[FIC] The Kunoichi's Heart 05
Title : The Kunoichi's Heart
Rating : PG-15 (this chapter), R later on.
Disclaimer : The characters are NOT MINE.
Chapter : 5/???
Words : 4,876 words
Summary : What if Iruka was a female? Follow the Naruto story since the very beginning.....
Pairing : KakaIru (the others will be canon-like hopefully)
| Chapter 01 - The Failed Student |
| Chapter 02 - The Realization |
| Chapter 03 - The Promise & the Test |
| Chapter 04 - The Growing Fondness |
WARNING : UNBETAED YET!
OMG... I update again.... I can't believe I'm THIS fast.... O___o
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Chapter 05 - The New ‘Friends’ : 4,876 words
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“You’re to accompany Tazuna-san of the Wave Country. He's a bridge builder requesting for some shinobi to escort him back to his home and protect him from bandits or robbers. Good luck.”
“Hn..”
“Yay!! Thank you, Hokage-sama!!”
“Great, old man!! Iruka-sensei! Just wait for me! I’ll buy a ramen for you there!!”
“Maa…..it’s enough, kids. Let’s go. See u later, Iruka-sensei, Hokage-sama.”
Iruka only could nod and smile back at the backs of the team 7 as they went out of the Hokage’s office together with the builder.
“Don’t worry too much, sensei.”
Iruka turned back to glance at the Hokage, smiling sheepishly, “Ah….forgive me, Sandaime-sama. Did you say something? ”
The old man chuckled at her, sipping his tea calmly, “They will be fine. Kakashi will make sure all of your students back safely, Iruka-kun.”
“I know he will. Excuse me, Sandaime-sama.” With a polite bow, Iruka walked rather hurriedly out of the office.
Now alone, Sandaime smiled sadly.
Maybe….this team could break her mask one day….
I only hope I’m still alive to witness that moment….
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Iruka finally reached the Konoha gate. The sight of the backs of team 7 greeted her as she finally shouted.
“Naruto!!!”
All of team 7 glanced back at her, obviously surprised at her sudden appearance (except Kakashi-sensei who just waved back lazily). In seconds, Iruka already snatched Naruto away from the group and landed a few feet away from them.
“Iruka-sensei??” Naruto’s confused blue eyes blinked at her.
Iruka just grinned sheepishly, “I forgot to do something.”
“Huh? What is it, sensei?”
Giving her back at the team not away from them, Iruka took Naruto’s face between her hands and kissed the temple softly, “Be safe, Naruto.”
Naruto grinned at the gesture and immediately latched at his favorite sensei‘s waist eagerly. “OF COURSE, SENSEI!!!! YOU TOO!!!”
“Okay, please be careful, Naruto-kun.” Letting go the child’s arms around her, Iruka smiled at Naruto who immediately ran back toward his team.
“Be careful, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan!” The other two gennins nodded and waved back. Sakura shouted back happily, “Thank you, sensei!!” Even Sasuke smiled a bit.
She waved at the team who walked off the gate when she just realized that there was one figure walking to her instead of going off with the rest of team.
“Kakashi-sensei?? Sorry for the disturbance….” Iruka smiled sheepishly, a familiar blush rose as the jounin went closer.
Eer…he might be angry at me suddenly coming like that…. Baka Iruka…
“Maa….don’t worry over it, sensei.” The jounin just shrugged, stopping a feet away from her. Kakashi couldn’t help the smirk he made at the blushing state he put the chuunin into.
Nervous aren’t we…..Iruka-sensei.
Iruka didn’t understand why she can’t put the slight redness off her face at the sight of the familiat silver haired jounin walking to her. She nodded instead.
All of those years before she grew closer with Naruto, Iruka had thought the silver-haired jounin as an unreachable figure, the infamous Sharingan Kakashi who had great skills and mysterious past who didn’t bother to know others who didn’t deserve it. And that horrible horrible book he always seemed to read plus the impossible reasons he always gave if he was late to give reports always made Iruka herself wary with the sanity of the said jounin. She was told before that jounins were crazy after all, and of course many already proved it.
But nowadays, watching the said jounin strictly (or lazily, depended on his mood) instructed his students, her ex-students, to do their training properly and the way he handled all of them for the past months, Iruka couldn’t help but change her perception slightly over the silver haired jounin.
From the few months she knew Team 7 (mostly when they were in training), Iruka could gather few facts that Kakashi-sensei was a guy who had a dry sense of humor, terrible sense of timing, an unhealthy likeness to enjoy his student’s suffering in between their training (as ALL normal jounins did), and a pervert (what else you call a person who buried his nose under that icha-icha book two third part of his day???).
Recently Iruka could feel that it was not as awkward as before that she now could stand easily beside the guy without fidgeting on spot. She even exchanged a few short talks and jokes with the jounin while waiting for Naruto’s training to be done.
Maybe it was Naruto’s influence.
Iruka glanced back fondly at the view of the three gennins and the old man who walked away from them, ignoring her own blush. “Shouldn’t you follow them now, Kakashi-sensei?” she asked confusedly.
“Hmm…before that, is there anything else you want to say, Iruka-sensei…?”
Iruka grinned sheepishly when her question was answered back with one of his own.
He’s so perceptive…. That’s Kakashi-sensei. He always be able to read what I want to do nowadays….
“Eer….right.”
“Hmmm…?”
“Please take care of them, sensei.” Iruka smiled, finally braving herself to stare up at the jounin before her. Her brown eyes met with the single deep grey, staring down to hers. The said eye softened slightly, which made Iruka blushed deeper for reason she didn’t know herself.
“Of course.” He curved his eye in return.
I’ll try to return your ‘children’ back in one piece, sensei…. I’ll make sure of it.
“And you have to go back safely as well, okay?” Iruka couldn’t help but said it as well, not knowing why. It was as if her mouth having a brain of its own.
“It’s a promise, Iruka-sensei.” Kakashi opened his eyes back, staring the smaller figure before him for a few seconds longer than he usually did with his jounin mates.
If you want… I will try to return….back to you, sensei…
He suppressed his sudden want to go much closer to the female chuunin.
“I should go.” With a nod returned by Iruka, the jounin vanished in a swirl of smokes.
A few hundred meters away, two gennins glanced at each other with knowing smile. Sakura giggled behind her hands as Sasuke merely smirked at the blonde’s obliviousness to what happened between his ‘mother’ figure with their silver haired sensei.
You’re so whipped, Kakashi-sensei….
Naruto simply blinked at them, “Huh? What’s wrong with you two!? We’ve got to move you know!”
“Nothing.” Sasuke and Sakura answered in unison. Sakura winked at Sasuke’s knowing smirk thrown at her.
Let’s see how long it will take Naruto to realize it…
A few minutes later, Iruka was still standing there. She was staring up at the sky, hoping for the safety of people close to her.
Please let all of them be safe……
Kakashi-sensei, you better keep your words…
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MORE THAN A WEEK LATER……..
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Team 7 finally came home after their mission.
“Iruka-sensei!! Tadaima!!!” Naruto said, smiling widely at her as he latched on her waist. He was covered by some scraps, but much to Iruka’s relief - still very much alive and breathing.
Thank God….
“Okaerinasai, Naruto.” Iruka smiled down at him, forgetting for a minute her job as relief replaced her constant worry of the safety of her favorite gennin team the second she saw that familiar blonde head. She was in the middle of carrying some mission papers to the locker room at that late afternoon, but it could wait later. Much later.
Most people already go home anyway. I could file these papers later.
Her smiles widened when Sakura and (surprise!) Sasuke appeared beside her. Like Naruto, both of them covered by small bruises and dirts, but nothing was worse. The small pink haired girl hugged her back tightly, “Yay! You won’t believe what happened in our mission, sensei!!”
“Oh, and what happened, Sakura-chan?” Iruka ruffled her pink hair playfully.
“We can’t tell you. It was mission-related, sensei.” Sasuke answered, but Iruka could sense a hint of small smile threatened to appear on his face.
“You’re cruel, Sasuke-kun.” Iruka chuckled, “By the way…where is Kakashi-sensei?” She turned around, expecting the familiar silver hair to appear suddenly in front of her as usual - only to find no one around them.
Sakura let go her waist as the said girl pointed back to the Hokage office, a few doors away. “He’s there, discussing with Hokage something about Zabuza-san and Haku-san’s fate. I hope it’s alright….” Iruka could sense a worry radiated from the three gennin as the pink haired girl said those words.
“Zabuza-san? Haku-san? Who’re they?” Iruka blinked.
Sakura and Sasuke looked uncertain to answer, but Naruto beat them. “They’re our new shinobi friends, sensei! We met them in Wave country and they have really cool jutsus!”
Huh…? Shinobi friends…? And Zabuza….. I think I’ve heard that name before….
“Yo, sensei!”
Iruka snapped out of her mind as the familiar curved single eye met her dark brown ones. “Kakashi-sensei!?”
The jounin appeared before her and -thank God- his Icha-icha wasn’t seen anywhere near his face / hand. Unlike his three students, the jounin seemed in better condition, except for his left bandaged hand. Kakashi felt himself smile at those familiar brown eyes.
Glad to be back, sensei…
“Hey! Don’t go much closer, pervert-sensei!” Naruto pushed the jounin away from his favorite sensei as Sasuke glared at the jounin as well. Kakashi leaned away a bit at their gesture, “Maaa…..”
I think they’re still traumatized after accidentally being exposured to that one page from Icha-icha…… Honestly, they’ll go through that period a few years later…. No need to shock to see picture people fu**ing in bed, right? Or maybe Iruka hasn’t given them any ‘bird and bees’ talk before? Well…I should ask her to do that sometime later…
Iruka just blinked confusedly at them.
Huh? What’s wrong with them…?
“Naruto-kun! Watch your language!”
“Eep!! Sorry sensei!”
Iruka just sighed, smiling up at the said jounin. “Thank God you all are alright. How’s the mission, Kakashi-sensei?”
Kakashi just shrugged but answered nonetheless. “It was long & tiring mission, but it ends fine.”
No one is killed except the enemies. And Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura improved so much. We brought back two ex-missing nins that -after a few talks & questions- may join Konoha. I count this as success.
“Hmmph…… where can I translate ‘ends fine’ to ‘ends as ANBUs trailed behind me for unknown time in the future’?” Came a sudden dry voice behind all of them. It was dry, hoarshe, and a bit darker than anyone voice Iruka ever heard. In reflex, Iruka turned to the unfamiliar voice, kunai in hand. Papers that previously held in her arms were already neatly put on the nearest desk in mere second. Before her ex-students realized it, she already stood protectively before the gennin.
“Who are you??”
Before her, two unrecognized figures walked toward them. The taller one, he had white bandages wrapped on his lower face, hiding his mouth from the view. He had dark grey pants complete with patterned boats. His upper body held nothing but a dark belt hang from his neck to connect to his pants, showing anyone his pale yet darker chest and two armguards (like Sasuke’s) with similar pattern as his boats. The shorter one (which Iruka guessed as female) was a rather beautiful looking girl. She had a long beautiful black hair which tied in a white bun on top her head and left two long bundle of hair fell around her face. She wore a blue-green short kimono, a long sleeved dark vest inside, and a short dark brown hakama. The wooden sandal was showing her pale and slender legs. Unlike her companion, her face showed a smile that made her look more harmless than a kitten. Like the rest of Team 7, both of them covered by some scraps and dirts. And Iruka could recognize blood stains anywhere in a fifteen meters radius, included on their clothes.
Before Iruka could contemplate more, a familiar large hand grasped her shoulder gently as its owner turned her to face against him instead. Kakashi curved his eyes at her surprised look, “Maa….. Iruka-sensei. It’s alright.”
Grasping Iruka’s shoulder a bit tighter, Kakashi noticed the reflex she showed a few seconds earlier. She moves so fast…. And that fighting posture….where did I see that before…?
The seconds the jounin finished his sentence, Iruka’s tensed shoulder relaxed under the familiar touch as she lowered the kunai and get it back to the holster. “Kakashi-sensei? Who are they…?”
If Kakashi-sensei says so…. Then maybe they’re not enemies… are they?
Before Kakashi could answer her, Naruto already beat him. “They are the new friends we met in Wave country, sensei!! The scary dark guy is Zabuza-san! And the pretty one is Haku! They have really cool jutsu, you must see them later, Iruka-sensei!!”
“So….you’re her sensei, huh?” The sudden voice of the dark guy (Zabuza-san, Iruka presumed) made Iruka glance at the unfamiliar nins before her once again.
“Uh…”
“Zabuza-san! Be nice, please!” The second voice joined as Iruka blinked at its owner.
Wait a minute….I’m sure girls don’t have that baritone voice unless…
“Oh My God….You’re a BOY!???” Iruka’s eyes widened as her brain just registered with the fact.
“………………….”
“………………….”
“………………….”
There had been a defeaning silence for more than ten seconds before everyone laughed out loud. Even Sasuke chuckled. SASUKE.
Oh my…I think I said a wrong thing here…..
“A…Ha…HA..HAHAHA!!! SEE??? Haku!! I TOLD you before that you’re TOO pretty!!!” Naruto laughed out loud, rolling on the floor insanely.
“Ahh…haha…..*gasps* Naruto!! It’s not THAT funny!!” Sakura chuckled, trying her hardest not to laugh out loud as her blonde teammate did.
“Sensei, you damage his brain already. Congratulations.” Sasuke shook his head, chuckling at the sight of his blonde teammate still rolling on the floor, laughing.
Now I know where Naruto get that blunt mouth of his….
“Wow, Iruka-sensei. I don’t know you have quite a sense of humor.” Even Kakashi, whose hand was still on the chuunin’s shoulder, chuckled. He really enjoyed the unexpected yet very welcoming closeness he had with the chunnin, who was at the moment tried to bury herself under the ground -out of humilitation- if not Kakashi’s hand tightly grasped her shoulder, preventing her from going anywhere, to underground or anywhere else.
The dark guy rolled his eyes, chuckling as well when his companion, Haku, blushed slightly at the remark. Haku was used to people whispering behind him that he was ‘too pretty’ to be a guy, but this Iruka-sensei apparently was the first adult (the first child is Naruto) who was so bluntly said it in front of his face.
Iruka blushed HARD after realizing her blunt words. “I…..”
…Oh my God….
I just said VERY rude words to people I barely meet ….
How the hell a GUY get to be THAT pretty anyway!??? I’ve never EVER met one like this (maybe Sasuke or even Neji, but they’re not THIS pretty), so it’s caught me off guard!
A glimpse of past passed before her, causing Iruka’s eyes widened even more at the remembrance. A slight fear seeped inside her spine.
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“Cheer up, sensei!”
“Eer…Ruka, I don’t think this’s the best time to say ANYthing…” Izumo whispered urgently beside her, eyes stared worriedly at their silent sensei who stared at nothing for the past few days.
“But, Zumo! Sensei has been like that for DAYS! Moping around and-“ A hand closed her mouth before she could go further complaining.
“Ssst!!! Ruka! Be silent for ONCE, okay??? Can’t you see sensei needs time to-“ Before Kotetsu finished, Iruka already jumped before her sensei. Her eyes stared back against those empty ones.
“Sensei! I know you’re still sad over him & I’m sorry for that - although I still don’t think him like you do… But there’re NOTHING we can do about it!”
“Ruka!!” She ignored the worried shouts her friends threw on her.
“Don’t act like this! You’re a COWARD if you give up now, sensei!!”
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Immediately, Iruka bowed deeply at the ‘boy’. “Forgive me! I know I was rude before! I hope it doesn’t offend you!” The carefully hidden memories were coming faster and faster, making her wince inside. She tried to block them out of her mind.
The two looked surprise at her sudden outburst but eventually the rather beautiful shorter guy smiled at her. “It’s okay. You’re neither the first nor the last people to say that to me, sensei. Still, thank you.”
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“What did you SAY….??” Their sensei hissed slowly, the earlier empty eyes now filled with anger from Iruka’s words.
“You KNOW I’m right!! Face it, sensei!”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“RUKA!!!!!”
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Iruka stood back hesitatedly, staring unsurely at the guy before her. “Really…? I’m really sorry that-“
The boy shook his head, stopping Iruka from continue her words. ‘It’s really alright, sensei. By the way, we aren’t properly introduced. I’m Haku and the one beside me is my sensei, Momochi Zabuza. It’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard of you so much from Naruto and the others on the journey here.” He smiled.
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“RUKA!!!”
“SENSEI!!! DON’T!!!”
Izumo and Kotetsu’s cries rang clearly around them.
And Iruka only could widen her eyes at those angry eyes.
“How…DARE…you!!!???”
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Feeling the honesty behind those words, Iruka finally smiled back - hesistantly. She tried to hide (or better, stop) the slight trembling of her fingers behind her. “Ah, yes. I’m… Umino Iruka, a chuunin instructor in Academy. Nice to meet you too, Haku-kun, Zabuza-san.”
“A creature of water huh? It fits with your personality though…” Zabuza raised his eyebrows, smirking behind those bandages as he eyed the chuunin’s appearence.
Iruka could feel her mind snapped out of the memories at those slightly rude words. She tried to form a forced smile. She wouldn’t - couldn’t- break now. “I’m….sorry. I don’t understand what you mean, Zabuza-san.” She stared back at those dark eyes, reading -somehow- question there.
What….?
Zabuza just raised his eyebrows, “Well-“
“So, what do you need to do now, Zabuza, Haku?” Kakashi decided to interrupt at that moment- which was Iruka really grateful for. She didn’t think that she could hold her smile any longer. She leaned into the warm hardness behind her, somehow needing support to keep standing. In return, the jounin tightened his grip on Iruka’s shoulder, which went unmissed by Iruka herself. Instead of blushing at the rather close proximity they had, Iruka simply leaned more into the shoulder behind her head, focusing to return her suddenly paler face to a normal color. She felt ….. frightened for some reasons that she knew very well.
Even after these years….. I’m still….
Kakashi narrowed his eye(s) a bit at Zabuza, silently asking him to stop whatever he wanted to say to the chuunin sensei. Unlike the others (Haku was currently talking and joking with the three gennins, backs on them), he noticed how Iruka tensed and paled at her ‘mistaking Haku as girl’ incident. And Zabuza’s gaze didn’t help a bit but worsen the sensei’s state.
Drop it for now, Zabuza. Or you’ll have a date with my Thousand Years of Pain jutsu.
Zabuza simply raised his eyebrows in return at his before he turned his face aside, glancing away from those dark eyes.
Whatever.
“Yeah! What old-man said about you two?? You WILL live here, right?” Naruto, oblivious with the silent talk between two high nins, asked Zabuza after sharing his jokes with Haku and his two teammates.
Zabuza shrugged when Haku answered instead with a gentleness rarely showed in a guy. He reminded Iruka of Izumo with his calm behaviour. “The Hokage decides to accept us thanks for Kakashi-san’s explanation and all of team 7’s support. We’re going to have a test a few days later to decide what our ranks will be. Until then, there’ll be a few ANBUs trailed behind us for….. safety reasons.”
Ah….
Finally understanding a bit what was going on with the ‘new friends’ appearance from Haku’s simple explanation, Iruka chose to keep silent (at the moment, she didn’t think she could form any words at all anyway). She glanced up at Kakashi instead.
Will you explain later?
For which the jounin answered with curving his single eye - a positive answer for her.
Naruto, oblivious with the exchange thrown between his senseis, blinked confusedly at the two. “So, where do you stay now?”
Haku nodded, “There’re an empty twin-room apartment in the Jounin section. The Hokage said that it was next to yours, Kakashi-san. We’re heading to that place after this.”
“Wait a minute!! Then you need to go SHOPPING, right??!! Yay!! We can accompany you, lets go!! We have two hours before the shops close today!!” Sakura, in a sudden excitement, grabbed Haku’s hand and a second later already ran away with the helpless nin. She let out a wink that was caught by an amused Kakashi. She was sure the jounin could see her mouthing the words as well as Sasuke’s warning glance. The paleness of the female sensei didn’t go unnoticed by them.
Take care of her NOW!
“Wait a minute!! Sakura-chan!! Wait for MEE!!!” Naruto followed after them, pulling Sasuke’s collar forcefully, “Come on, Sasuke-baka!!” which was answered by Sasuke’s grunt. The dark haired gennin threw his last warning glance at the silver haired jounin, pointing subtlely at the chuunin sensei. He was satisfied by a curt nod by his sensei.
“Brats these days….” Zabuza just grunted, following after them with a much more sedate pace.
Iruka just blinked at their vanishing figures. “Wow…. I don’t know they’re already that…close.” She managed to mutter those words.
Kakashi just shrugged, his nose already busy under the familiar orange colored book in his other hand (when did he open THAT??) “Children bond fast I suppose.”
Iruka raised her eyebrows at that, oddly feeling experated mixed with fondness at his careless and bored tone. “I hope you’re aware that Zabuza-san is NOT a child you know.”
Kakashi just shrugged again, not bothering to lift his eye at her. “Nope. But he likes to ‘play’. Seems like a child to me.”
“If you think like that, I suppose you and all jounins are children in big bodies as well then.”
Wonder why my mouth feels like moving on its own….
“That we’re told.”
Iruka sighed at the careless response she got from the jounin beside her.
Does my presence bore him that much…?
I think I should go….
Iruka tried to bow slightly at the jounin beside her (her polite manners always insisted her to do that before leaving any conversations), but found it’hard to do. She blushed when she noticed how their positions were. The jounin was currently having his right arm curling around her shoulder, drawing her into his green vest as Iruka herself leaned into his chest, oblivious till now. “Eer….Kakashi-sensei. You can let me go now….”
“Hmm….are you okay now?” The jounin, oblivious to Iruka trying to get out of his arm, pulled the smaller one tighter into his arm as he practically dragged her to walk out the mission room.
“I think I should go. I’m sorry to bother you…. Eer, I can walk myself, Kakashi-sensei.” Iruka was sure this was NOT how people (or F-R-I-E-N-D-S) walked together.
What the he** is he doing!?? People ARE staring!!
“Naruto might not see it, but don’t think the rest of us didn’t notice your paleness. You look a bit tired as well. We should take a break or something now. Where do you want to go eat, sensei?” Kakashi’s eyes were staring ahead although his nose was still buried on his Icha-icha novel. He ignored the chuunin’s words.
Iruka glanced up at the jounin in confusion, eventually letting herself being dragged by the jounin. It was useless thing to do with a much bigger and stronger jounin pull her around, she sighed in defeat instead. “I’m alright - just a bit tired, Kakashi-sensei. I should go home now to take a rest. Really, I can really walk you know. And I don’t think it’s-”
Kakashi just curved his eye at her. “Nope. I like my option better. And I like this. Come on, let’s get you to eat something.”
Iruka blinked, before the meaning of those words entered her brain. Instantly, she blushed.
Does he mean …. what I think he means?
The piles of unfinished papers lied forgotten on the desk few feet away as the two shinobis walked together, both completely oblivious with the raised eyebrows of their coworkers and their open smirks. Kurenai smirked behind her hand. Asuma simply grinned. Genma whistled. Raidou smiled. Anko giggled. The same line crossed over the other shinobi’s minds as they shook their head in experated affection at the chuunin and jounin’s backs.
About damn time……
Way to go, Kakashi…
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“Aww….! These look GREAT! You should buy them, Haku-san!!” Sakura squealed at the piles of new clothes in her arms. The colors complemented Haku’s dark eyes and the pale skin of his.
“Ah…these look good, thank you Sakura-san…” Haku smiled kindly at the pink haired gennin, enjoying the attention he got so rarely from anyone besides Zabuza.
“Well…If you agree with them, let’s go to find some other things for you and Zabuza-san!” Without waiting for his response, Sakura dragged the taller nin happily to the other sections of the huge shop.
“Hai…hai….” Haku obeyed without questioning, chuckling lightly.
Naruto shook his head at two of them, following them with a much more sedate pace. “Sakura-chan so loves shopping, doesn’t she, Sasuke-baka?”
The dark haired gennin next to him only shrugged, eyes trying to deny the obvious admiring gazes most of girls in the shop threw at him, walking beside his blonde teammate. “Hnn… she does.”
Wonder what that lazy jounin’s doing now to Iruka-sensei…
He better takes care of her… It’s an unusual sight to see her go sick suddenly like that……
“Tch….I don’t know why I bother doing this. Females are so troublesome…..” Zabuza grunted, following behind the two gennins. His trained sense had picked up the hidden ANBU’s chakras around him and it made him a bit tense. Honestly, he just wanted to get to his and Haku’s new place, take a shower, and sleep. Is that too much thing to ask?
Sasuke just smirked at the older guy’s words. “You better be patient, Zabuza. Sakura won’t be satisfied until…at least an hour from now on.”
Zabuza groaned.
Naruto laughed at him, “Haha! Don’t worry, Zabuza! Haku gets along very well with Sakura-chan! He looks pretty happy, doesn’t he?”
“Well…Haku is the gentle-man-kind a guy. He can’t refuse any female’s wishes…” Zabuza muttered. Although he had been practically taking care of Haku since the boy was still a brat, apparently Haku didn’t inherite Zabuza’s dislikness toward anything female-related. It was one of things that Zabuza found a bit annoying yet -sometimes- endearing from the boy that he considered as his son.
Did I just say ‘endearing’?? Damn it… talking with few females and they already change my way of speaking….. Someone shoot me please…
Sasuke smirked, “I couldn’t help but agree with you.”
Naruto just grinned, patting the taller nin slightly. “Don’t worry! Sakura-chan’s choices are always the best! You’ll be so grateful later in your new apartment!”
Zabuza simply raised his eyebrows in return, “You’re smitten AND whipped by that pink-haired teammate of yours, brat?”
Hmm…Like teacher like student, huh?
Like the rest of them (except that Naruto brat), he didn’t miss either the strange sudden change in the chuunin’s expression at her mistaking Haku as girl or the gentle way Kakashi treated the said female chuunin. Still, romance or female weren’t his things, so he might be careless about the whole thing.
Tch… never expected the emotionless Sharingan Kakashi can be smitten by any females…. a mere chuunin nonetheless…. Oh well, as long as he can give me a good fight….heh…
Naruto blinked, brushing his blonde hair in a thoughtful way, dismissing the way Zabuza talked to him so rudely. “Well…she is one of the most important people in my life. Still, Sakura-chan is soooo in love with the angsty boy here, though I don’t know why she is.” He pointed at Sasuke, sticking his tongue childishly.
Sasuke coughed, “I don’t know what you mean.”
Zabuza smirked behind the bandages, “She does. That’s pretty obvious to me.”
Ah….teenagers…
Naruto grinned, pointing at Sasuke. “He is in denial.”
Sasuke glared back at him, a slight blush appeared on his pale face. “I am not, dobe!”
“Sure you are, Sasuke-bastard…” Naruto whistled.
“You…!!!” Sasuke threw a punch toward him, which was dodged by a kick from Naruto.
“Hehe!! You’re blushing!!” Naruto grinned knowingly, evading the next few kicks the Uchiha threw at him.
Zabuza sighed inside, watching the two gennins bicker and fight like children they were.
I can’t believe I’m stuck with children like them…. Now I know why Kakashi has that grey hair of his… Poor him…
“Enough, brats. We should find Haku and that pink-haired girl. It’s late enough already and I want to go to sleep.” He said, gripping Sasuke and Naruto’s shoulder, preventing them from doing anymore harm to each other.
“Tch…” Sasuke shook his head, but he put his hands back into his pocket.
Naruto simply grinned cheekily.
Tehee….You know I’m right, Sasuke….
Tbc…….
A/N :
And more about Iruka’s past….. @__@ WHO was her sensei anyway...? xD You WILL find out about it in next chapter, I promise! ^_^
Now I really twist the plot from the manga storyline…. I really admire Haku and Zabuza, dam* it! It’s very sad that they’re dead… ;_; So I make them keep alive in this fic! xP The idea of them being Konoha nins was inspired by THE best Naruto fic (VERY literally) I’ve ever read : For the Love of My Friends by foxie-sama in ff.net! Go read it if u haven’t! ^___^ (It’s NOT a KakaIru fics btw (more a Naruto fic, 56 chapters and still on going, but damn..it’s THAT good…. *_*)
And SasuSaku hints!! ^__^ I’m sorry, SasuNaru fans, but as I stated before - I’ll make other pairings as cannon as possible. So expect some SasuSaku or NaruHina in later chapters… =P
pS : LoL…Iruka didn’t realize they had been hugging the entire time they’re talking… Talk about obliviousness….or denial…. xD
If you don’t like this chapter….well…you can shoot me. ^^;
The next chapter - Her Sensei [Will be up THIS very Friday/Saturday (3-4 days from now on), I’m fast, ain’t I? ^____^ ]
Teasers :
Oneday…I’m afraid it’ll be your weakness, sensei…. People can take advantage from your kindness….
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Kakashi blinked.
Now….THAT wasn’t anything he would expect the adult (stressed the word here) chuunin would do to… anyone.
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His gaze grew a bit somber when reaching the scar ran over the female’s face. Something familiar tightened inside him at its sight. Still, he kept his feeling inside.
You never forget, don’t you, Iruka-chan…?
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Naruto grinned cheekily at his team’s answers. “We can discuss the bits later… But more importantly….. what’s your answer?” He asked the two nins before him.
Zabuza smirked as he saw the smile grew on Haku’s gentle face.
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Until next chapter! ^_________^
-Izky
| Chapter 06 - Her Sensei |
Rating : PG-15 (this chapter), R later on.
Disclaimer : The characters are NOT MINE.
Chapter : 5/???
Words : 4,876 words
Summary : What if Iruka was a female? Follow the Naruto story since the very beginning.....
Pairing : KakaIru (the others will be canon-like hopefully)
| Chapter 01 - The Failed Student |
| Chapter 02 - The Realization |
| Chapter 03 - The Promise & the Test |
| Chapter 04 - The Growing Fondness |
WARNING : UNBETAED YET!
OMG... I update again.... I can't believe I'm THIS fast.... O___o
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Chapter 05 - The New ‘Friends’ : 4,876 words
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“You’re to accompany Tazuna-san of the Wave Country. He's a bridge builder requesting for some shinobi to escort him back to his home and protect him from bandits or robbers. Good luck.”
“Hn..”
“Yay!! Thank you, Hokage-sama!!”
“Great, old man!! Iruka-sensei! Just wait for me! I’ll buy a ramen for you there!!”
“Maa…..it’s enough, kids. Let’s go. See u later, Iruka-sensei, Hokage-sama.”
Iruka only could nod and smile back at the backs of the team 7 as they went out of the Hokage’s office together with the builder.
“Don’t worry too much, sensei.”
Iruka turned back to glance at the Hokage, smiling sheepishly, “Ah….forgive me, Sandaime-sama. Did you say something? ”
The old man chuckled at her, sipping his tea calmly, “They will be fine. Kakashi will make sure all of your students back safely, Iruka-kun.”
“I know he will. Excuse me, Sandaime-sama.” With a polite bow, Iruka walked rather hurriedly out of the office.
Now alone, Sandaime smiled sadly.
Maybe….this team could break her mask one day….
I only hope I’m still alive to witness that moment….
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Iruka finally reached the Konoha gate. The sight of the backs of team 7 greeted her as she finally shouted.
“Naruto!!!”
All of team 7 glanced back at her, obviously surprised at her sudden appearance (except Kakashi-sensei who just waved back lazily). In seconds, Iruka already snatched Naruto away from the group and landed a few feet away from them.
“Iruka-sensei??” Naruto’s confused blue eyes blinked at her.
Iruka just grinned sheepishly, “I forgot to do something.”
“Huh? What is it, sensei?”
Giving her back at the team not away from them, Iruka took Naruto’s face between her hands and kissed the temple softly, “Be safe, Naruto.”
Naruto grinned at the gesture and immediately latched at his favorite sensei‘s waist eagerly. “OF COURSE, SENSEI!!!! YOU TOO!!!”
“Okay, please be careful, Naruto-kun.” Letting go the child’s arms around her, Iruka smiled at Naruto who immediately ran back toward his team.
“Be careful, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan!” The other two gennins nodded and waved back. Sakura shouted back happily, “Thank you, sensei!!” Even Sasuke smiled a bit.
She waved at the team who walked off the gate when she just realized that there was one figure walking to her instead of going off with the rest of team.
“Kakashi-sensei?? Sorry for the disturbance….” Iruka smiled sheepishly, a familiar blush rose as the jounin went closer.
Eer…he might be angry at me suddenly coming like that…. Baka Iruka…
“Maa….don’t worry over it, sensei.” The jounin just shrugged, stopping a feet away from her. Kakashi couldn’t help the smirk he made at the blushing state he put the chuunin into.
Nervous aren’t we…..Iruka-sensei.
Iruka didn’t understand why she can’t put the slight redness off her face at the sight of the familiat silver haired jounin walking to her. She nodded instead.
All of those years before she grew closer with Naruto, Iruka had thought the silver-haired jounin as an unreachable figure, the infamous Sharingan Kakashi who had great skills and mysterious past who didn’t bother to know others who didn’t deserve it. And that horrible horrible book he always seemed to read plus the impossible reasons he always gave if he was late to give reports always made Iruka herself wary with the sanity of the said jounin. She was told before that jounins were crazy after all, and of course many already proved it.
But nowadays, watching the said jounin strictly (or lazily, depended on his mood) instructed his students, her ex-students, to do their training properly and the way he handled all of them for the past months, Iruka couldn’t help but change her perception slightly over the silver haired jounin.
From the few months she knew Team 7 (mostly when they were in training), Iruka could gather few facts that Kakashi-sensei was a guy who had a dry sense of humor, terrible sense of timing, an unhealthy likeness to enjoy his student’s suffering in between their training (as ALL normal jounins did), and a pervert (what else you call a person who buried his nose under that icha-icha book two third part of his day???).
Recently Iruka could feel that it was not as awkward as before that she now could stand easily beside the guy without fidgeting on spot. She even exchanged a few short talks and jokes with the jounin while waiting for Naruto’s training to be done.
Maybe it was Naruto’s influence.
Iruka glanced back fondly at the view of the three gennins and the old man who walked away from them, ignoring her own blush. “Shouldn’t you follow them now, Kakashi-sensei?” she asked confusedly.
“Hmm…before that, is there anything else you want to say, Iruka-sensei…?”
Iruka grinned sheepishly when her question was answered back with one of his own.
He’s so perceptive…. That’s Kakashi-sensei. He always be able to read what I want to do nowadays….
“Eer….right.”
“Hmmm…?”
“Please take care of them, sensei.” Iruka smiled, finally braving herself to stare up at the jounin before her. Her brown eyes met with the single deep grey, staring down to hers. The said eye softened slightly, which made Iruka blushed deeper for reason she didn’t know herself.
“Of course.” He curved his eye in return.
I’ll try to return your ‘children’ back in one piece, sensei…. I’ll make sure of it.
“And you have to go back safely as well, okay?” Iruka couldn’t help but said it as well, not knowing why. It was as if her mouth having a brain of its own.
“It’s a promise, Iruka-sensei.” Kakashi opened his eyes back, staring the smaller figure before him for a few seconds longer than he usually did with his jounin mates.
If you want… I will try to return….back to you, sensei…
He suppressed his sudden want to go much closer to the female chuunin.
“I should go.” With a nod returned by Iruka, the jounin vanished in a swirl of smokes.
A few hundred meters away, two gennins glanced at each other with knowing smile. Sakura giggled behind her hands as Sasuke merely smirked at the blonde’s obliviousness to what happened between his ‘mother’ figure with their silver haired sensei.
You’re so whipped, Kakashi-sensei….
Naruto simply blinked at them, “Huh? What’s wrong with you two!? We’ve got to move you know!”
“Nothing.” Sasuke and Sakura answered in unison. Sakura winked at Sasuke’s knowing smirk thrown at her.
Let’s see how long it will take Naruto to realize it…
A few minutes later, Iruka was still standing there. She was staring up at the sky, hoping for the safety of people close to her.
Please let all of them be safe……
Kakashi-sensei, you better keep your words…
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MORE THAN A WEEK LATER……..
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Team 7 finally came home after their mission.
“Iruka-sensei!! Tadaima!!!” Naruto said, smiling widely at her as he latched on her waist. He was covered by some scraps, but much to Iruka’s relief - still very much alive and breathing.
Thank God….
“Okaerinasai, Naruto.” Iruka smiled down at him, forgetting for a minute her job as relief replaced her constant worry of the safety of her favorite gennin team the second she saw that familiar blonde head. She was in the middle of carrying some mission papers to the locker room at that late afternoon, but it could wait later. Much later.
Most people already go home anyway. I could file these papers later.
Her smiles widened when Sakura and (surprise!) Sasuke appeared beside her. Like Naruto, both of them covered by small bruises and dirts, but nothing was worse. The small pink haired girl hugged her back tightly, “Yay! You won’t believe what happened in our mission, sensei!!”
“Oh, and what happened, Sakura-chan?” Iruka ruffled her pink hair playfully.
“We can’t tell you. It was mission-related, sensei.” Sasuke answered, but Iruka could sense a hint of small smile threatened to appear on his face.
“You’re cruel, Sasuke-kun.” Iruka chuckled, “By the way…where is Kakashi-sensei?” She turned around, expecting the familiar silver hair to appear suddenly in front of her as usual - only to find no one around them.
Sakura let go her waist as the said girl pointed back to the Hokage office, a few doors away. “He’s there, discussing with Hokage something about Zabuza-san and Haku-san’s fate. I hope it’s alright….” Iruka could sense a worry radiated from the three gennin as the pink haired girl said those words.
“Zabuza-san? Haku-san? Who’re they?” Iruka blinked.
Sakura and Sasuke looked uncertain to answer, but Naruto beat them. “They’re our new shinobi friends, sensei! We met them in Wave country and they have really cool jutsus!”
Huh…? Shinobi friends…? And Zabuza….. I think I’ve heard that name before….
“Yo, sensei!”
Iruka snapped out of her mind as the familiar curved single eye met her dark brown ones. “Kakashi-sensei!?”
The jounin appeared before her and -thank God- his Icha-icha wasn’t seen anywhere near his face / hand. Unlike his three students, the jounin seemed in better condition, except for his left bandaged hand. Kakashi felt himself smile at those familiar brown eyes.
Glad to be back, sensei…
“Hey! Don’t go much closer, pervert-sensei!” Naruto pushed the jounin away from his favorite sensei as Sasuke glared at the jounin as well. Kakashi leaned away a bit at their gesture, “Maaa…..”
I think they’re still traumatized after accidentally being exposured to that one page from Icha-icha…… Honestly, they’ll go through that period a few years later…. No need to shock to see picture people fu**ing in bed, right? Or maybe Iruka hasn’t given them any ‘bird and bees’ talk before? Well…I should ask her to do that sometime later…
Iruka just blinked confusedly at them.
Huh? What’s wrong with them…?
“Naruto-kun! Watch your language!”
“Eep!! Sorry sensei!”
Iruka just sighed, smiling up at the said jounin. “Thank God you all are alright. How’s the mission, Kakashi-sensei?”
Kakashi just shrugged but answered nonetheless. “It was long & tiring mission, but it ends fine.”
No one is killed except the enemies. And Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura improved so much. We brought back two ex-missing nins that -after a few talks & questions- may join Konoha. I count this as success.
“Hmmph…… where can I translate ‘ends fine’ to ‘ends as ANBUs trailed behind me for unknown time in the future’?” Came a sudden dry voice behind all of them. It was dry, hoarshe, and a bit darker than anyone voice Iruka ever heard. In reflex, Iruka turned to the unfamiliar voice, kunai in hand. Papers that previously held in her arms were already neatly put on the nearest desk in mere second. Before her ex-students realized it, she already stood protectively before the gennin.
“Who are you??”
Before her, two unrecognized figures walked toward them. The taller one, he had white bandages wrapped on his lower face, hiding his mouth from the view. He had dark grey pants complete with patterned boats. His upper body held nothing but a dark belt hang from his neck to connect to his pants, showing anyone his pale yet darker chest and two armguards (like Sasuke’s) with similar pattern as his boats. The shorter one (which Iruka guessed as female) was a rather beautiful looking girl. She had a long beautiful black hair which tied in a white bun on top her head and left two long bundle of hair fell around her face. She wore a blue-green short kimono, a long sleeved dark vest inside, and a short dark brown hakama. The wooden sandal was showing her pale and slender legs. Unlike her companion, her face showed a smile that made her look more harmless than a kitten. Like the rest of Team 7, both of them covered by some scraps and dirts. And Iruka could recognize blood stains anywhere in a fifteen meters radius, included on their clothes.
Before Iruka could contemplate more, a familiar large hand grasped her shoulder gently as its owner turned her to face against him instead. Kakashi curved his eyes at her surprised look, “Maa….. Iruka-sensei. It’s alright.”
Grasping Iruka’s shoulder a bit tighter, Kakashi noticed the reflex she showed a few seconds earlier. She moves so fast…. And that fighting posture….where did I see that before…?
The seconds the jounin finished his sentence, Iruka’s tensed shoulder relaxed under the familiar touch as she lowered the kunai and get it back to the holster. “Kakashi-sensei? Who are they…?”
If Kakashi-sensei says so…. Then maybe they’re not enemies… are they?
Before Kakashi could answer her, Naruto already beat him. “They are the new friends we met in Wave country, sensei!! The scary dark guy is Zabuza-san! And the pretty one is Haku! They have really cool jutsu, you must see them later, Iruka-sensei!!”
“So….you’re her sensei, huh?” The sudden voice of the dark guy (Zabuza-san, Iruka presumed) made Iruka glance at the unfamiliar nins before her once again.
“Uh…”
“Zabuza-san! Be nice, please!” The second voice joined as Iruka blinked at its owner.
Wait a minute….I’m sure girls don’t have that baritone voice unless…
“Oh My God….You’re a BOY!???” Iruka’s eyes widened as her brain just registered with the fact.
“………………….”
“………………….”
“………………….”
There had been a defeaning silence for more than ten seconds before everyone laughed out loud. Even Sasuke chuckled. SASUKE.
Oh my…I think I said a wrong thing here…..
“A…Ha…HA..HAHAHA!!! SEE??? Haku!! I TOLD you before that you’re TOO pretty!!!” Naruto laughed out loud, rolling on the floor insanely.
“Ahh…haha…..*gasps* Naruto!! It’s not THAT funny!!” Sakura chuckled, trying her hardest not to laugh out loud as her blonde teammate did.
“Sensei, you damage his brain already. Congratulations.” Sasuke shook his head, chuckling at the sight of his blonde teammate still rolling on the floor, laughing.
Now I know where Naruto get that blunt mouth of his….
“Wow, Iruka-sensei. I don’t know you have quite a sense of humor.” Even Kakashi, whose hand was still on the chuunin’s shoulder, chuckled. He really enjoyed the unexpected yet very welcoming closeness he had with the chunnin, who was at the moment tried to bury herself under the ground -out of humilitation- if not Kakashi’s hand tightly grasped her shoulder, preventing her from going anywhere, to underground or anywhere else.
The dark guy rolled his eyes, chuckling as well when his companion, Haku, blushed slightly at the remark. Haku was used to people whispering behind him that he was ‘too pretty’ to be a guy, but this Iruka-sensei apparently was the first adult (the first child is Naruto) who was so bluntly said it in front of his face.
Iruka blushed HARD after realizing her blunt words. “I…..”
…Oh my God….
I just said VERY rude words to people I barely meet ….
How the hell a GUY get to be THAT pretty anyway!??? I’ve never EVER met one like this (maybe Sasuke or even Neji, but they’re not THIS pretty), so it’s caught me off guard!
A glimpse of past passed before her, causing Iruka’s eyes widened even more at the remembrance. A slight fear seeped inside her spine.
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“Cheer up, sensei!”
“Eer…Ruka, I don’t think this’s the best time to say ANYthing…” Izumo whispered urgently beside her, eyes stared worriedly at their silent sensei who stared at nothing for the past few days.
“But, Zumo! Sensei has been like that for DAYS! Moping around and-“ A hand closed her mouth before she could go further complaining.
“Ssst!!! Ruka! Be silent for ONCE, okay??? Can’t you see sensei needs time to-“ Before Kotetsu finished, Iruka already jumped before her sensei. Her eyes stared back against those empty ones.
“Sensei! I know you’re still sad over him & I’m sorry for that - although I still don’t think him like you do… But there’re NOTHING we can do about it!”
“Ruka!!” She ignored the worried shouts her friends threw on her.
“Don’t act like this! You’re a COWARD if you give up now, sensei!!”
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Immediately, Iruka bowed deeply at the ‘boy’. “Forgive me! I know I was rude before! I hope it doesn’t offend you!” The carefully hidden memories were coming faster and faster, making her wince inside. She tried to block them out of her mind.
The two looked surprise at her sudden outburst but eventually the rather beautiful shorter guy smiled at her. “It’s okay. You’re neither the first nor the last people to say that to me, sensei. Still, thank you.”
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“What did you SAY….??” Their sensei hissed slowly, the earlier empty eyes now filled with anger from Iruka’s words.
“You KNOW I’m right!! Face it, sensei!”
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“RUKA!!!!!”
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Iruka stood back hesitatedly, staring unsurely at the guy before her. “Really…? I’m really sorry that-“
The boy shook his head, stopping Iruka from continue her words. ‘It’s really alright, sensei. By the way, we aren’t properly introduced. I’m Haku and the one beside me is my sensei, Momochi Zabuza. It’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard of you so much from Naruto and the others on the journey here.” He smiled.
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“RUKA!!!”
“SENSEI!!! DON’T!!!”
Izumo and Kotetsu’s cries rang clearly around them.
And Iruka only could widen her eyes at those angry eyes.
“How…DARE…you!!!???”
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Feeling the honesty behind those words, Iruka finally smiled back - hesistantly. She tried to hide (or better, stop) the slight trembling of her fingers behind her. “Ah, yes. I’m… Umino Iruka, a chuunin instructor in Academy. Nice to meet you too, Haku-kun, Zabuza-san.”
“A creature of water huh? It fits with your personality though…” Zabuza raised his eyebrows, smirking behind those bandages as he eyed the chuunin’s appearence.
Iruka could feel her mind snapped out of the memories at those slightly rude words. She tried to form a forced smile. She wouldn’t - couldn’t- break now. “I’m….sorry. I don’t understand what you mean, Zabuza-san.” She stared back at those dark eyes, reading -somehow- question there.
What….?
Zabuza just raised his eyebrows, “Well-“
“So, what do you need to do now, Zabuza, Haku?” Kakashi decided to interrupt at that moment- which was Iruka really grateful for. She didn’t think that she could hold her smile any longer. She leaned into the warm hardness behind her, somehow needing support to keep standing. In return, the jounin tightened his grip on Iruka’s shoulder, which went unmissed by Iruka herself. Instead of blushing at the rather close proximity they had, Iruka simply leaned more into the shoulder behind her head, focusing to return her suddenly paler face to a normal color. She felt ….. frightened for some reasons that she knew very well.
Even after these years….. I’m still….
Kakashi narrowed his eye(s) a bit at Zabuza, silently asking him to stop whatever he wanted to say to the chuunin sensei. Unlike the others (Haku was currently talking and joking with the three gennins, backs on them), he noticed how Iruka tensed and paled at her ‘mistaking Haku as girl’ incident. And Zabuza’s gaze didn’t help a bit but worsen the sensei’s state.
Drop it for now, Zabuza. Or you’ll have a date with my Thousand Years of Pain jutsu.
Zabuza simply raised his eyebrows in return at his before he turned his face aside, glancing away from those dark eyes.
Whatever.
“Yeah! What old-man said about you two?? You WILL live here, right?” Naruto, oblivious with the silent talk between two high nins, asked Zabuza after sharing his jokes with Haku and his two teammates.
Zabuza shrugged when Haku answered instead with a gentleness rarely showed in a guy. He reminded Iruka of Izumo with his calm behaviour. “The Hokage decides to accept us thanks for Kakashi-san’s explanation and all of team 7’s support. We’re going to have a test a few days later to decide what our ranks will be. Until then, there’ll be a few ANBUs trailed behind us for….. safety reasons.”
Ah….
Finally understanding a bit what was going on with the ‘new friends’ appearance from Haku’s simple explanation, Iruka chose to keep silent (at the moment, she didn’t think she could form any words at all anyway). She glanced up at Kakashi instead.
Will you explain later?
For which the jounin answered with curving his single eye - a positive answer for her.
Naruto, oblivious with the exchange thrown between his senseis, blinked confusedly at the two. “So, where do you stay now?”
Haku nodded, “There’re an empty twin-room apartment in the Jounin section. The Hokage said that it was next to yours, Kakashi-san. We’re heading to that place after this.”
“Wait a minute!! Then you need to go SHOPPING, right??!! Yay!! We can accompany you, lets go!! We have two hours before the shops close today!!” Sakura, in a sudden excitement, grabbed Haku’s hand and a second later already ran away with the helpless nin. She let out a wink that was caught by an amused Kakashi. She was sure the jounin could see her mouthing the words as well as Sasuke’s warning glance. The paleness of the female sensei didn’t go unnoticed by them.
Take care of her NOW!
“Wait a minute!! Sakura-chan!! Wait for MEE!!!” Naruto followed after them, pulling Sasuke’s collar forcefully, “Come on, Sasuke-baka!!” which was answered by Sasuke’s grunt. The dark haired gennin threw his last warning glance at the silver haired jounin, pointing subtlely at the chuunin sensei. He was satisfied by a curt nod by his sensei.
“Brats these days….” Zabuza just grunted, following after them with a much more sedate pace.
Iruka just blinked at their vanishing figures. “Wow…. I don’t know they’re already that…close.” She managed to mutter those words.
Kakashi just shrugged, his nose already busy under the familiar orange colored book in his other hand (when did he open THAT??) “Children bond fast I suppose.”
Iruka raised her eyebrows at that, oddly feeling experated mixed with fondness at his careless and bored tone. “I hope you’re aware that Zabuza-san is NOT a child you know.”
Kakashi just shrugged again, not bothering to lift his eye at her. “Nope. But he likes to ‘play’. Seems like a child to me.”
“If you think like that, I suppose you and all jounins are children in big bodies as well then.”
Wonder why my mouth feels like moving on its own….
“That we’re told.”
Iruka sighed at the careless response she got from the jounin beside her.
Does my presence bore him that much…?
I think I should go….
Iruka tried to bow slightly at the jounin beside her (her polite manners always insisted her to do that before leaving any conversations), but found it’hard to do. She blushed when she noticed how their positions were. The jounin was currently having his right arm curling around her shoulder, drawing her into his green vest as Iruka herself leaned into his chest, oblivious till now. “Eer….Kakashi-sensei. You can let me go now….”
“Hmm….are you okay now?” The jounin, oblivious to Iruka trying to get out of his arm, pulled the smaller one tighter into his arm as he practically dragged her to walk out the mission room.
“I think I should go. I’m sorry to bother you…. Eer, I can walk myself, Kakashi-sensei.” Iruka was sure this was NOT how people (or F-R-I-E-N-D-S) walked together.
What the he** is he doing!?? People ARE staring!!
“Naruto might not see it, but don’t think the rest of us didn’t notice your paleness. You look a bit tired as well. We should take a break or something now. Where do you want to go eat, sensei?” Kakashi’s eyes were staring ahead although his nose was still buried on his Icha-icha novel. He ignored the chuunin’s words.
Iruka glanced up at the jounin in confusion, eventually letting herself being dragged by the jounin. It was useless thing to do with a much bigger and stronger jounin pull her around, she sighed in defeat instead. “I’m alright - just a bit tired, Kakashi-sensei. I should go home now to take a rest. Really, I can really walk you know. And I don’t think it’s-”
Kakashi just curved his eye at her. “Nope. I like my option better. And I like this. Come on, let’s get you to eat something.”
Iruka blinked, before the meaning of those words entered her brain. Instantly, she blushed.
Does he mean …. what I think he means?
The piles of unfinished papers lied forgotten on the desk few feet away as the two shinobis walked together, both completely oblivious with the raised eyebrows of their coworkers and their open smirks. Kurenai smirked behind her hand. Asuma simply grinned. Genma whistled. Raidou smiled. Anko giggled. The same line crossed over the other shinobi’s minds as they shook their head in experated affection at the chuunin and jounin’s backs.
About damn time……
Way to go, Kakashi…
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“Aww….! These look GREAT! You should buy them, Haku-san!!” Sakura squealed at the piles of new clothes in her arms. The colors complemented Haku’s dark eyes and the pale skin of his.
“Ah…these look good, thank you Sakura-san…” Haku smiled kindly at the pink haired gennin, enjoying the attention he got so rarely from anyone besides Zabuza.
“Well…If you agree with them, let’s go to find some other things for you and Zabuza-san!” Without waiting for his response, Sakura dragged the taller nin happily to the other sections of the huge shop.
“Hai…hai….” Haku obeyed without questioning, chuckling lightly.
Naruto shook his head at two of them, following them with a much more sedate pace. “Sakura-chan so loves shopping, doesn’t she, Sasuke-baka?”
The dark haired gennin next to him only shrugged, eyes trying to deny the obvious admiring gazes most of girls in the shop threw at him, walking beside his blonde teammate. “Hnn… she does.”
Wonder what that lazy jounin’s doing now to Iruka-sensei…
He better takes care of her… It’s an unusual sight to see her go sick suddenly like that……
“Tch….I don’t know why I bother doing this. Females are so troublesome…..” Zabuza grunted, following behind the two gennins. His trained sense had picked up the hidden ANBU’s chakras around him and it made him a bit tense. Honestly, he just wanted to get to his and Haku’s new place, take a shower, and sleep. Is that too much thing to ask?
Sasuke just smirked at the older guy’s words. “You better be patient, Zabuza. Sakura won’t be satisfied until…at least an hour from now on.”
Zabuza groaned.
Naruto laughed at him, “Haha! Don’t worry, Zabuza! Haku gets along very well with Sakura-chan! He looks pretty happy, doesn’t he?”
“Well…Haku is the gentle-man-kind a guy. He can’t refuse any female’s wishes…” Zabuza muttered. Although he had been practically taking care of Haku since the boy was still a brat, apparently Haku didn’t inherite Zabuza’s dislikness toward anything female-related. It was one of things that Zabuza found a bit annoying yet -sometimes- endearing from the boy that he considered as his son.
Did I just say ‘endearing’?? Damn it… talking with few females and they already change my way of speaking….. Someone shoot me please…
Sasuke smirked, “I couldn’t help but agree with you.”
Naruto just grinned, patting the taller nin slightly. “Don’t worry! Sakura-chan’s choices are always the best! You’ll be so grateful later in your new apartment!”
Zabuza simply raised his eyebrows in return, “You’re smitten AND whipped by that pink-haired teammate of yours, brat?”
Hmm…Like teacher like student, huh?
Like the rest of them (except that Naruto brat), he didn’t miss either the strange sudden change in the chuunin’s expression at her mistaking Haku as girl or the gentle way Kakashi treated the said female chuunin. Still, romance or female weren’t his things, so he might be careless about the whole thing.
Tch… never expected the emotionless Sharingan Kakashi can be smitten by any females…. a mere chuunin nonetheless…. Oh well, as long as he can give me a good fight….heh…
Naruto blinked, brushing his blonde hair in a thoughtful way, dismissing the way Zabuza talked to him so rudely. “Well…she is one of the most important people in my life. Still, Sakura-chan is soooo in love with the angsty boy here, though I don’t know why she is.” He pointed at Sasuke, sticking his tongue childishly.
Sasuke coughed, “I don’t know what you mean.”
Zabuza smirked behind the bandages, “She does. That’s pretty obvious to me.”
Ah….teenagers…
Naruto grinned, pointing at Sasuke. “He is in denial.”
Sasuke glared back at him, a slight blush appeared on his pale face. “I am not, dobe!”
“Sure you are, Sasuke-bastard…” Naruto whistled.
“You…!!!” Sasuke threw a punch toward him, which was dodged by a kick from Naruto.
“Hehe!! You’re blushing!!” Naruto grinned knowingly, evading the next few kicks the Uchiha threw at him.
Zabuza sighed inside, watching the two gennins bicker and fight like children they were.
I can’t believe I’m stuck with children like them…. Now I know why Kakashi has that grey hair of his… Poor him…
“Enough, brats. We should find Haku and that pink-haired girl. It’s late enough already and I want to go to sleep.” He said, gripping Sasuke and Naruto’s shoulder, preventing them from doing anymore harm to each other.
“Tch…” Sasuke shook his head, but he put his hands back into his pocket.
Naruto simply grinned cheekily.
Tehee….You know I’m right, Sasuke….
Tbc…….
A/N :
And more about Iruka’s past….. @__@ WHO was her sensei anyway...? xD You WILL find out about it in next chapter, I promise! ^_^
Now I really twist the plot from the manga storyline…. I really admire Haku and Zabuza, dam* it! It’s very sad that they’re dead… ;_; So I make them keep alive in this fic! xP The idea of them being Konoha nins was inspired by THE best Naruto fic (VERY literally) I’ve ever read : For the Love of My Friends by foxie-sama in ff.net! Go read it if u haven’t! ^___^ (It’s NOT a KakaIru fics btw (more a Naruto fic, 56 chapters and still on going, but damn..it’s THAT good…. *_*)
And SasuSaku hints!! ^__^ I’m sorry, SasuNaru fans, but as I stated before - I’ll make other pairings as cannon as possible. So expect some SasuSaku or NaruHina in later chapters… =P
pS : LoL…Iruka didn’t realize they had been hugging the entire time they’re talking… Talk about obliviousness….or denial…. xD
If you don’t like this chapter….well…you can shoot me. ^^;
The next chapter - Her Sensei [Will be up THIS very Friday/Saturday (3-4 days from now on), I’m fast, ain’t I? ^____^ ]
Teasers :
Oneday…I’m afraid it’ll be your weakness, sensei…. People can take advantage from your kindness….
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Kakashi blinked.
Now….THAT wasn’t anything he would expect the adult (stressed the word here) chuunin would do to… anyone.
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His gaze grew a bit somber when reaching the scar ran over the female’s face. Something familiar tightened inside him at its sight. Still, he kept his feeling inside.
You never forget, don’t you, Iruka-chan…?
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Naruto grinned cheekily at his team’s answers. “We can discuss the bits later… But more importantly….. what’s your answer?” He asked the two nins before him.
Zabuza smirked as he saw the smile grew on Haku’s gentle face.
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Until next chapter! ^_________^
-Izky
| Chapter 06 - Her Sensei |