It was not the first time Hatake Kakashi was booted out of the Hokage's office, but it was the first time he deigned not to march right back in because really, he'd rather not get involved in the blow-up that was about to happen.

And so, Kakashi looked up to the sky and noting it was the perfect weather for cloud watching, he made his way to the training ground to do just that. After all, he was certain that this was going to take a while and Kakashi wanted to ambush Kurama the moment he was done.

Making sure to pick an empty training ground, Kakashi settled down onto the ground behind a tree and away from direct sunlight. Sliding an arm behind his head, he watched as the clouds rolled by and before long, found himself lulled to sleep.

And that was the sight that greeted Kurama two hours later when he silently appeared on the tree branch directly above the silver haired nin. Not surprised that the other was still asleep as Kurama was silent when he needed to be, the blond swung his legs forward from a crouch to sit more comfortably.

As he watched Kakashi's chest rise and fall, a smile ghosted his lips. It had taken him over a year to lower Kakashi's guard. No longer did Kurama spy grave sadness that once hid in the other's eyes. Kurama could still picture the agony in those eyes the first time he decided to show himself to the younger nin but more than anything, Kurama had frozen at the sight of how dead that single visible grey eye had been.

There had only been death written in that eye and Kurama shuddered at the thought of what his Kakashi of his time had been through. So he vowed to intervene even though the voice, the rational voice of reason in his head warned him against it but he wasn't Uzumaki Naruto if he didn't intervene when his precious people needed help. Although this Kakashi wasn't his precious person then, he was now.

Kurama knew he had made the right decision when he invited the other over for tea and they spoke about whatever that crossed their minds. As the night wore on and the moon waned above their heads, Kurama had taken to glance over at his silent companion ever so often and felt accomplished as the heaviness in the other's eyes slowly retreated.

As time went on, as Kurama invited himself to each and every one of Kakashi's solo missions, life re-entered those eyes and Kurama was amazed and so, so happy at how Kakashi had begun to heal.

The next thing was getting the other to socialise more, and Kurama ignored how hypocritical of him that was but this was about Kakashi. The Kakashi of his time, though occasionally a hermit was comfortable when with friends. It didn't matter how much he had complained about Gai being excessively youthful, because Kurama had seen the invisible rays of contentedness that radiated from his sensei. Being a loner was never healthy for one's mental health, which was why Kurama sought to nudge the other towards spending time with his fellow peers, even if it were just a couple of words to his teammates outside of missions.

And so, when Kakashi came knocking that day, saying how someone wants to meet Kurama, the blond had noted the faint annoyance in the other's voice which was unlike his usual monotone voice. Though, it wasn't genuine annoyance but rather, Kurama had rejoiced later, fondness.

And no matter how much Kakashi wanted to convince Kurama that his fellow Konoha nin was a nuisance, Kurama knew better. He was more than happy to compromise his identity to entertain this guest, knowing full well that should the Hokage catch word of this, ANBU would be at his doorstep in no time.

Truthfully, he was surprised that he was able to avoid detection by the Hokage for so long. He knew it wouldn't be too long now and when there was a frantic knock on his door, Kurama was there in a heartbeat to open it only to catch Shiranui Genma in mid-knock. It was clear that the other had just rolled out of bed and threw on some clothes because his hair unkempt and his shirt sported a coffee stain, probably a day old.

Eyebrow raised, Kurama asked, "Yes, Shiranui-san?"

"Kakashi has been summoned by the Hokage," the words came out in a rush of air.

Without needing Genma to say anymore, Kurama understood.

Straightening his shoulders, Kurama nodded.

"Thanks, I'll handle it."

Genma pinned him down with a determined gaze, "Kakashi's career is at stake here."

There was a warning in the other's words but instead of being offended that the other felt the need to remind Kurama of the risks, Kurama found the corners of his mouth quirking up because it was clear that Kakashi had found an unlikely friend in Shiranui Genma.

Kurama merely nodded once more before disappearing in a whirl of leaves.

Left behind, Genma ran a tired hand over his face and spun on his heel to begin his journey back to Konoha. It was way too early in the morning for all of this.

Kakashi awoke to a breeze rushing through his hair and the feeling of his skin being warmed by the sun. Breathing out a sigh, Kakashi was about to drift back to sleep when he remembered about Kurama and the Sandaime. All remnant of sleep left him in a rush and his eyes snapped open.

He felt, rather than saw another's presence behind him and Kakashi sat up in a flash and spun around to see Kurama sitting with his back against the tree, twirling a stray leaf between his fingers.

Golden strands of hair fluttered with the wind and at Kakashi's sudden movements, the older man looked up and gave him a wide smile.

"Kakashi," Kurama breathed as the corners of his eyes crinkled.

His heartrate coming back down, Kakashi asked, "how long have you been here?"

With the leaf sitting in the middle of his palm, Kurama blew and they both watched as the leaf sailed through the air.

"Not that long."

Eye twitching as he noticed it was well over midday so Kurama was clearly understating the time he had let him sleep, Kakashi sighed.

"Well?" Kakashi grumbled.

Kurama smiled knowingly, "hmm?"

He had no doubt that Kurama knew exactly what he was asking. It was like with the Sandaime this morning all over again.

"How did it go? Was the Hokage persistent?"

Kurama hummed in the affirmative and didn't speak for a long while, looking up to the sky. Kakashi took this opportunity to study the other's face, looking for clues.

Strangely, the other didn't look irritated at all. Instead he looked almost peaceful, like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"We …" Kurama started, and he appeared to be searching for the right words in his mind, "we came to a compromise."

Kakashi blinked, having not expected that.

"A compromise …?"

Kurama unfolded his long legs from under him and stood up.

"Yes," he merely said while brushing the grass from his pants.

When he was done, he held out a hand to Kakashi, palm up.

Taking it, Kakashi got up and there were more questions at the tip of his tongue.

Before he could voice them, Kurama smiled grimly, "confidential, I'm afraid."

Kakashi grumbled again but the hand that settled atop his head made Kakashi go silent.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi," the other murmured quietly. In his head, Kurama made a silent promise to tell Kakashi about it when everything was done and dusted.

Fingers combed through his hair, and Kakashi swore that it was definitely not satisfying and no, he did not tilt his head back so that those fingers could massage his scalp.

"Namikaze, did you say?" Sandaime sat forward and brought his arms up on his table to intertwine his fingers. Old eyes settled on Kurama as thoughts of who this man could be raced through his head.

"Your relation to Namikaze Minato?"

This was the crucial moment. Should Kurama lie and spin a tale on how he just coincidentally resembled the Yondaime, or should he lay out the truth and let someone else in on the secret?

And to be perfectly honest, Kurama was tired. Having to lie and work around Kakashi's difficult questions for the past year only made Kurama less inclined to lie to possibly the only man who would believe him and could help him make a difference. After all, he came back to change the future and Kurama, as he was now, working alone and without much authority in this world was not making much progress.

It was a gamble.

A gamble Kurama had no choice but to take.

"Do you believe in time travel?" Kurama finally asked.

His question gave Sandaime pause, who sat up a little straighter at the change in topic.

Kurama noticed the question in the other's eyes before he dropped the bomb.

"What if …" Kurama began, uncertain whether this would convince the Hokage.

"What if I said that I am privy to the events of future?"

He kept a careful watch of the other from the corner of his eyes.

The furrowing in the other's brow had Kurama imagining the gears turning in the Hokage's mind.

"You are from the future?" The Hokage finally asked, though there was some suspicion lacing his words. Kurama did not blame him, time travel was basically unheard of anyway. It was only through the combined efforts of himself and Jiraiya that they were able to do it.

"Twenty-one years, to be exact."

Sarutobi's eyes snapped up, and understanding dawned on him. The resemblance to the Yondaime and being over twenty years from the future meant that–

"You're Minato's son," his eyes widened.

Then, hesitantly, he ventured, "Naruto ..?"

His breath shuddered as Kurama fought to keep back his tears. The last time someone had called him by his birth name was a long long time ago. He had missed the sound of it.

The Sandaime had always been dear to him, and he knew that the older man was fond of Naruto despite his pranks and rowdiness.

"Yes, ji-ji."

"How–"

"It was Jiraiya. Jiraiya brought me back."

There was a wistfulness in Kurama's smile as he thought about his godfather.

Before he accidentally revealed too much, Kurama quickly added, "I came back to change things."

The Hokage nodded, lips pursed to keep from asking about what had happened in the future.

"There has been a couple of disappearances," Kurama began.

Sarutobi rifled through his paperwork, having guessed what the younger man was referring to. "In the towns bordering Konoha?"

Kurama nodded.

There was sadness in the Hokage's eyes when he found what he was looking for.

"Ah yes, there has been a few children reported as missing from those towns."

Kurama flickered over the paperwork as the Hokage laid out the reports in front of him.

Cautiously, he asked, "when did Orochimaru leave the village?"

His student had always been a sore spot for the Hokage, and so Kurama was careful in bringing attention to that topic.

The Hokage swallowed before looking up, "you believe Orochimaru is linked to these disappearances?"

As much as he hoped they weren't related, it was too much a coincidence for Orochimaru to not be involved.

"Five years," the Hokage finally replied.

Five years. Seeing that these disappearances were fairly localised, it was likely that Orochimaru had yet to join the Akatsuki.

Good, Kurama thought. It was easier to hunt the missing nin down now before he became affiliated with the organisation. It would be harder then, when Orochimaru would undoubtedly have a partner.

"I will investigate this," Kurama promised.

The Hokage frowned slightly. "You are not a Konoha shinobi, it isn't your job."

"There is no shinobi in Konoha right now who can take on Orochimaru," Kurama countered. "Besides you, only Jiraiya and Tsunade can, and seeing that they are both out of the village …"

At the sight of the other's uncertainty, Kurama's voice softened.

"I know Orochimaru was your student but he has done many cruel things. Even if Jiraiya or Tsunade were here, it would better for me to go."

The Hokage mulled over his words before he finally sighed.

"Does he … does he become a problem in the future?"

Kurama didn't answer, but that was more than enough for Sarutobi to realise how much of an issue his student would become. Perhaps it was time to finally let go.

"Very well," he said, leaning back.

Kurama looked up, surprised the Hokage relented so quickly.

"But with you not being a Konoha-nin, I cannot assign you this mission."

Kurama was ready to voice his disagreement, that he would go with or without the Hokage's blessing before Sarutobi raised his hand to halt the other.

"I cannot assign you this mission, unless you become a Konoha-nin ... or I hire you as a free agent," he said slyly.

"Given that you haven't befriended anyone but Kakashi in Konoha in the past year, I'm going to assume that you have no intention of being known to the village. Very well," Sarutobi slid open a drawer and retrieved a set of documents. "Free agent it is. Read through this contract and sign at the bottom."

Kurama quickly did so and after he signed his name, he looked up to see the Hokage place a plain white mask before him.

To answer his unspoken question, the Sandaime nodded to the ANBU mask grimly, "too many questions will be asked otherwise."

Kurama picked up the smooth porcelain mask and clipped it to his side.

"Come by in two days and I'll have your mission written up for you."

Kurama nodded and made for the door. However, halfway there, he swung his head back.

"One more thing, how old is Uchiha Itachi right now?"