Take me Home
Prologue : Take me Home
It took two years for Kakashi to see the gates of Konoha again. There was a hollow place in his chest where his heart thumped painfully at the sight as the sun rose with his arrival. The guards accepted his papers and identity as usual and he headed straight to the Hokage tower. The old man behind the desk made Kakashi angry and overjoyed all at the same time. He was pissed this man had made him leave his heart in the village unprotected but glad the man was there and whole.
Kakashi handed in his report, findings on Orochimaru’s whereabouts and messages from Jiraiya. He gave a quick verbal break down without going into the sensitive information the report contained.
“You’ve done well Kakashi. You have a three-day break before your next mission. I will brief you on it the day before you leave.”
Bowing slightly Kakashi turned to leave.
“And Kakashi.”
Sarutobi’s called him back to attention and he met the man’s smiling eyes.
“Welcome home.”
The words made warmth spread through Kakashi and he knew he should respond in kind but all he managed with the lump in this throat was a respectful head tilt and swift exit. Afraid he might start crying as his emotions ran high. Kakashi took a few deep breaths on the rooftop of the tower, when he deemed himself calmed down, he closed his eyes and let his chakra sensing skills lead him home. Lead him to Naruto. The toddler was home, at Kakashi’s apartment with two chakra signatures nearby. One Kakashi recognized as Hayate the other was not immediately known to him. He assumed if his former teammate was with Naruto he had little to worry about and decided to surprise the swordsman. Masking his chakra signature, he quickly made his way home. It wasn’t until he was about to enter his apartment that Hayate’s chakra spiked like he was prepping for a fight that Kakashi grew concerned. Staying hidden he listened through the cracked window.
“You aren’t the assigned Chunnin for the Hatake household.”
Hayate’s voice was smooth and deadly but there was no whisper of metal, so Kakashi knew the other nin hadn’t drawn his sword yet.
“Last minute change in scheduling.”
The sentence was said so flippantly it seemed believable.
“I’ll take over for today so you can leave Misaki.”
Kakashi’s blood ran cold when he heard that name. He had been told by Iruka and Naruto himself later on what Misaki had done the day of graduation and decided now was a good time to come out of hiding.
“I had failed and then he came up and promised me all these great things and I just fell for it.”
Naruto smiled sadly as he laid back in the sunlit grass. They had been training his Rasengan and wind abilities with the help of Tenzo and had worn the Mokuton user out. Leaving student and teacher to chat idly and eat while he recovered.
“It wasn’t your fault Naruto.”
Kakashi had blamed himself, and Misaki and Jiraiya and Sarutobi. He mentally let the list grow as he passed Naruto another rice ball.
“I was just dumb, and Iruka-sensei got hurt really badly that day too. I’ve seen his scar a few times and it bugs me.”
“You would have scars too if not for the fox. I get angry just thinking about all the possible scars you have that I can’t see.”
Propped up on one elbow Naruto looked over to Kakashi, gauging how serious he was Kakashi assumed since it wasn’t often Kakashi voiced his love for his two students.
“Kakashi-sensei you’re a softy.”
Naruto giggled childishly as he ate. Kakashi could only hum in agreement and they finished their lunch with Naruto telling Kakashi about happy moments growing up. It had made Kakashi wonder how many terrible memories Naruto hid from him.
Kakashi sat on the open window ledge and smiled to himself when he realized Misaki’s back was to him and Hayate stood at the door holding a sleeping Naruto in one arm. Naruto’s spikey blonde head resting peacefully on the swordsman’s shoulder.
Safe, and in good hands.
“Mah, what is this? I leave for a few years and come home to two angry men in my home instead of a lovely woman waiting for me with my child.”
He watched as Misaki’s entire body stiffened and he turned slowly to see Kakashi sitting causally in the window.
“Hatake.”
The one word was said in a breathless rush as the younger chunin bowed and moved away from Kakashi as he stepped into his apartment. Dropping his traveling sack he resisted the urge to walkup to Hayate and take Naruto from him.
“You are dismissed Misaki.”
Hayate spoke before Kakashi should say the exact same thing. His tone as sharp as his blade he moved from where he stood in front of the door and held it open. Misaki left with one last frantic look to Kakashi as he scurried out the door.
“Thank you Hayate.”
Sitting down on the edge of his bed Kakashi suddenly felt exhausted. He mindlessly pulled his flak jacket off and threw his gloves to an unknown corner of the apartment. Hayate closed the door when he wasn’t paying attention and was now standing in front of Kakashi with Naruto. The copy-nin watched as Hayate cuddled the small child against his chest. Nuzzling the top of Naruto’s head with his cheek and cradling the back of his delicate looking head for just a second before straightening and meeting Kakashi’s eye expectantly. Kakashi held his hands out and stopped masking his chakra as an afterthought when he remembered he needed to conserve chakra. Naruto’s head popped up as he woke suddenly. Big blue eyes searching wildly until they landed on Kakashi. The grin on Naruto’s face made Kakashi’s heart ache as the toddler struggled from Hayate to reach Kakashi who took him all too willingly into his own arms. Naruto squealed in delight and buried his face in Kakashi’s neck as his hands gripped Kakashi’s shirt.
“Kashi-ni! Kashi-ni!”
He chanted making Kakashi’s tears from earlier spill unchecked.
“I guess he recognized your chakra signature even after two years.”
Trying his best not to all out sob Kakashi struggled to ask Hayate without looking at him.
“How? Why?”
“Oh how does he know what you look like?”
Kakashi nodded as he hugged Naruto as tightly as he dared, the toddler babbling and repeating Kakashi’s new moniker.
“Guy has really embarrassing pictures of you that he shows Naruto when he visits. He tells him stories about you and calls you Naruto’s big brother so he’s been calling you that since he could talk.”
The short burst of laughter that escaped Kakashi sounded close to a sob. Trust Guy to keep blackmail worthy pictures as mementos to show Naruto.
“Little Naruto there doesn’t talk much, a few words here and there and a whole lot of gibberish when he gets excited. Genma said his first word was Kashi.”
“Damnit Hayate.”
Kakashi groaned as he full on cried now. Hiding his face in Naruto’s baby soft hair. Hayate the evil bastard laughed.
Naruto squirmed in his grip and Kakashi let the toddler pull away slightly, unable to stop crying he rested his forehead against Naruto’s.
“Kashi-ni sad?”
He shook his head as little hands rested on his mask.
“So happy Naruto, so very happy.”
Naruto grinned and plastered himself against Kakashi once more.
“Happy. Naru happy.”
“I should get going.”
Hayate had moved back towards the door and Kakashi glared at his supposed friend.
“I hate you.”
Laughing more Hayate waved and headed out.
“Welcome home Kakashi.”
When the door closed behind him Kakashi sighed and held Naruto just a little tighter making the toddler laugh loudly.
“I’m home.”
When he left three days later it was another early morning. Naruto slept soundlessly in Kakashi’s bed that he had taken over as his own while Kakashi was gone. It made the copy-nin’s heart ache to think he would need to get a bigger place for them soon. Naruto was still young enough that he didn’t mind sharing with Kakashi but eventually the child would want his own space. The one room efficiency in the Jounin dorms wasn’t going to cut it for them.
It was months till he returned home again. Then a year, then on and off with weeks and month spreading in between the handful of days he got to be home with Naruto each visit. Kakashi was given updates from his various friends on Naruto’s progress as they all checked in on Naruto between their own missions and lives. He got reports of two Uchiha teens dismissing chunin assigned to take care of Naruto, one Itachi Uchiha of the main branch and Shishui Uchiha. The thought of a young Itachi or Shishui showing up at random while Kakashi was gone to take care of and play with Naruto made him smile. He waved off Genma’s growing suspicion as nothing more than the two being rebellious and probably wanting to protect the young kid villagers were so cruel to.
Then after seven years of running detail on Orochimaru, a year less than the original eight from his timeline. Standing in the all too familiar Hokage office he restrained himself from jumping with joy at being released from his mission. Instead, he bowed lowly and thanked the Hokage profusely.
“I am removing you from active duty for a while Kakashi.”
Sarutobi chuckled, removing his pipe as he leaned back in his seat.
“You will be assigned as a Jounin squad leader and will train new genin recruits.”
Kakashi knew this was the natural course of events and nodded in agreement.
“I don’t think I’m really cut out for that kind of thing.”
The old familiar line slipped easily from his lips. Leaning back on his heel, hands in his pockets with a bored expression on his face. Now at twenty-two he would still be remarkably young as an instructor even if he wasn’t actually that age on the inside. Kakashi wondered idly if he would allow any of his recruits to pass, if with the things he has already changed if the candidates he gets would also be different.
“It will give you a chance to take lighter missions and spend more time with Naruto. He starts the academy next year.”
Things Kakashi already knew. It was why he wrapped up a year early. He wanted time to spend with Naruto, train him a little, get to know him better than their current snapshot relationship. And to reconnect with Itachi before the massacre. He wanted to do everything in his power to prevent his younger teammate from suffering the same fate he had originally. And to salvage Sasuke in a way so he would not become the destructive young man Kakashi grew to know. Sasuke who only saw hatred and pain, blood and vengeance. Manipulated by everyone around him without Kakashi or his brother around to protect him. Kakashi refused to let his student go through that again. Not if he could prevent it this time.
“The boy is still harassed harshly by villagers. Most have learned painful lessons from individuals my ANBU have been unable to identify, but there are still those who are cruel and stupid enough to still bother.”
Shifting from his relaxed stance Kakashi moved to stand flat on his feet and glare out the window behind the Hokage. It amused him that those who cared about Naruto disciplined the villagers behind the scenes but he also knew it wasn’t enough. Sarutobi was right, Kakashi needed to be in the village to protect Naruto.
“You’re right. Thank you Hokage-sama.”
With that he left. Eager to get home to Naruto. In the last five years Kakashi hadn’t gotten around to moving out of the Jounin dorms so he headed to the familiar apartment. Naruto wasn’t home he knew that much. Probably out somewhere causing trouble and making Kakashi proud. He loved hearing the grand tales Naruto told of his pranks. Arms waving excitedly and grinning like the fox demon he was always accused of being.
As he put his things away Kakashi made a mental note to go see the housing committee to find him and Naruto new lodgings. Maybe somewhere close to the Hyuga clan or a bigger flat in central
Konoha would be preferable. Naruto liked being in the center of everything so he narrowed his options down. Better to be in the village than closer to training grounds. He wanted Naruto to be the powerful shinobi who saved the world but he also wanted the child to be a kid. To pull his pranks and get into trouble with Shikamaru and Choji. Maybe even befriend a prickly Sasuke and wreak havoc.
Distracted with putting his things away and taking stock of his lack of food supply Kakashi missed the flare of burning chakra headed right for his front door.
“Kakashi-ni!”
The door slammed into the opposite wall as Naruto threw it open, shaking the wall hard enough books rattled off the shelf nearby. Kakashi had moved his hitaiate to rest on his forehead instead of lopsided to cover his scarred left eye while inside his apartment. Turning to face the child he now called brother instead of student.
“Welcome home.”
He greeted, smiling under his mask as Naruto laughed and struggled out of his shoes at the door.
‘When did you get back? How long are you home for? What are you cooking? Can you show me that jutsu you talked about last time?”
The questions were rapid fire and Kakashi didn’t try to keep up knowing the kid wouldn’t actually pause long enough for him to answer any of them. He just hummed happily and turned back to inspecting the cabinets for something to eat.
“Kakashi-ni!”
This time a whine instead of an excited greeting.
“Oh were you done?”
Naruto was slumped in the threshold, making puppy dog eyes at Kakashi from the floor. Kakashi would have to chide Pakkun for showing Naruto that. Sighing dramatically Kakashi sat cross legged on the floor facing Naruto.
“Let’s see if I can get all these in one go. A few hours ago. Nothing since it looks like all you buy with our grocery money is instant ramen. Which jutsu were we talking about again?”
Naruto scrambled to sit like Kakashi, rocking excitedly in place.
“That one where your hand was covered in lightening and it was super loud but so awesome.”
He waved his arm around as if displaying how it should look and Kakashi nodded.
“I don’t think I can teach that one to you. But someday I’ll ask Jiraiya-sama to teach you his super secret jutsu. Its just as cool and much better than mine.”
“Awe Kakashi-ni I wanted to learn the one you did. The old sage guy hasn’t even met me, why would he teach me something better than your jutsu?”
As he pouted Naruto grew quiet and then seemed to realize something.
“How long are you home for?”
The question was asked softly in the morning light of the apartment. The kid had given up years ago begging Kakashi to stay, his older brother would just look sad and leave anyway when the time came. No point in both brothers being sad Naruto thought. No point in Kakashi-ni knowing about the villagers who tormented him, and the masked shinobi he sometimes caught sight of following him. He rather tell his brother about days with Guy or the pranks he pulled while Kakashi was gone. Not how villagers whispered hateful things, or how the other kids were told to stay away from him. Naruto was making himself sad again and shook it off as he waited for Kakashi to answer.
“I got a new assignment today. The mission I was on for the last few years is over.”
Blinking up at Kakashi with slow understanding Naruto resisted getting too excited. Kakashi could see the child holding himself back.
“I’ll be stationed in the village until further notice. If I have missions it’ll only be mid-level assignments for the next couple of years.”
Before the words could completely leave his mouth, the blonde had launched himself at Kakashi. Latching onto the elder’s neck and laughing as tears ran down his face.