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Chapter Text

Hiruzen Sarutobi sits in his office and watches in amusement as two of Konoha’s elite stand in front of him covered in yellow and pink paint respectively.

The shorter of the two, pink, has a stiff, shamed posture as he relays what happened.

“I see,” Hiruzen puffs on his pipe, “you were unmasked by a genin, Umino Iruka”

Annoyance radiates off of Hound’s entire form but his tone is polite.

“Yes sir,” he says, “he’s been targeting ANBU”

“Has he now,” Hiruzen tamps down his amusement, “well, I will have to have some words with him then”

The other ANBU, Bear, seems more amused than anything.

“Perhaps if you wouldn’t go out of your way to harass him,” she says. Hound stiffens.

“His behavior is immature,” Hound says coldly.

“You’ve gotta admit, he’s got some good traps,” Hiruzen can tell Bear is subtly teasing the young ANBU. “He’s gotten you, twice now?”

Hound’s posture stiffens but he doesn’t respond.

“Dismissed,” Hiruzen says. Both ANBU bow before leaving his office. 

When they’re gone, Hiruzen allows his restrained chuckle to escape his mouth.

This was the first time he’s ever seen Hound express emotion. Usually the youngest member of ANBU is far too rigid for a fourteen year old boy. He hadn’t exactly agreed with allowing Kakashi to join ANBU but the council had overruled him on that one. 

He chuckles. Of course it would be Iruka to draw that out from him. The young genin has an uncanny ability to humanize people. Part of why he pays so much attention to the troublemaker. For all his attitude and anger, Iruka’s heart is genuinely good and kind. He could easily have turned his anger against the village and, with his considerable skill and cleverness, would have made a very nasty enemy, but despite everything that happened to him, he never even considered that.

Him and Kakashi are far more similar than anyone would ever suspect. Perhaps this could be a good thing.

…

Iruka’s day has gone from bad to worse. One minute he was about to pull off a magnificent prank and the next, a clawed hand was catching the back of his shirt before he could set off his tag.

It had been an accident when he unmasked ANBU operative Hound. Iruka was stupid not suicidal and he would never intentionally jeopardize the safety of Konoha or a fellow nin. He had felt especially bad when he discovered just how young Hound is. Something in his chest had hurt at what the young ANBU had most likely seen and it had made him angry that they’d allow someone so young to join something so dangerous.

But any sympathy he may have felt disappeared under ire since Hound seemed to make it a personal vendetta or something because for the past two months Hound has been making his life difficult. Thus, he decided to do what he does best and decided to make Hound’s life equally difficult. And Iruka was far more creative than the ANBU.

“Stop following me!” he snaps, swinging from a branch and creating a clone despite knowing it won’t be effective.

“You’re being a pain in the ass!” Hound snarls, striking out and dissipating Clone Iruka. “Put down the paint!”

“No!” Iruka shouts. He glances around the clearing. Hound is clearly singleminded in his pursuit. Maybe he won’t pay attention…

Iruka unravels chakra wire, using chakra to stick the end to the tree. He creates a clone and the clone disappears with the chakra wire before Hound can notice.

He throws a wad of glue bundled into chakra paper at the pursuing ANBU as a distraction.

“Just let me go!” Iruka snaps, doubling back in the hopes Hound would trip over a branch.

“Then put the paint down!” Hound dodges with his usual grace.

“Why do you care what I do?” Iruka responds. He’s beginning to get tired. He sees his clone give a signal and he changes his direction, pretending to stumble so he can brush chakra along the ground in several places. “You’re the only one who tries to stop me!”

“Because you’re immature!” Hound dodges the flurry of branches Iruka throws at him. “You should never have graduated from the Academy!”

“I’m immature?” Iruka shrieks, “what about you? The mighty and powerful ANBU who has nothing better to do with his time than harass a genin. ANBU really not using you for anything useful?” he taunts, skidding to a halt just a little bit behind the trigger spot. He pretends he’s too exhausted to continue further. 

“I’ve been running missions since you were still a snotty baby!” Hound lands. “Missions you wouldn’t even be able to begin to understand because you’re too immature you’ll never go on them! You’re just a genin and if you keep acting like this you’ll always be a genin!”

That actually stung.

Iruka takes a step back and Hound steps forward. Right on the trigger. 

With a quiet twang, the ANBU operative is dangling upside down; chakra wire wrapped around his legs.

“You-!”

Iruka whoops at his success, darting forward and throwing the paint-filled balloons at the captive ANBU.

“How is that?” he taunts, making a face, “mighty ANBU taken out by an immature genin!”

“UMINO!” Hound wiggles, “what did you do? Let me out!”

“What?” he bounces on his feet, the thrill of a successful practical joke giving him a rush of energy. “Big scary Hound who has been on so many missions can’t figure out how to get out of a simple chakra wire trap?”

“You did something!” Hound accuses and Iruka grins. He holds up the seal he’s been experimenting with. 

“Don’t worry, someone just needs to put their chakra into this,” he sets it at the base of the tree and admires his handiwork.

His jonin instructor hates him, has no idea how to handle him, so he foisted him off on Miura Mikaru, the village’s foremost fuinjutsu master and another transplant from Uzushiogakure. Iruka likes Mika-sensei, a lot more than he likes his jonin-sensei. The woman is probably younger than Iruka’s own parents were and has a mischievous streak that may even exceed Iruka’s own. She regularly talks fondly, and somewhat sadly, of her childhood friend with red hair and the trouble they’d get into together. She also always has some kind of baked good and fusses over Iruka as if he were her own child. 

Iruka suspects the Old Man Hokage had something to do with it since he’s always giving Iruka scrolls to read on sealing techniques.

Just because his mom was from Uzushiogakure. 

Iruka has always acted like he doesn’t give a damn about fuinjutsu, he’s always acted like he doesn’t give a damn about anything. The only reason he’s even bothering to become a ninja is because he can’t let his parents down. He’s always instinctively known he’s not designed for it. When his classmates and friends were oohing and ahhing over elite ninja, all Iruka could think was such a sad existence. He sees it in the ANBU who watch him, in the jonin who he passes on the street that all have such a faraway expression, a weariness surrounding them that makes Iruka’s heart ache for them.

Your heart is very big, dear one his mother’s words echo in his head guard it carefully.

He knows his limits, knows his chakra stores aren’t large but his control has always been far above that of any of his peers, so much so that his Academy instructor tried to direct him in the path of medi-nin, but Iruka doesn’t want to spend those long hours at the hospital. He hates the hospital even though he’s only been a few times. It smells like death and he hates death. Yet another mark against his potential to be a ninja. He already knows that killing is not something he’s going to be good at.

He studies the upside down and paint covered ANBU before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a necklace he made out of daisies.

“What are you doing?” Hound tries to wiggle away as Iruka approaches him. Iruka loops the necklace around Hound’s neck, using chakra to make sure it won’t fall off. “Get it off me!” Hound tries to shake it off.

“I don’t think I will,” Iruka laughs, hopping backwards. The ANBU looks ridiculous dangling upside down with a necklace of daisies around his neck. “Don’t worry ANBU-san!” he cackles, “I’ll make sure to tell the other ANBU-sans where you are~!” he darts off into the trees so he’s not late to meeting his jonin instructor. It doesn’t matter anyways. The man doesn’t like Iruka and Iruka doesn’t like him. But if he’s late, then Ko and Zu miss out on being able to learn too. And today they’re sparring against Anko’s team! He’s excited to see his best friend. 

“UMINO! GET BACK HERE!” Hound’s shout echoes through the trees.

Iruka doubles back, shoves some chakra into the tree Hound had first caught him at and the tripwire goes off covering everyone outside the Hokage Tower in chicken feathers like he originally planned before he was so rudely interrupted. He waves at an ANBU who has come to investigate.

“Hound is tied up by the third training ground!” he calls, “just send some chakra into the seal!”

He skids to a halt in front of his two teammates, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, and creeps up behind them.

“RAWR!” he shouts, scaring them both. Anko cackles from where her team is approaching and runs over to hug them in her naturally aggressive way. The four of them tumble to the ground in a heap of limbs and laughter even when Zu accidentally elbows him in the side.

He adores his friends.

…

Sarutobi Hiruzen is standing on his balcony, smoking his pipe when a silent figure in a stylized bird mask lands next to him. Tall, taller than average, with a thick braid of ink-dark hair. 

“Sir,” the ANBU Commander, Raven, bows low.

“Commander,” Hiruzen inclines his head briefly.

“May I speak freely?” Raven, cocks her head to the side.

“Always,” Hiruzen waves his hand.

“Sir, Umino Iruka has been exclusively targeting Hound for the past two months. Should we intervene?”

Ah. Hiruzen had suspected that was the case considering a frequent topic of conversation between him and the youth was usually complaints levied against the young ANBU with Iruka’s characteristic passion.

“Is he being harmed?”

“Just his pride,” Raven sounds amused.

“Is it interfering with his ability to do his duty for the village?”

“Not that I have seen, sir”

“Then I see no reason to interfere,” the commander’s amusement becomes palpable at Hiruzen’s words, “it’s an unusual relationship, one that I think will be beneficial for them both”

“Sir?”

“Dealing with Iruka is the only time I’ve seen Hound react to anything,” Hiruzen sighs, heart hurting for the young ANBU, “he makes Hound human again. And the attention he receives from Hound is exactly what Iruka has been seeking. Have you noticed the pranks around the village have decreased since Iruka has turned all his attention on Hound?”

“The other ANBU are relieved,” Raven says, “it’s been several weeks since the last time anyone other than Hound has been the target of an Umino Prank”

“Indeed. And while it may not seem like it,” Hiruzen chuckles, “they happen to be training each other. Iruka’s traps really are ingenious and he’s able to keep Hound on his toes. And trying to outsmart an ANBU is helping hone Iruka’s skills. I have plans to develop his skill in fuinjutsu”

“I see,” Raven hums. “So we are not to interfere with Umino and Hound?”

“Unless it becomes dangerous or impedes Hound’s ability as a shinobi, I see no reason to”

“The rest of ANBU will be happy to hear that,” Raven huffs a laugh, turning her masked face to the monument, “I agree”

“Oh?”

“Hound seems more…lively, when Umino is involved,” Raven says, “I think it’s good for both of them. The ANBU operatives are rather fond of them. It feels like having younger siblings and gives them something to fight for”

Hiruzen smiles. “I’m glad”

Chapter Text

Iruka is idly flipping through his book on seals. He had just failed the chunin exam because he had stopped to help a fellow Konoha nin despite being on a different team, only to get taken by surprise. He finds he’s not particularly bothered. He could be a career genin. Spend his life taking D-ranks and maybe get some low-level courier or messenger job. He had heard of Might Duy the Eternal Genin and figured that may not be a bad way to go. 

“Did you hear?”

Iruka looks up as his friend Toji Mizuki leans in. Mizuki had passed to chunin along with Izumo and Kotetsu. Anko had become chunin a couple years before them. He’s proud of his friends, even if they’ve been giving him grief over his own failure.

“What?” Iruka blinks, closing his book on seals. He knows Mizuki thinks it’s a worthless skill to have. Like all the other boys Iruka’s age, he’s drawn in by the flashy, high-level ninjutsu and doesn’t understand why Iruka doesn’t share that.

“Anko-chan is a traitor”

“What!?” Iruka nearly shouts.

“Orochimaru-sensei defected from the village. He killed Chikao-kun and Anko-chan went with him!”

Iruka scrambles to his feet.

“Where are you going?” Mizuki calls.

“I’m going to rescue Anko!” Iruka begins to pack weapons, chakra wire and a stack of seals he’s been working on. He hesitates before grabbing his experimental one. Either it works or it blows him up.

Closing his eyes he sends out a ping and scans the village. The sonar images flash through him, but no Anko, although he can sense faint traces of her chakra.

He runs in that direction.

He’s never told anyone except Anko about this particular sensing ability of his, otherwise he’d probably be pushed to become chunin and expected to do something with it. His range is not particularly far and he can’t do it while moving or concentrating on anything else, but it’s getting further. He spent more time using it to evade  after a prank, or find ANBU to prank than actively honing it.

After running, he stops and sends out another ping. 

The image of Anko is getting stronger and he follows it further. She’s standing in a clearing with Orochimaru. Iruka knows what he needs to do.

He creates a clone and sends the clone off to lay his seals around the area in a specific pattern and to lay a few other traps. This time, he’s going to try and use Orochimaru’s chakra against the man. With a shaky exhale, he places the experimental seal on his own chest. 

If things go according to plan, he should be able to draw Orochimaru’s chakra into the seal on his chest and trap it there, weakening the man enough that even someone like Iruka could easily take him on.

He follows behind the pair at a far enough distance that hopefully neither one notices. One of the good things about not having large chakra reserves is that Iruka is very, very good at concealing his presence. Part of his skill as a prankster is his ability to conceal his chakra to the point of being completely unnoticed, even by most ANBU, coupled with his echolocation ability to detect when he was alone long enough to get away with things. It’s also why most of the missions he got sent on had something to do with reconnaissance.

Mika-sensei always seemed to think he’d have a very, very good shot at being a tokubetsu jonin for that alone, not even taking into account his seals training. The thought of being a tokujo unsettles something in Iruka’s chest so he usually just brushes off her words.

Finally, his series of traps are laid in front of them and Iruka waits until Orochimaru and Anko have entered his trapped clearing before making his move, wrapping the chakra wire around his wrist and hiding it.

“Stop!” Iruka shouts. 

As far as moves go, it’s not very ninja-like, but it does the trick.

The older man turns, glancing at Iruka like he’s a piece of lint. Anko turns too, staring at Iruka with wide frightened eyes. It makes his heart twist. There’s an odd glazed expression to them that makes Iruka fret.

“Give me back Anko-chan!” Iruka advances on him. This man is a sannin. He needs to tread carefully.

“Interesting,” Orochimaru tilts his head, “a genin managed to find me”

Iruka tightens his grip on his kunai. He knows he’s not going to be able to defeat a sannin, but at the very least he can get his friend away. He shifts the chakra wire in his hand and lunges.

He knows he’s no match, and the older man expends no effort in absolutely thrashing Iruka leaving him beaten and bloody on the ground. But it was enough for Iruka to finish laying his first trap around the sannin.

He glances at where his friend has slumped to the ground. Anko is clearly weakened by something, gaze getting progressively hazier and unfocused. He moves to stand in front of her.

“Now,” Orochimaru says, “I’m not interested in killing genin. You should know you aren’t strong enough to face me”

“Maybe so,” Iruka grins, “but I don’t need to beat you,” Orochimaru tilts his head, “and I’ve managed to trap ANBU before,” he tugs on the chakra wire trap he had laid while attacking. With a quiet thwip, the wire flies through the air and wraps around Orochimaru’s wrists. He feels a flare of triumph.

“You’re rather clever,” Orochimaru smiles, snapping the chakra wire binding his wrists as easily as if it were a dried noodle. With a thrum of chakra, all of Iruka’s traps go off at once. Fear ratchets through Iruka at the fact the sannin swept away almost all his defenses without even blinking. It sends a shiver down his spine as he crouches over his semi-conscious friend. “Maybe one day you could catch me, but you’re far too inexperienced”

Iruka narrows his eyes and makes a hand signal. He really hadn’t wanted to do this one. The seal on his chest burns and Orochimaru widens his eyes.

He doesn’t know what happens. One minute he’s shielding Anko and the next they’re both flying through the air towards a tree. He has enough time to spin so that Anko won’t hit the tree before pain lances through his entire body.

The last thing he’s aware of is a group of ANBU descending in the clearing and he holds Anko tighter, feeling her weak pulse beneath his hands in relief as the paper containing the seal crumbles into dust.

Iruka wakes up feeling like he fell off the Hokage Monument. The first thing he’s aware of is pain, the next thing he’s aware of is tobacco.

He turns his head to see Sarutobi Hiruzen sitting next to the bed. He surmises he’s probably in the hospital.

“Oh good,” the old man says, “you’re awake”

“What happened? Where’s Anko?” he struggles to sit up and glances at the bandages wrapped around his chest.

“Anko-chan is fine,” the old man reassures, “she will be at T&I for a bit,” fear rockets through Iruka, “do not worry. She will not be harmed, they just have some questions for her. She was uninvolved in what Orochimaru was doing and is as much as victim as the others. I am here about you”

“What? Wait, others?”

“The seal that you used,” Sarutobi’s eyes fix on him and Iruka knows he’s not going to get an answer, “where did you learn it? That isn’t something Miura-san would teach someone so young”

“I thought I came up with it,” Iruka feels defeated when he realizes what he thought he had developed already exists, “I was just messing around with some other seals when I found out I could seal something’s chakra into it like that”

Sarutobi sighs. “Iruka-kun, that is a very high-level seal. It’s incredibly dangerous even for a master. If Miura-san hadn’t been here to reverse the effects, you would have burned out your chakra pathways,” Iruka looks down at his hands, “as it is, you’re lucky ANBU was able to find you and Hound-san got you here fast. You will have a scar though,” he gestures to Iruka’s chest. Iruka resists the urge to peek beneath the bandages.

“Hound was there?” Iruka groans, “great, of course he was,” he pouts. “He’s never gonna let me forget this”

“Hound-san was rather worried about you,” the Sandaime puffs on his pipe and Iruka has to suppress the most ridiculous urge to tell the Hokage that people aren’t allowed to smoke in the hospital because not even he’s that dumb. 

The words finally register and Iruka makes a noise in the back of his throat.

“Sure,” he snorts, “ANBU Hound, the most annoying pain in my a-um butt, was worried about me. The dude hates me”

Sarutobi looks amused. “Why do you say that?”

“He’s always following me and interrupting my pranks! We can’t have a single conversation that doesn’t involve shouting or insulting each other, he’s arrogant and infuriating and he treats me like I’m a toddler!” Iruka rants. 

Sarutobi sighs. He looks out the window.

“I believe you and Hound have quite a bit in common. Why not try to be friends instead?”

“I’ll never be friends with him,” Iruka declares stubbornly and Sarutobi seems to admit defeat in the face of it. “Ever!”

“Very well,” he says, “that is your choice to make,” he puffs on his pipe, “when you get released, come by my office and I’ll make tea”

“Sure,” Iruka flops back on his pillows and pokes at his bandaged chest. He’s kind of curious what kind of scar he’s going to have.

He’s disappointed it’s actually not as big as he hoped. Something Asuma laughs at him over when he comes to visit with ramen and a shared popsicle.

Iruka gets discharged the next day and makes his way over to T&I where he stubbornly begins to camp out until Anko is released. Ibiki, who is apparently training as an interrogator spends his breaks alternating between trying to convince Iruka to go home and threatening to carry him if he doesn’t leave. He never follows through on his threats and ends up giving up after Iruka manages to cover him in pink glitter that only washes off after twenty-four hours. Yamanaka Inoichi just seems to be amused more than anything and regularly pats Iruka on the head while commending his loyalty to his friends. The man is so damn nice that his head pats don’t even feel condescending like they probably should and Iruka doesn’t have the urge to cover him head to toe in peanut butter like he does Ibiki. Also he’s just really pretty and Iruka finds himself blushing in the man’s presence.

He’s pacing outside when Kotetsu, Izumo and Mizuki find him on his fourth day.

“Heard you got yourself blown up,” Mizuki laughs, clapping him on the back and pulling him into a hug. Izumo and Kotetsu exchange an irritated look. Neither one is particularly fond of Mizuki, they only put up with him for Iruka’s sake.

“Yeah, well,” Iruka grins even if he doesn’t feel it, “when do I not?”

“Asuma-san said we’d find you here,” Izumo says carefully, “that you’ve been camping out here every night”

Iruka curses his older brother figure. 

“And so?”

“Ru, that’s not healthy”

“But it’s Anko,” Iruka insists, “I would do the same for any one of you”

They exchange a glance before settling on the wall next to Iruka. He again feels a flare of affection for his friends and cracks a joke that has them all laughing. 

That night, Iruka stretches out on the wall and stares up at the sky. None of his friends wanted to stay outside T&I overnight, but they promised to be back the next day.

“You’re annoying Ibiki,” a familiar voice says. “And slacking off on your training”

“What do you want, Hound?” Iruka grouses, sitting up so he doesn’t have to look up at the voice.

“You’ve been here every day,” Hound drops down in front of him and cocks his head to the side.

“And so?”

“This is why you’re still a genin and all your friends are chunin. You’re slacking off”

“So what?” Iruka snaps, feeling the words hit close to home. Maybe if he hadn’t been just a genin, he would have had better luck taking down Orochimaru, “and no, me still being a genin has nothing to do with my abilities as a ninja”

“Oh yeah?” Hound retorts, “then why did you fail?”

“Because I actually care about my comrades,” Iruka fires back before adding pointedly, “unlike some”

Hound stiffens at that and Iruka realizes he’s hit a sore spot. He wonders what has happened in Hound’s life. Horrified, he realizes he’s curious what Hound is like outside of ANBU. He should not be curious about the single largest pain in his ass.

“You don’t know anything about me!” Hound snarls. Iruka feels a flicker of his killing intent before it’s tightly leashed and he’s proud he made the uppity ANBU lose his cool.

“And you don’t know anything about me,” Iruka responds hotly. He watches Hound struggle with himself.

“How did you find Orochimaru?” 

“Why does it matter?”

“He hid himself so well that not even ANBU could find him”

Iruka feels a flicker of fear and he hides it behind his anger. “Well maybe ANBU just isn’t that good”

“We’re the best!” Hound takes the bait.

“If a mere genin could find Orochimaru but not ANBU, then obviously the best isn’t good enough!” the anger from the past several days boils over and Iruka finds himself standing.

“You’re a useless brat!”

“You’re a stuck up asshole!”

“At least I have the skills to back it up!”

“And I have friends who care about me!”

“Friends you can’t protect because of how weak you are!”

“Better to be weak and get stronger with others than be strong and alone!”

“I’m surprised anyone can put up with how obnoxious and immature you are!”

“Like you’re so great? You’re the one that’s always harassing me!”

“I hate you!” they shout at the same time.

“Both of you knock it off!” a familiar voice snaps and they look up to see Raven and Bear standing on the wall. “You’re both acting like pre-genin!” Raven jumps off the wall and Hound stands straighter. “Hound, I expected better of you”

“Apologies,” Hound bows and Iruka sticks his tongue out in a pique of childishness. Hound shifts like he’s going to lunge at Iruka.

“Umino, I’m going to have a talk with the Hokage. Your behavior is out of line and disrespectful”

“Sorry,” Iruka also bows, feeling cowed.

“Both of you, go home,” Raven sounds tired. Iruka glances at the door to T&I. “Mitarashi Anko will be released in two days,” Raven says, “come back then”

Iruka glares at Hound and even though he can’t see the other boy’s eyes, he suspects Hound is glaring back.

They part ways in poorly concealed anger.

After a stern lecture from Sarutobi, Iruka feels ashamed. He knows he acted out of line that night, but Hound has a unique way of getting under his skin.

But Hound does have a point. 

Comparatively, he’s the weakest of all his friends. Even with his echolocation ability and his skill with seals, which hardly anybody knows, or cares, about anyways, he’s weak. And he’s not going to get any stronger by taking D-ranks. Which means he’s going to have to get serious and become a chunin.

When he greets Anko outside T&I, she hugs him tight. He can feel her tears soaking the fabric of his shirt and he holds her close. Anko is the one person he can trust more than anyone else. Her and Mizuki were his first friends, orphans who found each other as family in the orphanage, but sometimes there’s moments with Mizuki that Iruka doesn’t like. His sense of humor makes Iruka uncomfortable, he doesn’t like laughing at other people’s expenses. Like when Mizuki had made a joke about Mai-chan’s double chin or Daisuke-kun’s thick glasses. Anko has never been cruel like that.

He buys Anko dango and they sit on the playground at the empty Academy.

“Ko-chan?”

“Hm?” Anko looks up at him from where she’s laying on the grass.

“I think…” Iruka exhales, “I think I’m going to take next year’s Chunin Exam”

“Really?” Anko blinks, “giving up your goal to become the next Eternal Genin?”

Iruka draws his knees up to his chest and rests his chin on them. “I…I think I’ve been slacking too long,” he runs his fingers through the grass. 

“I’m glad,” Anko sits up and cuddles close, dropping her head on his shoulder, “what changed?”

Anko knows everything about his encounters with Hound. He had also told Mizuki that he caught an ANBU in a trap but Mizuki had been way too pushy about trying to get Iruka to set up another one so they could unmask an ANBU. 

But Iruka is loathe to admit that he’s actually listening to anything that asshole says.

“Maybe if I had better skills, I could have saved you before Orochimaru got to you,” he says. Anko squeezes him.

“He got to me a long time ago,” Anko says in a small, quiet voice. Iruka doesn’t like it.

“Well, then I’ll be strong enough that he won’t be able to get you again,” Iruka declares, jumping to his feet and striking a stupid pose before dramatically toppling over, “I want to protect my friends!”

Anko giggles and Iruka grins from where he’s laying on the grass. 

“Come on,” he scrambles to his feet and holds out her hand, “how about we trick Zu and Ko into buying more dango? They’re not familiar with our tricks like Mizuki is”

“Race ya!” Anko says, taking off. Iruka wails playfully and intentionally obnoxious.

“An-chan…” he drawls out, “no faaaair!”

Anko’s giggles at his antics makes the dark cloud hanging over his heart lift and he lets Anko win their impromptu race.

He thinks he hears a rustle in the trees above them, but there’s nothing there when he looks up.

Chapter Text

“Congratulations Ru!” Anko cheers the loudest as Iruka waves his chunin vest. 

“No longer the next Eternal Genin!” Mizuki loops an arm around his neck and knuckles his head. “Let’s go celebrate!”

Iruka feels a flicker of triumph. He had passed the Chunin Exam with one of the highest scores. 

Take that, Hound he thinks smugly. 

Although, after their altercation in front of T&I, Iruka hasn’t seen Hound.

That may be because Iruka had stopped pulling pranks the day he decided to get serious about making the jump to chunin. He knows he has the skills, even his jonin-sensei had grudgingly admitted that Iruka’s skill at the basics is completely flawless, and he probably would have passed the first time if he hadn’t let his compassion get the better of him.

He briefly wonders about Hound and whether the ANBU is doing okay before slamming the door on that train of thought. He hates him. They hate each other. Iruka shouldn’t care or worry about that asshole.

Their group of five traipse through the streets to a bar that offers free drinks to anyone who passed the Exam.

“Next stop, jonin!” Kotetsu cackles. Iruka shudders.

“No thanks,” he laughs.

“Hey, Ruuu,” Mizuki’s unfocused green eyes study him, “how did you…you found your opponent…easily”

“Oh yeah,” Izumo blinks. “How do you know where people are like that?”

“Now that I think about it,” Mizuki frowns, “you were always able to tell where the teachers were when you were pulling a prank”

“Intuition,” Iruka grins, the lie slipping easily off his tongue. “I can read people really well,” he shrugs, “what? Do you think I’m secretly a sensor or something? Maybe part Yamanaka?”

“Too ugly to be a Yamanaka,” Mizuki cackles, “they’re all stupid attractive”

Iruka shrugs off the hurt and laughs along, ignoring the glances Kotetsu and Izumo exchange and the dark expression on Anko’s face.

Iruka pushes another drink into Mizuki’s hands to distract him from the questioning.

The rest of the night passes in a blur. Kotetsu’s raucous laugh and Izumo’s exasperated tones, Anko’s arms around his neck, dodging Mizuki’s wandering hands. His friend likes to get gropey when he gets drunk and Iruka always seems to be on the receiving end of his too-forward attentions. He knows Mizuki isn’t actually interested in men, at least not sober.

“Need…air,” Iruka laughs, disentangling himself from his friends and stumbling out the door to lean against the side. The cool air helps soothe his dizziness.

“Hey,” he hears Mizuki’s voice.

“Hey yourself,” Iruka laughs.

“You good?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m…” Iruka sways, stumbles, and Mizuki’s hands are on his arms. “Ah, thanks,” he tries to pull away but Mizuki’s grip tightens. 

Iruka finds himself getting backed up against the wall. Mizuki isn’t much bigger than him, but Iruka is barely able to stand upright.

“You…you can let me go now,” Iruka says, pushing ineffectually at his friend.

“You’re being a tease,” Mizuki says.

“I’m-what?” Iruka is confused.

Mizuki makes an annoyed sound. “You’re…you’re always like this. Laughing and flirting but then never following through”

“I don’t-Mizuki, I think, I think you misunderstand,” Iruka is trying to explain but the words are like molasses in his head, “let me go!”

The kiss is, well, the kiss is decidedly gross. It’s sloppy and messy and aggressive. Mizuki’s tongue is slimy in his mouth and he can taste the alcohol.

“I-” Iruka blinks vaguely up at him when Mizuki pulls away.

What the fuck just happened?

“What?” Mizuki glares, “don’t tell me you’re not into men”

“It’s not that,” Iruka flails, “I-you’re my friend! And you’re not into men!”

“Friends date, friends sleep together,” Mizuki says, crowding him closer against the wall. “And yeah, I’m not into men in general, it’s just you. You look enough like a girl with your hair down I could convince myself”

“I’m not-Mizuki, no, I don’t…” Iruka is a little too drunk to figure out how to escape when Mizuki leans in for another kiss, hand groping his butt. “Let-”

Suddenly, Mizuki is lying on the ground and the familiar smell of tobacco wraps around Iruka like a comforting blanket.

“You good?” a gruff voice asks.

“Suma-nii,” Iruka stumbles into the older male’s arms gratefully. Asuma was the second person he told about his sexuality back when he was thirteen and realized he had a crush on a chunin named Genma who was training to be one of the Sandaime’s guards. The older man had given him a vaguely bewildered stare before clapping him on the shoulder and telling him he doesn’t quite understand but it makes it easier for him to beat up anyone who hurts Iruka because he really doesn’t like hitting women, even if they are ninjas.

Iruka loves his idiot brother so much.

“Yeah,” Asuma shifts him, glaring at Mizuki’s semi-conscious form, “someone found me, said someone has been harassing you”

“He’s just…just drunk,” Iruka slurs. “It’s fine, aniki”

“So are you and it’s not fine,” Asuma sighs, “I’m taking you home”

“Mmkay,” Iruka nestles closer.

“I hate that you hang out with him”

“He’s a good…good friend,” Iruka mumbles. “Been…been my best? best friend…”

“Friends don’t do,” Asuma makes a sound, “that”

“He just…he was just drunk,” Iruka slurs, feeling the world tilt.

“-good?” 

“Yeah,” he wakes to the rumble of Asuma’s chest, “thanks for the heads up”

“Maa, it was nothing”

“I thought you guys hated each other”

Iruka falls back to sleep before he hears the response.

He wakes up the next morning with a massive hangover and he hates his life but he smiles to himself. He’s a chunin. He’s finally made it. 

Interestingly enough, nothing has really changed in his life. Iruka has always known that running missions and being in the field isn’t his most favorite thing in the world. He can hold his own if needed but he still tends to limit himself to C-ranks because the chance of encountering an enemy is low and they still pay a hell of a lot better than D-ranks. His friends still don’t understand why he doesn’t want to take Bs and As or aspire for S-rank but Iruka is very much aware of his personality and his abilities, or lack thereof. If he’s really tight on money he‘ll take Bs, Anko is the only one of their group who has been on As, but he much prefers the ease of C-ranks.

He has just returned from a relatively easy reconnaissance C-rank and is wandering the village to unwind when he hears the call.

“Ninja-san!” he looks up at a group of six kids at the edge of a field: three boys and three girls. “Ninja-san! Show us something cool!” one of them calls as they rush over to him.

It only takes a moment for Iruka to make his decision so he laughs and sits cross-legged on the grass. He lets chakra dance around his fingertips; the dance of turquoise holding the group of kids in awe. He likes kids. They’re fun and unpredictable. They keep him on his toes and embody the Will of Fire even if they don’t know it yet. And kids like him. His friends joke that it’s because internally he’s a kid himself, but he’s seventeen now and has, mostly, grown out of his troublemaker tendencies so the joke is getting a little stale.

“Teach me! Teach me!” they clamor and he holds back a wince at the noise.

“One day,” Iruka smiles, “when you’re this big!” he holds his hand up at an arbitrary height, “you’ll get to go to the Academy and learn all kinds of cool things!”

“I wanna be the best ninja ever!” a chubby little boy claps.

“Ninja-san?” he looks over at a tiny little girl with big red curls and a cherubic face. “Why is your hair long? Can I braid it?”

So Iruka wastes an entire afternoon sitting in a field with a group of children, telling stories about being a ninja and telling them about the Will of Fire the way Sandaime had told him while getting his hair wrapped and knotted and tangled with flowers and leaves.

“I have the Will of Fire!” the chubby kid grins from where he’s pretending to punch enemies. Iruka stifles his laugh at the enthusiasm.

A quiet little blonde boy had plopped himself in Iruka’s lap and has been busily braiding together daisies with Iruka’s help.

“What if I don’t wanna hurt people?” the little blonde boy asks quietly. Iruka feels his heart swell and he rests a hand on the kid’s head.

“Let me tell you a secret,” he says. The children crowd closer. “I don’t like to hurt people either”

“Really?” the boy blinks large, leaf-green eyes.

“But you’re a ninja!” a dark-skinned brunette girl with pink bows in her curly hair says, confused.

“Just because I’m a ninja doesn’t mean I have to like hurting people,” Iruka says, “there’s lots of ways to be a ninja. For example, medic ninja heal people who have been hurt. The village wouldn’t be able to function without medic ninja,” he points to the gates, “there’s also ninja who guard places, like the gates or the Hokage Tower,” he smiles, “you could also be a teacher at the Academy. You wanna know the most important thing about being a ninja?”

Six pairs of eyes blink at him expectantly.

“Teamwork”

“Team. Work?” a boy with messy brown hair and sleepy grey eyes who has spent most of the afternoon napping by Iruka’s side blinks.

“Teamwork,” Iruka nods, “working together with other ninja. Watching their back and making sure they’re okay”

“Like when Haoru-kun tells my mom I didn’t eat grass today?” a brunette girl with pigtails and skin just a shade lighter than Iruka’s asks and Iruka nearly chokes.

“Ah, well,” he scratches his scar, “that could be one example…here, let’s play a game. Everyone get into groups of three,” once the kids are organized, he hands them each a flower, “your teammates are the people next to you. The goal of this game? Get the most flowers. Which means you have to work together to keep your flowers safe and to try and steal flowers from the other team”

The kids are buzzing with excitement and Iruka grins. 

“We stay in this grassy field, okay?” six nods, “three! Two! One! Go!”

It’s mayhem for the next few minutes and Iruka watches fondly as the children chase each other around until three of them collide and the little redhead begins to cry after an elbow to the stomach.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Iruka kneels down, comforting the distraught kids. “Haoru-kun, can you apologize to Akemi-chan?”

“I’m sorry, Kemi-chan,” the chubby boy sobs.

“S’okay,” the redhead sniffles. She holds her arms open for a hug.

“See?” Iruka smiles at the children. “You may have been against each other in this game, but at the end of the day, you’re friends. You live in Konoha and all of Konoha is your team”

“So you’re on our team?” the little blonde boy asks from where he’s been holding Iruka’s hand.

“I am,” Iruka confirms with a smile. “I will always be on your guys’ team, because I’m a ninja of the Leaf Village. That’s the Will of Fire”

The clearing explodes in cheers.

“Ninja-san is on our team!” one of the kids shouts and Iruka finds himself tackled by six rugrats. 

“I’ll be a powerful ninja so I can be a good teammate for Ninja-san!” 

Iruka laughs, feeling a strange contentment in his chest.

He walks the children back to their street, making sure they get home safely, before turning and walking away. 

He’s busy pulling bits of grass and flowers out of his hair when Kotetsu finds him.

“You look a mess,” his friend eyes him. “Sandaime wants to see you”

“Oh shit,” Iruka doubles down on his efforts at making himself presentable. Kotetsu helps him fuss, making an amused sound when he tugs a flower out of Iruka’s vest collar, as they make their way to the Hokage Tower.

“Iruka, I have a mission specifically for you,” Sandaime hands him a scroll, “your particular skills will fit nicely in this team”

Iruka opens the scroll. The big red A-Rank stares up at him. He blinks. Oh shit. He despairs internally.

“The scroll was stolen from the retrieval team by rogue Mist ninja. It’s heavily sealed and even holding it wrong could end badly”

“Protection seal?” Iruka asks, looking up. “So that someone can carry it safely?”

“Probably best,” Sandaime nods, “however, it is entirely at your discretion. You are this mission’s fuinjutsu expert”

Iruka feels his heart leap to his throat.

Fuinjutsu Expert. He doesn’t feel anywhere ready to be a fuinjutsu expert, he still blows things up by accident more than anything and recently had to cut his hair from below his shoulders to above after an experimental attempt with a barrier seal designed to fill with a sticky substance up to one’s waist. Iruka once used the stuff to glue down everything, everything, in his classroom and it had taken five months to get everything unglued. To have that end up in his hair, not to mention the almost destruction of the rarely used training ground near the Forest of Death, simply because he fucked up the sequence of seals didn’t give him the most faith in his abilities.

But if Sandaime has faith in him…

“I won’t let you down, sir,” he bows.

Sandaime reaches up and tugs loose a circle of braided daisies from Iruka’s ponytail. Iruka blushes something fierce at the quirk of his eyebrow.

“Just…some kids,” Iruka says quickly before bowing and holding the scroll. “Thank you, Sandaime-sama”

Mizuki is jealous when he finds out Iruka is going on an A-rank before him. So he spends the entire evening soothing his friend’s ruffled feathers. He understands the big deal, but he worries that he doesn’t feel the same excitement that anyone else would feel. He’s seen combat and killed before, that’s nothing new.

His first kill had been a former Mist ninja who attacked them on the way back from a C-rank scroll retrieval. He hadn’t even thought. When he had seen the enemy nin coming after his teammate, he had launched himself between them and dragged the kunai across the man’s throat. It wasn’t until he got back to his apartment with blood beneath his fingernails and staining his uniform, that the reality had hit and he had gotten sick.

He’s killed since then, but it never gets easier. He had been right in his younger self’s assessment that killing was the hardest thing for him to stomach.

He’ll listen to Mizuki and some of the other ninjas brag about their kills. Talk about them like their enemy was nothing more than a speck of dirt. It always upsets him even if he doesn’t let it show, he may be weak but that doesn’t mean he has to show it.

His team is interesting, he muses as he makes his way to the gate early the next morning. He’s never worked with Hatake Kakashi. He knows the man is a famous and incredibly powerful jonin with the rumored ability to copy any jutsu out there. Son of the White Fang, the only non-Uchiha to possess a Sharingan. Probably ANBU at some point. He’d be lying if he said he isn’t excited to work with him.

He reaches the gate and waves to the other two teammates already there.

He knows Inuzuka Hana in passing. She’s two years younger than him and they’ve always gotten along. She’s only just been promoted to chunin. He’s not familiar with the tokubetsu jonin on the mission, Saito Kaoru.

Kaoru is an older woman with some kind of bloodline limit that gets her sent on a lot of infiltration missions from what he’s heard of her name. Iruka thinks he’s seen her working at the Mission Desk before. She always seems bored. 

“Iruka-san,” Hana waves, “how are you?”

“I’m well, Hana-san. Is Hatake-taicho here yet?”

“Hatake is always late,” Kaoru shrugs, leaning back against the wall and ignoring the two chunin.

Iruka asks Hana about her vet practice and listens politely as the younger woman gushes about the most recent addition to her family’s pack when he hears a “yo!”

His gaze lands on his mission captain and irritation flares up. 

Ah shit.

“They really sent you, Umino-san,” Hatake drawls in an annoyingly familiar voice, sliding and orange book in his pouch.

Hound is back.

And he has a name.

“Yeah, well, I’m not particularly excited either, Hatake-jonin,” Iruka fires back. 

Hana and Kaoru glance between them in shock.

“Let’s go,” Hatake turns and sets off at a fast pace. 

Iruka feels irritation flare brighter and overtakes him.

In a clearly spiteful move, Hatake speeds past him. Iruka resists the urge to trip him, reminding himself that they’re professionals and should act like it.

Except Hatake does the exact opposite. He picks at Iruka over everything. And Iruka can’t help but retaliate. It’s like they’re children all over again. 

At first their bickering entertained Hana and Kaoru but after the third day it’s clear the other two are getting annoyed by it. 

It isn’t Iruka’s fault. 

Iruka tries to be respectful but then stupid Hatake throws out a comment and Iruka has to defend himself.

“It makes no sense to put it there,” Hatake eyes Iruka’s warning seal the second night.

“Oh? Where would you put it then, Hatake-sama?” Iruka spits out.

“Further north”

“This seal is a backup seal,” Iruka explains, “if the first seal, the one further out, is bypassed it will trigger this one”

“How useless. If the first seal can’t do it’s job, then it’s not a good seal”

“Ever heard of a backup?” Iruka says sarcastically.

“If the first time is done properly, then there won’t be any need for a backup,” Hatake responds, “thus, it’s not a worthwhile seal”

“And when did you become a seals expert?” Iruka fires back.

“I’m a genius,” Hatake responds, flipping open his book and jumping into a tree.

Iruka retaliates by placing a barrier seal around his book when he’s on watch and refusing to remove it.

He gets a sense of satisfaction at the frustration in Hatake’s visible grey eye as he demands Iruka remove the barrier.

“I thought you were a genius,” Iruka baits, setting off yet another round of bickering.

“Don’t they ever get tired?” he hears Hana whisper.

“I’m shocked, honestly,” Kaoru responds, “Iruka-san is usually so polite to everyone and Hatake-san is usually so professional, yet…”

They find the group of enemy ninja the next day thanks to Hana’s ninken. Kaoru’s bloodline limit is apparently an ability to camouflage like a chameleon and before long the scroll is sitting in front of Iruka wrapped in layers and layers of protective fabric.

He closes his eyes and sends out a ping, using his echolocation ability to get a visual of each seal. He whistles, impressed. Whoever sealed this scroll he would give his left arm to learn from. Pulling out paper, he scribbles down a few of the unfamiliar seals to research later.

“Can you do anything except stare at it?” Hatake drawls, “or was bringing you along useless?”

Iruka makes a rude gesture because he has to concentrate. He pulls out chakra paper and quickly draws a familiar seal. This is an easy one for him, although it is a bit time consuming. One of the downsides to fuinjutsu and why it’s not the best suited for immediate combat. “Okay, I need everyone to provide a little bit of chakra in here,” he passes it around. Even Hatake listens, the paper crackling slightly at the edges from the force of his chakra.

Iruka quickly sets up a barrier around him and the scroll.

“If I screw this up,” Iruka says dryly at the confused expressions, “it’ll be much easier to scrape brain matter off a barrier rather than worry about it landing on you guys”

Hana’s eyes widen. 

“Umino!” Hatake barks, “don’t do anything stupid!”

“I’m not going to intentionally blow myself up, Hatake-jonin,” he says sarcastically, “but seals can be unpredictable. If you wanna risk picking chunin bone fragments off your forehead protector, then by all means, join me in here and babysit”

This is why Fuinjutsu Experts tend to have a reputation as slightly unhinged in a mad scientist way, Iruka muses. The insatiable curiosity and sheer creativity required to get that good at fuinjutsu means risks are not only accepted, but usually taken. Just last week Mika-sensei blew off three of her toes and ended up with a facial scar to rival Namiashi Raido’s while experimenting with a double explosion barrier seal she was trying to combine with a teleportation seal they had recently developed.

The resulting explosion had been awesome but they definitely needed to refine the level of explosion and strengthen the speed of the barrier in order for people to keep their toes.

“Umino…” Hatake growls, pulling Iruka out of his thoughts. Iruka ignores him and closes his eyes. He really needs to concentrate. He can see each point to the seal using his echolocation ability, and he carefully threads his chakra through the points of weakness in the existing seals starting with the one from the bottom. He carefully snakes his chakra through each one painstakingly slowly before placing the chakra paper containing his teammates’ chakras on top. He entwines his chakra with the chakra paper; Hana’s is soothing, Kaoru’s is rather prickly, but Hatake’s intense chakra sends his heart racing and a flush crawling across his cheeks. It’s smooth and heavy and his own chakra responds a little too well. 

Once he’s sure that their chakra is accepted by the scroll, he takes a steadying breath and reaches out to unseal it.

When there’s no explosion, he exhales and drops the barrier.

“So?” Hatake asks. “That was a lot of time for nothing”

Iruka thrusts the scroll at him. Hatake gingerly catches it and seems surprised when it doesn’t burn him.

“Everyone on this team can handle and open the scroll,” Iruka responds, “it’ll respond to our chakra signatures as friendly”

“Impressive,” Kaoru hums, opening the scroll. Hatake is studying him.

“Let’s go”

Iruka is concerned at how smoothly everything has gone. Concerns which are proven founded when the Mist ninja catch up to them.

Five against four. One peels off and disappears. Hatake takes on their leader and Kaoru lands on the ground.

One of the Mist ninja is heading straight for Hana. The younger chunin freezes in a moment of panic, kunai raised, and Iruka launches himself in front of her, slashing the enemy nin across the throat. He feels a sense of deja vu as blood splashes hot and sticky across his hand. He resists the urge to vomit.

“You alright?” Iruka turns to the younger woman. Her eyes are wide and slightly frightened. He hands her a barrier seal attached to a kunai. “Here, this will trap the enemy in the barrier,” he says, “it’s easy to activate and already primed with chakra. Just add yours and throw. Make sure your aim is good because the minute the kunai hits, anything within a two meter radius is gonna be caught,” Hana nods. He squeezes her shoulders before ruffling her hair. “You can do this, Hana-san,” he smiles reassuringly, “you made it to chunin. I have faith in you”

Determination and gratitude flicker in Hana’s brown eyes and she clutches the kunai tighter.

Iruka takes off running to finish his perimeter barrier.

He catches sight of the enemy nin who fled in the beginning watching from the bushes nearby and masks his chakra. He sneaks up on him, kunai drawn, when the ninja turns around.

He can’t be any older than twelve and he whirls around to look at Iruka.

Iruka hesitates at the wide blue eyes staring up at him, clearly frightened.

In that instant of weakness, the boy flashes through hand signals and Iruka is hit by a powerful wind jutsu. He goes flying through the air and hits a tree before falling unconscious.

The last thing he remembers is a flash of lightning and Hatake Kakashi’s fist through the boy’s chest.

Chapter Text

Iruka wakes up in the hospital feeling like the Hokage Monument fell on top of him. He hasn’t felt this bad since he got trapped in a barrier with an experimental flash bang seal that had ruptured his eardrums and cracked his skull in two places.

His head is wrapped in bandages and he is miserable.

This time he’s alone. No Sandaime. He supposes he’s grateful for that as the shame hits him.

He had hesitated. He had hesitated to kill the enemy because he was young.

It’s like his first freaking Chunin Exams all over again. 

“Ah, you’re awake,” a nurse says, checking him over, “looks like you are good to go”

Iruka thanks her in a daze and gets dressed in his uniform, shooed off with a handful of pain pills which he swallows dry.

He’s wandering the streets, trying to take his mind off of the failure, his failure. Yet another failure in a long line of failures. He’s a failure.

He passes by the Academy and watches the kids run around and laugh and play.

“Damn, you look like shit”

Iruka looks up to see Mizuki walking towards him, looking sympathetic.

“Thanks,” he says dryly.

“I take it the mission went pear-shaped?”

Iruka sighs and tugs his ponytail. “I…I hesitated,” he confesses to his friend. “I hesitated and got taken out”

Mizuki laughs. “I can’t believe you hesitated! That’s such a you thing to do. Didn’t you learn anything from the Chunin Exam?” Iruka shrugs. “Ah well,” Mizuki claps him on the shoulder, “at least you didn’t die”

“Yeah,” Iruka laughs, “at least that,” he sees a group of kids chasing each other and throwing leaves like shuriken. He remembers the day in the field, playing with that group of children. 

Iruka has an epiphany.

“I know what I’m going to do,” Iruka says.

“Huh?” Mizuki blinks.

“See you later Mizu-kun!” Iruka calls as he rushes off to see the Sandaime. The guards are used to him by now and don’t make any move to stop him.

Iruka slows when he hears the old man’s voice.

“Kakashi, how is it that you were there and yet…?”

“Forgive me,” Hatake says, “I made a formation error. I should have kept him with me”

Iruka feels something painful clench in his chest. He may hate the jonin and they may fight like cats and dogs, but for Hatake to take the blame for Iruka’s own mistake…

He approaches, determinedly.

“Ah, Iruka, how are your wounds?” Sarutobi asks, turning to look at him.

“Yes, it was just a minor injury. Thank you for your concern”

“You worked hard. Take some time off to recuperate”

“Lord Hokage…I was responsible for this incident,” Iruka says, he looks at Hatake, who’s stare is flat and impassive, “the team leader is not…”

“I fully understand without you telling me,” Sarutobi says in a slightly chastising tone.

“Yes, sir”

“Iruka, you’ve always been a kind person. I believe that kindness of yours proved detrimental during a crucial moment against the enemy ninja,” Iruka remembers his first Chunin Exam when he went to go help another genin, “there may come a time when that trait puts your comrades’ lives in danger”

“Yes, I thought I was well aware of my own personality, but…” Iruka closes his eyes as Mizuki’s laughing words come back to him.

I can’t believe you hesitated! That’s such a you thing to do. Didn’t you learn anything from the Chunin Exam?

“Well, what’s done is done,” the Third’s voice pulls him from his thoughts, “for your next mission…”

“Sandaime,” Iruka interrupts, noting the way Hatake turns to look at him. “Actually, I’d like to speak to you about that”

“What is it? Speak freely”

“I wonder if you recall, after I lost my parents, you spoke to me in front of the Memorial Stone and told me about the Will of Fire”

“Yes, I remember it well”

Iruka doesn’t doubt that considering he had just successfully defaced the Hokage Monument with glitter bombs before bawling his eyes out in front of the stupid hunk of rock with his parents’ names.

“Because of your words, I was able to concentrate on my training and my duties. The lesson you taught me about the Will of Fire, I’d like to pass it on to the next generation”

“What?” Sarutobi asks, “you want to become an instructor at the Academy?” Iruka blushes, knowing his own checkered past with Academy instructors. He can feel Hatake’s gaze on him, heavy and intense. He suspects the older man is judging his perceived weakness, willingly removing himself from the roster of active ninja after a single failed mission. Maybe Hatake thinks he’s giving up. Who knows. Whatever it is, it’s guaranteed to not be a good thing.

“Yes, if I may!” Iruka says, pushing Hatake from his mind. Why does he even care what the asshole thinks?

“Well then, starting tomorrow, you shall be an assistant instructor at the Academy”

“Really, Sandaime!?” Iruka can’t contain his excitement, despite knowing Hatake is probably judging him for that too. Again, why should he care? 

The Sandaime looks thoroughly amused, a glint of something in his eyes and Iruka leaves feeling rather like he played right into the old man’s hands but not knowing why.

“Guess what,” he says, meeting up with Anko, Kotetsu and Izumo that evening for drinks.

“You didn’t die?” Anko cackles.

“You have all your limbs?” Kotetsu peers at him.

“No, well, yes,” Iruka grins, “I’m going to be a teacher!”

Silence falls over the table before his friends begin to howl with laughter.

“Ahh, Ruka,” Anko cries, “that’s a good one!”

“Iruka-sensei,” Kotetsu wheezes, “ah man, could you imagine though? You were such a little shit!”

“I’m serious!” Iruka says, although he understands his friends’ reactions. Iruka the student was an unholy terror. Going back as a teacher really is a twisted form of irony.

“Wait,” Izumo is the first to realize Iruka isn’t bullshitting. “You really are serious”

“I really am,” Iruka sits down, “I start as an assistant teacher tomorrow, actually”

Anko and Kotetsu stare at him in shock. 

“You…why?” Kotetsu reaches out to hold his hand against Iruka’s forehead. Iruka swats it away.

“You guys know I don’t love taking missions,” Iruka says, feeling self-conscious, “I’ve never been like the rest of you. I’ve never…I’ve never fit in. I don’t like killing people, I don’t get excited over missions or being out in the field, I never had aspirations to be an elite ninja never mind the skillsets I possess don’t make that possible. I don’t have flashy jutsus or huge chakra reserves, but I have good basics,” he takes a breath, “and I actually like kids,” he laughs, “I want to teach them about the Will of Fire like Sandaime taught me”

His friends are silent and Iruka feels even more self-conscious at having just admitted he’s basically a defective ninja. But his friends aren’t exactly unaware.

“I mean,” Kotetsu scratches his goatee, “now that I think about it you always were able to explain things to us easily”

“Yeah,” Anko agrees, “I remember being shocked at how quickly you understood things for being such a shit student”

“I can see it,” Izumo nods, “and no kid in your class is ever gonna be able to prank you because you’ve probably pulled something even bigger off!”

“To the future Iruka-sensei!” Kotetsu holds up his drink, “may you never have a student who is anything like you!” Anko and Izumo cheer. Iruka laughs, feeling a weight lift off his chest at his friends’ easy acceptance.

“If I have a student like me, I’ll resign immediately,” Iruka jokes, earning a round of laughter.

When he leaves the bar, early because he has to go to the Academy, he feels like he’s found his place. 

That feeling is quickly quashed the next day. 

He’s assigned to Funeno Daikoku’s class. Daikoku-sensei is large and loud and cheerful. His students adore him and Iruka understands why.

He meets another assistant teacher, Ebisu, who is shadowing Suzume-sensei. They get along fairly well. He appreciates Ebisu’s no-nonsense personality even if Ebisu is a little too friendly and stares at Suzume-sensei’s butt a little too long. 

Iruka hadn’t expected handling twenty odd mini-ninja with chakra but no chakra control to be this difficult.

His first day alone he’s dodged three practical jokes, narrowly missed being hit by unpredictable shuriken and nearly lost two of the children in the hallway.

“I’m gonna die,” he flops onto the sofa in the teacher’s lounge. Ebisu sits with his head hanging low. The two other new assistants, Yamamoto Sayuri and Seito Mai, also look as if they’ve run an S-rank mission.

“What have we done to ourselves?” Mai whispers in horror. Sayuri has a faraway, glassy-eyed stare. Her pants are covered in yellow paint.

“It gets better,” Daikoku-sensei laughs, entering the room. “Come on, let’s go get drinks to celebrate your first successful day!”

“It doesn’t feel like a success,” Iruka scrubs his hand across his face. The other three nod their agreement. 

Junko-sensei, a strict and intimidating teacher who rules her classroom with an iron fist and will not hesitate to string a kid up with chakra wire for misbehaving, laughs. Which is unnerving in and of itself and the four teaching assistants stare with no small amount of trepidation. “It never does, but you managed an entire day and still have all your limbs and extremities intact. I’d say that’s a success!”

The four teaching assistants exchange horrified glances.

Not even fuinjutsu experimentation has seemed as dangerous as continuing a career as a teacher right now.

“Drinks!” Kaede-sensei, a tiny little woman who has been at the Academy since Iruka was a kid but doesn’t look a day over thirty, claps her hands and ushers the traumatized assistants out of the Academy. 

He spends the evening listening to the experienced teachers share their stories; the good, the bad, and the really really fucking insane. 

By the end of the night, Iruka and his new colleagues have developed a newfound sense of respect for teachers and Iruka in particular apologizes profusely to his own Academy teacher. If the man hadn’t died on a mission a few years prior, he would probably send him a gift basket in apology or something. As it is, he leaves incense at the Memorial Stone and sends an apology to the man who’s life Iruka probably made miserable.

Somehow, Iruka goes back to the Academy the following Monday, wondering what the hell is wrong with him. Mai, Sayuri and Ebisu all look like they’re thinking the exact same thing as they exchange weary, wary looks before classes begin.

The first month passes and Iruka finds himself getting a little more settled. It helps that he’s trauma-bonded with the other three assistant teachers and they’ve developed a system of saving each other’s asses. It also helps that once he establishes that he’s not going to fall for their tricks, and even manages to glue one of the brats to the ceiling in retaliation for an attempted prank, the children develop a healthy sense of respect. The respect only grows the first time he shouts at them and Daikoku-sensei claps him on the shoulder.

“If you had done that to begin with, this would have been a lot easier”

Ebisu is struggling a bit more even well into the second month. Iruka has discovered the man is a Class A Pervert and so have the students and they ruthlessly exploit that aspect of his personality in the way only the under ten crowd is capable of.

Iruka spends a solid portion of one afternoon shouting at a trio of kids for bringing a pornographic magazine into the Academy in an attempt to knock out their assistant teacher.

Ebisu spends most of the day with tissues in his nose, staring at Iruka like Iruka hung the moon, but also like he sucked on a lemon. Apparently, Ebisu has decided that Iruka is his rival.

He has vague memories of seeing a green spandex clad man shouting ‘My Eternal Rival’ running through Konoha a few times, but he’s never paid him much attention. You get used to shit like that after a while when you live in a Hidden Village and when one of your lifelong best friends is Anko, anything short of an interesting and/or bloody murder is pretty mundane.

He credits Anko for his ability to handle anything the kneecap gnawers throw his way.

But the mental image of Ebisu in green spandex makes Iruka feel the strongest urge to vomit and he wonders about the feasibility of a seal that can erase memories. Mika-sensei had developed one that locks memories away, mostly used for containing classified information, and it wouldn’t be hard to adapt. Ebisu in green spandex is one hell of a motivator. 

He writes the idea down in his sealed fuinjutsu notebook. Some of his ideas are better than others and some are just downright stupid. Though the clothes-drying one may be less stupid than he originally thought, especially after the brats nailed Sayuri with the good old water bucket over the door prank and she had to spend the rest of the winter day teaching in wet clothes.

Nobody needs to know the fact most of Iruka’s ideas stem from laziness and a general dislike of household chores. Except maybe Mika-sensei, who developed the teleportation seal for the sole fact that she could use it to get food from her kitchen to her bedroom without having to get up.

Although Anko teases him for his over-reliance on seals after he used one to warm up his tea in front of her.

The more time Iruka spends at the Academy, the more the teachers realize how dependable he is, with a penchant for discretion and a disinterest in gossiping which is rare in a ninja village. Unfortunately this means the more responsibility he ends up with and, much to his chagrin, the higher his clearance becomes. Then he’s running errands for Headmaster Fukui in the Hokage Tower. Shortly after that, he’s asked to take up a position at the Mission’s Desk because he’s familiar with the paperwork thanks to his errands for the headmaster and, according to Sarutobi, his personality is apparently perfect for welcoming home tired ninja.

Before long, he’s watching his own file get stamped with S-LEVEL CLEARANCE and despairing at the fact that suddenly becoming a Responsible Adult means more responsibilities. He’s barely twenty-one, a mediocre chunin at best who only took on these responsibilities because of his inability to say no when someone asks him for help, and yet he has the same classification as some of Konoha’s most elite jonin. He can’t even keep a plant alive at this point in his life and ramen makes up two thirds of his diet while takeout, alcohol and dango make up the last third and he’s expected to work with national secrets.

Talk about stressful.

More than once he’s considered going missing-nin to get away from it all, but he’d miss Konoha and his friends. 

At least the S-Level Clearance smacked across his alarmingly thick file keeps him pretty much confined to the village. Someone like him would be an enemy’s wet dream. S-Level clearance without S-level skill or the ability to withstand S-level torture techniques. 

Although, when he mentioned his usage of Mika-sensei’s memory locking seal for classified information, the assessing and approving looks he received from Sandaime and some of the ANBU had him scurrying for the hills lest he be asked to, oh who knows, take on more responsibilities.

He’s responsibilitied out right now between working two jobs and still finding time to train with Mika-sensei. Although the fuinjutsu master had declared he was no longer a student, she still wanted to collaborate. And because Mika-sensei likes her explosions and Iruka is still barely a twenty-one year old who also likes explosions, he quickly agreed.

He thinks the Sandaime is a crafty old fox as he accepts a Mission Report from a ninja covered in mud.

“If you could fill out section C a little more and then sign,” he smiles his most charming smile.

The ninja takes a pen and quickly scrawls out the necessary corrections and hands it back to Iruka.

“Thank you for your hard work, jonin-san,” Iruka chimes. 

The experienced Mission Desk workers have an air about them similar to the teachers at the Academy and a month into this new position, he knows why. 

The jonin are absolutely infuriating.

Not Hatake Kakashi levels of infuriating, but close. 

Iruka doesn’t actually encounter the elite jonin until three months after his first day on the evening shift.

The silver-haired ninja ends up in his line, visible eye narrowing as it lands on Iruka.

“Hatake,” he says, irritated. His fellow desk workers look up with mingled expressions of confusion, horror and awe.

“Umino,” Hatake responds equally annoyed. “What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Iruka responds. The other ninja in the Mission Room are glancing between the pair in shock. “Do you have a mission report?”

“No,” Hatake disappears. Iruka grinds his teeth and gestures to the next ninja.

“Did you just…?” Hanamura Yosuke gestures vaguely.

“Yes,” Iruka responds, although he’s not sure what he’s saying yes to.

He expects that to be the last of his encounters with the infuriating jonin, but no. Towards the end of his shift, Hatake returns. 

He slaps a mission report on the desk. 

Iruka stares at the soaking wet scroll.

“What-?” he uses his pen to lift it up in disgust, “Hatake-jonin, what is this?”

“My mission report”

“No,” Iruka says, “this is a wet piece of paper. Rewrite it,” he hands him a new scroll and a pen.

“No”

“You can’t possibly expect me to accept this!” Iruka’s temper flares. “Not only is it entirely illegible, but it’s soaking wet!”

“I was on a mission,” Hatake repeats, “something you clearly aren’t familiar with”

“So was every other ninja in this room,” Iruka gestures. By now, they’ve acquired an audience. “You’re not special, Hatake-jonin”

“Jonin,” Hatake leans in, “which means I outrank you”

Pulling rank is the fastest way to get Iruka to bristle and he knows Hatake knows it and is just needling him.

“That doesn’t give you the right to foist this crap on me,” he picks up the soggy mission report and flings it in Hatake’s face. “I’m not going to accept it”

“Yes you are,” he says, throwing it back. 

“No, I am not!” Iruka retaliates. “Now leave and don’t come back until you’ve rewritten it!”

Hatake slams it on the table. Iruka picks it up, charges it with chakra and sticks it down his vest before shoving Hatake backwards. 

He gestures to the next ninja in line, who looks nervous. 

“Thank you for your hard work, Yamanaka-san,” he smiles warmly. The orange-haired chunin bows in relief and scurries off.

Several minutes later, the wet mission report finds it’s way back to him. 

“I said, I’m not accepting this”

“And I said you are”

“Hatake-jonin, just because you have a grandiose sense of self and an over-inflated ego doesn’t mean everyone else should be expected to kiss your ass!” Iruka fires back. The Mission Room fills with quiet oohs. A few ninja stare at Iruka as though he’s grown a second head, some stare as if they’re planning his eulogy and a few more have something akin to heroworship on their faces.

“There’s a difference between kissing ass and respecting rank”

“Rank doesn’t matter here,” Iruka says, remembering what some of the older Mission Room staff had said. 

“Kakashi, just do it!” another jonin that Iruka knows Asuma has a massive crush on, Yuuhi Kurenai, sighs as Hatake seems about to respond. “You’re holding up the line”

“Thank you, Kurenai-san,” Iruka bows respectfully in her direction, completely ignoring Hatake. He approves of her and decides he’ll give Asuma his blessing, in part because even the mention of Kurenai’s name flusters the man in a way that nothing, not even Iruka’s underwear heist, has ever managed to.

“You two really need to work out your issues,” Kurenai sighs, handing him her report. Hatake disappears in a swirl of leaves.

“He’s a pompous ass,” Iruka mumbles. Kurenai’s gaze flickers in amusement and she doesn’t respond as Iruka hands her her payment slip. “Thank you for your hard work, Kurenai-san,” he smiles deciding that yes, her and Asuma would make a good match.

“You challenged The Sharingan Kakashi,” Hashimoto Yui, a fellow desk worker says in awe, “no one has ever done that before”

“He’s not that great,” Iruka scoffs, “he just thinks he is”

Unfortunately, word of Iruka’s unwillingness to back down in the face of Hatake Kakashi had spread. Which meant that he became the defacto angry ninja handler for the rest of the Mission Desk workers and rumors of Iruka’s unwillingness to take any shit regardless of rank had polarized the ninja into the ones who are scared of him and the ones who want to bring him down a peg.

The latter tend to find out the hard way that that behavior doesn’t fly.

“This is unacceptable,” Iruka tells the tokubetsu jonin, who has been glaring down a cowering Akane, a new worker and barely sixteen year old new chunin. “And your treatment of the Mission Room staff is inappropriate”

“Shut the fuck up, chunin!” the tokujo growls.

“If you can’t behave, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Iruka says firmly. 

The tokujo lets out an angry sound and lunges for Iruka. In less than a minute, Iruka has him sealed in a soundproof barrier. 

“You’re going to stay there until you calm down,” he says, returning to his spot at the desk and studiously ignoring the raging tokujo until the man exhausts himself.

“Fucking fuinjutsu users,” he snaps out as he flees the room.

After the barrier incident, the level of respect Mission Desk workers receive goes up, especially when Iruka is there.

Except for Hatake Kakashi.

Iruka grits his teeth as the asshole jonin stands in his line. 

In the past several months he’s gotten reports in various stages of unacceptable from soggy to pieced together with tape to burned. His suspicion that Hatake is doing it to purposefully aggravate him is confirmed by other Mission Desk workers. His reports have never been particularly good, but they’ve never been this bad. And he only stands in Iruka’s line.

This only led to him snapping harsher at Hatake every time he got one of his reports. The first few times, the Mission Room was crowded with nosy ninja who wanted to see the showdown between the chunin teacher and elite jonin. Bets were placed and Iruka felt a perverse satisfaction that the odds were stacked in his favor. 

Also, there was something strangely cathartic about unleashing his barrage of pent up frustrations on the man who has been an annoyance his entire life.

After awhile, people began to lose interest when it became apparent that no one was going to die or get maimed.

Iruka is currently rethinking that as he stares at the mess in front of him.

“Hatake-jonin”

“Yes?”

“What is this”

“It’s a mission report,” Hatake drawls the words out like he’s talking to an idiot.

“It’s on a napkin”

“I didn’t have a scroll”

“It’s a drawing!”

“I figured pictures are easier for you to understand”

Iruka exhales. Kotetsu leans away, preparing for his shouting. Iruka swears his friend had started at the Mission Desk just to have a front row seat to the Hatake-Umino Feud.

“I have had it with your immature behavior!” Iruka snaps, “you claim to be an elite jonin but you’re acting like an immature pre-genin! I have students who are better behaved than you!”

Hatake leans in and lowers his voice so only Iruka can hear.

“Says the King of Immaturity,” he drawls, “tell me, Umino, which one of us took years to reach chunin because he chose to waste his time instead?”

Iruka narrows his eyes and also leans in until he’s staring directly into Hatake’s eyes.

“At least one of us has matured beyond the desire to pull the other’s pigtails, Hatake-jonin,” he hisses.

There’s something dark in Hatake’s visible grey eye, intense in the way he regards him. Hatake smells like something earthy mixed with the faintest traces of dog and it makes Iruka’s head spin. In anger of course.

They stubbornly hold each other’s gazes until a tug on Iruka’s sleeve draws his attention to Kotetsu, who is staring wide-eyed.

Iruka suddenly becomes aware of their proximity; close enough that their noses are nearly brushing. He pulls back, feeling a blush scald his cheeks.

Hatake’s singular grey eye flicks down to the bridge of his nose. 

“You guys don’t hate each other,” Kotetsu whispers once Hatake has left.

“What?” Iruka asks sharply, “of course we do!”

“Maybe,” he blinks, “but you guys wanna fuck each other more”

Iruka chokes at that. “I wouldn’t go anywhere near Hatake like that,” he hisses, accepting a Mission Report with a smile and a welcome home.

“There is no way that energy between the two of you was anything other than poorly concealed sexual tension”

“You’re reading too many of those stupid books,” Iruka mumbles. 

Kotetsu just gives him a look but doesn’t say more lest Iruka stick him in a soundproof barrier.

Chapter Text

Life goes on for Iruka and actually settles down into some level of normalcy. Well, as normal as his life can be when he’s trying to keep his fingers and toes safe from fuinjutsu experiments, dealing with unruly ninja both the child ones and the adult ones even though sometimes Iruka thinks there’s no difference, and trying not to go to prison for murdering Konoha’s most elite jonin with a barrier seal, five tons of glitter glue, three senbon and a handful of itching powder. 

He could do it. He has the plans drawn up and everything. Hatake would never know what hit him.

Halfway through his stint as an assistant teacher, Sayuri gets pregnant and leaves to raise her baby. To Iruka’s surprise, the new assistant teacher is Mizuki.

“Ru!” Mizuki grins as Iruka hugs him.

“I’m shocked,” Iruka laughs, “I didn’t know you even liked kids!” 

“Ah, well, there’s just something about being able to shape young minds that appeals to me,” Mizuki grins. Iruka returns it, happy his friend seems to be doing better.

He had heard about Mizuki’s last mission, that there was some controversy surrounding the way his teammate had died on it. Iruka has full confidence in the fact his friend would never kill a fellow Leaf ninja.

Anko, Kotetsu and Izumo didn’t seem convinced. Even Asuma seemed suspicious over it and had warned Iruka to steer clear of him. But he knows they’re not exactly fans of Mizuki and his friend hasn’t done anything to endear himself to them. In fact, he’s done his best to distance himself from everyone but Iruka and doesn’t want to hang out with them.

Which means Iruka has been seeing them a lot less because most of his time is spent with Mizuki, comparing notes on their classes and studying for the teaching exam. The few times he’s suggested going out for drinks with Anko, Kotetsu and Izumo afterwards, Mizuki has suggested they stay in and study more since Iruka will need all the help he can get.

Having a friend to fumble through things with is great though, so Iruka has no complaints. He’ll make it up to everyone when he passes the exam. The older teachers are very encouraging towards him, but for some reason don’t seem to be quite so fond of Mizuki. The students also seem to prefer Iruka, and have even decided Ebisu is more acceptable.

Although that may be because Ebisu is unbelievably easy to manipulate. Iruka actually has a list of students he thinks he’s going to recommend to training for T&I just based on the skills he's observed.

When Iruka had fretted about the obvious dislike of Mizuki, Izumo had pointedly asked him why he thinks that would be and just sighed at Iruka’s confusion.

He decides to forgo studying for one night, since it’s Izumo’s birthday. Mizuki looks annoyed when Iruka tells him he’s going to be going out but he ignores it.

He does feel bad for his friend but he’s got other friends too.

“It’s been forever!” Anko shrieks, squeezing him tightly. “We thought either the brats, Mizuki, Hatake, or your seals had killed you!” she pauses, “honestly, Ru, you’re the only person I know who may be in more danger inside the village than on missions”

“Anko,” he huffs. “It’s just been busy”

“Yet you still hang out with Mizuki”

“We’re really only studying,” Iruka shakes his head, accepting a drink. “It’s not exactly a party”

“Well this is!” Kotetsu crows, slinging an arm over his shoulder and passing him another drink.

He catches sight of flash of silver hair and is annoyed his first thought is about Hatake but he thinks nothing more of it as he gets caught up in a years old debate with Anko over the better flavor of dango.

He’s gotten used to teaching by the time the instructor exam rolls around and, despite Mizuki’s frequently expressed concern that Iruka won’t be able to pass, he actually has confidence in himself. He’s also honed his echolocation ability and is able to keep it engaged longer, it’s an incredible benefit to teaching. He still doesn’t think he could use it in combat since his range when he’s not focusing on concentrating is much too short and he can’t see details unless he’s deeply concentrating, just vague senses of movement. But it’s more than enough for him to be able to tell when one of the brats is acting up.

After stopping an impressively large spitball without even turning around, he managed to gain the respect of the class.

He had told Mika-sensei about it as well and she had laughed herself sick at the irony of Umi no Iruka having an echolocation ability.

Iruka is beginning to think his life is the epitome of irony.

Daikoku-sensei has begun leaving him unattended as teacher which, while not exactly typical and maybe not even exactly allowed, makes Iruka feel like he made the right choice.

“I’m sure you’ll pass,” Iruka reassures Mizuki as they walk to the testing facility.

“I’m sure I will,” Mizuki grins, “I’m just worried about you”

Iruka scratches his scar. He understands his friend’s lack of faith, Iruka is still fairly weak even for a chunin, but it does hurt a bit. “I guess we’ll just have to see”

Mizuki hums.

Apparently Mizuki’s fears were founded because his friend has to save him from a trap he accidentally tripped while trying to use his echolocation while moving in the dark.

“Don’t worry,” Mizuki claps him on the shoulder as they move through the darkened arena. “There’s always the next test you can take”

He almost doesn’t bother to show up to check the results. If Mizuki is also convinced he failed, then he probably did.

“I’m seventh!” Iruka says happily surprised.

He furrows his brows when he’s unable to find Mizuki’s name on the pass list and glances at his friend seconds before Mizuki runs off.

Iruka finds him sitting on the roof of his apartment, halfway through a bottle of sake.

“Hey,” he says softly.

“Hi,” Mizuki glares. 

“I…I don’t know why you didn’t pass,” Iruka sits next to his friend, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I couldn’t have done it without you”

“No,” Mizuki stares almost bitterly at Konoha, “you couldn’t have”

He guiltily lets Mizuki kiss him even though it’s just a uncomfortable and sloppy as the night Asuma rescued him.

When he returns home the first thing he does is brush his teeth and nearly misses the package sitting on his windowsill.

The handwriting on the note is beautiful with loping, graceful letters. Almost professional level calligraphy really. It’s signed with a strange scribble that could almost be a face but is too messy to tell.

Congratulations, sensei. You need to have more faith in yourself. Don’t let anyone take this away from you, or tell you that you can’t do something.

Iruka blinks at the nice, and probably rather expensive, set of pens in a lacquer wood box and a box of cookies in a nondescript but rather pretty box.

He runs through the possible people who could have left it but comes up blank.

He runs his fingers across the beautiful calligraphy. He also can’t think of anyone who’s handwriting is this elegant. He takes a sniff and hopes they’re not poisoned before he bites into one of the cookies. It’s delicious.

His friends, sans Mizuki, take him out that Friday and get him spectacularly trashed in celebration. So trashed that he wakes up somewhere on the edge of Training Ground 33 covered in mud, surrounded by kunai and shuriken and wearing Anko’s bra like a bandanna around his head. There’s a passed out shirtless Kotetsu a few feet away and Izumo up in a tree without his pants. The reason for their state of undress becomes apparent when Anko stumbles through the trees clad in Kotetsu’s shirt and Izumo’s pants. 

The four of them just exchange hungover stares, swap their clothes back, and go out for hangover dango, or what Kotetsu calls Dangover.

Iruka decides Kotetsu’s naming privileges have been revoked.

He doesn’t see much of Mizuki the rest of the week and he finds he’s not too terribly upset. Which makes him a little upset over how not upset he is.

Eventually though, his friend tracks him down and he buys him ramen in congratulations, apparently having gotten over the results of the exam.

Sandaime gifts him a box of insanely expensive and highly caffeinated tea, telling him he’ll probably need it. Mika-sensei gifts him an old Uzushiogakure book on non-lethal trapping and warding techniques that not even Iruka would have thought of to use against the kids. Anko gifts him the ugliest #1 TEACHER mug he’s ever seen which he uses to drink the alcohol gifted by Kotetsu and Izumo out of. The experienced teachers take the new teachers out to a very expensive restaurant, Iruka feels bad about Mizuki’s exclusion so he doesn’t mention it to his friend.

But his favorite gift is by far still the beautiful pens from his mystery gifter. He traces the beautiful calligraphy on the note. He doesn’t have the slightest idea who the gifter is. He’s looked at everyone’s handwriting trying to find similarities but whoever his mystery gifter is must have disguised their writing.

He thinks his mystery gifter is a man just based on the heavy slant to the letters. The smudged face thing is his only other clue and he feels like it’s familiar but he can’t quite place it.

Iruka is surprisingly happy for the first time in probably his entire life. Not even Hatake’s increasingly horrific mission reports put a damper on his mood leading up to the assignation of his first class.

He thinks he may have actually found his place.

Chapter Text

Iruka’s first class is a nightmare and he regrets everything.

Not only does he have several kids from high-profile clans, but he also has the lone Uchiha Massacre survivor and Uzumaki Naruto. 

The Nine-Tail’s jinchuuriki.

If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s pretty sure Naruto is worse than he was when he was in the Academy.

He remembers a conversation with his friends a long time ago where he joked about resigning if he ever ended up with a student like him and sighs. 

That would be par for the course for Iruka’s life. Failing as a teacher during his first class. Stressed, he ends up spilling his concerns to Daikoku-sensei, who encourages him to ignore the boy’s behavior.

Except each time the boy wilts like a flower left in the dark, something painful twinges in Iruka’s chest. Every time he sees the boy sitting alone on the swing in the playground he has to turn away because he doesn’t want to recognize the expression in lonely blue eyes.

The excitement of having his very first class quickly wanes and instead, Iruka spends his nights haunted by the fact that when he looks at Naruto he sees both the fox that killed his parents but also a lonely little boy who reminds him too much of himself.

The annoying similarities don’t stop there either. Naruto’s one-sided rivalry with Uchiha Sasuke reminds him uncomfortably of his own childhood animosity towards Hound. The sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan massacre is another can of worms that Iruka despairs over and, not for the first time, wonders why they had to give him a class of clan kids and trauma cases for his first class. Did they want him to quit?

His friends simply listen to his stresses. They don’t really understand, but they do their best to support him. After particularly rough days Anko buys him dango, or Kotetsu and Izumo ply him with ramen. Mizuki commiserates, having been given his own class after Kaede-sensei fell disastrously and mysteriously ill the first month into the academic year, but his class had a lot of children from civilian families.

His mood brightens significantly when Asuma returns from the capital, surprising him in his classroom and throwing a box of candies he bought in the capital his way.

He drags the older man out to dinner and listens to stories about his time with the Guardians with the same starry-eyed reverence he remembers from his childhood when Suma-nii was the Coolest Ninja Ever.

Unfortunately, that good mood dissipates when he’s walking home from the restaurant and a group of kids run screaming about the demon fox only for Iruka to find a laughing Naruto.

Iruka watches himself screaming at the blonde boy, panic fueling his anger and leading to the kid flinching away before running off. The guilt settles in his heart and keeps him awake that night, leading him to sit on the swings at the Academy.

“Iru?” he hears a gruff voice. He looks up to see Asuma staring at him. 

“Aniki?” he blinks, “what are you doing out here so late?”

Asuma clears his throat and Iruka watches in amusement at the ruddy flush that scalds his cheeks.

“Walking,” Asuma says gruffly. Iruka grins, feeling like his intuition is correct.

“Doesn’t Kurenai-san live around here?” he asks slyly.

“What?” Asuma flushes darker and Iruka knows he’s right. “No, I mean, I don’t know. Why does it matter? Why are you here?”

Iruka sighs and stares at the sky. 

“Just a lot on my mind,” he swings lightly. Asuma walks over to him and sits on a bench across from the swing. 

“Wanna talk about it?” Asuma asks, clearly awkward. Asuma isn’t good at talking about feelings. Neither is Iruka, despite what most people think about him. Iruka shrugs and Asuma shrugs back but doesn’t leave.

They sit in silence before the older man gets up.

“What are you doing?” Iruka grips the swing tighter as Asuma spins it almost aggressively, twisting the ropes it’s hanging by. His brother figure grunts in response before giving him a push.

Iruka laughs as he spins out of control. He remembers Asuma doing this to him as a kid. Asuma drops down into the swing next to him and pushes off slightly. They sit in silence for awhile.

“Whatever is bugging you,” Asuma reaches over and ruffles his hair, “you’ll figure it out. You were always a smart kid”

“I’m not a kid anymore,” Iruka points out.

“You were cuter as a kid, that’s for sure”

“I’ll show you cute!” Iruka jumps off the swing and charges at the older man. Asuma jumps through the trees as Iruka gives chase. Asuma always stays just slightly ahead of him. Iruka knows that if he really wanted to, Asuma could leave him in the dust but for some reason he leads him on a game of chase through the village. The two of them use leaves and twigs and even a few apples as nonlethal projectiles. 

When they tumble into a training ground and Asuma catches him by surprise, sweeping him onto the ground, Iruka is laughing. They grapple for a bit, Iruka trying to squirm away in between his laughter when the jonin ruthlessly jabs him in the sides. 

Eventually they lay on the grass, rumpled and side by side, staring up at the night sky. Asuma lights a cigarette and passes it to Iruka, who crinkles his nose in refusal.

“Do you kiss Kurenai with cigarette breath?” Iruka teases. Asuma chokes and Iruka finds himself with a face full of grass.

When he eventually parts ways with Asuma, to a hair ruffle that dislodges his ponytail and his retaliation arm punch, Iruka feels lighter than he did earlier. They usually don’t talk much, but even just Asuma’s presence has always had a way of helping Iruka sort through his turmoil even when Iruka himself wasn’t aware.

When he was younger and his anger got the better of him, Asuma would provoke him before wordlessly sparring him into the ground until Iruka had burned off his anger and frenetic energy. On days when he would hide his sorrow behind laughter and too-bright smiles, Asuma would drag him out for ramen or bring him a treat and sit with him in a companionable silence that allowed Iruka the space to just be sad without asking why or looking at him with pity.

As much as he doesn’t want to, he worries about the fact that Naruto isn’t in class the next day. Guilt flickers through him as he recalls the previous evening but Funeno-sensei’s words echo through his head again.

He decides he can’t do this. He’s the absolute worst person to deal with Naruto and, despite his apprehensions towards Naruto, he can’t shake the fact that he is still a child and needs a teacher who is able to treat him like a child. 

The Hokage won’t see him. He knows it’s intentional. Never before has Sarutobi not seen him.

He sits on a nearby bench with a sigh as he tries to parse his thoughts on his own.

“Hey, hey,” a familiar voice says. Iruka bristles and looks up. “You know, this is my special seat,” Hatake says, “I can’t concentrate on my reading when someone’s making such a loud sigh next to me”

Iruka feels the beginnings of anger, but the stress of the previous few days has sapped him of any energy to fight.

“Oh,” he says, “I’m sorry. I’ll move away now,” he gets to his feet only for Hatake to land easily in front of him. He feels a muscle jump in his jaw. 

“No, wait,” Hatake studies him with an intense and inscrutable grey stare, “I was just about to leave. Be seeing you”

Iruka sits back down as Hatake walks away. Their first civil interaction, Iruka laughs to himself before stifling a groan.

“What’s wrong? You look so depressed,” Iruka looks up to see Hatake has turned back to look at him. “If you feel like talking, I’ll listen”

Iruka closes his eyes. What is Hatake’s play here? He doesn’t trust the silver-haired jonin. They hate each other. 

But Hatake is the first person to offer to listen and even if they hate each other, Iruka desperately needs someone to talk to. Anko is on a mission, Mizuki has only negative things to say, Asuma is allergic to feelings, and Kotetsu and Izumo don’t understand what Iruka’s going through.

“Well, I happen to be Naruto’s homeroom teacher,” Iruka says.

“I see,” he feels Hatake shift to lean against the back of the bench. His posture is open and relaxed, not defensive or hostile and it encourages Iruka.

“But I went to ask The Third to remove me from being his homeroom teacher. He wouldn’t see me,” he leans forward, “I don’t know how to deal with Naruto,” he grips his head as the emotions swirl vehemently, “I’m not qualified to teach Naruto!”

“I see. So that’s why you look so dead”

“What?” Iruka bristles, of course he shouldn’t have trusted Hatake not to insult him immediately.

“I’m talking about your eyes,” Hatake says, gaze faraway. “Your eyes were so full of life back then. Now they’re dead,” he glances at Iruka with the same heavy, inscrutable gaze as that day, “perhaps you’ve forgotten the basic rule of teaching,” Iruka bristles again. Since when has Hatake been a teacher? “You cannot open the mind of another unless you yourself have an open mind,” he looks away, “unless you’re trying to forget”

Normally, Iruka would bristle at this too, but Hatake’s words make an annoying amount of sense.

“The Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto is responsible for the death of my parents,” Iruka says, unable to stop the words, “I’m fully aware Naruto is not to blame but whenever I see him I can’t stop remembering the Nine-Tails hidden deep inside of him. I don’t think Naruto would open up to someone like me”

“You are the only one who can reach Naruto’s heart,” Hatake stands, “that is your personal ordeal”

“Ordeal?”

“Yes, one the Sandaime has given to you. Just hang in there a little longer, and you’ll find the way. Rise up to his expectations”

Iruka stares at the older man.

“Hatake-jonin,” he says, feeling lighter, “did you just say something positive about me?”

“Maa, I would never, sensei,” Hatake turns and sticks his hands in his pockets. “See ya”

His words leave Iruka feeling stunned. 

A civil conversation between them. That’s shocking in and of itself, even without Hatake’s surprisingly mature and helpful advice. It sticks with Iruka long into the night, intermingling with the memory of Naruto staring longingly at the parents leaving the playground and images of the demon fox.

He goes to Naruto’s apartment the next morning to drag him back to class. The boy doesn’t answer and he can’t sense his chakra inside. He tries the handle, shocked when the door opens.

“Naruto! I’m coming inside!”

He looks around at the dismal interior; the peeling walls, the mess on the floor. He walks into the kitchen and frowns as he sees the spoiled milk and the endless cups of instant ramen. The clothes scattered about and the general disarray.

“This is what he eats?” Iruka feels a pang of sympathy, remembering his own childhood. He at least had had parents at one point. Parents who taught him about proper nutrition, even if his cooking skills left a lot to be desired, and how to wash his clothes. Naruto has never had that. 

He buries his face in his hands.

What have I done?

That day in class, he asks again about Naruto. 

Hibachi loudly says he hasn’t seen him. That in and of itself is suspicious considering Hibachi wouldn’t usually say anything. The teacher in him feels like he needs to include a lesson on subtlety for these kids.

“Naruto went to the back hills,” Shikamaru stands and Iruka feels a chill slide down his spine as he repeats the words. He remembers Suzume-sensei’s earlier comment about enemy spies. “To look for corpses. Right, Hibachi? Your tricks are annoying”

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. 

Iruka knows what he has to do. After declaring a study hall and telling Mizuki he’s leaving, he makes a run for the back hills, praying that he’s not too late. 

Closing his eyes, he sends out a ping. His surroundings light up in his mind’s eye.  

Relief floods him as he sees a Naruto-shaped spark of light to be replaced by panic at the three rapidly moving blurs not far off.

He takes off in the direction he found Naruto, exhaling in relief as he sees a bright orange jumpsuit.

“Naruto! What are you doing!? Go back to the Academy now!”

“I don’t want to!” Naruto glares at him and Iruka can see the expression in his eyes. Pain and loneliness and so similar to the one Iruka saw in his own for many years. “I won’t go to the Academy anymore!”

“There are still dangerous people here!”

“I won’t go back even if you beg me to!” Iruka sees a familiar stubbornness and ah, this boy is far too similar. 

“Do as I say! I’m your homeroom teacher!”

“Shut up! Why do you only act like a teacher at times like this?” Iruka feels that like a kunai to the heart because Naruto isn’t wrong. He’s failed him. “Sensei, you don’t understand my feelings. Even if I go back to the Academy things won’t be any different. I’m always alone. I’m always left out. Nobody cares about me! But this time, it’ll be different! If I bring back items, everyone will accept me as their friend! If I do that, I won’t be alone anymore!” 

Iruka knows that feeling painfully, recalls it from his own childhood. Pulling pranks and acting out, doing stupid things just to get people to laugh at him, to make friends. To hide the pain of being alone, of never being good enough. Really, the boy is far too similar to him. No wonder Sandaime assigned him as Naruto’s teacher. The old man knew exactly what he was doing. 

But he doesn’t know how to tell Naruto, so he falls back on the teacher defense.

“Please try to understand. No matter what your reasons may be, as your teacher I cannot allow you to go to such a dangerous area”

“You really don’t understand my feelings…”

Once Iruka recovers from the Sexy Jutsu, he goes to track Naruto again. He feels like an idiot for listening to Funeno-sensei. Ignoring him was the absolute wrong way to go about things and he should have just listened to his instincts to begin with.

Panic rockets through him at Naruto’s shout and he moves faster. He catches sight of the energy signatures of the three kunoichi running after him.

“Naruto!”

“Sensei!” he hears the boy’s panicked shout, finding him half-conscious at the bottom of a cliff. The three kunoichi appear above them.

He could probably take them on, if he didn’t have an unconscious child to worry about. Which means he has to escape and hope he can get back to the village. 

Throwing a smoke bomb, he flees through the trees, doing his best to dodge everything they throw at him. He manages to get in a good hit on one of them before being surrounded by shuriken. 

If he were alone, he could dodge faster, but he has to worry about Naruto not getting hit. He looks around for a hunting trap he could use when a kunai with an exploding tag flies past him.

Taking cover behind a tree, he shields Naruto between himself and the trunk. When the smoke clears, Hatake is standing on a nearby branch.

Of course. Iruka is torn between relief and annoyance. Why is this asshole everywhere? Is he still following him around?

“Are both of you alright?” Hatake asks.

“Why are you here!?” Iruka can’t keep the irritation out of his voice. 

“Your students told me what happened,” Hatake fires back, “I was a little concerned”

Iruka is taken aback, but doesn’t have much time to process.

“Go, Iruka!” Hatake shouts, leaping forward. Iruka doesn’t need to be told twice, despite the worry creeping at his heart. 

Will Hatake be okay?

He shouldn’t care whether Hatake will be okay. The idiot jonin got himself involved. It’s not Iruka’s fault if he gets hurt. 

But he can’t help it. He stops and turns back at the crackle of lightning. Despite his animosity towards the man, he just can’t leave a fellow Konoha ninja behind.

Hatake is standing in front of the group of kunoichi and they’re bound with chakra wire when he reaches them.

“Hatake-jonin,” Iruka says, “thank you very much,” he turns to look at the man, trying to puzzle out his behavior. “I…don’t know what I would have done”

“You would have protected Naruto, even if I hadn’t come,” Hatake says. Iruka stares.

“I think I can finally face him now,” Iruka tells the silver-haired jonin. 

“I see,” he places a hand on Iruka’s shoulder, startling him, “that’s good”

Iruka studies him. “Hatake-jonin…”

“Hm?”

“Nothing,” Iruka turns away, determined to push Hatake’s bizarre actions out of his head. Maybe it was just Hatake coming to the rescue of a comrade and a child. He’ll begrudgingly admit that Hatake Kakashi is nothing if not incredibly loyal. He may be an asshole, but at the end of the day he’s still a Konoha ninja. Iruka would do, had done, the same regardless of his feelings.

His thoughts turn to Naruto, unconscious on his back, and he’s filled with a new determination.

Sandaime had seen a devastated and hurting little boy and pulled him into a warm embrace, breaking down every single barrier. He had taken Iruka under his care, teaching him about the Will of Fire, instilling in him the desire to teach even if he hadn’t known at the time.

He had changed Iruka’s life. Maybe Iruka could change Naruto’s.

Halfway home, he nearly falls off his branch when he realizes Hatake had called him by his first name.

Chapter Text

Iruka is laying in the hospital bed. He’s on some good painkillers. Great painkillers, actually. Almost good enough for him to forget that his childhood best friend betrayed the village and tried to kill him.

Almost.

You are so gullible, Iruka Mizuki’s sneering voice flickers through his head.

“Yeah,” Iruka says to the Mizuki in his head. “I guess you’re right, I am gullible”

He remembers the medic-nin’s shock and chastising words when he finally limped his way to the hospital after buying Naruto ramen. He had been planning on just going home and bandaging himself up, but he felt an odd numbness beginning to settle into his fingertips and got worried.

“Iruka-sensei, had it been any deeper it would have punctured your lung”

“Iruka-sensei! Why did you not come here immediately!?”

“It’s amazing you’re still standing!”

“You barely avoided completely severing your spine! What were you thinking?”

Iruka stares at the wall. The painkillers are exhausting him but his brain is spiraling.

Asuma had been with him earlier, but had been shooed out when his poorly concealed killing intent had bothered other patients. They had kicked everyone out and banned people from seeing him as far as he knew. He vaguely knows Naruto has been camping out outside his room.

“Iruka-sensei”

“Oh, of all things my brain will conjure up,” Iruka groans, “a hallucination of Hound”

“Maa, sensei, that’s cruel, I just dropped by to see how you were doing”

“This is really a hallucination,” Iruka says, “why would Hound care about me?”

Cool fingers carefully brush across Iruka’s back and he shivers, unable to turn to see his nemesis.

“Aren’t you the one who hates Hound?”

Iruka snorts. “He started it! You know,” Iruka blinks, “when I first unmasked him, I was shocked by how young he was”

“Oh?”

“I felt…bad,” Iruka admits. “He probably didn’t have much of a childhood if he was in ANBU so young. I figured…” Iruka sighs, “maybe my pranks would be amusing, maybe they’d make him smile”

“You…you wanted to make Hound smile?” the Hound-illusion voice says with an unidentifiable tone.

“Yeah. Silly, now that I look back on it. But I wanted to make all the ANBU smile. They’ve probably seen a lot of really dark things. But especially Hound being so young,” Iruka pouts and the Hound-illusion chokes. “He didn’t have to get so angry at me though!”

“Hound…” the voice trails off, “Hound didn’t know what to think. It was the first time anyone had ever been able to get Hound to react to anything, to feel anything other than numb, and that scared him”

Iruka snorts. “Hound, scared of me?”

“You’re a very scary person, sensei,” the hand moves to run through his loose hair and Iruka groans at the feeling. The Hound-illusion makes a complicated sound.

“Am not”

“Are too,” the tone is light, if a little strained.

“I’m just a chunin Academy teacher”

“Nothing just about you,” the voice sighs. “You can make people…feel things just by smiling. You disregard rank, but you’re not obnoxious about it like so many would be. You’re smart, sensei, far smarter than anyone gives you credit for”

“Not if you ask Mizuki”

A sound of frustration.

“Good thing nobody is asking him then”

“I should have listened,” Iruka says, “everyone…nobody liked him but me”

“He tried to force himself on you,” angry. Iruka shudders at the force of the anger. “The night Asuma rescued you”

Iruka tries to shrug. 

“That was just how he was. I thought-” Iruka chokes on his words, “maybe I should have done more-”

“More?” Hound’s voice is even angrier and Iruka whimpers, “that bastard, he-” a sharp exhale and the anger is reigned in but the voice is tight, “all he did was tear down your self-esteem and make you feel like you were never good enough”

“But I never would have expected him to turn against the village,” Iruka says softly, unable to deny the words. They’ve been said before.

“Iruka,” a soft sigh, cool fingers leaving his hair and ghosting along his back. Iruka whimpers at the touch. “Your heart and your capacity for love is part of what makes you so scary”

“Why?” Iruka is genuinely curious.

“Because,” a sharp note of pain enters the voice. “Because of this,” fingers gently trace the shuriken wound and Iruka shivers, “because you get hurt. That scares me. You’re capable of loving those deemed unlovable and that scares me too”

“No one is unlovable,” Iruka declares.

“Even Hound?” the voice asks, amused. Iruka makes a noise of annoyance before sighing.

“Even Hound, I suppose,” he says.

“What about Hatake Kakashi?”

“Asshole,” Iruka huffs, “you know he’s Hound, you’re basically my subconscious manif-manif-whatever, of him after all. Though why I would hallucinate someone who I don’t get along with is a mystery to me. I couldn’t have hallucinated, I dunno, Anko or hell, even Teuchi because then maybe I could get some ramen,” Iruka hums, “ramen sounds really good right now”

An amused huff of laughter. 

“Sensei, didn’t you have ramen earlier?”

“Did I?” Iruka asks, widening his eyes as he thinks. “Oh, I did. That’s why the nurses were mad”

“I hate that you got hurt like this,” the voice says softly and Iruka wants to melt into the smooth baritone. This infuriating asshole really has no right to have such a soothing voice. “And I hate even more that it was by someone you trusted,” the cool hand splays against his lower back and Iruka sighs. 

“Why is my subconscious hallucinating a caring Hound?”

Another huff of laughter. “Maybe your subconscious wants you to care about Hound in return?”

“Maybe Hound should turn in better mission reports”

“Ah, but sensei, you’re so pretty when you’re angry. But you’re always pretty. I’m surprised how long your hair is,” he feels the ends of his hair get lifted up.

Iruka makes an annoyed sound as the soft strands fall on his back, he thinks he’s blushing. “A flirty Hound, kamisama, what is in these painkillers”

“Get some rest, sensei,” he feels the soft press of lips against the back of his head as the hand leaves his back and his heart does acrobatics in his chest.

“Wait,” Iruka says.

“Hm?”

“Does Hound want me to care about him?” he’s not sure why he’s asking his subconscious manifestation this, but maybe it would help sort out his thoughts.

A soft, sad sound twists Iruka’s heart.

“I don’t know,” the response is quiet, “Hound hasn’t had many people who care about him”

“That’s sad”

“It’s just how it is”

Iruka falls silent. He hears the window slide. 

“Take care, Iruka”

Iruka falls asleep.

He gets to stay on the nice painkillers for three more days after he developed a nasty infection. He doesn’t hallucinate Hound again, but Mizuki is a regular and sometimes Anko. At one point he hallucinated Kotetsu wearing cow lingerie and Sandaime in a bathing suit talking about the Will of Fire while sounding weirdly like Daikoku-sensei. He knows they’re hallucinations because he’s still not allowed visitors until the painkillers wear off. He’s only vaguely aware of someone, maybe a kid, making loud complaints regularly from outside his hospital room. He knows the kid is someone important. None of his hallucinations are good ones and Iruka prays he forgets them. He even hallucinated Ibiki. Normal Ibiki, thank god. 

“Thank kamisama, at least you’re not wearing lingerie,” Iruka tells Ibiki-hallucination in relief. Ibiki stares at him and Iruka feels bad. “Not that I don’t think you couldn’t pull it off, but after Ko and the cow thong he almost had to wear last month after losing Anko’s bet, honestly who would have thought that I would remember that, but I think I’ve been traumatized enough thank you very much,” Iruka pauses to process his words and realizes that sounds like an insult, “I mean, not that it would be bad traumatizing but like,” he gestures vaguely, “you know? It’s just…you wouldn’t pull off the cow theme that well. Maybe more like…like a, I dunno, bear or like a rhino or something? Ah, no good. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings by thinking you couldn’t pull off cow lingerie,” Iruka whines, guilt flooding him. “I didn’t mean to!”

There’s a snicker of laughter from the corner of the room. “We’re not gonna get anything from him like this,” an orange-haired hallucination moves next to Ibiki and Iruka makes a noise of surprise.

“Santa-san! Wow,” he blinks, “why did I hallucinate you? I haven’t seen you since…” he pauses, “a long time,” he nods.

“Iruka-san,” Yamanaka Santa inclines his head, looking amused. They were Academy classmates at one point, Santa had even helped him out with a couple of pranks, but had fallen out of contact once they graduated and had nothing in common.

“This is the most normal hallucination I’ve had so far,” Iruka nods sagely. Santa’s lips quirk up. “Everyone has clothes on and Anko isn’t trying to feed me snake dango,” he pauses, “though that may have actually been real, now that I think about it? I dunno. S’Anko”

“They’ve got you on the good stuff, huh?”

“Oh it’s great!” Iruka grins dopily, “I don’t even remember why I’m in here! Huh,” he frowns, “maybe I’m the hallucination?” he looks at Santa for confirmation.

Santa laughs, looking delighted. Iruka blushes. Wow, he’s pretty. He vaguely remembers his boyhood crush on Inoichi and wonders if he just has a thing for Yamanakas. That would be embarrassing if Ino-chan were to ever find out.

“You have a nice laugh”

“Oh for-” Ibiki-hallucination growls, “we’re not going to get anything from him”

“I told you,” Santa replies with an amused smile. “Iruka-san, it was good to see you again,” he says, “we’ll be back”

“Okay!” Iruka says cheerfully, “please stay clothed”

“I promise,” Santa laughs.

The next time Iruka is aware of anything he’s on a lower dose of painkillers and he’s vaguely grumpy. Naruto has been a frequent fixture in his hospital room and as fond of the boy as he is, Iruka would give anything for some peace and quiet. 

His back is aching and he has no recollection of the past several days except for vague snippets. He’s able to be discharged and is waiting for Asuma, having given Naruto a mission to guard his apartment to get just One Moment of Peace, when a familiar face appears in his field of vision.

“Ah, Yamanaka-san,” Iruka says, looking at the familiar orange hair. Of course they would send a Yamanaka to question him about Mizuki. “It’s been awhile”

He’s always liked Yamanaka Santa. The man had had a bit of a rebellious streak when they were kids and would use his family’s jutsus to act as sentry for some of Iruka’s more daring pranks. He was never quite willing to risk the wrath of his clan by doing anything that would be traced back to him, but even still he regularly got lectured by Inoichi.

“Indeed,” Santa smiles, “though you may not recall Ibiki-san and I were here a couple of days ago”

Iruka suddenly has a horrible memory of telling Ibiki he’d look bad in cow lingerie and lets out a quiet whine.

“Ah, Yamanaka-san…”

“Please, call me Santa”

“Santa-san,” Iruka winces, “please tell me I didn’t, um, imply that Ibiki shouldn’t wear, ah,” he feels a flush crawl across his cheeks at Santa’s amused expression.

“Well, you felt bad about hurting his feelings,” Santa’s eyes flicker with amusement. “Though I think he and I are both inclined to agree he would look terrible in cow themed lingerie, or any at all for that matter”

Iruka makes a mortified sound and buries his face in his hands. “Killmenow”

Santa laughs and it’s warm and clear. “You were quite relieved we had clothes on”

Another mortified sound. It can’t be that hard to become a missing nin. Maybe he could defect to Suna or something.

“…I hate my friends”

“I have been curious, what exactly was this cow-themed lingerie bet?”

Iruka laughs desperately. “Ah, well, Anko is a horrible human being and we had a bet on who could drink the most one night and the loser would have to wear this, ah, cow-themed lingerie she had purchased while drunk, the next time we went out. One of our other friends lost, but Anko got sent out on a mission and we mostly forgot about it,” Iruka pauses, “or, well, until now I guess”

Santa grins. “It sounds like you’re still quite the lively bunch. It wouldn’t happen to be Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo still, would it? I recall the four of you being quite close when we were genin”

“Ah, yeah,” Iruka laughs. “That would be them”

“I’m glad you stayed in touch with all of them,” Santa smiles, “was Mizuki also part of your group still? I remember you, him and Mitarashi-san were inseparable”

Iruka scratches at his scar. “Sort of,” Iruka sighs, “Mizuki, after a mission went south for him he distanced himself from everyone but me, probably because we were both assistant teachers together”

“Mn, the mission where one of his teammates died mysteriously”

“I wouldn’t have believed him capable of that,” Iruka says, “but now, after this, I don’t know anymore”

“You saved the jinchuriki”

Iruka turns his gaze on Santa, sharpening it. “His name is Naruto and he’s a good kid”

“I meant no offense,” Santa holds up his hands mildly, “apparently he refused to leave the bench outside your hospital room,” Iruka’s heart warms at that, “it’s a good thing he has someone to care about him. But, why?”

Iruka settles slightly. “He’s…misunderstood,” Iruka says, “you probably remember the way I was in school,” Santa nods, “I acted out and acted stupid because it got me attention,” he splays his hand against the bedsheets, “I was hiding my pain and loneliness behind a veneer of laughter, drawing attention to myself in a way I could control, so that people didn’t realize the truth about me,” he feels a wry smile tug his lips. “Not much different from Naruto-kun. Ironically, the Nine-Tails made us both orphans, and we handled it similarly”

A warm hand settles on his shoulder and he looks up into gentle leaf green eyes. “It takes a very brave person to be able to open their heart like that”

You’re capable of loving those deemed unlovable and that scares me too

Iruka startles slightly at Hatake’s voice in the back of his head. What?

“Thank you,” Iruka scratches at his scar, “I wasn’t always able to,” not without Hatake’s advice, he thinks, mildly annoyed. “Naruto, he’s just a lonely little boy. I should have seen it sooner”

Santa smiles. “Iruka-san”

“Hm?”

“Would you mind getting lunch with me?” he asks, “I imagine you’re probably sick of hospital food and it would be nice to catch up. Perhaps ramen?”

Iruka hesitates for a moment before smiling. “Sure,” he agrees, “let me just go home and change. I’m not particularly fond of eau d’hospital,” he crinkles his nose. Santa laughs. 

“Fine by me. What do you say we make it dinner then? Ichiraku at seven?”

“Sounds good,” Iruka smiles.

He bids his former classmate farewell, feeling slightly bemused. He’s not sure if this is a professional, pick his brains interrogation tactic or if Santa really does just want to catch up, but ramen sounds really good.

Asuma greets him, looking both relieved and tired. When he gets him back to his apartment, the older jonin looks a little apprehensive about leaving him in the dubious care of Naruto. 

At some point the boy had moved some of his things into Iruka’s living room with the mumbled excuse that someone needed to take care of him. And Iruka knew that even if he wanted to, there was no way he was going to be able to kick the kid out so he had Asuma set up a spare futon in Iruka’s room.

The expression on Naruto’s whiskered face when he found out nearly tore Iruka’s heart into pieces and he decided that maybe having Naruto stay with him was good for them both.

And it is surprisingly nice having Naruto over. His apartment feels significantly less lonely and far less empty. And now that he’s passed Naruto onto graduation, Iruka doesn’t have to worry about conflicts of interest.

It doesn’t help that given Anko’s frequent appearances, Naruto has taken on a terrifying fascination with various poisons. When Iruka once came out of his shower to find Anko teaching a horrifyingly curious Naruto how to make something she called murder lunch, he banned them both from the kitchen. When he found Naruto curled up asleep on the couch with a giant snake wrapped in his arms, Iruka took a photo.

He’s not about to get between their budding friendship. Having more people being kind to him is only a good thing. And Anko knows what it’s like to be mistrusted and treated like a pariah for something she had no control over.

What a depressingly lonely trio of fucks they are, Iruka decides one day with a sigh. No wonder they’ve gravitated towards each other.

Iruka’s apartment is not particularly large and some nights when both Anko and Naruto spend the night they all end up in the same bed at some point. Iruka will never admit how much those nights mean to him. Having the comfort and warmth of the woman who is basically his sister, and the kid who oscillates between being like a little brother and like a son makes something in Iruka’s chest warm. Even if Anko snores and Naruto drools and cannot stay in one place and Iruka has probably kicked them more than once in his sleep.

It’s a family. A small, weird, utterly dysfunctional family. But it’s his family.

And he will defend them tooth and nail.

Iruka is sitting at the Mission Desk when he hears a jonin making snide comments about Iruka and his pet demon.

Seconds before Iruka is about to put the jonin in the smallest possible barrier he can create and progressively shrink it until the man is nothing but small red splatters, a familiar killing intent radiates through the room.

“Think about who’s son you’re insulting,” Hatake says coldly. Iruka remembers that Namikaze Minato had been Hatake’s jonin-sensei and Iruka exhales. No wonder the man is protective.

He sends a nod in Hatake’s direction earning a surprised stare before Hatake returns it and disappears.

As much as he hates Hatake, and as much as he hates the fact the man felt the need to butt in, having the feared Hatake Kakashi backing up Naruto will go a long way in keeping people in line. Better than a weak little Academy chunin. And the more people the kid has in his corner, the better. Iruka isn’t about to let his personal grievances affect Naruto’s relationships.

Even if they are irritating and egotistical jonin.

Chapter Text

Dinner with Yamanaka Santa had turned into dinners plural and an occasional lunch. The man is smart and funny and listened to Iruka’s stories about Naruto with no judgment. He even asked about how he was doing and if Iruka was beginning to develop a slight crush, well, that was his own business.

Which is how Iruka found himself inviting the orange-haired Yamanaka to Anko’s Iruka Survived a Fuma Shuriken to The Spine aka Mizuki Is In Prison (Finally) celebration.

“Her parties always have long names,” Iruka explains, walking beside his former classmate, tentative friend. 

During their Academy days, Santa had been on the periphery of their little group. He had helped Iruka with distracting the teachers a few times while Iruka set up a prank, but they had never been close. Mostly because Santa was afraid of Inoichi’s scolding when he got in trouble and Iruka was nothing but.

“It’s an accurate one,” Santa laughs as he holds the door to the bar open. Iruka blushes at the casual hand against his lower back as Santa ushers him inside.

“RUKAAA!” Anko launches herself across the bar and squeezes him tightly. “YOU’RE HERE!”

“I’m here,” Iruka laughs.

“Ooh? Who’s your friend…?” Anko squints.

“I told you, this is Yamanaka Santa,” he smiles. “Don’t you remember him?”

“OH! The Yamanaka that Inoichi was always yelling at!” she grins, “I remember you. I liked you, we liked him, right Ru?”

“We liked him”

Santa laughs as Anko shoves a beer into his hand, slinging her arms around their necks. Iruka is reminded of how nice Santa’s laugh is.

Kotetsu tugs him down. “You definitely have a thing for Yamanakas,” he snickers in his ear causing Iruka to blush.

Iruka shoves him but doesn’t deny it. He came to the same embarrassing conclusion himself. Besides, it was Kotetsu, Izumo and Anko who helped him drink himself into oblivion when he found out Inoichi was very much straight and dating a woman.

“Oh yeah, he can find anyone,” Izumo grins. Iruka isn’t sure how they got to the topic of Iruka’s sensing ability but it’s also the point of the night he’s drunk enough to not care. “Dunno how he does it”

“I bet I can find you,” Iruka says to Santa after his fourth, no, fifth? beer. “Even if you’re concealing your chakra. If you’re within a certain radius”

There’s something about the Yamanaka that makes Iruka feel like he can tell him about his ability. He knows his friend is a powerful sensor and maybe Santa would actually be able to explain more to him about it. 

Also, he’s a little drunk and just maybe wants to impress him. Just maybe a little.

“No way,” Santa laughs, his hair has been dislodged from it’s ponytail and falls around him in a sheet. Iruka is fascinated by the orange mass and wishes his hair was that long before realizing it would last all of five minutes with his kids.

He wants to touch it.

“Conceal your chakra,” Iruka challenges proudly, “I’ll give you five minutes to go hide within a two kilometer radius, and I’ll find you in ten!”

Santa laughs, dark green eyes flickering curiously as he disappears.

“Ru, are you really gonna tell him?” Anko asks quietly.

“Dunno,” Iruka leans back against her. “I feel like…he would be able to help me get better with it?”

“Aren’t you afraid he would tell others?”

“Maybe not if I asked him?”

“Yuuu jush wanna…wanna impreshim cause ya thing he’s hot,” Kotetsu spins his hand, slurring in Iruka’s ear.

Iruka chokes. “I-no? Well,” he cringes, “shut up. You’re being loud”

Izumo snorts as Kotetsu grins.

“Your five minutes are almost up,” Anko nudges him, looking immensely entertained and horrifyingly gleeful.

Iruka grins and closes his eyes. Exhaling carefully, he concentrates and sends out a ping, sensing his surroundings.

He filters out the bright lights of everyone else’s images. He’s gotten good enough that if he’s familiar with someone he can pinpoint them quickly, even impaired. He focuses on his friend’s energy and manages to find him hiding by Training Ground 23. He grins and teleports to Training Ground 23, landing behind his friend.

“Got you!” Iruka grins. Santa looks stunned and Iruka feels proud at the fact he’s impressed him.

“How-? I was completely concealing my chakra!”

“Let’s go back to the bar and I’ll explain,” Iruka says, holding out his hand to help Santa wobble his way to his feet. “…maybe you’ll know more about it?”

“Iruka,” he catches his hand in a firmer grip and pulls him in close, studying his face, “are you, are you a sensor?”

“Not…so much?” Iruka blinks, blushing at the proximity, “it’s hard to explain,” he leads Santa back to the bar. “I wouldn’t call myself a sensor, since I don’t sense chakra,” he says, leading Santa to a rather unoccupied part of the bar, “I can, I can see with my ears. I can see the way sounds bounce off of objects and if I’m close enough or I can concentrate hard enough, I can make out details rather than just blobs of…of light”

“Why haven’t you told anyone?” Santa asks, eyes wide. “That’s…”

“I don’t,” Iruka hesitates, “I’m not a sensor in the traditional sense. It’s no good in the field. I can’t really use it unless I’m able to concentrate hard enough but that means I can’t focus on anything else. And I can’t do it while moving”

“Like the Yamanaka Mind Body Switch. Leaves our body vulnerable to attack,” Santa blinks, “Iruka that’s amazing, you should-”

“Please don’t tell anyone?” Iruka pleads.

Santa sways on his feet, eyes slightly glassy. “I promise,” he nods. Iruka smiles at his friend before Anko shoves more alcohol into their hands.

Iruka has had enough to drink that he isn’t entirely unaware of what time it is and somehow he ended up perched on Santa’s lap. The orange-haired Yamanaka has his arms around Iruka’s waist and is laughing hysterically at something Izumo said.

He’s feeling pleasantly sleepy and warm and finds he’s drifting off, head coming to rest on the jonin’s shoulder.  

He decides to go get a water so he doesn’t die the next day any worse than he’s going to die as is. Kotetsu is snoring against Izumo’s shoulder, Anko is loudly talking to a blonde colleague of Iruka’s.

Most everyone else had left and Iruka trips over his own feet only to be carefully caught by someone.

Iruka finds himself distracted by the tuft of silver hair in his field of vision and he has no idea why. 

He reaches up to touch it only to have a gloved hand catch his.

Iruka pouts.

Hound. Hatake. 

“Why…why is it always you?” Iruka squints at what obviously has to be a drunken hallucination. No way would the elite ninja be at a noisy, crowded bar. 

Hound, Hatake, whoever, laughs, scratching the back of his head. “Maa, I dunno sensei, why do you think it’s always me?”

“No idea,” he blinks trying to stay upright. Kakashi, he decides to go with Kakashi, catches him around the waist and keeps him supported.

“For a hallucination you’re surprisingly real”

Kakashi shifts his arm around Iruka’s shoulder. He levels a stare at Iruka’s table and tightens his grip.

“You should probably get home”

“Mn,” Iruka drops his head on Kakashi’s shoulder. “Okay”

Kakashi sighs in what feels like relief and Iruka stumbles as they wander through the bar. Iruka breathes in the cool night air.

“Sensei, that was an impressive thing you pulled with Yamanaka-san”

“Nah, s’nothin,” Iruka laughs, fingers curling in his vest. “Can do it in my sleep”

“You shouldn’t be telling people”

“What?”

“If the wrong person finds out, you may be railroaded into sensor training”

Iruka stumbles. “I know. S’why An and sensei’re the only ones who knows…”

“Now so do I and so does Yamanaka-san. Do you not worry who he may talk to?”

“Santa wouldn’t,” Iruka nods, “he promised,” he cranes his neck to stare at Kakashi’s masked face, “are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Going to tell anyone”

“No, sensei, I know how much you love teaching, and how perfect you are for it. I would never do anything to take that away from you”

Iruka spins to stand in front of Kakashi, eyes wide.

“Why do I always hallucinate you as nice?”

Kakashi’s eye crinkles. “Maa, sensei, I’m not as bad as you think”

“No?” Iruka studies him, remembering his advice about Naruto and the day in the back hills, “no, I suppose you’re not”

Kakashi tugs down his mask and Iruka stares. Holy shit. He’s shocked he’s imagining Kakashi’s face. 

“…cute,” he pokes the beauty mark below Kakashi’s lips.

Surprise flickers over the handsome features before pink lips pull into a soft smile.

“Thank you, sensei”

Iruka presses his fingers to Kakashi’s lips earning a surprised and bemused expression.

“You have a face”

“I do”

“It’s a good one”

Kakashi laughs. It makes him seem so much younger and softer.

“I’m glad it meets your approval sensei, it’s the only one I have”

Iruka can’t help but feel a drunken twinge of affection. 

Oh no.

Iruka groans and Kakashi looks worried. “You’re not gonna be sick are you?”

“Nah,” Iruka laughs, “I don’t usually get sick until the next day”

“Lucky you,” Kakashi helps him up the stairs. He sways.

“My apartment!”

“Yup”

“How-?”

“I’m a ninja,” he winks, or blinks?, Iruka isn’t quite sure but just based on his energy he’s going to go with wink.

Iruka strips as he walks into his bedroom and falls into his bed. He’s asleep the moment his head hits the pillow.

Chapter Text

When Iruka wakes up, he’s violently reminded of the time he got hit with a nasty wind jutsu during his first A-Rank. And his mouth tastes vaguely like a dead animal smells.

Gross. 

After drinking some water and popping some painkillers, he feels slightly more human. His memories of the previous night are hazy as hell and he has massive gaps.

He’s on a quest to find food that won’t make him puke when he sees Hatake Kakashi lounging against a wall with his book and suddenly, Iruka remembers.

“That was an impressive thing you pulled with Yamanaka-san”

Crap. 

He has vague memories of wanting to impress the Yamanaka. Had he really told him about his echolocation? He wants to snap at someone so he makes a beeline for the Copy Ninja.

“Hatake”

“Umino”

“Did you, did you take me home the other night? From the bar?”

Hatake levels him an unreadable look.

“Why do you ask?”

“You know about my sensing ability”

Hatake sighs and scrubs a hand though his hair.

“You weren’t exactly being discreet”

“What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean, sensei?”

“Are you, are you going to tell anyone?”

Hatake looks up at the sky. “Now why would you think that?”

“I don’t know. You don’t like me”

Hatake looks surprised at that before a complicated emotion flashes in his dark eye disappearing as fast as it came.

“You don’t remember what I said to you?”

“Not really”

“No I’m not going to tell anyone,” relief floods Iruka’s chest, “I told you, you probably shouldn’t be telling people if you don’t want to end up being pushed into sensor training and Infiltration”

“Is that a threat, Hatake?”

Frustration flashes across the visible part of his face.

“No, Umino, it’s not,” he pushes off the wall. “It’s a warning to be more careful”

Iruka studies Hatake’s masked face. He again remembers Hatake’s surprisingly helpful advice regarding Naruto, the nonjudgmental way he had listened, and he softens slightly.

“I will be,” Iruka says.

Hatake studies him for a long second before nodding once and disappearing in a swirl of leaves. Well, not exactly civil, but neither was it openly hostile.

Iruka continues making his way to the practice field where he plans to practice barrier seals. He’s halfway through the formation for one that would set off the hidden exploding tag once the barrier goes up. He’s been practicing with this one for awhile but still struggles to get the timing and spacing of the tags right and has more than once nearly singed himself in the process.

“Iruka-san!”

“Santa-san!” he waves at his friend.

“You disappeared the other night,” Santa hums, “where did you go?” 

“Not entirely sure,” Iruka laughs. “Somehow I got home though!” he doesn’t particularly feel like telling Santa about Hatake. He’s not sure why.

“Glad to hear it,” his smile is warm. Iruka can’t help but compare it to Hatake’s. He freezes and accidentally lights off the exploding tag by his hand.

“Oh shit! Iruka! Are you alright?” Santa asks.

“Yeah,” Iruka doesn’t even register his burnt fingertips as Hatake Kakashi’s face swims hazily through his brain.

Had he really-?

He stares at his ruined formation and despairs at having to try again.

His next encounter with Hatake is several months later and far more normal for them. It also solidifies the fact that they can’t actually be civil towards each other.

Iruka is listening to the nominations for the Chunin Exams. He’s not particularly concerned since his students are all too inexperienced and young for such a thing. The fact Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma are called forward is just a formality as far as Iruka is concerned. 

He looks up when Hatake mentions Naruto’s name. “…I recommend those three to the Chunin Exam under my name Hatake Kakashi”

Anko sends him a wide-eyed look but Iruka isn’t aware of anything except the buzzing in his ears.

“From Squad 8, Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino, I recommend those three to the Chunin Exam under my name, Yuhi Kurenai”

The disbelief grows along with the ringing as Asuma speaks, nominating all three of his students too.

They’re just children!

The ninja in the room begins to murmur their shock.

“Please wait!” Iruka steps forward. Anko reaches out to try and hold him back, but aborts the motion once she seems to realize it won’t make a difference.

“What is it, Iruka?” Sandaime asks as the three jonin turn.

“Excuse me for interfering, but the nine of them were students of mine at the Academy. Every one of them is talented, but it’s too early! They need more experience before they enter the exam”

Hatake turns to face him and the energy level in the room spikes excitedly.

Another showdown between Hatake and Umino.

“I became a chunin when I was six years younger than Naruto”

“Naruto is different from you!” Iruka feels his temper flare, like it always does when faced with Hatake. “Are you trying to ruin him?” he breaks through the crowd.

“They always complain during important missions,” Hatake says boredly, “putting them into a dangerous situation might be interesting. Ruining them is also interesting”

Anger floods Iruka’s veins. “What did you say…?” he asks, dangerously. He catches a wince from Anko.

“That was a joke,” Hatake says flatly, “Iruka-sensei, I understand what you are saying. You must be upset as well, but…”

“Kakashi, stop,” Kurenai says, probably trying to head off an explosive argument before it begins.

“Don’t interfere! They are no longer your students. They are my subordinates now”

Asuma looks exasperatedly between them and Kurenai sighs in defeat.

“But the Chunin Exam is also known as the-”

“Iruka,” Sandaime says and Iruka falls silent, “I understand your argument. So we will put the rookie teams through a special preliminary exam”

“A preliminary exam?” Iruka asks, not exactly happy with the outcome but also knows that continuing to question the Hokage is borderline treasonous.

“You will be the one to conduct it”

It helps settle something in Iruka’s chest and Anko shoots him a sympathetic glance. 

He doesn’t even look at Hatake the rest of the meeting and Hatake doesn’t look at him. He had thought, hoped, that maybe Hatake was different. That he cared about Naruto.

Trust Hound to let him down.

He doesn’t know why that thought hurts him so much.

Despite his apprehensions, the preliminary exam goes well. Almost too well. Iruka is amazed at how incredibly fast the kids have improved. Their jonin instructors really are skilled in order to have managed this. 

He hates that Hatake was right. But Hatake was right. He’ll never admit Hatake was right, not in so many words, because it will make the smug bastard even smugger.

He finds Hatake sitting on a roof. The man turns away from him when he appears.

“How were they?”

“Although we went through the trouble of setting up a preliminary exam, all nine rookies passed,” Iruka drops the henge, trying to keep the defeat from his tone. “It seems that their skills are growing, just like the three of you said”

“Maa, but the real exam isn’t going to be that easy,” Hatake says softly, not looking at him.

“Then why…?”

“They need to learn,” Hatake says simply, “I don’t think they’ll pass. In fact, I doubt they will. But the experience will be good. It will push them to do better. Right now, they think it’s all a joke. They goof off on missions like weeding and walking dogs, Sasuke and Naruto spend more time bickering than anything else, Sakura has the ability to do more, be more, with the right motivation. But when it comes down to it, when it comes down to needing to be serious, they were able to put aside their immaturity and their differences and work together as a real team”

Iruka knows Hatake is talking about the bridge mission that went spectacularly pear-shaped. But he’d be lying if he didn’t think there was truth to Hatake’s words. The man had genuinely thought about this and he wasn’t actually putting them at risk for amusement.

Crap. Iruka was going to be a hypocrite here. Even if it’s just to himself.

“You’re right”

Hatake turns to look at him and Iruka can read the surprise etched in the lines of his body.

“You didn’t have to say what you said though”

“Maa,” he scratches the back of his head, “I know it was out of line. I got an earful from both Gai and Kurenai over my inability to read a room or know what too far is,” he drops his hand and looks up at the sky, “I don’t mind being questioned, sensei,” he says and Iruka can hear the honesty in his voice, “I may be a genius, but even I am aware my perspective can be biased and having someone else point things out can help me see things a different way. You’re one of the only people who is willing to question me and I am more than happy to accept it and be able to respond to your criticisms. But…maybe next time, not so publicly”

Iruka blushes red. What the fuck.

A strange tension settles over them. It’s not hostile but more like curious, testing. Iruka feels as if they’re balanced on the edge of a knife and the slightest push will knock them off. 

“Except we can’t seem to hold a conversation without fighting,” Iruka sighs, scrubbing a hand across his face. Hatake gives him whiplash and he’s loathe to admit that the many facets of the silver-haired jonin fascinate him endlessly. The man keeps him on his toes. In one minute he can go from immature, perverted, reckless idiot to someone who actually thinks deeply about their actions and doesn’t do things without reason.

“Didn’t we just have one?” Hatake says, shoving his hands in his pockets. “We do better in private. Have a good night, Umino”

Hatake doesn’t wait for a response before jumping off the roof. He infuriates Iruka beyond measure.

But he also fascinates him endlessly.

And Hatake isn’t wrong. Every conversation they’ve had between just the two of them has gone well. It’s just in front of other people they can’t get along.

No one else has ever been able to get under Iruka’s skin like Hatake and he’s loathe to investigate why exactly that is.

Chapter Text

Iruka ushers the children into the cave. He doesn’t know exactly what was happening, only that they’re under attack and they’ve evacuated the Academy under the pretense of a drill.

Iruka takes the lead in directing the evacuation and the teachers easily respond to his authority, despite being one of the more junior teachers.

His thoughts are elsewhere even as he easily leads the kids and the teachers through the not-drill drill. He worries, especially since he doesn’t know details of what’s happening. 

Iruka shakes his thoughts free and continues taking them through the evacuation passage trying to remain cheerful. 

He catches sight of Konohamaru looking distressed but trying to be brave for his friends as they move through the passageway. His heart softens as he watches the children.

“It’ll be okay!” Iruka reassures Konohamaru and Moegi as they stare at the burning village in horror and fear. He can see just how young they are. “Everyone’s doing their best! They can drive away the enemies right away!”

He and Konohamaru watch in horror as a crack appears on the Sandaime’s face.

“Cracks in the Hokage Monument…” Moegi says. 

“It’ll be fine,” he reassures the boy who knows far too much about what’s happening. For as much as he’s like Naruto, he’s incredibly different and far more observant.

He worries more. Worries about Naruto, about Anko, Sandaime, Asuma, his former students…Hatake. That one surprises him. Since the Chunin Exam incident and subsequent bizarre rooftop encounter, his interactions with Hatake have fallen back into their old routine: Hatake dragging in a hellish mission report and Iruka yelling at him over it and Hatake snapping back in response. There’s something bizarrely comforting about going back to some semblance of normalcy after their rooftop encounter and whatever bizarre undercurrent of not quite tension that marked it.

They still haven’t figured out how to be civil towards each other in public and they haven’t had any private interactions so Iruka doesn’t even know why he’s worried about Hatake. But if he knows anything about the man it’s that the man is going to be in the thick of the fighting, defending Konoha even if it kills him.

The thought sends a chill sliding down Iruka’s spine. 

Be careful

Iruka stands guard in the hallway as Konohamaru and his cronies emerge and whine about having to pee. Iruka knows all the tricks and suspects it’s Konohamaru’s attempt to leave.

This is proven when the kid runs away. Iruka follows, wondering if he’s going to have to put the brat in a barrier jutsu.

Relief floods him as he sees Anko with a group of women.

“Is that the last?” Iruka asks.

“Yes! The evacuation is complete!” Anko grins. 

“What’s happening?” Konohamaru asks, blinking at the adults.

“Konoha has an instruction manual outlining what to do in case of a sneak attack by the enemy,” Iruka explains to his three most annoying and prodigious students.

“Step One,” Anko adds, “eliminate the enemy’s sneak attack force. In case one is unable to eliminate them proceed immediately to Step Two”

“Immediate evacuation of non-combatants,” Iruka finishes her sentence, “evacuate women and children to shelters around the village and proceed to step three”

“Step Three…?” Konohamaru blinks.

“Through the collective strength and efforts of the village, eliminate the enemy!”

“In that case…” Konohamaru seems to be understanding and Iruka feels pride for his student who is far smarter than most people give him credit for. 

“The counteroffensive starts now,” he smiles.

“I still gotta pee though,” Udon sniffles, breaking the somber atmosphere.

Iruka sighs. Anko snickers.

“Hilarious,” she laughs. “Someone get that kid a tissue”

“I’ve told his mom to bring him to the doctor or something,” Iruka mumbles. Anko wheezes.

Eventually, they get the all clear and emerge from the cave system to a group of ANBU waiting for them.

“The Third Hokage is dead,” a bear-masked one announces.

Iruka feels like he’s been punched in the gut. Konohamaru gasps. Iruka pulls the boy into his arms and holds him close as he breaks down into sobs. Iruka chokes back his own tears as memories of shogi games and tea flash through his head. 

He carries Konohamaru all the way back, brushing off the concerned stares from others. He locks back all his feelings behind a wall. Just because he allows his emotions to be visible doesn’t mean he can’t shut them away swiftly like every other shinobi. 

Iruka spends the next few days avoiding the adults in his life. He does spend a lot of time sitting quietly with a too-quiet Konohamaru, and sometimes Naruto when he’s not off being trained by Jiraiya. Konohamaru hasn’t cried since finding out about Sandaime’s death but he’s clingier, almost afraid to go too far from Iruka’s side when they’re out together, which is a lot.

Konohamaru’s mother is grateful that Iruka watches him so the boy can’t see her grieving for her father. Iruka doesn’t mind taking Konohamaru for ramen or letting the boy nap on his couch. Taking care of Konohamaru keeps his mind off his own loss. He finds an unusual ally in Ebisu of all people, maybe one of the few people who understand what it’s like to be grieving for someone like family when they’re not and oftentimes they’ll sit together in companionable silence.

He’s glad Asuma has Kurenai because he doesn’t think he can face his older brother without breaking down. As much as he wants to hug him and cry into his familiar broad shoulders like he did when he was a teenager, he knows Asuma’s dealing with things his own way and doesn’t need to worry about Iruka too.

Eventually Anko ambushes him and they end up spending a day and a half laying side by side in his bed getting up only to get ramen and dango. They don’t really speak but Anko’s presence is a comfort regardless. She reads the most ridiculous passages from the stupid books they’ve found over the years.

Iruka feels like he’s in a daze, watching everything happen to him instead of experiencing it. He knows he can’t break down yet. He thinks if he breaks down this time he won’t be able to patch himself back up easily. He has to stay strong for Konohamaru.

Anko’s a good distraction and he’s so grateful for her friendship.

The day of the funeral dawns dark and dreary and Iruka is struggling to pay attention through the thoughts swirling in his head.

Konohamaru breaks down and sobs. Iruka feels his heart clench in pain as he remembers himself in front of the Memorial Stone and the first hug anyone had given him since his parents had died, of Sandaime’s endless patience with a brat, his patient understanding of a boy who hid his pain behind laughter. 

He kneels down and draws Konohamaru into a hug, trying to comfort him the way Sarutobi had comforted him when he was not much older. The memory throbs dully inside his chest and he shoves it away.

Later. When he’s alone. The 

Konohamaru cries silently into his shoulder.

He feels movement to his side and looks up. Hatake. Late as always. He wants to snap do you not even have the respect for Sandaime to show up on time? 

But he holds his tongue. Sandaime wouldn’t have wanted that.

“Iruka-sensei?” he looks up at Naruto. “Why do people risk their own lives for other people?”

In that moment, Iruka feels inadequate as a teacher because he doesn’t have an easy answer, he doesn’t know how to help heal the hurt. Not when he’s hurting just as much.

“When one person dies, their past, present and future disappear along with them,” he thinks about Sandaime, “many people die doing their duty and fighting in battle, and shockingly easy too. Hayate was one of them. Those who pass away also have dreams and ambitions, but everyone has something else, just as important,” he’s aware of Hatake’s heavy gaze on him as he struggles, “parents, siblings, friends, lovers…those who are dear to them. They trust each other and help each other, the people whom they’ve cherished since the day they were born,” he’s aware more people are looking and listening to him, “and that string the connects those people becomes stronger and thicker as time goes by…it can’t be explained by logic,” Iruka admits, “those who hold those strings just do it because it’s important to them”

“Yeah,” Naruto says, brows furrowing, “I kind of get it. But it’s tough to die”

“It’s not like he just died for nothing,” Hatake’s voice drifts over him, “he left us something very important. Well, you’ll eventually understand one of these days”

“Yeah I kind of get that too”

Iruka lets Hatake’s words settle over him, strangely comforting in an unexpected way.

He carries Konohamaru home. The boy has cried himself to sleep on Iruka’s shoulder.

Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto are going to sleepover together at Sakura’s house. Asuma had offered to stay with him but Iruka could tell he wanted to be alone with Kurenai. He brushes off Anko’s concern with a smile. The Academy has the next three days off and the Mission Desk is closed so Iruka has exactly three days to break down and try to pick up the pieces before he has to smile again.

Once he drops Konohamaru off, he returns to his apartment. The silence is deafening and he finds himself curling into a ball in the corner like in his youth. He finds himself staring into middle distance, feeling very much like the little boy he once was but now there’s no Sandaime to comfort him.

Suddenly his window slides open and there’s a figure in front of him.

“What do you want, Hatake?” Iruka murmurs, annoyed that someone is interrupting his break down.

“I’m surprised you’re by yourself,” Hatake slouches indolently and Iruka feels the stirring of annoyance. 

“Maybe I want to be”

“Is that so?” Hatake cocks his head.

“What does it matter to you?” Iruka snaps.

“Maa, sensei, I’m not here to fight,” he straightens. Iruka sees red and surges to his feet.

“Then why are you bothering me!?” he grips Hatake’s robes, temper flaring as the pain of losing the man who became his surrogate father overwhelms him and turns to anger. He’s not sure when it happened or who made the first move but the next moment they’re kissing.

The silver-haired jonin backs him against the wall as his tongue sweeps through Iruka’s mouth as if laying claim. Iruka feels like, at the very least, he should try to resist, but something about the way the older man has him pinned makes it difficult for him to want to do anything other than sink against him.

But he’s not going to be passive. He grips Kakashi’s shirt tighter and tries to take control of the kiss only to have it wrested back from him when the jonin pushes him harder against the wall and slides one leg between his, causing his breath to hitch. He breaks the kiss with a moan as Hatake lifts his thigh up to press against Iruka’s very obvious erection.

“You’re very honest like this, sensei,” Hatake laughs. Iruka tries to swing at him, but the older man catches his wrist, pinning it against the wall above his head, and rocks his thigh again. Iruka exhales and feels his knees give out. 

He’s not going to give in easily though.

Iruka uses his free hand to grip Hatake’s collar as he presses closer, grinding their hips together. Kakashi exhales shakily and groans before reaching up and tugging his hair tie loose. It becomes something of a push-pull as they each fight for dominance; funeral clothes falling with abandon as they stumble into Iruka’s bedroom. 

Hatake pushes him onto the bed, pinning him, hands trapped beside his head. 

“You are a stubborn one,” Hatake murmurs, staring down at him. Iruka realizes that he’s looking at Kakashi’s unmasked face. The man is stupidly handsome and Iruka feels a flare of annoyance. His gaze lands on the beauty mark below his lip and he has a vague memory of calling it cute.

“You have a face”

“I do”

“It’s a good one”

“I’m glad it meets your approval sensei, it’s the only one I have”

“You’re a pain in the ass,” he snarls to hide his embarrassment.

Hatake presses his body against Iruka’s as he lowers his head to whisper in his ear. “I can be,” he purrs and Iruka shudders as he gently captures Iruka’s earlobe between his lips, “if you let me”

Iruka rocks his hips upwards to drag their erections together. Kakashi groans, lowering his head and gently pressing a kiss against his neck before nipping harshly at his collarbone. Iruka struggles with himself for a long moment. Kakashi shifts to stare down at him, Sharingan closed as he studies him. His open grey eye tracks across Iruka’s face with something that is both intense and gentle and Iruka finally gives in.

“Help me forget,” Iruka murmurs, closing his eyes and giving in to the pain swirling in his chest hard enough that Iruka feels like he’s drowning, “help me forget I lost someone else”

Kakashi’s gaze softens. “Yes,” he responds, drawing Iruka into another kiss, deeper and filled with his intent. 

Iruka relaxes into the kiss, finally allowing Kakashi to take control.

The silver-haired jonin kisses and nips his way down Iruka’s body, leaving Iruka trembling and his cock leaking. He’s painfully hard by the time Kakashi reaches his hipbone, he sucks a mark into the dip of soft skin and Iruka moans.

“Lube?” Kakashi asks. 

“D-Drawer,” Iruka points. Kakashi fumbles in the drawer and pulls out the bottle of lube and a condom.

Kakashi slips two fingers inside Iruka, who winces slightly. He feels him scissoring his fingers before slipping them in deeper. He curls his fingers and Iruka cries out as the jonin hits the sensitive organ deep inside him. Pleasure courses through him and he arches off the bed, digging his fingers into Kakashi’s shoulders.

Kakashi adds a third finger and continues the motion of thrusting and curling; hitting the same spot each time until Iruka is a whimpering, moaning mess. He forces his eyes open briefly to see Kakashi - Hatake, when did he start thinking about him as Kakashi? - staring at him with the Sharingan.

He doesn’t have time to think on that because he cries out as he comes hard. But Kakashi is apparently not done, he draws Iruka’s legs over his shoulders and slides inside him. 

Iruka whimpers from overstimulation, feeling like his nerves are on fire as he desperately grips the man above him. Kakashi doesn’t move right away, simply rolling his hips in small motions until Iruka’s spent cock is half-hard again. He looks up at Kakashi and immediately blushes at the intensity of his stare, transfixed by the spin of the Sharingan.

Kakashi leans down, fisting a hand tightly in Iruka’s hair as he kisses him, tongue sweeping through Iruka’s mouth like a hurricane. All Iruka can do is hold on to muscular shoulders. His brain feels like mush and his nerves are buzzing with electricity and he almost hysterically wonders if Kakashi’s lightning affinity is affecting him.

He receives no warning before Kakashi is thrusting hard inside of him and he clings tightly; one hand gripping the back of his neck, the other digging into the lean muscle of his bicep as he tries to ground himself against the onslaught of sensation.

The hand not tangled in his hair, moves between them to wrap around his cock and Kakashi’s lips find Iruka’s neck as he strokes in time with his thrusts. It doesn’t take long before Iruka is throwing his head back as his release wracks his body with an intensity he’s never felt before and Kakashi kisses him as his frame tenses and shakes.

They lay tangled together for a few minutes, Iruka floating in a haze of pleasure and only vaguely aware of the slow stroke of Kakashi’s fingers along his arm. Suddenly the dam breaks and everything Iruka has been pushing away to make it through and be strong for everyone else rises to the surface and he begins to cry.

Kakashi holds him tightly, fingers running through his hair and down his back as Iruka cries in a way he hasn’t since his own parents died, gripping slender shoulders and pressing close.

Eventually he exhausts all his tears and the warmth of Kakashi’s lean frame, the steady beating of his heart sends Iruka to sleep.

Chapter Text

“Figured I’d find you here”

“Asuma,” Iruka looks up at the older man. It’s been a few months since Iruka has seen the jonin more than in passing. That isn’t exactly unusual for them though. They have their own lives, own friends, own responsibilities. “What are you doing?”

“Figured I’d come find you,” Asuma drops down next to him. He pulls out a shogi board and sets it between them. 

“How’s Kurenai?” Iruka eyes the pieces dubiously. He hasn’t played shogi since Sandaime passed away.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

Iruka stares at his older brother in mild disbelief. “Asuma, you know I know”

“Once a little shit, always a little shit,” Asuma huffs a laugh. “Now play”

“Answer my question and then I will,” he retorts with a grin.

Asuma huffs. 

“Kurenai…is doing good,” Asuma says reluctantly. Iruka grins cheekily and nudges a piece across the board, earning an unimpressed look from the older man.

They play shogi until late into the night. Until they’re evenly matched; three for three. 

“That shit will kill you, aniki,” Iruka says as Asuma lights another cigarette. Asuma grins and holds it out. Iruka makes a face. “I’m surprised Kurenai lets you in the house”

“Teachers shouldn’t swear”

Iruka moves a piece across the board.

“Should they smoke?” Iruka fires back. Asuma grins.

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you? Cheeky little shit,” Iruka returns the grin. “Alright, I know you, kid,” Asuma says with a laugh, “so who the hell has your attention lately? Who am I going to have to threaten?”

“I don’t know what you mean”

“Now who’s the liar?” 

“Since when do you talk about feelings?” 

“So you do have feelings for someone”

Iruka squawks. “What?” 

“Just doing my duty as older brother,” Asuma moves his piece and grins.

“You cheated!” Iruka argues.

“I wouldn’t have been able to win this round,” Asuma laughs.

Iruka sticks his tongue out, feeling much like his thirteen year old self the first time he ever played shogi with Asuma and lost tragically.

“What would your students think about you acting like this?” Asuma teases. 

“My students will never find out,” Iruka leans back on his hands.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Asuma says and it takes Iruka a moment to realize he’s back to the initial conversation, “is he good to you?”

“It’s not like that”

Asuma studies him and shrugs. 

“Just tell me if I need to kick someone’s ass”

Iruka smiles as he resets the shogi board. Even with Asuma cheating, Iruka still won.

Eventually Asuma leaves and Iruka makes his way to the Mission Desk for his early morning shift, thoughts chasing each other in his head. One night of no sleep isn’t enough to impair a shinobi’s faculties but it is enough to make Iruka more open to his own thoughts.

He didn’t realize that sleeping with Hatake the night of Sandaime’s funeral would lead to a recurring thing. When Iruka woke up the day after Sandaime’s funeral pleasantly sore and covered in marks, he was alone. If not for the physical evidence he would have wondered if it was a dream. 

He had spent the entire day fretting about what to do before deciding to do nothing. 

Until Hatake cornered him in the Archives and kissed him within an inch of his life before dropping to his knees and sucking him off until Iruka’s tongue was bleeding from trying to keep his noises contained so as not to draw attention. Hatake hadn’t said a word the entire time, simply kissing him again before disappearing.

Usually Hatake was the one to find him, but after a stressful day at the Mission Desk it was Iruka who had ended up at Hatake’s apartment and pushed the very surprised man against the wall, kissing him like it was the only thing keeping him from dying and allowing Hatake to bend him over his desk.

He had found bruises in the shape of Hatake’s handprints on his waist the next day.

He doesn’t know what he’s doing or why. He doesn’t know how to stop, even if he wanted to. It’s like they’re two magnets inexorably drawn together and Iruka really wants to hate it, but then Hatake goes and kisses him the way he does or touches him in exactly the right way to push Iruka over the edge.

Iruka sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face and earning an inquisitive look from Izumo.

It’s not like sleeping together has cooled their animosity outside the bedroom either. 

Hatake still turns in atrocious mission reports and Iruka still shouts at him loud enough to shake the building. It seems like the only time they’re not at each others’ throats is in the bedroom and that’s mostly because they never say anything to each other.

It’s been happening often enough that Iruka’s friends are beginning to suspect something is up. Anko had point blank asked him who he was fucking and if he would be willing to share because whoever it was must be damn good for Iruka to keep going back.

Iruka had felt a little bit embarrassed at that, arguing that Anko was implying he was a slut. Anko had simply snorted at what a prude he was acting like and his history as the “middle of a KoZu sandwich” spoke for itself, not to mention the things they had done together.

Not his fault Izumo only tops and Kotetsu only bottoms and Iruka is fine both ways. Or that he’s slept with Anko. And one memorable time it was all four of them, which was complicated as hell to navigate what went where.

Okay so maybe he is a bit of a slut. But only with the same people. And it’s not like it’s that unusual for shinobi. He knows that before Genma finally got over himself and made it official with Raido, he had a new person in his bed nearly every night. Genma had tried with Iruka too but for all that Iruka will happily fall into bed with his close friends, it’s not the same with just anyone. Hatake is the exception and Iruka doesn’t want to investigate why.

He had still dropped the conversation after that and Anko had looked smug even if she still tried to figure out who it was.

At least no one would ever suspect his “mystery man” is Hatake Kakashi. Their interactions in the Mission Room are more than enough to keep people from even thinking that they could stand to be within five feet of each other.

Which is why when the silver-haired asshole pops up in the Mission Room in a swirl of leaves several minutes before the room closes, Iruka finds himself taking several calming breaths and trying to tell himself the reason his heart is racing the way it is is because he can’t stand the man and he’s dreading what’s undoubtedly coming next. 

He turns to the person before Hatake and his smile grows several degrees warmer. 

“Welcome home,” he says to the familiar orange-haired jonin.

“Sorry I’m here so late, Iruka-san,” Santa apologizes, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m sure you want to go home, but my mission ran a lot later than I thought it would”

“Don’t worry about it, Santa-san,” Iruka reads through the report before stamping it. “I hope it went well at least?”

“Yeah,” Santa grins, “easier than I was expecting but also annoyingly long, I was going to go to the Broken Kunai after I shower if you have time and want to join”

“I’ll think about it,” Iruka says wistfully, “sadly, I gave the kids a pop quiz today, which means more grading than normal,” he sighs. “What’s supposed to be a punishment for the students ends up being an even bigger punishment for the teacher”

Santa laughs. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he says, “good luck with that and hopefully I’ll see you later,” he waves before leaving the room.

Iruka’s good mood at seeing his friend is dampened by Hatake’s apparently rather dark mood. There’s an unreadable expression in Hatake’s visible grey eye and from the limited visible area Iruka can’t figure out if Hatake is glaring or squinting.

“Sensei,” Hatake throws down a mission report and Iruka stares at it apprehensively. On the surface it looks fine. He unrolls it.

Disbelief flares inside him as his entire face scalds red.

Izumo whistles at the scroll.

“Hatake-jonin,” Iruka says, voice deadly calm. “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?” 

Hatake smirks and disappears.

Iruka lets out a roar of inarticulate rage and the scroll goes up in flames.

“What was it?” Genma leans against the desk to ask Izumo. 

“I think it was a scene from Icha Icha,” Izumo responds, “drawn in graphic detail”

Genma laughs. “That’s bad even for Kakashi”

Iruka glares at the tokujo. Genma holds his hands up in surrender, senbon twitching nervously.

“You two are really something,” Genma snorts. Raido shakes his head. “Everyone in the village knows how much you hate each other but nobody has any idea why”

“Tsunade-sama has a bet going about why you guys hate each other,” Izumo says, filing a report.

Iruka rolls his eyes. Tsunade would never guess that they’ve been fighting each other since they were kids. Really, it’s foolish that they’ve held onto whatever animosity had developed back then this long.

“You’re really not gonna tell us?” Genma pouts. 

“I don’t even remember,” Iruka responds.

“How can you not remember what led you to hate someone like that?” Raido asks in disbelief. “You’re polite and kind to everyone but Kakashi. And Kakashi is apathetic to everything except you. And it was this way even before the Chunin Exam disaster”

“It was probably his mission reports,” Iruka says dismissively as he locks the desk.

“Sure they’re bad,” Genma says, “but they can’t possibly have been bad enough to warrant this level of animosity”

“He’s an insufferable, arrogant asshole!”

“Insufferable, maybe,” Genma spins his senbon with his tongue, “but he’s not really arrogant. Maybe as a kid he was but-” Genma stops speaking and Iruka tries not to let his apprehension show. Genma is a lot smarter than he looks or acts. “You didn’t know him as a kid, did you?” Genma asks, with a thoughtful gleam in his eye.

“No,” Iruka says, which is technically not a lie. He didn’t know Hatake Kakashi. He knew Hound. He didn’t know they were one and the same until he was an adult.

“Hm,” Genma says, leaning his hip against the desk, “you should try and talk to him sometime. I think you’ll find he’s not a bad guy”

“Genma-san,” Iruka sighs, “in case you haven’t noticed, we can’t even hold a conversation about work civilly”

“So don’t talk about work,” Genma grins, “speaking about not talking about work…what’s up with you and the Yamanaka?”

“Santa-san?” Iruka asks, confused, “what do you mean?”

“Oh come on,” Genma snorts, “you couldn’t tell the guy is into you? He invited you out for drinks!”

“He didn’t invite me,” Iruka shakes his head, “he just told me where he would be and said I could join him if I wanted to”

Raido and Izumo exchange amused glances.

“Hopefully I’ll see you later,” Genma mimics in an overly flirty tone and winks. Izumo snickers and Raido rolls his eyes, trying to hide his grin. 

“He didn’t say it like that,” Iruka flushes. 

“Oh, is he the one who left those feisty little fuckers all over your neck last week?” Genma raises an eyebrow. “The dude you’ve been sleeping with for the past several months?”

“Who says I’ve been sleeping with anyone?” Iruka flushes. “And those were-”

“I know the difference between mosquito bites and hickeys, Iruka-kun,” Genma leers, “had plenty of both. But no, I don’t think that Yamanaka dude is the type. Whoever it is is someone with a possessive streak,” he taps his chin and Iruka anxiously rubs his scar and prays Genma won’t pick up on anything. “Maybe if I were to suddenly say, make out with you-” Raido smacks him on the back of the head and he whines, “you know I’d get your permission first, love,” Genma turns to his partner.

“I know, and that’s not why I smacked you,” Raido says calmly, “stop harassing Iruka-sensei, he’s had a long day”

“Thank you, Raido-san,” Iruka says gratefully, packing up his bag.

“So are you gonna meet with the Yamanaka or go find your mystery man and get fu-?” Raido wearily claps his hand over Genma’s mouth, senbon peeking through his fingers. 

“Sorry, Iruka-sensei,” Raido says, “I’ll take him home,” Genma says something but it’s muffled by Raido’s hand and Raido sighs. “I told you to stop harassing him-” they disappear in a swirl of leaves mid-lecture.

“You’re really not going to tell us who he is?” Izumo asks, waiting for Iruka to lock the door to the Mission Room. “This isn’t like you. At the very least, you usually tell Anko”

Iruka sighs and looks at his friend. “It’s really nothing,” he says, “we’re just sleeping together, and you know I’m not the type who talks about these things with others”

“Well, yeah,” Izumo says as they walk down the empty hall, “but this is weird. Different. Sure you don’t usually talk about it, but you’re also not so…evasive. Is it someone we know and wouldn’t approve of?”

Iruka isn’t even sure what his friends would think and he shrugs. Izumo gives him a long, searching look. Iruka blushes and scratches at his scar.

“What?” he asks.

“Nothing,” Izumo sighs. “I just…should we worry?”

Iruka’s expression softens and he rests a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Definitely not,” he reassures him. “I’m fine. Nothing is going to come out of it either”

“Alright,” Izumo says, clearly not the most convinced. “I’d just hate to see you get hurt”

“Not possible,” Iruka laughs, “there’s no feelings involved whatsoever and it’ll probably be over sooner rather than later”

“And it’s not Yamanaka Santa?”

“Definitely not. Just friends there,” Iruka says, “and not friends like us. You and Ko and An are the only friends I sleep with”

“Just be careful,” Izumo says, poking Iruka’s scar, “I’ll see you later?”

“We’re going out on Friday, right?” Iruka asks.

“That’s still the plan!” Izumo grins. 

“See you then,” Iruka waves as he starts off towards his house. He’s debating between starting his grading and meeting up with Santa when he sees Hatake leaning against a wall, horrible orange book open in front of him. Seeing the book that undoubtedly inspired his drawings sets a flare of fresh anger off in Iruka’s chest.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT EARLIER!?” Iruka shouts, storming over.

“Maa, sensei, you didn’t like my drawings?” Hatake slouches further against the wall, the very picture of indolent layabout.

“It was unbelievably inappropriate, humiliating and disrespectful to boot!” Iruka snaps. “I don’t know what your problem is but your behavior in the Mission Room is nothing short of unprofessional!” 

Hatake’s grey eye narrows and he slides the book into his pouch. “And Yamanaka Santa isn’t unprofessional for asking you out in the Mission Room? My, sensei, what double standards”

“He doesn’t turn in Mission Reports that look like they belong in an adult store!” Iruka seethes, wondering what the fuck Hatake is on about. “And he didn’t ask me out you idiot! Besides, this is about your excessively immature behavior when it comes to your mission reports!” he steps in front of Hatake, “you’re childish as hell and you always have been!” he grips his vest and opens his mouth to continue his lecture. Hatake tilts his head and grips Iruka’s arms before teleporting them away. 

In a swirl of leaves, they’re in Hatake’s apartment. Before Iruka can begin shouting at him about being presumptuous, the jonin is pulling down his mask and kissing Iruka in that way that makes his knees turn to jelly and his heart flutter like a trapped bird in his chest. 

“You’re infuriating,” Iruka gasps out as Hatake kisses his neck and bites down. “Kakashi!” 

“That’s the first time you’ve used my actual name, sensei,” Hatake murmurs, “you should use it more often”

“Wha-?” Iruka blinks. 

“My. Name.” Hatake says, blinking his open eye. “Kakashi. Use it.”

“K-Kakashi,” Iruka gasps out as Hatake - Kakashi - blows in his ear before lightly nibbling his earlobe.

Kakashi exhales and kisses Iruka hard, hand sliding down to gently squeeze his already aching cock and Iruka’s knees go weak as a shiver wracks his body. 

Iruka barely finds his footing and grips Hatake, Kakashi’s, vest as the jonin divests him of his own, pulling his shirt over his head before kissing him again. Refusing to be the only one naked, Iruka aggressively tugs at Kakashi’s clothes. As he’s kicking off his pants, he loses his footing.

Kakashi takes advantage of his stumble to push him facedown, pinning him to the bed with his hands on his elbows. Iruka cries out as Kakashi’s tongue presses against the scar left by the fuma shuriken. The skin is already sensitive, almost painfully so, but the hot, wet press of Kakashi’s tongue against the edges is almost overwhelming. When Kakashi’s teeth graze over the raised skin, Iruka shouts. 

“Kakashi!”

“Hi”

He’s only half-aware of Kakashi kissing lower down his back until Kakashi’s tongue presses against his entrance and he jolts.

“Wha-?” he’s cut off at the unusual sensation and cries out as Kakashi’s tongue slips inside him. He’s both utterly mortified and incredibly turned on. No one else has ever done this to him. Kakashi’s tongue slides out, circling his rim before sliding back in. Iruka’s entire body trembles against the mattress and he buries his face against the sheets, assaulted by the scent that is so uniquely Kakashi.

It’s almost too much and when Kakashi slips slick fingers inside him, Iruka comes with a shout. Kakashi doesn’t stop there though and Iruka squirms at the strange sensation of both his tongue and his fingers inside him.

Kakashi kisses back up along his spine before pressing his tongue against the shuriken scar again. With his nerves already oversensitive, it’s almost painful this time. Kakashi’s fingers find his prostate right as Kakashi sucks the scar and Iruka comes again, caught entirely by surprise. He didn’t even know it was possible for him to come twice so quickly.

He’s panting as Kakashi turns him over onto his back. Despite it being Iruka who’s the one trembling from two orgasms in a row, Kakashi himself looks utterly wrecked; a hectic flush stains white skin and the pupil of his grey eye is blown wide, lips red and swollen. The Sharingan spins lazily and once again Iruka’s brain is too scattered to be able to think about what exactly that means. 

He arches his back, fingers digging into the white sheets as Kakashi enters him. He whimpers from overstimulation, feeling raw and sore, wraps his arms around and buries his face against Kakashi’s neck to try and regain some sense of something. Kakashi’s hands are almost painfully gentle as they hold him, the fingers of one hand tangled in his hair and the other gripping his hip.

They stay like that for several minutes; Kakashi’s thumb drawing slow, lazy circles against his hip. Iruka realizes he’s been running his fingers through the hair at the nape of Kakashi’s neck and down the back of it.

Kakashi slowly begins to move, clearly taking his time as he withdraws all the way before sliding back in, pressing against Iruka’s prostate each time, sending slow, muted waves of pleasure through his body.

Iruka is slightly amazed at the man’s level of self-control. Kakashi drags his tongue up his neck before nipping the skin beneath his jaw. 

Iruka throws his head back as Kakashi slides deep inside him again before pulling all the way back out. His fingers dig into Kakashi’s shoulders, dragging slowly down his back with each of his thrusts. Kakashi shudders and his next thrust goes wayward causing Iruka to yelp at the force with which he hits that organ deep inside him. 

Kakashi shifts to his knees, drawing Iruka’s leg up and over his shoulder. His gaze is intense as he stares down at Iruka and Iruka shivers at the depth of emotion he can see in his eyes.

All thoughts fly from Iruka’s head as Kakashi picks up a harsh, fast pace. He digs his fingers into the sheets and closes his eyes.

Iruka comes for the third time that night and Kakashi follows shortly after. Iruka is exhausted, body trembling, sweat and come slicking his skin. 

It’s late when Iruka gets home. He hadn’t gotten a chance to meet up with Santa or do his grading. 

He strips off his clothes and goes to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He stares at his reflection in the mirror in shock. His body is covered in dark kiss marks and bruises in the shape of Kakashi’s hands.

Iruka buries his face in his hands and sighs.

Chapter Text

This can’t be happening.

Iruka stares at a banged up Izumo, his words not registering in his brain.

Asuma.

No way would Asuma fall so easily. 

“Iruka, I’m sorry,” Kotetsu says, holding his friend, Iruka doesn’t even know when he nearly collapsed. “We tried”

“Does…does Kurenai know…?”

“She knows,” Izumo whispers. “Shikamaru-san told her”

Iruka closes his eyes in pain for his former student. “And you two?” he asks.

“Gonna be honest, Ru,” Kotetsu says quietly, “not doing so well”

Iruka wraps his arms around his friends’ necks and holds them.

They get drunk that night. Drunk enough that the three of them fall into bed together. It’s not the first time it’s happened but it is since he’s begun sleeping with Kakashi. It means nothing between the three of them, it never has. But it is something of a familiar comfort for all of them; Kotetsu has always been a biter and Izumo has a thing for hair and between the two of them, Iruka’s trust kink is fulfilled.

He doesn’t go to Asuma’s funeral. He doesn’t think he can handle it. 

“Brat! What are you doing?”

“Leave me alone grandpa!”

“Grandpa? I’m only five years older than you! Get back here!”

His eyes burn.

“What’s this then? Umino Iruka, teacher? Are they really that desperate?”

“Asuma? You, you’re back?”

“Hey brat, long time no see”

Iruka stares at the pack of cigarettes that Asuma bought him as a joke. He opens it. Two are missing. One he smoked with Asuma before Sandaime’s funeral and the other…

“Here, try this,” Asuma hands Iruka a cigarette from the pack. 

Iruka eyes it dubiously. “Asuma, you know smoking is bad for you”

“Live a little,” Asuma waves the cigarette in front of him, “you’ve never smoked before, one won’t kill you”

Iruka eyes the little stick before sighing and taking it from his fingers. He holds it up to his lips and takes a drag like he’s seen Asuma do before.

The burn hit his throat before the smell and Iruka falls into a coughing fit. He looks up at Asuma with one eye, feeling tears gather at the corners. 

Asuma laughs heartily, clapping him on the shoulder.

Iruka pulls out one of the cigarettes and lights it, sitting on his balcony. 

He’s gotten better about handling his cigarettes since fifteen years old. He doesn’t like them, but he no longer chokes.

He watches the smoke curl in the air and thinks about Asuma. Like Sandaime, he had seen the lonely and hurting boy underneath his brash bratty exterior. He had helped channel Iruka’s inner anger into games of shogi and horrendously one-sided sparring matches that usually ended with Iruka sore and battered and Asuma without even a scratch before helping him up and dragging him off for ice cream or something. He had become an older brother to a boy who didn’t have anyone.

He wonders what his students would think if they could see him now; hair loose and tangled, shirtless and bearing fading marks from the previous night with Kotetsu and Izumo and smoking a cigarette.

Poor excuse for a prayer, isn’t it, aniki?

“Smoking isn’t very teacherly of you”

“Fuck off, Hatake”

“Maa, sensei, we’re back to this?” 

Iruka ignores him and takes another drag on his cigarette.

“How are you holding up?”

“Fine”

Kakashi, and when did he stop referring to him as Hatake in his head?, eyes him thoughtfully.

“You’re lying”

“Am I?” Iruka snaps. Kakashi sighs, cupping Iruka’s cheek and tilting his head back. 

“You weren’t at his funeral”

“Neither was Shikamaru”

Kakashi sighs again and kisses him, softly at first, softer than Iruka expected.

“You taste like cigarette,” Kakashi says against his lips. 

“Then don’t kiss me,” Iruka snaps.

Kakashi quirks the corner of his lips before drawing Iruka into another kiss, tongue sweeping through his mouth.

“When did I say it was a bad thing?”

“You’re infuriating,” Iruka whispers, hands trembling.

Kakashi smirks against his mouth. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he says, sliding his hands down the back of Iruka’s pants and drawing him close. “You weren’t the only one who was close to Asuma,” he says quietly.

“I know,” Iruka responds, allowing the tears to slide down his cheeks. 

“I’ll get them,” Kakashi murmurs, holding Iruka tightly, “and they’ll pay for what they did to Asuma”

Iruka grips his funeral clothes, feeling fear constrict his chest for Kakashi’s sake and he wonders when he grew to care for him so much. 

“I know you will”

Kakashi’s fingertips brush a mark left on his neck and a complicated expression crosses his face.

“Hm, having fun I take it?”

“I wouldn’t call it that,” Iruka feels strangely embarrassed at evidence of the night spent with his two friends even though he and Kakashi aren’t exclusive. They barely get along.

“No?” he tilts his head. 

“No,” Iruka says with an air of finality. Kakashi hums and threads his fingers through Iruka’s loose hair as he kisses him. The cigarette falls to the ground from numb fingers and Kakashi backs him into his apartment. 

They don’t even make it all the way to Iruka’s bedroom. Kakashi covers the marks made by Kotetsu and Izumo with his own, adding more. There’s something different this time; in the way Kakashi holds him, the way Iruka’s heart jumps in his chest. He finds himself trailing his fingertips down the scar over the Sharingan and gently cradling Kakashi’s face.

Kakashi twines their fingers together by Iruka’s head as he slowly slides inside him. If Iruka didn’t know better, he’d have said they were making love instead of just having sex.

But that would imply they were in love.

He opens his eyes and blushes at the spin of the Sharingan. No matter how many times Kakashi uses it in moments like this, Iruka never gets used to it. He can tell Kakashi is straining to keep it open so he reaches up and gently covers it. Kakashi turns his head and presses his lips to Iruka’s palm.

Tears slide silently down Iruka’s cheeks and Kakashi kisses them away. Iruka can read the sorrow in Kakashi’s own eyes and it hurts him almost more than the sorrow he can feel in his own heart. He’s also a little awed at the fact that Kakashi, who clearly prides himself on being unreadable, is allowing Iruka to see his truest emotions.

He reaches up and gently cups Kakashi’s face in his hands, overwhelmed by the affection he feels. The older man closes his eyes and gently presses his forehead against Iruka’s.

His hands slide beneath Iruka’s arms and he pulls him into a sitting position in his lap. Iruka whimpers as the shift in angle slides Kakashi deeper inside him.

This position is far more intimate than they’ve ever been in and Iruka wraps an arm around Kakashi’s neck, his other hand gently gripping his arm. Iruka gently traces his thumb along Kakashi’s ANBU tattoo and the older man’s breath shudders in his chest as he stares at Iruka in amazement.

It does something funny in Iruka’s chest and his heart skips a beat.

Kakashi’s hands slide into Iruka’s hair and cradle the back of his head, pressing their foreheads together. Iruka shudders and rolls his hips. The dark eye flutters shut and Kakashi kisses him gently.

“Kakashi…” he whispers against his lips.

“Iruka”

Kakashi rocks his hips upwards and Iruka cries out, clinging to his arms. Kakashi’s hand slides down Iruka’s back, fingernails grazing over the shuriken scar and causing Iruka to shout as he lets his head fall backwards. Kakashi’s fingers press lightly against his stretched hole, spreading his cheeks and circling the rim.

Iruka rocks his hips in time with Kakashi’s thrusts, hands moving up his arms and gripping his shoulders to use him as leverage. Iruka slides his hands up into Kakashi’s hair, startled by how soft it is. He dips his head and gently, tentatively sucks a mark against Kakashi’s pale collarbone. There’s something about seeing his mark, stark on Kakashi’s fair skin, that leads him to add a couple more.

“Ah, Iruka-” he exhales sharply, “k-keep doing that and I’m going to…”

Iruka smirks and sucks a mark on his neck. Kakashi reaches his hand down to stroke his cock in time with his thrusts. 

Kakashi dips his head and licks a stripe up Iruka’s neck before nipping at the hollow of his throat, hand speeding up. 

“Kakashi,” Iruka whimpers, burying his face against Kakashi’s shoulder.

“I’m here,” he whispers, “I’ve got you”

“Kakashi,” Iruka clings tighter. Kakashi exhales shakily, rubbing the pad of his thumb against the bottom of the flared head of his cock. Iruka cries out as he comes, mouthing at the pale skin of his neck. Kakashi shudders and Iruka hears his name groaned out as his release follows.

After several minutes Kakashi stands, still inside Iruka and gripping his thighs easily as he carries him down the hall. Each step he takes towards Iruka’s room causes Iruka to whimper in oversensitization and cling to Kakashi’s shoulders, pressing his forehead against his shoulder.

By the time he gets to the bed they’re both half-hard again and Kakashi lays him down, drawing one of his legs up all the way over his shoulder as he slowly grinds inside him. It’s not long before they’re both hard and panting. Kakashi laces their fingers together and pins Iruka’s hands above his head as he picks up a slow, deep rhythm that has Iruka clinging to his hands and wrapping his leg around Kakashi’s waist, hips completely lifted off the bed.

The silver-haired jonin leans down and presses his lips against Iruka’s. He transfers both of Iruka’s hands into one of his, long fingers splaying out to capture them both as he wraps his other hand around Iruka’s bobbing, aching cock.

It doesn’t take much for the pleasure boiling low in Iruka’s belly to grow and he’s pressing up into the kiss, hands squeezing Kakashi’s as he comes. Kakashi slips his tongue into Iruka’s mouth as his own release follows. The kiss turns softer, gentler, and Iruka wraps his arm around Kakashi’s neck, gently running his fingers through the soft, short hairs at the back of his head and Kakashi shudders. Their fingers are still twined together on the pillow by Iruka’s head. The fingers of Kakashi’s free hand find their way into Iruka’s hair.

He has no idea how long they’ve laid there kissing when he begins to feel uncomfortably sticky. He grimaces and Kakashi looks amused.

“Hold on,” Kakashi murmurs, getting up and disappearing into Iruka’s bathroom. Several minutes later he comes back clean and with a washcloth for Iruka.

“Stay?” Iruka whispers, catching his wrist when it seems like Kakashi is going to leave to retrieve his clothes. He’s not even sure why he asked, and he’s fully expecting Kakashi to look at him in annoyance or leave without another word. 

Instead, surprise flickers over the handsome features before Kakashi smiles, soft and reassuring.

“Whatever you want,” he says, climbing back into the bed behind Iruka, arms sliding beneath Iruka’s own to grip his shoulders and hold him close. Iruka laces their fingers together against his chest and Kakashi presses a kiss to his shoulder.

They stay like that until they both fall asleep. Kakashi’s familiar warmth, soft skin and muscular frame, against his back a comfort he didn’t even know he needed and he sleeps the best he has in a long time.

He wakes up to find Kakashi is gone.

This isn’t exactly a surprise and it’s not like it’s anything strange, but Iruka realizes it hurts and he’s annoyed at the fact he’s hurt but he brushes it off and goes about with his day.

Iruka finds out later that Kakashi has left with Ino, Shikamaru and Choji to track down the Akatsuki members who took out Asuma and something warm expands in his chest. His feelings for the silver-haired idiot confuse him.

Watch over them, Asuma

Chapter Text

Kakashi’s team is successful in killing the Akatsuki members that killed Asuma. But then it’s back to back to back missions for Kakashi, tracking down and chasing around Akatsuki members in an attempt to end them.

News of Jiraiya’s death hits hard and Iruka wonders if they’ll ever get a break from crises and emotional upheavals. Iruka himself had never been close to the man, had said maybe a handful of words to him. He had disapproved of his books and of his tendency to drag Naruto around to peek in bathhouses. 

But Jiraiya had really been good to Naruto and Kakashi had liked the man for more than just his books. 

The night Iruka hears the news, Naruto brushes him off. Deciding to allow the boy, now young man, time to grieve on his own or with his friends for a bit before stepping in and offering again, he goes to find Kakashi.

The silver-haired jonin’s presence is bright and easy to find. The more time Iruka spends with someone the brighter their energy is when he’s trying to find him. The brightest for him is Naruto and Anko, followed by Kakashi, Izumo and Kotetsu. 

He isn’t sure how he feels about Kakashi’s energy being so bright. 

Kakashi is sitting on the Hokage Monument, on the top of the Fourth Hokage’s head with his back against the rock.

“How did you find me?” Kakashi asks.

“Intuition,” Iruka lies instinctively before sighing. “I sensed you”

“I was concealing my presence”

“Doesn’t matter,” Iruka says, walking over to him. “It’s not about presence”

Kakashi stares at him for a long moment. “I was an ANBU captain by thirteen,” Kakashi says, turning to stare at Konoha and Iruka feels his heart hurt. He hadn’t known Hound was a captain. “Not even other ANBU have been able to sense me, unless they were a sensor. Iruka, your ability…” he sighs, “never mind”

Iruka wants to ask Kakashi to finish speaking but that’s not what this is about. He carefully approaches the jonin and sits down next to him. Kakashi’s visible eye has a faraway look.

Jiraiya’s book is laying open next to him and Iruka inhales softly at the slightly messy scrawl on the blank page.

To my number one fan ;) wherever someone thinks of you, that’s where home is. I hope you find a girl with big tits or a guy with a nice dick that you can call home one day.

-Jiraiya

Iruka reaches forward and gently tugs down his mask, taking off his forehead protector. Kakashi watches him quietly as he cups a pale cheek, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to Kakashi’s forehead before tugging Kakashi’s face against his shoulder, gathering the older man into his lap. He gently combs his fingers through Kakashi’s hair, lightly scratching his scalp.

“He cared about you,” Iruka murmurs.

Kakashi tenses in his embrace and Iruka just holds him tighter. After a few minutes Kakashi relaxes against him, fingers clenching tightly against the back of his vest and he presses closer with a wounded sound that rips a hole in Iruka’s heart because he’s never heard anyone sound quite so broken. Tired.

He thinks Kakashi has seen too much death of the people he cares about in his life.

“Shh,” he murmurs, sneaking his hand beneath his vest and gently stroking the warm skin of Kakashi’s back comfortingly, “everything is alright”

Kakashi doesn’t cry, Iruka didn’t think he would, but he clings to Iruka so tightly that Iruka briefly worries he’s going to tear his vest. Iruka responds by holding him tighter, gently carding his fingers through his surprisingly soft hair. 

Eventually Kakashi pulls back slightly and looks up at Iruka.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, lifting his head up and pressing a soft, lingering kiss to Iruka’s lips. Iruka trails his fingers lightly down Kakashi’s face and kisses him again. Kakashi tugs loose Iruka’s hair before burying his face against his neck, seemingly trying to hide in the dark curtain.

“He,” Kakashi says thickly, voice slightly muffled by Iruka’s shoulder, “he wasn’t perfect. He was far too perverted and could be irresponsible and immature, but he was a good man. A good shinobi”

“He was a credit to Konoha,” Iruka confirms, “even if he spent far too much time peeking in bath houses. Naruto would tell me stories though, of training with Jiraiya-sama. He seemed like he was a good mentor, a good teacher and he helped Naruto learn to not only survive, but to be able to protect his precious people,” he’s combing his fingers through Kakashi’s hair. “He said he felt like Naruto was his grandson and he regretted not having been around earlier. Naruto told me Jiraiya-sama said two things that stuck with him”

“Only two?” Kakashi mumbles.

Iruka snorts and lightly knuckles the top of his head. “The first, was that the number of jutsu one possesses doesn’t matter, what is needed is the guts to never give up and the second was that a real ninja is one who endures no matter what”

Kakashi is quiet against Iruka’s chest, sinking against him. “He had good advice, for an old pervert”

Iruka laughs, cupping Kakashi’s cheek and holding his gaze before kissing him softly.

“It’s okay to miss him, it’s okay to be sad”

Kakashi nods. He glances at the book, at the inscription, and runs his fingers along the word home.

“Iruka”

“Hm?”

“Will you,” Kakashi looks uncertain, grey eye flicking from Iruka’s face before flicking away nervously several times. “Will you just stay? With me? I don’t want-” he stares at a point on Iruka’s shoulder. “I just want to be with you,” he finally says and Iruka realizes Kakashi means he doesn’t want sex, but company.

It’s deviating so far from normal for them. They’re not the type of whatever they are who do things like that. 

But Iruka finds he can’t say no. Not when Kakashi is looking small and uncertain despite trying to affect a nonchalant air. It tugs at his innate compassion and he decides that infuriating men really have no right to be so cute.

“I could pick up takeout and we could watch a movie?” Iruka suggests, “Anko left her VCR at my place last weekend and…” he exhales, “I think the Icha Icha movie is in it”

Kakashi stares at him like he’s grown another head before a small, genuine smile pulls at his lips and a look of hope settles in his dark eye. Even if Iruka had been having doubts, they would have dissipated like smoke the minute Kakashi smiled like that.

“If…if it’s not too much trouble?”

“I suggested it, didn’t I?” Iruka says, standing and holding out his hand.

The contentment radiating off Kakashi as he takes Iruka’s hand and scrambles to his feet in a decidedly ungraceful way makes Iruka blush.

He wonders how many friends Kakashi has that he can just spend time with. He has a hard time imagining Gai and Kakashi doing something as mundane as eating dinner and watching a movie together. Maybe Yamato, but that also seems odd for the dynamic between them.

“I, if you don’t mind, I can cook,” Kakashi says, trailing behind Iruka. “We can stop by the market if you don’t have ingredients”

“You can cook?” Iruka asks, surprised. Kakashi nods.

“It’s,” he scratches the back of his head sheepishly, “not something I do very often since it’s usually just me, but sometimes I’ll take something to Gai or Tenzo or Kurenai”

“I burn water,” Iruka admits shamefacedly, “Naruto once called my cooking attempt a crime scene,” Kakashi snorts.

“What about oyakodon?” Kakashi asks as they make a detour through a civilian market. They’re not likely to run into anyone they know here. “If you want, I could teach you? It’s pretty straightforward”

“I…would like that,” Iruka smiles. Kakashi practically beams. How Iruka can tell through the mask he’s not sure but he follows Kakashi into the market.

The jonin clearly knows what he’s doing and Iruka is sent off to get the condiments while Kakashi gets chicken breasts and onions.

They reach Iruka’s apartment without bumping into anyone they know and Iruka is grateful. He doesn’t know how he would explain him and Kakashi being together in a civil manner. He can’t even explain it to himself.

Kakashi sends him off to cut the onion while he starts on the chicken. It’s going well until Iruka slices his finger with the knife. Twice.

The elite ninja stares at him and then at the beginning of the tragically mangled onion and Iruka holding his bloody finger.

“Sensei, you teach twenty some mini-nin how to handle sharp objects correctly on a daily basis,” he says almost incredulously. Iruka scratches at his scar.

“There’s a difference between using sharp objects to kill and using them to cook,” Iruka says defensively, but even he knows it’s embarrassing.

Kakashi turns away, clearly hiding a smile. It’s not a mocking one though and the softness around the edges keeps Iruka from feeling peeved as he wraps a plaster he pulled from his schoolbag around it. The amusement Kakashi’s clearly feeling only seems to grow as his grey eye lands on the bright purple plaster covered in ANBU masks and Iruka flushes.

“You should see the other ones I have,” Iruka waves his hand, “the ANBU masks are popular, but the shuriken ones are a close second”

Kakashi’s expression softens to something dangerously close to fondness before he steps over and takes the knife from him.

“Alright, sensei,” Kakashi says, nudging him away from the massacre, “think you can mix the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sake together into two bowls?”

“I think I can handle that,” Iruka snickers. Kakashi grins, crooked and charming.

They work in a companionable silence together and Iruka is belatedly horrified by how easy it is. When they’re not talking they’re less likely to argue and everything is so much easier between them. Kakashi’s mask is off and his forehead protector is replaced by a dark eyepatch. Neither one have on their leg wrappings nor their vests and Iruka’s hair is down.

To Iruka, this bizarre domesticity is far more intimate than having the older man balls deep inside him and he doesn’t know quite what to think about it.

It doesn’t take more then an hour before Kakashi has two bowls of oyakodon on the table. The smell makes Iruka’s mouth water.

“Do you want to eat then watch the movie or eat while watching the movie?” Iruka asks when it’s clear Kakashi is waiting on some kind of direction.

“Either,” the jonin says, pulling sake out of a bag. An expensive brand too. “Which do you prefer?”

“Let’s watch the movie,” Iruka decides, digging out a sake set. He doesn’t know if they can make conversation civilly and he doesn’t want to ruin the comfortable atmosphere. Kakashi nods and Iruka directs him to setting everything up on the kotatsu in front of his television. 

The oyakodon is amazing, the Icha Icha movie is terrible and Iruka thinks he’s going to rupture his spleen laughing both at the movie and at Kakashi’s overdramatic quoting of the lines he knows from the book. Kakashi’s dark eye glitters with mirth as Iruka cracks up as his far too serious expression right as the main character monologues at the villain.

The movie is also far more romantic than Iruka would have expected. He had always imagined the books to be sheer filth. Maybe they had to make it more family friendly.

But Kakashi quoting the absurdly flowery and dramatic love declaration with a serious expression as he looks at Iruka has red creeping up Iruka’s neck and sprawling across his face. The next minute the villain shows up with some overdramatic line that sends Iruka into a fit of giggles, briefly forgetting the intensity of Kakashi’s dark gaze as he spouted the nonsense about the bonds of true love.

The credits roll and Iruka shakes his head.

“That…was terrible,” he exhales. Kakashi grins and it really shouldn’t be so charming.

“Are you kidding? It was a cinematic masterpiece”

“If that’s a cinematic masterpiece, you need to broaden your horizons,” Iruka crinkles his nose as he scoops up their bowls and takes them to the sink. Kakashi follows. 

“Have you ever read the books, sensei?” Kakashi asks, leaning against the counter.

“No,” Iruka snorts, washing the bowls. 

“They’re really not so bad,” Kakashi grins. “You could borrow my-”

Iruka makes a noise of disgust that has Kakashi laughing. He’s horrified to realize he doesn’t want the night to end. Kakashi has a vacant look on his face, like he’s not sure what he’s doing or what he’s allowed to do. 

“If you want to…” Iruka scratches his scar and looks anywhere but the Copy-Nin, “you can stay the night”

There’s an odd tension in the room and Kakashi swallows, staring at the floor.

“Sensei…are you sure?” again with the small and uncertain tone that tugs at Iruka’s compassion. He nods. He again wonders just how many people are in Kakashi’s life that he’s able to do this with.

Iruka has Anko and Kotetsu and Izumo. He could show up to any of their places at any time and ask if he could crash there because he doesn’t want to be alone, no questions asked. 

“Why do you insist on calling me that?” Iruka asks as he sets the bowls to dry. “I’m not your sensei”

“Maybe if you had been, I would have been more interested in going to the Academy,” Kakashi admits, “mine was…very boring. Old school”

“What was his name?”

“Ah, I can’t even remember,” Kakashi scratches the back of his head, “I wasn’t there very long”

Iruka hums. He wonders how many students have forgotten his name.

“Your students wouldn’t forget you,” Kakashi says. Iruka looks at him in surprise. “They adore you”

Iruka blushes and scratches at his scar.

“I don’t know about that…”

“I do,” Kakashi insists. “Even…even Sasuke used to talk about you or how you taught something”

“I-” Iruka is left flustered.

The atmosphere in the room is awkward and thick with tension until Kakashi barks out a laugh.

“We were doing so well too,” he sighs, almost ruefully.

“Well,” Iruka points out with a soft smile. “We haven’t fought?”

Kakashi returns the smile. “I told you,” he sounds smug, “in private we can tolerate each other”

Iruka shakes his head, feeling a smile tug at his lips.

“I don’t even know how,” he teases. Kakashi grins and leans forward, gently pressing his lips against Iruka’s cheek, against the edge of his scar.

“Maa, I can’t help it,” Kakashi says flippantly, “you just look so adorable when you flush with anger”

“Hatake,” Iruka brandishes a chopstick in mock anger and Kakashi dodges, laughing. “Get back here and apologize for that!”

Suddenly, Kakashi is behind him. The taller man leans down and licks his cheek like a dog.

Iruka squawks and chases Kakashi throughout his apartment, waving and stabbing the chopstick in the way his pre-genin wave their kunai as they vault over furniture.

By the time they tumble into Iruka’s bedroom, they’re laughing and breathless and Iruka realizes he’s so far gone it’s not even funny when he catches sight of Kakashi’s crooked grin and the way his eye crinkles up in a genuine way.

How can one man be so infuriating and irritating and inspire thoughts of murder in ways not even two dozen ninja children can while also being utterly adorable and making Iruka’s heart do backflips in his chest?

Kakashi stares at him with a vaguely awestruck expression, fingertips raising to ghost along his scar.

“You’re beautiful when you laugh,” he whispers and then he freezes. Iruka realizes Kakashi had not meant to say that out loud. He exhales and smiles gently.

“Thank you,” he replies, watching the tension fade from his body.

They lay on the bed, face to face, silently studying each other. Iruka realizes Kakashi is unbelievably handsome. He’s seen him unmasked several times, but this is the first time he’s actually paid attention.

Iruka snorts. “Handsome, talented, rich, good at cooking,” he mumbles to himself, “unfair”

Kakashi snorts a laugh and Iruka realizes he’s said it out loud. He groans, burying his face into the pillow. A few seconds later and Kakashi’s muscular frame is completely draped over his back, trapping him under a warm weight.

“I’m glad you think so, sensei,” Kakashi says by his ear, “but those are all very superficial traits,” Iruka feels a cool finger trace down the side of his face, “underneath the underneath, you’re far more desirable, not even taking into account how you look”

“Kakashi, stop,” Iruka says, feeling panicky at the compliments. He does not do well with compliments.

“Hm?” confusion laces the tone, “stop what?”

“I don’t want to talk about this”

“As you wish, sensei,” he shivers when Kakashi kisses the back of his neck. “But one of these days, I’ll make you believe what I believe”

Iruka snorts. “And what is that?”

“That you’re too good for the world”

Iruka blushes, grateful his face is hidden.

Eventually Iruka yawns and Kakashi rolls off of him. He gets up and rummages through his drawer, tossing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt at Kakashi.

“You can wear this if you want,” Iruka says, feeling irrationally nervous.

“Thank you,” Kakashi murmurs, setting the clothes on the dresser before stripping off his uniform down to his underwear. Iruka lets a soft laugh escape his lips at Kakashi’s green shuriken patterned boxers.

“Cute,” Iruka murmurs. Kakashi blushes, the red splotchy against his pale skin, and scratches the back of his head sheepishly.

“I…forgot to do laundry?” Kakashi says and Iruka knows it’s a lie. Kakashi knows he knows it’s a lie and he huffs a dry laugh, pale pink lips quirking at the edges. 

Iruka strips and tugs on a pair of sweatpants before sliding into his bed. Kakashi follows him, clad in only his shuriken patterned boxers. 

“You’re the only one who has ever called me cute, you know,” he crinkles his nose, “much less several times”

Iruka blushes. He doesn’t know how he feels about any of this. Usually when they tumble into bed it’s with much fewer clothes and the only times either one has stayed over night was if they ended up falling asleep. This is very…deliberate. And on the heels of an evening that was far too cozy and domestic, it just feels strange. Like they’re more than they are.

There’s a vaguely uncomfortable distance between the two of them in the bed and Iruka sighs.

Too fucking awkward. He hates it. He makes a decision and rolls over to nestle against Kakashi. The older ninja freezes before hesitantly wrapping his arms around Iruka.

“Goodnight, Kakashi,” Iruka murmurs.

He feels the lightest brush of lips against the crown of his head.

“Sleep well, Iruka”

Chapter Text

Iruka wakes slowly at first, pulled from his dream by a thin tendril of pleasure curling up his spine. He sighs and presses back against the warmth behind him, a half-asleep moan is dragged out of his lips and he feels more than hears the warmth stutter out a breath. 

“Mnnhhh,” Iruka gasps out as the steady stroke of a hand around his cock pulls him out of sleep entirely.

“Morning,” Kakashi says, voice hoarse and breathless. Iruka shudders and a whimper escapes his lips. He’s lying on his side, Kakashi’s body pressed tightly against his back. Kakashi has one hand lightly threaded through the hair on top of his head while the other is setting a languid pace around him. He feels the older man pressing kisses against his bare shoulder and he rocks his hips back against the bulge in Kakashi’s boxers.

“Off,” Iruka tugs uselessly at the fabric with a fumbling hand.

He feels Kakashi’s length slot between his legs slick with lube, how did he do that so fast?, and precome. He should feel a little silly, but the slow drag of the slick cock against his own coupled with the long fingers now wrapped tightly around them both has Iruka gasping and stuttering and reaching back with one hand to grip the fluffy silver hair and pull Kakashi into a sleepy, lazy kiss over his shoulder. 

With a sharp flick of his wrist, followed by a twisting motion that has Iruka seeing stars, Kakashi quickly pulls both their orgasms from them.

They’ve made a mess on Iruka’s sheets. He glances at the clock. Five minutes before his alarm goes off and he has to get ready for school.

“What,” Iruka pants, “was that for?”

Kakashi kisses the back of his neck.

“You just looked so good sleeping like that,” Kakashi stretches and Iruka winces at the popping of joints. “I couldn’t resist”

Iruka shifts, avoiding the wet spot. He doesn’t have time to change his sheets before he has to leave and he groans at the thought of having to deal with that later.

“If you tell me where your sheets are, I can handle that,” Kakashi gestures.

The alarm goes off and Iruka sighs, slamming it off. “Third shelf in the closet,” he says, dropping a casual kiss on Kakashi’s lips, “thank you”

He pads into the bathroom and starts his shower.

He nearly drops his soap when he realizes this is the first time they’ve woken up together and it felt almost ridiculously normal right down to the absentminded kiss Iruka had given the older man.

By the time he’s padding back out to the bedroom his sheets are changed, bed made, and he finds a note next to a takeout box in his kitchen.

Sorry to rush out. Have a mission. Will be back ~3 days. Went out and got you lunch.  

He smiles at the disastrous handwriting and the ridiculously thoughtful action.

Iruka scrubs a hand across his face as he realizes with no small amount of horror that he has feelings for the jonin who apparently gets off on making Iruka’s life difficult.

“You just look so adorable when you flush with anger”

Fortunately, he has three days away from the nuisance to wrangle his pesky feelings and upon aggressive examination that would make Ibiki proud, Iruka comes to the realization that the feelings have actually been there for awhile now and he just didn’t know.

This…complicates things.

He’s standing in front of his classroom, teaching his new class about chakra pathways and the way chakra flows and trying not to be nervous over the fact Kakashi is due back today, when the entire ground shakes.

“Are we under attack?” Hidetomo-kun whispers anxiously as the children look around fearfully.

“I don’t know,” Iruka says gently while trying to stay calm, “if we are, we’ll be safe. The Konoha ninja will be fighting for the village. Now, who wants to tell me what jutsu their family has that will help keep us all safe and how they would use it in case of an attack on the village?”

Talking about how strong their families are seems to do the trick in calming down his students. He’s grateful they’re still young enough to have the unshakable faith that their precious people are the strongest and nothing could ever happen to them. 

Some of the students who have lost family members are a little more jaded about the matter, but hearing about some seriously high-level ninjutsu techniques from multiple classmates helps a little.

There’s a knock on the door and Iruka looks up.

Santa is standing there, looking a little pale.

“Santa-ojisan!” an orange haired Yamanaka kid, Kosuke, waves wildly, “are you here to keep us safe?” he turns to his classmate and smiles confidently. “Santa-ojisan is a strong jonin! Inoichi-ojisan is always telling mom about how strong he is!”

“Ooh,” the children chorus and Santa flushes at the sudden scrutiny of twenty-three pre-genin.

“It’s a little unsettling at first,” Iruka reassures him with a laugh, “how can I help you?”

“We’re evacuating the school,” Santa says, seeming to forget the staring as he remembers why he’s there, “the entire village, actually”

“Alright,” Iruka says, “I’ll lead emergency procedures and-”

“No,” Santa shakes his head, “Godaime said all able-bodied ninja are to report to an assigned squad,” he hands him a scroll.

“But, my students-”

“We’re going to need every available ninja,” Santa says, grabbing his wrist and holding his gaze, “we’re sending the children into the caves with the elderly and civilians”

“What about their protection?” Iruka holds his friend’s forearm, trying to control his panic at not being able to be with his class.

“Genin, mostly. There are some lifelong genins who will be there, ones with experience. This is beyond any emergency protocol we’ve seen before,” Santa says, looking grave, “we need everyone. Be careful,” he hugs Iruka tightly.

Iruka catches sight of silver hair as Santa leaves and knows Kakashi has returned from his mission.

He’s sent with a group of other chunin. He knows Yosuke from the Mission Desk, Nakamura Fuyuno is a fellow teacher and the third is Udon’s father who Iruka doesn’t really know aside from the fact that he takes missions with startling regularity and has been a chunin even longer than Iruka has.

“We’re going after the centipede,” Ise Hikari says. 

“Right,” Iruka follows the lead of the field chunin. It seems his two other teammates are also deferring to Hikari’s experience. 

They catch the centipede unaware but it doesn’t last long. Hikari slashes at it with the tanto strapped to his back and it screeches horribly. His team works well together. Iruka draws it’s attention with a barrage of kunai and a few small explosions while the other three make direct attacks. 

Iruka catches Fuyuno in a spider-web barrier as he’s caught by a long, spindly leg.

The centipede makes another horrible sound before scurrying off. Iruka’s team gives chase.

They reach a demolished area seconds after the centipede crumples.

“The centipede is down,” Hikari says, sounding relieved, “seems that girl did it”

Iruka exhales sharply as he recognizes the pink hair and medical jutsu.

“Sakura!” he runs to his former student. “Are you alright?”

“Iruka-sensei, just what’s going on?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” he wishes he had an answer for her, “someone is attacking Konoha,” he says, and for a moment he sees his old student again, young and afraid. “The situation has been reported to Lady Tsunade,” he tries to reassure her, “the alarm should sound soon”

“The village is under direct attack?” he can tell his brightest student, aside from Shikamaru, is thinking. “Who would do such a thing?”

There’s an explosion and Sakura looks scared.

“Let’s go, Iruka!” Fuyuno-sensei calls from on top of the dead centipede. 

“Right! Sakura, hurry to the hospital and tend to the wounded,” he snaps into teacher mode, “it’s full of injured people”

The scared student disappears and is replaced by the powerful kunoichi she’s become as she gives her affirmative. Iruka rushes off, feeling proud of the pink-haired girl as he hears her comfort the child behind her.

There’s another explosion. Hikari and Yosuke are able to dodge but Fuyuno is almost caught in the blast. He throws out a barrier shield around Fuyuno, preventing the debris from taking out his friend.

“Thanks Iruka!” the other teacher shouts as the barrier drops. 

He sends out two more barriers around groups of civilians, preventing them from being crushed, as a centipede shoots out from a building.

“Another fucking centipede!?” Yosuke curses, throwing kunai, “I hate bugs!”

“Don’t let the Aburame hear you say that!” Hikari snickers, dodging an attack. 

Iruka traps part of the centipede in one of his more experimental seals. The resulting explosion levels a nearby building but considering the existing damage, Iruka isn’t terribly worried. It did the job and split the centipede into pieces.

“Wow Iruka-sensei!” Yosuke grins, kicking the giant bug before it puffed away, “that was cool as fuck”

He resists the instinctive teacher urge to chastise the younger man for his language, despite his own being as coarse sometimes. He can see Fuyuno biting his lip against the same urge and he shakes his head with an amused smile. 

“Let’s go,” he gestures.

His team carries the injured they find into the hospital and he watches for a moment as Sakura confidently commands the medic-nin and he smiles, proud of his former student.

He returns to the village to track down more wounded. The explosions seem to have stopped, for now. Yosuke is grimacing at part of another centipede when an explosion separates his team of four. He runs to Yosuke, lying facedown a few feet away. The man isn’t conscious so he picks him up and runs as yet another explosion shakes the ground.

“Are you alright?” he asks, laying him down. Yosuke groans and he takes that as a no.

“Tell me where the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails is. Or else I’ll kill you”

Iruka freezes as he stares into the violet ringed eyes, the black cloud patterned cloak.

Akatsuki.

A metal rod slides from the sleeve.

“Speak up,” the man commands.

Iruka narrows his eyes. Like hell he’ll give this asshole what he wants. Naruto is his precious person and he’ll happily die to protect the boy.

“I have no intention of telling you anything!”

“I see,” the emotionless eyes narrow, “then I have no use for you”

Iruka braces himself as the rod comes flying towards him.

Sorry, Naruto. He apologizes.

Only for the rod to be stopped by a gloved hand inches from his face.

Kakashi! 

He’s never been more relieved to see the silver-haired jonin, and unharmed at that.

“You create a loud diversion so you can investigate from the shadows,” he can feel the killing intent swirling around Kakashi and is immensely grateful he’s on the same side. He’s always known the elite jonin is powerful, but even just this little bit of killing intent nearly eclipses Iruka’s own chakra reserves entirely.

“Kakashi!”

“Please take the wounded one and get away,” the man’s voice is flat and unemotional and he doesn’t look at Iruka, “leave this to me”

Iruka hesitates for a moment as worry for the older man overtakes him, but then he shakes himself. If anyone can handle an Akatsuki member, it’s Hatake Kakashi and Iruka would just be getting in the way.

“Alright,” Iruka loops Yosuke’s arm around his neck and takes off.

Good luck, Kakashi…

The man he’s grown to care about so dearly is powerful. Worrying does absolutely no good.

Yosuke groans in his arms as he sets him down.

“M’good, lemme a’im,” Yosuke swings drunkenly, nearly clipping Iruka in the face with his clumsy punch.

“Rest, Yosuke-san,” Iruka says softly. Yosuke groans and slumps over.

Iruka exhales, quelling his worry for Kakashi and locking everything behind the wall of Shinobi.

Chapter Text

Iruka runs through the village, collecting the wounded before handing them to one of the many Katsuyus running around.

He’s able to perform minor healing ninjutsu on some of the less injured ones. It seems like the explosions have stopped for good.

Iruka exhales.

“Sakura,” he says on his next trip to the hospital, “I have a teleportation seal I just finished testing and can confirm is safe for humans. If you’ll allow me to set them up here, and in three places around the village, we can eliminate some of the the need to have runners go all the way here”

Sakura nods and Iruka is flattered at her trust in her old teacher’s skills.

He sets up the formation in the hospital under careful watch of the medic-nins. Sakura watching him inquisitively as he sets the seals in a large array.

“I can hold three of these,” Iruka says as he sets up the formation, “place the wounded on them and they will be transferred between the seals”

“How long will it hold?” Sakura pokes at the barrier seals protecting the teleportation seals from getting damaged or disturbed.

“Until my chakra runs out,” he says dryly. “I can usually hold three of them, not including the receiving seal, for three hours, my limit for one including the receiving seal is nine, almost ten hours. I’m going to set one up by Hokage Tower, one by the Academy and one at the town center. This one will light up green when they’re all active. Tell everyone who comes in to use them”

“Alright”

“I’ll go with you,” Santa says, pushing a strand of his hair behind his ear. He looks battered but uninjured. Iruka nods.

Iruka sets up the teleportation seals, ignoring the curious and intrigued looks from his fellow ninja. Some were aware of his abilities thanks to his tendency to seal ninja who pissed him off in the Mission Room, but there were more who didn’t know what the chunin teacher is actually capable of.

“I didn’t know you knew fuinjutsu, Iruka-sensei,” Suzume says.

“Yeah,” he sets up the final one and activates it. The drain on his chakra is almost immediate but it stabilizes once the receiving seal is active. Exhaustion hits him as he stands and Santa catches him. 

“You good?” Santa rests a hand on his back.

“I’m good,” he says, “the seals take three seconds to transport someone”

“Good job, Iruka,” Santa says, “you really are amazing”

Iruka scratches his nose scar sheepishly. He knows his once crush on Santa has faded when he doesn’t feel the flutter in his chest at the compliment.

Despite the teleportation seals, they’re still carrying wounded ninja into the hospital. It’s on one such trip that he hears the rumor that Hatake Kakashi died fighting Pain.

“Iruka!” Santa catches him as he sways in horror. 

Impossible. Kakashi wouldn’t die. He couldn’t die.

“Iruka-sensei!” Sakura says worriedly and his former student’s worry is what snaps him out of it. “Is it your barriers?”

“I’m fine, Sakura,” he says softly, “we need to keep getting people out”

“Agreed,” she says.

Iruka pushes his thoughts about Kakashi out of his mind and continues to help bring the wounded in. He can feel the slow, steady drain on his chakra as the seals do their job.

He’s pretty sure he would be unable to handle creating any more barriers though and it’s only Santa’s arms around his shoulders that are helping keep him upright at times.

Suddenly, the world shakes and Iruka is aware of nothing until he’s being spit out by Katsuyu.

He stares at the damage surrounding him in shock. Konoha has been almost completely leveled. He can see a few buildings dotting the landscape, but not many.

Eventually there’s shouts of shock and surprise and a strange green light fills the air and the word is that people have returned from the dead. He exchanges an inquisitive, disbelieving glance with Santa, who was spit out next to him.

The Yamanaka looks equally baffled and a little bit disheveled.

Iruka doesn’t dare hope, simply helping dig people from the rubble and checking off names in a daze. It’s not until he catches sight of Kakashi carrying Naruto on his back that relief hits him with a strength that nearly drops him to his knees. Santa catches him as he stumbles.

“Are you alright?” he asks, “is it from your barriers?”

He meets Kakashi’s gaze across the crowd cheering for Naruto. The silver-haired jonin looks tired and a little shellshocked but his eye softens at Iruka’s gaze. It lands on Santa with his arm around Iruka and narrows slightly as if squinting.

Everyone cheers for Naruto and Iruka doesn’t even bother to hide the tears of pride he feels for his little brother figure.

Kakashi taps something on the back of his hand in passing, subtle enough that only Iruka is really aware of what happened. He blinks once in assent.

Naruto almost immediately seeks him out, eyes wide and watery and he launches himself into Iruka’s arms, sobbing into his shoulder.

“I’m so proud of you,” Iruka says fiercely, pressing a kiss to Naruto’s forehead. “So fucking proud”

Naruto hiccups a laugh. “I didn’t think you said words like that, Iruka-sensei”

Iruka laughs and cuffs him on the head before hugging him tightly again. “Yeah, well, I think once you’ve saved the fucking village it’s time to stop coddling you like a child”

Naruto laughs, wiping his eyes. He beams up at Iruka with so much affection that it takes all his willpower not to cry again, before he’s pulled away again, this time by Konohamaru and his friends.

He helps sort out a few things with survivors and the recently revived, sending some to the makeshift hospital and checking names off a list. He feels his chakra wavering from having held the barriers so long and then having them so brutally destroyed.

Santa is sent off to do something with the other Yamanaka, but he promises to check up on Iruka later.

When they get released for the rest of the day, Iruka takes the chance to slip into the woods. He catches sight of Kakashi leaning against a tree and something in his chest loosens.

The Copy Ninja turns to look at him, tired and relieved, before they’re caught in an embrace.

“You infuriating man,” Iruka whispers, but it’s laced with so much fondness it doesn’t even count as an insult. He’s too tired to muster up any vitriol and he finds he doesn’t want to. His heart had been stripped raw when news of Kakashi’s death had reached him and had he not been in a mode of crisis, he would have crumpled.

“Stubborn idiot,” Kakashi whispers like some kind of benediction before kissing him.

“My,” Iruka says between kisses that steal his breath, “apartment. still. stands”

It was something he will be eternally grateful for. A swathe of buildings on the east residential side of Konoha escaped the damage. People who still had houses had opened their doors to friends and family who hadn’t been so lucky. 

Kakashi doesn’t hesitate before making the hand signs for teleportation.

“Pervert,” Iruka huffs a laugh when they land in Iruka’s bedroom. The surrounding explosions had rendered Iruka’s apartment a disaster, but right now he doesn’t care. Kakashi grins up at him and Iruka kisses him again. He’s pretty sure they set a record for the quickest removal of clothes and Iruka is pushing Kakashi onto his back, straddling him. “Let me,” Iruka whispers, coating his fingers with the lube from under his pillow. 

Usually, Kakashi takes his time preparing Iruka, but Iruka is desperate and wants to feel it so he quickly and rather sloppily stretches himself with two fingers. He’s a ninja, he can handle a little bit of a burn. Slicking Kakashi’s cock he has a moment of apprehension, he now remembers why the older man sometimes uses four fingers, but swiftly dismisses it as he straddles Kakashi.

“Iruka, are you su-” Kakashi cuts himself off as Iruka slowly slides down him. Iruka grits his teeth against the pain and controls his breath at the stretch. 

When he’s seated fully in Kakashi’s lap he shifts his hips, rolling slightly to get used to the stretch. He didn’t realize he had closed his eyes until he opens them and catches Kakashi staring at him with both eyes and an expression of vague wonder, the Sharingan spinning. Iruka reaches forward and gently covers the red eye.

“Remember how I feel, instead,” Iruka says softly. Kakashi swallows thickly before nodding. 

Once he’s used to the sensation, Iruka lifts up and slides back down with a soft groan. Kakashi’s hands fly to his hips as Iruka begins to ride him at a steady pace.

Despite Iruka’s words, he catches Kakashi watching him with the Sharingan again. The older man shifts suddenly, sitting up and sending himself deeper inside Iruka, who gasps at the change in angle. He wraps one arm around Iruka’s waist and the other hand cups his face, thumb slipping between Iruka’s lips to press against his tongue.

Iruka can’t stop the moan that escapes and he closes his eyes as Kakashi’s hips move in rhythm with his. He’s not even aware of the tears sliding down his cheeks until the silver-haired ninja is kissing them away softly. He buries his fingers in the coarse strands and a sob escapes his lips when he comes, Kakashi following shortly after.

They fall to the mattress, still tangled together. After several minutes, Kakashi shifts to leave.

“Stay,” Iruka whispers, gripping his arm. Kakashi’s expression softens.

“I’m just getting something to clean us up with,” he says. Iruka nods, releasing his grip.

Kakashi returns from the bathroom clean and with a wet cloth. He proceeds to wipe Iruka down gently before sliding back into the bed and pressing against Iruka with his face buried against his shoulder and his grip tight. Iruka doesn’t blame him for being a little shaken considering he died and came back and he gently cards his fingers through the fluffy silver mass tickling his chin.

Chapter Text

They lay in silence for a long time, simply reaffirming that they’re both alive and that they’re together. Kakashi leaves soft nips along Iruka’s collarbone and Iruka gently traces the scars adorning the fair skin.

“I saw my father,” Kakashi finally says into his shoulder, voice muffled by Iruka’s skin. “I spoke to him”

“Was it a good conversation?” Iruka asks gently, knowing a little in passing about Kakashi’s tumultuous relationship with the man.

“I…forgave him”

Iruka holds Kakashi closer. “I’m glad,” Iruka says sincerely.

“I was afraid I would leave you. I thought,” Kakashi exhales sharply, blunt fingernails digging into Iruka’s shoulders, “before I would have been fine with dying, but I realized I didn’t want to leave you”

Iruka tips Kakashi’s face up and studies him, tracing the handsome features with his fingertips and kami, when did Kakashi become so important to him? 

“You came back,” Iruka says, “only the great Sharingan Kakashi would be able to find a way to cheat death”

“It was all Naruto,” Kakashi admits.

“The number one unpredictable ninja,” Iruka laughs fondly, “he gets that from you”

Kakashi grins and it’s crooked and adorable and Iruka can’t resist kissing him.

“No,” Kakashi responds, “his ability to reach the heart of his enemies the way he does? That’s all you, because you opened your heart to him”

“I couldn’t have done it without your advice that day”

“You would have eventually,” Kakashi says, “that’s just who you are. You have the capacity to love those deemed unlovable”

Iruka suddenly remembers what feels like so long ago, a hallucination of Hound telling him the same thing and he realizes it wasn’t a hallucination.

“Does that still scare you?” Iruka asks gently and Kakashi’s eyes widen at the fact Iruka remembers.

Hound doesn’t have many people who care about him

“Terrifies me,” Kakashi admits, burying his face against Iruka’s shoulder again and holding impossible tighter, as if he could burrow beneath his skin and set up a home in his ribcage. Iruka smiles gently, stroking along Kakashi’s spine. He can feel scars beneath his fingertips, old wounds from missions even Iruka’s considerably high clearance level is not high enough for, evidence of Hatake Kakashi’s devotion to the village and testament to his skill. A deadly shinobi who is clinging to Iruka like a child with a beloved stuffed toy and Iruka feels affection and a fierce surge of protectiveness steal the breath from his lungs.

He presses a kiss to the unruly hair and holds Kakashi tighter.  He almost wishes Kakashi could burrow into his ribcage and stay safe.

“Do you?” Kakashi asks, almost inaudibly.

“Hm?”

“Do you,” the words are awkward, stilted, “care…about Hound?”

Iruka finds that he wants to cry again, but he doesn’t. Instead he pulls back slightly. He feels Kakashi’s posture tense, as if the man is getting ready to run, but he cups Kakashi’s cheek and tilts his head back so they’re eye level to each other. Kakashi isn’t looking at his face, instead staring at a point on Iruka’s chin.

“I do,” Iruka says, swallowing the words he really wants to say. The rush of affection he feels is far stronger than simple care, but he doesn’t think he can voice that yet. Just a couple weeks ago they were still fighting in the Mission Room. “I care about Hound very much,” he presses a lingering kiss on the scarred eyelid and Kakashi stills almost completely, “I also care about Kakashi very much too”

Kakashi inhales shakily and Iruka allows him to hide against his shoulder again.

“I…care about you too,” Kakashi says quietly, as though the word isn’t exactly what he wants to say either. Iruka wonders how long they’ve been afraid of their own feelings, of each other, that they’ve been hiding it behind anger and arguments to keep the distance.

But too much has happened the past few days for them to want to add any more emotional upheaval right now, so Iruka contents himself by holding Kakashi close and knowing the other man is doing the same.

There’s a knock on his door that interrupts their moment. Iruka blinks before remembering Santa had promised to check on him, but really it could be anyone, and just because they have a free moment now doesn’t mean that one or both won’t be pulled into other tasks. Kakashi gives him a baffled look before going to hide in the bathroom.

Iruka pulls on his uniform shirt making sure that Kakashi’s marks, and there’s far more than normal, are hidden before he goes to answer the door.

“How are you feeling?” Santa asks. He looks more put-together, if fatigued.

“Better,” Iruka smiles, “I was just about to take a nap”

“Ah, I apologize for the interruption. I was just worried. You seemed exhausted”

“If I had stronger chakra reserves, I would have been fine,” Iruka laughs, “but like I said, three hours with three of them is my limit. When I tried for four, I collapsed from chakra exhaustion and the Sandaime gave me a very long lecture about not being a crazy fuinjutsu expert”

“Oh yeah,” Santa laughs, “you guys are kind of mad scientisty, aren’t you? And they say jonin are crazy”

Iruka scratches his scar with a huff of laughter.

“My seals instructor nearly blew herself to pieces you know?” Iruka says, shaking his head as he remembers the day he heard, “she was experimenting with a new seal but it went wrong and left a massive crater around the Forest of Death and put her in the hospital for months. But she’s also a jonin, so she has a double dose of crazy. I’m just a lowly chunin, so I like to think I retain some normalcy”

“Anyone who spends all their time teaching children how to handle sharp objects is far from normal, Iruka-sensei,” Santa shudders but Iruka can tell he’s joking, “it’s a wonder you haven’t broken yet”

“Hm, maybe you should pass that on to Inoichi-san and T&I,” Iruka teases, “have missing nin spend a day with a bunch of pre-genin armed with paint, glitter and some bubble gum and they’ll be singing like birds”

Santa laughs, loud and bright. Iruka smiles, hiding a yawn.

“I should let you rest,” Santa says apologetically.

“Is your apartment still-?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” he says in relief, “it’ll be nice to go home”

“Get some rest, Santa,” Iruka claps him on the shoulder.

Santa pulls him into a hug. “I’m glad you’re alright, Iruka”

Iruka locks the door and resets his wards before returning to the bedroom.

“What was that about?” Kakashi raises an eyebrow from where he’s lounging on the bed. “What happened to your chakra?”

“Oh,” Iruka scratches his scar, “it’s no big deal”

“Yamanaka worried about you”

“Mn. I was using teleportation seals to help get wounded villagers to the hospital,” Iruka says, “the problem with them that I haven’t figured out is that they constantly drain my chakra. The bigger the seal, the larger the drain”

“Teleportation seals?”

Iruka pulls out smaller versions and with a tiny pulse of chakra that has him staggering forward into Kakashi’s arms, he activates it.

“Idiot! You don’t need to show me!” Kakashi panics. Iruka laughs, leaning his head against Kakashi’s shoulder.

“Watch,” he pulls out a kunai and sets it on the seal closest to him. Several seconds later it pops up in the seal further away. Kakashi stares in amazement. 

“You-?”

“Of course, I haven’t been able to account for the drain in my chakra,” he frowns, “if only there was a way to seal my chakra-”

“Don’t,” Kakashi blurts out. “That sounds dangerous”

Iruka shrugs and dismantles his teleportation seal.

“I set it up so that people could transport bodies quicker,” Iruka says, “Santa was my protection”

Kakashi’s eye darkens and he looks like he wants to say something. Instead, he grabs Iruka’s hand, drags him back into the bedroom and pushes him onto the bed.

“Kakashi, wha-?” he’s cut off by a harsh kiss as Kakashi strokes them both to half hardness. Before Iruka can say anything further, Kakashi is pushing into his already stretched hole and he’s crying out.

Kakashi is almost brutal. Each snap of his hips punching the air out of Iruka’s lungs even as the pleasure crescendos to almost unbearable. 

This is new.

But not entirely unwelcome.

The jonin nips and sucks at the skin of his neck, just below his jaw, squeezing his hips tight enough that Iruka is pretty sure will leave bruises. He curls a hand around Iruka and gives several harsh strokes.

Iruka comes with a shout, but Kakashi is clearly not done. Iruka weakly tries to squirm away as his nerves scream for mercy, but Kakashi simply continues thrusting and all Iruka can do is hold on. He groans at the obvious display of strength, of Kakashi’s true power. He remembers the feeling of Kakashi’s killing intent as he stopped the blow that surely would have killed Iruka and the arousal grows.

As the man throws Iruka’s legs over his shoulder, shifting his angle so he’s sliding deeper, Iruka decides to process this new revelation about himself later as he comes a second time.

“K-Ka-ah-Kakashi!” Iruka cries out, feeling tears slide down his cheeks, feeling his nerves burning, “i-it, ah, it’s, h-hAH, t-,” Kakashi’s nails deliberately rake down the scar on his back and he’s sobbing as he comes a third time but no fluid leaves his cock.

Only then does Kakashi groan low in his throat and his own release fills Iruka as he kisses him hard; a harsh clashing of teeth.

Iruka’s brain is not working, fried by Kakashi’s harsh treatment, which he’s more than a little embarrassed to admit was really hot, and three orgasms in a row. He’s barely aware of Kakashi cleaning him up and pulling him close, nearly smothering him with his body.

“K-Kakashi?” Iruka asks as the grip tightens slightly painfully.

“I should have been your protection,” Kakashi says roughly, voice wrecked and broken. “Not him”

Iruka turns in his arms, staring at the troubled expression. “You were,” he cups Kakashi’s cheek, “you saved me from Pain”

“I should have lived and been with you the whole time,” Kakashi holds him tighter and Iruka tries to put some space between them so he can breathe without feeling his ribcage cracking. He wonders if he’s watching Kakashi break down.

The panicked sound that escapes Kakashi’s throat as he does his best impression of an octopus hurts Iruka far more than Kakashi’s too-tight embrace and yup, he’s pretty sure Kakashi is having a breakdown. And honestly? Iruka can’t blame him considering he actually died.

He simply holds the silver-haired jonin close as tears silently slip down pale cheeks, murmuring soft reassurances while stroking through equally pale hair.

Kakashi’s grip loosens only slightly, only for Kakashi to press his face harder against Iruka’s shoulder; one hand digging into his shoulders, one tangled in his hair.

That’s how they fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Unfortunately, nothing lasts and they don’t get much chance to see each other in the aftermath of the destruction. Their days and most of their nights are taken up with the rebuilding. Iruka and the other instructors are still teaching classes on a rotational schedule. They’ve combined all the classes into one, supervised by a teacher and assistant teacher.

It’s something Iruka thinks may be a good thing to carry over even after the necessity of it has faded. It gives the older, experienced kids a chance to perfect their understanding of techniques by teaching the younger ones and it gives the younger kids a chance to learn from students who have already learned basic skills.

He’s also been, somewhat reluctantly, dragged in by Mika-sensei to help with reestablishing Konoha’s barrier system. Although nobody knows except for Kotetsu and Izumo, who are part of the Interception Division, and Santa who, by virtue of being a powerful Yamanaka, is involved in leadership of the Barrier Unit.

As much fun as it is to spend late nights crammed into an office with Mika-sensei, sharing terribly brewed tea, consuming an excessive amount of dango, and throwing about increasingly more ridiculous ideas and horrible jokes, his heart is still with his students.

Not even the exploding detection seal that nearly takes out the newly reconstructed testing ground and leaves a horrendous ringing in Iruka’s ears makes him as excited as seeing his students the next day and having to field questions as to why his hand looks a little toasty.

Kakashi, as far as Iruka is aware, has been tasked with overseeing one of the rebuilding teams. Yamato has been an asset and one of the first things he did was build a makeshift schoolhouse.

Iruka is grateful for the wood-style user’s ability and he remembers to thank him for all the hard work he’s putting in, earning a slightly baffled but adorably pink-cheeked look from the man in question. 

Kakashi’s apartment had been destroyed so he ended up just staying with Iruka, for all that they actually spent time in the apartment. They’re so busy they’ve fallen back into the routine they had before Asuma’s death: stolen almost wordless moments when they’re not too tired and when their schedules manage to line up.

Then too soon after the rebuilding is mostly complete, Iruka is being sent to keep Naruto contained on an island while Kakashi is being sent to the frontlines of a new war as a commander.

They haven’t had a chance to talk about anything. About their admission of caring for each other even though both of them know that caring is not what it is. They haven’t had a chance to talk about Kakashi’s mini breakdown, although the man seems to be the most settled Iruka has seen him in years. They don’t have time to talk about them or their future, assuming they even have one much less one together.

And maybe they’re both avoiding it.

“Be safe,” Iruka says, pulling Kakashi behind the cover of a tree and kissing him before they reach the group that Kakashi will depart with.

“You too,” Kakashi responds, tucking a strand of hair behind Iruka’s ear. “Keep Naruto out of trouble”

Iruka gives him a long look. “You really think we’re going to be able to contain him for long?” he asks dryly. Kakashi shakes his head. “When he does leave, watch his back, will you?”

“Always, sensei”

Iruka kisses him again before flickering away. 

He finds Anko next. His best friend throws her arms around his neck and holds him tight, kissing him hard in a uniquely Anko way. He returns the embrace and the kiss, he knows she’ll need the grounding memory for what she’s being sent to do. No matter how many times, tracking Orochimaru and then Kabuto never gets easier for her. Kotetsu and Izumo are in the group too, leaving to join the First Division, and he hugs them both.

“Keep you and your brat safe,” Izumo whispers.

“If you guys don’t come back,” Iruka responds, staring all three of them down with his best teacher stare, “I’ll bring you back myself just to kill you again”

He also bumps into Santa, who hugs him. He realizes whatever crush he had on the man had been his attempts at shunting off his feelings for Kakashi and he no longer stares at Santa in the hopes that his heart will flutter. He’s still a very attractive man and a very good friend, but Iruka feels nothing more for him than he does for his other attractive friends.

“I wish I could go to the island with you,” Santa says ruefully, “but I’m more valuable on the field. When this is over, I owe you that drink I promised”

Iruka laughs. “I’ll hold you to that”

When Iruka gets to the island he’s tasked with setting up the barriers. 

It’s both the easiest and most complicated barrier Iruka has had to set up in his entire existence and the largest. It’s layers upon layers of seals, utilizing chakra from someone else because Iruka doesn’t have enough despite being keyed into Iruka’s own chakra signature. The seals are familiar, but the way they’re layered and disguised with yet more seals is where it gets complicated and it’s both exhilarating and exhausting. 

The Barrier Team Commander persistently tries to recruit him once he recognizes the distinct style of Iruka’s seals, despite Iruka’s refusal, to the point he’s considering sealing himself into his own barrier to escape.

Like Iruka predicted, Naruto leaves the safety of the island and all Iruka can do is hope the boy who has become his little brother is able to survive with his words in his heart.

The next time he sees Kakashi, the older man has two normal eyes and a faraway look. Iruka had heard about Obito’s return and his heart clenches at what Kakashi’s probably been through.

Kakashi stumbles towards him, pulling Iruka close and kissing him in front of nearly five hundred ninja from across the world.

Most of the other ninja aren’t even paying attention though, and it’s not like Kakashi and Iruka are the only pair reuniting like that. 

Kotetsu and Izumo look seconds away from doing something that could be considered public indecency whereas Genma now has Raido pinned to a tree. 

Yamato is kneeling next to Gai and Lee and Iruka feels his heart ache at the fact the exuberant taijutsu master seems so lifeless.

Kakashi follows his gaze and squeezes his hand. 

“He’s alive,” he says in a low voice, “that’s what matters”

“How are you holding up?” Iruka asks, turning to look at him. Two grey eyes meet his and it’s a little unnerving. He reaches up to brush his fingers against the scar.

“I don’t know,” Kakashi says and Iruka can tell he’s bothered by not knowing. “You?”

Iruka shakes his head. “The same,” he sighs, leaning against Kakashi’s side as they watch the reunions of family and friends. Nobody pays the slightest bit of attention to them. “It’s over now”

“It’s over,” Kakashi repeats quietly, lifting their entwined hands to press a kiss to their linked fingers.

“How-?” Iruka gently rests his fingers beneath Kakashi’s eye.

“Madara stole my Sharingan,” Kakashi says, “Naruto restored my eye,” he glances at his hand, “it’s uncomfortable”

“Uncomfortable?” Iruka asks.

“The Sharingan was a near constant chakra drain…now it feels like it has nowhere to go,” he frowns, “also, learning to see out of both eyes after so many years of only one is almost more difficult than having to adjust to one eye”

“You’ll manage,” Iruka squeezes his hand. A small smirk tugs his lips. “Aren’t you a genius?” he gently baits. Unlike the last time he used that taunt, that mission so many years ago, this time it’s laced with a teasing affection and Kakashi’s eyes widen before softening. 

He pulls him into another kiss.

“Kakashi?” Iruka lightly tugs the hair tie he catches sight of around the pale wrist. Kakashi lifts it up, letting his sleeve fall. 

“I stole it from you,” Kakashi admits, “I wanted to keep something of yours with me while I was out there. To remind me of why I needed to come home”

Iruka feels his eyes burn with tears and he squeezes his hand. “Take me home?” he asks. Kakashi nods.

“About that transfer,” Commander Matsumoto says hopefully, catching Iruka as he leaves. Iruka groans. Kakashi glances at him curiously. 

“I appreciate your offer, but again, I’m not interested”

“You sure?” Matsumoto says, “you would be well-compensated. Your skills are invaluable and your knowledge of Konoha’s barrier-”

“I am honored you think that,” Iruka is fucking exhausted and all he wants to do is get home and fall asleep curled up in Kakashi’s arms. “But the answer is the same as the last six, no seven, times you’ve asked”

Matsumoto opens his mouth only for Kakashi to glare, with both his eyes. “He said he’s not interested,” Kakashi says sharply, “respect that”

“Y-Yes sir,” the commander bows, “my apologies”

“You’ve made an impression,” Kakashi raises an eyebrow at the retreating man.

Iruka snorts. “I told you,” he stares at the sky, “fuinjutsu experts are crazy”

“You told Yamanaka,” Kakashi points out, almost bitterly. “I just overheard”

“Mn. Well, fuinjutsu experts are crazy,” Iruka scrubs a hand across his face. “I don’t have any hopes this will be the last of it. He recognized my work from Konoha’s new barrier…”

“Wait, what?” Kakashi blinks.

“When we were rebuilding,” Iruka tiredly waves his hand, “Mika-sensei and I came up with the design for the new barrier surrounding Konoha. Really, I don’t know why he’s so amazed. It’s nothing particularly fancy. We just adapted the old barrier formation and changed some of the alert seals and added a few more defenses. We didn’t even get to use some of our better ideas!” Iruka begins his rant, “Inoichi-san thought a timed explosion release seal was going overboard. And to be fair, it was pretty uncontrollable,” that seal was what eventually did his mentor in, “but the teleportation seal was tested and consistent. I mean, it would be so convenient for intruders to be immediately teleported into a cell in T&I. But Ibiki-san seemed to think it could be misused by someone with knowledge of said seal, but honestly that’s the truth about the entire barrier?” Iruka shrugs. He’s had this argument both in his head and loudly in T&I.

He nearly put Ibiki’s stubborn ass in a barrier himself to get the man to actually listen to his reasoning instead of dismissing it out of hand. It was like talking to a brick wall.

Any guilt he has about covering Ibiki in pink glitter for twenty-four hours back when he was a teenager is gone.

“You designed the barrier surrounding Konoha,” Kakashi begins faintly, staring at Iruka like he’s grown a second head, “and you’re talking about it like it’s an everyday occurrence?”

Iruka blinks. Damn he’s tired. “I mean, it’s a barrier,” he hides a yawn. “And I didn’t design the whole thing. Like I said. We just adapted the old design and provided some upgrades”

“Umino Iruka,” he shakes his head, “you’re amazing”

Iruka is a little confused at the praise, but he accepts it. He’s too tired to puzzle through Kakashi’s weirdness right now.

“Iruka!”

“Ah,” Iruka smiles happily. Kakashi tenses beside him. “Santa! You’re alright!”

“Yeah,” the orange-haired Yamanaka grins. He glances at Kakashi and looks surprised. “Hello, commander,” he bows. His gaze lands on Kakashi’s newly acquired eye and surprise flits across his distinctly Yamanaka features. He doesn’t say anything, simply pulling Iruka into a tight hug. “How did it go on the island?”

“About as well as you’d expect,” Iruka sighs, “oh and Commander Matsumoto keeps trying to recruit me”

“Ahh,” Santa laughs, “want me to have a word with him?”

“Please,” Iruka smiles in relief. Santa is one of the lead Barrier Team members. If he tells Matsumoto to back off, he will. 

“He didn’t try when we were working on the barrier, did he?” Santa queries and he feels more than sees Kakashi stiffen. 

“No, he was more focused on recruiting Mika-sensei”

“Ah. So how long were you able to keep Naruto in place?”

“I’m not even sure,” Iruka admits, “he seemed to know almost immediately something was wrong. He’s…he’s no longer the dense little fool he was as a kid,” Iruka feels his eyes water. “He’s grown up”

Santa laughs, “ah, how like you,” he says and his tone is warm, “crying over a student”

“He’s not just a student to Iruka,” Kakashi’s voice is sharp, harsh. Iruka and Santa both look over at him. “They’re family”

“That’s true, isn’t it,” Santa says easily. “He’s lucky to have you, Iruka”

Iruka blushes and scratches at his scar. He feels Kakashi shift beside him.

“I’m the lucky one,” Iruka laughs. He feels Kakashi’s arms wrap tightly around his waist, almost tight enough to be uncomfortable. Santa’s gaze lands on Kakashi’s arms and the sudden dark aura radiating from him. Understanding and surprise flicker across his face in rapid succession.

“Oh, I never would have guessed”

“Ah,” Iruka scratches at his scar, unsure what to say. What is Kakashi doing? What is with this weird energy?

“Nobody would have,” Kakashi says smoothly, with an undertone of steel. He shifts so that Iruka is practically flush against his chest. “But that doesn’t make it any less true”

Santa glances between the two of them before amusement flickers across his face.

“Honestly, now that I think about it? I don’t know how none of us saw this,” he laughs, “so were you guys only ever pretending to hate each other?”

“No,” Iruka laughs, “we genuinely didn’t get along”

“Maa, but hate is a strong word…” Kakashi mumbles.

“Hate is the only feeling I can summon for the disaster that are your mission reports!”

Kakashi looks sheepish. “…maybe”

“How long?” Santa asks curiously.

Iruka hesitates because isn’t that a complicated question.

“Six years,” Kakashi says and Iruka looks up at him, eyes wide. “Sandaime’s funeral”

Iruka flushes remembering the first night they spent together. Has it really been six years since then? And what exactly is Kakashi using as a metric? As far as Iruka knows, they only admitted to feeling more than unbridled animosity several months ago.

“Six-” Santa stares, wide-eyed. “Six years and nobody knew?”

“It wasn’t…wasn’t exactly a relationship for all six years,” Iruka admits. He isn’t even sure it’s a relationship now. “It’s complicated”

He feels the arm tighten around his waist and he wonders what Kakashi is thinking.

“Huh,” Santa looks bemused. “Well,” he smiles, “I’ll let you guys go. I’m glad you came home safe, Iruka,” he smiles warmly before bowing to Kakashi, “an honor working with you commander”

“Likewise,” Kakashi says in a bored tone before tugging Iruka away quickly.

“Kakashi, what-!” Iruka tries to yank his hand away from the tight grip, “let me go! You’re hurting me,” Kakashi lets go like he’s been burned, a tension knotting his shoulders, and Iruka sighs, gently tangling their fingers together. Some of the tension eases but he can still tell something is eating Kakashi up inside.

In the little time they’ve spent together he’s learned that if it’s something Kakashi really wants to ask him, all Iruka has to do is wait it out because Kakashi will hint at it.

“You didn’t tell me,” he’s obviously trying for nonchalant.

“Hm?”

“About your work with the Barrier Team,” Kakashi stares at the sky. “Yamanaka Santa knew”

“Oh,” Iruka blinks, “yeah, he’s one of the leaders of the Barrier Unit”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I dunno,” Iruka blinks, “it honestly never occurred to me. We were both so busy and it happened sort of fast”

“Hm,” Kakashi hums, clearly still bothered by something. Iruka gently takes his hand and presses a soft kiss to the back of it.

“If I had thought it important, you would have been the first to know”

“Sorry,” Kakashi says softly, “I don’t want to upset you”

“I’m not upset,” Iruka says, feeling a bit like he’s dealing with a moody pre-genin. “Why do you think I’m upset?” he uses in his tone reserved for coaxing out the issues in his students.

Apparently it works on copy-nins too because Kakashi is squeezing his hand and looking away.

“Cause I overreacted”

“Why did you overreact?” Iruka asks, keeping his tone gentle and unaccusing. Kakashi refuses to meet his gaze and again Iruka feels a sense of deja vu for some of his younger students who have a problem they’re too embarrassed to talk about. “Kakashi, look at me,” Iruka cups his cheek, feeling horribly fond of the slapdash scruffy Copy Ninja who has a penchant for laziness, horrible excuses, questionable taste in literature, tendency to irritate and aggravate and provoke because he’s bored, but who is also deeply protective, painfully loyal, incredibly lonely and deep inside still something of a child who never had a chance to be a child.

Shit. Iruka is so in love.

Dark grey, almost black eyes turn to meet his.

“Can we talk about it later?” Kakashi all but pleads. “I don’t want to think about things right now”

“Alright,” Iruka acquiesces. They really have been through a lot and Iruka himself isn’t even sure he wants to deal with serious conversation topics right now, especially not with the realization of the depth of his feelings for the other man. Kakashi looks relieved and pulls Iruka closer to his side as they make their way back to his apartment.

They’re too tired to do more than fall into the bed exchanging soft, tired kisses before falling asleep, Kakashi clinging tightly and Iruka gets a sense of deja vu to the night after Pain’s attack when Kakashi held him tightly enough he found bruises on his sides.

He feels a surge of affection that sweeps the breath from his lungs and holds Kakashi closer. 

Chapter Text

Iruka is woken when Kakashi shifts, sitting up. 

“Kashi?” he mumbles sleepily. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Kakashi says, sitting upright on the edge of the bed, “don’t worry”

Iruka worries. He sits up and moves to sit behind Kakashi, encircling the man with his arms. Kakashi practically melts against him, as if he can use Iruka as a shield against everything.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Iruka murmurs, “is it Obito?”

“I watched him die…twice,” Kakashi says quietly. Iruka presses his forehead against the back of Kakashi’s neck. “But in the end, in the end we were able to part as friends,” he covers Iruka’s hands with his and squeezes. “I wish things had been different, that Obito had come back to Konoha in the beginning,” Iruka feels Kakashi twine their fingers together, lifting up his hand and kissing the back of it. “It’s strange,” he murmurs.

“What is?” Iruka asks, pressing a kiss to Kakashi’s shoulder before resting his chin on it. 

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” he holds their joined hands to his chest. “Thinking about Obito…and Rin. It doesn’t hurt. It’s…complicated and confused and I think I’m choking on it if I think too long, but, it doesn’t hurt anymore”

“You made peace with them,” Iruka says, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder, “and you got to say goodbye”

“Yeah,” Kakashi says, tilting his head back to rest on Iruka’s shoulder. “I did”

“It’s strange,” Iruka shifts so he’s facing Kakashi and brushes his thumb along the bottom of Kakashi’s eye, “seeing you with two grey eyes”

Kakashi grins crooked and charming. “Unfortunately, this means I can’t record you anymore”

Iruka feels a blush scald his cheeks and he shoves him.

“Insufferable pervert!” Kakashi catches his wrists and uses his momentum to knock Iruka onto his back and straddle him with a strangely carefree laugh, pinning his hands above his head.

“Mn,” Kakashi grins, “I guess I just have to memorize you in a different way”

“Those books have rotted your brain,” Iruka laughs.

“I love you,” Kakashi blurts out before widening his eyes. Iruka widens his eyes too. Clearly, Kakashi hadn’t meant to say that. Iruka’s gaze softens as he studies the man hovering above him and thinks back on their interactions from the beginning.

“I love you too,” he admits. “I think I have for a long time but I just couldn’t see it”

“I think,” Kakashi exhales and closes his eyes, lowering himself so that his face is buried against Iruka’s neck. “I think I’ve loved you since we were kids, but I didn’t know what it was back then. I just knew you made me feel something, and I hated it,” Iruka wraps his arms around Kakashi’s shoulders. “I hated seeing you with others. I especially hated Yamanaka Santa. I don’t think I’ve ever been that jealous of someone. Every time he was near you I wanted to go up to you and kiss you, claim you as mine. It felt like…it felt like I was stuck in Itachi’s genjutsu all over again and I hated it. Especially since you would smile at him and laugh with him and yet we only ever seemed to be at odds. When he was assigned to the Third Division I tried to get him reassigned. Unfortunately I even ended up liking the guy despite my feelings. And the night of Asuma’s funeral when I saw the marks on you and realized you’d been with someone else, I was so angry. I hated the way Ebisu would stare at you. I was even jealous of the way you were so close with Anko. I despised Mizuki because he so easily threw away what I didn’t have,” Kakashi holds him tight. “I wanted you to look only at me”

“It’s only ever been you,” Iruka admits, a little overwhelmed by both Kakashi’s words and their intensity. “Even when we were constantly at each other’s throats. It’s always been you. No one else has ever been able to push my buttons quite like you”

“They’re going to make me Hokage,” Kakashi says and Iruka finds he’s not surprised but wonders about the sudden topic change, “I’m not going to have a choice. Naruto is too young and inexperienced still”

“You’ll make a good Hokage,” Iruka reassures him. Kakashi makes a face.

“Responsibility,” he huffs, “Iruka. I want you to marry me before that happens”

“What?”

Kakashi sits up and pulls a stunned Iruka with him.

“When I’m Hokage, it’s not going to be easy,” he admits, “if we openly date when I’m Hokage, people will think that one of us is taking advantage of the other, and I don’t want to secretly date because I’m tired of us hiding, I want to be with you and I want people to know I’m with you. If we get married when I’m Hokage, the wedding is going to be a fiasco. I want to marry you. But on our terms. Just the people important to us and not a political spectacle”

Iruka stares at the handsome face, made so much younger by the way silver hair flops into his face instead of standing upright, made softer with matching dark eyes. Like this, Kakashi looks like someone Iruka could trust his heart to. He lightly presses his thumb against the beauty mark below Kakashi’s lip and thinks on all their interactions. 

“How do you know we would even get along?” Iruka asks. “That we won’t annoy the hell out of each other?”

“Oh, we will,” Kakashi assures him, “in fact, I think we’ll fight more than we won’t,” he takes Iruka’s hand in his and presses a kiss to the back of it. “But I also know that we love each other. Which will make it worth it”

“You’re ridiculous,” Iruka whispers, squeezing his hand. It’s incredibly reckless and has a 50-50 chance of blowing up in their faces. But Iruka’s a fuinjutsu expert which means not only is he prepared for explosions but he must be ridiculous and reckless too so, “I’ll marry you”

“You know, Old Lady Tsunade is going to have a fit,” Kakashi laughs. 

“You think she’s going to have a fit? Anko’s gonna murder me…much less what Naruto is going to think”

Kakashi grimaces. “You’ll have to protect me,” he whines. Iruka lightly smacks his forehead with their linked hands.

“You’re the elite jonin”

“You’re his family”

Iruka’s gaze softens. “So are you”

Kakashi kisses him.

“He still thinks I’m a pervert”

“Aren’t you?”

“That hurts, sensei”

“I’m not your sensei”

Kakashi leers. “You could be, we could play sensei and student-” Iruka squawks and covers his mouth, their momentum topples them over, pushing Kakashi on his back. Kakashi’s grey eyes dance with amusement and Iruka finds he can’t stay mad at him like this.

But has he ever been able to stay mad at him?

“Infuriating man,” Iruka sighs.

“But I’m yours,” Kakashi says, although Iruka hears the question hidden in the statement.

“Mine,” Iruka confirms with a smile.

“And you’re mine,” Kakashi pulls him close, a tone of slight awe in his voice. “My Iruka”

“Yours,” Iruka repeats, feeling a shiver travel down his spine at the thought and he realizes it’s more true than he would have ever thought. “I’ve always been yours”

“I’m a possessive man, sensei,” Kakashi tells him, wrapping his arms around Iruka’s shoulders, “now that I have you, I’m not sharing you”

“I don’t like to share either,” Iruka says, flicking him lightly. “So you’ll have to tell all your adoring fans you’re mine”

“Yours,” Kakashi says in the same awed tone. “Let’s get married tomorrow”

Iruka laughs. “Don’t you think we have to tell people first?”

“Nuh uh,” Kakashi squeezes Iruka to his chest. “They can figure it out later. I want to make you mine before anyone else can steal you”

Iruka gently rubs his thumb against the end of the scar covering Kakashi’s eye. “No one will steal me,” he kisses his nose, “I promise. And besides, do you really want to face Anko’s wrath if she finds out I got married without telling her?”

Kakashi grimaces. “Fine. We’ll tell people before getting married. But not right now. I don’t wanna let you go”

“Everyone is probably asleep anyways,” Iruka says. “We should be too”

“Maa, sensei, I can think of more fun things to do instead,” Kakashi leers before stifling a yawn. Iruka hates that he’s laughing. 

“I think we’re both far too exhausted,” he kisses Kakashi’s forehead, earning a pleased hum. “Tomorrow we’ll tell our friends and Tsunade-sama,” he nestles against Kakashi’s chest and closes his eyes. “I love you, you infuriating man”

“And I love you, my stubborn idiot

Iruka is half-asleep when he startles awake.

“Wait, earlier, you were asking me all those questions about the barrier team because you were jealous?”

Kakashi levels him with a faintly disbelieving stare. “You’re lucky I love you,” he groans, dropping his hand over his eyes, “I thought I was being far too obvious considering I all but kissed you when Yamanaka came over”

“Oh my god,” Iruka murmurs, feeling really stupid as he lays back down. Kakashi presses a kiss to the crown of his head and Iruka is too tired to continue fretting about his obliviousness.

Chapter Text

“YOU WHAT!?”

Iruka winces at Anko’s screech. Kotetsu and Izumo are staring at him like he’s grown another head.

“I’m marrying Kakashi”

Best rip that bandaid off quickly.

“But…you hate each other,” Izumo blinks.

Iruka blushes. Anko is the first to put it together and she gasps.

“He’s…he’s…” she gestures wildly, “the mystery guy you’ve been sleeping with for the past several years!”

“Got it in one,” Iruka says weakly. 

“Wait, years?” Izumo blinks, “you’ve been sleeping with Hatake Kakashi, the man you’re unable to have one civil conversation with, for years?”

“He’s, ah, much more tolerable in bed?” Iruka cringes. “I don’t know. We’ve…the ANBU from when we were younger, the one who kept harassing me, the one I unmasked, that was him”

He knows Kakashi is retired from ANBU. And retired identities are held at an A-level secret. Something he’s grateful that all three of his friends have clearance for because it clears up a lot of the story.

“Wait,” Anko widens her eyes, “Hatake Kakashi was Hound?”

“Hound?” Izumo chokes, “no wonder it seemed like you hated him for no reason! Everyone was wondering what had happened between you two”

Kotetsu hasn’t said a word, still staring at Iruka like he’s afraid he’s sick.

“It’s really complicated,” Iruka sighs, “I don’t even fully understand it myself, but…we’re going to get married”

“This isn’t some…elaborate Umino Prank is it?” Izumo asks dubiously. “Get us all going on the fact that you’re marrying your nemesis”

“It’s not a prank,” Iruka says. “Although that would be a good one”

“How did your kid take it?” Anko raises an eyebrow.

“We haven’t told him yet,” Iruka sheepishly scratches his scar. “I’m…kind of scared of how he’ll react to be honest”

“Nah, the brat loves you,” Izumo says, “Hatake may be in danger though, that kid is protective”

Iruka sighs. “That’s what we’re afraid of”

“This is really real, Ru?” Anko asks in an uncharacteristically soft tone. Kotetsu snaps out of his stupor and lunges forward to hold the back of his hand against Iruka’s forehead.

“It’s really real,” Iruka says, swatting Kotetsu away, “and I’m utterly terrified, but,” he exhales, “I love him”

“How did we not notice this?” Kotetsu wheezes.

“We make some really amazing shinobi,” Izumo groans, “might as well retire now”

“Well then,” Anko claps, “we’re gonna plan the best fucking pre-wedding party ever!”

Iruka laughs, feeling a weight lift off his chest. It’s ridiculous and reckless and given their personalities is either going to end as an unmitigated disaster maybe on par with the destruction of Konoha, or they’re going to stay married and disgustingly in love their whole lives. 

Underneath the man’s apathy, is an intensity that is reserved for very few things. A single-minded focus that is usually used on Iruka to make him scream. In frustration or pleasure depends on the day, sometimes both.

He shakes himself as he greets Kakashi in front of the hospital. Yamato has been a frequent visitor of Konoha’s Green Beast and Iruka has his suspicions as to why that may be. It made it easier to tell them about the marriage though.

“Sakura was there when I told Tenzo and Gai,” Kakashi scratches the back of his head, “so I guess Ino will know here soon too”

“Which means everyone in the village will know by tonight,” Iruka says, bemused. Kakashi gives him a sheepish look.

“Sorry”

“Why are you sorry?” Iruka frowns, reaching out to take Kakashi’s hand. Matching dark eyes turn to stare at him before sliding to stare at the ground.

“Maa, I don’t know…did you want everyone to know?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Iruka steps into his space. He can tell Kakashi is nervous because his slouch gets deeper. Yet another thing Iruka has picked up: the more nonchalant Kakashi acts, the more he’s bothered by something. Looking back at their previous interactions with this new knowledge sheds an interesting light on some of them. “I told you, you’re mine and I don’t like to share”

“Really?” Kakashi asks quietly and Iruka realizes just how insecure the man really is, a side to Kakashi he never would have guessed.

It shouldn’t be so endearing.

“Really,” Iruka confirms. The tension eases out of Kakashi and Iruka knows he’s grinning. He lightly swings their linked hands. 

“Time to tell Naruto?”

“Time to tell Naruto,” Iruka sighs. “I promised to meet him for ramen. Figured that was the, ah, best way to ease him into it”

Kakashi rumbles a laugh as they make their way to Ichiraku.

“Do you want to stay?” Iruka asks. Kakashi shakes his head.

“I think it’s better if you have this conversation”

Iruka is about to say something when he feels Naruto’s chakra. In the same instant the boy rounds the corner, Kakashi pulls down his mask and kisses Iruka on the lips.

“KAKASHI BAKA-SENSEI!?”

“You did that on purpose,” Iruka whispers. Kakashi grins and tugs his mask up, stepping back as a raging Naruto reaches them. 

“Maa, morning Naruto,” Kakashi gives him a jaunty salute, but Iruka can see the tension coiled around his body.

“WHY WERE YOU KISSING IRUKA-SENSEI!?”

“Naruto,” Iruka takes Kakashi’s hand and some of his tension eases. “Kakashi-sensei and I are going to get married”

“I-what?” Naruto blinks, glancing between them, “is-is this some kind of joke, Iruka-niisan?” 

Iruka tries not to tear up at the term of address. “It’s not a joke, ototo,” Iruka hesitantly tests the waters with it. Blue eyes widen before welling up with tears.

“You-you’re really marrying this lazy pervert?” Naruto asks again in a much smaller voice, glancing between them. Iruka nods his confirmation. “Like, really really?”

“Really really,” Iruka says firmly.

“I thought you guys hated each other!” Naruto whines, but Iruka can see the anxiety welling up in his eyes and he knows exactly what Naruto is afraid of.

“It’s complicated,” Iruka says, “but this doesn’t change anything between us, you know that right?” at the embarrassed flush that crawls over whiskered cheeks Iruka knows he’s right. “Naruto, you will always be my family”

“You,” he sniffles and despite being eighteen years old, Iruka has a violent flashback to a lonely twelve year old little boy, “you won’t forget me?” and his eyes burn with tears.

“No, of course I won’t forget you!” Iruka hugs him fiercely, only half-succeeding at not crying. Naruto isn’t as successful; he clings to Iruka, sobbing like he’s back to his twelve-year old self despite now being almost the same height.

“Then…I guess it’s okay,” Naruto sniffles, glancing at Kakashi from the circle of Iruka’s arms. “But Kaka-sensei is a lazy pervert who’s always late,” he narrows his eyes, “Kaka-sensei! You’d better not be late to your wedding!”

Iruka laughs, wiping his eyes. Kakashi grins and Iruka is surprised to find his eyes are a little red around the edges too.

“I promise,” he says. Naruto sniffles before launching himself at Kakashi, taking the man by surprise.

“You won’t forget me either, will you?” Naruto asks. 

Kakashi stares at Iruka over Naruto’s head, eyes wide and uncertain. Iruka nods reassuringly and Kakashi hesitantly returns the embrace.

“How could anyone forget you?” Kakashi ruffles his hair. “I’m going to have to train you to be the Seventh Hokage, after all”

“S-Seventh…?” Naruto stares at him with large eyes, “really Kaka-sensei? Who’s gonna be the Sixth?”

Kakashi grimaces. “Well, that would be me”

Iruka hides his laugh at Naruto’s comical reaction.

“Kaka-sensei is stealing both Iruka-nii and the Hokage seat from me!” Naruto wails, but Iruka can tell the blonde is secretly happy now that all his insecurities are, mostly, soothed. “You’d better treat Iruka-nii right!” he pokes him in the chest.

“I promise,” Kakashi smiles. 

Naruto looks so very young and so very lost for a moment.

“Naruto-kun?”

They turn to see Hinata standing a few feet away. Iruka doesn’t miss the red flush that darts across whiskered cheeks. 

Apparently Kakashi doesn’t either because they exchange a knowing glance.

“Congratulations, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei,” Hinata bows.

“Thank you, Hinata-chan,” Iruka smiles warmly, not even questioning the fact Hinata already knows. “Naruto, perhaps a raincheck on ramen?” he tips his head knowingly in Hinata’s direction and Naruto blushes.

“Are…are you sure?”

“We’ll always be able to get ramen together, no matter what,” Iruka reassures him with a smile. Naruto brightens at that before nodding and turning to the Hyuga.

“Hinata-chan,” Naruto laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head in a distinctly Kakashi-esque manner that has Iruka hiding his smile, “what’s up?”

Iruka takes Kakashi’s hand and quietly pulls him away, leaving Naruto and Hinata to flounder through their blushing conversation with a serene smile.

“Good thing we were never like that,” Kakashi chuckles as they wander along the street.

“No, instead we spent all our time fighting with each other and making the entirety of Konoha believe we hated each other while using crisis situations to sleep together”

“Maa, well it worked, didn’t it sensei?”

“Anko, Kotetsu and Izumo thought I was pulling a prank on them when I told them we’re getting married,” Iruka raises an eyebrow. Kakashi grimaces.

“Tenzo knew already, how I felt,” Kakashi shakes his head, “knew even before I did. Gai…” he trails off.

“How is he?” Iruka asks quietly, knowing Gai’s injury is serious and debilitating. 

“He’s…dealing,” Kakashi looks at the sky, “I think having Tenzo around has been good for him, and his mini-me hasn’t left his side either. And telling him about us made him happy enough to start crying Manly Tears of Happiness. I even managed to get half a Good Guy pose out of him when I asked him to be my best man”

“Not Captain Yamato?” Iruka asks in surprise.

“Mn. Almost. But, Tenzo knows why I chose to ask Gai and he agreed it was the best course of action”

“You’re a good friend, Kakashi,” Iruka squeezes his hand, feeling stupid and happy and so very in love with such a thoughtful man. Even if almost the entirety of Konoha thinks he doesn’t care about anything, Iruka knows better. “He’s lucky to have you”

Kakashi presses a masked kiss to Iruka’s temple. Iruka can tell he’s secretly pleased.

“Do we find Tsunade-sama and let the Konoha grapevine do the rest?” Iruka raises an eyebrow. Kakashi grins. 

“Race you!”

“ASSHOLE!” Iruka shouts, chasing after him. 

He thinks he hears Kakashi’s laugh and smirks. He knows a shortcut into Hokage Tower from his days as a prankster. 

He veers left and drops into a tunnel, speeding through and climbing up before dislodging a roof tile and landing in the Archives, scaring a poor chunin half to death.

“Sorry, Yui-san,” Iruka bows to his shocked and bemused coworker and leaves the Archive to stand in front of the Hokage’s door. Several minutes later, Kakashi comes in through the window and lands next to Iruka.

The ANBU guards immediately go on alert, nervous energy radiating from them at the pair’s proximity.

“How-?” Kakashi blinks. Iruka grins smugly.

“Classified,” he teases.

Kakashi grins. “You never fail to amaze me”

“Careful,” Iruka responds, a flicker of mischief in his eyes that Kakashi clearly catches, “don’t want ANBU to think you’ve gotten too fond of me”

Kakashi snorts. “You? Never,” he says. 

“BRATS!” Tsunade’s voice shakes the building, “IF I HEAR YOU FIGHTING-“

“Maa, Tsunade,” Kakashi calls back, “fighting is the best form of foreplay”

“HATAKE KAKASHI!” Iruka actually shouts, embarrassment scalding his cheeks made worse by the fact that the perverted jonin is right, “YOU PERVERT! SO HELP ME I WILL-” he’s cut off when Kakashi spins him around and kisses him.

The door to Tsunade’s office slams open.

“I swear, Hatake,” she huffs, “if you killed my best teacher and the future headmaster I will-” she blinks at the sight in front of her. 

Kakashi smirks, pulling up his mask and turning back around. Iruka holds the back of his hand to his red face and looks anywhere but Tsunade and the two ANBU. Kakashi takes his other hand and twines their fingers together, holding them up. 

“We want to get married”

Iruka politely tries not to stare at the ANBU who falls from the outside of the Tower in shock.

“I don’t know what you’re playing at, Hatake,” Tsunade narrows her eyes.

“He’s…right, Tsunade-sama,” Iruka blushes darker.

Tsunade stares for a very long time before looking like she aged ten years.

“Get in here and explain,” she jabs her thumb at her office.

It takes far longer to explain everything to Tsunade and Iruka is still embarrassed at having to tell the Hokage that they’ve spent years having hate sex after tragedies but it turned into something more somewhere along the line.

Kakashi has no such qualms and Iruka has to smack his arm, the back of his head, and threaten him with bodily harm and increasingly creative uses with barriers several times to reign him in from sharing too many details.

When they finish their story, Tsunade lets out a heavy sigh and reaches under her desk for a bottle of sake. She drains the entire thing at once before staring at them for a long moment.

Iruka catches sight of several members of ANBU peeking in. Curious, he sends out a ping and nearly chokes as the room and area surrounding the room lights up so bright it nearly gives him a headache.

Did every ANBU come to listen? Do they not have anything better to do??

“You’re serious about this,” Tsunade says. Iruka and Kakashi both nod. “This isn’t some bizarre joke the two of you are playing?”

“No, Tsunade-sama,” Iruka admits. 

She sighs. “When do you want to get married?”

“As soon as possible,” Kakashi says. 

“This idiot wanted us to get married today,” Iruka pokes him in the side. Kakashi retaliates by tugging his ponytail. Tsunade watches them, amused.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it before,” she laughs heartily. Iruka blushes.

“We’ve been dancing around this too long,” Kakashi says, strangely serious and Iruka feels a thrill of dread. “When I died, when Pain killed me, my biggest regret was never having told Iruka the truth, that he would still think I hated him and that he hated me. When I saw him afterwards, I thought the relief would kill me all over again”

Iruka turns away, blinking the tears out of his eyes. He lightly brushes his fingertips over the back of Kakashi’s fingers, brushing against the hair tie still on his wrist.

“But we didn’t have a chance to talk. And I promised myself that if I survived the fight with Madara that the first thing I would do is tell Iruka how I really felt, consequences be damned”

“I hate you right now,” Iruka whispers, wiping his eyes. Kakashi grins. Iruka subtly links their pinkies briefly before squeezing and letting go.

“Love you too”

Tsunade is staring at them in shock. Shizune’s cheeks are very pink. Another ANBU falls off the underside of the Tower with a loud thud.

“Damn,” Tsunade swears, “I think I just lost big”

Iruka lightly thumps his forehead against Kakashi’s shoulder in exasperation. Kakashi tilts his head to press his cheek against Iruka’s head quickly. 

“Alright,” she says, pulling out a stack of paperwork. Kakashi blanches. “These are the forms you have to fill out”

Iruka takes one look at Kakashi and sighs as he takes the stack of paper. “I’ll have them filled out and to you tomorrow by the end of the day”

“You do love me!” Kakashi practically chirps.

“Why? Because I’m doing your share of the marriage paperwork?”

“Yup!” Kakashi leans in, Iruka leans back against him, “that’s true love right there, sensei”

“Only because if I left it up to you, the paperwork would probably find it’s way into the nearest puddle or conveniently in the middle of a fire jutsu or fed to your ninken,” Iruka throws out some of Kakashi’s excuses for the state of his mission reports.

He thinks he hears a snicker from the shadows behind an amused looking Tsunade. 

“I would never!” 

“Tell that to the Mission Room workers”

“I wouldn’t treat our marriage papers like that, those are important”

“Then at the very least, you wouldn’t get them back to Tsunade until next year at the earliest”

“Maa, well, I can’t actually argue that one,” Kakashi scratches the back of his head, “the papercuts, sensei, I can’t stand the papercuts!”

“Better get used to it,” Iruka replies, looking through the forms. He’s grateful for the work he’s done in Hokage Tower both with Sandaime and with Tsunade because he knows how to fill them out. Kakashi peers over his shoulder and Iruka tilts his head to brush the top of his head against Kakashi’s cheek.

Tsunade coughs, doing a poor job of hiding her laughter. 

“Well, the two of you are certainly going to have an interesting marriage”

“Lots of-mmph,” Iruka covers Kakashi’s mouth with his hand before politely bowing to Tsunade. He uses his leverage on Kakashi to force the man into a bow and he definitely hears the shadows behind Tsunade snicker this time. 

“Thank you, Tsunade-sama, we’ll just be going now,” Iruka steers the older man out of the office before swatting him on the head with the papers he’s holding. “Behave yourself”

“Sorry sensei,” Kakashi grins and Iruka sighs.

“Let’s go”

Kakashi jauntily salutes the two ANBU, who even with their masks Iruka can tell are absolutely poleaxed, before following Iruka down the hall. 

“Marriage paperwork,” Kakashi hums, “it’s all getting terribly serious”

“Is that a problem?” Iruka suddenly feels worried. Kakashi takes his hand and squeezes reassuringly, dark eyes warm as he presses a kiss to their linked fingers.

“I’m more than happy to be told to behave and listen and put away my porn in front of children for the rest of my life, as long as you’re willing to spend just as much time petting as you are pushing”

Iruka smiles at the absolutely infuriating silver-haired jonin who has somehow had his heart since they met as children.

He glances around before tugging Kakashi into the supply closet nearby, pulling down his mask and kissing him hard. 

“So bold, sensei,” Kakashi teases, pupils dilated.

“We’re not gonna drop the sensei thing, are we?” Iruka despairs. Kakashi cups his cheek.

“You worked hard to earn that title,” he says and the whiplash Iruka gets from teasing Kakashi to serious Kakashi is intense. “It’s important to me”

“How are you so good with words?” Iruka groans. Kakashi grins.

“Icha Icha”

Iruka lightly thumps his chest before pulling him down into another kiss. He’s always struggled being able to talk about his truest feelings. He’s more than happy to listen to others and to give his advice, but when it comes to his own feelings he prefers actions over words. It’s why he and Asuma understood each other so well. 

When they would fight as kids neither one would apologize with their words. Instead it was Asuma pressing a cup of tea into Iruka’s hands, or Iruka dropping Asuma’s favorite snacks in his lap.

It’s why he and Anko are so close. Neither one is good with talking about their own feelings. Instead, they’ll sit together for hours, or make each other laugh, they’ll cry in each other’s arms and fall asleep tangled together, Iruka will bury Anko in dango and Anko will drown him in ramen. 

“I’m not,” Iruka admits. Kakashi studies him. “I can’t do declarations of love or undying devotion…I’m not,” he gestures vaguely. “I don’t do well talking about my feelings, I can never find the words”

“You don’t need to,” Kakashi twines their fingers together. “Your actions speak for themselves; the way you kiss me or hold my hand, how you instinctively know when to comfort me. In Tsunade’s office I felt you leaning towards me and I don’t even think you were aware. But mostly? It’s your eyes, sensei,” he tilts Iruka’s chin up. “For years I wondered what that expression was and how to get you to look at me like that”

“Like what?” Iruka blinks.

“Love, sensei,” Kakashi grins and it’s adorably crooked. “Like now, I see it. I see it when you look at Naruto, or your students, I see it when you smile at Anko and when you’d laugh with Asuma. They say eyes are the windows to the soul. If that’s true, then you have a very warm one,” he squeezes their hands, “but one only need look at the way you treat people to see that”

Iruka chokes. “You…you don’t play fair, Kakashi”

Kakashi laughs. “You’re the one who doesn’t play fair, sensei,” he smirks, “do you know how hard it is to see that expression in your eyes and not want to do very bad things?” Iruka blushes. “Not just that. When you blush,” he lifts their entwined hands and his finger traces along Iruka’s scar, “your scar changes color. When you get mad or annoyed, it crinkles up. The way you wear all of your expressions and your emotions…” Kakashi’s voice deepens and Iruka shivers, “I can’t help but want to tease you, because you are so beautiful like that. And you don’t even know what you do to me”

Iruka exhales shakily, pressing entirely against Kakashi, peering up through his lashes. He feels the jonin’s breath hitch.

“Then why don’t you take me home and show me?”

Kakashi’s arms are around him, fingers flashing into a teleportation jutsu and before Iruka has even finished his sentence, he’s pinned on his back on the bed.

Chapter Text

The days leading up to the wedding are chaos. It had taken all of twenty-four hours for pretty much all of Konoha to know that the years long Umino-Hatake Feud had turned into the Umino-Hatake Marriage.

Kakashi, by sheer virtue of reputation, was saved from having to deal with people. Iruka, who is friendly with more than half the village, is not so lucky. Several ninja claimed they had always suspected there was more to the relationship, but more often than not Iruka got approached by people wanting to confirm, wanting to know how long, and complaining that they lost a lot of money.

Genma had accosted them at Ichiraku’s and almost hysterically demanded to know when the prank was going to end before an apologetic Raido came to cart him off.

The few people brave enough to approach Kakashi are quickly intercepted by Iruka, who is well-aware of the jonin’s inherent solitary nature and general dislike of people.

Iruka has also fielded so many well-wishers it’s insane. He’s pretty sure word of their wedding has even traveled to other villages because he receives a very expensive-looking ornate vase from Gaara, addressed to Naruto’s Iruka-niisan and doesn’t that do things to Iruka’s already defenseless heart? 

He also, rather amusingly, receives a rather poorly written rap song from Killer B addressed to them both. His teacher senses make him realize that despite its quality the man actually put quite a bit of thought and effort into it, so he frames to hang on the wall. 

“You’re a popular man, sensei,” Kakashi eyes the excessive amount of flowers from Ino, who had screeched in excitement and hugged Iruka tight enough he was concerned for his lungs, that takes up most of the kitchen. Iruka scratches at his scar before sneezing. Kakashi glances at him in amusement. 

Sai presents them with a drawing that has Iruka’s cheeks burning and Kakashi gleefully declaring they’re going to hang it above their door.

Genma still eyes them warily as if expecting them to jump out at him. Although, to be fair, his reaction is probably justified having been on the receiving end of several of Iruka’s revenge pranks over the years.

Ebisu has taken to staring at him with a despondent, gloomy aura that freaks Iruka out and generally has Kakashi glaring in the elite tutor’s direction.

Kurenai in her silent, almost spooky stealthiness accosts them with quiet congratulations and Iruka almost desperately wishes Asuma was still there. 

“Are you alright?” Kakashi asks after Kurenai ghosts off. Iruka exhales shakily.

“Just…Sandaime would have loved this,” Iruka huffs a laugh, “he probably would have guessed it. Maybe he did. And Asuma…oh my god, the amount of shit he would give me over this? I can hear him in my head”

Kakashi is quiet for a long moment. “Obito probably would have done the same,” he says, “teased me about being, well, a human”

Iruka squeezes Kakashi’s hand.

A passing Kiba looks a bit like he’s seen the spirits of his ancestors.

“I can’t believe Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei are together,” he whispers to Shino in a not so quiet voice. “It’s so weird”

“Why?” Shino’s voice is sharp, “because they’re both guys?”

“Because he was our teacher, man,” Kiba blinks, shaking his head, “you don’t realize teachers have like, personal lives, you know? But like. Damn. You don’t want to think about teachers having personal lives. Even hot ones like Iruka-sensei”

Iruka nearly chokes. Kakashi squeezes his hand.

“Inuzuka Kiba,” Iruka uses his teacher tone. Kiba and Shino both stiffen, “even if you have learned nothing else as a shinobi despite my best efforts, at the very least learn to gossip quietly”

“Yes Iruka-sensei,” Kiba instinctively bows before looking confused as to why exactly he’s bowing.

The two hurry down the street looking suitably chastised and a little freaked out.

Kakashi watches them leave, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. His shoulders shake with silent laughter.

“Even now they act like you’re still their teacher. Their hot teacher, I might add,” Kakashi snickers.

Iruka groans, tugging Kakashi along, “most of my former students act like that” he shakes his head, “the few times I’ve run missions with some of them I find myself frustrated because they look to me for commands regardless of whether I’m the captain or not,” he sighs, “and they act like I’m going to give them a failing grade if they mess up which impacts their confidence quite a bit. I actually specifically requested to not be teamed up with former students”

Kakashi shakes his head, “you left an impression on them,” he says, brushing a masked kiss to Iruka’s fingers, “not many people can say that,” he leans in, “though that may be because you’re so hot”

“Hatake Kakashi, I swear-!”

“Hatake-jonin is in trouble with his fiancé again,” a civilian woman whispers to her friends, silencing Iruka.

“They’re so cute together. They remind me of my parents”

“You know my dad swore that they were going to kill each other one day”

“Isn’t Iruka-sensei a chunin?”

“My dad said he should have been promoted three times”

“I heard two,” another woman says, “but they can’t have Hatake-jonin’s fiancé in the field like that so it was safer for him to stay a chunin”

“I wonder if he’s seen his face”

Iruka buries his face in his hands. Kakashi lets out an amused hum and tugs Iruka down the sidewalk.

“Is it true?”

“What?”

“That you were supposed to have been promoted three times?”

“Officially two,” Iruka sighs, “to tokubetsu with a specialization in barrier ninjutsu and fuinjutsu. A third and it’s automatic that I’m put through to test, but Sandaime made the third recommendation disappear for me”

“Why did you turn it down?”

“I’d be put back on the active duty roster and be assigned missions when my skillset was necessary regardless of my other commitments. I didn’t want to give up being a teacher”

“Would you ever test for tokubetsu?”

“I don’t want to,” Iruka says firmly, “come on, let’s go home”

The silver-haired jonin follows obediently, seemingly lost in thought.

Kakashi’s apartment had been destroyed in Pain’s siege and so he’s pretty much been staying with Iruka. They’ve talked about moving somewhere else, which somehow meant that Kakashi started asking him dozens of odd questions about architecture. 

Iruka chalks it up to Kakashi being Kakashi.

Gai seems to have recovered some of his old spirit and races around the village in his wheelchair spouting excitedly about Youthful Weddings and the Flowering of Love. Iruka doesn’t understand what he says but he politely listens and thanks Gai for his words which leads to the Green Beast sobbing uncontrollably while babbling about how his Eternal Rival doesn’t deserve someone as Youthful and Caring as Iruka and that Gai will defend Iruka’s honor. Iruka isn’t sure why Gai is going to defend his honor but he thanks him anyway and escapes before the second round of sobbing. 

When he mentions it to Kakashi the man simply shrugs and dismisses it as Gai, but Iruka can tell he’s relieved that he can dismiss it as Gai because it means the Green Beast is getting back to normal.

This, plus the urge to turn the tables and pick on Kakashi, is what prompts Iruka to ask Gai to write a speech for the wedding.

Kakashi’s horrified look warms Iruka’s heart. Gai’s Manly Tears and sudden exuberance so like his old self is just the cherry on top.

Yamato’s promise to make sure it’s kept to a time limit is even better.

They had debated for a very long time about which of their friends to put in charge of decorating because apparently neither Kakashi nor Iruka had much of an eye for that sort of thing. The only thing they could agree on was that they wanted it to be kept simple and casual.

In the end, Sakura, Ino and Hinata had taken to the task with an enthusiasm that quite frankly scared Iruka and dashed any hopes for simple and casual. 

When he found out that all of his students from his first class, and some from his subsequent classes, had also joined the planning effort, he had spent two hours crying in the bathroom until Kakashi had found him.

He’s stunned when Hyuga Hiashi presents him with a very old-looking scroll of sealing techniques.

“What are we going to do with everything?” Iruka asks, looking at Kakashi as a parent of one of his current students who’s family owns a bakery presents them with a box of pastries. The man quirks an eyebrow and shrugs before body-flickering away. 

Iruka is increasingly baffled by his actions and when he asks if Kakashi is alright, the man reassures him everything is fine. 

A purple-haired ANBU leaves a set of very elegant matching yukata on the kitchen table.

Kakashi complains about needing to make the wards more complicated, but Iruka watches as he almost reverently traces his fingers against the fabric when he thinks he’s not looking.

There’s a few more mysteriously appearing gifts such as a pink toaster oven, a very expensive looking matching set of painted tantos, medical kits, a peculiar silver statue in the shape of a giant dumpling, a clumsily potted plant that Iruka recognizes as native to Takigakure, a spool of chakra wire in a pouch with bottles of glue and canisters of glitter that Iruka secrets away, a box of lube from Water Country that has Kakashi gleefully chortling, and an unusually large wok that takes up almost half the table. Iruka suspects they have also come from ANBU mostly based on the sheer weirdness, if the fact they weren’t mysteriously appearing wasn’t enough of a giveaway. Kakashi’s secretly fond look as he complains about the wards again tells Iruka everything he needs to know.

The night before the wedding, Anko, Kotetsu and Izumo kidnap Iruka and drag him out to a bar where he’s greeted by Santa, his fellow teachers, Mission Room workers and some of his former students, including Naruto who gets drunk and shouts about his Iruka-niisan to anyone within hearing distance. Which, really, means half of Konoha.

Ebisu looks absolutely devastated about something and only sobs loudly when Iruka asks if everything is alright.

He knows Gai and Tenzo have dragged Kakashi off somewhere else, and he thinks Kurenai and someone named Yugao are also there.

Iruka had still had to convince him to go, but it didn’t escape his notice that it didn’t take quite as long as usual and his protests seemed more for appearance’s sake than actual reticence.

He laughs at some joke Anko makes as Iwashi plies him with more alcohol.

Eventually Naruto passes out on his shoulder and Iruka decides he’s never been happier.

Chapter Text

The day of the wedding, their gremlin friends don’t allow them to see each other. Anko does his hair pinned half up with a black hair pin, strands loose in his face. When she brandishes a kohl pen like a kunai, Iruka tries to flee only to be trapped by one of her snake summons. 

“I’m not a girl!” Iruka struggles.

“Of course not,” Anko huffs, “but you’re pretty. Imagine Hatake’s reaction when he sees you”

“She’s right,” Izumo says, leaning against the wall and studying him. “You really are pretty like this”

“Bets on whether Hatake gets a nosebleed or not?”

“We won’t be able to tell if he does,” Kotetsu huffs. “He wears that damn mask all the time”

Iruka sighs and gives up. He doesn’t stand a chance against Anko anyways and he, albeit reluctantly, trusts that she won’t make him look ridiculous for his wedding.

Sure enough, Iruka catches sight of himself in the mirror and blushes at his own reflection. He’s wearing a black kimono, dark teal hakama and black haori with silver and teal wave embroidery. His hair, falling below his shoulders, is pinned half-up and secured with a black lacquer hairpin, several loose and wispy strands frame his face. His eyes are lightly lined with kohl, making them appear even larger and softer than normal and he has the deja vu sensation of a baby deer he had once seen at the Nara compound. Anko had even been able to get away with a subtle red powder on his lips, reassuring him it won’t make him look too feminine. 

She was right. Iruka doesn’t really look feminine at all, no more than when he usually leaves his hair down, but he does look pretty. Kotetsu and Izumo both blush when he smiles at them.

“Hatake won’t know what hit him,” Anko grins, leaning over his shoulder. She’s wearing an almost dangerously short purple dress with silver chains as straps and boots with a heel that promises someone having to carry her home at the end of the night. Her hair falls loose, shorter than Iruka’s own.

The wedding itself is being held on top of the new Hokage Monument. 

Despite his initial apprehensions considering his former students were responsible, the decor is beautiful…if a little excessive. It had to have been Yamato who created massive, ornate wood benches and giant trellises covered and dangling with some kind of creeping pale yellow flower. Someone, probably Ino, had decked the benches out with bouquets of flowers in shades of pale yellow and white, petals scattered about the ground.

So much for a small wedding, he decides, feeling a bout of self-consciousness at the sheer amount of people.

Half of Konoha is here. He recognizes his former students, his current students, his colleagues, his friends and all their families.

Naruto, Anko, Izumo and Kotetsu stand in place of his family. On Kakashi’s side are Tenzo, Gai, the purple-haired Uzuki Yugao who Iruka recognizes both as Hayate’s girlfriend and as the purple haired ANBU and, much to Iruka’s surprise, Sasuke. Sakura had said she couldn’t choose between them so she opted to just be a guest.

Iruka exhales shakily, grateful Kakashi has his mask on. He thinks the full effect would be devastating. The man’s kimono is black and his hakama is an odd silvery grey material, his haori is also black and has the henohenomoheji embroidered on the back in silver thread. The collar of his haori is also embroidered with silver and when he moves, the sun subtly reflects off what must be thin silver threads sewn throughout. His hair has actually been trimmed rather nicely and, while retaining its spikiness, falls slightly neater than normal. 

His eyes widen when he sees Iruka and he nearly stumbles. There’s a thud to his left and he glances worriedly at where Ebisu has passed out. Iruka watches two ANBU fall out of the trees to his right, much more silent than Ebisu. Whispers pick up and Iruka feels incredibly self-conscious at the wide-eyed stares. Naruto’s jaw is hanging open and Sakura looks like someone smacked her in the face with a dead fish. Maybe the makeup was too much and he really does look ridiculous. He scratches anxiously at his scar and tries to hide behind his hair as he faces Kakashi. 

A pale hand brushes his hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear. Iruka looks up and Kakashi exhales sharply. “As much as I don’t want anyone else to see you like this,” Kakashi says quietly, “I can’t lie and say I don’t feel a very strong sense of satisfaction at the fact that most everyone in this room is incredibly jealous that I got you first”

“What…?” Iruka scratches his scar again, only for Kakashi to catch his hand and kiss his fingers to a chorus of sporadic cooing.

“You’re absolutely stunning, Iruka, and everyone in the room knows it”

“I-” Iruka feels the blush bloom across his cheeks and Kakashi holds the back of his hand to his face and looks away.

“Kami, Iruka, you can’t blush like that or I’m going to ruin both my mask and my pants”

This only causes Iruka to blush darker. He catches sight of another ANBU falling out of a tree behind Kakashi.

“Shit,” Kakashi murmurs lightly touching the front of his mask. To Iruka’s shock, his fingertips come away stained red.

Out of the corner of his eye he watches Anko and Kotetsu exchange money. Tenzo and Gai are doing something similar. 

Iruka is grateful the ceremony starts. Once he’s able to focus on something that isn’t the staring and whispering, he forgets how self-conscious he is.

Gai’s speech is actually surprisingly thoughtful and Iruka finds himself genuinely having to hold back tears as the Green Beast talks almost seriously about the importance of one’s Precious Person and how having someone to come back to is what makes a person want to fight harder and how happy he is that his Eternal Rival has finally found the person he wants to come home to and Iruka blushes at being called the Kind and Youthful Beauty twice.

Granted, Iruka is pretty sure he counts sixty three variations of the word “youth” in the five minute speech, but overall it was better than either Kakashi or Iruka were expecting.

When they’re told to kiss, Iruka tugs a dark fan from his pocket and snaps it open. Kakashi’s dark eyes flicker in surprise before he tugs his mask down, hastily wiping the blood off his face, and Iruka raises the fan to hide their faces much to the very loud chorus of amused disappointment from their guests.

“You are a devious man, Umino Iruka,” he murmurs, kissing him long and slow before tugging his mask back up. “Beautiful and clever, how can I not fall in love?”

Iruka wonders if it’s possible to die from blushing as he slides the fan back into his pocket and Kakashi takes his hand.

Everyone cheers and Iruka can’t help the grin that crosses his face. 

Ebisu passes out again and three more ANBU fall out of the trees.

Gai is sobbing loudly, clutching Tenzo in his lap like a dog with a squeaky toy. For his part, Tenzo just seems amused and vaguely tired as he pats the Green Beast on his head.

Iruka tries his best not to cry again as he looks at everyone who showed up. His former students grown up, losing some of their baby fat and wide eyes. His current students cheering and throwing handfuls of colored paper in the air above their heads. Their friends who survived hell with them, smiling and celebrating now in a time of peace. They survived two wars and the destruction of Konoha and yet they’re here.

He looks at Kakashi. The man is staring at him with a dazed sense of wonder in his eyes and Iruka smiles. People in the crowd shriek and giggle and coo.

This time he sees the dampening of the dark fabric.

Chapter Text

The reception is nice. Tsunade gets trashed not even fifteen minutes in and spends the next ten squishing Iruka to her chest and going on about how much of a saint he is and how thankful she is that someone will keep the brat in line and make him behave at important meetings and won’t let the village fall to ruin thanks to shitty paperwork and that if the brat gives him a hard time she’ll come kick his ass.

The Akimichi Clan had insisted that they cook for the reception as their wedding present to Iruka and Kakashi. And cook they did. The amount of food is mildly terrifying but utterly delicious.

Kakashi had briefly fled to change out his mask. Iruka, ever the social butterfly, makes his rounds and thanks everyone for coming. Several people blush when he smiles at them and Ebisu’s bloody nose is explosive enough that Konohamaru actually panics. Kakashi is by Iruka’s side immediately, wrapping an arm around his waist and dragging him away, mumbling about closet perverts and too-pretty chunin until Iruka presses a kiss to his masked lips to shut him up.

The silver-haired jonin Iruka can now call his husband is incredibly reluctant to let Iruka speak with Santa, but Iruka wins out. 

“You look,” Santa’s cheeks resemble his hair, “you look amazing, Iruka-san”

“Thank you, Santa-san,” Iruka smiles and Santa blushes harder.

“Ah, um, congratulations to both you and Kakashi-san, I really never would have guessed. Ino-chan was in shock when she found out”

“Yeah,” Iruka laughs and Santa turns redder, “neither would I”

“Many thanks,” Kakashi’s smooth, bored voice comes from over his shoulder and Iruka feels the slight pressure of the man’s fingertips against his lower back, subtly urging him to leave. Santa looks thoroughly amused.

“We’re glad you came,” Iruka bows before allowing Kakashi to pull him away.

Kakashi rests his chin on Iruka’s shoulder with a pout that’s audible in his voice. “He has a thing for you”

“He does not,” Iruka laughs. “He’s just being nice”

“Ebisu definitely does”

Iruka blushes. “Ebisu is Ebisu. Who knows what the man is thinking?”

“What about that chunin with a beard?”

“Iwashi?” Iruka crinkles his nose. “No way,” he sighs, “Kakashi, I…I’m really not that attractive”

Kakashi’s hands grip his cheeks and he finds his head tilted back.

“You really believe that, don’t you?” Kakashi says in disbelief. “Maa, I guess this is good for me then,” he drawls, “means I don’t have to worry that you’ll realize better men than me are also attracted to you”

“There are no better men than you, Kakashi,” Iruka turns his head to press a kiss to the pad of his thumb. “Not to me”

“And you say you don’t have a way with words,” Kakashi murmurs, trailing his thumb across Iruka’s scar. “Do you know how badly I want you right now? How badly I have wanted you since the beginning of the ceremony?”

“It would be rude to leave in the middle of our reception,” Iruka says. Kakashi makes an annoyed noise. “But,” he smirks, “wait thirty minutes and then make a clone and go back to the apartment”

“Sensei,” amusement flickers across Kakashi’s dark eyes, “are you suggesting we leave clones to handle the reception?”

“I would never,” Iruka bats his eyelashes and Kakashi swears.

“Ten minutes?” 

“Twenty then,” Iruka says in a tone that brooks no arguments. “I want to at least tell the important people what I’m doing. Having backup is always a good thing”

“I will defer to the master prankster,” Kakashi sweeps into a bow and Iruka rolls his eyes affectionately. “Twenty minutes,” he kisses the back of his hand. “I’ll meet you at home”

“Kakashi and I are leaving,” Iruka says in a hushed voice once he gathers his trio of friends. “But to not be rude, we’re leaving clones behind to finish the reception out”

Anko makes a sound of delight. Kotetsu snickers.

“Couldn’t wait to get to your wedding night?” he teases, earning a smack from Izumo.

“I need you guys to make sure the clones don’t get dispersed early. I doubt it would happen, but just to be sure”

“You can count on us,” Izumo grins. “Feels just like the old days, huh guys?”

Anko leers. “Use protection”

Iruka glances around to make sure no one is watching before he leers back. “We’re both clean”

Kotetsu wheezes at the not so subtle implication and Anko looks positively gleeful. Izumo is snickering.

“Fucking hell, Ru,” Kotetsu says once he’s gotten himself under control, “no wonder you and Hatake ended up together. He’s probably the only one who can handle you”

Iruka winks. He catches sight of Kakashi talking to Gai and Yamato before hiding behind Anko and performing the substitution jutsu. 

He ends up in his living room seconds before Kakashi appears.

“Kamisama, you’re clever,” Kakashi pulls down his mask and kisses him. “I love you”

“I love you too,” Iruka responds, tangling their fingers together and kissing him, hand slipping up his sleeves to trail down his arms. Kakashi groans and squeezes Iruka’s butt.

“Actually,” Kakashi flushes, pulling away reluctantly, “I had an ulterior motive for wanting to leave early”

“Oh?” Iruka blinks.

“Not that I don’t want to fuck you into the mattress until neither one of us remembers our own names,” Iruka splutters and blushes, “but I wanted to show you something first,” Kakashi holds out his hand and Iruka curiously takes it. 

The silver-haired jonin teleports them to a large swathe of empty land.

“Senpai,” Yamato shakes his head as he meets them there, “using clones at your own reception…”

“It was my idea, Yamato-san,” Iruka bows. 

Yamato blushes and looks sideways at Kakashi. “Ah, Iruka-sensei, you may call me Tenzo, if you wish”

Iruka blinks before smiling, “thank you, Tenzo-san,” Yamato, no, Tenzo blushes.

“Kohai,” Kakashi says with an edge to his voice.

“Right,” Tenzo shakes himself. Iruka glances between the two of them. “Please stand back, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-senpai”

Kakashi tugs Iruka back behind Tenzo. The brunet holds his hand to the ground and Iruka watches in shock as wood shoots out of the ground and within the span of a few minutes forms into a rather large house.

“Ah,” Kakashi scratches the back of his head, “the Hatake compound was destroyed by Pain and I know we’ve talked about moving somewhere else…so I figured maybe we could start new,” he gestures to the house. It’s beautiful; large and square and sprawling with a graceful engawa. “Tenzo and I have been working on this for awhile”

“Senpai is very exacting,” Tenzo says in a tone that makes Iruka think the poor man needs a nap. “I hope you like it, Iruka-sensei”

“It’s beautiful, Tenzo-san,” Iruka is left breathless, “thank you”

“Maa, sensei, I’m the one who designed it,” Kakashi pouts. Tenzo rolls his eyes. Iruka laughs and wraps his arms around Kakashi’s neck. 

“You designed it very well, Kakashi,” he smiles, “it’s absolutely perfect,” he holds out his hand, “care to give me a tour?”

“As you wish,” Kakashi says, practically vibrating with excited glee. 

“Thank you,” he mouths to Tenzo behind Kakashi’s back, who grins a funny little grin as Kakashi leads him inside.

The interior is large and open. Four bedrooms, a large sitting room, a kitchen, a dining room, a room that Kakashi says is for the ninken, a library where Iruka can do his grading and a training room. The interior courtyard also has an engawa that spans the entire house. It’s filled with all kinds of trees and plants thanks to Tenzo’s ability. 

“I don’t know what to say,” Iruka whispers, holding a hand to his mouth. Tenzo had left, leaving them to explore in peace. “Kakashi, I-”

“I love you,” Kakashi says simply, “I want us to be able to start something new together”

Iruka really shouldn’t be surprised at the fact that even when they’re not fighting, Kakashi has a way of surprising him.

“You’re ridiculous,” Iruka laughs, wiping the tears he can feel burning his cheeks, “how are you so perfect?”

“Maa, sensei,” he brushes the tears away, “I’m a genius after all,” he winks. Even now it’s bizarre being able to tell he’s actually winking. 

“My genius,” Iruka says, bumping their noses together. He never gets tired of the way Kakashi’s entire face lights up whenever Iruka says or does something to stake his claim on Kakashi.

Kakashi buries his face against Iruka’s neck and holds him tightly. “Always yours,” he says, muffled, “only yours. Now you’re stuck with me”

Iruka laughs and holds him tighter.

“Well,” he teases, “that goes both ways. You’re also stuck with me”

“Wouldn’t want to be stuck with anyone else”

Iruka doesn’t think he can love this idiot man, his idiot husband, any more than he already does as he kisses him thoroughly. He finds it ironic that the passion with which they hated each other is no less intense than the passion with which they love each other.

But Iruka’s life has always been a lesson in irony. He’s actually surprised he didn’t see this coming.

“I have plumbers and roofers scheduled to be coming in next week,” Kakashi hums, “and the roofer said he could do tatami flooring too” 

“Kakashi,” Iruka murmurs, “I-”

“And one last thing, sorry,” he pulls out a scroll and lays it out, “well a couple last things. First thing is to add you to the summoning scroll”

Iruka is a little overwhelmed by everything. “Kakashi, are you sure?”

“I talked to the pack about it,” he says, “It’s common for a Hatake spouse to be added to the summoning scroll. And if something were to ever happen to me, I would want them to be yours and…well, I haven’t asked, but I was wondering if Naruto would too, since he’s your f-” Kakashi is unable to finish his sentence because Iruka practically throws himself on top of him and kisses him within an inch of his life. Literally. When Iruka pulls back, Kakashi is actually having to gasp for breath.

“I love you,” Iruka murmurs, “I don’t…I don’t know what to say to any of this”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Kakashi rolls them over onto their sides, holding him. “You agreeing to spend the rest of your life with me is enough. Being able to be by your side is enough. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to look at me the way you do now. If I can have that the rest of my life, then I will die a happy man”

“You’re not fair,” Iruka complains, “I don’t have words to describe how much I feel for you. Sometimes it hurts to even think about how much I feel,” he admits, “words…any word I could find is just inadequate compared to the actual feeling”

Kakashi actually blushes at this and Iruka marvels over the pretty color. 

“You do though,” Kakashi says. Iruka looks at him in confusion. “I don’t know how you do it, but you always seem to know…everything. You know what I need without me having to say it. You know when I’m uncomfortable, when I’m upset, when to push me out of my comfort zone and when to let me stay in it. But you don’t make me talk about these things, you just know. Don’t think I didn’t realize you were stopping people from talking to me about us, or what you did by asking Gai to write a speech. Tenzo said he was so focused on trying to write the perfect speech that he was distracted from his injury. Or the fact you let Anko cling to you and bug you beyond the point of anyone’s patience because you know she needs the reassurance that you still care no matter what. Or that you bring Kurenai her favorite fruits because the obaa-san in the market gives them to you for free because you help her with house repairs, and how you would go out of your way to thank Tenzo for all the work he put in helping to rebuild. He wouldn’t stop mentioning it. I was honestly a little jealous of how much he talked about you. You were one of the only people to acknowledge his effort. You, Gai, and Naruto. Even beyond what you do for others. You know how to comfort me even when I don’t know I need it. After Jiraiya died, I didn’t even realize I needed anyone until you were in front of me, smiling at me the way you do,” he presses their foreheads together, “I think it was that moment I realized I couldn’t be without you. You just know things in a way I could never,” Kakashi sighs softly, “you remind me of Kushina-sama, honestly. Maybe it’s an Uzushiogakure thing”

Iruka laughs quietly. “Mika-sensei says I reminded her of her childhood friend from Uzushiogakure too, so maybe,” he reaches up and gently threads his fingers through Kakashi’s hair. “But I know these things because I know you,” he says, “because I love you,” he kisses him again and again, a rapid succession of soft, quick kisses that has Kakashi groaning and pressing his hips against Iruka’s.

“Let’s hurry and get you added to the scroll,” Kakashi says in a strained voice, “it is our wedding night after all”

Iruka nods and they sit up. Kakashi unrolls the scroll and pulls out a kunai, holding his hand out for Iruka’s. Looking pained, he carefully cuts the tip of his index finger with a muttered apology, gently taking it into his mouth after Iruka has added his blood to the scroll. The soft, velvety press of Kakashi’s tongue has Iruka groaning and shifting into his lap, grinding his hips to try and get some friction.

He catches sight of the henohenomoheji and gasps as realization flashes through him. Kakashi makes an inquisitive sound as he releases Iruka’s finger.

“The-you-“ he points to the henohenomoheji, “when I became a teacher! That was you!”

Kakashi turns red and scratches the back of his head.

“You worked hard,” he says, “you were perfect for a teacher and I knew you would be an amazing one. I hated that Mizuki made you feel like you weren’t capable of it, that the only reason you made it as a teacher was because of him. I knew there was no way you would fail”

“Kakashi,” he murmurs, staring at the face, “those pens were the best gift I received,” he admits, “I had never seen anything like them, they were beautiful and I had an impossible time willing myself to use them,” he laughs. “I can’t believe it was you”

“I picked them up on a mission to the capital,” Kakashi admits, “I didn’t even understand why I was buying them except that I remember leaving feeling like I really, really wanted to punch Mizuki every time he made a comment about your ability”

Iruka thinks back on their interactions. Of all the insults and harsh words exchanged over the years, Iruka realizes that not once had Kakashi ever said anything negative about his profession, he had never once looked down on Iruka for choosing to be a teacher and had actually encouraged him.

“I love you so much,” Iruka says softly, wrapping his arms around Kakashi’s neck. Kakashi returns the embrace. He makes the hand signs to teleport them back to Iruka’s apartment, directly on top of the bed. “Really?” Iruka raises an eyebrow, “you couldn’t have pinpointed exactly where we would end up…”

“What can I say?” Kakashi’s slender fingers are loosening his obi, “I’m a genius”

Chapter Text

Iruka whines as Kakashi’s hands dance along his skin; cool fingers feeling like they’re leaving burning marks. He fumbles with the ties of Kakashi’s clothes, fingers suddenly ridiculously clumsy. 

Kakashi laughs softly, catching his hands and pressing kisses to each of his palms. Iruka is ridiculously, madly in love with him and he shifts so that Kakashi is on his back.

The Copy Ninja watches as Iruka kisses and licks his way down his body, paying special attention to specific scars that have Kakashi writhing beneath him. He mouths at the bulge covered by black hakama, spending a few minutes teasing Kakashi over the fabric until Kakashi is frustratedly ripping them off.

Iruka laughs, letting his breath ghost softly against Kakashi’s frankly massive cock and earning a full body twitch. He starts slowly; licking from base to tip with broad strokes of his tongue before sliding his mouth all the way down until his nose is buried in the thatch of silvery curls and he’s forcibly relaxing his throat as the length takes up almost half. A slender hand grips his hair and Iruka swallows once, twice around him. Several quick curses leave Kakashi’s lips and Iruka can tell based on the tautness of his hips that it’s taking all his self-control not to fuck Iruka’s mouth.

He brings a hand up to Kakashi’s thigh and in code, taps out use me. Based on the strangled sound, Iruka can guess Kakashi understood and he relaxes moments before Kakashi draws his hips back and thrusts forward.

Iruka lets out a moan and clings to Kakashi’s hips, letting his throat and his jaw go lax as Kakashi fucks his mouth. Even still, Iruka can tell Kakashi is restraining himself and the reckless part of his mind that is usually reserved for experimental fuinjutsu that generally go boom wonders what it would be like if Kakashi used his full strength. 

Harder he taps out. Kakashi’s hips stutter.

“I don’t…I don’t want to come like this…” he responds between harsh breaths. Iruka whines and Kakashi curses as he tugs Iruka off. “Not like that,” Kakashi pants, “I want…I want to come inside you. This time”

Iruka nods, a shiver wracking his body at Kakashi’s words, his voice. Deep and velvety and drawling, even at times like this. 

With ease, Kakashi pulls him up, depositing him on his back on the bed. Iruka doesn’t have time to register the shift in position before Kakashi is kissing him, slick fingers sliding between his legs. Iruka arches his back, running his hands along Kakashi’s shoulders and down his spine.

Kakashi’s fingers tease him until his head is empty of all thoughts except Kakashi and how much he needs him. Kakashi nips and sucks along Iruka’s skin, almost everywhere he can reach and Iruka only has a moment of despair at the fact he’s probably going to be one giant hickey in the morning before Kakashi’s fingers are hitting that place deep inside him and sending waves of pleasure through his body.

He whines his desperation and Kakashi’s breath hitches. Seconds later, Iruka screams as gentle waves of chakra pulse through him. 

Having both Kakashi’s dark eyes fixed on him is almost more intense than the Sharingan. Something about those endless depths feels far more intimate. Iruka is suddenly embarrassed, hiding his face behind his hands even as Kakashi’s fingers work him open carefully.

“Bashful, sensei?” Kakashi says, amusement curling around his tone like smoke, “all of a sudden?”

“Sh-Shut up,” Iruka gasps out, biting his lip. Kakashi laughs and withdraws his fingers. He tugs Iruka’s hands away from his face and leans down to kiss him as he slides inside him and pulls him upright in almost the same movement. Iruka gasps out and arches his back, shifting his hips as he adjusts to the startling depth. He leans down and kisses Kakashi, fingers twisting gently in the silvery hair as he rolls his hips. Kakashi exhales in a long hiss, his own fingers digging into his hips. They stay like that for a long moment, unmoving, entwined and doing nothing more than exchanging soft kisses.

“I love you,” Iruka whispers against his lips, a burst of mischievous energy shoots through him, “my husband,” he breathes against Kakashi’s ear as he rolls his hips again, nipping lightly at his pale collarbone.

The effect is instantaneous. Kakashi tensing against him, entire body locking up as he stares at Iruka with wide eyes.

“You’re going to kill me,” Kakashi whispers, pushing Iruka onto his back and hooking his arms under his legs as he withdraws all the way before sliding all the way back in with enough force to lift him off the bed. Another almost-scream rips from Iruka’s lips.

“Oh?” Kakashi’s strained smile carries a hint of amusement, “you like that?”

Iruka whines, hiding his face in his elbow in mortification at his secret little kink being discovered. Kakashi laughs, tugging his arm away and using one hand to keep his wrists pinned above his head.

The next thrust is harder than the last one and Iruka arches his back, cheeks flushing red. The pace Kakashi sets after that is harsh and fast and Iruka swears to all the gods that the man, his husband, is doing his best to rearrange his insides. 

“Gods, Iruka,” Kakashi’s voice is wrecked and breathless, “you have no idea-” 

“Harder…” Iruka gasps out. Kakashi swears and suddenly, Iruka is lifting off the bed again. His hands are freed as Kakashi grips his hips and uses them as leverage to go impossibly deeper and improbably harder. Iruka grabs onto his biceps and holds on tight, unable to do anything under the force of Kakashi’s strength except hold on.

His release is pulled from him like a firecracker and he swears he feels it with his entire body as his vision whites out. He’s barely aware of Kakashi’s own release filling him.

Iruka’s head feels like it’s filled with cotton and he knows they need to shower or something, but right now he’s not sure he can even move.

He’s unsure how long they’ve laid there when a resounding crack echoes through the room.

“Uh oh,” Iruka murmurs, too exhausted to move.

“Did we-?” Kakashi asks, disbelief coloring his tone.

“We broke the bed,” Iruka confirms.

“I can ask Tenzo to make a new one. Reinforced,” Kakashi’s tone clearly tries for a teasing leer but he’s still breathless so it just sounds thready and tired.

Iruka groans in response, closing his eyes. 

“Oh no,” Kakashi murmurs.

“What?” Iruka stirs from the doze he’s drifted into.

“My clone. Someone started a food fight and Tsunade hit me with a dessert”

Iruka snorts before an image flashes in his mind of a plate hurtling for his head.

“Ah shit, they got mine too”

“Maa, seems like everyone is pretty drunk anyway,” Kakashi laughs, holding Iruka tighter. “Now, our wedding night still hasn’t ended you know”

Iruka laughs and allows Kakashi to draw him into another kiss, slender hands promising slow and gentle and Iruka decides as long as it’s Kakashi, all ways are good for him.

Chapter Text

“Senpai, we’re not sure who it was,” Tenzo’s voice is miffed. “Naruto and Konohamaru stopped pulling pranks like this years ago, and besides, whoever it was somehow managed to get the entire ANBU organization too!”

“Maa, Tenzo,” Kakashi is grateful his mask hides his grin.

“We haven’t seen a prank this level since Iruka was a genin,” Fox complains, picking flakes of yellow out of her dark hair. She freezes. “It wouldn’t be-” she exchanges a glance with Hawk and Tenzo.

“No,” Hawk shakes his head, “Umino wasn’t ever able to access headquarters. Whoever did this had access to headquarters”

“Someone in ANBU then?” Pig asks.

“That’s the only option,” Hawk replies, “but I don’t know who would do something like this”

“Are we sure it wasn’t Iruka-sensei?” Pig asks. 

Kakashi sighs at the young ANBU. By now, most of his ANBU are former students of Iruka’s and trying to get them to stop referring to him as sensei when in ANBU uniform has been almost impossible. 

“You’re giving away your association with him by calling him sensei,” Hawk says. Hawk had been a young ANBU during Kakashi and Iruka’s teenage years. Now, mostly retired, he regularly trained the new ANBU and he occasionally guarded Kakashi. 

“Sorry, captain,” Pig bows, flakes of yellow fall off her head.

Kakashi grins. He wonders about getting Iruka to design a training course for ANBU. The ones who were previously under his tutelage would probably be equal parts delighted and shocked. And Iruka would be able to test out some of his nastier traps and seals.

Tenzo approaches him once Pig, Fox and Hawk have left.

“Senpai”

“Kohai”

“You have yellow paint under your fingernails”

Kakashi glances at his hand and grimaces, curling his fingers in. 

“Ah, he warned me that might happen”

“Senpai!”

“I can’t take all the credit,” Kakashi shrugs. “I only followed the instructions and trapped headquarters. Iruka got everyone else”

This particular prank coated half of Konoha in bright yellow, orange, and green paint. From ANBU headquarters all the way to the Academy and splattered on the Hokage Monument. The paint would fade in a few hours, but watching ANBU try and scrub everything off was thoroughly entertaining.

Tenzo tugs off his mask to give Kakashi his best blank stare. 

Kakashi smiles sweetly, knowing that even though Tenzo can’t see it, he can sense it.

“Senpai…” Tenzo despairs.

“See ya,” he winks, ducking out the window and making a beeline for the roof.

Iruka is leaning against the railing overlooking the village, ponytail fluttering lightly in the wind. Kakashi takes a moment to ogle his backside underneath the navy blue jacket of an upper level Academy official and wonders if maybe he should commission shorter ones before he sneaks up behind him and wraps his arms around his waist.

“Anata, you’re lucky I can sense you,” Iruka says mildly, “otherwise I’d probably have thrown you off the roof”

“Maa, it would take more than that to kill me,” Kakashi tugs down his mask to kiss Iruka’s cheek. “Tenzo knows. About the paint”

Iruka snorts softly, “anata, I told you to make sure you scrubbed your fingernails,” he chides, glancing at the brightly colored village, “Gai-sensei has taken the lead on trying to clean it up. I feel slightly guilty”

“It’s good for him,” Kakashi peers down at the people trying to scrape the impossible to remove paint. “He probably considers it a training exercise. And I’m up here with you which means I’m safe from any challenge he may cook up”

“Don’t lie, you enjoy them as much as he does,” Iruka laughs. Kakashi makes a face but he knows he can’t actually lie to Iruka and he doesn’t want to. Iruka is the only person who can figure out every single part of him. It should be a terrifying thought, but he knows that his husband would never use any of it to hurt him and there’s something strangely freeing in the thought that Kakashi doesn’t have to hide or deflect.

And isn’t that something.

His husband.

Someone he can trust unconditionally.

He never thought he’d have that in his life.

“Gai…he’s a good friend to you, Kakashi,” Iruka smiles softly. “You’re lucky to have him in your life”

Kakashi studies the Green Beast doing one-handed pushups while he scrubs the paint and shouting at his mini-me who is doing the same. It feels almost like having the old Gai back and he knows his face has that horribly soft expression that he feels mildly horrified for making.

“Don’t ever tell him that”

“I would never,” Iruka turns and wraps his arms around Kakashi’s neck with a laugh, “can’t let anyone think the aloof Hatake Kakashi has gone soft now, can we?” he teases.

Kakashi rolls his eyes affectionately. 

Sure they fight more often than not. Iruka’s temper is explosive and when Kakashi gets stressed he has a habit of picking at it. He’s pretty sure their love language is bickering. But very rarely do they go to bed angry.

Their first big fight had been about Iruka taking the exam to become vice principal. Iruka had refused and Kakashi had been frustrated that Iruka was continually holding himself back. It had lasted about a week and left them in a cold war during the day, despite waking up tangled in each other’s arms.

Iruka can be petty as hell when he’s angry and Kakashi can be too apathetic, preferring to avoid talking about things rather than dealing with them. And sometimes Kakashi gets insecure over the fact that Iruka knows him better than Kakashi feels like he knows Iruka.

Yet they always seem to make it work. Neither one is particularly fond of overly obvious public displays of affection but in private they’re usually always touching; a hand against a wrist, arms around a waist, ankles looped together.

Kakashi’s jealous tendencies have settled a little bit now that he knows Iruka is really his, but he still feels a little prickly whenever Iruka mentions Yamanaka Santa or when he sees Ebisu staring far longer than is polite.

He closes his eyes and sinks against the younger man, pressing his face against his neck.

“I love you”

Iruka’s laugh is soft and warm and the arms around Kakashi’s neck tighten slightly.

“And I love you,” Iruka says, “now, let’s go get ramen before the paint fades and you have to get back to work”

Kakashi grins, lightly looping his pinky finger through Iruka’s as they flicker off the roof and in the direction of Ichiraku’s.

He’s already planning on what they can do after his retirement and for the first time he realizes he’s looking forward to his future. He’s actually realizing that he has a future.

“Maa, sensei, how many onsen do you think there are in the world?”

“I really don’t know,” Iruka hums, easily following Kakashi’s non sequitur having grown used to his bizarre trains of thought that are never completely voiced, “hundreds, probably”

“Hm,” Kakashi looks at the sky and idly wonders how long it would take to visit hundreds of onsen. He glances at Iruka and presses a masked kiss to his cheek. 

Well, they have a lifetime together to figure it out.