Love is a portrait and we were the colours
— Back to the Uzumaki-Namikaze residence
Perfectly still. Everything went perfectly still, as if time had stopped itself through the click of a photo.
Kakashi could have become a painting by now. He stood ever so still, completely dazed and still processing what he had just heard. Minato sat beside Kushina on their couch, waiting patiently for the boy to respond.
Kakashi pondered to himself,
“What..
Why??
And..
…Family…?”
Family…
The grey haired boy’s eyes began to widen. He just stared at Kushina and Minato with his mouth slightly open, not that they could tell with the boy’s mask. Besides, their minds were flooded with anticipation and worry, it was painted all in their eyes.
Minato spoke with extreme care, “We are aware of everything you’ve been through, Kakashi… You’re a strong child. Kushina and I wish to support you right by your side. Forever.”
Kakashi lowered his head, and slowly… very brief tears started forming in his eyes. He immediately thought of Sakumo, his late but loving and kind father, and his mother, who he could not recollect anything of. Then, he remembered the faces of his best friends, Obito and Rin.
Dead.
They died.
They all died .
Mom. Dad.
Obito and Rin.
Obito and Rin….
Why????
Why did they die and yet I’m here getting a chance.. Everyday. To start over. They were my age too. We were so young and they had everything taken away from them.
So did Kakashi. But he never thought about himself unless he was beating himself over for being useless or drowning in his thoughts of death and sorrow. This boy raised himself since his father’s passing, but he still could not see the miracle that exists before his eyes, which was himself.
By now, Kakashi felt like his heart was ripped out and trampled all over. It hurt so much, the thought of having someone. He felt like he was suffocating, since loneliness was all he ever knew for the past few years. It was so familiar to him, he learned to embrace it.
Loneliness was his only family.
“Kushina and I gave it a lot of thought and were wondering if.. You would like to be a part of our family?”
Minato’s words reverberated inside of the young jonin’s head.
Could this boy really have people he loves and trusts again? Could he really live alongside them?? ..Without losing them…?
"I can still…. Live?"
Kakashi asked himself inside of his head.
His guts felt like they were being twisted
"I can still live."
He assured himself.
He was sure now.
This is what his father and Obito and Rin would want.
More importantly, this is what he would want.
A change in his daily life of not being alone anymore-- and to get to stay by the side of people he loved. To think about it, was refreshing. It was like a dream that could not see the light.
The concern in the couple’s hearts grew as they noticed Kakashi refused to lift his head up. It was a great decision of course, and Kakashi most likely didn’t see the question coming. Not in a million years.
Worry filled Minato and Kushina and they stood up to look at the boy, who stood across them.
"Is this a no?"
Minato thought to himself
Just as he began to approach the boy, slowly but steadily Kakashi lifted his head up. Minato paused in his tracks and Kushina held her fist to her chest, as she was concerned for the boy that she cared for so much.
For someone whose main power is “Lightning Blade” he sure did not move like it. He approached them like the long but gentle breeze you would wish for on a hot summer day, and when it finally came, you savoured every moment of it as time failed to pass by.
Kakashi did not even look at the husband and wife. No. He simply and gently wrapped his arms around the couple, taking in mind the woman he protected all this time was indeed 7 months pregnant.
Kushina and Minato’s surprise was evident in their eyes. Their faces softened at the same time. Kushina gazed at Minato for guidance and reassurance.
Does he mean… yes? was written all over her face.
Of course, Kakashi and Kushina grew close to each other as he guarded and protected her from any threats as her bodyguard for the past 6 months, but she still knew very little about the boy. There was mutual caring, love, and respect between the two, but nobody knew the boy like his master did.
In fact– there was no longer anybody in this world who knew Kakashi better than Minato.
Minato glanced over at Kushina and gave a subtle nod as he returned Kakashi’s hug and smiled. Finally soaking in the moment, Kushina slowly wrapped her arms around the boy’s back and head. She planted a long but tender kiss on top of the love-starved boy’s head.
By now, everybody’s eyes were filled with tears and their hold on each other grew tighter. Once they pulled away, Kushina had tears streaming down her face while Kakashi wiped his own with one hand.
Minato was taken by surprise at the sight of his wife and boy crying so much. He immediately attempted to lighten the mood,
“I’m sorry, is this like a bodyguard-protectee disease..?”
Kakashi and Kushina stared at Minato in confusion.
“To cry when you’re happy?” he finished.
Kakashi let out a light chuckle, while Kushina slapped Minato’s arm as she also laughed and wiped her tears. She thought she did it gently, but she was the Red-Hot Habanero after all, and her husband’s reaction told everything.
“Ah!..!.....” Minato flinched and rubbed his arm as he was actually smacked pretty hard, but laughed it off.
Kushina was all over the place. She was pregnant after all. She cried and kept looking at the young boy’s face while showering him with hugs. Minato simply watched the scene with his arms crossed with a sincere smile displayed on his face. He looked like he was painting this scene in his head so he could visit it and the whole process all over again.
The little ANBU member who was embraced in the warmest hug of all finally spoke as his arms were wrapped around Kushina,
“Does this mean.. we’re…..
family now?”
Minato’s eyebrows furrowed and he bent down to meet the boy at eye level.
“Kakashi…” he spoke softly.
“Yes. Of course. We were always family and will always be family.”
The boy’s eyes enlarged as he realised
It's official.. It’s real.
The Hokage’s words were as warm as the colour of his hair. And so, Hatake Kakashi clicked a picture of this unforgettable moment through his eyes.
“Something I’ll never forget.”
He thought to himself.
Kushina pulled away and wiped the boy’s face. She kept an arm wrapped around his shoulder, but now she embraced a fresh but warm smile,
“So, what’s your favourite meal?”