Chapter 40
Spear & Shield
Chapter 39
The small group of dignitaries left the balcony, leaving the cheering crowd behind them. Yasu unintentionally lead the group, having absently peeled away from the quiet goodbyes between her father and the rest.
There was one face in the crowd Yasu couldn’t get out of her head. One cheering voice that stood out among the rest.
It was Gai because it was almost always Gai nowadays. Her heart was still swollen from catching his eye and seeing him smile at her. She huffed a sigh of a laugh under her breath, finding it funny that she-- an architect, builder, engineer, and creator-- was drawn to the most destructive person in the Village -- a warrior, shinobi, teacher, and fighter. She thought about how strange it was that she allowed herself to nurture the budding feelings in her heart. How he managed to tear down every wall she built around herself without her even realizing. Her foundation, having grown cracked and stale, was changing... all because of him. And for once, she wasn’t afraid or apprehensive. She wanted to change it with him.
Her plan to find Gai and his students shifted when another one of the familiar faces from the crowd popped into her line of sight as she rounded the corner. And even though this wasn't the face she had been looking for, it was a face that she was happy to see.
“Yasu!” Iruka greeted her with one of his signature warm smiles.
Yasu returned it, practically skipping over to her old friend, “Iruka! I haven’t seen you in forever!”
He chuckled, “Yeah not since--”
He cut himself off mid-breath and the pair lapsed into sudden and uncomfortable silence. The rest of his statement was left unspoken between them.
Not since their third teammate, Mizuki, had escaped T&I with the help of Orochimaru. Not since they had been forced to confront his betrayal for a second time. Not since she had to assist in the reconstruction of a Nara research facility while Iruka hunted down his former best friend for the second time.
Yasu cleared her throat, quickly shaking the memory away, "It's been a few months, hasn't it? Where's your little imp? I haven't seen any of my work defaced lately."
The change of subject forced the tension from Iruka's shoulders, "You mean Naruto?"
"Yes, the menace."
"He's not a menace," Iruka sighed in a very teacherly way, "He's just a misunderstood kid, you know."
Yasu snorted but smiled fondly, "Oh, yeah. I know all too well. Though, I have to wonder where he learnt all those bad habits from."
Iruka crossed his arms, "I wasn't that bad."
"No," Yasuchika interrupted from behind, rounding the corner right into their conversation. "If I recall correctly, you were worse."
"U-ushi-sama!" Iruka stuttered, still as intimidated by the stocky man now as he was when he was twelve.
"I seem to recall having to patch up the roof of the Tower after a series of fireworks were lit in the Hokage's office… Then there was all that water damage after every pipe in the academy had been clogged with ungraded essays. Oh, and let's not forget the time when all of the door hinges in the hospital had mysteriously disappeared."
The redness of Iruka's face spoke to his guilt.
Yasu giggled into the hem of her sleeve, stepping forward to rescue her flustered friend. "C'mon, let's grab a drink," she seized his arm, "We should catch up."
Gai would have to wait for now, because she still needed her friends. Her and Iruka’s friendship had been unfortunately neglected. Mizuki’s betrayal had left a stain on their bond. It was about time they cleaned it off.
"Your mother wanted to take you out to dinner," Yasuchika called after the pair as they made their escape.
"I'll find you later, then!" she called back over her shoulder, having little intention of actually doing so.
"We have reservations--" Yasuchika cut himself off with a sigh, watching as Yasu trotted away with a cheerful wave. He let her go, crossing his arms as he watched the pair make their way out of the Tower. "Let her have her fun, old man," he grunted to himself. "Gods know she's earned it."