I'm back again!

Kurama wasn't sure what he expected the next day when there was a knock on the door first thing in the morning. However, a sheepish Iruka holding a cookbook was not it. He decided to take it in stride and allowed the assistant teacher to shuffle in and bustle around the kitchen claiming that he'd teach Kurama how to cook since the academy was closed today as well. Kurama smiled at him in bemusement but expressed his thanks at what he thought was the appropriate times.

Naruto hadn't woken up yet, but that didn't surprise Kurama. Having realized that his brother wasn't sleeping well the blond decided to be a good big brother and stay up with him. He tried his best, but Naruto eventually fell asleep drooling on his shoulder.

Kurama stood on the stool listening closely as Iruka explained what he was doing and why, while he cooked. At times he tensed and his voice would waver, but he seemed to be trying very hard to remain calm and polite.

"Natsuki-kun…how long have you two not had anyone to cook for you?"

Kurama tilted his head. "Don't worry, sensei, it hasn't been very long. Just since we started at the academy."

"And…no one taught either of you to cook?" There was a hint of anger in the man's voice, which made Kurama smile.

"No one's taught us much of anything, sensei. I figured it would just be another thing we'd have to learn on our own."

"I see."

It was the truth Kurama mused to himself. He wasn't sure what sort of shape Naruto would be in if Kurama hadn't been there to keep up with the impromptu lessons an Anbu had given them on reading and numbers. Their 'lessons', if they could be called that, only lasted a week before the man deemed them capable enough, or something. It took a lot of effort on Kurama's part to make sure Naruto kept practicing them until he was as literate as other kids his age. Though they both still had trouble with numbers. Kurama himself had never seen the point of it, being an immortal fox demon, so he was shaky at best.

Kurama sent a considering look at the fuming brunette next to him, wondering if he could get the assistant teacher to help with that as well as cooking. He'd have to keep that in mind, after all, he wasn't sure how long the man was going to stick around.

He helped the man place their chipped tableware on the table before shuffling into the other room to wake his still sleeping brother. That didn't take much effort once the boy's nose caught the scent of food.

"Yay! Iruka-sensei cooked for us again!"

Kurama smiled at his brother. "He said he was going to teach me how to cook."

"Cool, can I learn too?!" Naruto sent Iruka his best puppy dog look, complete with bits of food stuck to his chin.

Kurama could practically see the moment when the man gave into the blond. He hid his smile behind his hand. The rest of the day was spent going over the beginner cookbook Iruka said had been laying around his house and practicing making small dishes and snacks. Naruto loved it and Kurama was hard pressed not to enjoy Iruka's company.

"You'll make a good teacher, Iruka-sensei." He commented as the man was tidying up the kitchen. He had tried to help, but Iruka sent him away to eat the cookies they had made.

He watched as the man tensed, slightly, before his shoulders slumped. Clouded eyes focused on him for a moment, before flashing with determination.

"I'm trying to be."

Kurama turned his gaze away, allowing Naruto to jump into the conversation with loud expressions of joy over the sweets they made. He had suddenly felt a weight in the pit of his stomach. He wondered who Iruka lost during his attack. He must have lost someone. The signs were obvious. Though, he tried not to think about it. He tried to focus on the unnecessary hatred toward his brother because the truth was difficult to swallow.

It really was his fault that people, with families and friends, had died during his attack six years ago.

He was the one who killed them.

He tried to justify it by reminding himself that the stupid Uchiha forced him, but that didn't make it any better.

Especially when he was confronted by all of the evidence of his destruction on a daily basis.

Perhaps, once, he wouldn't have cared.

Human's used to be such tiny little things to him.

Weak and annoying.

But, it was hard to keep that mentality when he was essentially one of them now. When he was their size it was difficult to keep such a distance. It was difficult not to care.

"Natsuki-kun? Are you okay?"

Kurama sighed and set the half-eaten cookie on his plate.

"You don't have to force yourself, sensei."

There was a short bout of silence. Kurama didn't have to look to know that Naruto was now watching the adult closely. The boy could be perspective about people and their emotions when he wanted to be. He expected denial, perhaps some spluttered, half-formed excuses, so when a warm hand ruffled his hair gently he nearly jumped in surprise.

"You should finish that cookie then head to bed, the both of you. I'll come over tomorrow and see if we can work out a schedule for cooking, cleaning, and shopping."

They both stared silently at the cheerful face of the only adult in the room. Kurama in sheer surprise and Naruto with a slowly forming smile. He eventually did finish the treat and Iruka proceeded to shoo them off to bed. Like a mother hen, he had fussed over them and shot dirty looks at the holes in their worn pajamas.

"And get some sleep, Natsuki-kun!"

He snorted and shook his head.

"Fine, have it your way."

If that silly human wanted to prove something to himself by trying to take care of them, Kurama wouldn't be the one to stop him. He wasn't sure if he would ever completely understand human beings.

They could be so strange.

Iruka swung both the tiny hands in his grasp, making the blond child laugh and his twin smile. It was the third day after the Uchiha massacre, as it was being called, and Iruka decided to take the two twins out shopping now that the stores were open again. The smaller twin had given him a serious look and tried to explain he didn't have to spend his money on them. He countered him by explaining that he had plenty to live on, so spending a little on some clothes and trinkets for them wasn't a big loss.

He proceeded to ignore the continued protests until the child huffed and gave up.

Iruka had sent him a smile and earned a half-hearted glare. He simply shook his head and turned to answer some of Naruto's random questions.

As they browsed through store after store Iruka observed the two silently. Their actions ranged from amusing to slightly depressing depending on the store and the people in them. While Naruto was all sunshine and smiles with him and his brother his attitude changed as soon as there was a perceived threat towards his younger twin. He became defensive, never letting his brother out of his sight.

Natsuki, on the other hand, seemed to subtly recoil into himself. His expression was cold and unyielding, his eyes a deep swirling purple. The boy seemed to be extremely aware of everyone's movements, from the angry gestures to the slightest twitch of the fingers.

A good trait for a shinobi.

Though a worrisome one for a child.

After watching the children for two days, he had decided that Natsuki must be a genius. To what extent, he didn't know, but normal children didn't express themselves as clearly nor were they as mature as the orange haired child was. He pushed a nasty thought away with little trouble and focused on what he could do to help the boy adjust. Geniuses sometimes had trouble in school. Whether it was from too many expectations or special treatment from teachers or even resentment from their peers there were always issues.

Now more than ever, geniuses would be observed and criticized.

After all, there were now two missing-nin from Konoha who had been celebrated as geniuses of their time.

Naruto was bright as well, though he excelled in more practical, hands-on, lessons. The likes of which they wouldn't get for a little while in the academy due to their age and physical limitations. He figured he'd have to try and give the boy some extra lessons that would actually help until then. For now, he decided to simply buy the books the younger twin was eyeing and the toy the older one was poking for the last two minutes and make plans to teach the two what they needed when they needed it.

Iruka plucked the items off of their respective shelves and heading toward the front count the two trailing behind him with wide eyes. He sent a cold smile to the glaring man at the register as he pulled out his wallet, noting absentmindedly how Naruto would shift in front of his brother whenever glares were sent their way.

Luckily, no one gave them any trouble. Then again, that might have been because of the glare he sent all of the store clerks. Honestly, they should act more professional.

Then again, he wasn't one to talk. He had only recently begun to try and see past his own hatred and he still had a bad thought every once in a while. He looked down at the two children. They were happily chatting to one another as they clutched their bags tightly to their chests.

He wondered if they had ever gotten a gift from anyone other than each other.

The Hokage, from what the two had been saying about him over the past couple of days, might have given them gifts for their birthdays or holidays, but he was a busy man and probably couldn't give them presents on a regular basis. Things like a chocolate bar here or a new toy there. Normal things, normal children take for granted.

Iruka gripped the bags in his hands tighter.

Another promise to add to the list.

He seemed to be making them more frequently over the past few days. Somehow, though, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

Those two needed some spoiling.

Kakashi stumbled through the village in an impassive haze that was slowly becoming normal. He had just gotten back from a two-day mission turned three when he ran into a search party for Itachi Uchiha, who apparently betrayed his clan and village. As soon as he came back and gave his report he was immediately shuffled off to and interrogation related to his own Sharingan and 'genius' status before he was eventually deemed a non-knowledgeable, non-threat. For now.

Kakashi had little doubt they would be keeping an eye on him and his mental status for a while longer. Which, of course, made his own bad habits stand out now more than ever. Every jounin, especially Anbu, had a least a few so Kakashi had gotten away with only a roll of the eyes here and an exasperated sigh there. He guessed he'd have to tone it down over the next few months.

He rubbed his only visible eye tiredly. He had thought about heading back to his apartment, but it was tiny and lifeless.

Instead, he headed toward the memorial.

He could have taken the rooftops, but he didn't feel like it.

He was tired.

A flash of brightly colored hair caught his attention and he turned his head to see the two Uzumaki twins. The sight of them always brought an unwelcome rush of memories and emotions. They reminded him too much of those he had lost, both in physical appearance and even personality. It nearly physically hurt to see them, to be near them, but he never could turn down a mission involving them. Even if it meant having to watch them.

So, when he noticed a strange man he didn't know with the two he tensed minutely.

While the man didn't express any discomfort or hatred, he was definitely a ninja of at least chunin status. In light of the recent massacre, he knew it was possible for someone to somehow manage to blame the two or get it in their heads that they could get away with hurting them.

After all, no one simply spent time with the two.

He ignored the pang that followed that thought and shifted his direction to follow the group of three from a distance. He followed them all the way back to the twin's apartment and proceeded to watch as the man taught the twins how to fix the dinner he was making. Kakashi hadn't felt anything negative from the other ninja and the two boys kept calling him sensei.

He considered the possibility that the man was their instructor, but he still couldn't believe that someone would go this far for the 'demon twins'. It seemed that everyone was willing to ignore and at times blatantly spite on his sensei's last wish.

He watched with no small amount of confusion as the man made sure they ate all of their dinners and went over that was expected at the academy, giving them a mini-lesson on Konoha history and other facts they may need to know for school. He sent the off to bed with the promise of meeting them after school to continue their cooking lessons. While Kakashi himself was not all that versed in the many aspects of family life, he could recognize enough to realize the man was treating them like younger brothers or even his own children.

Kakashi sent a clone after the man but stayed to keep an eye on the twins. Naruto seemed to try and remain awake with his twin for an hour or two, but the effects of a full stomach and semi-comfortable bed had a strong effect on the six-year-old. The blond passed out, while Natsuki remained awake.

He had a fleeting worry that the child wasn't getting any sleep. He had nightmares that rivaled Kakashi's on a bad day nearly every night. They had gotten into a system when he was on night duty, but without Kakashi there to wake him up…

He eyed the slowly forming bags beneath six-year-olds eyes.

Staying awake was one way to cope, but one that, Kakashi knew from experience, never lasted. He battled with himself for a few moments. He didn't have his Anbu gear on him and to reveal himself was a large breach in security as the boy would undoubtedly recognize him. He gazed silently at the small, pale face gazing unseeingly up at the ceiling.

It was the eyes that did it, in the end, Kakashi decided.

Too much like Kushina.

He was in the room before he knew it. Hand running through the ridiculously messy orange locks.

"Just sleep." He murmured. "I'll watch over you."

He tried not to shift uncomfortably as the child gaze focused on him a small frown marring his face. Eventually, however, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, he slumped down into a light sleep. Kakashi wondered how many times Minato-sensei had done this for him after his father had died or even after Obito's death.

He wondered if this was a punishment of sorts, before deciding it really didn't matter.

His clone had popped itself at some point, sending him information on the man who had been with them, but Kakashi put that information away for later. He stayed there the rest of the night.

Watching over the two.

*Extra*

Naruto stuck his lip out stubbornly.

"No, if you can't sleep neither will I! I'm your big brother, you know?!"

He watched as his twin rolled his eyes, but was obviously too tired to try and put up a fight. That only made him more worried. Natsu was never one to let anyone, even him, have the last word. He frowned, he knew his brother had bad nightmares. They used to wake him up when they had lived at the orphanage. He had hated how weak and useless they made him feel. All he was able to do was hold his gasping brother and hope that the other boy would be able to go back to sleep.

He had been very happy when it seemed as though they went away.

He glared at the wall, his brother was keeping secrets and he didn't like it one bit. Especially because he knew his twin was doing it so that he didn't bother Naruto.

He would have none of this business.

If Natsu couldn't sleep then Naruto would stay awake with him!

That was his job as his big brother.

Naruto chatted quietly with him for a while, not minding when his brother didn't respond much. He was the one who usually did all of the talking anyway and besides his brother was tired.

He felt his eyes dropping dangerously half-way through the night and tried to force them open, but it was becoming more difficult as time passed. He tried to get Natsu to help him stay awake, but his twin just smiled at him.

"It's okay Naruto. Just go to sleep."

In the end, he failed and fell asleep.

He woke up the next morning irritated with himself, but he didn't let it show. One day he'll definitely be a better big brother. He'd make sure all of Natsu's nightmares ran away and didn't bug him anymore. That way Natsu would be able to sleep properly.

Naruto wondered vaguely how one would fight nightmares, but eventually decided he'd be able to do it when he was Hokage. The Hokage was the strongest shinobi, so surely he'd be able to fight nightmares when he became the Hokage.

It didn't matter what it was.

If it hurt his brother, he'd beat it up.

It was his job, after all.

So, yeah I know it's been a while. I had actually planned on updating sooner, but my life was insane for a couple of weeks. Between an essay and two tests for college, a belt test from hell for karate, finding two lost dogs, one of which was in terrible shape, and of course general cleaning and cooking I was exhausted by the end of each day. But, this week shouldn't be as hectic so I figured I try and type up a chapter while I had the time. All of the reviews, favorites and alerts I received really encourage me to keep up with this little idea.

Not sure where it's going to end up, but hopefully it will be an interesting journey.

Thanks again for all of your lovely reviews! Ciao~