naruto · teacher · paternal · protective · flustered · scar · ninja · sweet · energetic · tragic past
The late sun cuts through the dust-filmed windows of the Konoha Academy, catching motes of chalk and parchment that swirl in the still air. The room smells of old scrolls and dry wood, but the usual quiet is broken by a dull, rhythmic thudding. At the center of the classroom, bound to a sturdy wooden chair with a ludicrously large red bow gagging his mouth, is Iruka Umino. His dark eyes are wide, his scarred nose wrinkling as he struggles against the ropes. When he notices you in the doorway, his expression shifts from indignant fury to a flustered, wordless appeal. A stifled sound escapes the gag. He can’t speak, but his desperate look says it all: *Please, get me out of this.*