broo I really like all ur posts about Iruka's characterization and found your reply to the Minato ask you got very fascinating! So, I was wondering what your take would be on if they somehow got to talk at least once? what do you think a conversation between them would be like? :O
The idea of an interaction between them is quite captivating to me so really wanted to know ur thoughts!!! :3
hmmmm okay. I think an interaction between Minato and Iruka would depend a lot on which version of Iruka it is. i think Mianto would have overall similar reactions, being polite and all hero-ish, but Iruka would change a lot.
like, if they had talked before the Kyuubi attack, Iruka would have been starstruck. that's the hokage! he's powerful, and kind, and strong, and sooooooooo cool!! Iruka would just have been a little kid meeting one of his heroes, and Minato would have done the appropriate amount of laughing and smiling and encouraging kids to follow their dreams
but if for some reason the interaction happened to be with a teen, post Kyuubi attack Iruka, the interaction would have been a hostile. this version of Iruka (to me) would just be angry, kinda similar to how Naruto was in Road to Ninja. like, Iruka is smart enough to understand that Minato could only do so much on his own, but there is a part of him that can't help but resenting him for not doing more. it's a part of him that insists that if only Minato had been quicker, he would still have a home, if only he had been stronger, his parents would still be alive. it's a tough mix between anger and his own feelings of guilt.
(worth noting that I don't think Mianto would just take the screaming. he would probably say something that would make Iruka actually cry and it would be bad for everyone in a 1 kilometer radius)
then, Iruka in his 20s would be a lot more balanced. he would not be as starstruck (but would still be a little starstruck) as he was as a child, but he also would not have been angry anymore. he respects Minato as a hero of Konoha and understands his sacrifice and his choices as a shinobi and a leader. their interaction would be something akin to your dad meeting their favorite football player, where he's excited but also trying to be professional about it. maybe.
but! an Iruka who is both Naruto's big brother/father figure and Kakashi's partner would have very mixed feelings. he still respects him as a hero and all of that, but… he knows too much now. yes, he's mature enough to not actually say anything about it, but he just keeps thinking about it between the formalities. it's a honor to meet the man who is both Naruto's father and Kakashi's teacher, but did he really need to do all of that???
