Chapter 3: Team 7 Together

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in the series. Kakashi is my hubby though… *glomps Kakashi*

Kakashi: Wow, is it me, or am I written by one of the most craziest fanfic writers on Earth?

Admin: Nope, it's just you. Believe me, Kakashi. I am not as crazy as I am. *cackles*

Kakashi: …O_O

The silver-haired jounin watched his fellow students try to tear through the leaves with their hands.

'Sasuke looks like he's getting the hang of it…' Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow, as the Uchiha boy gritted his teeth, concentrating on the small leaf that was held in between his palms. It was obvious that the leaf was burning slightly by the concentrated chakra control.

'…And Sakura is progressing naturally as well…' He glanced over to the pink-haired kunoichi, whose leaf was crumbling ever so slightly without getting her palms rubbed together.

When Kakashi turned to watch Naruto, the blonde wasn't making as much progress. Naruto was trying his hardest, effortful of tearing the leaf with his palm-coated chakra, but it was no use.

'Hm…it seems Naruto might have some trouble…'

"Why can't I tear this thing?!" Naruto screeched irritatingly, as he threw the small material to the ground, crossing his arms in a fit of frustration, "I can never learn how to use my chakra nature…"

"So you're just giving up? Like that? That's not the Naruto I know…" The jounin made his way towards the annoyed Uzumaki, tilting his head slightly.

"I just don't get it Kaka-sensei, -ttebayo…" Naruto mumbled, staring at the ground, hopelessly, "Sakura-chan… and teme… they can control their chakra, but not me…?"

'So he's discouraged…' Kakashi thought to himself, 'The Kyuubi is not only giving him so much chakra… it's also giving Naruto difficulty of handling with his own chakra…'

"Naruto, remember the chakra control training we did before we fought Zabuza?" The jounin murmured, his lone eye gazing into the Uzumaki's cerulean ones.

"Y-Yeah, what about it, -ttebayo?"

"You remember how much chakra you used, correct?" Kakashi folded his arms across his chest, "The amount of chakra not only helps you with this exercise, but the amount of focus you put into the leaf you're holding." The older shinobi picked up the leaf that the genin had thrown down and gazed at it in interest, "This exercise is difficult. And I understand that, but I would think the least that you would be the one that would give up first, Naruto."

Naruto gazed up at his sensei, and took the leaf from him. Now, staring down at the green material that was in his hand, the Uzumaki nodded, "I won't give up. I won't give up at all!" A determined look crossed his face as he pressed both his palms against the leaf, concentrating hard and leaking the amount of chakra he needed to succeed in this exercise, "I'll die before I let myself give up like this!"

'Heh…that's what I thought. A kid like you has too much pride to let it go downhill.' Kakashi smiled behind his mask as the three of his genin's eyes lit up. And in unison, the three of them tossed their remained and destroyed leaves in the air.

"WE DID IT!"

"It was so hard to cut through a leaf, -ttebayo!"

"Hn, burning it is an even harder obstacle to face, dobe."

"Guys! We're over with it! I'm just glad that that's out of the way!"

"Yeah, you're right, Sakura-chan!"

"Hn, yeah…"

The three genin chattered happily amongst themselves. They had completed Kakashi's first training regimen and they could never have been so happy in their life, but that moment.

"Oi! Kaka-sensei!" Naruto jumped and clung onto his sensei's back, entangling his arms around Kakashi's neck, "Because we did such a good job in succeeding in your first exercise, you should treat us to Ichiraku ramen, dattebayo!"

Kakashi's eye widened, "Me? Treat you three to ramen? When did I promise you all?"

"C'mon, Kakashi-sensei! We're hungry after that training exercise! One bowl of ramen can't hurt!" Sakura pleaded, clutching onto her sensei's arm, her emerald eyes sparkling with integrity and want.

"Unless you're Naruto, eating SEVERAL bowls of ramen won't hurt…" Sasuke smirked slightly, and Naruto shot a furious expression towards his rival.

"Teme!"

"Dobe."

"Tem-MEH!"

"Dobe!"

"Alright, enough! All of you!" The jounin massaged his temples, mumbling, "I'll take you all out for ramen if the three of you hush for once."

"Yoshū! Arigato, Kaka-sensei!" The blonde grinned, hugging his sensei, tightly.

"Yay! Kakashi-sensei is treating us to ramen!" Sakura hopped up and down, with glee and Sasuke was also smiling, a little bit.

What was this warm feeling…?

A small, hidden smile appeared behind his mask as he and his genin team arrived at Ichiraku's, where Teuchi, the old man who ran the ramen place, greeted team seven.

"Ho! So I see I have some hungry customers to serve!" Teuchi grinned, widely and Naruto was the first one to be in a seat.

"Ou-chan! A bowl of miso soup ramen, with extra pork, please, -ttebayo!"

"Alrighty, Naruto! Always the first one to order, eh?" The old man laughed at his own statement and he turned to face the others, "And for the lady?"

"I'll have what Naruto's having!" Sakura piped up, smiling, "But without the pork, please."

"Alright! And for you?"

"Miso ramen with slices of tomato, please." Sasuke responded, simply and Naruto made a face, "Ew, teme! Tomatoes?!" "It's not like you're eating anything healthier, dobe."

While the two boys were scuffling with each other, Teuchi turned and nodded towards Kakashi, "Hatake-san, it's been a while since you have revisited this place!" The older man smiled kindly to the jounin.

"…It has been, Teuchi-san…" The Hatake nodded, smiling abruptly, "…I remember Minato-sensei would always take our team here to eat."

"I remembered, like it had been yesterday…" Teuchi smiled, as he scribbled Kakashi's order down on a tab, "I still remember what you had always ordered. Miso ramen with eggplant."

Before Kakashi could even be amazed by Teuchi's good memory, the older man had hurried into the kitchen, busily preparing the meals for his waiting customers.

'Still remembered, eh?' Kakashi allowed his mind to wander back to his former team.

Obito's constant slurping on his ramen, noisily. Himself, complaining that Obito should eat his ramen in a more mannered and respectful way. Rin's bright smile, trying her best not to laugh at him and Obito. Minato's ringing laughter, still echoing in his mind.

I wish I known back then…

A/N:

Another chapter, finished and done! :D

Yaaay~ *throws more confetti to audience*

I feel like this is just a filler chapter, I'm not that sure of it, though…. I'm sure the upcoming chapters will be better though!

Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I greatly appreciate it! It means a lot to me!

Until then, ciao!

TheFanficBaka