"The airship shouldn't be much longer, about an hour at least." Kakashi glanced around the state of Kagome's floor, catching her eye before she turned back to her bag to finish repacking the contents. "Someone's a little excited to be leaving."

"Aren't you excited to be leaving this frozen wasteland?"

He leaned against the doorframe and tilted his head, "not as much as you."

Her shoulders dropped slightly, showing that she was trying hard not to let her emotions overtake her before straightening her spine, "I don't like being cold."

Kakashi's eye dropped at her attempt at an acceptable excuse as he padded further into the room. "I know you were nestled so tightly against my side I could hardly move without you following last night."

"Okay…" Kagome scrambled to her knees as he sat on the edge of the bed, "last night doesn't circulate back home… or anything else that happened here for that matter."

"Why is that?"

"Because."

Leaning forward, he braced his elbows on his knees, "because?"

Kagome shook her head and finished rolling her uniform before shoving it in her bag. Waving her hand at him she sighed finally, "we have reputations to protect."

"Reputations?" he snorted and arched a brow for clarification, "that you hate me?"

"Hate you…?" standing from her task she made her way to sit beside him on the bed, "you annoy me and irritate the hell out of me… and don't get me started on your holier than thou act that you've given me for years… I think at one point I may have even pitied you… never hated."

"That's reassuring, although the pity portion stings a little."

"Deal with it. Why do you care so much about how I feel towards you anyway?" Kagome leaned forward and dragged her yellow bag to rest beside her legs, "and if you say that I don't get it one more time—"

Kakashi chuckled and rubbed his head, "because I'm trying to find the best way to make amends for my idiocy back then. An apology doesn't seem enough for how harsh I was."

"Admirable," patting his hand in the same manner he liked to use with her, Kagome sighed and leaned back as she tilted her head up, "well… simple apologies are always a nice start followed by a meal or something to cement our newfound tolerance of each other."

"Are you asking me out?" a slow smile spread across the jōnin's face, fingers lifting to run gently across his jaw.

Kagome ran her fingers through her hair and gave a one-shoulder shrug, "don't be ridiculous, I'm just trying to keep us from slipping into old habits where we're at each other's throats."

Kakashi gave a slight 'ah' and tented his hands, between his knees, craning his head to look at the side of her face, "well I haven't been at your throat in a while."

"Don't ruin this," Kagome smiled and held her hand out, "I'm trying here."

"I will too." He gripped her hand gently and pumped it slowly to seal the deal, he could work better if they were friends. After all, Kurenai and Asuma showed the entire village just what friends were capable of under the right circumstances. 'I'm on the right track.'

10 Months Later

"This is the best time of year," Asuma announced with a smile, eyeing the Academy from the shop he sat at. "There's a brand new batch of genin to impart our wisdom."

"Some of us," Gai was quick to point out.

Kurenai nodded and arched a brow as she glanced at the silver haired jōnin across from her, "think you'll pass your team this year?"

Dragging his hand over his face in frustration, Kakashi shook his head and released a heavy sigh. "Considering who's on my impending team, I'm probably going to end up in the graveyard."

"It can't be that bad," Gai mumbled.

"Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki."

Silence descended among the friends, sharing sympathetic glances around the table as Kurenai reached forward to pat his hand. "Things are still no better since your mission last year?"

Kurenai stared at him sympathetically, Kakashi almost caving and spilling to everyone at the table that he and Kagome were still tentative in their friendship, meeting every few weeks for a quick bite or the occasional sit down meal that lasted hours. "Even if we are, she's way more protective of Naruto than she ever was with Souta and Kaede…" his dark grey eye locked on something in the distance, "he's going to fail…"

"Pessimistic as ever Kakashi, he might surprise you!" Gai tossed his arm around Kakashi's shoulders and shook him lightly.

"He stole the Scroll of Seals…" Asuma pointed out softly.

"And somehow still passed."

Kakashi rubbed his face once more and stood, dropping the ryō to the table before climbing over the bench, "see you all tomorrow."

"Don't be late!"

He waved over his shoulder, shoving his hand in his pocket with a sigh.

"I'm just saying your being overly ambitious," Kaede slammed her open palm to the porch with a glare at her brother. "That's what you want to do with your career?"

"It's better than the hospital!" He shot back just as quick, releasing the ninja star. Kaede caught the weapon easily, tossing it back and flipping her wrist, "it's better than ANBU!"

"Oh my, perhaps we should have come here last."

The twins turned at the soft chuckle, shooting to their feet for a low bow to hide their embarrassment.

"Lord Third."

"Kakashi-sensei."

"What uh… what brings you by?" Souta cleared his throat, eyes widening at Kaede's jab to the ribs, "not that you need a reason!"

"Thank you," Sarutobi laughed openly and lifted the edge of his Hokage hat, "we're here unofficially to see some things that Kakashi might be able to use to better understand Naruto."

Kaede opened the door and swept her arm forward, "may we get you some tea?"

Kakashi shrugged at Sarutobi's glance, he wouldn't turn it down. The Third nodded then, accepting the offer and following the twins inside, is Naruto home by chance?"

"No sir, Kagome is though… she's in her office."

"And how has she been handling her new position?"

Kaede and Souta shared a look and turned back to their tasks, "she seems happy."

"Good, good…"

Souta set the tea bags in the mugs and turned for the door, gripping the frame to lean in the hall, "Kags, we made tea!"

Kaede sighed and shook her head, did Souta think Kagome wouldn't do anything for yelling in the house because of the Hokage?

"Sorry sir's," she gave a weak smile and set their tea in front of them before stepping back to the opposite wall as Kagome stalked into the room bleary eyed, "what is your problem?"

Souta whined and held his head where her fist connected, "we have company!"

"We'll go," Kaede announced, dragging her protesting twin behind her.

Kagome coughed and attempted to smooth her wayward hairs in place, claiming the tea set aside for her and lowering to the table. "I'm so sorry about that," her gaze bounced between them carefully, "what… is this about?"

"Naruto actually," Kakashi answered.

"He didn't do something again did he?" her face paled, elbow bracing on the table as she bit her lip.

"Not at all," Sarutobi laughed at her question softly, "Kakashi is going to be his team's sensei."

"Oh…" brown eyes widened as her head whipped to Kakashi, "oh no…"

"I'm capable," offense filled his voice, lazy stare meeting her accusatory one.

"You've failed every team."

"With good reasons."

"Kagome, I assure you Naruto's team has every fair advantage here." Sarutobi smirked around his cup, he did enjoy their banters. Although he'd enjoy their banters more if they would finally take the plunge and stop playing around.

Rubbing her forehead Kagome hummed and wrinkled her nose, she could think of 20 other jōnin to lead the team.

"This decision is final," Sarutobi announced sharply. Kagome held her hands and gave a resolute nod, there would be no argument this time on her part. "More tea?"

"I think we'd better go, we have other homes to visit after all."

Kakakashi sighed and shook his head, bracing his hands on the table to stand. Kagome followed the pair slowly, grabbing his arm on the porch before he could follow after the Hokage.

"Please don't fail him…" she shuffled nervously as her voice lowered, "Naruto isn't the ideal student and I get that but he's got a lot of potential."

Kakashi's eye locked on the Hokage as he waited patiently, admiring the flowers along the path as though he had anticipated this. "I'm not going to pass him unless he's earned it, I'm not Iruka."

"I'm not asking… I'm asking you to actually give him a chance." She angled her back slightly to the Hokage, "he's got no handle on his chakra control and I haven't been able to figure out why but he's got—"

"Potential," he finished with the word softly, hands in his pockets with a shake of his head. "So did half of the other genin."

"Then you come and find me this time and tell me to my face so I don't have a disappointed kid moping around the house this time!" she hissed quickly, "pass or fail I want to hear it from you."

Kakashi grunted lightly at the request and shook her grip free, "I have to go… have a good rest of your afternoon Kagome."

"Oh!" he turned on the middle of the path and smiled as she stopped walking the porch to turn, "and thank you for the tea."