Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto T_T...

Matchmaker

Naruto scratched his cheek absently, leaning sluggishly on the arm of the wide cosy chair, his feet lolled lazily above the floor, his wide blue eyes fixed intently on the one person that he treasured more than anything.

His teacher and now his friend, Umino Iruka, the one who, for reasons unknown to Naruto, had become his legal guardian, promising to protect and guide him, like a true friend, dare he say, family.

Naruto's mouth tugged into a smile, feeling the love and admiration he had for his sensei warm his heart. Iruka-sensei had saved his life, rescuing him from, Mizuki and his deadly shuriken, since that day their friendship had grown and the ponytailed Chuunin had been his rock through the turmoil that raged inside of him. Naruto had no words to described how lucky he felt and he knew that he would never be able to repay the scarred faced Shinobi for all he had shared.

Naruto tilted his head, his smile draining into a frown. For some reason lately Iruka-sensei had been acting strangely, he couldn't quite put his finger on it but the Chuunin just seemed different. Naruto had first noticed the change a couple of weeks ago, his sensei was distant, distracted and way more irritable than usual.

The fiery tempered teacher had always been a tough disciplinarian but just last week, Naruto had been on the receiving end of a flying saucepan after accidentally cursing, which was excessive, even by Iruka-sensei's standards!

He sat watching out of the bay window of the place that had become his second home, seeing his sensei sitting in the sun, his deep brandy eyes staring vacantly at the same patch of grass, tea cup half raised to his mouth. He hadn't blinked for the past three and a half minutes, Naruto was counting! Yeah... Whatever it is, Iruka-sensei had it bad...

The blonde Genin sniffed, fidgetting in his seat as he watched his beloved sensei. He breathed a sad sigh, he hated seeing Iruka-sensei this way. The warm loving cheerful Iruka had disappeared and now Naruto was left with a mopy, gloomy Iruka. He couldn't be sick, Naruto hadn't seen him sneeze of cough at all, and he looked pretty normal apart from being more jumpy than usual and the blushing.

Naruto had tried everything to snap his sensei out of it. He had done all of his chores, made his bed every morning, finished his homework on time, bought Iruka's favourite cake, He had even offered to pay for ramen! But nothing had worked, even making, Iruka-sensei a cup of his favourite chamomile and orange-blossom tea hadn't been enough to bring his sensei back down to earth. Iruka-sensei hadn't even sipped it yet! Naruto's eyes narrowed at the cup in Chuunin's hand, 'It's definitely cold by now!' Naruto huffed quietly.

To make things worse his new sensei, Hatake Kakashi, Ultimate pervy ninja, was away on a mission, so his training was on hold until the pale pervert returned. A groan escaped Naruto's throat, clawing at his scalp in frustration, almost three weeks of nothing! Not even pranking, Sasuke at every opportunity was passing the time.

Naruto fell back against the cushions, come to think of it, Iruka-sensei started acting weird around about the same time that, Kakashi-sensei left... Which really made the boredom ten times worse! Naruto nuzzled his cheek against the soft cushion, did it mean something that, Iruka-sensei had started acting all crazy when, Kakashi-sensei had left? were they friends or something? That would kind of make sense, Naruto scratched absently at his belly, 'I'd be the same if, Sasuke got sent out, I guess... but that coz I-'

Naruto gasped, sitting bolt up right in the chair as the penny dropped. He frowned screwing his eyes shut and tapping his chin with his index finger. "Impossible!" He barked, No way could his kind, loving, innocent, Iruka-sensei ever have feeling's for that old, pervy, Icha Icha reading scarecrow! There was just no way! His hands fanned around his head, shooing away the nasty mental images that buzzed around his mind like annoying flies.

He folded his arms, a protective growl leaving his throat; there was no way he would allow his perfect, Iruka-sensei to be corrupted by that one eyed sex maniac!.. Come to think of it, the last time he saw both his sensei's together Kakashi-sensei wasn't even that pervy, he didn't take out his Icha Icha once, and he was real polite, like he was on his best behaviour or something... And, Iruka-sensei had laughed and smiled way more than usual... Naruto shook his head hard, No! Absolutely not! I can't be!

His eyes moved back to his, Iruka-sensei, still sat staring into space. Naruto watched his sensei sigh, his shoulders deflating a little further. Naruto gnawed anxiously on his lip, noticing the sudden paleness of Iruka's skin, his usual sparkling eyes were dull and lifeless, dark shadowy bags made his face look older than usual, knowing that his sensei wasn't sleeping too well, he had heard his sensei crying at night, not quite brave enough to ask why.

Naruto slid down in his chair, 'Why are grown ups so complicated?!' Naruto had tried asking his sensei what was wrong, he had told Iruka-sensei that whatever was bugging him he would do whatever he could to make it better, because that's what families do right? But every time the Chuunin had just sighed and smiled that sad smile, telling him he was, 'too young to understand,'

A snort of annoyance shot from his nose, he hated that excuse! Playing the age card was such a crock! He slumped forward resting his elbows on his knees, his chin falling into his palms as he leered at his sensei silently. Iruka always said he wouldn't understand all kinds of stuff, but it was just his sensei's way of dodging a bullet so he didn't have to talk about his feelings.

Still. This was the longest he had ever seen, Iruka-sensei pouting for; actually, it was worse than pouting! Sulking?... Pining even! Naruto's brows knitted, grimacing slightly as his thoughts turned to, Kakashi-sensei, was it really possible? Could, Iruka-sensei really be pining for, Kakashi-sensei?... He mimed a gag, gross! He really didn't see how his, Iruka-sensei could find that poofy haired perv attractive!

Was this sulking what people referred to as love sickness? Naruto shook his head, love sick? Iruka-sensei? He sniggered, yeah right! Iruka-sensei in love with Kakashi-sensei! Oh brother, What an idea! He let out a laugh, his eyes falling on his sensei who sat clutching his cold tea in his lap, his eyes downcast, staring longingly into the distance, his face tight, his eyes glistening.

Naruto's blonde brows shot up, watching as, Iruka-sensei wiped away a tear with his thumb. Holy shit! The realisation kicked him full force in the gut. It was true! It really was true! Iruka-sensei, His Iruka-sensei was in love! Naruto swallowed tightly over a suddenly bone dry throat, 'Shit!' his mind groaned, wiping a hand slowly down his face, he breathed a sigh, his shoulders slumping as he fell back into the chair, The sight of Iruka's tears made him angry, furious! No, no this would never do! He would not sit by while his sensei was hurting, he just wouldn't! Couldn't!... So! Now he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands!... But how?

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Thank you for reading! please let me know what you think! now!... on to the next chapter! ^_^