Chapter 2
Iruka sighed heavily as he made his way towards home, his stomach full
while his wallet was considerably lighter than when he first started the day.
But he wouldn't complain, not Iruka, for time to spend with Naruto as rare
as it was becoming. Of course Iruka saw the bright side in the fact that the
blonde had a chance to become close to someone beside just his teacher
and become a strong ninja. "Hokage...Might take some time."
Musing softly the dolphin teacher decided that a moonlit training
session at the sakura trees would do him well that day. Iruka smiled brightly,
already imagining walking into the front door to see the beloved katana settled
upon its ornate perch, the onyx sheath inlaid with the perfect re-creation
of arcane symbols. Another sigh escaped him though it was more
light-hearted until he stopped dead at his door. He only now remembered he had tosses
the weapon into the trees so Naruto wouldn't have seen it.
Cursing lightly Iruka made a dash away from his front door, taking a
large leap so that he could run across the rooftops of the village. He needed
to get his katana back, what would happen if it rained? What if someone
went there and found it? Iruka's eyes widened and he doubled his speed. That
sword was that last gift he ever received from his parents, he couldn't have
any harm come to it!
Finally Iruka jumped off the last roof to make a full-out sprint across
the ground for the sakura trees a distance off...but something was slowly
becoming larger as he came closer to the grove, that something holding
a stick or the like over its shoulder. Iruka stopped short. "Who are
you?"
"Evening Iruka-sensei!"
"K-Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing out here at this time of night?"
Absently Iruka let his hold of a hidden kunai go, feeling more at ease
that it was only the Team 7 instructor and not an intruder he might have had
to fend off for the slumbering village.
Kakashi was beginning to come into view along with the object resting
on a padded shoulder that caused Iruka's breath to catch in his throat. He
knew that sheath, no other sword within hundreds of miles would ever look
like Iruka's. "I should ask you the same question. Don't you have classes to
teach tomorrow?"
"Where did you get that?"
"Hm?"
"That sword, Kakashi, where'd you get it?"
Kakashi's visible eyebrow raised faintly at Iruka's serious tone of
voice and couldn't help but smile in secret. He shrugged lightly instead,
wanting to play around a bit. "Found it."
"Where?"
"Somewhere. Might keep it, it's nice."
"Kakashi-sensei...please give me the katana."
"Why?"
"Because."
"Why?"
Iruka closed his eyes and placed a hand over one side of his face,
could feel a vein willing to pop out of his head at the similarities between
Kakashi and most of his students. "I-I know who it belongs to and I
would like to return it to them. So, please, could I have the katana?"
"I can return it to them myself." Having been fending off the
beginnings of a headache Iruka didn't notice Kakashi's sudden close proximity to his
face causing Iruka to stumble backwards, reeling away with surprise only to
his the ground with a soft thump. Dark eyes blinked owl-ishly up at
Kakashi's unique 'Happy Face', always surprised at the Jounin's snap change mood.
"Just tell me who."
With the tables turned out of his favor Iruka could feel defeat and
bowed his head to look at the ground between his sprawled legs. "It's..." Why
couldn't he tell Kakashi the weapon was his? Because all the reasons
were filed away in the past he cared not to recall for fear an old pain
would awaken he could not bare alone again.
"An old student?" Kakashi had sat back on his haunches, the katana
being held out to Iruka with one gloved hand, his bared eye showing a knowing
compassion though the dolphin wouldn't be able to see it in the crude
lighting. Unknowingly the Copy Ninja had reached out to gently brush
his fingertips along Iruka's cheek, pulling away sharply as the smaller
man's body tensed visibly. "Well, make sure they get it. I bet they're
worried."
Before Iruka could what, thank you...ask why?, Kakashi dispersed in a
swirl of mist to leave the katana leaning against one of Iruka's legs. Taking
hold of the treasured sword he pulled himself to his feet, a hand stealing
to his cheek where he could swear heat still lingered from the Jounin's touch.
"An old student indeed..."
With too much on his mind and no ways to clear it Iruka walked slowly
back towards home. He sighed, taking note he'd been doing that a lot lately
and rested the sheath against his shoulder much like Kakashi had done
earlier.
He already knew he'd be calling in sick for school tomorrow, use one of
his hundred personal days for once.
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