The morning at school was not at all quiet as Iruka had expected. Instead, it proceeded with the usual hustle and bustle, as he dealt with the loudness and attention needs of one Uzumaki Naruto, as well as others like Sakura, Ino, and many more.
It wasn't significantly different, but now that he was working with a group of new kids, he wasn't surprised by anything. Kids tended to be the same every single year, and each year they came with their own unique and unexpected surprises that kept him on his toes and ensured he could navigate issues such as Naruto's need for attention.
After school, Iruka would be working on his paper; nothing much, as the kids were still in their first years. He knew he would have more work later, but he made sure his lesson was ready for the following day.
Iruka looked out and saw Naruto alone again. He knew who he was: the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. He understood that the boy was loud because he needed attention and didn't receive any. Iruka recognized that Naruto needed support and care, that he was ignored because everyone feared him as a potential walking time bomb that could explode at any moment.
Pausing, Iruka gazed at the boy, contemplating these thoughts. What was he doing? How could he stand by and do nothing? He knew Naruto lived alone, and that felt inherently wrong. While he understood that as a teacher, taking a student under his wing could be considered unprofessional, he couldn't ignore the feeling in his heart as he watched Naruto sitting there on the swing.
After a long moment of consideration, Iruka pondered his options. Should he act professionally and maintain his role solely as a teacher? Or should he step up and support Naruto by offering him as much assistance as possible?
With a nod, Iruka made up his mind. "Naruto, let's go get some ramen. Are you up for that?" he asked, looking at the boy on the swing.
Naruto's young eyes grew big as they looked at Iruka, and the surprise was very much over every part of his face. "Ramen, really you want to take me out to get ramen, sensei?" Naruto asked with a degree of disbelief in his tone as he wasn't sure that he had heard it right, "Really?"
"Yes, of course," Iruka said with a warm smile, meeting Naruto's surprised gaze. "I figure we can grab something to eat, and then we can have a bit of a talk once we're done," he commented, gently motioning for Naruto to follow him towards the ramen was nothing fancy, ramen was a cheap meal, he didn't think to much about the fact in general. He was a bit surprised to see how surprised Naruto was though.
Naruto was very much beside himself, not only did Iruka want to take him to get ramen, he wanted to talk to him. This was something that had never happened to him before in his whole life, and he really liked the feelings inside that it caused to know someone wanted to spend time around him.
"Really, sensei? You wanna talk with me?" His voice carried a hint of vulnerability, tinged with the hope of finally being seen and understood. Without waiting for a response, Naruto eagerly followed Iruka towards the ramen shop, his steps quickening with anticipation.
"Of course, Naruto," Iruka said as he walked with him to the ramen stand. "You're living alone, right?" Iruka asked as he looked at the boy, helping him find a seat. It was just the two of them at the ramen place at that hour.
Naruto nodded his head as he lived in an apartment that the village provided for him. "Yeah I do, but um" he said, pausing trying to find the right words to say next, "I am kind of used to it," he said trying to sound hopeful, but unable to hide the hint of loneliness in his voice.
"Yeah, I thought so, and I knew, but being used to something and liking it are two different things," Iruka said, thinking for a moment as he looked at the boy. He then ordered two bowls of miso ramen, one for each of them. "I want to ask you about this. Would you be against, say, living with someone?"
Wait what Naruto taught over this for a moment. His innocent mind thinking about the possibility. He had always dreamed of having a family of people who cared about him and wanted the best for him. Yet, it it felt like an impossibility to him."Living with someone?" he repeated, his voice slightly hesitant, and a bit guarded. He was afraid this was some type of illusion or something potentially bad too.. After a moment of contemplation, he shrugged his small shoulders. "I dunno... I guess it could be okay. But who would wanna live with me?"
"How about I take you in Naruto?" Iruka said bluntly to see the reaction."I don't mind keeping an eye on you and helping you as much as I can Naruto."
"You... you wanna take me in?" he stammered.
"Yeah, that is my thinking," Iruka replied, his tone one filled with warmth, "If you stay with me, I can do a better job of helping you stay out of trouble. I can also help you with school work and spend more time going over the basics of being a ninja. You want to be Hokage someday, this will help with that. Granted, I am a bachelor so most likely it is going to just be the two of us," h explained hoping his words would let Naruto see that he meant nothing negative or bad by this.
With a hesitant smile, he nodded, his trust in Iruka slowly starting to blossom. "Okay, Iruka-sensei. I'd like that."
"Then I'll talk about it tomorrow with someone, and I'll try my best to get it taken care of," Iruka replied with a warm smile. The sense of responsibility and determination in his voice reassured Naruto.
Naruto's eyes lit up with gratitude as he nodded earnestly. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei. I'll be waiting,"
The two of them enjoyed the meal as Iruka talked to Naruto about school and life. Iruka did a lot more than just listen to Naruto; he let him talk about things from his perspective and shared insights about life and situations from his own experiences.
Afterward, Iruka took the boy home and then went to write up the proposal to have Naruto come live with him. He knew the boy needed someone to watch out for him and work with him to have a more normal and fulfilling life. Iruka made sure to provide detailed reasoning and worked hard to justify his decision.
Iruka was sure this would work, as he had put a lot of effort into it, and he would see how it all played out. He glanced at the letter before sending it out to the Hokage. It would change his life a great deal in ways he couldn't even think of at that moment.
The next morning, Iruka found himself in front of the Hokage's office before school, ready to discuss his letter about Naruto. This was an important issue, and the Hokage had a big surprise for him as well. There was a requirement that the Hokage was going to enforce to grant Iruka's request, one that would surprise him greatly. Iruka sat down and waited for the Third Hokage's comments.
Hiruzen leaned forward, his expression serious yet thoughtful. "I am willing to accept your proposal, Iruka," he began, his voice carrying a weight of authority. "However, it is my belief that Naruto also needs a mother figure in his life."
Iruka listened attentively, curious about the Hokage's suggestion.
"I have someone in mind who I believe would be suitable for this role," Hiruzen continued. "Anko Mitarashi."
Iruka was shocked at the suggestion, he knew Anko, and he wasn't sure he would call her normal, or conventional in any manner. She was a strong woman, powerful and capable. She was fierce and was not the normal motherly type or at that moment at least Iruka didn't think so.
Hiruzen noticed Iruka's reaction but continued, explaining his reasoning. "Anko may seem unconventional, but she has a deep understanding of the ninja world and the challenges that come with it. I believe she could provide Naruto with the support and guidance he needs, while also giving her a purpose beyond her current duties."
Iruka nodded as he could, putting his faith in the idea of the Hokage, and his words. He knew she was unconventional, but maybe that wasn't bad. He nodded his head as he looked at him. "Okay, I will ask, I figure the worse she can do is tell me no, right?"
Hiruzen gave a small nod of approval. "Good. I will leave it in your hands, Iruka. Let me know how she responds."
Iruka was given a note indicating where to find Anko and ask her. He really wanted what was best for Naruto, and this idea seemed wild, but he couldn't help but wonder how it would work. He knew that Anko was a fierce woman and that she was different. Perhaps in that difference, she would be someone who would look at Naruto differently and not have the same prejudices about him as so many others had. It made some sense.
Iruka walked to find Anko at the dango shop that morning, getting fresh dango for herself.
"Hi, Anko-san, I need to talk with you. It's kind of important," Iruka said as he walked up to find Anko waiting in line to order her dango for the day.
Anko turned to face Iruka, a curious expression on her face as she raised an eyebrow. "Important, huh? What's got you all serious, Iruka?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity and a hint of skepticism.
"I am trying to adopt Naruto Uzumaki, and I presented the idea to the Hokage. Lord Hokage suggested that Naruto could also very much use a motherly figure in his life. It was part of the detail for me to be able to adopt the boy. He seemed to think that you were the perfect person for the job," Iruka explained, getting to the heart of the matter rather quickly.
Anko's face quickly showed just how shocked she was to hear this offer and she looked at him for a moment as if he had grown two heads or something. She never saw this as a role fo there, and to be honest she wasn't sure if she was cut out for such a thing.
"Me? Take care of Naruto?" she echoed, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Iruka, you do realize I'm not exactly the maternal type, right?" Despite her initial hesitation, a flicker of something akin to consideration crossed her features.
Anko thought about it more as she paused, "I hmm…" she said as she wondered, this boy was like her in that he faced challenges that most people didn't or wouldn't know about. She had experiences that might be able to help her connect with him. She also knew that it would be ultimately good for her too. That having someone to connect to wouldn't be the worse thing in the world, plus, she knew Iruka was dependable, and kind of cute as well. He wouldn't judge her for being different either.
After a moment of silence, Anko met Iruka's gaze with a determined expression. "Alright, I'll do it," she said firmly, a hint of determination underlying her words. "I'll help Naruto out."
"Good, I'm going to count on you, and I promise to make it the best situation possible for both of us," Iruka said politely as he looked at her. "I'm sure the Hokage will arrange for us to have a new place larger than either of our current ones so we can all settle into the situation."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Also, Anko, um, what type of dango did you get today?"
Anko flashed a smirk, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Oh, you know me, Iruka. Same as always – the spiciest ones they've got," she replied with a chuckle, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness. "But enough about dango. Let's focus on getting this new setup sorted for Naruto."
"Maybe I should try some then," Iruka mused after a moment of consideration. "Wait, you're right. Let's go tell the Hokage and get him to give us what we need. Someone is covering for me today at school, so we have time to figure this all out." He gestured for Anko to follow him, a sense of determination in his stride as they headed towards the Hokage's office to finalize the arrangements.
As they went, Iruka felt more and more confident that this could and would work. It was going to take a lot of effort by himself and Anko, but he was sure it could happen. He was glad for this idea, to make a difference in a young person's life. That was something really worthwhile, and Anko could easily cover teaching in many areas where Iruka couldn't.
The unlikely pair walked into the office, ready to get things taken care of with the Hokage.
Hiruzen looked up from his desk as Iruka and Anko entered, a curious expression on his face. "Ah, Iruka, Anko-san. What brings you both here today?" he inquired curiously
Iruka stepped forward, with a determined expression on his face. "Hokage-sama, we've come to discuss the proposal I made regarding Naruto's living situation," he began, his voice firm and steady. "Anko has agreed to help provide support for Naruto as well."
Hiruzen's eyebrows rose in surprise at the unexpected development. "I see. And what are your thoughts on this, Anko?" he asked, turning his attention to the kunoichi.
Anko met the Hokage's gaze with a confident expression. "I'm in," she replied simply, her tone firm. "I'll do whatever it takes to help Naruto out."
Hiruzen nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Very well. I will arrange for a suitable residence for all of you. I trust you both to make this arrangement work for Naruto's benefit."