The Light in the Dark [ENGLISCH/GB]

6

Why had he only gotten involved in this kiss? Why had he allowed this moment of weakness to happen, giving Iruka hope? Actually everything had been as good as it was. They had just had a basis of trust and friendship and he? He ruined everything again, just because he was a selfish asshole. Sighing, he leaned back on his desk chair and couldn't believe it.

Iruka would never look him in the eye again and maybe he would even fall in love with someone else at some point just because he said they had no future, that everyone close to him had died even though Iruka had asked Kakashi to let him worry about it. Tired and suddenly terribly exhausted, he closed his eyes. How would he ever be able to straighten it out again? Did he even want to? Did he even want to keep the chance of a common future with Iruka open? Or would he wish that the brown-haired Chu-Nin might fall in love with someone else after all? No, that was something Kakashi certainly didn't want...Actually, he knew exactly what he wanted, but he just couldn't let it happen. He still didn't know how much Iruka had been affected by the fact that he had rejected him after kissing him.

And before he could think about it any further, he was no longer alone in his office. Shikamaru and Tenzou stood in the doorway and looked at him. "Kakashi?" the Anbu asked cautiously and the Rokudaime looked up. "What can I do for you?" he said, just a little grumpy. The two ninjas looked at each other and had a surprised expression on their faces. "Haven't you noticed us? We've been standing here for about 10 minutes now trying to talk to you," Shikamaru said and the rokudaim looked at the two of them. Really? Had he been so absorbed in thought? Obviously, because otherwise they wouldn't still be standing there. "We have reports from Sasuke, he has a new scent on Kaguya's offspring and Konohamaru also asks if you can record a short video message to congratulate Naruto and Hinata on their wedding," Tenzou said shrugging his shoulders and came to the desk where he leaned his butt against the edge next to Kakashi and looked out the window. From here you could really see all over Konoha. Shikamaru only had a pile of papers in his hand that needed to be processed.

-*-

On the same day Iruka sat all day at school, gave lessons and just tried to distract himself a little. First in the evening he went to Ichiraku to eat a bowl of ramen and then he walked around the village. Spring came slowly and everything was in full bloom, was that the reason why he suddenly let these feelings go? Why he had afforded himself this little moment of weakness? And before he knew it he had run into someone. "Iruka-Sensei?!" he heard a surprised cry and looked into the face of Naruto. "Sorry Naruto, I must have been a bit preoccupied and didn't pay attention to the path. Tell me, how are you? Are you making good progress with the wedding preparations," he asked and his former pupil smiled, scratching his cheek in embarrassment, something Iruka often did, he noticed now and he had to smile as well. "Well...There are still a few things to be done, but yes, we are making good progress," he said and sighed a little. "I'm really happy to listen," he said and noticed Naruto pushing around. "Well....I actually have one more question," the blonde ninja finally said to him and suddenly bowed. "Please take over my father's part on the day of my wedding" Naruto said his request quite quickly and Iruka thought about the words again before he realised the meaning of the words and looked at Naruto with big eyes. Wow, that wasn't a very small request, so he took a step towards Naruto and nodded before bowing briefly and then taking the boy in his arms. "Of course I'll do it for you," he said and squeezed Naruto, who now seemed to be in tears. Iruka felt these really strong arms around his hips, never before had he taken Naruto in such a fatherly way, so he closed his eyes and put one hand on the back of his head. "Thank you Iruka-Sensei or now more likely Oto-Sama" Naruto laughed slightly and a warm smile lay on the lips of the brown-haired Chu-Nin. "You were the first to believe in me and without you...I would have been on a completely different path. Thanks doesn't even come close to saying what I owe you," Naruto whispered and Iruka shook his head slightly, put his hands on the shoulders of the younger one and pushed him away from him a little so he could look him in the face. "You don't owe me anything, okay? You have become exactly the great ninja I saw in you back then." He laid his hand on his cheek as a father and gave him an honest, proud smile. "I am proud of you, Naruto, and all that you have accomplished." And now the blond man was moved to tears. So they decided that the next day they would have a bowl of ramen together, just like old times.

Then they parted ways and Iruka went home much more satisfied with herself and the world. There he undressed and took a hot shower, then he made himself a cup of tea and sat down at his desk, on which were also some schoolwork of the young ninjas he was teaching. Moreover, his thoughts were no longer only about Kakashi but also about the upcoming wedding of Naruto and Hinata. The two hadn't found each other immediately either, nor did he remember how Naruto hadn't even noticed the Hyuuga girl because he only had eyes for Sakura. Yes, this year had been really special...Iruka liked to think back to when he first had them all in class and how colourful the pile had been. On his desk was also the first and last class photo he had taken with them. These memories distracted him a little from his broken heart.

-*-

Kakashi, meanwhile, had cleaned up the chaos in his office and had become master of the situation when the door opened and he discovered a blond young man whom he knew all too well. "I know you're probably head over heels in work, but would you like a bowl of ramen," Naruto asked his old sensei, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile a little under his mask. "I'd love to." Finally he hung up his hokage robe, was now wearing his usual Jo-nin uniform and left the office with Naruto. At first, they walked next to each other without many words and Kakashi looked up at the starry sky for a moment. "Are you excited yet? You're getting married at the end of the week." "Yes... I talked to Iruka-Sensei earlier. It was important to me that he take over the role of my father. The younger one probably looked at Kakashi and the younger one slightly waved his face at the name. "Did you have a fight or why do you react like that?" Naruto asked him and Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't call it a fight now..." ...I rather gave him hope first and broke his heart in the next breath. But the last words remained unspoken. "Then what?" Kakashi sighed and was glad that they arrived at Ichiraku. "The whole thing has simply become a bit more complicated between him and me since I became Hokage, and besides, we were never really close friends. I think I am even closer friends with Gai than Iruka.

He had no idea that Anko heard the conversation and also entered Ichiraku. "Don't let him hear that. Otherwise you won't have a chance," she said, a little angry with Kakashi, took her order and left the restaurant. Kakashi looked at her with irritation, had Iruka spoken to her? Since when were they friends, or at least so close friends that he talked to her about something like that? Next to him sat a clearly confused Naruto. "Did she mean Gai?" he just asked and if the situation hadn't been so confusing, Kakashi might have been able to laugh about it. "No no...I don't know if she really meant Gai. Who knows who else was standing outside," he said quickly and together they ordered their food.