I don't own Naruto! I wish I did! (extreme sobbing)

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White Fang, Lightning's Howl: The Secret of the Hatake

Kakashi – Be Responsible!

If possible, Sakura felt even more depressed. Tsunade and Shizune looked at her sympathetically.

"Can't somebody talk to THAT MAN?" Tsunade asked with a wearied sight after Sakura departed.


I am the Hokage! I'm supposed to protect the village with my life – not kick start a hermit's social life! It's too troublesome!


She smacked herself on the forehead.

"Shizune! Get me a drink!"

"Certainly, Tsunade-sama. Is there something wrong? Did you win on the lottery today?"

"No. I started to think like that Nara brat."

"Ahhhhh…. Right…… I'll get you something right away."

"And….. We've got to do something about THAT man, Hatake!"

"I'm on it," Shizune said.

She prepared herself and left the office.

Tsunade sat back, rubbed her aching forehead and sighed.

"This was not in the job description, Tonton," she said.


By noon, the tavern had filled up with Leaf shinobi all off duty – taking a rest from all of the work they had had to do during the Chuunin exams.

Kurenai remembered well the last year teachers were allowed a break – almost two years ago – when everything had been ruined by Orochimaru's machinations. Ever since then, during Chuunin exams, ALL shinobi had been put on some sort of guard duty – although nothing really big happened.

So here they all were, in various spots of the tavern, sitting and standing in groups, moving and mixing as the topics changed.

The main shinobi of Konoha were in the centers. Genma. Raido. Izumo. Kotetsu. Ibiki. Anko. Kurenai. Asumo. Ebisu. Iruka. Gai. Shikato and his team. Kakashi.


"It was too troublesome for him, he said –"

"Really, why don't they recognize Hinata more?"

"She's motivated now – Shikamaru still drags his feet!"

"She and I never can understand each other…."

"He's always eating!"

"Yes, I know the way to her hosue blindfolded!"

"Don't complain, Izumo, remember the sake!"

"So, I gave him a kiss –"

"You've got a death wish!"

"Such ungentlemanly behaviour in front of us!"

"Ch. You should've have seen him swearing in front of the kids – I wished I could – well, you get what I'm saying!"

"Youth is sweet and sometimes, it's sour!"

"Eh? What did you say?"

"Kakashi, stop annoying him."

"I honestly can't hear him, Ibiki, Anko's talking too loud."

"CAN IT, HATAKE! I WAS SO PISSED OFF AT THE KID – SAYING THAT IN FRONT OF –"


Shizune walked in, squished herself between Iruka and Ebisu at the bar and ordered two bottles of the finest sake for the Hokage. She watched Iruka watch everybody else. Iruka was drinking a non-alcoholic fruit drink. Looking at his innocent face among all the hardened Jounins, looking at his juice among all of the liquor, Shizune sighed.


Really, this man needs to get out more.


While waiting for Tsunade's order to be filled, Shizune got herself an alchoholic fruit drink. Sipping daintily, she winked at Iruka and smiled. Slowly. Iruka blushed and looked down only to find himself faced with a pair of extremely fine – but bare – legs – exposed from the folds of her kimono.

"Shi-shi-shizune-san!" he stammered. "What brings you here?"

Shizune smiled slowly.

"Call me Shizune." She watched him nod, his ears red. "Tsunade wanted some refreshments – to calm her mood." Shizune said, tucking a short strand of black hair behind her ears. She leaned forward knowing her kimono gaped, showing off her chest.

Iruka choked on his fruit drink and looked furiously at the bar counter.


I will NOT stare at her like that! Women are supposed to be treated with respect, dammit! Plus if any of my students saw me – it would be a bad example!


"So, what is bothering the Hokage?" he asked, lacking anything better to say, since his mind was beginning to affect his… body… in a most ungentlemanly way.

"It's that Hatake, I'm afraid. Tsunade-sama's afraid he will not remember to treat Sakura-chan out tonight – today she became a Chuunin you see….."

"Ahhhhh!" Iruka said with sudden understanding.

"Well," Shizune said, picking up the paper bag carefully. "I've got to go! See you around, Iruka!"

"Y-y-y-yeah," stuttered Iruka, blushing.

Redirecting his thoughts was hard. Iruka focused on Sakura's plight. He remembered with fondness the fun time his team had had on his inauguration.


For Sakura to be alone in her celebrations tonight – because her team mates are not with her… Sasuke…. Naruto….. what a travesty! – And Kakashi!


Iruka shook his head furiously.

"I'll get him to take her – even I if I die trying!" he yelled to himself.


Anko, Kurenai and Raido looked on, fascinated.

"He really needs to relax," Kurenai said.

"He needs a date," Raido agreed.

"He needs someone who's into strait-laced teachers." Anko wrinkled her nose.


Iruka set down his drink and purposefully walked over to Kakashi's table and slammed his hands down loudly.

Everybody stopped talking – so everybody heard.

"Why aren't you celebrating Sakur's in auguration tonight with her – Kakashi?" he asked belligerently.

"What?" asked Kakashi.

"Celebrating. Sakura's. Inauguration. Tonight." Iruka said slowly and clearly.

"Erm…" Kakashi squirmed.

He'd never done anything like that before.

"I don't date –"

"It's NOT dating, pervert!" Kurenai rolled her eyes.

"You don't know anything, do you?" asked Asumo. "I took my team out to a barbeque buffet because Shikamaru wanted to go to a place Chouji would enjoy. But –"

"There's always the Palace of Serenity," Raido said. "We go there all the time!"

Genma gave Kakashi a thumbs up with a wink.

Suddenly, Kakashi was overwhelmed by ideas and comments.


"You'll want to give her flowers," said Yamanake-san. "I'll give you a discount price!"

"Don't go overboard, though – it's better to go for the understated stuff…" Shikato said.

"What are her favorite flowers?"

"What's her favorite colours?"

"What about the gift?" asked Kurenai.

There was a pause, then everybody suggested something.

"Plants!"

"Food certificates!"

"Perfume!"

"Rings!"

"Any type of jewelry!"

"New weapons!"

"Get her another battle costume!"


Kakashi looked blank.

"Got it?" asked Iruka.

"Eh."

Anko nodded. "You need help, Hatake," she said. "And it looks like Iruka is not about to let one of his students have a broken heart on her day of celebration – and don't give him the crap about 'they're my soldiers' 'cause we all know what you did to them."

"Anko…" Genma said softly.

Iruka looked shocked.

"What?" asked Anko, as Ibiki elbowed her. "We were all thinking it! Kakashi always never cared for his students."


Kakashi got up and walked out of the inn. Nobody tried to stop him. The dismantlement of Team 7 was never a subject to be broached with Kakashi, only somebody brash like Anko would throw it in his face.

Iruka ran out after him, feeling as if he were caught in a bad déjà vu.

"Kakashi-sensei! What I said – I didn't mean to infer you –"

Kakashi turned.

"I'm sorry," Iruka said.

"You cannot apologize for everybody, Iruka," Kakashi said, quietly. "Now, it seems like I have a lot to do before the evening."

"At least, let me help you!"

Kakashi stood there a full minute in thought before nodding.

"Fine. Just keep your mouth shut."

Iruka nodded.

"Just one thing," he said after a moment.

"What?"

"I'm sorry we never gave you a chance to change."

"Hmph."

By the time the evening came around, Kakashi had chosen some flowers (daffodils) and a restaurant (Palace of Serenity) and a gift (a kunai/senbon set with a decorative sakura blossom carrier).

With his two packages in hand, he went in search of his no doubt despondent student.


Kakashi Fangirls: (assaulting Anko) DIE NINJA SCUM!

Nanny-chan: (sweatdrops) I'm sorry! My bad!

Kakashi: (sweatdrops) These girls scare me!

Nanny-chan: (in a mama-talking-to-baby voice)No worry - this is all just a bad dream. I'll make it all better very, very soon.

Kakashi: (even more weirded out) ...