🦊Naruto Hatake🦊

Chapter 15

Lost

Courage is not the absence of fear,

but the triumph over it.

~ Nelson Mandela ~

Once Anbu, always Anbu and that was the truth. Although Kakashi was no longer an official agent of the Anbu black ops, he still joined them on an occasional mission from time to time whenever they needed his special brand of expertise. He decided to become a sanctioned member again.

Finding Tekka Uchiha in his house terrorizing his son was like throwing down the gauntlet. He was up to the challenge. He needed information and an eye within the Uchiha compound and there was only one person he trusted enough to do it and that was Itachi. Being in Anbu would be the only way in meet with him without arousing suspicion. They went on many missions together so that they could have confidential discussions. Eventually, Itachi also brought in his cousin, Shisui.

The Uchiha men kept their ears and eyes open, but were not able to discover any schemes, so thus far it looked like an isolated incident. Kakashi was not convinced though. They did have a stroke of luck with Tekka. At the time of his death, he was supposedly due back from a solo mission. Because of this, he was considered missing in action.

Three months passed, then another three with no further confrontations. It was time for school to start again. Mizuki was chosen to be the next instructor with Iruka as his assistant. Kakashi decided to let it be a secret so that his pup would get a big surprise.

Early that morning, Kakashi and Naruto were running laps around Konoha before school as they always did. It was the boy's favorite thing to do. Barely anyone was out yet in the predawn hours and it was just him and his daddy. Everyday they would jog then go to the memorial stone to train for a while. Kakashi would make a clone to spar with his pup while he visited his friends that had passed on. Afterwards they would meditate then go home.

They had just arrived in the secluded area when Naruto finally asked the question that had bothering him for some time now. "Daddy, why do we always come here? Why do you talk to them? They're dead and can't talk back."

"Sit here," said Kakashi, patting the ground next to him. "I'll explain, but don't interrupt okay," at Naruto's solemn nod, he continued, "First of all, I am a shinobi. I am not a nice man; I have made so many mistakes in my life and with others. I am cruel, heartless and uncaring. This is what makes me Kakashi, the shinobi. My friends, whose names are engraved on this stone here, taught me how to be loving, kind and have a sense of humor. They taught me how to be Kakashi, the man. I come here to remind myself how to be the man they wanted to see. The dead never truly leave us, but here is where I hear them the loudest. There was a time when all I was, was the shinobi, but not any longer. Now I am two men, the shinobi and the man."

Naruto thought about what he said and began to get a better understanding of his father. There had been times when he returned from a mission silent, brooding, and a little scary. He tried to hide it, but the boy could sense it. Kakashi would stay like that until he had a chance to come here.

Sometimes his daddy would be funny and play ninjas with him and sometimes he would be very serious like when they trained. "Daddy, I know you can different, but I think you are only one person; Kakashi Hatake, the daddy. I like him, even when he is mean and punishes me, but I like him more when he gives me cookies."

The copy-nin nudged him playfully then stood up, "The sun is beginning to rise, pup. Let's see what you got!"

"Hai!" he shouted then immediately attacked with a kunai from his pouch. Kakashi grinned at his enthusiasm and easily dodged every strike from the little blonde ball of energy. He was getting better and better ever time.