2. Obito's lunch (he's OBVIOUSLY the favorite) and also Naru's lunch later on. uwu

3. Kakashi's - because he insists on being a little brat

Morning came as if it had tip-toed in wearing socks.

The rain had downgraded to drizzle; it didn’t so much fall as loiter. The apartment smelled of mint ghosts and last night’s orange peel. Somewhere outside, a pigeon made the sound of wet cardboard trying to sing.

Kakashi blinked awake slowly. The futon had trapped half of him in a cocoon and decided not to let go. His mask had slid to one side, doing its best impression of a hat. The note beside his pillow - debrief after breakfast. ramen is medicinal. - had been joined by a doodle of a stick-figure man heroically fighting a bowl of noodles. Caption: “me vs. carbs (I lose)”.

He stared at it for a full five seconds before huffing through his nose. His throat ached pleasantly, the way it did after not speaking for too long.

From the kitchenette came the soft rhythm of domestic warfare: spatula, pan, one resigned curse. Minato was attempting pancakes.

Kakashi sat up, hair at angles forbidden by physics, and watched his sensei from the corner of his eye. Minato was in mission mode - focused, precise, unaware that the first pancake was doing an impression of a burnt map of the Fire Country.

When he finally noticed Kakashi was awake, he said with priest-like calm, “First one’s a test.”

“It failed the test” Kakashi observed.

“That’s why we have students” Minato replied, sliding the charred relic onto a plate. “To learn from our mistakes.”

“Obito should learn faster then.”

A thump on the roof. Followed by the dignified yell of a man who had just dropped through the rain gutter.

Minato sighed. “Speak of the storm.”

The window slid open and Obito’s head appeared, upside down, hair dripping, grin enormous. “You guys started breakfast without me?”

“We started smoke without you,” Kakashi deadpanned.

“Pancakes” Minato corrected. “Experimental class.”

Obito swung himself in like a cat who’d read about balance but hadn’t mastered it. He landed with both feet and one crash. “I brought backup,” he declared, holding up a paper bag. Inside: oranges, instant ramen, and Rin’s handwriting on the side - DO NOT LET MINATO SENSEI COOK UNSUPERVISED.

Minato took the bag solemnly. “Rin’s faith in me is inspiring.”

“Rin’s survival instincts are inspiring” Kakashi muttered, mostly into his collar.

They worked around the tiny kitchen like an oddly shaped clock: Minato at the stove flipping new batter with excessive optimism, Obito peeling oranges that disintegrated under enthusiasm, Kakashi stirring instant ramen like a surgeon judging noodles for insubordination.

“You slept?” Minato asked casually.

Kakashi’s shrug was mostly shoulder. “Enough.”

“That’s half the battle” Minato said. “The other half is pretending you did when people ask.”

Obito pointed a chopstick. “That’s leadership advice, isn’t it?”

“Classified” Minato said.

The second pancake came out golden. The third, respectable. The fourth was artistry. Minato stacked them like peace treaties and slid a plate toward Kakashi. “Two rules of the Pancake Doctrine” he announced. “Rule one: first one is a test. Rule two: the second one redeems the first.”

Kakashi tilted his head. “What if they’re all bad?”

“Then we pivot to ramen” Minato said smoothly. “That’s why we diversify our breakfast portfolio.”

Obito was halfway through his own stack, syrup everywhere, joy personified. “I’m head of the R&D department,” he mumbled around a mouthful.

Kakashi stared at his plate for a moment longer, then - slowly, deliberately - cut a bite. Steam escaped like the room exhaling again. “It’s good” he admitted, voice small but genuine.

Minato didn’t reply; he only reached over and stole a quarter of the test pancake for scientific verification.

“Still awful” he confirmed.

The three of them laughed, the kind of short, unguarded sound that meant they’d survived something quietly enormous.

Later, when the plates were stacked and Obito had vanished back to the roof to practice looking mysterious in the rain, Minato found Kakashi rinsing the cups. The boy’s movements were precise, deliberate - like cleaning was an act of control, a way to remind the world he could still make things right.

Minato leaned against the counter, hands tucked into sleeves. “You don’t have to debrief yet.”

“I know.”

“Then why--”

Kakashi shrugged again. “Because the dishes will listen first.”

Minato nodded as if that were the most reasonable answer he’d ever heard. “Fair.”

The apartment hummed quietly, satisfied with its morning work. The rain outside had turned thin and bright, more silver than grey.

“Hey” Minato said as Kakashi dried the last cup. “You did well yesterday.”

Kakashi paused. “I froze.”

“You felt” Minato corrected gently. “That’s harder.”

For a heartbeat, neither spoke. Then Kakashi said, “What’s rule three of the Pancake Doctrine?”

Minato’s mouth curved. “Easy. Always save one for someone who didn’t ask for it but needs it.”

He glanced toward the roof, where Obito’s laughter carried faintly through the drizzle.

Kakashi followed his gaze, eyes softer now. “He’ll just eat it cold.”

“Good” Minato said, pushing a plate toward the window. “It builds character.”

They stood there a while longer, watching the steam rise from the plate, the rain catch light like tiny glass threads.

"Ne?"

[Verse of your choosing. Demo, I had 'Icarus' in mind since it's pure chaos ^^;

The Hatake didn’t react much to the invitation thrown his way, attention fixed on adjusting the wrapping about his ankles, the ends of the trappings discoloured and frayed - no thanks to a wayward fireball jutsu from Obito. Grey hues narrowed as a spark of annoyance ignited in his chest at the thought of his teammate and how much more /work/ it was to dodge his attacks now that he had awakened those eyes of his. Plus, Kakashi never really cared much for birthdays, the day like any other, save for the fact that he was now a year older. He did pause once his sensei alluded to his new jutsu however, the thought of getting Minato's input on how to remedy the tunnel-vision; quenching any and all irritation he might have felt a beat prior.

“…Really?”

He blinked up at the other, lips thinning underneath his mask as he considered his options.

“…Then…I want Imagawayaki, with an eggplant filling.”

Source: moumeao (Pixiv)

@minaa-munch

Posted with express permission from the lovely artist. Please do not repost. 

Minato-sensei’s Fan Club:

The Crybaby’s Fan Club:

Funny you should ask, anon.

Kushina: Spicy Ramen Noodle meets Hot Sauce

Shikaku: Grumpy Prickly Cactus with Fluffy Needles 

Inoichi: Super Mind Reading Twitchy Fingers

Chouza: Ultra Spiky Hair Needles of Doom

Fugaku: Mega Deadpan Sama Level 2

Orochimaru: Overcooked Androgynous Stiff Noodle 

Tsunade: Big Blonde Bruiser

Shh.

Kakashi: Ultra Deadly Lightning meets Masked Chibi Combo

Obito: Super Kage Flame Thrower with Bad Aim

Rin: Pure Iryō Squishie