Thanks to the people who are being patient with me. Anyway, chapter three is now up!

Disclaimer: Need I say it? Don't own, don't sue.

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Kakashi found that he was in a better mood after his earlier realisation. Something that even Gai noticed when he arrived to challenge him. He won the challenge, bringing them back to a tie. He didn't remember the score but Gai sounded sure of it so that was good enough. At least one of them cared enough to actually remember the damn score. He knew that he never would. When he was finally able to get away from Gai's poses and speeches, he began a search. Sources had informed him that Jiriaya and Naruto were in town for a short time and he wanted to talk to the Sannin. While he was at it, he would mention to Naruto that Iruka missed him. He figured the boy wouldn't mind visiting his favourite teacher. And it would make Iruka happy too.

It didn't take him too long to locate the two, just inside the village gates. Alighting nearby, he straightened up. "Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto seemed to be in a really good mood as he hugged the jounin. After exchanging greetings, he mentioned that Iruka would probably like to see him again. That worked perfectly. The boy's face lit up automatically and he looked at Jiriaya to see if it was okay. The Frog Hermit just waved him off. "Get going; just remember that we're leaving again tomorrow early." Naruto was gone in an instant.

Iruka had just finished putting a load of laundry in the washer when he heard several loud impatient knocks. That could only be one person. He realised with a grin. Naruto.

"When did you get back?" He asked once he opened the door and admitted the slightly damp boy. Naruto, of course, had promptly hugged him. "Just a little while ago. Kakashi-sensei showed up and told me that you wanted to see me and Ero-Sannin said that I could visit as long as I remember that we leave tomorrow." Somehow he managed to rattle all of that with his face still pressed into Iruka's vest.

Kakashi… did what? Iruka blinked slowly as he tried to hide his surprise. "Not that it mattered because I was going to come see you anyway once I got away from Ero-Sannin." Naruto continued on not noticing Iruka's behaviour. Iruka shook his head, and smiled down at the boy. He would have to thank Kakashi for this. He decided. It showed, to him anyway, that Kakashi at least cared to mention it to Naruto.

Kakashi stifled a small yawn as he sat cross-legged on his bed. He glanced blearily at the clock to see what time it was before groaning. Even for him this was ridiculously early. He considered trying to go back to sleep but suspected that it wouldn't work out for him. And seeing on how his luck was going, he would probably get a mission sometime today too. He groaned again, reaching to run his hand through very messy hair. Finally resigned to his fate, he went to take a long shower and get something to eat.

An hour or so later, he made his way to the memorial rock and sat against a tree close by. The same tree Iruka used to sit in. He barely noted, in his state. The sun was just beginning to show itself. His head nodded a little.

"Kakashi-san… are you awake now?" Kakashi blinked slowly as he tried to focus on the speaker. The voice sounded rather amused. "You know, sleeping outside when you could be sleeping in a bed is a pretty good sign of insanity. At least I think it is." His head was resting on something soft. "Hey you are awake right?"

"No…" Kakashi mumbled finally focusing his vision. Iruka raised his eyebrows, still smiling a little. He wasn't wearing his vest, Kakashi noted surprised, until he realised that that was what his head was resting on. He had forgotten his… along with his headband it would seem. He consciously made sure his Sharingan eye was closed.

"So what are you doing napping out here?" Iruka asked, satisfied that Kakashi was at least semi-awake. "Mmm… woke up early… came here… must have dozed off." Kakashi replied as he attempted to sit up. He mentally checked to see if he had at least remembered his mask. Yup, it was in place. Iruka shook his head. Apparently he thought a jounin dozing off outside was amusing.

"You're cruel…" Remembering that Iruka had loaned him his vest to serve as a pillow, he added, "In a good way."

"Well I tried to wake you up but you just kept sleeping. Aren't jounins supposed to be able to sense another person's presence even when sleeping?" Kakashi yawned. "While on the job yeah." He suspected that Iruka wouldn't let him live that down. And somehow, he didn't mind.

Shaking off some of the dew, and leaves off of his vest, Iruka bundled it up before glancing at Kakashi. "I have to get to class… are you going to be okay?" Kakashi nodded, standing up. "Yeah, yeah. Get going before the little monsters think that they can skip class."

Iruka slipped off quietly as Kakashi tried to work out a few kinks from his "nap". He had to admit… seeing the Copy Ninja in such a position was rather… startling. He reminded Iruka of a child almost, fast asleep like that. He wondered absently if, just maybe… Kakashi didn't wake up because he felt safe enough with the chunin; so his internal alarm didn't off as it probably would have if it had been someone Kakashi didn't know. He pondered the possibility.

His own reaction to the possibility was surprise and… pride. But of course, he was jumping to conclusions about why Kakashi's internal alarm didn't wake him up. But still… to see the ninja like that… he inwardly hoped that no one was allowed to.

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Author's note: The end of chapter three. And for those who are wondering about the term Naruto uses to address Jiriaya, in the Japanese version that's what Naruto calls him all the time.

Ero-Sannin Perverted Hermit. Suits him doesn't it.