Chapter 2

Sunny Days

A/N: Hi everyone! Here's chapter 2! Remember to leave reviews as they really motivate me and make me happy! I've also plotted the course for this fic, and I've decided that this will run up until Minato's death. I have plans for Kakashi taking the chunin exam, as well as meeting Kushina, and who can forget Obito and Rin? Anyway, enjoy!

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The Third Hokage sat in his office, rolling another mission scroll and placing it next to the others. He let himself sigh with content, as his day's work was done. It was night now, as the sun had just set. Just then, he heard a knock on the door. "You may enter." he said.

Minato entered the room and kneeled before his Hokage. "Hokage-sama. I have returned from training with Kakashi."

"Oh? And how did it go? How was he?" The Third Hokage gave Minato his attention.

"It went great. I understand what you mean about him being rough. He's had a troubled life. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I understand that he's been living in the Hatake compound by himself?"

"Yes. As there are no other members of the Hatake clan left, he is the only living there. And since he is a shinobi, he has the right to live on his own, even at his age."

Minato's fists clenched. "But he's just a boy! With all due respect, I think it's foolish to let him live in a house full of bad memories by himself." Minato protested.

"Minato, are you suggesting that you would want to take custody of him?" The Third Hokage studied Minato's determined visage carefully.

Minato was silent for a moment. The boy he had met today was quiet and serious. Some would say he was arrogant, but Minato knew better. Under his cold facade was a broken child dealing with life's tragedies by bottling them up. Minato met the Hokage's eyes. "Yes. I want custody of him." He said firmly.

The Third Hokage sighed. "You've only met the boy today and he's grown on you this much? Are you sure? He's had problems getting along with his teachers and classmates. Training him is one thing, but being a caretaker is on a whole different level. I want you to think carefully."

Minato's gaze softened. "I look at him and I see his loneliness. I can feel it. And I think about my own childhood and I can't stand the thought of him living in that dusty old house alone. He is the son of my sensei's friend and my first student. I will not sit by and watch him be alone. Not if there's something I can do about it." Minato said looking up at the Hokage. He was determined now.

The Third Hokage let out a laugh. "Very well then. You've made a good case for yourself and the boy. You may watch over him if he agrees to it. I recommend taking things slow, and getting to know him and then proposing to have him move in. He's been on his own for a few months now, he's grown accustomed to being alone. I wish you good luck Minato. Your doing a good thing."

Minato rose to his feet and bowed respectfully and thanked the Hokage before exiting his office. Once he was in the hall Minato felt like jumping for joy. It was all too exciting! He had to fix up his little apartment, which luckily had two bedrooms, one of which he used as a spare room for guests. He had to tell Jiraiya and Kushina as well. He hopped along buildings searching for Kushina's little apartment. He had been officially dating her for two years now, and her apartment was a short distance from his own. He landed on her balcony and tapped on her window. Inside, the apron-clad jinchuuriki spotted him and rushed to the window, grinning.

"Minato! Just in time for dinner!" She said, pushing open the window and letting him in. He smiled and hopped in, hugging her and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. She laughed. "What's got you so happy today? It was your first day of being a sensei! I'm assuming it went well?"

Minato scratched the back of his head "Well, yes. He's a real prodigy Kushina. He's quick and smart, oh! And clever. He's five and he sure knows how to use his size to his advantage." Minato continued talking about his long day of training with his student as Kushina ushered him to the table where she began serving food before taking her own seat.

She loved seeing Minato so animated and full of life when she talked about this child. She rested her head in her palms as she listened to Minato describe how Kakashi blocked a kick that would have normally been impossible for a genin. "He sounds like a bit of a handful to me. He must be a talented boy, but I heard rumors of him from Michiko at the academy." Kushina's face turned serious. "She said he's an arrogant little thing who disregarded his classmates and teachers. Apparently, after his father died he stopped coming to school. When he did return, it was only to take the graduation exam." She looked at Minato. She was concerned for him and his student.

"Well, that's another thing I wanted to talk to you about. See, he's been living in the Hatake compound. Which is now a big empty property seeing as all the remaining Hatake have died off. When I look at Kakashi I can almost feel his loneliness. He's so young, Kushina. He's so mature it's easy to forget that. Which is why I went to the Hokage, and asked if he could live with me." Minato said.

"You…What?" Kushina blinked. She was confused.

"I asked the Hokage if I could watch over him, and he agreed. He has darkness in his heart, Kushina, and he won't get any better living alone." Minato said.

Kushina blinked again. Minato was going to take in the boy who's father was scorned by the village to the point of committing suicide? "Are you sure? You just met him today! How can you be sure it will work out? I've heard rumors, Minato. Awful things. He didn't cry when his father died. He didn't go to the funeral. He picks fights with people he doesn't respect."

Minato smiled reassuringly at her. "Kushina. He is a young boy, and he's internalizing his suffering. He doesn't know that there are people who are there for them. And as his teacher, I want him to know and understand that I will always be there for him. " He said calmly. He wanted Kushina to understand. "I'm not going to leave him alone."

Kushina sighed before breaking out into a giggle. "You really are the kindest man I know. And that's why I love good care of him. After he moves in with you, I'd like to meet the little squirt."

Minato grinned at his girlfriend. "Of course."

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Minato woke up early the next morning. Knowing Kakashi, he would be at the training grounds early again. Minato was making a mental plan. He couldn't just come out and ask Kakashi to move in with him; that would just confuse the boy and he would refuse. He was still too distant. They had only known eachother for a short time after all. Minato wanted them to build trust. He would train and oversee Kakashi as normal until he felt like Kakashi could trust him completely.

Meeting Kakashi at the training ground every morning became routine, and they would train all day, and a couple days they would do D-rank missions. Minato could feel their relationship slowly building each time they sparred, and he could see the progress in Kakashi's form. Minato began noticing his little quirks. Like how he would cross his arms and look embarrassed when Minato would ruffle his hair affectionately. Minato noticed how Kakashi preferred eating at home or away from crowds, as less people would see him with his mask off. Minato thought Kakashi was adorable when he tried to escape Minato's hugs and hair-ruffles in public claiming that he wasn't a little kid although Minato felt his heart melting the first time he hugged Kakashi and the small boy didn't squirm or try to escape. He didn't hug back, but with Kakashi, Minato knew that he would take what he could get. The weeks had passed quickly and soon they had been teacher and student for about a month. Minato still hadn't felt it was time to ask Kakashi how he felt about moving in with him. But the one thing he did know was that Kakashi was sick of doing D-rank missions.

"Minato-sensei, our abilities are wasted on catching cats. There are plenty of genin that can handle these missions." Kakashi was holding a particularly feisty black cat and was covered in small scratches. He looked so small and angry and cute that Minato wanted nothing more than to take a picture just to document the moment.

Minato laughed. "Kakashi, look at you, all covered in cat scratches!" Kakashi huffed and repositioned the cat in his arms.

"It's meaner than it looks. It's claws are sharper too." Kakashi said, justifying his "battle wounds".

Minato laughed again before taking a careful look at Kakashi. It had been about a month that they trained together. Maybe he was ready for something more. "It has been a while. Maybe we're ready for a mission outside the village. " Minato said thoughtfully.

"Really?" Kakashi looked excited. At least as excited as the boy could look, considering half of his face was covered.

"Yep. When we go back to the Hokage Tower I'll see if there are any C-ranks available. Be ready to head out tomorrow morning, just in case." Minato said. Kakashi nodded, and the cat squirmed in his arms again. Kakashi sighed and wrestled with it again. Minato laughed at the sight of the 5 year old and the little cat. "Well, lets wrap this mission up, shall we?" And with that, the teacher and his young student took to the rooftops.

A/N: Chapter 2 done! Thank you for the reviews! This wasn't going to get finished for another couple of days, but your reviews really motivated me! Anyway, next chapter- The first c-rank mission! ~ who can guess when Minato will ask Kakashi to move in?