"They're all wearing those same goggles that Naruto used to wear, all three of them are." Iruka braced his arm on the table and leaned forward with a laugh, "sometimes it's like he never graduated."

Kagome laughed and tipped her head back to down her sake, "Naruto's got his own fan club."

"One step closer to his dream," he lifted his glass in salute, sipping the liquid slowly.

"All thanks to you," she stated softly, pouring two more glasses of alcohol. "I gave you a hard time for passing him, I'm sorry about that. You knew what you were doing."

"Don't worry about that, you and I were quick to butt heads when it came to him. You did good."

"We did good," Kagome lifted her cup to clink against his, both tossing their heads back to down the cup. She sighed and glanced around the outside table they claimed, mouth twisting before propping her head in her hand, "I kind of wish you failed him a bit."

"He earned it," Iruka pointed out quickly. He wouldn't tell her that he had been tempted to not pass him in the woods that night but had been too proud of the boy's accomplishments to hold him back.

"Yeah I know but the house is too quiet now." She poured another round for them and twisted her wrist and watching the cup turn, "Souta and Kaede haven't been around for a while and now Naruto has his own team so, it's me and mom; mom is still never really around anymore than she used to be."

"Time to move out," he smirked when she wrinkled her nose, "and be an adult."

Scoffing, Kagome picked at the bowl of donburi in front of her, "but then I'll have to pay bills."

Shaking his head Iruka turned to his own food, gently pushing the bottle of sake away, "so… do you want to talk about it?"

"Sango and Miroku are going to have a baby."

"That's amazing," he gushed, suddenly embarrassed before trying to downplay his excitement for the couple, "I mean—"

"No, you're right." Kagome eyed the sake bottle and frowned when Iruka pushed it more out of her reach, "Sango's spine was damaged—"

"I remember."

"I don't think she should get pregnant; it could be dangerous and she's not listening." With a grunt she stood enough to grab the bottle, holding it away from her friend's reaching hand, "we both got a little hot headed about it."

"You two will work it out, you always do." He draped his arm around her shoulders, free hand crossing to grab the bottle, "you have work tomorrow."

"Says the man that could drink me under the table a few years ago, live a little Iruka." Her hand braced beside her on the bench, leaning away from him, "don't stiff up on me now."

"We're responsible adults now, Kagome." He had to fight hard to keep the smile from his face, his years of teaching coming to his aid to make it a success, "we can't just drink ourselves stupid anymore."

Relenting with a sigh, the kunoichi allowed him to take the bottle from her hand, propping her head in her hand with a pout. "You're not fun anymore."

Iruka set the bottle back in place out of her reach, hand rubbing circles on her back and tilting his head with a smile. "I am, just not on a school night."

"Right," she sighed and picked her chopsticks up, taking a bite of her food. "I'm holding you to that."

"You three have been awfully quiet since we left the spring, you okay?" Kakashi had to admit, their attempts at seeing under his mask had been impressive, not enough that he would let on that he knew their plan but enough to be on his guard more.

"We're alright sensei," Sakura chirped with a smile. Inwardly she fumed, Naruto had them all worked up only for them to fail over and over, 'maybe we can still ask Kagome.' She blinked in thought, or we could transform… "Naruto, Sasuke," she hung back slightly to fall in step between them, her voice lowering as they passed through the gate. "One of us transforms into Kagome, they're dating so she must have seen under his mask, right?"

"I don't think we need reminding of that." Sasuke grumbled, declining that idea quickly. Naruto's own face darkened at the reminder, blue eyes shooting to the back of the jōnin's head, "we should just snatch it off right now."

"He'll see us coming," the Uchiha sighed. Was he really that idiotic to think something like that would work? "But Sakura might be on to something," admitting that left a dry taste in his mouth, he could practically see the girl's eyes lighting up at his bit of praise, "Souta said Kagome might be able to help."

"My question is why does he need two masks?" Sakura's eyes flicked to the jōnin, seemingly oblivious to their plotting behind his back, "what's he hiding?"

"Alright you three, I think this is where we part." Kakashi turned slightly to watch them, amusement overtaking him as they stiffened and quieted with wide eyes. "And why don't you take tomorrow off?"

"No way!" Naruto was quick to recover with a scowl, "you're supposed to be training us!"

"You can train on your own if you'd like." Bordem coated his words as he tilted his head with the suggestion, so he still was going to put some resistance on the idea. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't felt one of their chakra's around when he gave them time off, following him around the village to ensure he kept his distance. 'Guess it'll be apartment dates until they're comfortable…'

He wasn't opposed to it after all, it was more intimate, and they had a better chance of getting to know Kagome without interruption. "You know one day you'll be okay with this, right?"

Sasuke's shoulders hunched as his frown deepened, was their sensei a mind reader now?

"Fat chance," the Kyūbi spat. "You're going to train us tomorrow, like your supposed to."

Kakashi's eye narrowed, Naruto's attitude had been easy to overlook in the beginning but the more he resisted the more it wore away at his patience. If he hadn't been so close to Kagome he was sure he would have already dealt with him the same way he would have any other person. His gaze cut to Sasuke and lifted his brow at the glare he was receiving, why couldn't he be like Sasuke about the subject? "Naruto—"

"Naruto, stop causing problems!" Sakura chastised. "You're the only one making a problem out of nothing."

Naruto's nostrils flared slightly before crossing his arms and turning his head away. None of them understood…

"Iruka-sensei, Kagome…" Sakura turned her glare from the blonde quickly, her fingers clenching hard around the straps of her bag. She'd never been so relieved to see two people more in her life, they'd be able to talk some sense into Naruto.

"Hey guys, you're out late." Iruka beamed, it had only been a few month's but they looked so much older than the fresh faced kids in his classroom. "It's been a while."

"We're just getting back from the neighboring town." Kakashi's voice was tight and controlled, turning to flick his gaze between the pair. 'Well… I didn't realize Kagome and Iruka were that close…' Kakashi's jaw clenched under the fabric, jealousy running rampant through his body at their proximity.

He hadn't been anticipating this feeling, of course they would be close, Iruka had been Naruto's teacher before him. Kagome brushing past him with a frown broke him from his thoughts, catching the whiff of sake on the slight breeze as he turned.

"You okay?" her fingers slid through blonde tresses, dropping to one knee and tilting her head. "You have a fight with someone?" her eyes slid to Sakura, making the girl stiffen.

'No way she heard me,' she gulped and slid her foot back. 'But I didn't say anything wrong, Naruto's the one causing problems.'

"I want to go home," he sighed finally, turning from the group and trudging for the house. Kagome's hand fell to her knee, glancing over her shoulder with a furrowed brow at Kakashi first than Iruka, "tagging in?"

"Yeah, I'll see if I can get something out of him over ramen."

"You're having a second dinner?"

"It'll soak up the first," he laughed, disappearing after the blonde with a final glance back.

"Where are you staying tonight?" She turned her attention to Sasuke. He shrugged in response and jerked a finger over his shoulder, "my place before you send me to my room at yours."

"Go," she raked a hand through her hair and stood, watching him roll his eyes as he turned and started the opposite direction.

"You should go home too Sakura," Kakashi shifted and crossed his arms. The kunoichi nodded slowly and turned uneasily, she wasn't going to argue with the tension in the air.

"I'll walk you home since your date is otherwise occupied," Kakashi forced a smile and swept his arm forward.

Kagome tossed her hair over her shoulder, too exhausted dealing with the young teen's and their problems for five minutes. "Do I hear a hint of jealousy in your voice, Kakashi? Of Iruka?"

"Should I be?"

"You sound like it," she danced in front of him and glanced around. One of the best things about their village was as soon as the sun started to set everyone went home, leaving the place mostly deserted. Her hand lifted to press into his chest gently, "are you?"

Fingers twitching in his pocket, Kakashi reluctantly kept them buried, they didn't need the extra attention. "Let's get you home." His head lowered enough to brush his nose against hers, satisfaction blossoming when she leaned in and closed her eyes before pulling away and walking once more.

"You need to stop her when she talks like that to him."

"You need to take a step back every once in a while," he responded easily.

Kagome scoffed in disgust and glanced at the house, with the lack of lights either Iruka had succeeded or Naruto was in bed. "Naruto has gone through enough abuse from these people, he shouldn't be getting it from his own team."

"Naruto is stronger than a few words from Sakura," Kakashi sighed, wandering up to her door and leaning against the porch pole, "and I do stop it when she starts getting out of line."

"You sure about that?"

Kakashi's head lolled to the side, arms crossing as he eyed her through his bored expression, Sakura got on his nerves with her comments too but he had put her in her place more than once. "You're not Kushina."

Kagome jerked back as though she'd been slapped, closing the distance to the door and stopping when he grabbed her arm gently, "I know I'm not Kushina but Iruka and I are the only two that seemed to even notice that he is still human."

"You and Iruka…" his voice tightened; the way she said his name made him silently question if they had ever tried being something more. "Have done all you can for him, you two just can't seem to understand it's time for others to step in and finish guiding him."

"You don't guide him," she hissed, flinging the door open and stepping inside to kick her sandals off her feet. "You don't guide any of them; they're one bad day from imploding and with their attitudes constantly around each other, it's going to happen."

"Tell me more," Kakashi followed her inside and slid the door shut, his sandals joining hers before following down the hall to finish their conversation. "You clearly know more about this than I do so please, tell me more."

Kagome waved him off and flicked her light on, shutting the bedroom door behind her to keep the conversation private. "You should have failed them, their no more of a team now than when you started."

"They're doing fine."

"Fine doesn't keep them alive."

Kakashi shook his head and glanced away, a wave of realization washing over him when he realized he was standing in the middle of Kagome's bedroom. "They're teamwork is slowly improving, when they actually decide to work together, it's impressive. All I did was try to give them the day off."

"Naruto doesn't want the day off," she tossed her hands in the air and stalked for her dresser, shrugging out of her shirt and tossing it in the hamper. "He graduated, he's that much closer to Hokage and in his mind giving him the day off seems like you don't believe in him. If you hadn't noticed he's got a rivalry with Sasuke and for whatever reason he's got a crush on Sakura, so the least you can do is help him out with that."

The jōnin's dark grey eye followed her every movement carefully, surprised that she was undressing in front of him. She must not have cared too much, turning to face him in her pants and bra with her arms crossed, although it wasn't the first time he'd seen her in such a state of undress. "I'm not holding his hand for the rest of his life."

"I'm not asking you to," she responded easily, "I just don't understand how you can watch how people treat Minato-sensei's son and not feel upset."

Glancing away, Kakashi leaned his back against the wall, "I can hold my composure better than you, but I also have to figure out how to handle Sasuke on top of him."

"You're making it harder than it is."

"Let me handle my students," he commanded evenly. Anger flashed through the kunoichi's eyes, marching forward to press a finger to his chest, "you don't get to shove me aside, I've been here for them since the beginning."

"Then find some new orphans, these two are grown up and need to stop being coddled."

Kagome's face twisted to display her full anger and frustration, hand lifting for her customary slap when he said something she deemed out of line before finding herself against her door, hand pinned over her head and Kakashi gazing at her in veiled amusement. "I'm used to this, you'll have to find a new attack."

Her chin ducked slightly, arching her back to dislodge him before sagging against the door and his hold. Lifting his free hand, Kakashi tugged his mask down, "you did your job getting them to this point, now let me do mine please."

"Stop favoring Sasuke and Sakura."

"Stop favoring Naruto."

Kagome pursed her lips and drifted her gaze away, "…fine."

"Alright, then we have an agreement." He released his grip on her wrist and stepped back, assessing her carefully, assessing her carefully, "I didn't realize you and Iruka were so close."

"You're so jealous," her eyes lit up with the statement, lips quirking slightly. His brow quirked, mouth twisting in distaste with a glance away. Kagome stepped closer, her hand resting on his chest, "we were in class together, he helped with Naruto."

"And you two…?" Kakashi pressed the subject cautiously, did he want to know the answer?

"He wasn't the boy from down the road if that's what you want to know."

That was a small bit of knowledge he was happy to have, Kakashi admitted silently. Kagome's hand unzipped his vest to the middle of his chest, sliding up to fist in his undershirt and tug him closer, "you going to be the boyfriend that tells me I can't have him as a friend?"

"Of course not." His hands lifted in defense, at ease knowing there was nothing romantic between them.

Kagome nodded happily, finally aware that she was once more threatening him in a half state of undress before clearing her throat and stepping back. "Sorry… I get protective of Naruto."

"You always have been, before you even brought him home." Kakashi pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist, "you okay?"

Kagome nodded and quickly shook her head, leaning to rest her forehead against his chest with a sigh. "Sango's trying to get pregnant."

"Oh," his free arm lifted around her shoulders, "I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't be this upset," she grumbled, pulling from his embrace and making her way to her bed. Sitting on the edge she held her head in her hands, feeling the mattress dip under Kakashi's weight. His hand fell against her thigh in comfort, "you're watching people have everything you want, it's okay to feel how you feel."

Her hands dragged over her face and fell, shifting to face him. How could he be so understanding to her situation and less so to the kids he was teaching?

"I should go," he announced softly. He struggled to keep his gaze on her face, swallowing hard and pulling his hand from her leg; he had seen her this way more than once, it hadn't been so difficult before.

Kagome's hand on his wrist stopped him from standing fully, lowering back to his spot. "Kagome?"

"Stay." Her fingers moved to his hair, running gently through them gently.

"I…" oh how he wanted to accept the invitation, "I made a promise to you."

"You've slept beside me before."

"I can't promise it'll stop at sleeping this time."

Kagome's head tilted, "and if it doesn't, does that matter? We're adults aren't we? We're dealing with the genin as adults, we're in an adult relationship—"

"And I don't want to wonder if you're only sleeping with me because you're upset."

"So, we just sleep." It was a simple but tempting suggestion, his eye moving to eye the space of her mattress, "I don't want to be alone again tonight."

Kakashi turned his gaze back to her, pulling his hand free and unzipping his vest before drapping it on the foot of her bed. "I'll be out of here before the house wakes up," he promised.