Disclaimer: Kakashi and all related Naruto characters are not mine. I do not claim them in any way, shape, or form. The only character I claim is Kani. I made her up, she's mine. No touchies. Anyways...yeah, on with the story.
Chapter One: Beginning
The students of the Hidden Leaf Village had just completed their final task, and everyone succeeded. It was now time to assign groups and every one sat in silence waiting for Sensei Souko to give out their groups.
"Kakashi, Iruka, and Kani, you will be group one." Sensei started with the two boys closest to the front and a girl sitting off in the back. The boys high-fived each other and the girl didn't look too happy.
"What do you think her problem is? She's always so quiet in class and well...downright mean during sparring." Iruka asked Kakashi. They were no longer paying attention to Sensei. He was done with them so why bother?
"No family." Kakashi said simply as he glanced over his shoulder at her. He knew that her parents were among the many killed by Kyubi. She wasn't so different from Iruka, but the ebon haired boy dealt with his loss differently. Rather than hide from attention like Kani, he seeked it, thrived off it. Kakashi had known her before Kyubi attacked the village. They actually lived pretty close to each other, but she was living with a mean old woman now, didn't like children so why she volunteered to take Kani was a mystery.
Iruka looked too. She was pretty, for a girl. Iruka was still at that age where he'd rather play pranks than flirt with girls like Kashi.
Kani looked up when her name was called and nodded before returning her gaze to the window on the far wall. Her hair was pulled up into a tight pony tail with a few strands of black framing her face. Blue eyes started unfocused outside, watching birds. She wore the Shinobi sandals that all Genins wore, a pair of black long shorts and a black tank top covered by a deep blue vest. She also had a kunai pouch resting on her right hip.
Name after name was called before Sensei dismissed the class, telling them they had the rest of the day free and were to meet up with their Team Leaders at seven am sharp at the designated places.
Iruka and Kakashi dawdled and waited for Kani. Iruka was the first to speak.
"C'mon, let's hit the Ramen shop. My treat?" He said with a wide grin to his team mates.
Kakashi grinned and nodded, thumping Iruka soundly on the back.
Kani nodded slightly, "Okay." She didn't say much, and that was the first time the two boys had ever actually heard her speak more than the standard spar shout.
Kakashi rested his arm on her shoulder and she looked at him strangely, almost as if she were surprised and frightened at the contact between the two. He grinned at her, one eye showing, the other covered by his forehead protector. A look he had already perfected.
The three made their way through the streets and to the ramen shop where one of the other teams was already eating. They took the stools on the far end. Iruka on the end, Kani in the middle, and Kakashi on her other side. Kani said little as Iruka ordered three ramen and a pitcher of juice for the three to share.
Kani stared at her bowl a minute before slowly eating. The boys however, they ate huge bites, grinned, and talked while they ate. The girl, however, remained silent. A nod or a shake of her head was all the participation the rest of her team received from her. It was enough, for the time being. Already, Iruka and Kakashi were devising a plan to get her to open up and talk to them. They were, after all, the closest thing that she'll have to a family for quite some time.