Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor any characters thereof nor do I make any money from this fic.

I just KNOW people are gonna kill me for this one. This is a harem fic but not your typical harem fic. For starters it's not going to go straight to the wham-bam-thank you ma'am/sir PWPness that seems to characterize many of the harem fics I've read. Also most harem fics I've read are strictly het or strictly yaoi. Not this one. This will be het, yaoi, and, well I don't know what you call sex with a hermaphrodite but that'll be in here too. It is pretty much Naruto/Everyone, well everyone I can stomach anyway.

Also there may be OCs, it's almost guaranteed that some people will be OOC, and Naruto will be smart, super strong, and sexy as hell and he may have a snarky streak that'll peek out from time to time. I'll probably bash a few characters and there may be non-consensuality and dubious-consensuality. Incest is a maybe, I'm still making my mind up on that score. The lemons will be edited out on fanfiction due to the Terms of Service.

Pretty much this fic is a conglomerate of what gets fic authors flamed and I'll be keeping a count of how many flames I get.

Oh and regarding the revelation about Itachi in the manga? I'm pretending it didn't happen.

So I'm giving you people my best-worst and anticipating yours. Now lets get this disaster rolling shall we?

WARNING: Gay love, heterosexual love, transgender love, and threesomes will be in this fic. You have been warned so no complaints that you didn't know what was coming; I'll laugh at you, seriously.

Disclaimer: Own Naruto? Oh I wish, then I could tie Itachi up and do as I like to his sexy ass (among other parts of him)

'thoughts' (italics with single quote marks)
emphasis (just italics)
"Kyuubi Speech"
'Kyuubi Thought'

Chapter 1 The Beginning

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A small 6 year old blond boy ran for all he was worth to get away from the group of drunk ninjas chasing after him. He didn't know why the ninjas wanted to hurt him and he was thanking his lucky stars that they were too drunk to move as quickly as they normally would and that the alcohol had impaired their aim so that the majority of kunai, shuriken, and senbon missed him. Every once in a while one of the weapons would hit their mark but the young child simply pulled it out and threw it aside without breaking stride. He saw the Hokage Tower up ahead and put on more speed, knowing that if he could make it to the tower's courtyard he'd be safe.

A few paces away from the courtyard a foot stuck out and tripped him, giving the drunken ninjas the chance they needed to surround the boy. The child looked up into the face of the man who'd tripped him and swore that if he lived he'd make the bastard pay. The gray haired young man sneered at the look of loathing in the boy's eyes and walked away as the drunken shinobi began to beat the boy.

Punches and kicks rained down on the boy, rocks were thrown at his small form, knives slashed into his flesh, and epithets were screamed at him. They called him monster, freak, murderer, and demon. Somehow the words hurt just as much, if not more than, the blows. They spat on him and just as one ninja was about to plunge a kunai into the boy's heart, an ANBU in a dog mask with silver hair stepped in and beat the drunken idiots away from the boy.

The ANBU crouched down and gently lifted the boy into his arms then dashed towards the hospital wing of the Hokage tower. The child whimpered in fear and the ANBU spoke softly, "Shhh, I've got you kid. You're safe with me."

The boy began slipping out of consciousness. 'Safe? What's that?'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The boy woke to an angry voice yelling outside the room he was in.

"This has gone too far Hokage-sama! He was almost killed for the twelfth time!"

"What would you have me do Kakashi? The orphanage evicted him and the council won't let me assign him a permanent ANBU guard."

"Then I'll quit ANBU and take him in as my ward."

"You realize what that will mean for your lifestyle correct?"

"Yes and I don't care."

A sigh then, "Very well, I'll start the paperwork as soon as he wakes up."

The boy got tired of listening to the conversation on the other side of the door and whistled loudly since his throat was too dry for him to get any volume behind a shout. The door opened to reveal the 3rd Hokage and a tall, silver haired, masked man who wore his hitai-ate slanted over one eye. The Hokage walked to the bed, "Hello Naruto-kun. How do you feel?"

Naruto rasped, "Thirsty."

The masked man poured a cup of water and passed it to the boy who sucked it down quick as a flash. Naruto wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "Thanks oji-san."

The man raised his visible eyebrow, "Maa I'm not that old Naruto-kun."

The child shrugged, "Nii-san then. Ne Hokage-jiji when can I get out of this hospital?"

The Sandaime sighed, "Naruto you just got beaten rather badly."

Naruto held out his arms, "I'm all better now, see."

Sarutobi shook his head, knowing that Naruto would escape from the hospital if he was made to stay very long, "Very well Naruto, you can go home tomorrow."

"Yatta," Naruto glomped the old man briefly then pulled back to bounce in place on the bed.

The old man ruffled Naruto's hair with a chuckle, "Now I need to get back to the office but first I want to know if you'd like to live with Kakashi here?"

Naruto studied the masked man closely but didn't see any malice, "I guess I can give it a try."

"Alright then. You rest for today and I'll see you tomorrow."

Naruto watched the Hokage walk out followed by Kakashi, "Bye."

Once the door closed behind them, Naruto flopped back onto his bed. Keeping a facade of energetic cheerfulness was exhausting when all you wanted to do was sleep and he was still a little sore from the beating. He curled up on his side and dropped off into sleep.

ENTER MINDSCAPE

Naruto looked around the place he suddenly found himself in. It looked like a sewer only without the garbage and hideous smell. He heard soft sobs coming from a hallway and followed the sound to a large space occupied by a huge golden gate. He looked around and realized the sobs came from behind the bars. He walked up to the gate and looked into the inky darkness to see a large furry form curled up and shaking.

"Hey you okay?"

A head shot up and whirled towards Naruto, who was got the impression of large ears and a long snout before the tears running down from dark red eyes caught his attention. As he stared the creature crept closer to the bars of the gate to sniff at the boy. He reached out and touched the nose of the creature, "Who're you?"

"Kyuubi no Yoko. You are Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Uh-huh. So your a fox?"

The fox nodded and Naruto frowned, "Why were you crying?"

A few more tears fell from the fox's eyes, "Because the beatings you endure are my fault little
kit."

Naruto blinked, "Why would they be your fault?"

"Six years ago I attacked Konoha and in order to stop me the 4th Hokage gave up his own life to seal me inside a newborn baby, you. Now the villagers believe that you are me and hold you responsible for the loss of their loved ones."

Naruto stood stock still, "So the reason they hate me is because of you?"

The fox nodded and ducked it's head to avoid Naruto's gaze as it began crying again. Naruto stared at the Kyuubi then dashed between the bars to hug the fox's muzzle, "Don't cry Kyuubi-san."

The fox jolted and stared at the child who was trying to comfort the demon, "Why aren't you yelling at me? Why do you not hate me? I am the cause of your suffering."

"But you didn't ask to be sealed inside me and you don't make the villagers hurt me and you're crying for me. No one's ever cared enough to cry for me."

The fox marveled at the tiny creature clinging to it's muzzle. Never had the Kyuubi met someone such as this child who was not only courageous enough to approach a demon but who held such inner strength and compassion. 'What blind fools these humans are to ignore such a soul as this boy.'

Naruto pet the fox's muzzle, "Ne is your name Kyuubi or is that just a title, like Hokage?"

The fox smiled at the intelligent question, "It is a title kit. My name is Benihime."

"So you're a girl?"

Benihime chuckled, "Yes little one I am a vixen."

Naruto yawned widely, "Your name suits you."

The fox used a tail to lift Naruto into a nest created out of her other tails, "You're tired little one, sleep. We will talk more another time."

Naruto snuggled into the warm, fluffy tails and did as the vixen bid.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours later, Naruto stretched and opened his eyes to an expanse of dark red orange fur, "You're a pretty color."

The fox made a pleased sound, "Thank you kit."

"Ne Benihime-sama why'd you attack Konoha?"

She sighed, "I honestly don't know kit. Something called me here and then unlocked my demon bloodlust."

"Demon bloodlust?"

"Mmm, all demons have a lust for blood and destruction from birth. The lesser demons never learn how to suppress the bloodlust while the stronger demons eventually gain control of their bloodlust. The stronger the demon, the stronger their bloodlust and the more powerful their control."

"So you're the strongest demon right?"

"The strongest still of this world yes. Those stronger than me transcended their bloodlust entirely, becoming tenshi."

"Cool."

She chuckled, "Very cool little kit."

"How come you call me kit?"

"A kit is a baby or child fox and since you are a child you are a kit to me."

"Oh. Did you ever have kits of your own?"

"No I never found a mate strong enough to bear young with. Why?"

Naruto pressed his face into her fur, "C-could you pretend that I'm your kit?"

Benihime blinked then nuzzled the boy, "Little one you have been my kit from the moment I was sealed within you, I don't have to pretend."

Naruto clung tighter to her fur and began crying, letting all of the pain, fear, and sorrow of the lonely years without someone to care for him flow out with his tears. Benihime shifted to her humanoid form and wrapped her arms around the blond boy, rocking him and murmuring soothing words. Once his tears had subsided he pulled back to blink owlishly at the butt-naked fox woman holding him, "Benihime-kaa-san?"

"That's right kit."

The little boy blushed and looked away, "Uh is there anyway for you to, um get dressed?"

Benihime, glanced down at herself and chuckled before snapping her fingers and clothing herself in a dark burgundy kimono, "Better kit?"

He looked at her, "Hai okaa-san."

He took in her features, she had milk pale skin, blood red lips that echoed her eye color, long dark red orange hair and fox ears where a human's ears would normally be. Her nine sinuous tails waved lazily behind her, "Wow you're really pretty okaa-san."

She smiled and ruffled his hair, "Thank you kit."

Naruto sat on her lap and played with a strand of her hair and she combed her clawed fingers through his blond locks.

"Kit what do you want out of life?"

Naruto looked up at her, "You mean like my dreams and stuff?"

She nodded and he looked of into the distance, "Well I want to be loved and have friends. I want respect. And I want to be strong enough to protect the people I love."

Benihime nuzzled his hair, "You are loved kit, by me and one day you will have others who love you. As for strength, I can train you in all I know and with strength will come respect."

"You'll train me? Really?"

"Really kit. It won't be easy and sometimes you may get hurt but the end result will be worth it."

"Then train me okaa-san, teach me everything you can."

She pet his hair, "Time enough for that later, for now you have to return to the outside world."

"But I like it here."

"I know little one but you need to face the outside to get what you want."

"Okay."

She smiled at his petulant tone and sent him back to the waking world.

OUT OF MINDSCAPE

Naruto blinked and sat up to face the morning. He jolted when he saw Kakashi sleeping in a chair near the bed, "Ano Nii-san?"

Kakashi woke instantly, "Yes Naruto?"

"Why're you sleeping in the chair?"

"Well I wanted to check on you before I went home and I started reading a book and fell asleep."

"Considering the fact that there aren't any books in the room and none in his hands, that is a truly lame excuse. Though I do approve of him watching over you."

Naruto jumped when he heard Benihime's voice in his head. 'Okaa-san was that you?'

"Of course kit."

'So I can talk to you even when I'm not in there with you?'

"That's right but for now pay attention to the masked whelp."

'Hai.' Naruto blinked at Kakashi who had a hand on Naruto's forehead.

"Hmm no fever. You alright Naruto-kun? You spaced out there for a minute."

"Yeah I'm fine. Hey I can go home today right?!"

"As soon a Hokage-sama comes yes."

Naruto started bouncing in place, this time his happiness genuine and he began to rattle off questions, "So your a ninja right? How long have you been one? What's your rank? I bet you know some real cool jutsu. Do you think you could teach me ninja stuff? What's your place like? Do you like ramen? I love it. What's your favorite color? Mine's orange. Do you have any pets?"

"Whoa there kiddo and give me a chance to answer. Yes I'm a ninja. I've been one for fifteen years, my rank is jonin, yes I know a lot of jutsus, I'll teach you if you want me to, I live in an apartment with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living area, and a kitchen, I'm okay with ramen, don't really have a favorite color, and I don't have any pets but one of my summons might show up from time to time."

"Summons?"
"I'll show you," Kakashi bit his thumb for a bit of blood, went through a series of hand signs, placed his hand on Naruto's bed, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
There was a puff of smoke and when it cleared a pug was sitting on Naruto's bed. The dog looked around and then settled his gaze on Kakashi, "Well why did you summon me Kakashi?"

Naruto face-faulted, "Cool he talks!"

The pug turned to Naruto, "Of course I talk, I'm a summon dog not a pet."

Naruto shrugged, "I didn't even know what a summon dog is, actually I still don't. Ne what's your name inu-san?"

Kakashi patted Naruto's shoulder, "His name is Pakkun. A summon animal is an animal you can summon to help you fight or carry out a task once you've signed a summoning contract."

"So they're like partners?"

"That's right. Each summon has a different personality and attitude. Pakkun for example doesn't like being summoned just for demonstration purposes and tends to be grouchy and snippy when that happens."

Pakkun grumbled and Naruto reached out to pet his head, "Thanks for coming Pakkun-san."

Naruto's fingers hit a particular spot behind the dog's ear that had the pug leaning into his touch. The dog got a hold of himself and shook his head, "Whatever kid," and poofed away. Kakashi chuckled at Naruto's confused expression, "That's his way of saying you're welcome."

"Oh, okay."

Just then the Hokage came into the room and Naruto launched himself at the elderly leader, glomping him. The Sandaime chuckled and ruffled Naruto's hair. The boy pulled back and scrunched up his face, "Why does everyone do that?"

Kakashi mimicked the 3rd's action, "Because we can't resist."

Naruto stuck out his tongue at the jonin then turned back to the Hokage, "I can leave now right?"

"Yes Naruto you can go. Your things are already at Kakashi's apartment so all you have to do when you get there is unpack and settle in."

Naruto jumped up in the air with a whoop, grabbed Kakashi's hand and pulled the man out the door, "What're we waiting for, let's go!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto's cheerfulness lasted until they reached the more populated areas of the village, where people's gazes were cold and hard and their whispers vicious. The boy plastered himself against Kakashi's leg and ducked his head to avoid the villager's gazes. Kakashi was about to turn and snarl at one particularly cruel woman but Naruto tugged on his hand and mumbled against his leg, "Don't, it'll just make it worse. Sides, they don't know any better."

The silver haired man looked down at Naruto gently then scooped him up and perched the boy on his shoulders, "Now you can look down on them."

Naruto jolted at the sudden sensation of being up so high then relaxed and folded his arms on top of Kakashi's head with a quiet laugh. They arrived at the apartment and Kakashi lifted the blond off his shoulders and set him on the ground before unlocking the door. Naruto followed the jonin into the apartment craning his head to look around.

There was a shelf next to the door for shoes and an old beat up dingy gray couch in front of a TV in the living area. Weapons, scrolls, and training equipment were scattered all over the place along with the occasional empty TV dinner box. Naruto wrinkled his nose, kept his shoes on and shuffled to the kitchen, which wasn't much better. The only difference between the kitchen and the living area was that Naruto swore he saw cobwebs in the cabinets. He looked over his shoulder at Kakashi placing something in a room that was even worse than the living area. 'Man what a slob.'

The jonin looked at the boy and saw the disgusted and slightly pitying expression on his face and blushed under his mask.

"Uh your room is over here."

He opened the door to a thankfully barren room, the only things in here were boxes containing Naruto's belongings and a dusty sheetless bed. Kakashi cleared his throat, "Hm I guess we'll have to go shopping tomorrow for sheets and stuff kiddo."

Naruto nodded and looked at Kakashi, "Where's the bathroom Kaka-nii?"

The man pointed out a door and Naruto peeked his head in and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the bathroom was sparkling clean and grabbed one of the used towels out of the hamper, taking it to his room to wipe the bed free of dust. He finished and dropped the towel back into the hamper then went looking for Kakashi.

The jonin was in the kitchen with a garbage bag dumping the empty dinner carton into it. Naruto almost giggled at the man's discomfited movements and went to help.

They managed to get the apartment basically clean (i.e. you can see the floor) by lunch time and Kakashi suggested that they go out to eat. Naruto immediately requested Ichiraku ramen and the jonin chuckled before agreeing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They got to the stand and saw a chunin with brown hair and a scar across his nose sitting at the noodle bar. Kakashi led Naruto over to the chunin, "Hello Iruka-sensei."

The chunin jumped and whirled with a stern glare, "Hatake-san how many times do I have to ask you not to creep up on me?"

"Until I listen."

The brunette humphed and looked down at Naruto. His eyes widened with surprise when he recognized the boy then slid into neutrality as he turned back to Kakashi, "What are you of all people doing with a child?"

"This is Naruto, he's my ward as of today."

Iruka's eyes widened again and he grimaced with sympathy, "He's living with you? He'll die of unsanitary conditions before the week is out."

"Maa Iruka-sensei my apartment isn't that bad."

Iruka's snort was echoed by Naruto and the chunin heard the boy mutter something about seeing smaller rats at the village dump. His mouth twitched and he gave Kakashi a speaking look, "The last and only time I was at your place I stepped in someone's science experiment that you said was last week's dinner."

Kakashi cleared his throat, "Erm yes well, do you happen to know of any good places to shop for sheets and things?"

"Let me guess, you didn't think to prepare for a child did you," only silence met the statement and Iruka sighed, "I do know of a few places but don't you have a mission tomorrow?"

Kakashi cursed as he remembered that little bit of information and Naruto looked a bit crestfallen. He'd been looking forward to shopping without having to worry about being chased out. Iruka took in the boy's disappointment and his marshmallow heart drove him to say, "I'll take him shopping tomorrow while you're on the mission."

Naruto's head shot up and he looked at Iruka with shiny hopeful eyes, "Really?"

Iruka nodded, "Really."

"Yatta!" Naruto caught Iruka in a fierce hug, "Thank you thank you thank you thank you."

And just like that any wariness or resentment Iruka felt towards the Kyuubi vessel disappeared and he pat the boy on the back, "You're welcome Naruto-kun."

The boy let go of Iruka and sat next to him at the noodle bar and Kakashi perched on his other side as the boy called out, "Oi old man can I have some miso pork ramen?!"

Teuchi smiled at the boy and called out, "Ayame some miso pork ramen for our favorite customer!"

"Hai tou-chan. Hello Naruto-kun."

"Hiya Ayame-nee. Ne Iruka-san why'd Kaka-nii call you Iruka-sensei?"

"Because I teach at the ninja academy."

"There's a ninja academy?"

Iruka blinked in surprise, "Yes, I'd assumed that you were enrolled since the minimum entry age is five."

"I never even heard of a ninja academy."

Iruka frowned and made a mental note to look into that as Kakashi told Naruto that he'd be enrolling him in the academy in a week. The ramen arrived and conversation turned to what Naruto would need for the academy which led to the discovery that Naruto didn't have more than two shirts and one pair of pants to his name. By the time Kakashi and Naruto left the stand the shopping trip had been extended to include clothes, basic weapon kits, and other child essentials. Kakashi could already hear his bank account whimper and Iruka had a slightly sadistic smirk that sat strangely on his face because he now had a legitimate way to get even with the jonin for not listening to him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto ducked behind Iruka when the owner of the clothing and linens store glared at him and started to demand he leave. When the man grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked harshly to extract him from behind the chunin, Iruka caught the man's wrist in a crushing grip, "Naruto-kun is here with me and is under the guardianship of Hatake Kakashi, I would advise caution in how you treat him unless you would like to meet Hatake-san face-to-face," the teacher squeezed to make his point and flung the man's wrist away from him like it was a piece of refuse. He took Naruto's hand gently and led the boy over to the children's section.

When they walked out of the store Iruka carried a bag full of pants, shirts, underwear, socks, sheets, and a hideous orange jumpsuit that he'd argued against vehemently only to subside when Naruto had quietly said, "But if I can hide in it well enough to fool leaf ninja then I can hide well enough in plain clothes to fool anyone."

Now they were going into the ninja outfitter store. The man behind the counter looked at Iruka and smiled, "Umino-san welcome back, looking for some rope for the imps?"

Iruka chuckled, "No Rei-san I'm here to outfit Naruto-kun."

Rei looked down at the blond boy, "Uzumaki Naruto huh?"

Naruto started edging back behind Iruka when the man crouched down and smiled at him, "Well then let's get you measured young man."

Naruto looked up at Iruka, who smiled and nodded that it was okay, and stood still letting the man get his measurements with the tailor's tape. The man measured the length and circumference of Naruto's legs, torso, arms, and hands, marking the centimeters down on a little tablet. Once he finished, he ruffled Naruto's hair, chuckling as the boy smoothed his hair back down with a pout-frown.
The man went around the racks getting light body armor, body weights, metal mesh clothing, smoke bombs, letter bombs, kunai, shuriken, senbon, a few scrolls on basic jutsus, and other academy necessities. While he gathered the supplies Naruto took to looking at the weapons that were in the glass display cabinets.
A set of sais caught his attention, they were obviously custom made with blood red handles that had a pattern inlaid that reminded Naruto of fire and the metal they were made of shimmered strangely, they were beautiful and Naruto found himself longing to touch them but he knew that such incredible weapons weren't within his reach.

Iruka and Rei both noticed the boy's intense scrutiny of the sais and looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them. Rei got a pair of training sais and added them to the other equipment while Iruka paid for all the items with Kakashi's charge card. The chunin called Naruto over as Rei placed everything in a bag, "Naruto-kun how would you like Rei-san to help train you to use various weapons?"

Naruto blinked, "Won't I be learning about stuff like that from Kaka-nii and at the academy?"

"You'll learn basics at the academy and Hatake-san doesn't have a master's knowledge of many different weapons though he knows enough to be able to wield most weapons effectively."

"So Rei-san is a weapons master?"

"That's right."

"And he wants to train me?"

Rei answered, "I'd like very much to train you Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked up at the kind weapons master and smiled, "I need all the help I can get."

Rei chuckled, "Well then I'll talk to Kakashi and once you start at the academy come here every Saturday and I'll teach you how to use weapons. Do you mind if my daughter joins us?"

Naruto shook his head and Rei grinned, "Good, TenTen could use a friend other than a weapons scroll."

Iruka laughed, "Like father like daughter. Well Naruto-kun, let's get you home so we can get your sheets on your bed and all your new things put up."

"Hai, Iruka-san. Bai bai Rei-san!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Iruka and Naruto entered the apartment and Iruka blinked in surprise when he saw that there wasn't any garbage littering every surface. Naruto laughed at his flummoxed expression, "We got rid of the junk yesterday."

The chunin nodded and followed Naruto to the boy's room, taking note of the way that weapons and shinobi accessories cluttered on the tables and couch. They neatly organized Naruto's things on a metal bookshelf and made the bed with the bright blue sheets the boy had picked out. Naruto went to the bathroom while Iruka went to try and sit in the living area to wait and start on the paperwork for Naruto's entry to the academy but before he knew it he was organizing all the clutter. He just couldn't help himself, he was a very tidy person and couldn't stand being around clutter.

Naruto stood in the hallway watching Iruka for a moment before joining the brunette in beating back the clutter. From there the two decided that it had been far too long since the apartment had been given a good scrub down and Naruto went to grab the little used cleaning supplies and they got down to chasing all the dirt out.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kakashi opened his door around four pm. and quietly said, "Taidama."

His nose twitched as he smelled the telltale scent of pine and lemon. 'Why does it smell like pine and lemon?' He went to the living room and gaped at the now tidy apartment then smiled when he saw Iruka and Naruto conked out on the couch.

Iruka was slouched upright with his head flopping back and Naruto was curled up against the brunette, one hand gripping the chunin vest and Iruka's arm was draped protectively over the boy. 'Well they certainly wore themselves out.' The jonin went to the kitchen to get something to drink and ended up gawking at the green floor tiles. 'Weren't those gray yesterday? Man the floor must have been dirty.' Kakashi shook his head and got some water, rinsing the glass out and putting it back up out of respect for the two neatniks.

He grabbed a blanket from his room closet and covered the two exhausted males with it. 'I have to admit, this is cute.' Then Kakashi took out a camera, glad that it was still light out so he didn't need to use the flash, and took a couple pictures of Iruka and Naruto for both blackmail and a good memory.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well there it is the first chapter. Let me know what you think. Ja ne!