au: kakashi realizes he has a team again.

Kakashi knows Haruno Sakura has been following him since he left his apartment.

He's not too sure what unfortunate fact brought their mornings together. He sighs, but does not say anything more than that. Being with Sakura has always been nicer than being with the boys.

She tries something new — hiding her chakra. If he were feeling nice this morning, he'd stop to admire her strategy. Though her technique needs practice, he appreciates the ambition.

He crosses where he always crosses. Then stops to wonder. Can he take Sakura here? Can he take anyone here? He doesn't talk about it. About them, or about what he did. Sakura asks questions the way she would ask questions — wholeheartedly. There was always something about the pinkette's energy that felt familiar to him, and now he's unsure if he wants those paths to come together.

"Kaka-sensei," her voice interrupts, somewhat proud. He turns his head, glancing down at her.

He decides no. His friend should rest. He won't bother her. They'll meet another day.

Sakura smiles, wide and happily. "I was following you this entire time. Did you notice?"

"Yes."

"What?!" She said, her smile dropping. He almost feels bad. "How! I masked my chakra and walked on my tippy-toes!"

He faces her, then smiles smally. "Sakura, you're pink."

She sighs. "Whatever. Next time, you won't even know it, I'm sure!"

"What was it like for you?" Sasuke says.

Kakashi looks at him. It is not often the Uchiha stays behind for a training session, and it is even rarer to find genuine curiosity in his soulless eyes. "What do you mean?"

"The whole training thing. It was easy for..." Sasuke drifts off, wiping the sweat off his face with a towel. Then he corrects himself. "It's easier for some people. They all say you used to be a prodigy."

"They say the same thing about you, Sasuke."

Sasuke is quiet again.

"I don't talk about it because it wasn't easy." Kakashi said. "I never felt like a prodigy. For the most part, it was me failing. Not only as a ninja, but as a teammate. I've tried to make it as clear as possible, but the only thing that helped me evolve were the people around me."

Sasuke asks nothing for a long time.

"Oi, oi, Old Man Kakashi!"

The others have fallen asleep. He blinks at the blonde, who's up and beside the campfire with flailing fishes on sticks.

"What kind of nickname is that, Naruto?"

"I thought I'd try it out. Do you like it?"

"Not particularly. Do you have any other ones for me?"

"Gray Kakashi, old Kakashi."

"Those are worse."

"What did you call your sensei back then?" Naruto asked while perching the fishes over the flaming fire.

"I called him sensei. It wasn't hard."

"You didn't call him old? Not even once?"

"To be fair, he was quite young," Kakashi thinks out loud. He remembers his sensei like this. Tall, astonishingly good-hearted, with blond-hair and an assertive voice.

And then he looks to his right, and sees the same thing.

Definitely shorter, though.

"I never asked, what were your teammates like? Are you guys still good friends?"

"We don't talk much these days," Kakashi says, turning his gaze to the spring moon hanging over their black sky. "But we'll always be close."

Naruto nods, then sighs. "Damn," he says. "Am I really never gonna get rid of Sasuke?"

Haruno Sakura, happy birthday to my favorite student. Here is a box of chocolates to celebrate.

Uchiha Sasuke, happy birthday to my apprentice. Add protein in your diet so you will be taller.

Uzumaki Naruto, happy birthday. A ramen coupon to celebrate. Eat.

Kakashi to Team 7 for their 12th birthdays.