Walk A Mile

One

This chapter has been beta-read by: Sakura's Unicorn

When the Third Hokage originally discussed the idea of Kakashi training a team of genin, it was framed in the form of a non-negotiable mission: keep an eye on two of the village's most volatile young inhabitants and make sure they don't accidentally destroy the place.

His Sharingan made Kakashi the only jōnin capable of keeping them both in line – at least that's how Lord Third justified it. Given some of the utterly ridiculous shit he puts up with from his pre-teen subordinates, however, Kakashi suspects that someone in the village administration wants to see him squirm.

That's not to say he dislikes his squad.

Not as much as he did when he first met them, at least.

Despite the occasional mess-ups, the kids have been doing pretty well. They've all come a long way from the misfits he was assigned all those months ago.

Sasuke was impressive to begin with, but since awakening his Sharingan, his skills have become even more so.

Naruto's abilities grow exponentially with every mission – even if he's still more of a knucklehead than anything near Hokage-material.

As for Sakura, who used to be so boy-crazy (well, she still is boy-crazy, but only for one particular boy), she has shown definite improvement as well. Kakashi doubts her teammates have noticed; after all, Naruto and Sasuke's friendship is based on a rivalry that leaves no room to acknowledge others. Yet no matter what, Sakura is always on hand to support her stronger teammates.

More and more, she reminds Kakashi of Rin. Considering how talented his late friend was, he has high expectations for the pink-haired kunoichi. He just prays that her teammates will learn to better appreciate her. The shinobi life is full of heartbreak, and he realised far too late what Rin meant to him. He hopes neither Sasuke nor Naruto will ever have to see their teammate's blood on their hands.

The point is, all three are growing every day – to the point where he has been seriously considering recommending them for the upcoming Chūnin Exams.

And his regard for them grows as well.

There are days, like today, when Kakashi reflects that this is what it must be like to have children.

And it's one of those days he's very glad he doesn't actually have any.

"Moron! Stop walking in front of me!"

"I'm not walking in front of you! You're the one dogging my footsteps! You don't like it, you can be the one to lead the ostrich – believe it!"

"If you try to give me that rope one more time, I will shove it up your –"

"Oh, I so dare you to try it!"

"Naruto, would you knock it off? You've been at it for two hours!"

"If Sasuke would stop being such a bastard –"

"If this useless idiot would stop getting in my way –"

"CAW!"

Thock! Thock!

"OW!"

"DAMN IT!"

"Oh! Sasuke! Are you all right?!"

"Just leave me alone..."

"Oi! Sakura, I got pecked too, you know!"

"If you'd stop pestering the bird, you wouldn't be causing all this trouble!"