Let Me Keep Them

Chapter One

"Disguise yourself in a mask. Don't let anyone see your true self. There are some cruel people who can take advantage of it."
                                                                                          -Couldn't Find

Kakashi's P.O.V

"Kakashi, this isn't something you're ready for." The Hokage said firmly. Kakashi could feel a little of his anger rising up, and tried shoving back. He needed to be cool and logical.

It hadn't been hard to figure out. Kakashi knew Kushina was pregnant with Minato's son, he'd told him himself. Hell, he'd been assigned to be her silent bodyguard. And it was pretty common knowledge, anyway, him being the Hokage and all. The boy was due to be born any day. Minato had supposedly sealed the demon into a newborn boy, and Kakashi knew him enough that he wouldn't have done that to a random couple's son. It could only have been his own.

Really, the only thing that surprised him was that he was the only one to figure this out.

"No one else will." Kakashi pointed out. "It will get around, things always do. People will realize that he's the one carrying the fox. No one will take him in. And you certainly can't."

Hiruzen sighed. "Well, I'm certainly not putting that responsibility on you. You're still a boy yourself."

Kakashi had to fight back the urge to scoff. He was nowhere near a boy. He really never was one.

"That's hardly true." Kakashi said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. "I've never really been a child. No one who lived through the war has."

He wasn't exactly correct. Despite the war, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai all seemed to still live the life of children and teenagers. But they were still more mature, so his statement held some truth.

"In a way, yes, you are correct." He replied. "You're certainly more mature than anyone else who is fourteen." He paused for a moment. "But you're still young, not to mention busy with all the missions you take. His life just won't be the same as everyone else his age."

"It won't be the same anyway." Kakashi retorted. "He's different from anyone else. Besides, will it be any better alone? At the very least he deserves someone who will be there occasionally."

"He's only two months old!" Hiruzen said, raising his voice. "He can't be living alone in an apartment for weeks at a time while you're on missions!"

Kakashi hesitated. "I..." He took a shaky breath before finishing his sentence. "...I won't take any missions."

The Third was taken aback, but his face softened a bit, almost in pity.

Kakashi hated it when people felt pity for him.

He didn't need it, nor deserve it.

"Kakashi, not taking missions doesn't help. You know as well as any shinobi that you need missions to live."

He was right. Kakashi had been taking as many missions as possible since he was young. He had to so he could earn money, so that he could get food, water, pay rent, and the million other things he could possibly need. He didn't have much as it was, and without the money from missions... Well, after a few weeks he would have nothing.

"Fine." Kakashi said. "I know people. When I'm on a mission, I'm sure Rin-" Kakashi paused for a moment. It had been almost three years, why did he think she was still alive sometimes? "Er, Gai, wouldn't mind."

"Gai lacks the maturity to raise a child, especially someone as young as this, as you would expect from people your age." Hiruzen pointed out. "And Gai has his own missions to do, he can't put a pause on that, he needs the money as much as you."