A/N: I do not own any naruto characters. Enjoy.
Three year old Gaara watched everyday as Kakashi put on his masks and sent him to Iruka's before going on missions. One day, Gaara was feeling rather mischievous, which was out of character for the small, sensitive boy. He was on his fathers lap eating breakfast when an idea dawned on him: Would Kakashi leave him without his masks?
The next day as Kakashi was showering, Gaara snuck into his drawers and took the masks. He hid them well, outside underneath sand. He laughed and went back inside before Kakashi was down showering, lying down in the big bed and snuggling into the covers, his fathers scent surrounding him. When Kakashi came in he smiled at the cute little boy in his covers, apparently sleeping, and got dressed.
When Kakashi reached in the drawer for two masks, he felt nothing but bare wood. His eyes opened wide, looking in the drawer. He looked up to see Gaara wide awake, sitting up and beaming at him.
"Gaara..what did you do with my masks?" Kakashi questioned. Gaara simply stretched his arms out to him, wanting to be picked up. Kakashi sighed and lifted him up, looking at him. "Gaara, what did you do with Chichi's masks?"
"Hungry!" Gaara was easily distracted.
"Fine, but after breakfast your telling me where you hid my masks." And with that, Kakashi prepared and ate breakfast with the young child, watching the other two head off to the academy.
"Now that you ate, you can tell Chichi where you hid his mask, right?" Gaara nodded and took Kakashi's hands, pulling him to the living room. He made Kakashi sit on the couch before climbing up onto his lap and snuggling into him, sighing happily. Kakashi smiled, ruffling the childs hair before asking again. "Gaara, I'm late. Please show me where my mask is Panda-Chan."
The child looked up, pouting with his lip sticking out. This usually had a good effect, but Kakashi was very late today. He tilted up the kids head, deciding to be stern. "Tell me now where you put my masks or no swings." As soon as he said this, Gaara burst into tears, hugging Kakashi tightly around the neck. "Gaara..?" Kakashi didn't know what was doing on with the child.
Gaara cried for a few more minutes until finally his cries turned into sniffles. Kakashi looked at him once more.
"Gaara, please show me where my masks are." Gaara looked up and nodded, taking Kakashi's hand and pulling him out to the backyard. He sat in the sand and looked up at Kakashi. Kakashi sighed, thinking Gaara was trying to distract him again.
"Gaara, no playing until you tell me where my masks are." He picked Gaara up, ignoring Gaara's struggling. Gaara kept pointing down. Kakashi looked at him and shook his head, rolling his eyes.
"Chichiiiiiiiii!" Gaara shrieked, pointing down.
"No playing right now, Panda-Chan. I need my masks.".
Gaara finally got out of Kakashi's grip, digging in the sand frantically until he pulled up a mask. Kakashi looked shocked at the sand covered mask while Gaara giggled. Kakashi took the sand caked mask and looked at it, trying to brush it all off without any luck.
"Now I have to wash it.." Kakashi sighed in frustration and looked at the giggling child. At this point Temari and Kankuro returned home, and Kakashi noticed the time. He would be coming home at this hour too. Gaara had managed to make Kakashi miss a whole day of work. Gaara smiled up at everyone while Kankuro and Temari questioned Kakashi.
Gaara was happy because he had a whole day to play games with his father. At least, he thought they were games, and that made him very happy.