Work Text:
The village was a burst of color. Green leaves unfurled on branches and early spring flowers sprung in small patches of yellow, white, and purple. The streets were abuzz with activity as marketgoers were stirred from their homes by the warming sun. Outside there was laughter and merriment, as the world awakened with anticipation.
Inside the matchmaking shop, a small unassuming one-room office, Iruka stood bent over his desk which was covered in charts depicting stars and planets. His dexterous fingers guided protractors along the papers to calculate lines between them, reading what they were telling him. Pausing, he ran a hand through his loose hair, eyes flitting over the images as he chewed his bottom lip, before turning to pull another rolled-up chart from a barrel. He unfurled it on the crowded desk and started again.
Since the birds began to return to the land of fire, and with them the hope of warmer weather, he had a dozen families contact him with intentions of marrying off family members in the upcoming summer. This, of course, left him with little time to calculate each client’s soulmate status, a process that could take two to seven months. That wasn’t even taking into account the courting period for each couple, which would be brief under the time constraints but must be thorough by societal standards- soulmates or not.
The door opened and a shadow loomed over Iruka’s desk. Iruka sighed, his protractor paused mid-slide between constellations. He didn’t have to look up to know who it was. There was only one person he knew who wore yukata that were worth that much money.
“Hatake-san.” He greeted dryly “By all means. Come on in.”
“Don’t mind if I do, Iruka.”
“Please don’t address me so formally.” Iruka restarted his work.
“As you wish,” Hatake bowed, “Matchmaker Umino.“
Iruka rolled his eyes but didn’t look up, waiting for the other man to state his business and leave him alone.
Kakashi rocked back and forth on his toes instead.
Iruka sighed yet again and sat down, leaning back in his chair and finally meeting Kakashi’s eye. All his calculations would have to be redone now that he was interrupted. I don’t have time for this. “What can I do for you Hatake-san?”
“Oh, nothing. Just thought I’d stop by.”
Iruka raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re here to finally find a match, I suggest you quickly tell me what you want so that I can get back to work. Spring is here and it’s my busiest season. Everyone is looking to be married by fall”
“Do I need a reason to seek out the company of a dear friend?” Hatake asked as he sat directly on the charts splayed out on the corner of Iruka’s desk. Iruka clenched his hands together to keep himself from smacking the man.
“Friend?” Iruka asked dryly. The two men had barely interacted outside of exchanges such as this. Last fall when Iruka’s adopted little brother came of age to claim his family estate he went to live with Hatake to learn how to manage it. Before then, there had been one brief exchange of passion between them that they both agreed to never speak of again.
“Fine,” Hatake sighed, “you’re no fun.” He stood and straightened his clothing. “You’re invited to dinner tonight.” He went over to a shelf and fiddled with an astronomical clock that spun on an axis displaying various planetary bodies.
“Oh, Naruto would like to see me? Then I will be there.” Iruka glanced back to his work when Hatake continued to ponder the shelf for another few minutes, “Anything else?”
“You spend all of this time working on helping other people find love. Surely you think about your own at times?”
“As I’ve explained about a million times already. There’s no record of my birth, therefore my soulmate status can’t be determined.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
“No.” Iruka said even sterner, looking back up at Kakashi with a glare, “Now please get out of my office.”
“Not everything is written in the stars Iruka. You can still find happiness without knowing if someone is your soulmate.”
“I disagree.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Hatake-san.”
“Admit it. You have doubts about this whole practice yourself. Thinking that the universe determines who we’re meant to be with. That the whole thing depends on what time and place we are born.”
“I would advise you to keep your thoughts to yourself. If I have any doubts, they’re between me and the universe and I will not be sharing them with some noble who thinks so little of my livelihood. Not to mention that matchmaking is a practice that has been around since the founding of the village and since then, everyone who has had their soulmate calculated has been content.” Iruka pretended to work again. Trying to ignore the man standing over his desk again.
“Not happy?”
“I’m sorry?” Iruka put his pen down a little too hard.
“You said content not happy . Wouldn’t everyone be happy? I mean if everything was charted in the stars and meant to be,” Hatake waved his hand around gesturing to the universe.
“I do not personally ask each couple whether they are happy or not.”
“So, you admit that it doesn’t matter.”
“When did I ever say that?”
“If it does not guarantee happiness, what is the point?”
“The point is that I may not be at the same economic level as yourself but my title will be respected. Now please , leave me to work!”
Kakashi sighed in defeat, “Fine. I will see you at dinner then.”
“I look forward to it.”
Hatake slammed the door behind him causing the building to rattle. Iruka sat back in his chair and put his face in his hands, scrubbing at it.
No matter how many times Iruka saw the Hatake compound, it always impressed him. The front garden was maintained over generations in a thoroughly thought-out and calculated way. Ancient bonsai trees and rock gardens scattered the premises so that when strolled through to the front entrance there was something new to see with every turn.
And one did need to stroll through. The path going up to the estate was winding, meant to confuse and delay any enemies or unwanted guests. Kakashi had taken to lighting orange lanterns along the way for guests to ensure they arrived safely.
There were exactly forty-nine of them.
When Iruka knocked at the door, he was taken aback when Kakashi greeted him. Iruka looked behind the taller man to see if he could spot a familiar head of blond hair. When none appeared, he stepped inside and proceeded to remove his sandals. Kakashi did not say a word as he led Iruka into the building.
The inside of the compound was subtly rich. The kind of wealth that is accumulated over time and generations. It was a standard old house with unassuming paintings and artifacts from so long ago that Iruka could only imagine how much money they were worth.
His favorite piece of art within the building was a large sprawling piece depicting everyday life in a fishing village. The images themselves were painted directly onto the shoji that were usually drawn around the courtyard.
Today those screens were open.
Kakashi led Iruka through the building before stopping at a small table set with two cushions and already laid out with food and drink.
“I thought you said Naruto invited me to dinner.”
“I said you’re invited to dinner . Naruto was never mentioned.”
“I see.” Iruka replayed the conversation in his mind and found his foley.
In the courtyard, small pink buds were forming on a massive tree at the far end of the property. Not a cherry tree, but a plum tree, he noted. A rather sizable koi pond ran from one end to the other with small waterfalls, creating a pleasant sound. A lantern-lit bridge passed over the deepest part of the man-made stream. Everything was just starting to stir and Iruka found he ached to see it in summer when its full beauty could be beheld.
“I figured since it was just the two of us there was no need for formality,” Kakashi said as he gestured for Iruka to sit.
“I suppose not. Though I do wish you had told me.”
“Why so you could have spent the night working instead of taking care of yourself?”
“I have deadlines,” Iruka muttered.
The smell of the dinner made Iruka’s stomach rumble. He quickly realized how intimate the seating at the table was as his knees knocked against Kakashi’s. Iruka turned his body to look out at the courtyard instead, finding that he liked the contact a little too much and didn’t want to encourage his heart.
Kakashi poured Iruka some sake before helping himself. He gestured for Iruka to help himself to what he would like from the table and sipped his drink.
“You know Naruto worries about you. He says you work too much.”
“Oh? I don’t think that boy knows the meaning of working too much.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. There’s been numerous times I have caught him up late in his books.”
Iruka snorted, helping himself to some fish, “I’d like to see that. It was probably something else hidden in a false cover.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure. He seems to take a lot after you. He’s very determined.”
“Hmm.” Iruka chewed thoughtfully,
“That’s one of the reasons you need to take care of yourself. So, he will follow your lead.”
“You make him sound like a child.”
“Is he not?” Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
“He’s an adult in the government’s eyes.”
“Doesn’t mean he’s not a child. I don’t think I was an adult until recently. Even though the law deemed me one at a very young age.”
Iruka put his chopsticks down thinking of his own childhood, “I suppose that’s true. But our generation went through many things his thankfully has not had to.”
“What books have you read recently?” Kakashi changed the subject.
The night passed pleasantly. Iruka found himself slightly tipsy as he made his way to the front door. He nearly fell over as he was putting on his shoes, but fell into Kakashi’s arms, both of them laughing.
“Are you sure you’re okay to walk home?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for dinner. Have a good night Kakashi.”
“You too, Iruka.” The door shut behind Iruka with a clack and as Iruka made his way down the winding path back to reality he found himself staring up at the stars in the sky. He found familiar constellations and named star after star to try to focus himself. But it didn’t help. His heart ached so much he could feel it in his hands. In his bones. He closed his eyes and visualized a different ending to dinner. If he had reached out and closed the gap between himself and Kakashi. “Please.” He whispered. “ Please, universe, please. I never ask for anything. Please just this once.”
It was a few days until Kakashi visited Iruka again. Iruka was putting a seal onto a set of documents that held results for the Inuzuka family when Kakashi burst in.
“You really need to learn to knock.” Iruka sighed. He crossed a name off his list and went about the room to find the next set of charts he would need.
“You don’t look particularly busy.”
“That’s because I’m just starting. I’ve got five more matches to find and calculate.” Iruka said as he handed Kakashi some of the charts as he pulled them until both of their arms were full.
“You can place them in that bin there.” When both of their arms were unburdened, Iruka unrolled the first constellation chart and started studying it. “To what do I owe the visit?”
“I have something to ask you,” Kakashi said once again fidgeting and playing with this and that around the office.
“Oh?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date.”
“A date?”
“Yes. A date.”
“Hatake-san.”
“Umino.”
Iruka sighed and rubbed his eyes. Standing up he crossed to in front of his desk and stood in front of Kakashi pulling his attention.
“You’re making it very hard for me to say no,” Iruka said as he studied the anxious Kakashi.
“So don’t say no.” Hope lit up behind Kakashi’s eyes.
Iruka sighed again, “You’re a respected clan member. And you must have a soulmate out there somewhere.”
“They don’t like me though, not like that,” Kakashi said shaking his head.
Iruka looked surprised, “You’ve already had your chart done?”
“Yes.” Kakashi met Iruka’s eyes with guilt. “It was done at my birth.”
“Then I absolutely can’t,“
“They don’t like me.”
“That’s not,“
“It is possible. They’re in love with someone else. And so am I.”
“No. That can’t be. What was your compatibility percentage?”
“82.”
“That doesn’t make sense. That’s a good match.”
“It does make sense. You said it yourself a million times, remember? Your match can’t be charted. Who’s to say it wasn’t supposed to be me?”
“Kakashi,“
“ Please. Iruka, why not me?”
“You should be with your soulmate.”
“My so-called “soulmate” is deeply in love with someone else and I am not so selfish that I would take that away from them both. We’re friends and nothing more.
“Iruka, if you can say there’s no hope. No chance that this could work between us. If you say that you want nothing to do with me, I will leave you alone. I will move on and be nothing but professional with you. We will, going forward, only discuss Naruto’s progress. But if there’s even a bit of a chance. Don’t you think we should try? Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves? After everything the universe has dealt us? Why don’t we deserve to be happy too?”
“I can’t” Iruka’s voice broke. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt like he was being torn between his own happiness and his sense of duty. “I think you need to leave now.”
“Iruka, please.”
“What do you want me to say? If I admit what you want, that I like you, a lot , then I am admitting that everything I believe in is a lie and a farce. And what do I have after that?”
“Me. You have me. And Naruto. And an entire life of happiness.”
“Hatake-san,”
“We don’t have to get married or anything. It’s a date. One date.”
“A date with a man that could one day wake up and realize he actually does love his soulmate.”
“It won’t happen. Because I will always choose to love you. And I know you will do the same.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. You have a good heart. You’re so loyal you took Naruto in when you were barely seventeen. You took this job because the Sandaime asked you to. You yelled at Hiashi when he wanted to betroth his daughter to someone when she was still barely ten. You love Iruka. It’s what you do. And I don’t think I deserve your love by far but I want to try because you’re the only thing I see when I think about my future.”
Iruka felt the tears he’d been holding back start to fall down his face.
“How can you say those things?”
“Because charted or not, you’re my soulmate. And I know it as well as I know that the sun sets and rises. And if you didn’t feel the same way, you would have kicked me out already.”
Iruka laughed slightly and wiped at his eyes, “I tried.”
“No, you didn’t.” Kakashi gave a faint smile before stepping forward toward Iruka and helping to wipe off some of the tears he had missed. “I love you Umino Iruka. Now please go on a date with me.”
“Okay.” Iruka said laughing some more, “Okay. I will.” Love bloomed in Iruka’s chest.