A sudden spur-in-the-moment-plot-bunny attacked me and this came along! GenIru! Personally, I think Genma and Iruka looks very cute together! Judging by the number of rather surprised and positive reviews I got from the mention of GenIru pairing in my KakaNaru fic, "Why Not?" I decided to write this. I like this pairing and hopefully you guys will too. I will be focusing more on the "paperwork" issue here that all shinobis has to go through one point of the other. Also, I will try my best to make this an Angst-Romance-Comedy jig. Try is the keyword.

There is a part here that will be a parody of a fic I previously read of another fandom. Anyway, I'll give a mention about it once it comes along. A big thank you to my beta-reader, Ravenshaelo who also likes this pairing! Salute her minna!

On with the show!

FAINT 1

Genma had gone home that autumn afternoon earlier than usual without any intention of doing so. It had been a awful day for him. He was tired, he did not get much sleep and he just really wanted to take a nice long break. Well, he thought with a sour smirk, I got my break after all. He stripped off his coffee-drenched vest and the rest of his soaked clothes and tossed them into his washing machine. He stood in front of the mirror and stared at the blistering skin on his chest and his entire left arm. The coffee had been scalding hot and newly brewed.

Genma made a clicking noise with his tongue as he stared at the screaming redness glowing from his lightly tanned skin.

"Damn. These things hurt like a bitch." He grumbled and grabbed his towel to take a cold shower. He was a bit sticky from the coffee and he really felt like he was a bag of coffee beans at the moment. He winced as he bent to undo the bindings of his calf-bandages and peeled off the stiff and starched-like state of his pants along with his underwear. He gingerly made his way into the bathroom, dropping off his forehead-protector-turned-bandana on the dressing table as he left the room. He turned the cold tap on and stepped under it, the blisters on his chest and arm seeming to sizzle under the cold spray. He shivered from the onslaught of coldness, skin prickling with goosebumps. The sizzling sensation began to disappear and he began his ritual of shampooing and soaping himself. As his fingers massaged his scalp, he felt a smirk cross his lips as he remembered what happened earlier that day.

Flashback

He was playing a nice round of poker with Raido in the teacher's lounge when nature called. He could never win against Raido who seemed to have a natural-flowing luck behind him for it was already the eighth game and he'd lost twenty bucks. Sighing, he slapped down his cards in defeat while Raido collected his winning dollar.

"Twenty-one bucks! That means lunch for three days! We should really do this more often." Raido said, grinning and rubbing the scar on his face.

"Don't get your hopes up." Genma commented off-handedly. He let out a yawn, covering it half-heartedly. He felt dead on his feet and felt like just slumping on the table and going to sleep. The shower of missions coming in high numbers had finally taken its toll on him. During the first week and a half, he didn't mind at all, for he got exercised and – as he would normally put it – 'feel the thrill of the hunt'. But now? He just wished the missions would stop coming. He needed sleep and some good time to unwind.

"Man, you're really beat." Raido said, staring at his comrade and friend.

"I feel like shit." Genma replied sleepily, stifling another yawn. "Be right back. I need the bathroom."

Raido waved a hand and began to shuffle the cards with flashy moves. "Splash some water on your face. You look like you're going to fall asleep soon. Don't forget about substitution today in the field. You should probably stop for some coffee. Those brats really get to you, you know? You're going to be dealing with them today and tomorrow." he said, flipping cards.

Genma merely rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay." He drawled, shifting the needle he chewed on in between his lips. He shoved his hands in to his pockets and exited himself through the sliding wooden doors, walking at a calm pace towards the men's restrooms. He really didn't need the restroom that badly and the need was there indeed, but it was more to slap some cold or warm water on his face to wake him up a bit. A sigh made its way out of his lips as he let his senses down for a moment. He really wished he hadn't, for in that particular moment, one of the chuunin teachers was walking in the same hallway towards the opposite direction and two kids came running at the same time.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. The chuunin carried an arm full of folders while in his other hand he held the glass 'kettle' of the coffee-maker filled with steaming coffee. He was knocked off his balance by the running duo who were completely oblivious to what they had just done and disappeared around the corner at the end of the hall. The poor teacher tripped and sent folders flying and the liquid contents of the pyrex glass pitcher emptied itself on Genma.

A painful cry left his lips, the needle he was chewing on falling to the ground along with the soggy folders and paper. He let out heavy breaths as he desperately tried to block the burning sensation. Curses left his lips involuntarily.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" He hissed, the smell of coffee dazing him.

The poor chuunin was so shocked and flustered by what he felt was his fault. "Oh my god!" The stammering chuunin managed to say. "I'm so sorry! I'm very sorry! I didn't see you!"

"Forget it, you idiot!" Genma snapped and poor young man that he knew as Iruka stopped and looked at him with guilt and hurt and helplessness all at one time. He was tired and exhausted and he had an entire boiling pitcher of coffee poured – though accidentally – on him, what on earth did the chuunin expect? A smile?
"Ugh! Fuck!" Genma hissed one more time and did a simple ice-based jutsu to cool down the burning sensation he was feeling. Iruka had his head dipped in shame, berating himself for being a poor-excuse-for-a-ninja.

Raido heard the commotion and had peeked through the door to find Genma leaning against the wall, face in a painful wince and Iruka, the teacher whom he only knew by name on the ground, where soggy papers and folders littered the floor.

"What happened?" Raido asked, looking at Genma. "You okay?"

"I'm fine!" Genma snapped. "Find someone else to fill in for me in the field. I'm going home." Genma hissed and left the duo making his way down the hallways fast.

Genma caught a glimpse of the Iruka-fellow gathering soggy papers while Raido bent down to help him.

End Flashback

Genma sighed and turned the shower off after he rinsed himself of the soapsuds. Iruka the chuunin teacher. Genma heard about him from other jounins and chuunins that he knew personally, and they all said that he was an all around sweet and annoyingly nice and polite person. Genma shook his head and pulled out his toothbrush. The 'burned' area on his chest and arm were now a very dark red. He winced at the sight of it as he brushed his teeth. He then applied some medical cream, the cold feeling on the skin making him a cringe a bit.

He dressed up and dropped down to his bed, lying on his back, throwing an arm over his face. He trusted Raido to give an excuse for his absence. It was only three in the afternoon. A little nap wouldn't hurt.

Genma closed his eyes and wondered if Raido got stuck with the kids.

Genma slept the entire evening like a baby. He woke up at eight in the morning the next day, feeling good. He sat up and winced slightly as he was reminded of the coffee-burns. He looked under the loose sleeveless white shirt he was wearing and twisted his lips at the sight of his skin all dried up. A string of curses left his lips as he pulled himself off the bed to get ready for the day. He showered, applied more cream on his burns, dressed up and was about to have a cup of coffee but settled for a bottled energy drink instead. Somehow, the idea of coming anywhere near coffee made him feel rather pissed off on such a cloudy day.

He tossed the empty bottle of blackcurrant flavor drink and grabbed a chicken sandwich wrapped up nicely in its plastic pack and tossed it in to the microwave. Genma was not a good cook and relied on his sandwiches as source of food. He paid a fair and decent amount to the lady across his building to supply him with sandwiches everyday. They were very nicely made sandwiches and he really liked them – well seasoned, just the right amount of pickles and mayonnaise. The microwave beeped and he took out his breakfast and sank his teeth into the sandwich, giving out a pleasured 'hmm-hmm' as he chewed on the treat. That done, he headed for the academy where he had to tackle some paperwork and then take on the duty of field training for the little kids later on in the afternoon.

The moment he entered the office, he let out a small groan at the sight of the folders on his desk. He clicked his tongue, nibbling on his needle, took a seat behind his desk, started sifting through the folders and began his tedious task of reporting and filing. He was alone in the office until ten o'clock struck and other jounins and chuunins poured in, tackling their fair share of paperwork. Unlike other Jounins, Genma prided himself with his time. He preferred to get things done and over with so that he could have some free time for himself in between his tasks for the day. Just as lunch struck, he finished his load of paperwork and leaned back against his chair, propping his feet on the table and enjoying his lunch, which was another sandwich. He watched with a look of boredom on his charming face as people came in and out of the office dropping off folders into a box on one of the tables. Genma rarely did paperwork since missions were given to him due to his skills and ability. He felt sorry for whoever had to do that boxful of work.

Once three thirty struck, Genma made his way to the academy field where a group of five year olds were running around. Genma clicked his tongue and pulled out a whistle that Anko had given him to use the other day. One blow and the kids turned their little heads in his direction. "Right, listen you little twits. I'm not in a good mood, I'm tired, I haven't slept in days and I really, really would appreciate it if you cooperate so that we can all be happy okay?" One of the kids sniggered and burst in to fits of giggles. "Right, you and the one beside you. Run around the field till sunset. If you stop, I'll make you run around Konoha twice and no dinner!" The two stiffened and did their laps around the field without daring to do anything stupid. As the two young boys ran around the field, scowls on their little faces. He gave a smirk and turned to the group in front of him. "So what did Raido tell you guys to do yesterday?"

"Iruka-sensei took us for field training yesterday." One of the kids piped up.

"Who's Raido?" Another asked.

Genma could feel a headache coming. "Never mind. So what did Iruka-sensei tell you kids to do?"

Iruka sighed at the sight of the box by his desk. It was filled with files. "They didn't even bother putting them in properly." He mumbled out. He had just finished filing mission reports for the Hokage and he really was very tired. He went home late the other evening because of the delayed work.

He tiredly lifted the heavy box onto the table and began to take the folders out one by one. He then arranged them according to their numbers and placed them in the box properly. It was already eight in the evening and he still had a stack of quiz papers to grade and several homework-scrolls to check. He lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, willing the migraine that he was currently being tortured with to go away. He was somewhat thankful that the next day was a weekend. He could stay up late and not worry about waking up early or duty-calls the next day. He carried the box to his classroom, switching the office lights off as he made his away across the lawn towards the academy and into his classroom.

He dropped the box on the ground beside his table and took a seat, taking hold of one of the quiz papers and began to check it. Nearly everyone had gone home while those who were still either in the staff room or office were already leaving or locking up. It was not unusual for Iruka to stay late but it was becoming rather often nowadays. It was not like he was getting paid extra for doing extra work.

Better than going home to an empty house, he thought bitterly. Hours flew by and soon the stack of quiz papers were marked and half the homework scrolls tackled. He set his marking pen down and stretched, feeling the bones in his back creak and suddenly winced as he felt the familiar pounding pain that his migraine tagged along with. He brought a hand to his head and pulled his head protector off and ponytail out before running his fingers through his scalp, lightly massaging it. After a few minutes of massaging his scalp he inhaled shakily and picked up his pen once more and tackled the scrolls before him. As soon as he was done with the scrolls, he pulled the contents of the box and placed it beside him, one by one calculating and writing finalized reports and stamping them with the "failed" or "completed" sign. Iruka robotically went through the folders, already long used to the smell of stamp-ink, the thin paper and mind-boggling numbers and points before him.

It was in the ungodly hour of four thirty that he finally finished the last folder. He gave out a yawn and shakily got to his feet, placing the folders into the box and heading for the 'data-room' where all mission reports according to dates completed were kept. He placed the proper folders in their proper drawers according to mission ranks and headed back to the office, placed the box by his desk and made sure that all the lights and electrical appliances were switched off.

By the time he showered, dressed and fell on his bed, it was five-fifteen in the morning and the first few hints of the suns rays were peeking out from the horizon.

Genma had a meeting with the Hokage and he was waiting patiently for the beautiful lady-hokage to show up. There were quite a number of jounins at the meeting. It was about security reasons and how missions were now on the decline. The meeting lasted for an hour, along with queries and suggestions given by several shinobi. Genma caught sight of Raido standing near the window and when the meeting ended, he pulled the scarred man aside and asked him outright.

"Who took my place with the kids the other day?" Genma asked, wanting to make sure.

"Iruka did." Raido answered, giving him a grin. "Why?"

"Just asking. Why did he anyway?"

"Because he was the only one who volunteered to do it since no one was free to take your spot." Raido shrugged. "I had to do a B-classed mission with Shizune last night. Did you stay up late at the academy last night?"

"No. I went home at around eleven-thirty like others normally do." He said, raising a slender eyebrow. "Why?"

"Shizune and I got back pretty late last night. Around three or something. Someone stayed up late last night." Raido gave out a little laugh. "Who in their right minds would stay up that late doing work?" Genma wondered about the same thing.

"Iruka did." A female Jounin called Maya said, who was passing by and overheard their conversation. "I saw him this morning as I was preparing to jog. It was about five I think."

Genma's mind went blank at Maya's words who was now flirting with Raido who had a blush on his cheeks. Genma left the two on their own and went to do his gate-watch duty for the day. As he stood at his post, chewing on his needle, he couldn't help but think about Iruka. He should probably thank the chuunin for taking his place in field practice.

TBC