Shinobi Grape Juice

*NEWEST CHAPTER -- about time ne?* ^___^


Title: Bought Loyalty
Genre: Humor/Romance
Characters: Iruka, Academy, Anko
Rating: T
Summery: It was all fun and games until they involved the knee biters. (kakairu, yaoi)
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. Don't own, don't make money. It's merely for my own amusement.

Warning: I got bored and threw in some clichéd Japanese terms XD

AN: HUGE thanks to kakairupowns who beta'd this for me! *hugs*


Iruka was… uncertain. He had been teaching his class of little hellions for well over half a day and they were, well, they were… learning. They were attentive. In fact, they were so attentive that the hour he'd allotted to teach Kawarimi no Jutsu ended up being extended. They were now into their third hour, which meant their revision of Henge no Jutsu would take place after lunch, and their discussion on the basics of Konbi Henge no Jutsu would have to be put off until tomorrow.

He’d never had so many children ask so many questions. It was almost suspicious.

This new interest in their lecture was pleasing, at first, but now it seemed they were asking for the sake of asking. He'd heard his name called so often there was some serious consideration going into changing it. Sometimes, four or five hands would go up at the same time. The children he turned to were full of smiles, blushes and occasional panicked eyes. It was like, now that they had his attention they actually needed to think of a question. Like, the questions weren't their main objective.

Iruka placed the pointer on his desk, having just given a lengthy lecture on correct hand seals, and immediately three students were flagging him down.

"Iruka-sensei!" "Sensei?" "Please, Iruka-sensei?"

His brow twitched. It would need to be a good name, the one he chose. Nothing about sea cows and oceans.

"Yes, Keiko-chan?" Iruka walked over to the young girl.

"I - uh…" Keiko nervously glanced at her friend, unsure of what to ask.

"Could you show us the actual signs again Iruka-sensei?" her friend intoned. "We want to make sure we've got it right."

Iruka nodded, running fingers tiredly over the bridge of his nose as he moved back to the front of his class. "I want you all to pay attention," he held his hands out, ready to form the first seal without enforcing any of the necessary chakra. "If after this demonstration there are still those of you who need help, please come see me after class."

He knew the words sounded almost harsh, but, this was the thirteenth time he'd given a demonstration. No child could be that dense, surely. Iruka tried not to grimace as he remember Naruto's days at the academy and went through the signs again. Fourteen.

Eight little hands shot into the air.

Okay, now he knew something was up. There was just no way they were all this interested, or this stupid. No previous life could have been bad enough to land him with thirty Naruto's in his current one. Not only that, but the lunch bell had chimed ten minutes ago and still no one had complained.

"Sensei, sensei!" "Iruka-sensei?" "Iruuukaaa-seeenseiii!?"

"Alright!" Iruka held up a hand. "How about you all tell me what it is you really want, hm?"

"Sweet Chuunin Ass!" His class ruptured into a fit of giggles.

"N-nani!?" Iruka stumbled back, only stopping when his thighs hit his desk. "W-who told you to say that?" He asked, trying very carefully not to scare anyone as the pulse in his forehead began to throb. No, he would not throttle his students. He would find the person responsible and - and – oh, someone was about to die! Iruka took a deep breath, plastering the most trusting, warm smile he could fathom across his face.

"Class," he made eye contact with every child before continuing. "I need to know where you heard those words, and more so, who told you to say them?"

The entire room fell silent, atmosphere suddenly palpable. That look, that I'm-a-friendly-chuunin-sensei-don't-be-scared look, was certainly not a soothing look. Every student knew that look, it was somewhere between the one-hundred-years-of-pop-quizzes look and the ungodly homework-until-you-die, look. It was scary as hell and they would not speak! Kami forbid it turned into the I'm-about-to-call-your-parents look. There was a collective shudder.

Iruka moved between the first two rows of desks, and turned to the child on his right. "Rai-chan, please, who told you to repeat those words?"

Rai's eyes widened. "A-a…" she stuttered.

Kneeling while placing a gentle hand upon her shoulder, Iruka finally gave a genuinely warm smile. "Take a breath Rai-chan." he soothed. "It's okay, you're not in trouble. But I would very much like to know."

Rai nodded, wiping away a few stray tears. "A group of j-jounin, I-Iruka-sensei."

"They gave us ramen vouchers!" Keiko quickly added.

"Yeah, Ichiraku!" A boy up the back punched the air.

Iruka stood. So, his classes loyalty had been bought with a few Ichiraku vouchers? That, was rather disappointing actually. Surely his humiliation was worth more then a few lousy meals? Okay, deliciously ramen-y meals, but still.

"Alright," he smiled broadly. "Class is dismissed for the day. Go home, practice what you've learnt so far and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!"

Within seconds the room was empty. No questions asked.

Iruka slumped over his desk, the metal of his hitai-ate faintly clinking each time he pounded his head against the worn surface. Oh how he was going to kill those jounin. He sat up. First he'd have to find the right ones. That wouldn't be too hard, they'd been on academy property – no way his whole class had been gotten to individually – which meant one of the other teachers would probably know. No one, friend or foe, made it onto school grounds without at least one of the teachers knowing.

Of course that meant entering a room full of shinobi whom had no inclinations about teasing him; who'd heard everything to pass the grapevine; who'd probably put some of it there. So, how to ask without specifying why?

---

Iruka stepped into the teachers lounge, ears immediately assaulted by various 'good-afternoon Iruka-sensei's'. He really wanted to change his name.

"Ohayo Shizumi-sensei," he politely bowed before taking a seat beside the shy teacher. "A-"

"Ano sa?" She interrupted, blushing when she realized she'd done so. "Gomen, Iruka-sensei."

He waved it off. "It's alright, what were you going to ask?"

Shizumi's blush turned a pretty shade of fuchsia. "Ano," she paused, nervously scratching behind her ear. "I - I heard th-this rumour…"

Iruka's face fell flat. "So ka?"

"H-hai," she nodded. A long curl was quickly being wound around her index finger, loosened, and then re-wound. She anxiously glanced at another of the academy's teachers, Hideaki-sensei, whom was grinning in a very predatory way. "T-they say you're Konohagakure's n-number one p-piece of sw-sweet ch-"

A resounding 'thunk' could be heard by all as Iruka's hitai-ate began repeatedly pounding against the tables surface. "No more…" he mumbled. "Please, please no more."

Hideaki placed a firm hand on Shizumi's shoulder while grinning. "He's so surprised he almost passed out! You're bound to win that bet."

"Someone say bet?" Anko strode into the teachers lounge as though she owned it. "Ah! Ruka-kun, just the chuunin I wanted to see."

Iruka whimpered. He would change his name, dye his hair, use genjutsu to cover the scar and switch villages. He liked the sun and he was sure it wouldn't take too long before becoming accustomed to the feel of sand in every orifice. Maybe the new Kazekage would take pity on him? He could even pack Kakashi in an overnight bag - the man was flexible enough.

"Konoha to Ruka!?"

Iruka blinked dumbly at the waving kunoichi, his mind somewhere between sandy butt cheeks and a very bendy Kakashi.

"You in there?" Anko sat on the table, legs freely swinging. She lent down till their noses almost touched. "Oi!"

"Uh…" Iruka lent back slightly.

Anko growled. "Sweet Chuunin Ass!"

"Anko!" Iruka jumped from his seat. "Don't say that!"

"Huh, so it's true." The kunoichi smirked. She plopped a rice ball in her mouth and moaned. "Mmnh… mif ef gooh!"

"Anko…" Iruka carefully sat back down, noting the frown on Shizumi's face as she searched for what presumably used to be her lunch.

"So," Anko lazily lent back, eyeing the chuunin down the bridge of her nose. "I hear everyone's been appreciating your derrière." Iruka sunk lower in his seat. "Sorry," she grinned. "My fault. I said something like that to uke-boy, never realized it'd be so catchy. Think I could get royalties? Anyhow, there's this bet running that says whoever wins gets two-weeks paid vacation and a week at the hot-springs, free. I want that vacation Ruka-kun."

Iruka glared. A bet would explain some of the weeks happenings. "Continue…"

"It goes like this - whoever gets the best reaction wins. The deadline is next Thursday and so far Gai-kun is in the lead. I still can't believe he did it…"

"Me. Either." Iruka grit out. He really, really, did not want to remember Gai's so very loud proclamation on just how perky and youthful his manly orbs were. Something – well everything – about that speech had been just… wrong. Besides, 'orb' was NOT the word he'd use to associate with someone's behind.

"… what I was thinking," Anko continued. "We get together somewhere a little more public, a little more crowded. I'll say something, with your approval of course, and you overreact. Come on Ruka, help a girl out? I could probably get Ibiki involved to make it seem more legit-"

"Iruka-sensei, sweet ass!" One of the older academy students hollered through the open staffroom door.

"That is IT!" Iruka latched onto Anko's wrist, dragging her from the room with little to no heed as she yelp. "This ends now, Anko-chan." He growled halfway down the academy hall, forcing the kunoichi through the egress and down the steps.

"I was fine when everyone found out, fine when the rumors started, fine with the occasional teaser - I was even fine when the whole sweet chuunin ordeal began. But this…" he pointed a dramatic finger back towards the academy building. "This is my WORK. The students here are supposed to respect me, NOT joke about my backside! These children are - are here to LEARN, not be used as some dumbass jounin's betting pawn!"

"Ruka…" Anko kept as much distance between herself and the rabid chuunin as her captured wrist would allow.

"No," Iruka hissed. "Just, no. When they involved my students, they crossed a line. You," he pushed her toward the village streets. "Tonight, my place. Bring Genma. It's about time the shinobi of Konoha remember who, exactly, they're messing with."

Anko stumbled slightly as she was jerked once more, then set free. She hadn't seen Iruka so worked up in years, but, they'd involved his students. She figured someone had it coming. Running off to find Genma in time for the night's 'meeting', she felt a shiver go down her spine. This was going to be one helluva prank.


--TBC--

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