Disclaimer: Don't own.

AN: Another companion piece to "Ours".

Kakashi dropped his folder on the table and proceeded to glare at it, his glare intensifying when a paper slipped out and gracefully fell onto the floor and under the desk. Why he agreed to essays, he would never know. He narrowed his eye, actually, he did know.

Kakashi sighed as he leaned against the doorway to the study and watched the younger man grade. Iruka turned to look at him and gave him a smile.

"What is it? You look…troubled?" Iruka ventured a guess, and furrowed his brows in concern when Kakashi's mouth twitched into a frown.

"Maybe you can help me out with this," Kakashi hesitated as he thought about it, "Well…"

Iruka leaned back into his chair and patiently waited for his husband to continue.

"Alright. So, I'm not very sure if my class is…understanding the new techniques that I'm teaching them, not just the technical part, but the whole idea," he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "And when I actually asked them, they said that they understood and tried to convince me."

Iruka nodded, "So, basically, you want to know if you class is understanding what you're teaching them without really…well, confronting them about it."

Kakashi nodded.

"You can have them write an essay," Iruka sighed when Kakashi gave him a look, "By having them write an essay, you can see if they do understand well enough to write about it," he smiled, "And you being the genius about reading 'underneath the underneath' you'll be able to tell if they're confident enough with the technically aspect as well."

Kakashi slowly nodded.

Iruka smiled, "You're kind of worried about them aren't you?"

Kakashi sighed, "Well, the opportunity for them to take the exams are coming up, and…well…," he felt himself blush at Iruka's amused smile, "So, essays."

Iruka chuckled.

He let out a sigh and eyed the stack of papers, "I should have given them a page limit," he muttered to himself and walked out of the study, figuring that he should eat something before he began grading. The smaller body that hurled itself at him nearly caught him by surprise and tipped his balance.

"You're home, Kakashi-dad!"

Kakashi chuckled and ruffled Minoru's hair, "Hey, how was your day?"

Minoru unwrapped his arms from around his dad, "Good. Long, but alright."

Kakashi smiled and slipped off his mask, "Any homework for tonight?"

Minoru hesitated before nodding, "Yeah, but I'm almost done. I just have to do some research on a jutsu."

Kakashi hummed, "Interesting. And which jutsu are you researching?"

"Well, the difference between Bushin no jutsu and Kage Bushin no Jutsu."

"Which is…?"

"One creates clones with substance, while the other doesn't," he said almost rehearsed.

Kakashi chuckled, "Also, Kage Bushin no Jutsu is a jounin level ninjutsu technique."

Minoru nodded, "Next week we'll be starting on Genjutsu."

Kakashi smiled at how excited Minoru sounded, "Where's Iru-dad?"

Minoru grinned, "In the kitchen I think."

Kakashi slipped off his flak jacket and hung it near the front door before following Minoru down the hall and into the kitchen where Iruka was finishing dinner.

Iruka looked over his shoulder and smiled, "Ah, you're home."

Kakashi smiled and closed the distance between them to plant a soft kiss on a tan cheek, "Hmm, stir fry."

Iruka laughed, "Hello to you too."

Kakashi chuckled and planted another kiss on the scarred cheek. He pulled away to allow Iruka to serve the food and place the plates on the table where Minoru was patiently waiting.

They ate dinner over light conversation that digressed into banter that went from Minoru, to Kakashi, to Iruka, and then back again.

After dinner, Kakashi began to grade his dreaded essays. After the third, part of him was regretting assigning it. He leaned back in his chair as he read over the next essay, using the red pen in his hand to correct grammatical errors, and had to hold himself back a bit as he reminded himself that he wasn't looking to be a grammar snob, but rather what his students were writing about. He was pleased to find that his students did comprehend the subject in such a level that they were able to write about it. However, to took note as to which students seemed to be repeating themselves as if trying to make their paper longer; he would have to talk to them personally. Well, at least the essays were helping to narrow things down.

After the sixth essay, he stretched and walked out of the study and into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. He leaned against the counter as he waited for the water to boil and smiled at Iruka as he walked into the kitchen.

"Enough for two?"

Kakashi chuckled, "Always."

Iruka smiled and walked over to the older man to give him a kiss, "How's your grading going?"

Kakashi sighed, "How do you do it, Iruka?"

Iruka tilted his head, "Do what?"

"Grade," he loosely wrapped his arms around the younger man, "I've been doing this for nearly three years, and try to avoid giving them written assignments, and it's just…how do you do it?"

Iruka smiled, "Practice, and patience. After all the times I've done it, grading quizzes, essays, homework, somehow, I get to know my students a little better. Usually, the way they write tells me a lot, or the way they approach the assignment, you know?" He chuckled when Kakashi nodded and pulled away when the kettle began to whistle, "And that feeling you get, when you see that your students really do understand, and that you did your job as their teacher, that feeling is priceless."

Kakashi smiled and gave a small nod.

"How many more essays do you need to grade?"

Kakashi did the quick math, "About nine more," he shrugged, "I have somewhat of a small class."

Iruka clicked his tongue, "I have a class of thirty," he poured the hot water over the tea bag, "Every single weekday."

Kakashi cringed, "It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't all pre-genin."

Iruka laughed and handed Kakashi a mug, "But I have an advanced class, like the one Minoru is in, every other day, so it's not so bad."

"Again, how do you do it?"

Iruka smiled, "You'll get used to it, love, just give it time." He grinned, "Who knows, maybe you'll have to sub for me one day," he nearly choked on his tea with laughter at the horrified look on Kakashi's face.

Kakashi leaned on propped hand as he read an essay by a student that was somewhat concerning him, mostly because he didn't really participate in class or discussions, but as he read over the essay he somehow had a better insight of how his student thought; his thought process and the way he worded his theory and explanation.

So I did get through to him, he couldn't help but smile as he leaned back and took the essay into his hand and continued reading. He felt a different sense of satisfaction than he did when he trained his teams. Like this, he knew that his students understood in a completely different, intellectual level, that he really did get through to them.

And then, he knew what Iruka meant.