Chapter 21

The two teams parted ways after having grabbed their missions from the chuunin again and Team Seven headed to the farm they were to help that was near the edge of the city limits. As they walked, Kakashi noted that Naruto's slightly less frigidness had dissolved when they left the presence of Team Ten and decided to get some information about when Naruto had become friends with them as he didn't know about said friendship. After all, a sensei should know all about his students so he knew their capabilities right?

So, he walked up next to Naruto, his nose still buried in his book as he spoke in a drawling tone of voice much like Shikamaru's, "So, Naruto," he noted Naruto looked up at him, his icy blue eyes remaining so and causing a mental flinch from how much coldness seemed to be reflected within them as opposed to how bright the boy had been, "when did you become friends with Shikamaru-san and Chouji-san?"

Naruto simply looked away from Kakashi as he responded, "If you wanted to know, you wouldn't be reading your perverted book while trying to talk to me." he retorted coldly. Kakashi had to blink at the sudden frigidness he had exuded directly toward himself. Up until yesterday, Naruto hadn't been too cold to him specifically more just to his teammates in reaction to their actions but the way he spoke to Kakashi just now had never been seen before.

Kakashi suspected it was because Naruto might be jealous. After all, he had offered training to Sasuke and hadn't been able to help Naruto himself. He had asked the Hokage for access to the Uzumaki scrolls within the Hokage vault but the Sandaime had said that only Naruto himself would be able to open the scrolls now that he was an adult and they couldn't risk him realizing that he was from a clan and start to try to find his parents. It would be disastrous if he managed to figure it out and inform the wrong people.

Kakashi had argued that they would be able to get some blood from Naruto by accidentally hurting him in practice or some other ruse to gather it but the Sandaime had refused that idea readily. Kakashi didn't understand why the Sandaime would be stonewalling him so well for Naruto's training but who was he to argue with the Hokage? He had the interests of Konoha and Naruto in mind so he accepted Sandaime's actions. Though he did extract a promise that if Naruto ever got hurt and Kakashi wound up with some blood from it, he could access the scrolls then, that wouldn't be until a few C-ranks into their careers which wouldn't be for a few months at best.

Kakashi was also a little surprised at how Naruto was detracting from the subject of his question by diverting it into a rib against himself and the content of what he reads. But he is a genius for a reason, "Oho! Another reader of the goodness that is Icha Icha Paradise?" Kakashi said with an eye smile at his student, though he was inwardly wondering if Naruto knew what sex is without having parents to explain it, "I didn't know you read it Naruto."

Naruto spared a cold glare at his sensei as he said, "I don't. I just know that every woman hates that book and the only thing all women hate are perverts." Sakura and Sasuke looked on as their teammate initiated a battle of words with their sensei.

"Now that's not true." Kakashi stated as if all women didn't hate his book, "Not EVERY woman hates perverts." he said with an eye smile. Sakura glared at her sensei as Sasuke broke into a slight grin and Naruto snorted.

"Right." Naruto drew out as they arrived at the farm. Kakashi noted that he had never answered his question and resolved to find out later as his team walked up to the farm door and he knocked on it.

The farmer came out and smiled at Kakashi, "Ah, my farmhands are here today. Well, you'll start back picking the carrots and I will come to see you in a few hours." he said as he turned to go back into the farm but his eye caught sight of Naruto standing in the back and he turned right back around, facing Kakashi. "On second thought, I need someone to shovel some manure from my old compost heap to the new one I want to make, think I could have that blonde-haired kid to do that for me?" he asked politely while pointing out the old compost heap and the new area on the other side of the farmland, but Kakashi and Naruto both saw the underlying gleam in his eye. Kakashi internally sighed as Naruto's ice-cold eyes bored into his sensei's head while Kakashi nodded. He couldn't deny the man because he was the client, no matter how much he may want to.

Kakashi turned around after the farmer had closed the door and he opened his mouth to speak when he noticed Naruto was already gone. He sighed internally again and eye smiled at his other two genin, who seemed rather smug at knowing they didn't have to shovel manure, "You heard the man, get to work." he said as his usually chipper mood was replaced with a more serious countenance at how they were enjoying their teammate's misfortune. Sakura and Sasuke marched off as Kakashi turned to the distance where Naruto must have headed to get to the old compost heap. His black eye shone with sadness at how his sensei's son was treated, "Minato-sensei, what would you say of the village?" he thought as he looked up at the sky, "What would you say of the Sandaime?" he asked as he looked at the Hokage Monument. He sighed again and headed off to talk to Naruto.

(Scene Break)

Kakashi found Naruto laying on a bale of hay as he looked up at the sky with a leaf, seemingly, being pushed along the blonde's body. He stood there and observed the exercise, wondering why he was not doing his job as he had been rather proficient as of late, while also noting the technique would be rather intensive should he add more leaves. After waiting a few minutes, he decided to approach Naruto and when he reached a few steps from him, Naruto spoke, "Yes Kakashi-sensei?" he said.

Kakashi didn't seem surprised but he was slightly. He kept forgetting the boy was a sensor, "I was wondering why you weren't doing your job." he said in a happy tone while eye smiling at his subordinate. Naruto didn't even open his eye nor did his leaf stop moving as he pointed in one direction, which Kakashi followed to see a Kage Bunshin wheeling a wheelbarrow over for Naruto to use. Kakashi nodded and said, "Good thinking Naruto, but D-ranks are to build teamwork." he mentioned.

Naruto actually opened an eye and scrutinized his sensei, his normally icy blue around his team had diminished slightly, "You do realize that you nullified the teamwork aspect when you separated me from my teammates by following the client's orders right?" Naruto deadpanned as he internally patted himself on the back by using a couple of the words Shikamaru had taught him.

Kakashi sweatdropped as he facepalmed in his head at his blunder, "It seems, I had forgotten about that. I suppose using your Kage Bunshin isn't going to harm this mission." he replied lamely. Naruto merely closed his eyes again and began concentrating on his sensor ability while doing the control technique.

Kakashi didn't leave and spoke again, "Naruto, I am still curious about when you met Team Ten." in a more serious tone than before.

Naruto looked at his sensei again, he seemed to debate with himself for but a moment before, "I met them about two weeks ago. Shika and Chouji helped me out after I did." he replied.

Kakashi frowned, "What did you need help with?" he asked concerned.

Naruto's blue eyes seemed to regain their frigidness as he looked at his sensei with a look of almost disbelief before it was hidden in an uncaring mask, "Nothing much, just some food issues." Naruto lied.

Kakashi nodded his head as he accepted what Naruto said, it made sense. The Akimichi and Nara clans were renowned for fixing bad nutrition for shinobi and, now that Kakashi thought about it, it would have been a good idea to talk to them about Naruto's eating habits. Though it seemed Naruto had already taken care of the problem himself. Kakashi didn't know whether to be pleased that Naruto had taken the initiative or disappointed that he hadn't come to his sensei for help.

He smiled down at his student, "I'm glad you took the time to fix one of your problems. But you know you can talk to me about anything right? I am your sensei after all." Kakashi said in a happy yet serious voice. Naruto looked at him with an unreadable expression for a few moments before nodding and closing his eyes again to continue his training.

Kakashi looked at Naruto scrutinously for a few moments before deciding to leave the blonde to his own devices for now. He trekked away to watch his other two genin while reading his book.

(Scene Break)

Naruto's casual facade faded to be replaced with a grim look on his face when he sensed his sensei leave his sensor range. He was a little angry at how much it took to get Kakashi interested in him and not Sasuke. He was rather sure that Kakashi would have already known if Sasuke had made friends with another of his generation almost as soon as it happened. He would have known if Sasuke-. Naruto shook his head to stop his thoughts. He wasn't one to brood over who was getting more or not. He had always gotten the short end of the stick and he was content with his lot in life for now. He would grow strong under Kurenai's leadership and not Kakashi's. He was more than content to let Kakashi believe that he was his sensei while he trained without his knowledge. After all, if he was his sensei, he would have tested his abilities thoroughly and helped to correct them like Kurenai was. She may not have tested him but it wasn't necessary as she was capable of detecting his flaws without testing them, for some reason.

He closed his eyes and began to train his sensor again, it had grown in leaps and bounds in the range he could sense. Though he had only been training it for a few days, he had already tripled it from just a few feet to be able to sense chakra about a foot out. Though he still could only tell vague descriptions of who contained the chakra, his ability to feel different types of chakra was slowly being fine-tuned.

As Naruto trained his sensor, his chakra control exercise was being utilized while his Kage Bunshin shoveled manure so he didn't smell for his training session with Kurenai later on. A small smile crept along his face as he thought of what he might be learning later on today.