Uchiha Sasuke (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
not_thedragon) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sunshineverse2015-01-04 11:38 pm
not_thedragon) wrote in sunshineverse2015-01-04 11:38 pm
Entry tags:
[01/08; closed]
Who: Iruka and Sasuke
When: January 8th, after regular Academy hours
Where: Iruka's office
Notes: Sasuke is old enough to take responsibility for the littler Uchiha now. Sort of.
'Act normal', Obito had said, and Sasuke had initially been concerned as to what exactly constituted normal. Apparently, he shouldn't have worried; he'd evidently been so convincing that Mikoto felt perfectly comfortable drawing him aside to put a note from the Academy, of all places, into his hand. She'd been wearing that particular expression that meant that the request was clear even though the words out of her mouth were: "You remember Fumiko-chan, of course? Her parents are out of town, and this note is urgent, so ..."
He'd agreed before she'd even finished, well-versed in Mikoto's various methods of request that all amounted to no-protests-booked orders, usually without ever actually inserting an imperative.
So it was that he found himself in front of Iruka's office door for the first time since he'd graduated from the Academy himself. The entire place felt bizarrely small, all the lockers and weaponry lining the halls child-sized, and somehow -- far more distant than it had been even last year, last month.
"Iruka-sensei," he called, knocking. He was here at the appointed time, but perhaps he'd be lucky and Iruka would have grown forgetful after years of handling screaming children and wouldn't be in. "It's Uchiha Sasuke."
When: January 8th, after regular Academy hours
Where: Iruka's office
Notes: Sasuke is old enough to take responsibility for the littler Uchiha now. Sort of.
'Act normal', Obito had said, and Sasuke had initially been concerned as to what exactly constituted normal. Apparently, he shouldn't have worried; he'd evidently been so convincing that Mikoto felt perfectly comfortable drawing him aside to put a note from the Academy, of all places, into his hand. She'd been wearing that particular expression that meant that the request was clear even though the words out of her mouth were: "You remember Fumiko-chan, of course? Her parents are out of town, and this note is urgent, so ..."
He'd agreed before she'd even finished, well-versed in Mikoto's various methods of request that all amounted to no-protests-booked orders, usually without ever actually inserting an imperative.
So it was that he found himself in front of Iruka's office door for the first time since he'd graduated from the Academy himself. The entire place felt bizarrely small, all the lockers and weaponry lining the halls child-sized, and somehow -- far more distant than it had been even last year, last month.
"Iruka-sensei," he called, knocking. He was here at the appointed time, but perhaps he'd be lucky and Iruka would have grown forgetful after years of handling screaming children and wouldn't be in. "It's Uchiha Sasuke."
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"Yes, about Uchiha Fumiko," he said, and then reconsidered: the clan surname really probably wasn't necessary, given his own name and the fact that fire had been written multiple times on the note. "Her parents are out of town, so I was asked to come in their place."
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He shook his head slightly and nodded to the note. "What are your thoughts on my notes?"
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"It sounds like there are serious concerns about her ability to handle the classes she is in," he said, somewhat dubious as to exactly what he was supposed to be thinking about the note -- frankly, if he'd been Fumiko, he would have been living in white-faced dread. "I'm sure her parents would have better insight on what her training at home has been like, but I assume that you have suggestions as to what she needs to do to correct the situation?"
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"What kind of difficulties do you mean? Nothing that could be resolved simply by separation them in the classroom?"
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He leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his desk. "They're a good three or four times as bad as you and Naruto were on your worst days. It's a new experience for me."
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"Naruto and I were actually friends," he pointed out, though he could perhaps see where the label might have been confusing. "Do you know what the cause of the issue is?"
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He spread his hands. "Perhaps you talking to your side of the equation might help ease tensions as well."
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Which was why he sent a blank stare at Iruka at the conclusion the man made, voice matching his expression. "What? What can I say to her besides stop doing what you're doing?"
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He wasn't really sure he was qualified to talk to kids in general at the moment, in particular, but that was hardly something he could talk about with Iruka, of all people.
"Iruka-sensei, I'm not really ... the best with kids. I can find someone else in the clan who is, but my mother sent me only because nobody else was free today."
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"I can talk to her, but I can't guarantee that she'll respond to my interest in her welfare, as you put it," he said, hesitating before explaining: "I don't know her as well as others in the clan might. I'd suggest finding someone who does, or contacting her parents, if her behaviour doesn't change."
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"I'll see what I can do," he said. Not quite deferring to Iruka's judgment, but not about to shirk his responsibilities, either. "Is there anything in particular I should mention?"
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There were multiple reasons for that, not the least of which being that if she paused to think before doing, she might not do at all.
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"I'll work with her," he said a little belatedly, caught up in trying to determine where to start with such a young pupil. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei. Was that all?"
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When he answered, his tone wasn't precisely cautious -- but it did its best to not invite further exploration of the subject. "I'm doing well, Iruka-sensei. And yourself?"
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Misjudging himself, he was growing to realize, was something he'd done with some regularity.
"Everything is fine," he reiterated, finding a smile that he hoped was more wry than forced. "I've been busy as well, is all."
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He shook his head slightly, then gave him a comforting smile. "Is there anything you can tell me? I'd listen. And please, don't lie, I know what you look like when you're fine."
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Is there anything you can tell me, Iruka asked, but Iruka had always been some strange combination of being associated with Itachi -- all the shine of his brother left on the people he'd interacted with to some lesser extent, jealously -- and another authority figure to respect and impress more than confide in. Sasuke glanced at the door before forcing his gaze back to the man behind the desk, chiding himself for so obvious a tell.
"I've been busy," he repeated, with slightly more emphasis. "My mission load increased considerably over the past few months."
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So much as something he couldn't put his finger on, really. The workload was greater, but he'd expected that as a jounin.
"I'll keep it in mind," he said finally, and then with some effort to change the subject: "Fumiko's situation will be a good thing to focus on, maybe."
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"Yes," he agreed, in lieu of getting into more detail. "Is there anything else you want me to emphasize with her?"
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That sounded reasonably like what a parent-teacher conference should close with, he figured, and added just in case: "Thank you for meeting with me, Iruka-sensei."
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