TH: Next drabble. I love these two characters! Please read and review. And if you see any spelling errors or anything, please point them out.
Ravel, Unravel
.II.
"Kakashi-senpai," Itachi said, causing the older shinobi to turn with an inquiringly quirked eyebrow. The Uchiha met Kakashi's one visible eye and asked politely: "Could I have a moment of your time?"
"Sure," Kakashi replied, eye creasing with an amiable smile. He stuck his hands in his pockets and slouched. "What's up?"
Having worked with Kakashi for the last three years, Itachi knew that this blasé behavior was a façade that Kakashi put up when he was wary and trying to act unremarkable and oblivious. Something in Itachi's voice or expression must have given away the solemnity of his request. Itachi gave his senpai a small, wry look. "Perhaps somewhere less crowded would be better."
Kakashi shrugged. "Lead the way, Itachi-san."
Itachi led them to the apartment he shared with his mother and brother, and into the small sitting room that was adjoined to the kitchen. Itachi's mother and brother were out for the day, Mikoto being a teacher at the Academy and Sasuke a student. The apartment was quiet, and empty of anyone who would overhear their discussion. They sat facing each other, and for a while didn't speak. Itachi traced the lines of the tatami mats on the floor with his eyes, a distant look in them, a crease in his brow. Kakashi gazed laconically about the room, patiently waiting until…
"Senpai, can I ask you a favor?"
Kakashi lazily rolled his eye to Itachi, and let the look speak for him.
"You probably already know that I have been tutoring my brother, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto in ninjutsu and taijutsu…" He should; it wasn't exactly a secret, even though Itachi didn't hold any official teaching position. Kakashi nodded once. "I won't be able to continue those lessons. Hokage-sama has sent me on a long-term mission outside of the Village."
Kakashi shifted fully to face Itachi, what little could be seen of his face twisting into an incredulous expression. "And, what? You want me to fill in for you? Tutor them?"
"Not quite," Itachi replied. He paused. "My brother is ten; in a couple years he and his friends will be graduating the Academy. The favor I wish to ask of you is for you to become their Genin Team leader."
For a moment, it seemed that Kakashi was struck dumb. His grey eye was wide and stared unblinkingly at the Uchiha prodigy. "You… want me to… be their Jounin instructor?"
"Yes."
"That's quite a favor. You can't even be sure they'll be on the same Team. The way the Teams are picked… after your tutoring them, I'm sure their positions in the class rankings won't be such that they'll be placed on the same Team. Unless you bias the… ah." And here Kakashi's visible eye narrowed shrewdly. "You've persuaded the Hokage to keep the three of them together, haven't you?"
Itachi blinked placidly, which was all the response Kakashi needed. He shook his head. "On top of that, I'm an ANBU captain. They don't give Genin Teams to ANBU. Not to mention I'd make a terrible teacher."
"You may not be as bad as you think," Itachi told him, which stopped Kakashi short. The last Hatake gave Itachi a sharp look.
Kakashi was one of the four people in Konoha that knew that the Uchiha Itachi that lived in the fourteen-year-old's body was in fact an older version of Itachi that had traveled back in time from a point years in the future. This older Itachi, in his younger-self's body, had divulged some astonishing information as to the potential events that could occur in the future. The current peace Konoha was enjoying was in part thanks to the Uchiha's efforts to avoid the dismal future that had awaited the Village, and thanks to his information, they were also forewarned against looming disasters.
Knowing the younger shinobi's situation made Kakashi very wary of the tone of Itachi's voice just then.
"You have got to be kidding me," Kakashi said flatly.
"I believe I know what you are thinking, and yes, it's true," Itachi said. He sounded almost amused. "You were their sensei in the other-past. You quit the ANBU before they graduated, and then the Hokage gave them to you as Team Seven. As a teacher, you weren't so bad. Even though circumstances conspired against you and your Team."
Kakashi sighed. "Even if I didn't fail at being a Jounin instructor in your 'other-past' as you call it, that doesn't mean I won't fail this time around. You admitted yourself that your actions here have changed things. Maybe this is one of them."
"I have faith in you," Itachi replied simply. Kakashi sighed again.
"I expect you told the Hokage about the possibility of my taking them on?" he asked in resignation.
"Yes."
Kakashi tipped his head back and considered the ceiling. "Why me?"
"They will need someone of your caliber to teach them."
"Oh?" Kakashi arched his visible eyebrow. "You're not getting ahead of yourself there, are you?"
"They may seem to be normal Academy students, although somewhat on the higher-end of the talent scale, but they learn very quickly, and have great determination and potential. They were taught by the Sannin, in the other-past. They need someone like you to challenge them, to keep them from stagnating," Itachi said.
"Hm," Kakashi said, sounding intrigued for the first time.
"As well… You and they are a good combination. You have the Sharingan yourself, so you could help Sasuke with it. You have copied several basic medical jutsu over the years, and so can help Sakura out in that regard. And Naruto… well, I think you know how much he could benefit from learning from someone who'd been taught by his father."
Kakashi glanced at Itachi and said mildly: "Careful what you say; that was close to breaking the Law."
Itachi returned the mild look. "There's no one here. And I believe he has a right to know, in any case."
"You may be right." Kakashi ran his thumb over the knuckles of one of his hands. "Alright. If the Hokage also thinks this is a good idea, then I suppose I will bow to the inevitable and become a sensei."
"Thank you, Kakashi-senpai."
Kakashi rose to his feet and stuck his hands in his pockets. "You said that in the other-past they were taught by the Sannin. Does that mean one was taught by Orochimaru?"
"You know I can't answer that," Itachi replied quietly.
"Hm," Kakashi said again. "Just tell me if it will be a problem again this time around."
"It won't be," Itachi said firmly. Kakashi accepted that, turning to go. He took a couple steps toward the door before he paused and said over his shoulder:
"Good luck on your mission." The unasked question was obvious. What is taking you away from the Village for so long?
"Thank you," was Itachi's only reply. I can't answer that, either.
Kakashi nodded once in understanding and then left the apartment, lifting one hand in farewell.