Lullaby for a Stormy Night

Song and lyrics made by Vienna Teng, characters (mostly) created by Masashi Kishimoto.

Konoha was famous for some of the fiercest summer storms that ever did brew. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed in deafening reply as rain lashed the windows of the sleeping village.

Uzumaki Naruto remembered many of his childhood nightmares had been attached to these very storms. But he was a man now, Hokage even, but that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was the little boy curled up in a terrified ball in his bed, afraid to sleep because of the raging elements outside. Naruto's expression softened as he sat down next to his son. Terrified pearl eyes stared at him from behind a shaggy curtain of dark hair. The boy looked so much like his mother…

Hinata generally did the parental comforting in situations like this, but she wasn't there due to a mission in Suna. Naruto cleared his throat, and tried to remember the words to the lullaby Hinata had taught him. His voice was a bit scratchy and far too masculine for the tender, delicate lyrics, but he was doing his best.

"Little child, be not afraid, though rain pounds harshly against the glass like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger, I am here tonight," the blonde man sang softly.

Little child, be not afraid

Though thunder explodes and lightning flash

Illuminates your tear-stained face

I am here tonight

And someday you'll know

That nature is so

The same rain that draws you near me

Falls on rivers and land

On forests and sand

Makes the beautiful world that you'll see

In the morning

Little child, be not afraid

Though storm clouds mask your beloved moon

And its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams

I am here tonight

And someday you'll know

That nature is so

The same rain that draws you near me

Falls on rivers and land

On forests and sand

Makes the beautiful world that you'll see

In the morning

Naruto almost faltered as his son burrowed into his side, seeking shelter from the tempest outside. He remembered that he had been just as scared of storms at that tender age, and, in lieu of a father, he'd had Iruka to fall back on.

Little child, be not afraid

Though wind makes creatures of our trees

And their branches to hands, they're not real, understand

And I am here tonight

For you know, once even I

Little child, and I was afraid

But a gentle someone always came

To dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for tears

And give a kiss good night

Well now I am grown

And these years have shown

That rain's a part of how life goes

But it's dark and it's late

So I'll hold you and wait

'Til your frightened eyes do close

And I hope that you'll know

That nature is so

The same rain that draws you near me

Falls on rivers and land

On forests and sand

Makes the beautiful world that you'll see

In the morning

Everything's fine in the morning

The rain will be gone in the morning

I'll still be here in the morning…

Naruto's song drifted to a gentle close as he sat holding his now sleeping son, letting his memories lapse once again to Iruka. With Iruka there, the frightening clawed shadows on his wall had become benign tree branches once again, no longer monsters out to eat him. The chunin would then give him an almost fatherly kiss on the forehead and stay with him until the storms blew over. Naruto now did the same thing for his son. He gave the boy a kiss on the forehead and made himself comfortable, because he wasn't leaving until the sun shone clear in the sky again.

Author's Note: Pointless father/son fluff, made purely to soften the heart and cause eyes to water over. As to the name of Naruto and Hinata's son…think of something. You're all mostly an intelligent bunch of people (and Heron says mostly in the most affectionate sense of the term, mind you. Like Naruto, some people have strengths other than intelligence). Heron saw an AMV on youtube, and the plot bunny hit hard and fast. The song is 'Lullaby for a Stormy Night' by Vienna Teng. It's extremely pretty, if ever you get around to looking it up. Anyway, happy All Hallows' Eve, friends.