Author's Note:
I have two problems. I don't know where to put chapter break in chapter 12. I am unsure Itachi should make an appearance in 13th or 14th chapter.
CHAPTER 6
It had been two months of D-rank missions. Kakashi could tell his genins were getting agitated. It wasn't his fault the hokage keeps sending him for A rank missions though. Well, Naruto was not bothered. If anything, he seemed happy doing D-rank missions. Right then, he was talking about some plant he saw near the training ground with his teammates while working in a farmer's land. His teammates either ignored him or annoyed with him. It was not consistent with what Kakashi knew about Naruto.
That was mainly because of the two incidents Kakashi happened to be a part of. Naruto didn't have any reason to bend over backwards to be their friend nor did he have any reason to be happy with working on a civilian's field. Not that Kakashi wasn't happy with Naruto's effort about teamwork, he found it strange, that was all.
After three weeks they became a team, team 7 went to Naruto's favourite ramen stall, Ichiraku's ramen for team lunch. While they were waiting for their order, Asuma's team came there. Asuma greeted Kakashi. Ino started fangirling about Sasuke creating an argument with Sakura. These were to be expected. The unexpected was the way Shikamaru and Chouji interacting with Naruto.
"Shika, long time no see", Naruto exclaimed happily.
"Chouji, did you loose weight?", which apparently the boy hadn't.
"Hi Naruto, I didn't. But thanks Naruto. Ramen again?", Chouji asked standing near Naruto.
"How are you Naruto?", Shikamaru asked.
"I am good, Shika", "You know Ramen is best, Chouji", Naruto said. Three of them slided into the nearby booth after placing the orders while Sasuke was looking at the blonde with his side eye ignoring the two fangirls.
"What are you doing here, Asuma? I thought you frequented the BBQ shop", Kakashi asked his fellow jounin and good friend.
"I ran out of money. Shika and Chouji recommended the ramen here. It is cheap and heard it is good. Now I know the reason why they know this place", Asuma said and pointed to Naruto. 'These three should have come here together at times', the jounins concluded.
Naruto and Nara Shikamaru were talking about clouds while Akimichi Chouji was sharing his chips with Naruto. A Nara talking being interested and an Akimichi sharing his food were not a small feat.
'Naruto really know how to pull people towards him', Kakashi mused.
Kakashi didn't know what could be interesting about clouds. But he knew the blondie was having the Nara's undivided attention.
"When did they become friends?", Ino asked Sakura.
"Who cares? Losers definitely band together", Sakura replied. Ino didn't agree with calling Shikamaru, a loser but she knew he was unarguably unmotivated.
"Troublesome", Shika muttered. Naruto was arguing the best type of fish with Chouji,
"Your student is the only one I know Shikamaru waited this long to deem troublesome. The Uzumaki boy seems different from what I heard", Asuma told Kakashi and Kakashi hummed.
"People can be biased, and Naruto is Konoho's most unpredictable knucklehead ninja", Kakashi said when the food arrived. Asuma looked at Kakashi but said nothing in return.
"Here you go Naruto", the ramen stall owner's daughter Ayame placed his food and the others as well.
"Thanks, Ayame nee-chan", "Itadakimasu", Naruto said and started eating the ramen.
Kakashi was observing Naruto's interactions with Shikamaru and Chouji. It seemed the boys were good friends. Naruto was not as lone-wolf as his records said. The most important detail though, was the Shikamaru's look. He was observing the blonde when Naruto wasn't looking at him and hung to every word Naruto said while he addressed Shikamaru.
Sasuke left unable to take the fangirl's trouble after eating and Asuma left for a smoke. Ino and Sakura left behind Sasuke.
"Naruto, how is stretching going?", Shikamaru asked Naruto. The blond smirked at the young Nara remembering their conversation on graduation day.
"That was you. I was never sleeping Shika. You should get ready to jog. The trial run is over. The real race is starting. Eat", Naruto replied and looked at the Nara.
"Troublesome", Shikamaru grumbled but started thinking about what Naruto was implying.
"Chouji, it doesn't matter", Naruto said still eating.
"What is Naruto?", Chouji asked confused.
"What others say, it doesn't matter. They don't understand. Don't doubt yourself", Naruto said looking at Chouji.
Chouji beamed at Naruto. "Hai, Naruto".
"Eat", Naruto said sharing his meat with the Akimichi.
Kakashi felt like he was listening some ANBU style code talk. He could not draw a full picture of what was going on. But he could see the there was a shift in other two green ninjas. They suddenly became serious. Kakashi, after much thought, concluded Naruto and the other two were playful during academy days now they might be starting to take ninja career seriously. Those three might be even intentionally holding back and played losers. Because a Nara being at the end of the class was expected but unbelievable. That was all Kakashi could think of. His blonde student was hiding behind a mask. What irked Kakashi more was he could tell Naruto knew Kakashi was listening.
This thought was only confirmed on the second month.
Kakashi realise few things about Naruto. Naruto had friends but afraid of flaunting it because of comments made from villagers, like how Sakura and Ino did in the ramen stall. He was afraid his friends could get hurt because of him. Naruto was mature and strong than people give him credit for. He believed if he asked for help, he might be a burden to them.
Kakashi decided to tackle this issue slowly.
After their conversation, if a bag of groceries suddenly appeared in Naruto's apartment, no one talked about it. And in return, if there was a new plant of aloe vera and thymus plant, served as antiseptics, in Kakashi's apartment with detailed instructions and accessories to take care of them, no one knew about it. It was another secret between a fox and a hound.
Currently, team 7 with their sensei, was going to hokage's office to report. Kakashi knew civilians didn't like Naruto. But most D-rank missions were done for civilians. So, there was no reason Naruto should be this happy. Either his mask was very good or someone offered him free ramen for a week.
Team 7 reached their location. They were about to be assigned another D-rank mission when Sakura exploded.
"No, not another chore. Give us something that involves real ninja work", Sakura shouted and everyone in the room winced. Some hid it better.
Sasuke silently agreed with Sakura.
Kakashi and Naruto were amused.
"Sakura, give respect to your hokage. You are still a new ninja", Iruka started his lecture. He was disappointed with Sakura.
"What do your teammates think?", sandaime hokage asked.
"I would like a real mission hokage-sama", Sasuke replied and Sakura was happy his crush agreed with her.
"Me too", Naruto chirped.
"Kakashi, what do you think?", sandaime asked the copy-nin.
Kakashi looked away from his orange book and looked at his genins.
"I think they are ready for a simple C-rank mission hokage-sama", Kakashi replied much to the annoyance of Iruka.
Kakashi had a feeling this would not be the last disagreement he had with Iruka. Naruto was thinking along the same lines.
"Here, it is a simple security detail to the bridge builder Tazuna to wave country. Your team is to guard him till the bridge is finished", hokage said handing the scroll to Kakashi and invited Tazuna in.
"What! I am to be guarded by these three midgets? The emo boy, pinkie and the blondie who is too small to be a ninja", Tazuna grumbled taking a gulp from his alcohol bottle.
Kakashi was expecting Sakura to go ballistic, but Naruto beat her to it.
Naruto was really unpredictable.
"If you want us to do a good job, stop drinking. Just because we are there to guard you doesn't mean you can drink and dance", Naruto said with a strict tone silencing everyone in the room.
The look he gave the Tazuna, made the bridge builder swallow hard. Kakashi remembered Naruto was attacked by some drunk villagers. That explained his actions.
"I am sure my ninjas are capable of doing a good job, Tazuna", hokage said and smoked his pipe.
"Meet me at the east gate in an hour", Kakashi said and team 7 started their first C-rank mission to wave country not knowing a legend was going to born on this mission.