Kakashi sat cross-legged in his garden and stared at his reflection in the pond situated in the middle of the big plot. Next to him was a cup of black coffee that was yet to drunk and the latest Icha-Icha novel.

He paid the coffee and novel no attention as he continued to reflect at himself. His mind was a mess and his body seemed to act to its own accord, unwilling to move.

Kakashi was glad Naruto was with Itachi and Shisui, that way he wouldn't be stressed even further. Raising Naruto was no burden however, it was a challenging task.

Kakashi let out a sigh. It hadn't been long since he gained custody of Naruto yet, he felt worn out. He loved Naruto but after not being used to feeling any emotion that wasn't negative, his heart felt heavy.

In less than a fortnight, Fugaku Uchiha would be coming back from a mission meaning the dreaded time for the hokage to reveal to all the major ninja tribes of the village that Kakashi now held complete responsibility over Naruto would soon arrive.

It was no secret that many in the village considered the young child to either be a weapon meant to defend the village or a nuisance that should've died along with the defeat of the Yondaime. The plan that Obito had come up with had many flaws, though it did seem like it would work.

He hated the very idea of training Naruto, feeling that he would be no better than the Hokage leaving Naruto under the care of cruel civilians or Danzo Shimura, who surely after hearing that Kakashi adopted Naruto would try to persuade Hiruzen to give him up to ROOT.

Really what made him different to the rest of village that he despised and yet still strived to protect? The village that casted his father out for saving his comrades from the enemy and the village that purposefully treated a child, that had no say in his situation, as less important than even a bug.

Kakashi knew that he was no better than those people for they had raised him, tormented him and ultimately made him into the ominous man that he was.

He managed to stretch his legs out and did the same with his arms. Kakashi took a deep breath in, let it out after some time and continued the pattern a few times. He didn't feel that much better but at least his mind seemed clearer.

He gulped down his coffee and shuddered slightly. Cold and no sugar, he thought. With another sigh, he picked up his book and began to read. There were still a few hours until what he thought was appropriate to pick Naruto up from the Uchiha residence, assuming that the teens did take him to meet Sasuke. Naruto needed that and he was sure from everything he heard from Itachi that Sasuke needed it too.

Friends were a good thing to have, after all.


"I'm telling you it's better if we train him!"

"So he can become like us? He's three years old, Obito. He shouldn't be doing anything besides being a child. You know we only "trained" him to get on Hokage-sama's good side."

"And the clan heads, what bout them? The Hokage can be swayed easily and you know it. We need to train Naruto and prove to the village that he's not just a demon's vessel, Kakashi!"

Kakashi squeezed the bridge of his nose. What couldn't Obito understand?

He never had to go through training since he was child and he never had to be put straight into a war before he could comprehend what war truly was like! It was easy for him because he never went through any of it.

"I said no, Obito. I'm not putting Naruto through that."

Obito groaned. "Look, Kakashi. I didn't come here in the middle of the fucking night knowing that Naruto would be asleep for you to act like an idiot. And that's coming from me."

"Your grand plan is for us to train Naruto and that it'll somehow make the village agree with me keeping Naruto?" Kakashi practically scoffed at him. The plan made sense but it seemed baseless.

"My plan, Kakashi is for us to show the clan heads that Naruto isn't just a burden to our village. The Hyuuga value strength and have an influence over other tribes. If they can see that Naruto being trained even as Jinchuuriki to protect the village should war ever break out, then we already have part of the council sorted. The rest that are undecided won't see him as a nuisance and agree. Can't you see, Kakashi? The answer's right here."

"And Danzo, what about him and the other advisors?"

"If the elite of ANBU is training Naruto, why would ROOT be needed? We could use this as an opportunity to get rid of that division as well!" Obito shouted, not loud enough to wake Naruto.

Kakashi stared at his friend. He was shocked to hear actual reasoning from Obito, he had expected him to rant about nonsense but this…

Though he still couldn't fully agree. In his eyes, they were just using Naruto to save themselves, depriving him of having an actual childhood.

Obito laughed sarcastically. "As if he would have one. He's the bane of Konoha, he wouldn't have a normal childhood even if we begged and pleaded the village."

Damn, he had thought aloud.

"Alright. Say we train him; how will we go about it? He gets bored easily and the tricks we used last time won't have the same effects."

"You really are making me use my brain, teme. It's past midnight!"

"You're the one who came here, baka!"

"Only because I had an a-tiffany, Masked-faced Creep!"

"It's pronounced epiphany, One-eyed Moron!"

"Oi, you've got my other eye!"


Kakashi woke up with a harsh gasp. His book now splayed across his lap after falling off from his face. When did I even fall asleep?

The sky was darkening, he had better pick Naruto up. He didn't want to be late unlike that idiot he dreamt of. He picked up long-forgotten cup lying next to him and the Icha-Icha novel before standing up. He stretched and made his way inside his home.

Maybe Obito was right, maybe this was the way to protect Naruto. Besides, there wasn't a war going on and there wouldn't be one anytime soon. He had Naruto to protect and like hell would he let the child fall prey to Village politics.

His hand went to touch his masked eye. That Baka could really be smart if wanted to.

Kakashi chuckled slightly, now he would need to have a word with Tenzou. It was something he wasn't looking forward but it was needed if he wanted to succeed in his own plans. Itachi wouldn't know about, neither would Obito and certainly not Naruto.

If Team Rou was to survive then that would be the only way to do it; they needed to break what they swore as squad never to do. Loyalty and trust would mean nothing if a member was dead in the end.


A/N: And how was that? Comment what you think Kakashi plan's about and also what you think about the chapter. For those of you that are interested when Hinata is coming into the picture, definitely in the next few chapters.