"In the end he was more of an older brother than a teacher."
Kakashi frowned disapprovingly at something the jounin had said. "The mission should come first, above anything else. It is the rules." he demanded sternly.
Naruto was taken aback by the sudden sternness. He held back the urge to scowl at the boy who was only defending what he believed in. "The rules? So if Obito or Rin or Minato died on a mission because you chose it over them, would you be able to live with that? You wouldn't regret it?" he argued harshly. Kakashi stiffened and got a steeled look in his coal eyes.
"A shinobi's feelings doesn't matter, it is our duty to give our lives for the mission." he paused ". . . and our comrades. . ." he faltered for a moment as he thought of the possibility of loosinf Minato-Sensei, Rin and even Obito. He found the feelings that came with his thought to be undesirable. What am I thinking? Obey the rules, he thought before regaining his strict air. "In the ninja world those who break the rules are scum." he spat with all the confidence he could muster. Naruto had to call on his self control to keep from punching the nieve kid.
"But those who would abandon even one of their comrades are worse than scum." he recited the thing he remembered his Kakashi saying over and over with the same hard tone that Kakashi had used.
Kakashi glared at him. "What would you know about it?" he basically growled. He couldn't look Naruto in the eyes so settled for turning to the sky.
"About rules and comrades? Everything." Naruto replyed sadly. Kakashi froze at the pain in the jounin's usual neutral voice. His eyes hesitatingly went to the blonde who had fixed him with an intense look.
"When you speak of following the rules it goes deeper than just wanting approval, I can tell." Naruto said. "You are thinking of the White Fang am I right?" Kakashi was unable to move, unable to blink or breathe. How could he, tbis person he bearly knew, how could he have known? There was no way, even if he had read his file his father was not mentioned in it so how?
Naruto looked back to the sky like Kakashi had done with a wise look. "Sakumo Hatake. I don't believe his fault lies with when he chose his comrades over his mission - I would have done the same thing." Kakashi's breath stilled, he could do nothing but listen to the blonde's next words. "No, his fault lies with when he chose death over his son." he glanced at Kakashi out of the corner of his eyes before quickly looking away when he saw the anguish and hurt on the boy's visable features.
How dare he? Kakashi thought bitterly. What gave Naruto the right to talk about his father as if he knew anything? "You can't say that. He was a coward for abandoning his mission. He deserved what he got." Kakashi growled. Naruto sat straight and looked at him dead on.
"Stop." he commanded. Kakashi glared at him. "I know you don't mean that."
"I meant every word." Kakashi vowed. Naruto's gaze was stern.
"No you don't. Maybe you think you do but you don't. It hurt you when he left, am I right?"
"No! You don't know anything! He was shunned by the entire village, how could you possibly understand?! He abandoned his mission and that was the price he paid!" Kakashi exclained hysterically, he hardly took note of the fact that he was saying all this to someone he had barely known for more than two weeks.
"I know exactly what that's like." Naruto said truthfully. He saw now just how much pain Kakashi must always be in, to have a father who was seen as scum by his own village, it made sense why Kakashi was as he was now.
"What do you mea-" he was cut off when Naruto put a hand on his small shoulder and looked at him sincerely with soft eyes of understanding.
"I know it's hard for you Kakashi, and I know that I just met you so I have no right to tell you this and you have no grounds to believe me, but I mean it. I will always be here for you, I promise." he vowed. Part of Kakashi believed him but the other part him - the more stubborn part of him - dismissed his words as lies. How many people had told him that? And compare that with how many actually were. None. No one had ever been there for him so why would that change now?
Kakashi shrugged Naruto's hand off. "I don't need you. I'm fine." He insisted. Naruto's expression said that he hadn't believed a word but none the less didn't push it.
"It's alright. I know you don't trust me." Kakashi didn't object to that. Naruto let out a heavy breath and looked at the sky as to measure the time.
"We should get back. The rest of the team is waiting." Naruto said. Kakashi didn't even acknowledge him, he just turned on his heal and stocked off leaving Naruto to clean up the mess of scrolls to return to him later.
Naruto sighed. "What a peice of work."
|¤|Ω|¤|
The bar was actually a strip club. Naruto's face flushed the second he walked in and almost walked out but unfortunately Minato stopped him.
"You enjoy forcing me to uncomfortable places don't you?" he accused. Minato laughed and steered him towards a seat at the bar area.
"Maybe." he joked. The club was not big. It had a bar made of old wood same as the walls. There was a stage cutting the room almost in half and there were several curtained off rooms on the sides of the club that Naruto didn't want to think about. On the stage were girls dancing, something both blondes avoided looking at.
The bar tender put two drinks infront of the men. "Oh I-" Naruto started to say but was cut off.
"Thank you." Minato said with a closed eyed smile. His tight grip on the Uzumaki's shoulder warned him not to comment on his age.
"Uhhh. . . yeah thanks." Naruto went along unsurely. The bartender bowed and walked off to tend to others.
"My god. What have I done to deserve this." Naruto sulked and Minato chuckled.
"If it makes you that uncomfortable don't look." he advised. Naruto groaned.
"Trust me, I won't." he eyes were pointedly fixed on the pattern in the wood which he traced with his fingers. Minato smiled in amusement before turning more serious.
He leaned closer to Naruto than what the Uzumaki was comfortable with but he didn't move away. "Do you see the nin you saw last night anywhere?" Naruto's eyes danced one around the room immediately skipping over the strippers before shaking his head.
"No he isn't here. I don't sense his chakra either though he could be concealing it." he repsonded lowly. Minato nodded and straighted back to where he was safely out of Naruto's personal bubble. Naruto relaxed more. He found it torturously agonizing to be so close to his father and be so far at the same time. He constantly found himself weighing the pro's and con's of just telling him. The pro's were always outweighed but that didn't stop him from repeating this every time the man was around.
"Can I help you fine gentlemen?" a voice asked interrupting his thoughts. He looked over and saw a girl who was standing way to close. In theory she was pretty with bright green eyes and thick dark hair, however her lack of clothing was less than appreciated by Naruto who was the main object of the girls attention. He looked over to his companion for help but the Namikaze looked like he was almost peeing his pants. He was doing a miserable job at concealing his laughter his shoulders were shaking and he had tears in his eyes which said 'you're on your own'. Naruto glared before looking back to the. . . young lady, only when she cleared her throat.
Naruto kept his eyes on hers making her shrink back slightly from their natural intensity.
"No. Thank you." he replyed awkwardly.
"Are you sure~?" she purred seductively as she pushed her breasts closer to him. Too bad the jounin was immune.
I. Want. To. Die. Naruto thought.
"No thank you." he repeated more sternly. The girl pouted but left. Naruto let out a breath he had be holding in the whole time. How awkward. His face was burning. It was amusing to see someone who was very physically mature to blush like a school boy.
"That. . . was. . . gold." Minato said between fits of laughter. Naruto looked at him with daggers in his eyes."Who knew you were so bad with women." he laughed.
Naruto's glare intensified. "Well it's not my fault." he defended. Minato didn't respond, he kept laughing until Naruto delivered a blow to his head knocking him off his stool. He hit the floor with a thud earning a few curious glances. He stood up and sat back in his seat rubbing his head where a bump was growing.
"You remind me of Kushina." he cried with self pity. Naruto scoffed and looked back to his untouched drink.
"You know a few sips may help you relax." Minato said pointing to the alcohol. Naruto chuckled.
"You're a terrible role model ya know." Minato gasped, holding a hand to his chest like he was severely offended.
"I am a great role model, I was just saying that you're always so stiff and serious. "
Naruto was about to respond when someone seated themselves next to him. Both men looked over and mentally froze while outwardly keeping their composure.
It was Killer B.