Rant: I have no idea why Genma is so under-utilized in cannon, he was Minato's Guard, he knows Hirashin (Flying Thunder God,) yet Naruto still never learnt it - and Kakashi never learnt it - and that means that Genma had tools to be OP and possibly a Seal Mater at the time, and if my guise is correct, in this story if he had adopted Iruka he could've taught Iruka a thing or two about seals, and why the FUCK did no one tell Naruto about seals- the kid's an Uzumaki!

Regardless of the Kyubi, they should've recognized his namesake and Genma should've taught him a thing or two about sealing, as he should've known about Minato and Kushina - though it was widely assumed that in Cannon that Minato kept his relationship with Kushina a secret. But why? Why didn't Genma teach Naruto anything about sealing? Why didn't Genma realize that 'hey the kid looks like Minato, he's an Uzumaki - there's a connection here,' Genma is smart, he was trained under Minato obviously because he learnt the Flying Thunder God - this is cannon. This is CANNON look it up in the Wiki, Kakashi knows Rasengan, they were both trained under the Fourth, yet they didn't do anything to help Minato's son or teach him about Uzushio - and Genma is 29 when Kakashi is 26 in cannon, so he should be old enough to remember who Kushina Uzumaki is, if he had ever met her, before she got pregnant with Naruto,

Still though, why hadn't Minato trusted Genma - his GUARD to guard Kushina during her labor and help him with her seal? Minato. Is. An. Idiot. I will expand more upon this with a monologue from Genma later, not in this chapter, mind you, but later on. (Technically, legally, if there had been a will where Naruto would get adopted out to anyone in case anything were to happen to him, it would be - Tsunade, Jiraiya, or Genma, Kakashi would've been too young, Genma was three years older than Kakashi and Kakashi was 14 when Naruto was born (this is cannon,) so Genma would've been 17 by the time Naruto was born, but still - WHY KISHIMOTO.

I do not own Naruto. But i wish i did. fuck cannon.

Genma was buried face-first into a Futon. He wasn't snoring though, and he certainly wasn't dreaming. He woke up with a jolt when he realized where he was and what was going on, gasping for air and placing a hand over his forehead where sweat accumulated and dripped down slowly. He didn't have any blood on him like he did only moments before his time-travel attempt, and he was naked. At least he was covered, so that he could deal.

Genma groaned, getting up and hitting his cheek slightly to urge him to move forward. He pushed himself off the floor and one foot- forward – another foot – forward. Wait, how old was he? He looked at himself in the mirror that was across from where his futon was laid out. He looked younger, but not much so. He could easily be passed off as someone in their mid-twenties, or early-twenties even. Genma always had that baby-face look about him. Damn.

Then, he looked at the calendar on the wall, sunlight looming in from the curtains to kiss his butt-naked ass. He sighed, he didn't get to determine when he would go back, but after reading the calendar – he saw – he was twenty-three. Kakashi was twenty-one. That meant Uzumaki was seven and the massacre was either about to happen or already did. Genma was honestly one-sided about the whole Uchiha Massacre.

Slipping into an old T-Shirt, and getting on some boxers, Genma grumbled to himself. He turned on a light and winced. He didn't dare open the curtains. He lived near Kakashi, but never did bother to visit the man. The Jounin ANBU (at this time in his life he was one,a anyway) lived a secluded life and preferred not to be bothered by his peers. Genma was fine with that, but he preferred to converse with his Nakama. Yes, even by the likes of Gai and his 'youthfulness' could be rather pleasant to talk to.

Genma then heard a loud knock on his door.

Too tired to put on pants, Genma grabbed a sheet and covered himself up. He answered the door and low and behold – it was Kakashi. Damn, he dresses fast.

"You know where I live, I'm honored you pay that much attention."

Kakashi rolled a single eye and crossed his arms. "It worked."

Genma sighed. "Come in."

"Get yourself dressed." Kakashi scolded and stepped into the dusty studio apartment.

"Yes mother." Genma hissed. "God, I just woke up. Fuck you. What, don't tell me you've already been planning?"

Genma sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He needed coffee. Something to pick him up. If Kakashi seriously thought that they were going straight to the Hokage and telling the old man everything right now he better not – "It's too early."

"And it's an emergency, I don't want to do anything right now though."

Genma sat on the sofa as he struggled to get one leg in another pair of pants. Longest he ever took to get dressed. He just was so over everything. "So, you're not suggesting to go to the Hokage right away? From a strategic standpoint, I'd assume that'd be your best choice of action."

Kakashi sat down next to Genma, still with his arms crossed. "I thought about it. But then the Third would need to bring it up with the council, and Danzou Shimura is not a man we can trust yet." The silver-haired ANBU sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "If I request to be removed from the ANBU now things will look suspicious on my behalf."

"True." Genma rubbed his thigh where it was still sore from his injury. Ghost pains, he assumed. "So- what do you suggest – "

"You do it." Kakashi looked deadly serious. Then again, it wasn't that hard to tell his expressions, despite his mask.

"You want me to tell the Hokage about the seal? About the war? Are you insane?!" Genma hissed in a whisper. Kakashi shrugged. "Do you even listen to yourself? He might have me see a Yamanaka for instability!"

Kakashi sighed. "That's me, you're talking about. I've been the instable one up until now, Genma. Remember why I was pulled from the ANBU in the first place? Because the Third thought it'd be good for me. For my mental health."

Genma winced. Damn. He really wasn't joking. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"Pardon?" Kakashi rose a bit, looking a bit confused.

"Don't fuck with me, Hatake. Everyone in the village knows you're a fucktwit. Or have been. You needed to get over yourself a long ass time ago, and those kids changed you. So, what are you going to do now? No more playing by the rules, because if we want to actually make a difference then we have to do things our way."

Kakashi sighed. "I know. Which is why, even though this is sudden, I have to really reevaluate myself and where I stand…"

"Well do it quick, because if you don't get your shit together those kids are gonna fucking fail." Genma wanted a smoke badly, and some coffee. But it was too fucking early for any of this shit and he was not in the mood.

"I have to make it up to Naruto." Kakashi buried his face in his hands. "He's my Sensei's son. I neglected his training terribly, I should've never been his Sensei to begin with. I chose him because of my guilty conscious, and if I don't make things better…"

Genma sighed and placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Then find him, and make things right. How old is the kid, seven? And the Uchiha brat. Though I'm sort of indifferent about the Uchiha, the brat deserves someone too."

"I did Sasuke wrong as a teacher too. And Sakura. I didn't treat them right."

Genma still had a firm grip on Kakashi's shoulder and sighed. "Look, you can't keep wondering about the what-ifs and maybes. Just fucking do it. If you want to get anything done, any sort of good work done, then preach your words right. They'll believe you. You can't live your life in fear. We're Shinobi, and we chose this path."

Kakashi chuckled. "Give me that confidence, would you?"

Genma flipped him off. "You need to earn it. I'm not going to sprinkle fairy dust over you and make things better without you trying."

Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay. I'll try."

"Good. In the meantime, I need to come up with a believable way to break the news to the Third… And show him the seal." Genma cursed under his breath. "Shit's gonna take a while, but I can manage within a few hours. You have duty today don't you, Kakashi?"

"Yeah, I do. I plan on sending my summons out to watch Naruto and make sure he's okay. The villagers… Don't treat him right."

Genma winced. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Kakashi nodded.

"You're his main guard? What about Ibiki and Yugao? What are their thoughts on him?" Genma whispered under his breath, hoping that it wouldn't stir any sort of conflict.

"Ibiki doesn't like children, period. I mean, why would he? But he's fond of Naruto's… Exuberance. Yugao doesn't have anything against Naruto either, but admits she's just doing her job, and tells me not to get my feelings in the way." Kakashi rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Fuck that." Genma hummed. "That kid's gonna change the world someday. He's already a hero, so it's us to owe it to him and thank him for what he's done so far."

Kakashi sighed. "I've got to go."

Kakashi leaped from the balcony instead of using the window. Genma cursed under his breath. Though he couldn't really blame him, he had done it multiple times before. Only time would tell when they'll actually get things to move forward.