A/N: Yo! Well, guys, this is my first Naruto fic, and I wanted to write something that wasn't all fluff and crap. It'll still have fluff, but I like this idea I've got going on, so here it is. Kakashi's got a slight problem (AND IT'S NOT SEXUAL), and Iruka is assigned on a mission to help him with it and all that jazz. (Yes, this fic is KakaIru, so deal with it XD) This surprised me. Usually I'll have the fic done before I post it here, but this one is just this chapter currently! Rated T, but I might bump it up depending on later chapters that haven't been fleshed out yet. Wells, here's the goodies! COOKIES RAWK!

He opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the familiar light of morning. Sitting up, he realized he'd fallen asleep at his kitchen table reading a book. He groaned—there was a kink in his neck—and stretched out his arms. Glancing over, he noticed the clock on the wall.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late!"

Iruka Umino jumped from his chair at the table and rushed out the door, sweeping up his brown hair into a high ponytail and grabbing stacks of paperwork he'd done the night before. He darted down the streets, apologizing hurriedly to anyone he happened to bump into.

Panting slightly, he made it to the Hokage tower just in time to settle into his chair before people started coming in with their reports and requests. He forced smiles at the people who came in, fighting his fatigue and wishing the Fifth didn't make him work weekends, not for the first time. He'd just have to put up with it until she could find a weekend replacement, he guessed, sighing.

"Something wrong?" an amused, cool voice said. Iruka looked up to find Kakashi Hatake looking benignly down at him.

"Ah? Oh, no, Kakashi-san, nothing's wrong," Iruka said quickly with a smile. "I'm just tired, that's all. You don't need to concern yourself with me," he said brightly. "Do you have a report to hand in?" 'Please don't let him be late on it again…'

"Actually, I do." Kakashi handed Iruka a set of papers and smiling behind his mask at Iruka's surprise. "You seem like you didn't expect me to have these," Kakashi said, sounding amused. "It's like you don't trust me…"

"Kakashi-san! What a horrible thing to say!" said Iruka, indignant.

"Maa, relax, Iruka! You really shouldn't skip coffee in the morning if you're tired. It makes you high-strung!" Kakashi joked lightly, waving behind him as he walked away, leaving a very disgruntled Iruka behind in the office.

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Iruka dragged himself through the front door of his apartment wearily. The day had crawled by, and he had had to keep himself from falling asleep at his desk several times before his coworkers had literally kicked him out the door and sent him home. He was mildly irritated at them, but he was too tired to care. He fell into a chair at his kitchen table and slumped his head down onto it.

'Kakashi was right,' he thought, 'I really shouldn't skip my coffee…' He propped his head up on his fist. 'Speaking of Kakashi, why did he hand in his mission reports on time this time? That's really not like him. Maybe something's wrong with him..?' He shook his head. 'Ah, but it's none of my business. I shouldn't pry into other people's lives,' he thought, yawning. Getting up, he decided the best course of action was just to sleep and walked to his room, where he collapsed on the bed. Dreamless sleep soon followed him.

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Kakashi strolled around the town leisurely. It was getting late, but he felt no inclination to hurry back home. It was a nice night out, and he wanted to take it easy and drink up the serenity of his first night back to the village after his most recent mission. There were very few people still out at this hour, and even they were yawning and grumbling about how hard their work was that day or something to that effect. Kakashi supposed they must be heading home and paid them no heed.

Wandering aimlessly through the winding streets of Konoha, Kakashi became lost in his thoughts. He didn't really sift through and analyze them like he normally did, however; he just recounted the relatively peaceful day he'd just had and smiled to himself. He looked up to the sky, which was clear and star-filled. He stared up at the sky as he walked, not really paying attention to where he was going.

He blinked in surprise when he found himself in front of the familiar memorial he would stand by every morning before going out to meet his team of genin. Well, not surprise, really, but he didn't realize just where he was going until he'd gotten there. Shrugging, he decided to stay a while and relax. That is, until he felt a painful sensation spreading lightning-fast through his entire body.

With a shock, he remembered what day it was. It was his twenty-seventh birthday. He groaned through his teeth, dearly wishing he had gone straight home and locked the door. How could he have forgotten? He watched with dismay as his body began to change, and collapsed onto the cool grass, absolutely motionless.

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So, how's the first chapter, guys:D Hehe, I get some strange sense of gratification when I hurt one of the characters I like. Does that make me weird?? XD Anywho, R&R, please? I'll giveses you preciouses!