Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Mission Iruka ❯ Pact With Pakkun and Dinner Gone Awry ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Editing music for the day: The Crystal Method (I was in the mood for 'Born Too Slow')

I really was surprised people loved Ch. 9 so much. I should know better since I had the same issues with my poetry. I'd be like "ARGH it's not right!" and people would go "I love this one!" I really should know better.

Okay who got the sushi joke in chapter 9? I thought I was being clever but I got a few "huh?" in response to it so I'm curious if anyone other than Kristal and Tellkalia got it.

Oh and his prank is revealed.

I about killed my best friend last night. I started editing this and the line about Fate dealing them cards actually hit me. I told my best friend "Wow I never realized how clever that line is... Tsunade gambler and cards..." *giggling* Her *dies laughing* "duh! You are so clever! That's almost as good as that one commercial finally making sense to you the other day." Referring to a Cox (cable company) commercial that I watched and watched and finally got the joke after the hundredth time. Something about DVDs getting their bottoms scratch and it being undignified. It's not that funny but it was funny I didn't get it. "You JUST realized that? How many times have you read that while editing." Me "I dunno... lots. It just never occurred to me I didn't actually plan that." Her "Clever." So I'm a 'tad' blonde.


Mission Iruka
Chapter 10: Pact with Pakkun and dinner gone awry.



**************

"Oooh can I try?"

"But you can't cook."

"So teach me. You can be my cooking sensei." Iruka grinned.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "I guess if you screw it up we can get takeout."

"Hey now!" Iruka said slightly miffed. He shoved Kakashi with his shoulder gently. "The student is only as good as the teacher."

"Fine fine. Here," Kakashi handed him some dough.

"Roll it out like this." He demonstrated flattening it with the rolling pin.

Iruka tried to mimic and the dough while mostly flat had waves of thick and thin parts.

"No no, like this." Kakashi reached out squished the dough again and set it in front of Iruka. Iruka held out the rolling pin but instead of taking it from him the other man took his hand holding the pin and then reaching around behind Iruka took the other one and started rolling the dough.

"See... light even pressure." Iruka blushed, afraid to take his hands away.

"Oh, uh, sorry..." Kakashi said, backing away.

"It's just when Sensei showed me... I was a kid and well a lot smaller and um... " Iruka had never seen the man blush before, it was truly fascinating. Only the smallest amount would have shown above his mask but without it on his pale cheeks practically looked like they were on fire.

Iruka forced himself to turn back to the dough.

"You mean like this?" He repeated the movement he'd just been shown.

"Yeah." Kakashi came to stand beside him again.

"Now you can put whatever you want in it. Just put a little bit in the middle." He demonstrated by putting a spoonful of some meat in the center of the one of the pieces he'd rolled out. Iruka took some vegetables and some fish and put it in the middle of his own.

"Okay now fold it over so it's a triangle and a poke a hole in the top with the knife." They continued fixing the meal chatting amicably.

"Now we just have to stick them in the oven."

They were sitting out in the courtyard discussing Iruka's students when Kakashi frowned beneath his mask and Iruka would have missed it if not for the fact he furrowed his brow for a brief moment.

" 'Ruka." His voice was calm but not detached. "How's Sakura doing?"

"She's doing really well. Ino and Sakura seems to be getting along better and Tsunade-sama is really impressed by how quickly Sakura picks things up." He smiled trying to impress upon the jounin that she really was doing well.

"At least two of them survived my ineptness." He sighed. "I got a letter from Jiraiya. Naruto continues to amaze him. Although he doesn't tell him that. He said to tell you, you did a good job. If it hadn't been for you looking out for the boy all those years he might have ended up like Sasuke."

"Sasuke wasn't your fault." He frowned and studied the masked face of his friend. "And you're far from inept. I couldn't believe how far they had come by the time the chunin exams came around. They were even more prepared than the others of their class."

Kakashi shook his head. "If that were true Sasuke wouldn't have left. He wouldn't have needed to."

Iruka sighed, exasperated.

"Don't give me that. You can't possibly expect to be held accountable for Sasuke. He had scars too deep and too old to be healed in such a short time. Considering you managed to pull him out of his shell enough he not only managed to function with his team but form bonds with them, to be their friend. Nobody else managed that. And I tried. He was in my class for over two years and I could barely get him talk. You had him for a few months and he was ready for the chunin exams. Sandaime tried everything to reach that boy. He had so many counselors working with him it would make your head spin and all it did was make him recede further into his shell."

He never so much as raised his voice but the tone was harsh.

"And Tsunade-sama already told me that Jiraiya told her you were the one who sent for him. That you /asked/ for his help with Naruto. As for Sakura.. Yes she found her own path and on her own no less. I'm sure Naruto and Sasuke had a lot to do with that but don't underestimate your own influence. Sakura admires you and she wouldn't if she didn't have a good reason for doing so. As Tsunade put it to me, fate dealt them their cards but the game is neither over nor lost."

It was a good thing Kakashi was wearing his mask because Iruka was pretty sure that he'd have been gaping if he hadn't. Iruka wondered if he'd over done it, overstepped his bounds. More over he wondered if Kakashi would hate him for being so nosy. Kakashi just sat there staring at him. It was then he realized they'd been there awhile.

"Oh shit the food!" He said launching himself towards the kitchen.

*****************

Smoke was trailing up out of the oven and he knew the food was lost.

"Looks like take-out." He bit his thumb and summoned Pakkun.

"Hey Boss."

Kakashi rolled out a blank scroll and started writing. "I need you to go fetch me some food."

"You summoned me to play fetch..." Pakkun said sounding somewhat offended.

"Hai, I don't feel like it. Besides I know Miyu likes to see you. She always gives you steak." He smiled at the pug, "Of course if you're not interested..."

"Just give me the scroll Boss." Pakkun said then turned to look at Iruka. "Boss, is something wrong?"

"No."

Pakkun studied the chunin for another moment before heading off to get food. Kakashi opened his mouth to say something to the chunin about his remarkable ability to destroy food when it occurred to him, "Iruka you did say Tsunade told you about Jiraiya?"

"I'm sorry Kakashi I shouldn't have discussed your students with her it's just..."

"Excuse me. I'll be right back," Kakashi cut him off, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

**************

"He's going to kill me. I should have just kept my nose out of it," Iruka groaned. He paced back and forth awhile before he realized the opportunity that was sitting his lap and started setting up more of his trap. He rolled out a scroll and bit his thumb smiling as the supplies poofed nicely organized in front of him. Hey where do you think Tenten learned it?

A modified 'exploding' tag here, another there, more chakra thread than was probably really necessary. He was in the middle of placing one just inside a cupboard (which would cause it to open just a little if it was closed) when he heard Pakkun set the food down.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh... um.. I was getting..." He looked at the cupboard, it was full of pans. "Uh... this." He pulled out a oddly shaped pan and held it out.

"You need a bundt pan why?" Pakkun didn't believe him and he knew it.

"To make uh... what did you call it?" Iruka really did try not to blush.

"Bundt. Kurenai gave it him. It's used to make a type of cake," Pakkun sighed. "Now what have you been doing to the Boss's house. I can smell your scent all over the place well except for the bedroom."

Iruka visibly deflated. 'Damn dogs and their sense of smell.' Iruka explained and sighed. 'Oh well some things just never get off the ground.' "I promise to take it apart." Iruka frowned.

Pakkun grinned, "I'll help you."

"You'll..." Iruka stared dumbfounded at the dog.

"On one condition. Well two." Iruka's eyes were wide with shock and his jaw was practically on the floor. "One you have to promise not to damage his things or him. And two, you have to do something about the dust. I swear there are spider webs big enough to catch me and spiders big enough well... let's just say I'm lucky I'm a ninken."

Iruka grinned, "Deal."

**********************

Kakashi appeared in front of the Hokage in a puff of smoke, turned and glowered at Shizune and a genin who happened to be standing there. "Out."

Shizune gently pushed the genin towards the door. "I'll uh just... yeah." She looked at Tsunade who simply nodded and then she left.

Kakashi turned his full attention to Tsunade with every ounce of anger he could manage.

"You!" She smiled and leaned back in her chair before propping her feet up on her desk.

"Had no right!" She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled. He seethed and tried to form a sentence in his head that had fewer curse words in it.

"I had no right to what?"

"To... to.. to discuss my charges with Iruka." It wasn't what he was planning to say but it sounded better than the curse words the other thought had turned into.

She smiled. "I'm the Hokage; I can discuss any of my subordinates with anyone I choose."

"You also have no right to interfere in my personal relationships or lack there of unless you think they have something to do with my ability or loyalty as a shinobi. I am not here for your amusement! I have tolerated it because of my loyalty but I will not allow you to toy with me or Iruka for your PERSONAL amusement." He ground his teeth and growled. "If you ever... I'll..."

"You'll what brat?" She shook her head. "I really can't believe you're this upset. I mean really it's not like I made you be friends with him." She sighed. "Really I was just worried you didn't have enough friends and since Iruka likes everyone and everyone likes him I figured he'd probably be the best bet to get you to stop hiding behind that god awful trash Jiraiya writes."

He stared at her still seething, "It's not trash."

"You're just upset because it took you so long to figure out what I was up to." She rolled her eyes at him. "Just because you're a genius brat doesn't mean everyone around you is a moron or blind. Hell for a genius it took you an awful long time to figure out you like the man."

"I.. I don't.." he sputtered.

She snickered. "You don't? Really? That's why you spend practically everyday with the man? You let him in your house. You don't even let Gai in your house and he's probably your best friend whether you want to admit it or not." She paused staring rather calmly at him. "Has he seen your face?" Kakashi bristled, giving her the answer.

"Stay out of my friendship with Iruka-sensei." His voice was surprisingly calm. "Or I will tell Jiji how much you miss him." He smiled and it was far more malicious than the scowling. "Overheard you talking to Sandaime-sama at the stone. And don't think I won't."

"Fine, fine. I'll behave." She held her hands up. "I really was just worried about you brat. You'd be surprised I think at the number of people who care about you."

"Don't care." He pulled out his Icha Icha before walking over to the window and leaping out muttering something about stupid, nosey hokages.

*************************

Iruka was setting plates out on the table with the takeout when Kakashi walked back in the room. "Where did you run off to?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi asked smiling. "Oh I just realized I forgot my book in the Hokage's office."

Iruka stared at him a moment before shaking his head.

"Crazy jounin," he muttered. "Get your nose out of that book and let's eat."

Kakashi sat down and put away his book.