Sarutobi Hiruzen, The third Hokage (twice over), really didn't want to have this conversation. He honestly didn't think he would need to. Jiraiya just showed up out of the blue about 10 minutes ago, which was normal enough, the man swung by a few times a year just to update the Hokage on his spy network's findings (and to drop off a new book) before leaving within the hour.

Except this time when they were giving their customary goodbye's Jiraiya had said

"Actually I think I might stay here for a couple days, relax, do some research, visit my godson, you know."

And so Hiruzen responded with a grimace and a "I'm sorry Jiraiya, but I can't allow you to see Naruto-kun at this time." which leads us to our current situation.

"Why? Did something go wrong, is he ok?" the sannin had a look of mild concern on his face.

"No, no of course not but…" Hiruzen let out a breath, suddenly feeling exhausted "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to see Naruto, or rather, for you to be seen with Naruto."

Jiraiya turned to fully face the Sarutobi, arms crossed, with a look of displeasure on his face. "What do you mean Sensei?"

"Jiraiya look" Hiruzen's tired expression became more pronounced "the boy is the spitting image of his father, if foreign ninja notice that you are interacting with him in any way then its very likely that they'll make the connection, and then they'll go after him, do you really want that?"

Jiraiya gave his old sensei a look of incredulity "Foreign Ninja? What foreign ninja?! The next chunin exam isn't for another 3 months."

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

"No I don't, what are you talking about Sensei!"

"Spies Jiraiya! I'm talking about spies!"

At this Jiraiya tensed "you think there are spies in the village?"

"Of course I think there are spies in the village."

"What's the list of suspects?"

Hiruzen shook his head "there isn't a list of suspects."

Jiraiya threw his hands up in the air "so you don't even know for sure, it's just baseless paranoia."

"I'm just being careful Jiraiya, you can never be too cautious."

The toad sage wasn't convinced. "Even if, if, there are foreign spies in the village, you said it yourself that Naruto is Minato's spitting image. They would've already figured out the connection. Me being seen with him wouldn't do anything."

"It would be a confirmation." the hokage pointed out, looking more and more exhausted as this argument dragged on. Jiraiya snorted and muttered something that sounded like 'confirmation, smomfirmation'.

Deciding to try a different angle Jiraiya said "What about Naruto himself, hasn't he asked about his family yet?"

Hiruzen let out a sigh "yes, of course he has, I told him as much as I felt was safe for him to know"

"Which is?"

"I told him that his parents died fighting the Kyuubi," he took a breath "and that they loved him."

"But nothing specific?"

Hiruzen shook his head "I didn't want to risk him figuring anything out." Then he smiled "Naruto-kun can be very clever when he wants to be."

"That's something at least" Jiraiya put his hand to his chin, after a moment he said "And what about me? Hasn't he asked where I've been all this time?" Jiraiya didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't the slightly puzzled look the Hokage was giving him. "What do you mean Jiraiya?"

"Well he's got to be wondering where I've been," Jiraiya became more animated and his voice took his showman lilt "it's not like you can tell him that his godfather is a master spy, amazing author, and shinobi extraordinaire right? Don't want to give the kid a complex"

The sannin then resumed a more relaxed stance "I haven't seen him since he was still in diapers you know."

The Hokage's expression morphed into sudden understanding, and guilt.

"Jiraiya I…" he started "I haven't told him about you at all."

Jiraiya's eyes snapped up to meet the Hokage's "Sensei?"

"Honestly Jiraiya, the thought never crossed my mind" the Hokage stated.

Jiraiya looked stunned, but that quickly shifted into an expression of pure thunder. ", my Godson, possibly the only thing in this world I would willingly die for, doesn't. know. I. exist?"

Hiruzen winced before saying "Jiraiya, be reasonable, it's for the same reason that I didn't tell him about his parents. It's a risk."

"Oh really? It's a risk huh?" the senin's sarcasm was palatable "that's what this is about, risk management? That's why you're keeping me away from him? Because its too Fucking Risky for you to be comfortable with."

"Jiraiya look-" the Hokage's response was cut off.

"Fine let's consider the risks, shall we? You have a young untrained Jinchuuriki, In the middle of your village, with little to no deep emotional connections with anyone. Who might I say is also ostracized by the populace. And not only did you not tell him about me, his family, one of the few people who genuinely cares about both him and the village as a whole, who can actually help him feel accepted here." Jiraya took a deep breath "and you decide keeping me away from him is the right call?!"

"You think I don't realize this, that he will need connections to the village" the Hokage said "I've been spending as much time as I can with him."

"You're the Hokage, how much time can you really be spending with him?"

Hiruzen respond before his mind could keep up, and he regretted the following words the instant he said them "more time than you"

Jiraiya flinched as if physically struck, partly from the truth of the statement and partly from the shock of his sensei saying them. He recovered quickly though and when his eyes met the guilt-ridden Hokages they were filled with venom. Hiruzen tried to recover the situation " Jiraiya-kun I didn't mean to-"

The man cut him off "I'll quit."

The Hokage was stunned for a second "what?"

"You're right, I haven't spent as much time with Naruto as I should be."

"What? No, that's not what-"

"Where should I hand in my Hitai-ate." said the sennin

"Damit Jiraiya I can't let you just quit, you're too valuable a ninja. What happens when your spy network collapses? or when it gets out that the last of the Sannin has left? The village would be put in terrible danger!" Hiruzen was desperate at this point.

Though pretty sure the man was bluffing, he didn't want to put anything past the toad sage. The man was rash at the best of times and loyal to a fault and beyond, it was entirely possible that Jiraiya would quit in a split second, unthinking decision.

"Fine If you won't let me quit and see him, I'll just not quit and see him, deal?" Jiraiya was already making his way towards the window past the hokage's desk

Hiruzen shot up from his chair "Jiraiya the risks are-"

Jiraiya whipped around "HE'S MY GODSON!"

Deafening silence followed Jiraiya's outburst. The two men, Sannin and Hokage, stared at each other unmoving.

"Jiraiya I've made a decision, and it's final."

The Toad sage wasn't convinced. Seconds trickled by, then a minute, until finally the sage shook his head.

"I acknowledge your decision, Hokage-sama." Jiraiya said coldly. No bow, no mark of respect given.

"I'm sorry Jiraiya-kun, but this is for the best."

the sannin simply turned on his heel and jumped out the window without a glance back.

Hiruzen breathed out and leaned back into his chair before pulling out his pipe. He made a single hand seal and then snapped his fingers, causing a low yellow flame to dance on his index. He used this to light the pipe, Breath in, hold, breath out.

At this point Hiruzen was truly reconsidering his ability to teach a team. Sure the sannin were considered some of the best Ninja's since the start of the Village, both as individuals and as a team. But Hiruzen's relationship with each of them has slowly but surely decayed over time for several reasons.

Breath in… hold… breath out.

First was Tsunade, Senju, Granddaughter of the Shodai, medical and combative genius. Hiruzen and her had several disagreements over the course of the second war. That one about creating a medic corp in the middle of a conflict wasn't the first, nor was it the last, but it was certainly the most prevalent. The worst part being that Hiruzen genuinely agreed with the points Tsunade made more often than not, and the medic corp was one of them.

But the realities leading a village through a war meant Hiruzen had to manage all their resources, new old and pending. the creation of an entirely new division, complete with training programs, able recruits, and a capable deployment method was simply not possible at the time. Tsunade never forgave him for this, seeing it as directly led to the death of so many of her precious people. Then one brother, one lover, an unused idea and a war later she left the village, declaring never to return. Hiruzen was almost certain she hated him by the time of her departure.

Breath in… hold… breath out.

Next was Orochimaru, once considered the brightest star of his generation, one who just might be wearing the hat right now in another reality, fell into darkness so foul Hiruzen didn't know when or where it began festering within his pupil. whether it was innate and hidden behind that soft spoken boy he once was or if it was due, an experience during the wars, some failing on Hiruzen's part, or some combination of the three.

Regardless of the hows and whys, the man did fall and the results were the most horrifying thing the aged Hokage has experienced in his long career. Inhumane experiment after inhuman experiment which left unholy creatures, mutilated cadavers, and the broken lives of orphans in its wake. Hiruzen wasn't sure what he regretted more, letting the man fall to darkness or letting him escape when it was brought to light.

Breath in… hold… breath out.

And now finally came Jiraiya, his last student. The one who hasn't failed him yet. The one who time and time again Hiruzen passed over in favor of his more talented teammates. The one who came out to be arguably the strongest of them, certainly the most loyal. As much as it hurt to admit, Hiruzen couldn't take credit for Jiraiya's development. Sure he taught him some of the fundamentals and they had a shared *ahem* interest that they bonded over.

But it wasn't until after he stumbled through the northern gate, muddy, tired, smelling like sake and with the toad contract on his back that the snow haired boy, now man, truly flourished. It was under their guidance that jiraya sored to his greatest heights, not Hiruzen's, another of Hiruzen's mountain pile of regrets. And yet he still held his foolish old sensei in esteem, at least until now.

Breath in… hold… breath out.

Above him, in the rafters, Sarutobi could hear slight swishing that marked an Anbu squad signing rapidly at each other. Though sworn to secrecy from the rest of the village and Shinobi forces, Anbu were utter gossips amongst their own ranks and a fight between the Hokage and the Gama-senin over the village's resident Jinchuuriki was prime fodder for the cafeteria tables.

Breath in… hold… breath out.