Injured
The last enemy fell lifeless to the ground. Minato rushed immediately to Kakashi, kneeling beside him. His heart pounded wildly as he had to suppress the trembling in his body. Minato knew he had to stay focused now, to calm himself. But it wasn't easy – before him lay his unconscious student. And it was his fault.
He had to suppress his own pain; that wasn't important right now. Kakashi was important now - he was injured. The moment he saw Kakashi lying injured on the ground, he had neglected his own defense. He realized too late as an enemy rushed towards him. Only at the last moment could he dodge the deadly attack. But the kunai had struck him in the upper arm, injuring him.
He could have ended the fight much faster, but he waited, let them corner him. Minato wanted to give them a false sense of security to gather information. He wanted to know if there was a specific target for the attack, or if it was random. But he had been naive; he should have anticipated that Kakashi wouldn't just walk away. Kakashi had never seen Minato fight and just wanted to help. It must have looked to Kakashi as if Minato were in trouble. Kakashi simply didn't know his fighting style.
Carefully, Minato turned Kakashi onto his back. A gash on Kakashi's temple revealed itself. Minato bit his lower lip; Kakashi showed no reaction. Slowly, Minato reached for Kakashi's mask to remove it. Just before touching the mask, he paused. He knew it would be uncomfortable for Kakashi. He shook his head quickly. That didn't matter now; Minato had to check Kakashi's pulse and breathing.
Relief flooded through him as he found Kakashi's pulse to be steady and strong and his breathing normal. He gently ran his fingers through Kakashi's hair and whispered reassuringly, "Everything will be okay, Kakashi. We'll get through this together, I'm by your side. Don't worry!"
Minato stood up resolutely, hurried to his backpack, and retrieved a first aid kit. With practiced hands, he returned to Kakashi, knelt beside him, and began gently wrapping a bandage around his head. He then examined Kakashi for further injuries but initially found none visible. However, he remembered how the enemy had kicked him in the side. Carefully, he pulled up Kakashi's sweater to inspect his chest. A shiver ran through him as he saw the bruises on Kakashi's ribs. Several ribs were likely broken.
Minato bit his lower lip, his eyes betraying the struggle with guilt. Determinedly, he pulled Kakashi's sweater back down and kept his gaze firmly on Kakashi. Although guilt tormented him, he knew now was not the time. His only focus was on getting Kakashi back to the village as soon as possible. Concentration and determination were of utmost importance now.
With determination, Minato rose, gathered their belongings, and threw the backpack onto his back. He lifted Kakashi gently into his arms, careful to hold him securely. A tense but loving smile adorned his face as he drew Kakashi closer to him. His gaze was resolutely fixed on the distance as he concentrated. To teleport them both safely to Konoha, he had to be closer to their destination. No risks could be taken.
Determinedly, Minato set off immediately, leaping swiftly through the treetops. He continued to ignore the pain in his upper arm. It wasn't bleeding heavily, and he could move his arm. Minato estimated it couldn't be a serious injury. Nevertheless, Kakashi was more severely injured and needed immediate treatment. Even though pulse and breathing were normal, he couldn't be sure of the extent of the injuries.
As he leaped from branch to branch, guilt continued to gnaw at him. It was his fault that the situation had spiraled out of control. When Kakashi suddenly appeared behind one of the enemies, Minato's blood froze in his veins. That was exactly the situation he had wanted to prevent - he didn't want Kakashi to fight and kill, didn't want him to see death. Yet now the images of the young boy ramming a kunai into a man's back kept recurring in his mind.
Kakashi remained focused in that moment, keeping his guard up and ready to continue fighting. But Minato distracted Kakashi, causing him to drop his guard and focus only on Minato. This allowed the enemy to attack and injure Kakashi. He took advantage of the opportunity. Minato acted unprofessionally, wanting to be with Kakashi immediately, abandoning his own defense, which almost cost him his life. He had been involved in many fights before, had often seen comrades injured or killed. But it had never unsettled him this much. His focus always remained on the fight. Yet seeing Kakashi, his student, a five-year-old boy, injured made his mind blank for a moment.
The memories of their interrupted conversation flooded back into his mind, and he wondered what Kakashi had wanted to tell him before they were interrupted. When Kakashi asked him if he liked him, he was surprised. He had hoped his affection was obvious. Minato had always tried to make Kakashi feel that he could trust him. But now he doubted if he had succeeded.
But there was no time for further thoughts. Now it was about piecing the shards back together and doing everything to get Kakashi back to the village and treated as soon as possible so they could continue their conversation. Minato shook off his thoughts, suppressed his feelings. At least now, he had to be professional. He owed that to Kakashi. With a renewed surge of pace, he accelerated without wasting time.
The sun was setting on the horizon, and darkness was slowly descending over the forest. Beads of sweat formed on Minato's forehead after he had been racing tirelessly through the trees for hours. He paused briefly on a large branch, took a deep breath, and let himself be surrounded by the cool evening air. His gaze fell on Kakashi, still unconscious and showing no signs of waking up. Minato had regularly checked his pulse and breathing, and thankfully, they remained stable. Yet his worry grew. Minato looked to the sky; he was now close enough to Konoha. With a powerful push, he propelled himself off the branch, dust swirling, evidence that someone had been here. Minato disappeared with Kakashi in a yellow flash.
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He was torn from his half-sleep when he heard the squeak of the door opening. Minato had slumped in his chair, arms crossed, chin resting on his chest, legs stretched out. Immediately, he straightened up, feeling a slight tug in his neck as he let his gaze drift to the door. A small smile flickered across his lips as he saw Kushina enter the room. There was a smile on her lips, but Minato also recognized the concern reflected in her eyes.
She gently closed the door behind her and tiptoed towards Minato. Her gaze shifted from Minato, and he followed her gaze to the hospital bed next to his chair. There lay Kakashi, still unconscious. A blanket covered him, and a bandage was wrapped around his head. Minato had made sure Kakashi wore a surgical mask to make his waking process more comfortable. As Minato looked at him, Kakashi seemed even younger and more fragile than he already was. The sight pierced Minato's heart.
Upon arriving in the village, Minato immediately rushed to the hospital with Kakashi. There, Kakashi was promptly treated, but the waiting felt like an eternity to Minato, with worry threatening to overwhelm him. Nevertheless, he reminded himself to stay strong - Kakashi needed him.
"How is he?" Kushina asked, worriedly stepping beside Minato, reassuringly placing a hand on his shoulder while her gaze remained on Kakashi.
Minato took a deep breath before answering. "He's stable, the doctors were able to treat his injuries. Kakashi has two broken ribs and a concussion. Now we just have to wait for him to regain consciousness." His voice sounded tired, the exhaustion was palpable. The journey home had been exhausting; for hours, he had maintained his pace without taking breaks. Since their return to the village, he had not left Kakashi's side except to report to the Hokage and inform Kushina.
Kushina's hand on his shoulder tightened, and he looked up at her. The worry in her eyes was unmistakable. "You should rest, Minato. It's late at night. And you still haven't tended to your wound."
Minato shook his head slowly. He couldn't leave. He had to stay with Kakashi. "I will stay with Kakashi. He shouldn't wake up alone. Sakumo is still on a mission." A wry snort escaped him before he continued. "Perhaps the only positive thing about this situation."
Minato's gaze drifted to Kakashi, sadness in his eyes. Concerned, Kushina sighed, her hand still on Minato's shoulder. "What's positive about him not being in the village?"
Minato didn't take his eyes off Kakashi, his shoulders slumping. "If he were here, he would probably kill me on the spot. I couldn't protect Kakashi. It's my fault he got hurt."
"Hey, that's not true, it wasn't your fault." Kushina began soothingly stroking Minato's neck.
Minato looked at her, his expression still sad, a slight anger flickering in his eyes. "I distracted Kakashi. If I hadn't called him, he would never have been hurt."
Kushina paused her movements, withdrew her hand, and gently sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at Minato compassionately and said, "Stop blaming yourself. It was a series of unfortunate events. It's not solely your fault. Don't look for someone to blame."
Minato lowered his gaze, his mind swirling with self-doubt. He felt like a failed sensei who had failed to protect his student, almost resulting in a disaster. How could he ever make it right again? He had not only disappointed himself but also Sakumo would be disappointed in him if he learned of the incident.
Kushina seemed to sense Minato's inner turmoil. She gently placed her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Minato, you can't control everything. You did your best in this situation. You're not solely responsible for what happened."
Minato lowered his gaze again, struggling with his emotions. "But I should have been more careful. I'm his sensei, I should protect him."
"You're also human, Minato. Even the strongest shinobi have moments of weakness. But that doesn't make you any less capable or caring. You didn't abandon Kakashi. You stayed with him and did everything you could. That shows how much you care about him."
Minato swallowed hard, letting Kushina's words sink in. It felt good to have someone supporting him, but the burden of responsibility still weighed heavily on his shoulders. The guilt wouldn't let him go. Slowly, he raised his gaze and spoke with a trembling voice, "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a sensei. It would be better if Kakashi had someone else, someone better suited for him."
Kushina looked at Minato with wide eyes. Just as she was about to say something, she was interrupted by another voice. "You look pretty worn out, Minato." Immediately, Kushina and Minato turned their gaze to the door. Minato's eyes widened as he saw Sakumo standing in the doorway. Sakumo was still in his mission outfit, and there was a gentle smile on his lips. But Minato could also see the clear concern in his eyes.
Minato and Kushina stood up immediately, automatically straightening their posture. Kushina looked visibly confused, as neither of them had expected Sakumo to return so soon. A slight fear crept into Minato, but he was the first to find his words again. "Sakumo, sir. I thought you wouldn't be back in the village for a few more days."
With a graceful movement, Sakumo entered the room, his gaze resting on Kushina and Minato, who were looking at him intently. As he reached the bed, he cast a brief, concerned glance at Kakashi before turning back to the two teenagers standing on the other side of the bed. "Actually, my mission was planned for a longer period, but we were able to reach our goal much faster than expected. To be honest, I was relieved. I hoped to be back before Kakashi, to surprise him."
Minato quickly averted his gaze, while Kushina reached for his hand. She lightly squeezed it, offering comfort, but kept her eyes on Sakumo the whole time. As Sakumo smiled and directed his gaze solely at Kushina, she felt somewhat uncomfortable. "I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation. Nice to meet you. Are you, as it seems, Minato's girlfriend?" He gestured to their intertwined hands.
Kushina confirmed with a slight nod. "Yes, sir. My name is Kushina Uzumaki. Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."
Sakumo chuckled softly before replying. "I hope only good things." Kushina nodded in response. Sakumo briefly glanced at Minato before speaking again. "Would you mind if I had a moment alone with Minato?"
Minato directed his gaze back to Sakumo, who gave him a reassuring smile. Kushina shook her head. "No, of course not. It was nice to meet you."
Sakumo nodded to her. "I look forward to seeing you again sometime. Maybe we'll have more time then."
Kushina briefly turned to Minato, giving him a reassuring smile. Then she slowly released his hand and moved towards the door. Just as she was about to leave the room, Sakumo addressed her again. "Wait outside, it won't take long. I think Minato could use some company." Surprised, Kushina looked at him, but then nodded quickly and disappeared from the room.
As the door closed behind Kushina, a brief silence filled the room. Sakumo approached the hospital bed and gently placed his hand on Kakashi's head. His fingers brushed gently through the silver hair as he looked calmly at Kakashi. Minato dared not to say anything as he watched Sakumo. In Sakumo's eyes, he could see clear concern, which only added to Minato's already heavy burden of guilt. He feared Sakumo would now blame him. A lump formed in Minato's throat as he swallowed heavily.
Without taking his eyes off Kakashi, Sakumo began to speak. "The Hokage just informed me of what happened, so I came to the hospital immediately. I'm sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation." His voice sounded tired but filled with deep concern.
Minato continued to stare at Sakumo before his gaze dropped to the floor. "You don't need to apologize. If anyone needs to apologize, it's me. It's solely my fault that Kakashi got hurt." Minato looked cautiously at Sakumo, who lifted his gaze and continued to stroke Kakashi's hair gently.
Sakumo smiled gently and shook his head slightly, his words like a gentle comfort amidst the storm of self-blame. "Minato, you don't have to apologize. You did your best, and sometimes things don't go as planned. I myself have made many wrong decisions that put my comrades in danger. You should stop looking for someone to blame. However, if you need someone to blame, I'm willing to take it on." His voice sounded heavy as his gaze returned to Kakashi.
Minato raised his eyebrows in surprise, studying Sakumo attentively. The older Hatake seemed sincere. "You bear no blame. It was my responsibility to protect Kakashi."
"Is that so?" Minato flinched at the question and looked puzzledly at Sakumo. However, Sakumo didn't take his eyes off Kakashi, took a deep breath, and continued speaking. "Kakashi is my son, and if anyone bears the responsibility for him, it's me. I couldn't even protect his mother. At her grave, I swore to protect Kakashi, but so far, I have failed. Instead of teaching him to be a child, I taught him to be a shinobi. Yet he possessed remarkable talent naturally. I wanted to nurture it and overlooked the fact that he was still a child. My idea of sending him to the academy failed, and then I allowed him to graduate at the age of five. I was aware of the consequences, I knew he could go on missions and be in danger. So if anyone is to blame for him lying here, it's me."
Minato stared incredulously at Sakumo, his mind paralyzed with surprise. Every word of Sakumo echoed in Minato's head, and a heavy feeling of oppression settled around his thoughts. The atmosphere in the room became heavy and oppressive as Minato looked back and forth between Sakumo and Kakashi, observing the tender gestures between them. Sakumo's voice sounded penetrating, full of guilt yet imbued with unconditional love for Kakashi. Finally, Minato found his voice again, soft and strained. "Sakumo... I... I didn't know..."
Sakumo gently interrupted him. "It's okay, Minato. You have to understand that the responsibility doesn't lie solely with you, and blaming yourself won't help. Kakashi is your first student, you've just been appointed a sensei, and you're only sixteen years old yourself. Mistakes happen to all of us; it's perfectly normal. What matters is that we learn from them and continually improve ourselves. Don't bury your head in the sand; instead, look ahead. Analyze what went wrong and find solutions to do better. Don't give up, Minato. Kakashi respects you, and it would deeply hurt him if you were to abandon him now. And I won't allow that! I won't stand by and watch you cause pain to my son just because you're drowning in self-doubt!" Sakumo fixed his penetrating gaze on Minato, who flinched.
Minato felt a lump in his throat as he heard the accusatory tone he had expected, albeit in a slightly different form. Sakumo's words echoed in his mind as he looked down at the floor. He could understand some of Sakumo's frustration in this matter, but something else troubled him. Slowly, he raised his gaze to Sakumo, who continued to fixate on him. "Do you think I should have let Kakashi join the fight from the beginning? He's still too young to be confronted with death."
Sakumo took a deep breath, gently withdrew his hand from Kakashi, and crossed his arms over his chest. "First of all, I want to emphasize that I wasn't present at the situation in question. Everything I know comes from the reports of the Hokage, who in turn only knows your report. In the end, you're the one who can judge the situation best since you were there. Personally, I'm not thrilled about the idea, and if it were possible for me, I would spare Kakashi from it. Before I allowed Kakashi to graduate, I thoroughly prepared him for what it means to be a shinobi. I laid everything out for him and made it clear to him what the consequences would be. Kakashi understood it and assured me that he wanted to walk this path. So I gave my consent.
"Minato, he won't remain a genin forever. Sooner or later, he'll be sent on missions you won't participate in. Not everyone will be as lenient with him as you are. If he doesn't gain combat experience, he'll eventually get into trouble, and no one will be there to protect him. He needs to learn to defend himself when it matters. He won't achieve that if you hold him back for protective reasons.
"Of course, it makes sense for Kakashi to stay out of it if the enemy is too strong. I'm truly grateful for how well you take care of him, and I recognize your good intentions. But please don't forget that Kakashi is a shinobi and that it's also his wish." Sakumo paused briefly, his gaze shifting back to Kakashi, who continued to sleep soundly. As he watched Kakashi, Sakumo continued: "Please don't misunderstand me. I would do anything for him and support him anytime he needs my help. Even if he were to realize he's not ready to be a shinobi and deal with the consequences, I would support him, no matter which path he chooses. But for now, he wants to walk the path of a shinobi, so he needs to learn what that means. And he'd better learn it now than later when it might be too late."
Minato was uncertain how to respond as his thoughts swirled wildly, letting Sakumo's words echo within him. He understood the intentions behind the words and knew that Kakashi's well-being was dear to Sakumo. However, he couldn't simply ignore the fact that Kakashi was still a child. It felt wrong to confront him with the challenges of a shinobi at such a young age.
But Sakumo supported Kakashi's decisions out of love and was firmly convinced that Kakashi needed to become a capable shinobi, not only for the village's sake but also so Kakashi could fend for himself. Because Sakumo was right, Minato realized that the day would come when Kakashi would face an enemy without Minato's presence and would have to act independently.
For now, Minato held back his knowledge of the Chunin exam. He wasn't sure if Sakumo knew that Kakashi would soon become a Chunin. Furthermore, he was uncertain if he could count on Sakumo's support if he insisted on waiting for Kakashi to take the exam. "I completely understand your concerns and share your worry for Kakashi's well-being. You may be right, and it could be problematic if Kakashi doesn't accumulate enough combat experience. However, I cannot and do not want to overlook his young age," Minato explained, keeping his gaze fixed on Sakumo.
Sakumo's shoulders sagged slightly, his expression turned sad, but he maintained eye contact with Minato. "Perhaps you can do better than I did and avoid the mistakes I made. On my path as a shinobi, I've made many mistakes that I deeply regret. But the biggest mistake of my life was allowing Kakashi to become an adult so early. I believe if my wife were still alive, she would have condemned me for it." Sakumo looked out the window; it was dark outside, with only the moon providing some light. His expression remained sorrowful. "Minato, I'm glad you've become his sensei. Despite the circumstances, I trust you, and I know you always want what's best for Kakashi. And I simply ask that you continue to take good care of him and look after him. But please don't become too negligent and ensure that he is well-prepared."
Minato kept his gaze on Sakumo, feeling the weight of his words and sensing the guilt Sakumo carried. It was evident that Sakumo regretted making Kakashi a shinobi at such a young age. As he glanced at Kakashi, Minato reflected on their conversation again. He wondered if the situation would have been different if he had allowed Kakashi to fight from the beginning.
Sakumo wasn't wrong, Minato had to admit. Kakashi needed to learn to defend himself, even when Minato wasn't around. But did it really have to happen outside the village? Minato preferred Kakashi to stay in the village and train there. But the Hokage had other plans, which he would likely stick to even after this mission. If Kakashi wasn't adequately prepared, the consequences could be severe.
Determined, Minato fixed his gaze on Sakumo. "I promise you that I will do my best to prepare Kakashi well and support him in becoming a good shinobi. But I will never forget that he is still a child, and I will always protect him when I deem it necessary. I assure you that I will not repeat your mistakes."
Sakumo slowly turned his gaze to Minato, a contented smile spreading across his lips. "Thank you, Minato. Now make sure you get home. A shower and some sleep will do you good. Thank you for staying with him and taking care of him. I'll let you know when Kakashi wakes up."
Minato nodded to Sakumo and made his way out. But just before he touched the doorknob, he paused and turned back to Sakumo. Sakumo was sitting on the chair next to Kakashi's bed. To get his attention, Minato cleared his throat. Sakumo turned to him on the chair, looking at him questioningly, so Minato began to speak. "I want you to know that you are by no means a bad father to Kakashi, even if you feel you've made many mistakes. Kakashi loves and admires you, he does everything to impress you. He often talks about you, with love and enthusiasm. So you must have done many things right. I thank you for your candid words." Minato gave Sakumo an encouraging smile. Sakumo looked at him for a moment with wide eyes before gratefully nodding to Minato.
Minato turned away again and left the hospital room. In the hallway, Kushina leaned against the wall, waiting for him. When she saw him, she pushed off the wall and smiled gently at him. Minato took her hand, smiling lovingly at her, and they walked on together.
He knew he had many things to consider and would have to think about how to proceed in the coming days. But in one thing he was now certain: he would be there for Kakashi and protect him, he owed him that. Even after the conversation they had started on their mission, which Minato had not paid much attention to until now, he knew he couldn't abandon Kakashi. There was much to be clarified, but Minato had regained some of his determination. Although his feelings of guilt had not entirely disappeared, that would take time.