Chapter Text
Kakashi had just gotten back from a mission; the setting sun warming the exposed skin on his face. He’d just gotten back from the Hokage’s office and was heading to Ichiraku for some dinner when he heard soft sobbing. He’d cut through the playground to get to his dinner faster, expecting it to be empty due to the dwindling sunlight. Obviously, he was wrong.
The sobbing was coming from a nearby tree, which upon further inspection had a small kid under it. The shadow of the tree didn’t allow him to get a good look at the said child but they were sobbing into their knees, so their face was blocked anyway. Normally he wouldn’t bother with these things but Kakashi felt compelled to help this kid.
“Hey, kid. It’s getting dark, shouldn’t you be heading home? Where are your parents?” Kakashi asked as he knelt by the crying child.
This only made the child cry harder. Kakashi was at a loss for what to do. He’s never been around kids before! He could dismember a human in under 30 seconds and make a plan of attack on the fly, but he was blanking out right now. Sooner than he could gather his thoughts the kid spoke.
“I don’t have a home or parents!” The kid sobbed, his voice muffled by his knees.
Oh, geez. Kakashi was not prepared for this. He was a trained killer, not a babysitter! He did the next best thing he could think of: feeding the kid.
‘Food calms kids down right?’ Kakashi thought in a panic.
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out an apple he’d been holding onto.
“You want this apple?” He said, offering it to the kid.
The crying child finally lifted his head, his face finally becoming visible. Kakashi was in shock. How did he not realize it sooner? That bright mop of blonde hair should have been a dead giveaway, but his face further pushed it. The boy had bright, sky blue eyes and whisker marked cheeks. This boy was Naruto Uzumaki, the jinchuriki of the 9 tailed fox, and the son of the 4th Hokage. Kakashi’s old sensei.
Kakashi felt a heavy, almost painful squeeze to his heart seeing Naruto here. Why did he say he had no home? Wasn’t the Hokage supposed to be caring for this boy? Wasn’t it Minato’s final wish was for his son to be honored as a hero? So many questions filled Kakashi’s head, only to be ripped out of his thoughts by the boy speaking.
“Oh…” Naruto said, his voice so soft, if Kakashi wasn’t listening he would have missed it. “So you hate me too…”
Kakashi was baffled. Why did Naruto think he hated him? What had happened to this boy, this poor precious boy, the only thing left of his sensei, while he was burying himself in missions? Kakashi wouldn’t stand for this. No way in hell was he letting this innocent boy suffer like this.
“I don’t hate you.” He said gently, not wanting to upset Naruto further. “I’m Kakashi Hatake. Take the apple, you must be hungry. Crying takes a lot of energy.”
Naruto looked surprised, which broke Kakashi’s heart. He needed to get to the bottom of this, but his top priority right now was Naruto’s wellbeing.
“I’m going to get dinner, you wanna come?” Kakashi asked.
Naruto’s eyes widened but quickly deflated.
“No, I’m okay. I don’t have any money.” He said sadly.
He thought Kakashi wasn’t going to pay for him? This made Kakashi even sadder.
“It’s alright, I’m paying,” Kakashi replied.
He had the money. Being an Anbu paid extremely well.
“Really?!” Naruto beamed. “Thank you, Mr. Kashi!”
“Just call me Kakashi. Now, come on. The ramen stand closes soon.” He said as he smiled under his mask and ruffled Naruto’s hair.
At Ichiraku Naruto practically inhaled 3 entire bowls of ramen, which worried Kakashi.
‘When was the last time this kid ate?’ He wondered worriedly.
Soon enough the night had rolled around and Naruto began looking sleepy.
“Hey, kid. Where do you live?” Kakashi asked as he picked up Naruto and placed him on his back.
“An apartment…” He mumbled sleepily.
Kakashi sighed knowing he wouldn’t get any more info out of the now sleeping child. So, he took him home. Kakashi leaped across the roofs of the village, careful not to wake the sleeping child on his back. Soon his apartment came into view and he went inside.
Naruto was fast asleep on Kakashi’s bed as Kakashi himself wondered what next? Kakashi knew he had to talk to the Hokage about what’s going on. That was for certain. Perhaps he should take care of the kid. Kakashi would admit, all this time alone was starting to get to him. Looking at the child’s sleeping face made him feel warm and fuzzy inside, something he hadn’t felt in a long time, something he felt he'd lost the right to feel.
But, before anything, he needs to talk with the Hokage.