Chapter Text
Not everyone is happy when they learn the identity of their soulmate.
Hatake Kakashi learns that quite young. He still remembers the way his stomach lurched when he heard that fucking idiot say his words, the words burned into his arm, words he’d hopefully traced with his finger in the dead of night... And it turns out they’re the words of this stupid, defiant, useless, friendless…nobody.
Who would want a soulmate like that? What kind of reflection is it on him, that his soulmate is a pathetic, stubborn child? (Kakashi was a bit judgemental in his teen years. It's easy to forget that, sometimes.)
It was easy to hate his soulmate back then, because Kakashi already hated most things about himself. It’s harder to hate his soulmate as he grows, but he manages it all the same.
He hates that his soulmate is incompetent, that his one and only mission with Kakashi he bungled so fucking badly that Kakashi had to sit down and have the Squad Captain Talk with him, the one where he explains to idiots how they’re not a good fit for his team and they would do better serving the village elsewhere.
Iruka takes the advice to heart, and becomes a teacher. Kakashi thinks that’s the end of it, but Iruka keeps assigning genin graduates to him. He may be a Jonin-sensei on paper, but only Iruka is stupid enough to send a three-man cell to him… three damn times.
Kakashi accepts Team Seven because they passed his graduation test, not for any other reason, but the reprieve from Iruka’s graduates is a plus.
And they just. Keep. Seeing each other.
It’s infuriating. Kakashi tries to play it cool, tries to limit his interactions however he can. Iruka is a Village-bound chunin. He’s well-liked by most and by all accounts the closest thing to a father Naruto has ever known. That just makes it harder for Kakashi to keep his distance. He worries that Iruka will notice his disdain - or worse, will confront him over it. Iruka is very confrontational, even when he’s in the wrong. Even when it’s inappropriate. It’s another reason for Kakashi to hate him.
He could have had any other soulmate. What’s wrong with Gai, or Tenzo, or any of the other few Jonin he can stand to be around? Why does it have to be him? The one good thing he can say about the man is that he hasn’t died yet. Considering his incompetence and his obsession with mouthing off to his superiors, Kakashi supposes it could be considered an accomplishment. It saves Kakashi from the excruciating process of losing his soul mark, at least. Even losing a despised soulmate can be enough to completely incapacitate someone, no matter how high their pain tolerance. So at least Iruka hasn’t caused Kakashi to fail a mission with his untimely death… yet.
He gives his best effort during Pain’s assault on Konoha, though, mouthing off instead of trying to run. It’s only luck (and the flash of agony in his soul mark) that leads Kakashi to him in time to halt the killing blow. Iruka leaves without a fuss, and Kakashi suffers as a result of his incompetence. Typical.
He faintly wonders if his temporary death hurt Iruka, but also wonders if maybe Iruka died somewhere in that interim, too. He likes to think that’s the case, so he doesn’t have to feel bad about causing Iruka’s soul mark to be painful. It would have inconvenienced anyone Iruka may have been helping to evacuate, after all.
When Naruto succeeds in defeating Pain and is celebrated by all of Konoha, he spies Iruka standing towards the back of the crowd. He’s watching Naruto with eyes full of tears, his grin shining brighter than the sun. Kakashi is proud, too, but at least he knows better than to act like a fool. How can Iruka still be so soft-hearted after so many years of hardship? It doesn’t make sense.
Time drags on, and Kakashi finds himself taking on the mantle of Rokudaime. One of the many downsides to his new, prestigious position, is that he is now essentially village-bound.
Another is that the Council wants to know if he has a soulmate. If he knows who it is.
It's getting harder to avoid their questions.