Friends
Kakashi sat impatiently on his bed, his legs dangling down as he eagerly stared at the door to the hospital room. Not long ago, he had finished his final examination and had been eagerly awaiting his father's arrival since then. Time seemed to drag on endlessly, especially since it was already noon and he was still stuck here. He longed to get out - not just because it was boring, but also because he was feeling much better. Since he had briefly woken up yesterday afternoon, he had been sleeping uninterrupted until this morning and noticed a significant improvement in his condition. The pain had also subsided; now he only felt a gentle tug in his chest and dull headaches.
On the other hand, Kakashi was eager to talk to Minato. The fact that his sensei hadn't visited him again worried him. Despite his father's reassurance in the morning, advising him not to jump to conclusions, Kakashi couldn't help but be concerned. Kakashi convinced himself that perhaps Minato had important obligations and therefore hadn't had time to visit him. But the fear persisted - the fear that Minato might be upset with him.
Suddenly, Kakashi was snapped out of his thoughts as the door opened. His father entered slowly, gently closing the door behind him and approaching Kakashi. A tired and exhausted expression adorned his face - no wonder he looked like that. Since his return from the mission, he had practically spent all his time with Kakashi. Only once had he briefly gone home to freshen up and change clothes. Kakashi felt guilty; he didn't want to inconvenience his father.
Sakumo smiled wearily as he stood before Kakashi. Gently, he ran his hand through Kakashi's hair once. "You can go home, everything is okay," he finally said.
Kakashi immediately jumped off the bed, ignoring the slight pain in his chest from this action. "Then I must go see Minato-sensei immediately!" He was about to take a step when Sakumo's hand landed on his shoulder.
Kakashi lifted his gaze and met Sakumo's serious gaze. "Not so fast. Just because you've been discharged doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Your injuries need to be taken seriously. We're going home, and there you'll lie down. You need to rest for another week. Next week, you can start with light training, provided you no longer feel any pain."
Kakashi looked at his father with a disappointed expression and shook his head vigorously. "I can't, I really need to talk to Minato-sensei, please!"
His eyes were pleading, but his father steadfastly held onto his serious look. "Kakashi, I don't want you to overexert yourself. Come home with me first. I'll inform Minato that you've been discharged. He'll surely come by to visit you."
Kakashi knew his father would stand firm at that moment, but he couldn't wait any longer. The conversation with Minato was crucial. Slowly, he lowered his gaze. "Please, Papa! It's really important. I promise to rest at Minato's and come back immediately when we're done." He lifted his gaze and looked pleadingly at Sakumo. "Please! After that, I'll do everything you ask of me and rest."
There was a moment of silence between the two. Finally, Sakumo sighed and rubbed his temple. "Alright, but as soon as you've sorted everything out, you come straight back home, and you really rest at Minato's, don't persuade him to train or anything."
Kakashi nodded determinedly. "I promise!" His gaze rested firmly on Sakumo, who in turn nodded in agreement. A happy smile adorned Kakashi's face as he briefly hugged his father and then set off. Before leaving the room, he turned to his father once more. "Thank you, Papa," he said, his smile sincere. Sakumo returned the smile and waved goodbye to Kakashi.
With determination in his eyes, Kakashi immediately left the hospital and headed straight to Minato's apartment. Mentally, he was already rehearsing what he wanted to say - especially his apology was top priority. Then he would bring up the mission again. He was determined to say what was on his mind and even ask Minato if he wanted to be his friend. After all, he already had confirmation that Minato liked him. He should have been confident. But suddenly, he stopped, looked down at his feet, and felt doubt creeping in. Despite his previous determination, fear now overwhelmed him, wondering how Minato would react.
What if Minato was angry with him and didn't like him anymore? Worse yet, what if he didn't want to be his sensei anymore? Kakashi bit his lip, his hands clenched into fists and trembling. Slowly, he turned around, about to run away, when suddenly a familiar voice stopped him. "Kakashi! What are you doing here?"
Kakashi turned around again and saw Kushina approaching him. A friendly smile adorned her face as she crouched down in front of him. He hesitated for a moment before answering, "Hello, Kushina. I... um... I was just about to go home," he lied, avoiding her friendly gaze.
Kushina raised an eyebrow suspiciously but kept her smile. "That's quite a detour," she remarked, quickly dropping the subject and skillfully changing the topic. "Anyway, I'm glad you're feeling better! Have you just been discharged?"
Kakashi looked at Kushina again and nodded. "Thank you very much, yes, I have," he confirmed. He wasn't sure how to deal with Kushina. They hadn't seen each other often, especially not alone. Minato was always there and often led the conversations. Kakashi found Kushina nice, even though she could be a bit too loud at times.
Kushina nodded understandingly and then put a finger to her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It surprises me that you're walking around the village. I would have thought you still need to rest," she remarked, giving him a slightly suspicious look.
Kakashi took a small step back and shrugged. He didn't really want to tell her the real reason why he was here. She would immediately take him to Minato, and Kakashi just wanted to leave. His fear of Minato's reaction had grown too strong for him to face the situation. "I'm just taking a little walk, I still need to stay fit. But now I really have to go home," Kakashi lied again, accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Kushina sighed softly, but her friendly smile remained. "Minato isn't home," she said finally, looking at Kakashi curiously.
Kakashi flinched slightly and avoided her gaze, sensing that she had noticed he had lied. "I'm sorry for lying," he apologized quickly. Even though he hadn't interacted with Kushina often, she had always been friendly to him, and it felt rude to lie to her.
She waved off with a smile and looked at him reassuringly. "It's alright," she said, letting a brief silence linger as her gaze became somewhat more serious. Then she continued, "Why did you suddenly turn around and want to leave?" She asked curiously, looking at Kakashi expectantly.
Kakashi kept his gaze averted and shrugged. Lying again wasn't an option. Kushina was too observant, and it would be impolite of Kakashi. He didn't want to tell the truth either. So he decided to stay silent, hoping that Kushina would leave him alone.
Kushina regarded him silently for a moment before she snorted softly. "Don't let everything be pulled out of you. Could it be that you're afraid to talk to Minato?" Her words carried a hint of compassion but also clear directness.
Kakashi's eyes widened, and he stared at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. Was it really that obvious? While she was a skilled kunoichi and always attentive, Kakashi hadn't thought he had shown his feelings so clearly. He sighed once. If she had already noticed what was going on, he decided to confirm her suspicion with a nod. "How do you know?" he asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Kushina covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled briefly. Then she waved her hand and remarked, "Well, like teacher, like student." Her words had a hint of playfulness but also honesty.
Kakashi stared at Kushina in surprise. Did he understand that correctly? Was Minato supposed to be afraid to talk to Kakashi? For Kakashi, there was no reason for that. After all, he was the one who hadn't followed the instructions and had put them both in danger. So why would Minato be afraid to talk to him? Kakashi let his gaze wander around, trying to understand why Minato would be afraid. It just didn't make sense.
"Minato-sensei is supposed to be afraid to talk to me!?" Kakashi muttered to himself. He felt Kushina gently patting his arm – an encouraging gesture. Kakashi watched her hand as it lightly touched him and then withdrew from Kushina. Slowly, he let his gaze travel from her hand, which she placed on her knee, up to her kind eyes.
"You should probably discuss that with him in person. Take a step and go to him now," she said gently and peacefully. Her voice sounded very different from usual and had a calming effect.
Kakashi nodded hesitantly, but then he remembered that Kushina had told him that Minato wasn't even home. He tilted his head slightly and looked at her questioningly. "But where is Minato-sensei? You said he wasn't home."
"Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that," she said with a light chuckle. "He's probably up at the Hokage Monument. That's where he usually retreats when he needs to think. But go ahead and talk to him, I think it's long overdue for both of you." She straightened up from her crouch.
Gratefully, Kakashi nodded and bowed slightly. "Thank you very much! Until next time, Kushina." He raised his hand in farewell and was about to turn around.
But Kushina stopped him once again. "Kakashi!" He turned around again and looked at her questioningly. Sensing that she had his attention, Kushina continued speaking. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. And if I find out that you've been avoiding it, you'll get in trouble from me, understood?" Her words carried a hint of concern but also determination.
Kakashi swallowed hard. Immediately, respect spread within him, and he nodded determinedly. Then he set off and began his journey. Now he had no choice. His gut feeling told him that it was better not to mess with Kushina. But maybe that was for the best. He couldn't run away forever. Besides, he didn't want to be a coward. He had to face the situation.
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Slowly, he climbed the stairs to the Hokage Monument. With each step, he felt his stomach tighten further and his legs begin to tremble more strongly. Was it nerves or was he just feeling weak? As he walked towards the monument, he realized that he wasn't quite fit yet. But he didn't let that stop him and continued on his way. His father didn't need to know about this.
As he crossed the last step, he let his gaze wander around, searching for Minato. It didn't take long for him to spot the blond head. Minato was sitting on a bench, leaning back against the backrest, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the village. Apparently, he hadn't noticed Kakashi yet. He had his back turned to him and seemed lost in thought.
Kakashi swallowed hard before slowly approaching Minato. With each step, his heart felt heavier. When he was finally just a few steps away from him, he cleared his throat once and found his voice. "Minato-sensei?" he finally managed, his voice slightly shaky with excitement. He waited eagerly for Minato's reaction, his heart pounding loudly in his chest.
Minato immediately turned around and stood up when he saw Kakashi. For a moment, they just looked at each other before Minato's shocked expression softened and a small smile appeared on his lips. "Hello, Kakashi," he greeted him. Kakashi could see not only relief but also concern reflected in Minato's eyes.
Silence fell between them again, and Kakashi didn't know what to say. Although he had rehearsed everything, it seemed like everything was blown away now. Luckily, it was Minato who found his words first again. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I just didn't expect you to be walking around the village already," he said with a concerned tone, studying Kakashi.
Kakashi took another step towards Minato, his hands hanging at his sides. "I persuaded Dad to let me come to you. I had to promise him that I would definitely rest," Kakashi confessed. It hadn't been his intention to wander halfway across the village just to talk to Minato.
"But it doesn't look like you're resting," Minato remarked with a slight accusatory glance at Kakashi.
Kakashi lowered his gaze slightly, a hint of shame washing over him. He knew Minato was right. Despite the promises to his father, he was here, far from his bed and the rest order. "I'm sorry, Minato-sensei. I just wanted..." Kakashi interrupted himself, unsure how to continue. Then he looked at Minato again and continued, "I couldn't have known you weren't home, and I wanted to talk to you. It's very important to me, then I can rest." His gaze became determined, Kakashi had gathered all his courage.
Minato regarded Kakashi silently for a moment, his expression serious as he absorbed Kakashi's words. Then his expression softened slightly, he took a few steps towards Kakashi and placed a calming hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "I understand, Kakashi," he said gently. "I think it's important that we talk. Come, let's sit down and talk about everything." With a gentle pressure, he invited Kakashi to sit next to him on the bench. Kakashi felt a mixture of relief and gratitude that Minato was giving him a chance to explain.
Gratefully, Kakashi nodded and followed Minato's invitation to sit on the bench. As he sat down next to Minato, he felt a certain tension within himself. They both fell silent, staring down at the village. A gentle breeze swept through the air, causing Kakashi's hair to dance in the wind. Surprisingly, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but rather peaceful around them, although Kakashi was nervous and his mind was racing.
Finally, it was Minato who found his words first. "I like being here when I need some time for myself and need to think. It's the silence here that calms me down," he said calmly. Then he paused briefly and let his gaze shift to Kakashi. Guilt was reflected in his face, making Kakashi flinch. Minato put on a small smile and continued, "I'm sorry I didn't visit you in the hospital. But... I needed time to think," he confessed, looking down at the village again.
Kakashi stared at Minato intensely for a moment, doubts stirring within him which he quickly pushed aside. He took a deep breath and began to speak. "It's okay, Minato-sensei, really. Actually, I'm the one who should apologize. I didn't listen to your instructions and put us both in danger." Kakashi lowered his gaze and spoke softly, "I can understand if you're disappointed in me."
Surprised, Minato's gaze landed on Kakashi, but quickly he shook his head. "I'm not disappointed in you. Of course, you should have listened to me and followed my orders. But I shouldn't have let myself be distracted in that moment. It wasn't solely your fault!"
Carefully, Kakashi lifted his gaze and met Minato's determined eyes as he quietly asked, "So, do you still want to be my sensei?" His voice sounded unsure and trembled slightly.
Minato let out a light, amused snort. "Of course, I'll still be your sensei. We'll talk calmly about the mission during our next training and think about how we could have done it differently. You don't need to worry." A reassuring smile appeared on Minato's lips before his face became serious again. "To be honest, I actually wanted to apologize to you. Not only for letting myself be distracted and you getting hurt as a result, but also for not trusting you. Instead of sending you away, I should have involved you. But I'm just worried about you and want to protect you." Minato's tone was sincere, his gaze firmly fixed on Kakashi.
Kakashi was speechless, surprised by the unexpected turn of events. He had expected Minato to be disappointed and possibly demand an apology from him. But to his surprise, he felt that Minato also felt guilty. Although he had hoped to fight side by side with Minato, he had to accept that his orders were different. Still, a warm feeling flowed through him, knowing that Minato cared about him and wanted to protect him – a feeling he had only known from his father so far.
Minato leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, his gaze fixed on the ground. Kakashi couldn't take his eyes off Minato, eager to hear what he would say. "When you asked me if I would like you before the attack, I really meant it. I like you and I'm glad to be your sensei, and I hope you feel the same way." Minato's voice sounded gentle and had a calming effect on Kakashi, immediately relaxing him.
As Minato's words sank into his mind, Kakashi's heart began to beat faster with excitement. The confirmation that Minato liked him filled him with a warm feeling, and a small grin peeked out from behind his mask. Kakashi took a deep breath, finally ready to give Minato his answer. "I...I like you too, Minato-sensei. And I..." Kakashi paused again, turning his gaze away as he noticed Minato looking at him curiously. In that moment, he was grateful for his mask, which hid the slight blush on his cheeks. Then he gathered his courage and asked the question that had been weighing on him for so long. "And I was wondering if you would like to be my friend?" Slowly, Kakashi turned his gaze back to Minato.
Minato immediately straightened up, his eyes widening, surprise evident on his face. It seemed like he needed a moment to collect himself after the question. Anxiously, Kakashi waited for Minato's answer, his hands becoming sweaty with excitement. It was only a few seconds, but for Kakashi, it felt like an eternity, until Minato broke out of his trance and a broad smile spread across his face. This was followed by a nod. "I would love to be your friend, Kakashi."
Emotions surged within Kakashi as he looked at Minato. His lips trembled under his mask, and he fought back the tears welling up in his eyes. But he forced himself to stay strong, briefly turning his gaze away to collect himself. When he looked back at Minato, a warm smile spread across his face. Finally, he had found a friend, and it felt wonderful. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and he felt like he could breathe properly again.
Minato returned the smile and then wrapped his arm around Kakashi's shoulder, pulling him closer. A comfortable silence enveloped them as they looked out at the village, enjoying the quiet. Kakashi felt the last traces of tension leaving his body. After a moment of silence, Minato turned his gaze to Kakashi. "But don't think you're getting away with it that easily. I'll think of an appropriate punishment for not following my orders," he said with a friendly tone in his voice.
Kakashi looked at Minato for a moment, then nodded in agreement and turned his gaze back to the village. It was only fair; Kakashi had disobeyed Minato's orders, and it was only right to take responsibility for it. But deep down, he didn't care. The only thing that mattered in that moment was that Kakashi now had a friend.
They sat together on the bench for a moment longer, the tranquility around them a pleasant contrast to their earlier conversations. Minato eventually rose slowly and stretched. Then he turned to Kakashi with a smile. "Come on, we should start heading back. Your father is probably waiting for you, and besides, you should rest." Kakashi nodded in agreement as he stood up from the bench. Minato was right; if he stayed away too long, he would surely get in trouble with his father.
As he stood on his feet, he felt a slight trembling in his body. His gaze fell to the ground; searching for Minato had strained him too much. Slowly, he lifted his head, but suddenly, a slight dizziness overcame him. Determinedly, he ignored the feeling and attempted to take a step, but he stumbled slightly. A warm hand reached for his upper arm, holding him upright. Kakashi looked up and into Minato's friendly face. "Are you okay?" Despite the friendly expression, Kakashi also sensed a hint of concern in his voice.
Kakashi nodded and smiled at Minato. "Yes, I may have overdone it a bit," he admitted with a light chuckle.
Kakashi squeaked in surprise as Minato lifted him up and gently placed him on his back. Instinctively, Kakashi wrapped his legs around Minato and put his arms around the blond's neck. A warm feeling washed over Kakashi as he felt Minato carrying him securely. Minato glanced over his shoulder at Kakashi and smiled reassuringly. "I'll carry you home, don't worry." Then Minato turned his gaze forward again and set off.
Relaxed, Kakashi rested his head on Minato's shoulder and closed his eyes slightly. It felt familiar to be carried by Minato, like after an especially strenuous training session. A pleasant silence surrounded them until Minato suddenly broke the silence. "Say, Kakashi, how did you know where to find me?"
Kakashi opened his eyes and looked at Minato. "I met Kushina on the way to your apartment. She told me where I could find you," Kakashi answered before closing his eyes again. "By the way, she told me you were afraid to talk to me." Carefully, Kakashi opened one eye and watched Minato's reaction.
Minato stopped briefly, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. Then he continued on his way. "I have no idea what she means. I just didn't have time; I had a lot on my mind." Kakashi couldn't help but giggle and dropped the subject. Minato gave him a brief, affectionate glance before looking forward again.
"My dad will be pretty mad at me when he finds out I overdid it," Kakashi said after a moment of silence. "He'll probably tie me to the bed for longer than necessary." It would probably be justified.
Minato stopped and looked at Kakashi with a smile. "He doesn't have to find out, that's the good thing about having friends. They help you out. We'll just tell him you got tired on my couch and I just wanted to make sure you got home safely." Kakashi opened his eyes and raised his head. Minato winked at him and continued on their way.
A smile spread across Kakashi's lips as he rested his head back on Minato's shoulders. "Thank you, Minato-sensei." Minato only nodded in response, and they walked on in silence. Kakashi was more than satisfied. He could sort everything out with Minato, and he had finally found a friend. That's all he wanted; he wouldn't even mind getting in trouble with his father. He was simply happy in that moment.