I am truly sorry, a million times over. It's been ten months I think since I updated. My will to write had been killed for quite some time. Sure I might have written a oneshot here and there but that was sort of done out in either spite or just to mess with the manga. I have grown a tad cynical cause of the crap that had gone in the past ten months so I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. And wouldn't be caught saying I do. The artwork in the manga has seriously run down. I liked it better in the beginning when it was actually pretty damn cute.

Warning: Pedophilia, you know the drill.

Just a Habit

By pixistixs

Recap…

"Hmm, my first impression of you is…" he looked at Sakura and Sasuke with a chilling glare as he said this. "I hate you."

x-x-x

"Now for Blondie here", said Kakashi, eyes flickering over at Naruto for the bare minimum amount of time. He could have sworn he saw an odd glint in those blue eyes but willed himself to not give himself away by staring too long. When he turned his attention away from him to the other two in his team, he noticed that he was getting a rather dirty look from the Uchiha child. Not knowing what to make of it, he continued impassively, "He will stay here while you two go ahead to the west entrance of the training grounds."

Sakura nodded hastily, she had a lot of kissing up to do if she wanted to get back on her sensei's good side. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the jounin but didn't say anything as he exited the room, followed by an ecstatic Sakura who was just glad that she got to walk with him alone.

"Sasuke, wait up! Isn't this so cool, we're finally alone!" she gushed excitedly. Her happy chattering was heard throughout the hallways. Kakashi turned and slid the door shut.

Kakashi waited until he made sure they had left the premise before he faced Naruto. He was surprised; especially considering his jounin skills hadn't noticed him move, when he found the blonde sitting up on the teacher's desk. He walked over to the blonde who now had his left leg swung over his right looking downright smug. It was so unlike him.

Because, it wasn't him.

Kakashi stopped midway. How could I have not noticed the chakra change? His hand had immediately darted down to grab a kunai to block the shuriken that were thrown at him. Another one tore past the side of his head, slicing away his hitai-ate band. Was it an imposter? Kakashi thought as he felt his headband fall to the ground. Before he could retaliate, he was slammed against the chalkboard, sharp nails digging into his neck. A deep guttural laugh resounded clearly in his ears.

"Nice to finally meet you, Kakashi-san" said the harsh voice. Kakashi could tell that this was definitely not Naruto. "Right, should I call you…Anbu-san instead?"

Or maybe it was him, thought the white-haired man widening his eyes.

"Why so surprised?" Kakashi heard him say. He just scowled in turn. It took him merely seconds to flip him around and hold the blonde by his collar up against the wall.

But when he looked up into his eyes, he was visibly startled. Those eyes… He felt his hands getting clammy with sweat as he stared into the eyes of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Kyuubi. The Demon that had taken down more than half the village thirteen years ago, the demon that so many people had lost their lives to, including his sensei. The same Demon that lived inside the boy whom he had reduced to nothing else other than a fuck toy he used for sexual pleasure.

Kyuubi growled threateningly, the now fully feral looking face twisted up into a dark scowl.

"You dare…to touch me?" questioned the Demon, sounding like the majestic and feared beast it was thirteen years ago. Kakashi looked at the Demon with a steady gaze and smirked. Despite his initial reaction to the Demon, he knew it was still trapped inside a 12-year-old boy's body. Shut inside a seal, preventing it from using any of its true power. Nothing he couldn't handle, his hand snapped up to its throat, his fingers pressing down on its slender neck.

But goading the Demon just drove it to a fury and with startling strength that didn't belong a tiny 12 year old, the affronted demon landed a critical blow to Kakashi's chest with its left leg. The jounin was too slow to block the attack and landed several feet across the classroom, slamming through about four or five wooden desks. Before he could recover from the attack, the Demon was already on top of him seizing him by his neck.

"You think me to be weak, do you?" spat the Demon.

Livid red eyes glared down at the Anbu until it narrowed down on his left eye. "You aren't an Uchiha," stated Kyuubi, looking more curious rather than incensed. With its other hand, Kyuubi made to pull down the mask when it saw a scar starting from Kakashi's left brow but was quickly swatted away by silver haired man.

"I am not, what of it?" said Kakashi daringly, even if he was one step away from getting his neck snapped.

"You stole their Sharingan." Kyuubi had assumed the scar was a remnant of the eye transplant Kakashi had gone through. The Fox smiled widely showing its sharp teeth. "Well aren't things getting bloody interesting."

Before Kakashi could protest to the false claim he was charged with, he was locked in a hypnotizing gaze with two dark, crimson eyes. Unable to look away, he felt a sharp pain in his left eye as his Sharingan activated on its own accord, spinning out of control. The next thing he knew, he was plunged into darkness.

Meanwhile…

"Sasuke!" yelled Sakura, trying to catch up with him. But Sasuke strode on forward, leaving her behind. She finally caught up with him and said in a flushed voice, "Don't walk so fast. Sasuke!"

That did it. He had endured the whole walk with her whining and now he had finally snapped from his cool demeanor. He turned around and yelled, "Leave me the hell alone!"

"Sasuke!" came a reprimanding voice from behind him. It was Iruka-sensei and he was carrying a ton of papers in his hands. "That's hardly any way to talk to your teammate."

"Sensei," said Sakura, looking surprised.

"Where's your new Sensei? And Naruto, isn't he supposed to be with you two?" asked Iruka looking puzzled.

"Naruto is still back in the classroom with Sensei, being punished for playing a prank on sensei," Sakura answered immediately.

"I thought that boy would shape up after graduating but I guess he hasn't learned," said Iruka chuckling. "I'm going back there to file some paperwork so I'll see you two later."

"Bye Sensei," said Sakura waving at him.

"Call me Iruka, remember I'm not your Sensei anymore," said Iruka smiling and waving back. Hope this new Sensei isn't too hard on Naruto, he thought as he walked toward the academy.

Back to Kakashi's Predicament…

When Kakashi woke up he found himself in some kind of dark building. The Demon no longer no longer on top of him, strangling him by the neck. When stood up he found water everywhere. The bottoms of his pants were dripping with water as he walked through the many corridors of this mysterious building. As he turned a corner, a dull light shined at the end of the hallway, he walked cautiously towards it carrying three shuriken in his left hand as a precaution. When he finally got to the end of hallway, he found himself in a large room. The dull light was emanating from the end of the room, from behind an enormous gate. The first thing that his eyes shot toward was the paper seal on the middle of the gate. As he got closer to the gate he noticed that there was a tiny tear starting on the top of the seal.

"Kakashi" said a voice from behind him. This made him stop in his tracks. That voice was familiar. He whirled around and his eyes widened in shock.

It couldn't be…

"Sensei…" His eyes were deceiving him. This couldn't be him. He's been dead for 13 years. He was the one who found his Sensei's lifeless body. But all those thoughts vanished when he heard him speak.

"How could you do this to me," came the soft voice of the 4th Hokage. "He's my son," said Minato, walking towards him. His face looked disdainful. "…You sick bastard."

The words felt like a slap to the face but Kakashi, not wanting to admit any fault, couldn't help but respond in turn. "Hypocrisy doesn't suit you, Sensei," Kakashi bit back.

Something strange flickered in the blonde man's eyes. "So this is revenge, is it?" said Minato, stopping before him. He narrowed his eyes when Kakashi's expression confirmed it.

The silver haired man flinched as what Minato said triggered an onslaught of emotions. Among these, Betrayal was standing out strong. Even as the man standing in front of him accused him with righteous anger, his warped mind was somehow justifying his actions with a simple answer: "I was only taking out my anger on the 'product' of your betrayal."

Minato's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"You took advantage of me. You said you loved me ," said Kakashi, his voice thick with emotion. "Yet you betrayed me. You went and married her."

He bowed his head as he remembered that day he found out about his Sensei's marriage. He had been waiting for Minato at the village gate, when he saw her. Walking beside Minato, holding hands with Minato. Looking up at him adoringly, laughing at his jokes, whispering in his ear. Kissing him passionately before his eyes. "That filthy slut" he spat out venomously.

"Ne, Kakashi-kun," said a female voice. Kakashi looked up in surprise. Minato's body transformed in front of his eyes into the slender body of the red-haired woman he so despised. She looked at him with a twisted smile on her face. "I hope you aren't talking about me"

Anger boiled inside him furiously at the sight of her and that taunting smile. The three shuriken that he held in his hand struck out at her. Even as it struck her body, she held that nasty smile. He watched as the body of Kushina Uzumaki fell like a puppet. That's when he heard a deep rumbling cackle from behind him.

He turned around and saw two huge glowing red eyes staring down at him with wicked amusement. And that was when he realized exactly where he was.

"That's an incredibly cruel trick, Fox," Kakashi snarled.

Kyuubi seemed to scoff, as it said, "Not as cruel and spiteful as you, Anbu-san." Kakashi looked at it with disgust as it sneered at him. "I mean, really. Who would have known you and the exalted Yondaime had such a history together. Kakashi-san, you must be obsessed if you went after his son too." The red eyes danced with mirth.

Kakashi felt himself wince at what the Demon said. "What the hell did you bring me here for?"

The Demon bristled at the rude tone he used but answered nonetheless. "I just want to know a simple truth," said Kyuubi grinning widely.

"About?" asked Kakashi.

"About whether or not you love Naruto." The Demon watched excitedly as he saw the expression on Kakashi's face change from angry to flustered.

"What does it matter to you," growled Kakashi, avoiding his eyes. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me," said the demon with a chuckle. "It's a simple question, really. There's no need to lash out. One would think you would be grateful for the mess I just got you out of."

"What are you talking about?" asked Kakashi frowning.

Kyuubi laughed once more. "Didn't you realize Kakashi that you had almost given away your identity for the second time- Oh don't look so surprised," responded Kyuubi when Kakashi looked up sharply at the slight stress put on the word 'second'. The Demon sneered as it said, "Your little memory erasing 'jutsu' has no effect on me."

"But how-" he began to ask, but the answer dawned to him just as he uttered those words.

"Your voice," answered Kyuubi, smiling gleefully. "Of course Naruto would recognize your voice. Didn't think of that when you said, 'I hate you', now did you?"

"But like I said, I've already taken care of that for you. I possessed him as soon as I felt your presence near me," said Kyuubi. The Fox looked at Kakashi with a sly look, "You wouldn't believe how easy it was to take over his body, must have something to do with how mentally vulnerable you left him."

"How is it even possible for you to posses him? The seal should prevent you," said Kakashi, ignoring the curious look the demon was giving him.

The Demon went quiet for a while, looking contemplative as if wondering the same thing. "The seal is only as powerful as the willpower of the host. You see that," said Kyuubi, in a hushed voice gesturing to the seal. "It's torn at the top because I was able to get through, even if it was for a mere five minutes."

Kyuubi paused in mid-thought and looked at Kakashi, "And that brings us to you. Are you or are you not in love with him?"

Kakashi glared at the Demon, not knowing where this was leading. Leaving himself emotionally bare to the most manipulative being alive was the last thing Kakashi wanted to do.

"No," he said, his voice firm though his eyes wavered a bit. Kyuubi stared hard at him, moving its face closer to the barred gate. Kakashi saw it scowl. This was obviously not the answer it had hoped for.

"If that is your true answer, then I guess your little affair will have to come to end."

With a flick of a claw, several moving images appeared in mid-air; they danced before Kakashi's eyes shimmering in and out of focus. Kakashi was shocked when he saw that it was him that was in those images.

"These are all of Naruto's memories of you," explained Kyuubi. But Kakashi wasn't paying attention; he was absorbed in those images, alarmed that all these images were real. When he didn't respond, the Demon made a show of crushing the memories in front of his eyes with his clawed fist. "And after today he won't remember you at all."

"What?" shouted Kakashi, enraged.

Kyuubi smirked when it got his attention. With a nonchalant voice, the demon continued, "Attempt to engage in any sexual activities with him and I will personally tell him that the man 'making love' to him is a sick son of a bitch whose sole reason for using him like a whore is to settle his own personal revenge. Hearing that he's also his father's former lover and his new sensei will just be icing on the cake," said Kyuubi his voice laced with poison.

Charging towards the gate, Kakashi banged his fists against the bars and shouted furiously, "You can't do this!"

A large claw clanged against the metal bars as it swiped at Kakashi form. Luckily he jumped out of reach in time and saw that there were deep claw marks on the ground he stood on not but a moment ago.

"Watch me," growled Kyuubi, lips curled into a snarl. "Goodbye Kakashi."

As Kakashi watched everything fade away in front of his eyes, the only thing he could do was let out a was a feeble, "No…"

He knew he was back at the classroom when he felt the hard ground beneath him. Kakashi fluttered his eyes open and found them to be damp. 'This couldn't be happening…' he thought as he stared at the classroom ceiling. He tried to move and saw that Naruto's small frame was still on top of him, hands lightly closed over his neck. His hand went up to caress his blonde locks, this might be the last time he could touch him like this. He got up, cradling the unconscious blonde in his hands.

Naruto looked as innocent as an angel, blonde hair brushed over his closed eyes, lips slightly parted as he breathed in and out. Kakashi walked toward the teacher's desk and laid him down. Did he really not love him, he wondered to himself as he gazed upon the boy or was he just kidding himself?

Only one way to find out…

He stroked his petite face and entwined his fingers behind his head pulling the blonde toward him. Slipping down his mask, Kakashi leaned down and kissed those delicate pink lips for the very last time. Not detecting that someone had slid open the door at that very moment…

"What's going on here," came a voice from the door. Kakashi's heart skipped a beat, with immense speed he pulled up his mask and looked up to see the chuunin that he had previously seen at the Hokage's office. The Chuunin looked over at them from the stack of papers he was holding. He laid the papers down on the floor beneath him slowly, looking stunned at what he saw before.

"Is Naruto… okay?" he asked, looking worriedly from Naruto to Kakashi. "What have you done to him-"

But he was cut off by Kakashi who said, "He'll be fine, no worries." He smiled in what seemed to be a reassuring way but it only made Iruka feel threatened.

"It's just, he was my student and I-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," said Kakashi interrupting him again. He stooped down and picked up his headband that had been discarded on the floor. Iruka watched his every movement cautiously. Kakashi stared at him with a hard glare as he tied it back on. "Well?" he asked when he didn't get an answer.

"It's Iruka," answered the Chuunin, feeling intimidated by what he saw in those eyes, especially his left one which he covered over with the headband.

"Well Iruka, my name is Hatake Kakashi and I am his sensei now," said Kakashi lightly. Iruka frowned at the way he stressed the word 'I'. Kakashi turned his back to Iruka and walked over to Naruto, lifting him up with delicate care. He carried him bridal-style toward the door and lifted a brow at Iruka as if to tell him to move out of the way.

But just then, the blonde suddenly stirred in his hand and fluttered his eyes open drowsily. Brilliant blue eyes stared up at the man carrying him. "W-who are you?"

Kakashi involuntarily winced remembering Kyuubi's words. "I'm your new sensei, Hatake Kakashi," he told him.

"Oh right," said the boy simply, still looking sluggish.

"Naruto, are you alright?" said Iruka with worry. The blonde turned his head toward him

"Iruka-sensei, when did do you get here?" asked Naruto, eyes looking at him with confusion.

"Never mind that, are you okay," asked Iruka with more urgency looking at Kakashi with fearful eyes.

"Of course I'm okay, Iruka-sensei. Why wouldn't' I be?" said the blonde with a small laugh. Iruka was not convinced he was uneasy that Kakashi might have done something horrible to him. When he found them earlier…well they were way too close for comfort. He didn't know if he imagined what he saw or not but whatever it was it made him feel sick in his stomach.

"Ano, Sensei," said Naruto. Iruka looked up but saw that he was talking to Kakashi, not him. "Could you put me down? It's kinda embarrassing being carried like a girl." The blonde had a small blush on his face.

"Are you sure? I think you might be still be out of it a little," said Kakashi, brows furrowed in concern. "It would be no burden for me to carry you to the training grounds. You're quite light for a 12 year old. And cute to boot." He smiled down at him but it just made Naruto blush even more, not having had heard compliments directed at him before.

But the way Kakashi was talking to Naruto made Iruka uncomfortable, it didn't seem appropriate for a teacher to be talking this way to a student.

"That's okay, sensei," said Naruto nervously, his face flushed. "I don't want Sasuke to see me carried by my sensei." He pouted as if imagining exactly what Sasuke would say if he did see him being carried like this. "And I wouldn't be able to win over Sakura-chan if she sees me weak like this, now can I?"

"I suppose so," said Kakashi a little harshly than he had intended noticing how he cared so much about what those two thought of him. He put him down nonetheless and watched as the blonde try to regain his balance. "Well I guess we should get going," said Kakashi looking at Iruka, sending another threatening glare at him daring him to say anything. "I'll see you later then." He walked past him through the door and smirked inwardly when he saw Iruka gulp through the corner of his eye.

"Bye Iruka-sensei!" said Naruto, before following Kakashi.

"Bye," replied Iruka meekly.

"Ne Sensei?" said Naruto, addressing Kakashi. He avoided his eyes when he asked, "Did I um…pass out back there?"

"Hm, you could say that," said Kakashi, looking at the blonde. The blonde looked embarrassed.

"Sensei," pleaded Naruto. "Could you not say anything about that to my teammates? Especially Sasuke, he won't stop teasing me about it if he found out."

"Sure Naruto," said Kakashi, chuckling. He reached over and ruffled his hair. I guess it isn't so bad that he doesn't remember the old me. I can start over anew with him, thought Kakashi contentedly. He listened as Naruto rambled on about the awful things Sasuke said to him all the time to put him down. Some of the things Sasuke said to him were funny but Kakashi didn't dare laugh to make the blonde feel even worse. He had to make a better second 'first impression'.

Iruka watched as the two of them walked away, a dreadful feeling stirring in the bottom of his chest. He walked back inside the classroom and picked up the stack of papers he put down on the floor and froze when he saw the state of the classroom. It looked as if someone was thrown across the room and smashed through about five desks in the process. Iruka was alarmed when he saw three kunai littering the floor.

"What the hell just happened here?" he muttered to himself, horrified at the notion that Kakashi might have attacked Naruto like this. Is that why he was unconscious? How could the jounin do this to a mere genin?

Overwhelmed with the need to protect his former student, he ran out the room, forgetting about the paperwork, determined to talk to the Hokage about this right away.

Inside the Seal…

Kyuubi was having the time of its life, cackling loudly at what had just happened. Everything was going to plan; Iruka finding out about it just worked in his favor.

"Now you have both me and that Chuunin on your ass now, Kakashi" said the Demon out loud. "Still, even if you don't love Naruto I know someone who might."

An image of Sasuke Uchiha appeared in front of him. "He's more suited for him than you," said the Demon, as if reassuring itself. "A real Uchiha. Ah this does bring back memories…"

The Demon brooded silently, planning its next move. It conjured up another image; this one was when Naruto was eight. He had made a special bond with the Uchiha that day, four years ago. Kyuubi knew there was something that inevitably connected both the Uchiha and the brat together. No matter how much they strove to hate each other, they yearned for the others attention, craved it, to the point where they couldn't live without it.

"Love makes one…weak," the Demon remarked."Weak enough to be twisted, manipulated… dominated."

So what is Kyuubi planning? I hope I was subtle enough with the hints for you guys to figure it out. Of course what had happened in the anime/manga so far is a big hint to what Kyuubi meant by that last sentence.

Read and Review as usual. I thank everyone who has reviewed so far. The next chapter will come sooner I promise, hopefully nothing unexpectedly crappy happens to derail my life again. ..

Shameless Advertisement Time! Please go check out my other stories; they're so cracky no one ever searches for such pairings in the filters. Why must I try to be different and write crack fics? TT