the caretaker | iruka umino
Pairing: Iruka Umino x 19+f!reader
Synopsis: It's particularly rainy that Sunday morning. You have places to be, and the rain certainly wasn't going to stop you - a pothole in the road might, however. How embarrassing, now you're late and wet. Oh, God, please tell me you didn't see that?
WC: N/A - nothing but fluff.
Word Count: 5.5k
A/N: tbh I fell in love with the idea of iruka being soft and taking care of me, so I decided to write something to fulfil my own need since I couldn't find anything to scratch that itch. Reader is a Sarutobi bc the plot required it. If you liked reading my work, please know my requests are open & I offer taglists for new content I post! :)
It was raining outside. Under any other circumstance, Iruka wouldnāt have minded. Except that it was cold, and wet, and it was Halloween. And normally, Iruka didnāt have arrangements for Halloween, so the terrible forecast wouldnāt have been a concern ā except that he did this year, and the rain was impeding on those particular plans.Ā
For the last two years, Halloween landed on a school day. For the most part, he was bogged down with lending an additional hand after class. In prior years, he didnāt bother to celebrate the holiday simply because he hadnāt had the time. It appeared that wasnāt a sufficient answer for Master Jiraiya.Ā
The Sannin arrived in town just the night prior after a gruelling month of training with Naruto; he was dining at Ichirakuās with Kakashi and Asuma. They feasted on ramen while Iruka listened to the tales of their various training. He was always impressed as a teacher of the Academy to listen to the growth and strength that students of his past accomplished in their own personal endeavours. Especially with Naruto. The boy was an enigma, Iruka decided, one he was keen on rooting for.Ā
But no amount of compliments to Jiraiya and his masterful work with Naruto could spare Iruka from the dreaded conversation; what was going on for the holiday in the village? Iruka all but hung his head in his ramen bowl as the conversation around him ensued. It was unsurprising that Kakashi knew the goings-on of celebrations within the village; the man knew everything about everyone, for the most part. Asuma, not unlike Iruka, also didnāt typically partake in the festivities, but appeared rather intrigued at the prospect of joining his fellow comrades in a night of fun.Ā
Iruka tried to avoid it; he was busy grading, preparing next week's lessons, and watering his plants ā to no avail. Jiraiya all but insisted that Iruka join them for the evening. No if, ands, or buts about it. This brought Iruka to his current predicament. Not only did he have plans for the evening, it was also pouring with rain.Ā
He watched the puddles from his perch on his small balcony attached to his second story apartment. The streets were painted a dark grey from the moisture, curbsides overflowing with an ongoing stream that seemed to come from and go nowhere in particular. The tea in his hand was far from serving its purpose of keeping him warm, which was a pity, given it was the last of his favourite herbal blend. Iruka signed petulantly, circling the remainder of the cup's contents in a slow motion.
When he heard the yelp, he nearly leaped from where he stood to the sound. Looking up to search the street once again, he noticed the laying figure of a young woman. From the way her wicker basket sat several feet away from her, Iruka determined she must have fallen in her travel. He watched her for a few moments, noticing that she was slow to rise to her feet. Ultimately, he decided if anything, he needed to ensure she wasnāt injured.Ā
In your rush to make it to your auntās get together in time, you had stupidly forgotten to securely fasten one of the ankle straps on your rollerblades. Under normal conditions, it wouldnāt have proven to be too much of a problem; but when youāre speeding down the road and forget about the pothole just on the left hand side, it certainly can be.Ā
You probably shouldāve moved. You were in the middle of the street, after all. Sure, it was raining and there was likely no one coming that you could be a bother too, but nonetheless. You were laying in the dirty street. In a puddle. And youāre pretty sure your ankle would begin to swell just about any moment.Ā
āJust great,ā you muttered to yourself, unable to contain your annoyance any longer. It was nothing but obstacles since your eyes opened that morning. You ran out of your favourite tea blend, and in your search of finding something new to pair with your morning eggs, you burnt the last of them. You had no hot water when you went to shower ā something that now seemed futile, given that your hair was soaked in rain water and mud. And, you were running late.
You heard the slam of a door followed by the approach of footsteps. You turned slowly, using your arms to push yourself up off the ground with a groan.Ā
Looking up, a gentleman stood above you with an umbrella in one hand and the other stretched out as an offer of help. He looked so comfortable in his training pants and turtleneck ā comfortable and dry. You went to grab the hand he held out, and grimaced when you noticed the scrapes across your palm mixed with pieces of gravel.Ā
āIāve been better.ā You conceded, brushing your hands across your pants as soon as you were standing upright. You noted a tear in the knee in one pant leg and frowned. āThank you for coming to help me, though.ā You turned to the man that was now bent over and collecting the various items that had fallen from your basket. Oh, no ā the taiyaki! āMy desserts!āĀ
Rolling forward to grab the basket, the movement of your weight from one leg to the next sent a shooting pain throughout the entirety of your ankle and up the front of your leg. With a short cry, you went to collapse to the ground again, but found yourself caught by a pair of firm hands.Ā
āWoah, easy! I think itād be best if you get that ankle checked out.ā Iruka felt horrible. There was something about the way your face broke at the sight of your soaked taiyaki that made him feel all the more guilty, although he hadnāt the faintest clue why he would. āThose are death traps you have strapped to your feet.āĀ
You shot a look up at him. āThey are not!āĀ
āThat so?ā Irukaās brow lifted in challenge, slowly removing his grip from your arms to allow you to steady yourself on your own feet. From the look of pain that pulled your brows together, he had proven his point. āIt should be looked at.āĀ
You sighed petulantly. Looking up at him now that the umbrella was situated over both of you, you allowed your brain a moment to register the man standing in front of you. You knew Iruka. You were only a few years his junior, so the pair of you never shared a class or completed any training together. But he was a familiar face, and a friendly one at that.Ā
āI appreciate the concern, Iruka. But Iām actually running late.āĀ
āI donāt think you understand,ā he began, shaking his head slowly as he explained, āyouāre not going to make it very far in this condition, and certainly not in this weather. Arenāt you in pain?āĀ
Of course Iām in pain, you thought coarsely. āI promised my nephew taiyaki, Iām bringing him taiyaki.āĀ
Iruka paused. As much as he wanted to argue that it was imperative you seek medical attention, he could appreciate that you felt you had a duty to fulfil. He often felt that same sense of duty when tending to his students. He took a moment to assess the situation, gnawing on the inside of his cheek while he processed.Ā
You nodded your head. āItās his favourite holiday, and I love that he loves all things scary. I make him taiyaki every year and we eat it after we carve pumpkins.āĀ
Iruka fell into silence again; the two of you stood under the shared umbrella surrounded by the pouring rain with your basket full of the ruined dessert hanging between the two of you in your hands. If you werenāt soaked to the bone, and your ankle wasnāt screaming with pain, it might have otherwise been quite a pleasant little moment.Ā
Finally, Iruka spoke with an even and controlled tone. āI think it would be a good idea if you let someone take a look at your ankle. Besides, you canāt bring these to Konohamaru,ā he held up one of the fish-shaped waffles between his fingers, āheāll just come to the Academy tomorrow and tell everyone all about it. Do you want all the other youth to hear about how your taiyaki was soggy?āĀ
Could this be considered blackmail? You wondered, skeptically eyeing him. Probably not. But he was making a good case, unfortunately.Ā
āIf I go to the clinic now, I can kiss the rest of my day goodbye.āĀ
Iruka paused, pursing his lips together in a firm line; then he sighed. āI can take a look at your ankle for you.āĀ
This time, you hesitated. You watched him for a long moment, searching his face for any indicator that he might be just saying that for the sake of being polite; but from where you stood, he appeared nothing if not sincere. While you didnāt entirely love the prospect of letting Iruka see your foot, there was still the matter of your wet clothing.Ā
You grimaced. āIām not sure.āĀ
āAt most, itās probably a sprain. You can ice it for a bit and then Iāll wrap it for you.ā He replied, his face remaining calm and even.Ā
You looked down, tugging at the hem of your shirt. āIām going to drag mud in.āĀ
Iruka sighed. āAre you always this stubborn when offered help?āĀ
You almost laughed. āUnfortunately. Bad habit, I guess.ā
āHow about this: Iāll help get you back home, that way you can change into something dry and then we can set you up with a temporary fix for your foot.ā
Admittedly, that was a better option. The feeling of your pants clinging to your body from the rain was beginning to irritate you greatly, and you were itching to get out of these clothes. āOkay, thatās not a horrible idea.āĀ
Iruka lifted the corner of his mouth in a half-grin, shifting the umbrella from one hand to the next. āDo you think you can manage if you hold onto me?āĀ
You shrugged. āI guess weāll find out.āĀ
The pair of you only made it to the top of the hill and around the corner before you halted entirely and shook your head. If you lived closer, it may have been feasible, but you still had another eight minutes to go. No chance youād make it. After another five minutes of arguing, Iruka opted to pull you onto his back. It was decided that it was the easiest option to get you back to your apartment without putting further strain on your ankle, all while keeping you both safe from the rain.Ā
The short walk back to your home was quiet. Iruka needed to use both hands to hold you steady, leaving you in charge of keeping the umbrella upright and over the both of you. Sometime along the way, you became increasingly aware that you were soaking his clothing with your own ā something you felt terribly for. You wanted to apologize for it, but you knew Iruka would shrug it off. Always the gentleman.Ā
āHere, let me help you.ā Iruka knelt down once you were safely concealed inside your apartment. Remnants of your baking clung to the air and the space was still warm. You watched as the manās fingers worked to undo the straps on your rollerblades; you quickly placed a hand on the wall beside you to steady yourself when he loosened the laces. āCan you step out of them?āĀ
Albeit painful, you did manage to remove your feet and place them flat on the floor. Iruka placed your rollerblades next to a pair of sneakers you had just to the left of your front door, then stood and immediately began removing his own footwear.Ā
āDo you own a tensor bandage?ā He inquired, placing his jacket on the hook next to the one you had opted to leave at home just twenty short minutes ago.Ā
āSomewhere in the bathroom,ā you pointed to the door across the way.Ā
Iruka nodded once. āIāll go look for it. You find something dry to change into.āĀ
He left you where you stood and made his way across your tiny studio to where the bathroom was. He shut the door behind him, offering you a moment of privacy; it was when the door was closed and you were alone that you finally took a moment to process what was happening.Ā
Six years ago, you would have simply died to have Iruka hold you close, in any regard. Thankfully, you no longer felt like your tongue was swollen every time he happened to say hello when passing by in the streets. Overtime, the silly school-girl crush dissipated into respect - a mutual respect. You werenāt entirely sure when it happened. Maybe after Konohamaru started at the academy.Ā
Not wanting to waste any more time, you quickly rummaged through your closet for a pair of clean joggers and a matching sweater. Peeling the rain-soaked jeans from your legs was the least enjoyable part of the process, but one you were grateful for. The flesh of your thighs were so cold it felt as though it was being pricked by thousands of tiny needles.Ā
By the time Iruka exited out of the bathroom, you were pulling your sweater over your head. He found the tensor bandage and was stretching it out between his hands, his eyes lifting up to meet yours from across the space. āYou look more comfortable.ā He smiled.Ā
āI am,ā you conceded with a nod and a smile in return, āthank you for getting me home. Iām sure you have better things to be doing with your afternoon.ā
Iruka chuckled and shook his head. āNo bother at all.ā The man appeared sincere, coming to sit down next to you on the tiny loveseat nestled at the foot of your bed. He pursed his lips together tightly and patted his meaty thigh twice. āAlright, letās take a look.āĀ
Removing the sock from your foot was the last thing you had wanted to do, but it couldnāt be put off any longer. You gave a quiet sigh, then reached down to slip the material of your sock away from your foot. Iruka helped guide your ankle into place on his leg; he then spent a few moments surveying the tenderness, his fingers gently touching along the swollen area. He kissed his teeth, offering a slight ātutā.Ā
āI think you may need something to help bring the swelling down.ā He finally decided.
āIāve got a bottle of painkillers up there.ā You sighed, pointing over to the cabinets above your stove. āThereās also a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer, could you grab it for me?āĀ
Iruka was quick to retrieve the items; he filled a small glass with some tap water and made his way back over to the loveseat to sit next to you. He set two tablets into the palm of your hand and watched you throw them into the back of your mouth before he handed you the water to swallow them down. When he was sure you had taken them, he took the glass from your hand and placed it on the table in front of him before gingerly placing the frozen bag of peas over your ankle.Ā
You couldnāt help but still feel embarrassed. Surely he had better things to do with his Sunday than play caretaker for you. āIām so sorry.āĀ
Surprised, Iruka looked over at you. āWhat are you apologizing for?ā
You shrugged once. āThis definitely isnāt the best way to spend an afternoon, let alone your Halloween.ā
The smile that Iruka flashed at you was warm and comforting. āTrust me, this is more up my alley than going out to celebrate.āĀ
You rolled your eyes. That felt hard to believe. āWhat, you donāt go out with Asuma and the others?ā
This time, it was Iruka who looked embarrassed. He brought a hand up to rub the back of his neck in a guilty manner, his eyes slipping closed as his cheeks lifted in an innocent smile. āI have a great deal of respect for your brother,ā he admitted, ābut Jiraiya can certainly be a little enthusiastic. Large gatherings arenāt exactly my idea of a good time.āĀ
You blinked twice, then snorted. āAre you scared of the jÅnin, Iruka?āĀ
āMaster Jiraiyaās enthusiasm is not a good enough excuse to opt out of Halloween,ā you retorted.Ā
Iruka sighed. āWhat if I say something stupid?āĀ
You couldnāt help but laugh again. What a silly thing to be worried about, given that your older brother had his own fair share of stupidity. However, you also knew that Asuma also held most people at arm's length at all times, and so the remainder of the village didnāt have the privilege of knowing the Asuma that your family did. For the most part, he was rough around the edges; most certainly the suffer in silence type. But over the last few years during his budding relationship with Kurenai, another side of him began to make its appearance. Someone softer, more tender.Ā
āIf thatās what youāre worried about, donāt.ā You lamented. āPeople say stupid things when theyāre halfway through a bottle of sake.āĀ
The man next to you seemed to visibly relax. āI suppose youāre right.āĀ
āBesides, if Master Jiraiya invited you, then youād ought to be there. I donāt really think anyone in the village turns down a request from one of the Legendary Sannin.ā
Iruka seemed to consider this. Admittedly, he would never let it be known that he just simply didnāt care for the antics of the holiday. In his youth, Halloween was the perfect day to plan for. Heād spend hours upon hours pulling together the most elaborate pranks; as responsibility came to the forefront, Iruka found that he spent less and less time giving a second thought about trivial things like holiday celebrations. Not having a family to celebrate with may have also played a part in that.Ā
Confused, you replied, āWhat about me?āĀ
āDo you have any plans for the evening?ā Iruka inquired, quickly followed by: āI mean, apart from trying to deliver moist desserts to a poor unsuspecting child?āĀ
āTo be fair, Konahamaru is expecting them.ā You couldnāt help but snicker at his words. He was teasing you, and despite the fact the pair of you had not engaged in a steady conversation in almost four years, Iruka teasing you felt natural. As though he had been doing it his whole life. āBut no, no plans. I probably wouldāve been home after spending the afternoon with him and spent the evening watching a bad thriller and eating leftovers.āĀ
āThat doesnāt sound like an awful time.ā He lied. Did she do this every year? Understandably, bringing sweets to your nephew seemed like a wholesome tradition ā returning home like a hermit to indulge in the most basic and mundane of activities?Ā
Well, Iruka couldnāt really judge. If he had it his way, he would be staying home tonight. Glancing down at your iced ankle, he decided if he was lucky enough, he could maybe weasel his way out of it.
You shrugged. āNot as fun as hanging out with my brother, I suppose.āĀ
Iruka tensed, lifting his hand to the back of his neck to scratch the area lightly. It was still damp with rain from outside, but he was no longer cold. Actually, he noticed it was quite warm inside your studio. āCan I ask you a favour?āĀ
āAnything.ā It came out embarrassingly fast. You hoped he couldnāt see the heat creeping up your neck.Ā
He appraised you for a long moment, then shook his head. āNevermind. I couldnāt ask that of you.ā
You decided not to press it any further; truthfully, you were a little annoyed. Now you were curious. What had he wanted to ask you? āI think I should probably wrap it now.āĀ
Iruka nodded, dutifully tending to your ankle. Using both hands, he gently guided your foot from the table to his lap; he spent time examining the wound closely before unravelling the tensor bandage. He began at the base of your foot, then slowly brought it up in careful motions around your swollen ligament. When he was satisfied with his handiwork, he tucked the loose end of the bandage into one of the loops and repositioned the bag of frozen vegetables over your ankle.Ā
āI appreciate you helping me,ā you said after a moment. Admittedly, everything that happened to you up until this point should have had you in tears of frustration ā nothing had gone right. Yet, from the moment Iruka joined you outside in the rain to offer you a helping hand, the anger began to melt away. Now, the only thing weighing on your mind was the fact Konohamaru would go his first Halloween in six years without you and your shared desserts. āItās nice to have a friend.ā
It sounded so foreign coming from your mouth, but you were sincere.Ā
āI wonāt keep you any longer.ā You said suddenly, feeling silly for not sending him off sooner. āWouldnāt want to keep Jiriya waiting, would you?āĀ
Iruka sighed. āI suppose.ā He was slow to move, staring down at his hands that rested in his lap for a few moments longer before he turned towards your body. āI have a few hours before Iām expected anywhere, and I think I should make sure you get something to eat first.ā
āIruka, Iām fine.ā You assured him.Ā
The man nodded in agreement, but remained seated. āI hear you, I just think Asuma may think differently of me if I were to head out without making sure you were set for the rest of the evening. What kind of a man would I be if I left you now?ā He said it nonchalantly, but there was a heavy insinuation behind his words.Ā
You sighed, āI highly doubt Asuma would care.ā
Iruka looked pointedly at you, āWould Asuma do it?ā He asked, waiting patiently for your answer. When you lowered your eyes to the table in front of you, the man next to you chuckled and nodded in satisfaction. Because he was right ā Asuma wouldnāt have left anyoneās side without ensuring they had everything they needed. You chalked it up to the way you were raised; your father had been an attentive man, and your brother seemed to be following in his footsteps. āThatās what I thought.āĀ
Unwilling to argue with him, you accepted defeat and leaned back into the cushions of your sofa. āFine. If you feel you must,ā you grumbled lowly, trying to sound annoyed albeit unsuccessfully ā Iruka appeared amused ā and folded your arms indignantly across your chest, āwhat were you thinking?āĀ
The man simply smiled, pushing himself off the sofa to wander over to the pantry just next to your fridge. He spent a few moments browsing through the various items you had leftover in your fridge and cupboard, compiling a batch of ingredients onto the countertops.Ā
He paused after a while, a sound of displeasure breaking the silence. āNo eggs?āĀ
Guilty, you sunk lower into the pillows. āI used my last two this morning.āĀ
Iruka looked over his shoulder to where you sat. He didnāt appear to appreciate that answer, and after shutting the fridge door, he made his way over to where he had left his shoes by your front door.Ā
āWhere are you going?ā You asked, embarrassed by how quickly it had come from your lips.Ā
He looked over to you again, his expression blank as he responded. āHeading to the market, I need eggs.āĀ
You looked over to where your bag sat at his feet and sat up. āI have some change in the front pocket āā
Iruka held up his hand to stop you. āNonsense, Iāve got it.ā
Iruka looked so out of place standing in the middle of your tiny kitchen. He towered over the top of the fridge, needing to bend considerably in order to investigate its contents. His shoulders and back flexed with every movement; you found yourself mesmerized as he diligently diced the veggies into fine slices, absolutely enamoured with the current visual taking place. Admittedly, you never wanted it to end. For a moment, you allowed yourself to live in delusion. Having Iruka up close and personal like this made you long for something more permanent.Ā
An hour later, Iruka set down a large bowl overflowing with a heaping pile of steaming deliciousness. āTantanmen is served!āĀ
You watched as he sat down across from you, noting the way he left his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and kept the apron around his waist. It was amusing to see Iruka so domestic; you only knew him as a prankster growing up, and in his later years, as a dutiful and dedicated teacher. To see him in any other light was strange, and yet, still refreshing.Ā
āIt looks incredible,ā you couldnāt lie even if you wanted to. The scents that now filled your apartment had you practically drooling by the time dinner was ready.Ā
āI wasnāt sure how much spice you could handle, so I went a little easy on yours.ā He admitted, watching you intently as you took the first bite. When you closed your eyes and hummed in delight, his mouth broke open into a wide-toothed grin.Ā
āItās delicious.ā You claimed, happily digging in for a second bite. āWish I could cook like this.ā
āAsuma doesnāt bother to teach you?ā He inquired.Ā
You shrugged. āWhen we were younger, sure. But, itās been sixteen years since our mom died. I canāt imagine he remembers all of her recipes.āĀ
Iruka hesitated with his next question. āDo you remember much of her? Your mom?āĀ
āNo.ā You frowned, pushing the noodles around in the broth. āI was six when she was killed. Most of any memories that I have of her include watching her practice medical ninjutsu, more so when Kushina was pregnant.āĀ
āThatās right,ā Iruka nodded, āI had forgotten Biwako was one of Kushinaās midwives.āĀ
You sat back, staring down into your bowl of ramen. āSeems like so long ago, when you consider everything.āĀ
The man pursed his lips, watching you quietly for a moment before he leaned forward onto the table. āDo you ever think about following in her footsteps?āĀ
You smiled, mostly to yourself. āSometimes. Iām a fair kunoichi, donāt get me wrong. Iām just not sure if maternal practice is the best suited for me.āĀ
Iruka nodded. āYou mean that you prefer to be in the field.ā
You shrugged sheepishly, meeting his gaze. āI blame Asuma for that. Reckless as he is, he may as well have his own team of medical-kunoichi.ā You sighed deeply, dropping your eyes. āNot that Iāve been out in a while. Since my old man died, well . . .ā you trailed off, chewing on the inside of your cheek.Ā
āNo one thinks any less of you, if thatās what youāre implying.ā
āIād like to say I believe you,ā you mumbled dryly, ābut people treat me differently now that heās gone. Not bad, but almost like they feel bad for me. Like I need their pity.āĀ
Iruka folded his arms on the table, āI hardly think anyone pityās you. Youāre a Sarutobi, for Godās sake.ā
āSure feels like it.ā Now you just felt silly, pouting at your grown age like this. In front of Iruka, nonetheless.Ā
The man across from you sighed, unsure of how else he could comfort you. Iruka had watched you train plenty of times; from his classroom at the Academy, he had the perfect view of a few of the training fields that chÅ«nin and jÅnin gathered at to practice. He would be lying if he said he didnāt watch Asuma help you work on your hand signals from time to time, or that he found it amusing when you became frustrated.Ā Ā
āYouāre stronger than you give yourself credit for,ā he said after a while of silence. The softness of his voice surprised you. āI know that living this life can be difficult for most, but I would like to think that your father and mother wouldnāt want you to feel like this. Hiruzen spoke about the will of fire so often, I felt like I needed to make it my personal mission to ignite it within the youth of our village.Ā
Sometimes I forget about how much will the rest of us harbour. I see it in Asuma everyday. I see it in Kakashi, and even Naruto and Shikamaru. They show up for their teammates and their friends every day, they make the choice to continue to aid the community and village in their own unique ways. Whether that be through completing missions at the benefit of protecting the village, or through enhancing their own strengths with vigorous training. It exists in all of us, and undoubtedly within you, too.āĀ
Unable to hide the blood that rushed to your cheeks, you looked down into your bowl and moved around the noodles. Iruka was right. Maybe you did need to stop being so hard on yourself.Ā
The pair of you sat across from each other for at least another hour or two before either of you realized the sun was setting behind the tops of the apartments; the rain had cleared, but the streets remained damp with puddles. A part of you was a little disappointed the afternoon had flown by so quickly. Spending time with Iruka turned out to be incredibly relaxing, and it turned out the two of you had a lot more in common than you previously thought.Ā
You decided that you liked the way he smiled with his eyes. You liked the way the area around them crinkled whenever he lifted his lips into a grin. His hair was beginning to fall in stray strands from his neatly formed ponytail, and while you didnāt understand the logic, it made him all the more human. Intimate, even. Iruka was always seen pulled together, despite working closely with some of the most rambunctious youth the village had ever seen. Even during his sparring matches, a single hair never fell out of place.Ā
The broad shouldered man was leaning into the counter as he washed the small batch of dishes you had accumulated throughout the day. You told him to leave them and protested profusely, but he waved you away with a laugh in reassurance.
āAre you going to end up meeting with Asuma and the others?ā You asked after a few minutes of silence.Ā
āWhy donāt you come with me?ā He asked in return, turning away from the sink. āIām sure no one would mind.ā
You almost laughed in disbelief. āI wasnāt necessarily invited.ā
Iruka shrugged nonchalantly. āI fail to see the problem. Like you just said, Asumaās going.ā
You thought about it. Surely you would get some grief about not making it to see Konohamaru, but being able to join your brother and his friends in the festivities. Not that Asuma would truly care ā if anything, you were more concerned about how he may react to seeing you in a bandage. Protective as ever, Asuma was.Ā
āShould I really be walking around just yet?ā You wondered, looking down at your ankle with uncertainty.
Iruka wiped his hands on a small towelette, his head tilting to the side as he appraised you for a brief moment. Then, he replied, āIf it gets to be too much, I will carry you home.āĀ
From the definitive look in his gaze, you could tell he was sincere. You felt like you had no other choice but to chalk it up to the simple fact Iruka didnāt want to attend this gathering any more than you did, but a small, miniscule part you really wanted it to be because he enjoyed spending time with you.Ā
āYouāll carry me all the way back?āĀ
He nodded once. āAnd you can always lean on me if you need to take a load off, though, I imagine we will be able to sit.ā
We will. It may have been wishful thinking, but you wanted to believe that meant he would stay by your side the rest of the night. Suddenly excited with the prospect of spending the remainder of your evening with him, you finally decided to nod and brace your hands on your knees.Ā
āAlright. Iāve just got one more favour to ask before we head out anywhere, though.ā You admitted sheepishly, looking sideways at him.Ā
He only chuckled, something that always sounded carefree. āName it.āĀ
āI may need help changing into something a little less ⦠casual.āĀ
This time, it was Iruka who appeared to scramble to hide blush that creeped into his own cheeks. Flustered, he nodded but for the first time, suddenly looked completely frozen.
āDonāt worry,ā you giggled, noticing the way he gulped noticeably when you began to unzip your sweater, āI wonāt tell Asuma that you had a peek.ā