way Sakura's face fell nearly killed Kakashi. Because he knew how she felt.
Like it was happening all over again.
The other person who had run in after her, as it happened, was Umino Iruka, which somehow made Kakashi feel worse. He didn't know for sure why he felt that way, but maybe it was because the teacher and Naruto were so close or the way Iruka's whole stance hardened when he heard Naruto was still MIA.
The unsure, wary glance he directed at Kakashi was nothing new, though. Iruka seemed to hold the Copy-Nin in a special kind of distance ever since those fateful Chunin exams years ago (and the fact that Kakashi had personally held the Academy teacher back from chasing after Naruto had apparently not endeared him to the teacher in any way. Boy, he'd gotten an earful for that one). Iruka didn't seem to hate him, but honestly Kakashi might have preferred outright disdain as opposed to the tiptoeing that just put him on edge.
Nevertheless, Hatake was grateful for the Chunin's presence just then, when he walked up behind Sakura, who looked to be holding back tears, put a hand on her shoulder and said kindly, "It's just bad luck with the storm, Sakura. They'll find him or he'll come back. It's not the same," he gave her shoulder a little squeeze as if to emphasize his point, "Naruto loves the Leaf. It's not the same."
How the Chunin seemed to read Kakashi's mind baffled the Copy-nin but he didn't mind this time.
Sakura took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded, seeming to rein herself in.
She put her hand over Iruka's and said determinedly, "It's okay, guys. It's not your fault," she took another steadying breath and continued, "When the rain stops, we'll try again. And I'll be coming with you to make sure you do it right next time." That got a small laugh out of them, then.
The rain didn't stop for three more days. But Sakura had joined them, and to Kakashi's surprise, Umino Iruka as well. They only came up empty again.
That was six months ago.
And Naruto was still gone.
Even Kakashi had to admit he was getting a little worried.
"Where the hell could he have gotten to?" Tsunade mumbled one day while Kakashi was meeting with her over that very issue. She had more permanent headquarters now, with the village coming along as well as could be expected. Kakashi sat across from her, the desk between them, having the same conversation they'd had a hundred times in the past six months.
Have you found anything, yet, Brat?
No, Lady Hokage, trail's still cold.
Well, keep looking.
With varying wording, but the same basic formula. It was discouraging to say the least.
"I don't know," Kakashi answered, "When he was on my team I could hear him coming for miles. Kid didn't know the meaning of stealth. Now it's like he's a ghost." He immediately regretted his word choice as that called up a few images Kakashi could have lived without.
"Maybe traveling with Jiraiya gave him a few pointers," Tsunade said, "That idiot was better at hiding from responsibility than I am." It sounded like a joke and it might have been, if said idiot was still alive.
But he was gone and so was his student.
"It would be different if there was a scent trail left to follow," Kakashi repeated for the hundred and first time, "But all we have to rely in now is eyewitness accounts. An the last place he might have been seen is in a small village to the east. But even that's shaky at best."
Tsunade nodded, rubbing her head and looking like she'd really like to reach for the sake they both knew she had stashed in her desk, "He's probably been using a Henge all this time, with the Daimyo's men crawling all over the place."
She could keep them out of Konoha, but she did not have jurisdiction in the smaller villages around them. The Daimyo had free rein there, but due to the increasing protests from the villagers they had been steadily backing off more and more each month.
There were still many refugees, though.
What Tsunade and the other Kage's had predicted had indeed come to pass. When people in power say there is something to be afraid of, common or ignorant people tend to listen and assume they are right. Therefore, when the Daimyo declared that a "Jinchuuriki" could be your next door neighbor, well . . .
Accusations began flying. Shinobi outside of Konoha with any kind of blood limit were being called into question, exiled, and worse. It was a witch hunt at it's finest. Some of those refugees had even found their way to Konoha, as the Daimyo couldn't reach them there.
"Any word from the Feudal Lords recently?" Kakashi asked out of curiosity.
Tsunade snorted, "They'll let up before the year is out," and she sounded sure about that, and Kakashi figured she had a right to be, "They're idiots, but they're not suicidal. They know they can't keep this new law in play for much longer or the unrest will overflow onto their pocket books."
The Daimyo had even tried to exile a few of her other Leaf Shinobi (Kakashi included, for possessing the implanted Sharingan) but Tsunade had nipped that violently in the bud by informing them that if they interfered with the Leaf any further, they would have a war on their hands. And she had the Raikage to back her on that. Chomping at the bit, in fact.
Killer B was also still missing (although the Raikage had it on pretty good authority that his brother was more interested in staying missing than Naruto was). The only reason the Raikage hadn't declared war was probably because his greatest asset was missing and because, aside from the initial incident, he had been able to keep the Daimyo out of his affairs and out of his village.
"The Leaf is recovering as well as can be expected," Tsunade said quietly, looking out the window at the slowing construction. Much of the larger, more official buildings had been rebuilt and now all that was left were the farther reaching areas, "We'll be able to expand the search without stretching our forces as much. Keep looking."
Kakashi decidedly ignored the way the words lacked the conviction they had only a few weeks ago, "We'll find him Lady Hokage."
I'll find him.
Shizune walked in with a stack of scrolls and Kakashi took that as his cue to go.
Before he made it out the door, Tsunade said quietly, "Thank you, brat."
Sakura was waiting for him outside, leaning against the wall.
"Sakura," Kakashi called as he walked up to his only student still in the village, "Do me a favor, would you?"
Sakura blinked at his tone and said, "Of course, Sensei. What is it?"
He walked up to her and looked her right in the eye, holding her gaze for almost a minute before saying, "Never run off out of the village half-cocked like your idiot teammates."
Sakura blinked in stunned silence for a moment before a surprised giggle escaped her, "I'll do my best, Sensei." She continued to smile as she pushed off the wall and fell into step beside him.
"You're my only good one," he grouched as they walked outside into the fading afternoon light.
Iruka, Sai, and Team 8 were all waiting for them outside having also helped with the latest fruitless search. Yamato would have been there as well, but he was often called upon for construction needs these days and couldn't be with them every time they went out (the ANBU had taken to grumbling about being a glorified carpenter, but Kakashi thought the wood-type user took a certain amount of pride in being responsible for much of the rebuilding).
In fact, Team 10 and Gai's team had volunteered on different occasions as well. Not that it had done any good, but Kakashi appreciated the extra hands and eyes. They probably would have had a lot more volunteers if the village hadn't been stretched so thin in the reconstruction. Villagers and other Shinobi were constantly asking how the progress was and if there was anything they could do to help. It was touching and disheartening at the same time, to hear their concern but have to tell them the same thing each time.
Speaking of Gai, just as Kakashi was telling his impromptu team (once again) to go home and get some rest, an unmistakable voice rang through the air, "Eternal Rival!"
The Copy-Nin sighed as a large hand clamped down on his shoulder and pulled him close, "I see from your Unyouthful faces that the search was again unsuccessful. But do not Despair, My Rival! Team Gai has come to Cheer You Up!"
Kakashi might have imagined it but he swore he heard the softest, "Oh, dear," come from Iruka amongst the myriad of snickers from the younger Shinobi.
The rest of Gai's team walked up then, led by a very enthusiastic Rock Lee, "Yes! Sensei has brilliantly deduced that you may be in need of Distraction and Joyful Company! Therefore —"
They were spared any more exclamation points by Tenten slapping a hand over Lee's mouth and smiling exasperatedly, "We're taking you all for barbecue. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru are all waiting for us. We better hurry before Choji gets too impatient."
She released Lee and he immediately grabbed Kiba and Shino, dragging them along enthusiastically, "Precisely! We will make and entire night of Merriment, or I shall do 500 push-ups with each of you on my back!"
Hinata looked over at her cousin Neji with some concern, "Does he mean 500 push-ups for each of us? Or 500 push-ups with all of us on his back at once?"
"Let's just go and look happy so we do not have to find out," Neji said and followed Lee.
Sakura turned to Tenten smiling amusedly, "We know this is a pity dinner, but —"
"But it's free food so it's appreciated," Kiba hollered back, "Get the lead out you three!"
Sakura threw him a look she had to have learned from Tsunade, but walked side-by-side with Tenten toward the restaurant, nudging a rather bewildered looking Sai along as he muttered to Tenten, "But how would push-ups help anyone feel joy?"
Turning back she called, "Are you three coming?"
Iruka answered first as Kakashi was currently being smothered with Brotherly Affection from Gai, "You go ahead. I have some things to take care of —"
Gai cut him off by grabbing the Academy teacher with the arm he wasn't hugging Kakashi with, "Quite right, Iruka-sensei! You, my Eternal Rival, and I will be commencing our Joyful Evening in a different location!" Then Gai's voice lowered to a more normal octave as he said, "You, Sensei, have also toiled in the search for young Naruto and deserve a few drinks, yes?"
Iruka seemed to notice the tone of sincerity in Gai's request but an unsure glance at Kakashi made him mumble, "Oh, ah, that's . . . nice of you, Gai-san, but —"
Kakashi grabbed the front of Iruka's Chunin vest before he could finish, "You are not leaving me alone with this man and alcohol, got it?" He didn't care if Iruka felt awkward as all hell around him, Kakashi needed back-up. Sane back-up.
"I-um-well-yes?" Iruka sputtered, much to Gai's approval.
"Excellent!" Gai exclaimed and began walking in the opposite direction the kids had just gone (and Kakashi could hear those brats laughing, they weren't even hiding it), "Then our Joyful Evening can begin in Ernest!"
When they got to the bar Iruka felt a little guilty for doubting Gai earlier. He spotted Kurenai as soon as he walked in and she waved at him. Since the pregnancy she had been helping to restore the academy and they'd always gotten on well.
She was sitting next to Asuma, who had amazingly forgone the cigarettes while he was in the presence of his very pregnant wife, probably paranoid about second-hand smoke effecting the baby. Anko was there, too, staring at Kurenai's bulging stomach in mild fascination as they walked up.
Gai released Iruka as soon as they walked in, but kept a firm, experienced hold on Kakashi, apparently for fear he would escape.
Gai was shouting something about the Excellence of Youthful Gatherings when Iruka felt another arm drape around him and heard a voice say, "Well, it only took Might Gai to get Iruka-sensei into a bar. Who knew?"
"Hi, Kotetsu," Iruka said, shoving his arm off, "Where's Izumo?"
"Probably washing his hands in the bathroom," Kotetsu replied, "Or cleaning the bathroom in order to wash his hands, he's been in there long enough."
Iruka shook his head, "Gai seems to think the search party was in need of cheering up," he pointed at where Gai was shoving Kakashi into a seat next to Asuma.
"He's not the only one," Kotetsu said and led the way to the table, "You've been walking around like someone stole your favorite student. Which they kind of did. So, it's understandable."
"Thanks, Ko," Iruka grumbled as they both sat down, Iruka next to Anko and Kotetsu saving a seat for Izumo. Kakashi was across from him but thankfully indirectly so they wouldn't be required to interact too much if they didn't want to. Iruka was pretty sure Kakashi got enough of him when they were out hunting.
"You're welcome," Ko said and smiled unabashed.
Rolling his eyes, Iruka turned away to greet the others but couldn't because he was almost immediately smothered by Anko who could, at times, rival Gai in enthusiasm. She had latched onto him and now Iruka's face was dangerously close to her cleavage, and while he considered her a friend, this was a little too close for his liking.
"Does this mean I get to get Iruka drunk?" She asked excitedly as Iruka tried to extract himself from her hold without touching anything that might be considered offensive and get him killed.
"Anko, let him go," Kurenai laughed, "Before the poor man has an up-close and personal experience."
Anko looked down as if surprised to see Iruka smashed up against her chest even though it was her arms holding him there.
"Ah, he wishes," she snickered, but released him, "Hey Gai! Lemme help get the drinks, I want to get Mr. Tight-ass drunk!" And with that she climbed over the table and was gone with Gai to the bar.
Kurenai shook her head after her fellow Jounin, "Iruka maybe you should run for it now, before she gets back."
"And spoil her fun?" Asuma teased, "I'd be interested to see a drunk Iruka myself."
"I'll be fine," Iruka told Kurenai, "Anko's easy enough to distract, especially when she's drinking. How have you been?"
"Pregnant," Kurenai answered bluntly, "but happy. How's the school coming along?"
"It's mostly rebuilt now," Iruka said, "We'll be able to hold classes there soon, which is good because I'm running out of places for the kids to safely destroy."
Kurenai laughed and they chatted until Gai and Anko came back with what looked like half the alcohol content of the bar balanced on one tray.
"Alright, 'Ruka," Anko slammed a glass full of something viciously green down in front of Iruka, "Start with that and we'll go from there. Who else?"
BREAKBREAKBREAK
"I really hope Iruka-sensei is okay," Sakura said skeptically after a while. He'd seemed pretty panicked when they'd parted ways back there.
"Awe, he'll be fine," Tenten reassured her, "Gai-sensei will probably be too preoccupied trying to challenge Kakashi-sensei to traumatize him too much."
"If you say so," Sakura murmured, picking at her meal. Choji, Kiba, and Rock Lee were going at their food like they'd been starving in the desert for months (Lee possibly having turned it into some eating contest) but she just wasn't all that hungry lately. Hinata seemed to be using her chop sticks as more for show as well.
Ino nudged her pink-haired friend with her elbow, "Lighten up, forehead. You've been way too down lately.
Sai, who was sitting on Ino's other side with a drawing pad in hand, looked up, "I had thought Sakura's emotional response was most appropriate considering yet another of her teammates has gone missing and we have no real leads, other than rumor to go on, as to where he might be or if he is even still alive."
There was a small silence at the table until Kiba said, "You do know that this is supposed to cheer her up, right?"
Ino chucked a pickle slice at Kiba before turning back to Sai, "Yes, Sai, thank you. But we're trying to take her mind off of that right now, got it?"
"So, you really haven't gotten any further leads?" Neji asked.
"Neji," Ino nearly shrieked.
"It's okay," Sakura said, smiling as best she could, "I don't mind talking about it."
Nevertheless, she was grateful when Shino spoke up, "As Sai said, we haven't much but rumor to go on. This last excursion was a bust as well."
"Hey, don't be like that," Kiba said loudly from beside Choji, "Sometimes it just takes a while." He was patting Akamaru's head reassuringly and feeding the ninkin scraps.
"Six months is more than 'a while,' Kiba," Shikamaru said dismally.
"None of you are rising to the Challenge of Cheering the fair Sakura," Lee said between bites, "At this rate we will be forced to extend our outing to the cake shop next-door, if we are to succeed."
"To be honest," Choji said, somewhat oblivious to Lee, "I would have expected Naruto to come back on his own by now. I guess he can't 'cause of the Daimyo's soldiers, but, I dunno, it's weird for him."
Shikamaru nodded and the others made noises of agreement.
Sakura felt her gut clench painfully. Choji didn't realize it but he had just touched on one of her greatest fears since this whole thing started.
What if Naruto didn't want to come back?
She was staring down at her plate and didn't realize she spoken out loud until the entire table went quiet and Hinata asked in a low voice, "Why wouldn't he, Sakura?"
She wasn't sure how to answer, but she tried anyway, "Because . . . we should've . . . he didn't . . ." It was no good so she paused and started again, gathering her thoughts and trying to be blunt like Sai, "People keep telling me it's not . . . It's not like last time, with . . . with Sasuke," saying it out-loud hurt but she plowed on, trying to make them understand, "And maybe it's not, but . . . but what if it is? What if Naruto doesn't want to come back? What if he hates us?" Sakura's voice cracked on the last words and she paused, determined not to cry like some pre-Genin.
Hinata asked, just as softly as before, "Why would he hate us?"
"Because we didn't help him!" The words burst out of Sakura without her consent and she was as stunned as the rest of the table at their force. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Shikamaru hunch in on himself and look away from her.
"Because we didn't help him," she said again, more controlled this time, "He saved the village. He saved all our lives and we stood aside while they ran him out of his own home. He's been treated horribly his whole life because he's a Jinchuuriki and just when he managed to show the village he was more than that, more than . . . than some monster . . . he's exiled," Sakura paused, took shaky breath and mumbled, "I would hate us, if it were me."
There was silence and she felt so suddenly tired. Tired of searching, tired of wondering, just so tired.
A small hand covered Sakura's where it was clenching her chop sticks on the table and Hinata's voice said quietly, "You are wrong."
Sakura looked up sharply at Hinata who looked back at her just as steadily.
"You're wrong," Hinata said again, "Because Naruto loves us and this village. He may be angry and hurt, but he won't hate us. It takes much more than that to make Naruto hate."
There was a ruckus at the other end of the table as Kiba practically climbed over it to put his hand on top of Hinata's, "Yeah," he said, "Stop worryin'. We'll find him and he'll probably lead the way back home when we do."
"Agreed," Ino said cheerfully and slapped her hand over Kiba's.
Lee was next almost breaking someone's arm in his enthusiasm, "Indeed. Or so help me I will exile myself until I have found our wayward friend."
"Don't be so dramatic," Neji said but was nearly pulled out of his seat when Tenten grabbed his hand and stuck in the pile on top of hers. Choji pinned it down with his and Shino slowly joined in as well.
Sakura was slightly surprised when Sai placed his hand on top of their's saying, "I am also a part of your team, Sakura," he smiled his small, genuine smile, "We must look out for each other, yes?"
Shikamaru hesitated and looked as bored as ever when Sakura looked up at him, knowing her comment and stung him in particular, not that it had been her intention. She was thinking more about how she hadn't insisted on going anyway when he stopped them.
The Nara met her eyes and Sakura smiled slowly, "Put your hand in, you lazy bum. You're a part of this crowd no matter how 'troublesome' you think it is."
A smiled tugged at his mouth as Shikamaru put his hand carefully on top of the pile.
"There, see?" Ino said happily, "Now it's a good night."
For a little while Iruka actually thought it would be a good night.
Anko had indeed been distracted by Gai challenging Kakashi to a drinking contest, at which point Anko proved to be the more interested contestant. Iruka thought Kakashi looked as relieved as he felt to have the two keeping each other busy. Anko still shoved the odd drink in Iruka's direction now and then but if she knew he was pouring most of them into the potted plant next to the booth she didn't let on.
Gai was currently passed out upside down in their booth, Anko using his stomach for a pillow as she also snoozed away. By now the little group were the only ones left in the bar.
Kurenai was good company until she got too tired and Asuma suggested they turn in early. They'd left, and shorty after Iruka realized that at some point he had lost track of Kotetsu and Izumo during the night.
Iruka was just wondering if he should go find his friends when he realized he was being stared at. Iruka turned to see it was Kakashi watching him intently. It really amazed Iruka how that one eye could pin him better than any two ever could (except Ibiki's but the guy was specially trained, it didn't count).
The Academy teacher suddenly felt a little guilty. Between Kurenai, Kotetsu, and Izumo he's nearly forgotten the Copy-nin was there.
Of course, at the same time he felt the guilt, he felt that familiar creeping wariness he'd felt around the silver-haired Jounin ever since their first real meeting just before those disastrous Chunin exams years ago. Despite being in more and more contact with him because Iruka insisted on being apart of the search for Naruto, the Academy teacher still couldn't shake his hesitance around Kakashi.
Who was still staring at him.
"Is something wrong, Kakashi-san?" Iruka asked politely, hoping none of his wariness showed in his voice.
"You're sober," Kakashi said sitting up a little straighter, losing any semblance of drunkenness he'd displayed a moment ago.
Iruka felt his eyebrow twitch, "Mostly, yes," he actually felt a little tipsy, but he was okay with that, "So are you, apparently."
"Anko will be so disappointed," Kakashi drawled, but continued to stare at Iruka. It was beginning to creep him out.
"She'll bounce back. It's not the first time she's failed at getting my 'up-tight-ass' drunk," Iruka replied looking Kakashi in the eye and deliberately asking, "Is there something else, Kakashi-san?"
Kakashi's head tilted to the side, much like Iruka had seen Pakkun's do when he was thinking. The Jounin seemed to scan Iruka once more, his completely normal eye feeling somehow intrusive.
"You're weird," he said bluntly and nothing more.
Iruka blinked.
Then he snorted a laugh, saying disbelievingly, "You walk down the street reading porn and periodically told your Genin team that you were late because you 'got lost on the road of life' but I'm weird?"
Kakashi barely reacted, only humming noncommittally and started running his finger over the edge of an abandoned glass, making it hum too, "You're not a tracker. I mean you track well enough, as any ninja worth his title should, but it's not your specialty."
Iruka felt his own head tilt a bit as he tried to keep up with the Copy-nin's train of thought, "I'm afraid I don't —"
"And yet you insist on coming," Kakashi went on as if Iruka hadn't spoken. He was staring at the glass under his finger now, not looking at Iruka, "You insist on being in on every tracking party going after Naruto."
Iruka felt himself stiffen as he understood what Kakashi was talking about, "Kakashi-san are you trying to say that I'm hindering the mission in some way?" And Iruka felt suddenly worried.
Kakashi blinked and looked up at Iruka again, "Hm? No nothing like that."
"Then is this about . . . about the Chunin exams?" Iruka asked, feeling his face heat up at the thought that a Jounin like Kakashi probably didn't even remember that incident.
Kakashi seemed to think on that a moment, "Is that why you keep tip-toeing around me?"
Iruka sighed, bewildered by the other man as ever, "That's not an answer, and I am hardly 'tip-toeing' —"
"Yes, you are," Kakashi said in slight amusement, "What else do you call hardly speaking or moving or generally breathing too loudly when I'm nearby?"
Iruka shot the Jounin a glare and immediately looked away. And he must have been a little more tipsy than he thought because he'd mumbled petulantly, "Right, I forgot, you know everything," before he could stop it.
Just as he realized this had slipped out Kakashi gave a derisive little snort and said, "Well, I would hope I know a little more than a Chunin Academy sensei of all things."
There was a silence in which Kakashi's words only made it to his brain after they had already come out of his mouth and the Cop-nin could only watch in horror as the Iruka's entire body went rigid. Iruka was not looking at him as he took a deep breath and the color rose to his face, not in embarrassment this time but anger.
Finally, Kakashi's brain decided to inform him that he really aught to do some damage control now because what the actual hell were you thinking?!
I wasn't. Thinking is your job, Kakashi thought back to his brain and then started to sputter, "No, no, wait-that-I didn't mean —"
When Iruka finally looked at him and his eyes were hard and closed-off. Kakashi shut his gaping mouth.
"Hatake-san," Iruka said evenly, and Kakashi didn't miss how he'd suddenly switched to his family name instead of his given, "If I am not hindering the mission in any way I see no reason not to continue on with your team. My reasons for doing so are my own. I hope that is enough for you. Now if you will excuse me." The Chunin could have been giving a mission report with that tone of voice, except Kakashi felt the temperature in the room go down about ten degrees.
Iruka stood and Kakashi was still trying to figure out how to extract his foot from his mouth when the teacher walked out of the bar and didn't look back.
It took another minute before Kakashi nodded to himself and drummed his fingers on the table, "Now," he said assuredly, "Now he really hates me."
"Hatemay be a strong word for it," Asuma's voice came from behind Kakashi just as the man himself came into view, "More like once bitten, twice shy, really. Well, twice bitten now."
Asuma sat down next to Kakashi and lit a cigarette in Kurenai's absence.
"How much of that did you hear?" Kakashi asked miserably.
"Enough," Asuma shrugged, "This is why you're never called on for the more diplomatic missions, by the way."
Kakashi grumbled something insulting under his breath and asked irritably, "Why are you back here?"
"Kurenai forgot her purse," Asuma reached back into the booth and pulled out said bag.
"Anyone ever told you you're whipped?"
"Yes," Asuma said cheerfully, "Stop changing the subject."
"I don't want to talk about it," Kakashi growled.
"Kakashi," Asuma sighed, sitting forward and flicking some cigarette ash into the tray provided by the bar, "Let me give you some friendly advice —"
"Oh, spare me, I beg you," the other Jounin groaned.
Asuma rolled his eyes at the dramatics, but continued, "Look, Kurenai and Iruka are pretty good friends. Therefore, by default, I know a little about the guy. And I'm here to tell you, as long as you're in charge of searching for Naruto —"
"Who else would I let do it?" Kakashi wondered out loud.
Asuma ignored him, "You're not gonna scare him off. I dunno why, but Iruka loves that kid like a brother —"
"Yeah, molly-coddles him like a damn puppy," Kakashi grumbled under his breath, recalling many a time seeing Iruka walk Naruto home from practice or buying the boy ramen.
Asuma scowled, "Will you stop acting like a jealous girlfriend and listen?" Kakashi's eye narrowed but he went quiet. Asuma nodded and went on, "Iruka is a good guy, really. The Old Man held him in pretty high esteem, even," Asuma gave Kakashi an assessing look and said carefully, "So don't worry about running him off. He'll be there when you need him. And he can be a damn good friend if you let him," he laughed then, "Trust me. Iruka managed to calm Kurenai when she got into one of her panics about the baby in ten minutes flat. And he's still the record holder."
Asuma snuffed out his cigarette and was rising to leave, little red handbag in tow, when Kakashi asked, "Why would I be worried about something like that? Running him off?" And is it that obvious I was worried.
The other man just shrugged, "How should I know, Kakashi? I'm not you're therapist."
The cool night air did a lot to calm Iruka as he walked back to his apartment. He had been furious and righteously offended as he left the bar, but after a few blocks of crisp, fresh air, his anger had simmered down to mere brooding. Looking back Iruka really didn't know what he had expected.
The Chunin wasn't delusional enough to think that he was equal in any way with the famous Sharingan Kakashi, but Iruka did have to wonder what he had ever done to the Jounin to deserve his derision every time they spoke.
Granted, they'd only really spoken outside of obligatory interaction twice, but still, a little common curtesy wasn't too much to ask for, was it?
Iruka shook his head, trying to erase Kakashi and his stupid opinions from his mind. It was already after midnight and if he kept brooding he would never get any sleep.
Sighing he finally reached his new apartment building (as new as every other building on the street) and fished for his key as he climbed to his floor.
He unlocked his door and stepped inside, once again noting how sparse his living space was, now that he was having to rebuild from scratch just like everyone else in the village practically. Six months was a long time, but not enough to regain a lifetime of clutter.
Especially when he was missing a certain blonde to help make a mess.
At that thought Iruka paused at one of the doors in the hallway, carefully laying a hand on the knob. It was the door to the second bedroom that he'd insisted on having when he went apartment hunting.
Reluctantly, he turned the knob and opened the door, looked inside and not for the first time wondered if the room was just wishful thinking on his part.
Inside there was an extra futon and a tiny chest of drawers to one side, one wall sporting a poster Iruka had begged Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku's, to make for him of his ramen stand's logo. Teuchi had gotten Ayame in on it and she'd designed it herself, "Anything for our favorite customer," she'd laughed at the time.
It was Naruto's room. The one he didn't even know about yet.
Before Pein, Iruka had also had a two bedroom apartment. He'd gotten the place at a good rate and therefore had ignored the fact that he lived alone and didn't need the extra space. The extra bedroom had been used for storage until a certain Genin decided to graduate in the most dramatic way possible and consequently carved a permanent place into Iruka's life.
Iruka would never forget the days after Mizuki had stabbed him in the back (quite literally) and Naruto trying to "help" with his recovery. His kitchen had never quite recovered from Naruto's attempt at cooking. Naruto had also insisted on sleeping on Iruka's couch, "Because what if you need something in the middle of the night? You're supposed to be resting, you can't be wandering around in the middle of the night!"
Therefore, Iruka had done the only logical thing he could.
He sent Kotetsu and Izumo to buy an extra futon to put in the room and told Naruto to sleep in there from then on, whenever the urge struck him.
Naruto had stared at that little futon and the other small pieces of furniture Iruka had placed in the room like they were holy treasures.
"Really?" the boy had asked, nearly tearful, "Are you s-sure?"
"Yes, Naruto," Iruka had replied softly, ruffling the boy's hair, "I'm really sure."
And there was many a night Naruto would follow him home after training or ramen and sleep in that room. Some mornings Iruka would wake to find Naruto sound asleep even though he hadn't heard him come in during the night. When Naruto slept over Iruka would always fix breakfast for them, turning down Naruto's offer to help because he didn't think he or his kitchen could handle it, and it was nice.
It was the closest he'd come to family in a long time, and he liked to think that Naruto felt the same.
So Iruka had a second bedroom again. But he could only hope that the one meant to fill it would be found.
Iruka sighed again and closed the door, continuing on his way to his own bedroom.
When he finally crawled into bed his last thought before he finally drifted off was to wonder if Naruto was alright. If he was safe and warm and well fed, wherever he was.
If he knew he still had a home to come back to.
The next morning, Iruka awoke to banging.
Very loud, insistent banging that was so worthy of Naruto that he thought for a brief second in between sleep and wakefulness that it was indeed the blonde at his front door.
He realized that it couldn't be only a second before he made it to his front door and wrenched it opened to blink blearily at a blur of pink.
"Sakura?" Iruka asked dumbly as the pink blur ran past him and into his bedroom.
"Get dressed Iruka-sensei!" Sakura shouted, Iruka following her into the bedroom and realizing that he'd dragged his blanket with him and nearly tripped over it to keep up.
"Wha-? Why?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to figure out what time it was.
One of his uniforms was flung at him and when he caught them he focused back on Sakura.
Sakura, who was looking at him with tears in her eyes and grin, "We have a lead," she said.
And that was all it took for Iruka to scramble into his uniform and race her out the door.
A/N: This chapter is late because the universe and writer's block didn't want it to be written. (It started as a 14 page rough draft with the bar scene featuring a drunk Kakashi and an irate Iruka and I looked back at it later and wondered what gas was leaking in my house when I wrote that. Hopefully this is marginally better.)
Basically I knew how I wanted the chapter to end, but wasn't too clear in the in between, so you got a bit of fluff, angst, and generally useless filler that the story probably could have lived without, but hopefully adds a nice touch and a little development. I don't love it but it gets me where I need to go.
I'm editing this at one in the morning for reasons that escape me, so please review and let me know if I edit any better when I can barely see the page.