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Chance Meetings

By

Blockofthewritingkind

"No, Konahamaru, you hold it like this." Iruka said for what felt like the tenth time in the last half hour to the young teacher, as he once again leaned over the young child and adjusted the kunai in the tiny hand. When he had first begun his career as a teacher, he had felt guilty each time he handed a five year old a sharp, deadly weapon, knowing what said child might do with it in a matter of years. But several years of teaching and the knowledge that the skills he was teaching them with said knife might, and probably would one day save their lives had dulled the feeling until it almost wasn't there. But Iruka didn't want to lose the feeling completely. It was part of what made him himself. He broke out of his thoughts just in time to stop the once again improperly held dagger from sailing in the wrong direction and hitting some unfortunate by stander.

"Konahamaru, you hold it like this……."

"Yo!"

"YOU'RE LATE SENSEI!"

Kakashi grinned at the three irritated pre-teens glaring up at him, his eye curving the only outward sign of his amusement.

"Maa, you see, I was wandering down the path of life, and I was attacked and nearly pinned to a tree, and I saw this dolphin who just looked so adorably cute, that I just had to stop and watch for a little while." he explained, waiting for the reprimand, expecting it. Didn't these kids ever learn that he was always at least three hours late? Or maybe it was habit that they kept yelling at him and showing up on time.

"LIAR!"

"But I'm telling the truth this time I swear!" He cried in mock hurt, holding up his hands, looking down the two pink faces and one pale one from his perch on a random tree limb. He actually wasn't really lying. He had been passing by the academy when a poorly aimed kunai had sailed out of no where. Being Kakashi, he had simply stepped aside long before the pointy metal object could embed itself in him. He had stared at it a moment in contemplation (it wasn't everyday a kunai tried to make him it's target in his home village. Not that he had felt he was in any danger. The loud shouts coming from the school grounds and the rather horrible aim of the thrower had given away what was going on.) He had glanced up at the sound of running footsteps heading his way, pulling the kunai out of the tree next to his head. He had immediately recognized the dark skin, brown eyes, and distinctive scar of the chunnin teacher Naruto idolized and looked up to (and never shut up about. He talked about Iruka-sensei about as much as he talked about becoming hokage, beating Sasuke, and eating Ramen. Which was a lot.). He had grinned as he swung the kunai around a finger idly as the teacher slowed his pace when he spotted the jounin, as if reluctant to approach. Kakashi usually got that reaction out of the young man, and he really couldn't blame him. Their last meeting, when Kakashi had nominated team seven for the chunnin exams, had been less than ideal. And the fact that Kakashi had been right probably hadn't set very well with the teacher. He was stiffly formal with the jounin in the mission room, though that might have something to do with the fact that his reports were never on time. He had smiled winningly at the teacher, even though the smile was pretty much invisible under his mask and stopped twirling the kunai in favor of offering it back to him considerately. Iruka had taken the kunai, standing a little farther then a arm's length away, and bowed deeply.

"Kakashi-san, I apologize for that. I should have been keeping a closer eye on my students. I hope it didn't cause you any problems."

"Maa, Iruka-sensei, you don't have to apologize. It can't be easy keeping an eye on so many little brats at once. One missed kunai won't kill anything. Well, I suppose that it could if this wasn't a ninja village, but it is, so you have nothing to worry about." he had scratched the back of his neck and stepped forward, toward the chunnin, who had promptly taken a step back, keeping the distance between them, much to Kakashi's disappointment. It was easier to see the young man blush if he was closer. And the man was blushing . And making some excuse about needing to get back to his class. Kakashi had nodded, watched the young man turn and leave (well, watched his lower area leave) and followed, since he still had an hour or so to kill until he became officially three hours late, sitting in a nearby tree to watch the young man teach. The little monsters had looked like a handful, but Iruka had handled them with ease. Kakashi could see why so many students from the academy had been so fond of this man. He was cheerful and playful, stern but kind. Kakashi liked his smile most of all. Fond and caring. Kakashi wondered why the man seemed to get so attached to the students. He had to know most of them wouldn't make it to thirty. Heck, they would be luck if they made it to their mid twenties! And yet, there was the man comforting one student, laughing with another as he caught him mid-prank, bandaging a cut here, stopping tears there, chasing after stray kunai, and teaching them how to kill. It occurred to him that he had seen Iruka at one or two of his former students funerals, but he had never seen him cry. Look depressed, sure, miserable, yes, but cry? No. That was something he had never seen Umino Iruka do. He couldn't figure it out. It began to bother him. Scowling suddenly, he had left to find his team. Maybe, he had thought, some good old hard training would take his mind off the chunnin. It confused him. How could the man get so attached when he was sending these children out to die? He hated puzzles he couldn't immediately solve as much as he hated traitors and deserters.

"Naruto, you look positively exhausted!" Iruka exclaimed as the blond boy stumbled over to him at the Ramen shop and literally collapsed onto the stool next to his former teacher. An irritated blue eye peeked over at him from where Naruto was resting his chin against the bar.

"Ano, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-no-baka showed up three hours late again and then worked us so hard Sasuke actually had to sit down for a while." The Kyuubi bearer grinned tiredly at the thought of being able to tease his rival for his moment of weariness educed weakness, conveniently leaving out the fact that he had passed out and had been awoken by Kakashi pouring very cold water on his face and ordering him to do pushups for laying down without permission. Iruka was scowling. He knew that Kakashi was just doing his job as a teacher, but wasn't this a little to much? The boy was barely conscious. (though that didn't stop him from inhaling three bowls of Ramen before going home that night).

Iruka was still angry as he walked home, though he tried not to let it show on his face as he smiled and nodded as his name was called out sporadically in greeting by parents and fellow teachers. He was distracted from said anger, however, as one small voice in particular hailed him from behind. Turning, he spotted the young boy who had lost the kunai and caused his accidental meeting with Kakashi-sensei that afternoon. Daisuke, the boy's name was. He smiled tiredly at the six year old as he shuffled up to him, looking unsure of himself. Iruka spotted the boy's parents a few feet away and smiled at them to. They smiled back. Then he looked back at the shuffling boy in front of him.

"Did you need something, Daisuke-kun?" He asked, smiling softly at the boy. The child took a deep breath and said with ernest sincerity in his voice

"I'm really sorry 'bout the kooniay…." The child frowned at his pronunciation of the word, but bypassed it to continue with his apology. "this afternoon. I should have listened when you told us how to hold it." He looked nervously up at his teacher. Iruka had scolded him pretty badly that afternoon. Something about almost hitting another person. Iruka knelt down until he was a little higher then eye level with the child, a serious expression on his face.

"Did you learn your lesson?" He asked. Daisuke nodded. "Are you going to listen next time?" Another nod. Iruka smiled at him. The boy relaxed. "Then go home and study, and we'll try again tomorrow." The boy's face broke out into a huge grin and he hugged Iruka quickly, promising to do lots better the next day, before skipping off to his parents. Iruka stood and waved to the two as they walked their child home, smiling back at him. When they were out of site, Iruka turned…..

….and found himself face to face with a complete stranger wearing a Hidden Mist village hitai-ate.

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