Word Count - About 1,400

Chapter 11 - Fixing Things

The room was silent. Completely silent. Obito didn't know who was supposed to speak first, or what he was supposed to say. Because he doesn't even know why he got jailed in the first place.

"Okay, who's the small guy?"

"Oh, that's Tenzo." She kneels down in front of Tenzo, and bops him on the head as her signature friendly greeting.

"Next question." She goes back into her unusual Serious Mode. "What did you find out about Minato's disappearance? I couldn't find out anything, dattebane! They're keeping everything under wraps! And it's unfair 'ttebane!"

"Well, nothing is really making any sense. So I can't really explain anything."

"Hmm…"

…

It's been a few hectic days of staying with the psycho fan girl. Three long days.

Every couple hours Minato would contemplate all of his life decisions. And he wasn't even going to think about that one specific poster. The blonde wishes he could erase that image from his innocent student's photographic memory. He also wishes to erase another event.

When she had found out that Kakashi was wearing Minato's shirt, she actually fainted. When she was awake, and sure of what she was seeing, she kept squealing loudly. Minato was literally deaf in one ear for two whole hours after that.

"Kakashi?"

"Hn?"

"Do you think you'll be able to get us back to Konoha anytime soon?"

"Yes, my Chakra levels are almost back to regular." That was an amazing thing to hear. Especially after all the hell they'd been through in the past few days. But it was also confusing. When had Kakashi gained such large Chakra reserves? He also acted like he was used to being Chakra exhausted, though still very much annoyed.

"So we could make it back today?"

"I believe so."

POV SWITCH

"I have another question about something I saw was we few days ago. Back at our house."

"What is it?"

"What's that orange book you're always leaving around? What's it about?" Kakashi momentarily froze.

"W-well, um. Jiraiya-sama wrote it and..." Kakashi stopped seeing Minato's face. "What?"

"Did you just call him… Jiraiya-sama?" Ahh… oops. He forgot that he never called Jiraiya that at this particular age. Kakashi doesn't reply.

…

Later that evening, Kushina makes a campfire. Her, Obito and Tenzo all huddle around it, toasting marshmallows. Obito finds it relaxing. If he had known life would go on like this, even without Rin, he would have tried returning sooner. He couldn't believe it took Bakakashi beating his face in just to realize all that.

Life was nice. A lot nicer than it would be if he was still with a certain one hundred year old man.

He shook away his thoughts when he realized his marshmallow was on fire. He pulled his arm away. Yes, he was using his mokuton as the marshmallow stick thingy. It was convenient, okay?

"So Obito, when were you gonna pop up and tell me you were alive, dattebane?" She asks calmly. Which gives away the fact that she is pissed as hell.

"Oh, um…" Kushina looked at him expectantly. "Well, Sensei knew. I thought he had told you." Sensei's gonna be in so much trouble when he gets back. And Obito is gonna laugh. While hiding.

…

"Hmm…"

"What's wrong Sensei?"

"I have a bad feeling all of the sudden. It's probably nothing though, let's just get back."

"Alright."

…

"Hokage-sama!" The Anbu couldn't believe his eyes. "And… Kakashi-ku-... -san?"

The Hokage just smiled at him politely, then sat down in his office chair like nothing ever happened. And Kakashi was laying casually on his desk. And they were both in pajama clothes as well. Strange sight, but it wasn't as nerve-wracking as when they were both missing.

"I'll… inform the council of your return."

"Hai."

…

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS DATTEBANE! YOU'RE ACTING AS IF YOU SIMPLY WENT ON A VACATION, OR A CAMPING TRIP! MINATO, EVERYONE WAS WORRIED FOR YOU AND SEARCHING FOR YOU EVERYWHERE!"

Obito, Tenzo and Kakashi could all hear the rage clearly even from all way up in Tenzo's closet. They could feel Minato's wariness as well. It was entertaining, to say the least.

"Well, we were only gone for what? A few days?"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER 'TTEBANE!"

"And so everyone was only worried about me? What about Kakashi?"

"Kakashi was on a mission or something, right? That's a lot different! Don't bring him into this Minato."

"No, Kakashi was with me. See, if he had actually been in danger, nobody would have known what happened, or anything really, except for false information."

Tenzo and Obito blinked.

"Wait, so you were with Minato-Sensei?"

"Yes."

"Like, actual you and not someone trying be you?"

"Actually me."

"Ah."

…

It was about a week later when everything was normal again.

Well, actually, things still weren't normal in Kakashi's mind. The "normal" thing would be Obito being dead, Rin being dead, and everything completely sucking.

But Kakashi changed those things. Well, most of those things.

Anyway, the thing was… well, everyone was acting strange. Tenzo would run away from him a lot sooner than he had used to. And Kakashi had thought he was actually making progress with that particular quirk of his.

And Obito would actually get nervous, and angry more easily. Specifically at him. He would also find reasons to not interact with Kakashi. Which was annoying.

And then, and got his part made him really furious, Kushina-nee baked exactly five cookies. One for each of them, right? Wrong. Kushina had ate his cookie because he wasn't there.

And Minato-Sensei had barely said a word to him in the past few days.

So he supposes things really aren't back to normal.

…

Okay, Step 1 was completed. They had successfully made Kakashi think that they all hated him.

Step 2 was the actual hard work. Well, that was false. It was really hard to not converse with Kakashi for three whole days.

But anyway, Step 2 was to actually start planning the surprise birthday party. Of course, Kakashi was probably going to hate Minato and give him the same silent treatment that he had received. But, Minato knows that somewhere deep inside Kakashi's ice cold heart, his student would be pleased.

There wouldn't be many people. Mainly because Kakashi doesn't hang out with many people. The only ones that would be there are himself, his sensei, Kushina, Obito, Tenzo and Maito Gai. And it wouldn't be something big, because that would overwhelm Kakashi. And Minato didn't want to do that. It was just going to be a nice calm day.

…

Tenzo really has something he wants to tell Kakashi. But he can't. Not until later, at least. It was so frustrating.

It wasn't as fun telling Obito about his recent advancements.

"Obito! I was looking all over for you-"

"Shh! I'm planning my next way to annoy Bakakashi. Stay quiet, and let me focus." Tenzo fought the urge to sigh. Sure Kakashi probably wouldn't react all that much, likely with only a hmm or a nod, but he would at least let Tenzo talk.

Minato had seemed a bit more distracted today but he was still as kind and caring as always. Kushina just gave him him a welcome punch on the head and hugged him.

…

"Mmhmmmmm…." Tenzo was confused. He hadn't said anything, why had Minato done that?

"..."

"Wait what were you saying again?" He gets rid of the urge to face palm.

"I actually, uh, didn't say anything."

"Oh."

…

"Sensei."

"…"

"Sensei."

"…"

"Sensei."

"..."

"MINATO-SENSEI, I'M DYING!" Kakashi screamed in faux agony, grabbing Minato's leg and fell to the floor. Minato just kept walking, dragging his student along.

Kakashi eventually got tired of being a rag doll and let go of his leg, and stood up.

"Hn. I see." He walks beside his sensei.

Minato begins walking faster.

Kakashi speeds up too, keeping pace with him.

This goes on for a few more minutes longer, where they are both now power-walking across the halls together. It was like a race or something. Kakashi didn't really know but he had to win. It was a must. Everyone stops what they are doing just to stare at their idiocy.

…

Minato had ended up winning but that was only because he, well. Tripped. On something in the hallway. Then Minato cheated, because he ran away, and Kakashi is pretty sure he had heard laughter from him. How embarrassing.