Grandiose

Kakashi slouched against the building wall, wondering why he ever agreed to attend the grandiose summer night festival. Milling within the crowd were Obito and Rin, both enjoying the time off. And as he stood there much like a conspicuous wall flower, he spotted a familiar blond crown swimming against the darker shades of hair.

"Hey, Kakashi."

It was Minato-sensei.

The Yellow Flash, now standing in front of him, smiled and proffered the food in his hands. "Try the squid."

"Calamari."

"What?"

Upturning his nose, he frowned at the amount of oil dripping into the paper basket. Kakashi reiterated, "It's referred to as calamari."

"Ah."

They both held their tongues then but Minato's smile gradually widened with secret amusement. Kakashi, noticing the reaction, could only scowl darkly.

Arms crossed, he asked prickly, "Well?"

Minato repeated, "Well."

"What is it, sensei?"

Azure eyes brightened perceptibly. Cheerful, Minato offered once more, "Squid, Kakashi-kun? Trust me, it's really good."

...

"Sometimes," thought Kakashi as he took the calamari skewer out of his mouth – a skewer that was shoved down his throat by an overzealous blond leader, "Sometimes, Minato-sensei's worse than Obito."

--

Herd

Minato stood stolidly with his new student. They waited patiently as their reverent Sandaime Hokage sorted through the multiple scrolls littering the desk. After a battle with the towering piles of missives, the elder shinobi unfurled the proper scroll and read out the contents. Minato's facial expression gave none of his internal thoughts away when he heard that their first mission was to herd...sheep.

Their assignment was easily a success. And when they came back from the farm that housed a hard working man, his genteel wife, and herds of affectionate sheep, Minato felt that it was only right to treat the boy to dinner.

Serious little Kakashi declined, and with solemn grey eyes and a dignified voice, he explained that he had to go home and take a bath.

Minato nodded, equally respectful, and waved him off, watching as the five-year-old trekked mud and filth on the stone-paved road.

The newly minted jounin instructor bit his lower lip, suppressing a smile. In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't such a great idea after all to accidentally push the kid into a mud sty.

It certainly didn't help much in breaking the ice.