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(I don't own any characters etc etc)
Iruka pursed his lips and sighed as he put his right elbow on his desk, chin in his palm, and looked out the window in the missions office.
The sky was grey, a light sort of grey, and fluffy white snowflakes swirled this way and that as they fell onto the streets of Konoha.
He reflected on how the number of people outside dwindled as the snow fell and time ticked on, in between his filing, grading, and cups of warm beverages.
Thank kami the office was stocked with tea, coffee, and cocoa!
It had been silent in the office for several hours, and so when the door creaked open, Iruka had to admit he was surprised, to say the least.
He was even more surprised when an ANBU entered, dressed in a heavy winter uniform, complete with a head covering, no inch of hair or skin visible.
They entered through the door, like a regular person.
No jutsu, no entry through the window.
An ANBU.
He sat straighter when they walked towards him, even more so when he recognized the mask.
The ANBU looked around as they walked, taking note of the empty office, and stopped several feet from his desk.
"Good evening, Hound-sama," Iruka said, scrambling to stand and bow.
"Sensei," Hound replied. "Please, relax."
Though the voice was slightly muffled, due to the mask, Iruka assumed as he sat again, he couldn't help but think that the rumors of Hound being a male shinobi were true.
Hound looked around again, the mask moving first to his right, then to his left, before returning to focus on Iruka.
"You're here alone?" he asked the teacher, who nodded.
"Yes. On account of the snow," Iruka explained.
"Oh?"
Iruka nodded again, unsure of what else to say.
"Why not just leave then?" Hound asked.
"I couldn't do that!" Iruka near shouted, flinching in his chair at the very thought. "I will not abandon my post!"
"Everyone else seems to have done that," Hound mused.
Iruka shook his head and replied in a calmer manner. "They didn't abandon it. Some were needed elsewhere, to help with the snow, and others were needed at their homes, with their families. So, someone needed to man the office, in case anyone needed assistance here."
Hound appeared to contemplate that answer as he brought a chair over from the next desk, sitting in it and raising his feet to rest them on the corner of Iruka's desk, ankles crossed.
Iruka couldn't help but stare at them, he'd never seen ANBU winter boots before...
"I doubt anyone will be in tonight," Hound suddenly said, startling Iruka.
"Maybe," he admitted. "But I was already working here before it started to snow heavily, and it seemed easier for me to stay than for anyone else to come in."
"And now you're snowed in," Hound observed, and Iruka could have sworn there was a hint of amusement in his tone.
"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Iruka laughed. "Not like I can really go anywhere, or would want to, in this weather."
"You could jutsu out?"
Iruka shrugged. "Probably, but I'm here to stay until relieved."
"Though no one will come in?"
Iruka leaned back in his chair. "You came in," he commented.
Hound's masked face tilted as he studied him. "You have a point."
They sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other.
"I have to admit," Iruka said, breaking the silence. "I wouldn't have expected to have an ANBU visit me tonight. Is...is everything here okay?"
Hound nodded. "I was just patrolling, not that anything is really happening. Still, you never know."
"Very true," Iruka agreed. "Would you like something to drink?" he asked, as his stomach rumbled. "Sorry," he said, slightly embarrassed. "I got caught up in getting things sorted here and haven't eaten dinner yet. I think there's some instant ramen here...if there is, would you like some?"
"Sensei, I think we can do better than that," Hound scoffed, and Iruka raised an eyebrow.
He watched as the ANBU disappeared, without any trace he had been there, save for the chair in front of Iruka's desk.
Iruka blinked several times at it, shaking his head.
"I imagined it, right?" he said to himself. "Only a few hours on my own and I've already gone a bit out of my head...it's probably the hunger."
He moved to the cupboard to look for said ramen, finding it and waiting for the hot water to boil, when he heard a soft cough behind him.
Turning quickly, he was surprised to see Hound again, holding a brown paper bag in one arm.
"Hello again!" Iruka said, bowing slightly. "I found the ramen, water's almost ready if you'd like?"
"Only for tea," Hound said, shaking the bag slightly. "I can't have one of Konoha's finest eating instant ramen on a night like this."
Iruka laughed. "I assume you're talking about yourself."
Hound shook his head as he placed the bag on Iruka's desk and began to place take-out containers on it. "I'm talking about you, who is sacrificing being here rather than at home and, I assume, in a warm bed under a mound of blankets, due to the snow," Hound clarified.
Iruka laughed again as the water boiled, and he poured tea for them.
"Thank you for the food, Hound-sama," he said as he brought the drinks over to join the ANBU. "Who wouldn't be under blankets right now if they could be?"
"I'm not sure I own blankets good enough for that," Hound mused as he opened containers.
"That's a shame," Iruka chided him, as he accepted chopsticks from the ANBU. "How can our ANBU not have quality blankets?"
"Part of the job, I suppose," Hound sighed.
"Well, perhaps I should write a request for it," Iruka commented. "Oh!" he said suddenly, realizing the ANBU was still wearing his mask. "I think I'd like to watch the snow fall as we eat," he said, turning his chair so that he could not see the other man.
They ate in comfortable silence, Iruka not moving from his spot until he was prompted to do so.
Sitting facing each other again, they shared different stories of previous winters, with bits and pieces of missions from Hound, including the pros and cons of the winter uniform, and horror stories from Iruka's pre-genin wanting to train in the snow.
Eventually, Hound stood.
"Thank you for tonight, sensei, but I should get back on patrol, keep the tower safe from snow monsters."
Iruka stood and bowed, smiling. "Thank you for the food and company. Please be safe tonight."
"And you," Hound said, tipping his masked face at Iruka before leaving in the blink of an eye.
Iruka smiled to himself as he sat back down, cupping his hot drink as he turned to watch the snow continue to fall.
______
At about midnight, Iruka felt it was safe to make a clone to keep watch so he could grab some sleep, and woke at six.
Stretching and rolling his neck and shoulders, he looked out the window.
Konoha was a crisp white, looking like a painting. There was no one out and about yet, and so it was well and truly undisturbed.
Iruka darted to the restroom to freshen up, as it was likely he would have visitors soon, and returned to find his clone had made him coffee.
"Thank you!" he said gratefully before he dispersed it, and inhaled its rich scent as he looked out the window.
About thirty minutes later, as he was contemplating another cup of coffee, the door opened.
Iruka set his cup down and moved from where he was standing by the window.
"Morning, sensei," Kakashi said as he entered, hands in his field jacket pockets.
"Good morning, Kakashi-san!" Iruka greeted him, pleasantly surprised to see him. "I'm surprised to see you," he admitted.
"Oh?" Kakashi asked, his visible eyebrow raising slightly.
Iruka scratched his chin as he studied the copy nin. "With all the snow, and Konoha being so quiet, I wasn't sure when anyone would pop in. And," he laughed, "I expected to only run into my relief."
Kakashi shrugged. "I was nearby and an ANBU stopped me, told me you were working all night and could probably do with breakfast. I'd have picked it up, but other things prevented me from doing so..."
Iruka perked up at the mention of food. "That would be nice!" He smiled softly. "After all, we're supposed to have gotten together for a meal by now. I'm sorry I haven't been able to meet for dinner since you got back from that long mission."
Kakashi waved it off. "No worries, sensei. You've been busy, and I was sent on another mission. Though, all this snow is getting to be a bit much for me."
Iruka laughed. "That's fair."
Suddenly, the door opened and another shinobi popped their head in.
"Good morning!" they called out. "Sensei, someone will be here soon to relieve you, then I'm afraid you're needed to help with snow removal at and near the academy," they said apologetically.
Iruka sighed. "Of course, thank you for the heads up."
The shinobi nodded and left, and Iruka turned back to Kakashi.
"Looks like breakfast will have to wait," he sighed, as the copy nin shrugged.
"Perhaps a sit-down breakfast will, but I could accompany you there and we could get breakfast on the way?" Kakashi suggested, and Iruka smiled.
However, another shinobi popped in just then.
"Hatake-san, glad to find you here! We're rounding up help for snow removal and the like around the village, and we could do with your assistance!"
Kakashi sighed but nodded, and the shinobi left.
He turned to look at Iruka, and they both shrugged.
"Another time, for sure, though!" Iruka said. "And thank you for checking in on me."
"Anytime," Kakashi said. "Stay warm and safe."
"You as well," Iruka said, as Kakashi moved towards the door, waving lazily as he left.
Iruka sighed, slightly frustrated at the change in plans, and decided that yes, another cup of coffee was definitely needed ahead of his new responsibilities for that morning.