"Lunch?"
" Yes ."
"And extra pencils. And a pen?"
"Did you walk the dog?"
"Yeah I think he's off eating one of my slippers. Did you close the bathroom door?"
"Uhuh. Did you remember your lunch?"
"I'll have coffee for lunch."
Naruto paused and looked up from the couch where he was stuffing a computer bag to half heartedly glare at Kakashi. Kakashi was trying to get his hair into presentable shape using the reflection of the microwave, and didn't notice until several seconds of silence passed. He sighed when he noticed Naruto looking at him.
"I'll grab a snack from the Seven-Eleven across the street."
"Why do we buy food when you eat like this?"
Kakashi walked around the counter to join Naruto at the couch. "You eat too much Ramen."
"You eat too much take out."
Kakashi wrapped him in a hug to end the argument (and because it was cold) and spent the rest of the morning on the couch until Naruto was ready to go.
"You don't have to drop me off," Naruto said as they headed to the car. Kakashi had eventually broken the Camry, much to Naruto's dismay, and they loaded their bags into the red minivan instead. Naruto waved to Chiyo as they passed in the halls, and Kakashi scowled when the old woman waved back with the utmost pleasant smile.
"I don't know why she likes you," he said as he buckled into the driver's seat.
"Jealous isn't a good look on you, Kakashi."
Naruto grinned and Kakashi sighed and they pulled out and started their day the same way they had for the last three months.
As he drove them towards the community school on the far side of town, Kakashi found himself looking over at Naruto in between checking the morning rush hour traffic. Naruto for his part was listening to music, completely oblivious to the thoughts running through Kakashi's head.
Ten days. Naruto had stayed almost ten days in a row now.
How many days would Naruto have to stay before it would be okay to ask him to move in?
After dropping Naruto Kakashi drove back across town to the local high school.
He parked out front, waved to some of his students has he headed to his classroom. He passed Asuma in the hall, and had to stand by and watch Izumo's homeroom for a few minutes while the man used the restroom.
When he arrived at his classroom he gratefully took a seat at his desk. First period was a free period and he was behind on grading.
Kakashi had spend the summer job searching and trying to get his certification at the urging of Naruto, and Naruto's old high school math teacher Iruka. After being thoroughly hostile to him, Iruka eventually warmed up to the idea of Kakashi. And Kakashi suspected that was in no small part due to something Naruto had done though he didn't know what.
Eventually the first students of second period began to trickle in, and Kakashi had to put aside his AP class' tests for later.
Now, it was time for a pop quiz.
Teacher's were a very different bunch from insurance agents, Kakashi thought while he tried not to look bored out of his mind. 3:30 in the break room and he was cornered by Kurenai before he could run for the door.
" Happy birthday to you~"
Someone, probably Izumo, offered a weak 'cha cha cha' while Kurenai and several of the female teachers (plus Asuma) serenaded him. Kurenai pulled a cake from the break room fridge as they finished, and Kakashi fished out his phone to snap a photo. For Naruto. Obviously.
"Thank you," he said to his coworkers, as they finished the half hearted song.
Asuma waved him over and he quite unwillingly took a seat beside him and his wife Kurenai while people started grabbing for cake.
Asuma was a tall, tan man with a charming smile, who taught ninth graders proper English, and gave extra credit to kids who could solve his riddles on the back of their tests. He was, unanimously, voted best teacher every year.
"You might give me a run for my money," Asuma told him, his first day there.
"I doubt it." Kakashi replied.
Asuma's wife, heavily pregnant with their second kid, was Kurenai. She taught math, and was probably the teacher all the boys drooled over but Kakashi tried to ignore that. The worst part of teaching high school was all the raging hormones, honestly.
Kurenai, however, was a sweet if strict teacher, and Kakashi knew better than to cross her and accepted the cake she offered graciously.
"You didn't have to do this," he told her.
"Oh, don't even worry about it. First year is the hardest, we wanted to make you feel at home," she said, laying a hand over Asuma's on the table.
"Thanks," Kakashi said. And though he was already checking the time, he meant it.
Kakashi knew he should head home, but he also knew that if he didn't visit on his birthday of all days that Obito would throw a fit. So he turned his car south and went to visit his oldest friend.
He didn't bring flowers anymore. Not because he couldn't, Naruto promised him a lifetime discount on flowers of his choice, but because if he bought flowers every time he went to speak with Obito Naruto would start to worry. Obito understood, of course. And in due time Kakashi suspected even the visits would stop. He simultaneously looked forward to and dreaded the day.
He parked on the street, tucked his phone in his pocket, and waved to the small old lady tending the yard as he approached Obito and his family's resting place.
He paused, enjoying the smell of late fall as he looked down at the flat grey stone.
"Long time no see," he told the grave. "You'll be happy to know Naruto's started applying to schools. He's applying out of state because he likes seeing my hair fall out early."
"Guy is doing fine. He's a trainer at his old gym now. Man's lucky to be alive. Yamato moved away. I think he's doing fine. Naruto still thinks we should invite him to be my roommate but I got a full time job so I didn't have to live with extra people. Exceptions aside."
"I...we have a dog. He's horrible. Naruto named him Pakkun and I think he thinks we're going to get more." Kakashi smiled even as his hands slipped into his pocket to find his phone.
"We won't though." He lied.
"Anyways. I guess I wanted to stop by to tell you this might be the last time for a while. Fall is pretty busy for teachers, it turns out. If I had known that maybe I wouldn't have switched careers. I'm officially certified now, at least, so that Aburame guy isn't hanging over my shoulder. And now there's only one car between us so…" He trailed off. He felt a part of himself clenching up and fought it down. "I still miss you, you know."
His phone rang, and it felt like the universe had been waiting for Kakashi to finish. He breathed out slowly and smiled softly. "Sorry Obito. I have to take this."
Kakashi he picked it up, knowing who was on the other side.
"Sorry," he said without waiting for a greeting, "I got sidetracked on the road of life."
"Road of life my ass, you are so late. You know we're meeting Sakura and Sasuke for dinner tonight right?"
"Shouldn't you be studying?"
Naruto grumbled. "Kakashi I'm bored out of my mind and I promised you'd be there tonight."
"All right all right. I'm on my way. Hey, what would you say to moving some of your stuff to my place? You're there often enough anyways."
"How much stuff?"
"Hm. All of it?"
Naruto choked on the other side of the phone. " Jesus Kakashi you are the worst. Come pick me up. We'll talk later, ya?"
They said their goodbyes, however temporary they were, and Kakashi decided he would head to the grocery store first and pick up some flowers as an apology. He'd get carnations just to see the mock horror on Naruto's face.
He grinned to himself and started towards his car.
Notes: Hi all! Thank you for reading!
THINGS I COULD NOT FIT IN THIS FIC THAT MAKE ME SAD:
- Orochimaru, the Psych Professor
-Anko and Kabuto, his TAs
-Hinata and Hanabi (who is sick in the hospital)
-Kakashi adopting an army of rescue dogs
-Sasuke being less of an ass
-B's killer rhymes because I CAN'T RHYME
-SHIKAMARU GAVE NARUTO THE TV THAT HE GAVE TO KAKASHI WOOPS I FORGOT TO WRITE THAT
-More Tsunade
-More Jiraiya
-Naruto being shirtless
-there's a texting format I would have loved to use
there was so much. I wrapped it up as best I could. You guys essentially witnessed my first finished novel so congrats. I'm not doing that again any time soon if I can help it.
Though I do have a one-punch/mob psycho crossover rolling around in my brain so maaaaybe
But until then thank you so much for reading and especially those of you who commented. All the love, etc. I'll be making editing passes until my drive for this story dies properly.
You can find it on Ao3 under the same name