Author's Note: So! This is Tyger's little Halloween contribution! She also just realized that she's had an unfinished Kakashi birthday interlude that's been sitting who knows where hidden from me for quite a while... and it's still not finished!!! Gyah! She's so behind! Goodness... well the ending to this got a little crappy because I was waaaay too lazy to put out more... sigh... oh well.. hope you all enjoy!

"Laughter is the way to true love."

He couldn't really believe it. Well he could, but his mind just didn't seem to be able to wrap around the sight very well. The concept of is all made a lot of sense though. Definitely, but no one would think that the jounin before him would go to such lengths.

"Ruka-ni?"

Iruka burst out laughing, his entire composure undone by the adorably uttered words and the look of priceless innocent confusion etched across his lover's face. Yes, his lover. Thrice damned jounin of porn reading pervertedness and shinobi extraordinaire. Because really, Iruka was staring at a child-version Hatake Kakashi, master of a thousand jutsus. The Sharingan Kakashi henged into his own 5 year old form and dressed up as a cat!

Kakashi only stood up to about his mid-thigh, not counting the gravity-defying bit of silver poof that was on his head. A black cat eared head band was shoved on, actually managing to push down the fluff of hair in some semblance of bare neatness. He was dress it mostly black as well, black t-shirt, black shorts with a belt around his waist, black cat tail bouncing behind him in a s-shaped curve. His hands were adorned with cat paw gloves that were currently clawing at a much too large pillowcase that he obviously intended to use as his candy carrying case.

"You… look ridiculous."

"I like cute!! No will be able to resist this face!"

Granted, said face was wrapped in a black scarf, Iruka actually had to admit grudgingly that yes, Kakashi did make quite the adorable 5 year old cat boy. Curse the man for having a horrible addiction to sweets and blessed with a genius mind! As a teacher he could not be condoning this! Absolutely not!

But he's so cute!!!!

Gee, his inner self was just squealing and giggling and 'aww-ing' like a high school girl. This was terrible. Did his lover actually do this every year?!

"Hmph. I'm taking no part in this."

"Aww…. B-but I need an a-adult to accompany me!!!" [note the insertion of the infamous Hatake pout. Iruka concludes that it is seriously lethal at this stage in the Hatake life.]

The chuunin's shoulders slumped. He'd been defeated yet again. Course this time it seemed to be magnified by the fact that there were two incredibly large sad blue eyes and the scarf was shifted just enough that could see the lower lip jutting out and trembling. Iruka took a deep breath. So ridiculous! Why was he going along….

"All right!"

"This is terribly Kashi. You're practically stealing from the children."

"No I'm not. And besides, it's utterly unfair how they get to run around all night collecting candy and I don't!"

Iruka sighed, his response cut short when a voice, or rather, several voices rang out.

"Iruka-sensei! Iruka-sensei!"

It was Naruto and the others. It seemed the entire genin 9 as well as Gai's team had gone out trick or treating together. Naruto dressed up as a pumpkin. How oddly predictable seeing as his favourite colour was orange and well… pumpikins were all around orange. How could he resist? Sasuke, Iruka had to blink twice just to make sure he saw correctly that the young Avenger had actually taken the time to dress up. But considering that Sasuke was dressed up as an ANBU, Iruka could only assume that the Uchiha refused to participate if he had to dress up something ridiculous, evident of the annoyed look he seemed to be regarding Naruto's costume with.

Sakura was dressed up as a witch, if one could call it that, because she was dressed far to scantily in the chuunin's opinion. The black witch hat was large on her head, but the rest of her was dressed in fitted black, her abdomen exposed and a short little black cape about her shoulders. A broom was gripped tightly in her hand, one Iruka was sure Naruto had been on the receiving end countless times over the night.

There was Lee as… Iruka tried not to whimper, Hercules. Tenten was a night, Neji was… a geisha?! How the hell had they managed that?! But the teacher didn't doubt it when he saw the smirk on Tenten's face and the suppressed fury in Neji's. Hinata was a princess, Shino… wasn't dressed up and Iruka had to wonder why no one bothered with him. Kiba was a zombie, Chouji was a samurai, Ino was a Hawaiian dancer and Shikamaru… a ghost?

Iruka was pulled away from his ponderings however as two squeals split the air and Sakura and Ino both dashed forward to surround his lover.

"Iruka-sensei he's so cute! Who's this? One of your students?"

Taken slightly aback, Iruka could only nod dumbly as the rest of his former students surrounded Kakashi. The jounin actually looked smug however when Naruto exclaimed loudly over the large bag of candy.

"All right, all right! Don't you guys have more houses to beg?"

"It's not begging sensei!!"

"Yea yea, off you go, it's time for this little guy to head to bed."

"Aww… bye then Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka shook his head, looking down at Kakashi. With a shake his head, he grabbed the jounin's hand and dragged him off back to his house, despite the loud wails of protests.

The door slammed shut and with a sigh, Iruka finally found himself relaxed as he leaned against the door and regarded his much too happy lover who was currently sorting out his candy and still in his henge'd form.

"Kashi, why are you still 5 years old?"

"Because I'm cute."

The chuunin stared for a moment before he burst out laughing. This was definitely one Halloween he would never forget.