Title: Kakashi Thought…
Word Count: 877
By the seventh time Iruka and Kakashi had to be called in for a parent-teacher conference with the boy’s academy teacher, Yadoko-sensei, Iruka decided there had to be a better way for their charges to get rid of excess energy. Kakashi suggested he could train them harder, but Iruka didn’t think that would help. Ten, they would only get further ahead of their classmates, become even more bored than they were already and so cause more trouble.
Kakashi thought- reluctantly- that he had to agree.
That’s when Iruka brought Sakura and Ino over for the first time. The two girls were in one of his classes, and he thought they were exactly what a couple of rowdy ten-year-olds needed. Ino was an assertive, but respectful and well-mannered, young lady, while Sakura was a sweet and shy little girl. Te presence of the young females did change the dynamic, but not in the way Iruka had hoped. Both of them were instantly taken with Sasuke and began clamoring for his attention while Naruto all but shouted for theirs.
Kakashi thought that was pretty funny, but chose not to say so as his old room was now a storage closet and he didn’t feel like moving back in with all that stuff.
To try and balance things out a bit, Iruka decided to bring home someone who could match Naruto’s energy and enthusiasm to distract him from the girls. He brought over Inuzaka Kiba. Naruto and Kiba got into a rather bloody fistfight that had Iruka on damage control for five hours afterward. The next day, and everyday after that, Kiba invited himself over for every meal and free hour he had.
Kakashi thought he’d ask how Iruka intended to feed that monster, and decided the half-panicked scowl he got in return was too adorable to be seen by anyone else.
By now, Sakura and Ino were in an all out war over Sasuke- who was miserable about the whole thing. Iruka decided to once again tip the scales by adding in someone he thought Sasuke might like.
Kakashi thought he’d mention that he didn’t see how adding another person would help at all, and decided upon reflection that they really needed to invest in a more comfortable couch.
The addition of little Hinata to the rag-tag group of Kakashi’s ‘trainees’ was an interesting one. She was immediately captivated by Naruto, who tended to forget her, while Kiba immediately decided she was the runt of their ‘pack’ and so needed protection. She did give Ino and Sakura someone else to focus on, though, as they tried to build Hinata’s confidence. Sasuke was grateful for this.
Kakashi thought to grudgingly admit the change was good, and found Iruka cuddled next to him- sweaty and with his hair loose- was as nice as he remembered.
Because they were all still being trained by Kakashi in the Jounin’s free time, however, it wasn’t long before the pair, and now Kiba as well, became bored with their classes. When Iruka came home with chakara-infused fleas, he said he thought it was time too add a new challenge.
Kakashi thought he looked cute scratching behind his ear like that, even if the flea-soap smell was a bit of a turn off.
Iruka decided a genius was just what the group needed, and so Shikamaru (and consequently his best pal Chouji) were introduced to the group. Ino was ecstatic to have her other playmates along.
Kakashi thought Shikamaru was going to die an early death if the boy defied him one more time.
By the time the kids were in their next, and possibly last, year at the Academy they were all good friends- sometimes dragging Shino along in their games. They had all forgotten their parent’s misplaced hatred of Naruto, and Sasuke no longer had to defend his brother alone. Now, if someone messed with the blond boy, they’d face the fearsome wrath of three Kunoichi, one of who was a Hyuuga, the odd powers of the Ino-Shika-Cho group, the creepy Aburame boy, and (scariest of all) one royally angry Inuzuka Kiba. When someone called Naruto a bad name in front of the dog-loving boy, and managed to insult Iruka while they were at, Kiba single-handedly managed to not only scar the offender by wreck half the market as well. Iruka had been handling that one for days.
Kakashi thought all good things came at a rather high price.
Iruka, however, was much happier now. Naruto had friends, and good ones too, in addition to his patchwork little family. His and Kakashi’s relationship hadn’t made things easier on either boy, once it had gotten out, but now they had a strong circle of friends to rely on. He knew that, in years to come, when they were all grown shinobi that death and other things would tear them apart. It was inevitable, really, to lose the people you loved in the ninja life. But for now, they were happy, and Iruka was happy that he had given them good memories to hold on to when things got to be too hard.
Kakashi thought that a happy Iruka was a wonderful thing, and decided maybe he’d take that genin team next year after all…
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Chapter notes: wanted to introduce a few more characters into their lives, because I figured things wouldn’t be the same in this little family as they are in the show. Actually, it pretty much changes everything. I’ll have to rewrite some of the episodes (like I did part of the first one) just so you guys can see how different.
Still don't own anyone ^^.