A/N: I haven't written fanfics in years, but I was inspired. This is set just after Orochimaru attacks the village. As for any mistakes in tone/character portrayal, I've only watched 3 1/2 seasons so far...so sorry about that.
Enjoy!
Kakashi peered blearily out his window. The sun fell in rays across his face. A strange sight for a November day.
He stood up and pulled the heavy curtains shut. Darkness filled the small room he inhabited. On second thought, he opened the curtains a crack, a sliver of sunlight illuminating the wooden table in the center of the room.
He yawned. Since the attack on the village, he had gone on so many missions sleep had become a word foreign to him. He looked inside his fridge. Barren with the exception of a singular grapefruit and half a liter of expired milk. He sighed, rubbed his temples in exasperation and settled for the grapefruit. After he finished, his stomach growled loudly, grumbling about the insufficient meal.
'I'll have to go shopping today,' Kakashi thought.
He rose from his seat and headed toward the bathroom. In the shower, the hot water ran down his back and his stress evaporated with the steam. He closed his eyes and relished in the comfort of a warm shower for a moment before shutting the water off. He slipped a downy towel around his waist and used another to dry his hair. In the mirror, Kakashi stared into the eyes of his reflection. The bags under both his eyes were deeper. He could see the weariness in his right eye. In his left eye, his Sharingan burned relentlessly. Kakashi let his headband drop over the Sharingan and pulled up his mask. Not even that could hide his exhaustion.
Kakashi's stomach voiced its irritation and he knew it was time to head into the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The door of his dwelling clicked shut behind him. He walked out into the uncommonly sunny November day. Despite the sun, the crisp coldness of Fall nipped at Kakashi's skin. He strolled casually into the village, absorbed in the newest Icha Icha book.
"Kakashi-san," a voice called from behind him.
His eyes narrowed and he did not look away from his book.
"Tsunade-sama," he answered.
"It's an emergency. Please follow me," Tsunade replied.
Kakashi's eyes widened an imperceptible amount.
'Please don't be Naruto…or Sasuke…or Sakura…' he thought.
He followed Tsunade to the headquarters of the Hokage. The place was packed with ANBU Black Ops.
And in the center of it all stood a child no older than three with the same bright eyes and joyous smile as Umino Iruka.
Kakashi struggled to hide his shock, while Tsunade studied his reaction.
"What happened?" Kakashi asked, happy he had managed to keep his tone of voice neutral.
"We don't know yet. Guy found him in his classroom like this. It looks like he was practicing a Jutsu that went wrong but we can't know that for sure," Tsunade admitted.
"I see. And you called me here for what reason?" Kakashi inquired.