Formspring Drabbles

Title: A Question Of Fear
Pairing: KakaIru
Summary: Short written for KakaIru Formspring
Question: Iruka, aren’t you afraid of Kakashi, him being an elite jounin and all? Not even a little bit?
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Naruto or these two would be Canon (and so would ShikaKiba)

"Iruka, aren’t you afraid of Kakashi, him being an elite jounin and all? Not even a little bit?" Tsubaki leaned on the table as she asked it, her voice even though her brow furrowed slightly.

The question seemed to come out of the blue and Iruka stared at her, confused for a moment. "Why would I be?"

"No reason I guess but well rumor has it he's ex-ANBU and they're not exactly--" she hesitated, looking around the restaurant for a moment. "--sane."

Iruka noticed that she seemed to do that a lot lately. She was a chuunin like him but rank had never seemed to bother her before so it took him a moment to process. She seemed more timid than usual and it only took a moment for Iruka to realize why. Mizuki. She'd been betrayed and used by him just like Iruka had. Mizuki wasn't higher rank than them but he was more powerful and logically would have been a jounin if he hadn't been being watched by the council. "Tsubaki, I can't go around being afraid of everyone just because my best friend turned out to be a traitor who tried to kill me. Kakashi would never do that anyway. He's not Mizuki. I can't say he's always the most sane person I know but I don't doubt for a second that he'd die to protect anyone in this village."

"But..." She looked down and poked at her food.

"I'm not scared of him and if you knew him you'd understand why." He'd been on a mission with Kakashi and as insane as he likely was Kakashi's sense of duty was clearly ingrained. He was more apt to do something suicidal than homicidal.

"I thought I knew Mizuki and I didn't think he'd ever hurt anyone the way he did. He was so..." She didn't look up just sighed. "I just think you should be careful. You're worse than me about trusting people you probably shouldn't."

Iruka smiled and shook his head. He appreciated the concern even if it wasn't necessary. "Maybe I am but I'd rather be that way than be afraid." It seemed almost cruel to say but she needed to hear it or her fears were going to consume her. "Besides I REFUSE to be afraid of jounin no matter who they are. It's like giving them the advantage and I've pulled enough pranks on them and gotten the upper hand enough to know they aren't perfect. Hell I think they tend to fall for them more because they're jounin and they're cocky. Kakashi's no different."

Tsubaki looked up and smiled. "You were always the bravest man I knew."

"I don't know if I believe that," he laughed. "You don't have to worry though I have absolutely no reason to be afraid of Kakashi. If anything he has reasons to be afraid of me. I know his weaknesses after all."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, the smile growing. "And, what would those be exactly?"

"Well those damn perverted books of his for one." Iruka picked up his tea and sipped it, a smile curving his lips. "And well, me for another."

Tsubaki's eyes widened until the whites showed all around her irises. "Oh..."

Iruka smirked. "You don't think the only reason I've been spending time with him is Naruto do you?"

She blushed and looked back down at her plate, suddenly very intent on the nearly untouched meal.

Iruka just laughed and shook his head. It really was hard to be afraid of a man when you were capable of making him beg.