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The air outside the small cabin is brisk, which is decently surprising for a mid December morning like this one. As Kakashi steps out from the space offered to him by a kind family he met on the way back from a mission from the Land of Iron, he takes a deep breath of the clear air of the surrounding forest. He waves at the larger house even though there’s nobody there to see it. Out of courtesy. Because integrity matters. He jumps into the leafless trees to finish his journey back to Konoha.
***
Kakashi walks through the halls of the Hokage Tower. He passes by familiar faces of fellow ninjas, people visiting to ask for help, and the portraits hanging of the 5 Hokage of the Leaf. As he enters the Hokage Office, he sees Sakura talking to Tsunade, probably about her mentorship. They both turn to look at him.
Sakura grins and puts her arms up under her chin as soon as she sees him. “Hey Kakashi Sensei! Welcome back from your mission to the Iron!” She smiles warmly at him while tilting her head and closing her eyes. He hasn’t seen her since the forest was green. He can’t help but smile and pat her head as he walks by her to get to Tsunade’s desk. Sakura blushes in embarrassment.
“Nice to see you too, Sakura. Lady Hokage, I’m here to turn in the mission report.”
“Thank you, Kakashi. I’ll take care of it.” She walks over and grabs the scroll out of Kakashi’s hand. “Sakura, you may go if you’d like. I’ve got plenties of paperwork to keep me company.”
“Thanks Lady Tsunade! Hey Sensei, maybe we could do something together. Y’know, student and sensei and whatnot.”
Kakashi scratches the back of his neck nervously. “I don’t know Sakura. I don't want Naruto thinking I have favorites.”
“Come on, please Kakashi-sensei! Naruto can think whatever he wants, it shouldn’t mean we don’t get to talk!”
Kakashi sighs. It has been a while since they talked about anything and Sakura must have some interesting stuff to say about her mentorship with Tsunade. “I suppose you're right, Sakura.”
Her eyes light up. “Great! See you tomorrow, Lady Tsunade!” Sakura grabs Kakashi’s hand and runs out, giggling while Kakashi uncomfortably tries to catch up.
****
As Kakashi and Sakura walk to their table in Yakiniku Q, the local barbeque spot, they find Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, and Asuma. Sakura looks at Ino and her demeanor changes completely, changing from calm to excited at the prospect of seeing her friend. She glances back at Kakashi and her lips turn into a line before fully turning her head towards him with a smile. She begins walking past her friends’ table quietly and quickly, keeping her head bowed slightly trying not to draw their attention, and Kakashi follows.
“Hey Sakura!” Choji says, shoving some meat into his mouth. Sakura and Kakashi turn to find the other three at the table looking at them with expressions of slight surprise. It’s not that weird for Kakashi to have lunch with his students, right? “I didn’t realise you came to a place like this.” Choji looked at Shikamaru, who was sitting next to him, and murmured something about how he ‘always thought she gave off vegan vibes.’
Ino smiles at them both. “Why don’t you two join us? There’s enough space and I’m sure Asuma-Sensei would be happy to pay for a bit more meat,” she says, smirking, while Asuma bows his head dejectedly, his cigarette hanging a little lower than usual.
Kakashi smiles under his mask. “Well, if Asuma’s buying.” He goes over and takes the seat next to Asuma, who glares at him for a second before looking at Sakura expectantly.
Sakura stares at Kakashi for a few seconds, eyes wider than usual and mouth slightly agape, before she smiles and takes a seat next to Ino. They order more meat for the table as friendly conversation easily flows, everyone occasionally stopping to look over at Kakashi in hopes of seeing under his mask, something blocking the view each time, before jovial conversation starts up again.
****
Kakashi and Sakura wave goodbye to Ino,Asuma, Choji, and Shikamaru as they part ways outside the restaurant. Kakashi looks over at Sakura. He feels like he should do something. Y’know, keep it going. He feels bad about not seeing her for so long. “Um.. Sakura! Would you- uh, like me to walk you home?” Hm. That sounds creepy coming from a guy twice her age.
Sakura smiles. “Sure Kakashi-Sensei! My house isn’t too far from here, about ten minutes.”
Good. She didn’t think it was weird.
They talk about all sorts of things as they walk, their friends, Sakura’s family, what they think others are doing, and whether Naruto is in the ramen shop they’re about to pass by. “Well, why don’t we check, Sensei?” Sakura asks.
“Well why not. We’re here anyway.” A little extra time with his student isn’t so bad.
They move the cloth in the opening out of the way and are immediately hit with a gust of steam. Under the steam, they could make out the figures of the two most frequent customers eating together, Iruka and Naruto. They seem to be laughing. Or Iruka’s laughing and Naruto’s eating really hard.
Sakura smiles and sits next to Naruto. “Hey Naruto, Iruka Sensei! What’s the special occasion?” Kakashi starts feeling uncomfortable just standing in the door, so he goes to sit next to Sakura.
Iruka smiles. “No special occasion, Sakura. Just thought it’d be nice to talk to a former student.” Hm. Yeah, it’s definitely not because Naruto’s his favorite. Or because he saved his life or whatever.
Naruto finally looks up from his bowl. “Hey you guys! You want some? Iruka Sensei’s buying, y’know!” He winks.
Iruka hits him on the head. “You idiot! Keep talking like that you’ll be paying for your own!”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!” Naruto’s head swells up as Naruto reaches up and rubs his new lump. He mumbles something about ‘hurts like a-’ and ‘some sensei you are.’
Kakashi and Sakura just laugh, Kakashi’s more out of courtesy than actual humour. He’s always found it weird that people laugh at abuse, even if the person getting whacked is annoying.
Naruto seems to get over it pretty quickly, though. “Well, uh, Sakura! How’s your day been?” he smiles boyishly while scratching his cheek and blushing softly.
Sakura smiles. “Ah, nothing much. Me and Kakashi went out for an early dinner - or would it be a late lunch? - at the barbeque place, but that’s about all.”
Naruto’s eyes go wide. “WHAAAAAT? You two hung out without me?” Reasonable concern. Sakura and Kakashi don’t seem to talk all that often. Naruto juts his lip out in a pout. “Why didn’t I get an invite, Sensei? Is Sakura your new favorite because she’s being mentored by the Hokage now?”
Sakura grinds her teeth and glares at Naruto, a red vein popping out of her forehead. “YOU KNUCKLEHEAD! I’D HAVE HALF A MIND TO PUNCH YOU INTO THE LAND OF LIGHTNING!”
Naruto flinches back and holds his arms out, waving his hands and shaking his head. “Sorry Sakura-chan! You know I didn’t mean it! It was a joke!” He scratches the back of his neck while laughing obnoxiously.
Sakura stands, clearly still angry at Naruto but seemingly trying to forget about it, and looks to Kakashi. “Well, Kakashi-Sensei, do you wanna continue on our way or are you staying?” she says with an aggravated smirk.
“Maa, it’d be rude to let you leave on your ow–”
“We should all leave together!” Iruka semi-yells, jumping up to his feet.
Naruto’s head shoots around. “What! But Iruka-Sensei!”
“I’m cutting you off, Naruto.” Iruka turns to the other two, their expressions somewhat confused at the exchange they had witnessed. He scratches his scar and turns his eyes to the ground. “Naruto’s already eaten eight bowls and isn’t showing signs of stopping without intervention. Figured leaving with company is a decent excuse.”
Naruto shrinks a little bit into himself and sighs. “I guess we can leave.” He stands slightly slumped, dragging his feet as he walks. Iruka puts some cash on the table and says goodbye to Teuchi.
****
As the sun sets and the sky darkens, little snow flurries pass by them gently. The four walk through the streets of Konoha, dropping each person off one at a time. First Naruto, then Sakura, which left the two sensei walking next to each other.
Iruka rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. Kakashi and him spend very little time alone together. “Nice night, huh?”
“If you enjoy snow and freezing temperatures, then of course.”
Iruka mumbles about ‘just trying to make conversation.’ The rest of the walk is in silence. It’s not a long walk, but a decently pleasant one, even with the slightly uncomfortable mood. Despite the lack of conversation, Kakashi feels like he and Iruka are thinking similar things. Not the weather like Iruka tried to talk about, but rather the next generation. The generation with Naruto and Sakura and all the other genin in the village.
They’re young. They’re making mistakes. But they’re trying. They’re learning. They’re growing. And they may just be the best class to ever come out of the Hidden Leaf Ninja Academy. What’s there not to be proud of?
Kakashi’s apartment is next. He waves to Iruka as he puts the key in the lock. He opens the door and is met with… complete darkness. Completely alone. But that’s okay. He doesn’t need a wife, he doesn’t need any biological kids. He already has all the kids he needs. He has Team 7, even if Sasuke ran away, and he hasn’t seen Sakura for four months before today, and he hasn’t had a good chance to talk with Naruto since Sasuke left and he’s been taking all the missions he can. Maybe he isn’t the best ‘father.’ Maybe he hasn’t spent the most time with ‘his’ kids, maybe he has put them onto others to train them, and maybe he isn’t their actual father, but that doesn’t matter.
Why would he need anything else when he already has everything he needs?