Kakashi
Kakashi blinked open his eyes to a plastered white ceiling. He took a slow, deep breath, filling his nose with the sharp clinical scent of the world around him. How had he gotten here? Gingerly, he pushed himself up, the rough linen blanket pooled around his waist. Light green walls. Rough, thin, tan blankets. Steadily beeping monitors. Hushed voices in the hall, the occasional squeak of a shoe on laminate, the muffled creaks and groans of metallic distress.
Yes, this was definitely a hospital room. No matter. He eyed the window, judging the quickest path, a plan, and contingency plans already formulating. Seven feet away. A sturdy tree limb peeking past the frame. Two measly flip-style locks. A single IV line connected with the vein in the back of his hand. He didn’t mind a little blood if it meant he could escape. With a surreptitious glance at the door, he began to slide off the cot.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” a stern voice asked from behind him.
He definitely did not squeak and he definitely did not jump.
“Dad!” Kakashi yelped and spun to face his very much here and less than amused father. “You’re back already?”
Sakumo, arms crossed over his olive-green flak jacket, fixed Kakashi with a penetrating look before replying, “I’ve been home for eight days.”
“Oh,” then, “Oh.”
His father raised a disapproving eyebrow as he lowered himself into a flimsy looking chair. “Get back in that bed, Kakashi, the doctor should be here soon.”
Had he really been here for - at least - eight whole days? He frowned as he slowly readjusted on the bed under his father’s watchful eye, carefully arranging the sheets around him, smoothing out the wrinkles.
“I think this is yours,” Sakumo said as he plopped a previously unnoticed tiny brown puppy onto Kakashi’s lap.
Kakashi’s hands paused in their work and his eyebrows knit together in brief confusion before excited realization overtook him. With wide eyes, he looked between his father and the floppy-eared puppy.
“It worked!”
Sakumo struggled against a smile, “I don’t know how I feel about this, you know -”
“Proud of your amazingly talented child?” Kakashi interjected slyly as he scooped the puppy into his arms. It grunted cutely.
“Certainly - but I remember telling you very explicitly you were not allowed to use that scroll. You’re very lucky your sensei managed to track you down, you could have died.”
“Well, maybe, but it worked, and I didn’t -”
“Not the point-”
“ - so, really, this is just proof that I’m ready to -”
“No-”
“- graduate.”
“No.”
Gone was the slight smile, replaced with a much more serious frown.
“But school is boring. I already know everything,” Kakashi huffed over his new summon. He would have to name it.
Another sigh.
“Is that why you keep skipping class? You know I’ve got a list of everything you’ve managed to do while I was away,” Sakumo said as he pulled said list out of thin air. “Where would you like to start? The 130,000 Ryo worth of damage to ANBU equipment, stealing 22 library books, or breaking into my study to steal a scroll to use a technique I’ve expressly forbidden you from learning until you are old enough?”
Silence settled between them. The ticking of the clock was suddenly very loud. Kakashi squirmed. Sakumo, The Great White Fang And Number One Dad, did not.
“You can’t steal library books dad,” Kakashi said loftily, straightening his back and peering down his nose, “I’m borrowing them - that’s the purpose of a library.” At his father’s thoroughly unamused look Kakashi continued undeterred. “Besides, you got it all wrong.”
“How so?”
Kakashi narrowed his eyes over the puppy that was contentedly lounging in his hands. “I’m not telling.” A shinobi must keep secrets, after all. His father should understand that.
“Kakashi,” Sakumo began, a heavy warning in his tone.
“Okay, okay,” he acquiesced quickly, “but only if you don’t tell.” And I don’t get in trouble for it, he added mentally. Their dark eyes met, appraising each other. The unnamed puppy nibbled on Kakashi’s thumb.
“Continue,” his father said.
Kakashi hummed, watching the dog. “I don’t know about that ANBU-thing,” he said slowly, “but I may have possibly broken into the Hyuuga compound and stuck googly-eyes on all their family portraits. To create a distraction, on my way home. So I could get the scroll.”
Sakumo pressed his lips together harshly, silver brows nearly disappearing under his hitai-ate. His voice came out like a wheezy breath when he finally spoke.
“You what?”
“I know right? You really should be proud of me, Dad.”
It was his second greatest achievement in his admittedly very short life, after all. Second only to successfully breaking into his father’s study, stealing his summoning scroll, and successfully using it. (Minus the part where he’s been unconscious in a hospital for over a week). His dad opened and closed his mouth several times, in an apparent attempt to find the words necessary to express his thrill with Kakashi’s very successful self-assigned mission.
“That was you?” his father said with no small amount of exasperation. “They’re furious - and looking for the culprit, you know.”
Kakashi wrinkled his nose. Where had they put his mask? His cheeks were cold.
“Well, they won’t find the culprit, will they, Dad?”
“Maybe the culprit needs to learn a lesson in respect,” dad fired back. Kakashi faltered. This wasn’t what his father should be saying to him. He should be showing the appropriate amount of reverence to his flesh and blood’s undeniable skill.
“Well, maybe, they’re not so deserving of respect if a child can sneak into their home under their watchful eyes.”
“That is not how respect works, Kakashi.”
Kakashi fidgeted slightly on the bed. Maybe, not. But still.
“It’s funny?” Kakashi finally offered, looking pleadingly at his father.
Sakumo’s face twitched, before relaxing into a secretive smile.
“It’s a little funny,” he allowed. Kakashi snickered in response. Sakumo shook his head and the smile was gone again.
“I just don’t know what to do with you Kakashi,” he admitted in a low voice, “You’ve always been a well-behaved kid, but recently,” Sakumo trailed off.
Guilt settled in the pit of Kakashi’s stomach. He clutched his puppy tightly to his chest.
“Sorry Dad,” he said quietly.
He couldn’t look at his dad. Couldn’t stand to see the undercurrent of disappointment in his face. He frowned into the puppy’s too big ears, willing the unease to leave him, to replace it with the puppy’s own earthy smell.
“I’ll make a deal with you,” his dad began. Kakashi peered up at him through his silver bangs. “Go to the academy, and stay in class, every day. No more sneaking out, or sneaking in, and do your homework. And-”
“But it’s boring!” Kakashi interjected angrily. “I’m ready to do real ninja things!”
“ - Ah,” Sakumo said. He smiled sadly. “Kakashi, you’ve got plenty of time to do real ninja things. There’s no reason to grow up so fast.”
“The academy is-”
“So boring. I know, I know. But you need to be there. Which is why, if you do what you’re supposed to do, I’ll start teaching you kenjutsu.”
“I don’t need to - wait, really?” Kakashi perked up. “You’ll teach me how to use a tanto?”
The smile was back. “You said it yourself. You’re bored. And if it keeps you from getting into even more trouble...I see no reason why you shouldn’t begin learning the basics of the clan style.”
“Because I’m a disrespectful little shit?”
“Yes,” Sakumo nodded once, then, slightly panicked, “Wait. No - no,” his hands gestured wildly in the air as if he could snatch his words back. “No, that’s not - Who said that?”
“You just agreed,” Kakashi blithely pointed out.
“Do you want to learn kenjustu or not?” came the annoyed reply.
Absolutely.
“I guess so.”
After several promises to stop causing trouble while his father was away on assignments, and continued objections to his apparent involvement in whatever happened to the ANBU equipment, the doctor finally arrived and declared Kakashi “Okay” to continue recovering at home.
He, very grudgingly, accepted being hoisted onto his father’s shoulders for the journey. Atop the dapple-shaded world, with the newly named Pakkun peering out over the collar of Kakashi’s shirt, the sounds and smells of the city assaulting his senses, Kakashi thought that perhaps it wasn’t so bad being carried home. He was a little tired still, anyway.