Righteous Side of Hell

They had been in the Hokage’s office with Shikaku for over four hours and Naruto had reached his breaking point.

“Kakashi-ni, if I don’t eat like right now I will die. Can we please go get some ramen now?”

He was begging, clutching his stomach dramatically and making the most pitiful puppy dog face at Kakashi. Always weak to when one of Team 7 had complained of hunger the bad habit had only intensified by eighty fold since coming to the past and adopting Naruto. There were still a lot he had to go over with Sarutobi and Shikaku and really Kakashi wasn’t sure when they would wrap up.

“No worries, Naruto.”

There was a knock on the door just as Shikaku spoke.

“I called in reinforcements.”

Mikoto Uchiha entered when the Hokage called out. She had an annoyed looking Sasuke in tow and a bored looking Shikamaru close behind.

“Shoving responsibility on someone else again Shika?”

Shikaku questioned the now guilty looking kid.

“Now, now Shikaku I saw Shikamaru making his way here and asked to join him.”

Mikoto defended the small child. While currently a housewife she still exuded dangerous energy when someone spoke down to or threatened children. The kind of dangerous energy that reminded whoever she spoke to that she was once a feared ANBU before marital bliss and retirement. Kakashi would have shuttered if he was not surrounded by people who still somewhat respected him. Plus, seeing Sasuke, little seven year old Sasuke looking so much like the genin Kakashi cared for once upon a time made his throat a tight, and eyes sting for just a few seconds.

“Come along Naruto. We are all going to lunch and leaving the boring men to their boring grown-up stuff.”

Mikoto called the child to her and Naruto only sheepishly smiled at Kakashi and waved as he rushed to her side.

“Hokage-sama, I booked an appointment in five hours and would appreciate it be kept.”

Naruto and Sasuke were already arguing quietly while Shikamaru listened in. Apparently the argument would decide on their food so it was no wonder the Nara was invested. Mikoto left the office with a slight bow and smile for each of the stunned men. Just before all four were out the door Naruto turned quickly, shoving Sasuke a bit in the process and waved excited to Kakashi.

“Later Kakashi-ni! Don’t forget to eat. I’ll pick you up later!”

Kakashi could only wave in response to his energetic brother’s departure. Naruto slung an arm over Shikamaru’s shoulder as the Nara now seemed to be siding with Naruto’s pick of lunch. The two gaining up on Sasuke who was slowly raising his voice to match Naruto’s as they left. Mikoto seemed unbothered by the arguing children at her back and the last glance Kakashi got of them was one he never thought he would see. Mikoto was smiling, Naruto was laughing, Shikamaru smiled along with Naruto and Sasuke looked like he wanted to smile too but pretended to pout. That stinging feeling in his eyes bubbled back up and Kakashi took a moment to press the heel of his palms to his eyes to prevent potential tears. He really hated how little control he had over his bodies reaction to too much emotion.

It was so easy to see Sakura there with the boys of Team 7. So easy to imagine her wanting what Naruto pitched for lunch but pretending to not care either way to avoid conflict. Sai would have been like Shikamaru, siding with Naruto outwardly against the Uchiha and feeding off of Naruto’s energy. Tenzo and Kakashi would have simply walked away from the four teens and picked whatever they wanted to eat, ignoring the youngers complaints when they arrived.

A vision of a Team 7 that had never been. His would-be family.

Kakashi promised himself he would make that Team 7 a reality in this timeline. A Team 7 that argued over lunch choices and didn’t try to actually kill one another.

Shikaku patted Kakashi’s shoulder as he laughed.

“There are worse things to be abandoned for Kakashi.”

Kakashi lifted his head, confident he wouldn’t actually cry and just shook his head a little in amusement.

“My brother would leave me for food any day. It’s the only way I’m sure someone could kidnap him.”

Sarutobi laughed at that and the two jounin moved back to standing around the desk and discussing the compound. It was going to be a long afternoon for Kakashi but he couldn’t help wondering how this would actually effect Naruto’s relationship with Shikamaru Nara. Naruto and Kakashi had once talked about the rookies that came out of Konoha with Team 7.

Kakashi had been trapped in the hospital and new Team 7 had returned from their first encounter with a rouge Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto had been upset and for reasons beyond Kakashi’s comprehension at the time had sought out Kakashi for comfort. Kakashi who was terrible at communicating his feelings let alone helping someone else work through their own. But none of that seemed to matter to Naruto as he cut up apples for Kakashi and ate half himself. Somehow, they had ended up on the topic of the Teams 8, 9 and 10 after Naruto talked over his dejected feeling regarding Sasuke, possibly from Kakashi changing the subject when it looked like his sunny student would start crying.

“When I was at the Academy, I was so sure everyone hated me. I think the villagers treating me the way they did made me defensive and suspicious of the other kids since I knew how most of their parents looked at me.”

Naruto looked at his steadily working hands as he spoke. The teen looking very grown up and small all at once in Kakashi’s eyes.

“It’s stupid now that I think of it. Before joining the ninja courses I was pretty close to Shikamaru, Choji and even Kiba. We would pull pranks, skip classes, and even play together and none of their families ever treated me differently from the other kids.”

Eating the most recent pieces he cut up Naruto chewed thoughtfully in silence for a few beats.

“I don’t know what changed when we started ninja courses. Maybe it was because our class got bigger, and the civilian kids started treating me differently. I also had a lot of trouble with chakra control since I either put too much or took little into all of my jutsus making them like explode ninety-nine percent of the time. I pulled away from the guys myself because I was so sure they would see me the same way as everyone else. I got louder too, tired of being ignored or talked about like I wasn’t standing right there.”

Starting on a new apple Naruto went on.

“Sasuke like me didn’t have parents and when they were around even Itachi was sort of nice to me.”

Chuckling darkly Naruto sighed.

“That just seems so wrong now. Itachi being nice.”

“I was once on a Team with Itachi. He was the kindest ANBU I had every worked with, and one of the scariest if I’m honest.”

Naruto looked at Kakashi with shock and then seemed to think of something.

“How many Teams have you had Kakashi-sensei?”

Kakashi took the offered fruit and thought about it for a moment.

“Six officially but before being your Sensei I joined many teams for one off missions.”

“You never wanted to stay with any of them before we formed?”

Smiling softly at the innocent but truly scary question Kakashi tried to explain what he wanted to without hurting Naruto’s already sore feelings.

“The Team I wanted couldn’t exist, everyone but me are dead. I could never replace them, at least that’s what I used to think.”

“They aren’t really dead?”

Naruto asked excitedly causing Kakashi to laugh at how he misunderstood his words.

“No, they are dead but I found a new Team after all.”

“Yeah, we’re a pretty awesome Team Kakashi-sensei.”

They lapsed into silence and Naruto who was never good with not talking started up again as usual at random.

“Hey if you could make a Team out of just the Sensei’s who would you team up with?”

Thinking about it for a moment Kakashi had to ask for specifics.

“Only sensei’s or jounin in general? Because as of right now I believe there are only nine sensei.”

Humming as he thought about it Naruto considered and changed his question.

“Okay, okay of the people you know not us rookies who would you team up with?”

That was easy.

“Gai and Tenzo, with Asuma in charge.”

Laughing so hard Naruto almost fell out of his chair.

“Oh god, I should have known.”

The younger shinobi was practically slapping his knee as he laughed and as usual his mirth was contagious.

“And you Naruto?”

Wiping tears from his eyes Naruto collected himself enough to blink confused at Kakashi.

“Who out of your comrades would you choose for the perfect Team? If you could not be on Team 7 that is.”

“Anyone but Team 7?”

Kakashi had nodded, Naruto smiled.

“Man, I guess my answer is as fast as yours was Kakashi-sensei.”

Smile turning into a full-blown grin as he answered.

“Definitely Shikamaru in charge, with Lee and Neji. We could probably even beat you Kakashi-sensei.”

The memory of that conversation faded to the back of Kakashi’s mind as Sarutobi called an end to their meeting. It was already dark out; the sun having finished setting not too long ago. Kakashi was about to ask for a few more minutes just to finish hashing out the last bit of his plans, but he felt the familiar flare of his brother’s chakra charging towards him. Naruto’s chakra burning like the sun as always.

“Kakashi-ni! I won!”

Naruto shouted as he burst though the door. A breathless Sasuke was one step behind him and looked utterly pissed at losing the race the two seemed to be having.    

“I told you two to knock before going in.”

Mikoto chastised.

“Sorry.”

They chorused as Shikamaru smirked next to Mikoto, out of the line of trouble for once.

“Hokage-sama, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten our appointment.”

Sarutobi nodded and motioned the woman further in.

“Kakashi if there is anything else we need to go over let us meet after you have moved and settled. I am sure the clans you need to talk to will want to be part of the proceeding conversations.”

“Of course, Hokage-sama. Thank you for today.”

Dipping his head to the leader of their village and Shikaku each Kakashi left the desk they stood around and headed over to Naruto who had already started telling him about his afternoon. Shikaku dismissed himself and followed close behind Kakashi to his own child who impatiently waited for him.

“Kakashi-kun.”

Mikoto called out as she walked past the men to the Hokage. Turning his attention to the woman he waited for her to continue.

“We are having dinner at my house tonight. Be a dear and take the boys with you and get the food started. Itachi will help you he knows what we are having.”

As if summoned by his name alone the teen materialized in the entrance of the Hokage’s office. Kakashi didn’t even try to argue with the Uchiha matriarch and just met the wistful smile of Itachi with a sigh.

“Itachi sweety please make sure Kakashi-kun there doesn’t try to get out of dinner. I have a lot to talk to him about and it’s very important he be there.”

Damn, no getting out of it now. Kakashi had hoped to walk the two Uchiha home, start their food as requested and leave as soon as possible before Mikoto returned. Given a direct order from his mother Itachi would do no less than keep Kakashi captive until the woman returned. Resigned to his fate he motioned for Naruto to follow him. The younger was quick to go along with Kakashi and the Uchiha brothers. Once on the street Kakashi and Itachi fell back a bit, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to walk ahead of them towards the Uchiha home. The two boys were bickering about the race they had and Kakashi was glad for his quiet teammate. Itachi didn’t often start conversations and Kakashi was pretty talked out after the day he had of planning legal documents, boundary lines, clan politics and running his own mental plans as well.

Honestly even with the dread of whatever conversation Mikoto wanted to have hanging over him, Kakashi was glad to have Itachi’s company. With Sasuke to distract Naruto Kakashi wouldn’t have to force his tired mind to keep up with the energetic child and could read in silence and contentment as the four of them headed to their destination.