A Blade and an Heir (Kakashi Omake)
You have been ruminating over what to do about the repair of the White Chakra Sabre. Normally, if you had children, you would have your heir watch the process, but you have sworn against having children – even got a vasectomy, with Minato-sensei's reluctant blessing, at a really young age, along with a seal the same made for you that will keep you from getting your genetic material stolen, the vasectomy reversed without your consent, from simply getting unlucky and getting someone pregnant anyway or from getting your secrets (or the Sharingan's) stolen after death.
You can have Shadow Clones serve as your assistants, but you can't lie to yourself, not about this – you have already decided. You know that this action will announce to all and sundry that Shiro Hyuga is your heir, not just your apprentice, but this child has saved you from your darkness; his charisma, intelligence and talent are through the roof, a child like that is likely to go far. Most importantly, he is empathetic; he knows how to listen, and how to heal a soul. 'I hate people being left alone; they deserve someone to be with them,' he said, and, 'I just want to help people'. He is a meddler in the best way possible.
Without guidance, though, this rotten world will chew him up and kill him, or turn him into a horrible caricature of himself – that is one reason you offered to make him your apprentice. Another is that you want to be part of his success. You know it's selfish of- no. You won't go there. You are slowly learning that doing things for yourself is natural, as long as you are not affecting anyone else negatively – you are not going back to the person who was slowly killing himself so that he could see his family and friends! Back to the matter of the blade, you intend to make Shiro your heir, and will treat him as such.
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As you reforge the steel, you let yourself be carried by the song of the blade; the lyrics that call for you, and all of its rightful wielders, to take it and become its avatars of death and destruction. At some point late in the process, you realize that Shiro can hear the song; he doesn't actually tell you, but to someone who knows the signs, it's glaringly obvious – it only took you so long because you were too busy with the reforging process.
Your lips curve upwards a bit; the blade has accepted him, and you only have to make things official. Once you are no longer fit for duty, or dead, Shiro is going to inherit this blade, along with the rest of your possessions except a few bequests for Gai. You are not alone. That is what Shiro, your apprentice, your heir, has taught you. By the end, Shiro has fallen asleep – you wake him up and say, "thank you".
"For what? I didn't do anything...?" He replies.
"For being here," you tell him, "it's enough," and there is just so much meaning packed in those few words, even though your expression has barely changed….