Chapter Text
(We own no characters etc etc)
Kakashi nodded at different shinobi as he walked through Hokage Tower on his way to see Tsunade one Sunday afternoon. A group of jonin he was familiar with; a few civilians; the academy headmaster; Genma and Raidou; a Yamanaka.
When he got to the Hokage’s office, he was immediately allowed entry, and bit back an exasperated sigh as he stood in front of the large desk, waiting for Tsunade to look up.
“What does the hospital report?” she finally questioned, glancing at him before returning to a scroll she was writing on.
Kakashi shrugged. “Same thing as when you last talked to them.”
She hummed, nodding as she wrote.
“Here,” Tsunade said after a long moment, throwing a scroll at him without looking up.
He deftly caught it. “What’s this?”
“Your next mission, just received.”
Kakashi nodded, pleased to have been given a new mission so soon after his last one, which had had…unexpected results, to say the least. Also requiring a stay in the hospital, yet again.
“Read it on your way out, I’ve got other things to do. Report for it tomorrow.”
He nodded again and left, hurrying home to read it so he could immediately start to prepare.
However, when he was in the peace of his own residence, he frowned.
“This can’t be right…”
____
Kakashi sighed and muttered the same phrase to himself the next morning as he walked into the academy, grumbling underneath his mask.
He barely checked in, as the front office staff naturally knew who he was, and was at least a little pleased to find he was sent directly into the headmaster’s office.
There, the two men looked at each other for a long moment before the headmaster broke into a wide grin.
“So good to have you with us, Kakashi-sensei! You’re already used to that title from your team, eh?” he laughed. “So no having to get used to it for the first time here, though it’s been a while for you, no doubt!”
Kakashi frowned yet again. Did everyone have to rub it in that Sasuke was gone, Naruto was off training, and Sakura was working under Tsunade?
“As much fun as that title is,” the jonin said through gritted teeth. “I think there must be a mistake with all this. I can’t see why I would be assigned to the academy? Me, of all people?”
“I believe the Hokage has the best intentions for it,” the headmaster assured him. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, really - you’ll make a great temporary addition to our team. And who knows, you may even decide to join us in a bigger role!”
“I doubt that,” Kakashi told him, crossing his arms. “I really shouldn’t be here, doing this.”
The headmaster frowned. “It’s really not my say. I only put in a general request, since our usual pool of substitutes is either busy, out of the village, or a little burnt out.”
“I wonder why,” the copy nin commented dryly, but the headmaster either ignored him or didn’t hear him.
“So it was the Hokage’s decision to ask you to fill it,” the man continued. “Might I suggest you talk to her about any concerns? But really, I think you’ll be fine. In fact, why not start now, and we can have you meet the teacher you’re replacing?”
“I think I’d rather meet with the Hokage and review the parameters of this mission,” Kakashi said, holding up his hands. “And discuss why someone else would be better.”
The headmaster shrugged. “Your choice. Again, we welcome you. And if nothing changes, please return this afternoon to begin.”
Kakashi nodded and quickly left, heading straight to Tsunade, who rubbed her temples as he entered her office.
“I feel a large headache coming on from you,” she snapped. “What is it now?”
“What’s the meaning of this?” Kakashi replied, waving the mission scroll at her.
“Shouldn’t you be there right now?” Tsunade challenged, raising an eyebrow at him.
“Someone appropriate should be, and that isn’t me.”
She paused her motions, moving her fingers away from her forehead and tenting them in front of her chin as she studied him.
“Is that so?” she asked in a quiet voice, one Kakashi knew meant danger.
Still, he nodded.
“Well,” Tsunade continued, “you are the person for the job, Kakashi,” she said, spitting out his name. She glared at him. “Need I remind you that on your last mission you recklessly came into contact with a poison that required you being treated at the hospital for for over a week?”
“I had to take the laced shuriken to get to the target,” he protested. “It was a calculated risk.”
“You didn’t calculate the type of poison!” she yelled, gripping the arms of her chair in anger. “Not only did it take a week to get out of your immediate system, but we know it’s a long-lasting agent. So you’re off out of village missions for at least one month, not including the time in the hospital,” she added, as he began to speak. “You are not to step one foot out of the village, so keeping tabs on you at the academy is the best fit. Go, do your job, and thank the gods that I’m not placing you on house arrest.”
“But this is for three months!” Kakashi reminded her. “Why not give me a one month job?”
“It will teach you patience,” Tsunade said with a smirk. “Restore you to your shinobi roots. What better way than to teach pre-genin?”
“I hate pre-genin,” he huffed.
“And they will hate you, but I’m not changing my mind. And no, you cannot get a new mission. Or trade. Or be fired.”
They stared at each other in long silence for a moment before Shizune entered the office after knocking.
“Bad timing?” she asked, but Tsunade shook her head, keeping eye contact with him.
“He was just leaving,” she told the other woman.
Kakashi sighed but did as ordered, frowning as he slunk back downstairs, dreading what was to come that afternoon.
____
A kind looking kunoichi greeted Kakashi as he checked in at the front office again that afternoon.
“Kakashi-sensei! I am Mina, the teacher you will be replacing,” she introduced herself.
“Or, you don’t have to go,” he posed, sighing.
She laughed and patted her very pregnant belly. “I’m afraid I do, just for a little bit. But this will be fun!”
“Not for me,” he sighed again, but followed her as she began to give him a tour of the academy.
“My class is one of the younger ones,” she told him. “Generally about eight years old.”
Kakashi nodded, but thought back to himself at age eight, and how different that time was for him…
“Right now they’re with another class for outside activities so you and I could have some time together,” she continued, showing him this and that in the building.
Eventually, they ended the tour with her own classroom, a fairly standard one Kakashi noted.
“It’s quite…colorful,” he commented, and Mina looked around proudly as she gently lowered herself into her seat.
“As they’re younger, they’re on the balance of regular children’s studies and projects, with lessons geared towards shinobi more,” she told him. “Eight year olds are of course different than genin. But I know your kids were also advanced for their ages.”
“Give or take,” he said, shrugging. “Some more than others.”
“So it might not be as exciting, but they’re great kids, and there’s so much you can do with them!” she told him. “I think the plan is to shadow me for a week, and then you’ll be on your own while I wait for this one to greet the world,” Mina said, smiling at her stomach. “Though the headmaster and I feel that having another teacher assigned to mentor and help you as needed would also be good. You could choose who, since I assume you know some of them already?”
Kakashi shrugged. “I think I’ll be fine without anyone keeping tabs on me.”
Mina smiled and began to reply but paused as the sounds of children in the hallway approached.
“They’re back!” she cheered, and Kakashi moved to stand next to her desk as the door opened and her students entered.
The children paused in silence when they saw Kakashi, looking at him with wide eyes as they studied him.
“Alright, take your seats!” Mina announced, clapping, and the children scurried to do so.
“Remember that we talked about my maternity leave,” she continued, and several children pouted. “This is Hatake Kakashi, a well known jonin of our village, and he has graciously accepted an invitation to work with you while I’m away! This is a great experience, not many people get to work with him! Kakashi-sensei will be with us for the next week so I can show him the ropes, and then he’ll be fully teaching you.”
The children turned their attention to him, and he waved slightly.
“Anything you’d like to say?” Mina asked him, and he shrugged.
“I joined the academy at age five and graduated in a year, becoming a chuunin soon after. I was and still am considered a prodigy, and I’m not exactly sure what you’re all doing here at this age. I expect you’ll be able to master skills fast and will not tolerate playing around,” he told the class.
Eyes widened and mouths dropped, but Mina just smiled.
“What a strong teaching style!” she praised him, turning back to the class. “Now, to show him that we also mean business here, pull out paper; it’s time for a pop quiz!”
The students grumbled but did as asked, and Kakashi sighed.
Three months, he told himself….just three to go…
____
It was an exhausting week, Kakashi found. While he wanted to attribute it to the poison in his system, he knew it was really because he didn’t want to work with the gremlins disguised as so-called pre-genin.
Mina was nothing if not patient, and tried to review the schedule, lesson plans, and helpful tidbits with him, but he could only listen with half an ear.
Really, he was an academy graduate and a skilled (and alive) shinobi, how hard could it be?
He thought these words again when he found himself at none other than a baby shower thrown by the academy staff later that week for Mina, who was cooing over gifts given to her while being doted on by other staff.
Kakashi mostly kept to himself at the party, wondering how long he had to be there before he could make an excuse, as it was already after hours…
A few teachers and other staff approached him here and there to greet him and introduce themselves, as he and Mina had mostly spent lunches together in the classroom this week so she could help to share more information with him.
After yet another seemingly awkward conversation, Kakashi decided he had been there long enough and was about to leave, when his name was called.
He paused, frowning. He had nothing against the staff here, but he wasn’t one of them, and had no intention of becoming too friendly.
Kakashi was here to work, and only with his own class. Straightforward mission. He had his students, the other teachers had theirs. They just had to stay out of his lane and allow him to teach how he saw fit.
Clearing his throat, Kakashi turned to find Iruka smiling at him.
“Hello, Kakashi-sensei,” Iruka said again. “How are you?”
Kakashi sighed. “I’m assigned to work here for three months, how do you think I am?” he asked. At least this was one person he didn’t have to put niceties on for, he thought to himself. He and Iruka had interacted often enough through Team Seven and other experiences, not least of which was the chuunin exam last year. They were on good terms, so the other man at least took no offense to his statement.
“That’s the spirit!” Iruka laughed. “I know this may not be your first choice for a mission, but we’ll make the most out of it!”
“We?”
Iruka’s smile widened. “I’ve been assigned to help you while you’re here. I won’t be doing things for you,” he said, holding up a hand. “I’ll be with my class as usual, but if you need assistance, have questions, anything like that, I’m your person.”
“I told Mina I didn’t need a mentor,” Kakashi said stiffly.
Iruka nodded. “Sure, but the headmaster wants someone regardless. I was thinking we could –” he began, but the jonin interrupted him.
“I’m good, I did have my own team, remember?”
Iruka’s smile faltered and he blinked at him. “Of course! But –”
“Not to mention, I’m a prodigy, genius, that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, but –”
“I mean, if it’s just watching over kids and throwing the occasional party here, I think I’m good,” Kakashi said, glancing around the room.
Iruka’s smile turned into a frown. “Okay, A) we just want any excuse for cake here. And B) look, it’s just not the same as working with graduates. Teaching our kids these things is different. But you know what? Fine,” he said, nodding. “Try it your way, you know where to find me. Have a good weekend, Kakashi. Don’t let me keep you here any longer.”
“Thanks,” Kakashi said, quietly leaving the party, though a small part of him wondered how Iruka knew what he had been intending to do?
____
Kakashi begrudgingly walked to the academy Monday morning, his first week on his own there.
“I don’t need any help,” he said to himself as he looked around the…his…classroom.
Nodding, he sat down and pulled out his book to pass the time, as he had arrived early (per Tsunade’s orders).
“It’ll be a piece of cake,” he thought, turning a page.
It was not.
It was hell.
No, it was hell if hell was being surrounded by eighteen little demons who asked too many questions, had trouble concentrating, sneezed too loudly, fought too much, and ate snacks at every meal. And in between meals. And didn’t always clean up unless they were told to.
Kakashi came to detest his actual classroom by the end of the first week alone there.
On the surface, it was a standard room. His desk was on a small raised platform at the front of it, with a long blackboard behind him. Facing him were the holding pens (desks) on three levels, three desks on each level that tried to keep two unruly students seated at each one.
The first few days he had fielded a barrage of questions from them.
“How old are you?” Too old for this crap.
“Why do you wear a mask?” To look cool and be mysterious.
“Can we see your face?” No.
“Why?” Because I said so.
“Why is your eye covered?” It’s a long story and no, I won’t be telling you.
“Why?” Go ask your parents or other people in the village.
“I heard you stole something?” Next question.
“Can you tell us about your coolest missions?” No, they’re classified. I can only tell you about some less cooler ones.
“Can we be big and strong like you?” If you work hard and actually graduate. Even then, who knows? Not everyone makes it.
“Why?” Life.
“Can we see your face?” Still no.
“Why?” Next question.
“Do you have your own genin? Where are they?” I had my own team, they’ve chosen different paths now.
“Did they quit?” Well, maybe? One had better things to do, one got a new instructor, and one chose a different specialty.
“Did your team like you as a teacher?” Who knows?
“Did you like your team?” Depended on the day.
“Are you really a teacher?” No.
“Can we see your face? For the umpteenth time, no.
“Why?” I will use the next person to ask that as the target for weapons practice.
“Why are you here?” I ask myself that every day.
“Will you teach us really cool jutsu?” Sure, why not.
“Do we still have homework?” I hope not…
“When does Mina-sensei come back?” Not soon enough.
“Why do you yell at us so much?” Because you ask too many questions!
That Friday, he barely got himself out of bed for the day, dreading what a Friday there must be like with his students, and was slightly late to the academy, something not unnoticed by one of the front desk workers.
“You know,” they told him, “we get our salary deducted if we’re late too many times.”
Kakashi shrugged. What a joy it was to work here, he sighed. “I’m not exactly here for the money,” he commented.
“I think in your case, it would be more time assigned here,” the office worker told him, and Kakashi stared back with a wide eye.
“How early do we open?”
The staff member laughed. “Get through today and it’s the weekend! Good luck!” they said as they walked away.
“How bad will it be?” Kakashi called back, but got no response.
It was bad. He had suspected as much, seeing as his own kids had had trouble adjusting to Fridays not always being a Friday, in that their days off rotated.
But his current students? It was like they couldn’t sit still!
The perfect day to be outside for taijutsu practice, Kakashi thought, and from the looks of other classes doing the same, he figured he was on the right path. Though with the “aim” and "focus" his kids supposedly had, he wasn’t sure if he was in more danger doing that…
Still, teachers waved at him and older students whispered as they saw him, so he couldn’t back out of it now. Part of Kakashi also realized he was spending his lunch period cooped up in his classroom, trying to meditate and manage his stress, and in doing so he was isolating himself from his now co-workers…
He shrugged as he continued on with his class. Maybe next week, he told himself…if he lasted that long…
_____
He took the weekend to recharge himself and get a plan of attack for the second week on his own, which was his third week at the academy, and that meant he had just over two months there. Though it also meant that he was nearing the end of his one month in-village period, and maybe, just maybe, an out of village mission he was needed for would come up.
He could only hope…
Briefly looking at some papers Mina had given him, he thought of his general plan. Math? A bit. Geography? Sure, that was necessary. And if he made the kids draw map after map, it was less work for himself. History? Also needed, and he wouldn’t skimp on that. People needed to learn from the past, that was for sure.
Reading and writing? They’d figure it out on their own, if they still needed to, Kakashi told himself. He had done just that when he was younger than them. He’d just correct them as needed.
Then there were the shinobi topics. Physical training and weapons practice - a big yes, it burned off energy and got them outside. Chakra and justu theory and study? Of course! History of shinobi systems? Yes please! Hand seals and whatever ninjutsu? Sure. And then there were the shinobi rules.
That was a big one, even if it meant he had them write and recite them over and over and over.
Kakashi felt fairly pleased with himself. He had an idea of what to do, and much of it involved the kids doing more work than himself. And surely they’d keep themselves in line, now that he was not a novel presence anymore, right?
Wrong. They were more excited about him in the second week, it seemed, and he felt that as he corrected or chastised one or more here, others just got into more trouble there.
He’d have made a clone to help him, but he didn’t want to waste the chakra as he had to admit that he felt a bit more fatigued these days. Was it the academy, or the poison? He wasn’t sure. Though, he’d take being poisoned over working at the academy any day…
Kakashi paused as he held two squabbling kids away from each other to break up their fight. Could he get poisoned again, he wondered, and be removed from this job? But where to find one that wouldn’t raise suspicion, or make his current condition worse…
“Enough!” he roared, and the classroom grew quiet. “If you behave the rest of today, we’ll work on an advanced jutsu tomorrow, okay?”
Those were magic words, it seemed, and the kids spent the rest of the day (all two hours admittedly) quietly copying and studying maps of Fire Country.
The next day, Kakashi kept his word, and considered the lesson a decent success, all things considered. Until he was called into the headmaster’s office the following morning before school began.
“You attempted to teach your class too far of an advanced jutsu,” the headmaster told him, frowning. “They’re too young for the fireball jutsu.”
“I think it went pretty well,” Kakashi said, shrugging from where he was sitting across the desk.
“One child burned off their eyebrows,” the man said. “We’re lucky that was all that happened!”
“And the kid loves his new look!” Kakashi countered.
“That’s not the point,” the headmaster snapped. “I know you’re still adjusting here, but you need more structure to your lessons, and more appropriate ones.” He pulled out a stack of booklets. “Mina gave you a copy of these, have you actually read them?”
Kakashi shrugged. “I perused one or two…”
“These are lesson plans, they’re to be read, studied, reviewed, implemented. Not ‘perused.’ This is what you’re supposed to do.”
“Or what?” Kakashi sighed. “You’re going to fire me?” he asked, excited.
“I’m a solution finder, not a firer,” the other man told him. “But I will not have several clans of our students come at me for something one of my staff is doing. Not something like this that I cannot defend, and is easily prevented. You have the lesson plans, and Iruka is your mentor. What other support can we give you?”
“An easy out?” the jonin posed, but the headmaster shook his head.
“Use these tools and shape up in this role, Kakashi, or I’ll report you to the Hokage.”
Just then, a messenger hawk came to the window and the headmaster opened it, accepting a small scroll from it.
He unrolled it and frowned as he read, then tossed it to Kakashi.
Catching it and reading it, the copy nin was surprised to find a warning from Tsunade on it.
“She’ll strip me of my rank and make me work here forever if I don’t take this seriously?” Kakashi read aloud, before looking at the other man in surprise. “How did she even know?”
“I didn’t tell her!” the headmaster said. “I’m just as surprised as you are! I’m warning you, shape up or we’re all in for it. See Iruka the next chance you get.”
Kakashi sighed and stood, grabbing the lesson plans as he headed back to his classroom.
“See Iruka? As if I need his help…”
____
But by that night, Kakashi had to admit defeat. The kids were worse that day, and the copy nin spent the evening trying to review the lesson plans but found them overwhelming. How would he dig himself out of the hole he was in? And how to talk to Iruka about it? Not that he didn’t think Iruka wouldn’t help him, he helped everyone. But how to humble himself, after he had told how many people he was fine on his own?
Kakashi was still thinking about it as he went on an ANBU patrol the next night, having convinced a medic nin to approve him for the odd in-village team patrol to test his chakra and body.
And if it meant he was always paired with Tenzou for it, well, that was just a perk.
His friend listened to it all before laughing quietly.
“You mean that teaching young kids actually means work? And they expect you to do it the way the academy wants rather than how you think it should happen?” Tenzou mocked. “How dare they!”
Kakashi sighed. “Yeah, yeah, you’re real supportive, thanks.”
“I try,” Tenzou laughed. “So what did Iruka say about it all?”
Kakashi cleared his throat. “I haven’t brought it up yet.”
“What? Why?”
The copy nin shrugged. “It hasn’t come up?”
Tenzou studied him through their masks. “Have you even been talking to him?”
“Maybe?”
His friend sighed. “So that’s a no. He seems like a nice guy and I hear good things about him. Just ask him for help. And be nice when you do it.”
Kakashi shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe I can just find a way to get fired…”
Tenzou sighed again. “You know, I think you’re approaching this all wrong. You’re taking it personal, and it’s just a job. Treat it like any mission, since that’s what it is.”
“What?”
“Sure, how would you ask for additional support for a mission that you felt needed more than just you?” Tenzou continued. “Because you’re not perfect, don’t even start. Just go about it like that.”
“You’re right,” Kakashi conceded. “I almost forgot this is just a mission, like any other…”
He found out Iruka’s missions office schedule before heading home that night, and reported to that office two days later for the man’s shift.
There, Iruka greeted him warmly when Kakashi got to the front of his line and the jonin presented him with…
“A mission request?” Iruka asked, surprised. Kakashi nodded, and Iruka continued to review it. “A B rank request to help you at the academy?”
“I may need some support after all,” Kakashi told him. “Just a little. Finalizing some lesson plans, nothing major.”
Iruka re-read it before shrugging. “I’m already assigned to you for this,” he reminded the copy nin. “No need to file it. And it’s a higher ranked mission for me, anyway,” he added as he returned the paper to Kakashi.
“What?”
Iruka nodded. “Yep.”
“I don’t think so,” Kakashi said, waving the paper. “I put a lot of thought into the rank, this seems right.”
Iruka shrugged casually. “Talk to the Hokage if you have any questions, I guess?”
“I’ll do just that,” Kakashi said, turning and walking away.
“Next!” Iruka called out, not thinking twice about it, but he was surprised when he returned home that night and found Kakashi leaning against the wall by his front door, reading.
“Kakashi-sensei?” Iruka warily greeted him. “What are you doing here? And how do you know where I live?”
Kakashi sighed as he put his book back into his vest. “I just do. A perk of working with Naruto, I suppose. But, I talked to the Hokage.”
“And?”
Kakashi sighed again and ran a hand through his hair, mumbling something.
“What?” the teacher asked.
“I said, you were right about the mission rank, and that it’s an even higher rank for you now.”
Iruka laughed. “What?” he repeated
“Yeah,” Kakashi said, sighing yet again. “Now it’s an S rank for you. That’s still higher than this is for me! How is helping me harder than teaching kids?”
Iruka laughed harder then. “Wow, that’s great! The rank and payday, that’s going to be so good! Not that it probably won’t be well deserved…”
“What does that mean?”
Iruka stopped laughing and shrugged. “I know you’re not having an easy time at the academy. It’s an adjustment, I realize that. But I also know you haven’t been following the lesson plans either.”
“Word gets around, hmm?”
Iruka shrugged again. “I am assigned to you, don’t forget. I’ve been keeping tabs.”
“And yet where’s the help been?”
Iruka glared at him. “I seem to remember someone telling me they didn’t need a mentor,” he cooly told him. “Someone was such a genius and had their own team, they wouldn’t possibly need any help?”
Kakashi looked at him in silence as he scratched the back of his own head. “I might have…given myself too much credit…and maybe…maybe…need some help.”
He hesitated saying anything else, finding himself fearful of Iruka’s response. Would he help? Hold it over him? Quit as his mentor?
Kakashi felt terror wash over him. Iruka was the only person he really knew at the academy and didn’t want to have to both build a new connection with someone and have to learn the curriculum…either one on its own was hard enough…
Iruka gave him a small smile and nodded. “Well, while a shinobi should always prepare before it is too late,” he quoted a shinobi rule, “this is better late than never. Tomorrow’s Sunday, we have all day to get you set up for the week. Bring your lesson plans over and we’ll go from there.”
“Thank you!” Kakashi blurted out, nodding several times as relief washed over him. “I’ll see you then.”
“Nine in the morning, don’t be late,” Iruka said, as he opened his door. “Be prepared to work.”
Kakashi nodded again and turned to leave, finally feeling a bit grounded for the first time since he was assigned to this mission.
____
As exhausting as that day of work had been with the other teacher, Kakashi knew it was for the best as he wasn’t exactly dreading Monday morning anymore. Or at least not as much as he had been, which was still progress.
Iruka checked in on him during the week when the kids were elsewhere, and informed him that he would be expected to start having lunch with the other staff by the start of the following week, no arguing.
“I’m giving you plenty of notice, as a compromise,” Iruka said over his shoulder as he left Kakashi’s classroom that Tuesday. “So there.”
Kakashi frowned underneath his mask but had to admit that he appreciated Iruka not just throwing him into something like that. And maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing to be around other adults who may hate this job as much as he did?
Just as he dismissed the children to lunch that Friday, he was surprised to find Iruka entering, carrying a bag of takeout.
“I come in peace,” Iruka said, holding the bag up with a smile. “I thought I’d reward you for good behavior, since you’ve been actually following the lesson plans.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” Kakashi sighed. “I’m exhausted!”
“So no joining us to go out tonight?” Iruka asked, and the jonin shook his head.
“Fine. Well, let’s start with talking about the kids,” Iruka suggested as he unpacked the food, passing a container and chopsticks to the other man. “How are they adapting to more structure?”
“Good, as expected,” the jonin acknowledged, some food disappearing from his bowl. “They grumbled a bit at first but they seem to like it.”
Iruka nodded as he finished chewing, speaking when his mouth was emptied. “Kids need more structure than we realize sometimes, but I think you saw that with your team as well.”
Kakashi nodded, relishing that for once, someone was referencing to his genin in a helpful way, a positive way, rather than a “oh look they’ve all left you” manner. And if anyone could speak freely about those terrors, it was Iruka!
“Plus, I kind of got away with doing in-class quizzes and having them grade each other before passing them to me,” Kakashi admitted, and Iruka laughed.
“That’s one way to do it, I suppose, but you can’t get away with that forever. It’s usually good to look ahead at next week’s lessons over the weekend, at least a little,” Iruka continued as they ate. “That way you know what to prepare and to expect, relatively speaking. You never know what can happen, of course.” He paused and took out said lesson plans. “You’ve got more outdoors target practice, pending weather, and a lot of history and chakra work, which are strong suits of yours, so that should be a good week. After that, it’s a bit more technical and regular school stuff, though there’s a few big written reports the kids have coming up too.”
“That sounds like a lot of actual grading,” Kakashi sighed. “Who’s supposed to do that?” Iruka looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Me? All those papers? Are you kidding me?”
“Part of the job, Kakashi,” Iruka reminded him, shrugging as he turned his attention back to his food. “Remember, if you need help, just say so.”
“I need help,” Kakashi quickly stated, and Iruka laughed.
“You’ve already been here a month and have made so much progress!” he teased.
“Only one month? It feels like forever,” Kakashi sighed. “Only two to go, though!”
“That’s the spirit,” Iruka commented, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, we can find times to meet to grade together, but it’ll be up to you to do most of it. I think there’s some rubrics around or something to help you.”
“Or, you do it for me, as my mentor,” Kakashi suggested, but Iruka shook his head.
“What kind of mentor would I be to do it all for you? This is a period of growth, of trying new things, learning about yourself!”
Kakashi rolled his eye. “I don’t need that kind of pep talk, Iruka, I need serious help. And a time jutsu to make this go faster…”
“And when you figure that out, let me know. In the meantime,” Iruka began. “We work, and work hard.”
“I feel like I’m more of a student than a teacher,” Kakashi grumbled.
“Which is why I’m encouraging you with food, but don’t tell the kids that,” Iruka said in a low voice. “And just think, Monday you start to eat with the rest of us while the aides help monitor lunch!”
“You say that like it’s a good thing?”
“It is, trust me.”
____
Monday arrived far too fast for Kakashi’s liking, and Iruka came to pick him up at his classroom for lunch.
“Are you ready for the VIP lounge?” Iruka asked, as they turned down a hallway. “Only the coolest staff go there.”
“Sounds about right,” Kakashi mused, though he felt unsure of what Iruka was referencing. How many VIP were at this school to need their own lounge? Not that he was complaining…
His hopes were dashed, however, when Iruka presented the staff lounge, the chuunin laughing at his own joke.
Rolling his eye, Kakashi followed him in and was greeted with a fairly regular view common to many staff lounges in the village. A counter with supplies and equipment for coffee and tea. A bulletin board with things on it he didn’t intend to read. A sofa and a few chairs near a coffee table, and several regular tables and chairs on the other half of the room.
Said tables were half occupied by staff, who looked up in surprise at their entrance. It was never uncommon for Kakashi to be the center of attention, but he didn’t really want it to be like that here, with his temporary (emphasis on temporary!) coworkers.
“Nothing to see here, just another weary teacher,” Iruka teased them, and several laughed as they resumed their conversations. “Come on,” he said to Kakashi, and led them to a table where two teachers were sitting, one male and one female.
“Kakashi, this is is Kimiye,” he introduced the woman, “and Mikio.”
“Ooh, no formalities?” Kimiye teased him, and Iruka rolled his eyes.
“We’re all on the same level here, right? He’s no different.”
“I don’t know, he’s a substitute, that’s gotta count for something,” Mikio laughed.
“And you survived your first few weeks, congratulations!” Kimiye cheered.
Kakashi studied them before deciding that they appeared genuine in their actions. “It hasn’t been easy,” he admitted, and was grateful they nodded sympathetically as the two continued to eat, Iruka and himself starting on their food.
“I hated it for like, my first year,” Mikio told him. “But it got better. At least you’ve only got so much time here, light at the end of the tunnel for you, eh?”
“Right? That’s what I tell Iruka, but he doesn’t see it that way,” Kakashi agreed.
“It will make your time here feel slower,” Iruka said, shaking his head. “Take it day by day. And hey, today is outside target practice, the real academy version!”
The other two teachers shook their heads and exchanged a look.
“What?” Kakashi asked, narrowing his eye as he ate, food disappearing underneath his mask.
“It’s just…did Iruka tell you?” Mikio asked.
“Did he tell me what?”
“They’re making a big deal about it,” Iruka assured him. “It’s fine. You’ll be fine.”
“What am I missing?” Kakashi asked.
“You’ve done…different weapons training with them, right?” Kimiye asked. “Don’t worry, we all know what happens here.”
“I had them kind of throw things here and there a few times,” Kakashi recalled. “I wasn’t really paying much attention. It’s not like the training weapons are that sharp, right?”
Iruka rolled his eyes and Mikio took over.
“Academy training is more than just that, but less than it is for adults. And for your class, it’s simpler than even for older kids, though you really do still have to watch them” he said. “And it’s…messy. Sometimes,” he added, when Kimiye kicked him underneath the table. “I said sometimes!” He paused and looked at Kakashi. “It’s going to be rough today, being a Monday afternoon. The kids go absolutely wild today, worse sometimes than Fridays..”
“You’re not helping,” Iruka muttered.
“Neither are you, apparently,” Kakashi chided him.
“You’ll be fine, you work with top shinobi all the time,” Iruka said. “Just have them throw at the targets and teach basic safety. Like Mikio said, you have to actually watch them, though they’re young enough it should largely be fine.”
“Should?!” Kakashi nearly shouted. “I’m on medical leave, this sounds too intense for me,” he tried to protest, but Iruka shook his head and the others laughed at him.
“You’ll be fine, and I’ll check in on you, okay?” Iruka offered, and Kakashi quickly agreed. “I need to get paid more,” the chuunin sighed, before turning the conversation to something else.
____
The other teachers were right, Kakashi begrudgingly admitted, as the kids seemed to buzz as afternoon weapons practice neared. Now that he was following the curriculum, it was like the kids actually knew what was coming…which was helpful for classwork, but not so much when the excitement of outdoors weapons practice was on the schedule.
“I don’t see why they couldn’t wait a few more weeks for this,” Kakashi sighed as he pulled down the box of practice kunai from a closet shelf. He warily eyed them; now that he was being more attentive, they did seem sharper than he remembered…but surely he of all people was not scared of putting these into the hands of young, overly excited, under trained future shinobi, right?
Right?
All too soon he and his so-called students were at part of the academy training field as he tried to show them a simple throw.
“Always be careful with throwing anything sharp,” he firmly reminded the group. “That means you, especially,” he said to an especially overzealous girl who sheepishly nodded. “And you two, stop doing that,” he said aloud, and a boy behind him let another peer out of a headlock. “I swear I cannot wait for my time here to be over,” Kakashi said through clenched teeth. “If even one person does not pay attention right now you are all grounded!”
“Kakashi-sensei, can teachers ground us?” an Inuzuka girl asked with a raised hand.
He sighed. “Fine, but I can take away outdoors time until your regular teacher comes back. Got it?”
The class looked at him with wide eyes and silently nodded.
“Good,” he said, returning their nod. “Feet shoulder width apart, one foot more forward than the other, whichever one feels more comfortable. Hold the handle, raise it over your head, and throw, leaning forward slightly as you do. Let it go before your arm fully straightens out at the elbow. Watch,” he told them, turning his back and throwing at the round target ahead of him, the blade gracefully flying through the air and hitting the bullseye, because of course where else would his kunai hit?
As expected, the kids oohed and ahhed at it, and he threw a few more, each hitting just next to the one before it.
“Any questions?” he asked, turning back to them, but none raised a hand. “Good. Grab a kunai and form a line, don’t throw until the person ahead of you has walked away. And no one move towards the target at all.”
Nodding to himself, he stepped aside and watched them, finding he had to keep an eye on everyone at once - it was quickly getting to be exhausting to do so and still give feedback to the kid who was actually throwing.
Unsurprisingly, by the sixth student, it was getting out of hand. He was trying to keep kids in the back who were waiting a second turn from wrestling, while watching the ones in the middle who were waiting while holding semi-sharp objects, and still trying to correct the one rotating at the front. Then as more kids went, they started to try to steal kunai from kids who hadn’t even gone once yet, upsetting them.
“Stop it! Everyone gets equal turns, let everyone get their first throw in before I collect everything and you get a second round,” he snapped, dreading having to run this way and that around the training field to get the kunai, as almost all of them had missed the target. One actually took a chunk out of the target itself; he wasn’t sure how that had happened, but bless that kid’s strength.
The promise of a second turn calmed the kids for a bit, but not nearly for long enough. Just as the last few kids were nearing their turn, something different flew towards the target.
“What was that?” he asked, and one of the kids who had already gone held up another shuriken. “Where did you even get that?”
“It was in the box,” the child said, shrugging.
There was a mad dash towards the box as the others looked to see if there were more, and Kakashi stepped in to try to wrangle the box away, fearing for his life. He did get the box, but suspected anything else that had been in it was already removed and passed around as the children stepped back in line, acting innocent. It was suspicious, that was for certain.
Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, whatever, keep going,” he said to the student who was actually patiently waiting her turn at the front. As he watched, he had to admit that the shuriken had made it to the target, so either one kid had some actual aim, or those were easier for the kids to throw…
“Okay, nobody move!” Kakashi shouted a few moments later when everyone was finally done with a first throw. With all the commotion it had taken far longer than expected, he realized. “I’m going to collect everything, nobody do anything until I get back.”
Figuring his instructions were straightforward enough, and assuming that all weapons had been thrown, he lightly jogged towards the target to start to collect stray kunai.
He quickly realized he had forgotten about the shuriken, as he heard the distinct thunk of one hitting the target.
Not wanting to dwell on the actual aim behind it, he focused on the direct disobedience of his orders.
“What did I say!” he bellowed, but to his horror, several kids stepped up at the same time to wobbily throw the dangerous items, as he figured they were sharper than the training kunai. “I thought I said not to move, that meant no throwing anything at all,” he snapped, pushing his forehead protector up to reveal the Sharingan, hoping it would add to his intimidation factor, at the very least. “If you throw even one of those–” he began, but the kids began to release the weapons before he could finish his statement. “Fine! I’m collecting these and we’re all heading back inside, training time is over!”
He moved to grab a few more weapons as he felt he was a safe distance from the shurikens’ paths, figuring he’d leave the rest of the strays til later. But as he happened to bend down and take his eye off the kids for one moment (and only one!), he heard another projectile fly by him. Snapping up, he reached out and grabbed one kunai out of the air (part of his mind wondering where they had found yet another kunai), but winced as the tip of a shuriken landed in his left thigh. Their aim really was terrible, he realized.
The children gasped, and he heard one yell “stop!” Looking up, he felt his hair go more gray at the sight in front of him. One child was running towards the target, while another one, the child who had wrestled the other one during his safety talk, released a kunai straight at the one running. Feeling extremely drained, Kakashi moved to protect the running child and held his left arm up to block the kunai from hitting himself, sighing when the tip stuck to the edge of his rolled-up sleeve; a small mercy from the universe if there ever was one.
“Look, I told you I could do the fireball jutsu he taught us!” he heard from behind him, and sighed wearily as an acrid smell hit his nose.
Kakashi paused to consider his next action - yell at them, or just take out his chidori and…
But before he could react, a very loud and very angry voice shouted at them for him.
“You are all going straight to detention!” Iruka roared, running over to them, face filled with fury. “How dare you disobey instructions from your teacher! No, I do not want to hear anything,” he snapped as one child raised a hand. “Right now you are a disgrace to this academy, acting so recklessly with weapons! And why is something on fire? Do I even want to know? What would the Hokage say? Head straight to your classroom and write a one thousand word essay on the importance of following directions, especially when it comes to weapons. Now!”
The class groaned and he glared at them, hands on his hips. “Make that two thousand words. And no more weapons training this week. Now go inside, not a word or a sound from anyone!”
Kakashi watched as the children did just that, and as soon as they were out of sight, he sighed and sat on the ground, legs slightly stretched out in front of him.
Iruka ran over, crouching down and knelt to the jonin’s right. “I’m so sorry that happened, Kakashi, that I wasn’t out here sooner! Are you okay?”
Kakashi shook his head. “I’m hit, Iruka! Wounded! I should go to the hospital, I should be relieved of duty, I should –”
Iruka laughed. “I think you’re okay then, if you can complain this much.”
Kakashi huffed. “They’re terrors, I can’t believe them!”
“They are, I won’t argue there,” Iruka admitted. “They’re so inexperienced and easily excited. But it gets better, I promise,” he said, as Kakashi shook his head. “Next time we’ll get you a second staff member, that will help.”
“Tying their arms to their sides would help more,” Kakashi grumbled, as he looked down at himself. “Look at me, this is terrible. I’m dying! I can’t go on! I should be sent home!”
Iruka rolled his eyes. “You’re acting like a child yourself right now.”
“What happens to them when they get hit during weapons practice?” Kakashi asked, hopeful. “Sent home to rest? That sounds good.”
Iruka laughed. “We check them out,” he said, moving to glance at the offending weapons. The shuriken was the one to focus on the most, since the kunai was just caught in clothing. “It’s just a little cut, probably more like a scratch. I’m sure you’ve had worse plenty of times?”
“I’m dying,” Kakashi groaned again. “I should go home for the week…”
Iruka laughed. “You’re fine, and it’s only Monday, so no getting out of a whole week of work like that. You do know the training weapons aren’t really too sharp, right?”
“But they’re on me and in me!” Kakashi protested.
“It’s more like a jutsu to make them stick, not really to hurt, it just looks the same. We do expect these sorts of things to happen, unfortunately,” the chuunin sighed.
“But you have new scratches from here so often?”
“My students are older and use training weapons with sharper points,” Iruka admitted. “Not like the ones your class has, or are supposed to have.”
“Look again, it’s a gaping wound, I think I’m bleeding out,” Kakashi groaned theatrically. “Woe is me, the great Hatake Kakashi, killed by a pre-genin! Comfort the village when they mourn me,” he said, putting his left hand to his forehead to really milk it.
“I don’t even see any blood,” Iruka told him. “You’re fine, other than probably a hefty headache from their antics.”
Kakashi started to counter this again, but Iruka just sighed and put his hand on Kakashi’s right shoulder. He lightly balanced himself as he leaned forward and kissed the jonin’s right cheek.
/p>
“What was that?” Kakashi asked, pausing his actions out of surprise, hand still at his forehead.
“There, a kiss to make it all better, like I do with any fussy kid. And look, it’s magic! No more tears! Works every time,” Iruka laughed. He ran through hand seals and put out the fire on the target with a quick water jutsu. “No more fire lessons for them, okay?” he asked, and Kakashi wearily nodded. “Good. Now go gather up all the weapons and get something to drink, then make sure they finish their essays before they leave for the day.”
And with that, Iruka stood, plucking the kunai from Kakashi’s sleeve and left, whistling as he tossed and caught the kunai as he walked away.
Kakashi felt his cheeks heat up from the man’s actions, watching him go until he was out of sight.
Suddenly feeling re-energized, the copy nin pulled his forehead protector over his left eye, took the offending shuriken off of him and moved to collect the weapons, surprised at what had just occurred, but not actually disliking it…
___
The Incident, as Kakashi named it to himself, did have the effect of making the children more well behaved, as they did seem genuinely guilty about their actions. He suspected Iruka had let slip some of it to their parents as well, none of whom, civilian or shinobi alike, wanted their children to risk hurting themselves or others in that manner, or even dare to do something that could mean they be kicked out of the academy.
With weapons practice off the table for that week, they focused on the rest of the curriculum and worked on the history of the village and chakra control. These went fairly well, as the children remained focused and attentive and only let their resolve crumble a bit as the weekend neared, not that he could blame them.
Kakashi continued to eat lunch with the other teachers, meeting more each day, and as word got out of The Incident, he felt they embraced him even more. A weird type of informal hazing, but he accepted it, he supposed.
Iruka was by his side at lunch to introduce him to others and offer any inside information about the staff he was meeting - a few to watch out for as they may be overly interested in him for his name and fame; who would be a good resource for this or that; and who was quite good at karaoke or games, as the teachers liked to have nights out together, something Iruka reminded him as the jonin had passed on that previously.
On Thursday, Iruka stopped by his classroom after the children had left, so they could go over the week that was.
“They’ll be turning in reports tomorrow that will need to be graded, and the weapons essay from Monday will need to be graded too. I guess I could do those, since I assigned them,” Iruka mused. “And next week has more written assignments too, so start to plan to spend some of your free time grading.”
“Yet another perk of this job,” Kakashi sighed, slouching in his chair. “Can’t they just be pass/fail?”
“No, there’s a rubric,” Iruka reminded him. “It may take some time getting used to it, but I did say I’d help you with it if you still feel like you need help,” he said, laughing as Kakashi nodded before he had even finished the sentence. “Okay, when should we meet up? Tomorrow a bunch of us are going out, are you joining us?”
Kakashi shook his head. “I’m good.”
Iruka frowned. “You really should come out with us at least a few times while you’re here, but I’ll let it go this week. Saturday afternoon I’m at the missions office, so how about Sunday for grading?”
“Sounds good,” Kakashi said. “Just not here, I need a break.”
Iruka laughed. “Come over to mine again around noon, we can have lunch as we get to work.” Kakashi nodded and Iruka moved to leave, pausing at the door. “Oh, and the headmaster wants to see you tomorrow before classes start, by the way.”
“Am I in trouble again?” the jonin sighed, but Iruka rolled his eyes.
“I doubt it, but with you, who knows?” he teased as he headed out.
___
The next morning, Kakashi bit back a sigh as he knocked on the headmaster’s door, stepping in after the man warmly greeted him. They sat across from each other and the older man smiled.
“I’m glad things are getting a bit easier for you,” he said, and Kakashi sneered at him underneath his mask, not that anyone could tell. “Which has to do with why I wanted to meet with you - I have good news, unless Iruka already told you?”
“I’m getting out of here sooner than we thought?” the copy nin asked, excitedly.
“No, not exactly,” the headmaster said, and Kakashi slouched in his chair like a petulant child. “Owing to the events from earlier this week, it was discussed that on Friday afternoons you will rotate out with other classes for weapons training.”
Kakashi blinked at him in silence for a moment. “I’m emotionally scarred from Monday and you want me to put my life on the line again? With more kids?”
The headmaster laughed. “It’s older kids, who have more training and ability, not to mention respect for the whole thing. But hear me out - Friday afternoons can be a bit of a nightmare here ahead of the weekend. So you get to avoid your own class for the last bit of the academy day, and help more advanced kids with their training, while their own teacher will be there to help keep things in order.”
“Because I’m sure older kids aren’t also eager for the weekend?” Kakashi argued.
“They are, but it would be a reward,” the other man explained. “They have to do well during the week for the privilege of being trained by you. After all, not everyone gets to work under the Hatake Kakashi,” he said, gesturing grandly towards him.
“Are you trying to play on my ego?” Kakashi asked, and couldn’t help but laugh.
“Maybe? Is it working?”
The jonin paused to consider it. “It might be. You have a point, I guess,” he admitted, drumming fingers on his lap. “And if the older kids don’t earn that time?”
“You’ll still have support with your own kids for the afternoon, but I don’t think it will be a problem,” the headmaster assured him. “Everyone will want to train under you for the actual experience, not to mention the bit of fame. And no class will want to be ‘the’ class to miss that. So it’s kind of a win-win for everyone.”
Kakashi nodded. “I guess I can’t argue with that. When does it start? Today?” he asked, hopeful.
“Next week, to give the first class the full week to earn it,” the other man said. “But I’m sure you’ll be fine for today.”
A bell rang, signaling the approaching start of the day, and Kakashi sighed as he stood to depart.
“Glad you’re on board with this, Kakashi,” the headmaster said, smiling.
“Anything to get me away from those brats,” the jonin replied. He paused. “Why did you mention Iruka earlier?”
“Oh, I thought he might have mentioned it, since it was his idea after all,” the headmaster told him, shrugging slightly.
“Huh,” Kakashi mused, nodding as he turned and left.
He walked towards his classroom processing all of the news, and found himself peering into Iruka’s classroom as he passed it.
The chuunin was talking to one of his students at his desk but looked up as the copy nin passed and smiled at him before returning his attention to the child.
Kakashi casually waved as he continued walking, frowning slightly to himself.
“I wonder why he didn’t tell me and take the credit for it?” he thought to himself. “It’s a nice thing to organize for me, after all…”
___
By lunchtime word had gotten around about the new plan and the staff lounge was abuzz with it, teachers asking when they would have their turn and could they double up here and there?
Teachers began to approach him to ask questions about how he’d want the lesson to be, or to highlight their students ahead of the event beginning next week. Two jokingly offered to bribe him for more time, and he thought more than one attempted to flirt with him, though he wasn’t sure if it was to do with the news or just because…not that he was interested, as he was only here by order of the Hokage, thank you very much, and would be glad to be rid of anything tying himself to this place once he was done.
Well, maybe not everything, he mused as his mind wandered away from the chatter near him to study Iruka, who was at a different table. The brunette was laughing at something someone had said, replying with something that made the other person laugh as well. Kakashi felt a pang of…something, though he wasn’t sure what it was, or why.
He blinked and brought his attention back to his table.
“Okay, let him finish his lunch in peace,” Mikio said to a female teacher who was standing closer to him than he had remembered her being.
The woman huffed as she walked away, and Kakashi sighed.
“Thanks,” he said to Mikio, who smiled.
“Don’t mention it. You’re our local celebrity, and now everyone can actually get a piece of you,” he mused. “I feel bad for you.”
“You could put in a word for me to have my assignment cut short, if you feel that bad for me,” Kakashi posed, and the other man laughed.
“No can do, I’m just a lowly teacher,” Mikio told him. “It’ll be over before you know it, I’m sure. And hey, at least you’ve got Iruka to help you out, you got lucky there!”
“Why’s that?”
“He’s one of the best ones here, to both staff and students. Really knows his stuff and, more importantly, has lots of patience.”
Kakashi nodded. “That’s true, my team always spoke highly of his classes,” he said, recalling a young Team Seven often comparing him with their previous teacher. And he was living proof of Iruka’s endless patience….
“So, you coming out tonight?” Mikio asked, breaking him away from his thoughts.
“Not tonight,” Kakashi said, and Mikio made a face at him.
“Fine, but next time you have to. If we play darts I want you on my team so I definitely win! If we do, drinks are on me that night,” he laughed, and Kakashi couldn’t help but join in.
“Deal.”
________
By the time Kakashi arrived at Iruka’s apartment on Sunday, he had forgotten all about asking the other man about the change at the academy, too focused on dreading the work that lay ahead for him.
He arrived with his stack of papers, as well as some dango seeing as Iruka had offered to provide lunch, and they decided to get to work as soon as he got there, eating while they reviewed the rubric.
This led to starting on the actual grading, and they sat at Iruka’s table marking their own papers. Kakashi was grateful his was smaller than the other man’s, but it was still far too large in his opinion.
Lunch was followed by coffee and dango some time later, and even more coffee after that. It was just past four o’clock by the time Kakashi had finished his work, as he had needed Iruka to review each paper with him to see that he had graded it appropriately.
“Not bad for your first time, at least you put more effort into it than some reports you’ve turned in,” Iruka teased.
Kakashi sighed and stretched. “I can’t imagine doing this for another….” He paused, thinking about it. “Six weeks?!”
“This is your sixth week, starting tomorrow, so more like seven,” Iruka commented.
The jonin sighed again. “I’m not going to make it,” he groaned, putting his head on the table on top of the stack of papers.
Iruka laughed and sipped his coffee. “You just need more of a routine, and to stay on top of your grading now that you’re using the curriculum and having them do more assignments. The tests are easy, we can keep it largely multiple choice or true/false.”
The other man groaned again. “I just need to…manifest help,” he said, talking to himself and nodding as he kept his head on the papers.
“What?”
“Yeah, I’m putting it into the universe,” Kakashi told Iruka, sitting up and looking at the younger man. “Jiraiya had it in one of his books, a hero is rescued by his love interest in a cute but very plausible turn of events after he manifested it.”
Iruka rolled his eyes and picked up his pen again. “Maybe spend more time on your lesson plans and less on manifesting.”
“I’m just asking the universe for help!” Kakashi said, gesturing at the ceiling.
“The universe, or me?” Iruka sighed, his focus on his work as he scribbled a note on a test.
“Whichever helps me out first?”
Iruka looked up at him. “And yet I feel like the burden of it will be on me…”
“Burden, or joy?” Kakashi asked, giving him an eye smile. “You did say there’s a big written report due this week…”
“Fine, come over some night this week and we’ll work on them,” Iruka said, glancing at Kakashi. “Probably more than one night, based on how you were today…”