Iruka was walking home from the mission room when he saw a previously familiar figure leaning against a fence up ahead, book in hand. It had been about two weeks since the unsealing, and Tsunade had debriefed Iruka with minimum information, basically that the unsealing had been difficult but successful and that Kakashi was expected to make a full recovery. It was unclear at the time how much of the incident Kakashi would remember or when he would return to work. The shinobi rumor mill had been doing its best to fill in the gaps with worst case scenarios, everything from Kakashi going insane upon remembering twenty years of shinobi life at once, to him going missing-nin and running off to join Akatsuki. Iruka was wondering how to approach the other man when he saw Kakashi straighten up, shutting his book with one of his fingers still holding his page.

"Iruka-sensei, how good to see you again!"

"Kakashi-sensei," Iruka greeted politely, still unsure but trying to act neutrally. "How are you today?"

"I'm very well, thank you!" Kakashi said lightly, smiling under his mask. "I wanted to thank you personally for your recent help."

"Oh, ah, no need for that, Kakashi-sensei, it was no trouble at all. I'm just glad to see you fully recovered." Iruka thought he saw a slight stiffening of Kakashi's lax posture and thought maybe he had misspoke. Maybe a few weeks after such an emotional and physical trauma was too soon to use the phrase "fully recovered."

"I'm sure it was some trouble. I'm always told I was a difficult child." Kaksahi scratched the back of his head with his non-book hand. "Tsunade tells me I wasn't much better the second time around."

Iruka laughed at that. "No better and no worse than any other kid. All in a day's work."

Kakashi smiled again, and somehow it seemed more genuine this time. "I'm glad you think so."

"Do you remember any of it?" Iruka asked, not wanting to pry but wanting to give the man a chance to talk about it if he wanted to. Plus, he had to admit, he was curious.

"I do." Kakashi said, looking distant. He didn't say anything for a moment, and when he spoke his voice had lost it's usual put-on carefree tone. "It's becoming more distant, though. Foggy. Like my real memories of being that age. Then sometimes it's sharp and crisp like it just happened." Kakashi looked down, shaking his head slightly before he continued. "All of my memories are still sorting themselves out. The older memories were so vivid, like they had just happened. Emotions too. Raw, sharp, oppressive. Memories would just come, like I had to live it all over again. Like my mind had to look at each one and process it before it could file it away where it belonged. Now they're fading, taking their regular place in the back of my thoughts, I guess. But sometimes I'm still confused. And I don't think my brain knows what to do with memories made under the seal."

Iruka was silent. He hadn't been expecting such an open and honest answer and he was still processing the implications of what he had ben told when Kakashi suddenly straightened, reaching into his hip pouch and pulling out a little gift bag.

"Oh, I was wondering if you could give this to little Mai for me?"

Iruka took the bag without a word, thrown off by the sudden change in tone and topic. "Uh, sure, Kakashi-sensei. I hadn't realized you two had hit it off so well."

"Well, I didn't think she should have to wait nine more years to find out how it ends."

That was when Iruka caught a glimpse of bright orange inside the bad. Grabbing the book out of the bag, Iruka shook it in front of Kakashi's face.. "Idiot! I'm not giving a nine year old girl a book like this!"

"Hmm, afraid she lacks the maturity to appreciate it? You're probably right. You keep it then. A little something to remember you past student by. It's better than an apple, isn't it?"

And with that, Kakashi poofed out of sight, leaving Iruka by himself and holding Konoha's most easily recognized book as a group of Hyuuga clan elders approached. Iruka stuffed the book back into the bag, trying to hide the title as much as he was trying to show off the colored bag with the bow on the handle that would tell people it was a gift. Not that he wanted people thinking he enjoyed gifts like this, but it was better than them thinking that he had bought it for himself. Wasn't it? What kind of man got a book like this as a gift? Damn Kakashi! Damn that little brat!

As the group of elders passed, one of the women left the group and made her way toward Iruka. "Great, now I"m going to get lectured by an old lady for reading smut in public," Iruka thought to himself as he watched the woman make her way slowly toward him, leaning heavily on her cane. When she grabbed his sleeve he bent down so she could speak directly into his ear.

"It's all right, Iruka-sensei," the woman said softly, "We saw Kakashi give it to you. That's one of his favorite tricks, you know. He even got me with it a few years ago!" she said with a giggle that quickly devolved into a small coughing fit. Iruka dug in his bag for his water bottle, but the elder just waved it away. "Take my advice," she whispered, pulling him even closer, "read the book!"

Suddenly, Iruka was smiling as he realized Kakashi had gotten one over on him yet again. Now that he didn't have the authority of teacher-hood to help him, he had a feeling this was going to be happening more and more often. He was surprised to find that he felt up for the challenge. In fact, he was looking forward to it. He had a feeling life was going to be a little more interesting from now on.