.
.
When the door opens, Iruka is surprised to see not another teacher, but Kimimaro, standing at the foot of his classroom.
It's the first time in years that Iruka's ever really talked to him. Ever since that disastrous day at the training grounds, Iruka gave up on the idea of friendship or at the very least, a less-than-hostile working relationship. Kimimaro kept everyone at more than an arm's length, a silent, hulking thing following Anko's every move. Now he's here, sitting in Iruka's classroom, body crouched among the brightly colored crayon drawings and cheerful alphabet letters strung up around the room: it's almost incongruent and actually rather funny, but Iruka doesn't dare laugh at him. He's seen enough of what Kimimaro could do to try.
"You want me to what?" Iruka says. Kimimaro watches him with that same disaffected look, as if Iruka were some sort of insect Kimimaro was only just moments away from crushing with his boot. "You want me to take her out of the classroom?"
"That is correct," Kimimaro says. He leans back, arms crossed. Glaring. "Sayaka is a danger to not only herself, but the other children. That you keep her here, against my wishes and against everyone else's better judgement, only puts you and the others in danger."
"Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me you iwant/I me to segregate her?" Iruka stares. "I won't. I won't let that little girl be treated any differently, least of all by her father."
"Iruka?" someone says, and they look up. Anko is standing at the door.
Iruka nods and Anko steps inside, and he sees Sayaka crouching by Anko's hip, frightened. "Honey, just stay back a little while we talk, okay?"
"Yes, mom." Anko smiles and Sayaka shrinks back a little, hugging her arms.
"You can't agree with this?" Iruka says as Anko sits next to Kimimaro, pressing a hand over one tight fist and giving it a gentle squeeze. "She's a little girl. Sure there will be hiccups along the way, but we can handle it."
"This isn't like Naruto," Anko says, quietly. "And honestly I hate that we're taking her away from her classmates, but Iruka, she could bleed to death! If Kimimaro wasn't there the last time, she very well could have!"
"I see," Iruka says, and Anko pulls out a scroll from her satchel, setting it on the desk.
"Tsunade already granted her a leave of absence. We just hope that you will understand."
Iruka frowns. All his life he had seen the effects of children segregated because they were different. He couldn't stand the thought of children feeling lonely or hurt or confused. He had seen enough with Naruto, whom the village openly feared and hated, and who clung to Iruka for the smallest bit of comfort. Now Naruto was grown but he could see the same effects on Anko's little girl, already suffering the stigma of her father. He didn't want that for her. For any of his students.
"Then let me tutor her," Iruka says. "I can give her private lessons. I just don't think it's right to take her away from her friends."
"I don't think it's right either, but we don't have a choice," Anko says, and Kimimaro nods, not looking at her. Iruka can read well enough between the lines to know that Kimimaro probably thinks this is his fault.
"Iruka-sensei." Sayaka is crying. She pushes past Anko and Kimimaro, running toward Iruka's leg. "Iruka-sensei! I don't want to go!"
"iSayaka/i!" Kimimaro's tone is sharp and Anko is horrified, but Iruka stoops down and hugs her, holding her, tight.
"Don't be scared, Sayaka-chan," Iruka says, and Sayaka burrows her head into his chest. Iruka is well-aware that at any moment, she could erupt into bones and kill him at any moment, but he doesn't care. "I'll visit you every day. I promise!"
And Sayaka pulls away and nods at him, smiling and wiping her eyes.
At the ramen hut, Naruto is talking to him. Iruka listens, smiling, proud as any papa could be as Naruto extols his achievements, talking with wild arms and laughing over bowls of Ramen. Behind them, one of Naruto's friends waves and Naruto jumps up, excited, and Iruka only smiles and waves at them, "Go on, it's okay, I'll finish up," and Naruto jumps off the stool, running to join the rest of his friends.
Sayaka has an advantage: she has parents who love her and care for her, and Iruka will be there to help, too, will see to it that she grows and smiles and never stops making friends. Iruka stops and watches Naruto running, caught in a laugh, then shakes his head and pushes back a smile.