Minato woke in the dead of night. The house was silent, almost completely dark, but he knew something wasn't right. Years of experience had taught him to trust his instincts. The wards around the small house were intact, but he quested out with his chakra; perhaps a messenger…? He found no unauthorized intruder. He also found Kakashi was gone.
He ran down the hallway. A small indentation marred the just off-center pillow, and one corner of the blanket was turned down and wrinkled. He shivered as a chill draft crept through the scant inch of open window and he cursed low and ran downstairs to the closet, grabbing a coat and cramming his feet into his shoes. On second thought, he went back for a small coat. He doubted Kakashi had bothered with even as pathetic an acknowledgment of the weather as Minato had shown.
He ran through the deserted streets of the village, and it felt as if the entire world was asleep. His theory was proven false as a large, solid shadow dropped to the ground before him. A hollow voice sounded from behind white, brightly painted porcelain. "Is there something wrong, Namikaze-san?"
Minato barreled into the hard body, unable to stop his headlong rush through the darkened streets. "Kakashi-kun…" He panted out, trying to step around the ANBU and continue his search.
Strong hands held him in place. "Slow down, Minato-san. We can help, but you have to calm down and tell me what happened."
Minato blinked up at the other man, as if finally realizing just what was happening. "I'm sorry, ANBU-san. I woke up and Kakashi-kun was nowhere to be found. The window was open a crack." He let loose a loud sigh, and his breath clouded in the cold. "He's still upset about his father, but he hides it and keeps it inside. I have to find him. He needs someone, can't keep trying to make it through everything alone."
The ANBU nodded, signaling to his squad. "Do you have any ideas where he might have gone?"
"I was going to check the Hatake residence right now, but if he isn't there…" He shrugged. "I don't really know, unless maybe he's at one of the training grounds… But there are so many, and he's so skilled in stealth, already, it could be difficult to find him if he wants to remain hidden."
The captain nodded. "Go ahead and check the Hatake house. We'll search the training grounds first, and if we can't find him we'll expand the search. I'll have someone waiting at your home in case you need a messenger. We'll find him Minato-san, don't worry."
"Thank you." Minato was running again before the words had even left his mouth.
The house he stopped before was dark, and already had an air of neglect, and he resolved to hire a genin team to clean up. He wouldn't let Kakashi's home become an abandoned derelict, even if he had to do the work himself. He walked silently up the walk, chakra pulled close, not wanting to spook his student if he were here. He tried the door. It opened easily, and he wondered if that was good, if it meant it had been opened recently, or if it only meant the door was in good working order.
The inside seemed even more desolate than the exterior. He removed his shoes, and padded softly through the quiet house, remembering the last time he'd looked for Kakashi here, what he'd found. His bedroom was empty, only a desk, a chair, a bookshelf, and a trunk as reminder the boy had ever lived there. His parents' room was empty as well, he noted as he went past, as was the dojo and the small family shrine. He suspected he knew where he'd find him, and he went back for his shoes, quietly slipping out the kitchen door and into the garden.
The house was well and truly abandoned. No lanterns lit the rocky path that wound around the small hill and up through the trees, but he'd walked it so many times over the years that he could find the path, even in the dark. Even with his speed, he felt as if he were moving at a snail's pace.
Pale skin shone in the darkness beneath the maple trees. Kakashi was sitting on the small bench, head bowed, forearms on his knees, and as Minato had predicted, was wearing neither coat nor shoes, only his pajamas.
Minato dropped to his knees before the boy. "Kakashi?"
As expected, he remained silent.
The man moved closer, looking up into the still face, one arm going around the small form. "Kakashi..."
Finally, the boy blinked, as if only now noticing the blond's presence. "Sensei?"
"I'm here, Kakashi." Minato rose to his feet and settled onto the bench, pulling an unresisting Kakashi onto his lap, wrapping the spare coat around the boy, holding him close, trying to warm him, needing to show him he wasn't alone. "Shhhh, I'm here with you."
At first, Minato thought the small tremors were shivers. It wasn't a warm night, and Kakashi must have been outside an hour or more. When he felt the first hot drop of wetness, he thought he was imagining it. He didn't accept them as tears until he heard a small, hiccoughing breath, a tiny choked sob, and still, it was hard to believe it was coming from Kakashi, now, after all this time, after everything that had happened.
Minato held the boy close, cradling him in as much warmth as he could. He instinctively rocked the frail body, making soft soothing sounds, tucking the silver head under his chin. Eventually the shaking slowed, ceased, as did the soft crying, the tears, and he tipped up the stubborn little chin, staring into the darkly glittering eyes. He felt as if he were sinking, drowning, falling into unfathomably deep pools of darkness, then he gave himself a shake at his stupidity. It was just Kakashi.
He did need to move swiftly, though, while Kakashi was still somewhat open and vulnerable. He couldn't allow the him to pull away and withdraw, had to exploit any weakness while he could. Despite his distaste for the tactic, experience told him it was the only way to get through to the small shinobi.
He hardened his voice as much as he could bear to, forcing the plea into a command. "Tell me, all of it..."
Kakashi wrenched his head away and dropped his gaze, messy silver strands hiding his face.
Minato considered forcing the issue, but a small whisper stopped him.
"I woke, tonight. I guess I woke, I don't ever remember going to sleep. Sometimes I don't..." Kakashi stated it quietly, matter-of-factly, as if Minato hadn't already noticed. would be surprised.
Minato threaded a large hand through the silky strands, holding the back of the small head, soothing and petting.
"The room was so dark... I had to get away, to esape it... but it followed me, because it's here, inside me." Two tortured eyes lifted to Minato's concerned gaze as the boy made an adorably painful plea. "Lend me your sunshine?"
Minato didn't know what to say. He felt tears come to his own eyes at the quiet, earnest request. It almost broke his heart that the boy felt he needed to ask, and he hugged him roughly, pulling him close. "I will give you anything you need, Kakashi, always."
He stood, carrying the bundle of hidden doubts and fears cradled against his heart. "I'll be here for you, anytime you need me, I promise."
It wasn't a shinobi promise, a ninja knew better than to promise things beyond their control, so Minato knew he would just have to become that much better so he could keep his promise to the young Hatake.
The small boy was asleep before they made it home, and Minato tucked him into his own warm bed just as the sun's rays crept over the horizon, gilding moonlight hair, warming pale, cold skin. He kissed the tear stained cheek. "I'll be your sunshine forever, Kakashi."