2

Icicles on eyelashes:

Warning: Old man boldness. There is also two vulgar words, that I don't usually use in my writing. I don't really like them, but I felt like this certain character would use them, so I apologize if that offends anyone. Warning for language-

A little bit of kindness can make someone's world a lot less cold and lot more just.

A problem became apparent the next day when Kakashi was directing missions for his team.

It wasn't obvious at first, but now that Kakashi really thought about it, he should have made a move a lot sooner.

It started small, with a trouble-free D ranked mission.

Kakashi met his team at their bridge and told them they had a fun filled day of D rank missions.

You can guess that his team of genin were more than a little frustrated with this information. Even Sasuke seemed depressed by the fact that they wouldn't be decorating Christmas decorations again.

He told them with a grim smile to suck it up and work through their problems and pride on their own time.

Kakashi wouldn't lie though, his view of the day ahead wasn't too sunny either.

The first mission involved a healthy serving of hard work and endurance as did the three other missions he scheduled.

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke gaped when they arrived at the large farm like house at the edge of the village where there was actually space to own that kind of home.

"We-" Naruto spoke with complete shock in his voice.

"Have to clean-" Sakura squeaked out next.

"This place?" Sasuke's large eyes were practically bugging out of his head.

Kakashi smiled, "No, we just have to clean the outside of it." He tried to stay positive for a change.

Naruto lowered his head and said in a small, defeated voice, "That means we have to rank the leaves, wash the windows, clean the gutters, and fix that broken bench too, doesn't it?"

Kakashi suddenly lowered his shoulders in exhaustion, "Yes, yes it does."

Positivity sucks.

Sakura walked towards the house, and scrunched her nose, "The owners haven't taken very good care of this place. Look." She pointed to the broken window on the side of the house, "We're going to have to fix that."

Kakashi nodded, "Yes well, they have been on vacation for the last summer and fall. They got back and were surprised that their home had fallen into such…condition"

It wasn't surprisingly for the owners to leave for so long. Konoha's summers were as scorching as its winters were bitter.

Sasuke agreed, looking as if making a mental list in his head, "Yeah, and I think we will need to re-paint the garage too, it's all peeling off."

Naruto fell to his knees, "NO! Shut up Sasuke! Stop making more work for us!" He whimpered from his place on the ground.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, and Kakashi decided to speak before anything could happen.

"We should divide and conquer-"

Sakura perked up, "Good idea sensei! I already have a plan if that's okay."

Kakashi sighed internally and gestured for the pinkette to continue.

She smiled sweetly, "I think I should take cleaning the windows because out of us three I have best control over wall walking," Naruto began to protest, but Sasuke silenced him with a jab in the side with a chakra filled finger. Sakura continued, "Sasuke should paint the garage and fix the bench because he is so precise and artistic." She sent a mischievous glance towards Sasuke, but just as always, Sasuke wasn't affected by her, she huffed, "He also noticed the garage needed painting so he should have to do it." Naruto snickered from Sasuke's left, but Sasuke looked wide eyed before masking it with an indifferent look. Sakura pushed her hair behind her ear, "and I think Kakashi sensei can clean the gutters best because he is good with water technic, and fix the window because the glass could be dangerous." She stated knowledgeably.

Naruto bounced beside her, "Oh, oh, oh, Sakura, what does that mean I get!" He seemed to regain his ever enthusiastic nature again.

Sakura crossed her arms, "And Naruto can rake up all the smelly leaves!" She wore a self-satisfied smile while Naruto put his head in his hands.

The three genin went right into working, going their separate ways and doing what was asked of them. It shocked Kakashi still for a moment.

Why don't they follow my orders like that!?

Sasuke and Naruto couldn't conform with orders or rules to save their lives.

But there they go, totally fine with listening to whatever demeaning job Sakura sent them on.

Kakashi rubbed his temples, but was ultimately unsurprised. She had shown herself to be so much more helpful than what was first believed.

She was always organized, and had a plan in mind. She had a real gift in leading, if she gained the confidence and the temper for it, she could do great things one day.

Kakashi accepted his fate and went to work.

The first signs that something was wrong came when Kakashi looked down from where he was cleaning the gutter to see Sasuke with rose red cheeks and looking to be miserable, though he never ceased in working. While Kakashi felt a shiver run up his spine every now and then, he wasn't cold. Sakura and Naruto looked downright jolly while working, belting lyrics to their favorite holiday tunes.

They were dressed in the same clothing as the day before, but Sakura seemed to have put on another layer underneath her coat, and Naruto shed a layer so he would be able to move with any kind of finesse.

But Sasuke… Kakashi ground his teeth to stop from scolding the boy. He wasn't wearing any fucking proper winter gear.

He himself was wearing his coat, his ear muffs, and thick gloves on his hands.

There had been a recent drop in temperature, a cold front swept in as usual Konoha winters would go. The news said it was supposed to start snowing soon, possibly two or three days from now.

Kakashi had to give the boy a little credit though, he was wearing more clothing than the days before.

He had a long sleeved turtle neck, Kakashi couldn't tell if he had two or three tee-shirts on underneath it, he could only see the outline of the shirt by the puffiness of his sleeves, (Kakashi silently hoped it was two shirts though) It was barely thrity degrees out!

He wore a tiny sock hat that barely covered his ears, it was probably why his face was so red, and the worst was that he didn't have any gloves! His bare hands shook in the cold as he tried to wield his paint brush to make even strokes.

But Kakashi didn't say anything.

He didn't say anything, because it wasn't his place. He wasn't the kid's father, (Ew, Kakashi didn't like the feeling that went through him at the thought. Much too warm and fuzzy.)

Kakashi instead busied himself with cleaning gutters and listening to his teammate's loud and obnoxious singing.

Kakashi looked back to Sasuke when he heard a soft noise coming from him.

He watched in awe as Sasuke sang softly to the song that Naruto and Sakura were blasting from their lungs.

I wish I had a river.

I could skate away on

I wish I had a river so long

I could teach my feet to fly

Oh, I wish I had a river

I could skate away on.

Twenty clone Narutos screeched the lyrics from the left side of him, so he could barely hear Sasuke's soft words, but he could see his face as he took in the lyrics. It was almost as if he was breathing them in, and living it.

Kakashi shrugged, weird metaphor on my part….

He turned back to his own job, but not soon enough it seemed, for Sasuke caught his eye, and smiled with a tilted head at him.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at him; Sasuke flashed his eyes over to where the Narutos were singing, and he shook his head, pleased. Kakashi's smirk in return was wry , and Sasuke stuck his tongue out at him.

Kakashi wrinkled his nose, and Sasuke rolled his eyes all the way back to the project he was working on, and began painting straight lines again, though Kakashi could still see the small quiver in his fingers.

Kakashi loved their silent conversations. It always made him smile, the way he and Sasuke could communicate so effortlessly. Not to mention it drove Sakura and Naruto crazy!

There were many other moments when Kakashi could have said something. Like earlier when they had cleaned up a civilian park full of litter, and towards the ending, whenever Sasuke squatted to pick something up, he would come up and have a sort of disoriented look on his face. He stumbled a couple times as well.

Then on their third mission, when they harvested a section of Kohnoha's winter crops, Kakashi looked up to find Sasuke holding his hands to his face and breathing on them every time he would pick something. He would blow on his hands, and look down with determination and dig up an onion, and then breathe on his hands again. Kakashi started to get a bad feeling, but he was distracted by his little blonde teammate.

Naruto's shadow clones were a blessing and a curse.

Kakashi didn't know what was worse, the extra man labor that would have occurred without the clones, or the headache he was sporting now after two hours of babbling Narutos.

They were on their fourth D rank mission of the day and luckily for Kakashi's tired mind, it was their last.

Their job was to go north of the village, and shovel snow for a small town that just survived a snowstorm. The mission said it wasn't that bad of storm, but it was pretty terrible from what Kakashi could tell. It was only two hours to the village, and while Konoha hadn't had its first snow yet, it seemed like this place was suffering from the cold pretty bad.

The temperature had to have dropped, Kakashi was sure. He was starting to shiver too.

He looked at his team with resolve. This would not be fun, but they were helping people and that made everything they did as ninja worth it.

Sakura and Naruto seemed cold, but Sasuke looked frozen, and they hadn't even started working yet.

His teeth were chattering, he didn't look like he could stop it if he wanted to, and it looked like the next gust of cold wind that came would knock the boy over.

The worst part of it all, was that it was still snowing!

They needed to get the job done before more snow came and actually buried the homes. Now, it just looked like there was a big snow, and some of the homes were iced shut even, but if the snow continued at this pace, and no one tried to move anything, they would be snowed in for at least a week.

Kakashi's own throat hurt from breathing in the cold air, and he had a scarf around his neck; he couldn't imagine what Sasuke was going through.

He couldn't give Sasuke his coat or anything, Sasuke would see it as pity, and make it his mission to pretend to not be cold and only suffer more. That boy was too stubborn sometimes. Too prideful. Kakashi would ultimately know that Sasuke would never take something Kakashi was wearing for the biggest reason of it not being fair that he would give away the things keeping him warm to help someone else, but still.

Sakura and Naruto even started to worry as Sasuke hobbled down the street with his hands deep in his pockets.

The street was quiet, nothing disturbed the road at all. It was almost eerie what with the way everything was completely silent, as if no one lived there at all.

Kakashi grits his teeth and sent a smile to his team.

Positive attitude will breed a positive life.

Kakashi didn't truly believe this, but Guy had been drilling him the other day, and one of his idioms that stood out most was that. It sounded like it would be nice if it was true, but maybe it was. Guy was positive, Guy was happy.

Kakashi sighed one last time before crunching his way through the snow to Sasuke.

Sasuke wasn't even looking at him, probably didn't realize he was there. He was too busy watching Naruto as the boy threw snow off the ground into the air and spun around in circles underneath it.

Sasuke didn't look like he understood this activity, but looked as pleased as he could while shaking where he stood.

Kakashi didn't think twice about his next action.

That kid needed to start taking care of himself, but because Kakashi couldn't control that, he took his revenge in messing with him.

Kakashi smiled mischievously.

Sasuke's head was still turned so Kakashi thought that was an automatic heads up to scare the shit out of the kid.

Kakashi wasn't a saint okay, scaring Sasuke was always funny. It started when Sasuke and himself had went on a rampage trying to scare Naruto on Halloween; it was only fair that Kakashi teamed up with Naruto and freaked the kid out for the rest of the season afterward. And they did.

Kakashi snuck up and grabbed the kid by the shoulders. Kakashi was instantly aware of the cold temperature radiating off the boy even through the long sleeved turtle neck he was sporting.

Sasuke jumped just like he was supposed to, about a foot in the air, squawking indignantly like a kitten who had been thrown into the water.

Kakashi grinned wanly and scratched his head.

"Yo," he put his iconic peace sign in place, "What's up?"

Sasuke put his hand on his hip and glared at Kakahsi.

His cheeks were bright red with embarrassment at how he had reacted, or maybe that was just cold. Sasuke usually wasn't that easy to embarrass but Kakashi's grin widened anyway. Sasuke couldn't tell for his mask in place though.

Sasuke had trouble staying angry and eventually huffed with a small smile and shake of the head.

"I'm sooo going to get you back for that." He said with his little smirk in place.

Kakashi shook his head, but didn't deny the unlikely hope Sasuke had of ever scaring his sensei. Kakashi knew it would never happen.

"You look cold." He stated plainly, and took his opportunity where Sasuke was searching for a response, and plopped his ear muffs onto his head.

Sasuke went rigid, but didn't immediately take off that headpiece.

Kakashi could practically see a little bit of warmth flush back into Sasuke.

"You shouldn't be cold either." Sasuke muttered after a moment.

Kakashi just shook his head, "Uh huh, I'll be fine, my coat has a hood. I just don't wear it because it messes with my fabulous hair." It was true of course, he did have a hood, but it wouldn't be as warm as having his special earmuffs. Kakashi almost wanted them back when he felt the bitter cold nip at his ears.

But then Sasuke smiled shyly, nuzzling into it a little, and suddenly it was all worth it.

"Thank you sensei. Tell me if you want them back." Kakashi nodded, but he had already made up his mind that he wouldn't take them even if the boy insisted on it.

"You look like Rudolf right now!" Naruto spoke blatantly loud from beside Sasuke, having trotted up a couple moments before, "except like your whole face is his nose!" Naruto burst into laughter, and Sasuke looked confused, but chuckled and started humming the Rudolf song.

"Okay. Let's get to work!" Sakura said with shining eyes.

Kakashi worried for how much she enjoyed these D rank missions.

They met up with some other volunteers from the neighborhood and took the shovels the groups had left over. Luckily, there were many extra shovels and Naruto's clones all gallivanted over take them one by one.

Kakashi reminded himself to make sure to keep an eye on Naruto's chakra stamina, see how long the boy could go without exhausting himself.

It wasn't really so bad a first. Naruto started singing Christmas songs, and this seemed to cheer up the more outgoing volunteers, and some even sang with him.

Naruto basked in the attention of all the young adult volunteers, and Sakura went straight to the boss of this mission. She started making plans on where they needed to shovel, and time limits, times for breaks, but it wasn't bothering the man like Kakashi thought it would. In fact, he seemed like he really appreciated the help. Looking at her in awe as she spewed about an organized schedule and plan about next year being prepared for this to happen and finding the best ways to prevent it.

Sasuke, not too surprisingly, took a lot a little ways away from the people. He wasn't really far away, just enough that they wouldn't talk to him, but he could still hear their singing. The real shock came by the fact that Sasuke had chosen a spot next to an old scruffy looking volunteer. The man looked to be the oldest there, but he was working the hardest, not even stopping when there team had joined the rumble. He shoveled none stop with a look of resilience in his eyes. He wore so many layers that you could barely see his face, but what you could see was hardened and angry.

Kakashi watched his team from a distance while he shoveled. He needed to keep an eye on them, make sure they stayed out of the trouble they loved to get in so much.

Everything was going surprisingly well despite the tiredness in Kakashi's bones from a full day of literal work.

Kakashi was most amused by watching Sasuke interacting with the old guy.

He kind of looked like a hobo to Kakashi, but either Sasuke didn't to notice, or he didn't mind.

They talked very little while the two worked, but maybe that was the reason this little arrangement was working. The man was grumpy and sarcastic from what Kakashi could tell. A rough man, that didn't see much good in anything. He could tell that Sasuke thought it was funny, and probably didn't take offence to anything the guy said, though most people would.

Kakashi scooted closer when he noticed the two had stopped working for the first time in the last two hours. Sasuke was a hard worker, so the sensei wasn't surprised with the insanely large amount of snow they shoveled.

Kakashi's lips twitched when he heard the conversation that they were having.

The man pulled out a photograph and held it out for Sasuke to see.

Sasuke tilted his head as he stared at the picture, and then up at the man, and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"She's a beauty." His smile turned even brighter with a flash of his teeth.

"Yeah, yeah, kid, don't get cheeky with me, I might just regret this."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but lost his smile.

"So kid, as I was saying, my wife and I's first date was a complete disaster. Her father hated me! He was glaring at me as I picked up my girl, and when I was bringing her back, he was still a glaring! Though we were drenching wet, so I can't blame him!" He stopped and gave a graveling laugh, one that was probably loud and boisterous in his youth.

Sasuke was smiling as well, his shoulders shaking with soft laughter.

"You see, I pushed her in the lake, and hell like that was a good idea! She was so mad, she tackled me to the ground, and it actually kind of hurt, then she dragged me into the water with her." The man was starting to blush even as he tried to play it off as nothing.

Sasuke looked disbelieving at the man, but impressed all the same.

"She was strong, okay! One of the strongest women I ever met, right after my mama of course. She was an independent young woman, probably the most self-sufficient little thing nobodys ever seen. She worked hard every day and never let nothing stop her. If anyone was going to do the courting in the relationship, it was going to be her." He laughed again, seeming to be happier than he had in a long time.

Sasuke looked at the man in some sort of longing way. Kakashi couldn't really place the look, but he seemed in awe at the story being told. He was truly interested, and seeming to be admiring the man's wife, but maybe it was his life as a whole.

The man seemed to think of another story he wanted to tell, and he went right into it, just happy that someone was listening to him. Though it didn't show on his gruff, and graying face of course, but Kakashi could hear it in the fondness of his voice.

"She tried to make me and my buddies chili one time. Now, you didn't hear this from me, but my recipe for chili is the best, but she was a saying all this crazy stuff about wanting to make me something, and since I liked chili so much and it was cold, she should make it for me and my friends." He made a dramatic face and threw up his hands, "OH!" He moaned in misery, "It was terrible! It was like eating fire, a little scorched at the bottom too! My buddy and I had just gotten done with a work out, and came in the kitchen to find her smiling face. I couldn't resist that, you'll know what that's like when you find the person you're going to be spending your life with, but anyway, we both sat down, me and my buddy and took a sip. Even just the littlest bit would burn your whole mouth. My buddy was too sweet a guy to tell her though, so he sucked down the entire bowl. I wasn't go to be the one to tell her, no way in the world was I crushing that hopeful look on her face, so I did the same, chugging a water as I went!"

Sasuke was silently laughing, "Why would you do that? Did she find out you didn't like it?"

The old man shook his head disdainfully, "Then my girl sat down with her own bowl. She took one sip and she was running to the sink to spit it out. It was terrible, she was so mad at me, and upset with herself. She apologized for making us eat something like that, and seemed so sorry and sad. But when my buddy left, she rounded on me like a spit fire. She was yelling about how she embarrassed herself because of me, and that I should have told her it was gross, and in the least not let my buddy eat it!" He was laughing himself breathless now.

Sasuke's cheeks were still bright red, but it had spread to his fingers too, he had a faraway look on his face, as if trying to imagine the scenario, or record it in his brain for eternity.

Once their laughter died down, the man took on a serious look.

"Even when her hair was gray, she never lost her fire. She was the most amazing woman I ever met."

Sasuke was smiling shyly now.

The man swallowed thickly and took the picture back, stuffing it into his coat with a sad look in his eyes.

"I was married 50 years, I swear no amount time with her could be enough."

Sasuke nodded, looking honestly sad at what the man was implying.

Sasuke opened his mouth, but the man cut him off, "Nope, don't say nothing." He said dismissively.

Sasuke shut his mouth for a moment, but didn't look like he wanted to.

The man's voice was gruff when he spoke again, sounding like a growl, dismissive. "Well," He cleared his throat inside of a cough, "We should get back to work."

Sasuke nodded without complaint, and picked up his shovel that was stuck in the snow.

The man still hadn't moved though, and Sasuke bent his head down so he could see inside the man's hood.

Whatever he saw seemed to have made up Sasuke's mind, and he shoved his shovel back in the snow.

"She sounds like she was lucky to have someone like you." He said earnestly despite his nonchalant demeanor.

The man chuckled, but it was bitter.

"I was the lucky one, feels like I still am too."

Sasuke nodded, and picked back up his shovel, so did the man.

"So kid, you're a pretty handsome fellow, got a girl yet?" the old man asked curiously, he had a mischievous look about him, despite the fact that he was asking like he was innocent.

Sasuke couldn't be any redder at the moment, but Kakashi was sure he would be blushing if he could.

Wait. It seemed like the universe was trying to prove statistics wrong, Sasuke actually became one shade brighter.

He sputtered with his head low and big eyes wide like a deer.

"No!"

The man didn't seem to mind the statement, tilting his head a little, "Oh, you got a fellow under your on then?"

Sasuke eyes widened, "Oh, no, well I- I don't mind- but, it's a girl, I mean we've talked- but it's not like, you know, and I- ." the man laughed hard enough to bring out his smokers cough.

He slapped the kid on the back, "With an attitude like that, you have no chance to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend whichever you choose! Ha! You got to be confident kid."

Sasuke ducked his head shyly.

The man sighed, "What's she like?"

Kakashi's ears perked at this. Sasuke, at least to his knowledge, wasn't interested in anyone. But from the way Sasuke was acting, he definitely seemed to have someone in mind.

He really felt like he shouldn't be listening to this conversation, but…..more blackmail for his students. Oh, how he wished Naruto was here.

Sasuke scratched the back of his burning neck, the red reaching his ears now.

"Well, I just really like her, and she's like super tough, but nice at the same time, but also like really cool."

The man raised an unimpressed eyebrow and turned back to shoveling.

"What the fuck? What's wrong with kid's today, they can't even express themselves correctly. She's cool? That's it? What does that even mean." he said disgustedly.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, and the two rang back into silence.

Kakashi for a long moment tried to figure out who Sasuke was talking about.

He was disappointed to find that he had no clue?

Was it Sakura? No, he never treated her like he 'like liked' her. Kakashi felt like a child for even thinking something like 'like liked' but he couldn't think of another word to describe it at this crucial moment in time.

Sasuke like someone!

Eventually, Kakashi went back to shoveling on his own, and soon, they were done for the day.

He gathered Sakura and Naruto, and told them to go wait by the truck of shovels while he retrieved Sasuke who hadn't come to them yet.

As expected, Kakashi found Sasuke with the old guy, starting to take out salt and pour it on the streets.

Kakashi almost interrupted and told Sasuke it was time to go, but then the old guy turned to Sasuke, slipping off his baggy brown coat. It was patched everywhere, and was discolored or stained on at least half of it, not to mention the smoky smell Kakashi assumed it would have.

The man turned and pushed the coat toward Sasuke with a stern look.

Sasuke looked shocked and didn't take it.

Sasuke shook his head mutely, like he already knew what the man was trying to do.

The man rolled his eyes, "Kid, your taking this one way or another." He said viciously, almost like a threat, but Sasuke didn't seem scared. Maybe it was because of the awkward, yet earnest look the man was wearing.

Sasuke glared at the man, but couldn't come up with a response. He still didn't take the coat, leaning his head on one shoulder defiantly.

"Fine." The man threw the coat on Sasuke's shoulder and then crossed his arms.

"I'm giving you this and you better take good care of it just like I had. This was my daddy's."

Sasuke was shocked still and tried to shove it back into the man's hands like the coat was poison. "I'm not taking your coat." He glared at the man stubbornly.

The man snorted, "Your taking it and that's final, but you're not getting it for free."

Sasuke looked completely bewildered, "Uh."

The man nodded his head, "Yep, you're going to come down here on the weekends. My kids are all grown, and I need a little extra help around the house. You've got energy and from what I can tell, skill. Your helping me, and in return you get my nice coat, and advice on getting a girl. From the way you're going, you have no chance."

Sasuke nodded dumbly, "Um. O-okay" he finally seemed to accept his fate, as long as the man was at least getting something out of it.

He took the coat in his hands tentatively as if it would disappear. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet kid, I don't know if I'll be able to score you a date after all, you seem like a real pussy."

Sasuke sputtered, shocked, but quickly masked it with a scowl.

"Don't take it too personally kid, most boys your age are. If anything, you should feel honored, I see potential in you."

Sasuke laughed, he looked so confused, kind of offended, but grateful all the same.

"Get going kid, I think your team's waiting for you to leave."

Sasuke nodded and began to walk away, but the man yelled at him, "Put on the coat, stupid!"

Sasuke quickly rushed to put on the coat. It was humongous on his short frame, going down to his knees. He looked completely ridiculous.

Sasuke then ran off, but looked back once, "See you Saturday?" the man nodded and Sasuke waved and then went to the truck where Sakura and Naruto were both waiting, seeming to be bickering, Kakashi couldn't tell for sure.

Once Sasuke was enraptured in the other two's argument, (Trying to break it up in the way that used the least amount of energy) Kakashi made his presence to the man apparent with a clear of throat.

The man looked up from where he was randomly placing salt around the ground.

"What do you want?" He said irritated.

Kakashi wasn't at all perturbed by the bad attitude, and said what he wanted to say.

"You didn't have to do that, you know. Giving him the coat I mean…. and the job." Kakashi said offhandedly. He wasn't too sure that Sasuke should be going to visit this stranger on weekends. He seemed suspicious, but it definitely wasn't jealousy talking.

The man scoffed, nice and loud, with a sound of thick spit in his throat.

He made an ugly face, "Yeah, I did have to, because no one else was gonna."

Kakashi flinched at that statement, not expecting it from the old man.

Before Kakashi could defend himself, the man continued.

"That kid that you didn't want me to give my coat to, was freezing his ass off out here, you know that right? He didn't stop working once, and I didn't hear him complaining, and you definitely weren't giving him anything warm to wear either. Why would you let your kid out here in a thin little shirt like that? What kind of parent are you?"

Kakashi was struck dumb.

Parent? Kakashi wasn't his parent?

Where did he even get that idea?

His eyes were wide, and jaw lack but still closed.

"Mm? You retarded or what?"

Kakashi shook his head, "No."

The man sneered at him, "No what?"

"No he's not my son. I mean- I'm not his parent, we're not related." Kakashi said angrily.

The man glared hard at him, and for a moment he felt like the old guy could see right through to his soul.

"That don't mean nothing. The kid told me very little, he barely spoke in full sentences and didn't talk about himself, but for some reason, he talked about you of all things."

Kakashi was shocked, but he quickly looked back to where Sasuke was. He was leaning against the truck, nuzzling into the big coat like it was a life line. He could practically see the life come back to his being.

Then he was grinning at something Naruto said, and the two laughed while Sakura pouted. Then they all laughed, and there was a light in Sasuke's eyes that wasn't usually there.

Kakashi guessed that it had something to do with the old man glaring daggers at him now. Because a stranger cared about him. A stranger saw what Sasuke needed, like himself, Kakashi rationalized. But the difference was, that this old guy was brave enough to act on it. He had actually helped the kid, while Kakashi stood by and watched.

It wasn't his job though, he reminded himself. He was a sensei, not a parent.

"Yeah, but I'm his sensei. I don't dictate his personal choices."

The man shook his head roughly, "He looks up to you. I could tell from the way he talked, and occasionally looked back at you too. It was kind of annoying." He shrugged off his last statement, "The point is, he respects you, and cares about you. And don't act like you don't know it. Now buckle down like a man and next time you see him being stupid, help him. He's got no parents to steer him into the right, no parents to make sure when he falls he gets back up, and no parents to care about him either. Now I don't know about you, but I see a good kid in him, but he needs someone to help him along the way. You may not like the circumstances, but he chose you. I couldn't choose my kids, just had to wait for the universe to do its job and bring them to me, and you don't either. That kid chose you, and you can either cower away from the position, or you can stand up and be there for him when he needs it. Which is it going to be?"

Kakashi blinked, shaking where he stood.

"But i-"

The man cut him off, and damn was that getting annoying.

"No buts, it's a yes or no question. The kid deserves someone great, and if you can't pull that off, than get the hell out, he doesn't needs no one half assing him like this."

Kakashi felt like he had been stabbed. His chest was tight, and his shoulders tense. He could barely control his breathing. He scrubbed a hand through his hair and stared back over to Sasuke.

Sasuke at the moment was chasing Sakura in what looked to be the beginnings of a game of tag. Right before he grabbed Sakura he slipped on the snow and fell on his face. He laughed, but then Naruto came over and body slammed him from above. Sasuke looked like he was suffocating, but he kicked Naruto with his leg and slammed him in the stomach.

From there, Sasuke stood, tapping Naruto on the head, "Your it, dobe."

Naruto grouched and chased after him.

"I-I." he clinched his fist.

He didn't even know why he was listening to this man. He was some old guy he just met, but…but it felt like betraying Sasuke not to answer. The man was right. He just didn't know if he could do what the man was asking of him. Expecting of him would be more accurate.

"I want to try."

The man nodded his head with crossed arms, "That's all the kid can ask of you."

Kakashi unclenched his fists, feeling relief like he had just passed some kind of test or something.

"Whatever, I have to go." And if that wasn't the most childish thing he could have done.

Nonetheless, Kakashi walked away, seething with anger, but the closer he got to his little students the more the anger left him.

Once he was stood in front of them all, he stopped and blinked. They abruptly stopped their game of tag and in the most random poses too. After a second of zero movement, Naruto reached out and tapped the frozen Sasuke that was on one foot on the shoulder.

"Boop, your it." Naruto whispered creepily.

Then he felt over, slamming Sasuke into the hard ground.

Everything was back to normal.

But when they got back to the village, two hours later, Kakashi stopped Sasuke before he could run off like his other two teammates.

"Hey."

He had no idea what he was doing, but he couldn't help wanting to talk to Sasuke. He just needed that reassurance that he hadn't already fucked up.

Sasuke stopped mid-movement and turned around.

He looked at Kakashi curiously, but didn't speak, just raised an eyebrow.

And for a moment he just stared at Sasuke for a moment.

Too big coat, coming down to his knees, but tightly wrapped around himself, dark, ripped up jeans, with too many stains, and tiny sock hat still on his head covering very little, but the boy was unwilling take off.

Then Kakashi gaze went to the ear muffs squishing down the top of his duck-butt hair that was still peeking out, the ear muffs he had given him, and the ones he still hadn't taken off of his head.

He looked happy, despite the confused look he was giving Kakashi.

Kakashi couldn't help the comforting warmth that spread through him that he boy in front of him was happy.

Kakashi didn't need to talk to the kid about taking care of himself, hell he's doing a pretty good job on his own, he didn't need to ask him about the coat, or talk about what the kid could do to help himself.

"Sorry for holding you, kid. But, look, uh, being a jounin sensei means more than just training you. Find me whenever you need me."

It wasn't perfect, and it definitely wasn't what he wanted to say. It probably wasn't exactly what Sasuke wanted to hear either.

But the kid suddenly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Kakashi's neck. It surprised Kakashi, but Sasuke too.

Sasuke hadn't sought out physical contact in years. Kakashi hugged back a moment later. It only last five quick seconds, and neither say anything.

It's probably better that way.