Chapter Text
Sasuke sipped the well prepared tea slowly. He never really thought he would end up with his old elementary school teacher as one of his closest friends. He also never expected to fall for the idiot who burned down said elementary school.
Life never turned out how he expected.
Sakumo wheeled into the dining area with another tray of finger sandwiches.
“Fresh sandwiches?” He asked, towel draped over his arm and dressed like the maître d'hôtel of the fanciest place in town.
Iruka sighed, jittering in his seat as he watched his father-in-law do all the work. “You really shouldn’t be serving us like this. It isn’t right.”
“Excuse me sir, is something not to your liking? I remake the sandwiches or a fresh pot of tea!” Sakumo didn’t allow Iruka to respond. Every time his son-in-law tried to complain about being pampered or treated nicely, Sakumo always added more pampering. It was a win-win of making Iruka peeved, while still spoiling the man.
Iruka crossed his arms and huffed.
“Iruka, you need to just give in. This is our fourth tea-time invite and it goes the same way every time.”
“They do say ‘madness is trying the same thing over and over expecting different results.’” Iruka sighed and sipped his own tea. “And the tea is delicious,” he said loud enough that Sakumo had to hear from his location in the kitchen. The house wasn’t that big so there was no way he missed the compliment.
“We are supposed to use these meetings to discuss how it feels to be married to the fire captain,” Sasuke said, trying to redirect Iruka’s brain to the main point.
“Meetings?” Iruka’s eyebrow rose in amusement, “I hope you feel like these ‘meetings’ are more enjoyable than your tone implies.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Iruka always got on his case about his tone. It was fair, he knew he sounded harsh, but he was working on it! It wasn’t his fault the world was full of idiots.
“You know I consider you one of my closest friends, Iruka.” Sasuke secretly loved to give underhanded compliments to Iruka. The look of shock and the deep blush that colored the teacher’s face was so funny to him. As if every time, Iruka was shocked by any kindness. He understood why Kakashi, Sakumo, and Naruto loved to spoil the man.
Iruka cleared his throat and Sasuke smirked into his teacup. “Well, that’s very nice. Now, Naruto is going through the fire captain training now. How do you feel about that?”
“Iruka, you don’t have to be my therapist. I’m fine. You and Sakumo didn’t need to organize these silly tea-parties.”
“Silly?!” Sakumo rolled in so quickly and Iruka would barely stifle his laughter at the strong, older man in the frilly apron.
Sasuke caught his own laughter in his throat before could escape. “I’m not suffering, I’m happy Naruto is about to achieve his dream.”
Iruka gave Sasuke that look. The one the younger man hated. It was like a condescending pity. “Sasuke, Naruto just came back from his medical recovery, and we are just making sure that you are okay with him going back to a profession that almost took him from you. The living are the ones that suffer most from the loss of a loved one.” Iruka’s next look was one of understanding. They both had lost their families young. Sasuke nodded.
“He’s too stubborn to die.”
Iruka smiled, “I agree, but personally, I will be happy with Kakashi’s retirement. I worry every day for him.”
Sasuke gave Iruka a pointed look, “I would say he’s more worried about you.”
“What? I’m just a teacher at an elementary school!”
“You are too self-sacrificing, you know what you would do to protect your students.”
They were silent. Iruka’s back still hurts sometimes after all these years.
Before they could continue talking, the door burst open and Kakashi lumbered into the room, singed on the ends of his grey hair.
“Kakashi!” Iruka leapt to his feet and checked his husband all over for injury.
“I’m fine, Iruka, Just a little, POOF,” Kakashi smiled and used one hand to direct Iruka into a welcome home kiss. His other hand brought a sunflower unto view.
“For me?” Iruka blushed and took the large flower.
“We saved the field from a nearby fire and the owner remembered me from the wedding. I told her it's your birthday and so she sent me home with one for you.”
Naruto stumbled into the house next, patting ash off his wide shoulders. He was a man now, and Iruka had to remind himself.
“Where’s my flower?”
Naruto looked up at his partner, sitting at the table, eyes just visible over the edge of his teacup.
“Eh?!” Naruto looked stricken and the other adults all tried to keep their laughter down. He ran out the door and came back not a moment later with a tulip from Iruka’s garden, root bulb still attached. “Here?”
“NARUTO, NOT FROM MY GARDEN!!!” Naruto ran back out the house with Iruka hot on his tail, arm rolled back and ready to smack the, now much larger, younger man.
Kakashi looked at Sasuke with a long suffering expression, “Did you have to?”
“Where did your sense of fun go, Kakashi?” Sasuke said as they could hear Iruka forcing Naruto to re-plant the poor tulip with gentle love and care.
Kakashi smirked at the boy, “you always had the strangest sense of fun…”