Because there's never enough Kakashi angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

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"Alright, that's it for today, Kakashi." Minato said as he dusted off his pants. The five-year-old in front of him nodded and sheathed the kunai that he had been holding. Minato regarded the genin proudly. He had taken on the prodigy as a special request from the Third Hokage, and while he had had his reservations about training a five-year-old, albeit a genius, Kakashi had done nothing but surpass his expectations.

The child looked up at his sensei and Minato smiled at him.

"You did really well, Kakashi. You'll master this technique in no time."

"Thank you, sensei."

Just then, Kakashi's stomach growled. The five-year-old blushed, his hands coming up to cover his stomach. Minato laughed.

"Do you want to grab dinner, Kakashi? It's my treat."

"It's ok, sensei. I need to buy groceries tonight before the market closes."

"Alright. I'll come shopping with you," Minato offered. Kakashi's reaction was instantaneous. The child quickly shook his head and looked up at him pleadingly.

"You don't have to do that, Minato-sensei," the boy said, tone verging on panic. Minato raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Kakashi? Is there something wrong with the market?"

"No, sensei. You just don't need to go to the trouble. I promise I'll go shopping tonight. Just, please, don't come with me."

Minato blinked, not completely understanding the desperation behind the request. Nevertheless, he agreed slowly. The genin looked visibly relieved as he bid his sensei farewell. Minato nodded and watched his student leave the training grounds. After waiting for a few minutes, Minato followed after him.

The market was busy, bustling with fathers, mothers, children, and shinobi. It really didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, Minato noted as he walked around. He was trailing behind Kakashi, who had yet to stop at a store. The five-year-old didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular, more browsing and wandering than actually stopping to look around with the intent to buy. Minato sighed and made a mental note to talk to Kakashi again about his eating habits. The boy didn't eat enough!

Finally, Kakashi stopped in front of a bakery. Minato stopped and hid in the alley between it and the store beside it. Kakashi hadn't taken a step inside when the baker immediately started shouting.

"Out! I've told you time and time again that you aren't welcome here!"

"Sir, I—" Kakashi tried. But the man was having none of it.

"If I catch you here again, I swear you're gonna regret it, kid!"

"But sir, I have money…"

"Your money is no good here! Now get out before I have the police drag you out!"

Wordlessly, Kakashi obeyed. Minato's eyes narrowed. He continued to follow his student, this time paying less attention on Kakashi, and more attention to the whispers around him.

"It's that Hatake brat."

"How dare he show his face?"

"Good thing his father killed himself. Who knows what he would've taught his son?"

"His father is to blame for the situation we're in now."

"I wish he would disappear along with his father."

It took everything Minato had not to beat the onlookers to bloody pulps. How dare they say that about Kakashi? The five-year-old had nothing to do with his father's mistakes, if they could even be called that. Minato didn't consider Hatake Sakumo to be a traitor to the Leaf. If anything, he was a hero who deserved to be on the Memorial Stone. Not the small deserted corner in the graveyard. Of course, he was finding it hard to convince Kakashi of that, and to try to explain to villagers would be like playing chess with pigeons.

He sighed as he continued to tail his student, following him as he went into store after store. Luckily, some of the nicer owners allowed the five-year-old to buy groceries, but not without disdainful looks from others and a hushed "Leave as soon as you're done." Of course, little Kakashi took all of the abuse without a word or tear.

And then it turned physical.

Why anyone was drunk in the late afternoon was something beyond Minato. He always figured that sake was best suited for night time. But when a drunk man came staggering out of a bar, happening to catch sight of Kakashi, everything went to hell.

Minato had been looking for his own groceries and so he had lagged behind his student quite a bit. He didn't think much of the drunkard until the man picked the Kakashi up, shaking him angrily, causing Kakashi to drop and ruin what meager groceries he had acquired. Minato was moving before the man even began to speak.

"Brat! Why don't you just off yourself like your old man did! Save the rest of us a lot of trouble!" Kakashi gripped at the man's wrist, looking more than anything like he wanted to retaliate, but refusing to do so since it was a villager. Sneering, the man punched Kakashi in the cheek, causing the five-year-old to fall back on the ground, an impressive bruise already forming.

The entire market had stopped to witness what was going on. Just as the man advanced, looking like he was about to hurt Kakashi more than he already had, Minato jumped in and knocked the man out cold with a blow to the back of the neck.

"Sensei!" Kakashi exclaimed. Minato ignored him and merely turned to look at the villagers surrounding them.

"Don't you think you ought to be ashamed?" he demanded. "Refusing to sell a five-year-old groceries because of something his father did? His dead father at that?"

At least the villagers had the grace to look guilty.

"If I hear about this happening again, I'll file a complaint to the Hokage!"

Immediately, the villagers dispersed, looking both nervous and afraid. Minato sighed, turning back to the five-year-old still on the ground. He knelt down and examined the groceries that Kakashi had dropped.

"Some of these are still salvageable," Minato said as he placed them back into Kakashi's bag. "But you're eating dinner with me and Kushina tonight."

"But sensei…"

"I don't want to hear it, Kakashi," Minato said sternly as he began to walk towards his apartment.

Silently, Kakashi followed.

Minato arrived home to the smell of Kushina's home cooking. His stomach immediately voiced its pleasure. Placing his newly bought groceries on the table, he called out,

"I'm home!"

Kushina poked her head out from the kitchen.

"Welcome home! Eh? Kakashi-kun is here too?"

"I'm sorry for intruding, Kushina-san."

"No no, it's fine. I'll just make another serving."

"Kushina-san, you don't have to—"

"Thank you, Kushina. I'll be in the living room with Kakashi," Minato interrupted. The five yer old deflated and looked down at the floor. Kushina observed them for a minute before turning back to her cooking. Whatever was going on between them, Minato would sort it out.

Kakashi pointedly made an effort to look anywhere in the room but at Minato. The blond was staring at him, an unreadable expression on his normally happy face. Kakashi couldn't bear his sensei looking at him so disappointedly.

Anyone but his sensei.

Anyone but the one person he had left.

A few more minutes passed in silence before Minato sighed.

"Kakashi, look at me." The stubborn five-year-old shook his head.

"Kakashi." Another shake of the head.

"Kakashi." This time, Kakashi peeked up from under his hitai-ate nervously. His sensei's face was sad. Incredibly sad.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sensei?"

"Why didn't you tell me that the villagers were treating you this way?" Minato elaborated.

"I… why would I tell you, sensei?" Kakashi asked, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't I deserve it? T-Tou-san was a traitor, so…"

"No," Minato said firmly. Kakashi jumped at the tone, wide eyes meeting Minato's own. "No, Kakashi. You don't deserve that. You'd never deserve that."

"But sensei…"

"No buts, Kakashi. I want you to tell me whenever someone treats you like that, ok? You don't need to put up with that."

"Yes, sensei." And then, quickly, Kakashi tackled his teacher into a hug before withdrawing, a bright red blush on his cheeks. Minato sat there, stunned, before breaking out into a wide grin and bringing Kakashi into a hug of his own.

"Aww, Kakashi, you're so cute!"

"Ahh! Stop it, sensei!"

Kushina smiled from the kitchen. Seemed like her boys were just fine.

"Hey dinner's ready, you know!" she called out, setting a third spot at the table.

"Coming!"

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