Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Hope ❯ Part 6 ( Chapter 6 )

I found this amazing KakaIru/IruKaka fanart site. One has particularly spurred me to finish this story ASAP. Check it out. Man, I just adore this picture. You might even find such a scene later on in future chapters. Look people look!

http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~egomania/pict_11.htm

I have also decided that this fic will be a lemon! But I will not archive the lemon chapter here in ff.net. I will provide a link when that chapter comes. Okay?

HOPE 6

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest, as she watched Iruka's eyes dart frantically back and forth as a nurse set a tray on the attached table on the bed. It contained a cup of warm calming tea. The Hokage was not bothered by the fact that it was tea that was on the tray (since she gave orders not to feed Iruka a whole meal at once, since his stomach has been empty for several days) but the fact that the nurse was a good three feet away from Iruka and man couldn't even stop shaking.

Once the nurse was gone, Tsunade watched Iruka stare at his blanket-covered lap for a few minutes before she sighed. "Iruka, drink your tea."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." He answered politely and picked up the hot cup and took a sip. A look of pleasure crossed the man's face, which was now completely free of bruises. Another week has passed and Tsunade was glad that all the bruises on the man's body were gone, cuts and other marks included. Scars that were left behind were little white lines that were hardly even visible unless once strained to see it. She had poured enough chakra to make it that way. Tsunade was really proud of her work. The only thing left to do is to get Iruka to look like his normal fit self and not the malnourished looking thing sitting in front of her on a white bed.

"Iruka, there is something I need to talk to you about." Tsunade said. Iruka took a long sip of his tea and set the cup down, turning his full attention to lady sitting beside him. "I will allow you to leave the hospital and go home." Iruka's eyes lit up. Thoughts of how he could soak up in the bath filled his head and when he noticed Tsunade looking at him with a raised eyebrow, his pale cheeks turned pink. "But for now, I do not think you should live on your own."

"Eh?" Iruka blinked, unsure exactly of what Tsunade meant.

"Well, for starters, I want you to learn how to accept being around others. Your reactions to people being approximately not more than three feet close is unacceptable. Which is why I am giving you a three-month leave from your teaching duty at the academy. I will assume that in three months you will react better to your surroundings. Or at least show some progress."

Whatever happy glint of flush that was in Iruka's feature was completely replaced by mortification. He quickly dipped his head, trying his best to hide his expression from Tsunade in vain of course. "What happened, happened Iruka." Iruka's hands clenched on the white sheets. "You should move on." Tsunade knew that one month was hardly enough time to recover but she knew Iruka was strong willed and will nevertheless try.

"You're right, Hokage-sama. I should move on. Nothing is going to happen to me if I remain like this." Iruka looked up and gave her a small smile. "Do you have an arrangement in mind, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade did not know whether to be pleased by the fact that Iruka was reacting the way he did to her proposition, but she decided that he was trying his best and that was a good sign. "I will have someone sent over to live with you for the next three months. He or she will monitor your progress and keep me up to date. Once I see that you are fit enough to teach, then you will return to the academy. In the meantime, Asuma will resume your place in the academy."

Iruka frowned at the idea of someone smoking teaching the children. It would be a bad example. "But he smokes -"

Tsunade laughed. "Looks like your making progress already! See? You're already worrying about the children already." Iruka flushed. Tsunade's expression became serious. "Iruka? Everyone in the village is worried about your absence. A few people other than myself know what really happened to you." Iruka looked away. "Naruto is really worried about you that every time he sees you asleep, he cries."

"Naruto?" Iruka looked up, worry glazing in his features. "How is he doing? Is he all right? Does he get hurt in missions?" Several worrying questions poured out of Iruka's lips.

Tsunade held her palms up and stopped him. "I think its best if you ask him those questions yourself." Iruka raised both his eyebrows in question. Tsunade turned behind her slightly and called. "You can come in now."

There were several seconds of hesitation before the door finally did open slowly. A blonde head peeked from the doorway, eyes falling on Iruka. Iruka saw the look of worry and sadness and even relief cross the boy's features and he offered him a smile. "Naruto." He whispered.

"Come on in, Naruto." Tsunade encouraged and boy let himself in, closing the door slightly behind him. He approached the bed and stopped exactly five feet away. Tsunade had warned him about Iruka's reactions and the boy understood perfectly, hence kept the distance in mind. He did not want his teacher to be uncomfortable. "I better leave you two. You will be able to go home tonight, Iruka. I will come by tonight to see you off."

With that said, Tsunade left the room, leaving Iruka to stare at Naruto, who was looking at him every now and then.

*

Iruka watch Naruto fidget five feet away. "Naruto, come closer." Naruto obeyed and came one foot closer, making his distance a grand total of four feet. Iruka smiled inwardly and sighed. "Closer Naruto." Naruto dared to come three feet closer and then stopped and watched Iruka with that puppy-dog look on his face. The one he always used when he wanted ramen. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, Iruka-sensei." He said, adding a nod to his response.

"And your missions?" Iruka asked, a calm look now gracing his pale face.

"Ah, you know how baa-san can be a bit corny sometimes. They're all right. I haven't failed any yet."

Iruka nodded. "That's good to hear." Silence lapped at them again, only this time both were looking at each other. Iruka's eyes suddenly became pained and sad. He loved the boy dearly and seeing the sad look on the energetic boy's face replaced by that of sadness and hurt, he felt his insides clench so tight that it hurt. He raised his hand towards Naruto, wanting to reach out to him but Naruto was too far. Naruto watched the hand lift up from the white sheets and reach out to him. His cheeks began to burn red as he fought back the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Naruto." Iruka whispered, a begging tone for him to come closer. Iruka shifted in the bed so that he was directly facing Naruto.

"I-Iruka-sensei." He approached him, eyes shutting tight and allowed Iruka to wrap his arms around his neck and torso and pull him for a warm and strong hug. Naruto bawled like a baby, wrapping his own hands around Iruka. "I'm so sorry sensei. I did not mean to be mad at you at that time. I was being selfish. I was so scared that you hated me. I did not want to loose you sensei. You're the only one who really made me feel like I had a family. I'm so sorry sensei. I'm so sorry." Iruka thought that his words ended there, but he was mistaken. "I tried to be brave sensei. I remembered what you taught me in the academy about the shinobi sayings. One of them said that a shinobi must keep the emotions inside no matter what the situation. You must make the mission top priority and you must possess a heart that shows no tears." Iruka winced slightly at that saying. "I tried hard not to cry, sensei. I did remember your lessons and I really tried."

Iruka hugged him tighter. "No more." He whispered and smoothed the boy's blonde hair. "Say no more."

Minutes ticked away until the shaking of Naruto's shoulders finally ceased. He turned his teary blue eyes up to Iruka and stared in to his dark sunken ones. "Am I hurting you, sensei?"

"No." Iruka shook his head. "You're not at all Naruto." Naruto sat beside him and Iruka hugged him again.

They remained like that in silence, as the day turned to night. Later on, Naruto told Iruka the many tales of him becoming a chuunin that Iruka began to feel as if everything was returning back to normal.

*

Iruka looked around his clean apartment. Tsunade had told him that his `guard' would come by that evening. He had to convince Naruto to go home and get some rest and come by for breakfast the next day. He opened his fridge and found it cleaned and stacked with a good supply of greens and dairy products. He reminded himself to thank the Hokage's good graces and headed for the bathroom. He left behind him a trail of clothes as he began to draw his bath. When everything was ready, he placed the robe by the towel rack along with a towel and sank in to the warm bath. A sigh of pleasure left his lips and he tilted his head back, exposing a long pale neck and enjoyed the warm tingling sensations around him.

For about half an hour, he soaked himself till he felt the water starting to get a little cool. He then sat up and pulled the drain stopper, watching the water go down before turning on the hot shower. He cleaned himself until he smelled of the citrus soap he'd used on himself. He dried himself with the towel before pulling his robe on and padding in to the bedroom. He sat on his dressing table and was running a comb through his hair towel drying it that he was unaware of how the robe slipped down one side of his shoulder. He pulled on a pair of clean dark blue pajamas and tied his hair back loosely.

He remembered Tsunade's diet and decided to follow the `dinner' part since he was hungry. She had put him on a strict diet to get his stomach used to eating food once again. Although Iruka had a strong feeling to just wolf down anything at the moment, he held back the urge with every ounce of will he had in him. He wanted to get better as well as satisfy his hunger. Besides, a glass of milk and brown bread with some soup sounded fine. However, he was surprised to find himself only able to eat half of one bread, the entire glass of milk and round about four spoonfuls of the soup. He felt like he had eaten ten bowls of ramen form the Ichiraku. Sighing, he cleared the plates and began to rinse them in the sink when the doorbell rang. He dried his hands and opened the door only to freeze.

Brown met onyx. He suddenly panicked within himself because the man standing by the doorway with a backpack by his feet was too close for comfort, not to mention that he was taller and slightly bigger in built than he was. He tried to compose himself and steeled his expression.

"Can I help you with something, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Hokage-sama sent me." Kakashi said, eyes not in their usual lazy mode but rather serious and - worried?

Iruka balled his hands in to fists. Of all the jounins, chuunins and even genins, Tsunade had to choose Kakashi. Why couldn't it have been Genma? Or Kurenai? Or even Gai! "Yes, I see." He said, nodding. His voice, much to his surprise was way too calm for comfort. "Come in." Kakashi picked his backpack up and followed Iruka in to the homey looking living room.

Kakashi watched Iruka take the farthest seat away from him and gave him a cold look. "Umm - will the couch be all right to sleep in?" Kakashi felt rather uncomfortable under such a cold gaze.

"No, there is a spare room. It's the first door on your left. Bathroom is across it directly. The fridge is stacked and should you find yourself in any dire need of anything, I will be in the next room."

Kakashi winced inwardly. "Right."

"It's getting late and I am tired. I trust you won't find any troubles settling in." He said and stood up swiftly. "Good night."

Without another word or a turn of the head, Iruka entered his room and closed the door. Kakashi was left in the middle of the living room. Kakashi sighed and entered the room Iruka had given him to stay in.

TBC

Ack! Iruka is a meanie! LOL. What ever will Kakashi do? Ah! Better see what happens next time right?

Tune in next chapter.

Iruka has a bad dream and who will come to save him? ~rubs hands together in anticipation for the next chapter~