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After Mizuki had been caught and the reports had been submitted and the rumors about Naruto’s small shadow clone army had been put behind them, Iruka still had to deal with the bed rest.
He’d nodded and smiled and tried to seem as amenable as possible to the doctor’s orders while he was in the hospital, but as soon as he’d returned home, everything was back to business as usual. He’d have to take it easy, sure. But there was no reason why he couldn’t just hop right back into his regular teaching routine.
Or… he should have been able to just hop right back into his regular teaching routine. Would have, even, if it hadn’t been for the appearance of one impossibly lazy copy-nin with a penchant for bad romance novels.
He’d just…. been there, standing in front of Iruka’s door on Monday morning when he’d swung it open to leave for the Academy.
“And where are you off to this early in the morning, Sensei?” He’d said as he peered over the edge of his mask at Iruka.
“I have work, Kakashi. You know, that thing that most of us do instead of reading in the park?”
“...Do you? Have work, I mean?” The silver haired man gave his forehead a little rub, thinking. “I could have sworn Hiruzen asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you stayed home and rested… or is one of us not following orders?”
Iruka snapped his mouth shut and blushed a little, less than thrilled at having been called out for his rule breaking.
“Fine,” he mumbled and scooted back into his little apartment, Kakashi slinking in behind him.
The first three days were... well, a blur if he was being totally honest. He’d been prescribed some painkillers that were no joke. And maybe Hiruzen had a point about taking some time to heal. He wouldn’t be able to do his best if his body was failing him.
And, during his few moments of lucidity, he learned that Kakashi was a shockingly good nursemaid. He kept Iruka hydrated, made sure he moved around just enough to keep from getting stiff but not too much to cause further damage, helped him cook. It didn’t hurt that the man was easy to look at, either. (Not that Iruka would ever have said as much out loud.)
But by the time he’d weaned himself off the prescription strength meds and onto over the counter stuff though, Kakashi’s persistent presence was becoming a little inexplicable.
“You know that you don’t actually have to babysit me, right?” Iruka said to him, about five days into his forced R&R.
Kakashi was, at that moment, moving around Iruka’s kitchen like he owned the place. “And miss all the excitement?” He poked his head out into the living area, where Iruka was propped up on the couch, all fluffy pillows and warm blankets.
Iruka just glared at him in response.
After 10 days, the ninken showed up and Iruka began to get suspicious.
“Remind me how this is supposed to help me heal faster?” All eight of the dogs were piled on top of Iruka, who was still restricted to the couch.
“Dogs make everything better!” Kakashi chirped from the balcony, where he was busily hanging laundry.
“They don’t make the couch smell better…” Iruka grumbled.
“What was that?” Kakashi called.
“Nothing!!”
After 12 days, Iruka stopped noticing the dogs.
After 15, he stopped noticing Kakashi.
And after 20, he stopped noticing any pain.
“I think I might head back to the Academy tomorrow…”
They were sitting across the table from each other, steaming bowls full of something that involved tuna and rice and ginger between them.
Kakashi just nodded at him, face falling into a neutral expression. His mask was down and his headband was off and he sort of sat comfortably slouched, sipping tea while their food cooled. “You said you were feeling fine this morning. It’s probably time then.”
“Feeling a little better than fine, thanks to you,” Iruka ducked his head a little and tried to focus on the bowl in front of him.
“Better than fine?”
“Better than fine.”
“Well, then my work here is done.”
When they were done, Iruka thanked him again for cooking and for… everything and Kakashi just gave him a small smile and a “Maa, Sensei, it was nothing,” and then body flickered out of sight.
The next morning, Iruka was met with a quiet, comfortable welcome back and an easy day of kunai practice with the kids.
Might Guy was kind enough to swing by to assist with target practice and the two found themselves in easy conversation.
“I am so pleased you have regained your youthful and hip vigor, Sensei! A little time away with my eternal rival has done you good!!”
“Yes! Kakashi was… surprisingly helpful.”
“I’m amazed he was able to convince you to stay off your feet for longer than the ordered week.”
“Wait… A week?”
“Yes! But, obviously we were all happy to see you taking enough time for yourself for once-”
“--A WEEK? I WAS OUT FOR TWENTY DAYS AND I ONLY HAD TO BE OUT FOR A WEEK--”
“But you’ve healed so well--”
“--Watch the kids, Guy.”
Iruka sprinted off, without waiting for a response. He could have been back to work weeks ago?? What kind of game had Kakashi been playing? He seethed as he cut across the treetops and along building ledges until finally he found himself pounding on the door of the Hatake compound.
“KAKASHI, OPEN UP, YOU SON OF A-”
The door swung open to reveal a comfortable looking Kakashi in a t-shirt and sweatpants, holding a frying pan with some kind of beautifully cooked fish.
“Sensei! So good to see you! Come in!!”
“Don’t you ‘Sensei’ me,” Iruka followed him in, rage bubbling under the surface of his voice, “You kept me out of work for three weeks!! And I only needed to be on bed rest for one!!”
Kakashi shrugged and plated the fish in the pan he was holding, apparently indifferent to Iruka’s seething. “You seemed like you needed the rest-”
“I needed to be with my students-” Iruka swung around in front of him, cutting him off on his way to the sink.
“And this village needed its top teacher back at peak performance.”
“And what, the single best nin our country has seen in years decided it was his job to make that happen?”
“Yes.”
Iruka blinked. “Yes?”
“Yes.” Kakashi slid the pan into the sink, leaning a little too close into Iruka as he did.
“Oh.” Iruka felt a small blush creep up his cheeks.
“Now, are you going to keep yelling at me? Or can I feed you lunch?” Kakashi asked him quietly, a small smile flickering across his face.
Iruka felt his anger melt and a small spark of something begin to glow in his chest.
“Fine,” he said.
“Fine?”
Iruka smiled back at Kakashi. “Better than fine.”