Lee
The following morning, Iruka had seen Naruto leave the apartment early for his month long training and he couldn’t be prouder of his son for making the final round of the exams. He always knew he could do it, but he didn’t think he’d leave so quickly without so much a goodbye. Oh well, it must be jitters because he’s going to be facing Neji Hyuuga. Even Iruka himself wouldn’t want to face him without being very well trained if he were in Naruto’s shoes; going off of everything he’s learned about the boy not only from him but Sasuke as well (Sasuke had walked Naruto home after the second part of the exams were over, which honestly warmed his heart since he’d been cheering for them to get together for so long now) he believes the boy is far more ruthless than he appears to do what he did to poor Lee.
He remembers Naruto’s distraught yet frustrated growl of, “It’s unfair, Iruka sensei! I cannot believe he’s allowed to cheat like that and get with it! How can everyone go so easy on him?”
“The rules don’t ban an alpha or beta from leaving a mark on an omega before the Chunin exams, no matter which kind it is. It also doesn’t forbid them from using it out of the omega’s best interests either. Going off of what you told me, it sounds as though Lee’s situation was subtle enough to where the referee couldn’t say for fact it had been used and even if he could, there’s nothing he could do about it rules wise since Neji could claim he was doing it to protect Lee.”
Sasuke seemed particularly bitter last night. He’s not sure what happened there—Naruto didn’t know and Sasuke didn’t talk about it—though he did also point out something to Naruto he was about to bring up himself, “He’s also a Hyuuga and that clan is treated like royalty in this village by the elders and hokage. No matter what he does to Lee, it won’t matter how against or in line with the rules it was; he can always hide behind either clan tradition or his clan’s name alone. They won’t touch him because of it and he knows it, that’s why he can afford to be so bold.”
Naruto wasn’t any happier over it, still seething despite hearing these very logical explanations, “That’s so dumb! I cannot believe this, when I become hokage, I’ll fix these sexist rules so no one ever goes through what Lee did!”
Iruka knows Naruto will fix things when he does become hokage, but it doesn’t change the fact that his friend is clearly suffering from the negative aspects of being born into a sexist society that likely won’t change until new leadership takes over.
He had been cut out of his thoughts—as well as his morning coffee—by a loud, frantic knocking on the door.
Thinking it was Kakashi, he was going to ignore it. Until he heard the voice of the sweet man he has grown fond of, “Iruka, are you there? Please, please be there, I need your help! It’s urgent!”
He was by the door before Guy could finish speaking. When he did answer the door, he was met with the man looking like such a teary wreck that he wanted to hug him at first sight, “Guy, is everything alright?”
“No, not one bit.” the man who is usually over the top in his optimism is stuck sighing deeply, his hands over his face as he tried to keep his composure, “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Iruka moved aside for Guy to enter his home. The moment the door was shut, the poor man was nearing tears, “Last night, Lee had to see his clan after he lost at the exams to Gaara. Of course, it was all thanks to that cruel Hiashi for daring to tell them about the mark Neji left on Lee before the exams and why he was in the hospital for a while there, which is why they had it at the Hyuuga home. Well, I don’t know what was said or done there, but his mother offered to sell him to me as a mate when they left the home.”
Iruka had to pause for a moment to let the shock subside before gagging, “No…they wouldn’t. Lee is so young, sweet, and innocent—there’s no way any parent—” then he remembers what kind of clan he comes from and stops himself there.
Lee’s mother has always been cold, cruel, and dismissive of him with his father being a silent enabler who never once did anything to protect his own son as she verbally abused him in front of him. It only makes sense that they would be the type to be okay with selling Lee off to anyone who showed interest in him if it could benefit them financially.
At the pause Guy sighs, “You know they would. They’re too greedy to deny any chance at making money off of the poor boy.”
The alpha man in green sits down on his couch with a dramatic flop, begging him the moment his hands are off of his face and clasped together in front of him, “Iruka, seeing Lee leaving Neji’s place with a bruise on his face that I know he got from them was the most heartbreaking thing in my life yet he was so happy, so…proud because he finally got to stand up for himself like I’ve always told him to. I didn’t know it was possible to feel pride and heartbreak at the same time, yet here he was, making me feel both at the sight of him last night! He tried so hard to be happy when we out to eat, but I knew it was all an act to keep me happy. That boy is too considerate for his own good… I’m afraid it will do him in someday with his own family.”
He gets off of the couch and onto his knees, pleading, “I’m not one to ask for anything from you, but I need your help… Please, is there any way you can help me adopt Lee from his awful family?”
Iruka wants nothing more than to help Guy do just that. However, the laws are not in his favor as are the village elders who he knows will side with Lee’s clan due to them being as openly conservative as they wish to be.
“Guy…” he kneels down to his level and takes his hands into his own, being nothing but sincere as he met his gaze, “I’m so sorry. I cannot help you adopt Lee. By Konoha law, unless if a pup is abandoned by their family or loses both parents, one cannot adopt a pup.”
“But Lee’s family tried to openly sell him to me! Surely there has to be something to be done about pups in abusive homes like his!”
“I’m afraid not. The law of the village values clan rights and traditions over the safety of the pup. Because of this, it will be okay for them to keep Lee no matter how they treat him or how openly they try to sell him off to anyone as long they claim tradition and don’t abandon him.”
Guy looks so heartbroken and lost then that it deeply bothers Iruka to see him in such a way. He hugs the man tightly, holding onto him as he crooned, “I’m so sorry, Guy. I want nothing more than to help you, but I can’t. With the laws the way they are now, he’s going to be stuck with his parents no matter how poorly they treat him.”
Guy exhales and shakes his head, “I should’ve known better…you were lucky to adopt Naruto. Usually single parents aren’t allowed to adopt, especially single omegas, but Naruto was so unwanted so severely by the entire village that you were able to take him in no questions asked. I wish there were a way for me to save Lee from his fate, I really do, but I don’t know if I can.”
Iruka wants nothing more than to help Guy save Lee from his fate with his family. Thanks to the laws in place, he can’t. Abused pups are never saved from their homes because respecting clan tradition always comes first and foremost no matter what. There’s no system in place to save an omega like Lee in existence in the village—even if it was legal to, there’d be nothing in place to help him get out of there legally and safely without having to deal with his clan trying to get him back or endanger him in the process.
Though there is another issue here in trying to save Lee: the adoption laws.
Iruka was only able to adopt Naruto as a single omega because Naruto is widely hated in the village by those who are old enough to remember the attack from the Nine Tailed Fox. Had he tried to adopt any other pup, he wouldn’t have been allowed to because it’s illegal for single people to adopt pups in the village.
Though Guy is an alpha, he wouldn’t be able to adopt Lee because he is single. Even if a new law came into place to allow Lee to be taken away from his clan, there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t be put into another one worse than the one he is in now.
“You may not be able to save him from his fate now, but you can be there for him when no one else is.” Iruka cuts him out of his depressing thoughts, “Lee is basically alone in the world with the way his homelife is. Doesn’t he currently live alone somewhere in the village?”
Guy fills in a few blanks on something that has been on Iruka’s mind ever since Lee made Genin, “He does. Lee’s clan was afraid of his becoming a Genin though they allowed it. When he did it despite their doubts, they immediately concocted a whole bunch of rules in order to keep the younger omegas amongst them away from him and his ‘negative, poisonous’ influence: he was to live alone, far away from the clan, never see or have contact with them unless if they initiated it first, and the only way he’d ever be allowed in their home was if he were to come back mated and disavowing the shinobi life.”
“Can’t he live with you?”
“He told me he couldn’t. His family was very clear on this end; virginity is the only thing they saw then as being of value in him. In order to preserve it, they refused to allow him to live with any alpha or beta, claiming that they’d turn the alpha or beta in on whatever trumped charge of kidnapped, hiding a runaway, or attempted forced mating they could use to ruin that person’s life.” Guy seethed as Iruka released his hands, “They never said it, but it was always aimed at me on a personal level. It’s part of the reason why when she offered to sell me to him so flippantly, I snapped and struck her with a lot more force than needed.”
Iruka cannot blame him for this. He’s wanted to do the same to Lee’s mother and father more than once in his lifetime back when he was in the academy. He can only imagine how much worse she had to be for Guy—sweet, lovable Guy with his heart of gold—to strike her with the amount of force he says he did.
“You know what’s the worst part of this? Knowing that a kid I love like my own son is stuck in a horrible home with people who treat him like an object to sell off and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
His heart breaks for the man in front of him, feeling so distraught for the man yet also incredibly attracted to him at the same time.
Guy is so sweet, so loving towards Lee…though he may not be his father, he treats him far more like father would their son than Lee’s biological father does. With his enthusiasm for life and general positive outlook on things, he cannot deny it when he says Guy is the sort of mate he’d want to have in his life.
This is not just for his sake, but for Naruto’s as well.
Fact of the matter is, if anyone wants to mate Iruka or date him, they have to accept Naruto as his son and they have to accept the fact he’s dating to get a mating with someone who will be the sort of alpha or beta parent Naruto could need in life.
Now he’s not only looking for a parent to Naruto: he’s also looking for someone who’s positive, patient, understanding, and loving who happens to have an amazing sexual chemistry with him. He wants someone to grow old with, but ever since getting Naruto in his life, he knows has to find someone not only to grow old with but someone who wants to be a parent to Naruto.
Anyone who isn’t willing to accept his son as their future son isn’t ever going to be someone he considers for a mating. Naruto has to like his future mate or else a mating won’t happen, simple as that.
Which is why Guy makes so much sense to him. While he cannot speak on the sexual chemistry issue—which is a big deal for Iruka since he is a sexual person who’s had issues with past lovers who were nice enough people that turned into complete jerks in the bedroom—he can say Guy would be as wonderful to Naruto as he is to Lee. He can believe the man would be as willing to accept Naruto as his son as he is to Lee and if he ever wanted to adopt Lee (or got the chance to), Iruka wouldn’t stop him. If of anything, he could see Naruto being happy with having a sibling as well as someone to train him whenever Kakashi isn’t around.
Of course, he would talk to Naruto about this beforehand. He wouldn’t make any decision without his son’s say on the matter.
It still doesn’t stop him from believing Guy would be the best alpha to mate with, “I’m sorry, Guy. In my eyes, you are that boy’s father and no lack of legal forms will convince me otherwise. You’re the best thing to ever happen to that kid and I know he’s eternally grateful to have you in his life.”
Guy smiled, taking a deep breath in to calm himself down while getting out of the hug, he was able to speak in a lighter tone and mood, “Thank you Iruka; if it weren’t for your help and support, I wouldn’t know what to do with Lee. Whether it be preparing for the first heat he could be dealing with this year, how to give an omega student like him with the safest environment to learn to the best of his ability without being triggered into acting the way his parents want him to, or now with the issue on adoption…you’ve always given me the best advice. I owe you a lot. Is there anything I can do to show you how grateful I am for you?”
Now’s the chance, he can finally get himself a date with Guy, “There’s nothing you need to do for me. I’m more than happy to assist you with Lee.”
“No, I really owe you for everything you’ve done for me when you didn’t need to.” he asks him then with the shiniest smile he’s ever given to him, “What do you say we go out to dinner sometime? I know a good place where we can go to get some great food and drinks after a hard day of work.”
Here he had been expecting to ask Guy out on a date himself. This works great, but he has to be positive this is what he thinks it is.
With a smile of his own and a suggestive tone, he remarks, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume this is you asking me out on a date.”
Guy chuckles and it leaves him wondering what could be so humorous about this, “Iruka, I cannot take you out on a date! Kakashi may be my rival, but I’d never try to steal you away from him!”
Kakashi…leave it to him to ruin his chance with the one alpha he’s been wanting a shot with for so long…
He bites back his snarl to scoff, “Kakashi isn’t my keeper. I can date you if I want to.”
“Still, he’s my friend as much as he is my rival.” the alpha is firm on this, “I wouldn’t want to upset him and ruin that friendship between us. I’m sorry, but I cannot date you.”
“Guy, I know it sounds hard to believe, but I’ve wanted to date you for so long.” the green clad alpha is awestruck then as he continues, “It’s near impossible for me to find a date with anyone who’s interested in a serious relationship that ends in mating and being a good parent to Naruto. I’ve seen how you are with Lee, I know you’d be an excellent parent to him and Naruto if you ever got the chance, and I know Naruto would love to have you as a parent as much as I know he would be happy to have Lee as a sibling. You’re a great man with a wonderful heart who I’d love to be with…it also helps that you’re incredibly handsome as well.”
Guy clicks his tongue, coming to his own conclusion on the issue, “I see…you want some of this?” he gestures to his own with a flick of his wrist, “Well, sorry to tell you but as much as I am catnip to the betas and omegas, I am asexual and possess no interest or desire to ever have sex.”
Now Iruka’s heard it all, “What?”
“Yep, I only want a mate for the companionship, emotional bond sort of deal. I don’t want to have sex with anyone and honestly, I’ve never had the desire to, not even in my ruts.”
“What do you do during your ruts then?”
“I get this burst of energy that makes my attacks much stronger and increases my chakra enough to hold my own against Kakashi in battle.” he glances at Iruka with a raised brow, “You do realize I do all of my most dangerous missions when I’m in a rut, right? If I’m not on a mission, I’m training during it.”
…Now that he mentions it, he always did find it strange how Guy would be gone out of the village for a week on a mission and then come back smelling as though he got out of a rut. He didn’t think he was in a rut during those times, but it certainly would make sense.
Or how Guy’s scent would become one of a rut whenever he was doing intense training…oh.
Well, looks like things between Guy and himself won’t be working out then. Iruka cannot be happy in a sexless mating and he knows it’d be cruel to Guy, Lee, and Naruto to trap the wonderful alpha man in a mating relationship he wouldn’t ever be happy in.
“Ah…I see…” Iruka looks away from him then, feeling all sorts of stupid, “Sorry about that. We can still go to dinner as friends.”
“I’d want nothing else than that.” Guy heads over to the door, pausing to look over his shoulder, “Iruka, I know Kakashi didn’t handle things right the first time around or the others when you went out on dates with other alphas and betas, but he is a good man who would love to be with you. He just doesn’t know how to get it properly across at times. He’s rather…omega dumb, you know? Give him a chance and he’ll prove you wrong on everything you ever thought about him.”
Iruka has only one thing to say to this: “I’ll give him a chance when he can prove he is as good of a human being as you. If he can’t, then it’s never happening and he needs to move on.”
Guy figured as much. Kakashi really did mess things up with Iruka and he knows it will take a long time for him to ever get a chance to date him, “That’s fine, do whatever you like. I should get going, I have to train Neji soon for the final part of the exams. I’ll pick you up later at five, okay?”
“Sounds great, I’ll see you then.”
“See ya!” he waves the omega off before exiting his home.
The moment he is out of the apartment and Iruka is given a chance to relax, he hears a knock on his door.
He doesn’t want to deal with Kakashi right now, so he’ll leave him be. He needs time to take in everything he’s heard so far this morning.