Tense Atmosphere
Kakashi looked up from his book to his father, who sat calmly next to his bed, holding a scroll in his hand. A peaceful silence filled the room as both were engrossed in their readings. After falling asleep yesterday, he had slept almost the entire day. When he woke up, he felt somewhat better but still clearly felt the lingering effects of the poison.
There was also a positive development: the IV had been removed for now. The constantly in-the-way tube had been annoying, but the needle still remained in his hand. Additionally, his father had brought him a mask. Kakashi was grateful for it; it made him feel more comfortable. This way, he could better hide his facial expressions.
His father hadn't left his side for a moment. He had already packed books for Kakashi and his own materials. Kakashi began to worry about his father; he looked exhausted and tired. Despite his father's attempts to hide his concern—which he did quite well—Kakashi could feel the deep worry. But Kakashi wasn't a child anymore.
The guilt weighed heavily on him. Seeing his father so concerned hurt him deeply; it was never his intention to cause him such worries. He could only imagine the fear Sakumo must have felt at the thought of losing Kakashi. Over the past few days, his father had unmistakably shown him how much he loved him. Minato had been right: even if Kakashi himself wouldn't have minded dying, it would have broken his father's heart to lose his only son.
Kakashi tried not to dwell on it too much. Now it was time to smooth things over. First, he wanted to convince his father that he was okay and that he didn't need him by his side all the time. Kakashi wished for his father to rest and find some sleep. He placed his book on his lap and leaned back, the head of his bed had been elevated to provide him comfort.
Kakashi cleared his throat softly. "Dad?" Sakumo hummed in response and briefly looked up from his scroll. Once Kakashi was sure he had his attention, he began to speak. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
Immediately, Sakumo lifted his gaze and looked at Kakashi with surprise for a moment. His expression softened; he slowly rolled up the scroll and set it aside. Standing up, he sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze firmly fixed on Kakashi. "Don't worry, I'm fine," he reassured gently, brushing a few strands of Kakashi's hair from his face lovingly.
Kakashi glanced down at his book. "I just thought you must be tired. Minato-sensei told me you've been here the whole time and only went home briefly," Kakashi confessed, trying to sound as concerned as possible. Maybe he could convince his father to go home this way. He looked up, meeting Sakumo's eyes directly. "You really don't have to be here all the time; I'm feeling better now."
Sakumo smiled warmly and gently placed his hand on Kakashi's thigh. "I know, Kashi, and I'm truly relieved that you're feeling better." He paused for a moment before his expression turned slightly more serious. "I'm just a bit worried, but don't worry, I'll manage," Sakumo reassured with a small smile. "I just want to make sure you're okay. Also, we have a visitor coming," he added with a tense smile.
Raising an eyebrow in question, Kakashi looked at his father. His father didn't seem particularly pleased about the visitor, whoever it was. "Who's coming to visit?" Kakashi asked curiously.
"The Hokage wants to come by and talk to you," Sakumo explained, leaning back slightly. "Only if you're up to it, of course," he added.
This was Kakashi's chance to hint that it was an attack. Even though he felt guilty towards his father, he had to minimize the damage and prevent anyone from suspecting.
Kakashi was aware that his father probably wouldn't openly discuss his worries and fears. Sakumo wanted to protect him, especially after the supposed assassination attempt on him. But Kakashi thought it was worth a try. "Who poisoned me, and why?" Kakashi asked, making his voice sound both curious and uncertain.
Sakumo pulled his hand back and rubbed his face thoughtfully. With a deep sigh, he finally answered, "I'm not sure, Kakashi. But it was probably one of my enemies." Kakashi felt a slight uncertainty in Sakumo's voice; Minato was right, something was bothering his father. Frustrated that his father probably wouldn't tell him the whole truth, he considered asking Minato to talk to his father. Perhaps his father would trust the blond and reveal what was troubling him.
Kakashi was pulled out of his thoughts when Sakumo began to speak. "You don't need to be afraid; I'll always protect you," Sakumo assured lovingly. Kakashi nodded, letting his gaze wander out the window. His thoughts returned, wondering what could be troubling his father. Did he suspect Kakashi himself was the perpetrator?
His father was not easy to deceive; perhaps he had noticed something. But Kakashi had always been cautious and had kept things from his father. Something else, of which Kakashi had no idea, must be bothering him. But Kakashi couldn't figure out what it could be. He sighed softly and closed his eyes.
Kakashi felt his father lovingly stroke his hair. "Are you tired?" he whispered gently.
Slowly turning his head to Sakumo, Kakashi weakly smiled. "I'm just a bit exhausted," Kakashi confessed, though it wasn't entirely a lie; he did feel weak.
Sakumo pulled his hand away from Kakashi's hair and smiled reassuringly at him. "If you want, I can let the Hokage know you're not feeling entirely well," he gently suggested. "I don't want you to overexert yourself," he added with concern.
Kakashi shook his head; he didn't want to wait any longer. "No, it's okay, I want to get it over with."
Sakumo nodded in agreement and stood up. Once again, he lovingly stroked Kakashi's hair. "Rest a bit more; the Hokage will come around noon," he explained, sitting back down on his chair. His gaze wandered thoughtfully out the window. Kakashi closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment of tranquility, lost in his thoughts.
He didn't need to think about what to tell the Hokage anymore. What concerned him more was what was really bothering his father. He hoped Minato could find out something. If his father had suspected him, he would surely have said something and talked to him. So, something else must have happened.
Perhaps his father was burdened with guilt, blaming himself for leaving Kakashi alone. That could explain his father's behavior and why he wouldn't leave Kakashi's side. Even if Kakashi was supposedly safe, his father needed reassurance.
All of this was just speculation; Kakashi had to find out what was truly behind his father's behavior. At that moment, his wish not to be a child again was stronger than ever, frustrating him. But there was no point in despairing now; there would eventually be an opportunity to find out. For now, he had to successfully get through the conversation with the Hokage.
He hadn't even had the chance to be happy that his plan had worked, and his father hadn't gone on his mission. Once all of this was over, he could enjoy the extra time with his father and focus on the next challenges. He would have to talk to Pakkun; of course, he would also get an earful from his Niken, but he could handle that. Afterward, they could figure out what to do next. Kakashi tried to stay positive; everything would eventually work out for the best.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Kakashi poked at his food, feeling neither hungry nor particularly enticed by the hospital meal. In fact, he had dozed off for another hour before lunch. It wasn't planned, but his body was still tired.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Kakashi set his utensils down. Sakumo looked up from his book with concern. "You don't seem to have much of an appetite. You've hardly eaten," he remarked.
Smiling reassuringly with his mask hanging around his neck, Kakashi replied, "Well, it's hard to work up an appetite with this food."
Sakumo's expression softened, and a faint smile graced his lips. Setting his book aside, he stood up to clear the table where Kakashi's untouched meal sat. "You're absolutely right," he agreed, settling back into his chair. "I'll arrange for us to have dinner later. We should make up for missed meals," he said, leaning back and smiling at Kakashi.
Kakashi pulled his mask back up and nodded at his father. "Sounds like a plan," he confirmed, smiling back. His attention, however, was drawn to the ANBU guards outside his window. Additional ANBU had arrived, and Kakashi knew what that meant. Sakumo seemed to have noticed the change too, turning his attention towards the door.
As Kakashi's gaze shifted to the door, there was a knock, and it opened. Sakumo stood up immediately, a slight frown forming on Kakashi's face as the Hokage entered, followed by Danzo. The Hokage greeted Sakumo with a friendly nod, while Danzo's expression remained as cold as ever. Kakashi wondered why Danzo was there. Perhaps he wanted to know what had happened too. Though his methods were questionable, he did care about the village's safety, albeit in a misguided way.
If there had indeed been a hostile, unnoticed intrusion, Danzo would also be interested in a thorough investigation. Still, Kakashi's discomfort and mistrust remained – he needed to stay alert. Trouble often followed Danzo.
Kakashi noticed his father tense slightly at the sight of Danzo. However, Kakashi couldn't discern any reason for his father's suspicion. Unfazed by Sakumo's cool greeting, Danzo confidently stepped into the room, positioned himself at the foot of the bed, and looked coldly at Kakashi. Sakumo adeptly maneuvered around the bed, shot Danzo a sharp glance, and positioned himself by Kakashi's right side. The Hokage, on the other hand, took a seat with a smile where Sakumo had been sitting.
A slightly tense atmosphere filled the room, surprising Kakashi mostly because of his father. However, his attention quickly shifted to the Hokage as he cleared his throat. With a friendly smile, the Hokage addressed Kakashi. "Hello, Kakashi. I hope we're not interrupting your meal," he said, gesturing towards Kakashi's untouched lunch.
Casting a brief glance at his lunch before quickly focusing back on the Third Hokage, Kakashi shook his head. "No, Sir," he reassured. "I'm not really hungry. Hospital food isn't exactly appetizing," he innocently explained. Now was the time to act like a young boy, avoiding drawing attention, especially with Danzo present.
Hiruzen chuckled lightly. "I can't argue with that," the Hokage admitted with amusement before becoming a bit more serious. "How are you feeling, Kakashi?" he asked gently, maintaining eye contact.
Beneath his mask, Kakashi smiled. "Thank you, I'm feeling better. Just a bit weak," he answered truthfully.
Satisfied, Hiruzen glanced briefly at Sakumo before turning back to Kakashi. "Do you know why we're here?" His voice was calm, but Kakashi could tell the situation had him on edge too.
"Probably because I was poisoned," Kakashi replied, glancing at his father. Sakumo placed a supportive hand on Kakashi's shoulder, smiling reassuringly. Kakashi then shot a sidelong glance at Danzo; he was surprised Danzo had remained quiet this long. So far, Kakashi seemed to have maintained his cover.
Hiruzen nodded gravely, leaning forward slightly. "Exactly, that's why we're here," he confirmed. "We'd like to ask you some questions, if that's alright with you."
Before Kakashi could respond, Danzo cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Perhaps we should get to the point. If our suspicions are correct, we don't have time for pleasantries," he asserted. Kakashi inwardly snorted – typical Danzo.
Kakashi felt his father's hand on his shoulder tense slightly. Hiruzen shot Danzo a calming smile. "Don't worry," he reassured. Then he turned his attention back to Kakashi. "So, Kakashi, shall we begin?" he asked gently.
Kakashi nodded in response, and the hand on his shoulder relaxed. The Third Hokage smiled tiredly. "Alright," he began. "Can you recall the day in question?"
"Yes!" Kakashi replied immediately, eagerly awaiting the next question.
Hiruzen took a deep breath before asking, "Did anything unusual happen that day?"
Pretending to think for a moment, Kakashi knew nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. However, he kept a straight face, letting his eyes wander around the room. "I don't know," Kakashi finally mumbled, glancing at his father.
Sakumo continued to smile reassuringly, sitting down next to Kakashi on the bed and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Take your time. Every detail could help," he encouraged Kakashi.
Kakashi internally praised himself; he seemed to have sounded convincing enough. After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "I can't remember anything unusual," Kakashi said with a disappointed tone.
Danzo snorted slightly annoyed. "I knew we were wasting our time," he scoffed.
Sakumo pulled Kakashi closer. "It's alright, everything's fine," he whispered to him. Then he turned to Hiruzen, deliberately ignoring Danzo. "As I mentioned, we spent the entire morning together until I came here. Kakashi was alone for maybe two hours, and the rest of the time he was at home," Sakumo explained calmly.
Hiruzen nodded in response, crossing his arms. Kakashi smirked slightly under his mask; now was his chance. He began to shift uncomfortably in his seat, looking down at his lap and nervously playing with the blanket. Sakumo looked at Kakashi. "What's wrong, Kakashi? Is everything alright?" he asked with concern.
Kakashi looked up shyly through his bangs. "I don't want you to be mad at me," he began, sounding distressed.
Sakumo raised an eyebrow, studying Kakashi for a moment. "I'm not mad at you, Kashi," Sakumo assured. Kakashi avoided his father's gaze. Sakumo sighed, gently lifting Kakashi's chin to meet his eyes. "Please tell me what's bothering you. I promise I won't be mad."
Kakashi nodded weakly and began to speak. "After you left, I didn't stay home. I went to the cemetery," Kakashi admitted meekly.
Surprised, Sakumo sat up and looked at Kakashi. "I told you to stay home," he said with a slightly accusatory tone.
Kakashi shrugged slightly, looking down. "I was bored, and I felt better. I thought I could visit Mom. It's been a while since I've been there," he confessed meekly, silently praising his acting skills.
Danzo rose slightly, his gaze piercing Kakashi. "Did anything happen on your way there? You can't keep stalling," he said sharply, his patience wearing thin.
A sharp look from Sakumo met Danzo's, but he restrained himself. Kakashi felt his father's tension, but Sakumo had always been composed. It took a lot to rattle him; he didn't act recklessly.
Hiruzen seemed to sense the tense atmosphere and quickly intervened before it could escalate. "Could you tell us if anything happened on your way?" Despite the tension, the Hokage maintained a friendly smile.
Kakashi nodded dutifully. "On my way home, a man crossed my path. He was wearing unusually thick clothing for this season and had pulled his hood low over his face, so I couldn't see it," Kakashi began, looking at the Hokage. "When I left the cemetery, he bumped into me and just kept walking."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, then turned to Sakumo. "That might have been the crucial moment."
Sakumo nodded, taking a deep breath, his grip on Kakashi tightened. "Did you notice anything about this man?", he asked gently.
Kakashi shook his head. "No, nothing else. It all happened so fast, and I didn't think much of it."
Sakumo smiled affectionately at Kakashi, then turned back to Hiruzen, who wore a thoughtful expression. Clearly, they seemed to believe Kakashi's story. The focus would now definitely be on a potential enemy attack.
Danzo tapped his cane lightly on the floor to draw attention to himself. "The question remains: who was he and how did he sneak into the village? Why use poison if he truly wanted to kill the boy? He could have just stabbed him," he remarked in his typically cold tone. "Perhaps it was a form of mercy to give the boy a gentler death," he added thoughtfully.
The sudden intent to kill in the room sent a shiver down even Kakashi's spine. His father stood up beside him, took a threatening step towards Danzo, and fixed him with a dark stare. But Danzo wasn't intimidated and met Sakumo's gaze directly. "Don't talk about Kakashi like that!" Sakumo growled. However, Danzo seemed entirely unfazed.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly; this wasn't the father he knew. While what Danzo had said might not have been kind and would surely upset Sakumo, Kakashi felt his otherwise calm father's reaction was excessive. Sakumo had seemed tense since Danzo's arrival. A suspicion briefly crossed Kakashi's mind, but it didn't make sense.
Kakashi was pulled from his thoughts as the Hokage stood up, raising a hand to silence the two arguing men and signal to the Anbu guards that everything was under control. They were likely on high alert when they felt Sakumo's intent to kill. "Enough!" Hiruzen raised his voice slightly. Both men looked up at him, and Kakashi also turned his attention to the Hokage to hear what he had to say. "Please remember that Kakashi is here."
That was enough to calm Sakumo. As quickly as the intent to kill had arisen, it disappeared. Sakumo turned back to Kakashi, stroking his hair lovingly, before addressing the Hokage. "I think that's enough for today. Kakashi needs to rest. If he remembers anything else, I'll let you know," Sakumo said calmly, once again composed.
Hiruzen nodded in agreement and smiled at Kakashi. "Thank you for your help. Get well soon." He nodded at Sakumo once more and headed for the door. As he walked towards it, he cast a final glance at Danzo, who in turn looked from Kakashi to Sakumo before following the Hokage.
Kakashi looked up at his father, who watched Danzo with a threatening look. Only when the door closed behind the two visitors did Sakumo visibly relax. He let out a deep sigh, then carefully sat down on the edge of the bed. Kakashi watched his father attentively, starting to piece together the new puzzle pieces in his mind.
Sakumo rubbed his face tiredly, looking thoughtfully out of the window. Kakashi sat up a bit, tugging gently at Sakumo's shirt sleeve. "Is everything okay, Dad?" he asked curiously.
Sakumo slowly turned his head to Kakashi, offering him a tired smile. "Of course! You don't need to worry," he reassured gently, standing up. "It's just been a few exhausting days. I'm sorry if I scared you just now." He walked around the bed and sat back down on the chair.
Kakashi had to admit, the threatening intent he felt from Sakumo was impressive and not something he was used to from his father. Still, it wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before. "It's okay," Kakashi replied calmly, seizing the opportunity as his father didn't seem particularly talkative at the moment. Sakumo was already lost in thought, looking out the window.
Kakashi was satisfied; he had managed to convince everyone with his story. It didn't feel fair to continue sending them on a wild goose chase, but given the situation, it seemed best. This realization calmed Kakashi a bit and allowed him to focus on another issue.
Unnoticed, Kakashi's gaze drifted to his father, who sat back in his chair with crossed arms, lost in thought. Kakashi had noticed something but couldn't piece it together. It seemed like some crucial pieces were missing to complete the puzzle.
Sakumo seemed to have a problem with Danzo, but for Kakashi, the reason wasn't clear. Of course, Sakumo wasn't naive; he surely knew that Danzo couldn't be blindly trusted. But his behavior towards him didn't match. Ever since Danzo entered the room, his father seemed tense, barely taking his eyes off him.
Kakashi couldn't see a connection between the alleged assassination attempt and his father's behavior. Maybe it was something else; there might be another reason for Sakumo's behavior. Kakashi wondered if there might have been a previous dispute between the two. It wasn't unthinkable, but Kakashi didn't know how to get more information. Now he could only hope for Minato. He might try to talk to Sakumo. Kakashi just had to think of a suitable strategy for Minato to initiate a conversation with Sakumo.
Kakashi sighed softly and decided to relax a bit. He reached for his book on the nightstand to the left of his bed. Solutions would surely emerge little by little; right now, his mind was just too full, and he needed a moment to sort out his thoughts. He realized that his plan to save everyone wouldn't be easy, especially if he was creating additional problems for himself. Doubts about his plan began to creep in, but when he thought about saving his father through it, it seemed worth it. He quickly shook off his thoughts and immersed himself in his book.