#iruka being protective of itachi is the most precious thing🥹

[kiigan]

«Thank you, that makes me happy.»

ㅤHow surreal it feels, to once more be able to use this adjective in relation to his mood without it being (a) a blatant lie or (b) out of sarcasm and ungodly amounts of sass. A sort of sentiment, happiness, joy, contentment cranked up to eleven, that Itachi still isn't sure he's deserving of - all truth be said. Surviving the battle with Sasuke was not something he'd intended on, let alone to be forgiven for what he's done.

And yet... matters are seldom black or white, aren't they?

ㅤHe is, obviously, still the same person, but he is not that thirteen year old child anymore. In retrospect, his appraisal refined by almost a further decade of life experience, Itachi can see [...metaphorically speaking, anyway] that, the same way there could never have been a linear solution to the tension between clan and village, there also cannot be a linear lens with which to interpret his choice; his actions; his crimes. For how much of it was, indeed, a choice? And how much of it was the only way out that was left to him, after Shisui's own maybe-not-choice?

An introspection that Itachi has yet to gather the courage to undertake.

ㅤBest not to linger, at least for the time being. Iruka has enough on his plate to deal with, and the [technically still] Uchiha heir isn't here to add to it. Now that he's demonstrated he can successfully read through even the most disgraceful of handwriting, he is, indeed, ready to work. Turns out to not be too dissimilar from evaluating reports by his former ANBU subordinates, back in the day - the main difference being that those brave souls had known better than to bring to their captain any report written in a less than near-perfect condition. ...Yes, maybe Itachi isn't the sort of boss any person would have an easy time with, he can admit this much.

ㅤWhich is why, when Iruka's kind warning comes, Itachi can't help the laugh that falls from his lips. «Noted. If nothing else, it'll be interesting for me to be on the other side of the intimidation equation, for once.» Yet another notion he'd used as second skin, all those years; intimidation meant people staying clear of his way and, in turn, staying clear of a very high death probability.

ㅤAfter making attentive mental notes on every procedure the teacher goes through [a very talented one, indeed, kind and patient and understanding, and later on Itachi will make sure to ask about the stages of Sasuke's education he's missed out on], he sits back beside Iruka and smiles gratefully once more. «That's very generous of you, and you have my gratitude for it. As long as baby-sitting me won't rob you of your own time nor be a burden, your company will be quite welcome, Iruka-san.»

ㅤThere is an underlying motivation to the sensei's offer, however, he knows that there is, but it's tricky to figure out. Satoshi's birdlike field of vision can only offer as much when it comes to studying a human's subtle facial expressions, after all. It's quite all right. They'll apparently have the whole day together, which means plenty of opportunities for Itachi to learn more about this gentle man. Assuming his usual formal stance, then, that of a true clan leader with his back perfectly straight and his motions as fluid as they are elegant, Fugaku's influence written all over his mannerisms, he reaches for the respective reports and gets to work. That and he throws in a very harmless question, just for the sake of satisfying his curiosity.

ㅤ«Is this something you now do often? Forgive me for assuming, yet I was under the impression you worked as a teacher only.»

maybe iruka's in a genjutsu.

he... doesn't think he is. he'd like to think that the world he's living in is, in fact, the reality. after all, for the first time in all of shinobi history perhaps, there is a union among the villages made possible by the conclusion of the fourth war. the same war naruto had helped won. naruto, who has grown up beyond being the mischievous kid pulling up pranks every other day. iruka would really, really like this to be the reality: because it means naruto isn't alone anymore. because it means he's recognised, and he's— happy, somewhat. fulfilled, iruka hopes. and that the village will, from now on, thrives.

and yet— there is some dissonance in witnessing the former defected uchiha here around the mission desk, writing a report through a crow summon. he's even turned around now, uchiha itachi, presenting whatever he's written with the sort of politeness that strangely has iruka tethered this entire affair as not-a-genjutsu-at-all, because that's certainly the sort of formal speech he'd expected from members of konoha's noble houses, fallen or otherwise.

well, when they're not being an asshole about ranks and their powers and all that, which he, too, is all too familiar with.

iruka gathers the report, and he reads through both papers and it's—it's perfect, iruka thinks around an unexpectedly warm smile. had he been the other's teacher, perhaps iruka would even say he's proud. or maybe he's simply thought of sasuke, a long time ago, when he still had the boy as one of his students. sullen, unhappy sasuke. iruka's heart clenches a little. should've he had done more before ? could he have done more ?

he shakes the thought, and smiles at itachi instead. ❛⠀you did well, itachi-san. although good for you, you've no need to write anything so thoroughly like this. ❜ iruka then proceeds to fish out a few documents from the rejected pile. he begins to sit down, explains to itachi one-by-one on why they'd rejected one report to the next, what itachi could look out for when he begins receiving report after report. one shinobi had forgotten to write a whole entire section. another didn't elaborate well enough. the next one barely had legitimate handwriting.

❛⠀they'll try to intimidate you, because no shinobis like being told 'no' in case it's incomplete, but it's important to stand your ground. ❜ iruka told itachi next, before proceeds to direct the other man into the sorting pile. here's the assorted missions from rank A to D. S-ranks are always directly reported to the hokage, so we wouldn't be finding them here. then to the part of the office where they'd store already-accepted mission reports, and where finance would typically sort them to compensate the correct shinobis before it's moved to archives.

❛⠀i hope you wouldn't mind me sitting next to you the first day, itachi-san. ❜ iruka takes his seat, scratching at his nose, half-embarrassed. and he hopes the other shinobi wouldn't take this as iruka undermining his skills as jōnin-level above would tend to do, it's just ... iruka couldn't predict how other people would react being around a former traitor, and he just—he couldn't stand bullies, okay?