My Sunshine

My Happiness - Iruka

Iruka sat at the bar, waiting for Kakashi to arrive. After their impromptu meeting in Tenchi, the friends had decided to get together for a few drinks and actually talk. Kakashi showed up, late as usual, and sat across from him at the small table in the back of the dark bar.  After warm greetings, they ordered a couple of cups of sake and began talking.

"I never would've imagined that Mizuka Haruno was your mystery woman."

Kakashi grinned.

"She's amazing. She's gorgeous. I haven't felt so happy or whole in my life. Everything was so hard before she left. My teammates had died, and the thought of losing her as well was too much. The past seven months have been the first time I've been truly glad that Kurenai stopped me from committing seppuku."

That probably explained why Kurenai was at his bedside when he was clinging to life after his failed Anbu mission. Iruka watched his friend begin to go down a dark path before pulling himself back out of it. Kakashi sighed as if trying to exhale away any bad thoughts.

"But, that doesn't matter now. None of the past matters. The countless women I've slept with trying to fill the hole in my heart no longer matter. All that matters now is Mizuka is back in my life and she's my bride."

Iruka thought that his friend was trying to give himself more of a pep talk and wasn't as much explaining the situation. When he saw the Kakashi and Mizuka interact, she seemed totally smitten by him.

"Are you worried that the amount of women you've been with would be an issue to her? Mizuka is beautiful, I'm sure she's been with her fair share of lovers."

Kakashi chuckled into his sake as he sipped it.

"The Legendary Lover of Tenchi? She definitely has. Turns out, she was doing her own exploring over the past nine years. But, hers was less about filling a hole in her heart and more about making the most of her travels with Lady Tsunade. She loves sex, knows a lot about it, and has a lot of tricks in the bedroom. She's fucking incredible. Also, it turns out that she was engaged to Kisame Hoshigaki briefly. Before he disowned his village."

"Kisame Hoshigake the Akatsuki member?"

Kakashi nodded.

"He left her to join the Akatsuki."

Iruka couldn't believe that she was with an Akatsuki member... and he left her to join the organization. Obviously, that didn't bode well for him. But, he had heard of the Legendary Lover of Tenchi. Was that really her? Iruka could feel his face burn with shame and embarrassment.

"Kakashi, if I had known that Mizuka was the woman at the other end of your Red String-"

Now, Kakashi was laughing.

"I know you've been with her. She told me a couple of weeks ago. I'm not even a little upset or jealous.  She doesn't belong to me.  She's fucking incredible, isn't she?"

"She was my first. She was very kind and comforting."

He didn't go into much detail with Kakashi. Mizuka was someone that he thought about from time to time. Sex with her was really fun, and she made him feel confident, even though he was sure it was awkward for her because he was horribly inexperienced. Actually, he had days that he regretted ever sleeping with her because she had set the bar high. He had never been with another woman who was as warm and loving in bed. Kakashi was staring into his sake, grinning. Iruka couldn't help but grin as well. He was truly happy for his friend.

"I'm glad you've found your soulmate, Kakashi. So, are you going to stay in Tenchi or is she going to come here?"

"No. I'm staying in Konoha and she's staying in Tenchi. We both have lives established in two different places. My Will of Fire won't let me leave and, well, she won't let me stay in Tenchi permanently, as much as she wants me to. She told me that I'm too good of a shinobi to stay cooped up in Tenchi. And, I have to agree. And Tenchi needs her as well. Besides, I don't know if she'll ever come back to Konoha. As much as she would love to meet her little sister, she doesn't want to deal with her parents again."

Sakura. She was one of his students. She was a nice, average student. And he was aware that she was Mizuka's sister, but it wasn't something he had thought much about. The Harunos seemed like nice enough people, at least, what he had seen of them. Which wasn't much. He had assumed that Mizuka had just left. But, now that he thought about it, it was strange that Mizuka never came back to visit. And he had heard Sakura mention to Ino Yamanaka that she was an only child...

"Anyway, we'll make this arrangement work. I'm going to make sure that I go to visit her on my days off. Luckily, she's not very far away."

"I know you two will be fine."

Kakashi looked up at him.

"I hope you find your happiness, Iruka. You've seen enough sadness iin your lifetime."

Iruka chuckled.

"I've been thinking about it for the past year, and I've realized that I've already found my happiness. Teaching is my happiness and my passion. I've decided to dedicate my life to the Academy. I'm tired of looking for love: maybe if my love is out there, I'll find her one day. But, if I don't, teaching will be enough. I'm satisfied with this life, and for me, it's more than enough."

Kakashi smiled at him: there wasn't a hint of sadness or pity for Iruka in his eyes.

"Those kids need you, Iruka. The village needs teachers like you."

They chatted for a while longer before bidding each other goodbye and heading back to their respective homes.  Not sure if it was the conversation or the sake, or both, Iruka felt surprisingly warm inside walking home.  His students were his life, and since he had stopped looking for love, he had felt less stressed and could focus more in his lessons.  For the first time when he said that he was truly happy, he meant it.