A/N: So, here it is, as mentioned in the main story! My first attempt at writing Kakashi's interlude, complete with Gai! (which, according to my roomie, is the only decent part of this entire thing). Warnings for OOC Kakashi, OOC Sasuke, Gai's name spelled Guy, and a Naruto who doesn't spazz out half as much as he should! And, of course, absolutely no Natsu whatsoever.

But seriously, listening to my roommate go from groaning in pain to cracking UP laughing like a madman when Gai introduced himself… 100% of the reason I'm posting this despite its awfulness. Really though, my secret is just that I have a friend who is Gai without the spandex. Very easy to channel~

Thank you for reading!

When Minato-sensei said 'a teacher begins to learn something new as soon as he meets his students', Kakashi doesn't think this is quite what he meant. He's terribly relieved to have a chance to just process, away from Inoichi and… Natsu, and if he takes a long, circuitous route toward Sasuke's home, well, who would know? Or waste their breath complaining even if they did… heh.

He pulls out a book as he walks, flipping pages idly without reading them - he knows this one cover to cover, but Jiraya-sama has been taking a while with the next instalment. Peoples' reactions, however, are as hilarious as always.

Maybe I can make Inoichi be the one to break the news to Naruto, tomorrow morning. Maybe I should make a bet with him? See if Naruto picks a fight with Sasuke or Natsu first?

Hmm… Sasuke, I think. He wouldn't want to hurt Sakura-chan after all.

Now how to get Inoichi to take me up on it… Ah-

"Kakashi, my eternal riva-"

Kakashi extends his arm, and Guy walks straight into his hand. Pushing his… companion behind him, Kakashi determinedly keeps himself relaxed and calm as he continues to wander in the general direction of his destination.

"Ah! So hip and cool! But please, my rival, I must know!"

Kakashi sighs and lowers his book slightly as Guy darts forward to stop in front of him.

"You're in my way."

"Ahahaha, so I am! But truly, I must know! I was in the Jonin lounge and heard a most unusual rumor!" Guy strikes a pose and Kakashi bites back a groan, moving to sidestep the green-clad man. Guy walks backwards, arms still extended in his… unusual position, as he keeps steadily in front of his self-proclaimed rival.

Kakashi sighs, and stops.

"Fine, if it will make you go away. What rumor have you heard now, Guy?"

"So cold!" Guy cries dramatically. Seeing Kakashi's dwindling patience, he hastily stops and gets to the point.

"My rival! On this most stupendous of days, I heard a magnificent rumor! That you, who have long been my rival in all things, have once more followed in my footsteps, to become my rival in teaching! Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new team!"

"Inoichi beat you to it." Kakashi lies, nearly on reflex, and he takes no small amount of pleasure in the despair that coats his companion's face.

"NOOOOOOOO! That my rival would receive his first congratulations in his steps to becoming a teacher from someone other than myself?! I will run twenty laps around Konoha on my hands to make it up to you, my rival!" Guy flashes an obnoxious thumbs-up, quickly bolting towards the outskirts of the city.

Kakashi groans in relief. Sweet silence at last.

"I thought Guy was still out on a mission…" the jonin muses, book vanishing as he settles his hands in his pockets. "Well. Nothing to do about it now… Should probably get on with speaking to the brats before he decides to double-back and challenge me to something…"

It takes only a few minutes to get to the Uchiha complex once he decides to go there. There's… always something eerie about walking through those empty streets and houses, when he can't help but wonder how many of the dead were people Obito knew, were they the ones who gave him grief, or the ones he'd talk about every time they so much as smiled at him? He was so out of place, in the Uchiha clan…

He finds Sasuke quickly, which may well be for the best, with how the ghosts of his dead press about him in the wandering paths of the Uchiha properties.

Not that they restrict their hauntings to this place, though…

"...Sensei."

Kakashi grins widely under his mask, basking in the sudden narrowing of his student's eyes.

"Would you like to guess why I'm here?" he offers brightly, and Sasuke opens his mouth to respond.

Only to close it a moment later, grimacing. Kakashi waits him out, and the black-haired boy eventually chooses his words.

"To… tell me the results of the test." He all but spits out, and Kakashi tilts his head and considers.

Hmm… what's got you in a snit, Sasuke-kun?

"Well! It took you long enough to figure it out-" Kakashi smothers a laugh at the horrified fury on Sasuke's face, continuing before the Uchiha can say anything, "but yes, you're quite correct. Team 7 has been provisionally passed, as due to unique outside interference, the results are considered to be slightly tainted - we'll have a meeting at the bridge 8 am tomorrow morning to discuss that in more detail - and as such, Team 7 will be undergoing additional training to make certain you are actually ready to become genin of Konoha."

Sasuke's eyes narrow sharply at the 'provisional' Kakashi threw in there, but he surprisingly keeps his silence. "This about Sakura then?"

Kakashi nods easily, not all that surprised. Sasuke did spend quite a bit of time alone with Natsu, and that boy has a rather distinct personality. "Ah, well it's a little more complicated than you think, but yes, essentially. You'll have a chance to ask questions tomorrow before training. Yamanaka Inoichi will be there as well, so please do be on time."

Offering a wide smile designed to show just how aware he was of the hypocrisy, Kakashi shunshins out of the complex before Sasuke can respond.

"Maaa, now for the hard one…"

If only his concern for Sakura was all I had to deal with…

Naruto is clearly inside, when Kakashi reaches his apartment building. The jonin navigates to the back stairwell, taking his time walking up them - and still ending up at Naruto's (Minato's son!) door.

He refuses to let himself hesitate, lifting his hand and knocking immediately, and Naruto throws open the door so quickly Kakashi knows he must have been waiting for it.

"Sensei!"

The blond jumps on him before he can say so much as a word. "How's Sakura-chan, is she alright, you took her to the hospital did they fix her is she here-"

"Maa, Naruto-kun, if you don't give me time to answer, I might think you don't want to know."

The blond shuts his mouth so sharply he bites his tongue, and Kakashi snorts a laugh as he lets himself into the apartment.

He finds a seat, shifting a pile of scrolls off it, and Naruto is still pressing his lips together so tightly Kakashi wonders if they're in danger of being bitten off. The jonin bites back another laugh, and nods at Naruto to take a seat.

The boy does, and suddenly he has to talk.

...careful what you wish for Kakashi. His chatter would be preferable right now.

"First, Naruto-kun, I need to inform you that Team 7 has passed their genin exam."

"Wait, all three of us?!" Naruto blurts out, then immediately slams his hands over his mouth. Kakashi does laugh, that time.

"Regrettably, yes. I'd have preferred only having two brats to keep an eye on, but I suppose after some review, it was only fair to pass all three of you." It's only half a lie, which Kakashi thinks is pretty impressive, but with the look Naruto is giving him, he realizes it's not enough.

"If you're worried about Sakura-chan…" the sensei trails off as Naruto perks up in expectation. What could he say about Sakura that wouldn't upset Naruto even more come tomorrow? "Well. She'll also be on your team still, but for now we'll be having a meeting at 8 am at the bridge to discuss exactly what happened during the test. Yamanaka Inoichi and one other person will be there to help explain things. Anything else you need to know?"

"Y-you didn't say whether she was alright."

Kakashi bites back a groan. "She's alive. But I'm afraid, until the meeting tomorrow, I can't say anything more."

Naruto shifts uncomfortably on his chair, before jumping up to pace. Kakashi watches in idle interest, until the blond comes to a stop and looks at him. "Did Sakura-chan… really not know who I was?"

Kakashi sighs, offering the blond a shrug. "Had no idea who I was either, so don't feel too left out over there."

Naruto bites at his lip, before groaning and dropping to sit on the floor. "You're not going to tell me anything at all!" he all but shouts, pointing accusingly.

Kakashi smiles. "Maa, so you realized?" Standing up, he brushes himself off as though he were dirty, making exaggerated movements as he does so. Naruto doesn't react, and the sensei all but sweatdrops at the wasted effort. "We're having a meeting tomorrow about this, I'm not going to just say it all twice. Anyway, I have somewhere to be, so ja ne."

Kakashi jumps out the window before anything more can be said, and he chuckles as Naruto's outraged shout echoes behind him.

Now, the real question is… if he walks really slowly, will Inoichi go in without him and spare him the trouble?

Hmm…

Only one way to find out.