His smile was a soft, complex expression, fondness warring with the solemnity he was unaccustomed to handling with Gai. He'd always known his mentor's love for him ran almost parallel with his own father's, found himself annoyed by the more obvious displays of it at times, but always he was quietly grateful for his guidance.

"I never thought you were trying to cage me, I was only ever worried that you might not be able to reconcile with my involvement out of a sense of deeply-rooted concern for my mental health." Their conversation in the library months ago came to mind.

"And I understand that well, but you should know that Yamato-taichou is one of the most well-adjusted members I've seen. I can't say I know much about Kakashi-san other than the fact he acted in the same capacity, but I'm certain it had no little impact." And if Yamato's adjustment to ANBU was any indication, he had to say that Kakashi must have done an excellent job on his own.

"His methods are unusual, and contradict a good deal of my initial training. It's a softer approach than even you might expect, although Yamato-taichou's record speaks for itself in his field effectiveness even so. I'm in good hands, Gai-sensei."