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Iruka is not quite sure if Naruto thinks he’s being subtle.
The boy has never been a good liar. Back when he was younger, and Iruka just his teacher, he often told him that he’d simply lost his lunch or that his skin was scraped because he’d fallen down. Then, after Iruka officially adopted him, he always spoiled his own surprises a week before Iruka’s birthday, and he’s never subtle about asking what he wants.
He gets excited, a little nervous too, perhaps.
Now he stops eating his half finished bowl of ramen, and tells Iruka: “If you are dating someone, you can tell me y’know.”
Iruka doesn’t know why it reminds him of lies and birthdays, but there’s obviously something more behind the question. He’s a little thrown off. “I would, of course. I’m just not.”
“You could, y’know. I wouldn’t be upset.”
He slowly nods, wondering what brought this on.
He hasn’t been trying not to date, but ever since Naruto moved in he’s not been going out as much. Of course, there are nights where he wishes he was sleeping in someone’s arms, sure, but he’s happy. “Okay, that’s good to know. I’m fine, though.”
Naruto hums and takes another bite of his ramen. For a while, they’re quiet. In between bites, Naruto suddenly pipes up again, sounding more and more like his younger self trying to hide a surprise, and says: “Y’know, my teacher — the really nice one — broke up and talked ‘bout it. That’s why I was thinking about how it’s maybe a bit lonely.”
In that second, in spite of knowing Naruto is acting weird, Iruka doesn’t yet get it. He puts his chopsticks down and frowns a little. “I have you. Of course I’m not lonely.”
“Yeah, but you’re kind of my dad, so. It’s different.”
It is different. “Sure, but not lonely.”
Naruto shrugs. “Okay, ‘ruka. Just saying.”
“Sure, okay. Thank you for telling me.”
It doesn’t take long before it gets obvious.
Naruto suddenly starts mentioning his newly single teacher at just about every occasion. When Iruka talks about his work — the elementary school Naruto was in before going to high school — Naruto says: “It would be nice if you had someone who can relate to this stuff.” Which sounds like something he’s practised in his room, waiting for the right moment to say it.
Iruka is not stupid. He can put one and one together; Naruto is trying to set him up with his — apparently great — teacher. He tries his best to ignore this fact, in spite of Naruto kind of pushing it. He can tell Naruto is excited about the possibility, and he’s not keen on breaking his own kid's heart. He decides on waiting until this crazy idea passes.
That is, until Naruto starts acting up.
Now Naruto has acted up before. All through elementary school, actually. He acted up in ways that were obvious cries for attention. He made a mess, yelled in class, skipped classes. Iruka has stopped countless fights between Naruto and Sasuke, but they've been inseparable in their own funny way since. When he first adopted Naruto, there were some events that could only be seen as ‘trying to see if Iruka would leave’.
Sure, but that was a long time ago. These days Naruto tries harder than anyone else.
Iruka gets an email about three weeks after Naruto first mentions his single teacher. They want him to come over to talk because they’re worried. Iruka sighs and clicks ‘reply’.
He guesses he can’t ignore this matter any longer, even though he doesn’t know how to tell this apparently great, kind, and pretty good looking for an old dude y’know teacher that his son is trying to set them up; and that there’s really nothing else to worry about.
He knows the building; he visited it together with Naruto when he was trying to choose his school. Back then, there was the feeling of a fresh start exciting the both of them. The hallways had been full of young students, and the decorations were festive. Now, the building is almost empty. A group of teachers, chatting with a cup of coffee in their hands, pass him. There are a few students hanging near their lockers, laughing together loudly.
When he walks into the empty classroom, class must have ended a while ago. The room is slightly dark, the big lights not yet on. At the desk, there’s a man that must be around his age — a few years older, maybe — squinting at his laptop.
He can’t believe that Naruto was right; he is handsome. His hair is salt and peper— or maybe it’s just grey — and and his features are sharp. Iruka curses inside. He’d hoped Naruto would have been way off about his type. He never talks about it anyway.
The man doesn’t notice him, frowning at the screen and typing away at an impressive speed. Iruka clears his throat, then calls out: “Uh, hello?”
The man looks up. “Oh, didn’t see you there. How can I help you?”
He’s taken aback by the aloof greeting, one hundred percent sure that he got both the time and the room right. “I’m Naruto’s—”
“Oh, right. Mister Uzumaki.”
This guy has not done his research before calling him here. At all. Is he really worried about Naruto? “Umino, actually. Iruka Umino.”
“Oh, Umino. Sure. I got caught up in some work, didn't even notice the time.” He grabs a random chair from the classroom and puts it at the desk. He has yet to extend a hand or greeting. Iruka hates that he’s charmed anyway. “Let’s sit.”
“Thank you…”
“Mister Hatake. Or Kakashi, since there’s no students around.”
Iruka nods. “You sent an email.”
“Mhm,” Kakashi opens his laptop and squints at his screen once more. “There have been complaints about Naruto. He’s been motivated since starting but his behaviour changed quite suddenly recently.”
Iruka nods. He knows this already.
“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but it seems like an act. And—”
Iruka sags in his wooden chair and sighs, interrupting Kakashi. “And he can’t act to save a life.”
“Well, yes.” Kakashi chuckles, before frowning a little again. “Uh, so. This behaviour can be a call for attention or help, we see it sometimes with students.”
Oh he knows that. He knows it all too well from acting up himself, and he knows it from the years where Naruto was in his own class in elementary school. Iruka hums, agrees, and then makes up his mind; he wants this guy to know the truth. He doesn’t want Naruto’s teachers to worry about him. He wants communicate and, well—
This is as much Kakashi’s problem as it is his.
“I hate to tell you this—” he starts. “Eh, but as you might know Naruto can be very obvious and is a terrible liar.”
“Surprisingly, I have noticed that,” Kakashi answers. “It’s quite obvious.”
Iruka chuckles through his nerves. He hates that Naruto guessed his type correctly. “So, I noticed,” he sighs, giving up on being subtle himself. “That Naruto is trying to set us up. He’s gotten it into his head that I’m lonely and need to date, and recently he made it his mission to get us in one room.”
“Well,” Kakashi says, too obviously amused by the whole thing. “Can’t believe he did it.”
He’s calming Iruka’s nerves with his simple answers. Iruka finds himself smiling as well, able to breathe a little lighter. It is a little funny. “He can be quite persistent.”
“Another thing that’s quite hard not to notice.”
Iruka chuckles. “Yeah, it is. He got it into his head that you’re, whatever, perfect for me because you’re his favourite teacher or something. I’m kind of at a loss on what to do.”
“That’s news to me.” Kakashi leans back. His eyes wrinkle as he smiles. “Are you disappointed?”
“What?”
“Did he guess wrong? About me?”
Iruka eyes this guy. Is he for real? Naruto did not guess wrong. Kakashi is handsome and cocky and aloof. In just one conversation he’s calmed Iruka down multiple times. Iruka hates to admit that that’s what he needs. That’s it’s what— well, he’s into.
Naruto shouldn’t have known any of those things.
“That’s beside the point.”
“Ah,” Kakashi breathes out. “Is it?”
Iruka nods. He’s not about to date Naruto’s teacher. He’s not going to give into Naruto’s childish persistence. He’s going to go home and tell Naruto that they have seen through his stupid stunt and that he’s not lonely. “I’m sorry for my son wasting your time.” He gets up. “I will talk to him at home.”
Kakashi watches him as he gets up. Iruka gets the feeling that he’s seeing right through him; amused and confident, still. “Well then, good talk.” At that, he takes out a paper and scribbles something down onto it. He holds out the piece towards him. “Feel free to contact me. If the talk doesn’t go well or something.”
“Or something?” Iruka looks down. Kakashi has scribbled down his name and his phone number with the worst handwriting Iruka has ever had the honour of seeing. “I can barely even read your handwriting.” It’s out before he can stop it.
Kakashi laughs. “Kids always complain when I use the board as well.”
Iruka tries not to think about how ‘it would be nice if you had someone who can relate to this stuff’ He really does try as he grabs the note from Kakashi’s hands and pushes it into his pocket. “I’ll talk to him. Goodbye, Mr. Hatake.”
Kakashi is looking at him like they’re playing a game as he watches him leave. With his voice a little lower than it had been before, he says: “See you, Iruka.”
He ignores the shivers that voice sends through his stomach as he very mindfully does not slam the door closed. He had not been lonely. He really, truly, hadn’t been missing anything. Fuck.
He talks to Naruto. He doesn’t exactly say what he’d planned. Instead, he tells him that he went to his school and that he’ll be very disappointed if this behaviour continues. He asks him if something is wrong, asks if there’s something he can do better.
He says that he knows he’s not his real dad, but that he’ll try.
Naruto shakes his head. “Really, Iruka! It’s not like that. I’ll try better, promise.”
So, that’s that. He knows Naruto will never break a promise.
He’s shocked when Naruto returns the sentiment. “If you need something, tell me as well, y’know. I meant it when I said you can date, and stuff—” Naruto is red in the neck when saying it, embarrassed even talking about it.
“Okay,” Iruka promises. He doesn’t tell Naruto that he noticed that he’s been trying to set him up with his way hotter than just pretty-good-looking-for-an-old-dude teacher. Instead, he asks: “What brought this on? Are you dating? Or planning on moving out and leaving me all alone?”
Naruto blushes a fierce red and rubs the back of his head. “No! I’m— nothing is up— I just—” ah, so he is in love, probably. “And I’m not moving out! Not until I’m like, eighteen or something.”
“In this age? Probably twenty something. Maybe even thirty.”
“‘Ruka!” He hollers. “Whatever! That’s exactly why. That’s why I’m saying you shouldn’t wait until I’m twenty something to date someone! I don’t mind them being around as long as they're nice.”
He feels warm inside. He really chose a great son. “Thanks, Naruto.” He gets up and opens his arms. “C’mon.”
Naruto slams himself into him, wrapping his arms around him as well. “Sorry,” Naruto mumbles. “Just want you to be happy y’know.”
“Thank you. I am.”
I just want you to be happy. The words run through his mind. He is happy. He’s been happy for a while now. He is satisfied with his job as a teacher and he hasn’t regretted adopting Naruto, not even on the toughest days. He still remembers signing his contract for his house. He remembers Naruto bringing not much more than one box into his spare room. He remembers short weeks going on vacations.
And then, there’s this distant memory of going out and flirting with someone he found interesting. Of going home with someone and getting fucked deliciously. There’s a memomory of the frustration he’s felt downloading dating apps and throwing them off his phone a few days later.
He thinks of all those things lying on the couch, Naruto’s loud playstation game sounding through the ceiling. I just want you to be happy, he thinks.
He thinks of it as he grabs his phone and types in Kakashi’s phone number. He feels like a stupid teenager. His body is tingling with nerves. When was the last time he allowed himself to feel like this?
You - 22:17
Talk with the kid went well. He’ll leave you alone for now.
Kakashi - 22:24
Seems like he came out as the winner of that conversation, if youre texting me.
Iruka lets himself lean into the couch, a mug full of steaming tea next to him. He knows Kakashi is teasing him. He’s done so from the second they met.
You - 22:25
I never said that his assumptions about us were wrong.
Kakashi - 22:25
You avoided the subject quite convincingly. hadnt expected you to text
Im glad that you did, tho
He stares at his screen and wonders if Kakashi is fucking with him again. He glances at the door, knowing darn well that Naruto is still upstairs making a ton of noise. He can feel that he’s hot in the neck, blushing up to his ears.
You - 22:26
So do you think his assumptions were right?
Kakashi - 22:26
Funny way of asking me if im into u, Iruka.
I am btw. If I hadn’t made it obvious enough.
not sure if you were right about me being narutos favrite teacher tho
but its not every day tht a hot man walks into my office basclly telling me that we should date
He swallows. He noticed Kakashi flirting, sure, but he hadn’t expected him to be this straightforward about it.
You - 22:27
That’s not what I said.
By the way, don’t you teach English?
Kakashi - 22:27
youre really hung up on my writing skills huh
You - 22:27
I deliver these kids to high school with perfect skills, only for you to ruin them.
Kakashi - 22:28
Sorryfor ruining your hard work.
U teach kids? Seems like youd do a great job.
His stomach does a little flip. Iruka allows the compliment to take over his body for a bit.
You - 22:28
Yes! Ages nine to eleven. I kind of love it.
Kakashi 22:29
Oh fuck thats cute as hell. And kind of great. Tehy probs need someone like you.
Iruka can feel his chest erupting, in spite of Kakashi’s terrible texting style. It feels good knowing that he’s being flirted with; knowing that he’s got that in him. Shit, maybe he had really been wanting to.
22:29
btw dont think i didnt notice youre avoiding the subject again
You - 22:29
Can’t I want to get to know you?
Kakashi’s reply comes in at the exact same moment as his own next text.
Kakashi - 22:30
Fair enough ;) Ask away.
You - 22:30
But I wouldn’t say he was wrong in his assumption.
They end up texting until midnight. He only puts his phone away when Naruto comes to wish him good night. He goes upstairs to brush his teeth, and texts Kakashi with his other hand. His phone is laying balanced next to him as he washes his face. He lays the phone on his bed as he changes into his pyjamas, and is in his hand again by the time he’s in bed.
He doesn’t remember he’s looked at the other side of his king sized bed and thought about what it would be like if someone else was sleeping next to him. He’s been aware of the fact he wants to date and live with someone, but never enough to actually mind it. Maybe, between teaching almost every day and adopting Naruto, he just hasn’t really found the energy to seek out.
It seems, though — now that Naruto has brought them together stubbornly — Kakashi has no problem seeking out for him.
Kakashi - 00:06
Are you in bed?
You - 00:06
Yeah just now. And you?
Kakashi - 00:06
What are you wearing? ;) Im about to… probably
You - 00:07
Pyjamas. Sorry to disappoint.
Of course you have a terrible sleeping schedule. Can’t say I’m surprised.
Kakashi - 00:08
Sorry to disappoint as well, haha.
You - 00:08
You didn’t.
Not in the slightest.
I’m going to bed now. Good night.
Naruto has noticed he’s acting differently, and Iruka can’t find himself to be embarrassed about it. Naruto is the one who started it. Naruto doesn’t seem to mind his texting or his random smiles at his phone. Sometimes he does get embarrassed and leaves to hang out with friends. It’s fine. Fun, even.
Kakashi asks him on a date through text on a friday. He asks him out for dinner. Iruka looks up at Naruto, who is watching some kind of video, distracted with a spoon of breakfast halfway towards his mouth. Iruka kind of wants to scold him, but he figures he’s not been giving a good example.
“Naruto, if I give you some ramen money, can you eat by yourself tomorrow?”
Naruto looks up. “Sure, why?”
“I’ll give you some extra money. You can ask Sasuke to come.”
The tips of Naruto’s ears become so red that Iruka wants to ask about his dating life, but he doesn’t get the chance before Naruto replies: “Yeah, yeah, sure. I’ll ask him. Are you, like, going on a date?”
“Yes,” he answers. Then, boldly, but aware it’s not something he can hide, he adds: “With your teacher. If that is okay with you.”
Naruto grins brightly, not able to hide how much he’s been wanting to hear these exact words. “That’s cool! I mean, I don’t know if you noticed, but I kind hinted that you might— you know, be a good match!”
Iruka laughs. “You did more than hint, Naruto. You’re not exactly subtle.”
“What! I totally was!”
“Well, I definitely noticed.”
Naruto nods, proudly. “Sure, yeah, but you were supposed to! Go out, I don’t mind at all. I can go have ramen.”
“As if you mind having ramen.”
“Never.”
Kakashi made a reservation at a good restaurant. Iruka watches the beautifully lit tables, red tablecloths, seemingly handmade plates, and a big separate wine card. He hadn’t expected a place like this, and though he dressed up, he might still be underdressed. Kakashi is wearing black on black, which will fit right in, but Iruka gets the feeling that he dressed up even less with how it compares to what he’d been wearing in the classroom.
“You should have told me,” Iruka complains.
Kakashi raises an eyebrow. “It’s nothing. We deserve a night out. Without any kids.”
Iruka’s eyes widen slightly. “Do you have kids?” He knows Naruto said that he recently broken up with a partner, but maybe he was actually married? Or at least serious.
“Oh yeah,” Kakashi chuckles. “Like twenty different ones every other hour.”
At that Iruka laughs. “But none—”
“No favourite student I’ve adopted, no. We can’t all be the best adoptive dad, Iruka.” He bumps against Kakashi teasingly at the compliment. “Shall we go inside?”
He takes his arm and once inside, he lets someone take his coat. They get shown to a lovely small table in the back of the restaurant. The dim light and the soft fire of the candles make Kakashi’s features and dark eyes stand out even more. Kakashi notices him staring, blushes slightly, stumbles over his next words, and — out of the blue and awkwardly — ends up saying: “Dogs, though. I do have dogs.”
“Multiple?”
“Yeah. Uh, a few.”
“Tell me about them.”
And so Kakashi tells him about his dogs. Their names and their personalities. How he got to adopt so many of them. Kakashi isn’t one to drag out his answers, so Iruka asks and asks, until Kakashi asks him about his job and about adopting Naruto, and Iruka finds himself unable to stop until he’s told the whole story. It means the world to him. Kakashi is watching him with a soft look in his eyes until he finishes the story.
It’s been almost two weeks since they’ve first seen each other, and Iruka feels like this might be something. Become something. He hasn’t felt this willing to try, maybe ever.
The food, when it comes, is delicious. The wine even more so.
After a while, Iruka asks: “If you don’t mind me asking. Did you go to these types of restaurants a lot with your ex?”
Kakashi looks a little dumbfounded at the question.
He figures he might have overstepped. He feels stupid; if he’s really only broken up recently, it might be too soon to talk about it. Then again, is it not too soon to date, then? He can feel his heart clenching. Maybe this is just a casual date. Kakashi is a good flirt, he’s realised, so perhaps he’s the only one looking for something more serious.
“My ex? I’ve not been with someone for quite a long time. Back then— ah, I was younger so I was properly broke.”
“Oh.” Iruka feels himself getting embarrassed. Had Naruto misunderstood?
“What about you?”
“Ah, the— the same. It’s been a while for me.”
Kakashi nods, his eyes wrinkling. “Well, we can figure it out together then. Without being super broke this time.”
“Speak for yourself. I have a kid that eats three bowls of ramen for one meal.”
Kakashi walks him home. The city centre has never looked this warm to him; the shop windows are warmly lit and the spring weather has people out for drinks during the evening hours. Iruka glances at his phone and sees a message coming in about Naruto going to Sasuke’s place for a bit; so he invites Kakashi in. He’s shy about it. He clicks on the lights and watches Kakashi’s face as he looks into the kitchen.
Kakashi seems shy too, or maybe awkward.
He wonders where that cocky attitude has gone. That low voice.
“This is — This place is really great.” Kakashi looks at him, then not-quite-asks: “D’you want to—”
Iruka doesn’t even let him finish his sentence. He grabs onto Kakashi’s jacket and pulls him in. He presses their lips together as if he’s been waiting for it. Maybe he has— during dinner, he has. While they were texting, he has. Seeing Kakashi, all cocky at his desk, he has.
Kakashi holds him up. Iruka can practically feel himself melt into it. When they pull back, he breathes into his mouth: “Yeah, I want to.”
Kakashi smiles, then grabs onto his ass and drives their bodies together. It sends a shiver through his body. “Good, cool,” he whispers, breathily and wet.
“Cool?” Iruka mumbles, teasingly. “Are you hip with the kid—”
Kakashi bites into his neck to shut him up, then softly sucks onto his skin.
Iruka yelps, gasps out: “Stop it!”
“C’mon those kids will think it was a bug,” he whispers against his neck, softly moving upward and nibbling onto his earlobe. Shivers. Shivers all through his body, a warm wind in the pit of his stomach.
He feels like he might be a teenager again.
Iruka laughs, pulls Kakashi back by his hair until they’re nose to nose. Softly, Kakashi kisses his nose. Iruka moans a complaint, mumbling: “c’mon, kiss me properly.”
Kakashi chuckles and pecks his lips. “Is us dating going to be you nagging me all day?”
He laughs, kisses Kakashi again, deeper this time. Kakashi moans into the kiss and softly massages the back of Iruka’s head, seemingly forgotten all about his complaints.
When Iruka pulls back, he knows he’s looking proud about it. “Yes. Got a problem?”
Kakashi looks into his eyes and Iruka can’t believe that he seems smitten. He’s afraid that he’s not much better off himself. “You’re hot,” Kakashi tells him.
“What, when I nag?”
“Whatever,” Kakashi mumbles, kissing his jaw, his ear, his lips. “Whatever you do, probably.”
Iruka finds himself laughing and moving back for another kiss.
That is, until he hears keys outside of the front door.
As fast as he can, he pushes Kakashi away from him. “The kid,” he mumbles, as if that explains everything.
Kakashi has the decency to look a little embarrassed at their whole make out session in the kitchen once he becomes aware that this is still a family home. Iruka had meant to move towards the bedroom. Or the living room, at least. They haven’t even made it past the kitchen.
It seems like an age has passed by the time Naruto has unlocked the front door.
When he finally slams open the door, he’s already halfway into what he was planning on saying.
“‘Ruka they had some—”
He falls into a silence when he sees the both of them standing in the kitchen. He looks at Kakashi with wide eyes and for a while, doesn’t say anything. Iruka thinks they might have broken him. Naruto always has something to say. Really, always. What eventually comes out, though, is not what Iruka expected.
“Mister Hatake?!”
“Hi,” Kakashi mumbles, awkwardly. He even gives a small wave.
Naruto looks at Iruka and points at Kakashi dramatically. “What’s he doing here?”
Iruka can feel his brain running a mile an hour. For a second, he doesn’t get it. Isn’t this what Naruto had been trying to achieve? “I told you that I had a date.”
Naruto gasps. “Not with— you know!”
“I asked you if it was okay. You said you hinted—”
“Yeah! Yeah, I hinted that you should date Mister Asato!”
At that, Kakashi lets out an unsurprised sound: “Ah—”
Iruka shoots him a questing look.
Kakashi smiles at him calmly, as if this is a normal Saturday night for him. Iruka is not sure if he can appreciate it right now. “I figured that this might not be about me when you said I’m his favourite teacher.”
Naruto nods, as if this much is obvious. “Yeah,” he says, agreeing with Kakashi.
As if this is something Iruka should have known. Everyone could have known. Just a fact of life. And maybe he should have; he knows Naruto usually can’t stand the cool casual type.
He was too charmed himself to think about it too much.
He tries not to think about that charming man, who had been planting kisses onto his mouth only minutes ago. Tries not to think about his cocky jokes. Tries not to think about the glances they shared over their dinner. Tries not to think about the small hope growing in his stomach.
His son comes first. Always.
“Is there— Naruto, do you want to talk for a bit? Just the two of us?” He asks, softly, seriously. He glances at Kakashi apologetically, but knows that the message is clear; he will send Kakashi away if Naruto really wants him to.
Instead, Naruto just shrugs. “Nah, whatever.” Naruto mumbles. “He’s okay.” He kind of looks like even saying that is physically hurting him. “He’s just— like, really, really lame.”
Iruka feels something heavy lift off his chest.
He can’t help himself; he laughs loudly.
He laughs loudly and brightly and glances at Kakashi who is stuck between laughing with him and looking offended. Eventually, he does a bit of both, barely sounding offended anymore as he complains: “Hey, I can be cool.”
“You wish! Not cool enough for my dad!
Kakashi laughs softly. “Fair enough. I’ll give you that.”
Slowly, he reaches out and pulls Kakashi towards himself. He feels warm all over as he softly kisses the side of Kakashi’s head. “I think you’re very cool.”
Naruto breaks out in dramatic puking sounds. “Ew! That was disgusting. Dad, you have an awful type.”
“You do,” Kakashi agrees, without missing a beat.
“Oh, shut up, both of you.” Iruka says, feeling like he might explode from how happy he is. His chest is tingling; he can tell his cheeks are red. He glances at Kakashi, his dark eyes. “My type is fine—”
“Gross! Ew, okay. I’m going upstairs. Bye!”
“Good night, Naruto,” Iruka calls out.
“Night,” Kakashi adds, a little shyly.
Naruto looks at both of them awkwardly. He’ll be fine though. A little awkwardness is nothing they can’t handle. “G’night, dad. Night— eh, this is weird— night, Mister Hatake.”