First Naruto fic! This'll be a oneshot, because a) that's the idea I had and b) I seem to be better at oneshots and introspective fics. So… this is both. This is all about Team 7 coming to respect their sensei at various points in time. I apologise if any of the quotes are inaccurate, feel free to correct me :)
Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto, not li'l ol' me.
Most genin respect their sensei from the moment they first meet them, as they know this is the person who will teach them everything, who will stand by them and mould them each into shinobi in their own right.
Needless to say, Team 7's initial reaction to their sensei was, uh, slightly deviant from the norm. They saw him as shallow, secretive and- as proven by the fact he couldn't avoid a chalk eraser above a doorway- a pretty useless jonin. The idea that he was a pervert (he wasn't, he had an interesting taste in literature, but that was all there was to it; he was no Jiraiya) came later, as they hadn't seen his book yet.
So when did they first look upon their sensei with respect? Not when he was testing them; he was good, very good, but that was more frustrating than anything for the genin at the time. If they couldn't get the bells, they wouldn't pass, and the famous Copy Nin's skills were coming between them and their dreams.
They can't tell when the first time was, but each of them remembers one time when they consciously felt respect for Hatake Kakashi.
Naruto finds it hard to choose just one time when he respected his sensei the most. There were so many wonderful things that he did, but always, always that one moment comes back to him with near-perfect clarity, that one has stuck with him throughout his time as a shinobi of the Leaf. Always he has respected his sensei for his belief in teamwork and protecting his precious people.
"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum."
Sakura remembers a promise made but not kept. She doesn't mind; he tried, she knows, and she forgave him for failing long ago. Sasuke was so stubborn, so marked by what had happened that there was very little anyone could do. But still, never had she respected her sensei more than when he stopped her boys from impaling each other- she never thought of her own safety in that situation- with their respective jutsus.
"Don't worry about a thing, Sakura. Everything will be back to normal soon."
Sasuke, no matter how far he's fallen or what he's done, no matter how detached he becomes from all that was in Konoha, he remembers, if only in dreams, a single moment where his respect- his affection- for his sensei soared.
"I won't allow my comrades to die. I'll protect you with my life. Trust me."
No matter how the dreams vary from the truth, how distorted the memory becomes, those words are the same. The emotion is the same.
Every time, every time he says 'trust me'. And every time, he does.
Not too fond of this one, actually. Hmm... well, hope you enjoyed it at least.