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In the springtime, Naruto noticed something strange. While he stayed back in the classroom, clapping erasers to help Iruka-sensei, while he was doing boring stuff like grading papers, people started to show up to bother Iruka-sensei. Naruto had started spending the nights at his apartment when he’d run into his teacher at the public baths, after his water had stopped working at his house. Iruka had been horrified, and then furious, and he’d marched Naruto to his superintendent's and yelled at the scared beta behind the counter for nearly 15 minutes. They’d left the man cowering, his ears ringing, and had gotten Ichiraku’s.
Then Iruka had invited him to spend the night at his place, assuring him that there was no pressure, he was welcome to go back to his own place at any time. Naruto had been doing him a favor, really, because his spare futon was getting dusty and really needed someone to air it out. So Naruto had gone with him to his little shoebox apartment, not all that far from Naruto’s own, and he’d never stopped. He waited after school for Iruka while he did teacher stuff, exploring the empty classrooms and storage rooms in the academy. He got into trouble still sometimes, but if he’d been pretty well behaved, Iruka and he would go for ramen. He loved ramen alone, but he loved sitting side by side with Iruka at Ichiraku even better. It made his chest feel nice and warm. He liked the cozy, warm smell of Iruka and the nest in his apartment, and the way it was starting to smell like the both of them. Almost like a family.
Which is why Naruto noticed when the scent started to change. Usually Iruka smelled mostly woody and musky, like geraniums and oranges, and something unique to him, but when the bite started to leave from the air, Naruto noticed that his scent was getting sweeter, that the pepper and vanilla notes started to get stronger. There was a thread of cinnamon in it that made Naruto’s sneeze, his nose itchy. He was still years off from presenting, but he’d always had a strong nose. So when Iruka’s scent started to change as the trees around Konoha started to bloom, Naruto noticed.
That was around the time that people started coming to see Iruka after class, too. Usually, Iruka would do an hour or so of grading in his office, and Naruto would wait for him, either playing outside or in the empty halls of the academy. And then, right when Naruto was starting to get bored, Iruka would appear as if summoned, and they’d leave together, sometimes stopping at the store for ingredients for dinner, or at a restaurant. But recently, when Naruto started to feel his interest waning in whatever he’d occupied himself with, longer than it usually took for Iruka to come and find him, he’d search out his teacher himself.
Wandering through the empty academy after hours was almost spooky, but Naruto wasn’t afraid. He could hear the sound of voices in the teacher’s office, and the evening sunlight still streamed in through the windows, painting the halls in golden light. He ran down the hall, like Iruka sensei would never have let him during the day, and his footsteps echoed in the emptiness. When he rounded the corner into the teacher’s offices, he found it to be nearly empty.
All the seats were deserted except for Iruka’s. His teacher sat there, the day’s history tests still spread out over his desk, riddled with red pen marks. Another teacher, one that Naruto didn't recognize, was leaning over him, pink spots high on his cheeks, speaking loudly and gesturing with a bouqet of flowers. Naruto scowled.
"-join me for dinner this evening, Iruka?" The other man said suggestively.
"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled, crashing into the room. "You said we were getting dinner tonight!" Iruka smiled, touseling his hair and grinning down at him. Naruto didn't even notice as the other teacher froze in discomfort.
"That's right Naruto, sorry Ebisu, I'll have to take a rain check," Iruka says apologetically. Naruto can almost see the bouqet wilt in real time.
"Ah- yes, of course, no trouble. Another time." The other man says stiffly. Naruto grins at him savagely as Iruka sweeps his things into his bag and takes Naruto's hand.
"We really should be going. I'll see you later!" Iruka says kindly. He does not take the flowers.
This was the beginning of an unfortunate pattern. Everyday, more and more people came to find Iruka-sensei. While they were out shopping, when they were at the laundromat, when they were walking home from school. Naruto had always known his teacher had a lot of friends, but this was getting ridiculous. No matter where they went, somebody peeled themselves from the shadows to talk to Iruka-sensei, stepping into his personal space, offering him flowers and sweets, playing with their hair and blushing, inviting Iruka to get lunch with them, dinner with them, anything. Naruto scowled. They always looked right over his head, like he wasn't even there.
The most recent offender was a goofy looking guy in green spandex and a bad haircut, who had offered Iruka a big grin and for once, offered to take them both to eat. Iruka had hesitated for a moment, scratching the scar on his nose bashfully, giving him a once over. Naruto had scowled up at him, crossing his arms. This guy was so lame! He couldn't believe Iruka was actually considering it.
He stepped between them, not so subtly stomping on the man's foot as he did so. He didn't even flinch
"Iruka sensei, we already got those bento for lunch," Naruto reminded him, injecting a little bit of a whine into his voice. "You don't want them to go bad." Iruka bit his lip, his eyes flickering between Naruto and the man in the spandex. He nodded once, resolutely, then smiled apologetically at the man, which made Naruto scowl.
"Maybe next time Gai!" He calls, taking Naruto's hand in his, beginning to make their way towards their waiting lunch. Gai gives them a thumbs up and a sparkling smile that makes Iruka laugh. This was the first time Iruka had ever given one of the people accosting him a chance, and it made Naruto's stomach feel weird and queasy. He rolled his eyes and scoffed as they turned down their street.
"What?" Iruka asked, a smile still lingering on his lips. Naruto kicked a broken cobblestone, watching it clatter away.
"That guy was totally lame," Naruto huffs. Iruka laughs.
"Why did you think so?"
"He was like, cheesy! His hair cut and that jumpsuit? Totally lame," Naruto repeats, jamming his hands in his pockets.
"I don't know," Iruka said evasively. "I kinda liked his haircut." Naruto pulled a face. "Ok, ok." He said, laughing, as he unlocked the door.
There was a member of the ANBU that was hanging around their apartment.
Actually, Naruto thought there might have been two of them, but he couldn't be sure. Their masks all looked the same!
ANBU had been in and out of his notice before. Sometimes they'd left him snacks when he was younger, or dragged him by the ear to the Hokage's office when he'd done something particularly bad. Naruto hadn't seen a lot of them since he'd begun staying with Iruka. But it seemed like now, even they were determined to bother Iruka-sensei.
Naruto scowled at the little plant, a bow around the wooden pot. He couldn't see the ANBU member who'd left it on the balcony Naruto had begun thinking of as theirs, but thankfully he'd gotten to it before Iruka had. He pushed it off the railing, waiting to hear the satisfying crash on the pavement below.
Instead, he looked down into the green and red painted mask of an ANBU black ops agent, clutching the gift.
"Go away!" Naruto grumbled, slamming the sliding door behind him, closing the curtain.
Apparently, that hadn't deterred them. Naruto awoke to Iruka smiling and watering the thing, sitting prominently in the middle of the kitchen table. He scowled at it, sitting down for breakfast and pushing it out of the way with a fierce glare.
"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Iruka remarked, raising his eyebrows at Naruto's attitude as he started on his cereal.
"Nuh uh," Naruto protested weakly around a mouthful. "'ts an ugly plant. You should throw it out." Iruka's eyebrows climbed even higher, staring at Naruto, who was studiously pretending to be nonchalant about his distaste. He sighed and took the seat across from Naruto.
"Naruto, what is this about?" Iruka asked kindly, pillowing his head in his hand. He gazed at Naruto with such intensity that Naruto started to squirm.
"Nothing!" He insisted shiftily, shoveling more cereal into his mouth. Iruka's gaze flattened, and Naruto gave a big sigh, pushing his bowl away and finishing his bite.
"It's just," He said, swallowing thickly. "All these people keep bothering you." Naruto looked up at Iruka, cheeks red and brow furrowed. "It's 'cus of your heat, right?"
Iruka blushed, scratching his nose bashfully.
"Well- yes,"
"Well how come they don't want to spend time with you any other part of the year?" Naruto harrumphed. He crossed his arms sulkily.
"They only want one thing Iruka sensei. They're no good,"He insists, which makes Iruka laugh, his expression softening. He reaches out to ruffle Naruto's hair affectionately.
"Where did you hear something like that?!" He scolds playfully, and Naruto scowls and pushes his hand away.
"I'm serious Iruka-sensei! They're not good enough for you!" He says again, banging an emphatic fist on the table. "Iruka-sensei's mate should be the best! Like… the Hokage or something!" Naruto pulls a face. "Except not the Hokage, he's way too old."
"Naruto…" Iruka coos, touched.
"… and," Naruto mumbles, "If you mate somebody and have babies, I'll have to go back to my old apartment. I like it here so much better." He's curled in on himself a little as he says it, voice choked with tears. He's reminded of his empty fridge and leaky ceiling, his lumpy bed. Iruka gets up and pulls Naruto into a hug, squeezing him close, burying his nose in his hair. He scents Naruto, Iruka's flowery and spicy scent warming him, comforting him. Naruto snuggles into his arms, pressing his wet eyes and nose to Iruka's shirt, not even caring about the wet smudges they'll leave there. Hugs are still so new to him, and he squeezes Iruka as hard as he can.
"Naruto, you'll always be welcome here," Iruka soothes, pulling back so he can look him in the eyes. Tears swim in his big brown eyes, and Naruto cuddles into him harder. He hadn't meant to make Iruka cry. "Even if I had babies of my own," He insists. "They'd need their big brother Naruto!" He says, nudging Naruto playfully. Naruto sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
"What if your mate doesn't want me around them?" Naruto asks, unable to keep the hurt out of his voice. He'd been chased out of stores and restuaraunts, abandoned at parks. Some people crossed the street when they saw him.
"Naruto, I would never be with someone like that," Iruka says seriously, looking right into Naruto's eyes. Naruto nodded, sniffling. Iruka gazes at him a moment, eyes filled with emotion.
"You're my family, Naruto. Nobody's gonna come along who can change that."