#irukaxoc

Author’s Note: It’s Day 2 of CanonxOCweek2022! Today’s prompt is an Amusement Park Date. This time, we have some IrukaxOC action going on...with a twist!

Recommended order of reading:

Introduction, Confession, Jealousy, Argument, and Amusement Park Date (here).

Setting: Modern day, yakuza AU.

She waited near the entrance of the loud attraction. Children of varying ages weaved through the crowds of stationary adults, their ear-piercing screams enough to affirm Danya’s decision to avoid having one of her own. Clumsy mascots with gigantic, dead-pan stares tried to cheer up wailing infants but couldn’t figure out why their dances weren’t working. Even outside the gates, a wonderful aroma of fried foods and burnt sugar filled the air, making the sunny day more enjoyable. Metal growled in the distance as rides sped along their tracks, eliciting delighted screams from the passengers on them.   

The detective, Iruka, wanted to meet here; much to her surprise.

Danya had tried to dress modestly, but her distorted reflection in the wavy mirrors made her second-guess every decision. A tan, long-sleeved turtleneck somehow felt too revealing, her blue jeans now felt too tight, and she worried her dark brown boots wouldn’t stop her feet from aching. 

She picked at her fingernails as she waited for her date to show, but even she used the term lightly. Iruka had texted earlier in the week to check-in on her. When she had admitted that the events at The Velvet Lounge had made her mind uneasy, he offered to pay for lunch. But first, he wanted to take her somewhere to “loosen up” first. If she had known he wanted to meet at an amusement park, she would have suggested elsewhere. 

But despite the uncomfortable knot in her stomach, she was thankful to be somewhere else. Ever since Kisame’s run-in with a ricocheted bullet, her mind had been a mess of what to do next. Kisame had been one of the gentlest men she’d met, but his career choice was an issue. Should she go take the risk and go out with a mobster? How much danger would she face daily? How much danger was she already in since she started working at the bar?

Red images conjured from her mind stole her attention. The smell of iron still haunted her nostrils, catching her off-guard every time it reappeared. 

“He’s lucky it wasn’t deep. The bullet didn’t even make it past the muscle tissue.” A nurse whispered from her memory. Her hands shook at her sides as she rubbed the clean digits against her hips, terrified she had missed a speck of blood from beneath her nails. The phone in her back pocket felt heavy, and she debated whether she should text the recovering man in question. 

“Da-chan?” A soft, masculine voice cut through the loud buzz of her thoughts. “Have you been waiting for long?” 

Her eyes went to the long scar running across the bridge of his nose. She would’ve lost him in the crowd had it not been for the discernable feature. 

“Oh. No, not long at all.” She said.

Iruka greeted her with a soft smile. His brown hair, normally pulled back into a short ponytail, was down. The striped button-up was completely open, showing off the white undershirt tucked into his pants. It was now she realized just how… in shape the detective was. His normal uniform had done a fantastic job of keeping everything hidden. 

“Oh, good.” He said through another smile. “Did you get your ticket yet?”

“Well, no,” she admitted. “I wanted to find you. Good thing too. You’re different without ponytail.”

His shoulders shook when he chuckled, a disappointing sight compared to when his ponytail would bounce about from the action. “Yeah, well. It’s not often I can let my hair down, ya know?” They walked to the booth, and he purchased both tickets before she could reach for her card.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she hissed. 

“It’s just some tickets.” He assured.

“Fine, but I’ll get lunch.”

“No, you won’t. I said I would take care of it.”

“Detective—”

“You don’t need to be so formal. You can just call me Iruka.” His smile made the knot in her stomach tighten. She must’ve made a face. He leaned closer and reached out for her. “Hey, are you okay?”

“It’s just—I, uh…” She stepped away and struggled for the right words, even in her own language. The growing guilt now gnawed at the back of her head and her phone shifted in her pocket. “Haven’t done this in a while.” She lied.

His cheeks flushed. “If it makes you feel better, neither have I. Who’d have thought work and a kid would take up all my free time?”

“You have a kid?” She asked, bewildered at the statement.

His hands went into his pockets, and they walked casually through the growing crowds, already looking for a respite from the masses. “Yeah. I was close with his parents. When they passed—,” he stopped. Dark eyes darted about in thought until he resigned to a simple explanation. “I felt obligated to take care of him.”

“That’s very kind of you.” She said. 

The smile he tried to use could not hide the unsure tone in his voice as he continued. “He can be a brat, but it’s not his fault. There’s no book on how to be a good father. Well, I mean there are but it—i-it’s just harder than it looks.”

Kids squealed at the big-headed mascots and yanked on the arms of their parents. Some were in the middle of full-blown tantrums as their irritated guardians hauled them away. Peppered in the chaos, she saw them; parents carrying armfuls of prizes and covered head-to-head in merch, struggling to keep up with their beaming children burdened only with a balloon tied safely to their little wrists. But regardless of how ridiculous they looked, the parents continued to beam at their little one, no doubt swimming in the joyful memory they had just made together. 

The knot in her gut coiled tighter.

“Shouldn’t your kid be here?” She asked. “Why take me?”

A nervous laugh came from his strained smile. “Well, funny story. My kid is here. He’s just off with some friends.”

“Without adult? It’s allowed?” 

“Oh yeah, he’ll be fine,” he assured with a wave. “He’s thirteen. He can take care of himself.”

She felt the blood leave her face. The man doesn't know how much chaos a teenager can cause. “Y-you sure?”

He nodded and gestured for to follow him into the crowd. “C’mon. We should try to have a good time.”

It took her longer than usual to get her feet to move. There was something off about him today. His smile was genuine enough, but something bubbled beneath the dark pools of his eyes. But what remained hidden, she couldn’t quite tell, was such a stark contrast to the blue mobster she had grown accustomed to. 

Kisame’s silent ques were easy enough for her to decipher. The man loved the truth so much she was certain he was incapable of lying. To see shadows of deceit flicker over the detective’s face sent an icy shiver down her spine.  

And his choice of conversation only sealed her reservations. “So, uh… how was your day?” 

“Fine. Yours?” She strained.

“It’s alright.” 

What riveting conversation. 

Steel clamored together as a ride flew along its quaking tracks, accompanied by high-pitched screams. The rumble shook her bones and made heart raced from the unexpected sensation. She watched as the secure carts twisted and flipped in circles, much to the delight of the passengers. 

“Could you imagine riding that thing?” He gawked next to her. I don't know how they do it.”

A wonderfully terrible idea lit her resolve. She was determined to have fun if she was stuck in an amusement park. 

“We’re going on.”

“Excuse me?”

Without another word, she snatched his wrist and dragged him through the attraction’s entrance. It was a mean idea. An abhorrent thing to do. But there was no better ice breaker than fear-fueled adrenaline. The detective protested, but unfortunately for him, the line was short and soon; they were the next ones waiting to board. 

“Are you really gonna make me do this?” He frowned when the little gates creaked open. 

“Perfectly safe.” She gave him an encouraging push forward. “And fun! I promise.” She jumped into her seat and tried to stop her hands from shaking as she pulled the bar down.

The color drained from his face once his bar locked to the satisfaction of the begrudged employee. Bells chirped at the all-clear, the security gates closed, and the wheels churned slowly forward.

Gears and machines cranked and churned as they creeped up onto a steep track. She peered over the side and watched as the world below became smaller and smaller. The closer they got to the peak, the harder her heart thumped in her chest. 

Iruka, however, was as stiff as a tree. His head pressed into the back of the seat, determined to keep as still as possible. Both hands gripped the safety bars until his knuckles turned white. 

“Have you done this before?” She hollered over the sound of metal.

He chanced a look at her before snapping his attention forward again. “It’s a little late to say ‘no’, isn’t it?” 

“You’re fine. Just breathe.” 

Click-click-click. The ride slowed down as it neared its destination.

His chest rose and fell in quick succession as the carts crept over the high curve. “I-I can’t do this. I can’t do this.” He squeezed his eyes shut and his jaw clenched tightly, bracing himself for what was to come.

“Iruka!” she hollered at him, throwing in a tinge of fear to her tone to catch his attention.

His eyes shot open, and he snapped his head over to her. “What?”

She couldn’t stop the smile that crept over her face. “Breathe.” 

Before her words could sink in, the entire cart dropped. Screams filled the air as the wind rushed over her face. Hair whipped in every direction and the sound of roaring metal drowned out the passengers. She tried to check in on him, but the force of acceleration kept her head firmly in place. 

Every sharp turn or sudden loop-de-loop elicited a fresh wave of screams, but she could not discern his cries from the rest. The moment the ride slowed, she peeked over at him and saw only a gnarled mess of deep brown hair. She threw a hand over her mouth the moment laughter came out.

The brakes squealed, and the carts jostled to a halt. Pistons hissed as the safety bars lifted, freeing the whooping passengers from their seats. Iruka wobbled on his feet, taking hesitant steps off the ride as he tried to part the mess of hair from view. 

She swore to herself and caught up to him quickly. “You alright?” She asked. 

Fingers struggled with the thick locks until they were tame and out of the way once more. He stared at her with wide eyes, his lips a thin, hard line against his face. She braced herself for an explosion of rage, her eyes darting for the nearest exit.

A big, child-like grin nearly took up his entire face. “You wanna go again?”

Her muscles relaxed, and she allowed herself to smile at the first sign of sincerity from him. “Oh, yeah.”

They went on the rollercoaster two more times. They would’ve gone for a third round if the line hadn’t grown unbearably long. 

“Feel better?” She asked. Her limbs continued to quiver from the rush of adrenaline as they walked away from the attraction.

He nodded. “But uh, I think that’ll be enough for me today.” Before she could start some friendly banter, he gestured to a food stand. “You want lunch?”

“Sure!” she said. Any reservation she of him paying had left.  

They stood in line patiently, muttering to one another about what looked good. In the silence, she realized just how normal this all felt. She was out in the day with a decent man, not because of his appearance, but for his career choice. They didn’t have to worry about sinister whispers, about bad people plotting his demise. Well, perhaps some people wanted him dead, but for very different reasons. 

She took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and the writhing knot of guilt. The man was still a cop of sorts. And, sometimes, the worst people were the ones enforcing the law. 

During her self-contemplation, he had placed and paid for their order. As they waited, she watched him type on his phone.

“Your boy?” She asked.

“Hm?” He perked up.

She nodded at the phone. “Your kid. You’re checking him?”

He looked at the device and the shadows from earlier returned to his eyes. “Oh, yeah. He’s fine. They’re about to hop on a ride now.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she tried her best to ignore it. It was probably something top-secret and work related, anyway. When they were called to collect their food, her senses perked, and she was all too eager to grab her plastic plate. 

The moment they found a table, she chowed down on the fried meal. There was a lot of grease, but she didn’t care. She was just happy to have something else other than butter-rice and soy sauce. 

After a few mouthfuls, she finally slowed down and wiped her mouth clean with a napkin. “Thank you,” she said the moment she had an empty mouth. “This is most fun I’ve had in long time.”

“I’m glad I could make your day a little better.” He said through a soft smile. The food on his plate had remained untouched. 

“You won’t eat?” She asked around a mouthful of food.

He pulled out his phone again, his eyes glued to the screen as he spoke. “I will soon. But uh, do you wanna talk about what happened?”

She stopped mid-bite and scrunched her brow together. “With rollercoaster? Thought you had fun.”

“N-no, not that,” he grumbled as his fingers struggled to type on the screen. “I mean at The Velvet Lounge.”

A little huff came from as she fought back the flashes of red and blue. “Nah, not really.” 

As she took another bite, he finally accomplished his task. The device slid forward, and on the screen was a display that reminded her of an old-fashioned tape recorder. The food in her mouth suddenly turned tasteless, and a heaviness weighed down on her shoulders.

She met his dark gaze, and the shadows that had haunted him suddenly made sense. This wasn’t even a friend-date. 

“Da-chan,” he started. “I just want your side of it.”

“It’s in report,” she said, keeping her tone hard and even. “Told police everything already.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I want your side of it without their influence.”

“Hm? What?” She leaned forward and cupped her ear toward him. Then she clicked her tongue and threw her hands up in feigned defeat. “Sorry. Can’t understand what you say. Guess you read report instead.”

He frowned as she got up to leave. “Da-chan—” 

“Danya-san,” she corrected him with a wag of her finger. “Go be with your son, Detective.” He called out to her as she stormed off, but she let her middle finger speak on her behalf. 

Any warmth or joy from today was gone, soiled by his deceit. The phone in her back pocket moved with every step, demanding her attention. As she pushed past the exit gates, she pulled the device from its hiding place and dialed the only number that mattered. Her heart raced with every ring and her fingers would not stop shaking from the rush of emotion flooding her veins.

“Hello?” The sound of Kisame’s distorted voice made her heart stop. Her resolved dropped and her eyes stung from the salty tears brimming.

“H-hey,” she choked out, wincing at how pathetic she sounded. She cleared her voice and tried again. “Hey. You okay today?”

Even through the phone, she could hear his concern. “As fine as I can be. What about you? Is something wrong?”

The guilt had made its home in her throat. She tried to swallow the ball down, but it wouldn’t budge. “I need to talk face-to-face.”

“I’ll be ready by the time you get here. Do you need the address?”

“No, I have. But… I don’t think you’ll be happy with my words.”

There was silence on the other end, and her heart pounded in her ears. Why did she agree to come here? Why did she agree to go anywhere with a detective? The whole thing had been foolish. Now, she may lose the one person who seemed to give a shit about her.

And it would all be her fault.

“I can make my own conclusions,” he finally spoke. “Just get here safe and I’ll hear everything.”

She took a shaky inhale at the response. “Thank you. I’ll let you know when I’m close.” When he gave an affirmative grunt, she hung up the phone. 

It was a good start, but their discussion had hardly begun. Old fears solidified from past traumas popped to her head, laying out the foundation of what she should expect. Before the nasty omens could overwhelm her, she calmed the storm with deep inhales and affirming exhales. When her body had stopped shaking and her heart had calmed, she picked apart the ominous foundation laid before her.

Iruka, he was supposed to be a trusted member of. There had been no reason for him to keep his true intentions today. But if he had been forthcoming from the start, she wouldn’t be upset. Now, it was clear the detective didn’t want to trust her. Kisame may have deceived her in terms of his choice of career, but she understood why he had hidden it. Whenever they had time together, he had been honest and open to her; ready to give her trust like a warm blanket on a chilly night.

A/N: So @shiranuigenma​ encouraged me to post the 1st (rewritten twice) chapter of my IrukaxOC fanfic on here. And @pyroinquisitor and I cried about Iruka a week or so ago. :’) 

The first version was originally published in 2008 on Quizilla under the username aikalovesong.  Forgive me for grammatical or spelling errors. 

Also on ao3 and FFN 

Chapter One: The Good, The Bad and the Dirty

High School AU - Iruka Umino x OC 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2.437