Hey! I'm alive! School has been a beech. I can't get anything done! Sigh, well, I was recently taught how to write better. shock! Heh, sorry for the long wait…

Okay. I know I put the recent month in December. But let's just pretend all of them were soooo busy, time past and it's now January! Hehehe….yeah….

Anyway, here is the next chapter! (Finally!)

I do not own Naruto.

OOOO

Chapter 10: A New Season

Team 7 trudged through the mud as they finished their mission of "Collect frogs and put them in buckets". As easy as it sounds, it's not. Especially not when all the frogs were as big as your head, or when you finally catch one, they tip the bucket over and hop back to the mud again. Nope. Not easy.

Naruto was the first to make it out of the mud. His day-glow orange outfit were now a yucky brown up to his chest. (Mostly from diving for the darn frogs in the first place. And having a mud fight with Sasuke.) Sakura would snicker at this, if her legs weren't covered in the wet dirt. Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and acted as if nothing were wrong. Though thinking: 'Fucking Naruto. He got mud down my shorts.'

Kakashi, being Kakashi, came out of the mud smiling. The three genin glared at him as he took off the mud covered plastic protecting his pants from dirtiness. He reached into his pocket and fished out the mission scroll.

"Okay, mission complete." He smiled at his students. "I think you should go take a shower after we turn this in." They all groaned but followed the jounin to the mission room.

OOOO

Iruka mentally twitched as team 7 came in. Lead by the jounin sensei, were three miserable looking teens. Three dirty, miserable, tired, and pissy, looking teens.

"Thank you for turning this one in…acceptable condition Kakashi." Iruka said as he looked over the squashed and muddy scroll. Kakashi scratched his head and chuckled.

"Iruka-sensei, I want-no I demand ramen for our hard work!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke and Sakura both hit Naruto on the head.

"It's not a good time to be thinking about ramen when we're covered in mud Naruto!" Sakura yelled.

Naruto rubbed his head and looked up at her. "But ramen makes everything better!"

Sasuke muttered a "stupid" before Naruto started yelling again.

Kakashi ignored the team he was supposed to be responsible for, and focused on Iruka. This was the day. The day he would ask Iruka out on a date. Disguised cleverly as a friendly outing, as Genma told him.

"Kakashi. You need to act cool. And just say something like, "Hey Iruka. It's been a long day. And I was wondering if you'd like to get a bite to eat." Genma nodded, agreeing with himself.

"And don't push it," Asuma added "If you do he'll feel awkward and he just might turn that down."

"Okay. Cool, but not pushy. Got it."

Kakashi took a deep breath and started. "Iruka?"

Iruka looked up. "Yeah?"

"Uhh…er...I was going to treat the kids to something to eat. If you'd like you could…"

Iruka smiled. "Sure. Just let me sign out."

Kakashi nodded. 'I did it!' He turned to find Blue, Pink, and Orange staring at him as if he had a ninja turtle suit on. Naruto was the first to say something as always.

"K- Kakashi-sensei is going to treat us to food?"

"Sensei? Are you okay? That's…nice!" Sakura twitched. Those words were not meant to be said to her sensei. Things like "pervert" Or "bastard" were more like it.

"Yeah? So what?" Kakashi pouted.

"Hey Kakashi!" Genma entered the room cheerfully, winking as he saw Iruka sign out.

Iruka called Genma over as soon as he saw him. "Genma-san, I'm glad you're here. I'm going to be out with team seven, could you take over for me?"

Genma face was stuck with the same cheerful smile he came in with. "You mean…all of them? The kids too?"

Iruka nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry, if this is a bad time for you I cou-"

Genma recovered. "Oh, it's alright. I was just thinking how much that would cost with a teacher's salary."

"Oh no. Kakashi's going to pay." Iruka grinned. Kakashi definitely heard that one and twitched. Genma laughed and shooed Iruka offwiththe team. As they left Genma quickly ran up to Kakashi.

"You were supposed to ask just Iruka! Not all of those kids!"

"Yeah, I kinda screwed that up, huh?"

OOOO

Kakashi, being Kakashi, had no idea where to take them. Four out of five voted "not ramen", leaving Kakashi the only one who voted for the cheap stuff (Naruto was forced by Sakura and Iruka to raise his hand), and with a feeling of his wallet becoming as light as a cloud.

So they settled for a very, very fancy restaurant. ( Very, very, very fancy to Kakashi's dismay.) They found a booth close to a window. They sat: Iruka, Naruto, and Sakura on one side, (Iruka next to the window.) Kakashi and Sasuke on the other. ( Kakashi across from Iruka.)

"Wow, this is fancy." Naruto rubbed in Kakashi's face. Iruka held in a laugh, thankful that he didn't have to pay. Sasuke and Sakura were also glad that they didn't have to pay.

A waiter came up to them wearing a fancy monkey suit. "What would you like to order today? Sirs, Madam?" The monkey suit guy swiftly took out his pen and little notepad thingy.

"I would like the three cheese enchiladas, and a Diet Pepsi." Sasuke replied quickly using his ninja skills.

Everyone stared at him and wondered what the hell enchiladas were. The waiter jotted it down swiftly and them stared at them with waiting eyes. Sakura gave in first and ordered the first thing she saw on the menu.

"I'll have the Cesar Salad. And some tea." Naruto took one last glance at the menu and smiled evilly to Kakashi.

"I'll have the Lobster Special with the clam chowder soup. And a …Dr. Pepper." The waiter nodded. "Fine choice sir." And he wrote it down with writing speed.

Kakashi glared at Naruto with every fiber of his being, secretly swearing to kill him later. He glanced over to Iruka who already had his order ready.

"I'll get the Fried Catfish. With water." Kakashi sighed, now he has to dig up those "Life Savings."

"I'll just have water." The waiter nodded and left them, mumbling "cheapskate" as he left.

"Hey, a fancy place like this should do something if it's someone's birthday." Naruto grinned. Kakashi's glare was akin to the ones he would give to the people he was assigned to kill.

However, Kakashi's attention was on Iruka when the other man squirmed under in his seat.

"What's the matter Iruka?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing…it's just…nothing." Iruka mumbled.

Needing a topic to ward the silence away, Kakashi asked the first question that came to mind.

"Ah, er… so Iruka, what kind of animal do you like?" That's right. Play it cool.

"I like dogs." Iruka blushed.

Really? I have a bunch of those! "Me too."

"I don't like dolphins." Iruka made a face and looked away from Kakashi.

Sakura over heard and gasped. "But Iruka-sensei! Dolphins are so cute!"

Iruka blushed. "That's why! When I was smaller I would always so embarrassed to swim! The other kids would say 'Look a dolphin!' or 'I'm gonna catch it!' "

They all held in giggles. And Iruka went on, "Though, they stopped teasing after I'd put Super Glue on their chairs." He grinned.

Then the food came.

OOOO

Dinner was eaten, Naruto was hit about five times for being rude, the tables near them left early because of the noise, and when having to deal with the bill; Kakashi forgot all about a happy retirement.

The whole gang, who old people would dub "hooligans", walked the streets to their respected homes. Naruto and Sasuke walked home in their direction and Sakura hers. Kakashi was left with Iruka walking west. The sun was just going down, making the sky a red/orange color that burned with disgusting beauty.

And Kakashi, being the Kakashi that I make him in this fan-fic, did not notice the perfectly romantic atmosphere.

"Your missions are getting more challenging." Iruka started, "it's good seeing them grow."

Kakashi smiled (supposedly). "You know them. It's all about 'dreams' in that team." They both chuckled.

"I guess so, but I can't help but worry about them. They just grew on me. Those leaches."

Kakashi heard hints of sadness in there. "Don't worry. If anything happens to them, I'll tell you A.S.A.P."

Iruka smiled back. "You have my phone number?"

Phone number?

"Ah…I don't think so." The scarecrow scratched his head.

Iruka reached into his pockets and too out a torn piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled his phone number down quickly and gave the paper to Kakashi.

"Ah, thanks." Kakashi placed the paper in his favorite pocket (the left one) to keep it safe. "Erm, I don't have a phone in my apartment, but the front office has a phone." He said nervously.

"It's okay. I'll be sure to get you one when I can." Iruka smiled.

The two walked further into the sunset, complaining about the sun in their eyes, and soon parted for the day. Kakashi held the piece of paper, reading it over and over again.

OOOOOO

(I had to contain myself from writing "Holla'!")

….O…My….God….

I'M DONE! Sorry to make you guys wait so long! School never gives me a break! Wahh!

Did you notice the difference in the writing? School actually works!

Okay, next chapter shall have a new character! Yay!

Next Chapter: Pro-pros and Dinner Plans

Jan ne you peoples!