Alone No More

Piecing the Puzzle Together

Warning: Confession of child abuse and Kakashi being difficult.
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"Kakashi, what happened?" Minato asked still shocked at the state of Kakashi's injuries, but couldn't help the anger that was boiling up inside of him.

Kakashi remains silent looking up at the jonin with an uneasy stare as he took another step back from the blonde jonin. His wide dark gray eyes, then shifted around the room looking for an escape route. Kakashi's back was pressed against the guest bed, as he concluded that there's no way he can escape.

"How did you get these injuries?" Minato asked more calmly as he got down on one knee. The young Jonin-sensei didn't like the distressed look in Kakashi's eyes, so he's was hoping that if he got down to more eye-level, then Kakashi won't feel as cornered.

Kakashi shrugged but did not say anything. The nine-year-old boy's stance slowly started to relax, as his gaze followed his Sensei's every move. Kakashi was still tense but didn't look like a cornered animal about to go rabid anymore.

"How long has this been happening?" Minato asked gently making sure to keep his hands, where Kakashi can see them.

Kakashi's eyes shifted down at the question he opened his mouth to answer the question, before quickly closing it with a grimace. All Kakashi could think of was the consequences of what will happen if he says anything. But his caring Sensei was making it harder and harder to avoid answering questions. Kakashi was taking slow steady breaths but could feel his heart beating a mile a minute as the world around him started to gull and become unfocused.

"Kakashi, I need you to answer me, okay?" Minato was almost pleading by now. Especially when he noticed Kakashi was starting to space out again. "Hey, I need you to focus. Kakashi? Kakashi, can you do that for me?"

Kakashi's dark grey eyes looked up at his Sensei with a clouded gaze. Minato could feel his heartbreaking at the sight of Kakashi nodding numbly at him to answer his question. That's when Minato got an idea that might help his little, silver-haired student find his voice.

"Do you trust me, Kakashi?" Minato asked softly with a warm smile. Just like the day when the team went to the Ichiraku ramen stand for the first time.

"Yes," Kakashi answered just above a whisper as he gave a single nod.

"Do you trust me to keep you safe?" Minato continued in the same tone his smile grew at Kakashi's reply.

"Yes," the boy quietly replied with another nod, after a moment of hesitation.

"Did you stay with the Hatake wolf pack on Saturday?" Minato asked, slowly getting back to the topic at hand.

"Yes."

"What about on Sunday?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"..." Kakashi almost answers but quickly shrugs instead.

"Was that when you got injured?"

"Y-yes," Kakashi answers shifting were he stood, as he barely nods looking at the floor ashamed.

"It's okay Kakashi," Minato started then stopped when he noticed Kakashi put too much weight on his left leg and silently winced. Seeing one of his students in pain, Minato asks in a heavily concerned voice, "Kakashi, are you still in pain?"

Kakashi hesitates while looking embarrassed that everyone can see his expression so easily now without his mask on. Then the nine-year-old slowly nods, answering his Sensei's question. While leaning back against bed behind him trying to keep weight off his left leg.