Quietly


The sexiest thing about men is how they are with kids

-Pamela Anderson

~xXx~

It's a comfortable thing coming to Ichiraku's these days. The man behind the counter was almost as familiar as his sensei had been, he knew the right way to greet, talk and not talk to Kakashi. As he walked up to the place, Kakashi noticed a curious little blond staring wide-eyed at the eatery. The kid couldn't be more than three or four (four more likely, if he was who the jonin thought he was). What worried him was the fact that he was there all alone. Shouldn't he be at an orphanage? Or at least with an adult?

Seeing him stick a hand in his mouth, the teenager heard the little boy's stomach rumble. Obviously someone was not taking care of him. Or at least they weren't doing a very good job of it. The jonin knew he should turn away, he'd been ordered to keep contact to a minimal. The blond was not his problem unless he was assigned to him ;but...Kakashi wanted to ask him so many things. Where he stayed. Who took care of him. If anyone cared that he was alone right now. If he had friends. If he was happy.

With bare feet, a dirty face and rumbling stomach; the jonin didn't think he could be.

Ripping his gaze away from the boy, Kakashi noticed how Ayame's father kept awkwardly glancing at the boy and then the street around them. Like he was looking for the woman or man the blond should belong to. There wasn't one, of course. In his searching, Teuchi spotted Kakashi. He grinned nervously;

"Kakashi!" He called.

The teenager approached in silence, taking a seat he sighed; "How are you today sir?"

"We've known each other long enough, call me Teuchi kid." And they were on comfortable ground. They talk about inane things for a few minutes, in those minutes, the tiny boy doesn't move.

Clearing his throat, Kakashi questioned; "How long has he been standing there?"

"Twenty minutes?" But he seems to be hedging, Kakashi was willing to be it had been closer to thirty.

Sighing, the jonin swerved around and crinkled his lone eye at the kid. "Are you hungry?" He demanded. Blue eyes widen, mouth dropping open in dumb silence. Reaching down, the teenager tapped the little mouth close with a knuckle. "Well?" Kakashi insisted.

A shy nod was his answer.

"That won't do," Kakashi declared; grabbing the blond under his arms, he swung him up on to the stool next to him. Turning to Ayame's father, he said; "Two bowls of ramen please."

"Are you sure kid?"

The teenager rested his chin on his fist. "Please Teuchi sir, I can't just sit by and-"

"Looks a lot like that other blond you used to come here with," The man remarked a sad sort of look on his face. He looked away then, preparing the dishes Kakashi asked for.

Once done, he put one in front of the boy and Kakashi. The little blond didn't seem to know what to do, so Kakashi, with exaggerated gestures, instructed the boy how to eat his Ramen.

"Yum!" Kakashi half-praised as he made great show of eating some of the Ramen.

Immediately, the boy copied him. The first grin he'd ever seen on the boy split across his face like a ray of sun. "Yummy!" He parroted.

The teenager and the man chuckle a little as exuberance overtakes the boy. Plopping down some money, Kakashi got up. "Is Ayame in back?" He inquired.

"I'm right here.." A soft voice called from the back of the little room.

The jonin's gaze snapped to her.

"How long have you been there?" He asked.

She smiled. "Not too long," she replied.

Kakashi looked pleadingly to Teuchi. "He's on my tab from now on-or at least until he can pay for things himself."

"Sure kid," he agreed as he took away the teenager's bowl.

"Ready to go Ayame?"

The girl nodded. "Let me grab my-"

"Going?" The blond whispered softly.

Kakashi crouched so he was eye level with the blond sitting on the stool. "Sorry kiddo, but I have plans..."

He pouted.

"Tell you what, next time you come by; Teuchi will have a present from me to go with your ramen. Your Birthday was about a week ago, right?"

A sunny smile breaks out once more. "Bye shinobi! Thank you!"

Curving his eye, Kakashi felt Ayame take his hand as he waved goodbye. "Have a good day kid!"

With one last wave, the child went back to his lunch as Teuchi began puttering with some pots and pans.

Ayame tugged at him a little more. "You promised me a stroll in the park after you got back from the last mission you were on! I don't care if it's fall now!"

"Alright, alright!" The jonin sighed as he was dragged off.


Under the sun's peaking light, Ayame looked up at Kakashi with a strange smile.

"You were very good with him."

The teenager sighed. "I failed a genin team the other day, you know."

She laughed. "Oh don't try and cover it up! You could be an excellent teacher...father too."

"I don't want to be either."

Her dark eyes twinkling, Ayame rested her head on Kakashi's arm. "Of course you don't!" She giggled.

At a loss, Kakashi insisted. "Really, I don't."

"Whatever you say 'kashi!"

Somehow, the ninja felt he was only proving the girl's point.


So, not so Ayame and Kakashi focused; but it certainly explored some things, right? And YLCourt, I'm totally using your prompts in the next chapter(s) either I'll combine them or have them in happen in two consecutive chapters. Sorry it's taking a little bit!

And guys, you can totally offer ideas and prompts; otherwise I think this fic will be over a lot quicker than you expect ;p

To reviewers, YLCourt, The Goliath Beetle and Harvestangel99; thanks so, so much guys! And as I've said before, reviewer twenty-one will be getting a one-shot as a prize (if they haven't won one previously).

Thank you for reading, please review!

P.S. check out the poll on my page, the question being: How enticed are you to review if a prize is offered for being the so and so reviewer? I'm really curious to see what the answer will be (I'm sure some of you authors are curious too).