Chapter 12

AN:/ Thanks, DrBananaFace for pointing out that the time skip in chapter 2 was jarring to the reader. I've shuffled things around and filled (a lot) more into the time line that my Naruto-kun is from, so if you're interested in any of that I suggest you go back and read it!

Now that the secret was at least, partially out of the bag, things ran a lot smoother for Naruto. Kakashi was no longer hyper-suspicious of him; he brushed most of Naruto's slip-ups on the time travel. But Naruto can tell when Kakashi's wondering just how much has changed already.

Little does Kakashi know, nothing is the same. Between Sakura's confidence and seriousness; Sasuke's loosening up and still even being in the village; and Kakashi's own willingness to teach, even something as simple as team dynamics aren't the same.

Foiling Orochimaru's invasion puts him on the defensive while pissing the man off beyond comprehension. He's going to amass his forces once again and come for them, of that there is no doubt. Konoha caught them off guard, and Sand helped betray them. They were lucky…prepared and lucky.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah, Sakura?" He replies, pulled from his thoughts.

"Geez, are you even listening?" He thinks for a moment, she'd been talking about her missions since they were split up for rebuilding. She'd had to repaint an entire house by herself.

"It's good endurance training." Naruto says, flashing a smile. "I'll bet you can throw a kunai even better than before."

"I guess you're right. What'd you have to do?"

"Manual labor. Shadow clones are great for that. We rebuilt a whole house in a day!"

"That's impressive." Sasuke mutters. "I had to baby-sit with Kakashi-sensei."

"How'd that go, sensei?" Naruto asks withholding a cackle. 'Copy-nin Kakashi babysitting a real child and not his Genin? That's rich!'

"It was fine." He replies through gritted teeth. "Wasn't it, Sasuke-kun?"

"Yeah, until the 9 month old puked all over Sensei's face. Luckily his mask was there to catch it." The trio of Genin laughs.

"Yo, Naruto-kun."

"Jiraiya-sama," he greets, standing from his spot on the forest floor.

"Let's go."

"He approved?"

"Yeah, says he's getting too old for the job."

"Alright! Give me a few to pack."

"Where do you think you're going?" Kakashi asks, glaring at the Toad Sage.

"To find the Godaime!" Naruto disappears in a whirlwind of leaves.

"Jiraiya-san, can I have a word?" Kakashi stands and gestures away from his students. Jiraiya nods. "What are your intentions towards my student?" He asks stiffly, Jiraiya blinks in surprise.

'Naruto wasn't kidding when he said the man was overprotective this time around. Wow. It's such a Vast change…and he still doesn't know Naruto is Minato's son…' "I will be taking him to find Tsunade. She is to become the next Hokage."

"You know very well that that's not what I mean." After a few beats of silence, Kakashi sighs and adds, "do you intend to train him?"

"If that's what he wants. Are you jealous?"

"I know if you intend to apprentice him, I will stand no chance. I may be a renowned Jounin, but I'm no Sanin…"

"Then you'd better convince him." Jiraiya says before walking off.

"Take team 7 with you." Kakashi blurts, trying to stall the man.

"What?" 'That's not what I meant!'

"Take us with you."

"Why would I do that?"

"Sasuke-kun will think Naruto-kun's getting preferential treatment. His jealousy is a liability to Konoha, is it not? I've received orders about him too."

"And yours isn't?" Kakashi's silence speaks for him. "If the Hokage approves…" Jiraiya concedes. 'Man, the brat is going to kill me…'

"I will ask him." Kakashi disappears.

With Naruto ten minutes later…

"What the hell is this, Ero-baka?" Naruto asks as they slowly approach the gates. "I thought I'd be able to let my guard down, at least a little. Now I have to keep up the act, man this is going to suck. Royally." His team is standing at the gates, waiting for them.

"Sorry, kid. Kakashi insisted and the Hokage caved." Naruto sighs.

"Let's get this started then." Naruto pulls up his happy mask. "Yo! Awesome! Jiraiya-sama! You didn't tell me the team was coming too!"

"Well, Naruto-kun, the Hokage just approved it."

"It'll be nice to get out of the village." Sakura says with a smile.

Later with Naruto and Jiraiya…

"Okay, Ero-baka. Spill. What's the deal between you and Kakashi?"

"You really weren't kidding about him being protective of you."

"How's that answer my question?"

"Read between the lines, brat. He's worried I'll steal you away from him."

"But you have next to nothing left to teach me."

"He doesn't know that…"

"So you're antagonizing him by pretending to attempt to…seduce me into being your student? He'll probably end up with heart failure or high blood pressure if you keep this up!"

"It's partially your fault too, brat."

"How so?"

"By showing me so much respect."

"So what? Calling you Jiraiya-sama's a bad thing now?" Jiraiya chuckles.

"It's really strange to hear you call me that." Naruto joins him, snorting laughter.

"It's really weird to call you that, Ero-baka…When do you think we'll find her?"

"I'd give it another day or so…"

"Uhhhnnn…It's taking longer than last time."

"She doesn't have Orochimaru pressuring her into healing him."

"Which is a good thing." Naruto reminds himself.

"That it is." Naruto's leaning against Jiraiya's side, snuggled up like a boy with his grandfather. All is quite for a moment and Naruto let's out a yawn.

"I miss her…"

"Me too, brat, me too…" Jiraiya mutters back, sketching away in his notebook.

With Team 7…

"Has anyone seen Naruto-kun?" Kakashi asks, leaning back on a tree while Sakura attempts to get a fire going. Sasuke emerges from the forest a bundle of sticks in his arms.

"He's in the next clearing over with Jiraiya-san getting all cuddly. He looked about ready to fall asleep when I walked by a few minutes ago."

"What?!" Kakashi asks, jolting up. His students share a confused glance.

"What's wrong Kakashi-sensei? Is Jiraiya-san not to be trusted?" Sakura asks, getting that vibe from her teacher.

"What? Oh-no…" Kakashi thinks for a moment. "I…think Jiraiya-san is trying to get Naruto-kun to leave team 7."

"What?!" Sakura cries, outraged. "He can't do that! We're a three-man cell for a reason!"

"I know, but I don't know if Naruto-kun realizes how big a part of this team he is."

"It wouldn't be team 7 without Naruto…" Sasuke mutters, "if even one of us were to leave…we wouldn't be team 7."

"I know that, and you know that but Naruto-kun's been ignored most of his life…it's hard for him to find acceptance…and we've got our own dynamics and ways of demonstrating, that he may not pick up on."

"We'll just have to let him know he can't leave!" Sakura demands, looking at her teammates."

"Yeah." Sasuke agrees.

"I'm really proud of you both." Kakashi replies, relaxing back onto the tree.

"When dinner's done we'll break them up and keep it that way."

"I think that might be going too far."

"Look sensei, Naruto's important to us too! He cant just…leave!"

"And I understand that, but we can't just smother him till he understands."

"Why not?"

"It'll drive him away. We've got to be more subtle…underneath the underneath."

"Right. We're ninja aren't we? Subtlety is our middle name!"

Later with Naruto…

"Hey guys, dinner's ready." Sakura says walking into the clearing Naruto is curled up on his side, his weight clearly all on the older man. Her eyes narrow. Jiraiya glances up from his sketching. She thinks it's a picture of a lady and Naruto, but she's too far away to make it out before he closes the notebook.

"Wake up brat." He whispers, gently shoving Naruto aside. He mutters something incoherent in response as he rolls over to his other side. "Sakura-chan says dinner's ready." That gets a better response from the blond.

"Don't joke, Ero-baka." He replies voice hoarse with sleep and anger.

"Don't be rude, brat. She's right here." Naruto blinks looking to where the old man is pointing.

"Oh, hey Sakura-chan."

"Hey Naruto…dinner's ready…if you're hungry…"

"Oh yeah! Totally!" Suddenly he's on his feet walking back to their camping spot leaving Sakura and Jiraiya to stare at each other blankly.

"Why'd he think-"

"You're a good person, Sakura-chan."

"I-thank you, Jiraiya-sama." The compliment startles her into forgetting her question.

"What's for dinner?"

"We made fish…"

"Sounds delicious." He says following Naruto's path. Sakura stares for a moment, completely confused before she follows the boys back to camp, pondering the interaction.

Dinner is an awkward affair. Naruto still seems groggy from his sleep, so his speech is mostly short and to the point, setting everyone but Jiraiya off balance. The non-groggy part of team 7 wonders at just now normal Naruto's enthusiasm is to them, until Jiraiya's fed up with the uneasiness of it al.

"Oi, Gaki."

"Hmm? What's it Jiraiya-sama?"

"D'you want some ramen?"

"We have ramen? Why am I eating fish then? Of course I want ramen! What flavors did you bring? Ohh I hope you brought miso! But chicken would be good too…what about beef?"

"You can have two now. Pick your flavors."

"Only two? Ohh man…what to choose. Miso definitely…and oriental?"

"Alright."

"Oh no! Not oriental, shrimp!"

"Ha why do I bother bringing anything else?"

"Cause you know when I'm done with these I'll want two more?"

"I could guess as much." The tension in the air breaks as Naruto slurps down two, then four, then six, bowls of instant ramen, each a different flavor.

"Ahh, that hit the spot!" Naruto sighs after a burp, flopping back onto the ground.

"Let's do some sparing and set up the rotation for watch tonight."

AN:/ Thanks for all the RevFolFav! It really motivates me into doing this quickly! Anyway, as always, let me know if anything looks/sounds strange!