A/N: Thank you for all those positive reviews! I wasn't expecting so many—or any at all, considering my record in the Naruto fandom xD. As you can see, I have decided to continue with this fic as a collection of one-shots. Before I begin, I'd like to get some things out of the way.

NUMBER ONE: This is a random collection of one-shots revolving around the relationship between Kakashi and Kushina. You shall find other members of Kakashi's childhood, like Minato, Rin, Obito and the others, but it shall mainly focus on Kushina stepping in as a sort of surrogate mother for Kakashi. This is a situation I've imagined for a while now. Kakashi idolised Minato, and Kushina was there for a large extent of Minato's life. It only makes sense that she and Kakashi had some form of relationship.

NUMBER TWO: There is no defined order. I'm going to keep jumping through the timeline. Treat each one-shot as an individual piece and not as a chapter or a continuation of some sort.

NUMBER THREE: I shall use past tense and present tense variably with each one-shot. As stated in point 3, these are individual one-shots just compiled together. So chapter 1 was present tense, but chapter 2 could be past tense. It doesn't matter.

NUMBER FOUR: There will be no set target or goal. I'll keep writing this as long as the plot bunny exists.

NUMBER FIVE:Most importantly, I can't do it with you guys! I'm relying on my awesome readers for prompts or ideas.

Thank you for your interest in this fic. Let us begin!


What in the world were those stinky, smelly things? They looked soggy, unappetizing and tasted a whole lot worse. But there they were, sitting there imploringly on the plate. Kakashi made a face. He was only five-years-old. What five-year-old liked vegetables?

At this age, Kakashi was already a genin. A relatively new one. Hell, this had only been his third week as an Academy graduate, but so far, he was liking it. His yolk-haired sensei was nice enough, and definitely very powerful. Kakashi had heard many things from his father about Konoha's Yellow Flash, and the child was excited to have the man all to himself. No teammates. Kakashi was just too young and his older comrades would treat him so. It would be bad for his development. That was the logic behind bending the rules and training him solo.

His father knew Jiraya-sama, and Minato-sensei was Jiraya-sama's student, so his father knew the Yellow Flash personally. That's why his father didn't mind when Kakashi sometimes went over to sensei's house after training for a nice lunch.

Usually, lunch was ramen. Kushina-san, Minato-sensei's—hehe, girlfriend—loved ramen and knew how to make it really well. He had heard that she was an exceptional shinobi herself. Well, she had the temper of one. Anyway, today, she placed a suspicious assortment of food on the table.

"I was experimenting with this new recipe," she explained cheerfully. Some sort of vegetable thing. Kakashi was too put off by it. Kushina-san served him first, then sensei and then herself, all the while chatting about the antics of the genin squad she was in charge of.

Kakashi listened with not a trace of interest. He couldn't help but think that they were nothing more than a bunch of losers who couldn't quite throw a kunai straight. His attention increased when Minato mentioned a new jutsu Kakashi had learnt and how easily the little Hatake had mastered it. Kushina-san grinned at him and ruffled his silver hair in a way that embarrassed him.

A handful of minutes passed like that, like uncooked rice slipping out of a palm. Kakashi listened to the conversation with interest, added his input, commented upon the state of affairs of the shinobi world—something he knew better than most jonin—and then he found Kushina-san giving him a look.

"'Kashi-chan, you haven't touched your food."

Kakashi suddenly felt the urge to escape. He bit his uncovered lip. (He wasn't wearing a mask—he wouldn't do that until much later, not until his father's disastrous mission.) Slowly, he said, "I'm not hungry."

"Why?" Kushina asked, narrowing her eyes. Beside her, Minato gave his student a look of warning.

"…I ate a heavy breakfast…" Kakashi felt like he was physically shrinking under her withering glare. She wasn't buying a single word he was speaking and the little Hatake knew it.

"Kakashi," she said coldly, "Eat your vegetables."

Five-year-old Kakashi Hatake, whose skin was blanched white with fear by now, sat up in attention and said a muffled, "Hai, Kushina-san!" before stabbing a tomato with his chopsticks and shoving it down his throat.

The next day, a new kind of dish was placed on the table.

"What is it?" Kakashi asked, staring at the bowl of soup in front of it. There was something mushy floating in it. (Kakashi was reminded of dead rats, for some reason.)

"Miso soup with eggplant," Kushina replied.

"I…" the Hatake swallowed slowly. "I don't like eggplants."

"EAT. YOUR. VEGETABLES!"

Kakashi jumped three feet into the air, Minato muttered a soft, "Oh dear!" and Kushina's hair flew in nine separate bunches like the Kyuubi's tails.

Sufficiently traumatised, the five-year-old drank his miso soup in one gulp. Then he realised that made this way, eggplants were delicious.


A/N: What do you think? I know it's short…not even 1000 words! I'll try to do better next time.

Just a reminder: PROMPTS, PEOPLE! I NEED PROMPTS!

Thanks for reading. Please review! :D