The Tower (Naruto, Kakashi/Iruka)

The villagers in Nimura have a story that they like to tell to scare children. The story changes with each telling. The common elements are limited. There is a tower high in the mountains, past where the hunters dare to go. A demon or monster of some sort lives in the tower. The demon likes to kidnap children, usually naughty children or ones who don’t eat their vegetables. Any misfortune that happens to befall the village is the fault of the demon.

Kakashi believes none of it. He’s faced enough real demons to know when a story is just a story. Still, it’s something to keep him entertained when he visits the tiny village on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass. He meets with agents from Kusagakure. They exchange notes and after a day or two of rest, Kakashi is gone. It’s a pretty boring mission, but Kakashi likes it because he gets to see his favorite person.

“Hello, Iruka.”

Iruka looks up from where he’s deliberating between tomatoes. “Hatake-san.” Iruka bows slightly, like he always does.

“Can I carry that for you?” Kakashi holds his hand out for the basket holding Iruka’s produce.

Iruka hesitates a moment before handing it over. “Thank you, Hatake-san. You’re always so kind.”