Work Text:
(I don't own any characters etc etc)
Iruka’s breath came out in short, white puffs as he exited his apartment. He inhaled the wintery air deeply before tightening his standard issue scarf around his neck, wanting to ward off any chills.
“Can’t afford to get sick what with the trip coming up, or I’ll have a class of murderous pre-genin,” he mused to himself as he set off for the academy.
It was early February and he was taking the children on a winter field trip in a week or so. To say the kids were looking forward to it was an understatement; some days it was all they wanted to talk about. What activities would they do? Who needed a new scarf or gloves? What would they eat? Could they make a snow fort?
Iruka couldn’t help but laugh at that last topic. It hadn’t snowed for a few weeks, and even then it was only two inches, but he wasn’t sure they would be in the clear for their trip.
“So, I should plan for two trips, I suppose,” he thought, nodding at that. “They probably won’t be too different, really. But if there’s any snow, we can look for tracks, and do some different training. Overall, this will be good cold weather chakra exposure, and any excuse to get them outside is a good one!”
As he walked, he realized he might have more to plan than he had previously thought, but reminded himself that he hadn’t organized a winter trip for a year, so it was to be expected. What did he and the students need for supplies? They did have a good point, he noted as he neared the academy, what would they eat? Should they bring food, or cook outdoors?
“That would be nice, cooking around a fire in the cold,” Iruka thought with a smile as he greeted other staff. “Hopefully they enjoy it as much as I do, but otherwise it’s a perk of being the teacher, right?” he continued, laughing more.
Soon, he was in his empty classroom and took out a notebook to put his thoughts to paper lest he forget about them.
“I have to check that the request for extra support was filed,” he added, for he had already done that and knew that having other shinobi nearby at all times would be a must. The class would not be going far, but one never knew who or what might lay in the woods. Especially with his current students, he thought, looking at the empty desks and thinking of the different clans and skills they possessed. It made for a wonderfully diverse group, but also a prime target for anyone looking for trouble. The last Uchiha, a Hyuuga, a Yamanaka, not to mention the nine-tails? And that was just four of his students!
Iruka’s eyes grew wider and he underlined his last task. He thought of his other students and felt himself relax slightly when thinking of other aspects to the trip - Akamaru and Kiba could help with some tracking, Shino might be able to educate them on winter habits for bugs. Shikamaru would want some rest, Iruka laughed, and decided to be sure he included some fun down time for them. Perhaps after lunch?
A short time later, his students began to trickle in and he put his notebook away, but decided to keep an eye on the children when they went out for recess and weapons practice this week, as they did have a good point about who needed new scarves and gloves? He paused and made a note for himself to check on that for himself, just in case…
____
The next week flew by, as on top of their regular lessons Iruka’s class helped to plan and prepare for their trip. It was possibly the only thing they really focused on, he realized, but Iruka felt that it was helping them plan for future missions - what to bring, how to prepare, to work together, and so forth. And so what if they were overly excited for it and a bit distracted during classes other than weapons practice? He could hardly blame them!
Choji’s family had generously offered to provide lunch, and coordinated with Iruka that the food would be brought to a certain clearing at lunchtime - a stew that would be reheated over a fire, a filling meal to keep everyone warm for the rest of the day. ANBU would be in the background monitoring the trip and providing support as needed, though Iruka hoped they wouldn’t need to appear. And Genma would be helping to chaperone and be more hands-on support. Anko had been eager to help out but had other duties that conflicted, and made Iruka promise to schedule another trip she could go on. Iruka agreed, though he wasn’t sure when that would be, but who was he to decline such eager support?
The afternoon before the trip, he reviewed everything with his class. What supplies to bring, how to dress, what time to arrive, as they would leave earlier than their classes usually began, since they were short on daylight these days.
“Get a good night’s sleep tonight, and eat breakfast!” he reminded them as the bell rang, signaling the end of the academy day. “See everyone tomorrow!”
The pre-genin excitedly wished him a good night as well and ran out, and he called out any last instructions.
“Kiba - don’t forget a sweater for Akamaru, just in case! Shino, you might want a hat! Naruto, don’t forget breakfast!”
Iruka soon packed up and headed home himself, having not scheduled any shifts at the missions office that day or the next, knowing he’d have his hands full. He thought about it as he walked home, his nose growing cold from the low temperatures. Was he making too big a deal of it, he wondered, for they were only hiking around the woods just outside of Konoha. Nothing overly strenuous, true, but he wanted them to go a set distance and a range of terrain, as well as to work on a few skills out there.
“I’m sure that since I feel rusty with winter field trips it’s to be expected that I’m a bit stressed,” he sighed as he entered his apartment and began to peel off his outer layers. “I just feel like there’s so much to do, even though I also know I’ve got it all planned out. But so much could go wrong,” he sighed to himself as he began to make dinner, running through his to-do list once more, then again as he ate.
The next morning, Iruka woke earlier than usual to make sure he had his own warm, filling breakfast and donned extra layers to help him stay warm in the field. He tied his scarf around his neck and zipped up his flak jacket, holding his gloves in one hand and coffee in the other, maps tucked into a pocket as he headed to the academy. Genma met him in his classroom and they went over the plan for the day one last time over coffee before his class soon trickled in, visibly eager to get going, while also rubbing remaining sleep out of their eyes and yawning here and there.
After final bathroom breaks, Iruka reviewed rules for the day, made sure everyone’s canteens were filled, and checked each student had an accountability partner (their “team” for the day) before they finally left!
The first stop was at the east gate, where they reviewed standard protocol for signing out with the gate guards. Iruka went over it with the children and Genma proceeded to step up and give the information to the guards so the children could watch someone actually do it. Then they took off with Sakura and Ino taking the first turn at leading their group, as all the pairs would have a turn. Iruka positioned himself in the middle of the group, and Genma brought up the rear, with ANBU following them wherever they chose.
Iruka felt both relieved that the trip was here and there was no more planning to be done as they left the village, but also burdened by having to swivel his head this way and that for the next several hours. But he couldn’t deny that he also felt that burst of excitement, the rush of leaving the village for an outing, be it for work or fun!
It was bright enough out to see the frost on the ground, and depending on the foliage, it was downright icy at times. Iruka and Genma called out tips for the children to be mindful of for running over icy patches, encouraging them to steady themselves with chakra and swooping in to physically support anyone who needed it.
Kiba and Shino took the lead later in the morning and Akamaru excitedly ran ahead, sniffing at this and that, to the pup’s delight.
“A lot of small woodland critters, but nothing exciting,” Kiba told the group, and Iruka nodded.
“Too bad there’s no big animals or bad guys!” Naruto sighed. “We could fight them off, show off our skills!”
“All we’d have to do is outrun you, you mean,” Sasuke sneered, and Naruto glared and moved towards him.
Iruka sighed and moved in between them, knowing all too well where this was headed.
“How about a break, everyone?” he called out, as they were due for their first rest stop anyway. “We can have some water and see how you’re all doing so far?”
The children agreed, and they stopped in an area where some trees had fallen down, having the students sit on them to rest. Iruka checked in to see if anyone needed assistance, and was glad that no one did. He turned to Ino to ask her about the plants in the vicinity, as well as any they should keep an eye out for that day, either ones to look for or ones to approach, and she seemed all too happy to discuss it with the class. Iruka also, as he had planned, asked Shino for anything about how his bugs (or any, really) operated in the wintertime, and quietly laughed at how many students seemed grateful that not many bugs seemed to like the cold, meaning they would be largely bug-free that day. Which, he admitted to himself, he was also pleased with!
“I’ll take a cold but dry day over a warm but wet one, and the less bugs the better, anytime of year!” Iruka laughed to himself.
Before they set off again, they reviewed the map together and Iruka and Genma helped the children plan the next legs of their hike to get them to their lunch destination. They had kept to paths up until then, with the students in the lead only looking out for obstacles to avoid. But now they would go off the path into the woods, to add an extra element for the class, one that was a key part of Iruka’s plan for today. This meant they would move slower, but he felt it was a helpful, if not necessary, part of their training, since how many missions only kept to paths?
It also meant Iruka had even more to do now, as he was still keeping an eye on the children and an eye on the woods around them (not wanting to rely on ANBU to do that), but now also needed to be aware of their navigation to make sure they didn’t stray too far from their plotted course. He would not step in as soon as they began to deviate (if they even did, for he had faith in the children), hoping that the students leading them would catch it soon enough, but would correct them after a short period, so that they would not be too far off.
All in all, the students worked well together to navigate, and Iruka yet again applauded himself for ensuring they all worked in pairs today, for one could catch any mistakes or concerns for the other, something they would of course need to do as they continued on their paths as shinobi. He also felt his chest swell at thinking that his lessons for the class were showing to be effective, and reminded himself that even if the kids sometimes grumbled or rolled their eyes, they were still learning a lot from him.
They arrived at their lunch spot just after noon, and Iruka was pleased they were on schedule, as he had estimated the lengthier second part of the morning. As they had left early and traveled a decent amount, the students were quite eager for food, and Sasuke got a fire started under the watchful eye of Genma while Iruka kept an eye on the other children. The large pot of stew was hung over it and Hinata volunteered to stir it to help it evenly heat up while the other children began to organize themselves on the wooden benches, passing out utensils and bowls.
Iruka thanked Hinata and served out the stew himself, serving Hinata first, then the other children, followed by Genma. He set out bowls of stew for the ANBU, wanting them to have a hot meal as well, before finally having some himself.
The children excitedly ate, clearly eager for hot food and rest overall, and helped to clean up, as Choji’s family would come to collect everything later. Iruka then moved to discuss the morning’s activities and lessons before reviewing how chakra can be affected by cold temperatures and how to compensate and adjust for it.
The children were then given significant free time to rest, with some staying by the fire, others climbing nearby trees or exploring the immediate woods, some napping, some playing games, and some having snacks provided with lunch.
Iruka and Genma heated up water for anyone who wanted it and had tea themselves, as they stood watching over their students, murmuring comments about their antics then and earlier, discussing what they might change for the second half of the day and who still needed to lead the group. It brought back memories for Iruka of his own field trips as an academy student, and he took time to just drink it all in and see things from the children’s point of view, the novelty and exhaustion of it all.
As nice as the stew and rest were, eventually it was time to continue their trip. They were not heading back just yet, as Iruka wanted more time for navigation, but it was going to be a fine line for that as daylight hours were short this time of year.
Shikamaru and Choji took the lead as the class headed towards a small clearing that had an empty cabin near it for training purposes, or if a shinobi just needed a safe place to nap, not that anyone admitted that was the case. Iruka planned to review with his class what to do when they got to an outpost like that.
When they arrived near the area, Iruka paused them and began to discuss lessons they had had about checking perimeters for safety. Genma took half the class and Iruka took the other, watching them pulse chakra into the area to test for wards and barriers. Iruka discretely set a few simple ones on the cabin itself, as well as a more difficult one. When the overall area was declared clear, the group reconvened and Iruka had them step up to the cabin together, encouraging them to work as a class to check.
Naturally, Sasuke stepped up first, followed by Ino, Sakura, and Naruto, as there was often competition between them. The others followed their lead and surrounded the cabin to check and remove barriers as the adults walked around and monitored.
Finally, it was just Iruka’s trickier one left, and he was pleased that the students were stumped.
“Maybe it’s too advanced?” Choji asked.
“It smells tricky,” Kiba agreed.
“Is it a trap?” Hinata wondered, and Iruka pulled his scarf up to hide his smile, glad he still had some of his prankster ways to make things a little harder for the class. He encouraged them to keep going, and stood aside to watch curiously.
So, they worked together more to try to take it down but were unsuccessful. Iruka applauded their efforts and teamwork and admitted to his own handiwork, running through hand seals in a quick flourish (added flair, because why not?) to remove it.
“You just never know what might be waiting for you, even if it’s supposed to be safe,” he reminded the group. “Always check before you step inside, and if you’re with a team, double check.”
The students solemnly nodded and they finally entered the cabin, glad to be out of the wind that had picked up slightly. There, Iruka and Genma discussed common places Konoha shinobi hid maps, notes, and general information, things that just didn’t need to be out in the open but not necessarily under lock and key.
The children enjoyed the scavenger hunt of sorts and soon it was time to set out again, this time to finally begin their return back to the academy. Again, the students were in charge of their own navigation and everyone had to be mindful of their footing as they began to lose daylight.
Iruka again let his thoughts wander back to when he was a student, and smiled at his own students. How fun it had been to learn these things for the first time, especially when his parents were alive and he could run home and share everything with them. Iruka smiled again at the memories, even if they were bittersweet. Still, the academy had been there through it all, helping him to grow into a stronger shinobi, and stronger adult. Life wouldn’t always be easy for the students, he thought, for it never was for anyone, but he felt comfort and peace knowing he was there to help them and so many others.
It was well and truly dark by the time they returned to the gate to sign in, and Iruka had his students take care of that. Shino and another peer volunteered and the gate guard smiled as they formally signed the class back in.
“Did you all have a good time?” the older shinobi asked, and the students nodded and murmured affirmations. “Good! I bet you’ll all be glad to warm up though, eh?” the shinobi laughed, and the group nodded more eagerly that time, making Iruka laugh as well.
The class waved goodbye to the guard and hurried back to the academy, arriving about an hour past their regular dismissal time, as expected.
“Good job, everyone!” Iruka said with a smile as they stood near the entrance to the academy. “We’ll debrief tomorrow, so think about what you did and didn’t enjoy, one thing you learned, and how you would write about this in a mission report, okay?”
The students nodded and he sent them home, waving as they walked off before turning to Genma.
“Thanks again for your help,” Iruka said, and the jonin smiled.
“It was fun, takes me back to my academy days, even if that also makes me feel old,” Genma laughed. “Anytime you need help, let me know.”
“Will do!” Iruka agreed. “Do you want to grab dinner to warm up, my treat?”
“Thanks, I would but I have to pop over to see Ibiki tonight about a mission coming up, but next time for sure!”
Iruka agreed and waved as he left as well, before the teacher went into the academy to sign the class back in before the main office staff left. He’d have to write his own report of the field trip, but that could wait, he decided, as he was hungry and could do with something nice to warm up.
Ramen sounded good, Iruka thought to himself, and set off for Ichiraku. Ramen was always good, admittedly, but it would be even better on a night like this, after being out in the cold all day!
He inhaled the crisp night air as he walked, feeling a weight fully lift off himself now that the trip was done. All the planning, the worrying, the watching, it was over and he could rest.
A smile came to Iruka’s face as he lifted the flaps to his favorite ramen stall and was greeted warmly by Ayame, Teuchi looking up and waving a utensil before he returned to whatever was in the pot he was overseeing.
“Your usual?” Ayame asked as he grabbed a seat, and Iruka nodded.
“Yes, please!” he agreed, thanking her again when she placed a cup of tea in front of him.
Iruka sipped it and sat with it cupped between his hands as he started to thaw out, feeling himself relax and unwind more at the familiar warmth of the eatery.
Though he wouldn’t write the report until tomorrow, and he had no grading to do that night, he couldn’t help but reflect on the field trip.
The smile returned to his face as he reminisced about the children's strong teamwork. Sure, they squabbled slightly, and there were those who always tried to one up or impress others, but all in all they worked together well. There had been no hiccups, no injuries (for which he was always grateful), and even their navigation required little correction. It was almost as fun as when he had been a student, but not nearly as cold, fortunately!
Iruka gave much credit to his students and their hard work, but also basked in his own success as their teacher, again pleased that the trip affirmed that his lessons were practical and effective. He briefly thought about the next trip or other lessons to plan for but shook his head a moment later, not wanting to think about work for now.
No, for now, he wanted to warm up and relax. After all, time would pass before he knew it, he mused as he sipped his tea. Winter would end, graduation would near, the kids would move into their genin teams with new teachers. He would have new students, and life would continue, or so he hoped.
“I’m getting all sentimental,” Iruka laughed to himself, thanking Ayame as his food was placed in front of him. He dug in, savoring the rich textures and tastes. “But that's life, right? Reflecting on the past, thinking back to the times that were and who was there, along with what life is like now." He thought yet again about what the future might have in hold for his students, as well as himself, and smiled as he thought about it, not yet wanting time to rush either.
No, for now with another successful day of teaching done, and warm ramen in front of him, the village settling down for the night in peace and quiet, that was enough, he thought. Life was good.