Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.


The young ANBU feels his blood boil as he watches the little boy totter down the street, unaware of the mob that is gathering behind him.

Kakashi always watches Naruto.

He makes continual excuses to take extra shifts to watch him; there is an entire division devoted to the observation and—if need be—protection of Uzumaki Naruto. If someone is sick or injured, he will cover their shift. If someone has plans, he takes over. Sometimes Kakashi even encourages people not to show so he can take over their shift.

The boy is constantly getting into trouble; Kakashi knows Naruto can't help it. Naruto will most likely be in some sort of trouble for the rest of his life.

Kakashi knows Naruto is Minato-sensei's son. He was one of the few entrusted to Minato-sensei and Kushina's secret, and even if he hadn't been, he would know. Naruto looks so much like his father that it hurts (and Kakashi will never understand why he is one of the only ones who sees it) and Minato was a man of honor; he wouldn't chose a random child to be the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, he wouldn't damn a random child to that hellish fate…

So Kakashi watches Naruto; he feels that he owes that much to his sensei, and the boy isn't a bad kid himself…

The mob grows ugly; Kakashi jumps down like a cat to intervene, but not blows are cast. Naruto stands with a wide trickle of blood seeping down his forehead, his huge blue eyes dazed…

This could have been a young Minato standing behind him. Kakashi feels his throat sicken. How dare they…

"Leave," he commands the crowd. One of the villagers, a woman with strawberry blonde, almost pink hair, steps forward to protest.

"You defend this monster?" Kakashi knows her to be Haruno Sonomi, a young mother who lost both her husband and her brother in the Kyuubi's attack.

"Leave," Kakashi repeats, his hand clenching the hilt of his katana. "Before I make you leave." A highly concentrated burst of killing intent, palpable even to a civilian like Sonomi, finally makes the crowd disperse.

Kakashi turns his attention to Naruto. The toddler is beginning to sway on his feet. Kakashi picks him up, and Naruto immediately wraps his arms around Kakashi's neck; they are familiar with each other, made familiar through many encounters such as this one, even if Naruto has never seen Kakashi's face.

"I guess it's another trip to the hospital, Naruto-kun?" Kakashi asks softly, feeling blood trickle onto his shoulder; he gently ruffles Naruto's hair, before the toddler grunts in discomfort.

Kakashi will always watch Naruto.


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