~Prologue~
"Momma! Papa!" A young boy-child screamed out to his parents as the two Anbu carried him away.
The second Anbu flanked them, watching out for any movement or attempts from the enemy. Sounds of combat echoed in the night behind the three. Both parents trying to protect their only child, giving the Anbu enough time to escape.
"Momma! Papa!" the child screamed once more.
"Hold still!" the Anbu, who held onto the child, snapped.
He fought to keep a hold on the squirming child. The other Anbu, the one with white-hair as the child, moved closer to his partner's side.
"Hey, it's all right. Your parents ordered us to take you some place safe." he spoke in a soothing tone, "Once they chase off the bad men they'll meet up with us."
The crying child stopped, looked at the cat-masked Anbu, hope in his bright crimson red eyes. "R-Really?" he sniffled.
"Honest. Now, we need you to be quiet so the bad men can't find us." the white-haired Anbu placed a claw-gloved finger to his mask in a hush gesture. "Understand?"
"Uh-huh." the child nodded his head, wrapping his little arms around the other Anbu's neck.
The child hiccupped and sniffled, but remained as quiet as he could. The cat-masked, white-haired Anbu was about to return to his position behind his partner, until the other Anbu grabbed his attention.
"Do you really think his parents will meet us?" he whispered so the child couldn't hear.
"Captains Nebiah and Trezza will. They're stronger than those Sound shinobi." the white-haired Anbu stated with confidence.
At the hidden safehouse, both Anbu took turns keeping watch as the other kept the child company and quiet. The child played with the toys and there was also a ninja hound present from the white-haired Anbu.
"Momma and Papa told me that the bad men were coming and that this place would be our meeting place," the child mumbled. "If we ever got separated."
The white-haired Anbu listened to the child, his head inclined to the side to better see the child's face. The child hugged the ninja dog closer.
"Is Momma and Papa really coming back?" the child questioned, his bright crimson red eyes looking up to the Anbu.
The Anbu sucked in a breath from the intensity of the child's eyes. Seemingly knowing, but wanting to hear it himself.
"I-" the white-haired Anbu didn't want to lie, "I don't know..."
The child looked back down to his toys and the ninja dog he held. "They have to come back... they promised..." he mumbled.
The other Anbu, who was on watch, came over and touched his partner's shoulder.
"You're up," the Anbu stifled a yawn beneath his mask. "I'll stay with him."
The white-haired Anbu nodded his head, standing up and headed towards the door. The ninja hound jumped from the child's arms, startling the boy, as it bounded over to its master.
"I'll go with you, too." it said.
"No, Pakkun. Not this time. Please stay with the child."
Pakkun sighed, turning around and walked back over to the child. The other Anbu wasn't exactly sure how to calm down the child once he started crying again. Pakkun sat down right in front of the child and put his paw to the child's head. The child looked up, saw Pakkun and picked him up again. The ninja dog turned his gaze to the door that his master disappeared through. He sighed and shook his head. I'm not good with kids, but this'll be the only exception since this one is cute...
The white-haired Anbu checked the perimeter of the safehouse before heading out into the woods back towards the child's home. He had a bad feeling and their captains were taking too long. Once he reached the burned ruins, he nearly gagged on the stench of burning flesh. He counted eight bodies, but that didn't make sense to him. The Anbu remembered seeing and sensing only six Sound shinobi, the other two- his heart thudded against his chest.
"No... no, it can't be."
He checked the bodies, and wished he hadn't. Six did belong to the Sound, but the other two... they belonged to Captains Nebiah and Trezza, the child's parents. For a few moments, he stood there. After taking a few slow breaths, he knelt down be side each body of the captains and took an item for identification to the Hokage and Information Corp of their village. Slowly, he got back onto his feet and turned his back to the scene of ruin. Heading back to the safehouse the child and his partner awaited him.
"You're back," the other Anbu stood up from the couch he sat at. "I got him to sleep, but wouldn't let Pakkun go."
"That's fine..." the white-haired Anbu walked past his partner, taking off the cat-mask.
"What're you doing?! We're not allowed to take off our masks, even if he's just a kid- Ah?" the other Anbu looked down at the table the white-haired Anbu dropped the two items on. He stumbled, catching himself on the chair. "How-? They were our finest... the top Head Captains of the Anbu..."
"I don't understand it either, but they're gone and this kid is orphaned..." he had left the black half face-mask on as he knelt down beside the sleeping child on the couch.
He gently touched the child's white hair, careful on not waking him. He lost his captains, just like he had lost his sensei four years ago to the Nine Tails.
"Once we get back to the village, we'll have to leave him to the Elders to have him processed into the orphanage."
"No," He stood back up, Pakkun woke up and tiredly looked up to his master. "Once we get back, I'm stepping down from Anbu."
"What?!" his partner took hold of his shoulder and spun him around. "What do you mean? You're just quiting Anbu because of this?"
Pakkun sat up and rubbed at his face, he was dumbfounded by his master's words. He didn't blame him, just didn't understand why either.
"I'm going to adopt the Captains' kid," he shook off his shocked partner's hand. "I'm old enough to do so now, but I can't also be in the Anbu to take care of a kid."
"Kakashi, you're being such an idiot right now! Don't you hear yourself?" his partner walked after him as Kakashi went to gather their equipment from the other table in the kitchen area. "This is grief talking, not you. Come on, Kakashi, you can't be seriously thinking of adopting the kid."
"I'm not letting the Elders put him in the orphanage, not like they did to Minato-sensei's son." Kakashi said, slinging the satchel over his shoulder and went back over towards the couch.
"He's a monster. The Nine Ta-!" Kakashi turned around sharply, grabbed the vest of his teammate's and slammed him up against the wall.
"He's not a monster! Minato trusts Naruto with the fox-spirit. Even though he's still only a child, I also believe that Minato had a reason in doing it." he let him go and stepped back. "And I'm not going to let them do the same to Yoru."
The child had woken up not moments after Kakashi and the other Anbu had argued. Pakkun keeping the child as calm as he could.
"It's all right, kid. No need to cry," Pakkun lifted both paws as he sat on his haunches. "Kakashi here will take care of you."
The child wiped at the tears that kept on falling as he hiccupped and sobbed. When he looked down at the table in front of the couch, he knew that his parents weren't coming back. "B-But they p-promised. M-momma and P-papa promised." he sobbed.
Pain tore at Kakashi's heart at the sight of the child crying again, he let out a soft sigh as he picked up the child. "Pakkun, can you scout on ahead while I take care of things here?"
"Sure, kiddo." Pakkun jumped down from the couch and rushed out the door.
"So... you're really going to..." his partner smoothed out his vest.
Kakashi kept his back to the other, glanced down at his mask and picked it up as he balanced the child on his hip. He put it back on, "Yeah..."
"Adopt?!" Elder Koharu slammed her hands on the wooden desk.
Yoru, the child, hid more behind Kakashi. He gripped the soon-to-be-former Anbu's pant leg.
"That's out of the question! He's as dangerous as Naruto and must be watched over by us. Not by someone like you, Hatake." she added.
Kakashi stood up straighter, ignoring the sting that her voice lashed out at him. Lord Third Hokage sat at another desk positioned between the two elders. He listened to Kakashi's reasoning in adopting the child and that he'll also be stepping down from his position in the Anbu. Hokage nodded his head, lifting his hand up to silence the Elders.
"Then I give you custody of the boy, Kakashi."
"But, Lord Hokage!" Elder Koharu started.
"I've made my decision, Koharu. Now, Kakashi," Lord Third stood up, "Taking care of a child has a lot of responsibility. Do you believe you're up to it?"
Kakashi nodded his head. "Yes, sir."
Lord Third smiled, beckoning Kakashi over as he laid out a few papers. Yoru followed close to Kakashi as the young man stepped forward. Kakashi looked over the paperwork and finished filling it out. Yoru put both his hands on the desk and got on his tip toes to try and look at the papers. His eyes caught sight of his parents' small items, he gasped and started to reach for them. Lord Third spotted the child struggle to reach for the items. A soft smile crossed his lips and he pushed the items to the child. Yoru pulled back his hand and looked at Lord Third, a little scared.
"Go ahead, they belong to you now." Lord Third said.
Kakashi picked up the items and knelt down in front of the child, his adoptive son. He took hold of one of Yoru's hands and placed the items into his hand.
"Now, don't lose these. Keep them somewhere safe, alright?" Kakashi said.
Yoru nodded his head and hugged the young man. Kakashi was a bit hesitant in hugging the child back, but did so as he stood up. Picking up the child in the process. The Elders were not pleased, but could not argue with their village Hokage. Lord Third dismissed him once everything was taken care of. Kakashi left and carried the child home.