A Grain of Sand Among the Leaves
Babies Are the Power of Youth
Two dark eyes stared at the thing which turned his world upside down. The fourteen-year-old leaned forward, watching the thing blink at him, the seafoam green eyes staring at him, the dark rings bringing out the paleness of the things eyes and skin. The auburn locks also stood out in a stark contrast.
Kakashi reached a small finger out to touch the thing on the cheek, inching closer to the so far offending object. A small hand, however, had another idea, reaching out to clutch his finger. The young shinobi's eyes widened, a gasp escaping his mouth as he pulled his finger away from the soft fingers. "Ahh..."
The thing let out a squeal, letting him now how disappointed it was at losing the finger.
"Oh." Kakashi pulled his pointer finger back and offered the thing his pinky instead. "Weird."
"You were like that once, you know."
Kakashi jolted, pulling his finger away, pulling himself up into the kitchen chair so his legs were pulled up to his chest, and one arm looping back. His dark eyes widened to see Kushina hauling in the laundry from their trip, setting it onto the kitchen table. Their laundry, as his bags were back at his place, the place his father left him. "Kushina!"
The red-haired female looked out at the night sky. The color was a nice purple, dotted still with a few stars, and the sun rising up. She turned back, tossing some of the clothes at him to fold. "It's good to see you opening up to Gaara."
The fourteen-year-old swallowed, looking down at Minato's boxers, but also not wanting to get on Kushina's bad side by not helping out. "I think this is a bad idea."
The smile left Kushina's face. "You didn't say anything while we were in Suna.
Kakashi shook his head, folding the pair of boxers and setting it on the table. The young shinobi prided himself at not being easily shocked at things but found himself unable to say anything when Minato and Kushina brought out the Kazekage's youngest. Negotiations hadn't even occurred, and they were already leaving. Yashamaru came with them, helping them to gather the supplies they would need to take care of the infant.
Yashamaru also made sure their departure wasn't noticed, and then there hadn't been time to ask why the Hokage and his wife were taking care of the small infant. Instead, Kakashi found himself sitting on rocks in the desert, watching from above as if he were some kind of wild animal in need of training. Nobody offered to explain things to him, and they made sure to come into Konoha at night so that they could have time to settle Gaara into his new home.
"I don't think Minato would appreciate you twisting his favorite shirt to pieces, Kakashi."
The teen looked up, a sound of choking resounding from his mouth. Kakashi licked his lips, just as a yawn made his white head of hair turn so he was looking at Minato. The Hokage wasn't fully awake, and yet stepped forward to sit at the table, tickling Gaara's foot so that the infant kicked, and let out a content sound. The man had a smile on his face, something he'd not seen since they got news Kushina couldn't have children.
"Kakashi thinks this is a bad idea."
Minato frowned, his fingers tapping the table. "It is, but it's also the best option."
"How so?"
"How to explain this?" The Hokage looked up at the ceiling. "See, do you remember when I asked you to step away? It wasn't because I didn't want you to hear our conversation, but because we didn't want Gaara's older siblings to know."
Kakashi swallowed, sitting down at the table, leaving the laundry to Kushina as he stuck out his pinky finger for Gaara to take. "What of this conversation?"
"Well, we were discussing the politics of Suna. Here I only have three members of our council of elders, and they're there to advise me, not make decisions. They only go against me if they think my actions are to the detriment of the village."
"You do know that they'll think this, right?"
"Yes, but what's done is done." Minato's smile had left when the conversation shifted gears. "In Suna though the council has a lot more power. Rasa is only able to act when he thinks that something is to the detriment of the village, but in part, it is really hard for him to argue with the council. They see him as young, and inexperienced when he's really not."
"And?" Kakashi leaned back, tugging his finger away, getting a negative response from Gaara. His arms tucked behind his back.
"The Suna council wanted a jinchuriki. " Minato's words caused Kakashi's stomach to lurch, bile rising in his throat. As the fourteen-year-old tried to push back his disgust, the fourth Hokage continued. "They tried turning Rasa's two older children into jinchuriki, but they weren't a match. Thus they put pressure on the Kazekage to put the spirit in before the child was even born."
Kakashi stood up, the chair clattering to the floor. "There is nothing in the world that would warrant doing such a thing! I know that you're on friendly terms with the Kazekage sensei, but..."
"Suna's having economic problems. Having a jinchuriki makes them more marketable for ninja missions. You do realize that the ninja world sees the jinchuriki as weapons?"
The fourteen-year-old turned to look at Kushina, only to see the female shrug her shoulders, a smile plastered on her face. "That's how the world sees us."
The teen let out an irritated sound before pulling up the chair, sitting down with a thump, his arms crossing his chest. One hand reached up to pull down his mask. "Sensei, this isn't right."
"You're correct. The world doesn't always work the way it should. You of all people should know this."
Air rushed out of Kakashi's nostrils, a sound of irritation escaping his lips. Kushina continued to fold the clothing, humming away before noticing the infant let out a yawn. She set the clothing down and leaned over. "Oh, I wish I had a camera, so I could take a picture for Karura."
"Why? They gave up their child." A silence fell over the room, making the teen look at the ground, swallowing.
Minato's fingers drummed the top of the table, interrupting the silence. Eventually, he spoke again, having thought out what he wanted to say. "They gave up their child so that the child would have a better life."
"It's still not right."
Kakashi felt his facial features twist up, only to look up when Minato touched his shoulder. "Lady Karura's not well. There's no telling when she would be able to care for her child. The Kazekage doesn't have the time. Lord Yashamaru is taking care of not just his sister's care, but the two other children. Add to this, Gaara was born two to three months early. Konoha's medical facilities are far more suited to take care of a premature child."
"Plus," Kushina gently lifted the infant up, letting him rest against her shoulder, rubbing his bare back. "I'm a jinchuriki. I'm to teach him how to be one, just like my predecessor did for me. This way he's not dragged into Suna's politics. Life there is rather brutal."
"Yeah, but the council isn't going to like this. They're not going to like it at all."
…
Confusion rattled around in the young teens head as he looked out upon Konoha, the rising sun setting a warm glow upon the hidden village. Kakashi snuck out through the Hokage's window, the same way he'd come in, still remembering how much Kushina doted on the infant as they traveled back to Konoha. Minato kept a wary eye on the trail back to Suna, and ever so often would travel back to cover up their trail.
No matter how much Minato said thing were fine, the sinking feeling remained. The fourth Hokage wouldn't have been cautious if there wasn't something to be wary of. Plus, the child was a jinchuriki. Kakashi knew quite well the child was born a jinchuriki; the child, after all, had been born two to three months early, meaning the Kazekage had ordered the demon to be sealed in the child before he was even born.
Bile rose to Kakashi's throat, quickly swallowed back as his mind continued to think. All of Suna would know; they would know that the child was born early, but also that the beast was sealed in it. Never before had there been someone born a jinchuriki, so Kakashi could easily imagine the negative reaction such a child would receive, particularly when the birth of the infant cost the Kazekage's wife so much.
"Damn."
A resounding slap came from behind, nearly knocking him over the railing. Kakashi felt his eyes widen, and his head turned to look behind him. Guy stood behind him, grinning like an idiot, a thumb held up. "How are you doing this morning Kakashi?"
The fourteen-year-old jonin let out a sigh, waving the other young shinobi off. "Sorry. Not really in the mood Guy." Guy was probably the only person he knew that you could hear their face drop, and Kakashi found himself turning his head back to look at the other teen. "What now?"
"I came to greet you on the day you get back, and this is the appreciation I get!" The pout of the other fourteen-year-old deepened.
"Please tell me you're not going to cry?"
"If I cry, will I get a different reaction from you?" Guy's pout quickly changed to a huge smile, and his hand held up another thumbs up.
"Um. No. That's just creepy. Particularly since you're now smiling." Kakashi pushed himself up. The young jonin shoved his hands into his pocket and scraped his foot against the floor. "It's not that I don't appreciate the thought Guy, I just don't fill in the mood for socializing."
"Something bothering you?"
"Not something I can talk about, but you'll likely find out some of the details later on. No way the sensei is going to keep it a secret." Kakashi's eyes blinked, a thought crossing his mind. He turned to look at the guy, an honest question slipping from his mouth. "Hey, if something made sensei and his wife happy, do you think it's fine, even if it is troublesome?"
Guy placed a hand on his chin. "Let me think. Isn't that the power of youth, to live life to the fullest? Does this thing make the fourth and Lady Kushina live out the power of youth?"
A chuckle escaped Kakashi's lips. "I guess it is okay."
He leaned forward, letting the soft breeze blow across his brown, a smile appearing under the mask as he leaned out over the railing. A few minutes later Minato's voice was heard. "Good morning Guy. It's good to see you in a better mood Kakashi. Mind accompanying Kushina and I to the meeting with the elders?"
The white-haired teen pushed himself up from the railing to see his mentor smiling at him, the blue eyes making the young jonin feel safe. Kushina also had a smile on her face, but her eyes sparkled with that look girls got when they saw something cute, something he didn't ever expect from his sensei's wife. The small infant was clutched in her arms.
Kakashi nearly choked as the same look in Kushina's eyes appeared in Guy's. The other teen moved forward to peek at the baby, his smile way to giddy. "A baby! A baby!" Suddenly Guy turned a grin on his face and a thumbs up. "Man, for a second you had me worried. Of course, a baby brings out the power of youth!"
For some reason, Kakashi gave a thumbs up back, his sudden smile hidden by his mask. "Okay!"
A laugh escaped Minato's lips, his calloused hand reaching out to ruffle Kakashi's white locks of hair. Even though Kakashi said things would be okay, there was still the chance it would not be. Still, Guy, in his own strange way, managed to lighten his mood.
