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Today was a nice day for a walk, more specifically, a walk over towards the training grounds. The new academy graduates have been under the care of their Jonin sensei for a few months now, so it'll be interesting to see if they've become semi-compotent ninja yet. It was pure curiosity and boredom that had brought you here, that and it really was just a beautiful day out.
The sun was hidden by some light cloud cover, alleviating some of the scorching heat that had been beating down on the village for days now. That, as well as the cool air and swift breeze that blew through, was all but a siren song for you to come out and enjoy some fresh air.
And enjoy it you did as you walked by the training grounds, giving a pleasant wave to the Genin teams that saw you on your walk and ignoring the ones who didn't notice your presence. If they couldn't feel the presence of a ninja who was hardly hiding their chakra signature, then they weren't worth watching. For the ones that did notice you, however, you would stay and watch for ten minutes or so before going on your way.
This pattern continued until you reached the third training ground, your backward path through the fields leading you to end at the beginning as it were. It was there that you saw a familiar set of colored heads standing around, two of which looked to be as rife with rivalry as ever all while the third watched on in annoyance.
These three had been popping up all over the village, doing about every D rank job available it felt like with just how often you bumped into them.
Going to the market for a supply run? Abyssal black eyes lock with yours as you both awkwardly try to shuffle around each other in the doorway as you try to enter the shop while the boy tries to squeeze through while holding an impressive amount of boxes even for a shinobi (if for nothing else than because of just how precarious the stack was). You swore there was a slight pink to the kid's cheeks with how 'undignified' the action was, but the poor boy was far too stubborn to do something like take trips. You strangled the small chuckle that tried to well up in your throat to save the boy any more embarrassment as he makes a quick getaway the second he gets out the door.
Running across rooftops to skip the midday foot traffic? Pink hair and a complementary bright red dress falls into place practically at your side as you both head towards the same direction. Her sudden appearance confused you, even more so when she followed you all the way back to your apartment building, and even more when she followed you to your apartment door. You finally turn to try and meet her eye only to see her stubbornly looking at the floor, probably to try and hide her face that was just about as red as her dress, with her hands balled up into tight fists at her sides. One fist in particular holding a, now crumpled, paper. You let out a small huff of laughter as the girl shoves what was probably a letter of sorts before shouting something about "not following you on purpose I was just delivering to this address but that is still you and here you go that's all bye-" and promptly turning on her heel and darting out of the building.
Just having a pleasant walk much like you were today? An explosion of dirt and grass as a kid gives an annoyed shout about having to be on weed-picking duty. Again. For the third time this week. You couldn't help the sympathetic wince that leaked into your expression, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by the boy, and with the new audience of you, he goes on to give what was clearly a well-needed rant for the next ten minutes. You give polite, sympathetic nods the whole time before the kid finally wears himself out with a long huff before kicking at the dirt, his cheeks dusted with the slightest hint of pink, as he gives a small apology and thanks that you barely hear before he turns to get back to work.
Needless to say, you've grown accustomed to seeing the faces of these three Genin in particular at least once a week, if not more, both on an individual scale and with them all as a group. But this was the first time you've seen them on a training field and not doing D rank missions in the village.
Maybe you'd finally get to see that lazy Sensei of theirs they all complain about.
As if called by your thoughts, a blur of motion crosses your eye and ends with the arrival of a Jonin now standing next to Sakura as if to commiserate with the girl at the two boys constant bickering with each other, the two even sharing a look before the Jonin takes action by grabbing the two arguing Genin by the scruff of their shirts and pulling them apart in the air.
Continuing on your way over you let out a snicker at the sight, especially with how the two boys hardly even batting an eye at the sudden change in position as they instead continue to argue. But while the boys may not give a second glance to the new arrival, you shift your attention to the new face, eager to see who this infamous horrible sensei is, only to blink in surprise.
That was Kakashi Hatake, your boyfriend of nearly a full year. And while his appearance here was unexpected, you couldn't find it in yourself to be surprised.
While not an everyday occurrence, you knew your boyfriend liked to follow you around unseen when you go on these walks of yours throughout the village. It confused him why you didn't just hop across the roofs as a default like him, unable to understand the simple joy of a calm walk through the streets that you grew to love thanks to your civilian-born origin, but eventually he accepted that it was just something you liked to do and so left it at that. It didn't stop him from popping in every now and then to watch you as you go, even coming down to accompany you sometimes, and it seemed like now was one of those times.
You could only guess that Kakashi had a similar relationship to these Genin as you did, it was the only thing that made sense for how comfortable he was acting with the kids seeing how he's never even mentioned the three to you before. Granted, you never told him either with how you only partially knew the kids and you only ever referred to them as just 'some passing Genin', so it was entirely possible that he might have mentioned them offhandedly to you like you did to him and neither of you had noticed.
With the new arrival of your boyfriend on the training ground, you decide not to just watch and pass on by like you did with all the other Genin teams and actually cross over and walk onto the field itself to say hi.
You wouldn't be interrupting anything important, what with the Genin's Sensei not around, so there would be no harm done.
It doesn't take long for you to be noticed, though not by the two still arguing boys of course. Sakura is the first to look your way and her expression lights up in surprise and quickly joy as she sends a wave your way. While Kakashi doesn't outwardly acknowledge your presence, what with him trying to keep the two boys from mauling each other, you know that he knows you're here all the same.
"Y/N-san!" Sakura calls out, successfully putting a pause on the two boys bickering as they finally turn away from each other, "What are you doing here?"
The two boy's reaction to you are instant, that or their reaction to no longer fighting each other is. Sasuke blinks at you in surprise before letting out an annoyed huff and turning away all while Naruto's face lights up as he waves toward you with his entire arm up in the air, a position that must be uncomfortable what with him being strung up in the air and you being slightly behind him.
"Y/N-san! Hi!" Naruto calls before you can answer Sakura's question. The boy kicks about and swings in Kakashi's hold before finally being allowed to leave when the Jonin lets go, and the second the boy's feet touch the ground, he spins and makes his way over, "I haven't seen you at the training grounds before. Oh! Are you gonna practice some cool Jutsu's?! Can you show me! Can you teach me! Kakashi-Sensei doesn't teach us any cool Jutsu's and we just do stupid exercises all the time."
That... that makes you pause. Your smile practically carved onto your face as you stare blankly at the boy.
"Kakashi... Sensei?" You ask all while slowly raising your head to look at your boyfriend, who had by now let the other boy fall to the ground and was walking over to meet you with Sakura and Sasuke.
When your eyes meet, Kakashi's laid-back but now warm and sappy eyes thanks to your sudden arrival blink in surprise as his body automatically tenses up at your sudden shift. What did he do? Are you mad that he hadn't introduced you to his team? You knew he had a team, he complained about his little rugrats all too often for you not to know. But it seemed you also knew them personally which was, unexpected.
"Oh yeah!" Naruto continues on, oblivious to your change in deminor, "You haven't met him yet, what with him never being around and leaving all the work to us as he goes and reads his stupid book. This is Kakashi-Sensei. Kakashi-Sensei, this in Y/N-san. They're really nice and they talk to me sometimes when we see each other and we're doing all those boring D ranks."
"Your Sensei." You slowly say, eyes never leaving Kakashi, "The same Sensei who you say is always lazing about, never helping, and makes you pick weeds every other day?"
Kakashi winces slightly, he did not see this coming.
"Yeah that one!" Naruto nods with his hands on his hips, and by now Sakura and Sasuke have realized the tension in the air between you and Kakashi.
You continue to stare at Kakashi, dots connecting in your brain that Kakashi, your Kakashi, was the same Sensei that had all three of these Genin ranting on about practically every time you saw them.
When the two images overlap, there is a brief moment of anger that hisses within you at the thought of Kakashi leaving these sweet Genin to fend for themselves as Ninja, but you are quick to appease that anger.
You know Kakashi better than most, and one of the most prominent aspects of his personality was that Kakashi Hatake, was a little shit.
You've grown to love this about him, if get annoyed at it every now and then, and so you can recognise when Kakashi is doing something for the sole purpose of bugging someone. It's never downright hurtful, petty annoyance at most. So seeing three Genin all jump on this 'generally annoyed at Kakashi' bus and not a 'go on strike I hate this man' bus, you put two and two together.
And then you immediately join The Bit.
Kakashi was the hated lazy slacker of a Sensei and you, the compassionate white knight who listens to the woes of the common folk, would not let this stand!
"I can't believe you Kakashi!" You yell with a wave of your arms, and while the spark of mischievousness in your eye and slight quirk of your mouth goes unnoticed by the Genin, to Kakashi it's plain as day as you go on, "What kind of heartless man would send these kids off to work while you mooch on their success!"
Kakashi, just as in tune with you as you are with him, hardly even bats an eye at your words as he keeps up the aloof front, "Mah you know how it is. I need my rest if I'm to be my best."
"For shame-" You continue, every word out of your mouth an exaggerated performance as you cried in outrage in defence of the kids, "You are supposed to teach them, lead them, and what? You just nap in the sun and get 'lost on the road of life'?!"
Kakashi shrugs, "What am I supposed to do? You know black cats are bad luck."
The kids were sure to realize The Bit soon, what with you not really trying to hide the slowly growing smile on your face, but for now they seemed to well up in excitement at the prospect of you getting vengeance on their behalf against their oh so lazy Sensei.
You step forward, now standing between Kakashi and the three Genin who had moved to stand with you as if to show their Sensei just whose side they were on, "And to think I could love a man such as you, one who forgoes his responsibility to mere children."
You hear a gasp from behind you, probably Sakura, what with her obsession with romance, and you can imagine the two boys are similarly shocked at the reveal of your relationship with their Sensei.
Kakashi's lone eye blinks in surprise, the aloof mask slipping just for a moment at your unexpected declaration. You have to shove down a smirk. Kakashi wasn't the only one who enjoyed messing with people.
See this entire performance even happening in the first place, but you digress.
The Genin were all looking at Kakashi now from where they stood behind you, their wide eyes all but imploring the man to confirm or deny your sudden confession of feelings. He quickly brushes off his own surprise and doubles down on The Bit.
"Well how else am I to look my best for you without my beauty sleep?"
Sakura lets out an excited little squeal at the possibility of not only vengeance but romance happening before her, though she seems to be the only one enjoying this little twist in the narrative as Kakashi sees Naruto glance between you and him in confusion and Sasuke just looks... well the only thing he could call it was disgust. At you. As if dating Kakashi automatically made him question your sanity as a human being.
Wow. Rude.
You, oblivious to the reactions behind you (well, mostly oblivious. Sakura's squeal was hard to misinterpret), continue on, "But to do so on the backs of these poor souls," You raise a hand and look away as if in heartbreak, "I don't know if I can love a man like that."
Behind you with your other hand, you give an only slightly hidden and not at all conspicuous thumbs up to the children.
Kakashi has to hold down a snort as the kids all but jump for joy at your clear support. Sakura looks as if she's about to faint from the pure drama of it all and Naruto takes the thumbs up as his first clue that you were still fighting for them despite him not understanding everything you were saying. All the while Sasuke sagely nods his head as if to say he's glad you finally got some sense and decided to dump this man.
Again. Rude.
"And so close to our one-year anniversary?" He asks, a slight touch of scandalized emotion in his otherwise aloof tone, "How could you."
Another gasp, another confused look, and a new look towards the sky as if he just lost all respect for you as a person.
Kakashi was gonna make that kid do laps. With weights. Gai's weights.
"You leave me no choice Kakashi!" You say, still oblivious to the reactions behind you, "I can't love a man who would leave these poor children on their own. Who would lie to them and leave them for hours just so you could, what, laze about on your couch?"
It was taking a monumental amount of effort to not burst out laughing, Sakura was really loving this wasn't she? Each one of her gasps made you worried she'd pass out or something and you could only imagine her face. The Bit was just too good!
But then... Kakashi took The Bit too far.
"Not exactly," He says, his voice gaining a sultry tilt as he steps closer and you can't help the soft blush that grows on your cheeks, "And I think you know exactly what I do on those mornings. Don't you."
His last words are practically a growl and you have to remember that there are children here-
Children here that Kakashi has no problem exposing to way too adult ideas as he goes to grab your butt!
You immediately slap the offending hand away and scowl at the man, any hit of amusement at The Bit flung away and suddenly Kakashi is hit with the knowledge that he's Fucked Up. Just not... how he fucked up.
"Kakashi Hatake I know you did not just try to seduce me to win an argument." He's done that before and while it's never actually won him an argument, it's certainly delayed some so why were you mad at- "In front of children!"
Ah. That makes more sense.
He raises his hands up in mock surrender as he steps back, trying to go back to The Bit as his saving grace, "You know how I am. Such is the woes of-"
"No more of that." You snap and Kakashi doesn't hold back his grimace behind his mask, well there goes that idea, "I was teasing before but now I'm mad-"
"Oh it's fine, we were both just having some fun." He tries again.
Ignoring his pleas you bulldoze through, "Well now your in for a real lecture so you better sit and listen."
Maybe one more try, "Y/N-"
"I SAID SIT!"
Before he knows it Kakashi is kneeling down before you with his head down low and you don't waste a second as you absolutely lay into this man, "It's one thing to joke around and play games with people but to do something like that in front of children I mean come on Kakashi I thought you knew better!"
You continued on your rant and unbeknownst to you, the three Genin who stood behind you were watching with differing faces of awe as you took down their Sensei with one shout.
One Uchiha child in particular was watching on with a look of realization on his face, as if he had just been given the final piece of a confusing and very strange puzzle.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was having a realization of his own as well.
With how he had his head tilted down you couldn't see how what little showed of his face was completely red as he focused far too intently on the ground with his hands fisted in his pants from where they rested at his knees. His mind was going a mile a minute with how his body just reacted to your words- to your command, and how it made him feel... lots of things.
Things that, especially with the specific lecture you were giving him, would go unvoiced until he was no longer in the presence of children.
Still unaware of all this you just continue on and just as you start to lose steam Naruto pipes in with his own jab at his Sensei.
"Yeah! Go Y/N! Yell at him about always ignoring us in favor of that stupid book of his too!"
Kakashi jerks slightly in place at Naruto's addition and your glare sharpens.
"What book?" You ask, both to Kakashi and Naruto seeing how you doubted your coward of a boyfriend would answer, especially seeing how it would only lead to his further downfall.
"Uh- well- it's orange?" Naruto says, "Orange with a big crossed-out thing on the front."
"Crossed out- Kakashi!" The Jonin jerks back in place again at your sharp voice, "It better not be what I think it is- but no, it has to be. Oh for the love of- Kakashi I can't believe you!"
Unlike when you first said those words in mock jest, now you said them in all scandalized seriousness as you continued your rant with renewed fervor.
You continue on for a long while and when team seven does finally leave that training field, it's with all four of them learning more about their Sensei than when they arrived and you fuming as you walk alongside them. As if you were going to let these kids be alone with Kakashi after learning all that.
It looked like you'd be around the training areas more often now, and getting even more familiar with this particular trio of Genin.